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Rebel Blue Ranch #1
Done and Dusted
She’s off-limits, but he’s never been good at following the rules.
For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy” Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape.
Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her.
Emmy’s got too much on her mind to think about romance. And Luke knows he should stay away from his best friend’s younger sister. But what if Luke is just what Emmy needs to get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?
For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy” Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape.
Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her.
Emmy’s got too much on her mind to think about romance. And Luke knows he should stay away from his best friend’s younger sister. But what if Luke is just what Emmy needs to get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?
356 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 6, 2023
About the author
Lyla Sage
9 books4,457 followersLyla Sage lives in the Wild West with her loyal companion, a sweet, old, blind rescue pitbull. She writes romance that feels like her favorite things: sunshine and big blue skies. She is also the author of Done and Dusted. When she’s not writing, she’s reading.
Instagram: @authorlylasage
TikTok: @authorlylasage
Threads: @authorlylasage
https://linktr.ee/authorlylasage
Instagram: @authorlylasage
TikTok: @authorlylasage
Threads: @authorlylasage
https://linktr.ee/authorlylasage
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 19,294 reviews
June 28, 2023
4.5⭐️ BROTHERS BEST FRIEND??? Sign me up. I loved this book sm.
July 28, 2023
well, y’all know what they say: save a horse, ride a cowboy. especially if that cowboy is Luke Brooks.🤠✨
i cannot and will not get over how much i love the cover of this book. automatically buying the rest of the series simply for this reason.
(p.s. this is your sign to add more cowboy romance to your tbr immediately. you’re welcome.)
i cannot and will not get over how much i love the cover of this book. automatically buying the rest of the series simply for this reason.
(p.s. this is your sign to add more cowboy romance to your tbr immediately. you’re welcome.)
November 23, 2023
4.5 -cowgirl- stars
❃ - the writing was so fast passed oscillating between a prefect combo of cute, fluffy moments and hot, steamy scenes.
❃ - the protagonists’ were painted through the storyline with more depth than them "being together". they were lovable as a couple and even as individuals. emmy (fmc) was dealing with a shattered life after facing a life-altering trauma. luke (mmc) had not experienced the warmest household but the way his character was so kind and understanding with emmy, trying to help her cope with her fears -those moments were so beautifully orchestrated- it was simply and plainly precious. their relationship was perfectly balanced every time he was there for her she was there for him.
/!\ mini tiny spoilers /!\
❃- unpopular opinion im not a fan of brother’s bestfriend romance and im always reticent to read them but this one was so refreshing:
1➺he didn’t want to hide their relationship because he feared he brothers rection, on the contrary, he was so proud to be with her and enarmoued that he could’ve screamed it on a rooftop.
2➺ she wasn’t in love with him for her entire life or had a crush on him (minus a little crush at 13yo that quickly evaporated). she didn’t attribute him more than the role of her brother’s bestfriend or the guy that was much older and always annoyed her because he was always stuck in their house and ranch and thankfully he didn’t see her as a sister until boomboomshakala she grew up ..
3➺ sadly we got the homosapien-brotherly-act of "don’t ever touch my sister blablabla" *deep, deep breath* however, i decided to overlook it but i sincerely hope the brother is more likable in his own book.
P.S: the next book isn’t about Gus (the meh-brother) and Tobby (emmy’s bestfriend) but please, PLEASE LYLA just confirm that they’ll end up together 😭 I CANT BREATHE UNTIL I KNOW FOR SURE
~•~•~•~
rn all i need is cute..
❛ I couldn’t believe the universe was so big, and I got placed on this random floating rock at the same time as Clementine Ryder.❜
❃ - the writing was so fast passed oscillating between a prefect combo of cute, fluffy moments and hot, steamy scenes.
"It was like everything about her was designed to drive me crazy."
"Hand me a pillow, and then lift your hips.” I did what he said." and.. imagine the rest 🤭
❃ - the protagonists’ were painted through the storyline with more depth than them "being together". they were lovable as a couple and even as individuals. emmy (fmc) was dealing with a shattered life after facing a life-altering trauma. luke (mmc) had not experienced the warmest household but the way his character was so kind and understanding with emmy, trying to help her cope with her fears -those moments were so beautifully orchestrated- it was simply and plainly precious. their relationship was perfectly balanced every time he was there for her she was there for him.
"He rested his forehead against mine. “What was that for?” I breathed.
“no one’s ever stood up for me before,” he said." c r y i n g. 🙂
"you made this? For me?” He looked at me like making this was the most obvious thing in the world for him to do. I had this funny feeling in my chest. No one had ever done anything like this for me before. I couldn’t believe it. “When did you do this?”
“Last night."
/!\ mini tiny spoilers /!\
❃- unpopular opinion im not a fan of brother’s bestfriend romance and im always reticent to read them but this one was so refreshing:
1➺he didn’t want to hide their relationship because he feared he brothers rection, on the contrary, he was so proud to be with her and enarmoued that he could’ve screamed it on a rooftop.
“I’ve been people’s dirty little secret before, and I didn’t care because I didn’t care about them, but I care about you.” His voice was firm, but still soft and kind.” s c r e a m i n g.
2➺ she wasn’t in love with him for her entire life or had a crush on him (minus a little crush at 13yo that quickly evaporated). she didn’t attribute him more than the role of her brother’s bestfriend or the guy that was much older and always annoyed her because he was always stuck in their house and ranch and thankfully he didn’t see her as a sister until boomboomshakala she grew up ..
"He deserved better.aren’t they so cute ?🥺
It was weird, spending time with Brooks this way. I’d known him nearly my entire life, but I didn’t actually know him."
3➺ sadly we got the homosapien-brotherly-act of "don’t ever touch my sister blablabla" *deep, deep breath* however, i decided to overlook it but i sincerely hope the brother is more likable in his own book.
P.S: the next book isn’t about Gus (the meh-brother) and Tobby (emmy’s bestfriend) but please, PLEASE LYLA just confirm that they’ll end up together 😭 I CANT BREATHE UNTIL I KNOW FOR SURE
~•~•~•~
rn all i need is cute..
October 29, 2023
NO THIRD ACT BREAK-UP BABY
July 10, 2023
if i had a pound for everytime he called her “sugar” i'd be a billionaire
April 16, 2024
not me giving 5 stars to another small town cowboy romance. 🙃
August 10, 2023
I love cowboys
June 17, 2023
WHAT A FUN. CUTE. AND STEAMY BOOOOK!!!
i had so much fun w this one. yeehaw! 🤠 the banter, their friendship, the spice???? loved. and it was so short and quick.
HOWEVER.. TEDDY AND GUS????? I NEED. I NEEEEED THEMMMMM NOWWWW!!!!!
i had so much fun w this one. yeehaw! 🤠 the banter, their friendship, the spice???? loved. and it was so short and quick.
HOWEVER.. TEDDY AND GUS????? I NEED. I NEEEEED THEMMMMM NOWWWW!!!!!
March 25, 2024
I loved this omg it was so cute🥹
Rtc!
——-
I haven’t read a cute little romance in ages bc i have been reading a lot of fantasy lately but i want to get back to romance so here i am breaking my romance fasting with this one🤣
Rtc!
——-
I haven’t read a cute little romance in ages bc i have been reading a lot of fantasy lately but i want to get back to romance so here i am breaking my romance fasting with this one🤣
February 28, 2024
2.25/5
A bit boring, unoriginal, with lots of overused phrases that can probably be found in hundreds of romance novels these days. These are the first things that came to my mind after finishing it, because seriously, you could find hundreds of almost identical books, but I still somehow enjoyed it to some extent as I basically read it in two days.
I think the book could have been more enjoyable if the main characters were more likeable. The heroine was okay, even though some of her actions were just stupid, but the hero? This guy was insufferable most of the time.
You definitely threw her under the bus.
He shows up tipsy and late with his hookup to take you home because his best friend asked him to, and you smile at the memory because at least he showed up? The bar is in hell.
The writing style was entertaining enough to keep me engaged in the story, although I still skipped some things because I didn't care about them, but some of the sentences here were painful to read.
Is this sentence a requirement in romance books nowadays? I've seen this exact phrase in at least hundreds of romances.
It’s literally the TikTok sound. The originality is dead in books these days.
Honestly, I picked up this book because the second story is coming out in a few days and I wanted to see if this series is worth reading, and now I'm not even sure if I'll read it. Maybe, maybe not. I remember liking some of the books in the Chestnut Springs series from Elsie Silver and I feel like Lyla Sage took a lot of inspiration from it, so like I said, maybe I'll read the second book, because it might be the same situation as in the Chestnut series, in which some books worked for me and others didn't. We’ll see.
A bit boring, unoriginal, with lots of overused phrases that can probably be found in hundreds of romance novels these days. These are the first things that came to my mind after finishing it, because seriously, you could find hundreds of almost identical books, but I still somehow enjoyed it to some extent as I basically read it in two days.
I think the book could have been more enjoyable if the main characters were more likeable. The heroine was okay, even though some of her actions were just stupid, but the hero? This guy was insufferable most of the time.
"Emmy is in Meadowlark?” Gus’s tone was tight. Shit. I definitely threw Emmy under the bus.
“Yeah, she left my bar with Kenny Wyatt last night.” Again, shit."
You definitely threw her under the bus.
"I felt the smallest of smiles tug at the corners of my mouth, thinking about Luke Brooks having to ask that girl to drive him to go pick up his best friend’s little sister."
He shows up tipsy and late with his hookup to take you home because his best friend asked him to, and you smile at the memory because at least he showed up? The bar is in hell.
The writing style was entertaining enough to keep me engaged in the story, although I still skipped some things because I didn't care about them, but some of the sentences here were painful to read.
"You can take it, sugar. I’ll go slow.”
Is this sentence a requirement in romance books nowadays? I've seen this exact phrase in at least hundreds of romances.
"How much do I owe you?” she asked.
“On the house.”
“You sure?” she asked."
It’s literally the TikTok sound. The originality is dead in books these days.
Honestly, I picked up this book because the second story is coming out in a few days and I wanted to see if this series is worth reading, and now I'm not even sure if I'll read it. Maybe, maybe not. I remember liking some of the books in the Chestnut Springs series from Elsie Silver and I feel like Lyla Sage took a lot of inspiration from it, so like I said, maybe I'll read the second book, because it might be the same situation as in the Chestnut series, in which some books worked for me and others didn't. We’ll see.
April 26, 2024
3.75* !
July 4, 2023
★ 1 star
i didn’t enjoy this book at all. i really tried to get invested but i just couldn’t.
the characters weren’t well developed, the story itself bored me to death and the romance was way too insta-lovey for my taste. i honestly didn’t see any chemistry between the main couple because it felt rushed and forced.
i didn’t enjoy this book at all. i really tried to get invested but i just couldn’t.
the characters weren’t well developed, the story itself bored me to death and the romance was way too insta-lovey for my taste. i honestly didn’t see any chemistry between the main couple because it felt rushed and forced.
March 21, 2024
“I couldn’t believe the universe was so big, and I got placed on this random floating rock at the same time as Clementine Ryder.”
“Save a horse, ride a cowboy” is the new motto of my life.
I'm definitely enjoying my cowboy era these days. Also isn't the cover of this book looks ✨️ G O R G E O U S ✨️
This book is super cute, and had adorable, wholesome small town moments and Ryder family moments, all the fluff and steamy scenes, and the heartwarming romance story that I needed. Also this had brother's bestfriend trope with a pinch of hate to love relationship.
“I know we shouldn’t do this because a million things could go wrong, but you feel so right.”
I enjoyed the story though I was a little bore in between the chapters. The characters were written so well considering that it is Lyla's debut novel The pacing was fast which why I liked it even more. I wish we got scenes where they were working together to get more natural sense of their relationship and slow burn romance.
➸ Luke Brooks
Broody bar owner and a Cowboy in Meadowlark 🤠 this man is just perfect and damn the things he did for Emmy and everyone made him even more than just perfect. T-shirt mutilator and careless Luke is everything you need because no matter how he tries to show he doesn't care but he does and so deeply that he would do anything to help his loved ones. His thoughtful and protective side was just so adorable 🥺💘 I really need find myself a Luke Brooks because who doesn't love a hot and thoughtful cowboy in their bed with a dirty dirty mouth.
“When it came to Emmy, I was playing with fire, but I would happily walk into the flames for her. And I’d have a smile on my face the whole damn time.”
➸ Emmy Ryder
A horse rider who is back in her hometown after her accident while riding. I didn’t felt much connected to her in the start but she did grew on me slowly throughout the book. She is grumpy, sassy and loves to be in control but when Luke entered her life everything changed for the better for her and I liked how she never denied what she felt for him but actually acted on those feelings.
“Luke wasn’t my secret. He was just mine.”
╰┈➤ Luke and Emmy
Luke and Emmy were amazing. Their hate to love dynamics and banter added more tension and spice to their romance. He never thought of her as his little sister even when she was young, it was always Gus's little sister and his “SUGAR” for him. They helped each other and start trusting each other more and knowing more about each other and bringing out each other's soft sides. But I wish we actually get to read those scenes. They were kind of skipped over.
“Fuck off, Brooks.” He let out a low whistle that ended in a chuckle. I hated when he did that. “Glad to see your tongue is still sharp as ever, sugar.” The way he said “sugar” was almost demeaning.
“Don’t. Call. Me. That.” I paused after every word, letting my annoyance with Brooks punctuate every syllable.
Their relationship developed from kind of enemies to friends to lovers. Luke always cared about her since they were little kids and he did in his own way which always pissed Emmy. But present Luke helped Emmy to deal with her fear of racing again and helped her with everything she needed. They were always there for each other no matter what 🥺💘 Emmy Luke's love was steady and slow and perfect the way they are for each other.
“You made this? For me?” He looked at me like making this was the most obvious thing in the world for him to do. I had this funny feeling in my chest. No one had ever done anything like this for me before. I couldn’t believe it.
“When did you do this?”
“Last night.”
He rested his forehead against mine.
“What was that for?” I breathed.
“No one’s ever stood up for me before,” he said.
Why are they so cute!?
The ending was super cute with the exact amount of drama and I hope we get more of Luke and Emmy in the next books. Also the whole brotherly my-little-sister-was-off-limits-for-you-brooks drama Gus created was definitely not needed and I hope he becomes less annoying in his book but I know sassy Teddy knows how to shut him up 💅🏼 and I love Wes so much in this one and he is such a sweet cinnamon roll 🥹 and I'm already in love with him 💘 I'm even more excited for the upcoming books in this series!
June 26, 2023
from this book i've learned that PTSD, panic attacks, and ADHD are no match for sexy cowboys. never mind therapy apparently all you need is a good dickin
October 24, 2023
Happy re-release day to my favourite cowboy romance! 🤠💘
This was such a sweet, quick read and the cover is so cute! Emmy and Brooks were adorable, I was rooting for them the whole time. I don't think I’ve ever read a brother's best friend romance before and I didn't expect to enjoy it, but I did! I really liked the family aspect of the book, Emmy’s dad was so sweet. Emmy and Teddy's friendship was really fun, I loved how complimentary they were for each other! But omg the bar scene on Teddy's birthday where Brooks took Emmy into the back! 🤭
This was such a good Sunday night binge read! I loved the small town setting, and the ranch specifically, her cabin sounded so cozy! And it had no dumb miscommunication at the end! I was also picturing the bar Brooks owned as my uni town's country bar (shout out Cowboys Ranch London lol) the whole time, I miss that place 🫶🏼 If you are a fan of cowboy romances add thus to your tbr, it is a must read!
Check out my reviews for Lyla Sage’s books here:
Done and Dusted - 5 stars
Swift and Saddled - Release date: March 25th, 2024
This was such a sweet, quick read and the cover is so cute! Emmy and Brooks were adorable, I was rooting for them the whole time. I don't think I’ve ever read a brother's best friend romance before and I didn't expect to enjoy it, but I did! I really liked the family aspect of the book, Emmy’s dad was so sweet. Emmy and Teddy's friendship was really fun, I loved how complimentary they were for each other! But omg the bar scene on Teddy's birthday where Brooks took Emmy into the back! 🤭
This was such a good Sunday night binge read! I loved the small town setting, and the ranch specifically, her cabin sounded so cozy! And it had no dumb miscommunication at the end! I was also picturing the bar Brooks owned as my uni town's country bar (shout out Cowboys Ranch London lol) the whole time, I miss that place 🫶🏼 If you are a fan of cowboy romances add thus to your tbr, it is a must read!
Check out my reviews for Lyla Sage’s books here:
Done and Dusted - 5 stars
Swift and Saddled - Release date: March 25th, 2024
March 15, 2024
4.25, groundbreaking? no. so good? ya, for sure. luke & emmy 5-ever ౨ৎ
July 30, 2023
Officially entering my cowboy era thanks to this book. 🤠
"Sugar, you deserve to go out on your own terms. Just because you got dusted doesn't mean you're done."
This is western mountain sunshine encapsulated between pages with sexy spice. Such a perfect little small town cowboy romance! I just want to slowly let Meadowlark, Wyoming absorb me until I am a horse riding--or more accurately cowboy riding, because save a horse and all that--citizen. This was sweet and spicy and heartwarming and just an overall amazing debut novel from Lyla Sage. We've got a tall, sexy, badboy, tight-jeans-wearing cowboy in Luke Brooks, who owns the local bar and also teaches children how to ride horses *swoon.* We've got the sweet but struggling daughter of a ranch owner in Clementine "Emmy" Ryder, who is returning to her hometown after a horseracing accident (she's also five feet nine so shout out to my tall girlies!). Luke comes from a troubled childhood and has been basically taken in by the well-off Ryder family since he was young and is best friends with Emmy's brother. So Luke and Emmy have known each other for decades in a sibilng-type way. BUT (COW)BOY does that change when she comes back home. So good. 🤠🤍🥃☀️🐎🔥
Luke is just so perfect and honestly unproblematic. He doesn't mess up at all throughout this book like so many current romance-book-boyfriends tend to. He's just undramatic, charismatic, protective, and off-the-charts in love with Emmy. He also knows how to *properly* take a shot of whisky....*proceeds to faint.* Luke just gets Emmy, and not just because he had a platonic relationship with her when she was young. He sees her mental health struggles and becomes her safe space, her biggest supporter, and the person and place where she can go and breathe without thinking. Isn't that what we all want in a guy? A place to feel safe in a crowd full of strangers. Luke becomes her healer, her lover, and her best friend. And Emmy, in turn, becomes his home. Its a beautifully written story with a happy happy happy ending for two people who deserve it. Adored this and would recommend it to anyone. CANNOT wait for Wes’s story this fall!
"Sugar, you deserve to go out on your own terms. Just because you got dusted doesn't mean you're done."
This is western mountain sunshine encapsulated between pages with sexy spice. Such a perfect little small town cowboy romance! I just want to slowly let Meadowlark, Wyoming absorb me until I am a horse riding--or more accurately cowboy riding, because save a horse and all that--citizen. This was sweet and spicy and heartwarming and just an overall amazing debut novel from Lyla Sage. We've got a tall, sexy, badboy, tight-jeans-wearing cowboy in Luke Brooks, who owns the local bar and also teaches children how to ride horses *swoon.* We've got the sweet but struggling daughter of a ranch owner in Clementine "Emmy" Ryder, who is returning to her hometown after a horseracing accident (she's also five feet nine so shout out to my tall girlies!). Luke comes from a troubled childhood and has been basically taken in by the well-off Ryder family since he was young and is best friends with Emmy's brother. So Luke and Emmy have known each other for decades in a sibilng-type way. BUT (COW)BOY does that change when she comes back home. So good. 🤠🤍🥃☀️🐎🔥
Luke is just so perfect and honestly unproblematic. He doesn't mess up at all throughout this book like so many current romance-book-boyfriends tend to. He's just undramatic, charismatic, protective, and off-the-charts in love with Emmy. He also knows how to *properly* take a shot of whisky....*proceeds to faint.* Luke just gets Emmy, and not just because he had a platonic relationship with her when she was young. He sees her mental health struggles and becomes her safe space, her biggest supporter, and the person and place where she can go and breathe without thinking. Isn't that what we all want in a guy? A place to feel safe in a crowd full of strangers. Luke becomes her healer, her lover, and her best friend. And Emmy, in turn, becomes his home. Its a beautifully written story with a happy happy happy ending for two people who deserve it. Adored this and would recommend it to anyone. CANNOT wait for Wes’s story this fall!
March 4, 2024
4 ⭐️ A sweet and very sexy debut western romance
"Even if you weren't in my bar, you would be my business. You've always been my business, and you'll always be my business."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ cowboy romance
✨ Wyoming ranch setting
✨ he's a reformed bad boy and owner of the local bar
✨ she's a barrel racer returning home after a scary fall
✨ brother's best friend
✨ forbidden love
✨ he falls first
✨ annoyance to love
✨ "I can't stay away from you anymore"
✨ amazing banter
✨ 3/5 spice
✨ found family
✨ ADHD rep and sensory issues (fmc)
✨ dual pov
✨ low angst
✨ HEA
My Thoughts:
I’m usually not a huge country, small-town romance girlie, but I am now!!! I absolutely adore this story! The characters are so lovable, the spice is top-tier (don't let the innocent cover fool you), and the writing makes you feel like you're transported to Rebel Blue Ranch in Meadowlark, Wyoming. It's low angst and high swoon - the perfect feel-good book!
Luke and Emmy totally have my heart. These two have so much chemistry and I LOVED their banter.
I found Emmy to be so relatable, and I really appreciate how this story addresses ADHD, anxiety, and trauma. 👏
And Luke is . . . good lord, this man is just so f**king HOT. The words that come out of his mouth are absolutely filthy. For example:
I also never knew being called sugar was fucking sexy until I read this book.
I've also never read a story where I fall in love with every single side character. Wes, Teddy, Amos, Gus, Riley, and Hank are all so wonderful in their own ways, and I liked how Lyla explored the different relationships the MCs have with each of these characters. And while I love them all, Wes is definitely my favorite with his loyal, quiet, but sexy, golden retriever energy!!!!!!! I seriously need his book, Swift and Saddled, ASAP!
This is one hell of a debut novel, and I'm so proud of Lyla Sage for creating this beautiful world!!! You crushed it, babe!!
Thank you so much Lyla Sage for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
-
Rebel Blue Ranch Series:
1. Done and Dusted: 4⭐️
2. Swift and Saddled (March 5, 2024)
3. Lost and Lassoed (Fall 2024)
4. Untitled
-
Favorite Quotes:
Today, I saw the only thing in my life that I ever thought was prettier than Rebel Blue, and that was Emmy.
_______
It's like I had spent my life getting pieces of her, and now I was finally putting the pieces together. Guess what? There wasn't any piece of Emmy that I didn't like. I was so f*cked.
_______
She fit in my arms like she was made for them. I'd like to think that she was.
_______
My dad was like a river, steady and strong. I could see how my mom got swept away.
_______
"Sugar, you deserve to go out on your own terms. Just because you got dusted, doesn't mean you're done."
_______
I didn't really know how to be in love, but I knew that I wanted to be with Emmy, in every way that I could. I wanted the kitchen slow dances, night out with shots, rides through the mountains, hot sex, afternoon naps, two-lane highways with the windows down. I wanted it all.
_______
Luke wasn't my secret. He was just mine.
_______
"That's right, sugar. Keep riding me."
_______
"Even if you weren't in my bar, you would be my business. You've always been my business, and you'll always be my business."
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✨ cowboy romance
✨ Wyoming ranch setting
✨ he's a reformed bad boy and owner of the local bar
✨ she's a barrel racer returning home after a scary fall
✨ brother's best friend
✨ forbidden love
✨ he falls first
✨ annoyance to love
✨ "I can't stay away from you anymore"
✨ amazing banter
✨ 3/5 spice
✨ found family
✨ ADHD rep and sensory issues (fmc)
✨ dual pov
✨ low angst
✨ HEA
My Thoughts:
I’m usually not a huge country, small-town romance girlie, but I am now!!! I absolutely adore this story! The characters are so lovable, the spice is top-tier (don't let the innocent cover fool you), and the writing makes you feel like you're transported to Rebel Blue Ranch in Meadowlark, Wyoming. It's low angst and high swoon - the perfect feel-good book!
Luke and Emmy totally have my heart. These two have so much chemistry and I LOVED their banter.
I found Emmy to be so relatable, and I really appreciate how this story addresses ADHD, anxiety, and trauma. 👏
And Luke is . . . good lord, this man is just so f**king HOT. The words that come out of his mouth are absolutely filthy. For example:
“Stop staring at my cock like that, sugar.”
My eyes shot back up to Brooks. “L-like what?”
“Like you want me to put you on your knees and shove it down your throat.”🥵
I also never knew being called sugar was fucking sexy until I read this book.
“Tell me you’re mine, Emmy.” I needed to hear it.
“I’m yours.”
“That’s right, sugar. I’m the only one that gets to have you like this.” 💕
I've also never read a story where I fall in love with every single side character. Wes, Teddy, Amos, Gus, Riley, and Hank are all so wonderful in their own ways, and I liked how Lyla explored the different relationships the MCs have with each of these characters. And while I love them all, Wes is definitely my favorite with his loyal, quiet, but sexy, golden retriever energy!!!!!!! I seriously need his book, Swift and Saddled, ASAP!
This is one hell of a debut novel, and I'm so proud of Lyla Sage for creating this beautiful world!!! You crushed it, babe!!
Thank you so much Lyla Sage for an ARC in exchange for an honest review. As always, all opinions are my own.
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Rebel Blue Ranch Series:
1. Done and Dusted: 4⭐️
2. Swift and Saddled (March 5, 2024)
3. Lost and Lassoed (Fall 2024)
4. Untitled
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Favorite Quotes:
Today, I saw the only thing in my life that I ever thought was prettier than Rebel Blue, and that was Emmy.
_______
It's like I had spent my life getting pieces of her, and now I was finally putting the pieces together. Guess what? There wasn't any piece of Emmy that I didn't like. I was so f*cked.
_______
She fit in my arms like she was made for them. I'd like to think that she was.
_______
My dad was like a river, steady and strong. I could see how my mom got swept away.
_______
"Sugar, you deserve to go out on your own terms. Just because you got dusted, doesn't mean you're done."
_______
I didn't really know how to be in love, but I knew that I wanted to be with Emmy, in every way that I could. I wanted the kitchen slow dances, night out with shots, rides through the mountains, hot sex, afternoon naps, two-lane highways with the windows down. I wanted it all.
_______
Luke wasn't my secret. He was just mine.
_______
"That's right, sugar. Keep riding me."
_______
June 27, 2023
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5 - I got past the cut-out muscle tees, and I've decided I love Emmy and Luke! They're adorable and perfectly dusty small-town romance ranch hand adorable-ness!!! 🐎⛰️
The biggest reason I've decided I love Done & Dusted is because Emmy has ADHD (I have ADD), and Luke used to be a bad boy player. My hubs was that way, so I guess I totally relate to those parts of the story. Lol, hope everyone gets to read it!!! 🖤🖤🖤
↑↑ Update - Finshed June 27th, 2023 ↑↑
You guys.. the hero.... wears cut-out muscle tees. I cannot even begin to describe my level of outrage. 😠😠
I'm gonna continue reading...but still.
I wanted a sexy cowboy situation. Absolutely no one asked for a cut-off muscle tee. Just no. I want to see faded tees and sun-washed board shorts whilst at the beach or on the boat, and if we're out in the sticks? I want soft twenty-year-old shirts that have been dried a million times and jeans that make butts look good. There is absolutely no call for mutilating your t-shirts and especially not in my smutty reads!!!! 👏👏
***The only one to prove me wrong has been a guy on Goodreads whose profile photo does, in fact, reflect a cut-out tee but actually comments and is respectful. If my fellow Goodreads ladies know, then you know! 😂😂
Follow Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Posts Here 🖤
↑↑ Update - Started June 23rd, 2023 ↑↑
NOTES:
- Small-town romance
- Childhood Frenemies to lovers
- 🌶️🌶️/5 - Lots of tension built up, and then 💥💥
The biggest reason I've decided I love Done & Dusted is because Emmy has ADHD (I have ADD), and Luke used to be a bad boy player. My hubs was that way, so I guess I totally relate to those parts of the story. Lol, hope everyone gets to read it!!! 🖤🖤🖤
↑↑ Update - Finshed June 27th, 2023 ↑↑
You guys.. the hero.... wears cut-out muscle tees. I cannot even begin to describe my level of outrage. 😠😠
I'm gonna continue reading...but still.
I wanted a sexy cowboy situation. Absolutely no one asked for a cut-off muscle tee. Just no. I want to see faded tees and sun-washed board shorts whilst at the beach or on the boat, and if we're out in the sticks? I want soft twenty-year-old shirts that have been dried a million times and jeans that make butts look good. There is absolutely no call for mutilating your t-shirts and especially not in my smutty reads!!!! 👏👏
***The only one to prove me wrong has been a guy on Goodreads whose profile photo does, in fact, reflect a cut-out tee but actually comments and is respectful. If my fellow Goodreads ladies know, then you know! 😂😂
Follow Me On Instagram 🦋 || More Bookish Posts Here 🖤
↑↑ Update - Started June 23rd, 2023 ↑↑
NOTES:
- Small-town romance
- Childhood Frenemies to lovers
- 🌶️🌶️/5 - Lots of tension built up, and then 💥💥
June 10, 2023
cute but they were just acting like horny teenagers for 300 pages
January 17, 2024
*started and finished today* that’s when you know it’s a 5 star. Also the fact that when I wasn’t reading I was thinking about it and then the simple act of picking it back up had me GIGGLING.
Once I started this book I knew it was going to be a favorite of mine. Nothing beats a small town country book that has a big family and a ranch. With hot cowboys must I add!
Luke Brooks immediately became a top book boyfriend. From the second he became jealous over Emmy in the bar I was down for this man. And then he opens his mouth and I’m DONE FOR!!!!! Me reading this book was definitely a sight to see, I had the most physical reactions. I was so giddy over it I couldn’t contain myself. I don’t think I’ll get over Luke Brooks. Thank god I read this book and was introduced to this hot cowboy of a man.
Everything about this book was perfect. I loved the family vibes and I loved Emmy’s character. I love how we saw Emmy build herself back up from reaching a low in her life. She was struggling both mentally and physically and Luke had been the biggest contributor to bringing her back to the woman he had always known her to be. A strong, confident, and independent woman.
I love Teddy so much also. I resonated with her character so much and how she is so selfless. It brings her joy to do acts of services for the ones she loved without needing it in return. I truly adored her character and she also made me laugh so much.
That’s another thing about this book that I enjoyed. It was filled with humor and packed with lighthearted feels.
All around an amazing book and I won’t stop thinking about it. I can’t wait to be back on Rebel Blue Ranch in March. 🥹🥹🫶🏻🫶🏻
Once I started this book I knew it was going to be a favorite of mine. Nothing beats a small town country book that has a big family and a ranch. With hot cowboys must I add!
Luke Brooks immediately became a top book boyfriend. From the second he became jealous over Emmy in the bar I was down for this man. And then he opens his mouth and I’m DONE FOR!!!!! Me reading this book was definitely a sight to see, I had the most physical reactions. I was so giddy over it I couldn’t contain myself. I don’t think I’ll get over Luke Brooks. Thank god I read this book and was introduced to this hot cowboy of a man.
Everything about this book was perfect. I loved the family vibes and I loved Emmy’s character. I love how we saw Emmy build herself back up from reaching a low in her life. She was struggling both mentally and physically and Luke had been the biggest contributor to bringing her back to the woman he had always known her to be. A strong, confident, and independent woman.
I love Teddy so much also. I resonated with her character so much and how she is so selfless. It brings her joy to do acts of services for the ones she loved without needing it in return. I truly adored her character and she also made me laugh so much.
That’s another thing about this book that I enjoyed. It was filled with humor and packed with lighthearted feels.
All around an amazing book and I won’t stop thinking about it. I can’t wait to be back on Rebel Blue Ranch in March. 🥹🥹🫶🏻🫶🏻
Shelved as 'dnf'
July 2, 2023 dnf @ 44%
i love her lack of energy, go girl give us nothing!
i love her lack of energy, go girl give us nothing!
July 9, 2023
This book is an absolute dream! A steamy, small town, brother's best friend, cowboy romance with stellar writing featuring lovable characters and a fast-paced romance that worked so well with the plot. I honestly cannot believe that this is Lyla Sages' debut, the story is so simple and sweet; I can't wait to read more from her.
September 15, 2023
2.5 stars
confused by the hype for this book. it was very mid.
confused by the hype for this book. it was very mid.
June 15, 2024
3.5★'s
Yeehaw🐴🩵
This was very cutesy! The plot was nothing super special, quite straight forward and predictable to be honest but it felt like being wrapped up in a romcom and it kept me entertained.
All the ranch, country and cowboy references kinda got lost on me but I enjoyed the vibe. 🌾
I did find both our mc's relatable and completely endearing. This book didn't have much depth, but the parts where the author tried to take it in those directions were probably the parts I enjoyed the most. We love an adhd girlie and a troubled cowboy.🤍
I already know that Teddy and Gus' book is gonna fkn slap.
_______
Pre-read:
Hmm, my current read wasn't the right vibe for rn, so trying this instead.
I need something cutesy, yeehaw 🩷
Yeehaw🐴🩵
This was very cutesy! The plot was nothing super special, quite straight forward and predictable to be honest but it felt like being wrapped up in a romcom and it kept me entertained.
All the ranch, country and cowboy references kinda got lost on me but I enjoyed the vibe. 🌾
I did find both our mc's relatable and completely endearing. This book didn't have much depth, but the parts where the author tried to take it in those directions were probably the parts I enjoyed the most. We love an adhd girlie and a troubled cowboy.🤍
I already know that Teddy and Gus' book is gonna fkn slap.
_______
Pre-read:
Hmm, my current read wasn't the right vibe for rn, so trying this instead.
I need something cutesy, yeehaw 🩷
July 23, 2023
DNF* If Luke called Emmy “sugar” one more time I was going to throw my Kindle across the room.
July 21, 2023
3.5 stars
Honestly, I thought this book would end up being just a prettyface cover with basic personality plot, but it ended up being really enjoyable to read.
Honestly, I thought this book would end up being just a pretty
March 28, 2024
maybe my first cowboy romance?? definitely won't be my last though bc this was cute as HECK! the sex scenes weren't my fave (a little too much ~sugar~ for my taste), but the romance and setting made up for that in spades and i cannot wait to carry on in this series!!
July 5, 2024
4/5 ⭐
I did not expect to 1) read this book immediately after I discovered it, 2) read it so fast and 3) enjoy it so much.
I mean I didn't think of cowboy romances. They weren't something I'd ever considered. But I liked the cover of this (you know, it's not the typical horrendous cover with a half-naked cowboyman on the cover and eventually with a straw between his teeth and his bust all muscly and oiled-up for the cover pic).
Yes, I picked yet another book up thanks to the cover. Sue me about it.
Don't get me wrong, it was extremely cheesy and silly, especially at the beginning and in a way, the majority of the characters pissed me off, especially Gus, Emmy's oldest brother, who I found infuriatingly overprotective and a veritable alphahole. Emmy (the female MC) was also annoying me when being way too passive when she needed to put her foot down and defend her own honour.
But even so, this book was so much fun. And frankly, it was quite 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 spicy too, an aspect that is a beautiful little hidden gem for me. You won't believe the filth that pretty cover hides.
All in all, if you are in the mood for a silly, cheesy, spicy romance, you want to keep your reading streak but don't want to use too much brain and also you have a couple hours to spare, this is the read for you.
I did not expect to 1) read this book immediately after I discovered it, 2) read it so fast and 3) enjoy it so much.
I mean I didn't think of cowboy romances. They weren't something I'd ever considered. But I liked the cover of this (you know, it's not the typical horrendous cover with a half-naked cowboyman on the cover and eventually with a straw between his teeth and his bust all muscly and oiled-up for the cover pic).
Yes, I picked yet another book up thanks to the cover. Sue me about it.
Don't get me wrong, it was extremely cheesy and silly, especially at the beginning and in a way, the majority of the characters pissed me off, especially Gus, Emmy's oldest brother, who I found infuriatingly overprotective and a veritable alphahole. Emmy (the female MC) was also annoying me when being way too passive when she needed to put her foot down and defend her own honour.
But even so, this book was so much fun. And frankly, it was quite 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 spicy too, an aspect that is a beautiful little hidden gem for me. You won't believe the filth that pretty cover hides.
All in all, if you are in the mood for a silly, cheesy, spicy romance, you want to keep your reading streak but don't want to use too much brain and also you have a couple hours to spare, this is the read for you.
June 27, 2023
genuinely what was that writing
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