Saddle Up
Lost and Lassoed
Rebel Blue Ranch
Romance
Dial Press
November 5, 2024
Paperback, Ebook, Audiobook
336
She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other. From the bestselling author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small-town romance in which enemies turn to lovers when they’re forced to work together during one hot summer. Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go-with-the-flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy is used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if life in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore. Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s harder: taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether they should act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?
Welcome Back to Rebel Blue Ranch
That’s right, we’re back at Rebel Blue, and finally we’re ready to devour the love story that has been building since “Done and Dusted” .
Saddle up, strap in, and let’s talk about the hurricane that is Teddy and Gus.
“Did you steal that shirt out of Riley’s closet?” I asked, gesturing to his tight blue shirt. Riley was Gus’s six-year-old daughter, and the way his shirt was hugging his chest and biceps, it looked small enough to be hers.
“You know,” he said, finally throwing his emerald eyes toward me, “the way you’re ogling me is making me uncomfortable.”
“Well, the way I can see your nipples through your shirt is making me uncomfortable,” I countered.
These two, individually, are such interesting characters. Gus is a single dad, oldest son, and set to take over the family ranch. Teddy is an only child, care taker, creative genius with a sewing machine, and an attitude that won’t quit. Following either of their stories separately would be enough to capture and keep my attention, but together? Forget about it. They’re the perfect storm — emphasis on storm.
Get Over Yourselves
Teddy and Gus are the most antagonistic characters we’ve met so far. We caught a brief glimpse of banter with Emmy and Luke in book 1, but nothing compares to the tension that bubbles and burns between Teddy and Gus. It all comes to a head when Teddy works for Gus over the summer, helping watch Riley a few days a week while Gus’ co-parent is away for work. Gus needs help; Teddy needs to be needed. It’s a win/win, even if it starts begrudgingly.
“I liked having her around, and not because she was helping with my kid, but because — and I’ll be damned — I liked her. We just… fit. We balanced each other out in a weird way. And the truth was, I’d rather fight with Teddy than be happy with anyone else.”
My favorite part when enemies or rivals become lovers is that moment where one of them lets their guard down. There’s so much time spent with defenses up and backs against the wall that when the time finally comes for someone to give, it feels like letting out a breath you didn’t know you were holding. (See what I did there?)
Final Thoughts
Lyla Sage writes a damn good novel.
I’ve devoured each book in this series so far in a day. There’s nothing that can keep me from turning the page and immersing myself in Rebel Blue Ranch drama. If I could book my reservation at Baby Blue you best believe it would already be booked.
I can’t stop recommending these books. They’re easy to read, and even easier to love. You can’t go wrong with any of the Ryders’ romances. Emmy and Luke felt inevitable in that way that a brother’s best friend romance always does. Wes and Ada proved that there’s a lid for every pot, and the black cat/golden retriever combo is a winner. Teddy and Gus, though, felt like a head-on collision that couldn’t be stopped, and you wouldn’t want to stop it even if you could, because the fire looks like the Fourth of July.
If anyone needs me, I’ll just be here, desperately waiting for “Wild and Wrangled”.
I’m Val, and I’m excited to share my love of books with you! I’m a sassy Sour Patch kid from New Jersey, dog mom to Chance the beagle, and much like the rest of the Hive, I’m a coffee lover (I think it’s a requirement to be here). The first book I remember reading voluntarily involved a boy wizard who lived in the cupboard under the stairs, and I’ve been chasing magic ever since. I love Happily Ever Afters, and I love love. My favorite genres are romance and rom-coms, fantasy, and young adult/new adult. If I’m not reading, I’m probably kayaking, watching the Great British Baking Show, or discovering a new craft beer.
