Swift and Saddled is the second book in Lyla Sage's Rebel Blue Ranch Series and it did not disappoint. For me this series is two for two on books I have very much enjoyed. The writing has pacing that is quick and very easy to get hooked into. The characters are unique, relatable and the best part is they are realistic. I have loved that so far each book tackles some form of mental illness that majority of people deal with.

In Swift and Saddled we meet Ada who is an interior designer looking for a new start. She take's on Wes' big project at Rebel Blue Ranch which is the renovation/Transformation of an old building on the land that he refers to as "Baby Blue". I love the dynamic between these two, I love that they were both so real and had the perfect development through out the book. I did not feel as though their relationship was rushed or forced, it was what I would absolutely deem "just right". I liked the fact that Ada had pieces of her past that us readers were trying to figure out. I loved even more that when those pieces came together and some of her past was coming up in the present there wasn't unnecessary drama surrounding it. With that said though, while drama and break up scenes make me anxious, I also felt a little sad that there wasn't any meaty drama for me to stress over unhealthily.

All in all this is the perfect cozy read! I am typically not even a cowboy romance type reader but the country/cowboy aspect has yet to be over done in these books to where I lose interest or get confused due to being completely unfamiliar with that world. I cannot wait to read the other books in the series which is another thing that this author does an amazing job on. She gives me just enough pieces of the side characters to make me SO EXCITED to read about them. Far to often standalones in a series will be about side characters from the other books that I barely get to know in anyway so I don't care enough to jump to their books immediately. This series is not like that and I need Teddy, Gus and Cam's stories ASAP.

I LOVE LYLA SAGE AND I LOVE THIS BOOK. I only recently picked up Dust & Saddled and BLEW through it. So when I saw this on NetGalley I had to read it and it did not let me down. I think Cowboy Romance is my new choice for 2024. Ugh, Wes is so perfect and Ada is so sweet and together they both had me kicking my feet and giggling in my room!!!! More Lyla Sage please!

Firstly, thank you to Dial Press Paperback & NetGalley for the eArc in exchange for a honest review!

4.5 stars rounded up! This was a big hit for me and I’m so grateful I was able to read it early because I loved done and dusted almost as much as I love Swift and Saddled.

Swift and Saddled follows Ada, a city girl interior designer who was hired to take on the guest ranch for Rebel Blue Ranch, the project being headed by none other than Weston Ryder.

Ada ends up in a dirty hole in the wall bar that every local seems to be at (and a bunch of hot cowboys keep showing up) and since Ada is grappling with a recent divorce and feeling a little lost in life, she finds herself up against a wall making out with one of these hot cowboys.

…. Who ends up being her boss, Wes himself.

This was very much black cat x golden retriever vibes and I loved it. I love the fact that all of the characters act very maturely and communicate in the RBR series. I find myself not getting frustrated as much with them as I usually do with some romances.

I will continue to forever love the mental health representation in the Rebel Blue series. I find myself relating to each character when it comes to little things they’re going though mentally and how it affects their life. I very much appreciate the depression representation in this one and the fact the MMC is the one representing it. I enjoy flawed characters so much because they make everything seem so much more real.

I do think this book could’ve been slightly longer to include more tension between the two characters, but I also love the fact it’s a short romance book and was a quick & cute read. I love Ada and Wes so much!

Book review 📚

Swift & Saddled by @authorlylasage 🌙🛻🔨🥧

I LOVED Done and Dusted so I knew the second book was going to be good but wow I’m so impressed 🙌🏼
I love Lyla’s writing, as I read this book in kept wanting more and couldn’t wait to find out how this story was going to unfold. Ada is an interior designer who feels excited about this new project, she’s creative and knows she’ll only be there until the job is done. Wes is her new boss, he is down to earth and always willing to go out of his way for others. I loved the mental health aspects that were mentioned, it’s so important to see it’s a bumpy ride and not a perfect fairytale. I loved this book so much, I highly recommend reading Done and dusted AND swift and saddled 🤍 I can’t wait to read lost and lassoed🙌🏼

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you @netgalley & @authorlylasage #netgalley #swiftandsaddled #lylasage

A stellar follow up to Done & Dusted. I was so excited to get back to Rebel Blue Ranch! I loved the quirky personality of Ada meshed with the small town cowboy charm of Wes. It had the nostalgic feel of being back on the ranch, but with a whole new and unique storyline that felt fresh and totally different from D&D!

I was so excited to read this book because I just finished Done and Dusted. I have never read cowboy romances before this series, but now, I'm obsessed! I love the Rebel Blue Ranch, and I love the Ryder family!

Ada comes to Rebel Blue Ranch as the interior designer for a project, and she will be working with Wes on his dream project. When she gets to Meadowlark, Wyoming, she meets Wes and shares a passionate kiss with him= the only problem is that they never exchange names, and she doesn't know that he is her boss until the next day!

When she realizes that the hot cowboy that she made out with the night before is her new boss, Ada can't believe her bad luck! On the other hand, Wes can't believe that the woman of his dreams will be working with him for months. Wes is the middle child of the family, and he has been searching for his place and his thing to make him stand out. He can't wait to start working on his renovation project with Ada.

As they are living and working together, Ada wants to keep things professional, and Wes patiently waits to see if she will change her mind. Their interactions are so cute- he teaches her how to drive stick shift, he cooks her favorite meal for her, and he respects her boundaries.

Some of my favorite tropes:
- black cat/golden retriever
- forced proximity- living and working together
- small town romance
- big city girl and small town boy
- depression rep
- he calls her sweetheart

I loved this story so much! Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for an ARC. I can't wait to purchase this book!

Lyla Sage knocked it out of the park with "Done and Dusted" so I was eager to read the next in this series. "Swift and Saddled" did not disappoint! Ada and Wes's story has the same excitement and tension as the romance first in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. This one is so perfect, it doesn't feel repetitive or fall prey to the second book slump. Instead, it's a wonderful continuation that is fantastic in its own right. And I was nervous, because "Done and Dusted" was *chef's kiss*... I mean, the whiskey scene, y'all. Enough said. "Swift and Saddled" is a fantastic contemporary cowboy romance with the perfect black cat x golden retriever vibes. We love a boy who is head over heels for his girl, and Wes is the perfect sweet but spicy book boyfriend. That first kiss in the bar...it's the stuff dreams are made of. And it literally only gets better from there. I'm eagerly anticipating book 3 and can't wait to see who we get to read about next!

3.5⭐️
Another cute and fluffy cowboy romance book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series! This book was a quick read and had the same warm fluffy vibes that Done and Dusted did. This series is great at serving the Cowboy/Western vibes, and the Ryder family has grown on me as I continue the series. I think that these books have done a good job at distinguishing themselves within the Cowboy Romance genre. I’ll admit, at first I was worried they were too similar to other popular books in the same sub-genre, BUT they definitely are able to stand on their own. My only complaint about this series is that while I have enjoyed them, the romance and plot don’t stand out to me and are a little basic. I feel like this book relies a lot on the Cowboy vibes which I’m here for…but I’m hoping book three will add a bit more to the relationship dynamics! That being said, if you’re new to reading romance or are just looking for something quick and easy to read- these would be a great recommendation. I am actually very excited for the next book in the series because Teddy seems like the character with the most spunk!

4.5 !!! 🌟

“He said I was part of Rebel Blue, but I felt like Rebel Blue was a part of me.”

Queen Lyla Sage has done it again!! I couldn’t have imagined anything more perfect for Wes and Ada’s story 🥹 The writing was so easy to connect to, extremely comforting, and downright engaging. While it was lighthearted and fun, I appreciate the refreshing way mental health was portrayed in Wes’s POV.

I’ve been needing a good black cat x golden retriever (definitely one of my top tropes ever) and this definitely scratched that itch. Ada is the type of character that I love to read about- one that’s going on a journey to heal herself, become more secure, and maybe find love along the way. Wes is absolute everything I love in a book boyfriend- swoony, caring, patient, smart, sexy, you name it. He is sunshine personified. Wes Ryder has definitely squeezed his way into the shortlist for my favorite book men🤭

💌 What I loved:
- the sense of family and community with those at rebel blue ranch
- the banter between the all of the guys and girls
- the quiet (yet loud) way wes shows ada his love for her
- ada’s inner dialogue (i relate so deeply to her)
- mental health representation (especially with a male main character)

This book was everything I needed right now, and I couldn’t stop giggling and smiling while reading it. I simply cannot wait for Teddy and Gus’s story next 🫶🏻

Thank you Dial Press, Lyla, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received an arc in exchange for an honest review:

You know what they say, what happens in a small town bar, stays in a small town bar. Is that the saying? Anyways- that’s NOT true for Ada! And aren’t we so happy it doesn’t!?
Ada and Wes were so gosh dang cute!!! I loved getting to see Ada’s journey with making female friends. The way that Gus and Ava support each other was just so beautiful.

This book gives me Chestnut Springs series vibes so if you liked that series definitely give this one a try!

Literally obsessed with this series and I CANNOT wait for book 3!!!

Tropes:

🖤slow burn
🖤city girl x county boy
🖤black cat x golden retriever
🖤forced proximity
🖤boss x employee

Spice rating: 3.5 🌶️
Overall rating: 4 ⭐️

4.5⭐️

Thank you @netgalley and Dial Press Trade Paperback for an #ARC in return for an honest review!!

Well I’m *obsessed* with Wes, the atmosphere, and all the damn cuteness in this book. I also adored Ada.

This was sexy, sweet, funny, and I loved the rawness of this.

Read if you like:
🤠fast paced
🤠cowboy romance
🤠small town charm
🤠mental health rep
🤠forced proximity

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I liked Done and Dusted so I was eager to read the second book in the series. The main characters of Swift and Saddled seem like relatable, authentic and genuine people. They are flawed just like everyone else. It was wonderful to read about a character with depression and his ongoing battle with it. I also enjoyed the flipped “role reversal” of the trope where Wes was sunshine and Ada was grumpy. I look forward to reading whatever comes next from Lyla Sage.

Let me start by saying I'm not a cowboy romance person, but there is something so binge-able and fun about these books and Lyla's writing sucks me in so easily. I was so excited for this ARC, and I read this book in just a few settings and overall really liked it. It's a light, fun read that also had some really great mental health representation.

Wes has always felt in the shadow of the rest of his family, and has hired Ada, an interior designer from SF, to come and help him with his dream project: restoring the old family ranch house. The two meet one night at the local bar, and kiss as strangers, only to find out the next morning their working together.

This book is very romantic, fairly spicy, and very trope-y. Notable tropes: black cat FMC x golden retriever MMC, country boy/city girl, insta-love, and small town. I'm an enemies to lovers girl through and through, but Wes was so refreshing as a male lead (maybe I've read about too many toxic men, but seriously he was adorable). It was easy to root for the romance, and I loved the feel-good energy from the family and small town ranch.

I think compared to Done and Dusted, the descriptors of Wyoming, the ranch, and family were a lot richer and more flushed out - this book felt like a season of Yellowstone, but if the family was nice and cozy and happy. Overall, it a very fun read and if you love contemporary romance, or are considering the cowboy romance genre this series is a great place to start.

It was a little too trope-y for me with tropes that aren't my favorite, and a tad predicable at times, but those are mainly personal preferences. This book was very cute and feel good, and we could all use those now and then!

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Publishing, and Lyla Sage for the eARC!

This book was even more than I could have hoped! Weston Rhodes Ryder - the man you are. Wes is an absolute gentleman; the perfect mixture of patience, charm, and vulnerability. He treats Ada, coming from a broken relationship and filled with self-doubt, with the utmost care and love. Their relationship just felt very natural and they're the perfect addition to Rebel Blue.

My favorite parts of the book however were the snippet of Gus and Teddy! I am certain that their book is going to devour. I love their dynamic and every single one of their scenes made me laugh and message my booksta bestie Kimberly. I cannot wait for their book: ____ & _____! (Any guesses to what the title may be?!) Very excited for the public reveal soon!

Lastly- there's a hinted new couple at Rebel Blue and I'm so excited to hear word of their novel too!

Thank you NetGalley and the publishing company for this ARC!

Thank you so much NetGalley, Random House & Lyla Sage for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is book two in the Rebel Blue ranch series and I was SO happy to get approved for this book that I may have audibly screamed!
I love a good cowboy romance and this book was just as good as book 1. I also read this book in less than 24 hours!

Ada and Wes are perfect for each other and watching their relationship bloom was so special. Also, Wes is just a walking GREEN flag. He’s willing to talk about his mental health, he’s patient, he’s kind and he’s very giving in the bedroom! ;)
Overall this book is perfect for you if you are a fan of
💜Cowboys
💜small town
💜reverse grumpy x sunshine
💜forced proximity
💜love at first sight
💜workplace romance

I read this in a day and a half and it was everything!!!

Tropes included that I loved: forced proximity, black cat / golden retriever, bad ass FMC, found family.

I absolutely loved the relationship dynamic between Wes and Ada. Ada is an interior designer helping Wes rebuild part of his family’s ranch. They share a kiss in a bar the night before she starts the job and she doesn’t realize until the next day that he’s who she’s working for. The forced proximity and black cat/golden retriever energy in the FMC and MMC was so lovable and real. It also made for some really funny banter that left me smiling so big reading it.

Ada is a bad ass FMC and it was a breath of fresh air. We get to see her on this inner healing journey trying to heal from a toxic relationship in her past. She’s basically come to the point where that relationship has made her feel unloveable for being her true self. Enter Wes who is a golden retriever man and loves her completely and doesn’t want her to change a thing about herself for anyone including him.

My favorite quote:
“I never asked you to be the sun. I would rather have the moon anyway. You’re the moon and I’m the tides. You pull me in without even trying and I come to you willingly. I always will.”

WES & ADA have my heart forever!!! Anything Lyla Sage writes I will read!

Ada is a city girl, divorced and done with relationships. West is the cowboy, middle child, happy go lucky kind of guy.

What happens when the cowboy hires the interior decorator from the city to work on his dude ranch remodel, sparks fly, that’s what.

She resists and he’s persistent and patient.

Loved the old fashioned cover art work.

Thank you to Netgalley for a DRC in exchange of an honest review!

I'm not a romance girly, but let me I tell you this had me kicking my feet and giggling.

In this second book in Rebel Blue Ranch series, we see Wes Ryder finally getting his dreams of being able to help turn the old Big House into an inn and Ada Hart, an up-and-coming interior designer/house renovator is here to help. But, making out in a dive bar before they start the project with no clue they are the ones working together makes for a rough start as they explore their relationships with each other, the Ryder family, and their pasts all the while making sure the project goes over well.

I appreciate that this series adds such depth to typical tropes making the romances, the characters, and the stories feel all the more authentic. The way a black cat girlfriend/ golden retriever boyfriend trope can be extended through such wonderful mental health rep had me feeling so many things and all of them hurt but in a comforting, understanding way. All in all, we love a supportive cowboy king that respects consent above all else and knows what's good for her.

What I loved:
- mental health rep! We love to see it
- I feel like Lyla really hit the nail on the head with Ada’s inner dialogue about not knowing how she belonged with other women. I found it relatable and relevant to her character
- the banter between the girls and the guys was really fun

Why I rated it 3.5⭐️:
- the pacing in this book felt rushed. Their love was insta lovey, and I found that the characters said things to each other that felt too serious too early
- the spice scenes were spicing, however, I kind of felt like Wes’s dirty talk wasn’t really true to his character?
- I think we needed a lot more background on who both Ada and Wes were and what made them the people they are
- the depression was more of a tell than a show, which is fine but I was kind of expecting more?
- I found myself stalling out at the 65% mark and feeling like I wasn’t invested or connected to the characters at that point

Thank you to NetGalley and Lyla Sage for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Now if you know me, you know I don't do country music, but BOY do I love me a cowboy (made worse by romance novels such as this about them, and the specific Pedro Pascal edit as Agent Whiskey in Kingsman).

Wes - the shirtless man bottle feeding a calf that says things like "You're the moon, and I'm the tides. You pull me in without even trying, and I come to you willingly. I always will."
In terms of Lyla's depiction of him, I am deeply grateful of how she wrote about his depression. So often authors romanticize it or overdramatize it, using it as a plot device or the groundwork of a character, but Lyla wrote about it with such respect and care.
I do wish we could've gotten to know Wes a bit more - that's truly my only critique is that there could have been more to the character in terms of a resolution for him. A lot of discussion about him was how he focused on others rather than himself, and I feel like that could've been worked through more.

Ada, oh Ada baby. She is me, I am Ada. Shy girlies who are perceived as rude (or just believe they're perceived as rude) unite. Her growth through the book was beautiful, from opening up her heart to finally believing she was worthy of love. Wes' patience was beautiful and we all deserve a love like that.

All in all another beautiful cowboy romance from Lyla Sage, and I cannot wait for Lost and Lassoed.