I loved Emmy and Brooks in Done and Dusted, and I'm STILL clamoring for Teddy and Gus (hello, I'm an enemies to lovers whore!) But Ada and Wes absolutely blew me away!

Ada Hart is still discovering herself after her divorce from a controlling misogynist and has thrown herself into achieving her dream of home renovator and designer. She has no intention of becoming trapped ever again, besides, who needs a man for anything other than a good time when she's got a dream to chase? In fact, chasing that dream has led her to Meadowlark Montana and Rebel Blue Ranch, where Wes Ryder's dream of a visitor dude ranch is about to become a reality.

But instead of her dream, Ada finds herself chasing a different, if only temporary dream: the gorgeous cowboy in the bar. When their hot and heavy session in the back hallway of said bar gets interrupted, Ada flees, leaving the cowboy, gaping, in her dust.

The next morning, however, Ada is the one gaping when she pulls up to her client's ranch to find that she's already acquainted with her new boss, the hot cowboy from the bar, Weston, Wes, Ryder.

As Ada throws herself into piecing together the perfect Dude Ranch, Wes throws himself into piecing Ada back together, knowing deep down, that the woman he's falling for is a flight risk. The closer the project is to completion, the closer Ada is to leaving. Ada is determined never to let a man trap her ever again, but Wes can't bear the thought of letting her go.

I loved this book so much and found myself relating to Ada, who constantly feels like she's not good enough, or who never felt like she fits in. Like people tolerate her, but don't actually like her. Talk about a punch to the gut! I enjoyed Ada and Wes, the faithful golden retriever, but wish that Wes, who we are told has been diagnosed with depression, would have had more to wrestle with. I feel like this author glosses over emotions and feelings, shying away from tough issues like PTSD (Emmy in book one) and Depression. She diagnoses her characters but we don't get to see the treatment, like it's just something the character has to give them a more complex back story. With that said, I do think the author does a fantastic job with family dynamics and human relationships in general but feel like there is one character who has a lot of growth while the other stays a bit stagnant.

Overall though, a really enjoyable book, with some LOL moments and some "awe" rending sweet scenes.

Rebel Blue or BUST!

What a short and sweet surprise of a book! I have never read this author before so I wasn't sure what to expect, but I was absolutely swept away by this story and setting. Rebel Blue Ranch materialized so quickly and all the various the dynamics were heartwarming. I'm a huge fan of the trope where the Lonely Black Cat gets adopted by the entire community, and this was done really well here. I especially loved the 11th hour realization that the female main character has- perhaps this is a light spoiler, but instead of a major miscommunication or big third act break up, she realizes that even though her guard is up, she can't bring herself to break either of their hearts, because she loves him too much to hurt him. It was so refreshing. And! I loved all the interior design moments. Western/Cowboy Romance has really started to have a little piece of my heart, and Swift and Saddled is a welcome addition to the canon!

4.5 🌟 I loved being taken back to the world of Rebel Blue Ranch!!!

Weston and Ada >>>
Wes is such a golden retriever.
Loved the little cameos of Gus/ Teddy and Luke /Emmy!!😭😭😭 I think Luke and Emmy still have my heart but I still really loved this book and absolutely cannot wait for GUS AND TEDDY!!!! I can already tell that’ll bring alllllll the tension. I loved their interactions throughout.

I love love love this cover. It's so unique, but also fits in with the usual covers for romances. It's so great. I also enjoyed the story of Ada and Wes. The way they worked out their distance issues in the end seemed realistic.

♾️⭐️s NO ONE SPEAK TO ME I’M STILL RECOVERING 😭 what an absolute triumph of a second book this is! Wes & Ada from chapter one had my heart and didn’t let it go. This book flew by and the pacing was just perfect. Lyla’s books just feel like home for me and her characters I’ll protect them with my life. I can’t wait to revisit this book over and over, a new favorite for sure.

Lyla’s writing is stellar and her voice is getting stronger and stronger with each release in this series. I’m so excited to see what she brings us next!

Lyla Sage has kicked off my 2024 reading with a solid cowboy romance! I like this setting quite a lot, and thought she did a good job handling mental health issues in this book. Some good character development in this one as well - and the spice was enjoyable too (sometimes I can find it corny but not here). My only note would be that I’m left with some questions about Ada’s past; I would have loved for that to be dived into a bit more. But overall an enjoyable read! Popping this one onto my cowboy romance recommendation list.

Swift and Saddled was absolute perfection Lyla is a master of the cowboy romance and I was swooning from page 1. I can’t wait to see what else Lyla has in store!

I loved this book! It’s so rare for me to finish a book in under 24 hours, but this book definitely made that happen for me. I loved returning to Rebel Blue and the Ryder family in this story. I love the cozy, small town setting; it really works with Sage’s writing style. The dynamic between the two main characters is very insta-love, but I actually really liked it. That trope is usually not one that works for me, but it did here.

Wes and Ada were so cute. Both of them fall for the other pretty quickly on, but the payoff of them finally recognizing it and coming together was precious. Although they do have quite the interaction in the first chapter, they dance around their connection through their time on ranch. The two work to bring Wes’ vision for ‘Baby Blue’ to life and I felt like I was transported to this small town, sitting on the porch and watching it all come together.

On top of all the other things I enjoyed about this book, sitting very close to the top of the list is the Ryder family. They are close-knit and loyal, selflessly caring for each other. It’s heartwarming and causes the reader to also feel like part of the family.

I overall so enjoyed this book! I can’t wait to get my hands on a physical copy when it releases in March!

Swift and Saddled was not what I expected but in the best way.
The emotions you feel while reading will pull on your heartstrings.

Ada I feel is so relatable being an introvert myself and keeping my feelings close to my heart as well. She is guarded and wants to be able to let her walls down but doesn’t know how.

Wes wants nothing more than to find his own place in the Ryder family. As he navigates how to do that he falls hard for Ada. He sees everything she tries to burry deep inside. They ways he showed her he cared and would continue to be a constant for her was swoon worthy.

“I see you, Ada. I always see you, even when you won’t look at me.”

Their slow burn romance is everything, I loved every second.
Thank you to NetGalley and Lyla Sage for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book was so fun y'all, had me smiling and giggling out loud. It wasn't five because I felt like there could've been more detail and relationship building between the MCs and the group of girlfriends the FMC develops. Overall great fun read - loved the depression rep. Loved Wes as a whole, what a dream boat.

Lets just pause and admire this cover. It is so nostalgic yet modern and fun and makes me smile! The story is wonderful. I LOVE Ada--I see so much of myself in her. Not her hotness or design talents but her introverted and self-doubting traits. And Wes is such a sweetheart. The ranch is a beautiful setting and the family is fun and loving. Really looking forward to Gus and Teddy's story-which will be when?!?!?!? I started with this book but will definitely go back to read book 1. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!

I saw this on NetGalley, thought the cover was ridiculously beautiful, requested the first one in the series from my library, read that, and then requested this one. And I have no regrets! I usually agree with the whole "don't judge a book by its cover" thing but with this series, the covers are just everything. I didn't like this one quite as much as Done and Dusted but I did still enjoy it a lot. Weston, the middle Ryder child, is kind of a go along to get along type of guy, willing to do whatever he needs to in order to help his siblings, his father, and their ranch. His big passion project (which was revealed in the first book) is converting the original family home on the ranch (which has been abandoned for decades) into a guest ranch. Through his sister's friend Teddy's designer connections, he hires an out of town interior designer to come to Meadowlark and completely overhaul the place. That designer is Ada Hart, who is struggling to recover from a pretty dismal marriage that ended in a surprise divorce. She sees the project in Meadowlark as a way to get out of San Francisco and get on track professionally. She comes to town completely focused on work, but surprises herself the very first night in town by kissing a hot stranger in the local dive bar without even asking his name. Of course that stranger is Wes, the rancher she's been emailing with for months and who has hired her for the job at Blue Rebel ranch. There wasn't quite as much tension as there was in the first book, but it made sense to me here that things would be a little softer between Wes and Ada, both of whom have vulnerabilities that they don't often show. I did enjoy this, and it was nice to be back in this world, but I *must* have Teddy and Gus's book ASAP.

Thank you to NetGalley for the privilege of reading an arc of Swift and Saddled

This is the best black-cat-golden-retriever romance I’ve read. Black-cat FMC often means they’re just a jerk. Not Ada. She is quiet and introverted but she’s still got a kind heart and is pushing herself out of her comfort zone. Wes is patient and understanding with Ada and she learns and grows in this new phase of life.

I absolutely loved this. I loved the black cat depiction, I loved the mental health representation, and I love the welcoming Ryder family. This was even better than the first book in the series in my opinion. Thank you Lyla Sage, you are absolutely killing the cowboy romance era!!

THIS IS HOW YOU DO A SMALL-TOWN COWBOY ROMANCE!!! I am SAT for Wes and Ada. I enjoyed Done & Dusted, but I absolutely adored Swift & Saddled. Wes and Ada were written in a very real way that made them so easy to relate to and feel for. I thought the he falls first trope was done very well... like my man Wes was whipped . I will 100% be recommending this to anyone and everyone.

Small town workplace romance between newcomer with a dark past (we know this because of her sleeve tattoo) and her absurdly perfect cowboy boss. I mean, he rescues baby cows and never does anything wrong ever.
The chemistry was great and I really enjoyed the first half of the book. I just found the second half to be boring and the 3rd act conflict to be rushed.

Thanks to netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read this in exchange for an honest review.

So great!!

Maybe a little too insta-lovey for my taste and I had some other issues but I did love their story.

4 Stars I was so excited to get an advanced copy of Swift and Saddled after quickly finishing the first book in the series, Done and Dusted, on audiobook and loving it. For those who love small town, cowboy romances from authors like Elsie Silver and Ava Hunter, you will love the Ryder family and Blue Rebel Ranch!

A year after her divorce, city-girl Ada Hart is hired as the interior designer for the renovation of a forthcoming inn at Blue Rebel Ranch in small town Wyoming. Just after arriving in Meadowlark, Ada shares a kiss in a dive bar with a cowboy whose name she didn’t catch before running off. But low and behold, that cowboy turns out to be Weston “Wes” Ryder, the man who hired her for the job and her boss for the next few months. Wes is thrilled to see Ada again after their kiss, but less thrilled that she seems to want nothing more to do with him, even though they both feel the pull between them.

I really enjoyed that both Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled were fast paced, easy, low-angst reads. They are the perfect palate cleanser after reading a “heavier” novel. A delightful read that I definitely recommend!

Another hit from Lyla Sage! Wes and Ada were such a sweet couple. They were absolutely giving black cat x golden retriever vibes and I ate it up.

Wes Ryder is such a soft boy and it was honestly refreshing to read. Of course, we all love a rugged cowboy but there's something about Wes's softness and vulnerability that won me over. I absolutely loved how candid and open Wes was about his mental health and I appreciate the way Lyla Sage wrote about depression. Ada on the other hand was such a complex character. Where Wes is open, Ada is closed. Due to past trauma she's built a wall to protect herself and that results in a push and pull between her and Wes. Seeing her embrace her emotions and be vulnerable with Wes had me smiling through my tears.

As always, the Ryder family has my heart and I love them. My favourite thing about reading small town romances is the side characters and god I love each and everyone in this series. You can feel the love between all the characters and Lyla Sage does a fantastic job at setting up future books. I can see this series getting better with each release and I'm so excited to read Teddy & Gus book later on this year!

This was a very enjoyable read! Done & Dusted set my expectations and Swift & Saddled met those tenfold. The character of Ada was heartfelt and is likely someone many readers will be able to relate to. She's very well developed. Wes is a dreamboat! There were more multiple times in which the readers will swoon. I do wish we got to see a bit more of his battle with depression. It felt like it was talked about more than it was shown - and every mention of it felt as though there was an implication that something big in that regard was coming. Overall a fun and earnest read that perfectly fits a popular sector of the romance genre. Thank you for the ARC!

Lyla Sage is writing the small town cowboy romances that everyone needs. Her writing style is very reminiscent of Elsie Silver and the characters are just as lovable.

Ada and Wes have a brief moment of passion in a bar one night before realizing that they will be working together. Their chemistry is clear, but that sweet cowboy is patient and kind with her.

The romance is perfect and not rushed, the family bonds are deep, and the interest in the other characters has me eager to read the next book.

There are definitely questions to be answered (hello, Cam!), but I’m eager to see what happens next.