Queen Lyla Sage has outdone herself! Wes and Ada's story was beyond my imagination – the writing effortlessly connected, comforting, and truly engaging. The lighthearted and fun tone was complemented by a refreshing portrayal of mental health through Wes's perspective.
Satisfying my need for a black cat x golden retriever trope, this book scratched that itch perfectly. Ada's journey of self-healing and growth, paired with Wes embodying the ideal book boyfriend, made this an irresistible read. Wes Ryder has secured a spot on my list of favorite book men.
Highlights include the strong sense of family and community at Rebel Blue Ranch, delightful banter among the characters, Wes's subtle yet profound expressions of love for Ada, and the relatable inner dialogue of Ada. The nuanced representation of mental health, especially with a male protagonist, adds depth to the narrative.
This book was everything I needed, evoking constant giggles and smiles. I eagerly anticipate Teddy and Gus's story. Many thanks to Dial Press, Lyla, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

After reading Done and Dusted, i was so excited to read this book and i think it may be my favourite! i loved the complexity of the characters, especially Ada and how Weston responded. I will be buying this book when it comes out

Lyla Sage's 'Swift and Saddled' weaves a charming small-town Cowboy romance, unfolding the captivating story of Ada, an interior designer hired by Wes, a charismatic cowboy, to decorate his house. This book touched my heart profoundly. Wes, the epitome of a Golden Retriever, exudes warmth and care, turning every page into a delightful journey. His attentive and genuine love for everyone is truly heartwarming.

The exploration of mental health is commendable, portraying Ada, a more gloomy character haunted by past relationships and fears, in a relatable and intriguing light. The Greek representation adds a charming touch, and as a huge fan of spanakopita and a Greek , it brings an extra layer of enjoyment.

The love story between Ada and Wes is enchanting. The way they meet, the progression of their relationship – it all adds up to a beautifully crafted narrative. I'm immensely grateful for the opportunity to experience this book as an Arc . The emotional depth in the writing is truly captivating, making every moment with these characters memorable.

Wes emerges as one of the sweetest male main characters I've encountered, and his interactions are nothing short of adorable. The heartwarming quality of his words is felt in every sentence. His unwavering support for Ada, clear intentions, and deep understanding make him a standout character. Ada, as the interior designer hired by Wes, adds an extra layer to their connection, making their love story even more special.

The portrayal of family bonds among the characters is outstanding. The dynamics are impeccably portrayed, making this book a flawless five-star read. Every emotion is vividly described, creating a realistic and immersive experience. 'Swift and Saddled' is not just a romance; it's a heartwarming journey that leaves a lasting impression. Thank you, Lyla Sage, for crafting such a perfect and emotionally resonant story.

I'm a huge fan of small town romances with cowboys. And Wes is the dreamiest cowboy there is! Ada is so lovely, and the combination of them both and their chemistry is just top tier romance. It's a bit spicy, incredibly cute and overall a fantastic second book in this series by Lyla Sage! I can't wait for the next, I want more of these brothers!

Thank you, Netgalley, Quercus and Lyla for the digital ARC!

I loved Done and Dusted but Swift and Saddled is THAT BOOK. A 6-star read!!

Wes is the perfect cowboy book boyfriend with a golden retriever energy. I already liked him when he appeared in D&D but he totally gain my heart in this book. He's already the BOOK BOYFRIEND OF THE YEAR!!

And Ada.. well let's just say that I related strongly with her. She's someone who's trying to persue her dreams while dealing with her own insecurities and trust issues. Ada is someone who closes herself from everything that could hurt her but she learns how to let other's love her in this book.

I know this book is not published yet but, I'm already counting the days for Lost and Lassoed (AHHHHH I screamed of excitement when I saw the name).

I'm definitly obsessed with the Rebel Blue Ranch.

I absolutely loved this book. Weston and Ada are the best couple ever and I loved them from the beginning. Weston was really sweet and caring which made me fall in love with him completely. I loved how independent Ada was, it’s refreshing to see a romance where a woman doesn’t rely on the man completely

Just when I thought I couldn’t love cowboys more…

I became invested in the characters from the get go, this book covers deeper topics like depression and domestic abuse whilst keeping it lighthearted enough to keep going!

I love love love the characters and can not wait for the release!! This is officially my new favourite cowboy series

DNF

The first chapter of this book had a strong start. I liked how quickly we got to know our fmc and both her and the mmc definitely come across as likeable characters, which is a nice positive to this book. However, it then all goes downhill from chapter two onwards (or at least until chapter 8 bc that’s how far I got)

The characters meet for the first time in chapter one at like 10pm at a bar and share a steamy kiss. By the next day (chapter two) the fmc is already daydreaming about the mmc and wondering what kind of things he could do to her and then the mmc is already getting jealous bc the fmc mentioned another man’s name during casual conversation… Huh???? After one day you’re feeling possessive over her? Give me a break🙄

I heavily dislike insta lust or insta love in romance books and so it doesn’t come as a surprise that I haven’t enjoyed what I’ve read so far. The writing on the other hand was fine, I liked that the chapters were short and fairly quick to read and I think I’ll maybe consider reading another book by this author, just unfortunately it won’t be this one.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an early copy in exchange for my honest review.

❥ swift & saddled — lyla sage
★ ★ ★ ★ . ⁵

˗ˏˋ ♡ ´ˎ˗ genre : cowboy romance
˗ˏˋ ♡ ´ˎ˗ pages: 320


synopsis —

review —

this book was absolutely a heart warming & beautiful read once again and I needed this after done & dusted.

i loved both ada & wes, completely adored them, i really loved the men’s mental health rep as wes kept worrying about his next dark day, it was so nice to see that men’s mental health is getting recognised more.

again, i wish i had more of this book, it always feels too short for me with these types of romances - maybe a little bit longer but that’s not really a bad criticism. i really enjoy lyla sages writing style and how easy it is to pull you in and has you hooked.

**I RECEIVED AN ARC IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW**

I love Rebel Blue Ranch! I was so excited to receive this ARC after how much I loved Done & Dusted, and I highly recommend this series to everyone! I thoroughly enjoyed reading about Wes & Ada but their story didn’t feel as natural to me as Emmy & Luke’s. My favourite thing about this instalment was the side characters, which was a shame but does mean I will absolutely pick up the next one! If I could give half stars this would be a solid 3.5, just shy of 4 stars, it was fun, sweet and sexy, but it didn’t make me giddy the way I like a romance novel to.

<i>i received a netgalley arc in exchange for an honest review </i>
 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 
i loved loved this book ―୨୧⋆ ˚ i felt like the writing and the characters were much more filled out and was generally better written! the plot felt solid and overall i enjoyed reading and Wes and Ada’s relationship and what they got up to on the ranch in general
 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 
<i> ada want just ‘on my mind’ she was in it — in every nook and cranny</i>
 ‎ ‎
<b>ada</b> ―୨୧⋆ ˚ i felt like i could really relate to ada- the brutal honest about her character and the fact that she isn’t this ‘cute but essentially helpless’ stereotype really drew me to her — i felt like her inner monologue was quite funny and i genuinely liked being inside her head
 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 
<b>wes</b> ―୨୧⋆ ˚ what a sweetheart.. the absolute cutest! i really like wes’ sunshine personality! i feel like his characterisation was done really well- considering Lyla Sage has a few other male characters in her story they all have very distinct personalities which makes getting to the characters much more exciting!
 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 
all that being said ―୨୧⋆ ˚ i did think it was a shame wes’ depression was COMPLETELY skimmed over and it wasn’t talked about past the two mentions it was given. as well as that, i would have loved more information about ada’s past relationship and what really went down - i feel like that would have added so much to the plot and it could have developed into a bit of a twist ?
 ‎ ‎ ‎ ‎ 
otherwise the book was sweet and was exactly what i needed while i read atonement 🫠

I just want to preface; I might have done a mini-scream when I got accepted for this arc, I read the first in the series (Done & Dusted) simply because the cover was pretty and ended up loved it, "Swift and Saddled" wasn't any different.
I had the time of my life with this book, we follow Ada, interior designer, who comes to help Wes with his project on his families ranch, and they maybe might fall in love. I'll admit the first meeting was a little insta-love-ish for my liking, but the re-meet at the ranch and the build up resolved any concerns I had.
Onto the characters:
Wes was such a little cutie oml, the way he just adored Ada made me want to jump on a plane to the US and fall in love in a small town, he was so kind an patient with everyone, a true golden retriever. As for Ada, I related to her hardcore, me and my grumpy-shy-ass lovedddd her. Being nervous around new people, the need for a sense of belonging, it was so great to see these feelings reflected on the page. She was also so cool ohmygod, the tats?? 😍😍
Oh and I loveeee that we got Wes's Spanakopita recipe at the end, such a cute addition and if I didn't fear poisoning people with how bad my cooking skills are I would try it haha. The cross-overs from the first book were awesome, great to see Emmy and Luke thriving! As well as some hints at possible future books 😏😏.
Overall it was an amazing read, SOOOOOO excited for the next books !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thank you so much to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the free copy provided in exchange for an honest review!

“He saw me for exactly who I was, and he loved me because of it, not in spite of it.”

Swift and Saddled by Lyla Sage Review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

///SPOILERS///

Firstly, I love this story so so much. I read Done and Dusted and went into this one with high expectations and oh boy were they met.

Wes, I adored the mental health representation with his character and how he was open and honest about it. I know how hard it can be to open up with mental health but, it was so refreshing to see this in a book. This helped me identify with Wes on whole other level. Also, Wes letting Ada come to him in her own time and in her own way. Plus his dirty talk is to die for.

Ada, It was heartwarming to read about Ada finding herself after her previous trauma and finding her feet in friendships she didn’t think she could make. I love Ada so so much. She was scared but she didn’t let that stop her with Wes.

I love the fact that there was no third act break up and that there was no miscommunication trope

Finally, I am so so excited about Teddy and Gus in Lost and Lassoed! Thank you for the ARC NetGalley in exchange for my honest opinions. @authorlylasage

#smalltownromance💖 #cowboyromance #romancebooks #romancereader #bookobsessed #romancegirly #tbr

First i would just like to give a big thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an Advanced Readers Copy of this book. i ADORED this book 💕. Ada and Wes are just perfect for each other. this is the second book in the Rebel Blue Ranch Series and Lyla has written another phenomenal book. this book had me smiling and kicking my feet like a school girl but also had me emotional in all of the right places. the character development and growth within this book was amazing and i cannot wait to read more of Lyla’s work 🙈

Ada is the city girl with her sights set on growing her interior design business. Weston is the cowboy born and raised in the country. They meet as two perfect strangers in a dive bar, share a sizzling kiss, and both regret they will never see each other again… Only they do when they meet the next day to discuss the project Weston has hired Ada to design.

Done and Dusted was one of my favourite romance reads of 2023 so I was incredibly excited to read Sage’s newest offering. I am pleased to say it did not disappoint but only served to solidify Sage as an auto-buy author for me.

I fell completely in love with both Ada and Weston; they each have an interesting, complex back-story that brought depth and meaning to their love story. I found the representation of depression to be particularly interesting and refreshingly accurate. Similarly, it was heartwarming to see Ada not only grow in confidence in her career but also become a “girls-girl”.

Set against the backdrop of Rebel Blue Ranch, the couple’s initial spark is explosive but Sage then explores and develops their connection carefully across the book. Both Sage’s main characters communicate clearly with each other and set boundaries which are respected, something I really appreciate and admire. When things get *spicy*, I love that consent is at the forefront of the heated moments.

Sage also gets bonus points for (either intentionally or unintentionally) quoting Taylor Swift lyrics. I won’t tell you the quote, consider this a little treasure hunt when you get your hands on a copy! I highly recommend this book. I would especially recommend it to any cowboy romance lovers, for fans of Elsie Silver and Brooke Montgomery. I am incredibly excited about Teddy and Gus’ book and look forward to seeing everyone fall in love with Ada and Weston just as I did.

Content Warnings: sexual content; controlling ex-partner; mental illness.

I really loved this! Honestly even more than the first one. I thought the characters were PERFECT and the chemistry between them was SO GOOD. I thought the pacing was great. The only reason it's not getting a 5 is because I wanted TO SEE MORE OF THE CHARACTERS TOGETHER WHICH SOUNDS SILLY FOR A ROMANCE BOOK BUT LIKE I WANTED THEM TO TALK MORE AND GET TO KNOW EACH OTHER MORE, I WANTED TO EXPERIENCE THAT. like yes him teaching her to drive and her going on about her interior design stuff was cool but I just wanted MORE interactions between them because the ones we did get were amazing!

I loved the first book, Done and Dusted, and was so excited to read Wes' story! For me, I thought it was odd that he didn't think the 'new girl' was Ada, but oh well, it was still an easy and enjoyable read. The best scene for me was him teaching Ada how to drive stick.

Overall a good read but I am now anticipating Gus' instalment.

I enjoyed reading both books but I think it's safe to say this was definitely an improvement from Done and Dusted. Although I think some of the characters interactions read a bit young (I'm talking about a specific gathering), I really enjoyed reading about Ada and Weston's relationship and how he gave her space to figure everything and herself out. and read more about the family dinamics. I will for sure be reading the next book in the series and I think you should too.

Swift and Saddled was a lot of fun to read! This followed middle sibling Weston and his designer, Ada, who were both great characters who knew their flaws. I loved being back on this little ranch with the Ryders, they are absolutely my favourite part! I think Gus and Teddy’s story will be the best of the three. For me this one didn’t quite live up to Done and Dusted, I thought it was odd that this beautiful woman turned up in this small town and he didn’t assume it was his new designer who was due to start work tomorrow! That being said, a really fun, easy, cowboy read that I would recommend.

Welcome back to Meadowlark!

I really enjoyed Done and Dusted when I read it last year, and I now think Swift and Saddled is even better. Weston Ryder is the best cowboy I’ve met so far, and Ava Hart is a badass strong woman who I liked immediately. Together they’re a top tier couple, and their tension and relationship journey is *chef’s kiss*.

I was rooting for Wes and Ava the whole time, while simultaneously swooning at everything Wes said and tipping my hat to author Lyla Sage’s excellent mental health representation. Depression and anxiety can be such tricky things to portray, but it’s brilliantly written here, and I saw myself reflected in the characters and the darker corners of their minds. Neither of them respond negatively or are fazed by any of this, and to me that’s the best part of it — struggling with mental health doesn’t mean someone is broken or worthless, and there’s nothing better than seeing that confirmed on paper.

Swift and Saddled is a quick read once you inevitably get addicted, and I wish I hadn’t gobbled it up so fast. But hey, when a romance book is this good, I’m afraid there’s just no putting it down. I loved being back with the Ryder family at Rebel Blue (hello Luke and Emmy, I missed you), and I could easily have carried on reading for another two hundred pages. I can’t wait for the third book in the series!