This is lighthearted romance that brings a bit of charm to the workplace romance genre. The characters are likable, and the storyline is engaging, but it doesn’t quite reach its full potential. The chemistry between the protagonists is enjoyable, but there are moments when the pacing feels uneven, which affects the flow of the story.

While there are several funny and heartwarming scenes, some of the plot points feel predictable, and the character development could have been deeper. Despite these minor issues, Its still enjoyable read for anyone looking for a feel-good romance with a few laughs along the way.

Rating: 3/5

I have been DYING for Teddie and Gus's story since book one and it did NOT disappoint. Best in the series so far. Hands down. I can see Lyla Sage's writing evolving in this series and her character depth and complexity getting better and better with each book. Loved this one and I cannot wait for Cam and Dusty next!

My favourite book in the series so far! Gus and Teddy’s story was so much fun. I loved seeing more about Teddy’s relationship with her Dad. Can’t wait for the next book to see Can and Dusty’s story!

4.5 Stars!

I’ve read all of Lyla Sage’s previous works and I think this was by far the best one I have read! The characters were so lovable and I genuinely loved the plot in this book. Not to mention, I am an absolute sucker for the single dad and nanny trope that was in this. I can see Lyla’s writing get progressively better and I am ecstatic for the next book!

She is chaotic and gets under his skin like no one else and he's the grumpy single father rancher who needs her help... yet the more time they spend together the more their feelings after the incident from 7 years ago comes up again.... and maybe just maybe all their tension and arguing are just a prelude to the very real chemistry and romance between them. This is the third book in the series, but can be read as a standalone and follows Theodora "Teddy" Anderson, a extremely chaotic, feisty, and loving person who just got laid off and is feeling a bit alone since her best friend is getting married and everyone around her seems to be moving on. Then theres August "Gus" Ryder, a grumpy rancher who has way too much on his plate from coparenting his kid with his ex, managing his family's giant ranch, and stressing at every turn. Gus desperately needs help but doesn't want to admit it, Teddy needs a job and is great with Gus's daughter, so he hires her to babysit his kid... the only thing is that Teddy and Gus can't stand one another. They can barely be in a room together without arguing, they are complete opposites, she's chaotic, he is rigid, yet one incident 7 years ago.... something happened between them.... and now that they are spending so much time together they'll have to face their feelings for each other and that very incident. This book was so much fun to read. I've adored this series but I especially loved the relationship between Gus and Teddy. They're both caretakers and love caring and looking after their loved ones... but aren't so good at looking after themselves and so when they finally spend time together they perfectly fit each other. Their romance was sweet and I loved how well their romance went. It's a fantastic read and I can't wait for the next one in the series!

Release Date: November 5,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group - Random House | Dial Press Trade Paperback for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

There’s only one place that I know will allow me to take a deep breath, let my shoulders relax, and settle in for a heart mending story… and that’s at Rebel Blue Ranch.

This is book 3 in a series of interconnected standalones but there’s no way you can get to this book without reading the first two because… Lyla takes her time building these romances… and you truly want every minute you can get in this world. In Meadowlark Wyoming, the world moves a little slower. Time isn’t so rushed. There’s enough space to let your mind calm and let your eyes open to all the possibilities that await.

All you need to know… is that Teddy and Gus… hate each other. Enemies who are forced to work together during one… hot… summer… small towns weave complicated webs…

Teddy is a total firecracker and Gus is a surly grump and it’s so “kick your feet inducing” to watch them have to squirm and be around each other.

There’s a scene where they get locked in a closet together and I had to stand up. Just stand up… while I kept reading this scene where they hate each other and they’re in the dark and there’s heavy breathing and… at some point I’m sure I blacked out.

They hate each other, and their pain is our absolute pleasure….

“His face was smudged with dirt, and a sheen of dust covered his clothes. It was a reminder that Gus was a working man, and who didn't love a working man? A man who knew how to fix stuff, didn't mind getting filthy…” Gus is… so hot. And he has a mustache. Literally every time this man opens his mouth I melt. I’m obsessed with him.

Teddy is so relatable for those of us who feel like we can’t just relax and let go. We need to take care of everyone and everything around us. Sometimes to our detriment.

At one point they play a game of Twister. Twister people… the blush I was blushing…

This book reminds you that it’s ok to love freely, laugh freely, dream freely, and feel the freedom in being taken care of and safe with someone you trust. Someone who you can let your guard down around. Someone who can see every side of you and love you completely.

Um… Gus has a mouth on him. And his nickname for Teddy is “Baby“ and I CAN’T STRESS THIS ENOUGH THAT IS MY FAVORITE NICKNAME OF ALL TIME EVER AND I COMPLETELY TURN INTO A PUDDLE WHENEVER THE MAN CALLS HER BABY AND THIS SCRATCHED THAT ITCH… COMPLETELY.

I don’t often enjoy the single dad trope unless It’s done well and well…. It’s done well here. It made my heart ache, the tenderness of this father and his daughter. And little Riley is one of my favorite characters, she’s the sweetest little thing. It felt like she healed some of my inner child witnessing her joy and excitement for life and the world around her. Children live so open and free and they express themselves and they never hold back their love or their passion and I don’t think we should forget that as we get older. We can still live just as bold as we did when we were young and unabashed.

“Throughout my life, Gus had often been hard for me to like, but he’d never been hard for me to trust.”

This book will cause a lump in your throat.

This is my favorite quote in the whole book..

“Teddy was built to shine and glow and shimmer, and I couldn’t take that piece of her only for myself. She didn’t shine just for me. I got a different part of her. The part of her that was comfortable enough to turn down the brightness when we were alone, the part that wanted me to see past what everyone else was blinded by.”

There’s also a scene where Gus, who is so hard working and always puts everyone else before himself asks his dad for a day off and I cried. Like blubbering baby crying.

This book teaches you something very simple.

“Love and live the same way. With your entire heart.”

This series is a gift and each story will heal you and put you back together in a different way and it’s such an honor to be able to read these stories and spend just a small amount of time under the beautiful big sky at Rebel Blue Ranch.

I had no idea this was a series when I requested it, but I know people love the author. I thoroughly enjoyed it enough that I went and bought the two other books in the series. Sweet and steamy with such a cute story, I'll be reading much more from this author.

This book was so freaking good. I don’t think I’ve ever loved an FMC more. Seriously, Teddy f*cking Andersen is the woman I wish I was. She is so balls to the walls fun and sassy, stylish and confident, bold and beautiful. I love her and I loved the banter between her and Gus. When I first read her in Done and Dusted I knew I liked her. But her story in this book was better than I could have imagined.

I loved Teddy and Gus together, the way they cared for each other was beautiful. But this book was so much more than just their love story. This book was also about fathers and their love for their children. This book was about Hank and Teddy. This book was about Gus and Riley. This book was about Amos and his children, both biological and ones he’s come to love as his own like Luke and Cam. It was just all so incredibly beautiful. It had me reflecting on my relationship with my dad and missing him so much that I cried quite a few times while reading this book. I lost him when I was about the same age as Teddy is in this book and it just hit me hard. Lyla wrote about the father/child relationship with so much tenderness that it was no surprise to me that she had her own dad in her heart while writing those relationships. I’m in awe of how she wrote about these characters and their love for one another.

I absolutely loved this book, I highly recommend reading it. I can’t wait for Wild and Wrangled, Dusty and Cam’s story is very intriguing!

4.5 stars

Thank you to PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook and to Dial Press for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My favorite of the series so far! I’ve been waiting for Gus and Teddy’s enemies to lovers story and it did not disappoint. Their verbal sparring, in the beginning, was fun. They have known each other forever since she is his sister’s best friend.

Due to her needing a job and him needing help taking care of his daughter for the summer they end up spending more time together, learning more about each other.

Teddy is also at a loss of what to do next in her life. Emmy, Teddy’s best friend, is getting married and has someone else in her life besides Teddy. Their relationship isn’t the same anymore. I think this is a very common issue with friends today. Very relatable.

I just loved Gus and his big heart. He was trying to take care of the ranch, everyone in the family and his daughter. He needs to realize that he can’t do it all.

This is such a great story. Love it. I’m definitely looking forward to Cam and Dusty’s story next.

The dual narration is by Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor. They are both so good.

This is my favorite book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series! I absolutely loved Teddy and Gus and have been waiting for their story since they were introduced in the first book. Enemies to lovers, grumpy MMC, single dad, strong FMC, forced proximity, spice and a lovable mustache, what more can you want in a story! Lyla does a wonderful job with the family dynamics of the Ryder family; I just love the banter between all of the characters. Can't wait to read Cam and Dusty story!

My favorite book of the series hands down! Teddy and Gus delivered a swoony romance and amazing banter. Seeing their feelings for each other slowly morph from enemies to friends to lovers was such a treat.

I absolutley adored this book! Ever since book one, I have been waiting for Gus and Teddy's love story, and it did not disappoint! I loved their bickering in the beginning, and how their animosity slowly turned to admiration and then love. It was also great to see all our favorite Rebel Blue characters and couples again in this book. I also adore Riley, and am glad she was such a huge part of this book. And that ending? I cannot wait to read the next book!

• recently out of a job, teddy agrees to nanny for her best friend’s brother, even though she hates his guts
• third book in the ‘rebel blue ranch’ series, featuring teddy & gus
• enemies-to-lovers trope really popping off in this one, as well as small town romance
• really believed the care & love these two had for each other from the start, even though they didn’t like each other. their history played into their relationship

Lost and Lassoed is book 3 in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, and it follows Theodora ‘Teddy’ Andersen and August ‘Gus’ Ryder.

Right off the bat, I was crying of laughter at Teddy’s antics. Her quick wit is one of the things I love about her character. Teddy suddenly finds herself jobless, and Gus needs part-time help with his daughter Riley since Cam (Riley's mom) is out of town for the summer. Emmy suggests that Teddy would be the best person for the job, and although he hates the idea, he agrees. Their relationship slowly morphs from “enemies” to lovers.

Teddy is feisty, but we also got to see a bit of a vulnerable side of her. My heart broke for her so many times because I also know the feeling of not letting yourself show emotions and trying to hold them in. (Which let me tell you is tough) Gus is a grump as always, but we also got a more vulnerable side of him. My heart hurt for him at times when he felt like he wasn’t a good dad,but he really is a great one. He really loves to take care of those closest to him. Also the man can cook and wears glasses .. sign me up!

The banter between Gus and Teddy is one of my favorite things about their couple. They never miss with the comebacks and I always found myself laughing. I seriously loved how their relationship progressed! It wasn’t too fast or too slow it was just right. The characters in this book aren’t afraid to share their emotions or have heated conversations. I find it so refreshing. Their story was captivating and kept me entertained the whole way through.

Dusty and Cam's story is next, and I can say with my whole heart that I have a feeling they are going to be my favorite couple!!

You will enjoy this book if you like the following:
Small town / cowboy
Single dad
Best friend’s brother
Loathe to love
Forced proximity
Opposites attract

Thank you Lyla Sage, and Dial Press for this gifted copy.

This is definitely my favorite book of the series so far! I just love Teddy and loved getting to see more of her backstory. She is so sweet with Riley, and I loved seeing Gus fall in love with her because of the way she treated his daughter. Can’t wait to read more in this universe!

First thank you to the dial press and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy in exchange for an honest review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Synopsis: Gus and Teddi have been enemies for a long time but now both need help and are in the position to help each other. Will they help each other or keep up the fighting?

what I liked: I’m usually not a trendy book reader and will wait several months before reading the hyped books. However I had to see what these cowboys were all about. This was a really fun read. I finished it quickly and liked getting to know Gus and Teddi. Teddi is loud and creative and Gus is crabby but underneath both are softies and care so much for their families. Gus is a single dad that is struggling when his co-parent moves away from town. Teddi is between jobs as they say and takes on this job for the summer. She is great with his daughter and they have great chemistry beneath their bickering. I love the fathers in this story because they are the archetypes tough guys but very much softies for their daughters. Teddi and her dad go through a lot and she has all of these tough guys supporting her. Also her best friend Emme gus’s sister provides so much depth to the story. I really liked the arc of their relationship in the book.
The author does a great job of interconnecting everyone but still giving them separate storylines and personalities.
Yeehaw I guess I’m in my cowboy era because I want to read more. I can’t wait to find out what happens next. It ended on a good cliffhanger.

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" .

Photo by Taylor Brandon on Unsplash

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?)

Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash

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 am a sucker for cowboy romances! Lost and Lassoed, the latest in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, did not disappoint and I love that this story featured Gus and Teddy!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review.

I love love stories. I especially love love stories that do more than just romance - and the more I get immersed in Lylaland, the most impressed I am by how effortlessly Lyla does exactly this. The love between a father and his child, the love between siblings, the love between soulmate best friends…it often hits me as hard or even harder than romantic love.

As we continued our journey in Rebel Blue, I fell so hard and fast for Gus and Teddy. Their bickering and banter. Their love masked as annoyance. How much they both care about each other and those around them. Their love was beautiful and raw and something so special.

But where this book really stood out for me, and where this propelled it to the top of the Rebel Blue order for me, was in how the father/daughter relationships were portrayed. Teddy and Hank are the most beautiful love story. They cared for one another in that deep way that only a parent and child can - effortless and wholly and totally unconditionally. While they both had to learn to let go and grow out of their dynamic, their friendly and deep and beautiful relationship reminded me so much of me and my dad and it broke my heart in the best ways.

And then the mirror of that - Gus and Riley. Early in their own relationship but the man would do absolutely anything for his child (even if he doesn’t think he’s ever doing enough). I loved seeing Teddy seamlessly fit herself into their lives - becoming another person in Riley and Gus’ lives to have their back.

Teddy was, on her own, such a beautifully flawed character. At a crossroads in her professional life and struggling personally. The way Lyla built up the tension between Teddy and Emmy. The rawness of such a deep friendship is one of the most meaningful love stories I’ve ever read. I’m married to the love of my life, but my best friend is my soulmate and I would walk through fire for her. So…Teddy and Emmy are written in the stars hit home.

Being along for the ride on Lyla’s journey from indie “Done and Dusted” to now has been nothing short of magical. I can’t wait for Dusty & Cam even though it will be bittersweet saying goodbye.

Lyla Sage does it again!!
A huge thank you to The Dial Press team for the ARC copy!

I’ve been excited for Teddy & Gus’s book since I first read Done and Dusted and I know Lyla felt a lot of pressure with how excited everyone was for this story but she knocked it out of the park!!

While Teddy and I are both Leo’s, our personalities are quite different but I found myself relating to her far more than I expected. I saw myself in her struggles of feeling somewhat left behind as the people around her coupled up and fell in love and I also saw myself in her creative passion and loyalty.

Emmy & Teddys friendship (and the platonic friendships in general) is one of my favorite elements of this series and it makes me sob because friendship soulmates are real and so so special!

& oh boy… the theme of fathers and daughters and sons in this one really melted my heart. (The authors note actually had me bawling tysm Lyla) All of the dads in this story; Amos, Gus & Hank, are so special and their love shines through so clearly. This series truly feels like one big family and at this point Rebel Blue Ranch is fully a real place in my brain and it’s heartbreaking that I can’t visit my fictional friends there 😂

Counting down the days until Wild and Wrangled!! 🤠