Rustler Mountain was a different type of story than I have been reading. The history of the town and the people who lived there made for an interesting storyline.
This is an excellent first book in the new series Rustler Mountain. It gave me the base for learning the families that lived there past and present. It was set up very well so the readers can feel the connection between the Wilder and Talbot families.
Thank you NetGalley, Maisey Yates and Kensington Publishing for the copy of Rustler Mountain. This is my personal review.

This was such a fun and easy read! Millie felt very relatable—at least to me—and I was rooting for her the whole time. At first, I didn’t really see the chemistry with Austin, but as the story went on, I began to see the potential. When they finally got together, it was massive fireworks! Towards the end, things felt a bit rushed, but I still enjoyed the story and characters. I’m excited to read the next book in the
series!

Thank you Kensington Publishing for for the eARC!

I enjoyed my time reading Rustler Mountain but in the end, the two main characters getting together seems wild. I liked Millie and Austin and their stories are intriguing. I liked reading about the town lore and the search for more information in old documents. Millie and Austin had chemistry but it all came way too fast.

Thank you Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for my e-arc!

Austin Wilder local bad boy. Millie Talbot local mousey girl. How the twain shall meet. What a beautiful love story. I found it to be a little slow in the beginning but it picked up, turned into a delightful read. Cannot wait to read the next one in the series. Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

As a person who named her cats Butch Cassidy and Sundance Kid... I do love an outlaw story! Rustler Mountain was no exception. It was so interesting how Maisey managed to weave past and present together. I enjoyed all the glimpses we got into Rustler Mountain's past, especially through the journals of Austin Wilder (the dead one).
Austin and Millie were a really fun couple. I loved their dynamic and how they made each other better and more expansive. The rest of the Wilder family were such great side characters, can't wait for all of them to get their own story someday hopefully! And the setting of Rustler Mountain as this storied former gold rush town was a character in and of itself.
Highly recommend to pick up this book! A bit cowboy romance, a bit history lesson, and a whole lot of tension and attraction.
(Thank you to NetGalley, Maisey Yates and Kensington Publishing for providing me with an eARC for this book in exchange for my honest feedback. All opinions in this review are my own.)

In Rustler Mountain, Oregon, the feud between the Wilders and Talbots is as legendary as the town’s Wild West roots. Millie Talbot, a descendant of the sheriff who gunned down outlaw Austin Wilder, is determined to revive the town’s Gold Rush Days, but she needs the help of the current Austin Wilder to make it happen. Austin agrees, but in return, he wants Millie’s help uncovering the truth to clear his family’s outlaw legacy. As they work together, their clash of bad boy and good girl ignites sparks neither of them expected, rewriting both their histories.

I really enjoyed how this book tackles preconceived notions right from the start. Austin is labeled a bad-boy outlaw solely because of his family name, never given the chance to define himself beyond his lineage. Meanwhile, Millie is passionate about preserving the town’s history but hasn’t questioned whether the stories passed down are entirely accurate. Her family has always been seen as the “good guys,” and she begins to realize how unfair it is for Austin and his family to carry the weight of an opposite reputation.

The historical diary entries at the beginning of each chapter added an intriguing layer to the story, offering glimpses into the past that deepened the present-day narrative. The steamy scenes were a fun addition, and I wouldn’t mind seeing them expanded as the series continues. I’m already looking forward to the second book’s release this September!

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for this eARC!

4.5 stars rounded up. This is a slow burn that ignites and has incredible depth throughout.

Millie and Austin not only seem to be complete opposites, but their families have a contemptuous history dating back over a century. They are a dichotomy of good girl against outlaw, at least according to the town their families were a part of founding and where they’ve both spent their entire lives. However, real feelings are rarely ever so straightforward and history is never quite as it seems.

I love Millie and the journey of self-discovery she goes on in this book. She’s always believed with her whole heart in the legacy of her family, but she also has courage of conviction in being a genuinely kind person who wants to do what’s right and share what’s true even if it isn’t easy to accept. She has kept herself in a “good girl” box, and when she realizes how it has stifled her, she begins to make choices with her wants and needs at the forefront rather than what everyone else may think.

Another thing I love about this book is that Austin has so much of his own self-discovery and mindset reframing to do with *his* family legacy — or notoriety is perhaps a better word — and what it means to forge a new path for the future. The tension between him and Millie along the way crackles and their dynamic encourages each of them to dig deep into who they are and who they want to be.

I enjoyed this book so, so much. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed Millie and Austin getting to know one another, while also unlearing/relearning their family histories. The “wild west” theme was fun and interesting, and the historical planning was a fun element. Austin’s family was great and added a nice layer to the story. I found the ex situation a bit over the top and overdone, but overall this was an enjoyable read that had my attention start to finish! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to provide my honest review.

This was my first ARC I received through netgalley and I am blown away by how much I loved it. I do rate it 4.5 stars but rounded up. Millie Talbot the sweet innocent librarian and Austin Wilder the outlaw. Or so they both seem they are both so much more then what the perceive to be, Austin really set the bar high for the rest of the series and I cannot wait for it to continue. I read this in about 6hours I honestly couldn't put it down. The whole family just everything and you can't help but feel part of them. I will definitely be reading more Maisey Yates books. Cowboy romances are my weakness and this did not disappoint.

Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates is a small-town romance about Millie Talbot, a librarian determined to restore the town’s museum, and Austin Wilder, a cowboy from a family with an outlaw past. Despite their families’ long-standing tensions, they form an unexpected alliance that turns into a heartfelt romance.

With themes of heritage, identity, and redemption, the story balances angst, warmth, and chemistry. Millie’s quiet strength and Austin’s emotional depth make for a compelling dynamic, while the small-town setting adds charm. A mix of history, romance, and personal growth, this is a satisfying read for fans of contemporary love stories.

RUSTLER MOUNTAIN – Maisey Yates
Kensington
ISBN: 978-1496753465
February 25, 2025
Contemporary Romance

Rustler Mountain, Oregon – Present Day

For years, tourists have flocked to Rustler Mountain for its month-long fair, which includes historic home tours. Librarian Millie Talbott is a descendant of a sheriff in the 1800s who was part of the town’s lore. He hanged the Wilder brothers after accusing them of a crime. Austin Wilder is one of the Wilder descendants, and he and his brothers are notorious for being wild and always in trouble. But Millie needs Austin’s help. She wants to reenact what happened that led to the Wilder brothers hanging. But to do that, she needs his approval. That is how she ends up on his doorstep. He turns her down—at first.

Austin has always accepted that he and his brothers were born to have a bad reputation in town. Millie’s always intrigued him, mainly because he visits the library and checks out books from her. After turning her down, Austin changes his mind and shows up at a town council meeting. Her suggestion gets approved because of his consent and now he is working with Millie on the project. Being around her has a sizzling attraction skyrocketing between them. He thinks he is wrong for her, while she is surprised at how he has become her biggest ally. Will working together bring them to the bedroom? Digging through the diaries they find something that becomes an eye-opener for both. A secret is uncovered that just might change the past.

Millie is what you think of as a shy librarian with little experience. Except, she was engaged but broke it off after her fiancé cheated on her with the town mayor. Yeah, everyone knows everyone in RUSTLER MOUNTAIN. She has always known Austin, but they rarely interacted except at the library. He intrigued her because he didn’t seem the type to read. You know…a big and manly cowboy who frequents the local bars. Turns out Austin is writing a book about his infamous ancestor, the first Austin Wilder. Everyone takes it for granted that the brothers are as bad as depicted. But it turns out that the first Austin Wilder loved his wife and children. Can Millie help Austin get to the bottom of why things turned out badly for his ancestors?

Spending time around each other ends as expected for Millie and Austin in RUSTLER MOUNTAIN. They start kissing and soon are making love. As their relationship develops, the more he wants to push her away because he feels like he is not good enough for her. Yet, they come together so beautifully, like pieces of a puzzle fitting. Despite being the wronged woman in the relationship with her now ex-fiancé, Millie has to put up with the whispers around town as to why she couldn’t hold her man. However, once she starts to be seen with Austin, the whispers soon morph into a firestorm. How could a Talbott be hooking up with a Wilder? Millie doesn’t care. She is fascinated by Austin and is falling in love with him. He continues to think of himself as undeserving of her love. Can she convince him otherwise?

One might also want to call RUSTLER MOUNTAIN by another title, The Outlaw and his Librarian. Millie and Austin are cute together and readers will be rooting for them to make a life together. Will they find out the answers they need from the past? Will they find love? Discover the fun and enjoyment of reading this sizzling and entertaining tale.

Patti Fischer
Romance Reviews Today

Old family feuds, unexpected depths, and small town angst form the basis for this last romance from Yates. Millie, daughter of a sheriff who is now the town librarian, needs help from Austin, the descendent of outlaws, in order to make her vision of a different tourist attraction work. To both of their surprise, they find there's more to each other than they expected. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. Good characters and a nice story made for. a good read.

4/5 ⭐️ I really enjoyed this book. It’s real, it feels so real. Maisey gives such an in depth look into the characters thought processes, traumas, feelings and emotions, you really get a sense of stepping into their world. Rustler Mountain is so realistic in the highs and lows of living in a rural town and the complexities that come when everyone knows one another. I would have loved a tiny bit more descriptive imagery and a little bit less of the internal dialogue, but overall it was a great story, very well written and very easy to get into!

Another great book by Maisey Yates and the start of a new series. I always enjoy her characters as she makes them come alive through her descriptions. They appear realistic dealing with issues we all encounter in life: learning to trust, believing you deserve to be happy, finding love, and commitment. Can a guy from the "wrong side of the tracks" fall in love with "A good girl from town"? It's an age old question that is tackled and resolved in this mountain town. I can't wait for the next book.

Although I received a free ARC from Net Galley and the publisher, all opinions are honest and true.

This was a fantastic start to a new and intriguing series. It carries the authors voice in a new way. I adored Austin (the present and the past). His relationship with Millie and the way he see's her is so real. I can't wait to continue this series and uncover more mysteries.

Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates, millie Talbot, like everyone else who’s lineage goes back to the wild West where’s her heritage like a personality and this includes the outlaw’s great grandson and namesake Austin Wilder. unfortunately, Millie needs Austin‘s help and the fact she’s only seen him in the library and has never spoken to him doesn’t deter her. She’s known as being mousy around rustler Mountain. Austin on the other hand is known as being a loner and a troublemaker he thought he would never live past 35 but now that he has, he has some thinking to do, and when Millie knocks on his door to ask for his help little does he know that she will be the food for thought that ignites his greatest conclusions. soon his help turns in to something else and not everyone is on board with it. Ironically, it’s mainly her ex fiancé and his new girlfriend. In the wild West sheriff Talbot, put an end to Austin Wilder, but in current day Librarian Talbot is hoping to be this Wilders new beginning. this is the beginning of a new series about the ancestors of wild West rivals business partners and more all falling in love with those who at one time would’ve put a bullet in each other and I am down for all of it. I love the old diary entries at the beginning of the book and whether their real or not it gives a great tone to the story and I can’t wait to read the next book with Carson, this is looking like it’s going to be a great series. #NetGalley, #KensingtonBooks,#MaiseyYates,#RustlerMountain,

This book pulled me in right away with its setting and rich history.

Rustler is the kind of small town that feels like a character itself, with its deep ties to an infamous shootout between an outlaw and a sheriff. Millie Talbot is determined to bring back Gold Rush Days and needs the help of Austin Wilder, the latest in the notorious Wilder line, to make it happen. Austin agrees, but he has his own reasons.

The tension between Millie and Austin was fantastic! She is the classic good girl, he has that rebellious edge, and their push and pull dynamic made every interaction fun to read. Their chemistry was undeniable, but what really stood out was the way they both had to confront their own struggles. Austin’s journey toward realizing he deserves happiness was incredibly well done, and Millie’s inner thoughts made her feel so real.

Beyond the romance, the book does a great job of showing the tangled relationships in a small town. Both main characters had to navigate family expectations, long-standing rivalries, and the weight of their histories.

It made for a such a great story!

If you love a romance with depth, tension, and a strong sense of place, this is a great one to pick up.

Thank you Kensington and NetGalley for this free copy!

Maisey Yates has given us yet another good read with Rustler Mountain, a western gold rush town clearly divided historically between the "good guys" and the "bad guys. " That history is about to be upended by Millie Talbot, local librarian, daughter of the late sheriff of the town, and her mother, the former town librarian. Considered unworthy and odd, and teased for being Millie the Mouse all through school, she wants to revise and update one of the big tourist draws, Gold Rush Days, and set up a a museum filled with historic photos and artifacts. highlighting the heritage and history of the town. It's a worthwhile and noble goal, but she needs the help of one of most the reclusive men in town, Austin Wilder, named for his ancestor, a notorious outlaw who was shot to death on the street by Millie's forebear, Sheriff Talbot. But was he really? But first, Millie has to enlist Austin's aid in getting the funding and backing she'll need, and to do that, she'll have to convince the mayor, Danielle, the woman with whom Millie found her fiancé in bed, which ended their engagement, and made her feel the same rejection she felt all through school. As a lover of history and especially the history of the Old West, and despite the rather slow start, I give this novel 4-1/2 stars.

Millie's stunned when Austin shows up at that town meeting and backs her proposal, shocking everyone there. He's never attended a town meeting before this one. And while I consider this an enemies-to-lovers novel, it's more than that--it's a story that emphasizes that things aren't always what they seem at first, especially if and when you dig deep enough, and it's so well written, as are all of Ms. Yates' novels, I'm happy to recommend it.

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates is yet again a goodread! The book is based in a small town where there were always two factions - the law-abiding Talbots and the outlaws - Wilder family. The story is so woven into the town's history that everyone still buys the thought a couple of generations later.

Millie the town librarian would like to add another way to draw people into the town. Gold Rush Days based on the legends of the town. In order to do that she will have to convince the Wilder family - specifically Austin to help her.

As the two work together, looking for answers becomes part of the journey. The fact that Autin and Millie are drawn to each other adds an element to the story as does the growth of the characters. Maisey Yates’s book are always interesting reads with lots of action and characters. This one is no different! Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates is a goodread!

I'm a huge Maisey Yates fan and I could not be more excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley and the publishers to review - thank you!
Maisey takes us to Historic Rustler Mountain where there are more than a few colourful characters including a very handsome outlaw! This book gives me Gilmore Girl town feels with its crazy festivals but lots more spice! I am looking forward to reading the next book in the series, I can't wait to see what else is in store for Rustler Mountain and the bad boys of the Wilder Family!