Wild and Wrangled is my favorite of the Blue Rebel Ranch books that I've read. This second chance romance is executed so well using the dual timeline structure. It's sweet, it's hot, it's romantic(!!) -- I devoured this book so fast. I do find the [over]use of pet names to be distracting; the one used in W&W isn't too bad but it's something to consider if you know you don't like it!

Absolutely loved this book! I devoured each of the other books in this series in one sitting and this was no different. Loved how this series explored all the family relationships and how even though I knew how it’d end, I got to enjoy the journey anyway. Looking forward to seeing what the author writes next.

it was only fitting that my first arc of 2025 was the last book of my favorite series in the world <3 i feel so much love and nostalgia knowing ive come full circle all the way from done and dusted to now wild and wrangled... cam and dusty's story was so so so sweet, fulfilling in every way that second chances tend to be and why i love them so much. the second that cam moved to meadowlark, dusty was there for her.- he was carrying her bag and books, showing up to her soccer games, driving her around, etc... MY HEART. knowing that dusty knew from the start that cam needed that care, that thoughfulnesss, that loveeeeee. young love is just everything good and pure in this world and watching cam and dusty come back to each other and their love was everything i needed. not many people would have handled what happened to cam at the beginning of the story so well, but cam had meadowlark, and she had the ryders, and she had rebel blue ranch... all of which enveloped her in the love and support she truly needed to finally go for the happiness that she had always wanted. that good, sweet love from that good, sweet man dusty !!! all in all, if you love lyla's work- you will love cam and dusty, and you will love the end of these series <3 god its so painful to say that... but rebel blue ranch above all !!! all my love to you lyla <3

Miss Lyla Sage totally knocked it out of the park with this fourth and final gem in the Rebel Blue series! I was practically doing cartwheels when I scored an early copy—I'm pretty sure I let out a full-on squeal at my desk! Cam and Dusty's tale was the fix I desperately needed, and It delivered! Their journey is a gorgeous whirlwind of emotions. Amos Ryder's nuggets of wisdom had me gasping and mulling over love's wild and wonderful twists. I even shed some Happy Tears while closing the book (which is a rare event for me!). Honestly, "Wild and Wrangled" feels like a heartfelt love letter to Meadowlark and all the characters we've adored throughout this series. If you haven't jumped into this series yet, what on earth are you waiting for? And if you're all caught up, I can't wait to chat about this masterpiece with you all! Mark your calendars—April 15th is the day!

ARC BOOK REVIEW

Wild and Wrangled by Lyla Sage
4 STARS

Thank you so very much The Dial Press, for the #free eARC of this book! I love this series, and I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this book early.

SYNOPSIS: “Camille Ashwood had always loved a plan. Her latest was her best yet. She was going to get married so she could secure her daughter’s future, get her overbearing parents off her back, and finally start building her own life in small town Meadowlark, Wyoming. Easy, right? But when her groom doesn’t show up to the wedding, Cam’s life is turned upside down—

Dusty Tucker has spent nearly all of his adult life running. Running from what, though? More like who: Cam Ashwood. But ever since he returned home last year, the girl who was his first, well, everything has become a woman seemingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. But now she’s single and living next door. Dusty wants to show her that they can be friends, and that he can stay put.

Despite her best attempts to stay away, Cam realizes that being close to him is like slipping on her favorite jeans. Nearly ten years after they first met, Dusty and Cam begin to wonder if their first love can also be their last. And this time, will it be forever?”

REVIEW: I’m so glad to do back to Rebel Blue Ranch once more! I love these characters and this town. I’m a bit sad that it is coming to an end with Wild and Wrangled.

With this narrative, we get to see a bit more of two somewhat tertiary characters from the first three books: Cam and Dusty. Slowly, over the course, of the narrative, we get to hear a bit about their past while seeing how they act towards each other during the current timeline. I really enjoyed that we learned about teenage Cam and Dusty through Dusty’s notes to Cam: notes passed in class, letters he wrote while traveling the country, and more.

In true Lyla Sage fashion, this book with fun of heart, hope, love, and a bit of spice.
By now, with the fourth book, we have a fun cast of characters that are quite established, which adds to the cozy, small-town world of the series.

It was a bit harder to get into the story of Cam and Dusty than some of the other pairs in this series, but once I was there, surrounded by the Ryder family, it felt so easy to live in this book for a while.

Publisher: The Dial Press
Pub date: 4/15/25

Dusty Tucker wins first place for UNMATCHED, YEARS-LONG YEARNING, Y’ALL.

this was absolutely precious — a second chance romance between two high school sweethearts that let time and circumstance come between them — and the first Lyla Sage book to knock it out of the park for me.

The story starts out with an instant hook — Camille, after being left at the altar by her parent-approved fiancé, runs smack dab into her high school ex (who was drowning his sorrows at the love of his life marrying another man, of course). and Dusty, the perfect, thoughtful man he is, knows exactly how to comfort Camille — fleeing town, gas station clothes, and Chili’s margaritas. The perfect man DOES exist — not to mention he’s got a slutty little nose ring, copious tattoos, and rocks crop tops while baling hay around the ranch. THIS IS THE FEMALE GAZE IN A NUTSHELL.

Absolutely adorable in every way, with the angstiest, piniest dual POV chapters mixed with flashbacks from their high school days (NOTE PASSING!!!! Soccer games!!!), this is literally chicken soup for the romance reader’s soul — the way Dusty loves and has always loved Camille is nothing short of devotion, and the way Camille struggles to let herself love and be loved without strings after a lifetime of parental pressures and neglect is a satisfying and touching journey.

I thoroughly enjoyed this from start to finish, but some flashbacks felt out of character, the ending was a bit abrupt and rushed, and if you’re hoping for more of an emotional resolution in other aspects of Camille’s life, like her relationship with her parents, you might feel a bit shortchanged.

But broadly, this was so, so cute, and the bonus chapter at the end will especially hit hard for anyone who has read and loved the series from start to finish. a deeply satisfying, wholesome ending for the Rebel Blue gang, and one that’ll leave you cyberstalking your high school exes to see if they could possibly ever compare to the man, the myth, the legend, Dusty Tucker. (Spoiler alert: they can't.)

A big yeehaw to Dial Press for the opportunity to read an early copy of this — off to change my Hinge parameters to nose-ring-wearing cowboys only.

Camille Ashwood has a plan to marry, secure her daughter’s future and make her parents happy. But when her fiancé leaves her at the altar, her life takes an unexpected turn. Finding herself living next door to Dusty Tucker, her highschool sweetheart, sparks old feelings and unresolved issues. Dusty, who has been running from his past and his feelings for Cam, now faces the possibility of rekindling their relationship. Their journey is filled with emotional tension, as they navigate the complexities of their past while discovering if their love can withstand the test of time. With a blend of second-chance romance and small-town charm, this story revisits old and new characters at the Rebel Blue Ranch.

Oh man! I LOVED "Wild and Wrangled"! Camille is a strong, relatable heroine who embodies resilience while facing life's challenges as a single mother. Her character development resonates with readers, making her journey feel authentic and engaging. Dusty is the quintessential broody hero, and his deep-seated feelings for Cam add layers to their relationship that I loved and found myself hoping (right along with Dusty). I would say it is kind of a slow burn at the beginning, but then….whooooo-boy! Their connection is hot. I love their history and I wanted the backstory just as much as Ada did. The small-town ranch vibes are great, like the previous three books. Readers will be left swooning, rooting for Camille and Dusty’s happily-ever-after as they soak up their rekindled romance and watch news spread around town. I really like the family connections, the strong friendships and the hilarious characters. I’m sad that the series is over, but grateful that it was spread out over four books. The cover is to die for. It’s got the best vintage vibes that I have seen on a romance cover in a very long time.

I have been wanting to read their story since we were introduced to their little tension filled love fest back in Ada and Wes’s book! Such a cute story, full of second chance romance, close proximity, a single mom romance trope, and a man who is utterly OBSESSED with the FMC. Such a great book to end the Done and Dusted series on! Loved all of these books. ♥️

I don’t think Lyla Sage can do anything wrong honestly.

I loved this book and felt that it was a perfect ending (though I hate that it was an ending) to the Rebel Blue Ranch series. I thought second chance romances weren’t my thing but apparently I was wrong.

I loved Cam, and saw myself in her a bit. She’s a single mom doing her best to be everything she didn’t have. And while she makes some mistakes and struggles - I think all of those things made sense for her character. It made her relatable and understandable.

What can I say about Dusty except for that I love him and every man should yearn like Dusty does. The fact that he understood and admired Cam’s choices - all of them (IFYKYK) - was what solidified everything for me.

Could you make an argument that the third act conflict was a little silly? Sure, but so did all of the characters. Wes and I had the same reaction. Could you maybe want more from the plot line with Cam’s parents, perhaps. But I personally felt that the moment we got was the moment Cam needed, and I can respect that. Not all of us want or need a big “f you” moment, sometimes the lack of that is what’s needed.

I can’t emphasize enough how much I loved these books. I was sobbing at 2am in bed over it being the end. And I will be reading everything that Lyla Sage publishes.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC!

i have literally put of reading this for months now because i didn’t want my time at rebel blue ranch to end. i finally got myself together and i’m fighting myself for not reading this one sooner.

like all of our beautiful couples at rebel blue, it was an honor reading about cam and dusty’s story. i love reading about a strong woman, and that’s exactly what we get with cam. she’s such a real character and it’s so easy to relate to her and her feelings. dusty reminds me of teddy, a lot. i think they’re characters that aren’t necessarily misunderstood, but definitely underestimated. and like teddy, i loved seeing dusty prove to everyone that he isn’t what they think he is, without jeopardizing who he really is.

i loved reading about their love. i love seeing how raw and real their relationship is and getting the backstory about their past. i think this book finished the series off beautifully. i absolutely love cam and t- i mean dusty. it was an honor to read and review before everyone else gets a chance to love up on it.

i want to thank netgalley and the publishers for the opportunity. love live rebel blue, i’ll love and remember you until i’m dust.

Dusty and Cam met and fell in love as teenagers. They believed they could overcome all the obstacles placed in their way, but ultimately they fell apart.

Fifteen years after they first met Cam is now a single mom and she has just been left at the altar, but surprisingly she’s not broken-hearted. At least nothing in comparison to her heartbreak over Dusty.

Determined to get her life together for herself and her daughter, Riley, Cam believes the safest thing to do (for her heart) is to stay a safe distance from Dusty. Which is easier said than done in a small town full of people rooting for them to get back together.

I loved Dusty; he was so sweet, incredibly patient, and kind. Cam was stubborn and reluctant to ask for help, but Dusty - the person who still knows her better than anyone else - was the one person with whom she could truly be herself.

Dusty and Cam’s second chance romance was incredibly satisfying and the perfect end to the Rebel Blue Ranch series.

I had high hopes for Wild and Wrangled since I loved the other books in the series, but unfortunately, this one didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The storyline was promising, but I struggled with the main female character throughout the book. She felt overly dramatic, and at times, unrelatable. I just couldn’t connect with her choices or actions, which made it hard to fully invest in the story.
On the other hand, I really liked Dusty—he was sweet and genuinely likable. But honestly? I couldn’t understand why he wanted to be with her again. Their dynamic didn’t feel as strong or convincing as I had hoped.
The biggest issue for me came in the third act—it was honestly a lot. Without giving too much away, the conflict felt unnecessary and overblown. Cam completely blew things out of proportion, to the point where I almost stopped reading. Since I was so close to the end, I powered through, but it definitely tested my patience.
Overall, the book had its moments, but I was left frustrated by the lack of depth in the main character and the unbelievable turn of events in the final act. It’s a decent read, but not one I’ll be rushing to recommend.
Tropes:
- small town
- second chance
- friends-to-lovers
- high school sweethearts
3/5 stars
2/5 Spice

sitting in actual tears at how truly perfect this book and this entire series was from beginning to end! i have sooo many thoughts and words i want to say but i just feel so happy with how this ended. i fell in love completely with every character but especially cam and dusty, their connection throughout the years was so beautiful to see and i can’t believe how well lyla sage brought these characters to life.

i was fortunate enough to have received an arc to this book before its release and i am just so emotional about it coming to an end but overjoyed at how wonderful it’s felt after reading each one and especially this one. I always felt that every character was so relatable and it’s so amazing to connect in that way with a story!

i know i’ll be rereading this series every year and holding them and every character so close for years to come. i can’t wait for you guys to read this in april!!! 😭🩵🥹

brb buying a pair of cowboy boots! 🤠

Okay, let’s talk about this book because I was hooked. Small-town romance? Check. Second-chance love? Double check. Forced proximity with a broody cowboy who never got over his first love? Say less.

Camille Ashwood is the kind of heroine I love—strong, determined, and doing everything she can to create a stable life for her daughter. She’s got a plan (we love a woman with a plan), but life has other ideas when her fiancé leaves her hanging at the altar. And just when she’s trying to pick up the pieces, she ends up living next door to the one guy she swore she was over. Enter Dusty Tucker—the childhood love she never really let go of, even if she won’t admit it.

Dusty is exactly the kind of hero that gets me every time. He’s been running from his past (and, let’s be real, his feelings for Cam), but now he’s back in town, and suddenly, they’re neighbors. And let me just say, the tension between these two? Immaculate. The kind of slow-burn, emotional push and pull that keeps you flipping pages way past your bedtime.

One thing I really loved about this book was how real the emotions felt. It’s not just a “we’re still in love” kind of second-chance romance—there’s history, heartbreak, and some serious healing that needs to happen. Their journey felt earned, and I was so invested in watching them figure out if love was worth the risk a second time.

Also, the small-town vibes in this book? Chef’s kiss. You can feel the community, the gossip, and the way everyone lowkey (or not so lowkey) has an opinion on Cam and Dusty’s situation. And let’s not forget the slow, cozy moments—front porch conversations, stolen glances, and those little, quiet gestures that hit just as hard as the big, dramatic ones.

If you love small-town romances, emotional second-chance love stories, and a cowboy who will absolutely ruin you with the way he looks at his girl, you need this book. Camille and Dusty’s story had me swooning, tearing up, and grinning like an idiot.

Final verdict? 4.5/5 stars and a big ol’ yeehaw. 🤠❤️

I am so sad to leave Rebel Blue Ranch. The stories of all of these characters I have gotten to know has been such a joy. In this final book we follow Cam and Dusty's relationship and learn about their past, how Riley came to be and witness their flame rekindle. I wish there was more Riley and more to the story in the present day but I enjoyed reading this nonetheless. The best part for me was the extra chapter that described Emmy and Brook's wedding.

I have been so excited to read Cam and Dusty's story since we first saw them interact in Swift and Saddled. I will be the first to admit that I'm not typically a fan of the second chance romance trope, by Lyla Sage did such an incredible job with it.

In Wild and Wrangled, we get a beautiful story about friendship, love, family, and self-worth. What an incredible way to wrap-up our time at Rebel Blue. We truly begin to understand Cam and the way she is willing to give up her own happiness to ensure her daughter has everything she needs. Dusty is probably only person who truly knows Cam and is so incredibly committed to her and her happiness. I loved the way their little family came together. They both deserved so much love in their lives, and they are so amazing together.

what to love:
- second chance
- single mom
- found family
- small town
- PINING!!
- he falls first
- cowboy
- he loves her little girl

I was pretty sad to leave Blue Rebel Ranch at the end of this, but I'm glad that we finally got Cam and Dusty's story. I liked that both Cam and Dusty had backgrounds that were a bit different than the Ryder siblings (stars of the first three in the series). Cam comes from pretty serious money (which comes from pretty seriously cold parents), and Dusty is unusual in this series in that he spent a long time away from Meadowlark before returning (more, I think, than Emmy did when she was working the rodeo circuit). Cam has been an important but kind of mysterious secondary character throughout the series, as she co-parents Riley along with Gus Ryder, and I liked learning more about her and what makes her tick. Having spent now four books with these characters, I liked seeing the couples from the first three as they continued to build their relationships, and I of course loved getting more time with Riley, the adorable kid beloved by everyone in the series. A satisfying conclusion to the series, and I hope that Lyla Sage has more novels planned!

This book.....I can't express how much I thoroughly enjoyed this 2nd chance love story. I'm usually not a fan of this trope as much, BUT Cam & Dusty sure have changed my mind. I felt connected to Cam in a lot of different aspects with her life experience and my own. I love that Cam knows just exactly when she needs space and when to push her. He is so attuned to her. I mean he waited 15 years for her!! There were times I just wanted to shake Cam for being so stubborn, but I'm so happy she came to her senses on things especially the house. I couldn't believe she didn't realize Dusty owned the home or that she got so upset that he bought it with her in mind. Are you kidding me!? Talk about a notebook moment. I guess I can see being upset a little bit but I'm so glad she had her friends to talk some sense into her and calling her out. Now, Dusty, he is my new book boyfriend. Move aside Xaden Riorson! This man is everything I'd hope to find in my future person/husband. He did everything right in my mind and he is my new hyper-fixation. I just love Dusty. He is caring, sweet, 100% loyal & 100% supportive, any girls dream. Thank you for allowing me to read this book and I can't wait to pre-order my copy. This was by far my favorite book in the series so far and I can't wait for the next one.

I really, really adore Lyla Sage and Rebel Blue Ranch. I was a little underwhelmed by the last book of the series, though. Where Dusty shone as a character, I still feel like we don't know that much about Cam. We see a lot of Dusty coming through in his notes to Cam, and I wish we could have seen her notes to him to get a better sense of her personality and their history. There's a lot of telling rather than showing that they loved each other and were heartbroken apart, but I actually wanted way more yearning! Cam and Dusty have the most history out of all the RBR couples, but is kind of the least detailed.

We got the sense in previous books that Cam would be very similar to Ada, needing distance where conflict arises. Ada's past was more fleshed out, abandonment issues and an abusive relationship causing problems with commitment. We see Cam's difficult relationship with her parents, and her wishing to both defy them and seek their approval, but this isn't resolved in a satisfying way.

Another example of telling vs. showing was Dusty and Riley bonding with each other-- we see this happening a couple of times but ultimately there's just a write-off sentence saying they spent time together and he began to love her. I would have loved more of Cam, Dusty, and Riley bonding together like with Teddy and Gus in L&L.

This is also the least spicy book in the series, which isn't problematic, but my expectations were high considering the amount of time Cam and Dusty spent apart.

One more thing... <spoiler> The book ends with a chapter about Emmy and Luke's wedding. I felt it was much too short, and it would have been fun to see all the characters interacting a bit more since it's the very end of the series. Super cute that all the Ryders rode their horses together, though. </spoiler>

I'll continue to read anything by Lyla Sage, of course, because she's a wonderful and exciting writer. Thank you NetGalley and Random House/Dial for the eARC!

Thank you to Netgalley and Dial Press for an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

There's just something in the way that this book perfectly balances being an ode to Cam and Dusty, while also being a bittersweet homage to Rebel Blue Ranch, and to a greater extent, Meadowlark. Although "Wild and Wrangled" didn't come close to knocking "Lost and Lassoed" off my favorite RBR romance, the heart and soul of this book definitely brought tears to my eyes more than once.

Cam embodied the textbook definition of someone with an avoidant attachment style; she struggles to put her trust in the people around her, instead choosing to rely on her own capabilities to get the job done. And this type of character can be extremely hard to root for at times, especially when she's championing against her own interests. Yet, in the throes of a second chance romance, we see Cam allow herself a second chance at her own life. At being able to rely on the Ryders and the rest of her found family. At being able to acknowledge the pain and trauma her parents have caused her and slowly unlearn the bad habits they've imparted upon her. And at the end of the day, it's hard NOT to understand where Cam is coming from and why she makes the decisions she makes.

Can and Dusty's story unwinds in synchronicity with snippets of moments from their teenage selves, and I really enjoyed how these flashbacks allowed readers to see so many different sides of both these characters. From their whirlwind beginnings to their slow return to each other, it was heartbreakingly clear why they didn't work out the first time around, yet how this time could be wholly different. Their sex scenes were so purposeful and allowed so much deeper insight into their psyche's, as well as the way they worked together; but for me, the true highlight of their romance was the way in which conflict was handled in their relationship. From the first breakup to the third act breakup, it was fascinating to see how these characters handled anger and frustration, while ultimately choosing to fight for their love.

In terms of Dusty Tucker, I was a bit underwhelmed with him as a character, he felt a little one-sided to me at times. I wanted a deeper exploration of his adventures outside of small throwaway sentences and random hobbies he picked up, and I feel that Cam's insecurity of whether there may have been a girl he found along the way could have been addressed more directly. And because his characterization was so one-note, his love for Cam, while all-consuming and fiery, felt fairly static, even while Cam's shifted and evolved.

Despite my misgivings about Dusty, my favorite part in this book is without a doubt all of the numerous cameos we see from the extended Rebel Blue Ranch family. Amos and Gus's monologues made me tear up at least twice, and it was so heartwarming to see all these characters happily coupled up and living life so joyously with each other. This book encompassed so many of the virtues of a good found family trope, and though I'm sad that this series is over, it gives me so much happiness to see everyone get the ending they deserve.