Review: ‘Swift and Saddled’ by Lyla Sage
Swift and Saddled
by Lyla SageSeries: Rebel Blue Ranch #2
Published by The Dial Press on March 5, 2024
SubGenres: Contemporary Romance
Format: AudioBook, eBook
Pages: 307
Narrator: Teddy Hamilton, Vanessa Edwin
Length: 7 Hours And 21 Minutes
Source: Library - Libby, Purchased
Audience: 18+/Adult
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She’s the city girl who refuses to be saddled with a man. He’s the cowboy who wants her anyway.
The last thing Ada Hart needs is a man to take care of her. Not anymore. After failing out of her interior design program and the disaster that was her short-lived marriage, Ada clawed her way up from her rock bottom. Now, the only person she trusts is herself, and that has gotten her further than ever before. She has her own business, and one of the largest ranches in Wyoming just hired her for the most important project of her career.
When Ada arrives in Meadowlark, she finds herself in a dive bar where she can’t seem to shake the eyes of a handsome cowboy. When she leads him to the back of the bar, he leaves her with a kiss that most people can only fantasize about. She almost regrets that she’ll never see him again . . . except it turns out he’s her new boss.
Weston Ryder is a happy guy. Even happier now that the mystery woman from the bar is the interior designer for his dream project on his family’s ranch. He feels like he hit the jackpot. It’s too bad she wants absolutely nothing to do with him outside of work. Ada is convinced the pull she feels toward Wes will go away, but Wes can’t stop thinking about her. Even though walls are coming down around Rebel Blue, Ada’s walls are firmly in place.
Can they make it through this project without giving in? Or will they both put their dreams on the line for a chance at love?
After a long wait from my local library (Libby), I was finally able to read Swift and Saddled, the second book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series. It didn’t take me long to read this book because it was fast-paced (at least for me) and had a low-stakes romantic storyline.
I enjoyed the storyline of this one. The FMC, Ada Hart, is pursuing her dreams with her new interior design business and moving on from her ex-husband. She ends up meeting a cowboy at a dive bar in a small town, and they immediately hit it off. The issue is that she later finds out that the same cowboy from the bar is her new client for her interior design business, which is going to be challenging to keep her attraction for him at bay. The cowboy, Weston Ryder, who hired her for his dream project at his family’s ranch, won’t let Ada forget that night at the bar and will try everything to get with her.
This is also an Opposite’s Attract story, which is one of my favorite tropes to read, and Lyla Sage had me hooked with the city girl falling for the country boy in a small town. I’m also enjoying the family dynamics and how they look out for one another and are always together.
Unfortunately, like the first book in the series, the second book is only getting 3.5 stars. This is mainly due to me having issues with one of the characters, and then the story felt rushed for Ada and Weston. I think the story feels rushed because this book has the instant attraction storyline, and those types of stories can be a hit or miss with me. In the case of Swift and Saddled, it was a miss, and I wished I had enjoyed it more.
I liked Ada, but didn’t love her, especially what she did towards the end of the book. I understood why she did it, but I think she may have overreacted a bit. I did relate to her when it came to not making friends. I’m always questioning if people like me, and that’s what Ada was feeling the whole time, even when Weston’s family and friends were making her feel welcome. It did become repetitive at times with her.
I loved Weston because he’s the sweet cinnamon roll type, and how he handled Ada, especially at the end, won me over immediately. Here’s a guy who is patient and will do anything to be with Ada. I do wish that Lyla would have touched more on his depression because it was mentioned a couple of times, as how he was getting help, but I think it should have been mentioned more in the story.
One other thing: I picked up this series because of the book covers. Yes, I’m one of those readers who is drawn to a book cover immediately before even reading the synopsis, but I do eventually check out the synopsis to find out if the book is something I’m going to enjoy reading. These covers remind me of the comics I used to read when I was younger, bringing back so many memories.
Overall, this was enjoyable to read, and I am planning on reading the rest of the series, especially since Lyla has given hints on the next couple in these books.
Would I recommend this book/series? Yes, especially if you enjoy reading Small-Town Romances in which the city girl falls instantly for the sweet and sexy cowboy.
What to Expect:
✓Small Town Romance
✓Cowboys
✓Opposite’s Attract
✓Workplace Romance
✓Grumpy Vs. Sunshine (FMC is the one Grumpy)
✓Forced Proximity
✓Found Family
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