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adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
N/A
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I am obsessed with this cast of characters and this series of cowboy love stories! Ada and Wes are just so perfect for each other and Wes is so loving and kind. But I canโt wait for more books to come out, Iโm really hoping for Daddy Amos to get a book!!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Mental illness, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Mental illness, Toxic relationship
Minor: Blood, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Infidelity
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Fate brought me to Swift and Saddled. I started another book the same day that I was going to continue with, but something told me it was time to return to Rebel Blue. Iโve had a terrible week/month/year, I wonโt lie. On a day in which my depression was really taking over, and the black clouds loomed above me with no light in sight, I was welcomed by two of the most relatable characters Iโve had the privilege of reading.
Ada and Wes are clear soulmates. From their physical attraction to the way they bounce off of each other mentally, itโs obvious. I love a romance, and the romance in this book was great, but it isnโt what drew me to these characters. What drew me to Ada and Wes, and to Swift and Saddled as a whole, is how accurately it portrays depression, anxiety, self-esteem, trauma, abandonment, and more. I felt seen by both Ada and Wes, and, on a day when I really felt like giving up, that was just what I needed.
Swift and Saddled portrays depression so realistically. We donโt see the ins and outs of a low day, but we do see the constant torment, dread and unease that comes with knowing when your next Big Low is coming or when your coping mechanisms are eventually going to give out on you. Itโs a when, not an if. Not a lot of people get that. Wes gets it. Lyla Sage gets it. I get it.
Wesโ description of depression was perfect: โdepression wasnโt a logical disease โฆ it was impossible to predict โฆ not if, but when I would sink into another dark hole and have to decide to claw my way out.โ Living with a depression requires you to make choices every day, to take your meds, go to therapy, take a walk, whatever works for you. I really appreciated seeing the choice and the genuine hard work and effort it takes into just living reflected so accurately in this book.
I am a depressed person, but I am also a lonely person. Both Ada and Wes speak to me in so many ways. Adaโs loneliness and, frankly, complete lack of self worth are engrained in me. They are a huge part of who I am. Some days, I canโt figure out if they contribute to my depression or are caused by it. Either way, Ada not remembering a time when she wasnโt lonely registered with me so completely. Everybody has someone or something, but not me and, at the start of this book, not Ada. Having a character like Wes read her so well and want to show her that she has so much value was lovely. It made me feel bad for my friends who so badly want to do that for me and tell me so. Maybe, one day, Iโll be as brave as Ada and let someone in. I hope so.
Swift and Saddled wasnโt as horse-y as Iโd have liked, but it makes sense based on Ada and Wesโ day to day. Iโd love to see more of their lives in the future to see how their days work with their own animals, so hopefully theyโll be popping up a lot during the rest of the series.
I donโt think this review, if we can call it that, was coherent, so Iโll summarise:
- Depression is portrayed so accurately in this book, and I am truly grateful for that
- I understand Ada on a spiritual level. I want her happy ever after. She deserves it. I wish weโd gotten some more context around her ex (how they met, where he went etc), but I feel like I know her all the same.
- Wes chooses every day to keep on keeping on and I am so proud of him
Iโm going to have to come back to this for a proper read and review when Iโm less emotional but, for now, Iโll say: thank you, Lyla Sage. You donโt know me and you didnโt know I needed your words but you gave them to me anyway.
Ada and Wes are clear soulmates. From their physical attraction to the way they bounce off of each other mentally, itโs obvious. I love a romance, and the romance in this book was great, but it isnโt what drew me to these characters. What drew me to Ada and Wes, and to Swift and Saddled as a whole, is how accurately it portrays depression, anxiety, self-esteem, trauma, abandonment, and more. I felt seen by both Ada and Wes, and, on a day when I really felt like giving up, that was just what I needed.
Swift and Saddled portrays depression so realistically. We donโt see the ins and outs of a low day, but we do see the constant torment, dread and unease that comes with knowing when your next Big Low is coming or when your coping mechanisms are eventually going to give out on you. Itโs a when, not an if. Not a lot of people get that. Wes gets it. Lyla Sage gets it. I get it.
Wesโ description of depression was perfect: โdepression wasnโt a logical disease โฆ it was impossible to predict โฆ not if, but when I would sink into another dark hole and have to decide to claw my way out.โ Living with a depression requires you to make choices every day, to take your meds, go to therapy, take a walk, whatever works for you. I really appreciated seeing the choice and the genuine hard work and effort it takes into just living reflected so accurately in this book.
I am a depressed person, but I am also a lonely person. Both Ada and Wes speak to me in so many ways. Adaโs loneliness and, frankly, complete lack of self worth are engrained in me. They are a huge part of who I am. Some days, I canโt figure out if they contribute to my depression or are caused by it. Either way, Ada not remembering a time when she wasnโt lonely registered with me so completely. Everybody has someone or something, but not me and, at the start of this book, not Ada. Having a character like Wes read her so well and want to show her that she has so much value was lovely. It made me feel bad for my friends who so badly want to do that for me and tell me so. Maybe, one day, Iโll be as brave as Ada and let someone in. I hope so.
Swift and Saddled wasnโt as horse-y as Iโd have liked, but it makes sense based on Ada and Wesโ day to day. Iโd love to see more of their lives in the future to see how their days work with their own animals, so hopefully theyโll be popping up a lot during the rest of the series.
I donโt think this review, if we can call it that, was coherent, so Iโll summarise:
- Depression is portrayed so accurately in this book, and I am truly grateful for that
- I understand Ada on a spiritual level. I want her happy ever after. She deserves it. I wish weโd gotten some more context around her ex (how they met, where he went etc), but I feel like I know her all the same.
- Wes chooses every day to keep on keeping on and I am so proud of him
Iโm going to have to come back to this for a proper read and review when Iโm less emotional but, for now, Iโll say: thank you, Lyla Sage. You donโt know me and you didnโt know I needed your words but you gave them to me anyway.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, Mental illness
Minor: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, Abandonment
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Toxic relationship, Abandonment
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
โ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎโ๐ซ๐ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ฆ๐จ๐จ๐ง & ๐ขโ๐ฆ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐ญ๐ข๐๐๐ฌ. ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฉ๐ฎ๐ฅ๐ฅ ๐ฆ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ฐ๐ข๐ญ๐ก๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐๐ฏ๐๐ง ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ๐ข๐ง๐ , ๐๐ง๐ ๐ข ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ฅ๐ฒ. ๐ข ๐๐ฅ๐ฐ๐๐ฒ๐ฌ ๐ฐ๐ข๐ฅ๐ฅโ
๐ถ๏ธ: 2
tw: divorce, major depressive disorder, anxiety,
๐ฅ first person
๐ฅ dual pov
๐ฅ divorced fmc
๐ฅ boss x employee
๐ฅ he falls first & hard
๐ฅ self discovery
๐ฅ found family
๐ฅ small town
๐ฅ strong friendship
๐ฅ waylon & loretta ๐ถ๐
๐ฅ mental health rep (major depressive disorder & anxiety)
๐ฅ internal monologues
ada hart is an interior designer thatโs looking to make some big life changes. the first step on this path is taking a job on rebel blue ranch to get her kickstarted into something great. she goes to the bar & meets a handsome cowboy, whom there are instant sparks with. but the next morning, sheโs not as excited about him when she realizes that this handsome cowboy is her new boss, weston ryder
โ
ada & wes were sooo cute together. i love how obsessed he was with her. he fell first & he fell HARD. it seems like all of the rebel blue ranch men are simps & i love it so so so much ๐คญ
adaโs anxiety was extremely well written. i love how her thought processes were written out - it felt realistic. i love that lyla sage includes these representations of disabilities/disorders in her books. i felt seen through both emmy (adhd) & ada (anxiety). wes was so patient with her & didnโt get frustrated with her at all. he did what he could to help her process her anxiety & feel secure. asking again - where can we find rebel blue ranch men irl?? ๐
ada is amazing at her job & her attention to detail ๐ค๐ฝ adding the touch of roses to the house to preserve the memory of their mom, stella, was sooo sweet & thoughtful. and when wes realized thatโs where they were from, it was such a fulfilling feeling. and it comes full circle with her own rose tattoos on her shoulder ๐ฅ
the fact that i have to wait until november for lost & lassooed? iโm sick ๐ฎโ๐จ
also fun fact: everytime i went to type swift & saddled, i almost typed swaddled bc of work ๐คฃ
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Domestic abuse, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship
Minor: Grief, Death of parent
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Love these characters and their little world.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Alcohol
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
After the first book of the series, this one disappointed me a little but in and of itself it was still cute and loveable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Abandonment
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I really enjoyed the first book in the Rebel Blue series. While I still love the universe, this book just didnโt hit like the first book.
What I liked:
- The overall length of the book is short, so even though I started to get annoyed with the characters, I didnโt read the book for that much longer before it was over.
- The side characters in the Rebel Blue universe.
My issues:
- While I do have length for what I liked, I also feel like it is a downside. Because of how short the book was it led to the author telling a lot rather than showing. For example, the female main character says she had this bad breakup from her ex-husband where she felt she was controlled, but there is barely any emotional connection to that. Just vague descriptions about how the main character felt without any details or flashbacks left me not understanding the motivations of the main character. The main character also kept saying, I like to be on my own yadda yaadda but none of her actions really aligned with this loner mentality. If there were more examples or if she just showed us rather than telling us it would have made it more compelling and the main character less annoying. I think the main character was annoying to me because I didnโt think she was self-aware.
Also a big pet peeve in books is when some details are unnecessarily not factually accurate. For example, there is one character who just graduated law school and is not admitted to the bar. The other character had that recent law school graduate review their contract rather than hiring a lawyer. That is not allowed! There are very strict rules that if you are not licensed to practice law you canโt practice law like giving legal advice on a contract. I find these unnecessary inaccuracies quite distracting because they take me out of the story.
Iโll probably continue the series because they are short and easy to read.
What I liked:
- The overall length of the book is short, so even though I started to get annoyed with the characters, I didnโt read the book for that much longer before it was over.
- The side characters in the Rebel Blue universe.
My issues:
- While I do have length for what I liked, I also feel like it is a downside. Because of how short the book was it led to the author telling a lot rather than showing. For example, the female main character says she had this bad breakup from her ex-husband where she felt she was controlled, but there is barely any emotional connection to that. Just vague descriptions about how the main character felt without any details or flashbacks left me not understanding the motivations of the main character. The main character also kept saying, I like to be on my own yadda yaadda but none of her actions really aligned with this loner mentality. If there were more examples or if she just showed us rather than telling us it would have made it more compelling and the main character less annoying. I think the main character was annoying to me because I didnโt think she was self-aware.
Also a big pet peeve in books is when some details are unnecessarily not factually accurate. For example, there is one character who just graduated law school and is not admitted to the bar. The other character had that recent law school graduate review their contract rather than hiring a lawyer. That is not allowed! There are very strict rules that if you are not licensed to practice law you canโt practice law like giving legal advice on a contract. I find these unnecessary inaccuracies quite distracting because they take me out of the story.
Iโll probably continue the series because they are short and easy to read.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Sexual content
Minor: Toxic relationship