A review by justmevictoria
Lost and Lassoed by Lyla Sage

4.5

There's a fine line between loathe and love… 

 

For as long as anyone can remember, Teddy Andersen and Gus Ryder have never been able to get along, constantly sending barbs back and forth whenever they're together. With Emmy and Luke's wedding coming up, Emmy really wants her best friend and brother, who are going to be maid of honour and best man, to start getting along a little more. So when Gus is on solo parenting duty for the summer, and struggling to balance running Rebel Blue Ranch and looking after his daughter Riley, Emmy suggests that Teddy spends the summer babysitting, now that she's out of a job. It's not the first option either would choose, but both love Riley and both know that Gus spreading himself thin isn't good for father or daughter. So Teddy spends half the week living with Gus and Riley, spending her days with the sassy and adventerous six-year-old. And in the evenings, when Riley has gone to bed, Gus and Teddy get to talk and see a different side of one another. As the summer progresses, the dynamic of Teddy and Gus's relationship begins to change, but with the end date of this arrangement fast approaching, they must decide whether these feelings stay within their babysitting bubble, or if their connection is a forever kind of thing. 

 

Lyla Sage, the woman you are, THANK YOU - "for everyone who got to chapter three of Done and Dusted and immediately wanted Gus and Teddy." It's me. I've been everyone waiting for this book!! And oh my god it was worth the wait!! 

 

Book one? Fabulous! Book two? Fabulous! Book three? FABULOUS!! The hype around this book and this series if very real, and Lyla has AGAIN absolutely delivered on all fronts. The setting, the characters, the chemistry, and the spice was all ON POINT, and I wish I had paced myself more reading this because I cannot wait until April for the next book, and even then I'm already bummed that we've only got one book left in this fantastic series! 

 

As I've said, I've been waiting for Gus and Teddy's story from the moment they first crossed paths way back in book one - I knew then that they were destined for an un-put-downable romance and I was right! Their banter throughout the previous two books has had their chemistry simmering beneath the surface, and once they're living under the one roof, that chemistry just increases tenfold! There's so much history between the characters, and with both focusing on caring deeply and fiercely for others, they fit together surprisingly well in spite of their initial loathing of one another. 

 

Riley is an absolute firecracker and has been so fun throughout the first two books, so getting to see her so much throughout this book was super fun, and she added a fun layer to Gus and Teddy's relationship. She's such a great combination of all our favourite characters and adds some great comedy moments to the story. A fun child is always such a big draw when it comes to the single dad trope, and Riley was absolute top-tier! Honestly, single dad romances for the win! 

 

I dipped into the audiobook at a few points (ya girl had to keep reading even when she couldn't physically have the book in front of her), and just like with the previous two books, the casting of Jason Clarke and Samantha Brentmoor was perfect! Each narrator chosen for these characters throughout the series has made the audiobook experience so enjoyable, so definitely recommend checking the audiobooks out if you’re looking to listen on-the-go! 

 

This series has me in a chokehold and I don't know, firstly, how I'm going to dive into another book anytime soon, and secondly, how I'm going to move on from this whole cast of characters once I've turned the page on the final book. Lyla has absolutely nailed swoony cowboys and small town life, and I'm seriously considering packing up my entire life, jumping on a plane, and moving to Wyoming to find my own dreamy rancher… 

 

There’s a reason you’ve seen these books all over your feed, so believe the hype and jump on board the Rebel Blue Ranch bandwagon! And if you're new to the small-town and cowboy romance trope, this series is definitely the place to start!