I have been waiting for Lost and Lassoed ever since the first Rebel Blue Ranch book. Teddy and Gus have had to have it out since they first graced the pages. And boy do they have a lot of history to work out. This one has been a long time coming and it was 100% worth it. Keep reading this book review of Lost and Lassoed for my full thoughts.
Summary
Teddy Andersen doesn’t have a plan. She’s never needed one before. She’s always been more of a go with the flow type of girl, but for some reason, the flow doesn’t seem to be going her way this time. Her favorite vintage suede jacket has a hole in it, her sewing machine is broken, and her best friend just got engaged. Suddenly, everything feels like it’s starting to change. Teddy’s used to being a leader, but now she feels like she’s getting left behind, wondering if the life she lives in the small town she loves is enough for her anymore.
Gus Ryder has a lot on his plate. He doesn’t know what’s taking care of his family’s 8,000 acre ranch, or parenting his spunky six-year-old daughter, who is staying with him for the summer. Gus has always been the dependable one, but when his workload starts to overwhelm him, he slips up, and he has to admit that he can’t manage everything on his own. He needs help. His little sister’s best friend, the woman he can’t stand, is not who he had in mind. But when no one else can step in, Teddy’s the only option he’s got. Teddy decides to use the summer to try and figure out what she wants out of life. Gus, on the other hand, starts to worry that he’ll never find what he needs. Tempers flare, tension builds, and for the first time ever, Gus and Teddy start to see each other in a different light. As new feelings start to simmer below the surface, they must decide whether or not to act on them. Can they keep things cool? Or will both of them get burned?
Review
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
I read Lost and Lassoed while traveling and it brought much needed calm, emotional angst, and happiness to my life. I have been waiting for this book ever since I heard about Gus and Teddy. So now my life is complete until the next Rebel Blue Ranch book. We love to see the line of hate and tension to love. And who doesn’t love a best friend’s brother and childhood enemies story? But even more so, I love how much we got to see into Teddy’s character. We see the ways in which she’s worried she will lose her best friend. That life and the lives of her loved ones has gone on without her.
That’s a scary thought and her best friend relationship is one of my favorite pieces of the book. I deeply empathized with her feeling that she’s behind everyone else. That somewhere along the line her life stalled and everyone’s has kept on going. In Lost and Lassoed we appreciate that we need someone who takes care of us. Someone to challenge us when we need it and to support our decisions on the flip side. And we see that interaction with Gus and Teddy. While I think Teddy’s story stole the show here, Gus is a big softie.
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And we love him. In some ways I loved the way Gus has to realize that he needs to let go a bit. That he doesn’t have to have his hand in everything to make it work. But I wish we had a bit more time for his character development later in the story. Lost and Lassoed was a comfort hug to be with some of my favorite characters of the series and their chemistry is scorching! We also love a good dad character and we have them in Amos and Gus.
Find Lost and Lassoed on Goodreads, Storygraph, Amazon, Bookshop.org, Blackwells, & Libro. fm.