ARC Review: "LOST AND LASSOED" by Lyla Sage

Hello readers! 

The time has finally come and now I can say: Happy Publication Day to Lyla Sage for her Lost and Lassoed 💚
I'm so happy you can finally read this book, that I'm sure won't disappoint you.
In the meantime, I have to thank Penguin Random House International for the free copy. I'm so proud to be one of your International Partners.

So, first of all, the useful information:

Title: Lost and Lassoed (Rebel Blue Ranch, #3)
Author: Lyla Sage
Publishing Date: November 05, 2024
Publisher:  The Dial Press
Pages: 336 (paperback)
Price: $17.99

Plot: She thrives in chaos. He prefers routine. The only thing they have in common? How much they hate each other.
From the author of Done and Dusted and Swift and Saddled, the highly anticipated next book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, a small town romance in which enemies turn to lovers when they're forced to work together during one hot summer.
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 life 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 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: 

Rate: 5 ⭐

My love for PRHinternational is endless, because they always grant me in advance to read a good amount of my most expected books of the year (thank you Rafa! 💚).

The first thing I have to say is: there's one queen in my cowboy romance era, and that's Lyla Sage.
I can't think about another author (in this subgenre) as skilled welcoming readers in such a natural atmosphere, because Rebel Blue Ranch feels like home, and you can easily imagine wind ruffling your hair, sun warming up your face while surrounded by nature. Anyone can immediately understand Lyla's love for the environment she grew up with just reading her novels.
That said, Lost and Lassoed is the story everyone wanted to read after ending Done and Dusted, I'm sure you all agree with me, and I want to reassure you immediately, readers, you won't be disappointed. At the same time, I'm sorry Lyla experienced so much pressure for this reason, but she really gifted us with a precious story to treasure.

Teddy and Gus are two strong main characters with an hell of a chemistry that Lyla amazed to describe on the page. So be prepared, because the tension, the looks they share, the sweet moments will raise you from the ground. But I'm sure you already imagine that, and maybe if this was the only noteworthy characteristic of this book you would find it boring in the long run.
Thankfully, Lost and Lassoed has so much more to tell than that.
With this novel we come to know for real both Gus and Teddy, going under the fierce masks they use to  present themselves to the world.
I honestly didn't imagine I'll appreciate them so much, especially Theodora, but the love they have for the people they care about conquered me in one second. Teddy's relationship with her father is amazing, I loved every single moment between them; not to mention how she entered in Riley's daily life without an effort, always respectful towards her parents. It was beautiful to see them interact in such a natural way, without having the impression Teddy will substitute Cam's role in Riley's life. At the same time, even if she was barely present, I liked how Cam appeared here and there, to not make us forget that she's Riley's mother and she cares about her daughter. It could appear a stupid note to add, but in a good amount of books this kind of details is often left forgotten, but I think it gives the story a more realistic nuance.

Anyway, I also appreciated the slow but steady burn between Teddy and Gus, that allowed me to savor them really discovering one another, giving themselves the chance to understand the other one without the usual prejudices or their too sharp banters. To be sincere, I think that the thing that won me the most were the soft moments, the tender gestures between them, the pillow talks, the honesty in expressing their feelings without shame... It was good to see Gus learning to ask help and understand that he can't bear the entire weight of the world on his shoulders and, as per Teddy, I was glad to witness her discovering her strength to pursue her dreams and becoming aware she has someone who see her for who she really is and has her back.

Oh, guys, can I go back in time and read it again? I already miss them so much!
I also enjoyed every conversation and discussion Emmy and Teddy had, because for me they're the true friendship endgame: not perfect, but a bond formed by people who care about each other and are willing to learn from their mistakes. But this is a Ryder trait I suppose, every Amos' child is not afraid to have a confrontation and resolve things. I'm also a fan of Gus and Luke as well, and I'm still hoping to have a chance to see more of it in the future.
Furthermore, I loved (and cried a lot for that) how Lyla talked about the fear to loose someone we deeply love knowing we're not eternal nor immortal, and the way she linked it with the idea to preserve in our heart the heartwarming moments we share with them. This father-daughter bond is expressed in different shades during the entire story with a delicateness I really admired, but I can't forget also Amos role in all those books: he's the constant presence in his children's lives, always caring and discreet, but also stern when they still need him to be. 

So, to wrap up, this book will be a roller coaster with some heart attacks along the way, but have faith in Lyla and be prepared for a moving but passionate novel that will make you fall in love even harder for the Rebel Blue Ranch's characters.

 

Thanks for reading me until the end, let me know what you'll think about it💚
To the next review!

Chiara

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SADIE ON A PLATE by Amanda Elliot (International Blog-Tour)

Hi readers! How are you?💙

Today I'm joining the Sadie on a Plate Blog Tour. I'm really happy to talk about one of my most interesting reading of February, and for that I have to thank Berkley Publishing Group for the free copy and the invitation.

So, here some infos about this book:

Title: Sadie on a Plate
Author: Amanda Elliot
Publishing Date: March, 15th
Publisher:  Berkley Trade Paperback
Pages: 352
Price: 17,62 €
Plot: A chef’s journey to success leads to discovering the perfect recipe for love in this delicious romantic comedy.

Sadie is a rising star in the trendy Seattle restaurant scene. Her dream is to create unique, modern, and mouthwatering takes on traditional Jewish recipes. But after a public breakup with her boss, a famous chef, she is sure her career is over—until she lands a coveted spot on the next season of her favorite TV show, Chef Supreme. 

On the plane to New York, Sadie has sizzling chemistry with her seatmate, Luke, but tells him that she won't be able to contact him for the next six weeks. They prolong their time together with a spontaneous, magical dinner before parting ways. Or so she thinks. When she turns up to set the next day, she makes a shocking discovery about who Luke is....

If Sadie wants to save her career by winning Chef Supreme, she’s going to have to ignore the simmering heat between Luke and her. But how long can she do that before the pot boils over?

 

The Author:

Amanda Elliot is the author of several young adult and middle grade books as Amanda Panitch. Sadie on a Plate is her first adult novel. She lives in New York City, where she owns way too many cookbooks for her tiny kitchen. Learn more online at amandapanitch.com

 

 

 

 author photo by Cassie Gonzales 2021

Review:

Rate:  4.5 stars ⭐

First of all: 

Happy release day, Amanda!

I was so curious when Berkley contacted me to join this Blog Tour, because I never heard about this book before. So, convincted by the plot, I decided to read it asap and.. it was love. Since the first lines the writing style of Amanda Elliot captured me. It's entertaining, fresh and so vivid that you can't love it and feel the urge to keep going.

The story itself is quite simple, but I've ADORED it. As a fan of cooking tv shows like Masterchef or Bake Off, it was really interesting to see this kind of competitions described in a book. It's a treaky element to use in a novel, because you can fail being too boring for presenting too many details, or being excessively superficial, just mentioning some aspects without being able to create the right atmosphere for the reader. That is extremely important, because if there's a competition who reads needs to feel it and being involved (in this case) in the creation of the plates, in the rush to finish all on time and in the anticipation to see who will win and who will go home. Amanda Elliot has been very good in this. The scenes are not extremely long, but at the same time I was completely absorbed. I rooted for Sadie (and other partecipants) since the very beginning and it was fun but also interesting to see her growth through her plates.

Talking about the main character, I've appreciated Sadie with her strengths and weaknesses. She's a spontaneous and an easygoing person, but at the same time she struggles with the idea of not being liked or not sparkle enough, missing the fact that her gentleness and presence are something that can't be ignored by other people. Plus, she often forget she has a strong personality, that make her fight not only for what she wants, but also for what she thinks it's right. That's why, even person she doesn't like or with whom she's not particularly friendly, appreciate her. And talking about that, one of the things I've loved the most about her it's the fact she's not perfect. She misunderstands situations, she misreads people and she makes mistakes, but that allows her to mature and become a better person.
I have also to mention what has happened to her in the recent past, an event that is so disgusting just thinking about it but that unfortunately is something that in real life happens. Taking advantage of someone and their insecurities and then discrediting them in front of everyone is disgusting, and Amanda Elliot has portraited well, without speculating in drama (something I hate to see in a book).

Another figure I have to mention is Luke. I fell hard for him, really. He's an amazing character and every interaction with Sadie kept me hooked on the book. Easygoing, kind and very concrete, I enjoyed his presence in the story like a sort of "solid and safe haven" for Sadie, even when things between them were cold. I really liked his background too, and the only thing I missed was more time (and so pages) to see him to mature his own decisions - and yes, more romantic moments. I craved them!

All the other characters create a sort of colorful pattern that gives more authenticity to this story, and I've found myself affectionated to some of them too. I've also really appreciated the choice to give to all of the contestants different kinds of cuisine that are influenced by their personal tastes, their origins and backgrounds. Sadie, for example, presents her personal reinterpretation of Jewish cuisine and it was really interesting to imagine all those beautiful plates (I envied the judges A LOT) that could be different from a "tipical" starred cooking style. 

What can I say more?
Since, as I said, I missed some more scenes with Luke, and I would have loved to have him as main character too, I'm really hoping Amanda will gift us with another book (or short novellas?). In the meantime I absolutely suggest you to read this beautiful romantic comedy, amazingly written, that will entertain you and keep you company with laughs and more thoughtful moments.

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