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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Recensione: “NOTHING LIKE THE MOVIES" di Lynn Painter

Buongiorno amic* lettor*!

Oggi vi parlo di Nothing Like the Movies, il sequel di Better Than the Movies, che uscirà in inglese il 1 Ottobre!

Ringrazio Edelweiss and Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers per avermi dato l'opportunità di leggere questo libro in anteprima!

Titolo: Nothing Like the Movies

Autrice: Lynn Painter 

Data di pubblicazione: 1st October 2024

Casa editrice: Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers 

Pagine: 448

Prezzo: 18,71€ (rigida) 14,75€ (flessibile)

Trama: For a few beautiful months, Wes had his dream girl: strong-willed girl-next-door Liz. But right as the two were about to set off to UCLA to start their freshman year together, tragedy struck. Wes was left dealing with the fallout, which ultimately meant losing Liz in the process. 

Flash forward months and months later and Wes and Liz find themselves in college, together. In a healthier place now, Wes knows he broke Liz’s heart when he ended things, but he is determined to make her fall back in love with him. 

Wes knows Liz better than anyone, and he has a foolproof plan to win her back with the rom-com worthy big gestures she loves. Only…Liz will have none of it. Wes has to scheme like a rom-com hero to figure out how to see her. Even worse, Liz has a new friend…a guy friend. 

Still, Wes won’t give up, adapting his clever plans and going hard to get Liz’s attention and win back her affection. But after his best efforts get him nowhere, Wes is left wondering if their relationship is really over for good.

Serie:
1. Better Than the Movies
2. Nothing Like the Movies 

Recensione:

Voto: 4 stelle!

Se Better than the Movies è un libro divertente e romantico, con tanti riferimenti alle rom-com, Nothing Like the Movies è un libro più maturo e triste. C’è questa tristezza di sottofondo che pervade tutta la storia e i momenti più gioiosi e da rom-com avvengono molto in là nella narrazione.

Troviamo Liz e Wes cambiati da come li ricordavamo, sono passati due anni e tanti eventi li hanno portati ad essere diversi. Questo si nota soprattutto in Liz, che ha perso un po’ il suo essere così romantica e si è chiusa di più a riccio. In Wes il cambiamento si vede di meno, perché leggendo questo romanzo mi sono accorta che lo conoscevo veramente poco. Grazie ai suoi pov, che si alternano a quelli di Liz, il suo personaggio raggiunge tutto un altro spessore e mi viene quasi da dire che sia lui il vero protagonista del romanzo. 



La storia si concentra maggiormente nel ri-presentarci i personaggi e dirci che cosa è successo a loro in questi due anni. Gli eventi che li hanno portati alla rottura hanno lasciato dei segni su entrambi e devono poterli superare se vogliono darsi una seconda chance. Questo li porta a passare tanto tempo a lavorare su se stessi e poco in scena insieme.
La scrittrice dà molta importanza a questi momenti e al loro superamento, ma questo lascia veramente poco spazio al lato romantico della storia, che risulta anche un po’ frettoloso. Ci sono due o tre scene divertenti, ma con questa tristezza di fondo sempre presente non riescono a lasciarti un sentimento di gioia come il libro precedente.

È un romanzo decisamente più adulto e per questo capisco anche la tristezza sempre presente, perché la vita adulta fa schifo, ma credo che tantissime persone si aspettano un libro più divertente e gioioso e non è quello a cui andranno incontro. 



Nothing Like the Movies è comunque un bel libro, molto scorrevole e piacevole, ma non riesce a essere indimenticabile come Better Than the Movies.

- Camilla

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Review: The Rule Book by Sarah Adams

Hello readers!
How are you?

Here I am again with another review. As always, I have to thank for the free book to PRH International, that always allows me to read some of my most expected books of the year. Today is the time of a novel I was really curious about (you'll know more in my review's premises), and that I'm sure will be loved by every sport romance reader 💗. So, here is my review of The Rule Book, by Sarah Adams.

Title: The Rule Book
Author: Sarah Adams
Publishing Date: April 2, 2024
Publisher:  Dell, Trade Paperback Original
Pages: 416 (paperback)
Price: $18.00 USD, $24.95 CAD

Plot: College exes break all the rules when they reunite years later in this enemies to lovers, second-chance romance, the highly anticipated companion novel to the TikTok sensation The Cheat Sheet—from Sarah Adams, the New York Times bestselling author of Practice Makes Perfect.

Nora Mackenzie’s entire career lies in the hands of famous NFL tight end Derek Pender, who also happens to be her extremely hot college ex-boyfriend. Nora didn’t end things as gracefully as she could have back then, and now it has come back to haunt her. Derek is her first client as an official full-time sports agent and he’s holding a grudge.

Derek has set his sights on a little friendly revenge. If Nora Mackenzie, the first girl to ever break his heart, wants to be his agent, oh, he’ll let her be his agent. The plan is simple: make Nora’s life absolutely miserable. But if Derek knows anything about the woman he once loved—she won’t quit easily.

Instead of giving in, Nora starts a scheme of her own. But then a wild night in Vegas leads to Nora and Derek in bed the next morning married. With their rule book out the window, could this new relationship save their careers or spark the romance of a lifetime?

Review:

Rate: 4 stars⭐

After enjoying to The Cheat Sheet, I was very curious to see what Sarah could present to the readers. Her previous book was a lovely delight, but at the same time it was too swoony to be totally relatable – and yes, I was envious of Bree because Nathan was too perfect. So, I didn't know if it convinced me at 100%.

But you know what? Every now and then, a good happily ever after's book, without too many difficulties or tough themes to face, is a perfect cozy treat to enjoy, and The Rule Book is the perfect embodiment of that.

I appreciate the writing pace, the entertaining banter between Derek and Nora, and the tender moments where they really talk and discuss about their relationship and themselves. Finally, a book with no miscommunication's trope! That was a great relief. Maybe I would have loved a little bit more spice, but the tension leading to those moments was perfect, so, I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Just a warning: there are not many big events in this book, that is centered on the relationship between the two main characters and how it would affect their career. I'd consider it more an introspective book, if I have to describe it. Another thing I didn’t expect to find but was a great thumbs up for me was the idea that even when two people are meant to be together, this doesn't mean the first time would be the right one. I liked the fact that, even if it was a mistake made by Nora’s fear to jeopardize her future career for a love relationship, the message underneath was that sometimes people have to have more experience and grow up individually, before arrive to the right moment in space and time to have another shot. Of course, my stupid romantic heart cried nonetheless for their time loss. Fortunately, Derek dealt with the revelation of their break-up so well I wanted to hug him: instead to show anger or refusal, he was understanding, sweet and thoughtful.

Even if I didn’t consider him the soft side of the couple, because they’re both well balanced, I have to admit it was cool to find a main male character who deals with panic attacks and insecurities, an aspect that often is represented by a female figure. And it was refreshing seeing him face his fears regarding his career with Nora and also opening up about his dyslexia, maybe forgiving himself for all the time he hated his low performances at school.

Then, it’s true, there are some similarities with The Cheat Sheet, and you’ll find here as well a supporting brotherhood that will always cheer for the "grumpy bear" of this story to find his happy ending with the woman he loves. Personally, I would have loved to see them even more, because those scenes were hilarious, and I’m a sucker for Bree and Nathan! hat said, in the Rule Book the focus also shifts on the difficulties a woman has to face when entering a field usually "reserved" to men and working in a toxic environment. I liked how Nora and Nicole have been shaped by Sarah, and how they deal with this current issue with their different kind of personalities and approaches during the length of the story. Plus, it was good to show that to fight for yourself you don’t always have to make big scenes or brawls, you can just be yourself, faithful to your personal principle and kind to the others, even when they don’t deserve it.

I also loved all the underlining of the importance to have a partner who supports you, understands you, and doesn't limit your dreams and ambitions; not to mention the message to love ourselves and our physical aspect even if it's not perfect. You find those little phrases here and there during the book, like a soft reminder to be kind with ourselves, to remember our own value and that we deserve to find someone who really sees it, both at work and in a relationship.

At last, I didn't expect that kind of ending, because the story seemed to go in another direction. Anyway, it was cute and I hope to see glimpses of Derek and Nora (as well as more Nathan and Bree) in future books.

And what about you?
Have you already read it? If yes, did you liked it? Let me know in the comments💗

To the next review!

Chiara

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