Reviews with content warning for Violence - Done and Dusted

✨Bring✨ | ~~Borrow~~ | ~~Bypass~~

Review: This was SO. DANG. FUN. I went into this one pretty much blind - I had seen some people talking about it on Bookstagram and I thought the covers were really fun, so I put a Libby hold on this one plus the sequel (Swift & Saddled). They both became available around the same time, so I figured "Why not, I can just abandon my TBR!" ... and I am SO glad I did because this was exactly what I needed to read. It had a perfect amount of spice (oof) plus really great characters and the absolute BEST setting - I felt like I was *on* the ranch pretty much the entire time I was reading.

I loved both of the main characters in Done & Dusted so much, and I can tell I am going to be ready for any and absolutely all books to come out of the Rebel Blue Ranch series. Highly recommend!

(Re-reading that review it feels like a lot of "I LOVED THIS BOOK" and not a lot of substance, but you get what you get, okay? Just read the book, I LOVED IT.)

Overall Rating: ★★★★★ / 4.63

Rating each element of the book out of 5★
Characters ★★★★
Atmosphere ★★★★
Writing ★★★★
Plot ★★★★
Intrigue ★★★★
Logic ★★★★
Enjoyment ★★★★★
Pacing ★★★★
Dialogue ★★★★

★ did not like / ★★ it was okay / ★★★ liked it / ★★★★ really liked it / ★★★★★ loved it

Content Warnings

beckyyreadss's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-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

4.0

I wanted to read this book because I am loving cowboy romances and as well as Elsie Silver’s Chestnut Series, this series has been raved about all over the Book Community, I got this book as part 3 for 6 deal at The Works and I decided to dive right in. This was such a strong book to start the series.

This book has two points of view. The first point of view is Clementine “Emmy” Ryder and for the first time in her life she has no idea what she’s doing. She's done everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown, went to college, and made a name for herself doing her favourite thing – riding horses. But when an injury results in an obstacle she can’t overcome, Emmy leaves behind her career, an apartment and a boyfriend for the hometown she spent her whole life trying to escape. The second point of view is Luke Brooks. He is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner and the small town’s bachelor. He is also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family, who spent his entire childhood antagonizing Emmy, the youngest sibling. It has been years since he’s seen his best friend’s little sister, but when he walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Brooks takes it upon himself to get to the bottom of why Emmy returned to Meadowlark and what happened to put out the perpetual fire in her eyes. But first, he needs Emmy to take him up on his offer to be friends. An offer that has nothing to do with the fact that he can’t stop thinking about her. At least, that’s what he tells himself. As things between Emmy and Brooks heat up, it’s getting more difficult for him to keep his hands off of her.

This book was so fun and flirty, and I loved the romance between Emmy and Luke. I love the Ryder’s family, if they would like to adopt me that would be fantastic because I love their family dynamic and how they all knew that Emmy and Luke were seeing each other but they choose to keep it to themselves until Emmy was ready and respecting her wishes. I love how they are all accepting of Luke and treat them like a son and that Emmy’s niece loves Luke and calls him Uncle Luke. I love Amos, I hope he finally meets someone and that he just wants Emmy to be happy even if she doesn’t stay in Meadowlark. I love how to confident grows within Emmy and how she was hiding from everyone to then standing up for herself and Luke.

I dislike Gus, I understand the whole older brother protection trope, but I swear there was just no need for the way he acted, and I really wanted someone to put him down a peg, which I'm glad that Teddy did that and I can see that book happening from a mile away.

I love that Lyla has already introduced the characters of the next book and it was a solid first book and I cannot wait to carry on with this series.

Content Warnings

ms_elchert's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful 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? No

3.0

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lmcarr0314's review against another edition

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emotional funny lighthearted fast-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

5.0

Sometimes you need a quick feel good, giggling and kicking your feet story and that’s what this book did for me. I love the brothers best friend trope, and the keep your hands off her vibes. Also i’m always in for a Western story.

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annick's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted reflective slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? No
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25

Somewhat entertaining. a fun enough read when I’m stuck indoors ☔️🤧 even though small town and cowboy romance aren’t usually for me.

I picked because of rave reviews and the explicit representation of ADHD in the FMC. I liked some of the dual POV but it felt uneven and duplicative at times.

The author says the MMC is inspired by /based on Tim Riggins from FNL. I can see it. I liked Tim and Lyla when I loved the show.

the plot and drama felt unevenly paced.

I didn’t buy the reaction of Gus. It felt artificial and cliche. Wes was a more relatable reaction of a brother. The miscommunication/ withheld secrets were annoying to read through.

The sad story of the MMC’s family felt lopsided. I appreciate the effort to have more reality woven in. But the excessive reactions of the half brother and father were disappointing cliches.

The FMC exboyf was something I expected to resurface. Oh well. 🤷🏼‍♀️

The spice was 🫦🌶️ And being concise and brief can be better than drawn out scenes. Sadly the build up didn’t feel like I got a return of the time invested in the semi slow burn. I would have liked to savour more scenes of them exploring their sensual and physical chemistry together.

The western style horse riding stuff feels somewhat relatable to the back and equestrian horseriding I did when I was younger and obsessed with horses and riding.

I don’t see myself rereading this book. Which is why it doesn’t get 4 or more stars.

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anna_maria_wirth's review against another edition

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adventurous funny hopeful lighthearted relaxing fast-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

3.5

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kamreher's review against another edition

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emotional funny 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

3.5

per my spreadsheet:

fun love story, fun spice, fun character development- but I need more conflict lol

spice 🌶 - a 4 🌶 spicy (romance.io scale)
length - just right
reading speed - read in 4 days
did it make me cry? - a lil

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