Lyla Sage concludes her Rebel Blue Ranch series with Wild and Wrangled, a tender, emotionally layered, and fiercely romantic second-chance love story that brings heart, heat, and healing in equal measure. This fourth and final installment revisits the sun-drenched landscapes of Meadowlark, Wyoming, offering readers one last ride with the characters who’ve defined the soul of this series.
With Done and Dusted, Swift and Saddled, and Lost and Lassoed, Sage carved a warm-hearted universe where family means everything and every love story carries a bit of dust and destiny. But in Wild and Wrangled, she delves deeper—into regret, resilience, and reconnection—with Camille Ashwood and Dusty Tucker at the center of it all.
Love, Loss, and Locking Eyes Again: The Plot
Camille Ashwood is a planner. Always has been. Her latest plan? Marry a respectable man, settle into small-town life with stability, and provide her daughter Riley the life she deserves. But when Camille’s groom leaves her at the altar, that plan disintegrates in a crumpled note and a bottle of vodka at the Devil’s Boot bar. Homeless, humiliated, and heart-bruised, she seeks refuge in the only rental available—the house next to Dusty Tucker.
Dusty, the cowboy who once held her heart, has returned to Meadowlark, scarred by memory and tethered to the ghost of the love he lost. Camille is the one that got away. But now, she’s literally next door. And while Camille is busy denying their chemistry, Dusty’s determined to prove that second chances aren’t just for fairy tales—they’re for fighters.
What unfolds is a story of aching familiarity: the shared past that bleeds into the present, the buried hurt neither has properly mourned, and the magnetism that never lost its pull. Sage uses dual POV to stitch together their unspoken histories, crafting moments that are at once swoon-worthy and gut-wrenching.
Characters That Feel Like Home
Camille Ashwood
Cam is a beautifully layered heroine—strong yet scarred, practical yet vulnerable. Her desire for control stems not from vanity, but from years of instability and conditional love. Through Camille, Sage explores how a woman reclaims herself after being molded into something she never asked to be. Her growth is not just a romantic arc—it’s a personal evolution, marked by quiet bravery and earned joy.
Dusty Tucker
Dusty is the epitome of the “down-bad cowboy” archetype—and Sage writes him with aching precision. He’s rugged and sharp, but never emotionally unavailable. In fact, it’s his open-heartedness, his willingness to show up, that makes him unforgettable. The way Dusty respects Camille’s boundaries—even when it hurts—is a masterclass in emotionally mature romance writing.
Together, Dusty and Cam are messy but magnetic, a pair of opposites that never truly repelled. Their tension is electric, their banter addictive, and their history both anchor and obstacle.
Thematic Depth Beneath the Romance
While the enemies-to-lovers (or rather lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers) arc delivers heat and longing, the soul of Wild and Wrangled lies in its themes:
- Forgiveness: Not just of others, but of oneself. Cam’s journey to self-forgiveness after years of compromise is the book’s emotional core.
- The weight of expectations: Both Dusty and Cam have spent years contorting themselves for others—familial expectations, societal norms, old wounds. Their love story is a reclamation.
- Home and community: Meadowlark isn’t just a setting—it’s a character. Sage paints small-town life with affection and complexity, from the Devil’s Boot bar to the Rebel Blue Ranch itself.
There’s also a gentle but poignant exploration of single motherhood, found family, and the intricacies of co-parenting with the Ryders, a staple presence since book one. Riley—Cam’s daughter—adds both comic relief and heartstring-pulls to the narrative.
Lyla Sage’s Signature Style
Sage’s prose in Wild and Wrangled is effortlessly intimate. She has a way of writing dialogue that feels overheard, not scripted. Her pacing is crisp, her tone warm but never saccharine, and her command of emotional beats is unmatched. The banter is breezy, the longing palpable, and the sex scenes—when they arrive—are not just hot, but healing.
Where some romance authors rush resolutions, Sage lets her characters sit in discomfort. She trusts her readers to savor the slow burn and to honor the hurt that comes before the healing.
The Rebel Blue Ranch Series in Context
If you’ve read the previous books, this finale is deeply satisfying.
- Done and Dusted introduced us to the charm of Meadowlark and set the tone for swoony, heartfelt cowboy romance.
- Swift and Saddled gave us grit and passion with a delicious friends-to-lovers twist.
- Lost and Lassoed offered high drama and high stakes in a second-chance rodeo setting.
And now, Wild and Wrangled closes the gate with a quieter, more contemplative story—fitting for a series that’s always been about love as much as legacy. This book doesn’t just say goodbye to characters—it bids farewell to the feeling of a place that has become home.
What Works Beautifully
- Perfectly paced emotional beats – Every reveal and reconciliation lands where it should
- Authentic depiction of small-town dynamics – Both comforting and constricting
- Secondary characters with real heart – Emmy, Gus, Ada, and the rest of the Rebel Blue crew never feel like filler
- A romance grounded in reality – No grand gestures for the sake of spectacle—just meaningful choices made out of love
Where the Wrangling Falters (Just a Little)
Despite its strengths, the novel occasionally leans too heavily into repetition—particularly when it comes to inner monologue. Cam’s insistence on emotional distance, while understandable, does wear a bit thin around the midway mark. A bit more external conflict could have added narrative propulsion.
Also, readers unfamiliar with the previous books might miss the depth of character connections and dynamics that are richly layered across the series. While Wild and Wrangled can stand alone, it shines brightest as a finale.
Similar Books You’ll Enjoy
If Wild and Wrangled hits the spot, here are a few titles that offer similar vibes:
- Part of Your World by Abby Jimenez – For readers who love small-town healing and a heroine finding herself
- Story of My life by Lucy Score – Another big-hearted romance with complex leads
- The Ex Vows by Jessica Joyce – If you loved the idea of second chances and sizzling chemistry
Final Thoughts: A Love Story Etched in Dust and Time
Wild and Wrangled is the kind of story that stays in your chest long after the last page. It’s about what happens when the person you loved first becomes the one you want to love last. It’s about forgiveness—for others, for yourself, and for the time lost in between.
Lyla Sage doesn’t just deliver a romance—she delivers a reckoning. She asks her characters to bleed a little before they can heal. And in doing so, she offers us one final reminder that the Rebel Blue Ranch series wasn’t just a place—it was a journey.
And maybe, just maybe, we’ll find our way back there again someday.
