Wild and Wrangled, Lyla Sage

Story Blurb

Camille Ashwood had always loved a plan. Her latest was her best yet. She was going to get married so she could secure her daughter’s future, get her overbearing parents off her back, and finally start building her own life in small-town Meadowlark, Wyoming. Easy, right?

But when her groom doesn’t show up to the wedding, Cam’s life is turned upside down—she doesn’t even have a place to live. That is until she finds out the house she’s loved since high school is available to rent. There’s only one problem: the neighbor.

Dusty Tucker has spent nearly all of his adult life running. Running from what, though? More like who: Cam Ashwood. But ever since he returned home last year, the girl who was his first, well, everything has become a woman seemingly determined to keep him at arm’s length. And he was okay with that—at least, that’s what he kept telling himself. She was getting married, after all. But now she’s single and living next door. Dusty wants to show her that they can be friends, and that he can stay put.

Despite her best attempts to stay far away from Dusty Tucker, Cam realizes that being close to him is like slipping into her favorite jeans. Easy. Comfortable. That is until past wounds start to open and feelings—both old and new—wreak havoc. Nearly ten years after they first met, Dusty and Cam begin to wonder if their first love can also be their last. And this time, will it be forever?

My Thoughts/Opinion

I love a phoenix heroine who has to rise from the ashes of past mistakes and past hurts. And Camille Ashwood has had plenty of both. She's been an integral character in this series from early on, but her life seemed settled on a certain path until her world blows up around her. Enter Dusty Tucker, her first love. What I loved most about this story is that they really had to work hard to get through the mistakes they both made as younger people to have the opportunity to embrace who they could be now. It was a beautiful way to end this series. Not just for Cam and Dusty but for the beauty, sadness, and joys of Rebel Blue Ranch. I'm so glad I read the whole series!

Favorite Quote:

“I love you madly and deeply. I love you in ways that people don’t believe exist in real life. I love you for who you’ve been and who you are and who you’re going to be, Ash.”