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Red Rock Ranch

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Casino lights and desert nights, love takes a wild gamble.

Dakota's plan was drive to Las Vegas, start her dream job at a luxury spa, and leave her old life behind. But when her ancient pickup breaks down in the middle of the Nevada desert, she's stranded, helpless, and alone.

Enter Frankie, a charming cowgirl with a heart of gold and a big ranch to run. What starts as a desert rescue sparks into an unexpected connection neither of them saw coming.

As Dakota grapples with the superficial and demanding world of her new job, she's increasingly drawn to Frankie's simpler life of wild horses and starlit skies. But can their budding romance survive the clash of two very different worlds? With her career dreams unraveling and her heart pulling her in a new direction, she must decide what truly matters.

Saddle up for a passionate ride through love's untamed territory in this unforgettable romance by Lise Gold and Madeleine Taylor.

336 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2024

197 people are currently reading
625 people want to read

About the author

Lise Gold

51 books688 followers
Lise Gold is an author of lesbian romance. Her romantic attitude, enthusiasm for travel and love for feel good stories form the heartland of her writing. Born in London to a Norwegian mother and English father, and growing up between the UK, Norway, Zambia and the Netherlands, she feels at home pretty much everywhere and has an unending curiosity for new destinations. She goes by 'write what you know' and is often found in exotic locations doing research or getting inspired for her next novel.

Working as a designer for fifteen years and singing semi- professionally, Lise has always been a creative at heart. Her novels are the result of a quest for a new passion after resigning from her design job in 2018.

When not writing from her kitchen table, Lise can be found cooking, at the gym or singing her heart out somewhere, preferably country or blues. She lives in London with her dogs El Comandante and Bubba.


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5 stars
440 (46%)
4 stars
299 (31%)
3 stars
170 (17%)
2 stars
35 (3%)
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3 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews
Profile Image for Sterling Sapphic Reads.
396 reviews486 followers
September 8, 2025
Sometimes you pick up an audiobook expecting a little escapism, and what you get instead is a full-on heart-tingly, desert-sunset, swoony ride—and that’s exactly what Red Rock Ranch by Lise Gold & Madeleine Taylor gave me. Honestly, babes, I ate this one up.

The setup is deliciously simple: Dakota, all wide-eyed and ready to start her new spa job in Vegas, gets stranded in the Nevada desert with a truck that’s more rust than metal. Cue Frankie, the kind of cowgirl who makes you believe in fate, rolling up with charm, competence, and just enough sass to make your knees weak. What starts as a rescue quickly turns into something much deeper—those sparks fly immediately and, let me tell you, they burn bright.

This isn’t a book that leans on heavy drama or angsty miscommunication, which I absolutely adored and needed at the moment. It’s more about the slow, steady unfolding of attraction against the backdrop of two wildly different lives colliding. Dakota’s glittery Vegas dreams contrast beautifully with Frankie’s grounded, ranch-centered world—wild horses, starry skies, and the kind of open-air freedom that makes you want to exhale. Add in the quirky, lovable side characters (and yes, the animals steal the show more than once), and you’ve got a romance that feels warm, cozy, and just a little bit spicy.

And speaking of spice—yes, it’s here, it’s sapphic, and it’s everything. Not over-the-top, but enough to make you blush in the best way while still feeling tender and authentic. Perfect balance.

Now, the narrators. Tessa Stavers and Abby Craden deserve a moment. Their voices weave together so seamlessly, bringing Dakota and Frankie to life with such chemistry that you feel like you’re eavesdropping on something real. Abby’s voice always hits me with that rich, velvety weight, while Tessa adds a bright, heartfelt energy. Together, they elevate the story into something magnetic.

Bottom line: Red Rock Ranch is the perfect audiobook when you want something low-stress, romantic, and irresistibly sweet with just enough heat. It’s like a cozy blanket sprinkled with starlight—and yes, I’ll absolutely be re-listening when I need another comfort read.

Recommended if you love: charming cowgirls, desert sunsets, small-town vibes, sapphic spice, and romance that feels like an exhale.
Profile Image for Sam’s Sapphic Reads.
132 reviews122 followers
July 31, 2025
This was such a light read with low drama. Dakota really found her purpose when she moved to Nevada. Red Rock Ranch was very low angst with two mature MCs that could talk about their issues and feelings without it turning into a fight or breaking up.

If you’re wanting an easy read with lots of romance (and a good amount of smut) I’d recommend this book. It was nothing super special but it was a solid book with a solid storyline. Plus, if you want a little country in a story, this is perfect.
Profile Image for Jamie (TheRebelliousReader).
7,036 reviews30 followers
October 20, 2024
5 stars. This was absolutely lovely. No complaints at all from me. No drama, no angst, no third act break up! The writing was great and the pacing was steady and made this a quick read. It's a laid back story with a wonderful romance between two lovable characters. Dakota and Frankie were wonderful and I loved them both. Especially Frankie. Whew! I love a cow girl with a bit of a dominant streak. 🙌🏿

The way they met was great because Dakota's truck stops on the side of the road and Frankie comes through (on her horse! 🙌🏿) and saved the day. The chemistry between them was palpable right from the start and I loved watching them fall for each other. It starts off casual between them as Dakota works in Vegas and Frankie is in the middle of nowhere on her ranch that she runs. I liked the way their relationship developed.

Wonderful side characters, a lot of cute animals, day to day life with these characters, and some spice on top made this a great read for me. It was perfect for a lazy day and it was a relaxing and romantic read. Definitely will be reading this again. If you're looking for a stress free romance I'd highly recommend it.
Profile Image for cloverxheart.
239 reviews15 followers
December 14, 2024
There's no angst, drama, arguments...it's just sweet (and sexy)

I really liked the characters and the ranch setting.
The writing was good and easy to get through.

I really enjoyed their scenes together and Frankie's chapters.
But Dakotas weren't my favorite, I just wasn't interested in her job or her friends, so I just skimmed them mostly.

I feel like there isn't much happening in the book and there could have been even more scenes on the ranch and less of Dakotas job in the city.
Most cute scenes turned into them having sex which I don't enjoy and honestly find kinda strange.
Cause you can have conversations or cuddles without it turning into sex.
Profile Image for Guerunche.
664 reviews35 followers
August 6, 2025
What I love about Lise Gold books is that the location is always featured like one of the characters. The woman does her research by traveling to locations around the globe and then setting her romances there. They are so well described that readers often feel like they’ve been there or are inspired to go and experience the wonderful locations themselves. In this case, it was a ranch in Nevada, just outside of Las Vegas.

Another thing I appreciate about her books is that they don’t follow the old, tired structure where a third act breakup occurs. She regularly proves that it’s not necessary to have that in a satisfying romance.

Red Rock Ranch won a Goldie award this year from the GCLS and I decided to move it up my TBR pile. Then I saw that Gold hired both Abby Craden along with her go-to narrator Tessa Stavers, so I thought I’d give the audiobook a listen. I think if I were to do it again I’d go with the written version instead. Sometimes dual narration works and sometimes it doesn’t - depending on each performance. The two need to blend well and sound similar enough that when the character’s point of view switches to the other character that it’s seamless. In this case I think Gold would have been better served to go with Craden alone.

This story was co-written by Gold and her alter ego Madeleine Taylor, her pen name for spicier material. I was surprised she went that route because while the book had sexy moments, it wasn’t quite to the level of erotica usually associated with Taylor. So if you go in looking for that, you’ll find it more on the mild side of the scale. Her books are always sexy, though, and very romantic.

I’m a fan of Gold’s work. In addition to being a prolific writer she designs her beautiful book covers and self publishes. Readers can find many great reads in her vast catalog.
Profile Image for Lauri.
13 reviews
September 20, 2024
good story good characters

Enjoyed the read. Well rounded characters and setting. Editors need to be more aware of use of British words..is discordant with setting
Profile Image for aub.
94 reviews
January 2, 2025
im 99% sure this was written with ai and i think that’s really lame
Profile Image for Jamie (TheRebelliousReader).
7,036 reviews30 followers
January 14, 2026
Second Read (first time on audio): December 8, 2025
Rating: 5🌟


5 stars. Abby Craden could read me her grocery list and I would melt into the floor. So having her read Frankie’s part had me swooning the entire time. I still very much love this book to bits and pieces. It’s so romantic and sexy. No angst, no big drama, just Dakota and Frankie falling in love with each other. The audio performances from Tessa Stavers and Abby Craden was absolutely fabulous and made for such a relaxing listen. I cannot get enough of this book and I already want to listen to this again.

Plus, the scene with Frankie in her cowboy hat and wielding her riding crop in audio was even more amazing the second time around. I was taking a walk when that part came on and I tripped on the sidewalk because I was so flustered so that was fun. LOL.
Profile Image for Zoe.
58 reviews
January 27, 2025
More like 3.5… I love LG’s writing, and her books are a sweet break when I need them. They are SO sweet that I find myself getting bored at the 60% mark because of the utter lack of tension. Overall a cute, quick read.
Profile Image for Lindsay.
130 reviews
January 8, 2025
It was cute but I got so bored. Also felt like ai to me???
Profile Image for Chelles.
683 reviews
March 30, 2025
Red Rock Ranch

I don't know when ranch style romances became a favorite of mine, but they're here to stay!

This one had a lot of what I enjoy - a damsel in distress, a cowgirl hero with a big heart for animals, big city vs. small town vibes, great chemistry, a super sweet romantic gesture in the end, and it was by Lise Gold, MadeleineTaylor! A swoon-worthy read!
Profile Image for Laura Ognyanova.
12 reviews
March 16, 2025
Lise Gold never disappoints! The characters and setting were perfectly described, as always. Although I usually avoid books with butch characters, I’m so glad I gave this one a chance—I definitely don’t regret it. The story was well written and engaging, making it an enjoyable read from start to finish.
Profile Image for Annika.
39 reviews
December 30, 2025
Das war soooo schön. Wollte wirklich einfach in diese Welt
Profile Image for Micah.
212 reviews3 followers
January 9, 2026
I love a little lesbian cowboy <3 there’s a few too many sex scenes imo but it was still a cute story
118 reviews1 follower
September 18, 2024
Desert adventure

Such an enjoyable story from this author, the desert descriptions just take you there, to the big skies, endless stars and a beautiful ranch. There's great characters Dakota and Frankie the cowgirl with more than she appears, it's a lovely story of finding new beginnings when you least expect it. I'm sure there could be another book with these characters, building a family, featuring guests etc, in the meantime I've enjoyed this one, if you like an adventure it's for you,
Profile Image for Becca.
41 reviews
March 31, 2025
I'd call it a 3.5 stars rounded up, personally. It's a aharming romance with not too much tension. An easy read. I enjoyed the two lead characters and thought their happy ending was quite nice.

Though I will say I did skip most of the more explicit scenes, not just because of my own taste, but also because they felt very different from the main story (it does make me wonder if of the two authors listed one did those scenes and the other did the rest) But I didn't feel like I missed anything important by doing so.
Profile Image for Deb.
482 reviews2 followers
October 8, 2024
utterly amazing

Wow, what a read. Lise Gold has once again written a masterpiece.
I was instantly hooked from the very first chapter, after a few more chapters I couldn’t get enough. The characters are so well written, the setting is out of this world and the story is well paced and interesting.
You get to see both sides of Vegas with this book. The busy, noisy city and the calm, quiet desert. Personally I know which I’d choose given the opportunity.
This book really is an excellent read. So grab that cowgirl hat and an extra zesty margarita, you are in for a treat.
Profile Image for Cheri.
1,126 reviews86 followers
November 21, 2025
Bought the audio on sale but wish I hadn’t. Loved the ebook though.
Profile Image for Julia.
87 reviews1 follower
June 10, 2025
I was so excited to read this! Cowgirl lesbians? Sign me up!

However, this turned out to be completely different from what I was hoping for.
Our two main characters meet when Dakota's car breaks down in the middle of the desert on her way to Vegas. Frankie, a nearby rancher, helps her and takes her to her ranch for the night. And right off the bat, they want to sleep with each other. It was insta-lust and insta-love. There’s no real plot, we just follow their relationship. There are some side plots, like Dakota's Vegas job and Frankie expanding her ranch, but there's no real conflict. Everything gets resolved almost instantly. I found it quite boring.

Dakota and Frankie's personalities felt underdeveloped to me. They both seemed like an idea of a person, rather than full-fledged individuals. Their character traits are listed, but they don’t embody them. That's why at moments they felt like the same person in different clothes to the point I struggled with remembering which character's pov I'm reading at a moment, because their narration voices were pretty much identical to me. None of the side characters are worth mentioning. They were just there, without influencing the plot.

The writing is probably the weakest part of this book. It felt very ai-generated. The dialogue was unnatural. There was no emotion behind the words that I was reading. Some parts were written so bizarrely. There was a scene when Dakota meets Frankie's parents and the way they talk sounds like listening exercises in english textbooks, not a normal conversation.
Also, a pet peeve of mine because I work in healthcare, but hospitals and nurses don't work like "the author" is portraying them. Again, I have a feeling this was written by ai, but if it wasn't... yikes.
Profile Image for sapphicliteratureirl.
77 reviews15 followers
June 23, 2025
This is a light and spicy sapphic romance told through the dual first-person perspectives of Dakota and Frankie.

Dakota is looking for a fresh start in Vegas, and through a sapphic twist of fate, (plus a broken-down truck) she’s rescued by Frankie: a gorgeous, sweet woman (think cowgirl vibes) with her own beautiful ranch and thriving business.

To sum up the premise in Dakota’s own words: “My move to Vegas: Stranded, saved, and seduced by a cowgirl.” 🤠

Dakota finds a much-needed escape at Red Rock Ranch and something even more unexpected with Frankie. Frankie is a stunning character and a woman of many talents: veterinarian, mechanic, business owner, tour guide… She’s also caring, kind, protective, and a shameless flirt. So yes, the spark is immediate ✨️

And their chemistry is hot. There are a few fade-to-black moments, but also several detailed 🌶️ scenes (light bondage included), featuring a cowgirl who likes to take control 🤠

I don’t think I’ve read anything this pleasant in the last year. It’s not the tone I'm used to, but I found it relaxing and I know so many people would love it. It’s a sweet, easy-going story about two women from different worlds, navigating life and falling in love. There’s no real angst - just plenty of time to enjoy the romance and follow Dakota as she falls for Frankie, and imagines a whole new future.

A light and sexy read if you fancy it 🤠
And if there’s a real Red Rock Ranch out there, could someone please point me in its direction? It sounds gorgeous.
317 reviews2 followers
December 15, 2024
I really enjoyed this in which ranch owner Frankie rescues ‘van broken down’ Dakota in the desert and they slowly but surely build something between them. Both MC’s were very likeable and the build of encounters and emotions was realistic. Dakota’s gradual disenchantment with the life change she’s taken made perfect sense to me and it was good to learn that she has hidden depths which come to the fore. Meanwhile, Frankie is used to casual and no one being prepared to stay with her for the long run, but those pesky feelings get in the way! This eventually ends exactly where you want it to with Dakota finding her perfect niche and Frankie her perfect partner…
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
504 reviews5 followers
May 22, 2025
I kinda feel like this book requires a little investment. Early on, it was cute, but I was kind of rolling my eyes all the same — is this really it? These two random characters trip and fall into their HEA by accident? They don’t even resist it, just like hey, let’s do this! And boom! Done!

But then, it grew on me. And wow did it grow on me. Frankie and the animals, Dakota and Serenity. Dakota’s struggles, which took a little time to manifest. What Frankie and Rennie pulled off for Dakota in the end. I mean it was kind of ridiculous that it was so moving, yet it was?

Anyway, I laughed so hard I cried, again, over things that happened later on.

I came out thinking that I really liked this! But as I said, I wasn’t there right away, so maybe plan to give it the benefit of the doubt until things start to pick up.
479 reviews2 followers
July 29, 2025
Good book

The MC are very opposite one a Spa manger and the other a horse ranch owner. They just click as the saying goes opposite do attract. Dakota is trying to strive the hustle and bustle of her new job in Las Vegas. Its different then the one back home. Frankie is content with the ranch live, giving different tours to people so they may learn to relax giving happiness while riding through out the desert. They come together but Frankie is reluctant because of past relationships and Dakota doesn't know if she is going to stay. Add in some crazy friends and parents to make a wonderful book.
Profile Image for Jennabeebs79.
609 reviews29 followers
November 28, 2025
Red Rock Ranch is a sweet-meets-spicy sapphic romance wrapped in the breathtaking beauty of the Nevada desert. The ranch, the sweeping landscape, and even the animals are painted in such rich detail that the whole story feels calm, cozy, and immersive. Frankie and Dakota’s chance encounter sparks a connection that changes everything, and their relationship unfolds with an easy, natural sweetness that makes their romance truly shine. The supporting cast adds heart and depth, rounding out the story beautifully. And on audio, Abby Craden and Tessa Stavers absolutely nail the dual POVs, bringing so much warmth and emotion that this becomes a must-listen experience.
142 reviews
September 19, 2024
She has so many good books I'm almost leaning toward this being the best one yet. I loved this book, she has everything in here, a chance meeting damsel in distress rescued lesbian attraction mixed with good friend and family fun while coming to a happy ever after conclusion. I love books that describe the beautiful scenery in such a way you can picture it in your mind. That doesn't always happen in these lesbian romances but this book definitely has you going there in your mind... and isn't that what a great book is supposed to do?
Profile Image for Rebekah.
8 reviews
January 15, 2025
This felt super predictable and at the end I had to put the book down and sigh. I have loved some of Lise Gold's books but this one was just lacking. Lacking in oomph, character development, character flaws and anything interesting. The sex scene where Frankie pulls out a whip felt randomly thrown in, with no build-up or aftermath. Just felt thrown in to pull in readers. Was looking for a raunchy rough cowgirl romance story and was sorely disappointed.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 97 reviews

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