Wyatt

Lucky River Ranch #2

by Jessica Peterson

Roping horses leads to riding cowboys in this sexy friends-to-lovers, fake-dating, lessons-in-seduction romance by Jessica Peterson.

Wyatt Rivers is the perfect no-strings hookup—a cowboy Casanova who rocks a Stetson, looks smokin’ hot in his Wranglers, and never rests his head on the same pillow twice.

He’s exactly what I’m looking for. If only Wyatt wasn’t also my best friend…

I’m back in my hometown of Harstville, Texas, for a few months while I wait for my dream job to start thousands of miles away. While I’m here, I hope to end an epic dry spell in the bedroom, preferably with a local cowboy. If the rumors are true, they really do ride harder and stay on longer.

Wyatt and I have been best friends since second grade, and I’ve been in love with him for almost as long. But he’s as wild and untamed as a colt that can’t be broken—not to mention, totally out of my league with his good looks and heartbreaker reputation.

Then I get to thinking: since Wyatt is such an expert, why doesn’t he teach me the ropes of how to find a hookup? He begrudgingly agrees, and a little fake flirting suddenly leads to fake dating, which leads to real kissing, which leads to real…well, everything else.

And let me just say, the rumors are absolutely true.

Now, I want so badly to be Wyatt’s last rodeo. But I’m leaving town, and even if I wasn’t, I’m not sure Wyatt would ever change his playboy ways.

I know cowboys can’t be tamed. Apparently, neither can hearts…

WYATT is an interconnected standalone novel in the Lucky River Ranch series.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Westerns, Cowboy Romance, Fake Dating, Small Town Romance, Contemporary Romance

412 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2024

About the author

Jessica Peterson writes romance with heat, humor, and heart. Heroes with hot accents are her specialty. When she’s not writing, she can be found bellying up to a bar in the south’s best restaurants with her husband Ben, reading books with her adorable daughters Gracie and Madeline, or snuggling up with her 70-pound lap dog, Martha.

A Carolina girl at heart, she fantasizes about splitting her time between Charleston and Asheville, but currently lives in Charlotte, NC.

Reviews

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book right here is why best friends to lovers is forever a god tier trope, THE YEARNING?, the patheticness of a man being SO down bad for you he gets not only one but TWO tattoos to keep you with him after he set you free, not telling you how much he loved you for TWELVE YEARS, thinking you were too damn good for him and your small town????!?!??! the fact that SHE has always felt the same way but never told him because she thought HE was too good for her and wouldnt want her to stay!!!!?????

GOD. TIER.

i ate up every single last bit of this book, it has stayed in my brain for days after finishing it now and i already cant fucking wait to revisit them in the future because i am simply obsessed with them. if you loved cash there is no way you arent going to fall head over heels in love for the simpiest simp cowboy you have ever read in your life.

i loved cash with my whole heart but there was just something about this book that hit differently for me, i was a complete sucker for these two from the damn prologue. sally from start to finish was just so loveable and bad ass to me (minus our cold feet with men, but honestly i get you girl) and wyatt was her perfect equal and matched her energy in every way 😩

theres entirely too many things in this book that i want to sit and rant and obsess over but i fear they are just better left unsaid and for you to read yourself and for me to giggle about in every update & review i see for these two 🤭

to say i am obsessed with all the men & women on lucky river ranch would be an understatement at this point, i am so looking forward to sawyers book after the little sneak we get in the end lord have mercy, i am at a point of how could the rest of the rivers boys one up their older brothers but knowing jessica and the younger rivers boys we are in for a wild fucking ride the rest of this series, giddy up girls 🤠

ps there’s insanely hot rope play in this book, if anything… thats your sign to move it up the tbr ;)

[Lilyya ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.75 stars

I definitely had higher expectations for the second installment in the Lucky River Ranch series. It lacked the soupçon of depth that made the previous book in the series distinguish from other “cowboy romances.” that said, I loved revisiting the ranch and its colorful characters. the romance itself was cute at times, but I’ve always had trouble fully appreciating friends-to-lovers arcs—why did it take them so long to confess their feelings? I genuinely wanted to be transported away by their love story, but sadly, I wasn’t.

many thanks to Valentine PR for providing an ARC in exchange of an honest review

[Paige (I’m back? maybe) · Rating 3 out of 5]

“That day you picked me up, you said you’d be my sunshine anytime. What do you think about being my sunshine forever?”

➷ What to expect:

🤠 cowboy romance
🤠 spicy leasons
🤠 lasso play
🤠 fake dating
🤠 small town
🤠 grief (death off page)
🤠 characters in their 30’s (yay!)
🤠 dual pov

I fell in love with Sally and Wyatt's sweet story — the first half was so perfect for me. The added flashback scenes were beautiful and made me feel more connected to their story. Their strong bond was clear from the inclusion of these scenes and made me understand why Sally moved away and why Wyatt had to stay behind. Friends to lovers is not my favourite trope but it was done well.

Their story is intertwined with grief and a level of emotional depth. I truly felt for Wyatt and how much he struggled after such an astronomical loss. I connected to him more than I connected to Sally. He loves so fiercely and was very protective of those around him. I mean he got a tattoo dedicated to her before they were even together!!

Sally suffers from deep rooted insecurities which I think most can empathise with, however, given her age, some of the aspects to her story didn't feel realistic. I appreicated how much she valued their friendship first over their romantic relationship and was always there for Wyatt.

Unfortunately, the second half of the story took a bit of a turn for me. The spice was frequent which I don't normally mind — the first few scenes were SO hot 🪭 Although, for a relatively short book it started to feel very long. There was a lot of scenes included that didn't offer anything to the story and the spice started to feel like it was every other chapter towards the end. It didn't help that some of their dialogue was pulling me out of the story during the spice scenes.

I absolutely loved the first instalment in this series, so I think the bar was just a bit high for me. I still found some enjoyment in this and I can definitely see others loving it. I was living for all the glimpses into Sawyer - I feel like his book is going to my favourite!

My ratings:

➷ Cash - 4 stars
➷ Wyatt - 3 stars
➷ Sawyer - TBA

Thank you to Jessica and Valentine PR for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review!

Buddy read with Buket <3

[veerali · Rating 3 out of 5]

⁀ ⊹ ₊ Choose me. Goddamn, Sunshine, I’m dying for you to choose me.

wyatt rivers is the definition of yearning.

[bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

➸ 3.5/5 stars

“I trust you.”
Bless.

this author Seriously looked me straight in the face and said, “I’m going to make you fall in love with each brother, no matter how hard you try to resist,” and I just have to say, thank you, I’m so invested in these characters, I can’t stop.

“I want you to be my guy. Not just the guy I have a good time with. But the guy I call, and confide in, and come home to.”

so the second book in the series is about Sally and Wyatt, and listen, I HATE the “friends to lovers” trope. I mean, I really hate it. it gets on my nerves most of the time. But let me tell you. this one hit different. These two have been best friends for 20 years, hiding their feelings from each other, and then they end up fake dating, with him giving her some seriously spicy "lessons" along the way 🤭

“with Sally, I’m able to be a whole human being. I can be the flirt, the good friend, and an even better boyfriend, but I can also be the man who’s grieving. Who’s hurt. The man who wants to do the right thing, but doesn’t know how”

➷ sally is the one who brought my rating down just a tiny bit. I really try to embrace characters, even when I don’t totally relate to them. I really tried to connect with her—I really did. But sometimes, a character just doesn’t click for me, no matter how hard I try. Sally’s biggest struggle is her insecurities, and I totally understand that she’s battling some deep rooted body issues, especially around men. But I found myself getting frustrated with her. I get it, insecurity isn’t something you just snap out of, but at some point, I just wanted to shake her and say, “Girl, you’re amazing just the way you are! Don’t do that to yourself.” The way she’d constantly second guess her worth, especially around Wyatt, made me feel sad for her but also a little bit annoyed? I know that sounds harsh, but that’s just how I felt. On top of that, as much as I wanted to love her, I couldn’t fully get there. That being said, Sally isn’t a bad character. She’s sweet, she’s strong, and I really loved how she was always there for Wyatt through thick and thin. I just couldn’t love her as much as I wanted to. she’s still a good person.

“Ever consider you could never ever hold me back, even if you tried? You’re not a roadblock, Wyatt. You’re the wind beneath my fucking wings.”

➷ wyatt: every single brother in this series has been amazing so far. his love for Sally is so pure, so unwavering, and so heart-meltingly tender! that I couldn’t help but fall completely in love with him. He’s the type of guy who would do absolutely anything for the woman he loves and I mean anything. it’s so beautiful. Watching him love her unconditionally was like reading a masterclass in patience lmao, tenderness, and true affection, He cleaned his floors with a toothbrush to make their “home dinner date” perfect. that was so cute 😭 or how he quit smoking for her. FOR HER. I literally sat there like, “This man is perfect. What kind of angelic being is this?” He’s this rough-around-the-edges playboy on the surface, but deep down He’s a teddy bear!! The way he loves Sally god. It’s so gentle and patient, like he’s been waiting all these years for her to finally see him. I can’t even put it into words. His love for her was pure and quiet, but so consuming in the best way. I adored him, you know that meme where the girl says, “I can do it,” and the guy says, “I know you can, but I’m going to do it for you”? That was them. The way they just showed up for each other, even when they hadn’t fully confessed their feelings was like they didn’t need to say the words, because their actions spoke volumes. and sure, the confession didn’t come until later in the book, and that part dragged a little for me. But when it did happen It felt so worth it. The build-up was real.

“Now was never going to be long enough with Wyatt, was it? I want him forever.”

➸ what I loved the most about their relationship, though, was how deeply considerate they were of each other’s feelings. They didn’t want to ruin their friendship by jumping into something more too soon, and you could see that in every interaction they had. They were patient. They were careful. Even when their feelings were overwhelming, they were so respectful of each other’s boundaries. The way Wyatt would sneak into Sally’s room at night, or how Sally would help him open up about his struggles was like watching two people slowly realize they were meant to be together, but not rushing it. letting the relationship grow in its own time, with trust, care, and so much understanding. the book balanced lighthearted, painful, domestic and funny all together like the shirts scenes. oh my god 😭 I was laughing so hard, I couldn’t breathe. SO SO cute!! Their playful moments, their teasing, it was like the perfect balance of fun and longing. It was the kind of love where you don’t even need words to know exactly how the other person feels. It’s a little bit messy, a little bit complicated, but also so unbelievably sweet.

“Choose me. Goddamn, Sunshine, I’m dying for you to choose me”

— now let me yap a little about sawyer aaaaa I can’t even handle it. I’m already screaming inside. We’re getting double single parents? and apparently, they know each other already, so it’s going to be a second-chance? My heart can’t take it!I’m SO excited. I thought I had it all figured out in the first two books, I’m also glad that the fmc (ava) in the next book already lives in Texas. no more characters leaving everything behind just to be with their guy. We’re not dragging out that conflict again lmaoo, I LOVE the idea of Sawyer’s story, and I cannot wait for it. 🥹



***ARC Provided by Valentine PR Management.***

[lia ♡ (hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

ˋ°•*⁀➷ 2.25 stars

a bit spoilery?

heyyy....hey... how y'all doing.... better than me i hope ha ha ha......... 😀

• i have almost nothing to say about this other than the fact that if this wasn't book two in the series, i would've dnf'd this book expeditiously. sorry??

• nothing happened in this book. they yearned for a bit, then they hooked up, then they got together, then they figured all their life problems out immediately and suddenly i was thrown into the epilogue... what?? the only conflict in this book was sally's crazy fucking dad (and that lasted exactly one chapter btw). i am lost and confused.

• i didn't care for sally and wyatt. i basically just read about them having (barely) kinky sex for 250 pages. call me sherlock holmes with the way i was searching for a fuck to give— or maybe even a scrap of story to latch onto?? should i send out a missing persons for the plot??? like yes, yippee, friends to lovers and a huge decision....

— tell me where any of that was made to be even slightly interesting. please. i will accept anything 😭😭

• i did like being back at the ranch, and i will say that every sprinkle of wyatt's grief journey were probably the best parts. i liked how him and sally connected over that and how he opened up about it more because of her. i'm also super interested in sawyer's book (surprisingly ig??) after this one— unfortunately, it's likely because his has the opportunity to be the most complicated/intriguing!! i fear that cash and wyatt have literally nothing going on; cash just managed to do it slightly better (due to the rivals dynamic i think 😬). i seriously(!!) hope sawyer has some real stakes and problems considering his and ava's situations but i can't hold out much hope.

• one last thing as a girl who's well seasoned in many, many, many outrageous literary choices.... sneaking in to your girlfriend's house, having sex with her parents down the hall, and forcing me to read the words "imagine your dad catching you getting it on with your real daddy."








STAY 10 FEET AWAY FROM ME AT ALL TIMES I'M NOT PLAYING WITH YOU. mood-killer, panty-puller-upper, sahara desert levels of dry, how about i transcend you out of my bed faster than you can say ick, you fucking hillbilly. if i wanted to see that i woulda scavenged the deep dark trenches of tumblr hoe ✋🏼

thank you and goodnight. x

[buket · Rating 3 out of 5]

the feeling when the books starts so good so perfect and flops around the middle🫠 wyatt and sally were soooo cute in the beginning. me loving a friends to lovers? loving a playboy?? never in my life but this!! ugh their friendship was so pure so cute and when they started “fake” dating🪭🪭

and then…the second half…😴 smut fest + Wyatt cooking🫠 okay guys you’re in love and everything please wrap it up i don’t wanna read chapters of smut🌝

anyways overall it was good and cowboys obviously does it better

my favorite is still Cash🤭 my man was sooooo dreamy it’s hard to top that. but i’m excited for Sawyer’s book👀

thanks to Valentine PR for the arc!!🫶🏻




~~~~~
YEEEEEESS I GOT THE ARC!!!😋😋

reading with Paige💖 and it’s already so good??!! 🤭

(ps. not me jinxing us with this⬆️)

[Grace Quan · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝟒.𝟐𝟓 ✰ stars. 🐎

❝Your heavy doesn’t hurt me.❞

Hot take....this needed to be more frustrating. Best friends who mutually pine trope needed to be a bit more uncertain and nervous. Listen, this is one of my favorite tropes because there is a lot of fear in telling your best friend that you're in love with them. You don't want to lose them but you also cannot live without them. I didn't really see that to0 much in this book.

Besides that, this book was very enjoyable for me. I'm continuously impressed by how the author writes her female main characters. I actually like them, which I think is a bit concerning that I don't like most female main characters...but oh well. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Maybe it's the authors fault not mine.

THE MUTUAL PINING AND YEARNING WAS SO SO SO GOOD!!

Third-act conflict was a little unsatisfying. I almost wish there was a third act breakup just to liven up the ending. I did like how the ending seamlessly acts a transition to the next book. I'm very excited to start it and return to this small town again!!

~.~.~.~.~.~.~.~
pre-read: 🩵🐄

I heard there is yearning and patheticness!!! Sign me up!

[•°Dahlia ( hiatus )]

DNF 53%
SORRY SORRY SORRY BUT I CANT 🙂.
I will probably come back to it when am done with King of envy and Restless stars 🤸‍♀️.

---
👢➻Pre-Read:
Officially in my cowboy Era 🤠 yeeehaw , now I need Wyatt even if u can't get over Cash 🤭🤭

[naz · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟 I'm rounding up because one of my love languages is quality time and this MAN knew how to make my heart melt. Besides that, meh.

I think I expected the same from Cash, which I shouldn't have since duh it's another brother. But the childhood friends to lovers trope in general is a hit or miss for me. I am the type of girl that is outspoken when it comes to feelings, so for them to not "confess their love" until basically she wants him to teach her how to date is like *insert eye roll*

Either way, I do love a cowboy who is obsessed with his girl, and boy WAS HE OBSESSED. I did enjoy and will continue the series, but my heart is with Cash FOR NOW.

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ i heard this ain't as good as the first, BUT i'm excited for some cowboys and to buddy read with my girl ashlyn

[Katie Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

WYATT!!! Enough said. That is my review LOL. OMG!! I have been WAITING to see how this one was going to pan out since the end of Cash and Jessica IT WAS WORTH THE WAIT! Wyatt was beyond anything I could have imagined. I have found myself reading these boy obsessed books recently and Wyatt tops the list. He has officially been added to my top cowboy ever read. He was just sooo dreamy and perfect. He had this mask of being extroverted and a playboy when in reality he didn't want to let anyone in. He was terrified of being hurt again. And then we have Sally our wonderful resident vet with her fancy education that has made her that much more exceptional. She was also just wonderful. She had loved Wyatt for forever but never knew how he felt. She didn't care how she could have him in her life she just wanted him there. She knew how to give him space and reach him when no one else could. I loved and hated the fake dating thing- I mean come on people. Does that happen in real life?? Why would someone subject themselves to fake date the person they actually secretly love? Well because if that's all they can get then they will take it. Their chemistry was an inferno. The spicy lesson scenes were next level- I was fanning myself when they BOTH ended up getting tied up. Jessica you have a way with these scenes let me tell you. The moment of truth though when they told each other how they really feel felt SO perfect. It was the perfect amount of buildup. Their reactions were shock and awe that they actually get to experience these things together like for real though.

Sally is back home for a bit before she makes her big move to New York for the job she has wanted her whole life. Well at least she thinks that's what she wants. But what she KNOWS she wants is some fun before she leaves. Except she can't talk to guys like at all. She clams up. She gets in her head. The only one she can be herself around is Wyatt. Her best friend and town playboy. The man just knows people. So when she works up the courage to ask him to be her fake date to a town event she expects rejection but she gets a yes. And now they are doing this. She is getting dressed up for Wyatt. She is holding hands with Wyatt. She has to remind herself that this is all fake. But the chemistry between them is unlike anything she has felt before. So when the guys she kind of wants to be with throws her a bone she thinks she is going to take it but Wyatt is acting weird. He acts like maybe he doesn't want this to be fake. So she trusts her gut and goes after him. And then they kiss and it is earth shattering. How can this be the case with her best friend? They agree to keep doing this with benefits now. But nothing else. But then she realizes how happy she is and she can't hide it anymore. She tells him how she feels and he actually RECIPROCATES. And NOW they are telling her parents. And she is realizing that she feels more at home here in her element than she would as a small nobody in New York. She just hopes that her family and Wyatt will support her decision to stay because this is her town and he is HER cowboy.

Wyatt has been in love with his best friend since the day she came home for his parents funeral. She showed up and knocked down all of his walls. He doesn't let ANYONE in the way he lets her in. But he knows he has to let her go. He can't ever be the person that holds her back even if it's not intentional. So she leaves but now she is back like 10 years later. And Wyatt has created a reputation for himself of a ladies man. All of it is for show though. He wants to settle down and find his lady. It just can't be Sally. But then she asks him to be her fake date and he finds himself too scared to be honest so he says yes. Why he does this he doesn't know. But then he shows up to get her and she's in THAT dress. And there is this energy between them that maybe has always been there but now it's like THERE. How can he let her go home with someone else. Well he just can't. So he makes a stand. He half tells her the truth. He wants her and only her but no strings. Well that backfires big time because Sally makes him feel things behind closed doors he has NEVER felt. I mean the reaction he had to her calling him Daddy- unheard of for him. So he decides to be honest right when she is. They want more. They want this to be real. Wyatt finds himself opening up to her about his parents unlike he ever has. Everything just feels RIGHT with her. Like even though it's fast it's not because this has developed. Does it hurt how attracted he is to her? Absolutey not. But there is an endgame in mind- she is moving to New York. He just has to convince her to bring him with her if she will take him.

Jessica does SUCH a good job of making you absolutely fall in love with her characters. I wanted to be best friends with everyone in this story. I wanted to be at the Rattler watching this slow dance between these two and being a fly on the wall in the barn (IYKYK). I loved how everyone around them had been waiting for them to finally catch up to their feelings. I laughed out loud in this one. The way Wyatt talked in and out of bed was heavenly and sinful. Now we move onto Sawyer- and thank you NOT for that tease at the end with Ada. Can't wait to hear more about how they "know" each other.

Thank you to Valentine PR and Jessica for a copy of this one in exchange for an honest review! If you haven't picked this series up, I can't recommend it enough!

[Meagan✨ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Back with another swoony cowboy romance, this time it's Wyatt, the sunshiney, dirty-talking cowboy I couldn’t help but fall for. This friends-to-lovers story between Sally and Wyatt was heartwarming and sweet, with moments that really tugged at my emotions. The author weaves grief and emotional vulnerability into their story with a careful hand, and Wyatt's journey especially stood out to me. His struggle with loss felt raw and real, and his fiercely loyal, protective nature made him an easy character to root for.

Jessica Peterson truly excels at crafting characters you want to spend time with. I found myself wishing I could hang out with the entire cast, they felt like people I’d want to be friends with. That said, there were a few moments where the story fell a bit flat for me. I connected more deeply with Wyatt than I did with Sally, and there were sections where the emotional pacing felt a little uneven. While the overall experience was still enjoyable, those parts made it slightly harder to stay fully immersed.cStill, Wyatt delivers a sweet, emotional romance with a hero that will stick with you long after the last page.

🤠 Cowboy Romance
🤠 Friends to Lovers
🤠 Spicy lessons
🤠 Lasso Play
🤠 Fake Dating
🤠 Small Town
🤠 Dual POV

My Lucky River Ranch Ratings-
Cash- 4 Stars
Wyatt- 3.5 Stars

[julesreadinghaven · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️
3 🌶️

✨ Choose me. Goddamn, Sunshine, I’m dying for you to choose me.✨

This baby had me craving cowboys so badly, I literally changed my Hinge location to Texas just to see if any lost cowboys needed my help. No joke. 🤡

Wyatt will be every friends-to-lovers girlies' kryptonite. There are so many to-die-for moments, nicknames, and history between them—sparks were flying from the start. And once again, the spice was so good it had me dropping my Kindle and falling out of my chair.😮‍💨

Wyatt and Sally were inevitable, and watching them slowly realize they were head over boots for one another was like sunshine on a rainy day. Wyatt’s journey—opening up about his grief and the loss of his mama—was so raw and moving it had me sobbing fr. I absolutely loved seeing them grow together and how Wyatt helped Sally find her confidence, and realize her own worth. 💅🏻

Their love felt so damn real, like true childhood friends-to-lovers, and the depth of their relationship hit just right. There was no unnecessary third-act breakup (YEHAW), just two people working through life’s challenges together. I may or may not be craving a Jack and coke (in a glass bottle, ofc) so bad right now. Jessica, you’ve done it again—this book is pure cowboy perfection.🥰

✨ “You saved my life, you know,” I huff out. Her teeth find my palm. Her eyes flash with something I don’t recognize. “Maybe you’re saving mine too.” ✨

Tropes:
🫂 Friends to Lovers
😩 He’s down bad
🏘️ Small town romance
🤠 Cowboys
❤️‍🔥 Good girl x bad boy
🔥 Lessons in seduction
👀 Fake dating

Song:
🎶 Long Haul - Ian Munsick

💕Once again, thank you so, so much for the ARC, Jessica and Valentine PR. So freaking grateful I got to read Wyatt’s story and take part in this amazing release. 💕

[Koisty · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Transcendence Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5

There are some books that need to grow on you...books that take a little longer, that extended moment in time before you connect, and you know the story is amazing. Wyatt is NOT one of those books. I knew from the very first page that I was going to love this.

This was my first Jessica Peterson book, and since I haven’t really read many Cowboy Romances, I wasn’t sure what to expect. That, on top of it being Friends to Lovers (which is not always my favourite trope)... I was cautiously optimistic... and in the end, a metaphorical lasso must have caught around my heart, and it was not letting go. I love this; it spoke to my soul and just gave me this utter emotional giddy bliss while reading.

𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
When Wyatt was 18, he lost his parents in a tragic accident. One person was there for him when he needed them: his best friend Sally. She was always there for the good, the bad, and the ugly. But something changed the day before the funeral, and Wyatt finally saw Sally as a little more than a friend, while unbeknownst to him, Sally grew even more in love with him than before. Now, 12 years later, Sally is a successful veterinary surgeon and is back in Texas for a few months before starting her dream job in New York. But before she leaves, she wants a little no-strings-attached fun with a cowboy. Given Wyatt is the king of No-Strings-Attached, Sally asks him to pretend to date her to make other men jealous. Of course, when you’re pretending to mask very real feelings, those lines become blurry, and both need to decide whether they are willing to test their friendship and turn it into something more.

𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
There must be something in the water of Lucky River Ranch, because DAMN, your girl is OBSESSED! The pining, the longing, the feelings of unrequited love, and the mesmerising emotion in the words... it was almost poetic with the rawness.

Now, as I mentioned, I do have frustrations with “Friends to Lovers,” especially when it is basically them already being in love with each other and just too afraid to tell each other. Like, be adults and JUST TELL EACH OTHER. But that just shows HOW GOOD THIS IS! Despite my not liking this type of Friends to Lovers, I was still completely and utterly enraptured by the words, these characters, and the romance, which was just so CUTE.

Wyatt is cocky and arrogant and sex on legs, but he uses this to hide that he is still grieving and feels completely lost and broken, scared to open his heart to love. He is also so charming in that “Southern Gentleman” way and is a really good cowboy. Sally is a bowl of sunshine and deeply cares for her friends, family, and those around her. She is smart, intelligent, and has the biggest heart of gold. She lights up every room she’s in, and her willingness to help everyone makes her so kind and sweet.

Their relationship was PERFECTION. Sally and Wyatt complement each other so well that their sexual chemistry legitimately oozes off the page. They are so comfortable with each other and so relaxed being themselves that you cannot help but root for them! What I also loved is that even though these two have been friends forever and have a long history, it never felt like the relationship change from friends to lovers was too rushed or too slow. It was just so gooooooood!

My god, the banter and the dirty talk will make you wish YOU WERE SALLY TO DADDY WYATT! I swear, my toes curled, all my tingle places tingled, and I think at one point my eyes rolled to the back of my head with the SWOON (AND JEALOUSY THAT I WASN’T SALLY).

𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Childhood Best Friends to Lovers
▶ Cowboy Romance
▶ Fake Dating
▶ He Falls First
▶ Secret Pining
▶ Lessons in Seduction
▶ Bad Boy X Good Girl
▶ Jealous MMC
▶ Who Did This To You?
▶ Small Town Romance

and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▷ Nicknames
▷ Daddy
▷ Rolled Sleeves/Forearms
▷ "Look At Me"
▷ "You Taste Like..."
▷ Sexy Lasso Play (Rope Play)
▷ "It Wont Fit"

Overall all I wanna do is save a horse and ride this cowboy and if you love yourself ANY of these tropes, you're gonna wanna ride him too! BASICALLY JUST READ THIS!

Thank you to ValentinePR and Jessica Peterson for the gifted copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own

[Kylie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

Tropes & what to expect:
- Cowboy romance
- Childhood friends to lovers
- Fake dating
- Spicy "lessons"
- He falls first
- Bad boy x good girl
- Pining and yearning

I am so in love with the Lucky River Ranch series by Jessica Peterson! 🥹

I loved these characters and how they both thought they had unrequited love for one another but really just needed to admit their feelings to find that they both felt deeply for one another. 🩷

Wyatt is both a bad boy and a charming southern gentleman wrapped into one sexy cowboy! Sally is the sunshine character who doesn't have a ton of experience with men.

Wyatt and Sally have the perfect foundation of friendship but the chemistry between the two of them was undeniable. I loved their love!

I can't wait to read Sawyer next. This series has my heart!

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.75 Stars – A Heart-Melting Friends-to-Lovers Romance

OMG, as if the Rivers brothers couldn’t get any better, we get Wyatt—a total cinnamon roll who just wants to do right by everyone. His love for Sally has been unwavering since childhood, and now he finally works up the courage to tell her. But Sally has been feeling the same way all along, afraid that confessing could ruin the beautiful friendship they’ve built.

Watching these two navigate their feelings was pure magic. Their transition from lifelong friends to something deeper felt so natural and heartwarming. Wyatt is everything you’d want in a book boyfriend—gentle, kind, and completely devoted. And Sally? She’s a brilliant, caring ray of sunshine (literally, since that’s her nickname!), and the way she helps Wyatt break out of his shell after the loss of his parents was truly touching.

Their chemistry, the emotional depth, and the way they simply get each other made this book an absolute joy to read. I laughed, I swooned, and I even teared up a little. I’m obsessed with the Rivers brothers, and I cannot wait to dive into the next book about the last brother!

[TwinreadsandReds · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars—I’m learning I’m not a huge fan of friends to lovers

[lilly ♡ (semi-hiatus)]

softish dnf @ 66%

y'all this book is so stupid. i don't care for one single thing in this book. i hate the tropes. i just do not like this one bit 😭 if im in the mood to torture myself i'll finish it

: ̗̀➛ started on 1/19/25
: ̗̀➛ kinda dnf on 1/23/25

[{ ° Olivia ° } · Rating 2 out of 5]

ewww I should've DNFd

[Mackenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of my new favorite friends to lovers stories! Friends to lovers is no where near one of my favorite tropes, however I absolutely ate this book up. This entire series has me in a chokehold so far. Can’t wait for Sawyer’s book 😍

Thank you Jessica Peterson & VPR for the arc!

- Small Town
- Cowboy
- Childhood Friends to Lovers
- Fake Dating
- Spicy Lessons
- Daddy K!nk

[mikayla ✿ · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.75 ⭐️ wyatt was cute, but this book didn’t really deliver for me. it was so much longer than it needed to be. it started off sweet and i was having fun, then bam - wyatt and sally are coupled up and in love by 60%. after that? not much. it was basically like watching paint dry. in hindsight, i should have dnf’ed. it wasn’t necessarily bad, but it lacked any real development to keep me engaged.

i was also really put off by the fact that this book isn’t a smooth continuation from cash (book one). that book ended with everyone finding out about wyatt and sally, so i kept waiting for this moment - but it never came. instead, the scene was completely rewritten in wyatt. the timelines were off, and the inconsistency really annoyed me, giving me the impression that the series might be poorly planned.

cute moments aside, this one just didn’t earn its length - or my time.

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Wyatt is the 2nd book in the Lucky River Ranch series! This small town, cowboy series has followed brothers and this one is childhood friends to lovers with mutual pining, fake dating, and starts off with some lessons.

Basically, Wyatt and Sally have been best friends for years. He calls her Sunshine. She’s an equine surgeon and he works on the ranch with his family. He’s crushed on her for over a decade, but knows she’s leaving soon and not staying so he doesn’t want to hold her back. But when she requests lessons and just wants a little bit of fun, he jumps at the chance! Wyatt sees how happy his brother is after book 1 and he just wants his “person” in his life too.

Now was never going to be long enough with Wyatt, was it?
I want him forever.

I loved Cash, the first book in this series, and that still remains my favorite. But if you love friends to lovers, that western setting, and a cowboy hero who is down bad, you’ll love this one! It was a little too low angst for me and while they were sweet, I just wasn’t as connected to them as a couple like I was with book 1.

I received an ARC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

[Jade Odoms · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was willing to give friends to lovers a chance because this supposedly had fake dating… but the fake dating lasted like 5 mins? Then the rest of the book is their internal monologue talking about how much they love each other but “can’t be together” blah blah blah. Boring and the ending with the dad pulling a gun on Wyatt wtf 😂

[Megan Coggins · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Another Rivers brother in the books. 🤠
Can you really beat a real Texas cowboy?

Wyatt
The life of the party brother
But down bad for his girl…

Sally
The back in town for now vet
Only one guy she can be comfortable with.

And what do you know: Childhood best friends.
Let’s fake date… give lessons in seduction…
Yea we all know how that goes 😏

Rope play… lassos.

But I love him daddy. While maybe calling him daddy too

So much back and forth, thinking the other doesn’t want them. I just wanted to throttle them 🤣

(Still a Cash girl… 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣)

[Kayla · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite possibly obsessed with the Rivers brothers. 😋

Friends to lovers
Small town cowboy romance
Yes, please.

[dess · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

[Holly · Rating 4 out of 5]

YE-freaking-HAW!! Jessica Peterson and her hot AF cowboys are back!!!

I absolutely loved the first book in this series (Cash) and I’m so excited to be back into the Lucky River Ranch universe!

Wyatt is a small town, fake dating, childhood friends to lovers, cowboy romance, if any of this sounds like your cup of tea you should definitely give it a go!

I am now counting down the days until the next book, Sawyer, is released!!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sally and Wyatt taking 20 YEARS to get together made me want to cry when they finally did😩

[Jordan · Rating 1 out of 5]

This was BAD bad. Just so so bad.
The banter was bad, the sex scenes were bad, the use of daddy was bad, the “conflict” was bad.
Sally’s dad pointed a LOADED RIFLE at Wyatt’s chest and had his finger on the trigger then was like “the safety was on the whole time guise y r u freaking out?”

This started out so good but after 30% it went downhill so fucking fast.
I usually love a friends with benefits he teaches her kinda vibe but 🤢
Also the his dick is soOoOoOo huuuuugeeee my pussy is sOoOoOo tiiiiight thing is old. Like yeah pussies are tight but they stretch. Sally wasn’t a fucking virgin so Wyatt being like you need to take 3 advil immediately after this dicking is insane. Unless bro is packing a fucking girthmaster hog it’s just an annoying micro trope. Just make him say she’s tight and get over it. She doesn’t need a fucking hospital visit. (I love a size difference situation but I’m sorry, anatomy is anatomy and vaginas stretch so unless he’s fucking her without proper warmup and lubrication it’s just annoying that he’d be sooooo concerned she needs to take advil lol)
I could go on and on about this but overall this just sucked once they got together. Every single conflict fell so damn flat and was underdeveloped and annoying.

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5⭐️
Je ne sais pas pourquoi, j’ai moins accroché qu’au tome 1 mais j’ai passé un bon moment de lecture avec cette romance small town x cowboys x friends to lovers x fake dating. Un peu trop de smut mdrr mais c’était prévisible et maintenant j’ai hâte d’avoir le tome 3 sur Sawyer hihiiii