Lonesome Ridge

Rustler Mountain #3

by Maisey Yates

Tourists may flock to Rustler Mountain, Oregon for its Wild West reenactments, but for locals, the feuds between the outlaws and the lawmen are still very much alive in this swoon-inducing contemporary western series from New York Times bestselling author Maisey Yates - ideal for fans of Lyla Sage, Elsie Silver, Jennifer Ryan and Robyn Carr.

Good guys and bad guys . . . myth and legend . . . gold and ranching. That’s what historic Rustler Mountain, Oregon, is made of, complete with feuding families descended from outlaws and lawmen. A century later, their grudges still hold—but for a new generation, when opposites attract, it might be time to surrender . . .

From killers to courtesans, the Hancock family has what might be called an eclectic history. But they’ve managed to leverage it into something respectable, creating the popular Hancock Wild West Show. The event features reenactments and trick riding—the latter performed by clever, charismatic Jessie Jane Hancock.

Jessie is usually unflappable, but lately something’s needling her—and it’s not just her annoying attraction to exasperatingly sexy Flynn Wilder—whose great, great, great, great, great grandfather was betrayed by Jessie’s just-as-many-times-great grandfather. It’s the upcoming mayoral election. Specifically, the unopposed Danielle LeFevre, mean girl, all-around awful person, and Flynn’s not-so-beloved half-sister. Jessie wants to keep Danielle from winning . . . and the only person who bothers Flynn more than she does is Danielle.

“I want you to be my first man.” Jessie Jane is hot enough to make him hallucinate, but her request is very real. Jessie wants to run for mayor, and she wants him by her side, as her fake fiancé. A Hancock engaged to a Wilder. An outsider against the status quo. A drama their town will devour. Flynn always knew Jessie was a wild card, but bringing down his corrupt stepfamily is a temptation he can’t resist. Just like the vexing spark between him and Jessie. And once that fire catches, the real showdown begins . . .

Genres: Romance, Cowboy Romance, Contemporary Romance, Small Town Romance

272 pages, Paperback

Expected publication February 24, 2026

About the author

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling author Maisey Yates lives in rural Oregon with her three children and her husband, whose chiseled jaw and arresting features continue to make her swoon. She feels the epic trek she takes several times a day from her office to her coffee maker is a true example of her pioneer spirit. In 2009, at the age of twenty-three Maisey sold her first book.

Since then it’s been a whirlwind of sexy alpha males and happily ever afters, and she wouldn’t have it any other way. Maisey divides her writing time between dark, passionate category romances set just about everywhere on earth and light sexy contemporary romances set practically in her back yard.

She believes that she clearly has the best job in the world.

Reviews

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a perfectly snackable book. I marathoned the entire thing on an airplane. It doesn’t try to be anything more than it is. I didn’t realize it was the third in a series, but that really didn’t matter too much to the plot.

I liked Jessie Jane and Flynn but the pacing is all over the place - we get a lot of repetitive inner monologue and then about 60% of the way through it flips to “they really like each other”. It also flipped POVs mid chapter and it got confusing sometimes to figure out who was speaking.

But you know what? It was a delightful way to pass the time.

Thank you to NetGalley, Maisey Yates, and Kensington for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[The Sewist's Bookshelf · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ 4.25
🌶️ 1.5
🥵 Spicy Chapters: 10, 13, 15
❤️‍🔥 Swoon Factor: 3.5
👫 Flynn + Jessie Jane
📚 Tropes/Themes: Fake dating, enemies to lovers, it's always been you, wild West, small town
👀 Dual POV 1st person
💔 Content warnings: toxic family members


💬 This is the third book in the Rustler Mountain series, which focuses on the four Wilder siblings. This one is about the youngest brother, Flynn and his fake dating turned real feelings for Jessie Jane Hancock, the star of her family's wild west show.

First, technically this is a standalone, but it's really best to read them in order.

As is with most of Yates' books, this one is very introspective and you spend a lot of time in the MCs' heads- the emotional conflict is a 3 course meal that I ate right up 😂 I know not everyone enjoys that style writing, but I ADORE it, so I really enjoyed this book.

Plus, I've been complaining that I've read too many books where the focus is more on the lust aspect of their relationship, so I really enjoyed one that was more about feelings/ thoughts/emotions

The build up to the third act really felt real and not over exaggerated, although the resolution could've used a tiny bit more to it IMO.

I also really enjoyed how each of them were forced to explore their family dynamics and how they both felt like outcasts in their own way- finding acceptance within each other/themselves. It was pretty relatable. (and at least for Flynn the found/chosen family aspect) I just wish there had been more of it lol.

I still think the first one is my favorite, but this one is definitely in second place, and I'm really looking forward to Cassidy's book!

[b🦋 · Rating 3 out of 5]

ThankYou to Netgalley and Maisey Yates for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review🤍

Jessie was my favourite character throughout, she was strong and resilient and I loved her!! I love a small town cowboy romance and the vibes were definitely there.

However, I found the plot a little boring, and the pacing was weird. It was a little all over the place with what was going on and I was just a little confused, however, I would still pick up a book by this author in the near future.

2.5🌟

[Goksu · Rating 4 out of 5]

As we are getting closer to the end of this series, I am starting to feel more and more like a member of the Wilder family.

This book follows the story of Flynn and Jessie Jane, both outlaws trying to make the impossible, well possible. She thinks the mayor of their town is a horrible person, so does he. The only problem is, that mayor is his half sister. It complicated things but in such a fun way!

I adored reading about these characters who felt unloved by many people in their lives and then felt love in each others arms. This book was funny but also very serious in times about how family dynamics can be very upsetting.

I loved reading about them falling in love and growing as characters both individually and as a couple. I enjoyed this book more than the previous 2 and anticipating their relationship made it better when their story was worth reading!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the provided eARC!

[Samantha Bailey · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy of this book.

I’ll admit, this book isn’t really for me as I typically enjoy more depth to my books. However, it’s not a bad book and if you enjoyed the others in this series you’ll love this one.

[Nova McCormack · Rating 4 out of 5]

Outlaws vs. Lawmen.

That’s how the Wilders and the Hancocks have always seen it.

Until now.

Jessie Jane Hancock at your service. My family runs Butch Hancock’s Wild West show, but I’m more than just trick rides and rhinestones. I’m running for mayor, and I have a plan.

Flynn Wilder.

He’s annoyingly sexy, more trouble than he’s worth, but also the perfect tool to shake up this election. What better way to get the town talking than stepping out with a Wilder? I mean, it’s not real, of course, we’re just fake dating. But it doesn’t hurt that he’s infuriatingly handsome, impossible to ignore, and most importantly, the reigning mayor’s stepbrother. Show the town whose side he’s on, rattle a few cages, and maybe, just maybe, win the election.

What could possibly go wrong?

Flynn Wilder and Jessie Jane Hancock have been circling each other for years. The attraction is electric, but between the family rivalry and the fear of catching real feelings, they’ve always kept their distance. Until now.

Jessie is pure spitfire and sass, and I fell in love with her instantly. Beneath that bold exterior, she grew up in a small town that never let her forget she was different. She locked her hurt and insecurities behind impenetrable walls, forcing the world to think she didn’t care what anyone thought. She became loud, feisty, and unapologetically herself. If people were going to stare, she made sure it was worth their attention. Now she works as a trick rider in her family’s Wild West show, and she’s fixin’ to make this town a better place, starting with running for mayor.

Enter Flynn, with his own walls firmly in place. He leans into the bad boy, hotter than thou playboy persona, and it suits him just fine. But behind the facade, he has always felt like he doesn’t quite belong. His mother left to start a new family. His father was a mess. Even with siblings he loves, those old wounds never fully faded. He never truly felt chosen. And that is exactly what makes this so dangerous.

Jessie’s scheme forces their long ignored attraction into the open, and together, they are gravitational. There has always been an undeniable magnetism between them, a charged awareness humming just beneath the surface. Now they are forced to spend time together, or maybe they finally allow themselves to. Talking becomes effortless. Being near each other becomes a craving. A need.

Vulnerability doesn’t come naturally to Jessie, but Flynn helps her see her worth. Beneath the armor, she has always been more than enough. And Jessie shows Flynn what it feels like to be truly chosen. She wants him. She sees him. She proves that love doesn’t have to be hard or something you constantly fight to hold onto. It can be steady. It can be safe. It can feel as easy as breathing. And in each other, they finally find a place where they belong.

[PP's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Outlaws versus lawmen. Jessie Jane Hancock, many times great-granddaughter of Butch Hancock the traitor, engaged to marry Flynn Wilder, running against Danielle, who is engaged to be married to your sister-in-law’s ex-fiancé. That’s not just drama; that’s a whole soap opera . And you and I are going to be the stars.”

I am not exaggerating when I say I was dying to get my hands on a Maisy Yates book. Lonesome Ridge was just too good, beyond by expectations. A little wild West, a little small town drama, a little enemies to lovers tension, a little slow burn, a little scorching hot chemistry raving to come out,a little angst and swoon..the combination is just epic. I felt like I am in a movie and it's a super hit one.

🏇 rival families to lovers
🏇 bada&& heroine who runs her family’s wild West show business
🏇 bad boy hero who has embraced the outlaw persona
🏇 fake relationship
🏇 family drama

Flynn Wilder and Jessie Jane Hancock's families are rivals due to an ancient history. Though they both have the outlaws as ancestors. She is tired of good two shoes Danielle looking down upon the outlaw and their history and so she has decided to contest in the mayor election. And she ropes Flynn as a fake boyfriend to increase their chance to win. The problem is the underlying sizzling hot tension they have been avoiding all these years...

Flynn and Jessie Jane are alike in many ways, though they didn’t realise it before their unlikely partnership. Jessie Jane's family runs the carnival show and she didnt have a regular upbringing though she did have love and affection. She has been ridiculed and mocked until she learnt to cover it all with over the top confidence. She is running tricks on horse, maintaining the finances, running for the mayor, dazzling everyone with her charming sassy ways...but deep inside there are cracks and scars. That's why she was hesitant to show Flynn how she feels about him or show her real side. But Flynn wears different masks too. His mother left him, his mother's polished family never accepted him and he decided to act like the devil. He is c0cky and gorgeous and through and through alpha. He was determined to break Jessie Jane's walls because he was enamored with the glimpses of real Jessie. He wants to take care of her soft side while supporting her hard side to rule the town. It was touch and go for a moment because they are both stubborn and hot headed. And they are perfect for each other. The found family trope was beautifully executed here. Lonesome Ridge with its rugged setting and colorful people made me fall in love.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

[Cheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the story of Jessie Jane and Flynn. They’re not friends when this book opens, but they are also not enemies. More like they have always just avoided each other. There is contention in their ancestral lines that neither modern family has bothered to look beyond to be friendly…until now.

Jessie Jane is tired of the division in their small town. Her family, as well as Flynn’s, are looked at as “the outlaws” because of their ancestors, but none of them are bad people. None of them grew up with money or even much familial support. Yet they are all now upstanding members of society and liked by all but the rich and stuffy. I love how the author uses the small-town politics of Rustler Mountain to scale down bigger issues and shine a light on the current state of the world. It fits the story and feels natural to the narrative.

While Jessie and Flynn are coming up with ways for Jessie to win their local mayoral race, while also fake dating, they realize they are more alike than different. Both start to open up to the other about things they never discuss with anyone, not even their siblings. Jessie grew up with love and acceptance, but not a lot of support. Flynn grew up with support from his siblings, but not the love and acceptance he needed from his parents. They both recognize the pros and cons of the different ways they were raised, and both need to figure out if they can overcome their fears of rejection in order to open themselves up to the love that is right in front of them.

The chemistry between the couple is spot on. I was rooting for them from the first. I loved seeing Flynn let his guard down with Jessie. The ending of this story gutted me, but Flynn had such huge character growth in those last chapters. Something he needed for himself, regardless of how things went with Jessie.

Throughout this series, I imagined Flynn’s little sister would find her HEA with his best friend. After some particular things happened in this book, I’m not so sure. They were just small moments, but they left me super curious about what will happen with her in the next book.

One last note, when I reviewed the second book in this series, I said I didn’t think it would be very good as a standalone. Not so with this one. I believe you can read this book without having read the previous books.

**I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely**

[Noni · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very cute small town romance. I really liked the emotional conflict we built to in the third act it didn't feel like they were just mad for no good reason. It felt more earned than a lot of other couple arguments I've read in other books. I wish the election felt a little more involved it did feel like it was just Jessie Jane talking to people about what the current mayor was doing wrong and then a debate, then it was voting time. I would have liked to know what Jessie Jane would actually bring to the town beyond not letting Danielle make all of her changes.

Although I wasn't missing anything or felt lost having not read the previous books I do wonder if I had read them it would have felt like Flynn and Jessie had been dancing around each other and were inevitably going to get together. Because to me, it just I never got the vibe they were adversaries beyond his brother doesn't like her family's show. I am interested in the next book because I was pleased to see it wasn't the couple I thought it was building towards and was actually the pair I thought would be more interesting. Although I did like the emotional conflict, I do wish there was more external conflict with the election because it did make running for local office look quite breezy.

I liked Jessie Jane as a main character she felt very three-dimensional and fleshed out. I liked that we could tell just from interactions what her relationship with her brother is like without being straightforwardly told. I didn't get the impression she was necessarily an outcast in town now as an adult, Everyone seems perfectly fine with hanging out with her as an adult, but that's just a nit pick. Flynn is a guy. He's there. He's fine. Es a perfectly adequate love imtrest. His relationship with his fifty million half siblings is interesting but we don't get a lot of proper interactions with his mothers family which I would have liked to see it felt like he spoke to each person once in the entire book.

Overall, I liked it. I would definitely recommend this to Elsie Silver or Lyla Sage fans. A nice cute quick small town romance with a semi interesting plot about a local election.

[Donna Repsher]

Let me first mention the fact that I've been hooked on this series from its beginning, because Maisey Yates manages to create characters that grab me and don't let go--and the same is true of this novel, which gets 5-stars from this reader.

First, the characters--Jesse James Hancock, a trick rider in her father's Wild West show. She's never really had friends or fit in anywhere. Teased in school, and has an undeserved, unsavory, and less than unsullied reputation. She's come to terms with the fact that she's odd, her parents are odd, and she toughs it out, putting on a brave face and acting as if none of this bothers her.

Much the same as Flynn, a handsome, sexy cowboy hero who's basically had no problem finding one-night stand partners, but who has had a miserable childhood, his mother having left him in the care of his aging grandfather, and his two older brothers. He doesn't do relationships.

All that is about to change for both characters, when Jesse doesn't like the way the current mayor of Rustler Mountain, who is Flynn's half-sister, Danielle, is running the town. She's up for re-election, and running unopposed, that is until Jesse hatches a plan to throw her hat in the ring--but she needs to cause a buzz, and so she asks Flynn, to whom she's always been attracted, to pretend to be her boyfriend until after the election. This scheme just might work since her family and Flynn's family have been at odds for generations.

Ms. Yates worked her character development magic when creating these two characters and this enemies-to-lovers story. Anyone who has ever been bullied, lied about, treated as less than, or felt like an outcast will easily identify with and root for both Jesse Jane and Flynn--it was certainly true for this reader.

In short, I absolutely loved this addition to this series, and recommend reading it from the start, although this novel works just fine as a standalone. I'm grateful for another excellent read from Ms. Yates, and thankful to Netgalley for the chance to read and review it. It's a winner!

As stated, I read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

🔎 ARC Book Review

Lonesome Ridge

Rustler Mountain #3

@maiseyyates
@kensington
@netgalley

Publication Date: Feb 24th, 2026

My Rating:
🌟 4/5

👀Read if you like
Wild West
Fake Dating
Small Town

From killers to courtesans, the Hancock family has what might be called an eclectic history. But they’ve managed to leverage it into something respectable, creating the popular Hancock Wild West Show. The event features reenactments and trick riding—the latter performed by clever, charismatic Jessie Jane Hancock.
Jessie is usually unflappable, but lately something’s needling her—and it’s not just her annoying attraction to exasperatingly sexy Flynn Wilder—whose great, great, great, great, great grandfather was betrayed by Jessie’s just-as-many-times-great grandfather. It’s the upcoming mayoral election. Specifically, the unopposed candidate: Danielle LeFevre, mean girl, all-around awful person, and Flynn’s not-so-beloved half-sister. Jessie wants to keep Danielle from winning . . . and the only person who bothers Flynn more than she does is Danielle.
“I want you to be my first man.” Jessie Jane is hot enough to make him hallucinate, but her request is very real. Jessie wants to run for mayor, and she wants him by her side, as her fake boyfriend. A Hancock dating a Wilder. An outsider against the status quo. A drama their town will devour. Flynn always knew Jessie was a wild card, but bringing down his corrupt stepfamily is a temptation he can’t resist. Just like the vexing spark between him and Jessie. And once that fire catches, the real showdown begins . . .



🔎 My review
Yee-Haw! 🤠 Back in Rustler Mountain with Flynn & Jessie — two outlaws trying the impossible! 🌵🔥 Their banter had me grinnin’ from page 1, and watchin’ their sparks fly? Pure 💖. Cheered for these cowpokes all the way! 🙌 Ending hit just right… and yep, a lil’ tease for book 4! 👀📖

Thank you @
@ @netgalley for the ARC!

#NetGalley
#LonesomeRidge
#🤠WesternRomance
#💘OutlawLove
#📚BookstagramReads
#🌵WildWestVibes
#🔥CowboyCrush

[shar · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars

The relationsip and tension throughout the book kept me hooked as we followed the main charcaters Jessie Jane and Flynn Wilder.

Lonesome ridge is a small town romamce set in a wild west cowboy town, that is starting to becoming more westernised. So Jessie Jane decides to run for mayor to bring the town back to the roots and what better way to push your campaign than fake dating her opponents half brother and rival family member. Tropes that are explored in this book are fake dating and enemies to lovers which is built through a whole lot of tension.

The FMC, Jessie Jane Hancock has grown up an outsider who whole life but feels its time to change her path and fight what she believes in. She faces the struggles with campaigning in a town that she believes doesn't like her and her own insecurities from family relationships to past bullying.
The MMC, Flynn wilder also has own securities been seen as outlaw in the town and dealing family relationship issues. The characters show great growth throughout allowing them to face these conflicts in life and bringing each other out their shells.
Their relationship builds up quite slow but tension and they will they won't is consistent. Keeping up the heat and making you connect them stronger.

Minor chatcters also stand out and one in particular was Jessie's mother who loves to collect things and may not be the most socialable person. I find I really resonate and relate to her being quite autistic coded.

I did really enjoy reading this book and being immersed into the relationship. However felt the writing style wasn't for me, as it took while to get into the story. I just felt that instead of dropping the characters in backstorys it was infodumped to us between conversations or at the start making it slow start. I also found it to be repetitive in some instances.

Overall I did enjoy it and had good time. Thank you Netgalley for this arc!

[Lilith · Rating 4 out of 5]

I laughed. I cried. I loved and devoured this book.
I love when there's depth and layers in the characters emotional landscape. I love when they heal some deep wound and allow themselves to love each other.
That's exactly what I got there.

📚 First line of the book: "Jessie Jane Hancock was the proud owner of a whole collection of toxic trait."

📖 Story: Jessie Jane is a trick rider, a blacksmith and a bet taker. She also is firmly against the fact that no one is running against the current mayor who's the grown up version of the highschool mean girl.
So, she plots and schemes. She's running for mayor, her, a Hancock, a family of historical outlaws. She'll also ask Flynn Wilder to fake date her. He's also from a historical family of outlaws... Sort of enemy families, really. But he's also the step brother of the current mayor and revenge sounds good to him. That'll get the rumor mill going and give her more chances to be elected.
So Flynn and Jessie Jane start fake dating and running a campaign. They also finally start to get to know each other after years of avoiding this deep attraction between them.

🤠 Tropes: cowboys, outlaws, small town, fake dating, healing, becoming yourself
🌶️ Spice: yes there's spice. Open door spice.

👉 This is for you if: you want a small town cowboy romance. You want to dive into a small town with lots of familial lore. You want to laugh. If you want to love the characters and how they grow. You have an unworthiness wound and want to see it in the characters.

📚 I hadn't read the first two books of this series but now I will!! I am also looking forward to the fourth! 🤩 wondering who Cassidy will end up with 👀


**I received the eARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.**

[Milly and Mac Dashwood · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lonesome Ridge by Maisie Yates is set in a version of the West that feels less rugged frontier and more snobby small town. Rather than sweeping landscapes and lawless energy, this story features community politics and the performance of a “cowboy” identity for tourists. The town trades on the myth of a wild past, but daily life is governed by gossip and reputation. It’s actually a clever reversal. The West here functions less like open range and more like a Regency drawing room, where everyone is watching and social missteps carry real consequences. As Jessie and Flynn collude, the conflict comes not from external danger, but from expectation, history, and a town that is far more restrictive than it pretends to be.

That said, I am frustrated that some contemporary romance premises are starting to feel increasingly disconnected from reality. Jessie decides on a whim to run for mayor and somehow concludes that fake dating Flynn will make this viable. They expect a small town to embrace their one night stand turned “relationship” as a charming political strategy? The level of bonkers here makes it difficult to fully immerse. Ironically, I loved the idea of Jessie’s quirky carnie family, and I wanted to see this story instead! This would have been a more grounded, character-driven story about their struggle for acceptance, which would have felt fresh and authentic. Instead, it feels like an attempt to incorporate popular tropes at the expense of what might have been genuinely special. (Also, can we officially hang up fake-dating for a while?) I keep trying to scratch this Western itch, but it is more difficult than you would think to truly fulfill. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review.

[Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the main characters' names being Jessie Jane Hancock and Flynn Wilder I lowered my expectations for this book. But I was wrong. Her name fits as her family leans into its western origins and runs a Wild West Show. I chuckled at the few howdy’s thrown in because living in the western US no one really says that. The story is simple. Jessie and Flynn have grown up two years apart in the same town. Jessie has decided to run for town mayor. The current mayor is running unopposed and promoting extra taxes to restaurants and tourist businesses like her family’s. She decides that fake dating Flynn will bring extra attention to her campaign. It doesn’t hurt that the current mayor is his half sister.

I am not going to lie. The beginning is kind of silly and the pacing is not consistent. But the story shines in the depth of Jessie and Flynn. Jessie grew up literally as trailer trash. She knew her life was different and never had friends. Flynn likewise has scars from his mother leaving him when he was young. She remarried and started a new family that he never was a part of. Jessie and Flynn lower their guards and open up to each other very honestly and quickly.

This is the third book in the Rustler Mountain series. The family history and feud seemingly has been covered in the other books in the series, but is still mentioned here. I’ve only read the previous book. The other main characters are Flynn’s brother’s and of course those couples are a part of the story. They are all likable and caring. I am looking forward to Flynn's younger sister’s upcoming Christmas romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for the eARC and I am leaving an honest review.

[Lexie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I swore I was going to stop doing this. But here we are yet again I requested and then read a book that was not the first in a romance series. So full disclaimer I went into Lonesome Ridge without reading the first two books in the series. Now I 100% plan on going backwards and reading from the beginning. But learn from my mistakes, read the first two books before tackling Lonesome Ridge.
I know the publishers will probably disagree with me a say “you don’t have too, it’s a stand alone in an interconnected series.”

Well I’m here to report they would be wrong. I think if I had the context of the first two books I would’ve enjoyed Jessie Jane & Flynn’s story so much more. Because the events that transpired in Austin’s book definitely effect’s our other characters storyline. But even with me being at a disadvantage I was still able to slowly piece everything together and enjoy the story.

Our FMC & MMC, Jessie Jane and Flynn. They are both misunderstood outcasts. You’ve got Flynn being the outlaw/bad boy. And Jessie being the good girl from the respectable family. The pair is forced to work together to bring down Flynn’s half sister in a mayor race. And the best way they think to tackle that is of course my favorite trope, fake dating. Forcing these two to fake date was hilarious. But watching them go from enemies to lovers was so cute and genuine. You can’t help but root for them.

Overall, this is cute cowboy romance. Even though it wasn’t my favorite of the cowboy romance genre it’s still a quick, cute, easy read and I’d recommend it. Lastly Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC.

[Sam Allen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

I was so intrigued by Jessie Jane and Flynn after the last two books - it was clear that their harsh banter was covering some intense attraction. And boy were we right!

When Jessie Jane decides to run for mayor not only because she thinks she’s got great ideas for the town but also to topple the local current mayor and mean girl, Danielle, she figures that teaming up with Flynn, as her first man, will make for great spectacle. The Wilders and Hancocks have been enemies since their great-great-great grandfathers were both outlaws and an alliance between the two to unite the town seems like the perfect idea to win the mayoral race. Except the pretending to be an item starts to feel too real too quickly and neither Flynn nor Jessie Jane can escape the feeling they’ve somehow always known was there just under the surface for a very long time.

I really adored this one. Though occasionally there was some turn of phrase I didn’t gel with (which is just writing style) I really enjoyed how this one was written and how the relationship developed between the two leads. I was rooting for them from the first page and though it was somewhat of a slowish burn, the yearning just dripped off the page from the beginning. I definitely felt the tension - both sexual and romantic.

I was satisfied with the ending and the hints dropped for the next book. I can’t wait to pick that one up.

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the eARC, this is my honest review*

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ and 2 🌶️

I was given a digital ARC of this book by NetGalley but this review is all my own opinions.

This was a fun little read. It has forced proximity, fake dating, long term crushes, small town romance. The basics of the plot are Jessie Jane and Flynn are from families whose bad blood goes back to Stage Coach times. Because of this bad blood they have never really hung out. They just know each other from around town. Neither had a great childhood so each has some trauma that they are getting over in this book. Jessie Jane decides that she is tired of being on the outskirts of her town due to her families outlaw status so she decides to run for mayor. She is challenging Danielle, who is from a rich family in town. In order to stir up drama for her campaign, Jessie Jane asks Flynn to pretend to date her. He is Danielles half brother and from the other outlaw family in town. Together they decide to change the status quo in town and fall in love while doing it.

I know that 3 stars seems like a low rating but I really did like this book. I thought that the story was fun and I really liked the MCs. The thing that brought this book to a 3 is that I didn’t feel like the characters got to know each other. We the reader got to know them, but all of that happened with them telling us in their thoughts and not by them having a conversation. This did change about half way through the book. After they have sex for the first time they start to open up to each other instead of just telling us why they were thinking things.

The other thing that brought it down was I just didn’t believe that Jessie as an attractive woman, living in a small town had never been kissed. I could believe she hadn’t gone all the way but never been kissed…I just found this a far fetched.

I thought it was a fun, easy read but there were some aspects of the story and the plot that I just didn’t love.

[SJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Set in the fictional small southern Oregon town of Rustler Mountain, Jessie Jane Hancock has always felt like an outsider, including now as she participates in her family's Hancock Wild West Show. But when she sees an opportunity to change her small town for the better by running against current mayor, Danielle LeFevre. And what could help her campaign? Having Flynn Wilder, half brother to Danielle, as her fake boyfriend. When Flynn agrees despite their families being in a long standing feud, they have to make their fake relationship seem real. And when it starts to feel real, both have to face to truth. But can they get past reputations and history to explore this spark?

I liked how the setting felt inspired by the real town of Jacksonville with its wild west style. And Danielle wants the town to become like Bend, a very touristy town. There was also a passing reference against California, which is very Oregonian.

Third in the series, this is the first I picked up. It was interesting for Flynn to compare his relationship to Jessie against the prior romances of his older brothers. I look forward to reading about their sister next!

This western romance features:
🤠 small town drama
🤠 fake relationship
🤠 family feud
🤠 healing from childhood trauma
🤠 bullies finally facing a comeuppance
🤠 dual POV

Open Door / Spicy

4 / 5 stars

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for this eARC!

[Payton Box · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am really loving this series, I love the historical story of the outlaws, and how the town’s history is still so prevalent in how certain families are viewed. Flynn is from both sides of town after his mom got pregnant by the outlaw, and now he doesn’t feel like he fits in anywhere. His sister is the mayor and his brother’s are considered the bad guys of the town, so when Jessie comes up with the plan to run against his sister in the mayoral election, and he runs as her romantic partner, he is happy to be involved. Jessie and Flynn are both known for being the no strings attached, fun hookup, that doesn’t date and so when they start to be seen together just as Jessie announces her mayoral candidacy, it’s all the town can talk about.

These two talk about how much they both have avoided each other for the fear of something real, the connection between them that is undeniable, and I love that acknowledgment. It’s such a good way to build suspense of when they’ll get together but also makes it easy to root for them as they find their footing. Once they become friends, it’s pretty quick into the physical and I love their relationship, but it definitely could have been fleshed out a little more. They are supportive when they need to be, and feel like they are becoming friends, but I would have loved to see them actually in a romantic relationship a little bit longer, but that is my only complaint. Otherwise, I am so curious to see who Cassidy ends up with, will it be Dalton or West?

[Smutty Professor · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonesome Ridge is a small-town cowboy romance set in Rustler Mountain, where old outlaw family feuds still shape present-day drama. Jessie Jane Hancock up-ends her town by running for mayor against the reigning mean girl. To help her win, she convinces Flynn Wilder, her family’s longtime rival and the mayor’s half-brother, to fake date her, only for their staged romance to turn into something very real.

Jessie Jane is such a fun character. She’s dramatic and very confident on the outside, but you can tell there’s a softer side she keeps locked up tight. I was immediately on board when she decided to run for mayor. I really liked that even though the fake dating setup is super fun, there is interest underneath that actually matters. These two were obviously circling each other for years, pretending the attraction isn’t there. Once they’re forced to spend real time together, things shift quickly, but in a way that shows that feelings have been there the whole time. They both carry some heavy family baggage, and I liked that the story let them work through that instead of it being fine once they kissed.

I would have liked to see more of the campaign and Jessie Jane's political platform, but I really didn't mind. If you’re into small-town cowboy romance with fake dating and long-standing feuds, this one’s worth adding to your TBR. And that little tease for the next book already has me curious!

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a sweet, wholesome small-town romance, and the third book in the Rustler Mountain series. Although I haven’t read the previous books, I had no trouble jumping straight into this one.

The story focusses on Jessie Jane Hancock, who decides to run for mayor when she realises that the current mayor (and only candidate), Danielle LeFevre, is unfit for the position. To help her chances of winning the mayoral election, Jessie enlists the help of Danielle’s brother, Flynn Wilder. Both the Hancock's and the Wilders are known as the town’s ‘outlaw’ families due to their heritage, and are considered to be the ‘wrong kind of people’ by the LeFevre’s. The ‘outlaw’ label plays a big role in this book.

Overall, it was a very cute and quick read (I finished it in about five days), and I really enjoyed the romance. Flynn was one of my favourite parts of the book. He was thoughtful, supportive, and genuinely cared about Jessie, even when neither of them had any idea how to properly navigate their feelings. Watching their relationship slowly develop, despite them both being completely clueless, was very sweet.

That said, there were a few elements that didn’t quite work for me. The ‘outlaw’ angle was leaned on very heavily, sometimes to the point of feeling a bit overdone, and a few of Jessie’s quips felt a little cringe-worthy. However, I did enjoy this book. The short length made it an easy, enjoyable read. I’d definitely consider picking up the other books in the Rustler Mountain series to spend more time in this world.

[Allegra ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Lonesome Ridge without reading the earlier books in the series, and while I definitely felt like some past events carried weight, this story still pulled me in. This book had me constantly thinking about how much a town can decide who you are before you ever get the chance to speak for yourself.

What stuck with me most was how deeply this book explores belonging. Who gets accepted, who gets cast out, and how often “respectability” is just another way to control people. Watching characters who have been talked over and underestimated finally take up space was incredibly satisfying. And yes, seeing certain people face consequences? Loved that!

The romance itself is tender in a very earned way. It’s not flashy or overly dramatic, it’s two guarded people slowly realizing they’re safer together than they are alone. The kind of love that feels steady, protective, and quietly brave.
By the end, I wasn’t just thinking about the Jessie Jane and Flynn, I was thinking about cycles, forgiveness (or the lack of it), and how powerful it can be to choose yourself even when a whole town would rather you didn’t.

All in all this book was slow-burning, grounded, and full of tension, and the modern Western setting gives everything that rugged, dusty charm I can never resist

Last but not least: thank you Netgally for providing me with this arc! All opinions are my own.

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars rounded up. The entire time I was reading this book felt like Taylor Swift’s song “Cowboy Like Me” in book form, and as I believe that is a highly underrated song, I loved it.

Jessie Jane was an outwardly tough but internally soft-hearted badass of a woman. I admired her so much. She was brave in a multitude of ways — in her showmanship, in her choice to run for mayor, and in allowing herself to show her hidden vulnerabilities to Flynn.

It was really great to get to know Flynn on a deeper level after meeting him in the previous books in the series. There was so much more to him than the town playboy. He and Jessie Jane were so incredibly well-suited for each other, and their relationship development happened in a very natural and realistic way, especially considering both of their pasts and how that impacted the personas they showed the outside world.

The family dynamics at play in this series and particularly in this book were so layered and nuanced. Flynn’s situation was infuriating and heartbreaking at the same time. Jessie Jane’s was very complex but healing in the way it ultimately plays out. I really appreciated how both shaped the story.

I’m glad I had the opportunity to continue this series. Thank you to Kensington Books for the eARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Holli · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into Lonesome Ridge without reading either of the first two books in the series, which is always a gamble. In this case, I think it would have been better to have the context of the first two books, because it seems like the events of Austin's book in particular play a huge role in this story. Having said that, I still enjoyed this quite a lot on its own merits.

Jessie Jane and Flynn are both outcasts/outlaws in different ways (him from parts of his family, her from the "respectable" people in town), and that informs their wariness around each other. When Jessie Jane decides to run for mayor against Flynn's snotty (and likely crooked) half-sister, they decide to join forces with a fake romance that gets all too real once their families and all the colorful townspeople get involved.

This book is for you if you like:
* enemies to lovers
* modern Western vibes
* small town romance
* fake romance/engagement
* healing from childhood trauma
* bullies finally facing a comeuppance

And now I'm off to seek out the first two books. Well played, Maisey Yates. Well played.

Thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for an ARC.

[Anita D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lonesome Ridge by Maisey Yates
🌟 3.5 / 5 – I really liked this!
🌶️ 3 / 5 – a couple of open door scenes.

Jessie Jane Hancock and Flynn Wilder’s families have been sort of enemies for generations. Life is a lot more complicated than that, though.

Flynn and Jessie agree to fake date each other to drum up gossip to boost Jessie’s mayoral campaign against Flynn’s half-sister.

Jessie Jane’s family run a Wild West show, and Flynn is a rancher who farms elk. Lonesome Ridge, the book’s title, is the name of Flynn’s property.

For what is effectively a Harlequin romance, this book is great. I’m not sure if it’s that this book is too short to get that little bit deeper. I would’ve liked a bit more.

Also this plot line of only going home for the holidays, and when invited, reminded me too much of Rancher’s Christmas Storm (Maisey Yates, 2021). Burst my enjoyment bubble a little.

For what it’s worth: This book is the third in a series, but it absolutely stands on its own. (I expected nothing less from Maisey Yates.)

Disclaimer: I received an ARC. Thank you to Maisey Yates, Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley.

[Liv · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is very Hatfields and McCoys-esque, but instead here we have the Wilders and the Hancocks, who have a very long, very complicated history.

Jessie Jane Hancock and Flynn Wilder (which I read as Flynn Rider every single time) are the stars of this one, who come up with a wild plan to pretend to be engaged as Jessie runs for mayor against Flynn’s half sister, who he doesn’t get along with. Lonesome Ridge is where Flynn lives, and to make it believable to the town residents that their relationship is legit, Jessie goes to stay with him.

This was fine. It’s not very long so it’s very quick paced but I don’t necessarily think it worked in the book’s favor, as it felt a little choppy and inconsistent at times. It felt very much like a book in a series, and as someone who didn’t read the first two, it felt very obvious that I was being dropped into the middle of one. There’s also always supposed to have been this forbidden attraction between Jessie and Flynn but I didn’t really believe it. I was being told they had chemistry rather than being shown it. Perhaps having read the previous books would have helped, but I really wasn’t feeling it with these two.

[Nessa’s Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maisey Yates, ma’am! You had no right making small town feuds THIS fun and THIS swoony.

We’ve got:

- A town where the Wild West never really died (reenactments by day, family grudges by night).

- Jessie Jane Hancock, trick rider extraordinaire, feisty, clever, and totally unflappable except when it comes to one ridiculously aggravating cowboy.

- Flynn Wilder, who is sexy in that “I know you hate me but also want to kiss me” way. Oh, and his family history? Let’s just say Jessie’s ancestors were not exactly BFFs with his.

The fake fiancé trope? CHECK.
The family feud drama? DOUBLE CHECK.
The banter so sharp it could slice a rope? Chef’s kiss.

Honestly, this is like Romeo and Juliet if they hated each other less and roasted each other more.

The political drama with the mayoral election just adds fuel to the fire because nothing screams romance like taking down a corrupt mean girl with your fake fiancé/cowboy nemesis.

This was equal parts spicy, charming, and laugh out loud Western chaos.

I can already see the Netflix series in my head.

[Lady Universe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for an early access copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

The chemistry between Flynn and Jessie (I love her name. Jessie Jane Hancock has such a ring to it and fully embodies her personality) was scorching. I will say, I’m a little let down with the plot. And under that? A tenderness. Which I greatly appreciate. Jessie can be wild fierce, and still a girly girl that loves pink at the end of the day.

I will say, the plot let me down. Our two main leads spend A LOT of time in their heads. Just a constant monologue of subjects they’ve gone over a hundred times - their feels for each other over and over, their family dynamics, and so forth. It felt a little repetitive. I wish we had more movement. More “action” so to speak. As in the characters actually move through the world and don’t just interact with the same six other people. It would have been fun to explore the town more and the different characters and new faces. Especially since Jessie running for mayor would have been a great vehicle to do so.

[Denise Schenk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jessie Jane Hancock works in the family business as a trick rider and stuntwoman alongside her brother West. She’s always lived life on her own terms, never making friends in school but masking it with a confident façade. Now she’s decided to run for local mayor, convinced the current one is doing a terrible job. Flynn Wilder, the town’s resident bad boy, comes from a family that has long clashed with the Hancock's—especially with rumors proven that the Hancock's had a hand in the death of the Wilders’ ancestors. Though Flynn has always noticed Jessie Jane, he kept his distance—until she asks him to be her fake boyfriend during her campaign against his half-sister. He agrees. Flynn’s half-sister Danielle LeFevre and her brother Michael, both raised by Flynn’s mother, are spoiled troublemakers. As Jessie and Flynn spend more time together, their fake relationship starts to feel real, revealing Jessie’s sweet and innocent nature beneath her bold exterior. With the mayoral race heating up, the town might finally be ready for change.