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Rustler Mountain #3
Lonesome Ridge
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 . . .
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 . . .
273 pages, Paperback
Published February 24, 2026
68 people are currently reading
5693 people want to read
About the author
Maisey Yates
1,166 books3,127 followersNew 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 217 reviews
April 8, 2026
(3.5 stars)
Thank you to Kensington Books and Hambright PR for the opportunity to read a review copy of Lonesome Ridge by Maisey Yates.
This is the third book in a series that looks to become a quartet, but the first one I’ve had a chance to read. I have to admit that there was a fair amount of confusion over who was who at the beginning of the book, since I hadn’t read the first two volumes, but I just went with the flow and it turned out fine. There are some pretty complex family relationships involved, with half-siblings and step-parents and who married who and which families have had decades to hate or resent each other, but all eventually became clear.
Jessie Jane Hancock works at her family’s Wild West Show in a small town in southern Oregon near the California border, Rustler Mountain. There are “respectable” families and “outlaws” and the Hancocks are considered “outlaws”, along with the Wilders. Jessie Jane decides she wants to run for mayor of Rustler Mountain, and the current mayor is the half-sister of Flynn Wilder. She cooks up the idea of having him by her side, to stir things up, and because he can’t stand his half-sister Danielle, Flynn agrees to go along with the ruse and be her fake boyfriend. It doesn’t hurt that the two of them have been eyeing each other from afar for years, but both refuse to acknowledge it. So that’s the setup and it was a fun read. It also covered some sensitive issues: self-worth, reputation, family dynamics, community, and more.
The two main characters were wonderful, fully realized characters. Not a single cardboard stereotype in sight.
A nice touch was every chapter beginning with an excerpt from the diary of one of Jessie Jane’s 19th century ancestors.
Warning: there are some explicit scenes along the way and an occasional curse word.
Thank you to Kensington Books and Hambright PR for the opportunity to read a review copy of Lonesome Ridge by Maisey Yates.
This is the third book in a series that looks to become a quartet, but the first one I’ve had a chance to read. I have to admit that there was a fair amount of confusion over who was who at the beginning of the book, since I hadn’t read the first two volumes, but I just went with the flow and it turned out fine. There are some pretty complex family relationships involved, with half-siblings and step-parents and who married who and which families have had decades to hate or resent each other, but all eventually became clear.
Jessie Jane Hancock works at her family’s Wild West Show in a small town in southern Oregon near the California border, Rustler Mountain. There are “respectable” families and “outlaws” and the Hancocks are considered “outlaws”, along with the Wilders. Jessie Jane decides she wants to run for mayor of Rustler Mountain, and the current mayor is the half-sister of Flynn Wilder. She cooks up the idea of having him by her side, to stir things up, and because he can’t stand his half-sister Danielle, Flynn agrees to go along with the ruse and be her fake boyfriend. It doesn’t hurt that the two of them have been eyeing each other from afar for years, but both refuse to acknowledge it. So that’s the setup and it was a fun read. It also covered some sensitive issues: self-worth, reputation, family dynamics, community, and more.
The two main characters were wonderful, fully realized characters. Not a single cardboard stereotype in sight.
A nice touch was every chapter beginning with an excerpt from the diary of one of Jessie Jane’s 19th century ancestors.
Warning: there are some explicit scenes along the way and an occasional curse word.
April 8, 2026
4 stars! Thank you Hambright and Maisey Yates for the ARC of Lonesome Ridge🫶🏻
This was such a fun, easy cowboy romance that hit all my favorite tropes 🤠💕 I also have not read anything from Maisey Yates until this and I really loved the style of writing. I will definitely be reading more.
Small town setting, a long-standing family feud, and fake dating that turns into something very real… I was immediately hooked.
Jessie is bold, determined, and a little chaotic in the best way, while Flynn is more guarded but completely gone for her before he even realizes it. Their chemistry builds slowly with lots of tension and push and pull, which made it really satisfying to read.
I also loved how much the town itself added to the story. The history, the drama, and the politics all raised the stakes without taking away from the romance.
A really enjoyable read if you love enemies to lovers with small town drama and just enough emotional depth.
Tropes:
• enemies to lovers
• fake dating
• small town romance
• family feud
• slow burn
This was such a fun, easy cowboy romance that hit all my favorite tropes 🤠💕 I also have not read anything from Maisey Yates until this and I really loved the style of writing. I will definitely be reading more.
Small town setting, a long-standing family feud, and fake dating that turns into something very real… I was immediately hooked.
Jessie is bold, determined, and a little chaotic in the best way, while Flynn is more guarded but completely gone for her before he even realizes it. Their chemistry builds slowly with lots of tension and push and pull, which made it really satisfying to read.
I also loved how much the town itself added to the story. The history, the drama, and the politics all raised the stakes without taking away from the romance.
A really enjoyable read if you love enemies to lovers with small town drama and just enough emotional depth.
Tropes:
• enemies to lovers
• fake dating
• small town romance
• family feud
• slow burn
April 10, 2026
Well well well.....outlaws and Lawrence make for an interesting read. And no it's not what you think. Family feuds from back in the wild west days that carry over in a small town.
Flynn and Jessie both ended up being judged by their families past and reputations they never corrected. It was intriguing reading about their fake dating that turned into them understanding each other and *surprise* falling in love. Flynn was delectable once he gave up on being the bad boy who stays unattached. Jessie was perfection once she dropped the act she developed to protect herself.
🦌 Lines:
"I can hear you thinking." "I doubt it. I assume deep thoughts operate at a frequency you can't actually hear."
I know I could do worse. I only wish sometimes I could do better.
Maybe she wanted to peove that she was smart. That she could fix things. That she mattered.
Because if he rejected her, it was the real her...with her squishy heart that just wanted to be accepted
He had the sudden, strange thought that if he could give her little treats every day for the rest of her life, it might actually make him happier than anything else. 😍
Why was this so fu••••• hard? Living. Being a human.
I fear hope will make a fool of me.
I don't know what it's like to be somebody else.
He's different from me, but I don't need him to be different from himself. Just as he's never needed me to be someone I wasn't.
They're not very nice to women in general. Especially when you're not doing exactly what they want you to. If you're just a little bit different.
Because the only thing I know is that I worked my whole life to try to make you love me. And it just felt like you didn't. No matter what I did. 😭
Hell really is other people. 💯
Flynn and Jessie both ended up being judged by their families past and reputations they never corrected. It was intriguing reading about their fake dating that turned into them understanding each other and *surprise* falling in love. Flynn was delectable once he gave up on being the bad boy who stays unattached. Jessie was perfection once she dropped the act she developed to protect herself.
🦌 Lines:
"I can hear you thinking." "I doubt it. I assume deep thoughts operate at a frequency you can't actually hear."
I know I could do worse. I only wish sometimes I could do better.
Maybe she wanted to peove that she was smart. That she could fix things. That she mattered.
Because if he rejected her, it was the real her...with her squishy heart that just wanted to be accepted
He had the sudden, strange thought that if he could give her little treats every day for the rest of her life, it might actually make him happier than anything else. 😍
Why was this so fu••••• hard? Living. Being a human.
I fear hope will make a fool of me.
I don't know what it's like to be somebody else.
He's different from me, but I don't need him to be different from himself. Just as he's never needed me to be someone I wasn't.
They're not very nice to women in general. Especially when you're not doing exactly what they want you to. If you're just a little bit different.
Because the only thing I know is that I worked my whole life to try to make you love me. And it just felt like you didn't. No matter what I did. 😭
Hell really is other people. 💯
March 6, 2026
This installment was such a great read. I enjoyed it immensely. Looking forward to the last one.
May 4, 2026
I went into Lonesome Ridge not having read the first books and honestly just rolled with it and ended up really loving it! 🤠✨ Jessie Jane and Flynn had me from the start. We got the fake dating, the tension, the history between their families… it all just worked. Jessie Jane is the kind of FMC I love, strong and a little scrappy but still carrying those deeper insecurities. And Flynn is quietly intense while dealing with his own baggage, and somehow exactly what she needed. 🫶🏻 Watching them challenge each other and slowly let their guards down had me so invested.
I also loved how much heart this had under all the small town drama and rivalry! 💛 The family dynamics are messy in that very real and chaotic way that I’m always a fan of. I was rooting for Jessie Jane in every sense, not just in romance but in her finding her voice and standing her ground. This was such an easy, addictive read that I didn’t want to put down and definitely plan to go back to the beginning. 📚
I also loved how much heart this had under all the small town drama and rivalry! 💛 The family dynamics are messy in that very real and chaotic way that I’m always a fan of. I was rooting for Jessie Jane in every sense, not just in romance but in her finding her voice and standing her ground. This was such an easy, addictive read that I didn’t want to put down and definitely plan to go back to the beginning. 📚
April 3, 2026
This was everything I love in a cowboy romance. A good small town, enemies to lovers, it's always been you moment.
Jesse Hancock comes from an eclectic family who runs the Wild West Show. She's great at scheming and has decided she's going to run for mayor and hopes to enlist the help of family rival Flynn Wilder. Their family's feud spans generations so you can imagine it's the talk of the town when they start fake dating. Jesse and Flynn find they have a lot in common. Their chemistry is perfect.
Thank you Kensington publishing and hambright pr for the gifted ebook.
Jesse Hancock comes from an eclectic family who runs the Wild West Show. She's great at scheming and has decided she's going to run for mayor and hopes to enlist the help of family rival Flynn Wilder. Their family's feud spans generations so you can imagine it's the talk of the town when they start fake dating. Jesse and Flynn find they have a lot in common. Their chemistry is perfect.
Thank you Kensington publishing and hambright pr for the gifted ebook.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐ 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!
#RustlerMountain #CowboyRomance #outlawsandlawman #foundfamily #fakedating #itsalwaysbeenyou #maiseyyates #lonesomeridge
@kensingtonbooks
🌶️ 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!
#RustlerMountain #CowboyRomance #outlawsandlawman #foundfamily #fakedating #itsalwaysbeenyou #maiseyyates #lonesomeridge
@kensingtonbooks
February 28, 2026
Yes I cried what about it. Jessie Jane and Flynn embark on a fake dating campaign to give Jessie Jane credibility for her mayoral campaign against Flynn’s half sister, but their history and chemistry quickly spark into something more. I loved how their backgrounds paralleled and reflected each other, and how they had so much fear of rejection in different ways. But perfect love casts out fear. But it takes a confrontation with family and really looking at all the ways that you are hurting to start the healing process and get there. This is book 3 in the series but I could read it fine by itself.
Heat level: 3.5
Heat level: 3.5
February 18, 2026
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.
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.
April 1, 2026
Si hay algo que me gusta más que los Cowboy Romance es cuando ella misma es una Cowgirl 🏇🏻✨
Me encantó todas las vibras que me dio este libro, hace mucho que no conseguía leer un libro con estas vibes de circo🎪 (tipo rodeo). Principalmente me fascinó que ella fuera que la hiciera un performance ahí🥹 también amé que viviera en un camper rosita 🚐.
Si alguna vez te leíste el libro Besar a un Ángel puede que este te guste, no es la misma historia pero el hecho de que Jessie viviera en un circo me dio todas las vibras 🥰.
⭐️/4.5
🌶️/2.5
💧/0.5
———————
Thank you Hambright PR & Maisey Yates for the ARC (paperback y ebook)✨🤍
Tropes:
•cowboy romance
•fake dating
•small town
•found family
•one night stand
Jessie Jane🏇🏻:
Ella creció toda su vida en un circo dedicado al rodeo. Debido a esto para evitar el rechazo de los debas decidió crear un personaje de una mujer confiada que se acuesta con quien quiera y no le importa lo que los demás digan de ella. Pero eso no puede estar más lejos de lo que en realidad es, y nunca a dejado a nadie conocer su verdadero yo💔🥹
Flynn🫎:
Un hombre que creció como un forajido en el pueblo en el que vivió toda su vida. Siempre tratando de encajar en la familia de su madre que lo abandonó desde niño. Ahora está bien y tiene un rancho a las afueras del pueblo pero debido a esta niñez que tuvo ahora no hace más que rollos de una noche y aunque siempre ha deseado a Jessie, sabe que si alguna vez intenta algo con ella puede resultar en algo más de lo que él está dispuesto a dar😩
Historia 📝:
Cuando Jessie se entera que la única candidata para la alcaldía de su pueblo es una mujer que no quiere cambiar todo en el pueblo sin importar que eso afecte a sus residentes, decide que ella misma se postulará para la alcaldía. Solo hay un problema y es que ella es considerada como una forajida y no cree que ella sola pueda ganar. Aquí es donde se le ocurre recurrir a Flynn otro forajido que debido a su historia con la otra mujer que quiere ser alcalde (es su media hermana) puede que quiera ayudarla a hacer lo mejor por su pueblo. Él acepta ayudarla y ambos empiezan a fingir que están en una relación para hacer que la gente les preste atención. Solo que ninguno esperaba que pronto lo que empezó como ‘fingido’ se convertiría en algo bastante real ✨
Pensamientos 💭:
Entré a este libro sin esperar mucho y terminé no queriendo que terminara, fue algo que tenía mucho tiempo queriendo leer pero no había conseguido nada. Estas vibras de ‘circo’ que tiene combinado con cowboys fue algo que no todos los libros tienen y eso le dio 1000 de aura🤭. El romance es muy lindo, siento que ambos protagonistas se necesitaban mutuamente después de todo lo que pasaron con sus familias y sentir que después de eso por fin consiguieron a alguien que los amara por lo que son, fue como una curita 🩹. Jessie fue mi personaje favorito. Amé a esa chica y su camper rosita 💗.
SPOILER ⏬️
Safety Warnings ⚠️
-no drama oh (otro hombre)
-no drama om (otra mujer)
-célibes? Ella es virgen/ él se acuesta con todas
-separación? unas horas
-final feliz? si
English:
If there’s one thing I love more than Cowboy Romance, it’s when the heroine herself is a Cowgirl 🏇🏻✨
I absolutely loved all the vibes this book gave me, it’s been a while since I read a story with these circus 🎪 (rodeo-style) vibes. What fascinated me the most was that she was the one performing there 🥹 I also loved that she lived in a pink camper 🚐.
If you’ve ever read Kiss an Angel, you might like this one too, it’s not the same story, but Jessie living in a circus gave me all the vibes 🥰.
⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶️ 2.5/5
💧 0.5/5
———————
Thank you Hambright PR & Maisey Yates for the ARC (paperback & ebook)✨🤍
Tropes:
• cowboy romance
• fake dating
• small town
• found family
• one night stand
Jessie Jane 🏇🏻:
She grew up her whole life in a rodeo circus. To avoid rejection from the townspeople, she created a persona of a confident woman who sleeps with whoever she wants and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. But that couldn’t be further from the truth, and she’s never let anyone see her real self 💔🥹
Flynn 🫎:
A man who grew up as an outlaw in the town he’s lived in all his life. Always trying to fit into his mother’s family, who abandoned him as a child. Now he’s doing well and owns a ranch outside town, but because of his childhood, he only goes for one-night stands. Even though he’s always wanted Jessie, he knows that if he ever tries something with her, it could become more than he’s willing to give 😩
Story 📝:
When Jessie learns that the only candidate running for mayor of her town is a woman who refuses to make changes that could benefit the residents, she decides to run herself. There’s just one problem, she’s considered an outlaw and doesn’t think she can win on her own. That’s when she comes up with the idea to involve Flynn, another outlaw, who may want to help her because of his past with the other candidate (his half-sister). He agrees to help, and they both pretend to be in a relationship to get people’s attention. But neither expected that what started as “fake” would quickly become something quite real ✨
Thoughts 💭:
I went into this book without expecting much and ended up not wanting it to end. It was something I’d been wanting to read for a long time but hadn’t found until now. These “circus” vibes combined with cowboys aren’t something you see in every book, and that gave it 1000% aura 🤭. The romance is so sweet. I feel like both protagonists needed each other after everything they went through with their families, and finally finding someone who loved them for who they are felt like a little bandaid 🩹. Jessie was my favorite character. I adored her and her pink camper 💗.
Me encantó todas las vibras que me dio este libro, hace mucho que no conseguía leer un libro con estas vibes de circo🎪 (tipo rodeo). Principalmente me fascinó que ella fuera que la hiciera un performance ahí🥹 también amé que viviera en un camper rosita 🚐.
Si alguna vez te leíste el libro Besar a un Ángel puede que este te guste, no es la misma historia pero el hecho de que Jessie viviera en un circo me dio todas las vibras 🥰.
⭐️/4.5
🌶️/2.5
💧/0.5
———————
Thank you Hambright PR & Maisey Yates for the ARC (paperback y ebook)✨🤍
Tropes:
•cowboy romance
•fake dating
•small town
•found family
•one night stand
Jessie Jane🏇🏻:
Ella creció toda su vida en un circo dedicado al rodeo. Debido a esto para evitar el rechazo de los debas decidió crear un personaje de una mujer confiada que se acuesta con quien quiera y no le importa lo que los demás digan de ella. Pero eso no puede estar más lejos de lo que en realidad es, y nunca a dejado a nadie conocer su verdadero yo💔🥹
Flynn🫎:
Un hombre que creció como un forajido en el pueblo en el que vivió toda su vida. Siempre tratando de encajar en la familia de su madre que lo abandonó desde niño. Ahora está bien y tiene un rancho a las afueras del pueblo pero debido a esta niñez que tuvo ahora no hace más que rollos de una noche y aunque siempre ha deseado a Jessie, sabe que si alguna vez intenta algo con ella puede resultar en algo más de lo que él está dispuesto a dar😩
Historia 📝:
Cuando Jessie se entera que la única candidata para la alcaldía de su pueblo es una mujer que no quiere cambiar todo en el pueblo sin importar que eso afecte a sus residentes, decide que ella misma se postulará para la alcaldía. Solo hay un problema y es que ella es considerada como una forajida y no cree que ella sola pueda ganar. Aquí es donde se le ocurre recurrir a Flynn otro forajido que debido a su historia con la otra mujer que quiere ser alcalde (es su media hermana) puede que quiera ayudarla a hacer lo mejor por su pueblo. Él acepta ayudarla y ambos empiezan a fingir que están en una relación para hacer que la gente les preste atención. Solo que ninguno esperaba que pronto lo que empezó como ‘fingido’ se convertiría en algo bastante real ✨
Pensamientos 💭:
Entré a este libro sin esperar mucho y terminé no queriendo que terminara, fue algo que tenía mucho tiempo queriendo leer pero no había conseguido nada. Estas vibras de ‘circo’ que tiene combinado con cowboys fue algo que no todos los libros tienen y eso le dio 1000 de aura🤭. El romance es muy lindo, siento que ambos protagonistas se necesitaban mutuamente después de todo lo que pasaron con sus familias y sentir que después de eso por fin consiguieron a alguien que los amara por lo que son, fue como una curita 🩹. Jessie fue mi personaje favorito. Amé a esa chica y su camper rosita 💗.
SPOILER ⏬️
Safety Warnings ⚠️
-no drama oh (otro hombre)
-no drama om (otra mujer)
-célibes? Ella es virgen/ él se acuesta con todas
-separación? unas horas
-final feliz? si
English:
If there’s one thing I love more than Cowboy Romance, it’s when the heroine herself is a Cowgirl 🏇🏻✨
I absolutely loved all the vibes this book gave me, it’s been a while since I read a story with these circus 🎪 (rodeo-style) vibes. What fascinated me the most was that she was the one performing there 🥹 I also loved that she lived in a pink camper 🚐.
If you’ve ever read Kiss an Angel, you might like this one too, it’s not the same story, but Jessie living in a circus gave me all the vibes 🥰.
⭐️ 4.5/5
🌶️ 2.5/5
💧 0.5/5
———————
Thank you Hambright PR & Maisey Yates for the ARC (paperback & ebook)✨🤍
Tropes:
• cowboy romance
• fake dating
• small town
• found family
• one night stand
Jessie Jane 🏇🏻:
She grew up her whole life in a rodeo circus. To avoid rejection from the townspeople, she created a persona of a confident woman who sleeps with whoever she wants and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. But that couldn’t be further from the truth, and she’s never let anyone see her real self 💔🥹
Flynn 🫎:
A man who grew up as an outlaw in the town he’s lived in all his life. Always trying to fit into his mother’s family, who abandoned him as a child. Now he’s doing well and owns a ranch outside town, but because of his childhood, he only goes for one-night stands. Even though he’s always wanted Jessie, he knows that if he ever tries something with her, it could become more than he’s willing to give 😩
Story 📝:
When Jessie learns that the only candidate running for mayor of her town is a woman who refuses to make changes that could benefit the residents, she decides to run herself. There’s just one problem, she’s considered an outlaw and doesn’t think she can win on her own. That’s when she comes up with the idea to involve Flynn, another outlaw, who may want to help her because of his past with the other candidate (his half-sister). He agrees to help, and they both pretend to be in a relationship to get people’s attention. But neither expected that what started as “fake” would quickly become something quite real ✨
Thoughts 💭:
I went into this book without expecting much and ended up not wanting it to end. It was something I’d been wanting to read for a long time but hadn’t found until now. These “circus” vibes combined with cowboys aren’t something you see in every book, and that gave it 1000% aura 🤭. The romance is so sweet. I feel like both protagonists needed each other after everything they went through with their families, and finally finding someone who loved them for who they are felt like a little bandaid 🩹. Jessie was my favorite character. I adored her and her pink camper 💗.
April 28, 2026
Thank you to the Author and Hambright for this eARC
This book feels like a dusty sunset wrapped in sparks and sass.
Lonesome Ridge delivers everything I want in a small-town Western romance and then casually tosses in generational drama, political chaos, and a fake dating trope that absolutely refuses to behave.
Jessie Jane Hancock is the kind of heroine who doesn’t just walk into a scene, she cracks it open. Confident, clever, and just a little reckless in the best way, she’s balancing family legacy, town politics, and a chemistry with Flynn Wilder that simmers like a pot about to boil over. And Flynn? Gruff, guarded, and carrying generations of bad blood like a well-worn jacket. Watching him unravel under Jessie’s influence is chef’s kiss perfection.
The fake dating setup is deliciously chaotic. It starts as strategy and quickly spirals into something neither of them can control. Their banter snaps, their tension builds, and when it finally tips into something real, it hits with the emotional weight of all those feuding family ghosts watching from the sidelines.
What really elevates this story is the setting. Rustler Mountain isn’t just a backdrop, it’s a living, breathing character full of grudges, history, and spectacle. The Wild West show elements add flair, while the mayoral race injects stakes that keep everything moving at a sharp clip.
And the Wilder vs. Hancock feud? It’s giving legacy drama with teeth. Old betrayals, new alliances, and a romance that dares to rewrite the script.
Final verdict:
This is opposites-attract with grit, heart, and a whole lot of heat simmering just under the surface. A story about breaking cycles, choosing your own path, and maybe kissing the “wrong” person in the process.
If you love small towns with big personalities, fake dating that turns dangerously real, and cowboys with emotional baggage… saddle up.
This book feels like a dusty sunset wrapped in sparks and sass.
Lonesome Ridge delivers everything I want in a small-town Western romance and then casually tosses in generational drama, political chaos, and a fake dating trope that absolutely refuses to behave.
Jessie Jane Hancock is the kind of heroine who doesn’t just walk into a scene, she cracks it open. Confident, clever, and just a little reckless in the best way, she’s balancing family legacy, town politics, and a chemistry with Flynn Wilder that simmers like a pot about to boil over. And Flynn? Gruff, guarded, and carrying generations of bad blood like a well-worn jacket. Watching him unravel under Jessie’s influence is chef’s kiss perfection.
The fake dating setup is deliciously chaotic. It starts as strategy and quickly spirals into something neither of them can control. Their banter snaps, their tension builds, and when it finally tips into something real, it hits with the emotional weight of all those feuding family ghosts watching from the sidelines.
What really elevates this story is the setting. Rustler Mountain isn’t just a backdrop, it’s a living, breathing character full of grudges, history, and spectacle. The Wild West show elements add flair, while the mayoral race injects stakes that keep everything moving at a sharp clip.
And the Wilder vs. Hancock feud? It’s giving legacy drama with teeth. Old betrayals, new alliances, and a romance that dares to rewrite the script.
Final verdict:
This is opposites-attract with grit, heart, and a whole lot of heat simmering just under the surface. A story about breaking cycles, choosing your own path, and maybe kissing the “wrong” person in the process.
If you love small towns with big personalities, fake dating that turns dangerously real, and cowboys with emotional baggage… saddle up.
May 6, 2026
I had such high hopes for this one, and while it didn’t quite hit the mark I was expecting, there was still plenty to really like. Flynn and Jessie were the absolute standouts, their banter was top tier and that slow burn? It was really everything. I was fully invested in their dynamic and the high stakes drama of the mayoral race.
However, the pacing felt a bit uneven toward the end. I found myself hitting the epilogue and thinking, wait what? That’s it?! The conclusion felt rushed, leaving me wishing for more closure after such a great build up of characters and story. While the villains of the family (looking at you, Danielle 👀) made me want to throw my kindle across the room, the rest of the characters were so inviting that I couldn't bring myself to fully DNF.
Thank you to Hambright PR for allowing me to read this one!
However, the pacing felt a bit uneven toward the end. I found myself hitting the epilogue and thinking, wait what? That’s it?! The conclusion felt rushed, leaving me wishing for more closure after such a great build up of characters and story. While the villains of the family (looking at you, Danielle 👀) made me want to throw my kindle across the room, the rest of the characters were so inviting that I couldn't bring myself to fully DNF.
Thank you to Hambright PR for allowing me to read this one!
May 3, 2026
3.5⭐️
This was a really cute fake dating book. I loved the atmosphere and the characters! I loved Jessie and Flynn’s dynamic and how they were able to relate to each other with their upbringings and find that sense of comfort knowing they were both understood. Going into this I didn’t know it was book three in a series but in the way it’s set up you don’t miss much of anything and get enough details about the background characters that you know enough to not feel uninformed. I also really loved the small diary entries from Belle at the beginning of each chapter!
Thank you Hambright PR and Netgally for the eARC
This was a really cute fake dating book. I loved the atmosphere and the characters! I loved Jessie and Flynn’s dynamic and how they were able to relate to each other with their upbringings and find that sense of comfort knowing they were both understood. Going into this I didn’t know it was book three in a series but in the way it’s set up you don’t miss much of anything and get enough details about the background characters that you know enough to not feel uninformed. I also really loved the small diary entries from Belle at the beginning of each chapter!
Thank you Hambright PR and Netgally for the eARC
February 6, 2026
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🌟
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🌟
February 24, 2026
LOVING this series!! The diary entries from the past, the outlaws trope getting turned on its head and the complicated small town characters remaking their family’s “bad” reputations. This third book was a ton of fun with a fake dating to win an election premise that has a tough secret virgin running with the mayor’s half-brother. Excellent on audio and perfect for fans of authors like Lyla Sage. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.
March 6, 2026
A cowboy love story of Jessie Jane Hancock and Flynn Wilder, which didn’t start out that way. In their small town, Jessie sets out to run for Mayor, and needs Flynn to act as her “First Man”. Both of them think they can pull this off without getting truly involved. While the rest of us know, that’s the furthest thing from the truth there is! It’s sexy, funny, and delightful.
Thank you to the authors, publishers and Goodreads for giving me the opportunity to read and review 😊 Thank you for trusting me with your words!
Thank you to the authors, publishers and Goodreads for giving me the opportunity to read and review 😊 Thank you for trusting me with your words!
April 11, 2026
Thank you HambrightPR and MaiseyYates for the ARC!
So I usually prefer first person writing, so it took me a little while to get into the groove of this, but my goodness this was fun.
Both Flynn and Jessie Jane were entertaining, witty but also so complex. Their stories are so similar that everything clicked and fell into place naturally.
Def a refreshing romance to read and a little different from my usual dark, fantasy or mafia related genres.
I will definitely have to read the previous books in this series and read the next one also. This little world sucks you in!!
🌶️ very light spice in my opinion. Like 0.5
❤️❤️❤️
So I usually prefer first person writing, so it took me a little while to get into the groove of this, but my goodness this was fun.
Both Flynn and Jessie Jane were entertaining, witty but also so complex. Their stories are so similar that everything clicked and fell into place naturally.
Def a refreshing romance to read and a little different from my usual dark, fantasy or mafia related genres.
I will definitely have to read the previous books in this series and read the next one also. This little world sucks you in!!
🌶️ very light spice in my opinion. Like 0.5
❤️❤️❤️
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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!
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!
February 1, 2026
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.
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.
April 19, 2026
I really enjoyed this! It was a quick read with a unique storyline and sweet romance. There were so many great lines and moments that had me giggling and smiling. But I just could not get over the running for mayor with absolutely no knowledge or plan plot line. 3.5 stars
May 3, 2026
My favorite so far!!
October 18, 2025
DNF -- I learned I am not a fan of Maisey Yates' writing or her characters.
February 28, 2026
Book Review: Lonesome Ridge (Rustler Mountain #3) by Maisey YatesMaisey Yates delivers another steamy, small-town Western romance in Lonesome Ridge, the third installment of her Rustler Mountain series, and it's arguably the strongest one yet for fans of high-stakes fake relationships and long-simmering family feuds.Set in the tourist-trap historic town of Rustler Mountain, Oregon—where Wild West reenactments draw crowds but old grudges between descendant families (outlaws vs. lawmen) still burn hot—the story centers on Jessie Jane Hancock, a bold trick rider and stuntwoman in her family's business. Jessie has always marched to her own beat, living independently and defying small-town expectations. When she decides to run for mayor, she needs a bold move to shake up the status quo and block Flynn Wilder's corrupt half-sister from winning the election. Enter Flynn Wilder himself: the brooding, handsome descendant of the outlaw line, who's long been at odds with the Hancock clan.The solution? A fake engagement. A Hancock and a Wilder pretending to be in love? It's the kind of scandal the town will eat up—and exactly the kind of drama that could swing votes and expose the corruption. What starts as pure strategy quickly ignites real sparks, forcing both Jessie and Flynn to confront their own guarded hearts, family legacies, and the possibility that crossing enemy lines might be the best thing that's ever happened to them.Yates excels at what she does best here: sizzling chemistry, emotional depth wrapped in banter, and that classic small-town vibe where everyone knows your business (and has an opinion on it). The fake-to-real romance trope is handled with heat—expect explicit open-door scenes that earn the book's solid spice rating—and the alternating POVs give readers plenty of insight into both characters' vulnerabilities. Jessie, in particular, shines; many readers note the story feels weighted toward her perspective, which works beautifully since she's such a dynamic, unapologetic heroine. Flynn's brooding outlaw charm provides the perfect counterbalance, and their push-pull dynamic keeps the pages turning.The series' ongoing Hancock-Wilder feud gets its deepest exploration yet, blending historical town lore with present-day stakes in a way that feels organic and fun. If you've enjoyed the earlier books (Rustler Mountain and Outlaw Lake), this one builds on the world effectively, with callbacks that reward series readers without alienating newcomers.It's not without minor flaws—some might find the political intrigue a touch melodramatic, and the pacing leans heavily on internal rumination at times—but overall, it's a swoon-worthy, easy-to-devour read. Yates leans fully into the Western romance elements (cowboys, ranches, small-town drama) while delivering the emotional payoff fans expect from her.Rating: 4.5/5 stars
A standout in the series, perfect for readers who love Elsie Silver, Lyla Sage, or Jennifer Ryan-style cowboy romances with heart, heat, and just enough town scandal to keep things lively. If you're craving a fake-engagement story with real stakes and undeniable chemistry, Lonesome Ridge hits the mark. Highly recommended—grab it for your next Western binge.
A standout in the series, perfect for readers who love Elsie Silver, Lyla Sage, or Jennifer Ryan-style cowboy romances with heart, heat, and just enough town scandal to keep things lively. If you're craving a fake-engagement story with real stakes and undeniable chemistry, Lonesome Ridge hits the mark. Highly recommended—grab it for your next Western binge.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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**
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**
April 12, 2026
I don’t even know where to start because this book had me kicking my feet, clutching my chest, and whisper-yelling “JUST KISS ALREADY” at my screen like an unhinged town gossip 😩✨
Lonesome Ridge by Maisey Yates is EVERYTHING I want in a small-town western romance and then some. Feuding families? ✔️ Fake engagement? ✔️ Political drama? ✔️ Chemistry so sharp it could slice through barbed wire? ✔️✔️✔️
Jessie Jane Hancock is an absolute force. She’s bold, chaotic in the best way, and completely unapologetic about going after what she wants. The fact that she decides to run for mayor AND ropes Flynn into a fake engagement?? Icon behavior. I loved her instantly. She’s got this spark that makes every scene feel alive, like she might set the whole town on fire just by smiling.
And FLYNN. Lord help me. That man is grumpy, stubborn, emotionally constipated, and somehow still devastatingly swoony. The tension between him and Jessie isn’t just a slow burn… it’s a wildfire creeping through dry grass, inching closer until suddenly EVERYTHING is flames 🔥
Their dynamic?? Pure gold. Every interaction is loaded. Banter that snaps. Looks that linger just a second too long. That “we absolutely should not want each other but oh no we REALLY do” energy that just consumes the whole story. And the fake fiancé trope here? Done so well. The lines blur so fast you don’t even realize when they’ve crossed into something real… until you’re already emotionally wrecked.
But it’s not just the romance. The town of Rustler Mountain feels like a character itself. The history, the feuds, the Wild West show backdrop… it all adds this rich, layered atmosphere that makes everything feel bigger, like you’re watching a modern love story unfold on top of old ghosts and grudges. And the mayoral race?? The DRAMA. I was living for it.
Also can we talk about how this book balances fun and depth?? Because yes, it’s flirty and addictive and full of tension, but there’s also this undercurrent of healing, identity, and breaking away from the past. It hits you right in the heart when you least expect it.
By the end I was completely gone. No thoughts. Just vibes. And a desperate need for more from this world.
If you love small-town chaos, enemies-to-lovers energy, and a romance that simmers until it absolutely explodes… read this immediately. I’m still not over it and honestly? I don’t want to be 🤠💛
Lonesome Ridge by Maisey Yates is EVERYTHING I want in a small-town western romance and then some. Feuding families? ✔️ Fake engagement? ✔️ Political drama? ✔️ Chemistry so sharp it could slice through barbed wire? ✔️✔️✔️
Jessie Jane Hancock is an absolute force. She’s bold, chaotic in the best way, and completely unapologetic about going after what she wants. The fact that she decides to run for mayor AND ropes Flynn into a fake engagement?? Icon behavior. I loved her instantly. She’s got this spark that makes every scene feel alive, like she might set the whole town on fire just by smiling.
And FLYNN. Lord help me. That man is grumpy, stubborn, emotionally constipated, and somehow still devastatingly swoony. The tension between him and Jessie isn’t just a slow burn… it’s a wildfire creeping through dry grass, inching closer until suddenly EVERYTHING is flames 🔥
Their dynamic?? Pure gold. Every interaction is loaded. Banter that snaps. Looks that linger just a second too long. That “we absolutely should not want each other but oh no we REALLY do” energy that just consumes the whole story. And the fake fiancé trope here? Done so well. The lines blur so fast you don’t even realize when they’ve crossed into something real… until you’re already emotionally wrecked.
But it’s not just the romance. The town of Rustler Mountain feels like a character itself. The history, the feuds, the Wild West show backdrop… it all adds this rich, layered atmosphere that makes everything feel bigger, like you’re watching a modern love story unfold on top of old ghosts and grudges. And the mayoral race?? The DRAMA. I was living for it.
Also can we talk about how this book balances fun and depth?? Because yes, it’s flirty and addictive and full of tension, but there’s also this undercurrent of healing, identity, and breaking away from the past. It hits you right in the heart when you least expect it.
By the end I was completely gone. No thoughts. Just vibes. And a desperate need for more from this world.
If you love small-town chaos, enemies-to-lovers energy, and a romance that simmers until it absolutely explodes… read this immediately. I’m still not over it and honestly? I don’t want to be 🤠💛
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“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
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
December 24, 2025
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.
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.
Read
February 18, 2026Let 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.
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.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
🔎 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
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
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