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 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 . . .

Genres: Cowboy Romance, Romance

264 pages, Kindle Edition

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

[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.

[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.

[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.

[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.

[☆Laura☆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5

Jessie Jane nunca ha seguido las reglas de Rustler Mountain, y tampoco piensa empezar ahora. Cuando el rumbo del pueblo se ve amenazado por decisiones injustas, decide postularse como alcaldesa aun sabiendo que su apellido no juega a su favor. Para llamar la atención y sacudir a la comunidad, une fuerzas con Flynn Wilder, el heredero de una familia marcada por viejas rivalidades y escándalos nunca olvidados.

Lo que inicia como un acuerdo conveniente pronto se convierte en un juego peligroso de apariencias, rumores y emociones difíciles de ignorar. Mientras el pueblo observa cada uno de sus movimientos, Jessie y Flynn descubren que fingir cercanía puede cambiarlo todo, incluso aquello que juraron no necesitar.


___

Lo único que no me gusto es que Jessie fuera virgen y él un mujeriego.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest opinion.

[Madeleine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!! This forced me to start at the beginning of the Rustler Mountain series and get them off my TBR lol

My favorite of the Rustler Mountain series so far!! Been waiting for Flynn and Jessie Jane to get together whew🔥 the tension…the will they won’t they. They’re very similar and understand each other so well!! So good!!

Jessie Jane is so relatable and I can 100% relate to the way she changes who she is because of those around her. This background was very well written and makes so much sense for this character. Her character development through her journey to be mayor was perfect.

Love the parts with the rest of the Wilders!! And the teasers for Cassidy’s story set things up perfectly for Christmas Valley. I’m sensing a fake-dating-to-make-someone-jealous/love triangle trope with Cassidy Dalton and West. I can’t wait to read and need it to be released asap!!

[BHK · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book 3 in the Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates series brings all the small town drama, sizzling chemistry, and cowboy swagger! Jessie Jane Hancock is the star of her family’s Wild West Show. She’s sharp tongued and fearless in the arena, except when it comes to her inconvenient attraction to Flynn Wilder, who is the infuriatingly hot descendant of her family’s sworn enemies. When Jessie decides to run for mayor to take down the town’s resident mean girl, she ropes Flynn into a fake engagement for maximum scandal. This is enemies to lovers meets small town politics with lots of sass and tension. The family feuds, historic grudges, and sparks between Jessie and Flynn kept me hooked, and the banter is top tier! Add this to your TBR if like western romance with a modern twist!

[Emma Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

What a fun small town book with frauds and everything else you can imagine wrapped up into one. I love the family feud vibes and grudges. it made it that much better. The book had a Romeo and Juliet style to it with how the families were feuding but then also if Romeo and Juliet also hated each other. it was funny, charming, swoon worthy with spice all at the same time. i loved the build up of their relationship. i enjoyed reading this book a lot. thank you NetGalley for this ARC.

what to expect:
fake fiancé
family feud
enemies to lovers
found family
lots of drama
lots of banter

[Erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. I devoured this book in no time at all, it was soo good. I'm so glad I got to read all three right after each other and I can't wait for the fourth on to come out. I'm so happy that Flynn and Jessie got to have their happy ever after. I knew they were end game from the moment they were introduced. The back and forth between them, they just had this dynamic together that everyone else could see but themselves.

[Beth Throlson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute quick fake dating romcom. I enjoyed this book despite not reading the previous books in the series and I didn’t feel like I was missing a ton of info. While the book takes place over some time I felt like it was fast paced but not in a bad way. I was confused by the diary entries at the beginning of the chapters and was surprised it took so long for their reason to be clear. Overall I found it to be a nice read.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

[Bella Toric · Rating 5 out of 5]

Give me all the cowboys, enemies to lovers, and fake romance!

Maisey did a brilliant job with this book and I loved every moment of it. I loved the fake and then budding romance between the two main characters. They had a beautiful character arc, and their love story was so perfect for the two of them!

Loved this one so much!

Thank you NetGalley for eARC!

[Jennifer Johnson-Spence · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this 3rd book in the "Rustler Mountain" series. This is the story of the last Wilder brother, Flynn and the crazy, loud vibrant Jesse Jane Hancock - the Wilder family nemesis. Together they figured out what love means to them enough to end up together. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy. #LonesomeRidge #NetGalley

[Caitlin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked the build up that happened with these two in the previous book of the series. They had good chemistry, but I felt like too much time was spent on their family problems than the connection between the two of them. Hopefully that won’t be the same for Cassidy and West’s book.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

[lauren · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF -- I learned I am not a fan of Maisey Yates' writing or her characters.