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They Ain’t Proper
1880s, The Wild West.
An easy, solitary life on the outskirts of Ghosthallow is all Lou Ramirez wants. They want to buy their house plans and live their quiet life far from townsfolk’s prying eyes. That plan, however, hits a bump when instead of house plans, a house wife is delivered to their door instead.
Clementine Castellanos desperately needs a way out from under her family debt, and it seems as though selling her services as a wife is the only way to do it. Expecting a rough, harsh man to be her new husband, Clementine is pleasantly surprised to instead be dropped off at the ranch of an equally surprised Lou.
Lou would rather Clementine leave them to their lonely existence, but Clementine is too charmed by the quiet and mysterious rancher to give up. She may have come into Lou’s life easily, but she certainly isn’t planning to leave that way. Undeterred by Lou’s prickly demeanor, Clementine is determined to get her reluctant spouse to open up to her.
When the past comes back to haunt the pair, the fight for their independence—and their love—may become more deadly than either of them ever expected.
An easy, solitary life on the outskirts of Ghosthallow is all Lou Ramirez wants. They want to buy their house plans and live their quiet life far from townsfolk’s prying eyes. That plan, however, hits a bump when instead of house plans, a house wife is delivered to their door instead.
Clementine Castellanos desperately needs a way out from under her family debt, and it seems as though selling her services as a wife is the only way to do it. Expecting a rough, harsh man to be her new husband, Clementine is pleasantly surprised to instead be dropped off at the ranch of an equally surprised Lou.
Lou would rather Clementine leave them to their lonely existence, but Clementine is too charmed by the quiet and mysterious rancher to give up. She may have come into Lou’s life easily, but she certainly isn’t planning to leave that way. Undeterred by Lou’s prickly demeanor, Clementine is determined to get her reluctant spouse to open up to her.
When the past comes back to haunt the pair, the fight for their independence—and their love—may become more deadly than either of them ever expected.
298 pages, Paperback
First published May 18, 2023
12 people are currently reading
1594 people want to read
About the author
M.B. Guel
4 books31 followersWhen M.B. isn’t writing, they work as a producer of the theatrical trailers everyone talks through when they go to the movies. They also spend their spare time skating in roller derby, pretending they're a cowboy, and playing with swords. Living in Los Angeles with their partner and herd of pets has taught them useful defensive driving skills and how to be too friendly. They has kindly requested that, if the time ever come, their lifeless corpse be dragged into LA County limits before they are officially declared dead.
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July 25, 2023Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
Further disclaimer: Readers, please stop accusing me of trying to take down “my competition” because I wrote a review you didn’t like. This is complete nonsense. Firstly, writing isn’t a competitive sport. Secondly, I only publish reviews of books in the subgenre where I’m best known (queer romcom) if I have good things to say. And finally: taking time out of my life to read an entire book and then write a GR review about it would be a profoundly inefficient and ineffective way to damage the careers of other authors. If you can’t credit me with simply being a person who loves books and likes talking about them, at least credit me with enough common sense to be a better villain.
*******************************************
Content warning note: while there's nothing too graphic on page, and the world Lou/Clem inhabit is mostly accepting, do be aware that the book does not presented an idealised version of the old west; there is a lot of violence, some on page, references to slavery, racism, and sexual assault, as well as several incidents of Lou (the nonbinary protagonist) being misgendered.
I took a punt on this due to charm of premise and that was mostly rewarded. This is a story of a nonbinary rancher—Lou Ramirez—who accidentally receives a housewife instead of some house plans. As it turns out, Clementine Castellanos isn’t actually trying to sell herself to Lou (she’s trying to sell herself to someone else as a part of a complex plot to get out of debt and put her family back together after her father’s fall from grace) but she ends up “temporarily” moving in with Lou regardless.
Basically, all the ingredients are there to make this exactly the sort of story you’re looking for when you pick up a book about a wife-for-sale and a nonbinary rancher. All the western tropes are there: Clementine is the seemingly refined lady with a spine of steel, Lou is the prickly withdrawn homesteader, there are sex workers with hearts of gold, and bounty hunters bearing a grudge. I especially adored Lou and Clementine. They’re just the right balance of strong and vulnerable, their love story is sexy, tender and heartfelt, and—for me at least—there was a real satisfaction in seeing how the western genre can encompass stories that don’t centre on cishet white people without losing its identity. Lou, in particular, I appreciated as a queered, de-gendered re-working of what tends to be a heavily masculine-coded character type (the misunderstood, independent loner-of-few-words with a good heart deep down) and Clementine’s gentle acceptance of who they are is genuinely really lovely to see:
All of which said, I did ultimately come away wishing this story had undergone a slightly more rigorous editing process. I should emphasise—as ever—that it’s not my place to speculate about how books are created so I’m a little cautious of starkly attributing what were, for me, the bulk of the book’s issues to editorial. But it really does feels like a couple more passes in devs would have made a big difference here. The characterisation there, the sense of place is there, the writing is there, everything is *there*—-he author is obviously very talented—I just found myself itching to re-frame and re-focus it all a bit. Like, between Lou and Clem, there is a lot of backstory here and it overwhelms the second half of the book, to the extent that it feels like there’s a queue of people from their respective past just waiting for their turn to come on page and disrupt things. And because there’s just so much stuff to confront, address and resolve, some of those resolutions feel a bit abrupt and lacklustre when I would have liked them to linger a little while the characters actually worked through the aftermath and their feelings about them.
I also found myself wishing the author had trusted the relationship a little bit more.
Lou and Clem have such a lot of couple chemistry on the page—and so much charisma as characters—I personally would have really loved to have seen them grow together rather than grow as a consequence to the sixty-seven million external incidents that confront them from about the 40% mark onwards. The keyword in that sentence, by the way, was “personally”. Let me be the first to acknowledge that this is just as much about my own preferences in romantic arcs than a demonstrable flaw in the work. As a general rule, I like to see at least some moments of a couple making, kind of, emotional progress together, I don’t mind if there’s a balance between “that time we were nearly devoured by zombies made me realise how much I care about you” and “I am going to unburden my heart to you as an act of trust” but They Ain’t Proper is weighted almost exclusively towards zombies (metaphorical zombies, there are no actual zombies in this book). I mean, even the significant details of Lou’s past (why they are wanted by bounty hunters) are ultimately divulged to Clementine by Juanita. To be honest, this entire book would fall over if not for Juanita. Not only does she save both Clem and Lou multiple times, she does a tremendous amount of the work in getting them together because they just won’t talk to each other. I loved Juanita—give me a Juanita in my life please, to solve all my problems for me—but I think it would have made the Lou/Clementine relationship come across even more strongly than it already does for them to make a few more active choices in trusting each other and communicating.
I realise it’s meant to be a slow burn—and I do adore a good slow burn—but, for me, a slow burn has to be feel right for the characters, rather than be something that’s engineered through a series of delays (irrespective of how high stakes the delays are). There were times, especially in the latter half of the story, when it felt like Lou and Clementine were failing to get together because they were waiting for the 80% mark of the book rather than because there was anything meaningful holding them back. And this is what I mean when I’m inclined to attribute some of what didn’t work for me about the book to editorial: ideally the reader should not see the strings i.e. they shouldn’t feel characters are delaying their own relationship out of deference to the narrative arc, they should believe in the emotions behind their uncertainty. And, honestly, with a book like this—where the characters are already so well-realised and appealing—that’s not an issue with the writing. It’s about the structure and—potentially—a semi-straightforward editorial fix (assuming such a fix was wanted to be undertaken, of course).
And since I’m a grumble, I might as well note that Lou/Clem sort of has elements of one of my least favourite rom dynamics, in that Clem makes it very clear almost from the beginning of the book that she’s into Lou, and Lou keeps rebuffing her. Now, obviously it’s totally okay for Lou to not be into Clementine, or not want to embark on a relationship (either romantic or sexual) with her for whatever reason. BUT there’s also a strong element of “for your own good” about it (like not wanting to compromise her reputation etc.). Now, I will say this does come across as authentic to who Lou is a person: they’re selfless, and chivalrous, and insecure about their own worth. It’s just while Lou is, of course, not presented as equivalent to a man or anything like that (Lou is Lou), they do have—relative to Clem—more social and financial power. They can protect themselves, they have their own land, and while they do get hostility for their presentation, they aren’t subject to quite the same limitations/expectations that Clem has to navigate on account of being a cis woman in an extremely misogynistic society. While there are people who will never accept them, Lou has found a way to live as themself in their own way. Clem can be a wife or a whore, that’s basically it. And by constantly disallowing Clem to choose them, Lou is essentially stripping her of one of the few choices the world is willing to allow her i.e. who she gets to wife and/or whore FOR. I don’t super like it in m/f dynamics when the m refuses to accept that the f knows what she wants; I don’t think I’m mad keen on it in a queer context either.
Okay, this is getting long and is probably coming across as more negative than I am intending. There is clearly a lot of potential here and the story has a lot of charm as it stands currently. It’s rough around the edges (I am the last person to criticise someone else for doing phonetic dialect but I really do think this would have been benefited by some refinements here while I love a title drop as much as the next person it gets dropped 37 times over the course of this book) and a bit under-baked editorially-speaking but I did sincerely enjoy it. It gave me the queer western romance I’ve always wanted and delivers it with a great deal of heart and panache. That in itself is worth applauding.
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.
And remember: I am not here to judge your drag, I mean your book. Books are art and art is subjective. These are just my personal thoughts. They are not meant to be taken as broader commentary on the general quality of the work. Believe me, I have not enjoyed many an excellent book, and my individual lack of enjoyment has not made any of those books less excellent or (more relevantly) less successful.
Further disclaimer: Readers, please stop accusing me of trying to take down “my competition” because I wrote a review you didn’t like. This is complete nonsense. Firstly, writing isn’t a competitive sport. Secondly, I only publish reviews of books in the subgenre where I’m best known (queer romcom) if I have good things to say. And finally: taking time out of my life to read an entire book and then write a GR review about it would be a profoundly inefficient and ineffective way to damage the careers of other authors. If you can’t credit me with simply being a person who loves books and likes talking about them, at least credit me with enough common sense to be a better villain.
*******************************************
Content warning note: while there's nothing too graphic on page, and the world Lou/Clem inhabit is mostly accepting, do be aware that the book does not presented an idealised version of the old west; there is a lot of violence, some on page, references to slavery, racism, and sexual assault, as well as several incidents of Lou (the nonbinary protagonist) being misgendered.
I took a punt on this due to charm of premise and that was mostly rewarded. This is a story of a nonbinary rancher—Lou Ramirez—who accidentally receives a housewife instead of some house plans. As it turns out, Clementine Castellanos isn’t actually trying to sell herself to Lou (she’s trying to sell herself to someone else as a part of a complex plot to get out of debt and put her family back together after her father’s fall from grace) but she ends up “temporarily” moving in with Lou regardless.
Basically, all the ingredients are there to make this exactly the sort of story you’re looking for when you pick up a book about a wife-for-sale and a nonbinary rancher. All the western tropes are there: Clementine is the seemingly refined lady with a spine of steel, Lou is the prickly withdrawn homesteader, there are sex workers with hearts of gold, and bounty hunters bearing a grudge. I especially adored Lou and Clementine. They’re just the right balance of strong and vulnerable, their love story is sexy, tender and heartfelt, and—for me at least—there was a real satisfaction in seeing how the western genre can encompass stories that don’t centre on cishet white people without losing its identity. Lou, in particular, I appreciated as a queered, de-gendered re-working of what tends to be a heavily masculine-coded character type (the misunderstood, independent loner-of-few-words with a good heart deep down) and Clementine’s gentle acceptance of who they are is genuinely really lovely to see:
Now with her arms around Lou, she felt their broad, strong shoulders and sweet scent and felt herself understand just a bit more. Lou was Lou.
All of which said, I did ultimately come away wishing this story had undergone a slightly more rigorous editing process. I should emphasise—as ever—that it’s not my place to speculate about how books are created so I’m a little cautious of starkly attributing what were, for me, the bulk of the book’s issues to editorial. But it really does feels like a couple more passes in devs would have made a big difference here. The characterisation there, the sense of place is there, the writing is there, everything is *there*—-he author is obviously very talented—I just found myself itching to re-frame and re-focus it all a bit. Like, between Lou and Clem, there is a lot of backstory here and it overwhelms the second half of the book, to the extent that it feels like there’s a queue of people from their respective past just waiting for their turn to come on page and disrupt things. And because there’s just so much stuff to confront, address and resolve, some of those resolutions feel a bit abrupt and lacklustre when I would have liked them to linger a little while the characters actually worked through the aftermath and their feelings about them.
I also found myself wishing the author had trusted the relationship a little bit more.
Lou and Clem have such a lot of couple chemistry on the page—and so much charisma as characters—I personally would have really loved to have seen them grow together rather than grow as a consequence to the sixty-seven million external incidents that confront them from about the 40% mark onwards. The keyword in that sentence, by the way, was “personally”. Let me be the first to acknowledge that this is just as much about my own preferences in romantic arcs than a demonstrable flaw in the work. As a general rule, I like to see at least some moments of a couple making, kind of, emotional progress together, I don’t mind if there’s a balance between “that time we were nearly devoured by zombies made me realise how much I care about you” and “I am going to unburden my heart to you as an act of trust” but They Ain’t Proper is weighted almost exclusively towards zombies (metaphorical zombies, there are no actual zombies in this book). I mean, even the significant details of Lou’s past (why they are wanted by bounty hunters) are ultimately divulged to Clementine by Juanita. To be honest, this entire book would fall over if not for Juanita. Not only does she save both Clem and Lou multiple times, she does a tremendous amount of the work in getting them together because they just won’t talk to each other. I loved Juanita—give me a Juanita in my life please, to solve all my problems for me—but I think it would have made the Lou/Clementine relationship come across even more strongly than it already does for them to make a few more active choices in trusting each other and communicating.
I realise it’s meant to be a slow burn—and I do adore a good slow burn—but, for me, a slow burn has to be feel right for the characters, rather than be something that’s engineered through a series of delays (irrespective of how high stakes the delays are). There were times, especially in the latter half of the story, when it felt like Lou and Clementine were failing to get together because they were waiting for the 80% mark of the book rather than because there was anything meaningful holding them back. And this is what I mean when I’m inclined to attribute some of what didn’t work for me about the book to editorial: ideally the reader should not see the strings i.e. they shouldn’t feel characters are delaying their own relationship out of deference to the narrative arc, they should believe in the emotions behind their uncertainty. And, honestly, with a book like this—where the characters are already so well-realised and appealing—that’s not an issue with the writing. It’s about the structure and—potentially—a semi-straightforward editorial fix (assuming such a fix was wanted to be undertaken, of course).
And since I’m a grumble, I might as well note that Lou/Clem sort of has elements of one of my least favourite rom dynamics, in that Clem makes it very clear almost from the beginning of the book that she’s into Lou, and Lou keeps rebuffing her. Now, obviously it’s totally okay for Lou to not be into Clementine, or not want to embark on a relationship (either romantic or sexual) with her for whatever reason. BUT there’s also a strong element of “for your own good” about it (like not wanting to compromise her reputation etc.). Now, I will say this does come across as authentic to who Lou is a person: they’re selfless, and chivalrous, and insecure about their own worth. It’s just while Lou is, of course, not presented as equivalent to a man or anything like that (Lou is Lou), they do have—relative to Clem—more social and financial power. They can protect themselves, they have their own land, and while they do get hostility for their presentation, they aren’t subject to quite the same limitations/expectations that Clem has to navigate on account of being a cis woman in an extremely misogynistic society. While there are people who will never accept them, Lou has found a way to live as themself in their own way. Clem can be a wife or a whore, that’s basically it. And by constantly disallowing Clem to choose them, Lou is essentially stripping her of one of the few choices the world is willing to allow her i.e. who she gets to wife and/or whore FOR. I don’t super like it in m/f dynamics when the m refuses to accept that the f knows what she wants; I don’t think I’m mad keen on it in a queer context either.
Okay, this is getting long and is probably coming across as more negative than I am intending. There is clearly a lot of potential here and the story has a lot of charm as it stands currently. It’s rough around the edges (I am the last person to criticise someone else for doing phonetic dialect but I really do think this would have been benefited by some refinements here while I love a title drop as much as the next person it gets dropped 37 times over the course of this book) and a bit under-baked editorially-speaking but I did sincerely enjoy it. It gave me the queer western romance I’ve always wanted and delivers it with a great deal of heart and panache. That in itself is worth applauding.
June 24, 2023
Lou Ramirez, pronouns they/them, is looking for a quiet life, alone, in Ghosthollow. A mix up in deliveries from the general store lands Clementine Castellanos on her doorstep as their wife. Lou is smitten from first sight but is determined to do the proper thing and take Clementine to the man who purchased her.
Clementine desperately needs to change her living situation but the 1880’s in the wild frontier offers few options to women. In order to pay her family debt she sells herself as a mail order bride. Being delivered to Lou’s homestead, Clementine is attracted to the polite and quiet Lou. Unfortunately, trouble follows both Lou and Clementine to Ghosthollow.
I am a big fan of stories set in the wild west’s early years and I was happily entertained by They Ain’t Proper. There is a lot of story packed into this high drama novel. The slow burn romance is excruciating in the best of ways. Lou being non binary is accepted and fits into the the wild frontier philosophy of live and let live if they do you no harm.
This is a fun romantic read.
I received an advance review copy from Bella Books through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Clementine desperately needs to change her living situation but the 1880’s in the wild frontier offers few options to women. In order to pay her family debt she sells herself as a mail order bride. Being delivered to Lou’s homestead, Clementine is attracted to the polite and quiet Lou. Unfortunately, trouble follows both Lou and Clementine to Ghosthollow.
I am a big fan of stories set in the wild west’s early years and I was happily entertained by They Ain’t Proper. There is a lot of story packed into this high drama novel. The slow burn romance is excruciating in the best of ways. Lou being non binary is accepted and fits into the the wild frontier philosophy of live and let live if they do you no harm.
This is a fun romantic read.
I received an advance review copy from Bella Books through NetGalley. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
July 18, 2023
What an awesome read!
A great, slow burn historical lovestory set in the old west with a non-binary lesbian and a pansexual woman. I loved how the story developed, how the main characters grew together and I liked the actions and how the secrets were unraveled little by little. For me this was always a fascinating time and place in American history and I am so glad I found this book and this author.
A great, slow burn historical lovestory set in the old west with a non-binary lesbian and a pansexual woman. I loved how the story developed, how the main characters grew together and I liked the actions and how the secrets were unraveled little by little. For me this was always a fascinating time and place in American history and I am so glad I found this book and this author.
June 29, 2023
I really enjoyed this western story featuring a Non Binary Character!
Lou is rough and tough, tries to keep their head down - but has a huge heart. They are a sucker for a damsel. So when Clementine ends up on their doorstep, having been dropped off at the wrong ranch, they know someone in need of saving when they see Clem.
Clem is also instantly struck by Lou, and finds her rescuer incredibly charming, proper and frustrating, too!
The two form a tentative bond, with a major push/pull effect in this Wild West town, on the fringes of law and order. It's got your typical saloon antics, and bounty hunters, danger lurking - dark pasts to discover.
Plus a heck of a lot of interpersonal relationship drama, which I have to admit; grated on me a little by the end. I know most readers will absolutely love this! Just for me it got that little bit too much, and I wanted to shake Lou and the convenient things that popped up to cause our lovers grief.
But overall it's a very solid story, with interesting and remarkable characters that charm you; living that idealised version of the Wild West life! So if you're into that genre, you're gonna love this!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
Lou is rough and tough, tries to keep their head down - but has a huge heart. They are a sucker for a damsel. So when Clementine ends up on their doorstep, having been dropped off at the wrong ranch, they know someone in need of saving when they see Clem.
Clem is also instantly struck by Lou, and finds her rescuer incredibly charming, proper and frustrating, too!
The two form a tentative bond, with a major push/pull effect in this Wild West town, on the fringes of law and order. It's got your typical saloon antics, and bounty hunters, danger lurking - dark pasts to discover.
Plus a heck of a lot of interpersonal relationship drama, which I have to admit; grated on me a little by the end. I know most readers will absolutely love this! Just for me it got that little bit too much, and I wanted to shake Lou and the convenient things that popped up to cause our lovers grief.
But overall it's a very solid story, with interesting and remarkable characters that charm you; living that idealised version of the Wild West life! So if you're into that genre, you're gonna love this!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.
July 23, 2023
In the Old West just beyond a hole-in-the-wall town and set back from dusty tracks lives Lou. They are alone and relatively content......until a mix up with an order placed at the general store deposits a mail order bride on their doorstep. Lou attempts to handover Miss Clementine to her husband then they have a change of heart. Come on, you can read the book to find out.
Trouble is always around the corner and in this author's version of a western romance there is the good, the bad and the ugly as well as a non-binary lead character. The love between Lou and Miss Clementine builds slowly (much too slowly for Clementine). The angst, the danger, secrets and gun fights are never far but thankfully Lou and Clem have their HEA.
I am pleased that I took a chance to read Guel's book which was a fun, enjoyable diversion from "real" life.
Trouble is always around the corner and in this author's version of a western romance there is the good, the bad and the ugly as well as a non-binary lead character. The love between Lou and Miss Clementine builds slowly (much too slowly for Clementine). The angst, the danger, secrets and gun fights are never far but thankfully Lou and Clem have their HEA.
I am pleased that I took a chance to read Guel's book which was a fun, enjoyable diversion from "real" life.
March 28, 2024
omg i finally found a queer cowpoke romance 🤠
this was a fun western romance with some danger, yearning & pining, and a good amount of angst.
lou is the stoic but suave cowpoke running awake from their past, and clementine is the sweet but determined damsel who's looking for revenge. the two have delightful chemistry, and the mutual pining is so good in the worst way. something about them was also a bit reminiscent of buttercup and wes in the princess bride (early scenes when he's the stable boy). i thought they both had interesting backstories and i liked that we got closure for both of them.
while a fun romance, there's also a bit of action & violence as it is in the wild west! check tws
this was a fun western romance with some danger, yearning & pining, and a good amount of angst.
lou is the stoic but suave cowpoke running awake from their past, and clementine is the sweet but determined damsel who's looking for revenge. the two have delightful chemistry, and the mutual pining is so good in the worst way. something about them was also a bit reminiscent of buttercup and wes in the princess bride (early scenes when he's the stable boy). i thought they both had interesting backstories and i liked that we got closure for both of them.
while a fun romance, there's also a bit of action & violence as it is in the wild west! check tws
June 12, 2023
Lou lives by themself on their ranch. Hiding from people who want to hurt them. One day, expecting house plans and building materials, instead a woman departs the wagon saying she was a bought wife Clementine. She is the most beautiful woman they have ever seen, and Lou is the handsomest person Clementine has ever seen. But before anything happens, there is a lot they both have to get through. A page turner! 5 stars!
June 16, 2023
would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this book
all lou wants to do is get on with their life, quietly going about their own business but something is delivered to their homestead..... a wife
one they didnt order and one they didnt want
and so began lou and clementines storyline.... both had something to hide and were hiding from others
enjoyed the storyline very much but the constant use of they distracted from full enjoyment and i get why they were used but was it really needed when the use of lou names would have done in place
all lou wants to do is get on with their life, quietly going about their own business but something is delivered to their homestead..... a wife
one they didnt order and one they didnt want
and so began lou and clementines storyline.... both had something to hide and were hiding from others
enjoyed the storyline very much but the constant use of they distracted from full enjoyment and i get why they were used but was it really needed when the use of lou names would have done in place
August 4, 2023
Weak 3 stars - skimmed a lot to get to the end.
One of the things I am looking for in my sapphic historical romance is the slow-burn gay awakening of at least one of the characters. A bit of the thrill of the taboo because of the historical time frame. That is not happening in this book.
I read one review that said this was a slow burn, but as far as my definition goes, I would not call this a slow burn because they lust for each other from the beginning. The only slow part was them doing something about it. Everyone seemed to have no problem with them being together or being married at some point There was no doubt, no angst, no real taboo. I would 100% recommend this for anyone that has longed for a historical romance without any of that - this will def fit the bill. I also like some history in my historical romance and I didn't find much of that here either. I did, however, find myself skimming a lot. If it had been KU I probably would have DNF but since I paid for it, I felt like I needed to finish it.
One of the things I am looking for in my sapphic historical romance is the slow-burn gay awakening of at least one of the characters. A bit of the thrill of the taboo because of the historical time frame. That is not happening in this book.
I read one review that said this was a slow burn, but as far as my definition goes, I would not call this a slow burn because they lust for each other from the beginning. The only slow part was them doing something about it. Everyone seemed to have no problem with them being together or being married at some point There was no doubt, no angst, no real taboo. I would 100% recommend this for anyone that has longed for a historical romance without any of that - this will def fit the bill. I also like some history in my historical romance and I didn't find much of that here either. I did, however, find myself skimming a lot. If it had been KU I probably would have DNF but since I paid for it, I felt like I needed to finish it.
October 21, 2023
Lou and Clementine. Based during the 1800’s Gold Rush era. It has a fresh take on the Wild West theme having a non-binary main character. It also features classic western practices such as fast draw, buying brides, building their own houses, etc which was amusing to read about. Another refreshing thing about this novel is having the main character not hide their sexuality unlike most Frontier lesbian novels.
August 28, 2023
This was one of my most anticipated releases this year so I was really excited to read this! It was so adorable! I loved reading both Lou and Clementine’s POVs and their stories unfolding both past and current and how they intertwine. The conflict of them both being unreasonably stubborn and really non communicative started to grate on my nerves toward the end and then it being solved almost instantly. Even with that though Clem and Lou are some of my favorite characters.
July 3, 2023
This book sucked me in and still had its hold on me. It was so good!
Lou is such a swoon worthy love interest.
Clementine is smart and badass. “Get the fuck off my farm,” Badass!
I loved them both so much and if you’re looking for a queer historical western romance look no further! This is definitely going on my “to be reread” self.
Lou is such a swoon worthy love interest.
Clementine is smart and badass. “Get the fuck off my farm,” Badass!
I loved them both so much and if you’re looking for a queer historical western romance look no further! This is definitely going on my “to be reread” self.
October 20, 2023
They Ain't Proper offers a refreshing take on the historical romance genre, a space where diversity has long been overdue. I was immediately drawn to its promise of a queer narrative, set against the raw backdrop of the Wild West. This novel doesn't just sprinkle in LGBTQ+ themes for flair—it wholeheartedly embraces them, reshaping a familiar marriage of convenience trope to highlight the agency and dynamic balance between its protagonists. Lou and Clementine's romance was a sweet tale, but definitely a rollercoaster. Although their palpable chemistry and mutual adoration was endearing and infectious, it was not without its chaotic elements. Several convoluted subplots seemed to veer away from the central narrative, occasionally feeling like unnecessary detours. I also found the frequent miscommunications between Lou and Clementine frustrating.
Nevertheless, They Ain't Proper is a queer-centric historical romance that doesn't shy away from complexity and depth and might just be the escapist read you're looking for. It's an entertaining blend of drama, romance, and pioneering representation in a genre that's all the better for it.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
Nevertheless, They Ain't Proper is a queer-centric historical romance that doesn't shy away from complexity and depth and might just be the escapist read you're looking for. It's an entertaining blend of drama, romance, and pioneering representation in a genre that's all the better for it.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Bella Books for a copy of this novel. ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
June 11, 2025
A wonderful queer western 💜
I’m kinda obsessed
I’m kinda obsessed
September 25, 2023
4.5 stars, this book was so fun.
Ever wonder what a sapphic slow-burn set in the Old West would be like??? I am so glad that this author did. This was such a delight from start to finish.
Ever wonder what a sapphic slow-burn set in the Old West would be like??? I am so glad that this author did. This was such a delight from start to finish.
October 11, 2023
3/5 stars
I have always loved historical romance books, which is why it always disappointed me that diverse options for these books tended to be few and far in between. This is why I was overjoyed to see this book, featuring two queer main characters and tackling gender diversity while still having a cute romance. This also tackled a very popular trope of basically a marriage of convenience, while giving both characters more agency and power equality. Lou and Clementine had a super cute romance, with both being smitten for each other despite all the hijinks that was thrown in their way!
Although it was a fun and enjoyable romp, it was definitely a very messy read. Lots of complicated plot lines that didn’t really make sense to the story, and lots of miscommunication between our main characters. Despite this, it was still an enjoyable read and a perfect escapist book if you’re a lover of queer romance and historical books.
I have always loved historical romance books, which is why it always disappointed me that diverse options for these books tended to be few and far in between. This is why I was overjoyed to see this book, featuring two queer main characters and tackling gender diversity while still having a cute romance. This also tackled a very popular trope of basically a marriage of convenience, while giving both characters more agency and power equality. Lou and Clementine had a super cute romance, with both being smitten for each other despite all the hijinks that was thrown in their way!
Although it was a fun and enjoyable romp, it was definitely a very messy read. Lots of complicated plot lines that didn’t really make sense to the story, and lots of miscommunication between our main characters. Despite this, it was still an enjoyable read and a perfect escapist book if you’re a lover of queer romance and historical books.
June 22, 2023
A queer Western historical romance? Absolutely YES. They Ain't Proper was just so damn good. It felt like balm on a weary soul for queer folks who have been long deprived of access to quality queer historical fiction that isn't miserable.
They Ain't Proper is a well-written and engaging take on this genre that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy to finally see yourself represented in this context. Queer people have always existed, Queer people were cowboys but like many other aspects of history, those stories have long been erased and ignored. Of course, this is a work of fiction but it's not a stretch of the imagination to think this story provides some insight into what that experience was really like.
They Ain't Proper serves as a perfect example as to why there's no excuse for queer narratives to be ignored in historical fiction, too often it's touted that queerness is a new modern concept and that there's no space for queer cowboys or dukes because back then queerness was some rare and unheard of thing. However, this book so seamlessly and effortlessly places sexuality and gender identity in a historical context in a way that's clear but doesn't feel too modern for the time.
This book is sweet and romantic and has so much heart - and I highly recommend anyone who enjoys queer romance to keep an eye out for when this one releases, it's a must-read.
Thank you so much to Bella books and NetGalley for a digital arc in return for an unbiased review!
They Ain't Proper is a well-written and engaging take on this genre that leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy to finally see yourself represented in this context. Queer people have always existed, Queer people were cowboys but like many other aspects of history, those stories have long been erased and ignored. Of course, this is a work of fiction but it's not a stretch of the imagination to think this story provides some insight into what that experience was really like.
They Ain't Proper serves as a perfect example as to why there's no excuse for queer narratives to be ignored in historical fiction, too often it's touted that queerness is a new modern concept and that there's no space for queer cowboys or dukes because back then queerness was some rare and unheard of thing. However, this book so seamlessly and effortlessly places sexuality and gender identity in a historical context in a way that's clear but doesn't feel too modern for the time.
This book is sweet and romantic and has so much heart - and I highly recommend anyone who enjoys queer romance to keep an eye out for when this one releases, it's a must-read.
Thank you so much to Bella books and NetGalley for a digital arc in return for an unbiased review!
July 28, 2025
I enjoyed the beginning of this one well enough, but then the chapters got really long and the plot got too plotty. I wanted more moments between the two main characters because while a physical slowburn, these two are feeling feelings veryyy early in the book.
I also found so much of the feelings (on all fronts) to be shown rather than told to us.
This one had a lot of promise, but I just got bored!
I also found so much of the feelings (on all fronts) to be shown rather than told to us.
This one had a lot of promise, but I just got bored!
August 19, 2025
3.5 stars. Cute and obnoxious and infuriating but mostly cute.
April 13, 2024
Y'all this this the most western western to ever western. Like if a spaghetti western and a Zane Grey dime novel had a baby. It's completely bonkers in a very Tori way. The way Lou talks took me a minute to get used to because it is VERY "yer gunna git what's comin to ya, ya yellow belly varmint". Once I picked up on the cadence, I was fine though!
So much of this I loved. The way Lou being non-binary is written about was excellent. It made sense how characters realized that Lou doesn't abide by any gender binary in a historical sense. And Lou! Sweet, shy Lou! They blushed and were so awkward around Clementine because they thought she was pretty lol it was cute! Plus a shy outlaw?? | very much need more of that thanks so much. And! Lou and Clem just meshed so well. They slipped into a relationship so easily without even knowing it.
My biggest whomp whomp was the lack of communication and the amount of page count devoted to problems that could have been solved with conversation. There was plenty of really great exterior conflict going on like bounty hunters and Lou being wanted and Clementine working in the saloon with girls Lou has slept with. We didn't really need them going all the way to 90% with Big Misunderstandings that really seemed to only be there for the big third act breakup/climax resolution. It was still very fun and very western! I just wished Lou and Clem *talked* more.
So much of this I loved. The way Lou being non-binary is written about was excellent. It made sense how characters realized that Lou doesn't abide by any gender binary in a historical sense. And Lou! Sweet, shy Lou! They blushed and were so awkward around Clementine because they thought she was pretty lol it was cute! Plus a shy outlaw?? | very much need more of that thanks so much. And! Lou and Clem just meshed so well. They slipped into a relationship so easily without even knowing it.
My biggest whomp whomp was the lack of communication and the amount of page count devoted to problems that could have been solved with conversation. There was plenty of really great exterior conflict going on like bounty hunters and Lou being wanted and Clementine working in the saloon with girls Lou has slept with. We didn't really need them going all the way to 90% with Big Misunderstandings that really seemed to only be there for the big third act breakup/climax resolution. It was still very fun and very western! I just wished Lou and Clem *talked* more.
June 16, 2023
Lou Ramiorez is a trying to build up a ranch near the small town of Ghosthallow. Expecting materials and plans to build a house instead a mail order bride is delivered. Clementine Castellanos sells herself as a bride to pay off a debt and get away from Lefty, an outlaw who kept her after her father is killed. Lou tries to get Clem to the man who bought her but instead opts to come to her rescue and pay double the price. Clem feels the need to work to payoff the debt to Lou by helping at the homestead and also working in a local saloon.
This is a slow burn, western romance set in 1887. The attraction sparks between Clem and Lou, but a bounty on Lou’s head is a problem. Also appearances of people from both of their pasts along with miscommunications keep them a part most of the book. I enjoyed the first half and thought the pacing was great. The second half slows down for me and I found myself getting frustrated at both characters for leaping to conclusions and not talking to each other.
Overall the story is enjoyable. Lou is nonbinary and accepted organically by friends and Clem. I did giggle when Lou says something ain’t proper because eventually it is intentionally silly and said with affection. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)
This is a slow burn, western romance set in 1887. The attraction sparks between Clem and Lou, but a bounty on Lou’s head is a problem. Also appearances of people from both of their pasts along with miscommunications keep them a part most of the book. I enjoyed the first half and thought the pacing was great. The second half slows down for me and I found myself getting frustrated at both characters for leaping to conclusions and not talking to each other.
Overall the story is enjoyable. Lou is nonbinary and accepted organically by friends and Clem. I did giggle when Lou says something ain’t proper because eventually it is intentionally silly and said with affection. Thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)
July 2, 2023
‘Miss Clementine, this ain’t proper’.
Lou (they/them) just wants to keep out of trouble and build themselves a house on their ranch. By mistake, instead of housing supplies they find they get mail ordered bride Clementine on their doorstep.
A bond is quickly formed, but both have dark pasts which will eventually catch up to them.
A queer romance with a non binary MC, set in the rooty tooty Wild West? Yes please!
This ticked all of my boxes and I adored Lou and Clementine so much.
Unfortunately, this did fall into the miscommunication trope that I am slowly losing patience with. It happened so many times! It does fit into the personality of the characters so I can give it a pass, but towards the end I was rolling my eyes a bit.
Overall I loved this. A fun slow burn romance, in my opinion similar to Legends & Lattes in the sense that it was a high drama low stakes kind of plot. You can cosy down with a tea, finish this in a day and enjoy the ride.
Rating: 4/5
Thanks to NetGalley and Bella Books.
Lou (they/them) just wants to keep out of trouble and build themselves a house on their ranch. By mistake, instead of housing supplies they find they get mail ordered bride Clementine on their doorstep.
A bond is quickly formed, but both have dark pasts which will eventually catch up to them.
A queer romance with a non binary MC, set in the rooty tooty Wild West? Yes please!
This ticked all of my boxes and I adored Lou and Clementine so much.
Unfortunately, this did fall into the miscommunication trope that I am slowly losing patience with. It happened so many times! It does fit into the personality of the characters so I can give it a pass, but towards the end I was rolling my eyes a bit.
Overall I loved this. A fun slow burn romance, in my opinion similar to Legends & Lattes in the sense that it was a high drama low stakes kind of plot. You can cosy down with a tea, finish this in a day and enjoy the ride.
Rating: 4/5
Thanks to NetGalley and Bella Books.
October 8, 2023
B-/C+ Enjoyable queer Latinx nb/f historical romance set in the American west. A mail order bride is delivered to the wrong ranch and ends up staying. The writing is a little rough and the plot definitely overwhelmed the romance in the second half of the book.
July 22, 2023
3,5⭐️
Received an arc from NetGalley, thanks!
A bit too much miscommunication for me, but goddamit if stealing ducks together absolutely bought me.
Received an arc from NetGalley, thanks!
A bit too much miscommunication for me, but goddamit if stealing ducks together absolutely bought me.
April 13, 2025
boring and slow, plus i hated having to “read” their southern accent throughout the entire thing… idk but it was a free libby book so nothing lost, nothing gained!
June 15, 2025
WE GET IT IT AINT PROPER.
Yeehaw 🤠
Yeehaw 🤠
July 21, 2025
Extremely cute, but the writing was a little too fanfic for me. I look forward to seeing what this author can do as they develop their writing style.
December 16, 2024
It was fine. Love the queer rep in this book but the story didn’t grab me. Extremely slow burn
July 5, 2023
I really enjoyed Lou. They/them classify themselves as just Lou, they don’t conform one way or the other in gender. They really have a great support system in the women they are friends with. They’ve also helped to save most of them in one way or another. Clementine also is a very strong woman. She has endured a lot in her young life but still has fire about her. I enjoyed seeing the two of them come together and Lou struggling to keep his feelings for Clem to himself. I feel like Clem put up with a lot of their bullshit though and I feel like a deeper apology and more talking about just what they were doing with Inez the other night was in order before the final make up. Clem also goes through a lot of misunderstandings over Lou’s past and actions that I don’t feel were not all her fault. Communication between the two is definitely something they need to work on. But overall I really enjoyed the story. I wouldn’t mind learning more about Lottie and possible getting a love story for her.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 30, 2025
🌟3🌟 To think I was initially so excited and happy to read this genuinely makes me feel so sad
As stated in the starting line, I was so excited and genuinely giddy to be reading about Clementine (she/her) and Lou (they/them) because Lou was so sweet and gentlemanly and I just had this feeling that their love story would be so cute. And while this is true at first - their like for one another and yearning was so fun to read - things started to go downhill with Clem’s jealousy and miscommunication streak.
I won’t detail every instance of Clem’s jealousy or miscommunication, but just know it was enough that it became jarring to read about. Of course, nobody is perfect and being a bit jealous from time to time with healthy discussions in between is okay, or having bouts of miscommunication that get remedied with good communication is okay too (in my opinion), but when either one rears its ugly head so much so that it starts to tip into the realm of self sabotage, that’s where I believe there’s a big problem. Time and time again, something will trigger Clem into being jealous over Lou and instead of looking introspectively to remedy her jealousy, or discussing this with Lou once they’d established a romantic connection, she just goes and stops talking to Lou and concocts theories/explanations in her head about what’s going on. Or worse, she shuts down Lou when they try to figure out what’s going on.
This isn’t to dogpile all of Clem’s missteps on her and say that Lou is without fault, because they aren’t - Lou messed up too. The difference is that throughout the entire story we see Lou actually work to be a better, more understanding and open person who takes responsibility for their actions and attempts to be more sensitive the next time around, whereas Clem is the “victim” every time who does very surface level introspection, recognising that her jealousy is an issue and does nothing to fix it.
Towards the end of the book, I almost didn’t care to see them end up together because, in truth, Lou deserves better than the shit Clem gives them. I believe Clementine could be a really loving person who’d give her all to the right person, which some may argue she is in this book, but giving your all to someone also encompasses being the best version of yourself with them which I’m certain doesn’t include blaming them for every time you feel a bit shitty. Not to mention that already having a foot out the door and then essentially asking Lou to give you a reason to stay felt a tad toxic to me.
A more rewarding storyline to read would have been to see Clementine genuinely make an effort to change instead of constantly finding herself in the cycle of getting jealous -> shutting Lou out and acting like a complete dick -> being reassured by the bar women that Lou only has eyes for her -> talking to Lou again because she couldn’t bare the thought of being mad at Lou because Lou is soooo attractive even though she didn’t give a fuck literally two seconds ago. You see how nowhere in that cycle does any meaningful introspection happen…yeah that persists through the entire book and is the most annoying thing to read about.
In all fairness, maybe i’m being dramatic - the aforementioned only happens a few times, but it’s enough times to be annoying. I think the main reason as to why this annoyed me so much more is because you can tell from the start to the very end of the book that Lou is truly the kindest, sweetest soul (i need a Lou in my life istg) who always puts their best foot forward and is almost too caring towards others to their own detriment, slightly. It’s because of this that I can’t see how other characters didn’t set Clem on the right path and get her on the road to being a better person or how the author (no shade) wrote this and thought that this treatment towards Lou was justified in some way.
Overall, I was really looking forward to adding this to my favourites pile because I believed they could have been so sweet, and while they do end up together (no surprise there), I don’t think Clem did any of the necessary work to deserve being taken back or throwing herself in the arms of Lou.
TW: Transphobia, Violence, Attempted Murder by Hanging, Gun Violence, Murder, Death, Sexual Content, (Minor Mentions of:) Death of Parent
As stated in the starting line, I was so excited and genuinely giddy to be reading about Clementine (she/her) and Lou (they/them) because Lou was so sweet and gentlemanly and I just had this feeling that their love story would be so cute. And while this is true at first - their like for one another and yearning was so fun to read - things started to go downhill with Clem’s jealousy and miscommunication streak.
I won’t detail every instance of Clem’s jealousy or miscommunication, but just know it was enough that it became jarring to read about. Of course, nobody is perfect and being a bit jealous from time to time with healthy discussions in between is okay, or having bouts of miscommunication that get remedied with good communication is okay too (in my opinion), but when either one rears its ugly head so much so that it starts to tip into the realm of self sabotage, that’s where I believe there’s a big problem. Time and time again, something will trigger Clem into being jealous over Lou and instead of looking introspectively to remedy her jealousy, or discussing this with Lou once they’d established a romantic connection, she just goes and stops talking to Lou and concocts theories/explanations in her head about what’s going on. Or worse, she shuts down Lou when they try to figure out what’s going on.
This isn’t to dogpile all of Clem’s missteps on her and say that Lou is without fault, because they aren’t - Lou messed up too. The difference is that throughout the entire story we see Lou actually work to be a better, more understanding and open person who takes responsibility for their actions and attempts to be more sensitive the next time around, whereas Clem is the “victim” every time who does very surface level introspection, recognising that her jealousy is an issue and does nothing to fix it.
Towards the end of the book, I almost didn’t care to see them end up together because, in truth, Lou deserves better than the shit Clem gives them. I believe Clementine could be a really loving person who’d give her all to the right person, which some may argue she is in this book, but giving your all to someone also encompasses being the best version of yourself with them which I’m certain doesn’t include blaming them for every time you feel a bit shitty. Not to mention that already having a foot out the door and then essentially asking Lou to give you a reason to stay felt a tad toxic to me.
A more rewarding storyline to read would have been to see Clementine genuinely make an effort to change instead of constantly finding herself in the cycle of getting jealous -> shutting Lou out and acting like a complete dick -> being reassured by the bar women that Lou only has eyes for her -> talking to Lou again because she couldn’t bare the thought of being mad at Lou because Lou is soooo attractive even though she didn’t give a fuck literally two seconds ago. You see how nowhere in that cycle does any meaningful introspection happen…yeah that persists through the entire book and is the most annoying thing to read about.
In all fairness, maybe i’m being dramatic - the aforementioned only happens a few times, but it’s enough times to be annoying. I think the main reason as to why this annoyed me so much more is because you can tell from the start to the very end of the book that Lou is truly the kindest, sweetest soul (i need a Lou in my life istg) who always puts their best foot forward and is almost too caring towards others to their own detriment, slightly. It’s because of this that I can’t see how other characters didn’t set Clem on the right path and get her on the road to being a better person or how the author (no shade) wrote this and thought that this treatment towards Lou was justified in some way.
Overall, I was really looking forward to adding this to my favourites pile because I believed they could have been so sweet, and while they do end up together (no surprise there), I don’t think Clem did any of the necessary work to deserve being taken back or throwing herself in the arms of Lou.
TW: Transphobia, Violence, Attempted Murder by Hanging, Gun Violence, Murder, Death, Sexual Content, (Minor Mentions of:) Death of Parent
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