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lavasteentje's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I'd never recognized myself this much in the FMC. I love how in these series the characters are flawed in a way that feels relatable.
Content Warnings
Minor: Abandonment
ms_elchert's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Sexual content
Moderate: Toxic relationship and Abandonment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Alcohol
abidavisf's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Fate brought me to Swift and Saddled. I started another book the same day that I was going to continue with, but something told me it was time to return to Rebel Blue. I’ve had a terrible week/month/year, I won’t lie. On a day in which my depression was really taking over, and the black clouds loomed above me with no light in sight, I was welcomed by two of the most relatable characters I’ve had the privilege of reading.
Ada and Wes are clear soulmates. From their physical attraction to the way they bounce off of each other mentally, it’s obvious. I love a romance, and the romance in this book was great, but it isn’t what drew me to these characters. What drew me to Ada and Wes, and to Swift and Saddled as a whole, is how accurately it portrays depression, anxiety, self-esteem, trauma, abandonment, and more. I felt seen by both Ada and Wes, and, on a day when I really felt like giving up, that was just what I needed.
Swift and Saddled portrays depression so realistically. We don’t see the ins and outs of a low day, but we do see the constant torment, dread and unease that comes with knowing when your next Big Low is coming or when your coping mechanisms are eventually going to give out on you. It’s a when, not an if. Not a lot of people get that. Wes gets it. Lyla Sage gets it. I get it.
Wes’ description of depression was perfect: “depression wasn’t a logical disease … it was impossible to predict … not if, but when I would sink into another dark hole and have to decide to claw my way out.” Living with a depression requires you to make choices every day, to take your meds, go to therapy, take a walk, whatever works for you. I really appreciated seeing the choice and the genuine hard work and effort it takes into just living reflected so accurately in this book.
I am a depressed person, but I am also a lonely person. Both Ada and Wes speak to me in so many ways. Ada’s loneliness and, frankly, complete lack of self worth are engrained in me. They are a huge part of who I am. Some days, I can’t figure out if they contribute to my depression or are caused by it. Either way, Ada not remembering a time when she wasn’t lonely registered with me so completely. Everybody has someone or something, but not me and, at the start of this book, not Ada. Having a character like Wes read her so well and want to show her that she has so much value was lovely. It made me feel bad for my friends who so badly want to do that for me and tell me so. Maybe, one day, I’ll be as brave as Ada and let someone in. I hope so.
Swift and Saddled wasn’t as horse-y as I’d have liked, but it makes sense based on Ada and Wes’ day to day. I’d love to see more of their lives in the future to see how their days work with their own animals, so hopefully they’ll be popping up a lot during the rest of the series.
I don’t think this review, if we can call it that, was coherent, so I’ll summarise:
- Depression is portrayed so accurately in this book, and I am truly grateful for that
- I understand Ada on a spiritual level. I want her happy ever after. She deserves it. I wish we’d gotten some more context around her ex (how they met, where he went etc), but I feel like I know her all the same.
- Wes chooses every day to keep on keeping on and I am so proud of him
I’m going to have to come back to this for a proper read and review when I’m less emotional but, for now, I’ll say: thank you, Lyla Sage. You don’t know me and you didn’t know I needed your words but you gave them to me anyway.
Ada and Wes are clear soulmates. From their physical attraction to the way they bounce off of each other mentally, it’s obvious. I love a romance, and the romance in this book was great, but it isn’t what drew me to these characters. What drew me to Ada and Wes, and to Swift and Saddled as a whole, is how accurately it portrays depression, anxiety, self-esteem, trauma, abandonment, and more. I felt seen by both Ada and Wes, and, on a day when I really felt like giving up, that was just what I needed.
Swift and Saddled portrays depression so realistically. We don’t see the ins and outs of a low day, but we do see the constant torment, dread and unease that comes with knowing when your next Big Low is coming or when your coping mechanisms are eventually going to give out on you. It’s a when, not an if. Not a lot of people get that. Wes gets it. Lyla Sage gets it. I get it.
Wes’ description of depression was perfect: “depression wasn’t a logical disease … it was impossible to predict … not if, but when I would sink into another dark hole and have to decide to claw my way out.” Living with a depression requires you to make choices every day, to take your meds, go to therapy, take a walk, whatever works for you. I really appreciated seeing the choice and the genuine hard work and effort it takes into just living reflected so accurately in this book.
I am a depressed person, but I am also a lonely person. Both Ada and Wes speak to me in so many ways. Ada’s loneliness and, frankly, complete lack of self worth are engrained in me. They are a huge part of who I am. Some days, I can’t figure out if they contribute to my depression or are caused by it. Either way, Ada not remembering a time when she wasn’t lonely registered with me so completely. Everybody has someone or something, but not me and, at the start of this book, not Ada. Having a character like Wes read her so well and want to show her that she has so much value was lovely. It made me feel bad for my friends who so badly want to do that for me and tell me so. Maybe, one day, I’ll be as brave as Ada and let someone in. I hope so.
Swift and Saddled wasn’t as horse-y as I’d have liked, but it makes sense based on Ada and Wes’ day to day. I’d love to see more of their lives in the future to see how their days work with their own animals, so hopefully they’ll be popping up a lot during the rest of the series.
I don’t think this review, if we can call it that, was coherent, so I’ll summarise:
- Depression is portrayed so accurately in this book, and I am truly grateful for that
- I understand Ada on a spiritual level. I want her happy ever after. She deserves it. I wish we’d gotten some more context around her ex (how they met, where he went etc), but I feel like I know her all the same.
- Wes chooses every day to keep on keeping on and I am so proud of him
I’m going to have to come back to this for a proper read and review when I’m less emotional but, for now, I’ll say: thank you, Lyla Sage. You don’t know me and you didn’t know I needed your words but you gave them to me anyway.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Confinement, Emotional abuse, and Mental illness
Minor: Misogyny, Panic attacks/disorders, Toxic relationship, Forced institutionalization, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
koistyfishy's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
4 Baby Blue Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
So I picked this up thinking that this was book 1, AND VERY SOON REALISED this is book 2... But I said fuck it... Guess I'm in my Cowboy Era and decided to jump right in.
This book was a really fun time! Ada is an interior designer, and based on a referral from a friend to a friend she ends up with a project to remodel the Rebel Blue Bed and Breakfast. The night before her first official day, she waltz's into a local bar looking for food and meets an unknown man. She immediately makes "goo-goo" eyes at him and he makes "goo-goo" eyes at her so they end up locking lips. When someone catches them she flees like a modern-day Cinderella. The next morning, she rocks up at her new place of employment and finds out that her new boss, Wes, is none other than the mystery man she was swapping saliva with... And determined NOT to get involved romantically with her new employer, she puts a nice little cockblock into any further kinky hijinx.
Now, this was sweet and adorable and just utterly wholesome. It met everything I was expecting in what you'd think you're going to get when reading a little cowboy romance. Wes checked every one of my boxes with pretty little GREEN CHECK MARKS. He was a walking green flag, a CHARMING gentleman who was just raised right with all his perfect manners and behaviour. He can communicate and kinda knows how to handle his emotions.
Then we have Ada who is pretty insecure and almost seems cold. The Grumpy in the Grumpy X Sunshine mix but she's not a typical "Black Cat" - she has never been given a chance to fly on her own. She has just come off a very oppressive and emotionally abusive marriage where her ex-husband dictated her life to the point of unhealthy codependence and control. She needs to learn how to be herself again, explore her limits and boundaries and learn to be able to do things on her own without her husband. I really did enjoy her growth and how she built up her self-confidence daily.
Their relationship was a hit-and-miss for me, because it took a long time for them to finally act on their feelings, even after numerous people explicitly made it clear they didn't care that Wes was her boss. Only saying she only shouldn't hurt him by starting something and then leaving... the two had this almost "instalove" pull which contradicted the delay in relationship. THEY WERE PINING FOR THE OTHER… and while it can be argued that it was more lust - if that were the case I would have expected a quicker payoff... This wasn't a frustration per se, it was just the battle of the conflict didn’t make sense… The why they couldn't be together especially after they both were so attracted to each other, didn't add up.
Something that I loved was the importance of friendship and how someone accepting you could be the first step to healing. Ada, through the course of this book, learnt how to invite people into her life, not only from a romantic relationship perspective but also through the "Girl Squad" she formed with Wes's baby sister, Teddy and Sam. I loved that these girls protected each other, stood up for each other and made everyone comfortable and feel part of something.
There are also aspects of dealing with mental health issues. Wes does suffer from Middle Child Syndrome in that he is often overlooked, ignored or neglected by his family. He also suffers from depression, so I appreciated that this book was not shying away from his struggles, showing that anyone (even the man who appears to be a perfectly put-together charming gentleman), could suffer from a mental illness. It was almost as if his condition was purposely downplayed. Showing that if it's not made into a big deal, him having bad days, then it can be accepted as normalised. Highlighting that there is NOTHING wrong with him... Or it could have been downplayed cause this is a fluffy romance and sometimes they don't go too deep into issues.
The writing was pretty easy to follow and fluffy, so you can kick back, relax, and enjoy. I experienced this book through audio. The writing characteristics were heightened by the amazing job Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin did, because it felt smooth and fluffy and flowed effortlessly.
Two things unfortunately bothered me and it's why this didn't get 5 stars. The first is I wish that it went a little bit more into the weeds and details of the actual project of what she was doing at Rebel Blue. It's very vague descriptions of the renovations, or just comments that they were completed but never really explained what it was they were completing... I mean the biggest thing I know about the design is she made flower-stained curtains.
The Second thing (and this is pretty minor) is that the way people explained Wes and who Wes was in his POV, did not always line up. He is described as gentle and sweet, a typical golden retriever... but in his head he swears like a fucking sailor. Now I am not saying a "nice guy" cannot say the word FUCK... But if it's the first chapter of his POV and there are 4 Variations of the word fuck in this chapter... he is not exactly matching up to cute and polite... Now it might be because of my own intrinsic bias for characters I normally hear portrayed by Teddy Hamilton, that when he says FUCK those men are normally "bad boys"... but this dichotomy just stood out as weird. I also found it pretty sleazy that their "Bar Meet-Cute" is him saying "I am going to leave you here while I go have a drink, if you want some fun YOU come to me...."
The Tropes in this include:
▶ Cowboy Romance (Small Town Romance)
▶ Workplace Romance (Forced Proximity)
▶ Opposites Attract (GrumpyXSunshine)
▶ Dual POV
▶ Instalust but Slow Burn
▶ Found Family
▶ One Bed
▶ Reverse Age Gap (2 Years) is that even considered an age gap??
▶ Banter
▶ Grey Sweatpants and HE BRINGS HER FOOOOD!
▶ Attempted Third Act Breakup
SO.... all in all! This was cute sweet and enjoyable and while there are some weird things I am happy I chose to save a horse and ride this cowboy!
Spicy Level: 🌶️🌶️.5/5
So I picked this up thinking that this was book 1, AND VERY SOON REALISED this is book 2... But I said fuck it... Guess I'm in my Cowboy Era and decided to jump right in.
This book was a really fun time! Ada is an interior designer, and based on a referral from a friend to a friend she ends up with a project to remodel the Rebel Blue Bed and Breakfast. The night before her first official day, she waltz's into a local bar looking for food and meets an unknown man. She immediately makes "goo-goo" eyes at him and he makes "goo-goo" eyes at her so they end up locking lips. When someone catches them she flees like a modern-day Cinderella. The next morning, she rocks up at her new place of employment and finds out that her new boss, Wes, is none other than the mystery man she was swapping saliva with... And determined NOT to get involved romantically with her new employer, she puts a nice little cockblock into any further kinky hijinx.
Now, this was sweet and adorable and just utterly wholesome. It met everything I was expecting in what you'd think you're going to get when reading a little cowboy romance. Wes checked every one of my boxes with pretty little GREEN CHECK MARKS. He was a walking green flag, a CHARMING gentleman who was just raised right with all his perfect manners and behaviour. He can communicate and kinda knows how to handle his emotions.
Then we have Ada who is pretty insecure and almost seems cold. The Grumpy in the Grumpy X Sunshine mix but she's not a typical "Black Cat" - she has never been given a chance to fly on her own. She has just come off a very oppressive and emotionally abusive marriage where her ex-husband dictated her life to the point of unhealthy codependence and control. She needs to learn how to be herself again, explore her limits and boundaries and learn to be able to do things on her own without her husband. I really did enjoy her growth and how she built up her self-confidence daily.
Their relationship was a hit-and-miss for me, because it took a long time for them to finally act on their feelings, even after numerous people explicitly made it clear they didn't care that Wes was her boss. Only saying she only shouldn't hurt him by starting something and then leaving... the two had this almost "instalove" pull which contradicted the delay in relationship. THEY WERE PINING FOR THE OTHER… and while it can be argued that it was more lust - if that were the case I would have expected a quicker payoff... This wasn't a frustration per se, it was just the battle of the conflict didn’t make sense… The why they couldn't be together especially after they both were so attracted to each other, didn't add up.
Something that I loved was the importance of friendship and how someone accepting you could be the first step to healing. Ada, through the course of this book, learnt how to invite people into her life, not only from a romantic relationship perspective but also through the "Girl Squad" she formed with Wes's baby sister, Teddy and Sam. I loved that these girls protected each other, stood up for each other and made everyone comfortable and feel part of something.
There are also aspects of dealing with mental health issues. Wes does suffer from Middle Child Syndrome in that he is often overlooked, ignored or neglected by his family. He also suffers from depression, so I appreciated that this book was not shying away from his struggles, showing that anyone (even the man who appears to be a perfectly put-together charming gentleman), could suffer from a mental illness. It was almost as if his condition was purposely downplayed. Showing that if it's not made into a big deal, him having bad days, then it can be accepted as normalised. Highlighting that there is NOTHING wrong with him... Or it could have been downplayed cause this is a fluffy romance and sometimes they don't go too deep into issues.
The writing was pretty easy to follow and fluffy, so you can kick back, relax, and enjoy. I experienced this book through audio. The writing characteristics were heightened by the amazing job Teddy Hamilton and Vanessa Edwin did, because it felt smooth and fluffy and flowed effortlessly.
Two things unfortunately bothered me and it's why this didn't get 5 stars. The first is I wish that it went a little bit more into the weeds and details of the actual project of what she was doing at Rebel Blue. It's very vague descriptions of the renovations, or just comments that they were completed but never really explained what it was they were completing... I mean the biggest thing I know about the design is she made flower-stained curtains.
The Second thing (and this is pretty minor) is that the way people explained Wes and who Wes was in his POV, did not always line up. He is described as gentle and sweet, a typical golden retriever... but in his head he swears like a fucking sailor. Now I am not saying a "nice guy" cannot say the word FUCK... But if it's the first chapter of his POV and there are 4 Variations of the word fuck in this chapter... he is not exactly matching up to cute and polite... Now it might be because of my own intrinsic bias for characters I normally hear portrayed by Teddy Hamilton, that when he says FUCK those men are normally "bad boys"... but this dichotomy just stood out as weird. I also found it pretty sleazy that their "Bar Meet-Cute" is him saying "I am going to leave you here while I go have a drink, if you want some fun YOU come to me...."
The Tropes in this include:
▶ Cowboy Romance (Small Town Romance)
▶ Workplace Romance (Forced Proximity)
▶ Opposites Attract (GrumpyXSunshine)
▶ Dual POV
▶ Instalust but Slow Burn
▶ Found Family
▶ One Bed
▶ Reverse Age Gap (2 Years) is that even considered an age gap??
▶ Banter
▶ Grey Sweatpants and HE BRINGS HER FOOOOD!
SO.... all in all! This was cute sweet and enjoyable and while there are some weird things I am happy I chose to save a horse and ride this cowboy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic friendship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders and Gaslighting
micaelacccc's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Minor: Toxic relationship and Abandonment
inke410's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
After the first book of the series, this one disappointed me a little but in and of itself it was still cute and loveable
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, and Abandonment
apersonfromflorida's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, and Toxic relationship
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Death of parent, and Abandonment
Minor: Panic attacks/disorders, Blood, and Gaslighting
justinekorson's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
I really liked Ada and Wes together. They were really cute. I loved how patient and caring Wes was for Ada. The scene with him waiting at the border to come back KILLED ME. It was so damn sweet. He just KNEW she'd be back. I think I liked Brooks and Emmy's story more though. They were really funny (plus I have a thing for guys named Luke) and their relationship was hot from the get-go. What I'm REALLY looking forward to is Teddy and Gus though. That's going to END ME. I hope it's as good as I'm building it up in my head!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Infidelity, Toxic relationship, Blood, Death of parent, Abandonment, and Injury/Injury detail
kristanjenkins's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Toxic relationship, Grief, Death of parent, Gaslighting, and Abandonment
author2223's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness
Moderate: Emotional abuse, Panic attacks/disorders, and Abandonment