I picked this up after seeing the author’s books all over social media. Lost and Lassoed is the third book in the Rebel Blue Ranch series and it’s a sweet small town, nanny meets cowboy romance. I was quickly drawn into this fun, lighthearted comfort read.

Theodora (Teddy) grew up on the Rebel Blue Ranch in Meadowlark, Montana, where her father worked as a ranch hand. Her father toured with a rock band but when he became a single parent after Teddy’s mom abandoned them (when Teddy was a baby), he decided it was time to settle down. He got a job working for Amos, also a single parent (widow) and owner of the Rebel Blue Ranch. Amos’s daughter, Emmy, became Teddy’s best friend. But Emmy’s brother August (Gus) is Teddy’s arch nemesis. They are both attracted to each other but are wary because of something that happened seven years ago. Teddy feels like he doesn’t like her so she doesn’t like him and now they are ‘delightfully mean’ to each other. A lot of their banter is funny and had me laughing. But Emmy is getting married, with Teddy as her maid of honor and Gus as the best man and she is tired of listening to them bicker. She asks them to get along for her sake, especially with the wedding coming up.

Teddy is going through a bit of a rough patch. The boutique she loved working for just closed and now she’s unemployed and living with her dad, who has health issues. She’s feeling a bit lost and left behind as she sees her best friend getting married and succeeding in ways Teddy believes she isn’t.

As for our hero, well, he suddenly needs a nanny for his six-year-old daughter, Riley. Her soccer coach called to ask where he was when he forgot to pick her up from practice. (He’s very busy on his ranch.) Riley’s mom, Cam, has just gone to work in the city for a law firm while she prepares for her LSAT. Riley is the result of a one-night stand but Gus and Cam get along and are good co-parents. But now that Cam is working in the big city, Gus is struggling to keep up with his work on the ranch and being a single dad. He doesn’t want to ask for help but his sister suggests that he hire Teddy as his nanny and, when he sees how well she gets along with Riley, he does so. Thus, Teddy moves in with Gus and Riley.

They decide to be on their best behavior in front of Riley and while it’s awkward at first, they start to enjoy their time together, without throwing insults. Teddy enjoys being on the ranch with Riley and is grateful to Gus for giving her the job. Gus sees how happy Riley is each day and softens his attitude towards Teddy. As they spend more time together, they grow closer and open up about what they are going through –Gus as a single dad, managing his family’s busy cattle ranch and Teddy caring for her dad–they begin to admire and respect each other. When they end up in a dog pile playing Twister, and share some kisses, they have to admit, they like each other a whole lot.

There’s a new mechanical bull at the Devil’s Boot, Emmy and Luke’s newly remodeled bar (from Done and Dusted) and so Teddy and Gus, along with their family and friends from previous books, all show up to ride the bull and dance and it’s a good time. Gus thinks Teddy looks like a rodeo queen and it doesn’t take long before things get spicy.

One thing I didn’t understand was why the event in their past caused them to become enemies – I expected there to be more to it and didn’t feel like it was totally resolved. The story felt a little rushed in places. They seemed to move from enemies to friends pretty quickly. But I loved the descriptions of the mountains and was ready to ride along with them when they saddled up their horses to look for wildflowers.

I really enjoyed my escape to the Rebel Blue Ranch in this quick, satisfying read. The characters are loyal, kind and funny and I can see why this author’s cowboy romances are one of the latest book sensations. I look forward to Dusty and Cam’s book, Wild and Wrangled, coming next in the series.