3 stars – A disappointing series finale that never quite wrangled my heart.

Lyla Sage, please don’t read this because I still love your books but this was not it. I’ve loved the previous books in this series and was so hyped to dive into Wild and Wrangled, and it was one of my  most anticipated reads of 2025. But unfortunately… this finale didn’t hit with the same magic as the others. I was left feeling underwhelmed, confused, and honestly just a little sad that the series ended with a thump instead of a bang.

Let’s start with what I was excited about: Dusty and Cam. Their cameos in the earlier books? Iconic. Their dynamic? Electric. I was ready for the emotional punch of a good second chance romance with all the longing, tension, and redemption. Instead, I spent 70% of this book trying to figure out why they were avoiding each other so much when… they were both clearly crushing hard and very much single, and there were truly no obstacles in the way. There was zero logical reason for the level of avoidance and angst we got.

And maybe that could’ve worked, if there was more actual chemistry between them in the present. But that’s the thing: I didn’t feel it. The flashbacks to their teen romance were sweet and definitely evoked some real feelings, but present day Cam and Dusty? It felt flat. Cam especially felt closed off and contradictory. She would act hurt or angry and I’d find myself thinking, “Wait, where is this even coming from?” The emotional beats didn’t feel earned.

Let’s talk about Cam for a second… because I wanted to root for her, I really did. But she came off as so emotionally unavailable and frustratingly guarded to the point where I started to wonder why Dusty was even trying so hard. She was actually unlikeable. She pushed him away constantly, ran from her feelings, and never really grew or took accountability. And what bothered me most? Everyone around her pressuring her to give Dusty another chance, but then acting like, “Well, now that you’re back with him, you have to make it work.” It felt a little like she was gaslit into the relationship, and when the third act conflict hit (which was honestly ridiculous), I found myself sympathizing more with Dusty than Cam… and I never say that about the guy in a romance.

Dusty, bless his heart, was the highlight of this book. Flirty, easygoing, and so patient, he gave Cam every opportunity to meet him halfway. He communicated, he was vulnerable, and he deserved so much better than the cold shoulder he kept getting. His longing for her was probably the most compelling part of the book, but even that wasn’t quite enough to carry the story.

And okay, this might be petty… but the pet name “angel”? I hated it. Just like I hated “sugar” in the first book. I know Lyla Sage loves her sweet, Southern style pet names, but they really take me out of the moment. They just don’t hit for me, personally.

Plot wise… I don’t even know what to say. If someone asked me what this book was about, I guess I’d say it’s about a woman getting dumped at the altar and finding her way back to her high school sweetheart. But if someone asked me what happened? I couldn’t tell you. It was mostly a cycle of: Cam’s scared, Dusty’s confused, they fight, and then suddenly they’re back together. Rinse and repeat. There was so little happening outside of their back and forth that the story started to drag hard around the halfway point.

There were no meaningful subplots to give the romance some breathing room. Cam’s relationship with her parents was barely touched on, despite having the potential to offer some real depth. Her role as a mom also felt like an afterthought and Riley barely shows up in the book. And don’t even get me started on the lack of resolution around why Dusty left in the first place. Fifteen years of world travel and tattoos and we get no explanation? It all felt surface level, like we were missing the real “why” behind both of their characters.

I will say the first flashback chapter was probably my favorite part. It showed this instant, youthful connection between Cam and Dusty that made me feel something. I just wish that spark had carried through to the present day chapters. But instead of fiery chemistry, we got a lukewarm, repetitive emotional loop.

Also… I can’t shake the feeling that this book was rushed to meet a deadline. The pacing was uneven, there wasn’t enough time to develop the side characters or deepen the plot, and the resolution felt way too fast and unearned. The third act breakup was eye roll worthy, and it didn’t even get a satisfying payoff. There was no catharsis, just more “Cam is scared and Dusty loves her anyway” with little to no communication in between.

And I hate to say this, but this was one of the most tedious second chance romances I’ve read in a long time. I kept zoning out, bored, and waiting for something to actually happen.

Overall? I’m just really bummed. Wild and Wrangled had all the ingredients of a good small town second chance romance, but none of them were fully cooked. I still think some readers will love this one, especially diehard second chance fans, and fans of this series, but it just wasn’t for me. I’ll always check out what Lyla Sage writes next because she has real talent, but this one just didn’t rope me in. 🐎💔