Done and Dusted Book Review

I've had my eye on this cover for a couple years now and since I seem to be in a Romance Era this year, I decided to give my first cowboy romance a try.

My first will not be my last. I was shocked at just how much I enjoyed this small town romance, especially as an audiobook read.

Curious if this book is for you? Check out my full review below.

Summary of Done and Dusted

For the first time in her life, Clementine “Emmy” Ryder has no idea what she’s doing. She’s accomplished everything on her to-do list. She left her small hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming; went to college; and made a career for herself by doing her favorite thing: riding horses. But after an accident makes it impossible for her to get back into the saddle, she has no choice but to return to the hometown she always wanted to escape.

Luke Brooks is Meadowlark’s most notorious bad boy, bar owner, and bachelor. He’s also the unofficial fifth member of the Ryder family. As Emmy’s older brother’s best friend, Luke spent most of his childhood antagonizing her. It’s been years since he’s seen her, but when she walks into his bar and back into his life, he can’t take his eyes off her. Despite his better judgment, he wants to do a whole lot more than just look at her.

Emmy’s got too much on her mind to think about romance. And Luke knows he should stay away from his best friend’s younger sister. But what if Luke is just what Emmy needs to get her spark back? Or will they both go up in flames?

Book Stats

Published: October 24, 2023
Pages: 368
Genre: Western Romance, Contemporary Romance
Get Your Copy: Paperback | Kindle | Audiobook
Format I Read: I listened to the audiobook on Everand and the talented dual POV narrators added a lot of emotion to this romance.

What I Liked

Here's what I would tell my best friend about the book:

1. The Audiobook was EVERYTHING: This is the second romance novel I've enjoyed on audio and now I think I'm totally sold on the format for this genre. The emotions have so much more impact when the story is told by such talented narrators.
2. Cheesy in All the Best Ways: This book is not pretending to be something it isn't. You can tell right from the cover this is going to be an over-the-top romance featuring a cowboy on a ranch. If you're a fan of Yellowstone, you're going to love this romance. Even if you're not into cowboys, you just might be after reading this book.
3. Excellent Tropes: This book features several popular romance tropes and uses them skillfully. For my full list, see the notes below.
4. Believable Connection: The romance that builds between the two main characters feels real and not forced. They both show up for each other in difficult moments, for me that was the real swoon.
5. Guaranteed Happy Ending: Isn't this why we read romance?! I'm currently in the middle of sending my baby off to college, I need all the happy endings I can get my hands on right now.

What I Didn't Like

Every reader needs something different from a book. What I may not have preferred may be your favorite part.

This is a mild complaint, but there was a heavy-handed use of cursing that felt a little jarring to me. The MMC is a rough-and-tumble guy on a ranch, so it is fitting with his character. The MFC grew up in that environment so of course she'd talk like that, too.

It was just a little courser than I might personally prefer.

Tropes

This is a slow burn romance set in a small town. It features the brother's best friend, cowboys, and a friends-to-lovers romance.

It also features many micro-tropes like Mine, Nicknames, You're Safe Now, and Teaching a New Skill.

Curious what these mean or want to find other books that are similar? Be sure to check out my list of most popular romantic tropes and most popular romance subgenres.

Overall Score

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

I give Done and Dusted a 5-star rating. I finished the book with a HUGE smile on my face, I looked forward to running errands just so I could listen to the book, and I finished it relatively quickly--especially considering I could only listen to it and not sneak in pages on my Kindle.

If you're looking for a FUN book with plenty of heat and sizzle, you won't be disappointed. I'll definitely be checking out the rest in the series as well.

If this is your first time reading one of my reviews, you may want to check out how I score my reads with this scale guide here.

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Lovelight Farms Book Review

The Cinnamon Bun Book Store Book Review

The Highland Fling Book Review

The Paradise Problem Book Review