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I had been seeing Done and Dusted everywhere on TikTok for months, so naturally it found its way onto my TBR. Eventually it reached the top of my list (yes, I read my TBR in the order I add books because somehow that makes my brain happy), and I was genuinely excited to finally see what everyone was talking about.
I listened to this one on audiobook, and unfortunately it ended up being one of the biggest disappointments I’ve had in a long time.
What I Expected
Going in, I expected a fun small-town western romance with lovable characters, good chemistry, and the kind of story that’s easy to get lost in. The premise had a lot of potential, and the opening chapters actually gave me hope that it was heading in that direction.
At first, I thought this might end up being one of those cozy contemporary romances that balances humor, heart, and romance.
What I Actually Experienced
For me, the story slowly lost momentum instead of building it.
The beginning wasn’t bad, but as the story continued, I found myself enjoying it less and less. Some plot developments felt rushed, and I never felt fully invested in the relationship the way I expected to.
The biggest issue for me, though, was the intimate scenes.
To be clear, this isn’t because I dislike romance or open-door scenes. I read books with explicit romance fairly regularly. It wasn’t what was happening—it was the wording and terminology that completely took me out of the story. Instead of adding to the romance, those scenes honestly made me cringe, and after a while they became something I was trying to get through rather than looking forward to.
Because of that, I never felt the emotional connection I was hoping for.
Listening on Audiobook
I listened to this one instead of reading it physically, and I actually think hearing some of the dialogue and wording out loud made my experience even harder.
Sometimes narration can elevate a romance. In this case, it highlighted some of the phrasing that already wasn’t working for me.
Who I Think This Book Is For
You might enjoy Done and Dusted if you:
- enjoy contemporary western romances
- like books set in small towns
- don’t mind heavier emphasis on physical chemistry
- have been curious about one of BookTok’s biggest romance recommendations
Who It Might Not Be For
This probably isn’t the best fit if you:
- want the emotional relationship to feel fully developed before the romance escalates
- are easily pulled out of a story by dialogue or word choices that don’t click for you
- prefer romance where the intimate scenes feel more natural than attention-grabbing
Will I Continue the Series?
Personally, no.
I always feel bad saying negative things about books because I know how much work authors put into writing them, and someone else may absolutely love this series.
But for me, this just wasn’t the right fit.
In fact, after finishing it, I convinced one of my friends to read it—not because I thought they’d love it, but because I genuinely needed someone to tell me whether I was being overly dramatic.
Final Thoughts
Books are incredibly personal, and this is a perfect example of that.
Clearly, Done and Dusted has found a huge audience, and I’m genuinely glad so many readers connected with it. Unfortunately, I wasn’t one of them.
This ended up being my least favorite book I’ve read so far. I don’t regret giving it a chance, but I also won’t be continuing the Rebel Blue Ranch series.
If you’re thinking about picking it up, I’d simply say: go in knowing what kind of romance you’re getting, and remember that every reading experience is different. This one just wasn’t for me.
⭐ My Rating: 1.5/5 stars
If you want to give it a try, you can get it here.
If you do end up reading please let me know your thoughts 🙂
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