Done and Dusted

Done and Dusted is a 2023 novel by American novelist Lyla Sage. A contemporary “cowboy” romance and the first in the Rebel Blue Ranch series, Done and Dusted focuses on the story of Emmy Ryder, a professional barrel racer who, after an accident, must reevaluate her priorities. By employing many classic tropes of contemporary romance, Sage explores themes regarding the past, feeling at home, and being true to oneself.

This study guide refers to the Kindle e-book edition of the text.

Plot Summary

After she is thrown from a horse in an accident that could have been fatal, Emmy Ryder decides she needs to change her life. Shortly after her recovery, Emmy quits her career as a competitive barrel racer, breaks up with her boyfriend through a sticky note, and drives 300 miles back to her hometown of Meadowlark, Wyoming. Embarrassed about her accident and unsure what will come next for her, Emmy does not tell anyone about what happened and shows up in Meadowlark unannounced.

Growing up, Emmy was the darling of Meadowlark and comes from the well-known Ryder family. However, she never felt at home there and had barely returned in the 10 years before her accident. On her first night, her best friend Teddy takes Emmy to the local dive bar, where they run into Luke Brooks, Emmy’s older brother’s best friend.

Luke had been raised alongside the Ryder brothers Gus and Wes and had often teased and tormented Emmy when they were younger. Yet when he sees Emmy again, he is immediately attracted to her. Though Luke always had a reputation for being an impulsive and careless playboy, things have changed since Emmy left Meadowlark, and Luke now owns the local bar and teaches riding lessons to children at her family’s ranch.

Emmy and Luke remain at odds with one another through their next few encounters, especially once Luke tells her brother Gus that she is in town. However, Luke seems to notice that something is wrong with Emmy, even though she won’t tell anyone. He helps Emmy move into a cabin on her family’s Rebel Blue Ranch one night, and the two nearly kiss before being interrupted by her brother Wes. Despite his attraction to Emmy, Luke knows that nothing can happen between them as it would risk his relationship with the other Ryders, who are like family to him.

One day when both Luke and Emmy are working in the stables, Luke notices that Emmy seems nervous around horses. She has a panic attack when she attempts to ride her horse, and Luke helps talk her through it. Emmy confides in him about her accident and how, since then, she has been unable to ride or be around horses, which is deeply upsetting because riding horses is both her career and her passion. Luke offers to help teach her how to ride again, and, surprised at his compassion, Emmy agrees to a truce and to be friends as he helps her.

Emmy slowly but surely begins to feel more comfortable around horses with Luke’s help. She learns that the rodeo is coming to Meadowlark and that there will be a barrel racing competition, and Emmy wonders if she will compete in it. During their lessons, Emmy and Luke grow closer, and they start to reevaluate how they thought about one another while growing up. Luke confides in Emmy about his troublesome upbringing, and Emmy tells him about her recent ADHD diagnosis and her feelings about not racing again.

One day, when Luke takes a break from their lessons to take Emmy to a secret and secluded waterfall, the two become intimate but are interrupted when Luke receives a call from Gus, reminding them of how a relationship between the two of them is off-limits. Regardless, Emmy and Luke begin a relationship, and Luke lets Emmy know his intentions toward her are serious.

Emmy and Luke try to keep their relationship a secret, though Emmy tells Teddy everything, and Emmy suspects a few others know. Luke doesn’t want to keep their relationship a secret, yet Emmy tells him to wait to tell her family because she is less certain. In the meantime, Luke sets up a barrel racing course on the ranch so Emmy can practice for the upcoming event. She decides that she wants to use this race as a goodbye to her career, and as her relationship with Luke grows, Emmy considers staying in Meadowlark.

When the time comes for her race, Emmy panics, but Luke helps instill confidence in her. She wins the race and beats her personal record and afterward, Emmy kisses Luke in front of her family without caring who sees. Gus is furious to learn about their relationship and punches Luke, who spends the next few days away from Emmy waiting for Gus to calm down. Gus eventually apologizes, having not recognized the seriousness of the relationship, and encourages Luke to confess his love to Emmy. Luke returns to the ranch, where he tells Emmy he loves her, and she does the same. Emmy begins teaching riding lessons at the ranch and stays in Meadowlark, agreeing to move in with Luke at the end of the novel’s epilogue.