Tourists may flock to Rustler Mountain, Oregon, for its Wild West reenactments, but for locals, the feuds between the outlaws and the lawmen are still very much alive.

Every year, thousands of people come through Rustler for the rodeo, historic home tours, old-fashioned candy making demonstrations, sharpshooter shows—and to see the site of the 1800s shootout in which notorious outlaw Austin Wilder was killed by Sheriff Lee Talbot. Now Millie Talbot, the sheriff’s descendant, wants to bring back the town’s Gold Rush Days. But she needs the current Austin Wilder’s support to make her dream a reality. . .

The Wilders are rumored to be as true to their last name as their ancestors. Nonetheless, Austin agrees to help Millie. But he wants something in return. Austin is working to clear his family name by writing the true history of his outlaw ancestors, and Millie might just hold the key.

When Millie wrangles Austin into helping plan Gold Rush Days, he figures it’s a chance to get to the truth of the past. . . .

But when sparks start to fly between this bad boy and good girl, will either of them come out of it unscathed?

Titles in the Rustler Mountain series include: Rustler Mountain ~ Outlaw Lake ~ Lonesome Ridge ~

This is an adult 18+ story that contains language, possible violence, and/or sexual situations geared to an adult audience.

Title:  Rustler Mountain
Series:  Rustler Mountain #1
Author:  Maisey Yates
Published:  February 25, 2025
Publisher:  Kensington Books
My Rating:  4.5 stars

 

Rustler Mountain is the first title in the Rustler Mountain series, and will bring together one bad boy and one good girl, true or not, historically, that’s how their respective families have thought about the other.  

Austin Wilder is named for and descended from the outlaw of the same name, who may or may not have been the bad guy folks made him out to be.  He wants to write the true story of his ancestor, but he needs facts that only one other person might know of.  Millie Talbot is descended from the other family in this feud, a descendant of the sheriff who killed the outlaw Austin; she’s attempting to bring back the reenactments of those good old west days to bring much-needed revenue for their small town from the tourists.   

Funny how fate works, Austin needs historical facts only Millie would know, and Millie needs Austin to do some role-playing enactments of his ancestor, go figure, it’s either fate or karma, only time will tell.

I had so much fun with Austin and Millie… and their relatives and the townsfolk.  Seems everyone has an opinion about the past, and maybe the present as well.

I have yet to meet (read) a Maisey Yates book that I didn’t enjoy and want to immediately grab the next one.  Rustler Mountain follows that pattern of mine perfectly.  There is world-building, I expected that, and there is also angst, so many feelings, rumors, and feuds… and history to be dealt with before these two finally get their happy ending.  But what an enjoyable ride it was to get to that point.  I liked them both, together and individually.  If you love a well-written, funny, emotional, sometimes want to pull your hair out romance, then Rustler Mountain by Maisey Yates is perfect for you.

I read this title through my Kindle Unlimited subscription.

This title is available at Amazon (affiliate link)