Editorial review
Lassoed by Fate
By Douglas D. Ross
Opposites collide. Sparks fly. Fate tightens the reins.
Reviewed by CANREADS
Opposites collide. Sparks fly. Fate tightens the reins.
In Lassoed by Fate, Douglas D. Ross delivers a charming and witty romantic comedy about love, trust, and what happens when two worlds refuse to stay separate. When Canadian arena cowgirl Crystal MacLeod meets steady, composed, and irresistibly charming English cricketer Hugh Barron, sparks fly as culture clashes give way to undeniable chemistry. Ross makes it effortless to slip into their story—and impossible not to stay.
Crystal shines as brightly as her name implies. A prize-winning cowgirl, she is strong, disciplined, and fiercely independent, yet slow to trust and even slower to accept help, friendship, or love. When Hugh enters her world, the emotional guardrails she has built around herself begin to crack, forcing her to question whether life beyond the safe comfort of the arena might hold something more.
This is a romance where the laughs land just as cleanly as the longing. Early on, Hugh is described as tall, calm, and charming, but “as driven as a pushbike with no chain.” Ross threads these sharp one-liners throughout the book, balancing humour with the novel’s complex protagonists. Both Crystal and Hugh wrestle with insecurity, pride, and the fear of vulnerability—all of which prevent them from finding (and keeping) love.
Beneath the banter, the story strips away emotional armour to expose what real intimacy demands. Crystal and Hugh aren’t simply navigating attraction; they’re confronting the internal barriers that stand between them and real, long-lasting connection. Supporters rally behind them, while skeptics question whether their differences can truly be bridged. That tension fuels the novel’s steady momentum without sacrificing its warmth, reminding readers that the wildest ride isn’t in the arena—it’s learning to risk your heart.
Lassoed by Fate is not about fairytale endings, but more about the moments in between where love becomes a warm soothing presence. Love is not a prize, but a gift given to people like Crystal and Hugh who put their lives into the hands of fate to see where the trail will lead. Fans of Abby Jimenez’s Part of Your World and Talia Hibbert’s Get a Life, Chloe Brown will recognize the appeal: two people from different walks of life, cheeky dialogue, and emotional stakes that feel grounded and human. Romantic, playful, and heartfelt, Ross’s Lassoed by Fate reminds readers that sometimes love doesn’t need to be chased. It just needs to be trusted.
—CANREADS BOOK REVIEW