This romance was absolutely adorable! It pulled me in beginning with the cover, and I fell in love with many characters very quickly. The comedy and banter in this book was spot on, and I absolutely loved the chemistry! Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year.

Source of book: NetGalley (thank you)
Relevant disclaimers: None
Please note: This review may not be reproduced or quoted, in whole or in part, without explicit consent from the author.

I took a punt on this due to charm of premise and that was mostly rewarded. This is a story of a nonbinary rancher—Lou Ramirez—who accidentally receives a housewife instead of some house plans. As it turns out, Clementine Castellanos isn’t actually trying to sell herself to Lou (she’s trying to sell herself to someone else as a part of a complex plot to get out of debt and put her family back together after her father’s fall from grace) but she ends up “temporarily” moving in with Lou regardless.

Basically, all the ingredients are there to make this exactly the sort of story you’re looking for when you pick up a book about a wife-for-sale and a nonbinary rancher. All the western tropes are there: Clementine is the seemingly refined lady with a spine of steel, Lou is the prickly withdrawn homesteader, there are sex workers with hearts of gold, and bounty hunters bearing a grudge. I especially adored Lou and Clementine. They’re just the right balance of strong and vulnerable, their love story is sexy, tender and heartfelt, and—for me at least—there was a real satisfaction in seeing how the western genre can encompass stories that don’t centre on cishet white people without losing its identity. Lou, in particular, I appreciated as a queered, de-gendered re-working of what tends to be a heavily masculine-coded character type (the misunderstood, independent loner-of-few-words with a good heart deep down) and Clementine’s gentle acceptance of who they are is genuinely really lovely to see:

“Now with her arms around Lou, she felt their broad, strong shoulders and sweet scent and felt herself understand just a bit more. Lou was Lou.”

All of which said, I did ultimately come away wishing this story had undergone a slightly more rigorous editing process. I should emphasise—as ever—that it’s not my place to speculate about how books are created so I’m a little cautious of starkly attributing what were, for me, the bulk of the book’s issues to editorial. But it really does feels like a couple more passes in devs would have made a big difference here. The characterisation there, the sense of place is there, the writing is there, everything is *there*—-he author is obviously very talented—I just found myself itching to re-frame and re-focus it all a bit. Like, between Lou and Clem, there is a lot of backstory here and it overwhelms the second half of the book, to the extent that it feels like there’s a queue of people from their respective past just waiting for their turn to come on page and disrupt things. And because there’s just so much stuff to confront, address and resolve, some of those resolutions feel a bit abrupt and lacklustre when I would have liked them to linger a little while the characters actually worked through the aftermath and their feelings about them.

I also found myself wishing the author had trusted the relationship a little bit more.

Lou and Clem have such a lot of couple chemistry on the page—and so much charisma as characters—I personally would have really loved to have seen them grow together rather than grow as a consequence to the sixty-seven million external incidents that confront them from about the 40% mark onwards. The keyword in that sentence, by the way, was “personally”. Let me be the first to acknowledge that this is just as much about my own preferences in romantic arcs than a demonstrable flaw in the work. As a general rule, I like to see at least some moments of a couple making, kind of, emotional progress together, I don’t mind if there’s a balance between “that time we were nearly devoured by zombies made me realise how much I care about you” and “I am going to unburden my heart to you as an act of trust” but They Ain’t Proper is weighted almost exclusively towards zombies (metaphorical zombies, there are no actual zombies in this book). I mean, even the significant details of Lou’s past (why they are wanted by bounty hunters) are ultimately divulged to Clementine by Juanita. To be honest, this entire book would fall over if not for Juanita. Not only does she save both Clem and Lou multiple times, she does a tremendous amount of the work in getting them together because they just won’t talk to each other. I loved Juanita—give me a Juanita in my life please, to solve all my problems for me—but I think it would have made the Lou/Clementine relationship come across even more strongly than it already does for them to make a few more active choices in trusting each other and communicating.

I realise it’s meant to be a slow burn—and I do adore a good slow burn—but, for me, a slow burn has to be feel right for the characters, rather than be something that’s engineered through a series of delays (irrespective of how high stakes the delays are). There were times, especially in the latter half of the story, when it felt like Lou and Clementine were failing to get together because they were waiting for the 80% mark of the book rather than because there was anything meaningful holding them back. And this is what I mean when I’m inclined to attribute some of what didn’t work for me about the book to editorial: ideally the reader should not see the strings i.e. they shouldn’t feel characters are delaying their own relationship out of deference to the narrative arc, they should believe in the emotions behind their uncertainty. And, honestly, with a book like this—where the characters are already so well-realised and appealing—that’s not an issue with the writing. It’s about the structure and—potentially—a semi-straightforward editorial fix (assuming such a fix was wanted to be undertaken, of course).

And since I’m a grumble, I might as well note that Lou/Clem sort of has elements of one of my least favourite rom dynamics, in that Clem makes it very clear almost from the beginning of the book that she’s into Lou, and Lou keeps rebuffing her. Now, obviously it’s totally okay for Lou to not be into Clementine, or not want to embark on a relationship (either romantic or sexual) with her for whatever reason. BUT there’s also a strong element of “for your own good” about it (like not wanting to compromise her reputation etc.). Now, I will say this does come across as authentic to who Lou is a person: they’re selfless, and chivalrous, and insecure about their own worth. It’s just while Lou is, of course, not presented as equivalent to a man or anything like that (Lou is Lou), they do have—relative to Clem—more social and financial power. They can protect themselves, they have their own land, and while they do get hostility for their presentation, they aren’t subject to quite the same limitations/expectations that Clem has to navigate on account of being a cis woman in an extremely misogynistic society. While there are people who will never accept them, Lou has found a way to live as themself in their own way. Clem can be a wife or a whore, that’s basically it. And by constantly disallowing Clem to choose them, Lou is essentially stripping her of one of the few choices the world is willing to allow her i.e. who she gets to wife and/or whore FOR. I don’t super like it in m/f dynamics when the m refuses to accept that the f knows what she wants; I don’t think I’m mad keen on it in a queer context either.

Okay, this is getting long and is probably coming across as more negative than I am intending. There is clearly a lot of potential here and the story has a lot of charm as it stands currently. It’s rough around the edges (I am the last person to criticise someone else for doing phonetic dialect but I really do think this would have been benefited by some refinements here while I love a title drop as much as the next person it gets dropped 37 times over the course of this book) and a bit under-baked editorially-speaking but I did sincerely enjoy it. It gave me the queer western romance I’ve always wanted and delivers it with a great deal of heart and panache. That in itself is worth applauding.

It’s no secret that I’m a big fan of sapphic Westerns. So when I saw They Ain’t Proper on NetGalley, I jumped at the chance to read it. And M.B. Guel’s contribution to the genre is extremely wholesome in many ways, obviously written from the heart. Their protagonist – Lou – is a gender outlaw who will appeal to many a modern reader while carving out a not so believable but thoroughly entertaining space to occupy in the past.

Lou Ramirez moved to the outskirts of Ghosthollow in the hope of a solitary life. Not fitting into the masculine or feminine gender roles, they want to live in quiet obscurity, keeping to themselves and making no enemies – though of course tongues still wag. But all Lou’s careful plans are turned upside down by the arrival of Clementine. Instead of being delivered the materials for a house, Lou was sent a housewife. Lou doesn’t want a companion – but they can’t bear to hand Clementine over for a life of cruelty at the hands of her intended husband. So they spend all their savings to buy Clementine’s freedom, encouraging her to go back home.

But Clementine has a long history with Ghosthollow – and no place to return. Her family’s gone, and she was sold as a bride to pay off their debts to a notorious outlaw. Plus, Clementine’s taken with Lou’s kindness and courage to be themselves. She helps out around the ranch in the hope of being granted a permanent home with them. But the past threatens to catch up with Lou and Clementine both before they can build a future.

They Ain’t Proper is a fun read. It has the standoffs and shootouts a Western demands. And the rural setting – a small town in the middle of nowhere, enlivened only by a saloon – is a staple of the genre. Plus, Lou’s a (gender-free) cowboy with a complicated past – the type of protagonist ideally suited to this type of story. Like a Louis L’Amour novel without the regressive race and gender politics.

While I really like the ethos of They Ain’t Proper, there are a couple of aspects this story which didn’t entirely work for me. The dialogue imitated speech from the Old West to the point of parody. It was over the top and not always that comfortable to read, with unnecessary abbreviations and phonetic spellings. Less would definitely have been more.

Also, for the first half of the novel, the pacing is pretty slow. Lou and Clementine’s relationship feels like it takes an age to develop… but in reality this part of the book’s set over the span of a week – two at most. That’s mostly because the stakes don’t feel particularly high until Lou and Clementine are tracked down by a man they’d both prefer never to see again.

Still, when this story gets going properly, it’s an entertaining read. The setting and characters are vivid. And while the plot’s fairly simple, it’s well realised. Guel is a solid writer. And their prose is never stronger than when Lou and Clementine are together.

Though They Ain’t Proper is set in the late 1800s, the desire between these two characters feels fresh and immediate. And their dynamic is lovely. The way Lou hides any sentiment, like breaking a horse for Clementine, under the guise of practicality; the way Clementine not only accepts but adores Lou exactly as they are; the way these two characters figure out how to love each other without any kind of roadmap… it’s all swoon-worthy.

Guel shows real promise as a writer, and I’d love to read more of their work. Another charming and original title from Bella Books. If you enjoy sapphic Westerns, They Ain’t Proper is well worth a read.

I had a lot of fun reading They Ain’t Proper by M.B. Guel. It has three things I love in a novel. It’s a historical fiction book, a Western, and it has a really well-developed romance with engaging characters.

The story takes us back to the 1880’s and plops us down in a small wild west town called Ghosthallow. On the outskirts of town lives Lou Ramirez (they/them). Lou is expecting a shipment of house plans and building materials, but something strange happened. Instead of the house plans, a bride is delivered to their ranch.

Clementine Castellanos can think of only one way to get out of a family debt. She sells herself as a wife to a stranger. Expecting the worst in her husband, she is pleased when she is dropped off at Lou’s ranch.

This novel takes you on a wild ride filled with danger, criminals, gunslingers, saloon girls, and many more things you expect to see in a wild west narrative. The story is fast paced and exciting. The love story between Lou and Clementine takes a long time to get going, and hits many snags along the way, but is very satisfying in the end. There’s a hint (sometimes more than a hint) of poking fun at the old wild west shows many of us grew up watching on tv. That makes the tale even more entertaining.

So sit yourself down on that there settee, and don’t forget to take your spurs off before you put your boots on the furniture. Then pick up your book or ereader and enjoy this here story. *grin*

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bella Books for an honest review.

In the Old West just beyond a hole-in-the-wall town and set back from dusty tracks lives Lou. They are alone and relatively content......until a mix up with an order placed at the general store deposits a mail order bride on their doorstep. Lou attempts to handover Miss Clementine to her husband then they have a change of heart. Come on, you can read the book to find out.
Trouble is always around the corner and in this author's version of a western romance there is the good, the bad and the ugly as well as a non-binary lead character. The love between Lou and Miss Clementine builds slowly (much too slowly for Clementine). The angst, the danger, secrets and gun fights are never far but thankfully Lou and Clem have their HEA.
I am pleased that I took a chance to read Guel's book which was a fun, enjoyable diversion from "real" life.

3,5⭐️

A bit too much miscommunication for me, but goddamit if stealing ducks together absolutely bought me.

A Western with a non-binary cowboy and a queer romance? Heck yeah!

The premise of this book is amazing, with lots of tropes we all love: fake/arranged marriage, slowburn, only one bed, grumpy x sunshine, etc. I had a lot of fun reading it and I thought the main romance was really sweet (and spicy). It was also very cool seeing so many queer characters in a historical romance, especially in a Western setting (which has been traditionally very hypermasculine).

I did feel like maybe the pacing was a bit off because the book felt longer than it was. In particular, while I love a slowburn, some of it felt a bit repetitive and frustrating after a while. But that was probably just me and my personal taste.

The conflict was interesting, but the characters definitely drove the story, which I loved! There were a lot of complicated and intriguing characters, and I enjoyed my time with them. I'd definitely recommend this book for your next LGBTQ+ historical romance read.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Bella Books for providing an advanced copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

My heart is full of happy little tumbleweeds after reading this sweet and cozy western romance. Comforting and fun you follow the unlikely relationship between Lou and Clementine as they negotiate to figure out who they are (what secrets they are hiding) and who they are together - Lou didn't want a wife, but both they and Clementine are searching for a true home and they find it in each other. The backdrop of a rough outlaw town, saloon girls and a house that needs to be built adds a whisky and molasses flavor - for those looking for those who enjoy rom-com and Outlawed by Anna North.

For both of the main characters life has been tough. Lou Ramirez grew up in a time when the only thing known about the LGBTQIA was as the locals would say ‘stay away from him/her’. The only ones in Ghosthallow that treated them with respect are the local women who worked in the saloon. All Lou wanted was a safe place to live, hopefully no one would come looking for them. Apparently there was a reward to the person that can bring Lou to the authorities. They have the wrong info but that didn’t matter, all they wanted was the reward.
Clementine Castellanos' life wasn’t much better. She was only six when her father, along with her sisters were killed. Clem was taken to their camp, where she grew up working or should I say forced to work around the camp. Finally she is able to get away, by marrying the ‘old guy’ who paid for her. Lou comes to her rescue by paying off the ‘old guy’ and giving her a place to live. At the same time Lou just wanted to be left alone, all Clem wants is to stay with Lou. Now both are trying to just live but it seems the authorities aren’t done with them yet.
Fast paced, lots of action and good characters both, main and supporting cast make this a very enjoyable read.
ARC via NetGalley/ Bella Books

<i>Thanks to Bella Books and Netgalley for this eARC!</i>

This was a great concept. I mean, a western where one of the two protagonists is non-binary? Gimme more! And M.B. Guel has so much greatness here. Both Lou and Clem are complex, in depth characters. They've lived through a lot and have the scars (physical or otherwise) to prove it. I really felt for Lou just wanted to exist on their land, simple and free of complicates, free to be themself. I also liked Clem's desires to be out from the situation she'd found herself in since childhood, and to get answers for what happened to her family. The supporting cast was also great, in particular Juanita, the one most willing to give these two stubborn people the kick in the ass they so often need.

Unfortunately, the execution of this story needed a bit of work. Maybe another revision before publishing? The book jumps back and forth between Lou and Clem's POV, which is all fine and good, but several times it kind of jumps from one character to the other between one paragraph and the next, without much indication (other times they use a '***' to show the divide), which can lead to a bit of POV whiplash, especially when it seems like it's something short just so we know the other protag is doing <i>something</i>, when it's safe to assume they're doing something.

The other issue I had was Guel packs their characters with so many things they need sorting out, all while Lou and Clem are also busy falling for one another, and it might have helped to lose a couple subplots because when some are resolved, the payoff is a bit weaker than it could have been if there were less to juggle. I mean, there's the mystery of Lou's past, the looming shadow of Lefty, the bounty hunter after Lou, Clem trying to sort out who sold out her family, Clem's missing older sister and Lou's history (and potential future) with Inez. Probably more that I'm forgetting. And yes, some of those plot threads are tied together (no spoilers), but still they felt like a lot, all while we're supposed to be rooting for these two characters who won't properly communicate with one another to fall in love.

Long story short, great concept marred by execution that needs a little help. 3.5 stars rounded up.

I'm not normally much of a romance novel person but this book absolutely had me kicking my feet and giggling like a fool. As a non-binary lesbian whose type is non-binary lesbian cowboys, I was head over heels for Lou.

It was so nice to get to read a book with a nonbinary lesbian main character, especially since part of the plot deals with how Lou is percieved and treated by others. How they navigate their gender (especially in regards to manners and specifically how they navigate relationships with women) was so relateable and really made me feel seen.

The romance was fun. Lou and Clementine do very much deny their feelings for one another for far longer than strictly necessary (particularly Lou), which is a trope I typically really hate. Honestly, though, here it was fun. Like, I kind of get it why people who like that trope like it now.

The only thing I didn't like was the phonetically written southern accents. It was often distracting and sometimes difficult to understand. As a southerner, I also find it annoying when a heavy southern accent is written phonetically but other accents (for example, whatever accent Clementine had, which I presume was general American?) are not. (It's my opinion that, for the most part, phonetically transcribed dialects in dialogue should be left in the past with Mark Twain, but I won't get into that now.) Accent and dialect can be conveyed in other ways, such as word choice and use of regional phrases.

Regardless of that minor annoyance, I adored it! This might be the beginning of a lesbian romance era for me.

Non-binary rancher, Lou, is surprised to find a mail order bride, Clementine, delivered to their door when the only mail they were expecting was building supplies. Turns out their order and another man’s order down the way got mixed up. Lou brings Clementine to the other house to make a swap but discovers the other man is mean and nasty. Not wanting Clementine to deal with him and suffer, Lou offers to pay for her instead and agrees to let Clementine stay with them for a week until she finds some place to go. And so begins the story of Lou and Clementine. Full of dark pasts, secrets, bounties, shoot-offs, near death, and the slowest of slow-burn romances there was never a dull moment in this book! I loved Lou and Clementine, even if they were both stubborn and infuriating as hell at times. I downloaded this title on a whim and I’m sure glad I did!

*eARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

this book's dedication - to trans people deserving silly love stories - really encapsulates for me what reading this book was like. i was really excited about this book from the premise, as i think there's something about the cowboy vibe that really draws transmascs in, and i had a great time reading it. the nonbinary representation was fantastic, and i was really rooting for the love story throughout. the conflict and lack of communication got a tad repetitive by the end, and the Wild West world-building was a bit flimsy and leaned a little too modern for me, but once i suspended disbelief, i couldn't put it down.

This was a good book and I enjoyed it. It was very entertaining and I highly enjoyed it. Exactly what a good western is all about.
I just reviewed They Ain't Proper by M.B. Guel. #TheyAintProper #NetGalley
[NetGalley URL]

I was enthralled by this book. I read it in one sitting and will be rereading it. The character of Clementine is endearing and relatable while Lou is adorably stubborn. Their shifting points of view throughout the novel gives the read glimpses into past and emotions that are addictive. The storyline for each character is really interesting and kept me in my toes.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️
🐴🔨🔫🐄🥃

They Ain't Proper is a great historical sapphic book about a non-binary lesbian and a pansexual woman. There is a mix-up with an order, and a mail-ordered bride turns up at Lou's ranch instead of house plans and gear to build it. Instead of taking Clementine back to the man who brought her, who is a mean, nasty old man, Lou pays Clem's debts and they take her back home.

Lou does everything they can to pass off Clem's advantages, even though they do think very highly of her, but they don't want to un-proper. Not to mention they have a past that is coming to the point that is becoming dangerous for both of them. Clem has a past of her own, in which she sold herself to be a bride to pay back what her father owed. She is also looking for her sister and revenge, but her most important job is to get Lou to kiss her.

This book is great, and I really enjoyed reading about a non-binary main character who likes their ladies. I liked the plot, it was engaging and had twists that kept you entertained. The spice when it got there, was very hot. I recommend this book to all.

Thank you to Bella Books, M.B Guel and Netgalley for the copy of the eArc. This review is left voluntarily.

They Ain't Proper by M.B. Guel is a sweet and funny female and female romance set in 1880s Wild West.

Lou lives by themself on their ranch. One day, expecting a delivery of house plans and building materials, they instead a get a beautiful women called Clementine and someone else's gets her delivery. So Lou decides to take her to her rightful potential husband and get building materials. However on arrival Lou cannot leave Clementine with the mean, dirty man they meet. Lou does the right the thing and pays double to settle Clementines debt and takes her home with them.

But before anything happens, there is a lot they both have to get through.

Difficultly worth a read.

This book sucked me in and still had its hold on me. It was so good!

Lou is such a swoon worthy love interest.

Clementine is smart and badass. “Get the fuck off my farm,” Badass!

I loved them both so much and if you’re looking for a queer historical western romance look no further! This is definitely going on my “to be reread” self.

‘Miss Clementine, this ain’t proper’.

Lou (they/them) just wants to keep out of trouble and build themselves a house on their ranch. By mistake, instead of housing supplies they find they get mail ordered bride Clementine on their doorstep.
A bond is quickly formed, but both have dark pasts which will eventually catch up to them.

A queer romance with a non binary MC, set in the rooty tooty Wild West? Yes please!
This ticked all of my boxes and I adored Lou and Clementine so much.

Unfortunately, this did fall into the miscommunication trope that I am slowly losing patience with. It happened so many times! It does fit into the personality of the characters so I can give it a pass, but towards the end I was rolling my eyes a bit.

Overall I loved this. A fun slow burn romance, in my opinion similar to Legends & Lattes in the sense that it was a high drama low stakes kind of plot. You can cosy down with a tea, finish this in a day and enjoy the ride.

Rating: 4/5

Thanks to NetGalley and Bella Books.

I really enjoyed this western story featuring a Non Binary Character!

Lou is rough and tough, tries to keep their head down - but has a huge heart. They are a sucker for a damsel. So when Clementine ends up on their doorstep, having been dropped off at the wrong ranch, they know someone in need of saving when they see Clem.

Clem is also instantly struck by Lou, and finds her rescuer incredibly charming, proper and frustrating, too!

The two form a tentative bond, with a major push/pull effect in this Wild West town, on the fringes of law and order. It's got your typical saloon antics, and bounty hunters, danger lurking - dark pasts to discover.
Plus a heck of a lot of interpersonal relationship drama, which I have to admit; grated on me a little by the end. I know most readers will absolutely love this! Just for me it got that little bit too much, and I wanted to shake Lou and the convenient things that popped up to cause our lovers grief.

But overall it's a very solid story, with interesting and remarkable characters that charm you; living that idealised version of the Wild West life! So if you're into that genre, you're gonna love this!

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.