3.75/5
(-0.25 because I don't personally enjoy single POVs)

This is my first cowboy romance and I get the hype now🤭
It's a cute western romance read. The FMC is a romance author and a city girl. The MMC is a grumpy cowboy of Colorado.

Amelia is a romance author who wrote a cowboy romance that got rejected by 14 publishers and to fix that she tries to experience it to fix the book she wrote. Her friend offers her to stay at their family ranch in Colorado. There she meets Eric.

I loved everything.The family dynamics. The red boots. The grumpy outside and softie inside MMC and the relationship between Eric and Roper(His horse)

It would have been a 4.5 stars if it has Eric's POV too.

From little cowboy romance, very reminiscent of Elsie Silver books. If you like the vibe of Tessa Baileys books, especially the novellas, I think this would be a fun little cowboys escape palette cleanser!

This book had me smiling from start to finish. A relatable heroine, a swoony love interest, and a sweet slow-burn romance wrapped in writerly chaos. Loved the balance of humor and heart! 📝💘

I have been on a cowboy romance kick as of recently and this one was *chefs kiss* perfection. Amelia is such a relatable character who reminds me of me, when first got into horses and rodeo (except I was MUCH younger than she is). I love how quickly she finds safety and comfort in the Randall family, and how you watch Eric start to let his guard down around her. And god bless his patience because he waits for her as much as she needs and never pushes. My favorite moment is when they finally say okay, lets do this and everything falls into place. In the end, Eric gets his girl, Amelia gets her forever family and they get their gold buckle together and id be lying if I said I didn't tear up a little. Def check this one out if you are an Elsie Silver/Cowboy romance fan!

Thank you, Netgalley and Author Waitlyn Andrews, for the ARC✨ I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (all the way to ♾️)
.
Oh my fucking god! What an adventure this proved to be! Like I can’t express how fun and toe curling this book was!

I mean, can we talk about Eric’s confession😭😭 it was soo cuteeee. I literally swooned and his little actions made me feel giddy and gave me butterflies. The way he acts like he doesn’t care but everything he does shows otherwise. And the way he pulled Mia away from the other guy she was dancing with and didn’t let him put his hat on her head😭

And there was no third act drama. Just a whole ocean load of slow burn!

Alsoooo, yk what was more fun than that??? Dean! He had such a little brother energy, and I absolutely loved all his scenes. And the way he loved Penny😭 He worked so hard for his girl and I loved them together. That’s right guys, we don’t get just one, but two cowboys in love❤️

Also, I love Eric’s family. It was just so fulfilling reading about them and the relationships they all shared with each other💜

Mia’s red boots are totally unforgettable. And if course, Eric’s relationship with Roper was literally the best! (After Mia and Dean of course)

I mean… city girl x cowboy, do I need to say more?? 🤩
This book was a really cute romance, I really liked the characters and their dynamic, I just wish we had seen the mmc’s pov 🥺 I think that would have made me connect more with him and, consequently, feel more chemistry between the main characters.
Although I had a good time reading it, it was not life changing for me.

Rider’s Block is a sweet, slowburn cowboy romance that brings together a city girl author and a grumpy on the outside, golden retriever on the inside cowboy. Amelia, a successful writer struggling to pivot into a new genre, decides to live the cowboy life firsthand to get her groove back. Enter Eric: stoic rancher, surprise softie, and surrounded by a meddling but loveable family.

Set in scenic Colorado, the story delivers a cozy, low-stakes vibe full of ranch life, found family feels, and the kind of slowburn romance that has you quietly yelling at the book. Bonus points for the song at the beginning of each chapter, it’s a cute touch that adds some personality to the pacing.

That said, the romance is very slowburn. And with the whole story told through Amelia’s POV, I found myself wishing for a peek into Eric’s head. A dual POV could’ve added more depth, especially to those quieter emotional moments.

All that aside, Rider’s Block is a charming pick for readers who love clean romances, cowboy energy, and characters who genuinely grow on you. If you’re after something light, heartfelt, and a little bit country, this one’s a solid choice.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🐎

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really loved this book. I've added it to the list of books that I plan to buy so that I can read it again!

3⭐️
I liked it. It wasn't a literary masterpiece but it was enjoyable. Thank you to Netgalley for the arc.

This is about the MC not the author: Im sorry but what kind of successful author doesn’t do research? Especially the basics? Very early on in the book she goes to northern colardo, rents and car then blows a tire because she speeds down a dirt path???

I know that is too many question marks, but I just can’t. The FMC is meant meant to be an author, and successful one at that. But she is incapable of basic research or planning. It makes no sense and I just cannot get past it.

ERICCCCCC!!!!
okay so this book was a slow start for me, i had to restart a couple of times because i was in a slump. but about 20% of the way i was finally able to lock in and im glad i did! this isn't my usual read as there is no spice but still plenty to drool over!!

"Rider's Block" was a really heartwarming read for me. The story centers on Mia, a writer from California who, after being rejected by several publishers, decides to listen to her editor and move to a ranch in Colorado for a few months. Her goal is to get to know the cowboy life better and to write a crime novel set in that environment. This basic setting is interesting in itself, but what Waitlyn Andrews has produced is much more than your average romance novel.

The plot is rich and full of vivid descriptions, so it was easy to get sucked in. But what really got me were the characters – especially Eric. He's the typical gruff, quiet cowboy who has his slip-ups, but that's what made him likeable. He stole his way into my heart much quicker than I expected. The writer does a great job of showing that behind the tough exterior, there is a loyal, chivalrous man who is not only devoted to his land and family, but also has the ability to make room in his heart for a distressed writer.

The depth of the characters and the kind of values they represent are strongly present throughout. The novel not only provides a romantic story, but also an insight into cowboy culture, and does so with authenticity and care. It was a great feeling to learn and explore this world along with Amelia, and I felt that the author really put her heart and soul into this book – and it shows in every line.

If I had to make one small criticism, it would be of Amelia's behaviour. For me, the distance she showed towards Eric was a bit much. At times it was disturbing that she was so blind to his every approach. However, her backstory and her doubts explain this as well, so ultimately her reaction becomes understandable.

Overall, "Rider's Block" not only entertained, but also gave something. It's a western story about new beginnings, about opening up and about finding a home in the most unexpected places – whether it's in the middle of a dusty ranch or in the eyes of a cowboy.

Amelia is a romance writer who wanted to switch up her writing style, but after her book gets denied by publishers multiple times she needs a new plan. Now she is heading to the plains of Colorado in order to do some research. But not just any research, cowboy research. While on the ranch she meets the grumpy cowboy Eric. And of course in true grumpy sunshine fashion, they cannot stay away from one another.

I was excited for the concept of this book, give me a cowboy romance and I am hooked. However, after reading a couple chapters of this book I just could not find a connection in order to keep reading. I felt that the writing was disjointed and clunky. It came across as awkward at times and difficult to understand.

Maybe in the future I will try to go back and give this book another go,

I really enjoyed this one! My first read from this author. This is a cute western romance with a slow burn.

This is a closed door romance so know that going in.

I liked that the author was diving into cowboy culture and enjoyed the grumpy/sunshine romance.

Overall:
1-2 steam
3.75 stars

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

I am a sucker for a cowboy romance! I felt as though this one was a little too cliche for me, unfortunately I couldn’t connect with the characters because I was consistently being pulled out of the story. I think it has good bones, though, and I would love to give this author another try in the future!

If I could give this 4.5 I would! This is such a cute cowboy slow burn romance. I really enjoyed the characters and their dialogue and growth. I love the MMC, he’s totally the grumpy but sensitive cowboy heartthrob. This is my first Waitlyn Andrews book and I really enjoyed her writing style.

This is a very cute cowboy romance.
A quick fun read with a fish-out-of-water city girl and a rugged cowboy finding love.

The story follows a seasoned author venturing into unfamiliar territory—both literally and figuratively—as she embarks on a three-month stay in Colorado’s Cowboy Country to research her next book. What she doesn’t anticipate? Clashing with the grumpiest cowboy in town, navigating close quarters with Rodeo Royalty, and dealing with a certain someone’s tipsy confessions of attraction.

The novel’s greatest strength lies in its sharp, engaging voice. The protagonist’s wit and self-awareness make her instantly relatable, while the clash between her and her reluctant cowboy host creates fantastic tension. The forced proximity and slow-burning chemistry add layers to the romance, keeping me invested from start to finish.

Beyond the romance, the book paints a vivid picture of small-town life, rodeo culture, and the struggles of creative reinvention. The stakes could be slightly more defined—what’s truly on the line if the book doesn’t get published?—but the emotional beats land well, making this an entertaining and heartfelt read.

For fans of slow-burn romance with humour, charm, and plenty of cowboy grit, this book is a must-read. It was a great introduction to this author for me, and for the genre. Thankyou!

I genuinely told a friend I wished I had a head injury to reread this for the first time 😂
Absolutely 5 stars for this book. It’s my first cowboy romance, and one of my first few grumpy/sunshine novels, but I’m absolutely hooked. I loved to see the relationships unfold between all the different characters, and loved the slow progression of learning Amelia’s past. The characters were all incredibly lovable, and the animal personalities were a nice touch, too. I’ll be recommending this book to anyone and everyone I know. Gonna go buy some red cowboy boots and book a trip to Colorado now 🤍

A fun cowboy romance.
It was such a cute read and I was so happy that I came across this book.
Both characters were awesome even if I really had wished to have it dual pov to understand him better.