3.5 stars.

Ahhh Amelia and Eric were so cute. I love a slow burn and a grumpy MMC.

The one different thing about this book that I didn't really love is that whilst the author had sweet reasons for not including a third-act breakup, it did mean that parts of the book felt really flat. Introducing the element of drama that she did, did not have the same impact, as I was not invested in Amelia's relationship with her dad.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Love a cowboy romance with a bit of slow burn. I did enjoy the read and finished it in two sittings. I just wasn’t absolutely hooked! It was an enjoyable read but personally just fell a bit short for me. I do enjoy a bit of spice in my books so maybe that was what I was missing in this! But thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The tropes in this were so interesting, and adding cowboys into the mix made it perfect. Initially, it did keep me hooked for a while. But after the first few chapters, I lost focus. There was more focus on cowboy life and ranch life, and less on the romance. There was no real connection between the main characters, and ultimately, the story fell short. I'm sad that this book just wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed Yes, Chef and Rider’s Block had me drawn in but didn’t win me over in the same way.
It had a lot of elements I really enjoyed, the beautiful landscapes and nature heavy setting, the forced proximity, one bed (one horse), found family tropes, but it felt a bit lacking. The characters were wonderful (the female MC a bit dense) and made for interesting side stories but the romance was a bit too slow of a burn for me. I have never seen a man try so hard and a woman resist so much, I was about ready to give up on her.
There were a few editing issues (timeline confusion, the hopefully accidental use of an ethnic slur (twice)) but I know this is an ARC so I will give some grace there!
Thanks NetGalley and Waitlyn Andrews for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review. I love a good cowboy romance but this just fell short for me personally. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the main characters so ultimately this didn’t work for me as a romance novel.

The detail, writing style, and first person narrative took me out of the story, made it drag, and was executed poorly. The pacing and tense changes showed that edits would be helpful. Amelia was so off-putting. I found her voice was just annoying. Overall, there's much to be improved in my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an arc to read and review.

3.5 stars

This was such a sweet and charming romance. Mia, a successful romance author, is feeling stuck as she tries to break into a new genre and decides she needs some real-life cowboy inspiration. So, she heads from sunny California to rugged Colorado—and that’s where she meets Eric, the classic grumpy cowboy who wants nothing to do with her at first. While the rest of his family welcomes her with open arms, Eric stays cold and closed off… but of course, that just makes their slow-burn connection even better.

I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve. Eric might be tough and stoic on the outside, but once he decides he’s all in, he’s incredibly thoughtful and patient—willing to take it slow to earn Mia’s trust. I loved that about him! There’s just something so satisfying about a strong, silent cowboy who knows what he wants and is willing to work for it. The ranch setting and rodeo backdrop gave the story an authentic, down-to-earth vibe that made me want to pack up and head out west.

Thank you to Waitlyn Andrews and NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

3.25 stars

I enjoyed the premise. I haven't read many cowboy romances and fish out of water stories are so fun. I loved the slow burn of this story. There is no spice which I appreciated. I absolutely loved all of the side characters. Especially the animals. I really thought the author was setting up a Penny and Dean book early on but that wasn't the case. I would have loved to see their interactions from their perspectives.

The pacing was off in the last third of the book. Our main characters were essentially together but because the FMC wasn't ready to admit she was in love, the story was drug out for another 20% until she could admit it. The small and grand gestures were so sweet but the story just needed to be tightened up a little.

Overall I had fun with this one and I definitely need to read more cowboy romances!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest opinion.

📖🐴 Book Review: Rider’s Block by Waitlyn Andrews
✨ Slow-burn romance. Cowboy charm. Healing hearts. ✨

Just finished Rider’s Block and I’m still swooning! 💫
This grumpy-sunshine romance between a struggling author and a rugged rancher is everything I didn’t know I needed. Set in the beautiful Colorado countryside, it’s full of heart, humor, and those “omg just kiss already” moments. 💕🔥

Amelia and Eric's chemistry is off the charts, but what really got me were the emotional layers—grief, growth, and finding belonging in unexpected places. 🐎

🌾 If you're into:

🐎 Small-town charm
📖 Writer-in-search-of-inspiration energy
💔 Healing from the past
🔥 And chemistry that sizzles

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 5/5 stars! Highly recommend.
💬“Sometimes the hardest words to write are the ones we need to hear the most.”

#RidersBlock #WaitlynAndrews #CowboyRomance #RomanceReaders #Bookstagram #BookLove #SlowBurnRomance #IndieAuthor #RomanceRecs #BookishVibes

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5)
Rider’s Block is a witty, slow-burn, grumpy-meets-sunshine romance that blends sharp banter, emotional growth, and cowboy charm into one heartwarming read.

Amelia Greene is a bestselling author in a rut, and watching her head to rural Colorado to literally ride out her writer’s block had me laughing and cringing in the best ways. Her voice is relatable and sarcastic, and the “fish out of water” setup makes for plenty of fun—and tension—especially once she starts clashing with Eric, the grumpy cowboy who might just be her perfect muse. Their chemistry simmers beneath every confrontation and awkward moment, building naturally over time.

I appreciated that both characters are layered: Amelia’s guardedness and career doubts felt authentic, and Eric’s quiet depth (and surprisingly swoony moments) made him much more than a one-note brooder. There’s also a refreshing maturity to their relationship—communication, vulnerability, and emotional baggage all come into play.

The pacing did drag a bit in the middle, and it took about a third of the book for me to feel fully invested. But once the tension snapped and the feelings started to bloom, I was all in. This isn’t just about falling in love with a person—it’s about reconnecting with your purpose, and that added depth made the story all the more satisfying.

If you’re into grumpy cowboys, stubborn writers, forced proximity, and the kind of romance that unfolds like a slow dance in boots—this one’s for you.

This is a fun, feel-good romance with a strong sense of place and a heroine worth rooting for. A cozy escape for readers who like their cowboys grumpy and their dialogue snappy. The story lags at times.

A book about books plus a cowboy romances sign me up, was very well written and kept you intrigued from the very beginning. I would relate the author to a aspiring on track to be in her cowboy romance era like Lyla Sage.

I did not get around to reading this one, I did start it but never continued due to how busy life got, but it does seem to be up my ally and definitely something I'd enjoy reading.

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! 🐎