To me, this is the perfect example of the old saying, “don’t trust a book by its cover.” But not in a good way.

The cover art and synopsis had me hoping for a cowboy romance with dynamic characters and electric connection. What I got was a poorly written book that I almost couldn’t finish, with main characters that had almost no chemistry and a story with so much added fluff I felt like I was peering into the mind of someone with ADHD.

Conceptually, the book was intriguing. To get this to a level where I feel the majority will enjoy it, I personally think it need a lot of editing. A lot.

This was an interesting romance between a Scottish doctor and an Oklahoma cowboy. I didn't feel there was a lot of chemistry between these characters. This book wasn't for me.

The premise of the story is incredibly interesting but the writing itself needs a looot of work and also it was not the best or the worst overall
I feel like the story and the development of it should have been talked about more before putting the end in the final pages

Overall it was an interesting experience
Thanks to the publisher for the arc

Going into this book I expect a cute cowboy romance…. What I got was an emotional rollercoaster. This book maybe me sob so much especially towards the end. I wish I had some warning going into this book that there was heavy scenes about loss.

Overall it was a nice read but very emotional.

I really wanted to like this especially with how much I love the cover but I just don’t think this was for me!! Even though there was a lot of emotional elements with both characters with grief and other aspects, both our characters fell flat for me and I struggled to connect with both hunter and Caroline through their struggles . Caroline I was struggling with her constant flip-flop between I’m doing this and then oh wait I’m still married, it just felt repetitive with how often it would happen . I also think the kindle formatting of this arc really put a damper on the reading experience with how I constantly would end up skipping lines and having to backtrack because of the layout ! And the use of medical terms during the spicer scenes really takes you out the moment like yes Caroline is in the research practitioner field so terms like that would fit her character but in the spicy scenes ?? I also just felt like the plot in general wasn’t really going anywhere and could have been cut down massively . I did like some elements with the small town vibes and some of the trips they went on together but I just think this one wasn’t for me !

Thank you to Avon books uk and netgalley for the e-arc of this book

Caroline, a doctor from Scotland finds herself in Oklahoma where she meets Hunter, your favorite small town cowboy.

Caroline and Hunter had some great banter with each other which made this book more enjoyable. They both have moments of vulnerability and grief which they helped each other navigate those times.

This book had a lot of potential. I want to put a huge disclaimer that I had just finished reading 4 other cowboy romances before this one so it’s very possible I was just burnt out on the trope. However it did feel kinda dull to me. Caroline and Hunter both felt like they weren’t truly over their past even when they seemed happy with each other. I didn’t feel the connection and draw to them as main characters as I typically do. I think I would’ve liked to see more emotion from Caroline about her feelings towards Hunter. It always felt to me that Hunter was way more into Caroline than she was into him.

Overall it was a cute, cozy, small town cowboy romance that will have you giggling and maybe crying (like me).

I LOVED THIS. I'm on such a cowboy kick right now--this was such a fun read. I've never read from Maggie Eckersley before, and I can definitely agree with the comp of Lyla Sage. The writing isn't too much, too prose-y, and I enjoyed the speed that allowed me to speed through it.

This romance novel does some interesting things structurally, so I did enjoy it for that! The prose itself wasn’t my favourite, which made it hard for me to really sink into the story, which did impact my enjoyment of the story.

While the premise of the story seemed interesting - but in no way did this deliver.

The writing for this was very hard to read. Nothing felt consistent , the third person narration removed you from the story, and the details are inconsistent. There are thoughts/phrases in the text no one I know, or care to know, would actually think or act on.

A runaway Scottish doctor, a broody Oklahoma cowboy, and one whiskey-fueled kiss that unravels all their careful plans. Back in the Saddle is a heartfelt, slow-burn small-town romance packed with emotional baggage, sizzling chemistry, and second chances. Perfect for fans of Elsie Silver and Paisley Hope—this one’s got grit, heart, and just the right amount of heat. Giddy up.

After separating from her husband Caroline decides to move away and start over. She then meets hunter, a cowboy who lives in that town. I was very excited to read a cowboy romance and this was very cute. I do think it felt long where it lacked something more. Thank you Netgalley for the arc!

I feel so bad but I am really struggling to read this book. I am giving it a 3 because I don’t know if I can finish it and I don’t think it is fair to punish the author/book because I’m just not into it.

I wanted to love it because cowboy romances are my favourite but I ended up DNFing this one as it just felt very slow. It didn’t help that the formatting of this was absolutely horrendous

Thank you Avon books uk and NetGalley for this arc..

I really wanted to like this one. I wanted to like this one so much but i just couldn’t. I had to DNF.

I ended up DNFing this one for now. I couldn't really get into the writing and I am not a big fun of insta-love/insta-lust. Also, I absolutely hate miscommunication & it was driving bonkers.

I might come back to it later, but for now it's a soft DNF for me.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗴𝗲𝘁:
🤠 cowboy MMC x doctor FMC
🤠divorced FMC
🤠insta-love
🤠dealing with grief
🤠emotional

Thank you to Netgalley & Avon UK for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Adding to the new wave of cowboy romances and Scottish romances out lately, this blend was definitely a new one. Scottish doctor, Caroline, is done with love and moves to Oklahoma. There she meets Hunter, a man too busy for love himself. What we have is an odd combination for a sure romance.

I, personally, did not love the flow of the writing. There was nothing bad about it but it didn't flow with my head and the uniqueness of the relationship (and me imagining a scottish accent with a cowboy) just pulled me out of the story too often. The cover is perfection and really drew me in.

Read if you like:
--->Modern day cowboy romances
---> Modern day Scottish Romances
--->Small town romances
--->Starting over stories

Thank you Avon Books UK, Meggie Eckersley and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Back in the Saddle hooked me in immediately when I saw the blurb that it was perfect for fans of Lyla Sage and Elsie Silver - and that I am! The big difference that I found is that the writing of Back in the Saddle didn't make me feel immersed in the story - I definitely felt like I was just watching the story unfold as an outsider. It was a cute plot and had loveable characters that I found myself rooting for, but I just found the pacing a bit choppy at times. Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC!

A moving cowboy romance for those who love Lyla Sage and Elsie Silver books. It was emotional, cute, and funny in places.

Bonus points for the beautiful artwork on the cover! Loved it :)

Back in the saddle was an emotional and heartfelt small town country romance.

I loved Caroline… she was smart, focused and had her walls up in a way that felt relatable.

Hunter was a brooding cowboy who hides how soft he really is and got grumpy sunshine vibes

I did overall love this book however there was parts that I think lacked depth and would like to have seen more emotion from but overall loved it and it made me want more.

This book was a really enjoyable escape! Hunter and Caroline had this instant attraction and charming banter that pulled me right in. Their chemistry was just undeniable, and it was genuinely rewarding to see them work through their shared grief and healing. Caroline is basically my ideal romance heroine: super sharp, totally capable as a doctor, and realistically a bit guarded. Her starting fresh after a tough divorce really added some authentic emotion to the story, and I especially liked seeing an older female lead who truly knows who she is. Hunter, that classic broody cowboy with a surprisingly soft side, nailed that 'I don't have time for this' vibe that makes him finally catching feelings so satisfying. Their grumpy-sunshine dynamic kept things really captivating. The straightforward writing style was a big plus – it made this the perfect quick read to snap me out of my recent slump. A good cowboy romance always gets me back into reading! (Quick heads-up: the digital formatting was a bit wonky on Kindle, but it was much better once I switched to the Netgalley reader.)