It was a very tame, sweet romance - not a ton of spice and pretty light on the details in the open door scenes. A lot of death and mourning. How much can two people handle? I teared up a few times. The HEA made up for it but it was a long time coming and well deserved. So if you want a sweet love story with some emotional ups and downs, a HEA and a side order of country, you’ll like this one.

Thank you to Avon Books UK and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

I had a hard time getting into this book. Whilst it was cute I found it hard to connect with the characters. The dialogue was simplistic and there more telling than showing.

I did find the main characters to be likeable and I appreciated the writers effort to discuss heavier topics such as cancer. Whilst I enjoyed the concept of the book it just didn’t hit the spot for me personally.

I wanted to love this book but unfortunately it just didn't hit the spot for me in the way that I hoped. It started off really strong and I was fully rooting for the characters but as the book went on I just got frustrated with them.

Back in the Saddle was very character-driven and in my opinion, was more about sickness and grief than it was about romance. That being said, I loved how Hunter and Caroline were both supporting each other through everything and helped each other grieve and heal. I loved seeing both of them evolve and grow through their hardships. I really enjoyed their small moments but felt like we didn't get enough to get attached to them as a couple. I also found myself very frustrated with the frequent lack of communication between both characters.  

The beginning was great, sparks were flying from their very first meeting!! I loved how they found their way back to each other after their first meet-cute. Although, the pacing was a bit off for me. Some parts felt rushed while others felt like they were dragging on for too long. 

Overall was a cute story and had a very interesting beginning, but for me just kinda fell flat with the romance. 

Thank you Netgalley for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest opinion 🫶🏽

This was labeled as a cowboy romance for those who love Lyla Sage. & I have to say, the only thing that is in common with her novels is the cowboy theme. This story was not it for me but more so, the ARC digital file made this so difficult to read.

Hopefully the book format is a better option, I’m sure someone will enjoy it but it wasn’t me.

so good, so cute, literally could not put this book down!! captivated me and i ate it all up in a day.

Such a cute debut western romance. I can't wait to see what else Maggie is going to have to offer after reading this and really enjoyed it.

This was okay. I had a hard time getting into this book. It didn't really grab my attention. I think the characters were okay nothing really stand out and the plot was decent.

Back in the Saddle was an enjoyable cowboy romance.
Hunter and Caroline almost had a kind of instalove, but their connection was believable and I enjoyed their banter together. Caroline shined in this one, I love seeing a passionate, intelligent woman who hasn’t always been lucky in love finally get her happily ever after.
The writing style wasn’t my favorite and a lot of the conflicts in this book kind of frustrated me. Miscommunication isn’t a dealbreaker to me, I find that it sometimes makes the story feel more real because miscommunication is such a huge part in real life relationships. However, the miscommunication here wasn’t necessarily the most realistic and got on my nerves a bit, especially at the end.

First of all thank you for approving my request!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! The authors writing style had me hooked throughout this book.

I didn't want it to end, a book I really couldn't put down.

This was a cute cowboy romance.

I wanted to love it more than I did, the pacing wasn't always on track, at times it was slower, and then faster, but it didn't feel like it was needed for the story.

I really enjoyed the open communication between the MMCs until they went to not communicating, it felt like regression in the book.

I am in my cowboy era he-yah

This will be as spoiler free as possible

First of all a huge thank you to Avon books for asking me to review the book it was such fun .

The story starts with the character Caroline who is starting over after a not so nice divorce,she meets Hunter hello hot stuff,my new favourite cowboy .
The book is full of emotion heartwarming moments and also felt very cosy . the feeling of starting over i thought was scary yet refreshing at the same time .
now you spice queens i know your waiting to know if there are spicy bits Yes ,there are happy days I loved the romance to the story perfect in every way .

i loved the plot the writing was so on point It was very well paced It was just what i needed ,and the setting of my gosh ,I would not mind moving there .

i think Maggie has brought us such a brilliant cowboy romance i will be rereading again thank you for bringing such a fun cowboy romance to life i am giving the book 5 steamy cowboy romance stars

Back in the Saddle starts out strong, and has great bones for a good story. Caroline is a smart and capable FMC, that you can't help but root for. Hunter is a swoon worthy love interest with a heart of gold. I love how they meet and the general plot of this book, but it lacked the depth that I was hoping for and felt very surface level. The romance was insta-love, and all of the main conflicts were based on miscommunication. Two of the most frustrating tropes in any romance book. Although I believe any trope can be executed well, this unfortunately did not hit the mark.

3 ⭐️

Thank you to Avon Books and NetGalley for the e-ARC of Back in the Saddle in exchange for an honest review.

This story had so much potential, and it started off really strong with the way Caroline and Hunter first met. Their meet-cute was genuinely charming, and I particularly enjoyed Hunter’s confidence. Both characters were well-crafted and layered, with real emotional depth. I appreciated how patient Hunter was with Caroline, who was still recovering from her divorce and quite sheltered as a result. I also thought the portrayal of grief was handled well, with Caroline dealing with the loss of her marriage and starting over in a new country, and Hunter coping with the death of his father.

However, there were a few aspects that didn’t quite work for me, which is why I’ve given it a three-star rating. The pacing, in particular, was a bit uneven. At times, the story jumped ahead abruptly, skipping over weeks or even months, which disrupted the flow. These moments often relied on telling that Caroline and Hunter had spent time together, rather than showing their emotional connection developing naturally. For a book with such a slow-burn romance, I think more time spent building their relationship on the page would have added much more impact.

When it came to the intimate scenes, the emotional connection was certainly there, and again, Hunter’s patience and sensitivity were lovely to see, especially for someone so young. But the frequent use of clinical, medical terminology for body parts felt quite jarring. It gave those scenes a tone that reminded me more of a textbook than a romance novel, which took me out of the moment.

Towards the end of the book, Caroline’s ex-husband falls ill, and she drops everything to be by his side. While I understand that she still cared for him deeply, as they were once married and had a lifelong friendship, the way this plot point was introduced felt abrupt and I’m not quite sure what purpose it served in her journey of healing. This decision ultimately led to her cutting Hunter off, even though their relationship hadn’t been clearly defined. Then, a year later, Hunter moves to Aberdeenshire where Caroline has returned and it’s framed as fate. Unfortunately, I struggled to buy into that ending as it felt a little too convenient and rushed to be truly believable.

Overall, Back in the Saddle had all the ingredients for a heartfelt and emotional romance, with two likeable and well-developed protagonists. While I enjoyed many of the individual elements, the pacing and execution let it down slightly for me. That said, there’s a lot of promise in the writing, and I would still be interested in reading more from this author in the future.

This is a small-town cowboy romance with soooo much heart! Maggie has created characters that embody such depth that I genuinely felt like they were real. It’s refreshing to read a romance book that embodies the messy struggles of life. And when I tell you I loved the ending…
Caroline is looking for answers to life when she flees her Scottish hometown, ending up across the ocean in Oklahoma. Keen to escape the fallout of her marriage, she happens upon a hunky cowboy in a bar and the chemistry is instantly off the charts.
Hunter has swagger, charm and most importantly, a tonne of depth. I loved his character and how earnest he seemed. He’s dealing with the ongoing health issues of a loved one; attempting to plan for an unknown future; all whilst also trying to come to terms with a years’ old heartbreak that altered his outlook on life.
Throughout Caroline and Hunter’s journey, we explore attraction, loss and what living a purposeful life really looks like. Their story is a testament to two humans muddling through the chaotic aspects of adulthood whilst still managing to find joy in one another’s company.
I also can’t write a review and not mention Finn! At the start of the book, I was confused about how I felt about him. His relationship with Caroline had been (and continued to be) special, so I think I was looking for someone to blame for the breakdown of their marriage. But the reality is, sometimes things are complicated and by the end of the book, I had nothing but respect for him. He’s a brave soul in many ways.
This story is obviously rooted in romance - but it’s also about lost love, familial love and self-love.
Thank you so much Maggie and Avon books for an advanced e-copy. I really enjoyed this!

This book had all the makings of a comforting cowboy romance, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me. While the setting was charming and the premise promising, the pacing felt slow, and the characters didn’t fully develop beyond surface-level emotions. The romance lacked the chemistry I was hoping for, and some of the plot points felt predictable or rushed.

There were moments of warmth and potential, but overall, it didn’t leave a lasting impression. A decent read if you’re in the mood for a light, small-town story—but not one I’ll be galloping back to anytime soon.

After Ransom Canyon (!!!) I needed a cowboy romance fix, and Maggie did NOT disappoint with Back in the Saddle!

Where do I even begin? Probably with Hunter. From Chapter One I fell in LOVE with his character. He's such a charming and yet soft-hearted family man, and as you read Maggie unveils his personality in these layers of emotional complexity that work SO well (and they just make you love him even more).

Caroline, like Hunter, has some baggage to work through, and initially, thinks of this as "just a fling." But watching her slowly fall for him was such a sweet progression! While I felt like some of that progression happened very fast toward the last bit of the book, she was an incredibly strong, hardworking, and driven character I couldn't help but root for. I love that she regained passion for medicine throughout this story, too. The career development! We love to see it!

The ranch setting, the medical backdrop, the little things--i.e. hiking date and rodeo photo booth--all truly stole my heart with this one! But what I found captured my attention was the depth Maggie writes this with. She delivers a cowboy romance coupled with beautiful emotional vulnerability, and I found those raw emotions to be what fleshed the characters out so well and pulled me into the world of Back in the Saddle. While heavy at times, as someone who has worked in end-of-life care the discussions surrounding it in this novel are absolutely heart-wrenching yet important in their own right. Everyone's journey through grief is so different, as Caroline mentions in the book, and this book captures it movingly while never losing grasp of the romance thread.

Hold onto your hats, because Back in the Saddle truly takes you for a wild ride (and one I know I'll be thinking about for a long time)!

2.75 stars, rounded up to 3.

This was a quick and sweet read, but a few fundamental issues kept it from moving from like to love for me.

Hunter and Caroline share an instant spark after a chance meeting. They’re unexpectedly reconnected, and their relationship develops from there—despite an unforgiving timeline. He lives in OKC, and she’s set to return to Scotland after a year.

There were aspects of the book that left me frustrated. The pacing was inconsistent, with several underdeveloped plotlines that were introduced and then seemingly abandoned. One particular distraction was Hunter’s use of British terms—such as calling his mother “mum” and saying he was getting “in the queue.” As an American character, those phrases felt out of place and better suited to Caroline. Additionally, there were too many side characters who appeared and disappeared too quickly to track. They didn’t seem to be included for future setup, which made their presence feel unnecessary.

Overall, this was a perfectly fine and cute read, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the advanced copy.

I requested this books based on the cover (which I love), and the “Fans of Lyla Sage, Paisley Hope and Elsie Silver” promo.

I wanted to love this book so bad, but sadly it just wasn’t for me. I didn’t gel with the writing style. At multiple times the prose and the dialogue felt a little robotic which took me out of the story.

My cowboy dream lol while I will say the way the arc downloaded was very contested and made it hard to read the story was still very good. I’ll be picking this up for sure