3.5 - a classic cowboy romance with some twists.

Fiery Caroline is trying to figure out her life post divorce - how to move forward, does she still want to be a doctor and if so what specialty, etc. strong and steady Hunter is trying to hold it all together for his family -
Dealing with his father’s cancer and running the family ranch. Neither of them thought they were ready for someone new, and yet, they fell in love in spite of themselves.

There was a lot I enjoyed about this book including the main characters, the challenges they were both overcoming, and the overall story. I also wasn’t emotionally prepared for the last 20% of the book which was so sad (and sweet).

However, a lot of the book made felt like the author was trying to do a lot and thus couldn’t go as deep in any of it - in addition to the standard cowboy romance tropes there is added depth with some of the topics (e.g., death and grieving, divorce, reconsidering one’s profession) as well as some commentary on some things that are uniquely American for better or worse (e.g., lack of universal healthcare, bull riding for entertainment in spite of the risks). I wish there had been a deeper dive into some of the emotions and the impact to the characters vs staying surface level.

Thank you to Maggie Eckersley, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Cartoon cover and cowboys? I thought I was in for a treat. Please note this book covers some sensitive/heavy topics such as cancer and grief!

Okay so this book is in third person which makes it hard to connect with the characters and we don't really delve into the main characters pasts or feelings too much. I think Caroline is cute and fiesty and Hunter is typical ranch worker whos sexy but theres alot of back and forth between these two that does get tiring after a while.

I think this book is a great pallete cleanser inbetween books but if youre like me and just read cowboy books at the moment then this wont hit the spot like Elsie Silver or Lyla Sage

Thank you for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

2.5 ⭐️ — will round up to 3 since I think some of my issues will be resolved once more editing takes place

Back In The Saddle had its moments, but overall, it didn’t quite grab me. The story moved along well enough, but it lacked the kind of tension or emotional pull that keeps me fully engaged. Hunter was likable enough, but I just found Caroline boring. Her character felt a bit underdeveloped, which made it hard to care about her journey.

One major issue was the editing—or lack thereof (I know this is a draft, so let’s hope lots of editing is yet to come). There are several moments that pull you out of the story, either due to awkward phrasing or inconsistent details. For example, there’s a scene where Caroline makes tea for her friend, he comments on how he still takes his coffee with cream and sugar, then drinks tea, and somehow Caroline ends up drinking coffee. It’s a small thing, but moments like that pile up and make the story feel messy.

The spicy scenes were also a bit jarring—not because of the content, but because of the clinical language. Words like “labia majora,” “clitoral hood,” and “vulva” felt more suited to a textbook than a romance novel. It stripped away the chemistry and made the moment feel sterile instead of steamy.

Overall, the book has a decent foundation, but it needs another solid round of edits to clean up the inconsistencies and tighten the tone—especially if it’s aiming for emotional connection and heat.

This book is advertised for "Fans of Lyla Sage, Paisley Hope and Elsie Silver" which aside from the cover, is the main reason I was drawn to this book. While I think there are some similarities between these authors and this book, for me it wasn't enough. This book was ok, but for me it was missing that something special that made it great. I can't quite put my finger on why this one wasn't a 4 or 5 star read for me except that it seemed a bit bland? Although, I hate saying that because I did feel for both of the main characters with their family issues and of course there was good character progression, I just didn't feel very connected to this one. The overall story was cute though.

I will also say that the digital formatting for the ARC was terrible and made it hard to follow along.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK | Avon for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wanted to like this one, I really did. While contemporary romance is admittedly not my top genre, I am always down for a country romance as a girl who lives in the sticks. With such background in living in the country (a town of 500 people) in which I have known plenty of “cowboys” and “cowgirls”, I have a lot to say on this book.

When writing a romance in the country—or any setting—the author needs to research to make sure the information and the world they’re creating is accurate. Yes, we live in the country. No, we do not wear jeans, cowboy hats, and cowboy boots everyday. Shocker, I know.

Another thing I have some questions about is if Caroline is from Scotland (?) and is in her early 30’s, wouldn’t it be incredibly hard for her to lose her Scottish dialect?

As far as characters go, they both seemed kind of dull and hard to relate to. Both Hunter and Caroline made their trauma and hardships their entire personalities and it was slightly insufferable.

However, the aspect of them finding love and healing in one another was cute and sweet, and it was nice to see the characters grow. Also, let’s talk about that cover! Totally adorable!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book!

This was a cute book, because who doesn’t love a grumpy cowboy? It would have had a much higher rating if not for the formatting issues on my kindle. The FMC is educated and has whitty comebacks. Hopefully the formatting issues fix itself in the final edit because the cover is gorgeous.

Thanks for NetGalley and publishers for the ARC.

Back in the Saddle is a sweet and emotional cowboy romance that balances small-town charm with real-life struggles. At first glance, it feels like a typical light-hearted cowboy romance—but the story carries surprising emotional weight, especially with the main character’s father battling cancer. That thread added depth and gave the romance more heart and meaning.

The writing was solid, though not entirely my favorite style. Still, the story flowed well and kept me engaged, especially with the emotional layers woven in.

If you're in the mood for a feel-good romance with a cowboy at its center and a touch of real-life tenderness, this one’s a lovely pick.

Cowboy romances are by far my favourite romances to read! This one was so cute, I loved the longing, the slow burn and the atmosphere. I loved both the FMC and MMC and how they were written. I can’t wait to read more from this author!!

A really interesting story, with the heroine from Aberdeen transplanted to Oklahoma for a year's internship. Fun for anyone who has ever considered abandoning a rainy Scotland to find a spur-clad Cowboy from Oklahoma once in a while

I am currently loving the cowboy romance era! This was such a cute and fun read with relatable characters. Thank you to Netgalley for this e-arc! Can't wait to read more by this author.

Currently living and loving the cowboy era! I really enjoyed this book, and found the 3rd person style writing to be a lovely change from what I usually read. The characters are great and I loved the setting of the book!!

I'm an absolute sucker for a cowboy romance so I had to snatch this one up. Maggie definitely tries to make you go through the wringer as far as emotions go, between her divorce, Hunter's dad's cancer, and the deep emotional connections between the MC's. Caroline moving from Scotland to a small town in Oklahoma is QUITE the change, and we got to experience her try to navigate that huge change while simultaneously coping with her divorce. In walks Hunter, though, who falls head over heels even though he's determined not to need anyone in no time. There is a lot of will they or won't they in this story,y coupled with all the emotions and plenty of sultry spice.

This book had a great premise, but in execution was a bit all over the place. I appreciated the emotional storylines the author tried to tackle, from Caroline's divorce to Hunter's dad having cancer, however I think it was too much in one book to truly feel the emotional impact of all these elements. Discussions were had, but I didn't necessarily feel that emotional impact and often times storylines introduced were brushed past or had lots of excess detail that bogged the flow down.
I also found the ending to be rushed and a bit odd, especially with the lack of communication around it.
Overall, I'd give this 2.5 stars - there's potential here but unfortunately it wasn't the story for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this one at 20%, largely due to the formatting of the ARC. The premise sounded great and the writing was quite light and fun, everything you would expect from a cowboy romance. I would consider picking this one up again when it is published in a better format.

Thank you so much for NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In my cowboy era and this didn't disappoint at all!
It hits all the right spots and if you're a fan of cowboys and amazing writing, this book is for you!

if you have read and loved elsie or lyla, you're going to want to saddle up! 🤠

4.5 ⭐️ to maggie. this is an exceptional novel, especially for a new author. I really appreciated the mention of specific songs throughout the book. it was so fun creating my little playlist and coming along for the ride of hunter & caroline's dual pov romance.

there are some quite spicy scenes, but this is for the girls that love a deep emotional connection. both love interests have their own storyline and challenges. starting this story out in a whiskey bar really set the tone.

thank you, avon & net galley, for allowing me to read an arc of back in the saddle by maggie eckersley in exchange for my honest review. I will definitely be reading more by this author in the future, and I can't wait to see her grow!

Oh Maggie, I loved this!

We follow heartbroken Caroline, a junior doctor who travels from Scotland to Oklahoma to re-evaluate her life. When one night at a bar, she drunkenly kisses devastatingly handsome Hunter Jackson. Both sworn off love, but when worlds collide, who can resist the temptation?

This is what I love and needed in a ‘Cowboy Romance’. I laughed, I cried with sorrow and happiness. It’s not a light and fluffy read due to heavy themes of illness and disease. It’s an emotional ride with all the feels.

Thankyou Netgalley and Avon Books for the eArc in return for my honest review.

I received an early copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own .

This story is about a burnt-out junior doctor from the UK who during some time taken abroad to reconsider both her desire to practice medicine as well as her failed marriage finds a connection with a reluctant cowboy, who is in the midst of a family crisis due to his father’s cancer.

I wanted to love this, because the idea and theme of the storyline really resonated with me but unfortunately for a few reasons I just couldn’t connect as I’d hoped.

Firstly I think my copy of the story had formatting issues which caused flow issues whilst I was reading, but also there was so much genuine sadness that for me it was a struggle to enjoy. For reference I’m a HEA only reader and struggle with the more emotional reads. When I picked this up I wasn’t quite ready for the rollercoaster ahead.

Whilst a poignant story, with a kickass FMC and easy to love MMC at times sometimes the speech and wording used didn’t quite fit the characters in my opinion. I think if you like an emotionally charged ‘’will they, wont they’’ trope then this might be something you will love.

Firstly how gorgeous is this cover?!! this was a really cute and wholesome cowboy romance. I loved the descriptions of both Oklahoma and Scotland. I also really liked how grief was written, those scenes and descriptions felt very realistic. however I didn’t like a few things. one being the pacing, it started really well then some parts felt a bit repetitive and the last 20% felt very quick, it was just off. then the miscommunication between both characters was so annoying, things weren’t talked about or they would only tell parts of their own story and then make assumptions instead of telling the full story and I just know if they actually spoke to each other about everything then this book would properly be a bit shorter and it’s not even that long. Overall, I do think it was a great debut novel and I would recommend, I just didn’t LOVE it.

thank you to NetGalley and Avon UK for the arc!

Are cowboys in bars and a new setting for the main character going to hook you? YES! Fantastic ideas for an entertaining story, and Maggie executed it so well. I laughed and turned the pages quickly to see what would happen - so glad I read this and want more. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.