Our little Montana adventure paired perfectly with this read… Talk about a delicious treat of a book! I seriously was obsessed with every page from start to finish.

Dakota is a bada** female bull rider who takes crap from no one and has the perfect attitude, but she is a gummy bear on the inside and sweet as pie to those who matter most to her. Wyatt and his little girl, Vi being two of those people. Wyatt, she calls her “summer boy” is a pro hockey player, and a hottie of a single dad. She’s missed him cause he’s ghosted her while she was engaged and unavailable to him (it was just too hard cause he’s been pining for her since he was 8). Now they have the summer to fall in love and he is PULLING OUT ALL THE STOPS!

These two! The tension is just perfection. The flirting is too cute. She is so blind to what’s right in front of her and he’s just all about making the girl his finally. Seeing her love on his little girl just makes him love her more than he always has too. They fit so perfectly into each other’s lives and prove why they’ve always been so meant to be, just never meant to be in the moments before.

4.75⭐️

This book was so so cute and fun!

I’m not typically one to like a long life friends to lovers troupe but Meredith Trapp did it beautifully. These two characters has to much banter and fun interactions that had me crawling for more and DYING LAUGHING! Some of her lines were comic GOLD!

I also love that she did something a little different and had the MFC be the tough bull rider and the MMC be the softy.

AND LET ME TELL YA, I typically like morally grey and brut-ish men so when I learned that the MMC is kinda a softy I was scared BUT HE SURPRISED ME! You learn to love him just like the MFC!

So so good and I totally recommend!

*arc review*

If you want a cowboy/bull rider/grumpy vs a hockey/golden retriever/sunshine (single dad aka my favorite trope) this is the book for you! I absolutely adored Dakota and Wyatt and was so sad when I got to the end of it. I enjoyed the writing, characters, setting, basically every part of it! Such a fun read and definitely a nice palette cleanser. Thank you for the ARC!

Homebound by Meredith Trapp follows Dakota and Wyatt, an aspiring professional bull rider and an NHL star. Dakota and Wyatt have been friends since childhood, but when Dakota got engaged to a different man a few years ago, Wyatt moved away and stopped answering her calls. Now, Wyatt’s returning home for the summer as a single dad, bringing with him his daughter and his continued feelings for Dakota. Wyatt’s determined to win Dakota over, and Dakota’s determined to get on a pro bull riding team. Will Wyatt be able to leave once the summers over, and will Dakota finally see him as a grown man instead of the summer boy he used to be?

My personal thoughts: Frankly, Wyatt’s manners are working well for me, with me being a southern gal myself. I really enjoyed this book. From the heartwarming family dynamics to the slow and steady romance, I loved every page of this book. I loved it so much I forgot to take notes as I was reading. This book was the perfect combo of a tooth-achingly sweet romance, the sweetest little girl ever, and the most delightful cast of characters you’ll find in a texan small town. Highly recommend.

Thank you so very much to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this delightful e-arc.

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐☆ (4/5)
Homebound by Meridith Trapp is a charming, emotional, and heartwarming romance that pulls you into the lives of Wyatt, Dakota, and the sweet little Vienna. As a big fan of cowboy and sports romances, I felt completely at home with the setting and atmosphere. Trapp did a great job creating a world that feels both familiar and comforting, with strong family dynamics and the kind of small-town ties that tug at your heart.
I absolutely loved Wyatt—he’s the kind of hero you root for from the very start. He’s grounded, caring, and incredibly devoted. Vienna was also a standout for me—adorable, smart, and added such emotional depth to the story. Their scenes together were some of my favorites.
Dakota was more complex for me. While I appreciated her strength and determination, I personally struggled with how hard she pushed at times. Her approach occasionally made it difficult for me to fully connect with her decisions, especially in the context of her relationship with Wyatt. I would have loved to see a bit more vulnerability from her.
The romance is emotional and layered, though I didn’t fully feel the “it’s always been you” theme as strongly as I hoped. There were hints of it, but I think it could have been explored a little more to really hit that deep, romantic payoff.
Still, this was a very enjoyable read with engaging writing and great pacing. I’m excited to read the next installment in the series and see where these characters go. Meridith Trapp has definitely landed on my radar as an author to watch!

YEEHAW!!! I have followed Meredith Trapp on Instagram for so so long and seeing this book get traditionally published is so exciting!!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This book was so sweet. I love a second chance romances, single dads and cute babies, so this book had a lot going for it. I'm very happy thay it didn't disappoint.

It was so great watching Dakota slowly fall for Wyatt, but even better to watch her fall for Vi. Her relationship with Vi was really, really sweet.

I usually don't like ex drama, but it was handled okay here.

The bull riding freaks me out, but I'm happy for Dakota.

The ending scene was really sweet, Wyatt is just so supportive and great. This was a really heartwarming book.

The margarita recipe at the end was a cute touch.

“I’m going to die in the friend zone.”

And dear reader, for the first HALF of the book, I thought he was going to.

This book was very cute! A little slow, and heavy on the telling rather than showing, but I’m a sucker for a friends-to-lovers romance. Sprinkle in a sweet, doting single dad and a badass bull riding FMC, and you get a fun western romance.

Did I have issues with the pacing, prose, and dialogue? Maybe. Did I still enjoy this book? Definitely. Dakota and Wyatt were hysterical, and Vienna (Wyatt’s daughter) felt like an actual child, which is not an easy thing to write.

Ultimately, this book was not for me, but it might be for you! It sort of reminded me of Done and Dusted, and if you enjoy easy, romantic, steamy reads with Western set dressing, try this one on for size.

It seems everyone is in their cowboy era right now, but Meredith Trapp said hold my boots, and let me give you some cowgirl love!

This book was sweet! A classic summer love story. I do wish we could have gotten some flashback scenes to really build more onto Wyatt and Dakota’s love, but overall I had a smile on my face the whole time.

I LOVED that Dakota was the one competing in the rodeos.

I love a good southern mamas boy, and WOW the things Wyatt had to say… *immediate swoon*

Wyatt is so pathetically in love with Dakota and the development he showed was so good. He really went from being shy and blushing at her words, to whispering sweet dirty things.

Sweet Dakota, a bit of a grump and never thinking she’s good enough. Seeing her gain her confidence was written beautifully.

Who isn’t down for some bull rider romance? I was really intrigued when I read that the FMC was the bull rider, because I don’t think I’ve read any books with that kind of character. It’s usually the MMC who is the bull rider of the two. And we get a hockey player with that (though there is no hockey really mentioned throughout the book.

Honestly, it was a fun book. We get Wyatt, who has basically loved Dakota from the moment he’s known her over a decade before, and who is a single dad after a one-night stand. Who is also an absolute sweetheart and definitely swoon whorty. And we get Dakota, the badass bull rider who is falling for the man who had been her best friend. Honestly, it was cute to see them navigate all those roles to finally come together as a family.

Honestly, I had a great time. I didn’t realise when I first started this book that there was another book in the same world, Icebound, but now I definitely want to check it out. Not that you need to have read it to enjoy this one. It definitely stand fully on its own.

This started cute!!! Dakota wasn’t super likable though. I felt like she didn’t care about Wyatt the same way he did about her. I lost all interest once they got together.

3.5 stars...

Homebound by Meredith Trapp was a fun read! Who doesn't love a cowgirl romance? Dakota "Cowboy Killer" Culter is one strong cowgirl. She's a bull-riding, scowling softy who is struggling to stay the full 8 seconds on a bull. Dakota's best friend, Wyatt Patterson, moves back home to Granite Falls, Texas, with his sweet daughter Vienna. Wyatt has been head over heels for Dakota since she saved him back in high school. Wyatt is excellently written; he's a golden retriever, NHL star, and proud girl dad. This is a slow burn, but you will be rewarded in the end, with a shower scene! There was just something missing for me with Homebound. Excited to see what book comes next and to continue the Boundless Players series.

Thank you, Netgally, for sending me this book in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this one! I couldn’t help but binge read it in less than a day.

The pacing of this novel was just right and there wasn’t a 3rd act breakup to make you hate love. The main characters, Dakota and Wyatt, were perfectly themselves and their individual growth throughout the story felt natural and real.

Their chemistry was off the charts! This was the perfect amount of steamy to make you swoon but not overtake the depth of the plot. For me, the language and some PDA were a little out of my comfort zone, but I can’t deny that it’s well written.

This book read like a first-in-a-series so I don’t think I missed anything from the story before this one. I recommend this as a quick beach read or for a cozy rainy day.

If you’re a fan of Lyla Sage novels, this will be right up your alley. I think I liked it even more than the rebel blue ranch series 👀

Thank you to NetGalley and MGT Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Homebound isn’t my usual kind of read, but I’m glad I gave it a shot. The second chance romance is heartfelt, and the emotional depth really grew on me. Dakota’s character growth, in particular, was a standout. While some moments felt a bit over the top, the story had real charm.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of Homebound by Meredith Trapp

I enjoyed this so much!! It was such a cute take on cowboy romance, and I loved that the FMC was the badass bull rider. My only complaint is that I hate a single parent trope.

✨𝗛𝗼𝗺𝗲𝗯𝗼𝘂𝗻𝗱✨
•• “𝙉𝙤” 𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘴, 𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘨𝘳𝘪𝘱 𝘵𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘴, 𝘦𝘺𝘦𝘴 𝘧𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦. “𝙆𝙚𝙚𝙥 𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙗𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙨 𝙤𝙣, 𝙝𝙤𝙣𝙚𝙮”

Well well well, looks like the good guy is worth rooting for after all. Who’d have guessed? Not me. But Wyatt made me a believer, and he’ll do the same for you.

•• “𝘈𝘯𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘣𝘪𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘭𝘪𝘯𝘨”

As much as I love Wyatt and all his growth, my girl Dakota is who really stole the show for me though. She’s tough as nails on the outside but underneath it all she’s full of self doubt and needs a man that knows how to handle her - which definitely makes her relatable in my eyes.

•• “𝘠𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘢 𝘧𝘭𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘯𝘦𝘦𝘥𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘷𝘢𝘭𝘪𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯, 𝘺𝘰𝘶’𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘴, 𝘥𝘢𝘳𝘭𝘪𝘯’, 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘬𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘢 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘦𝘳𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘵”

I love the way the childhood friends to lovers trope packs so much history and emotion into a story - and it does not disappoint here. There’s so much love and hurt between them over the years and it’s truly satisfying to watch them overcome those obstacles and finally be on the same page. Wyatt and Dakota compliment each other so well and push each other to be the best versions of themselves as possible and it’s the sweetest thing to see.

•• “𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙙𝙚𝙨𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙤𝙣. 𝙄𝙩 𝙟𝙪𝙨𝙩 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙝𝙚𝙧 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙡𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙞𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙗𝙖𝙘𝙠𝙧𝙤𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙩𝙤 𝙜𝙚𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙮𝙤𝙪”
𝘐 𝘭𝘢𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦. “𝘚𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘸𝘢𝘺”
“𝙔𝙚𝙖𝙝, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙨𝙘𝙚𝙣𝙞𝙘 𝙧𝙤𝙪𝙩𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙢𝙖𝙠𝙚𝙨 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖 𝙗𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙨𝙩𝙤𝙧𝙮”

Homebound is getting the recognition it deserves and is rereleasing June 17! Everything I love from the indie version is still there, including the cover, but with just a little glow up.

I was so lucky to be gifted this book as an ARC.

I loved this book. The relationship between Dakota and Wyatt was the best. I love an MMC who knows what he wants and Wyatt is swoonworthy. If you love a friends to lovers, bull riding romance this is for you. I now want to read everything Meredith has written.

I love a cowboy romance and this book hit a lot of marks for me. With childhood friends to lovers, single dad, and second chance romance. A lot of tropes done well. Uh and Wyatt, what a guy— perfect cowboy. We love a guy that’s down bad. I also really like that the FMC was the bull rider, because lots of romance, specially cowboy romance, falls into “typical” gender norms. I think lots of people will enjoy this book!

ARC provided through Netgalley.

Thank you NetGalley and the Publishers for this copy of Homebound by Meredith Trapp.

I don’t usually like romances (especially cowboy romances), but I decided to try something new, and I’m so glad I did! Wyatt and Dakota grew up as best friends with Wyatt always having a crush on her. Their lives veered apart for a while, but Wyatt is determined to get the girl, so he moves back to his hometown. The two main characters have the perfect amount of tension and seem to fit so perfectly together. This book was adorable and I will definitely be reading some of this authors other work.

⭐️4/5 stars

Cowboy romance, with a single dad, childhood friends to lovers, no third-act-breakup, AND a second chance? I’ve hit the trope lottery!

Wyatt has my heart, but Vienna can have anything she wants. They are the cutest father-daughter duo, and I loved their dynamic.

Dakota and Wyatt had such history that was immediately felt, and I really loved how down bad he was for her.

I also enjoyed their progression from friends to more; that was very well done.

This summer boy, little devil, and honey girl make the perfect trio.