Ooo, who is this fun!!!! I think that might be the best way to describe Homebound
FUN!!!

Dakota and Wyatt are fun, spicy, and loveable, and ugh!!! My heart is just so happy with them!! They crack me up! They give me all the warm, fuzzy vibes! They hit all of the marks.

Wyatt came back to Texas with 2 things in mind. 2. Help with his grandparents' flower farm. 1. Get the girl! What's the best way to do that? Live in the same barn as her that also happens to be on his families property! What could go wrong when the single dad has to live with the Cowboy Killer! (So many things).

Everyone in this book has earned a special place in my heart! I love them all!!

What I loved about Dakota was that she wasn't the best from the start and instead put in the effort to excel by the conclusion of the novel, rather than just being the best of the best from the beginning. This made it easy to connect with the character. This is a dual viewpoint. The MMC is Wyatt and he is easy to fall for. Again, his actions were realistic and events that happen in real life.

This is perfect for anyone who enjoys a devoted single dad and a small-town romance. Wyatt was such a nice and courteous man to everyone, and the connection between Dakota and him made me laugh. I loved that he was younger than her, because I don't think you see that in romance books very often.

This ARC was provided by Atria Books Publicity via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Homebound the perfect escape to Texas hill country. I know the place intimately, so this book was special.

Dakota is a competitive bull rider and her childhood friend who is 2 years younger than her, Wyatt is in the NHL. He has always had a crush on her growing up but she always thinks of him as just a friend. She gets engaged and Wyatt breaks all contact only return years later with a baby in tow and determined to win Dakota over.

Wyatt’s a single dad and his southern manners were *chef’s kiss*. I enjoyed their journey towards rediscovering each other a lot. There were also some popcorn moments that added to the intrigue.

Thank you @atriabooks and @authormeredithtrapp for this arc 🤍

Such a sweet premise of a romance, but unfortunately this was a miss for me. The writing was lovely, but I just couldn't get past the blatant disinterest of the FMC. The MCs interactions/dialogue felt forced due to this and lacked the chemistry I needed to feel connected to the characters' relationship. I did love the always been you, second chance tropes as well as the setting of the story. I look forward to seeing what the author publishes next.

A big thank you to Atria/Emily Bestler Books and Meredith Trapp for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

I read his before when it was only an indie book and I love it again this time. Meridith knows how to pull at your heart strings and make you swoon for the hot hockey players. The FMC was a strong lead. I really enjoy second chance romances.

This was a fun book! I genuinely had a good time once I got over my expectations of the book. I kept trying to compare it to Icebound and that being a hockey romance and what not.

I genuinely enjoyed Wyatt and Dakota. I enjoyed how Wyatt was just ready to give it his all with Dakota and get out of the friend zone. His confidence in her was exactly what she needed after Boone and I love that he helped her with that. Dakota was a feisty little firecracker and for a girl who acted like she didn’t give a crap it made me sad to see her care about it behind closed doors. Seeing her with Wyatt’s daughter and reclaiming her confidence was a lot of fun.

The banter and history between them made this book really special.

Homebound is a tender, emotionally rich story that beautifully captures the essence of second chances, small-town charm, and the quiet strength of healing. Meredith Trapp delivers a heartfelt romance that’s both slow-burning and deeply satisfying.

Dakota is a fierce, independent bull rider with walls built high, and Wyatt—once her childhood best friend, now a devoted single father—returns to town with hopes of mending both their past and her heart. Their chemistry is slow to rekindle, but the emotional depth makes every stolen glance and shared moment feel earned. The quiet vulnerability beneath Dakota’s tough exterior, paired with Wyatt’s steadfast devotion to his daughter Vienna (who, by the way, is absolutely delightful), brings a beautiful balance to the story.

What makes Homebound stand out is its ability to feel grounded and nostalgic at once. The rural Texas setting, sprinkled with stargazing, creeks, and rodeo nights, adds a dreamy yet authentic backdrop to their journey. Trapp handles themes of forgiveness, growth, and reconnection with nuance and warmth.

While the pace is gentle, the emotional payoff is worth the wait. If you enjoy character-driven romances with heartfelt family dynamics and a strong sense of place, Homebound deserves a spot on your shelf.

Home Bound by Meredith Trapp delivers a fresh take on Western romance by flipping the script—this time, the spotlight is on a tough-as-nails cowgirl instead of the usual rugged cowboy. Dakota, aka the "Cowboy Killer," is a fierce female bull rider with dreams of making it to the PBR. She's gritty, determined, and not one to back down from a challenge. But lately, her confidence has taken a hit. She can’t stay on the bull for more than a few seconds, and a lot of that stems from her no-good ex, Boone, who got in her head and made her doubt herself.

Enter Wyatt Patterson, a hot-shot NHL player and childhood friend Dakota hasn't seen in years. Their reunion is anything but smooth. There's tension, unresolved feelings, and to top it off, Wyatt isn’t alone—he’s now a single dad to an adorable baby girl, Vi. He needs a place to stay for the summer, and Dakota’s place just happens to be the perfect spot.

What I loved about this book was the dynamic between Dakota and Wyatt. It’s a classic case of opposites attract. Dakota is all grit and guarded edges, while Wyatt is sweet, steady, and patient. He’s the kind of guy who wears his heart on his sleeve and isn’t afraid to fight for the woman he loves—even when that woman keeps pushing him away. I appreciated how Wyatt slowly chipped away at Dakota’s walls, showing her that vulnerability isn't weakness and that she doesn’t have to carry the weight of the world on her shoulders alone.

Wyatt didn’t want to tame her; he wanted to stand beside her. Their chemistry was strong, and watching Wyatt finally man up and prove to Dakota that he’s always been the one for her made for a satisfying payoff.

Home Bound is a heartwarming, slow-burn romance with strong themes of healing, trust, and learning to let love in. If you're looking for a cowboy story with a twist—and a heroine who can hold her own in the rodeo ring—this one’s definitely worth the read.

This one had its cute moments and was overall enjoyable. This one is definitely for all the nice boy lovers. There was one major plot hole that I am still hung up on and was mildly distracted by the entire book.

Thank you to Atria & NetGalley for the ARC <3

This book is the slowest of slow burns. It also started off slow for me and I didn’t get really invested into the story until it finally picked up about half way through. I did end up enjoying it though. Wyatt and Dakota have been friends since they were children. He’s always had a crush on her but has always been friend zoned. Wyatt is a professional hockey player that’s back home for the summer and determined to win the girl. He’s also a single dad of Vienna, an adorable one-year-old little girl. I absolutely loved Wyatt. He is an amazing father, and when he finally realized he needed to show Kodie that he is a MAN now, instead of the little boy she’s always known… boy does he show her. Dakota is a female bull rider just trying to make it to the PBR. I loved her strength and determination, but as a character she just lacked for me. She drove me kind of crazy that she couldn’t see how clearly obsessed Wyatt was with her. I did, however, love how obsessed she was with Vi and how much she loved her and stepped up for her. I enjoyed the reminiscing of their memories. And their chemistry (once Dakota opened her eyes) was amazing. Overall I loved where the story ended up.

Thank you to Meridith Trapp, Atria Books and NetGalley for an ARC of Homebound. I’m hoping theirs a third book in this series because I NEED Lana’s story.

read if you love:
bull rider FMC, professional hockey player MMC, small town, forced proximity, single dad, he falls first, childhood friends to lovers, slow burn, it’s always been her

Hey guess what? - another small town romance book THAT I ATE UP LIKE IT WAS NOBODY'S BUSINESS.

First of all, first Meredith Trapp book for me, loved the writing style. There were Harry Styles references and little sidebar comments that felt like they came directly from my brain so I thoroughly enjoyed that.

And lort, I need to talk about Wyatt because I STG if you give me a hockey player, from a small town, that's polite in public and not so polite not in public, I will absolutely love said character. Add in the fact this man is a DAD! Hellloooo.

Dakota was a great FMC. I felt like I could relate to her and her need to control things. I also really loved her ambition to do what she loved and removing things (and people) that were going to prevent her from reaching said goals.

Absolutely would recommend if you're looking for a small town Texas romance read to add to your TBR this summer!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

No one loves a good cowboy small town romance more than me and this delivered on every front. Do your self a favor and RUN when this comes out. Thank you Netgally for an early copy!

Second chance romance, friends to lovers, opposites attract, and the fact that she's a older tough female rodeo rider and he's the single dad hockey player determined to win her back??? THIS BOOK WAS DELICIOUS. Dakota and Wyatt grew up as best friends, Wyatt spent every summer at his family's flower farm with Dakota... and he's been in love with her. Dakota has never seen him as anything other than her best friend and suddenly one day he's disappeared from her life and not a single answered call or response... and now three years later he's back and asking if he and his daughter and can spend the summer with her. Wyatt knew he messed up when he went cold turkey on her but he thought that she didn't need him anymore after she got engaged and he knew it was time for him to try and move on... except he never did and he's back and determined to get a second chance with her if only he could get her to forgive him and to see him as anything other than a friend. Dakota doesn't have time for this, she's busy training to win the rodeo competition and get a spot on a team... but she can't resist Wyatt and how he's somehow opened her eyes to a completely new side to him she's never realized... but is she going to risk opening her heart again and possibly ruining a friendship... or is it worth the risk? This book was so so good. I adored the friendship and love that Dakota and Wyatt had for one another. The spice was amazing and the second chance romance aspect was done so well. Seriously I need the next book in this series immediately!!!!

Release Date: June 17,2025

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Atria Books | Atria/Emily Bestler Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

I loved Wyatt and Dakota!! This was such a fun story with wonderful characters. Like Dakota, I usually go for the alpha males but Wyatt was just too charming to resist. I loved all the different role reversals in this story. The rodeo and flower farm setting was really delightful.

Wyatt was seriously just too cute!! He's so adorably awkward and unsure but that just made him so much more endearing. He's the ultimate book boyfriend.

I liked that Dakota was the older, more confident one in the story. The role reversal was a nice change of pace with her being the one chasing a dream. She has such strong black cat energy but it wasn't off-putting. It was commendable how much she was willing to put in to achieve her dream of riding for the PBR. I also loved that she was a woman in a man's sport.

I liked that you could really feel the heartache from both sides and it was easy to see and understand both perspectives. The emotional was so raw at times and I really felt it in my heart. I loved all the history between them and how much it added to the story. This was such a heartfelt story that I would definitely recommend!!

This one is tricky for me. I think I’m landing on 3 stars.. It was cute overall, but the pacing was a little bit tricky for me. The first half dragged, but it DID make the slow burn worth it. Wyatt and Victoria were adorable, and I liked seeing Dakota with her.

I had a few issues: I wanted more character development and just general consistencies to make it all a bit more realistic for me. Still, there were sweet moments and swoony scenes. If you’re not bothered by the things that bugged me, I think you’ll enjoy it!

Thank you Netgalley and Atria for the ARC!

Homebound by @authormeredithtrapp
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75

This book is the second in the Boundless Players Series. It follows Dakota, she is a strong woman who is a bull rider and Wyatt who is a single dad. Vienna “Vi” is Wyatt’s daughter and she is the cutest little character. Dakota and Wyatt are childhood friends who end up together in the most cutest way. The bond between the characters are really strong… the family environment was everything. I adore Dakota and how she accepted Vi as her own. 😍

I love the fact that this book is based off of Texas which is my home state. 💖

Meridian did an amazing job with this one can’t wait for the next book.

THIS BOOK WAS EVERYTHING I NEED IN A SINGLE DADDY, COWBOY ROMANCE BOOK!

If you’re looking for a book with these tropes ⬇️, then this one is for you.

•Single Dad
•Cowboy Romance
•Forced Proximity
•Childhood Friends

Thank you @netgalley, @atriabooks and @authormeredithtrapp for gifting me a eARC copy!

#releaseday #bookrelease #arcreview #bookreview #cowboyromancebook #books #bookcommunity #bookrecommendation

This book was so so good! I love the Texas Hill Country so so much and this book made me miss home! Meredith does such a good job in drawing us in to Dakota's story. I found myself rooting for her throughout the book. I was crying at the end when she finally did it,. I love authors that bring you into these characters lives. I also loved the sweet pining Wyatt had for Dakota. But my favourite character? Little baby Vi. She stole the show. Who would have thought a little baby would make a book so heartwarming? Every single character (minus the jerks mentioned) were amazing and likeable. I love the focus on family and just raising good southern people. I cannot wait to read more from this author!

Thank you Atria books and Netgalley for the early copy of this book.

4⭐️
ARC Review!!
Thank you Netgalley and Meredith Trapp for giving me the opportunity to receive this eARC!
This was such a cute and quick, small town, cowboy, romance. I absolutely loved how this was a bull rider romance, but the FMC was the bull rider!! It made this feel different than many other cowboy romances I’ve read, and I was not disappointed. This story definitely gave me Elsie Silver and Lyla Sage vibes.

. ✨Book Review✨
🤠📿Homebound📿🤠

My thoughts:
🤔 When I requested this one on NetGalley, I failed to realize that this was the second in the series. I did not read the first, but this one read perfectly fine as a stand-alone.
🤔 I think the cover art is absolutely beautiful, and it matches the story perfectly.
🤔 This was such a sweet story. I loved both characters right from the start. I also loved the banter between two minor characters, Alana and Willie. (I am predicting another book featuring those two characters.)
🤔 This might just be the steamiest, spiciest romance novel I’ve read! (Especially the outdoor shower scene!🚿♨️) 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
🤔Wyatt is a single dad who is in the NHL, and I admired his dedication and love for his daughter. I also loved how he always put her first. I also really admired Dakota’s relationship with Wyatt’s daughter, Vi.
🤔 I also loved how supportive Wyatt is of Dakota’s dreams and how they figure out how to make things work.

📢Overall, I really enjoyed this story, and I will definitely recommend it to my friends who love steamy, spicy, cowgirl romances. The only faults I found were wanting more of Wyatt and Dakota’s backstory. Wyatt kept saying that he’d loved Dakota since she rescued him from the creek, but we never got that creek story.

Read this one if you like….
🌄Small Town Romance
🤠Slow Burn Cowgirl Romance
🏒Hockey Player Romance
💞Swoony
💕Emotional
😍Childhood Friends-to-Lovers
🥈Second Chance Romance
🏠Forced Proximity
🌶️Lots of Spice
👩‍❤️‍👨Dual POV

🥰Thank you to Atria Books @atriabooks and @NetGalley for this gifted eARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you NetGalley for a copy in exchange for my honest review. I was hooked from the first paragraph. There is something about a cowboy romance that is perfect especially when reading during the summer time! Wyatt is the perfect mixture of cowboy and hunky hockey player going back to his roots and finding a second chance at love with Dakota.