I still haven't caught up on the first book in the Boundless Players series, but who am I to say no to yet another cowboy romance? 🤠 I had such a blast reading this, especially because it was a SINGLE DAD!! and he's been in love with her for YEARSSS!!! I'm a sucker for these tropes. The writing was a tad repetitive, but overall it still was a fun, spicy and lighthearted read. I'll definitely pick up more by this author!

Homebound by Meredith Trapp is the second book in the Boundless Players series. It is a heartfelt, friends to lovers romance that is set in a small-town. The novel includes themes like second chances, personal growth, and love. Set in Texas, the novel follows Dakota Cutler; a bull rider, and Wyatt Patterson; a hockey player. Having been friends since they were young, they were inseparable. Now things have changed and Wyatt wants Dakota as more than a friend. Overall Homebound was an entertaining, funny, light hearted novel.

4.75⭐️I made 73 highlights reading this book this should tell you something about how much I was obsessed with Wyatt & Dakota. The banter was top notch.

And let’s not mention the cutest baby Vienna who has her dad wrapped around her little fingers. 🥰

For Wyatt it’s always been her, for Dakota he is the friend that disappeared without a good explanation.

Dakota is amazing, fierce and strong and has a huge heart, makes total sense that he is gone for her. But no one can keep Wyatt in the friend zone, that man is too good for his own good. I guess now I have a thing for southern gentleman slash NHL star.

“Wyatt Dale Patterson. Are you flirting with me?” His fingers inch up my waist, climbing higher and higher. “Yes, ma’am. I have been for a while now. You gonna put me out of my misery and flirt back?”🥰

“Careful with that look, honey.” I tangle my fingers through his loose hair. “What look?” “That look in your eyes.” “How am I looking at you?” I ask. He flashes me a casual smirk. “You look like you might be fallin’ for me, and it’s giving me all kinds of hope.”

Can be read as a stand alone as I did but this is book 2 in a series and if you are like me you will run to download Icebound and read that next. I would take more in that world. Willie and Lana seem like they would be a riot.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books and the author Meredith Trapp for the advanced reading copy, all my opinions are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of these ebook.
I am a sucker for a bull-rider romance and I loved seeing the FMC in the role!
Single parent romances can be hard to pull off but I thought Trapp nailed it in this one.

This was a cute romance.

I think the cover does well to catch attention and bring you in.

Once I started the book, I was hooked! I love a second chance relationship. Both of these characters went down their own paths, each with a physically demanding career and built reputations for themselves.

I love that Wyatt had to do some chasing and it wasn’t made super easy on him. Dakota is a tough woman, smart and can handle her own. I’m glad she didn’t just give in when he came back!

Homebound by Meredith Trapp is a friends-to-lovers, single dad, small town romance. Dakota and Wyatt have known each other since they were kids and much to Wyatt's dismay, Dakota has kept him locked in the friend zone. Three years ago, Wyatt walked away from the friendship, but things are different now and he is back home and determined to win over Dakota. This was the first time I read a book with a FMC bull rider and I really loved reading about such a strong woman, but also getting to know and her learning about the real "Dakota" and her softer side. My favorite relationship in this book had to be Dakota and Vi, I just adored the way that she absolutely fell in love with her. I thought that Dakota would push back or fight the relationship a little more with Wyatt once it actually started, based on her dating history and previous insecurities. Overall, this was a quick read that I enjoyed and I will definitely pick up more by this author.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Bull riding cowgirl is a MOOD. Unfortunately, this book was not.

I’m honestly still processing this one — Homebound wasn’t terrible, but it definitely wasn’t great either. I didn’t love it, didn’t hate it… it just was. There were some cute moments, especially early on, but overall the book felt undercooked and repetitive, and the characters just didn’t work for me.

Let’s start with the pacing: I actually preferred the first half of the book to the second. In the beginning, I thought there was potential — Wyatt being a sweet, shy, gentleman pining over his best friend had some “first crush” charm to it. But then the second half hit and it was like the same three lines were being repeated over and over again — I get it, she wants to be a mom, she’s a badass bull rider, except… is she really?

Speaking of Wyatt: I don’t care how many times this book tells me he’s a dreamboat — he was boring. Like yawn-level boring. His entire personality was being obsessed with Dakota. He was… pathetic. I’m sorry. This man pined after Dakota for twenty years, fathered a child after she broke his heart, and never once moved on. His entire personality was: “southern gentleman,” “good single dad,” and “in love with Dakota.” That’s it. That’s the list. And let’s not ignore how weird it was that he always wore a mood ring she gave him as a kid around his neck… but somehow Dakota never noticed it until he proposed with it again? Did he only take his shirt off near ring-friendly lighting? He’s been pining for Dakota for decades, and she’s always just called him her “summer boy”? Be so serious. Also, a man bun? That’s not giving “grown man,” it’s giving midlife crisis.

There was a lot of pre-release chatter about how it makes no sense that Wyatt “always loved” Dakota when he has a kid from a one-night stand. And honestly? Let’s clear the air: Dakota was the problem the whole time. Wyatt had his heart stomped on by her getting engaged to a jerk who basically told him to disappear. So he tried to move on like a normal person. The accidental pregnancy with a woman who didn’t want the baby wasn’t his moral failure — it was a product of grief and rejection.

But even knowing that, Dakota made it hard to root for her. She was so stubborn about not acknowledging her feelings, and when she finally gave in, it was such a weird, sudden 180 it felt unearned. There was barely any on-page development of her feelings — one day she wants to sleep with other men (in the house she shares with Wyatt and his infant daughter — weird!), and the next day she’s crying about being too emotionally attached. I didn’t feel a satisfying emotional arc from her at all.

And despite all the talk of her being a badass bull rider, she never even hits the required 8 seconds on a bull. The best she did was six. SIX. For someone chasing a professional career in the PBR, she felt more like a wide-eyed rookie than a decorated athlete. And yes, we were told (over and over) that she was a tough-as-nails cowgirl who doesn’t cry, but the story never actually showed that. Her riding career felt more like a beginner chasing an unrealistic dream, not someone on the brink of greatness. Add that to the fact that she doesn’t even eat meat and is trying to gain muscle… like, girl, what’s the plan here?

Vienna, Wyatt’s daughter, was adorable — but also treated like an afterthought half the time. For a devoted dad, Wyatt sure seems to always be at the gym, the rodeo, or making moon eyes at Dakota while Vienna’s at Grandma’s. And the fact that his daughter called Dakota Mama after they were dating for like five minutes was absolutely wild — and everyone just accepted it like, “Yep, love that.”

Also, the sex scenes and tension? Not it. Wyatt refuses to sleep with her after she’s been drinking (okay, checks out), but then a few chapters later, after she’s clearly emotionally distressed from a rodeo accident, then he agrees to have sex with her? And she wakes up calling him “the perfect distraction”? That scene left me feeling icky — not romantic. And from that point forward, it felt like every chapter was either sex or them thinking about having sex.

The side characters were either unnecessary (looking at you, Boone and Nash) or pushed aside (her dad, Vienna). And don’t even get me started on the scene where Dakota races home from the rodeo because the babysitter let a full-on party break out with Vienna there. First off — what was that scene? Like, babysitter invites her boyfriend over, suddenly it’s a house party she ‘can’t control,’ and Dakota is the one who has to go shut it down? But then the logistics just stop making sense. Wyatt and her dad are randomly in the same car for no explained reason — which, okay — the car blows a tire near the rodeo, fine. But then Dakota just hops in her car and drives home alone. Why couldn’t she have just picked Wyatt up, had him drive her back to the rodeo and then gone to check on Vienna? Her dad could’ve stayed with the broken-down car — he was just there with Wyatt for no reason anyway. None of it added up.

Also? Boone. Why was Boone still showing up after the first time? He added nothing but cringe, especially that ridiculous scene where Wyatt tries to “intimidate” him with a dictionary definition of no. Like… please.

The writing was also rough. Way too much telling instead of showing. Emotional beats didn’t land. Chemistry felt forced. Dialogues read like first drafts or TikTok tropes shoehorned into the story — and I know that “flirting for a year” line was lifted straight from BookTok. I rolled my eyes more than I smiled. The repetitiveness in the writing was painful. If I had to hear one more time that Dakota wants to be a mother, loves her dog, is a badass bull rider, or that Wyatt is a “southern gentleman,” I was going to throw my Kindle across the room. We! Get! It! Lines like “I’m a badass bull rider” and “gentlemen don’t do this or that” were repeated ad nauseam. And the emotional beats? They didn’t land. Half the angst felt forced, and the chemistry was lukewarm at best.

Even the line dancing kiss scene — secondhand embarrassment. The quickie before her final ride — WHY?? Her jeans were ripped, and somehow she had extras? It was giving Wattpad, not a finished novel. And then there’s the mood ring engagement subplot, because how did Dakota never notice the ring if he was supposedly wearing it around his neck at all times?

There was potential here — female bull rider? Amazing, underused trope! But the execution? Shallow, inconsistent, and surface-level “girlboss” energy. Dakota didn’t dominate a male sport — she struggled in it, emotionally and physically, and that contradiction was never addressed. Instead of grit, we got slogans.

I liked Willie as a side character, but if Lana’s the FMC in one the next books… I’m nervous. She read plastic and high horse, and I didn’t connect with her at all.

In the end, Homebound felt like a debut still finding its voice. The cover is stunning. The concept is strong. But the story felt like a draft, not a fully-realized novel. I’m hopeful for the author’s growth, but this one just didn’t work for me.

This book was sooooo good and I’m so sad it’s over!!! 😭

This story was so raw and real and you couldn’t help but root for the main characters!! Dakota is so spicy and I fucking love it! She’s strong, independent, and doesn’t need a man! But will cave and be soft for the right one (and for Vi). Every time Dakota called Vienna “Little Devil” I melted because it was so adorable!! Wyatt Wyatt Wyatt — such a golden retriever 😭 I loved how fiercely he loves Dakota and his daughter. He’s such a girl dad and it made me wanna cry 🥹

I had so many emotions reading this book but I was laughing, kicking my feet, and honestly screaming the whole time. There were so many times I laughed out loud because Meredith can write some funny character moments for sure. I also really loved the chapter titles!! It was so fun to find them throughout each chapter while I was reading.

I have always been a huge fan of cowboy romances, and if you give me a bull rider as a female main character, I’m completely on board!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. Dakota, the protagonist, has to be tough for everyone to take her seriously as a bull rider. However, she shows her softer side to those she cares about, including her dad and our male main character, Wyatt.

Wyatt has been in love with Dakota since childhood, but he has always been too scared and hesitant to express his feelings, especially since she always had someone with her whenever he returned home after the NHL season.

Fast-forward to this summer-- He and his daughter need a place to live, and after three long years of silence, they meet again and become roommates. As things progress, Wyatt finally decides to take a leap of faith and confess his feelings.

What I loved about this story: I enjoyed the yearning between the characters and appreciated the few people who supported Kota. I absolutely adored Kota’s bond with her dad and Wyatt’s relationship with his daughter.

Overall, this is an adorable and heartwarming read. Thank you so much for the ARC!

Oh my goodness this was so cute! A really sweet child good friends to lovers story. FMC Dakota is fierce and everything you could want in a really cool female character. Wyatt’s love for Dakota throughout their friendship was top tier. It was easy to fall in love with a majority of the characters in this book. Totally recommend for anyone wanting a friends-to-lovers romance with an awesome bull-riding FMC!

I usually enjoy a good cowboy romance, but this one just didn’t hit the mark for me. The pacing felt painfully slow, which made it hard to stay engaged. I did appreciate that Dakota was a female bull rider—definitely a unique and strong character trait. Wyatt, on the other hand, was an absolute sweetheart, and I really liked his character.

However, I couldn’t get behind the reason he left or why he stayed away for so long—it just didn’t feel believable. As for Dakota, she honestly frustrated me. She didn’t seem to have romantic feelings for Wyatt until she saw his body, and only then started warming up to the idea of more than friendship? That just didn’t sit right with me. In the end, I didn’t think she deserved him.

My favorite Cowboy romance! I love Dakota and Wyatt, especially Wyatt! Patty Daddy made his appearance in Icebound and I loved him from the first moment and was rooting for him to get his happily ever after! Meredith does not disappoint! And that outdoor shower scene?? 🥵 if you want a good cowboy romance, friends to strangers to friends to lovers then this is your go to!

I originally read this last year when it first released as a part of Meredith’s permanent ARC team. I’m loving this new cover with the little 🦎 geckos, and had to get this eARC to help promote the rerelease!

The cover is quite literally one of the most prettiest covers I've seen. But unfortunately, the book didn't live upto my expectations.
The synopsis really intrigued me because I've never read a book where the fmc is a bull rider. I love me a good 'it's always been you' trope but it didn't work well this time. It doesn't sit right with me that he was always in love with her but still has a child with OW. The book had its moments but I couldn't look past that.

I normally go into book blind and with this book all I knew that it was going to be a cowboy romance from the cover. I was pleasantly surprised when she (Dakota our FMC) was the bull rider!

Dakotas is an independent and stubborn woman who just ended engagement to follow her dreams of becoming a bull rider. Wyatt is a hockey player and single dad that moved back to his hometown for the summer to win the heart of his childhood best friend and long time crush.

This is a slooow burn but the wait is so worth it!

Wyatt was just a perfect MMC! He would do anything and everything for Dakota and it had me giggling kicking my feet.

Gave this book a 5Star it gave me everything I loved about romance books and keep me entertained

Tropes:
Cowboy romance
Single dad
Forced proximity
Childhood friends to lovers

This book was so much fun! 'Homebound' gives us a flip on the more traditionally used 'single mom with a baby' trope and instead gives us sexy, blonde god Wyatt Patterson, an NHL player who is spending his off season with the baby girl he has sole custody of back in his hometown. In the same barndominium that his former best friend and lifelong crush, Dakota Cutler, is currently living in. Dakota is aspiring to be a PBR bull rider, and comes with the newly minted nickname 'Cowboy Killer' due to her string of short-term paramours after breaking off an engagement with fellow bull rider, Boone Bowman. Nothing will go wrong, right?

The cast of characters is relatable and fresh. It was delightful to read a book where it's a male character who is feeling less than his old self after devoting himself to fatherhood. The progression between Wyatt and Kodie's relationship felt natural, and I genuinely crowed out loud at some of the banter between them - I have so many favorite lines highlighted in this book. Baby Vienna stole my heart. And the chemistry? The chemistry and spicy scenes were off the charts HOT.

Readers who enjoy hot and spicy romances that include:
Forced proximitry
He-falls-first
Golden retriever MMC
Grumpy Sunshine FMC
Single Dad
Sports (hockey, and bull riding)
Western themed

I give this a 4/5 chili peppers for spiciness (only because of the frequency of aforementioned spicy scenes. This rating reflects nothing on the scenes themselves, which I would give a solid 6/5 rating. Whewwwww.)

This book delivers on all of these tropes and more. I look forward to seeing what things Meredith Trapp has planned next in her 'Boundless Players' series. I only got a quick look at a few characters, but I would love to see Lana and Cruz each get their own novels in this series (Please? I'm not above begging. Haha).

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria/Emily Bestler Books, and Meredith Trapp for allowing me to read an eARC of this novel.

Loved this book! Fun,steamy cowboy romance with depth and chemistry. Not cringe or cliché. Great fast paced, binge able read!

It was a light and fun, I think people who enjoy single dad and country romances will enjoy this book.

In the end, I did not end up finishing this book. I felt it was trying to combine too many tropes and I was having a hard time enjoying the main characters - I think if it stuck with maybe 3 tropes max (childhood best friends, single dad, country/cowgirl) the plot would flow better and make more sense? Trying to tie in the hockey romance, labrador/cinnamon roll MMC, he was always in love with her, etc, felt like too much.

However, I was happy to see the pro-women approach to the characters/story (i.e. the dad not understanding why people see him as a hero for doing his duty as a parent just because he is a male - like getting groceries with his kid). This is rare in books, so seeing it from that point of view was really great.

I do think people will enjoy this book, even if it was not my jam..

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria for the ARC copy.

I just finished Homebound by Meredith Trapp, and I really enjoyed it. It’s a slow-burn, second-chance romance set in a small town, and the characters felt real and relatable. I liked how the story took its time developing their relationship—it made the emotional moments hit harder. It’s a cozy, heartfelt read with just the right amount of drama. If you like romances with depth and a little bit of grit, this one’s worth checking out.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Publishing for the ARC!

Okay I was super excited about this book cus it's so many things I love; single dad, second chance romance, small town, and a female bull rider?? I was so excited!

I thought the romance between Wyatt and Dakota was sweet. Wyatt is sooo cute with Vienna, SOBS. I wish we would've gotten more backstory with how Vienna came to be, though. He mentioned it was a one night stand to get over Dakota, but I wish we learned more about it. 

I am pleasantly surprised there was no third act breakup! That was very nice. I feel like the story tried to push the grumpy x sunshine trope, but idk I don't think Dakota fit the “grumpy” characterization that well.

But hey! This is a feel good romance where nothing bad happens to the main characters! It was cute! It was fun!

I love a cowboy romance, and I love hockey romance, so this should have been a beautiful marriage of the two. Overall, I think it just felt depressing?

The man is in love with a woman who has only seen him as a friend his whole life, and that isn't compelling it's just sad. The woman is a grump who really seemed mean not just grumpy, who hooks up with other men in this book. And it just sort of cheapens a romance to watch her pursue casual hookups in this because it's not romantic to watch the FMC be with other individuals when you know she's just gonna wind up with the MMC.

While I love the subgenres this book tried to blend, the two individual characters just didn't make a couple I wanted to root for in the end.