Thanks atria books and NetGalley for this arc.

What a cute and fun book! It’s sexy and flirty and the two main characters are def hot for each other. If you love cowboy romance you’ll love this.

Such a sexy and flirty story! I was hooked right away. It's easy to read and entertaining. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I loved that this book was unique with having a female bull rider. If was a nice change of pace. Give me a single dad NHL player any day. The forced proximity and old feelings coming back to the surface was everything I wanted. This author has easily become an auto read for me.

3.5/5 First of all the cover of this book really drew me in. I also am always down for a cute western romance. I enjoyed how the female main character was a bull rider it was nice to see the roles reversed in this book. I liked the family dynamics portrayed in the book. Some of the backstory could have been fleshed out a bit more but overall it was a sweet easy romance read. Thank you to Atria via Netgally for this ARC.

Thank you to Netgalley and Atria Publishing for the ARC! This is my third Atria book and not one has been a miss!

Spice rating: 1.5 (3 or less explicit scenes)

This is a second chance romance about a female professional bullrider and a professional NHL player. But I will warn you: there is not a lot of discussion about hockey and a lot of discussion about bullriding. I myself am familiar with rodeos (but not a competitor myself) and am also from the deep south, so I think that tinged my view of this book while reading it. Also, check trigger warnings at the beginning of the book! One of the things I couldn't get over is how Dakota (Kodie) called people "sugar" but was only in her late 20s. Sugar is reserved for the elderly!! I legitimately went and looked to see if the writer was from Texas (she lives there, if you're curious).

I thought the romance between Wyatt and Dakota was sweet. Wyatt is a perfect gentleman and he is SO cute with his little girl Vienna (which is a beautiful name but also makes me think of the sausages). I wish we would've gotten more tragic backstory with how Vienna came to be, though. He says it was a one night stand to get over Dakota after she got engaged, but I wish we could've gotten a flashback or something.

I loved the tension with Boone, the ex. Although he was super awful breaking Dakota down after they broke up, I feel like his 180 to "I want you back" was a little far-fetched, but I liked the storyline. I liked that Dakota was feisty and stood up for herself and Wyatt just supported her rather than saved her. And Wyatt setting up romantic gestures for turning points in their relationship? LOVE. Thoughtful and sweet!

If you want a feel good romance where nothing bad happens (to the main characters) and no third act breakup? This is the novel for you!

this book is one of the best reads in the whole small town- cowboy/cowgirl trope. I am so used to read male cowboy romance who are known for their casual ways that this book was different and in all the best ways. First of all I loved the relationship Dakota & Vienna built as it was so pure and loving.

-Small Town Romance
-Summer Romance
-It has always been you
-Single Dad
-Cowgirl & Hockey Player
-Single Dad

Wyatt & Dakota were always meant to be and I lobed how they finally found their way back.

This was a fun read with beautiful moments and I enjoyed the how Wyatt had added small things from Dakota's life and into Vienna's.

This book was so good and I am glad to have read it.

The cover is PERFECT.
The vibes, perfect.
Small-town romance and it's always you, my favorite things all wrapped into one.

Can we start with the cover? I absolutely loved it! It immediately caught my eye, and the description really drew me in.

What didn’t quite work for me, though, was the story itself. It began with Wyatt’s return, and I genuinely expected there to be some flashbacks or chapters set in the past either before he came back or interspersed throughout the book. To give us some context before their fall out. But that never really happened, which felt like a missed opportunity.

There were also quite a few moments where the characters kept repeating themselves. It got to a point where I was thinking, Okay, we get it.

As for Wyatt, here’s what I know: he’s a single dad, plays hockey, is totally obsessed with Dakota, and he’s a gentleman. I liked him at first, but over time he just felt kind of one-note like there wasn’t much depth beyond those traits.

And Dakota… wow. She’s definitely a unique. The timing and way she started to feel attracted to Wyatt just didn’t sit right with me. After all those years of knowing him and never seeing him that way, now suddenly she does? It didn’t feel like the attraction developed naturally, it just happened out of nowhere.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read this ARC of Homebound.

western romances have been pretty big lately, and i am certainly no stranger to the trend — i, like many others, have been riding the elsie silver & lyla sage train for a minute now. i was hoping to find another fun, light read with this book, but unfortunately it fell short of the mark for me.

our two main characters, dakota and wyatt, felt flat to me, especially wyatt. basically his entire personality was being a southern gentleman who’s obsessed with dakota — which, like, sure! i get that the whole “he’s obsessed with her” is a very appealing thing in this community. but it kind of felt like the author is very entrenched in the reader community and shoved these tropes into the book wherever they could fit (for example, if you’re familiar with the oft-referenced screenshot with the lines “wait, did you just flirt with me?” “have been for the past year thanks for noticing” — that was put in almost verbatim). the man is also a hockey player but it’s only brought up every once in a while, as if she kind of forgets that he has a job?? i also feel like there wasn’t enough on-page development for their relationship — there’s all these references to their shared history, how close they were, etc. but it was so much telling without showing that it didn’t land for me.

one thing i did like was the fact that dakota was the bull rider out of the two of them. that isn’t the norm in a lot of these western romances, so it was nice to see! i hope we’ll get a little more variety like this in the future.

Homebound by Meredith Trapp 🤠💔

Gorgeous cover. Disappointing story.

Listen, I wanted to love this so bad. A female bull rider? Yes, please. That premise alone had me clicking buy now faster than a cowboy on a bucking chute. But honestly? This just didn’t hit.

We’ve got an “always been you” childhood friends to lovers vibe going on, but y’all, he had a baby with someone else while supposedly pining for Dakota the whole time? Be serious. That’s not swoony, that’s a red flag.

And speaking of Dakota… oof. I wanted to root for her. I tried to root for her. A tough, independent, bull riding woman in a cowboy romance is such a rare gem, but she was written like a textbook pick me girl. Like girl… you are the problem. She kept sabotaging everything, and instead of feeling complex or layered, she just came across as frustrating.

And the writing? Felt choppy. Like the emotional beats didn’t land, the chemistry was off, and the pacing was all over the place. The angst felt forced, and the supposed connection between Dakota and Wyatt didn’t impress me.

Was Wyatt cute with his baby? Sure. Do I still think this story could’ve been great if it leaned into the actual grit and glory of a woman dominating a male dominated sport? Absolutely. But instead, we got surface level girl boss energy and a romance that felt more like a plot convenience than a genuine emotional arc.

⭐ Only saving grace? The cover is stunning.
⭐ Female bull rider trope = underused, but sadly underdelivered here.

This was not the rodeo romance I wanted, and I’m honestly still a little salty about it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Meredith Trapp, and Atria Books for the eARC of this book.

Homebound was a refreshing take on the cowboy romance trope, wherein SHE'S the bull rider (he plays ice hockey, but we don't get to see that as the story takes place in the off-season), and he's the one who's back to the get the girl he has been pining for forever.
I quite enjoyed this story, especially Wyatt being a girl dad. And once he turned the charms on with Dakota, he really turned them on. I also loved Dakota's determination to go for her dreams, and Wyatt's support.
This was a good friends-to-lovers romance, although personally I would have loved more angst. In any case, this was a great way to spend a lazy Sunday afternoon!

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

Outdoor shower
Texas

Love this book but I’m partial to small town, country themed romance books and don’t mind a hockey player thrown in the mix.

Absolute slow burn but I didn’t care because when it did burn it was so damn worth it.

The MMC was just everything. And the FMC wasn’t your typical female character like in most romance novels which was refreshing.

Definitely a must read or a reread!

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for this read.

This book was so cute!! Definitely needed a small town cowboy romance with a strong FMC! A quick and fun read!

In theory this book had so many things I love - small town romance, friends to lovers, single dad, etc. unfortunately I just found this book so repetitive and irritating. Dakota was mean and annoying. I’m all for a grumpy fmc but this was just… not the vibe. She kept calling herself “spicy” whenever she would be mean and it felt like she was just trying to justify her attitude. Like girl, you should really work on that. The book also made it seem like she was this amazing bull rider and people were just being unfair and not believing in her but it seemed like she actually wasn’t that good? In the beginning of the book she had NEVER, like ever in her entire professional career, stayed on for the full 8 seconds but she was acting like it was crazy that she wasn’t in the PBR. To her credit, she did kind of out the work in to improve but she also kind of acted like she was just unlucky.
Then We have Wyatt, the human doormat. This man was so down bad for Dakota that he accepted literal scraps. She gave him nothing, she treated him like trash, and he was just okay with that. Their initial falling out was also ridiculous. She had no right to be so mad at him and hold a grudge. I thought Wyatt was so cute with baby Vi and I loved all his dad moments. Dakota was also cute with baby Vi but I feel like Wyatt was so blinded by that that he overlooked how hot and cold Dakota was with him. Dakota was also so fixated on her desire to be a mom that I can’t help but wonder if she would’ve given Wyatt a chance if he didn’t have a kid.
There were some other things in this book that kind of annoyed me (mainly Alanna, who is the actual worst person ever. I literally hate her. The entitlement, the attitude, the self righteousness, it was all awful) but we’ll leave it at that.

Thank you for NetGalley and Atria for the ARC!!

After falling in love with Icebound, the author’s debut novel, I just knew Homebound was a must-read. A single dad and a bull rider who started as childhood friends? Count me in!

This is a perfect example of a slow burn that was executed perfectly! I enjoyed every minute of Wyatt and Dakota rebuilding their friendship, then making it into something more. I enjoyed the banter, the pining, and the slow, sweet love.

Dakota is easily one of my favorite FMCs. She's strong and independent, and did I mention she’s a bull rider? And Wyatt is an absolute cinnamon roll. Their chemistry is off the charts from the very beginning.

One of my favorite aspects of this book was how Wyatt supported Dakota’s dreams, going above and beyond to help her achieve them. Their journey from childhood friends to lovers was beautifully done.

While the spice doesn’t kick in until later in the story, when it does, it’s spicy! I found myself blushing not just from the heat, but also from the tender moments.

For anyone who loves cowboy romance, or even friends-to-lovers or second chance romance, this is a must-add to your TBR. You won’t regret it!

Growing up, Dakota and Wyatt were inseparable, the best of friends. Every summer Wyatt would come home to his parents’ flower farm in Granite Falls, Texas and they’d pick up right where they left off, until one summer when he never came back. Dakota Cutler hasn’t heard a peep from Wyatt Patterson in over three years, until he shows back up as the hockey world’s golden boy with his baby in tow, and Dakota doesn’t know how to feel. Fighting to earn her place in a man’s world of bull riding, Dakota is known for riding hard and breaking hearts. Watt has only had eyes for Dakota since they were kids, but he’s afraid she’ll never see him as any more than a friend, and he’s determined to win her heart.

This book had me hooked from the very beginning! It was my first @authormeredithtrapp book but definitely won’t be the last! A strong female lead who isn’t afraid to be spicy but slowly shows her softer side, and a golden retriever MMC who makes you swoon. He can show his protective side but isn’t too tough to nurture his lady when she’s been through something really traumatic. And the scenes with Dakota bonding with his baby girl are some of the sweetest ones I’ve read.

I absolutely loved it and now I need to go back and read the first in the series, Icebound, ASAP. *Homebound can absolutely be read as a stand-alone.

Tropes include:
Dual POV
Black cat x golden retriever
Lady bull rider x NHL golden boy
Small town
Single dad
Forced proximity
Childhood friends to strangers to lovers
“It’s always been you.”
NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP!

Thank you to @authormeredithtrapp and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t my favorite book I’ve ever read but it was enough to keep me entertained throughout the entirety of it. Wyatt had always been in love with Dakota even when she wasn’t able to see it, despite his feelings for her she never reciprocated and he moved on and had a child. When he moved back to town he made it his mission to get Dakota to finally see him and when she finally did she fell into the role of mother really well, her relationship with Vienna was my favorite part of the book. The beginning was a bit slow for my liking and then the middle and end felt rushed so this was a 3 star read for me.

I was so excited for this book just based on the cover alone. It gave me all the small town, country romance vibes I was craving. And while the setup had potential (bull rider FMC, hockey golden boy MMC, second chance with a baby twist?), it didn’t hit as hard as I hoped.

The pacing felt uneven, and I didn’t feel fully connected to Dakota and Wyatt’s dynamic. Some of the emotional tension and backstory just didn’t land for me, even though I really wanted to root for them. The moments that should’ve had me swooning or tearing up felt kind of flat.

That said, there were still some sweet and steamy moments, and I loved the Texas setting it felt warm, messy, and nostalgic in a good way. Just wish it had a little more depth to match that dreamy cover.

I am in my Cowboy Romance era, and I am loving it! This cover is stunning, absolytley gorgeous, and the characters in this book are phenomenal! This is a 4.5 for me, and I loved it because of the character description and development.
Dakota is a sassy, strong, take no prisoners kind of gal. She's living out her dream and working hard to get there, so much so that she has no time for a full on relationship.
Enter Wyatt, her lifetime best friend who is always and forever? in her friend zone. He has a precious daughter, and is back home for the summer.
I haven't read many or any single dad romances, but this was precious - Meredith did an excellent job with all these tropes!

- Cowboy romance
- Small Town Romance
- Single dad
- He Falls First
- SO much blended family representation, I loved this!
- Lady bull rider - HOW COOL?!
- Forced proximity
- Golden Retriever MMC
- Childhood Friends to Lovers
- No third act breakup - SUPREME!

This was a fun, quick, adorable read! Our FMC is self-deprecating at times, but who isn't? It made this feel so real and I love how the MMC balances and calmed her. They are a legitimately precious duo and the supporting cast was also very well done! I loved Alana, and I am hoping for a story, even a novella, about her and Willie!

Texas’ only female bull rider Dakota Cutler lives her life by her rules, and having experienced a career setback, she’s wanting to break into the Professional Bull Riders League. She has not time to make any lasting romantic commitments. Wyatt Patterson is a hockey powerhouse, who has always held a torch for Dakota growing up together.

*** Small town romance
*** Childhood friends to lovers
*** Single Dad
*** Reverse grumpy/sunshine
*** Cowgirl romance
*** The steam was steaming!

Really liked this one! Loved that our FMC was the one with a career as a badass bull rider. And hot single Dad Wyatt? Swoon! A fun and sexy novel: definitely recommend. I will absolutely be looking for future novels by this author.

Thank you to Atria Books and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.