For whatever reason, this book put me in a slump. I’m typically a big fan of cowboy romances, but this felt slightly awkward. I’m open to trying the author again, however, this was not my favorite.

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ - 4.25

‘Friends to lovers’ is one of my favorite tropes and Meredith Trapp knocked it out of the park. The setting was so lovely (okay, being a Texan I might be a bit biased), and Dakota being the badass bull rider was such a fun and refreshing twist. Wyatt was such a great MMC - the pining and conviction that he was going to finally get the girl was the stuff of regency-era swoons. Now all I need is need Alanna and Willie’s story and one of Dakota’s prickly pear margaritas.

Thank you, NetGalley and Atria Books, for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Seriously… have y’all heard about the one where she’s the bull rider and he is just a hopelessly in love hockey player-turned-dilf?? Because Homebound by Meredith Trapp was everything I didn’t know I needed and now I am feral about it.

Dakota Cutler is such a freaking badass. I’m talking riding bulls, shutting down feelings, and somehow still melting your heart without even trying. And Wyatt? Wyatt is just… whew. Golden retriever, single dad, childhood bestie who’s been in love with her forever and is finally ready to shoot his shot (and wow, does he).

The slow burn?? Delicious. The spice?? Top tier. The fact that this man saved a childhood mood ring like it was sacred treasure?? That did me in. And don’t even get me started on Vi (his baby girl) she adds just the right amount of sweetness to this already emotional rollercoaster.

Also, the small-town Texas vibes, the flower farm, the rodeo, the found family energy — I wanted to crawl into the pages and never leave. This story made me laugh, made me melt, and made me wanna immediately read every other book Meredith Trapp has written (which I did, btw).

I loved this. My first Meredith Trapp book & it won't be my last. I've never read a female bull rider & now I need more. I loved Dakota! She puts on a hard front & she's a badass, but she's open & vulnerable to those she loves. She also loves hard. Wyatt was so swoony. He was an amazing dad & Vienna was such a cute baby girl. I loved their journey towards each other & so glad they got their happy ending. I loved all the vibes this book had & can't wait to read more in this series.

I'm laughing because I adored this book, but felt like I was reading a sequel - and turns out, I was!! Also love that the book sets itself up for a 3rd story.
I adored the characters and the plot - it was a little much, and a little spicy, but I loved it and will def be recommending it to my friends and followers!
I LOVE the single dad and western aspect, and how much research clearly went into the plot.
Thank you for letting me read this!

Dakota Cutler is a tough-as-nails bull-rider who’s only ever really been soft for one man: her childhood best friend (but never anything more) Wyatt Patterson. That was until Wyatt ghosted her three years ago. Now, NHL player Wyatt is suddenly back in town with his one-year old daughter and looking to get the girl of his dreams.

If this hadn’t been an ARC, I would have DNF’d it after twenty pages or so. The second I realized the Wyatt completely cut off his best friend since childhood with no explanation simply because he was distraught that she got engaged to another man (when Wyatt had never confessed his own feelings for her), it was over for me. I felt so bad for Dakota because she deserved a lot better than this childish man. It was mentioned briefly that her ex told Wyatt he should back off, and that should have been explored more. That would have felt more realistic and made Wyatt a more sympathetic character.

Wyatt also immediately moves into her place because it’s on land that his parents own. Sure, he asked her if it was okay that he stayed for the summer, but she never really had a choice. How can you say no to the person who basically owns your house? The entire plot of this romance felt manipulative. Wyatt was not the stand up guy he’s supposed to be, or he never would have cut off his “best friend” to begin with.

Besides my obvious problems with the plot, there were continuity errors and the dialogue felt clunky and cringey.

Thank you Atria Books for providing me this ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I have been in my small town and cowboy-book-boyfriend era, so this was a nice flip where Dakota, our FMC, is a bull rider cowgirl. She is also the grumpy to the MMCs sunshine. I enjoyed this because it felt fresh, but both of them drove me crazy at times. Wyatt was kind of a lot in a few of the moments and Dakota really was stuck on Wyatt being little-brother-like for too long in my opinion. With that being said I quite enjoyed their backstory though and appreciated having no third act breakup. It was also nice seeing lgbtq+ representation with Wyatt’s moms! Vi was a fun addition to the story, and I’m not usually a fan of the single dad trope but this one worked for me!! I burned right through the book, and hope you will enjoy too!

Thank you for the ARC!!

Dakota is feeling down on her luck after a called off engagement and slump in her bull riding career. Then Wyatt, her childhood best friend, comes back into town after years long silence with a baby daughter in tow and shakes everything up even more.
I absolutely adored this new-to-me author, and surprisingly loved this “western” romance more than other popular ones I tried earlier in the year. With epic spice, stellar side characters, and the most perfect & swoony second-chance romance, I wanted to live in Granite Falls. Homebound is book 2 in Meredith Trapp’s Boundless Players series. You better bet I immediately downloaded book one, Icebound after finishing. Both Icebound and Homebound are currently available on Kindle Unlimited!
Thank you Net Galley, Simon and Schuster, and Meredith Trapp for the advanced copy!

Thank you NetGalley and Meredith Trapp for an ARC to Homebound in exchange for my honest review:
I'm usually a fan of a friend's to lovers trope because usually there's that build up of angst where they're both clearly into each other but neither wants to ruin the friendship they have. However, in this instance, the FMC was VERY adamant she's never been into the MMC (like REPEATEDLY says it). Meanwhile he's a freaking puppy dog following her around making eyes at her all the time and it's just kind of sad to watch.
Also, I'm supposed to believe the FMC is truly blind to his feelings? Just her best friend, dad and townsfolk being able to notice the MMC has it bad but meanwhile she's clueless?
It also didn't read as friends to lovers especially after he ghosted her because she got engaged to someone else but RIGHT when she's single he comes back around. Was really hoping there'd be some kind of good explanation as to why he ghosted her and him not having a chance is the worst one. Like he couldn't have just kept his distance but still been there for her seeing as they were best friends?
Also, where was the mom of this baby? Like he was there for the birth of his daughter and took her home and where was the mother in all this? Some details on that would've helped.
I will say, with those critiques aside, it IS a well written story. If you're a fan of cowboy romance and single dads, you'll definitely love this one. Just personally not for me.

Homebound was okay overall -- the writing is good and the premise is interesting, but the insta-love just wasn’t for me. I prefer romances that build more slowly with deeper tension and development. If you enjoy fast, whirlwind romances, you may like this more than I did.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

Homebound was a cute, flirty, feel-good read with all the right ingredients: childhood friends-to-lovers, a single dad with golden-retriever energy, and a heroine chasing her bull-riding dreams.

Dakota and Wyatt had great chemistry, and I loved the slow burn of them finding their way back to each other. Wyatt coming home for the summer—with his adorable baby girl in tow—sets up the perfect tension. Watching Dakota try to keep her walls up (while clearly falling for both him and the baby) was both sweet and frustrating at times. I totally understood her hurt over Wyatt not keeping in touch, but I also found that part dragged a little longer than it needed to.

That said, this book gave me exactly what I expected: a light, funny cowboy romance with plenty of charm and a splash of heartache. If you’re in the mood for small-town vibes, second chances, and a romance that’ll make you smile, Homebound delivers.

I really loved this one!! Wyatt and his sweet baby Vienna come back to Texas to win over the girl he’s always loved! Wyatt grew up with Dakota, spending every summer in Texas running around together. He’s always loved her and she never saw him romantically, but they were best friends. Now he’s back in town, a famous hockey player and single dad. Wyatt is the sweetest!! I felt so bad for him that he’s been pining for Dakota for over 10 years and just wants her to see him as a man. Dakota is a fierce bull rider and such a badass! When she finally starts to see Wyatt as more than her summer boy, she’s all kinds of hot for him. They have lots of hot flirting and the spicy scenes were top tier! Before she falls for Wyatt she falls for his little girl though and that was so sweet!! I absolutely loved this book!! I hope her Dakota’s best friend gets a book!

What a gorgeous cover and enjoyable book! This is a cowboy romance that has single dad, forced proximity, woman bull rider, black cat and golden retriever energy with no third act breakup, what more could you ask for!
I did not read Icebound prior to this one.

Thank you NetGalley, Meredith Trapp and Atria Books for this opportunity to read this ARC.

I unfortunately had to DNF it at around 20%. I actually attempted to read this book 2 different times and still I just couldn’t get it to it.
I loved the premise! Childhood friends, second chance single day, badass cowgirl! I loved all of that but I just couldn’t connect with the actual characters. I couldn’t get into their story.
But I’m sure it will find its audience! I hope it does! Congratulations and good luck.

I ADORED THIS ONE. It was so well done, and I loved the banter and single dad vibes. Cowgirl? YES PLEASE

Homebound by Meredith Trapp is a tender, emotionally resonant romance that beautifully captures the complexities of healing and love. If you enjoy the single dad/parent trope, this story does a wonderful job of weaving in tender and vulnerable moments reflecting the hardships and triumphs of parenthood. The characters are deeply relatable, the small-town setting is charming, and the chemistry between the leads is both natural and moving. Trapp’s writing shines in its vulnerability and warmth, making it easy to become fully invested in the story. One small critique is the overuse of pet names, which at times felt repetitive and slightly detracted from the otherwise authentic dialogue. Still, this is a heartfelt, satisfying read that lingers long after the final page.

Tropes:
╰⪼ Childhood friends to lovers
╰⪼ Second chance romance
╰⪼ NHL Player Single dad x Bullrider FMC

Homebound had a strong setup with its smalltown charm and single dad angle, but ultimately lacked the emotional weight the premise promised. The writing leaned a little too simple, with quick pacing and more focus on clever lines than meaningful development. While the chemistry was sweet and the setting cozy, the angst and buildup didn’t quite land. Still, it’s a fun and easy read for fans of small-town romance and rodeo drama.

A really sweet and unexpected romance! I loved the characters and was very invested in their relationship. There was a lot of points that felt repetitive, especially with internal thoughts of characters, who often repeat or explain the same thing multiple times throughout the book, but I can easily get past that.

Okay but Homebound completely took me by surprise in the best way. The writing was SO much fun, the romance was GIVING, and while I’m normally not a single dad trope kinda gal... this one?? Was HOT. Like, I was kicking my feet and giggling every other page. 😮‍💨

I simply could NOT put it down. I’m such a sucker for a friends to lovers story—ugh!! TOO CUTE. 😭💕

If you're a fan of the Blue Rebel Ranch Series or Chestnut Springs, you’re gonna love this one. Flirty, heartfelt, and the perfect light weekend read.

This book was amazing! If you love cowboys you need to read this book! It was packed full of swoony moments and funny banter.