YEEE HAW! 🤠 I loved this book so much!!!! A mix between a cowgirl and hockey romance? Say lesssss! Dakota and Wyatt were PERFECT! I ADORE a story where the guy is down bad! 😍 And Dakota has so much growth through this story! I love a sassy lady and a man who pines after her so this was PERFECT!
It also had some tropes I love- single dad, friends to strangers to lovers, grumpy x sunshine, and most of all… golden retriever man 😍

3.5/5

As a person who lives in the American south and who also happens to be a horse owner married to a bull rider, I am often skeptical of romances that include bull riders or themes surrounding cowboy-esque stuff. Why? Because sometimes it feels cliche to me. I can't help it, it just does.

Homebound wasn't unenjoyable by any means for me, it just wasn't an immediate favorite. The pacing kind of dragged for me, more telling than showing than I prefer, and I didn't connect with the characters enough to feel very invested in their journey.

If you like small town, cowboy romances with forced proximity, single dad trope where he falls first then this one might be for you.

Many thanks to Meredith Trapp, Atria Books, and Netgalley for sharing an advanced reader copy of this story with me.

ARC Review | Dual POV | MF Romance

Tropes & Themes: Childhood Friends to Lovers • Second Chance Romance • Single Dad x Bull Rider • Hockey Romance • Forced Proximity • “It’s Always Been You” • Black Cat x Golden Retriever • No Third Act Breakup • Small Town Romance



Homebound by Meredith Trapp is a swoon-worthy, second-chance romance that had me fully obsessed from the first page to the last. I fell hard for this story.

Dakota is a fierce, no BS female bull rider fighting to rebuild her confidence after a very public breakup. Wyatt, her childhood best friend x NHL star x devoted single dad, is back in town and he’s not about to let her slip away again.

Their chemistry is undeniable 🔥, but it’s the emotional growth and healing that really stole the show for me. Watching Dakota bond with Wyatt’s daughter and seeing Wyatt so soft, nervous, and completely down bad for Dakota was everything.

If you love cowboy vibes, black cat x golden retriever energy, and zero third act drama (bless), this book needs to be on your radar.

Meredith Trapp just made herself an auto-buy author. Saddle up. You’re gonna love this ride.

It's a no from me, sugar.

This felt like a really really really forced/exaggerated cowboy romance. It just didn't have the right yeehaw vibe (for lack of better of terms). The dialogue was rather cringey and I found the characters to be a bit annoying. However, as I'm sure everyone has said, this is a STUNNING over.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

It's funny because I have had this one on my TBR for a minute, and then I found out she was getting traditionally published- Yay for her. All that to say, I REALLY liked this one. Somehow, I found myself reading two books about female bull riders- what are the odds! I liked Dakota- she was so feisty and comfortable in her own skin. I did also appreciate though how much she overanalyzed everything- that was just so relatable. And how she did have a hard time ignoring the noise. I LOVED Wyatt. He was so far gone for Dakota, his best friend that he ghosted to protect himself. Watching him try to convince Dakota that he isn't just her friend was adorable. I loved watching how he was able to get her flustered. When he turned on the charm, it was next level. Watching Dakota come to the realization that she wanted him and Vienna in her life and longer than just for the summer. These two were so perfect and cute together. It is always ADORABLE to watch the MMC try to downplay his feelings and not scare of his leading lady. I loved how Dakota let her bull rider guard down around Wyatt and Vienna. She was so much more comfortable around them. I loved them realizing how well they balanced each other out. I also loved the no third act breakup :)

Dakota is in the worst slump right now. Ever since her ex made those comments about her not making it in the rodeo, she can't get it out of her head. She has tried everything, but then her best friend who ghosted her a few years ago shows up and things suddenly feel different. He is here with his daughter. He is here looking like a famous NHL player vs the boy she played with during the summer. He is going to be living with her for the summer. He apologizes for ghosting her. He thought she didn't need him. But now that he is home she realizes how MUCH she needed him. How much she missed him. How much he levels her out and helps when she is overthinking and helps clear out the noise. She starts to realize that she is looking at him differently. She starts to realize he is looking at her differently. Not how friends look at each other. Like he wants her. And then one night they kiss, and Dakota realizes she has never experienced a kiss like this. One that involves feelings. She now has a timeline in life- before and after she kissed Wyatt. Before and after she realizes how much she WANTS Wyatt. How scared it makes her to think about a committed relationship. She has only ever done hookups- nothing with strings. But now she is envisioning a future with Wyatt and Vienna where they stay. Where they are at her rodeos supporting her. And then Wyatt and her go all the way and she KNOWS he is her future. He is her everything.

Wyatt is back in Texas. He didn't know if he would ever be back like he was before. He has his daughter with him too, and he is here on a mission. To get the girl of his dreams to realize they could be good together. Not just good but the best. The problem- he ghosted her a few years ago after she got engaged, and she has always seen him as a friend. But now he is here and determined to change that. It takes a minute but finally she softens for him. Considering they are now roommates, that is a good thing. Dakota has always been a little prickly, so tough and strong and so HIS. She gets gushy around his daughter. He can't breathe when she smiles. But she still doesn't seem to be taking the bait of him as a man that isn't her friend. So it's time- he puts on the charm. He pulls out all the stops. He is not above showing off his eight pack to get a reaction and then it happens. He starts to see how she looks at him differently. How she opens up to him more. How she wants to spend time with her. So when the moment arises, he shots his shot. He kisses her. And it is magical! He knew they would be great but this kiss is beyond his imagination. And now he knows she seems him that way. And he is even more determined to show they could be a thing. He knows she is scared, but he has never been more sure of anything in his life. Sure of her as a bull riding champion. And sure of them together living the dream. He just hopes she is ready for him because he isn't going anywhere.

This was a wonderful read yall! There is something that makes me smile about a GOOD cowboy book. These characters had a wonderful dynamic. They smoothed each other out. I loved him being a single dad and how wonderful Dakota was with Vienna. This book made me feel GOOD. It made me smile and sit on the edge of my seat wondering when Dakota was finally going to SEE Wyatt for what he could be for her. I always like when mental health is part of a story because we all know it is part of our everyday. I just liked the warmness of Wyatt. He just made me want a big hug from him. I am looking forward to going back and reading book 1 and then continuing on with the series. I wonder who will be next- looking at you Willie :) I would definitely recommend this one for a fun feel good cowboy book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book!

Dakota is a bull rider who really wants to make it to the big circuits in this male dominated profession. Wyatt is a single dad professional hockey player and Dakota’s childhood best friend. Years ago he left town and cut off communication with Dakota but he is back in town to show Dakota his true feelings. This was a fun feel good best friends to lovers romance story. I really enjoyed reading it.

Dakota and Wyatt have been summer friends for years. Dakota is a local who waited every summer for Wyatt to come to town for the summer. Wyatt has always been in love with Dakota but never acted on it. Years later and three years with no communication, Wyatt comes back to town as a single dad with a daughter. Dakota is a female bull rider who is training to become pro. I love a single dad romance and it was badass for Dakota to be a female bull rider! I thought the story was a bit slow and Wyatt took his sweet time making a move on Dakota. Ivy (the daughter) gave a sweet and tender plot to the story and Dakota was great with her as well. Thank you for the e-arc!

Eeeek I’m a sucker for a single dad romance and this book did not disappoint! I vibed a lot more with this book than book 1. I loved Wyatt & Dakota’s relationship, and Vi was just the cutest! The ending was perfect and I’m excited to see what characters’ stories get explored in future books!

Read if you love:

🧡 Single dad
💚 Childhood best friends
🧡 Hockey player x cowgirl
💚 It’s always been you
🧡 Black cat x golden retriever

Genre/type: Small Town Romance
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5
Series or standalone: Book 2

I'm not the biggest cowboy fan, nor the biggest childhood friends to lovers girl, but this book was the absolute cutest!
I loved both the main characters, and I loved "the little devil", Vi (Wyatt's Daughter) and how Kodie adopted her so quickly
I loved that there weren't a third act break up, and even thought the story felt a bit predictable sometimes, it was really a great book!

Review to be posted soon

This book was good!! I’m always going to love a single dad cowboy romance. The fact that it had no third act breakup was amazing!

Wyatt and Dakota are one of my favorite second chance couple ugh my heart!
Wyatt is Dakota’s number one fan and I love how much he believes in her when it comes to staying on the bull for the 8 full seconds. I think it’s such badass that Dakota is a female bull rider! I hate that her ex boyfriend made her question herself but loved that she moved on to someone who has unconditionally supported her. Once Wyatt found his confidence, I loved how flirty he was and wasn’t afraid to show her that she’s the woman he wants. Dakota took Wyatt’s daughter under her wing and fell in love with her before she fell in love with Wyatt. Her moments with his daughter was so special !!

4.75⭐️ | 3🌶️

I was so lucky to receive an ARC of Homebound from @atriabooks but let’s be real, the second that audiobook dropped, I had zero chill and grabbed it immediately. And let me just say: totally worth it! 💯

CJ Bloom and Sean Masters were a dream duo. CJ brought Dakota’s fierce, no-nonsense vibes to life with so much heart, and Sean’s sweet, southern drawl as Wyatt? Instant swoon.

This was my first book by Meredith Trapp but it definitely won’t be my last. The moment I saw “female bull rider + childhood best friends + forced proximity”… I knew I was in for a treat. Dakota is a black cat heroine through and through… bold, independent, slightly prickly, and totally badass. Her nickname? “Cowboy Killer.” Need I say more?

Wyatt is her total opposite… a golden retriever of a man, a hockey-playing single dad who’s been head over boots for Dakota forever. Their chemistry? Off the charts. Their dynamic? Perfection. I adored watching Dakota slowly let her walls down for Wyatt and his adorable daughter Vienna (a.k.a. “Little Devil”), and the way Wyatt showed up for them over and over again? My heart 😭😭😭

From three-legged dogs to big family feels, outdoor shower scenes (yep🔥), and a slow-burn that delivers, this book was the cowboy/cowgirl summer romance I didn’t know I needed.

If you’re craving low angst, big heart, and all the swoon, pick this one up. Wyatt deserves a book boyfriend crown. 👑💕

Thank you Atria Books for the ARC! Dakota's grumpy cowgirl meets Wyatt's sunshine-y dad vibes in this amazing summer read. I loved how the author focused on Dakota's career throughout the book and she didn't have to change who she was for the man to fall in love with her.For once, the man's hockey career wasn't the star of the show in this romance novel! Typically, a friends-to-lovers romance isn't for me but Wyatt and Dakota had me questioning my fave tropes. Add in a hot dad and some steamy scenes and you have me hooked.

This book started off slow and took a while for me to get into. I wasn’t a huge fan of Dakota to begin with, but she did improve with the story. The story itself got better towards the end and I did enjoy the ending. I liked Wyatt but the man took forever to finally decide to go after the girl he’s been in love with forever. Overall it was a cute story but not my favorite cowboy romance.

Homebound is the first book I’ve read by Meredith Trapp, and I’ll admit I requested it because the cover is so cute! This is a spicy, cowgirl, single-Dad, friends to lovers romance that was a quick read for me, and one that I’d recommend to my friends who love western rom-com’s too. I’ll admit that single parent is not my favorite trope, but this one was sweet and nostalgic for me — it brought back happy memories thinking of all the cute and hard moments of parenting toddlers!

Hoping Meredith writes a story about Alanna and Willie next ;) would love to see their sparing turn into something more!

Homebound had so much potential for me. I’m a sucker for friends to lovers, love a good slow burn, and absolutely adore cowboy-style romances. Even though this one focused more on bull riding, the essence was there and I was ready to dive right into it.

I thought it was such a clever twist to make the female main character the bull rider and the male main character a hockey player. That alone had me hooked, because I love both bull riders and hockey players, and those character types are some of my favorites to read.

That said, I struggled to fully immerse myself in the story. The writing style just didn’t work for me. It leaned heavily on telling rather than showing. Instead of allowing the reader to feel the emotional depth or try to guide us through what was happening with action and dialogue, the narration often spelled everything out. It felt like the story didn’t trust the reader to understand the stakes or emotions on their own, so it held our hand the entire way.

I have struggled with this cowboy romance trend some authors are on right now, but I really enjoyed this title. I found the book fun and the pacing of the romance is great.

Sweet, steamy, and full of Southern charm. This second chance romance lassoed my heart from the first page. If you love a tough-as-nails heroine, a swoony comeback cowboy, and just the right amount of emotional tension, this one’s for you.

Honestly, this one just didn’t click with me. I kept hoping I’d get more into it, but the slow pacing made it tough to stay engaged, I kept getting distracted. There were definitely some things I liked, but overall, it fell kind of flat. The dynamic between Wyatt and Dakota felt a bit off too. The dialogue felt a little awkward at times, and it just took me way too long to feel invested in the story. Maybe it’s just me, but it wasn’t quite what I was hoping for. That said, if you're into cowgirl vibes, friends-to-lovers, “he fell first,” and single dad tropes, it might be worth a shot—it just wasn’t the one for me.

Thank you NetGalley & Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A solid reverse grumpy-sunshine romance book. There wasn’t anything terrible about this one, but there wasn’t anything amazing either.

I will say I’m a sucker for when the fmc is the grumpy one and the mmc is the sunshine one. I feel like it’s a trope that’s underserved and this book executed quite well. The fmc is “grumpy” without being a bitch. She’s stern and doesn’t take shit from other people but she’s kind and loving to the people in her circle. The mmc was also more than just the golden retriever bf, he stood up for the people he loved.

I will say, the bull riding plot was a bit bland. It didn’t feel exciting or dangerous or anything like that. It was just kinda there. I kinda wish it was more emphasized for the fmc since it’s her dream and career, but the passion about it just never came through for me.

The spicy scenes were kinda standard, nothing of real interest there tbh. I kinda preferred the flirting and the tension building up to the spicy stuff over the actual spicy stuff.

One thing I didn’t really like was that it felt like the book was just trying to add any trope that’s popular instead of actually wondering if it makes sense for the plot (mmc is a hockey player and a single dad? Felt a bit weird to me).

Overall this was decent though. Thank you to netgalley and Atria for a copy of the arc :)