I loved What I Should’ve Said so much. I can’t even begin to say how much I loved it. But this book…idk. I’d say at least 40-50% is repeated scenes from book 1. The scenes are of course, from a different perspective but it’s extremely repetitive. I thought Clay was a fantastic character. He had so much potential and a heart of pure gold. Josie started off strong and flat lined.

There felt like A LOT of miscommunication in this book. Admittedly, this is my least favorite trope. I really loved seeing Bennet Bishop again. Bennet, Nora and Summer were some of my favorite characters of all time so I loved seeing them again. But eventually it just became too much. The ending also felt rushed for me. The chemistry was so awkward between Clay and Josie. Clay legitimately loved Josie and her vibes weren’t anywhere even close to feeling the same way. I still love Max Monroe. I just think maybe I loved Bennet and Norah too much for my own good 😂

I loved this book!!!

I finished it in one sitting.
The fact we are going back and forth in time for when they were together and present when they aren’t!

This is boom two which I didn’t realise and wish i had so I could have had a better understanding of the characters but I quickly caught up as I read into it!

Grandma Rose I adored!!

Absolutely another amazing story with characters that I couldn’t get enough of. This definitely gave me all the feels. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC of When I Should’ve Stayed.



wow did i STRONGLY dislike this book. i didn’t read the first in the series, but based on other reviews, it seems like i didn’t even need to since it sounds like this book was a lot of the same scenes from the first book.

this book DRAGGED, even listening on 2.5x speed. was the writing bad? no, not necessarily. but the plot was so incredibly frustrating and i genuinely did not feel any connection to any of the characters and they all annoyed me in their own ways.

the time jumps were so, so excessive. i usually love a dual timeline but this was like a 3 or 4 way timeline and it was just so much to follow and keep track of.

then when i realized that the ENTIRE PLOT revolved around the fact that the FMC just needed to have a single honest conversation with the MMC??? absolutely not. this genuinely made me so mad.

the MMC was so pushy and annoying at so many different points - he was obsessed with marriage and a wedding despite the FMC making it clear that she needed time and space to process her grandmas death, etc. but he continually pushed her on so many different occasions.

and Josie was actually insufferable. like yes, of course, she went through something traumatic. but she literally isolated herself on purpose, and then had a mental breakdown about how she didn’t have anyone to support her - then abruptly divorced her husband without even giving him the benefit of the doubt or opportunity to support her???? absolutely unreal.

tbh, i should have dnf’d but i felt like i had already invested too much time to not finish it.

Max Monroe pulled out all the stops for this one! It’s just as good as the first book! It’s beautiful, heartwarming, emotional, sad and happy all at once. This book broke me apart and put me back together! I love second chances romances, and this one was one of the best!!
Josie had a hard outer shell but she was soft and a bit broken in the middle. It took some time and a long journey for her to find her HEA. Clay has always been her beginning and her ending.
It just took her time to work past her issues to believe it! It sometimes drove me nuts that she wouldn’t tell him things, but people are complicated because of their pasts and their beliefs. Her past was tough, and it was hard for her to forgive herself. This was a beautiful story, and I loved every single minute! The writing and conflict were amazing. Once I started reading, I couldn’t stop! Josie and Clay forever! I received this book from Entangled Publishing and Netgalley! All opinions are my own!

Thank you so much to Entangled & NetGalley for this e-arc.

When I Should've Stayed is about Josie and Clay's second chance romance, which lasts several years. Despite the fact that Josie and Clay were genuinely meant to be together, she files for divorce after misfortune happens to them. The plot alternates between the past, where we follow Josie and Clay from their first interaction to marriage to their downfall, and the present, when they are both merely going through the motions with neither of them moving forward. It is about healing, heartbreak, and the kind of love that endures even when everything fails. I adore this town and these people. I loved this book. I'm looking forward to the next book.

Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing for the complimentary copy of this book!

This book is out now!

This book is the follow up to their emotional read What I Should've Said. In What I Should've Said the book focused on Norah and Bennett and this time around our couple are Josie and Clay. We meet both characters in the first book - Josie is Norah's sister and Clay is Bennett's best friend. In this one we get to see their back story and how they became a couple and ultimately what drove them to separate.

"You can still come here on Friday nights. Just leave the other guys at home."
"The cheaters, you mean?"
"I don't know. Feels like I might not want to see you with a good one either."
"Why not?"
"Thinking maybe I'd like to see you with me."

We knew some of Josie's story from Norah's point of view in the first book but it is dug a little deeper in this. And now she has a career of catching cheaters which she often would bring her dates to none other than to Clay's bar. Clay was attractive to Josie from the start and couldn't understand the rotation of men she would bring in there.

Their relationship is a whirlwind. Things happening so quick that it just seemed like Josie barely had time to breathe. Clay was just all in from the start. He knew that she was the one for him and didn't want to waste any time. We knew Josie was close to her grandmother who took her in when she left her home so when she passed Josie was very lost and took her death very hard. There were other things that happened that just kept building up and Josie just felt it was best if she and Clay separated.

"Because time's always ticking, and every second I spend not telling you what you mean to me is a second I don't want to spend."

The book is told from two timelines - the past leading up to the break up and the present on how they are mending their broken hearts. I would say you should read the first book (pleaseeee read trigger warnings) but if you really want to dive into this one without reading the first that is okay. A good portion of the present timeline takes place during the course of the first book which I thought was pretty cool. Since I have read the first one, it felt like a refresher. And yes Max Monroe puts you through the wringer of that moment all over again (iykyk).

I recently got to see Max Monroe on their book tour for this book and they told us that this series is a 4 book series! And that the next book is going to be on Bennett's sister Breezy and the local sheep farmer Tad. Which I'm very excited to see Breezy shine and I feel like Tad is going to be very hot. I know the first two books in this series have been gut wrenching so I'm hoping with the third its a little bit lighter but who knows what the duo will throw at us. I will be ready either way!!

📕 ARC Review — I ventured out of my comfort zone and started with a new to me author and boy was that the right decision. This book gave me all the feels, sad, heartbreaking but also heartwarming. Clay is one of my favorite book characters to date.

Thank you entangled publishing, max monroe and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this!

4.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 5

Thank you @entangled_publishing for my copy!

This is book # 2 in the Red Bridge series. It can be read as a stand-alone because there is enough context provided to understand the storyline, if you haven’t read the first book. However, if you haven’t read What I Should’ve Said, I highly recommend you read it! It was one of my favorite books last year. The storyline takes place the same time as the first book, so there is some overlap between the stories. This was bittersweet because I loved getting to see the characters again, but I also had to relive some of the emotional parts from the first book.

This was such a great second chance romance. I really enjoyed the dual timelines and POVs. Everything is leading up to “the moment” where everything fell apart. I loved getting to see everything unfold— them falling in love, where everything went wrong, and how they found their way back to each other. I loved Clay’s character and how he never stopped loving Josie, and how he never finalized the divorce. This story is realistic, emotional, and raw but beautifully written. However, overall this story is not as emotionally heavy as the first book. Highly recommend!

Read if you enjoy:
✔️Second chance
✔️Small town
✔️Emotional angst
✔️Insta-love
✔️Dual POV
✔️Dual timelines

Max Monroe has done it again with another pull at my heartstrings! This book had so many emotional layers and a story that was so messy and beautiful. I love how Josie and Clay’s relationship and seeing things from a different view. When I Should’ve Stayed had everything that I could ask for—humor, romance, heartbreak and hope.

This was such an emotional read. Max & Monroe knows how to pull on your heartstrings. Even though it was a small portion of this book, reading the loss of Summer through Josie and Clay’s eyes was just as devastating!
I won’t lie - I hate Josie a little bit for what she put Clay through. He is an absolute saint whose only flaw was loving the girl!
This had so many emotional layers! This a love that was messy and beautiful!

I'm still reeling from What I Should've Said. If you haven't read it, consider this your warning: you need to read it before starting this book.

I was prepared for tears, but @authormaxmonroe took my emotions on a wild ride. I was not okay, and my heart shattered into a million pieces.

I loved getting a deeper look into Josie and Clay's relationship and seeing things from a different perspective. This book tied up all the loose ends and gave me the perfect ending to their story.

Amazing job!

Thank you @authormaxmonroe and @entangled_publishing for the advanced copy.

This book is out now! Go grab it!

This is a beautifully emotional second-chance romance that gives us Josie and Clay’s side of the story. While it can be read on its own, it's best to read after book one to get a better understanding of the time frame.

Told in a dual timeline, we get a deeper look at what led to Josie and Clay’s breakup and the aftermath of their choices. Their connection is undeniable from the start, from the moment Josie walks into Clay’s bar, it’s clear their story is going to be messy, real, and intense.

Their journey isn’t easy. There’s love, heartbreak, and the pain of letting go, but also growth, forgiveness, and healing. Josie is strong, even when it costs her, and Clay’s quiet loyalty makes your heart ache.

This book will tug at your emotions and leave you rooting for second chances. It’s raw, heartfelt and definitely worth the read.

Solid 3.5 ⭐️ for me. This book was a tearjerker but also drove me crazy at times. Make sure you read the trigger warnings before reading!! Following the ups and downs of Clay and Josie's relationship was quite a journey. They started hot and heavy, completely absorbed with one another and very sweet, but then events beyond their control affected their lives in ways they could not have anticipated. I will say that the lack of communication from Josie to Clay drove me absolutely nuts while I was reading it. I was yelling at her to JUST TELL HIM ALREADY! And, Clay's impulsiveness without having regard for Josie's preferences or feelings and continually putting her on the spot also drove me nuts. And, I yelled at him to JUST HAVE SOME PATIENCE! Josie was just wallowing in self-pity and didn't give the guy a clue. How can you expect him to move on so he can have what you can't give him when you don't actually tell him anything?? I generally love dual POVs but found myself getting confused with the "parts", timeline, and what the nail in the proverbial coffin actually was. Time just kept stretching stretching stretching and then wrapped up too quickly for my liking. Because I like series though, I am going to check out Book 1 in the series, and will probably read the next one as well. Thank you Netgalley and the authors for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

Josie thought their marriage was over, but Clay never filed the papers. Now he’s back in town, determined to rewrite their story and prove their love isn’t finished. Haunted by memories of stolen kisses and small-town festivals, Josie struggles to breathe under the weight of their past. Clay knows he made mistakes, but he can’t imagine a life without her. As they face the ghosts of their history, both must decide if what they had is worth fighting for, and if the moment they feared might just be the start of everything again.

I was so rooting for Josie and Clay in this one! After reading What I Should’ve Said, it was such a treat to revisit the story from their perspective and get a deeper look at everything they were going through behind the scenes. Watching them navigate their own demons while slowly finding their way back to each other made for such a satisfying second chance romance. Emotional, messy, and full of heart, just the way I like it. A fantastic follow-up with all the feels.

I was so looking forward to When I Should’ve Stayed, because emotional, small town, second-chance romances are my favorites. I loved the town of Red Bridge, and I adored Josie and Clay. They were perfect for each other, and their story had everything I could have asked for: romance, humor, heartbreak, and hope.
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However, I couldn’t get over how Josie handled everything. She pushed Clay away after they eloped because her grandma had a stroke and she wasn’t there. Then she found out she was pregnant and kept it from him for two weeks. Then he almost died in a car accident and she lost the baby in the same accident and still didn’t tell him. Then she had to get surgery to remove an ovary and found out she had a low chance of ever having kids…so she divorced him. With no explanation and no good reason. If she had just told him the truth about all of that, and then decided that she couldn’t get over it and still wanted a divorce, I would’ve been fine. But it’s the lying and hiding things, and deceiving him for five years that was not for me.

I enjoyed it, but I didn’t love it like I thought I would. Additionally, this book happens concurrently with the first book, so the time jumps and cameos from Nora and Bennett are a little confusing because their entire relationship happens off page and they go from strangers to being in love in the space of a few pages with no explanation.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing, Max Monroe, and NetGalley for the ARC.

📔When I Should’ve Stayed
✏️ Max Monroe
📆 July 1, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️

READ IF YOU LIKE:
📑 small town
📑 he falls first and harder
📑 second chance
📑 mutual pining
📑 it’s always been you
📑 flashbacks
📑 emotional damage
📑 found family
📑 dual POV

What I Should've Said still lives rent free in my head over a year later, and now book 2 had me in just as much a chokehold.
Josie and Clay's story was all it was hyped up to be. I was hooked from the beginning.
This book is told in a dual timeline format, so you get to see how they are in real time with flashbacks of how great Josie and Clay were together before everything wrecked it.
Their story was so sweet, swoony, but also heartbreaking.
Clay is swoon-worthy in his love for Josie and loving her out loud no matter how much time has passed.
I would definitely read What I Should've Said first, then jump right in to Josie and Clay's story!
Thank you so much @authormaxmonroe and @hambright_pr for the advanced copy!

Absolutely adored seeing this side of the story. My heart shattered all over again for the loss of summer. Then you add in Josie and clays loss.

Whew my heart broke but Josie and clays love story is beautiful

This is the second book in the Red Bridge Series and while it can totally be read as a standalone, I recommend to read in order. The timelines of the two books partially overlap and you will see the same things happen from various POVs.

Please make sure to read the trigger warnings for both books. Max Monroe’s books are usually feel good, laughing out loud, all the banter and hilarious moments books, and while the Red Bridge Series has all that, the main characters all carry pretty much baggage and their stories hit deeper. The books wreck you, although in a good way. Certainly the happy endings are hard fought for.

Josie and Clay’s love story in fact spans a time period of more than eight years and is told in dual timeline. “Before The Moment” starts with their first kiss, their first date, their absolute bliss, Clay’s best friend Bennett arriving in Red Bridge with tiny baby Summer, finally Clay and Josie eloping and getting married two years into their relationship and multiple strokes of fate coming at them hard, starting right in their wedding night, ultimately leading to “The Moment” a few months later when Josie hands a completely blindsided Clay the divorce papers. “After The Moment” follows their first months apart and then jumps ahead to five years later, now overlapping with the first book when Josie’s estranged sister Norah flees to Red Bridge and her falling in love with Bennett and Summer triggers events forcing Josie and Clay to stop avoiding each other and giving their relationship a second chance.

My heart broke, but sometimes even the greatest love for another person in a certain situation just isn’t enough if you cant't imagine you are in fact loved back with the same force and would be chosen no matter what.. Josie needed time to heal and realise that she in fact does deserve unconditional love and Clay would have always chosen her and stayed and that her one-sided decision to set the love of her life free out of guilt and misinterpreted responsibility hurt both so much. It's a sobbing moment when Josie and Clay finally find their way back to each other.

“When I Should’ve Stayed” hitting USA Today’s bestselling list is so well deserved.

Looking forward to “Where I Should’ve Been” when Bennett’s sister, city girl Breezy Bishop, falls for handsome sheep farmer Ted Hanson. But Ted seems to have dark secrets not even the nosy gossipy townspeople of Red Bridge, Vermont, know of…