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…

Josie has been through so much grief in her life. I really felt so sad for her. I didn’t understand why she didn’t tell Clay she was pregnant immediately. After all her regret about how she didn’t get to tell her grandma she got married, I would think she wouldn’t want to keep secrets anymore. She could’ve had so much support from him after their car accident.

Clay really loved her and was so sweet. A couple of times he was a little pushy, but I liked him overall.

I do think there were a lot of scenes that were from the first book, which made it feel repetitive. Reading about Summer’s death again was so heartbreaking.

I usually love a dual timeline, but this one was clunky, and didn’t work for me.

I loved the last book, but unfortunately this one wasn’t for me. I like Max Monroe’s writing, so I will definitely read more from them. Can’t love them all, I suppose.

ARC review

Loved it! So many emotions and so many ups and downs. An emotional roller coaster. I loved it. I love these characters and this town. I look forward to the next book about this town and its people.

I’ll be honest. While I really enjoyed this book for the most part, I didn’t love the continuous time jumps. It just didn’t always flow very well for me. Other than that, I loved it.
😍😭👏 I was really excited to read this after reading book one. I love Josie and her stubbornness. She’s not perfect but the girl has had some extremely tragic things happen around her. She’s honestly amazing to be able to carry all that. Clay is the real gem though. The way he is incredibly emotionally intelligent and supportive of literally everyone is so so beautiful. I wanted so badly for Clay to have all his wishes come true because he deserved it. I love him so much. 🥹
It was so lovely to see some younger Summer moments. 🕶️ This book is definitely emotional but I think after reading the first book nothing could be as heartbreaking. Still, please check trigger warnings if you have any.
I really enjoy Max Monroe books! I’m excited for whatever comes next 💕
If you love romance books with an emotional punch, read this series asap!

4.5 stars - Wrecked in the best ways!

Listen, the Red Bridge series has absolutely wrecked my heart in the best possible way, and I knew going into this one it would do the same. I was right. That's why I always choose the audiobook, cuz I know I'll end up crying too hard to read the words on a page.

Here's what you're in for:
** Enemies to More
** He Falls First
** Second Chance
** Still Married

Told through a dual timeline, this story leans into miscommunication, but in a way that feels honest to the characters' pain and growth. It's an emotional journey that makes you reflect on love, what you have, what you've lost, and what's still worth fighting for.

If anyone can make me believe in second chances, it's Max and Monroe. Their story telling is beautiful and heartbreaking, but it's the steady thread of hope that pulls you through. A stunning reminder that love, even broken, is never beyond repair.

Zero percent surprised that I loved this one so much! Don’t get me wrong. It HURT! But, it was beautiful & wrapped up perfectly! The dual timeline was easy to follow. While it hurt to relive some of the things from the first book again, I enjoyed seeing it from new POVs. I loved this couple’s story. Not your typical second chance romance. 🥰 Can’t wait for the next one in the series. I love this little town & all of these wonderful people! 🩵 I also listened to the audio and the narrators were fantastic!

Max Monroe's When I Should've Stayed, the second Red Bridge novel, powerfully explores themes of love, loss, and timing.

The story details Josie and Clay's experiences, presented through alternating "Before" and "After" timelines that gradually uncover the reasons for their separation. The narrative depicts Josie's challenges with trauma and her past decisions, while also describing Clay's continued commitment to their relationship, including his choice not to sign the divorce papers.

Red Bridge serves not only as the backdrop for the narrative but also functions as a dynamic element, with its cohesive community enriching each interaction. Max Monroe addresses complex themes through a thoughtful storyline that critically examines, deconstructs, and ultimately reconstructs the relationship between Josie and Clay.

This is a story about a second-chance romance that explores themes of courage, vulnerability, and persistence in relationships. It depicts characters who experience challenges and personal growth throughout their journey.

Highly recommend for anyone who loves a powerful, resonant romance! Grab your tissues!

I don't even know where to start. I wasn't prepared for Clay and Josie. I wasn't ready for the emotions, their history, the glimpses back into the "What I Should've Said" timeline, but man, I am so glad I read it. Everything about these two was just what I needed. The journey Max Monroe took us on, was one I think everyone needs to read. If you loved "What I Should've Said" you will hands down love this one.

When I Should've Stayed is the second book in the Red Bridge series. Although it can be read as a standalone, I highly recommend reading this story after experiencing What I Should've Said. We met Josie and Clay in the first book, and are given more details about how they are connected in this one. Told in dual timeline format, we learn the events that happened before and after Josie and Clay's breakup. This story takes place during the same time as book one, but from Josie and Clay’s point of view. When Josie walked into Clay's bar, he was instantly drawn to her, but didn't know what he was in for. Their second-chance romance is full of ups and downs, and it all leads to a painful divorce. Josie is strong and does what she thinks is right, even when it hurts her and those around her. Clay is loyal and has a lot of love to give. Even while they are apart, he never stops caring about Josie. Their love is deeply rooted, and their journey is powerful and emotional. There’s pain, but there’s also hope and healing. When I Should've Stayed is a great read that will make you laugh, cry, and maybe even believe in second chances.

I absolutely loved What I should've said. The book brought out all my feelings, and the tears and I am usually not a crier. So, when given an opportunity to read an arc of this book and find out the back story to Clay and Josie I absolutely jumped at the chance. This book is also good, this book will also tug at your heart strings just like the first one did, and many will probably need those tissues handy again. I will be honest though this book fell a little flat for me. I still really liked it, but I just did not love it in the same way that I did the first one, I understand why Josie felt that she should leave Clay but I also don't at all. I can't understand divorcing someone with absolutely no explanation to them at all, especially in a situation such as theirs without explaining what was going on. That was just a hard plot for me to grasp

Ok! This book was so good! I have read some Max Monroe previously and while it was definitely good; this book was chef's kiss. While I did not read the first book of the series, I have gathered that it is not necessarily needed due to being an interconnected standalone, but it did make me want to reroute to the first book as this one stuck with me days after reading it.

This book focuses on Clay and Josie's love story, their divorce, and ultimately their comeback. It highlights heartbreak, trauma, grief, and love. If a man does not come like Clay then I don't want him. I would have liked to hear more of their story as I thought the book ended pretty abruptly. Overall, I will be recommending this book to whoever will listen to me!

A big thanks to Netgalley and the publishers Entangled Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I loved the first book so much. I understand this was supposed almost a retelling but in a different POV, but I wanted to learn more about these characters. I felt at times the storyline was being dragged out. I loved reading about summer & Bennett

Talk about a bumpy road. That is what Clay and Josie's relationship was. It was not an easy one. It was filled with smiles, tears, laughter, and love. It is their love for each other that helped keep them going strong. That and the support and love of their family and friends.

I really liked how Clay and Josie first met. Josie was a sassy one. Clay fell first and hard for Josie. Yet, he was giving me golden retriever energy that I loved. When these two broke up, I did not doubt that they would end up back together some point down the road.

This book goes through different time periods to showcase Clay and Josie's relationship. It is an emotional one. This book is a character driven story. I know I stayed and am glad I read this book.