⭐️: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Second chance
Tropes: small town, second chance romance, marriage problems, miscarriage
Elsie and Beau will always have a place in my heart, their story felt so real I binged read this in one less than one day.
I loved every single character, chapter ecc..
I loved that they found each other again even after what unfortunately happened, they finally get to have another chance together again.
Their story is precious that even when Elsie tried again and again to push Beau away he still couldn’t let her go because he loved her so much.

(Thank you so much NetGalley, Madison Wright Victor editing NetGalley co-op for the opportunity to make me read this book🩵)

Listen, I adore second-chance romance, but with a side of marriage in trouble it absolutely EATS. Not Our First Rode was absolutely devastating in the best way, another cowboy romance that hooked me from the start. It was angsty, tender, beautifully-written and the heat and vulnerability palpable in every interaction between Beau and Elsie was beautifully written! I was absolutely rooting for Beau and Elsie the entire time despite the pain and heartbreak and seeing them find each other was so satisfying.

Thank you, Madison and netgalley, for the gift arc!
I think initially I had a hard time reading this one because I didn't like that Elsie kept pushing Beau away. But as the story went on, I understood her more. I think with so many hurtful things happening to her and making her feel like a failure, how she reacted to Beau made sense and it's realistic for me.
I was also pleasantly surprised by their banter and spicy times that weren't too smutty/cringey.
Overall, I had a good time learning about Elsie and Beau.
Hopefully, Cooper will get his story told too!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
A heartwarming, second-chance romance with small-town charm and emotional depth.
Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright is a delightful blend of heartfelt storytelling and swoon-worthy romance. Set against the backdrop of a tight-knit community, this book explores themes of forgiveness, resilience, and the courage it takes to love again.
The characters are beautifully written—flawed, relatable, and easy to root for. I especially appreciated the emotional maturity in their interactions and the way past wounds were handled with care and realism. Madison Wright’s writing is warm and engaging, with just the right amount of humor and tension to keep the pages turning.
While the pacing dipped slightly in the middle, the payoff was worth it. The ending left me smiling and satisfied, and I’ll definitely be looking out for more from this author.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Second chance romances are probably my favorite. I was able to relate to the characters so much. The feelings were so raw with the miscarriage and it just makes you feel like you’re not alone.

Madison Wright's Not Our First Rodeo is a heartfelt and emotional second-chance romance that masterfully tackles the challenging journey of healing after loss. This book isn't just about a couple finding their way back to each other; it's a poignant exploration of grief, self-discovery, and the powerful, steady nature of true love. It earns a solid 4 out of 5 stars for its rich character development and the genuine emotional depth of its story.

One of the most striking aspects of this novel is Wright's writing style. She crafts a narrative that is both gentle and compelling, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the characters' pain and eventual hope. The prose is straightforward and deeply empathetic, which is essential given the heavy topics it explores, such as miscarriage and the loss of a life's dream. Wright navigates these delicate themes with grace, ensuring the emotional weight of the story feels authentic without becoming overwhelming. Her ability to build a narrative that is slow-burning yet consistently engaging makes you want to keep turning the pages, eager to see how Elsie and Beau's story unfolds.

The characters are the true heart of this book. Elsie Jennings is a complex and relatable heroine. Her journey from a seemingly perfect life to one shattered by injury and loss is a difficult one to read, and her decision to push away the man she loves is understandable, if not easy to accept. Her grief and anxiety are portrayed with a raw honesty that allows for a deep connection with her character. Beau Jennings is, without a doubt, a standout hero. He is the epitome of patience, loyalty, and unwavering love. His calm strength is the perfect counterbalance to Elsie's internal turmoil. The way he never gives up on her, offering support from a distance until she is ready to accept it again, is both beautiful and inspiring. The supporting cast is equally well-drawn, and their presence adds a wonderful sense of found family and small-town charm that enriches the overall story.

Ultimately, Not Our First Rodeo is an emotional journey that left me with a sense of quiet hope. The book brings a rollercoaster of feelings, from profound sadness to heartwarming moments of love and laughter. It captures the reality that healing is not linear, and that sometimes, the hardest battles are fought within ourselves. Watching Elsie and Beau rebuild their relationship, not by returning to what they had before, but by building something new and stronger, is incredibly rewarding. The novel is a testament to the idea that love, especially a love that has survived so much, is worth fighting for, even when the path forward feels uncertain. It's a must-read for anyone who loves a second-chance romance with serious heart and a touch of a "found family" feel.

I enjoyed this second chance romance, however I’m not a fan of accidental pregnancy in books - (just my personal preference, not a trigger or anything)
That being said I enjoyed the storyline of Elsie and her grief/illness and the character development was really good. The author wrote about sensitive topics really well. They felt really thought through and well researched.
The MMC was a walking green flag and was just a perfect example of a man!
I love the line up for other character books and I can’t wait for the next book in the series.
🌟🌟🌟🌟

Release date - 11th July 2025

WELL THEN. i loved this one so much. there is something so sweet about first love and all the moments that reflect on their relationship. from how it began in the past & how they found their way back to each other! gosh i ate this up, truly.

i connected so deeply with elsie- the way she had such high anxiety and low self-esteem which led to her pushing others away. i was rooting for her as she began to heal!! AND do not even get me started on beau. dear lord THIS MAN!! the way he was down bad for elsie and would do absolutely anything for her. these two wholeheartedly captured my heart instantly.

it was so easy to see how much love, thought, and care went into this book. this was more than just a romance, which is why i think i loved it so much. it was about trying to navigate through/processing loss and discovering who you are with a partner. elsie and beau were made for each other. they are truly so special and you could feel the love between them through the pages. their love was real, raw, vulnerable, and honest.

without a doubt, i would recommend this book to anyone. madison wright, you just became an autobuy author of mine!! EASILY

I really enjoyed this story. I appreciate that the author shows that marriage isn’t always perfect—that there are highs and lows—but sometimes love can be stronger than anything.
I felt so much sympathy for Elsie: living with anxiety is far from easy.
I also really liked Beau—patient, present, and always ready to support her.

On the other hand, I had a harder time with Elsie’s family… By contrast, I loved Beau’s family, especially his brother Cooper, who says out loud what everyone else is thinking and is very protective of him.

The author did a great job highlighting Elsie’s growth throughout the chapters. Seeing her open up, smile again, and be less hard on herself really moved me.
I can only recommend this read.

This was a super sweet romance by Madison Wright. I liked the attention to detail the author uses when it comes to describing Western and country life. The story was very relatable for cowgirls.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC. I wish people would be a bit more original when writing cowboy romances, because this feels like yet another knock-off of Elsie Silver. I also have NEVER enjoyed the pregnancy trope, and this time was no different. The cause of their strained relationship was so dumb and kind of ruined the book for me. Their chemistry was good, but the whole hiding part of herself from him for 12 years was.... no.... just no. Please go to couples therapy. I'd maybe try this author's books again if they had different tropes that I liked, cause the writing was alright in this one.

I do think this book will hit the mark for a lot of reader but for me it wasn’t it.

I wanted to love this book because l've loved second chance romances. For me I didn’t feel the character showed they loved each other we were more so told they loved each other. That made it hard to connect to the romance like I wanted to. Because I was very conflicted where I almost didn’t give any rating because I enjoy the story the author wrote but I just couldn’t stay in it because of the romance.

Not Our First Rodeo appeared to have it all for me at first glance - cowboys, small town and angst… but wow, it was so much more than that.

A second chance romance with a surprise pregnancy, the emotional journey and healing from loss, and a couple who actually learn to communicate to fix their issues.

It was raw, romantic and so rewarding to read and I cannot wait to revisit this town and these characters for book two.

4 stars!

I did not expect this to demolish my emotions the way it did. Elsie and Beau’s story was beautifully tragic but healing by the end. His patience and unwavering love through their shared trauma was what fictional men dreams are made of. I’d mind content warning if you’re sensitive to topics of miscarriage and the grief that comes from it but this was handled with great care and felt very genuine. This is out now so everyone should grab it!

This book had so many tropes I love second chance romance, small town setting, childhood sweethearts, and the emotional push-pull of healing and finding your way back to love. Elsie’s journey from heartbreak to hope was raw and real, and Beau? Absolute book boyfriend material he is patient, loyal, and unwavering. Their story was tender, emotional, and full of heart. A beautiful reminder that sometimes love deserves a second chance, Maddison hit the his book out the park - i loved every minute of reading this one!!

Review: Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright

This book wrecked me—in the best way. 🥲

We follow Elsie, who had her whole life mapped out—ballet career, husband, happily ever after—but after an injury and a devastating miscarriage, everything falls apart. She pulls away from everyone, even Beau, her high school sweetheart turned husband, who has been nothing but patient and steady.

When Elsie comes back home to Montana, she’s trying to rebuild her life as a teacher instead of a dancer, but of course… running into Beau stirs everything back up. And let’s just say one spark leads to another, and suddenly they’re facing something neither of them expected. 👀

This book is heavy at times—anxiety, grief, loss—but it’s also full of so much hope and healing. Elsie’s journey felt raw and real, and Beau? Absolute angel. The way he just shows up for her, even when she’s pushing him away… ugh. 10/10 book boyfriend material.

If you like small-town, second-chance romances with all the messy emotions, you need to pick this one up. It’s heartfelt, tender, and honestly? Not my first rodeo with crying over a book. 🐎💔✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I really wanted to LOVE love this book. Marriage in crisis? High school/childhood sweethearts? Two of my favorite things! Unfortunately, this fell a little flat. Admittedly, I read two different books with similar tropes that were 6 star reads for me so perhaps the problem is that I expected too much but honestly, I just didn't believe it.

This was the second book in as many months that just did a lot of telling and not showing. I wanted to feel angst, longing, etc. and it just really fell flat. I'm bummed because I was really looking forward to this.

Overall I don't want to say this is a BAD story, it isn't! I just think it doesn't stand out and I found myself not really caring about the plot or characters as it went on.

Wow, this book hit me right in the feels. It's a second-chance romance. I couldn't put it down. Elsie had everything planned out, a ballet career, a loving husband and a bright future.

But life threw some hard punches: a career-ending injury and a heartbreaking miscarriage that shattered her world.
She pushed everyone away, even Beau, the guy who's loved her since they were teenagers. Months later, back in her small hometown, she's trying to rebuild her life-trading performances for teaching and the loneliness for something like peace. But then everything changes when she finds out she's pregnant , and she has to face all the feelings and someone she's been avoiding.

4 stars! I really enjoyed this book. I felt you could really relate to the problems in the book and it was well written! I really enjoyed this!