I really wanted to love this book, but it ended up just being okay for me. The romance felt more superficial compared to the author’s previous books, and the chemistry between the two main characters fell flat in my opinion. It often felt like we were being told how they felt rather than shown, which made it hard to connect with their relationship or feel invested. That said, I did really enjoyed the side characters and the family dynamics.

✨ ARC Review ✨

Not Our First Rodeo
by Madison Wright
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This emotional second chance romance hit me right in the heart. Elsie and Beau’s journey is tender, raw, and messy in all the best ways. It deals with some heavy topics like off page miscarriage, mental health, and healing so please check the trigger warnings before diving in.

After an injury ends her ballet career and a heartbreaking miscarriage, Elsie is consumed by grief and anxiety. She pushes everyone away including her husband, Beau. He gives her the space she asks for, but never stops loving her. Beau A total dream. Supportive, patient, vulnerable he’s the kind of book boyfriend who stays with you.

When one night together leads to an unexpected pregnancy, the stakes are even higher. I understood Elsie’s pain, but at times I found her frustrating especially when it felt like she forgot that Beau was grieving too. Still, their love story is layered, and the emotional depth kept me fully invested.

Set in a cozy small town with strong found family vibes, this book delivers:
🍼 Accidental Pregnancy
🐎 Horse Trainer x Ballerina
💔 Marriage in Crisis
💞 High School Sweethearts
🏡 Found Family
📖 Dual POV

Beautifully written with heartfelt moments and a realistic portrayal of healing, Not Our First Rodeo is full of second chances, community, and the power of showing up for the people you love even when it’s hard.

Thank you to NetGalley and Madison Wright for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. 💌

4.5 stars! you can tell how much care & thought went into this book & these characters. i could feel the authors vulnerability in every word 🤍. this was definitely much more than a romance but about two people who deeply care for each other trying to navigate how to process loss & discovering who you are with a partner. these characters were each so special & i could feel the love between the two of them. beau my man, he was so caring, attentive, patient & loving towards elsie. they both are going through a lot of hard things during throughout this book & how they both come together to work through it was so real & honest to real life.

my girl elsie! i was not expecting to relate to her as much as i did. the way madison touched on mental health in this was so well done. seeing elsie’s struggle with anxiety & how she learned to cope with it by letting the people who love her in was very touching and relatable.

there’s something about reading about first love that is so magical & sweet. i loved all the moments that reflected on their relationship in the past & how they found their way back to each other. this is definitely a new favorite for me & one i can see myself coming back to.

content warnings
mentions of pregnancy loss, grief, anxiety & panic attacks. trigger warning page included. slightly open door 🌶️🌶️.5

This story was tender, honest, and deeply emotional. A beautifully written second chance romance that explores grief, healing, and the quiet strength of love that never wavers.

Elsie and Beau felt so real, imperfect, hurting, but still hopeful. Beau is the kind of steady, patient love we all dream of. Elsie’s journey back to herself is one I’ll carry with me for a long time.

If you love small town stories, emotional depth, and characters who feel truly human, this is a must read.

2 stars. I was initially drawn to the premise of Not Our First Rodeo, anticipating that I would deeply relate to Elsie due to our shared experiences of miscarriage, grief, and the anxiety that follows while pregnant with your rainbow baby. However, the writing style made it difficult for me to feel immersed in the story, so I wasn't really able to connect with the characters. There were a lot of run-on sentences, overly descriptive writing between lines of dialogue (which made me repeatedly lose track of the conversations that we were in the middle of), and continuously telling, rather than showing. The pacing dragged and made it difficult for me to remain fully engaged.

I enjoyed the chapters from Beau's perspective a bit more than Elsie's POV chapters. I appreciated that, although Beau's family was mostly supportive of Elsie, Cooper addressed that Beau deserves his emotional needs to be taken care of too. He lost his baby too, after all. I would have liked for that to transition into showing us more of Beau's grief process post-miscarriage, but unfortunately we didn't get much of that.

Not Our First Rodeo focused a lot more on Elsie's anxiety, rather than grief from their miscarriage and the struggles of their separation, which wasn't what I expected. The anxiety plot line as the driving force of the story felt a bit repetitive at times. I also wish we would have seen more conflict (coping with grief and their separation) between Elsie and Beau prior to them getting back together at the start of the story.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the ARC! As always, all opinions are completely my own.

Unfortunately, I had to dnf this book around 60 percent. I really tried to fall in love with the story of Elsie and Beau but it felt like a huge gap was missing between them and I didn’t feel their connection. I couldn’t understand how Elsie just dipped out so easily, and she was suffering from panic attacks for so long and never told Beau. I wish I could have had more of a backstory of their love and connection in the beginning of the book. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read this book and I wish the author nothing but great success.

This is for all the Elsie Silver Reckless and out on a limb girlies! Another book where the pregnancy Trope has been written better than I thought it could be. Found Family. Second Chance. Cowboy romance. It was so real and raw. I enjoyed it so much. Beau is the biggest golden Retriever and I can‘t wait for Future Books in this series!!

Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright is a raw, tender, and emotionally powerful second-chance romance that truly left its mark on me. As someone who adores cowboy romances and deeply layered love stories, this book had everything I look for and more.

Elsie and Beau’s story is rooted in grief, but it blooms into something quietly hopeful and beautifully redemptive. After a heartbreaking loss that causes a rift between them, they are forced to navigate both personal trauma and the delicate process of rediscovering one another. Elsie’s internal battle with anxiety and overwhelming grief was portrayed with such care and authenticity. Watching her learn to trust Beau again, to let him see her most vulnerable self, was incredibly moving. And Beau… oh, he was steadfast and loyal in a way that just wrecked me. His unwavering support and patience were exactly what Elsie needed and what made this love story feel so genuine.

Madison Wright doesn’t shy away from difficult topics - miscarriage, identity loss, and emotional isolation are all explored with nuance and heart. The emotional weight is real, but it’s never heavy just for the sake of drama; every moment of pain is grounded in truth and healing. I particularly appreciated how their reconciliation wasn’t rushed. There’s real effort, understanding, and forgiveness at play here.

While I would’ve loved a few more “slice of life” scenes from the early stages of their reconnection (like the first picnic or more soft, quiet moments), the emotional arc still felt full and satisfying. An unexpected pregnancy later in the book adds further depth, not as a fix-all, but as a hopeful turning point for a couple who’ve already endured so much.

If you love emotional, heartfelt second-chance romances, especially ones with cowboys, complex characters, and a powerful emotional core. Not Our First Rodeo belongs at the very top of your TBR. I look forward to reading more from Madison Wright.

This was such a sweet story of finding hope after loss, and reigniting love - not to get back to where you used to be, but to forge a new path with the person you've fallen in love with again.

Beau and Elsie are both dealing with such a devastating loss, and it pushes them apart (more so, it causes Elsie to push Beau away). I really liked how they found their way back to each other, how understanding they were of each other's pain and didn't hold grudges as they found their way forwards. Elsie's struggles with grief and anxiety hit hard, and the way she learned to lean on Beau and to let him see all the vulnerable parts of her was wonderful to see. Beau was loyal and steadfast in his love for Elsie, and I loved that so much; it was exactly what Elsie needed.

While there were some scenes that I feel like I would've personally liked to see (especially in the earlier days of their recoupling, like when they're going to go on that first picnic together - I wish we would've seen some smaller moments like that as they start to get to know each other again) overall, this was such a beautiful book and I really enjoyed reading it!

Not My First Rodeo is the kind of small-town romance that wraps you up in its world — the charm, the people, the quiet strength of community. But what really stole my heart was the couple at its core. The MMC adores his wife in a way that feels rare and sacred — there’s no playing it cool here; it’s full devotion, always. Their connection is deep, emotional, and absolutely swoon-worthy.

If you're a sucker for a golden retriever/black cat dynamic, found family, or a man who would burn down the world for the woman he loves, this one’s for you. I smiled, I teared up, and I didn’t want to leave that little town behind.

grateful to NetGalley for granting me the e-ARC of this book.

this was my introduction to cowboy romance and i fear i can see the appeal now. there’s something about the setting, atmosphere and found family that keeps you hooked and while i’m not the biggest fan of contemporary romance, i really enjoyed this for what it was. i will say though, that some character behaviors felt a little unrealistic especially for a couple that has been together for over ten years. also, the fmc was kind of annoying and slow… regardless, this was a fun read and i’m actually excited for the books following the secondary characters of this book!

I am a sucker for a good cowboy romance and Madison Wright didn't disappoint.

This book dives in with some tough subjects but they are dealt with so well. It was an emotional journey, but I loved it all the same.

I'm looking forward to reading more from this author in the future.

2.5 stars

Okay, so I really wanted to love this one. Second-chance romance / marriage in crisis? Sold. But unfortunately this one just did not do it for me and I had to dnf just before the midway mark.

I kept waiting for some chemistry to spark between the fmc and mmc, but unfortunately I’m still waiting lmao. Their relationship felt awkward and the moments that were supposed to be heartfelt actually made me cringe. They read like a couple that have known each other 12 weeks, not 12 years.

The fmc clearly struggles with mental health issues, but her lack of communication with the mmc was infuriating. I wanted to feel for her, but I just couldn’t, I just ended up feeling sorry for him. Rather than rooting for the romance, I was rooting for the fmc to book in for some, clearly very much needed, therapy sessions.

Controversially, I quite like the accidental pregnancy trope but only when it’s done WELL, and sadly I didn’t enjoy it in this case. Also, it’s a minor error but there are timeline inconsistencies that really annoyed me; the fmc says the night she got pregnant was 3 weeks ago, then in the same conversation she says she’s five weeks pregnant??? As I said, it’s minor but it was all I could focus on lmao

Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright is a raw, emotional, and beautifully written second-chance romance that completely captured my heart. I was lucky enough to receive an eARC from the author via NetGalley, and I’m so grateful I did — because this book wrecked me in the best way possible.

This story dives deep into love, loss, and healing, touching on heavy but important topics like miscarriage, identity, and rediscovering your worth after everything you thought defined you has been taken away.

Our heroine had it all — a thriving dance career, a loving husband, and a bright future. But when an injury shatters her dreams and she discovers she’s pregnant, she clings to this new purpose… until that too is tragically taken from her. What follows is a heart-wrenching journey of grief, distance, and the painful ways loss can fracture even the strongest love. She pushes her husband away, believing she’s too broken to be loved — but he never stops fighting for her, for them.

Their road back to each other isn’t easy, and Madison Wright doesn’t shy away from the messy, uncomfortable emotions that come with rebuilding something that’s been through the fire. An unplanned pregnancy brings even more complexity to their journey, but also hope — a chance to create something new and even stronger than what they had before.

This book had me deep in my feels — I cried, I rooted for them, and I closed the last page with a full heart. If you love emotionally charged second-chance romances with depth and heart, Not Our First Rodeo is absolutely one to add to your TBR.

Absolutely smitten with Beau.

This book was so good, loved the storyline even though at some points in the beginning I was getting annoyed with the slight miscommunication from Elsie but she had her reasons so we let her off 🤫

Im sorry but Beaus dad opening up to him about his troubles before he was born when he knew Beau needed to hear it.. love that old man 👏🏼

This book has so many characters that I love we get a glimpse into potential books 😏

I think once I got to half way mark I finished this book within an hour! The ending was perfect for them.

Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright
Huge thank you to NetGalley, the author, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Book 1 in the Lucky Stars Ranch is Calling series introduces readers to a second-chance romance that is both raw and healing. Elsie Jennings thought she had it all—a ballet career, a devoted husband, and a future full of promise. But a devastating injury and heartbreaking miscarriage send her into a spiral of grief and isolation, pushing away the one person who’s always stood by her: Beau.

Now back in her small Montana hometown, Elsie is trying to find her footing again—teaching instead of dancing, surviving instead of thriving—until a single night changes everything. When she discovers she’s pregnant, she’s forced to face the past, the present, and a future she never saw coming. Beau never stopped loving her, and with quiet strength, he returns with the kind of steady, patient love that honestly had me swooning.

This story absolutely grabbed me by the heart. Elsie’s emotional journey—especially her grief, anxiety, and struggle with depression—was written with so much honesty and care. Knowing that the author has experienced loss herself adds even more depth to Elsie’s character and her healing. I saw myself in her—flawed, hurting, and slowly putting the pieces back together. Her growth was powerful, and by the end, I was completely undone in the best way.

And Beau? Let’s just say I’m obsessed. He’s everything: loyal, kind, patient, and the ultimate book boyfriend.

Grab your tissues for this one—it’s emotional, real, and so worth the read. A beautiful beginning to what I hope will be a long-running series full of heart.

Okay this book hands down was incredible
I've posted it in my tiktok page this is adorable I love the characters and their story I highly recommend it,
Easy and fun to read and gripping.

I really wanted to love Not Our First Rodeo. The premise had so much potential with its themes of grief, healing, and second chances. But unfortunately, it didn’t quite land for me. While I understood Elsie’s emotional struggle after her injury and loss, the reason for the marriage breakdown felt more like miscommunication than anything irreparable, which made it harder to connect with their separation.

I also struggled to feel the chemistry between Elsie and Beau. His love for her was clear, but their connection didn’t feel as emotionally charged or believable as I hoped. I appreciated the effort to explore grief and reconnection, but I never truly felt swept up in their romance.

If you love small-town stories and patient, soft-hearted heroes, this might still work for you. It just didn’t fully click for me.

thank you to netgalley for the arc

Finger licking good! This book made me feral! Cowboys romances are my kryptonite! Please give me more!! This book is up there with some of my favorite cowboys romances.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️

In this book, we explored Elsie and Beau’s marriage journey, as well as their grief, pain, and loss. Before reading the book, please read the trigger warnings at the beginning, as this book deals with miscarriage among other topics. For the most part, I liked this book. I always enjoy reading books that have lots of emotional trauma and their journey to overcome their obstacles. I think the author did a good job of taking us through their journey, but I do wish there was more on how Elsie was mentally feeling. I feel like throughout the book, I felt more for Beau and how he was struggling and trying to be there for Elsie while also trying to save his marriage with her. With Elsie, I felt more annoyed by the way she was treating Beau, even though I know she probably has a lot of trauma that was all kept inside her. I get it was multiple things, such as her miscarriage, the way her parents treated her, and her hiding her panic attacks from Beau.. but maybe if we gotten more of her POV when her injury occurred and her grief through her pregnancy loss, I could feel more of why she was mentally checked out and her journey of discovering herself again without the help of her husband. Besides that, overall, I think this is a good start to perhaps a series, as this book also has a good family foundation. I loved reading about Beau’s family and how protective and loving they are towards Elsie. 

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC!!