I am speechless.
Madison Wright has a way of writing such beautiful, real, and emotionally invoking stories that leaves me in awe every time. Just reading the blurb, you can already tell this could be an emotional book. But what you don’t know until you read it, is how beautiful it is as well. The love and support oozes off the pages. The respect and commitment between not only Elsie and Beau, but their family as well, is everything you could wish for them and in this book.

I adored this couple. I wanted to drive through the Montana mountains and give them the world. Their internal and personal growth was so beautiful to watch. I worried that this book would be so incredibly angsty and heartbreaking in a way that I would have had difficulty reading through it, but it wasn’t at all. Madison did such an amazing job portraying such a personal story in a way that could touch the lives of others, bring a tear to your eye, and leave you with a smile on your face. I think the way she writes is so beautiful and leaves you feeling wrapped in a hug. I’m forever a fan.

And on a lighter note… when they had good moments, they are so funny. I loved their quick back and forth comments. I could have read that for days! I am so excited for future books on Lucky Star Ranch so we can get some more of this banter peaking through!

Beau is the definition of if he wanted to he would 🤍

Elsie was going through it mental (and physically) and thought it was best to handle it on her own but Beau stepping up and realizing that’s not going to work it didn’t let her go through it alone was absolutely beautiful.

Bonus points for Beau being a cowboy and it’s set in a small town 🤍🤍

3.5 stars for me! I did really enjoy this book and the premise of it. I loved Beau he was such a beautifully written MMC, patient, loving, kind, loyal! What more could you want! I did enjoy how grown up he was in giving Elsie her space but still staying loyal to her and supporting her.
Elsie was lovely and I do recognise the trauma and anxiety/panic attacks but I did feel like it was all about her feelings and Beau was just forgotten about.
I just wanted her to be honest with him about everything she is going through so he could be there to support her properly.
I still did enjoy this book and can’t wait for the next one in the series I feel like it set heaps of side characters up ready for their stories!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3.5/5 stars)

This book had a lot of emotional depth and tackled heavy themes like grief, healing, and second chances. Elsie’s journey—through heartbreak, loss, and learning to live again—was raw and real. Her perspective is front and center for most of the novel, and you really get a sense of her internal battles and growth.

That said, I found myself wanting more from Beau’s side of the story. While he’s clearly a devoted and steady presence, I felt a bit out of the loop with his emotions and motivations. His love for Elsie is undeniable, but I would’ve loved to see more development and insight into his character beyond being supportive. It often felt like the narrative was heavily weighted toward Elsie, leaving Beau as more of a background figure than an equal partner in the story.

Overall, it’s a heartfelt book with some touching moments, but I think a more balanced focus on both characters would have made the story even stronger.

Elsie was a very succesful person and she thought sie had it all. yes, she was.. After a lot of unfortunate events taking place in her life, she seems to find herself ina very deep, depressive hole with no way out. So she does what she thinks is best - she pushes everyone away. with no exceptions. Even her husband, Beau, who was (and still is) a love of her life.

But is it a right thing to do? Will she be able to let herself happy again? Will she be able to get her marriage back?



I think i have never read a book like that before. Like sure, i have read books with unexpected pregnancy (which i am not a fan of), but i DO love a second chance trope. I always think that if you are meant to be, you will always find a way back to each other, maybe after healing yourself. And this is what this story is about - it's a journey to loving yourself and letting other people in - because even if you think you are tough, you do not have to face your fears alone.
What i found the best was the fact, that this 'way to be better/happier' is not easy and sometimes you will make one step ahead only to take two back - and this is okay. Nothing changes in one night but trying is the best thing you can do. I think that's beautiful.

I also loved the fact that it spoke out the fact, that men would need help too. They are often overseen just because they are meant to be tough and not show any emotions - i think it's very harming in our society. There are always two sides who may be hurting, not only one.

I would recommend this book to everyone. It is not a summery romance, it's a story about healing and finding yourself and love again.





all opinions are my own.

If you’re looking for a book that feels like a warm hug, it’s this one. Truly a comfort read. I read it in a day, not wanting to put it down.

This book just felt so authentic and handled sensitive topics really well. Elsie suffers from anxiety and panic attacks, especially after her miscarriage. These can be tough topics to address, but I thought Wright did a fantastic job with them.

I loved Beau and Elsie. You knew from the beginning that even when they were separated, they weren’t done with each other. I really loved watching their relationship evolve.

I don’t know how I’m supposed to just move on and read other books now? I’ll be thinking about this book for a while. In the mean time, I just went got two other books by Madison Wright (Only In Your Dreams and Off the Beaten Path) that I’m so excited to read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victoria Editing for the eARC.

4.5⭐️!!

Elsie & Beau have my heart! What a gorgeous story. I was hooked from the first chapter, my love for the pregnancy trope has definitely grown after this book. Their story was so well written, I couldn’t put it down. The way their personal struggles & grief for what they had been through was portrayed in such a perfect way too. Elsie is incredible & she’s got a man who would do anything for her & I love that!
Also I’m hoping we get books for Beaus family because I NEED their stories!

Not Our First Rodeo is the first book in a new cowboy romance series by author Madison Wright about a family of ranchers who live on Lucky Stars Ranch in Montana. This book follows Beau and Elsie, a married couple who separated after a devastating loss. After letting their guard down for one night, their future completely changes. Will they be able to rebuild the life they once thought possible, together?

My Impressions: Beau's family members were well-characterized and I could tell they will have future stories of their own in this series. I enjoyed the setting of this book and it had many great elements I love. Despite the ranch/cowboy and marriage in crisis elements I enjoyed, the plot arc didn't compel me and the delivery of this story fell flat. I felt like most of this book was a health progress journal for Elsie and didn't provide the emotional connection (angst?) I was hoping for. That being said, I have lived through the same events/issues as Elsie, so maybe for a reader who hasn't, this book would be a more insightful and compelling read.

Conclusion: It was cute, with no major issues, but ultimately fell flat and wasn't memorable for me.

Content Considerations: Light use of moderate/strong profanity, fade to black romantic scenes between married couple with some steamy build-up but not explicit, some sexual innuendos, miscarriage (openly discussed, but occurred in the past, not a spoiler I promise), estranged martial relationship.

Thank you to Victory Editing and NetGalley for the complementary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. My review is my own opinion and is in no way influenced by the author or publisher.

Thank you NetGalley & Victory Editing for this arc!!

I am a huge fan of cowboy romances & the pregnancy trope so I was excited when I requested this story and got approved.

Overall, I give it a solid 3.5 ⭐️’s. It was a wholesome story and Beau was the most gentle man ever. No matter how much space Elsie needed, he gave it to her, and he never pushed her past her limits. He continued to show up even if Elsie was unsure of what she wanted. He always knew what to say, and learned what she needed just by watching.

Elsie struggled a lot during this book. Through her grief and panic attacks, she still continued to show up everyday even if it was hard. It was a very relatable struggle, and I like how it was captured.

I am not sure I was a big fan of the failing/reconnecting marriage aspect, but it was done well in this story. It shows that when you have people in your corner, you are truly rich in life. This made me enjoy the side characters, like Cooper and Jade, and I just know they are about to get their own book!! Can’t wait to see what is next for Lucky Stars Ranch, overall a cute, quick read!

Highly recommend if you are a fan of:
- small-town romance
- cowboy romance
- accidental pregnancy trope
- childhood lovers/second chance romance

I’ve been through four pregnancies and spent every spare moment of my childhood in a dance studio, so this one really got me all in my feels. The cowboy vibes are pretty similar to a lot of recent books, but the premise is somewhat unique. It follows Elsie and Beau, who find out they’re pregnant in the midst of some identity crisis/marriage troubles.

I typically enjoy Madison Wright’s books, but I struggled with this one a bit. Elsie’s feelings were all totally normal, valid feelings, but I just wanted to shake some sense into her sometimes! The conflict just felt like it was trying too hard, and the resolution wasn’t much of a resolution at all really. I still enjoyed it pretty well, though. There’s a good cast of side characters, likely setting things up for future stories, which I’m still very much going to read.

Thanks to NetGalley and Madison Wright for the ARC of this book!

Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright is a charming, emotionally driven romance that blends second chances, small-town warmth, and just enough drama to keep the pages turning. Wright has a knack for crafting relatable characters—especially the lead pair, whose chemistry feels natural and earned over time. The setting is vivid, filled with dusty backroads, rodeo lights, and family dynamics that tug at the heart.

What holds this book back from a higher rating is pacing. Some plot beats feel slightly rushed, while others linger longer than necessary. A few side characters also could've used more depth, especially considering the tight-knit community the story leans on.

Still, Wright delivers an engaging story about resilience, love, and finding your way back to what matters. It's not perfect, but it's a warm, enjoyable read for fans of contemporary romance with a western twist.

I really love Madison Wright's books and finished this one in a couple hours! At first I was worried that it might end in a sad way (or at least, not the way I hoped), but it was so real and romantic and heartfelt! Beau was a great example of supporting someone through a trial and loving them when it's hard for them to love themselves. Excited for the next book in the series!

This book was good, but I kept waiting for it to be great—and it just never got there. It had the right setup (marriage in distress, grief, second chances), but something about it didn’t quite click emotionally.

The biggest issue for me was that it told us how the characters felt instead of showing it. I wanted to feel the heartbreak and the slow rebuild, but the emotion just didn’t hit. There wasn’t enough tension or yearning between the leads, and I never fully bought into their journey back to each other.

The FMC gets all the focus and sympathy, but I found myself wondering—who’s checking in on Beau? He also lost a baby, and basically lost his wife too when she pushed him away. And no one really acknowledges that? He wasn’t even allowed to show any anger or resentment, which honestly felt unfair and a bit unrealistic.

The pregnancy arc was weird too. We’re told things happened but barely shown anything. We miss most of the big moments, and Beau’s barely involved. Like, not one scene of him feeling the baby kick? Why even include the pregnancy if we don’t get to experience it with them?

Also, there’s this detail about her first pregnancy loss being tied to her morning sickness going away. So in this second pregnancy, when the nausea stops—you’d think that would totally freak her out. But nope. She’s fine. But then has panic attacks over stuff like visiting his parents? It felt off, and the way her mental health was handled overall just felt rushed and too neatly wrapped up.

I did like that it wasn’t your typical cowboy romance—it tried to be a little different, and I respect that. But I needed more emotion, more honesty, and more from Beau’s side of the story. It had potential, but just didn’t deliver the emotional punch I was hoping for.

Not Our First Rodeo had all the right elements on paper—marriage in distress, grief, healing, a second-chance love story—but it never fully delivered the emotional payoff I was hoping for. It felt like the foundation was there, but the heart of the story never quite clicked into place.

The biggest issue for me was how much the story told us what to feel instead of showing it through genuine emotional beats. I wanted more yearning, more tension, more raw honesty between the couple. The marriage-in-trouble trope can be incredibly powerful, but here it just skimmed the surface. I never really felt the depth of their separation or the intensity of their reconnection.

The female main character was written with so much emphasis on her trauma that it felt like the entire world—including Beau—was tiptoeing around her. But Beau was grieving too. He lost a child and his wife at the same time, emotionally speaking, and yet no one really acknowledged what he was going through. It felt so one-sided. She pushed him away because she was hurting, and that’s understandable—but it also caused real pain, and I wish the book had let him express that. There was no moment of reckoning where she fully understood how deeply she had hurt him, and that made the eventual “happy again” ending feel unearned.

The handling of the second pregnancy was also underwhelming. We aren’t really present for it—just told about it later—and Beau’s role in it is barely explored. He doesn’t get to experience a single moment of connection like feeling a kick or attending a key doctor’s visit, which made me wonder why the pregnancy was even included.

One detail that especially bothered me: in the first pregnancy, we’re told that the loss was somehow tied to her morning sickness disappearing. You’d think that, in the second pregnancy, the moment she stops feeling sick would be incredibly triggering. I expected panic, fear, maybe a rushed call to the doctor—but instead, she’s totally fine? And yet she has panic attacks over other, seemingly less significant things. It just didn’t add up, emotionally or realistically.

Even more frustrating was how quickly and neatly her mental health was “resolved.” We're told she’s been dealing with anxiety and panic attacks her whole life, and yet suddenly after a few months—magic! She’s healed. It felt overly convenient and emotionally shallow.

There were things I liked. The book stands out from typical cowboy romances, and I appreciated that it tried to do something different. But overall, I needed more depth, more emotional messiness, and especially more attention to Beau’s side of the story. He deserved to be seen, not just supportive.

In the end, this book wasn’t bad—but it definitely could’ve been so much better.

I adored this book. Elsie and Beau’s story was so real and emotional. Elsie struggled a lot after her injury and miscarriage, pushing everyone away, even Beau. But slowly, she let him in and showed her true feelings. Beau also grew a lot, learning how to support her better. The book talked honestly about anxiety and pain, and I felt connected to Elsie’s fight. The small town and friends added warmth to the story. I read it very fast because it was hard to stop. The surprise pregnancy was handled well and didn’t feel cliché. I’m excited to read more about Beau’s family next. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving an honest review.

Oh, how I love the stories Madison Wright comes up with.

Give me second chance. Give me accidental pregnancy. GIVE THEM TO ME IN THE SAME BOOK. My guys, my pals, my girls. I loved this one so much.

I think there’s something to be said about the way we hide ourselves even from the people meant to know us best and love us the most. Vulnerability is terrifying. We can trust our people explicitly and still not trust ourselves to show them our weakest parts. And I think the way Madison Wright explored this with Elsie’s hidden panic attacks was lovely. Elsie has known Beau(and Cheyenne, her best friend) her entire life and yet neither of them know about her panic attacks. I know it seems a little far-fetched but Wright made it work here. And when they finally came out, all Elsie saw in the aftermath was love and concern.

Having the story start with Elsie and Beau reuniting in a bar, leading to a one night stand, leading to a pregnancy, all of this after a miscarriage? Give it TO ME. Separated and hurting, these two find solace in a night together after 3 months of living apart. Elsie isn’t ready to take Beau back fully and Beau has the patience and heart of a saint. He gives her everything she asks for but he makes sure to take what he needs this time, too. I loved that he kept pushing her when he wouldn’t have before. Watching these two date and fall back in love again was beautiful. It all felt so earned by the end of the story.

(I do wish Beau was able to show her his anger and resentment a bit more but I understand why Wright chose not to.)(I am glad he got to say how much she did hurt him, though.)

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the digital arc in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Every woman needs a Beau 🥹

This was just such a cozy, feel-good read!

There were so many times when I was so frustrated with Elsie, she really needed more tough love from her friends and family lol. Like girl, what? No the entire town and their mother does not hate you! Her inner thoughts were relatable, for sure. I wish that she wasn’t so hard on herself.

I love how close Beau is to his family, and the way he stands up for Elsie to her parents is everything.

My only con is really just readers preference, the writing style is more telling than showing and I prefer showing vs telling. In any case, this is a lovely read and I recommend it to all my romance girlies!

This was my first Madison Wright book and it won’t be my last!

Thank you NetGalley & Madison for the ARC! 🤭🤍

I love Madison Wright’s books and I was so excited for a cowboy romance from her!!!

This was so so good!!!! The plot was very unique which I enjoyed and the romance was just so sweet :’) I always love a second chance and this one was done so well!! There were so many sweet moments I highlighted!! I just love Madison’s writing!!

I CANNOT wait for the next book in this series!!!

I absolutely positively love this book.
The storyline was something I’ve never read before. I loved it!
The character of Elsie was everything! Trying to find yourself again after losing who you thought you would always be will always be the hardest thing to overcome . This book allows you to follow Elsie on her journey and it was so heartwarming to read.
She struggles with letting people in feeling like she’s a failure. Only Beau manages to see through it. He Encourages and Supports her in her new journey as a ballet teacher!
I adored the relationship between Elsie and Beau. Their love story shows that even through the hardest times if you truly love someone everything will be okay.
I can’t wait for the next one! (Fingers Crossed it’s Jade and Cooper)

"𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫."
Elsie Jennings thought she had it all—until an injury and a devastating loss changed everything. Back in her Montana hometown, she’s trying to piece her life back together, keeping her distance from the one person who’s always loved her: her husband, Beau. But a new teaching job and an unexpected pregnancy force Elsie to face what she’s been avoiding. Now Beau’s ready to fight for their marriage and remind her that some love stories are worth a second chance.
The moment I saw the blurb and cover for Not Our First Rodeo, I just knew I was going to love it—and I’m so glad I was right! A second chance romance with cowboys and a marriage in crisis? Count me in. From the setting to Madison’s writing, everything about this story hit just right.
Elsie is tough as hell and such a fighter. She didn’t grow up with the best example of a mom, but she still throws herself into motherhood with everything she’s got. She’s guarded and doesn’t let people in easily—and after everything she’s been through, I don’t blame her. But once you earn her trust, you see how deeply she cares—she’s loyal, loving, and has such a big heart. It broke my heart that she thought she had to carry everything on her own, believing she was an inconvenience to everyone and not good enough for her husband. But if there’s one thing I’m truly grateful for, it’s Beau and his unwavering determination to stay close to his wife, even when she kept pushing him away.
Now let me tell you about Beau. This man is everything—loyal, steady, and so full of love for Elsie that it made my heart ache. Every little thing he did showed just how deeply he cared. He kept showing up for her, even when she was hurting and pulling away. His calm was the perfect match for Elsie’s fire, and their push and pull made their connection feel so real.
These two were absolutely everything. I couldn’t get enough of them together. I loved their journey almost as much as I loved their banter.
Overall, I’m obsessed with this one. The setting, the writing—everything was perfect, and I can’t wait to read Cooper and Cheyenne’s story! Huge thanks to Madison Wright and NetGalley for the ARC. Not Our First Rodeo releases July 11th!
Tropes:
🍼 Marriage in Crisis
🍼 Accidental Pregnancy
🍼 Horse Trainer x Ballerina
🍼 High School Sweethearts