This book was absolutely incredible! I was hooked from the very first page! This covered some heavy topics and I thought it was done really well. I even related to some of the feeling Elsie had! Watching Beau support Elsie no matter what was top tier for me!

Madison, you outdid yourself with this one!!!! 🫂🫂🫂🫂
10/10. I adored this book. I haven’t experienced the kind of loss Elsie went through, but the way it was portrayed felt incredibly real and respectful. Her pain, her anxiety, the way she shut the world out …. it all made so much sense.
And Beau... 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹 he was everything. So patient, so steady. The kind of love that doesn’t give up on you, even when you’re not ready to be loved. 😭😭😭😭
It’s one of those stories that stays with you, tender, heartbreaking, but also full of hope. I’m still thinking about it 🥹❤️‍🩹

This was a super cute story! I found the characters to be really relatable and the story unique. Elsie has gone through so much change and as a mom I understood her wanting her space to find her identity again. I mean to grow up having your mom tell you your going to be a dancer and making that decision for you, losing that then finding out your going to be a mom to lose that as well…who is Elsie? So much change and such a short amount of time. And the fact she just wanted space so she could come back to Beau and be the wife he deserved was respectable. With that being said I do wish there would have been more of a confrontation with Elsie and Cooper after how much grief Cooper gave Beau about Elsie. And I do wish that instead of Beau continually asking Elsie to come and knowing her reason for saying no to family dinners that his parents would have just come to her one on one instead of this massive family dinner. I really enjoyed this story overall.

A second chance romance/marriage in crisis book that just didn’t hit the mark for me. It just felt very lackluster and the character development was not there. I actually had a hard time enjoying the FMC and I felt the reasoning for why their relationship became “strained” was weird and it felt far fetched she kept this a secret for 12 years. I also felt the pacing and then were off that made it hard to really lose myself in the story. I felt the set up and plot was there but the execution wasn’t that great. However, I could see others really enjoying this story. Especially if you like a complex romance with deeper themes. Just wants for me.

Firstly thank you so much for the ARC

I absolutely love a cowboy romance and this met my expectations

this was so sweet and emotional from the very start! I loved the love story within a happy marriage and the frank conversations about mental health. the epilogue was a little bit of a weird premise, but I guess cute and not weird enough to change my rating.

Thank you, Netgalley, for facilitating the request of this eARC.

2.5/3

This book had all the makings for something I would really enjoy.

- Cowboys
- Marriage in Trouble
- Accidental Pregnancy
- Deep Conversations & Heavy Topics

However, the characters just didn't hit for me; and that's okay. I can for sure see Madison Wright's potential as an author, and would absolutely read her next installment of this series. However, after sitting on this one for a while, it definitely fell flat for me, unfortunately.

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book deals with some heavy topics, including miscarriage, anxiety, and pre-eclampsia, so please be mindful of that before reading.

The story is very focused on anxiety—something I personally didn’t mind, as I experience it myself—but I can see how it might be triggering for some readers. It’s a quick read and overall really enjoyable. I loved seeing Elsie and Beau navigate everything together. They’re both absolute angels and so relatable—especially Elsie, who deals with both anxiety and pre-eclampsia. At times, it genuinely felt like I was reading about myself.

The ending did feel a little rushed, but it didn’t take away from the heart of the story.

Also, how adorable is Beau for taking candid photos of Elsie throughout the pregnancy

This was so emotional, in the best way possible. While it felt like there was more telling than showing, I still had an enjoyable time reading about this beautiful couple trying to heal their relationship after going through so much.

There was some amazing rep in this book of anxiety and depression.

I loved the found family aspects in this book and cannot wait for the other characters to get their stories!

If you love a second chance with cowboys, def give this one a shot!

This was a second chance romance that includes the accidental pregnancy trope, so I think that’s important to know going into it. I liked this book, but I didn’t love it. For me the biggest issue was that the romance between the FMC and MMC didn’t seem… super believable to me. They have been together since high school and in the FMC’s battle with depression and losing her sense of self since she can’t dance anymore, she kicks her husband out of the house so he doesn’t have to see her be that way. Honestly it felt like miscommunication trope to me because this book would’ve been significantly shorter if she had just told him why she kicked him out of the house and had come clean about her panic attacks. I understood her motives but personally I would never do that so I found it hard to relate. I could never imagine distancing myself from my husband in such a literal way as a response to things I need to work through internally as I don't believe people are damaged and need fixing. I appreciate that Elsie learned that, but it was hard for me to read in the beginning. I also felt in general it was unfair to Beau to keep him in the dark. The MMC’s brother pointed out, why was it only about what Elsie wanted, and no one cared that Beau got kicked out of his own home too and was forced to tell his family alone that she was pregnant? Unfortunately I just thought he deserved a bit better and that train of thought continued throughout the book. He was a cinnamon roll and very kind to Elsie, I just couldn't fully like Elsie because of the things I mentioned previously.

I thought it was a nice read, easy and quick, but unfortunately I found it hard to connect with our characters. I do however really like Jade and would love to read a book about her!

Elsie thought she had her whole life figured out, a career in ballet, a devoted husband and a certain future. Then a devastating injury and an even more devastating miscarriage causes her whole life to shatter. With everything changing she pushes away everyone including her husband. Months later she is looking to rebuild her life, she started teaching at the local dance studio and discovers she is pregnant after a one night stand with the husband she asked to give her space. Elsie is forced to confront all the emotions she spent months pushing away but one thing is definitely true, Beau never stopped loving Elsie.

I liked the relationship between Elise and Baeu and liked that it was dual POV so we got a look into both of their headspaces. This book was emotional and raw and added an extra level of depth to the love story.

When I first saw the book cover and title, I thought "oooh another cowboy romance". I did not expect this book to make me cry and be so emotional but here we are. Not our First Rodeo is a beautiful story of resilience, second chances, beautiful new beginnings and more. I also didnt know how close Madison was to this story until I saw the author's note at the end of the book - for me, that just made it even more special knowing she had gone through something similar.

Being a new mom myself, I found Elsie so relatable. Her pregnancy journey, her fears and anxiety about it - I remember those feelings. There is one scene I was tearing up because I did the same exact thing and it was refreshing to see that I was not alone. I think this is where the book really excels - the way Madison wrote how Elsie handled her healing journey, I feel, was a realistic and authentic. I feel like discussing mental health is such a delicate topic. I think Elsie's struggles and experience was portrayed really well. The most imporant thing is how Beau, his family, Jade, and the others in Elsie's corner have shown up for her and dealt with what she is going through in the best way. Beau is amazing. He is self aware, supportive, and I love that he stood by Elsie and became her true anchor.

I wish we got a little more of their backstory. I feel like in the beginning, I was dropped in the middle of their story and I got confused. I think one or two chapters where we can look back would be good for readers to understand and connect with the characters immediately. Also the timelines got a bit confusing as well.

Overall, this is a great read - love Elsie and Beau and the side characters. I have a feeling who the next book will be about and that makes me excited!

I really do love the idea of book. but i feel like the marriage in crisis trope hits a little bit too close to home and my emotions were truly all over the place with this one. it is a fantastic debut though and i cannot wait to get my hands on a copy

3.5 - A married couple tries to reconnect after life throws some curveballs at them & the FMC struggles to recover, asking the MMC to leave & give her some space.

Beau was a fantastic book boyfriend - Incredibly patient & sweet with a filthy mouth.

I couldn’t vibe with Elsie though. Not telling your husband who you’ve been with for a literal decade that you get panic attacks? Especially when he’s actually sweet as pie! Girl…

Really hope there’s a book two for Cooper & Jade!

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this book, there were plenty of emotional moments that pulled on my heart strings, but I think I’m just maybe not a “marriage in crisis” trope lover. I wanted a little more depth at times. But I will say I am very excited for the next couple of books in this series, the hints at the future couples had me dying for more of them!

If you’re looking for a good happy cry this book is for you. I didn’t realize I need this book in my TBR.

When they say books can heal the past and help see the end of the tunnel this is a great example!

Beau is everything! Sweet, passionate, cowboy, loyal, and funny.
Elsie overcomes a lot in this book, Madison did a great job of showing the growth of Elsie without it being too much.

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for an earc copy of this book!

I read this in less than 24 hours and loved it! It was a super cute, small town romance that had me hooked! The second chance romance in this was fabulous and I really loved the characters! I wish it was longer but only so I could read about them more!

Would definitely recommend! Will absolutely be continuing the series!

A second chance romance and a surprise pregnancy trope? Sign me up! I really enjoyed reading about Elsie and Beau. The found family aspect was so heartwarming, and I found myself really relating to Elsie. I loved seeing her stand up for herself and set boundaries—it’s so important, especially after everything she went through. Something that meant the world to her was taken away, and it’s only natural that she struggled to rediscover who she was without it. The pressure from her mother to return to ballet felt so real, and I admired how she eventually channeled that experience into something positive through teaching.

I do wish she had opened up to Beau and Jade about her anxieties earlier on, but I appreciated that she was learning how to communicate—there was real growth there. Beau’s character growth stood out to me too. I loved how he listened and showed up for Elsie in the way she needed, especially after learning about her panic attacks. His willingness to give her space once he realized what she was going through really spoke to his growth. I also liked how Cooper consistently stood up for Beau—he needed that support system.

In the end, I’m so glad Elsie and Beau got the happy ending they deserved.

“This isn’t our first rodeo, and one way or another, we’re going to find our way back to each other”
I never met a cowboy romance I didn’t like! This is a small town second chance romance that will break your heart and put it back together again.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! I found it hard to connect with Elsie at times but the dual POV with Beau bumped up my rating. Read if you’re a fan of closed door/fade to black, charming small town, accidental pregnancy trope and an MMC who is so emotionally put together it makes my heart sing!

I really wanted to enjoy this, it had all of my favorite things in a book (accidental pregnancy, small town, cowboys, second chance, found family) but it just didn’t really jive with me, and I didn’t really find my groove with it, so I am dnf’ing at 46%.