“This isn’t our first rodeo, and one way or another, we’re going to find our way back to each other.”

I adored this 😭💕 This is a second chance / marriage in crisis romance between our main characters Elsie and Beau. After a career ending injury followed by a miscarriage, Elsie decides she needs some time to herself to heal, resulting in her pushing her husband Beau away. The story starts a few months later where they end up having a one night stand after running into each other at a bar. Elsie finds out she’s pregnant, and her and Beau now have to navigate their relationship and figure out how to move forward.

This was EVERYTHING. Beau is the most perfect mmc who was so supportive of Elsie and was willing to wait as long as it took for her to come back to him. I didn’t agree with Elsie at times, but there was never any doubt that she loved her husband. She knew she needed time to heal FOR him and be a better person which is why she pushed him away 💔 Her self doubt and panic attacks were heartbreaking to read about, and I was rooting for her the entire time.

Not Our First Rodeo was a story of grief and loss, but also new beginnings. I’m incredibly excited for the rest of the series and to read about Beau’s siblings (Cooper and Jade better have a book!)

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

wow wow wow this story was so sweet and completely unexpected! thank you netgalley for sharing an arc of not my first rodeo, my first (but definitely not last) book by madison wright. i love the character development, the small town vibes (including all the side characters! minus elsie’s mom, cough cough), and elsie and beau’s love for each other. i can’t wait to tell more people about this story!

i’ve shared this review on goodreads as well, and look forward to reading more of madison’s books moving forward!

thank you so much to netgalley for the arc ₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥
i always enjoy a good second chance romance and this book did exactly that. there was a lot of aspects that i wish weren't in the book or were different, ill definitely give this book another chance in the future but i think right now the storyline of depression and going through what elsie was going through was triggering for me and i just wanted the pages to be over. overall, a beautiful story that i don't think i was ready for going in.

This book has a lot of good things going for it but It was Just okay for me. However I do think so many people will really enjoy this one.

Beau is honestly a dream of a man. Genuinely one of the best fictional men out there probably. He was truly so good to Elsie and I loved how patient he was with her but how he also pushed her to be vulnerable and honestly. And I love that he shared in the blame for the cracks in their marriage. I think it could have been really easy to fully blame Elsie, but like a true good man and husband he saw where he could have been better. I struggled with Elsie a little bit at first because I just wanted her to be honest but you know what?…I’ve never suffered from a miscarriage, and never suffered from one just months after losing the career I’ve worked my whole life for. So I have no clue what thoughts and feelings I would be having in such a fragile state and how I would react. But I thought Elsie showed some great character growth.

Even though this one didn’t quite hit for me I am still excited to read the rest of this series. I was immediately drawn to Cooper and Jade (who I assume book 2 will be about) and can’t wait to read their story.

I do feel like the author should have been more upfront about the heat/spice level in this one. Now I read both closed and open door books, so the heat in this one didn’t bother me. But it was Definitely a step up from her previous books and I feel like that should have been stated in the promo for this book. I have several friends who are strictly closed door readers and the heat level in this book would’ve been out of their comfort zone. However, I think they would have been blindsided by it because they have read Madison’s previous books and would have went into this one expecting the same heat level when it wasn’t.

3.5 stars rounded up.

This was such a different take on a cowboy romance! I love that it was a second chance romance that dealt with issue that people could relate to.

The characters were so moving and show such depth. I really liked how I could feel the chemistry and love that they had for each other! Would definitely recommend this cowboy romance!

I would definitely give this book 3.5 stars 🌟

Not our first rodeo by Madison Wright is a book that follows the story of Beau And Elsie husband and wife who have been together since they were sixteen. A few months before the book takes place Elsie has a miscarriage which causes Elsie and their relationship to crack. The book then follows these characters as they try to navigate who they are, their self image but also who they are in their relationship.

I honestly enjoyed the concept of this book I would recommend checking the trigger warnings as this deals a lot with mental health, self image and even self worth and also miscarriage so just be careful. I did enjoy this book it just very much had that first book in a series feeling in the sense that this very much felt like a warm up for the rest of the series and I imagine that probably means the rest of the series is going to be amazing or even better than this. Yeah it was just alright I think I’ll probably read the next book in the series in order to decide how I feel about this one properly.

A book written with so much love. I felt that throughout the pages of this entire book. Madison Wright took my heart straight out of my chest and squeezed it with the most intentional, tender care one can only hope to feel in a book about a couple so devastatingly in love with each other wrapped up in grief. I loved this book so much. The writing was absolute perfection.

3.25⭐

LIKED:
- The side characters of this story, in my opinion, really steal the show. They’re all fun and add a lot to the main characters and their stories. Except maybe Morgan who we don’t really know anything about in this story. Cooper, Jade, Tonya, Maya, they’re all great.
- The core wounds of the these characters, especially Elsie, make sense and endear you to the characters well.
- Most specifically, Elsie’s anxieties about having a pregnancy after having to survive a miscarriage was really heart-wrenching. The first doctor’s appointment was really well-done for this facet of her story. I’m very much someone who doesn’t think that a baby is the answer to everyone’s problems, but Elsie wanted a baby and had mourned the loss of one already, so as far as surprise pregnancies go, I think that this has been one of the only stories I’ve read with the trope to really home in on that aspect.
- I love this title. It’s really good.
- The cover is also nice, especially the warm browns which I’m personally a fan of. I am a little tired of cowboy romance covers having the hat cover the face as they’re kissing, but this is one the better ones in my opinion.

LAMENTED:
- So. I think my main issue for this book. Is that I don’t really get these characters together. I get that they have the history, but they don’t really have the chemistry, for me. I honestly was never really rooting for them until maybe the last handful of chapters of the book.
- There are some details that, and I know this is an ARC so I’m not too hung up on it, made me re-read numerous times over to try and understand. Like once Elsie finds out she’s pregnant at the beginning of the book, she flip flops between saying three weeks ago and five weeks ago in regards to when she slept with Beau? And Beau does it, too, and it just confused me immensely.
- Unpopular opinion, but Beau was boring. Sorry, but he’s boring. I needed more from him to understand how this all had affected him, positively and negatively, and also more understanding as a reader as to why Elsie would be drawn to him. Again, this was even more evident by how much more fleshed out Cooper was as a direct comparison, and he wasn’t even in the book that much.
- I cannot believe that Beau would never have noticed her panic attacks. I really wanted there to be a moment where she realizes that he’s known the whole time and he’s supported her from behind-the-scenes. I was really waiting for that. It…honestly read to me like the author didn’t understand panic attacks.
- The name they give the baby made me physically cringe, but I’m sure not everyone will feel that way.

LONGED FOR:
- More believability that these two should be together besides just history and a baby.
- More fleshing out to Beau.
- More Tonya honestly.

Will I read the next one? : I’ll probably keep my eye out for Jade and Cooper’s story.

⭒ Rating: 4.2
🌶️ rating: 0.5/ 3

I have so many of this author’s books on my tbr, but I never managed to pick one up. But as soon as I saw this announcement and that it was a marriage in trouble (i’m always looking to read more in this trope), I knew this would be my first!

And what an introduction to this author it was! This book was highly emotional. My heart blead for these characters. But it was also very frustrating! Elsie was going through a lot and although I felt so much for her, I was also a little mad at her for hurting Beau when she should have griever with him all along. I did obviously end up understanding where she was coming from and even relating to her when it come to her struggles and the way her brain was working against her.

Beau was gosh, that man was perfect! My heart really hurt for him. Seeing him hurting every time Elsie pushed him away, watching him realize how much she had hid from him and how bad her pain was. It really hurt my heart for both of them. Poor babies. How much he lived her was just beautiful, how he was willing to do anything for her and to show her he was there no matter what. The way his family loved her too and understood. It was just so beatiful.

I’m really excited to get more books in this series! I love when the family is big, means lots of books coming out way. I can’t wait to be back at Lucky Star Ranch. I’m so ready for Cooper and Jade!

Thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for this ARC!

I was hooked from the first chapter!

Generally, I am quite indifferent to the second-chance romance and pregnancy trope, but this might be the book that makes me like it. I loved the relationship between the characters and how they wanted to better themselves for their partner and their future.
I really liked Elsie's character and felt for everything she's been through. It really highlighted the themes of grief and acceptance, and I liked how the message was to not let 'failures' define you.

I think that perhaps the ending was a bit quick for my liking. I would have loved to see Elsie and Beau's relationship blossom more as they learn to trust and love each other again. Apart from that, I loved it and would definitely recommend it.

TROPES:
— second chance romance
— accidental pregnancy
— found family
— high school sweethearts
— marriage in trouble
— ballerina x cowboy

I absolutely devoured this book! The way both of the main characters are written makes you immediately invested in the story. The anxiety and panic attack rep is very accurate and so appreciated. There are a lot of tropes in this book but by far my favourite was the found family! Not going to lie, even though this is a relatively short read, it does pull at the heart strings and you may need a tissue or two! I am excited to read more from Madison!

*an e-ARC was kindly gifted by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

Y’ALL. This cowboy romance gave me all the feels.
Beau?? Literal heart eyes. 🥰 The way he supports Elsie as she tries to find herself again?? That’s a man right there. No drama, just steady, quiet love — and you feel it on every page.

Elsie’s story is gut-wrenching at times. You really ache for her and everything she’s going through. But watching her slowly heal and come back to life — with Beau right there beside her — was so beautiful.

And Beau’s family?? FAMILY GOALS. Like seriously, where can I sign up to be a part of that ranch? They are everything — warm, hilarious, fiercely loyal. Total found family dream.

The romance? A slow burn second-chance perfection. The chemistry is still there, buried under the pain and past, and watching them fall back in love made me tear up.

Tropes I adored:
💞 Second chances
👶 Accidental pregnancy
🏡 Found family
🧡 Supportive cowboy energy

If you love your romances with emotional depth, strong family bonds, and a cowboy who will literally carry your emotional baggage for you — Not Our First Rodeo is the one. 🤠

- 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕 𝒓𝒐𝒅𝒆𝒐 𝒃𝒚 𝑴𝒂𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑾𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕

𝘛𝘳𝘰𝘱𝘦𝘴:
✰ 𝘮𝘢𝘳𝘳𝘪𝘢𝘨𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘦
✰ 𝘩𝘪𝘨𝘩 𝘴𝘤𝘩𝘰𝘰𝘭 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘴
✰ 𝘢𝘤𝘤𝘪𝘥𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘨𝘯𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘺
✰ 𝘧𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘧𝘢𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘺

What a wonderful and emotional rollercoster of a book! Elsie and Beau's story is one about love, about going through loss and pain but getting back up together, it's about new begginings and in general this book was about what love is.
Their devotion for each other and seeing them find each other again was beautiful and I think we all want this kind of love for ourselves.

I highly recommend this book! It's one of those romances that stucks out and takes you on a journey!

*arc kindly provided in exchange of an honest review

I am, quite frankly, torn on my reactions to Not Our First Rodeo. There were parts that I loved beyond reason, and yet, other parts that made no sense to me. I don’t understand how you could love someone, be married for ten years, and not once let them know or see that you have panic attacks. And then there was the absolute pillar of strength in Beau, as he loved, cared for Elsie, even to the point of leaving for a while at her request… he lost a child as well through the miscarriage, yet I never saw Elsie tend to her husband’s wounds. Theirs is, indeed, a marriage in crisis, yet it often became Elsie’s story with the feeling (for me) that Beau’s grief (for the loss of their baby, for the trouble his marriage is in, for the pain he feels for Elsie’s reaction) got left behind so often. Their love, their struggle was more told to me, not shown…and that felt off somehow.

It may seem contradictory, but Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright will get a four-star rating from me. At its core, Elsie and Beau's journey is a good story. I simply wanted something that I didn’t find. In truth, any review is just one person’s opinion. I liked aspects of Not Our First Rodeo, but I simply couldn’t fall in love with it. Will I return to this series? Yes, of course, I don’t let one tale put me off from discovering what comes next that might be amazing. I believe that this is the kind of story that each reader must read, and decide for themselves how to react to it and to take any review with a grain of salt, because you might love it completely.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley, and I sincerely thank the author or publishing house for their trust. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

I loved this book, I wanted to read to based off of her other work and and still happy to say I will read more in the future, without giving to much away, the surprise pregnancy was done so well in this book and the love the two main characters had for each other was magic, I loved how Beau did not give up on her once but still let her have space to grieve the lost they both experienced. And of course the “my wife” seen does it for me everytime❤️

gosh I really wanted to love this and had high hopes for this book. but this fell so flat for me unfortunately. Elsie’s character just didn’t wow me. She actually drove me kind of crazy. I understand her character had panic attacks and some mental health to work through, including her Mom pressuring her, her whole life to do ballet. But it was overdone throughout the book and I found myself rolling my eyes when she’d be shocked to find out Beaus family still loved her. She wouldn’t believe a word her own husband said to her and it was just exhausting to keep reading about. I liked Beau. He wouldn’t trade his love and what he feels for Elsie for anything in the world, which I did love. Overall, I just wish I enjoyed this more. Thank you Madison Wright and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed reading this book! I loved how much Beau showed how much he cared for Elsie and how he never gave up on her, even when she made it difficult to hold on to hope at some points. I also really liked how complex Elsie's character was written, especially with her injury and miscarriage previous to the start of this book. Beau and Elsie had so much backstory and I think they would have made it either way, however the pregnancy really solidified their need to sort things out. Loved this book so much!

💔 Not Our First Rodeo by Madison Wright is a quiet, heart-wrenching second-chance romance that hits deep. Elsie and Beau are exes who never stopped loving each other—now thrown back together by tragedy and an unexpected pregnancy.

This isn’t just a love story—it’s about grief, healing, and finding your way back to yourself and each other. Madison Wright writes mental health with raw honesty, and Beau? Total golden retriever cowboy energy. 🐴☀️

If you love small-town settings, emotional depth, and love that fights to survive, this one’s for you. No spice, just pure heart. 🤍

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
📖 Trope: Second-chance, cowboy + ballerina, accidental pregnancy
⚠️ TW: Miscarriage, mental health, grief

First off, thank you so much for selecting me as an ARC reviewer - I really appreciate the opportunity, and I’m sorry for the delay in getting back to you.

As a total sucker for cowboy romances, I absolutely jumped at the chance to read this one. Beau is such a strong and caring MMC - he really dotes on Elsie, and it’s clear how deeply he loves her. Their connection is sweet, and overall, it’s a great, easy read for anyone looking for a heartfelt romance.

That said, I did have a few issues that made it hard for me to connect with the story as much as I’d hoped. I struggled a bit with the reason behind the FMC leaving her husband - it felt a bit implausible that she’d never shown or communicated her struggles with panic attacks after years together. That plot point left me confused and made it harder for me to empathize with her decision.

There were also a few timeline inconsistencies that threw me off - like Beau saying they slept together three weeks ago, but then the next chapter says she’s five weeks pregnant. Those little details took me out of the story a bit.

I still appreciate the emotional depth you were aiming for, and I really enjoyed Beau as a character. Thank you again for letting me read your work early!

Not Our First Rodeo, Madison Wright
Lucky Stars Ranch, Book 1
Elsie ❤️ Beau
⭐⭐⭐⭐🌶️

Cowboy X Ballerina
Second-chance marriage
Unplanned Pregnancy
One night
Miscommunication

I'm very grateful to have received this ARC edition via Netgalley - thanks to them and the author.

I loved the story of Elsie and Beau's second chance to make their marriage work. I'm glad they got their happily ever after. There was emotion, tension, angst, spice, humour - what more could a romance reader want?

Beau was such a sweetheart, as well as a hot, mustached cowboy! I loved the whole Jennings family. And Elsie was amazing - a really strong woman, fighting with grief, mental health and issues stemming from her upbringing.

I generally don't look at trigger warnings as they often spoil the plot line, and I didn't for this book, but I would recommend that those who are TTC, are mothers in their hearts only, or who have had pregnancy complications do check them, as the themes could be upsetting.

I will for sure be looking out for the rest of the Lucky Stars Ranch series - I'm guessing Cooper and Jade will get a book, and hopefully Cheyenne, and maybe Morgan?

I'd highly recommend this for lovers of cowboy, cosy, small town romance reads.