If you're craving a spicy Western romance with a side of emotional depth, The Rebel with Broken Strings hits all the right notes.
Aubrey Hale, the self-proclaimed "good girl" with a past, finds herself in small-town Montana after a whirlwind one-night stand with country star Gunner Woods. When Gunner unexpectedly shows up in her life again, sparks fly, but so do the complications. Aubrey's reluctance to revisit old flames and Gunner's journey of redemption create a tension that's both steamy and heartfelt.
Gunner's character arc is particularly compelling. A country star who's faced the consequences of his past mistakes, he's now on a path to reclaiming his life and career. His vulnerability and determination make him a swoon-worthy hero.
Kennedy's writing beautifully balances the heat of romance with the complexities of personal growth. The chemistry between Aubrey and Gunner is undeniable, and their journey towards trust and love is both passionate and poignant.
If you're a fan of second-chance romances with a touch of country charm, this book is a must-read. It's the perfect blend of heat, heart, and healing.

Aubrey and Gunner had an incredible week together in Atlanta before Gunner disappeared without so much as a note from Aubrey's life. Struggling with pain and a pill addiction as well as seeing his music career go up in flames, he just didn't think he could make it work. Now he is back in Aubrey's orbit in Timber Falls. Montana and he wants to see if they can make it work. He's sober and committed to finding a way back into her heart. This is the third book in the Naked Moose series by Stacey Kennedy - I hadn't read the first two but you do meet the characters that are in the other two books and I think it would be good to have read the other two to help situate this book. It is a sweet story that has a solid amount of spice between the two lovers. You certainly fall in love with Timber Falls and the community that resides there - I definitely would visit just to try one of Aubrey's cocktails - they sounded delicious. I can't say that I totally engaged with Aubrey and Gunner's romance but the friendships between all the key characters in the book was certainly heartwarming. The epilogue pulls the three books together into a final moment for them all. For me it is a three and half star read that was enjoyable to read. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the chance to read the arc. This final book in the series comes out in November 2025.

There’s just something about a country star with a guitar, a broken dream, and a smoulder that SCREAMS "book boyfriend." !!

Aubrey is out here doing her best "good girl in small town Montana" routine, pretending she never had one wild night with Gunner Woods.

Meanwhile, Gunner’s trying to put the pieces of his career back together and, oh yeah, maybe steal Aubrey’s heart while he’s at it.

The chemistry between these two??
Instant spark, slow burn, and a whole lot of stolen glances that made me internally squeal.

And I loved how both characters were figuring out who they wanted to be, not just together, but for themselves.

Also, the Western vibes + country music touches? Perfection.

If you like your small town romance spicy, musical, and full of second chances, this one is calling your name.

⭐️⭐️✨ (2.5 stars)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC of The Rebel with Broken Strings by Stacey Kennedy.

This story had an interesting premise and moments that I did enjoy, but overall it didn’t fully connect with me. The pacing felt a little uneven at times, and I struggled to form a strong attachment to the characters. While the romance had potential, I was left wanting more emotional depth and intensity to really draw me in.

That said, Stacey Kennedy’s writing style is easy to read and I think readers who enjoy a lighter romance with a straightforward storyline may connect with this one more than I did. For me, it was an okay read, but I’m sure others will appreciate it differently.

Aw this was such a good ending
To this series.
The connection between Gunner and
Aubrey was so sweet.
I loved the storyline and how Gunner Changed his life and got his girl.
The vibes of this book are everything.
The cowboy winning over his girl.
The strong girl who allows her heart
To lead.
I loved how the epilogue not only showed Their happy ending but reading about
The other couples to.
Truly a good book.
4

This one was just… so fucking mushy. It’s short, so I pushed through, but I didn’t love it. I found myself skimming past all the endless proclamations of wonder because they got repetitive fast. By about 60%, I realized I wasn’t really feeling much for the characters either. They’re not total nothings, but they stayed pretty flat the whole way through.

Overall, it’s fine—a solid, middle-of-the-road read.

⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️

Aubrey Hale has a little secret, one she hopes never sees the light of day. It would shine the self-proclaimed good girl in a bad light and that cannot happen. All has been good on the secret front... until he waltzing into town!

The Rebel with Broken Strings is a story of second chances, chasing dreams, healing, and finding love when you least expect it find you. After Aubrey's culinary dreams in the big city didn't pan out she packed her things and headed for Montana, with the promise from friends that she could heal and find a new life there. Which was a big relief, her secrets would be safe and she could truly start over where no one knew her or anything about her past. All is going well until her past waltzes into town and tries to unearth a secret she has fought hard to keep quiet. It's a disaster waiting to happen, with an awfully dreamy package to deliver it.

I really enjoyed this one, it's well penned words kept me entertained and it characters easily found their way into my heart... it was the perfect afternoon escape! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

I received this book from netgalley for free for an honest and unbiased review. Thank you for the opportunity.

Very original plot and characters.

Stacey Kennedy's The Rebel with Broken Strings is a sizzling western romance that harmonizes passion and country music in the most captivating way. The chemistry between the characters is electric, set against a backdrop of heartfelt melodies and rugged charm. A five-star read that will leave you yearning for more strumming hearts and fiery encounters!

3⭐️
✨ Huge thanks to Harlequin & NetGalley for the ARC! ✨

Rebel with the Broken Strings 🎸🤠 is book three in Stacey Kennedy’s Naked Moose series—and it’s my fav out of the three.

This one’s a sweet second chance romance 💕 with cowboys, small town charm 🌲 and a country music twist 🎶. While the plot was somewhat predictable, the chemistry between the leads kept me going and made it a cozy, feel good read.

If you’re into cowboys, music, and small town romance vibes, this one’s worth adding to your TBR 📚💫

Good style of writing and very steamy scenes between gunner and Aubrey. I liked that they cared for each other and not just physical 💖great together and she knew about his sobriety .

Aubrey is a city chef from Atlanta and she moves to a small town after being through a lot, she's finally in a good place when she sees HIM. Gunner is a famous country singer, who after dealing with addiction and being in recovery returns to his hometown.
They spend one crazy week in Atlanta and are clearly each others "One that got away" and we get to see if they give eachother a second chance.
The story was raw and full of emotion, however, due to their turbulent pasts I'd loved to see a bit more of that past and a bit more of character (and relationship) development. I really felt that after 70% of the book, the story was sped up and missed a bit of debt. I'm also not the biggest fan op 3rd person POV. But I did like the story, the small town setting and the characters.
Don't let the 3-star review keep you from reading this, this was purely taste based. I really feel that others, who don't mind a quick read or 3rd person POV, will really love this.

Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin and Stacey Kennedy for entrusting me with an advanced copy to write an honest review about.

I felt like this was just going through the motions and got a little repetitive.
Gunner and Aubrey lacked any chemistry after their initial interaction in Atlanta, they seemed to get together without much buildup and then plodded along with their lives.
The premise and plot had my hopes up but it honestly felt like a step by step process and just wasn’t a writing style I enjoyed.

I received this book as an ARC and provide an honest review

This was such a cute second chance small town romance with a dash of country star sparkle. I loved the setup: big city one night stand that comes back to haunt you when said country boy strolls into your Montana town? Sounds like the perfect set up for this western romance.

Aubrey and Gunner’s chemistry was obvious right from the jump, and I was fully invested in their reconnection. I liked that both of them were carrying some heavy past baggage, but the book still managed to keep a warm, feel good vibe overall. Honestly, Gunner had me giggling and kicking my feet more than once (cowboy charm + musician soul = dangerous combo 🫠).

That said, I’ll be honest... the last stretch lost me a little. Once their issues were resolved and they were officially together, the story started to feel a bit repetitive and veered into boring territory. I missed the tension and spark of the earlier chapters. Still, I enjoyed the journey enough that I’d recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet, low angst romance with plenty of small town charm, music, and second chance feels, especially if you are a fan of Elsie Silver and Lyla Sage who like their cowboys with guitars and their love stories with a hopeful, healing edge. 🎶🤠💖

Thank you to NetGalley, Stacey Kennedy, and Afterglow/Harlequin for the eARC of this book.

I liked this book, it was a cute contemporary romance but I did struggle to read it towards the end, I found it become a bit boring and repetitive once the 2 main characters got together and sorted out there issues from the past.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Small town secrets + a country star with a past = sparks everywhere. Aubrey and Gunner’s chemistry jumps off the page, and I was hooked from their very first (okay, technically second) meeting. I loved the Montana setting and all the messy, heartfelt push-pull between chasing dreams and risking your heart.

Aubrey made me want to shake her a few times, but that slow-burn payoff was so worth it. Gunner? Total book boyfriend material. If you love Elsie Silver or Lyla Sage, this one will definitely hit the spot.

Summary
Gunner & Aubrey met over one hot Atlanta week when Gunner was a rising county star. But addiction to prescription pain medication derailed both Gunner's dreams and his budding relationship with Aubrey.

Chef Aubrey had her own professional dreams shattered, and she fled with her best friends to Timber Falls, Montana and a bar called the Naked Moose. She's still licking her wounds and trying to find her place in a small town which feels two sizes too small.

When Gunner appears on the scene, as it's his hometown she's crashed into, Aubrey at first denies even being the same woman from Atlanta. Gradually their attraction wins out, apologies are made, and alls well that ends well.
_____
Quick Thoughts
This is an extremely low conflict or stakes Contemporary category. There is some banter at the start, but the two quickly resolve their past and settle into a relationship that moves in a mostly straight line until the HEA. It's part party planning story, part logistics of celebrity life with a normal person.

If you are looking for Hallmark regular season movie vibes and plot construction, but with open door spicy scenes, then this fits the bill.

This is the series ender, so the epilogue serves as a many years down the road wrap up with all the couples from the Naked Moose series.
———
Harlequin Afterglow (Dec 2025)
Genre/Subgenre: western romance, category, contemporary romance

Standalone/Series: Book 3/3 in Naked Moose series, can be read as standalone

Themes/Tropes: second chance, celebrity & normie, country music, people in recovery, party planning, logistics & long distance

Steam/Spice Level: open door, in the room, spicy

Setting: Montana

BIPOC Characters: N/A

LGBTQ+ Characters: one minor character

Religion: N/A

POV: third person, past tense POV

Cops/LEO: N/A

Does the Dog/Horse/Cat Die? All animals are happy and healthy
__________

Thank you Harlequin for the Advance Reader Copy. Expected publication date: Nov 25, 2025

I adored the first two books in this series, but this one just felt like it was missing something, and I couldn't figure out what it was. I loved the chemistry, but after awhile the whole thing seemed to drop off and the plot became incredibly repetitive. I am excited for the next book by Kennedy even if this one didn't work out.

Thank you to the publisher & Netgalley!

This was so cute. The story was good, the characters were so lovable. It had some spice, not loads but it was just enough. There was a very good balance and i really enjoyed it

The Rebel with Broken Strings... the third book in the Naked Moose series 🤠🤎
This is my favourite book of the series! 📖

I love a cowboy romance and this one was heartfelt with a little bit of spice - a must for me 🌶

Both main characters have quite tragic backstories.. I wish the book would have gone into more detail but I enjoyed the Gunner & Aubrey storyline! I love when hearts get a second chance to connect 💕

The only reason I didn’t give this 5 stars was because I’m personally not a huge fan of books written in the third person POV but I still loved it and thought it was a great read!! 🫶✨️