When We Were Us

Timber Forge #1

by Madison Noelle

After seventeen years away, Timber Forge, Montana is the last place Wrenley Hardcastle ever expected to be again…

Wrenley
My life is a mess, but when I step inside my childhood home, I feel like I can finally breathe. That is, until I run into him. He's less than thrilled to see me, and the feeling is mutual...at first. It isn't long before history and attraction collide, and somewhere underneath his gruff demeanor and perma-scowl, I see the boy l fell in love with at eighteen. Falling for Hank Hayes a second time was never part of the plan. So, why can't I stop thinking about what could have been?

Hank
It’s been seventeen years since she left me standing on a dirt road with the shredded remains of my heart beating wildly out of my chest. Now, Wrenley Hardcastle is back. And with her presence comes feelings I thought I had long ago dealt with. The woman is everything I’ve ever wanted, but couldn't keep. After all these years, I don't want to want her, but the pull between us is stronger than ever. I don’t do feelings. Not anymore. But if that's true, then why can’t I stay away?

*Timber Forge is a series of interconnected standalone small town romances. Each book follows a different couple and can be read on its own, but reading in order gives the full emotional arc of the town and its characters.

Genres: Second Chance, Westerns, Romance, Cowboy Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Small Town Romance, Contemporary Romance

487 pages, Kindle Edition

First published April 11, 2024

About the author

Madison Noelle writes small-town romance with big feelings, slow burns, and the kind of love stories that sneak up on you and never let go. Whether it’s a broody cowboy, a cinnamon roll single dad, or a big found family that feels real enough to hug, her characters bring all the heart and heat.

If you like emotionally messy characters, banter that bites and softens, and endings that feel like home, you’re in the right place.

When she’s not writing, she’s probably rearranging her bookshelves for the tenth time, overthinking a text, or bribing herself with a new plant or an iced coffee to finish a draft.

Reviews

[Morgan · Rating 5 out of 5]

🎊HAPPY RELEASE DAY!🎊

♾️⭐️ Seriously, give it ALL the dang stars!

📖 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐬 𝐛𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐍𝐨𝐞𝐥𝐥𝐞

"𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘬?" 𝘴𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴.
"𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘞𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶."

Madison Noelle’s debut novel, 𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐖𝐞 𝐖𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐔𝐬 was an absolute delight to read! There was just so much to love about this book. The characters were so well developed and by the end of the novel you felt like a part of their family and their story.

Wrenley and Hank are freaking soulmates, you can’t convince me otherwise. Their love and chemistry is so wonderful I found myself kicking my feet smiling. Seventeen years is a hell of a long time to pine over a woman, and broody, grumpy Hank did just that. Wrenley was his light, and when she left he immersed himself in taking care of the ranch. They had a bumpy reunion, but even from that first encounter, the sparks were SIZZLING!

I loved Wrenley. She had her reasons for leaving and truly thought she was doing the right thing. She was just a kid at 18 and I feel like their story played out just the way it was meant to.

The spice and angst were spot on! This is definitely a slow burn, but once it hits, it really HITS. 😮‍💨

"𝘏𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘶𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘦, 𝘣𝘶𝘵 𝘍𝘪𝘯𝘯𝘭𝘦𝘺, 𝘐 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘢𝘳 𝘵𝘰 𝘎𝘰𝘥, 𝘐 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦 𝘯𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘮𝘰𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘭𝘪𝘧𝘦. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘰𝘶𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘯... 𝘑𝘦𝘴𝘶𝘴."

The side characters, including Hank’s brothers (Hudson & Hutch), mom, dad and Finnley were hilarious. I am beyond excited for Hudson, Paige and Finnley’s story. I also am super intrigued by quiet Hutch.

I highly recommend this story to all lovers of small town romance stories with grumpy cowboys and fierce leading ladies!

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
✨ 𝐂𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐝 𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬
💖 𝐒𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐝 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞
🫶🏼 𝐍𝐨 3𝐫𝐝 𝐀𝐜𝐭 𝐁𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐮𝐩
💋 𝐀𝐧𝐠𝐬𝐭
🔥 𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐲 𝐁𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫 (3🌶️)
😮‍💨 𝐒𝐥𝐨𝐰 𝐁𝐮𝐫𝐧

[danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

alexa play 18 by one direction 😭

[sam | sammylou.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

This had been sitting on my TBR for almost a year, but when @witchytrippin told me I needed to read it, I jumped on it immediately!! (She also introduced me to Wells Ranch last year, so I'll pretty much listen to whatever she says 🙂‍↕️)

And let me tell you—THIS SLAPPED!! The longing 🤌🏻 the angst 🤌🏻 Small-town second chance romances never fail me 🙂‍↔️ And the kicker with this one?? 17 years have passed since the MCs last saw each other 😭 So if you like your MCs a little older (in their mid-late 30s) this one is for you!!

Read if you enjoy:
-Rancher x vet
-Second chance
-Small town
-Slow burn
-Older MCs (mid-late 30s)

Fav quotes:
“What do you want, Hank?”
“You, Wrennie Girl. It’s always been you.”

“Baby, I’ve waited half my life to be buried inside you. If I move right now, I’m gonna blow or pass the fuck out. Possibly both.”

"I had to leave and come back to appreciate what I was missing and to really see that this is where I belong."

[Danielle Morris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally understand why cowboy romances are a thing...because Hank Hayes is the ultimate hunk of a cowboy with the filthiest mouth, and I could not put this one down until I knew if he got his happy ending or not.

I'd sell my soul for this man.
Literally.
Take it all.

This was a such a perfect second chance romance. I love that the author didn't rush them back together because it really just added to the tension and angst between Wrenley and Hank and I ATE IT UP.

If you need me, I'll be not to patiently waiting for book two in the Timber Forge series...because I have a feeling all these Hayes brothers are going to wreck my heart in the best ways.

[Kristina (currentlybookedout) · Rating 3 out of 5]

When We Were Us by Madison Noelle 🌲
Release: 11th April

ARC Review
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️.5

What to Expect:
🏠 Small Town
❤️‍🩹 Second Chance
🤠 Cowboy-ish
🌲 Found Family
☀️ young love
🚶 Slow Burn

I’m not normally a fan of second chance romances but this one was done well. Wren and Hank’s story was an emotional ride.

I liked it how the author showed snippets of their life from the past. It really gave a good insight into how their breakup affected both of them emotionally.

I really liked these two and am so glad they got their happy ending. These two are the definition of the quote “it’s always been you”. That ending 🥹 so cute.

However, I wasn’t a fan of the way the MMC Hank kept assuming things about the FMC Wren as to why she was back. He didn’t say the nicest things so I feel like the angst should’ve lasted longer since it was brushed under the rug and never brought up again.

I do think that this book was way longer than it needed to be. I was waiting for stuff to happen but nothing ever gave me that WOW moment.

I did struggle in the second half of the book the most, it just wasn’t keeping my interest anymore and I had to force myself to finish it. The lack of plot and unnecessary scenes just made it drag.

I’m so sad I didn’t love this as much as I wanted to.

I wanted to thank the author for allowing me to read an arc in exchange for an honest review. For a debut novel this was good and the author definitely has potential.

[Casey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Move over hockey romances because cowboy romance bring on the 🌶️🌶️. This book has a lot of intimate scenes and if that is not your thing read the trigger warnings.
I love the main characters and the history and trials they have to overcome. I love the introduction of the small Montana town (can I live here please!!) and this core Hayes family. I am excited to see them in more books.
The romance was definitely a slow burn. And had second chance love. Love the side characters, the animals, and the love of family.

The after the climax of the boom the final conflict fell a little flat. Some odd the intimacy parts were too much…but my fault for not looking at triggers. I will definitely be reading book two!

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for an arc copy for this book. I can finally review it since it has been released today - on KU - go grab it!!

This book was such an easy read and quick for me - the writing style was perfection.
It had me kicking my feet, giggling at some points.

I loved Hank and Wren as a couple - it was nice to see them grow back into the people they once were and you begin to understand what happened between the two of them in the past as some chapter flash back to that point.

I loved them individually too.
Wren was incredible - always putting other people before herself and just having a caring nature. I loved her friendship with Finn and Ginger
Hank was a grump!! However, you seen his happiness whenever he was around Wren and I loved it! And the dirty talk from this man had me swooning...

It was dual POV which I love in books as it gives you both characters feelings rather than how one thinks the other is feeling. I am excited to see where the series goes... I have a feeling we are getting a book for Finn.

However, a book for Ginger... I am praying we do!!

[Cathlene Dean · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an amazing series starter and debut book! I am so excited to see what comes next in Timber Forge (also, I wish I could visit because it sounds so lovely) 🌼

The emotions in this book got me, I felt everything along with the characters and was just waiting on the edge of my seat for things to turn happy for Wren and Hank! The phrase “it’s always been you” applies so well here.

I loved Wren as a FMC and thought it was great that she kept Hank in her heart but still moved on with her life. She deserved to experience her dreams before finding her way back to him. Hank never got to fully move on, and while it made him grumpy with life, he was hiding his hurt. Seeing these two figure out their parts in their past and recovering enough to find a future was emotional and beautiful.

Can we take a moment to appreciate the whiskey scene?! Any book that features this kind of scene is an immediate A+ in my book 😮‍💨

The other characters and siblings were all amazing, I’m so excited to see who ends up with who! Plus, I love series where they follow one family so we can see how previous couples end up. I can’t wait to find out what Wren and Hank are up to in book 2!

This story is a long one, and while I did enjoy it, it dragged on in some parts. The story would have still been great without some extra scenes that could have been removed.

Thank you to Madison for sending me an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review! ⭐️

Read if you enjoy:
🌼 Small town
✨ Second chance
🌼 Cowboys
✨ Found family
🌼 Slowww burns

[Ashley Wolfe · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 , 🌶️🌶️🌶️

Small town
Second chance
Found family

I really enjoyed how this story started and the first half of this book however the last half just didn’t hold my interest. the idea of the book was really good but with no major plot i was getting bored with how long it was.

I did enjoy the characters and the found family aspect of this book and loved reading about these characters growth and coming back together.

[Meredith · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️

🐴Second Chance
🐴Small Town
🐴Young Love/mid late 30s
🐴Rancher X Vet
🐴Grumpy Rancher
🐴Dirty talking mmc
🐴Slow Burn
🐴No 3rd act

This was a good time from start to finish, loved the vibes and cannot wait to get the other characters books.

[Leea · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Beautiful sweeping story of love lost and found again 17 years later. Loved the writing style, how detailed the author is and how you can feel the characters emotions.

Excited to see what’s next for this series.

[Ty Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

this book was so good! all the characters were very lovable and i want a relationship like wren and hank!!

[Diana Rossman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The best kind or romance. Slow burn but when it hits, it’s HOT. Wren and Hank are so sweet. A love to aspire to.

I already downloaded Book 2.

[Ally Hunchak · Rating 4 out of 5]

for a debut novel, the writing was amazing!! i loved the writing style of Madison and i can’t wait to read the next book!!!!!
i do think (like everyone else) that the last 100 pages or so weren’t needed or something needed to happen. i needed more tension and angst at the end there 😌😌

[Sav | SavtheBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wrenley & Hank are THE poster couple for second chance romance! Loved it

Wrenley just found out her fiancé cheated on her right before she got the news that her grandfather had passed away. To say her life was falling apart was an understatement.
She finds herself back in her childhood hometown with many questions and a house to fix up and sell. Until… her old flame, Hank, shows up. Grumpier than ever.
These two were meant for each other, until she left him.

The banter, the grumpy cowboy, the second chance love, and the touch her and die vibes were 🤌🏻

This one comes out on April 11th & you have to give it a read!

Tropes:
-second chance
-it’s always been you
-friends to lovers to enemies to lovers
-small town romance

4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🥵

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a good book. I couldn’t out it down. A very cute second chance romance it was a slow burn but then 🌶️🌶️🌶️. The mouth on hank is 🧑‍🍳💋. Loved the family dynamics and the found family aspect of the book. Cant wait to read the next book.

I received an arc in exchange for my honest review

[mythsandmoss · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of being a beta reader for When We Were Us and it was an incredible read. I couldn't believe it was a debut novel, and I can't wait to read more from Noelle.

Hank and Wrenley absolutely have my heart. Their story is so beautiful and real, and I was rooting for them from the start. The story in real time is accented by flash backs that make you feel all of the hurt, angst, hope, and love that these characters are feeling. The chemistry between them is palpable from the beginning, and their relationship is so satisfying.

If you love small town romance, second chances, sizzling chemistry, and beautiful, heartfelt love stories, Hank and Wrenley are definitely for you!

[asheriee · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ｂｏｏｋ Ｒｅｖｉｅｗ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

After seventeen years away, Wrenley Hardcastle, finds herself back in her old hometown of Timber Forge, Montana. Her life a mess. Everything all happening at once. But, coming back to her childhood home, she feels something she hasn't in a long time. Peace.

And, of course, returning to her small hometown, means that she runs into the boy she fell in love with all those years ago, Hank Hayes. Both, less than thrilled to run into each other, at least at the beginning. After the initial fire settles, Wren and Hank, both discover they never lost feelings for each and they most certainly cannot hide it.

I knew this was going to score highly with me. I was sucked into this story hard and fast. It is, in my opinion, the perfect romance. Second chance love. Slow burn. Small town. Cowboy. A little sprinkle of 'touch her you die." And so much more. It's tropey without being stereotypical. It feeds everything I could possibly want.

The FMC is not annoying, whiney etc like you may find in some of these styles of stories. There's open communication with the FMC and MMC. Which irks me when there isn't... you hear the inner dialogue and think "JUST TELL THEM HOW YOU FEEL."Not here. They talk things out and express their feelings and it's just like yes! Thank you. The slow burn build up is fan-freaking-tastic.

The atmosphere is beautifully written, it is perfect and so descriptive. But not in that long drawn out boring way. @authormadisonnoelle seriously was able to do a fantastic balancing act. Providing enough immersive detail that didn't leave me bored. It gets spicy but not smutty.

This is a book that elicited feelings in me and I love when a book can do that. My heart would flutter or I would get excited like Wren was telling me herself her feelings like we were two best friends. I loved this book and could not put it down.

It's a long read, at close to 500 pages, but it is a fast read. It was seriously so, so good. I'm sad it's over. But, with that said, I got this for FREE on Kindle Unlimited but you better BELIEVE I'm buying the physical copy and I'm getting the second book AS SOON AS I can get my grubby little hands on it.

@readwithasherieee on Instagram

[Kristen McClellan · Rating 5 out of 5]

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘬?”
“𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘞𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

Fckn Lordt this book 😭 it BROKE ME. it healed pieces of me I didn’t know needed healing. It put me back together.

Let me preface this review of by stating that this book is a thiqqqqq mama. She’s sittin at over 500 pages. 500+ pages of pure emotional turmoil. I WENT THROUGH IT W THIS ONE.

I digress.

Hank is a badly (emotionally) broken, whiskey spittin, cattle ranchin’ cowboy… NEED I SAY MORE? No.

Wrenley is… well, she’s everything. She’s incredibly talented and smart, knows what she wants (mostly), is the absolute perfect match for Hank.

THE SPICE WAS SPICIN’ 😮‍💨

I LOVED every single side character in this book. They all play a crucial role and I cannot wait to see more of them in future books. (I am heavily anticipating Hutch to be my fav). The sibling relationships in this are amazing, they are so realistic. The banter between one another was just like my relationship with my own siblings. They poke fun of one another but have each others back when it matters the most.

Seeing Hank and wren in past and present put the story together in a way I don’t think only present tense would have done. The dual POV gave so much insight into the way they both felt.

I didn’t want the story to end. I hope Netflix picks this up for a series because I’d watch the sheeiitttt out of it.

Anyways, thank you Madison for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. Infinite stars given. Thank you for ruining my heart and then repairing it 10x over. 🫶🏻 I will not accept any criticism on this book. Thank you 😂

“𝐅𝐮𝐜𝐤, 𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐈’𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐓𝐨 𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐲𝐨𝐮. 𝐁𝐮𝐭, 𝐛𝐚𝐛𝐲… 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐞 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐮𝐬? 𝐈𝐭 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.”

😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

[Amber - Mood Readers Anonymous · Rating 4 out of 5]

“It’s been seventeen years since the most incredible summer of my life. Seeing her now, my memory floods with images of her at eighteen, all long legs and sun-kissed skin, freckles dancing across her nose and shoulders. Long, golden-blond hair whipping out around her face as we speed down country road after country road, her head tipped back on a laugh at something I’d said. It all feels like it was yesterday. Seventeen years since I watched the taillights of her granddad’s yellow ‘70 Chevy pickup fade into the distance. Seventeen years since she left me standing on that old, dirt road with the shredded remains of my heart beating wildly out of my chest.”

After seventeen years, Wren is back from California to settle her grandfather’s estate. She’s just ended an engagement after catching her fiancé cheating on her. Broken and looking for a new start, or even just a break from her messy life she lands in Timber Forge. Running into Hank, the man she left behind brokenhearted, is bringing back all kinds of feelings that she thought she left behind. More than ever, Timber Forge is feeling like coming home and she’s wondering if that’s because of Hank.

I loved this story. I’m a total sucker for second chance romances. There was so much depth to the story and the backstory that had me hooked from the beginning. My only complaint, this story could have been a little shorter. Inside it as drawn out and loaded down with spice. Don’t get me wrong, I love spice, but a little less could have made the story not feel so long. Will I come back for more from Madison, absolutely I will! I can’t wait to read book two!

[Danie Y. | BohoBookMama · Rating 4 out of 5]

When We Were Us - Madison Noelle
eARC Review: Releases April 11th, 2024

Tropes:
💕 Second Chance
🤠 Cowboy-ish
💕 “It’s Always Been You”
🤠 Small town
💕 Found Family
🤠 Slow burn

I received an ARC for this book in exchange for an honest review. A huge thank you for this honor to read this early! 🫶🏻 These are 100% my true feelings and unbiased opinions on this book.

This is a perfect example of a second chance romance. These two had such amazing chemistry, and you could tell they were just meant to be. This was a classic case of one person wanting to leave the confines of their hometown and the other one, unfortunately, getting left behind. It took almost 2 decades for Wren to find herself, figure out what she truly needed and find her way back to Hank. It was always Wrenley for him and he absolutely waited for her and did not miss a beat in his love for her for all that time!

Talk about a slow burn… Madison is an edging queen 😂 These two have been pining after each other for almost 2 whole decades before they are finally brought back together and it kept me on my toes. Every page that I turned I was waiting and waiting for something to happen between these two, I was kicking my feet and giggling waiting for the big bang 😏

I loved seeing the past and present at the same time to give us more backstory into their relationship it helped deepen your love for these characters. This was a great debut novel from Madison, with such great world building I really can’t wait for the next book in this series! 🩷

[Paris Browne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was Madison Noelle's debut, and the first in the Timber Forge series. Wren returns to Timber Forge 17 years after leaving it - and her first love, Hank, - behind to become a vet.
This was slow burn done absolutely perfectly. The tension was sizzling, and the hesitancy and uncertainty between Wren and Hank was beautifully done. The little moments (ehiskey, anyone?) Between Hank and Wren had me squealing and fanning myself. When the "full blown" spice finally hits it is absolutely worth the wait.
Wren was a great FMC. I loved that she never quite forgot Hank, but that she did have a life without him. She excelled in her career and really discovered who she was in the world. It felt like she did need that time away to realise just how right things with Hank and this small town were.
Hank was also an excellent cowboyish MMC. I loved his grumpy side, but that we also see him being playful and loving on his siblings. He is so deeply in love with Wren, and so hurt by her leaving, and Noelle did a great job of slowly bringing his walls down and letting him give things another shot.
I loved that the MCs are slightly older (in their mid 30s so not in any way old, but compared to alot of romance) and still get their HEA exactly how they want it. An important reminder that there's no time limit or schedule for life, and to step away from the pressure of how things should be.
Thank you for this ARC. I cannot wait to come back to Timber Forge and to see who's story we get next.

[Elizabeth Satala (ElizaJayneReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️

This was a fantastic debut! The story flowed really well, and the characters were well developed. Hank and Wren are the epitome of never forgetting your first love and never getting over them. Hank and Wren fell in love one summer, and then Wren left for college and never gave Hank the chance to follow her. She thought she was doing the right thing by leaving him to have the life he wanted on the ranch, which she wanted nothing to do with, but that set in motion years of heartache for Hank. She had always been the one that got away, and seventeen years later, she is back in their hometown, and all of his feeling for her come roaring back. There is also animosity there. He tries like heck not to want her, pushing her away when they see each other, but he can’t seem to get her out of his head. Wren is back because she has to sort through her grandparents’ things, and then she can be on her merry way back to California. Except, California seems like a million miles away when she realizes how much she likes being back in Timber Forge. She realizes that she ran away to college for a bigger and better life, but that might not be how it is anymore. Her and Hank start to get to know each other again, and their chemistry is as explosive as ever. She realizes that while she liked her life in California (that was, up until her horrible ex did horrible things), she is meant to be in Timber Forge with Hank and his family. This book was angsty and emotional, and you could just feel how much Hank cared for Wren, even after all those years. Great read!

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋆｡°✩ Spoiler Free Reviews ⋆｡°✩

I was kindly provided with this book (censorship is BS and I hate it but here we are!)

4.5 stars. This is a longer novel than I was expecting - but it was AMAZING all the same!

The plot - This book is a second chance, cowboy, small town romance. You’ve got a touch of enemies to lovers, there’s found family in there and it’s a slow burn. The spice was like 2.5/5 on the spice scale, as it was more focused on the amazing plot. It’s also a HEA in what will be a series of interconnected standalones! I loved this book, I’m a sucker for a cowboy romance anyway, but I’m not a fan of second chance so to have it come together in an amazing book? I loved it! I only wish we had a bit more to do with the veterinary side of things, that could’ve been interesting. But to end on a positive note; THE NICKNAMES! God damn even I was in love after the nicknames.

The MC - our stubborn FMC Wren is the veterinarian. She left our boy Hank 17 years ago for greener pastures (that’s funny, I swear), but now she’s back. She’s strong, she’s soft, and she eventually comes to her senses haha!

The male counterpart - Hank is the grumpy MMC who had his heart broken. He’s been a dick to everyone since Wren left, and he’s tryna get by without more heartbreak. Love love loved him, no notes.

[Okie Reads All The Romance · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book a lot, but i do have a few things to say about it. Positive notes first. I love the storyline. You can never go wrong with a good second chance ,small town romance. Hank and Wrenley were well written characters. I liked them both. I loved all the characters in the book. I think this series is going to be a good one, for sure. Like everyone else, I also appreciate the older characters. It's nice to see people in their mid to late 30s in these books instead of 20 somethings.

One issue i had; I normally don't have a problem with slow burn romances, and I understand in this story that the slow burn was absolutely necessary, however I felt like the book had alot of unnecessary chapters/scenes. I felt like the book was longer than it needed to be. But back to the slow burn thing, I personally felt it was so slow that by the time they finally got to it, I was just sitting there thinking, "Dang!! Finally!!😂 But also on edge waiting to see if they would be "interrupted" again.
But also, while I was reading this book towards the end, I remember thinking to myself how real life-ish some of the stuff in this book seemed. Nothing fancy or exaggerated like in some other books. I hope this makes sense to people without me having to be descriptive..lol.

Overall, the story was beautiful, I would recommend this series to anyone who loves a good small town romance. ❤️

[Maryann · Rating 5 out of 5]

Tropes:
- small town
- pining/angst
- spicy goodness
- slow burn
- he falls first
- second chance
- cowboy-ish
- whiskey shenanigans

“𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘥𝘰 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵, 𝘏𝘢𝘯𝘬?”
“𝘠𝘰𝘶, 𝘞𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘯𝘪𝘦 𝘎𝘪𝘳𝘭. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘢𝘭𝘸𝘢𝘺𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶.”

This is Madison Noelle's debut novel and the first book in the Timber Forge series. Wren returns home 17 years later after becoming a vet and leaving her first love, Hank behind.

When We Were Us is a slow burn down right. The story is wonderfully written, and the characters are well developed. The tension between Wren and Hank is palpable and red-hot. When the spice finally hits, it really develops.

Wren is a great FMC and regardless of leaving her life behind to pursue her dreams, she never forgot Hank. Hank is the kind of MMC that you want. He never stopped loving Wren and always held a spot for her. He is a perfect mix of grumpy and softie.

I also loved that the main characters are in their 30s as it made it relatable, and they get the ending that they want in their own way. It is a bit of a long read, but the story is done so nicely that you really get a chance to know the characters and their dynamics.

Releasing April 11, 2024. I received an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Dea Farrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been seventeen years since Wrenley left Timber Forge, Montana, but now she's returning to her childhood home. Her life is a mess. She's s trying to get herself together, and then he turns up. Hank, the boy she loved at eighteen, but who now looks at her with eyes full of hatred. Yet she still feels that old attraction to him blooming inside of her when he's near. Wrenley broke Hank's heart when she left him seventeen years ago, and now that she's back, he can't help but feel a pull towards her. Can they mend what was broken all those years ago and have their fresh start?

This book was absolutely incredible! Wrenley and Hank's love story is raw, emotional, and heart-felt. Wren left her teenage love behind when she went off to college, breaking both of their hearts. When she returned home seventeen years later, she found him a grumpy, completely different man. The once former friends turned lovers are now enemies who spend their all interactions bickering. Until they each begin to realize they may hate the other one at all. The secondary characters are just as well developed as the main characters. I was completely drawn into this story from the very beginning. I can't wait for book two in the Timber Forge series to release!

[Jessica's Book Review · Rating 3 out of 5]

When We Were Us (Timber Forge #1) by Madison Noelle, is a sweet second chance romance, written in duo POV between Wren and Hank. Wren and Hank dated for one summer but fell deeply in love when they were 18 & 20 years old. Wren had dreams and even though she loved Hank, she wanted more than life in a small town and just be a wife and get pregnant. Hank wanted the simple life, so Wren left him heartbroken and followed her dreams.

17 years later, Wren has returned after the death of her grandfather to clear up his estate. Little did she know Hank would be everywhere and the two slowly re-connect. Hank went from the sweet, boy next door, to the grumpy rancher after having his heartbroken. I loved the banter between Wren and Hank and the flirtatious attitude that lingered between the two.

This was a slow build-up… the two are tiptoeing over their unresolved feelings. I wanted them to get together SO MANY times during the book. At times, it was a little too slow for me…. I needed something to happen.

Towards the end, it did drag a bit…. I just wanted to get to the happily ever after. Overall, this was a sweet tale of second chance romance, in a smalltown, with a grumpy hunk male lead.

I give When We Were Us (Timber Forge #1) by Madison Noelle 3.5 stars.

[Sara Phillips · Rating 4 out of 5]

4⭐️3🌶️

This is a beautiful small town second chance romance between Wrenley and Hank who dated when they were 18 and 20 respectively before Wrenley moved away to college when they split up. Fast forward 17 years later and Wrenley is back in her hometown where she is reunited with Hank. I loved Hank at the end, but honestly, in the beginning - he is very immature for an almost 40 year old man and he is super annoying when Wrenley is first back in town. Wrenley is a super strong FMC who you cannot help but fall in love with! She is a veterinarian (we love a woman in STEM!) who is going through A LOT. She has had her own life and I LOVE IT. Once some healing and wisening up happens with Hank, he ends up being a swoony dirty-talking cowboy who is also a golden retriever for Wren. So it is worth the enemies to LOVERS, slow burn wait!

The best part of this book is that although it is very long, this allows you to really get attached and fall in love with these families and friends and their dynamics together. The found family aspect is soooo sweet in this book. It makes you want to be a part of the Timber Forge family! (Cannot forget Ginger in California too!) Wren has the coolest female besties and I hope we get to see them meet in the next book!

🤍Second Chance Romance
🤍Small Town Romance
🤍Enemies-ish to Lovers (again)
🤍Slow Burn
🤍Dirty Talking Grumpy Cowboy MMC
🤍Bad Ass Veterinarian FMC
🤍Amazing side characters!! LOVEEE them all (except Derek who can kick rocks)
🤍Dual POV and Now and Then POVs
🤍INCREDIBLE Empowering Besties!!!

[Carly · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒘𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒖𝒔 - ARC review 🤠⛰️💗

YALL. this is a debut? Coulda fooled me. I am so invested in this story it’s insane. I waited days to finish the last hr of the book because I simply didn’t want it to end. I am not usually a second chance girly but maybe this book changed my mind???? Just pack me up and move me to Timber Forge.

This is such a beautiful story. I literally had butterflies reading. The nicknames, the mutual pining, the years of angst & built up, the emotion, THE. LOVE. UGH. I need you all to absolutely run and add this to your wishlist, TBR & kindle lists. Immediately. You won’t be disappointed.

-second chance
-mutual pining
-cowboy-ish
-small town
-🌶️🌶️🌶️
-no third act break up (that’s refreshing)

I am so incredibly thankful I got to meet them a little early. Thank you @authormadisonnoelle for the opportunity. What an incredible start to a series. I can’t wait to meet the rest of the gang of Timber Forge. I’ll be shouting from the rooftops about this one.

‼️‼️‼️Shes available April 11th‼️‼️‼️