Winning My Queen

by Madelyn Smith

Alex:
This small town feels so foreign to me. That's probably the memory loss talking.
The more time I spend here the more I'm learning there's more to life than I thought. This town is starting to warm my heart, especially while spending time with the local school nurse and soccer coach. She's slowly winning over my heart, but am I ready to risk it while I struggle to remember who I am? Will she even like who I was before I ended up in Bolt?

Reina:
I love my small hometown of Bolt, Oregon. There's nothing better until a handsome man crashes his way into my life. My dad decided he's staying with us so I can help keep an eye on him. My eyes like what they see but my mind reminds me that no one wants to move to Bolt and he's eventually going to leave.
So why does my heart melt every time Alex shares the memories that are returning? How is he always finding a way to make me smile?
There's no way I can let myself fall for his dreamy blue eyes, and swoony good looks.
He's just going to leave when he remembers who is is anyways. Right?

Winning My Queen is a sweet and clean, kisses only, romantic comedy. It has swoony moments, sweet kisses, emotional growth, and an entertaining cast of side characters. It features found family, emotional conversations, and healing moments as characters feel the love of God and their friends.

Content Warnings: This book deals with themes of parental neglect, anxiety, imperfect pasts, memory loss, and a car accident.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Clean Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Rom Com, Christian

285 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 16, 2024

About the author

Madelyn Smith is a happy wife and mom by day and a reader and writer by night. After years of reading fantasy and romance books she felt inspired to start writing in 2023. Madelyn loves to read clean and closed-door romance and fantasy books, so she decided to write them too. With Christian elements in her books, her writing will be perfect for those who want a swoony romance, with a divine perspective.
When writing she likes to snack on pretzels and marshmallows, water, and any chocolate her husband surprises her with. Not to mention hostess donuts. Bring on all the hostess donuts.
During her day she can be found interacting on Bookstagram, playing legos and play-pretend with her two toddlers, or enjoying serving in her congregation as a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.
Madelyn loves God, and gives all glory to Him who inspired her whole reading and writing journey.
If you're interested in what Madelyn is reading check out her review page on Instagram: @thesqueakycleanreader
For book updates check out her author page: @madelynsmithauthor on Instagram.

Reviews

[Maven_Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review of Winning My Queen by Madelyn Smith

Winning My Queen by Madelyn Smith is a sweet, clean small‑town romantic comedy about a man with no memory and the woman whose kindness and quiet confidence begin to thaw his guarded heart as they navigate identity, belonging, and new love in Bolt, Oregon. This uplifting story blends amnesia romance with found family moments, gentle humor, and thoughtful emotional growth, inviting readers into a heartwarming world where sometimes losing yourself helps you find the life that truly fits.

From the first pages I felt deeply invested in Alex’s journey: waking up with no memory after a car accident and slowly discovering that the quiet rhythm of Bolt and the compassion of Reina, the local school nurse and soccer coach, might matter more than the life he once knew. Reina’s blend of strength, nurturing warmth, and delightful self‑deprecating humor made her feel real and lovable, and watching her heart shift as Alex’s memories returned, revealing both his past flaws and his earnest efforts to be better, was a tender experience for me. The dynamic between them is playful yet sincere, filled with those sweet, low‑stress moments of connection that made me smile and sigh in equal measure. I also loved the sense of community that surrounds them, from quirky townsfolk to supportive friends, creating a cozy backdrop where faith, healing, and laughter are woven into everyday life. The faith elements are subtle but heartfelt, giving extra depth to both characters’ emotional growth without ever feeling preachy.

I would rate Winning My Queen 4 out of 5 because it left me with that warm, contented feeling of having spent time with characters who grow in kindness, self‑discovery, and love. The pacing and dual perspectives allowed me to see both characters’ vulnerabilities and strengths, and the clean, wholesome romance felt refreshing and heartfelt.

If you enjoy tender, character‑driven romantic comedies with memorable small‑town charm and sincere emotional beats, this story will likely wrap around your heart just as gently as Bolt welcomed Alex.

[Betsy And The Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow just wow, this is Madelyn’s debut novel and she comes out with a bang doing a Cars the movie romcom retelling! Yeah you read that right the Disney Pixar Cars movie retold as a romcom with actual human characters! It almost starts out like the cars movie also with Alex in his red corvette getting into an accident when he runs into a cow on his way to take a break from his Hollywood life. He wakes up in Nightingale’s A clinic in Bolt, Oregon and flo taking care of him. There he meet’s the sheriff who takes him back to his farm where he meets Reina, school nurse and soccer coach. He doesn’t remember anything that happened or who he is. Naturally he stays in Bolt crashing with Reina and her family while he tries to get his memory back. I loved Alex and Reina so much! I adored Hudson he was a lovable elderly guy who wasn’t afraid to tell Alex how it is! I can’t tell you how many times I laughed and giggled and thought I seen what you did there whenever there was a Cars reference! I absolutely loved the faith in this book also it was so beautiful! This is a must read book if you love a good cheesy romcom, especially if you love the movie Cars! This is her debut novel but reads like she is a seasoned author! I’m so excited to see where she goes with this bolts of love series!! I’ll be here for the ride and patiently waiting for the next book!

[Holly (IG Hollys_Book_Musings) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review for Winning my Queen by Madelyn Smith, Book 1 of new series

Genre: Sweet Rom-Com; Kisses Only; Christian Themes

What I loved:
Dual POV
Swoony sweet moments, including the kisses, but no spice!
Gatorade scenes
Soccer and her team
Christian themes
Redemption and finding God's love
Found Family
The egg collecting (hehe)
Poor Cow
Lots of food references (made me hungry!)
Where the title comes from
Use of my name (lol)
Similarities to the movie Cars (So cute)
The date
the Hand kisses were my favorite

Debut Author Madelyn Smith's Winning My Queen is such a beautiful book of redemption, finding God, relationship advice, viewpoints on life, and swoony sweet moments. I really enjoyed this whole book thoroughly. It was unique; I loved the tie-in to the Pixar movie, Cars. It has so many great quotes about relationship advice; I could probably easily share 10 or so that I marked as I read. I love Momma T, and Hudson. Hudson is such a cute old man with such great advice for Alex and Reina! I just love the transformation Alex goes through, throughout the book. The way he treats Reina and his nickname for her is sooo sweet and cute. The hand/knuckle kisses were my favorite! I also love his relationship with his sister and how they very much relied on each other. I felt bad for the way Alex's parents were.

I just felt so happy while reading this book and just sighed and snickered through the whole book. I really hope you will give this one a read.
I really look forward to book 2!

I was given a free copy of the ebook from the author in exchange for my honest opinion. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Content Warning: no swearing, kisses only: passionate, no tongue
Trigger Warning: parental neglect, anxiety, imperfect pasts, memory loss, and a car accident

[Lissa Ruck · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved Alex & Reina's feisty, sweet,caring, loving, swoony story!!!

[Courtnie ~ courtniemustreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! One of my favorite movies growing up was Cars. This book took that movie and made it even better! I enjoyed the writing style and the love story. It was sweet and pure. I love how respectful Alex is of Reina and the boundaries they set. Madelyn does a great job in bring up religion in a natural way! I can relate so much to this book and I love the lessons it taught about love, respect, and change.

[Heather (heathers.clean.reads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ka-chow! I LOVED this debut romance book by Madelyn! When she mentioned it would be a book with similarities to the movie Cars, I knew I would love it! Cars was a staple in our house when my boys were little and it will always be special to me. Madelyn captured all the fun elements and made them so much better with this swoony romance!

Alex was a complex character who grew so much in this story. He never had a relationship with his parents and only had his sister as family. I loved how Reina’s family instantly took him in and treated him like one of their own. They were the absolute best!

Reina was cautious of Alex at first due to exes in the past who had left her. But it didn’t take long for him to squeeze his way into her mind and heart. She sees the Alex no one else sees and likes him for who he is as a person.

Alex was a dreamboat, y’all! He was flirty, handsome and so tender and sweet. Reina was stubborn, but also genuine, kind, loved her family and was very down to earth. I loved his relationship with Reina and how they couldn’t help but be drawn to each other. Their chemistry and banter was spot-on and the flirting…. Man, oh, man! Alex had me blushing with all his sweet talk! They were just a perfect match!

The amnesia trope was done so well and made the story very interesting. Alex’s memory flashbacks gave more insight to his family and seeing Reina take care of him through it all was so beautiful. She was patient and sweet with him.

And I can’t forget all the town characters and soccer players. Each one added something special to the story! It made me want to visit Bolt and just have a day to hang out with them all!

I can’t wait to go back and visit Bolt, Oregon!! It’s a wonderful place that has my heart!

Things I Loved:
⚽️Pop-it’s
⚽️Farm chores
⚽️She takes care of him
⚽️D-A-T-E
⚽️The hand and forehead kisses
⚽️The rules
⚽️MATEO!
⚽️Found family
⚽️Faith Elements
⚽️All the flirting
⚽️”Little Queen”
⚽️The first kiss!
⚽️The soccer team!
⚽️The grand gesture
⚽️All the epilogues!

Thanks to the author for letting me beta read this adorable book! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

[Readingintheweehours · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a SWEET Story!
I loved Alex and Reina's chemistry and that darling town of Bolt. ∞
Also, the soccer team, Mateo, Hudson, Reina's parents? Just perfect.
Be ready for a darling fast fall, flavors of Gatorade , a Momma with all the warmth and affection to offer the world, and some very sweet kisses.
My favorite scenes were the ATV ride, the rule setting, and the one I can't tell you about in the last couple of chapters. is
Oh, and the farm elements. Pure magic for me.
All in all, a delightfully sweet story that you'll enjoy.
Anddddd, I'm ready to read Mateo's story!

[Cherilyn (Cherwhatyouread) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Small town, amnesia, faith based romance.

This book was a delightful read!

Alex gets in a car accident and ends up with amnesia. He went through the most transformation. His amnesia gave him the chance and the courage to make the changes he wanted in his life.

Reina is the friend everyone needs. She has a strong moral compass and desire to do what’s right for everyone. Which is why she was the perfect match for Alex.

The side characters are hilarious and truly help the story move along. They help both Alex and Reina know their potential as individuals and as a couple.

I received this book as an ARC.

[Anna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imaginative debut novel!! Tell me why every end of every chapter had me cackling, like Reina has the best zingers! Especially at the very end I literally laughed at loud!

Things I enjoyed about this book:
- SMALL 🐮 TOWN 🌾 SETTING !!! ✨
- enemies (?) to lovers! (more like annoyed because *he’s attractive*)
- the shenanigans and plotting by the side characters for the ~sake of romance~
- the humor like LOLLLL this book was actually comedy gold
- how the side characters enrich the story (like okay Mateo!! I SEE YOU!!)
- Reina putting Alex in his place (when he needed it) (which was frequent)
- PIXAR RETELLING!! no spoilers which one but it’s of my favorite movie so ⚡️ 🚗

Not gonna give ya’ll a synopsis because it’s already here on Goodreads so now let’s talk PLOT! Alex & Reina come from different walks of life and the book explores how challenges that come from that, especially when it comes to reconciling past heartbreak and disappointment. That’s a very real thing that couples have to go through, I appreciated how it played on on the page. And no spoilers but the ending had me kicking and giggling that’s all I say!!

This book may be perfect for you if you’re looking for
- Millionaire boy, small town girl
- ENEMIES (okay more like annoyance) to lovers
- Sports! Romance! ⚽️
- Clean romance & clean books
- A book where you can imagine the main character as a younger version of Ryan Reynolds and the other main character as a younger version of Jessica Alba (is this too niche?)

Overall it was so cute, and I can’t wait to see what Madelyn Smith cooks up for her next book! 🌟

[Aly Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

SOOO cute! I could not get enough of all the Cars references. Reina was sweet and relatable and I just loved her family especially. And I liked Alex from the get-go despite the fact he is pretty good at putting up brick walls to keep people out lol. But I must say, even though I LOVED Reina and Alex's story, I'm even more excited about Mateo's upcoming story.

Very mild on the kisses though there was plenty of swoon and a couple times my jaw dropped because Alex can be...um, very flirty in his language sometimes. But never in an offensive way. Okay, maybe there was one time he got the momma in me to raise my eyebrow like, "Boy?! I know you didn't." But that was BEFORE he realizes what a queen Reina is and how much he wants to respect her very reasonable boundaries and be a good man for her. Okay, I'll stop, I won't spoil it for you haha.

All in all, it was a great, fun, cozy read with tons of cuteness and swoon that takes place in the fall (which is like almost every girl's favorite season) and it was so relaxing and such a nice break from the end-of-the-world stakes I usually read haha.

I highly recommend and now I might be the teeniest bit inspired to read some more rom-coms and maybe even write one...

[Madelyn- The Squeaky Clean Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet, clean, kisses only and so Swoony.

The character development is great. The faith elements are perfect. The side characters are hilarious.

All around five star read.

[Clean readers · Rating 5 out of 5]

Do we deserve the ones we love?

I am going to be completely honest I have a very very hard time with Amnesia story lines, but Madelyn she got me!! This book is hilarious, heartfelt and understanding.

I love the honesty of both the characters insecurities. Neither of them push each other but slowly build their relationship. Alex has made mistakes in his past and wants to prove he is the perfect person for Reina. Reina knows neither of them are perfect and just want the best.

This book contains:
-Swoony Kisses 😘
-Nicknames 💕
-Funny banter 😂
-A soccer team who loves their coach and her new bf


This book deserves to be read by all!

More on this book here: https://bibliophilechapter.wixsite.co...

This is gifted as an arc, all opinions are my own.

[Emmy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this a little carefully, as you do with a debut. But I really enjoyed it.
There's a few moments where the dialogue feels a tad on the nose or the characters responses seem almost a bit over the top (there's more tearing up than I can take, but perhaps that's a personal thing😅).
But the romance is sweet, actually sweet and progresses naturally. The characters have wonderful personal arcs of growth. I enjoyed the internal conflict, the warm town vibes, the fun soccer team getting involved in their coach's life.
I expected more conflict between the love interests, but somehow the author made it work without that, just fine.
I'll likely reread this, which gives a clear indication of my enjoyment 😊and I'm looking forward to her next book.

Coarse language: none
Violence & gore: none (well, except for the cow that gets hit by a car to start off the plot)
Sexual content: none

*I received a free copy from the author. This didn't influence my rating or review

[Samantha Ball · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading an early copy, and boy, was I impressed! From the great opening paragraph to the last page, I was totally caught up in Alex and Reina’s story.

Alex can't remember who he is. Reina knows he won't stay. Can the magic of Bolt, Oregon bring them together?

What I loved about it:
- a great cast of side characters (my favorite being Hudson)
- the chapter names
- the amnesia trope (so well done)
- Alex’s faith journey
- his nickname for her
- wrist kisses, almost kisses, swoony kisses, and SO much more!

One of my favorite quotes:
“She’s worth every second of the past I’ve lost because I’m determined she’s going to be in every second of my future.”

This was such a fun read! If you’re looking for a heartwarming book with great characters, who you can quickly feel invested in their happy ever after, then this is the book for you. I highly recommend it.

Now I can’t wait for Bolts of Love Book 2.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75/5⭐️ ok y’all let’s start with the good stuff. I loved how the amnesia trope was done, where instead of a sudden "oh I remember everything" moment. It was small resurfacing of memories throughout. And can we talk about how much I enjoyed seeing the boundaries that were set?! I absolutely love when a book shows that!

Now, I gotta say, the often noticing of physical attraction got a bit much for me. And though I do feel like it toned down a bit as I kept reading I would have liked it to he less. I also wish there would’ve been more faith development shown on page for Alex.

There were some amazing moments though. And I wish we’d seen more pranks!!

Overall, it was a great, but I would've liked it more if some things were toned down a bit. 🙂

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Have you been craving a nice clean rom-com with Christian values? Well this is the book for you to quench your cravings! It is such a cute story and I have enjoyed being an arc reader for Madelyn Smith. I did not have any trouble getting through this book and there are some funny parts to the book. It definitely is a feel-good story and some of the wisdom and morals in the book was nice to glean while reading. This author is on my list for future books when I need to just rest my brain from the highly complicated fantasy books that I usually read.

[Mary Ann Santay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Firstly thank you Madelyn Smith for picking me for your ARC team for your debut book!!

This book was so cute!! When I first heard about it I was intrigued about the soccer aspect it’s one of the few sports I know 😅 and then reading the synopsis I knew I had to read it while I was in my RomCom era 😂. And I’m so glad I did because there were so many things to love about it!!

Alex, the MMC, was funny, charming and a bit of a flirt but also a bit like a kicked puppy at times. There were parts where I just wanted to give him a hug. He was also hilarious there was one part specifically where I was just dying of laughter 😂 it was probably one of my favorite parts!!

Reina, the FMC, was independent, witty and down to earth. Watching her help Alex after his accident and then them slowly fall in love was so sweet. And also watching her with her soccer teams was so fun!!

There were also some great side characters that made the book even better. I’m a side character girl so I was LOVING the side characters!! And a few of the soccer players where amazing!!

All in all amazing first book and if you’re in the mood for a funny soccer romcom then I would check this book out!!

[Shea H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Who would’ve thought that a Cars retelling would make the perfect setup for a rom-com?? In her debut novel, Madelyn Smith knocks it out of the park by making you fall in love with her characters and delightful storyline. This book has sweet kisses, some beautiful faith elements, and is sure to make you laugh out loud :)

**I received an ARC copy of this book from the author- all opinions expressed are my own

[Beth DeLong · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a fun, feel-good read! Congrats, Madelyn, on your awesome debut!!

I laughed out loud (a lot), the writing is well done, and the romance is super sweet, no spice (only kissing). The characters are lovable, often hilarious.

I will admit, I'm not usually one for amnesia tropes, and I wasn't sure how I felt about the title. But once I learned that Cars was the inspiration, the title fit so well! And I think Madelyn did a great job with the amnesia aspect. 

Thank you so much, Madelyn, for the advanced copy! It was a pleasure to read! I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily. 

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing debut! The Easter eggs were so much fun! This is a lighter, fluffier romcom that was perfect for relaxing at the end of a long day. Since my toddlers favorite activity at the moment is BEING a race car(my own Easter egg), anything relaxing is my favorite. I have no doubt that Madelyn will continue to write stories that make me smile and laugh and I’ll be back for them all!

[Cynthia H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I’m connected with the author of this book through school and had requested it from the library, which may have led to its purchase. I suggest giving it a read, as it's a romantic story that captures the essence of true love. Clean, sweet, and real. Like most romance books, we know how it ends, but the journey is inspiring.

[Rebecca · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to get to read an ARC of Madelyn smith’s debut novel Winning my Queen.

I really enjoyed Alex and Reina’s story and I loved the other characters in Bolt and I’m looking forward to hearing more of there stories in the future.

At the start of this book I found it hard to like Alex I thought he was so cocky but the character development was lovely to see and you couldn’t help but route for him in the end ☺️

This was the first time I’ve ever read an ARC before and I enjoyed the experience.

I would recommend this book to anyone who likes a cute small town romance 🥰

Thank you Madelyn for giving me the opportunity to read this book I really enjoyed it and I wish you every success come release day ☺️💕

[thearaluenlibrarian · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such an amazing book!! I loved the characters and the storyline so much. 🩵🩵

[Brittney · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so incredibly fun! I love all the tie in to Cars and the growth of Alex as he embraces the love of Bolt and the willingness to change to be a better person! And I absolutely LOVED the snack list at the beginning! Can that always be a thing?! I’m so looking forward to the next book in the series!

Things I loved:
⚽️ Hudson (witty elderly folks are my favorite!)
⚽️ Gatorade
⚽️ The first date
⚽️ The soccer team
⚽️ The snack list
⚽️ Everything Cars related…I love that movie!

[Ashley Powell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ok I seriously just want to crawl into this book and become a member of the Bolt community! I found myself loving and caring about literally every character. She did such a good job of giving each one their moment to shine. And can we talk about the chemistry between Reina and Alex? Swoon worthy for sure.
This is a perfect read for those who love romance but don’t care for spicy scenes. There is a faith based message that I personally find beautiful and not in the least bit preachy. This is going to be recommended to all my book friends!
I did receive this as an ARC and will definitely be purchasing a hard copy to add it to my collection…actually maybe a few more to share with friends!

[Jessica Flory · Rating 5 out of 5]

A stunning book. I absolutely loved it!! A must-read for sweet romance lovers.

[Jessica King · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is such a gem! I loved how Alex truly treats Reina like a queen with both his small acts and grand gestures! There is such great chemistry between these two characters! Such a well written book that was truly uplifting!!

[Elizabeth Gillam · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was cute! I'll be making sure I read the next few in this series.

[Annie Bledsoe · Rating 2 out of 5]

Hmmmm… was not a fan of the name of the book and I felt like the ending was a bit of a cop out. Quick, easy, and fluffy read, tho. 2.5⭐️

[Anna Cink · Rating 5 out of 5]

My favorite part about this book is how Madelyn took some of my favorite characters from the movie and gave them new life. There are many nods to the movie and it’s like finding little Easter eggs! The moment I read my favorite character described, I cried. I had to message Madelyn and tell her! I have no shame.

Alex is a movie star and he learns how the other half lives while he’s in Bolt, Oregon. He is a charmer that ends up having to earn his keep. The chores become a blessing as they become an opportunity to serve Reina.

The kisses in this book are super sweet. There are many sweet moments and I don’t want to give them away. The way Alex and Reina grow to care for each other is special. Alex’s effort in respecting Reina’s boundaries before marriage and the steps he takes to pursue her are what I love reading about. He treats her like a queen!