Not Our First Rodeo

by Madison Wright

Elsie Jennings thought she had it all figured out.

A ballet career. A husband who adored her. A future that felt certain. But after a devastating injury ends her time on stage—and a miscarriage shatters something even deeper—Elsie pushes everyone away, including Beau, the man she’s loved since she was sixteen. Believing she needs space to heal, she asks him to leave.
Months later, back in her small Montana hometown, Elsie is trying to rebuild. She’s traded performances for teaching at the local studio, and solitude for something like stability. But one night with Beau changes everything—again. When she discovers she’s pregnant, she’s forced to confront everything she’s been avoiding.

Beau Jennings never stopped loving Elsie.

He gave her the space she asked for, but he never gave up. Now that he knows about the baby, he’s ready to step back in—with patience, loyalty, and the kind of steady love that never wavered.

As the two navigate old wounds and uncertain futures, they’ll have to learn how to move forward—not by returning to who they once were, but by becoming something new together. Because love like theirs isn’t easy—but they both know this isn’t their first rodeo.

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Westerns, Cowboy Romance, Small Town Romance, Second Chance Romance, Found Family

293 pages, Paperback

Published July 11, 2025

About the author

Madison Wright is a hopeless romantic living her own happily ever after in Nashville. After falling in love with reading at a young age, she always dreamed of becoming an author. She writes romances that feel cozy and always feature a happily-ever-after.

She's a big fan of sunshine, pastries, and any book with a love story. When she's not reading or writing, she can be found exploring her city with her husband and dog.

To keep up to date, follow on socials @authormadisonwright, join her newsletter, or go to her website www.authormadisonwright.com.

Reviews

[Juliana Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

not to brag but…my best friend wrote this

[Madison Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

These two are so, so special to me. I hope you love them and their story as much as I do.

[_blondebooknerd · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m starting to realize I don’t want to forget it all. I want to remember every aching moment of it, remember how good it feels now, knowing how painful it was then.

A Raw, Real Second Chance Romance That Stole My Heart Book 1 of the Lucky Stars Ranch is Calling series 🤠✨

Big thanks to NetGalley, the author, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! 🙌

Wow, this book hit me right in the feels. It’s a second-chance romance that’s so real and raw, I couldn’t put it down. Elsie had everything planned out—a ballet career 🩰, a loving husband 💍, and a bright future. But life threw some hard punches: a career-ending injury and a heartbreaking miscarriage that shattered her world.

She pushed everyone away, even Beau, the guy who’s loved her since they were teens. Months later, back in her small Montana hometown, she’s trying to rebuild her life—trading performances for teaching, and loneliness for something like peace. But then everything changes when she finds out she’s pregnant 👶, and she has to face all the feelings she’s been avoiding.

Beau? He never stopped loving her. He gave her the space she needed but stayed ready to support her with that steady, patient love we all dream about 🐴❤️.

This story wrecked me—in the best way. Elsie’s struggles with grief and anxiety felt so genuine and relatable. Knowing the author experienced similar loss made it even more real. Watching Elsie grow and heal was beautiful and powerful.

And Beau? Totally my new book boyfriend. Loyal, kind, and unwavering. I’m obsessed. 💯

If you love heartfelt second-chance romances with real emotions and relatable characters, this one’s a must-read. Just don’t forget the tissues! 🥹📚

[carolina]

I don’t even know how to start this review. Part of me doesn’t want to write it, but since this is an arc I requested, I feel like it’s my job to share a review for it. I’ll start by saying that this is not a bad book and I wish the author success, but this didn’t work for me. At all. I wanted to feel emotion, but what I ended up feeling was apathy. I’m not even going to rate it, because I feel really bad giving it a 2 star rating (I don’t think it’s that bad of a book) but it also doesn’t deserve a positive rating for me, so no rating it is.

When I realised this romance was about a marriage in crisis and featured the pregnancy trope, I got so excited to read it, because I enjoy both tropes a lot. But that excitement vanished quickly. This is a good example of a book where there’s a lot of telling and not a lot of showing. I was unable to connect with the characters and believe in their romance, because I wasn’t shown that they’re crazy for each other. I was told they’re in love. I was told they were going through a tough time. But the truth is that we mostly see how the main character is doing and how she’s dealing with stuff that has happened in her life. She was clearly the main focus of the story and there’s nothing wrong with that, but if you’re going to sell me a love story, I want to see more than just the fmc’s issues.

⁀➴ Elsie was a professional ballerina but an injury forced her to quit and let go of her biggest dream. On top of that, she has a miscarriage. As you can imagine, all of this took a toll on her and she got depressed. She fell into a big black hole and hid from the world. She pushed everyone away, including her husband. She said they needed some time apart because she needed space from him to heal. From what I understood, I think they were apart for two months before they met again and had sex (I got so lost in this story, I couldn't understand how much time had passed). And she got pregnant again.

Where do I start? There was no chemistry or tension between Elsie and her husband Beau. I felt nothing when they were together. There clearly was some awkwardness between them, because Beau didn’t really understand why she kept pushing him away and Elsie didn’t want to talk about it, but that’s it. Some may disagree, but to me there was no angst or yearning. And those times when Beau flirted with her and was trying to be sexy were so hard to read, because there is not a bone in my body that believes this is a man that can flirt and talk dirty. I felt embarrassed for him.

Elsie suffers from anxiety and has been dealing with panic attacks her whole life. She grew up with a mother that deposited all her dreams on her and made her feel like she would be nothing if she wasn’t a ballerina. After her injury, Elsie felt like a failure. The miscarriage made her feel like a failure again. Besides this, Elsie is someone that doesn’t want to show vulnerability because she thinks it makes her weak. She doesn’t want other people to see what she’s feeling. I get this, it makes sense to me. HOWEVER...why was she still so afraid to let her husband, I repeat, her husband , see her vulnerable? This is a man she’s known since she was a teen, they’ve been together for a decade, and she never told him about the panic attacks. She didn’t open up to him at all. If I was Beau, I would’ve felt like I didn’t know the person I had married. If they’d been dating for a few month, I’d understand, but they shared a life. And she didn’t let him know her. She asked for space because she was having a lot of panic attacks again and didn’t want him to witness it...Being vulnerable is so scary, that’s something I 100% relate to, but spending 10 years with someone without ever letting them see every part of you, good and bad, is something I struggle to understand. And there was never a moment where Elsie fully understood how badly she’d hurt Beau. He also lost a child, he was also grieving and hurting, but everyone was so concerned for Elsie (included himself) that nobody, with the exception of his brother, took the time to ask him if he was okay.

In conclusion, Elsie desperately needed therapy. Because a lot of there trauma and insecurities stemmed from her childhood and I do not believe she’s fully healed by the end of this book. There’s a long way to go before she’s in a better place and therapy can help her with that.

I also think the pregnancy plot was handled poorly and, once again, there was a lot of telling, not showing, which is not something you want in a case like this. Also, it was mentioned that, in the first pregnancy, Elsie noticed something was wrong because she had stopped feeling nauseous. But during the second pregnancy, the nausea went away and she disregarded it, which makes no sense.

I think there’s more I could say but this review is already long and I don’t feel like talking about this book anymore. Here’s a reminder for future me: please dnf a book when you’re not enjoying it, even if you’ve already read 70% of it.

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

[Kat🌟]

Dnfing bc if GBBL taught me anything it’s that life is too short to spend it doing something you don’t wanna do and I don’t wanna read this anymore

[McKenzie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madison’s best work yet.

This book was an exploration of self-acceptance, grief, pain, and love, that were so real and raw, I felt them all myself.

I knew I was going to love Elsie and Beau, but NOTHING could have truly prepared me for them. This story is absolutely beautiful, and also raw, real, and painful in all of the best ways.

Brings your tissues, YOU’LL NEED THEM.

Endlessly proud of you all the time, Mads, but so absolutely blown away with this story and how I can tell how much love you put into them😭🫶🏻

Thank you Madison and NetGalley for the ARC, all opinions are my own

[summer⁎ ˚ ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆]

I'm a good portion into this (35%) but I'm unsure if I'm going to continue. A marriage in crisis will always be a favorite, but there was hardly a crisis to be seen aside from Elsie's inability to think about anybody but herself! I'm incredibly bored, confused, and just uninterested in the story and characters as a whole that to finish this would just be torture.

Honestly, I've been finding it extremely hard to believe these two have been together since they were 16. They read like complete strangers. Elsie is beyond immature and damaged, and the book suffers heavily from "tell, don't show". There was no build up to their relationship from the past, and honestly I don't even know a single thing about Elsie's life aside from her failed ballerina career and miscarriage and I'm nearing the halfway point. Beau exists to be the other POV in this book. Sadly, he does not have a personality or a purpose aside from trying to fix things with his wife, which should be HOT, right? But it's not. It's pathetic instead.

Every time I read something from this book, I not only want to put it back down, but I'm honestly just confused. How Elsie was able to hide panic attacks from her husband of ten or twelve years? And why? Why did you marry a man who you can't show that vulnerable side of yourself to? You're pregnant with your second child and you can't allow him to see your panic attacks? Furthermore, every chapter in this book felt like it went in one big circle. The interactions between every side character were nearly identical. It enforced the "girl pushing the guy who gets too close" narrative way too hard, which would work if the guy in question wasn't her husband of 10 years. Like what the hell? lmao. There was too much summarization and inner monologue with zero expansion through genuine communication between any of the characters, including our two MC's. There is zero angst or yearning. Nothing.

I've also been beyond confused on the timeline. There's three months, six months, nine months, two years, ten years... Like what is the actual timeline of their breakup? I genuinely don't understand. She made him move out of HIS house because she's having panic attacks, two months ago? And then she wants to screw some random guy... but had wanted Beau all along? You expect me to believe this nonsense?!

I might come back to this and maybe skim until parts get interesting, but so far NOTHING has kept my attention captive... At all. Life is too short!

[lucialeelibros · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book just didn’t work for me. When I saw it was going to be about marriage in Apurv, I genuinely expected something deeper. A story that would explore how a couple navigates real struggles, grows together, maybe even heals.
But nope.

The accidental pregnancy? Okay, I can roll with that. But dear author, where’s the development? Where are the tools, the therapy, the emotional work? You gave me a problem... and then just left it hanging. No resolution. No growth.

Now, let’s talk about the characters. I strongly disliked Elsie. She was incredibly selfish — and not in a misunderstood, complex kind of way. Just plain selfish, without reflection or change. And Beau? My God. That man deserves a partner who truly sees him, supports him, challenges him in the right ways. Elsie is not that woman.

I’m giving this book three stars — and only because of Beau His role was powerful, heartfelt, and real. And honestly? I completely agree with his brother: Elsie didn’t deserve all that she claimed she did. Beau deserved someone better.

[Tatum - nuggetybooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Beau Jennings & Elsie Jennings
- Dual POV
- Marriage in trouble
- Accidental pregnancy
- Re-found family
- Horse trainer & ranch hand MMC
- Anxious ex-ballerina FMC
- He takes care of her
- Supportive family
- Small mountain town

✨ a few of my favorite things:
- the nicknames, “Elsie baby”
- The flirting and teasing between Beau & Elise
- Picnics 😉
- The closet 🤭
- Cooper & Jade’s rivalry
- Jade & Elsie’s relationship
- The self-aware healing by MCs learning to fight against instincts that are hurting their marriage
- Beau’s dad 🥲 I love the way he talks to his family and he is truly the pillar of the family
- The marital redemption is so so good 🥹🥰

Content warning : miscarriage (author has more warnings in beginning of book)

Chapter 1 is the “fade to black” however it includes a lot of explicit detail of what the MCs are doing not just thoughts and feelings. This lasts longer and gives more details; some of which may be considered open door to some people. There is also another fade to black in Chapter 25 which has less details.

There is explicit language throughout. There is a lot of innuendo and sex jokes that may be off putting to some. (You can message me if you need more details on any of that).

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Book 1 in the Lucky Stars Ranch - I really enjoyed this story. I have not read many books like this where it is a married couple trying to save their marriage. I greatly appreciated the character development and growth that took page over the book. Both MCs had a lot of growing to do and many mistakes were made. However, they were able to make something so much better than before once they found their way back to each other 💕

I appreciated that Madison wrote a man that actually sounds like a man, because we need more manly men in this world. He steps up and takes care of this family and shows up for the people in his life. Elsie drove me nuts a little cause she knows she’s hurting herself and others but she keeps making the wrong choices. However, once it clicks for her and she finally starts seeing the light 👏🏻 it was so worth all the hard they went through. Beau and Elise together often made me tear up because even though they made mistakes the love between them is so clear and they were made for each other.

I loved the side characters with all the quirks and full of their own personalities and shenanigans. I had no shortage of laughs with this book.

Okay now for my big disclaimer. This book has more details in the tension, jokes, and intimate moments between MCs that what I normally review. There are two fade to black scenes (Chapter 1 & 25). Personally, there is one thing in chapter 1 that made me question if it was open door. I talked with others and it’s a mixed bag on others opinions. So in my opinion Chapter 1 has a very steamy, detailed, long fade to black. I personally felt like some of the details were unnecessary as Madison already created amazing tension and chemistry. But to each his own.

This is a fade to black book with language, innuendo, open dialogue about sex and come content may be upsetting to some (miscarriage as well as other warning in the beginning of the book).

**Thank you so much to Madison for letting me read this ARC via NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy. No positive review was required. All thoughts are my own.**

[rita's book journal · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,25 ✨️

✨ Flawed but full of heart. Quietly devastating. And strangely hopeful. ✨

I went into this book with no expectations — just the vague memory of the author's previous work — but the premise pulled me in fast: cowboys, grief, second chances, a couple stuck in the rough. You know the drill. And I was hooked.

This is not a loud book. There’s a deep-rooted melancholy in Not Our First Rodeo, a quiet sadness that clings to the pages — and it works. Elsie is lost. She’s grieving a dream career shattered by injury, mourning the baby she never got to hold, and hiding herself from the man who loves her most because she doesn’t want him to see her like this. So, she asks him to leave. And he does.

Told in dual POV, we watch Elsie navigate a life that no longer makes sense, while Beau — our soft-hearted cowboy — tries to survive the ache of watching his wife fade into someone he can no longer reach. Their pain is quiet but devastating.

Elsie was... frustrating. Immature at times. But also painfully human. Watching her rediscover joy, even briefly, was tender and raw. Still, it’s hard to cheer her on when you also want to shake her a little. She pushes Beau away — Beau, who is golden retriever energy in cowboy form. He’s sweet. He’s patient. He’s hurting. And yet, he stays. He gives her space. And it’s heartbreaking.

Then comes that night. The night everything changes. A new pregnancy, unexpected but deeply wanted. And no — it doesn’t fix everything.

Because depression doesn’t vanish with good news. And this book doesn’t pretend it does. Elsie spirals, and it’s gut-wrenching. Her self-destruction feels cyclical, almost repetitive — probably intentionally so — but it wears you down, just like it wears her down. Just like it wears him down.

Beau is sunshine in a world Elsie refuses to step into. And watching him love her from a distance? Oof. That hurts more than any dramatic heartbreak scene ever could.

The side characters are chef’s kiss. Elsie’s best friend and Beau’s brother are a thing I hope becomes THE thing in the next book, because I’m already invested.

The ending, though? Rushed. We spend so long in the dark with Elsie that it feels unfair to leave the light so quickly. I wanted to breathe in the peace after all that pain. Still, this was a beautifully written, emotionally grounded book that hit hard and lingered longer than expected.

[monica • · Rating 4 out of 5]

this was so fucking sweet

[Nada A. · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.8 stars
Why was this so good?? Perfect communication between the leads gave this at least an extra half star. I love it when the leads are adults who act like adults!!

[Brooke · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ thank you so much to netgalley for the arc ⭐️

This was such a perfect marriage in trouble, second chance, small town, found family. Literally all of my favorite tropes in one. I also love the anxiety rep in this and it felt very very realistic!! Beau was the most caring man EVER EVER and i loved him with my whole heart and soul!!! Such a good found family, i hope we get Jade and Coopers story ASAP

[Emma]

dnf @ 24%

thank you netgalley for an earc of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this book because I've loved second chance romances and marriage in crisis books as well as an accidental pregnancy (when done right), but this I could not handle. I've read one other book by this author and LOVED it, but for some reason, this felt like a completely different writing style and author who wrote it. It felt like a whole lot of telling and not showing,g and i don't love that in books. This was just not clicking with me, which makes me so sad.

Also, I was trying to be empathetic to the FMC in this book, but I genuinely couldn't really feel bad for her. I did not like her and i understood that she was depressed (had an injury that caused her career to be over, had a miscarriage) but when i read that her husband that she had been together/known for TEN YEARS had no clue that she had panic attacks was when I knew I probably wasn't going to finish it. I can understand that being vulnerable is hard and scary, but when you've been with this person for so long, you would think that is something he would know. however she genuinely just didn't communicate anything with him and knew i wouldn't be connected to the fmc. I probably could have pushed through for the mmc but she doesn't deserve him. she should go to therapy instead of just trying to handle it all by herself.

[Joana · Rating 3 out of 5]

- Dual pov
- Marriage in trouble
- Anxiety rep
- Found family
- Small town romance
- Accidental pregnancy
- Horse trainer x ballerina


And with that, everything was set to work out, right?
Well...

An excellent story began.
Elsie was an anxious person who, after losing her dancing skills due to an injury and the loss of her son, pushed Beau, her husband, away because she was suffering and no longer knew who she was.

Beau is THE MAN, and despite loving her and not wanting to leave her, he did everything he could to help her get better, and if she needed some space, he gave it to her.
But he reached a point where he couldn't take it anymore, and one night at a bar, they met and get involved.
That night was more than one night, and Elsie got pregnant.
Now everything changes.

Or so it seemed...
Cause we're still with the same Elsie. While I understood her situation, I now find her just an irritating woman, with no feelings or concern for what Beau is feeling (he also lost a son, my friend!!).

Cooper wasn't lying when he said Beau deserved better!
He literally carried the book on his back, and I just kept reading because of him.

It was a good story idea, but it could have been better, and that makes me sad.
However, it was still an easy read. The writing is very good and fluid, and we don't even notice the pages fly by. Beau is PERFECT.
And despite everything, if the next book is about Cooper, I will definitely want to read it because I feel it has everything it takes to make a good book!

✨️Thank you so much to Netgalley and Madisson for this earc! ✨️

[bee · Rating 5 out of 5]

❝i'll wait as long as you need me to, els, as long as you promise you will come back to me one day.❞

5★

[Bethany C · Rating 3 out of 5]

I read this pretty fast but I wasn’t super invested in the characters and didn’t understand some of the fmc’s decisions but I still had a good time! I loved the cowboy aspect and the unique plot and will continue the series!

[Ashlea Travis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC

small town | horse trainer x dancer | second chance | loss/grief | trauma

I connected with this book and Elsie so much. My journey was different to Elsie’s but it still was such an emotional read for me.

Madison Wright did an exceptional job at exploring grief and miscarriage on the page in such a raw but delicate way. It was powerful, honest and so real. From the way Elsie felt about her body, to the thought that consumed her and the way she looked her husband and felt responsible for his pain. Honestly it gave me all the feels.

I usually don’t like miscommunication and in a perfect world if Elsie was just honest then she wouldn’t have ended up the way she was. Elsie was so lost as a human that she didn’t even know how to communicate with anyone. She was stuck inside a body that she believed failed her, and when you’re in that place that’s how you feel.

Beau - seriously. Perfection. He loved Elsie so deeply and despite how hurt he was he never stopped loving her. I loved how Beau healed Elsie by simply showing her how to love and believe in herself.

This truly was such a beautiful story - I absolutely adored this book and all the characters. I am hoping we get a Cooper and Jade story next?

[Sarina Veul · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book. From the very first page, Not Our First Rodeo had me hooked, emotional, raw, comforting, and deeply romantic. Madison Wright has written something really special here.

The connection between Elsie and Beau was everything. Their story is filled with so much heart, tension, and history—it made me feel everything. I was completely invested in their journey. Elsie’s struggles with anxiety felt so real and relatable, and the way it was written—without judgment, without over-explaining—was so refreshing. You could feel her trying so hard to hold everything together, and it just broke my heart in the best way.

Beau? Total dream. Supportive, patient, vulnerable—he’s the kind of love interest you don’t forget. Every time he called her “Elsie, baby,” my heart melted. Their chemistry felt natural, layered with both longing and love, and I was genuinely rooting for them the whole way.

I also loved the small-town setting and the sense of community—friends, family—it made the story feel warm and lived-in. There’s so much tenderness in the way the characters show up for each other, even when things get messy. And oh wow, do things get messy. It’s not just a love story—it’s about grief, growth, letting go of control, and learning to open your heart again.

Five stars, no hesitation.
If you’re looking for a heartfelt second-chance romance with depth, healing, and unforgettable characters, this one should be at the top of your list.

[Han ♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved I loved I loved!!!! I have flew through every book of Madison’s because they’re so swoon worthy but also have depth. I read this in under 24 hours because I simply could not put it down. This deserves more than 5 stars. The way I connected so deeply with the FMC, her extreme anxiety and low self esteem that led to her pushing others away. I was so invested in her healing and character development. Elsie was such a power girl. Don’t even get me started on Beau + how he loves this woman!!! He is down bad and he gave her every inch of support she needed. These two captured my heart and I simply need book two now!!!

Thank you NetGalley, the author and Victory Editing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Hannah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5/5

book was a set it aside for later and devour it.
this book was such a feel good , restoring marriage and just full of love
I just love Elise and how patient Beau is with her. they are perfect for each other and was such a unique take romance
Madison Wright is just an author I trust
I just love a good small town cowboy romance and excited for the rest of the series
I think i might love the healing marriage trope.

content: sexual innuendo spread throughout , 2 fade to black scenes (one steamy at the beginning of the book and one around 73%), strong language (<10) and other minor language

[Leonor Sousa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Accidental pregnancy pode ser bom ou péssimo, e neste caso gostei pois em vez de ser numa relação de uma só noite, foi num casamento que estava a passar por uma má fase e que esta gravidez ajudou a juntar novamente o casal.
Gostei também da found family, e espero que o próximo livro seja sobre o cooper e a jade!

[Haley Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’m typically not a fan of the second chance marriage trope but boy oh boy did I love this one! It was such an emotional and beautiful story that hit me straight in the feels!

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

This was such a beautiful story. A story of pain and grief and sadness but one of hope and resilience.

I loved how Madison created such a unique cowboy romance. This book definitely has a heavier tone but the characters in this bring light to it.

I truthfully loved the concept and tropes in this book. Again, this was such a different take on a small town cowboy vibe and I really did appreciate that.

Two people really stood out to me and that is Beau and his brother Cooper. Beau is an angel baby cake who DESERVES THE WORLD. This man deserved better and I think the fact that his feelings were super brushed over by everyone kind of bothered me. This man went through HARD things too. I fully agree with Cooper on everything he says while defending his brother - what about Beau?

Everything Elsie went through is understandable and such a hard thing to understand unless you've been in her shoes. I just didn't like how everyone forgot what she did to Beau so easily. Who was there to protect him and comfort him? He had to basically face everything alone. I get both sides, I really do but I feel super protective over Beau.

Plus, Cooper seems like a really fun character and I already sense a team up with him and Jade and I'm PUMPED for that.

My only cons (other than the whole Beau situation) was I do wish we got more dialogue. I wanted to really get some alone time with our MCs and felt we barely got them speaking. Sometimes, for me, it can be hard to just read inner monologues for most of the chapter. I need communication in a book. Especially for such heavy topics. Second, I felt like I was waiting for some huge moment to happen but it never came. I wanted some grand gesture or something to happen. I think because we don't get groveling or some kind of epic declaration, things felt like they ended pretty quickly.

Regardless, I really enjoyed this book. I found myself wanting to keep reading and that's always a plus. I did enjoy the characters and I loved the overall aesthetics of the town. I really did fall in love with Cooper and definitely need him to have a moment!

Thank you so much to Madison Wright and NetGalley for the e-arc!

[♡ Amy ♡ · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was such a good book! Really shows the impact of grief and loss 😭💗

Not Our First Rodeo is about a couple, Elsie & Beau. Elsie had an amazing ballet career and a husband who loves her deeply, but after suffering an injury which ends her career and suffering a miscarriage, Elsie is lost and pushes everyone including Beau away. After giving her the space that she thought she needed, he can't stay away anymore. He never stopped loving her and after spending the night together, she finds out she's pregnant and he's ready to support her in every way needed. It's not going to be easy but they will get through it together like they have before.

We have second-chance, small town, accidental pregnancy, dual pov 🔥

Elsie - I loved her character so much! She has been through a lot and didn't give up but knew she needed the space to help her grow and heal! However, I didn't like how she treated Beau, like I understand what she's going through is really hard but he's going through it too and he lost her as well, especially when they were together for 10 years before these incidents. Wouldn't you want them to help & support you after all that time together? I do love her character I just didn't like how she treated Beau.

Beau - He is the MMC that every FMC needs! He is so loving, loyal & patient but I did agree with his brother, where was his support and her being there for him as well because he was all on his own! I'm super protective of him because he was the best MMC I've read about in a while and he deserves all the good.

I really, really loved these characters, what they went through was very difficult and hard to navigate but they came back together 💖

Thank you to Madison Wright & Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this arc! 💕

[India Tungate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love anything Madison Wright writes and I always end up devouring her books. This one was a little different for me for some reason. I tried to pick up the ebook when this book first came out and really struggled to get into it. I'm not sure why, it was possibly more to do with my mindset at the time, but it put me in a slump. BUT then I got the audio book and listened to it within a few days and truly enjoyed the novel. I am learning, since starting audio books last year, that sometimes I enjoy a physical copy of some books and sometimes I enjoy the audio book. It can be both sometimes but there are just certain books an audio books makes more enjoyable for me.

Now I will say this, this was more spicier than I expected. The couple in the book was married so the spice was okay but I still didn't want to read certain details, as someone who personally tries to stay away from that sort of books. The details we're too explicated, so they didn't bother me as much as some spicy books would, but even still, I found myself wanting to skip over those parts. There is some language too but other than that, I really did enjoy their love story.

[Carla &#x1faa9; · Rating 4 out of 5]

"𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐫𝐨𝐝𝐞𝐨, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐧𝐞 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐨𝐫 𝐚𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫, 𝐰𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝 𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐲 𝐛𝐚𝐜𝐤 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫."
Elsie Jennings thought she had it all—until an injury and a devastating loss changed everything. Back in her Montana hometown, she’s trying to piece her life back together, keeping her distance from the one person who’s always loved her: her husband, Beau. But a new teaching job and an unexpected pregnancy force Elsie to face what she’s been avoiding. Now Beau’s ready to fight for their marriage and remind her that some love stories are worth a second chance.
The moment I saw the blurb and cover for Not Our First Rodeo, I just knew I was going to love it—and I’m so glad I was right! A second chance romance with cowboys and a marriage in crisis? Count me in. From the setting to Madison’s writing, everything about this story hit just right.
Elsie is tough as hell and such a fighter. She didn’t grow up with the best example of a mom, but she still throws herself into motherhood with everything she’s got. She’s guarded and doesn’t let people in easily—and after everything she’s been through, I don’t blame her. But once you earn her trust, you see how deeply she cares—she’s loyal, loving, and has such a big heart. It broke my heart that she thought she had to carry everything on her own, believing she was an inconvenience to everyone and not good enough for her husband. But if there’s one thing I’m truly grateful for, it’s Beau and his unwavering determination to stay close to his wife, even when she kept pushing him away.
Now let me tell you about Beau. This man is everything—loyal, steady, and so full of love for Elsie that it made my heart ache. Every little thing he did showed just how deeply he cared. He kept showing up for her, even when she was hurting and pulling away. His calm was the perfect match for Elsie’s fire, and their push and pull made their connection feel so real.
These two were absolutely everything. I couldn’t get enough of them together. I loved their journey almost as much as I loved their banter.
Overall, I’m obsessed with this one. The setting, the writing—everything was perfect, and I can’t wait to read Cooper and Cheyenne’s story! Huge thanks to Madison Wright and NetGalley for the ARC. Not Our First Rodeo releases July 11th!
Tropes:
🍼 Marriage in Crisis
🍼 Accidental Pregnancy
🍼 Horse Trainer x Ballerina
🍼 High School Sweethearts
🍼 Found Family

[Melissa Schweitzer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t let the cute, cozy cover fool you—this is not a light-hearted cowboy romance. This book dives into some heavy emotional territory, tackling themes of miscarriage, identity loss, and the quiet unraveling of a marriage under the weight of grief. As someone who has experienced multiple miscarriages, I found parts of this story deeply personal and handled with care.

The FMC, Elsie, has her world upended—first by the loss of her ballet career, and then by a devastating pregnancy loss. Her response is to retreat inward, shutting out the world and, heartbreakingly, her incredibly patient husband, Beau. While Elsie’s grief is front and center, I appreciated that the author didn’t forget Beau’s pain. It’s rare to see a male character given space to grieve and be supported by those around him.

The emotional depth is definitely there, and the book explores important issues like the fear of vulnerability, the isolation that comes with grief, and how even strong marriages can falter when communication breaks down. There’s power in the message that “hurt people hurt people,” and the couple’s journey to reconnect and rebuild feels real.

That said, I struggled with the pacing and tone. The emotional weight often overshadowed the romance, and at times it felt like the story got stuck in its grief without much movement. While I appreciated the rawness, it left me emotionally drained rather than uplifted.

If you’re looking for a romance with real emotional stakes and a focus on healing rather than heat, this might be the right book for you. Just go in knowing it’s a quieter, heavier read than the cover suggests.

[Caitriona Riding · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75⭐️
This book deals with some heavy subjects, but I think they were handled quite well by the author. I also enjoyed her writing style pretty well. Beau and Elise were really sweet, and it was unique and fun to see an already married couple, already very much in love couple, come back and find their way back to each other after something difficult had them broken apart in a sense. I enjoyed their dynamic and how we got to watch them grow and build their marriage into something better than before. I will say because the couple is married there is a bit of sexual joking between the two of them that happens. I also really enjoy pregnancy tropes when done well, they can be so heartwarming and sweet and add a whole extra layer to the story and the couple, and I think this one did it pretty well.

My main complaint of this book was some of the content personally. While being technically closed door, there was two very descriptive fade to black scenes present. While it is between a married couple, I don't usually read fade to black scenes especially if they are a bit more descriptive like these ones were. That's my personal preferences, it was a little much for me, so just beware of that being present.

Spice: Closed door; 2 descriptive fade to black scenes, sexual innuendos & some lightly sexual descriptions.
Language: Wasn't heavily excessive but there was cussing throughout, along with at least 2 f-bombs dropped.
Content/Trigger Warnings: Miscarriage, Grief, Anxiety, Panic Attacks, Parental Neglect & Estrangement, Body Image Issues.

*Thank you to Netgalley & the author Madison Wright for sending me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cowboy x ballerina = sign me up

Through most of the book, I found Elsie’s reasons for pushing Beau away to be a little strange. I could understand if the two of them hadn’t been together since they were teenagers, but for her to hide panic attacks from him for a decade AND him to have no idea she was having them is kind of wild. Because of this, I did struggle a little bit with their chemistry, specifically in the beginning. I think we get that first scene that is very angsty, but I could have had a little more angst.

I liked how raw Elsie was when she was finally coming to grips with her struggles. This was written in a very impactful way. Although I think Elise needs to see a professional for the trauma and grief she’s gone through. And I do appreciate Cooper being very blunt that Beau’s feelings were equally as valuable as Elise’s - and that Elise was able to realize this as well.

I love a second chance romance, and this one was unique in the aspect that they’re still married, but overcoming immeasurable grief and figuring out how to fit back into each others lives. And I love love love the big found family vibes that this family gives off.

This was good! I enjoyed it, and I think it covered the topic of miscarriages in a gentle, but real and raw, way. I wanna know what Cooper was up to with his spread sheet. What is going on between him and Jade. I think I would obsess over their romance if there’s a second book coming.

Thank you NetGalley for the e-ARC