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Blue River Springs #1
Wild Rose
🤠 Welcome to Blue River Ranch . . . 🤠
She's the one he shouldn't want. He's the one she doesn't know she needs.
---
Rose Evans is off limits.
She's young, impulsive and my best friend's little sister.
Now I'm stuck with her as my assistant.
And something tells me I'm not the only one willing to cross the line.
Wilder
My brother is out of commission, so I'm left running our ranch on my own all summer. Or at least I was until my best friend proposed hiring his wild-child sister from the East Coast.
It seems perfect . . . until her first day.
Because the Rose I once knew is all grown up. Petite, mouthy . . . with sinful emerald eyes that don't cower at my scowls. She knocks the breath right out of me. And not just because she keeps crashing into me at work.
But there's more to this spitfire than she's seen for. And I want it all.
Rose
This summer is a chance to slow down, breathe, reset . . . and let go of a past that follows me like a shadow.
Instead, I get a grumpy boss with buttons too easy to press.
He thinks I like getting into trouble. He's addicted to saving me. And the more he does, the easier it is to trust him-with every part of me.
But his own heart is locked up tight.
I only have a few weeks left. Will they be enough for him to ask me to stay?
Wild Rose is the first book in the steamy and highly addictive Blue River Springs series, featuring grumpy cowboys who love wildly and protect fiercely. If you love Lyla Sage, Elsie Silver and Jessica Peterson, Roxanne Tully's small-town cowboy romance series will have you head over boots.
---
🔥 Tropes 🔥
Cowboy x city girl
Grumpy x sunshine
Brother's best friend
Age gap
Ranch romance
Workplace romance
Small-town romance
She's the one he shouldn't want. He's the one she doesn't know she needs.
---
Rose Evans is off limits.
She's young, impulsive and my best friend's little sister.
Now I'm stuck with her as my assistant.
And something tells me I'm not the only one willing to cross the line.
Wilder
My brother is out of commission, so I'm left running our ranch on my own all summer. Or at least I was until my best friend proposed hiring his wild-child sister from the East Coast.
It seems perfect . . . until her first day.
Because the Rose I once knew is all grown up. Petite, mouthy . . . with sinful emerald eyes that don't cower at my scowls. She knocks the breath right out of me. And not just because she keeps crashing into me at work.
But there's more to this spitfire than she's seen for. And I want it all.
Rose
This summer is a chance to slow down, breathe, reset . . . and let go of a past that follows me like a shadow.
Instead, I get a grumpy boss with buttons too easy to press.
He thinks I like getting into trouble. He's addicted to saving me. And the more he does, the easier it is to trust him-with every part of me.
But his own heart is locked up tight.
I only have a few weeks left. Will they be enough for him to ask me to stay?
Wild Rose is the first book in the steamy and highly addictive Blue River Springs series, featuring grumpy cowboys who love wildly and protect fiercely. If you love Lyla Sage, Elsie Silver and Jessica Peterson, Roxanne Tully's small-town cowboy romance series will have you head over boots.
---
🔥 Tropes 🔥
Cowboy x city girl
Grumpy x sunshine
Brother's best friend
Age gap
Ranch romance
Workplace romance
Small-town romance
367 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 23, 2025
395 people are currently reading
1124 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 275 reviews
August 23, 2025
3.5 ★
brother’s best friend, forced proximity and forbidden love are some of my favorite tropes.. so naturally, i had to give this book a go. Rose is known for being “unpredictable” and not having her life together but the minute she steps foot on Wilder’s ranch, he became the first person who truly understood and listened to her. Rose’s older brother is the reason she got the job working for Wilder and even though Wilder is closed off because of his ex, he can’t resist the way Rose makes him feel. i’ll admit i was very annoyed with Wesley for the longest time, Rose deserved more credit for handling things the best way she knew how honestly.
“But it’s not just her body that’s got me out of my mind. Her laugh. Her curiosity. The light that pours out of her despite the darkness she keeps hiding behind.”
i think these two had good chemistry and i’m already attached to the characters. i felt so bad for Wilder’s older brother Dallas and how he was being so self destructive. i can’t wait to read his and Willow’s book up next though!! the only reason this wasn’t rated a bit higher is because of the lack of communication towards the end. both Wilder and Rose acted childish and their conflict could’ve been resolved quicker if they would’ve been upfront with how they were feeling. there were definitely some issues, but i mostly had fun with this.
➻ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Embla Books for the arc, all opinions are my own.
brother’s best friend, forced proximity and forbidden love are some of my favorite tropes.. so naturally, i had to give this book a go. Rose is known for being “unpredictable” and not having her life together but the minute she steps foot on Wilder’s ranch, he became the first person who truly understood and listened to her. Rose’s older brother is the reason she got the job working for Wilder and even though Wilder is closed off because of his ex, he can’t resist the way Rose makes him feel. i’ll admit i was very annoyed with Wesley for the longest time, Rose deserved more credit for handling things the best way she knew how honestly.
“But it’s not just her body that’s got me out of my mind. Her laugh. Her curiosity. The light that pours out of her despite the darkness she keeps hiding behind.”
i think these two had good chemistry and i’m already attached to the characters. i felt so bad for Wilder’s older brother Dallas and how he was being so self destructive. i can’t wait to read his and Willow’s book up next though!! the only reason this wasn’t rated a bit higher is because of the lack of communication towards the end. both Wilder and Rose acted childish and their conflict could’ve been resolved quicker if they would’ve been upfront with how they were feeling. there were definitely some issues, but i mostly had fun with this.
➻ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Embla Books for the arc, all opinions are my own.
August 6, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and to Embla Books as well as the author for providing me with this ARC, in exchange for my honest review.
OMGG this book was soo good I devoured it. But..to be fair, I love all things cowboy, ranch, farm. Blue River Ranch sounded like a cute place to be in and I was imagining myself in the small town the whole time. This was my first book by Roxanne and I will definitely have to check out more. Also very excited for Fallen Willow!
This book follows Wilder and his best friend's sister Rose. It was very interesting reading the story of Rose and her brother, how protective and annoyed he was with her and would not listen. Having an older brother I could relate. There were so many scenes between Rose and Wilder, especially in the beginning that I loved. The development of their relationship. How caring her was about her, the locks her installed. And I also loved that when the brief breakup happened, she went ahead and decided to better her future instead of sulking in the sadness. Definite 5 stars!
OMGG this book was soo good I devoured it. But..to be fair, I love all things cowboy, ranch, farm. Blue River Ranch sounded like a cute place to be in and I was imagining myself in the small town the whole time. This was my first book by Roxanne and I will definitely have to check out more. Also very excited for Fallen Willow!
This book follows Wilder and his best friend's sister Rose. It was very interesting reading the story of Rose and her brother, how protective and annoyed he was with her and would not listen. Having an older brother I could relate. There were so many scenes between Rose and Wilder, especially in the beginning that I loved. The development of their relationship. How caring her was about her, the locks her installed. And I also loved that when the brief breakup happened, she went ahead and decided to better her future instead of sulking in the sadness. Definite 5 stars!
July 25, 2025
The description said if you like Elsie Silver, you’ll like this so of course I clicked faster than a cowboy tipping his hat. And while it definitely gave small town cowboy vibes with a grumpy x sunshine and age gap twist, it felt like it was trying a bit too hard to ride that same horse (Pun very much intended)
Still, I had a good time! It was a nice little palate cleanser quick, easy, and just what I needed between heavier reads. The brother’s best friend setup? Always a guilty pleasure. The chemistry, though? More like a slow spark than fireworks, but I went with it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and for enabling my ongoing weakness for emotionally unavailable cowboys 🤠
Still, I had a good time! It was a nice little palate cleanser quick, easy, and just what I needed between heavier reads. The brother’s best friend setup? Always a guilty pleasure. The chemistry, though? More like a slow spark than fireworks, but I went with it.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC and for enabling my ongoing weakness for emotionally unavailable cowboys 🤠
January 28, 2026
“To the sheriff’s office for vandalism.”
She considers it for a moment. “Sheriff, huh? Is he cute?”
I laugh. “You got a thing for badges?”
“I got a thing for men telling me I’ve been a bad girl.”
( Page 94 on Paperback)
Rose was a smart ass and i love her.Wilder is the cowboy of my dreams. I cant wait to read Willow's & Dallas story. I loved how we got to see them meet in this book.
What i love about Roxanne's writing is she makes you fall for everyone in the story. You end up being part of a community, a member of Blue River Springs. When Levi, Tess & Chase ( Hideaway Spring Series ) came out- i started jumping. Not realizing how much i missed them. I hope Aiden comes out, in Dallas book.
She considers it for a moment. “Sheriff, huh? Is he cute?”
I laugh. “You got a thing for badges?”
“I got a thing for men telling me I’ve been a bad girl.”
( Page 94 on Paperback)
Rose was a smart ass and i love her.Wilder is the cowboy of my dreams. I cant wait to read Willow's & Dallas story. I loved how we got to see them meet in this book.
What i love about Roxanne's writing is she makes you fall for everyone in the story. You end up being part of a community, a member of Blue River Springs. When Levi, Tess & Chase ( Hideaway Spring Series ) came out- i started jumping. Not realizing how much i missed them. I hope Aiden comes out, in Dallas book.
July 12, 2025
wild rose
⌗ jun. 11
⤿ 3.75 stars
— thoughts | SPOILERS AHEAD
the miscommunication both drove me crazy and kept me going.
the bare story itself is your typical small town cowboy romance but the plot and character development is what makes this story stand out.
rose is a city girl looking for change in a job that her brother found for her in the ranch he works at and is owned by his best friend. she is perceived, by her family—more importantly her brother, as a train wreck who can’t make her own decision even though she’s a whole adult. if i’m being honest i was not a fan of wes, i though he was rude and just never really cared to know or understand her and judge her. rose was much likable and being able to see everything from her perspective made her really relatable. i enjoyed being in her pov and she was probably my favorite between her and wild.
wilder (love his name) is a rancher who is struggling to run the ranch without the help of his brother, dallas, who is grieving due to the loss of his fiancée. he gets saddled with responsibilities that overfill his plate and yet it seems like people don’t respect him enough. wilder was a good character, i couldn’t even imagine doing half the things he needed to do with but enough hours in the day.
i actually really enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters. i’m not a big fan of miscommunication but this book executes it well.
i was not a fan of dallas, obviously grief was expected but completely neglecting duties and hurting others just because you can’t be bothered to be better or care is not a trait i appreciate. i took a much better liking to him after his whole side plotline and him seemingly becoming more sober and actually taking responsibility. ik that his book is next and im looking forward to reading it when it’s ready and seeing his character development.
༉‧₊˚. pre - read
super excited to get this arc, i love cowboy romances so im really looking forward to getting into this book. the premise sounded interesting so lets hope it lives up to expectations.
ⓘ thank you netgalley & embla books for this arc in exchange for an honest review
⌗ jun. 11
⤿ 3.75 stars
— thoughts | SPOILERS AHEAD
the miscommunication both drove me crazy and kept me going.
the bare story itself is your typical small town cowboy romance but the plot and character development is what makes this story stand out.
rose is a city girl looking for change in a job that her brother found for her in the ranch he works at and is owned by his best friend. she is perceived, by her family—more importantly her brother, as a train wreck who can’t make her own decision even though she’s a whole adult. if i’m being honest i was not a fan of wes, i though he was rude and just never really cared to know or understand her and judge her. rose was much likable and being able to see everything from her perspective made her really relatable. i enjoyed being in her pov and she was probably my favorite between her and wild.
wilder (love his name) is a rancher who is struggling to run the ranch without the help of his brother, dallas, who is grieving due to the loss of his fiancée. he gets saddled with responsibilities that overfill his plate and yet it seems like people don’t respect him enough. wilder was a good character, i couldn’t even imagine doing half the things he needed to do with but enough hours in the day.
i actually really enjoyed the relationship between the two main characters. i’m not a big fan of miscommunication but this book executes it well.
i was not a fan of dallas, obviously grief was expected but completely neglecting duties and hurting others just because you can’t be bothered to be better or care is not a trait i appreciate. i took a much better liking to him after his whole side plotline and him seemingly becoming more sober and actually taking responsibility. ik that his book is next and im looking forward to reading it when it’s ready and seeing his character development.
༉‧₊˚. pre - read
super excited to get this arc, i love cowboy romances so im really looking forward to getting into this book. the premise sounded interesting so lets hope it lives up to expectations.
ⓘ thank you netgalley & embla books for this arc in exchange for an honest review
July 23, 2025
4.5 ⭐️
How many grumpy cowboy romances can I read?
The limit does not exist.
Rose & Wilder 💕🤠
City girl x ranch cowboy boss
Grumpy x sunshine
Boss x employee
Best friends little sister
Age gap
The banter was bantering.
Spice to plot ratio was perfect.
Rose is only 22, I remember my maturity level too at that age so her actions track, especially with her past that we come to learn about.
Little trouble maker tho
Wilder, give me all the grumpy!
I love a third act break up. And the grovel here was solid.
Colorado ranch setting
Netgalley arc review ✨
How many grumpy cowboy romances can I read?
The limit does not exist.
Rose & Wilder 💕🤠
City girl x ranch cowboy boss
Grumpy x sunshine
Boss x employee
Best friends little sister
Age gap
The banter was bantering.
Spice to plot ratio was perfect.
Rose is only 22, I remember my maturity level too at that age so her actions track, especially with her past that we come to learn about.
Little trouble maker tho
Wilder, give me all the grumpy!
I love a third act break up. And the grovel here was solid.
Colorado ranch setting
Netgalley arc review ✨
January 27, 2026
okay yeah another trash cowboy romance xxx completely predictable + lots of smut. didn’t change my brain chemistry or widen my worldview in any way but i enjoyed it <3
August 7, 2025
This one was tough for me to review.
On paper, this book seemed perfect for me with its tropes of:
*Grumpy/Sunshine
*Cowboy/Rancher
*Brother's Best Friend
*Age Gap
However, there was just something about it that didn’t fully connect with me. I think it might have been the writing itself. It wasn’t bad, but I found it hard to stay engaged and had to really pushed myself to finish the story. The plot and characters were fine, but the chemistry between them felt a bit lacklustre.
This book had the right ingredients for a great read, yet somehow it missed the mark for me, leaving me wanting something more.
I'm not sure if I will read the next book.
On paper, this book seemed perfect for me with its tropes of:
*Grumpy/Sunshine
*Cowboy/Rancher
*Brother's Best Friend
*Age Gap
However, there was just something about it that didn’t fully connect with me. I think it might have been the writing itself. It wasn’t bad, but I found it hard to stay engaged and had to really pushed myself to finish the story. The plot and characters were fine, but the chemistry between them felt a bit lacklustre.
This book had the right ingredients for a great read, yet somehow it missed the mark for me, leaving me wanting something more.
I'm not sure if I will read the next book.
July 13, 2025
YOU’RE NEXT MUST-READ COWBOY ROMANCE
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
From the second Rose steps out onto the ranch, Wilder knows he’s got a problem. This story follows Wilder & Rose both wanting one another but knowing they shouldn’t go there. This is a slow-burn! Waiting for them to eventually give in and realise they might have more than just lust. But the main problem? Rose is Wilder’s best friend’s little sister.
The back and forth of snippy comments and rebellious nature is so fun to read between these two. Rose is determined to be herself and not be caged in by Wilder or her brother but Wilder is over-protective and tries to tell himself it’s because Rose is his best friend’s little sister rather than caring for her himself.
If you love Lyla Sage and Elsie Silver, Roxanne Tully's small-town cowboy romance series will have you head over boots 🤠
I was gifted this as an ARC and so I had an un-proved copy. This may be why there were a few grammar errors and the way speech was written, was a little hard to follow along at times as it didn’t always specify who was talking.
Tropes: Cowboy x city girl | Grumpy x sunshine | Brother's best friend | Age gap | Ranch romance | Workplace romance | Small-town romance
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟
Spice: 🌶️🌶️
From the second Rose steps out onto the ranch, Wilder knows he’s got a problem. This story follows Wilder & Rose both wanting one another but knowing they shouldn’t go there. This is a slow-burn! Waiting for them to eventually give in and realise they might have more than just lust. But the main problem? Rose is Wilder’s best friend’s little sister.
The back and forth of snippy comments and rebellious nature is so fun to read between these two. Rose is determined to be herself and not be caged in by Wilder or her brother but Wilder is over-protective and tries to tell himself it’s because Rose is his best friend’s little sister rather than caring for her himself.
If you love Lyla Sage and Elsie Silver, Roxanne Tully's small-town cowboy romance series will have you head over boots 🤠
I was gifted this as an ARC and so I had an un-proved copy. This may be why there were a few grammar errors and the way speech was written, was a little hard to follow along at times as it didn’t always specify who was talking.
Tropes: Cowboy x city girl | Grumpy x sunshine | Brother's best friend | Age gap | Ranch romance | Workplace romance | Small-town romance
July 6, 2025
What a great start to a new series!!
I absolutely loved Rose. She’s impulsive and a free spirit (HO IS YOU ME??) and overall just a relatable character! And Wilder?? Never not gonna be obsessed with a grumpy cowboy. And this combo always provides the best banter.
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙜?”
“𝙉𝙤”
“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡.” 😮💨😮💨
The third-act breakup? Idc I love it. THE DRAMA🤌🏻 THE ANGST 🤌🏻
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢.”
& I’m so ready for Dallas and Willow's book!!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
🩷 Boss x employee
💙 Brother's best friend
🩷 Grumpy/sunshine
💙 Mental health rep
🩷 Age gap
💙 Small town
Thank you Netgalley and Embla for the ARC 🫶 All opinions are my own.
I absolutely loved Rose. She’s impulsive and a free spirit (HO IS YOU ME??) and overall just a relatable character! And Wilder?? Never not gonna be obsessed with a grumpy cowboy. And this combo always provides the best banter.
“𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚𝙜?”
“𝙉𝙤”
“𝙏𝙝𝙖𝙩’𝙨 𝙖𝙡𝙧𝙞𝙜𝙝𝙩. 𝙔𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡.” 😮💨😮💨
The third-act breakup? Idc I love it. THE DRAMA🤌🏻 THE ANGST 🤌🏻
“𝙔𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙛 𝙜𝙞𝙧𝙡 𝙖 𝙨𝙖𝙣𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙬𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙬𝙖𝙡𝙠 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢.”
& I’m so ready for Dallas and Willow's book!!
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭:
🩷 Boss x employee
💙 Brother's best friend
🩷 Grumpy/sunshine
💙 Mental health rep
🩷 Age gap
💙 Small town
Thank you Netgalley and Embla for the ARC 🫶 All opinions are my own.
July 24, 2025
.ೃ࿐ Thank you to NetGalley & Embla Books for the opportunity to read and review the ARC before release! All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3 ★
ੈ✩‧₊˚ my thoughts
I’m feeling conflicted about this book.
When Rose moves to Blue River Ranch to work for her brother's best friend for the summer, she finds a grumpy, overworked, and insanely attractive cowboy.
I’m feeling conflicted about this book. There were aspects of the book that I enjoyed. I loved the relationship and dialogue between Wilder and Rose. It felt very realistic and not too cringeworthy.
Sadly, there were also some aspects I enjoyed a lot less. For example, I think it was much longer than it needed to be. When I was halfway through the book, it felt like the story would wrap up quickly, but I still had half a book to go.
I also understand that this is an uncorrected proof, but in all honesty, it read more like a draft that needed heavy revisions rather than a novel that was going to be published within a few days. Hopefully, the final published version will fix all these issues, including typos, formatting errors, spelling mistakes, and other document errors.
.ೃ࿐ tropes
Cowboy x city girl
Grumpy x sunshine
Brother's best friend
Age gap
Ranch romance
Workplace romance
Small-town romance
.ೃ࿐ trigger warnings
Representation of PTSD
Traumatic past event
-`♡´- Happy reading! Belle
─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ୨୧ ──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──── ୨୧ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─
ೃ࿐ pre-read .ೃ࿐
Yeehaw 🤠
Excited to get to this arc, it was just waiting for me ti finish my last book 🎀
3 ★
ੈ✩‧₊˚ my thoughts
I’m feeling conflicted about this book.
When Rose moves to Blue River Ranch to work for her brother's best friend for the summer, she finds a grumpy, overworked, and insanely attractive cowboy.
I’m feeling conflicted about this book. There were aspects of the book that I enjoyed. I loved the relationship and dialogue between Wilder and Rose. It felt very realistic and not too cringeworthy.
Sadly, there were also some aspects I enjoyed a lot less. For example, I think it was much longer than it needed to be. When I was halfway through the book, it felt like the story would wrap up quickly, but I still had half a book to go.
I also understand that this is an uncorrected proof, but in all honesty, it read more like a draft that needed heavy revisions rather than a novel that was going to be published within a few days. Hopefully, the final published version will fix all these issues, including typos, formatting errors, spelling mistakes, and other document errors.
.ೃ࿐ tropes
Cowboy x city girl
Grumpy x sunshine
Brother's best friend
Age gap
Ranch romance
Workplace romance
Small-town romance
.ೃ࿐ trigger warnings
Representation of PTSD
Traumatic past event
-`♡´- Happy reading! Belle
─ ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─── ୨୧ ──── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ──── ୨୧ ──── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ─
ೃ࿐ pre-read .ೃ࿐
Yeehaw 🤠
Excited to get to this arc, it was just waiting for me ti finish my last book 🎀
July 15, 2025
NYC-based aspiring artist and psychology dropout Rose has terrible insomnia and a hair trigger slap reflex towards people who yell because of past trauma. Having run headlong once again into financial difficulties after losing yet another crummy job, she reluctantly accepts her brother’s offer to help out with clerical duties on the Denver dude ranch where he’s the head chef. Rose’s impulsivity repeatedly runs her afoul of the brooding, gorgeous, and overworked rancher to whom she’s wildly attracted.
Wilder was reticent from the start to hire his friend and ranch chef’s younger sister especially after hearing his friend’s recounting of her reckless antics. To further complicate matters, Wilder is inconveniently taken with her beauty, but knows it can’t last beyond the six weeks they’d agreed upon.
The universe, however, has other plans, and both Rose and Wilder stand to lose more than just their hearts when the dust settles.
This was a decent fish-out-of-water makes good storyline with some growth and compromise. There were moments Rose acted exactly like an immature person her age, which was exasperating, especially given her educational background, and of course Wilder and Rose’s brother were judgmental and rigid, which was equally frustrating. 4.5 stars rounded to 5.
I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley, and I’m sharing my honest review.
Wilder was reticent from the start to hire his friend and ranch chef’s younger sister especially after hearing his friend’s recounting of her reckless antics. To further complicate matters, Wilder is inconveniently taken with her beauty, but knows it can’t last beyond the six weeks they’d agreed upon.
The universe, however, has other plans, and both Rose and Wilder stand to lose more than just their hearts when the dust settles.
This was a decent fish-out-of-water makes good storyline with some growth and compromise. There were moments Rose acted exactly like an immature person her age, which was exasperating, especially given her educational background, and of course Wilder and Rose’s brother were judgmental and rigid, which was equally frustrating. 4.5 stars rounded to 5.
I received an advance reader copy from NetGalley, and I’m sharing my honest review.
July 23, 2025
What is it about grumpy cowboys that make them so loveable! This book was so good that I couldn’t put it down and I read it in one sitting!
I absolutely loved how much I related to Rose. She is such a relatable character and I think that is why it was so easy to fall in love with her. I loved her development throughout this whole book! She was so determined and had her mind set on proving everyone wrong. I was so proud of her opening up slowing to Wilder.
Wilder, the man that you are. I absolutely loved the grumpy cowboy and I am a sucker for how they are soft and gentle with the right woman. His development throughout this book is so evident and I absolutely loved watching this happen. This book just kept getting better and better and I didn’t want the book to stop.
I absolutely loved meeting new characters especially Dallas and Willow and I cannot wait to see them in the next book and Ellie! I swear any book written by Roxanne Tully I just love and I cannot wait to read more of her books!
I absolutely loved how much I related to Rose. She is such a relatable character and I think that is why it was so easy to fall in love with her. I loved her development throughout this whole book! She was so determined and had her mind set on proving everyone wrong. I was so proud of her opening up slowing to Wilder.
Wilder, the man that you are. I absolutely loved the grumpy cowboy and I am a sucker for how they are soft and gentle with the right woman. His development throughout this book is so evident and I absolutely loved watching this happen. This book just kept getting better and better and I didn’t want the book to stop.
I absolutely loved meeting new characters especially Dallas and Willow and I cannot wait to see them in the next book and Ellie! I swear any book written by Roxanne Tully I just love and I cannot wait to read more of her books!
September 21, 2025
2 Stars!
As a lover of the Cowboy Romance trope, Wild Rose should have been another fun read. However it fell quite flat, the characters were pretty 2D and the plot lines set up for future books were very very similar to that of other cowboy romances - why does the redheaded best friend always end up with the broody brother with a child?
No disrespect to the author, but I really couldn't get into this one.
As a lover of the Cowboy Romance trope, Wild Rose should have been another fun read. However it fell quite flat, the characters were pretty 2D and the plot lines set up for future books were very very similar to that of other cowboy romances - why does the redheaded best friend always end up with the broody brother with a child?
No disrespect to the author, but I really couldn't get into this one.
October 14, 2025
3,5 🌟
Sehr schön gesprochenes Audiobook und einfach eine süße Cowboy-Lovestory mit schicken Cowboyhüten. 🤠
Ich mochte fast das ganze Buch, nur das 80%- Drama war mir komplett unklar, was genau er da für nen Film geschoben hat. Was war sein Problem? 🤣🤯
Naja ansonsten niedliche Geschichte und hat meine morgendlichen Joggingrunden sehr versüßt.. 🥰 oder auch angeheizt. 😅❤️🔥🤭
Ich wäre jetzt tatsächlich gespannt auf die Folgebücher, da mich Willow (die beste Freundin von Rose) sehr interessiert und auch der Bruder von Wilder hat ne gute Geschichte verdient. Ich sehe die Tropes schon vor mir. 😅 Bei Roses Bruder weiß ich auch schon, was abgeht.. hrhr.
Also kann man lesen/ hören, gute Unterhaltung, aber jetzt auch nicht der Oberhammer. 😎
Sehr schön gesprochenes Audiobook und einfach eine süße Cowboy-Lovestory mit schicken Cowboyhüten. 🤠
Ich mochte fast das ganze Buch, nur das 80%- Drama war mir komplett unklar, was genau er da für nen Film geschoben hat. Was war sein Problem? 🤣🤯
Naja ansonsten niedliche Geschichte und hat meine morgendlichen Joggingrunden sehr versüßt.. 🥰 oder auch angeheizt. 😅❤️🔥🤭
Ich wäre jetzt tatsächlich gespannt auf die Folgebücher, da mich Willow (die beste Freundin von Rose) sehr interessiert und auch der Bruder von Wilder hat ne gute Geschichte verdient. Ich sehe die Tropes schon vor mir. 😅 Bei Roses Bruder weiß ich auch schon, was abgeht.. hrhr.
Also kann man lesen/ hören, gute Unterhaltung, aber jetzt auch nicht der Oberhammer. 😎
January 5, 2026
Luvvvvvvv. Brothers boss and the girls boss! Big brothers best friend what more could you want?!🤠
July 8, 2025
I first requested this book because of the cover (how could I not?!) but then I read the blurb and knew I needed it ASAP!
Small town? Cowboy romance? Brothers best friend? Yes, yes and YES.
I wasn’t particularly fond of Rose as a character as I found her to be quite immature and irritating. Wilder was a solid character with all of the good book boyfriend vibes. The romance was good, but I did find myself getting frustrated with Rose a lot.
Wild Rose was a promising start to the Blue River Springs series and I’m looking forward to following along!
Overall, I rate this book 3.5 stars.
Small town? Cowboy romance? Brothers best friend? Yes, yes and YES.
I wasn’t particularly fond of Rose as a character as I found her to be quite immature and irritating. Wilder was a solid character with all of the good book boyfriend vibes. The romance was good, but I did find myself getting frustrated with Rose a lot.
Wild Rose was a promising start to the Blue River Springs series and I’m looking forward to following along!
Overall, I rate this book 3.5 stars.
September 14, 2025
the banter!!!!!!! i love ranch romances with a grumpy x sunshine trope!!! i liked the characters especially rose because she was determined to find herself without feeling caged in by wilder and her overprotective brother. i finished this within one day because i enjoyed it! i am excited to read the rest of the series and see more of the other characters as well because i love me a found family!!!
wilder is running on empty and desperately needs help on his ranch since his brother is mia. his best friend, wes, needs his sister rose out of new york leaving her to need a summer job. rose is a struggling artist who once had dreams of becoming a psychiatrist but needs to a stop and breathe in order to let go of a past that follows her. wilder has heard stories about rose and senses that she is wild, sarcastic, and irresponsible so he plans to stay clear until they keep running into each other at work. it’s not long until wilder is crazy about her but will her brother approve of them together? will he ask her to stay when the summer is over?
tropes: grumpy x sunshine, ranch romance, small town, brothers best friend, workplace boss x employee, broken hero / broken heroine
🤠🌹🎨🗽🌶️
wilder is running on empty and desperately needs help on his ranch since his brother is mia. his best friend, wes, needs his sister rose out of new york leaving her to need a summer job. rose is a struggling artist who once had dreams of becoming a psychiatrist but needs to a stop and breathe in order to let go of a past that follows her. wilder has heard stories about rose and senses that she is wild, sarcastic, and irresponsible so he plans to stay clear until they keep running into each other at work. it’s not long until wilder is crazy about her but will her brother approve of them together? will he ask her to stay when the summer is over?
tropes: grumpy x sunshine, ranch romance, small town, brothers best friend, workplace boss x employee, broken hero / broken heroine
🤠🌹🎨🗽🌶️
August 13, 2025
MY NEW FAVORITE COWBOY ROMANCE
Holy.. I can’t begin to explain the joy this book brought me. It’s been soo long since I’ve had a book keep me up till 2am and then be antsy the entire next day to get back into it. I loved the deep characters, I loved that they experienced real trauma, and real emotions. This book felt insanely REAL, but not too heavy to continue. Roses trauma was developed, explored, and then handled but not forgotten. I knew from the very beginning there was something more to her story than just her brother thinking of her as an irresponsible “stupid” young adult. I loved how well Roxanne dove deep into her character. Wilder.. the grumpy, scorned cowboy. Gosh he tried his best to not love Rose, given his own trauma. But she pissed him off so much, yet got his attention and he couldn’t look away. As soon as the first “baby” came out of his mouth.. I knew it was over. Their banter and Roses’s witty comebacks literally had me kicking my feet and giggling. I want to be Rose when I grow up!! The character development of these characters *chefs kiss* and THE EASTER EGGS FOR BOOKS TO COME IM SO READY!
Sheesh.. I cannot wait for Dallas I know his story is going to break me (in the best way)!
I’m obsessed
4⭐️
2🌶️
Holy.. I can’t begin to explain the joy this book brought me. It’s been soo long since I’ve had a book keep me up till 2am and then be antsy the entire next day to get back into it. I loved the deep characters, I loved that they experienced real trauma, and real emotions. This book felt insanely REAL, but not too heavy to continue. Roses trauma was developed, explored, and then handled but not forgotten. I knew from the very beginning there was something more to her story than just her brother thinking of her as an irresponsible “stupid” young adult. I loved how well Roxanne dove deep into her character. Wilder.. the grumpy, scorned cowboy. Gosh he tried his best to not love Rose, given his own trauma. But she pissed him off so much, yet got his attention and he couldn’t look away. As soon as the first “baby” came out of his mouth.. I knew it was over. Their banter and Roses’s witty comebacks literally had me kicking my feet and giggling. I want to be Rose when I grow up!! The character development of these characters *chefs kiss* and THE EASTER EGGS FOR BOOKS TO COME IM SO READY!
Sheesh.. I cannot wait for Dallas I know his story is going to break me (in the best way)!
I’m obsessed
4⭐️
2🌶️
July 18, 2025
3.75 rounded to 4
This was a pretty cute cowboy small-town romance. Rose, needing a break from New York, joins her brother at the ranch—owned by his best friend, of course—for a summer job. Wilder needs help on the ranch after being left short-handed due to a tragedy. He reluctantly hires his best friend’s sister, even though Wesley does nothing but tell everyone how immature and unpredictable she is.
Wilder and Rose were cute together, but they cannot communicate to save their lives. They are constantly fighting due to miscommunication and misinterpretation, which was very frustrating. They need a mediator.
There was a lot of setup for the next book. Many plot points were explored and then left hanging. I wanted to know what was going on, since there was so much focus on these other subjects, and now I just have to wait for the next book. I would definitely continue reading the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the advanced copy!
This was a pretty cute cowboy small-town romance. Rose, needing a break from New York, joins her brother at the ranch—owned by his best friend, of course—for a summer job. Wilder needs help on the ranch after being left short-handed due to a tragedy. He reluctantly hires his best friend’s sister, even though Wesley does nothing but tell everyone how immature and unpredictable she is.
Wilder and Rose were cute together, but they cannot communicate to save their lives. They are constantly fighting due to miscommunication and misinterpretation, which was very frustrating. They need a mediator.
There was a lot of setup for the next book. Many plot points were explored and then left hanging. I wanted to know what was going on, since there was so much focus on these other subjects, and now I just have to wait for the next book. I would definitely continue reading the series!
Thank you to NetGalley and Embla Books for the advanced copy!
July 22, 2025
This one was tough for me to review… On paper, this book is perfect for me:
✅ Grumpy/Sunshine
✅ Cowboy/Rancher
✅ Brother’s Best Friend
✅ Age Gap
But there was just something about it that didn’t fully connect with me… I think it might have been the writing itself? It wasn’t bad per say, and I’m really struggling to pinpoint exactly what I didn’t love, but I found myself really pushing to finish this.
The story was fine, the characters were fine, the chemistry was kind of meh.
That said - I’m very intrigued to read a future story about Wilder’s brother, Dallas, and I will give this author another shot.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
✅ Grumpy/Sunshine
✅ Cowboy/Rancher
✅ Brother’s Best Friend
✅ Age Gap
But there was just something about it that didn’t fully connect with me… I think it might have been the writing itself? It wasn’t bad per say, and I’m really struggling to pinpoint exactly what I didn’t love, but I found myself really pushing to finish this.
The story was fine, the characters were fine, the chemistry was kind of meh.
That said - I’m very intrigued to read a future story about Wilder’s brother, Dallas, and I will give this author another shot.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC.
July 16, 2025
This was cute and an easy palate cleanser kinda book but there were multiple times when grovelling should've happened and it didn't
July 22, 2025
This is the first book in the blue river spring series and I loved this book from beginning to end. I loved the characters.
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
January 21, 2026
There's a fine line between protector and stalker, wait, no there's not. It's a big bold line and Wilder crossed it over and over again.
Overall, it was a good steamy cowboy romance with depth but the characters didn't land. Rose was a whiny and immature while Wilder was overprotective like stage 5 clinger, stalker level protective and I don't know about you but I don't like that.
Wouldn't recommend and wouldn't continue the series.
Overall, it was a good steamy cowboy romance with depth but the characters didn't land. Rose was a whiny and immature while Wilder was overprotective like stage 5 clinger, stalker level protective and I don't know about you but I don't like that.
Wouldn't recommend and wouldn't continue the series.
November 7, 2025
3.5 cute little Cowboy romance!
July 19, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Embla Books for the ARC!
3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Small town ✅ grumpy cowboy ✅ brothers best friend ✅ grumpy sunshine ✅
This book checked all my boxes as I am a die hard cowboy romance lover. But it just felt like the same story I’ve read 300 other times. Nothing exciting. Nothing terrible. But did I still love it? YES OF COURSE! Loved Wilder and Rose a lot. Wil I continue you on and read the next one? I mean DUH YES OF COURSE!
3 ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️
Small town ✅ grumpy cowboy ✅ brothers best friend ✅ grumpy sunshine ✅
This book checked all my boxes as I am a die hard cowboy romance lover. But it just felt like the same story I’ve read 300 other times. Nothing exciting. Nothing terrible. But did I still love it? YES OF COURSE! Loved Wilder and Rose a lot. Wil I continue you on and read the next one? I mean DUH YES OF COURSE!
August 8, 2025
Who doesn't love a grumpy cowboy and an FMC who is pure sunshine? That's what I thought.
I seriesouly fall in love with each new book that Roxanne publishes. Wild Rose hooked me from page one and I had a hard time putting it down.
I loved the prologue. She sets up the foundation of their chracters so wonderfully in that past scene.
Wilder, is there anything better than a grumpy cowboy? I think not; and Wilder is as grumpy as they come. His internal struggles, not just with his budding relationship with his best friend's sister, but with his past choices and all of the pressure he feels placed on his shoulders was developed beautifully. His internal struggle to stay away vs his need to protect Rose felt real, like I too could feel his struggle and I was just reading it.
Rose, Have I met a more relatable FMC? Showing the world that everything is all sunshine and rainbows but inwardly struggling to figure out you place in the world. This is Rose. She is Sassy, and Stubborn and Chaotic. She lives her life outloud and makes no appologies but at the same time she struggling with where she belongs.
The banter between these two was off the charts and the spice was spicy. I love the authentic nicknames they give each other ( I am a sucker for an authentic nickname).
This was a great start to Roxanne's new series and I for one cannot wait for Dallas and Willow's story!
Thank You Roxanne and Midnightreaders PR for the ARC in return for and honest review.
I seriesouly fall in love with each new book that Roxanne publishes. Wild Rose hooked me from page one and I had a hard time putting it down.
I loved the prologue. She sets up the foundation of their chracters so wonderfully in that past scene.
Wilder, is there anything better than a grumpy cowboy? I think not; and Wilder is as grumpy as they come. His internal struggles, not just with his budding relationship with his best friend's sister, but with his past choices and all of the pressure he feels placed on his shoulders was developed beautifully. His internal struggle to stay away vs his need to protect Rose felt real, like I too could feel his struggle and I was just reading it.
Rose, Have I met a more relatable FMC? Showing the world that everything is all sunshine and rainbows but inwardly struggling to figure out you place in the world. This is Rose. She is Sassy, and Stubborn and Chaotic. She lives her life outloud and makes no appologies but at the same time she struggling with where she belongs.
The banter between these two was off the charts and the spice was spicy. I love the authentic nicknames they give each other ( I am a sucker for an authentic nickname).
This was a great start to Roxanne's new series and I for one cannot wait for Dallas and Willow's story!
Thank You Roxanne and Midnightreaders PR for the ARC in return for and honest review.
August 2, 2025
they just were there? not too much chemistry so couldn’t finish
August 19, 2025
This book was so good. I'm a sucker for broody MMCs, add in that he is a cowboy and her brother's best friend, and I'm sold.
I liked Rose. She stayed true to her character and knew what she wanted. Wilder was her opposite, more reserved and therefore a perfect match for her. She challenged him at all times.
I wasn't a fan of her brother; I think he was a little rude sometimes, and I didn't understand completely whether I'm supposed to love or hate the Darcy girl. I can't wait to read their story, but I think Wilder's brother Dallas is next, and I think he might be paired with Rose's best friend and I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT.
4 stars
ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
I liked Rose. She stayed true to her character and knew what she wanted. Wilder was her opposite, more reserved and therefore a perfect match for her. She challenged him at all times.
I wasn't a fan of her brother; I think he was a little rude sometimes, and I didn't understand completely whether I'm supposed to love or hate the Darcy girl. I can't wait to read their story, but I think Wilder's brother Dallas is next, and I think he might be paired with Rose's best friend and I. AM. HERE. FOR. IT.
4 stars
ARC was provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own
August 5, 2025
2 ⭐️
I’m sure some people will enjoy this, unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
This book was a slog. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, which is a pet peeve for me. The characterisation felt wildly erratic; there were several times when I felt like one or more characters were behaving in a way which made no sense. As for the plot, it felt like there was too much happening and things went from zero to one hundred almost instantly then were resolved just as quickly so there wasn’t really any building of tension. It felt like too much of the book was setting up future books in the series. The same could be said for the romance, the pacing felt all off. At points it felt like the relationship was rushed, and for the most part I just can’t see any good reason why Wilder and Rose would love each other.
There’s definitely an audience for this book, but I’m not it. If you’re looking for a small town, cowboy romance with light drama you might enjoy this.
Thanks to Netgalley and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I’m sure some people will enjoy this, unfortunately it wasn’t for me.
This book was a slog. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, which is a pet peeve for me. The characterisation felt wildly erratic; there were several times when I felt like one or more characters were behaving in a way which made no sense. As for the plot, it felt like there was too much happening and things went from zero to one hundred almost instantly then were resolved just as quickly so there wasn’t really any building of tension. It felt like too much of the book was setting up future books in the series. The same could be said for the romance, the pacing felt all off. At points it felt like the relationship was rushed, and for the most part I just can’t see any good reason why Wilder and Rose would love each other.
There’s definitely an audience for this book, but I’m not it. If you’re looking for a small town, cowboy romance with light drama you might enjoy this.
Thanks to Netgalley and Embla Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
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