Small Town Smokeshow

3.5 stars

Review to come but unfortunately, this fell flat

__________________

Cover Reveal:

HE'S ON HIS KNEES

*chants* HUNTER HUNTER HUNTER

Larareads

504 reviews131 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

Thank you to Holly and her team for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is my favorite cowboy romance! I can't even say more than this because this book just left me speechless. It's my second Holly book and I honestly feel like there is perfection in her writing and her characters.

Watching Hunter and Maggie's story after all the tension and yearning in Cowboy Casual was honestly the best! The yearning in this book, the tension, the love, the spice! I loved everything about Small Town Smokeshow.

I am honestly so so sad that this story is over, but I'm also so extremely excited for the next book! I think I know who the third book will be about and it's going to be amazing!

Read this if you love:
• independent FMC
• so much banter and tension
• yearning
• found family

Lilyya ♡

698 reviews3,828 followers

literally read it in 2h30min 😭😭😭😭😭😭

arc

Giulia ❀

113 reviews12 followers

Read

May 5, 2026

CAN’T WAIT GUYS

cowboy-romance

Calista Presti

52 reviews244 followers

May 6, 2026

OKAY ARE WE JOKING????? 🍒🤠💗 *ARC COPY*

I was almost positive nobody would touch Colt but boyyy Hunter is right there with him 😮‍💨
I started today, finished today. And that’s how you know a book is 🤌🏼🤌🏼
The YEARNNINNGG… speechless. I have so much love for this series. Full review to be on my tik tok this week cause ya girl has ALOT to say 😜
McCoy & Sutton next? 👀

Holly

395 reviews131 followers

Want to Read

March 29, 2026

Cowboy's already on his knees on the cover 👏👏👏

2026-most-anticipated

manas (suffering)

402 reviews2,037 followers

Want to Read

April 17, 2026

THIS COVER

most-anticipated-release

Irene

533 reviews103 followers

Read

October 8, 2025

he dated her sister and continues to date other people in front of fmc, meanwhile we know nothing about her past, alexa play exile by taylor swift about how this book is going to go,

“He’s not looking at you like you’re friends.” “Well, he should. Considering he’s my sister’s ex.” “Oh, shit.” The way he was looking at her was like he wanted to eat her alive. Not like a man who used to date her sister.

I waited a beat, letting the silence stretch before I leveled my gaze at him. “At least I’m staring at my ex and not her little sister.” “Oh, shit,” McCoy laughed, leaning forward until he was sitting up beside me. “We’re going there, huh?” “I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about,” Hunter growled, but he was so full of shit. Hunter and Ella, Maggie’s older sister, broke up a little over two years ago, and he’s spent that exact amount of time staring at Maggie like she wasn’t five years younger than him or related to his ex. “Right.” I nodded before I met his eyes. “So you can see the way I’m looking at Blaire, but you’re blind to your own shit?” “I have no interest in Maggie. She’s Ella’s sister, for fuck’s sake.”

His gaze lingered on Maggie for a long moment before he finally turned, and we all watched him go. He stalked toward the truck, shoulders wound tight, and then I caught sight of his date, Alicia, making her way back down to the water. She beamed at him, completely oblivious to his mood.

“Baby, Hunter,” I crooned, leaning over to ruffle his hair with my free hand. His dark strands were still a bit damp from swimming, and my fingers moved through his hair like they had a hundred times before, a habit from when we were kids. While Colt had been my world, Hunter had been like a little brother. “With that face? Who would dare cheat on your handsome ass?” He grinned, a flash of teeth, and pretended to be mortally wounded by the memory. “It’s my tragic origin story, Blaire. Women sense the trauma, makes me irresistible.” He put the back of his hand to his forehead in a grand, swooning gesture. “I bet that really works for you, doesn’t it?” I smiled down at him. “Kind of, yeah.” He nodded, and I barely caught Alicia rolling her eyes. “So who was the heartbreaker?” I asked playfully. “I’ll have to kick her ass for you.” His eyes slid past me to Maggie then back again. “Maggie’s sister,” he said, and even though he said it like a punchline, I heard the old ache in the way he let the words out slow and flat.

amna (taylor’s version)

191 reviews17 followers

May 6, 2026

it is 5 am and i did in fact accidentally just read my arc in one sitting as soon as i received it … the yearning is just absolute chefs kiss

taylor ❤️‍🔥

399 reviews59 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

“𝒊 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒂 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒏𝒄𝒆. 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒂𝒎𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒂𝒚 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒔𝒖𝒏 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔— 𝒔𝒍𝒐𝒘𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒕 𝒇𝒊𝒓𝒔𝒕, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒆 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓𝒚𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆, 𝒂𝒍𝒍 𝒂𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆, 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒊 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒆𝒓 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒂𝒌𝒆𝒅 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖.”

well folks, around here if a book is read under 24 hours it automatically gets a 5 star rating (but honestly outside of that it is so deserving of 5 stars). 🙂‍↕️

after dating maggies sister, hunter calloway has found himself drawn to maggie in ways that he shouldn't be. his eyes linger on her a bit too long, he finds excuses to touch her and just be in her presence. maggie dawson has wanted hunter since moving to willow grove but after her sister dated then subsequently cheated on him she's made a point not to cross the friendship line. if she crossed that line there would be no going back, betraying her sister and family. as the tension continues to build and become too much maggie has to ask herself who really wants what's best for her and if she's willing to continue giving up what she really wants for the sake of her family.

the build up and slow burn of hunter and maggies relationship in this book is absolutely excruciating. seriously, at one point i wanted to yell into the book for them to kiss already because the tension was PALPABLE. not to mention i honestly didnt think anyone else could top colt but hunter really showed up and said "hold my beer." i mean come on, those mirror scenes? 👀 they actually made me flushed.

something i really enjoyed about this book was that despite the length, holly made a point of exploring the complicated relationship between maggie and family, especially her sister. seeing how she was always expected to be the one to shrink herself and put her dreams on the backburner really highlighted how much willow grove allowed her to grow into the person she always wanted to be.

this book isn't even officially released yet and i'm already dying for the next book. i said it before and ill say it again - holly renee was meant to write cowboy romance. 😌

𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆˚࿔

if anyone needs me ill be spending my weekend at calloway ranch.

𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘦𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘦-𝘢𝘳𝘤 𝘪𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘨𝘦 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘢𝘯 𝘩𝘰𝘯𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸. 🤠💖

Sandy (Sandy.Reads)

1,011 reviews547 followers

Five ⭐️ and honestly? This review is completely based on vibes because anytime I get to go back to Calloway Ranch and see some of my favorite people, I am all in.

three reasons why I am obsessed with Small Town Smokeshow:

First, the YEARNING. Hunter’s long-time love for Maggie was absolutely off the charts. The way he wanted her, fought for her, and never really let go of what he felt for her had me kicking my feet the entire time. Holly Renee knows how to write a man down bad and Hunter was DOWN BAD.

Second, that “fuck it” moment??? Absolutely sizzling. Like genuinely one of those scenes you immediately want to reread because the chemistry, tension, and emotion were all jumping off the page. It was hot in the best way possible.

And finally, the found family in this series continues to be everything to me. Specifically Maggie and Blaire’s friendship. You move to a new town and immediately find a bestie like that?? I want in. The Calloway Ranch crew just feels like home every single time.

I will say there was a tiny something missing for me when it came to Maggie’s relationship with her sister and family, but it honestly didn’t stop me from loving this book overall.

Calloway Ranch is a world I will happily keep revisiting anytime Holly Renee lets me back in.

Libraryat44

225 reviews56 followers

I was so excited for Hunter and maggies story from all the little bits we saw of them in cowboy causal this had so much potential but sadly it didn't hit for me. I loved Hunter! He was so hot! And I love this world but the story felt so rushed. There were so many unresolved issues at the end of the book. We were told how much Hunter was in love with Maggie and it was always her but we didn't see why that was. Why was he with Ella for so long? When clearly it was Maggie he wanted. And what happened to make Ella go for him when he knew Maggie liked him first? I just would of loved a bit more backstory in the past to really build on that tension as it would of given their story so much more depth. It just seemed very surface level and we were being told a lot of their story rather than being shown. I just wanted more from the story and it being 300 pages felt more like a filler novella. Having said that I did enjoy what I read and I do love hollys writing I just wanted more from their story. I'm interested to see where she takes Mcoys story and hoping it's him and Sutton as I loved what we saw of them!

This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.

Leanna Streeter

502 reviews81 followers

Thanks to Holly Renee for the arc. I absolutely flew through this book. The tension between Hunter and Maggie was DELICIOUS and honestly Hunter? That man was on fire the entire book. Holly Renee really knows how to write chemistry and yearning in a way that keeps you completely locked in from start to finish.

I loved finally getting their story after all the buildup in Cowboy Casual. Every scene between them had so much tension, so much wanting, and the banter was so good. This book was sexy, emotional, and impossible to put down.

Now I’m just sitting here impatiently waiting for the next book because I am not ready to leave this world yet. Oh and hello new sheriff in town I need his book too please!

Shannai

671 reviews40 followers

Pre-read October 2025: Holly Renee in her cowboy era is the best thing to happen, ever!! Hunter, babyyy, I can’t wait to see him pining over Maggie!! 😭💖

Stephanie

713 reviews36 followers

updated review to reflect new additions to arc, and all I can say is I went from loving it to LOVING it! full 5 stars!

If you ever need to teach a course on romantic chemistry and tension, just pull up Small Town Smokeshow and the rest will take care of itself. Talk about a sublime showcase of romantic chemistry, emotional intimacy, and sexual tension. Whewwww! It’s palpable all throughout this book and I invested in every single facet of it. This is a book full of swoons, my heart would not stop pitter-pattering. I was blushing at times! I got all shy reading! Who gets shy reading!? Apparently me when I witness explosive chemistry on the page, haha! Needless to say: I LOVED this book! I literally stayed up past midnight reading this, I had to read it in one sitting. Like I was in a chokehold for this book…and I wouldn’t have it any other way. This is a top tier favorite you won’t want to miss out on!

Maggie and Hunter are absolutely dynamite. He’s her sister’s ex, she’s his ex’s little sister. But before that, they were friends. Something was there but left unexplored.

Usually, this is not my type of trope but I thought it was explored extremely well. We get to understand the complicated bond between Maggie and her sister, and how her sister’s selfishness has affected Maggie. Not just in terms of romance but also her business of her bakery. Maggie is cast aside in her family and expected to give up her dreams. She is entirely selfless, and that’s one of the many reasons I loved her slowly but steadily choosing to be selfish and wanting something for herself. Be it business…or be it love. Maggie deserves something for herself.

But Hunter was always hers, just as she was always his.

So happy we have Hunter’s POV that leaves no doubts for his feelings for Maggie. He certainly tries to push it away to conserve their friendship, and Maggie does the same, but my gosh, the chemistry is seriously undeniable. To deny it, would be a straight up tragedy. And I love when Hunter decides to switch gears and earn his girl’s trust.

Theirs is a slow burn with an instant ignition of chemistry. It’s so tense, palpable, and organic. It’s written in a way that makes one invest in their love, root for their love, and want to protect their love. Like I am never going to shut up about how outstanding I find the chemistry between Maggie and Hunter. And I mean it on all levels. The obvious physical attraction is electric, but so is the emotional attraction. This isn’t lust. It’s love. This is two people truly seeing one another, understanding one another by mere gaze of the eyes, and finding a home in one another. It’s sensational, delicious, and so incredibly heartfelt.

The ending is magic and terrifically executed. I loved how Hunter and Maggie are able to clear past misunderstandings, and what the means for the family Maggie chooses to no longer include in her life. She stands up for herself and Hunter stands in support right by her side. They are each other's home and I adored how the final act really emphasizes this.

Seriously, do *not* let this book slip through your hands upon its release. Read it, read it, read it! You are going to fall in love so hard with this one!

Thank you so kindly to Holly and Lauren for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.

misc-arcs

em (whats.em.reading)

239 reviews19 followers

ugh Holly Renee has done it again, the queen of yearning and down bad men. Hunter & Maggies story was just perfection. Filled with years of tension, over coming shame, and learning to do what makes you happy. This book was everything i needed, another filthy mouthed Calloway boy, and the sweet but stubborn Maggie were a whirlwind of stolen moments, lust filled glances and an ‘it’s always been you’ taboo as he’s her sisters ex….. I’m so excited for this to be out, and for future books in this world, i NEED more of Brody ?? And Sutton & McCoy?!!!

“I want to ruin you for anyone else.”
“And you’re going to let me….. aren’t you sunshine”
DO YOU HEAR ME SCREAMING

“Maggie Dawson was gasoline and a lit match, and every time I got near her, I wanted to burn.”

“I never stood a chance. You came in just the way the sun does—slowly at first, then you were everywhere, all at once, until I couldn’t remember what it was like not to be soaked in you.”

Out May 12th and i am already so excited for the audio and to reread this

Nathalie

360 reviews22 followers

There’s a reason that I finished this book within a day. It completely took over my mind, and wouldn’t let go even once I’d read the acknowledgements. Holly Renee has once again proven that she can craft an irresistible romance, no matter the genre.

Hunter and Maggie are everything, and I loved this story even more than Cowboy Casual. It was perfectly painful, full of yearning, and so hot that I thought I would incinerate. The tension between Hunter and Maggie was there from the prologue, and it only grew throughout the book. Their eye contact alone had me begging for one of them to make a move. And once they finally do, it’s so worth the wait.

Thank you Holly Renee for gifting me with an eARC, all thoughts expressed are my own.

Kendall DalBello

307 reviews4 followers

*review of ARC from the author*
i loved being back on this ranch with these characters. at times it felt like we were getting more of the side characters stories than that of maggie and hunter, but man did i love them. the TENSION! i absolutely love when there’s a sort of forbidden aspect to a love story like this one and holly renee did it to perfection. hunter calloway has a degree in yearnilism, my friends. whew 😮‍💨 overall, loved this one and i can’t wait to see who the next book will be about!

Jada Ashling

184 reviews8 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

thank you so sooooo much to Holly Renee and team for the ARC. forever grateful and proud to be one of Holly’s Little Traitors🤭✨

Hunter Calloway, babes, the man that you are!!!! Holly sure knows how to write some hot! ass! men!
***please don’t ever make me choose between Hunter and Colt because I can’t… and I know the theme (sexy men) will obviously continue with McCoy’s book…

Maggie is one of my new favorite FMCs🥹 I was able to connect with her character so much throughout this book. I just truly love everything about her!
***the theme with the FMCs is BADASS WOMEN WHO KNOW THEIR WORTH

the tension and yearning in this book had me FERAL… waiting for them to get together was painful!!!! I loveee when all of the side characters know that they’re in love and openly call them out on it. chef’s kiss💋🤌🏻 the found family is doing it’s job, ie., making me cry, which we love to see <3

why I didn’t rate higher:
-it felt like the majority of small town smokeshow mainly included scenes with just Hunter and Maggie, until the very end, when the wedding and camping trip all happened at once. I just love the scenes with all of their family and friends together! it makes my heart so happy
-because of the pacing and timeline, the ending felt rushed. I wanted to see more of them together, even after the love confession and epilogue. it felt too abrupt and I just think overall the book could’ve used another 50 pages (not to mention I never wanted it to end)

that being said, I would absolutely recommend this series & book to others! it’s quickly become an all-time favorite series of mine. I am so excited for the next book🥺❤️

Katie (Katieeatsbooks)

195 reviews7 followers

May 6, 2026

ARC READ 05/06/2026 🤠

Thank you Holly & Lauren for letting us little traitors read early as always! 🥹

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
(Coming 05/12/2026)

Listen Holly could’ve wrote 2 pages about Hunter Calloway’s slutty little jeans and I would’ve still given it five stars, actually we probably could’ve seen just Maggie’s grocery list for the bakery and I’d still be like “chefs kiss no notes” 👌🏻

But seriously there’s always perfection when it comes to Holly and her writing, it’s because everything she writes has so much heart behind it and this was no exception! 💖

I’m a sucker for a cowboy named Hunter (and biased too 😉) but boy did he know exactly what he wanted and no stubbornness would get in the way!

Watching Hunter and Maggie’s story unfold after all that tension we saw between them in Cowboy Casual was absolutely top tier 🍒

There’s no way this book could’ve gotten any better and now I’m on the edge of my seat waiting for that epilogue we so very much need 😉

Read this one if you love:
🍒Cowboy Casual
✨Slutty Cowboys
🍒Independent and sassy FMCS
✨Top tier banter
🍒Relentless tension
✨Torturous spice
🍒 All things Holly 🥹

Chelsea Mansell

351 reviews24 followers

Small Town Smokeshow by Holly Renee eARC review 🩷

The tension…. hot damn. This book is full of so much angst and yearning and wow did I eat it right up. Hunter and Maggie are definitely one of my new favorite couples. Hunter is so freaking swoony and the way he only has eyes for Maggie had me freaking blushing.

The two of them have been secretly pining and yearning for one another for years, the one big issue….he is Maggie’s sister’s ex boyfriend. They absolutely have a rollercoaster ride to get their happy ending but my gosh, it’s so damn good!!

I loved this one with my entire heart. I basically devoured it in one sitting and could not get enough.

Also, Blair is such a freaking riot and I loved seeing her and Colt again in this one too!

What to expect:
Cowboy romance
His ex’s little sister
Loads of sexual tension
All the angst
A dirty mouth to rival his brother’s
YEARNING

Thank you so much Holly for the arc!

Amity Bailey

357 reviews49 followers

Going into this book, I was a little nervous for the sisters ex type trope. Let me tell you, HOLLY DID IT SO WELL!

Hunter & Maggie’s chemistry was so top notch! These two had me blushing, giggling, and just wanting them together so bad!!

I absolutely loved the way Hunter always saw her & knew she was more than she saw herself! Maggie struggled with feeling like she didn’t belong & in the shadows of her own family, but Hunter stepped up and showed her over and over how much she was really worth!

I loved the character growth, the emotional depth, and the absolute heat & tension this story brought! Truly just such a well done story & one that had my heart feeling so full by the end. The found family & friend group was amazing & I just love so many of these characters!! Absolutely loved & highly recommend this one!

Thank you team Holly for this early copy!

Hailey P

51 reviews4 followers

Updated arc review;

4⭐️

I had a fun time being back in Calloway ranch 🩷 I loved seeing Blaire, Colt & Ruby again. I’m foaming at the mouth for McCoy & his book though 😮‍💨😮‍💨

For Maggie & Hunter:

Their relationship was so cute, I enjoyed watching them get over their internal barriers and finally get together.

The changes Holly made did clear up a lot of my initial questions! So I’m happy to edit my review now!!

Four stars instead of five because I still wanted more backstory for Hunter & Maggie so I could feel the build up for their longing/angst. With the “my siblings ex” trope, I like for there to be a lotttttt of drama & there was some but not what I was expecting.

June always makes me giggle, I’m so glad we got to see her in this book!!

I will absolutely be continuing this series 🩷

Alexandra

379 reviews86 followers

Holly knows how to write good romance. I just devoured this in under two days. The pining between Hunter and Maggie was everything. A forbidden romance with her sister's ex boyfriend. If there is one thing that I love it’s a jealous cowboy and especially one who isn’t afraid to show it. So many good moments in this love story, the first half was especially strong.

I love the characters of Calloway Ranch. Highly recommend this series to anyone who enjoys bingeable spicy cowboy romances.

Amanda Hopwood

499 reviews35 followers

Okay but WHY did Small Town Smokeshow have me giggling, blushing, and kicking my feet over a cowboy in Wranglers 😭🤠

Hunter Calloway is the definition of “bad idea but make him irresistible.” The tension?? INSANE. Small town gossip, secret hookups, sister’s ex drama, whiskey under the stars, and a man who looks at her like she’s his next breath??? Holly Renee knew exactly what she was doing with this one.

This book felt like sparks on dry grass one touch and EVERYTHING burns. 🔥

Chelsea Hoth ✨

189 reviews6 followers

May 11, 2026

EDITING THIS REVIEW AFTER READING THE UPDATED FILE!!

you could cut the tension with a knife. I loved the tension, pining and yearning so much and the extra chapters were NEEDED!!! I’m glad we got conversations, answers and a little more of their relationship and a look at other things that were going on!! I did feel like the ending was still rushed a little bit and wished the convo about Hunter and Ella came a little sooner and was dived a little more into. The sister did suck but as someone with a sister this trope may not me for me

bella (pageswithbella)

155 reviews12 followers

Review of advance copy received from Author

i’m down bad for these calloway men 🥵 i loved hunter and maggie’s story so much!! the tension had me holding my breath and their banter was so cute. chapter 22 and that epilogue made me so happy and giddy. holly renee knows how to do cowboy romance and yearning SO WELL!! so happy i was able to get the ARC for this, it was everything i wanted for maggie and hunter 💖

sooo are we gonna get a book with sheriff brody? 👀

Mary Lambert

113 reviews6 followers

May 11, 2026

4.5⭐️

Thank you Holly for providing me with an ARC of Small town Smokeshow! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was so so hyped for Hunter and Maggie’s story, and honestly, it didn’t disappoint! They had the banter, the tension, the will they/wont they push and pull we all crave. And of course that little “forbidden” aspect always adds to the stakes and makes things even more exciting! The spice was spicyyyyy and those mirror scenes—girlll whew! It was getting hot in here!

I felt the story itself was good, the conflict seemed well fleshed out and was realistic but didn’t resolve TOO quickly, which I also like! I felt like the slow burn aspect was pretty well done, coupled with the push and pull from both sides, it seemed to all work really well together! Holly’s writing is engaging, easy to follow, and thought provoking! I enjoyed the added depth to Maggie’s character as she seems so carefree and happy, to see this darker/sadder side of her life where she’s unappreciated really shed a new light on her! And of course, Hunter was the perfect yearner hehe. This story had me cackling, clutching my pearls, and tearing up by the end!

Only complaint: I think there were quite a few areas of repetition (repeated phrases or descriptive words within the same paragraph) with the writing that I felt could’ve been caught during editing passes, but besides that, really no complaints so I won’t fault it much for that!

Small town Smokeshow releases May 12th and is such a good time, you won’t wanna miss it!

Kay✨

91 reviews4 followers