Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.23 AVERAGE
3.23 AVERAGE
Being a huge fan of cowboy romances, especially those from Lyla Sage, Paisley Hope and Elsie Silver, I was really excited to dive into this book. Unfortunately, this didn’t measure up to my expectations. The writing was stilted and it was hard for me to get into the storyline. Also, Back in the Saddle tackles a lot of heavy topics that I was not expecting and not looking for in a cowboy romcom. Overall, this is a quick palate cleanser read but this isn’t a story I can see myself wanting to reread.
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC!
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK for the ARC!
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
This book made me laugh, cry, and feel all the emotions. It's written with such empathy and care, while also being an incredibly hot and sexy romance. My favorite romance reads are ones where the love interests grow/develop separately beyond merely falling in love, so I appreciated that both Caroline and Hunter grapple with their careers, grief, and past relationships with fully realized arcs of their own. I never considered myself a cowboy fan before this book, but by the end I was head over heels for Hunter!
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Back in the Saddle was such a fun surprise! If you're like me and in your cowboy romance era, this one totally hits the spot. Caroline, a doctor starting over in small town Oklahoma, and Hunter, the hot cowboy with a guarded heart, have instant chemistry that pulls you in from the beginning. You can feel the tension between them, but what I really liked was how they each brought their own emotional baggage into the mix because it gave their connection depth.
The story has a great balance of steamy moments (yes, it definitely gets spicy 🔥), sweet interactions, and just the right touch of drama without going overboard. It’s one of those feel good reads that’s easy to follow and leaves you smiling. Plus, horses. That’s always a win.
If you’re a fan of Elsie Silver or Lyla Sage, you’ll definitely want to give this one a go. It’s a little lighter, more heartwarming than angsty, and just perfect for when you want a story about second chances, healing, and cowboy charm.
Would absolutely read more from Maggie Eckersley!
Thank you to NetGalley, Maggie Eckersley, and Avon for the eARC of this book.
The story has a great balance of steamy moments (yes, it definitely gets spicy 🔥), sweet interactions, and just the right touch of drama without going overboard. It’s one of those feel good reads that’s easy to follow and leaves you smiling. Plus, horses. That’s always a win.
If you’re a fan of Elsie Silver or Lyla Sage, you’ll definitely want to give this one a go. It’s a little lighter, more heartwarming than angsty, and just perfect for when you want a story about second chances, healing, and cowboy charm.
Would absolutely read more from Maggie Eckersley!
Thank you to NetGalley, Maggie Eckersley, and Avon for the eARC of this book.
emotional
hopeful
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
3/5⭐️ Back in the saddle is a cute cowboy romance. I was surprised at the heavier parts and was a bit disappointed as I felt there was room to develop the characters and story more.
The book is a nice easy read which made me smile.
Overall I’d have like a bit more depth to the story.
The book is a nice easy read which made me smile.
Overall I’d have like a bit more depth to the story.
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
A classic cowboy romance with some twists.
Fiery Caroline is trying to figure out her life post divorce - how to move forward, does she still want to be a doctor and if so what specialty, etc. strong and steady Hunter is trying to hold it all together for his family -
Dealing with his father’s cancer and running the family ranch. Neither of them thought they were ready for someone new, and yet, they fell in love in spite of themselves.
There was a lot I enjoyed about this book including the main characters, the challenges they were both overcoming, and the overall story. I also wasn’t emotionally prepared for the last 20% of the book which was so sad (and sweet).
However, a lot of the book made felt like the author was trying to do a lot and thus couldn’t go as deep in any of it - in addition to the standard cowboy romance tropes there is added depth with some of the topics (e.g., death and grieving, divorce, reconsidering one’s profession) as well as some commentary on some things that are uniquely American for better or worse (e.g., lack of universal healthcare, bull riding for entertainment in spite of the risks). I wish there had been a deeper dive into some of the emotions and the impact to the characters vs staying surface level.
Thank you to Maggie Eckersley, Avon, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is advertised for "Fans of Lyla Sage, Paisley Hope and Elsie Silver" which aside from the cover, is the main reason I was drawn to this book. While I think there are some similarities between these authors and this book, for me it wasn't enough. This book was ok, but for me it was missing that something special that made it great. I can't quite put my finger on why this one wasn't a 4 or 5 star read for me except that it seemed a bit bland? Although, I hate saying that because I did feel for both of the main characters with their family issues and of course there was good character progression, I just didn't feel very connected to this one. The overall story was cute though.
I will also say that the digital formatting for the ARC was terrible and made it hard to follow along.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK | Avon for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I will also say that the digital formatting for the ARC was terrible and made it hard to follow along.
Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books UK | Avon for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book had a great premise, but in execution was a bit all over the place. I appreciated the emotional storylines the author tried to tackle, from Caroline's divorce to Hunter's dad having cancer, however I think it was too much in one book to truly feel the emotional impact of all these elements. Discussions were had, but I didn't necessarily feel that emotional impact and often times storylines introduced were brushed past or had lots of excess detail that bogged the flow down.
I also found the ending to be rushed and a bit odd, especially with the lack of communication around it.
Overall, I'd give this 2.5 stars - there's potential here but unfortunately it wasn't the story for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I also found the ending to be rushed and a bit odd, especially with the lack of communication around it.
Overall, I'd give this 2.5 stars - there's potential here but unfortunately it wasn't the story for me. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Back in the saddle is an emotional romance story which heavily features themes of grief, cancer and the breakdown of marriage.
I love that Caroline is a smart, strong FMC and it’s so nice to have a FMC who’s in her early thirties.
If you’re looking for an emotional rollercoaster of a romance book with a cowboy then this is the book for you. Sadly it wasn’t quite the cute contemporary cowboy romance I’d expected from the cover/blurb. I didn’t really gel with the characters and I didn’t appreciate how Hunter always dealt with issues that came up in their relationship. Plus the pacing just felt a bit off for me, I’d have liked to see more of their second chance at love!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Back In The Saddle is a contemporary cowboy romance, but it wasn't quite what I expected from the blurb and the cartoony cover. Maybe there'll be trigger warnings in the book or in the retail descriptions that weren't in the ARC version but a lot of this book is about cancer and grief. Obviously getting into heavier subjects within a romance novel isn't a bad thing, but it just wasn't what I was expecting when I dived into it while in the mood for a cowboy romcom. Perhaps the blurb could be tweaked for release to give a better idea to the subject matter?
Going on what the book is though, rather than what I thought it was going to be, there's a really original story here, particularly to do with the circumstances of Caroline's impending divorce. It's not a subject that I've seen being explored in romances and I liked how it ended amicably between them, although still obviously awkward. Given lack of communication on both sides lead to that marriage breakdown, it is a shame that there was still miscommunication from both Caroline and Hunter in their new relationship. There's a lot to like here but I just don't think I fully clicked with them as a couple, particularly how Hunter treated Caroline sometimes and how she reacted to him in the aftermath of those moments.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.