Madison is one of my favorite authors for a number of reasons, mainly because she continues to write books that just bring me joy! I've read and really enjoyed all her other books and this was no exception. These characters were beyond lovable and the story was perfectly cozy. I'm really excited to see where this series goes!

love a good single parent trope that's grumpy x sunshine and small town like i'll eat it up EVERY TIME. i love them so much and i can't wait to read everything else madison writes <333

3.5/5 stars - thank you netgalley and the publisher. firstly, the cover. jaw dropping. beautiful work and absolutely enticing. it’s what drew me to the book initially. i’m also a sucker for small town romance since i grew up watching bad (but cute) hallmark movies. this book was incredibly wholesome and an absolute tear jerker. kind of wish the single dad had done more dad related things and was more memorable. he kind of takes a backseat when it comes to other notable book boyfriends out there. overall not a bad read but was definitely missing something and not all entirely plot driven enough.

- contemporary romance
- small town
- grumpy sunshine
- single dad
- sweater weather vibes
- dual pov
- fake dating
- close proximity
- cosy
- steamy tension but closed door/ 'clean'

Adorable, though I'd definately loved it more if there was spice.

This is my favorite of Madison’s books yet!

The setting of this book feels like a town right out of a Hallmark movie. I loved that she bought a cabin to fix up and rent out, and I love even more that the plot includes him (after a series of unfortunate events) offering to help fix it up! cue the movie title sequence because it’s a recipe for a wonderful 90s romcom 🫶🏻

I am also a SUCKER for the grumpy sunshine trope - especially when he’s a single dad. The dynamic just never misses, and it always feels so much sweeter when the two finally realize their feelings / it gives the romance another layer of depth.

I loved the dual POV 🥹 There were so many moments that felt so much sweeter getting to know exactly where everyone’s headspace was at. AND let me tell you - getting to see Holden fall in love was the best 💗 (“I miss Wren, and I don’t know what to make of it” GOT me) And the friendship between Wren and June was my favorite 🥹

the only reason this wasn’t a five star read for me is that there were a few minor plot points I didn’t love - but this is still a book I highly recommend! 🤍

What to expect when reading this charmer of a book:

- Grumpy meets sunshine
- Small town romance
- Fake dating
- Single dad
- Forced proximity

I LOVED this book. My face hurt from smiling so much after I finished it. The characters had so much depth to them and were written in a way that I felt like they were my family.
The scenery was amazing and every time I read the book I felt like I was in Fontana Ridge.

I love a story where there is a grump of a main character (Holden) and he slowly gets broken down to his soft core overtime by the literal human form of sunshine (Wren). We love a cute book like this!

'You're like our little spot off the beaten path. You have to work to find it, but when you do, it's breathtaking.' THIS MADE ME SMILE SO MUCH!!!

I loved loved loved it. And the closed-door romance was super cute!

Madison Wright is gonna be an auto-buy for me from now on!

I loved this small town romance. I was very quickly captivated by the characters and the charm of the town. Very enjoyable read.

five stars all the way around for this book. it’s such a sweet and beautiful story. perfect for the readers who don’t like open door romances but still want the tension and great story.

This was such a fun read! I raced through it and genuinely laughed out loud so much. It was so adorable!!!

Book Review 📚
Off The Beaten Path by Madison Wright - 3.5/5 ⭐

I'm so sorry, I just didn't love this book as much as I wanted. I don't think this is the authors fault at all, it completely depends on your tropes and genres. For me, it's too cute and cosy!

The characters were brilliant though, I think a bit of drama and something more to the story and I would of really enjoyed this book.

If you're a cure/cosy reader then you will absolutely love this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for allowing me to read this ARC - this is an HONEST review from my own personal opinion.

4/5 stars

I really enjoyed this book! I've loved all of Madison Wright's books and although I didn't love this one as much as the others, I still really liked it and can't wait to read more of Fontana Ridge!

I especially love reading books set in a small town with a full cast of characters where they start to feel like family and this book was perfect for that. The small town felt like Stars Hollow and I loved it. I was rooting for both Wren and Holden to find what they needed. Holden is such an amazing single Dad and the way he protects June is so sweet. I love the dialogue June added to the book. The best part was that there was no third act breakup.

If you're looking for a sweet, small town romance, this one is for you!

The tropes in this book:
-single dad
-grumpy/sunshine
-fake dating
-small town
-forced proximity
-closed door
-'you've got mail'

Review of “Off The Beaten Path” by Madison Wright 🪵🤍

3 ⭐️

I’ve read other books by Madison Wright before and she just writes the cutest, closed-door romances. There’s not too much (or hardly any) drama to them and that honestly makes the the best palette cleansers. This story again was super cute and fluffy. I loved June so much, she was absolutely adorable!

A recommendation for all the fans of the single-dad-trope as well, Holden is a very nice and thoughtful MMC, too. Happy to have read this book by Madison Wright. Very cute and cozy!

I’ve been soooooo excited for this book since the moment Madison announced her new series would be set in a cozy mountain town, and was absolutely thrilled to get my hands on an arc! I was completely immersed from the very beginning and ended up loving it so much!!

I loved Wren and Holden so much! Their chemistry and banter and emotional connection was so good! It took some very popular tropes—single parent, anonymous pen palls, and next door neighbors—and made a unique and fun take on them that felt fresh and different to me, which I thoroughly enjoyed. And I ADORED June! She was so feisty and adorable and I loved watching Wren fall in love with her as well as Holden. There's also a scene involving curly hair that absolutely MELTED me!

I've really enjoyed Madison's past romcoms, but this is detinitely my favorite one to date! I’m definitely looking forward to rereading it in the future and I can’t wait to see what’s next for Fontana Ridge! This is a perfect January book when you need to feel warm and cozy in the cold! Highly recommend!!

Thank you x1000000 to the author and Netgalley for an early copy

OMG! This book is ADORABLE!

I was not expecting loving this one as much as I ended up loving.
Cute, cute, cute. The passion between the main couple was so palpable and enjoyed to fall in love with both of them while they were falling for each other.

Adorable is definitly the right word. Really loved them.

What a cute romance. I'm starting to think the single dad trope is my favourite. If you love a small town romance without spice but some swoon worthy moments, this book's for you.
What a fabulous MMC in Holden: his grumpy exterior mixed with mush over his daughter, June Bug makes him right up there with some of my favourite book boyfriends.

I really hope Grey gets his own book.

Thank you to Net Galley for the ARC

These characters were so fun to read about! The small town was so cozy and the plot was also great as well. This book is perfect for lovers of single dads, man buns, and Strawberry blondes!

I really enjoyed this book, and getting lost in a new small town up in the mountains 🏔 😍

Wren and Holden. Ahhh I loved their banter! They both don’t like each other as neighbours, but are secretly talking on the town dating app…. Until that secret is revealed hahaha! Despite their dislike, Holden decides to help her with her cabin Renos, and well, their opinions on each other start to change.

I loved how grumpy Holden was…. Unless he was with his adorable daughter 🥰 it is seriously a top tier moment seeing grown men interact with their kids…. Especially a grumpy one who goes all soft and tender 🥹🫠 But also, when grumpy Holden started smiling more around Wren? Perfection!

Both Wren and Holden have stuff to work through from their pasts, but they can’t seem to help their newfound attraction for each toner, and despite Holden’s best intentions of keeping things “as friends” he really blew that out of the park after a certain kids musical scene #iykyk

I really enjoy Madison’s writing style, especially in this book. I felt like I was right there in the little small town, in Wren’s cottage, next door at Holden’s, the cabin off the beaten path, heck even the hardware store! I loved it all! This book is soft, tender, and heartfelt. Much like Holden and Wren. I cannot wait for more books to follow in this new series from Madison!

Unfortunately ended up DNFing quite early on. I struggled to connect with the characters and didn’t engage with the story. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Holden and Wren have my whole heart! This was just the right pick me up after being in a little reading slump.
I’ve read two other books by Madison Wright bevor so I knew that I was going to love this book.
Passionate and sunshine Wren is the perfect match for grumpy single dad Holden. I loved their bickering and swooned when their animosity turned into love.
Fontana Ridge seemed like the perfect backdrop for a contemporary romance - small town romances are my favourite for a reason!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This book was everything I look for in a romance! I was blown away that it's independently published and absolutely cannot wait to read more by this author. I even forced my mom to read it when I finished so that we could discuss!

The tropes:
-single dad
-forced proximity
-fake dating
-small town romance
-grumpy/sunshine

My family has a cabin in northern Wisconsin, so I adored the cabin renovation element! The small town setting was adorable and I loved all of the nosy/meddling family and friends. I also loved that there was no third act breakup!

I could've easily finished this in one sitting if I would have read it on a weekend. I didn't want to put it down!