I read my first book by Max Monroe, and I'll definitely read more. "What I Should've Said" is a departure from the author's usual style, which I appreciated.

Norah leaves her fiancé and returns to her hometown in Vermont. There, she meets Bennett, and despite some rough starts, they feel a strong connection. Their relationship deepens as they navigate challenges with Bennett's daughter, Summer.

I was drawn into Norah and Bennett's evolving romance and their love for Summer. This book takes you on an emotional journey, from laughter to tears, exploring themes of loss and love.

While there are no specific warnings, this story delves into deep feelings that might be intense for some readers. I'm eager to read Clay and Josie's story next.

This one nearly wrecked me.

I underestimated the level of attachment I'd form to these characters, and while the story was worth the journey, my heart is still hurting. Definitely have tissues and chocolate on hand when reading this one, but I'd do it all over again if I could.

Bennett and Norah bring out the best in each other, even if they bicker more than anything. Summer...she has my whole heart. I was listening while diamond painting, and had to stop for a bit due to not being able to see through my tears.

Such a beautifully told story that will leave a lasting impression on your heart, even if it's black like mine.

I'll just start by saying I'm a long-time fan of the Max Monroe writing duo and their books. They manage to blend some light emotion in with their witty rom coms and I smile and giggle my way through those books. This book was not one of those books - - but let me just say it was just as special. I know they have taken some abuse in many reviews for not using trigger warnings to warn readers that it was a different book. Where that may be true, I don't feel that it should overshadow how heartbreakingly special and touching this book is. It's a special one for sure. and it will undoubtedly tug at your heartstrings because there are some very upsetting topics involved. But this writing duo writes it beautifully and with their own brand of sensitivity and you come through the clouds and see the sun start to peek through on the other side.

Bennett Bishop is a man who keeps to himself and has little to say. He doesn't suffer fools as the saying goes and has little tolerance for those who have more money than sense. So when he first meets Norah Ellis, he gets the wrong impression of her and instantly makes assumptions that aren't true. Through those first impressions, he decides she's bad news and he tries to avoid her initially. But as fate throws them together, he gets the opportunity to get to know her and her heart. He eventually discovers she isn't at all who she seemed to be but is in fact so much more.

The things that both of these characters have experienced during their lives broke my heart. They both carried emotional burdens that could weigh anyone down. Yet they didn't dwell on it. They both moved forward with life because they had no choice.

I'd be remiss if I didn't say this book took a little piece of my heart with it. It was beautifully written and it definitely had parts where the tears streamed down my face. It's not for the "faint of heart." But it is a gem.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

A small-town romance that touches on big issues, Bennett and Norah's romance will tug at your heartstrings. Have your tissues ready! I'm already looking forward to the next book featuring Norah's sister and set in the same small Vermont town.

Norah Ellis's life is falling apart. On the day of her wedding to Thomas Conrad Michael King III, Norah is handed an envelope containing damaging evidence of just the type of man she was going to marry. Instead, Norah takes off for Red Bridge, VT, the place her Grandma Rose lived and where her estranged sister Josie still lives. Shortly after Norah gets off the Greyhound bus she gets the attention of grumpy, good looking man who reluctantly gives her a ride into town. It turns out the man in question is Bennett Bishop, a famous artist.

When Norah sister isn't exactly happy to see her, she still takes her in. As these two slowly get to know each other again, feelings start coming back. When Norah finds an opportunity to be an artist's assistant, she quickly applies for the job not realizing who the artist is. Upon arguing with Bennett over the job, Norah realizes that he has a daughter, Summer, and it's obvious she has some type of serious health problem. Turns out she has Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type III, the worst and most progressive type of brittle bone disease that a child can actually survive. Summer, or Summblebee as Bennett likes to call her is a tough little 7 year old girl and she takes instantly to Norah. As Norah, Bennett and Summer spend more time together, they form a very close, almost surreal bond. Just when life is looking a little better, everything comes crashing down. Secrets start getting exposed from all over and their perfect little world implodes. It will take a lot of inner searching for this family to find their way back to each other but once it happens, it will be with the perfect ending.

This single, grumpy dad story just broke me. Norah was just the "pink" light that Bennett and Summer needed in their lives. I loved the way Norah and Bennett just fit together. I enjoyed all of the fun times with friends and siblings, and I can't wait for Josie and Clay's story to play out. Overall this was a tough book to read but I'm sure glad I did. Now I want a pair of pink heart sunglasses!

Norah Ellis becomes a runaway bride after uncovering a shocking truth about her fiancé on their wedding day. She escapes to her sister who she hasn’t seen in years.

In Red Bridge, Vermont, Norah's first encounter is with Bennett Bishop, a grumpy single dad artist who gives her a frosty reception.

What I Should’ve Said, by the talented duo Max Monroe, is a beautifully written enemies-to-lovers story. M&M take you on an emotional journey that’s full of humor and heartbreak. I recommend checking the trigger warnings prior to reading as there will be lots of tears.

Thank you to NetGalley and the authors for an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

This was the first time I had read anything by Max Monroe, so I was looking forward to the hype of this book. There were aspects of the novel I loved. I specifically loved that they touched upon such sensitive and hard hitting storylines, I felt this made the book so much more gripping and original. I do think the cover of this book is quite deceiving and I think a lot of people may pick it up hoping it to be a cheery summer read and therefore question whether it should come with some warnings. Especially as there are multiple hard hitting topics in this book.
I did find, at times, certain parts of the romance side of the book to be a bit quite cringey and felt like that contrasted a lot with the emotive side of the novel. I did however, enjoy the side line romance they created that ran through the book between friends and left the opportunity wide open to become a sequel. Overall, great book!

This is the first Max Monroe book that I have read and it was a great read. Very well written, an excellent plot and has all the feels. You are definitely going to get emotional over this book and there was no other way to have it end.

Norah runs away on her wedding day after information on her fiancé comes to light. She realizes that she never really chose the life she was living but went along with what her mother wanted. She runs back to the only "home" she has ever know with the hope that her estranged sister will take her in. She is an utter disaster at most things but she has an eye for interior design and organization. Right from being dropped off in the middle of nowhere and gets help from Bennett, the two are at odds. Bennett is a grumpy recluse who wants nothing to do with anyone, especially no a glorified city girl. However, he keeps getting involved against his better judgement. When Bennett needs to hire an assistant, he doesn't realize that Norah is the one who passed his test and that his young daughter is already in half in love with her. As his daughter and Norah grow close, Bennett can't help but open his heart a little. But will Norah stay? Will her mother influence her to leave? And can Norah break through Bennett's hardened heart?

I will say there is a big piece of this story that I left out of my review so as not to spoil it. But you'll know it when you read it.

Norah Ellis is a runaway bride who discovers the worst about her fiancée on her wedding day. So she flees to a sister who isn't expecting her, and a life very far away from New York City...

Bennett Bishop is a grumpy recluse who is the first person Norah meets in Red Bridge, Vermont.... and he doesn't make her feel very welcomed! But Norah is planning to stay, and the first rude resident she encounters, isn't going to change that...

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What I Should've Said was a heart breaking, opposites attract, romantic read. Norah is at a place in her life where she needs to start over, while Bennett is losing his only joy, but when these two stop bickering, they will soon realize just how right they could be for each other...

When Norah shows up on her older sister's doorstep, she is fully prepared for the resistance she encounters when she asks for a place to stay. They have spent years at odds over their overbearing mother, but Norah is desperate, and will do anything to stay...

Bennett moved to Red Bridge and turned his life around. He used to be a bad boy with no one to answer to, but now with a terminally ill daughter, he has devoted his life to giving her the best years he possibly can. And when takes one look at Norah, Bennett immediately knows she spells trouble for his already breaking heart...

This story was a true tear jerker, but with a delightful enemies-to-lovers plot that reels you in before the heartbreak happens! Norah and Bennett are attracted to each other, but keep their distance time and time again. But the moment Norah meets Summer... distance will be all but a memory...

I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest and unbiased review.

📚 What I Should've Said
✍ Max Monroe
📖 Romance, Drama, Fiction
5♾★⚊
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An incredible, delightful, unforgettable, heartwarming story..
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Beautifully written, the talented Max Monroe delivers once again another great story..
You all know I'm a sucker for enemies-to-lovers trope in a romance and this one was absolutely fantastic..
Full of banter, witty, verbal sparring.. every page will bring enjoyment and laughter and not to mention all the swooning moments 👌💖
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I was immersed  reading that somehow,  between the lines, words turned profound, like arrows to the heart.. and lost count of the times tears slipped from my eyes ..
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At the end .. all I can say .. this book is now branded in my heart and soul .. and I'll be wearing my pink heart glasses ..whenever Im happy 💖💖
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Max Monroe ..this.. is your doing .. ♾💖
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All the feels:
💟  small town
💟  enemies to lovers
💟  grumpy/sunshine
💟  family
💟  witty/banter
💟  emotional
💟  pink sunsets
💟  romance
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⚠️ please check trigger warnings before reading ⚠️
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Thanks to Max Monroe, Max Monroe LLC and Netgalley for this arc, the opinions are on my own.
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From the beginning of What I Should’ve Said, I was drawn to the characters and what I expected the trope to be. Those things are all there: small town romance, grumpy vs sunshine, but the book carries some very heavy and deep themes as well which I was not expecting when I started the book.

I cried, like full on sobs through the last 25% of the book.

All of the characters (with obvious exceptions) were wonderful and the town of red Bridge made me want to live there!

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book

From the beginning of What I Should’ve Said, I was drawn to the characters and what I expected the trope to be. Although it was a small-town romance, the book ended up catching me off guard with some really deep themes. Once I realized what was going on, I could see where the book was headed, and from then onwards I was distraught.
Such a well-written book, with characters that were so loveable, but be prepared for it to be dark and if you tend to cry, like I do, this one will bring the tears.

*Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book*

Norah gets some news on her wedding day that causes her to walk away from the wedding before walking down the aisle. She leaves New York and heads to her sister’s house in their small hometown. When she arrives she runs into the ultimate grump, Bennett. Various circumstances keep bringing Norah and Bennett together and eventually Norah starts working for Bennett. A relationship develops between them as well as between Ben’s daughter, Summer, and Norah. Norah becomes an important part of their lives and is there for Ben when tragedy strikes.
This story was far more heartbreaking than I was expecting. I really loved the grumpy/sunshine relationship between Bennett and Norah and the small town boy/big city girl aspects (even though Ben was really a big city boy originally). The way that Bennett protected Norah even before they really knew each other was amazing book boyfriend behavior and the single dad piece was written in a very sweet way. I loved the side characters in the small town and of course the ‘villainous’ characters from the city gave the reader someone to hate. [slight spoiler] The tragedy with Summer absolutely ripped my heart out. She was such a spirited and insightful character and like Norah I immediately grew attached to her. This story dealt with love, loss, trauma, grief, reconciliation, and so much more all wrapped up in a well written romance.

So....I went into this book thinking it would be a grumpy sunshine trope and it is but it is a lot more. Let's start with the romance...Both characters have their issue and baggage. I found it really unlikely that they would flip the switch so quickly a they did in the parking lot. Then once they talked about the romance it was really only in terms of with the family. I didn't feel like the beginning of the romance was well rounded. The end felt complete because of the happenings in the middle.

*spoilers ahead and trigger warning*

<spoiler> A big part of the plot of the book was that the MMC has a young daughter who was born with a genetic disorder that allows her bones to break easily and she needs a lot of care. That is pretty much his life. He is a painter and needs an assistant and hires the FMC. The daughter gets deeper into her illness and she passes away...I found both the after care and services to be overly detailed unnecessarily. She was a sweet character that bonded them, but this book honestly felt more centered on the family dynamic than the romance. <spoiler>

Overall, It was heartfelt book but I would not read it again.

"What I Should've Said" is an unexpected rollercoaster ride! 🎢 Keep those tissues close! Norah, a runaway bride, seeks refuge in her hometown with her estranged sister, encountering the town grump, Bennett, who ends up changing her life in ways she never imagined. 💔

Their relationship evolves from foes to lovers in a flash, although I wished for more depth and development. Despite some miscommunications and questionable moments (seriously, what's with the slapping?), their palpable chemistry kept me hooked. 😍

This isn't your typical romcom; it's filled with humor but also heartbreak that might be tough for some readers. Proceed with caution if you prefer your romance with a side of emotional turmoil. But if you're ready for a wild ride, dive in! Can't wait for Josie and Clay's story next! 📚✨

Wow, wow, wow. I am not sure I could’ve been more invested in this book. I cried the last 25% of this book like no other. Max Monroe then finishes it all off and I felt, peace (followed by a lot more tears!!!!).

A small town romance with a grumpy single dad, and a city girl trying to start over. They have something truly special and then throw in a very very special little girl, Summer. Their time together is incredible and I seriously don’t know what else I could’ve wanted from this story.

I went into this book blind, it was offered to me by Net Galley in exchange for an honest review, and Max Monroe were authors I've wanted to explore for some time now. All I can say is wow I'm so glad I did. There is so much in this book. Angst, loss, trauma, domestic violence, disability, small town that is a main character, found family, and instant love. The only thing I didn't particularly love was the instant love but everything else was so perfectly done I could look past any of its flaws.

I honestly don't have anything to say about this book just that this is one of those books that stays with you for a long time. I suggest everyone to read it, buy it, make it part of your TBR.

Thank to Net Galley for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review as always, all words are my own.

I have read and loved Max Monroe books in the past but unfortunately this one just wasn't for me. I didn't connect with the characters or the storyline.

Thank you for the opportunity to read What I Should’ve Said! I loved it even though I was balling my eyes out!!! I am looking forward to Josie and Clay’s story. Reviewed on Goodreads and Amazon.

What I Should’ve Said - 3.75⭐️, a tearjerker!!!

*Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book*

From the beginning of What I Should’ve Said, I was drawn to the characters and what I thought was the trope of the book. Although it was a small town romance, the book completely caught me off guard with some really deep themes, and was in tears at several points. Once I realised what was going on, I could see where the book was headed, and from then onwards I was distraught. Such a well written book, with characters that were so loveable, but be prepared for it to be dark and for lots of tears!!!