this book wrecked me but I don't wanna give spoilers. read with a box of tissues present. I can't wait for book 2 of the series

4.5 stars
Small town
Artist
Runaway bride


Thank you NetGalley for the arc

Even though it wasn’t the life that Norah would have chosen she finds herself as the bride in an upper-class wedding. All it would take is one envelope for her to realize that she is about to make the biggest mistake of her life, so she decides to escape to the sister she hasn’t seen in years.

Bennett is an artist who lives in the same town as Norah’s sister. He prefers to isolate himself from other people and not share certain parts of his life however from his first meeting with Norah she manages to break through his walls and make him feel.

The journey that Bennett and Norah find themselves on will at time bring a smile to your face and at times tear your heart out. Everything they have been through and continue to go through is full of heart wrenching emotions but in each other they find hope for the future.

Thank you, NetGalley and the author for this ARC. Where do I begin with this amazing book it tore my heart out and made me laugh and happy all at the same time. This is a new author for me but this will definitely not be the only book that I read from them. I was so excited to read this book. I love the cover and the story truly got to me. It’s so amazing. I totally enjoyed the character development. I love the beginning, middle and end of this book! I couldn’t even guess what would happen and I was on the edge of my seat.!Definitely a five star read I was pleasantly surprised. Such an amazing ride!!!

If Max Monroe writes it .. I read it!

This emotional rollercoaster read is intense as it is unforgettable.

With outstanding writing as always and waves upon waves of twists, this read breaks your heart and shows you the power of second chances. I devoured this in one sitting.

Don't be fooled by the cover, this is a heavy read but worth every moment, so get your tissues ready and settle in for a powerful read

Thank you Netgalley and the Author for the ARC

#WhatIShouldveSaid #NetGalley

This book just ripped my heart out and crushed it. I was a sobbing mess. So fair warning, you will sob while reading this book. But you will also heal and become whole again. Still bearing the scars but every scar tells a story and this one was beautifully heartbreaking.
This was my first Max Monroe novel and I may be hooked. The writing was easy and engaging pulling you in from the first sentence.
"The bride couldn't remember what her soon to be husband looked like or why she was marrying him in the first place."
This book deals with some heavy topics and doles out some heavy emotions. But I don't regret a second of it.

Max and Monroe do it again! Not at all surprised. But absolutely absolutely heartbroken and put back together by this beautiful story. Summer will forever stay in my heart and soul. And other than thinking, Bennett was a little too cranky in the beginning, I understood why as I kept reading. Their love story is beautiful, and I’m so glad that they finally got a good part ♥️🥹🥹🥹

What I should’ve said by Max Monroe was a five star read. The story had me in tears, and giggles with a huge grin on my face.

Norah Ellis has left her fiancé on the day of her wedding with nowhere else to go but back to her hometown, Red Bridge, Vermont. There she meets Bennett Bishop who she can’t decide if she wants to strangle or jump his bones. He puts up a big fight but both can’t seem to stay away from each other.

I really enjoyed this cute, heart wrenching story. I am looking forward to reading the next book on Norah’s big sister Josie and Clays story.

Possible spoiler alert:

Some readers have mentioned there should be a trigger warning for this book so I wanted to include some in my review: domestic abuse, death of a child, prostitution. Though the book does not focus on this for much of the book some people may feel triggered. The book was great in my opinion. Though it was gut wrenching it did end on a good note

How far did I get? Sort of a weird situation, I'll get into that. As other reviewers have mentioned, this REALLY needed a content warning. Despite the bubbly cover and fun blurb, it's got some seriously heavy content. I actually had an ARC, and I feel disrespected that there was no heads up about some of the things involved in this story. The authors should've done better for their readers.

Why did I stop? As I write this, it's one of the bestsellers in romantic comedy, the cover and blurb imply a lighthearted read that might hit you in the feels, and the authors are rom com writers... and yet there is SO much potentially triggering content here. I dove in wanting and expecting a rom com with a little bit of bite, but many of the topics lurking within these pages are heavier than the dark romances I read. Abuse, terminal illness, death of a child (who is very involved in the story!), just to name a few. I absolutely would not expect that from the marketing, and these authors should know better. It felt deceptive. Beyond that, I simply didn't enjoy it as much as I have some of their other books, so it was an easy decision to set it aside.

Was I enjoying it initially? Yeah, sure. I solidly read the first third and enjoyed the small town/runaway bride vibes. These two are instant enemies, and it was feeling promising. I didn't love it, but I liked it. However, the heroine has an emotionally (at least) abusive ex, and yet she slaps the hero more than once. That was the first red flag for me. Once the hero's backstory is revealed, it was clear this was going to be a LOT heavier than anticipated. After that, I started skimming and sought out spoilers regarding the concerns I had about where it was heading. Since I didn't read thoroughly after that, I'm not the best person to describe the content warning required - I just know that it was dishonest not to better prepare readers for what they were getting themselves into.

Would I finish this? No. I sat in my thoughts for several days, and any warm feelings I had about the story are gone now. I'll be more cautious next time I read one of Max Monroe's books, which is disappointing since I've been a longtime reader.

Who would I recommend this to? If you know you've got a heavy read ahead of you, perhaps this will go better for you. Just don't expect the typical Max Monroe vibes.

What I Shoul've Said by Max Monroe is a small town romance that gives all the feels.
Norah is a runawayy bride, running to her estranged sister. On her way she meets Bennett Grumpy McGrumperson and it's hate at first sight. But itb doesn't stay that way. They go from enemies to lovers rather quickly. A whirlwind romance causing a whirlwind of emotions. There lol moments as well as sad and heartbreak - keep tissues at hand, just saying.

A letter from a stranger sends Norah Ellis running from her wedding, all the way to Vermont where her sister lives. She hitches a ride for the last part of the journey with Bennet Bishop, who throws her out not much later, calling her a pain the ass. These two are alike in that they hold on to so many secrets. But with time they will unload those, and their lives will not be the same.

I really like this book and it didn't get cringey, or too sentimental, despite some heavy-duty subjects. I will warn that there's some sensitive material here, like abuse and childhood illness. But it's balanced really nicely with a funny and sweet enemies-to-lovers romance. There is some chemistry between Norah and Bennet although it's one that seems to develop as the story continues. I will admit that the misunderstandings at the end were a bit more than I thought was necessary, but it seems that's part of the rom-com genre. It's just there's already plenty of angst and why should there be extra on top of what could be removed?:

Anyway, it was a good read and I will rate this at 4 stars. I would like to thank Netgalley and the authors for the free advanced reader copy. I have provided my feedback under no obligation.

Well this one came at me full speed and hit me square in the heart like a freight train. Phenomenal, this book wont be leaving my thoughts for a long time.

After receiving a strange letter on her wedding day Nora Ellis decides she can't go through with the marriage and flees as fast as she can, back to her childhood home town and the sister she's been estranged from for 5 years. One gruelling bus journey later she finds herself stranded with her only option being to hitchhike and comes face to face with the beautiful bad-boy Bennet Bishop and manages to get on the grumpy mans bad side straight away. But looks can be deceiving and there's way more than meets the eye to these two individuals but how much will it change them when they finally learn the truth.

This book includes enemies to lovers romance but does also contain some fairly serious topics too such as Childhood illness, abuse and dearth so would recommend checking trigger warnings before going into it.

This book was so much more than the average romance I thought I was going into and yes the romance was amazing, the enemies to lovers, the banter, the swoon worthy moments but it was also a rollercoaster of emotions that caught me super off guard.
At the heart of this book its really about two individuals who are just trying to learn how to be better people and make the most of the time they have and how a community can come together in someone's time of need.

There is so much more I could say about this book but want to make it as spoiler free as possible. I finished this book in one sitting and was made to feel so many emotions in such a short period of time. I highly recommend this book but make sure to have your tissues at the ready as if you are anything like me it will probably cause you to ugly cry.

I will be thinking about this book often

Oh, this book!!! Wow! SO good! Have the tissues ready, you'll need them! I laughed, swooned, cried and did it all over again---emotional rollercoaster if you will. I've read a couple of Max Monroe books, and this is quite different, on the emotional scale that is. There is so much I could say about this book. This is the type of book that will stick with you, I for sure know it will with me. I can add this book to my list of "books I wish I could experience for the first time again." It broke me into a million pieces, but by the end put me back together again. Totally worth it!!! If I could have sat and read from beginning to end, I would have! It was that exceptional of a story from Max Monroe. Please read this book ASAP, you definitely won't regret it! Now onto reading all the things by Max Monroe!

Quick Summary: A deeply emotional story

My Review: What I Should've Said by Max Monroe is perfect. Sometimes, that is all that needs to be said.

About the Book: A runaway bride, a grieving father with an attitude, an angelic girl, and a town full of good folks - that is what this novel is all about.

My Final Say: Well done, Ms. Monroe. This is my favorite one of your books. I relish the thought of reading it on repeat. Even though I know I will cry big, fat, ugly tears, it will be worth it. Thank you for introducing Summer. She was a delight to experience. This sweet character brought the light and gifts that kept on giving. Other characters that I loved included Josie, Clay, and Breezy. I hope to read their stories soon. Clay was a charmer and the ladies were fireballs. Honorable mention goes to the sheep farmer.

Other: This is the type of book that should be savored from beginning to end. It's the type of book where you don't want to miss a thing. I cannot convey just how touching it was. I will remember it with great fondness.

Rating: 5/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Re-read: Yes
Keeper: Yes
Favorites Shelf: Yes
Besties-of-All-Time: Yes
Status/Level: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Trigger: Osteogenesis Imperfecta Type III, Abortion, Death, SA & Prostitution

Sincere appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher (Max Monroe LLC), and to NetGalley. Thank you so very much for granting access to this title in exchange for an honest review. I am grateful for the opportunity. Every heartfelt word is my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.
Sadly this book did not sit well with me. Both the writing and the plot needed more structure and work in my opinion.

Max Monroe never disappoints. This was fantastic as ever and I adored the story and this one was definitely for the books. A must have summer read for the pool and vacay mode. Grab it today!

An emotional read, the story of Norah and Bennett who meet when she flees from her wedding. I liked how it was told from both points of view. Looking forward to more from this author.

I’ve read several books by this duo before and always liked them. They’re good with banter, have good character development and overall are romances with fun and with heart. This, though, this is another level. I really adored these characters, their back stories and the complexities. I appreciated the content warning in the beginning of heavier topics than usual.

I love the small town atmosphere and all its quirky folks. I’m so excited this is going to be a series and we get Josie’s story next. I hope there are even more planned because I could stay a while in this Vermont town.

I loved the banter, the chaos, the chemistry and the depth of this love story.

Holy Heartbreak! This is one of the most emotional rollercoaster reads that I have ever read! Find a comfy spot to read, some snacks, good beverage and a box or two of tissues! The writing is outstanding as always, but the typical witty banter was dialed down a bit while the emotional aspect was dialed up a thousand times over! Every now and then you need a good emotional read that has a happily ever after and that is definitely what you are going to get with this book! As always, great characters, a wonderful setting, incredible interactions between the characters and a great small town with fun side characters. You won't want to put the book down so again, make sure you are comfy and well hydrated then settle in and enjoy!

What I Should Have Said was more like what I would not have expected! With nods to The characters very much reminded me of Lucy Score’s Things We Left Behind making it was easy to fall for them. I’m going to be honest, I wasn’t a huge fan of Norah until Summer came along. Summer’s introduction seemed to bring everyone back to a harsh reality and out of their own selfish ways.

That girl could melt anyone’s heart. I will say I was a little confused with who was upset with who at the end and why it was necessary for them to be upset vs coming together through tragedy but I, like Summer, was rooting for these characters from go. While the inevitable completely broke my heart, watching the end play out restored it. I would love to see how Josie and Clay’s story comes to life. Josie is more my speed!

Thank you to NetGalley and Max Monroe for allowing me early access! All opinions are my own.

It has been a long time since a book ripped out my heart and then put it back together piece by piece. I am still gutted. 100% will be recommending this to all my patrons and friends.