This book, what do I say…. Not your typical Max Monroe book, but it has become my favorite. It’s amazing, heartwarming, beautiful and I promise, you will cry. I had to stop a couple of times because I was reading in a public place. Before I found out what was wrong with Summer, I knew. Two weeks ago I was reading the news about a mother that had delivered a baby with the same condition. It just brought sadness to me reading about that family, then I started reading What I Should’ve Said. Even thou you will cry, please read this book, you will be glad you did.

Norah is getting ready to walk down the aisle to marry her future husband. Right before she walked into the church, a woman handed her an envelope and said to her, The Truth Will Set You Free. Now that she’s read the contents, Norah knows she can’t marry that man. She runs to her best friends Lillian’s place and knows she will protect her. Borrowing clothes from her and money to buy a Greyhound ticket to Red Bridge, Vermont, she disappears to see the sister she hasn’t seen in seven years. Hopefully she won’t tell her to leave. After the bus drops her off, in the middle of nowhere, Norah hopes someone will pass by and give her a ride. When a handsome man, but extremely rude, tells her that he’ll take her to her sister’s. Of course she couldn’t keep her big mouth shut, and he drops her before they get to town. When she finally gets to her sister’s, the look on Josie’s face is exactly what Norah expected.

Bennett is running late to deliver three kegs of beer to his friend’s Clay pub. When this crazy woman steps in front of his truck and asks for a lift. He’s angry at her for not being smart about her safety. Eventually she says something about his rudeness, that’s when he kicks her off his truck. Ben is father to an angelic seven year old with a severe illness that can’t be cured. She means everything to him and being her only parent, since the mother left right after she gave birth, he would do anything to make her pain go away.

In good conscience I don’t want to give anything more away. But please read this book, you won’t regret it. I would give it ten ⭐️.

Buckle up & grab tissues readers. You’re going to need it. Get ready to have your heart broken and put back together in the most beautiful of ways. This story is going to run your emotions through the wringer. There’s drama, reconnecting with family, heartbreak, grief and so much love. The authors have woven a beautiful tapestry with the added symbolism that connects the story together. It also adds to the delicacy of the theme. Once you move through the heartbreak the other side is exquisite love.

Norah is a runaway bride returning to her hometown and estranged sister full of secrets too awful to share. On her way into town she encounters Bennett, who is a grumpy, brooding jerk. He doesn’t have time for flighty socialites like Norah when he has a precious child at home to care for. Every encounter between them is hostile at best until Norah earns a job working for Bennett as his artist assistant. Once she begins working for him they get to know each other better and lower their guards down. Norah also gets to know Bennett’s adorable daughter who is wise beyond her 7 years, even wiser than some of the adults. The three quickly become what feels like family until the worst happens and Bennett shuts Norah out. What will it take to find his way back to the light, to Norah?

This is not the usual Max Monroe story but that doesn’t mean it’s not beautifully written. It does have some humor but the themes are much heavier. There’s enough warning to guess what’s coming and be prepared. The epilogue teases the next book in this series and I can’t wait for it.

Thanks to Max Monroe and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity.

Nothing in the description prepared me for the absolute tear jerker this book was. I was expecting a light summer read, maybe a cute enemies-to-lovers romance. But oh boy, was I wrong. This book was a rollercoaster of emotions, and I was not prepared for it. From the very first page, Bennett Bishop's grumpy and witty tone had me hooked. But it wasn't just his charm that drew me in, it was the unexpected depth of the story and the raw emotions that it evoked. As Norah's past and present collide, I found myself rooting for her and Bennett's unlikely relationship. And when the tears finally came, they were well-earned. This book may not have been what I expected, but it was exactly what I needed. Bravo to max monroe for delivering a 4.5 star masterpiece.

Geez, we already knew that Max Monroe was a Powerhouse but dang, they just took it to the next level in this heartbreakingly beautiful story. I could NOT put this book down. Each chapter wove around my heart until I was absolutely consumed with this book. If I could give it all the stars in the world, I would.

This review will be short and sweet. READ IT! READ IT AND GRAB YOUR TISSUES! Then when you are all done, sit with that sensational feeling you get when you finish. Because this books give us all the feels and so much more. That’s my review. I’m not writing anything to give anything away because all anyone really needs to do is read it. Bravo, ladies.

Highly recommended. What I Should’ve Said slid right up to my #1 book of 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book.

Thanks Netgalley for the ARC! Max Monroe has woven a beautiful story about love, loss, and finding happiness after tragedy. I typically don't like books that are tear jerkers, but the tears were worth it in the end! All around great story with a special happy ending.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6404970356

What I Should’ve Said by Max Monroe

A sunshiny, over-sharing, runaway bride meets a local artist who turns out to be the world’s best dad under his grumpy exterior. They have instant chemistry with great banter while navigating the heavy topic of the MMC’s medically fragile daughter succumbing to her illness.

This book is emotional (she is going to LIVE), sweet (he calls his daughter Sumblebee!), funny, and fast-paced (read 400 pages in 1 day). Caveat- *read with heart-shaped sunglasses nearby

Rating: 4

Spice: 2

Content Warnings: child loss, physical abuse, trafficking, grief

Written by @maxmonroe, digital review copy through @netgalley, and PUB DATE April 19th.

Definitely preordering the shelf trophy!!

I have never read a book from Max Monroe before. But somehow, I was drawn to the title and the cover and I am so happy that I requested this book!
Don’t let the sunny and cute cover fool you, because this book is an emotional rollercoaster. It crawls under your skin and won’t let you go for a long, long time.
I was not prepared for all the feels this book gave me. It’s a beautiful story, but maybe it good use some TW, because I can imagine this book is not for everyone.

This book and the writing of this duo makes me absolutely wanting for more and I can’t wait to read the book about the best friend and the sister!

Rating: ****
Thank you NetGalley and Max Monroe for this E-ARC. This has not affected my opinion in any way.

This book made me feel just about every emotion. I cried, laughed, was angry, and swooning all at the same time. I will say, the cover and description are a little deceiving, it makes you feel like you are getting a fun romance and the pink sunglasses won't make sense until you are finished with the book. Norah is a runaway bride who returns to where she grew up and ends up hitch hiking with a local, Bennett. Bennett is the grumpy to Norah's sunshine and at first wants absolutely nothing to do with her until her ex-fiancé shows up and he defends her. Norah ends up working for Bennett as an artists assistant and she ends up spending time with his daughter, Summer, who needs full time care due to a medical situation. I do feel like this storyline took away from the traditional romance aspect because Norah was falling in love with Bennett and his daughter at the same time and not just Bennett. I was crying at the end and this book will definitely be one that sticks with me for a while. Probably my favorite Max Monroe book so far due to the depth and different aspects of this book.

Umm, ok. Where to begin.. 🤔 I feel like a major bait & switch just happened. The sun shiny cover and the rom-com book summary had me thinking I was getting into a very different book than this actually was.

Is there a small town with fun characters? Yep. Is there a grumpy sunshine romance? Yep. But there’s also extremely deep and triggering storylines. I just finished a book that made me cry before this. I needed laughs and a pick-me-up. What I got? Heartbreaking storylines that had I known were in this book - I wouldn’t have picked it up.

The romance elements of this book took a backseat to the all-consuming emotional devastation. While I understand that listing trigger warnings can be a spoiler, this is not a book to go in blind to if you have triggers. Avoid looking below (list of triggers) if you want to avoid any potential spoilers…… ⬇️

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TW: child neglect and abuse resulting in death, domestic violence/physical abuse, terminal illness, sexual abuse

Thank you to NetGalley & Max Monroe for the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

Max Monroe thank you for making me fall in love, ripping my heart out and putting it back together. I am obsessed with this book and I will recommend it to every reader friend that I have.

This book starts out with the banter between Bennett and Nora before you get hit with the emotional gut punch you’re not expecting.

Run away bride Nora comes home to her estranged sister and meets the broody, infuriating town grump, Bennett and sparks fly. They may initially be sparks of fury but they turn to sparks of something else. They both feel an irrational jealousy and protective stance toward each other for reasons they don’t know. Without spoiling some of the best parts of the story, I don’t want to mention where it goes from there but I promise you it’s beyond worth the read. Just be prepared to laugh and cry and laugh some more. It’s an HEA with some tragedy in the mix.

I’m mad because my eyes are puffy 😠

This was so heartbreaking and tragic and beautiful. It was unexpected even with the warning and sweet and sad.

I feel like it could have been longer just because a LOT happened in a very short amount of time; but I also read it all at once so I am willing to admit that could be a me problem lol

Also the antagonists were like, a little comic- book villainy at times, which sometimes is the case but also, can you lower your voice at least pls

But I also cried so much I made a weird sound so things balance out ig

I received an eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. (Thank you NetGalley, and Max Monroe for this opportunity)

Basic Data:
- Contemporary Romance.
- Double POV. 1st person. Single timeline.
- Part of a series of standalone books.

Tropes/hooks:
- Small town
- Runaway bride
- Grumpy/sunshine
- Secrets
- Dislike to love
- Emotional read

Several things to know about this book:
- This book is very different from anything I read by Max Monroe.
- Check content/trigger warnings before reading this book, it contains sensible topics.
- Don't get misled by the cover. Even if the cover makes sense once you read the book, the cover gives vibes of a cute summer romance and it can't be further from the truth.

What the book is about:
This book follows Norah who ran away from her wedding and goes to a small town where her estranged sister lives. Unfortunately, nothing is as simple as that sounds because basically, everyone in Norah's life has secrets, even herself. So we follow Norah's journey in discovering those secrets and falling in love with a local grump and bad boy Bennett.

My opinion:
- When I started the book I was very invested in it because of all the secrets, intrigues, and drama and those were the main reasons I finished the book.
- I did really love Bennett, unfortunately, I wasn't able to connect with Norah. She didn't work for me as an independent character (it looks like she literally isn't able to do basic things) nor did the romance really work for me. It was a little instalovy and they went from "hate" to love in 1 second.
- I absolutely fell in love with Summer and her story.
- The pacing of the book was a little bit weird at times. From time to time I felt like I was reading a bunch of independent scenes about the same characters.
- There are "villains" of the story that were such just for the sake of being "villains" and providing drama. (Norah's mother I'm looking at you)
- This book definitely got me interested in reading the next book (Clay's and Josie's story)
- Even though this is an emotional story there are also instances of humor and most of them worked for me. (Like for example the sheep scene)
- We have a scene where Norah's ex gets abusive and his behavior gets criticized. When Norah slaps twice Bennett we just brush over it. I am not sure how I feel about that.

<b>Don't get fooled by the summer-y sunshine-y cover of What I Should've Said by Max Monroe. They set out to destroy my heart and successfully did so. But they did it with a mix of pretty wit, entertaining banter, swoony slow burn chemistry and absolutely lovable characters. My heart was bruised but it felt so good. I laughed over the silly accidents and puns. I cried my heart out. At the end, I felt healed and hopeful. A must read of 2024 and one of my top 2024 read.</b>

<i>🎨 Grumpy sunshine
🎨 Opposites attract
🎨 Reclusive brooding artist with big emotional baggage and runaway bride from New York starting over in the small town
🎨 Boss employee
🎨 Enemies to lovers
🎨Mix of rom com and angst.</i>

Norah has run away from her wedding with the rich and famous fiance after finding some awful truth. From outside, people will take her to be an elite posh lady but inside she is pure and simple and so so adorable! She escaped to Red Bridge to her sister, knowing it won't be a welcome idea after taking her mother's side many years ago and living with her stepfather. She has no choice. And my heart breaks for her. She is almost an outcast but the town slowly started to grow up on her. Even the Grumpy ah0le Bennett.

Their "meet cute" was so much fun and it was hate at first sight. But Bennett has even bigger problems. I am not going to tell you what but I was sure not prepared. An enigmatic and envied artist left everything to take care of something precious, something that is slipping out of hand and something that will break him. You cannot help but fall in love with his pain and grief. He is a protector and carer in nature and it's amazing how he managed to do that for Norah in middle of the storm called his life. They locked heads a lot of time. They exchanged so many barbed words because life kept throwing them into most hilarious and awkward situations ever. But slowly they became friends and partners..specially after Norah started working with him and she became a part of the struggle. The story went very deep and intense and I admit I shed fat ugly tears those turned into tears of happiness at the end. I pretty much couldn't stop the tears in last 20% of the book.

Norah and Bennett both were broken and lost. Love helped them to go through the darkness and conquer their demons and be happy again. It was a messy journey but so fulfilling. Norah is a beautiful soul who managed to let go the past and to help Bennett's future.

PS THE SMALL TOWN IS SO CUTE AND HEARTWARMING. The people here are a bit crazy but in the best possible way! I cannot wait for Norah's sister's story next.

I reviewed an early copy voluntarily

This is the first time I've ever read anything by Max Monroe and I loved it!

What I Should've Said is a short and sweet romance packed with all the things I love.
- Big city to small town romance
- Runaway Bride
- Mr Grump + Miss Sunshine
- Enemies to colleagues to lovers
- Chosen family
- Secrets....
- A little bit of heartbreak before the HEA

This properly tugs at the heartstrings and gives you all the feelings, a little emotional roller coaster that can totally be read in one sitting.

I would totally recommend this to anyone who likes Elsie Silver, Devney Perry or Helena Hunting.

I'm conflicted about this story. Firstly, don't be fooled by the cover, this is quite a heavy read so please do search trigger warnings before going into this.

I loved the Summer storyline. It was heartbreaking but simultaneously, so beautiful. The impact this little girl had on the people around her was beautiful to read.

However, this is marketed as a romance and due to the Summer storyline, I felt like the romance took a backseat. It was not the main storyline for a large portion of the book. So much so, that when something happened between Norah and Bennett, it felt a little left field.

I honestly was enjoying the Josie and Clay side plot more than Norah and Bennett's romance.

I felt this story wanted to do too much which then took away from their romance story.

I thought this was going to be a rom com…. No! It left me sobbing. This has Romance but it has a lot of deeper topics. Definitely check trigger warnings. I got a bit bored by the end

This is my ARC review of "What I Should've Said" by Max Monroe. Potential spoilers to follow.

This book was a perfect mix of all the emotions - humor, heartbreak, happy and everything in between. I love the enemies to lovers & grumpy sunshine trope and the writers really hit the nail on the head. I haven't read 100% of Max's books but they are quickly becoming one (two) of my most favorite authors!

The way they handled the end of Summer's storyline was just pure beauty. I don't want to give too much away but you will not be disappointed with this story. I cannot wait to hear more about Clay & Josie's story!

#WhatIShouldveSaid #NetGalley #MaxMonroe

I’m giving you fair warning - this is going to be an incredibly emotional read that will leave a lasting impact on you. I didn’t expect the emotional impact of this read. The emotional journey was like a roller coaster, with twists and turns that tugged at my heart. We all adore this author duo for their incredible creativity and humor, but this book is on a whole other level. It’s now my go-to recommendation when someone asks for the best of their works.

It is effortless to form an attachment to Norah, who is undeniably a people pleaser. She has a very entertaining attitude and a spirit filled with sunshine. While her trip to Red Bridge is not a pleasant one, she is determined to start anew upon arrival.

The meet-cute with Bennett was far from cute from his perspective. A complication like Norah is the absolute last thing he needs, adding more stress to his already overwhelming life. I loved how she effortlessly gets under his skin, causing his protective instincts to kick in.

Without giving anything away, the back-and-forth of their developing attraction is far less significant than her importance in his world. These characters have captured a piece of my heart, and I have no wish to have it returned. I consider myself lucky to have received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley, and I can assure you, it’s a must-read.

There were several instances in this read that had me chuckling. Sometimes all I could do was sob, my emotions overwhelming me completely. Their strong chemistry is just one reason they’re a perfect match, but the way everything else came together had me overjoyed with the happily ever after.

[But what a way to get it!! Whew!!]

This read completely captivated me, and I cannot stress enough how much I recommend it - it’s a must-read. I’m delighted to show my support for this book by leaving a voluntary review. I can not wait for the next one!!

Max Monroe are hands down the writing queens of the rom-com. Their wit , banter of their characters and story lines are always a winning combination. That said the synopsis of this book had me a little leery with it being a more in depth story. Told still with the funny meet-cute and instant dislike of each other, Bennet and Norah were right on track with their other rom-coms. As you get to know their back stories it became a little heavier. The way they were there for each other without question endeared them to me. There was no need to worry that this wasn’t another favorite of mine. This time instead of just tears of joy there were some sad ones as well. I showed up to work with the excuse of allergies having read until the end before bed. I highly encourage you to read this book. Just not around anyone you want to see you ugly cry. Thank you to NetGalley and MaxMonroe LLC for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review. Keep up the good work ladies! I’m ready to read Josie and Clay’s story.

Overall, a good story! The pacing had some issues, and I bawled when I read about Summer but the story of Norah and Bennett was an entertaining one overall