Thank you NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review.

I really enjoyed this book. I thought it was very cute and I am very excited to read more by this author!

The description of this story indicated a great grumpy/sunshine cowboy romance, so naturally I had to give it a read.

While Amelia and Eric were enjoyable characters, the pace of the slow burn (which was almost maddeningly slow) made this story less enjoyable for me.

3 ⭐️

Riders Block by Waitlyn Andrews
⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Just kissing 🌶

I really liked how this story went into the ins and outs of rodeo and western culture through the 4th wall lens of book research. Dean was definitly the MVP in this story, and his antics at orchestrating the classic romance story tropes (camping, one horse) were unmatched and very enjoyable. The story didnt really make much reference to the physical relationship between the characters (which is so fine) but it threw me a bit when they've had one kiss and are blurting 'I love you's'. I feel like a fade to black or more clearer instance of closed door might have made the timeline of the story Make more sense to me.

a cute cowboy romance that's sweet with opposites attract and a grumpy but softie on the inside MMC. unfortunately the romance takes forever to develop and not in a tension-y good way

After Yes Chef, I was really stoked for this book. Unfortunately, I find that the storyline lacked originality. It was a bit too cliché and predictable for me. Drunk confessions, misunderstood broody guy, heroine that's trying to prove herself.. There were elements that could have worked, but they didn't land quite as well as I would have hoped.

Adding to this, it seemed like too much effort was being made for the main leads to be alone when it didn't really make sense (who sends a woman who's only ever ridden a horse twice in her life on a 3 day trek with cattle?) Also, the characters swore every now and then which felt unnecessary to me.

Maybe a double POV could have been nice? I kinda wanted to read Eric's side of things at times. Not against trying this author again, but this particular book was simply not for me.

Had to dnf this one sadly.

Who doesn't love a good grumpy/sunshine small town cowboy yeehaw romance? I know I do, and this hit the spot. This book was my introduction to this author and it was refreshing to be granted access to them. Slow burn isn't normally my thing, but my god this one was done right!

This book was good and i really liked the writing, I just realized I don't like cowboy romances. However if you do like cowboy romances I think you would like this book.

give me more characters who have BEAUTIFUL communication!!! seriously, this book was an absolute JOY to experience!

Rider’s Block swept me off my feet from page one. With a slow‑burn romance set against the rugged beauty of Colorado ranch life, Waitlyn Andrews crafts a cozy, character‑driven love story filled with humor, authenticity, and emotional depth.

Amelia Greene, a bestselling author whose latest manuscript keeps getting rejected, heads to cowboy country for immersive research—and ends up crashing head‑first into the gruff but irresistibly loyal rancher, Eric (a part‑sunshine, part‑grumpy—part you’ll‑just‑want‑to‑wrap‑him‑in‑a‑blanket character). Their chemistry crackles from the start, but it’s the emotional honesty—Amelia’s past hurts, Eric’s protective nature—that makes their slow-burn connection feel real and earned.

What stood out most for me:

The small‑town charm is beyond vivid: rodeos, ranch chores, warm family dynamics, and yes—each chapter even has its own country song to amp up the vibes.

The supporting cast is truly delightful: Eric’s family welcomes Amelia like one of their own, and even the horses are practically characters (shout‑out to Roper, the sweet soul).

Despite being a “clean” romance, the emotional beats hit hard. Amelia’s journey from guarded outsider to embraced community member is beautifully paced.

I stayed up way past bedtime finishing it—tears, laughter, and lots of sighs. If you’re into enemies‑to‑lovers, grumpy‑sunshine pairings, or dream ranch reads, Rider’s Block has you covered. It’s cozy, immersive, and leaves you rooting for these characters long after the final chapter.

Thank you NetGalley and Waitlyn Andrews for my DRC!

A sweet, slow-burn cowboy romance with a cozy ranch setting and grumpy-sunshine charm. Great for fans of clean love stories, though the pacing may feel slow for some.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rider’s Block by Waitlyn Andrews

This grumpy‑sunshine cowboy romance is a real treat. Amelia, a bestselling author stuck on her next manuscript, heads to a Colorado ranch to get authentic rodeo vibes and runs straight into Eric, the gruff cowboy who becomes her unexpected mentor and more. The slow‑burn chemistry is sweet and heartfelt, with Eric’s protective side and Amelia’s witty charm making them a lovable pair.

What truly shines is the setting and found‑family energy. The ranch life feels vivid and welcoming, and the horse and rodeo details bring real authenticity to the story. The Randall family swoops in as a lovely support system, making the whole read feel warm and joyful.

Why 4 stars… Charming grumpy‑sunshine dynamic with heartfelt growth, Immersive rodeo setting and strong secondary characters, It’s a cozy slow burn—great if you like clean cowboy romance,

Overall, Rider’s Block is a feel‑good escape into cowboy country warm, slow‑burn sweet, and full of heart. I’d happily gallop alongside Waitlyn Andrews again.

3.5 stars.

Ahhh Amelia and Eric were so cute. I love a slow burn and a grumpy MMC.

The one different thing about this book that I didn't really love is that whilst the author had sweet reasons for not including a third-act breakup, it did mean that parts of the book felt really flat. Introducing the element of drama that she did, did not have the same impact, as I was not invested in Amelia's relationship with her dad.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC.

Love a cowboy romance with a bit of slow burn. I did enjoy the read and finished it in two sittings. I just wasn’t absolutely hooked! It was an enjoyable read but personally just fell a bit short for me. I do enjoy a bit of spice in my books so maybe that was what I was missing in this! But thank you to the publisher and author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

The tropes in this were so interesting, and adding cowboys into the mix made it perfect. Initially, it did keep me hooked for a while. But after the first few chapters, I lost focus. There was more focus on cowboy life and ranch life, and less on the romance. There was no real connection between the main characters, and ultimately, the story fell short. I'm sad that this book just wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed Yes, Chef and Rider’s Block had me drawn in but didn’t win me over in the same way.
It had a lot of elements I really enjoyed, the beautiful landscapes and nature heavy setting, the forced proximity, one bed (one horse), found family tropes, but it felt a bit lacking. The characters were wonderful (the female MC a bit dense) and made for interesting side stories but the romance was a bit too slow of a burn for me. I have never seen a man try so hard and a woman resist so much, I was about ready to give up on her.
There were a few editing issues (timeline confusion, the hopefully accidental use of an ethnic slur (twice)) but I know this is an ARC so I will give some grace there!
Thanks NetGalley and Waitlyn Andrews for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review. I love a good cowboy romance but this just fell short for me personally. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the main characters so ultimately this didn’t work for me as a romance novel.

The detail, writing style, and first person narrative took me out of the story, made it drag, and was executed poorly. The pacing and tense changes showed that edits would be helpful. Amelia was so off-putting. I found her voice was just annoying. Overall, there's much to be improved in my opinion.

Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an arc to read and review.

3.5 stars

This was such a sweet and charming romance. Mia, a successful romance author, is feeling stuck as she tries to break into a new genre and decides she needs some real-life cowboy inspiration. So, she heads from sunny California to rugged Colorado—and that’s where she meets Eric, the classic grumpy cowboy who wants nothing to do with her at first. While the rest of his family welcomes her with open arms, Eric stays cold and closed off… but of course, that just makes their slow-burn connection even better.

I really enjoyed watching their relationship evolve. Eric might be tough and stoic on the outside, but once he decides he’s all in, he’s incredibly thoughtful and patient—willing to take it slow to earn Mia’s trust. I loved that about him! There’s just something so satisfying about a strong, silent cowboy who knows what he wants and is willing to work for it. The ranch setting and rodeo backdrop gave the story an authentic, down-to-earth vibe that made me want to pack up and head out west.

Thank you to Waitlyn Andrews and NetGalley for this free advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

3.25 stars

I enjoyed the premise. I haven't read many cowboy romances and fish out of water stories are so fun. I loved the slow burn of this story. There is no spice which I appreciated. I absolutely loved all of the side characters. Especially the animals. I really thought the author was setting up a Penny and Dean book early on but that wasn't the case. I would have loved to see their interactions from their perspectives.

The pacing was off in the last third of the book. Our main characters were essentially together but because the FMC wasn't ready to admit she was in love, the story was drug out for another 20% until she could admit it. The small and grand gestures were so sweet but the story just needed to be tightened up a little.

Overall I had fun with this one and I definitely need to read more cowboy romances!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and share my honest opinion.

📖🐴 Book Review: Rider’s Block by Waitlyn Andrews
✨ Slow-burn romance. Cowboy charm. Healing hearts. ✨

Just finished Rider’s Block and I’m still swooning! 💫
This grumpy-sunshine romance between a struggling author and a rugged rancher is everything I didn’t know I needed. Set in the beautiful Colorado countryside, it’s full of heart, humor, and those “omg just kiss already” moments. 💕🔥

Amelia and Eric's chemistry is off the charts, but what really got me were the emotional layers—grief, growth, and finding belonging in unexpected places. 🐎

🌾 If you're into:

🐎 Small-town charm
📖 Writer-in-search-of-inspiration energy
💔 Healing from the past
🔥 And chemistry that sizzles

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ — 5/5 stars! Highly recommend.
💬“Sometimes the hardest words to write are the ones we need to hear the most.”

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