I laughed a little. Cried a little. I had my heart pounded by a book.
I found this so fun to read and really loved how wonderfully written it was. I was addicted from beginning to end. I love a book that draws you in and actually holds you throughout. I found it easy to read and on mind when I had to put it down.
Definitely worth reading!

What I Should've Said by Max Monroe is a heartfelt romance that explores themes of love, regret, and second chances. The story follows Norah Ellis, a runaway bride who escapes her controlling life in New York to find solace in the small town of Red Ridge, Vermont. There, she connects with her estranged sister and meets Bennett Bishop, a grumpy but endearing local artist.

Norah's journey from a lift of luxury to one of self-discovery is both touching and relatable. Bennett, with his rough exterior and soft heart, provides the perfect foil to Norah's character. Their chemistry is palpable, filled with witty and genuine moments of connection.

Max Monroe's writing is engaging, balancing humor with emotional depth. The dual POV narrative allows readers to fully immerse themselves in both Norah and Bennett's perspectives. The books pacing keeps readers hooked, making it hard to put down.

This is a beautifully written romance that leaves readers feeling both weepy and uplifted. It's a must-read for fans of contemporary romance and stories about finding oneself.

Some times this writing duo is a miss for me, but I loved this one! Definitely a hit! I adored Norah! This book was well written and held my attention from start to finish. This doesn't always happen, so I feel like I need to point this out. There was a lot of emotion packed into this book--loss, heartbreak, trauma. The love story between Norah and Bennett was really wonderful. Lots of great stuff packed into this book. Loved the spice. Enjoyable characters. I highly recommend this one! Huge thanks to Entangled and Netgalley for allowing me to read and review this book.

In the end, all I could think was……what a terribly sad book.
Thank goodness for the humorous aspect. And, the grumpy/sunshine was cute.
Definitely a very emotional read!
Thank you NetGalley, the author and publisher for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I sat down and read this in one day and ignored almost all my adult responsibilities. Norah and Bennett are so volatile and perfect in this rom-com with some very serious storylines as well. It takes you on an adventure that has you feeling all the feels and it was masterfully written. While some of it was predictable, other things were not. And I made it all the way to the end waiting to find out the story of Josie and Clay and didn’t get it! I’ll be waiting to find it out, because I now NEED to know.

I am not normally a reader who pays much attention to content warnings, BUT they should be present... and they were not. I think this is a common thread across reviewers in that this book is being marketed as a light-hearted romantic comedy when in reality there are some really dark and potentially triggering themes throughout. That alone has caused me to lower my rating.

This book was not personally for me. However, I feel like someone out there would love it! I think Norah is a strong female lead and loved her!

My initial impression of this book, was that it would be a cheesy romcom or hallmark movie love story. But, boy was I wrong. This book was an emotional roller coaster of loss, happiness, and anger. And encompassed many powerful messages and themes that adult readers can relate to. I ended this book in tears of both sadness and joy.

What I Should’ve Said follows Norah, a runaway bride on her adventures in Red Bridge as she attempts to create a new life. Little does she know that her world is going to be turned upside when she meets Ben and later Summer. You follow their story as they fight their growing attraction and attempt to face their pasts. What started off as a cliche romcom of a book ended as a surprising and compelling lesson on starting over, resilience and the power of family, friendship and love.

I really enjoyed Summers character. She was playful, fun and light. Her character came alive on the page and I could vividly picture her pink sunglasses and smile. Overall, I enjoyed the relationship between Norah and Ben and I really felt the push and pull that exists through the story. I felt content with the ending and truly felt that I had become a part of this little town of Red Bridge as I watched the journey from both Norah and Ben’s view.

I was apprehensive at first, as the beginning felt cliche. Norah’s initial exit and flee to a small town from a big city didn’t feel special. But, I do applaud how fun and laughable it was, especially Norah in the coffee shop. I do wish that there had been a little more foreshadowing in the first portion of the book about Summer and who she is to Ben. I also was not fond of the slapping from Norah who didn’t strike me as violent person. It felt very out of character with her overly cautious and gracious character.

The pacing of the book was good. Not too rushed and not slow. Both Norah’s and Ben’s minds felt different, so it was easy to follow the overall story when switching between characters. I felt there was a good resolution at the end especially knowing there’s a book 2.

Overall, I was genuinely surprised by how much I enjoyed What I should’ve Said. It was a beautiful romance story of love, heartbreak and broken people and families. We all have battles to fight and I like that all of the characters had depth and stories to them. I am very much looking forward to continuing the story of Red Bridge in Book 2.

What I Should've Said took a greater emotional toll on me than I thought it would. Yes, it was funny and lighthearted and sexy but it was also deeply sad. A sadness that still resonates with me now more than an hour after I finished it. It was a beautiful read but man I can't seem to shake off the sadness. I enjoyed this story and loved going on this journey with the characters even though it left a bittersweet and sad aftertaste. I do highly recommend it because it was amazing but just be forewarned it will do a number on your emotions. I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

4.5 stars overall

Oh my goodness. So many emotions while reading this one. I haven't cried so hard or so much while reading a book in a while. I definitely encourage anyone who wants to read this one to check the CW/TW and author's note before reading. It is a steamy romance and I enjoyed Norah and Bennett's story but man did it pull at my heartstrings and did I reach for multiple tissues. I thought I had an inkling as to what the big secret was in the envelope that Norah received on her wedding day but once all the details were revealed I was so shocked. I enjoyed the ending and now I'm looking forward to getting Josie and Clay's story. Many thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this book even if it made me ugly cry multiple times. This book will pull at your heartstrings, but it is oh so good. Be sure to have tissues handy.

*ARC REVIEW*
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was the epitome of the old saying “never judge a book by its cover” as it took me on an emotional rollercoaster! 😭🥺 you may see this book on the shelf and find yourself thinking it will be a super fun summer romance read and while the romance aspect may ring true, it was so much more than that. 😭🩷

🌅Norah, our FMC, runs out on her wedding day and proceeds to return to a town in Vermont. While there, she reunites with her sister and learns that things are not quite as they were when she left.

🕶️She kicks off her welcome into town by having to hitchhike a ride with one other than Bennett Bishop, a famous artist who definitely leaves an impression on her.

🌅This romance brings all the heat, family love and a true sense of how a story can make you feel so much emotionally. Max Monroe has a true talent of taking such an emotionally broken piece and turning it into a beautifully broken work of art.

🕶️I instantly connected with these characters and felt like I was part of their little world for a while. 🩷by time I finished this read, I was a train wreck and can confirm that this was the most I’ve cried reading in over a YEAR.
If you’re looking for a spicy romance that also has plenty of heart, trials, surprising twists and more, this one is for you!
*please do CHECK TW as this book tackles some very heavy topics and emotional moments*

🌅Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing, Max Monroe and NetGalley for allowing me this ARC copy in exchange for my honest review! 🥹 Opinions are my own.

Two and a half stars. I read the description and was in for a fun runaway city bride clashes with small town guy rom-com vibes, and that's what you get for about 25% of the book. I finished it, but my guard was up as soon as the FMC slaps the MMC. And especially after she slaps him a third time. And then we get to the terminally ill child.

This book should really have content warnings including ex-partner abuse, death and endangerment of a child, death of a parent, mentions of trafficking and prostitution, and did I mention the death of a chronically ill child?

This is my first book from Max Monroe and I'm not sure I'll be back. Aside from being a different book than what I expected, I was hoping for more of a journey from the FMC. She went from being kind of a pushover to... maybe still being a pushover? I didn't love the trajectory.

Yeah, this one ended up being not for me. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I’m so glad that the authors put a note of warning in the beginning of this arc. While I’ve only read a few of this author’s books, they were definitely light and fluffy romcoms. This book is not.

But I loved it. It is emotional and, at times, sad. There are moments of humor, though, that are typical for them. Be ready for tissues when you read Bennett and Norah’s story. It is one I will definitely remember and I can’t wait for the second story featuring Norah’s sister, Josie.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing for the updated advance readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I typically really enjoy books from this writing duo but I really struggled with some of the writing decisions in "What I Should've Said" .

While I wouldn't personally recommend this book, I definitely will read future books from this duo.

Thank you Max Monroe, Net Galley and Entangled Publishing LLC for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Dang they did it again…I cried reading a book! This is no different than many others they’ve written: good writing, all the feels, laughs, banter, some snark and amazing characters. I really enjoyed reading it! Bennett and Nora are a fun enemies to lovers romance. They are both well developed complex main characters. Their pasts and present collide in the most tragic ways as they wade through the uncertain futures. Bennett’s daughter Summer is just like her name, a ray of sunshine! She fills your heart and breaks it all at the same time.

Can’t wait to read more!!

What an incredibly sweet read! Bennett and Norah were amazing together. Norah is a runaway bride, who recently discovered something about her ex-fiance. Finding herself going to her sister's house when leaving the wedding, she runs into Bennet, a grumpy artist who is much more than he seems. Norah was so sweet and naive, having always been controlled by her mom and then her ex-fiance. It was great to see her gain some independence and self-confidence, while she stayed at her sister's. Bennett was a bad boy artist who was trying to stay out of trouble, especially with some important things he had to take care of at home. I didn't expect this book to be so emotional. It was absolutely heartbreaking at the end, and my heart went out to Bennet and Norah. Their chemistry and relationship journey was an absolute joy to read! Definitely one of the sweetest reads I've read in a while.

I loved this story. Well written and engaging, enough detail without being too much and drawn out. The story was unique and relatable, in a way. A very easy read and a story that will stick with me over time. The kind of love we all deserve, that comes unexpectedly and with some reservation, which is understandable. Highly recommend. I did receive an e-ARC of this book.

This was a great read!


It was a well-written book that had me hooked the entire time. The characters were all well-developed with unique personalities. Norah and Ben were both amazing characters. Summer was just as amazing. It was a heartbreaking journey for her, but I loved how Norah, Ben, and the rest of the town went out of their way to give her some fun, happy days.



Thank you Entangled Publishing for a free copy of this book!

Thank you Entangled Publishing for the e-ARC. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
From the beginning I have to say that the cover is misleading. This is not a rom-com, it is an emotional and sad story. So please search the trigger/content warnings before.
Some things are only mentioned, but others are on page.
Norah left her wedding and came to a small town where her sister lives. Bennet is a grumpy painter who is a single dad. There is a lot of background drama with Norah’s ex-fiance and her mom that I do not think was needed. A lot of it was only mentioned. To avoid spoilers, I will only say that this is heartbreaking, but has a happy ending.
The romance between the main characters is not developed very well.
I have to say that it made me more curious about Josie (Norah’s sister) and Clay’s story.