When I received this book, I expected a lighthearted beach read based on the cover image. Although it is a romance, it is anything but lighthearted. I found myself crying several times. I loved this book, the characters, the setting (I imagine a little Stars Hollow like in Gilmore Girls), the plot-everything.

I gave What I Should’ve Said five ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thank you Entangled Publishing and Max Monroe for the read along. These are my honest opinions.

I loved this book! I loved the characters and the storyline and just all of it and I’m looking forward to Josie and Clay’s story.

I openly sobbed for the last 25% of this book. Oh my goodness, that part hit me right in the feels.

The character growth was great. And I appreciate that it wasn’t just smut through the whole book. There was a plot and a storyline and I very much enjoyed it.

Read this one!

This book probably needs to come with trigger warnings (or make them more obvious, because I clearly missed them). I was not happy with the beginnings of this book. Norah drove me crazy with her immaturity and lack of being able to do anything on her own. Demanding others acquiesce, breaking things, etc...were bad. But assault was a big no-no for me. That said, the authors do try to lay down some ground-work for why Norah is the way she is...it isn't enough to excuse her behavior. She also isn't very guilty or sorry about it.

Anyhow, I am glad I stuck it through because things finally start getting better. The last dozen chapters or so I was pretty much crying the entire time. What happens is totally predictable (down to the name), but worth it for the growth the characters show.

Wow, I loved this book, and it was not at all what I expected. I was fully anticipating a cute small-town, grumpy/sunshine romcom, and it was that; but it was also heart wrenching and beautiful and made me appreciate my life and my family more. Norah and Bennett and the rest of Red Bridge were all perfect.

Norah started as such a timid, sheltered woman, but she quickly grew into someone who wouldn’t take anyone’s (read: Bennett’s) shit. She tried so hard at everything, even when she sucked at it, and it was endearing to watch. I loved that she put her heart on the line to get through to Bennett when he needed her most.

Bennett was such a grump, but he was also tender and protective, and he had a good reason for all three traits. I loved his not being able to stay away from Norah, no matter how much he told himself he should. He was one of the more vulnerable MMCs I’ve read, and felt so real and raw.

I sobbed while I was reading. More than once. This story broke my heart into a million pieces, but it also put it back together in the end. I’m going to look for a pair of pink heart-shaped sunglasses next time I’m at the store.

I can’t wait to read Josie and Clay’s story as soon as it comes out, because from the second Clay came on the page I knew I had to see them fall in love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Amara for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review! I was supposed to read it over 2 weeks for Max Monroe’s readalong, but it was so unputdownable that I finished it over a week early. Sorrynotsorry!

Please read the author's note before delving into this story! It has a lot of triggers and had me choked up a majority of the book. Make sure you have tissues close by if you choose to read this!

This enemies-to-lovers trope is the first book in the Red Bridge series. It tells of the romance between Norah, a runaway bride escaping a life that has been planned out for her, and Bennett, a brooding artist hiding away from a bad boy past and keeping secrets. Every time they end up meeting, they seem to get off on the wrong foot, but there is a simmering attraction between them they keep fighting, about to explode.

There is also a major emotional rollercoaster that the characters go through during much of the story involving a sickness around another character. I don't want to say too much and give away spoilers, but there is plenty of character development for our main characters with how they handle trauma and personal growth.

The plot is not your typical lighthearted romance. Be prepared to be heartbroken and emotionally wrecked.

The love between a father and his daughter is beautifully depicted in this heart-wrenching story. To some, Bennett may be the town grumpy, but to his 7 year old daughter Summer, he is her everything. This man doesn't blink without thinking of the ramifications on his daughter until Norah enters town. She flips their worlds upside at the most imperative time. She is there to be everything Bennett needs and someone Summer can confide in.

I was in tears throughout this book, reading the love Summer has for her father. She knows he is going to need someone who can handle the inevitable heartbreak headed his way. I adore Summer and her love of all things pink and girlie. She isn't given a fair shot at life, but she makes up for it in spades with Norah and her father.

Don't judge a book by its cover, don't read this book in public and do read this book with tissues handy. This book had the tears flowing and I am not normally one to cry from books. So, make sure to read the authors note to make sure to check the triggers because this book will bring out the feelings. But at the same sense i couldn't put the book down, i read the book in a day. The only thing that really bug me was how rushed the relationship was, even for a romance book. Especially with a kid involved especially for a enemy to lovers' type storyline like it started off as it moved so fast. However, i was still here for it and with the other storyline going on in the book i know why it was done that way. Definitely 100% recommend this book and am so grateful to entangled publishing for giving me a copy of this book.

This. Book. Ya’ll. 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 It made me feel all the emotions. I laughed and I got all teary eyed. It’s a rare occurrence for me to cry or get all teary eyed. Hands down has become one of my favorite books! ♥️

Thank you so much to Entangled publishing for gifting me this e-ARC.

I was so excited to read what I thought would be a light fun summer read, but that is not what this book was. I ended up DNF’ing at 66%. I originally thought about it around 35% but convinced myself to keep going. I really think that this book needs a clearer list of trigger warnings with more detail. I had to DNF because while I saw the few warnings, they did not prepare me for what was to come. I was also shocked about the way the FMC slaps the MMC multiples times when she herself was a victim of DV.

I’m giving this book 4 stars to be generous since my reasoning for not finishing was due to personal reasons, and the writing was good from what I read.

I went into this one a little blind, I kept hearing wonderful things and was so excited to dive in. I expected some humor but I didn’t expect it to break me as much as it did. This book brought me to tears several times and it was such a beautiful story in the end. I absolutely devoured it and would for sure read it again. You will definitely catch me wearing some heart shaped sunglasses this summer in honor of this book 🩷 Thank you so much to Entangled and NetGalley for a copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review!

My first book by these authors and I am WRECKED! This story was full of so much emotion and I was ugly crying. The authors did so amazing at truly portraying the emotion of the story and making you feel it so deeply.

Norah is a runaway bride who only has one place to go. She appears at her estranged sister's doorstep in the small town they all used to live in. Her sister takes her in and Norah is determined to move on from her past and make something of herself. Bennett is the town grump and he's also there escaping an unhappy life in the big city. He has an amazing little girl who needs constant care. His sole focus is on taking care of her but Norah swoops in and steals both their hearts. The drama mixed in with Norah's ex being such an awful person had me on the edge of my seat and I was filled with worry for them all.

The banter between Norah and Bennett was so fun. They were back and forth fighting their feelings but they can't stay away from each other. The relationship with Bennett's daughter, Summer, and Norah is so heartwarming. They all needed each other to finally come to some peace in their lives. The small town was fun to visit and I loved the side characters. You will laugh, swoon, and cry throughout this story so have the tissues ready!

Thank you so much Netgalley, HambrightPR, and Max Monroe for the gifted copy!

3.6 stars

This book is not sunshine and rainbows. It’s tragic and has ripped my heart out. I shed tears multiple times while reading this. Proceed with caution, bc damn.

The ending felt rushed and a little wonky. I appreciated the ties into Summer, but something about their grieving process felt unnatural.

Want a book that’ll make you laugh out, bawl like a baby, and make you want to slap someone? This book. This BOOK. It has it all. I absolutely adored Bennet and Norah, the small town, the enemies to lovers, all of it. Goodreads only lets me do 4 stars, but StoryGraph lets me do 4.5, so that’s what it’s rated. Honest to goodness, you NEED to read this. When I say I bawled, I was hand to my mouth, out loud blubbering and sobbing, snot running down my face. When I laughed, I cackled like a demonic witch from the fairytales. ⅖ peppers. Excellent book. This one’s gonna stick with me for a while.

A swoony, emotional runaway bride romance with all the small-town charm! Bennett’s grumpy artist vibes and Norah’s city-girl chaos make for sizzling enemies-to-lovers tension. With heartfelt family drama, unexpected secrets, and a summer of self-discovery, this book is a perfect mix of angst, humor, and romance. Completely unputdownable! ❤️🔥

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.