What I Should’ve Said is book one in the Red Bridge series. It follows Bennett “Ben” Bishop & Norah Ellis.

Please note, this book contains extremely heavy subjects such as abuse, trauma, loss, and grief, so please go into it knowing that these topics are a part of the story.

On her wedding day, Norah gets a mysterious letter that ends up turning her world upside down. She decides to move back to her hometown of Red Bridge, VT, where she meets grumpy artist Bennett Bishop, and from there, Summer will never be the same.

This book had me hooked from the start, and I literally read it in a day. Who doesn’t love a good small town romance where everyone knows everything! The townsfolk are hilarious, and I loved all of the characters! Norah is definitely a people pleaser and overly apologizes for everything. Which was in a way funny to see because I relate so much with the over apologizing. She is funny, sarcastic, and super caring. Her caring nature made me really emotional throughout this book. Ben is a grump and loves to push Norah’s buttons for some reason. He is also protective, loving, and so freaking strong. I loved that he would absolutely do anything for those he loved.

This book was an emotional rollercoaster, and you will need lots of tissues!! I sobbed pretty much the entire last half of the book. It was honestly really hard to get through. Max Monroe knows how to write some really funny moments but also some really emotional ones.

There is a HEA in this book! I swear there is! I do wish it was a bit of a longer ending so we could see more of the healing journey, but I still really loved how it all played out!

You will enjoy this book if you like the following:
- Small town
- Grumpy x sunshine
- Single dad
- Runaway bride
- Emotional
- Dark secrets
- Enemies to lovers

I am excited to read the next book in the series! What I Should've Said can be read as a standalone!

Thank you so much, Max Monroe and Entangled Publishing, for the gifted copy!

Norah’s a runaway bride and runs smack dab into grumpy, muscled, Bennet. He barely speaks but when he does, people listen.

On the day Norah was supposed to get married, she received a letter from a stranger that turned her world upside down. She runs to her sister in Vermont to start a new life.

Enemies turn to lovers, strangers become friends, dark secrets bust open like cans of worms, and most of all…Summer will never be the same.

This book was more than just your typical romcom, it was so much more emotional, and I’m not sure it was exactly what I needed at the time. I love romcoms, I use them as light reads between my thrillers. This book put my heart through the wrencher, and I was not prepared. The cover alluded so much to a lighthearted romcom that I was a little surprised. The romance was sweet, but was more on the backburner to the emotional devastation that was going on. After I made it through the middle that I basically forced myself to read in hopes there was a happy ending, I was given the beautiful and romantic ending that so gratefully and desperately needed with every fiber of my being. It was a burning need this book end on a high happy note. You don’t know how much I needed it!

Just another small gripe but this book wasn’t about the beach, rather Vermont, and the cover just screams beach vibes to me. After reading the book I think I know why this image was picked, but I think that something different should have been used.

Norah's life is a complete mess after she runs away from her wedding. She ends up at her sister's doorstep seeking shelter after a run-in with a very handsome but grumpy man. From there, she gets into multiple situations involving this handsome man. She learns to stand up for herself through her time in this little town. Bennett's daughter, Summer, was adorable, and I loved her positive outlook on life. This book will make you laugh and cry, especially towards the end!

Thanks to Brittany from Entangled and Net Galley for the e-arc!!

*sigh* Max Monroe: you guys are a flipping artist. This book was such a delicate dance between devastating and beautiful and you made it work. This book wrecked me in ways I didn’t realize I even needed.

Some tropes:
💖Runaway Bride
🕶️Small Town
💖Enemies to Lovers
🕶️Found Family
💖Grumpy X Sunshine

The new cover is absolutely adorable! This town, these characters… AMAZING! The banter is on point. The slow burny build up of the relationship of the MC’s is so perfect. I have had this on my TBR but when I was given the opportunity to read this as an ARC I jumped. I recommend this one! Everyone needs Norah Ellis and Bennett Bishop in their lives ASAP!

Thank you to @entangled_publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!

Rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️

Wow this story broke me part and I swear I read as the tears feel for several chapters.

Bennett was living the fast life j in Tim his ways right up with him. Then he stopped and moved to a small town to settle down. Norah has the carpet ripped out from under her on her wedding day and she goes to her sister to regroup.

The first day she meets Bennett and he gets so made he kicks her out of his truck. But they keep meeting and you know the line between love and hate and very thin. Norah is everything Bennett tried to leave behind in his past life.

Add in Bennett secret why and suddenly Norah and Bennett have reasons why they need to be around each other. And their time together will change them both forever.

What a beautiful story.

This was sadder than I was expecting. Norah is a run away bride who chooses to hide out in a small town. The first person she meets is Bennett, a grump who leaves her on the side of the road. Being that it’s a small town they keep running into each other. This story has all of the plot points for a good romance, but with a sad twist I didn’t see coming. It does end in an HEA though!

‘Enemies turn to lovers, strangers become friends, dark secrets bust open like cans of worms, and most of all…summer will never be the same.’

A first for me by Monroe and although What I Should’ve Said wasn’t quite what I was expecting and I can’t exactly gush about it, I’d definitely read her again in the future. I just found this on the predicable side with surface level characters who I struggled to connect with, especially while considering some of their outlandish reactions.

But I always appreciate the opportunity, so thanks so much to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing, LLC!

This book destroyed me, as in ugly sobbing.

Ugh. I really do love Max Monroe novels. They have wonderful story-telling. The characters have so much depth and they grow. There is enough action to keep the pacing perfect.

And the emotions. There is always a point in their stories when they make the feelings feel. I got to that point in this story had to stop reading. I literally went and held my young daughter while she was sleeping because well, if you've read it, you know.

It's been awhile since a book has made me ugly cry like this. Kudos to the author's for taking us through it and finding the other side.

Really well done.

Thanks to Entangled for the eARC of this prior to the re-release with extra content. I loved it.

This book pulled me in right away! The story just flowed and made me want to keep reading. It had humor but also really pulled at your heartstrings. I cried at certain parts and felt hopeful at others. This was my first Max Monroe book but it definitely won’t be my last! I’m looking forward to Josie’s story!