When I saw the new Max Monroe's book on Netgalley I didn't think twice about requesting it.
When I started reading, I thought I was going in for the usual fun and smut they provide in their books, but I was so wrong and happy at the same time.

'What I should have said' is so much more than a runaway bride story, so much more than finding your true love, so much more than a single dad small town romance.

'What I should have said' is a tear jerker, painfully beautiful book to read. It's about love and loss, hope and sadness. To being hopeful to feel love again after a tragedy. To avoid pushing people out because you are hurting and you feel lost.

I laughed and I cried, a rollercoaster of emotion that didn't allow me to put this book down.

Thank you Netgalley and Max Monroe for the possibility of reading 'What I should have said'.

Rating: ♾️
Spice: Open

💛 Emotional
💗 Grumpy sunshine
💛 Single dad
💗 Boss/employee
💛 Opposites attract
💗 Small Town
💛 Slow burn
💗 Dual/ 1st pov

Sooo you've read a Max Monroe book already so you think this is going to be a cute, spicy romcom. WRONG. Try again. When I tell you I can't look at this cover and not 🥹🥹. This book is soul altering. I've probably deleted at least half of what I've typed for this review because I really want you to go in blind. I don't want to spoil a thing. Just know I read this book and have continued to think about it since. Lots of tears were shed. The last ... 30-40% tears were consistent. It was BEAUTIFUL 🥹😍🥰.

Thank you Max Monroe and @netgalley for this ARC all thoughts and opinions are my own.

When I tell you this book had me SOBBING! I don’t think I was fully prepared for what I was getting myself into with this one. This book had me laughing, crying, screaming out of frustration, and yet filled with so much love throughout. You will instantly connect with our two main characters who stir up all of your emotions with their steamy scenes, and witty, flirty banter while dealing with some very heavy subject matter. What I Should’ve Said is a beautifully written story where we learn about love, deception, and loss through the eyes of Norah Ellis and Bennett Bishop.

Norah Ellis is your typical “city girl” who seemingly has it all together. She was one of New York City’s up-and-comers, set to wed one of NYC’s most desired (and wealthy) men. Norah would’ve had her future perfectly played out in front of her until she received an anonymous letter on the day of her wedding that changed everything. Norah flees to her hometown to seek solace with her estranged sister in an attempt to give herself a fresh start. It’s in the small town of Red Bridge where she meets the one and only, Bennett Bishop. Bennett is your very grumpy, small-town man who used to live in the hustle and bustle of the city. Years ago, Bennett’s priorities changed and he came to Red Bridge to avoid getting into any further trouble. Unfortunately for him, Norah Ellis charged into his life and nothing was the same.

The contrast between these two made WISS a joy to read right from the beginning. Max Monroe nailed the ‘grumpy x sunshine’ aspect of this brilliantly written enemies-to-lovers contemporary romance. Opposites truly do attract in this novel! Norah is our feisty, bubbly city girl who has a heart of gold, and a permanent smile on her face but always seems to find herself in the middle of drama. This drama is exactly what Bennett - the grumpy (and kind of mean), short-tempered but gorgeous man – was trying to avoid for the last seven years.

About halfway through, you see a change in both Norah and Bennett, their connection is no longer something they fight which evolves into them softening into each other. We see how truly magnetic and powerful their love is for each other. The tension building was phenomenal, combine that with the spicy scenes that tease us and leave us wanting more.

What I Should’ve Said is a five-star read that I would recommend over and over again. The banter alone did it for me and some major jaw-dropping storyline moments leave your head spinning and your heart aching. I absolutely loved the introduction to the side characters especially Norah’s sister, Josie, and her story with Clay (Bennett’s best friend). I can see their story coming to light in another book after this and can’t wait to read about them. Max Monroe wrote an incredible story and I encourage you to read it.

The topics discussed in this book were heavy and could be triggering to some – I would recommend checking the trigger warnings.

"Summer will never be the same."

What I Should've Said by Max Monroe is my favorite contemporary romance ever!
Well, well, well. This was a pretty awesome book with great writing, awesome dialogues and characters.
This amazing enemies to lovers story was such a delight.
A sweet small town romance with the most humorous characters ever!
WISS is a great balance of humour, feel-good warmth and great story-telling.
Now I’m making it a mission to go back and read Max Monroe’s previous titles!

Thank You NetGalley and Max Monroe for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

So I am not one to push trigger warnings, but this book ABSOLUTELY needs to include a list of the ones within its pages. The book includes mentions of domestic violence, human trafficking, and abortion, and the biggest storyline involves a dying child. Especially considering how much of a departure this book is from Max Monroe's normal lighthearted fare.

Putting that to the side, there were things I really loved about "What I Should've Said" and things I really did not. I loved the small town setting and the insight into the town's residents. I am totally intrigued by the relationship between Clay and Josie (though I suspect I know what went wrong). There was some decent banter between Norah and Bennett and I loved Bennett's devotion to Summer.

I disliked some of the juxtapositions between spice and dying. I think I know what the authors were going for, but it didn't work for me. The storyline with Norah's mother seemed a bit superfluous and the villains overall are very one-dimensional. And I was not a fan of one of the bigger plot points toward the end of the book. It seemed too soon and left me with the uncomfortable feeling of Summer being replaced.

This book made me ugly cry. I do think it could be a great book to spur an emotional release provided the reader knows what they are getting into.

My favorite book to date this year. Heartbreakingly beautiful and unexpected. Norah and Bennett’s love for eachother and Summer had me smiling through my tears!

Max Monroe is quickly becoming a must read author for me. This book is emotional and touches your heart. I shed tears in the preschool pickup line and hugged my kids fiercely.

Norah has been living the life she’s been told to live until one day her world is turned upside down. She runs to the small town she hasn’t lived in since she was a child and to her estranged sister. She meets a handsome grumpy man and becomes instant enemies.

The last thing Bennett needs is a woman in his life, especially one he can’t stop thinking about. He has too much responsibility and needs to keep his focus on what’s most important but through some twist of fate, Norah becomes someone who helps make his life a little fuller.

Norah and Bennett have this pull to each other even when they try so hard to fight it. They end up being just what the other person needs and the support they show each other is heartwarming. They learn to make the most of the time they have, hold on to the people they love, and most importantly, never forget Summer brings Autumn.

This definitely has the Max Monroe touch of humor and balance of romance, and I don't know that I'll ever find a Max monroe book I didn't enjoy. This one is no different.

Norah is running from her life on the day of her wedding, leaving her life, family and soon to be spouse behind. She finds herself in a small town in Vermont at her estranged sister’s doorstep after realizing she has nowhere to go.

Norah has frequent run-ins with grumpy resident Bennett Bishop and each one gets worse. When her ex finds her and tries to force her out of her sister’s coffee shop, Bennett steps in and gets himself in trouble. However, Bennett can’t afford trouble as he’s caring for his medically fragile and ailing daughter, Summer.

When a job posting interests Norah, she quickly learns her boss is going to be Bennett and she second guesses her decision but once she meets Summer she has a change of heart.

Summer is everyone’s ray of sunshine but as her health worsens, Norah and Bennett need to learn to prepare for a life without her and if they even really fit together to begin with.

I have not had my heart broken in this way since I read The Confidence of Wildflowers by Micalea Smeltzer but thankfully this was a heart break I saw coming. Max & Monroe were not joking about the sadness of the book… but it’s also the sweetest love story.

There are also some funny parts to the story- such as Bennett giving Norah the wrong name at the coffee shop, making her walk miles to her sister and the pairing for Summer’s wedding.

This is not your typical Max Monroe story but it will not disappoint. I am already anxiously awaiting the next book.

Thank you Max Monroe LLC and NetGalley for the ARC of What I Should've Said in exchange for an honest and independent review.

Full disclosure, I wish I could give this one a 10 out of 5 star review. Five stars in not enough to adequately convey the level of pure adoration I have for this book by Max Monroe. One of my absolute favorite enemies to lovers story lines that is so beautiful and simultaneously so heartbreaking at the same time. I read this one in one night because I could not be parted from it. This is so much more than a standard romance novel, as it covers some truly deep and heart-wrenching topics, which sets it apart from the standard "enemies to lovers' trope. This is not just a surface level love story. It's complex, and deep, and forever evolving, just like our two main characters (Norah and Bennett).

Norah Ellis has been living a lavish life in the big city of New York. On the day of her wedding, her entire world is flipped upside down as she receives a manila envelope that contains ammunition to bring her current relationship crashing down. Armed with this new information, she cannot go through with this sham of a wedding so she does the only thing she can do and runs, at the risk of disappointing everything her mother has worked and schemed so hard to build for her.

Armed with only a suitcase of borrowed clothes, she catches the first Greyhound bus back to her hometown of Red Bridge, Vermont to reconnect and take refuge with her estranged older sister, Josie. In attempts to find her sisters house, Norah flags down a ride from the grump town heartthrob, Bennett Bishop. Bennett, who has quite a dark past of his own that he's concealing, begrudgingly decides to give Norah a ride into town. No matter the amount of effort Norah gives, she cannot crack Bennett's hard exterior and they spend their first couple interactions being completely at odds with each other, until one kiss changes it all and begins to create the smallest crack in Bennett's hard exterior.

As Norah works to rebuild a relationship with Josie, she starts the hunt for a new job (outside of destroying her sister's coffee shop) that will get her back on her feet and hopefully into her own space and out of her sister's hair. As fate may have it, that job happens to unknowingly be as Bennett's new assistant for his flourishing career as a world famous, ever elusive painter. Now thrust into each other's orbit 24/7, the underlying bonds of attraction are almost impossible to over look. As Norah digs deeper into Bennett's life, she uncovers his most precious treasure of all, his seven year old daughter, Summer, who is terminally diagnosed with osteogenesis imperfecta. Summer helps to unite the bond between Norah and Bennett, and brings so much life into this book, even as hers is coming to an end (insert absolute ugly crying at 3am in the dark here).

Can Norah and Bennett build off the relationship they've started to create through work and Summer to ultimately find their happy ending in a sea of complete despair and heartbreak? Or will Bennett get in his own way, as he seems to have a superb track record of doing in the past?

Honestly, I cannot do this book justice without pulling in all the themes wrapped up in this one work of art without completely giving away the entire storyline. One must leave some things to imagination! But I can say with complete certainty, you will not for one second regret picking this one up this summer because I guarantee you it moves you in ways you'd never expect from a standard romance novel. It's beautiful and heartbreaking and complex all at the same time and I truly think everyone needs a little Summer in their life. Run, do not walk to your nearest bookstore April 19th for this one. Thank me later ;)

This book was amazing! I loved the characters and the plot was very well written. The writer is very talented and the story was very interesting.

First things first, I cried for the last 35% of this book. Not just teared up! Cried so hard, my husband asked if I was ok. I was in fact not ok. This book broke my heart! But put it back together so beautifully. I honestly think you should go in blind for this book. The only thing I knew when I started was "it’s the most emotional Max Monroe yet". That was plenty! I loved trying to figure out what was going on and what was going to happen. I fell in love with this whole story.
It does have tough topics in them (that WILL SPOIL IT), so research them at your own risk.
I don’t really think I want to say much more just because I will spoil it if I talk. I just know that I will never forget summer or pink heart shaped sunglasses🩷🕶️ I loved this book so much, and I can’t wait to read more from this world.

Holy content warnings, Batman! I'm going to start my review there, because I think the authors did a grave disservice to their readers by not being more specific about the sensitive content in this book. So if you consider that sort of a thing a spoiler, here's your chance to look away.
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This book contains many sensitive topics that could be deeply triggering for readers, including on page domestic violence, a child with a terminal illness, and discussions of pregnancy and abortion.
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Now had I known those things going into this book, I probably would have enjoyed it a lot more and not felt like I was being slammed over the head with traumatic scene after traumatic scene. The story itself is excellent - had the content warnings been transparent, I would have given it five stars. It displays a depth of character development and storytelling that honestly I've never seen from this author duo before (and I've probably read a dozen of their books). But I think readers have come to expect one kind of story from this author pairing and this is completely different, which makes it even more critical to let readers know what they're getting into so they can go into the story in the right headspace.

I voluntarily read a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This book is everything. Enemies to lovers, long lost family, and a whole bunch of secrets. Throw in so much love and heartbreakingly beautiful pain and you have a top read. It has everything Max Monroe is known for, spice, witty banter, a little mystery, and strong women with hard headed men. It will leave you will all the feels while sobbing so hard through beautiful words you can’t catch your breath. It will put your heart back together piece by piece and make it all worth it. These characters are worth it.

This book is an emotional one, so you will going to want to keep a box of tissues right near you at all times. You may also want a pair of those pretty pink sunglasses too, so you can hide your red-rimmed eyes. Norah and Bennett were made for each other. I can't wait to go back to Red Bridge.

This book is not like any other that I’ve read by Max Monroe. It’s not one of their usual madcap romantic comedies that I love, but I couldn’t put it down! Be warned , it will hit you in all the feels! It’s heart wrenching and heartwarming at the same time. Love the characters and the setting, looking forward to the next book in the series.

"What I Should've Said" appears to be a typical enemies-to-lovers romance at first glance. However, the description hints at "dark secrets busting open like cans of worms," and I found myself utterly unprepared for the emotional journey it took me on. When I say I bawled at parts of this book, I'm not exaggerating at all. The characters are engaging, the plot is surprising and I can't say enough good things about this book.

#WhatIShouldveSaid #netgalley

This book completely broke my heart, and thankfully put it back together.

This fast paced read is not like anything I’ve read by Max Monroe. You’ll still see bits of the humor you find in their other books, but this one packs an emotional punch that will have your eye balls leaking. Have tissues ready.

I feel like this book wasn't meant for me. There seemed to be a lot of action unfolding in a short amount of time, and it didn't allow for a real exploration of the relationship between Norah and Bennet. I didn't feel there was a genuine connection or chemistry between them, as they barely knew each other before being together. Some scenes felt forced, especially the last part. I was expecting a slow burn, enemies to lovers with all the angst that usually comes with it, but that wasn't the case. I'm not usually a fan of children in books, especially when they seem to have an overly mature discourse for their age, and this was no exception. I liked the relationship developed with Summer, but I didn't love the plot. Despite all of this, I'm curious to see what happens in the next book.

It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Max Monroe book - this one is pretty different than the rest of their catalogue from what I recall.

I did enjoy this book, but can’t help but think it was a little jumbled… A lot of stuff rammed into a short(ish) book. At times, I couldn’t see the chemistry between the two MCs, and the romance took a backseat to the rest of the plot, before coming back in full swing…

Grab your tissues for this one, friends.