Red Bridge Series Book Review
What I Should’ve Said & When I Should’ve Stayed
Just as promised, here is my review for When I Should’ve Stayed. Now, if the blog title confused you—especially if you came here from my last post on Leave Before I Love You—let me explain. While I fully intended to focus on When I Should’ve Stayed here, I realized it made sense to also revisit book one in the series, What I Should’ve Said. That’s why this post is titled with the series name: Red Bridge.
I read book one back in March of this year, before I launched this website and while I was still finding my rhythm as a reviewer. I’ve always struggled a little with reviews for three reasons:
1. English isn’t my first language, and my grammar isn’t perfect.
2. I’m the type of reader who either remembers too much or not enough—and I hate spoiling books for people.
3. I constantly second-guess myself, trying to sound “professional” when what I really want is to share my raw thoughts.
But writing here has become a space where I can be myself. It feels less like a blog and more like a reading journal—a place where I can capture the mood, vibes, and books that shape my reading life. That’s why it feels right to go back and review earlier reads, starting with What I Should’ve Said, since I just finished its follow-up, When I Should’ve Stayed.
What I Should’ve Said (Red Bridge #1)
I was first introduced to Max Monroe in Fall 2024 through an ARC of Meet Me at Midnight (thanks to Hambright PR, who invited me to apply as an ARC reader). By March 2025, I received my second ARC from them: What I Should’ve Said. If you haven’t read this book yet, please do check the trigger warnings first.
From the very beginning, this book had me hooked—a sign of a strong story. And it never fizzled out. I’m a sucker for small-town romances, especially when the grumpy/sunshine trope is done well, and this one delivered. I devoured it quickly, smiling and swooning just as much as I cried and had my heart broken.
Norah, the heroine, flees her wedding after receiving a mysterious letter, landing in Red Bridge where her estranged sister Josie lives. There she collides with Bennett—a grumpy single dad raising his daughter, Summer, who has special medical needs. Their first meeting is anything but cute, but fate keeps throwing them together. Norah forges a sweet bond with Summer, and though she and Bennett fight their attraction, their baggage creates obstacles that make the journey both challenging and emotional.
This book deals with illness, abuse, and grief, yet balances those themes with warmth, humor, and heartfelt romance. For me, it was more than just a love story—it was about choices, healing, and rebuilding.
Rating: 5/5 stars
When I Should’ve Stayed (Red Bridge #2)
In book one, we meet Josie (Norah’s sister) and Clay (Bennett’s best friend). Their unresolved tension left us with a mini cliffhanger, pushing me straight into book two. And let me tell you—if you’re starting this series now, you’re lucky. I had to wait months for book two’s release, and the anticipation was real.
This book is a second-chance romance at its core—raw, emotional, and heartbreaking in the best way. Josie and Clay’s love story shows how grief and trauma can fracture even the strongest bonds. The dual timelines (“before” and “after”) were brilliant, letting us fall in love with them at the start and then showing us how fragile love can become when miscommunication and pain take hold.
Clay is the kind of hero who loves fiercely and completely, while Josie is doing her best to survive in the aftermath of personal loss and her complicated past. Their relationship is both magical and devastating, but redemption and reconciliation give them a deeply earned HEA.
If you’re looking for a lighthearted romance, this isn’t it. But if you want a story that will break your heart and then slowly, carefully put it back together, When I Should’ve Stayed is perfect. I highly recommend reading What I Should’ve Said first, as book two draws heavily on details and events from book one. To me, this is a true sequel, not a standalone.
Rating: 5/5 stars
Four Max Monroe books in, and I can safely say they’re climbing into my “auto-read author” list. Their mix of heartfelt emotion, swoony romance, and relatable characters deserves way more hype in the book world. I’m so grateful to Hambright PR for adding me to their influencer list and introducing me to Max Monroe—because without that, I might have missed this series entirely.
If you’re ready for a romance series that makes you laugh, cry, and feel everything in between, the Red Bridge books should be at the top of your TBR.
Thank you for reading my review of the Red Bridge series! If you enjoyed this post, make sure to subscribe to my blog so you never miss a review. You can also follow me on Instagram, TikTok, and Threads @moodvibesbooks for daily bookish vibes, reviews, and seasonal reading content. Let’s keep the bookish conversation going!
Until the next book travel, M.
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