Review Detail

This Ain't Our First Rodeo by Liara Tamani is a wonderfully clean, sweet young adult romance that masterfully shines a light on a fascinating, often overlooked piece of American history.

Written in a compelling dual perspective (POV), the standout highlight of the book is the incredible, genuine chemistry between the two main characters, Josie and Shawn. Their shared chapters do a fantastic job of showcasing a deeply endearing bond.
I especially loved the author's meticulous attention to the cultural setting and the fantastic abundance of resources included in the author's note, which provide an excellent jumping-off point for anyone interested in further reading on the subject.

However, the narrative faces a few structural hurdles that hold it back from its full potential. The overarching plot suffers from uneven pacing; it is a slow-burning story that paradoxically moves too quickly during crucial moments, leaving some of the heavier emotional beats without the impact they truly deserved.
This issue is most prominent at the very end, where the story wraps up so abruptly that it feels like the plot simply stopped mid-step, leaving me deeply wanting more closure. Furthermore, the progression relies heavily on repeated miscommunication. This trope grows a bit frustrating over time and unfortunately makes Josie come across as somewhat annoying, which occasionally disrupted my enjoyment of her character development.

The prose itself has a lovely voice, but the final text is brought down slightly by a few distracting grammatical errors. Readers will notice a handful of omitted words and/or confusing typos, such as using "feel" instead of "fell," which break the immersion of an otherwise strong writing style.
Despite these flaws, the heart of the romance and the educational value of the background make it a memorable read.

Potential readers should note that while the romance itself is soft, the book handles several heavy thematic elements. Content warnings include gambling addiction, loan sharks, the death of loved ones, smoking and drinking, non-graphic violence, and animal death.