Colt never thought he'd see his best friend ever again, Maverick was his first kiss, his first love, but even back then Colt knew he wouldn't survive living in Lovelorn. Back only to sell his family ranch, Maverick realizes he doesn't hate the ranch anymore and having a second chance with Colt might be worth building something new over the bad memories.
From the Want You Back blurb:
When Maverick Lovelorn left town, it almost broke me. I’m determined to not let his return do the same.
Then
In high school, Maverick and I were best friends. Inseparable. We shared everything from video games to camping adventures to a first kiss that shattered everything I knew about myself. Our first love was sweet and true and not nearly enough to keep Maverick on the ranch he hated.
Now
Twenty years later, Maverick’s back in town to sell the ranch he’s inherited. As the sheriff, I know losing the ranch will devastate the county. The area needs Maverick to stay. As a single dad with far more than my own heart on the line, I need him gone. Rekindling our friendship would be a Grand Canyon-sized mistake. But then we kiss, and every old feeling comes rushing back.
Now What?
My heart wants Maverick, but my brain knows he’ll leave again. How can I ask him to stay somewhere with so many painful memories? He might be healing day by day, but I struggle to trust in second chances. Is there a way for us to ride off into the sunset together?
Want You Back is book one in a new small-town Colorado cowboy romance series from beloved author Annabeth Albert with Yellowstone meets Schitt’s Creek vibes. It features the return of a ranch owner’s son and the sheriff who never forgot him. Mature main characters, high school friends with feelings to adult lovers, steamy reunion romance, hurt/comfort, found family, and big feels with a standalone HEA guaranteed!
SNik's review:
First in series (Second Chance Ranch). Former best friends. Second chance. Single dad. Demisexual representation. Slow burn. Dual POV.
Maverick is back home at the family ranch he grew up hating, wanting to sell it and get out, but he’s being forced to stay and he’s honestly torn as he sees his former best friend again. Colt never expected Maverick to return, it’s been 20 years, but he still feels those special feelings only Colt ever brought out of him and has to accept that Maverick has no intentions of staying.
This is a really good second chance story, the relationship when they are younger is well developed and the hesitation to get hurt again is understandable. I really enjoyed how Colt and Maverick don’t jump into anything, and allow all the memories and feelings from the past to return. Their honest communication was especially swoony and their adult responsibilities never takes a back seat to their wanting to try for a new future together. I liked the main characters, I liked that starting up again was fairly low angst, and that the younger characters were important but not in a way that overwhelmed the romantic relationship.
Zakiyya's review:
Set against the backdrop of a prolific Texas ranch, this story reunites Maverick and Colt, former young lovers whose paths were split years ago by heartbreak, fear, and a choice neither could undo. When Maverick returns home after nearly two decades away—older, wiser, and still very much in love—they're both forced to confront everything left unsaid.
What makes this novel shine is its emotional authenticity. The characters aren’t perfect—they're wounded, proud, and sometimes maddeningly stubborn. But their chemistry? Off the charts. The intimacy between them feels earned, layered with history and hesitation. It’s not insta-love; it’s love rediscovered, rekindled slowly like a fire that never quite died.
The writing captures the setting beautifully—wide-open plains, starry nights, and the quiet ache of loneliness that only wide skies can magnify. The ranch work, the town gossip, the whiskey-soaked confessions in a small town —all of it feels honest and lived-in.
If there’s a flaw, it’s only that the pacing in the middle sags slightly as both men wrestle with the past (and sometimes each other) a bit too much. But the payoff is worth it. The final chapters are tender and cathartic, delivering not just a romantic HEA, but an emotional one.
Overall verdict:
Grab your boots, your tissues, and your heart. This cowboy tale delivers a second chance that feels like a first love all over again.
Want You Back is currently available as an e-book and can be read as part of your Kindle Unlimited Subscription
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