Rootbound by Tarah Dewitt

Rootbound Reviews

• 
  Heather Mclarry

  I was not vibing with this book :(
• 
  Stephenie

  "I want to love you until it's devastating."
  
  AHHHHH.
  
  This book has depth that I wasn't expecting, as well as warmth, humor, and heart. The sweetest cowboy hero and most stubborn heroine ever. The other characters were also easy to love. My heart hurt for Tait about how lonely she felt at first, the sting of her husband's affair, her heartbreak over her divorce and the torrent of emotions she felt returning to her childhood ranch and estranged family. I was invested in both Tait & Henry's journey, albeit in a nosy kind of way, especially with those past issues and there was a clever twist I didn't see coming. This was a fantastic debut, with bingeable writing that I both savored and devoured.
  
  "I wish you could see how you glow. How you brighten a room here every time you enter it. I can't imagine anyone, ever, losing sight of that with you."
  
  Read if you like:
  • dual pov
  • mutual attraction
  • flawed characters
  • a Thor look-a-like cowboy
  • ranch life shenanigans
  • sisters
  • banter for days
  • all the feels
  • juicy drama & secrets
  • my playlist is better than yours
  
  Also on Kindle Unlimited
• 
  Sammie Reads

  Eeeeep, I absolutely loved this book! I would consider this to be TD’s least known book, or at the very least, least hyped book, but it’s a new favorite for me. Tait and Ava have never really known their father or his family. They left with their mom when they were so little, and Charlie never really tried to have a relationship with them. So when Tait is fresh on the heels of a devastating divorce, she’s not exactly up for the additional heartache when she finds out that her next photography assignment is in Idaho…at Charlie’s ranch that also houses her entire extended family. And a Viking Cowboy named Henry, who mistrusts her on sight. Sigh.
  
  Henry and Tait clash, with physicality and wills, both determined to protect something. Her, her mental health and pride, him, his adopted family and beloved ranch. But they settle into each other when they eventually figure out that neither means the other harm. As Tait gets to know her father and her family, she learns that not all faults are black and white, and that sometimes, blood is thicker than old resentments. She discovers the beauty of Idaho, the peace of new love, and begins to shed her former assumptions and hurts. And then all new truths emerge, shaking her once again.
  
  So yes, I loved this (almost) beyond words. Tait is my spirit animal, Henry is a giant gem, and I loved her family so much! As someone who knows how it is to be estranged from a parent, I got lost in the fantasy. Mine is for a very black and white reason, but I loved that Tait’s story wasn’t as simple and forthcoming. Henry is so special, and he and Tait deserve each other and their happiness, and I just had such a great time getting lost in this world! Now I can’t wait to read The Co-Op so that I can finally read the Christmas book with all of them!
• 
  Katie Prouty

  "I'm going to be as straightforward with you as I can, just hold my hand and I'll hold yours and we'll both get to where we're headed together, okay?"
  
  Tarah DeWitt! This is your debut novel?! Girlfriend...you wrote a book! A dang good book!
  
  
  What's there to say... I loved it! I laughed, I cried. I salivated over grilled cheese. And hooooboy, I've got the hots for a farmer. Gardener? Cowboy?
  
  
  I'm mooning over Henry. Hen. Avenger-lumberjack. Swoon.
  
  
  BUT! I also really enjoyed reading about Tait's growth to become whole again, be seen and loved. Rootbound is perfect for fans of KA Tucker and it is available on KU. However, this is one I would want to own! *adds to cart*
  
  ⛰ READ IF YOU LIKE ⛰:
  -a second chance at love
  -dual POV
  -grilled cheese with apples & whiskey ginger ale
  -pop culture references
  -family dynamics a la Maury
  -Cowboy Thor
  -photography
  -Ranch life & Idaho
  -THE hand flex (iykyk)
  -enthusiastic air drum solos
  -#IsThisAKissingBook: 18+. “it feels like i can finally breathe, despite him stealing my air.”
  
  🎶 Song: Devastating by Johnnyswim 🎶
  
  
  Be sure to check out the ROOTBOUND playlist
• 
  Christy

  4 stars
  
  Rootbound is my second book by Tarah Dewitt and I enjoy dit just as much as the first! I loved this small town romance that focuses on family and finding yourself.
  
  Tait goes back to her hometown after not being there since she was a child. She’s going for a job, but ends up reconnecting with a family she hasn’t seen in a long time. There, she unexpectedly finds love and also herself.
  
  I loved Tait’s growth and watching her find herself and I also loved Henry. They were fantastic together. The family dynamic was also fantastic. The ending had me smiling so big! I can’t wait to read more from this author!
  

  Audio book source: Hoopla
  Story Rating: 4 stars
  Narrators: Nelson Hobbs & Stephanie Bentley
  Narration Rating: 4 stars
  Genre: Romance
  Length: 8h 44m

  
  
  
• 
  Emmyreads444

  This is my second book I read by Tarah & she never fails to make me laugh. This was a true rom-com. I LOVED the whole concept of this book. The tropes -
  
  Dual POV
  cowboy / ranch YEEHAW vibes
  slow burn
  small town
  enemies to lovers
  & drama.. tons of family drama.
  
  Okay I have a lot to say so buckle in bestie boos -
  
  The lack of communication between Taits parents.. to Tait letting her ex husband keep their house even though he was having an affair.. and now she’s tight on money?? BABE WYD. Like literally WHAT THE FUCK. I wanted to shake Tait.
  
  But wait, there’s so much more drama. The whole estranged family thing was weird in my opinion. Tait going from not waiting to have a relationship with her dad.. then two weeks after being on the farm she’s calling him “dad”? And the rest of the family welcoming Tait with open arms but hiding all these secrets??? This triggered the FUCKK outta my family trauma, but that’s just me.
  
  Overall I gave this 4 stars. I loved Tait and Henry’s chemistry. The epilogue had my HEART… the note from her mom?! That immediately had me add another star.
  
  I think it was just really hard for me to understand & like Tait when it came to her “family life” I felt like she needed a backbone when it came to all that drama…
• 
  Tiffany

  I love this book! You get all the warm country feels in it. Tait is a recently divorced photographer who is told by her boss to fly out to a ranch to take pictures where a popular tv show films. Come to find out, the ranch is the one her estranged father owns. So Tait goes on this journey of reconnecting with family that hasn’t been in her life for years.
  Tait’s story was so interesting. Watching her heal from heartbreak with her ex and trying to grasp how she feels about people in her life now, it was so well written.
  And then we have Henry. A cowboy who looks like Thor and is grumpy and protective over everyone at the ranch. He is the true cowboy gentleman. I LOVE him!
  Overall this story was great! It was well written and there was a twist i didn’t expect. I loved the humor. The spice scenes were amazing. The ending was perfect!
  
• 
  Jo ✿

  4.5⭐️ “I want to love you until it’s devastating” 🩷😭
  This book 😭 it did things to me. It made me want to hug my sister. It made me want to call my dad. It made me blush and giggle and it made me cry like a baby. Tait’s growth was incredible. I was so proud of her in the end. And don’t get me started on Henry 😭 when the grumpy cowboy turns out to be a marshmallow!!!! SWOON!! And my god, I think that was the best epilogue I’ve ever read?? Tears streaming down my face but smiling like an idiot. I loved this story. Tarah’s writing just does it for me. I’m a fan girl for life.
• 
  Inna

  4 stars, but would have been 5 stars if not for a few small things.
  
  Let me start by saying that this book was much better than anything I was expecting. It had a decent storyline, very easy to love MCs, and many well-written side characters. There were sometimes too many side characters to keep track of, but that didn’t ruin my enjoyment of this book at all. Did I mention that the MCs were great? The heroine is strong and witty. The hero is a bit of a grump initially, but we quickly see his marshmallow center. They had a really well-written relationship progression that wasn’t forced or insta.
  
  I really would have rated this book at 5 stars if not for the heroine GIVING UP HER HOUSE IN HER DIVORCE to her cheating husband! This part pissed me off, and it especially pissed me off that her ex then went on to live in that house and get married to his AP in the backyard and have a baby in that house! She put A LOT of money towards the down payment (that she got from an inheritance) and the heroine just rolled over and let her shitty ex have it! He didn’t give her anything! And he never even got his comeuppance at the end! Nope, I like justice, and this was BULLSHIT!
  
  Also, the hero did something similar with his ex. He let her get away with doing some really crappy things that hurt not only him, but others also. Both of the MCs were just super disappointing in this regard. Thankfully their characters improved in the present-day story.
  
  Still a really good book overall. Super sweet epilogue with a HEA a few years out.
  
  Safe;
  Heroine celibate 1 year
  Hero celibate 6mo
  Heroine divorced after her husband cheated and left her for his AP
  Heroine has a few ONS after her divorce but she never came from any of those encounters 😒😒😒😒
  No OM/OW drama at all
  No scenes with OM/OW
  No cheating between the MCs, but there was plenty of cheating in this story in general. Besides the heroine’s ex, there was also quite a bit of focus on the cheating that occurred between the h’s parents in the past.
• 
  Laurens.Little.Library

  Slow to start and a simple, straightforward story but I totally fell for both Tait and the delectable, grumpy, sweet cinnamon roll that is Henry.
  
  This also had one of the best epilogues I've ever read.
  
  *The audiobook isn't listed yet so I'll switch the edition at a later date. Both narrators do a great job 👍
  
  Many thanks to Tantor for providing me with the ALC!
• 
  marwah (hiatus)

  victim of my reading slump or just boring?
  
  guess I'll never know.
• 
  leslie ✿

  This book is just the perfect example of green flag man/couple can be still so sexy! I loved Henry, I loved Tait, loved every single character in this book! Rootbound is perfect mix of small town romance, grumpy sunshine, a little bit of enemies to lovers (just a little sprinkle!) and so much more (friendships, found family/family dynamics 🥺). Henry is a walking green flag, I’ve underlined so many of his lines. Tait is literally so broken yet so strong in her own way. Their banter, their pining for each other, their love that grown since they called “truce” is just so amazing to witness. I literally cracked up laughing in some of the chapters like this woman knows how to write a true comedy! She knows how to paint a picture, how to create a scene/scenery. Tarah DeWitt deserves so much more as an author and I hope she gets more audience in the future cause she is literally great! 💘
  A little ending note: this will make you cry if you are an easy cryer. It definitely broke me with some of the chapters. 😭
• 
  Leticia (jerseygirlsbookshelf)

  "Honey, they’ve all been dates to me. I’ve just been waiting for you to catch up."
  I’ve been curious about Tarah Dewitt’s books for a while, so I decided to go back to her debut. Let me start by saying this is really slow burn, and I really wanted some more tension, but it was cute, and I will definitely read more books by her.
  
  "The man is big, probably six and a half feet tall, I note—purely for the sake of being able to describe him to the police—and handsome, to be sure. Hemsworth-esque. But, as with many of his kind, he ruins it with speaking."
  I loved Henry. It took me a bit to like him, but once I realized what was beneath, I was done for. I mean, who doesn’t love a man who’s willing to let his loved one go if that means she can be happy? A man who has all the patience in the world and who is genuinely good right down to his bones?
  
  "Tait’s smile reminds me of that. It’s a bit like cracking the top of a crème brûlée—the top is great, but that’s good shit underneath."
  When it comes to Tait, I could relate right off the bat. She’s been cheated on, and the whole thing was way too familiar. A lot of her monologues could have been written by me. The fact that she creates random playlists with songs that don’t match sealed the deal—we could definitely be friends!
  
  "When someone betrays you, you don’t have a chance to lose feelings. You’re left with all that leftover love, plus anger right alongside it, with nowhere for it to go and no one to give it to. It’s like a phantom limb or something, I guess,"
  When she gets a divorce after her husband cheats on her, Tait is not OK. She hasn’t been OK for a while because when something like that happens, it changes you. And then she gets a photography assignment that could bring her out of her funk—except that assignment just happens to be at her estranged dad’s ranch, where he lives with the family she hasn’t spoken to in years.
  She may be setting herself up to get hurt, but she goes.
  
  "I’m—the warm-blooded female in me, that is—just a sucker for a good contradiction. And those stupid dimples on his otherwise rugged face are what make my body react."
  It’s Henry who picks her up in all his grumpy glory, and while he annoys her, she’s also drawn to him in a very weird way. She shouldn’t be, right? And he knows she’s his boss’s daughter, so he has no idea what to make of her either.
  But then they’re forced to interact. And they’re even living in neighboring cabins by the lake.
  
  "Tait," he whispers.
  "Yes?"
  "Can I—shit I’m going to kiss you now,"
  Like I said, there isn’t as much tension as I would like, but it’s good. The way they slowly gravitate toward each other, even though she knows she’s only going to be at the ranch for 6 weeks. Even though she wants nothing to do with her dad, who, as far as she knows, abandoned her—or with his new family. So nothing can happen between them for multiple reasons.
  And then there’s this moment at the lake.
  
  "Hey, you dismissed me last night, remember? So, don’t go acknowledging it and making me remember it, and definitely don’t flirt with me unless you want me to do something about it."
  Not gonna lie, I wanted to slap Henry for being an ass, but I didn’t have to. Because, while Tait is still not herself after what happened, she’s strong enough to give him a piece of her mind, and I loved it. But… agreeing to stay friends with the first guy who sets her on fire in a very long time may not be the best decision.
  Or even possible.
  
  "I want to be a good friend to the woman, really. I’d love to get extremely friendly, in fact. I want to get so fucking friendly that I lose track of where I stop and she begins."
  So yeah, they get to being friendly. They’re around each other all the time—but with other people. The temptation would be a bit too much if they were alone.
  At the same time, Tait starts seeing her dad and everyone else at the ranch in a different light, and the family she never wanted starts making its way into her heart.
  
  "You smell better than dinner, and I’d rather have you, Tait. So if you want to eat, I think it’s best if I stay over here."
  It had to happen between them, and although there isn’t a lot of steam, they’re good! When they get together, the lines are already blurry, and there’s no way this is only physical, especially for Henry. We don’t understand why he’s so tortured over wanting her… But when we finally do, damn it, I loved him even more.
  
  My other criticism has to do with pacing, which was a bit off for me. It’s slow and it drags out, but in one chapter a lot of stuff happens—one of the characters even mentions it being like a Jerry Springer show. And that’s more or less what it felt like for me.
  
  "You’ve turned my thoughts into an endless stream of cheesy romcom lines that are somehow applicable and understandable now. You had me at hello."
  Tait got to me in the sense that all she wanted was to be someone’s person for real, after realizing a lot of her past life had been a lie. She needed to heal, but so did Henry. And the way he’s willing to wait for her for however long it takes and how he wants to do whatever makes her happy—perfect.
  She may have never been the main character in anyone else’s life, but she’s in his.
  
  "I want him to know I love him for simply existing."
  By coming to the ranch, Tait found more than the family she thought she had lost—she found herself and the love of someone who can only help her grow while standing by her side through it all.
  And that, let me tell you, is a rare find.
• 
  Destiney Bomberry

  4.5⭐️ 2🌶️
  Listen if Tarah writes it , imma read it!!! I freaking love her and her books!!! This book was no exception because it was delicious!!! This book gave tension in all the right ways along with tender moments not only between Tait and Henry , but also tait and her dad. I giggle , blushed , cried my way through this whole book and I wanted to give tait the biggest hug ever!! For my fellow simple wild lovers I think you’d absolutely loveeee this!!!!
  
  What to expect:
  Found family
  Small town romance
  Dislike to friends to lovers
• 
  karie

  4.25🌟🤠 i will read lichrally anything this woman writes 🤌🏻
• 
  kelseyandherbooks

  4.5 stars rounded up. Docking half a star only because the book could use a bit of tidying up, editing wise. The story itself is a 5 star read.
  
  Rootbound is an absolute delight. I loved Tait and Henry’s chemistry, the slow burn with incredible payoff (seriously - 🥵🔥🥵), and the fact that they actually COMMUNICATED!!!!! Like adults!!!! I was actually giddy as I got near the end of the book and realized we wouldn’t be getting the classic “forced conflict just to get back together in the next chapter” schtick.
  
  I loved how Henry was willing to be patient. How he understood what Tait needed and was willing to give her the space to find it. I love that she went home, only to realize the place she left was home along. I loved that Tait reconnected with her family and let go of the resentment she had been holding. Gah. I just loved it all.
  
  It gave me major Yellowstone vibes and I DEFINITELY pictured the actor who plays Rip as Henry. 🥵
  
  
• 
  Kat | katreadsit

  “A picture, a dream, a story – whatever it is that causes that initial inspiration, that tiny thing IS the spark. It is absolutely paramount that you see that, and that you still be proud of pursuing your dreams…
  “… And also turn left here.”
  
  Tarah made me feel all the things with this one! I love how she writes such grounded and relatable female main characters. Tait (our MC) was so candidly herself and I really enjoyed her character growth in this one. Plus the Henry of it all didn’t hurt either 😏.
  
  The family dynamic was so touching while also being so bananas!! And the cast of characters was so entertaining too.
  
  Ugh, this made me swoon, hurt and laugh so much.
  
  4/5⭐️
• 
  Amy | Foxy Blogs

  ROOTBOUND
  ● Tait (29) & Henry (31)
  ● works for a publishing company doing research & photography / works for the ranch
  ● Tait is divorced after being the same guy since she was 16 years old
  ● her ex-husband married her, now former, best friend
  ● publishing company sends her to her dad's ranch to take pictures
  ● she hasn't seen him since her parents divorced when she was little
  ● she has a lot of negative feelings towards her dad's side of the family because she thinks they abandoned her
  ● her dad's ranch is used to film a popular tv show
  ● small town
  ● Idaho
  
  

  Audiobook source: Hoopla
  Narrator: Stephanie Bentley & Nelson Hobbs
  Length: 8H 44M
  
• 
  Drache.... (Angelika)

  I loved Funny Feelings and had high hopes fir Rootbound, but....
  Aaagggghh I'm quitting at 82%.
  The first chapters were intriguing, but the further I got the messier the storyline evolved.
  The romance between Tait and Henry (I loved him!) was the constant good and beautifully done part of the book and I would have loved to see how it played all out in the end, but I had so much issues with the rest of the book:
  -Taits relationship with her estranged father was not comprehensible to me (no contact from age 7 to age 28, but it's all excused and explained so easily?! Tait even called him Dad after 2 weeks? Kissed him on the cheek? Was glad he explained that the issue had been his selfishness (wich I didn't get) and he didn't lay the blame on her mother?). The fact that Tait and Ava were misarable with their mother was never mentioned again?
  -the fact that she didn't want money from her ex in the divorce although she had put 150.000 dollars from an inheritance in the purchase because she didn't need the money?? And 2 years later she is forced to take a job because otherwise she would go broke?
  -the inheritance- part didn't get a real/satisfying explanation on page either, Tait just acknowlegded it and moved on,
  -Tait and Ava had the best sisterly relationship we were told, but how both behaved trying to punish the other without talking to them, or the way they talked when they finally got around to it, was irrational.
  -Tait had in the years since her divorce not been afraid to take what and with who she wanted (meaning one night stands) we were told, but when she had sex with Henry it was her first orgasm with another person since her marriage? How was this not an issue that none of her one night stands had satisfied her or was this just a case of bad editing? Did they forget they had mentioned the previous one night stands?
  -I didn't buy at all how her father 's family hadn' t once tried to contact Tait from age 7 on (for 21 years) and now they were full of love for her, and after some few days she equally loved them back, without a discussion just some flimsy excuses on their side? Getting to an satisfying explanation now after 82% when Tait already feels she loves them would be anticlimactic at best.
  
  I won't rate this one because I wouldn't know how (the romance part was so great, Henry was phantastic, but the rest was a mess).
• 
  Delaney || delaney.reads

  If you’re looking for a love story that is going to make you feel alllllllll of the swoony sappy mushy gushy feelings, you have to go read Rootbound right this very minute. I have never so badly wanted to up and move to the countryside to spend my days riding horses and romanticizing every aspect of my life.
  
  Tait has such a great storyline in this book. She’s got some baggage and lord knows she can hold a grudge, but when you get past her walls? SUNSHINE. Complete and utter love and joy. Also, we have the same chaotic music taste, so I want her to be my bestie because road trips would be POPPIN. She takes every bump in the road with so much grace and I just love her.
  
  But don’t get me started on Henry. This man is the blueprint of the man I want in my actual real life. Cowboy Thor? Yes please. Chis Hemsworth lookalike? Without a doubt. Enjoys home improvement projects? Sign me up. Makes good coffee and wants to feed his woman? I can dig it. Big and strong but has ALL OF THE FEELINGS? TAKE MY HEART YOU CAN HAVE IT!! He calls Tait sunshine and darlin and honey and I would like to propose marriage immediately. He is a sweet little angel baby and I have to have him.
  
  Seriously though, Tait and Henry’s story felt so believable. Their love for each other wasn’t one of those Disney movie stereotype kinds. They just fell in real true love, plain and simple. I read a lot of love stories that are too fantastical to actually exist (which is fine and great - that’s what reading is for), but this is, I’m pretty sure, the first book I’ve ever read that made me completely wish and believe that I could step into the story.
  
  Y’all go read this NOW!
• 
  Lisa (Remarkablylisa)

  Not for me lol
• 
  *ੈ✩‧₊˚ soph *ੈ✩‧₊˚ (sophmaereads)

  4.5⭐️
  
  i LOVED this one!! tarah’s writing, stories, and characters are just so unique and they are truly everything💞💞
• 
  Melanie A.

  3.5 STARS
  
  Overall a very solid read. I loved Tait and Henry as a couple.
  
  However . . .
  
  This one evoked memories of
  The Simple Wild for me . . . in that I was wholly dissatisfied with the absentee parent's explanation, which was lame. Completely lame. A twenty year absence and Tait did not push back at her father at all? She was like 'ok' and that was it. 😑 I wanted more. I needed more. Some emotion - something. Ugh, not even the 'extenuating circumstances' that came to light near the end made it any better.
• 
  WhittyReads

  Tarah Dewitt is 3 for 3 for rating her books five stars. I fell in love with her writing after reading Funny Feelings last year (which is a favorite of all time).
  
  Rootbound is her debut release and it has all the things I love about her writing. Tarah writes such romantic, soft romances that’ll just warm your heart. Her books are so well rounded with the romance, character growth and fantastic storytelling.
  
  This book gave me The Simple Wild vibes (although not as sad). It has small town vibes, a heroine reconnecting with her Father and her roots, and a grumpy hero who doesn’t make a great first impression.
  
  I’m so sad I’ve read all her books, but it’s full circle to catch up by reading her debut last.
  
  4.5 rounded to 5 stars
• 
  Jo

  I think I enjoyed the family plot more than the romance itself? Although Tait and Henry were great too. I really liked the final twist, I never saw it coming.
• 
  BryannaReads

  ♡ Spoiler Free Book Review ♡
  
  This is my first book by Tarah DeWitt and after reading this one, I’m excited to read more!
  
  This is a beautiful story about bravery, vulnerability, family, love, forgiveness and closure.
  
  If you need a good comfort read that focuses on love and family, definitely check this one out.
  
  The story follows Tait after she gets a 6 week assignment at work to photograph a ranch only to realize, it belongs to her estranged family.
  
  My favorite parts of this book were the ones with her family. They were so fun and hilarious. The game night scenes had me laughing out loud. To see her be fully embraced by those she hadn’t seen since she was a child was beautiful.
  
  The main couple communicates like adults and it’s so refreshing. They also have such fun banter!
  
  There is spice, but it’s a slow burn. The wait is totally worth it 😉
  
  ✨ Slow Burn
  ✨ Cowboy- Ranch setting
  ✨ Dual POV
  ✨ Family drama & dynamics
  ✨ A twist at the end I did NOT see coming
• 
  Mai | mai.readingnook

  This book is packed with stories (and characters) but not overly done and I think it just proves how skillful Tarah is with her writing. The book is about self rediscovery, mending broken family ties, planting roots and flourishing, it's about healing, second chances, and love. All these stories are interwoven so beautifully together. Tarah has such a magical way of putting feelings into words, and if you've read either of her books you'll know what I mean.
  
  Things to look forward to:
  🌄 Dual POV
  🌄 Avenger-lumberjack-cowboy
  🌄 Grey sweatpants
  🌄 Playlists
  🌄 Impossible Questions
  🌄 Flirty banter
  🌄 The towel scene 😏
  🌄 Picturesque scenery
  🌄 Surprising twists
• 
  Brittany

  DNF
  
  I think this book could have benefitted from a better editor.
• 
  Kelly

  One thing about my Tarah is she’s never going to miss with me. Her writing is just always impeccable IMO. She’s an all time favorite for a reason. Her stories just have so much heart but are also based in reality and rawness. This was delightful, I loved the setting and these characters. A charming small town romance & Henry…..THAT MAN 🫠 loved this so much
• 
  Baiba Loves Books

  This book was really fun, cute and sexy! I read it in one day and really enjoyed it! It’s a grumpy/grumpy country romance.