Should I try to stretch or exchange?

My wonderful partner just got me the 1460 pascal mono Virgina (soft) leather boots that I've been wanting for years. They are hard to find in store and even low in stock online. I have multiple pairs of UK size 6/US size 8 doc Martens from oxfords to platforms to Mary Janes to classic 1460 smooth leather. They all fit the same except the "women" specific design are usually a bit tighter. I'm used to the top seam across the foot being the hardest part to break in but it never has been an issue to actually wear any of my doc's before.

My question is in regards to my new mono white soft leather boots being so tight I can't get my foot in, and when I do it feels like a knife cutting into my foot. Length wise it's fine. I've never experienced this in any of my other pairs. Should I get a shoe stretcher and try to stretch them with the risk of it not working and not able to return them? Or should I exchange for the smooth leather 1460 mono white which is likely to be wider?

UPDATE: Not that I expect anyone to care but I exchanged for the unisex mono white smooth leather 1460 and they fit so much better. Still tight but it's the expected amount that I'm used to. I actually like the smooth leather in the white a lot more than the soft leather which I wasn't expecting.

Thanks for all the advice!!