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Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses
A swoon-worthy YA rivals-to-lovers romance between a Nebraskan cowboy and California girl, thrust together on the Oregon Trail. Anything’s possible under a prairie sky…Riley Thomas is feeling stuck—she’s moved from California to Nebraska, she’s on a weeklong Oregon Trail family bonding excursion, and her luggage is lost. There’s no one her age on the trip except a tall, dark and irksome cowboy who wrongly assumes she has zero ability to handle the great outdoors. She can’t wait for this misery to end—even though going “home” isn’t even possible anymore.Lone wolf Colton Walker loves the simpler life of the plains and his family’s tourism business that helps protect them. He’s a stand-up guy—not a love ‘em and leave ‘em type like his rival, Jake. And he knows better than to take his chances with a prairie princess like Riley.But Riley’s got more sense than Colton thinks--and he’s not nearly as inflexible as he seems. And under a wide prairie sky of puffy clouds and bright stars, everything comes into focus--including a cowboy’s heart.Katrina Emmel’s Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses will take you on a sweeping journey across the American prairie . . . once you love a boy in a Stetson, you’ll never be the same.
277 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 23, 2024
40 people are currently reading
1207 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 154 reviews
January 21, 2025
2.75
if I spoke to my parents the way she spoke to hers, I would get whooped 🤗
if I spoke to my parents the way she spoke to hers, I would get whooped 🤗
August 2, 2024
Anytime I finish binging a fantasy series, I’m always looking for a sweet YA romance to help me get over my book hangover and this book didn’t exactly help with that. It took me a while to finish it, partially because of the Olympics and a busy work/study week, but also because the story just didn’t interest me at all. There was way too much miscommunication and I wasn’t a fan of the MMC either. He was just so judgmental, rude and condescending towards Riley. The cute cover sucked me in, but I will probably forget the plot in a few weeks🫠
July 18, 2024
Riley’s summer is spiraling downward. Her parents have uprooted the family in a move from California to Nebraska, right before her senior year in high school. Not only that, they’ve booked a wagon adventure across the prairie, complete with tent wrangling, fishing, and campfire cooking (but no cell phone reception).
Colton has a job as a tour guide in his parents’ business that gives wagon trips across the Nebraska prairie. He prefers enjoying the wilderness with his horse Chance than dealing with tourists. And this current group… Mischievous boys, “old-timers”, and a girl he just knows at first glance will be a spoiled “prairie princess”; he might just have to ride off into the sunset and keep going!
This book is great Y.A. fiction at its best! No underage drinking, smoking, and very little foul language. Best of all, the teen romance is sweet and gentle, not graphic and steamy. The story line is a must for anyone who ever enjoyed “Little House” or played “Oregon Trail”!
**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.**
Colton has a job as a tour guide in his parents’ business that gives wagon trips across the Nebraska prairie. He prefers enjoying the wilderness with his horse Chance than dealing with tourists. And this current group… Mischievous boys, “old-timers”, and a girl he just knows at first glance will be a spoiled “prairie princess”; he might just have to ride off into the sunset and keep going!
This book is great Y.A. fiction at its best! No underage drinking, smoking, and very little foul language. Best of all, the teen romance is sweet and gentle, not graphic and steamy. The story line is a must for anyone who ever enjoyed “Little House” or played “Oregon Trail”!
**I received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are strictly my own.**
March 23, 2025
you would not catch me with that attitude on the Oregon trail with some random cowboy. He'd have to be jacks or smth. The characters all sucked but at least it was a free kindle read haha
August 15, 2024
This was a super fun enemies to lovers, dual POV, YA summer romance debut that has a California girl uprooted by her parents to live in Nebraska and forced to go on an Oregon trail inspired vacation. Sparks fly between her and the young cowboy worker and they slowly fall for one another as the trip goes on. Swoony, sweet and really unique. I absolutely enjoyed this one for its lighthearted romp through the past. Great on audio too narrated by one of my very favs, Jesse Vilinsky and Ryan Lee Dunlop. Looking forward for more from this new author soon!
May 13, 2024
** ARC copy received on Netgalley **
Cowboy romance meets YA!
This book was really cute! First of all there are not many YA books that I have read that are dual POV and this story did it very well.
The MMC was a working teen, which I feel in some YA stories overlook. But in this story Colton is a hands on hard worker who helps run his family business, and it is noted that he loves being apart of it.
The FMC had real-world problems that can be relatable to some teens, like a sudden move in the middle of transitioning to her senior year. To most teens this is the end of the world and I feel the writer did a great job representing how that could feel to a teen in this position. Missing out on hanging with friends, internship opportunities, and even jobs.
The setting was probably my favorite part of the book, who would have thought an Oregon trail excursion would be so interesting. Now is it practical, probably not… being in a caravan for hours on end, on a wooden bench…. Not thanks. Let’s just say if I was Riley, I wouldn’t be happy being there either. Well, I guess if I had books… but I get motion sickness occasionally so no thanks.. But I loved the research the author may have had to do to go into detail in some of the environment noted when reading
Now if you’re someone who skips over filler, like descriptive writing, this book may not be for you. But for me it felt like it was just enough to be immersive.
This boook has/is…
- YA
- Enemies to lovers
- Immersive setting
- Dual POV
- Cowboy romance
Cowboy romance meets YA!
This book was really cute! First of all there are not many YA books that I have read that are dual POV and this story did it very well.
The MMC was a working teen, which I feel in some YA stories overlook. But in this story Colton is a hands on hard worker who helps run his family business, and it is noted that he loves being apart of it.
The FMC had real-world problems that can be relatable to some teens, like a sudden move in the middle of transitioning to her senior year. To most teens this is the end of the world and I feel the writer did a great job representing how that could feel to a teen in this position. Missing out on hanging with friends, internship opportunities, and even jobs.
The setting was probably my favorite part of the book, who would have thought an Oregon trail excursion would be so interesting. Now is it practical, probably not… being in a caravan for hours on end, on a wooden bench…. Not thanks. Let’s just say if I was Riley, I wouldn’t be happy being there either. Well, I guess if I had books… but I get motion sickness occasionally so no thanks.. But I loved the research the author may have had to do to go into detail in some of the environment noted when reading
Now if you’re someone who skips over filler, like descriptive writing, this book may not be for you. But for me it felt like it was just enough to be immersive.
This boook has/is…
- YA
- Enemies to lovers
- Immersive setting
- Dual POV
- Cowboy romance
November 7, 2024
it was cute but i wish we couldve gotten a little look into their future together like does riley have to do the three summer school classes? does she get to paint for the museum? do colton and her work out after the trip? i wish there wouldve been a small epilogue at least but anyways this was a great little filler book for when i didnt know what else to read
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 20, 2025
This was a very good book if your looking for something not to put a lot of thought in
July 13, 2024
4.5 stars
Well, this was just adorable! This was a fun city girl meets cowboy romance, though the girl also loves the wilderness and isn't the 'prairie princess' the cowboy assumes.
I thought the characters were fun and appreciated that Riley wasn't spoiled or afraid to get dirty and Colton was level-headed and willing to admit when he was wrong. The two fit together well and worked through their issues with minimal drama.
I'm definitely not cut out for an Oregon Trail ride, but it did seem kind of fun and was an interesting setting for the book. This was a fantastic debut from Emmel and I hope to see more of her stories soon!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Romance and NetGalley for the copy.
Well, this was just adorable! This was a fun city girl meets cowboy romance, though the girl also loves the wilderness and isn't the 'prairie princess' the cowboy assumes.
I thought the characters were fun and appreciated that Riley wasn't spoiled or afraid to get dirty and Colton was level-headed and willing to admit when he was wrong. The two fit together well and worked through their issues with minimal drama.
I'm definitely not cut out for an Oregon Trail ride, but it did seem kind of fun and was an interesting setting for the book. This was a fantastic debut from Emmel and I hope to see more of her stories soon!
I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All opinions are my own. Thank you to Delacorte Romance and NetGalley for the copy.
May 17, 2024
3.5 to 4 Stars
It's a cowboy romance. And it really nails that premise. Though it feels a bit formulaic at times, I think the characters are bright enough to break out of their archetypes and make the story fun anyway. The setting's also just nice. It feels like being on vacation, and that's always a pro when reading a romance.
My full review will be available at Gateway Reviews on July 5, 2024. Stop by if you get the chance!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
It's a cowboy romance. And it really nails that premise. Though it feels a bit formulaic at times, I think the characters are bright enough to break out of their archetypes and make the story fun anyway. The setting's also just nice. It feels like being on vacation, and that's always a pro when reading a romance.
My full review will be available at Gateway Reviews on July 5, 2024. Stop by if you get the chance!
Note: I was provided with an ARC by the publisher through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All opinions here are my own.
September 16, 2024
This book is the perfect YA cowboy romance!!!!
I will definitely reread this over and over again, when I need a cute cowboy romance in my life! This book had me giggling and and kicking my feet! I wish I could get more of Riley and Colton, I'll miss them ❤️
I will definitely reread this over and over again, when I need a cute cowboy romance in my life! This book had me giggling and and kicking my feet! I wish I could get more of Riley and Colton, I'll miss them ❤️
February 20, 2025
3.75 stars. Clearly I’m not a harsh book critic at all but I love a super cheesy predictable romance book! Parker got me this for Valentine’s Day and figured I’d read it to take a quick & more happy/upbeat break from binding 13. Finished the entire novela on my flight from phoenix to Tampa: very cute very cheesy very predictable happy ending but I’m a sucker for those☺️
March 23, 2025
this was cutesy! but real basic!
August 6, 2024
── 𝟯 𝘀𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘀 ✰
⋆✴︎˚🌾˚₊‧⁺🏕️ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁
₊⋆⊹ ┊𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 ⋆˚࿔ .ᐟ
⋆₊ ⤷ Riley Thomas just moved from California to Nebraska leaving everything she loves for the sticks. She’s forced to go on a weeklong Oregon Trail family bonding excursion. And to make matters worse there’s no one her age on the trip except a tall, dark and irksome cowboy. Colton Walker loves the simpler life of the plains and his family’s tourism business that helps protect them. But when the cowboy wrongly assumes Riley has zero ability to handle the great outdoors, he’s in for a world of trouble.
₊⋆⊹ ┊𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✎ᝰ ˎˊ˗
⋆₊ ⤷ The writing was pretty good and easy to follow. It was in dual pov which was great because I like knowing both of the characters thoughts. The dialogue is a bit cringe though. Most of the chapters were under ten minutes long but I would say the book was medium-paced.
⋆˚✿˖°┊𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬
⋆₊ ⤷ I love the fact that she’s an artist. At first, she comes off as very self-centered which made her a little unlike able, but I still liked her. She has a lot of layers but she’s not a complex character. Her goals and ambitions that are so significant.
.☘︎ ݁˖ ┊𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫
⋆₊ ⤷ Okay I loved Colton. He was so sweet and kind. HE’S A MOMMAS BOY YA’LL. Normally, that’s kind of an ick but he’s the cute type mommas boy. The boy walks around looking all cool but he’s a lover boy at heart.
₊⋆⊹ ┊𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ᯓᡣ𐭩
⋆₊ ⤷ This was a cute romcom. It made me giggle at times and the romance was decent. All of their scenes and little moments were really engaging. They truly understood each other more than anyone else. I loved their journey to learning about more each other and themselves as well (mainly Riley though).
Don’t get me wrong Riley and Colton were adorable but tension building was kind of poor. In the beginning, the their tension and banter was good until it wasn’t. Constantly describing how attracted they are to each other, then dismissing it. I was really disappointed with the kiss scene. It was honestly lame. The setting was perfect but the actual kiss lacked description and was hard to imagine. Repetition was my main problem. After the kiss, they start to repetitively express their connection and feelings for one another in both povs.
Thank you so much Katrina Emmel, Delacorte Romance and Netgalley for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
⋆✴︎˚🌾˚₊‧⁺🏕️ ᶻ 𝗓 𐰁
₊⋆⊹ ┊𝐩𝐥𝐨𝐭 ⋆˚࿔ .ᐟ
⋆₊ ⤷ Riley Thomas just moved from California to Nebraska leaving everything she loves for the sticks. She’s forced to go on a weeklong Oregon Trail family bonding excursion. And to make matters worse there’s no one her age on the trip except a tall, dark and irksome cowboy. Colton Walker loves the simpler life of the plains and his family’s tourism business that helps protect them. But when the cowboy wrongly assumes Riley has zero ability to handle the great outdoors, he’s in for a world of trouble.
₊⋆⊹ ┊𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐰𝐫𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 ✎ᝰ ˎˊ˗
⋆₊ ⤷ The writing was pretty good and easy to follow. It was in dual pov which was great because I like knowing both of the characters thoughts. The dialogue is a bit cringe though. Most of the chapters were under ten minutes long but I would say the book was medium-paced.
⋆˚✿˖°┊𝐫𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐲 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬
⋆₊ ⤷ I love the fact that she’s an artist. At first, she comes off as very self-centered which made her a little unlike able, but I still liked her. She has a lot of layers but she’s not a complex character. Her goals and ambitions that are so significant.
.☘︎ ݁˖ ┊𝐜𝐨𝐥𝐭𝐨𝐧 𝐰𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐞𝐫
⋆₊ ⤷ Okay I loved Colton. He was so sweet and kind. HE’S A MOMMAS BOY YA’LL. Normally, that’s kind of an ick but he’s the cute type mommas boy. The boy walks around looking all cool but he’s a lover boy at heart.
₊⋆⊹ ┊𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ᯓᡣ𐭩
⋆₊ ⤷ This was a cute romcom. It made me giggle at times and the romance was decent. All of their scenes and little moments were really engaging. They truly understood each other more than anyone else. I loved their journey to learning about more each other and themselves as well (mainly Riley though).
Don’t get me wrong Riley and Colton were adorable but tension building was kind of poor. In the beginning, the their tension and banter was good until it wasn’t. Constantly describing how attracted they are to each other, then dismissing it. I was really disappointed with the kiss scene. It was honestly lame. The setting was perfect but the actual kiss lacked description and was hard to imagine. Repetition was my main problem. After the kiss, they start to repetitively express their connection and feelings for one another in both povs.
Thank you so much Katrina Emmel, Delacorte Romance and Netgalley for a copy of this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 8, 2025
There was nothing particularly special about this book, but nothing particularly wrong either. It was cute enough, but not a memorable favorite for me. I don’t remember the characters names, which is always a telling sign for how much I care about a book. Overall, I wouldn’t discourage anyone from reading it, but I would never go out of my way to recommend it/hype it up.
August 8, 2024
The moment I heard about this book, I was so psyched for it. I love anything and everything that takes place on the Oregon Trail, and the premise of this book involves a week long Oregon Trail excursion (which sounds so cool!).
I was (and still am) obsessed with the Oregon Trail game and logged MANY a happy hour playing it. Literally one of the best games of all time.
Anyway, all that to say that a story set on the Oregon Trail is right up my alley. Unfortunately, the story was more consumed with the romance (which was fine - just not what I was there for). Since the excursion was only a week, they didn't visit as many of the landmarks on the trail as I would have liked. There was also a bison scene, though not quite like this:
I did like both Colton and Riley as characters. Riley had her moments of being a brat, but being uprooted right before the start of her senior year would make anyone cranky.
My main complaint was the fact that the stakes were low which made the story's pace incredibly slow. This book isn't even 300 pages, but there wasn't a whole lot of conflict so it was a very slow read. Even the addition of a "love triangle" (which wasn't actually a love triangle since she wasn't interested in the second guy) seemed only to be added in to add drama and tension.
I did love the moments that they spent on the trail, riding in the wagons, visiting the forts, and even dressing up in attire from the time period. If this book had had more to do with the sights of the Oregon Trail rather than the romance, I would definitely have rated it higher.
I was (and still am) obsessed with the Oregon Trail game and logged MANY a happy hour playing it. Literally one of the best games of all time.
Anyway, all that to say that a story set on the Oregon Trail is right up my alley. Unfortunately, the story was more consumed with the romance (which was fine - just not what I was there for). Since the excursion was only a week, they didn't visit as many of the landmarks on the trail as I would have liked. There was also a bison scene, though not quite like this:
I did like both Colton and Riley as characters. Riley had her moments of being a brat, but being uprooted right before the start of her senior year would make anyone cranky.
My main complaint was the fact that the stakes were low which made the story's pace incredibly slow. This book isn't even 300 pages, but there wasn't a whole lot of conflict so it was a very slow read. Even the addition of a "love triangle" (which wasn't actually a love triangle since she wasn't interested in the second guy) seemed only to be added in to add drama and tension.
I did love the moments that they spent on the trail, riding in the wagons, visiting the forts, and even dressing up in attire from the time period. If this book had had more to do with the sights of the Oregon Trail rather than the romance, I would definitely have rated it higher.
July 26, 2024
If you’re looking for a heart-warming adorable romance then I recommend picking this one up!!
I absolutely love the writing style, it describes the beautiful setting of this book perfectly!
I’m not a huge fan of being out in the wild for days but through this story is one of the exception that made wished I could be on that Oregon Trail Excursion!
Riley’s character is actually pretty relatable. I could totally relate to her as I would not be happy either if I have to go on that trail excursion after my life had just undergone massive change.
I really enjoy seeing how Riley started to grew fonder towards Nebraska - the people and its nature thorughout this story.
Not to mention, a handsome and sweet cowboy is there as a tour guide, life may not as bad as Riley thinks…..
Overall, this is highly enjoyable and entertaining. My eyes are glued to my kindle, it’s such a page turner!
I bet teenagers would love a story with a mix of adventure, nature and also a dash of romance!
I’m really looking forward to read the next book by this author in the future!
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!
I absolutely love the writing style, it describes the beautiful setting of this book perfectly!
I’m not a huge fan of being out in the wild for days but through this story is one of the exception that made wished I could be on that Oregon Trail Excursion!
Riley’s character is actually pretty relatable. I could totally relate to her as I would not be happy either if I have to go on that trail excursion after my life had just undergone massive change.
I really enjoy seeing how Riley started to grew fonder towards Nebraska - the people and its nature thorughout this story.
Not to mention, a handsome and sweet cowboy is there as a tour guide, life may not as bad as Riley thinks…..
Overall, this is highly enjoyable and entertaining. My eyes are glued to my kindle, it’s such a page turner!
I bet teenagers would love a story with a mix of adventure, nature and also a dash of romance!
I’m really looking forward to read the next book by this author in the future!
Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tour, Netgalley, author and publisher for giving me an e-ARC of the book and for having me on this book tour. I’m leaving this review voluntarily!
November 12, 2025
After some hard thinking, I'm going to say 3.75 stars rounded up for sure! which is a great rating. This was a super light and fluffy fast-paced read. It wasn't too in-depth or super super memorable.
I had so much fun reading this, and it's definitely a great palette cleanser. Especially because I knew I'd be in a book slump after Rebel Witch. I loved the country and western vibes so much. Colton seemed so cute, and even though in the beginning I questioned Riley, I really liked her! I love how artsy and creative she is. And how gentle and caring Colton is!
I also really wanna know if Riley will get the artist position at the museum! I need to get the other book, and maybe, just maybe Colton and Riley will be in it lol.
I really have 0 complaints because it was sos so cute! It felt like I was on the prarie with them taking the adventure. which is literally why I read. to escape reality sometimes 🤷♀️ but mostly because im just addicted lol.
🥾🤠🌌🐎
I had so much fun reading this, and it's definitely a great palette cleanser. Especially because I knew I'd be in a book slump after Rebel Witch. I loved the country and western vibes so much. Colton seemed so cute, and even though in the beginning I questioned Riley, I really liked her! I love how artsy and creative she is. And how gentle and caring Colton is!
I also really wanna know if Riley will get the artist position at the museum! I need to get the other book, and maybe, just maybe Colton and Riley will be in it lol.
I really have 0 complaints because it was sos so cute! It felt like I was on the prarie with them taking the adventure. which is literally why I read. to escape reality sometimes 🤷♀️ but mostly because im just addicted lol.
🥾🤠🌌🐎
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 10, 2024
This was a very cute, slow burn, YA romance type of story. I appreciated the way the author built the relationship up between Riley and Colton throughout the book. It went from awkward/quirky, to let's be friends, to a newly formed sprouting relationship. It was a breath of fresh air to read this book on a seemingly innocent, young love/first love situation. This story also had its fair share of emotion and feelings, specifically about being uprooted your senior year of high school and moving to a new place because of your parents. Something I am sure many can relate to. This was a 4 star read for me, I really enjoyed it. Thank you for the opportunity to read an advanced readers copy!
August 20, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
How can you hate everything in Nebraska when you haven’t really given me a chance?
OKAY SOOO THIS IS A MUST READ COWBOY BOOK IT WAS SO SO CUTE!!
i enjoyed the enemies to lovers part, but one trope was awful and ruined it from being a 5 star. ( spoilers for those who dont want to know BUT BESIDES THAT, highly recommend and colton was an adorable cowboy <3
Who needs cell service when you’re out on the prairie with a cute cowboy?
How can you hate everything in Nebraska when you haven’t really given me a chance?
OKAY SOOO THIS IS A MUST READ COWBOY BOOK IT WAS SO SO CUTE!!
i enjoyed the enemies to lovers part, but one trope was awful and ruined it from being a 5 star. ( spoilers for those who dont want to know BUT BESIDES THAT, highly recommend and colton was an adorable cowboy <3
Who needs cell service when you’re out on the prairie with a cute cowboy?
July 6, 2024
This was a really cute young adult romance. I loved following Riley and Colton in this book and I appreciated the alternating povs from chapter to chapter. This book was very well written and the descriptions had me feeling like I was right there on the prairie with the characters. This was a quick and delightful read that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Read this if you like:
📖 Rivals to lovers
📖 Slow burn romance
📖 Dual pov
📖 Cowboy romance
Thank you to Delacorte Romance for the gifted copy.
Read this if you like:
📖 Rivals to lovers
📖 Slow burn romance
📖 Dual pov
📖 Cowboy romance
Thank you to Delacorte Romance for the gifted copy.
July 25, 2024
Thank you to Get Underlined and Delacorte Romance for the free book. These opinions are my own.
When her parents spring on her that the family is moving to Nebraska just before her final year of high school, Riley is disappointed. All of her plans for internships and time with friends are swept away. And then her parents force her on a week-long wagon excursion based on the Oregon Trail. All sorts of things go wrong, as the trip gets started. And worst of all, Colton, one of the trail guides, immediately pegs her as a prairie princess.
But their first impressions of each other aren't accurate. And this becomes such a sweet YA romance. There's great adventure and such a love for Nebraska communicated through every page. It made me want to go searching for a similar excursion or at least visit the museums and historical societies in Nebraska.
I found this fun and low angst and appropriate for a wide range of YA readers. It's a unique take on the cowboy romance genre.
When her parents spring on her that the family is moving to Nebraska just before her final year of high school, Riley is disappointed. All of her plans for internships and time with friends are swept away. And then her parents force her on a week-long wagon excursion based on the Oregon Trail. All sorts of things go wrong, as the trip gets started. And worst of all, Colton, one of the trail guides, immediately pegs her as a prairie princess.
But their first impressions of each other aren't accurate. And this becomes such a sweet YA romance. There's great adventure and such a love for Nebraska communicated through every page. It made me want to go searching for a similar excursion or at least visit the museums and historical societies in Nebraska.
I found this fun and low angst and appropriate for a wide range of YA readers. It's a unique take on the cowboy romance genre.
July 25, 2024
I’d say this is 3.5 stars for me, rounded up to a 4.
I loved the Oregon Trail excursion setting because who didn’t love that game growing up?!
It was full of teen angst and witty banter.
The initial conflict felt a little silly with Colton and Riley judging each other quickly but I still enjoyed it.
My main complaint is that the book ended kind of abruptly.
I loved the Oregon Trail excursion setting because who didn’t love that game growing up?!
It was full of teen angst and witty banter.
The initial conflict felt a little silly with Colton and Riley judging each other quickly but I still enjoyed it.
My main complaint is that the book ended kind of abruptly.
September 26, 2024
It's been a long time since I read YA and I've also been in quite the reading rut lately. Along comes this book by Katrina Emmel and not only did it blow me out of my rut but it did it in the most delightful way. Aside from the gorgeous writing, the fascinating, detailed setting, and the engaging characters, I really loved how Emmel avoided certain character stereotypes in a thoroughly heartwarming way.
What a wonderful debut novel!
What a wonderful debut novel!
August 6, 2024
*maybe 3.75 in the best way possible*
a cowboy romance in YA??? ugh i’m sat
this was so sweet and enjoyable. the narrators were both fantastic! every time i read YA it feels so nostalgic. i’ll always love these books 🫶🏼
a cowboy romance in YA??? ugh i’m sat
this was so sweet and enjoyable. the narrators were both fantastic! every time i read YA it feels so nostalgic. i’ll always love these books 🫶🏼
October 12, 2024
A cute YA romance that involves a lot of snap judgements. I think rivals to lovers is a little bit of a stretch as they don’t rival over anything. There just two young kids who butt heads and then find out there’s more to the story.
December 29, 2024
This was very cute.
February 17, 2025
Really sweet and quick read!! I just don’t think YA is the genre for me😅
March 30, 2025
Cute YA romance. Clean.. only kissing. For ppl looking for age appropriate books.
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