When the Ride Knocks You Down, Love Helps You Climb Back On
Buck You by Elle Thorpe delivers a cozy, emotionally grounded cowboy romance that leans into healing, second chances and a genuinely good guy finally getting his moment.
Summer’s life changed forever when she was trampled by a bull a year earlier. Despite intense rehabilitation, she can no longer ride competitively, forcing her to face the painful possibility of giving up her lifelong dream of bull riding. With her future uncertain, she prepares to move to the city with her boyfriend Austin, holding onto the promise she made years ago: if she didn’t make it on the WBRA circuit, she’d choose his dream instead.
Dom, meanwhile, is reeling from his own emotional blow. Adopted at birth, he finally tracks down his biological mother only for her to reject him outright and threaten to call the police. Hurt and untethered, Dom packs up and heads to Georgia to work at Kai Hunt’s Bull Riding School. Kai’s daughter Summer was once Dom’s closest friend; they grew up together, but after her accident, she pulled away and contact was lost.
At Dom’s welcome celebration, Austin steals the spotlight by proposing to Summer. Shocked and unsure, she says yes but it feels more like a question than a commitment. Things unravel quickly when Austin drunkenly drives them home, refuses to apologise the next day, buys a city apartment without consulting her, and announces a wedding planner has already been hired. Summer wants a ranch wedding, not a city one, but guilt keeps her silent, Austin stayed in the country for years to support her dreams, and now she feels obligated to support his.
As Summer prepares to leave, she trains Dom to take over her ranch duties. Dom has always loved her, but when he asks if she’s happy with Austin and she says yes, he respectfully backs off, choosing friendship over interference. Around the same time, the ranch receives last-minute approval to enter their bull, Grave Digger, into a WBRA rodeo, an honour for any owner. Dom also receives a strange call from Felix Kaur, a man claiming to be his brother. Dom dismisses it as a cruel joke… until he realises Felix shares the surname of his biological mother.
At the rodeo, Summer becomes overwhelmed and leaves early, heading back to Austin’s hotel room only to catch him cheating. She ends the relationship on the spot, returning the ring with a punch to his face. Emotionally wrecked, she asks Dom if she can stay in his room that night. He agrees, but when she tries to initiate something more, Dom gently refuses, unwilling to take advantage of her vulnerability.
Weeks later, after Summer snaps at young riders, Dom finally confronts her. He takes her out to a honky-tonk with a mechanical bull, where she panics at first until Dom climbs on behind her, telling her she doesn’t need to use her injured arm for balance. With her eyes closed and trusting him completely, Summer rides and wins. It’s her first real moment of joy since the accident. Just as Dom is about to kiss her, Felix appears and introduces himself as Dom’s brother.
The three spend the night drinking and bonding, and later, Dom and Summer share a deeply emotional, passionate kiss, one unlike anything Summer has experienced before. Their connection grows through flirty texts, secret kitchen moments during Sunday family dinner, and eventually a night together where Dom remains patient, respectful, and deeply caring.
As Summer regains confidence and starts riding again, Dom’s birthday cookout brings surprises: Felix attends, Addie arrives, and Dom’s biological mother shows up unannounced, revealing his father is ill. Soon after, Dom learns his father has suffered a heart attack. Before he can confront his mother about her secrecy, disaster strikes and the ranch bulls are stolen.
With police tied up elsewhere, everyone pitches in. Summer and Dom track the thieves, only to discover Felix is involved. When confronted, Felix puts the gun down, apologises, and insists he never wanted things to go this far. Shortly after, Dom receives another call, his father has had a second, more serious heart attack.
Dom rushes home, discovering the family farm in disrepair and learning his brothers don’t want the ranch life. At a bank meeting, Dom runs into his biological mother again, who explains Felix cooperated with authorities after suspecting cattle theft and recognising Grave Digger. The stolen bulls are safely returned, and Summer continues training, determined to become the first female WBRA rider.
On qualification night, Dom secretly returns just in time to watch Summer ride again. She scores in the 90s and she’s officially back. Dom reveals he’s staying for good, with Felix taking over the family farm.
One year later, Summer is introduced on the WBRA circuit. As pyrotechnics explode and the arena goes dark, the lights come back on to reveal Dom on one knee. She says yes. Summer is living her dream as a professional rider, and Dom is right beside her, traveling with Grave Digger on the circuit.
While the storyline is a bit predictable, Buck You delivers exactly what it promises: a warm, comforting cowboy romance with emotional growth, found family, and a genuinely good man who waits, supports, and ultimately wins. Sometimes, that’s exactly the kind of ride you want. 🐂💛