A brilliant read, I really enjoyed the second instalment in the series.

It was lovely to spend time with Wyatt and Rory from book 1, but this book focuses on Wyatt's best friend, Duke, and Wyatt's younger sister, Cherry.

Both Duke and Cherry have pined for each other for years, but after a few tricky years for Cherry with her health conditions, she's finally ready to start living. With her friend, she writes a bucket list of things she wants to do, some are harmless, others require a little help ;) when Duke finds the bucket list, he is all too happy to help with the harmless activities but wants to steer away from the other activities until he sees Cherry speed dating, and he snaps.

There's a small third act break up/miscommunication, but, it's well done, there's low tension and it's not overly drawn out.

The HEA is wonderful, and I can't wait to read the next book!

"but you gotta remember that no one is strong all the time" I struggled with this one, I did not feel like they had much chemistry. I loved the epilepsy and endo representation and I loved how Duke was there for her and made her see it was not a weakness. I did enjoy the little things he did for her, and the bucket list was a fun touch but I didn't feel the connection with these characters. Sadly although it had a lot of the tropes I love this one just didn't quite do it for me.

After loving Live Ranch Love last year, I was superrer excited for Cherry and Duke's love story and they definitely didn't disappoint!! Cherry is such a firecracker and Duke is the gentle kind of MMC I find so refreshing in a world of morally grey, delicious but slightly repetitive men. I will say I found them to be a teeeeensy bit insta-lovey initially but hey, if I was Cherry and working with Duke everyday, l'd be all over him like a rash so I won't hold it against my girl 🙂‍↕️

I looooved the bucket list theme and that any miscommunication was wrapped up quickly and the spicy scenes were HOT oh my goodness do you have a minute to talk about the logistics of s3x on a motorbike?? Duke's grandma was also a standout character and she had me cackling at certain parts, especially the scrabble. Overall, a super fun sequel with a lot of heart and endo/epilepsy rep sprinkled in which was amazing to see 🍒

This was a very cute summer romance. Absolutely perfect if you need an easy, cute read.

As very often with romance, it was a little bit predictable but honestly I really enjoy the book - small town is one of my favourite trop and I loooove a brother’s best friend romance.

I liked the characters - I liked how supportive of each other Cherry and Duke both are. Cherry’s struggles with epilepsy and people babying her because of it and her trying to get away from that; and Duke’s protectiveness without suffocating her - that was great to read. I love how compatible they are and how, while it’s predictable and we know how it’s going to end, it doesn’t specially feel like too insta love (which I personally hate).

Overall it’s honestly a very cute romance, with good characters, good banter and of course some spicy scenes. Very easy to read and very enjoyable!

Cherry Hensley está decidida a vivir al máximo su último año antes de graduarse. Después de haber pasado su adolescencia limitada por la epilepsia, crea una lista de cosas por hacer para salir de su zona de confort y recuperar la confianza que la enfermedad le arrebató. Trabaja en el bar de su hermano mayor durante los descansos de la universidad, y aunque intenta no enamorarse de Duke Bennett, su jefe y el mejor amigo de su hermano, no puede evitar hacerlo.

Duke lleva años reprimiendo sus sentimientos por Cherry, sabiendo que cruzar esa línea significaría romper la confianza de la familia que lo acogió cuando perdió a la suya. Pero cuanto más tiempo pasan juntos, más difícil se vuelve resistirse. Entre tatuajes, juegos de "verdad o reto" y motocicletas prohibidas, la tensión entre ambos se intensifica. Mientras Cherry lucha por demostrarse a sí misma que puede vivir sin miedo, Duke deberá decidir si seguir protegiéndola a distancia o arriesgarlo todo por el amor que siempre ha estado ahí.


--


Es un libro ligero, rápido de leer y el conflicto se resuelve rápidamente.




Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest

Easy 5 star read for me, devoured in less than a day! This is the second book in the Willow Ridge series following Live, Laugh Ranch and it did not disappoint 🙌
This book follows Cherry and brothers best friend Duke who have both been secretly crushing on eachother for years. Cherry suffers from endometriosis and Epilepsy (loved how this was covered) meaning she is wrapped in cotton wool by her family and pretty much the whole town. During her summer return from college where she works in Dukes bar, Cherry creates a bucket list of things she wants to tick off her achievement list including saucy goals proving to herself and others thats she's a growing woman and doesn't need to be looked after all the time.
Shes ready for anything... except for Duke to help her with the list!

✨️ Brothers best friend
✨️ Secret crush
✨️ Workplace romance
✨️ Forbidden love
✨️ Forced proximity
✨️ Open door spice
✨️ Small town romance

Tick, tick, tick IYKYK! Release date 11th September.

Thanks so much to NetGalley, Emma Lucy and Harper Collins for the free copy. All opinions are my own and are left voluntarily.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

The second book in the Willow Ridge series.

This story follows Cherry and Duke.
They’ve know each other for many years. Duke is best friends with Wyatt, Cherry’s brother, and obviously off limits.
Cherry has always had a major crush on Duke and felt like the feelings she had were unrequited.

That is until he finds her bucket list and decides to help her, but only with the platonic stuff.
That does not last.

This couple are insanely perfect for each other. I adore them so much and did not want the story to end.
Definitely my favourite of the series and I cannot wait to read more by this author.

Tropes include:
• friends to lovers
• brothers best friend
• small town romance
• workplace romance
• forbidden love

When I need a pick-me-up, a small-town cowboy romance never fails to do the trick! Especially one with all the secret pining like this one.

Riding The Line is the second book in the Willow Ridge cowboy romance series but you can definitely go into Riding The Line without having read Live, Ranch, Love because while the previous main characters are involved in the story, the relationships are explained really well and it provides all the context you need to enjoy this one fresh!

I loved the main characters for this one. Cherry is the sister of previous MMC, Wyatt. She's had a long-term crush on, you guessed it, her brother's best friend, Duke. Normally, brother's best friend isn't a great trope for me because I never really buy why it's forbidden. However, I loved this one. It felt really genuine, like Wyatt and all of his friends (not just Duke) were genuinely trying to protect Cherry from being hurt anymore, because of her epilepsy and endometriosis. Over time, that protection had become over-protection but it all came from a place of love. So, I really loved this one. It was funny and sweet (and then spicy) and it was exactly what I needed after getting into a bit of a down mood yesterday. Perfect for lifting me back out of it!

I'm excited to continue the series and to find out the story with Sawyer, who seems to be next?

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from HarperCollins UK and NetGalley but this is my voluntary and honest review.

"i've got you baby Hensley"

absolutely loved Cherry & Duke's story. also loved the endo & epilepsy rep, loving the series so far

I really enjoyed this book, i love a story where the 2 main characters have had long term mutual crushes on each other, it just makes it the best and the next step in their friendship feel so much more natural and provides some great tension at times

- friends to lovers
- long term mutual crushes
- brothers best friend
- age gap (7 years)
- small town
- dual pov, 1st person

Theres so many funny, cute and slightly awkward moments between Cherry and Duke when theyre moving from friends to more and it was just so good! It gave me all the feels and the moments were so easy to picture and experience along with them, especially leading up to their first kiss

The third act when Wyatt (best friend and brother) found out was insane, i was so gripped and couldn't stop reading! So good!

I love Emma Lucys writing and looking forward to returning to Willow Ridge soon

Thank you to Harper Collins for the ARC - all opinions are my own

Thank you for this early copy harper fiction & Emma Lucy.


So you want brother’s best friend trope? Ranch vibes? Disability tropes? oh & Spice?👀

Well Duke & Cherry’s story is for you. It’s written beautifully, that you can’t get enough of the swoon worthy vibes & a whole lot of laughter in between.

Your brother’s best friend helping you with your bucket list before you got back to college, what could possibly happen?

I honestly really enjoyed this book, especially seeing the characters develop from the 1st book in the series, it makes you excited for book 3. Cherry’s disability representation was written wonderfully, especially with how Duke handles the whole situation, it makes you love him so much more.

Go & Read Duke & Cherry’s story 🍒🧡

Riding the line🧡

It felt so good to be back in Willow Ridge, it felt like visiting back home, familiar, cosy, and just what I needed. This book was just everything and more.

The friends-to-lovers trope was vibing!!
I loved the friendship between Cherry and Duke it was the perfect mix of sweet and fiery. I loved Duke's protectiveness and willingness to do anything to make Cherry happy. His need for family was heartbreaking and so wholesome all in one. Not to mention he is😍 I loved the little Snippets we got of Duke in Live, Ranch, Love so when I found out this was his book I was so excited.
Miss Cherry how I loved her. The confidence growth throughout the book is amazing. She becomes so sassy and sure of herself which is perfection. The vulnerability between the two of them was so nice, especially seeing their walls come down and showing their softer sides to each other.
I loved getting to see Wyatt and Rory again there just my fave. Wyatt's protective big brother side was the best.

I absolutely loved this and felt it was a perfect second book in for series. Emma has outdone herself again with another 5 star read🥰

🧡 Riding the Line releases on 11th September add it to your tbr cause it is a must-read 🧡

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

It was so lovely to return to Willow Ridge after falling in love with Book One last year—and Book Two gave me all the same feels. Cherry and Duke’s story is wholesome, heartwarming, and kick-your-feet cute.

The brother’s best friend trope? Done just right. With the perfect blend of spice and sweetness, this book delivers a gorgeous slow-burn romance full of friendships, found family, and everything in between. I especially appreciated the thoughtful representation of Cherry’s struggles with endometriosis (fellow sufferer here!) and her epilepsy journey—it added such depth to her character.

I adored the strong female friendships and loved getting more glimpses of Wyatt and Rory. I highly recommend both of these beautiful books and can’t wait to see what Emma has in store for us next.

Thank you so much for this gorgeous ARC.

3.5⭐️ Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for giving me an arc copy of this book!

Riding the Line follows Cherry and Duke as they attempt to cross off all the items on Cherry’s summer bucket list. Being her brother’s best friend, Duke has always looked out for Cherry (but also tried his feelings for her since she started working in his small town bar). After suffering with seizures since a big horse riding accident, Cherry asks Duke to help her cross as many things off her summer bucket list in an attempt to be more brave. Will this be there final summer together or the first of a life time??

I really enjoyed this book, I preferred it to the first book, I felt these two had much more chemistry and connection in comparison to Wyatt and Rory. I also felt the spicy scenes made more sense and didn’t just pop up out of nowhere. To summarise, a cute and classic cowboy/ranch romance.

This time last year, I fell hard for Emma Lucy’s writing after reading Live, Ranch, Love. Riding the Line caused me to fall even harder. I didn’t think much could beat Rory and Wyatt, until I met Wyatt’s best friend and little sister...

Cherry Hensley, forever ‘Baby Hensley’ to her friends and family, no matter how old she gets. Growing up being protected by the people around her, especially her brother and his friends due to her epilepsy, has made it difficult for her to be taken seriously or feel like she’s living her best life.

Therefore, as is one of my favourite tropes, Cherry writes a bucket list. A not so innocent bucket list. And ultimately becomes the most wholesome fictional character I have ever had the pleasure of getting to know.

Her health problems are such an integral part of the plot and done in such a delicate way, that it almost makes you want to protect Cherry yourself.

However, Cherry has always had an innocent crush on her brother’s best friend, who – drum roll please – IS ALSO HER BOSS.

Enter, Duke Bennett.

Cherry feels that she is always destined to be seen as Baby Hensley, until Duke finds her NSFW bucket list.

Duke - bar owner, life saver, problem solver, artist, biker, Wyatt’s best friend, basically part of the Hensley family... Appears to be harboring a secret of his own. Which becomes harder to ignore after coming across Baby Hensley’s list.

“He’s not the guy who tells his friends how much he loves them; he’s the guy who strives to help his friends whenever they need him. He’s the listener, the one who probably knows you better than you know yourself.”

If this isn’t the perfect set-up for a great romance, I don’t know what is. Especially because Duke’s instinct to protect Cherry as well as their magnetism makes them the perfect pair for new experiences.

“We could... keep it a secret?” I knew this was going to be the book for me the minute I read those words.

“If I ever got the privilege of painting her, she’d be a canvas of deep reds and midnight blacks, topped with bright white for all the little moments of light she brings to the world.”

I highlighted like my life depended on it throughout this book. It had so many beautiful moments, and Duke’s silent but naughty demeanor was the ideal contrast to Cherry’s character.

“I swear whenever he looks at me the rest of my surroundings quieten. All the chaos of the world suddenly disappearing.”

Duke and Cherry navigate their undeniable attraction to each other whilst working through Cherry’s bucket list knowing that the line should definitely not be crossed. But maybe, it could be ridden?

“Duke Bennett might be struggling to ride the line he’s drawn between us as much as me.”

The tropes, characters, plot line and writing style were everything I could ask for in a small-town romance. I wouldn’t change a thing.

However, if I keep writing this review, I’m definitely not going to be able to stop myself from giving spoilers, so I’ll leave you with some more of my favourite quotes -

“Because when life gives you an opportunity like this, you don’t think twice about taking the reins and jumping into the saddle.”

“He’s got me. Even when he doesn’t realise that he does, he’s always got me.”

“With Duke, everything I feel seems magnetised. And I’m wondering if I’ll ever find that sensation in all these other places I’m searching.”

“I let myself melt into the safety of his warm embrace. The place where I know that if I fall, he’ll always be there to pick me up and carry me home.”

“But when it comes to Cherry Hensley, nothing makes sense except for her.”

“Because when you’re not around, I’m like an old, crackling neon sign, struggling to keep alight, but you give me life.”

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Collins for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Where do I even begin with this masterpiece of a book?? I knew riding the line would not disappoint but Emma exceeded all expectations with this one. It was everything I needed and more. It had me all giddy, kicking my legs screaming “kiss her you fool” on several occasions. The slow burn was perfection for a brothers best friend trope which I love so you guessed it, I ate this book up. It was the perfect blend of sweetness and spice. The yearning between Cherry and Duke was off the charts. The way they built their confidence together and helped each other.
Cherry my girl was sassy, strong and impossible not to love and root for.
Duke - I am utterly obsessed. His acts of service, the way he sees Cherry - he is just the softest man. Oh and the bike scene(!!) - I will say no more.

I am just obsessed with Cherry and Duke’s story - by far my favourite read of 2025 and to be honest, I don’t think anything will beat it.

Cannot wait for it to hit the shelves in September and to see what comes next from Emma!!

I knew Emma wouldn't disappoint - Riding the Line is absolutely phenomenal!!
Just like with Live, Ranch, Love the writing in Riding the Line is so great, it's detailed and it just sucks you right in to the story!
Both Duke and Cherry seem /so/ real I am actually upset that Duke won't be here to give me a hand with my bucket list... (or I would be if he wasn't absolutely perfect for Cherry!)
I can't wait to see what Emma does next, and l'm so incredibly grateful to have been here so early on, Riding the Line is another solid proof of just how right Emma is for writing!

“Kissing your best friends little sister. For or against?”
“For Cherry. I’ve always been for” 🍒

I love love love brothers best friend books but this one by FAR is my favourite. I knew from Live, Ranch, Love that Emma would not disappoint with her second book and when I say this book is everything I needed in. 🥹

The amount of timings I found myself screaming “kiss her you fool”, but it was all worth it in the end and read how both characters build their confidence together as Duke thinks he’s only helping Cherry but soon realises Cherry helps him too 🥹

Duke is just an unreal human being, he just has so much love for everything and everyone around him, the soft side he shows to Cherry showing how much he really cares and appreciates her but then the way he can switch to a.. let’s say… not so soft side 👀

Also the mention of epilepsy which I have never came across in a book before, watching how she stands up for herself and doesn’t allow her illness to define who she is as a person will always hold a special place in my heart due to the fact a family member of mine suffers the same 🫶🏽

This is one of my top reads this year and I am so grateful to @ and @ for allowing early access to read and I cannot wait for my pre-ordered physical copy to come in September for my shelf 🥰

10/10 would highly highly recommend 🤠🍒🧡

#bookstagram #books #booktok #bookishpost #readmorebooks #bookstagrammer #romancebooks #smalltown #grumpyxsunshine #booklover

i'm not kidding when i say emma could write a shopping list and i would eat it up but BOY did she smash it out of the park with riding the line. i read this in one sitting, no exaggeration 😩🤠

i was already obsessed with cherry and duke individually after reading (and rereading) live, ranch, love, so it was SO fun to see them both come together in this book

i absolutely love a brother's best friend book, and to add in a lil age gap, you cannot really go wrong in my opinion, so this was an absolute no brainer for me 🫶🏼

sweet girl cherry really made me feel seen as a person who also struggles with endometriosis, and it was so heartwarming and empowering to see her standing up for herself and really put down the boundaries with her family, i love her so much and will protect her with my LIFE 🥹

duke — THATS MY MAN. ugh i'm obsessed. he was always there for cherry, even before they got together, supporting her from the sidelines and quietly encouraging her and allowing her to be bolder and braver. we love a simpy man and emma sure knows how to write them hehe 🤭

absolutely 1000000/10 i could not recommend more if i tried. cannot WAIT to get my hands on a physical copy come september!!!

thank you so much to harper fiction and emma lucy for the arc 🥹🧡