I did not expect this to be so good!
The tension, the tropes (small town, brother's best friend, completing a bucket list together) the cuteness of them!

Also, epilepsy and endometriosis representation?! His protectiveness was genuine which is rare!

The way I was so ready to devour this book! I loved cherry from the previous book🫶🏻

But this was just perfect, brothers best friend and yearning 😍😍

Duke really is a man of my heart, although at one point I wanted to throw him in the bin😂😂 but I love him regardless, his softness, his wild side!! I love the whole idea throughout this book.

I love the confidence and power cherry develops throughout this book aswell she became a powerhouse of a women! 💕

I love books that have a supportive and loyal friendship group and this didn’t disappoint there! I can’t wait for Wolfman and Sawyer to get to experience their story!

100% recommend💕

4.5 stars, arc review. I knew that Duke was gonna be a simp and I’ve never been more grateful to have been right. Urhhhh the way he was so protective of Cherry and supportive with her list like give me all the big moments and small moments because these two were perfect. The way they lean on each other despite their own issues and although there is a third act conflict I think it was resolved well and the other expected conflicted was executed perfectly. I really hope we get more books in the series especially Sawyer’s as I have a feeling I know where his story could be going.

Book two in the Willow Ridge series is a heartfelt and empowering small-town romance that balances light-hearted charm with meaningful depth. Cherry’s journey—navigating life with epilepsy and endometriosis while taking on a bucket list of adventures—feels authentic and inspiring. The relationship between Cherry and Duke (her brother’s best friend and ultimate cinnamon roll) builds beautifully, full of chemistry, tension, and genuinely sweet moments. Their growing bond, especially during scenes like the fair and the motorbike ride, offers a perfect mix of fun, spice, and emotional warmth.

The book shines in its thoughtful representation of chronic illness and the desire to live beyond those limitations, handled with care and relatability. Duke’s unwavering support without ever being overbearing is a major highlight. While the third-act conflict felt slightly prolonged and the resolution a bit rushed, the overall story delivers a satisfying, swoony read. If you love a best-friend’s-sibling romance with deeper themes, swoony moments, and a touch of summer adventure, this one’s worth picking up.

I will eat up any book with the ‘brothers best friend’ trope, but this was one of my favourites!

The second book in the Willow Ridge series follows our FMC Cherry as she navigates living with epilepsy and endometriosis, and the over-protective family and friends that come with that. She wants to live her life and have fun without everyone questioning ‘if it's safe’ for her? Enter a bucket list of adventurous things to tick off and her brother's best friend, Duke, who is only too willing to help.

Duke is the definition of a cinnamon roll 🩷 I love how he looks after Cherry but never wants to hold her back. This book is all the things we as readers love about small town romance, but with deeper themes woven in that are handled so well by the author.

The process of Cherry and Duke becoming closer through ticking things off of her bucket list was so fun, the fair was my particular favourite 🎡 And the spice! 😮‍💨 I mean, there's a motorbike involved and I'll say no more 🥵

I only wish the third act breakup was resolved a little quicker and the ending wasn't so rushed. I would have loved a few more chapters after the resolution, but overall I really enjoyed this book and am excited to see who book 3 will focus on (I'm hoping for Sawyer)

What to expect:
🍒 Brothers best friend
🍒 Her boss
🍒 Tattooed biker
🍒 Great disability rep
🍒 Open door spice
🍒 Small town romance

Thank you so much Harpercollins, Emma Lucy and NetGalley for the ARC.

4✨
Thank you NetGalley, Emma Lucy and Harper Collins for providing an eARC in exchange for my honest review - Riding the Line publishes September 11th.

I picked up Emma’s debut novel Live, Ranch, Love earlier this year and really enjoyed the small town cowboy romance, so I was keen to pick up book 2 in the series.

Book 2 follows Cherry (Wyatt’s sister) and Duke as they work through Cherry’s bucket list to help her step out of her comfort zone, build her confidence and experience the world during her last summer in Willow Ridge.

All of Cherry and Duke’s tension filled moments in the build up to their romance as they work on the bucket list are so fun & angsty (my favourite being at the fair on the ferris wheel!)

There’s great representation of epilepsy and endometriosis in this book, something which is close to my heart and I appreciated Emma’s thoughtfulness when writing about this. I found alot of it incredibly relatable (creating a calming environment, wanting more for yourself than your illness defining you, people treating you differently, missing out on fun plans etc).
Emma gave Cherry so much empowerment in advocating for herself with her conditions which was so wonderful to see, and how compassionate and kind Duke is, even before they were together was 🥹🥹

I do wish that the third act conflict didn’t take so long to resolve / we got a bit more after the resolution as the book ended quickly and we didn’t see as much of Cherry and Duke together as I’d have liked.

I couldn’t put this down and read it in one sitting. Overall if you’re looking for a fun time, you love the brothers best friend trope but enjoy some deeper, more meaningful themes, you’ll eat this up! I’m looking forward to picking up Book 3 in the Willow Ridge series.

I received Riding the Line as an ARC via NetGalley and want to thank Harper Collins and Emma Lucy for the opportunity to read it early.

Brothers best friend, her boss, and a tattooed biker? SOLD. Add in a quiet slow burn, small-town vibes, and a meaningful bucket list journey, and I was all in.

I loved seeing Cherry grow and work through her challenges with epilepsy and endometriosis. Her connection with Duke, who’s just as quiet and guarded, was so sweet to watch unfold. The secret pining made the payoff even better when they FINALLY get together.

The end felt a little rushed, which is the only reason this isn’t a full five stars for me. But overall, it was heartfelt, charming, and left me smiling. I’ll definitely be picking up more from this series.

4.5 stars

Brother's best friend, small town romance and he's helping her with a bucket list, what more can you ask for!!
I loved this book so much more than the first one, they were adorable together. It's always the quiet ones..

Cherry is ready to fully live her life this summer, before her last year of college starts, with a bucket list in hand. Duke, her brother's best friend, unexpectedly finds her list and decides to help her with some of the things on it.. Just as a friend of course.. But, the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to ignore their feelings, because being together makes them feel more alive than ever..

I really loved the setting and I adore the group of people that make this series.
Even in the first book Cherry and Duke were my favourites, so I was excited for their story!!

Cherry was so brave and I loved how she wanted to live her life fully, not letting her epilepsy control her life. And I have to say, I'm also glad her struggle with endometriosis was shown. Her growth during the book was so fun to watch, I loved how she gained her confidence.
Duke, his quiet demeanor is what pulled me in, even during the first book. I loved seeing him be vulnerable with Cherry and how he cared about her, without clipping her wings. I also loved seeing him grow, the way he didn't let fear rule his life anymore. And you know what they say about the quiet ones, and it was a motorcycle scene, if you know you know..
I really liked them together and I loved their slow progress. While some scenes were a bit cringe, they were still adorable.

Now, the conflict was a little too dragged out for my taste and I have to say I really hated how it all came to a head at the end. I knew it would happen that way and I hated every single second of it..
Also, the end was a bit abrupt, I think we should've gotten a few more chapters.

Overall, I enjoyed it and I hope we get Sawyer's book next.

I was so excited to read this after reading Live, Ranch, Love and it did not disappoint.

Cherry's character is simply gorgeous, she is desperate to break free from her family's over protectiveness and go a little bit 'wild'. Cherry creates her bucket list and enlists Duke to help. Duke only agrees to help her with her bucket list if he can show her that the little moments in life can be just as important as the big bucket list items. And what a wonderful message to take away from Cherry and Duke's story!

Duke's caring natures towards Cherry (his best friend's little sister) was so incredibly heartwarming. He looks out for her and protects her fiercely from the sidelines. I looooved the slow-burn yearning from Duke. Cherry's gentle persuading and teasing to get Duke to cross the line and be with her just added to the slow-burn and made it all the more satisfying when we finally got to the moment Duke gives in!

I love how we get to know the whole friendship group in this series and I am so excited to see who will get their 'happily ever after' in the next book.

Cherry Hensley is determined to make her last summer in Willow Ridge count with a bucket list full of wild adventures. What she doesn't count on is Duke Bennett, the town's hottest bartender and her brother's best friend, offering to be her partner in crime. She's known Duke all her life, so enlisting his help should be harmless, right? Wrong. Every moment together makes Cherry feel more alive than anything on her bucket list ever could. Duke is supposed to be off limits, but their chemistry is undeniable and crossing that line becomes harder to resist with each stolen glance and lingering touch. Sometimes the best adventures aren't the ones you plan.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for allowing me to read this ARC for an honest review.

I’d give this one around 3.5-4 stars. I didn’t realise that this was the second in the series and when I realised what series it was I didn’t have high hopes since I really didn’t get on with the first story.

But I loved Duke & Cherry’s story. I loved that they had their own battles that they had to get through as individuals and the classic ‘oh I’ll help you with your bucket list’ 😉 meaning we know they’ll not be able to resist each other. And the spice was 🤌🏼

Although as the wife of a motorbike rider… that scene really wasn’t possible/realistic/sanitary 🤣🤣 and I’m sorry they both became exhibitionists?! Cherry did need to do some growing up throughout the story for me. But on the hole I did enjoy this one. And if there’s more in the series I’ll absolutely read them!

Thank you NetGalley for the E-arc in exchange for an honest review

I really enjoyed this book, I really liked how the tropes were written, I love a good brother’s best friend trope! I really liked how Cherry’s epilepsy was written, I feel like I’ve not read many books where the main character has epilepsy and the author did a really good job of writing the ups and downs of living with it. It was great to see Cherry grow more confident in herself throughout the book.

this book doesn't come out until September, but I just couldn't wait to be back in willow ridge. After Rory and Wyatt, Cherry and Duke were the perfect next couple. Lively Cherry and quiet Duke make the best pairing and I couldn't wait to see how they actually finally admit that they have feelings towards each other. And boy was a bucket list the perfect way to do it.

I love how we got to see more of willow ridge in this book, but also to see more of the lovely characters we already met in live ranch love. (I mean Rory's and Wyatt's engagement, how amazing!!! and the epilogue promises so many amazing things to come!!) It was amazing to read about Cherry, and I love how her problems with endometriosis and migraines were part of the story and not just miraculously solved when the love interest entered the picture. There's way too little books where women's menstrual cycle and its problems are really talked about.

The love between Duke and Cherry was so cute, and the will they won't they part was so high in tension. I would have loved to read even more about it. Otherwise the romance was so hot, but also so cute. I love that they always got each others backs. (And that he named the new bar after cherry was so cute!!!)

the only problem I had with this book is the one with comes every brother's best friend trope - the secrecy. I hate when they don't tell the brother the truth because cmon, the sister is an adult, why should the brother have any problems with the relationship. Otherwise, this quickly became one of my favourite small town romances with the perfect bucket list summer vibes.

4,5 stars. I'm already excited for the next willow ridge couple!!

3.5🌟
So firstly, I enjoyed the storyline and the tropes. I love a brother’s best friend trope and a self growth book.
Seeing Cherry become more confident and grow within herself was my favourite part of this entire books.
However, I feel as though the chemistry isn’t there as much as it could of been between Cherry and Duke. You can tell they care for eachother, and i love the way he treats her (most of the time), but I feel as though the chemistry just isn’t the best. I preferred the chemistry between Wyatt and Rory in the first book.

Overall, this is a cute and easy small town romance with a nice balance of storyline as well as spice.

First of all thank you for the ARC and the opportunity to read the second book in the series.
Already in the first book I loved Cherry and Duke and was so excited for their story, and it didn’t disappoint! The secret pining, the buildup and the conclusion were beautifully written and I almost couldn’t put the book down.
Lighthearted, emotional and funny with some great representation of health issues, overall just a great read.

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!