You’ve heard of cowboy romance, but I raise you sapphic cowgirls!

The Ride of Her Life is a cute romance between Molly, a young woman trying to get her event planning business up and running in the wake of student loan debt, and Shani, a farrier for Molly’s estranged Aunt Christina. When Christina dies, she leaves her nearly bankrupt stables/adjoining property to Molly, who she hasn’t spoken to in years after she and Molly’s mom had a falling out. Shani is immediately resentful of Molly, as she’s been living on Christina’s property for most of her life, and was the one to take care of her up until the end. Despite their differences, and much to each of their dismay, Molly and Shani are now living on the same property.

The subplot between Shani’s brother and his best friend was also super cute and I'd love to read their story one day.

My only complaints about the story:
—There was nearly constant conflict and miscommunication between Molly and Shani. I'm not a huge fan of the miscommunication trope to begin with, and every time things started to move forward, there seemed to be another miscommunication to revert the two FMCs development back to where it started.
—I wish that the plot line with Molly’s best friend, Nat, came to a resolution. Much of Molly’s character development centered around the realization that Nat seems to treat her like a child and make decisions for her, but we never saw that fully play out towards the end.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book is good if you like a Hallmark movie style rom-com. However, it took a long time for any major character to become likable and a lot of side characters that start out unlikable never really hit a moment of redemption, so I honestly never stop feeling bad for Molly, even after her redemption as a character since the people she should have on her side are kind of awful.

As someone who is all about character driven stories, I feel like an HEA rom-com should have a happier ending than this one did. I left it feeling disappointed.

Jennifer Dugan is an all time favorite YA author. Her contemporary adult romance works are a triumph in their honesty as well.

Dugan's latest work is for that Hallmark, horse loving girl that hides in all of us. Her ability to write love amid the characters turmoil is always refreshing especially when the romance elements add to the overall character growth.

Molly and Shani find a kindred spirit in the other once they finally confront the obvious from the start attraction. I was looking forward to an enemies to lovers storyline, but what I got was a sexy as hell will they wont they. This was a pleasant surprise.

Read this is one afternoon. Had to have a fruity cocktail after to solidify what a good time I had. Overwhelming enjoyed!

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

The Ride of Her Life was definitely a fun ride! Five star read purely because I loved rooting for the characters we root for, loved being frustrated with the characters that are supposed to frustrate us, and loved seeing Molly come into her own and find her chosen family and home. Overall it was a very good time and brought joy to my day each time I read it, and I live for romances that make me feel that way. I may be terrified of horses in real life but I really want to go visit the barn and give Otis a hug.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC- all opinions are my own.

I’m a big Hallmark fan and the plot of this sounded very Hallmark to me in the best way - City girl Molly inherits a horse farm and goes there with the intent to fix up the farm to sell - only to be met by a hot tenant who doesn’t want her to sell and clashes with her at every step. Only in this one, it’s a sapphic enemies to lovers between Molly and Shani, the hot tenant who knows everything about horses.

I had mixed feelings about this one. I loved the premise, the setting, Shani, and all the supporting characters at the farm. They have such a great found family centered around the stable where they board their horses. There was a lot of humor and a bit of steam and I loved that we got a character who is a farrier, which is a career I’ve never read about in a romance novel before.

Molly, on the other hand, was a bit of a struggle for me. When you watch a Hallmark movie, you’re rooting for the small town to win, for the developer to go away, for the festival to raise enough money to save the library or whatever. In this, she’s the only POV and she was the city girl come to ruin everything and I just couldn’t root for her. It was like rooting for the bad guy but not in a fun morally gray way. She was selfish and immature and only cared about her best interests and I just never warmed up to her. Her best friend and her mom were assholes, which didn’t help either.

Overall though it was a cute read, I was curious to see how it would all unfold and work out between them, and like I said I did enjoy the rest of the characters.

I got an ARC of this book.

Do you like a book where the main issue the couple faces is not talking? Then this is for you. So much of the drama and plot of this would have been solved with communication. So normally that is hit or miss with me, but in this case it showed something deeper. The couple both had backstories and trauma that made talking difficult. It also meant that talking needed to happen more than it did. So even when they did manage to talk, they didn't cover everything so things would flare up again. It felt less like a gimmick and more like a normal queer relationship. So it got a bit grating by the end that it was still happening, but it also worked really well.

The MC was a hoot. She was both likable, but awful at the same time. I wanted to shake her so often so she would think things through. So did everyone in her life and all her new friends on the farm. It was clear that it was a common feeling. I wanted them together so bad and I wanted them to just listen to the people who were clearly smarter around them. Then that twist at the end I was not expecting. I was impressed and annoyed at it. It felt like it wasn't resolved at all, but also it being more open felt more real. It was an odd combo. I liked it, but wanted more of a feeling of closure for this story.

This is by far the best sapphic cowboy romance I have read. It was not pulpy, not that there is anything wrong with pulp, it just doesn't stay with me as long. It was funny. It was cute. It had high stakes like the gay cowboy romances, but without relying on one of the cowboys getting injured for the relationship to actually exist. Instead it had more going on. The saving vs selling the farm plot worked really well. It mixed well with the side characters and made the story feel full. It worked as more than just a romance, which I really appreciated.

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It was in stark contrast to the horror I was also reading so it worked on a whole other level.

This review contains spoilers.

I've been longing for a sapphic "horse girl" story, and this absolutely did not disappoint. The setting and the cast of minor characters at the farm were charming and lovely -- distinct enough to be interesting without distracting from the main plot. I really enjoyed the level of "horse/farm" information and background. There was enough to make it feel authentic without being overwhelming to someone without a background around horses. You definitely don't have to be a horse girl to enjoy this horse girl story!

I really liked and was rooting for both of the main characters. Molly was clueless as she stumbled into this new lifestyle. But I liked the way she was respectful to those on the farm -- including Shanni -- from the beginning and wasn't a stereotypical "city slicker" who thought she knew better than them or looked down on them. And Shanni was prickly at first, but for reasons that seemed perfectly reasonable. Often I struggle with single POV romances because I feel like the love interest isn't fully developed and is just a device for the main character, but I really loved Shanni and felt like readers understood her motivation well even though we were only seeing her through Molly's POV.

There were only two aspects I didn't love:

1) I was not fully sold on Molly's friendship with Nat. There was background given about how long they had been friends and how Nat had nursed her through multiple breakups. But since we didn't see any of that in real time, I never really warmed up to Nat. She seemed condescending and rude the entire time and I had a hard time understanding why Molly was such good friends with her. When she ultimately turned out to be the source of the miscommunication between Molly and Shanni -- because she stole and disposed of Shanni's love letter making Molly think Shanni had run off and abandoned her -- I was neither shocked not sympathetic. It was a gross betrayal of trust between best friends and I didn't have any sympathy for Nat. I wish there had been more buildup of their friendship and we could have been more invested in their relationship so that the betrayal would have been more shocking and higher stakes.

2) The resolution to the conflict around the farm's financial situation and Molly's dream of running an event planning business seemed blatantly obvious from the moment with the will was read. So obvious that I was annoyed it took so long for Molly to come to that conclusion. And if not Molly, SOMEONE should have been like, "Wow, what great luck. You want to run an event planning business and you just inherited a giant horse farm with a rustic barn and multiple homes on it. I bet you could host some awesome weddings there!" The fact that it doesn't even OCCUR to anyone until the last quarter of the book and then she's scrambling to implement it under a time crush felt really unrealistic.

That said, even with those two elements considered, this was a solid 4 stars for me. It was a fun, light read that hit most of it's marks. The chemistry and tension between the characters was fun and authentic. I like the evolution of the rivals to lovers without it veering into enemies territory -- even when they were at odds, they were respectful to each other. I read this in a single day and would definitely read again/recommend to friends.

THE RIDE OF HER LIFE picks up with Molly learning her estranged aunt Christina has passed away and that she is named in the will. Molly is beyond shocked to learn that Christina has left her horse farm and property to Molly, a city girl with no knowledge of running a farm, caring for horses, or dealing with the farm's resident attractive farrier, Shani. Shani was like a daughter to Christina and is determined to keep Molly--who she thinks unfairly inherited the farm--at arm's length. But the two can't quite stay away from each other, adding a delicious "will they/won't they" element to a book packed with a lot of heart and humor.

This is my second Jennifer Dugan book and I can now say I've enjoyed both that I've read. Jennifer creates characters you want to cheer for. Sometimes, like real people, they're frustrating, but that only added to my wanting to turn the page and keep going. There was so much at stake! Would Molly keep the farm or try to sell it? Could she fight her attraction to Shani? Could she keep herself at arm's length from the boarders at the farm? Secondary characters like JJ, Lochlan, Tyler, and others were so much fun and watching Molly form genuine friendships with each of them was awesome.

Something else I enjoyed was the queer rep and how casual it was. It's so refreshing to see a book where the internal or external conflict isn't about a character's sexuality; in this case, it involved some miscommunications and misunderstandings between Molly and Shani, but I liked the way it played out, with both of them learning to listen to and trust the other. I did feel like they each grew a lot as individuals and as partners by the end of THE RIDE OF HER LIFE and isn't that what it should be about? Two people helping each other become better.

All in all a sweet and endearing book, THE RIDE OF HER LIFE was a read I really enjoyed.

I struggled quite a lot with this book. While I enjoyed the premise, I felt that the character development was very shallow, and the relationships developed in a way that felt very inauthentic. The enemies to lovers trope was hollow — truly, there were many more instalove elements than the synopsis led one to believe. I did enjoy the inclusive nature of the book, but would've loved to see more diverse identities in the main characters rather than just the side characters. The dialogue felt a bit stilted but not altogether unbelievable. In general, this one was just an average to 'meh' read for me.

DNF @ 25%. A cute premise, but I couldn't get into this book unfortunately. I found the two main characters to be a little unlikeable from the jump which made me lose interest. If you're a fan of sapphic enemies to lovers, this is right up your alley! I don't think the enemies to lover trope is for me, or I would've continued. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC!

I like the idea of this book, but just like the author’s other release, I found this one lacking and I struggled to get into it. It’s fine, just not really great in the romance department.

Thank you to Netgalley as well as HarperCollins/Avon for providing me copies to review.

First off, I identified with Molly a lot and not just for the obvious reasons. The single POV provided an insight into why she was the way she was. We got to see how and why the issues that she dealt with affected not only her relationships but also how she went through life. Her fears and doubts felt real even when she was indulging in her self destructive tendencies. Shani’s hesitancy felt truthful from what we learned about her and I could feel her at war with herself when her and Molly started to develop their relationship. The miscommunication didn’t feel like a gimmick to keep them apart. Instead, it felt believable and grounded in reality which is rare these days. I really enjoyed this book and had a fun time reading it. Each time I opened it I was eager to see how the story would propel Molly and Shani forward. If you’re in a mood for a yeehaw romance that is unabashedly sapphic, I wholeheartedly recommend this one.

This was my 5th book by Jennifer Dugan, and most of them have been very middle of the road and unmemorable for me. I can already tell this will be the same. I did mostly enjoy this, but it also just didn't quite become as good as it could have been. So much of this left me wanting, and the main characters annoyed me a lot at times.

This was a fun summery read set on an inherited horse farm! I really enjoyed the characters and the small town feel. I also loved the idea of the love interest being a female farrier especially since every one I’ve seen in other books have all been men.

The actual romance felt a little lackluster. It just felt more like the enemies / rivals started getting along and then were suddenly in love but also not communicating that to each other.

Overall, I really enjoyed the book & fills a perfect space in the sapphic book space!

Thank you to Harper Collins, Avon Books, NetGalley, and Jennifer Dugan for letting me read an early copy (ebook & physical)!

Loved this book! The farm inherited by protagonist Molly reminded me of my barn…quirky, a bit ramshackle, and a home-away-from-home for an array of diverse animals and humans alike. A little island of misfit toys who love their community. Of course, the sapphic romance was just a cherry on top for this queer horse girl. The casual first person writing style isn’t my favorite, but it certainly helped me understand Molly (as much as I could while she struggled to understand herself). Hyped to purchase a finished copy for my bookshelves and to read more of Duggan’s work.

The Ride of Her Life is a sapphic western/romance with a wonderful narrative voice and has several modern references for enjoyment.

I love the community Molly has created and enjoy the progression of the story. I will say there seems to be constant conflict and the love story was more anxious than I think it needed to be.

Needless to say I do enjoy Jennifer Dugans writing style and would highly recommend this book to those who are into contemporary modern romances with an LGBTQ bend.

3.5 stars out of 5

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. This review will be discussed on my podcast The Books and the Bees Episode 19 (released May 28th 2024)

When a city girl inherits a horse farm from her estranged late aunt. she never expects to fall head over heels for the grumpy hot farrier who dislikes her. Molly McDaniel's life is not going great, her crushing student loans haunt her, her back to back jobs to just get by take up most of her time, and her dream of starting an event planning business has been put on the backburner. When she gets news that she has inherited her late estranged aunt's run down, struggling horse barn, this could be her chance to finally get her life back in track if she can sell it.... yet when she gets there she meets Shani, the hot cocky farrier who was close to her aunt and who dislikes Molly for being the one to inherit the horse farm. Shani refuses to give up on the barn and dislikes Molly for even thinking about wanting to sell it. Molly knows she can't take care of the horse farm, she has no experience, yet the longer she spends there getting to know all the people who were working on it with her aunt and actually spending more time with Shani, she begins to fall in love with both the farm and Shani. Will Molly risk it all and keep the farm and try and convince Shani that she means to stay, or will she finally chase after her dreams and take the easy way out? This was a really easy to read cowgirl romance, but it just felt like it was missing something for me. I was hoping for some further development in the romance or some actual chemistry, but it just wasn't there for me. I really wanted to like this one but just felt like it was okay at best and that it could have been better. I would say out of all the Jennifer Dugan books I've read, this was the best one. Molly and Shani are opposites and dislike each other from the start but work to overcome their differences and stop fighting their attraction to one another. It's a easy contemporary farm girl x city girl romance and I think anyone who enjoys a sapphic romance should definitely give it a go.

*Thanks Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Ride Of Her Life
Author: Jennifer Dugan
Romance

Thank you so much Avon Books and Netgalley for this ARC! Amazing debut from Jennifer Dugan! I loved this western sapphic romance. Sign me up for all books with horses please. Molly is in a rut financially and somewhat emotionally. She is living with her mom and barely making ends meet working at a coffee shop. She desperately wants to get her event planning business off the ground but is having a hard time pulling it off. Her estranged aunt unexpectedly passes away, leaving Molly her entire barn and business. What comes with it is Shanti who hates Molly instantly since she thought the barn would be going to her. Grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers, cute sapphic romance. I loved it! Can’t wait to read more by her. 🐴

Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books, and Jennifer Dugan for the advanced physical and e-book copies of The Ride of Her Life!

Cowboy romance? Meh. Sapphic cowboy romance? YES.

The Ride of Her Life follows Molly as she inherits her late aunt's horse farm and all of the nuances that come with it, including a cute farrier, Shani, who hates Molly and an old, picky horse named Otis. Molly struggles with the decision of selling the property and using the funds to launch her own startup event management business, or staying and continuing her late aunt's legacy as a horse boarder.

I really loved the enemies-to-lovers relationship between Molly and Shani, especially the initial conflict when Shani discovers that the property was not left to her in the will. I also loved the conflicts that occurred between Molly and her friend Nat, and the ending argument between them truly made me gasp. I personally loved the unresolved conflict between them.

Molly and Shani go back and forth a lot over the course of the novel. There is a lot of miscommunication and assumptions between the two, which became a little frustrating for me as a reader. I felt as though they weren't able to get very close because of the constant back and forth.

Overall, it was a great read and I'd recommend to anyone that wants to dip their toe into cowboy romance.

this had so much potential to be a great summer read and yet? it didn’t. how did sapphic cowgirls not HIT. anyway thank you netgalley and publisher for allowing me to read this arc
not going to lie i had fun some moments had me twirling my hair but towards the end i just had to round it down.