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.**

Snap judgments, first impressions, fish out of water, and a prairie wagon trip all blend together to make a truly delightful YA novel. Riley and Colton are an entirely seeet couple that I was actively rooting for as soon as I saw the cover.

If you like art, cowboys, sweet gestures, the prairies, and sweet romances, Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses is not to be missed! 😉😂

CW: language

This was a cute romcom. Would recommend to those looking for a quick, lighthearted read. 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).

I love the fact that Riley was an artist. At first, she comes off as very self-centered which made her a little unlike able, but I still liked her. Her goals and ambitions that are so significant. Okay but 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.

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.

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.

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 Press and NetGalley for the copy.

This hate to love romance was such a wild ride across the Nebraska prairie. I really loved Colton. He was such a sweetheart. (I totally agree with his mom. He deserves a girl who likes cornbread.) The miscommunication about Riley going back to California was dragged out a little long, so I was surprised that I actually enjoyed the resolution.

I loved this book! It's well-written, enjoyable, had some fun romance, and a great read. Katrina Emmel did a great job of writing in a way that captures the readers attention, and makes you not want to put it down until you're finished! I would highly recommend it!

** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. **

The city girl exploring the country premise really grabbed my interest. As a child, I loved playing the Oregon Trail game on the computers at school so this book really took me back to those days. It's fun to find out that there really are tours you can take along the Oregon Trail route.

While the young romance storyline in this book was cute, I couldn't stand Riley as a main character. She was so cocky and rude to Colton throughout most of the book. There was a line in the book that said, "Things don't have to be complicated to be good." I feel like the author made Riley's personality and character traits too complicated. She seems perfect at everything- she's an artist, she studies marine life, she can fish, camp, and pitch a tent. I wish she had more character flaws and a better character arc. Her one consistent flaw is that she's determined to loathe Nebraska. While she comes to appreciate Nebraska, I also would've loved to see her learn something from Colton, or gain more skills from her experience.

Colton on the other hand is an adorable love interest. While Riley can do no wrong, the author made Colton a little too one-dimensional. He's the quintessential cowboy. He can do calf roping, toss hay bales, lug cattle feed, and roping steers. I would've loved to see him have some unexpected sides to him, underneath the cowboy exterior, just like Riley has more to her than just being a city girl.

Cowboy romance meets YA *chefs kiss*
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This book was so sweet and innocent. It showed all the cute moments of a first relationship from awkward acquaintances, to friends to a new relationship. It also showed the struggles that come with being uprooted as a teenager specifically in senior year. Having moved around all my teenage years I appreciated this aspect and related to some of the struggles.
Overall this was a very cute and fast-paced read, I will definitely be reading from Emmel again in the future.

YA meets cowboy romance. I enjoyed the immaturity, and maturity, of the characters - it really showed their age and didn’t make them to seem older than they are.
The summer romance vibes were there and the drama had your heart pumping.

Thank you to NetGalley, Delacorte Romance, and Katrina Emmel for the eARC.

Oh the sweetness of this book!

I adored it.

Colton 🤠🥵 **books a Nebraskan trip immediately**
No, seriously where does one get one of those?

Riley. She’s been through it in this book. Bless her.

Colton and Riley together: pure perfection.

They compliment each other in the most constructive way. There are miscommunications between (but really they’ve known each other like two days so of course there is) them here and there but not to an annoying, repetitive, OMG just say it type of way.

Cute story will definitely be on my HS libraries book this fall.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for a chance to read and review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I would give it more than 5 stars if I could!

It was cute, but nothing really to write home about. I sympathized with Riley, but it was all pretty predictable.

Thank you to Delacorte Romance and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

In this charming teen romance, Riley’s world is turned upside down when her parents announce they are moving to the middle of nowhere. To make matters worse, they insist on participating in an Oregon Trail excursion, complete with wagon trains and no cell service. Colton, whose family runs the excursions, has grown weary of tourists who fail to appreciate the beauty of his prairie.

Admittedly, it has been quite some time since I last indulged in a cheesy teen romance, but this book perfectly encapsulates that genre. After the first fifty pages, I had to remind myself that teenage Megan would have absolutely devoured this story. It is an ideal read for those who enjoy clean, sweet romance.

The narrative is sweet and engaging, with a well-developed setting that transports readers to the serene beauty of the prairie. While some of the pop culture references can be a bit cringe-worthy, they add a layer of relatability to the story. The female main character (FMC), Riley, is relatable and well-crafted, making it easy for readers to connect with her journey. The male main character (MMC), Colton, is portrayed as incredibly sweet and adorable, adding to the overall charm of the romance.

Overall, I would rate this book 3.5 out of 5 stars. It is a heartwarming, clean romance with no explicit content, making it suitable for a younger audience. The story primarily features kissing scenes, maintaining a sweet and innocent tone throughout. If you are looking for a light and enjoyable read with a touch of nostalgia, this book is a delightful choice.

I love love love a good cowboy romance. This was so sweet and made my heart flutter. I think all the girlies will go crazy for this one.

This was a cute, fun rivals to lovers YA. I loved the country vibes while they rode the wagon across the prairie in Nebraska! Who doesn’t love a cowboy?!

Riley and Colton were adorable. I loved all the teenage angst between them. I totally loved that referred to Colton as “tall, dark, and irksome.” It put a smile on my face every time I read it. It definitely brought me back to my high school days.

If you are looking for a cute and fluffy YA romance, then I recommend picking this one up! It was the sweet wholesomeness I needed in my life!

THOUGHTS

Hey, it's a cowboy romance. It's exactly what it promises to be. While I'm not sure a Wild West romance will ever be my favorite, I really enjoyed this book for what it was. It's a great addition to its little romance niche.


PROS
Tropey: This book is tropey, but not in a bad way. It's got all the hallmarks of a cowboy romance. You've got "tall, dark, and irksome" as the stoic and aloof cowboy love interest and the not-from-around-here but more-competent-than-she-looks leading lady. While there's another, more charming man thrown into the mix, Riley's too smart to fall for him. She likes herself a rugged, handsome type after all--not the cowboy swindler.

Presumptive Mansplaining: Mansplaining is irritating, so I feel Riley there. But, I mean, Colton does have a reason to over-explain. He works as a tour guide, after all, and he's seen more dumb tourists than he can count. That assumption might not hold up with Riley, but he couldn't know that. It's frustrating on both sides, but it's more of a misunderstanding on initial acquaintance than anything else. And I don't mind this type of misunderstanding to kick off a stuck-together-against-their-will romance.

Nebraska Contempt: This book does a pretty good job of displaying the natural beauty of the Great Plains... while also having characters parrot back the pretty ignorant (and all-too-common) contempt outsiders have for Midwestern landscapes. Any American who has lived somewhere outside of the coasts has heard similar sentiments, and it's so frustrating... and so real.


CONS
Communicate, Communicate!: You know a trope I hate? Miscommunication. Like, somebody overhears something they don't have the full context for, and then they act in a ridiculous way, potentially ruining a relationship, instead of just asking questions about it. And luckily, that trope doesn't play out here--at least, not fully. But boy if this book isn't frustrating anyway! They're not really misunderstanding each other. They're just not understanding each other, because nobody asks any dang questions! Like, she's here for a whole week. Ask her something about herself already. Don't just make assumptions when you don't know! A lot of the tension in this book could have been solved if these characters were less focused on their chemistry and more focused on actually talking to each other.

Ridiculous Rivalry: I don't know if I've ever rolled my eyes so hard as when this book introduced a rival in the middle, right after Riley and Colton get over their initial misunderstandings. Like, was this really necessary? Sure, the trope doesn't fully play out, but it was so clichéd anyway that I would have written the book off there if it wasn't slated for this review. And kicking off the third act with an almost-misunderstanding induced quasi-break-up (if you can call it that, when they weren't even together) just feels... tired.

Try-Hard Know-It-All: There were some passages in this book that felt like the author was really trying to impress upon the readers that she has, you know, been to Nebraska. I don't doubt that the author has been to Nebraska, but I shouldn't be so overwhelmingly aware of that. There's no need to scream at readers that "I know what the Great Plains look like!" because nobody, not even a know-it-all cowboy like Colton, is casually thinking about the different types of prairie grass his horse might decide to eat while out on the trail. Sure, he can know the types, but he's not just thinking about them all the time.


Rating

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
7/10
Those who enjoyed Christina Lauren's Something Wilder will love stepping off the beaten path in this Great Plains romance. Those who need a bit more wilderness adventure in their life after J.C. Peterson's Lola at LastLola at Last should check out this new romantic trek through the wide, wide wilds.

This was beyond good. Great if I must say. I can’t wait to rave about this to everyone. If you are looking for a good book, pick this up.

Well, if I can say one thing about this book, it's that I'm happy to be done with it. For a book that's only 200 pages, it sure felt like it dragged on forever.

I think the main reason for that was because of the sheer amount of unnecessary drama. It felt like every other page was some new obstacle. And not exciting ones. No, just irritating ones. Like the whole Jake drama. I'm already not a fan of love triangles, but they're even worse when one of the legs is just a narcissistic asshole who won't leave the heroine alone. Like, what was the purpose of that? Just to add pages? It was entirely unnecessary.

As for the rest of this, it was entirely unremarkable. I think I've just aged out of YA romance since none of it has been hitting, but this was especially disappointing.

Thanks to Netgalley for providing a free copy in exchange for an honest review!

this was a cute one! this is a slow burn, ya romance. we have enemies to lovers situation that turns into a friendship to a relationship. it was a fast paced read and easy flowing to follow. it also touches on some topics of being uprooted your senior year and all the feelings that come with it. i really enjoyed this one!

This is a super cute, fun YA romcom that's perfect for a summer beach read. The prairie setting is unique for a YA romance and was ideal for a light read.