Crossing off her bucket list was easy — until she fell for him.
Cherry Hensley is determined to make her last summer in Willow Ridge count. With a bucket list full of wild ideas Cherry is ready for anything…
Except Duke Bennett.
The town’s hottest bartender — and her brother’s best friend — is way too tempting to resist when he offers to be her partner-in-crime.
Enlisting Duke’s help was supposed to be harmless; she’s known him all her life. But every moment together makes Cherry feel more alive than anything on her bucket list.
Will they hold the line between lovers and friends?
About The Author
My Review
Emma Lucy’s Riding the Line delivers a romance that is both playful and deeply meaningful. Cherry and Duke’s chemistry is undeniable, and their slow build toward love, while working through a bucket list, provides plenty of fun, tension, and swoony moments. Their ferris wheel scene at the fair was a standout for me—equal parts angsty and romantic, capturing everything I love about this trope.
What makes this story shine even brighter is its thoughtful representation of epilepsy and endometriosis. Emma portrays these conditions with honesty and care, exploring not just the challenges but also the strength it takes to live fully beyond them. Cherry’s determination to advocate for herself, to want more than being defined by her illnesses, was empowering. Duke’s compassion and quiet steadiness, even before romance blossomed, made him the perfect match—kind, respectful, and unwaveringly supportive.
If anything, I wished for a quicker resolution to the third act conflict and more time with Cherry and Duke together at the end. Still, I devoured this book in a single sitting. Riding the Line is a heartfelt, angsty, and empowering romance that fans of the brother’s best friend trope will adore.
My Rating
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