Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses

Sparks fly between handsome cowboy Colton Walker and exasperated West Coast transplant Riley Thomas in this lighthearted debut. After relocating to Nebraska, Riley’s family insists on embarking on an Oregon Trail tour, an outdoorsy survival reenactment run by Colton’s family. Though initially at odds, Riley and Colton soon grow closer as they traverse the trail; Colton realizes that Riley has survival capabilities he’d never suspect from a California girl, and Riley falls for Colton once she learns that his sweet, soft-spoken country gallantry is genuine. But there are plenty of perils on the trail, including buffalo stampedes, familial tumult, and the sudden appearance of Colton’s loudmouth rival, whose competitive streak against Colton once again rears its head in his pursuit of Riley. Then life-changing news from her mother forces Riley to decide whether Nebraska—and Colton—will be in her future at all. The Oregon Trail setting provides an evocative backdrop against which Riley and Colton’s snappy banter and push-pull dynamic plays out. Well-worn romance tropes delivered via tightly paced writing teeming with sunshiny vibes make this a swoony and uplifting read. Main characters read as white. Ages 12–up. Agent: Jordan Hamessley, JABberwocky Literary. (July)