Jennifer Dugan writes fun and funny stories, and this book is no exception. A great cast of characters, sharp wit banter, and a story line I immediately invested in had me turning the pages.
Molly just wants to start her event planning business, but student loan debt and the daily grind have her working as a barista instead. Then she inherits a horse barn from her estranged aunt, throwing her head first into a world she knows nothing about. Selling the property would give her seed money to start her business, but the many people who depend on the barn - including the ridiculously hot farrier Shani who shoots daggers from her eyes - have her second guessing this plan. As she sticks around and starts learning the ropes, and getting to know the people, she gets more and more unsure what is the right thing to do. And the white hot sparks between her and Shani aren't making it any easier.
Along with Molly, I entered a world of horses that I knew nothing about, and loved the ride. All the characters seemed real and flawed in a way that made me want to know them, and the story lines were complex enough to lend good structure to the narrative without dragging. I would recommend to anyone who likes a little snark, a lot of flirting, and grumpy/sunshine vibes.

Such a fabulous romance. It was sweet, funny, poignant, spicy, and all around a great time. Highly recommend for readers that enjoy spicy Sapphic romantic comedies. I look forward to reading more by this author.

Thanks to NetGalley, I was able to read this incredibly adorable story about second chances and standing up to people around you! The Ride of Her Life follows Molly, a barista and aspiring wedding planner who inherited her late aunt's stable farm, and Shani, the resident caretaker of the farm and family friend, as they work together to save the farm they both know (and come to) love.

The writing in this book was so captivating I had a hard time putting it down. While at times the miscommunication was a bit annoying and the main characters unwillingness to listen concerning, it was the love between the two characters that really grabbed my attention. I could see myself within the main character and truly I wish the book had lasted longer so I didn’t have to put it down afterwards!

Unfortunately a DNF for me. The characters just weren’t doing it for me, especially Shani. I understand what the author was trying to do but she felt overly rude for no good reason.

Who doesn't love a little country music. This is such a sweet read and perfect for the summertime. Would defiantly recommend this for readers who are exploring LGBTQIA+ literature.

As a horse girl, I knew immediately that I wanted to read this book, Unfortunately, I didn´t like it.
Firstly, I didn´t feel the chemistry between Molly and Shani. Molly seemed in love with Shani very quickly, they had barely spoken with each other, not in a friendly way at least, when Molly for the first time considered staying at the farm.
I also didn´t like Molly. And I understand that she knows nothing about horses and that she didn´t asked to receive the farm. BUT her non existent knowledge about horses is dangerous. Horses are living creatures! And she only seems to be thinking about herself and how she is affected by Christina´s decision. Sure, she does care about Shani. But then she doesn´t think about how her own decision will affect the other people on the farm, only Shani. I spend majority of the book being annoyed at Molly.

Molly is living an unremarkable life working two unfulfilling jobs, living with her mother, and pining for the day she can start an event planning company. When Molly’s estranged aunt dies and leaves her a horse barn and a house, she initially has dollar signs in her eyes until she starts to have feelings for the hot farrier.

Molly decided to avoid most of her problems, and she also didn’t have anyone that was actually listening to her or considering anything aside from what they wanted from her. It was frustrating that more than 80% of the book had passed before Molly thought about running events on the property. It took entirely too long to get to that point on her own. She was all over the place for most of the book. The whole dynamic was exhausting.

Molly did not have a supportive circle. Nat and her mom were constantly pressuring her to get back to her crappy life in closer proximity to them when it was obvious she was hesitating. Her mother was using her for emotional support and companionship. It seemed like an unhealthy relationship from the start. Her mother’s reason for cutting Christina out was childish. I was not a fan of Nat either. She was not a good friend, and the way things were left between her and Molly at the end of the book didn’t serve any purpose. Nat chided Molly and put her on the defensive in nearly every conversation once it was clear Molly was wavering on her decision to sell.

Shani was also a mess. She’d been raised by Christina and shifted into a primary caregiver role by the end of her life. Living rent free in a house on the property and boarding her horse there made her a little too dependent on Molly after Christina’s death, and while she offered to help get the business back to a profitable state nothing was discussed or accomplished.

Molly was not a strong enough character to keep the plot moving on her own, and no one else stepped up to the plate.

3.5 ⭐️

Molly is down in her luck. Trying to make it in the city, juggling two part time jobs, student loans, and trying to start her own event planning company! She has the support and guidance of her college friend, Nat, and she has her mom— who by the way, she is currently living with.

Even living at home with her mom, Molly is just scraping by when she gets new of her estranged aunt’s passing. Molly is stunned to learn that her aunt has left her the only real asset she had- Christina’s Corrals, a sprawling property with a barn and two homes. Molly’s plan to quickly unload the property for cash is complicated when she meets the beautiful but angry Shani.

I loved and hated this story in equal measure!! The cast of characters were diverse, and all of them so likable (even grumpy Shani). The “I hated this” really came from the tension of miscommunication after miscommunication between Molly and Shani, leaving you asking will they or won’t they???! Also, I was so disappointed by the character of Nat. She was meant to be Molly’s best friend and mentor of sorts— she supported Molly when she came out as Bisexual, and as a lesbian with loved experience helped her to navigate dating and such in queer spaces. I was hoping for wholesome friendship and unyielding support. Instead I found her whiny, unsupportive, and downright mean at times :(


Overall: 4 ⭐️/ 1.5 🌶️

THE RIDE OF HER LIFE was such a fun, fast-paced read! When readers first meet Molly McDaniel, she's stuck working multiple jobs while dreaming of becoming a wedding event planner. When she discovers she's inherited a struggling horse farm, thanks to her estranged late aunt, Molly's entire world turns upside down—surely she can't run a barn! She quickly comes up with a plan to sell it in order to finally pay off her student loans and start her own business. Sounds foolproof...but Molly certainly didn't plan for finding community, friendship, and maybe even love on the run-down farm. Can she pursue her future while also listening to her heart?

I really enjoyed this book! Dugan does such a great job of developing the farm setting—I found it so interesting and immersive to read about. I also liked the romance between Molly and Shani, the resident farrier (and love interest!), but especially enjoyed the development Molly undergoes as a character, how she learns to make her own decisions and stand up for herself. My only real complaint is that I felt like the ending was a little abrupt, and would have liked more closure on certain relationships/friendships Molly had and just the story overall. Otherwise, I'd recommend this one! Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC.

Thank you Netgalley, HarperCollins Publishers, & Jennifer Dugan for the eARC of The Ride of Her Life in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I wanted to throw my kindle across the room multiple times - in a good way? Despite this book having the dreaded 3rd act breakup moment, I couldn’t put it down. The story is fast paced and a fun (yet frustrating!) read. This was my first book by Jennifer Dugan and I’ll definitely be on the look out for more from her in the future. The miscommunication between the characters and the very OBVIOUS solution to the MC’s issues made me want to pull out my hair BUT the author was able to evoke strong emotions so I enjoyed it.

I was super excited to read this one. Grumpy sunshine is always a favorite as is fish out of water. Unfortunately, I couldn't get past my dislike of the mc.

Molly inherits her aunt's house ranch and plans to sell it so that she can start her event planning business. That is completely understandable, but she doesn't communicate her plans well to the people who live here. She spent a lot of time worrying what people would think of her, and it prevented her from giving people the notice they needed.

I also felt like she had a lot of unhealthy relationships in her life, and I didn't feel like she went far enough to correct those. She decided to make decisions for herself but she still hoped to make up with everyone who had been problematic in her life. I would have liked to see her grow more. Additionally, this felt more like naive and resentful than grumpy sunshine.

I know some people don't mind disliking the main characters and if that is you then you may love this one. I don't think it was poorly written or plotted I just didn't enjoy the main character and the character growth she accomplished.

🌶️🌶️ - This book has one detailed spicy scene and a few other fade to black scenes

I really enjoyed getting to read the ARC of this book. I love an enemies-to-lovers trope, and I think because the plot line that accounted for the trope had serious consequences it made the tension even better. It is a great slow burn with lots of pining. My only issue is that some of the references to the real world date the book a little bit, and they pulled me out of it when I came upon them. I couldn't put this book down though, and I can't wait to be able to buy a copy once it is officially out!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a copy of this book. Parts of it were super corney and Nat drove me INSANE with how much of a hater she was. Also Molly wearing stiletto heels to a funeral she knew was out in the country insert eye roll. All in all I did really enjoy this book and I would rate it 3.75 out of 5!!

I have enjoyed this authors past books, but this one didn’t do it for me. The romance wasn’t completely believable for me, and the characters felt very self absorbed. I did love the farm setting and the horses. The miscommunication was a bit bothersome. It just didn’t click for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the arc!
Pub date: 5/28/24

This queer romance, unfortunately, falls flat with a plot that seems stuck in romance clichés. The characters lack the spark needed to make them memorable, and their development feels like ticking off a checklist. Sure, it's great to see LGBTQ+ representation, but the story leans heavily on predictable twists. The writing is okay, but it never quite hits that emotional high note. It's not a complete disaster, and there are some authentic moments, but it doesn't bring anything fresh to the table. Giving it two stars because, let's face it, there are better options out there for a more engaging queer romance read. Jennifer Dugan’s writing has missed the mark for me as of late.

When Molly inherits a farm with a ridiculously hot tenant, all types of wild events follow. Readers will fall in love with Molly, who is pretty stuck in old patterns when we meet her. Readers will fall in love with Shani, the love interest, resident farrier, and absolute truth teller. This book was so much more than a romance (although every romantic element was on point); it was truly a coming-of-age story. It was lovely to watch Molly and Shani's relationship develop, but I was cheering for how far Molly came in terms of her personal development by the end. I truly loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

I really like Jennifer Dugan writing style. This was a good one but not my favorite by her. A cute sapphic romance in the setting of a farm. Quick easy read.

I really liked Jennifer Dugan’s last book, Love at First Set, but something about this one didn’t really click for me. The character motivations didn’t really make sense and the dialogue was clunky and chemistry lacking. In my opinion, not her best, but I’m still giving her next book a shot.

I’ve always wanted to participate in the cowboy romance trend, but I can hardly stand men, let alone “rugged” men. But cowgirls? You’ve peaked my interest.

Molly McDaniel knows nothing about horses, but she does know about Shani. Mostly that Shani’s hot and feisty. Molly has inherited her late aunt’s failing horse ranch and she wants nothing to do with it. Shani lives on said ranch and very much wants to keep it above water. The two women butt heads (and other things) repeatedly. Will the ranch survive? Will their relationship survive?

Molly and Shani’s chemistry had me so excited! When Molly was torn between the ranch and her “normal” life, I was feeling the same way. You know where it’s going but you still see both sides. I love how our main characters got their dreams and didn’t hold back just because their friends or family didn’t agree with the choice.

I loved Love at first set and this was another great one. Excellent writing and descriptions.

Thank you for the opportunity