I thoroughly enjoyed the narrative leading up to the commencement of the Oregon Trail expedition. While some of the events that unfolded early in Riley's journey were not part of my own experiences, I empathized with her character. The gradual development of Colton and Riley's relationship, as they transitioned from initial animosity to love, felt very organic. Additionally, the portrayal of the supporting characters, including Riley and Colton's parents, Riley's brother, and even Colton's horse, Chance, and his rival Jake, was compelling. The vivid and picturesque descriptions of the scenery were truly captivating. Furthermore, the misadventures encountered by Colton and Riley were quite engaging, but I refrain from disclosing specific details to avoid spoilers. The resolution of the story left me satisfied. Overall, it is a delightful young adult novel, presenting a compelling rivals-to-lovers romance narrative.

TL;DR: Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses was a fun contemporary YA featuring a sweet summer romance with relatable teenage characters who were easy to empathise with and like. It also made me want to go and experience an Oregon Trail summer experience and bask in Nebraska’s natural trails! Overall, it was a fun and easy read and an enjoyable debut!

As I was reading Near Misses & Cowboy Kisses, I immediately thought of how much a younger me would’ve loved to read this book. Not only was the Oregon Trail a big part of my formative gaming experience, but as a young hopeless romantic, I’d always loved the idea of experiencing a breathtaking and beautiful summer romance. 🤭 Beyond that, as someone who grew up moving frequently and whose high school experience involved three moves in four years, I related so much to Riley’s experience!

The summer before senior year is nothing at all like Riley expected. Not only is she not spending time with her besties in California, but her whole life is being uprooted to the last place she wants to be—Nebraska. Riley is understandably upset and frustrated and she displays that through her grumpiness and lack of excitement at being dragged into a family trip for a good portion of the book. Change is hard for anyone to deal with and as a teen, sometimes it feels even more "life ending", which Emmel illustrated well through Riley’s behaviour. But the way Riley's thoughts and feelings about the "Great Upheaval" changed over the story was natural and realistic. This was reflected in her relationship with her family, who she so clearly loves and it was nice to see her reconnect with them by the end, but also with Colton, who's not as bad as she initially thought. I also really loved her passion for art and what she wanted to pursue as a career! It was very cool. 😊

Colton was her opposite in many ways and their relationship could not have started any worse. He’s a working teen who’s passionate about the Nebraskan wild he’s grown up in. He takes great pride in his family’s business hosting Oregon Trail experiences and I loved his relationship with his mother so much! It was very sweet :) I have to admit that his initial harsh judgement of Rylie rubbed me the wrong way but as we get to know him more, it’s clear that he’s just a teen who gets his words wrong sometimes and then doesn’t know how to make things less awkward, lol. He’s used to being alone and is shy but respectful, hard-working, passionate and has a great heart! I’m so glad this was in dual perspective so we got his POV too.

What starts as a rather contentious relationship between Riley and Colton due to quick judgments from poor first impressions slowly becomes a comforting, heartwarming and wholesome romance. I loved how their harsh feelings for each other thawed as they spent more time together and learned to see beyond their physical appearances and that initial impression. As teens, they don’t always communicate in the best way but it was totally realistic and I’m glad that they eventually got on the same page with how they felt for each other. At times it seemed to tip over the line into 'instalove' but they also went through a lot over the two weeks. Ultimately, I found their romance sweet and swoonworthy! 💜

If there’s anything I wished had been done differently, it would be the ending. While it was technically satisfying and they get their “happy for now”, I kind of wish that the story hadn’t ended so abruptly. Coming in at less than 300 pages, this was a pretty short read and the ending made it feel even more so. I’m not always a fan of epilogues but it would’ve been nice to see what happened after the summer. I wanted to see what it was like for Riley in her new school but also whether they decided to stick it out or not. It’s a small “complaint” and defo a personal preference but overall, I thought this was a great debut! I’m keen to see what Emmel writes in the future.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Delacorte Romance for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is an adorable story! I've recently been getting more into western-style romance stories, and this was a great YA version. It was like going back in time of when I played Oregon Trail a ton as a tween on the computers at school, and I love how determined Riley is to prove Colton wrong in his first impressions of her. Is it a conventional vacation/moving trip? Nope, and that's what really makes the book as good as it is.

If you’re looking for a heart-warming adorable romance then I recommend picking this one up!!

I absolutely love the writing style, it describes the beautiful setting of this book perfectly!
I’m not a huge fan of being out in the wild for days but through this story is one of the exception that made wished I could be on that Oregon Trail Excursion!

Riley’s character is actually pretty relatable. I could totally relate to her as I would not be happy either if I have to go on that trail excursion after my life had just undergone massive change.
I really enjoy seeing how Riley started to grew fonder towards Nebraska - the people and its nature thorughout this story.
Not to mention, a handsome and sweet cowboy is there as a tour guide, life may not as bad as Riley thinks…..

Overall, this is highly enjoyable and entertaining. My eyes are glued to my kindle, it’s such a page turner!
I bet teenagers would love a story with a mix of adventure, nature and also a dash of romance!
I’m really looking forward to read the next book by this author in the future!

This one was really cute! It definitely was YA, so don’t be expecting any spice, but it was a really cute cowboy young love romance.
He calls her Prairie Princess at first because he stereotypes her as a city girl and kind of mansplains her a bit, which gives them a rivals energy. But once they both realize there’s more to each other and they’ve misread and judged too quickly, the gears shift.
There’s another boy, Jake, who THINKS he has a chance but really doesn’t and he ends up getting in the way a lot. Thankfully, Colton eventually figures out that Jake really doesn’t have a chance and makes his move. But he has that normal teen doubt.
All in all it was really cute, just a long trek through the outdoors and a relationship blooming under the stars in the Nebraskan wilderness.

Thank you TBR and Beyond for having me on the tour!

Once you love a boy in a Stetson, you’ll never be the same…❤️🤠 I can validate this - I married my cowboy!
A swoon-worthy YA rivals-to-lovers romance between a Nebraskan cowboy and California girl, thrust together on the Oregon Trail.

I’m not too familiar with cowboy romances but this was really sweet. I loved the banter between Riley and Colton and I thought it was awesome. I liked getting to here about the great outdoors aspect and I felt like this was such a cute feel good story.

A swoony cowboy and a resourceful girl find love and romance under the wide prairie skies. Colton and Riley are from different backgrounds and the assumptions set them up for an enemies-to-love interests trope. Neither are ever too mean to each other and come in clutch for several rescues and rebounds. I liked that there wasn't a bridge too far to overcome and they were very sweet and genuine to each other. The scenery is fun, the Oregon Trail premise is playful, and the characters are both creative and relatable. This could be a great addition to a junior high or high school library.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

Imagine having to move to a different state right after your junior year of high school! (Actually, one of my speech and debate students this past year did exactly that.) That’s exactly what happens to Riley, and even though she understands her parents’ reasons, she is NOT happy about it.

Even worse: during the week between arriving in their new state and having their furniture catch up with them, they’re going on a pioneer wagon train reenactment! Riley is even less happy.

And when her suitcase doesn’t catch up with her…yeah.

Told both from Riley’s and Colton’s POV, this story is about first impressions. Neither of them got a very good first impression of the other. Colton thinks Riley is a spoiled city girl, and she think he’s a judgmental jerk.

As their week on the prairie progresses, they discover that they’re both wrong. I really love the scene where they go fishing for dinner—probably my favorite in the whole book.

As is the standard, there are misunderstandings and mistakes. Of course, if one important fact had been communicated far earlier, we’d have missed the third-act breakup and subsequent resolution.

Background and secondary characters were all well-done. Dialogue rings true. And the descriptions of the beauty of the prairie were lovely.

Possible Objectionable Material:
Family drama (minor). Misunderstandings. A big flirt. Kissing. Some dangerous situations.

Who Might Like This Book:
Those who like American history (particularly the Western pioneers), nature, and, of course, stories about high school love.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book is also reviewed at https://biblioquacious.blogspot.com/2024/07/new-releases.html

4.5 Stars

NEAR MISSES & COWBOY KISSES is a delightful romance set along the Oregon Trail. Likable characters, a fun family dynamic, romance with plenty of chemistry and a slight triangle, with a bit of danger thrown in makes for a thoroughly enjoyable read. Young adult contemporary romance fans, especially those who find rugged and sweet cowboys attractive, will definitely enjoy this adorable story full of heart and swoons!

I didn't know what to expect when I first began reading this story and I've had a bit of a run of not great books, so it was a relief to finally read something that I enjoyed from beginning to end. This was a refreshing read with a unique setting as the heroine goes with her family on a wagon ride for a taste of pioneer life along the Oregon Trail. There were a lot of opportunities to create friction, surprises, friendship and romance with this setting.

From the first chapter I knew I'd like these characters and story. Riley is a fairly level-headed teenage girl who is about to enter her senior year of high school but has had her whole life completely ripped up with a move across country. She seems a bit plagued my mishaps to add to her challenges, including getting wrongly judged to be someone she's not. Colton is one of the cowboys who works the Oregon Trail with his dad. He's rugged and steady with a sweet side. He's not usually known to be a flirt or get involved with anyone, especially short term. These two don't start of well with a bunch of misconceptions about each other. It was fun to see how one kind of tension turned into another as they got to know each other and faced some surprising challenges. I enjoyed how well the author balanced all the emotions and how the emotional intensity grew as the story unfolded. I appreciated the humor, the contemplative and learning moments, the relationships, the surprising run-ins with animals, and the romance.

Read this story if you like:
- A unique setting along the Oregon Trail
- A sweet, rugged cowboy
- A girl who is perfectly relatable
- A slight love triangle
- Chemistry with sparks
- A heroic rescue
- Plenty of humor
- Sleeping under the stars
- Fun family dynamics
- A story that will leave you smiling

In the end, was it what I wished for? This was an adorably delightful story! I loved reading it and am looking forward to picking up this author's next release.

Content: Some swearing (including a couple s-words).
Source: I received a complimentary NetGalley copy through TBR & Beyond Tours, which did not require a positive review. All opinions are my own.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
What to expect -
•Dual POV
•rivals to lovers
•snarky FMC
•slow burn
•cute cowboy vibes

“Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses” by Katrina Emmel is your new favorite young adult romance!

A charming debut from Emmel, “Near Misses and Cowboy Kisses” follows high school senior Riley Thomas on a weeklong excursion following the Oregon trail with her family, where she meets Colton Walker, a cowboy trail guide on their trip.

After a series of unfortunate events for Riley, Colton’s first impression of her as a “Prairie Princess” doesn’t seem that far off, but as they get to know each other Colton realizes they have more in common than he thought.

This book is SUPER adorable and I basically loved every second of it. As a history lover the idea of going on a weeklong trip to ride the Oregon trail actually seems like a lot of fun to me and Emmel perfectly capturers the gorgeous scenery throughout the book.

Overall I really enjoyed this book and if you haven’t read a YA romance in a long time or think you might not be in the demographic, let this book change your mind!! I can’t wait to read more from Emmel!

I received an advanced copy from NetGalley and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

thank you so much to TBR and Beyond blog tours and netgalley for the early copy, all my opinions are my own!!

this was soooo cute and so short at the same time 😅
it's a really fast paced book but with a slowburn element so even tho i read it in two sittings, the story took its time developing, which i really enjoyed. both MCs were really enjoyable to read, specially Colton when he started to realize the "prairie princess" wasn't such a princess anymore. of course, we have to remember that Riley is a teenager so i could understand most of her outbursts and attitudes, and i adored seeing her change her mind. and obviously, every time the two of them were together had me swooning with love.
now i really wanna spend a whole week in the middle of nowhere with my own cobwoy, i loooved the setting so much 😍😍 if you have the chance to read please do so!! it's a really good debut 😉

I finally made my bucket list trip out west last month and somewhere between Bozeman and Big Sky, I fell into my cowboy romance bookish era just in time to read this book! When Riley’s last year of high school is completely disrupted by a move from the beaches of California to the prairies of Nebraska, she reacts as any teenage girl would- less than thrilled. Don’t tell the youth that Katrina Emmel accomplishes every parents’ summer dream - a vacation where teenagers are **gasp** happily unplugged and taking in the sounds of nature and even the history of the Oregon Trail. New Misses and Cowboy Kisses is an absolutely adorable and timeless coming of age novel set in a covered wagon amidst iconic scenery that is geriatric millennials will find comfort in (and rejoice that PS5 has released an amazing new Oregon Trail video game that is epic) and young adults will relate to the beauty and hope woven beautifully throughout the pages.

Riley's life is completely uprooted when her family decides to move to Nebraska from California during her senior year. Losing her friends, missing out on opportunities, and having to start all over one year before graduation understandably seems like the end of the world to her. To add to that, her parents have decided to take Riley and her brother on a week-long Oregon Trail immersive excursion before the big move. Right from the start of their trip, things go wrong for Riley, and to make it all worse, she's been labeled a "Prairie Princess" by the cute but irksome cowboy Colton. As the wagons head out, Riley tries to make the most of her situation and realizes that being out on the prairie may not be all that bad, especially with her sketchpad nearby and the possibility of romance on the horizon.

This was a super cute cowboy YA romance! I enjoyed both of the main characters and liked that the book had dual POVs. The author did a great job of making the story relatable to teens. I thought there was an important lesson embedded in the pages about staying open-minded and realizing that things may not be as bad as they seem at first. The author's descriptions of what it was like out on the prairie were also spot on, allowing the reader to visualize Riley's surroundings easily. Overall, I enjoyed this heartwarming story and gave this book 3.5 stars (rounded up to 4)!

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Children's Books, and Delacorte Romance for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion!

I always want to start my reviews by thanking the author and the publisher for giving me the opportunity to read this book early. It was not a bad story, but I didn't find myself drawn to the story.

Cowboy romance meets YA in this charming read! I found this book really adorable. One thing that stood out was its effective use of dual POVs, which isn't common in many YA books.

Colton, the male main character, is a hardworking teen who plays an integral role in his family's business—a refreshing change from typical YA portrayals. His dedication to the work and his love for it are palpable throughout the story.

The female main character faces realistic challenges that many teens can relate to, such as unexpectedly moving during her senior year. The author skillfully captures the turmoil and frustration that can accompany such upheaval, including missing out on opportunities with friends, internships, and jobs.

For me, the setting was a highlight. Who would have thought an Oregon Trail adventure could be so captivating? While it may not be the most practical experience—sitting for hours on end in a caravan on wooden benches—I appreciated the author's detailed descriptions that made the environment come alive.

If you enjoy immersive reads with descriptive writing that paints a vivid picture, this book is perfect. It strikes a balance, offering enough detail to transport you into the story without overwhelming.

This book features:
- YA genre
- Enemies-to-lovers trope
- Engaging and immersive setting
- Dual POVs
- Heartwarming cowboy romance

Super cute story. One of the better books involving teenaged characters I’ve read in a while. Each character had their par5 and played it nicely, Colton and Riley were a good depiction of dislike to like. I enjoyed Riley being a super smart independent girl. She was still willing to learn and listen but she wasn’t afraid to tell how she felt. Overall, I’d recommend this story to anyone looking for a quick and fun YA story that’s easy to enjoy a lot!

Imagine being a teenage girl with such high hopes for a fun summer before your senior year only to have them crushed with news that turns your world upside down. Riley Thomas, FMC, was just landed this blow by her parents,. “We received job offers to teach in Nebraska starting in the fall.” As if that isn’t enough, “We are going on a week long Oregon trail excursion while we wait for movers to arrive.” Say what? Riley’s life is officially over. Enter Colton Walker, good ole boy, who works for his family’s tourism business and enjoys the simple things in life. What will happen when Prairie Princess meets Tall, Dark & Irksome? Opposites attract, teenage angst, off the charts banter, adventure galore and some cowboy kisses that makes your inner teen girl heart flutter. This book was so cute and full of a good mix of salty and sweet. If you’re a fan of YA romance, cowboys, teenage angst/banter and heart flutters….this book is for you.

This is a perfect love story of Nebraska! I’m also a nature geek like Riley so it was really great to read all of the little fun facts. This is for you if you want a sweet YA romance with cowboy kisses and a happy heartfelt ending!

Thank you to NetGalley, Katrina Emmel, and Random House Children’s for this advance readers copy!

Near Misses And Cowboy Kisses by Katrina Emmel, Riley Thomas is not happy, she was happy in California but now her family has moved them to the prairies of Nebraska but first they’re going on A wagon train vacation and to make matters worse the airport has lost her luggage. Colton Walker is the sun of the wagon train retreat owner and he loves his life the first time he sees Riley he mistakenly called her a prairie princess thinking she’s going to be just like all the other teenage girls whose parents drag them on their excursion. The fact that Riley is from California doesn’t improve Colton‘s opinion of her but once he gets to know Her slowly but surely his opinion changes and goes from slight contempt to admiration to something that feels like a faction if only they could stop fighting. Right when it seems he’s going to make headway with the feisty Californian, The “pony express“ that comes during every wagon train arrives with narcissist and ladies man Jake Harding and he has his eye set on Riley it seems besides falling in creeks and getting chased by stampeding bison the only other thing Riley has to do on her wagon train vacation is disagree with Colton they both eventually fall for each other but will they wind up together? I want to say from the beginning that I found this book very entertaining and a really good read but as I read the book it was all into it they kept fighting making up almost kissing wash rinse repeat
Then when the narcissist Jake shows up I was reminded it had only been three days and that is my only complaint about the book they must’ve had at least 10 disagreements misunderstandings and I get it you need to keep the narrative going and things happening to keep the reader interested but OMG you could tell this was written for teens because there was a lot of unnecessary drama but I did like both characters and I’m still giving this a four star rating because I was thoroughly entertained and when I had to stop reading all I wanted to do was pick the story up again and that’s what books are for to entertain which this one certainly did. I thought they would never kiss let alone get together if you love young love and romance then you’ll definitely enjoyed this book not to mention the great story that goes with it.#RandomHouseChildren’s, #NetGalley, #KatrinaEmill, #NearMissesAndCowboyKisses,