A charming novel about two different kinds of passion: the love of work you're meant to do and the love for who you fall for. Both the protagonist's and the author's fondness for theme parks and the people who make the magic happen there shine through every page. The story isn't afraid to dive into the details, which will fascinate both theme park enthusiasts and readers who don't have much experience in the parks. The romance is the icing on top of a sweet story about a woman finding the place she's meant to be.

Charlotte returns home after losing her job at DreamUs, the biggest theme park employer in the world. She starts working as a consultant for her Aunt and Uncle’s theme park Lands. Lands is struggling so they have to bring on an investment firm to help with the park’s long term viability. Insert Gregory, long haired hottie here to ruin lands (in Charlotte’s opinion). But Charlotte comes to find that maybe he isn’t so bad. And maybe there’s something more there too?

This book was so fun! I feel just like Gregory and learned so much about the difference between theme parks and amusement parks. The main characters were both so lovable and sweet. The story was captivating. With a good mix of plot from the theme park drama and romance. The romance was a slow burn which kept me hooked because I was just waiting for them to finally kiss! And was not disappointed when it happened.

Slow burn
Long haired mmc
Friends to lovers
Closed door

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

This book brings childhood theme park memories rushing back.

Charlotte grew up at her family’s park, so it makes sense that she built a career designing rides. When she loses her job and her relationship in one brutal swoop, she finds herself back home. The park she loves is struggling, and its only chance at survival is an investor.

Gregory Binns has no experience with theme parks and sees the business in pure numbers. Determined to change his mind, Charlotte takes it upon herself to show him the magic firsthand.

The slow burn romance between Charlotte and Gregory was so well done! Their relationship develops in a way that feels natural.

The world of Lands of Legend is beautifully detailed. You can practically hear the music and smell the popcorn. Charlotte’s family is a warm and supportive presence, making the story even better.

This book is full of heart, charm, and just the right amount of magic.

Fans of theme parks, slow burn romance, and characters discovering themselves while finding love will enjoy this one.

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington for this ARC!

There were things I enjoyed and this was a solid book, just not the right fit for me. I loved the setting of a theme park. I've read a few that center around different parks, and here it felt like another character. But that was part of the issue. This felt more like a romance between the writer and theme parks then a romance between the MC's. And if you're familiar enough with a certain park, you can tell which rides inspired similar rides in this book. I'd much rather an author come up with something completely new, then use a knock off style name.

This was a closed door romance which I wasn't expecting. There's some kissing, but don't expect anything else. It's 3rd person, from the POV of the FMC. The MC's were OK. I didn't have any issues with them, I just couldn't connect to the writing/story. It felt more show, and less tell in the writing style. Like, everything was explained instead of just letting things happen naturally.

I think for the author's first dip into romance, it's not bad. With the way she loves theme parks, I'd love to see her write a book that goes into the history of them. I think she'd knock that out of the park.

As a huge geek. Thrill Ride made me happy on so many levels. It was a true joy from start to finish.

This was a quick read for me and it was cute. Had some fun aspects, I wasn’t as engaged with the characters but I still enjoyed their story.
Thank you Netgalley for this arc.

I have to start by saying I did roller coaster road trips in my 20s and my daughter and I do annual visits to the mouse house so this book background was intriguing. It's a unique settling for a cozy romance while also setting up some interesting character development. A loss of her dream job causes Charlotte to end up back home at her family's quaint theme park. Unbeknownst to her, her cousin plans to bring in an outside investor who knows nothing about theme parks. This us where you the reader and Gregory learn about and fall in love with their adventure and theme park.

This was extremely cute and fun!

As an Ohio amusement park lover, I quickly learned the difference between theme parks and amusement parks and fell in love with Lands of Legend and could feel the attention to every detail that made the “lands” come alive.

I loved the slow burn between Gregory and Charlotte, watching them slowly realize they meant a whole lot more to each other than colleagues or even friends. They were sweet and gentle with each other, even when conflict arose. It was nice to have a romance without a huge heartbreaking blow up/miscommunication/fight but more recognizing how they maybe made mistakes, but never to hurt the other.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Super cute story and great if you love theme parks! The theme parks were a bit of a main character as the story is very descriptive about the rides and atmosphere. This was a pretty clean and sweet romance story.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

Charlotte Gates grew up surrounded by fairy tales and roller coasters at her family’s park, Lands of Legend, and she’s spent her life chasing that magic. But when a career setback and personal betrayal send her back home, she’s shocked to find her beloved park struggling to stay afloat—and in the hands of buttoned-up investor Gregory Binns, who doesn’t even know what a churro is, let alone the difference between a theme park and an amusement park!
Charlotte and Gregory are complete opposites, but their chemistry is undeniable. As Charlotte pulls Gregory into her world of themed rides and over-the-top snacks, she discovers he’s more than just spreadsheets and ties. Gregory’s transformation from stiff and skeptical to open and adventurous is so fun to watch, and Charlotte’s journey to rediscover what truly makes her happy is just as rewarding.
This closed-door romance delivers all the feels without needing spice, focusing instead on meaningful connections and personal growth. Both characters face big decisions: Charlotte must choose between chasing her dream career or building a new future, and Gregory has to decide if he’s ready to embrace a little magic in his life.
With its unique theme park setting, Thrill Ride feels fresh and charming. It’s perfect for fans of Hallmark movies or anyone looking for a sweet love story about second chances, self-discovery, and learning to believe in magic again. Highly recommend for a cozy, uplifting read!


᪥ RomCom
᪥ Closed Door
᪥ Single POV

3 stars.

Charlotte is a theme park expert - after all, her family owns a small theme park! However, the park is having financial problems, so an outside investor comes into the picture. Gregory doesn't understand anything about theme parks, and he's terrified of roller coasters. Together, these two very different people can save the Lands of Legends.

This was a sweet, clean romance. I have no experience with theme parks, there aren't many in my country. But I really liked the way the author described the locations, and I could almost hear the carousel music in my ears! This was a real feelgood book. There was a classic third act crisis and break up, but book got so much better after the third act crisis. After it was such a lovely ride! I usually prefer my romances with spice, but this was a nice read even though it was kissing only, closed doors romance.

WHAT I LIKED: the atmosphere, theme parks, happiness, cinnamon rolls! The ending!
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: the dreaded miscommunication... And I would have maybe liked it more if it was a dual pov.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

Pov: heroine, 3rd person
Heat & spice: closed doors, kissing only
Pacing: slowburn
Communication: miscommunication
Third act: break up
Ending: HEA

Main characters:
* Strangers to colleagues to friends to lovers
* Millionaire
* Opposites attract

What?
* Forced proximity

Where?
* Theme parks!
* Return to hometown
* Small town
* Workplace romance

Drama?
* Family drama (a bit, not much)

This is a right book, but wrong reader situation.
I did like that the setting was a bit different from a lot of other books. I am also glad to have found a new to me author and given them a chance. While I may not have loved this book, I do look forward to the future to try another other works.

This was a cute contemporary romance story! I loved the cover and ingenuity of the new type of plot/main character characteristics and development.

Despite a title like "Thrill Ride," the romance wasn't very thrilling. The meet cute was boring (it was just...outside the cinnamon roll hut? No cute chaos), the development of their relationship happened more in allusions than on the page (show me the almost-kiss, please and thank you), and the third act break-up felt pointless and got resolved WAY too fast. Some stuff was ADORABLE, like their walks through the parks and the way he grabs her hand on rides and how he takes notes on her infodumps. At least to me, it wasn't enough.

Perhaps more than a romance, this is a love letter to theme parks. There was a lot of theme park knowledge in here, particularly about IP and the importance of atmosphere. I spent the entire time reading this book texting my best friend, who is a Project Coordinator for a theme park contractor. Jessica is a diehard thoosie who knows everything there is to know about this industry. So when she says that this book is a 7/10 on theme park accuracy, I believe her.

To quote my best friend, "it reads like the author wants to write a theme park design video essay but has to cloak it as a romance novel." I see this book appealing to the thoosies, but maybe not as much to the casual romance reader. But it seems like thoosies are the audience Ratcliffe intended, which is why I'm giving this a three.

Thank you to NetGalley and Kensington for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Amy Ratcliffe is a new-to-me author with a Star Wars catalog that I can't wait to explore! This is her first foray into romance, and I was excited to dive into this book when I discovered it on NetGalley.

It's easy to get stuck in romance tropes, so when I come across a new angle, setting, or twist, I'm all in! **Thrill Ride** did not disappoint in that aspect. This is the first theme park romance I've read, and I loved that the main setting was a quaint theme park in Ohio. The big bad was the allure of Dreamland in Orlando, setting the stage for our heroine, Charlotte.

Charlotte loves her family and their theme park, Land of Legends. Will they accept her back into the fold after her time as a Dream Mechanic for Dreamland? Can she save Land of Legends? Join Charlotte and her clan as Gregory and Ever Fund introduce you to Land of Legends and the magic of theme parks.

This is a closed-door romance, safe to read with the entire family! You get your thrill ride from the actual rides and magical trips through Lands of Legend and Dreamland. I enjoy all levels of steam and spice and read both YA and adult romances. If you're looking for a sweet story and need a break from the same old sport/mafia/fill-in-the-blank storyline, give **Thrill Ride** by Amy Ratcliffe a try!

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Thrill Ride is a fun, solid romance that's perfect for theme park fans. Charlotte is very dedicated to her job, though she feels a bit lost at times, and that was something I could understand and appreciate in a character. Gregory was also a lovely character who fit well with Charlotte, but the story was so focused on Charlotte that I felt we missed out on a bigger journey for him, which I would have loved. I also was interested in his family, who, unfortunately, existed only off-page.
I do feel this book was more about Charlotte's journey with the family theme park than her romance with Gregory, so if you're in it for only the romance you might be a little disappointed. Regardless, the story made for a quick and fun read full of references I think any theme park fan would recognize. I also loved the nod to some Columbus locations, such as the beloved Book Loft.

Thank you to Kensington and Netgalley for the ARC.

Such a sweet and fun book. I found that the topic was just cute enough without being cheesy. The writing is good and I was entertained while invested in the outcome of the main characters. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A little too sweet and a little too closed door for my taste, but not a bad book overall. Right book wrong reader most likely.

I think a lot of people will like this story as the setting is incredibly original and fun! To me the issue was that the writing wasn’t charismatic enough and was too straightforward. Other than that, I’d recommend it

The romance between Charlotte and Gregory is adorable, capturing the essence of a classic, closed-door love story—sweet without crossing into overly saccharine territory. Both characters experience significant personal growth throughout the narrative. Charlotte learns to balance her deep connection to her past with her aspirations for the future, while Gregory discovers the joy and wonder of the theme park life.