This was a cute book. I would have loved to see it as an adult romance and not YA but the bones of a good story are there. I didn't think the characters developed much beyond mooning over each other in their heads but it's YA so I wasn't expecting much

A quick, fun YA read that had me captivated with the title and the cover. The story did not disappoint. The story was a sweet and swoony opposites attract escape.

This was a quick, fun YA romance about an actor who needs to learn how to ride a horse for an upcoming role and ends up in Wyoming. There, he meets a girl who's lived there her whole life and she’s the one to teach him. Sparks fly, romance follows.

While the story was enjoyable and had a charming premise, I felt the characters fell a little flat. There wasn’t much depth or development, and at times their connection felt more forced than natural. I wanted to root for them, but the chemistry just wasn’t quite there for me.

That said, I did appreciate the way the author touched on deeper themes like tradition, family squabbles, and generational pressure. And the animals? Totally adorable. The names were so cute, I honestly wanted to jump into the book just to play with them.

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you for NetGalley for providing this ARC.

This was such a sweet teenage romance. I loved Cassidy and Wilder, thay were written as such believable teenagers despite both of them having to be mature for their age because of working on the farm/on sets.

I really loved all of the animals on the farm and loved the fun names they had. The book was very funny and the animals greatly contributed to that.

The book was also super cozy and the writing was so descriptive I really felt like I was there on the ranch.

I really enjoyed the ending of the book, it made a lot of sense for the characters and completed their character and family arcs quite well.

I'd recommend this for anyone who wants to read a swet and funny romance.

First, I want to thank NetGalley and Random House Children's Books for the eArc! This is my own honest review.

I love small towns and horses! Especially in a setting with two young characters that fall in love. These settings cause us to fall in love not only with the characters but with their surroundings even though their lifestyles were complete opposites. We see them grow together as the FMC (Cassidy) shows the MMC (Wilder) how to ride a horse. It was a super cute quick read.

This was a great book! The story was full of sweet moments and just the right amount of tension and banter. I loved the setting of this book!

4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐

This was such a fun, cozy read about two people from completely different worlds! One a city-raised actor preparing for a role, the other a ranch girl who’s grown up with horses and the wide-open sky 🐎🌾. I loved the setting (Wyoming always has my heart), and any book that involves horses immediately grabs my attention. The author did a great job capturing the charm of country life without it feeling overdone.

That said, I did feel like the emotional development between the characters moved a little too fast. Their first kiss came before I really felt any chemistry, and I kept wishing for a few deeper, more natural moments between them. It sometimes felt like the book told me how they felt instead of showing it, and I wanted more connection.

Even so, I really enjoyed this as a quick, sweet YA romance. The horse scenes made me smile, the setting was refreshing, and I’ll definitely read what this author writes next!

Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a cute and sweet YA romance.
Cassidy and Wilder had a lot of chemistry together and it was nice to see them grow closer and for the romance to grow between them. I do wish we got a bit more character development in it. it was definitely on the edge of insta like.
The writing style was easy and pretty bingeable to read.
If you like sweet and clean romances then this is for you!

This was a cute book about an actor who goes to a homestead in Wyoming to be taught how to ride a horse for an upcoming role, and the girl his age who has lived there her whole life who teaches him and (of course) falls for him while he falls for her. This was a great quick YA read for anyone looking for a book that doesn’t fit into the usual setting of YA contemporary books.

However, after liking the author’s previous book so much, I was left disappointed with this one. It definitely had some of the same wilderness setting and cowboy things, but I thought this book lacked a lot of character development. When the characters had their first kiss, my only thought was “ok but they’ve had like one actual conversation??” and this really lingered throughout the book. I really didn’t get to know even the main two characters much, as the book did a lot of telling over showing what the characters were feeling and thinking, so it just did not feel very natural overall.

Despite these complaints, I do not regret reading this book, and I will happily read the next book this author publishes. Thank you to Random House Children’s Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This romance novel delivers all the feels you'd hope for—tender moments, emotional depth, and just the right amount of tension. The chemistry between the main characters is palpable, and their journey from strangers (or friends, or enemies!) to something deeper feels both believable and heartfelt. The writing is engaging, with just enough detail to pull you into their world without slowing the pace. Whether you're a die-hard romance fan or just dipping your toes into the genre, this book offers a charming escape filled with love, growth, and a satisfying happily-ever-after.

4 stars – A sweet and swoony YA romance set under the Wyoming stars

Trail Rides and Starry Eyes by Katrina Emmel is a charming, feel-good young adult romance that blends small-town ranch life with the glitz of Hollywood. It follows Cassidy, a grounded ranch girl with her eyes on the stars (literally—she’s taking an online astronomy class), and Wilder, a teen heartthrob actor determined to land a cowboy role in a new mini-series.

I loved how Cassidy and Wilder helped each other grow—facing their fears and discovering new dreams in the process. Their connection felt genuine, and I appreciated the way they each built confidence not only in themselves, but also in each other. It’s a wholesome, uplifting dynamic that YA readers will really connect with.

I also loved that I felt like I had an inside look at a typical day in the life of a ranch hand. I have a newfound appreciation for the hard work and dedication it takes to keep a ranch running smoothly. The details felt authentic, and I especially enjoyed how the animals were treated with so much love and care—they even had the cutest names!

The writing style made it super easy to read, with a steady pace that kept me engaged from beginning to end. The rural setting and ranch lifestyle gave the story a cozy, down-to-earth vibe, which contrasted nicely with Wilder’s Hollywood background.

This is a great pick for fans of sweet, clean young adult romance—especially those who love small-town charm, horses, and opposites-attract storylines. I’d definitely recommend it to readers looking for a light, heartwarming escape.

Thank you “Random House Children’s Books” for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

This book was so stinking cute! I love how it mixed young love with an inner strength to find the med big of life within ourselves and the big dreams we have! It was swony and thought provoking which is a dynamic combo!

All for the cowboy/cowgirl love story books! My daughter and I both thought this book was adorable! We’ve been reading it together at night, and she loves horseback riding lessons, so this was super sweet to share together.

This sweet story has all the makings of a great YA book. It's a little stereotypical, and doesn't really have any surprises, but has lots of relatable moments. The author lightly tackles a lot of issues - generational pressure, tradition, country vs city, on-going family squabbles, etc, but mainly focuses on the two MCs. I thought they were pretty well written; both deal with insecurity, wondering what the future will be, are they making the right decisions, balancing expectations, etc. I just wish the author had dug in a little deeper all-around.

I did love all the animal names and quirky personalities. To this city girl, the author does a great job of describing country day-to-day life without being overbearing on the details.

The only thing that caught me off guard was Wilder didn't mention anything about how quiet it is in the countryside...or the farm smell.

Famous guy/regular girl is one of my absolute favorite tropes. Throw in horses, and I was chomping at the bit (lol) for this one.

That said, while it's not the worst written horsey book I've ever read, it's not the best. It's horse lite. Most mistakes are pretty minor, and the characters were likable, so I'll give it a pass.

Cute, quick read.

Trail Rides and Eyes is the perfect blend of heartfelt moments, slow-burn romance, and charming small-town vibes. It’s cozy, genuine, and leaves you smiling like you’ve just watched the stars with your favorite person.

I think someone who likes a more character driven book and the plot is more played out on the table would like this book!

I am a more plot driven reader and like when I have to figure it out .

The book was overall pretty descriptive about the atmosphere which I can appreciate and the animals names made me giggle!