Every so often a book comes along that makes me very nervous as an author. After reading this, I feel like I need to step it up a notch. I can’t compete! It’s too good!!
The story kicks off with Tom, a hot recluse biker (cyclist?) whose sister sets him up with a ‘buddy’ for a cross-country tour. Alex, aka Lexie, is that buddy. Tom didn’t want a male biking partner and he certainly doesn’t want a female one. After making some rude remarks that don’t deter her, he agrees to stick it out until he can find a replacement.
Lexie thinks Tom is a super hot jerk. She tells him she’s married and gives him the silent treatment for days. They end the stalemate with a hot sauce competition and become friendly.
Tom is anti-social, but he likes women. If she wasn’t married, he’d totally do her. He also can’t get rid of her because she rides too hard and fast for everyone. Except him.
These two are perfect biking partners with very different styles. While Lexie has every mile of the trip scheduled, Tom is more relaxed. He wears cargo shorts, carries a beer cooler, and has no particular plan. She reflects on this and decides to be more impulsive. Live for the moment. One rainy afternoon, they share a steamy kiss in the rain. He calls a halt because he doesn’t touch married women.
Lexie fesses up later and the real conflict arises. Tom has a pretty good reason for shunning society. He won’t share any personal details. On the plus side, they have explosive sexual chemistry and a similar sense of humor. He’ll let her in his sleeping bag, not his head. Can she be satisfied with hot sex and a few laughs, or coax Tom to open up to her?
I adored these characters, the outdoor adventure, the bike details, and the lovely setting descriptions. The sex is hot. The writing is divine. Lexie’s soul-searching made me reexamine my own life. Am I enjoying this journey? Should I drop out of society and buy a bike? I want to commune with nature and push myself physically and…think deep thoughts! *flails*
The romance isn’t without flaws. Knox does such a convincing job with Tom’s negative attitude that it seems more like an ingrained personality trait than a reaction to a bad experience. I also wondered what responsibility he took, if any, for his failed marriage.
My main problem was with the last quarter of the book. This might be a kindle locations issue, because the story ended at 85%, and I wasn’t quite sold. I’m not sure if it was too abrupt, or too subtle. I believed in them as a couple, but questioned Lexie’s choices. A couple of exciting moments failed to bring the big emotional climax I craved. Instead of building up speed, Ride With Me sort of glides to a quiet HEA.
Overall, this is an excellent story and the best romance I’ve read in a long time. I really loved it. 4.5
- Goodreads rating – 3.86
- REVIEW – Jill Sorenson