Sixteen-year-old Cassidy Sterling can’t imagine life beyond her family’s Wyoming ranch. Her days are filled with colt breaking, cattle rustling, and an online Intro to Astronomy class. Seventeen-year-old Wilder Nash also has his sights set on the stars—the ones on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. A teen heartthrob, he’s now he’s ready for the big time. To land a lead role as a cowboy in a prime-time mini-series, he must convince the casting director he’s an experienced horseman. The problem? He’s all hat and no cowboy.
With less than a month to learn to ride, Wilder heads to Silver Stallion Ranch.
Cassidy’s quiet life is disrupted when Wilder arrives. As he mucks out stalls and grooms horses, Wilder begins to see there’s more to life than his looks. And Cassidy starts imagining a future beyond the ranch. The growing spark between them threatens to ignite into something more, but Cassidy must decide if she’s brave enough to take the reins of her own life. Meanwhile, Wilder faces a choice: the glamorous life of a star or a simpler life under the stars.
Trail Rides & Starry Eyes is a cozy, wholesome YA contemporary romance that’s set against a small-town ranch backdrop. The story has a great balance of slow-burn romance, coming-of-age themes, character growth, and small-town charm—so it will appeal to more than just the typical romance reader!
The story follows Cassidy Sterling, a 16-year-old from a Wyoming ranch, whose life is all about family, ranch chores, and horses. Cassidy’s uncle, an agent in Hollywood, sends Wilder Nash, a rising teen actor, to the ranch for a crash course in horseback riding for a cowboy TV role. The collision of worlds sets up a classic forced-proximity romance: ranch chores and riding lessons by day & emotional sparks under starry Wyoming nights.
Cassidy is a sweet, grounded protagonist who’s very loyal to her family. She enjoys her ranch life but has quiet doubts on whether it’s enough for her—and she also feels pressure to continue with the family tradition of working the ranch for life. When Wilder arrives, and she’s in charge of assigning him chores and giving him a crash course in horse riding, everything changes. Wilder is pompous on the exterior but internally very insecure about his talent. As he works on the ranch and develops a friendship with Cassidy, he begins to realize there could be more to life than stardom. At the same time, Cassidy starts seeing cracks in her comfortable routine and imagines possibilities beyond the ranch. Their parallel journeys of self-discovery and growth are the heart of the story, and their arcs are nicely illustrated, especially for a YA novel. Wilder gains humility and real-life skills, and Cassidy learns how to dream bigger and have faith in her life choices! The slow-burn romance is more secondary to the character growth, but it’s still very sweet—and there’s a lot of great banter that deepens their connection—perfect for a closed-door YA vibe!
The pacing is steady and cozy—so don’t expect any major plot twists and dramatic confrontations. The first few chapters focus on Cassidy’s family relationships, ranch routines, and then slowly adjusting to Wilder’s presence. There are no instant fireworks, but instead a slow building of connection and chemistry, which feels more authentic than a typical “love at first sight” swoony romance. Through feeding animals, sharing chores, and awkward conversations is where their relationship blossoms and the book finds its magic. Toward the end, there are satisfying arcs as important decisions are made and feelings are confronted. The final chapter feels a bit rushed after so many immersive “starry-sky nights” on the ranch, but the ending still feels hopeful and will leave a smile on readers’ faces!
Overall, Trail Rides & Starry Eyes is a sweet YA romance with an original twist on the country gal-meets-city boy trope! It’s perfect for anyone who loves cozy closed-door romances with opposites-attract, forced proximity, and small-town (ranch life) charm!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Trail Rides & Starry Eyes is a dual narration production brought to life by seasoned voice actors Abigail Reno and Marwan Salama!
Reno portrays protagonist Cassidy with a grounded and youthful voice that perfectly suits a ranch girl with strong family ties. When Cassidy is having inner doubts about her future at the ranch or is emotional over family drama, Reno gives her a quieter, more introspective tone, allowing listeners to immerse themselves deeply into her thoughts. The book has a cozy, steady pace, which Reno’s narration perfectly mirrors—allowing listeners to fully enjoy all the family exchanges, banter/tender moments between Cassidy and Wilder, and all the intricacies of ranch life! Cassidy’s interactions with her family members are a highlight of the audiobook. Reno gives each character a distinct and convincing voice—especially Cassidy’s grandfather, who’s most vocal and resistant to change—and the narration wonderfully captures the warmth, humour, and unspoken understanding that exists in their close-knit ranch household!
Marwan Salama portrays Wilder with a charming, confident voice and a hint of underlying insecurity that perfectly suits a Hollywood‑raised teen who’s thrust into ranch life. Salama does a great job pacing the narration to mirror Wilder’s journey—lively and quick during banter with Cassidy and slower and more deliberate during introspective inner monologues or tender romance scenes. Salama also provides distinct voices for all the characters in his chapters. Because the pacing between narrators is well matched and they have a natural chemistry, the characters’ interactions have an authenticity and continuity that’s fully enjoyable—and the audiobook feels like it flies by!
Overall, Abigail Reno and Marwan Salama together elevate the story with their dynamic performances and expert pacing, creating an immersive and very enjoyable listening experience! Listeners who enjoy YA contemporary romances, charming small-town settings, and dual narrator performances where there’s a natural chemistry between narrators will fully enjoy this audiobook!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of Trail Rides & Starry Eyes is a dual narration production brought to life by seasoned voice actors Abigail Reno and Marwan Salama!
Reno portrays protagonist Cassidy with a grounded and youthful voice that perfectly suits a ranch girl with strong family ties. When Cassidy is having inner doubts about her future at the ranch or is emotional over family drama, Reno gives her a quieter, more introspective tone, allowing listeners to immerse themselves deeply into her thoughts. The book has a cozy, steady pace, which Reno’s narration perfectly mirrors—allowing listeners to fully enjoy all the family exchanges, banter/tender moments between Cassidy and Wilder, and all the intricacies of ranch life! Cassidy’s interactions with her family members are a highlight of the audiobook. Reno gives each character a distinct and convincing voice—especially Cassidy’s grandfather, who’s most vocal and resistant to change—and the narration wonderfully captures the warmth, humour, and unspoken understanding that exists in their close-knit ranch household!
Marwan Salama portrays Wilder with a charming, confident voice and a hint of underlying insecurity that perfectly suits a Hollywood‑raised teen who’s thrust into ranch life. Salama does a great job pacing the narration to mirror Wilder’s journey—lively and quick during banter with Cassidy and slower and more deliberate during introspective inner monologues or tender romance scenes. Salama also provides distinct voices for all the characters in his chapters. Because the pacing between narrators is well matched and they have a natural chemistry, the characters’ interactions have an authenticity and continuity that’s fully enjoyable—and the audiobook feels like it flies by!
Overall, Abigail Reno and Marwan Salama together elevate the story with their dynamic performances and expert pacing, creating an immersive and very enjoyable listening experience! Listeners who enjoy YA contemporary romances, charming small-town settings, and dual narrator performances where there’s a natural chemistry between narrators will fully enjoy this audiobook!
The audiobook of Trail Rides & Starry Eyes is a dual narration production brought to life by seasoned voice actors Abigail Reno and Marwan Salama!
Reno portrays protagonist Cassidy with a grounded and youthful voice that perfectly suits a ranch girl with strong family ties. When Cassidy is having inner doubts about her future at the ranch or is emotional over family drama, Reno gives her a quieter, more introspective tone, allowing listeners to immerse themselves deeply into her thoughts. The book has a cozy, steady pace, which Reno’s narration perfectly mirrors—allowing listeners to fully enjoy all the family exchanges, banter/tender moments between Cassidy and Wilder, and all the intricacies of ranch life! Cassidy’s interactions with her family members are a highlight of the audiobook. Reno gives each character a distinct and convincing voice—especially Cassidy’s grandfather, who’s most vocal and resistant to change—and the narration wonderfully captures the warmth, humour, and unspoken understanding that exists in their close-knit ranch household!
Marwan Salama portrays Wilder with a charming, confident voice and a hint of underlying insecurity that perfectly suits a Hollywood‑raised teen who’s thrust into ranch life. Salama does a great job pacing the narration to mirror Wilder’s journey—lively and quick during banter with Cassidy and slower and more deliberate during introspective inner monologues or tender romance scenes. Salama also provides distinct voices for all the characters in his chapters. Because the pacing between narrators is well matched and they have a natural chemistry, the characters’ interactions have an authenticity and continuity that’s fully enjoyable—and the audiobook feels like it flies by!
Overall, Abigail Reno and Marwan Salama together elevate the story with their dynamic performances and expert pacing, creating an immersive and very enjoyable listening experience! Listeners who enjoy YA contemporary romances, charming small-town settings, and dual narrator performances where there’s a natural chemistry between narrators will fully enjoy this audiobook!
