Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Ride with Me

by Ruthie Knox (Goodreads Author)

3.92 of 5 stars 3.92 · rating details · 1,649 ratings · 309 reviews

In this fun, scorching-hot eBook original romance by RITA finalist and USA Today bestselling authorRuthie Knox, a cross-country bike adventure takes a detour into unexplored passion. As readers will discover, Ride with Me is not about the bike!

When Lexie Marshall places an ad for a cycling companion, she hopes to find someone friendly and fun to cross the TransAmerica T...more

ebook, 216 pages

Published February 13th 2012 by Loveswept

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Nobody's Baby But Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

This Heart of Mine by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Natural Born Charmer by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Sports Romances

212th out of 225 books — 602 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 3,000)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Feb 14, 2012 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, 2012-debuts

Alex (Lexie) Marshall has wanted to cycle the TransAmerica Trail for a very long time. Now she's found the perfect riding partner in Tom Geiger. Tom isn't keen on having a partner, but since his sister has set it up, what's a guy to do? Tom will do the right thing and start off the biking trek with this guy Alex, but as soon as he finds another riding partner for him along the way, Tom plans on ditching Alex Marshall.

This is a very good contemporary romance debut. Absolutely loved the different...more

like 21 likes · see review

Nov 23, 2012 BamaGal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley-edelweiss, cont-romance

This was such a sweet story; I can't believe what pleasure this book was to read. It was the debut book for Knox, and she did a very good job with the story; it was uncomplicated and straightforward, but handled deftly by the author. It kept my attention throughout, even though it is not at all the kind of story I usually read. The setting was certainly different from anything I've ever read.

Lexi is planning a cycling tour of the TransAmerica Trail, from the Pacific Ocean to the Atlantic Ocean....more

like 17 likes · see review

Dec 14, 2012 Kathleen rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: reviewed

Content: Cussing, profanity, explicit sex. No violence.
**********
Spoiler Free!! Commendations: Great story! I was absorbed from the beginning. The characters, Tom and Lexie, seemed authentic and likable. I laughed out loud several times, but mostly in the first third of the book. I also reflected on Thoreau's Walden Pond, reading the excerpts right along with Tom and Lexie. Also, I enjoyed the unique setting, riding bike from Oregon to Virginia, stopping along the way in Yellowstone, Steamboat...more

like 5 likes · see review

Feb 20, 2012 Jae rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, first-read-by-author, studly-sports-man, 2012, hot-shagging-action, silly-lol

A beautiful and scenic romance. I had a wonderful time with the story, the studly Hero and the cute-as-a-button heroine.

When I grow up I wanna be exactly like Sexy Lexie. She was so determined on cycling her way across the TransAmerica Trail that she even invented an imaginary husband so that her cycling companion would agree to take her on. And I just lurved how Tom was all jerk like in the beginning. You just can't help anticipating the moment when he'll wobble his jackass self at Lexie's fee...more

like 12 likes · see review

Aug 11, 2012 Cherise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads, romance, arc-or-review-copy

I received this book free through Goodreads First-Reads.

Lexie wants to bike the TransAmerica Trail that starts in Oregon and ends in Virginia. Trouble is her brother no longer is willing to make the trek so she needs to find another male that will make the journey with her, keeping her safe when they camp at night. So she places and ad and thinks she’s been planning and speaking to Tom via email about their up and coming bike trip. Trouble is, Tom’s sister answered the ad as Tom. So when Tom fin...more

like 3 likes · see review

Sep 04, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 stars

Update: Rebeca and I finally posted our joint review on Clear Eyes, Full Shelves.

(Sorry it's not more conducive to pasting into GR, but it's back and forth-style and I don't feel comfortable posting someone else's writing on my own review space on Goodreads.)

Rebeca aka Renegade and I are going to do a joint review of this one on the blog, but it's super fun, despite that I have some issues with a couple of things. A very fun romance akin to Shannon Stacey's Kowalski books.

like 4 likes · see review

Mar 09, 2012 Melanie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sports-theme, contemporary, fluffy-fun, enemies-to-lovers, ruthie-knox

What a happy surprise! 'Ride with Me', the debut release by a talented Ruthie Knox, was super fun, super sexy and just plain great!

Knox takes the well-loved enemies-to-lovers romance formula and uniquely sets it on the TransAmerica Trail. After dipping her cycle in the Pacific Ocean, Lexie Marshall embarks on a west-east continental bike tour with the gruff, rude and more than reluctant to bike with her Tom Geiger as partner. Beyond irritated to have to "babysit" Lexie, Tom makes it clear he wan...more

like 6 likes · see review

Feb 17, 2012 Erin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh.... this... THIS!!! This was the best, most romantic, realistic love story I have ever read.

*I* fell in love with this couple. I was laughing, falling in love, and having my heart broken right alongside these *real* people. Tom and Lexie are by far, my favorite couple... *ever*.

I also loved the premise of this book. Two people, on a coast to coast bike ride, which basically amounted to locking them together and throwing away the key. Absolutely no tropes here. Instead, we have a refreshingly...more

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 28, 2012 Marian added it · review of another edition

The author of this book is my niece:). Even if it wasn't written by my niece, I would think it's a great read--how can you miss with humor, sex, and a bike ride across the country? (I read the manuscript before it went to publication.)

like 5 likes · see review

Feb 16, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

Tom Geiger is ready to cycle across the United States on the TransAmerica Trail. Planning to start in Oregon and ending up in Virginia, he is looking forward to a couple of months of peaceful cycling and sightseeing as he heads east. But his sister, Taryn, has other plans for him. Worried that he is too much of a loner, she secretly places an ad for a riding companion for him and finds someone named Alex. She arranges for Alex to meet Tom at the starting point of the trip, much to Tom’s dismay....more Tom Geiger is ready to cycle across the United States on the TransAmerica Trail. Planning to start in Oregon and ending up in Virginia, he is looking forward to a couple of months of peaceful cycling and sightseeing as he heads east. But his sister, Taryn, has other plans for him. Worried that he is too much of a loner, she secretly places an ad for a riding companion for him and finds someone named Alex. She arranges for Alex to meet Tom at the starting point of the trip, much to Tom’s dismay. But since Taryn is really his only friend, he doesn’t want to disappoint her.

"Please, Tom. You can’t ride your bicycle across the country alone. It’s insane. You’ll end up being slaughtered by a serial killer."
"Taryn, I’m thirty-five, single, tattooed, and anti-social. I’m the serial killer."
But when Alex shows up, Tom gets a surprise. Alex is a woman.

Alex is also a control freak. A high school English teacher, she has been planning this trip her entire life. She has every hour of the trip mapped out. She has a special computer on her bike and other high-tech gear. One look at Tom and she knows there is going to be a problem. Tom has an old bike and isn’t even wearing proper riding gear. She tried really hard to find another woman to ride with, but no one showed interest. So now she is stuck with Tom, who is extremely anti-social and surly. She also doesn’t want Tom to get any ideas at night when their tents are pitched right next to each other, so she blurts out she is married, although she is very, very single. Off they go on their cross-country journey.

Ride with Me is the debut book by Ruthie Knox, and I really liked it. She does a great job pairing up two very stubborn protagonists and making it a fun, amusing story. Tom is so anti-social and cranky. His ex-wife cheated on him with his brother, and he has a lot of family drama in the past. He works now as a bike mechanic and goes on crazy bike rides all over the world. His downfall is that he feels guilty about a lot of things. He would feel very guilty if he left Alex behind so he grudgingly agrees to be her companion. They butt heads many, many times at the beginning as they are so different. Alex is prim and proper and refuses to be spontaneous. But Tom finds her very attractive and slowly gets her to lower her defenses.

When Tom can get her to look up from the 27 gears on her bike, he pushes her to take a side road and see the sights. They start to fall into a friendship of sorts, although with an intense edge because they each find the other extremely attractive. My one gripe with this book is that Alex hangs onto the pretend-husband story for a little too long. There comes a point where they both want to dive into the sleeping bag together, but Tom still thinks Alex is married. It takes a phone call to his sister to realize maybe she is lying and that seemed a little farfetched. I wish Alex would have just told him sooner. I did like her apology, though, when the truth finally comes out.

Once they get past all of that, there is some hot lovin’! Who knew sexy times in a tent could be so hot? When Tom starts to lighten up and Alex sees that side of him, their romance really takes off.

Ride with Me is a sexy, contemporary. I don’t think I’ve ever read a book about two people who cycle across the country. I’m a sucker for road-trip books, and this one definitely fit the bill.

Rating: B(less)

like 6 likes · see review

Feb 22, 2012 The_Book_Queen rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, romance, contemporary, e-book, netgalley, america, reviewed, loveswept

3.5 Stars. The review that follows is a partial review. To read the full text, please visit:
http://tbqspersonalbookpalace.blogspo...

~*~*~
Alexandra Marshall—or Lexi as she prefers—thought she was getting a safe, older man for a bike partner. But when she finally meets Tom Geiger, she's faced with just the sort of man she was hoping to avoid—young, broody, handsome...in other words, tempting in so many ways!. How can she ride with this man across the U.S., camp with him every night, and not sleep...more

like 1 like · see review

Feb 22, 2012 Colette rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Also posted on my blog: A Buckeye Girl Reads

This was one of those books were I fell for all the hype. After seeing so many of my go to bloggers fall in love with it, I decided to take a chance on it. Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox had me right up until the very end of the book. I can't remember the last time I was so disappointed with an ending, but more on that later.

I have to say that I didn't think a bike ride across country could be so entertaining. I loved the chemistry between Tom and Lexie....more

like 3 likes · see review

Jul 01, 2012 Kelly_Instalove rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: genre-romance, era-contemporary, theme-sports, favorites, theme-enemies2lovers

Interesting how getting your ass kicked by love could change your perspective.

The happy couple...

Lexie is a follow-the-map high school teacher who doesn’t trust her own judgment after two failed engagements. Tom is a brooding loner who most definitely does not want a female chatting in his ear for three months straight.

The setting...

A 4,500-mile bike ride across the United States – with a few scenic detours along the way.

The storytelling....

I was right there with them all the way across the cou...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jan 03, 2013 Marg rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Alex Marshall's lifetime dream has always been to ride the Trans American bike trail. A girl, her bike, the road, a challenge - what more could she want. She has it planned to the minutest details from where each stop will be to precisely how far she will travel each day aided by the latest in bike computers and other technologies. Recognising though that life could be dangerous for a young woman on the road by herself, she advertises for a riding companion.

Tom Geiger’s sister signs him up to be...more

like 1 like · see review

Apr 27, 2013 Angelina rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: top-romance

Groggy and sleep-deprived the other morning, I cursed author Ruthie Knox and her debut novel Ride with Me, a steamy and funny contemporary e-novel about a man with secrets and a woman who no longer believes in love on a cross-country bike trip. I’d bought the book the night before at 10 with every intention of reading for thirty minutes and then snuggling into a good night’s sleep.

God only knows what time I put the book down. I do know that when I stumbled downstairs the next morning, I was abl...more

like · see review

Apr 13, 2013 Elizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I was stuck in bed sick today so I decided to pick this book up. Read the entire thing, only set it down to eat & watch an episode of Gilmore Girls. (:
My favorite thing about this book is how unique it was. The main characters meet for the first time at the beginning of their cross country bike ride. The characters had great chemistry & I was impressed how into the book I was, even though Lexie & Tom give each other the silent treatment for awhile at the beginning of the book. Knox's...more

like 2 likes · see review

Apr 07, 2013 Edna Lyn rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, contemporary-romance

It's been a few years since I've given 5 stars to an adult—and when I say that I mean not NA/YA—contemporary romance novel. And yes, I said YEARS. It's kind of a big deal, you guys. Usually a 5 star CR equates to "I'd reread this." And I would. If/When there's ever a paperback copy, I'm pretty sure I'll buy that, too.

So, road trip books. I've noticed majority of the time I have so much fun with them. I like the whole journey aspect, literally with the sights and meeting people and the randomnes...more

like 2 likes · see review

Mar 09, 2013 Stephanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Original Post: http://fangswandsandfairydust.blogspo...

Ruthie Knox’s novels are about damaged people who are healed through love; through falling in love and needing to breakthrough the aftermath of whatever experience damaged them. Usually it’s a combination of familial dysfunction and regret, and romantic betrayal.

RIDE WITH ME involves Tom, a man determined to merely survive, without love or family until some end, probably his. He is described at one point as a melancholy hermit.

Alex hasn’t ha...more

like · see review

Jan 12, 2013 Rosario (http://rosario.blogspot.com/) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Lexie Marshall and Tom Geiger have the same plans for the summer: they're riding the TransAmerica trail, a bike route that will take them from one end of the USA to the other.

Tom is still in mental recovery from a really crappy situation, where he had to choose between his conscience and what was right, on one hand, and his family and a lot of people's livelihoods, on the other. He chose the first option, and the results were explosive. Since that happened, he's been working in a bike repair sho...more Lexie Marshall and Tom Geiger have the same plans for the summer: they're riding the TransAmerica trail, a bike route that will take them from one end of the USA to the other.

Tom is still in mental recovery from a really crappy situation, where he had to choose between his conscience and what was right, on one hand, and his family and a lot of people's livelihoods, on the other. He chose the first option, and the results were explosive. Since that happened, he's been working in a bike repair shop and living like a hermit. His bike ride will be a continuation of that, just him, his bike and the road, and this is something his sister, the only member of his family who still speaks to him, isn't happy about. It's not so much the physical danger (as Tom notes, he is the serial killer type most people are afraid of encountering on the road), but the fear that the solitude will dig him even deeper into his hole. Unbeknownst to him, Tom's sister has a look at people advertising for a companion for the trip, and arranges for him to travel with one of them.

That companion is Lexie, advertising as "Alex" Marshall, to avoid creeps. Tom isn't happy to discover the riding buddy he's been pressured by his sister into accepting is a woman, since now he feels dutybound to find her a substitute companion before taking off to do his own thing. Plus, Lexie's his polar opposite. She's chatty and gregarious, and she's also planned this, her dream trip, to the most minute detail. She's got rules and she's got gadgets to tell her exactly what she should do in each circumstance. She's also got an imaginary husband, the perfect way to make sure she won't sleep with Tom, whom she recognises immediately as an emotional danger.

But of course, as they spend time together and get to know each other, Tom's determination to palm Lexie off on someone else wanes, and she begins to regret that imaginary husband.

I really enjoyed this book, and I'm amazed that it was Knox's debut. Her writing is smooth and accomplished and flows beautifully, and her plotting and pacing are (apart from a slightly abrupt ending) perfect. It's a 100% character-driven romance, which works so well because these are interesting characters, with issues that make sense and provide a reasonable, believable conflict. These two felt real, and seeing them interact was fun. They're not perfect and each have their annoying things, but Knox made me believe it was much more than simple chemistry between them (although there was quite a lot of that as well!), and I was fully engaged in their relationship. It changes slowly, starting from a point where they don't particularly like each other, through liking to love, with no out-of-character jumps in its development, and I loved every second of it. Plenty of memorable scenes, too (if I say "hot sauce challenge", I'm sure everyone who's read this will know what I mean!).

I also loved the setting and biking bits. Even though I haven't ridden a bike in years and years and I'm not particularly interested in doing so, I completely got what Tom and Lexie loved so much about it. Obviously, my ignorance of the subject means I can't really tell you whether Knox gets her details right, but it certainly felt as if she knew what she was talking about and had a real love of the sport. Tom and Lexie cover a lot of ground, and it was fun visiting as well.

So, a solidly enjoyable book, and I can't wait to see what more Knox writes. She's already published another one (which I bought as soon as I finished this), and I'll be reading that very soon.

MY GRADE: A very strong B+.
(less)

like · see review

Sep 27, 2012 Katie rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance

Okay, this story was cute, and a really nice fluffy and fun read. The cover photo is cheesy as hell, so thank god for the kindle. This was a very well done contemporary romance. Totally realistic and believable and hooray for a hero is both strong and self-possessed enough to be sexy, but sufficiently flawed and complicated not to read like a stereotypical alpha he-man. Bless him also for not grunting out things like MINE! in the throes of passion like every other romantic hero seems to do. Hoor...more

like · see review

Sep 24, 2012 Jennifer Young rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Ride with Me is a fun, sexy, contemporary romance by Ruthie Knox. The story is about Lexie Marshall, who has dreamed her entire life of biking the TransAmerica trail. It seemed that suddenly she wouldn’t be able to any longer, because her brother wouldn’t be coming along with her like she had planned. She needed someone else to come with her, for safety and protection and setting up camp, so she placed an ad and hoped someone would answer to it. Someone did, Tom Geiger. Although it was his siste...more

like 1 like · see review

Sep 20, 2012 Melody May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, romance

You can also find on http://sillymelody.blogspot.com

The past couple of days I have been reading Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox. Let me be honest I have been wanting to read this book, partly because my husband loves to cycle. However, I believe he would not approve Tom's clothing. Anyways, here is what the story is about:

Lexie Marshall wanted to ride the TransAmerica Trail, but didn't wanted to go into alone. So, she set out to look for a riding partner. However, when she placed the ad she left out...more

like · see review

Jul 30, 2012 Erin Muses rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: romance, contemporary

This was a very enjoyable read - just what I was looking for today.

Tom is a corporate honcho turned bike mechanic who wants to ride the TransAmerica Trail from OR to VA. Lexie is a high-school English teacher who also wants to complete the trail and doesn't want to ride alone. Tom's concerned sister contacts Lexie, who uses the name Alex in her ad, and sets them up to be partners, which is the last thing Tom wants. Unfortunately for him, he has high expectations for responsibility and decides to...more

like 2 likes · see review

Jul 22, 2012 Nakeesha rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, big-girl-shelf

Knox has done it again! Atypical characters in a setting I've never seen a romance set: a bike ride across the coasts. It was awesome! Made me wanna take my rusty bike out and start peddling the manicured trails of Arlington. Tom was a tormented, melancholy knight on a Schwinn. Lexie was my Type A sister with a great, albeit researched and planned, sense of adventure. I really appreciate when authors pay homage to the greats in their contemporary works. Knox had Tom and Lexie talk a lot about "W...more

like · see review

Jun 30, 2012 Patti Loves FAB Romance rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary

I have been seeing great reviews for Ms. Knox’s second novel - About Last Night - but due to my ‘Book OCD’ I can’t read it without reading her first novel – Ride with Me. Ride with Me is a cute ‘opposites attract’ story; it had me alternately shouting at the hero not to be such an ass and fanning myself because the smexin’ was so hot!

Lexie Marshall loves biking. She’s been training to ride the cross-country TransAmerica Trail. She can take care of her bike, change a tire and set up her own tent,...more I have been seeing great reviews for Ms. Knox’s second novel - About Last Night - but due to my ‘Book OCD’ I can’t read it without reading her first novel – Ride with Me. Ride with Me is a cute ‘opposites attract’ story; it had me alternately shouting at the hero not to be such an ass and fanning myself because the smexin’ was so hot!

Lexie Marshall loves biking. She’s been training to ride the cross-country TransAmerica Trail. She can take care of her bike, change a tire and set up her own tent, but she needs someone to camp next to, so she’s not a woman alone on the trail. She takes an ad out in some cycling magazines, but can’t find a companion to ride with. She’s getting desperate, so when she finally gets a good response, she may have ‘forgotten’ to mention in her e-mails that “TransAmAlex” is a woman.

Tom Geiger has been planning to bike the TransAm for a few months, and his sister wants him to ride with a companion, but Tom is an experienced rider and a loner – he doesn’t want or need a companion. The day before he’s set to leave, his sister calls to tell him she found him a riding buddy – “TransAmAlex” Marshall. Tom’s not happy about it but eventually resigns himself to ride with Alex at least for awhile to appease his sister. When they meet the next morning and Tom realizes “Alex” is really “Lexie”, he’s upset but knows he can’t make Lexie ride alone, so he decides to ride with her only until he can find someone else to ride with her – he definitely has no intention of going all the way…

Tom’s curmudgeonly character is a direct contrast to Lexie’s friendly, outgoing personality. The thing is, though, they’re both stubborn in their own way: Tom’s a free-wheeling, travel-casual kind of guy while Lexie’s a by-the-book rule-follower. The hot-sauce showdown in the Mexican restaurant is the first of many comical challenges between them. I liked that the attraction between Lexie and Tom took a while to build, and once it got going it was HOT (like pass-me-a-fan hot). What really made me happy though, was that once they got together it wasn’t easy-peasy-fade-to-hearts-and-rainbows; Ms. Knox writes characters with enough depth to have issues that come between them and those issues create some serious conflict. Believe me, these two bang heads quite a bit – Tom is a grumpy ass and Lexie does not put up with it (go Lexie!).

My only complaint, really, is that the ending kind of wrapped up in a page or so; it was very abrubt and I wasn’t expecting the book to end. Part of the reason I wasn’t expecting it to end was that it ended at 83% Yes, you read that right – 17% of the book was ads for other titles from this publisher and although that’s not the author’s fault it was a big disappointment.

As someone who used to ride bikes on the weekends (my poor Trek is sitting in the garage with a flat tire and a dry chain), Ride with Me made me want to ride again (my BIKE, people, my bike, lol!).(less)

like · see review

Jun 03, 2012 Tina rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, romance-contemporary

Fun book about a mismatched couple who pair up together to cycle across the country on the transamerica trail.

As the wife of an avid cyclist this book was right up my alley. So when Tom, the hero is musing about his love for a Brooks saddle, I could totally relate.

Speaking of Tom...what a grumpy, anti-social, bastard. And I totally friggin' loved him. I especially liked how Lexie would categorize which Tom she'd get that day...Grumpy Tom? Quiet Tom? Funny Tom? And her surprise when she finally...more

like 1 like · see review

May 08, 2012 Nissanmama rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, twimom227-blog

Ride With Me is a contemporary romance tailor-made for anyone who loves to travel, or loves to dream of travel. This is especially true if you are captivated by those quirky, one-of-a-kind places that are scattered across the country. Everyone should probably see the Redwood National Forest and the faces of Mt. Rushmore in person, but have you ever seen the Shoe of Shoes in Clayton, Missouri? Ride With Me revels in some of these unique destinations that you’re unlikely to see except from the kin...more Ride With Me is a contemporary romance tailor-made for anyone who loves to travel, or loves to dream of travel. This is especially true if you are captivated by those quirky, one-of-a-kind places that are scattered across the country. Everyone should probably see the Redwood National Forest and the faces of Mt. Rushmore in person, but have you ever seen the Shoe of Shoes in Clayton, Missouri? Ride With Me revels in some of these unique destinations that you’re unlikely to see except from the kind of travel that happens at the pace of bicycle touring as well as must-see’s like Yellowstone National Park.

The story opens with Knox’s over-thinking, over-planning Type-A heroine Lexie “Alex” Marshall and her search for a riding partner to take on the TransAmerica trail from Astoria, Oregon to Yorktown, Virginia, a total of 4,262 miles.

Knox’s anti-hero Tom Geiger does want to make this ride. He does not want to do it with a partner and definitely does not want that partner to be a girl. As a bike mechanic, he balks at being saddled with any partner; envisioning himself riding painfully slow, repairing flats, and never veering off the charted course for sight-seeing or adventure. His sister Taryn, answers Alex’s ad and sets-up the pairing without knowing that “Alex” is a girl. When Taryn finally confesses to what she’s done, Tom makes his own best introduction to the reader:

“Please Tom. You can’t ride your bicycle across the country alone. It’s insane. You’ll end up being slaughtered by a serial killer.”

“I’m thirty-five, single, tattooed, and antisocial. I am the serial killer.”

Despite his protests, he does agree to meet with Alex and ride with her until another partner can be found. They meet at the coastal city of Astoria, Oregon and set out on an adventure neither of them will forget. From an analytical perspective, Ride With Me is an interesting study in first impressions and all of the conclusions that we jump to in the initial fleeting moments of introduction with little or no real information. Can we trust our gut? Ride With Me, is aptly named. The reader is literally along for the ride with Alex and Tom across hundreds and thousands of miles while they decide if their first impressions were sound. We get their ups, their downs, and watch as their relationship grows and changes from awkward introduction to can’t-live-without-you hot.

When you just can’t escape each other, nothing can stay static. You can’t hide your real self for weeks at a time, twenty-four hours a day. The real you is going to show up whether you like it or not. Alex almost makes a game out of naming all of Tom’s different moods and personalities. Tom is more insightful than he’s willing to let on, but he’s watching Alex intently too.

There is an inherent intimacy in camping, sharing meals, and enduring any prolonged experience together. On a bike, the only place to really escape the other person is into your own thoughts. We spend almost as much time in Tom and Alex’s heads as we do listening to their outward dialog. “There was little point in trying to bullsh*t yourself when it was just you and your thoughts, day after day, mile after mile.” As Tom delineates however, he can’t escape Alex and gives in to his attraction fairly quickly. The reader doesn’t have to wait too long for the heat.

The instant chemistry between Tom and Alex when they first meet is apparent even though they don’t want to like each other. Alex even makes up a fictional husband in a weak attempt to just keep a measured distance between them. When the daily intimacy of being riding partners forces them to acknowledge each other, the chemistry wins. In Knox’s bio-brief, she makes the statement that she abhors an epilogue and insists a decent romance requires at least three good sex scenes. I would say she more than delivered on her philosophy. There is a certain predictability in the storyline, but it leads to a definite, finite happy ending which was more poignant than I expected. I can also report there’s more than Knox’s requisite number of varied and creative sex scenes. *fans herself*

Endnote: For more information on adventure cycling to go http://www.adventurecycling.org/
(less)

like 1 like · see review

Apr 18, 2012 Jessi rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

After reading a wonderful review of Ruthie Knox's http://www.ruthieknox.com/ Ride with Me (see review here: http://amyraby.wordpress.com/2012/04/...), I bought it, devoured it, took notes in it, and added it to my mental top 10 romance novels list.

Why, you ask? Because it was awesome. I'll elaborate.

Romance novels have a formula. There has to be a hero and heroine. There has to be a happy ending. There has to be relationship conflict and resolution. There has to be some tension outside the relat...more After reading a wonderful review of Ruthie Knox's http://www.ruthieknox.com/ Ride with Me (see review here: http://amyraby.wordpress.com/2012/04/...), I bought it, devoured it, took notes in it, and added it to my mental top 10 romance novels list.

Why, you ask? Because it was awesome. I'll elaborate.

Romance novels have a formula. There has to be a hero and heroine. There has to be a happy ending. There has to be relationship conflict and resolution. There has to be some tension outside the relationship, something that puts pressure on the lovers from another direction and raises the stakes of the story. There has to be character growth that could not possibly happen without the influence of the hero/heroine.

There are a handful of romance novels I have read that combine these elements as fluidly as Ride With Me while layering in plenty of wit and charm and plain old immaculate writing. In fact, as I read, I was not only thoroughly entertained, but I took notes on the craft. I'd highlight something and write: Here's where the stakes get higher. Here's the hero's black moment. Here's where the heroine has her epiphany.

I can honestly say reading Ride With Me has made me a better writer. I've been stuck in a work-in-progress, trying to write the climax and resolution and doubting whether the story had enough punch. Ride With Me reminded me that when the heart is involved, the stakes are high. It doesn't have to be asteroid-heading-for-the-orphanage level tension to have me on the edge of my seat (or mattress…I read in bed). It just has to be clear to the reader what's at stake and what's important to the characters.

GMC (Goals-Motivation-Conflict), anyone? Ms. Knox does it to a T. And the premise! Seriously, a cranky hermit and a school teacher riding their bikes across the country, doing their laundry at laundromats, cooking beans and rice over a camp stove? When I write it, it does not sound fascinating. When Ruthie Knox writes it, it is riveting. She drew me into a world I never expected to feel comfortable in--the biker's world--without talking down to me or lecturing me on biker lingo. She let her characters use the lingo naturally, and she trusted me to get the gist. (I did look up panniers, but not because I couldn't figure out what they were from context, only because I was curious if they were specific to bikes or not. They are not.) I never felt lost or bored in this new world. I was happy to go along for the ride.

And Ms. Knox's characters...I loved Lexie and Tom. I was cheering for them from the word go. Their journey was satisfying and happy-sigh inducing, and I can say without reservation that they had to earn their HAE. No cake walk to relationship bliss for these two. No siree.

If you want to lose yourself in a contemporary romance, want to read a book that is a pitch-perfect example of a contemporary romance, or like biking, or unlikely people falling in love and figuring out how to make it work, you'll love Ride With Me. The ebook is very reasonably priced at just $2.99 on Amazon. Honestly, I'd have paid more for it. It was that good.(less)

like 1 like · see review

Mar 16, 2012 Marisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Ruthie Knox’s debut novel Ride With Me is a great example of how two very different people can come together and create the perfect couple. Tom is a hard-around-the- edges, anti-social, broody, bitter and disillusioned man. He’s been through the emotional ringer and he just wants to be left alone. Lexi is a highly organized (bordering on control freak) happy-go-lucky people person and ready to start an exciting new adventure. To put it simply, these two are each other’s worst nightmare. So what...more

like · see review

Feb 26, 2012 Saly rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, loveswept

Rating 3.5

I enjoyed this book, it was a fun contemporary read. The hero at the start was an anti-social hermit, angry at life and hiding. There was a time he had it all, a corporate career, wife but then he testified against his father's company, found out his wife was cheating on him with his brother and was left angry, hurt and bitter. So, he isn't happy that his sister has managed to find him a riding partner for the TransAmerica Trail and to his shock he finds out his partner is a woman.

The...more

like 7 likes · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 99 100 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

topics	posts	views	last activity
Tom - our hero - did you love him?	15	52	Jul 16, 2012 12:18pm
Book Giveaways: Giveaway - Ride With Me!	1	9	Feb 20, 2012 06:03am
The Indie Exchang...: Ride With Me by Ruthie Knox - Giveaway!	1	14	Feb 20, 2012 06:01am

combine
Other Editions (2)

Genres

Romance > Contemporary Romance

106 users

Romance

106 users

Contemporary

80 users

Adult

12 users

Womens Fiction > Chick Lit

11 users

Sports And Games > Sports

11 users

Adult Fiction > Erotica

7 users

Category Romance > Loveswept

7 users

Travel > Road Trip

7 users

Contemporary Romance > Sports Romance

6 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Ruthie Knox

Ruthie Knox figured out how to walk and read at the same time in the second grade, and she hasn’t looked up since. She spent her formative years hiding romance novels in her bedroom closet to avoid the merciless teasing of her brothers and imagining scenarios in which someone who looked remarkably like Daniel Day Lewis recognized her well-hidden sex appeal and rescued her from middle-class Midwest...more

More about Ruthie Knox...

Books by Ruthie Knox

Naughty & Nice: Three Holiday Treats (Includes: Crooked Creek Ranch, #2.5)

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Ride with Me

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

Quotes from Ride with Me

“You're not Adam, asshole. You're the snake.” — 1 person liked it

More quotes…

title link	preview: Ride with Me
avg rating	preview: Ride with Me Goodreads rating: 3.92 (1649 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13153826-ride-with-me?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1323036467l/13153826.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13153826-ride-with-me?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Ride with Me by Ruthie Knox[/url]

Ride with Me

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website