Emma Lucy, author, Exeter University alumna, and connoisseur of cowboy romance, has returned with her highly anticipated second novel, Riding the Line. The latest installment in her small-town, ranch-based Willow Ridge series, the book follows the heartwarming (and occasionally blush-inducing) love story between Cherry, an interior design student, and Duke, her older brother’s best friend and local bar owner. In our conversation, Emma shared the roots of her passion for writing, the escapist power of romance fiction, and how her own experiences with chronic illness shaped the emotional core of her characters.
We began by tracing Emma’s journey back to where her love for writing started. “I feel like every writer says this,” she laughed, “but writing really is something I’ve done since I was a child. I was that kid who would write stories and email them to my teachers asking for feedback.” Like many creatives, Emma found that academic pressure during university caused her passion to take a backseat, but writing returned to her unexpectedly at twenty-three, during a stressful time in her career. “It came back to me as an escape,” she explained, “a way to reconnect with the things that used to bring me joy. Ever since then, I’ve just been writing non-stop.”
Having rediscovered writing as a form of escape, Emma’s passion for the romance genre seems especially fitting. “As a reader myself, I find romance incredibly escapist,” she explained. “It gives people hope, and I love knowing that I’m writing stories that can offer that kind of experience.” This can be seen in her books, stories that are not only emotionally engaging but also hopeful and comforting. In a world that often feels overwhelming, Emma sees romance as a genre that allows readers to imagine joy, connection, and healing, even in the face of adversity.
We spoke about the booming popularity of romance fiction and the challenges that come with writing in such a saturated genre. Emma, however, remains optimistic. “I read every day, non-stop, and I can never get enough of the books that are out there,” she said. “Sure, there are books I’ll never get around to reading, but knowing that I always want more makes me feel better—it reminds me that there’s space for everyone.” Her confidence is rooted in the belief that each author brings something unique to the table. “It’s about emphasising what makes your story different. The more people write, the more opportunities there are. It might look crowded, but there’s room for every voice.”
I don’t think I’d ever come up with an idea based on tropes. It’s not at the forefront of my mind to think, “I’m going to write an enemies-to-lovers or a fake dating romance.”
Naturally, we turned to the topic of tropes. “I don’t think I’d ever come up with an idea based on tropes,” Emma told me. “It’s not at the forefront of my mind to think, ‘I’m going to write an enemies-to-lovers or a fake dating romance.’” While she acknowledges the power of tropes in marketing, especially for helping readers find stories they’ll enjoy, her creative process begins with character and story. For Emma, tropes tend to emerge organically from the dynamics she’s already built.
This character-first approach is evident in Riding the Line. While the book technically features the “older brother’s best friend” trope, Duke’s relationship with Cherry is far more nuanced. Their connection is rooted in a long-standing friendship that predates the romantic storyline, making the trope feel earned rather than tacked on. Emma’s handling of tropes ensures they enhance the story rather than define it.
One of the most powerful elements of Riding the Line is Cherry’s experience with epilepsy and endometriosis, conditions rarely explored in romance fiction. Emma shared that her decision to include these was deeply personal. “I suffer from endometriosis myself,” she explained. “When I was first diagnosed, I knew so little about it. Shock horror – there’s not much research or information about what women go through. There were a lot of times where I felt lost and felt that because of the pain and the tiredness, I felt a lot weaker and I didn’t like that. I wanted to include that in the story for other people who might be able to relate with Cherry’s experience.” She shared that by presenting these conditions in romance fiction, readers who can relate will see Cherry’s strength and feel hope. “It shows that there are loving partners out there who are happy to care for you and want to look after you. They will want to take care of you and build you up. Women’s pain isn’t really talked about, and this is just another way of being like, hey, this is a thing. Let’s not pretend it’s not.”
My next line of questioning was one I’d been trying to figure out the whole time I was reading Riding the Line, what drew Emma, a London based British women, to set the Willow Ridge series in the USA, and of cowboys, country music and ranch life? “I think what drew me most is that I love country music. That’s where the love came from and why I started to read cowboy romances.” This was affirmed by Emma’s croaky voice, which she told me was the result of very enthusiastic singing at a country music concert the night before. She continued, “I find settings like Willow Ridge and these ranches very calming, with so much land, these close, really supportive communities, beautiful scenarios.”Living in London, she finds the genre’s American backdrop offers a kind of escapism that’s hard to replicate in the UK. “I think our equivalent in England would be a farmer,” she joked, “and I’m not sure how well that would go.”
Fortunately, readers won’t have to wait long for another visit to Willow Ridge. Having picked up on subtle hints throughout Riding the Line, I asked Emma whether Sawyer, the town’s resident playboy bull rider, might be the focus of the next book. “You’ve picked up all the hints correctly,” she confirmed, “the third book will be Sawyer’s story.” One of her favourite aspects of writing a series, Emma shared, is the ability to revisit her characters and watch their lives unfold beyond their own books. “We still get Rory and Wyatt, Cherry and Duke, it’s really fun to keep them all going.”
While Emma Lucy’s books absolutely deliver the escapism and comfort that readers often seek in romance fiction, Riding the Line goes further, creating a story rooted in strength, vulnerability, and emotional growth. Through Cherry and Duke’s story, Emma explores what it means to love fully, even in the face of fear and perceived weakness. Whether you’re returning to Willow Ridge or discovering it for the first time, this book will leave you feeling warmed, empowered, and undeniably in love with its characters.
