Thrill Ride

Business meets pleasure at a family-owned theme park in this sweet, fun-filled debut from the former Editor-in-Chief at Nerdist, as a thrill ride designer shows a straitlaced suit the lighter side of life—and discovers a whole new perspective of her own . . .

Charlotte Gates grew up in a land of fairy tales and mythological creatures—literally—spending her childhood at her aunt and uncle’s theme park, Lands of Legend. It’s no surprise that she eventually landed her dream job designing thrill rides for a massive, global company. The surprise comes when she’s laid off—and catches her now ex-boyfriend cheating. With her boss. Worse, back in her Ohio hometown Charlotte finds that Lands of Legend is struggling. To stay open, they’ll have to work with an investor . . .

To Charlotte’s horror, Gregory Binns not only doesn’t know the difference between a theme park and an amusement park, he’s also never been on a roller coaster. Even more troubling, she’s certain his ideas will ruin Lands of Legend’s uniqueness. So, Charlotte sets out to make sure buttoned-up Gregory experiences the magic firsthand. Opening the park’s new themed area, Under the Waves, is the perfect opportunity—which brings Charlotte to her next surprise . . .

As Gregory loosens up—even ditching his tie—Charlotte begins to see him in an attractive new light. She even catches herself fantasizing about what a life with less work and more Gregory would be like. But when her old job makes her a tempting new offer, she’s faced with a decision: reclaim the career she worked her whole life to build, or sit tight for a thrilling new shot at love . . .

Amy Ratcliffe is a prolific geek space journalist and author of several books on Star Wars and the Marvel universe. Through nearly a decade of covering the theme park industry as a reporter, she has an informed perspective on rides, lands, and what it takes to create immersion. The former editor-in-chief of Nerdist, one of the biggest geek culture sites on the internet, Amy has written for IGN, Collider, StarWars.com, Star Wars Insider magazine, the official DC Comics blog, and Indie Wire. Additionally, she has taken her passion for fandom to the stage as a panel host for conventions such as Star Wars Celebration, Emerald City Comic Con, and New York Comic Con, interviewing talent of popular series and movies. Amy was born and raised in a small town in Ohio, but now lives in Asheville with her husband, cats, and the many birds that visit their backyard. Readers can find her at AmyRatcliffe.com and @amy_geek on Instagram.