Training The Heart

Silver Pines Ranch #2

by Paisley Hope, Christina Kagerer (Translator)

Schlagfertige Dialoge, knisternde Anziehung und heiße Cowboys, die man so schnell nicht wieder vergisst – spicy Smalltown-Romance at its best!

Das Leben hat Wade Ashby hart Nach seiner schmutzigen Scheidung lässt er keine Frau mehr an sich heran und investiert jede Minute in die Leitung der Silver Pines Ranch. Auch Pferdetrainerin Ivy Spencer hat viel durchgemacht, doch sie ist das absolute Gegenteil von Nie lässt sie sich unterkriegen, sie nimmt die Zügel für ihr Leben selbst in die Hand. Als sie die einmalige Chance bekommt, auf Silver Pines zu arbeiten, greift sie sofort zu. In Wade bringt Ivy längst vergessene Gefühle wieder zum Brodeln. Aber er darf ihnen nicht nachgeben, schließlich ist er immer noch ihr Boss …Spicy Smalltown-Romance trifft auf die Tropes Grumpy x Sunshine und Forced Proximity!

Die »Silver Pines Ranch«-
Band 1: Holding The Reins
Band 2: Training The Heart
Band 3: Riding The High
Alle Bände sind unabhängig voneinander lesbar.

Books that make you – blush.
Du suchst Liebesgeschichten mit reichlich Spice, mitreißenden Tropes oder morally grey book boyfriends? Dann entdecke weitere Bücher von Blush!

Genres: Romance, Westerns, Cowboy Romance, Forced Proximity, Small Town Romance, Workplace Romance, Contemporary

493 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 17, 2024

About the author

Paisley Hope is a USA Today and Sunday Times Bestselling author of spicy contemporary romance. Her books are full of found family, dreamy settings, swoony moments and happily ever afters. She also writes darker romances that will keep your pulse racing.
Paisley spends all her free time with her husband and kids. She loves to bake, garden and travel.

Reviews

[Krysta ꕤ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ☆

i was very much looking forward to reading Wade and Ivy’s story after getting glimpses of them in the previous book and let me just say.. Wade and his filthy mouth did not disappoint. i loved how Wade shows how much he cares for Ivy through all his little acts of service— the movie nights they had were my favorite. both these characters have been burned in the past by their exes and it was so beautiful seeing them find what they’d always wanted in eachother. i just love this whole Silver Pines Ranch group and the family they’ve all created.

“One: I’m wildly in love with Ivy. I not only love her, I need her, like the moon needs the sun to set every night just so it can rise.
Two: there’s no me without her anymore, she just doesn’t know it yet.”

i will say that i actually liked this less than the first book though. my minor issues were with some of the dialogue being kinda cringy in parts and the way that a lot of Ivy and Wade’s dynamic centered around their sexual desires. there’s almost too many sex scenes in here and while i do still think the characters did have deeper feelings for one another, i started to get a bit bored with how much they couldn’t keep their hands off eachother.. it got too repetitive for my tastes. my final nitpick is more of a personal preference due to a certain trope that i don’t love being used towards the end even though i saw it coming. but even then, i thought it was fitting for them and their relationship so i was able to move past it and just enjoy the story for what it was cause Wade and Ivy were genuinely so cute together.

➵ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Random House Publishing for the arc, all opinions are my own.

[rei ‧₊˚✩彡]

pre-read:

AAAAA starting wade’s story! i’m so excited for their story because of their interactions with holding the reins 🤭 wish me luck!!

[bookish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Why did this book basically have the exact same plot as the first one? I mean, I'm not even joking. it’s almost like they just swapped out the characters and called it a day. The whole thing with the fmc getting her heart broken, reflecting on her dad's advice about only a good man deserving her, and then running off to a small town to heal? Like, it's literally the same story. This time, it’s Ivy who leaves behind her worthless ex and heads to this small town where she ends up working on Wade’s family ranch. I get it, but at the same time it just felt like déjà vu.

"You just give me all your burdens, all your wor-ries, I'lI be the steady, for both of you." He kisses my cheek. "I'll do anything you need."

"You need a man who can handle your sassy little attitude, not be threatened by it and give it back to you tenfold,"

➷ ivy: she was an absolute breath of fresh air. Seriously, she was such a ray of sunshine. She's this super cute, easygoing, go-with-the-flow kind of girl who just knows how to light up a room. The way she teases Wade is so endearing and adorable at times. she’s so clueless, and I found myself laughing so much. She's the kind of character you just root for, I think she really brought something special to the story.

➷ wade on the other hand, is the classic grumpy guy, and I am not complaining about that. He’s the type who gets things done, takes care of business, and always seems to have a solution for everything. I loved how protective he was of Ivy, and the nickname he gives her—trouble—this nicknames gets me every time 🤭 It’s a reminder that he cares, even when he’s grumbling about her antics lmaoo. For real though, when he bought Ivy’s mom a house in town to help her stay on track with her sobriety was such a swoon moment. i loved it.

— I had fun with the book, I won’t lie. But I didn't enjoy it as much as the first. The whole "attraction to lovers" trope is just... not my favorite. The first book did it in a way that I enjoyed, but this one felt like it was dragging on a little too long, especially since so much of the focus was on their attraction. I mean, the first book definitely had its spicy moments, but this one just went overboard. Seriously, chapters upon chapters of smut. I’m not even exaggerating. After about 55% of the book, I started skipping over the sex scenes because they were just… too much. It kind of made their relationship feel less significant, you know? Not that they were shallow or anything, but the emphasis on the physical stuff just sort of took away from the emotional build up and connection for me. it was a decent read, and I enjoyed some parts of it, but it didn’t have the same spark as the first book. hoping cole will serve tho!



***ARC Provided by the Publisher Random Ballantine.***

[ivy]

preread ❦
went from having a 0% feedback ratio to an 85% 🙂‍↕️ trying to get up to 90% with this book!

thank you to netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Eleanor · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and sweet cowboy romance! Wade is one of the grumpiest MMCs I've ever read, and I loved reading about him falling all over for himself for Ivy. The two were just so perfectly made for each other and their chemistry was off the charts. The man was so possessive and OTT for her! While I did like the first book more, this one is just as charming and entertaining. I cannot wait to see where the rest of the series goes, Cole and Ginger are going to be so chaotic and lively🤭

[Cassidy · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Call me whatever you want, Trouble. But I’m not worried one bit. I’m not betting on the horse. I’m betting on you.”

All I can say is… damn. *puts money in Mabel’s swear boot*

I thought I was in love with Nash Carter…. And then I met Wade Ashby. Absolutely filthy, but a sweet gentleman at the same time. He was written for the acts of service girlies. 🤌 My goodness gracious. I loved this. This book made me laugh, cry, blush, all of it. There’s just something about a grumpy, dominant man and a sassy, bratty woman. 🫣

Training the Heart is the second book in the Silver Pines series. It follows Wade, the owner of the ranch, and Ivy, the new horse trainer. I love the relationship these two have. The author does a great job of showing how much they care for one another, rather than just telling. I loved getting glimpses of Cece and Nash in their happy life together. I love the building tension between Cole and Ginger. 👀 There’s a trope in here that I usually don’t like, but it actually worked so well! There could have honestly been less spice in here (but I’m not gonna complain about that). This is everything I want in a small-town cowboy romance.

Dual-POV ☑
Super hot, tall, grumpy cowboy with some great tattoo choices ☑
Forced proximity ☑
Boss x Employee forbidden romance ☑
He cooks!!!! ☑

Cannot wait to read the next one in the series.

“Now, you came in here, so tell me you want it. Tell me to stop being a gentleman. Tell me to be the man you’re in here looking for, Ivy.”

Thank you to Netgalley, Paisley Hope, and Random House Publishing Group for providing this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Content warnings: sexual content, death of parent, grief, alcoholism, fertility struggles, pregnancy, narcissism/emotional abuse, cancer, infidelity, car accident

[♡❀Caroline. K❀♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Why did this make the first book seem like a rough draft and this book was the final product. Both books had similarities but I felt Wade and Ivy had more chemistry. The banter and the spiceee 🤭🤭. I will always love me some Grumpy x Sunshine dynamics.

[Belle Terese · Rating 4 out of 5]

paisley's done it once again 💜. I absolutely ADORED wade and ivy's story! this was an incredible grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, road trip romance with such beautiful heart. I fell in love with wade the second I met him. I love when the grumpy grump is low-key the BIGGEST softie alive 🥰. I can't say tooooooo much... but I just loved how this book turned out! all I'll say is COWBOYS DEFINITELY FK BETTER 🔥😩. keep your eyes out on that bonus scene at the end because OMG! I was on the floor.

I'm so so so excited and grateful to have stumbled upon this series. I can't wait to see what's next for Paisley and of course... BOOK NO. 3 BECAUSE I AM SO READY FOR COLE AND GINGER IT'S NOT FUNNY!! 💙😩🔥🙌🏼

4⭐️ and 4 🌶. the spice just keeps getting better. enjoy my thoughts while reading:

- tropes: grumpy x sunshine, boss x employee, forced proximity, only one bed,

- THE DEDICATION?!?!! STFU IM YELLING ALREADY

- ivy’s braver than me, you will NEVER catch me listening to an audiobook through the car speaker 🤪😂

- the scrunchies 🥹 she’s so me

- FUCK YEAH SHE’S GONNA STAY IN HUS CABIN IM SO HERE

- him drying her hair has me 🥹😭💜

- he’s tryna be such a grump but the minute he has someone to take care of he’s a nurse. wade really said my love language is ✨acts of service✨.

- if you could see me right now, my feet are doing little kickies under the blanket i’m LIVING

- BAHAHAHAH THE PRANK CALL TO COLE 😂😂😂 GINGER I LOVE YOU IM LAUGHING SO HARD

- the movie nights are so wholesome

- ONLY. ONE. BED. LETS. GOOOOO!!!

- the scrunchie on his… OMG

- happy wade actually bashed the shit out of brad 🙌🏼

- again, i love ginger so much

- is my girl preggo??

- him kissing her infront of everyone i’m 🥹

- wade has me crying like a fkn baby i love him so much

- THE BONUS CHAPTER IS CRAZY!!!!!! 🔥🔥🔥😱😱

[Flora (Helia's version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

not middle books disappointing me

[Katie Beasley · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG yall- I had been intrigued by Wade when reading Holding the Reins, but I was not prepared for him in the least. He literally transformed in the duration of this book. He was this grump that had the responsibility of the world on his shoulders. He had a failed marriage behind his back. He had his horse trainer going out of maternity leave and then Ivy showed up. The literaly clutz that was a ray of sunshine. His complete opposite. Reading Wade do everything in his power to fight this draw to her was EPIC! I was at the edge of my seat. I found myself wanting to continue reading to finally be able to experience the moment he caved. But it was endearing to watch their relationship bud. Wade is a protector and loyal and once you are in his inner circle it takes A LOT for you to get thrown out. But reading about his family commenting on him smiling more and being like his old self was just so gratifying! And then we have Ivy over here who is literally faking it til she makes it. This woman was on the bad side of an emotionally abusive relationship and showed up at this ranch acting like she knew everything. She knew enough to be dangerous and then getting Wade's trust and his belief behind her made them an incredible team. Watching her attraction to him from the background come full circle was also amazing. I LOVED their chemistry. I LOVED the fact that after they had their night there was no what did we do but more like I want to do this every night. They were both all in without discussing it. I LOVED how they made each the best versions of themselves and helped each other see their full potential. I LOVED Wade getting tatted for Ivy without them having any sort of convo about what they were to each other. These two SHOWED how they felt with how they acted. They showed up for each other time and time again and man was their spice next level. Paisley I am on to you HAHA.

Ivy is hoping and praying that her ex Brad is going to get the hint that they are done now that she is gone. She is going to be the horse trainer at Silver Pines while theirs is on maternity leave. She has her own way of doing things. She is all about connecting with the horses on a deeper level vs just telling them how it is. She doesn't know is this technique is going to work with her new boss Wade Ashby. The literal hottest cowboy/man/being she has ever encountered. And man do they get along like oil and water. He is old school and seems to be set in his ways, but she is here to work alongside him and show him that her ways can work too. What she doesn't expect is for him to show up and help her in the biggest way when she gets hurt. She finds herself sleeping in his cabin. Waking up to post it notes on how to work everything in his place. Waking up in the middle of the night watching action movies and eating ice cream with him. She finds herself connecting with him in a way she hasn't in a long time. She finds herself clicking with his whole family. They keep fighting this push and pull between them. She knows he is her boss and that is the line right?? But then they go to Nashville for a weekend and all bets are off. She can't fight it anymore. She knows it. He knows it. And then what they share is beyond explosive. She is ruined for all other men. She finds herself with no regrets. She finds herself falling for him hard and fast. He makes her feel things she hasn't felt before. He worships her body and mind. He honors her as an employee and respects that line when they are working but he also pushes her and shows her he believes in her. And when he lets his family know that they are thing, she is beyond ecstatic because Wade is nothing if not private. But then her past comes back to haunt her and she freaks out. What if she can't give him what he wants. What if what is happening is all a mistake. But of course Wade steps in and helps her see that they are in fact meant to be and that she is HIS!

Wade wants to say no immediately to Ivy. She was ten minutes late to her interview. She is too beautiful to be on his ranch. She is going to be a distraction to everyone but of course not him. He doesn't have time for distractions but somehow her she is- working for him and bringing all of her non traditional ways to work with the horses. He can't help himself but be drawn to her. She is literal sunshine in his dark cloud of a life right now. He keeps fighting this thing between them though. She is his employee for goodness sake. But then she gets hurt and he offers to help her recoup. Now they are roommates and he doesn't understand why he allowed this torture to happen. They are watching actions movies together and hanging out like an old married couple. If there is silence between them it doesn't feel awkward or forced but natural. Still though there is a line but then they kiss. And even though they get interrupted, he can't stop thinking about it. So when she walks in on him in a compromising position, they are all over each other. They have an unforgettable night together and things just progress from there. He has no regrets. He may not be big on words but he is big on action. So he shows her how he cares with his actions. He gets tatted. He worships her body and mind. He listens to her experience with her ex. He is there for her when she needs it. Who cares what other people think? It's him and her now. But then she freaks and he doesn't know how to help her. He might now know all the answers but he knows one thing- he isn't letting her go because all he sees in the future is her.

I absolutely loved this. As I said, Wade had a big transformation in this but so did Ivy. Our girl was broken but put on a front that all was well. Wade helped her get mended back together. He helped her see her true value. He helped her fix relationships in her life that needed fixing. He was there when she didn't even know she needed him. And then she helped Wade lower his walls. She helped the old Wade come back to surface. I felt so much reading this- I laughed out loud. I was on the edge of my seat. I was swooning with Ivy at the description of Wade in a towel. I was in awe of how Wade treated Ivy. I loved the found family aspect and I legit CAN'T wait to read Ginger and Cole. I have a feeling there is more going on behind the scenes than we know and can't WAIT until things finally happen between these two!! I can't recommend this series enough- I really loved Nash and CeCe but Ivy and Wade took it to a whole other level!

Thank you to NetGalley and Paisley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!!

[giulsxx · Rating 2 out of 5]

➼ 2.5★

“Most of all, I love who we are together. I love us.” I say it as simply as I can.”

it took me what it felt like a lifetime to finish this book. it felt so endless, at some point i was out of my mind bored. i started this because i was in a slump, thinking it could cure it, and i must say it kind of did. the fact that i was out of my mind bored, made me push through this book because i couldn’t wait to finish it.

╰┈➤ the plot is simple, wade needs a horse trainer and here’s when ivy comes to the picture. wade’s grumpy ass doesn’t let people in after a failed marriage and his father’s death. ivy, on the other hand, had a trouble childhood and bad luck with men. they have to find a way to work together when one wants control and the other one is the definition of chaos.

“I want to see more of it. I’d like to dive in and make a home in that smile.”

the problem with this book is that the start is so good, the tension is amazing, and even though it’s kind of insta-lust, the chemistry between them works perfectly. but after the 45%, the plot becomes non-existent focusing only on them fucking like rabbits, and around the 80% i was completely done with the story. of course the author had other plans for me because she threw at me the first on the hate list trope, milking the plot and the ending.
i think i would’ve appreciated it more if i wasn’t on a slump, but my rating wouldn’t have been much higher. at some point i started to skim through the smut (and i never skim a good sex scene!!), and the main reason i started this book in the first place is the amount of smut i would get, plus the hot cowboy factor.

safe to say wade was hot as hell, but at some point his obsession with the fmc’s heavenly coochie (his words, not mine) became annoying. but hey, at least he’s supportive—and we love supportive men!

“Tell me to stop being a gentleman. Tell me to be the man you’re in here looking for, Ivy.”

ivy was… i don’t know. i guess i could say she didn’t stick out to me, i didn’t dislike her nor like her. but i did appreciate how the author portrayed her abuse, but especially how ivy realized she was being mentally abused and how she slowly worked on herself to fight the insecurities that were the result of years of being with a narcissistic abuser.
i think i didn’t care enough about both characters.

“The thought of anyone making her feel like she isn’t enough sets off a rage in me like I’ve never felt. But the most prevalent thing I feel? Pride. She’s got this, she doesn’t need me to handle it for her. I’ve never known a woman quite like her before. It’s goddamn refreshing. She’s so fucking strong.”

overall, i think i read this book at the wrong time, but the fact that it didn’t work for me doesn’t mean it wouldn’t for you. so, i still recommend it to those who love:
-cowboy romance
-employer x employee
-small town
-forced proximity
-one bed

“Ivy is right—we can’t go back, only forward, and you know what? There isn’t a person on earth I’d rather leave the world behind with.”

[Antonella · Rating 3 out of 5]

If you like your romance with a side of hay bales, unresolved trauma, and sizzling tension between opposites, this one might rope you right in.

Still, the ranch setting is cozy, the romance is steamy, and the horse subplot adds a nice touch of heart. It’s a pleasant read, especially if you enjoy the “opposites attract” trope with a western twist.

🎶“Die From A Broken Heart” – Maddie & Tae
🎶“Slow Burn” – Kacey Musgraves
🎶“Hard to Love” – Lee Brice
🎶“Heart Like a Truck” – Lainey Wilson

[Steph ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Penguin for sending me an ARC of this book.

I've been falling in love with Paisley and her books over the last 2 months. 3/3 books have been 5 stars and that's a pretty good record.

I am feral for Wade Ashby. The way Paisley writes this man, I'm obsessed. And Ivy is such a spitfire and I adore her. These two are so cute, the way they communicate, I love. I truly dig a book that does fantastic communication and Paisley nails it every time.

I loved seeing so much of Cece and Nash as well, and I can't wait for Cole and Ginger's story.

[summer⁎ ˚ ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆ · Rating 4 out of 5]

yum yum!! i wasn't sure how much i'd like this since the first one was pretty forgettable but damn!!! i LOVED this!!!

a perfect grumpy x sunshine, cowboy book to get me through the days. i was hooked from the beginning from wade's grumpy demeanor and ivy's spitfire attitude. i loved how she dished it at him, her constant brattiness, and i loved how he used it with & against her. yeehaw, he was hot as sin!!!

this was SPICCYYYYY but it didn't feel overdone. i actually really enjoyed the balance! there was enough in the story to keep me intrigued in what else was happening, while mellowing it out with another hot as sin sexy scene! i need me a cowboy to call me a brat and choke me out rn!!

whoo, sorry, i got a little ahead of myself right there...

wade's character arc was lovely and i also enjoyed how ivy was in the same boat with her ex. i wasn't sure how it'd turn out since there were quite a few mentions of each ex but it did turn out well. i'm glad there wasn't some unnecessary third act breakup!! and yet even with over 400 pages it didn't *feel* long. (i was worried it would). the found family was just beautiful. the ashby family felt so genuine and warm and whole. i don't remember feeling much of that in the first book but this did a great job at portraying the family dynamics.

i loved wade and ivy's relationship, too, and how they just fell into a comfortable routine together. it felt so real and natural.

i cannot wait to read cole and ginger's book; their snippets had me blushing.

[Christina (stinarinareads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨3.75 (rounded to 4 for GR)
🌶️2.5-2.75
📖~416 pages
📚Overall interconnected series with different main couples
🎬Contemporary western romance
❓Would I Recommend? Yes

✏️Review:

This is a review of a book provided to me by NetGalley. The book already came out so these aren’t any pre-release thoughts, but am grateful to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author nonetheless!

Training the Heart by Paisley Hope is the second book in the Silver Pines Ranch series, a sizzling, smalltown, western romance here to satisfy your cowboy cravings.

🧩 Horse trainer FMC x ranch owner MMC
🧩 Family and found family
🧩 Dual FMC and MMC POV
🧩 Learning to trust/open your heart again
🧩 “Let’s keep it a casual fling” yeah sure
🧩 Workplace romance
🧩 Appearances by the couple of Book 1

Ivy Spencer (FMC) is still reeling from a bad relationship and its especially rotten end when she finds herself at Silver Pines Ranch, interviewing for a job with the very unimpressed Wade Ashby (MMC). But it’s not Ivy’s fault, really, aside from being late… Wade Ashby is just a hard shell to crack with most. The responsibilities of the family’s ranch have come down hard on his shoulders, and it’s showing. It showed with the breakup of his marriage, not that he loved or fought for her much, anyway. And it’s showing to his family, who see him closing more into himself day by day.

But something about Ivy Spencer, this intriguing and frustrating woman with hidden dreams so much like his own, a racehorse from Silver Pines at the Kentucky Derby, both calls to and scares him. And once Ivy becomes determined to break down his walls, all bets are off. But Ivy is only staying to fill a temporary job post… can this just be a casual fling? Can Wade let Ivy walk away at the end? Can Ivy let herself?

It was a little bit of a seesaw to get there, but once Wade and Ivy started their romance, that’s when Wade’s walls broke down the most. He let his natural side come out with her in those intimate moments. I think they both worked well together. I loved that their dreams lined up with each other, Ivy training a racehorse for the derby and Wade having a derby horse from Silver Pines Ranch, and how it played into the plot. Wade was also an acts-of-service type of guy, which is always a jam. And he takes his giving nature into the bedroom, that’s for sure.

🔥Dirty talk
🔥Plenty of steam
🔥MINE

Wade and Ivy both must contend with outside forces for their ultimate happy ending. I’m glad the author kept them from becoming melodramatic or coming between the main couple. These were problems each character themselves had to deal with, and come to terms with for themselves, to fully move on with their lives and go forward with each other with clean slates.

🚩 Both MCs are dealing with lingering drama and/or trauma from ex-partners. This is a source of personal tension for each character, but is never used as a source of jealousy or an obstacle between the main couple

🚩 Effects and feelings of grief and loss

To end this review, I just wanted to point out two small quibbles I had with the book.

⛔️ More communication between Wade and Ivy
Especially in the back half. Sometimes I wished that they just talked to each other more and admitted the things that were clearly obvious instead of skirting about subjects. There was a chunk of pages that could’ve been cut off that would’ve eliminated some of the repeated miscommunication.

⛔️ After the strength of Book 1, Wade and Ivy had slightly less chemistry than Nash and CeCe
Not much to say here other than Nash and CeCe were just too good, ya’ll. Particularly Nash as an MMC, but them together was pure magic and just felt more weighted.

🔮Assuming HFN/HEA

Symbol Key
✨= star level, 🌶️= spice level, 📖= total pages (usually on my iPhone screen), 📚= series or standalone, 🎬= genre, 🧩= tropes/elements, 🚩= potential safety/triggers, 🔥= spice/kink elements, ⛔️= quibbles/complaints, 🔮= ending

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Solid read. LOTS of spice. I do wish there was a bit more banter, resistance before giving in. They start hooking up and falling in love pretty quickly, which is why there is a lot of spice.

I did like the background of each character and how they connected over that!

Great narrators. I’ll definitely check out the next one.

Audio

[Kiara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to love this. Grumpy cowboy × sunshine horse trainer × Derby prep should’ve been an instant win. But the book leans far more on the spice than the story — and not in a way that worked for me.

🐎 The Setup

Ivy Spencer shows up late, flustered, and mid-ramble to her interview at Silver Pines Ranch, while Wade Ashby — peak cowboy grump, recently divorced, and basically running the entire ranch — watches her like she’s a walking complication. He’s unimpressed… yet she still gets the job.

Things fall into an easy rhythm until an accident leaves Ivy injured. Suddenly she’s staying in Wade’s cabin so he can keep an eye on her — and that’s when things really escalate.

🍨 Ivy Spencer (29)

Soft, sassy, strong — Ivy’s rebuilding her life after an abusive ex, and she refuses to let Wade’s moodiness intimidate her. She challenges him, and she brings some much-needed warmth back into the ranch.

I just wish we’d seen more of her actually training Angel’s Wings. The Derby arc is supposed to be a major hook, but most of it happens off-page.

🤠 Wade Ashby (34)

Wade is exactly the cowboy grump I love: protective, steady, soft underneath — and apparently addicted to dirty talk. He cooks for her, leaves post-it notes, makes her coffee, watches action movies with her, and even gets a “mine” tattoo on his hand (sir???).

My issue is that the book tells us he’s opening up instead of letting us see those vulnerable moments. A few quiet emotional beats would’ve balanced the heat beautifully.

🔥 My Thoughts

I’m not anti-spice — not even close — but this was simply… too much. The scenes started blending together, and every time the plot had room to grow, we swerved into another sex scene instead. I would’ve happily traded a few of them for deeper conversations, more ranch work, or anything that developed their relationship outside the bedroom.

The foundation is genuinely strong — the ranch setting, the family dynamics — but the execution felt a little shallow in places, and occasionally a bit too similar to book one.

Still, Ivy and Wade are easy to root for, and Cole & Ginger’s setup has been simmering since book one — I’m absolutely ready for their story.

Tropes / What to Expect
🐎 Horse trainer × Ranch owner
🌞 Grumpy × Sunshine
💼 Workplace romance / Boss × Employee
🔥 Forced proximity
🛏️ Only one bed
👶 Surprise pregnancy
🤝 Found family

Spice includes: praise kink, dirty talk, hand necklace, and more

[jenny reads a lot · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thoroughly enjoyed this one!

| IG | TikTok |

Thank you Dell Romance for the gifted book. I won this in a giveaway. All opinions are my own.

[millena ★ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ I knew the second book would be perfect and I wasn’t wrong!!!! I’m loving this series so much that I can already say it filled a spot in my heart that’s been empty since Chestnut Springs 😭💖

Wade and Ivy had me hooked from the very first chapters and tbh I don’t know which one I loved more bc they’re literally perfect for each other in every way, the proof of that is even though I usually hate that kind of surprise at the end, I loved it for them (especially after everything Ivy went through)

The family scenes were as perfect as in the first book and when they were all together it was definitely my favorite moments. If you want a super quick read that’ll warm your heart and make you believe in happy endings, this is the one!!!

Thank you Netgalley & Random House for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review :)

[Abbie Bell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Update - I don’t know why this was 4 stars is was supposed to be FIVE
I have never been feral for a man like this before. Quite literally perfection. And Ivy is absolutely incredible, her story hits so close to home & to see her thrive at the end was amazing. Literally obsessed with them both😭

[Savannah · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this was too conservative cringe for me to enjoy. I was able to overlook it in book 1 but this one doubled down and made everything worse.

The plot in this was fine I guess but there were so many parts about it that had me asking why. We knew Ivy and Wade would fall in love...ofc....but the tropes....

The dialogue in this made me feel like she wanted to write a paranormal romance but someone told her contemporary sells better. Wade growled a lot? Why? Lots of rumbling in the chest. Lots of him describing himself as a beast that wanted to "take his woman" like wtf am I looking at. Most of the bad dialogue came from his POV.

Which leads me to the conservative cringe. The way he kept referring to her as WOMAN was making my skin itch. He wasn't the only one but idk how or why that's supposed to be sexy. Pls, use my name. This and all the times they mention like how sexy it is with the woman being in the kitchen and being submissive 🤢 Also SO many mentions of cops omg!! and I know the next book is gonna be about the cop brother which, no thanks!

ALSO, the romance scenes were? They had too much going on for what the setting of this story was if that makes sense. Like why is he putting a dog collar on her....and yall work on a farm? Like the romance kink felt like it was directly opposite of the vanilla conversative vibes that you get from every other aspect of the book. It wasn't adding up for me. There was some scene where he like.....c*ms on her chest then smears all over her body and in her mouth?? I want to vomit.

All of this culminates with a pregnancy plotline and an epilogue where Ivy has had 3 children and thinks about how much she loves her strong man so NO THANKS.

This was overall just gross to me and thank GOD I got it from the library and didn't pay for it. It wasn't even the fun type of conversative cringe like the 1st book where they had the bad country playlist. It's for somebody, but unfortunately it's not for me. On to the next cowboy.

[Sarah Lutfy · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 ⭐️
4.5 🌶️

Soooo spicy. J'pense c'est le cowboy romance j'ai lu le plus CHAUD a date. Le dirty talk, la tension, touteeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee 10/10

Le banter entre Wade et Ivy c'était débile. Vraiment beaucoup de dirty talk aussi. Leur safe word de mercy ou j'sais pu trop je trouvais ça un peu cringe par contre et peut-être pour ca ca m'empêche de donner un 5 étoiles mais je trippe vraiment sur cette série à date. Un autre cowboy avec le vibe de 'Touche la et je te tue' je dirais jamais non à ça hihihihi

[Muffinsandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mais vraiment, stop avec le smut, je vous jure j'enchaine les romances cowboy là et c'est bon, on a compris le bail hein. Ce 2ème tome dans la saga Silver Pines Ranch était vraiment top mais si on enlève les scènes de smut, on enlève bien 150 pages (j'exagère à peine). Ça m'a soulée mais à part ça, j'ai trouvé l'histoire hyper belle et les personnages attachants, j'aime toujours autant l'ambiance de cette saga, de ce ranch, de cette famille... hâte de lire les prochains, prions pour qu'il y ait moins de smut parce que c'est ça qui fait perdre une étoile et éviter le coup de coeur.

[Emily · Rating 4 out of 5]

You know I love a small town romance and this did it so good! The work colleagues to lovers never misses and I just love this town and family so much! The romance was so cute and I love the sprinkles of the romance between Cole and ginger in the next book!

[Anna Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

Paisley Hope is ensuring that I never leave my cowboy romance era. The little glimpse we got of them in book 1 didn’t prepare me for how much I would love them. Their banter, the texting, the way he’s DESPERATE for her but doesn’t think he deserves her had me melting the entire book. So easy to read, perfect for summer and has me excited for book 3!

Read this if you’re in the mood for…
- grumpy/sunshine
- coworkers
- banter
- toxic ex
- BDE

I did an immersive read (audiobook and e-book at the same time) and it was perfect. The narrators added so much to the story. Loved the glimpses of the previous couple and hints towards the next book.

Will be recommending!

[Andrea ☾ [is inconsistently consistant] · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 ⭐️ Actually better than book #1!

To be completely honest, that sentence is not much of a feat. Book 1 had things that I definitely liked, but it had too many instances of the MMC putting the FMC down, and at times felt judgy and sexist. Like those kinds of small-town microaggressions that are supposed to seem normal and you're just supposed to turn a blind eye to them, take them and move on. The kind that the second I turn 18 I realized I was a whole a** adult that didn't have to take sh*t from anybody (including but not limited to small-town family and friends who can't conceive that there's life outside their very narrow-minded beliefs). So, yeah, maybe book 1 was slightly triggering for me.

This book, however, took a -small but definite- turn for the better, in my opinion. Wade (MMC) seems like a much more level-headed man than our MMC in book 1, even if he's all gone for his girl, too. And Ivy! The absolute best FMC in the series (so far!) I loved her so much! The whole boss/ employee thing doesn't typically work for me, but here it was kind of cute.

Also, there's a very specific trope here that I always go RAVENOUS for, it's like a 'Who did this to you? (Dark Version) and omg it's done so, so well here. Ivy has a very disgusting, manipulative and abusive ex, and let's just say he kind of gets a knuckle sandwich for lunch at some point in the book -and let me tell you, he one thousand per cent deserved it!

If you liked book 1, I think you'll like this one even more!! I can't wait to see where this series goes next, because if this is a step up from book 1 (and it is!), book 3 has some big shoes to fill!

🌶🌶🌶/ 5 -There's certainly a bit of a small burn at the first 50% of the book or so, but wow when it got going things got really, really hot!

Thank you so much Net Galley for the eARC!*

[Sami Brambila · Rating 1 out of 5]

I appreciate Netgally & Random House Publishing-Ballantine, for the opportunity to read this book as an ARC. With that being said, I feel like it’s important to leave an honest review.

I got to chapter six before I couldn’t bring myself to continue. This book lacked any sort of substance or foundation for me. Every single man in this book did nothing but sexualize the FMC. The amount of times the MMC references either his dick or her boobs is ridiculous and I got only that far into it. Also the FMC referring to herself as: lady bits was odd.

That’s all the author seemed to want to write about, and it confuses me that this book is 448 pages. Because where’s the tension or build up or foundation even going to come from? It seems like it will all be based on lust.

Not only that, but the dialogue is cringy and the author does a lot of telling instead of showing.

In all, I need a book to have that solid relationship building substance and this book had none of it.

[readswith.erin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

Wade. Fkn. Ashby.

I really loved this. This grumpy, broody, boss man but “only soft for her” vibes yessss we love.

He cooks for her, makes her coffee, has a FILTHY god damn mouth. I mean what more could you want?

“𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙖𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬𝙚𝙙 𝙤𝙣 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙙 𝙬𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙚 𝙄 𝙗𝙪𝙧𝙮 𝙢𝙮 𝙩𝙤𝙣𝙜𝙪𝙚 𝙞𝙣𝙨𝙞𝙙𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙨 𝙢𝙞𝙣𝙚.” 🥵🫦

Also this damn man got a tattoo on his hand that says “mine” for Ivy, and it is SO fucking perfect.

“𝘽𝙪𝙩 𝙞𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙝𝙖𝙙 𝙖𝙣𝙮 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙩 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙨𝙚𝙚 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙣 𝙄 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪… 𝙮𝙤𝙪’𝙧𝙚 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙡𝙤𝙤𝙠 𝙨𝙤 𝙛𝙪𝙘𝙠𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙥𝙧𝙚𝙩𝙩𝙮 𝙬𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙢𝙮 𝙘𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙖𝙧, 𝙄𝙫𝙮.”

Also, Ivy’s ex Brad is a real piece of shiiiiiiii
He manipulated her into thinking she couldn’t have children because he didn’t want them and she thought she couldn’t this whole time until the unexpected happened and it was just so damn special.

𝙈𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙩𝙡𝙚 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙣, 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙞𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧 𝙙𝙖𝙙. 🥺😭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️

[maha · Rating 2 out of 5]

How did they fall in love through that much fucking is my question

[Liz | ᥫ᭡reakawayreads · Rating 5 out of 5]

So I’ve obviously binged book 1 and 2 of this series because it’s just that good. Book one had more plot than spicy activity whereas book 2 has definitely more spicy activity and I ate it up. Like I can’t get enough of Wade and Ivy. Wade is this tough rancher with a (definite kinky side(f*k yes))that was just getting out of a divorce when Ivy shows up on the ranch as a horse trainer and they obviously can’t stay away from each other. And she’s so sassy. Wade has definitely met his match. He even has a special tattoo put on his hand just for her when he gives her hand necklaces. Let me tell you. This is so much better on audio than reading it. The amount of times I have blushed and sighed over this one 🙌🏼🥵🔥
The voice actors are great 😍🫶🏻 highly recommend this one!! Love it better than book 1 😍

Ms Paisley, do you put crack in your books!? Cause ma’am…Mercy!!! 😜💋. I freaking love this series!! 🫶🏻🫶🏻👏🏻👏🏻🙌🏼🙌🏼
•
You’ll find this one has:
- Age gap
- Grumpy vs Sunshine
- She’s a horse trainer
- He loves giving her hand necklaces 😉
- Mercy is their favorite word 🥵
- Found Family
- Forced Proximity/ Roomies / One bed