Al the stars. Ivy and Wade are so perfect for one another I loved seeing them evolve from friends to lovers. The grumpy of Wade and sunshine of Ivy is absolutely perfect. These two traversed their battle so effortlessly and together I almost wish I could dive into the story to see more of them.

when i received the notification that i got approved for this arc i RAN. i loved holding the reigns and i was so excited for this one and when i tell you it did NOT disappoint.
i saved this book for a birthday read because i knew this was something that was just gonna hit.
i ATE UP the tension in this book. Wade being possessive and protective and I 👏 LOVED 👏 IT 👏.
Ivy and Wade were missing pieces to each other’s puzzles and Paisley did such a great job bringing them together and helping them heal despite each other’s pasts.
ALSO??? the smut??? i was SWEATING
4.5 ⭐️’s loved every second of it

Published on goodreads!
Published on 12/25/25

First off, thank you so much for the opportunity to read this.

I found myself captivated from the very beginning, Wade's Prologue hooked me. The connection between Wade and Ivy is truly heartwarming and something I hope to have one day.
Another great thing about this book was the banter. The exchanges between Wade and Ivy were funny, but the interactions (especially messages) between Wade and his family and friends had me laughing hard at times. There was never a dull moment, which kept my attention, and I couldn't stop reading.
Overall , I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others looking for a heartwarming & spicy romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity of this advanced copy!
I knew as soon as I finishing the first book in the series that I had to get a hold on the second one as soon as possible, and I can honestly say the series just keeps getting better and better. Wade Ashby that you are, I couldn’t get enough of him and his grumpiness and his dirty talk. Also our FMC Ivy was a breath of fresh air, I loved the way she carried herself thru all the heartache. Don’t get me started on the smallest form of miscommunication between both characters, I loved how the author quickly resolved the issue (more authors should take notes.) I can’t wait to see what else Paisley Hope has in store for us.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️

I’ve been so excited about this story because I was ready to see what our broody rancher, Wade Ashby, got up to in his story, and I loved seeing him with Ivy.

We got a few glimpses of Wade in Holding the Reins, but getting a better, more in-depth view of his life and what he was going through was nice. Right from the start, we saw that Wade was broody and grumpy and Ivy was his total sunshiney opposite! Ivy loved to talk and Wade…did not. 🤣 It was great that, even though Wade thought he wasn’t attracted to Ivy, he still wanted to protect her from the other ranchers because he thought she was too innocent. Wade did have a thing for Ivy but was in denial, and it was great to watch Ivy and her happy personality slowly bring Wade out of his broody shell. It was so cute that Ivy was determined to make Wade smile more after she saw him smile for the first time. One thing that I loved was that Ivy was always so sassy and how much Wade loved that about her. Ivy wasn’t afraid to sass Wade and that only ever turned him on more.

Wade and Ivy fit so well together! They both had difficult pasts with less-than-stellar exes, and they bonded over that often. It was nice that Ivy learned from her past and her ex, and she was able to help Wade do the same once she found out that he was still letting his ex get to him. They both eventually were able to move past their previous relationships so that they could focus on their new relationship with each other.

It was awesome to watch Wade be himself once he and Ivy got together. He had a deliciously filthy mouth 🥵 and he let that come out full force when he was with Ivy! Ivy was not expecting Wade’s filthy mouth, but it was awesome to watch her experience it. I also like that they bonded over their kinks once they realized they liked similar things; they were able to be themselves both in and out of the bedroom and it was great to see. Also, Wade’s tattoo was next-level hot (IYKYK). 🥵

This was such a great story and a great next installment of the Silver Pines Ranch series. I loved watching Ivy and Wade become good friends before they eventually became more than friends. They had such an unlikely but beautiful relationship and I loved how they could just be themselves with each other all the time. I enjoyed this story a lot, and I can’t wait to see what happens in Cole’s story!


Thank you, Paisley and Random House Publishing, for providing me with an ARC!

I was super excited to read this since I loved the first book in the series. This has the same feel as the first one: small town, cowboys, and found family. You also get grumpy x sunshine and a whole lot of spice in the second book. This was a quick and easy read for me but I didn’t love it as much as the first book. I loved Ivy and Wades story so much but there was too much spice, personally for me. I wish there was a bit more of their story besides the spice. I would still recommend this book to all my friends who love a small town romance.

We are at this point that if Paisley writes it, I will read every word of it and love it.

Wade Ashby is CeCe's grumpy brother, so from book 1 alone, I was fascinated by him. Grumpy cowboys are my jam and I will forever pick up books from that description alone. But when Mr. Grump meets his new horse trainer, Ivy, the grump has finally met his match.

I loved everything about this book. From the first meeting (job interview going sideways) to the banter between Wade and Ivy. I loved Ivy period. At times she was the ray of sunshine who was happy and excited about life, but underneath it all is a woman who had fought so many demons and won. Her happiness was in the face of these challenges, because she was not going to let anyone dull her and I loved her all the more for that.

Watching Wade become more and more obsessed with Ivy was absolutely perfect. From her laughter to her scrunchies (iykyk), he feel hat over boots for Ivy. I loved him be a grump to everyone but her, and seeing his possessiveness really come full force once Ivy and Wade decided to give into the tension between them. Side note, Wade's tattoo that he got for Ivy? Pure and utter perfection.

This book was just right for me in terms of the story, the pacing and the spice. I could not get enough and rereading this book again just brought me back to my happy place. I am so excited to see where the series goes from here with the teasers we have been getting of the other couples.

What a wild freaking ride Training the Heart turned out to be! I absolutely loved reading Ivy and Wade’s story, especially after getting a glimpse of their dynamics in the first book. The banter between these two is top notch—funny, sharp, and totally real. Their chemistry was palpable, and I found myself rooting for them from start to finish.

The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages—there’s a great balance of tension, growth, and sweet moments between Ivy and Wade. The tropes were all there—cowboy, small town, grumpy sunshine, and some delicious slow burn—and they were executed really well.

That being said, I have to mention that there was a bit more smut and name-calling than I typically enjoy. While it’s definitely not a dealbreaker, it felt a bit excessive at times and took me out of the story in moments.

In the end, Training the Heart is a great read with an entertaining plot, fantastic characters, and a really satisfying romance. If you love a fiery, banter-filled love story (and can handle some steamy scenes), this one’s definitely worth the ride!

I can’t do it. I was given the opportunity to read this arc by NetGalley and I have physically can’t make myself finish it. I’ve picked this book up and put it back down 5x now and I’m still only 30% in.

My main issue is with the dialogue between all characters and the internal monologues of Wade and Ivy. Everything felt very overwrought and cringey to me. The phrases “save a horse” and “my garden of Eden” were used unironically on the same page. Also, in this scene, there are four women and their combined total body weight is under 450 pounds.

I don’t want to spoil anything by giving examples, but, the writing, plot points and conversations between all characters feel heavy handed to me and the nuance is sorely missed. I did a quick skim and realized the almost the complete rest of the book is smut so I’m dipping out. I love spice as much as the next girl, but I didn’t care enough about this couple to go through with it.

For the positives, I did like the initial set up of their story and some of the banter was pretty funny.

I just don’t think I’m the target audience for this author. If you prefer lighter romances with a high heat factor, this could be perfect for you.

3 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC of this book!

I enjoyed book one in this series and was super excited for a grumpy cowboy- however, I really struggled to engage with this one. There was a bit of instalove and the push and pull between the characters seemed off. So much trauma dumping seemed to happen in the beginning that it took the mystery away and I didn't connect much to the characters.

However, if you are in the market for a grumpy cowboy, then Wade is the dude for you I bet ;)

Paisley Hope has quickly become a favorite author of mine and this cowboy series is a top one for the year! She writes swoony heroes, lovable characters and spice that spices. The storyline flows beautifully, drawing you in from the first page and has you buckled up the entire ride loving every minute of it. She's a unique author and one that is going to be a fan favorite for years to come!

Wade Ashby has the weight of the family ranch on his shoulders. He wants to make a run at the Durby and his new trainer Ivy might just be what he needs. Ivy has been struggling in life so when the chance to work on the ranch comes up she takes it. She thinks she might have found a home at Silver Pines with the Ashbys and their extended group. As they start planning for the Durby run Wade and Ivy work closely and things begin to heat up between them.

This is the second book in the Silver Pines Ranch series and the Cowboy Romance perfection kept going. Wade Ashby is a grumpy cowboy who has blocked his heart away because of his awful ex and family responsibilities. I love how Ivy brought him out of his shell. This book was very spicy and when he gets the tattoo on his hand... wow. This book has an amazing family and I can’t wait to read each book in this series.

Read This If You Like:
🏇Small Town Romance
💜One Bed
🏇Road Trip
💜Forced Proximity
🏇Workplace
💜He Takes Care of Her

dnf %46

I really can’t bring myself to read any more of it since I’m not enjoying it. I’m not sure if it’s me or the book, but it felt like there was a lack of real connection! It seemed to focus mainly on their physical attraction, which didn’t really click with me. And honestly, Wade kind of creeped me out with what he did with the scrunchie.

very thankful that i got this arc

Loved the small town. Loved the cowboys. Loved the cute aspects of their relationship but it was so overshadowed by all of the smut. We could have cut out 50 pages of sex scenes and there still would have been plenty!! I do really enjoy these characters and am very excited for the next book because the Cole/Ginger coupling has had me on the edge of my seat since book one.

Ty to Random House, Dell Romance & NetGalley for the ARC <3

I freaking love this book. The way that the characters were written was done so well, you can’t help but be in love with them and relate to them. I just love it when a character makes sense and individually and as a couple both Wade and Ivy made sense.
The spice, oh my god the spice! And that bonus scene?!? 🥵🥵🥵🥵🥵

Overall : 4.75

✨ARC Review✨
I so enjoyed going back to Silver Pines with the Ashby family again!

Training the Heart is oldest brother Wade’s story alongside the ranch’s new horse trainer Ivy Spencer.

Wade is the definition of a grumpy cowboy! He has a hard time trusting and letting people in after a failed marriage and the loss of his dad. But he also has a sweet caring side underneath it all, and I loved seeing that come out in his relationship with Ivy.

Ivy comes to the Ashby’s ranch after a failed relationship of her own. After years of manipulation and hurt, it was so nice to see her first of all do what she loved by connecting with the horses, and then begin to get the support and partnership she’d been missing for so long.

Ivy’s taken care of others so much in her life so it was nice to see her and Wade find that balance of her taking care of herself, which she loved to remind him she could do, and letting each other help and be a support.

Through their relationship, Wade and Ivy both broke down their walls for each other. Their lives clicked together in a great way. I loved the connection they developed and seeing their determination to make it work no matter what the future brought.

This book has a little bit of everything that I love in a romance book from the cowboys, to the caretaking, and a “standing up to the ex” scene which I can never get enough of!

Thank you Paisley, Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC opportunity!
I’m so glad I was able to go back to Silver Pines and can’t wait to get back to the Ashby’s with Cole and Ginger’s book!!

I received an ARC copy and I will never turn down a cowboy romance novel!

After reading the first book, I couldn’t wait to read Wade and Ivy’s story. Their banter was on point and their relationship was adorable. Wade is a grumpy hardass cowboy, but (of course) had a secret soft side for Ivy. The story was predictable, but I ate up every word. The spice is spicy (and there maybe was too much spice?…maybe), but I still enjoyed it! I will be reading the next one for sure.

Paisley Hope, yet again, gave us a heartfelt and emotionally charged romance with TTH. This story is as much about personal growth and healing as it is about love, and she did a wonderful job balancing the two.

Wade “Chief” Ashby is everyone’s new book boyfriend! He’s struggling to shoulder the weight of his responsibilities while keeping his heart safely guarded. Ivy “Trouble” Spencer is the strong, independent woman we all want to be. Together, their journey from reluctant allies to passionate partners felt so real. Silver Pines Ranch is the perfect setting and gave us such an accurate representation of ranch life and the challenges of training a racehorse.

The chemistry between Wade and Ivy explodes off the page literally from the moment they met! Their emotional growth makes their love story all the more swoon-worthy.

While the pacing of the book occasionally lags, particularly in the middle, but the fiery connection between Wade & Ivy makes up for it.
Highly recommend if you’re looking for a second-chance, found family, cowboy romance!

Wow! What a great follow up to an already stunning series. I knew immediately that I was going to fall in love with this second book because we got a small taste of Wade in Holding the Reins, I just knew he would be top tier book boyfriend material! Both of these characters have my whole heart, with the witty banter and another perfect blend of small town, workplace romance and cowboys? ABSOLUTELY! Diving even further into what's to come, I cannot wait for the next book in this series!

Thank you so much for this ARC, I hope I can get the next one because I need to read it!!

THIS WAS HOTTT and a must-read if you love small town/cowboy romances!

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

Paisley has quickly become one of my favorite authors and she really popped off with this one!! She had me immediately hooked with the dedication.

Also Grumpy x Sunshine is one of my favorite tropes, but make it ✨grumpy cowboy✨ and I’m SOLD. It also had so many of my favorite micro-tropes from "I didn't know where else to go" to hair washing. 🥹

I thought Nash Carter was my man, but Wade Ashby with his BDE just took the top spot. He was grumpy and dominating, but also a gentleman and so stinkin’ sweet. And I adored Ivy and her brattiness. They balanced each other out perfectly and provided some top-tier banter.

I’m just obsessed with this family!! Can I move to Silver Pines Ranch already?? I wanna be a part of the Not Angels.

And I need that Ginger and Law Daddy book ASAP!! 😩

“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.”

𝐀𝐝𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐓𝐁𝐑 𝐢𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐞𝐧𝐣𝐨𝐲:
🤠 Grumpy x Sunshine
🤠 Boss x Employee
🤠 Forced Proximity
🤠 Spicy Lessons
🤠 Small Town/Cowboy Vibes
🤠 Dual POV

Thank you NetGalley for an e-ARC of this book, and thank you Dell Romance/Random House Publishing for the #gifted copy.