4.25⭐️ Paisley Hope has become one of my favorite authors! I have read all 3 of her books and have loved every single one.

She knows how to write some dirty talking men who come off grumpy but are actually so caring. The spice is also always so hot 🥵 This is the second book in the Silver Pines series and was so excited to get to read Ivy and Wade’s story. Both books in this series had me laughing out loud on page one.

Ivy is the new horse training for Wade’s ranch and she is pure sunshine, while Wade is extremely grumpy. They both have some trust issues due to their terrible ex’s and seeing them open up was so sweet. I absolutely love the friend group in these books, they have me laughing constantly.

I just love this cowboy romance series so much and can’t wait to read Ginger and Cole’s book when it comes out!

Thank you netgalley and Penguin Random House-Ballentine for the arc!

*review posted on goodreads + TikTok*

Training the Heart

“You never need to be afraid of him again. I would never let him hurt you.”

“ I dont need to be your hero, you already you own fucking hero.”

Tropes:
Grumpy X sunshine
On bed
Work relations
Mental abuse
Millionaire
Short chapters

It contains scenes of very explicit intimate relationships in more than one chapter.

After his separation of several years with the woman he thought he loved and the death of his father Wade has to take care of the family business. Ivy is looking for a job although the interview was not very good. Ivy loves to listen to romance audiobooks that attract a lot of attention, after she went through a toxic relationship that made her suffer a lot and now with financial problems she decided to move to Silver Pines to fulfill her dream of training racehorses and start over. new.

It doesn't take long for opposites to attract and come together in a mess of sex. From the first page you could feel the great attraction that the characters have, they went through a path of getting to know each other that I really liked. They have a good chemistry that keeps me excited all the time. I really liked all the characters except Ivy's ex-boyfriend who had her under control. I sensed everything that was going to happen and I didn't like that and it explains a lot without need, there are more mental thoughts and descriptions than dialogues.

4 stars

There was a lot to like in this book and I definitely liked it more that the first boo, less cringey dialogue and less “throw every trope at the wall and see what sticks”. I loved the relationship between Ivy and Wade and how Wade showed his care through the things he did for Ivy. I really enjoyed their dynamic and the spice was SPICIN”! However, while the spice had some great scenes, there was SO MUCH. The book was so long because of just how much and long the scenes were. At some point, it’s just too much like we get it, y’all be banging. I will say, I did hate the little surprise trope near the end myself, it felt right for the story and the couple.

I hate to say this but Ginger drove me a little crazy in this book. She’s very much Samantha from Sex and the City coded and at times it’s just a bit too much? I know the next book is hers so I’m hoping that this version of her is some sort of front that breaks down in her own story because I don’t think I’ll like her otherwise.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

Really enjoyed the first and love the build-up of this sequel. Characters are great. Plot was promising and intriguing, could be refined a bit more. Romance was a balance of emotional and soft! This was a beautiful book! Now book 3 when?!

The spice in this book delivered at every turn. Whew mama! However, I feel like this could have been such an epic and emotional storyline. It has all the components: crappy manipulative exes, grumpy sunshine, workplace, family drama, and emotional twists. For me, these weren't flushed out enough or done as thoroughly. I don't want to give spoilers, but for example Ivy has a narcissistic and manipulative ex and he does come around and harass her etc but it didn't feel as compelling as with CeCe's ex in book one. And the stuff with her mom was nice. We love a good full circle moment. Everything felt a little rushed to me

All that said, I still had a great time and am looking forward to book 3! Cole and feisty Ginger? Gimme it!
3.5⭐ rounded to 4

Training the Heart by Paisley Hope

⭐️ 5/5
🌶️ 4/5

This was one of my most anticipated reads of this month and I was definitely not disappointed!

Training the heart had everything that I love in a romance novel. It was sweet, spicy and had the best character development for both Ivy and Wade. Their chemistry was off the charts from the start, and it was great to see Wade warm up to her as time passed. The found family aspect in this ✨chefs kiss✨ as well. The Ashby’s are the sweetest family, and I loved the way they took her in and embraced her from the get go.

Their slow burn was written so well, leading up to probably the hottest contemporary romance I’ve read in a while. Wade’s mouth. Oof 😮‍💨😩

But aside from that, this book was everything! Wade and Ivy working through all their problems with grief from what they went through and learning what it’s like to truly be loved was one of my favorite parts.

holy crap this book was so so good!! i absolutely ate this up!! wade ashby the man that you are, i absolutely loved him!! ivy and wade were honestly everything that i could ever hope for in a cowboy small town romance. their romance and story was everything, i loved their friendship and watch their romance develop throughout this story. i loved everything about this and i am so thankful to have had the opportunity to read this before it comes out. because you're definitely going to want to get your hands on this when it comes out on december 31.

4.5 stars rounded up

I am obsessed with paisley hope and the amazing men she writes. I have been reading a lot of cowboy romances lately and the silver springs series is top tier! I highly recommend this series for fans of Elsie Silver and Lyla Sage. The character development is amazing, as well as the tension, banter and spice. I can’t wait to read Cole and Ginger’s book next they have been some of my favorite characters throughout the series.

I loved this book! I can't wait for the next one in the series! I think Paisley Hope will be an auto buy for me from now on!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️


Fuck, Wade Ashby is every book girlies grumpy, cowboy wet dream! And he has a filthy mouth 🥵🥵


His and Ivy’s story is so sweet. The care that he puts into nurturing their relationship is so special. I love that they kept their relationship a secret, not because he didn’t want his family to know, but because he wanted to continue building on that comfort and familiarity they were gaining within one another. It made for a beautiful foundation to their love story.

I usually don’t love the surprise pregnancy trope but I think in this book given ivy’s background, it was necessary and done really well for the character and relationship development. Also love that the third act breakup (if you can even call it that) lasted 3.5 seconds.😂

This book is quite a bit spicier than the first book, we’re talking spicy chapters back to back towards the end. It was bearing on a bit much. But damn, Wade is hot so I still loved it. 🤣🤣

Highly recommend this series to anyone who loves small town romances cause the Ashby family is top tier! I cannot wait for Ginger and Cole’s book💕

*4.5

I had a fun time with this. A little too much sex not enough domestic scenes for me but I liked them. Her ex was so horrible and I'm glad that Wade came into her life. I really like the whole family and can't wait for Cole and Ginger's book.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What’s inside:
Cowboy romance
Grumpy x sunshine
Forced proximity
Boss x employee
Found family
Only one bed

I was hooked on this book from the moment I started it and read the dedication page. 🥵

Training the Heart is the second book in the Silver Pines Ranch series. This could stand on its own, but you get the most out of it reading in order.

We met Wade Ashby in Holding the Reins. He is the oldest Ashby sibling and is running the family’s ranch in Kentucky. He is recently divorced and is the grump in this grumpy x sunshine scenario. When the ranch’s horse trainer goes on maternity leave, Wade hires Ivy as a temporary trainer.

Ivy left her last job under bad circumstances, she had been in a toxic, long-term relationship with the son of the ranch owner. She is ready to strike out on her own and start fresh. Wade and Ivy decide to get a horse to train for the derby and end up working very closely together.

Ivy and Wade have instant chemistry and trade tons of fun, witty, and flirty banter. They are surrounded by a great group of side characters who return from book one. We get plenty of Cole, Wade, and Nash ribbing each other and a few moments with the Not Angels.

I liked the pacing and the fact that the book covers several months in time. This allowed for Wade and Ivy’s relationship to develop in a natural way and build up the tension between them. There is a good mix of plot to spice, weighing heavier towards the spice.

I couldn’t stop picturing Rip from Yellowstone whenever Wade was on page, so if that’s your thing lol it is mine, this is the book for you!

Very excited to read the next book with Cole and Ginger!

3.5 stars. I have received an ARC of this book for my honest review so let’s get into it. So I’ve read a lot of cowboy/small town romances when I read the synopsis of this book I knew is right up my alley. I will say I have not read book one yet, so I jumped into this blind and I typically don’t like doing that with interconnected standalone. I feel like book one is always so much more introduction than you get in book too because the author just expects you to know already from book one. My main issue with this book is that the pacing just felt really weird. It took me a couple chapters to get into it and then once I was into it and settled we did a big time jump, which I was really not expecting. I wish that we’d focused more on the horses and the training because that is one reason why I was drawn to this book. But like I said before we kind of skip over a lot of that stuff which saddens me. This was still a good romance book, but because of my expectations, I had to rate this three-point five stars.

✨ Training the Heart by Paisley Hope ✨

Good Lord. If chemistry could jump off a page and slap you in the face...it would be while reading Wade and Ivy. The angst was sizzling until these two finally get together and wowza. There aren't words. I love, love, loveddd being back in Silver Pines and reading Wade and Ivy's story. They both have so much hurt from past relationships and I loved how they worked through it together, even if the "together" part was reluctant at first. I love all the parts of this book where Ivy and Wade were training Angel for the derby- all her races got me so emotional. This book was such a fun, spicy read!

✨ Enemies to Lovers
✨ Grumpy x Sunshine
✨ Forced Proximity
✨ Boss x Employee
✨ Past Relationship Hurt
✨ Horse Training

📚 Book: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🔥Spice Rating: ❤️‍🔥

Thank you so much to Paisley Hope and Dell Romance for this gifted arc.

Spice Rating
🤍 clean romance
💗 closed door/ fade to black
❤️ spicy content (a few detailed scenes)
❤️‍🔥 explicit, play-by-play (major part of the plot)
🖤 graphic, more than vanilla

✨3.75

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.

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.

4 stars! I loved this more than first.

This follows Ivy as she becomes a trainer at the ranch Wade’s family owns and he runs. So a little boss and employee kind of vibes. Grumpy/sunshine. No miscommunication which I loved!! These books give me a REAL cowboy romance feel like nothing I’ve ever read before.

Wade was a different kind of grumpy and I loved it. His acts of service had me so giddy plus let’s not forget the hand tattoo that says ‘mine’ like COME ON!!!

Him and Ivy worked so well together, I loved it. Plus the chemistry and build up was off the charts for them. I finished this in less than a day!

paisley hope did it again
ive come to fall in love with paisleys writing and she did it again with wade and ivy
i LOVE a big burly man who is soft for his special people
ivy deserves the world and wade is going to burn everything to give it to her
I KNOW THATS RIGHT
silver pines will go down as a favorite series of mine
and i say this with confidence before the rest of the books are published
cant wait for my eventual reread

⭐️3.5

Thanks Netgalley and Random House Publishing for sending me this arc! I really enjoyed the beginning of this one more than the first one and the main couple were soooo intriguing. I loved the little plot as her as a horse training but definitely wished we got more of that since it would’ve broken up the repitive scenes of spice.

I will be continuing this series since I am very excited for the next two couples and can see that this series will only get better. I could already see the improvement in the author’s writers from the first book to this one!

Dual POV, Spicy, Rancher MMC, Workplace, Care Taking, Grumpy x Sunshine, Road Trip/One Bed, Spicy Lessons, Toxic Exes

There's something about a man who is down bad but in such obvious denial about it. The grumpy stoic man soft only her vibes are off the charts in this book as he: makes her ice cream sundaes, takes care of her when she's hurt, leaves her post it notes, and I won't spoil everything he does for her but the list goes on. Wade's denial paired with their banter and will they won't they tension make this an enthralling read. Ivy is spunky and headstrong freely speaking her mind and taking none of Wade's shit. Both Wade and Ivy have toxic exes, watching them slowly heal and fall in love feels like the ultimate payoff after all the heartbreak they've endured.

Right from the very beginning Paisley has us cackling! Our girl Ivy likes her spicy audiobooks

Wade Ashby is a low key softy even though he wants to be all macho all the time. We all know he enjoyed listening to the audiobook.

Now, who didn’t love the ice cream and movie nights *sigh*

Also, Blue satin scrunchy, IYKYK

Overall, this book is another 10 star review!

Love where this series is going!