"Training the Heart" by Paisley Hope is a classic grumpy-sunshine, boss-employee, and forced proximity romance that takes readers straight to the heart of the ranch. Wade is broody and reserved, bearing the weight of family and a failed marriage, while Ivy, driven by her Derby dreams, is sunshine incarnate. Their chemistry is palpable, sparking all sorts of unexpected feels as Ivy bulldozes her way past Wade’s walls, and—bonus!—he’s a big ol’ softie underneath the grump.

Between prank calls, tender hair-drying moments, and that classic “only one bed” trope, their relationship blooms with slow-burn sweetness and a hefty dash of heat. Wade’s protective side, especially in dealing with Ivy’s toxic ex, is pure swoon, while Ivy’s spunk and ambition make her one of Hope’s best heroines yet.

Thanks to @netgalley and @randomhousepublishing for this eARC. If you’re into cowboy romances that leave you doing a happy dance, this one’s for you! Prepare for passion, pranks, and plenty of spice—Paisley Hope has me counting down to the next in the series.

Training the Heart- Paisley Hope

My god, Paisley never misses. Wade Ashby. That literally should be my review because oh my lordddd this man… 🥵😮‍💨 He officially takes the spot of top grumpy cowboy in my book.

This book is so freaking good, not like I expected anything less. The story and plot are phenomenal & the banter and spice, out of this world. Paisley has such a way with her writing it just sucks you right into the story and it’s impossible to not just sit and devour her books.

Wade runs Silver Pines Ranch and Ivy is his new lead horse trainer. The two are the epitome of grumpy vs. sunshine, which makes for top tier banter. Her sass puts him right in his place and even though he doesn’t like to admit it, he loves it. The two of them both have pasts that have damaged them. Their chemistry is undeniable and what starts as a fling, turns into much more. Watching them heal each other and the way he takes care of her, ugh it’s so damn sweet.

Read if you enjoy:
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced proximity
Road trip/one bed
Spicy small town
Man obsessed
Found family
No third act breakup
Surprise HEA

Thank you so much Paisley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this book as an ARC!

Where do I start?! The girls were right! Wade def gives off BDE! "Training the Heart" was such a good book! My favorite so far in the Silver Pines series! I loved Ivy's sass, and Wade's rough exterior.

5 - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4 - 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
Forced Proximity
Grumpy x Sunshine
One Bed
“Mine”
HEA
No Third Act Break-up
Acts of Service
Cowboy in Denial
Slow Burn but ALL the chemistry

This is the second book in the Silver Pines Ranch series. Wade is the grumpy, oldest Ashby child and is left running his family’s ranch following his father’s death and his tumultuous divorce. Shortly after taking over the ranch, his main trainer goes on maternity leave— leaving him to find a new trainer to help him find and train a horse that can get to the Kentucky derby.

In walks Ivy Spencer— young, yet distinguished trainer running away from her own rocky past. No matter what she does, she can’t seem to get on the right foot with her new, bitter boss.

Little does she know….with every scrunchie she loses, her boss has her wedged further into his brain. The two have to figure out to work together if they’re going to make a derby run… but can they do it while denying the chemistry between them??

I’ve said it before, I need to say it again… @authorpaisleyhope knows how to create the most incredible fictional men. Wade is definitely the epitome of grumpy, manly cowboy. Ivy is a very strong AND likable FMC. This story was great and the spice was 😮‍💨👏🏻 🚿

Thank you so much @authorpaisleyhope for the opportunity to read this as an ARC on @netgalley !

I already pre-ordered this book, purchased #1 and am ecstatic for #3. This is definitely one of my top 5 series of all time. I'm OBSESSED.

I enjoyed book 1 but really loved book 2! I’d highly recommend reading book 1 and 2 in order as one picks up right where the other ends. I loved Ivy and Wade’s story and the close knit small town so much. The family unit and side characters made this for such a heartwarming fun read. Read if you love small town, cowboy, strangers to friends to lovers, boss/employee romance! I’m excited to see how book 3 turns out and also can’t wait to see what else this author comes up with! Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy!

Wow… wow is all I can say because I don’t have the words to tell you how unbelievably good this book was! 5 stars is not enough! Wade Ashby is EVERYTHING!!! I loved book one but this book was just unbelievably good! I love how strong and independent Ivy was but also let her walls down, Wade was just everything! The development between them was amazing. He loved her so much and it had me laughing, smiling, blushing, crying, cheering for them. The spice in this book was NEXT LEVEL! Incredible 10/10 hotness! The mouth on that man!!! I was sweating, blushing, incredible! Everything about this book was perfection! Highly recommend!

If you’re looking for a dirty, filthy, spicy, hot cowboy romance, you’ve found it! But that’s not all it is… these books have some depth too. It’s the perfect combination to make for an enjoyable read. Wade was the swooniest, grumpiest, filthiest cowboy I have read about yet and their intimate scenes had me SWEATIN. Ivy is EVERYTHING. Sweet, sassy baby girl. I loved this one. I love this world

I have been feral for wade Ashby since holding the reins, and Paisley has done it again.
Between wades grunts and short answers, I knew he’d open up later on in the absolute best way. No surprise that the grump is a complete softie for Ivy. Can we say the ultimate caretaker? And then he turns right back around and sasses right back to our sass queen, Ivy. The man would have me swooning one second and blushing the next. Ivy a confident queen who has learned and now knows her self worth (and we love it after learning her past). She’s the perfect match for Wade. The only thing better than the chemistry and banter between Wade and Ivy is the mouth on that man. 😮‍💨😮‍💨😮‍💨Sarge

Paisley Hope feels like the new version of Elsie Silver if you love a good swoony cowboy romance. The second in her series, this follows Wade Ashby, in charge of his family's ranch, still hurting over the death of his father and closed off to everybody after the destruction of his marriage. Ivy Spencer is his complete opposite on the service but beneath all of that, she has her own walls and hesitations about getting too close to anyone. They clash from the start when she joins the ranch as a temporary horse trainer, both having completely different ideas about how to train a horse but close proximity makes them realize that they might not hate each other as much as they think they do and might actually love each other if they can get over previous hurts and scars.

These are such fun, romantic, fiery books. Paisley Hope writes such good characters and I'm loving this series!

5/5🌟 | 4/5🌶️

Wade & Ivy have my whole heart. This book was absolute perfection & Paisley Hope has now cemented herself as one of my fav authors!!!

Please see below my unhinged thoughts while reading Training the Heart:
- Okay I’m obsessed with Wade & Ivy already…I’ve literally only read the prologue lmao.

- I love a grumpy mmc, but good god I loooove a sassy fmc.

- Ooof I’m a sucker for a fresh out of the shower only in a towel scene. 🥵

- Stfu he’s blow drying her hair!!! I am dead. Deceased.

- Now he’s giving her a foot rub?! He literally can’t keep his hands off her lol.

- “Find out, Ivy…Say mercy.” LAWD. 😮‍💨

- Only one bed!!!

- He put her scrunchie where??! 👀

- Wade Ashby the man that you are. 👏🏻

- These two are so HOT!!!

- The mouth on this man…it’s always the quiet grumpy ones isn’t it?!

- Woof. 🥵

- A tattoo?!?! Omgggg.

- And now we get jealous Wade?? I. am. here. for. it.

- “Mine.” 🫠

- 🔥🔥🔥

- Wade is literally so down bad for Ivy.

- These two are so freaking precious and I love them!!!

- 🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹🥹

- Why is Wade the most perfect human??

- Stfu I’m gonna cry…okay now I am crying!!!

- “Mine.” 😭💓

- This was literal perfection! I’ll never get over Wade & Ivy. Ever.

- Your honor, bury me with this book.

🤠 cowboy romance
🌤️ grumpy x sunshine
🎀 endless supply of scrunchies
🏡 forced proximity
❤️‍🩹 he takes care of her when she’s hurt
🥵 jealous x protective moments

Wade Ashby... the man that you are. Is it hot in here?!

I am truly blown away by this story. Training The Heart was the perfect second installment of the Silver Pines Ranch series. Ivy and Wade's dynamic was absolutely phenomenal as they perfectly toed the line between sexy and sweet, creating the perfect story.

Wade's gruff personality was beautifully challenged by Ivy's happy and upbeat demeanor, resulting in the grumpy X sunshine dynamic of my dreams. There was PLENTY of spice throughout this story, but Paisley was still able to drive forward an incredibly deep connection between the two of them.

Oftentimes, I feel one lead stands out over the other, but this is not the case for Ivy and Wade. They were each incredible in their own ways leading me to have a deep love and affection for both of them by the end of the story. Watching them find their happily ever after was so rewarding.

I'm not sure I will ever recover from Wade Ashby... but I will try. I am already counting down the moments until we meet again at Silver Pines Ranch.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Please be sure to read the author’s note for the trigger warnings.

What to Expect:
☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🏡 Small Town
🛏️ Forced Proximity/One Bed
🐴 Boss x Employee

Training The Heart is book 2 in the Silver Pines Ranch series and my first read by Paisley Hope. Safe to say, I’m hooked! From the moment Wade Ashby entered the scene, I was all in. I love a grump and his dirty talk? Top-tier. I found myself grinning and giggling throughout, completely falling for the characters right along with them. Paisley weaves together a perfect mix of plot, character development, tension, banter, and spice—wow. I can't wait to dive into the rest of the series.

Wade, the grumpy boss of the ranch, has taken over his late father’s legacy. He hires Ivy, a temporary horse trainer and a nonstop-talking ball of sunshine—basically his polar opposite. Wade craves control, and Ivy challenges that at every turn. As they work together, their chemistry intensifies, and Wade’s control starts to slip.

Wade and Ivy both carry emotional scars—coming from messy relationships and losing their fathers. They deal with their feelings in very different ways: Wade is a brooding control freak, while Ivy is chaos-wrapped in sunshine. Their attraction is immediate, though Wade does his best to fight it. The banter between them is pure gold, and Wade’s protectiveness of Ivy just melts my heart. There's a beautiful moment of forced proximity and caretaking that shifts their relationship, and once they give in to their attraction, it's game over. The spice between them? Absolutely sizzling.

Training the Heart was emotional, spicy, and full of found family. It struck the perfect balance between serious moments and lighthearted fun, making it a book that was hard to put down. While it was an easy read, I did feel it was a bit longer than necessary for the story it told. That said, it was still an incredibly enjoyable ride, and I’m so excited for the next book.

Thank you to the author, Paisley Hope, NetGalley, and the Random House Publishing Group team for the ARC opportunity.

Paisley Hope is scratching that Elsie Silver itch in such a satisfying way!!! This book was so good!! I was addicted to Wade from the get go, I LOVE a grump & the dirty talk was top tier. I found myself smiling & giggling so much & was falling in love right along with these characters! I absolutely can no wait for Cole & Gingers book (hopefully it’s coming) !!

Silver Pines has become my new favorite small-town ranch. I am so in love with Paisley Hope's writing - the banter & internal dialogues are refreshing & hilarious. She weaves heartwarming emotions with hilarity & superior spice that is just an entertaining ride from start to finish. In this second book, she does it as seamlessly as she did with her first & I just never wanted it to end.

We met Wade Ashby in Book 1, the grumpy oldest brother of CeCe & boss of the ranch who stepped into his father's shoes when he passed not too long ago. He hires Ivy, temporary horse trainer & a nonstop-talking spitfire - his complete opposite. He likes control & she challenges that control every moment they are together. As they work towards getting their horse ready for the derby, their attraction grows & Wade's control starts to fray...

This book had me hook, line & sinker. Ivy & Wade have similar emotional backstories - both coming out of [BAD] relationships & both having lost their fathers. They handle their feelings differently - Wade is a grumpy control freak & Ivy is chaos wrapped in sunshine. Their chemistry is instant though Wade tries his best to deny their attraction. I absolutely love the banter between them & Wade's protectiveness over Ivy. There is this forced proximity, caretaking moment between them that shifts their relationship & when they give into their attraction, all bets are off. There is no lack of spice between them.

You come for the spice but stay for the character growth as both Wade & Ivy's stories really hooked me in. I love a villain & we get two in the form of their exes. There's this great found family aspect & once Wade is in, he is in. The way he supports Ivy & shows her that she's his (literally tattooed) is one of my favorite moments.

I cannot get enough of this series & I cannot wait for the third book: Cole & Ginger's story!!!


☀️ Grumpy x Sunshine
🏡 Small Town
🛏️ Forced Proximity
🐴 Workplace Romance
🤠 Cowboy/Rancher
💋 Tattooed hand necklace
🫶 Found Family
❣️ Great Banter
✌🏻 Dual POV

Pretty sure the Silver Pines series has me in a chokehold. I want to move there ASAP.

Paisley does such a great job of intertwining great plot, characters and development all with a hefty dose of tension, banter and spice. Uh, the spice 🥵. I have fallen in love with this series and I really look forward to the rest of them. These books will be added to my trophy shelf immediately.

MY GOD! I am still fanning myself off after that ending. THIS WAS HOOOOOOT AND STEAMY. I was like "Hey I was promised there would be 🍑!" and Paisely was like "Oh I've got you, I didn't forget."

I've had my eye on Paisley Hope's book for a while as something similar to Elsie Silver. If you like Elsie Silver, you will like these. However, Paisley makes her own damn name. She has made her own genre, and she can't be compared to anyone else.

I'm going to say it Silver Pines is better than Chestnut Springs. Wade Ashby can have me any time anywhere. There was plot, there was spiooooce, there was humor, and there was so much love and compassion. Every character was necessary, and I loved Ivy finding a family that loved and accepted and cheered her on. Ivy was smart and funny, and I loved that she was whiny and didn't constantly doubt herself. She knew what it took to get things done. Wade tattooing MINE on his hand *swoon*. He was the perfect grumpy to Ivy's sunshine. He was so supportive of her and her dreams and making things just happen for her, and in return, he found himself again. There were a few parts that got a bit repetitive, like certain vocabulary, but I let it slide because this was just sooo good. I am already downloading the 1st book in the series and can not wait!


I was given this ARC by Netgalley and Random House Publishing in exchange for an honest review.

Mercy is right!

I absolutely adored this book.

Grumpy/sunshine? Check
Workplace romance? Check
I was NOT expecting the great emotional storylines that were written into with the emotional abuse at the hands of Ivy's ex and what she was dealing with her alcoholic mother.
And Wade had his issues he was dealing with his recent divorce and controlling ex-wife.

Can't wait to read the rest of this series!

Ivy and Wade's story! Ivy gets hired on as a horse trainer at Wade's ranch. Ivy is all sunshine, and Wade can't take it. But when she gets hurt and he cares for her...well, iykyk. In this book you'll find small town, grumpy sunshine, terrible exes, ice cream sundaes, and a HEA!
Everything in this books just works. You root for the characters the entire time, and know it will be epic when it ends. The characters, relationship, family and friends-they're all so important to the book. It's so well written, and the development of the relationship is beautiful! And the spiceeeee, this has more delicious spice than the first book in the series (Holding the Reins).

This book is so beautiful, I can’t say enough good things about it!

✨️Arc Read✨️
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶🌶🌶
HEA: 🌟🌟🌟/3
❗️Safety and Small Spoilers Below❗️


📌 Triggers: Emotional Abuse (off-page but heavily mentioned) Alcoholism (off-page but heavily mentioned) Struggles with Fertility (on-page) Grief (on-page)

📌 HEA: Epilouge 9 years later. Married with kids.

📌 No Cheating/Sharing

📌 Slight OWD: MMC is divorced. His ex-wife wants him back in order to use him, but he shuts her down. He has no feelings for his ex and never once wants her back.

📌 Slight OMD: FMCs ex-boyfriend tries contacting her. They run into each other a couple of times, but MMC always puts him in place. FMC never once wants the ex back.

📌 Small Separation of 4 hours. FMC wants time to think on her own.

📌 No Third-act Breakup

I don't know what Paisley puts in these books, but it's addictive and I can't get enough. The mouth on this man. Wade is so carefully constructed and in control, but when he lets go, oh my! If there is a book to give to your man to say yes to this, I want this... here it is! The "mine" tattoo on his hand as a collar for her 🤯🫨. I actually passed away.

I'm saying it here first, Paisley Hope is the new queen of smut! She's doing better than everyone else right now. If you are looking for a recommendation for a book that has the smuttiest smut, but you also don't want to sacrifice on a strong plot with well-developed characters, well, here's your answer folks... anything written by Paisley Hope! Pick up any of her books and you'll agree.

This is the third book I've read by her this month and they have all been pure perfection. This is now a Paisley Hope fan account. Join me, won't you?