Riding the High is the third installment in the Silver Pines Ranch series, and we follow Cole and Ginger while being the best of friends, and along with being her brother's best friend, there is tension that arises with them and the rest of the ranch keeping an eye on them.

Seeing Cole and Ginger talk is basically seeing a sight for steamy eyes, and they have the whole best friend and teasing each other down to a tee. But they also, do have the best connection in knowing each other which makes this deal they make with each other a real challenge. Being together with so much tension in having some sort of feeling for each other makes Cole and Ginger have some real difficult moments, and I think Hope did an amazing job at that.

As far as plot goes, I can def see why they were best friends and what the challenge was from staying away from each other, however, these two characters really didn't stick out to me. I loved their relationship and connection, but it just seemed like they were fighting attractiveness, rather than really feeling, and I would love to see these characters, perhaps in a neighboring series. Where they are able to talk about the hardships they faced in their relationship, rather than it just being physical attraction and why they had to fight for their relationship. No matter what though, this is definitely the perfect vibe for a best friends brother and little sister try to keep their hands to themselves vibe!

⭐️ “Swoony, emotional, and utterly addictive!”

Paisley Hope delivers another steamy and heartfelt romance in Riding the High, the third book in the Silver Pines Ranch series. Sheriff Cole Ashby is a devoted single dad, and Ginger Danforth is the adventurous daughter of a congressman. A spontaneous Las Vegas weekend leads to an unexpected marriage, and now they have to figure out how to keep their new reality under wraps.

This book has it ALL:
💖 Friends-to-lovers romance
🔥 Spicy tension & swoon-worthy moments
👮‍♂️ A protective, single-dad hero
💍 The best accidental marriage trope ever
🏡 Small-town charm & heartwarming family dynamics

Cole & Ginger’s chemistry leaps off the page, and their journey from friendship to love is both emotional and deeply satisfying. Paisley Hope’s writing makes you laugh, cry, and fall in love right along with them. If you adore found family, emotional depth, and a touch of steam, this one’s a must-read!

A steamy friends to lovers, second chance romance, fake marriage in a small town. What’s not to love? Family dynamics, friendships and a trip to Vegas make for a fun read that will make you feel the Kentucky humidity as you turn every page! Pre-order this buzzy summer read now.

i didn’t expect to like this as much as i did! also didn’t realize it was part of a series but now i want to read the rest of them LOL! i love friends to lovers so i ATE cole and ginger up!! their realizations, their chemistry, MABEL! i’m sure it’s just me but i wanted a spicy third act plot twister than what it was - though what it was makes sense LOL - but overall would reccommend

3.5 stars! I loved both Ginger and Cole as characters and thought they had a lot of tension and chemistry early on and was expecting this to book to hit a little harder for me. I did enjoy this book, but I think this book did a lot of telling and not enough showing the connection that had always been there and how good of secret friends they were.. Because of this I didn't fully buy into their feelings for each other. Another couple of minor complaints are that I thought they used sex at times to "resolve" their issues at times and I thought the issues with Ginger's dad was wrapped up a little too quickly. It has some of the tropes I love - nanny/single dad and Vegas wedding, but maybe it's because I've read books recently with those tropes that I enjoyed more or maybe it's that longtime friends to lovers doesn't do it for me? I did love to get updates on the other couplings in this book and would recommend this book for anyone that is already into this series or loves fun small town romances! I will definitely be continuing in this series!

Thanks to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell for the e-ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Paisley, absolutely NEVER disappoints. She knows exactly what I needed and Ginger and Cole were served to me on a silver platter. God this series just KEEPS GETTING BETTER. I mean a single sheriff dad and the girl next door that secretly gets married and Vegas, WHAT MORE CAN YOU WANT???

Ginger knows she needs to get out from under her parents thumb. However, her dad, the congressman, expects all images attached to him to stay squeaky clean. One miss step and her antics will be all the news talks about, which will prompt a disapproving phone call from her dad. How do you think he will take the news that his daughter accidentally got married in Vegas to the intern Sheriff because of a dare? Yeah, I wouldn’t want him to know that either. Which is why she finds herself in an understanding with Cole to stay secretly married till he gets the official job of Sheriff and her dad gets reelected. That all sounds easy till she finds herself kind of liking Cole and absolutely adoring his daughter. Girl dads, what can we say 🤭. As more time passes, this little marriage becomes more and with more comes feelings she isn’t ready to understand. Especially when she knows it has to end at some point and the disappointment from her parents is enough for a lifetime, she doesn’t need heartbreak added to the resume, from (irresistible, dirty mouth) Cole Ashby, no less.

Cole is determined to lay some roots for his daughter.. steady, untarnished roots. So, when he gets elected intern Sheriff in Laurel Creek, he is ready to show everyone he is the right man for the official position. How did he find himself married in Vegas to Ginger Danforth, because of a dare no less…. Well he doesn’t need anyone to find out how or that they are actually married till he has the job and her dad gets reelected and the news will no longer be news in this small town. Cole thinks he can handle Ginger and the closeness that happens when you marry someone. He just never expected the slow burning speaks that fly between them. He also never expected his daughter to take such a liking to Ginger. Cole knows his feelings toward Ginger need to be put on the back burner, till they can actual figure out how to be married without telling people they are married… easier said then done because Ginger burrowed her way it his life, his heart, and there is no denying it to anyone that happens to look at the way he is looking at his wife.

If Paisley writes it, I’m gonna read it. Absolutely NO NOTES, just perfection. And you know I’m already obsessed with Freeing the Wild… because the whole series has been an obsession.

Just like every Paisley Hope book, this absolutely gave me all of the feels!

With Ginger and Cole there wasn't a single page I skipped because the tension and story was just that good. Like, where is my cowboy sheriff with a little girl? I have now discovered that I need this trope to happen to me in real life because I'm sorry- I devoured that and now I want more.

One of the best reads so far this year Ms. Hope, and I hope you know that I will always be a huge fan!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for the earc!! (Please, I beg you, keep approving me for her books 🩷)

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC! I can not get enough of Silver Pines Ranch! I crushed this book in two days! I am hooked on anything Paisley Hope writes now! I am in love with Cole and Ginger and didn't want this book to end! I loved the banter between these two in the other two books as well and to read their story was just an adventure.

Riding the High is the third book in the Silver Pines series. In this one, we are following Ginger and Cole. Cole is Ginger's best friend's brother. They have been circling each other for years. When her best friend moved away, Ginger and Cole developed a friendship that didn't have anything to do with her best friend. When they are on a bachelor/bachelorette trip to Vegas, Ginger and Cole indulge a little too much and wake up married the next day. They keep it a secret for various reasons. He is on a probationary period as the new sheriff in their town. Her father is running for public office and doesn't need a scandal. They don't want to take attention away from his sister's wedding. Can they keep it a secret or will they make the marriage real?

I enjoyed the overall plot of installment of the series. I like the characters of Ginger and Cole. My personal opinion (totally subjective) is that there was too much spice. I wish there was more balance between the plot and spice. We would get a couple of pages of plot and then a couple of chapters of spice. The character and storyline deserved more time.

Paisley Hope, you absolute QUEEN! You've done it again! "Riding the High" has officially landed me in book hangover territory, and I wouldn't have it any other way. Seriously, I know that whenever I dive into a Paisley Hope book, I'm guaranteed those delicious, sexy, swoony vibes that I crave, and this one delivered, hunny!

Ginger absolutely wrecked me with her long held, unrequited feelings for Cole since high school. The pining was everything! And Cole? When he finally dropped that glorious "it's always been you" line? I was DONE. Dead. Just…dead. I loved how their playful and supportive friendship blossomed before the romance really took off, even with those secret feelings simmering underneath. And Mable, Cole's daughter? Absolute perfection times ten! Seeing them together as a family unit warmed my heart and added another layer of sweetness to the story.

And, of course, because it's a Paisley Hope book, Cole's dirty mouth was off the charts! The nicknames "Vixen" and "Law Daddy"? I simply cannot! And those "atta girl" moments? Is there anything sexier? Plus, all the "my wife" moments? Swoon! And don't even get me started on the sexy truth or dare games. I had the absolute BEST time reading this book. The chemistry was explosive!

The epilogue wrapped up their story so beautifully, leaving me with a happy sigh and a serious craving for more Laurel Creek! And it makes me so incredibly excited for the next book! Bring on Cassie and Haden!

Favor? Please go read this book when it comes out on May 6th. You won't regret it! You'll be laughing, swooning, and begging for more. Paisley Hope has crafted another masterpiece, and I'm already counting down the days until my next trip to Laurel Creek!

This story. These MCs. I’ve been waiting for since book 1. And Paisley did them justice. What I loved about Ginger and Cole is the history behind them. The secret friendship and the playfulness behind their digs at each other were inklings to their true feelings. From day 1, Ginger knew her feelings for Cole would be hard to get rid of. And so did Cole. When the opportunity presented itself for them to stay together, their fate was only set more into stone. Throw in Gingers relationship and attachment with Mabel and I was hooked even more. I loved that their friendship still flourished while all the awkwardness of their new found “relationship”.

What I especially loved about Ginger and Cole was that they were very realistic. They knew their flaws and knew they weren’t perfect people. But they wanted to be. For themselves and for each other. That really makes or breaks a character for me and I was so happy that they felt like real people.

I trust Paisley Hope with my heart. She's successfully made me fall in love with three MMC's and I can't wait for the next one.

I was very skeptical about picking up this book after the disappointment of the second in the series, but this one was a pleasant surprise and put the series back on track for me.

One major difference I noticed in this third instalment compared to the second was that Paisley provided a backstory for the characters rather than just spice from beginning to end. This made me feel more connected to them. The plot was well-developed, and I had been looking forward to this story, especially since I love a single dad trope—it did not disappoint. It was refreshing to read about a relationship built on years of history rather than instant love.

Although I enjoyed reading about Cole and Ginger, I found myself even more invested in her relationship with Mabel. The only thing that didn’t sit well with me was the male main character claiming it had always been her for him—despite having been a playboy who slept with every woman who looked his way.

If you love a small-town, single-dad, friends-to-lovers romance, you’ll enjoy this book.

Thank you, NetGalley and Dell Romance, for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Ok this takes my favorite of the series so far.

Law daddy 🫠
I love a sheriff, but a single dad and cowboy too 😅
Oh Cole

Ginger
His little sisters best friend
Sassy & wild child vibes

Mabel
Instant points for also being my daughters name

Am oopsie Vegas wedding
Secretive tho
“Nanny”
Friends to “my wife”

It’s always been you vibes.
Their relationship just felt organic.

Arc review ✨
Netgalley

Oh my goodness Officer Cole and Ginger have my heart! 5 star read and 3 spices. Cole is a top tier single daddy with a stamina of a horse. The banter and chemistry is sooo good. The tension can has got me coiled so tight i was ready to burst. Cole calls her Vixen and Ginger calls him law daddy...*internally screaming*. oh and "good wives swallow every last drop" made melt into a puddle, pushed me over the edge....of a cliff. The letter branded on his skin and the handcuffs, yeah i am passing away now. I was riding the high with Ginger on this one. I couldn't get enough of them and mabel. Obsessed!

What an amazing read!! Paisley Hope is the queen of cowboy/small town romances! I devoured this book in one sitting. I just can’t get enough of her writing! I can’t wait for the next one

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the ARC!
I love Paisley's writing so much. The warmth and love shine through while still maintaining fun and joy. Paisley is up there with Elsie Silver and Lyla Sage. I cannot wait for more!!

I feel like it needs to be noted that I’m not typically a big fan of friends to lovers, but Ginger and Cole have absolutely changed that. Give me all the friends to lovers recs, please and thank you.

Release Date: May 6, 2025

“Somewhere along the lines of friends to best friends to fake wife, I’ve fallen in love with Ginger Danforth.”

Cole Ashby, the man that you are!!! I’m SO down bad for jealous men, I’ll eat it up every single time. I really loved seeing Cole with Mabel, and the two of them with Ginger. It was so heartwarming watching their connections grow and their relationships evolve.

“It feels as though it’s just my luck that the universe would send me the man of my dreams when I was a teenager, only for me to marry him as an adult by accident and then start to fall in love with him.”

Ginger!!! I will forever and always love the feisty “nanny” role. She was everything I needed and more in a fmc. Her family dynamic is definitely complicated, but I specifically loved the family dinner scene with both her grandmas, Cole and Mabel. Ginger teaching Mabel her family recipes and why they’re so special to her hit me right in the heart.

“Thing is, it’s always been you, and it always will be.”

+ friends to lovers
+ accidental marriage
+ single dad
+ it’s always been you!!!
+ forced proximity

Lastly, a big thank you to Netgalley, Paisley Hope and Random House Publishing Group — Ballantine for providing me with an eARC in exchange for my honest review. ILY

I love Ginger and her sassiness. I also really enjoyed her watching relationship with Cole and Mable grow and evolve into this solid foundation. Their journey gave them confidence in themselves, in each other, and their relationship and it was fun to go down that road with them.

I did think there was going to be more conflict from both Ginger’s dad and Gemma. The election didn’t really play a role at all in the story and Gemma appeared very little and did not really provide any conflict to the story. I would have enjoyed a little more tension to the story but I still really enjoyed this novel.

If you love single dads, law enforcement, accidental marriage, and/or nanny romances, you’re sure to enjoy Riding the High.

Single Dad Cole and his little sister's Bratty Best friend, out on the town in Las Vegas? What could go wrong?

His soft lips ignite my entire body, and I clench my thighs together as his lips brush against the corner of mine. "Every single night is a fight..." he says breathlessly, "every goddamn night since you came her Ginger."
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

An accidental marriage to her best friend hot brother wasn't in the plans, but Ginger is going to make the most of it. Stay (secretly) married to Cole until his probation period as the County Sheriff is over, nanny for the summer watching his sweet daughter Mabel, don't fall in love. How hard can it be to be in close proximity to a man you've had a crush on since high school? That forced proximity is really testing Law Daddy's patience and he's having a hard time keeping his hands to himself.

"It's always been you, Ginger," he mutters into my lips. "And I have no fucking clue what to do about that. Besides maybe keep you." I take a moment to let everything he's just admitted sink in before kissing him back and snuggling against him as he wraps his arms around me. "I don't know wat to do either," I say. "Besides maybe let you."