Coming in a close second to Cece and Nash, Cole and Ginger. Ugh the pining. The mocking. The flirting. The tension and jealousy. 👏🏼

Cole and Ginger have been best friends since Cece, Ginger’s OG BFF and Cole’s sister, left for college and Cole’s marriage fell apart. This book has forced proximity, a twist I didn’t see coming that really set the plot, and a whole lot of romance. 🥵

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for this eARC (published May 2025).

Yee-fucking-haw. 🤠🤠🤠

Love love love. Small town, best friends brother, friends to lovers, secret marriage!!!!!! Need a say more???

Riding the High is about Ginger and Cole, who have secretly been best friends forever. They go on a trip, and one thing leads to another, so now they're stuck together until the end of summer. This setup makes for an undeniably enjoyable read, largely due to its compelling dual POVs that offer deep insight into both main characters. This narrative choice, combined with the palpable romance between the two MCs, makes their friends-to-lovers journey incredibly engaging. The story's progression feels logical and flows well, keeping me invested in their evolving relationship from start to finish.
While the plot generally excels, I did find that the spice sometimes overshadowed the actual plot and message of the book. However, this is a minor point for readers who prioritize explicit content. If you're looking for a passionate and compelling journey with a strong friends-to-lovers plot and heavy spice, "Riding the High" is definitely a book I'd recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book. I was excited to read this book because I read the first book in this series and enjoyed it, so I was excited for this one. Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. Ginger and Cole relationship development was positive, even though they had their moment,s it never led to a third-act breakup, which was happy about. The waterfall scene if you know you know was chefs kiss. Also can’t forget about little Mabel. I’m someone who enjoys kids in book and she was just adorable. She loves to make friendship bracelets and tend to her garden with Ginger. If you have the chance to read please do!!

Riding the High, my second Paisley Hope book, was an enjoyable read. I particularly loved the playful banter between Ginger and Cole throughout the entire book. The romance that develops after a Vegas trip was refreshing and fun, and I appreciated how everything was handled and eventually resolved at the end. All of the overlapping interactions with side characters had me wanting to read through the other books in this series! However, I must admit that the book felt quite lengthy at times, making it challenging to maintain my interest. Overall, it was a good read, but not an exceptional one.

I want to express my gratitude to Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with a free copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Paisley Hope is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors and is already an auto buy/auto read author. I've loved this series so much and this book added to my love of the series. I love the accidental marriage/ close proximity tropes and they were so well done here! Also, the YEARNING was so good. Both characters had so much chemistry, and I had to read fast because I wanted them to be together already! I'm so excited to have read this and cannot wait to continue on with the series!

I loved Cole and Ginger's story! There was so much build up from book one and two that I just knew they'd get together and I knew I'd eat it up! The Vegas wedding was perfect and I also enjoyed the conflicts on both sides. The friend group dynamics make me giggle the whole time, as well. Also, Ginger's relationship blossoming with her new stepdaughter was the cherry on top! Thank you so much for this eARC! I posted two reviews to my Instagram, one after finishing the book, and another after decorating the pages.

This story gave me all the feels. Nothing is better than a long friendship becoming more. The history and the love that builds over the years from when they are young is like not other. I laughed and cried along with the characters for this amazing journey. I absolutely adored this book and you will too!

Cole and Ginger were EVERYTHING to me. Paisley has built such a beautiful series and I was looking forward to reading this book for so long. Cole is no nonsense, strict, the daddiest of daddies. Ginger is capable, smart, and loves nothing more than to get on Cole's nerves. These two had heat and chemistry for days - I think what Paisley does so well is establish early chemistry with her characters that only intensifies over time. I loved the accidental marriage and the forced proximity and absolutely loved seeing Cole soften, while Ginger finds her place. These two were the perfect pairing and all the build up in the previous books was SO worth it!

🐎💫 Book Review: Riding the High by Paisley Hope 💫🐎

A heartfelt and inspiring romance that’s all about chasing dreams, healing old wounds, and finding love where you least expect it. Riding the High is a beautiful ride filled with emotional depth and tender moments.

What it’s about:
When equestrian trainer Sophie teams up with former rodeo champ Luke, sparks fly—but so do doubts and past heartbreaks. Together, they face challenges in the arena and in life, discovering that sometimes the highest highs come after the hardest falls.

Tropes You’ll Love:
🌾 Small-town romance
🐴 Equestrian/horse trainer
💞 Slow burn romance
✨ Healing & second chances
💪 Overcoming past trauma

Paisley Hope’s authentic characters and emotional storytelling make Riding the High a must-read for anyone who loves a gentle, heartfelt romance with a side of equine magic.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#RidingTheHigh #PaisleyHope #SmallTownRomance #EquestrianRomance #SlowBurnRomance #SecondChanceLove #Bookstagram #FeelGoodReads #BookReview

An accidental marriage in a small town? This was so fun! I’ll definitely be reading the rest of this series! Thank you so much, NetGalley, for a copy of this eARC.

EVERYTHING. I. WANT.

This book knocked it out of the stinkin park and sent it into space! I was obsessed 5% in!

Cole and Ginger’s dynamic from the start was JUST PERFECT! Two people who have been best friends for years but were never together. He’s a single dad and a total playboy. They watch the other flirt with everyone else and it makes them jealous but they don’t want to ruin what they have.

Until…..well…I won’t spoil it 🥰

But the pacing was gripping and exciting the whole way through! Every aspect of the book was just incredible from the depth of the characters, the purpose, the conflicts, the resolutions. Absolutely no crumbs!!


I regret not reading this sooner! Thank you for this ARC NetGalley and Paisley Hope! It was PERFECT!

Oh my god the banter! I will eat up EVERY time. Small town romances always make me feel like I’m reading a Hallmark movie with some spice. I loved the spice in this one but it did feel as though the problems between the two main characters was only solved through sex…other than that, it was a great story and I’ll be buying it in store

Love Love Love. If Paisley Hope writes it I will read it and this is no different. I love this town, these characters and these story's. I love how the MMC have such dirty mouths and the FMC's are so fun. I want to be in their friend group.
I have nothing bad to say about this story.

Riding the High is a friends to lovers, fake marriage, and forced proximity cowboy romance. Ginger and Cole have been friends from an early age. But it’s not until a Vegas trip that they drunkenly decide to get married on a whim. Once they realize what they done they decide to continue in the fake marriage and Ginger will be moving in with Cole to take care of Mabel, his daughter, for the summer. The forced proximity during the summer helped them realize their true feelings for one another!

A billion stars! I will read anything by Paisley Hope and I have. This story was absolutely beautiful and Im in love with this HEA love story.

Paisley Hope! Ahhhh I just adore her writing so much, she writes cowboys with such an impeccable style. This story was captivating and swoony with enough spice to heat up those pages. This series is a favorite of mine and I cannot wait for the next one!

Riding the High was everything I hoped for and more!! Cole and Ginger are the moment all Silver Pines lovers have been waiting for. They had crazy fun tension and banter throughout the first two books in the series. And of course they delivered when their moment came!!
I loved the secretiveness and different phases of their relationship, that was something I didn’t really see coming, first being secret friends, then the marriage. But through it all, they had amazing chemistry and some of the sweetest moments. Getting more of Cole with his daughter Mabel was the best, and so was following along as Ginger and Mabel’s connection grew. I love how Cole and Ginger complement each other, they are total opposites and it works perfectly.
This has all of Paisley’s signature humor, heart, and spice. If you’re a romance reader and you haven’t picked up a book by Paisley yet, you’re missing out!! This is part of an interconnected series - it can be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t miss out on the others and the character building.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
•Small town
•Single dad
•Accidental/secret marriage
•Secret friends to lovers
•Sheriff MMC
•Close proximity
•Found family
•Sister's best friend
•Reformed playboy
•”My wife” moments
•It’s always been you
•Dual POV
•Spice

Thank you so much Ballantine/Dell Romance and Netgalley for the ARC!

another cowboy romance i freaking LOVEDDDDDDDD, omg PAISLEY HOPE I LOVE YOU. dear god never stop writing!

This book was only ok for me. I loved the last chapter (not the epilogue, the actual last chapter), and felt it really reflected the two main characters well.

I'm no prude, but I felt like the sex scenes were overly gratuitous. We're all adults, we get how sex happens and all that. We don't need the constant dirty talk. Again, I don't mind sex scenes, but I just felt like this book had SO MANY and they were over the top. If you're into that kind of book, this book is 100% for you!!

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.