After reading Joss's last book 'One Bed' last year, I knew I needed to read this book, as I thoroughly enjoy her writing.

I found it to be a lovely little story, in which I was able to relate to Eden in certain parts as to how she felt about her life and some of the things that had happened to her when she was younger. You of course learn that both Eden and Jed have their own troubles, and slowly begin to open up to one another, whilst at the same time trying to deny their feelings for each other, because of the situations they find themself in. Jed was definitely trying his best to look out for Eden, especially when she becomes unwell and also when he starts to find out more about her.

Riding High is beautifully written and such an easy read. Also it isn't overly spicy, with no real angst between the main characters.

It was nice to read a sports romance about something other than hockey and polo sounded like it had real potential. Disappointingly, the rich, privileged characters with Mommy and Daddy issues were a bit of a bore and the spice was weak. I almost DNF’d this but pushed through and then regretted I wasted my time on it.

2.5 stars
Found family
Polo x severe horse allergy

Book moved slow in some parts and very fast in others. I found myself having to reread a few chapters to make it make sense

I absolutely adored this book full of romcom tropes and adorable characters. It was a perfect light summer read to escape into with a gorgeous HEA. I loved the twist on found family and enemies to lovers vibes, and the whole polo and horses was such a unique setting without being too stuffy. Would highly recommend!

this was an interesting read with funny characters. I loved the whole family and Edens story - a lovely romantic read perfect for polo fans and a decent holiday read

Eden, in search of family, took a DNA test. She finds she has an uncle and savers in if she wants to be in his life. Troyan, her rich uncle, loves his family, though he’s no children by blood, he’s an array of step children from previous marriages he values as if they’re his own. Enter Jed, broody and hot polo player. When Eden goes to the family home for a polo match to spy on her uncle to determine what kind of man he is, she meets Jed. There’s an instant attraction. Troyan realizes he’s her uncle and invites her to stay. Her relationship ship with Jed blossoms. Only one thing, she’s got a secret she’s hiding.

This book has all the lovely tropes for a romcom, it’s got a lot of heart. Leans heavy on found family and choosing who you surround yourself with. Smart, cute, and enjoyable. Thanks to Net Galley for the ARC! Comes out July 18th!

Eden Ennis has always felt alone her whole life. Now at Elmsleigh House estate to watch her first polo match and try to make a connection with her uncle Troyden Castle, who doesn't know her at all, Eden is awestruck by Jedson Harris a polo player. While striking up a conversation with an elderly man, Eden is getting all kinds of pointers on the game. During a break Eden decides to roam the property and ends up in the stables with Jed. When Eden has an allergic reaction from horse dander Jed gets his step sister Mick, who is alos the local doctor to take care of Eden. Troyden, Eden finds out is still has a close relationship with his four step children all from his different marriages. The kids (now adults) still live on his property and they are all one big happy family. Jed knows that he has feeling for Eden but doesn't have time for a relationship. Eden is keeping a huge secret and when it finally comes out the Castle clan will turn their backs on her. This was a quick read that was cute and steammy. Iwould like to thank both NetGalley and One More Chapter for letting me read an advanced copy of this book.

I was excited for this book, but I could not get behind the writing style. The dialogue felt like the equivalent of nails on a chalkboard. I DNFed at 25% after the second time there was a blatant contradicting statement to something previous in the book.

This was my first polo book and I don’t know much about polo so I was excited. At first this book drew me in, love..inheritance…however, was downhill from there. Mmc was childish. Also was not sure about the instant lust? Maybe just me but this book was just okay.

I am sorry to say this topic has been written about numerous times. I didn’t finish the book, it was all too transparent.

Was really excited for this one, and it fell a little on the flat side. It had some really cute moments, and I'm a sucker for a sports romance and horses, so it ticked a lot of boxes for me. I liked Eden and Jed as characters, even if I thought their chemistry felt slightly forced at times. What really dropped this book's rating for me was that the pacing was all over the place, and the inconsistencies did draw you out of the story and detracted from the overall feeling of being lost in a book. Maybe it just needs a good re-edit. I would expect more from Harper Collins.


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

I guess I’m into polo now?!

This was a fun sports romance that was a new one for me - my first polo romance novel! I loved the chemistry here, and the horse allergy was actually so clever and worked really nicely alongside the underlying secret (no spoilers!) that was keeping them apart.

Thank you to NetGalley and One More Chapter for this eARC!

Joss Wood’s Riding High delivers a tender and emotionally layered romance set against the backdrop of a posh English estate and the unexpected world of competitive polo.

At its heart is Eden Ennis, a young woman who has spent her life yearning for a family to call her own after being disowned by her mother.

When she discovers a living relative her wealthy, larger-than-life uncle Troyden, Eden takes a leap of faith and travels to his estate, hoping to find a place to belong.

What she finds is more than just a home - she discovers an eclectic, loving, and surprisingly welcoming family.

Wood nails the found family trope with warmth and grace.

Troyden is an instant highlight: a paternal figure who envelops Eden with affection and treats her like one of his own, which adds emotional heft to Eden’s journey from isolation to inclusion.

Their relationship is one of the novel’s most touching elements, providing a steady foundation as the romantic plot unfolds.

Enter Jed - Troyden’s grumpy, polo-playing grandson who is initially skeptical of Eden’s sudden appearance.

What starts as suspicion soon morphs into chemistry, and from there, into something deeper. Their meet-cute, complete with Eden’s horse allergy in the middle of a polo-obsessed household, is equal parts humorous and charming.

That said, the romance between Eden and Jed is where the novel occasionally falters.

While their dynamic promises plenty of emotional tension, much of their development is told rather than shown. The connection between them feels uneven at times - more built on narrative exposition than lived-in moments.

When Eden’s secret eventually comes to light, both her decision to keep it and Jed’s reaction feel emotionally grounded and believable. Still, their romance never quite reaches the heights it seems to aim for, missing some of the emotional spark needed to truly sell their love story.

Where the book truly shines is in its emotional undercurrent - this is a story about identity, trust, and belonging.

Jed, in particular, emerges as a standout character. Despite his initial gruffness, he proves himself to be deeply loyal, attentive, and refreshingly honest.

His unwavering support of Eden, especially when others doubt her, provides some of the novel’s most satisfying moments. His multiple apologies and emotionally charged declarations are well-earned and deeply heartfelt.

The polo setting, while unique, feels a bit underutilised. It adds a luxurious, fresh backdrop to the story but doesn’t quite become an integral part of the narrative. A bit more immersion in the sport could have elevated the uniqueness of the setting.

Riding High is a charming, emotionally resonant read that succeeds in delivering a heartfelt story of finding love and family in the most unexpected of places.

While the romance could have used more on-the-page development and the pacing tightened, the themes of belonging, second chances, and emotional healing more than make up for it.

With thanks to NetGalley and One More Chapter for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Eden just wants to feel like she belongs. After her mom disowned her to become a nun (that was an odd detail), she’s been on her own—until she finds out she has a wealthy uncle named Troyden. He welcomes her into his blended family with open arms. Things get complicated when she meets his grumpy stepson, Jed, who’s not totally convinced she’s there for the right reasons.

The found family aspect was cute,Eden being embraced so fully was sweet. Her bond with Troyden was a highlight for me, and the fact that polo played a role in the story (even though she’s allergic to horses!) was an interesting twist.

That said, the middle dragged a bit, and the romance between Eden and Jed felt more told than shown. I understood why Eden kept her secret and Jed’s reaction made sense, but I just didn’t feel much chemistry between them. The polo setting was unique, but overall, the story didn’t leave a huge impression.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for the advanced copy.

I think I need to stop reading "horsey" books from authors I don't know. After the second time the character (a champion polo player) said he was worried his horse had injured her forelock, I was ready to pack it in.

For some reason, I persisted. Hoping for a good romance at least, maybe. But the MCs didn't have much in the way of chemistry...or shame...get a room already or at least go inside.

Also, the fact that a couple of months and a few Claritin was enough to get the MC over an allergy so severe she lost consciousness seemed extremely implausible to me.

The book had a few other structural problems. So much telling instead of showing, and the bizarre and embarrassing scene at the end where all decorum is lost.

So as not to be completely down on the story, there were a few things I did like:

Multiple Star Wars and other pop culture references
s
Several of the side characters were charming.

This was basically an "okay" romance.

I was pulled in by the premise of this book, the setting in the English countryside, sexy polo players, it all felt like a fresh take on Jilly Cooper's old books and seemed like something a bit different.

Unfortunately, the story didn't live up to its promise.

The first maybe half of the book was fairly enjoyable as a light romance, there was some great sexual tension at times between the main characters and although I wasn't exactly hooked, I was enjoying the story enough to keep going.

However, by about 70% it felt like the story had been told, there was no suspense, not much to keep the reader interested. It was obvious where the story was going to go and there just weren't enough stakes. We had the formulaic "third act break-up" and then the last 20% of the book felt like the author busy just trying to tick boxes and wrap everything up. The MCs worked it out, everyone somehow suddenly worked through all their trauma and history and everything tied up in a neat little package.

It felt like the author was writing to a beat sheet, which is fine, but it felt more like the events of the story were coming from this external source of "I need this to happen by page 100" rather than being driven by the story and the characters themselves.

I also really struggled with some of Eden's feelings about her mother. She felt abandoned, which was fine, she's allowed to feel that way, but her mother had her at 18, became a foster mum to other kids and then eventually decided to become a nun. While it obviously sucks that her mum wasn't there for her, it felt like her mum was written as this evil person who only did good things to make god happy, and that she didn't really want to be a nun, she felt like she had to to, again, make god happy. I actually felt a lot of compassion for her mother's situation and circumstances, but Eden couldn't seem to see any of that, it was very "about her" rather than just accepting that maybe becoming a nun was the right thing for her mother. There was hardly any mention of her dad, but her mum seemed to get all of the blame.

I found it confusing that her mother was able to become a foster mother at such a young age with a child already. I've looked into fostering myself and you need to have spare bedrooms, the ability to look after other children, etc., it felt like a weird angle to me.

I also REALLY struggled with the anti-vegetarian sentiment in the book. I think in a world where more and more people are eating less meat for their own health, animals and the environment, this anti-veggie sentiment feels like an old narrative. It's also really off-putting to readers like myself who don't eat meat. It instantly makes me not like the characters if they show zero compassion or understanding for someone choosing not to eat animals even if they themselves still eat meat.

This book had a lot of potential with it's found family, sexy polo players, a great setting in the British countryside, but it just felt too flat, too formulaic and the second half went nowhere, not enough stakes or interest to keep me wanting to turn the pages.

Thank you NetGalley for the copy
Unfortunately, DNF @ 30 percent.
The book has a nice premise but it however did not resonate with me.
I still recommend this book if you need something sweet to take your mind off things.

This book was such a fantastic read, I cannot wait to read more!
I really enjoy sports romances and this did not disappoint.

Respectfully no. This read was one huge disappointment. There are times where I will like both MC or one or the other. For this read it was neither 😞 it was giving insta love and a very unrealistic relationship. The way that the plot and narration was set called for a huge headache. I would catch myself rereading almost every page that had dialogue because I couldn’t differentiate who said what or how I was reading one scenario and the next we were at a different location. Really wanted to enjoy this read but it was a miss. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

Riding High by Joss Wood was such a fun, swoony escape! I absolutely loved the chemistry between the leads it's that perfect mix of flirty banter, simmering tension, and genuine emotional connection. I loved these character so much I just might reread the book.