If you love Elsie Silver, Lainey Lawson or Devney Perry you are going to absolutely LOVE this book and author!
CeCe is on her way home after a bad breakup with her cheating ex fiance. Going home is something Cece hasnt done often in 8 years and especially not since her father died earlier that year. Her family runs an all inclusive horse ranch that her oldest brother Wade now runs with the help of his retired NHL hockey star best friend, Cece has always been over protected by her older brothers and Nash her brothers best friend who grew up very close to her family.
Cece is used to Nash being a player with a new woman in his bed everyday and him being 8 years older she never saw him as anything but her brothers annoying best friend, until she realizes he is no longer that highschool/college boy. Nash now sees Cece in a whole new light as well but he is now her new boss and he never gets involved with his employees!

Their connection is palpable! I love the history they have and that they just cannot resist each other!

4.25 ⭐️

This was such a fun read, both main characters were so full of spirit and fun, loved both POV’s! I love when an MMC is feral for the FMC the way that Nash is for Cece. His mouth had me blushing. The only downside is that I found parts of this overly repetitive, but it wasn’t truly a deal breaker. Excited to read the other books in the series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an opportunity to read and review this, will be filming a video for TikTok soon

I adored this book, and will absolutely be reading the series. Maybe I'm a sucker for a cowboy, but I devoured this book in a day and then read it a second time. 5 star read for me, it had everything I wanted.

I love a small town romance but there has to be great drama, internal conflict and meaningful resolution. Paisley Hope does this perfectly! It's not enough to tour a charming small town. I want there to be a purpose.

Rae has returned home to rebuild her life centered on her own goals after leaving her cheating fiance. This shouldn't be too difficult except that she starts to fall for Nash who is adamantly avoids relationships. She doesn't want to get involved with anyone who can't prioritize her. Nash has struggled his entire life with the trauma of experiencing his parents' deaths. He copes by staying busy, from his intense NHL career to running his own hockey center after retirement. And helping out on his foster-family's ranch. And running the town's bar. And falling in love with said family's only daughter. But as he spends more and more time with Rae, he realizes that he has no problem prioritizing her in his life. He's just traumatized that if he does, then he stands to lose his only family once again if things end badly.

The setting is charming and the secondary characters are delightful! This is some of the best family banter I've read in a while. Between Rae's irreverent best friends, her burly brothers, their all-knowing mom and her niece with a very profitable swear-jar, they have a ton of fun. Collectively, they're still processing life after Rae's father died from cancer earlier in the year. Despite the gorgeous cover, this is less of a cowboy romance and more small town with a family ranch, hockey hero and fun nights dancing at the local bar. Nash helps with chores, but even Rae has a career away from the ranch. However, it does set up book 2 to be a cowboy romance featuring Rae's full-time cowboy brother, Wade.

The romantic relationship is mutually respectful and very spicy! Between the dirty talk and constant teasing, they keep each other on edge. They will have to confront her red-flag ex but Rae trusts her instincts. And despite other reviews, I found Nash to be very green-flag. I'm excited to continue the series.

Omg I absolutely LOVED this book and can’t wait for Training the Heart! This was honestly the hardest book to put down!

Holding the Reins is a swoon-worthy start to the Silver Pines Ranch series—a steamy, emotional cowboy romance that’s as heartfelt as it is irresistible. With CeCe Ashby returning to her family’s ranch to rebuild her life after a broken engagement, and Nash Carter, her brother’s charming best friend, right there to stir up old feelings, the story is packed with chemistry, drama, and undeniable heat.
CeCe is a relatable, resilient heroine, navigating heartbreak and rediscovering herself in her hometown of Laurel Creek. Her journey of self-discovery is beautifully interwoven with her rekindled connection to the ranch and her unexpected attraction to Nash. Nash is more than just a retired hockey star with a rough-around-the-edges charm; his loyalty to the Ashby family and his protectiveness toward CeCe make him an irresistibly layered character. Their romance has all the delicious tension of a slow burn, sparking from shared glances and playful teasing to undeniable passion.
The author captures the charm of small-town life and the rich setting of the ranch, giving the story an authentic feel that immerses you in CeCe and Nash’s world. Their dynamic is fun and fiery, with plenty of humor and just the right amount of angst. CeCe’s healing journey and Nash’s struggle to balance his loyalty to her brothers with his growing feelings for her add depth and complexity to their relationship, making the romance feel both real and rewarding.
While some familiar romance tropes make the story a bit predictable, the strength of the characters and their intense connection keep the pages turning. Holding the Reins is the perfect read for fans of steamy cowboy romances and second-chance love. The author has crafted a captivating tale of family, passion, and rediscovery that will leave you eager for the next book in the series!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

i love me a cowboy romance! this is my first book by this author and it was so cute and 🌶️. exactly what a cowboy romance should be!

a cute cowboy, childhood friends to lovers romance with a perfect found family, small town vibe! it was cute, fun, steamy, and I really enjoyed it! 4 stars because I did get a little bored in the middle and wished things moved along quicker, but I still loved it.

I have been obsessed with cowboy romances for a long time and this has officially become one of my favorites. I can't wait to continue the series and see more amazing romances from these characters!

was so excited for this one because it's gotten a lot of hype however, l'm disappointed. Originally I really liked it (like the first 20%) but it was pretty slow to start. It's a cutesy little small town romance but I wouldn't consider it a cowboy romance. It you liked Powerless by Elsie Silver you'll like this one! It's similar in the small town, hockey player + part town cowboy, and girl leaving bad relationship aspect. Overall this book was good but just nothing special or new to me.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone who likes small town romances and childhood friends to lovers (okay they weren't quite friends but they grew up together)

CeCe Ashby wants nothing more than to put her past behind her. After she breaks off her toxic engagement and returns to her small hometown in Kentucky, she 's piecing her life back together. Also back in town is newly retired hockey star, Nash Carter, who has been best friends with CeCe's older brothers, Wade and Cole. He's basically like a third older brother to CeCe except now he's seeing her in a different light. Can these two put aside their pasts in order to fight for their future?

First thank you to NetGalley and Random House: Ballantine Publishing for this ARC.

I'm such a sucker for a cowboy/small town romance. This book was adorable and had me giggling and kicking my feet.

These characters were very lovable. CeCe was a fun character that I saw pieces of myself in. However, at times I found her to also be annoying and a bit much. Which almost made me dislike her completely but I still managed to end up loving her in the end. And oh let me tell you, Nash Carter has cemented his spot on my list of book boyfriends. His devotion to CeCe truly makes me wish all men were written by women.

Without spoiling too much, I felt that this book encapsulated grief, anxiety and mental health very well. The feelings felt raw and real in a way that is hard to always portray in writing. Paisley truly did a great job portraying these thoughts and feelings.

If you're looking for a new cowboy romance, I highly recommend this one! I can't wait to read the next book in this series.

One of my faves! Who doesn’t love a cowboy romance mixed with brothers best friend. Nash is definitely going to be your next book boyfriend 😍🔥

this one was spicyyyyyy. i didn’t expect so much, but it was fun! i enjoyed it a lot!! I think it could have had a bit more to it, but i enjoyed it for what it was.

If you prefer smut with a little snall-town cowboy romance this is for you. While I enjoyed it, it was too much smut for me. I wanted more connection between the two main love interest and I didn't get that. I wasn't that invested in their story. I may read the next to see just to get another character perspective but not sure if these are for me.

This is a small town, age-gap romance between ex-NHL player and cowboy Nash and former corporate girl CeCe. Having just moved back home after splitting from her ex-fiance and leaving her city life behind, CeCe is trying to find her footing after such a drastic life change. Nash has his hands full running his own business, teaching hockey lessons, and helping out in a local bar. Nash and CeCe eventually cross paths and their reminiscing about the past starts a slow-burn journey that confirms that they each want more than just platonic friendship.

I'm a fan of small town and cowboy romances, and the cover for Holding the Reins immediately drew me in. I enjoyed Nash as a down to earth, good-hearted country boy MMC, and there were some truly entertaining and laugh-out-loud moments in the story. I did find the repeated references to the FMC's "tiny" body, hands, etc. to be a bit superfluous, and I found CeCe herself a bit hard to relate to at times (particularly the constant over-drinking). That said, these particularities may well be more personal preferences of mine versus things that would bother every reader. While this book was a bit of a miss for me, it may be a hit for others.

Thank you to NetGalley for this eARC copy in exchange for my fair and honest review.

This book was exactly what I needed after the craziness of wedding planning/wedding weekend and two weeks away from my reading routine.

Small town, cowboy, forced proximity, and brother's best friend? Count me in! It was so much fun-fast-paced, funny, and set against a delightful backdrop. The book also features a fantastic family dynamic and entertaining side characters. I really hope the author explores some other potential couples that we kinda saw in this book.

If you're looking for a lighthearted, steamy romance, this book is for you.

This book had a lot of tropes and things I typically enjoy in a romance, but it ultimately was not for me. It was really similar to a couple of different "cowboy" romances I've read and it felt like it pulled things from other books and didn't really have anything that made it unique. Some of the writing and sentence structure was odd, and it was definitely more "spice" vs plot than I usually prefer. I'm sure many people will enjoy this, as it was an easy and sexy read, I would have liked more depth to the characters and more thorough editing.

4.5/5 ⭐️, 3.5/5 🌶️, 1/5 💧

🥃 Brother’s Best Friend
🥃 Forced Proximity / Workplace Romance
🥃 Small Town Romance
🥃 Found Family
🥃 Grief/Loss/Mental Health

Another small town cowboy romance with a happy ever after ending. I thought the conflicts that arose were nuanced and realistic, and I especially loved the strong fmc role in this book. Maybe not as dramatic, but it gave real southern vibes and the spice was spicing. I bought in to the tension and the imperfect mmc with his struggles in contrast to a strong fmc who knows what she wants. Loved it. Highly recommend this one!

This book wasn’t for me but it may be for others!

It took me a really long time to get into the book and even when I did I thought it was okay. I felt like I knew Nate but barely knew CeCe at all, other than her accounting background, ex-fiancé, and family. I thought Nate was sweet for the most part. He was hands on in his town and was there when needed. CeCe seemed… I don’t know if naive is the right word for it but she was in a 8 year relationship prior.

The book also longer than it needed to be. Granted that some chapters were shorter than others but still.

This is a small town, age gap, brother’s best friend trope with a bit of ex hockey and part time cowboy.

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this arc for my honest review.

• brothers best friend
• part time cowboy MMC
• small town
• "just once"

If you cant decide if you like dirty talking hockey players and cowboys more, well Nash Carter is the man for you! He is the best of both worlds!

This story was a fun, spicy, small town cowboy romance full of emotion that will tug on all your heartstrings.

This story deals with the past death of a parent/ parents and although its a sensitive and heavy topic I think Paisley did an incredible job incorperating it into the story while still keeping the vibes of the story light and fun! She made me want to go hug my parents!

Its always fun getting to know a new cast of characters and the Ashby family and their friends did not dissapoint. I am excited particularly to see what future stories hold for my girl Ginger! I am excited to read Wades book this December, the tension between him and Ivy was palpable in this story and I cannot wait to see what they get up to!

Thank you Dell for this ARC!