Training the Heart by Paisley Hope
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

As far as cowboy romance goes, this one is up there with some of my favorites. I love the banter and sass between Wade and Ivy. The building tensions between the two was absolutely off the charts. Wade is an amazingly hot, grumpy cowboy with the best tattoo choices👀 he will have you absolutely melting for him. I went through a whole range of emotions reading this one, laughing, crying, giggling, blushing. This one is a 10/10 for anything looking for a gruff cowboy who isn’t afraid of hand necklaces🫠👀🫶🏻 thank you random house, NetGalley, and Paisley for the early copy!

I really enjoy the characters in the series and I was so so excited for Ivy and Wade, but to be completely honest, I didn't love them as much as I loved CeCe and Nash.

I'm a huge fan of found family so I absolutely adored all the moments with CeCe, Nash, Cole, Ginger, Olivia, Mabel, Ivy, and Wade. The banter and the jokes were *chef's kiss* and I'm very excited to read the rest of the series.

What I didn't love so much was the fact that Wade and Ivy's relationship seemed to be mostly physical, with lots and lots (and lots) of sex scenes, which, don't get me wrong, I enjoyed, but at some point I was looking forward to some more emotional moments. When they came, they were in the form of one of my least favorite tropes, and personally, the emotions just didn't hit the right way for me.

Overall, a great read, and I can't wait for Cole and Ginger's story!

Wow, Wade did not disappoint 🥵 I was so excited for his book ever since reading holding the reins! So lucky to have been able to snag it early!

Wade is a top tier book boyfriend!! I lived for all the acts of service! I ate up the banter between Ivy and Wade. It was so fun to see Ivy bring out Wades dimples! I love me a grumpy x sunshine and paisley did not disappoint.

Instantly felt the chemistry between these two and loved how confident Ivy was. Ivy was Wades missing piece.


This one is definitely my favorite of the series so far! Looking forward to Cole’s book!!

Read this steamy romance if you like:

✨dual pov
✨small town, cowboy romance
✨grumpy rancher x sunny horse trainer
✨workplace relationship
✨forced proximity

Possible triggers:

❗️manipulation / emotional abuse
❗️accidental pregnancy

Thank you Net Galley and Random House Publishing Group for an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

SPOILER-FREE THOUGHTS 💭

🤠 A HOTTT cowboy romance that's perfect for fans of Lyla Sage and Elsie Silver

🤠 Ladies, you will NEED to be hosed down after this one: it's 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

🤠 Wade Ashby is an acts of service man and that's the real BDE we are looking for 🙌🏼

HYPE UP QUOTES:

"In case it isn't obvious, I'm fucking crazy about you."

"I don't know whatever made you think for one fucking second that it's you against this world, but it isn't; it's you and me. If I haven't made it clear enough for you, Ivy, there's everyone else and then there's us."

WADE AND IVY'S SONG:

🎶 Right Where I Need to Be by Gary Allan

Ivy Spencer, shows up to Silver Pines looking for a fresh start as a horse trainer after leaving a disaster of a relationship. When she meets her new boss, she gets more than she bargained for.

Wade Ashby, what a man. Dare I say my favorite mmc that paisley has ever written?? He was everything- the acts of service and grumpy attitude had me hooked right from the beginning. The way he showed up for Ivy in every way was absolute perfection. Ivy was a strong FMC & I really enjoyed her character as well. The banter her & Wade had was so great and had me chuckling at times. The way she fit seamlessly into the Not Angels group was perfect. The trust that developed between the two main characters as the story went on was one of my favorite parts of this book. They truly learned to love each other by doing the small, quiet things together which was so genuine and sweet.

This was on track to be 5 stars for me until how some things played out at the end- it’s probably more of a me thing. Still HIGHLY recommend this book and thoroughly enjoyed being back in Silver Pines with all the side characters and found family vibes.

The glimpses we got of Ginger & Cole have me so excited for their book.

Paisley also writes some of the best spice out there 👏🏻

4.5-4.75 ⭐️|| 3 🌶️

Training the Heart was fantastic! I seriously love this series so much! Binged this so fast and I need more asap!!

5⭐️s!

This book!!!!? So Good!!! The story follows Wade, who is the eldest son of the Ashby family and is in charge of running the family ranch, and Ivy, the temporary horse trainer he hires to help his family try and make a derby run. I was lucky enough to be provided an arc for this book, and let me just say I was so in love with the story, the characters, the vibes, and everything! I loved the way both Wade and Ivy helped each other see things about themselves that they maybe couldn’t before. Their mutual but separate healing journey was a joy to watch. I also thought the horse racing/training aspect of the book was at just the right ratio to where I was still proper interested in that storyline, but the vocabulary never became so overwhelming that I couldn’t follow what was happening. Also, the spice in this book…? PERFECTION! Some of my favorite spice I’ve read all year. I definitely think this should be one to add to your tbr list!

*a massive thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early copy of this book*

This is book two in the Silver Pines Ranch series, and I enjoyed it so much more than the first book.

A boss/employee romance between Wade and Ivy. In the beginning, Wade is a grumpy rancher businessman. He is dealing with everything on the ranch AND a clingy ex-wife. Ivy is his new temporary horse trainer, trying to start over from an abusive ex and an alcoholic mother. She is a really strong woman in spite of all of this. It was so nice to see Wade fall for Ivy little by little. She is so much more than he thought.

It's a little slow burn in the beginning, but when the steam hits, it is HOT. Plus, Wade gets the most special tattoo in an interesting place for Ivy. Swoon. His feelings are definitely not a secret now.

Read this is you like:

Cowboy Romance
Dual POV
Boss/employee
Who hurt you?
Grumpy/Sunshine

Thank you to the Dell Romance and NetGalley for an advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This series is so good!! I might have enjoyed this more than the first one. I can't wait to read more from Paisley! ❤️

5/5 stars
3.75 peppers
2.5/5 buzz buzz

Listen we all know the grouchy, grumpy Wade from Holding the Reins and we knew that it was going to take a woman that would push all the buttons and make him actually live life. When Cece comes into his life and proves that she is just as the horse magician as everyone said she was and shows him that life can be complete with each other.

I loved the forced proximity that not only on the ranch but he fact that Cece is a klutz and needed someone to help her (even though she protested), and it explored another level of forced proximity and we see the caring, loving side of Wade. Their friendship building was a breath of fresh air and loved that it was cute, it was normal.

But then you add a "one-bed" trope and I'm all in and so was Cece. They were like two addictive souls that couldn't let go. And the way that Cece grew and stood up to the ex had me yelling "that's my girl".

I loved every second of it and gobbled it up. Oh and can we talk about the "oopies" that we all thought was supposed to be an oopies!

Paisley does not disappoint and only makes you want to say "more please" and "okay what's next."

Al the stars. Ivy and Wade are so perfect for one another I loved seeing them evolve from friends to lovers. The grumpy of Wade and sunshine of Ivy is absolutely perfect. These two traversed their battle so effortlessly and together I almost wish I could dive into the story to see more of them.

when i received the notification that i got approved for this arc i RAN. i loved holding the reigns and i was so excited for this one and when i tell you it did NOT disappoint.
i saved this book for a birthday read because i knew this was something that was just gonna hit.
i ATE UP the tension in this book. Wade being possessive and protective and I 👏 LOVED 👏 IT 👏.
Ivy and Wade were missing pieces to each other’s puzzles and Paisley did such a great job bringing them together and helping them heal despite each other’s pasts.
ALSO??? the smut??? i was SWEATING
4.5 ⭐️’s loved every second of it

Published on goodreads!
Published on 12/25/25

First off, thank you so much for the opportunity to read this.

I found myself captivated from the very beginning, Wade's Prologue hooked me. The connection between Wade and Ivy is truly heartwarming and something I hope to have one day.
Another great thing about this book was the banter. The exchanges between Wade and Ivy were funny, but the interactions (especially messages) between Wade and his family and friends had me laughing hard at times. There was never a dull moment, which kept my attention, and I couldn't stop reading.
Overall , I enjoyed this book and would recommend it to others looking for a heartwarming & spicy romance.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity of this advanced copy!
I knew as soon as I finishing the first book in the series that I had to get a hold on the second one as soon as possible, and I can honestly say the series just keeps getting better and better. Wade Ashby that you are, I couldn’t get enough of him and his grumpiness and his dirty talk. Also our FMC Ivy was a breath of fresh air, I loved the way she carried herself thru all the heartache. Don’t get me started on the smallest form of miscommunication between both characters, I loved how the author quickly resolved the issue (more authors should take notes.) I can’t wait to see what else Paisley Hope has in store for us.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️

I’ve been so excited about this story because I was ready to see what our broody rancher, Wade Ashby, got up to in his story, and I loved seeing him with Ivy.

We got a few glimpses of Wade in Holding the Reins, but getting a better, more in-depth view of his life and what he was going through was nice. Right from the start, we saw that Wade was broody and grumpy and Ivy was his total sunshiney opposite! Ivy loved to talk and Wade…did not. 🤣 It was great that, even though Wade thought he wasn’t attracted to Ivy, he still wanted to protect her from the other ranchers because he thought she was too innocent. Wade did have a thing for Ivy but was in denial, and it was great to watch Ivy and her happy personality slowly bring Wade out of his broody shell. It was so cute that Ivy was determined to make Wade smile more after she saw him smile for the first time. One thing that I loved was that Ivy was always so sassy and how much Wade loved that about her. Ivy wasn’t afraid to sass Wade and that only ever turned him on more.

Wade and Ivy fit so well together! They both had difficult pasts with less-than-stellar exes, and they bonded over that often. It was nice that Ivy learned from her past and her ex, and she was able to help Wade do the same once she found out that he was still letting his ex get to him. They both eventually were able to move past their previous relationships so that they could focus on their new relationship with each other.

It was awesome to watch Wade be himself once he and Ivy got together. He had a deliciously filthy mouth 🥵 and he let that come out full force when he was with Ivy! Ivy was not expecting Wade’s filthy mouth, but it was awesome to watch her experience it. I also like that they bonded over their kinks once they realized they liked similar things; they were able to be themselves both in and out of the bedroom and it was great to see. Also, Wade’s tattoo was next-level hot (IYKYK). 🥵

This was such a great story and a great next installment of the Silver Pines Ranch series. I loved watching Ivy and Wade become good friends before they eventually became more than friends. They had such an unlikely but beautiful relationship and I loved how they could just be themselves with each other all the time. I enjoyed this story a lot, and I can’t wait to see what happens in Cole’s story!


Thank you, Paisley and Random House Publishing, for providing me with an ARC!

I was super excited to read this since I loved the first book in the series. This has the same feel as the first one: small town, cowboys, and found family. You also get grumpy x sunshine and a whole lot of spice in the second book. This was a quick and easy read for me but I didn’t love it as much as the first book. I loved Ivy and Wades story so much but there was too much spice, personally for me. I wish there was a bit more of their story besides the spice. I would still recommend this book to all my friends who love a small town romance.

We are at this point that if Paisley writes it, I will read every word of it and love it.

Wade Ashby is CeCe's grumpy brother, so from book 1 alone, I was fascinated by him. Grumpy cowboys are my jam and I will forever pick up books from that description alone. But when Mr. Grump meets his new horse trainer, Ivy, the grump has finally met his match.

I loved everything about this book. From the first meeting (job interview going sideways) to the banter between Wade and Ivy. I loved Ivy period. At times she was the ray of sunshine who was happy and excited about life, but underneath it all is a woman who had fought so many demons and won. Her happiness was in the face of these challenges, because she was not going to let anyone dull her and I loved her all the more for that.

Watching Wade become more and more obsessed with Ivy was absolutely perfect. From her laughter to her scrunchies (iykyk), he feel hat over boots for Ivy. I loved him be a grump to everyone but her, and seeing his possessiveness really come full force once Ivy and Wade decided to give into the tension between them. Side note, Wade's tattoo that he got for Ivy? Pure and utter perfection.

This book was just right for me in terms of the story, the pacing and the spice. I could not get enough and rereading this book again just brought me back to my happy place. I am so excited to see where the series goes from here with the teasers we have been getting of the other couples.

What a wild freaking ride Training the Heart turned out to be! I absolutely loved reading Ivy and Wade’s story, especially after getting a glimpse of their dynamics in the first book. The banter between these two is top notch—funny, sharp, and totally real. Their chemistry was palpable, and I found myself rooting for them from start to finish.

The plot was engaging and kept me turning the pages—there’s a great balance of tension, growth, and sweet moments between Ivy and Wade. The tropes were all there—cowboy, small town, grumpy sunshine, and some delicious slow burn—and they were executed really well.

That being said, I have to mention that there was a bit more smut and name-calling than I typically enjoy. While it’s definitely not a dealbreaker, it felt a bit excessive at times and took me out of the story in moments.

In the end, Training the Heart is a great read with an entertaining plot, fantastic characters, and a really satisfying romance. If you love a fiery, banter-filled love story (and can handle some steamy scenes), this one’s definitely worth the ride!

I can’t do it. I was given the opportunity to read this arc by NetGalley and I have physically can’t make myself finish it. I’ve picked this book up and put it back down 5x now and I’m still only 30% in.

My main issue is with the dialogue between all characters and the internal monologues of Wade and Ivy. Everything felt very overwrought and cringey to me. The phrases “save a horse” and “my garden of Eden” were used unironically on the same page. Also, in this scene, there are four women and their combined total body weight is under 450 pounds.

I don’t want to spoil anything by giving examples, but, the writing, plot points and conversations between all characters feel heavy handed to me and the nuance is sorely missed. I did a quick skim and realized the almost the complete rest of the book is smut so I’m dipping out. I love spice as much as the next girl, but I didn’t care enough about this couple to go through with it.

For the positives, I did like the initial set up of their story and some of the banter was pretty funny.

I just don’t think I’m the target audience for this author. If you prefer lighter romances with a high heat factor, this could be perfect for you.

3 ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for the eARC of this book!

I enjoyed book one in this series and was super excited for a grumpy cowboy- however, I really struggled to engage with this one. There was a bit of instalove and the push and pull between the characters seemed off. So much trauma dumping seemed to happen in the beginning that it took the mystery away and I didn't connect much to the characters.

However, if you are in the market for a grumpy cowboy, then Wade is the dude for you I bet ;)