This story of friends becoming lovers is so entertaining, full of chemistry and wit. It was amazing to watch these two examine the chemistry and tension that had been developing between them for years. Their relationship is so wonderful; it is full of love, trust, passion, and desire. Additionally, the smut in this is really well done and fits these characters perfectly!

Thank you to NetGallery and Random House Publishing Group for allowing me to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

2⭐️s
This book honestly just wasn’t for me. I’m a slow burn person and this burned too fast. In all honesty I skimmed most of the last 30% of it. What I liked was that I did feel entertained by Ginger and Coke going back and forth with one another. However I don’t mean the smut. The smut was good and steamy, however for me there was too much smut for little plot. I’m not the type of person to enjoy a smut heavy book. I’m more of a few tastefully done scenes sort of girl. But anyways I feel like someone who likes a low stakes smutty book would like this but it just wasn’t for me.

Thank you again NetGallery and the publishing group!

I've loved everything I've read by Paisley Hope and this was no exception. She is definitely an auto buy from me. I love the way she writes her characters.

"Riding the High" by Paisley Hope is a small-town romance with the perfect blend of chaos, charm, and cowboy swoon.

Accidentally getting hitched in Vegas? Classic. Keeping it a secret from the entire town and a politically powerful father? Bring on the drama! Throw in a single dad sheriff trying to prove he’s not just the town’s former playboy, and you’ve got a story packed with tension, humor, and just the right amount of heartache.

✨ Tropes that make this book shine:
💍 Accidental Marriage / Vegas Wedding
💙 Secret Friends-to-Lovers
🏡 Small Town Shenanigans
👨‍👧 Single Dad / Nanny
🔥 Slow Burn with a Dash of Spice

Paisley Hope once again proves she’s the queen of cowboy romances, and I loved watching Cole and Ginger’s dynamic unfold. Cole, the dedicated single dad and newly appointed sheriff, is trying his best to be the responsible man the town believes he can be. Ginger, the congressman’s daughter, is trying to carve out a life that isn’t dictated by her father’s political ambitions. Their chemistry is undeniable, their banter is chef’s kiss, and the slow realization that their “mistake” might actually be fate? So, so satisfying.

The emotional beats of the story—especially his relationship with his daughter, Mabel—is the true winner here, we love a well written child charcater. Ginger's fiery personality, her humor, and her bond with Mabel made her impossible not to love.

The Brooklyn 99 references? Absolute gold. The final realization, that “we were always meant to be” moment? Had me giddily kicking my feet happy!

"Riding the High" is a fun, heartfelt, and steamy addition to the Silver Pines Ranch series. If you love small-town romance with banter, swoon, and just the right amount of drama, this one is a must-read!

A huge thank you to Paisley Hope, NetGalley, and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Dell Romance for the ARC!

This book did not disappoint. Just when I thought silver pines couldn’t get better, It did!
Cole and Ginger’s journey had me laughing, giggling and blushing!
Cole is hardworking, dedicated dad and sheriff. Ginger is his exact opposite. Wild and free. They are so good together and I was so happy to be given a chance to read their story.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell for the eARC!
This is without a doubt my favorite book in the Silver Pines series. Paisley Hope’s writing has grown so much just within these three books! The writing was engaging and I think this book had the best developed characters of the series so far.
Cole and Ginger are definitely my favorite characters of the series. Both of their personalities were well developed and their decisions made sense (love when that happens in romance lol).
The tension!!!! This book did such an amazing job of keeping the tension building and for this style of romance I would consider it a relatively slow burn. I often loose interest when the tension finally breaks but I think this book really held onto the core relationship development well.
I loved Mabel. Her personality was adorable and I loved seeing her team up with Ginger and really develop a relationship with her.
I really enjoyed the group scenes in this book. I loved seeing characters from previous book and getting to guess at who might be a future main character. A lot of the family scenes were so funny and I loved seeing everyone together.
I adore a fake dating/marriage of convenience trope. This one was no exception but at times it felt like the author was struggling to justify why they were staying together. Some of the logic got a little silly.
I have to be honest, I didn’t like the way Mabel’s mom was treated. I know she wasn’t a good person but I don’t think we saw enough background to really dislike her besides being <i> told </i> she didn’t care about Mabel. I didn’t like the way the other characters talked about her. That’s your kid’s mom.
At one point Cole tells Ginger “it’s always been you”. No, it has not always been her?? He was literally married and used to go to the city to sleep with random women all the time. You can’t pull that crap now.

A heads up for those that don’t like their HEA to require children as proof the MCs actually love each other (me lol):
This entire series is full of babies. There’s like 10 babies in every epilogue. There are so many kids.

This is definitely my favorite Silver Pines novel!! I have been so excited for Cole and Ginger’s story and Paisley Hope definitely didn’t disappoint! This one had me hooked from the start and I loved Cole and Ginger’s story so much!!!

Cole and Ginger’s characters are so well done! Cole is the hardworking, dedicated, caring single father who will do anything to make sure his daughter has the life she deserves. He’s selfless, funny, loving and kind. I loved him!! Ginger is his perfect equal with her feisty, fun, loving personality. Living under the thumb of her father’s career for her entire life, Ginger just wants to feel like her own person. I loved her and her kind, genuine, and caring nature!!!

I loved these two SO much. Genuinely couldn’t get enough of them! This is such a fun, banter and chemistry filled friends to lovers story. Their dynamic is so good, two people who will poke fun at each other 24/7, but when needed are always there for one another. I loved getting to see these two explore the tension & chemistry that has been building between them for YEARS. There is so much passion, desire, love, and trust in their relationship, its soso good. The smut in this is so well-done too and matches these characters so well!!! Love love love them!!

If you love tropes such as: accidental marriage/marriage of convenience, friends to lovers, small town, forced proximity, & single dad, this is the one for you!!! highly recommend!!!

4⭐️ All I can say is about dang time! We finally get to learn more about Cole and Ginger in this book, and Paisley Hope delivers! Throughout the series, you know that there has been some underlying tension between these two but what you don't expect is to see just how far back it goes. They are total opposites in every way but it is exactly why they work, and their chemistry is just off the charts, even when they try and hide it. Every scene with Mabel is just sweetness overload and I love her relationship with Ginger. And the spice in this book is off the charts! Overall, I cannot get enough of these Ashby/Nashby boys and could not recommend this book and the entire series enough. I cannot wait to see what Paisley Hope writes next because I will for sure be reading it!

Thank you to NetGalley, Paisley Hope, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine and Dell for the opportunity to read this eARC for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

What can I say to convince you to read this book? If you love a low-key-hate-but-secretly-friends-to-lovers (throw in a secret marriage from a weekend in Vegas) and you have Ginger and Cole’s story.

The tension built between them in Holding the Reins and Taming the Heart made this one of my most anticipated books of 2025. Paisley, you more than exceeded my expectations! Cole Weston Ashby, you are officially in my top 10 MMCs. I love a single dad trope 😍

Ginger is Cole’s sister’s best friend, but in “secret”, they have been friends all along. I loved that piece of their history being exposed. Though they banter a lot, their friendship is very special.

When they go to Vegas for a bachelor/bachelorette party for Nash and Cece, they finally cross that line they have been toeing… and also end up married. I’m not going to lie, I am still grieving a chapter dedicated to their nuptials and hookup after. I would have really loved to read that, even as a bonus epilogue.

What I loved:
- their obsession with Brooklyn 99
- The entire lake scene and the aftermath with Mabel.
- The nickname “Law Daddy”
- Law Daddy’s absolutely filthy mouth
- I also think I might love pineapple now?

20/10 would recommend this to anyone who loves a man in uniform with a filthy mouth and a long standing crush on his sister’s best friend.

Thank you Random House/Dell for providing this book review for consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

The review is published now: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/6887611881?book_show_action=false

Cole & Ginger are an unstoppable, inevitable kind of love! I LOVE THEM. full chest! their foreplay in the first two books doesn’t even hold a candle to how brightly they burn in their own story! the yearning and pining and MY WIFE-ing!! these two are heady and addictive together and make for the perfect MOC pairing. to have them in the same room together is to witness fireworks, only to be swept away by the tenderness and swoon of an unconditional kind of love for each other and sweet Mabel. 🥹

Honestly I am all in for whatever Paisley Hope writes.
Cole and Ginger have been standout characters in this series all the way through.
The tension and the banter is everything.
I loved seeing the secret best friendship they were having for years.
Cole is a man on his knees for her.
I’m a sucker for reformed playboy. This story was set up and executed perfectly.

First off I would like to say thank you for this arc.
Riding the high was in my top 3 most anticipated books of 2025 & wow it did not disappoint!!

Paisley Hope is one of my favourite authors & boy does she know how to write a good book!! The spice, the banter, the wittiness & the sass in this book was giving. Riding the high had me in an absolute chokehold to the point that I put real life on hold.

The character development was spot on. Cole Ashby is everything & more & the mouth on that man - I was gone.

The tension & pining between Cole & Ginger had been building way longer than what we had seen on paper in the previous books. This is what a true friends to lovers book looks like. Sorry but Paisley made “favours” sexy.

I absolutely loved the relationship between Ginger & Mabel. Cole’s girls & his team!!

This is by far my favourite book in the Silver Pine Ranch series so far.

I laughed, I cried, I blushed, I was on the edge of my seat worried, I was giddy. - I went through the emotions. This book had all the feels.

Can’t wait until its release & to read the next book in the series!!!

How does this series keep getting better and better!the main male character was so well written and so easy to love. And the banter was top tier!

HOLY ASHBY! Cole and Ginger are everything! Paisley has completely crushed it with them! I can’t even pick a favorite because these characters are too damn good!

You will be swooning hardcore! Cole is an amazing friend, brother, son and daddy! My god!! I would get caught staring at him too!

Cole Weston Ashby is GOALS on EVERY level!!

The way Cole and Ginger defend each other is top tier. I love the banter between them. Ugh! It’s the best friends level but you have that sexual tension between each other which just makes it so much better…yes please!!

Ginger is an amazing person! I love her so much! She is so feisty but she loves so fiercely! Her relationship with Mabel literally melted my heart!

I will never be over them! Now I’m ready for the audio!

SWOON. I love Paisley Hope and every single MMC she creates, but Cole Ashby? I LOVE HIM and how he never kids himself when it comes to Ginger, he's a man that knows what he wants.

Ginger is so fun and so relatable and her relationship with Mabes, just adorable. Daddy's Girls?? Come on!

The banter throughout, not only between Ginger and Cole but with our other favorite characters as well, literal chef's kiss. The whole world Paisley has created has welcomed me with open arms and I find myself wishing I could be apart of the Silver Pines/Ashby fam.

The spice is also delicious. "Own it Ginger"

You did it again Paisley! Thank you and thank you Net Galley for the opportunity to recieve this ARC.

Okay, so I came to this series for the cowboys, but somehow ended up swooning over a law daddy?? Not my usual vibe, but Cole totally won me over. And Ginger? Ugh, I just adore her. Her relationship with Mabel was the absolute sweetest, and honestly, I think that dynamic was just as heart-melting as the romance itself.

The friends-to-lovers and nanny tropes?*Chefs kiss*. And let’s talk about the spice—so good! But whyyyy did we not get more from the wedding night?? I felt robbed, tbh.

Overall, this was such a sweet, simple love story, and I’ve been waiting for these two to get together since book one.

I laughed, I cried, and I got all hot and bothered! This book has it all and I couldn’t put it down. Ginger and Cole’s love story is a rollercoaster ride and it is worth your time.

COLE ASHBY!!! I've been waiting for this book for awhile and I was hoked from the very beginning. I love an accidental marriage with no 3rd act break up. I knew I would love Ginger and Cole after seeing little peeks of them in book 1 and 2.

Ginger is amazing and I knew I would love her because she is sooooo a Not Angel. I love her sass, her comebacks, and her take no bullshit kind of attitude. She is the absolute cutest with Mabel and I loved that relationship and how it grew over time.

I love the group texts between Cole, Wade, and Nash...they are some of my favorite parts of this book.
Paisley is a genius with side characters, I love how she weaves in her characters from previous books into the stories and introduces us to new ones. I cannot wait for some of her next books!!

I am so sad, but this is gonna be a soft dnf for me. I completely understand that arc reading entails uncorrected proofs, but I am having a bit of a hard time. (Typos, sentences structure, etc) I’m saying soft DNF because I’m hoping the published version will reflect some changes and I can pick it up again because I do love Paisley's books 🩷

Thank you to Dell for the ARC.

Let me just say… I’ve loved all the books in this series, but this one may be my absolute favorite! I’ve been waiting for Cole and Ginger’s story since 1st reading about them. The chemistry they have with each other is unreal!

We have Cole, the grumpy playboy single dad and newly appointed sheriff. He has had feelings for Ginger for longer than he cares to admit.

We also have Ginger, the best friend to Cole’s sister, and the girl that completely turns his world upside down. She has always been close to the Ashby family, and has liked Cole for a while.

One night in Vegas changes everything for them, and it’s so fun to see how they navigate this new world they are in.

I love everything about this book! It had everything you could possibly need: banter, laughter, heartfelt moments, and declarations of love that makes everyone swoon! These two would do anything for each other!


Thank you so much netgalley for the ARC!