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cassidy_rain's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
“She’s looking like a whirlwind of things right now but the two that stand out the most are really fucking beautiful and really fucking off limits.”
Nash Carter the man that you are! I am a sucker for a small town cowboy romance and this did not disappoint. Holding the Reins is the first book in the Silver Pines Ranch series. It follows Cece, who moves back home to small town Kentucky after a difficult break-up and starts putting the pieces of her life back together. Yes it’s a little cringey at times, but aren’t they all? This is a fun time. I love the characters. I love the town. I love the storyline. I love a man who yearns.
Tall ☑
Hockey player ☑
Cowboy ☑
Hot boss ☑
Brother’s best friend ☑
Tattoos ☑
Touch her and I’ll bury you ☑
Secret dating ☑️
Found family ☑️
Nuff said.
“Your dad told me I have two choices, let it consume me or keep holding the reins. So, I keep holding the reins and wait for the next day to come.”
Nash Carter the man that you are! I am a sucker for a small town cowboy romance and this did not disappoint. Holding the Reins is the first book in the Silver Pines Ranch series. It follows Cece, who moves back home to small town Kentucky after a difficult break-up and starts putting the pieces of her life back together. Yes it’s a little cringey at times, but aren’t they all? This is a fun time. I love the characters. I love the town. I love the storyline. I love a man who yearns.
Tall ☑
Hockey player ☑
Cowboy ☑
Hot boss ☑
Brother’s best friend ☑
Tattoos ☑
Touch her and I’ll bury you ☑
Secret dating ☑️
Found family ☑️
Nuff said.
“Your dad told me I have two choices, let it consume me or keep holding the reins. So, I keep holding the reins and wait for the next day to come.”
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Infidelity and Toxic relationship
Minor: Cancer
plainjanethebookworm's review against another edition
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A
5.0
Absolutely obsessed with this story. I couldn’t put it down. I laughed, I cried, I raged, I swooned, and I never wanted it to end. Holding the Reins by Paisley Hope is everything I didn’t know I needed and more. Nash is a retired NHL player, bar owner, and part-time cowboy (yeehaw), and the Ashbys are his honorary family who’ve had his back—and his heart—his whole life. And CeCe? She’s back home after an 8-year relationship bites the dust, and Nash? Oh, it’s on… like Donkey Kong. 🙌🏼
From the witty banter to the heart-racing, pulse-pounding sexual tension (hello, bar sex 🔥), this story is a hot tamale 🌶️🌶️. I’m head over heels, Paisley—consider me yours, forever. Your new number-one fan ✌🏼🎉
If I had to pick just one line (and trust me, it’s hard with all the rippers): “Touch her again, and I’ll fucking bury you.” 🥵🥵🥵 Iconic.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity
whackettreading's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.25
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content and Gaslighting
rebeck2012's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
I received this book as an ARC. I really enjoyed it! Very good spicy cowboys romance. Not best book ever, but really good for what it is. I did feel like parts of it could have been done a little better. Some of the trauma with the main character was glossed over a bit and I found myself wanting more from that area of the story.
Overall great book though, and I look forward to future books in the series!
Overall great book though, and I look forward to future books in the series!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
macyboston's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Publishing for the advanced readers copy of Holding the Reins by Paisley Hope.
This novel was pitched as a cowboy romance. But....I had trouble finding the cowboy part. It's an alpha male who is an ex-hockey player. This book had a slow start for me. But by the 50% mark it's pure spicy for those that enjoy that. However the spice was a bit of a turn off for me. I'm really not into men who repeatedly call their lover a "C U next Tuesday". The male main character raised red flags for me. I also wasn't into the the idea that he's so huge that he barely fits which was referenced constantly during the last half of the book.
So while this book wasn't bad, it's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea unless they really like romance novels with alpha males.
This novel was pitched as a cowboy romance. But....I had trouble finding the cowboy part. It's an alpha male who is an ex-hockey player. This book had a slow start for me. But by the 50% mark it's pure spicy for those that enjoy that. However the spice was a bit of a turn off for me. I'm really not into men who repeatedly call their lover a "C U next Tuesday". The male main character raised red flags for me. I also wasn't into the the idea that he's so huge that he barely fits which was referenced constantly during the last half of the book.
So while this book wasn't bad, it's definitely not going to be everyone's cup of tea unless they really like romance novels with alpha males.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Death, Emotional abuse, Misogyny, Sexual content, Sexual violence, Toxic relationship, Grief, Car accident, Alcohol, and Injury/Injury detail
belreadsbooks's review against another edition
3.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
Minor: Cursing, Toxic relationship, Violence, Vomit, Grief, Pregnancy, and Alcohol
100_pages_hr's review against another edition
3.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Medical trauma, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Infidelity
steen19's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
Cece comes back to her hometown after discovering her fiancé is cheating and decides to put down roots. Nash is her brothers’ best friend and childhood crush. He’s the town player, works in a bar, retired hockey player.
There’s a lot of animosity between them at first, but once they get together they’re obsessed with each other. The spice really amps up. At one point, he crawls to her.
It’s first person, dual POV, open door spice.
I would say that if you like the Rebel Blue ranch series by Lyla Sage, you should check this one out.
The only thing I didn’t love is how the main women speak about other women. Pretty regularly they’d be calling women sluts/tramps/etc. and it felt icky.
I’m still looking forward to Ginger and Cole’s book. 👀
Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Minor: Infidelity, Misogyny, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
emilygibbs's review against another edition
1.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Stalking
georginap92's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
A huge thank you to @Netgalley and fora gifted copy of this lovely eBook to read and review -
all thoughts are my own.
Holding the Reins is the first novel in the Silver Pines series and promised a cowboy romance
with promised 18+ steam rating, which I can fully confirm the steam rating is that high, it was
spicy with various steamy scenes that can get the readers heart racing and wishing for their
own cowboy!
Despite the plot being predictable I am completely here for a drama free comfort romance
read, and this book certainly delivered on that. The chapters were short and told for
alternating perspectives which is always a great addition, the author did a grand job writing
the sex scenes from both the male and female MCs you could sense the difference between
both, and the characters just grew throughout. I loved both of them, and their chemistry was
instantly palpable through the pages, but there were times you just wanted to hit their heads
together, and in my own personal opinion I found the number of times the C word was used
to be quite cringey, I am usually okay with vulgar language but this one just got me, and made
certain lines and moments uncomfortable – but that is my personal feelings and preferences,
I just don’t like the word.
The story really had me with all the emotions, it was heartfelt in places, full of angst and anger in some, as well as spicy and humorous, I loved the “not angels” but I would have loved to know more about them. Especially the possible budding romances; Ginger and Cole? Wade and Ivy? I need answers!
All in all, this is a great steamy sports romance, just check the steam and language guidance
before picking it up. But for me I cannot wait for book two!
all thoughts are my own.
Holding the Reins is the first novel in the Silver Pines series and promised a cowboy romance
with promised 18+ steam rating, which I can fully confirm the steam rating is that high, it was
spicy with various steamy scenes that can get the readers heart racing and wishing for their
own cowboy!
Despite the plot being predictable I am completely here for a drama free comfort romance
read, and this book certainly delivered on that. The chapters were short and told for
alternating perspectives which is always a great addition, the author did a grand job writing
the sex scenes from both the male and female MCs you could sense the difference between
both, and the characters just grew throughout. I loved both of them, and their chemistry was
instantly palpable through the pages, but there were times you just wanted to hit their heads
together, and in my own personal opinion I found the number of times the C word was used
to be quite cringey, I am usually okay with vulgar language but this one just got me, and made
certain lines and moments uncomfortable – but that is my personal feelings and preferences,
I just don’t like the word.
The story really had me with all the emotions, it was heartfelt in places, full of angst and anger in some, as well as spicy and humorous, I loved the “not angels” but I would have loved to know more about them. Especially the possible budding romances; Ginger and Cole? Wade and Ivy? I need answers!
All in all, this is a great steamy sports romance, just check the steam and language guidance
before picking it up. But for me I cannot wait for book two!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content