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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
asapjuliaaa's review against another edition
adventurous
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
medium-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? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
romancewithem's review against another edition
4.75
I really enjoyed this book and had a great time reading it
- brothers best friend
- ex-hockey player turned part time cowboy
- sneaking around
- gosspiy small town setting
- just one nig to get it out our systems
I really enjoyed the story we went on with the two main characters, of them trusting each other despite their fears and falling in love.
I felt like the second half way a lot more spice than plot and I just wished for a little more plot
I really liked all the side characters and can't wait to read their own stories
If you loved the Chestnut Springs series, Rebel Blue Ranch series and the gossipy small towns of Rome (When In Rome series) and Inglewild (Lovelight series) you'll love this book
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin / Cornerstone for the ARC - all opinions are my own
- brothers best friend
- ex-hockey player turned part time cowboy
- sneaking around
- gosspiy small town setting
- just one nig to get it out our systems
I really enjoyed the story we went on with the two main characters, of them trusting each other despite their fears and falling in love.
I felt like the second half way a lot more spice than plot and I just wished for a little more plot
I really liked all the side characters and can't wait to read their own stories
If you loved the Chestnut Springs series, Rebel Blue Ranch series and the gossipy small towns of Rome (When In Rome series) and Inglewild (Lovelight series) you'll love this book
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin / Cornerstone for the ARC - all opinions are my own
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident and Death of parent
abidavisf's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
relaxing
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
You know a book is going to be good when its dedication makes your jaw drop. Holding the Reins is an emotional, romantic and hopeful story of grief, trust, and new beginnings.
CeCe and Nash grew up together under the wise eye of Wyatt Ashby, CeCe’s father. Following his death, Nash’s retirement from the NHL and CeCe leaving her awful fiancé, both characters find themselves back in their hometown, trying to build a life and, more than that, a future. They aren’t kids any more, and their attraction is obvious from the start.
Both CeCe and Nash have been hurt and, frankly, traumatised in their lives. Holding the Reins explores the difficulty that comes with wanting to break down the walls that you have built for yourself, while being utterly terrified to do so. Holding the Reins teaches you that just because something awful happened once doesn’t mean it will happen again.
Holding the Reins is life-affirming: “if you’re struggling, you’re living.” Nash experienced the worst possible thing that could happen to somebody as a fifteen-year-old, making him terrified to love or let anybody into his heart. CeCe’s acceptance of his fears and will to offer him whatever comfort she can, while so importantly understanding that she may not always be able to, was gorgeous, and is everything somebody needs in a support system when living with their trauma.
Aside from the love story, Holding the Reins features a gorgeous family and a beautiful community, one that is wholly accepting of everybody and just wants to love. CeCe’s mother holds a Monday night dinner each week so that, even if your week has started badly, you still have something to look forward to. That aspect of love, comfort and community is everything you could hope for, and so many of my favourite scenes in this book featured the entire Ashby family (and their found family). I adore a story in which we come to learn about each of the side characters and build relationships with them too. I hope we can learn more about these characters as the series continues, and that they all get their happy ever after.
Nash maintains perfect control of the thin line between possessive and protective. Flags that may appear red quickly become clear to show that his actions have always been made with CeCe’s best intentions in mind. He never seeked recognition for this and, in fact, actively allowed CeCe to believe that he was being cruel and territorial in order to save her feelings.
Watching CeCe learn to accept the love that she deserves is another big positive of Holding the Reins. From her father to her brothers to Nash, she enables herself to recognise real love and stops allowing herself to be mistreated by her long-term partner. Even through his emotional abuse and enforced control of her, CeCe uses the words of her family and her respect for herself to maintain boundaries and protect herself, something that is not easy to do. She is an inspiration to victims of toxic relationships everywhere. In turn, she also teaches readers that just because you can do something alone doesn’t mean you have to. You can set boundaries and maintain control of your own life while accepting help from others, a very important life lesson that many of us need to learn.
Elements I would have liked to explore more with Holding the Reins were Nash’s day-to-day when he is on his own, more backstory about Olivia and Ginger and how they and CeCe grew up, as well as more of CeCe’s relationship with her brothers. We dip into all of this, but I’d like to have explored them in more depth. There were also a couple of scenes/plot lines that I felt were slightly rushed, e.g.CeCe’s return to Seattle and what happened after that in relation to her condo.
CeCe and Nash grew up together under the wise eye of Wyatt Ashby, CeCe’s father. Following his death, Nash’s retirement from the NHL and CeCe leaving her awful fiancé, both characters find themselves back in their hometown, trying to build a life and, more than that, a future. They aren’t kids any more, and their attraction is obvious from the start.
Both CeCe and Nash have been hurt and, frankly, traumatised in their lives. Holding the Reins explores the difficulty that comes with wanting to break down the walls that you have built for yourself, while being utterly terrified to do so. Holding the Reins teaches you that just because something awful happened once doesn’t mean it will happen again.
Holding the Reins is life-affirming: “if you’re struggling, you’re living.” Nash experienced the worst possible thing that could happen to somebody as a fifteen-year-old, making him terrified to love or let anybody into his heart. CeCe’s acceptance of his fears and will to offer him whatever comfort she can, while so importantly understanding that she may not always be able to, was gorgeous, and is everything somebody needs in a support system when living with their trauma.
Aside from the love story, Holding the Reins features a gorgeous family and a beautiful community, one that is wholly accepting of everybody and just wants to love. CeCe’s mother holds a Monday night dinner each week so that, even if your week has started badly, you still have something to look forward to. That aspect of love, comfort and community is everything you could hope for, and so many of my favourite scenes in this book featured the entire Ashby family (and their found family). I adore a story in which we come to learn about each of the side characters and build relationships with them too. I hope we can learn more about these characters as the series continues, and that they all get their happy ever after.
Nash maintains perfect control of the thin line between possessive and protective. Flags that may appear red quickly become clear to show that his actions have always been made with CeCe’s best intentions in mind. He never seeked recognition for this and, in fact, actively allowed CeCe to believe that he was being cruel and territorial in order to save her feelings.
Watching CeCe learn to accept the love that she deserves is another big positive of Holding the Reins. From her father to her brothers to Nash, she enables herself to recognise real love and stops allowing herself to be mistreated by her long-term partner. Even through his emotional abuse and enforced control of her, CeCe uses the words of her family and her respect for herself to maintain boundaries and protect herself, something that is not easy to do. She is an inspiration to victims of toxic relationships everywhere. In turn, she also teaches readers that just because you can do something alone doesn’t mean you have to. You can set boundaries and maintain control of your own life while accepting help from others, a very important life lesson that many of us need to learn.
Elements I would have liked to explore more with Holding the Reins were Nash’s day-to-day when he is on his own, more backstory about Olivia and Ginger and how they and CeCe grew up, as well as more of CeCe’s relationship with her brothers. We dip into all of this, but I’d like to have explored them in more depth. There were also a couple of scenes/plot lines that I felt were slightly rushed, e.g.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Death, Toxic relationship, Medical content, Car accident, Death of parent, and Injury/Injury detail
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Misogyny, Sexism, Blood, Gaslighting, and Alcohol
Minor: Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Terminal illness
amateur_bookworm's review against another edition
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
My summary:
Cece Ashby returns to her small hometown in Kentucky after calling off her engagement to Andrew, a hotshot lawyer that she’s dated for the last seven years. She started dating him in college but has now realized he’s a cheating scumbag. Moving back from Seattle is bittersweet for Cece since her beloved dad passed away only a few months ago. Although happy to be with her mom, brothers and niece, Cece is not prepared to see Nash Carter. Nash is a retired NHL star and grew up like an annoying brother to Cece and is still best friends with her brothers. The Ashbys took Nash in after he traumatically lost his parents as a teenager. Now, sparks fly when Cece takes a job under Nash at the ice rink he owns in town. And it takes all of Nash’s control to try to keep his hands off his best friend’s little sister.
My thoughts:
Holding the Reins is Paisley Hope’s debut novel and the first book of the Silver Pines series. It is a small town, spicy romance and a lot of my favorite tropes are here! Best friend’s little sister, return to hometown, retired NHL star, found family, secret relationship, and workplace romance.
It is originally self-published and was released in February 2024. And now it’s been picked up by a traditional publisher and is being re-released in August 2024. Paisley has a lot more in the pipeline already and her writing is really promising as a new author!
The characters are really lovable. Everyone, from the main characters to the side characters, are really fun and impossible to dislike. Nash Carter can be so swoony at times and Cece is adorable. There is witty banter, especially in the text messages. And Nash’s backstory is so heartbreaking and tragic, so you can’t help but hope for his happy ending.
I really enjoy the small town aspects of this story! The people, the gossip (literally everyone knew about the vibrator at the beginning), and the sense of community. I love the Sangria Sundays with all the women in town together at the bar and then collectively hungover on Mondays.
The bones of a good story are here but it needs more refinement. I’m really excited to watch the glow up that Paisley is sure to have under a big publisher. There were a lot of typos. The writing style feels fairly amateur and some of the phrases were really repetitive (we get it, your boss is a hard-ass). I also found most of the spice to be pretty cringey.
Overall, the foundation of a great series is here and the carpet is rolled out for Wade and Ivy’s story and Cole and Ginger’s story. I’m excited to see not only what happens at the Silver Pines Ranch, but also to see Paisley Hope’s career take off!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Grief, Car accident, Death of parent, and Alcohol
Minor: Infidelity
lilhappyhermit's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I absolutely loved following CeCe and Nash's story. Seeing the growth that CeCe makes after coming out of a toxic relationship and returning home, while simultaneously learning to trust again after being betrayed in her previous relationship was so beautiful. With Nash, learning his back story and how that has contributed to his fear of being close to anyone intimately, yet choosing to take hold of his fears and embrace his relationship and love with CeCe got me so emotional.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Cancer, Emotional abuse, and Infidelity
Minor: Toxic relationship and Vomit
redheadbookgirl's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
I am fully in my romance era right now + this was book PERFECTION 🙌🏽 The plot, the characterisation, the spice, the emotion.. PHENOMENAL. This book is everything. From page one I was completely hooked and I loved every second.
Both the main, and supporting, characters are beautifully curated and are authentic, relatable + fun. Smart, witty, sweet but sassy Cece was so much fun and fiercely independent, and Nash; well Nash is a grumpy, dirty talking part time cowboy, part time bar owner and part time hockey place. Are you convinced yet? The perfect amount of protective; plus he’s tall, dark, handsome AND he’s tattooed. He reminded me a lot of my partner 🫶🏽
There was plenty of banter and chemistry but also some exploration of grief + moments that pulled on my heartstrings. If you’re looking for an all-consuming, sweet and spicy romance with a small town ranch setting, brother’s best friend + the perfect mix of hockey player and cowboy, this is your book!
This was Hope’s DEBUT NOVEL and she smashed it — I absolutely cannot wait for book two!
Content Warnings
Minor: Toxic relationship, Car accident, and Death of parent
babblingsofabibliophile's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
5.0
CeCe Ashby just returned to her small hometown of Laurel Creek, KY, and her gorgeous home, Silver Pines Ranch, after a breakup with her dickhead ex-boyfriend. What CeCe isn't expecting when she gets home is seeing Nash Carter, ex-hockey star, part-time cowboy, and surrogate Ashby sibling. And she certainly isn't expecting him to be more attractive than ever! But, there's Nash at the bar during Sangria Sunday and CeCe is just as attracted to Nash as she's always been, but she also knows Nash well since he grew up with her--well, he grew up best friends with CeCe's older brother. 👀 So, CeCe knows all about Nash Carter's playboy ways, and she is not about that life, especially after things went down with her ex. What CeCe doesn't know--or refuses to believe--is that Nash is a changed man. He's no longer the playboy she remembers, and boy does he try to convince her of that! Though to be fair, he also tries hard to stay away from CeCe altogether to avoid his growing feelings for her. Nash wants CeCe to see him for the man he is now and not the playboy he used to be, but he also has to tread carefully because he just cannot be attracted to his best friend's little sister, right? 😏 Eventually, CeCe and Nash can't deny their feelings anymore--as expected by any of us romance fiends...and CeCe's best friends--and they decide that they'll have one passionate night together...but that's it. What could go wrong with just one night?
This was a debut novel?! Are you sure?? Because this was such an amazing book I almost went looking for a backlist to read from, but there is none! I adored absolutely everything about this book: small town, strong FMC, ex-hockey player/part-time cowboy MMC, hilarious banter...this book had it all. I loved that CeCe, our feisty FMC, was a badass and took no shit from anyone, not even the Nash Carter. After being hurt by her ex, CeCe knew what she wanted and what she deserved in a relationship and she wasn't going to let that change for anyone. Nash was the sexiest ex-hockey player/part-time cowboy there ever was. He made this book the perfect combination of hockey romance and cowboy romance because he was the best of both worlds. He also had a deliciously filthy mouth that we all know I was here for. 🥵 Seriously, when Nash was dirty talking I was...well, let's not talk about it...but it was off the charts sexy, just like Nash himself. Both CeCe and Nash showed a lot of growth throughout this book, and I am always here for character growth! CeCe learned that she can't let a man walk all over her and that she deserves better, so she needs to ask for and take what she deserves in a relationship. And Nash learned that loving people is worth it, even if it could lead to pain and heartbreak. CeCe and Nash both helped each other grow and learn the things about themselves that they needed to learn to be better people and be better together, and I love to see that in a book. I absolutely adored this story, and I can't wait to go back to Silver Pines Ranch to see what our oldest Ashby brother, Wade, gets up to in his story!
Quotes I Loved:
"Goddamn, cowboy Nash is fucking hot." -CeCe (1000% agree, girl!)
"My depraved pussy doesn't stand a chance. She's a whore for a backward baseball hat--especially on this devastating looking hockey star turned part-time cowboy." -CeCe (absolutely fucking SAME, girl!!)
"It registers with me that I not only want Nash Carter, I'd sell my soul for him right now." -CeCe
"I have no idea how I'm the lucky bastard that gets to give CeCe these first experiences, but I know I'm going to fucking ruin every other man's chance of comparing to me." -Nash
"...what's slowly becoming apparent to me is what CeCe Ashby wants from me, she gets." -Nash
"I drop to the chair across from her to absorb the way she looks with my name and number on her back. Damn, she looks like mine." -Nash
"I lift my gaze to see devastating part-time cowboy Nash. Wranglers, white t-shirt, cowboy hat on his knee, dusty and dirty from his morning with Wade in the barns, sitting at my kitchen table with a coffee in one hand and my heart in the other." -CeCe
"She's the sun, I just live within her orbit." -Nash
"Come, little queen, soak my face. Baptize me...and then, I'll fuck you like the king that owns this pussy." -Nash (holy hotness, Batman...🥵🥵)
"You're the queen I crawl to. I'll kneel at your feet for the rest of my fucking life. Now, sit on your throne." -Nash
"...I love that beautiful, spark of a woman who lights me up like a firefly in the night more than anyone or anything." -Nash
This was a debut novel?! Are you sure?? Because this was such an amazing book I almost went looking for a backlist to read from, but there is none! I adored absolutely everything about this book: small town, strong FMC, ex-hockey player/part-time cowboy MMC, hilarious banter...this book had it all. I loved that CeCe, our feisty FMC, was a badass and took no shit from anyone, not even the Nash Carter. After being hurt by her ex, CeCe knew what she wanted and what she deserved in a relationship and she wasn't going to let that change for anyone. Nash was the sexiest ex-hockey player/part-time cowboy there ever was. He made this book the perfect combination of hockey romance and cowboy romance because he was the best of both worlds. He also had a deliciously filthy mouth that we all know I was here for. 🥵 Seriously, when Nash was dirty talking I was...well, let's not talk about it...but it was off the charts sexy, just like Nash himself. Both CeCe and Nash showed a lot of growth throughout this book, and I am always here for character growth! CeCe learned that she can't let a man walk all over her and that she deserves better, so she needs to ask for and take what she deserves in a relationship. And Nash learned that loving people is worth it, even if it could lead to pain and heartbreak. CeCe and Nash both helped each other grow and learn the things about themselves that they needed to learn to be better people and be better together, and I love to see that in a book. I absolutely adored this story, and I can't wait to go back to Silver Pines Ranch to see what our oldest Ashby brother, Wade, gets up to in his story!
Quotes I Loved:
"Goddamn, cowboy Nash is fucking hot." -CeCe (1000% agree, girl!)
"My depraved pussy doesn't stand a chance. She's a whore for a backward baseball hat--especially on this devastating looking hockey star turned part-time cowboy." -CeCe (absolutely fucking SAME, girl!!)
"It registers with me that I not only want Nash Carter, I'd sell my soul for him right now." -CeCe
"I have no idea how I'm the lucky bastard that gets to give CeCe these first experiences, but I know I'm going to fucking ruin every other man's chance of comparing to me." -Nash
"...what's slowly becoming apparent to me is what CeCe Ashby wants from me, she gets." -Nash
"I drop to the chair across from her to absorb the way she looks with my name and number on her back. Damn, she looks like mine." -Nash
"I lift my gaze to see devastating part-time cowboy Nash. Wranglers, white t-shirt, cowboy hat on his knee, dusty and dirty from his morning with Wade in the barns, sitting at my kitchen table with a coffee in one hand and my heart in the other." -CeCe
"She's the sun, I just live within her orbit." -Nash
"Come, little queen, soak my face. Baptize me...and then, I'll fuck you like the king that owns this pussy." -Nash (holy hotness, Batman...🥵🥵)
Content Warnings
Graphic: Car accident and Death of parent