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4.33 AVERAGE
4.33 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Freeing The Wild follows rising country singer and Ivy's sister, Cassie Spencer and Haden Westbrook, the head rancher at Silver Pines. After one steamy night together, they never thought that they would see each other again but when Cassie goes through a traumatic experience that has her taking a break on her tour, she founds herself back at Silver Pines. She is determined to keep her distance from Haden but as she's staying in the cabin next door, she's finding it harder than she thought it to be.
As much I wanted to love this book, I felt like something was lacking for me and I think the main cause of that was the couple itself. I'm not a big fan of insta love and this had insta love written all over it, or rather in this case insta lust. The relationship between Cassie and Haden was built on lust, you take that away and what do you have? nothing. They just lacked chemistry for me, which is a shame because I was rooting for these two at the start of the book. I wanted more tension between these two.
However, Paisley Hope does a brilliant job in exploring heavy themes surrounding Cassie's mental health and I did like that Haden was always there supporting Cassie. Additionally, I love the family dynamic within in this book, seeing all the couples together is always a bonus. Freeing the Wild is still an enjoyable read and I would recommend but if it wasn't for the insta love then this book would've been rated higher.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review.
As much I wanted to love this book, I felt like something was lacking for me and I think the main cause of that was the couple itself. I'm not a big fan of insta love and this had insta love written all over it, or rather in this case insta lust. The relationship between Cassie and Haden was built on lust, you take that away and what do you have? nothing. They just lacked chemistry for me, which is a shame because I was rooting for these two at the start of the book. I wanted more tension between these two.
However, Paisley Hope does a brilliant job in exploring heavy themes surrounding Cassie's mental health and I did like that Haden was always there supporting Cassie. Additionally, I love the family dynamic within in this book, seeing all the couples together is always a bonus. Freeing the Wild is still an enjoyable read and I would recommend but if it wasn't for the insta love then this book would've been rated higher.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for a review.
medium-paced
Cassie and Hadens relationship could have very easily fallen into the category of instalove. Which I strongly dislike. So even though they fell for each other fairly quickly the gaps in their relationship adds to the depth. I also liked how Cassie’s struggle with her mental health was portrayed. It wasn’t dramatized or flippant. The snippets of Asher and Olivia were spot on. I can’t wait to find out what’s going to happen between them
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this arc
Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for a copy of this arc
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
ARC REVIEW
This series just keeps getting better and better!
This series just keeps getting better and better!
Freeing The Wild is book 4 in the series and follows Cassie Spencer, a country music singer who happens to be the younger sister of Ivy (from book 2) and Haden Westbrook, the head rancher at Silver Pines. This book can be read as a standalone. Neither character features much in the series prior to this point and they also had not met before.
Cassie goes through a pretty traumatic experience early in the book which leads her back to Silver Pines Ranch and the comfort of her family. I really enjoyed reading through her internal monologue and how she processed what it happened. It felt very real and I thought Paisley did a really good job of showing the various aspects of Cassie’s life that were affected.
Haden is a character I have been intrigued by since we first met him. I really loved getting to know him and his backstory. It wasn’t something I expected for him, but it fit all the same. He was super dedicated to his role and a very hard-working and loyal person - something we see over and over again.
I absolutely loved Cassie and Haden together. The chemistry between these two is instant. There is a bit of a dislike to like for the first chunk of this book and I think it worked really well. There was plenty of mutual trust, affection and attraction. Some of it was instant and some of it was built up over time. I really enjoyed how at their core Cassie and Haden were very similar people who wanted to live their own dreams and not the ones pushed on them by other people. The highlight of this book for me was watching Cassie, and Haden to a lesser extent, stand up for themselves and fight for what they truly wanted.
Thank you so much to Paisley Hope, Penguin and NetGalley for this ARC!
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
There's nothing I love more than a cowboy romance!!
They're my guilty pleasure and I absolutely loved this one. I want to live on Silver Pines ranch and ride a cowboy, I mean a horse...
Rising country star Cassie gets struck with a tragedy while performing. To give herself time to heal she decides to spend a month in Kentucky, where her mom and sister are. Haden is happy working on the ranch and tending to the horses, but then he gets swept up in a tornado named Cassie. They spend one night together and now, months later, are stuck living in cabins that are next to each other. The chemistry they felt isn't gone, but will they let it burn again, even knowing it'll only be temporary...
I really enjoyed myself.. I love how Cassie mental struggles were portrayed and the way the music Industry can pressure you. Both her and Haden had to fight with the expectations of others and in a way they really understood each other.
I honestly disliked Cassie at first, but I absolutely loved her by the end. She was such a compelling character, I loved seeing her journey of healing.
Haden was an amazing character, I fell in love with him so fast. The way he is with the horses and how he was there for Cassie was incredible.. He became her safe space and honestly the scene where he held her while she broke down was the reason I gave this a five star rating. The fact she felt safe with him to finally let go... those scenes will forever be my kryptonite.
And then the fact she wrote songs about him, it was absolutely adorable.
This was very much insta-lust, but I loved how it took them a little time to actually talk and fall back into each other again. It gave me the tension I desperately needed.
I loved the setting, it was so beautiful. I want to sit on that porch and enjoy that view and spend time with the horses ahhh. I also adored the rest of the characters, I love a found family aspect. I need to read the rest of series as soon as possible!!
P. S. While I really liked the spicy scenes and there were quite a few of them, can we please retire the term milking from them. It makes me cringe so hard whenever I read it..
*Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing me with an ARC.*
They're my guilty pleasure and I absolutely loved this one. I want to live on Silver Pines ranch and ride a cowboy, I mean a horse...
Rising country star Cassie gets struck with a tragedy while performing. To give herself time to heal she decides to spend a month in Kentucky, where her mom and sister are. Haden is happy working on the ranch and tending to the horses, but then he gets swept up in a tornado named Cassie. They spend one night together and now, months later, are stuck living in cabins that are next to each other. The chemistry they felt isn't gone, but will they let it burn again, even knowing it'll only be temporary...
I really enjoyed myself.. I love how Cassie mental struggles were portrayed and the way the music Industry can pressure you. Both her and Haden had to fight with the expectations of others and in a way they really understood each other.
I honestly disliked Cassie at first, but I absolutely loved her by the end. She was such a compelling character, I loved seeing her journey of healing.
Haden was an amazing character, I fell in love with him so fast. The way he is with the horses and how he was there for Cassie was incredible.. He became her safe space and honestly the scene where he held her while she broke down was the reason I gave this a five star rating. The fact she felt safe with him to finally let go... those scenes will forever be my kryptonite.
And then the fact she wrote songs about him, it was absolutely adorable.
This was very much insta-lust, but I loved how it took them a little time to actually talk and fall back into each other again. It gave me the tension I desperately needed.
I loved the setting, it was so beautiful. I want to sit on that porch and enjoy that view and spend time with the horses ahhh. I also adored the rest of the characters, I love a found family aspect. I need to read the rest of series as soon as possible!!
P. S. While I really liked the spicy scenes and there were quite a few of them, can we please retire the term milking from them. It makes me cringe so hard whenever I read it..
*Thank you to Netgalley and to Random House UK, Cornerstone for providing me with an ARC.*
dark
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
sad
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:
Yes
Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Paisley Hope has once again completely stolen my heart with Freeing the Wild. This series continues to be an absolute favourite of mine, and with each new release, Paisley cements her place as an auto-buy author on my shelf. I honestly adore this world she’s created, and Freeing the Wild is a shining example of her ability to blend heart-warming romance with deeply emotional, real-life issues.
Cassie and Holden's story was everything I hoped it would be. Watching them slowly learn to trust one another, despite the very different but equally painful trauma they’ve each endured, was so moving. Their relationship felt incredibly authentic, layered with patience, vulnerability, and quiet strength. Paisley does a brilliant job exploring heavy themes like PTSD and anxiety with sensitivity and depth, never glossing over the reality of healing but also showing the beauty in connection and support.
One of the standout aspects of this series for me has always been the Ashby/Silver Pines family. They’re warm, fiercely loyal, and full of heart, it’s impossible not to wish I could be part of their world. Their presence in the story adds a sense of belonging and comfort that I absolutely adore. Not to mention the banter they all have with each other!
That said, I did struggle with one part of the narrative: how quickly Holden forgave his father. After years of trauma and neglect, it felt far too neat and tidy for everything to be resolved in just one conversation. I would have appreciated a bit more emotional unpacking there to make it feel more realistic and earned. The only other downside is that Holden is Blonde (LOL).
Even so, this book only deepened my love for the series, and I cannot wait to dive into the next instalment, especially as it features the couple I’ve been most excited to read about!
Paisley Hope never disappoints, and I know I’m in for another unforgettable journey.
Paisley Hope has once again completely stolen my heart with Freeing the Wild. This series continues to be an absolute favourite of mine, and with each new release, Paisley cements her place as an auto-buy author on my shelf. I honestly adore this world she’s created, and Freeing the Wild is a shining example of her ability to blend heart-warming romance with deeply emotional, real-life issues.
Cassie and Holden's story was everything I hoped it would be. Watching them slowly learn to trust one another, despite the very different but equally painful trauma they’ve each endured, was so moving. Their relationship felt incredibly authentic, layered with patience, vulnerability, and quiet strength. Paisley does a brilliant job exploring heavy themes like PTSD and anxiety with sensitivity and depth, never glossing over the reality of healing but also showing the beauty in connection and support.
One of the standout aspects of this series for me has always been the Ashby/Silver Pines family. They’re warm, fiercely loyal, and full of heart, it’s impossible not to wish I could be part of their world. Their presence in the story adds a sense of belonging and comfort that I absolutely adore. Not to mention the banter they all have with each other!
That said, I did struggle with one part of the narrative: how quickly Holden forgave his father. After years of trauma and neglect, it felt far too neat and tidy for everything to be resolved in just one conversation. I would have appreciated a bit more emotional unpacking there to make it feel more realistic and earned. The only other downside is that Holden is Blonde (LOL).
Even so, this book only deepened my love for the series, and I cannot wait to dive into the next instalment, especially as it features the couple I’ve been most excited to read about!
Paisley Hope never disappoints, and I know I’m in for another unforgettable journey.
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
thankyou to NetGalley and the author for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review. ♡
hollllllllllllly hells. the sweetness and the spice were so well mixed. every time i had to put the book down, i was frustrated, i just wanted more. i think i fell in love, too. paisley hope is easily one of my favourite writers these days.
if you like elsie silver, lyla sage, bailey hannah etc - this one is defo up your alley.
hollllllllllllly hells. the sweetness and the spice were so well mixed. every time i had to put the book down, i was frustrated, i just wanted more. i think i fell in love, too. paisley hope is easily one of my favourite writers these days.
if you like elsie silver, lyla sage, bailey hannah etc - this one is defo up your alley.
lighthearted
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
emotional
funny
hopeful
sad
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
3.5🌶
"Tell me something real"
Paisley Hope has fast become one of my favourite authors ... I was so excited for this book!!!
I was very lucky to be able to read this book before the release date.
I absolutely loved it! Haden and Cassie's story is so cute! This book had me laughing, swooning, and crying like a baby!
"Tell me something real"
Paisley Hope has fast become one of my favourite authors ... I was so excited for this book!!!
I was very lucky to be able to read this book before the release date.
I absolutely loved it! Haden and Cassie's story is so cute! This book had me laughing, swooning, and crying like a baby!
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced