A review by andreasromancebooks
Training the Heart by Paisley Hope

4.0

3.75 ⭐️ Actually better than book #1!

To be completely honest, that sentence is not much of a feat. Book 1 had things that I definitely liked, but it had too many instances of the MMC putting the FMC down, and at times felt judgy and sexist. Like those kinds of small-town microaggressions that are supposed to seem normal and you're just supposed to turn a blind eye to them, take them and move on. The kind that the second I turn 18 I realized I was a whole a** adult that didn't have to take sh*t from anybody (including but not limited to small-town family and friends who can't conceive that there's life outside their very narrow-minded beliefs). So, yeah, maybe book 1 was slightly triggering for me.

This book, however, took a -small but definite- turn for the better, in my opinion. Wade (MMC) seems like a much more level-headed man than our MMC in book 1, even if he's all gone for his girl, too. And Ivy! The absolute best FMC in the series (so far!) I loved her so much! The whole boss/ employee thing doesn't typically work for me, but here it was kind of cute.

Also, there's a very specific trope here that I always go RAVENOUS for, it's like a 'Who did this to you? (Dark Version) and omg it's done so, so well here. Ivy has a very disgusting, manipulative and abusive ex, and let's just say he kind of gets a knuckle sandwich for lunch at some point in the book -and let me tell you, he one thousand per cent deserved it!

If you liked book 1, I think you'll like this one even more!! I can't wait to see where this series goes next, because if this is a step up from book 1 (and it is!), book 3 has some big shoes to fill!