Paisley Hope’s Silver Pines Ranch series has been a breath of fresh, pine-scented air in the contemporary Western romance scene. What began with Holding the Reins—a tender but rugged introduction to small-town charm and cowboy masculinity—blossomed in Training the Heart, and now Riding the High, the third book, delivers the series’ most emotional and romantic story yet. With Book 4, Freeing the Wild, on the horizon, this installment has the formidable task of balancing established character arcs with new emotional stakes. And it succeeds—boldly, unapologetically, and with just enough sass to keep us swooning.
The Vegas Mistake That Becomes Everything
Riding the High opens with a trope readers of romance know well—friends-to-lovers via a drunken Vegas wedding—but what sets this story apart is how Paisley Hope handles the aftermath. Ginger Danforth, a Kentucky congressman’s daughter and a high school teacher, is both poised and quietly rebellious. Cole Ashby, Laurel Creek’s newly appointed sheriff and a single father, is everything a romantic hero should be: brooding, grounded, fiercely loyal, and dangerously handsome.
The spark between them ignites during a truth-or-dare game in Vegas and leads to a hazy, steamy night—and a marriage license. This isn’t just a one-time joke, either. There’s no annulment available due to consummation, and the pair are forced into a marriage of convenience. The real hook? They agree to stay married for ninety days to avoid political scandal and protect Cole’s new sheriff position.
What follows isn’t just about navigating that agreement—it’s about discovering what happens when boundaries blur, families collide, and unexpected domesticity creeps in.
Emotional Anchors: Character Development Done Right
What makes Riding the High such a standout is its emotional complexity. This isn’t just about whether Cole and Ginger will fall in love—they already have, in their own quiet, tangled-up way. The question becomes: can they admit it? Can they build something real from something so impulsive?
Cole is perhaps the most layered male lead Paisley Hope has written. A devoted father to Mabel, his eight-year-old daughter, Cole juggles the pressure of his new position as sheriff with the insecurities left behind by his ex-wife. The story gives us rich flashbacks and character introspection, helping us understand Cole’s reluctance to love again—and his gradual unraveling around Ginger.
Ginger is equally compelling. Her desire to live authentically, to shed the pressures of her father’s political career, and to simply be seen makes her an accessible and warm character. Her relationship with Mabel is heart-melting in the best way, providing both comic relief and a sense of grounding in her temporary domestic role.
Their chemistry? Electric. The sexual tension in this book is palpable without ever becoming overbearing, and the open-door scenes are handled with a balance of intensity and emotional intimacy. Think slow-burn meets accidental fireworks.
A Series Built on Home, Horses, and Heat
The Silver Pines Ranch series isn’t just a collection of loosely connected love stories—it’s a carefully constructed world. Each book has added new emotional weight, new corners of the town to explore, and deeper glimpses into the Ashby family dynamics.
- Holding the Reins (Book 1) introduced us to the Ashby ranch and set the tone with Wade’s story.
- Training the Heart (Book 2) dove into Ivy and Wade’s continued journey.
- Riding the High (Book 3) shifts focus to Cole and Ginger while still integrating previous characters, particularly Nash and CeCe, with seamless warmth.
Hope’s strength lies in her ability to write ensemble scenes that don’t feel bloated. The family barbecue, the group trip to Vegas, even the everyday poolside scenes feel lived-in, like we’re part of this extended, slightly chaotic but fiercely loyal family.
Tropes, But Make Them Earned
The narrative employs several beloved romance tropes, but each one is given fresh breath:
- Friends-to-lovers – Ginger and Cole have known each other for years, and their back-and-forth is rich with history and repressed feelings.
- Single dad romance – Mabel isn’t a plot device; she’s a full character, and her bond with Ginger is one of the story’s emotional cores.
- Fake marriage – The “stay married for ninety days” premise gives the book its structural backbone, but what stands out is how genuine their relationship feels by day ten.
- Forced proximity – Once Ginger moves in to help with Mabel, the lines between public pretense and private truth start to blur deliciously.
- Small-town scrutiny – The tension between privacy and public image, especially with Ginger’s father being a congressman, adds stakes without ever overshadowing the romance.
High Points of the Novel
- Emotional maturity: Despite the flirty, spicy banter, this book shows emotional growth. Cole’s journey is one of vulnerability; Ginger’s is one of self-liberation.
- Domesticity done right: Watching Ginger press flowers with Mabel or navigate Cole’s “hair wash nights” adds layers of charm and humor.
- Series integration: The book never isolates itself. Paisley Hope lets past characters shine without stealing the spotlight.
- Pacing: From the accidental wedding to the slow unraveling of real feelings, the timeline feels believable.
Room for Critique
While Riding the High delivers on nearly every front, there are moments where the plot does lean into familiar romance beats without subversion. A few of the mid-novel conflicts—particularly Ginger’s struggle with her father’s expectations—feel slightly underdeveloped. There’s also a subplot about the deputy sheriff (and ex-wife’s boyfriend) trying to sabotage Cole that’s more of a background thread than a true threat. These elements could’ve provided sharper tension if given more page time.
That said, these are minor issues in an otherwise delightful book.
Genre Style and Language
Paisley Hope writes in a tone that’s flirtatious, emotionally resonant, and vividly descriptive. She knows how to balance steamy heat with tender reflection, and her dialogue sparkles—especially between Cole and Ginger. Whether it’s Ginger’s internal monologue or Cole’s simmering one-liners, their voices are distinct and authentic.
This book lives in that sweet spot between heartfelt Western and modern romantic comedy. Hope captures the soul of small-town Kentucky while keeping the pacing and pop-culture references light and contemporary (Brooklyn 99 and chocolate martinis, anyone?).
Final Thoughts: A New Favorite in Contemporary Western Romance
Riding the High is a stellar addition to the Silver Pines Ranch series and a near-perfect blend of slow-burn romance, steamy moments, family warmth, and character growth. It captures the joy of new love and the fear of falling too fast. And it reminds readers that sometimes, the best things in life come from the wildest mistakes.
If you’ve ever wanted a single dad romance where the marriage of convenience feels like a soft place to land rather than a ticking clock of doom, this is the book for you.
