Title: Holding the Reins
Author: Paisley Hope
Publisher: Dell
Pages: 416
Genre: Romance
My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️🖤
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Holding the Reins
Cece has just left her toxic relationship behind and returned to the small town where she grew up. She left Andrew after finding out he was cheating on her. Now she has to start over and find a new job.
Nash used to be a famous ice hockey player, but he is now retired. He helps out on the ranch, works at the bar, and also owns the ice rink. He barely sleeps because he has nightmares every single night. Something terrible happened when he was a kid, and even 15–20 years later, he is still dealing with it.
Nash is also a playboy and doesn’t want to be in a relationship, but all of that changes when Cece returns to Laurel Creek.
Review
Holding the Reins is officially the first book I read in 2026. At this point, I can safely say that I’m starting the new year with a cowboy romance. Last year it was an Elsie Silver or Lyla Sage book, so I think I may have started a new tradition.
This is the first time I’ve read a book by Paisley Hope, but one of the other women in my book club recommended a book by her. It was a different title, but I did some research and found this book, which was still sitting on my TBR. I wasn’t sure if I should start a new series because I’m already reading so many, and it’s driving me a little insane. It sometimes feels like I’ll never finish my TBR. Still, I’m going to do my best to finish a few of the series I’ve already started.
Holding the Reins was a mix of sports romance and cowboy romance. Nash is a retired ice hockey player, and the story takes place in a small town, where Cece and her family live on a ranch. I love both sports romances and cowboy romances, so this book was the perfect combination for me. I also love a good small-town romance.
The main characters are very likable. Cece just ran away from her toxic fiancé, and he is still trying to win her back, even though he cheated on her. He clearly cares more about his reputation than about her. He is definitely the asshole of the story. I actually celebrated when Nash hit him, that was a great moment.
Nash is one of those romance-book guys who is afraid to be in a relationship because he’s scared of losing her. I’ve read about characters like that many times, but honestly, it never gets boring. He’s a genuinely good guy, and Cece deserves someone like him—someone who treats her right, unlike her ex.
The chemistry between the two was fun and very obvious. Cece’s friends basically knew it from the start, and I liked that Cece wasn’t denying her attraction to Nash. She was honest about her feelings, which I really appreciated. This book has 416 pages, which is quite a lot. In my opinion, a romance novel usually doesn’t need more than 300–350 pages. But with this book, I didn’t mind at all. It never got boring, and I liked that the chapters were short.
As you can tell, I really enjoyed reading this book. However, there is one reason why I gave it 4 out of 5 stars on Goodreads. I only give a book five stars when it truly touches me, when it makes me laugh out loud or cry. A five-star rating is reserved for books that really make me feel something. Even though I really enjoyed this book, it wasn’t one of those emotional reads for me. Still, a 4 out of 5 is a very good rating.
And of course, I’m excited to read the other books in the series. Cece has two older brothers, and we’ve already gotten a few glimpses of their lives. I already have a feeling who they might end up with, but I’m so ready to read their stories as well.