I was so intrigued by the premise of this book, and it started off strong, but the plot quickly got messy.

I will say that all of the characters are likeable, and I really loved the found-family dynamic Troyden had created with all of his step-children. But the insta-love between Eden and Jed felt off to me! One minute he's highly suspicious of her, the next they're hooking up with family nearby.

It was hard to me to follow the flow of the narration. The long chapters made it hard to push through, which caused the pacing of the story to suffer. Honestly, I think this would be better as a television series than a book!

A fun romp through British high society. A fish out of water tale with a secret looming in the background and sports! A polo player is new for me but definitely a lot of fun.

This is a cosy sports romance, involving gorgeous polo players, wealth, found family, acceptance, secrets, and belonging.

Eden, the female protagonist, after spending much of her life seeking acceptance, manages to trace her paternal uncle, Troyden, who happens to also be fabulously wealthy, as in billionaire wealthy.

Troyden, having been married and divorced five times, has a blended family of step-children. One of them is the male protagonist, a very sexy and successful polo player, Jed.

The two protagonists are immediately attracted to one another, but will do their best to fight the appeal.

Meanwhile, amid the splendour and luxury that goes hand-in-hand with the world of polo, there are secrets fighting to remain hidden. Secrets that could tear apart the happiness and family alike.

I really enjoyed Joss Woods' Riding High, and this was my first sports romance. The plot, characters, setting and dialogue flowed seamlessly, with no one element dominating the others. The characters were believable, witty, intelligent, and easy to relate to. There was a strong focus on family and belonging, and understanding and accepting the role you hold within it.

While the writing flowed for the most part, I did feel the use of compound structures within sentences, was excessive and could be distracting at times.
I also would have preferred the change in POV to have been marked by a new chapter, headed with whose POV it was being told from.

All in all, this was a lovely, cosy read, with a HEA. I would love to see romance for Mick, Troyden and Henry.

Either way, I'll be seeking out more of Joss Woods books.

sigh, unfortunately, this was a DNF for me. The formatting was really difficult to look past, and there was too much about the story I did not enjoy.

Yeah, no, I actually can’t with this. And by that, I mean this was a STRUGGLE. A HEADACHE-INDUCING STRUGGLE.
2

Eden Ennis discovers she is the niece of a billionaire Troyden Castle and in an effort to connect with her only known family member, she is thrown into his elite lifestyle full of family drama and polo. While staying at Troyden’s estate, she is infatuated with Troyden’s stepson and well-known Polo athlete, Jed. Eden’s goal is to form a connection with Troyden but her own secrets and her feelings toward Jed further complicate her situation.

At first, the plot really piqued my interest and things quickly got messy. I was not a fan of the familial relations between Eden and Jed and the tension between the two characters had potential but quickly dissipated out of nowhere. The Castle family has a very unique dynamic which was funny and entertaining but ultimately, I could not connect with the writing style and had difficulty enjoying this story.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harpercollions UK for letting me read this as an arc. I’m going to be honest I don’t know how this is getting published by a top 5 publishing company. It’s not even formatted correctly. Which is very annoying and takes way to long to get used too. As well everything is so random like one minute he opening a door for her and then they are making out on said door as his family is behind the door and neither are drunk. The characters are very unreliable and are also stupid. For example the FMC has an allergy to horses but she continues to be around the stables and people that ride horses all day. She “falls in love” with a polo player. I don’t for one second believe that once this book ends they won’t divorce or breakup again. Also the FMC dosent follow police orders like she is told to do meaning she should be in jail. Also this book has very little to do with polo. No explanations on anything polo related the author just assumes you know. Don’t get me started on the love bombing happening between these two. You’ve known each other for 2 months have been hooking up for maybe 1 month and you make your relationship official by saying I love you. It’s very unrealistic. The parts that are good are very clearly meant to be put in social media as marketing strategy and no effort was put into anything but those parts. Overall this wasn’t good and I wish I could get my time back from reading this.

Riding High by Joss Wood is a captivating story of love, secrets and family drama set amidst the picturesque English countryside. Eden Ennis arrives at the grand Elmsleigh House estate with a bold claim – she is the niece of the reclusive billionaire Troyden Castle. Yet, navigating the elite world of high society proves a challenge for Eden, who is very much out of her element.

At the heart of the tale is Jed Harris, the estate’s charismatic polo star and Troyden’s stepson, who unexpectedly captures Eden’s attention despite her horse allergy. Their interactions spark a tension that is both tender and thrilling, as Eden struggles to prove her identity while managing her complicated feelings for Jed.

This book blends romance and intrigue effortlessly, offering readers a stirring look at what it means to fight for family, love and belonging.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

I am obsessed this was so fun! The fmc was so funny and I love her. This book was so great! I highly recommend!!

Jed was the kind of person who made it easy to fall for him—gentle, dependable, and quietly tender. I truly loved him. He might’ve played it off like it was all “just for fun,” but the way he acted around Eden told a different story right from the start. When things got serious—especially with the Bancrofts trying to create doubt—Jed never once lost faith in her. The way he consistently had her back, kept a protective eye on her, and eventually poured his heart out in that love confession? Completely unforgettable. His heartfelt apologies, his commitment to putting Eden and their relationship above everything else, and the fierce loyalty he showed were so deeply satisfying. And that moment when he stood his ground with his family and said, without hesitation, “she’s moving in”? That was everything.

✨ DNF Review: Riding High by Joss Wood ✨
(Stopped at ~60%)

This one is a bit tricky for me, because I loved the premise. The setup had so much potential and totally pulled me in—I could really see where the story was trying to go, and I wanted to be along for the ride. But ultimately, the writing style just didn’t click for me.

I found myself getting lost in the flow of the narration—not in the dreamy, swept-away kind of way, but more like I couldn’t always tell whose thoughts I was reading, or where scenes shifted. It made it hard to stay grounded in the story. That said, if you’re someone who vibes more with looser prose or you’re here for a compelling setup, this might work better for you than it did for me. I might even circle back to finish it someday, because I really do want to see how the plot wraps up!

Just wasn’t quite the right fit for me right now. 💛

4.5 ⭐️

Riding High was such a sweet, feel-good read, and I honestly didn’t expect to love it as much as I did! It was my first Joss Wood book and now I totally get why people keep recommending her.

I really enjoyed the English countryside setting and the whole polo/estate vibe. It felt different in the best way. I love when the MMC does a unique sport, and Jed being a polo player just added something fresh and fun to the story.

Jed completely stole my heart. He had this gruff, confident energy, but underneath it all he was such a softie. The way he supported Eden, even when he didn’t have the full picture, was so genuine. He never made her feel small or crazy for what she was trying to do, and his love confession at the end? So emotional and perfect. I loved how open and honest he was when it really counted. He just kept showing up for her.

Eden was also super relatable. You could really feel how nervous and out of her depth she was, but she didn’t give up. Watching her try to navigate this complicated situation while also slowly falling for Jed made the story fly by.

Also, the theme of found family really hit home. I loved how it wasn’t just about the romance. It was about choosing the people who choose you.

Definitely a 4.5 star read for me. Sweet, warm, and just enough spice to keep things interesting.

This was my first Joss Wood book, and I’m already hooked! Riding High was an absolutely fantastic read. I’m a sucker for a romance with a unique sports angle, and the polo + English countryside estate vibe delivered a fresh and charming backdrop that felt luxe without being over the top.

Now let’s talk about Jed. Sweet, solid, squishy Jed. I loved him. He might have claimed this was all “just for fun”, but from the moment he met Eden, his actions said otherwise. He never once doubted her when it really counted, even when the Bancrofts tried to cast suspicion. His constant support, the way he kept an eye on her, and that love confession? Pure gold. Jed’s multiple apologies, his promise to put Eden and their relationship first, and his protective nature were all so deeply satisfying. His declaration to his family, and his “she’s moving in” moment, were perfect.

I also appreciated the emotional layering. Sure, this had humor, heat, and some fun twists (a ghost? a scam?), but at its core, this story is about finding your place, your person, and choosing love, even when it's messy or unexpected.

If I had one wish, it would be for just a bit more focus on the polo aspect. But honestly, Eden and Jed had me in their grip, so I can’t complain much. Their chemistry was believable, the tension was addictive, and their happily ever after felt truly earned.

✨ Verdict: This might technically be a 4 star read, but my heart is bumping it to a 4.5. I loved these two. Jed + Eden = perfection. 💕

Thank you to NetGalley, Joss Wood, and One More Chapter for the eARC of this book.

oh i loooved this! never read a joss wood book before but this was fantastic. i love when the MMC plays a unique sport. the polo/english castle vibe of this book was fantastic.

i deeply loved our MMC jed. he was a sweetie pie who never really held back with eden, despite saying it was just for fun or whatever. he never pulled back and even when he wanted to give the bancrofts the benefit of the doubt for a moment, he never believed that eden was lying. he was truly such an angel of a man who always kept an eye out for eden. his love confession at the end was everything. his repeated apologies and promises to put her and their relationship first and to protect their love because it was hard fought. his declaration to his family that they were serious and loved each other and that he was going to make her move in with him. he seemed gruff but he was truly soft and squishy this whole book.

i think this is a 4 star but honestly might bump it to a 4.5! i loved them :')

The plot of this book was entertaining but the insta love between Jed & Eden was what threw me off. This was also the first time I read a book that had the whole "polo" theme and I was expecting the backdrop of the sport to be strong but unfortunately that was not the case. Still, this book was fun, light-hearted and a quick read. I liked all the characters since the very beginning. The found family aspect of the plot was also well done, so overall this was an okay read for me.

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange of an honest review

Riding High was a fun and quick read with a good dose of spice, and all around a good time! Although I do wish there had been more focus on the polo aspect, but still enjoyed.

My first ever Polo book and I kinda wished it would have focused a bit more on the sport. I didn't quite believe his instant lust for her (also Eden Ennis? That's a wild choice for a name). Also (SPOILER) why was there a ghost and a big money scam??
I would love to read a book about Troyden's life though!

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Set in the English countryside among the wealthy, this book chronicles Eden's path as she tries to tell billionaire Troyden Castle that they are related. Although out of her element, in the process, she sets sights on Jed who is a top notch polo player and Ted's stepson. Now, Eden has two goals: reveal to Troyden who she is, and finalize her match with Jef.

This was a fun, lighthearted read that would be good for a pick me up. The setting of polo was fun and different, and I liked the lesson in the book that family comes in all shapes and sizes.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK/One More Chapter for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Fun, flirty, and refreshing.

Riding High was the perfect romcom romance with a dash of one of my favourite sports. I was turning the pages like nobodies business and ultimately found myself whizzing through this. It was light-hearted and it really surprised me as to how much I enjoyed it.

The pacing was just right, the characters were very likeable from the start - the found family trope is done so well in Riding High and the romance was was simply gorgeous. Joss Wood is a new to me author and I will definitely be looking into her other book One Bed!

A fun, feel-good romance with all the heart and heat you could want.

Riding High was such a satisfying read! Joss Wood knows how to deliver charm, chemistry, and characters you can’t help but root for. The romance is flirty and fiery, but also layered with real emotion—which made the connection between the main characters feel so genuine.

I loved the setting, the family dynamics, and the way both leads had their own journeys alongside the romance. It had just the right balance of swoon, sass, and heart. And let’s be honest: a confident hero with a soft side? Always a win.

If you're looking for a fast-paced, feel-good escape with plenty of spark and sass, this one’s a perfect pick. Definitely left me smiling.

Sweet, sexy, and just what I needed.

*thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*