Paisley Hope never fails to write books that suck you in, chew you up and spit you out, leaving you desperate for more.

And this book, it was absolute perfection.

Rowan is something special, the way he loved Violette was something beautiful - it's soul destroying that they were kept apart for so many years, but it was necessary to allow them to become a couple who would last and go the distance together.

now this is my kind of book!
Paisley Hope you can do no wrong maam!
The yearning and begging from rowan was perfect and i knew from the first page i was gonna love this book!
Rowan and Vi are everything and i cant get enough of them. also was not expecting to have my heart ripped out at the beginning???
I love swoony men in books and Rowan is the perfect one for that. The history, the tension, the chemistry was absolutely everything and it really helped build the connection to the characters and their emotions. I will read anything Paisley writes because i just know im going to love it.
This was so so good and im so happy i was able to read it!


Thank you NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for this Arc!

As soon as I finished Fight, the first book in the Sky Ridge Hotshots series I knew I had to immediately start book 2 Protect.

I really enjoyed Fight by Sloane St. James and given Protect is written by Paisley Hope I had no doubt I’d love this one too. My only issue now is that I’m left desperate to read book 3 Honour.

Protect is Rowan and Violette’s story and it’s a gorgeous second chance romance. To Rowan, Violette is the one that got away, but to Violette, Rowan is the man who broke her heart at 18. 10 years later she’s back in Sky Ridge with her little girl Hollie and about to be divorced. When Rowan is injured whilst working it almost seems like fate that he should end up in the burns unit under Violette’s care. Could this present him with his second chance with Violette or will their shared past be too much for Violette to handle?

As with Fight, Protect is duel POV which works perfectly; add to that also a duel timeline towards the start, where we find out what happened between our MCs when they were 18 and you have the perfect recipe for a second chance romance. It’s clear just how much Rowen and Violette care for one another and so the way their past was woven into the present worked brilliantly; particularly so the way we found out the reason for their falling apart as Violette did.

I really liked both Rowen and Violette as MCs and enjoyed seeing the characters from book 1 come back and the set ups ready for book 3. These are characters who feel very real, their lives are as beautiful as they are messy and they’re trying their very best. I loved the way Rowen cared for not only Violette but also her daughter Hollie and how determined he was to be there for them, together they made a brilliant team.

As with book 1 there are heavy issues being dealt with, most notably grief in this book, but they are dealt with sensitively and with care.

I’ve really enjoyed this series so far and hope to read book 3 soon.

Rowan & Violette
Second Chance
Brothers best friend
Single mum
Right love, wrong time
Shared grief

Ahhhhh Rowan is so freaking hot!!!

The way he'd do literally anything for a second chance with Vi 🥹

This one is definitely more emotional than the first book! These two share a past and grief linked to Vi's twin brother, Rowans best friend.

Another great book to get stuck into!

Absolutely nothing I love MORE than first love tropes 🥰

This book did not disappoint especially with being the second book in the series! 😅

It had all the spice, all the drama and all the emotions! 🥹

Rowan giving up his first love to protect his best friend.. HER BROTHER!! And keeping it to himself even after his death until he decides he has to tell her to let them both have peace and be together 😭

I’m actually sad this book isn’t more out there for people!! I wouldn’t have know about it myself if it hadn’t been for the first book posted randomly on my insta feed! But I’m glad I discovered this series and PRAYING for more books!!

I loved book one & book 2 didn't disappoint!

Back in with my new obsession for firefighter romance. I love a forced proximity, friends to lovers, and in a workplace setting?! Yep! The yearning in this book was just EVERYTHING!

Can't wait to read the third book in the series. Absolutely brilliant.

i dont think i can talk about some books. i dont know what certain authors are doing with certain series they give us. because they are there to ruin our hearts. and then somehow make even old cynics like me have their heart totally upended and mended by totally unrealistic stories(and i mean that because men aren't this good and neither is love)that you STILL cant help but fall for even with cynics like me.
this book and what is happening in this series so far has been epic. book on took it to top tier. this books adds another layer. its goes right into the heart of the readers, sits there and refuses to budge. and it wont budge i wreck on until the next books comes and budges it along for room of its own. then they are there for good.
this time we have Rowan and Viollettes story. these two were together in high school. but all Violette knows is that he broke her heart. they then went their own way.
Rowan is a strength. his job requires it too. but this man isn't afraid to show all the other sides of REAL man too. not least the tenderness he has for Violette and her little girl Hollie.
when we find out why they didnt get it together, or more to the point why he let her go your heart aches for this missed chance between them. but now they are older, they are here now and its clear that love never went anywhere.
Viollette is a strength all of her own too. shes a single mum and shes doing a stellar job. shes also the one that suddenly finds herself having to treat Rowan in the healthcare unit she works at when he comes in with an injury from his job. this is fate,right?#
i loved how we got to see those snippets in the timelines from the time before. it added so much weight to how it all comes to be and even how they become who they are now.
the way these two cared for each other was just a warming to read. there is a real connection here. they have lives, they might have issues, the might be messy at times. but they also have love. s much love for those around them and clearly for each other.
everything about these two's stories was all a reader could need and then some. Paisley has sprinkled some sort of magic through this one.
i couldn't get enough of this book and i now am nervous because i feel such a want to read the next.
this series has been put together to perfection.

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the review copy!

Protect is a small town, second chance, brothers best friend romance following Rowan and Violette.
Rowan is a hotshot - a firefighter specialising in wild fires - who gets injured on the job and Violette is a nurse who takes care of him while he's injured. The pair had been together in high school but ended up separating and losing touch.

Remember to check your t/w & c/w as this book touches on death of a family member, anxiety/panic attacks and injury.

I love love loved Rowan and Violette so much! I swear I've read everything by Paisley Hope and I always have such a good time with her books. I'm not usually a fan of the second chance trope but I feel like the pair weren't a <i>proper</i> couple more like a missed chance as teens?
Anyway, the pair were super cute together especially when they were with Hollie - Rowan is perfect golden retriever step-dad material!

So excited to move onto book 3 in the series - I love the idea that each book is written by a different author!

Protect by Paisley Hope
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ⭐️

Protect is a spicy, emotionally charged romance that had me hooked from page one. Both main characters are carrying their own trauma, and Paisley Hope does a great job weaving that into a story that’s equal parts tender and sizzling.

This one has so many tropes I love:
• Best friend’s sister
• Single mum
• Second chance romance
• Firefighter hero
• Forced proximity

The MMC Rowan is a hotshot firefighter and the FMC Violette is a nurse. Having dated in high school, both went their separate ways only to be reunited years later when Violette ends up nursing him back to health after an incident at work. I loved their dynamic, it felt natural and believable. The emotional layers hit just as hard as the romantic ones. This book had me in tears.

Rowan Kingsley has officially earned a spot on my book-boyfriend list. And honestly, Paisley Hope has cemented herself as one of my favourite authors. This ARC was an absolute delight, and I adored this book from start to finish.

If you’re in the mood for a steamy, but heartfelt romance, Protect delivers.

4.5 stars!
I absolutely adored this book. It deals with some really heavy topics, such as grief, loss, and wildfires, but it was done in such a beautiful way. I loved the flashbacks between the pair, and I loved the way their relationship developed. I loved the way Rowan acted towards Violette's daughter and how protective he was over both of them. I am not typically a second chance fan, but this was done so well, and I really enjoyed myself! I cannot wait to read the 3rd book in this series!

Every book I read by Paisley Hope makes me love her more, she's just so good at writing love stories that completely suck you in. Rowan and Violette are just a delight to read, their past is littered with misunderstanding and trauma but they're brave enough to fight for each other when it matters.

Rowan getting injured wakes Violette up to her feelings about him and she allows him to explain what happened to them when they were younger. This reveal was paced really beautifully throughout the book. Slow enough that I was desperate to know what happened but not so slow that I was frustrated. And I really appreciated how respectful Rowan was of Violette's fears and anxieties, the way he was just quietly steadfastly there, waiting to show her how much she meant to him, both then and now.

His relationship with Hollie was also just precious, again just showing up consistently and with a quiet love and resolve that felt really beautiful to read.

As always in Paisley Hope's books, the chemistry is hot and the dirty talk is on fire. I'll be referring people to this book, and specifically the hold onto the headboard scene, when I explain what it means to be respectfully disrespected!

All the books in this series hold such respect for the wilderness firefighters, it's not a job that gets talked about often but I really loved the detail in this book and the clear love that these men have for their jobs.

Absolutely loving this series!

"Grab the headboard tight. And Violette, sit. I got interrupted last time and I'm ready to fucking drown in this pussy."

Paisley Hope has just solidified herself as one of my top authors - at this point, I will read anything she writes without even reading the blurb.
Rowan and Vi's story is book 2 in the SKY RIDGE HOTSHOTS series and it is absolute perfection. It is everything I have come to know and love from Paisley, and the spice is SO GOOD! I quickly fell in love with the storyline and the characters because Paisley's writing flows so effortlessly. Whether she's creating stories about cowboys, MC romance or firefighters, her attention to detail and world-building is superb. This book will definitely be in my top reads for this year.

I think this is better than the first one in the series. I love this so much. I like that the characters have that 2nd chance romance relationship.

What I am loving about this trilogy is the fact that each couple has experienced some serious tragedies and traumas in their life that have molded them to who they are as adults.

You are gonna love this if you are into firefighter trope of a kind.

One of the strongest parts of Protect is how Paisley Hope handles Rowan’s mental health. He’s not just the tough, closed-off firefighter hero, he’s a man carrying years of grief, guilt, and emotional exhaustion, and the book actually lets him deal with it instead of brushing it aside.

I loved that his healing wasn’t instant. Rowan struggles, backslides, opens up, shuts down again… it felt real. His decision to finally seek help, professional support was written with so much respect. The therapy scenes weren’t just thrown in for show; they mattered, and they changed him in believable ways.

Rowan learning to be vulnerable, especially with Violette, is honestly one of the most rewarding parts of the book. Watching him move from silent suffering to actually letting people in? Ugh. My heart. And his growth doesn’t erase the pain he’s been carrying; it just shows that healing is possible when someone finally chooses themselves.

If you love romances where the hero does the emotional work and the story treats mental health with compassion, Rowan’s journey will hit you straight in the chest. He’s messy, he’s wounded, he’s trying

What a fantastic second change story. I could not put this romance book down. I’m generally not a fan of flashback chapters but I really enjoyed these as it gave you more of an understanding of what happened when they were younger. King wow what a guy and Vi was so lovely. This book took me through all the emotions and make sure you have some tissues on standby for the sad scenes. I love the spice in it and the ending was beautiful. Looking forward to reading the last book in the series..

Rowan Kingsley the man that you are 🥵

In this we have:
✨️Second Chance Romance
✨️Brother's Best Friend
✨️Single Mum

I ate this up!! To be honest I will eat up pretty much anything Paisley writes at this point and this was no different!

I loved Violette and seeing her develop throughout the story and stand up for herself and her daughter!

Rowan was her first love and the man that broke her heart, but oh do we get some good grovelling in this book 🔥

I loved these two together, each with their own trauma and loss to work through, whilst also trying to navigate between their past and who they are now.

This book had me laughing, crying and swooning!! the perfect blend 😍

Oh, I think that Paisley Hope is one of my new favourite authors.

This book was SWOONWORTHY. Violette has just moved back home with her three-year-old daughter after her divorce, and memories of her late twin brother are everywhere, especially in Rowan, his best friend, her first love and wildfire fighter. When Rowan comes into her burn unit, having been injured in a fire, their history reignites - as does their chemistry.

Rowan is my new book boyfriend. He's gorgeous, so sweet with little Hollie and so head over heels for Violette that you cannot help but love him. And Violette is the sweetest - she has her barriers up, but is actively working on herself, and puts Hollie first. Together, their chemistry sizzles through the pages. It's an easy read, which are always the hardest ones, but deals with some really tough topics sensitively and with great care, whilst still having that absolute chemistry and love story we are all here for.

This is one to read if you love:
- second chance romance
- firefighter romance
- single mom
- families supporting each other.

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Paisley Hope for this ARC - it comes out 4th December!