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The third book in the Chestnut Springs series nearly checked every box for me!
“Powerless” follows Sloane Winthrop, a prima ballerina whose life comes crashing down on her wedding day. Luckily, Jasper Gervais, her childhood best friend and star hockey player is there to swoop in and save her just as she has done for him. The two go on an impromptu road-trip to escape everything, but the more time they spend alone together, the more they begin to view each other as more than friends.
This book has a completely different feel to it than the other books in the series and I really enjoyed it! The tension and pining that built up throughout the duration of the novel were wonderfully drawn out. The “will they or won’t they” movements further sucked me into the story as I eagerly awaited Sloane and Jasper to cross the line between friend and lover.
When their romantic relationship began to finally take off, I felt as though the steamy moments were too numerous. As a reader, I wanted more regarding their actual friendship. There was a period when they weren’t a constant in each other’s lives and I was more so interested in them reacquainting themselves with each other emotionally before exploring each other physically.
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Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Publication date: November 7, 2023
Powerless is the 3rd book in the Chestnut Springs series but my second book from the author. Elsie Silver is quickly becoming one of my favourite authors! I absolutely love that this series takes place in Canada too!
Powerless is the story of Sloane the quiet cousin and Jasper the broody professional hockey player. Jasper Gervais has also become one of my favourite book boyfriends!
Sloane has been in love with Jasper for almost two decades. Sloane spent a month every summer at her cousins Violets Ranch. Violet has three brothers and the year Sloane was 11, there was a new boy at the Ranch. Jasper had a very rough family life including an unspeakable tragedy and went to live with the Eatons.
Sloane was crushing hard and it quickly became more than a crush over the years. Jasper never seemed to be interested in Sloane so eventually she gave up and settled for Jasper being one of her closest friends.
About to marry the jerk her father set her up with to make a favourable business transaction, Sloane accepts that this is what her life is meant to be. Except on her wedding day she get an anonymous text message showing a video of her fiancé having sex with a stripper.
Jasper breaks her out of what is sure to be a loveless marriage and takes her on a road trip meant for friends. Until it’s not friendly at all. There is no denying the connection Jasper and Sloane have but the timing has never been right for them. Is it worth ruining a lifetime of friendship?
I loved Jasper and Sloane’s story so much. This is a 5 star read for me and I will definitely be reading the rest of this series!
#NetGalley #powerless #elsiesilver #sloanandjasper
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Sloane has been in love with Jasper since she first laid eyes on him at 10 years old. Unfortunately he’s only ever seen her as a friend. On the day of her wedding to another man who was more concerned with controlling her, Sloane flees— and Jasper is right there to help her get away from it all. He brings her back to Chestnut Springs, where she spent every summer with her cousins and Jasper.
This was actually my first book of Elsie Silver’s and I enjoyed the writing and story a ton! Unfortunately at times it felt like the MMC was way too possessive for my liking and also seemed to lack a lot of the depth I usually hope for in a “darker” backstory.
Also there were a bunch of incest jokes due to Jasper being taken in by Sloane’s uncle/cousins family as a teen. Obviously they’re not blood related but these jokes made the whole situation even more uncomfy to read about.
I am interested in reading the other books in this series though, especially since many have said this is their least favorite.
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I love a good hockey romance, and this one was so sweet between two friends.
Sloane is a professional ballerina with a dad who wants to control her future.
Jasper is a professional hockey player now, but he grew up with nothing except the Eaton boys and helping on their ranch.
When a long road trip changes everything for them and truths finally come out!
★Friends to lovers
★Hockey and Ballerina
★Sweet and Spicy
★Finding your own strength
Overall 5/ 5
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Okay, we need to talk about Elsie Silver. Like, seriously, can she just chill for a sec? Every dang book she writes is a total banger, one hit after another, and the guys she dreams up? Perfect specimens, I'm telling you. Bet your bottom dollar, this one's making it to the top of my 2023 reads list!
And "Powerless"? More like "speechless"! My brain is all over the place, but let's try to break it down, shall we?
So, we've got Jasper and Sloane, besties since they were knee-high to a grasshopper. They've been carrying a torch for each other on the down-low forever. Sloane's all set to tie the knot, which practically rips Jasper's heart out, but then she stumbles onto some shady stuff about her soon-to-be hubby and turns to Jasper to make a run for it.
Holy moly, these two are like soulmates from another dimension or something. I was on the edge of my seat, waiting for them to just spill the beans and admit their feelings already!
And Jasper? He's like the ultimate dreamboat. I've got, like, a gazillion lines highlighted from that dude. Broody and quiet, but with this soft spot for Sloane, he's not about to let anyone mess with her. Cue the cutest gestures and reassurances, cranked up to eleven. And whoa, don't even get me started on that mouth of his!
And would you believe it, the quiet ones are the real wildcards! It's a slow burn that'll have you blushing like a ripe tomato, trust me.
The whole series is just a barrel of fun. The ladies are a riot, all sass and fire, and the dudes? Sweet as pie, but with a whole lotta protective vibes. Their banter has me snort-laughing every time. Can't wait for the next one to hit the shelves!
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Since childhood, broody NHL player Jasper Gervais (an honorary Eaton) and sweet ballerina Sloan Winthrope have quietly and steadfastly stood by each other’s side, friends always. Sloan could always find a sad and quiet Jasper in the bustle of the Eaton family, and make him feel seen. Her crush was obvious to everyone around them and despite them always being drawn to each other, neither of them have ever acted on their love.
On the day of Sloan’s wedding, Jasper is as always by her side, especially when she decides to call it off and ditch her no-good fiance at the altar. When a family tragedy hits, it’s Sloan’s turn to be there for Jasper and the two of them hit the road together, feelings new and long-hidden finally bubbling to the surface. As things finally heat up between the two of them, will Jasper’s tortured past keep driving a wedge in their new relationship?
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Yet again, Elsie Silver knocks it out of the park with her latest in the Chestnut Springs series, Powerless. Or maybe I should use a Hockey reference instead since Jasper Gervais is a NHL goalie?! Either way, I wasn’t sure the next book could live up to Cade Eaton from Heartless but Jasper did a damn good job trying. While Sloan wasn’t my *favorite* female character of the series (Willa forever), she was sweet and relatable. Her scenes with the women of the Gold Rush Ranch series were fabulous. Jasper is tormented, shows emotion, is a little dominant (ok a lot), kind and a perfect fit into the Eaton family. He’s basically the ultimate book boyfriend material. Once again though, Harvey Eaton steals the show. His one-liners are much loved by fans of the series and they don’t disappoint here. The next book is set up perfectly and the pairing actually surprised me which I loved. This was a 4.5⭐️ rounded up to 5, with a 3🌶.
Every once in awhile there’s a book in the series that just isn’t *as good* as the rest, but it hasn’t happened yet and I really don’t think that’s going to happen with this series!
Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
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I am satisfied. This is the ultimate friends to lovers book out there. Jasper is one tortured spicy hockey player. I love their friendship and closeness. How Sloane is the one who Jasper opens up to.
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Everything about this book was perfection. I read Flawless and Heartless in October and I’ve been dying to read this book since then, and man it was worth the wait. Powerless lived up to every expectation I had and that made this book effortless to read.
I sat down and didn’t stop reading till I finished. Sloane and Jasper are the best friends to lovers couple I’ve ever read. I find friends to lovers to be the worst trope but I’ve read a few books this month that make me reconsider that stance. Powerless is easily at the very top of that list because i have zero complaints about this book. I could read thousands of more pages of Jasper and Sloane.
Their history, Jasper’s tattoo, the fish tail babies, and everything about this book made me addicted to reading. The heat and chemistry was off the charts once Jasper and Sloane moved from friends to lovers. The conflict was so real and honest with what Jasper had been through, which had me so emotion the entire time. Overall, I just loved this book and highly recommend this series overall!
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Thank you to Bloom Publishing, NetGalley, and Elsie Silver for this arc!
Coming back to Chestnut Springs was a breath of fresh air. I can not get enough of these characters or their small town. There's something cozy and romantic about the ranch and mountains.
Sloane and Jasper were *chef's kiss*. When Sloane lays her eyes on Jasper when she was a child she just new. They became childhood besties after she catches him on the rooftop. Jasper comes from a tragic and hard childhood where Sloane is raised to be the obedient daughter. They both come to realize there's more between them just friendship.
Please pick up this series! There so much in this to love.
-Childhood besties
-Hockey player/ballerina
-Small Town
-Cowboys
-Alpha Male
-Touch her and die vibes
-One bed
-Anxiety Rep
-Self discovery
Reviews can be found on my goodreads, instagram, and on Amazon.
https://www.amazon.com/review/RYUSCZJGDBU80/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/5949158442
https://www.instagram.com/reel/CzTq3ourxG6/?igshid=MzRlODBiNWFlZA==
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Another exceptional book in the Chestnut Springs series! Elsie Silver is officially an insta-read author for me, and I can't wait to read the entire Chestnut Springs series (and
I'm a sucker for the road trip trope in the fantasy genre so I was hooked on this immediately. The friends to lovers trope is one that I'm not always a big fan of. The lovers relationship always feels so different from their friend relationship that I get confused. But this one was seamless - when the flood gates opened, it wasn't an entirely different dynamic between them, it was an effortless transition to this new phase of their relationship.
The only aspect I wish we saw more of was Sloane's ballet career. There was such a focus on Jasper's hockey career that I felt that Sloane's was glazed over. As the FMC of the book, I wanted to hear more about her struggles to the top of the company and her continual training and performing.
Overall, highly recommend this book to those continuing in the Chestnut Springs series, but also to anyone just starting out in the romance genre itself! The relationships (of all kinds) in this book are so beautifully written that it will be a hit with readers across the genre.
Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for an advanced reader copy of this ebook, in exhange for an honest and unbiased review!
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Elsie Silver does not disappoint and she is keeping me in my cowboy era. Friends to lovers is not a favorite trope of mine but I absolutely adored the story between Jasper and Sloane.
Jasper is another example that the quiet ones are the ones that you need to watch out for. The mouth on this man is dirty and I could not get enough.
Harvey is my favorite character in all three of these books so far, his humor and comedic timing are second to none. I hope we get a Harvey HEA at some point because this man deserves the world.
The balance between the humor, romance, and heartwarming moments was perfect. Elsie has continued to do such an incredible job building and expanding on the Canadian Cowboy World that she has created in both The Chestnut Springs and Gold Rush Ranch Series.
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Thank you for an ARC!
Friends to lovers is the only trope that I'll alow for miscommunication to happen, because how do you tell your best friend that you have feelings for them without knowing if they reciprocate? I'd be terrified to lose the friendship man!
I loved the slow build of the tension between Jasper and Sloane, their nickname for each other, everything between them if I'm honest. I loved that Sloane opened her eyes and found her voice while Jasper just stood by her, letting her be her own person.
And Jasper's dirty talk? 🥵 you could tell he was waiting for years to talk to her like that.
📚 Friends to Lovers
📚 Jealous MMC
📚 Found Family
📚 Only One Bed
📚 Age Gap
📚 Runaway Bride
📚 Sports Romance
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This is my second book from Elsie Silver’s Chestnut Springs series and, dare I say, I loved it even more than the first one I read! Jasper and Sloane are the best main characters! Their friendship is enviable and they are able to have fun with each other, but still be serious. Truly love them! The side characters in this book/series are really what make you want to keep coming back for more. Harvey is forever a favorite of mine and I’ll never stop laughing about “tail babies”!!! Definitely suggest you read this book ASAP! Big thank you to Netgalley and Elsie Silvers for the pleasure of reading this book!
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📖 𝑷𝒐𝒘𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔 𝒃𝒚 𝑬𝒍𝒔𝒊𝒆 𝑺𝒊𝒍𝒗𝒆𝒓
“𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘰𝘰𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘯. 𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘮𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘳𝘵. 𝘞𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘧𝘪𝘣𝘦𝘳 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨.“
☀️ Sloane is a Canadian heiress who has spent her life being the perfect daughter for her father. She’s a prima ballerina who loves dancing but is tired of trying to live up to her father’s expectations. When her father asks her to marry the son of one of his future business partners in order to seal a deal, she says yes. Unfortunately, the only boy who has ever been in her heart is her childhood best friend, Jasper, who was taken in by her uncle and her cousins as a teenager. Tired of carrying around unrequited feelings for Jasper, she tries to convince herself to walk down the aisle with a man she doesn’t love. On the day of the wedding, Sloane gets some news that allows her to runaway back to Wishing Well Ranch with the help of Jasper.
⛸️ Jasper has spent his life filled with grief and guilt over the death of his little sister when he was a teenager. His parents abandoned him and he was taken in by the Eatons. Jasper has made a household name out of himself with a successful NHL career, but he still doesn’t feel like he’s good enough to be with Sloane. After the Eaton family gets some shocking news, Jasper and Sloane lean on each other and start to realize that maybe their feelings aren’t so one sided as they always thought.
Wow, this was a great book! My heart broke for Jasper and his childhood trauma. He was such a strong MMC and sensitive at the same time. Sloane was relatable and grew so much during the story. She finally starts to live for herself and her happiness. When she breaks out of the the mold her father put her in, it’s empowering. The Eaton family is such a strong unit and I’m so glad we got to see everyone again. As always, Harvey Eaton hits us right in the funny bone with his banter, the cousin jokes killed me. ☠️
🔥 This is definitely a spicy, open door romance! Spice Level: 3.5🌶️
Tropes:
🩷 Childhood Friends
🫶🏼 Friends to Lovers
⭐️ Found Family
💃🏻 Runaway Bride
⛸️ Hockey romance
💔 Childhood trauma/loss
☀️ He calls her Sunny
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a rereleased eARC of Powerless in exchange for this honest review. 🩶
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I loved this book. Both Jasper and Sloane were great characters who underwent tremendous growth. The spice level was perfect and it tied in the former and latter books perfectly.
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Probably my least favorite in the series, but that doesn't mean it's bad. I still really enjoyed it. Jasper is the ultimate sweetheart, and I loved Sloan becoming this confident independent woman that she deserves to be. my main concern was that it was both "childhood friends" and "age gap". That made me a little uncomfortable with the flashback scenes, but that's just a personally thing. Would still recommend this book and the entire series to anyone who will listen to me.
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A great book to read in the Chestnut springs series. You should read the series in order but I had only read the first book and now the third and I still was able to enjoy the story. Powerless by Elsie Silver.
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4.5/5 stars! I was hooked from the very beginning and I couldn’t put it down. Powerless is book number 3 in the Chestnut Springs series. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and absolutely love this series. Thank you to Netgalley, Elsie Silver and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for an opportunity to read this book.
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4 Stars Powerless by Elsie Silver has everything you could want in a romance novel. Friends to lovers? Check. Runaway bride? Check. Road trip? Check. Dirty talking hockey player? Check. More Harvey Eaton hilarity? Check!
Friends to lovers has never been my fave romance trope, but Elsie Silver took this novel in a direction I was not expecting. I had expected Jasper to stop Sloane's wedding towards the climax of the novel, but instead she runs out earlier on and they head out on a road trip. Though predictability can be a comforting aspect of reading romance, the unpredictability of Powerless was refreshing. Such a great read and I can't wait for more books about Chestnut Springs!
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4 Stars Powerless by Elsie Silver has everything you could want in a romance novel. Friends to lovers? Check. Runaway bride? Check. Road trip? Check. Dirty talking hockey player? Check. More Harvey Eaton hilarity? Check!
Friends to lovers has never been my fave romance trope, but Elsie Silver took this novel in a direction I was not expecting. I had expected Jasper to stop Sloane's wedding towards the climax of the novel, but instead she runs out earlier on and they head out on a road trip. Though predictability can be a comforting aspect of reading romance, the unpredictability of Powerless was refreshing. Such a great read and I can't wait for more books about Chestnut Springs!