I definitely didn’t love this one as much as others in the series, but it was a very fast read. I enjoyed the concepts of PTSD and healing after trauma a lot in this book. I wasn’t as into the main characters in here, but I would still recommend it if you need a quick read that’s enjoyable.

This is my first book by Elsie Silver and I feel really disappointed because it seemed promising and she’s an author who has caught my attention for a while.
At first, this book seemed easy-going to me; although not much was happening, it wasn't terrible either. But it reached a point where the book was mostly about them having sex or with thoughts or conversations loaded with sexual innuendos, and it simply wasn’t the kind of story I was expecting or in the mood to read.
It won't be my last book by the author, but I think I’ll skip the rest of this series and go for the Chesnut Springs books for my second attempt with Elsie Silver.

Thank you to @netgalley and @sourcebooks for a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I really enjoyed reading this book and getting to know our characters. I love ex military men in books, especially when they are handled well. I loved the way Elsie handles PTSD. You would think that his came from his time overseas, which it does to a degree, but the majority of his struggles come from an event he witnessed as a 17 year old. Along with his PTSD, Cole has to deal with a secret that he hides from everyone, affecting the way he views himself and how others treat him. He comes across grumpy and gruff but it’s nothing more than a barrier to keep people from getting to close…. Until Violet.

Violet is a horse jockey who some would say lucked out into her position. She is coming off a high of a string of wins in a previous racing season, when an accident occurs causing her to stay off a horse for a month in a cast. During that time she has to live with Cole, a man from her past that caused her emotional distress. She tries to avoid him but their magnetic energy pulls them close even as they fight it.

Violet is our sunshine but even she has her own demons. I thought she was very dynamically written and I enjoyed getting to know her. I thought she was a strong character and loved the way she stood up to Cole in a way others tend to avoid.

The author does well in writing side characters, who have their own books, and these characters stole the show every time they were on the page. This could be a plus and a minus as when Billie was on the page, I didn’t miss our MCs.

Regardless, such a cute redemption and second chance romance. Another great read by Elsie Silver!

I didn't love it, but I didn't hate it.
The book started out good but lost my interest towards the end with its repetitivenes. Violet and Cole were cute when they let themselves be, but they insisted on avoiding each other. I loved how Violet was the cow girl in the book.

Gold Rush Series #2, A Photo Finish, gives Violet her chance at love. The favored jockey has put in her dues at ranch, dealt with her overbearing family and finally found her own way. The new, bolder version of her is saddled-up to take on the world, only her past has caught-up to her present. Enter Cole Harding, older brother to Vaughn, a grumpy, curmudgeon. He avoids people, and lurks in the online dating world.

Cole is forced to come to ranch, dreading everyday, until he comes face-to-face with his purple angel. She literally took up ALL his world for new nearly a year online. Their online conversations helped him to overcome personal hardships. This couples meet/cute was brazen as Cole called her by her online name, connecting their past ecstasy.

I loved these two together, especially as they opened up to each other. His journey toward truths aids Cole in opening his heart and mind at the ranch. Grabbing book #3 quickly!

Thank you, SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books | Bloom Books

Cole & Violet were quite the pair.

Cole is the epitome of a tortured hero. He is the grumpy military vet who is actively working on managing his PTSD not only from his time deployed, but also from witnessing his father's tragic death in a horse related accident.

Violet is a strong young woman who left her family ranch to find herself and get out from under the. thumb of the overbearing men in her life. Now she is trying to prove herself as the new jockey representing the horse ranch she works on - the ranch Cole's family owns.

But what only Violet and Cole know is that they had a secret online relationship long before they met in person.

I appreciated that amidst navigating her relationship with Cole, she stayed true to what she wanted for herself and why she left home in the first place. There were times where she pulled out the tough love card on Cole that felt slightly insensitive to Cole's ongoing struggles with PTSD. The way she snapped at him when he was genuinely concerned for her safety after she had been injured and fallen off an unbroken horse felt kind of uncalled for. It also seemed he was attempting to have an open dialogue with her as to why he felt triggered by that situation and she essentially shut him down and told him he had a short timeline to get his proverbial shit together.

It worked for him - because this is a romance novel - but that could have easily backfired for someone struggling with PTSD.

That said, the story arc for these characters leading up to this point was wonderful. I loved how vulnerable Cole got with Violet and how she was so open and non judgemental towards his trauma and the "big reveal" on their hike. Cole's character development was fantastic.

Thank you NetGalley, Elsie Silver and Source Books/Bloom Books for the eARC.

watching them fall for each other was everything. the grumpy x sunshine, forced proximity, tension, serious talks and sweet moments 🥺 from the first book i was more intrigued with cole so getting to know and truly understand him in this one made a lot more sense.

the third act conflict was a little frustrating cause you just want them happy but i totally get why it was there cause of course he’d be hesitant after everything he’s been through. he needed someone like her. someone to be like “hey, i get why you’re scared but i’m not going anywhere”. he realized how much he loved her and stepped up so he can be who she needs as well.

i love their story and i wish i knew this series existed so i could’ve read it before chestnut springs but i’m glad to finally know their story 🩷

I am in love with this book and the main characters! Violet and Cole are on another level. I thinkkkk this may be one of my favorite Elsie Silver books to date.
Cole is so grumpy, he's built solid brick walls around him and his heart due to PTSD; his traumas are heavy, then comes Violet.
Unbeknownst to them both, when they seek out something online, they have stumbled upon each other. They confide in each other for over a year before it ends abruptly, then when Violet begins working for Cole's brother on the ranch, he recognizes her and puts the pieces together.
It may seem like fate, but there are many hurdles these two have to overcome to break down those brick walls and see what could be...

This story is fun, a little quirky, and yet it pulls on the heartstrings every chance it gets! I loved Cole and Violet's tale, and am so excited for book 3 in the Gold Rush Ranch series!

While I'm a hard core Theo stan (followed closely by Rhett), Cole easily came in as another favorite. I loved the flashbacks of him and Violet, I loved how the grumpy/sunshine trope played out, I loved how truly caring he was right from the get go even if he didn't want anyone to see it. I loved how Violet constantly fought for what she wanted/needed and how Cole fell even harder because of it. The reconciliation was perfect for them but felt a liiiitle rushed that close to the end of the story, so I'm glad we get glimpses of them in the coming stories. Having read chesnut springs first, I feel like I need to go back to powerless for the connections to this series!

Highly recommend reading in series order, but no matter what, 🥰🫠🥰 <- this is me after falling in love with Cole and Violet's HEA.

Thank you Netgalley and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the ARC in exchange for my review!

In this second book of the Gold Rush Ranch series we follow Cole Harding who has moved into the family ranch to help with business. Cole is a very cut and dry type of man. He’s closed off to everybody and seemingly unbothered by it. He’s used to his quiet, secluded life. That’s until Violet waltzes in and puts a wrench in things. Especially because Cole recognizes her from his past and is not very happy with her to say the least. Violet 100% was put in Cole’s space to tear down his walls and help him come out of his shell. Violet is simply a bad ass, strong FMC. She’s not one to let others push her around. Especially not after she escaped her controlling family and is making a new life for herself. She is not about to let anybody stop her from reaching her goals and dreams.

I honestly LOVED this story. Cole and Violet’s undeniable chemistry is unmatched. I love how Violet took all the broken, insecure pieces of Cole and helped him put them back together without babying him. Knowing how strong he was and that he was fully capable of doing it on his own, but helping him through it. The mental health representation in a male character is one of my favorite things of this book and I wish it were talked about more!

I love how Elsie Silver creates perfectly relatable characters. Her feel-good romances always make me smile, swoon, giggle and kick my feet the whole way through and it was no different with this story! I love the slow burn, on edge build up to the spice of this book. It’s like you have to keep reading and cannot put the book down because you have to see how it ends up.

All in all I would give his 5/5 ⭐️! It was beautifully written. A sweet, fun, sexy, emotional story about loss, healing and second chances that really warmed my heart. It was exactly what I was expecting and more!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom Books for the ARC of this book!

⭐️⭐️⭐️.75
🌶️🌶️

I was so excited for this book, truly. And while it’s not bad, it’s so drawn out.

The story itself was so good. I love the idea of secret identities, online lovers, the whole sexting, penpal companionship aspect. It was what made me want to read this book in the first place and now that I have I’m like…eh?

If it was just a little shorter, this book would have been great! I also felt kind of weird about the sex scenes. That first one was hot and I loved it, but the others? Not so much.

All in all, it wasn’t bad. Not my favorite Elsie Silver book, but I’d recommend it to others!

A Photo Finish is the second book in Gold Rush Ranch series; they are all interconnected standalones. This book follows Violet and Cole who, two years after an anonymous online relationship, end up living together in the small town of Ruby Creek.

A cute romance set in a small town at a ranch. A simple read and nothing too complicated. I liked both the main characters and the storyline was well done. About a 2/5 on the spicy scale. Not my favourite and didn’t quite hit like some other romances but I would recommend it!

Thank you NetGalley and Bloom Books for the arc in exchange for my honest review!

I loved this one. Violet and Cole were steamy and angsty and sweet and everything in between!

I ADORED VIOLET & I WILL PROTECT HER AT ALL COSTS!!! It was interesting learning about the Eaton family from the eyes of Violet. I really admired the way she left her home and found her own way in life, became her own person. She was fiery and funny, and she stood up for what she wants. One of my favorite Elsie FMCs!! Cole on the other hand, my tortured sweet man 🥹 the whole military hurt hero thing was not my favorite but ignoring that part, learning about his grief and therapy sessions was so so special. I truly loved these two together and felt like they complemented each other so well!

I am loving this series and the friendships/found family that are forming 🥹 no one does small towns like Elsie and this series deserves more hype!! This was such a quick and easy read with fun yet vulnerable characters and a great setting 🫶🏻

4 -⭐⭐⭐⭐

"You have the power to completely unravel me, and I hate feeling like that."

A Photo Finish is the second novel in the adult contemporary romance series, Gold Rush Ranch. Each book is a standalone but they are set in the same world and you will interact with the characters.

In this instalment we follow Violet and Cole. Two years after their anonymous internet relationship came to a crashing end they find that the world isn't as large as they thought, with Violet not only living in the small town of Ruby Creek where Cole's brother runs their family ranch but also working as a jockey for said ranch. To make matters worse when Violet is injured she is sent to live in the main house with Cole while he's in residence for work. The pain of their separation is palatable but the connection between them never went away. Can Cole unpack the invisible wounds of the past to make way from a future on the home front or will Violet have to always wonder what could have been...

This book is what I would call a comfort read. It's smooth and easy to dive into and you leave it feeling good and mellow.

Cole is a veteran who still struggles with the memories and impact with his last tour. He also experienced the traumatic loss of his father at the same ranch his younger brother now runs. Both contribute to him being closed off in fear of what opening himself up to will lead to. I appreciate his willingness to recognize his weaknesses and I adore his use of therapy to help unpack them. He has a tendency to push people away but when he lets them in...beautiful!

Violet is a fierce young woman. She has a passion for horses and it shows in all she does. She refuses to be held back and I love how freely she lives. She's willing to put herself out there but that doesn't mean she'll let her get hurt again and again. She makes Cole work for it :P

This story does contain spice. I would say about 2.5 spicy peppers out of 5 spicy peppers. Leading up to the spice there are references and memories of Cole and Violet's first sexual encounter online but spice doesn't happen until the second half of the book. We get a couple spicy moments that really highlighted the freedom that comes with being your true self. I also enjoyed the risky elements of their spice at times. It is detailed, fun, and well written.

"You look at me like we're inevitable."

The story itself is traditional. There is the push and pull that comes with unpacking what went wrong for these two and Cole's additional struggle to open himself up. I found there were delightfully sweet moments between them and the added element of the new horse being trained helped draw them together and give the story a focus. I really enjoyed the one twist and the side characters who helped give perspective to Cole and Violet. There are some expected elements of a romance so I didn't feel anything was groundbreaking - it was comfortable and easy to freely throw myself in. Also, that epilogue was super sweet and WAY TOO short for my love.

Overall, if you want a sweet romance with a push and pull set in a small town on a ranch this story will give you exactly what you need.

Thank you Bloom Books for this arc!

Thanks to NetGalley, the publishing company and or the author for giving me the opportunity to read and review A Photo Finish.

Loved everything about this book from the characters to the plot.

I will definitely be reading more books from this author again.

Violet and Cole had an online affair involving talking every day and some video calls that made Cole’s existence bearable. Violet abruptly ends the chats and concentrates on her new job as jockey with Ruby Creek Ranch. She is away from her protective dad and brothers, ready to make something of herself. At her first win, she learns that Cole is the oldest brother at the ranch, technically her boss. Cole has fantasized about Violet and now has to see her every day when she injures herself during a horse race. His is the only place she can have a bedroom without climbing stairs. Cole has had PTSD from his time in the military and from when he watched his dad fall from a horse and die. He is always grumpy and aloof but with the attraction between Cole and Violet he is beginning to change. I loved the characters in this book. Each one had secrets but managed to support each other and help them be better people. The love of horses shared by the family was heartfelt. Great book about getting rid of old demons and getting on with life.

Slowly making my way through the rereleased Gold Rush Ranch series by one of my absolute FAV Canadian (formerly) Indie authors!! I loved the disability and mental health rep in this book (Cole, the MMC has a prosthetic leg and PTSD from his former life in the military). I also loved that Violet, the female lead was a jockey and that the two first met by talking online.

Great on audio narrated by two more favs, Connor Crais and Vanessa Edwin, this dual POV, grumpy/sunshine, forced proximity book was STEAMY and full of emotional depth! Another win from Elsie Silver and I am totally here for all her Canadian cowboy/girl love stories!! The bonus epilogue in this book was chef's kiss too!! Highly recommended for fans of books like Lauren Asher's Redeemed.

Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

If Elsie Silver writes it... I am going to buy it. I repeat... If Elsie Silver writes it I am GOING to buy it!

Another book, another heart warmer, another beautiful story of love with happy endings that this reader craves. While this doesn't quite live up to the craze that the Chestnut Springs series brought us, this will have fans of Elsie Silver rejoicing all around!

Violet and Cole's story will take you on a beautiful broken hearts to healed love journey. I have adored the Eaton family since our Chestnut Springs adventures, and I could not get enough of the angsty build between these two.

Read if you love:
-Forced Proximity
-Second Chances
-Great Character dynamics
-Dual POV / Dual Timelines
-Age Gap
-Cowboy Romance
-Small Town Romance
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Veteran/ Military MMC
-Racing
-Lighter spice

Fav Quotes:
“We’re like two opposite ends of a magnet, naturally drawn to each other.”

Love, love, love this series so much. Miss Elsie Silver does it ever time. Automatic buy author for me. I really enjoyed the plot and the spice. I read this book seriously so fast.

I cannot tell you how much I fell in love with Violet and Cole. They are hands down my favorite Elsieverse couple. The work that they both put into themselves and each other is unmatched. They are the couple that I have no doubt in my mind will make it forever. A Photo Finish follows Violet, a young, new horse jockey at Gold Rush Ran ch and Cole, the older, recluse brother who co-owns Gold Rush Ranch. After her first race with DD, Violet gets the surprise of her life with Cole recognizes her from their time as online penpals and her *spicy* pictures. Following an accident, Violet is forced to stay in the ranch house with Cole during her recovery.
Through their time together feelings rekindle while they work through their pasts. This book has Elsie's signature humor and brings the spice. I had the best time reading and l'm so excited for its rerelease!