5 ⭐ 2 🌶 5 🎧

I loved this story so much 😭 it's a nice slow burn with some racy flashbacks and filled with angsty goodness.

Cole was freaking everything. His secret broke my heart, but the way Violet reacted to it and his PTSD was amazing and healed it right up. And when Cole overcame it all? Gahhhh so sang sweet. Violet was such a spit fire and I absolutely adored her.

I loved all the Billie and Vaughn moments in this story too and can't wait for more from this family.

The audio was fantastic. Connor Crais and Vanessa Edwin were amazing as these characters and I had such a great time with this listen.

I went into this book pretty blind only knowing that Violet was the Eaton’s youngest sibling and having seen her in the chestnut spring series a couple of times. This book seriously surprised because I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did. And maybe that my own fault because it’s Elsie Silver, I love all her books and this one was no exception. This book scratched an itch in my brain and every time I put it down I kept thinking about it and all the characters. Violet is honestly so amazing and strong and I loved her. Cole was so complicated, raw and real you just couldn’t help falling in love with him. Their story was honestly so fun and engaging I was having the best time reading this book. Love all the tropes and the characters.

I think this one is my favorite from the series!

LOVE, LOVE, LOVE! Elsie Silver's small town romances and being a top fave of mine and I want more. Her characters are always the cutest and to finally read her debut series is amazing. Cole and Violet have such a special place in my heart. Their story was so sweet and possibly my fave of this series.

A-MAZ-ING! So well written to the point where I could feel all the emotions. I loved this second chance romance but the tension between the main characters was just *chefs kiss* Elsie did such an amazing job and this is by far my absolute favorite by her. It's a must read 1000%!

4 Stars I've read enough of Elsie Silver's work now to know that I'm pretty much gonna love anything she writes, and A Photo Finish is no exception. This is a reprint of her Gold Rush Ranch series with new covers.

What happened between Cole Harding and Violet Eaton in their anonymous online chats was supposed to stay in the past, but it's a small world and both find themselves in Ruby Creek on the Gold Rush Ranch. Cole has reluctantly moved to town where he finds Violet working on the family ranch as a jockey. When Violet is injured and unable to ride, the two are forced into close proximity under the same roof. Just like when he first met her years ago online, Cole wants her even though she shouldn't. The closer they become, the harder it is for Cole to keep his heart and his secrets under lock and key.

I love Elsie's small town cowboy romances. It's the perfect setting for a romance and I adored Cole and Violet together. It was so fun to see Violet breaking the glass ceiling as a female jockey in a male dominated field. She absolutely kicked ass and I loved every second of it. We also love a man who goes to therapy and works on himself. It's especially nice that Cole saw a therapist on his own accord instead of being nagged or only doing it for the FMC, which I've seen plenty in other books. The banter and spice between Cole and Violet was 🔥 and exactly what I expected from Elsie's writing. A great read if you love cowboy romance, small town romance, and grumpy sunshine!

4 Stars I've read enough of Elsie Silver's work now to know that I'm pretty much gonna love anything she writes, and A Photo Finish is no exception. This is a reprint of her Gold Rush Ranch series with new covers.

What happened between Cole Harding and Violet Eaton in their anonymous online chats was supposed to stay in the past, but it's a small world and both find themselves in Ruby Creek on the Gold Rush Ranch. Cole has reluctantly moved to town where he finds Violet working on the family ranch as a jockey. When Violet is injured and unable to ride, the two are forced into close proximity under the same roof. Just like when he first met her years ago online, Cole wants her even though she shouldn't. The closer they become, the harder it is for Cole to keep his heart and his secrets under lock and key.

I love Elsie's small town cowboy romances. It's the perfect setting for a romance and I adored Cole and Violet together. It was so fun to see Violet breaking the glass ceiling as a female jockey in a male dominated field. She absolutely kicked ass and I loved every second of it. We also love a man who goes to therapy and works on himself. It's especially nice that Cole saw a therapist on his own accord instead of being nagged or only doing it for the FMC, which I've seen plenty in other books. The banter and spice between Cole and Violet was 🔥 and exactly what I expected from Elsie's writing. A great read if you love cowboy romance, small town romance, and grumpy sunshine!

This is my first Elsie Silver book and it for sure will not be my last. You do not have to read these books in order (I clearly didn't), but I am sure that makes the plot even richer already knowing some of the characters and the locations. I really enjoyed this book. The romance between Cole and Violet was sweet and very realistic in my opinion. There were times where I found myself cringing or laughing over things that happened in the book but that's just real life. This book is SPICY for sure. I felt myself blushing as I was reading some of the middle to later chapters.


Thanks to Sourcebooks, Netgalley, and Elsie Silver for an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

Ａ Ｐｈｏｔｏ Ｆｉｎｉｓｈ by Elsie Silver
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I finally read an Elsie Silver book and I can’t believe it took me this long! She’s been on my radar for years and I feel like I’ve been missing out. Thanks to Elsie Silver, Netgalley, and Bloom Books for this ARC. There’s nothing I disliked about this book—the authentic characters, Canadian setting, and the perfect mix of playful and spicy banter made it a great read. I love a strong female main character who’s passionate about what she’s doing, and the dynamic with the grumpy guy who isn’t just grumpy around her was really enjoyable. Seeing Cole go through the healing process throughout the story was well done, and I appreciated that Elsie showed him still going to therapy even after the happy ending for him and Violet. I also love that the series is connected but each book can be read as a standalone. I’m looking forward to diving into the next book.

This story begins, more or less, with the two main characters, Violet Eaton who is a jockey, and Cole Harding, a former soldier, who have had several illuminating conversations over a relatively short period of time, but they have never actually met in person. Still, they come to know each other, their <i>’likes’</i> and <i>’dislikes’</i> when it comes to certain aspects of their lives. They seem to share a similar…passion.

Cole considers himself as somewhat damaged, and seems reluctant to put himself ‘out there’ in terms of relationships, but since their conversations are not particularly ones that would be aired in public for others to hear, their draw to each other eventually has them meet in person so they can share that passion.



Pub Date: 23 Jul 2024

Many thanks for the ARC provided by SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books / Bloom Books

Okay… first things first. The description and cover on NetGalley did NOT look like the Goodreads description, and I definitely wish I had looked at the Goodreads page for it first. I feel like the cover and description would've given me a better idea of what I was getting into.

I am apparently in the minority here (hello, BookTok girlies) but this book was not my favorite. For starters, the plot is completely… biology-driven… and is trying really hard to overlook some deep character flaws that are just magically fixed at the end of the day. There were a lot of things that made me think "no self-respecting human should ever let that fly," and yet, both parties did anyways. There were a lot of descriptors that repeated themselves endlessly (lots of "squeaking" from Violet and Cole describing her as "looking" weak but "not actually weak"??) and Violet's eyes somehow changed from sky blue to indigo multiple times (my eyes change color in the light, but not SHADES darker). The dialogue was a little choppy, and I found myself skimming a lot of the flashbacks because the scenario was extremely cringeworthy.

There were some redeeming factors, no doubt. The female friendships were sweet and I liked the racing aspect of it (though I actually would've liked to see more of that-- I feel like there were a lot of side plots introduced there that died on the vine). I just wish the actual plot had been a little more fleshed out outside of the relationship so there was a little more meat to the story.

Thank you to Bloom Books and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was my first Elsie Silver and while I think I prefer a romance with a little more plot aside from just the romance, I did enjoy the backdrop of the horse ranch and racing. I didn’t realize when I downloaded this book that it was in a series, so I had not met the characters before, but it didn’t seem to matter too too much, since the previous book was about a different couple than this one.

This book centered around Cole and Violet, and featured the grumpy/sunshine trope most prominently. I enjoyed that aspect of their relationship, Cole seemed to have genuine issues that he was working through, and I loved that he was already seeing a therapist on his own without it being because a woman had nagged him to do it. I would have loved to see more of the Vaughn and Cole relationship and dynamic, and more plot in general, but overall I did enjoy this book!

Now that is what I call an emotional roller coaster! My goodness this book was full of so many emotions I was not ready for it all but I loved every healing word!

I loved how Elsie wrote this book! There’s a mix of flashbacks and current events and I think she did a fabulous job bringing it all together. The way Violet and Cole push one another is just amazing. They see each other and help to build the other up!

A very well written and perfectly executed book when it comes to PTSD and healing! It’s an angsty start but the build up was worth it!

I love all things Elsie Silver! Violet and Cole are such an intriguing couple and I ate this book up. Please please read!

I recieved this as an arc, but This is my favorite book of all time!

This was not the first time, and definitely not the last time I will read this book!! I LOVE Cole and Violet, both separately and as a couple which is rare for me in book romances! The dynamic between them is so interesting and their story is unlike any other romance I’ve read. There is one major twist in the book that I wasn’t expecting but it fit so perfectly and deepened my love for the characters. Elsie kills is everytime, but especially with this one. EASILY a 5/5!

If you, like me, discovered Elsie Silver with her Chestnut Springs series, then you will understand my excitement because this book is Violet Eaton’s book. Violet grew up in Chestnut Springs with 3 overprotective brothers and her dad. She couldn’t wait to get out and become her own person. And it’s just our luck that she ends up at Gold Rush Ranch.

We met her in book 1 of this series, when she goes from horse groom to Jockey. Her career is just taking off and she loves it.

Enter Cole, he’s part owner of Gold Rush Ranch. He’s normally in the big city, but a new project has him moving to the ranch. He has lots of trauma and has carefully crafted a superbly grumpy exterior to hide from basically everyone.

This book was delightful. It’s a second chance romance, with an age gap, forced proximity, incredible spice and it’s truly a grumpy/sunshine situation. I loved the horses, the farm life and the girl gang that is building at Gold Rush Ranch. The chemistry was explosive. The grumpy kindness (you know what I’m talking about) made me super swoony. I can’t wait for more of this series.

Special shout-out for the on page therapy sessions.

I just finished A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver which is the second book in the Gold Rush Ranch series. This is Violet and Cole’s story and it’s a good one! This story flip flops time lines. The first time line is when Violet and Cole first meet online and start exchanging video and voice messages. That time line takes place during the first book in the series, Off to the Races. The second timeline is current. Cole has moved back to the ranch to take on a new project. Meanwhile, Violet falls off her horse and gets injured during a race. She ends up staying with Cole at the big house during her recovery where they reconnect on a more personal level. This was a great book because it touches on Cole’s PTSD from his tour in Iraq. He’s in therapy and his journey is heavily highlighted. He’s working through a lot of personal trauma as well as war trauma. He’s an amputee and hasnt told anyone. When violet discovers this, she helps him to see that it’s not shameful or to be hidden. I love how she’s very patient during his episodes with PTSD and even though she’s patient and compassionate when needed, she’s also very sassy and brazen. Elsie silver does a great job of writing female characters that are fiercely independent and confident. Another aspect I really enjoyed was the use of horses as therapy both emotionally and physically. It’s highlighted heavily in the series as a whole. Thanks to NetGalley and Sourcebooks Bloom books for allowing me to read this. It releases July 23rd.

I am clearly in my small town romance era, so I was very excited to read A Photo Finish (book 2 in Elsie Silver’s Gold Rush Ranch series). I loved Off To The Races, so I had very high hopes for this book.

A Photo Finish follows Violet Eaton, an up and coming jockey at Gold Rush Ranch, whose life is turned upside down by a racing accident. In her recovery, she is “forced” to live with Cole Harding, co-owner of Gold Rush Ranch and the bane of her existence. As the two trudge through Violet’s recovery and their past (as former pen pals of a sort), they discover that hidden beneath the snarky quips and banter is something more.

I was so excited to read about Violet’s story (ever since meeting her in Flawless, part of Elsie’s Chestnut Springs series). I really enjoy Elsie’s writing, but this one dragged for me in parts. I still enjoyed it, but my favorite of her books will always be Off To The Races. A Photo Finish is still worth the read, if not to cheer on DD, Violet, and Pipsqueak from the sidelines.

I also thought that the mental health journey that Cole goes through was so thoughtfully and respectfully done (which I very much appreciated). Overall, this book was a fun ride and would make a great summer/beach read!

Many thanks to Bloom Books and Netgalley for the ARC!

Violet and Cole are a great pairing and it was nice to see Cole's development throughout the book. I don't often read cowboy romances and while this wasn't 100% a cowboy romance, it had the great ranch elements that I like. Grumpy sunshine and friends to lovers are always fun tropes.

Thank you for NetGalley and Elsie Silver for an ebook in exchange for an honest review!

Rating: 4.5 Stars!

Elsie never fails to blow me away! I am obsessed with her writing and have to e best time binging her books. I love the setting to all of them and feel transported every time I read them. Had a blast with this one!

Elsie Silver was created a great series that brings you into the mountains of Canada. The book is fast pace with a slow burn that is worth the wait. Will definitely recommend reading at least of these books.