If Elsie Silver has one fan, it’s me. If Elsie Silver has no fans, I’m dead!! I love Cole our delightfully grumpy MMC with a soft spot for our leading lady. As usual this book made me laugh, smile, cry, swoon, and blush!

I adore Elsie Silver. Every time I pick up one of her books, I just know I'm going to enjoy it. This book was no different. I will say it feels reminiscent of Hopeless - which I realize was written after A Photo Finish (but I did read Hopeless first). You have a grumpy MMC who is a veteran struggling with adjusting back into civilian life and a sunshine FMC. There are differences; however, the close similarities are what kept me from giving this 5 stars. The other reason I could not give this 5 stars is because by the end of the book, Violet was not an enjoyable character to read. She has zero empathy when she falls off Pippy and that causes Cole to have a panic attack. The man had PTSD from his dad literally dying on that track and she made it about her. I still very much recommend this book and any Elsie Silver book if you're looking for an enjoyable cowboy romance.

4 stars

This was a fun book! I really like the development if the characters, both individually and together. I liked how you get to slowly see more of Cole’s softer side and why he’s so grumpy. I also enjoyed seeing Violet grow more confident and sure of herself and how she puts Cole in his place while still showing him she cares about him

(Side note: I loved Billie in the first book but I can’t stand her in this one :/)

Thank you to NetGalley and Bloom Books for the ARC!!

Classic case of Elsie Silver being an absolutely fantastic author!
I devoured this book and 100000% will be continuing to read this series. Cole is the perfect grumpy mmc that has a secret soft spot for Violet, and watching how they complimented each other and helped each other was such a sweet (and steamy) journey.
I cried, I laughed, I blushed, and ultimately had a great time reading this.

This book was everything OMG!!! Violet and Cole are so hot and it was such a fun take on an age gap, can girl, grumpy/sunshine romance! It had all of the things I love about Elsie’s writing like the small town, found family, strong MCs, and romance, but added so much spice and tension that I was SWEATING. I loved the forced proximity and kind of second chance, and how both of them care for each other so deeply. I thought the miscommunication of the past was super well done and made it that much sweeter when they were brought back together and started falling for each other again. Cannot wait to get back to Gold Rush Ranch with The Front Runner😍

AUTOMATIC 5 STARS!!!! absolutely loved this one - of course I would I love how beautiful Elsie Silver writes her books and I think everyone in the world should read her books!!
This book has all the vibes:
- grumpy x sunshine
- age gap
- cowboy romance
- forced proximity
- small town romance

Cole and Violet were everything and I loved it so much!!

Thank you so much to Bloom Books for early access to this re-release. These are my honest thoughts!

FIVE STARS. Cole gives those Eaton boys a run for their money in terms of grumpy + swoon!

I loved the back and forth tidbits of the timeline we got between Violet and Cole in the past and in the present. These two were inevitable. After obsessing over those Eaton boys of mine, I now see Violet as a fiercely loyal friend with a big heart; she's an Eaton through and through, too. I just love their "meet-cute" storyline. I feel all of their chemistry and their rejection and their heartbreak, together and individually. I feel for Cole when he finally shares his story with someone. I feel for Violet when she feels like she's finally gotten out of the shadows of her loud and overbearing family.

Elsie writes these characters that are uniquely vulnerable and real and raw. I gobble them up like you wouldn't believe. They're people who have gone through some things and made it to the other side. They're fighters. And I love how they transform into who they are meant to be in a few hundred pages. These characters are as real to me as my real friends, and that's rare.

This audiobook just released and I CANNOT RECOMMEND IT ENOUGH. Give it a listen and let me know your thoughts! :)

Omg, I am such a Elsie silver fan. This book is absolutely top tier. There were so many aspects of this I loved. There was some second chance as they had spoken online in the past, there was forced proximity because she is forced to live with him. Violet and Cole are so sweet to each other and the slow progression of their relationship was just adorable. Cole is closed off and it takes a lot to let violet in, but it was so worth it.
Loved this so much.

A Photo Finish, written by Elsie Silver, is the second title in the Gold Rush Ranch series.

Format: NetGalley & KU ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Romance
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️

Violet (FMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Horse jockey

Cole (MMC)⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Stable owner, former military

Without realizing it, the two main characters have had a year long virtual relationship that is about to come face-to-face. These two characters have amazing banter and tension!

I love a good grumpy/sunshine trope and when you add in a cowboy romance with spice, even better!!

Elsie Silver did a great job writing these two characters, their connection show they were truly meant for each other and deserve their HEA.

Favorite lines:

“Nice to see you again, Pretty in Purple. I almost didn’t recognize you with your clothes on.”

“I know you see yourself as dark. But you aren’t. You’re swirling color, all different shades, a mosaic. You’re complicated and beautiful. And I’m not quitting on you, so you better not quit on me.”

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title!

Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

#books

Don't get me wrong, I love Elsie Silver's books, but this was actually the first one that was a solid 5-star read for me.
I loved the banter, the angst, the character development, how they deal with their traumas, and how Violet is fearless and doesn't back down from challenges. Also, I'm all about a good damaged hero, and Cole delivered everything and more.

“I know you see yourself as dark. But you aren’t. You’re swirling color, all different shades, a mosaic. You’re complicated and beautiful. And I’m not quitting on you, so you better not quit on me.”

So yeah this was a masterpiece! 💛

4/5 stars

oh it’s good to be back in the elsie silver universe!!

tropes:
- grumpy x sunshine
- age gap
- war veteran mmc x horse racing fmc
- cowboy romance (set in a ranch)
- they have history together 👀
- forced proximity
- hates everyone but her
- small town romance

this book was quite a unique read for me, but it was executed perfectly! elsie really has done it again. the banter between characters, him taking care of her while she is injured, and the over all story was just so cute!

it was so clear from day one that cole was a GONER for violet, and seeing her push and test his limits was just so adorable. they are really perfect for each other, and watching their story unfold was wonderful.

i would say if you like cowboy romances, elsie silver books, or the tropes in general, this is a MUST READ!!

thankq so much to bloom books and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! this book was fantastic, can’t wait to buy a physical copy on release day!

Cole + Violet

-small town romance
-age gap
-second chance
-grumpy/sunshine
-forced prox

this was an super new way to go into an online relationship type deal & i loved that! their chemistry was great & i loved the way violet didn’t let cole walk all over her with his insecurities & pushed him to better himself! i wish the time jumps were a little more organized tho but otherwise i truly enjoyed it.

Elsie never fails in maing me love a small-town romance!!

Cole was everything and Violet? I did not expect to fall in love with them as much as I did. I lvoed Off to the races but this one is hands down my favorite so far!

The way they met, the reason why Cole is so grumpy, everything was perfection and so well written.

I will be forever a fan of this series and I love every single moment so far!

I have became a fan of Elsie Silver when I read her flawless series. I also read most of the books in this series. This book was steamy and romantic. The ending was better than I expected. I look forward to reading more books by Elsie Silver. I'm grateful that netgalley and the publishers let me read this in exchange for an honest review.

I will always eat up an Elsie Silver book!!!!

I enjoyed my time reading this, but the main conflict and tropes surrounding the MCs weren't my favorite. I will say that I was thoroughly surprised at the plot twist that happened while Violet and Cole were hiking. It made a lot of sense for the plot line and the main conflict between the two, which really gave insight into Cole's character.

I was super invested in hearing about Violet's backstory ever since I read The Chestnut Springs Series. I really loved getting to know her outside of her familial expectations and the found family that she's found at Gold Rush Ranch. I immediately related to her story and I loved that she was able to persevere through her trauma to accomplish her dreams.

I will say that Cole did annoy me from time to time with his extremely mixed messages and hot and cold demeanor; however, it made a little bit of sense knowing his backstory.

The pining and the angst was so incredible and really made for a fun reading experience. I personally cannot wait to continue this series because I truly love every single thing that Elsie writes.

Thank you Bloom Books, Elsie Silver, and Netgalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I love Elsie’s books! I read most of the Chestnut Springs series last year, so I was excited to see this (as a re-release) available on NetGalley.

Violet and Cole were very swoon-worthy together, and you couldn’t help but want to fix Cole. Pippy the horse made a great side character as well. And the scenes with Violet and Cole get very steamy.

Thanks as always to NetGalley for the ARC.

I LOVED this story so much. Having already read all her brother’s love stories in the Chestnut Springs series, I was really excited to see Violet Eaton’s love story play out and I ate it up! Violet is such a badass who won’t let anyone get in the way of showing the world she is a champion jockey. I absolutely loved Violet’s character and how she is so perceptive of the needs of others. Her relationship with Cole was everything and I loved how she was supportive of him without bending to his will. Cole is a sweet broken baby and I love that he is therapy because BOY DOES HE NEED IT. I truly adored how much growth he made throughout the story and how he learned how to overcome his ~issues~ to show Violet he could be there to support her dreams. The romance and spice in this book was *chef’s kiss* and the glimpses of other characters we loved from book 1 was perfection. I am so excited for the rest of this series!

this series has me in a chokehold. i love everything about it, the plot, the writing, everything. definitely a 10/10

4.5 rounded up

Violet Eaton is sick of being coddled by the men in her life - namely, her father and three older brothers. She decides to leave home and start a new life for herself on her own terms. Part of that new life involves shedding her inhibitions and posting a nude photo of herself on a forum website. When an intriguing stranger responds, they form a tentative friendship with lots of innuendos and ground rules set by him, namely that he'll never show his face. When things get deep and Violet bares everything, only for the mystery man to remain cold, she ghosts him and tries to move on. That is, until she finds out that he is actually her boss' boss at Gold Rush Ranch, Cole Harding, and they're forced into proximity.

I loved this book so much. I was so happy to get Violet's story after reading the Chestnut Springs series and being so intrigued by the far-away Eaton sister! Violet is so capable and trying so hard to make it in a world that says she's not strong enough to do it on her own. She's had her heart broken by the man she fell for over a screen, but she doesn't let that break her spirit. Meanwhile, Cole has battled so much, literally and figuratively, from his father dying in a horse race to his time overseas, and he is hanging on by a thread. When he finds a woman online that makes him want to open up, even if it's only a little bit, he's devastated to lose her, but when she appears in his real life, he is even more terrified. I love how much Violet and Cole supported each other, how protective Cole was, how Violet was the one person who Cole could open up to and feel safe with, it was everything! There was so much pain and trauma in Cole's life but Violet was able to show him that closing yourself off to happiness doesn't make anything better. Ugh, this was just such a great story!

5 stars! Incredible! I love this whole series so much, really anything Elsie Silver writes!! Cole was a perfect MMC I’m obsessed!