This story is a push and pull between Cole and Violet. It’s also a dual timeline. They first “meet” in a forum kinda like OF. Violet decides she wants to share her own sexuality in her own way, after feeling so sheltered her own life. Posting a faceless video, Cole messages her asking if she would be willing to make specific content for only him. She denies it but ends up having a faceless online friendship. Fast forward to current and Violet is a new Jockey who had a great first run. Training at the Gold Rush Ranch. After her race, Cole shows up since his family owns the ranch and he shocks her by calling her by her username. Cole is an ex military man who is so grumpy. After Violet gets hurt at another race so she ends up staying at Cole’s house. The forced proximity between these two was hot.

Tropes:
Strangers to friends to enemies to lovers
Small Town
Age Gap
Ex-Military
Forced Proximity
Horse Jockey
Slow Burn
Grumpy/Sunshine

✨ Publication date: July 23, 2024✨

The Photo Finish is the second book in the Gold Rush series by Elsie Silver. This is a small town cowboy romance series by one of my favourite authors.

Violet Eaton has spent her whole life being protected by four fierce older brothers and a father who would stop at nothing to protect their little girl. Violet left her home in Alberta to work at a ranch in British Columbia and gain some independence.

Just as Violet is finding her footing as the jockey for the ranch, Cole Harding her bosses grumpy older brother shows up. Cole isn’t just part owner of the ranch, he’s someone she met in the past online during a year she can’t forget.

After a devastating injury puts Violet and Cole living together in close quarters. As much as they try to stay away from each other their chemistry and attraction is undeniable. Cole is convinced he’ll never be worthy of a wife or long term love and Violet knows she can break through his grumpy exterior.

This is another amazing small town cowboy romance from Elsie Silver. This has all the tropes I’m looking for including Grumpy/Sunshine and Touch her and die. I definitely recommend this one to all the spicy romance fans out there!

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #elsiesilver #thephotofinish

Thank you Netgalley for my gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!


It’s taken me long enough to read Gold Rush Ranch, and I don’t know why! I loved getting glimpses of Violet in her brother’s books and in Billie’s. I didn’t know what to expect with her and Cole’s story, but I absolutely loved it. Finding out Cole’s secret left my jaw open and had me questioning everything. I really want to go back and reread everything now! Elsie somehow makes you fall in love with every single character, and I cannot wait to read the rest of this series.

Elsie Silver just KNOWS how to write men, damn.

I was so eager to read Violets story after getting glimpses of her in her brother’s books. I didn’t realize she actually existed first!

Cole reminds me of a mixture of Jasper and Beau. He’s stoic and broody but dominant in the bedroom (or webcam). I knew from the first few chapters I’d love him.

Violet is a fiery badass. She’s the light to Cole’s dark. I think everyone needs a friend like her, but her a friendship with Billie? yeah I want that in real life.

Really solid cute story. I always love pen pa-y type tropes.

Elsie Silver just has a way with words and her writing. These characters were so likeable, and I truly enjoy that.
This is a slow burn love story. Cole and Violet have history you could say. The formed a type of friendship before and things came to an abrupt stop. She then finds out that Cole is her boss's brother, and ultimately her boss too now he makes a presence at the business. After Violet sustains an injury Cole and Violet are forced to face their past, spend more time together, and communicate.

*Forced proximity
*Enemies to lovers
*Grumpy+Sunshine dynamic
*Small town romance

Predictable, yet enjoyable.

Sometimes when you think you’ve lost touch with someone life has a funny way of bringing you back to the ones you’re meant to be with. I loved how Cole didn’t give up and didn’t let his ptsd get in the way.

4.5 stars!

If Elsie Silver has only one fan, that fan is me. "A Photo Finish" by Elsie Silver is terrific! I liked this quite a bit more than "Off to the Races," which was good, don't get me wrong, but there was something about this book that really did it for me. I loved the chemistry between Violet and Cole. Their dynamic is bolstered by their unqiue backstory, where they were online "friends" (more like friends with benefits???) first. Fate brings them face to face with one another in real life one year later after Violet injures herself and has to crash at Cole's place so she can recover. I found myself waiting on baited breath to see what happened to them throughout the entire book. Maybe "A Photo Finish" is so good because it feels so fresh. It does a lot of unique things where Cole and Violet's love story is concerned, and I appreciate and respect that so much. This book made me laugh, it made me tear up, it made me root for the characters, and it made me go mildly feral for their spicy scenes when they finally happen. Cowboy romances might be my kryptonite. Loved this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, Elsie Silver, and SOURCEBOOKS Bloom Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

okay but this was so cute!! This was 100 times better than her debut. I ate up every crumb. I do wish we got cameos from Chestnut Springs. lol. However, i understand why we didn’t get any since this was Violet coming into herself. But wow i love this. So cute

I just got finished the chestnut spring series and it was amazing so I wasn’t surprised that this book was good as well:)
This book was so fun to read and filled with lots of emotion and romance. I love being able to see Cole and Violet’s relationship develop.
I’m so excited to read the other books in the Gold Rush series. I think Elsie Silver is one of my new favorite authors!!!:)

4/5 ⭐️
For someone who is not the biggest fan of cowboy romances, I do love me some Elsie Silver. She writes with just enough romance, and just enough backstory. You will stay invested in the characters the whole time, while hoping and guessing who is going to be the next book.

I did not realize when I received this book that it was part of a series. However, I will now go read all of the other books in the series because of how heartwarming this story was. I did not think that you had to read the first book to completely understand the story; it worked just as well as a standalone.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

⛰️ Book Review ⛰️

A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver
⛰️
I enjoyed Off to the Races, but I loved A Photo Finish. My heart was not prepared for Cole. He’s so broken and sad and guarded, but he’s also sensitive and sweet, and I just love him so much and want to give him a big hug. Violet is small but mighty and is basically the human personification of a ray of sunshine. They were opposites in every way, but they were perfect for each other. This book has some of my very favorite tropes. The second chance romance, mixed with forced proximity, plus his shameless pining, made for the best tension ever. Violet and Cole’s chemistry was explosive and I adored them together. In conclusion, this book was perfect.
⛰️
My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level: 🌶️🌶️
⛰️
Read if you like:
▫️damaged military veteran
▫️age gap
▫️billionaire
▫️grumpy x sunshine
▫️small town
▫️dual POV
⛰️
Thank you to Bloom Books, NetGalley, and Elsie Silver for the gifted copy. I received it for free, and am leaving this review voluntarily.

Who doesn’t love a grumpyXsunshine story?! This was a kinda spicy, super sweet novel with a lot of heart! Cole is that sexy unreachable man you feel like you could change and Violet is the perfect girl to break him, if you’ll forgive my horse jokes. Would definitely recommend to any romance lover!

Short synopsis: After falling off a horse and breaking her leg, Violet ends up staying with Cole a man from her past.

My thoughts: This is my first by this author, and while it’s spicier than I tend to prefer it definitely won’t be my last. I really enjoyed the second chance aspect of this, the time flashbacks from their Internet “dating” and watching them both open up and share their vulnerabilities.

Cole was the grumpiest of grumps, but some experiences from his past really made me understand why. But can we talk about his use of a therapist! I absolutely loved the mental health aspect and using resources to better his life.

Violet was sweet but I feel like compared to Cole we got more surface level from her. It could partially have to do with me not reading the previous books she’s tied to though. I’m excited to try them to get more of her family history.

Read if you love:
- Horses and ranches
- Forced proximity
- Second chance romance
- Grumpy sunshine
- War heros

Could not set it down. "A Photo Finish" flows so well and has such a strong sense of character and setting. This is the second in a series but can be read as a standalone and is also connected to Elsie Silver's Chestnut Spring series. So many good books to read!

Major themes that stood out to me: grief, loneliness, and independence. These are balanced by strong notes of healing, intimacy, and passion. I love that this book is written with a dual point of view - the doubt and love are so clearly felt. And the best part was the positive portrayal of therapy. A relationship didn't magically heal Cole's or Violet's issues, they had to work for it! I appreciate how much they wanted each other, but were committed to taking responsibility for their own growth.

Thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for providing an eARC for review.

I love this author but was worried I wouldn't like this series as much as Chestnut springs. I was just as enthralled with these characters. It's a winning formula and I can't wait to get through the whole series.

I LOVE Violet, she was my fave in Off to the Races, and was so excited for her story!

Her and Cole's tension in this book was *chef's kiss!*, their past interactions on how they initially knew each other were hilarious. There were times that I was giggling and kicking my feet!

Cole was such a grump, but also super sweet and I loved how the author made his character feel so real and relatable. I just wanted to put him in my pocket and protect him at all costs!

I loved how headstrong and determined Violet was and how she continued to stick by Cole throughout. My heart sang when Cole finally got the best sleep ever when he was with Violet, SO sweet!

Violet and Cole met IRL because of their job and find out they already know each other from internet. During that time, they became very attached, even in love, until Cole upset her and Violet disappeared. They don't want to spend time together, but Violet hurts herself and has to live with Cole.
I really enjoy this book. The second characters are sweet and funny. Cole is grumpy bue we fall in love with him when we learn more about him. Can't wait to read the other book of this saga!

a photo finish is my top 3 elsie silver book! i love a second chance, grumpy-sunshine, tortured hero romance.

cole was dealt with a bad hand after witnessing a traumatic event on the race track that left him dealing with ptsd. he sees himself as nothing but damaged goods and undeserving of love. violet left home so she could be independent, make something of herself, to forge her own path, keeping a distance from being coddled by her overprotective dad and brothers. i love the journey it took for them to rekindle their friendship and help each other through their struggles. she always shows up for him and refuses to give up fighting for their relationship. cole gradually opens up to violet, giving in and letting her see all the broken and ugly pieces of himself he has kept hidden all his life. no matter how many times cole pushes her away, she keeps coming back. she refuses to give up on him and wants to show him that he is worthy of love and attention. i also love the tension, push-and-pull, angst, pining, and the way he fell for her first and hard.

one thing i absolutely love about the series is how elsie writes about the special bond the characters have with their horses. seeing cole take care of pipsqueak is just so endearing and made me fall for him a little more!

thank you to elsie silver, bloom books, and netgalley for the arc! <3

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

✔️ Second Chance
✔️ Online Friends
✔️ Forced Proximity
✔️ Small town romance

Thank you @netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book!

I fell absolutely in love with Elsie’s story telling in the Chestnut Springs series so when I realized the Eaton sister story was out there I was SO excited to get my hands on it! However I may have hyped it up too much….while I really thought I was going to love this one I really felt myself struggling to finish. 💔

While I hate starting on a negative Cole was a selfish jerk most of the book and although he had good reasons I really never connected with his character. I did however love Violet. Violet was absolutely everything I wanted in a FC - sweet, smart, and badass. She really carried the book for me. I also thought they had a really cute story and loved their chemistry and banter. They had some really cute moments that were truly enjoyable. Overall this book was good but it didn’t hit me like the Chestnut Springs series does.

“You? Us? I think we’re meant to be. You found me, and I found you. Over and over again. If that’s not a sign, I don’t know what is.”

A Photo Finish is the second book in the Gold Rush Ranch series, following Off To The Races. In this book, we get Violet's story - a crossover character from the Chestnut Springs series.

This book has:
-forced proximity
-second chance romance
-grumpy x sunshine

While I did enjoy this more than Off To The Races, it just didn't captivate me as much as romances usually do. I was intrigued by the "before" timeline, and wanted to know what had happened there, but the present-day timeline fell a little flat for me.

Not bad but not very memorable for me, unfortunately.