3.75 ⭐️

Thanks to Netgally and H. Mitchell for giving me the opportunity to read this as an arc!!

I love cowboy romances so much and this was no exception. I love how instead of being set on a ranch some where in america (the typical setting) Colton was working for the summer at an estate in England.

Colton is the definition of a gentleman and what we all should look for in a man. The way he pushed Ellie to be the best version of herself and work for what she wanted without being overally pushy.

Watching Ellie throughout the book discover who she wants to be and stand up to her mother was so amazing and is the type of charatcer development I love to see. It was a little bittersweet to see her realise that her dream of being an olympic dressage rider was more her mothers dream but the ending made it so sweet.

Their relationship is built on so much trust and understanding of each other in the best way. The way they're both able to be so vulnerable about their mental health and other aspects of their life was amaizng to see.

My Ellie comes out on February 17th and I highly recommend adding it to your TBR!

This book reminded me of those early spring days. You've been trapped within darkness and coldness for so long, that the second the sun appears (or in this case, you open the book) and touches your skin, you just feel so much radiated beauty. If I am honest, I am tearing up still while writing this review. To be understood so deeply by someone is such a beautiful thing and to have witnessed this happen with these two characters, was just utterly magical.

Something I absolutely love when the male main character is infatuated with the female main character, but I love more when he is respectful and considerate about it. Colton was open about his feelings but did not push or become over bearing with them. He did not appear forceful and he kept behind the friendship boundaries, until he had full permission to cross them. And that is what I loved so much about him. He was kind and loving but also just so polite and thoughtful. His drive and ambition to do right by everyone and to try encourage those around him to aim high, was just such a stunning trait.

This book also explored mental health in such a gracious way too. This is something I could relate to a lot and I just thought it was done in such an honest and truthful way. The conversations, the bodily reactions and just the general suddenness of it, it was like looking into a mirror at some points. And while this may seem scary and a bit overwhelming while reading it, I found it also made me feel so much comfort and normality. There were several times where I was in tears due to the realness portrayed within these pages.

I just had a wonderful time with this book and I highly recommend it. I am so honoured to have read it.

arc review: my ellie by @hmitchellwrites

What such a cutesy cowboy meets horse riding romance this was! One a Cowboy Hall of Fame member who has to retire early, one preparing for the Olympics in dressage!

I absolutely loved the connection of our two main characters and especially the mental health rep in this, it just felt really relatable and real! And them being in different sporting fields, you come to understand their struggles, one moving back home.

Thanks to @netgalley and @hmitchellwrites for letting me ARC read this! It’s out on Monday! 🫶🏻

I am now hooked on cowboy romance after reading this sweet and spicy debut by H. Mitchell.

The characters are well written and believable which is something I personally look for in a contemporary romance.

The mental health representation in this story is excellent. There are some heavy topics covered and it is well done.

The slow burn is enjoyable and so satisfying at the end.

I’m looking forward to book two!

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of this book in return for an honest review.

If you love a sweet cowboy love story, this is the book for you!! Such a sweet love story! I loved the mental health representation in this book, it was well represented. The characters were well developed and likeable.

I had the privilege of receiving an ARC of My Ellie by H. Mitchell, courtesy of NetGalley. This is my first book by this author, and I have mixed feelings about it—here's why.

The build-up between the characters was fantastic. You could really feel their relationship evolve, with their emotions growing deeper as the story progressed. However, what I didn’t enjoy was how long it took for the characters to admit their feelings. If you’re looking for a spicy, feel-good book that delivers right away, this might not be the one for you. I was already halfway through the book before anything significant happened. But once it did, I couldn't put it down because I was eager to see how things would unfold.

My Ellie follows Colton and, of course, Ellie. Colton is a retired rodeo rider from Texas who takes a job at an estate across the pond. He's looking to earn extra money to maintain his ranch and support his younger brother, Wyatt, and his Meemaw. Ellie is a dressage rider striving to make the Olympic team and make her mother proud. The book touches on heavy themes like overbearing parents, the loss of loved ones, and depression, so be mindful of these if they’re sensitive topics for you.

My Ellie is the first book in the Perfectly Paired series written by H. Mitchell. I have never read a cowboy romance before this book, but I can honestly say My Ellie was the MOST PERFECT book to kick off my cowboy romance era. When I saw that gorgeous, bright, and pastel cover, I knew I had to get my hands on this book immediately because y'all should know by now that I'm a sucker for a pretty cover, but anyway I'm so happy I read this book because it truly brought out so many of my emotions, who would have ever known that a cowboy romance could make you cry? The characters felt so relatable and real to me. I love when an author can knock the mental health representation out of the ball park. It's hard to describe my emotions and why I felt this way if you haven't read this beautiful yet heart breaking yet, but I smiled, I laughed, I wanted to pull my hair out, I swooned, I was angry, I cried, it's like I had so many different emotions, it was unreal. My Ellie written by H. Mitchell was honestly the most realest and perfect debut novel. If you are looking for a cute, lighthearted, and fluffy romance, this book isn't for you, yes, it was cute and had fluffy moments, but it deals with very sensitive topics, which I will include in my review, so be sure to check out the trigger warning's before grabbing this beautiful love story. I can't recommend this book enough, please please, I'm begging everyone to read this book at some point because it was just too amazing to pass up.

THANK YOU TO NETGALLEY AND VICTORY EDITING NETGALLEY CO-OP FOR AN ARC OF THIS BOOK IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW!!!!!!!

TRIGGER WARNING'S
Reader discretion is advised. For the brave souls with scarred minds and open hearts.
Explicit Sexual Content
Abuse From a Parent
Mental Health Struggles

"It's strange to call a place home when it's never really felt like yours".

"This friend wouldn't happen to be a beautiful British babe, would she?"

"Failure is not an option. It is a stranger to you and will remain that way".

"Friends are safe, anything more than that could be a complication that might be difficult to recover from".

"I don't want you to have to be anywhere near anyone that makes you feel like you are anything less than perfect".

Twenty-seven year old Colton Brooks is the youngest rodeo rider to be inducted into the National Rodeo Hall of Fame at just twenty-four years old. Colton has been a rodeo rider ever since he was fourteen years old, just trying to make his parents happy and proud before they pass away due to a horrific car accident. Colton has never left the United States before, but his first trip out of the US is to the United Kingdom leaving his Meemaw and his brother Wyatt back at their cottage in Texas. Colton had to stop barrel racing due to a knee injury that needed surgery. Colton is offered a job for two months at the Tewkesbury Estate by Mr. Lord Chamberlain teaching his two sons Edmund who is eleven years old and George who is thirteen years old how to barrel race, ride western pleasure, and most importantly how to be cowboys. During his stay, Colton feels homesickness, regret, and guilt for leaving his Meemaw and brother behind. I thought it was so sweet how despite Colton having a job so far across the country, yet he still made time to Facetime his family back him, it was just the sweetest ever. Ladies, please take notes, Colton Brooks is the type of man that you want in your life. Don't ever let a man treat you any less than the queen that you are.

Eleanor "Ellie" Stirling is a twenty-four year old British Equestrian rider. Ellie has been dreaming of winning an Olympic gold medal since her mom planted that dream in her young mind and heart fourteen years ago. As a member of the British National Equestrian Team and dressage rider, Ellie arrives at the Tewkesbury Estate for a last minute summer training camp. Ellie's horse Remi was just the cutest horse ever, I loved meeting that baby and learning his personality. Ellie has natural blonde hair and green eyes and she's British, Ellie is just absolutely gorgeous. Ellie's mom, Edith was a world class dressage rider, she competed at every level and has even won an Olympic medal until a life altering injury changed the course of her life. I hated Edith so much, the way she spoke to Ellie was just disgusting and heart breaking to witness. Edith expects Ellie to be her legacy, she resembles a hawk, always watching Ellie's moves and constantly telling her what to do. I understand mom's only want the best for their children, but the way Edith treated Ellie was just so foul and there was no need to constantly be a helicopter mom. I just wanted to reach into my kindle and give Ellie the biggest hug ever.

The way Colton and Ellie met for the first time was so cute and absolutely hilarious. Ellie and Colton first meet when Remi escapes his stable and Colton has to lasso him back in, Ellie said, "I'll thank you not to play strange cowboy rodeo games with my horse next time". During their stay at the estate, Colton and Ellie spend time together and get to know each other better, both of them don't drink because of their medications. It was so wholesome when Ellie was stressed and Colton would make her banana bread with vanilla ice cream, ugh where's my personal chef? Ellie and Colton both struggle with their mental health. At twenty-seven years old, Colton struggles with the grief of losing his parents and feeling like he's not enough. At just twenty-four years old, Ellie suffers from a generalized anxiety disorder and takes three different kinds of anxiety medications. Ellie thinks Colton is a handsome cowboy with a heart of gold, which let's be honest is so true. I absolutely adore that both characters bonded over their mental health struggles, they both had each other to confide in. As Colton and Ellie talked about their struggles, I just wanted to reach into my kindle and hug both of these beautiful souls, I couldn't help but cheer them on throughout the entire book.

This was sooo beautiful. I loved everything about it:
the premise, the romance, and especially the characters.

I loved and rooted for Ellie and Colton from the start.
Both had their own struggles, which I thought elevated their characters. Ellie's development was admirable and seeing her grow was so exciting. Colton is the best older brother and grandson, and he is so kind to literally everyone. The side characters are also really interesting. Sanya and Rory added so much fun to the story. And yes, there were some frustrating characters, but some of them are slightly... amusing. Ellie's mother... 🫤. Hate is a strong word, but I genuinely hated her. Someone like her should never be a parent. (I hope this isn't a spoiler 😭).

The romance... THIS is why I love friends to lovers so much (it's technically enemies to friends to lovers). Ellie and Colton were attracted to each other from the start, BUT they became really good friends before acting on their feelings. The friends to lovers in this book has everything I love about the trope, and it is done perfectly.

Overall, this was a beautifully written and well-constructed romance!

Usually we have thus type of book where the female or.male character is somehow deposited in a ranch style or cowboy environment. So it was original.and fun to see our main male was instead taken to England and all it's ways.
I felt sorry sorry for the hurt and trauma our female lead was going through. I don't understand the toxicity of some parents thinking sometimes. And how much that can impact and effect every part of your life. And too with all relationships going forward. And so it was even better to see the gentle and kind nature of Colton.
This was a good book with an original setting and plot.

Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for the ARC copy of this book. I love love love this book! It was so cute!! I wish men in the real world were as self aware and kind as Colton 😂 it is always refreshing to find a romance book where it’s a healthy relationship the whole time. I’m also always a huge fan of cutting out toxic family members. I can’t wait to see who the next book in this series is about!

ARC Review - Huge thanks to H. Mitchell for the opportunity to receive a review copy of My Ellie! Congratulations on your debut novel!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - I loved the concept for this book - rather than your standard cowboy romance where the FMC finds herself in a western setting, My Ellie gives us the opposite - a cowboy transplant who finds himself on a wealthy estate in rural England.

The first chapter had me hooked - I loved our introduction to Colton by way of his flight across the pond - his interaction with his elderly seat mate immediately giving us insight into his warm nature and the way it puts others at ease.

What started out as something that had the potential to envelop me entirely in a whirlwind quickly slowed back down by the 10% mark, though. I’ve read a handful of books where you sort of need to push through the first 25%-30% before things start moving, but this one took a little too long for me with the MCs hardly spending any meaningful amounts of time together until nearly the halfway point. Their connection feels very innocent and almost juvenile at first - more like a first love between two shy, inexperienced teens.

Once the MCs do start spending more time together, it’s a bit of a jolted transition from being at completely opposite ends of the cultural and socioeconomic spectrums to almost being *too* comfortable with a stranger for how little they had previously encountered one another. Colton’s love at first sight didn’t translate into the necessary chemistry for me at first.

Eventually, their connection feels more natural and they form a deep sense of understanding of one another despite their very different lives. I really liked how this aspect helped each of them - especially Ellie - gain a greater perspective of there being more to life than what’s found in their own bubbles, and how the MCs find themselves as a result of this much needed insight.

I thoroughly enjoyed the climax of the story and how the chips fell afterward. It wasn’t what I expected (I’m not sure what I expected, but it wasn’t the way this ended up playing out - and I’m so happy about that)! That said, this all happened very quickly, and I feel like more time could have been taken to delve a little further into the relationship that was blossoming between Colton and Ellie - providing more evidence of their soul deep connection - before the chaos descended. This would have made the revelation of their feelings for one another a bit less of a forced insta-love ick for me.

Mental health rep is a huge element in this story and one of the key ways in which the MCs relate to, and support one another. I really appreciated the openness and normalcy with which not just the presence of mental health challenges exists, but also the way the discussion around regularly seeing a therapist and taking medication felt easy, and not at all taboo.

Another aspect about the book that I applaud the author for is the inclusion of a BIPOC secondary character in a setting where most, if not all, of the characters would stereotypically be white. This was done in a seamless way - no awkwardness or sense of being performative. We even got a chance to meet this character’s family which brought something unique - and a form of representation that is rarely seen yet so important - to the story.

My Ellie is about Texas cowboy Colton who goes across the pond for a summer job and finds a woman that immediately catches his attention. Ellie is an Olympic hopeful who has been following in her mother's shadow her whole life and not in an even remotely good way. First when she meets Colton she comes off as not so nice but maybe it's because she know hurt and trauma and wants to avoid it. Colton doesn't let a first impression make him back away from getting to know Ellie. He knows there's a lot hiding beneath her brash exterior that he wants to get to know.

This was a cute book however it was an extremely long, drawn out slowburn. Nothing of note really took place until about the 75% mark and then it went from innocent and sweet to very spicy in a short time. I actually thought it was going to be a two part series but we just got a very very rushed ending.

Overall for a debut novel it was quite decent and I'm not sad that I spent my time enveloped in this world.

*Received ARC through NetGalley. Voluntarily reviewed**

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
My Ellie (ARC)

"I love you, Ellie, I don't want to be without you. And I don't want you to have to be anywhere near anyone that makes you feel like you're anything less than perfect."

I can’t stop thinking about this book!!

This is probably my favourite ARC I’ve read. Ellie & Colton are so precious.

Thank You Net Galley for the ARC 🫶🏻

I thought parts of this book were super cute. I enjoyed the fact it was set over in England and the cowboy was brought over. The parts I disliked were it felt rushed towards the end. I felt like there needed to be more added to the end to help round out the story. I also disliked how quickly it went from a slow paced relationship to everything culminating within the last 30 pages.

Can I please have Colton Brooks on a silver platter? This romance is very sweet. The burn is very slow, but worth the wait.

My Ellie by H. Mitchell is a heartwarming and passionate romance that brings together two driven individuals from completely different worlds. Colton Brooks, a former rodeo star trying to save his family’s ranch, finds himself in England, where he meets Eleanor Stirling, a talented dressage rider determined to win Olympic gold. Despite the pressures of their respective careers, the chemistry between them is undeniable. As they navigate their personal struggles, their unexpected connection grows, offering a tender and refreshing look at love, healing, and the courage to follow one’s heart. A delightful read for romance lovers.

Such a different take on a cowboy romance. Really enjoyed that they both had a love for horses.

Ellie grows so much and seeing her gain confidence to stand up for herself so she could live the life that she wanted instead of what her mother thought was best!

Colton is an ex rodeo winner who goes to England for a job teaching people how to be a cowboy.

This romance is between to people who are struggling with the pressure in their lives but together they overcome their difficulties while finding love along the way.

Definitely a slow burn with some spice. It had me giggling and crying! An amazing debut novel.

From the moment I started, even before finishing the first page, I knew I was going to have a hella good time. The characters were captivating, the plot intense, the setting beautiful, and the mental health representation was spot on.

And let’s be real, a story with a sweet cowboy who gives off major golden retriever energy? I’m in. Colton was an absolute gem—everything he did for Ellie was so tender, I could honestly cry. He was so kind.

Ellie, though she carried some deep scars, had such a beautiful soul. She just needed a safe space to fully embrace who she was, and it was so great to see her find that with Colton. They truly were two peas in a pod.

Then there were the characters I loved to hate. The way they made me rage every time they opened their mouths—gosh! But even though they made me so mad, they kept the story interesting. I’d honestly love to see more of these characters in the future, because no matter how you feel about them, they were all so fascinating in their own way.

This book had it all—fun, infuriating moments, sweetness, and that slow burn that makes you fall in love with every page.

I am very grateful to have been an ARC reader for this book
Thank you Net Galley and H.Mitchell

I am very surprised how we feel like living every scene with the characters, characters that are very well written. It is nice to see a gentle vulnerable MMC
The FMC growth was needed and glad it happened even if it was a bit slow to get there, the mental health representation was very accurate
It’s a slow burn but the chemistry was well described
If you like romance you will like this book, it is very well written
Congratulations to the author on her debut

Wow! I can't wait for the next book in this series. I feel like I'm falling back in love with romance because this book was an amazing start to a series.
Such deep topics covered in such a light hearted manner. Definitely kept me entertained and seeing the character growth was special too. A 5 star read for me.

Please keep me in touch with this author if she's writing any more books.

Thanks for giving me this, publisher and author.