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Series Guide
Ultimate Guide: Chestnut Springs Series by Elsie Silver
September 7, 2023
FMK: Bull rider, rancher, hockey player. Welcome to Chestnut Springs.
Elsie Silver's Chestnut Springs series has made its debut on the #booktok red carpet in the last few months, and after reading the first few books, I can see why. Elsie Silver creates an inviting, small-town world with compelling characters and storylines. If you love bull riders, cowboys, hockey players, rogue panties, hot tubs, or hotels with only one bed - then you'll love this series. Get to know the boys of Chestnut Springs and the strong woman that steal their hearts.
What is the Chestnut Springs series about?
The series takes place in British Columbia, near the Rockies. It is part of the same world as the Gold Rush Ranch series, also by Elsie silver. Each book follows a different couple in a series of connected standalone novels. The first book follows a bull rider and his unlikely relationship with his big city agent's daughter. The second follows the brother, a full-time cattle rancher, and his new live-in nanny (who is also his future sister-in-law's best friend). The third book follows the honorary third brother, an NHL hockey player, who rescues his childhood best friend after her failed wedding day. The fourth book features a hot shot bull rider, the new guy in the circuit, who's one night stand gets a little more complicated by a tiny plus sign. And the highly anticipated fifth installment will follow the mysterious military brother, Beau Eaton, and his fake engagement with the girl next door.
Keep reading to learn more about each of the books in the Chestnut Springs series!
Flawless
Published June 24, 2022
I flew through the first book in the series. I wouldn't really call this one enemies-to-lovers, but the first half of the book feels like a slow burn, which is 1000% my cup of coffee. After a minor dairy scandal that threatens his sponsorships, a playboy bull-rider and his new PR babysitter are stuck in the same house until he competes in the championships. They just have to make it through the next few weeks and then they can be rid of each other. He wants to win, she doesn't want to fail.
At first glance, the story doesn't seem that complex. But Silver's characters are always more complex than they seem at first glance. As Rhett and Summer get to know each other, they develop an understanding that eventually leads to more. With most fluffy-romance novels, I'm not too picky about believability or longevity when it comes to the relationship, but these two have me rooting for them long after I finished the last sentence. And the best part? We get to see more of them as the series continues with Summer's best friend, Willa.
"Tell me what you want, Summer... if this were your last moment on earth, what would you want me to do?"
Heartless
Published October 14, 2022
After reading book two, I can confidently say that Silver is only going to get better. I absolutely adored Cade and Willa. Heartless is an age-gap, single parent, grumpy-sunshine, small-town romance that will have you giggling for hours. Cade runs his family's cattle ranch, taking over for his elderly father and taking care of his family after his mother's death. Willa steps in to help as a nanny for Cade's son, living in their home on the ranch next door to her best friend, Summer.
I found this one be be a bit lighter than the first installment. Willa's witty comebacks and optimistic inner-dialogue provide a fresh perspective, ensuring new readers won't be bored if they read the series back-to-back. I'm not normally a fan of employer/employee tropes, but this one felt very genuine and was not used to manipulate any part of the relationship. The friendship between Willa and Cade's son is heartwarming, and I loved watching Cade's guard fall down as Willa refuses to be anything but herself. The birthday party scene nearly brought me to tears. I want someone to fight for me like Willa fights for her boys!
And the spice in this one? Immaculate. I'll take seconds and eat every crumb on the plate. I mean, the porch scene???? God bless Elsie Silver and her dirty mind.
“Life lesson, shithead. Careful who you pick a fight with. Someone insane might love him.”
Powerless
Published February 10, 2023
A western hockey romance, set in the Canadian Rockies? Yes please. I've always been a sucker for second chance romance, especially childhood friends, and this story is so cute I was smiling like a school girl the entire time. Sloane is a ballerina who is used to having her life planned out for her, never getting to make her own decisions. And Jasper is an NHL hockey player who had a rough childhood and has a fear of abandonment.
This book had more of an intimate, slice of life feel than the first two books, and I really enjoyed it. It gives you space to understand the characters, and I guarantee that you'll become invested in their stories. This was an emotional read, so get the tissues ready when you're close to the end!
Reckless
Published June 9, 2023
I've been patiently waiting for Winter's redemption, and this was better than anything I could have imagined!
After leaving her toxic marriage, Winter wants nothing to do with men. But when she meets a rowdy bull rider used to buckles and bunnies, she tells herself it can be a one time thing. But he's the persistent sunshine to her grumpy exterior, and it becomes harder and harder to keep herself away.
And things become even more complicated when a tiny plus sign throws all of her plans out the window. I'm not normally a fan of surprise pregnancy tropes, but this one actually feels realistic. The banter and understanding between Theo and Winter is off the charts, and might mark this as my favorite book in the series so far.
And I know I said earlier that these are technically standalones, but you will get so much more out of the stories if you read them in publication order. Especially in this story, we get to see an entirely different side to Winter that we didn't in the previous books, and it makes the ride that much sweeter.
When does the next Chestnut Springs book release?
The fifth book in the Chestnut Springs series, Hopeless, will be published on October 13, 2023. This book will follow the third Eaton brother, Beau, and his fake engagement to the girl from the outcast family, and the wrong side of the tracks. What starts out as a bet quickly becomes blurred when their act seems to trickle through the cracks behind closed doors.
