"I realize she might be everything. The light at the end of the dark tunnel. The sunshine my dark existence so desperately needs." ☀️💛

Quick Thoughts:
-Super unique premise! (Cole and Violet started as internet pen pals. I really enjoyed the format of their past + their messages to each other.)
-Jennie from 2021 would've given this a solid 5/5 because tears were shed three times...but I can't rate it any more than a 3.5 because I definitely skimmed too much. Some moments felt so slow but I still enjoyed their growth and relationship.
-I read ES's other series first so I loved it when Violet mentioned her Eaton family!

A few of my favorite quotes:
-"Getting to know Violet was like discovering a medicine I didn’t even know I needed."
-"She shines like the sun, golden and bright."
-"She makes me feel safe, makes me want to take chances, makes me a better me—and if making someone a better version of themselves just by being there isn’t love in action, then I don’t know what is."
-"Win or lose. She’s always smiling out there. Smiling right at me. Lighting me up. Because she’s my f#ck!ng sunshine."

Tropes Found in A Photo Finish:
-Small town romance
-Second chance
-Age gap
-Damaged hero
-Grumpy + sunshine
-Mental health rep
-Disability rep

I love Violet Eaton and this world that Elsie has created. There were so many moments that made me *FEEL* and so many things that I loved about this book -- but I feel like the way Violet and Cole "met" or at least how they ended up falling for each other felt kind of icky to me.

Once that was over, their relationship was SO sweet and the spice was *chef's kiss* I absolutely loved it.

Violet Eaton is one of my favorite characters ever & she's a horse girl just like me so I related a lot!

Overall, I love this series & will always recommend!

I received a copy of this for my honest review

In book 2 of the Gold Rush series our MMC and FMC "met" online when she posted a nude of herself to a forum page. They began an online friendship, but when she wanted to take it further he shut her down. A year later, she just won her first race as a jockey and in the winners circle she shakes the hand of her boss's boss, and when he says her screen name, she pales. Now he has moved to the ranch to help a new project and they are thrown together. Can they resist each other? Will they open up to make something this time?

Elsie Silver does it again!
This book follows Violet Eaton (Rhett, Cade, and Beau's little sister) who is an upcoming jockey at Gold Rush Ranch and Cole Harding, grumpy army veteran, and Violet's trainer's brother in law. But little did they know they met before...

I was skeptical about this book becuase of the cam girl element tbh, but fell in love with these character nonetheless! This story was so sweet, well written, and a great time to read. I'm a violet and Cole fan! (This is actually the type of ex-military vibe I was hopeing Hopeless would be, which missed the mark for me unfortunately), but this book completely exceeded my expectations! Read it in less than a day.

This is my first Elsie Silver book, and I have to say I really enjoyed it. I guess it’s time to binge read all her other books!

This novel follows sunshine Violet and grump Cole. After an accident happens, Violet has to recover under the same roof as Cole. Little do their family and friends know, these two have a past. A past both Violet and Cole think about frequently but are too scared to make a reality. Will these two finally get over themselves and give in?

I loved many aspects of the story, but I love how each chapter gives us a 2-3 page flashback to 2 years ago. I prefer this over back and forth time jumps between chapters. I thought this worked perfectly.

The spice level on this one is off the charts! I felt like my kindle was going to start on fire.

The bonus scene at the end was just too cute. I loved every moment between Cole and Violet.

If you are looking for a grumpy-sunshine, enemies to lovers vibe with a semi-slow build up, make this your next read.

*An ARC was received from Bloom and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

She lets me have my issues and doesn’t look at me like I’m a puppy who’s been kicked a few too many times. She just reroutes, like I’m not an inconvenience to her at all. She’s just . . . She’s like sunshine on my face. Warm and bright. I feel like I’ve been living in the shade, in a dark corner, and rather than dragging me kicking and screaming out of it—like so many people have tried to—she’s just shifted over a little bit to share her light.”


This book….so many feelings. Age gap and grumpy sunshine, which are two of my favorite tropes including the he’s only sweet to her trope. Cole had such a dark past and so many issues and Violet loved him through them. She loved him but she was tough on him which I appreciated. She didn’t let him just wallow…she knew her worth and if Cole wanted her, he was gonna have to do the work to get her. Cole and Violet were inevitable.

Thank you to Bloom and Netgalley for this arc!!

Elsie Silver does it again! I loved Violet and Cole. I’ve read all of the Chestnut Springs books - about Violet’s brothers and their friends - so I knew about these two but getting their full story is everything! Violet and Cole were friends on the internet but he let his insecurities and past trauma get in the way of becoming more. So imagine his surprise when he learns the girl he fell in love with over the computer works on his family ranch. Their story is full of twists and turns that will leave you heartbroken (but eventually repaired) in the best ways. I have not read the first in this series and I don’t think that had a negative impact on my experience. I need to go back now and read the rest of this series!

4.5⭐️

Cole and Violets story might be my favorite so far in this series! I love how grumpy he is, but also can’t help but feel bad for how much trauma he has experienced in the past. But even with therapy, it’s not until Violet gives him that extra push where he starts to really work through the last of his trauma and grief. She is so patient and caring and I couldn’t help but love her for it! And that soft spot Pippy weaseled her way into Cole’s heart had me swooning!

✨ small town
✨ grumpy sunshine
✨ age gap
✨ forced proximity
✨ second chance

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Bloom Books, and Elsie Silver for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you so much to Bloom Books for early access to this re-release, and for Netgalley with the opportunity to review it.. These are my honest thoughts on “A Photo Finish” by Elise Silver:

4.75 stars ✨ this book was one of my favourite Elise Silver books. It’s in my top 3 for sure.

Let me start off by saying that I finished this book in like 12 hours that is how much I loved this story. Violet and Cole might be one of my favourite couples that Elise has written and she’s written about quite a few. Violet and Cole’s story is one that “on paper” seems something that you can’t not be hooked by the premise… and boy when you read that first chapter hehe it is game over. The concept of them knowing each other via a hookup app.. and chatting that way seemed to hit that very modern dating cliche of meeting someone online and then knowing the real them in person.

Initally, when reading about Cole it was a mystery as to why he was very reserved when it came to his backstory… but once as a reader you figure out why it makes a lot more sense and fills out the missing pieces. Cole, being having served… has reservations about having anyone close to him after experiencing the amount of loss he has. Which is respectable, but at the same time like he is told by many characters in the book, that the past doesn’t’ define who you are and to hide in the shadows benefits no one. In the shadows you can’t see the sun shine… and rainbows for that matter. When he eventually confesses his love to violet.. it made me think of similar ships where almost breaking though the safety of being friends onto the other side to be lovers can sometimes be the best thing that can ever happen.

For Violet, as I was reading her story I was conveyed and how it made me feel seen in a character. I was able to relate with her on a few different levels. About being a modern woman when it comes to the prospect of dating in the 21 century… what the experience and expectational differences are for both sexes. But then also how when it comes to your career, you have to do what you feel is best for you. To be able to share your entire self with someone and they have to respect your decisions in life especially your career if you want to make things work. Being Violet Easton and having 2 other brothers in Elise’s other series this was an extra fun one to see her backstory flourish.

I would give the spice about a 2.5 to about a 3 🌶️… as it was nice and spicy for the amount of scenes that were in the book. Cole and Violet when it gets going they do go for it. Also the fact that there was the added bonus of having some of their spicy content on a spicy app… it was an all around enjoyable book with that. From their intimate scenes where they were trying to not completely fall for each other but then they do… including their romantic entanglement in a stall… 👀

Overall, I throughly enjoyed this book. One of my favourites from Elise, and I want to continue reading the Gold Rush Ranch series.

As someone who loves Elsie and has read her chestnut springs series, this book unfortunately does not meet expectations. I found Cole to not just be grumpy but more like mean or angry. We learn more about why he behaves the way he does when he learn about his mental illness but I find his behavior with Violet to be frustrating. With that being said, there were elements of the book I enjoyed but it was skippable for me.

📖📖 Book Review 📖📖 What happens when a relationship goes all out of order in the strangest way? Violet meets an internet friend/love interest who she might have taken it too far with until she is ghosted. Unbeknownst to her, this stranger is actually in her life at the ranch she is working at to spread her wings and gain independence away from her family! A Photo Finish is a modern day cowboy romance with all the familiar tropes with a female forward spin that will have you dreaming of this western romance for days….

Review is on Goodreads and will be posted on instagram closer to publication date and on Amazon when published!

I do wish this app allowed for half ratings as I feel this was a solid 3.5 read for me. The characters, while complex & well written just didn't. draw me in the way I had hoped they would. I wanted to absolutely love them but for some reason just wasn't completely sold. I do think that the difficult topics this novel touched on were handled/written very beautifully. The story itself was incredibly written (I've grown to expect nothing less of Elsie Silver), it just wasn't my book.

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.