I don’t think there are words to describe how much I love Kayce and Raine’s story. It was literally everything. I was kicking my feet reading all the sweet and spicy moments between these two. Kayce needed and deserved the kind of all consuming love that Raine gives him. The character development these two had was incredible. The perfect balance of plot and spice. This may be my favorite in the series!

My Favourite of the Series – Kayce Deserved This

Saving the Rain is hands down my favourite book in the series. I’ve loved every couple Elliot Rose has written, but there was just something about Kayce that hit deeper—and this book delivered the emotional payoff he so deserved.

From the very beginning, I’ve been rooting for Kayce. His journey has been one of the most quietly heartbreaking, and finally seeing him open up, find love, and actually believe he deserves it? Utterly beautiful. The chemistry in this book is electric, but it’s the emotional vulnerability that makes it unforgettable.

The romance? Flawless. The pacing? Perfect. The writing? As always, gorgeous and immersive. But it’s the healing that really stuck with me. Elliot Rose gave Kayce the ending that felt like coming home, and I was crying happy tears by the end.

This book was a fantastic end to a fantastic series.

This was beautifully written and emotional. I caught myself crying more than once but also smiling ear to ear at other times, and even blushing. Kayce and Raine were perfection. Raine was the support that Kayce always needed and Kayce was that soft place to land. They taught each other how to truly love and be loved. And Raine gave Kayce a safe space to explore who he was and what that meant for him. Kayce's growth from the first book to this one was amazing, and being able to see inside his head and get a better understanding of the how and why he acted the way he did in the first book.

Elliott Rose has smashed it out of the park with this book and this series.

Whooo this book is angsty, tension filled perfection! It was from the very beginning one you didn’t want to put down, these boys grab at you and etch themselves in your heart and you want their happy ever after SO badly!

Kayce, the sweet boy, ohhh he was so insecure and vulnerable, it was so emotional, I just wanted to give him the biggest hug. Affected by his past he had a lot to work through especially when his stepbrother comes in to his world looking like a damn snack and suddenly everything Kayce could dream to have!

Raine, the moody, broody cowboy, who we fall hard and fast for. So protective and strong despite his past. With a filthy mouth and a don’t mess with me attitude, no wonder he had Kayce blushing 😅

The CHEMISTRY!!! Oh my goodness 🥵 they were sizzling, the hate to love, the tension, the teasing, the possessiveness! Gimme gimme all of THAT. The spice was spicing, the tender moments had you swooning and the sweet moments were everything. I loved this I am 100% team Kayce & Raine!

🧡Forbidden Love
🤠Stepbrother
🧡 Angsty Rivals to Lovers
🤠Bareback Bronc Riders
🧡Hurt / Comfort

Bonus points for the supportive family in this, I wish everyone had the opportunity to be able to be who they are and have the acceptance and love that Kayce had, special mention to Sage - this just confirms how much I loved her!! 🥰

4.5 stars rounded up!!

I was nervous going into this one. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but yesss! This was an Angsty, forbidden, taboo, age gap, cowboy romance! Kayce & Raine’s story was so messy, emotional, and absolutely beautiful!! Literal tears for the last few chapters. This was just so good!!

Thank you Elliot Rose, Kensington Publishing, and NetGalley for this ARC opportunity!

I’ve been perched on the edge of my seat waiting for Kayce to get his happy ending since book one. Elliott Rose once again gives us exactly what we crave… a steamy, emotional, angst ridden ride that hits in all the right places. This was a one handed read, you feel me? And the forbidden stepbrother trope was perfection. 🥵

The tenderness between Kayce and Raine absolutely melted me. Watching Kayce evolve from the broken boy we first met into someone ready to accept love was just chef’s kiss. I wanted to wrap him in a blanket and protect him from the world. I wanted to throttle Raine for a good chunk of the book, but of course, he completely stole my heart, just like he did Kayce’s.

I’ll admit, the beginning was a slow burn for me, but once the emotional unraveling started, I was all in. The contrast between Kayce and Raine, like oil and water, only made their connection feel even more magnetic. And the way both of them wrestle with their painful childhoods adds such a raw, heartfelt depth to their story.

As always, Elliott Rose does not miss when it comes to spice. The chemistry is Off. The. Charts. This book is a sizzling, soul wrenching addition to the series and a deeply satisfying conclusion to Kayce’s arc.

Saving the Rain: ★ ★ ★ ★ . 5

Elliott Rose (Crimson Ridge, #4)

"Never not obsessed with you."

What do you do when you're trying to straighten out your life but then you walk into a bar and see a real hot cowboy but it turns out to be... your stepbrother that you hate?

Tropes:
– Bronc rider
– Stepbrothers
– Enemies to lovers
– Age gap
– Hurt/comfort

WOOOOW. This was my first book by Elliott Rose and it will NOT be the last. I loved this book. It was so hot and emotional with palpable tension between these two stepbrothers, Kayce (who you may remember from Chasing the Wild as the absolutely terrible ex) and Raine, who have always hated one another. The extremely rough conditions that they both grew up in took such a heavy toll on them both and there's so much healing they need to do as a result of it. It was quite possibly one of the hottest books I have ever read (my God, the mouth on Raine... I was sweating the whole time) but also filled with such tender and sweet moments about self-love, acceptance and most of all, healing.

My only very minor qualm was that there was A LOT of internal monologue that went back and forth and I think some of it could definitely have been cut down, but not a big deal because I still breezed through this book in less than 24 hours.

I loved this book soooo much. I need to go back and read the rest of this series, but I just know they can't top this one. I will never not be obsessed with Kayce and Raine's story, that is for sure!

Thank you Kensington Books for the ARC!

In this final installment we watch as Kayce figures out his sexuality and his confusing feelings towards his stepbrother who he thought he'd left in his past. Raine storms into Kayce's life again like a bull out the chute and turns his world on its axis.

They are so aggressive towards eachother you're left genuinely wondering how there could possibly be a romance between them. Elliott Rose does forbidden love & hate/rivals to lovers perfectly.

The flashbacks and the guys' POVs will rip your heart apart and stitch it back together. The spice will leave you fanning yourself and wondering who has the heating on in summer.

The guys are stepbrothers - Kayce's mother married Raine's dad when they were teenagers, there's no real brotherly bond. I feel this is how Elliott Rose does 'forbidden romance' so well - it's not taboo but it's also not the 'social norm'

The perfect send off for this series. Thank you to Kensington & Netgalley for the opportunity to read early.

I probably shouldn’t admit this, but OH WELL 😉

Saving the Rain was my first ever Elliott Rose book.

And after finishing Saving the Rain all I have to say is WHERE HAVE THESE BOOKS BEEN ALL MY LIFE?!?!!!!!!

I request this from NetGalley because I’m a sucker for a cowboy romance. But when I learned this was MM Cowboy romance insert immediate grabby hands. I had no clue this book was apart of an interconnected series. Now my new obsession will be going backwards and reading the rest and I can’t freaking wait.

Because Saving the Rain is going down as one of my favorite books of 2025. Kayce & Raine’s story was perfection from beginning to end. I loved watching these two go from hate to love. The banter, the will they/wont they, the SPICE!!! Everything was just chef kiss 😘

Elliott Rose you have a fan for life after this book. And all I can say is THANK YOU! Everyone do yourself a favor read this book. I cannot recommend it enough. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley & Kensington Publishing for providing me an ARC copy. I can’t wait to buy my trophy copy on August 26th!

"We’re stepbrothers. We’re strangers. Although, at the end of the day, we’re still connected and that means something like this should never even be a whisper of an idea."

One of my highly anticipated release for August, and it did not disappoint.

When I received a notification (before work, mind you) that I had access to the ARC, I was so happy and instantly messaged Morgan (@mor_gan_reads). We both are a fan of this series, and we both got the ARC !!!

Now, I immediately dropped my current read to read this. No regrets.

Where to start?

After reading book 3 in this series, I was like a dog with a dangling bone because that teaser about this book? Perfect. I was jealous of people who received ARC before me, but I trusted the process and lowkey did not hope anymore. But hey, I live for the hope of it all (ofc I had to add a little bit of TS there considering I finished this on Aug 1). Thennn, I got sick. I napped throughout the day (still after work, mind you) and when I woke up, I started thinking about this book. This one got me on a chokehold (wink wink).

Anyways -

This book is the perfect conclusion to the series. I am gonna miss the characters, the found family, the whole taboo forbidden tropes and just the whole thing. I wished there's more (is there?) books in this series.

There's something about Wilder men. I mean, my favorite is book 1 (Colton and Layla), and this one is the next.

First off, I love Kayce surprisingly, considering he was an jrk in the first book but hey, we love to see his redemption arc in this one. He's been through so much, and dealt with bad life the way he thought was right. We saw his history, his traumas, his baggage, his family dynamic before he went to Crimson Ridge. I just want to reach out to the book and hug him. I am so proud of him.

Raine, his stepbrother, is a great addition to this series. He's still the world's grump but he's such a softie inside. The way he cares about the people around him, doing little things and not taking any credits or asked for any praise. Now, he also had a hard life but we also saw how he's so protective especially towards Kayce now and before when they were living together.

I read 70% of this book in just a day. The tension is so palpable, I can feel it in my bones. They started out so rocky because of their history together but they still cannot help themselves to be drawn to one another.

The way Kayce was confused with his sexuality and how he processed the fact that he's gay was so endearing to see. I love how it felt so real and so vivid that I just know that this book got such a great representation for people who are dealing/dealt with the same process.

We all know these books got a third-act break up, and honestly, with this, I am not even mad. It made sense and I know that it's the right decision.

I think I yapped for far too long, and just know this is my favorite book read this month!

I cannot wait to reread it again once it's published.

Thank you Netgalley gods and Kensington Publishing for the eARC!

Crimson Ridge has never burned hotter what a finale. This last installment in the series is everything a MM cowboy romance fan could want: forbidden tension, emotional depth, a slow-burn payoff, and spice that does not hold back.

Kayce and Raine? Fire and gasoline. Their shared history is complicated, painful, and deeply personal and watching them navigate it was both heartbreaking and so rewarding. Kayce’s journey absolutely gutted me. His growth from the first book to now is one of my favorite arcs in the series. And Raine… let’s just say he had to earn my love, but by the end, I was all in.

Elliott has created something truly special with Crimson Ridge...gritty, tender, and addictively emotional. I’m sad to say goodbye to this world, but I’m already counting down the days until her next release.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Kensington for the early copy!

It took me awhile to get into it because it is my first book in the series and my first book by the author. But once I got through the first few chapters connected with the characters and world more, I really enjoyed it!! Cowboy spicy MM book with both angst and a HEA - hard not to like that. I am excited to read more of the series so will go back and do books 1-3

Thank you NetGalley and Kensington Publishing for giving me this ARC in exchange of an honest review.

This was so fucking beautiful!!! And angsty!!! And just pure perfection!!!
It's literally filled with angst, yearning, tender moments, but also whitty and sooo spicy!!!
Kayce and Raines story is just so beautiful that I actually cried happy tears at the end.

"Never not obsessed with you."

Absolutely LOVED this. Kayce and Raine are my FAVORITE couple. How weak Raine was for Kayce was everything. Kayce’s character development was the best. Elliot is one of my auto buy authors

this was such a sweet angsty story filled with so much history and heartbreak, these two went through so much trauma but I loved that they got their well earned happy ending.. Thank you to Netgalley and Kensington Publishing for the ARC!

Well these lover boys have officially etched themselves into my heart. This book is raw, real, heartfelt, emotional, awakening and damn spicy in all the best ways. The amount of times I melted into a puddle on the floor for these boys while reading. I am truly, deeply, firmly living in Kayce & Raine season right now, and honestly I don't want to escape it. The pain and hurt these two have had to endure in their life, made seeing them together to be each others comfort all the more sweet and special. My heart absolutely swelled for these two and I'm almost a bit sad that I read this in a day, because now its all over.

The tension, angst, hate-to-love vibe between these two? LITERAL PERFECTION! All of that between these two is enough to set you on fire and needing to take a moment to fan yourself when they're done. The sexual energy between these two is insane. Like OH. MY. WORD. Jaw on the floor, screaming, biting your fist level stuff. But all their soft moments made it oh so tender too. Both these boys have the biggest hearts and totally deserve their happy ending that they got.

Omg, sweet, baby angel Kayce! He is such a broken mess of a boy, constantly craving that love and affection that he has lacked for most of his life. As a boy he was so broken and idolised everything that Raine was. He put himself through so many dips and turns in his life and he is still struggling so much to come out of the other side of that. He sees himself as not being worthy of so much, when really he actually deserves the world and to have that someone in his life to love and cherish him. His growth since we first met him in Chasing The Wild is amazing. But his growth alone in this book made me so emotional. Opening up to the people he loves and seeking the help he needed was all he need to find that sense of peace and start living the life he deserved.

Raine, our black cat, moody, grumpy cowboy, with all the emotional damage from his past. He screams PROTECTOR energy in everything he does. Especially where Kayce is concerned. He suffered so much when he was younger, just to keep Kayce and his mom safe. Even through all the hurt that was inflicted on him, he still managed to come out the other as this wonderful, quiet, soft man that does all these wonderful things for the people he loves. But OMG, JESUS CHRIST - the works! The mouth on that man. I knew from all the teasers that he was going to have me feeling like a sweating, panting mess but I never could have imagined him being as damn hot and in control as what he was 🤭🥵🔥.

Stop it, I'm not crying, you are! How is this series over? To be wrapped up by following along with these two lover boys is the absolute best way it could have ended though. Damn, am I going to miss the world of Crimson Ridge though.

This book was absolutely everything I needed it to be and more. Their was pain, sadness, heartache, happiness, love, tension, angst and a big ole heap of found family. Basically everything I love to see in a book. Absolutely a 5 ⭐️ read.

Thank you so, so much to Elliot, Netgalley & Kensington for approving me to read this as an arc. I literally almost squealed in a public place when the email came though!

I loved this so so much. Kayce the bronco rider with big dreams ends up in an incident and has to rely on his estranged stepbrother Zeke. Zeke is a hot cowboy covered in tattoos that tempts Kayce the minute he sees him. They have to learn to work together and put the past aside. Things get steamy pretty quick, and they have to bring their walls down and learn to admit how they really feel.

I have no notes other than I was sad when it ended bc I loved it so much.

4.5 🌟

I am struggling to find the words to accurately describe the feelings I felt reading this book. I am so emotionally overwhelmed after finishing this absolute masterpiece.

When I ARC read Taming the Heart and figured out Kayce’s book was going to be a queer love story, I was jumping for joy because I knew Elliott Rose would do it justice, and my god, she did just that. This was one of the most beautiful queer love stories I’ve read in a long time, these boys had me in a vice grip from page one. Their trauma and healing played out beautifully, allowing them to make mistakes and grow on page. The emotional depth of this book is a whole thing in and of itself. I could write a dissertation on the emotional aspect of this book.

Being back in Crimson Ridge always feels like coming home; the setting is so familiar and comforting that I could live between the pages. I am in awe of the world and characters Elliott Rose has created.

Now for the fun part: the romance and spice!
Wow. Queen Elliott did not hold back (she never does, who am I kidding?) The dynamic in this book sets us up for some incredible spice and, as usual, it delivered. I was panting during some scenes, and my jaw was on the floor for others. I was so wrapped up in the love story that every single spicy scene just added to the plot. Every scene was intentional. You can actually feel Kayce and Raine’s walls breaking down and watch them fall headfirst into love.

I want to say so much more, but I need to keep it spoiler free. Just trust me - you’re going to love this one.

This is the story of Kayce and Raine - two broody stepbrothers who find love in the most unexpected way. These grumpy cowboys start off as oil and water, filled with angst, tension, and bottled-up feelings from traumatic childhoods. Raine was the somewhat distant, always aware older brother, looking after Kayce and his addicted-to-pills mom when his abusive father made time at home rough. ~ Kayce was always looking for Raine's approval - excited for the chance to bond and build a family but ended up watching Raine drive away when it mattered most. ~ Years have passed and Raine shows up in Kayce's very own Crimson Ridge. Not sure how to handle this change, Kayce tries to put up a front, fighting his quickly growing attraction and thawing heart. Kayce's entire world is turned upside down when injured on the rodeo, and nothing prepares him for Raine showing up as his emergency contact. ~ As Kayce heals and Raine takes care of him, truths are spoken - healing both the past and present versions of these characters. Interwoven timelines complete the story, allowing readers to discover why Kayce took money from Layla ("Chasing the Wild") and why Raine left Kayce all those years ago. ~ "Saving the Rain" is incredibly cathartic and totally unexpected. This book gave me everything I needed from the world of Crimson Ridge - in addition to everything I didn't know at the foundational core. This is a phenomenal ending to the series, and exceeded my expectations. ~ Many thanks to Elliott Rose and Kensington Publishing for my physical and digital ARCs!

I really enjoyed the story, but I did feel like it dragged from the 50% mark to the 80% mark there just wasn’t that much that happened and I disliked how enemies they were. It really was hard for me to see how they were becoming lovers.