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emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Out of the Gate by Elsie Silver delivers on the familiar tropes that small-town romance lovers enjoy—grumpy x sunshine, forbidden love, second chances, and horses galore. Ada and Dermot’s chemistry sizzles from the start, and the emotional tension simmers nicely throughout. You can feel their history, especially with how raw their unresolved feelings are. The setting, the ranch life, and the hint of legacy tied to the Gold Rush Ranch make for a solid setup to the series.
But while the connection between Ada and Dermot is intense and often touching, the execution left me wanting more. The age gap itself wasn’t a huge issue, 21 and 31 is believable, but the constant reminders that Dermot knew Ada since she was 10 made some scenes feel unnecessarily uncomfortable. The story also packed a lot into a short space. There were emotional flashbacks, military trauma, intense arguments, steamy scenes, reconciliations, and character growth all shoved into a novella’s length. It almost read like a condensed version of a full novel, where key moments like the emotional impact of Dermot’s letters or Ada’s career dreams could’ve used way more space to breathe and develop.
Still, I did enjoy watching Ada come into her own. She’s fiery and determined, and her journey with her horse Penny mirrored her relationship with Dermot in a clever way. Dermot’s inner conflict was compelling too even when he frustrated me, I understood where he was coming from.
Overall, Out of the Gate is a spicy and emotional prequel that lays a solid foundation, but it could’ve hit harder if given the space it needed. Worth a read if you're diving into the series, but not without its flaws.
But while the connection between Ada and Dermot is intense and often touching, the execution left me wanting more. The age gap itself wasn’t a huge issue, 21 and 31 is believable, but the constant reminders that Dermot knew Ada since she was 10 made some scenes feel unnecessarily uncomfortable. The story also packed a lot into a short space. There were emotional flashbacks, military trauma, intense arguments, steamy scenes, reconciliations, and character growth all shoved into a novella’s length. It almost read like a condensed version of a full novel, where key moments like the emotional impact of Dermot’s letters or Ada’s career dreams could’ve used way more space to breathe and develop.
Still, I did enjoy watching Ada come into her own. She’s fiery and determined, and her journey with her horse Penny mirrored her relationship with Dermot in a clever way. Dermot’s inner conflict was compelling too even when he frustrated me, I understood where he was coming from.
Overall, Out of the Gate is a spicy and emotional prequel that lays a solid foundation, but it could’ve hit harder if given the space it needed. Worth a read if you're diving into the series, but not without its flaws.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness, Terminal illness, War
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This one was cute and to the point. For being a novella, I wasn’t too bothered by the pacing and how quickly the conflict was resolved. I think this was a cute story to tell to tie into the series of how it all began.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Abandonment
emotional
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
sweet and sexy short story that gives a good foundation and background for the series and harding family.
lowkey enjoyed it more than off to the races 😅
lowkey enjoyed it more than off to the races 😅
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content
Moderate: Mental illness, War
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
Out of the Gate by Elsie Silver was a cute, easy read with plenty of swoon-worthy moments and undeniable chemistry between Dermot and Kelsey. I love a good forbidden, slow-burn romance, and their push-and-pull dynamic kept me turning the pages.
That said, the timeline and setting made zero sense. Based on details from the first book, this should take place somewhere between the 1970s and 1980s, but the characters’ behavior, dialogue, and overall vibe felt way too modern. It kept pulling me out of the story!
If you can look past that, it’s still a sweet and steamy read, perfect for when you want something light and romantic. But if historical accuracy (or just basic continuity) matters to you, this one might be a little frustrating!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: War
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
This story was a small addition of a little over 100 pages in the back of the first book of the series - Off to the Races. As such, I would definitely call it a short story.
In my opinion, it was okay but not on the level of her other works. And as usual, Dermot was a fool and Ada had stars in her eyes.
It’s interesting to see the start of the family businesses and yet somehow I was left with a feeling that I really would not have missed out on much if I had just skipped over this part.
In my opinion, it was okay but not on the level of her other works. And as usual, Dermot was a fool and Ada had stars in her eyes.
It’s interesting to see the start of the family businesses and yet somehow I was left with a feeling that I really would not have missed out on much if I had just skipped over this part.
Content Warnings
Minor: Sexual content, Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Abandonment
Moderate: Mental illness, War
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Abandonment
Minor: Mental illness, War
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Panic attacks/disorders
emotional
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
This is horrible. She was 10 and he was 20 when they met but somehow no one has a problem with it. Disgusting
Content Warnings
Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Mental illness, Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, War
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
per my spreadsheet
how does she (author) do this to me.
spice 🌶 - a 4 🌶 spicy (romance.io scale)
length - just right
reading speed - read in 1 day
did it make me cry? - i think so
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Sexual content, Abandonment
Minor: War