⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ • 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️½

📌 You’ll dig this if you like
» Fake dating
» Small town
» Age gap
» Touch her and 💀
» Slowest of burns (worth it, I promise!) 🔥 😮‍💨

The fifth and final instalment of Chestnut Springs gives us Beau: the super soldier, broody, and hot as hell middle Eaton brother.

Back from Afghanistan after a harrowing experience when he missed his ride out, he has a whole lot of trauma to unpack. His physical injuries have healed, but getting out of his head is another thing.

He feels like he lacks purpose, but then Bailey gives him one. The town has treated her like trash since forever and he's convinced that giving her his last name will turn things around for her.

He's 35 to Bailey's 22 and even though she knows better, she takes his bet.

What she doesn’t know is how long he’s been secretly pining for her, and the lengths he will go to ensure her happiness and safety. Yet.

→ Oh. My. God. I’ve had this on my shelf for a few months and have been procrastinating because I really didn’t want to come to the end of Chestnut Springs. Hopeless was worth the wait.

→ Elsie Silver has masterfully built a world and draws emotion from readers with such acuity that she cements herself as an auto-buy, favourite author for me 💯

📌 What stood out
» Beau has the protective/ possessive vibe on lock. Anyone who dares to look at Bailey the wrong way will immediately regret their decision.

» Bailey has been a social pariah her whole life, but the Eaton wives have her back and show her the love she deserves.

» We get a little bit of each of the other couples which felt like a hug and a comforting way to tie everything up.

📌 Moments
» Bailey’s spine comes out and she gives a verbal lashing to some folks who deserve it 👏

» Beau puts a ring on her finger at the bar in front of her favourite patron and IT IS EVERYTHING!! 💍❤️🥹

» I’ve never been a bath gal, but I’ve never wanted a soaker tub more in my life. 🛀

🚫 Contains bullying, alcohol(ism) and drug use, war trauma, severe injury, PTSD. Please check warnings.

Content Warnings

karlapardo's review against another edition

Go to review page

dark emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

I liked this book a lot but it wasn't my favorite out the the Chesnut Spring's series. It was very different from the other books too. I was hooked with Beau from the beginning of the series, I knew he would make a great male main character and I wasn't wrong. Beau is a great character and his story is so unique compared to the others of the series that I was surprised by it. I loved that Beau was so confident in his feelings for Bailey and he showed it so well that it just made everything better. Bailey was such a great character! I loved how she was willing to discover new things about herself throughout the book and seeing her development was wonderful. Their relationship was great, their banter was just divine and the fact that they were each other's rock and make each other laugh was beautiful. I think that their banter was the best part of the book. The only reason why this is not a 4.0 or 4.25 star book is because I think the Bailey's story and past could have been explored a little bit more, to maybe add a little conflict throughout the story. It was a wonderful book and a great way to finish such an amazing series and I would definitely re-read it.

Memorable Quotes
"I relax when I'm looking at her"
"You don't tell a person you love them with the expectations they'll say it back. You tell them because you want to. You tell them because it's true.
"It bothers me that what we're doing here can be filled away as fake when it's the most real thing I've felt in my life."
"This girl has brought me back to life without even trying"
"He's beautiful almost always. But he's blinding when he smiles."
"You asked me who I wanted to be once, and it's this. Me. Right here. Right now. With you."

Content Warnings

missmarshey's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted 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

4.0

Easy read, I really enjoyed this book. What a good book to end the series on, just seemed to wrap the whole thing up so nicely.

Content Warnings

readbyjaimes's review against another edition

Go to review page

emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

I'm confused why so many people said that this was the worst in the series??

I found this book really enjoyable and loved Bailey and Beau. And without saying too much, I think Bailey's emotions were completely reasonable and I really enjoyed her character.

Content Warnings