Reviews with content warning for Alcohol - Powerless

Yes, I started off with book 3, sorry not sorry. I've been on the fence about this series for months, maybe even a year now. Since it's so popular on the book side of the internet I thought it wouldn't be my cup of tea because I've been disappointed before, but curiosity and book quotes finally made me cave and you know what I'm not mad about it. However, not gonna lie, I think I tried to read this book on three separate occasions, but for some reason, I just wasn't gelling with it; I even got it on audible. I was 12% in by that point and I was determined to see it through because I already wasted a credit on it. And funny enough it wasn't until I started listening to it that I actually started to like it. I listened to it, solely, for about 7 chapters until I switched back to the e-book and obviously I ended up finishing it and really enjoying it.

I don't know what the audiobook switch did, but it really made me enjoy the characters and appreciate the story. I really liked Jasper and Sloane as individuals and a couple. I feel like the dual POV format really added to the story. It was nice to get a look into their personalities as well as their fears and motivations for doing what they do. I especially liked reading about Sloane because she's so spunky and funny and self-assertive when she needs to be. And it was also nice reading about Jasper and his fear of what happened to him in the past, his problems with driving (relatable), and his fear of abandonment (also relatable).

It's obvious in their POVs that both parties care a lot for each other especially Jasper (although his possessive tendencies could be a little jarring at times) . I really loved how he let Sloane be her own person and never held or back or told her she couldn't do something. And I really do like how he always considered Sloane feelings. It's so obvious that both parties were smitten for the other and it was so cute to read about. That being said, I don't know if this is just because this is the 3rd and there were probably preconceived hints of the being together in the other two books, but this book was really missing the element of build-up and it tried to compensate for that but having the characters contemplate whether the other one likes the other when it's clearly obvious to everyone around them and the reader that they fancy one another. Like I was probably about 15-20% in and I was in one of their POVs and one of them was like "I wonder if they feel the same" and I was like just like "🤨". Like be so for real, you know and I know and everyone knows you like each other. Honestly, this book could've been over in like 50 pages if they just confessed to each other from the rip.

And normally, I guess stuff like that would bother me, but it didn't. It's also worth mentioning that their "will they, won't they" dominates the first half of this book. And honestly, nothing really gets cooking till about 80% where they reach a conflict. This book doesn't really have a plot, more like a slice-of-life situation. We're literally just reading about Jasper and Sloane's navigation towards their feelings for one another while also dealing with their own personal issues and interacting with their family and friends. Very much character-driven with no plot to be seen and usually I'm so quick to dnf a book like that because I'm more of a plot-orientated girly, but I enjoyed Jasper and Sloane so much that I honestly didn't really care that the first half of this book was them denying their feelings for one another and the second half is just them being an unofficial couple till the conflict comes. I just found them really cute and nice to read about.

Now, I would like to note that this book is much spicer than I thought it was going to be. I was taken aback by how explicit things got. Now I'm no stranger to spicy books, but most of their spice scenes didn't really do it for me. I will forever be a hater of overly dom men in books. It's over-pushed and overdone and isn't really my cup of tea. I just don't like the whole "do as I say, always" sexual dynamic.

The "crawl to me" scene. Eh, it was a little cringey for me. And the scene where they're in the car and he tells her to take her underwear off and feel herself while he's driving and tell her to put her feet on the dash so he could see her pussy. Like dude, that's so dangerous and because of that I honestly didn't find it sexy.

Release me from the shackles of overly dominant men. Ughhhhh!😭 (also, why were tell like lowkey objectifying each other in their POVs so much

Like Jasper was literally out here vomiting and Sloane was admiring his backside. Like girl, time and place.

they were a little too horny sometimes)

Also, another thing to add about this book. I felt like Elise Silver fleshed it out enough to make it a decent romance story but honestly, I do understand why other people would feel like this book is lacking because it is. Aside from the familial dynamics and the characters' own devotion towards one another, nothing feels properly fleshed out. A lot of important details are told and not shown and because of that it makes the book lacked of a lot of the emotional depth it could've had to make it great. Overall, despite all of these things, I still enjoyed the book. I really liked Jasper and Sloane, like I said as well as the familial connections in this book. Although it was minuscule I really enjoyed Jasper and Beau's friendship as well as the parent-figure relationship that Jaspr has with Harvey, reading about them honestly made me want to read the other books. The author really sold me here so I'll commend her for that. So excited for "Reckless", I hear that's a lot of people's favorite!

Side note: something weird they kept putting in was the fact that Jasper and Sloane were low-key "cousins" I was trying to overlook that because they're not cousins by blood, but the book kept pointing it out multiple times, and although I found it funny I totally get why someone would be uncomfortable reading that as well as the age gap between them considering they meet when Slaone (10) was a child and Jasper a teenager (16)

Spice Rating:🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

Content Warnings

unboundbooklover's review against another edition

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hopeful lighthearted tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

Content Warnings

jayybear's review against another edition

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adventurous hopeful lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.5

Content Warnings

sarahsbooklife's review against another edition

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emotional funny sad tense 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

3.75

Content Warnings

sofareadsbooks_'s review against another edition

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dark emotional sad tense medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? No
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

1.0

My least favorite of the Chestnut Springs book so far :( For several reasons. First of all, I feel like we don't really get a proper introduction of Sloane in the previous books. We see her for a brief minute in the second book, but she doesn't really get mentioned before - this caused me to not be super invested in her, because I didn't know her. Secondly is that I guess I didn't really enjoy Jasper as a character? Maybe he was a little bit too broken for me, and a bit too much of a hypocrite (like when he was saying he didn't want to tell Sloane to tell what to do but also being a controlfreak at at the same time and telling her exactly what to do). I guess it just didn't sit right with me. I loved seeing some of the other characters though, and the setup for Winters story seems like fun.

Content Warnings

aklovekorn's review against another edition

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emotional 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

4.5

Content Warnings

amateur_bookworm's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted sad 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

4.75

My summary:

When Sloane Winthrop’s entire life blows up moments before her wedding that she never wanted, all she wants to do is go to her uncle’s ranch. As a kid, the Eaton’s ranch was a safe haven during the summer away from her stuffy parents—and also where she spent time with Jasper Gervais, her childhood crush. Jasper escaped an awful home life when Beau Eaton took him home when they both were in high school. The Eatons raised Jasper just like he was one of the family. Now a big-time NHL goalie, Jasper has always stayed friends with Sloane, a prima ballerina at a big dance company in the same city. After Jasper busts Sloane out of her wedding and takes her to the ranch, they get the devastating news that Beau is missing in action from his special forces unit. Jasper and Sloane turn to each other to cope, as they always have—but this time they may finally be on the same page together with their feelings for each other.

My thoughts:

I just adore Elsie Silver’s writing style. It’s sassy and hilarious and tugs at the heartstrings and the characters are just perfect. I’ve really enjoyed the Chestnut Springs series so far and switching from cowboy romance to a bit of a hockey romance in the third book just works perfectly for me.

Jasper had me swooning in the first six pages. His story is so heartbreaking and redeeming at the same time. The scene with him and Harvey at the table with the news of Beau missing had me gutted. This book is much more sad and emotional than the others so far in the series. And Sloane’s support of Jasper ever since they were kids is, just, everything.

The slow-burn friends-to-lovers plot had me chomping at the bit for Jasper and Sloane to just make it happen already. But when it does finally happen, it does not disappoint!

Also, Sterling Woodcock?!? Excuse me while I die over Sloane’s douchebag fiancé’s name. And anytime I have to put a book down to Google a reference of a person, with the accurate premonition that I should use private browsing mode for said search, well, I was cackling as I found out who Peter North is (yeah—I’m clearly not Canadian).

I’m excited for Winter and Theo’s story in the next book. But, now, what I’m really here for is Beau’s story. I feel so invested in his outcome after his bit in this book.

Note: I’ve found myself really looking forward to the Harvey bonus scene at the end of each Bloom edition book. It is just a great little cherry on top at the end of each story.

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