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A review by katemc7
A Photo Finish by Elsie Silver
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
reflective
tense
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Elsie Silver made me feel SOOOO many things reading this one. I am not going to lie I had a hard time understanding Cole's ARC from being the ultimate grump/borderline jerk to how we ended up with him. But the vulnerability he showed. The way he opened up helped me understand the walls he had built more. I was really looking forward to this book because I knew we got to read about Violet. She was SUCH a spitfire in her own right, and we know how much Beau, Cade and Rhett had to do with that. Anyways the anticipation for me was off the charts. I was shook at their initial "meet cute"- loved how I had never read that one before. I was intrigued by Cole and his aloofness. I was excited for Violet and all she stood for and wanted to accomplish. I was heartbroken at learning how many people had just failed Cole and how scared he was to let people in again. I was heartbroken to read how much he hurt Violet but then tried to backtrack and KEPT WRITING TO HER FOR 2 YEARS!!! My heart kind of blew up from that one. I felt shy reading about their spicy times together while also fanning myself. These two were just meant to be. They were light and dark. Fire and water. Rational to irrational. Their story was done so well. The way that Violet never showed Cole any pity for what he had endured but more amplified his strength. The way that Cole tried to put aside his literal PTSD to be there for Violet. CHEF'S KISS!!
Violet knew this day was coming. But it wasn't supposed to go like this. She was supposed to be on the road before he moved back. Yes he- HIM. Cole Harding. The man who has been haunting her for two years. The man who she bared her body and basically her soul to and then ghosted because he couldn't reciprocate. What are the chances he is her boss's brother? Or more like her boss's boss? And now they are going to be neighbors and act like all is well after he dropped that bomb of who he was to her last year. But then the universe laughs at her attempts to hide because she gets hurt and ends up being his roommate not neighbor. And she can't help but still be attracted to him. She only knew him online so seeing him in the wild is an experience. She knows there is more going on than he lets on. He gives off such mixed signals. He is COLD beyond belief but then builds her horse a shelter because he likes her. She finds out something he has been hiding and after that it's like a sense of relief between them. She has endured the off and on between him for several weeks so when she gets the all clear to move out she does. And man is he affected by that. He starts to lower the walls more. He lets her in about why he is who he is. And then she finds out that he tried to contact her after she ghosted him and she knows she is in love with him. When they finally collide it's to him reciprocating to her and being beyond vulnerable. She feels safe with him. She feels all the things with him. But then there is another scare while she is riding and his PTSD about his dad comes back to rear it's ugly head. Violet lays it out- he can't be with her if he doesn't support what she does. And then he does the unthinkable in the absolute best way, and it's like he is a new man. He is HER man. It's not how she thought it would go but it ended with them together and that's what matters.
Cole has many layers. They are to protect him against the world. He has endured too much. He can't let someone else in just in case. But then he meets her online- prettyinpurple and she changes his life. She becomes his friend. She convinces him to open up. But when she fully bares herself to him in all ways he chickens out. He defaults to jerk mode and she leaves him. But he clings to her how he can. So what are the chances that a year later he sees her riding his family's horse? He can't help but tell her who he is and it's like he struck a live wire. So he has spent the past year avoiding her like the plague but he can't anymore because he is moving to Gold Rush. He can just keep her at a distance right? Wrong because now she is hurt and she is LIVING WITH HIM. He feels the control he so loves slipping. She looks even better than he remembers. And she is such a firecracker. He loves when she gets irritated with him except when it's her misinterpreting his default mode. How can she think he doesn't care for her? He will just have to prove her wrong while keeping her at a distance. So he builds her horse a shelter. He carries her from the car to the house when she asks. He gets coffee for her. He gets used to her being around. He ALMOST kisses her but he can't taint her and her beauty. He is too damaged. But then she leaves without telling him. And he has no words. He realizes that he has gotten used to her being around. He has gotten used to her light. So he goes out to find her. He spends time with her and she finds out about his injury. Instead of pitying him she doesn't seem fazed at all. He is so far in he can't see out. So when she asks for clarity on what they are- he can't stop it. He fully opens up. All walls down. He is hers to do what she wants (literally). And now they are doing this thing. He is happier than he has been in a long time. But then she falls off her horse while riding and he can't see straight. What was he thinking? She is a rider for goodness sake and that's how his dad died. But when he tells her this she spits it right back- he has two weeks to figure it out. And the person who helps him is someone he would have never thought- Billie. And when he gets to see how his surprise has worked for Violet- it was all worth it. Because he doesn't want to be in the dark anymore. And she is the light.
I really liked book 1 in this series but I LOVED this one. It was just everything I love about reading a love story in a book. Here are my fav quotes:
"He reminds me of a solar eclipse- and I know you're not supposed to look at those. It's dangerous."
"She's calm, like water lapping at the shore. Gentle and even, continuous, and I can't help but want to lie down in that shallow water and let myself get lost in the rhythm."
Reading these two find each other and then find each other again and then decide to fight for each other was perfect. I can't recommend this one enough! I am intrigued about the next book because I don't feel like I know Mira a lot and Stefan comes off as a bossy rich man. We shall see though :)
Violet knew this day was coming. But it wasn't supposed to go like this. She was supposed to be on the road before he moved back. Yes he- HIM. Cole Harding. The man who has been haunting her for two years. The man who she bared her body and basically her soul to and then ghosted because he couldn't reciprocate. What are the chances he is her boss's brother? Or more like her boss's boss? And now they are going to be neighbors and act like all is well after he dropped that bomb of who he was to her last year. But then the universe laughs at her attempts to hide because she gets hurt and ends up being his roommate not neighbor. And she can't help but still be attracted to him. She only knew him online so seeing him in the wild is an experience. She knows there is more going on than he lets on. He gives off such mixed signals. He is COLD beyond belief but then builds her horse a shelter because he likes her. She finds out something he has been hiding and after that it's like a sense of relief between them. She has endured the off and on between him for several weeks so when she gets the all clear to move out she does. And man is he affected by that. He starts to lower the walls more. He lets her in about why he is who he is. And then she finds out that he tried to contact her after she ghosted him and she knows she is in love with him. When they finally collide it's to him reciprocating to her and being beyond vulnerable. She feels safe with him. She feels all the things with him. But then there is another scare while she is riding and his PTSD about his dad comes back to rear it's ugly head. Violet lays it out- he can't be with her if he doesn't support what she does. And then he does the unthinkable in the absolute best way, and it's like he is a new man. He is HER man. It's not how she thought it would go but it ended with them together and that's what matters.
Cole has many layers. They are to protect him against the world. He has endured too much. He can't let someone else in just in case. But then he meets her online- prettyinpurple and she changes his life. She becomes his friend. She convinces him to open up. But when she fully bares herself to him in all ways he chickens out. He defaults to jerk mode and she leaves him. But he clings to her how he can. So what are the chances that a year later he sees her riding his family's horse? He can't help but tell her who he is and it's like he struck a live wire. So he has spent the past year avoiding her like the plague but he can't anymore because he is moving to Gold Rush. He can just keep her at a distance right? Wrong because now she is hurt and she is LIVING WITH HIM. He feels the control he so loves slipping. She looks even better than he remembers. And she is such a firecracker. He loves when she gets irritated with him except when it's her misinterpreting his default mode. How can she think he doesn't care for her? He will just have to prove her wrong while keeping her at a distance. So he builds her horse a shelter. He carries her from the car to the house when she asks. He gets coffee for her. He gets used to her being around. He ALMOST kisses her but he can't taint her and her beauty. He is too damaged. But then she leaves without telling him. And he has no words. He realizes that he has gotten used to her being around. He has gotten used to her light. So he goes out to find her. He spends time with her and she finds out about his injury. Instead of pitying him she doesn't seem fazed at all. He is so far in he can't see out. So when she asks for clarity on what they are- he can't stop it. He fully opens up. All walls down. He is hers to do what she wants (literally). And now they are doing this thing. He is happier than he has been in a long time. But then she falls off her horse while riding and he can't see straight. What was he thinking? She is a rider for goodness sake and that's how his dad died. But when he tells her this she spits it right back- he has two weeks to figure it out. And the person who helps him is someone he would have never thought- Billie. And when he gets to see how his surprise has worked for Violet- it was all worth it. Because he doesn't want to be in the dark anymore. And she is the light.
I really liked book 1 in this series but I LOVED this one. It was just everything I love about reading a love story in a book. Here are my fav quotes:
"He reminds me of a solar eclipse- and I know you're not supposed to look at those. It's dangerous."
"She's calm, like water lapping at the shore. Gentle and even, continuous, and I can't help but want to lie down in that shallow water and let myself get lost in the rhythm."
Reading these two find each other and then find each other again and then decide to fight for each other was perfect. I can't recommend this one enough! I am intrigued about the next book because I don't feel like I know Mira a lot and Stefan comes off as a bossy rich man. We shall see though :)