5⭐️/ 4🌶️

OMG BEAU’S BOOK HAS FINALLY ARRIVED! YAY! I love the Chestnut Springs series with every fiber of my being, and it reignited my love for all things cowboys, small towns, and so much more! Beau has always been the one character I’ve been dying to know more about, especially with what he experienced in the previous book. As much as I love each character within this series, Beau’s story was the one that was entirely different from the others. Bailey was also another character who I had always seen in the background of the previous books, and finally I got the chance to see behind the quiet young woman who worked at the bar in town. Beau and Bailey were phenomenal together, and best believe from page one, I was loving every single second of this story! 

This story had a lot of amazing tropes! From obviously being set within the small town of Chestnut Springs, to age gap romance, he falls first, fake engagement, forced proximity, she’s inexperienced, and he’s a tortured hero. I really loved reading this story, and like always Elsie Silver’s writing and storytelling is so magnificent that I’m

immediately immersed and zooming through the pages of her stories! The idea of Beau and Bailey pretending to be fake engaged to each other was an intriguing plot, and then add in the forced proximity, and OMG I COULD SENSE THE DELICIOUS TENSION BREWING! Suffice to say, this was the book I had been waiting the longest to read, and I was more than ready to read Beau and Bailey’s romance!

I want to take this moment to shine a light on Ms. Bailey Jansen because, she definitely surprised me in the best way possible. In the previous books, Bailey had usually been in the background from her working at the bar in town, and trying her best to blend in. Now, getting to see Bailey in action, she wasn’t as meek and quiet as I had thought originally. Bailey was the one who didn’t tip toe around Beau, or try to make him feel better by kissing his butt, if anything Bailey was the only one in town who pushed him, and didn’t hold back against him which was refreshing. I also loved seeing how Bailey didn’t stand down in front of Beau, she was playful, blunt, and straightforward when it came to their interactions. Meanwhile, everyone else in town treated Bailey was she was the town pariah because of her trashy, horrible family. Bailey wasn’t like the rest of her family, she was hard working, independent, and kind. Growing up in Chestnut Springs, Bailey was constantly judged and treated unfairly due to her brothers, while she never did anything wrong. All Bailey wanted was to be free and get away from all the judgments of others. I admired Bailey’s drive and strength to do what she wanted to do in order to live the life she wanted. Bailey was a surprise, and I really loved her!

Beau, oh my sweet, sweet Beau. With all that he had endured from his last deployment, being back home wasn’t exactly the same as most would think. This story dealt with the aftermath of Beau’s last deployment and the subsequent PTSD he was suffering during the duration of this book. Beau had always been the goofy, fun guy in thee previous books with no cares in the world, and enjoying his time with family and friends whenever he was home. Now, Beau wasn’t entirely the same which was understandable, but to everyone else they either didn’t understand or kept badgering him with constant questions and comments that weren’t always necessary. I got to see beneath the surface of what Beau really felt with his trauma, but also getting to see him finally feel something genuinely good after some time. To Beau, Bailey has become the one person he could rely on that wouldn’t pester him with questions or make him feel uncomfortable. Bailey became the person who Beau could feel comfortable talking to, teasing one another, and reinvigorating his life. 

Who doesn’t love a fake engagement trope? Because I sure do! Beau and Bailey being fake engaged was so much fun and of course, was filled with lots of tension, flirting, teasing, and a whole lot of Bailey and Beau wanting each other! Beau and Bailey had great chemistry even from the beginning which later became stronger as their feelings became romantic. Beau was the epitome of, “he falls first” because, this man knowingly pretends to be fake engaged to Bailey, but meanwhile loves seeing his ring on her finger, making her laugh, and pushing her limits to see just how far Bailey will react to his own blunt comments. Both Bailey and Beau had from different upbringings, but they held some similarities which brought them close, and they had a deep understanding of each other’s emotional and personal issues. 

Beau and Bailey’s story was well worth the wait! Bittersweet always ending a book, especially the last book in a series, but I’m really happy with the way the story ended. Beau had always been the “happy, goofball”character I wanted to know more about, but seeing the struggles he was faced with especially with his trauma made me see Beau wasn’t the same man he once was. Bailey wasn’t a meek, quiet young woman, if anything she was able to dish back whatever Beau said to her, and occasionally knock Beau off his pedestal. Plus, I loved the way Bailey was so blunt that it resulted in Beau’s many shocked reactions which made me laugh. Both, Bailey and Beau had great character growth in this story from feeling lost, alone, and unsure of their lives, they managed to find their way, and come out stronger on the other side. Plus, with the fake engagement it was the beginning of a beautiful romance. I loved the romance, seeing Beau and Bailey falling in love together, experiencing “firsts” together, and enjoying a couple steamy moments together as well! The spice was great! Got me blushing! Obviously seeing the other characters from the Eaton family is always a pleasure, and I adore them! This was a great story to end off the series, and I’m really happy with the way the story ended on Bailey and Beau starting off fresh together, in a life where they not only have each other, but their family and friends behind them. Always a joy to read Elsie Silver’s books, and highly recommend reading all her books!