I know you’re probably thinking “Dawn, you don’t like secret baby or one-night stands” and you’re right, except apparently I love them when Elsie Silver is writing.

If you've been reading the Chestnut Springs series, Theo is a bull rider & Rhett's protege (hero from book 1) and Winter is the sister of Summer (heroine from book 1). Winter is seen as cold and distant but really she's just been through a lot and is a bit misunderstood/afraid to be vulnerable. Her marriage has imploded and her relationship with Summer is awful but she's trying to make changes. She meets Theo at a holiday dinner with Rhett's family. The banter and snark was AMAZING from the start and so much fun to read. All of their fighting leads to one secret night together. And then she gets pregnant.

I'm keeping my lips sealed on the rest of the plot because I think it's best to enjoy this one with as little information as possible. But just know that Theo is my favorite of all of Elsie Silver's heroes. He is somehow protective and cocky but also so open and warm and vulnerable all at the same time, like if a golden retriever and a german shepherd had a baby. At one point Winter refers to herself as Oscar the Grouch and Theo as Elmo and it's a pretty accurate description! 😂Theo slowly chips away at all of that grouchiness for sure.

I really loved the way Winter's relationships developed with all of the Chestnut Springs ladies, as well as with different members of her family. We even got to see a few snippets of Theo bull riding but it wasn't as prominent as it was in Flawless. There was one plot point that I got hung up on as being a bit too unbelievable but no one else I've talked with had even noticed it, so I guess it's just me! But that's the only reason I went with 4.5 stars instead of 5. I think everyone else was just too enamored with Theo to care! 🤣

This is technically a standalone but I really think you'll appreciate it more if you read Flawless first, just to better understand Winter's backstory. Plus, I loved Flawless! Thank you to the author for an advanced copy for review.