Get ready to fall in love with the Chestnut Springs series, a heartwarming collection of five contemporary romance books by Elsie Silver set in the charming small town of Chestnut Springs. While some books in the series are perfect for fans of cowboy romance, others offer different themes and storylines.
If you want to dive deeper into each book, I have already written individual reviews for Flawless, Heartless, Powerless, Reckless, and Hopeless – click the links to read them!
Today, I am excited to share my thoughts on the Chestnut Springs series. Below is a summary of each book, helping you understand the wonderful stories and characters that make up this captivating series.
SYNOPSES
Flawless:
Summer works for her dad’s PR company and is assigned to manage the image of Rhett, a famous bull rider who said something controversial. Rhett is unhappy about Summer being his “babysitter” and thinks she is too uptight. However, as they spend more time together, they start to see each other in a different light, and their professional relationship turns into romance. They face challenges, but their feelings for each other grow stronger.
Heartless:
Willa, Summer’s best friend, is a nanny for Cade, Rhett’s older brother. Cade is very organized and likes things a certain way, while Willa is more relaxed and spontaneous. Despite their differences, they start to develop feelings for each other. As they spend more time together, they learn to appreciate each other’s unique qualities and fall in love.
Powerless:
Sloane, a talented ballerina, discovers her fiancé cheated and runs away from her wedding. Jasper, a childhood friend and professional hockey player, helps her escape, and they embark on a road trip to help another ranch. Along the way, they face their struggles and feelings for each other resurface. Their old friendship blossoms into romance as they work together and support each other.
Reckless:
Winter, Summer’s estranged sister, gets pregnant after a one-night stand with bull rider Theo. When Theo does not return her calls, Winter thinks she will never see him again. However, when he gets injured and returns to town, her feelings for him return. They must navigate their complicated past and figure out their future together as they reconnect.
Hopeless:
Bailey wants to leave town and pursue her dreams, but her family’s reputation holds her back. Beau, a military veteran with PTSD, offers to fake-engage her to help her achieve her goals. As they pretend to be in love, real feelings develop between them. They face challenges and learn to support each other, and their fake engagement turns into a real romance.
SETTING
What makes the Chestnut Springs series stand out is its setting. While cowboy romances are becoming more popular, this series was among the first to gain a big following on social media. Usually, romances about sports or billionaires are more popular and often occur in cities. However, Chestnut Springs is different, and its small-town setting has helped it attract much attention.
I loved reading Chestnut Springs because it changed from the usual contemporary books I read. The series is set in a small town in Canada and features cowboy romances, which is a nice switch from the typical city settings. I enjoyed exploring different parts of the town through each book, and even though some characters and places showed up again, it did not feel varied. By the end of the series, I felt like I knew the whole town and its people, and it was hard to say goodbye.
I had some issues with using the Powerless and Hopeless settings. Much of the story in Powerless does not occur in Chestnut Springs, which could have been better. It also connects to another series by the author, but that will not only matter if you have read those books.
Hopeless shows a different side of Chestnut Springs, where the main character sees the town as unfriendly because they are an outcast. While showing different perspectives is realistic, I wish this had not happened in the last book. It left a negative impression, and no more books show how the town is improving.
PLOT
The stories in the Chestnut Springs series are hit or miss for me. Some books, like Flawless, are okay and do not stand out, but they help introduce readers to the town. Others, like Heartless and Reckless, are well-planned and use familiar tropes in a way that challenges the main characters, making for compelling and engaging stories.
Some books in the series (Powerless and Hopeless) have weaker stories, even from the summaries. Powerless feels disconnected from the rest of the series, with too many plot points and settings. Hopeless has two familiar characters, but the fake engagement storyline needs to be revised. While these books had some good ideas, they could have been carried out better than the other three books in the series.
CHARACTERS
The characters in the Chestnut Springs series are well-developed and believable. The author gives them unique pasts and motivations that shape their actions. The author also pairs them with love interests who help them grow and change. The characters usually behave in ways that make sense based on their histories and personalities.
While I liked most of the characters, some stood out more than others. Unfortunately, Bailey and Beau were the least impressive for me. Their stories had fascinating pasts but could have lived up to their potential.
ROMANCE
The romance in the series was usually well-done. Even when the plot was not my favourite, the author did a great job with the romantic relationships. She paired characters who challenged each other’s beliefs and grew together. The couples faced situations that strengthened their relationships, making me believe they would last beyond their story.
I liked some relationships more than others. Winter and Theo from Reckless were my absolute favourite couple in the series. On the other hand, I did not connect with Bailey and Beau’s relationship. Since I did not find their characters believable, I felt less invested in their love story than I did with the other couples.
I enjoyed the Chestnut Springs series, a lighthearted and romantic collection of books. Some stories were better than others, but overall, it was a pleasure to read. I would give the series 3.5 stars.
