Hopeless by Elsie Silver

You know when you read a book and wish you could go back and read it again for the first time? That’s how I feel about Hopeless. I’m beside myself with how amazing the final installment of the Chestnut Springs series is. Finally, we get Beau’s story, and it’s just what I wanted it to be. His love interest is Baily Jensen (IYKYK), and the story starts with Beau having returned recently from overseas after being injured while serving in the military. He’s at a low point and she’s not in a great spot either. That’s when he and Bailey manage to come together in their fake engagement, things take a turn. Will they be able to work through everything they’re up against, or will their internal and external struggles become too much to bear?

This is my favorite of the Chestnut Springs series. It’s honestly one of my top books of the year, and I couldn’t put it down nor did I want it to end. Beau was broken but we got glimpses of the old him, which I loved. Bailey is stronger, feistier than I gave her credit for when we’d met her previously in the series. Together, they’re amazing. And the spice? Absolutely perfect!

Plus, I loved revisiting some of the characters from the previous books. It’s sort of like coming home when an author does that, and Silver does an amazing job at it. I’m genuinely going to miss Chestnut Springs, but this series has brought some of the best writing and characters in romance that I’ve ever had the privilege of reading.

This book is romantic and steamy, but then there’s so much more to it, too. I cannot recommend it enough, and I’m looking forward to rereading it.