Powerless by Elsie Silver

Powerless is a breathtakingly moving and beautifully written romance that will literally make you feel all the things. Jasper and Sloane’s book begins with her nearly marrying another man but thankfully getting broken out of that situation by Jasper, who’s not only her adopted cousin but also been her friend for nearly 20 years. After Sloane flees that bad situation, she and Jasper return to the Eaton ranch to find something else has happened, and they wind up needing each other more than ever. There are deeper feelings than just friendship though underneath it all, and the more time Jasper and Sloane spend together the harder it is for them to fight those emotions. But will they be able to find their way to each other, or will years of unrequited love and outside forces conspire against their happily ever after?

Guys, I’m in love. No. No, that’s not a strong enough word. I’m absolutely besotted by Jasper. He’s this strong silent type but with a traumatizing past, and that basically makes him perfection to me. He’s so much more than meets the eye, and Sloane is his perfect counterpart. I adore her and just how down to earth and sassy she is. Add in how sweet and devoted to her friendship with Jasper she is and her character is as lovely as I could’ve wished her to be. These two together are brilliantly sweet but complicated, and the spice level is off the charts.

And the storyline and how it’s written has Powerless already on my Top Books of 2023 list. It is simply just so good. The relationship between Jasper and Sloane is done so well, but then the addition of the secondary characters that we’ve already met in past books and what they bring to the table? They’re nothing less than phenomenally constructed and add plenty of witty banter to the story. I couldn’t get enough of them.

So, if you’re looking for a delightfully heartfelt book filled with emotion and amazingly written characters, then look no further. Powerless is exactly the sort of storytelling I’ve come to expect from this author, and I can positively assure you that you’re going to want to read it.