Flawless: A Small Town Enemies to Lovers Romance
[{'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Flawless is right - I absolutely LOVED this from start to finish. I\'ll admit that I\'m a cover hoe and that\'s the primary reason I checked out this new-to-me author\'s work, so I had no idea what was in store for me when I started reading. But this gripped me from the first few pages, and I loved the electric connection between these characters. It\'s not quite enemies to lovers, more like strangers who resent having to be around each other, and I loved the friction that formed from their frustration (sexual and otherwise, lol). Our hero has a bad reputation, but it wasn\'t long before I was falling hard for him - his vulnerability and insecurities were so endearing, and it was easy to see how deep his feelings ran. And by the end? Whoa boy, he took me by surprise in the best of ways, which made for some super swoony moments. And some super steamy moments. The buildup of all that forced proximity (including an only one bed situation) made this slow burn to SIZZLE even more impactful. It\'s an all-around stellar read that didn\'t disappoint at any turn.\n\nThe story follows Rhett (32), an aging bull rider whose body is starting to fail him. While he\'s been putting his life on the line for over a decade, the aches and pains are beginning to wear on him. So when an unfortunate PR situation puts his career on the line, Rhett is frustrated and resentful. He risks his health every time he gets on a bull, and the fans who once built up his confidence now threaten to take away the one thing that makes him feel like a success. Add to that, Rhett\'s agent has assigned him a "babysitter" in the form of his sexy but uptight daughter. Summer (25) is tasked with keeping Rhett in line, and his partying, playboy reputation makes her believe that will be quite the feat. But Rhett is nothing like Summer expected, and it\'s not long before she\'s seeing the real man who lives beneath the cocky persona.\n\nNow... I\'m not someone who usually reads romances about bull riders and ranchers. I definitely have before, but it\'s never been something that\'s felt fresh or relatable to me. This did. It took only a few pages for me to start rooting for Rhett and Summer - it was obvious that these two opposites would easily attract. I loved how Summer falls for Rhett\'s true self, and it was clear that he was aching for someone to do so. Playboys always seem to fall the hardest, and that\'s definitely the case here. Rhett falls hard and fast, putting up a valiant effort to resist but soon tumbling in a big way. I really appreciated that Silver didn\'t play up his playboy past or add a lot of unnecessary drama; Rhett\'s done a lot of growing on his own, but he\'s been stuck with a manhoe label even though it doesn\'t fit as well as it used to. And once he meets Summer? There\'s no going back. It was easy to see how much she irrevocably changes him, and they were so absolutely perfect together... in AND out of the bedroom. It\'s got plenty of spice, but the focus is on their connection - and that was consuming and vivid. I love being surprised by books, and this is a great example. It\'s nothing like I would\'ve expected, but everything that I wanted.'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "Elsie Silver just hit this one out of the park. Brooding alpha hero with issues. Fierce heroine. Tons of sexual tension and all the feels. Just perfect. And flawless...pun absolutely intended. Who doesn’t love a gruff, grumbly man who’s completely overwhelmed by an energetic, bubbly, smart, sweet woman, to the point that he can’t think straight or see himself without her by his side for the rest of his life. I know I sure do—and that’s just what we’ve got in Flawless between Summer Hamilton and Rhett Eaton.\n\nThis story follows professional bull rider, Rhett, who after a few badly timed comments which become public, loses his sponsors. Enter Summer, his agent’s daughter, who is assigned to ‘babysit’ Rhett and keep in line for the last few months of his tour.\n\nThe chemistry between these two is so delicious and I loved watching their souls connecting, trust blossoming, and the banter between them. The sexual tension was so intoxicating and consuming - I felt all the draw between them. Rhett is one of my favourite Elsie Silver heroes - like broody, swoony yumminess. He’s got some real baggage and he’s lost, and a bit bitter. But he’s also protective and caring, and Summer inspires a new openness in him. She is a pure ray of sunshine, yet she is a fighter. She fights for herself and also for people she cares for. Like Rhett. The sexual tension in this story is sky high and I was dying from it till the first kiss happened. Together they are forbidden. But inevitable. Their emotional connection was complex and soul deep and intense. It was heartbreaking and swoonworthy in equal measure. But ultimately, perfect all the way.\n\nElsie Silver managed to give me butterflies, happy tears in the eyes and sweet oblivion for my romance loving heart in Flawless. She completely outdid herself and exceeded all of my expectations, and I am so excited to see where she takes the rest of the Chestnut Springs series. I need more of these Eaton boys! Don't walk. RUN."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 31, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Rhett and Summer are two halves of a whole, and watching them both overcome their own baggage to find their happiness was everything.\n\nRhett is a world champion bull rider who finds himself in danger of losing all his sponsors when a comment he made is blasted all over and makes him out to be the bad guy. It’s actually ridiculous, but I can absolutely see something like that happening. Summer recently graduated with a law degree and is working for her father, who happens to be Rhett’s agent. Her dad tasks her with babysitting Rhett for the remainder of the season, with the intent being to keep him out of trouble. They definitely do not hit it off at first, despite the fact that Rhett was her teenage crush.\n\nThis is such a great story. Both have plenty of emotional baggage. Poor Summer has a tragic backstory, and yet is such a ray of sunshine. She’s also a sassy smart woman, and can verbally spar with the best of them. Rhett has his own baggage, and struggles with the looming question of retirement and who he is without bull riding. He’s a great guy, yet his reputation from his younger years as a playboy still follows him even after he’s given that up. He doesn’t put any effort into changing the persona that has been out in the public either. While he has a close family, he’s never had their support as a bull rider and it has impacted their relationships.\n\nForced proximity forced these two to see beyond the personas they project, and they both realize the other is so much more then they initially thought. It’s not smooth sailing by any means. They have to work for their HEA, but that’s what makes it so beautiful and real. I love that while it’s “enemies to lovers”, it’s not overdone on the enemy part. Neither was brutally cruel to the other, as is sometimes written, so the change felt organic and believable. There was no contrived unnecessary drama written to cause a conflict. It all felt believable, like two people working on themselves and believing they deserve happiness with each other. I can’t wait to see Rhett’s scowling brother brought to his knees by Willa next!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 24, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "When I tell ya this book is GOOD. It's GOOD.\nI loved the banter between the MC's and also with the side characters. This was more of distrust to lovers, I wouldn't really classify it as enemies to lovers, since it just seems like they got off on the wrong foot with their first meeting. Once that's kind of cleared up or moved away from, they actually form sort of a friendship that is filled with attraction-filled tension.\n\nThe tension between these two? wow, I wasn't even mad that the spicy scenes didn't hit until like after the 50-60% mark because the tension between these 2 was THAT fierce.\n\nNow that I've finished the book, I have SERIOUS questions about doctor douche, as well as b*tchy sister (I've been told that will be answered later on) because if it were ME? That sister would have gotten a 2 piece combo to the JAW. She was awful.\n\nAnyways, 𝐆𝐎 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊. It's small town vibe, bull rider, a tiny bit of an age gap, banter and steamy smex scenes."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 28, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': '“I’m tired of doing what I should and ignoring what I want. And what I want is you. Inside me. All around me. I want you with me. And I want to be the only one.”\n\nCowboy take me away!! To say I loved this story is an understatement, it was everything I love about rough and grumpy cowboy romances! Rhett Eaton is every fantasy come to life, he’s a sexy bull rider, he’s a dirty talker, he’s gruff and protective and cares for what is his. And being a tough cowboy means that when Summer is assigned to babysit him by his agent in order to clean up his image, he is not a happy man. These two don’t start off on the right foot but there was no denying the sparks between them. Her sassy, take no bull attitude was the perfect offset to Rhett’s gruff demeanor, she wasn’t going to let him walk all over her no matter how good his butt looked in his jeans!\n\n“If you’re not walking bow-legged tomorrow, I won’t have done my job tonight.”\n\nThe chemistry between Summer and Rhett was scorching from the start and when they finally gave into temptation it was off the charts HOT. And the banter between them added some great sexual tension, especially during a certain whipped cream scene, holy hot stuff! But I also loved the intimate moments when Summer was taking care of his sore and injured muscles, swoon. Plenty of good drama surrounded their relationships and when hidden truths were revealed I was definitely shocked at what had unfolded in their past! If you want a small town romance to make you swoon one moment and fanning yourself the the next I highly recommend this book!'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on August 6, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "Elsie Silver is a new to me author, but I am adding her to my stalking list because I am slightly obsessed with her world of Chesnut Springs and the Eaton men. Flawless has all the makings of a great book - descriptive world-building, beautiful characters, great banter, and a rich plot.\n\nSummer is fresh out of law school and sent to babysit Rhett. I expected them to clash like crazy - the city girl and the cowboy, and I expected their differences to be the plot, but I was wrong! There is much more to this story than agent and athlete falling in love. The plot was a complete surprise to me!\n\nRhett Eaton, the baby of the family, is a professional bull rider and troublemaker extraordinaire. He definitely has baby sibling syndrome with his need for attention and the lengths he will go to get it. But at his core, he is a good man who loves his family and is willing to chase his dream to extremes. And he is sexy as sin. When he winked at Summer before the gate opened on a ride, I swear I combusted on the spot—just melted. His love for Summer is just as spectacular as his eight-second rides.\n\nI loved Rhett's banter with his siblings and especially Summer and Kip. The quips between characters helped cement this as a five-star read for me! I can not wait to see what is in store for the rest of the family because I know we are getting a new book for Rhett's oldest brother Cade."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 1, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "RATING: ⭐⭐⭐⭐.5\nSTEAM: 🔥🔥🔥\n\nElsie Silver books are always a must-read for me, and Flawless fits the bill for why I enjoy her books.\n\nSummer and Rhett are miserable. Rhett's mistakes have led to him being on thin ice with sponsors and his publicist Kip. When Kip assigns his daughter Summer to babysit Rhett and keep him on the straight and narrow until the mess blows over, she and Rhett are not too happy about their forced proximity.\n\nWhile they may not be thrilled, we readers get a fantastic treat as we witness their arc from adversaries to lovers. Elsie Silver always delivers a layered story that slowly gets unraveled through chapters, and we get that with this read. Rhett is not just your hotshot bull rider. He has depth, fears, and anxieties that get explored in this read. Summer is the other side of the same coin. She has history, drive, and resilience that I adore from Elsie's FMCs.\n\nThe tension and spice driving their tension are top-notch. Rhett's dirty talk is a whole new level, and I don't think I can look at whipped cream the same way again.\n\nThis book kicks off Silver's Chestnut Spring series, so we get introduced to the Eaton men and some of their friends. If you have read Elsie Silver's A Photo Finish, meeting Violet Eaton's brothers explains a lot as to why Violet is as sassy and resilient as she is. I adore their dad, but something tells me Jasper is going to be my new book boyfriend."}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 26, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'Wow. This cowboy enemies to lovers romance knocked the socks off of me. Rhett and Summer was so much fun and intense all thanks to some sizzling chemistry. I couldn’t get enough of them. There was something special about this couple. The banter just kept me entertained throughout. Their journey and self discovery was explored flawlessly. It was a progression which slowly evolved and explored thanks to great dialogue and a connection that jumped off the pages.\n\nRhett is a cowboy but hides so much beneath that facade and Summer sees right through it as does he with her. It was a delicious slow burn until they finally combusted and then it was full steam ahead with amazing dirty talk. Yes please! This couple complemented each other beautifully.\n\nThe side characters especially Rhett’s family and Summer’s dad and best friend Willa only made the story more cohesive and enjoyable. It was such a wonderful ensemble and they all added something to Summer and Rhett’s story.\n\nFlawless took me by surprise and I couldn’t be more happier about it. I need Cade’s story ASAP. I need more stories about this fabulous Eaton family.\n\n5 Princess & Cowboy Stars'}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on June 24, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': "This book packed all the love, the family, the feeling, the swoon, and the steam.\n\nRhett is a bull rider who’s lost one of his main sponsors, and his agent is adamant he needs someone to make sure he stays out of trouble until the championship is over in a couple of months. Summer, the agent’s daughter, gets picked for the job. He doesn’t want her at his house and with his family, and she doesn’t want to be there either.\n\nOnce they’re stuck together and she goes with him to events, you see they’re not really what they seem to be. They also don’t hate each other, but it makes for some really fun banter, and Summer definitely gave as good as she got.\n\nThings are happening around them. Bull riding seems to be everything Rhett knows and cares about. Summer has to deal with a bad family, and she’s doing her job for the wrong reasons.\nNone of them are capable of putting themselves first.\n\nI love books where the guy falls first. And who knew I’d become a fan of the ‘Princess’ nickname?\n\nWhen push comes to shove, if this were their last moment alive, all they’d want was to go down together. That's love right there, the flawless kind.\nAbsolutely loved this book!"}, {'review_meta': 'Reviewed in the United States on July 22, 2022', 'review_star': 'a-icon a-icon-star a-star-5 review-rating', 'review_body': 'After the most horrible slump I’ve had this year, this book was exactly what I needed to get back on the saddle! Elsie’s books are an instant buy for me because everything she puts out is perfect in its own way and Flawless was just that, perfectly flawless!!\n\nTo say that I loved this book is an understatement, Rhett’s and Summer’s relationship was freaking hilarious, sweet, wholesome, and I’m obsessed with the way it developed. This book was so good I read it in about 4 hours. Rhett is hilarious, grumpy, fearless, and his relationship with his family? LOVED IT!!! Summer is such a firecracker, loyal to a fault, hilarious and I loved her character development was lovely to see. The way Elsie wrote Rhett’s and Summer’s relationship from enemies (which even then Summer was protecting and defending Rhett), to friends, to lovers, while still giving us the right amount of tension and spice? *chef’s kiss*\n\nWhile reading this book you will fall in love with all of the amazing side characters, I cannot wait to get my hands on Cade’s book!'}]