Hopeless (Chestnut Springs, 5)

A fake dating / fake engagement/ marriage of convenience masterpiece 🫶 I loved everything and anything about this book. This whole series has been incredible but I think I can honestly say, Beau and Bailey take the number 1 spot for me. There’s just something about them and their story, I was captivated from the beginning. I adored the thoughtfulness in Beau and Bailey’s gestures / acts of service. Sitting at her bar with her until close, sleeping on the riverbank with her, moving her camper, standing up for her, sewing Peaches, being the reason she was able to keep her job even before they were together. Taking him shopping for shoes that were comfortable for him, researching socks, serving him tea to help with his sleep, rubbing lotion on his feet, taking him swimming at 2am. The praise Beau gives is also so endearing. Gives all the warm and fuzzies. Him constantly calling Bailey perfect and reassuring her when no one has ever done that for her before. 🥲 Baileys character feels so relatable. The quirky things she says. How real she feels with her struggles. She doesn’t feel like she’s enough or wanted and has so many internal struggles that she tries to not let show, to appear strong. I related to that and admired her strength and attitude. Also let me just say Elsie made us WORK for the spice, although it’s filled with angst and little moments here and there, but honestly I loved the journey so much it didn’t even bother me like it normally might. I’m not always a slow burn girlie, it has to be done impeccably for me to enjoy it. And this was the best 🫶 Lastly, I loved the parts that previous characters played in this book. Willa standing up for Bailey in the coffee shop was perfection. And I LOVED the final chapter with all of the family together. Just love love love!

I'm sad to see this series come to a close, but this was a fitting conclusion! It wrapped everything up in a nice little bow, and the love story at the heart of it was both sexy and sentimental. Like everyone else, I've been waiting for Beau's story for a long time, and this was (mostly) what I wanted for him. It was easy to see the sparks between Beau and Bailey, and the chemistry continued to crackle the whole way through. It's what I would consider a hot slow burn, with a ton of sexual tension before they truly crossed the line. Probably too much focus on the sexual side of things, honestly. I couldn't quite bring myself to rate it 5 stars because I felt like it only scratched the surface of Beau's backstory while being oversaturated with sexually-charged moments. I wasn't as emotionally connected to them as a couple as I would've liked, but the story is excellent otherwise. Silver is such a great writer, so this was still head and shoulders above a lot of the books out there, and I'm eagerly awaiting the start of a brand new series. The story follows Beau (35), a former solider whose last experience overseas has left him with emotional and physical scars. Grappling with PTSD and feeling a little lost, Beau is spending more time at the local bar than he ever has before. That's where he connects with Bailey (22), the bartender. Though Beau has been familiar with Bailey for years, it's the first time he's ever spent any real time with her. Everyone in town knows that Bailey's family is trouble, and they treat her like she is too - even though she's never done anything to deserve it. Hoping to change the town's opinion of Bailey and make his family worry about him less, Beau suggests an unusual arrangement. Bailey will become his fake fiancée, and it should bring them both a little peace. But spending time with the woman Bailey has become is an unexpected breath of fresh air. As the two navigate their ever-changing relationship, they form a new future for themselves. I LOVED the first two books in this series, and this story reminded me why. Both Beau and Bailey have gone through a lot, so watching them slowly heal together was pretty great. I loved that Beau gave Bailey strength when she needed it, but she does the same for him as well. She lifts him out of a dark place, and I really loved where their relationship ended up. They also had some fantastic chemistry, which jumped off the page right away. I liked the way Bailey was so brash and confident in some aspects but insecure in others. I was okay with the age gap for the most part, I just wish it hadn't been such a constant topic of conversation, like Bailey's inexperience. A stronger focus on Beau's story would've been appreciated, especially since we've been waiting for so long. It feels like I still know barely anything about his history, just the man he is with Bailey. I loved that they were in such a bubble for so much of the book, but maybe a few less conversations about sex and a few more about life were needed, lol. Beyond that, I really enjoyed this overall. There were just enough appearances by the other characters to make it a well-rounded conclusion to the series, and now I cannot wait for the next one. Audio note: It was excellent! Jason Clarke is one of my personal favorites, so I have nothing but good things to say about his performance. His voice also fit Beau's mood and personality so well, and he brings the heat in the spicy scenes - which were plentiful. Definitely not a book to listen to at the office. Though it's technically a slow burn, it sure didn't feel that way. This is my first experience with Angelina Rocca, and I liked her voice for the most part. Maybe not my absolute favorite, but pretty good for sure. The runtime (about 11 hours) was too much for me to get through in a single day, but not overwhelming. The whole series is outstanding on audio, and this was no exception. Absolutely recommended in the format.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ I absolutely loved this book, far more than I expected given its mixed reception. Beau Eaton’s journey as a brooding military man with emotional baggage was compelling, especially as he grew by supporting Bailey. And Bailey was a charming FMC with a relatable backstory. I appreciated the story's message about growth and embracing change. Their chemistry and the fake fiancé dynamic hooked me from the start, such a satisfying read!

📖Book Review📖 Book Title: Hopeless Author: Elsie Silver Series: Chestnut Springs #5 Star Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Steam Rating:🔥🔥🔥 I’m so sad that is now officially over 😢 This series has a special place in my heart and Beaus book was the best ending. I’m glad I reread the first 4 books because there were so many little moments of Beau and Bailey that I forgot about. And it was wonderful to see how much they grown throughout the series. As soon as I found out it was going to be a fake engagement, I knew it was going to so good! And it did not disappoint! I literally read this in one sitting! Could not put it down! I loved Bailey! She’s a total firecracker with a heart of gold, if you loved Willa you’ll definitely love Bailey! My heart hurt so much for her at the way the town has treated her just because of her last name but when Beau really comes into the picture he makes it his mission to prove to her how amazing she really is. Beau, what can I say, I loved him so much! I knew there was more to him than just being the loveable goof. That man has so much bottled up from his time in the military that it was all starting to come out in not so great ways, but he Bailey immediately stepped in to help him cope was just beautiful. I just loved the way they each had each other’s backs. And even though it was meant to be fake, there was no denying the steaming chemistry between them! They were such a slow burn that had me frothing!🥵 I mean the bathtub scene only had me blushing. I loved how protective Beau was of Bailey, and how supportive Bailey was of Beau. They were such a great match. They really brought the best out in each other and lifted each other up. All in all this was a fantastic ending to a fabulous series! I loved that we got to see everyone again, especially Harvey god I love that man 😂

Can’t get enough of beau-Bailey. Elsie Silver is a fantastic writer and she proves it again with this book. Sad that the series came to an end. Never getting over the Eaton family ♥️♥️♥️

Lol I can’t believed I got a clean book from Amazon sa. Story wise, it’s good but disappointing for the final book we were rooting for Beau story. The FMC is corny with h most the time and the whole 2:11 was lazy choice of time, felt like the author wanted some link to 9:11 yikes.

Love it