Review: “Heartless” by Elsie Silver

Series: Chestnut Springs #2

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✨

Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Release Date: October 14th, 2022

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CW: mentions of divorce, death of a parent (past)

Working as a nanny for the world’s grumpiest single dad should have been simple. Except I can’t keep my eyes off him. And he can’t keep his hands off of me.

Cade Eaton is thirteen years older than I am and barely looks my way. Until I get him into the hot tub one night for a game of truth or dare. Then all bets are off—and so are our clothes.

He’s gruff, a little rough around the edges. But broad-shouldered ranchers with calloused hands and filthy mouths are this city girl’s kryptonite. So who am I to resist?

But it’s in our quiet moments together that he softens. It’s when he takes care of me that I realize his hardened exterior is just a façade. It’s when I watch him go all sweet with his little boy that I really fall for him.

Someone convinced him once that his best wasn’t good enough. But I’ve never felt more cherished than I do in his arms.

My contract may say this arrangement is only for two months.

But my heart says this is forever.

 

As someone who has loved Elsie Silver’s stories since the beginning, it’s absolutely no surprise that this book made me feel all the things. One of the things that Elsie does really well is creating characters that you want to be friends with and characters you want to get tangled up in the sheets with all at the same time. She writes some of the best grumps and her steamy scenes are off the charts! At this point, everyone knows that this Amazon Bestselling author writes the kinds of books that once you start reading, you can’t stop. After all of the rave reviews, I was so afraid to read my ARC because what if it was overhyped? Let me tell you right now…worth it.

I should also say that while Cade Eaton is one hell of a grump, nobody can ever take the place of Cole Harding (from A Photo Finish). 

In Heartless, you’ll see:

✨ age gap

✨ grumpy x sunshine

✨ single dad cowboy

✨ sassy feisty nanny

✨ the cutest kid ever

✨ the amazing eaton family

✨ the kind of steam that will make you blush

✨ dirty talking characters

✨ laughs, feels and tears

“She’s a spark in the dark. Dancing flames against a midnight sky. She shines brighter than almost anyone in this entire place with her glossy hair, bright dress, and twinkling green eyes.”

When Cade’s search for the right nanny to help out with his five year old son, Luke, turns into him being frustrated with every woman who comes his way, he caves and lets Summer (from Flawless) bring someone in that would be the perfect fit. For Willa, being a nanny is not something she ever thought she’d do, but the minute she meets Luke Eaton and Cade, suddenly her plans for the summer include driving the sexy older cowboy wild while falling in love with his son. Because it’s Elsie, you know you’re getting a bunch of things right off the bat—wicked banter, hilarious texts and sexual tension that will set your kindle/paperback on fire.

Willa is such an incredible character. But that’s no surprise to me either, because Elsie’s heroines are always so complex and so interesting. Do I wish we saw Cade interacting with her awesome parents? Absolutely. Because I can only imagine what that might have been like. But I loved how Willa didn’t talk to Luke like he was a child and treated him like he was responsible for his own actions. I admired how hard she worked to give Luke the kind of love that he’s never had from a mother figure. Willa, much like the heroines who have come before her, was beautiful, wild, free and genuine. She felt real and like someone I’d want to kick back and drink with. Hell, I’d brunch with her and Summer in a heartbeat.

“How do I look?” I quirk a brow and arch my back. 

“Like you’re mine,” he growls.

Cade and Willa’s relationship is sort of forbidden (only in the traditional sense of him being her boss, not because anyone laid down the law as such), but it’s so fun. She enjoys riling him up and he growls and grunts in response. Given their first meeting involved her panties, you can imagine how many times they talk about her underwear through the course of this book. And as you can imagine, Cade’s dirty mouth is a special one, but Willa can keep up and match him at every step. Their emotional, physical and sexual bond is truly something special. If I was either of them, I probably would have thrown in the towel a lot sooner. But, it was worth it. Right from the first time Willa’s on her knees to the time when she’s got her panties in her mouth, Cade and Willa’s sexual relationship is explosive in so many brilliant ways.

I love the Eatons and I loved seeing Violet again, because she’s one of my favourite of Elsie’s characters. I’m also SUPER curious about Beau, because we’ve barely gotten to see him over the course of these two books. But I know his story is coming and I feel like I have an idea of where it’s going. But that little sneak peak at the end for Jasper’s book?! I won’t spoil it and tell you anything else, just know that I’m excited because a sexy, silent, broody hockey player falling in love with a certain person we meet in this book just made my heart flutter so joyfully.

Thanks to Elsie Silver for generously providing me with an advance copy. I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.