Stacy Alesi's BookBitch.com™

Narration by Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca

Chestnut Springs, Book 5

From the author:

Beau Eaton is the town prince, a handsome military hero with a tortured past. I’m the outcast bartender, a shy girl from the wrong side of the tracks.

He’s thirty-five and all man, and I’m twenty-two and all . . . virgin.

He’s also my fiancé. Correction: my fake fiancé.

We start out as a bet. He doesn’t believe that anyone holds my last name against me. So he offers me his to prove a point.

It’s win-win. He gets a break from his concerned family’s prying, and I get a chance to shed my family’s reputation while I save up to ditch this small town.

He says all I have to do is wear his ring, follow his lead, and pretend I can’t keep my hands off of him in public.

But it’s what happens between us in private that blurs all those carefully drawn lines.

It’s what transpires behind closed doors that doesn’t feel like pretending at all.

This engagement was supposed to be for show. This agreement? It has an end date.

He once told me he’d never fall in love.

And yet here I am, head over heels for my fake fiancé.

https://amzn.to/42nS01D

If this hadn’t been the final book in a series I’ve really enjoyed, I probably would have skipped it. I’m not a fan of twenty-something virgin storylines, and this one didn’t change my mind. I didn’t love this book, but I have to give credit to the narrators. They did a really good job, despite the material they had to read, so kudos to them.

Beau has appeared throughout the series, so I was looking forward to his story. He comes across as genuinely kind, with some PTSD that adds a bit of depth. His motivations made sense, which helped—but I struggled with Bailey. The age gap wouldn’t have bothered me on its own, but her immaturity and lack of emotional control made her hard to connect with.

Bailey has a rough background. Her father and brothers have been in and out of jail, and the small town judges her for it, regardless of how much distance she tries to keep. She finally gets a job bartending, where she deals with constant insults because it’s the only work available.

One night, Beau gets drunk at the bar, and Bailey takes his keys, serving him tea until he sobers up. That moment pushes Beau to rethink his drinking. He starts coming in regularly, sticking to tea and quietly looking out for her. Their connection grows into a tentative friendship, until Beau proposes a fake engagement—believing his good reputation might offset her bad one. Bailey agrees, mostly to prove him wrong.

As they spend more time together, living under the same roof but in separate rooms, feelings begin to shift. Bailey pushes boundaries, Beau resists, and eventually realizes he’s fallen for her.

In the end, this was my least favorite book in the series. It’s not terrible, just underwhelming, with pacing issues and a heroine I never warmed to. If you’re a completionist, it may be worth finishing—but otherwise, this is the weak link. On to the next series, though – Rose Hill waits for me.

5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HOPELESS by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Jason Clarke & Angelina Rocca. Self-published. (June 10, 2023). ASIN: B0C5F3Q8QV. Listening Length: 9 hours and 58 minutes.

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Narration by Joe Arden & Savannah Peachwood

Chestnut Springs, Book 4

From the author:

He’s scorching-hot trouble wrapped up in a drool-worthy package. And he’s looking at her like she might be his next meal.

Theo Silva. Rowdy bull rider. Notorious ladies’ man. Winter Hamilton knows exactly what it means when he eyes her like that. But she’s almost free of her toxic marriage and has sworn off men entirely. So all she sees when she looks back at Theo is temptation served up with a heaping side of heartbreak. The man is hard to trust–but, it turns out, even harder to resist.

Make that impossible. Because Theo is persistent. And no matter how hard Winter tries to freeze him out, he melts her icy exterior and pulls apart all her defenses. Over a drink in a small-town bar, she finds herself blurting out her deepest, darkest secrets. Then, she spends the singular hottest night of her life with the man she never thought she’d say yes to.

He worships her body. He makes her blush. She comes alive beneath his hands. Then she tells him to forget it ever happened. She wants simple, and with him it all feels complicated.

It was supposed to be a one-time thing. A secret.

But that little plus sign is going to make this secret impossible to keep.

https://amzn.to/4cQ2vQ1

We first met Winter in Flawless as Summer’s cold, distant sister. Their relationship has always been strained, and despite wanting to reconnect, neither has been able to bridge the gap. When Winter’s marriage begins to unravel, she retreats to Chestnut Springs, hoping proximity might help her rebuild her bond with Summer. Newly free from a toxic marriage, Winter has sworn off men—until she meets the irresistible Theo Silva.

The narrators here really brought these characters to life and had me invested from the start. Considering I didn’t like Winter much in Flawless says a lot, and her redemption arc here is phenomenal. Even tropes I don’t always love—surprise pregnancy, secret baby, one-night stand—completely worked for me. The miscommunication hurts, but it adds real weight to the story.

This story is deeply emotional, raw, and authentic, with a strong focus on self-discovery, acceptance, and love. Beneath Winter’s icy exterior is a vulnerable, distrustful woman who has never believed love was meant for her. Getting her point of view makes everything click—her walls, her distance, her pain. Watching her slowly open up, rebuild relationships, especially with Summer, and grow into herself is genuinely moving. Her relationship with her daughter Vivi is especially tender and grounding.

Theo, meanwhile, is everything. Known as a playboy, he sets out to become someone worthy of Winter—not just any woman, but her specifically. He’s charming, funny, and fiercely loyal. He never pushes, never plays games—he simply shows up, consistently, with patience and care. His love for Winter, and his immediate devotion to Vivi once he learns the truth, is genuinely heart-melting. The pain of the months he unknowingly missed with his daughter is palpable.

Theo is a mama’s boy, a loyal brother, and a man who never pressures Winter but quietly earns his place in her life. Winter, often labeled an ice queen, is actually a woman who has never known unconditional love. Her strength, her guardedness, and her fierce devotion to Vivi make her easy to root for. Theo sees her—truly sees her—in a way no one else ever has.

The found-family elements shine, especially Theo’s sweet, welcoming mother. The epilogue is everything—no unnecessary third-act breakup, just payoff and warmth. Their dynamic is electric—equal parts tension, playfulness, and emotional depth. Nothing about their relationship feels rushed; it builds naturally, with Theo proving himself every step of the way. Together, they create something that feels real: a family built on trust, healing, and choice.

It’s funny, emotional, messy, romantic, and very hot. One of the most unexpectedly moving reads—and easily a standout in the series.

Time for the last book of the series, Hopeless.

5/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

RECKLESS by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Joe Arden & Savannah Peachwood. Self-published. (June 10, 2023). ASIN: B0C5F3Q8QV. Listening Length: 9 hours and 58 minutes.

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Narration by Teddy Hamilton & CJ Bloom

Chestnut Springs, Book 3

From the author:

Two childhood friends. Two broken hearts. One impromptu road trip to get away from everything. That’s all this was supposed to be. After all, I’ve been living in the friend zone for years now.

But hockey heartthrob Jasper Gervais isn’t looking at me like a friend anymore. And he isn’t touching me like one either.

To his fans, he’s the handsome, talented athlete on TV. To me, he’s still the lost boy with sad eyes and a heart of gold.

The man I’ve loved in secret for years.

So when my life falls apart on my wedding day, it only makes sense that he’s the one to swoop in and save me. And when his world comes crashing down around him, I’m there to return the favor.

But the more time we spend alone, the more Jasper doesn’t feel like a friend at all. He feels like everything I’ve ever wanted and thought I could never have.

Our feelings aren’t straightforward though. They twist and turn around the pain of his past and the reality of my present.

Jasper Gervais acts like he wants me.

But after years of turning me away, he’s going to need to prove it.

https://amzn.to/41PotO1

Childhood best friends to lovers, mutual pining, unrequited love, damaged male main character — this book had all the right ingredients.

Sloane Winthrop is a prima ballerina who has spent her whole life doing what others expect of her, particularly her controlling father. On her wedding day, she receives an anonymous video exposing her fiancé’s infidelity and makes the split-second decision to run. Enter Jasper Gervais — her best friend of 18 years — who whisks her away to Chestnut Springs and eventually onto a road trip where everything between them begins to shift.

Sloane starts out a little hard to connect with, but she grows into herself as the story progresses. Her instinct to laugh at wildly inappropriate moments is genuinely endearing, and watching her finally stand up for herself and put her own needs first made her arc feel earned.

Jasper is the real heart of the book. Orphaned after a childhood tragedy, taken in by the Eaton family, and convinced for years that he isn’t good enough for Sloane, he’s a loveable, fiercely protective teddy bear carrying a lot of quiet pain. He completely worships her, which makes the slow-burn tension all the more satisfying once he finally stops holding back.

The angst and pining are well-executed. The family banter with the wider Eaton crew is warm and funny, and the author balances humor with emotional weight naturally. The audiobook narrators are also excellent — worth considering if that’s your format.

The hockey element is almost nonexistent, which may disappoint sports romance fans. Jasper’s backstory gets introduced and then largely dropped, which felt like a missed opportunity given how central his trauma is to his character. The slow burn also stretches a bit too long — it strains believability that two people so obviously in love somehow didn’t notice it for years when everyone around them did.

A sweet, angsty friends-to-lovers story with a genuinely wonderful hero and a satisfying emotional payoff. Imperfect, but completely easy to fall for — much like Jasper himself.

Now onto Reckless.

4/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

POWERLESS by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Teddy Hamilton & CJ Bloom. Self-published. (January 18, 2023). ASIN: B0BTZTFNVS. Listening Length: 10 hours and 25 minutes.

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Narration by Stephen Dexter & Vanessa Edwin

Chestnut Springs, Book 2

From the author:

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 13 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.

https://amzn.to/4dveWme

I borrowed this series from my library using the Hoopla app, and I have to say if they had the covers that Amazon is using, I probably would have skipped over it. I’m not sure how these things are determined, but I much prefer the one pictured at the top of this post to this:

At the center of this book is Cade Eaton — single dad to the adorable Luke and desperately in need of a summer nanny. Enter Willa Grant. With her show horse sidelined by an injury and her bartending gig at her brother’s place unexpectedly on hold while he renovates, Willa decides to visit her best friend Summer — who readers will remember from Book 1, Flawless — now living on the ranch.

Cade has already suffered through a parade of truly awful nanny candidates, so when Summer insists she knows the perfect person for the job, he trusts her judgment. But the moment Willa arrives, he knows he’s in trouble. The chemistry between them is instant and undeniable — which is exactly the problem. He’s not looking for a girlfriend, and she has zero childcare experience. Still, watching Willa and Luke hit it off immediately, he relents, telling himself he’ll simply keep things professional. Best laid plans…

The real heart of the story is the growing bond between Willa and Luke, which is both charming and genuinely moving — and not lost on Cade, even as he fights his feelings. There’s also an age gap that Cade seems to focus on, but eventually he moves past it. The romance itself is steamy, with an occasional moment that veers into ick territory, though I found it easy to look past thanks to the warmth of the father-son dynamic. I have a soft spot for devoted single dads — and I’ll admit that’s probably not unrelated to the fact that my own father remarried the same week he divorced my mother and largely checked out on his first family.

This is an enjoyable sequel to Flawless, elevated further by excellent narrators. Fair warning, though: if spice isn’t your thing, this series isn’t for you — these books sit squarely on the edge of erotic romance. Meanwhile, I’m moving on to Powerless.

4/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

HEARTLESS by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Stephen Dexter & Vanessa Edwin. Self-published. (January 18, 2023). ASIN: B0BSK3GDJ7. Listening Length: 9 hours and 51 minutes.

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Narration by Sebastian York & Emma Wilder

Chestnut Springs, Book 1

From the author:

The rules were simple. Keep my hands off his daughter and stay out of trouble.

But now I’m stuck with her. There’s only one bed. And well, rules are made to be broken.

I’m the face of professional bull riding—the golden boy. Or at least I was, until it all blew up in my face. Now my agent says I have to clean up my image, so I’m stuck with his ball-busting daughter for the rest of the season as my “full-time supervision.”

But I don’t need a goddamn babysitter, especially one with skin-tight jeans, a sexy smirk, and a mouth she can’t stop running.

A mouth I can’t stop thinking about.

Because Summer isn’t just another conquest. She sees the man behind the mask, and she doesn’t run—she pulls me closer, even when she shouldn’t.

She says this means nothing.

I say this means everything.

She says there are boundaries we shouldn’t cross. That my reputation can’t take any more hits—and neither can her damaged heart.

I say I’m going to steal it anyway.

https://amzn.to/4mdDFO0

This is a small town, forced proximity, enemies-to-lovers (sort of) cowboy romance with lots of banter and sex. I really liked all the secondary characters as well, so I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.

Summer Hamilton has been assigned to basically babysit Rhett Eaton, a professional bull rider. Her father, Kip, is Rhett’s agent, and Rhett has pissed off a number of sponsors with his big mouth. Summer’s job is to help him keep his mouth shut and try to rehabilitate his reputation. An agent earns a percentage of their client’s earnings, so if the client isn’t earning, neither is the agent.

Summer and Rhett have instant chemistry, but she is firmly grounded in her job and takes it seriously. On the other hand, while Rhett knows he’s screwed up, he is wildly attracted to Summer, despite their forced relationship. Rhett is basically in lust with Summer from the get go, and it takes her a little while to catch up. Love soon follows, of course.

This was a fun read with a lot of sex, so if that isn’t fun for you, probably skip this series. For me, the character development more than made up for all the bedroom antics and did help propel the story forward. The narrators did a good job, as usual. To be honest, it always surprises me when a self-published author can offer such a professionally rendered audiobook. The quality of the production is as good as anything from the major publishers. Looking forward to book 2, Heartless.

4/2026 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch

FLAWLESS by Elsie Silver. Narrators: Sebastian York & Emma Wilder. Self-published. (December 14, 2022). ASIN: B0BQ1FX4CC. Listening Length: 9 hours and 44 minutes.

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