The Front Runner

Like so many others, I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about Stefan Dalca getting his own HEA. But can we take a minute to talk about how incredible he is? Elsie Silver took a character we all muttered and grumbled about in the first two books and turned him into this sexy stud that we can’t get enough of. And if that’s not enough, she made us fall head over heels in love with Dr. Mira Thorne as Stefan fell in love with her too. I mean…I’m personally invested in everything Mira, but to see so much of her and to understand the woman behind all the horses being saved was an absolute treat.Where do I even begin with this review?! The Gold Rush Ranch series is so special to me and to see more characters from this world completely made my life. Mira and Stefan might just be my absolute favourites from this series––which is saying a lot since Violet and Cole are my one true loves––but their journey to falling in love is one that I can read over and over again, and never tire of.Mira is loved by everyone. Despite being younger and a woman, Mira is well respected and known all over Ruby Creek for the work she does with horses. She’s got a solid home base at Gold Rush Ranch and she’s best friends with Billie and Violet, plus she’s got Hank who adores her just as much. And Mira’s got supportive and loving parents (less supportive extended family members, but that’s not important) that gives her a rounded life. She’s not even missing a man to warm her bed, because she’s got a purple friend that does the job for her. I related to Mira so much, not just because she’s Indian, but because she’s so self-sufficient and sure of herself. She’s a tough woman, she knows her limits and she knows what she’s capable of. I loved the scenes where she’s working and treating horses, because you can feel the amount of love that pours through her when she’s in her element. She’s also hella sassy and feisty, her snappy comebacks are some of my favourites. Plus, Mira believes in giving everyone a second chance.Stefan. Ah, the man of the hour. I remember thinking he was so sleazy and creepy, but that’s because Billie flat out hates him and we saw him through her eyes. To see him through Mira’s eyes? *fans self* He is everything and then some. With Stefan, what you see is not always what you get and I really enjoyed watching Mira peel back the layers of the man. He’s been through so much and he’s never let those shortcomings and struggles define him. Stefan is so much more than just a rich man in a suit, he’s kind and caring and despite what Billie (and everyone else) thinks, he loves his horses and wants only the best for them. And then there’s Stefan’s feelings for Mira. Sweet lord, this man. There needs to be a word that is beyond swoony, because that’s what Stefan is. He’s a combination of swoony, sexy, dirty and charming––and it’s distracting as all get out. But the way he feels? Man, it broke me.Their relationship starts as a working one, then turns into three fake dates and eventually becomes the hottest and most beautiful thing on the planet. Elsie’s heroes have the best dirty talk and she also writes some really good steam, but what I loved so much about Mira and Stefan was their banter. It’s snappy, it’s funny and it’s incredibly sexy. There’s some serious pining in this book too. I know we all love watching the hero pine––and Stefan does that pretty much the whole way through––but there is just something so beautiful about the heroine pining too. And Mira’s feelings for Stefan are so confusing before she realises just what all of that means and she takes control of it. Some of my favourite scenes included Mira giving Stefan grief because he kept brushing their relationship off when she was getting so invested. I seriously didn’t think I would love these two as much as I did, but my god, they were so wonderful together. I also want to give Elsie lots of love for all the extra steam she included just for me (not really, but it’s an inside joke of sorts).Prepare for some tears too, because as you peel back Stefan’s layers and see the man beneath that broody, sexy facade, you’ll fall in love with him too. I also loved the scenes we got with Billie and Violet, because Mira’s friendship with them is so wonderful. I even loved how much of Hank we saw, because I loved him in Off to the Races and wanted more of him and I got it! I can’t wait to see what else we get from the Gold Rush Ranch world, because I’m not done with them yet!

I liked Stefan & Mira together! Stefan was the perfect match for Mira. The way he pinned after her, supported her in front of her family and vouched for her was awesome. Mira on the other hand was independent, smart, capable and compassionate. She gave Stefan a chance to prove himself and did not judge him based on her friend's opinion. While I admired her, I did not exactly love her. I feel like her character was monotonous and not explored in detail unlike Stefan. The book kind of got boring in the middle. Also the unnecessary drama towards the end was silly. Overall, I liked the chemistry between Mira & Stefan and the plot and setting were well constructed. It was an enjoyable read!

I freaking love a good story that makes me go all weak in the knees and I can't stop gushing about Stefan freaking Dalca. That man and Mira have melted me and I'm still all smiles and hearts even after I'm done reading.The blurb tells you the crux for sure but THIS BOOK GIVES YOU THE REAL FEELS & WILL TAKE YOU ON A BEAUTIFUL JOURNEY OF HOW TWO UNLIKELY PEOPLE COME TOGETHER.Stefan is hated by most people especially the Gold ranch clan. Even though Mira knows how how much Billie dislikes Stefan, she's still a professional and truly cares about the horses to be partial to anyone.Stefan might have come into money but a lot is riding on this dream of his being in this racing business as also he genuinely loves horses.Stefan is mesmerized by Dr. Mira Thorne and he's many attempts at asking a date are unanswered. When an unfortunate incident happens, the enemy ranchers will have to put aside their differences for the better good of the horses.As Mira spends more time caring for the new foal and in turn witnesses how selfless and caring Stefan, she starts to realise how different and a good man he is to what bad image people have of him.The dynamics and playfulness between Mira and Stefan had me wanting them more and their antics and genuine care and unconditional love for the horses had me smiling and falling in love with them.Also, ahem.. THE FREAKING CHEMISTRY BETWEEN THESE TWO. ON FIRE 🔥🔥🔥There's truly so much going on in this one. There's nadia, stefan's sister, then mira's family. Then the gold ranchers clan and hank.I loved getting to know how much time and love and care is involved in breeding and taking care of horses. The Vets and the ranchers are truly heroes. They don't care about the sleepless nights or how much their time is taken or how they have to get all dirty. But they do with selfless love and I admire this oh so much because of this book which made me aware of these facts.I was completely swept away in this beautiful world of Stefan and Mira. Also, as a fellow Indian, my mouth was watering at every mention of samosas. Yummy!!! 😍😍AHH.. What an utterly mesmerizing, Gorgeous, funny, sweet, Steamy and Swoony ride this one was. Loved freaking loved this one.❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Yet another amazing book in the series! I LOVED Stefan and Mira's story!I can’t place exactly what it is a loved about it most. The chemistry was great, the banter fantastic.I enjoyed that both the happy and sad moments of horse breeding were shown within the book. I showed the full picture of what happens. I loved the bond that grew between Stefan and Loki after his tragic beginning.Got a quick look at book 4 characters - Griffin and Nadia. Super excited for this one!

Very nicely written and page flipping from the get go. I love it.

Veterinarian Mira Thorne and horse rancher Stefan Dalca become unlikely allies, then friends, and their mutual attraction can’t be denied. She’s the Vet to his horses. But he wants more even though he’s the hated enemy of her best friends at Gold Rush Ranch. When a mutual life or death decision needs to be made for an orphaned colt, they have to work together. Awkward? You bet. Entertaining? Absolutely!We met Stefan in book 1 of this series and he was definitely the villain. Mira became good friends with the Gold Rush Ranch women in book 2. In fact her new best friend clearly hates Stefan Dalca. Now be warned, Stefan has more heart and goodness in him than we ever could have imagined when we originally met him. His snarky banter with Mira is priceless. She gives it right back!What isn’t there to love about this story?First, we have the orphaned colt and mama horse who adopts him as her own. Here is where we first see the heart behind Stefan’s gruff exterior. It’s emotional and heart melting.We meet Stefan’s younger sister, Nadia, who’s struggling in school and when she and Mira bond, well, it tugs at your heart strings. Oh and more swooning over Stefan when he finally shares with Mira their tragic family history.Then there’s Stefan meeting Mira’s family and making samosas with her Nana. Mira fails miserably at fighting her growing feelings for Stefan at this point.But the ultimate plot twist comes 1/2 way thru this story and I’m not gonna lie, I burst into tears saying. “Oh my god!” Brilliant storytelling. Never saw it coming.This is a slow burn story and so worth the wait. These two burn up the pages of this book when they finally do get together. Wow. And in typical Elsie fashion, there’s drama and danger and yes, Stefan wins over even his harshest critics. It’s a beautiful, romantic, emotional read.

Did I really just finish this in one night? Yes I did. It’s 1 am as I’m writing this and dang I just couldn’t put the book down. I had to stop for a bit because I literally had to stop sobbing 😭 Mira just wanted to explain it all to him and Stefan was being stubborn. Also Hank being a plot twist 🫣 did not see that coming. And ahhh I don’t wanna spoil but the barn 🥹. I love the name Loki though 🥰

Okay, so I’ve been intrigued by Stefan since book one and couldn’t wait for this book. I was not disappointed. This is an easy favourite of the series for me. I loved the banter, the slow burn, he falls first and is obsessed, the two of them are everything!So many people have judged Stefan before getting to know him and he’s seen as the bad guy by so many. He is such a sweetie though, so misunderstood and I think he’s the best of them all so far out of the mmcs.I really loved how hard he fell for Mira and was not ashamed to show it and was such a charmer. How could she resist? He’s such a good guy, down to everything he does for Mira, for the young foal, his sister. Beneath that tough exterior is a man with a troubled past who doesn’t see just how good he is. I was not ready but omg I am a mess over him. I love him!Mira was the best fmc for him, she didn’t mean to fall for him but I loved the slow burn between them. He chipped away at her defences slowly and it gave way to a beautiful story. She gives him a chance when no one else would, I loved them together.I adore Elsie’s writing and have loved every book. This is my favourite of this series. I loved the little twists in the story and was absolutely hooked throughout. I am so excited for the last book and cannot wait to see what happens x4.5*