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Serenity Ranch #2
Chaos
Lottie Jackson is not a good person.
Reckless, bad-tempered, and perpetually mad at the world, she’s no stranger to making bad decisions. When the worst of them gets her kicked off her family’s ranch, it takes one just as bad to get her back.
Except this time, she isn’t the resident grumpy little sister making a mess of her life—she’s the resident grumpy ranch hand fighting to get it back on track.
Finn Akello is chronically good.
With his bright smiles, easy charm, and sunny personality, he is nothing like the girl he can’t stay away from.
But he just might be everything she needs.
Reckless, bad-tempered, and perpetually mad at the world, she’s no stranger to making bad decisions. When the worst of them gets her kicked off her family’s ranch, it takes one just as bad to get her back.
Except this time, she isn’t the resident grumpy little sister making a mess of her life—she’s the resident grumpy ranch hand fighting to get it back on track.
Finn Akello is chronically good.
With his bright smiles, easy charm, and sunny personality, he is nothing like the girl he can’t stay away from.
But he just might be everything she needs.
506 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 4, 2025
106 people are currently reading
745 people want to read
About the author
E.J. Blaise
6 books513 followersEJ Blaise is an Irish author of all things romance. When she's not creating unrealistically perfect men, she can be found travelling, reading, and dreaming of running a bookstore café.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
June 25, 2025
°˖⋆ ℧ 𓃗 °˖⋆ Chaos takes us back to Serenity Ranch where love truly blossoms °˖⋆ ℧ 𓃗 °˖⋆
I savored this book y'all. I didn't want it to end because I don't ever EVER want to leave Serenity Ranch and these characters. It was so wholesome and fun to go back to the ranch and see my favorite Jackson family once again. This time, the story revolves around Lottie and Finn. Lottie is back after she walked away from Serenity two years ago. Her sister has told her that she must pay her back from her DUI so she has to work at the ranch now. There, she meets Finn, another ranch hand, who somehow has developed some misjudgments about her.
This book was everything to me. Lottie was MY GIRL, IS MY GIRL, WILL ALWAYS BE MY GIRL ♡ She's an angry girl who believes she's unlovable, who thinks she'll never be someone's first choice, who is sad and doesn't know how to express herself. On the other hand, we have Finn, literally sunshine in a boy. HE IS BRIGHT AND ADORABLE AND SOMEONE WHO LOVES LOTTIE WITH HIS WHOLE BODY, HEART, AND SOUL. Literally the best person to pair up with Lottie <3
I love many things about EJ's books but the little paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter in Bloom and Chaos? Oh EJ, your mind. This book, and Bloom too, are told in one POV, the heroine's. But EJ doesn't stop there - she gives us a little paragraph, maybe three lines, from the hero's POV. And yeah, his thoughts are always about her. Finn-isms, as EJ has named them as, are the best thing ever. You can clearly see that 100% of his thoughts are about Lottie. You won't ever doubt his love and devotion for her. The pining in this book is ✨ unreal ✨ THE SLOW BURN ROMANCE OF YOUR DREAMS!
I cried because of course I did - I always cry with EJ Blaise's books. Her characters, and their situations, are so real. Lottie is a raw, complex, layered character who you want to see happy. You want to see her succeed on everything she wishes. But it's hard to get to that point and you see it throughout the story but you never stop rooting for her ☀️ And Finn never stops rooting for her! So everyone around her is thinking the same way as you so it's nice to follow along because even though she doesn't believe in herself, she always has someone on her corner, be it you or any other character.
The first time Finn calls her 'baby', I was a goner. That man is swoon-worthy AF ♡♡♡
I savored this book y'all. I didn't want it to end because I don't ever EVER want to leave Serenity Ranch and these characters. It was so wholesome and fun to go back to the ranch and see my favorite Jackson family once again. This time, the story revolves around Lottie and Finn. Lottie is back after she walked away from Serenity two years ago. Her sister has told her that she must pay her back from her DUI so she has to work at the ranch now. There, she meets Finn, another ranch hand, who somehow has developed some misjudgments about her.
This book was everything to me. Lottie was MY GIRL, IS MY GIRL, WILL ALWAYS BE MY GIRL ♡ She's an angry girl who believes she's unlovable, who thinks she'll never be someone's first choice, who is sad and doesn't know how to express herself. On the other hand, we have Finn, literally sunshine in a boy. HE IS BRIGHT AND ADORABLE AND SOMEONE WHO LOVES LOTTIE WITH HIS WHOLE BODY, HEART, AND SOUL. Literally the best person to pair up with Lottie <3
I love many things about EJ's books but the little paragraphs at the beginning of each chapter in Bloom and Chaos? Oh EJ, your mind. This book, and Bloom too, are told in one POV, the heroine's. But EJ doesn't stop there - she gives us a little paragraph, maybe three lines, from the hero's POV. And yeah, his thoughts are always about her. Finn-isms, as EJ has named them as, are the best thing ever. You can clearly see that 100% of his thoughts are about Lottie. You won't ever doubt his love and devotion for her. The pining in this book is ✨ unreal ✨ THE SLOW BURN ROMANCE OF YOUR DREAMS!
I cried because of course I did - I always cry with EJ Blaise's books. Her characters, and their situations, are so real. Lottie is a raw, complex, layered character who you want to see happy. You want to see her succeed on everything she wishes. But it's hard to get to that point and you see it throughout the story but you never stop rooting for her ☀️ And Finn never stops rooting for her! So everyone around her is thinking the same way as you so it's nice to follow along because even though she doesn't believe in herself, she always has someone on her corner, be it you or any other character.
The first time Finn calls her 'baby', I was a goner. That man is swoon-worthy AF ♡♡♡
June 9, 2025
nessisn fanfic (except finn was written how bastard boy should’ve been & was twice the man he was and would never body shame his fmc, emotionally/verbally abuse her, throw her insecurities in her face, tell her she was better off dead, have a side hoe that he had a weird relationship with or choose literally everyone else over her)
i’ll forever be a defender of fmcs like lottie jackson, nesta and lizzie young they can do or have done no wrong in my eyes (except the later two loving/choosing shitty men who don’t deserve them)
anyway this author’s book would be so much better if it wasn’t filled with double standards (ive pretty much read all of her books & in almost every single one of them the fmc has had her first orgasm with the mmc meanwhile the mmcs have been hoes or hella experienced) in this case thankfully we didn’t get much info on the mmcs past or experiences. safety was surprisingly not too bad (esp considering how much of a shit show the previous book was with that & also how much this author loves writing it) the only ow drama i think was when he went on a date with another girl but that’s lowkey the fmc’s fault for being difficult and even telling them to go on that date so i couldn’t blame him too much plus he cut the date short & he was a doormat for her the entire time & had the patience of a saint so he was forgiven. i also loved that he never tried to change her and loved her for who she was
idk how i feel about who i think is gonna be next in this series bc as much as i love single mom romances, i think the kid’s bio dad is gonna be the mmc but he seems like a player…to the point where he was hitting on her sister (the fmc of this book) but idk im hoping i got that wrong
i’ll forever be a defender of fmcs like lottie jackson, nesta and lizzie young they can do or have done no wrong in my eyes (except the later two loving/choosing shitty men who don’t deserve them)
anyway this author’s book would be so much better if it wasn’t filled with double standards (ive pretty much read all of her books & in almost every single one of them the fmc has had her first orgasm with the mmc meanwhile the mmcs have been hoes or hella experienced) in this case thankfully we didn’t get much info on the mmcs past or experiences. safety was surprisingly not too bad (esp considering how much of a shit show the previous book was with that & also how much this author loves writing it) the only ow drama i think was when he went on a date with another girl but that’s lowkey the fmc’s fault for being difficult and even telling them to go on that date so i couldn’t blame him too much plus he cut the date short & he was a doormat for her the entire time & had the patience of a saint so he was forgiven. i also loved that he never tried to change her and loved her for who she was
idk how i feel about who i think is gonna be next in this series bc as much as i love single mom romances, i think the kid’s bio dad is gonna be the mmc but he seems like a player…to the point where he was hitting on her sister (the fmc of this book) but idk im hoping i got that wrong
they-told-me-to-read-it
July 25, 2025
June 8, 2025
SO GOOD
Tender, quietly intimate, and wildly powerful, this was a PHENOMENAL read. With slow burn goodness and a genuinely kind, loving, and patient hero, this had me SWOONING. Pretty sure I rubbed my aching chest on more than one occasion, and there were tears falling down my face as I turned the last page. It’s the kind of story that slowly builds before burrowing under your skin, taking its time to develop and leaving an impact. At 600 pages, the slow burn is not for the faint of heart, but I was completely hooked on the romance the whole way through. We only get the hero’s perspective in little snippets, but you could feel his love grow and grow. His girl is the textbook definition of a “difficult” heroine, and watching her slowly bloom was the best kind of feeling. It’s another stellar read from an author who is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and one of the best I’ve read this year.
The story follows Lottie (22), an angry, emotionally bruised woman who is fresh out of rehab. After being estranged from her family for the past couple of years, they have insisted that Lottie return to the family ranch for the next six months while she works to remain sober. Family has always been a complicated thing for Lottie, and grappling with her newfound sobriety at the same time makes her quick to lash out. To make things worse, Lottie’s family seems to have replaced her with a friendly, universally beloved ranch hand, Finn (26). Kind in a way Lottie has never been, there’s something about Finn that gets under Lottie’s skin. As the two live and work together on the ranch, they form a connection no one saw coming.
After absolutely loving the first book in this series, I knew that Chaos was going to be a complex read that put me through my paces. The page count might be intimidating, but it’s the kind of story that needs space to develop and grow. Lottie has some work to do on herself, and that’s as much a part of the journey as her relationship with Finn - though the romance is front and center throughout. I loved Finn’s patience and compassion, the way he loved Lottie as she was but was also there every step of the way as she grew. He is book husband material, without a doubt. They’re opposites in so many ways, filling in the empty spaces in each other’s lives. Their love story is not an easy one, but it’s fulfilling and impactful. I flew through the chapters, eager for them to find their HEA, yet just as happy to be immersed in the pages. It’s not a story I’ll forget anytime soon, and one I loved in a big way.
Tender, quietly intimate, and wildly powerful, this was a PHENOMENAL read. With slow burn goodness and a genuinely kind, loving, and patient hero, this had me SWOONING. Pretty sure I rubbed my aching chest on more than one occasion, and there were tears falling down my face as I turned the last page. It’s the kind of story that slowly builds before burrowing under your skin, taking its time to develop and leaving an impact. At 600 pages, the slow burn is not for the faint of heart, but I was completely hooked on the romance the whole way through. We only get the hero’s perspective in little snippets, but you could feel his love grow and grow. His girl is the textbook definition of a “difficult” heroine, and watching her slowly bloom was the best kind of feeling. It’s another stellar read from an author who is quickly becoming one of my favorites, and one of the best I’ve read this year.
The story follows Lottie (22), an angry, emotionally bruised woman who is fresh out of rehab. After being estranged from her family for the past couple of years, they have insisted that Lottie return to the family ranch for the next six months while she works to remain sober. Family has always been a complicated thing for Lottie, and grappling with her newfound sobriety at the same time makes her quick to lash out. To make things worse, Lottie’s family seems to have replaced her with a friendly, universally beloved ranch hand, Finn (26). Kind in a way Lottie has never been, there’s something about Finn that gets under Lottie’s skin. As the two live and work together on the ranch, they form a connection no one saw coming.
After absolutely loving the first book in this series, I knew that Chaos was going to be a complex read that put me through my paces. The page count might be intimidating, but it’s the kind of story that needs space to develop and grow. Lottie has some work to do on herself, and that’s as much a part of the journey as her relationship with Finn - though the romance is front and center throughout. I loved Finn’s patience and compassion, the way he loved Lottie as she was but was also there every step of the way as she grew. He is book husband material, without a doubt. They’re opposites in so many ways, filling in the empty spaces in each other’s lives. Their love story is not an easy one, but it’s fulfilling and impactful. I flew through the chapters, eager for them to find their HEA, yet just as happy to be immersed in the pages. It’s not a story I’ll forget anytime soon, and one I loved in a big way.
June 5, 2025
This was phenomenal. I don’t truly know how to word this review but just bear with me.
I’ve read all published books by this author and they have all been amazing, this book however it’s like you could feel the emotion leaping through the page. The emotions were raw and unfiltered and it was written beautifully. Lottie and Finn are just so amazing. Lottie Lottie Lottie, we’ve seen her in previous books and she was always so angry. Reading her book is gonna shut all her haters up and if you still hate her afterwards, you’re immature and you need to grow up. I may not have related to her fully (which doesn’t matter btw) but I could feel her emotions cause it’s feelings we have all had. Wanting to be understood and just at the end of the day wanting to be loved. Lottie is for the girls who have been scorned too many times and don’t know what they deserve, for all of you that feel that way I hope you find your Jackson family and I hope you find your Finn. Finn and Lottie are the perfect example of “you are never too much for the right person”.
Truly this book is in a league of its own.
I’ve read all published books by this author and they have all been amazing, this book however it’s like you could feel the emotion leaping through the page. The emotions were raw and unfiltered and it was written beautifully. Lottie and Finn are just so amazing. Lottie Lottie Lottie, we’ve seen her in previous books and she was always so angry. Reading her book is gonna shut all her haters up and if you still hate her afterwards, you’re immature and you need to grow up. I may not have related to her fully (which doesn’t matter btw) but I could feel her emotions cause it’s feelings we have all had. Wanting to be understood and just at the end of the day wanting to be loved. Lottie is for the girls who have been scorned too many times and don’t know what they deserve, for all of you that feel that way I hope you find your Jackson family and I hope you find your Finn. Finn and Lottie are the perfect example of “you are never too much for the right person”.
Truly this book is in a league of its own.
July 26, 2025
5⭐️
The release of a new E.J. Blaise book is always a surprise — they come out of nowhere, and it’s always such a lovely feeling to know there’s a new story with my favorite characters waiting for me.
This book isn’t perfect — there were moments I didn’t love — but I adore this big family so much, and I love the way Erin writes so deeply, that I didn’t want this story to end. I laughed a lot, I cried a lot. I let this book run through me and truly lived it alongside the characters.
Lottie is such a unique girl — she’s bold, fiery, loud, and fun, but at the same time she’s broken and distrustful. Even though she was born into this big, tight-knit family and has a twin sister, Lottie still feels unwanted, unloved, and alone. And it takes her a long time to realize that’s not true.
Lottie’s whole world changes when Finn comes into her life — a sweet, kind cowboy, her complete opposite. He manages to break through her thick walls, love her fiercely, and show her the world isn’t as cruel to her as she thinks. Sometimes I just felt so sorry for Finn — he bent over backwards trying to reach Lottie. Even when she pushed him away, said awful things, and hurt him, he never gave up. He just kept fighting for her attention. His thoughts at the start of each chapter drove me absolutely crazy — he loved every dark, angry edge of her with every fiber of his being, with his whole heart. And then he just waited for her to see that she loved him too. He’s patient, he’s gentle, he’s so wonderful it makes me want to cry.
I loved Lottie’s fight for Ruin so much. She saw a part of herself in that horse and tried so hard to earn his trust and help him heal.
I love the Jackson family. Every interaction between them filled my heart with such warm, comforting feelings. I can’t wait for a book about each of them — I’m so curious to see what E.J. Blaise has planned for us next.
The release of a new E.J. Blaise book is always a surprise — they come out of nowhere, and it’s always such a lovely feeling to know there’s a new story with my favorite characters waiting for me.
This book isn’t perfect — there were moments I didn’t love — but I adore this big family so much, and I love the way Erin writes so deeply, that I didn’t want this story to end. I laughed a lot, I cried a lot. I let this book run through me and truly lived it alongside the characters.
Lottie is such a unique girl — she’s bold, fiery, loud, and fun, but at the same time she’s broken and distrustful. Even though she was born into this big, tight-knit family and has a twin sister, Lottie still feels unwanted, unloved, and alone. And it takes her a long time to realize that’s not true.
Lottie’s whole world changes when Finn comes into her life — a sweet, kind cowboy, her complete opposite. He manages to break through her thick walls, love her fiercely, and show her the world isn’t as cruel to her as she thinks. Sometimes I just felt so sorry for Finn — he bent over backwards trying to reach Lottie. Even when she pushed him away, said awful things, and hurt him, he never gave up. He just kept fighting for her attention. His thoughts at the start of each chapter drove me absolutely crazy — he loved every dark, angry edge of her with every fiber of his being, with his whole heart. And then he just waited for her to see that she loved him too. He’s patient, he’s gentle, he’s so wonderful it makes me want to cry.
I loved Lottie’s fight for Ruin so much. She saw a part of herself in that horse and tried so hard to earn his trust and help him heal.
I love the Jackson family. Every interaction between them filled my heart with such warm, comforting feelings. I can’t wait for a book about each of them — I’m so curious to see what E.J. Blaise has planned for us next.
June 27, 2025
4.5 stars. that epilogue hit like the most beautiful gut punch
June 6, 2025
if you talk shit, you didn’t understand it.
is it a romance? sure, but it’s really about healing. fans of the villain will enjoy “chaos”.
lottie is the angry little sister you come to hate in blaise’s other books. in “bloom” you see glimpses of someone that rubs you the wrong way, but after being no-contact for two years, she comes back to her family’s ranch an alcoholic who has been through shit.
we don’t see stories with this level of angst, hate, and self loathing and i was hooked. lottie blames herself, her abusive and neglectful parents/ grandparents, but also her siblings for why her life is the way it is. i repeatedly was emotional following along her journey. lottie had to learn to accept her addiction and understand that people do love her, including those who kicked her out in the first place.
loves:
-single point of view
-2ish sentences from finn’s 3rd point of view start each chapter (so much better than dual pov)
-angry younger sister protagonist
-raw emotion: she felt it, you read about it
-family tensions
-diverse characters!!!
-emotional roller coaster
-punk/alt girl who was always a cowgirl
-making big mistakes and someone still loving you
-not all is forgiven quickly
-ruin and lottie’s connection
-finn showing her real love and acceptance
is it a romance? sure, but it’s really about healing. fans of the villain will enjoy “chaos”.
lottie is the angry little sister you come to hate in blaise’s other books. in “bloom” you see glimpses of someone that rubs you the wrong way, but after being no-contact for two years, she comes back to her family’s ranch an alcoholic who has been through shit.
we don’t see stories with this level of angst, hate, and self loathing and i was hooked. lottie blames herself, her abusive and neglectful parents/ grandparents, but also her siblings for why her life is the way it is. i repeatedly was emotional following along her journey. lottie had to learn to accept her addiction and understand that people do love her, including those who kicked her out in the first place.
loves:
-single point of view
-2ish sentences from finn’s 3rd point of view start each chapter (so much better than dual pov)
-angry younger sister protagonist
-raw emotion: she felt it, you read about it
-family tensions
-diverse characters!!!
-emotional roller coaster
-punk/alt girl who was always a cowgirl
-making big mistakes and someone still loving you
-not all is forgiven quickly
-ruin and lottie’s connection
-finn showing her real love and acceptance
July 30, 2025
every insecure girl deserves someone who doesn’t get tired of reassuring her that she’s easily loved
June 15, 2025
if you wanna read a book version of “this is me trying” by taylor swift, here ya go!
More to come later
More to come later
July 29, 2025
Infinite stars.
The best cowboy romance I’ve ever read hands down.
This one is for the angry girls that don’t know how to handle their emotions and push everyone away.
It is an easy book to describe- just perfect.
The romance is not far-fetched or suffocating, the dynamic between the siblings is so fun and I adored the ending, especially the epilogue. It’s so satisfying when everything seems to happen organically and not rushed.
The best cowboy romance I’ve ever read hands down.
This one is for the angry girls that don’t know how to handle their emotions and push everyone away.
It is an easy book to describe- just perfect.
The romance is not far-fetched or suffocating, the dynamic between the siblings is so fun and I adored the ending, especially the epilogue. It’s so satisfying when everything seems to happen organically and not rushed.
June 7, 2025
a very real reminder that being angry is okay <3
lottie and finn are so precious to me.
lottie i will protect you with my life! god forbid a woman be a bit messy while she heals??? If you've ever been the angry little sister, this is the book for you; LOTTIE is the character FOR YOU!!! I felt her anger so deeply, like it was my own at times, and there was something so beautiful about seeing Lottie get to a place of accepting the love her family has been trying to give her for so long, but also realise that she is worthy of love from others (like finn!!!)
finn is so sweet and reassuring, and I love the banter he has with lottie, but also how gentle he is with her; he doesn't try to change who she is, just supports her how she needs and loves her through it all.
I love the finnisms we get every chapter, and the family dynamics through this whole book; there are so many fun, sad and sweet moments that we see the Jackson siblings go through this book and it is everything.
I loved every moment of this book, and I can't wait for the rest of this series :)
lottie and finn are so precious to me.
lottie i will protect you with my life! god forbid a woman be a bit messy while she heals??? If you've ever been the angry little sister, this is the book for you; LOTTIE is the character FOR YOU!!! I felt her anger so deeply, like it was my own at times, and there was something so beautiful about seeing Lottie get to a place of accepting the love her family has been trying to give her for so long, but also realise that she is worthy of love from others (like finn!!!)
finn is so sweet and reassuring, and I love the banter he has with lottie, but also how gentle he is with her; he doesn't try to change who she is, just supports her how she needs and loves her through it all.
I love the finnisms we get every chapter, and the family dynamics through this whole book; there are so many fun, sad and sweet moments that we see the Jackson siblings go through this book and it is everything.
I loved every moment of this book, and I can't wait for the rest of this series :)
August 31, 2025
I LOVE this universe so much. When I first read Unexpected I just knew it was going to be special, and it’s been that and so much more. The Jackson’s especially have my whole heart! Serenity Ranch is a special place and I love seeing these characters find their home, and with Lottie, finding her home again.
Lottie is rough and vulnerable and angry and sad. But she’s also just a girl who HAS BEEN THROUGH IT. And doesn’t know what to do! Her journey wasn’t necessarily a fun one, it was hard and complicated and she didn’t want to do the work!!! But eventually…she did and it was SO GOOD!
I LOVE THE JACKSON SIBLINGS! They love each other so much. Finn said something like they’re all one person in five bodies and I seriously cried bc it so perfectly explains them. I cannot wait for the rest of their books. I fear Lux’s book WILL wreck me. But her and Alex are the SWEETEST duo!! And seeing Jackson and Luna living their lives!! With Izzy!!! Newly married!!! I just can’t wait to see where else everyone goes!
Lottie and Finn HAVE MY HEART! The way that man LOVES HER! And loves her for who she is!!! I am always desperate for dual pov, but the way Erin just writes little chapter subheadings as the MMC’s pov. Idk what they’re called! But they’re honestly all perfect and truly everything we need!
I loved this book. I love this universe, this series, these characters!!
Lottie is rough and vulnerable and angry and sad. But she’s also just a girl who HAS BEEN THROUGH IT. And doesn’t know what to do! Her journey wasn’t necessarily a fun one, it was hard and complicated and she didn’t want to do the work!!! But eventually…she did and it was SO GOOD!
I LOVE THE JACKSON SIBLINGS! They love each other so much. Finn said something like they’re all one person in five bodies and I seriously cried bc it so perfectly explains them. I cannot wait for the rest of their books. I fear Lux’s book WILL wreck me. But her and Alex are the SWEETEST duo!! And seeing Jackson and Luna living their lives!! With Izzy!!! Newly married!!! I just can’t wait to see where else everyone goes!
Lottie and Finn HAVE MY HEART! The way that man LOVES HER! And loves her for who she is!!! I am always desperate for dual pov, but the way Erin just writes little chapter subheadings as the MMC’s pov. Idk what they’re called! But they’re honestly all perfect and truly everything we need!
I loved this book. I love this universe, this series, these characters!!
June 6, 2025
my angry girl and her sweet cowboy 💟
i genuinely cried so much that i think my period must be among me because the amount of tears i shed has to be unnatural. ej blaise you are one of three go-to authors for me, and i can’t see that ever changing. the way she writes her dynamics between even side characters is so beautiful (and is definitely the reason i cried 40 billion times). lottie has to be one of my favorite book characters ever. her story hit so personally and she is now forever in my heart, sat alongside her sister in law. i am beyonddddd happy they had so many scenes together. two girls cut from the same cloth.
i literally started a kindle unlimited free trial for this book and i don’t regret it. lottie jackson, i will forever support your rights and wrongs, princess. 🤍⭐️🐎
i genuinely cried so much that i think my period must be among me because the amount of tears i shed has to be unnatural. ej blaise you are one of three go-to authors for me, and i can’t see that ever changing. the way she writes her dynamics between even side characters is so beautiful (and is definitely the reason i cried 40 billion times). lottie has to be one of my favorite book characters ever. her story hit so personally and she is now forever in my heart, sat alongside her sister in law. i am beyonddddd happy they had so many scenes together. two girls cut from the same cloth.
i literally started a kindle unlimited free trial for this book and i don’t regret it. lottie jackson, i will forever support your rights and wrongs, princess. 🤍⭐️🐎
June 6, 2025
5⭐️
Absolutely devoured this book! It was exactly what I needed to get out of my little slump. I’m obsessed with this family and ranch! I don’t think anyone can beat EJ when writing about found family or family dynamics. She hits the mark every time! Lottie might be one of my favorite FMC ever! I love a firey girl! I loved Finn and Lottie’s story so much! I need the next one immediately but we all know it’s gonna be awhile! 🥹😆
Absolutely devoured this book! It was exactly what I needed to get out of my little slump. I’m obsessed with this family and ranch! I don’t think anyone can beat EJ when writing about found family or family dynamics. She hits the mark every time! Lottie might be one of my favorite FMC ever! I love a firey girl! I loved Finn and Lottie’s story so much! I need the next one immediately but we all know it’s gonna be awhile! 🥹😆
July 26, 2025
A brilliant one sitting read
Lottie’s complex story will grab you right from the beginning until the very end. A captivating story that I couldn’t put down until it was finished. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Lottie’s complex story will grab you right from the beginning until the very end. A captivating story that I couldn’t put down until it was finished. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 6, 2025
This book!!!!!! ❤️❤️❤️ I have loved this whole series but this one was a special type of different and it was done so well!! Many more thoughts - too fresh rn but demolished this book in a like 2 days.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 29, 2025
4.5⭐️
August 5, 2025
Idk I had a good time but I didn’t read Bloom first so I was for sure missing out on some lore
December 3, 2025
Cowboy romances really do fix everything
December 8, 2025
Honestly really loving this series!! ✨✨✨✨
August 31, 2025
Practiced compassion.
June 12, 2025
This book made me SOB
June 9, 2025
nobody writes an epilogue like ej blaise
loved it loved it loved it
4stars only because nothing can beat bide and bloom<333
loved it loved it loved it
4stars only because nothing can beat bide and bloom<333
June 24, 2025
So I had a lot of thoughts about this book! At first, I was struggling with it a little bit, from the perspective of it being a romance. It is very readable and engaging, and I did not struggle in the sense that I did want to read it and found it very easy to pick up. But initially, this felt a lot less like a romance. The focus in the beginning is very much on Lottie and her recovery. This wasn’t necessarily a problem – I found it very well-written and well-plotted – but the romance felt a bit like an afterthought, as lovely as Finn was.
But once the romantic storyline got underway properly, I felt completely differently. Their relationship was lovely, the chemistry was good, and I loved how their relationship unfolded. I still found it long-winded; this felt like a very long book and there are huge stretches where not a lot happened. The external plot is interesting and I liked the dynamic of the family; it gets heavy at points but the angst worked well for me.
All of that said – I am giving this 5 stars because it is a very, very good book. I did find it a bit long, but it’s a tricky one, because the characters needed the space and time for the story to work. Lottie’s recovery has to be a huge focus of the book because her issues were never going to be resolved in a heartbeat. I just thought the pacing was a little slow at some points. That said, it was a very, very good book; well-written with a real emotional heft, and the final conflict was very tense and well-written. The romance is lovely, too; Finn is a great character and I really liked how their romance developed. It did have some issues, but ultimately I really enjoyed it.
Content Notes: Cowboy/rancher/farmer, grumpy/sunshine, small town.
Warnings:
Other: .
But once the romantic storyline got underway properly, I felt completely differently. Their relationship was lovely, the chemistry was good, and I loved how their relationship unfolded. I still found it long-winded; this felt like a very long book and there are huge stretches where not a lot happened. The external plot is interesting and I liked the dynamic of the family; it gets heavy at points but the angst worked well for me.
All of that said – I am giving this 5 stars because it is a very, very good book. I did find it a bit long, but it’s a tricky one, because the characters needed the space and time for the story to work. Lottie’s recovery has to be a huge focus of the book because her issues were never going to be resolved in a heartbeat. I just thought the pacing was a little slow at some points. That said, it was a very, very good book; well-written with a real emotional heft, and the final conflict was very tense and well-written. The romance is lovely, too; Finn is a great character and I really liked how their romance developed. It did have some issues, but ultimately I really enjoyed it.
Content Notes: Cowboy/rancher/farmer, grumpy/sunshine, small town.
Warnings:
Other: .
June 15, 2025
solid 3.5 stars to me
i liked this book and both finn and lottie but it dragged on a little too long in the middle and something about it just wasn’t there for me. still cute but not my fav
the last 20% was reallyyyy good. love my jackson family <3
i liked this book and both finn and lottie but it dragged on a little too long in the middle and something about it just wasn’t there for me. still cute but not my fav
the last 20% was reallyyyy good. love my jackson family <3
June 9, 2025
"He knows Chaos. He knows her well. He’ll love Chaos until the day he draws his last breath. And Chaos loves him."
Genuinely, one of the best books I have read all year that impacted me so strongly. I know I will be thinking about this book for a LONG time.
In the content note at the beginning of the book, the author lists sensitive topics that we'll encounter in the story, but at the end of the paragraph, she added: "If these are sensitive topics for you, please take that into consideration. If they aren't, please exercise compassion." I don't think I'd ever seen something like that but I appreciated it so much because it allowed me to go into the book with compassion on my mind and I think it made the world of difference for my reading experience. Lottie is a difficult character with deep rooted anger issues and I know she's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I would die for her and would defend her till I'm blue in the face. My compassion for her never wavered and it let me really see her and fall in love with her character. So I'm also just going to say, give her compassion and give her grace and I promise you, it will be worth it.
This is the second book in the Serenity Ranch series and I was so happy to be back with all of these characters. Things start off rough and tension is extremely high. I was tearing up and getting emotional as early as chapter 5. Lottie was going throughhhh it and you see her struggle not only with her alcoholism, but also with her place at the ranch and her complicated relationships with her siblings. The early chapters gutted me. It hurt to see Lottie lash out at her siblings despite her not wanting to, but feeling unable to deviate from her usual patterns. I could see her wanting to try and prove everyone wrong about her, but I also could see just how difficult of a battle it was for her. It also wrecked me to see how little faith or trust her siblings had in her in the beginning. I want to cry just thinking about it lmao. In time, it's revealed just how much they love her (and always have) but she needed that compassion from them from the get go. Words can't describe how much I loved that the very compassion she needed came in the form of Finn Akello.
When I tell you that Finn Akello was the most patient, most compassionate, most understanding man in the world - it's an understatement. He had his misconceptions about Lottie, but he didn't let them stop him from getting to know her and changing his mind about her. I love that as soon as he realized how wrong he was about Lottie, he did everything to make sure she knew she was not this horrible person that she made herself out to be. It wasn't easy and it killed me to see him get hurt in the process of it all, but his perseverance and determination were incredibly admirable. I love how well he knew Lottie - it was clear as day that he paid so much attention to her and grew to know her like the back of his hand and didn't want to change a single thing about her. His love was patient, tender, and kind - everything Lottie never thought she deserved, but absolutely did.
The parallels between Ruin and Lottie were one of my favorite parts about this book. Two angry, misunderstood peas in a pod both so desperately in need of all the love and compassion in the world. It made me endlessly emotional to see them both get it. Lottie was so good with Ruin and their bond was so special. Crying just thinking about it!!!
I am obsessed with the Jackson family and am already dying for the rest of their books. I feel like in this book, I got to learn so much more about Lux specifically and her nuanced relationship with Lottie. Several moments shared between them made me sob and I just really loved the progress they made. This story gave me a whole new perspective on both Oscar and Lux when I realized just how much they did for their siblings. Also, this book made me fall in love with Luna even more than I already had.
Much to Lottie's reluctance, I really enjoyed reading about the friendships that she made throughout the story lol. It was heartbreaking to realize how little experience she had with real, true friendships and I loved the people in this story who never gave up on her.
Anyway, I have been tearing up the entire time writing this lmaooo this book was so special. I highly recommend reading the Sun Valley series first (specifically Bide) and the first book in this series before starting this one. I think it's the best way to really get the full experience and the most emotional impact.
Genuinely, one of the best books I have read all year that impacted me so strongly. I know I will be thinking about this book for a LONG time.
In the content note at the beginning of the book, the author lists sensitive topics that we'll encounter in the story, but at the end of the paragraph, she added: "If these are sensitive topics for you, please take that into consideration. If they aren't, please exercise compassion." I don't think I'd ever seen something like that but I appreciated it so much because it allowed me to go into the book with compassion on my mind and I think it made the world of difference for my reading experience. Lottie is a difficult character with deep rooted anger issues and I know she's not going to be everyone's cup of tea, but I would die for her and would defend her till I'm blue in the face. My compassion for her never wavered and it let me really see her and fall in love with her character. So I'm also just going to say, give her compassion and give her grace and I promise you, it will be worth it.
This is the second book in the Serenity Ranch series and I was so happy to be back with all of these characters. Things start off rough and tension is extremely high. I was tearing up and getting emotional as early as chapter 5. Lottie was going throughhhh it and you see her struggle not only with her alcoholism, but also with her place at the ranch and her complicated relationships with her siblings. The early chapters gutted me. It hurt to see Lottie lash out at her siblings despite her not wanting to, but feeling unable to deviate from her usual patterns. I could see her wanting to try and prove everyone wrong about her, but I also could see just how difficult of a battle it was for her. It also wrecked me to see how little faith or trust her siblings had in her in the beginning. I want to cry just thinking about it lmao. In time, it's revealed just how much they love her (and always have) but she needed that compassion from them from the get go. Words can't describe how much I loved that the very compassion she needed came in the form of Finn Akello.
When I tell you that Finn Akello was the most patient, most compassionate, most understanding man in the world - it's an understatement. He had his misconceptions about Lottie, but he didn't let them stop him from getting to know her and changing his mind about her. I love that as soon as he realized how wrong he was about Lottie, he did everything to make sure she knew she was not this horrible person that she made herself out to be. It wasn't easy and it killed me to see him get hurt in the process of it all, but his perseverance and determination were incredibly admirable. I love how well he knew Lottie - it was clear as day that he paid so much attention to her and grew to know her like the back of his hand and didn't want to change a single thing about her. His love was patient, tender, and kind - everything Lottie never thought she deserved, but absolutely did.
The parallels between Ruin and Lottie were one of my favorite parts about this book. Two angry, misunderstood peas in a pod both so desperately in need of all the love and compassion in the world. It made me endlessly emotional to see them both get it. Lottie was so good with Ruin and their bond was so special. Crying just thinking about it!!!
I am obsessed with the Jackson family and am already dying for the rest of their books. I feel like in this book, I got to learn so much more about Lux specifically and her nuanced relationship with Lottie. Several moments shared between them made me sob and I just really loved the progress they made. This story gave me a whole new perspective on both Oscar and Lux when I realized just how much they did for their siblings. Also, this book made me fall in love with Luna even more than I already had.
Much to Lottie's reluctance, I really enjoyed reading about the friendships that she made throughout the story lol. It was heartbreaking to realize how little experience she had with real, true friendships and I loved the people in this story who never gave up on her.
Anyway, I have been tearing up the entire time writing this lmaooo this book was so special. I highly recommend reading the Sun Valley series first (specifically Bide) and the first book in this series before starting this one. I think it's the best way to really get the full experience and the most emotional impact.
June 7, 2025
Some of my thoughts while reading this one:
I guess that was I've been missing in romance books, the tension, the building of characters personalities, dramas and communities they're surrounded by.
Charlotte is so fucking complicated and immature with almost no emotional intelligence and self esteem and so damn young that I try to empathize with her - I truly do - but it's not something I'm even slightly good at and more times than not there is just sympathy and no comprehension or compassion on my part to her.
I just got to chapter 42 when boredom.hits me and it is a good story it's just so damn long at this point and there is so much still left unrensolved.
Lottie's self importance sometimes is astounding really, she thinks she's the anti Christ but really she's just a twenty-two year old twat emo girl. One that I enjoy reading about (I love me some messy gals) but a twat anyways.
I love Julie Ann Long books because of the dialogue. She is the queen. Now we have competition on the block, EJ Blaise is also incredible and I'm living to read her dialogue. So good, natural and real.
"His actions are not your responsability".
This should've been on loop for the whole book in Lottie's head about every shitty thing a person did towards her but then the way it is alluded as how she and her siblings were raised is obvious she'd grown up to be fucked. She is the poster child for "hurt people hurt people".
I'm so happy that Charlotte - fucking finally! - gets a therapist, God knows she needs it. Her whole family, actually.
I know self destruction a little too close for comfort and while, as stated, empathizing with Lottie is difficult maybe it is because it felt a little to close to home.
And for EJ Blaise that said that "creating unrealistically perfect men" they do exist, I have my own Finn in his infinite patience and love for me. I could never understand Finn and his well of patience for Lottie because while self destructive as her I gre up envoleped by loving parents and with a strong sense of self.
This is a book - albeit one using a love story as a medium - that looks closely at trauma and what it can do to someone and those around them. I'm not surprised it took a stranger - Finn - to comprehend Lottie and her interactions with her siblings as all of them too had their own parcel of fuckery to deal with.
It made me remember Theo from The Haunting of Hill House and her own interactions with her fucked family.
I truly reccomend this one and will read more of this author because she made me think - a so rare quality from a romance book.
I guess that was I've been missing in romance books, the tension, the building of characters personalities, dramas and communities they're surrounded by.
Charlotte is so fucking complicated and immature with almost no emotional intelligence and self esteem and so damn young that I try to empathize with her - I truly do - but it's not something I'm even slightly good at and more times than not there is just sympathy and no comprehension or compassion on my part to her.
I just got to chapter 42 when boredom.hits me and it is a good story it's just so damn long at this point and there is so much still left unrensolved.
Lottie's self importance sometimes is astounding really, she thinks she's the anti Christ but really she's just a twenty-two year old twat emo girl. One that I enjoy reading about (I love me some messy gals) but a twat anyways.
I love Julie Ann Long books because of the dialogue. She is the queen. Now we have competition on the block, EJ Blaise is also incredible and I'm living to read her dialogue. So good, natural and real.
"His actions are not your responsability".
This should've been on loop for the whole book in Lottie's head about every shitty thing a person did towards her but then the way it is alluded as how she and her siblings were raised is obvious she'd grown up to be fucked. She is the poster child for "hurt people hurt people".
I'm so happy that Charlotte - fucking finally! - gets a therapist, God knows she needs it. Her whole family, actually.
I know self destruction a little too close for comfort and while, as stated, empathizing with Lottie is difficult maybe it is because it felt a little to close to home.
And for EJ Blaise that said that "creating unrealistically perfect men" they do exist, I have my own Finn in his infinite patience and love for me. I could never understand Finn and his well of patience for Lottie because while self destructive as her I gre up envoleped by loving parents and with a strong sense of self.
This is a book - albeit one using a love story as a medium - that looks closely at trauma and what it can do to someone and those around them. I'm not surprised it took a stranger - Finn - to comprehend Lottie and her interactions with her siblings as all of them too had their own parcel of fuckery to deal with.
It made me remember Theo from The Haunting of Hill House and her own interactions with her fucked family.
I truly reccomend this one and will read more of this author because she made me think - a so rare quality from a romance book.
June 14, 2025
Run, don't walk, to your smartphone, tablet, or if you prefer feel of pages under your hand, to your nearest indie bookstore.
This author....
This book....
With admirable restraint, she gifts the reader with a slow burn, messy romance of a girl who's lost and a boy, who sees 'more' of her than her family.
From the clever way, the author starts each chapter with a snippet of what's essentially the MMC's perspective to the physical as well as emotional highs and lows of the FMC, this book strips away the platitudes and assumptions of addiction. It's raw. It's real. And, yes, it's fiction, but done so well.
This author's focus is on young adults, multi-racial characters grappling with this thing we all call 'life'.
Fellow reader, don't be dissuaded by the sheer amount of pages as trying to set this book down will be a challenge. If Goodreads could give more than five stars, then this book would fall into that lofty category.
This author....
This book....
With admirable restraint, she gifts the reader with a slow burn, messy romance of a girl who's lost and a boy, who sees 'more' of her than her family.
From the clever way, the author starts each chapter with a snippet of what's essentially the MMC's perspective to the physical as well as emotional highs and lows of the FMC, this book strips away the platitudes and assumptions of addiction. It's raw. It's real. And, yes, it's fiction, but done so well.
This author's focus is on young adults, multi-racial characters grappling with this thing we all call 'life'.
Fellow reader, don't be dissuaded by the sheer amount of pages as trying to set this book down will be a challenge. If Goodreads could give more than five stars, then this book would fall into that lofty category.
June 21, 2025
I honestly don’t even know where to start with this book. It broke my heart in so many different parts but was absolutely amazing, I’m so glad Lottie and Finn got the happy ending they both deserved after everything they went through together. Lottie as a character was so layered and relatable in a way I’ve never quite read before for a book character. Her relationship with Ruin and Grouch highlighted elements of her that others couldn’t or weren’t fully willing to see (other than Finn) and made me love her so much more. Finn was everything she didn’t know she needed and in my opinion is a top tier book boyfriend (I especially loved his fashion choices and the cropped tops were 10/10). I also loved seeing all the other characters from previous books make appearances throughout the book, especially seeing more of Jackson and Luna’s relationship and I can’t wait for Lux’s book.
I would 1000% recommend this book
I would 1000% recommend this book
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
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