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Emerald Lake #1
Fever Dream
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Elsie Silver comes a small-town, forbidden, rivals-to-lovers romance, the first book in the brand-new Western romance series Emerald Lake.
Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, he’s already decided it’s all one big performance.
Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, she’s the last woman who should pique his interest.
Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better than to fall for his cocky swagger, broad shoulders, and smoldering good looks. Plus, she’s sworn off relationships.
But as Julia and Emmett work together, mutual distaste grows into an unexpected connection and then… something more.
Soon, they find themselves searching for excuses to spend time together and out of reach of the cameras. Knowing glances. Stolen kisses. Secret rendezvous.
Still, Emmett signed up to play the role of an eligible bachelor searching for the one. His family’s land and legacy depend on him completing the show.
The problem is, he’s already fallen in love.
Just not with a contestant.
Professional bull rider Emmett Bush is not looking for love. He’s looking for a paycheck to save his family’s farm from bankruptcy. So, when he agrees to be the leading man on a hot new reality dating show, Romance Ranch, he’s already decided it’s all one big performance.
Until Julia Silva walks onto his property. Smart, snarky, beautiful, and off-limits in more ways than one. As the location consultant on set and the little sister of his most bitter professional rival, she’s the last woman who should pique his interest.
Julia has been warned about Emmett. She knows better than to fall for his cocky swagger, broad shoulders, and smoldering good looks. Plus, she’s sworn off relationships.
But as Julia and Emmett work together, mutual distaste grows into an unexpected connection and then… something more.
Soon, they find themselves searching for excuses to spend time together and out of reach of the cameras. Knowing glances. Stolen kisses. Secret rendezvous.
Still, Emmett signed up to play the role of an eligible bachelor searching for the one. His family’s land and legacy depend on him completing the show.
The problem is, he’s already fallen in love.
Just not with a contestant.
434 pages, Paperback
First published May 19, 2026
About the author
Elsie Silver
42 books75.8k followersElsie Silver is a #1 New York Times bestselling author of sassy, steamy, small town romance. She’s a born and raised Canadian girl who loves a good book boyfriend and the strong heroines who bring them to their knees. Her books promise banter, tension, and a slow burn that comes to a screeching halt.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,752 reviews
May 22, 2026
yup. ate this up as per usual <3
the theowinter crumbs >>
the theowinter crumbs >>
May 22, 2026
Ate. Devoured. Giggled and kicked my feet. Hot slutty cowboys make me fold every time.
Want to Read
November 26, 2025authors stop using the line “he was so dirty”… to talk about non white skin…when???
November 24, 2025
Alrighty, I’m calling it quits. I made it to 25% and have 30 highlights and notes. If I made it all the way, my Kindle would start on fire.
If Elsie Silver revealed that actually this was written by her 13 year old niece, I would say yes. Yes, I know.
Because despite this being from the POV of two adults, it reads so much like two 13 year olds. I read one page in a 13 year old boy’s voice and it worked so well. And that’s obviously down to how juvenile the writing is.
I don’t remember if Elsie Silver’s older books were this poorly written—it’s been a second since I read them and I’m honestly scared to go back and try at the risk of being disappointed. This book was Jasmine Mas/Lyla Sage level of poor writing.
Here’s a section from the book. No spoilers or anything. I’m just showing how weirdly written this is:
But without another word, I move in her direction.
And I start unloading bags of dirt.
Like I said, irritating.
We finish unloading in silence.
Are paragraphs not cool anymore? What are we doing? I get people have no attention spans these days and “there are too many words on the page” but come on…
This is a 3rd grade writing level.
And that’s just one example! There are more that I don’t want to add as this is an ARC and changes may be made pre-release. Just come on, y’all. Romance is silly goofy, yes, but the genre does deserve quality.
Speaking of that! Let’s talk about the “all tell don’t show.” This book was on another level. I’ve never been hit so hard over the head before about how I should feel about characters. I think Lyla Sage is the only one who has done it worse, but it’s close competition.
I’m told constantly that Emmett is a manwhore, rude, egotistic, blah blah. Turns out he’s the nicest person alive. Wholesome to his core.
Julia had a very scary situation happen (which I won’t reveal as it may be a spoiler) but then we’re told in a half a page how the incident really affected her and she used to be a partier but then she took a few months to work out, eat right, focus on her studies, and ditch her bad friends.
ELSIE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SHOW ME. Stop telling me! I want to SEE how she’s changed. I want to SEE Emmett being a douche bag.
But of course you don’t because that would ruin the fantasy. You can’t have REAL, layered people in romance books—at least not if they’re the main characters because then it would be harder to love them.
The only person in this book who is “mean” is the producer and he’s anime villain level mean: no complexities, no nuance. Just mean, nasty, sexist because we need a bad guy.
Everyone in this book is a one-dimensional character who is so good to their core. They are teasing, but in a lovable way. They selflessly take care of everyone. They bake fresh cookies. They have a business that they love—not for the money, but because they love the job so much. They work hard—the hardest.
Like, come on! There’s nothing here. It’s juvenile writing, juvenile characterization, juvenile storyline, with a predictable, juvenile ending.
Romance deserves better than this, it really does. I don’t need to know everyone’s eye color. I swear, no one cares about eye color more than romance and romantasy authors. I got told everyone’s eye color immediately, when they first entered a scene.
I DON’T CARE WHO HAS BLUE EYES AND WHO HAS BROWN EYES. Write a complex character!
I wouldn’t be so annoyed if this wasn’t going to be so popular when it releases. It just feels like a lazy, rush job that a 13 year old could write better.
There was also a part in this where Elsie Silver wrote:
“mischievous-looking little blond boy—hair nearly white—with a tan so dark that his knees almost appear dirty.”
Hello? Even after the Jessa Hastings debacle, we’re still writing “so tan they look dirty.” Can we just stop?
Anyway, that’s all for me. I can retire Elsie Silver to the shelf of romance authors I’ll no longer read from until they take a writing class.
Thank you, Edelweiss for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
If Elsie Silver revealed that actually this was written by her 13 year old niece, I would say yes. Yes, I know.
Because despite this being from the POV of two adults, it reads so much like two 13 year olds. I read one page in a 13 year old boy’s voice and it worked so well. And that’s obviously down to how juvenile the writing is.
I don’t remember if Elsie Silver’s older books were this poorly written—it’s been a second since I read them and I’m honestly scared to go back and try at the risk of being disappointed. This book was Jasmine Mas/Lyla Sage level of poor writing.
Here’s a section from the book. No spoilers or anything. I’m just showing how weirdly written this is:
But without another word, I move in her direction.
And I start unloading bags of dirt.
Like I said, irritating.
We finish unloading in silence.
Are paragraphs not cool anymore? What are we doing? I get people have no attention spans these days and “there are too many words on the page” but come on…
This is a 3rd grade writing level.
And that’s just one example! There are more that I don’t want to add as this is an ARC and changes may be made pre-release. Just come on, y’all. Romance is silly goofy, yes, but the genre does deserve quality.
Speaking of that! Let’s talk about the “all tell don’t show.” This book was on another level. I’ve never been hit so hard over the head before about how I should feel about characters. I think Lyla Sage is the only one who has done it worse, but it’s close competition.
I’m told constantly that Emmett is a manwhore, rude, egotistic, blah blah. Turns out he’s the nicest person alive. Wholesome to his core.
Julia had a very scary situation happen (which I won’t reveal as it may be a spoiler) but then we’re told in a half a page how the incident really affected her and she used to be a partier but then she took a few months to work out, eat right, focus on her studies, and ditch her bad friends.
ELSIE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD, SHOW ME. Stop telling me! I want to SEE how she’s changed. I want to SEE Emmett being a douche bag.
But of course you don’t because that would ruin the fantasy. You can’t have REAL, layered people in romance books—at least not if they’re the main characters because then it would be harder to love them.
The only person in this book who is “mean” is the producer and he’s anime villain level mean: no complexities, no nuance. Just mean, nasty, sexist because we need a bad guy.
Everyone in this book is a one-dimensional character who is so good to their core. They are teasing, but in a lovable way. They selflessly take care of everyone. They bake fresh cookies. They have a business that they love—not for the money, but because they love the job so much. They work hard—the hardest.
Like, come on! There’s nothing here. It’s juvenile writing, juvenile characterization, juvenile storyline, with a predictable, juvenile ending.
Romance deserves better than this, it really does. I don’t need to know everyone’s eye color. I swear, no one cares about eye color more than romance and romantasy authors. I got told everyone’s eye color immediately, when they first entered a scene.
I DON’T CARE WHO HAS BLUE EYES AND WHO HAS BROWN EYES. Write a complex character!
I wouldn’t be so annoyed if this wasn’t going to be so popular when it releases. It just feels like a lazy, rush job that a 13 year old could write better.
There was also a part in this where Elsie Silver wrote:
“mischievous-looking little blond boy—hair nearly white—with a tan so dark that his knees almost appear dirty.”
Hello? Even after the Jessa Hastings debacle, we’re still writing “so tan they look dirty.” Can we just stop?
Anyway, that’s all for me. I can retire Elsie Silver to the shelf of romance authors I’ll no longer read from until they take a writing class.
Thank you, Edelweiss for the free ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 22, 2026
So good!! I knew I was going to love Emmett and boy did I. This book was everything I needed it to be, emotional and fun and filled with banter and yearning. I laughed, I cried, I giggled uncontrollably and wished I could give Emmett the biggest hug.
Emmett was so prickly on the outside, yet such a softie inside. Flirty and cocky one moment, vulnerable and sweet the next, I loved both sides of him. His love towards his family, the way he could be himself around Julia, how torn he was about everything, he truly was amazing. My heart broke for him and the little boy he was..
Julia was so sassy and lovable, I loved the way she could hold her own against Emmett, how supportive she was, how she saw the real him. The trust she had in him and how safe she felt with him, it was so special.
Emmett's family was the best. I loved their bond, especially Emmett and Parker and their crawl space. I absolutely adored Oma and Opa. Oma is an ICON!!
And Richard was very aptly nicknamed.
The progression of their relationship while he was filming a dating show was the perfect recipe for yearning, with how hard they tried to fight their feelings because they both had a lot riding on the show. The forbidden aspect made it so much better. It was such a fun concept, a cowboy romance and a dating reality TV show, an unexpected mix. I ate it up. The pace was a little slower, but I liked it. I loved reading about the dates he went on the show, some of those girls were great, some the worst, but they were always entertaining. But, seeing how integral Julia was to him during that time, how she was always on his mind, that was my favourite part. We love a man obsessed. The cruise, the flirting, the cacti, the vulnerability, the diner and the breakfast, the sunrise, the yearning, the dive bar, the tension, the hug, the rain, the sneaking around, the lunch, the love. Every single moment, perfect. Their connection ran deep.
“𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝔂?”
I'm so excited for the rest of the stories, I already loved them all!! The next book better be about who I think it will be, that trope is my bread and butter.
Also, seeing Theo and Winter again made me so unbelievably happy!!
.·:*¨ ¨*:·.
It's here, it's here!!!
I'm so excited for this, I've been counting down the days!
Emmett was so prickly on the outside, yet such a softie inside. Flirty and cocky one moment, vulnerable and sweet the next, I loved both sides of him. His love towards his family, the way he could be himself around Julia, how torn he was about everything, he truly was amazing. My heart broke for him and the little boy he was..
Julia was so sassy and lovable, I loved the way she could hold her own against Emmett, how supportive she was, how she saw the real him. The trust she had in him and how safe she felt with him, it was so special.
Emmett's family was the best. I loved their bond, especially Emmett and Parker and their crawl space. I absolutely adored Oma and Opa. Oma is an ICON!!
And Richard was very aptly nicknamed.
The progression of their relationship while he was filming a dating show was the perfect recipe for yearning, with how hard they tried to fight their feelings because they both had a lot riding on the show. The forbidden aspect made it so much better. It was such a fun concept, a cowboy romance and a dating reality TV show, an unexpected mix. I ate it up. The pace was a little slower, but I liked it. I loved reading about the dates he went on the show, some of those girls were great, some the worst, but they were always entertaining. But, seeing how integral Julia was to him during that time, how she was always on his mind, that was my favourite part. We love a man obsessed. The cruise, the flirting, the cacti, the vulnerability, the diner and the breakfast, the sunrise, the yearning, the dive bar, the tension, the hug, the rain, the sneaking around, the lunch, the love. Every single moment, perfect. Their connection ran deep.
“𝓘 𝔀𝓪𝓷𝓽 𝓽𝓸 𝓯𝓪𝓬𝓮 𝓶𝔂 𝓯𝓮𝓪𝓻𝓼 𝓯𝓸𝓻 𝔂𝓸𝓾. 𝓦𝓲𝓵𝓵 𝔂𝓸𝓾 𝓵𝓮𝓽 𝓶𝓮 𝓽𝓻𝔂?”
I'm so excited for the rest of the stories, I already loved them all!! The next book better be about who I think it will be, that trope is my bread and butter.
Also, seeing Theo and Winter again made me so unbelievably happy!!
.·:*¨ ¨*:·.
It's here, it's here!!!
I'm so excited for this, I've been counting down the days!
May 23, 2026
OH ELSIE. ELSIE SILVER YOU ABSOLUTE MENACE OF A WOMAN!!!!!!!
I KNEW this book was going to drag me out of my reading slump by the hair. At this point, for me, this woman genuinely cannot write a bad book. (Well… except that one debut where the FMC had more chemistry with her horse than the MMC, but we(me) as a society have collectively agreed to ignore that.)
This was a SOLID 4.5-star read and now allow me to scream incoherently about the things I loved:
FIRST OF ALL — Elsie and her tiny recurring trope of MMCs stealing the FMC’s panties????? MA’AM. COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF. Michelin-starred behavior.
Now let’s review the menu of things I already knew I was going to devour:
Cowboy? YES.
Forced proximity? YES.
Secret dating? YES.
Emotionally unavailable MMC who turns into melted butter for the FMC? ABSOLUTELY. MF. YES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR???
THAT MAN BEING BLOND?????????BLOND.
ELSIE SILVER MADE ME FALL FOR A BLOND MAN.
I am currently experiencing a full identity crisis because I have spent my last two reviews publicly slandering blond MMCs like it was my full-time job. And now suddenly I’m giggling and kicking my feet over one???
Embarrassing. Humiliating, even. Thank you so much, Miss Elsie.
ALSO — THEO SILVA AND WINTER CRUMBS??????????
I WOULD DIE FOR THEM. I WOULD COMMIT TAX FRAUD FOR THEM. I AM FERAL.
And the slow burn in this book??? EXQUISITE.
Kiss at around 55%.
Some very memorable licking activities around 65% (only one party was being licked, God bless).
And the actual full event? You’ll have to clock in and find out yourselves.
THIS is how you do slow burn romance. I was FEASTING.
I genuinely don’t even know whether I loved Julia or Emmett more. Together they were perfect — the banter, the tension, the emotional constipation slowly evolving into love??? Delicious. Absolutely delicious. Especially our MMC, who has apparently been emotionally unavailable since birth.
And honestly? The smut was fantastic. But the relationship development was SO GOOD that I genuinely wouldn’t have minded if the book had zero smut at all.
If they never slept together, I still would’ve eaten this up. HOWEVER. I am also not a saint, so let’s not pretend I didn’t enjoy every second once they finally got there.
GUILTYYYYYY.
Also, can we PLEASE discuss the romance-book miracle that happens EVERY SINGLE TIME?
They’re five seconds away from having sex.
MMC suddenly reveals he has no condoms.
And then comes the line I have now read approximately one BILLION TIMES:
“I’ve been tested and I haven’t been with anyone else.”
OH WOW. AMAZING. INCREDIBLE TIMING. A MODERN MEDICAL MARVEL.
Do romance characters have a monthly STI subscription plan? Are they collecting loyalty points? Because the efficiency here is unmatched.
Anyway.
What lowered the rating?
“Steely dick.” That’s it. Absolutely not.
_________________________
pre-read
Elsie, please for the love of god, get me out of this reading slump 😭
I KNEW this book was going to drag me out of my reading slump by the hair. At this point, for me, this woman genuinely cannot write a bad book. (Well… except that one debut where the FMC had more chemistry with her horse than the MMC, but we(me) as a society have collectively agreed to ignore that.)
This was a SOLID 4.5-star read and now allow me to scream incoherently about the things I loved:
FIRST OF ALL — Elsie and her tiny recurring trope of MMCs stealing the FMC’s panties????? MA’AM. COMPLIMENTS TO THE CHEF. Michelin-starred behavior.
Now let’s review the menu of things I already knew I was going to devour:
Cowboy? YES.
Forced proximity? YES.
Secret dating? YES.
Emotionally unavailable MMC who turns into melted butter for the FMC? ABSOLUTELY. MF. YES.
BUT YOU KNOW WHAT I WAS NOT PREPARED FOR???
THAT MAN BEING BLOND?????????BLOND.
ELSIE SILVER MADE ME FALL FOR A BLOND MAN.
I am currently experiencing a full identity crisis because I have spent my last two reviews publicly slandering blond MMCs like it was my full-time job. And now suddenly I’m giggling and kicking my feet over one???
Embarrassing. Humiliating, even. Thank you so much, Miss Elsie.
ALSO — THEO SILVA AND WINTER CRUMBS??????????
I WOULD DIE FOR THEM. I WOULD COMMIT TAX FRAUD FOR THEM. I AM FERAL.
And the slow burn in this book??? EXQUISITE.
Kiss at around 55%.
Some very memorable licking activities around 65% (only one party was being licked, God bless).
And the actual full event? You’ll have to clock in and find out yourselves.
THIS is how you do slow burn romance. I was FEASTING.
I genuinely don’t even know whether I loved Julia or Emmett more. Together they were perfect — the banter, the tension, the emotional constipation slowly evolving into love??? Delicious. Absolutely delicious. Especially our MMC, who has apparently been emotionally unavailable since birth.
And honestly? The smut was fantastic. But the relationship development was SO GOOD that I genuinely wouldn’t have minded if the book had zero smut at all.
If they never slept together, I still would’ve eaten this up. HOWEVER. I am also not a saint, so let’s not pretend I didn’t enjoy every second once they finally got there.
GUILTYYYYYY.
Also, can we PLEASE discuss the romance-book miracle that happens EVERY SINGLE TIME?
They’re five seconds away from having sex.
MMC suddenly reveals he has no condoms.
And then comes the line I have now read approximately one BILLION TIMES:
“I’ve been tested and I haven’t been with anyone else.”
OH WOW. AMAZING. INCREDIBLE TIMING. A MODERN MEDICAL MARVEL.
Do romance characters have a monthly STI subscription plan? Are they collecting loyalty points? Because the efficiency here is unmatched.
Anyway.
What lowered the rating?
“Steely dick.” That’s it. Absolutely not.
_________________________
pre-read
Elsie, please for the love of god, get me out of this reading slump 😭
May 23, 2026
Elsie silver DOES IT YET AGAIN. Spectacular, when is the next one coming?
Want to Read
October 16, 2025We have a cover and I'm in LOVE 😍😍
When the queen of small-town romance writes it, I will read it!!! Can't wait to fall in love with series and another MMC ☺️💘
When the queen of small-town romance writes it, I will read it!!! Can't wait to fall in love with series and another MMC ☺️💘
May 20, 2026
Thoughts
Elsie did it again!!! I consumed this in 3-4 hours and now I'm jealous of those who still get to experience this first time! I may be biased but I really loved this, it was a tad slow in comparison to her other writings but plot wise it was the perfect pacing for it. This might be my first ever reality TV plot read that I actually ATE UP! Another thing that makes me feel an attachment to her books and writing is that you'll always get a sense of found family feel because the other characters are sprinkled throughout her books and I just love that keeps it going throughout her books. Can't wait for the rest of the series!
Plot Summary
Bull rider Emmett Bush joins a reality dating show to save his family’s struggling farm, treating the whole thing like a job rather than a chance at love, everything changes when he meets Julia Silva, the sharp-tongued location consultant who’s completely off limits.
As their chemistry grows behind the scenes, Emmett realises he’s fallen in love—just not with one of the contestants he’s supposed to be dating.
My Bookstagram
Elsie did it again!!! I consumed this in 3-4 hours and now I'm jealous of those who still get to experience this first time! I may be biased but I really loved this, it was a tad slow in comparison to her other writings but plot wise it was the perfect pacing for it. This might be my first ever reality TV plot read that I actually ATE UP! Another thing that makes me feel an attachment to her books and writing is that you'll always get a sense of found family feel because the other characters are sprinkled throughout her books and I just love that keeps it going throughout her books. Can't wait for the rest of the series!
Plot Summary
Bull rider Emmett Bush joins a reality dating show to save his family’s struggling farm, treating the whole thing like a job rather than a chance at love, everything changes when he meets Julia Silva, the sharp-tongued location consultant who’s completely off limits.
As their chemistry grows behind the scenes, Emmett realises he’s fallen in love—just not with one of the contestants he’s supposed to be dating.
My Bookstagram
April 9, 2026
Elsie never lets me down, possibly my favorite book of hers yet
RTC🌟
RTC🌟
May 20, 2026
WOW WOW WOW!! This book was written for me specifically - The messy Bachelor reality TV vibes x small town cowboy romance. The flirting. The punch to the gut backstory. The banter. The charm. This was achingly romantic and deeply vulnerable.
I am going to gobble up the playboy shameless flirt turned lovesick puppy with nothing but heart eyes. every. single. time.
I have never been prouder of the fact that my name is Tina! <3
I am going to gobble up the playboy shameless flirt turned lovesick puppy with nothing but heart eyes. every. single. time.
I have never been prouder of the fact that my name is Tina! <3
Want to Read
August 23, 2025₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞:
AHH ELSIE SILVER IS RELEASING AGAIN!! 👀
rose hill wasn’t my favorite compared to chessnut springs (still need to read her first series) but still so excited to read thisss!!💜💜
AHH ELSIE SILVER IS RELEASING AGAIN!! 👀
rose hill wasn’t my favorite compared to chessnut springs (still need to read her first series) but still so excited to read thisss!!💜💜
May 23, 2026
oh my god this was horrendously bad. i don’t have anything nice to say guys.
a glimpse into my thoughts while reading, courtesy of my notes app:
- okay maybe emmett has potential?
- why would she write the reality tv show plot just to make both characters miserable about the reality tv show plot 🧍🏼♀️ it's making ME miserable about the reality tv show plot because all they're doing is complaining about it
- theo and winter 🥹🥹🥹
- the evelyn drama is so stupid i can't
- fucking hate a "i don't want a relationship" man when he spends all his time thinking about a girl
- page 52 emmett's not allowed to "publicly" date another girl then for the rest of the book he's not allowed to date or show any interest in another girl period and the discrepancy is annoying me
- "bad boy" emmett has shown absolutely zero signs of being a bad boy or a womanizer or literally anything that he was supposed to be
- conflict at 60% where they tell each other to choose other people when all they've done is kiss twice??
- he's SPYING on her after he told her to go on this date i'm sorry that is beyond weird
- why is julia all hurt over him not-kissing evelyn when it is his JOB and she has been telling him to do his JOB and she knows it's not REAL
- "feeling very attached to emmett" for absolutely no reason be so fr right now you hardly know him
- this conflict at 90% is actually just making me laugh over how ridiculous it is pls 😭
- wow this was so bad thank god it's over
needless to say there’s a very good chance that this is it for me and elsie silver books. i wanted something different from all her other books and i guess she kinda tried to give that? but honestly emmett and julia are just different versions of the same characters she’s written over and over. the small town slash ranch setting is the same. the spice is the same. the whole pacing and structure of the relationship is the same.
and somehow she managed to make this even WORSE. i don’t know what the hell this reality tv show plot was even supposed to be but it didn’t work in the slightest. it gave absolutely nothing except ✨stupid✨ and ✨poorly executed✨. the characters were so shallow and immature, like i didn’t feel like i really knew them but i did know that they acted like children.
don’t catch me wasting my time with this series tbh.
𐙚⋆.˚pre-read
all of elsie’s books have started to feel the same to mei know you all agree don’t lie so if this isn’t something different then i fear it’s the end of the road for me n her 🫣
a glimpse into my thoughts while reading, courtesy of my notes app:
- okay maybe emmett has potential?
- why would she write the reality tv show plot just to make both characters miserable about the reality tv show plot 🧍🏼♀️ it's making ME miserable about the reality tv show plot because all they're doing is complaining about it
- theo and winter 🥹🥹🥹
- the evelyn drama is so stupid i can't
- fucking hate a "i don't want a relationship" man when he spends all his time thinking about a girl
- page 52 emmett's not allowed to "publicly" date another girl then for the rest of the book he's not allowed to date or show any interest in another girl period and the discrepancy is annoying me
- "bad boy" emmett has shown absolutely zero signs of being a bad boy or a womanizer or literally anything that he was supposed to be
- conflict at 60% where they tell each other to choose other people when all they've done is kiss twice??
- he's SPYING on her after he told her to go on this date i'm sorry that is beyond weird
- why is julia all hurt over him not-kissing evelyn when it is his JOB and she has been telling him to do his JOB and she knows it's not REAL
- "feeling very attached to emmett" for absolutely no reason be so fr right now you hardly know him
- this conflict at 90% is actually just making me laugh over how ridiculous it is pls 😭
- wow this was so bad thank god it's over
needless to say there’s a very good chance that this is it for me and elsie silver books. i wanted something different from all her other books and i guess she kinda tried to give that? but honestly emmett and julia are just different versions of the same characters she’s written over and over. the small town slash ranch setting is the same. the spice is the same. the whole pacing and structure of the relationship is the same.
and somehow she managed to make this even WORSE. i don’t know what the hell this reality tv show plot was even supposed to be but it didn’t work in the slightest. it gave absolutely nothing except ✨stupid✨ and ✨poorly executed✨. the characters were so shallow and immature, like i didn’t feel like i really knew them but i did know that they acted like children.
don’t catch me wasting my time with this series tbh.
𐙚⋆.˚pre-read
all of elsie’s books have started to feel the same to me
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
A new Elsie Silver series!? Sign me up!
This one was such a solid start following Emmett as he is the new bachelor on a dating show. He's only doing it for the money to help out his grandparents' farm, so he's not actually interested in falling in love. But when his rival's sister ends up being the location scout for the show, he can't help but want to spend more time with her...
There is a bit of a complex history between Emmett and Julia, which makes Julia a bit nervous around him but also with a feeling of trust. They spend a lot of time together and Julia finds herself getting jealous of his time spent with the other girls, even when he literally couldn't take his eyes off of her.
The first 50% off this one took me a bit to get into. We were told a lot about how much of a player Emmett was, but I'm not sure how much I believed that as we never saw him act that way. I also don't love reality tv books since they mostly rely on exaggerated characters/stereotypes for the sake of the plot But once we got Julia and Emmett exploring their insane chemistry and they were testing the boundaries of their forbidden relationship, I was hooked. The chemistry was so intense and I could not get enough when they finally decided to stop ignoring it! I loved the stakes and the sneaking around. And I loved how much Theo we got to see in this one!
Overall I really ended up enjoyed this start to Elsie's new series and I can't wait to see what comes next!
This one was such a solid start following Emmett as he is the new bachelor on a dating show. He's only doing it for the money to help out his grandparents' farm, so he's not actually interested in falling in love. But when his rival's sister ends up being the location scout for the show, he can't help but want to spend more time with her...
There is a bit of a complex history between Emmett and Julia, which makes Julia a bit nervous around him but also with a feeling of trust. They spend a lot of time together and Julia finds herself getting jealous of his time spent with the other girls, even when he literally couldn't take his eyes off of her.
The first 50% off this one took me a bit to get into. We were told a lot about how much of a player Emmett was, but I'm not sure how much I believed that as we never saw him act that way. I also don't love reality tv books since they mostly rely on exaggerated characters/stereotypes for the sake of the plot But once we got Julia and Emmett exploring their insane chemistry and they were testing the boundaries of their forbidden relationship, I was hooked. The chemistry was so intense and I could not get enough when they finally decided to stop ignoring it! I loved the stakes and the sneaking around. And I loved how much Theo we got to see in this one!
Overall I really ended up enjoyed this start to Elsie's new series and I can't wait to see what comes next!
Want to Read
May 19, 2026₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐫𝐞-𝐫𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞: 🌅
AHHHHHHH WE HAVE A COVER AND IT'S STUNNING!!!!!! Elsie is obviously an automatic read author so I couldn't be more excited for this one!!
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 19 May 2026 💙
What to expect
↠reality dating show
↠pro bull rider
↠rival's little sister
↠forbidden
↠small town
The blurb sounds sooooooo interesting! May can't come fast enough.
AHHHHHHH WE HAVE A COVER AND IT'S STUNNING!!!!!! Elsie is obviously an automatic read author so I couldn't be more excited for this one!!
₊˚⊹ ᰔ 𝐩𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐞: 19 May 2026 💙
What to expect
↠reality dating show
↠pro bull rider
↠rival's little sister
↠forbidden
↠small town
The blurb sounds sooooooo interesting! May can't come fast enough.
Want to Read
October 13, 2025BRAND NEW Elsie Silver series?!!! one way ticket to Emerald Lake, please 🤠
My best guess is Emmet & Julia (Theo’s sister)! I’m manifesting Theo’s cameo ✨
My best guess is Emmet & Julia (Theo’s sister)! I’m manifesting Theo’s cameo ✨
May 22, 2026
4 stars
I was excited to get into a new series from Elsie Silver! Fever Dream is the first book in her ‘Emerald Lake’ series and features two characters we’ve met before. Theo Silva’s little sister, Julia. And his nemesis, Emmett Bush.
I adore the forbidden romance trope, and this was forbidden-ish on multiple fronts. The main one is a breach of contract. Emmett is starting on a reality show that features him as a bachelor of sorts, and Julia is working on the show. It’s about to get messy.
I do not watch a lot of reality TV. I don’t watch a lot of TV in general. But I still found this aspect of the book fun. My favorite part of the book was how devoted and in love Emmett was with Julia. He did such a great job of focusing on the reason he’s doing this show- it’s a good reason- and not hurting her through the mess.
I love Elsie Silver’s writing and the way she can pull you into a story. This was no exception. Though this was not my favorite of Elsie’s it was still a solid story and I enjoyed it so much!
I was excited to get into a new series from Elsie Silver! Fever Dream is the first book in her ‘Emerald Lake’ series and features two characters we’ve met before. Theo Silva’s little sister, Julia. And his nemesis, Emmett Bush.
I adore the forbidden romance trope, and this was forbidden-ish on multiple fronts. The main one is a breach of contract. Emmett is starting on a reality show that features him as a bachelor of sorts, and Julia is working on the show. It’s about to get messy.
I do not watch a lot of reality TV. I don’t watch a lot of TV in general. But I still found this aspect of the book fun. My favorite part of the book was how devoted and in love Emmett was with Julia. He did such a great job of focusing on the reason he’s doing this show- it’s a good reason- and not hurting her through the mess.
I love Elsie Silver’s writing and the way she can pull you into a story. This was no exception. Though this was not my favorite of Elsie’s it was still a solid story and I enjoyed it so much!
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Teddy Hamilton & Julia Goldani Telles
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 10h 53m
May 22, 2026
3.25 ⭐️
😅😅😅 I have to keep in mind that I historically have been very underwhelmed by the first books in her series & they have always gotten better from there.
I really liked a few chapters of this. It was overall entertaining enough to read quickly. But I really disliked the smut & a lot of their connection felt oddly shallow. It shouldn’t have, based on their history and what they’ve been through, but it did. The highlight of this book was the Theo cameos.
😅😅😅 I have to keep in mind that I historically have been very underwhelmed by the first books in her series & they have always gotten better from there.
I really liked a few chapters of this. It was overall entertaining enough to read quickly. But I really disliked the smut & a lot of their connection felt oddly shallow. It shouldn’t have, based on their history and what they’ve been through, but it did. The highlight of this book was the Theo cameos.
May 1, 2026
Red flag/green flag. I don't read blurbs. I pick books up solely for the vibes, aesthetics and covers. And let's face it, I absolutely love Elsie, so reading this book was a no brainer. So imagine my surprise when I started reading this book and found out what the plot of this book was. A reality TV dating show? AND he falls in love with his biggest rivals little sister who is NOT a contestant on the show? Yeah, I straight DEVOURED this book. I can also confirm that Elsie did in fact do it again! Hands down my favorite Elsie Silver book to date!
The vibes of this one is so good. It's the bachelor meets farmer wants a wife set in Canada. Fever Dream is equal parts plot, swoon, spice, witty top tier banter and meddling family members. This one literally has everything that you would want in a book and so much more. The whole time I was reading this book, I didn't want to put it down. There were moments where I forgot that I was reading because I was so immersed. I didn't want it to end.
I fell in love with Emmett and Julia. I have a thing for slightly broken MMCs and there was just something about Emmett that I loved so much. From the outside, he seems like this arrogant and overly confident bull rider. A playboy who doesn't want to settle down. But that stems from his childhood and this sense of never being good enough. He's slightly broken on the inside and doesn't think he's deserving of Julia which makes me love him even more. I also loved, how Julia and Emmett have this little history that no one knows about. And THE BANTER!!!! Julia and her witty one liners have me on the floor laughing. I loved her so much!
Now I had the pleasure of listening to this one on audio and hold cannoli, the audio of this one was PURE PERFECTION! It's a duet narration by THE Teddy Hamilton and Julia Goldani Telles. Mentioning Teddy should be all you need to know on how amazing this book was, but I was so taken aback and surprised by how much I loved Julia's narration. Julia truly brought our fictional Julia to life. Her voice is so youthful and playful which I feel really fit Julia as a fictional character. She was able to bring Julia's banter and witty one liners to life. Like I don't think I could picture a better narrator for Julia! I truly hope Julia Goldani Telles narrates more because I truly enjoyed her story telling and voice.
You should read this book if you like:
- Small Town Romance
- Brother's Rival
- Bull Rider MMC
- Forced Proximity
- Dating Reality Show
- Reformed Playboy
- Grumpy x Sunshine
* I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Elsie Silver for allowing me the pleasure to read Fever Dream as an ARC/ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review.
The vibes of this one is so good. It's the bachelor meets farmer wants a wife set in Canada. Fever Dream is equal parts plot, swoon, spice, witty top tier banter and meddling family members. This one literally has everything that you would want in a book and so much more. The whole time I was reading this book, I didn't want to put it down. There were moments where I forgot that I was reading because I was so immersed. I didn't want it to end.
I fell in love with Emmett and Julia. I have a thing for slightly broken MMCs and there was just something about Emmett that I loved so much. From the outside, he seems like this arrogant and overly confident bull rider. A playboy who doesn't want to settle down. But that stems from his childhood and this sense of never being good enough. He's slightly broken on the inside and doesn't think he's deserving of Julia which makes me love him even more. I also loved, how Julia and Emmett have this little history that no one knows about. And THE BANTER!!!! Julia and her witty one liners have me on the floor laughing. I loved her so much!
Now I had the pleasure of listening to this one on audio and hold cannoli, the audio of this one was PURE PERFECTION! It's a duet narration by THE Teddy Hamilton and Julia Goldani Telles. Mentioning Teddy should be all you need to know on how amazing this book was, but I was so taken aback and surprised by how much I loved Julia's narration. Julia truly brought our fictional Julia to life. Her voice is so youthful and playful which I feel really fit Julia as a fictional character. She was able to bring Julia's banter and witty one liners to life. Like I don't think I could picture a better narrator for Julia! I truly hope Julia Goldani Telles narrates more because I truly enjoyed her story telling and voice.
You should read this book if you like:
- Small Town Romance
- Brother's Rival
- Bull Rider MMC
- Forced Proximity
- Dating Reality Show
- Reformed Playboy
- Grumpy x Sunshine
* I would like to say a HUGE THANK YOU to Elsie Silver for allowing me the pleasure to read Fever Dream as an ARC/ALC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review.
May 21, 2026
“I want to face my fears for you. Will you let me try?”
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I love the title
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I love the title
Want to Read
April 17, 2025MY QUEEN HAS PUT PEN TO PAPER ONCE AGAIN. SIGN ME UPPPPPPP!!
Currently Reading
May 22, 2026⌗ ── 👢🌄 .ᐟ pre-read
new elsie silver book, new obsession coming. i-m so excited for emmet and julia (omg she has my name aaaaa) story. also this one reminded me so much of the wrong paris, a movie that i loved so def i am gonna rewatch it after reading this one.
May 19, 2026
donc just like that, je viens de lire le jour de sa sortie le nouveau roman d'Elsie et maintenant je vais probablement devoir attendre 1 an avant de relire un truc d'elle ? bref
trop contente de ce premier tome et de ce nouvel univers, j'avais hâte d'aller à Emrald Lake, tellement heureuse d'avoir eu une telle introduction et d'avoir eu la sensation de retourner à chestnut springs en retrouvant Theo & Winter mes préférés, 💘
j'ai bien aimé l'histoire, le côté télé-réalité était pour le coup assez original et divertissant, mais ça ne sera pas mon livre préféré d'Elsie, clairement, je crois qu'il m'a manqué d'un ptit truc pour être embarquée à 100% dans la romance, Emmett et Julia m'ont plu, j'ai aimé leurs histoires respectives, leurs personnalités, mais lorsqu'ils étaient ensemble, jsp trop
quoi qu'il en soit j'ai tellement hâte d'en savoir plus sur les frères et soeurs d'Emmett à présent, mais bon, l'attente va être longue quoi 😩
trop contente de ce premier tome et de ce nouvel univers, j'avais hâte d'aller à Emrald Lake, tellement heureuse d'avoir eu une telle introduction et d'avoir eu la sensation de retourner à chestnut springs en retrouvant Theo & Winter mes préférés, 💘
j'ai bien aimé l'histoire, le côté télé-réalité était pour le coup assez original et divertissant, mais ça ne sera pas mon livre préféré d'Elsie, clairement, je crois qu'il m'a manqué d'un ptit truc pour être embarquée à 100% dans la romance, Emmett et Julia m'ont plu, j'ai aimé leurs histoires respectives, leurs personnalités, mais lorsqu'ils étaient ensemble, jsp trop
quoi qu'il en soit j'ai tellement hâte d'en savoir plus sur les frères et soeurs d'Emmett à présent, mais bon, l'attente va être longue quoi 😩
May 4, 2026
4.5
Fever Dream took me a little longer to get into that most of Elsie's books usually do but once I hit the 25% mark I ended up flying through this book! I'm not entirely sure if I loved the reality show plot line or not, although it felt like something different and I can't fault the author for trying something new. I almost wanted more from the reality show but I think that's just me!
Julia and Emmett were cute together but there were a few moments where their relationship felt a bit too insta-love for me. The banter between the two of them was absolutely fabulous and you could almost see why the connected so quickly! I did find myself slightly frustrated by some of the risks they took, especially considering what was at risk for both of them. It added tension but occasionally pulled me out of the story because it felt slightly unrealistic.
That said, I really enjoyed being back in the Silva family world, and seeing Winter happy with her little family was a highlight. Theo and Winter's book still holds up as a favourite, even after all this time.
I'm intrigued by Emmett's siblings - who I strongly suspect will be featured through the rest of this series - and I'm getting a real Eaton-family vibe from them, especially with the grandparents added into the mix. Emmett's Oma was absolutely hilarious and I can see her becoming a fave!
I'm definitely excited to see where this series goes. Not one of my faves but entertaining, spicy and an easy-read.
Fever Dream took me a little longer to get into that most of Elsie's books usually do but once I hit the 25% mark I ended up flying through this book! I'm not entirely sure if I loved the reality show plot line or not, although it felt like something different and I can't fault the author for trying something new. I almost wanted more from the reality show but I think that's just me!
Julia and Emmett were cute together but there were a few moments where their relationship felt a bit too insta-love for me. The banter between the two of them was absolutely fabulous and you could almost see why the connected so quickly! I did find myself slightly frustrated by some of the risks they took, especially considering what was at risk for both of them. It added tension but occasionally pulled me out of the story because it felt slightly unrealistic.
That said, I really enjoyed being back in the Silva family world, and seeing Winter happy with her little family was a highlight. Theo and Winter's book still holds up as a favourite, even after all this time.
I'm intrigued by Emmett's siblings - who I strongly suspect will be featured through the rest of this series - and I'm getting a real Eaton-family vibe from them, especially with the grandparents added into the mix. Emmett's Oma was absolutely hilarious and I can see her becoming a fave!
I'm definitely excited to see where this series goes. Not one of my faves but entertaining, spicy and an easy-read.
May 20, 2026
4.5⭐️ !!!! The beginning started out a little slow for me but WOW did it pick up and just nail the ending! I ended up loving Emmett & Julia’s love story 😭 OBSESSED with the Theo & Winter cameos, all of the family dynamics & the beginning of another Elsie silver small town/family 💗
April 26, 2026
hmm….yeah this one wasn’t it. I’ve felt like something has been missing from Elsie’s books personally since the end of the Chesnut Springs series. I just end up not really caring about the characters or the relationship. The best thing about this book was seeing Theo and Winter (my FAVE Elsie couple) but even then that felt so off - it’s hard to explain.
a miss for me! sometimes I miss the times when I loved these books 💔
a miss for me! sometimes I miss the times when I loved these books 💔
May 11, 2026
I don’t know what I was expecting for the first book in Elsie’s news series but it was so much better than anything I could’ve imagined!!!
There is something so GOOD about a playboy turning smitten over a girl he least expects especially when you realize he isn't as bad as everyone made him out to be. And god I love it when it’s a lowkey Rivals to lovers romance, but in this one we get Julia who is the younger sister of Emmett’s biggest rival, Theo Silva (aka the MMC in reckless). AND THE FLIRTING UGH I LOVED IT. These two get thrown to work together when Emmett is selected to be the star of a new dating/reality show & Julia is working onset to help make it perfect. But the closer they are to one another, the more sparks start to heat up!!! Oh and Emmett has a dirtyyyyyyy mouth that I’m so here for 🤪
I truly love this new family (the Brandts) and I absolutely ate up the audio.
I am so happy we get the start of something special and I already can’t wait until we see more about the Brandt siblings in future books ahhh!!!
Type: audio/physical
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Forced proximity
Brother’s rival
Forbidden/Secret Romance
Workplace
Reformed playboy
Small town
Found family
Bad boy x good girl
There is something so GOOD about a playboy turning smitten over a girl he least expects especially when you realize he isn't as bad as everyone made him out to be. And god I love it when it’s a lowkey Rivals to lovers romance, but in this one we get Julia who is the younger sister of Emmett’s biggest rival, Theo Silva (aka the MMC in reckless). AND THE FLIRTING UGH I LOVED IT. These two get thrown to work together when Emmett is selected to be the star of a new dating/reality show & Julia is working onset to help make it perfect. But the closer they are to one another, the more sparks start to heat up!!! Oh and Emmett has a dirtyyyyyyy mouth that I’m so here for 🤪
I truly love this new family (the Brandts) and I absolutely ate up the audio.
I am so happy we get the start of something special and I already can’t wait until we see more about the Brandt siblings in future books ahhh!!!
Type: audio/physical
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Tropes:
Forced proximity
Brother’s rival
Forbidden/Secret Romance
Workplace
Reformed playboy
Small town
Found family
Bad boy x good girl
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
After an entire month of reading this 448-page romance, I have finally finished it just to say, she is mediocre as hell.
Playboy Emmett Bush is a professional bull rider and is in need of money, and lots of it, fast to save his family's ranch from going bankrupt. Knowing that his grandparents have sacrificed everything for him, and also knowing he'll retire in a few years, the income he makes right now isn't enough to keep them from selling, so when he is offered a very generous sum of money to be the new bachelor on Romance Ranch, Emmett is willing to play the part for a few months to save the only people he has room in his heart to love: his family. That is, Julia Silva walks in.
Julia is Emmett's rival, Theo's (also from my favorite Elsie Silver book, Reckless) little sister, and needs this job to move higher up in production status. She should be off limits, and she knows better than anyone how rakish Emmett can be. Falling for each other is the last thing they should do, but the two can't stop sneaking away.
Listen, I love Elsie Silver just like every other bitch, but I find the weakest books in her series tend to be the books that start it all off. I didn't LOVE this book, and it's partially because I just don't love a reality TV setting. There's a lot of that at play here, and I just find that setting/ plot point to never work for me. It was meant to provide angst, giving Emmett a motive not to fuck this up and just love Julia loudly, have them sneak around so it's fun and sexy, and also that extra layer of jealousy, having to watch him be and pursue other women. I just wasn't having it. The way they wrapped it up didn't satisfy me, and I found it more of a messy and silly ending than anything else.
With the other women, as well, I just didn't care for them! They're all caricatures of reality TV stars, and because they're being built up behind-the-scenes for the cameras, they are so one-dimensional. I didn't even like the good characters because I didn't know them. I'm not meant to care about them by any means, but shouldn't your side characters have some merit to them?
To touch on the controversy behind the book and a quote from it, I have no idea. The DRC copy that I read didn't include that, so hopefully that means it has been removed from the final book. I don't have any social media other than media tracking apps, so I'm not sure if Silver ever commented on it, but I always hope authors have backbones.
Thank you to Atria Books for the digital advanced copy! Fever Dream is set to release on May 19, 2026, and my review is based on the DRC.
Playboy Emmett Bush is a professional bull rider and is in need of money, and lots of it, fast to save his family's ranch from going bankrupt. Knowing that his grandparents have sacrificed everything for him, and also knowing he'll retire in a few years, the income he makes right now isn't enough to keep them from selling, so when he is offered a very generous sum of money to be the new bachelor on Romance Ranch, Emmett is willing to play the part for a few months to save the only people he has room in his heart to love: his family. That is, Julia Silva walks in.
Julia is Emmett's rival, Theo's (also from my favorite Elsie Silver book, Reckless) little sister, and needs this job to move higher up in production status. She should be off limits, and she knows better than anyone how rakish Emmett can be. Falling for each other is the last thing they should do, but the two can't stop sneaking away.
Listen, I love Elsie Silver just like every other bitch, but I find the weakest books in her series tend to be the books that start it all off. I didn't LOVE this book, and it's partially because I just don't love a reality TV setting. There's a lot of that at play here, and I just find that setting/ plot point to never work for me. It was meant to provide angst, giving Emmett a motive not to fuck this up and just love Julia loudly, have them sneak around so it's fun and sexy, and also that extra layer of jealousy, having to watch him be and pursue other women. I just wasn't having it. The way they wrapped it up didn't satisfy me, and I found it more of a messy and silly ending than anything else.
With the other women, as well, I just didn't care for them! They're all caricatures of reality TV stars, and because they're being built up behind-the-scenes for the cameras, they are so one-dimensional. I didn't even like the good characters because I didn't know them. I'm not meant to care about them by any means, but shouldn't your side characters have some merit to them?
To touch on the controversy behind the book and a quote from it, I have no idea. The DRC copy that I read didn't include that, so hopefully that means it has been removed from the final book. I don't have any social media other than media tracking apps, so I'm not sure if Silver ever commented on it, but I always hope authors have backbones.
Thank you to Atria Books for the digital advanced copy! Fever Dream is set to release on May 19, 2026, and my review is based on the DRC.
Want to Read
April 3, 2025ELSIE SILVER ANNOUNCED A NEW SERIES I’m SCREAMING
Want to Read
August 29, 2025ANOTHER SMALL-TOWN ROMANCE SERIE!!!
Elise silver men 🔛🔝 of me 🔥
Elise silver men 🔛🔝 of me 🔥
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