Chestnut Springs vs Rose Hill: The Elsie Silver Books You Need to Read

 

I have such a soft spot for small-town romances, and no one does them better than Tessa Bailey and, of course, Elsie Silver.

If you’re anything like me and occasionally get that small-town, country-loving itch, then this post is for you.

My introduction to romance came through a small-town story—none other than The Bellinger Sisters duo by Tessa Bailey. Funny story, actually: I ended up reading the second book, Hook, Line & Sinker, first, and it left me absolutely devastated. I wanted nothing more than to live in Westport as Hannah Bellinger, with Fox Thornton waiting at my apartment every single night. After I realised It Happened One Summer existed, I went back and read it—selfishly, just to get more glimpses of how Fox and Hannah’s love story came to be. But of course, I also fell completely in love with Brendan and Piper. It’s safe to say that as soon as spring rolls around, I’m hit with nostalgia for the book that made me pivot my reading habits entirely. I love the sense of safety, the slight predictability, and the feeling of home that small-town romances bring. And while I do enjoy the occasional millionaire trope, at heart, I’m a small-town girl through and through.

However, I had no idea there was a whole other world waiting for me—one filled with ranches, cowboys, and written by none other than Elsie Silver. And she doesn’t just have one series; she’s now working on her fourth, and the entire book world is in a frenzy over it.

Elsie Silver writes in a way that makes you feel like the sun is scorching your back, horses all around you, and a cowboy just waiting in the distance to sweep you off your feet. While she’s best known for her Chestnut Springs series, it’s her Rose Hill series that holds a special place in my heart.

This is your ultimate Elsie Silver guide.

The Chestnut Springs series centres around the Eaton family—Rhett, Cade, and Beau—alongside close friends who are family in all but name. Jasper, for example, is taken in by Beau, while Theo is mentored by Rhett as he finds his footing in bull riding. And Harvey Eaton? Well… that’s a whole story in itself.

Then there are the women of the town: Summer, Winter, Bailey, Willa, and Sloane—each bringing their own charm, strength, and story to the series. The best part? There’s a trope for everyone.

First, I think it’s only fair to walk you through the order of the books and what you can expect from each one. I actually bought the entire series as a box set from The Works and still somehow managed to read it in the wrong order—oops. I started with book four, and just so you don’t make the same mistake I did (although, in my experience, reading out of order somehow always makes that book feel like number one), I’m going to break it all down for you.

Welcome to Chesnut Springs

Flawless (Book 1) – The opening to Chestnut Springs introduces us to bull rider Rhett Eaton and his PR manager for the summer—ironically named Summer Hamilton—who’s been tasked with keeping the notoriously reckless cowboy out of trouble.

Of course, that setup leads to all the good stuff: tension, jealousy (especially where Emmett Bush is concerned), and a slow-burn romance between a man who doesn’t know how to say I love you and a woman who insists she’s just doing her job. Naturally, it takes a few broken ribs and some hard truths to get there.

It’s the perfect scene-setter for the series. Plus point? Emmett has his very own book Fever Dream coming to stores May 19^th.

Tropes to expect: forced proximity, one bed, slow burn, and opposites attract.

Heartless (Book 2) – Even if you haven’t read the series, everyone and their mother seems to know about Daddy Cade Eaton. A grumpy single father—and the oldest of the Eaton brothers—Cade finds himself in a very spicy situation with his son’s nanny, Willa. Did I mention she’s a red-head? They always take all the book fun.

Willa, Summer Hamilton’s best friend, is sunshine personified: bold, warm, and impossible to ignore (their first meeting is… memorable, to say the least). Meanwhile, Cade is trying to juggle fatherhood, a demanding life, and an ex, Talia, who drifts in and out without much regard for their young son, Luke.

What follows is a dynamic that’s equal parts heart-warming and emotionally raw, as Willa brings light into both Cade and Luke’s lives. And despite his reputation, it quickly becomes clear that Cade Eaton isn’t quite as heartless as he seems.

Tropes to expect: single dad x nanny, grumpy x sunshine.

Powerless (Book 3) – Featuring Jasper Gervais (the adopted “brother” of the Eaton family through Beau) and Sloane Winthrop, this book is, as I’d describe it, the least cowboy-esque—but still somehow the most cowboy in a very oxymoronic way.

This is a childhood crush story at its core. Sloane Winthrop is all Upper East Side elegance: a city girl and ballerina who has been in love with Jasper Gervais since the moment she first laid eyes on him. Jasper, on the other hand, is a hockey player who prefers to stay out of the spotlight, carrying his own quiet intensity.

Throw in a runaway bride, a road trip, and a whole lot of forced proximity, and you’ve got Jasper and Sloane forced to confront feelings they’ve been running from for years. It’s the least ranch-heavy book in the series, but arguably one of the most heart-wrenching.

Tropes to expect: runaway bride, childhood friends-to-lovers, hockey player x ballerina.

Reckless (Book 4) – Everyone’s favourite bull rider-in-training, Theo Silva, paired with Winter Hamilton, Summer’s sister.

As her name suggests, Winter is as cold as the tip of an iceberg—but once Theo Silva starts melting away that frost, what’s revealed underneath is a heart just as warm as Summer Hamilton’s. Theo, meanwhile, is a notorious ladies’ man: charming to a fault, persistent from the very first page, and the only one who manages to see past Winter’s carefully built façade.

A one-night stand changes everything, leading to a baby Theo doesn’t learn about until much later. What follows is a story that pulls them back together and ultimately brings Winter back to the countryside and into the Eaton family orbit.

This is easily my favourite in the series and one I find myself rereading often.

Tropes to expect: reverse grumpy x sunshine, one-night stand, found family, surprise pregnancy.

Hopeless (Book 5) – Centred around the final Eaton brother—Beau, the most reserved and arguably most secretive of them all. A military veteran, Beau is left feeling hopeless, just as the title suggests, with glimpses of his absence and struggles hinted at in Powerless.

This is his romance with Bailey Jansen, a local bartender, and it brings the series to a close with a beautifully executed fake fiancé trope that naturally turns real over time. Following his return home, Beau is grappling with PTSD and the sense that he’s drifting aimlessly through life, disconnected from the place he once called home.

Bailey, however, becomes an unexpected anchor—offering chamomile tea instead of alcohol, and a quiet kind of steadiness Beau didn’t realise he needed. But she’s not just a soft presence in his life; she has her own secrets tucked behind that rosy blush.

Together, they navigate healing, trust, and a connection neither of them saw coming. The best part? Beau is 35 years old and Bailey is only 22.

Tropes to expect: fake fiancé, forced proximity.

Welcome to Rose Hill

Now, if you’ve devoured this series like I have, then you’ll probably prefer the Rose Hill series even more. For reasons unbeknownst to me, it feels a lot more mature than the previous series—the plots are richer, the characters have more depth, and the emotional stakes are stronger.

We don’t see a huge overlap between characters across the books, but what we do get is a different kind of countryside: one filled with subtle themes, hidden messages, and long-lasting love stories with guaranteed happily ever afters. It seems to tap into your emotions more deeply, giving you that small-town feeling without being overly heavy-handed about it—if that makes any sense.

I’ve been very vocal about the books I love (shout-out to you, West and Rhys) and the ones that have left a mark on so many other people’s hearts too. So, without further ado, here’s what I think you’ll enjoy based on the series itself. And yes—this time, I actually read them in order.

This series is based around four single dads—some know they have kids, some don’t, and some take in children who aren’t biologically theirs. So really, every variation is covered. But as I said before, books two and three really scratched that itch.

Wild Love (Book 1) - Following the story of Ford Grant and Rosie Belmont, we meet two people running away from their pasts, both trying to build new lives—only for those lives to end up intertwining in the most unexpected way.

We start with none other than the infamous brother’s best friend trope, alongside a billionaire who moves to Rose Hill to build a recording studio—only to discover he has a 12-year-old daughter named Cora, lovingly dubbed a little storm cloud by Rosie Belmont.

Ford fits the grumpy billionaire role perfectly, while Rosie is anything but—chaotic, spirited, and full of life. Both looking for a fresh start, they end up becoming each other’s.

This is for anyone who wants a steady, slightly repetitive read and has the patience to sink into it.

Wild Eyes (Book 2) – Arguably the most country book in the series and, in my opinion, the best one. Starring none other than Weston Belmont (yes, Rosie’s brother), a single dad of two with a surprisingly healthy relationship with his ex-wife, and runaway country singer Skylar Stone, we get a story built on two completely different worlds colliding.

Skylar may or may not have caught West singing her song while doing his horse night check, and from there, everything changes. We’ve got the country singer and the world’s best friend and horse trainer—two people with completely different rhythms of life.

One wants a quiet life, while the other seems to attract chaos wherever he goes. Stepping outside their routines means disrupting everything around them, but in doing so, they start to find something that actually feels like peace.

I’d say this book is for anyone who’s ever felt misunderstood, wants a genuine “green flag” romance, and finds comfort in a small-town setting where gravel meets a grizzly bear—if you know, you know.

Wild Side (Book 3) - Read it if you want to be surprised. Coming in hot at third is none other than the enemies-to-lovers and marriage of convenience trope. This follows the story of spitfire Tabitha Garrison, a chef and staple in Rose Hill, and Rhys Dupris, her nephew’s secretive legal guardian……only Tabitha doesn’t know. In order for Tabitha to secure custody—and to ensure Rhys isn’t stopped at the Canadian border every time he travels for his job as a professional wrestler—they enter into a marriage of convenience.

The story explores grief, acceptance, found family, and trust issues, ultimately leading both Rhys and Tabitha to confront the feelings they’ve been forcing themselves to deny. It’s a journey of becoming not just a unit on paper, but something real.

This is for those who want to be surprised, enjoy a steady momentum, and like the idea of a wrestler called Wild Side.

Wild Card (Book 4) – The final instalment finishes with my ex-boyfriend’s dad trope and follows the story of Sebastian (Bash) Rousseau, a 39-year-old moody wildfire pilot, who falls for 27-year-old Gwen Dawson, a yoga instructor.

We’ve got forced proximity at the heart of this one, alongside Bash finding himself with an older son than the other men in the series. While he’s trying—and kind of struggling (borderline failing)—to build a relationship with his son, the undeniable attraction to his son’s ex-girlfriend becomes a major source of tension and conflict.

I’d read this if you want something slightly uncomfortable, very potty-mouth coded, and free-spirited in a way that makes you want to keep reading while also slightly squinting as you do so.

And this is my guide to Elsie Silver’s books.

Now, it is a series, so it’s best read in order. However, I do think there’s a bit more wiggle room in the Rose Hill series compared to the Chestnut Springs series. I normally say I don’t have favourites (which is such a fib), but when it comes to these two, I’ll always choose Rose Hill for its more mature, crisp air—its small-town set somewhere high in the mountains (a description that is definitely not perfect, but you get the idea). It has a kind of tranquillity that Chestnut Springs just doesn’t quite capture.

Now, I haven’t even ruled out any future stories yet. Emerald Lake is coming in May, and it could be the trump card we’ve all been waiting for.

I’d love to know about which books your favorite if you’re read any, which series you have yet to read and if you think my ratings about West are correct.

At the end of the day, these books aren’t really about cowboys or small towns—they’re about the feeling of finding somewhere (and someone) that feels like home.

Keep your eyes peeled for more posts coming soon, and be sure to visit my Contact page to see where else I’m active.

Vivian.