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Gold Rush Ranch #3

Audible audiobook

Author: Elsie Silver

Narrators: Soneela Nankani and Zachary Webber

Aaaah, Stefan Dalca… The infuriatingly handsome and irritatingly arrogant man we all hated in the previous books. But I had a feeling that under all that swagger and “mafioso” tactics hid a gem and I was right.  In The Front Runner we get to see him pursue Mira, the veterinarian, relentlessly. The perfect opportunity to have her at his mercy arrives when she, and Gold Rush Ranch,  desperately need a favor and only he can do it for them. He won’t pass it up.  While being around him, Mira realizes that people were quick to judge and that there is way more to him than what the world perceives him to be. They’re supposed to be enemies, but not even her friends and family have ever been able to see her as he does. Truly sees her. There is so much a girl can resist…

My favorite in the series by far, I loved how Elsie turned the tables on us when it comes to an unlikable hero This is not a redemption arc because we soon learn that Stefan has always been good, but all the stakes were against him from the moment he was born. Yes, he bends a few rules here and there, but he kind of had his reasons. 

I loved Mira and her multicultural family. We had met her in previous books, but I loved meeting her sort of hippie mom, her quintessential Indian dad and grandma (loved the “therapy samosa” moments) and see how her culture and upbringing made her who she is. 

I like a little mystery and we got that with Stefan’s parentage and it was resolved beautifully. 

A book I couldn’t put down. 

Narrated dual style by a pairing I didn’t know I needed: Soneela Nankani and Zachary Webber. Soneela is one of my favorite voices and she rocks here, especially with the accents. Zachary has the task of giving Stefan a slight Romanian accent and it’s just the right touch. He also takes Stefan from asshole to book boyfriend flawlessly, as expected. A thousand stars.

Content notes: domestic abuse, child abuse, death of animals, loss of parent in accident, fire resulting in  injuries and hospitalization