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If you don’t live under a rock, you know what an “opp” is. It’s a shortened version of “opponent,” but it’s used as a way of referring to someone you’d rather avoid. For example, in high school, my ex-girlfriend was my “opp number 1” because that run-in would be awkward. 

Well, on Gold Rush Ranch, Billie, the head horse trainer, Violet, the lead jockey, and Dr. Thorne, the in-house veterinarian, all share the same opp: Stefan Dalca, owner of Cascade Acres, their main racing opponent. In earlier books in the Gold Rush Ranch series, it’s hinted at that Stefan dealt in some shady stuff; illegal betting, gambling, etc., but it’s never spoken about again.

Regardless, I was interested to see how Elsie Silver would redeem Stefan in The Front Runner, a long-running villain of the series – and somehow, over 350 pages, he became one of my favorite male leads of Elsie’s series. 

Stefan lost his biological mother at a young age and grew up primarily with his father and stepmother. He was born and raised in Romania until he was 18 when he moved to Canada for college. He was heavily abused as a child and his father had a slew of issues including alcoholism, infidelity, and physical and emotional abuse. All Stefan wanted was to escape his father’s home and try to reclaim memories of his mother where she had always dreamed of retiring: Ruby Creek, Canada. So, that’s what he did. He set up shop in Ruby Creek and created Cascade Acres, a premier horse racing facility. 

Down the road, Gold Rush Ranch was already up and running by Vaughn and Cole Harding’s grandfather, Dermot. After Billie Black was brought in to train horses at Gold Rush, she quickly hired Dr. Mira Thorne as the in-house veterinarian who could treat injuries and deliver new foals. 

Mira has a cold exterior but a heart of gold. She cares so deeply for the animals she takes care of and the people she loves. I loved that this novel let us into her mind a little more, especially because she seemed so cold and domineering in the previous two novels. 

Also, Mira is a woman of color! It’s not specified where her family is from, but I know she’s of Southeast Asian descent. Who doesn’t love a badass Asian woman in power?

Stefan and Mira are forced together when Stefan’s horse gives birth to a still-born foal and Billie Black has a mother die in the process of giving birth. In order for the baby horse to survive, Billie begs Stefan to allow his mother's horse to bond with her foal so her foal has a chance of living a full and happy life. Stefan agrees but privately strikes a deal with Mira: three dates in exchange for the trade.

Mira agrees, mainly because she cares about Billie, but she’s also intrigued by Stefan’s request. While she makes it clear they’re platonic dates, that line is quickly blurred as we get to know these two.

The smut in this book was spectacular. On the “Enemies to Readers” Sex-o-Meter, this gets a 3.5 out of 5 stars. I always love it when we get to watch the intimacy between two characters grow through their sexual connection.

I love you, Elsie Silver, please never stop.

See you next read,

Charlotte