Jeans that hug sculpted asses, boots in stirrups, cowboy hats that are placed on beautiful, smart and independent women, and a cast of characters who meet for weekly dinners to which you want a standing invite, make up the intoxicating world of Elsie Silver’s books. Every time I’m done with one, I want to read the next one. And I’m not alone. In the past few years, Elsie Silver has become a phenomenon in the Small Town and Cowboy Romance genre.

The thing that Elsie Silver does so well is that she makes a simple life appear romantic. And that is something with which I can get on board. As a taurus, I constantly get the urge to slow down, live in a house that feels cozy, and that's filled with giggles and love. That dream is what her small town romances offer.

Silver is a Canadian author who spent her childhood riding horses and reading. She studied business at University and went on to work as a copy writer and editor. During Covid, when she was home with her family and had time on her hands, she finally decided to give creating her own content a chance. With her degree in business indie publishing seemed like an exciting challenge to her. But after the massive success of her books she was ultimately offered a traditional publishing deal with Bloom Books.

Her first series is called Gold Rush Ranch, and takes place at a horse racing ranch. Her second series, Chestnut Springs, is a cowboy romance series set at a family ranch. And her third series, Rose Hill, follows a group of single dads in a bowling league. All these series are set in different small towns in rural Western Canada.

During Covid, I think many of us were forced to sit and realized that for the first time we actually had time at our disposal. And what did we do with that time? We made bread, organized our homes, and picked up new hobbies. Maybe we even took a breath. That is not to say Covid was a wonderful time. I don't want to diminish the fear, heartbreak, and deep struggle that was the pandemic. But times of struggle often bring about great creativity. And many of us filled that time with things that gave us a sense of respite and connection.

Silver says, “During the pandemic, we all retreated into our homes and lost a lot of day-to-day human connection. Western and small-town romances tap into that longing for close-knit friendships, family dinners, [and] neighbors who know each other." That sense of community and connection lifts the spirit of her stories.

Then, if you add the new found feminism portrayed in the romance genre, it makes sense that Small Town and Cowboy Romances have had a resurgence post 2020. Silver’s heroines are normally super competent, high-achieving women who spend their days working very hard. They are sassy, outspoken and stand up for themselves. And the men who ride in on their horses don't save the heroines, because they don't need saving. They just lift them onto the horses to take pressure off their tired feet.

Now that is romance!

Silver has her finger on the pulse that beats in the hearts of working women who are looking to just slow everything down for a fraction of a second. The plot is not pushed forward by the heroes, but rather it is pushed forward by the heroine's objective. We get the heroine who wants to sit on the back of her horse or on her porch swing while the hero helps her run the house. The burdens of life are shared. Her stories have that aspirational pull which has made them very popular.

It also needs to be said that her books are spicy! She does not shy away from writing long smut scenes. I would not call her book erotica. They are definitely romances but I appreciate that Silver sees value in adding deeply sexual content to her stories. Going along with the feminist undertones of her books the smut is extremely female-centric and female pleasure is paramount in her stories. It is clear that the sex is equally as important to both characters, if not more centered around the heroine's enjoyment. In addition, she creates heroes who crave the heroine's enjoyment more than their own. She also has a large emphasis on dirty talk. This leaves us with stories worth yearning for.

I will be the first to say that I was a skeptic of the whole idea of romanticizing cowboys. I grew up always hearing about the toxic masculinity that can pervade cowboy culture. But after reading my first book by Silver, I was impressed by her ability to keep the innate masculinity of her cowboy heroes intact while eradicating the toxic behavior. I was hooked on the kind of Western romance in which ideals of feminism can co-exist with strong, respectful masculine characters. With her most recent series, Rose Hill, she is giving us an expanded look at fatherhood, and all the different ways that this is represented in our society today. Her depiction of modern heroines and heroes, in my opinion, make Elsie Silver an important author of our times.

So zip up your jeans, pull on your boots, and let's dive into The Elsie Verse!