This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Published by St. Martin's Griffin
Released on April 17, 2018
Pages: 416
Format: eARC
Source: NetGalley
The Delight
It’s always a delight to head back to Dive Bar where friends tell you the brutal truth, people work hard and the local bar is the place to go. Kylie hits it out of the park once again with a story of an unlikely hero and a woman making her way on her own in the most unlikely ways.
Review
In Chaser, we head back to Coeur d’Alene, Idaho where a local bar seems to be the gathering place for a group of friends, the owners, and the love affairs they are having. If you have read the Stage Dive series, then you will see them again in this story. Oh, MAL! Let’s not forget to mention that this story is told in first person, entirely from the perspective of Eric, or as Nell calls him, fuckboy.
So a little background may be needed here. Nell and Eric own Dive Bar. She is the cook and he is the bartender. Nell was recently divorced from her husband, and Nell and Eric make a mistake and sleep together. This resulted in a pregnancy that ended in a miscarriage and Nell going back to her ex-husband and remarrying him. Awkward? Yes and no.
Now Nell is pregnant again with Pat’s baby and Eric is kind of lost and dumb. He sleeps with women, uses them, but also pleasures them and moves on. Nell loves him as a friend, but also thinks he is a fuck up and constantly rides his ass during the story. In book one, they also took on another partner, Lydia.
In walks Jean to the bar and Eric misses a fact on the first meeting as she is sitting…she’s pregnant. Having a one-nightstand, she gets pregnant and can’t find the father. Her parents want her to give the baby up for adoption and she has had enough. She packs up her things and moves to Coeur d’Alene after meeting Nell on a message board.
While Eric is trying to reform himself, Jean is going through pregnancy. They become stand-offish friends in a way as they live in the same building. When Jean goes into labor, Eric is the only one there for her, but he also flakes out because this is a lot of responsibility.
This is a sweet romance in one way as Eric falls for Jean’s daughter while also falling for Jean. Nell is riding his ass all the time, but through it all he is really trying to change himself. Everyone doubts him, which makes him more determined than ever to be a better person.
We get to know Jean and not get to know her as the story is all from Eric’s perspective. I often wondered what Jean did for a living. I may have found out, but if so, I don’t recall. She’s very organized and really gets Eric. When she has time to get out of the funk that being a single parent to an infant can get you in, she realizes her attraction to Eric is bigger than just being horny.
I was expecting to come in and really dislike Eric. He did some things that ticked me off, but he was also one messed up dude in the head. By taking a vow of celibacy, he also became more in tune to his own wants and needs.
While I said this was sweet, I don’t mean it wasn’t sexy. These two combust when they finally get together. They may not be a conventional couple, but they know how to get it on!
The romance felt real, and heartwarming, while the secondary characters kept everyone on their toes. I can’t wait for the next book and I just finished this one. Can I say I am addicted to this series!
Catch up on the Series
Challenges
Bad Boys of Romance #3 – Bartender/Owner
Review Writing #7
Literary Pickers #5 – sink
Books ‘N Tunes #4 – My Wish by Rascal Flatts
Recommendations
About Kylie Scott
Kylie is a New York Times and USA Today best-selling author. She was voted Australian Romance Writer of the year, 2013 & 2014, by the Australian Romance Writer’s Association and her books have been translated into eleven different languages. She is a long time fan of romance, rock music, and B-grade horror films. Based in Queensland, Australia with her two children and husband, she reads, writes and never dithers around on the internet. You can learn more about Kylie from http://www.kylie-scott.com/ or join her Facebook Fan Goup: https://www.facebook.com/groups/599197093487040/
Shari
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Something about that cover is really off putting to me. He looks grungy and very young but the story inside sounds pretty good 🙂
I think the cover is ok, but not totally the hero. He is immature, but he grows a lot in the story.
At last he does some growing, that’s always a good thing!
I love this series!
I’ve been reading mixed reviews around the blogs for this one. It sounds pretty good.
While I really liked the book, I don’t like how we only get one side of the story. The hero is alway talking like a smart ass at times and that irritated me. He does grow a lot though. We only really get his side of the story.
Whew! This sounds really intense. I’m glad that he starts out unlikable and then worked so hard and proved himself to him and others. Glad he got his HEA after it all.
He was lovable, but I thought kind of dumb. He just seemed to float through life and loved his bar. Nell rides him really hard and I didn’t like that, but it did wake him up and made him think of what he was doing with his life. It didn’t help that he was attracted to Jean and trying not to show it.
I really enjoyed Chaser too, and loved it being from his pov alone, but I really didn’t like how Nell treated Eric regardless of their history. 🙁
I did not like Nell at all! She rode him hard for no reason at times. I know he got her pregnant, but she was part of that night so she takes blame as well. Why Pat took her back is a mystery. I just wished I could have seen some of Jean’s thoughts.
These look like fun. I may have to try this series! Plus I love unconventional couples!
Falling in love with someone else’s baby is a little different. Jean and Eric have to walk before they can run in this one.
I listened to the first book in this series and really enjoyed it so I have been very tempted to pick up some of the newer ones. This sounds a little different than the usual romance. Glad you enjoyed it!
The first book is my favorite, but I can say I have enjoyed the last two books as well. I don’t really have a favorite character yet in this series. I liked that even though Jean had a pregnancy body, Eric took the time to show her just how beautiful she was to him.
I really need to get around to this series *sigh* One day!!!
I know the feeling.
I do love this series, but her Stage Dive will always-at least as of now-be my favorite. Because Mal! And of course the others. I wish I had time to do a re-read but considering I still have two of hers in my tbr pile I should probably read those first. Glad Eric ended up being okay although a bit dumb?
Stage Dive is my favorite. Oh Mal! He’s my favorite.