Readers will find themselves charmed by this romance of opposites attracting set against the backdrop of small town living as a woman low on self-esteem finds herself paired up with the town’s sexiest bachelor. Keep reading to get a tempting taste of Making Chase by Lauren Dane, along with my impressions of it, then start counting down the days until this book hits shelves on August 27th. In honor of this fourth installment in the Chase Brothers series make sure to visit the link below for the chance to win a $25 Amazon GC too!
The Chase boys. Ridiculously hot and notoriously single.
All of Petal, Georgia, is waiting for the last Chase brother to fall. At least, that’s how it feels to firefighter Matt Chase, who’s getting a little anxious himself. His brothers have all found love—why hasn’t he? But fate, in the form of a curvaceous hairdresser, is about to change that.
Salon owner Tate Murphy has come a long way from her trailer-park roots, taking care of her seven siblings along the way. Even though she’s put the past behind her, she knows someone like Matt Chase is way out of her league. But that doesn’t stop her from getting a good eyeful every chance she gets.
When a car accident throws them together, Tate gets more than an eyeful—she gets the whole package. Not that she’s complaining. But when small-town bias and her own insecurities get in the way of their relationship, Matt will have to prove he doesn’t care where she came from…only where she goes.
The Chase is on. One small town. Four hot brothers. And enough heat to burn up anyone who dares to get close. Don’t miss the other books in the series: Taking Chase, Giving Chase and Chased.
EXCERPT:
Matt opened up the box and the heady scent of cookies greeted his senses. Mouth watering, he read the note, ascertained the cookies were from Tate, the woman he’d helped out earlier in the week after the car accident. He vaguely remembered her from school. Perhaps a year or so behind him, definitely not from his circle though.
Knowing she wasn’t a terrorist, he gave in and shoved a chocolate chip cookie in his mouth. And moaned. Holy shit, that was the best thing he’d ever eaten, even better than Maggie or his momma’s cookies though he’d never admit it to them. An oatmeal cookie followed. Nope, that was the best cookie he’d ever eaten. Peanut butter chips in oatmeal cookies? Fabulous. Thank goodness she’d been okay after she’d gotten whacked by that car. The world couldn’t live without this cookie-baking goddess.
Looking at the outside of the box, he realized the address was the beauty salon just across the way. He’d have to go and thank her in person.
He’d saved some folks, helped at quite a few accidents and emergencies and fought fires in and around Petal for the last decade. Still, he could count the number of times he’d received a thank you note on one hand. It felt good to be appreciated.
Finishing up in the late afternoon, Matt grabbed what was left of the cookies, knowing he’d have to work out extra after the dozen or so he’d scarfed down since the mail came. He’d had to hide them from the rest of the weenies at the station who’d have swiped them if they’d known. And with cookies as good as the last five in the box, he wasn’t gonna share.
He’d never been inside the beauty salon though he’d seen it just about every day for years. He had a vague idea that the women in his life got their hair done there, but that was the extent of it.
When he opened the door, the jingle of pretty wind chimes greeted him first, followed by the pleasing sound of feminine laughter. Oh how he loved the sound of a woman’s laugh.
Smiling, he headed toward it. He saw her before she saw him. Her hair was the prettiest blonde he’d seen on a woman and unless he was mistaken, she came by it naturally. It hung in a high ponytail and still cascaded down her back in a long spiral curl. Those wide blue eyes of hers were set off by some floaty-looking blouse that was a sort of pinkish-orange. He was sure they had a name for it, women always had names for colors like that. He’d say that Nicholas had light green walls in his room but Maggie had told him they were sea-foam green. He’d just looked at his brother over her head and Kyle rolled his eyes back at him.
She was short. Like really short. And all curves. Her musical laughter cut off when she caught sight of him and then began to choke.
Dropping his things on a nearby counter he rushed to her, concerned as she waved him off, her eyes widening as she backed away.
“She’s all right,” one of the other women said.
Tate recovered and turned a shade of red he was sure they had a name for too, but it was clear she’d either injured herself or was mortified.
“Fuckety fuck,” she muttered as she tried to catch her breath.
“Are you all right?” He touched her arm.
Her blush deepened as she nodded, sending her ponytail swaying. “Fine. Um, can’t breathe and swallow at the same time. Apparently I forgot that.”
He grinned. “I’m Matt Chase. I just wanted to come by to thank you for the cookies.”
“Oh…oh, I’m glad you got them. I should have just brought them over but I didn’t know when I’d get the chance to get away and my family was sort of trying to steal them and if I hadn’t wrapped them up they’d have ended up at the University of Georgia with my kid brother and sister.”
He couldn’t stop grinning. The woman was like one of those little dogs with all the energy. “It’s fine. They’re really good. Like criminally good. In fact, and if you repeat this, I’ll deny it, they’re the best cookies I’ve ever eaten. You missed your calling you know. You should have opened a bakery.”
“Her cookies are a drop in the bucket. She makes a peach cobbler that’ll bring tears to your eyes and the most perfect scratch biscuit you ever tasted. That’s until you try her chicken paprika,” one of the women, clearly a relative, told him proudly.
“Stop it now. I already said you could have Saturday off.” Tate winked and the other woman laughed. “Oh, my manners! I’m Tate Murphy. Aside from bleeding all over you the other day, I figure we haven’t been formally introduced.”
He shook her hand, still wearing a stupid grin.
“This is my sister Anne and the sister just younger than her, Beth.”
He nodded to all of them and noted they all had the same nose but they were redheads with green eyes while Tate had blue eyes and blonde hair. She was also a lot shorter than the other sisters, who were at least five-seven or so.
“Nice to meet you all. I think I know your brother Tim. He and I were just a year apart in school. We had a few classes together. Redhead right? Green eyes? Freckles?”
“That’s our brother.” Tate grinned.
“He’s a nice guy. Tell him I said hello. Well, I don’t want to keep you all. I just wanted to thank you for the cookies.”
“Well, thank you for helping me. A few cookies are nothing in comparison.
He liked her smile. Wide, open.
“I’ll see you around then.” And he realized that he’d never bumped into her at all around town. Which was sort of silly considering they worked right across the street from each other.
“Night, Matt. Nice to meet you. Your mother talks about you all the time.”
He stopped as he’d reached the door and heard her laugh. “You knew that’d get me, didn’t you?” he said, looking back over his shoulder at her.
Her eyes widened in mock surprise. “Me? I have seen you naked though. With a cowboy hat on even.”
He groaned, knowing the picture. His momma did love to show that picture of him at about eighteen months old, naked as a jaybird wearing a cowboy hat.
“Are you imagining me naked now?” he teased back and she blushed bright red again. He toyed with asking her what women would call that shade of red but decided against it. He winked and waved. “See you around, Tate Murphy.”
He whistled all the way to his truck.
MY IMPRESSIONS OF THIS BOOK:
Through three previous books readers have fallen in love with the Chase brothers, cheered their HEAs, and have come to think of them as family. This last installment introduces us to the final single brother, a handsome and kindhearted hero whose journey to his own HEA charmed me every step of the way. His is a journey full of heart and soul that brought me joy as well as tears as he proved himself to be the quintessential book boyfriend and is still bringing me lots of wonderful fodder for my nightly dreams.
Tate Murphy stands out amongst all the heroines I’ve read about through the years as she overcame a childhood of obstacles to make a good life for herself as an adult. She overcame her drunken father’s verbal abuse concerning her larger size, along with her mother’s uncaring attitude and chronic infidelities, to raise her siblings and rise above her family’s humble roots. She had to grow up far too soon, had to take charge of her younger sibling’s care, which has left her little time to find her own HEA. Matt Chase is the one man in their small town who utterly captivates her and because of his perfection she sees him as only a dream, a man she can drool over while continuing to care for her siblings. The day she gets in a car accident though is the day that everything changes and her dream has the chance to become a reality...if only she’s brave enough to go after what she wants. Tate’s a delightful heroine, caring and very loyal when it comes to family. Nothing makes her happier than when she cooks for them or is spending time with them and their familial interactions warmed my heart. Tate’s strong-willed in many ways, as evidenced by the sacrifices she made to keep her siblings clothed and fed when they were young, but it’s her self-esteem that’s bruised and that holds her back when it comes to picturing herself with Matt. It’s a rocky road for them as the judgments of some in their town cause her to doubt the obvious love he feels for her. The cattiness of others cast a shadow over their sweet and sexy relationship, a relationship that Matt nurtured every step of the way as he wanted her to see herself as he did...a sexy goddess with a heart of gold.
Matt Chase has a heart of gold too, one hidden from some who value only his good looks and sterling reputation and wealth. He’s a dedicated firefighter, a caring son, and a loyal and supportive brother, but when it comes to love he’s still alone. His brothers have all found their HEAs, but despite the many women he’s dated he still hasn’t found The One. He longs to have what his brothers have, someone who sees past his obvious good looks to the man beneath, someone of substance who he can talk and laugh with and who values family as much as he does. His first meeting with Tate might not have been memorable, but the cookies she makes for him capture his attention and start them on a path of friends-to-lovers. Matt’s extremely protective of Tate, even at the beginning he takes offense of anyone who brings up her curviness. As their connection intensifies he often reminds her of his attraction to her and of all the other qualities he finds appealing which she’ll need when dealing with the cattiness of some of the women in town. They might be opposites in some ways but together they’re a formidable couple who are utterly delightful together. By the turn of the final page Matt has set himself apart from other heroes through his sweet and sexy words and deeds and his HEA was one worth waiting for.
This was a story that pulled at my heartstrings, making me happy one moment while causing a tear the next as Tate fought to accept her HEA while Matt tried to get her to take the time to make herself happy. Their relationship started off sweetly, full of sexual tension, before becoming combustible in nicely paced erotically-charged encounters that brought out a sex kitten vibe from the blushing and at times demure Tate. The banter between these two was crackling, their arguments realistic yet not drawn out for melodramatic purposes. The issues they dealt with over her past, the aspects of daily living as a couple, were also dealt with realistically and kept me fully engaged in their intensifying connection. Surrounding this immensely appealing main couple was a large cast of family members, some we’ve seen before with some that are new. They’re a distinctive group in looks and personalities, but they were all loyal to each other. Matt’s brothers were supportive of his relationship with Tate and stood up for her when those in town tried to tear her down. Matt’s mom Polly was especially protective and I loved seeing her feisty side emerge from such a ladylike facade. Tate’s siblings had a very tough upbringing with her taking the brunt of the verbal abuse and older brother Tim carrying the physical scars. Everything was a struggle, and though they’ve forged successful lives for themselves, some still see them as trash who came from the wrong side of the tracks. It’s made for a tight-knit connection between them that endeared them to me and has me wanting to know more about them. Small town living was on vivid display throughout this story too, all the good and the bad, with the unwavering support of some as well as the cattiness of others. Coming from a small town myself had me easily relating to this and by the turn of the final page I was left charmed and cheering. Matt and Tate overcame a lot due to her past and her insecurities and this series-ender was wrapped up beautifully with a bow. Ultimately, Ms. Dane has crafted a near-perfect hero along with an unforgettable heroine, in a story that I recommend wholeheartedly!
Tate Murphy stands out amongst all the heroines I’ve read about through the years as she overcame a childhood of obstacles to make a good life for herself as an adult. She overcame her drunken father’s verbal abuse concerning her larger size, along with her mother’s uncaring attitude and chronic infidelities, to raise her siblings and rise above her family’s humble roots. She had to grow up far too soon, had to take charge of her younger sibling’s care, which has left her little time to find her own HEA. Matt Chase is the one man in their small town who utterly captivates her and because of his perfection she sees him as only a dream, a man she can drool over while continuing to care for her siblings. The day she gets in a car accident though is the day that everything changes and her dream has the chance to become a reality...if only she’s brave enough to go after what she wants. Tate’s a delightful heroine, caring and very loyal when it comes to family. Nothing makes her happier than when she cooks for them or is spending time with them and their familial interactions warmed my heart. Tate’s strong-willed in many ways, as evidenced by the sacrifices she made to keep her siblings clothed and fed when they were young, but it’s her self-esteem that’s bruised and that holds her back when it comes to picturing herself with Matt. It’s a rocky road for them as the judgments of some in their town cause her to doubt the obvious love he feels for her. The cattiness of others cast a shadow over their sweet and sexy relationship, a relationship that Matt nurtured every step of the way as he wanted her to see herself as he did...a sexy goddess with a heart of gold.
Matt Chase has a heart of gold too, one hidden from some who value only his good looks and sterling reputation and wealth. He’s a dedicated firefighter, a caring son, and a loyal and supportive brother, but when it comes to love he’s still alone. His brothers have all found their HEAs, but despite the many women he’s dated he still hasn’t found The One. He longs to have what his brothers have, someone who sees past his obvious good looks to the man beneath, someone of substance who he can talk and laugh with and who values family as much as he does. His first meeting with Tate might not have been memorable, but the cookies she makes for him capture his attention and start them on a path of friends-to-lovers. Matt’s extremely protective of Tate, even at the beginning he takes offense of anyone who brings up her curviness. As their connection intensifies he often reminds her of his attraction to her and of all the other qualities he finds appealing which she’ll need when dealing with the cattiness of some of the women in town. They might be opposites in some ways but together they’re a formidable couple who are utterly delightful together. By the turn of the final page Matt has set himself apart from other heroes through his sweet and sexy words and deeds and his HEA was one worth waiting for.
This was a story that pulled at my heartstrings, making me happy one moment while causing a tear the next as Tate fought to accept her HEA while Matt tried to get her to take the time to make herself happy. Their relationship started off sweetly, full of sexual tension, before becoming combustible in nicely paced erotically-charged encounters that brought out a sex kitten vibe from the blushing and at times demure Tate. The banter between these two was crackling, their arguments realistic yet not drawn out for melodramatic purposes. The issues they dealt with over her past, the aspects of daily living as a couple, were also dealt with realistically and kept me fully engaged in their intensifying connection. Surrounding this immensely appealing main couple was a large cast of family members, some we’ve seen before with some that are new. They’re a distinctive group in looks and personalities, but they were all loyal to each other. Matt’s brothers were supportive of his relationship with Tate and stood up for her when those in town tried to tear her down. Matt’s mom Polly was especially protective and I loved seeing her feisty side emerge from such a ladylike facade. Tate’s siblings had a very tough upbringing with her taking the brunt of the verbal abuse and older brother Tim carrying the physical scars. Everything was a struggle, and though they’ve forged successful lives for themselves, some still see them as trash who came from the wrong side of the tracks. It’s made for a tight-knit connection between them that endeared them to me and has me wanting to know more about them. Small town living was on vivid display throughout this story too, all the good and the bad, with the unwavering support of some as well as the cattiness of others. Coming from a small town myself had me easily relating to this and by the turn of the final page I was left charmed and cheering. Matt and Tate overcame a lot due to her past and her insecurities and this series-ender was wrapped up beautifully with a bow. Ultimately, Ms. Dane has crafted a near-perfect hero along with an unforgettable heroine, in a story that I recommend wholeheartedly!
My rating for this is an A.
*I got this book from NetGalley for review in exchange for my honest opinion.
AUTHOR INFO:
The story goes like this - While on pregnancy bed rest, LAUREN DANE had plenty of down time so her husband took her comments about "giving that writing thing a serious go" to heart and brought home a secondhand laptop. She wrote her first book on it before it gave up the ghost. Even better, she sold that book and never looked back.
Today Lauren is a New York Times bestselling author of over fifty novels and novellas across several genres.
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