Chase Me by Laura Florand (Paris Nights #2)
Released: April 5, 2016
Contemporary Romance
Self Published

Reviewed by Mandi

What an adorable book! If you like great banter, this is a must read.

Let me note that the author notes, while writing this book, the terror attacks hit France. While she already had a special ops/terrorist threat in the book, it of course took on a very dark and meaningful tone. With that said, this book is very light and fun – if that makes sense. Chase is a counter terrorist operative from Texas. He is super black ops, and there is word in the wind that there might be a possible ricin attack (tasteless poison) in France. A cousin of a pastry chef that works at the heroine’s two-star michelen restaurant, is a possible terrorist, so Chase and his team have moved in to see what they can uncover. Chase breaks into Violette’s restaurant one night, and she is there with a knife waiting for him. Vi has moved up the ranks in a dominant male world, and knows full well how to handle herself. She isn’t going to let some guy break in without consequences. Chase tells her he is there to make sure her restaurant is safe for a possible visit from the president in the near future. She doesn’t fully believe him, but his charm and silly banter calms her…a bit.

She slammed the knife down on the nearest cutting board. Ouch. She could take a man’s arm off with that kind of cleaving action. “You like to live dangerously,” she said.

“I know,” he said woefully. He patted his heart with his hand. “I’m sorry,” he told it bravely. “I’ll try not to let her break you.” He gave the Blonde in Leather his puppy look, this time channeling wistful courage. “Be gentle with it,” he whispered. “It’s not as tough as I look.”

She rolled her eyes.

They end up having a one night stand..which turns into a little more. But Vi’s hot temper, and Chases’s secretive job makes for a bumpy road.

When Chase encounters Vi for the first time, it’s love at first sight for him. He is won over by her looks and the fact she throws a knife at him. Part totally smitten and part trying to calm the situation down, he turns on his charm full blast.

“You know, I’m a twenty-eight-year-old female who heads a two-star establishment of nearly all male chefs. Trust me, the last thing I need in my life is another cocky, arrogant man who thinks he is the shit.”

“But I really am the shit,” he protested, grinning.

The author writes both Chase and Vi so well. Chase is so quick with the silly and sexy banter – but underneath has that lethal special ops feel. When he hears that a guy has given Vi a recent hard time, he can’t let it go.

Chase shrugged. “I may have provided him a quick demonstration of what it’s like to be struggling in the hands of someone bigger and more powerful who can do whatever the hell he wants to him.” Just for a second, that cool, grim, lethal look showed under his easy charm.

All the hairs on Vi’s nape rose in response to that look. Then Chase winked at her, the look entirely disappearing.

He is so smooth, but so calculating. On his first meeting with Vi, he tells her he is going to marry her, and then progresses to tell her all about their wedding and all the details – this totally exacerbates Vi, but makes her laugh on the inside. It’s a running joke throughout the book.

Vi is all fire and strength. She is a very hard worker, and gets extremely frustrated with some of the consequences brought down on her restaurant due to Chase’s mission. She wears leather and rides a motorcycle. She might be the only woman on the planet who can Chase.

“Honey, also, please don’t take this the wrong way, but if you don’t want to let a man into your apartment, you shouldn’t open the door at all. I could break that chain with one shove.”

“But then I’d knife you.” Vi smiled sweetly.

Chase rested his head against the jamb and smiled a little. “I’m so crazy about you.”

For really cute banter, very sexy love scenes and just a fun romance overall, I highly recommend this one.

Grade: B+

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