Chase Me (Broke & Beautiful, #1) by Tessa Bailey
NA Romance Contemporary
March 17, 2015
Avon Impulse
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: ”Don’t be a judgmental rabbit. They’re the worse.”
Roxy Cumberland quit college and moved to New York to pursue her acting dreams. When her big break takes longer than she anticipated, Roxy finds herself dressed as a giant pink bunny suit, delivering a singing telegram to a sexy and very hung over trust fund baby.
Louis McNally the second may have celebrated winning his case a little too hard if a giant pink bunny is singing an ode to his junk but with that sexy voice and snarky wit, who’s he to complain? When he gets a look at her stunning face and she lays a kiss on him that leaves him craving more, Louis knows he will be seeing her again…and soon.
There had been one weak moment in the shower this morning when he’d considered trying to re-create the kiss with the back of his hand. It had been a damn close call.
Roxy doesn’t want a rich man in her life who has been catered to all his life but Louis isn’t giving up. He wants Roxy and he’ll get her, even if he has to chase her all over New York.
Chase Me is a light hearted, laughter filled, sexy new adult romance with a dirty talking hero who has a need to fix people and a snarky heroine who doesn’t want or need fixing. Less intense than Bailey’s usual offerings, Chase Me still gives us Bailey’s trademark alpha heroes and independent heroines whose journey to romance is littered with four nosy friends, more baggage than a samsonite factory, and some smoking hot chemistry.
The story is pretty straight forward in its layout. Boy meet girl. Boy likes girl. Boy chases girl. Girl gives boy run for his money. Heavily character driven, they breathe life into the storyline and elevate it beyond the average new adult contemporary romance. No heavy melodrama every other page. No silly, unrealistic situations or emotional dark pits of despair. Well developed, Bailey writes of real people with real issues. They are easy to relate to. Their joys, fears, wants, and needs are laid bare and we are allowed to share their experiences. Smooth execution and laugh out loud dialogue is expertly laid out for maximum effect.
“The super already hates me because I called him the wrong name for 2 weeks.”
“What’s his name?”
“Rodrigo.”
“What were you calling him?”
“Mark.”
I enjoyed every character in this book but Roxy and Louis completely owned it. Roxy is a strong, intelligent, take charge style kind a gal who’s confident personality hides a vulnerable core that appeals to the underdog in all of us. Not the most outgoing of people (she actually hides from her roommates so they won’t become friends) she is hilarious in the lengths she’ll go to not form any attachments with anyone.
“Oddly she felt herself feeling kind of left out as her roommates bonded a little more each day. which made no sense since her exile was self imposed. Why couldn’t they just avoid each other like typical New York City roommates and communicate via a dry erase board in the kitchen?”
Watching her navigate the temperamental world of showbiz gives us a funny but seemingly honest view to the highs and lows that comes to those wanting to break into show business.
“You called me back in here to reread for the role of Lassie? As in, the dog?”
Louis is a delight. Gorgeous, sweet, funny, and deceptively alpha, his status and wealth doesn’t detract from his good nature. A born protector, his career choice in law exemplifies his need to champion the underdog. Single and carefree, he has never wanted a committed relationship with the opposite sex until he meets Roxy. Suddenly, he’s doing everything he can do it get her and keep her by his side. Unfortunately, it backfires on him multiple times. Regardless of his screw ups, you never doubt he only has the best of intentions.
The main storyline is the chase. Roxy runs and Louis follows. Lucky for them and us, even when they are odds, these two have chemistry. Lots of sweet, sticky, sweaty, panty dropping chemistry.
“Before you leave, I’m going to give you something to think about, beautiful.”
Her stomach bottomed out. “You haven’t done that already?”
A gravelly laugh. “While you’re lying in bed tonight, think about this.” Big hands slipped down and around from her waist to cup her mostly bare backside. She had no time to enjoy the kick of lust in her belly before he seized her flesh tightly and hauled her onto her toes.
“Oh.”
Louis placed his mouth directly over hers, as if to absorb her gasp of shock. “The first time you ride me, I’m going to grip your ass just like this. I’m going to move you where I want you. How fast. How slow. It’ll all be up to me and this grip.”
Their initial attraction brings them together but a sense of belonging keeps them together. Louis’s open willingness to take a chance is the perfect foil for Roxy’s innate fear of losing herself into someone. They rub together in all the right ways even as they both struggle with their issues. Though our MCs indulge themselves sexually rather quickly, the actual romance builds slowly. They become friends and Bailey uses that to build a bridge between them, offering lessons in trust and communication, despite their apparent differences.
Fun outrageous secondary characters round out the story and offer even more comedic relief. Louis’s twin sisters are terrors but their scenes offer insight into Louis’s emotional make up. Louis’s best friends, Ben and Russell, are insane and offer advice no one should ever listen to. Roxy’s two roommates, Abby and Holly, become her friends, regardless of her attempts to push them away, and give her the non judgemental encouragement she needs. I can’t wait to see which couple is up next as Bailey warns us this hero is even more down and dirty than Louis.
My one qualm was how abrupt the ending was. The requisite romance game changer resolves quickly and with little fanfare, leaving you in limbo in terms of the romance and world. It’s a weak HFN and we are left wondering where Roxy and Louis stands in terms of their careers and life in general. I suppose this will eventually reveal itself as the series continues but I do wish we would have been left a little more comfortable in their outcome.
Regardless, Chase Me is sure to appeal to romance fans of all ages as Bailey offers a little of everything from laughter to tears in her newest romantic adventure.
RATING: B-
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I loved your review, it made me very interested in read this book, but what you said about the end scares me a bit. I don’t like when the story ends abruptly and sometimes it spoils the whole experience for me. That said, I have a question.. you said the author give us a weak HFN, but at least do we have some kind of assurance that the H and h end the story as couple? Or is the status of their relationship shady as well?
We are assured they have a very good chance. I think you would like it, even with the weak ending.
I’ll give it a try. Tks, Tori.
Let me know what you think after you read it. I have the next in the series up for review also.
I’m starting this book today. I saw some reviews of Need Me and it says we have a bit more of Louis and Roxy there. Now I can read knowing I’ll see how they are in the next book. I’ll let you know what I think. Did you read the #2 book yet?
I haven’t read it yet though I will be and reviewing.
So glad I took the time to read Chase Me, I liked it very much! I would have loved another chapter or an epilogue, but it was a lovely read indeed. At least we got to see a bit more of them in the other books of this series. Really excited to read Need Me.