The third highly anticipated novel in the sexy Dive Bar series from New York Times bestselling author Kylie Scott! Love isn’t always NEAT… Bartender and all round bad boy, Eric Collins, has come to a crossroads. It’s time to take life seriously and maybe even attempt to settle down. If only the person he was hoping to settle down with didn’t turn out to be pregnant. Starting over in a small … be pregnant.
Starting over in a small town, Jean is determined to turn her wild lifestyle around and be the kind of mother she always wished she’d had. Since local bar owner and all round hottie, Eric, is now determined to steer clear of her pregnant self, it should be easy. When she goes into labor during a snowstorm and her car slides on some ice, however, it’s Eric who comes to the rescue.
There seems to be a bond between them now, but is it enough? And can Eric give up his manwhore ways to be the man Jean needs?
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Another Dive Bar novel? Sign me up.
When this series began I was convinced Eric was a character that just wasn’t for me. Boy was I wrong. Eric and Jean were one of my favorite couples. The book is about them but also about Eric growing up. I loved watching him grow and the tow of them come together.
This was definitely one of the best in the series. Plus who wouldn’t be excited for a few small cameos from Jimmy and Mal.
4.5 Smooches
Chaser is the third book in Kylie Scott’s Dive Bar Series. It is a stand-alone. Chaser is Eric’s story. Each book in the series has had its own flow. This story has a much laid back feeling.
Eric, Nell & Lydia own The “Dive” Bar. Eric is a manwhore. He lives life as it comes. He is carefree and lacks responsibilities. Eric has never had a serious relationship. He has become the recent topic of conversation among the owners of the Dive Bar. His co-workers are teasing him about being irresponsible, immature, and only into himself. After all of this ribbing and teasing, Eric decides to “take a break” from women & one night stands, trying to be more responsible.
“Seriously, Eric. One day you’re going to wish there was more to your life than the next piece of ass.”
“Do you think I’m a manwhore with no concept of responsibility, incapable of having a meaningful relationship, who just uses women because I wouldn’t know real commitment if it bit me on the ass?”
Along comes Jean. She & Nell developed an online friendship. She wanted to relocate, needing a change. Nell suggested that Jean take the available apartment above the Dive Bar and she accepts. Upon Jean’s arrival she stops into the Dive Bar for a bite to eat. Eric is drawn to her immediately until she stands up and is clearly pregnant (it was so funny!). I don’t want to spoil the story, so I won’t tell why that is an issue for Eric.
Pregnant or not, Eric and Jean do run into one another, a lot because they are neighbors. There is definite chemistry and attraction between them. Eric is lonely while trying to kick his bad ways and Jean is just alone. As they continue to run into each other they begin to talk and become friends. Everyone is coming down on Eric about his friendship with Jean. They don’t want her hurt.
When Jean goes into labor on a snowy night, Eric is the only one around. He is panicked, but comes through. Eric & Jean’s friendship only deepens after baby Ada is born. And you will find out what happens next when you read the book!
Eric & Jean developed a great friendship which builds up slowly throughout the story. Both of their characters are well written. The story has a slow burn to it. You understand their fears and insecurities. There are many layers to Eric and Jean. They are peeled away, one by one. I loved seeing Eric’s transformation! Eric’s interactions and inner thoughts with baby Ada are hilarious. As well as when he talks about his love of breasts. Just so funny! And lastly, I love the small town of Coeur d’Alene where the story is set. Sounds like a place I’d love to live in! I’ll leave you with one of the many quotes that made me laugh…..
“Having not properly read the how-to-not-be-a-dick manual that everyone else in the world seemed to have a copy of, I’d open my mouth and screwed the whole thing up.”
PS: We also get a visit from the Stage Dive crew! It was fun seeing how their lives are changing….
4 stars
4.5 Stars
Chaser is the third title in the Dive Bar series, and is although it can be read as a standalone, each title interconnects so I would highly recommend reading the previous titles Dirty and Twist. Chaser is a heartwarming and humorous friends to lovers story, that is told from the point of view of the male persona.
In the previous title Twist, Eric appeared as a self-centred, immature, bad-boy, womaniser, and I wondered how I would feel about him when it came to his story, as he wasn’t all that endearing. I shouldn’t have doubted Kylie Scott’s ability to weave and amazing tale. Although Eric is far from perfect, and has a tendency to let his responsibilities slide, he redeems himself beautifully in Chaser.
When Jean a heavily pregnant woman, who also happens to be his neighbor enters his life, it’s the catalyst for change. The spark between this pair is instantaneous and undeniable. As much as he fights the attraction he feels, it’s a loosing battle. With the aid of Jean and her baby, Eric matures, grows and develops into a thoughtful, kind, caring, compassionate and sweet man! He develops into this endearing character, and we get to see what a wonderful man lies beneath his previously shallow exterior.
Whilst I would have loved to have experienced Jean’s point of view, I loved the banter this pair shared. It was witty, fun, flirtatious and humorous full of satire and one liners that will have you laughing out loud.
If you’ve read Kylie’s previous work you will notice cameo appearances from past characters within this title, and the previous couples from the Dive Bar series appear quite frequently within the story line.
I was completely captivated and enthralled by this sweet and fun read, and will be eagerly awaiting more of Kylie Scott’s work in the future
Eric Collins is a player, and, as part owner of the Dive Bar, he has plenty of opportunity to find women ready to have a fling without wanting a relationship. He’s a bad boy with a well earned reputation. However, he’s thinking that maybe it’s time to try for more . . .and he thinks the perfect candidate just walked into his bar . . . there’s just one problem . . .she’s pregnant.
Jean Antal needs a new start. She’s pregnant and needs a support system since her parents have been anything but. She decides to move to a new town to be closer to an online friend, Nell, who just happens to be another owner of the Dive Bar. The last thing she needs is a playboy hitting on her, even if he is a hottie.
Determined to steer clear of one another other than a friendly hello in passing, things quickly change when Jean goes into labor during a snowstorm and Eric is the only person available to come to her rescue. Eric is the rock and birthing coach that Jean needed. And, there seems to be a bond between them and the beautiful baby Ada, but will it be enough to turn the playboy into permanent relationship material?
This was my first peek into the Dive Bar series, and it can easily be read as a standalone. I’m a sucker for a bay boy turned good, and Eric fits the bill quite nicely. He really is a but clueless about what women want and how to be in a real relationship since he’s never really tried before. He also has a lot of people to prove wrong including his ex, his friends and even his own family. But, his love for little Ada shines bright and his feelings for Jean soon turn from lust and friendship to so much more . . .he just needs to convince her that he is in it for real.
Jean is an incredibly strong woman. She’s willing to do what she needs to in order to provide the best life she can for her baby. While she’s attracted to Eric, she’s afraid to get to close . . .especially since her friend Nell cuts him down at every turn. But, she can’t deny that he’s more than just a friend and seems to be everything that she and little Ada need.
I really loved watching their slow burn of a romance. As Jean struggles with being a single mother and finding a balance between motherhood and her needs as a woman, Eric is struggling with having real feelings that don’t involve lust for a woman for the first time in his life. It’s an incredible journey of emotional growth they both experience as individuals and as a couple. 4 stars!
REVIEW: 3.5 Stars
“I just smiled. The truth being that her whole existence worked for me.”
Ok, this was only my second book by Kylie Scott, and I was SO excited to jump into it after loving TRUST. So, having said that, you will understand that I have not read any of the books in this series. This was described as a standalone book within the series, but make no mistakes (like me), this is most definitely a book that you will benefit from reading the other books in the series first. There was just too much going on that was alluded to, and not sufficiently explained in the beginning, that it kinda caught me off guard….as well as the character buildup as to who Eric was in the group. Again, I realize I went into the third book in the series, but sometimes a standalone series isn’t as standalone as they were quoted as being. BUT, having said that, after I got into the book and started to fall into the storyline of Eric and Jean, their story flowed much better.
I will admit that I eventually fell in love with Eric and his awkwardness, and even though he was billed as this womanizer, he was just…..a goof! A good looking one, but a goof, nonetheless. But it’s safe to say, Eric *really* started to grow on me. His nature, his demeanor, was completely different than one I have read…..ever? in a long time? Not sure, but he was…..different, and I liked it. I tried to explain him to a friend while I was reading it that he was a doofus. Not in a bad way, just in a “I have conversations with myself all the time” kinda way. And with reading these monologues, I really got to know his inner workings. I scratched my head in the beginning – because I struggled with his description vs the actions I was getting, but I easily started to fall for him. His heart was pure. He was so sweet and his growth was one I could easily measure in chapters. With Jean being his kryptonite, I could actually feel their toe-dipping into this potential world of maybes. Maybe we can hang out. Maybe we can hook up. Maybe we can be more. I definitely enjoyed their story. Their buildup was gradual and I looooved that part about it. Not knowing all the characters from before, it made me pay extra close attention to everything happening – so that was a bonus, but after getting in line with everyone, the story picked up and flowed nicely.
I will say this: I didn’t like how mean Nell was to Eric. I am aware that they have a pretty volatile past and so there is already some bad blood between them, but it was just awful the way she was so rude to him and about him. Again, this is something I waded through having not read the previous books, and I know their story is the one before this, so I will have to check it out. Get to the bottom of this mystery! HA! I just hope this doesn’t harm my enjoyment of the previous stories with her in it.
I definitely walked away from this book feeling like I needed to not only read more from this series, but also from Kylie in general. I really like her style. It’s a little more crisp, a different tempo/beat to her words, but her stories have always drawn me in. While the beginning was a rough start for me, the entire crew grew on me. I will be checking out more by her, for sure!
“Maybe I’m more me with you.”
~BEE
I loved the Stage Dive series and I loved the Dive Bar series! And Eric? Irresponsible, playboy, yet endearing Eric.
Watching him founder, at a complete loss as to how to handle what he was feeling was entertaining. But the man that developed a friendship and supported Jean was a man that could melt hearts. It almost came naturally, helping with a baby. Almost…
But seeing him grow and have a relationship and protective, paternal feelings, did me in. Eric and Jean’s story was sweet and romantic and hard and frustrating and frightening and perfect.
What can I say, I’m an unconditional fan of Kylie Scott and her series.
If you loved Vaughan and Lydia, Joe and Alex, you’ll love Eric and Jean!
Yes, manwhore, immature and self-centered Eric; you’re so going to fall for him too!
Eric, the one who used to run from commitment, relationships, is about to get emotionally involved, and he will have to prove a lot of things, mainly to Jean, but also to his friends and family.
Kylie Scott did a great work with those two characters, the challenges Jean had to face as a single mother, the consequence of Eric’s fame and his past behavior…
Everything worked perfectly: the pace, the humor, moments with other couples and character in the series, it was refreshing, sexy, a little angsty… The perfect cocktail!
***ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review***
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A charming story told with the author’s trademark humor and heat
Book 3 in the Dive Bar series, while this can be read as a standalone, I’d suggest reading at least Twist first as events there help set up this story. Also note that because of this dependency, Chaser has spoilers for Twist.
This author is a favorite of mine so I always look forward to new releases, but I have to admit I had a bit of trepidation about Eric as the male lead. In the earlier books from the series, Eric…well, let’s just say he didn’t always come across in the best light. Not a bad guy, really, but almost completely self-centered, skating through life on his charm and looks. Choosing to tell the story from Eric’s POV (the previous books and related Stage Dive series were all told from the female’s POV) was a genius move on the part of the author as it brought me over into Eric’s corner almost immediately, even if I did still want to smack some sense into him a time or two.
Eric’s relationships with his friends and family add a lot of depth to the story (and Stage Dive fans will be pleased with a nice little follow-up with the band and their families). I loved the growth we get to see in Eric, and I really felt for him as he mostly resigns himself to the lack of respect and trust from his family and friends even as he tries, almost in spite of himself, to become a better man, one worthy of a relationship with Jean and her baby. The fact that he wants to change bewilders him almost as much as it amuses and bewilders the Dive Bar crew, and provides much of the humor and appeal of the story.
Eric managed to win me over completely in spite of my early doubts with some lovely relationship movements in a charming story full of plenty of the laughter and heat that I’ve come to expect from this author. 5 stars
B2B Kelly
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Kris –
I really enjoyed Eric’s story! He seemed like the total lackadaisical f’up of the group. Just floating on through life. He and Nell lost the baby that was a total accident to begin with and while Nell ended up back with her estranged husband and is pregnant again (with the right guy this time), everyone feels like Eric didn’t feel anything about what happened. He’s just a playboy. Vapid, superficial, and really not interested in relationships. Hitting on yet another female customer at the Dive Bar, Eric finds this woman, Jean, quite stunning. Nell lets him know that Jean is hands off, she’s a friend who’s come to start over in a new town… and she’s pregnant. Very pregnant, and very alone.
Eric, trying to show Nell and his other friends he’s decided to turn over a new leaf (after they gang up on him with a “intervention”), decides to give up sex completely and become “friends” with Jean. Just friends.
I love the “just friends” premise because it has awesome buildup to near certain steamy scenes! Chaser doesn’t let you down. Eric gives us his sweet side in this book and redeems himself to readers and characters alike. Jean is a good mix of vulnerable yet strong and has no issue telling people to butt out! The two have wonderfully written sensual chemistry! Sweet moments stolen between newborn’s naps and late nights at the Dive Bar. I’m really enjoying the Dive Bar series, we get a glimpse of the rock stars from her other series too at the end too. I miss them!
Veronica –
Eric, bar owner, totally hot, good time guy, lady killer, and a little selfish. He is also completely adorable. In spite of his experience with women and unreliability, Eric has an innocence and honesty about him that I couldn’t resist.
I fell in love with Eric right from the first chapter, so when the people in his life are giving him a hard time and are putting him down, I felt very protective of him. I was wondering when all these characters I previously loved became so mean. Nell in particular was horrible. It has been a long time since I hated a character as much was I hated her in this book. But maybe that is me being protective of Eric.
When heavily pregnant Jean moves in above Dive Bar and into Eric’s life, things start to change and his whole view of the world shifts when baby Ada arrives. I just loved watching Eric fall in love with Jean and Ada. I love the way he gives so much of himself to them, offering friendship to Jean when he wants more but doing his best to do the right thing. And his conversations with little Ada are just brilliant.
Funny, romantic, sexy, and a bit angsty too, Chaser is fantastic. I think readers are going to go absolutely crazy over Eric. Never mind all these stories about single dads, the story of a man falling in love with a single mum and her new baby is so much better!
Ruthie –
This is the third book in the series – and whilst I think you would enjoy reading them all in order, I do think that you can enjoy this in its own right too.
Eric is surrounded by friends who are settling down, but he continues to prefer hookups, fancy clothes, and the fun of being the part owner of a successful bar and restaurant. He struggles a bit with Nell and her attitude towards him, but mostly he refuses to consider the need to grow up as she suggests. An encounter with a new face in the bar changes everything… although it is a very slow and carefully paced out process.
I did feel that there was a lovely story here, between two people who were finding their way in a new reality. Jean, as a single mum and away from her unsupportive parents, and Eric, fed up of being cast as the careless playboy, trying to tone down the flirting and be celibate for a while. Jean gets nothing but support from her new friends, whereas Eric is somewhat ridiculed by his friends. Slowly he gains Jean’s trust and a firm friendship develops.
Maybe reaching their happy place could have come sooner, and with a little less introspection from Eric – hopefully that will be more of their relationship shown a future installment.
Lee’Anne –
I enjoyed this book, but my biggest complaint was not being a huge fan of the slow build between the two main characters. Their relationship growth is almost excruciatingly slow, and I found myself skimming the middle so I could get to where they’re actually together. I did find the plot to be interesting and definitely original!
Eric is manwhore who is doing his best to change his ways – though his friends and family don’t believe it at all. When Eric first meets Jean, he has thoughts of her as another of his conquests but once he realizes she’s very pregnant and very much his new neighbor, his mind is quickly changed. Though the attraction is there between the two, Jean has a lot going on preparing for motherhood and Eric is trying to prove himself to his friends. Once the baby is born, Eric winds up pitching in to help Jean a ton and their friendship slowly becomes something more.
I haven’t read the previous books in this series and maybe that’s why I didn’t like the surrounding characters, Eric’s “friends” are douche bags. I found myself mad at them half the time – they’re just a-holes to Eric most of the time and I really found it hard to accept that he wanted to stay friends with them. That put aside though, I really loved both Jean and Eric’s characters – the book has a good plot pace but again, the romance has an extremely slow progression. Probably not going to check out more from this series but will definitely be looking for more of this author’s other work.
Shannan –
Chaser is book 3 in the Dive Bar series. It can be read as a standalone, but it so much better read in the order the author intended.
Eric is the playboy. Always a different woman, no feeling just sex. His friends are all starting to mature and settle down, except Eric. He doesn’t feel bad about his manwhoring ways but wants to show his friends he can grow up too.
When Eric notices a beautiful woman coming into the bar, he takes it upon himself to woo her with his charms. He thinks he feels a connection when he finds out Jean is going to be his neighbor. Wooing a single woman at the bar is one thing, but seeing her day in and day out has him questioning himself. He finds out she’s not only his neighbor but pregnant and trying to start over. Can Eric keep his distance?
I really enjoyed Eric and Jean’s story. The buildup between the two is slow but so worth it when they finally get together. I loved that Chaser is all in Eric’s point of view. If anyone can pull off an all-male point of view, it’s Ms. Scott! Eric and Jean have a real chemistry about them that isn’t forced. It was a fun read and I can’t wait for more.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Chaser (Dive Bar #3) by Kylie Scott to read and review for this tour.
Kylie Scott has once again delivered a book that you will fall in love with!! This book is sweet, romantic, funny and one that you will be addicted to. You will absolutely love Eric and the crazy things that run through his head. I loved that this book was in his POV but I do wish I got to know a bit more about Jean.
Eric is consider the man-whore of The Dive Bar but he decides to look for more, never expecting that the person he set his sights on would be pregnant. From that moment on he decides that anything between them is a no go, in fact he could be a down right jerk to her but things happen and a friendship is formed and eventually unexpected feelings grow. There is nothing better than a book where they build from nothing, to friends, to more. I also loved being able to get his innermost thoughts throughout this book, not only was it enlightening to how he thinks but it was down right entertaining.
As with all books that I have read by Kylie Scott, I highly recommend this book as well. I can’t wait to see what Kylie has for us next!!!
Eric has been a source of disappointment to his family and friends for years. He has been called everything from manwhore to playboy to irresponsible jerk, and for the most part he has done quite a bit to deserve those titles. Eric loves life and enjoys the heck out of being able to do what he wants when he wants. He also enjoys the heck out of the ladies, but he always makes sure he is upfront with them regarding his complete lack of expectations or interest in commitment. When things got a little more complicated than he was ready for with Nell last year, reality came crashing down and forced him to rethink a few things in his life but he is still the same fun-loving carefree Eric most of the time- which is something Nell never lets him forget no matter what he does.
When a pretty new face walks into the Dive Bar and catches the attention of every male there including Eric, he is mentally preparing his approach. Then you can practically hear the screeching brakes sound effect when she stands up to greet Nell like she has known her forever (danger sign #1) and he sees a significant baby bump (danger sign #2). Babies and Eric are not a combination he wants to even think about, and he goes from smooth operator to dumbass in 2.2 seconds.
Jean finds herself on the opposite side of the country chased away from her home and family and soon to be a single mom thanks to a guy a lot like Eric, so she is in no rush to put herself in close proximity to him by any stretch of the imagination. Yet he shows glimpses of being a great guy between the moments of being a complete jerk so she doesn’t write him off completely. Nell’s warning to stay away from Jean serves only to wave a red flag in front of a bull when it comes to Eric, but Jean is a shock to him too. He never expected to find himself wanting to spend time with a woman who is 7 months pregnant; usually his interactions with females are of the one night or no strings attached variety only. The more time he spends with her, the more he finds himself actually enjoying a platonic relationship with a woman which is a first for him. That’s not to say there isn’t plenty of attraction to go around between them though.
Dismayed by the fact his own brother cannot deny that Eric is not viewed favorably by pretty much anyone in their family or group of friends, he decides to take a break from his usual lifestyle and embrace celibacy for awhile to see what happens. He makes a conscious effort to be more responsible and act like an adult, and you can see him starting to mature over time. Of course for every step forward there is at least 2 steps back that make you shake your head and roll your eyes, but he is trying! At the age of 30, he is still a lost little boy in a lot of ways who doesn’t know what he wants from life. Ada’s birth is an eye opening experience for him though, and the good guy with a big heart that hides beneath the jerk-ish exterior starts to shine through. Of course Nell is a thorn in his side who quite frankly really got my blood pressure up, constantly chirping at anyone who would listen to be sure they know what an irresponsible manwhore she really thinks Eric is. Fortunately Jean is strong enough to make up her own mind without being unduly influenced by her friend, and I really enjoyed their journey from friends to lovers. An appearance by the beloved Stage Dive crew was a highlight for me, especially when my favorite BBF ever Mal made things interesting! All in all, Chaser was well worth the wait so go get your 1-click on and get ready to roll your eyes, laugh and swoon for Eric and Jean!
*5 Stars*
ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I really enjoyed this one! Eric was an awesome character and I really like getting to know Jean as well. I read the first book in this series, somehow missed the second, but then read this one. I do need to go back and read book 2, but this is my fave out of books 1 and 3.
I pretty much adored Eric right from the start. I get that he’s a player, and I get that he’s not seen as dependable, and I probably need to read book 2 in order to understand that a bit more, but the inner thoughts from his side, particularly when Nell was laying into him, really made me feel for him. I honestly wanted to slap Nell upside the head so many times!
Eric was a natural with Ada and was just so fitting with Jean. They were so easy together. I love a good friends to lovers story, and this one is pretty much that, because they take so long getting to know each other and being friends, before they finally realise what everyone else can see, about how they feel about one another.
This just had a really natural feel to the development of both of their characters and their relationship as a whole. They were both great, and I really loved Eric. His inner dialogue had me giggling to myself at times.
We also get other loved characters back in this one which of course is always fab.
Overall a fantastic and fast read, and I need to go back and read book 2. And looking forward to more from this series!
This was brilliant! Kylie Scott rocks the male POV! I thought Eric had the best voice, I couldn’t get enough! Page after page I was smiling and feeling emotional all rolled into one. This was so sweet, funny, and charming. My absolute favorite in the series!
I have to be upfront and say that I really didn’t have much of an opinion on Eric Collins, even though his manwhore ways were on grand display in the previous two stories. Perhaps, I just accepted him as the quintessential player who is all about a good time with zero complications because that’s how all of his friends categorized him, and even though things got complicated when he and Nell had a one-night stand, I still wasn’t surprised when he screwed up and let those closest to him down…that is the man Eric has been portrayed as throughout the entire series, and it’s the man I’ve grown to accept quite frankly because that’s the only image he seemed to fit…there wasn’t too much to him besides his need to find ‘next piece of ass’ and focus on having a good time with none of the responsibilities of a meaningful relationship.
But then Kylie Scott wrote Eric’s story, and not only did she provide insights into the player himself, but Scott also told Chaser solely through Eric’s point of view, and in my opinion, that was the game changer. That was the reason I began to see the man behind the pussy parade that he always seemed to be following. Of course at the beginning of the book, he’s still the man who dealt with past situations abdominally and seemed to still want to run away at times, but he’s also the man who starts to realize how others have seen him for all of these years, and while it definitely was a blow to his ego to hear their abysmal sentiments about his life choices, it actually forced him to take a hard look at himself and decide if it was time for a change.
Now let me tell you, Eric’s transformation didn’t happen instantaneously; in fact, like Nell, I was a little hesitant to even believe that Eric could change his ways, but unlike Nell, I kept an open mind and allowed this new version of Eric, Eric 2.0, to prove to readers, to his family, to his friends, and more importantly, to himself, that he could be a reliable human being…that people could depend on him…that he wouldn’t cut and run when things got a bit too difficult, and I can say with 100% certainty that the man Eric becomes due to his feelings for Jean and Ada was is the man that was always within him but just needed a reason or two to surface.
Jean and her baby girl, Ada, are absolutely essential to the storyline, but this is most definitely Eric’s story. These two women help to change his life for the better, but it’s his actions and his thoughts and feelings that make him the right man for this young woman and her baby. I love the fact that at the beginning, Eric saw Jean as nothing more than a piece of ass because it shows that his new self didn’t occur simply from Jean’s entrance into his life. But, even after he had his normal reaction to a pregnant woman, there was always something about Jean that kept Eric’s interest and made him do uncharacteristic acts that everyone else noticed but him.
I love that Kylie Scott gave readers Eric’s story. It’s clear that Eric is not perfect, but no one is. Altering one’s life is not an easy feat, especially for someone like Eric who has lived the last 15 years a certain way, but all it takes is someone worth changing for, and in Eric’s case, it’s two people, who help him to change his ways and give him a life worth making permanent and difficult regardless of how complicated and messy it could be.
4.5 Poison Apples
Eric is frustrated, his own friends do not give him credit for life, considering him only an inconsequential f-boy who only thinks of women. Trying to change this image, he begins to consider the inconceivable: get a fixed girlfriend, but his attempts do not work the way he expects and he ends up approaching Jean.
Jean is the new tenant of the building and has just moved to have a fresh start of life. After an unexpected pregnancy and without parental support, she plans to change her life to take care of her baby.
A beautiful and sweet love story, where friendship has strengthened little by little, where Eric really shows his maturation and strength. Narrated in the first person by him, I followed his journey to the happy end. I connected too much with him and I hoped for everything to happen as he wanted.
I loved the cover and the remarkable presence of this badboy transmitting well the personality of the protagonist. I loved the writing of Kylie Scott and the way she builts the plot from the male point of view and left me in suspense about Jean’s feelings until the end.
Gah, I’ve been waiting for Eric’s story since the whole Nell/Pat situation. As such, I sat and read Chaser in one sitting!
I was immediately drawn into Eric and Jean’s story. Of Jean’s attempt to jumpstart her life—one that will include being a single mother. She’s been through the wringer and is hoping that the big move to Coeur d’Alene from Jacksonville, Florida is just what she needs to make a fresh start. What she didn’t count on was the instant spark, the instant connection with Eric.
With Jean, Eric wants to be a better person. A better man who treats women as they deserve. And he wants to do that with Jean. But the pregnancy is a bit of a hindrance, but once the baby arrives there’s no keeping him away. Now if he could just convince the little bundle of joy’s mother that his interest is sincere and real, and more than just a friendship, he’d be even happier.
Oh Eric. You’ve been through a whole lot of upheaval these past couple of years. And you’ve tried to cure your loneliness by plowing through all the available women for a thirty mile radius. I love how you instantly connected with Jean. And that she was relatively immune to your charms. Jean was fun to see come out of her shell—come out and live and enjoy life. And accept help when she needed it as a single mom. Their romance was a lovely slow burn, that really was fun to watch. And the scenes with Eric and the baby are so damn cute too. He’s amazing with kids—prepare your ovaries!
But there were some aspects of this book that really hindered my enjoyment—mostly the harping on Eric by Nell and his brothers. Nell came across as a bit of a shrew, never giving Eric the benefit of the doubt and truly being a royal bitch to him. Sure, their shared history isn’t the happiest, but move on and accept some of blame, too, Nell.
Though I’ve greatly enjoyed all these Dive Bar Series stories, I have to admit Chaser isn’t my favorite of the series, but I am hoping for more! 3.5 stars
I have always enjoyed reading books by Kylie Scott and Chaser was no different.
Chaser was a fun, sexy and entertaining read. It is an easy read, meaning not a lot of angst in this story. Which I find a refreshing change of pace once and awhile.
Chaser is the third book in Kylie’s Dive Bar Series. It can be read as a complete standalone and can be read in any order. I don’t feel reading this series out of order would ruin the enjoyment of the stories. This story is told solely from Eric’s POV, which I think is a good way of telling this story. Since the main focus in this book is on Eric’s growth and being a better person, I felt this story could only be told through his eyes. I thought the flow and pace of the story was spot on. I didn’t feel anything dragged on and nothing was rushed. This is truly a slow burn!! But it worked for this couple because each of the characters needed to grow before finding love.
Chaser is about Eric (Joe’s brother and co-owner of the Dive Bar) and Jean. Eric is known to his friends and family as a player and not one to settle down. That is until he meets Jean. Jean is new to town and trying to get settled in. Eric has his eyes on Jean until he sees that she didn’t move into town alone. Jean is very pregnant. So setting his sites on Jean has changed but he is determined to be Jean’s friend and help her along the way. He is also determined to prove his friends and family that he isn’t all about the love em and leave em way. Over the course of the story we watch Jean and Eric form the sweetest friendship. He also bonds with Ada (Jean’s newborn daughter) I loved watching him grow and become the man he wanted to be. I thought the connection between Jean and Eric was relatable and perfect!!!
We do see other couples from the other books in this story as well as other side characters. I loved catching up with other couples in this story. I do have to say I really didn’t like Nell in this story. For being someone’s friend she was pretty cruel to Eric at times and I wanted to smack her, but I was glad to see things sort of changed by the end.
So if you are a fan of Kylie Scott’s books or are just looking for that fun and entertaining read, then you should read this book.
Hot, sweet, witty, and romantic Kylie Scott delivers an unputdownable read with Chaser. I devoured this book in a matter of hours! It was that good. From moments that had me cracking up to moments that had me tearing up in happiness there wasn’t a thing I didn’t love. This book melted my heart and had me captivated from start to finish.
Eric was such a sweetheart. It was adorable watching him stumble his way into love. Completely clueless on commitment, and definitely clueless about pregnancy and children that didn’t stop him from falling fast and hard for not only Jean, but her baby also. There were so many precious moments in this book just between Eric and Jean’s baby it was impossibly to not fall in love.
The gradual growth from strangers, to friends all the while falling in Love was heartwarming. Both Eric and Jean start out a bit lost in the world and trying to find their way. These two not only fall into one of the sweetest romances, but grow into characters that you can’t help but adore.
We finally get Eric Collins story.
He is a manwhore you can’t resist, well most of us can’t especially when Jean meets him.
The chemistry between Jean and Eric was hot.
Even with the main character Jean being pregnant with another man’s baby, I loved that Eric didn’t let that stop him from going after what he wants, which is Jean.
Good story and loved the build up of finding out if Eric could change his ways to be with Jean.
This book is full of laughter, self discovery and a good solid love story that everyone should go read.
4.5popped!
3.75 stars–CHASER is the third instalment in Kylie Scott’s contemporary, adult DIVE BAR romance series-a spin off from the author’s STAGE DIVE rock series. This is bar owner Eric Collins, and Jean Antal’s story line. CHASER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary but I recommend reading the series in order for cohesion and back-stories.
Told from first person point of view (Eric Collins) CHASER follows the building relationship between thirty year old bar owner Eric Collins, and new comer Jean Antal-a twenty two year old, pregnant and single young woman who has moved from her home town in Jacksonville, Florida to start a new life in Coeur d’Alene, on the invitation of her friend Nell Hewson. Moving into the vacant apartment above the Dive Bar found our heroine face to face with one of the owners, Eric Collins, the man with whom Jean will fall in love. What ensues is the slow building relationship between Eric and Jean, and the potential fall-out as Jean considers moving back to Jacksonville Florida; and the ongoing turmoil between Eric and his business partner Nell Hewson, a woman whose tirades against our story line hero are nothing less than venomous and rude.
Eric’s reputation as a manwh*re finds our hero the target of Nell Hewson’s countless verbal attacks; Nell’s constant berating and censure gets olds pretty fast for Eric as well as this reader but Eric and Nell’s history is rocky, at best. Eric is determined to clean up his act but the non-stop reminders of his previous reputation is disheartening as Eric struggles to move on from his past. Jean Antal just wants to start over in a new town, far away from her unsupportive parents. Befriending Eric Collins led to a familiar support system that allowed our heroine to survive the early days after her child’s birth. Falling in love was never on the agenda but the heart knows what it wants, against the advice of family and friends. With so many people warning Eric against hurting our story line heroine, it is a wonder he didn’t walk away, and start over himself.
The relationship between Jean and Eric is one immediate attraction tempered by Nell Hewson’s belligerent and constant belittling of our story line hero. With the help of the Dive Bar owners and friends but especially her friendship with Eric Collins, Jean’s life begins to flourish. The slow building romance is palpable; the $ex scenes are limited but passionate and seductive.
There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Vaughn and Lydia (Dirty #1), Alex and Joe (Twist #2), Nell and Patrick, as well as Jean’s parents Leah and Will, and Eric’s mother Audrey; Eric’s best friend and owner of the building Andre, Dive Bar staff Taka, Rosie and Boyd, as well as the cameo appearances of the members of the rock band Stage Dive including fan favorite Mal.
The world building continues to focus on the family and friends at the Dive Bar including the acrimonious relationship between Nell and Eric, a relationship damaged by grief and loss. Eric’s growth and his maturity level blossoms throughout the story, a growth noticed by everyone but Nell. The witty, back and forth banter between characters is absent, something that is definitely missing from the last few stories-I miss Mal and his unfiltered antics, playful attitude and sense of humor.
CHASER is a story of friendship, love, family and heartbreak. The premise is intoxicating and inspiring; the characters are energetic and sassy; the romance is intimate and captivating. CHASER is an encouraging and uplifting story about two people finding love against the odds.