Tuesday, June 9, 2020

The Chase by Elle Kennedy


The Chase by Elle Kennedy
Release Date - August 4, 2018
Publisher Website - Elle Kennedy Inc
Publisher Social Media - Twitter
Pages -  374 pages
My Rating - 4/5
**Purchased**

Here is the Goodreads synopsis
A sexy standalone novel from New York Times and international bestselling author Elle Kennedy

Everyone says opposites attract. And they must be right, because there’s no logical reason why I’m so drawn to Colin Fitzgerald. I don’t usually go for tattoo-covered, video-gaming, hockey-playing nerd-jocks who think I’m flighty and superficial. His narrow view of me is the first strike against him. It doesn’t help that he’s buddy-buddy with my brother.

And that his best friend has a crush on me.

And that I just moved in with them.

Oh, did I not mention we’re roommates?

I suppose it doesn’t matter. Fitzy has made it clear he’s not interested in me, even though the sparks between us are liable to burn our house down. I’m not the kind of girl who chases after a man, though, and I’m not about to start. I’ve got my hands full dealing with a new school, a sleazy professor, and an uncertain future. So if my sexy brooding roomie wises up and realizes what he’s missing?

He knows where to find me.
The Chase kicks off a new series from Elle Kennedy set in Briar University. It is tied to the Off-Campus series by more than just its location. It shares characters we've met previously and offers up a similar flirty and fun tone.

We've met both Summer and Fitz before so it feels a little like you know them when diving in. I appreciated the extra attachment as it definitely made it feel like I was returning to something known rather that starting a whole new series. The setting and characters immediately pulled me in because they felt familiar.

A lot of this story is about perceptions. Summer and Fitz both have assumptions about how others see them and about themselves. These assumptions get challenged as the story progresses but it was interesting to see the usual romance plot device of miscommunication (or complete lack of communication) used the way it is here. It doesn't feel new but it still manages to feel unique to these specific circumstances. Summer's doubts about herself will resonate with everyone in different ways. I found it made her really relatable and easy to root for as she works her way through her problems.

The romance between her and Fitz is complicated and filled with doubt and second guessing. They are pretty much opposites in every way. Summer is outgoing and bubbly (think Elle Woods) and Fitz is more reserved and quiet. He wants to be invisible mostly and Summer is a ray day sunlight that blinds you. Their relationship takes a long and winding road to its destination but that is part of what made it work for me. There is no easy path for these two to come together and that seems obvious from the beginning. Neither of the characters are perfect and people are hurt as collateral damage but I found I loved them and their romance because of their messiness.

The side characters are, as usual, just as interesting as the main characters. My favourite is the hockey coach's daughter, Brenna, who becomes best friends with Summer. I already cannot wait for Brenna's eventual turn in the spotlight. The teases of who her love interest might be were delicious and I am here for all of it.

The biggest highlight for any fan of the Off-Campus series is getting to have a bit of a reunion with some of the characters we fell in love with while devouring those books. It is the perfect check in with them and only cemented the ties between the two series.

If you like college set reads that are both sexy and addictively readable I would highly recommend picking up The Chase (or the Off-Campus series). These books always deliver exactly what I expect them to and I predict romance fans will love them.

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