Chaser: Dive Bar Series, Book 3

4.5 “Eric 2.0” “happy place” “Sweetheart” KissesWelp…the amazingness that is Kylie Scott just hijacked my brain for the day and I am so in love with everything I just read. I seriously didn’t even realize until after I finished Chaser that its been just over a year since I read Twist …and gah, it was absolutely worth the wait. I was so excited to get back into the Dive Bar world…I have loved both Dirty and Twist…and with everything that happened in Twist with Eric, I was intrigued to see what Kylie was going to do with him. That being said…technically, each book can be read as a standalone – everything that happens is completely explained, so it never gets confusing, but speaking as a series whore and a ginormous lover of Kylie’s books, I totally recommend reading them in order because holy banana’s, they’re some of my favorite books.Eric Collins…oh my sex-on-a-stick bartender, what to do with this man? Eric is…honestly, a hot mess. He has been from the beginning…it got pretty messy in Twist, and that was a little painful, but I felt like Chaser was his chance at redemption and that excited me. At first…I didn’t know if I was going to like him – he is still Eric after all and miracles don’t happen overnight…there is a lot of work to be done…but it was worth the effort and the hesitation over wondering if I was going to like him evaporated pretty quickly. In fact, I went from liking him to loving him quicker then I could snap my fingers (or at least it felt like that to me) – not that I’m complaining. I should have known falling for Eric was only a matter of time…he’s a manwhore – and I have a bad weakness for manwhores, so it was clearly inevitable. But I was not only happy to experience Eric’s transformation, I was proud…he did have the desire to change, he didn’t want to continue the same cycle and watching him put forth the effort to better himself and work for the girl he wanted was as rewarding as it was refreshing. Plus a girl like Jean is worth it…“We would have had fun together.”“You think so?”“I know so.”“You’re that good, huh?”Eyelids closed, I smiled some more. “Our chemistry is that good.”“Hmm.”“You know when you meet someone and there’s just that feeling?”She didn’t respond.“It’s like it’s fate. There’s just that zap in the air and you know it’s got to happen eventually. And when it does, it’s going to be spectacular.” I opened one eye, beyond pleased to see her trying to hide a smile. “Right, Jean?”Jean Antal…my brave, sweet girl – it takes a special kind of woman to pack up their life, move to thousands of miles away from home, by herself, and very pregnant. Shoot…I can’t imagine doing that on my own, let alone when you’re about to be a single mother….Jean has some huge lady balls and I give her mad props. With both of the previous Dive Bar books, they’re told from the female POV, this is the first book where we are solely in the males head – which I’m not knocking Eric, but I loved Jean so much…I really wanna get in that girls brain! Especially with everything that happens to her…not only with Eric, but her friendship with Nell, her relationship with her parents, her adjustment to being a single mom in a new town…I can think of about a million things that I wanna know about her. I think she is fascinating, strong, genuine, sweet and one of a kind – it’s easy to see how she caught the attention of the ultimate manwhore.‘Jean and Ada were the best things to happen to me in a long time. Being with them made me feel good, gave me a purpose. They made me want to be better, to do better. No messing around, no sex or anything to make things confused. I was going to be someone they could both rely upon if it killed me.Decision made.’Eric and Jean are my slow burn dream come true and I couldn’t get enough. I loved that they developed a friendship first…they were best friends, they really got to know each other, trust each other, depend on each other…it created such a deep and pure bond that I loved to bits even before they got the slightest bit romantic. He loved being there for her…I think it was because he’d never had anyone in his life that really relied on him and Jean put her faith in Eric. There was also Ada – watching Eric bond and fall in love with Jean’s daughter was almost as amazing as watching him fall in love with Jean…it was really close because the connection he has with Ada is beyond adorable. What Eric and Jean have is so incredibly special and unique and I adored every single moment of their love story.‘“Need a hug?”“Yes, please.”Next thing I knew, her face was pressed against my chest and her arms were around my waist. I wrapped her up tight, giving as good as I got. Not thinking about the way her curves fit against me, because wrong. Friends didn’t do that. I rested my cheek against the top of her head, nudging her messy bun out of the way. Affection with your clothes on could actually be worthwhile. Incredible.’Kylie Scott is a special addiction of mine…I can say with full assurance that I will never get tired of reading her books. There is something about her style of writing that speaks to me on a level like no other author can. I adore her writing…it’s so much more than love, the way that her words speak to me, the way she incorporate humor and sarcasm, how easily and quickly her characters worm their way into my heart…it’s something I’ll never get tired of. It’s happened frequently enough for me to know it’s more than a pattern…it’s just a fact – the grass is green, the sky is blue and Kylie Scott’s book are f^@%!$& amazing and I love her words. It’s this perfect balance that I love experiencing from her…angst that makes my heart race, all the emotions I could ever want, characters that are beyond perfection, dry humor that makes me giggle, delivered effortlessly with exceptional writing that takes me on an unforgettable journey.‘World? Gone. Body? Gone too.It was like there was just me and Jean. Our essences floating around the cosmos or something. Don’t get me wrong, never in my life had I been the least bit f^@%!$& spiritual. But sex with Jean seemed to take me to a whole other level. Heaven. Nirvana. Call it what you like.’I was a teeny tiny bit afraid of what might happen at the end…I dunno why, because I should always trust in the genius that is Kylie Scott…but still, my tender heart was worried. I was so invested in Jean and Eric and after everything I wanted to protect the fragile amazing connection they had. My worry and fear was unnecessary because in usual Kylie fashion she pulled off a smooth, perfectly executed ending that fit so well with Eric and Jean. There were plenty of opportunities for drama for the sake of drama and I’m beyond thankful that’s not the direction it went in. I never saw the way she executed the ending coming but it was beyond-words-perfect….loved it to death. And OMFG that epilogue! Perfection…cherry on top of a perfect Dive Bar sundae that left me with a huge smile I couldn’t even try to wipe off my face. I'm aware that I've said the word perfect about eleventy million times but I don't feel like any other word can do the book justice. A part of me is sad that the Dive Bar Series is over…just like the Stage Dive Series, these characters have embedded themselves into my heart and I don’t want to say goodbye. Which…speaking of the Stage Dive Series – I LOVED the cameo by all of the guys from the band! I hate to play favorites but Mal was spectacular as always :-) Chaser was a fantastic way to end the series and I could never be upset about that. Lydia and Vaughn, Alex and Joe and Eric and Jean are forever imprinted on my heart...my heart is full from all the Dive Bar love. #DiveBarAddict

In the last two books you meet Erik who is thoughtless somewhat selfish and a little bit of a bird brain. In this book he comes into his zone and somehow he turns into the person that he’s meant to be. Loved the book

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 bumbling idiot 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!

Chaser is the third and final installation in Kylie Scott's Dive Bar series. The book follows the story of bad-boy Eric Collins as he navigates his way though bartending and bed hopping. Unlike the authors previous works, Chaser is told from the male's perspective giving the story a fresh view. When the gorgeous Jean genie moves to town Eric is smitten, he knows what he wants and she's sitting in his bar. From the off set their relation ship is anything but simple but throughout the story Eric and Jean, with the help of baby Ada, battle the ups and downs of having lots of strings attached.I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of romance and of course to anyone who has read Kylie's previous works. I ate this book up in a matter of hours .

I love Kylie Scott books, I already have and read these, I bought this ones for my best friend

I loved this book. Eric’s inner dialogue was one of the best things I have read in a long time - so funny, sweet and naive at the same time. I loved getting to know him and Jean was lovely & perfect for him. Although little Ada and Eric stole the book for me - what a lovely family!

To be honest it you've made it this far into the world of State Dive and Dive Bar there is no need to tell you just how fabulous these books are. If you haven't and your just perusing this book on the off chance, start at the beginning of the Stage Dive series and work your way through. You'll thank me.

Eric seemed shallow in the previous story so I was initially disappointed that he was the hero. Not for long though. Kylie Scott can do no wrong and I enjoyed this the most of the series so far