Making Chase is the fourth book in the Chase Brothers series and it's inspired me to go back and read the other instalments. Lauren Dane has built a great world in Petal, Georgia filled with wonderful and relatable characters. This is definitely a series worth checking out.

Making Chase is the fourth book in the Chase Brothers series by Lauren Dane. It was originally published in 2007, but has recently been re released with some minor changes. I have read one other book in this series, and many newer books by the author and think that while each book in the series does build a better understanding of the characters, they can also each be fully enjoyed on their own.

All of Petal, Georgia, is waiting for the last Chase brother to fall. At least, that’s how it feels to firefighter Matt Chase, who’s getting a little anxious himself. His brothers have all found love, why hasn’t he? But fate, in the form of a curvaceous hairdresser, is about to change that. Salon owner Tate Murphy has come a long way from her trailer-park roots, taking care of her seven siblings along the way. Even though she’s put the past behind her, she knows someone like Matt Chase is way out of her league. But that doesn’t stop her from getting a good eyeful every chance she gets.When a car accident throws them together, Tate gets more than an eyeful, she gets the whole package. But when small-town bias and her own insecurities get in the way of their relationship, Matt will have to prove he doesn’t care where she came from, only where she goes.

Making Chase is an entertaining and touching read. I really enjoyed the combination of sweet and snarky in Tate. She is loving and giving but has a hard protective shell and quick wit thanks to everything she has gone through over the years. I loved her connection to family, and could relate to her insecurities and fears. Matt has had it a little to easy over the years, and gets frustrated and impatient easily. This does not work in his favor, and despite his good heart and love he has for his family I just never really connected with him as a character. He read like eye and mind candy to me, which was fine for me while I was reading but when I reflect back his character feels a little flat. The sex scenes were on pair with what I expect from Dane, which is pure heat. I really enjoyed the cast of secondary characters, and seeing women supporting each other and standing up for each other rather than tearing each other down (although there is some of that as part of the conflict as well). The love and family support that flows through this series really make it for me, and I wish everyone could have that kind of support through friends or family.

Making Chase is a fun read that deals with a lot of real issues. I enjoy it, and liked seeing how much one of my favorite contemporary romance authors has grown.

Lauren Dane writes some pretty interesting romantic suspenses and the Chase Brothers sure set the ball rolling. I don’t get a chance to read as often, but anytime I pick a book of hers, her stories leave me with warm feelings and the satisfaction of reading a good romance.

The last standing single Chase sibling Matt, finally succumbs to the charms of the salon owner Tate Murphy in Lauren Dane’s saga of the Chase Brothers in her latest“Making Chase”. A chance accident lands Tate into the hands of firefighter Matt, and the race against heart and mind begins. Past insecurities and fears keep Tate from accepting the attraction between them, and Matt has to be extra patient to assure Tate of his intentions. With a supportive family on both ends, brotherly and sisterly advices floating around, humor and affection giving them an extra hand, “Making Chase” is a delightful read..

Received an ARC from Carina Press via NetGalley for an honest review.

Making Chase is the fourth and final novel in the Chase Brothers series, but only the second title in the series I've read, and of the two books, Making Chase is by far my favorite, and it gets 5 stars from this reader.

Everything about this novel resonated with me. At its heart is Tate Morgan, a BBW with a heart of gold, who was unfortunately born into a poor, trailer park family, and raised by an absentee, cheating mother, and a verbally and physically abusive father. In addition to her appearance, she looked nothing like her siblings, and it was obvious to everyone that she wasn't actually her father's child, giving him even more reason to abuse her. As one of the oldest of many siblings, she protected, fed, worked for and nurtured her younger siblings, often putting herself at the forefront of their fathers' physical abuse to protect them. She was the one who worked endlessly to keep them fed, clothed and keep them in school. As soon as she was of age, Tate paid off their drunken wretch of a father so she could raise them herself, away from his drunken abuse.

Tate has worked hard over the years and has succeeded--she now owns her own beauty salon, a small house in a middle class part of town, and is still doing her best to keep her blackmailing father away from her siblings. Her salon is right across the street from the town fire department, where she can see and fantasize about the man of her dreams, firefighter, Matt Chase, a couple of times a day, as he arrives and leaves his job.

Matt is considered by many in town to be the most handsome of the Chase brothers, and he's also the last unattached brother. He's regularly seen escorting the most beautiful women in town on dates. Tate knows she hasn't a hope of ever even meeting him. As a short, well-endowed, curvy girl, one who has been bullied and harassed by her father, as well as her former classmates, her low self-esteem certainly hit home with this reader, whose physical attributes matched those of the heroine as if we were twins, and who was bullied and teased because of those attributes as well, although my family was more well-off financially, not abusive, and as an only child, I never wanted for a thing.

When Tate is nearly run over in the street by a slow moving car, Matt rushes to her rescue, and as soon as she was able to, she sent a box of her homemade cookies to him at the firehouse as a thank you. When Matt notices that the box is from the beauty salon across the street, he heads there to thank her the cookies, and as soon as he enters and sets eyes on her, what he sees is a very short, petite, curvy, blonde woman with beautiful blue eyes, a lovely smile and a charming laugh. She's unlike any woman he's ever dated, yet he finds himself charmed by her looks, her kindness, and her energy, and so their friendship/relationship gets off to a slow start, something which seldom happens in romance novels these days, and for which this reader was extremely grateful.

Although their backgrounds couldn't have been more different, these two characters manage to see past mere appearances, but Tate isn't all that forthcoming about her wrong-side-of-the-tracks upbringing, since she's ashamed of it. The people in town, especially the beautiful, single women Matt has dated, slept with and moved on from, led by one of Matt's former girlfriends, Melanie, don't think she's worth Matt's time, and so the shaming begins, with Tate being called a gold-digger, a whore, a cow and worse. Matt is a tad clueless about this, coming as he does from a happy, large, wealthy, and prominent family, growing up surrounded by the love and support of his wonderful parents and siblings, and he sees nothing at all wrong with Tate, and doesn't understand why his brothers and childhood friends are all against his dating her. Meanwhile, Tate hides her pain and her upbringing, and assumes that should Matt learn about it, he'd move on to greener pastures.

What I really loved about this novel, in addition to the hero and heroine, are the entire Chase and Morgan families, especially Polly Chase, Matt's mother, who welcomed Tate into the family with an open heart, open arms, understanding and kindness. The family interactions from the Morgan siblings were also wonderfully written, and if everyone had a family as supportive and protective as these two families are portrayed, I truly believe the world would be a better, kinder place, and depression and suicide rates would drop like a bag of rocks.

As Tate gets to see how different Matt's family is from hers, her self-doubt often gets the better of her, but the entire Chase family comes to appreciate her and consider her one of their own. In many ways, I was reminded of the movie "Pretty Woman," in which the poor, streetwalker heroine tells the billionaire hero that the bad stuff people say to and about her is easier to believe. The path ahead for this couple is a rocky one from the outset, but yes, there is an HEA ending, although I could have read and been enchanted by this novel and its characters if went on for another several hundred pages.

For those who've suffered verbal and/or physical abuse, been fat-shamed or bullied, this novel may set off some triggers, but it's so worth reading, and so well written that I cannot recommend it highly enough. Kudos to Ms. Dane for a novel that explored these issues and the effect they have on the victims of such abuse. This short, curvy girl absolutely loved it!

I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions expressed are my own.

Another fantastic book by Lauren Dane. Once you start reading this book be prepared to read it right to the end. You get so caught up with the story that you can’t stop reading till the very end. Love books just like this one.

4 Stars

Lauren Dane is one of those authors who's books I've seen advertised and shared plenty of times, but for some reason, I've never actually picked one up to read until Making Chase.

I quite enjoyed Making Chase, the story is well written and paced, and the characters are endearing.

Tate hasn't had an easy life, and although it's made her quite resilient it's left her with quite a few hang ups, and deeply vulnerable. She's hardworking, and a successful business owner, and incredibly compassionate, loving, loyal and caring when it comes to her large extended family. I think most women could relate to at least one of her hang ups, which made her all the more realistic for me.

Matt is quite lovely if a tad naïve, but hey he's a male and they don't always understand the delicacy of the female psyche. He's quite endearing with his patience and determination to win Tate's heart. I loved how protective and loving he was of Tate, and tried to reassure her when it was needed.

The love scenes in this book are quite erotic, full of passion and chemistry that is undeniable.

An emotional yet at times fun and enjoyable read, that has left me wanting to read the previous Chase brother's stories. I will definitely be keeping Lauren Dane on my radar, and adding future titles to my tbr list.

This honestly is one of the best series ever! I absolutely loved following the tales of the infamous Chase brothers. Matt is finally ready to settle down and by a stroke of fate he meets the one woman that would make him work for her love. My heart broke at all ways Tate’s life constantly requires her to be strong not only for herself but for her family. Great story!

When I got a copy of this story - the fourth in a series - I had to go back and re-read the others.

Not a bad story. Quick read. One thing I would have liked cleared up was why Melanie hated Tate so much. I made an assumption that Melanie's father was also Tate's, but it was never explained why the hatred.

Matt is the last single Chase brother and a firefighter. Tate is a hairdresser and new in small town Georgia. These two meet and are instantly attracted to each other. A smoking hot small town romance.

I received a copy of this book via Netgalley and am leaving a review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Romance
Triggers: Click HERE to see Avid Reader’s review on Goodreads for trigger warnings.

Tate and Matt. Tate is an amazing, snarky woman. She has taken on the brunt of her abusive parents' wrath and also raised amazing siblings who would die for her. She has become successful and opened her own business, as well as hosting family dinners for her siblings weekly. Family is everything to her and she is unwilling to sacrifice them for anything or anyone. Tate is also a realist. She knows that she's not model-thin or the most beautiful woman in the world. So, when Matt starts hanging out with her, she believes that she's just going to be his friend.

Matt has had everything come fairly easy to him. He has great looks and is incredibly smart. He loves what he does, and firefighting is engrained in him now. What he hasn't been lucky in, is finding someone who is interested in him for more than his family money. However, when he helps Tate, he sees something in her that he hasn't had before. She's genuine and kind, loves her family, and isn't afraid to tell him like it is.

These two have a hard road ahead of them. Landmines are all over for Matt, and Tate has to find it in herself to love herself first and allow others to help her. Can Tate and Matt find their way to each other or will their destiny be broken before they even start? This is a sweet story about finding yourself and letting family help when you need them.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆☆
This is the fourth book in the series – and they have been recently rereleased, refreshed by the author. I read them all originally and loved them, so was delighted to have the excuse to go back and immerse myself in all things family Chase again. If you have not read them before, do start at the beginning, but I have to admit, this was always my favourite. As I read it again, I knew exactly what happened, and when – which after 5 years, and many, many hundreds (even thousands) of books, I still had Polly, Edward, and the whole clan's stories firmly in my mind.

Tate is a really fabulous character, and in time, we get to see just how like Polly she is, fiercely protecting her family, at whatever cost. What she doesn't understand for a long time is how Matt fits into that dynamic. He, however, is determined to prove it and for the first time in his life, has to really make an effort. Regulars will know much about Matt, but Tate's troubles and strength are surely to be admired. I still find it difficult to believe the way that the Melanies of Petal speak publicly about her, but maybe I am just lucky enough not to move in such circles.

If you like a heartwarming, family story which will maybe make you shed a tear or too, as well as really make you laugh, this will definitely work. I love the quick wit, the wisdom, and the warmth that envelops the Chase family. Thank you for giving me an excuse to revisit them.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
This is the story of Matt, a gorgeous firefighter from a privileged family, and Tate, the curvy hairdresser from the wrong side of town that Matt falls in love with. Both Matt and Tate are likeable characters and I loved Tate’s grit.

As a romantic hero, Matt is probably a little bit too perfect for me. I didn’t quite understand the insta-love he feels for Tate – it’s an odd sort of insta-love that happens after living in the same town with her for thirty years and never engaging with her. He is first attracted to her cookies (not a euphemism) and there were moments I wondered if he fell in love with her suitability as a mate rather than her as a person. I enjoyed his dedication to Tate, but he does let Tate walk over him at times. And I hate that he is portrayed as some sort of saint for his attraction to a big girl.

Tate is an engaging character. She has taken herself from trailer park to business owner and from a young age, she has cared for all of her younger siblings. Tate is fiercely independent, and she doesn’t trust anyone except her siblings.

I found the drama surrounding Matt and Tate’s relationship exaggerated, irritating, and completely unbelievable. The small-town mob of vindictive and jealous women didn’t ring true and some of the comments about Tate’s weight and status felt more like sensational plot devices than anything that might happen in real life. It is nice to see a curvier character in romance fiction but I’m not sure I like the way Tate’s weight is used to create conflict.

The nastiness from the town is over the top but the Chase family love-in is equally over the top. I don’t have much time for perfect family values families and the Chase family is nauseatingly perfect. I get that this is the end of a series and the writer is trying to show how each of the brothers is happy and settled, but this was a little bit much. Tate’s family is better. Her parents are dysfunctional and while the siblings are devoted to each other, there are problems and miscommunications.

Note: This is a republished novel that has been refreshed by the author, but retains the earlier writing style to maintain the flavor.

I’m a sucker for a small-town romance because the focus is usually on the connections between folks. I chose this to read as a candy bar book: a sweet, easy read that would make me smile. I couldn’t have been more wrong–or more right–about that.

Making Chase brings Matt, the product of a loving and well-respected family, together with Tate, a woman from the wrong side of the tracks who has made it her mission to keep her brothers and sisters safe from an abusive father and neglectful mother.

Matt has rarely been challenged. He’s smart, handsome, and laid-back. Things come easy for him, so much so he doesn’t realize that isn’t the way for most people.

Tate has been challenged every day of her life whether it’s money troubles, physical and verbal abuse, or strategic issues with giving her siblings a shot at a decent life.

This book goes far beyond the sugarcoated image of small towns. It’s not just nasty gossip the Murphy family has to contend with, and Tate is a special target. She doesn’t look like her brothers and sisters. She’s short where they’re tall, she’s blonde to their redheads, and unlike any of her family, she’s curvaceous, something she’s been convinced makes her dumpy and while not ugly, at least no competition to the other women in Matt’s life.

The story is about Tate coming to understand her own worth when she’s used all her considerable strength of character to protect her family but never really stood up for herself. But that’s not all it is. Matt and Tate have an almost instant connection. She’s different from any of the women he’s dated, not only in shape but in how she thinks, her approach to life, and most importantly, her unwavering commitment to her family. She’s everything he’s been missing, only she can’t believe it.

The above sounds rather one-sided until you consider Matt has never been in a situation where the person he’s with defaults to distrust rather than trust, where she interprets his every action as pulling away. Sure, it’s frustrating, and he doesn’t respond well, but it’s not until he grasps the world through her eyes that he is able to meet her distrust with a stronger love than she can dismiss.

The character development on both sides was beautifully conveyed while their commitment to family, extended, immediate, and actively in both their lives resonated with me.

I wasn’t expecting the story to become so real, but I appreciate how it did, taking a deep look at the impact not just of physical abuse but the insidious aspects of mental abuse, especially in terms of body image. More than just touching on the topics, Making Chase demonstrates ways to help the healing and the struggle to overcome that background.

Making Chase has all the traditional elements of contemporary romance, lots of detailed sex and some swearing. It also has the kind of strong female characters I like to see, ones who find their strength in family and who move mountains to protect those they love. Which is far from saying Tate and the other leading women were in any way invulnerable. They were all too human in the costs of their strength and even their stumbles. Matt is much the same, coming across as bumbling at times because Tate doesn’t fall into his arms like all the others. He knows what he wants, and until he learns better, tries to trample everything in his way, including Tate.

This is a strong, worthwhile story, living up to its potential and even going beyond.

P.S. I received this ARC from the publisher through NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I loved this series from beginning to end. This last book is just as good as the others!

Matt is ready to start a family of his own so that he can find the happiness his brothers now have. The only problem is that he's been looking for love in all the wrong places. When he least expects it, he finds Tate.

Tate is perfect for him and he's perfect for her. Of course, there are the body issues that seems to be included in so many books now (it's such a frequent inclusion that it's sort of lost its impact) and other problems to overcome, but you just know that a happy ever after ending is in the works!

The Chase brother series has made me fall in love with the effortlessly flowing writing of Lauren Dane, with the extended Chase family, and the wholesome, handsome, and charming brothers who fall hard, and love even harder, once they find their soul mates.
Matt might be the last single brother, but he is no different from the others when it comes to finding the right one. He takes one look at Tate and he only has eyes for her.
I loved the energy, the connection, the chemistry between Matt and Tate. Even if the feelings are fast to develop, the relationship takes time to build up and find its rhythm. Tate and Matt are truly a perfect match for each other if the rest of the town would just realize it as well.
My heart wept for Tate and her siblings because of the way some people in town were treating them. Tate is a beautiful, independent, and tough lady, she had to be to survive the way her parents treated her and her siblings. She is a generous soul, she takes care of the people around her, always puts others first, but she is no doormat, she can stand up for herself and protect herself when needed. Her difficult upbringing, the poor circumstances she was born into, and her curvy body gave fuel to some to mock her, bully her, trying to put a wedge into the relationship she was building with Matt. The drama and trouble seem to follow them on each step, but no matter how tough things get, Matt and Tate know what their heart's desire, and especially Matt is not willing to give up on the best thing ever happen to him.
Making Chase is not only an emotional, passion-filled love story between Matt and Tate, it is the perfect ending for the series, a wrap up with the whole family, that will leave the readers smiling, satisfied with all the feels pouring out from the pages.
Sexy, smart, and entertaining romance with lots of emotional depth and social issues that will make you check your own inner compass. Definitely a series I want to be revisiting again and again.
~ Five Spoons

My Review: It's been a while since I've read any Lauren Dane, so I was excited to give this one a shot. The cover is hot, the premise is good, it's an author I like... but it just didn't work as well for me as I had hoped. I had a hard time connecting with Matt and Tate, because I wanted to just shake some sense into them both. If Tate could just let loose for a minute, and if Matt could get over feeling offended at every little comment, I think I would have had an easier time with it.

But I did like the drama.. the drama outside of Matt and Tate's hangups, I mean. The women upset about Matt dating someone that's not them, how strong Tate was, that Matt was a firefighter (yum!), and especially... how important family was to them both. This is the last of the Chase brothers to find his HEA, and despite my grumbles about Matt and Tate themselves, I want to read more about the brothers finding their happiness.

Cover Lovin': Yum!

Recommendation: Can be read as a stand alone.

Final Rating: THREE POINT FIVE out of FIVE (3.5/5)! Overall, a good read.. but it was hard to fall in love with the characters when you just want to shake them.

Although this is the 4th in a series, this one is definitely able to be read as a stand-alone novel. I really liked the dynamic that's been set up in this novel. You don't always see a girl from the wrong side of the tracks with a guy from the right side of the track's dynamic done well but I really liked how it played out in this book. The heroine is fantastic although she's got a lot of insecurity. I love how her romance with the hero helped her work through those issues. She is such a kind, hard-working character and it was nice to see her begin to find more balance so she can also take care of herself instead of just taking care of everyone else. The families in this book are fantastic! I'm not sure they were truly realistic (who is so perfect?) but they were great to read about. It was nice to see Matt work hard to make his relationship with Tate work - to help her address what needed to be addressed so she could fully open herself up to their relationship. It was a really fantastic novel. I will note that there is a lot of sex in this one - it's definitely an OPEN door romance. If explicit sex isn't for you, I'd skip this one. But, if that's ok with you, you'll find lots of sexy time in this one.

MAKING CHASE is book 4 in the Chase Brothers series. It's a previously published, newly edited book. There's recurring characters since it revolves around one family but it can be read as a standalone.

Matt Chase is the last of four brothers to find his "ONE". He's a firefighter who works right across the street from the local hair salon. That salon is owned by the Murphy girls. When Matt finds a delicious reason to finally walk in there and sees the beautiful Tate, he knows she's what he's been looking for.

Ok so obviously, this is one of those swoony, insta-love stories. Matt and Tate had a whirlwind of a romance and their relationship unfolded pretty quickly. Having said that, there was some huge obstacles for Matt and Tate to overcome. They came from different worlds...the proverbial opposite sides of the tracks. Still they fit together like mac and cheese! Their romance was sexy yet sweet, fast but sure.

Now, I mentioned this in my review of book 1 but it's worth saying again. I ADORED how the importance of family is portrayed in this series. It's a theme that snags my heart every time! In this case, both the Chase and Murphy families are huge, audacious, strong. I loved how the brothers and sisters stuck together, protected each other. Their tight relationship with each other was very resonating with me!

There's not a whole lot of over the top drama or angst in this one. It's a story that will make you smile and maybe shed a tear or two, a sweet afternoon delight! Told from multiple POVs with a very happy ever after. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book.

The town of Petal, Georgia is waiting for Matt Chase to fall including Matt. Tate Murphy has come a long way but feels that Matt is out of her league. Fate is about to step in.

There’s no getting around the fact that readers love a good love story and this is just such a book. Matt and Tate are both strong, appealing characters that readers easily fall in love with as they both have their vulnerabilities that make them insecure but human which also adds realism to the story. The romance is sweet but full of emotional turmoil while the passion is hot and heats up the pages with lots of sizzling chemistry.

The plot is set a steady pace and flows smoothly throughout this romance with lots of intriguing and sensitive events that tug at reader’s hearts and really make it easy to connect with the characters as they struggle with their issues and to overcome the town’s opinion that these two don’t belong together in anyway. The small town atmosphere adds ambiance and more intensity to the story and readers get quite a few chuckles throughout the story as the town’s matriarch does her best to help the couple along the way and other family members cause some strife but also contribute to the couple’s relationship which also adds to the convincing feel of the story. The entire series is one that readers can’t help but be charmed by and of course the Chase brothers are sexy and easily fell in love with, and Matt and Tate’s romance is probably the most heartfelt one of the series.

Making Chase is the fourth and final in Lauren Dane's Chase Brothers series. I've enjoyed every visit to Dane's Petal, Georgia. I admit I'm sad to see the end of the Chase Brothers with Matt Chase's story.

We get a sweet, hot, opposites attract romance with Matt and Tate. I loved seeing the last Chase brother find his HEA. Dane chose well in the wrap up in this series. I would love another visit back to Petal...

Tate sat at her station at the hair salon, she and her two younger sisters - Anne and Beth- owned owned Murphy’s Cut and Curl. Tate and Anne bought a run down old house at the far end of Main Street remodeled it with their family’s help into a hair salon. Tate was watching out the window and then she see Matt Chase across the street who was her visual donut. Tate was attracted to Matt who was a fireman who was a very attractive hot man. Matt was seeing Melanie but she was vacant and he wanted what his brothers had a good woman, a family f their own- happy. Natt was just waiting for the right woman. Tate had been accidently pushed into the street when some HS boys rushed to get back to school. Tate got hit and Matt came out to assist her until the ambulance got there. Tate had 4 stitches in her head. Tate did Matt’s mom's-Polly- hair at the salon. Tate wished she and her siblings had a mom like Polly instead of Tina the mother they got. Polly doted on her kids Tate loved that. Many times in her life her siblings made Tate feel better. .Tate was good at three things- doing hair, cooking and dancing. Tate was so good at cooking even as adults her siblings could be found at her table. Any given day of the week. Tate had a full life with her family and business but she wanted a man to come home to and her own children. Would a man ever want the whole package - she was a big girl, she also had seven siblings and they were all involved and two sister -in-laws and their children and they were all involved with each others lives. Tate didn’t have many friends she wasn’t related to. Tate made some cookies and sent them over to Matt for his help when she had been hit by the car. Matt loved them and he could count on his hand the number of times he had been helped for what he did it was nice to be acknowledged and thanked. Matt saw the address on the package and saw it was the hair salon across the road. He decided to go over when he was done with work to thank Tate.in person. Matt liked tate really liked her. They had lunch while sitting on a bench several times a week together. Liv told Matt if he really wanted something with Tate he would really have to work so she really have to work so she would let him in. Tate had been hurt a lot because where she was from and people will say she ais after Matt’s money and name and Liv wanted to warn him. Tate wasn’t the usual type of girl Matt went out with- cheerleader, rich and gorgeous. But Tate had her own neaty and she was a wonderful, kind, and caring person. To Matt she was beautiful in every way.
I really loved this story. It was a fast easy read that pulled at your emotions romance.that lacked nothing as far as I am concerned. At times I chuckled while reading this and others I really choked up. I felt like I was there with Tate and Matt and everyone. I loved the pace and the plot. I read this book in one setting as I couldn’t put it down. The author did a great job on the mental and physical abuse shown in this book. I loved how close Tate was to her family and they to her and despite their upbringing and being poor and their parents how well Tate and her siblings all turned out. I could not find anything to criticize in this book and I was so happy about that. I loved Tate and Matt together and how they interacted with each other. I loved the character and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend it.

I think Matt might be my favorite brother … but don’t tell the others :) He’s patient, caring, and smart enough to realize what a great thing he could have with Tate. I love how he takes his time wooing her, in a way that she doesn’t even realize what is happening until she’s too far gone over him.

Tate may have a few insecurities thanks to the way she grew up but I love her grit and spunk. She’s a little prickly but it is totally understandable, Not too much for the Chase charm to overcome, of course. And the closeness of the Murphy family is awesome to behold, enough to rival the Chases, and I do think Dane handled their issues really well. It was realistic and gave a believable drama moment between Matt and Tate that worked well with the relationship they’d created.

I do wish a little more time had been spent resolving the issues with how Tate is viewed by people in the town. There are “mean girls” who make trouble for her and for the most part they handle them really well. I just needed one more scene, I think. I felt like it wasn’t quite wrapped up as much as it could have been, especially with how well the family portion was done.

Realistic characters with real world troubles and believable reactions, Dane does a fabulous job giving her readers an awesomely emotional finale to her Chase Brothers series.