Reviews

The Chase by Reece Barden

rjm2025's review

5.0

After reading about Alpha Blake in The Alpha’s Saviour, I just had to read his story and wow- I loved this!!!! This was a great book, enjoyed it very much! Hot, steamy, HEA!!!

crybabyspice's review

1.0

DNF 69%- I’m sorry but the random added drama “the water is poison” like good fucking bye

suzeseu's review against another edition

5.0

Alpha Blake’s story is probably my favourite so far. It totally exceeded my expectations.

For those of you who have read Reece Barden’s The Shifter’s of Grey Ridge series would have guessed who Blake’s mate would be - and I couldn’t wait to dig in!

Moon madness and pressure from the council and elders almost led Blake to give up on his search for his fated mate and take a chosen one instead.

Except he couldn’t.

He knew his fated mate was out there somewhere and he couldn’t live with the betrayal if he took another, only to find her.

And the wait was worth it! His mate turned out to be better than expected - and a lot closer to home ;)

There was a plot twist regarding Blake’s mate as well as Leah and Hayley (the OTHER two human sisters who are mated to powerful Alpha’s) which I loved. Such a unique twist that has me excited on what’s to come from The Steel Pack Alpha series.

*ARC READ*

inconspicuousbookshelf's review

adventurous lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? No
• Diverse cast of characters? N/A

3.75

readanniewhere's review

adventurous emotional medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No

4.25

wren_reads_'s review

4.0

Blake and Zoe are goals

This fated mates story is one of my favorites. Blake and Zoe are total opposites, and yet compliment each other so well!! The story is filled with all the great things: romance, spice, suspense, favorite characters from other Reece books, and of course a HEA.

mollyalli's review

5.0

Refreshing

I absolutely loved this book! It’s so well written and the characters are adorable! I highly recommend for a short shifter romance. Cannot wait for the next book!

lovetoreadeverything's review

adventurous emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

taralmassie's review

adventurous lighthearted tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Plot
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.75

lady_h_reads's review

adventurous emotional hopeful lighthearted relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

The Chase is the first book in The Steel Pack Alphas series, but the fourth full-length novel from an interconnected series of shifter romances released by Reece Barden. Following in the vein of her earlier releases, it involves a sexy and protective shifter who will do anything for his mate, a strong woman, mate bonds, and a HEA. While you could read this one as a total standalone if you have read the books in the Shifters of Grey Ridge, you will enjoy Zoe and Blake’s story more – Zoe’s sisters are main characters in that series, and there are timeline overlaps.

 

I appreciated that Zoe was written as a strong FMC who had a career and life before she met her fated mate, Blake. That her profession was a veterinarian gave me a few chuckles. I liked that Blake never sought to change her and even hesitated to secure the mating bond out of the desire to protect her from harm. Though I enjoyed Blake and Zoe’s love story, I didn’t have the same emotional connection with them as I had with previous main characters. 

 

For a fated mates, instant-attraction romance, the steam was slower building. While there was a pull to each other, Blake wanted to make sure Zoe had the choice to resist the pull, not be compelled to act by the drive. Things turn steamy and continue once they give in to their desires.

 

This book contains some interesting twists that put some additional intrigue into the overarching interconnected storyline, with the introduction to a new villain and some crazy family secrets that are unearthed. I look forward to the continued arc in the next book in the series.

  

Genre: Paranormal Romance

Tropes/Features: Wolf shifters, fated mates, mate bites, protective MMC, human FMC

Narrator: Dual 1st Person POV

Relationship Type: MF, instant-attraction, medium burn

Book Type/Ending: Standalone with HEA in interconnected series