A review by lady_h_reads
The Chase by Reece Barden

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