Making Chase by Lauren Dane

After some incredibly frustrating efforts to get this damned book to load into my ebookwise, Lauren Dane very nicely sent me a copy of this book. It then loaded perfectly. I'm thinking I need to send Samhain a bitchy note. Sigh. Anywho...

This is the last book in the Chase series. Woe is me. I've thoroughly enjoyed this entire series. This last book focuses on Matt Chase, the last unwed brother. When a chance encounter with a car's bumper puts Tate on the ground and Matt in the role of rescuer (his job, BTW), she makes him some of her famous cookies as a thank you. And a great friendship is born. Tate, of course has had the hots for him for a long time, but this new friendship allows her to get to know him as a man, and she really likes what she sees. Matt also grows to care for Tate, and over the course of a few months realizes that she is the one. I loved seeing their relationship grow out of friendship, as did Maggie and Kyle's. Those are the best kind, IMO.

As with all of the Chase books, the heroines have huge issues, and Tate is no different. She hides her true issues behind an easy out - "I'm fat - how can you like what you see?" (How many of us have used that line? Raising hand.) Matt works hard to convince Tate that she is beautiful to him, both inside and out. In the course of all this, his issues come to the surface. All his life people have labeled him as the beautiful, shallow one, and whenever Tate uses that as an easy out to avoid discussing her own issues, it truly hurts him.

Once Tate's real issues do come out, Matt is appalled - not with her, but at the injustice of it all. Of all the brothers, he reminds me most of Kyle. He is warm, supportive, caring and sexy as hell in a very unabashed beta way. Very hot, just like my own beta man.

Tate is a strong lady who worked incredibly hard to overcome adversity and raise her siblings. Lauren Dane builds her character forcefully, yet not unappealingly. She has buried her issues for so long that once they start to resurrect themselves, they simply steamroll out of control. So much so that as a reader, at one point I was saying OMG, enough already! It was at that point that Dane made it enough already, and began the healing process for Tate. Smart cookie, knowing when your readers won't be able to take another minute without throwing the book against the wall.

And what a testament to those faboo Chase bros that Matt stuck it out with her through the whole thing. Holding her and cherishing her. And becoming so bewildered when stalking off for a few minutes alone to find that Tate's siblings were packing his bags to move him out, simply because he'd needed a few minutes alone (unbeknownst to Tate, lest y'all think she's a raging bitch).

I also liked seeing Tate finally get over her issues with the other Chase wives and bond with them. It was great fun seeing gorgeous Liv whine, "How come you like Cassie and Maggie more than me?!" Uh, maybe cause you're drop dead gorgeous and my boyfriend's slept with you? Duh? LOL.

I adored the ending as well. It was a wonderful wrap up to the series. I will be sorry to wave goodbye to Petal and the Chases. But thankfully, ebooks are forever.