I am going to give this one a high four stars.Marcie has been in love with Chase since childhood, but unfortunately for her, Chase is happily married to his wife, Tanya. Chase and Tanya are seeking the perfect house before their baby is born. Marcie, being a real estate agent, shows Tanya a house that Tanya falls in love with. Chase is too busy to go to the house viewing so Marcie drives Tanya over to the house, but on the way there, a car accident occurs, instantly killing off the pregnant Tanya.Two years later Chase has abandoned his business and spends his day drinking, whoring, gambling, all to forget Tanya’s death. Marcie happens to witness Chase nearly getting killed in a rodeo arena, and she, still very much in love with Chase, wants him safe, so she drives him back to his family.Chase arrives at home, and after an argument with Marcie, decides he needs to do something with his life. He starts off by checking how the family business is striving under his brother, Lucky’s management. Chase learns that the business is not doing well and he must try to pay the debt that they owe to the bank. That night, Chase is invited to dinner with Marcie who proposes that he marry her. She explains that the marriage will benefit both of them, Chase will be able to pay off the money his business owes and Marcie will get some companionship in her big house. After much thought (and another argument with Marcie), Chase agrees to the marriage proposal.The beginning of the story was rather dull, but it kicks off after the marriage. I was wary about reading the book because of the many reviews that said Marcie was a lunatic, or obsessed with Chase. After reading the book myself, I can say that Marcie was a strong and independent woman. She isn’t afraid to stand up to Chase and she not only argues with him, but she even slaps him once! I’m glad that Sandra Brown didn’t hover over the fact that Marcie had a crush on Chase. I mean yes, it was mentioned a few times, but Marcie in no way seemed crazy about him. Marcie simply wanted to help Chase, and when she figured that she didn’t want to end up as a lonely spinster, she asked him to marry her.Chase on the other hand, was much more dislikeable than Marcie. ***Spoiler*** When he found out that Marcie bought the house that Tanya wanted, he insisted that they were living in Tanya’s house, that Marcie was second place to Tanya, and that Tanya was the wife that he loved. Then he had the gall to say that sex with Marcie was to dull his memories for Tanya and that their marriage is only on paper. And to top it all off, he never apologizes for any of this. So my conclusion? Marcie is a much more bearable character than Chase. ***End of Spoiler*** I also found it extremely annoying that Chase constantly thinks about his wife throughout the story, even in the last few pages, he thought about his love for Tanya. I can understand that he will always love Tanya but this is supposed to be Marcie and Chase’s love story, it focused way too much on Chase’s feelings and deep love for Tanya. Lucky and his wife Devon have some great scenes in the story that made me wonder if I should read Texas! Lucky after all.The story would’ve been five stars if we could erase those scenes where Chase was being a bastard. There were some heart-tugging scenes that made me shed a few tears and that’s probably why I ended up giving the book a high four stars. This is a book I would recommend if you don’t mind the hero being a little too mean, overall, it’s an above average romance novel.
2.5Just like the first book in the trilogy - this was also a short, quick read. I liked the chemistry between the characters, but didn't like that some parts of this book were quite unrealistic... First of all - How does Chase buy a house on a whim and then "forgets all about it" ?!??!?!? Hahahaha!! What about the payments?! Mortgage?! Bills?! Not to mention that he is broke - how does he forget that he has a house?! But then, not only did he forget that he had a house, his brother also sold this house for him and Chase didn't know this either... Ummm... really?Then, how did no one know that Marcy's house is the same house Chase bought and Lucky sold for him (to her)? How did no one ever go to this house or at least check the address on the paperwork that they all had to sign?!!?? Neither Lucky nor Chase ever checked the address (since we are to believe they never physically went to it - which is also crazy)?!?! This was weird and required major suspension of belief... but I guess since they are all hicks who like to brawl and start fights in "saloons" in their spare time, it is maybe even possible that they can't read contracts (?!)... The phone call from the painter who claimed that "Mrs. Tyler called a few years ago regarding painting the nursery" > ummm - she never even bought this house - why would she have called a painter so early? How could she have even given him a phone number to a house she didn't own?! OR how is the number the same now that Marcy lives there (phone numbers change with owners, they don't stay with the house!) ?! And finally - "a few years later, a painter is calling asking if they still need someone to do the job?! Really?! you think they would have waited for 2 years just for you to paint their room?! Weird... This was one of those conflicts that are just thrown in there because the author did not know how to bring it up and make the couple fight! Which would be fine if it was done in a more realistic way... Like - couldn't have Chase found the buyer/seller agreement for the house, or something like that...? (Although the whole "not knowing where the house was" is completely ludicrous - you owned this property, dude!)...And what about Marcy - the creepy stalker?! I liked her as a character, she seemed like a strong, smart, independent woman... but then things were thrown in that made her seem like a bit of a bunny-boiler. Like "she has zero friends" and "she loved Chase since grade school, so much that she bought his dead wife's dream house and made it into a home for Chase" ??? Umm, does this mean that she bought the house with the plan in mind to "catch" Chase?! Totally weird... The author did not need to make Marcy that weird! Finally - (view spoiler)[ she was on birth control AND they used a condom and she still ended up pregnant?! Really?! Really?! And then in the end we get a little sex-ed tutorial where she teaches us that "these things do happen, i've heard of them happening before" - umm, yea, ok! (hide spoiler)]
Do You like book Texas! Chase (1991)?
What an emotional story. Brown had my heart in my throat throughout. Her character and scene development places you not only in this story, but in the centre of this family. Each event draws you further and further in. I appreciated how the prologue set the scene, giving you a glimpse into what had happened without dwelling on it. Brown’s eloquent descriptions meld with her fantastic storytelling to create a romance that will really make you believe.This is definitely a character driven tale. Every event is directly correlated to someone, and their reactions are what drive the story forward. His refusal to move forward combined with her refusal to give up leads them on a journey that kept me on my toes. The narrator really made this novel for me. As much as I enjoyed the story itself, it was really one of those ‘can’t put it down’ novels, the narrator’s intonation and snark made it unforgettable. As a whole this was a very enjoyable read. It can easily be read as a standalone or as part of the series. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend it to others, nor can I wait to read the next in the series.
—Jonel Boyko (Pure Jonel)
With a wife he adores and a baby on the way, life is great for Chase Tyler. Then tragedy strikes when Tanya and their unborn child are killed. A grief stricken Chase pushes his family away and abandons the family business to start riding on the rodeo circuit and drinking himself into oblivion. Real Estate Broker Marcie Johns was driving Tanya to look at a house the day of the accident. Even though she didn't cause the accident, she feels responsible. Marcie has known Chase since childhood and wants to help him get his life back in order. When she sees him get injured during a rodeo, she follows him to the hospital and eventually bullies him into going home to his family. As Chase realizes that Tyler Drilling is barely staying in business, he devotes his time to trying to save it. Marcie offers him a deal. She will give him the money to pay off the creditors if he will marry her. Taking her up on the deal just may be the best thing that ever happened to him.This is the second book in Brown's Texas series. I read it over 20 years ago and decided to revisit it on audio. Colleen Marlo does a great job as narrator of the audiobook.Chase is a tortured hero who wallows in his grief. Marcie has loved Chase from afar since childhood, and decides she is the woman who can straighten him up. I enjoyed their various battles where Marcie would verbally kick his butt and get him back on track. I thought the whole marriage of convenience storyline was a bit over the top. It made Marcie look desperate to win Chase no matter what she had to do. From that point the story was predictable with no surprises, as Chase realizes his feelings for Marcie. My rating: 3.5 Stars.
—Robin
I really enjoyed this story, yes there was a couple things that made me feel a bit weirded out. #1 Marci buying the house chase and his wife were. Of course she stated she always wanted the house herself. But still. #2 The part where she offer's him money to help out his family business. And chase said they don't allow outsiders to invest. And Marci said she just wanted to lend them money. So the only solution was that Chase and Marci Merry. I think that could have been done differently. However the rest of the book was great. You really felt how Marci and chase struggled with being married. In different ways. Chase didn't want to let go of his dead wife, which was devastating in Lucky's story. That was shocking. Then when all the drama starts to go down, and emotions are getting to high, Marci starts to get strange phone calls and it is affecting her greatly. But the worse part about it was chase didn't believe her as well as his brother, because they were sill realing from the fact that Marci bought the house chases dead wife wanted. Lots of drama ensues, chase comes to the realization that he does love Marci almost to late. I do think Marci deserved more of an apology. But I loved the ending so it all worked out.
—Robin
