Hi ForeverBookers,
I've just finished Chasing Red by Isabelle Ronin and it was great!
NetGalley granted me Chasing Red, so thanks to them for allowing me to read it!
Chasing Red is a New Adult novel. Although, no sex takes place, it's mentioned a lot and the main characters come close to being in that situation once, or twice. I'd therefore put an age rating of 17+ on Chasing Red.
I read Chasing Red for the black/orange cover of the Boo!kish Bingo, Life And Lit event on Facebook. It's not Halloweeny at all though. Just a contemporary with a black and orange cover, along with other colours too!
3.5 Stars!
What I really enjoyed about Chasing Red was the relationship between the two main characters didn't feel forced or instalovey at all. Both Veronica and Caleb had their issues but they stayed strong together, until the very end, where some bitter rivalries came into the story...
The story is told from both Veronica's and Caleb's perspectives, throughout. We get two chapters from two other characters as well. These help us understand those characters motives as well as the motives of our lead characters.
Spoilers below...
Veronica and Caleb meet at a club. Veronica is wearing a skintight red dress.
"Her short, tight dress covered her hourglass figure like a second skin, seducing the dozens of eyes turned in her.
And it was in make-me-sin red. Damn"
Caleb calls Veronica, Red from their first meeting. He only refers to her as "Veronica" to her face once in the novel, when they're having issues. She likes the nickname for the most part.
Veronica is destitute. She's been kicked out of her apartment because she can't afford the rent.
"I hoped he didn't think I was trying to find out how much money he had. That I was a gold digger. But why wouldn't he think that? He didn't know me from Eve"
This shows that although Veronica is attracted to Caleb, she doesn't think she's good enough for him. She's worried he'll think that she's just after his money. Caleb is a good guy though. He invites Veronica to stay in his apartment when he realises she doesn't have anywhere else to go.
"Girls were my weakness.
I knew this, but I had never broken my rules for any girl.
Until last night"
This is the first line in Caleb's perspective. We can clearly see he used to be a bit of a player and that he's used to getting what he wants when it comes to women. Although, this is true, I found Caleb to be a very caring character throughout the story. He was always more concerned with how Veronica was feeling than himself.
"I yearned to be a part of her world. I wanted to be hers"
shows just how much Caleb wants to be around Veronica. He's craving her.
There are side characters in Chasing Red, but our main characters are still Veronica and Caleb. The side characters are just there for the two protagonists to have different sorts of scenes with.
There are minimal characters in Chasing Red. This works well, I think because the author was able to concentrate on writing about a select few characters, rather than a bunch of them. We only get a villainous character forwards the end of the story and I don't want to spoil who it is, but this character is the only one that Veronica is uneasy with. It's not that realistic to only have one person you dislike, I don't think, but we all experience different things.
What did I like about Chasing Red?
I liked the small cast of characters
I liked how the main focus of the story was on the main couple.
I liked how Veronica's past was drawn upon a lot throughout the story.
I liked how our main couple had their issues in being together. This isn't just an instant love book.
I liked how we got the story from both the male perspective and the female perspective. Although the author is female, it felt as if she's drawn upon male influences to write Caleb's part.
What didn't I like about Chasing Red?
I didn't like how the villain seemed to be the only character that Veronica didn't like. I didn't think this was very true to life.
I felt Chasing Red kind of felt incomplete. Maybe it would have worked better as just one novel with book 2 included as well? I won't know that though, until I've read book 2...
All in all then I really liked Chasing Red. I can't wait to read book 2, the last in the supposed duology when it releases...Will you read Chasing Red?
Stand by for my next review, coming soon...
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