I enjoyed this one. I liked the drama between the two main characters throughout the story. I'm not usually fond of misunderstandings being the major rift between characters, but I feel like this one was handled well given the nature of how the two of them got together. The fact that the main setting of the story was the road trip made it feel fresh and interesting most of the way through. The side characters were very flat. I didn't particularly care about any of them despite their actions being a bit more important near the end. This didn't break things for me as the secondary characters didn't take up that much time in the book, to begin with.

The only issue I had was that the resolutions felt a wee bit rushed at the end. Especially for Finn.

A road trip romance that is pretty much middle of the road. It’s a competent story and quite sweet in places, but it’s kind of a mundane read. I don’t know the USA, so I may be missing out on the evocativeness of all the place names and fun associations from imagining myself in the car on the road with one of the two leads. Team Iris for me. But even given my lack of USA knowledge, there didn’t seem to be much of a spark in the romance. I do kind of like the reality check of the Hollywood career, but that also grounded the story. It’s an ok read, but there’s nothin special or grab worthy in the book.

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’m struggling a bit with how to review this. I definitely didn’t love it, but I didn’t hate it. It just falls in between I guess.

Here we have MC Finn, who drives a limo but dreams of being a stunt driver and MC Iris who is a actress. She’s in Georgia to audition for a part and when that goes awry she ends up staying at Finn’s parents cabins. The two meet and spend two days together during which Finn rescues Iris from a bear and they go out for Iris’s birthday (those are pretty much the highlights). This takes up the first third of the book.

Through a pretty lame contrivance they then end up on a road trip together. The road trip itself is just full of mind numbing passages about where they go and what they eat broken up by sex scenes, but no real dialogue between the characters (way more tell than show). That’s the next third.

The final section of the book is made up of the obligatory breakup, this time caused by a really dumb miscommunication, which then leads to some endless waffling by both characters before they decide to pull on their big girl pants and eventually manage their HEA.

Honestly, it just felt like nothing was happening for large parts of this book. I was bored more often than not. Maybe I just needed to be in a better mind frame to read this or something but it didn’t grab me. It’s not awful, but it’s not great either. 2.5 stars rounded up.

This is a road trip kind of book, with two main characters a bit stereotyped as is always the case with this author, at least in the books I've read of her. One MC being a soft butch, Finn, and the other MC being a total femme, Iris.

The road trip wasn't planned at all at the beginning of the story, Iris is an actress auditing for a role in a series, for which she must travel from LA to Atlanta, where the series must be taking place. She hasn't had much lucky in her career so far and this audition could be her turning point. Finn lives in Atlanta but her dream is to become a stunt driver for which she should travel to Hollywood and make some course but she keeps delaying this for some reason.

Iris and Finn meet by chance, although their first encounter is a bit rough but then they meet and then discover that both can share Iris return trip to LA with Finn's car. The trip itself is a bit boring, to tell the truth, too many descriptions that seems only for the reader, not for the two travelers enjoyment. And this fact makes history uneven, sometimes leaving the growing relationship between them too much in the background. Then there is the always present and inevitable drama that must be in most romances. A little forced, this one.

It has been difficult for me to finish reading it, really, I do not know if it was something personal or for the story itself. I have read some other better things from this author. Although this is not bad, it has not been a book that I really liked.

I'm so sad that this one didn't turn out well for me!!!!! Unfortunately, I couldn't get into the writing style. The sentence structure and word choice weren't engaging at all. Such a huge disappointment for me, as I was looking forward to this based on the premise and hype from friends. I just wasn't immersed at all, no matter how hard I tried.

3.5 Stars. This one is a little hard for me to rate. Parts of it I really enjoyed, others drove me nuts. Vaun’s books normally have a comfortable and familiar feel to them. I’m not sure if that is because I have read most of her books but she is one of those authors I feel like I would know her writing even without having a cover on her book. However, that was not always the case here and it startled me a bit. While yes there were parts that felt like classic Vaun, there were too many parts that didn’t feel like signature Vaun to me. And I hate to say it but those were the parts that I didn’t enjoy as much.

I’m a big fan of Hollywood and celebrity romances. This is why I grabbed this book and it was one of the aspects that I enjoyed the most. Vaun did a good job of building chemistry between two mains that were two very different people. The actual romance was enjoyable and I liked the obvious sparks between the two. The sex scenes were nice and steamy so no complaints there either.

The main issue I had with the book was lack of communication. It really is a pet peeve of mine and these two characters took it too an extreme. One of the mains made a comment that the other main didn’t do small talk and only talked about big important things. I wanted to laugh because not only did the characters not make small talk, they didn’t talk at all! There is barely any dialogue in this book between the two mains which is crazy considering part of this book is about a road trip. A road trip nobody talked on. There was no doubt these two women set off sparks around each other. This was a relationship based on mutual attraction and hot sex, which is fine for reading about a good hook-up, it’s just harder to believe in a potential long-term HEA when two characters don’t speak to each other. And of course when the time for the angst came, shocker, it was all due to the characters not communicating. It drives me nuts when people can’t take the time to say two sentences, it was just a big shaking my head moment.

As you can tell from my mixed reactions this is not an easy one for me. I don’t know if I can flat out recommend this, but I did enjoy parts enough that I would not warn people to stay away. The characters had good chemistry and the book was very readable. I just wish there wasn’t multiple parts that drove me nuts. I think if you are new to Vaun I would recommend Love at Cooper's Creek over this book, but you might enjoy this one too.

There is something about Missouri Vaun’s writing that I just love.

It may be because we both have Southern roots and that shows up sometimes in her writing through her word choices as well as the settings of her books. It also could be because she is such a great author. Probably both reasons.

Whatever the reason, Chasing Sunset, her latest novel, gave me that feel-good feeling as soon as I began to read. The story is set in Georgia at the beginning of the story, partly in Atlanta and also in a small community just north of Atlanta in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This is the tale of Iris Fleming and Taylor Finn. Iris is an actor from L.A. She is heading to Atlanta to read for a possible role in a new television series. Her day begins badly with her plane almost crashing on landing and escalates when the series director makes a pass at her. Finn lives in Watts Mountain, a small community north of Atlanta and drives a limo for a living, at least until she leaves one of her riders stranded on the side of the road for making a drunken pass at his date in the back of the limo. Her dream job though is to become a stunt car driver in the movie industry. Iris and Finn’s first meeting is less than ideal since it comes at the end of a bad day for both, but fate seems to keep throwing them together. There is undeniable attraction between the two, but their lives are so different, and they live so far apart.

This is a lovely summer romance. It has all the elements that you want in this type of novel; beautiful characters, great chemistry, lovely settings, and best of all, a nostalgic road trip across the country. I really enjoyed the road trip. That part was especially well-written. The story itself is sweet with a little angst and a lot of steamy romance. If you enjoy a good summer romance, try this book.

I received an ARC from NetGalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

This was a fun read fit for a summer afternoon. It had humor, romance, plenty a very nice sex and of course the break up and reuniting. All very cute and sweet.

Taylor Finn ("Finn") and Iris Fleming could not be two more different people. Finn is a country girl from the outskirts of Atlanta, and Iris is an actor, in Atlanta to read for a part in a TV show. It has been Finn's lifelong dream to be a stunt driver in Hollywood and Iris would like nothing more than to become a little more famous than she is.

Through a series of misunderstandings, Finn and Iris cross paths, and later that evening, they meet again. Iris's very bad day turns into an opportunity for Finn to make it a better day for Iris.

Because of a mix-up Iris is unable to fly home to L.A., so she and Finn decide to drive back to Los Angeles together. This way, Iris will be back in L.A. and Finn can attend the stunt driver school she signed up for. The things that happen to them are what make up the best part of the book. They have adventures and grow closer.

Sometimes, your dreams don't turn out the way you thought they would.

Until they do.

Gorgeous cover! This is a great summer road trip story with a celebrity/commoner theme. Missouri Vaun is a master of the butch/femme trope and this one is no different. The chemistry between Finn and Iris is super hot, even if it's a little fast. Lots of aggravating miscommunication in the typical spot but it makes the reunion even sweeter. One thing I really liked is that Finn follows her dream and realizes maybe it's not all the dream was cracked up to be. Seems a lot like real life. A nice summer read.

3 days. This book was alright. This book is about Iris Fleming, an actress from LA who is auditioning for a part in Atlanta, Georgia. Her flight to Atlanta is terrifying, and she does not want get on another plan. Her audition does not go as planned when the director hits on her and tries to seduce her. After that, Iris just wants to go somewhere quiet and finds Hideaway Heaven. Taylor Finn's family owns the cabins, and Finn even lives in one of them. Finn dreams of being stunt driver and has to go to LA to do it. For now she is just a driver and settles. One chance moment with a bear and she spends time with Iris. They both feel connected and start to spend more time together. They eventually decide to drive to LA together, cross country, Iris to get home and Finn to start stunt driving classes.

The chemistry between the two main characters in this book was good, but I felt it evolved too fast. Iris and Finn did not spend that much time together and it evolved quickly. Finn's character seems a little two dimensional to me. The had good interactions but a lot of the book seemed to be in their head. The drama in the book seemed very dumb and just an excuse and not well thought out. Finn just bolts at hte first sight of trouble, and it seemed like a not great response based on how Finn evolved throughout the book. I did not like how it played out, without giving too much way. I would not recommend this book.

Missouri Vaun's latest novel "Chasing Sunset" is a fun and enjoyable ride off into the sunset. Colorful characters, laughs and a sweet romance blend together to make a tasty read. Two main characters: Taylor Finn, a limo driver who has dreams of becoming a stunt car driver and aspiring actress Iris Fleming who is in Georgia to read for a part. After the audition with a hands-on creep in what could have been a sexual assault, she decides to stay in a cabin that the studio did not pay for, just in case he comes looking for her. In the cabin next door is Taylor, who comes to her rescue when a black bear comes calling. Long road trip to California, the two fall in love along the way. The only critique I have is immediately after the would-be attack, why the hell didn't she warn the next actress who was walking into the room with the creep?

Thanks to Bold Strokes Books for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Chasing Sunset is a nice romantic read. Though I had higher expectations, I love road trips and enjoy the butch/fem stories I know this author likes to write about. The main characters were enjoyable and the sexual connection between them was hot. I didn't feel a strong chemistry between the characters but the they were certainly computable in bed. The story was quick but the detail of each scene was well written. It was a nice read for a rainy weekend. I would recommend it.

Meandering summer read. Yeah, that is the word for this read. Both Taylor Finn the car enthusiast and Iris Fleming the aspiring actress are both looking for something. On the surface, this is a light entertaining read. But if you look a little closer and think a little deeper, there is some self-talk worth thinking about. Two women that do not like where they are and think they know how to maneuver out of the rut but lack the push or gumption to make it happen. Indirectly, Taylor and Iris are the catalyst for each other. Taylor is comfortable and at ease but she knows she should be doing more for self and her happiness. Iris is not comfortable with where she is because she feels stuck in the rut of stereotype. Though I was a bit bored with the road trip (I thought so much more was going to happen), it was fun to see the places through their eyes.

I read a few books by Missouri Vaun and I always liked the sense of adventure present in them. This one involved a long road trip from Georgia to California. Taylor Finn journeyed there to try her luck as a stunt race car driver. Iris needed to head home to California after she auditioned for a part in a sci-fi show being filmed in Georgia. Fate brought the women together after each separately dealt with serious altercations that left their job status in question. Their life was also not progressing to a point that satisfied their dreams and goals.

I enjoyed the characters’ playful banter during the getting to know each other stage and the very descriptive scenes-and sometimes educational tidbits-during the road trip. The angst moment was well written especially when dreams weren’t being realized and the characters’ emotions got the better of them.

My only complaint was in not having Iris voice her own complaint against the director’s behavior so others would not have to suffer through the same ordeal. I couldn’t understand her indecisiveness regarding this matter given her personality.

Overall, Chasing Sunset was an entertaining read.

I wish I liked the book as much as I liked the cover!

The good:
characters were fun, likable and sexy ..
there was a lot of food involved at a certain point I got hungry and craved burgers, pizza and fried chicken :)
and lastly the sexual connection was very strong! I have to give it to the author, the scenes were very hot !
The cover! Now that in itself is something I need to mention as a “good” part of the book :)

The not so good:
I got so bored during the road trip, which was the main part of the story. I mean one would expect such a long road trip will have so much more drama, action or just anything other than driving around with nothing special happening there..
The book needed more conversations between the MCs..
It felt like they were “in lust” as opposed to “in love” which is actually ok I guess but I didn’t feel the love there that much!

Overall I would recommend this read on a very very lazy Sunday with not a lot of high expectations. Missouri is a good writer I have to admit that, so you won’t be bothered in any way. It’s just that you won’t be blown away !
“I received an ARC for an honest review.”

I loved this road trip romance with a relaxed drive between Northern Georgia to Santa Monica, California. The chemistry between Finn and Iris carried the book along with a few life lessons about the importance of communication in a relationship.

I received an ARC from Bold Strokes Books and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Iris Fleming is a Hollywood actress most famous for a Super Bowl Doritos’ commercial. She is flying to Atlanta to read for a part in a series that could finally give her the break she needs when the director makes a pass at her and all is thrown into disarray. She flees the city and ends up renting a cabin next to area native Taylor Finn. Finn’s parents own the cabins and she has been living there for a year saving money to pursue a stunt driving class in California. The two women hit it off and circumstances align so they agree to drive west together. The main’s relationship continues to flourish but as the end of the trip is in sigh, so are their individual insecurities and failures, pulling them apart.

This is a butch/femme romance that mostly takes place over 2 weeks or so. The chemistry between the mains is there and both are likable enough. So what is wrong? The story was happy sailing until the storm hit at 81%. I’ve never been focused on the 80% mark buy boy that was right on target. The reason for it was on the silly spectrum for two people that had such a strong connection. A little communication guys! Finn came out on the other side looking immature. Also, for someone who had such a strong desire to become a stunt driver, she seemed misinformed about it, making her question her dream. The trip itself bored me some but I suspect people familiar with the area will enjoy reading about it.

I’ve read ‘Love at Cooper’s Creek’ by this author and really enjoyed it. Perhaps I had too high expectations for this one. The writing was solid as expected by such a good author and I would not hesitate to read another one of her books.

The cover of this book is fantastic and what, along with the author, made me grab the book. Wonderful job by Tammy Seidick, I’m fast becoming a fan of hers.

Overall an okay romance book with good chemistry between the mains. 3.5 stars

ARC generously provided to me by BSB via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Hmm I could not get into the book as much as I thought or would have liked. I don't know I did not feel the chemistry between them. I actually thought Fine was a very boring character for me and so not fit to be with Iris. The drama around the end could have been interesting but i feel like the author wanted to have light drama throughout the book. it's well written book but not my cup of tea. However i can say that i enjoyed the read to some extant. and i finished the book regardless.

Thank you for the opportunity

I’m very happy to say that I liked this book quite a bit. Missouri Vaun is Paige Braddock’s pen name and I’ve had the privilege to interview Ms Braddock a few years ago. She’s one of the kindest people I’ve interviewed in my 20 years or so as a journalist. I’ve always loved her Jane’s World comics and I was excited to see her try her hand at novels. But the first ones I read didn’t work for me, so I abstained from reading more for a while.

Yet when I saw this one, I thought it might be time to try again, and I’m glad I did.

The story is 4, the characters are at least 4, the writing is more of a 3 or a 3.5. It’s a bit abrupt at times, making the reader want a couple more words.

Iris is a struggling actress living in Santa Monica, California but trying out for a part in Atlanta, Georgia and everything that day is going wrong. Finn is a limo driver hoping to one day become a stunt driver. When they first meet, Iris throws a glass of water all over Finn. As luck would have it, they meet again when a black bear scares Iris and Finn invites her to spend the night at her cabin. They spend the next day – which happens to be Iris’ birthday – together, have a lovely time then decide to drive to California together.

Both women are at a time in their lives when they feel like they need a break to finally make it. They’re both vulnerable and sensitive, which makes both for sweet romance and miscommunication. At some times I felt like shaking one, then the other, to make them open up to each other. But I loved the chemistry between them.

All in all, it was an enjoyable read, and the whole road trip idea was excellent.