Chasing Christmas Eve

Fun trip back to San Francisco and the magical fountain of love. I've been looking forward to Spence's story and loved that he found someone so perfect for him. Spence has a big heart that he hides behind a loner façade. He is a brilliant inventor who gets lost in his work, which has been the death of several relationships. Having decided that love and work don't mix, he has written romance out of his life. His friends are his family, and that's enough for him until he collides with Colbie.

Colbie is the famous author of a young adult fantasy series and the glue that holds her family together. When the stress of writing a new book and wrangling her helpless family members gets too much, she runs away from home. Thanks to an unforeseen show more series of events, she ends up in San Francisco instead of a tropical island. The next thing she knows, an out-of-control dog knocks her into a fountain, and she's pulled out by the best-looking man she's ever seen.

I loved seeing the relationship develop between Colbie and Spence. The sparks flew between them from the moment Spence pulled Colbie out of the fountain. She so enchanted him that he acted entirely out of character, from rescuing her from the fountain to renting her an apartment in his building. Colbie was just as attracted to Spence but wary. She's only in town for three weeks for rest and relaxation and to get her writing mojo back. Spence suddenly finds himself willing to put his work aside to help Colbie fulfill her bucket list of things to do while in San Francisco.

Neither Colbie nor Spence is interested in a relationship. Colbie has too much on her plate, and she won't be around for long. Spence's aversion to relationships is well known. But nothing says they can't indulge in a fling while she's there and enjoy each other's company. I loved watching Spence come out of hiding and take pleasure in surprising Colbie with various activities. The serious and introverted workaholic becomes a bit more social, and his friends are stunned by the changes they see in him. Colbie has been so immersed in her writing and caring for her family that doing fun things for herself had never been possible until she met Spence. I loved the friendship that grew between them and how easily they understood each other. Neither gets bent out of shape if one gets lost in a project or a moment of inspiration.

I loved their time together and seeing them learn to balance their lives. It doesn't take too long to realize they want more togetherness. But neither is ready to risk rejection by saying anything, as each assumes that the other is still in "fling" mode. Then a misunderstanding makes things awkward between them, and Colbie plans to leave early. The scene before she leaves is heartbreakingly emotional as Colbie allows her fears to keep her from admitting what she wants. Just a few days apart, and some kick-in-the-pants conversations with those who love them make Spence and Colbie realize what they've given up.

I loved the ending and seeing Spence and Colbie let go of their fears and find joy together. The scene at the pub was fantastic, with not just an emotional reunion but a funny reminder of just how well Spence understands her. The epilogue was terrific, with a surprise from a sweetly awkward Spence.

One of the things I love about this series is the close group of friends that it is centered around. Each has their unique quirks and personalities that make them real and relatable. In this book, Elle was one of my favorites. She is very protective of Spence, which makes her suspicious of Colbie, especially considering Colbie's secretiveness about some things. Colbie eventually wins her over just by being herself, and in the end, she and Elle are friends. I liked how accepting of Colbie the whole gang was, especially when they saw what she meant to Spence. I also loved Eddie, the homeless man who hangs out in the courtyard. His advice to the residents is always spot-on. There was a revelation about Eddie and his past that I never saw coming but made his advice to Spence especially poignant. show less

Spence has a past he's overcome and a future that is only limited by...himself. Don't freak out...he's not sick...but he is a GUY and they don't always have the whole relationship thing down pat. In his case, it's endearing as his pitfalls are mainly assuming history will repeat itself, and yeah, pretty much that. It's hard to watch a guy with as much heart as he has struggle with this inner demon, but THANK GOODNESS for his circle of friends, and one Colbie Albright.

Colbie has secrets of her own, as well as a past that she's (mostly) overcome, and a future that looks like she might just want shades for, but that doesn't mean that's exactly what she needs. With her mind wheeling and her feet flying, there was no telling where she'd end show more up or for how long, but fate has a way of stepping in and taking those seemingly random ingredients of our life and turning them into something WONDERFUL.

In the end, it was a FANTASTIC addition to the series for readers to enjoy and collect in their virtual family albums. After all, Heartbreaker Bay families aren't simply about blood relations, but the family and friends we CHOOSE to surround ourselves with. Recommended for adult readers (heat factor!) of the author's current fandom as well as those who love a great Contemporary Romance that'll have you in a merry mood in no time flat.


**copy received for review show less

I just loved this story! I have found this series to be consistently good so I was really excited to get my hands on this newest installment. I was even more excited to read this one once I discovered it would be Spence's story since I have really enjoyed his character in the previous books in the series. I had pretty high expectations going into this book and it met or exceeded every one of them. I had such a good time reading this charming romance.

Spence and Colbie are the focus of this story. Spence has had a role in the previous books in this series that revolves around a group of friends and the building that they live and work in. Spence happens to own the building and is the genius of the group. He spends his time inventing and show more working out complex problems.

Colbie is a big name author and the stress of her life has prompted her to run away from everything for just a bit. Colbie meets Spence during an unfortunate encounter at a rather famous fountain. They are so much fun to see together from that very first meeting. Colbie decides to stay for a while so that she can get the break that she so desperately needs.

Spence and Colbie were just adorable together. They had great chemistry from the very beginning of the story. There were so many moments that brought a huge grin my face and I may have chuckled out loud a time or too. The banter between this pair was really well done and provided a nice balance to the hotter sections of the story.

I would highly recommend this book to fans of contemporary romance. This book is the fourth book in the Heartbreaker Bay but it could easily be read as a stand alone novel. Readers of the series will enjoy seeing all of the characters featured in earlier books in the series. I can't wait to see what happens next in Heartbreaker Bay!

I received an advance reader edition of this book from Avon Books via Edelweiss. show less

I've been slowly but surely getting in the mood for seasonal books lately, and Chasing Christmas Eve fits the description perfectly. This was my very first Jill Shalvis book, and let me tell you, I really really liked it.

I really loved the characters in this book, not just the main ones, but all of them. Colbie is such a kind woman, a talented one, but one that doesn't really know how much power she has inside of her. I oftentimes felt as if she didn't really appreciate how strong she was, and how much she really deserved happiness, and I thought that taking a little vacation, a break from her day to day life is the first thing she ever truly did for herself, aside from writing. She slowly opens up to Spence, and once she does, it was show more easy to understand why she's not aware of herself as much as she should be. I was sad for her, especially towards the end of the book, when her mom dropped a pretty big shocking truth in her lap. And throughout the book I realized that while she's not so different from Spencer, she's seen by the people in her life as weak or someone who needs to be taken advantage of, which made me super mad for her.

Spencer is the hot nerd type, which is probably one of my favorite types of heroes. He's letting his family history rule how he lives his life, and unfortunately he doesn't know how to stop doing it. That is until he meets Colbie. As I said before, he's really similar with Colbie in how focused he can get, and how willing he is to help people, but unlike her, most people around him protect him instead of take advantage of him. And the people who do use him aren't don't pretend to care for him. It was interesting to see this play out throughout the book. I liked the relationship he has with Eddie, and I love to see how the history of that relationship unfolds as the story goes on. Spence is a guy that really doesn't give himself much credit, and I liked seeing how his friends stood up for him. He's a pretty loyal friend, and I liked him.

As I said, I enjoyed reading about the other characters as well, and it wasn't until I got to the end of the book that I figured out that this book was part of a series, which made me insanely happy.

The book is fast paced, and I managed to read this book pretty fast. As I said before, the fact that it's the 4th installment in a series wasn't an issue, because I was able to read it without having any previous knowledge of the other characters and their stories. There were tons of funny moments, let me tell you! There were a few big, climactic moments in this book that made me realize that sometimes people can be truly generous with others without realizing what drives them to do that. And I thought that was a really interesting thing.

All in all, I really enjoyed reading this book, and since it is part of a series, I'll definitely check the other books out. Also, for my first Jill Shalvis book, I'm in love and kind of kicking myself for not trying out her books earlier. Definitely check this book out, whether it's for the Christmas spirit, the romance, the humor, or the life lessons you'll find in it. show less

What happens when two geeks who don't know how to be social collide? One can only imagine! Spence has been burned by a woman he was too busy to pay attention to. Colbie is burned by the family she has enabled for far too long. When Colbie falls into the famous make a wish and fall in love fountain, these two fall under the fountain's spell.

In Ms. shalvis's signature style, Spence and Colbie each have issues to overcome, and their mutual attraction grows.

This one gets off to a slow start, but in true fashion, I had a hard time putting it down. I liked that not everyone fits into the family of friends that live in the Pacific Pier building, and Evil Elle makes Colbie feel very unwelcome. That doesn't interfere with the happily ever after, show more however.

Another thumbs up. show less

Reading a Jill Shalvis book always makes me feel good, usually makes me tear up and often leaves me wishing the story wasn’t over. Chasing Christmas Eve did exactly that. The ensemble of characters in the Heartbreaker Bay series are heartfelt and complement each other forming a dependable, but not conventional family. I’ve been waiting for Spence’s story, but the heroine, Colbie, stole the spotlight. Go read it and get to know nerdy, sexy Spence and YA turn romance writer Colbie.

I have followed the Heartbreaker Bay series from the beginning. From that moment I became invested in the lives of the characters featured and was eager for each of them to get their happily ever after. When I discovered this would be Spence’s story I was eager to dive into this one. Having been fascinated by Spence from the previous books and given my experience with the previous books I had high expectations for Chasing Christmas Eve.

What the story is about.
Imagine taking an unplanned trip to a city, you never intended to visit, but because of the weather, it proved to be the safest choice. All this was done to escape the stress of your personal and professional life. In the process the one thing you never expected occurred, you show more found your soul mate and discovered long-lasting and meaningful friendships.
Well Colbie Albright could tell you all about such an experience. She ended up in San Francisco, because she was fatigued, overwhelmed with family issues and dealing with writer’s block. Meeting geeky and sexy Spencer Baldwin and falling in love was not on her agenda, but fate had different plans.

The last thing on Spencer Baldwin’s mind is being involved in a relationship not that he has had any luck in that department. Besides his latest project consumed all his waking moments. Therefore, when he came face to face with the beautiful and mysterious Colbie Albright he was taken aback by his reaction to her. Getting involved with her would not be a wise move as she is only in the city for two weeks, but the heart want what the heart wants.

Will he be able to let her go at the end of the two weeks or will he be able to convince her that what they share is not worth two weeks but a lifetime?

I remember the first time I read a book written by Jill Shalvis. Her writing sucked me in and warmed my heart. She creates relatable characters served up with a side of fun and Chasing Christmas Eve was no different.
This was a fun read, and it had everything I expected. Wonderful characters, humour, heat and friendships. The pacing was perfect and the drama low-keyed. Never once did I experience a dull moment. There was surprising and interesting development. It had to do with Eddie, the homeless guy who Spence is always looking to assist. It was a shocking but pleasant surprise.

I fell in love with Spence when I met him in the previous instalments. However, I was disappointed with his portrayal in this installment. Yes, he is brilliant, sexy, caring, and humble but I did not like how he allowed his friends to dictate his personal life. I understood the need to want to protect a friend, but he is a big man who can make his own decisions. Elle was the one I had the issue with in this area. She need to chill. I enjoyed seeing taking a break from work and having fun.

Colbie cares for her family even though they are the source of her current situation. They are everything to her. She is delightful and I enjoyed peeling away the layers of her character. I loved how she blended in with Spencer’s friends.

I loved them as a couple. Their chemistry, which was evident from their initial meeting, was off the charts. Their initialmeeting took place under unfortunate but funny circumstances. They had so much in common, which made them a perfect pair. They both feared commitment when it came to relationships. She was afraid of opening up her heart, while Spence feared he would break it, as he believed he was no good at relationships. However, where Spence was willing to take a chance, Colbie was more interested in running. Watching, as they overcome these issues and taking a chance on love was delightful and heart-warming. I enjoyed their interaction with each other, which was fun and filled with heat.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Chasing Christmas Eve is an entertaining, witty and heart-warming story that had me smiling from ear to ear. This is a great addition to the series and I am eager to see what next Jill Shalvis has in store for the gang of Heartbreaker Bay. show less