Welcome to our stop on the CHASING NIKKI Series
Blog Tour. I'm excited for you to discover the beauty of a series loosely based
on true life events, and the thrill of art imitating life, in Chase's
case. Lacey and Chase are both smart, intriguing, talented- and
fascinating people. I just know you'll enjoy reading Lacey's very touching and
powerful story. And it doesn't hurt that Chase is not only a very
cute and swoonworthy cover boy, but also a fun, complicated, and lovable
character.
Take a peek at the excerpts. Grab the books. Get hooked- and
start chasing Chase. Oh yes, you can totally stalk Chase Walker
(Walden). And why wouldn't you? He's got a big, playful personality and a heart
of gold to match. We can swoon and daydream- and giggle together while we wait
for third book, CHASED DREAMS. Which Lacey is coauthoring with none
other than Chase himself. Super cool, right?! So join me and Chase's
legion of fans. Read CHASING NIKKI and FINDING CHASEtoday!
Thank you to the wonderful gals at Girls Heart Books Tours
and Lacey Weatherford for providing both books for review.
Happy reading! ~Shell
Chase Walker used to be a good kid—charming, athletic, and
with a bright future ahead, but that was before travesty struck his life,
sinking him into deep despair. Caught up in a world of drugs and alcohol, he
doesn’t notice time slipping away until he’s arrested for underage drinking one
night.
Fed up with watching her son destroy his life, Chase’s mom
relocates him to live in a small ranching community with his ex-military
grandfather. Chase is far from happy about the situation until he meets, Nikki,
the cute cheerleader who won’t give football players like him the time of day.
Chase enjoys a good challenge though and sets out to claim
Nikki for his own. He soon discovers she’s more than a pretty face—she’s a balm
to his troubled spirit also. But when tragedy strikes Nikki’s life too,
suddenly Chase finds himself put to the ultimate test. Can he trust Nikki, and
all that she’s taught him? Will it be enough?
Life hasn’t been easy for Chase Walker. He’s experienced
tragedy, and at times he’s not sure he wants to continue living. But he made a
vow to go on with his life, and he intends to keep it.
After getting a college scholarship to play football, Chase
heads off to school, hoping his time on the field will help to bury the intense
emotions that still linger in his heart. Fate doesn’t work that way though, and
he soon finds himself having to face all the things he’s carrying inside, or he
may miss the one shot he has to learn how to love again.
Chasing Nikki Excerpt
The bell rang, signaling the release of class, and I watched
Nikki hurry from her seat and through the door without looking in my direction.
I grabbed my books and hurried after, catching up to her in the hall.
She cast one glance from the corner of her eye at me and
started walking faster. “Go away,” she said.
“Go out with me.”
“No.”
“Go out with me. I like you.”
“You don’t even know me.”
“Exactly! That’s why you should go out with me. How am I
going to get to know you otherwise?”
“Not going to happen.” She stopped at her locker and began
twirling her combination.
“I’ll bring you flowers. What’s your favorite?”
No answer.
“What time should I pick you up? Is seven okay?”
“I’m not going out with you.”
“Why? What’s wrong with me? I brush my teeth, use mouthwash,
and I wear oodles of deodorant.” I placed my hand on the locker next to hers
and leaned in really close behind her. “My aftershave is really nice too. Can
you smell it?”
She paused in the middle of sliding her books onto the shelf
and turned to look at me. “It does smell good, but I’m still not going out with
you.”
“Ah ha! A compliment!
I knew it was in there somewhere.” I smiled widely. “I guess I’ll cut my losses
for today and run with my compliment. But don’t worry, Nikki,” I whispered into
her ear. “I’ll ask you again tomorrow.”
She gave an exasperated sigh, and I laughed as I walked
away.
“You’re a sucker for punishment, you know that right?” Brett
said from where he was standing against the wall watching.
“Are you saying you doubt my skills?” I asked, stopping at
my own locker to drop off my books.
“Yes,” he said bluntly.
“Ouch. I’m wounded. Guess I’ll have to prove it to you.”
“Why do you have to get her? Practically every other girl in
the school is throwing herself at you, much to the dismay of the rest of us
guys, I might add.”
“I don’t want every other girl.” I glanced down the hall
catching Nikki staring at me with a perplexed look. “I want that one.” I
flashed a wink in her direction and she quickly turned to hurry off with her
friend.
Finding Chase Excerpt
“Chase, I can take care of this. You’ve got a house full of
people here for your goodbye party tonight. You need to come inside.”
Pausing, I wiped my arm across my sweaty brow and glanced in
the direction of the house. “I don’t really feel like partying. Maybe you can
make excuses for me? I’ll grab some leftovers when I come in later.” I gave a
pleading, hopeful look as he stared, his lips pursed.
“Son, come sit with me for a spell.” He waved his hand
toward some of the bales on the ground.
Sighing, I finished stacking the one I’d been moving and
climbed down. I sat beside him, my elbows resting against my knees.
“You’ve got to be one of the best kids I know.” He clapped
me on the back. “I may have had my doubts in the beginning, but I don’t think
I’ve ever seen a guy your age work as hard as you.”
This was high praise coming from him. “Thanks,” I mumbled.
“I’m just trying to help out.”
“I have to say, I don’t like it one bit.”
His words threw me.
“What?” I glanced up, confused. I thought he appreciated my
help.
“You’ve got your whole life to work yourself to the bone,
Chase. You need to enjoy being a kid. Go be with your friends—laugh, be silly,
do some crazy things. Hang with the guys for a while, or try dating again.
There are some very pretty girls who’d love to find a handsome guy like you
paying them attention.”
I clenched my jaw, grinding my teeth together. “I can’t do
that.” I got up and grabbed another bale.
“What do you think Nikki would say about how you’re
behaving?”
Hearing her name made me feel like I’d been sucker punched
in the gut. I dropped the hay. “Don’t go there. Please, Grandpa. It still hurts
too much.” I struggled to maintain my composure.
“I had a dog once that got tangled in a loose barbed wire
fence. His name was Barley.”
Wait. We’re talking
about dogs now?
“He cut himself real good on his hind leg. I helped him get
free, but he ran off before I could put any salve on the wound and dress it
proper. He wandered around the edges of the property, limping, but whenever I’d
come after him, he’d hightail it away before I could catch him. Finally, one
day I found him laying in the field over yonder. His leg was swollen real bad,
and I could tell he had a pretty serious infection going on. I knew if I didn’t
cut him open and drain it, he was going to die, so I pulled out my pocketknife
and sliced into it. Ole Barley, he howled like the dickens and even nipped at
me pretty sharply. Green smelly puss shot from that thing, though, and I knew
he had to feel a lot better getting rid of the pressure. I carried him to the
house and cleaned the wound as best I could. It was touch and go for a while,
but finally his leg started healing, and he made a full recovery. Barley and I
were pretty close after that. He was a good dog.”
I folded my arms. “Is there a point to this story?”
He stood and walked in front of me. “The point is, sometimes
you’ve got to lance your wounds, and let all the infection and poison pour out
of your soul so it doesn’t eat you alive from the inside out. Sometimes we fail
to see there are people around us who love us, and they are waiting to help,
but we don’t let them. Instead, we choose to let things fester, going off on
our own—licking wounds as we try to heal ourselves.” He put his hands on my
shoulders. “Don’t let this happen to you, Chase.”
It was while she was attending the small country school in
Clay Springs, that she read her first "big" book at the age of eight.
It was a Nancy Drew novel and Lacey was instantly hooked. She read every book
that she could find in the series and decided that she wanted to write stories
too.
Lacey spent a lot of time at the library from that time
forward, even volunteering in her later teen years and early twenties. She would
don a crazy clown outfit for the Friends of the Library fundraisers in an
effort to help get the new town library built.
Lacey and her family still live in the White Mountains of
Arizona, where she continues to write young adult novels that have a
fantasy/fairytale or paranormal bent to them, as well as being sure to include
a great romantic storyline!
Chasing Nikki
Finding Chase
CHASING NIKKI:
I'm just gonna say it right now. I LOVE CHASE WALKER. He is the boy I
would have fallen for, rooted for, mourned for, and consoled... from afar. Oh
yes, I would have stalked him relentlessly. I feel obsessed with him NOW. And
this is only from book one. Holy hell. I'm a hopeless case. And a complete crumpled
on the ground mess.
Chase is far from perfect, but he's real. And I love
him for that. He doesn't deny his faults or shortcomings. He accepts his
mistakes and does the best he can to survive circumstances that would drive any
normal teen to do the things he does. He's in pain. The life he's enjoyed and
loved is forever changed. And he just can't cope. And that's where this story
begins.
From the start CHASING NIKKI tugs at your
heartstrings. Seriously, if you're a crier like me, get a truck load of tissues.
I exaggerate NOT. It's all about the feels. The. Feels. Oh, my GAWD.
I immediately connected with Chase. Felt his pain.
Loved his snarky sense of humor and biting sarcasm. Understood his anger. Lived
his need to dull everything, and his attempts to forget. It's a lonely place
and I was happy to see his family was there when he needed them most.
Chase fought his mother every step of the way when she
felt she'd run out of options to help her broken son get back on track. At
times you felt as if she wasn't really there for Chase, but she was
hurting along with him. It was hard to watch her try to deal with him when she
was suffering herself. She didn't always do the right thing, but you could
hardly blame her. She had her own pain and a life she had to try to maintain
for them both. They were both failing and she made the only choice she thought
might save them.
She takes him from the only life he's ever known. His
lifetime friends. His home. All in hopes of giving him a new start...
Can Chase get past his pain and anger? Will he let
anyone in? You wonder if he'll give himself and the possibility of being happy
again a chance. This kid needs some big breaks. But they'll only come if he
gives in to his vulnerabilities and loses that chip on his shoulder. That of
course means letting people in.
Relationships are key to Chase's success. And the last
thing he's looking for. Luckily, he gets a little help from fate... A beautiful
girl that's off limits. And someone he didn't think was in his corner, or on
his side.
I loved the relationship he repaired with his grandfather.
The wise, sarcastic, and tough old codger. And the new ones he built as he
started a new life. One he was reluctant and afraid to begin. It's a wonderful
journey to recovery. Or so it seems. I did say to get the tissues, didn't I?
I won't give away the events that turn Chase's life
around AGAIN, but I will say that this is a story that shook me to my core. We
talk about books that elicit strong feelings. That touch our souls, and stay
with us long after we've closed them. THIS is one of those books. It touched me
in such a personal and powerful way. It made me feel emotions I'd been
attempting to tuck away in an effort to move on. At this moment it still brings
tears to my eyes. But don't let that deter you. Do not despair.CHASING NIKKI is
beautifully written. It's real. And it's a story that begs to read.
FINDING CHASE:
WARNING: IF you haven't read CHASING NIKKI, I
suggest you do so before reading this review. As much as I try not to spoil,
it's impossible not to make mention of a few details in the first book in order
to express the emotions raging within me going into this next installment. You
have been warned. For the rest of you, here's a new tissue...
BUT, I've stuffed my nose with tissue, gathered up my guts
and my strength. And mustered all the hope I can that Chase can get
through the worst of circumstances and be the man he's meant to be. Now, I know
what you're thinking. It didn't end badly. Chase made a vow. Felt a
flicker of hope. Began to pick himself up and carry on. Surrounded by friends.
Throwing himself back into football. His future is a promising as ever. I knew
in my heart it couldn't be that easy.
You don't move on that quickly or freely from the one who saved you. The person who showed you your worth. Dared you to dream. To reach for the stars. You never forget your first love. Especially when they are taken from you in such a dramatic way. There is too much raw emotion. Too much pain. Too much you can't change or contain. It's a daily battle within yourself to survive.
You don't move on that quickly or freely from the one who saved you. The person who showed you your worth. Dared you to dream. To reach for the stars. You never forget your first love. Especially when they are taken from you in such a dramatic way. There is too much raw emotion. Too much pain. Too much you can't change or contain. It's a daily battle within yourself to survive.
And so we stand literally on the edge as Chase struggles
to fight his desires to followNikki. Their memories and plans constantly
playing in his head. And her haunting voice all too real. Going to school and
having to move from the family that has become everything to him, doesn't make
missing her any easier. The only thing really saving him now? That vow.
Chase packs up and heads to ASU with his best friends
in hopes of throwing himself back into football. It's a whole new world with
new challenges, rivals, and new possibilities.
FINDING CHASE doesn't have quite the dramatic
twists that CHASING NIKKI did, but it certainly has enough
excitement and conflict to keep you engaged and wondering what will happen
next. Of course Chase manages to pull your heartstrings. Dealing with
reckless desires, endless guilt,and someone hell bent on making his life more
miserable than it already is, he had me fighting tears, anger at unfair and
outrageous circumstances, and fearing he might not be able to keep his head
above water.
Despite all the turmoil and obvious inner struggles, Chase might
just find what he's really looking for. Of course not before we're toyed with
and once again put through the wringer. I had moments where I held my breath.
Gritted my teeth. Seethed with rage and disgust. Shook my
head from disbelief with tears in my eyes and yelling, "how much more can
one kid take?" And then moments of absolute joy. Oh yes, this one sent me
on another hellishly good emotional rollercoaster with a most perfect ending.
So what is FINDING CHASE all about? Embracing
family and friends. Cherishing memories. CHASING dreams. Second
chances. And never, ever giving up.
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