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Hot Pursuit
Sarah Burrowes is left with a shattered heart and a huge mortgage after the love of her life abrubtly runs out on her.
An aspiring journalist, Sarah spends her days slaving away at a gossip magazine - far from her dream job.
Heartbroken and fed up, Sarah decides to take her career by the reins and lands herself the assignment of a lifetime in Europe. But there's a catch - her boss pairs her with gorgeous but egocentric photographer, Nick, who just happens to be her ex's best friend.
But when Sarah's assignment takes a darker turn, she discovers there's more to this story than meets the eye. Is she ready to risk everything to get the scoop?
An aspiring journalist, Sarah spends her days slaving away at a gossip magazine - far from her dream job.
Heartbroken and fed up, Sarah decides to take her career by the reins and lands herself the assignment of a lifetime in Europe. But there's a catch - her boss pairs her with gorgeous but egocentric photographer, Nick, who just happens to be her ex's best friend.
But when Sarah's assignment takes a darker turn, she discovers there's more to this story than meets the eye. Is she ready to risk everything to get the scoop?
311 pages, Paperback
First published May 1, 2018
6 people are currently reading
254 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Freeborn
5 books27 followersRebecca Freeborn lives in the Adelaide Hills with three kids, a horse, more books than she can fit in her bookcase and an ever-diminishing wine collection.
She works as a communications and content editor for the South Australian Government where she screams into the void against passive voice and unnecessary capitalisation.
She writes before the sun comes up and thrives on unrealistic deadlines.
She works as a communications and content editor for the South Australian Government where she screams into the void against passive voice and unnecessary capitalisation.
She writes before the sun comes up and thrives on unrealistic deadlines.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 180 reviews
March 10, 2018
Hot Pursuit was a real delight to read; full of humour and adventure, with a spirited protagonist that’s certainly bitten off more than she can chew.
Sarah Burrows is journalist who writes beauty articles for a women’s magazine. When her partner left without a word, leaving her with a huge mortgage she can’t afford, she acts in desperation. With a lot bluffing and pleading, Sarah convinces her boss to send her off on an investigative assignment. Unprepared and inexperienced, Sarah is whisked off to Europe, chasing a musician on the run, who’s accused of murder. And to accompany her is Nick, the photographer, who also happens to be her ex lover!
Hot Pursuit is a novel I didn’t expect to turn slightly deadly. Sarah is not an experienced investigative journalist - she’s never done this type of work before - so it’s left her feeling so overwhelmed. And being in close proximity to her ex lover whom she loathes just adds to pressure! Her determination to succeed and prove herself as a real journalist has made her a bit erratic. Barging into a situation with out thinking which produced some hair-raising moments. But surprisingly, she got results! The spark between Sarah and Nick was most certainly there but the romance was a small part of novel and the focus was never taken away from the main plot. And to visit beautiful cities like Barcelona, Rome and Amsterdam in the book was the icing on the cake.
Really enjoyable debut novel!
Thanks to Pantera Press and Netgalley for my review copy.
Sarah Burrows is journalist who writes beauty articles for a women’s magazine. When her partner left without a word, leaving her with a huge mortgage she can’t afford, she acts in desperation. With a lot bluffing and pleading, Sarah convinces her boss to send her off on an investigative assignment. Unprepared and inexperienced, Sarah is whisked off to Europe, chasing a musician on the run, who’s accused of murder. And to accompany her is Nick, the photographer, who also happens to be her ex lover!
Hot Pursuit is a novel I didn’t expect to turn slightly deadly. Sarah is not an experienced investigative journalist - she’s never done this type of work before - so it’s left her feeling so overwhelmed. And being in close proximity to her ex lover whom she loathes just adds to pressure! Her determination to succeed and prove herself as a real journalist has made her a bit erratic. Barging into a situation with out thinking which produced some hair-raising moments. But surprisingly, she got results! The spark between Sarah and Nick was most certainly there but the romance was a small part of novel and the focus was never taken away from the main plot. And to visit beautiful cities like Barcelona, Rome and Amsterdam in the book was the icing on the cake.
Really enjoyable debut novel!
Thanks to Pantera Press and Netgalley for my review copy.
April 2, 2018
3.5★ for this debut novel by Rebecca Freeborn.
Sarah Burrowes has had a difficult few months. Her live-in partner has walked out on her with no explanation, leaving her with a crushing mortgage to deal with on her own. She's heartbroken and financially stressed. Then a night out with the girls - to cheer her up - leads to a meeting with an attractive Scotsman, but thoughts of her ex dash any hopes she might have had of a night of no-strings fun with this handsome stranger.
When Sarah learns that her Scotsman is the rockstar Chris Ford, and that he might have a big secret to hide, she blags her way from beauty columnist to investigative journalist. And so begins the adventure of a lifetime, trailing Chris from Melbourne to Barcelona, then across Europe. The only thing is, Sarah wasn't counting on having her ex's best mate, Nick, along for the ride as photographer.
I must admit I don't read a great deal of women's fiction or romance these days, so this was a bit of a change for me. And I enjoyed it! Sarah and Nick were both likeable lead characters in their own ways, the pacing was good and the plot even went a little bit darker than I had expected for this kind of book. But what I really liked the most was my armchair trip through a tourist's Barcelona, Rome, Paris, Venice and Amsterdam. I've been to all in real-life, and Freeborn took me back there.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to read and review.
Sarah Burrowes has had a difficult few months. Her live-in partner has walked out on her with no explanation, leaving her with a crushing mortgage to deal with on her own. She's heartbroken and financially stressed. Then a night out with the girls - to cheer her up - leads to a meeting with an attractive Scotsman, but thoughts of her ex dash any hopes she might have had of a night of no-strings fun with this handsome stranger.
When Sarah learns that her Scotsman is the rockstar Chris Ford, and that he might have a big secret to hide, she blags her way from beauty columnist to investigative journalist. And so begins the adventure of a lifetime, trailing Chris from Melbourne to Barcelona, then across Europe. The only thing is, Sarah wasn't counting on having her ex's best mate, Nick, along for the ride as photographer.
I must admit I don't read a great deal of women's fiction or romance these days, so this was a bit of a change for me. And I enjoyed it! Sarah and Nick were both likeable lead characters in their own ways, the pacing was good and the plot even went a little bit darker than I had expected for this kind of book. But what I really liked the most was my armchair trip through a tourist's Barcelona, Rome, Paris, Venice and Amsterdam. I've been to all in real-life, and Freeborn took me back there.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy to read and review.
July 23, 2023
It looks like I may have enjoyed Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn more than most, and while I didn't like Sarah all that much, I loved the action and adventure this book provided. We went all over the place including Paris, Venice, and Rome and I thought the author did a great job of describing the surroundings in a way that made it feel like I was part of the story myself. I definitely thought this was going to be almost completely romance, but I got a heck of a lot more than I bargained for! The last half of the book was action-packed, but there wasn't really a dull moment either. Sarah goes deep on the hunt for a missing rockstar and ends up in the middle of much more than that. You will have to suspend disbelief for basically the entire book because there is no way she wouldn't have gotten killed had this been real.
I was disappointed that there wasn't an audiobook for this debut novel, but if I would have had the time, I could have easily finished it in a couple of days. It is apparently over 400 pages, but it really didn't feel like that to me when I was reading it. I sped through the last 30% of the book because I couldn’t wait to see how it would play out, and I ended up loving the way it ended. I think the biggest issue a reader would have with Hot Pursuit is the fact that Sarah is a complete idiot. She is holding onto a crappy ex, making extremely stupid mistakes, and doing things no one in their right mind would do, journalist or not. She did frustrate me at times, but I still really enjoyed the story, so if you are able to get through that and understand this book is in no way plausible, I think you will be able to enjoy it just as much as I did.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
I was disappointed that there wasn't an audiobook for this debut novel, but if I would have had the time, I could have easily finished it in a couple of days. It is apparently over 400 pages, but it really didn't feel like that to me when I was reading it. I sped through the last 30% of the book because I couldn’t wait to see how it would play out, and I ended up loving the way it ended. I think the biggest issue a reader would have with Hot Pursuit is the fact that Sarah is a complete idiot. She is holding onto a crappy ex, making extremely stupid mistakes, and doing things no one in their right mind would do, journalist or not. She did frustrate me at times, but I still really enjoyed the story, so if you are able to get through that and understand this book is in no way plausible, I think you will be able to enjoy it just as much as I did.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
March 16, 2018
This book was a great surprise, I was looking for something lighter and the blurb enticed me to give this book a go.
Sarah Burrows is at a low point of her life. Her boyfriend of a few years has suddenly left with no explanation, leaving her with a hefty mortgage to pay and her job at a women’s magazine is not really satisfying her journalist dreams. Her break comes when she manages to trick her boss into letting her investigate the story of a disappearing rock star. Flying to some well known European destinations sounds too good to be true but she’s swathed when she is joined by playboy photographer Nick, who just happens to be an old one night stand and a friend of her ex boyfriend. And then suddenly things start to get a bit dangerous...
I found this story really well written with some great characters (some we love to hate). There was entertaining banter between Sarah and Nick and I loved the Australian slang used. ie ‘oh bugger’ (hmm, I use this a lot) and ‘of course it’s locked, you nong’ (I haven’t heard the word ‘nong’ for so long!) There were a few more that brought a smile to my face.
Obviously you do have to suspend belief a little bit, especially as Sarah makes some silly decisions but on the whole this was a really fun read.
I’m impressed with this debut story and I noticed that the author is a local to me, so I’ll be watching for more from her.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read.
Sarah Burrows is at a low point of her life. Her boyfriend of a few years has suddenly left with no explanation, leaving her with a hefty mortgage to pay and her job at a women’s magazine is not really satisfying her journalist dreams. Her break comes when she manages to trick her boss into letting her investigate the story of a disappearing rock star. Flying to some well known European destinations sounds too good to be true but she’s swathed when she is joined by playboy photographer Nick, who just happens to be an old one night stand and a friend of her ex boyfriend. And then suddenly things start to get a bit dangerous...
I found this story really well written with some great characters (some we love to hate). There was entertaining banter between Sarah and Nick and I loved the Australian slang used. ie ‘oh bugger’ (hmm, I use this a lot) and ‘of course it’s locked, you nong’ (I haven’t heard the word ‘nong’ for so long!) There were a few more that brought a smile to my face.
Obviously you do have to suspend belief a little bit, especially as Sarah makes some silly decisions but on the whole this was a really fun read.
I’m impressed with this debut story and I noticed that the author is a local to me, so I’ll be watching for more from her.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Publisher for a copy to read.
September 13, 2018
When you look up this book on Amazon or NetGalley, there is a little subhead that says, “If you love Sophie Kinsella, Zoe Foster and Christina Lauren, you’ll love Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn!”
Now, I’m quite sure it wasn’t the author who made that statement. I’m sure it was her publisher. But just as a note to all the authors and publishers out there who use this marketing tactic: Don’t. The simple fact is that if you compare yourself to a great, industry giant like Sophie Kinsella or Christina Lauren, your book will most likely suffer in comparison. It’s like a horror author saying they’re the next Stephen King, or a singer saying they’re the next Whitney Houston. It’s just...douchey. (Note: the only exception to this rule is when someone ELSE says something nice about a book. Then, quote away, authors and publishers. But then AND ONLY THEN is it not a dick move to pull a humble brag like that.) So, as I feared, this book suffered in comparison to Sophie Kinsella, Zoe Foster and Christina Lauren. A bummer, but not surprising.
Here’s what went wrong:
The heroine, Sarah:
Sarah is a wishy-washy turd of a heroine. She’s hung up on her twatwaffle of an ex (even though he ditched her and stuck her with a mortgage she couldn’t afford) right up until the very end of the book. She’s also the worst reporter in the history of reporters and only succeeds at her job by stumbling head-first into information. It’s blind stupid luck that she gets her story, which I hate. I much prefer smart heroines who are good at their jobs. (Competence porn is my jam) She’s also dumb enough to accept a drink from known criminals. (Who does that? OF COURSE it was drugged) In short, Sarah is TSTL (too stupid to live) and I have no interest in TSTL heroines.
The hero, Nick:
Nick’s not quite as annoying as Sarah. I mean, at least he’s good at his job. But he’s also a bit of a jerk who flirts with everything in a skirt and pretty much treats Sarah like crap. (He also pulled a “hey, I’m not good with feelings and you made me feel stuff, so now I have to ignore you” thing on Sarah in their past together, which is one of my all-time least favorite tropes EVER.) I didn’t see anything in his actions or words that led me to believe he had any real romantic interest in Sarah. I mean, I don’t blame him; she’s a turd. I wouldn’t want her either. But that lack of romantic interest was a bit of a problem for me as a reader, seeing as this is a ROMANCE novel.
Other randomness:
This book also features Sarah’s turd of an ex, who, frankly, I think is perfect for Sarah. They’re turds of a feather as far as I’m concerned. (Off topic: Do romance heroines ever break up with decent guys? I’d like to see that happen once or twice.)
And on another note, this book was the first I’ve ever read to feature a Scottish rock star (not the hero, a side character) who was a complete and total dud. He was weak, cowardly, not a great kisser, and generally a total bore. How the hell can a Scottish rock star in a romance novel be so repellant? That should be, like, illegal or something.
The mystery and action in the story was also fairly lame. And a random sex scene was thrown in at the end of the book for the sole purpose, I think, of the publisher being able to call this book a romance and capitalize on the millions of romance readers out there. It read like it was pieced together from every 1980s romance novel that had Fabio on the cover. Very, very cliche.
So, needless to say this wasn’t a read I’d recommend to, well, anyone. Would I have been as hard on the book if it hadn’t been touted as the second coming of Sophie Kinsella and Christina Lauren? Maybe, maybe not. I guess we’ll never know...
And don't forget to follow the Romance Rehab blog for more rants, raves, and other fun romance-y stuff: http://www.romancerehab.com/
Now, I’m quite sure it wasn’t the author who made that statement. I’m sure it was her publisher. But just as a note to all the authors and publishers out there who use this marketing tactic: Don’t. The simple fact is that if you compare yourself to a great, industry giant like Sophie Kinsella or Christina Lauren, your book will most likely suffer in comparison. It’s like a horror author saying they’re the next Stephen King, or a singer saying they’re the next Whitney Houston. It’s just...douchey. (Note: the only exception to this rule is when someone ELSE says something nice about a book. Then, quote away, authors and publishers. But then AND ONLY THEN is it not a dick move to pull a humble brag like that.) So, as I feared, this book suffered in comparison to Sophie Kinsella, Zoe Foster and Christina Lauren. A bummer, but not surprising.
Here’s what went wrong:
The heroine, Sarah:
Sarah is a wishy-washy turd of a heroine. She’s hung up on her twatwaffle of an ex (even though he ditched her and stuck her with a mortgage she couldn’t afford) right up until the very end of the book. She’s also the worst reporter in the history of reporters and only succeeds at her job by stumbling head-first into information. It’s blind stupid luck that she gets her story, which I hate. I much prefer smart heroines who are good at their jobs. (Competence porn is my jam) She’s also dumb enough to accept a drink from known criminals. (Who does that? OF COURSE it was drugged) In short, Sarah is TSTL (too stupid to live) and I have no interest in TSTL heroines.
The hero, Nick:
Nick’s not quite as annoying as Sarah. I mean, at least he’s good at his job. But he’s also a bit of a jerk who flirts with everything in a skirt and pretty much treats Sarah like crap. (He also pulled a “hey, I’m not good with feelings and you made me feel stuff, so now I have to ignore you” thing on Sarah in their past together, which is one of my all-time least favorite tropes EVER.) I didn’t see anything in his actions or words that led me to believe he had any real romantic interest in Sarah. I mean, I don’t blame him; she’s a turd. I wouldn’t want her either. But that lack of romantic interest was a bit of a problem for me as a reader, seeing as this is a ROMANCE novel.
Other randomness:
This book also features Sarah’s turd of an ex, who, frankly, I think is perfect for Sarah. They’re turds of a feather as far as I’m concerned. (Off topic: Do romance heroines ever break up with decent guys? I’d like to see that happen once or twice.)
And on another note, this book was the first I’ve ever read to feature a Scottish rock star (not the hero, a side character) who was a complete and total dud. He was weak, cowardly, not a great kisser, and generally a total bore. How the hell can a Scottish rock star in a romance novel be so repellant? That should be, like, illegal or something.
The mystery and action in the story was also fairly lame. And a random sex scene was thrown in at the end of the book for the sole purpose, I think, of the publisher being able to call this book a romance and capitalize on the millions of romance readers out there. It read like it was pieced together from every 1980s romance novel that had Fabio on the cover. Very, very cliche.
So, needless to say this wasn’t a read I’d recommend to, well, anyone. Would I have been as hard on the book if it hadn’t been touted as the second coming of Sophie Kinsella and Christina Lauren? Maybe, maybe not. I guess we’ll never know...
And don't forget to follow the Romance Rehab blog for more rants, raves, and other fun romance-y stuff: http://www.romancerehab.com/
September 18, 2018
Sarah works at a women’s magazine writing a beauty column, but her passion is journailsm. She was recently dumped by James, her boyfriend of two years, after they bought a house together, leaving her drowning in a mortgage she can’t afford. She has an encounter with a guy at a bar, and finds out later that not only is he a famous musician, he’s now wanted for questioning on the murder of his band mate. Her boss wants to break the story, and Sarah lies to get to cover the story and have her big break.
She is sent to Europe to do some investigating. Unfortunately the photographer sent with her is Nick, her ex’s best friend who she had a one night stand with before she met James. Needless to say they make for awkward travel partners.
They go on an investigative mission across Europe, trying to track down the famous Chris Ford before the police catch him. There’s tension between Sarah and Nick, and there is also James, the ex, who has decided he wants Sarah back.
I had quite a few problems with this story. First, suspend your disbelief that a thirty year old journalist doesn’t have a smart phone. Sarah is clueless about travel since she’s never done it before, which just marks her as naive. But she’s also clueless about journalism, which has been her job for eight years. I know she was only writing a column for a fashion magazine, but I just wanted to shake her. If you want to be taken seriously, take your job seriously. She works for a fashion/celebrity gossip tabloid and don’t know any celebrities and hate fashion, but is frustrated when she don’t get serious assignments? When she gets a chance for a serious assignment, she acts so incompetent that I seriously think a fourteen year old would have investigated it better. At least a fourteen year old could work a smart phone and get an Uber.
Also for someone who wants to write real life hard hitting journalism, have a clue about the world around you. A drug mule had to be explained to Sarah. It was funny, in the oh bless your heart kind of way.
While Sarah is frustratingly naive, Nick calls her out on it. I was prepared to like him, because he does help her out while at the same time giving her crap over being horrible at her job. But while he was bitingly sarcastic, he was so much of a jerk to Sarah that I couldn’t root for him at all.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Burrowes.” His smile was twisted and cruel. “Been there, done that.”
On a positive note, I enjoyed the travel in this novel. It was fun to read about the different cities they ventured to. Sarah’s naivety paid off there, she was enamored with new places. Also the mystery of who was framing Chris Ford kept me reading. Adelita was a delight and could probably use her own book. The writing was very well done, it was the characters I couldn’t connect to.
After finishing this book, I realized it’s a start to a new series. I hope that Sarah gets better at her job. And I hope Nick becomes less of a dick to her. But it was too little too late by the time I reached the end.
I received this ARC through Netgalley and the opinions are my own. The quotes come from an unfinished copy.
She is sent to Europe to do some investigating. Unfortunately the photographer sent with her is Nick, her ex’s best friend who she had a one night stand with before she met James. Needless to say they make for awkward travel partners.
They go on an investigative mission across Europe, trying to track down the famous Chris Ford before the police catch him. There’s tension between Sarah and Nick, and there is also James, the ex, who has decided he wants Sarah back.
I had quite a few problems with this story. First, suspend your disbelief that a thirty year old journalist doesn’t have a smart phone. Sarah is clueless about travel since she’s never done it before, which just marks her as naive. But she’s also clueless about journalism, which has been her job for eight years. I know she was only writing a column for a fashion magazine, but I just wanted to shake her. If you want to be taken seriously, take your job seriously. She works for a fashion/celebrity gossip tabloid and don’t know any celebrities and hate fashion, but is frustrated when she don’t get serious assignments? When she gets a chance for a serious assignment, she acts so incompetent that I seriously think a fourteen year old would have investigated it better. At least a fourteen year old could work a smart phone and get an Uber.
Also for someone who wants to write real life hard hitting journalism, have a clue about the world around you. A drug mule had to be explained to Sarah. It was funny, in the oh bless your heart kind of way.
While Sarah is frustratingly naive, Nick calls her out on it. I was prepared to like him, because he does help her out while at the same time giving her crap over being horrible at her job. But while he was bitingly sarcastic, he was so much of a jerk to Sarah that I couldn’t root for him at all.
“Don’t flatter yourself, Burrowes.” His smile was twisted and cruel. “Been there, done that.”
On a positive note, I enjoyed the travel in this novel. It was fun to read about the different cities they ventured to. Sarah’s naivety paid off there, she was enamored with new places. Also the mystery of who was framing Chris Ford kept me reading. Adelita was a delight and could probably use her own book. The writing was very well done, it was the characters I couldn’t connect to.
After finishing this book, I realized it’s a start to a new series. I hope that Sarah gets better at her job. And I hope Nick becomes less of a dick to her. But it was too little too late by the time I reached the end.
I received this ARC through Netgalley and the opinions are my own. The quotes come from an unfinished copy.
April 30, 2018
ARC received from Pantera Press for an honest review
What a joy it was reading Hot Pursuit.
It is full of adventure, lots of humour, and just lots of fun.
Sarah and Nick's story could have fallen into the clich`d and predictable, however it didn't. It was smart and funny and kept me intrigued from the first word to the last.
I adore Sarah, I love how she goes for what she wants, I love her bite and snark when it comes to Nick.
The story is well paced, and turning each page, I never knew what trouble our lovelies were going to find them in next. The characters are well developed, and there is plenty of growth in themselves and their relationship as the story progresses.
Another thing I liked was that this story wasn't just all the romance, all the time. I mean, Sarah and Nick were in wonderful romantic cities in Europe, and at times couldn't even stand the sight of each other. There was so much more to this story than just a love story.
If you have a few spare hours and want to dive into some pure fun and escapism, read Hot Pursuit.
I can't wait to see what Ms Freeborn brings us in the future.
What a joy it was reading Hot Pursuit.
It is full of adventure, lots of humour, and just lots of fun.
Sarah and Nick's story could have fallen into the clich`d and predictable, however it didn't. It was smart and funny and kept me intrigued from the first word to the last.
I adore Sarah, I love how she goes for what she wants, I love her bite and snark when it comes to Nick.
The story is well paced, and turning each page, I never knew what trouble our lovelies were going to find them in next. The characters are well developed, and there is plenty of growth in themselves and their relationship as the story progresses.
Another thing I liked was that this story wasn't just all the romance, all the time. I mean, Sarah and Nick were in wonderful romantic cities in Europe, and at times couldn't even stand the sight of each other. There was so much more to this story than just a love story.
If you have a few spare hours and want to dive into some pure fun and escapism, read Hot Pursuit.
I can't wait to see what Ms Freeborn brings us in the future.
July 13, 2018
I was in the mood for some lighthearted romance so I picked this up as a 'read now' from Netgalley. Unfortunately it didn't turn out to be what I needed.
It starts with Sarah being dragged out to a bar by her friends to cheer her up after her boyfriend runs off and disappears leaving her with a mortgage that she can't afford. She meets a good looking Scotsman at the bar and they go back to his hotel but Sarah's still thinking of her ex and changes her mind about anything happening and then the guy gets a mysterious phone call and runs out on her. Monday morning comes around and Sarah goes to work as usual, only to find out that the man she met on Saturday night is a famous musician and has now gone on the run from the police. Sarah wants to follow this story but her boss, Katrina, wants to outsource it (quite rightly) to a proper journalist as it's a pretty big deal. Sarah manages to lie her way into following the story and sets off to Barcelona with the photographer, Nick, which she is not pleased about because 1. She had a one night stand with him a few years before and he treated her badly afterwards and 2. He's the best friend of her ex.
What follows is a bit of a mess, a trip through Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Amsterdam - and by trip I mean flying to each destination, getting a hotel room and passing one or two well known tourist attractions (ooh look it's the trevi fountain! must be in Rome!), some drama with the ex and a bunch of stupid, dangerous decisions and a lot of jumping to the wrong conclusion. There was no chemistry between the main characters and I honestly thought 90% of the dialogue was forced.
In the book's defense, it was a quick read and there were some humorous moments but on the whole it was a disappointing read for me. I do however think that there will be a lot of people out there who will enjoy this.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free digital copy.
It starts with Sarah being dragged out to a bar by her friends to cheer her up after her boyfriend runs off and disappears leaving her with a mortgage that she can't afford. She meets a good looking Scotsman at the bar and they go back to his hotel but Sarah's still thinking of her ex and changes her mind about anything happening and then the guy gets a mysterious phone call and runs out on her. Monday morning comes around and Sarah goes to work as usual, only to find out that the man she met on Saturday night is a famous musician and has now gone on the run from the police. Sarah wants to follow this story but her boss, Katrina, wants to outsource it (quite rightly) to a proper journalist as it's a pretty big deal. Sarah manages to lie her way into following the story and sets off to Barcelona with the photographer, Nick, which she is not pleased about because 1. She had a one night stand with him a few years before and he treated her badly afterwards and 2. He's the best friend of her ex.
What follows is a bit of a mess, a trip through Barcelona, Rome, Paris and Amsterdam - and by trip I mean flying to each destination, getting a hotel room and passing one or two well known tourist attractions (ooh look it's the trevi fountain! must be in Rome!), some drama with the ex and a bunch of stupid, dangerous decisions and a lot of jumping to the wrong conclusion. There was no chemistry between the main characters and I honestly thought 90% of the dialogue was forced.
In the book's defense, it was a quick read and there were some humorous moments but on the whole it was a disappointing read for me. I do however think that there will be a lot of people out there who will enjoy this.
Thank you to Netgalley for providing a free digital copy.
July 25, 2018
Simply but this book was just not for me. I didn’t particularly like the writing style, the characters, the chemistry, the storyline, or the rushed ness of the places. Sorry.
May 10, 2020
this was a train wreck that I couldn’t look away from
August 24, 2018
I was expecting a romance with a mystery, I got a mystery with a dash of romance and a lot of bickering/childish behaviors.
November 1, 2018
This was a bit disappointing on most levels
The storyline was predictable, no matter how many twists Freeborn tried to throw in.
The character building felt a bit flat and very cliche, so much angst thrown in, despite them not being close to being teenagers
There wasn't much mystery, it was quite easily unraveled.
But most of all, I found this a chore to read. I would have never finished it if it wasnt an ARCs.
Not for me
The storyline was predictable, no matter how many twists Freeborn tried to throw in.
The character building felt a bit flat and very cliche, so much angst thrown in, despite them not being close to being teenagers
There wasn't much mystery, it was quite easily unraveled.
But most of all, I found this a chore to read. I would have never finished it if it wasnt an ARCs.
Not for me
September 28, 2018
I received a free copy via Netgalley in exchange for a honest review.
This is a light read, which was good as otherwise I would not have finished it.
Unfortunately there are far better reads and better authors about.
Just not for me.
This is a light read, which was good as otherwise I would not have finished it.
Unfortunately there are far better reads and better authors about.
Just not for me.
October 31, 2019
Hot Pursuit was a little bit of a hot mess. It felt like it couldn't decide what it wants to be - a romance? a thriller? - and the result ended up being a bit disheveled but fortunately, still quite enjoyable. Sarah has recently gone through a break-up and her unsatisfying job in a gossip magazine is not lifting her spirits either. So she tricks her boss into landing an assignment in Europe, following a musician who seems to be involved in some shady business.
Here come the two main sources of the comedy aspect of this book - she is appallingly unqualified for the job (this was mostly more cringy than funny, though) and there is a hate-to-love romance with the photographer named Nick who accompanies her. Nick seems to be a huge douchebag who was very indiscreet around the office about having slept with Sarah that one time and he also happens to be the best friend of her ex.
Although Sarah's European adventures, during which she travels from one big city to another in pursuit of the mysterious musician, were partly entertaining, I was often frustrated with her. I don't know the extent to which the journalism practices described were realistic but I was inwardly squirming while reading about them. The same goes for the long-distance communication that was happening between Sarah and her ex. When Sarah was not harassing people to help her or thinking about getting back together with her ex, she repeatedly and unnecessarily put herself in dangerous situations like a true Gryffindor, although it was more like just pure dumb than heroic.
My main problem was with the plot, though. Too many plot points or twists felt highly unrealistic and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief that a) everything would work out this perfectly and b) all the characters would be this oblivious about what was happening.
Despite these imperfections, this book was still fun to read, I enjoyed the banter between Sarah and Nick and their hate-to-love romance, and the setting worked in favor of my enjoyment as well. I guess I could have enjoyed it even more, though, if it focused more on the romance and the European-travel aspect than on the far-fetched mystery.
Here come the two main sources of the comedy aspect of this book - she is appallingly unqualified for the job (this was mostly more cringy than funny, though) and there is a hate-to-love romance with the photographer named Nick who accompanies her. Nick seems to be a huge douchebag who was very indiscreet around the office about having slept with Sarah that one time and he also happens to be the best friend of her ex.
Although Sarah's European adventures, during which she travels from one big city to another in pursuit of the mysterious musician, were partly entertaining, I was often frustrated with her. I don't know the extent to which the journalism practices described were realistic but I was inwardly squirming while reading about them. The same goes for the long-distance communication that was happening between Sarah and her ex. When Sarah was not harassing people to help her or thinking about getting back together with her ex, she repeatedly and unnecessarily put herself in dangerous situations like a true Gryffindor, although it was more like just pure dumb than heroic.
My main problem was with the plot, though. Too many plot points or twists felt highly unrealistic and I just couldn't suspend my disbelief that a) everything would work out this perfectly and b) all the characters would be this oblivious about what was happening.
Despite these imperfections, this book was still fun to read, I enjoyed the banter between Sarah and Nick and their hate-to-love romance, and the setting worked in favor of my enjoyment as well. I guess I could have enjoyed it even more, though, if it focused more on the romance and the European-travel aspect than on the far-fetched mystery.
January 20, 2019
Ich bin mit wenigen Erwartungen an dieses Buch herangegangen, muss aber sagen das mir die Geschichte echt gut gefallen hat und ich positiv überrascht war.
Der Schreibstil war von Anfang an locker, flüssig und humorvoll. Das Buch lässt sich super und schnell lesen. Die Gefühle und die Spannung wird realistisch geschildert. Es ist von allem etwas dabei, was das ganze nur noch spannender macht. Die Geschichte wird aus der Ich-Perspektive von Sarah erzählt.
Die Charaktere mochte ich und wirkten auch sehr realitätsnah.
Sarah ist eine tolle Protagonistin, die sich im Laufe der Geschichte selbst gefunden hat. Es war toll ihre Entwicklung mitzuerleben. Manchmal war sie zwar etwas naiv, aber das hat mich nicht gestört. Sie kämpft für ihre Träume und genau das macht sie mir so sympathisch.
Nick mochte ich zum Großteil der Geschichte auch. Obwohl seine Handlungen mich manchmal fertig gemacht haben.. Dennoch war er ein cooler und lustiger Charakter. Sarah und er sind eine lustige Mischung, bei der ich mehr als einmal schmunzeln musste.
Die Handlung ist total schön und spannend zugleich. Als ich das Buch angefangen habe zu lesen, hätte ich nie gedacht das mich so eine süße, aber auch gleichzeitig packende Geschichte hier erwarten wird. Das Buch ist anders, aber auch total erfrischend zu gleich. An manchen Stellen ist es vielleicht nicht ganz realistisch, aber das hat mich nicht gestört. Wir begleiten die Protagonisten auf ein tolles und spannendes Abenteuer.
Eine tolle und erfrischende Geschichte voller Abenteuer, Spannung, Humor und Liebe.
Der Schreibstil war von Anfang an locker, flüssig und humorvoll. Das Buch lässt sich super und schnell lesen. Die Gefühle und die Spannung wird realistisch geschildert. Es ist von allem etwas dabei, was das ganze nur noch spannender macht. Die Geschichte wird aus der Ich-Perspektive von Sarah erzählt.
Die Charaktere mochte ich und wirkten auch sehr realitätsnah.
Sarah ist eine tolle Protagonistin, die sich im Laufe der Geschichte selbst gefunden hat. Es war toll ihre Entwicklung mitzuerleben. Manchmal war sie zwar etwas naiv, aber das hat mich nicht gestört. Sie kämpft für ihre Träume und genau das macht sie mir so sympathisch.
Nick mochte ich zum Großteil der Geschichte auch. Obwohl seine Handlungen mich manchmal fertig gemacht haben.. Dennoch war er ein cooler und lustiger Charakter. Sarah und er sind eine lustige Mischung, bei der ich mehr als einmal schmunzeln musste.
Die Handlung ist total schön und spannend zugleich. Als ich das Buch angefangen habe zu lesen, hätte ich nie gedacht das mich so eine süße, aber auch gleichzeitig packende Geschichte hier erwarten wird. Das Buch ist anders, aber auch total erfrischend zu gleich. An manchen Stellen ist es vielleicht nicht ganz realistisch, aber das hat mich nicht gestört. Wir begleiten die Protagonisten auf ein tolles und spannendes Abenteuer.
Eine tolle und erfrischende Geschichte voller Abenteuer, Spannung, Humor und Liebe.
November 12, 2018
This is a lighthearted romantic caper with serious elements. Sarah has just been dumped by a creep who left her with a mortgage she can't pay and she is already insecure about her job because she has ambitions to be a serious journalist but is not highly regarded at work. When she encounters a rock star who is later accused of murder, Sarah seizes the opportunity to do a story on him but is forced to work with handsome Nick, a photographer with whom she once had a one night stand. Surprisingly, each brings strengths to their partnership, and when Sarah's ex wants another chance, Sarah has to decide whether it is better to go to back to the known but unsatisfactory or see if there is any possibility of a relationship with Nick . . .
The actual pursuit of the missing rock star and the underlying criminal activity which he is involved in is not very plausible but is moderately entertaining.
The actual pursuit of the missing rock star and the underlying criminal activity which he is involved in is not very plausible but is moderately entertaining.
September 13, 2018
I enjoyed reading Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn. This was a quick read with humor, mystery, romance and an adventure! Sarah’s life has not been very good recently. Left with a mortgage she cannot afford, she is trying to survive when an opportunity of a lifetime lands at her feet. What she never expected was the photographer assigned to go with her, who happens to be her ex’s friend.
With no real experience, Sarah is trying to navigate her assignment and the man traveling with her. Suddenly she finds herself in the middle of a mystery and quite the adventure. They end up travelling through Europe trying to find the missing Rockstar. Nick and Sarah had great banter and chemistry. Though the story at times moved quickly, it was was enjoyable
Happy reading.
With no real experience, Sarah is trying to navigate her assignment and the man traveling with her. Suddenly she finds herself in the middle of a mystery and quite the adventure. They end up travelling through Europe trying to find the missing Rockstar. Nick and Sarah had great banter and chemistry. Though the story at times moved quickly, it was was enjoyable
Happy reading.
July 18, 2018
When Sarah is dumped by her boyfriend and left with the mortgage to pay and no explanation she is not very happy! Then she meets a musician Chris on a night out but he runs out on her so when she goes in to work the next day and finds out that he has gone on the run from the police she thinks that this could be her big break as a journalist and persuades her boss to let her go after him....... only trouble is the photographer going with her is Nick.... her ex's best friend!
An easy reading fun book, predictable but fast moving so it keeps you turning the pages
An easy reading fun book, predictable but fast moving so it keeps you turning the pages
June 1, 2018
The dedication in this book says “For George, who loves a kick-arse female lead as much as I do.” Which is actually quite hilarious considering the main character was anything but a kick-arse.
October 1, 2018
I enjoyed Hot Pursuit but I feel like I have more negative to say than positive, but bare with me because it was still an enjoyable read. It was packed with adventure, crime, plot twists and hot men willing to do what it takes to get the girl.
So, let me just say it. The chapters in Hot Pursuit were just too long for my liking, I felt that I was walking down a hallway that wouldn't end for the first 30% of the story, and I believe this was due to the length of chapters, along with the pacing of the story. Once things finally got in motion there was not putting the story down.
Except when Sarah, our heroine that tended to be TSTL, on numerous occasions. She would have a spat with Nick and then through a fit and walk off alone in a foreign country alone, or better yet run headlong into dangerous situations without telling anyone where she was going. She was a journalist, not PI for goodness sake!
The story arc for Sarah's journalistic debut was completed, but things are only now heating up for her and Nick. They have so much to figure out once they get back home, and with In Hot Water, the next book in the series releasing in the Spring I'm very curious to see where things go from there. So even if I didn't love Hot Pursuit, I'm still enticed enough to continue to read!
So, let me just say it. The chapters in Hot Pursuit were just too long for my liking, I felt that I was walking down a hallway that wouldn't end for the first 30% of the story, and I believe this was due to the length of chapters, along with the pacing of the story. Once things finally got in motion there was not putting the story down.
Except when Sarah, our heroine that tended to be TSTL, on numerous occasions. She would have a spat with Nick and then through a fit and walk off alone in a foreign country alone, or better yet run headlong into dangerous situations without telling anyone where she was going. She was a journalist, not PI for goodness sake!
The story arc for Sarah's journalistic debut was completed, but things are only now heating up for her and Nick. They have so much to figure out once they get back home, and with In Hot Water, the next book in the series releasing in the Spring I'm very curious to see where things go from there. So even if I didn't love Hot Pursuit, I'm still enticed enough to continue to read!
August 27, 2018
I expected a light romance, got a silly mystery and a little suspense. I tried to like the main character, but she came across as a naive brat and by half way she was just an idiot. If she had been 22 or younger I could have understood, but as someone who is supposed to be almost 30, I have to wonder what bad journalism school did she go to, and why doesn't she have any common sense of the world around her. Problems I had were: 1 she's very proud she doesn't have a smart phone, yet someone who wants to be an investigative reporter would have the newer technology to be ready for anything, 2 she blabs everything to everyone when she's supposed to be getting a scoop on the rest of the world for her boss, 3 she works for a celebrity rag yet can't recognize individuals who would be making her money, doesnt read the rag or know anything going on around her, 4 she drinks too much and loses focus on what she is supposed to be doing. I would think someone who is trying to be a "journo" would be trolling the news for chances.
Very predictable silliness, if thats what you're looking for that you don't have to do any thinking into, then you might enjoy this.
Very predictable silliness, if thats what you're looking for that you don't have to do any thinking into, then you might enjoy this.
July 16, 2018
Hot Pursuit by Rebecca Freeborn a five-star read that you will pursue. If you are in the mood for something fun but with a twist and a half for your summer read then this is the read you need. Sarah Burrowers goes on a trip that is a trip in more ways that she can dream of, life gave her lemons and she is making lemon soup, it’s not as sweet and successful as lemonade but is a lovely thing in the end. There are a few bits you will see coming, but overall it kept me hooked from start to finish and I will be keeping an eye on this author to see what she will bring us next.
August 28, 2018
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author.(netalley) Yeah I wasn't crazy about this book an that bummed me because I was looking forward to it. Sarah was dumped by her long time love and left to pay a mortgage. She goes on an assignment all over the world and comes to find out she has to go with Nick, her ex- friends and a long ago one night stand. They supposedly are still attracted, but I didn;t get it, Nick wasn't great. We have drama with the immature ex..No interest in continuing. I liked the travelling though, that its what saved it.
July 20, 2018
This was such a fun read, I loved it! The chemistry between the two lead characters is fab and a couple of love scenes were hot! This is the first book I have read by this author but it won’t be the last.
Thank you Netgalley and Pantera Press for a free copy of the book :)
Thank you Netgalley and Pantera Press for a free copy of the book :)
January 26, 2019
Well written, but as the book unfolded I found it difficult to be sympathetic to the main character. I did finish the book, and overall enjoyed it.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2018
This was a pretty good debut. Slightly reminiscent of an Australian Janet Evanovich. Looking forward to the next instalment from a fellow Adelaide Hills resident.
abandoned
September 26, 2018I just could not get into this one ... going to put it down.
January 12, 2019
Really enjoyed this novel it was light reading with a great storyline that includes mystery and romance
August 5, 2018
Surprisingly better than I’d expected from the opening chapters. Whilst Sarah seems flighty and vacuous, things develop once she’s in search of her story. Moved along at a fair old pace, so the descriptions of the locations were scant but this didn’t really detract from the story.
A fast paced read with an easy style that really became more enjoyable as the story progresses. 4*
A fast paced read with an easy style that really became more enjoyable as the story progresses. 4*
September 9, 2018
This was a charming and fun read! It was an enjoyable escape read with a little bit of mystery, romance, and intrigue. Adding to the appeal of this book is the international travel involving multiple locations. Other especially fun elements were the characters and their professions, including rock stars and tabloid journalists. This is one for readers who are willing to suspend some disbelief, will overlook a female protagonist who is not always brilliant or even logical, and are looking for diverting women's fiction.
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