Life in the Chastity Zone (Chastity Series, Book 1)

By: Holly Brandon
Publisher: Independent Publisher
Publication Date: April 2020
ISBN: 979-8-6337-8268-4
Reviewed by: Amy Lignor
Review Date: April 29, 2020

Chastity Morgan (AKA: Chase) is one of those women who readers will really want to hang out with. She has an ironic life filled with sarcastic days, but the best thing is that she surrounds herself with some truly unique people. Chase has also had to deal with quite a bit, from an accident in her past to having her dissertation turned down as she’s trying to become the best structural engineer in Southern California. She’s also a woman who has been in love with Grant Stevens and has been “saving” herself for that ultimate day when she walks down the aisle and says “I do” to him...even though she’s thirty years old.

We begin by Chase’s side as she’s driving to her Aunt Kate’s Christmas party in the Idaho ski town where her aunt lives in a dark green Victorian-style mansion. The weather is horrible, and things become worse when Chase believes she sees her Prince Charming in his red Jeep, with a female in the passenger seat. Hitting the brakes because she’s paying more attention to Grant than the ice on the road, she almost kills a pedestrian, and ends up throwing a tray of lovely Christmas cupcakes all over the pristine interior of the rental she’s driving. She gets a worse blow when she finds out that there is no girl by Grant’s side. Instead, he’s driving to Aunt Kate’s with a stunning guy who goes by the name of Brody. Brody, apparently, is the guy Grant recently married in Vegas after Grant texted Chase that he needed to take a break from their relationship.

Upon learning Grant's news, Chase watches her fairytale life of living in a “glass-and-steel” dream house with Grant, the perfect architect, fall apart. She also has to worry about telling her mother that the money spent on the upcoming nuptials was just flushed down the toilet, as well as tell her father about the damage she’s done to the rental he paid for.

This Christmas party introduces some of the greatest characters imaginable. Roxie, for one, is a bad girl that Chase calls her “partner-in-crime cousin.” Roxie wants more than anything to bury Grant for what he’s done to Chase, and will also be instrumental in getting Chase back on the market and attempting to get her out of the pain and depression that follows after being dumped.

The humor in this tale comes from all different scenes. Popular girls from school who Chase still can’t stand; a new next-door neighbor and her daughter named Daphne, who had to move from their last location because Daphne just happens to have a “gift” when it comes to using a Ouija board (is she a witch, or will her ‘psychic visions’ help Chase find just the right man?); to a plethora of men who each have their own interesting attributes. For example, a hunky flight attendant who lives in Massachusetts named Vincent; Jacques-Pierre, who she meets while traveling; and Grant, who we find out more about that most readers (like me) won’t see coming. These are just some who come together and explore relationships, emotions, and so much more.

The author has made sure that the conversations – whether they are between people or inside Chase’s head – are extremely witty. And it’s an understatement to say that being a part of Roxie and Chase’s journey together was a total blast. Even though you may want to roll your eyes at some of Chase’s decisions, you’ll end up cheering for her instead. Because, in the end, she is a woman who stands for her beliefs and proves that she will not settle for anything less than perfection—a lesson all of us should learn.

Quill says: Life in the Chastity Zone is absolutely hilarious, yet I have a feeling this book will be overshadowed by the entertainment that’s still sure to come in future books in this series.

For more information on Life in the Chastity Zone (Chastity Series, Book 1), please visit the author's website at: www.authorhollybrandon.com

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