I needed a short, cute, giggle kick inducing read. So naturally I snatched up Love No Chaser by Liz Zerkel. I can always count on Liz to give me those good feels. I’m always honest so, I have read this before as a short story in the Sugar and Spice Anthology that both Liz and I were in. Additionally, I consider Liz a friend so know that going forward with my review.
Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel
Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel is the second book in the Wild Rose series. It’s a contemporary romance novella that was published on April 24th, 2025 and is 102 pages long. You can find the book on Amazon, Kindle Unlimited, and the author’s website here.
Premise
Mackenzie just wanted a drink, some dinner, and to relax at the bar her friend managed, when a man who looked like he just went from a frat house to a boardroom interrupts those plans. He’s not taking no for an answer and in a desperate attempt to get the guy to leave her alone, she reaches over and taps another man on the shoulder, planning to pretend he’s her boyfriend to scare the other guy away. However, when the new guy turns around she realizes it’s her brother’s BFF, Jacob, who she’s had a crush on for years. And he’s calling her baby girl.
Triggers
List the Triggers found in Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel include:
- Sexually Explicit Scenes
- Mention of parent death in the past
My Thoughts
Liz is one of my favorite rom com and contemporary authors. She always give me sweet and spicy goodness with her books. And after reading the short story version of Love No Chaser, I knew I needed to read the expanded version and get a little more from Mackenzie and Jacob.
If I’m playing your fake boyfriend tonight so you can enjoy yourself in peace, might as well keep up appearances.” I leaned toward her. “You’re lucky I’m not holding your hand or kissing you like I would if you were my real girlfriend. I’m a touchy-feely boyfriend.” – Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel
Of course, Liz never disappoints, because not only did we get additional spice scenes, but we got to know Jacob a lot better too. Like who wouldn’t fall for the city homesteader type who had a cute little kitten and chickens in his backyard? The man grows his own vegetables.
We know I’m a sucker for at least a few red flags, and there may be a moment that had me giggle kicking over his protectiveness, but Jacob had a giant green flag above his head through most of the book.
I’d met a few of the guys Mac dated through the years, but none of them ever seemed good enough for her. – Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel
Mackenzie is a smart woman, who works so she can live her life and enjoy her monster romance era. Jacob works, maybe a little too hard, but enjoys the work he does. And the person they have in common? Mackenzie’s brother is Jacob’s best friend.
No matter how much these two tried to deny their feelings for each other for years, it was no match for the tension that finally pulled taut and snapped one night when they ran into each other at the bar. And through most of the story, they can’t seem to get enough of each other, so be prepared for quite a few spicy scenes in this short novella.
“Mac… Mackenzie. I need to know that this is okay. Before I kiss you, before I devour you and claim you… you need to tell me you want this, too.” – Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel
Of course we got to see Frankie from Waiting for Love, which I’ll be doing a review of after a reread shortly. She is a force to be reckoned with and Mackenzie is her best friend, so naturally she’s protective and supportive.
This is a fluffy, cute, snuggle up with a drink and read straight through type of novella. Something to give you all the happy feels you could want.
Who Would Like Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel?
Tropes found in Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel include:
- Age Gap
- Brother’s BFF
- Friends to Lovers
If you liked Wild Love by Elsie Silver, Stuck with the Billionaire by Georgia Coffman, or Smoky Darling by SJ Tilly, you will likely love this novella.
Have you read Love, No Chaser by Liz Zerkel, or are you adding it to your TBR? Let me know in the comments below. I love interacting with other readers over books I loved.