This was fun if you like light fantasy/ sci-fi stories, but it lacked a little in character development for me. It started off strong and then kind of petered off to the point where I just wasn't enjoying it anymore.

Do you want to read about misfits in space? A fast-paced, heart racing story about action, adventure and romance?

This book was fantastic! A great start to a sci-fi series i have been anticipating for so so long. My favourite aspect was the writing. It was written so well and transported me to space, among the stars. HIGHLY RECOMMEND!

Unfortunately I had to DNF this book as it was not engaging and not the kind of science fiction which I enjoy reading.

If you enjoy edge-of-your-seat sci-fi heist adventure with a steamy romance - this book is for you
The worldbuilding in this book is really good- you really get a sense of how the galaxy is laid out, how society works, how rare the books and medical equipment that Tess and her crew are smuggling actually are !.

Tess has a bounty on her head, she's captain of her own rebel ship and along with her crew is on a mission to stay one step ahead of the Black Watch.
Her enemies , suspecting she may still be alive will stop at nothing to capture her dead or alive and she needs to stay one step ahead and evade capture.
Tess also has her own secrets which are yet another reason for her lying low.
Shades is all for collecting a bounty that will put him back on top , it should be easy pickings even if his heart and head are constantly at war with what he should do over what he really wants to do .
The constant attraction/reaction between our two main characters sometimes conflicts with the flow of this book but overall does detract too much from the readers enjoyment .

This is an entertaining book and i look forward to more by the Author
I was given an arc of this book by the Publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

A fun and sexy space opera that deals with a few serious themes while also not taking itself too seriously. The two main characters were awesome, and I can't wait to see what the rest of the series has in store for them.

Nightchaser is a fun and fast-paced romp of a sci-fi romance. It could be a little more detailed on the world-building, but I think that would make it a very different type of sci-fi book, and what it does well is grab you and drag you to the end without really letting you think too much about it. The central relationship is between the rebel daughter of the evil overlord of the galaxy, and the bounty hunter she makes the mistake of hunting, but it's actually fairly low-angst, and there's never any doubt that these are two fundamentally good people, which makes it a lot easier to root for the romance to succeed. As the first book in a trilogy, things are left open for the story to continue, but the end pauses in a satisfying place rather than a cliffhanger, which I appreciated! Four stars!

Although the blurb for this was certainly intriguing, and I liked the look of the cover, this unfortunately just wasn’t the book for me.

Nothing wrong with it precisely, I just couldn’t seem to get going, so perhaps just one of those things!

Altogether, the blurb and the writing style made it appeal to me, but sadly... not one I would personally return to, and one I sadly couldn’t finish.

This was a average book and it certainly wasn't what I expected. I was thinking I would be reading a Sci-fi book for adults but it seemed like written for YA. I must admit I felt patronized at times and there was just too much explanation around the dialogue.

It would be a good book for a mature young adult but it wasn't for me. The concept was interesting and the history of the characters could have been interesting.

Exciting start to a series! First I've ever read Amanda bouchet and it won't be the last! It had everything in and who doesn't love a bit of steamy romance ❤️Love IT

Funny, romantic, sexy, thrilling, how can you resist?. With varied and plausible characters this is an author I am glad to have discovered and add to my buylist . The humour and pace of the narrative and action remind me of Guardians of the Galaxy in a very good way . Thankyou to Amanda Bouchet, Piatkus and Netgalley for providing me with this free and very enjoyable ARC.

Shade and Tess

I adore Amanda Bouchet's Kingmaker Chronicles and was so happy when I got approved for an ARC of Nightchaser and ....... I am not disappointed at all. I loved the motley crew, the high stakes drama, the romance and the action. I felt that this book had everything I wanted and needed. I so badly want to be a space pirate!!! I think that Tess and Shade's romance was very much love at first sight despite it meant to be an enemies to lovers theme, and although that isn't my favourite romance trope I still loved it. The writing is, as ever, on point and I am in awe of this woman's ability to get me in the feels all over again!!!
Amazing read!

If you mix up an exciting, edge-of-your-seat sci-fi heist adventure with a steamy romance, what do you get?
… a lot of mixed messages.
Though Nightchaser had its high points, I never really felt like it lived up to its true potential. I don’t mind a bit of high-stakes romance, but when it tangles up with the main plot and leaves it hanging for half of the book, then I get annoyed.
But it starts off really well. We meet a motley crew of ex-cons, led by Captain Tess Bailey, who are on the run from the authorities. On their ship they have a stolen medical lab which might just hold the key to defeating their enemies once and for all. So far, so good. They seek shelter on a nearby planet which also happens to be the home of Shade Ganavan, who is a bounty hunter. But also is extremely attracted to Tess. Cue sparks.
The worldbuilding in this book is really good- you really get a sense of how the galaxy is laid out, how society works, how rare the books and medical equipment that Tess is smuggling actually are. The crew that Tess is travelling with are all instantly likeable, as are the clear bonds between them, and Bouchet puts a lot of effort into establishing their backstory and making their friendships feel real and lived-in. You kind of just want an adventure series with them exploring the galaxy, rather than hiding out on the run.
This is all great. However, Shade Ganavan is also in this book. Here’s where the problem lies. The relationship between him and Tess, while very intense and verging on insta-love, takes up the majority of the middle part of the book. As a result, it sags. Reading about how gorgeous Shade’s lips are might be great for a paragraph or so, but when I want to know more about the very real danger that Tess and her crew are facing, it does seem a little bit superfluous to the main action. A lot of time goes into flirting with a dangerous rogue, but I want some action.
This all makes the ending a little confusing. A shed load of backstory is dumped on us that it would probably have been wiser to spend few books building up to, and suddenly we’re left reeling by the finale. It’s confusing, and a little disappointing.
But hey! Perhaps the sequel will give us all the answers and pay-offs that I’ve been hoping for. Tess is a great main character, and the world that Bouchet has built has real potential. I’m excited to see where this goes

This is such a strong and exciting start to the series - I can't wait for the next book! I love Tess' ragtag crew and their bonds of loyalty and friendship, and the world-building that Amanda Bouchet has done for this series is brilliant.

The book starts off straight away with some tense action in the darkest corners of space. When their ship is damaged, Tess and her crew must hide out from a tyrannical military general while sorting out repairs - which is where she meets the charming and cocky Shade. Like Tess, Shade has his own backstory, and neither one of them is willing to trust the other, despite the growing UST between them.

Tess' character is a little hard to read and at times seems quite contradictory - she's badass and tough as nails one minute, then naive and in need of saving the next. Shade is a much-appreciated dash of humour and irreverence, and the two work well together.

I'm excited to see where the series goes and imagine there are a few heartbreaks to come...

I really enjoyed this.

The plot was believable and logical with some really nice high points and a good balance between character development and action.

The characters were well rounded with distinct voices and motivations.

The pacing was mostly excellent, a bit sludgy towards the end of the first third but it soon picked up again and then it roared to the end.

The writing flows really well with nothing that jars you out of the story.

The lust / sex was a bit graphic and unexpected but on reflection it fits with the story and the characters involved.

Overall this book is well worth reading and I'll definitely be reading any future instalments.

There were some positives to this book, that made me enjoy it more than minding the missing parts.
I really liked the world building, and the writing style which was humorous. However, the pace was all over the place. I think it'd be way better if it was shorter, more compacted.
Despite that, I think Bouchet is a writer I might enjoy further in time as I found the idea in the book interesting.
So, I'll keep watching out for her next books.

Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm two minds about this book: on one side I liked the humour and the world building, on the other side I found the pace sometimes too slow as the author was trying to fill a number of pages.
I want to read other books by this author as I think there's a lot of potential, this one wasn't my cup of tea.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine.

I have never read this particular author before so wasn't quite sure what I was in for.
Got to say I am really impressed with this, Nightchaser the first book in the endeavour trilogy and it really managed to capture my imagination.
So in terms of genre, I would say this is predominantly a romance.
It's a sci-fi space opera and I really did adore just how different this was in terms of setting.
I loved the fact it was set in space it really leaves so much open in terms of plot expansion.
This wasn't perfect by any means but it really did have just so much to recommend picking this up and giving it a chance.
Tess has a bounty on her head, she's captain of her own rebel ship and along with her crew is on a mission to stay one step ahead of the Black Watch.
Her enemies now they suspect she may still be alive will stop at nothing to capture her alive or dead and she needs to stay one step ahead and evade capture.
Tess also has secrets which are yet another reason for her lying low.
Shades past actions have cost him everything he thinks matter to him and he will do anything to put things back the way they once were.
Even if that means working for people he doesn't really want to and doing things that fly against his own conscience.
Collecting a bounty that will put him back on top should be easy pickings even if his heart and head are constantly at war with what he should do over what he really wants to do.
So the beginning of this was great really pulling me into the story.
The middle of this for me let it down slightly, even though the story itself was well written and intense I found it did drag slightly and we were very much in one spot for a lengthy time.
I myself would have preferred a tad more space action.
But when this did finally rev up again for the final stretch it more than made up for it.
Then Nightchaser then went from zero to a hundred in ten seconds flat and I was practically on the edge of my seat with the sheer anticipation.
This was very much slow-burn which I did think fit the narrative nicely here and I liked both Slade and Tess very much.
They were great central characters both with some fab strengths and weaknesses.
This also had an interesting side cast as well.
Finally, though this is part of a trilogy this doesn't really end on a cliffhanger this is more a HFN.
So your not left hanging anxiously chewing your nails for the next part of the story.
There are obviously still questions to be answered but nothing that you're going to lose any major sleep over so that was definitely a big plus for me in this book's favour.
I will most certainly be reading the next one in this series which I believe is due out next year.
This was a well written interesting read that I am happy to give a thumbs up to.
I voluntary reviewed a copy of Friends with Benefits Nightchaser (Endeavour, #1).

A shame. A very short review as I DNF at only twenty pc. It's so wooden. Stilted, and eye-rollingly clichéd.

Felt like reading a first time novelists with no editor's effort.

Not recommended.

Tess is running away from the government because she stole cure-all drugs for orphanage where she grew up. Little did she knows, the drugs are not claims to be what it is, and there is hidden agenda where she gets more than she can chew. Soon enough, it becomes too scary and too personal for Tess.
Enter Shade Ganavan who shares sizzling chemistry with Tess but has his own hidden agenda which will put Tess and him in greatest danger ever...
I loved the Sci-Fi badass space pirate heroine with soft edge. I loved that she is not one of those flawless and omnipotent ones where we have to put her under microscope to find weakness and that makes her more likable.
Even though the chemistry is there, I wasn't interested in their romance at all. there are so many cool things happening with great secondary characters, I thought it was time to put romance in back burner maybe...
The romance is so irritating, it was 2 stars for me, but kitten cuteness of Bonk and last hilarious shower scene kind of redeemed my enjoyment, so 3.5 star.

This is a good book, let me just say that such a great book that it has potential to be the next Hunger game, only if,
Bouchet takes a step back from sickly sweet romance and present the story at larger scope.

And getting at larger scope is not even a problem, I think we are getting there, but romance, painful and awkward and completely unnecessary...I'm not going to lie, like her previous Kingmaker series, I skipped almost all those love making scenes. For me, I want to know what happens to the story next, instead of how each kiss is strategically placed...

Nightchaser by Amanda Bouchet is a sizzling sci-fi romance,
Tess Bailey is the most wanted fugitive in the galaxy, not only is she hiding a secret identity, she and her crew have just made off with a top secret government lab which was working on a formula to create super soldiers. It is a step up from their usual activities as Nightchasers, smugglers of contraband like food and medicine to the beleaguered rebellion forces, and it puts not just Tess, but all her crew in greater danger that they could ever imagine. With a ruthless general on their tail and their ship damaged almost beyond repair, the crew is forced to take desperate measures, and jump into a black hole. To their surprise they wind up in another corner of the galaxy and will hopefully have enough breathing space to repair the ship and be on their way to the orphanage where Tess grew up, and where there are many sick children relying on the treatments she stole along with the lab. When she seeks out someone to help with the repairs, she meets Shade Garavan, and immediately sparks begin to fly, but Shade has secrets of his own, most notably a sideline as a bounty hunter , and with Tess and her ship as the most prized targets in the galaxy he will have some very difficult decisions to make.
I really enjoyed this book, and I understand that it is the first in a planned trilogy which I am delighted to hear. While this book definitely has a satisfactory conclusion, there is also enough of a suggestion about where the series may go to keep me interested in reading more.
Tess and Shades are great characters, and the chemistry between them sparks off the page. I liked that although the attraction was instant, it took some time for them to act on it, given the complexities in their backgrounds , this really fitted with their characters. I would really like to compliment the author on the time she spent on the secondary characters, this really paid off in bringing the book to life, not just the band of merry misfits on Tess's ship, but also bookshop owner Susan and Mareeka and Surral who run the orphanage.
The book opens with a bang, we are straight into the middle of the action, but it does slow down considerably in the middle, which some readers may find frustrating, however I liked the breathing space it gave, allowing characters to develop and giving us more of a feel for the world the story is set in.
I read and reviewed a copy provided by NetGalley and the publisher, all opinions are my own.