A bit messy but a whole lotta fun. The mystery kept me interested and committed to finishing the book. The characters though, were a handful. Secod chance trope is a fav so I gave them another chance too. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.

Renata is an asshole. Fleur is a wimp. Everything that's wrong with Fleur is her own fault, oh, and, everything that's wrong for Renata is also Fleur's fault. Oof, that was really hard to take at the beginning They are also ex wives. And, they have to work together to catch the art thief that got away. That was the characters, and, they were unfortunately.... meh to me.

On the other hand, the mystery was pretty cool, kept me guessing a bit. It was more of a mystery than thriller, but, that was okay. And then, Fleur's... issue... was sorta interesting too. But, again, while I liked the plot and the mystery, the characters sorta grated on my nerves every once in a while. So, a right down the center 3 stars.

I thoroughly enjoyed the book. I regret that the cover does not do it justice - there is definitely room for improvement in that department.
At no point during reading was I feeling bored or stuck, it was just action packed enough to pin the reader’s interest without overdoing it at the same time.
It was a bit easy to guess who the main adversary was. Was it due to too few possible suspects introduced? I wonder.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for providing the ARC which made this review possible.

I had high hopes for this book after several friends give it 5⭐️ But it didn’t work for me. I couldn’t relate to either character and the writing style was too odd for me. I quit at 30%

Others liked it though so maybe I’ll get back to it another time.

ARC received for an honest and voluntary review.

Excellent art references and a fun second chance read! I will definitely read this author again! I also learned quite a bit about the inner workings of the art world

An absolutely delight. Queer as f, second chance, with a mystery-thriller element that is founded on the art scene. Fast paced with characters that are complex and diverse

Great start. Plenty of background information but also the plot being established.
I am loving the humour, but also the fact the plot keeps moving. I have a list of art works I want to look up when I can put the book down.
There were many lines I loved, but I loved most of all a scene where one of the heroines has faced her issues and failed but because of one tiny thing, we the reader know she actually hasn't failed and the realisation, as she understands was a beautiful scene. (Trying to avoid spoilers so I have to be vague but let me say, the scene where she faced her weakness was tense, and the ripples after that..... compelling.
This was a jolly jape but the handling of the serious aspects elevated it to a 5 stars. Ylva are a publisher that pretty consistently produces 'different' books in current popular genres.

A fun reconciliation!

Fleur finds herself back in the field investigating if Gustave, an art thief who slipped through her grasp six years before is behind the crimes of a new Italian art thief. But she has to work with Renata, her ex-wife, and as the case brings them closer once again, Fleur can’t help wondering if she is just going to end up with a broken heart all over again.

This really was a thrill of the chase, second chance romance. Not only was Fleur tracking Gustave, but also keeping check of her heart because being back around Renata was no easy feat. They had fantastic chemistry though, and it was obvious they worked well together. When the truth of what had really happened in the past started to surface it was a lot for both Fleur and Renata to deal with, for different reasons, but I really hoped they were going to work through everything and this case would be the one to make them realise how much they wanted to be in one another’s lives.

Jennifer really brought the reader into the experience of the mystery of the art thefts and forgeries, so it was a really immersive experience, finding clues and putting pieces together with Fleur and Renata. They were both resourceful and I was in awe of the clever schemes they pulled and connections they used to get answers. They were a force to be reckoned with, a formidable team, but they were also both vulnerable. It was really clever how this was woven into the story, sneaking up unexpectedly, until suddenly there was a moment and my heart broke for them both. Fleur was overcoming demons that took a lot of courage, while Renata was determined to protect herself from getting hurt again, which resulted in a few tense moments.

I really enjoyed this story, the mystery and the reuniting of two strong women who never should have been apart.

Art of the Chase is a second chance at love, thriller that will have you traipsing through parts of Europe while enjoying the MCs push and pull chemistry. I thoroughly enjoyed trying to solve the crime alongside the MCs. The romance was so intricately woven into the novel that before I knew it, issues were being acknowledged and solutions were being presented.

the build-up was a little too slow for my taste and we had lots
of references to the past without ever having the actual
context. it was a little messy at times but it made it it charms
like trying to guess what details was relevant to the story or
not.
renata is so self-centered its driving me mad and i hate how
she belittle Fleur and her addiction. she acts like she's the only
one who suffered. but she grew on me through the crime
solving and paintings authentication
Fleur is the strong women we all dream to become and I loved
that her flaws weren't ignored
the mystery of the crime solving was super fun to follow along
and it was fun to be in Europe for once! i particularly loved the
art setting because it's something i love irl too.
if you love big mystery, this one might not be for you as the
romance take a very big second place, sometimes even taking
first.

We meet Fleur as a brilliant but broken specialist in recovering stolen art. It becomes clear in the first quarter of the book that she is divorced against her will, hasn’t felt like herself in the 5 years since the divorce, and has been pulled from the field for reasons that come to light much later. She gets the chance to go in the field again as part of a team set up to chase the elusive Gustave, an art thief that got away 5 years ago. Renata, Fleur’s ex-wife, is a surprise addition to the team and it is hard to believe that nobody warned either of them that they would be once again working together to chase him down.

The art heist/detective part of this book was good. The mystery surrounding Gustave was interesting and the chase that ensued was compelling. I was invested in Fleur and Renata catching Gustave and even learned a little bit about art along the way. I wasn’t completely bought into the romance, though.

It felt like Fleur’s character establishment went on for too long at the beginning before the book picked up the pace to become the second chance and art heist book it was set up to be. And then when she is forcefully reunited with Renata, the tension between them was palpable, but it took a long time to learn why they split up in the first place. I appreciated that they started to open up to each other again and that their reunion was good for both of them, but the chemistry wasn’t overwhelming and I wasn’t completely invested in their future together. I did appreciate the realistic view of Fleur dealing with her addiction and how that impacted her life, past and present. Overall it was an enjoyable read, but it doesn’t quite meet the 4 star mark for me.

Classic story of second chances for detectives who, in a previous life, were happily married as they chased after a notorious art thief. When we meet Fleur and Renata, though, it’s far from a happy reunion as the thief has struck again and they’ve been divorced for several years. Our Ocean’s 8/Thomas Crown Affair-ish story is the sapphic heist story you didn’t know you needed. It’s fast paced, takes you on a tour of a few countries where you really feel like you’re a part of the chase. The interactions between our MC’s is absolutely the classic warring/loving pair. Side characters also did far more than serve as window dressing. Now if only we’d get big screen/streaming option for this, that’s a sapphic dream come true.
This was an A.R.C., provided for an honest review.

In the world of art museums, exhibits and mind boggling prices paid for original paintings, the fear of possible forgeries always looms in the background. Enormous sums of money change hands for paintings for private collections or museums.....Provenance the key, buyer beware!
Giacalone's well researched story filled with humor, longing, regret and hope surrounds the chase to nab an audacious art forger. Fleur and Renata against the elusive Gustave. The formidable pair of art detectives split 6 years ago as work and life partners but are now reunited in the journey across Europe to capture their most slippery foe. I wanted their love to bloom again and the forger finally meet his match.
Yes, there's the thrill of the chase but so much more for the duo to consider. Take a chance and follow Fleur and Renata in this multi-faceted tale that I easily recommend.

Oh, how I loved this book from the beginning. The writing was smooth, easy to follow and I was ready to cozy up and enjoy the journey of two hot and very strong women, Fleur, an art detective from Amsterdam, and her flammable Italian ex-wife, Renata, an art enthusiast who had a particular interest in the missing painting in question. The two had failed in an earlier attempt to capture the elusive art thief. The trauma of the failure led to their divorce.
Now, five years later, the elusive art thief was back on their radar after leaving clues to entice the two women back into the chase.

I was very impressed with the research the author had to have done to write such details of the museums, the art, the methods of authentication for paintings, the cloning and so on. I became somewhat lost in trying to keep track of the methods used by thieves and the multitude of characters. This didn’t dampen my enjoyment or appreciation of the book.

My greatest enjoyment was this slow burn, second chance romance and observing the hot and sexy exes, Fleur and Renata’s interactions, the teasing and bickering, as if they hadn’t missed a beat in the five years since they last had seen each other. I wanted to know why they split and what the issues were. I thrilled at the clues that hinted at a possible rekindling.

The book also dealt with addiction and I was intrigued and impressed with how the author was able to so vividly go inside the mind of an addict and the struggles and the internal conversations as well as the effect it had on a relationship and what was involved in understanding and healing. I felt that this was so well done.

This book had it all and my greatest thanks go to Ylva Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed this trip into the world of art, forgery and lost love.
A new author to me. We are taken on a fast paced journey through several countries building clues - both as to the true identity of the art thief but also the reason for the divorce. It touches on addiction with care and its impact on not just the addict. It also gives us passion and heat!!!!
All in all a really good read which I was reluctant to put down once I started to read it.

Good story with a ‘whodunit’ type mystery and a second chance romance. Fleur and Renata have not seen each other since their divorce many years before. They are teamed up to try and apprehend an art thief they had been after while still together. This thief had eluded their grasp then and gone to ground. Now, some years later he (or she) seems to have resurfaced and so Fleur and Renata are again on his/her trail. The story tells of how they came to separate and how each was surprised about the others reason as to why. And of course, the main reason they are together, how they go about tracking down the art thief. I quite enjoyed this book. I’ve not read anything by this author before but would definitely consider any others by her.

A second chance romance about a broken woman, who's trying to put her life back together, and her ex-wife.
There were some unnecessary details and I can't say I felt a whole lot of chemistry between the two MC's. It was not a bad book, but I found the mystery and investigation parts lacking.

This book was absolutely my jam, full on with artisanal packaging! Art heist sapphics? Hell yes. There is a good mystery, a whirlwind of galleries across all of Europe, second chance romance and plenty of adventure to offset the romance. I really enjoyed it.

Thank you #Netgalley for giving me a chance to read an early copy of #ArtofChase. Thoroughly enjoyed myself & recommend to those who love heists and f/f romance and are looking for a combination of both.

Riveting art heist romance
This book is like a fine dish with all its ingredients in perfect proportion, a melding of genres and themes to delight the imagination on many levels. Art of the Chase is the first story I've read by Jennifer Giacalone but I'm already wanting to read more of her work.
The story takes you thru multiple European countries and museums, introduces painters and their artwork in ways that may inspire you to travel and see these works in person or at least seek them out online. The mystery set off by an art heist and cheeky elusive thief reunite exes Renata and Fleur whose breakup was far from harmonious. They sizzle on the page individually and when they're goading and sniping at each other (like a long-married couple), but they're also funny and clever and reckless and endlessly entertaining to follow around and eavesdrop on. The many twists and turns and surprise reveals in the story make it a real page turner and keeps you on your toes. The action sequences are both funny and intense, even cinematic at times. The whole story has a vivid feel to it with easy to imagine characters, from the tone of their voices in dialogue, the looks they give each other, the way they move and stand, and so on. I could name a few movies or tv shows and their characters it brought to mind in certain scenes, but I suspect other readers will feel a similar level of familiarity with perhaps other shows it reminds them of. The details about the art world and the criminal activities tied to it are fascinating but I never felt like I was being dragged into the weeds of any aspect of it with too much detail. Along with the mystery and intrigue, there is unconventional romance and lots of humor; if you like sarcasm there's plenty of that in the story.
Addiction is also covered in the story which I did not expect (having not read the synopsis ahead of time). It's handled honestly and not with platitudes and sugarcoating, but with unvarnished focus on its complexities for the addict and those around them.
I found the story refreshing to read with its picturesque locales and focus on art and addiction, and a pair of main characters you'd want to spy on in real life but never come face to face with. I didn't solve the whodunnit aspect of the story before the big reveal and the bulk of the surprise twists I never saw coming but other readers may have better luck putting those pieces together faster than I did. Despite not solving the mystery I still had a blast reading this story and look forward to reading more by Jennifer Giacalone in the future.

Europol agent Fleur van Beekhof specializes in art heists. She has been sidelined because of an injury but now she is ready to be back at the top of her game. When a painting by Artemisia Gentileschi is stolen in Florence she is immediately sent there. Teaming up with her is her ex-wife Renata, who is also an art expert. They follow the clues hoping from country to country. Fleur is not over Renata and she also has amends to make for how their marriage ended.

This is a fun, light type of mystery. I love art and could envision the works discussed and the cities mentioned. It is a little hard to break through the walls of both women. But the mystery is good and entertaining. I’m not sure I felt they got a full second chance for a HEA, but they are on their way. I would read another mystery featuring the pair or more from the author. Thank you to NetGalley and Ylva Publishing for the ARC and I am leaving a voluntary review. (3.5 Stars)