review || IN THE FAST LANE { blog tour }

St. Martin's Paperbacks | July 14, 2015 | Sport Romance
Hard Driving, book 1
★★★★★

SOURCE: PUBLISHER

LIFE IN THE FAST LANE
Racing cars is in Kerri Hart's blood--literally, since it's the family business. But Hart Racing is in dire financial straits, and as the only female rookie driver, Kerri's sponsorship offers always tend to be of the unzipped racing-suit variety. It's a message she'd rather not sell to her young fans. But how can she afford not to?

LOVE ON OVERDRIVE
Ranger Colt knows how to make a woman's heart race. But when his voice pops up on Kerri's headset--while she's in mid-tailspin--she's in no mood for his charms. Colt Hardware now has a significant stake in the Hart family business, and Kerri has no choice but to work with him. But when her ex-boyfriend makes a very public, tabloid-fodder scene that threatens to tarnish her image, it's Ranger who comes to the rescue. Pretending to be engaged to generate some good publicity seems like a good plan. In fact, it works--all too well. What begins as a ruse is revving up to feel a whole lot like the real thing. Will Kerri and Ranger's fake-lationship take a wild turn. . .and lead them toward the finish?

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I am not a racing fan. Granted, I will watch for the crashes (and then sit with my heart pounding long and slow as I wait for the driver to be shown to be ok). But for some reason, racing romance stories just do it for me. Pamela Britton really did a good thing with her NASCAR series and I was sad when the books stopped coming.

I'm happy to say I think I've finally found a replacement after all of these years. Granted, this is just book one and the only sign that it's a series is because retailers say it is, so I'll be crossing my fingers. If you're not a racing fan, no worries -- you'll get schooled ;)

The car racer in this book is a certain Miss Kerri Hart. She's tough both on and off the track. She's careful to keep her private life away from the tabloids but sometimes... just sometimes... one of her short-term affairs manages to weasel past that guard and do something stupid that puts her on ESPN.

On a day that she narrowly misses hitting a man, and then a wall, she finds out that the team she didn't want to sponsor her, the team that wanted to sex her up... well, that team has now bought her team (well, 80% of it) and she has no choice but to deal with Colt Hardware. 

She's only dealt with daddy Colt, so when a smooth voice comes on over her radio, and then a man in Italian loafers meets her, the last thing she expects is that he's a Colt. 

Now, to be fair, Ranger thought that Kerri's brother would tell her about the acquisition of the team. And also to be fair... Ranger doesn't exactly know what his father previously said to Kerri to make her so against Colt racing. However, his damage control suggestion isn't exactly something Kerri wants to go through with -- being publicly engaged to one another so that the Earl mishap doesn't get blown out of proportion. Neither expects for their kisses to be so hot or the looks to be so lingering.

I loved how strong and independent Kerri was. She had a lot of business sense and believed that she should make a name of herself by what she brought on the track. She was savvy and quick and altogether, I enjoyed her. I loved Ranger, too. I've read a ton of book lately with characters with mommy and daddy issues -- and Ranger is seeking his father's approval... but at what cost?

"...she's a smart little thing and stubborn as hell. You met your match in that one." -- said to Ranger

Ranger and Kerri butt heads again and again. At their first meeting, Kerri makes a comment about his name:

She blinked at him. "Ranger Colt? That's your real name?"

Was this woman really giving him shit about his name? He'd seen her stats on the profile sheet in the portfolio.

Kerri Lorettalynn Hart wan't in a position to throw stones.

...but he was the bigger man and didn't say anything, but I certainly laughed at his thoughts and fell a little bit in love with him right there. 

These two go through a whirlwind of feels and things in the short period of time they work together; it only makes sense that everything backfires -- things have a way of doing just that, after all.

I truly enjoyed this fast-paced racing romance, with a delightful side of siblings (Grady, Kerri, and Lee are such a fun bunch to read):

"...But I swear to God, Colt, if you hurt her I will kill you. And since I'm sixteen I'll only have to serve two years in juvy for it." --Lee, Kerri's kid brother

... and cannot wait to see (if and) how it progresses!

Side note? Love an author who takes people and makes them into characters -- such as her friend Kerri-Leigh Grady (those Hart siblings...).