Mini Reviews: Full Throttle & Brandon's Bride

FULL THROTTLE
Fast Track #7
Erin McCarthy
Adult Contemporary Romance
304 pages
Berkley
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Easing into the turns…

As one of only two girls on the tween racing circuit, Shawn Hamby has always run with a fast crowd. But now at thirty-two, she doesn’t need to prove anything to anyone. And she definitely doesn’t need a man bossing her around off of the track…

Putting the pedal to the metal…

But after a silly girls’ night at a fetish club, Shawn can’t get Rhett Ford out of her mind. He’s younger than her, and he’s her best friend’s brother-in-law, which should be red flags. Rhett is looking for someone to lead in bed, but he can’t imagine that Shawn would ever submit to him. Boldly surrendering is more her style. And with Rhett behind the wheel, it’s going to be one wild ride…

MY THOUGHTS
Much like its title suggests, Full Throttle is a fast and romantically explosive read, giving us a leading pair who make us wonder if we’re in danger of singed fingertips should we hold the pages for longer than a second or two before flipping. While the intimate scenes are undeniably scorching, Ms. McCarthy deftly ensures that the emotional component of Shawn and Rhett’s relationship is given equal weight to their bedroom forays, providing a beautiful balance that ultimately more than satisfies both the hedonist and romantic in us all.

The highlight of the relationship between Shawn and Rhett is their communication, with Rhett the type of man who thrives on making sure all his cards are on the table and desires little more than a partner unafraid to lay hers down as well. Shawn does stumble a bit in the beginning when Rhett’s introduction to his leadership role in their sexual relationship throws the fiercely independent business owner in her off-kilter, but she never takes her confusion out on him, instead letting the maelstrom of emotions wash through her and dealing with them one at a time. Rhett is ever-patient with Shawn, forcing her to talk when she might otherwise hasten a strategic retreat, and she, blessedly, never seeks to assert control by refusing to be honest with him. They address their issues and misunderstandings when they happen, providing us with a sense of calm even when tensions run high because we know the two of them are just not the type to intentionally inflict pain and then let the wound fester.

Ms. McCarthy created a devoted fan in me with her new adult release True, and she has only cemented her status as a favorite author with this adult contemporary read.

Rating: 4/5

*Note: I have not read the first 6 books in this series, this is the first I've picked up and it easily works as a stand-alone.

  

Find Erin:

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BRANDON'S BRIDE
Family Secrets #3
Lisa Gardner/Alicia Scott
Romantic Suspense
320 pages
Signet
Available Now
Source: Finished copy from publisher for review

THE STORY (from Goodreads)
Three siblings searching for the truth about their family are about to find more than they bargained for…

For years Brandon Ferringer has sought to untangle the mystery surrounding his father's disappearance. Now training as a hotshot—a seasonal wildland fire fighter—Brandon feels he’s on the verge of finally discovering the truth. In need of temporary lodging, Brandon rents a room at a local farm, and is surprised when his attraction to the ranch’s alluring owner threatens to distract him from his mission.

Single mother Victoria Meese struggles to find time for herself in between raising her son, Randy, and running the Lady Luck Ranch. When she meets Brandon, she suddenly finds something to believe in again. But Brandon’s search for answers is about to turn dangerous, threatening their growing connection—and their very lives.

MY THOUGHTS
Brandon’s Bride is a story a bit heavier on the mystery element than the romantic relationship, something that’s not a flaw at all save for the fact that it decreases the believability of the love between our hero and heroine in the end. Victoria is someone extremely easy to like from the beginning, a woman who is refreshingly upfront and honest in all things, especially her desire to provide emotional stability for her eight-year-old son. As the story progresses though, we become increasingly frustrated with her tendency to slip up with Brandon with flirting or passionate kisses only to immediately push him away citing her son as the reason. Make no mistake, wanting to protect her son from getting comfortable with having someone around who’s ultimately only going to be in town for six months is admirable and more than understandable, her back and forth just happens a few too many times.

Adding to the sense of frustration (and aiding in Victoria’s numerous retreats) is the fact that the two of them are continually interrupted by outside factors, the first couple times of course ratcheting up the tension and providing a delicious sense of anticipation, but after a while the interference of the mystery into the almost-intimate moments makes us want to give the book a slight shake. As a result their romance has a very staccato rhythm to it rather than a nice flowing build, and given all the stopping and starting it’s hard to fully embrace their declarations of love in the final chapters. That being said, both Victoria and Brandon do have their moments to shine in this story, particularly when Victoria finally makes a decision and refuses to let Brandon run from it, and our time with the two of them is certainly not time wasted.

Rating: 3.5/5
 

Find Lisa:

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These books were sent to me by the publisher free of charge for the purpose of a review. 

I received no other compensation and the above is my honest opinion.