Book Review: The Chase by Erin McCarthy

At First Sight: Race driver Evan Monroe is having a disappointing season, he's facing the possibility of losing sponsorships and has to deal with Kendall Hollbrook having a great rookie season. 

Kendall is trying to make her way in the male dominated world of race cars. And she could do without having Evan as both a competition and fellow team member.

Ten years ago, Kendall and Evan were on the fast track to forever when a conversation gone wrong brought their relationship into a screeching halt, and the air between them is thick with the things they need to say to each other.

Second Glance: I have to say that I found  The Chase a little bit disappointing, I had been liking these books a lot, but things just didn't click for me with this one. 

I had always liked Evan - who has been part of this series since book one - as he's the older brother of the hero in Flat-Out Sexy - and he was nice even though he always remained in the background; and yeah, I liked him still in this story. 

I did have a big problem with Kendall - who was kind of childish and a bit of a wimp - and the fact that this is one of those cases where the "Big Misunderstanding Plot" doesn't work, because the Big Misunderstanding turns out to be kind of... stupid.

Bottom Line: Have to say this wasn't a stellar addition to the Fast Track Series. I liked the old characters that came back from the first three books, and I liked Evan -who's a fairly decent guy - but I didn't like the heroine or her friend (who's geared up to be the protagonist of the next book, Slow Ride, to be released in October, 2011). So, for me, this was a bit of a book fail.

2/3

Hot Finsh by Erin McCarthy

Suzanne and Ryder Jefferson went around the marriage track once before but it sort of ended in disaster.

Now, after 2 years of divorce, Suzanne is broke and turns to wedding planning to help her pay the bills - even though Ryder offered to help her - but her first client is an ultimate Bridezilla putting more and more stress on her life. Which is why she doesn't need the added shock of finding out she and Ryder never divorced.

Finding out that they aren't divorced, Ryder isn't sure how he feels about the whole thing, and he does resent that Suzanne keeps talking about their marriage like it was hell because, to him, it wasn't.

Once they loved each other very much and, with the backdrop of a Nightmare Wedding, they sort of start wondering exactly where they went wrong and if they could make it work again.

I was really looking forward to Suzanne and Ryder's story because they feature a lot in the two previous books of the Fast Track series because it has always been obvious that there were still feelings there. It was really nice to dig into their relationship and see how Hot Finish turned out to be a story about second chances.

Both Suzanne and Ryder are a bit of the guy of the relationship, neither of them is comfortable with her feelings and that sort of makes them muddle things too many times - I did have a Fix it Up Already! moment with them - they are just so bad to express real emotion, and it sort of has to do with the toxicity of their previous relationship and the fact they DON'T LISTEN!

But, over all, it was a nice book.

Favorite Quote:
“Did I ever tell you the difference between a Northern fairy tale and a Southern one?”
“What’s the difference?”
“A Northern one starts ‘once upon a time,’ while a Southern one starts ‘y’all ain’t going to believe this shit.’ ”

Hard and Fast by Erin McCarthy

Ty McCordle - stock car driver - has always sort of gone for the same type of Barbie-look-a-like girl. So he's a bit surprised when he finds himself attracted to Imogen Wilson - a friend of a friend's wife - who's smart as hell and always speaks her mind.

Imogen is always a bit uneasy around Ty, mostly because she also finds herself inexplicably attracted to him. Her uneasiness grows when she decides to base her sociology doctorate thesis on a book that promises to help any girl marry a stock car race driver in 6 easy steps.

But when things conspire to throw them together, and a few hot kisses later, Imogen finds herself spending more and more time with Ty, immersing herself in his world while struggling with a thesis that has never finished clicking for her.

Okay, so Hard and Fast is the second book of the Fast Track series and I was looking very much forward to reading it because I really liked the first one (Flat-Out Sexy). And I liked Imogen and Ty but I didn't find the book as charming as the first one.

They sort of plunge into a relationship while trying to work out their different insecurities and personal hang ups. One thing I did like, though, is that Imogen doesn't beat about the bush about why she has that dating manual when Ty finds it - which could have let to awkward and misunderstandings but they handled it like adults.

The book is over all good.

3/4

Flat-Out Sexy By Erin McCarthy

Widow Tamara Briggs thinks that dating someone boring and safe is the best way for her to ease back into dating after the death of her husband, race-car driver Peter Briggs, two years before. But she didn't count with the fact that the guy she selected is way dull and that there is no chemistry between them.

It also happens that when she realizes of her mistake, she's left stranded at a charity event without a place to sleep - since she was supposed to share a room with the dud in question - so when a friend offers to send her to sleep at his coach in the race-track, and finds one of his friends to escort her, Tamara is kind of relieved.

So she meets Elec Monroe, and the chemistry that was so obviously missing before, springs to life when she's with him. She isn't quite sure who he is but there is a pull there and for once in her life, this very responsible single mother, decides to run with her gut and say yes to whatever Elec asks her to do... as long as their relationship is kept casual and discreet.

Elec didn't know Tamara was married into the Briggs Family - the Briggs and the Monroe families had a fall out years before - but by the time he realizes, Elec is beyond caring. He finds Tamara sexy, likes that she's smart and classy and doesn't care that she's older than him. Elec understands Tamara's need for discretion - for the sake of her children - but casual isn't exactly what he's after when it comes to her.

It had been a long time since I enjoyed a contemporary book quite as much as I enjoyed Flat Out Sexy, the book is sexy and fun but it has some substance to it. Elec, Tamara and the other characters in the book seem very real and surprisingly un-piggy headed. Tamara has reservations about dating another driver, but she sees that though they have the same profession, Elec is nothing like her late husband.

A good story line and great characters, it was a lovely read, and I can't wait to read the next two books in the series.

Favorite Quote: Momma had always warned her to watch out for the quiet ones, and have mercy, had she been right. Tamara stared at Elec staring at her, and she forgot how to think. Did he have any idea what he did to her when he looked at her like that? The way his deep, sensual eyes just bore into her, making her feel like he could strip away all her reservations right along with her clothes and take whatever he wanted from her.