anotherreadingblonde's review against another edition
4.0
This rating is purely based off of vibes, zero brain.
In theory this book has many aspect, that I am not a fan of. Aspects, that should not work for me. And some flaws too. There’s probably tons of books with better writing or better executed plots.
But the reality is: I had the best time reading it. Devoured in 3 hours, without stopping once. I didn’t mean to finish it, only wanted to read the first few pages. Well… I can’t really explain it, but it’s 2am now and I finished this book.
I was in a kind of reading slump, were nothing really managed to keep me entertained or make me stick to the pages for longer than 10 minutes. This book has done it. It’s kind of so much fun and entertaining to read. And also a good dose of pain. It kept me in a heavy grip from page one, until I finished 400 pages later.
Yes there are flaws. It’s a bit over the top dramatic regarding the plot highs and lows. It’s kinda insta love and reformed playboy, which I usually really do not like. What can I say, it worked for Andressa and Carrick. It’s definitely not the best writing or anything, I can’t really explain it. I just kinda loved it?
The vibes totally overshadow the criticism with this one. I just don’t care about any of it, I had fun.
Everyone criticizing this book definitely has valid points. I just choose to not listen to any of them and ignore it.
If you want a fun and spicy insta-love workplace romance between an F1 driver and his mechanic? Search no longer, it’s this one.
4
In theory this book has many aspect, that I am not a fan of. Aspects, that should not work for me. And some flaws too. There’s probably tons of books with better writing or better executed plots.
But the reality is: I had the best time reading it. Devoured in 3 hours, without stopping once. I didn’t mean to finish it, only wanted to read the first few pages. Well… I can’t really explain it, but it’s 2am now and I finished this book.
I was in a kind of reading slump, were nothing really managed to keep me entertained or make me stick to the pages for longer than 10 minutes. This book has done it. It’s kind of so much fun and entertaining to read. And also a good dose of pain. It kept me in a heavy grip from page one, until I finished 400 pages later.
Yes there are flaws. It’s a bit over the top dramatic regarding the plot highs and lows. It’s kinda insta love and reformed playboy, which I usually really do not like. What can I say, it worked for Andressa and Carrick. It’s definitely not the best writing or anything, I can’t really explain it. I just kinda loved it?
The vibes totally overshadow the criticism with this one. I just don’t care about any of it, I had fun.
Everyone criticizing this book definitely has valid points. I just choose to not listen to any of them and ignore it.
If you want a fun and spicy insta-love workplace romance between an F1 driver and his mechanic? Search no longer, it’s this one.
4
lins18's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
offmyredcarpet's review against another edition
3.0
I liked the idea of the story. I love a woman who breaks molds and defies stereotypes. Unfortunately this author lands right back into a different, decidedly worse, stereotype—the “I’m not like other girls” one. That one wreaks of patriarchal bs.
This author also struggles with the notion that people approaching 50 can still be attractive: “he looks good, for someone approaching 50”. Way to tumble head first into ageism and marginalization. Stop reducing people to their physical appearance and age.
Both of these things happened numerous times and it was so tiresome, hence the rating. Having said that I like the story itself and the struggles of both characters to come together. Especially the FMC. The author crafts some great moments. I even teared up a couple times near the end.
This author also struggles with the notion that people approaching 50 can still be attractive: “he looks good, for someone approaching 50”. Way to tumble head first into ageism and marginalization. Stop reducing people to their physical appearance and age.
Both of these things happened numerous times and it was so tiresome, hence the rating. Having said that I like the story itself and the struggles of both characters to come together. Especially the FMC. The author crafts some great moments. I even teared up a couple times near the end.
ali23's review against another edition
4.0
Another fantastic read by Samantha. I love Carrick and all his sexiness. Andi, I liked her. I didn't love her because of that common theme that the majority of female characters have, and that's the hot and cold game. For Andi to be this badass female she sure had a weird way of showing it at times. Don't get me wrong I love the hot and cold game, but only once maybe twice. Andi did this game like 5 times and I was like okay enough is enough. Get over yourself. That's why I gave it 4 stars. What would have bumped it up would have been the epilogue. It was an okay ending but I felt after all the crap we would have gotten a longer one. I am a sucker for epilogues.
djacknurse's review against another edition
3.0
The writing is great as always with S T! The story line was disappointing to me. I was all "Revved" up to give this 5 stars and put it in my favorites. When Andi blew Carrick off for the 5th or 6th time and hurt him....I was over it! I actually wanted him to move on with somebody else. I feel a warning is in order here that he actually is with somebody else after they start their romance (a huge dislike of mine) but she pushed him into it. Her fears were over the top ridiculous and I couldn't figure out why she would EVER have been with a driver if she was so messed up! She works in the business for goodness sake.
smitch29's review against another edition
5.0
4.9
I thought this book was great. It proved yet again that Samantha Towle is what ever author should be: a great story teller. She wrote a captivating story that had heart and great characters.
In this book, Andi was left without a father at too young of an age. She hero worshiped her racing legend of a father, and thought he was invincible. When his occupation got the best of him, it left her and her mother reeling from the loss. Yet, the racing world is all she has ever known and loved. She just got a job working on a Formula 1 racing team as a mechanic. Being immersed in racing is in her soul, but it also allows her to be closer to her father. A good family friend got her the job, but failed to mention to anyone that she is a girl. her employers aren't sexist, but they fear she'll be a distraction and create problems for the all-star racer, Carrick Ryan. He's already got the reputation as a playboy and the racing company is hoping to keep all the media drama out of the workplace. To keep her job, Andi has to deny any advances from Carrick, which should be easy since she refuses to date drivers, due to her history. So Andi shuts down all Carrick's flirting as best she can, but she can't deny to herself that she's attracted. It makes Carrick learn how to have a friend that is an attractive, single girl. They grow really close throughout the tour and it leaves Andi the opportunity to see past Carrick's cocky exterior and see his fears of abandonment that his mother left him with. She becomes much more endeared to Carrick and increasingly has more troubles hiding her attraction. At some point it becomes about more than her job, and it's just her deep rooted fears holding her back. She's quite terrified of his job and the risk he takes daily and she doesn't know if she can handle the risk on her heart. But when her feelings don't just go away, she's forced to face a decision, but she has to remember to be weary of his tender heart, that won't take well to rejection.
The plot wasn't terribly original. Even the racing tour setting was a near mirror of concert tours. Despite that this book never really reminded me of other books while I was reading it. Now, of course, I can draw similarities easily. But, the unique and solid writing style allowed me to be immersed in the lives of just these characters.
Speaking of the characters, I really liked how realistic both of them were. They both had sincere flaws and didn't handle everything as well as they should have. However, the author did a great job making sure their problems weren't magically cured just by being together. Too many romance novels seems to erase any character flaws by being in love, which is kind of stupid and very unrealistic.
I can admit that it is very hard in this genre to separate my feelings for the characters from my thoughts on the book. So many times, the characters' personalities can make or break a story for me. I can't find a single problem with the story itself, but I can't say I was never annoyed by a character in this book. The heroine, Andi, especially irked me. She was very realistic, and my complaints are really biased from reading too many unrealistic books and they're just superficial by nature. Andi's issues seemed to be too repetitive at times. It mirrored true life really well, but true life isn't always fun to read. I felt like the same pattern in Andi and Carrick's relationship occurred too many times. However, that's just how life works, but it does detract ever so slightly from my rating of the book.
The book was truly solid and very entertaining. It's been a while since of read anything from this author, and it left me excited to see what she will publish next.
I thought this book was great. It proved yet again that Samantha Towle is what ever author should be: a great story teller. She wrote a captivating story that had heart and great characters.
In this book, Andi was left without a father at too young of an age. She hero worshiped her racing legend of a father, and thought he was invincible. When his occupation got the best of him, it left her and her mother reeling from the loss. Yet, the racing world is all she has ever known and loved. She just got a job working on a Formula 1 racing team as a mechanic. Being immersed in racing is in her soul, but it also allows her to be closer to her father. A good family friend got her the job, but failed to mention to anyone that she is a girl. her employers aren't sexist, but they fear she'll be a distraction and create problems for the all-star racer, Carrick Ryan. He's already got the reputation as a playboy and the racing company is hoping to keep all the media drama out of the workplace. To keep her job, Andi has to deny any advances from Carrick, which should be easy since she refuses to date drivers, due to her history. So Andi shuts down all Carrick's flirting as best she can, but she can't deny to herself that she's attracted. It makes Carrick learn how to have a friend that is an attractive, single girl. They grow really close throughout the tour and it leaves Andi the opportunity to see past Carrick's cocky exterior and see his fears of abandonment that his mother left him with. She becomes much more endeared to Carrick and increasingly has more troubles hiding her attraction. At some point it becomes about more than her job, and it's just her deep rooted fears holding her back. She's quite terrified of his job and the risk he takes daily and she doesn't know if she can handle the risk on her heart. But when her feelings don't just go away, she's forced to face a decision, but she has to remember to be weary of his tender heart, that won't take well to rejection.
The plot wasn't terribly original. Even the racing tour setting was a near mirror of concert tours. Despite that this book never really reminded me of other books while I was reading it. Now, of course, I can draw similarities easily. But, the unique and solid writing style allowed me to be immersed in the lives of just these characters.
Speaking of the characters, I really liked how realistic both of them were. They both had sincere flaws and didn't handle everything as well as they should have. However, the author did a great job making sure their problems weren't magically cured just by being together. Too many romance novels seems to erase any character flaws by being in love, which is kind of stupid and very unrealistic.
I can admit that it is very hard in this genre to separate my feelings for the characters from my thoughts on the book. So many times, the characters' personalities can make or break a story for me. I can't find a single problem with the story itself, but I can't say I was never annoyed by a character in this book. The heroine, Andi, especially irked me. She was very realistic, and my complaints are really biased from reading too many unrealistic books and they're just superficial by nature. Andi's issues seemed to be too repetitive at times. It mirrored true life really well, but true life isn't always fun to read. I felt like the same pattern in Andi and Carrick's relationship occurred too many times. However, that's just how life works, but it does detract ever so slightly from my rating of the book.
The book was truly solid and very entertaining. It's been a while since of read anything from this author, and it left me excited to see what she will publish next.
danilion's review against another edition
5.0
I love this book so much. I absolutely fell in love with Andi and Carrick as characters and their whole story together. This book really deserves more hype then it gets.
daryann's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
sophie_eri's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5