Contemporary Romance
Title: Racing to Love
Author: Amy Gregory
Date Published: 6/7/2012
Publisher: Sapphire Publishing
From the outside, Molly West had everything, beauty, brains, and a career she'd retired from not once, but twice. Being in the limelight and in a sport that was male driven, she was often surrounded by men. She ignored first the boys, and as she got older, the men. Her cold shoulder and patented not a chance in hell look were usually enough to get her point across. Molly had no plans in changing what was a perfectly good system. That is until she walked into the pits. Carter Sterling had traveled the racing circuit since he was a boy. He'd heard all the old standbys, She's out there somewhere, love comes along when you least expect it. Good things come to those that... Yeah, he'd heard them all. The last place he expected to meet the love of his life was on a pro track. All she did was smile, and he knew, looking into her sapphire blue eyes, Molly West was his. Forever. If it was only that easy. From the moment he laid eyes on her, he had a gripping feeling in him. An overwhelming need to protect her-a girl he'd just met. Carter had learned a long time ago that gut feelings are almost never wrong. Molly now held his heart in her hands, but it was going to take a lot more than just love to protect her from the past she thought she'd buried a long time ago.
My Review:
This is the author’s debut novel Racing to Love, since I am a fan of romance novels I thought I would check Amy Gregory’s new book. The writing is good, the plot flows well, character descriptions were well written, and Racing To Love was one of those books I just couldn’t put down till I reached the end. The added suspense/mystery in this story held my interest and the budding romance just added to a fantastic story, I definitely would like to read more of Amy Gregory’s writing.
We are introduced to Molly who is famous for her skills in Motor cross racing and trick riding. Molly brother and girlfriend travel with Molly to keep her safe in this man’s sport. Molly life as a young girl was horrific, badly abused by her father she has some major trust issues. Her adoptive family is pretty much the only people she trusts and they are there to keep her safe at all cost even if it’s a bit too much. At her next show we meet Carter who is instantly attracted to Molly and the feeling is mutual. Molly cannot believe how she feels and has no problem letting Carter in her life. The feelings between these two develop fast and you can imagine how it is for both of them. Now Molly has a new man in her life to keep her protected.
Racing for Love not only has romance, the story has some added suspense as someone is trying to hurt Molly and you wonder who it could be. You meet a very protective family and you get to see Molly take back some of her life and stand up for herself.
I really enjoyed Racing to Love and recommend it to anyone who loves young new love with a touch of suspense and mystery. Amy Gregory writing is great and I cannot wait to read more from her. I have rated Racing to Love 4 stars.
Excerpt from Racing to Love
“Sometimes,” he whispered, “there’s a bigger plan out there and we don’t have the answers to it.”
“Sure feels like that, huh? It’s kinda scary, don’t you think?”
“Why’s that?” He stroked her back. “You’re not scared of me, are you?”
“No, no, not at all. It’s this. I mean, twelve hours ago life was very different. I was missing home and my family and I wasn’t ready to be gone for four months.”
She couldn’t help the sickening feeling she just had. James. Ugh. She’d thrown the equivalent of a temper tantrum before they’d left town. She had just gotten home from one contract job to find out that two days later she had to leave for another. And this was a long one. When he found out she not only wasn’t mad anymore, but that she was excited about being here—God, he’d never let her live it down. Then he’d lecture her on men.
She had that one memorized, probably because she’d heard it regularly since she was fourteen years old. She only mimicked it verbatim when his back was turned. She loved the man with all her heart, but she had to admit she was a teensy bit worried about how he’d take the news of Carter. Well, more than a teensy bit. She was more like scared to death for Carter’s safety. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the smile under control. She didn’t want to scare the man off by explaining what was going through her mind at that moment, especially since he’d stuck out the panic attack.
“But now?” he asked in his low, sexy voice, hugging her to him.
He continued to rub her back and rested his cheek on the top of her head. He didn’t know it, but his voice was such a comfort to her. When he lowered it like that, it could almost slip her into a peaceful trance.
“But now, I want time to stand still.” She pulled in a breath of his cologne, his scent like a magnet.
“Me too.”
“We’re moving really fast, Carter.”
She knew it was one kiss, a hell of a kiss, but—one kiss. But combined with other comments he’d slipped in here and there? She knew what he meant when he said she was the one. He was talking about something much bigger than just a weekend fling. She wouldn’t have done that anyway, but he was making this into more. Way more.
Plus, if she had to be honest, he deserved points. Most men would have run like their ass was on fire when they saw her in a heap of tears on the floor. He hadn’t. He’d been sweet, nurturing, and if she wasn’t mistaken, scared to death. He also hadn’t pushed her. He hadn’t made her feel bad when she denied his earlier kiss, he hadn’t pushed her to talk when she wasn’t ready, and he wasn’t pushing for more right now. He seemed happy to go at the pace she was setting.
“Sure feels like that, huh? It’s kinda scary, don’t you think?”
“Why’s that?” He stroked her back. “You’re not scared of me, are you?”
“No, no, not at all. It’s this. I mean, twelve hours ago life was very different. I was missing home and my family and I wasn’t ready to be gone for four months.”
She couldn’t help the sickening feeling she just had. James. Ugh. She’d thrown the equivalent of a temper tantrum before they’d left town. She had just gotten home from one contract job to find out that two days later she had to leave for another. And this was a long one. When he found out she not only wasn’t mad anymore, but that she was excited about being here—God, he’d never let her live it down. Then he’d lecture her on men.
She had that one memorized, probably because she’d heard it regularly since she was fourteen years old. She only mimicked it verbatim when his back was turned. She loved the man with all her heart, but she had to admit she was a teensy bit worried about how he’d take the news of Carter. Well, more than a teensy bit. She was more like scared to death for Carter’s safety. She bit the inside of her cheek to keep the smile under control. She didn’t want to scare the man off by explaining what was going through her mind at that moment, especially since he’d stuck out the panic attack.
“But now?” he asked in his low, sexy voice, hugging her to him.
He continued to rub her back and rested his cheek on the top of her head. He didn’t know it, but his voice was such a comfort to her. When he lowered it like that, it could almost slip her into a peaceful trance.
“But now, I want time to stand still.” She pulled in a breath of his cologne, his scent like a magnet.
“Me too.”
“We’re moving really fast, Carter.”
She knew it was one kiss, a hell of a kiss, but—one kiss. But combined with other comments he’d slipped in here and there? She knew what he meant when he said she was the one. He was talking about something much bigger than just a weekend fling. She wouldn’t have done that anyway, but he was making this into more. Way more.
Plus, if she had to be honest, he deserved points. Most men would have run like their ass was on fire when they saw her in a heap of tears on the floor. He hadn’t. He’d been sweet, nurturing, and if she wasn’t mistaken, scared to death. He also hadn’t pushed her. He hadn’t made her feel bad when she denied his earlier kiss, he hadn’t pushed her to talk when she wasn’t ready, and he wasn’t pushing for more right now. He seemed happy to go at the pace she was setting.
“Fast is relative. When its right, you don’t measure it, and we aren’t teenagers.” He laughed lightly. “You can’t even consider us young adults anymore, Gorgeous. And look at the thousands of people who go to bed together the first night they meet or have one night stands.”
“That’s not me,” she said softly, then shut her eyes.
“I know, baby.” He had figured out that she was only confident and out-spoken around their big group. When he was alone with her, she was quiet, sweet, and vulnerable. He grinned to himself, completely in love with both sides of her already, but also proud that she trusted him. Seeing first-hand how fast she could throw a wall up against men that wanted to be with her.
“Carter, I have never really had a boyfriend before.” She took a deep breath at her admission.
“Never? I find that hard to believe.”
“No. There was never anyone worth the effort of a long distance relationship. We grew up on the road. Hell, I’m still on the road a lot. You live the same way, you know what it’s like. So why bother? I have been on a few dates over the last few years, but just a date and usually just once. It doesn’t take long to figure out that they’re all just the same. But here…tonight…with you? I’ve been acting like a ditzy, flirty girl. I’ve been hanging on you all night. Uh…your friends are going to think I’m easy.”
“I knew you were the kind of girl to worry about that.”
“I do. Look, it started a fight.”
“There was nothing you did that started that fight. I promise you, Molly. That was all on Martins. He’s a jackass. Don’t you dare feel guilty over that. Please? And as for you hanging on me, you weren’t. But I’ll admit, I like it. I like having your hand in mine, my arm around you. I love your head on my shoulder. I could tell you were able to relax around me. If you consider all that hanging on me, I’ll take it.”
“That’s a man answer.” She softly chuckled.
With her still in his arms, he whispered in her ear in an even lower voice, one with an edge to it, “I am a man.”
Her stomach did another flip flop, but then her mind caught up and her heart dropped. Like you need to remind me? She looked up at him with an eyebrow raised. “Yeah, and I’m sure you’ve got women throwing themselves at you.”
“Not really.”
“I don’t believe that for a minute.”
“I don’t.”
“Carter, you are incredibly good looking and you have killer eyes. So no, I don’t believe you.” A cocky, slow grin danced across his face. “Oh, don’t you look at me like that,” she teased. “You know you’re absolutely amazing, don’t play innocent with me.” His hands slid down to her butt, pulling her as close as he possible could.
“Oh yeah?” He raised his eyebrows up at her a couple of times.
“Yeah.” Her eyes were as wide as saucers, but she wasn’t minding that his hands were on her, and she was loving the crooked grin on his face. It made him appear almost boyish when just seconds before he was—almost—hungry. Boyish she could handle. Hungry scared the shit out of her.
“So…”
“So?”
“Am I worth a long distance relationship?”
Her heart went from zero to sixty from the excitement and the fact he really did like her. Karen had always told her there would be someone. She felt her insides go gooey and her cheeks get warm.
Feeling a little braver, she said, “Depends.” She grinned up at him, getting a small thrill off the control.
He squeezed her butt. It was a total possessive move on his part and she knew it. “Oh yeah? On what?”
“On how long it takes you to kiss me again.”
“That I can do, Gorgeous.”
She slid her arms up to his neck and smiled at him. Then she bit her bottom lip. He smiled his slow, sexy grin that kept driving her insane. There went the control, back to Carter—she had no power against that smile. “What? You’re staring.” She giggled nervously. She gave herself a mental slap upside the head for sounding like a goofy teenage girl.
He smiled down at her and she melted all over again. “I’m just…”
“Just making me nervous,” she finished for him.
“I just can’t get over the fact that I get to be the man holding you. I get to be the man to kiss you.”
“I was thinking that I’m the lucky one.”
He leaned down to kiss her and she slid one palm to his cheek. With her other hand, she threaded her fingers through the back of his hair just as she parted her lips to kiss him. When he pulled her even closer to him, she sighed. The move was intentional. He needed her to know how much he wanted her—to feel how badly he wanted her. A part of him needed her to know how hard he was struggling to keep himself under control, to silently prove to her she was safe with him.
He broke the kiss and pulled her tight to him, the man in him wishing she wouldn’t object to going back to his motorhome. But he knew she wasn’t ready for that. He drew back. “Oh my God.” He breathed heavily, just standing there holding her, willing himself to behave. Carter finally caught his breath and pulled away a few inches to look at her before he leaned his forehead to hers. “Oh girl, what you do to me.”
She looked up at him and graced him with the sweetest smile he had ever seen. “I don’t want to let you go,” she whispered.
“So…” he replied just as quietly, “Don’t. Tell me I’m worth it, that you’ll do long distance. Please.”
She reached up to kiss him gently. “You’re worth everything.”
Author BioAmy Gregory leads an incredibly active lifestyle in Kansas City with her husband and their three fantastic kids who keep them running in three very different directions. When she’s not rushing her oldest daughter to tumbling, her youngest daughter to music lessons, or sitting track-side watching her son practice motocross, she’s taking the few minutes in between to scribble the next pages in her Racing to Love series.
When asked, “When do you have time to write?” Amy Gregory giggles. “In bits and pieces,” she says.
Amy is known for her snarky, off the cuff sense of humor, which you’ll find shining through in the characters she’s created. Her debut novel, Racing to Love, Carter’s Treasure, is set for release June 7, 2012.
I’ve spent my whole life trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up, and now I’ve finally found it.
Amy Gregory
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