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Drive
Hot Rides #1
By: Sidney Bristol
Releasing
February 23, 2016
Zebra
Zebra
In Drive (Hot Rides #1) by Sidney Bristol, if there's one thing Aiden DeHart wants it's retribution for the murders of two people he loved. Working for the FBI, he's tasked with getting evidence to bring down a very dangerous man. Except the woman he needs to get the evidence from might be just as dangerous, if he's not careful. Because the danger isn't to his life, it's to his heart.
Madison Haughton hasn't had the easiest of times since her divorce. Her drug dealing ex-husband keeps sending his goons around to harass her because he desperately wants something she took from their home when she left. But now, she's had enough and will do anything to get her ex out of her life, even if that means trusting a man that represents everything she promised herself she'd stay away from.
What an engaging and fast-paced read Ms. Bristol has penned with this first book of her new romantic suspense series, which was filled with a perfect blend of romance and mystery. This story opened really well by introducing readers to Madison's ex-husband and the reason why Aiden is using him to get to the man he's really interested in taking down.
The dialogue kept me entertained from start to finish due to both characters back stories and everything that happens throughout this story because Madison and Aiden are facing danger from two different enemies -- one that's after them and the one that they're after. However, they're are some nice light-hearted moments between Aiden and Madison that had me smiling, as the hero strived to win the heroine's trust, which wasn't easy after everything she's been through with her ex. Because she believes Aiden with his looks and attitude presents a bad boy image, and she's promised herself she'd stay away from that type of guy.
I really liked both main characters as well as the secondary characters, which are part of the team Aiden works with. Madison is strong, independent and brave. She's managed to turn her life around since leaving her ex-husband, doing everything in her power to protect herself. Her love of roller derby and playing the game has certainly given her more confidence and the assertive attitude she possesses to challenge Aiden when they first meet. No way will she make things easy for him until she learns if she can trust him.
While Aiden, he's tenacious, confident and protective. He's determined to do his job, but it isn't easy, not with an old enemy coming after him and his team. He's also determined to protect Madison, hoping to earn her trust with everything he does to keep her safe. Even though he's keeping secrets she probably deserves to know to make her more willing to help him.
As for the romance between Aiden and Madison, it was nicely-detailed and hot, illustrating the strong chemistry this couple had really well. Both are adamant that they don't want a relationship, yet, it's hard for both to deny the feelings they're developing for the other.
Overall, this was a really good read, of which I'm looking forward to reading more of this new series by Ms. Bristol. Also, I really enjoyed how this book ended with Madison fighting for their relationship, and then getting the chance to reunite with her family. I would recommend Drive by Sidney Bristol, if you enjoy romantic suspense novels, or second chance romances.
OVERALL RATING:
Blazing
Miami sun. Cool classic cars. Dangerous undercover assignment. In Sidney
Bristol’s scorching new Hot Rides series, the cars are fast and the romance is
furious…
Aiden
DeHart has a history—and secrets. His classic car garage is a front for an FBI
operation. His current mission: get some evidence from a drug dealer’s ex-wife,
then get out. Madison Haughton sending his engine into overdrive isn’t part of
the plan, though, especially considering she might not be as innocent as Aiden
thought…
Since
her divorce from her sleazeball ex, Madison has sworn off bad boys, gotten some
sweet tattoos, and become a star of Miami’s roller derby scene. But however
fast she skates, her ex is always on her tail. When the sexy guy in the muscle
car offers to help, he could be her ticket to safety—or a detour down a deadly
road…
If Stoke’s didn’t give so much money
to her roller derby league in exchange for one night of carhopping, she’d never
stand for the kind of lewd comments the rough motorcycle types liked to throw
her way. Then again, she was skating around in crash pads, a black pleated
miniskirt, and a bikini top with the league’s alligator-on-roller-skates logo
over each breast. She got better tips this way, and the league was hurting for
cash this season.
“Hey.” Lily, her best friend and
teammate, screeched to a halt on her toe stops. Her frilly skirt flipped up,
exposing her Talk Derby to Me booty shorts underneath. She probably meant to do
that. Lily was a tease, but that was because she could afford to be one. With
her Greek goddess looks, men were always interested in her curves.
It was one
reason why on the track she was known as A’thing’a Beauty.
“If those assholes touch me, I’m
going to bash them over the head with a baseball bat.”
“You say that every time we’re here.
Besides, your cop buddies wouldn’t let that happen.” Lily pivoted neatly and
rolled with Madison toward the ticket window, wiggling her fingers at the cop
car sitting in Madison’s section.
“They’re not my friends.” She
refused to look at the two off-duty patrol officers. They weren’t bad people.
Some of the
cops Detective Matt Smith sent to “protect” her were even nice. But that was
because they wanted something she couldn’t give them. Evidence her ex-husband
was a drug dealer.
“I’ve got a guy in my section, and
he’s been eyeing you since he got here. I swear he’s got a thing for you. I
think we should switch.”
“What?” Madison almost tripped over
the curb. Lily never gave up the section behind the grill. The concrete wasn’t
busted up and it made for good skating. Besides, the bikers didn’t park back
there.
“I tried flirting with him, but he
didn’t pay me any attention.” Lily rolled her eyes. It was crazy to think a man
wouldn’t notice her. She was athletic and curvy, with perfectly sun-kissed
olive skin, long, curling hair braided into pigtails, and her makeup never ran
because of sweat.
“Who is he?” Madison peered toward
the back lot, but had no idea which car was his.
“Orange muscle car, black stripes.
Here. Take this to him.” Lily handed her a banana split with two spoons.
“Don’t ask.
Just go.”
“No.” Madison shook her head and
pushed the frozen treat back at her. “I don’t do bad-boy types. Not anymore,
remember? If he doesn’t have a pocket protector or a suit, I’m not interested.”
Lily rolled her eyes. “Honey, have
you looked in the mirror? You don’t exactly scream ‘nice guy material’ anymore.
Neither of us do. Besides, it’s not like I’m telling you to go marry the guy,
just flirt a little. You’ve got to learn how to do it again. Please?”
Madison glared at her. Roller derby
had given her the kick in the pants to get her life together when she’d had
nothing. But most of all, she’d found a family, something she hadn’t had since
high school, which was more depressing than she wanted to think about.
“Fine,” Madison grumbled, and took
the banana split back.
“Yay!” Lily gave Madison a little
push and slapped her bottom.
She peered over her shoulder at her
friend, nerves clamoring inside of her. Her? Flirt? She hadn’t done that in
ages. Wasn’t even sure if she knew how to anymore. She’d have to trust that if
she got into any kind of awkward exchange, she could count on one of the other
derby girls to pull her ass out of the fire. That’s what derby sisters were
good for, right?
The orange muscle car sat under a
long, tin awning, shielding it from the afternoon sun. She couldn’t tell
anything about the man sitting in the car except he had wide shoulders, the
kind of big muscular arms she could dig her nails
into.
Those thoughts needed to stop—right
now. She hadn’t had sex in ages and her hormones were in overdrive.
At this
point, she’d have fantasies about anything with a pulse. Which was probably why
Lily was shoving her at this man, but was she ready? Were there rules for newly
divorced women about when they could date?
How was she
supposed to act? Did she need to tell the guy up front?
“Right, because nothing is sexier
than saying, ‘Hi, my name is Madison and I’m newly divorced after being
separated for three years,’” she muttered to herself. Then again, leading with Hi,
want to give my lady parts a tune-up? probably
wasn’t a good idea either.
Time to put her customer service
face on and stop thinking about s-e-x.
The driver slowly came into view,
one delicious inch of muscular arm at a time until she could see the rest of
him. He had one arm hanging out of the open window, with a black-and-gray
tattoo peeking from under his shirtsleeve. He had short, sandy brown hair and a
strong jaw with generous lips she wanted to see smile for some crazy reason.
Sunglasses hid his eyes, but she felt them crawl over her body. Madison smiled
at the man and felt her pulse in her throat. Why did she have the sudden urge
to trace those inked lines with her tongue?
She’d become something of an ink
addict since her divorce, as evidenced by the tattoos she’d accumulated in the
last few years. One glance at her customer and she shivered despite the heat.
Hot wasn’t
a strong enough word for him. Panty melting might
be more accurate. She was out of her league here. He’d chew her up and spit her
inexperienced ass out. Lily could have this one all to herself.
Madison
slowed to a stop, careful to not spill the quickly melting ice cream. “Hey,
I’ve got one banana split for you.”
His lips curled downward a bit. “I
didn’t order one.” That voice. It rumbled across her senses, straight to her
core, setting off her internal alarms. Danger!
“Oh, you didn’t? They told me to
bring it out here.”
Shit. Shit. Shit. This is all Lily’s
fault!
“Give it here.” He gestured for her
to bring the ice cream closer while he dug in his pocket. “Two spoons, huh?”
“That’s what they gave me.” She
shrugged and handed it over.
Madison hadn’t even noticed the
plastic silverware stuck neatly in the sides. Now, if he would just take it so
she could skate her happy ass away, she wouldn’t complain about the bikers for
the rest of the afternoon. She could only assume he was studying her. His gaze
was hidden, but she felt it drift across her shoulders, down her breasts and stomach
to her legs. She’d toss on a shirt, too, no matter that it was ungodly hot. She
was not ready for this kind of attention, even if her body screamed something
else.
“You look like you could use a
cooldown.” He pulled his sunglasses off and she nearly stopped breathing. He
had the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. Like the sky on a clear day, or the bluest
of ocean lagoons. “Want some?”
Nope.
Nothing from you.
“It looks
really good.” He spooned a bite of the slowchurned vanilla into his mouth. The
way his lips wrapped around the spoon was completely fascinating. Where had he
learned that? “There’s plenty for two.”
“Uh, sure.” Was that breathy voice
really her?
He offered her a spoon and held the
treat for her to scoop some. Stoke’s might be known for their beerbattered
fries, but they made a mean homemade ice cream. It was one of their better-kept
secrets. She greedily dipped her bite into the fudge, making sure it was
dripping with chocolate.
“You want to sit down?” He gestured
to the passenger side of his car.
She froze with the spoon halfway to
her mouth. Attractive man, tinted windows, sitting here watching her and now he
wanted her to have a seat in his car. Shit, fuck and damn it. Why
hadn’t she seen it before? Hot guys in cool cars didn’t pick girls up like
this, did they? Not when your last name used to be Ross. All the desire burning
in her breast went out in one poof of
nonexistent smoke. This had to tie back to Dustin.
Madison jabbed the spoon back in the
dish and placed her hands on her hips, glaring at Mr.
I-Melt-Panties-For-A-Living. How dare he take advantage of herself-imposed
celibacy with his hotness? It just wasn’t fair.
“Why are you here? And don’t tell me
it’s for the beer fries.” She glanced toward the patrol car but—Shit!—the
cops were gone. Could she get the attention of one of the girls in time? What
if he grabbed her and drove off ?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
It can never be said that NYT & USA
Today Bestselling author Sidney Bristol has had a ‘normal’
life. She is a recovering roller derby queen, former missionary, and tattoo
addict. She grew up in a motor-home on the US highways (with an occasional
jaunt into Canada and Mexico), traveling the rodeo circuit with her parents. Sidney
has lived abroad in both Russia and Thailand, working with children and
teenagers. She now lives in Texas where she splits her time between a job she
loves, writing, reading and fostering cats.
Great review! Thank you for hosting DRIVE today!
ReplyDeleteCrystal, Tasty Book Tours