This is book #3, in the 7 Brides For 7 Blackthornes series.  This book can be read as a standalone novel.  For reader enjoyement, and to fully understand the series, I recommend reading this series in order.

Ross is thrown back into the company business after an accident that almost ended in tragedy.  He is not happy to be there, until he meets his mentor.  She is fiery, sexy, and everything he never knew he needed.

Holly wants nothing to do with a playboy who couldn't remember he already met her!  It's a crime that he is even there in the first place.  Too much has already happened to her family, and she wants to make the most of her position, so she will teach the unteachable.

This story was a pleasant surprise and not at all what I thought I was going to get.  This series is already turning out to be great.  I love these characters with the heat that sizzles between them, as well as the banter that just makes me laugh out loud.  Overall a good pace and a terrific read.  I give this a 4/5 Kitty's Paws UP!

***This ARC copy was given in exchange for an honest review.

I got this book mainly for two reasons:

1) I love the cover -- she looks so boss!

2) She's a frickin'  race car driver.  Yaaaas!  Score one for interesting jobs

The story has some good bones.  Tracy Powell and Shane Westbook are racing rivals who had reconnect after having been broken up for a year.  Previously when they were together, they kept their relationship a secret from their equally rival racing families and the media. 

There were parts of the book I enjoyed but there were things about it that rather dampened some of my enjoyment.

The Good:

- The racing stuff -- interesting and wasn't treated as wall paper.  The scenes on the track were fun to read about

- The h/H had great chemistry.

- Good supporting characters.

The 'Eh':

- No real romantic conflict.  It didn't feel like there was anything at stake for them. I liked them but I wondered why I should care about their relationship succeeding?

- Odd writing in places.  People would "scream' or 'gasp' or 'bark' in places where none of these reactions felt warranted

- Dialog did not read as natural in some instances. People just don't talk in that way.

- Sex scenes needed ...something.  is there such a thing as a sex scene doctor? An erotic scene dramaturg? Cuz if there is, this book needed it.

The Bad:

- Early in the book Shane goes to see Tracy.  They have sex.  Unprotected sex when it was established that during the year they were broken up, he had been sexually active with multiple other women.  To top it off,  she is not on any birth control.  After they have their mind-blowingly awesome sexy reunion sex  she admonishes 'You forgot to wear a condom.'

Uh.... what in the what, now?

He feels totally fine about giving her his baby making juice.  She basically flutters her eyelashes at the whole thing. I, otoh, said 'Ew.'

There was just so much fail there.

I almost closed the book then.  Luckily it was early on and the rest of the story works itself from under this and is pleasant enough.  Ultimately, though, probably the only aspect I'll really remember of it later is the heroine's profession.  Although I do think there was a missed opportunity to explore more of the media impact of Tracy's participation in her sport. 

I got the impression she was supposed to be somewhat like Danica Patrick, in that she is very young and pretty but hadn't really won anything.  In her case there was an added factor of Tracy being black.  And as this book begins she places well in a qualifying race and some buzz about her begins.  But that is sadly not really expanded upon.  Frankly I wish we had lost some of the sex scenes to gain some further character deepening that something like that would have wrought.