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Review

So many mixed feelings!!!! Overall, I am enjoying the developing romance between sweet, sensitive and selfless Rylee, and sexy racecar driver and emotionally damaged playboy, Colton, but this book dragged a bit for me. There are feels, there is sweetness, there is sex (SO much sex!) and there is heartbreak. And OMG there is drama!!

This book picks up right at the moment of the emotional cliffy from Driven, but this time from Colton’s POV (win!). With one flashback, we get the answers to what has made Colton as emotionally withdrawn as he is, and OMG, it’s brutal! But it helps us to understand why Colton is so intent on pushing Rylee away and why he is scared to deal with his own baggage. Acknowledging that he can’t give her what she wants, he is trying so hard to keep himself from feeling too much, not dealing with his crap because it’s the only way he knows how to be.

“I can’t give you that you need because I don’t know how to live – to feel – to breathe – if I’m not broken. And being with you? You deserve someone that’s whole. I just can’t…”

My heart absolutely broke for him! And I really admired Rylee for being strong enough to fight him, for being willing to stand strong for him while he battles his demons , and letting him know that despite it all, she still wants him.

This book is highly emotional. All of the drama above happens in the first few chapters, but it forms the basis for the rest of the rollercoaster as they both struggle to deal with the intensity of their feelings for each other, and find a way to be together that works for them. And, I’ve got to admit, I was proud of Rylee for not rolling over and being a doormat – she’s incredibly supportive of Colton, but also isn’t willing to roll over and accept what he is willing to offer without fighting for what she wants.

“Why has this always been about what you want? What about me? Don’t I deserve to feel how I feel and not hold back because of some implied rules?”

But despite their differences, neither of them are willing or able to stay away from the other, and there is no denying the chemistry between them, and the sexy time is smoking!

“I want to hear you scream out my name when I take you. I want to hear it when you fall apart from the things I’m going to do to you, Rylee. I want to claim you. Make you mine. Ruin you for any other man that dares to think of touching you.”

Oh yeah – totally hot!

Again, there’s a lot of time spent in Rylee’s head, analysing her feelings, Colton’s every move, and every little aspect of their relationship. AND there are more fucking racing metaphors!!! Way too many mentions of checkered flags, and then this…

I take a deep breath, hoping the pit stop he’s asking for is the result of a flat tire and not because the race is almost over.

UGH! *sigh*

I loved getting Colton’s POV – even though it’s just a few chapters here and there, it’s enough to let us know where his head is at, and in this book full of drama, we need it!!! I enjoyed watching him come to realise what he is feeling for Rylee and her “voodoo pussy” *snicker*. And, of course, we get to see first-hand what he is trying to deal with – giving us some insight into his fear of emotional attachment, and making us instantly sympathetic towards his situation – which in turn makes us more tolerant of his behaviour with Rylee and his refusal to explore a relationship with her. And it works… for a while…

There are some absolutely beautiful moments in this book. Moments where they let themselves go, don’t think too much and just enjoy what’s happening between them. With all of Colton’s issues, they don’t talk about their feelings a lot, but there are so many of those special little moments between them where they don’t need to speak, everything is said in a glance or a touch, and the author does a great job at putting the feels out there without a word being spoken.

And then there is the stupid. Holy God, SO much freaking stupid! Something happens – yes, it’s big, I could understand that it was big and that the reaction was going to be a bad one, and I was tolerant for most of it, but it just went on and on, and after a while the two of them just descended into game playing, hurtful, non-communicative assholes! First I was sad for Colton, then I was angry at Colton, then I was angry at Rylee, then I was angry at both of them. And then I wanted to take the two of them and smack their heads together. WTF was going on? Ugh. I was rolling my eyes at their behaviour, questioning whether I even wanted them together – they both deserve to be miserable and alone after that display! But, on the plus side, hot, angry make up sex is all kinds of steamy, and I did enjoy that 😉

I was a bit up and down with this book. Parts of it I loved, parts of it I didn’t, but it made me feel, and that’s always a good thing. And then there’s that ending – holy freaking cliffhanger! There’s no way I can stop after that, so I’ll be diving straight into the next one.

3.5 stars.