Shift, the first book in the Fuel Series by Ginger Scott is LIVE! Buckle your seatbelt, it’s gonna be a wild ride!
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Blurb
Dustin Bridges has always had two things he could count on—his fearless instincts behind the wheel and the support of his two best friends, Tommy and Hannah Judge.
Dustin brought the speed.
Tommy, the brains.
And Hannah . . . she was the glue that held everyone together.
Together, they were unstoppable.
From the dirt tracks of their youth to the late-night drag races under a desert moon as teens, the Judge siblings pushed and watched in awe as their friend edged closer to his dream. Always racing, always running. That was Dustin’s gift and curse. And while his life at home was unbearable, his world with the Judges always seemed perfect.
Growing up with people makes for a special bond. But sometimes life has a way of testing just how strong a relationship is. And falling in love with one of your best friends, not to mention your other best friend’s sister? Well, that can be the toughest test of all.
Heartbreak doesn’t know what it’s up against, though, because when there is a prize to be won, nobody bets against Dustin Bridges.
Review
5 stars and so many feels!
Oh wow. This little book just rocked my world. The characters, their story, the drama, intensity and the romance all had me completely wrapped up, and I devoured every single moment. This is only the first in the trilogy, the beginning of what is sure to be an epic love story, and I am here for it!
17-year-old Dustin Bridges was born into near-poverty, and grew up with an abusive father and neglectful, drug-addicted mother. His saving grace was his best friend, Tommy’s family, who pretty much adopted Dustin into the family. He grew up with Tommy and Tommy’s younger sister, Hannah, and the three of them were inseparable, throwing themselves into Dustin’s passion of dirt racing, living for the next race, and celebrating his successes. His life is hard, but there are moments of joy, and Dustin’s come either when he is behind the wheel, or with the people that he cares about. And when those two things combine, sparks fly.
Our eyes lock as her laughter fades, and I can’t help but hold on to her gaze when it stops completely. I’m suddenly aware of how we appear to the dozens of eyes on us. We look like two young people doing a shit job at pretending not to like each other. We look exactly like what we are.
Hannah and Dustin have always had a special connection, and I loved watching as their feelings for each other are finally revealed, naturally and effortlessly evolving into a beautifully sweet, honest and passionately intense romance. They don’t hold back, they don’t hide from their feelings, and once the line is crossed, they know there’s no stopping it. They instinctively follow their hearts, and I was completely swept up with them.
We’re Hannah and Dustin, same as always yet nothing like we were. It seems too light to call what we have “dating,” and we’re not “seeing each other” or any of those other bullshit terms people use to describe high school relationships. That’s not what this is. I won’t belittle Hannah’s and my connection with something so fleeting. We’re an evolution. An inevitable result. Fated, I guess.
Theirs is a beautiful love story, and I love these two together so much! Even as children, their friendship was more, Hannah was always there for Dustin when she needed him, and Dustin always made sure that she was a part of the group, and he was always her protector. Their bond is so special, and their feelings for each other only enhance that, and it was so beautiful to see.
This family is all I need. It’s the only thing that has ever seen me through to the next day. And right now, Hannah is the one piece holding me together.
But not everybody is happy with their relationship, and oh, it made my heart hurt. Dustin knows that his life is tainted by his upbringing and the sins of his parents, and seeing that reinforced in such a devastating way, when he’s trying so hard for Hannah, is absolutely heartbreaking.
Most of me knows letting her go is what’s best for her. But then…she looks at me. And I know nothing.
The “I’m not good enough” storyline can be excruciating to read, but in this case it was completely understandable, absolutely believable, and it broke my heart. It’s drilled in to Dustin over and over again – even by those he feels the closest to. I couldn’t blame him for feeling like he did, and I ached for him.
I want to scream that I’ve always loved her. That she is the one person I can confide in, the person I run to, and the only thing that keeps me from following in Colt’s dark footsteps. But saying that—laying all of my baggage and bullshit on her heart like that when I’m nothing—isn’t enough. I need to be worthy, to be the man she sees in me.
And when all of his fears are reinforced in the worst possible way, his entire future is thrown into turmoil, setting the stage for what is sure to be an emotional ride to come in the next two books.
I felt everything reading this book. The race scenes had my heart pounding, the anticipation of the romance was fantastic, the drama was intense yet realistic, and the love story absolutely owned my heart. I adored these two together! The characters are so well written, and as much as I fell for Dustin, Hannah absolutely shines. She’s fierce and brave, she feels deeply, and she follows her heart and holds nothing back, not caring what others think, and I love her honest strength so much.
“I love you, Dustin Bridges. You did nothing wrong. And I love you for you. I love you,” I say. I’ll repeat these words until he believes them, until he hears them in every part of his body. I’ll say them to anyone who asks, to anyone who dares to question where my loyalty lies. I’ll pronounce my love for this boy in a court of law, in the face of death, at the line of fire. I’ll love him for always because I know, whether he can say it yet or not, he loves me back. He loves me, and I won’t let go.
This is a really strong start to the trilogy, and I am so excited to see where Dustin and Hannah’s story goes next. The potential is there for an absolutely epic love story, and I want it for them so much! The book ends on a cliffhanger… but not. Scott gives us just enough of a glimpse of what is to come, that I finished this book feeling hopeful, yet desperate to get my hands on the next one.
A fantastically beautiful and emotional read – 5 stars!
An Advanced Reader Copy of this book was provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Fuel Series
About the Author
Ginger Scott is an Amazon-bestselling and Goodreads Choice Award-nominated author of several young and new adult romances, including Waiting on the Sidelines, Going Long, Blindness, How We Deal With Gravity, This Is Falling, You and Everything After, The Girl I Was Before, Wild Reckless, Wicked Restless, In Your Dreams, The Hard Count, Hold My Breath, A Boy Like You, A Girl Like Me, Memphis and Cry Baby.
A sucker for a good romance, Ginger’s other passion is sports, and she often blends the two in her stories. (She’s also a sucker for a hot quarterback, catcher, pitcher, point guard…the list goes on.) Ginger has been writing and editing for newspapers, magazines and blogs for more than 15 years. She has told the stories of Olympians, politicians, actors, scientists, cowboys, criminals and towns. For more on her and her work, visit her website at http://www.littlemisswrite.com.
When she’s not writing, the odds are high that she’s somewhere near a baseball diamond, either watching her son field pop flies like Bryce Harper or cheering on her favorite baseball team, the Arizona Diamondbacks. Ginger lives in Arizona and is married to her college sweetheart whom she met at ASU (fork ’em, Devils).
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