It’s easy to see why Asher has become such a popular author, with a debut as strong as this series starter. It was pretty great. After reading and loving the Dreamland Billionaires series, I was excited to check out Asher’s first series – especially since it’s all being released in audio. I had read enough reviews to know that I should temper my expectations for this particular installment because of one specific plot point, and I am definitely glad that I got a heads up about that before digging in (more on that in a minute). But this felt like an “Asher” romance in a lot of ways, with a hero who isn’t sure how to let love into his life. It’s a slow burn with plenty of sexual tension, and I loved that there was a focus on the emotional connection. While our heroine is reluctantly attracted to the hero right away (except when he opens his jerky mouth), she isn’t the sort of woman who is willing to accept something casual. I loved that she stood her ground. And there are some excellent moments of personal growth for the hero along the way, as well as an intriguing cast of characters and a unique setting. So I’m definitely glad that I started the series from the beginning, and I ended up enjoying this a whole lot more than I expected – a strong 4/low 5-star read for me.
The story follows Maya, a recent college grad who is joining her F1 driver brother as he travels around the world for the season. She’s excited for the experience, and looking forward to making friends on the circuit. Unfortunately, there is one man in particular who threatens to ruin the experience – Noah, racing royalty and her brother’s rival turned teammate. A notorious playboy and all-around a-hole, Noah does not welcome Maya’s presence on the circuit. He’d enjoy a night with her if she wasn’t his teammate’s little sister, but spending time with a sweet and beautiful woman who is strictly off-limits is not something Noah wants to do. But as the weeks pass, Noah’s attraction to Maya continues to grow, and he may just be too broken to know how to handle that.
This is a pretty polarizing book for readers, as there is ONE specific conflict that everyone has an opinion on. Luckily, I had that spoiled for me before digging in, so I had already processed my emotions about it before choosing to read this. I would’ve been BIG MAD at the situation otherwise. I won’t share the spoiler in my review, but I will talk about it at the bottom of this post – so head down there if you want the details ahead of time. In the end, I actually could understand how it was important to the story, and an essential turning point in the relationship. These two dance around their feelings for quite awhile, with our hero reluctant to admit that there is more between them than simple attraction. I think it was necessary for them to have such a slow emotional burn, and I actually appreciated how it was handled. Noah hasn’t had a lot of love in his life, so he fights against the bond. There’s just something so appealing about a bad boy/player falling hard for the right girl, and that’s Noah. The romance was much stronger for me in the second half, with a fantastic final act. I loved how it all ended up. I also loved the setting and the cast of characters. I was immersed in this world and am intrigued by some of the other guys, so I’m eager to read more from the series. This does stand on its own, but I have a feeling that the series is going to be better when read in order. I was close to rounding my rating up, but a slower start and that doozy of a conflict are holding me back. This was very strong for a debut though.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42WoEWF
Audio Note:
The audio is excellent! I’m glad that I waited for it. Aiden Snow does a great job as Noah, and I really enjoyed his voice. His deep, relaxing tone embodied Noah well, and I found him to be very easy to listen to. Ramona Master also does a stellar job. Her voice worked exceedingly well for Maya’s Spanish accent, and her performance gave the character even more personality. It also helped me get into the setting even more, and was a definite enhancement to the reading experience. I will say that I’m not sure about how the next two books are going to be on audio, as both of the guys have strong accents. But I’m looking forward to finding out. The runtime on this was also perfect for bingeing, and the slow burn storyline lended itself to a laidback listen. Probably not a good choice for the office though, as there is plenty of sexual tension throughout. I wholeheartedly recommend experiencing this in audio, and I had a great time listening.
Audiobook: https://amzn.to/3WnihJo
Blurb:
What happens when my brother’s rival becomes my secret crush?
Noah Slade is a Formula 1 legend in the making.
Focused. Unapproachable. Ruthless on and off the track.
A man with walls higher than the Grand Canyon.
And my brother’s new teammate.
I want more of the prince who disguises himself as the villain.
But while I crave a happy ending, he wants to destroy his.
Maya Alatorre is a forbidden temptation.
An ambitious post-grad I should stay far away from.
And chaos wrapped with a bow.
We’re a ticking time bomb, about one wrong move away from exploding.
I want to trip the wire, detonating together in passion and pain.
Because in the end, all’s fair in lust and war.
Amazon: https://amzn.to/42WoEWF
About the Author:
Self-diagnosed with an overactive imagination, Lauren spends her free time reading and writing. Her dream is to travel to all the places she writes about. She enjoys writing about flawed yet relatable characters you can’t help loving. She likes sharing fast-paced stories with angst, steam, and the emotional spectrum.
Her extra-curricular activities include watching YouTube, binging old episodes of Parks and Rec, and searching Yelp for new restaurants before choosing her trusted favorite. She works best after her morning coffee and will never deny a nap.
SPOILER TIME!!
I’ll explain the situation so that you can see how you feel about it. Detailed spoilers ahead.
Basically, these two dance around each other for awhile until they finally go on a date around 50% of the way through. It’s a romantic setup and they have a great time (even make out a bit), but Noah thinks it’s leading to them being f-buddies and Maya makes it clear she’s not interested in casual. Though he’s struggling with his feelings, Noah says he can’t offer more – and they call it quits to whatever has been brewing between them. He even says this line:
They’re both disappointed, so Noah ends up going out, getting drunk, and sleeping with a random woman. On the night of their date. More than halfway through the book. Obviously, this is not ideal.
Noah wakes up and immediately regrets his actions. Internally, he’s remorseful, but puts on a cocky front so that he doesn’t show any weakness in front of Maya or lead her on. She says this about him hooking up with women:
They don’t see each other for a month, and Noah is left to stew in his regret. He doesn’t hook up with anyone else. He sees a therapist for the first time and finally processes his emotions. It’s an important turning point for them.
I’m pretty much never going to be happy/okay with a hero banging someone else – especially this far into a book – but they were not together and it was the push he needed to get help. So I accepted it, and having the heads up meant that I wasn’t upset when it happened.
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