The following are different
NASCAR series
put out by Harlequin
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Just Judy's Jumbles Blog Party
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NASCAR SERIES
Book 1: Dangerous Curves
A decade ago, Cecilia Blackwell, known as Cece, was a girl with hero worship and ended up embarrassing herself often because of that particular guy. Now as a grown woman, an FBI agent who is good at her job, she has learned she can turn heads and knows how to use that power. Everything changes the day she’s pulled from her undercover job to investigate a murder. A murder that includes working side by side with the past she wants to forget.
Blain Sanders has just lost his best friend and believes it was more than just an accident on the track, he believes Randy was murdered. He’s been told his old high school nemesis has become a well respected FBI. He expects to see the same tomboy he knew, not a beautiful woman, a woman who is determined to put her work before everything else, including him.
This first book in the series has suspense riding along side the fast pace behind the scenes of NASCAR and Blain’s racing team. It seems like everything is going against the Sanders Team and Cece is doing her best to keep him at a distance as well. Ride along with them as they try to find the killer before they strike again. There are seven books in this series.
**Sexual content and language
Book 2: In the Groove
Sarah Tingle is most comfortable with kids, she loved being a kindergarten teacher until her ex went out for revenge, causing her to lose everything. Off to North Carolina she heads hoping to teach, instead she finds herself getting a job to drive a race car drivers bus. Sarah don’t have a clue about the racing industry and wouldn’t even know her famous new boss if he hit her with his car.
Lance Cooper was intrigued with his new employee. She could car less about his fame and fortune, she didn’t even know who he was and somehow that didn’t bother him. When she bakes him cookies and gives him a pep talk like he’s one of her students, it changes his losing streak. You don’t let go of things that bring you good luck, but how can he hang on to her?
The readers met Lance Cooper in the first book, Dangerous Curves. Blain Sanders young new driver who was flirtatious and full of wise cracks. I really enjoyed the way the author brought the previous characters back into the book, showing how their lives have moved ahead as well. Looking forward to the next five books in this series.
**Sensual content and language
Book 3: On the Edge
Rebecca Newman’s past four years haven’t been her best. Her husband Randy had died and now her racing business is in dire straights. What she needs is to find the best driver around and start winning. She didn’t expect the answer to her problems to come knocking on her door in the form of a ten year old girl.
Adam Drake had one priority, his daughter Lindsey. His daughter had one priority as well, getting her dad back into racing. Adam raced the local dirt tracks on the week-ends, but Lindsey knew he was better than that. So she took matters into her own hands. And why not match make while she’s at it?
The third book in the series continues with a racing romance. The reader met Becca in the previous two books, a business woman who seems to have it all together….from the outside. The road to romance is never easy for the couples in these books, this one included. There are seven books total in this series.
**Mild language
Book 4: To the Limit
Kristen McKenna lost the things she loved most in her childhood after a tragic accident. Since then she left her old dreams behind and enjoys her engineering job at Knight Enterprises. Then one day her boss dropped from the sky and offered a job that was a dream come true, working in the field that didn’t always welcome women, racing.
Mathew Knight needed to slow his life down. He had built his fortune from scratch and had become a bit of a workaholic, until his doctor ordered him to relax. What better way of relaxing than buying a racing team? He didn’t know diddly squat about NASCAR, but he found that he had an employee that could help him. Who knew she’d help him in so many ways beyond racing?
The fourth book in this series is as exciting as the first three. Kristen never thought of herself as very attractive and yet it seems around the racetrack she’s a man magnet. And the race is on to see who will win her heart. I personally loved the epilogue, it brought in all the folks we met in the first three books. There are seven books in this series.
**Mild language
Book 5: Total Control
Indi Wilcox is ticked off with a capital T. Another egotistical sports figure has blown off meeting with a young fan who may have very little time left. Young Benjamin is dying and his wish was to meet the man he considers a hero, a NASCAR driver. She’s not going to put up with it and takes it onto herself to do something about it.
Todd Peters has made life about himself and winning, he’s not always a team player either. He has been pegged with the reputation of being the ‘bad boy.’ When the pretty woman comes and tells him what he’s done to the young boy, he sets out to fix it. Todd also loves a good challenge, but could Indi be even too big a challenge for him?
The reader is introduced to Todd in passing in the first books, in book four we get to know him somewhat better after Mathew Knight buys the team he races on. This fifth book is different, it has some very real life issues in it as Indi works with very ill children. Another excellent story in this seven book series.
**Mild language
A NASCAR Holiday 2
Book 5.5: Miracle Season
Maggie Taylor has long had a crush on Mike Morgan and now she gets to work with him on a charity project. Maggie knows she’s not the type of woman Mike would date and yet being around him makes her wish she was.
Mike Morgan is hoping to drive again after an accident has him off the racing circuit. He’s surprised to find himself attracted to Maggie as she’s not his type, mostly because she’s a single mother. Only chemistry plays a part in pulling them together, but he fears when he starts racing again that it will pull them apart.
This is a short story about Indi’s co-worker and friend, Maggie. We first meet Maggie in the fifth book of the series, Total Control. Can this woman who’s career consists of making wishes come true get her own happily ever after?
Book 6: On The Move
Vicky VanCleef wants to live an independent and exciting life instead of joining her dad’s law firm. What could be more exciting than working with sports figures as an agent? When she is asked to approach the rough and handsome bad boy of NASCAR she has excitement rolling through her in spades….is it because of her job or being near him?
Brandon Burke is much more than what people see. What they see is a jerk who drives his car with a selfish and reckless attitude, not caring what his actions cause the other drivers. The last thing he needs is the petite and plain looking woman his agent sends to keep him in line. On second thought maybe she’s exactly what he needs.
Once again the author writes an exciting story on and off the race track. Brandon struggles with a disability that he’s been able to hide over the years rather than get help for. His attitude stems from things much deeper than what the fans eye sees. Vicky sees the man rather than the race car driver and likes what she sees. Once again many of the previous characters are brought back for a cameo which I personally enjoy. There are seven books within this series.
Book 7: Slow Burn
Dana Johnson just broke it off with her fiance, right before the wedding. When her co-worker asks her to go with her to Vegas for a NASCAR race it seemed a good thing to do. Get out of town, away from all the questions and away from her psycho ex. Dana knows nothing about NASCAR and only entered a contest to win a date with some driver because Alysa pushed her to try it. She figured she might get lucky and win one of the other prizes. No such luck….she goes and wins the big one.
Braden James notices the exotic beauty in the audience right away and her sadness. He’s actually glad she ends up winning a date with him, until he finds out she is probably the only woman around who wishes she hadn't won. Braden knows a damsel in distress when he sees one though and Dana is definitely that. Now if only he can convince her she needs him.
This is the last book in this series and the author did so well bringing all the characters to life that it’s sad to see it end. Dana is fighting her fear and lack of trust in men and Braden has lived his life in foster homes and recognizes her fears. Add a rather jealous friend, a nutso ex and life in the pits and you have another exciting story.
**Mild language
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The Garrisons
Book 1: No Holding Back
Isabel Turner had a rough life until her uncle took her into his home when she was fifteen. She owed him for everything, especially her job. Isabel followed the rules and did well at her PR job until one night she broke one of the rules. She couldn’t be involved with any NASCAR drivers, especially not one endorsed by a competitor.
Cade Garrison was the youngest in his family and after an accident that removes his brother from racing, the burden of carrying on the Garrison name fell on his shoulders. His….the playboy, fun loving, rule breaking one of the family. And with the choice of any woman he wants, why is it he wants the one he can’t have?
This first book of three introduces the reader to the Garrison’s; Bryan, Rachel and Cade.
The Garrison's have a long history of racing from grandfather to father to sons. Cade’s lifestyle is tarnishing that history and he’s the only one who can step up and polish it up once again. Come on an exciting and high speed ride within these pages. The books continue with Rachel and Bryan’s stories, Risking Her Heart and Winning It All.
**Mild language
Book 2: Risking Her Heart
Rachel Garrison’s life is surrounded by people involved in racing so the last thing she wants is to date anyone involved in the sport. Her brother’s sponsor hasn’t exactly offered to date her anyways, more like a week-end fling, but she don’t do casual.
Parker Huntington don’t do relationships. After being abandoned by his mother and watching his father live a miserable life…. happily ever after isn’t something he believes in. If only Rachel would have took him up on his offer he could have taken her to bed and she’d be out of his head.
Rachel’s folks divorced and her brother’s wife left him, that’s enough to prove marriages don’t work, although she hopes the best for her other brother’s upcoming marriage. These two just can’t shake their fears and see what they could have together if only they took a chance. The authors continue where they left off in book one, No Holding Back, with Cade and Isabel’s story. The third book in this series is Winning It All.
**Mild language
Book 3: Winning It All
Bryan “Steel” Garrison is president of Garrison Racing instead of a driver thanks to an accident. He’s been brooding and in pain since then and why not? He lost not only his ability to race, but his wife left him for the competition.
Widow, Darcy Butler, may be small but she’s tough and determined to help Bryan. She not only changes what he can eat but pushes him physically as well. No one has to know that she has her own personal struggles and she isn’t at tough as she looks.
This final visit with the Garrisons brings everyone back for one last thrill ride. The charming Cade and his tough as nails wife, Isabel. The smooth talking Parker and the matriarch Rachel along with their parents Mitch and Barbara. Mitch is coming out of his past mid-life crisis and sees all that he’s lost. I really enjoyed this trilogy and the characters who were brought to life in the three books, it’s always hard to say good-bye.
**Mild language
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Harlequin NASCAR Holiday Anthology's
A NASCAR Holiday
Ladies, Start Your Engines….by Kimberly Raye
Savannah Calloway was tired of living in her late mother’s shadow. Dressing, dieting, cooking to please her dad and brothers. Not to mention doing the office work instead of working in the pit like she wanted. No more. She offered her mechanical services to the competition.
Mackenzie Briggs accepted the help Savannah offered to give him to improve his car. She was one of those girls you couldn't forget. Now she was under his car and could it be she was in his heart?
This story continues with Savannah's friend Jaycee Anderson, the only female driver, in Slippery When Wet.
This story continues with Savannah's friend Jaycee Anderson, the only female driver, in Slippery When Wet.
'Tis The Silly Season by Roxanne St. Claire
Clay Slater needs a family to please the sponsor of the ride he wants. If that’s the image they want he’ll give it to them.
Fresh out of a job and after promising her sons their first Christmas ever Lisa Mahoney agrees to pretend to be Clay’s wife. She needs the money and the boys need a Christmas.
You may want to have some tissues around for this one if stories hit your emotional buttons. Great story. The author continues the story of Shelby Jackson in the Harlequin NASCAR series book, Thunderstruck.
Unbreakable by Debra Webb
Rush Jackson really is a good guy but someone out there is trying to make him look bad. And worse yet it seems to be someone on the inside. Not to mention he’s struggling with an attraction to a woman who is so far removed from his world.
Dr. Maxine Gray’s life runs on facts, such as proving what activities are considered sports. When she is called to find the facts on race car drivers her world tilts. She finds herself struggling between sticking with the facts and being awed by Rush removing his shirt. What happened to the sensible woman she knows is inside her body?
Great story, once again shows how easily pictures can be made to tell a story that isn’t the truth. Also how opposites really do attract. The author continues the story of boss man Buck Buchanan in her Harlequin NASCAR series book, Danger Zone.
**Mild language
A NASCAR Holiday 2
A Miracle Season by Pamela Britton (Book 5.5 of her NASCAR Series)
Maggie Taylor has long had a crush on Mike Morgan and now she gets to work with him on a charity project. Maggie knows she’s not the type of woman Mike would date and yet being around him makes her wish she was.
Mike Morgan is hoping to drive again after an accident has him off the racing circuit. He’s surprised to find himself attracted to Maggie as she’s not his type, mostly because she’s a single mother. Only chemistry plays a part in pulling them together, but he fears when he starts racing again that it will pull them apart.
This is a short story about Indi’s co-worker and friend, Maggie. We first meet Maggie in the fifth book of the series, Total Control. Can this woman whose career consists of making wishes come true get her own happily ever after?
Season of Dreams by Gina Wilkins
Tom Wyatt is not a happy camper. His last three seasons haven’t gone well and he’s feeling like a loser. On top of that his girlfriend came up with the idea to have a family over for Christmas. Is she doing this to help him or to help her mother’s business which is also his sponsor?
Melissa Hampton is wanting people to see Tom through her eyes. Not the surly bad guy that he’s become known for. Only her perfect plans are getting a bit wobbly along with her relationship. Merry Christmas, right.
Taking Control by Ken Casper
Aidan O’Keefe owned one third of Satterfield Racing, when his partner died he left the other two thirds to family. Aidan would have to find a way to buy their shares before they sold to a competitor who wanted to take Aidan down. He hadn’t planned on the rich socialite to be so beautiful.
Ellie Satterfield knew nothing about racing when she went to scope out her late uncle’s business. It didn’t take long for the excitement to pull her in but this was only business, right? The lines became a bit blurred the more time she spent with the handsome driver and his adorable daughter.
The Natural by Abby Gaines
Danny Cruise has made NASCAR his life. He has no time for a serious relationship or a dog. Only that changes after he hits a dog and finds that showing interest in the mongrel and even adopting it can help his image. Somehow the beautiful vet comes along for the ride.
Madison Beale is a sucker for strays and the loneliness in Danny’s eyes sets her on a rescue mission. Problem is she wants to find a regular guy to spend her life with and Danny Cruise is anything but a regular guy.
Abby Gaines Harlequin NASCAR books are connected. Previous book is Back on Track, then after this story is; Fully Engaged, Checkered Past and The Comeback.
A NASCAR Holiday 3
Have A Beachy Little Christmas by Liz Allison and Wendy Etherington
Jesse Harwood has the hots for a girl who never looked twice at him in high school….or so he thought. Their boss has brought them all to an Island for a special company getaway and it’s time to stop dragging the past into the present.
Tiffany McMillan does all she can to please her dad and yet she feels like a failure. And then there’s Jesse, a guy who just seems not to like her. After he starts treating her nice she finds that maybe an island fling might be on the menu.
Winning The Race by Brenda Jackson
Five years ago the man Lisa St. Claire loved gave her the shaft instead of an engagement ring. She’s still not over him. For the first time in all those years he has returned to their small town for his best friends wedding. Unfortunately he’s the best man and she’s the maid of honor. Can she be strong enough to hide her love from him?
Myles Joseph never stopped loving Lisa. After seeing and being with her at the wedding he had no choice but to make sure she would be by his side forever. She thinks that NASCAR had pulled him away from her, that he left without looking back. Maybe it was time to tell her the truth about his quick departure.
All They Want For Christmas by Marisa Carroll
On a stormy icy night in Michigan, widower Trace Collier’s life takes a turn when he needs to get out of the bad weather. When Trace and his gifted daughter Annie end up at Carrie Ferrell’s campground his decision to stay with NASCAR or retire becomes tougher than he ever thought.
Carrie’s ex had walked away after an accident that left their son with multiple surgeries and life on crutches more often than not. She learned not to date and depend on men because they always left. The handsome race car driver was no different she told herself even though she was falling quickly for the man and his daughter. Can someone rooted to one place like she is ever even consider a relationship with someone without roots?
A Family For Christmas by Jean Brashear
Gib Cameron was living his dream as the crew chief for a NASCAR team. All the championships couldn’t replace the one empty place in his heart, his lost love. He finally returned home after thirteen years to spend time with his aunt and uncle and wouldn’t you know the first day home he runs into her, the woman who broke his heart.
Cassie Wheeler Maguire couldn’t believe her eyes when her daughter walked up to her with Gib. The man she never stopped loving but had kept a secret and lied to him. And now he’s being nice and bringing her kids presents and getting them all to fall in love with him as well.
Four exciting and heartwarming stories are packed into this Christmas anthology.
**Some of the stories contain mild language
Jean Brashear's Book List
Jean Brashear's Book List
A Very NASCAR Holiday
All I Want For Christmas by Nancy Warren
Emily Littlejohn is doing her best for her ten year old son, Darren. When he lets his hopes rise at winning a trip to spend time with his favorite NASCAR driver, Emily tries to keep him grounded on his chances of winning. Her son don’t know that same driver was his mom’s high school crush, although she didn’t believe he even knew she existed.
Jason Bane enjoyed driving and fans but deep down, he was still just a hometown boy. After they chose a winner for the contest he noticed a letter from his hometown in Minnesota, when the picture fell out of a young boy and his mom he knew that they needed to be part of the prize package as well.
Heartwarming story on believing in Christmas miracles, especially when Santa is involved.
Nancy Warren's Book List
Nancy Warren's Book List
Christmas Past by Debra Webb
Jason Fewell was able to do less and less in his life, fear gripped him. Three years ago there was an accident and the panic attacks have been getting worse. He still could get behind the wheel and drive his car, but how much longer before fear stopped that as well?
Molly Clark finally received her first assignment with the Colby Agency. Sadly it was nothing more than a babysitting job for a what would be a rich and spoiled celebrity, a NASCAR driver. Molly would help him get past his fears and do such a good job that her next assignment would be much better. She didn’t expect Jason to be such a nice guy, now what?
Debra has several series based on the Colby Agency, this is the only one in the NASCAR series, it looks like the others are part of Harlequin Intrigue.
Secret Santa by Gina Wilkins
R.J. Sanger, Rob to his friends, wants to follow his fathers footsteps and play Santa, not for publicity though. He never expected to have a beautiful Mrs. Claus and her adorable daughter as an elf.
Leann’s main focus in life was her daughter Kylie. She chose not to date so that Kylie wouldn’t get attached to some man just to have him walk out. She’s finding her rule is hard to hold onto the more she goes to charity events with Rob. He listens to both young and old, cares for her daughter and he’s incredibly handsome. Does she dare take a chance and break her dating rule?
This was such a heartwarming story. The author brings the characters to life and you can’t help but fall in love with them. All three stories were really good.
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Racing Hearts Anthology
A Calculated Risk – Vicki Lewis Thompson
After one woman's actions destroy the team camaraderie another woman tries to repair it. Roni Kenway works for Lovejoy Racing. She has secretly been in love with the crew chief Judd Timmons for two years and she is good friends with the driver Tucker Merritt. Still her main focus is the team and she’s determined to bring the two men back together. And secretly she hopes that Judd will see her as a woman this Valentines Day.
An Outside Chance – Nancy Warren
Lucy Vanderwal felt like a spinster on a shelf. Following the advice from a book for a last chance at love she ends up at Daytona week to meet a fellow NASCAR fan. It went all wrong with the guy she went there to meet, she’d been duped. Big time. Thank goodness for Sawyer Patton the rookie driver she accidentally meets. Her vacation isn’t a total loss after all, and maybe her love life isn’t either.
Nancy Warren's Book List
Nancy Warren's Book List
This Time Around – Dorien Kelly
Megan Carter enjoyed a relaxing vacation before heading for her first NASCAR Sprint Series with Hammond Racing. Her time with Chris Donahue was amazing and she really missed him but leaving him was the right thing to do. Their lives were too different and he had his restaurant far away and she had her racing. If only she could convince her heart she did the right thing. And now she seems to be hallucinating because she could have sworn she just saw Chris here in Daytona far, far away from his island paradise.
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Harlequin NASCAR Series
February 2007
Speed Dating - Nancy Warren
Kendall Clarke was having a tough night when it should have been the best time of her actuary life. Instead her fiance gives her some bad news and breaks up with her and then she’s mistaken for a race car drivers date…..to his ex-wife’s wedding. Suddenly her boring world turns upside down and she likes it.
Dylan Hargeave has been going through a tough patch with his racing, but his luck seemed to change with Kendall at his side. Her kisses seem to help him do well racing and being by his side keeps his ex-wife a safe distance away. Life is going well with her as his pretend girlfriend and he does not even need to make any commitments, right?
The author takes the reader for an exciting ride in the NASCAR world. Real life driver, Carl Edwards even makes a few cameo appearances in the book. The characters were realistic enough that it’s easy to get irritated at a few of them and endeared to others. Great story. Turn Two has another Cameo with Carl Edwards and Dylan and Kendall return as well.
Nancy Warren's Book List
Nancy Warren's Book List
Thunderstruck - Roxanne St. Claire
If you enjoy connected stories, this one begins in the anthology A NASCAR Holiday: 'Tis the Silly Season where we meet Shelby Jackson when she’s working with Clayton Slater.
Shelby Jackson and her grandfather, Ernie, run Jackson Racing. When her father, Thunder Jackson, died she became part owner. Carrying on the small family operated business and remembering her dad is everything to Shelby. Imagine her shock when Ernie tells her he’s decided to sell his part of the business….to an outsider.
Mick Churchill is a famous soccer, or football, as it’s called in his homeland. He has a really good reasons, that are very family orientated, to buy part of Thunder Racing. What he didn’t expect was the beauty that came along with it….the beauty that Ernie has made it clear he keep his hands off or no deal.
As the only woman and family owned team, Shelby has a lot at stake. This story will take you for a race on and off the track. A race to keep tradition while trying to keep up with all the new changes happening around them. It also has a touch of danger on the sidelines intertwined in the story as well.
**Roxanne also wrote a NASCAR book that is not part of the Harlequin series and published by Pocket Books; Killer Curves.
**Roxanne also wrote a NASCAR book that is not part of the Harlequin series and published by Pocket Books; Killer Curves.
Hearts Under Caution - Gina Wilkins
Six years ago Lisa Woodrow broke off her engagement, went to law school and got a job in Chicago. Plenty far away from her home in North Carolina and away from her ex-fiance who is too much like her dad, who owns Woodrow Racing. Racing always came first for her dad and it’s that way for Wade as well. Or is it?
Wade McClellan has learned to bury his emotions so well that he has earned the name Ice. That’s fine with him especially now that he needs to hide what he really feels for Lisa. As a crew chief he needs to be focused and calm not distracted by the woman who walked away from him all those years ago.
If you enjoy series and connected books….Almost Famous continues with Jake Hinson’s story. Jake is a driver the reader meets in this book. The author brings the book to life with the intense job Wade has and seeing the crowds and excitement of NASCAR through Lisa’s eyes, as well as the suspense of watching her back as someone is out to kill her.
**Mild language
Danger Zone - Debra Webb
Buck Buchanan is a retired NASCAR driver and owner of Rocket City Racers. He just celebrated his fortieth birthday and never felt more alone. He never was able to move on from his first love, the woman who walked out on him. And suddenly she is there knocking on his door saying she needs him.
Jenna Williams always felt she wasn't a part of Buck's team. She was an outsider and maybe a bit jealous that she couldn't have all of him. When she left….he didn’t follow. Now someone has kidnapped her daughter and there’s only one person she knows who would have the ransom money. The one person she’s been hiding a secret from since she left him thirteen years ago.
In A NASCAR Holiday: Unbreakable, the reader first meets Buck Buchanan in Rush Jackson's story. Danger Zone builds onto the story and teamwork at Rocket City Racers. Respect for their owner pulls the team together to help find Becca, Jenna’s daughter. Can Buck and Jenna become a team and have a second chance as well?
**Mild language
**Mild language
May 2007
No Time To Lose - Carrie Weaver
Jamie Tanner may look like a model, but she's all gear-head. After twelve years, she returns home after her father gets ill, renewing her hopes of working in the family business building engines. Not being the socialite her mother would prefer. Her brother gives her the chance she wants, her first assignment….going to check out one of their engines for a NASCAR driver.
Ryan Pearce is about to lose his dream, if Tanner's don't get his engine running right he's going to be out of a job. When they send the beautiful blond to solve his troubles he's pleasantly surprised to find out she really does know her engines, only his back luck continues. Is it the Tanner engine or sabotage?
Amidst working hard to figure out what’s going on with Ryan’s engine, they find themselves working as quite a team. Only Ryan’s past keeps haunting him and letting him know he’s not relationship material. There’s more at stake then just the cars racing to Victory Lane in this action packed story.
Full Throttle - Wendy Etherington
Lexie Mercer broke up with her boyfriend twelve years ago after realizing she would always be second in his life, racing would always be first. Now she’s not only a car chief working along side her dad who is crew chief, but she’s working for that ex-boyfriend. And he’s wanting to rekindle the flame from their earlier years.
Kane Jackson never felt like he measured up. He hadn’t been good enough for Lexie all those years ago and he could never get close to pleasing his father. His very famous father who is still as popular now as he was when he played football.
Kane’s team is depending on him for a win or they may all lose their jobs. Either they got in the chase or jobs would be lost. Now is not the best time for his mind to be off track. Another exciting story in the racing world with fast moves on and off the track.
Speed Bumps - Ken Casper
Gabby O'Farrell might have flitted around trying to decide what she wanted to be when she grew up, but now she has not doubts. She discovered car racing and that she's good at it. She moved up from Busch Series to Nextel Cup and is doing great in her rookie year. And she sure is enjoying pleasing her boss on and off the track.
Vaughn Steiner’s accident took away his ability to drive in NASCAR so he became an owner instead. Running two cars he took a chance on hiring the female debutante socialite and it’s paying off. Problem is that he notices she’s just as much woman as she is driver.
Maybe driving is easy for Gabby but fighting against her high society mother isn’t. Della wants her daughter in fancy dresses and preparing to take over their company one day. She’s doing all she can to discourage her from driving and having a personal life with anyone but one of the high social standing men she wants her to marry. Definitely plenty of speed bumps in store for this couple. Miles Apart has a driver with Vaughn Steiner if you like connecting stories.
Back On Track - Abby Gaines
Kelly Greenwood is a sports psychologist. After bashing the favorite hometown driver on TV she is hired by his brother to work on getting the guy back into focus and on winning races. First she needs to convince the driver he needs her, easier said than done. Kelly really needs this job, especially after what happened at her last one.
Trent Matheson is not happy about having Kelly as his minder and plans to dump her as soon as possible. He has secrets and he don’t need the pretty blonde to be digging around and discovering any of them.
Trent and Kelly battle against each other, that battle includes the attraction that wants to pull them together. Kelly has something to prove to her all-star family and Trent is working to prove himself to his. This is the first book in the Harlequin NASCAR library. The reader sees Trent and Kelly once again in A NASCAR Holiday 2: The Natural. Other connected books are Fully Engaged, this book actually begins a multi-author series on several families in the Harlequin NASCAR series. The stories for Trent’s brothers are in Checkered Past and The Comeback.
**Mild Language
August 2007
Almost Famous - Gina Wilkins
If you like reading connected books you may want to read Hearts Under Caution first, as this book continues where that one ended.
Jake Hinson goes to a friends fishing cabin to recover from his boating accident. Not only did he have physical healing to deal with, but also the guilt that his friend died and he didn't. Being use to constantly moving and staying busy it didn't take long for Jake to be bored. That is until he met his beautiful neighbor and her feisty dog.
Stacy Carter just wanted to be out of the limelight so she headed to her brothers fishing cabin. She planned on staying to herself but somehow her handsome neighbor drew her to him. Best of all he didn’t seem to recognize her from her last incident or from her past.
Both Jake and Stacy hide their true identities as they enjoy each other just as regular people. Can their blossoming relationship survive when Stacy finds out he’s a NASCAR driver who enjoys the media while she is trying to hide from it? Both of these books were really good and I recommend reading them in order to get the full picture.
Old Flame, New Sparks - Day Laclaire
Kellie Hammond had a secret and she thought it just got buried along with her husband. She didn’t expect the man she held the secret from to show up and claim that her late husband made a deal with him before he died. Suddenly the one man she avoided for the past nineteen years was part of her daily life and sadly she never stopped loving him.
Lucas ‘Bad’ Boyce had done well as a NASCAR driver. In fact, he was aiming for his eighth championship win. He had no clue why Jinx Hammond wanted to make him a partner with his widow, but hopefully he could finally get the woman out of system after all these years. After all she was only a gold digger, right?
Secrets never stay buried and that included Kellie’s. She thought no one else knew about it, but she was wrong….very wrong. Kellie is racing to the finish hoping for a win, not just for her three car race team either, but a win for her heart.
September 2007
Legends and Lies - Katherine Garbera
Annie Jenner comes from a close knit family. A father who is a NASCAR legend and a twin brother who’s doing his best to follow in their dad’s tracks. Annie lacks trust in men outside of her family since her ex-husband ended up being a much different man then she had married. Now she’s met a man that she really likes, but can she learn to trust again?
Jared MacNeil has learned to keep a wall around himself. From the moment he meets Annie he knows she’s different from any woman he’s ever met and knows she will want more from him, like opening those walls. They have a few issues though, such as, his driver and closest friend is Annie’s brothers biggest competition on the track.
These two will have to learn to compromise, open up and trust if they want to win in their relationship. Not to mention the battles they face as Tucker and Dave race against each other each week and the battle between the driver’s is off the track as well. I loved the way the author brought the characters to life, the guys have such endearing personalities. So tough on the outside but so soft underneath.
The Rookie - Jennifer LaBrecque
From the outside it looks like Maddie Felton is a spoiled little daddy’s girl, from her view it’s that she is being smothered and pampered by her dad and two older brothers. Wanting to join the family business instead of just shopping, they hand her the most unlikely job….working with their NASCAR sponsorship. Not her thing.
Tucker Macray can't believe they sent this spoiled rich girl who knows nothing about racing to work with him. She's so clueless that she thinks the cars actually have keys! And yet she seems to be a mystery and if there’s one thing Tucker enjoys besides racing….it’s solving a mystery.
Enjoyable story how people aren't always what you think, outside appearances definitely can be deceiving. With Maddie’s secret about her mom and Tucker’s bad childhood they both come with a bit of baggage and some damage. Another exciting story both on and off the racetrack.
**Mild language
November 2007
A Chance Worth Taking - Carrie Weaver
After her risk taking husband left her alone to raise their toddler, Tess McIntyre became overly cautious. A bit of an overprotective mom, well actually a very, very overprotective mom. When her genius son Michael turns away his full ride to Stanford to announce he wants to race cars, her life falls apart. Or is this just a new beginning for her?
Sam Kincaid had a good feeling about this kid, even if he was only eighteen. His instincts told him to put Michael on his NASCAR Busch racing team, he just didn’t know the kid would come with his mother, his very beautiful but protective mother. He only had to put up with her for six months and then send her back to Phoenix. Sam had no clue things could change so much in a mere six months.
This was a really unique story. Michael is a genius and it adds to making him a good driver, it also gives a unique view of fame at such a young age. Tess has been the best mom she could, but the story shows how sometimes we have to let our kids fail to help them in life. As always there is just as much action off the track as on it.
**Connected book: Temporary Nanny by Harlequin SuperRomance, Royce McIntyre's story (Michael's dad). Read more about Temporary Nanny here:
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/2011/12/anthologys-by-harlequin-carina-press.html
**Connected book: Temporary Nanny by Harlequin SuperRomance, Royce McIntyre's story (Michael's dad). Read more about Temporary Nanny here:
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/2011/12/anthologys-by-harlequin-carina-press.html
Turn Two - Nancy Warren
Taylor Robinson has just returned from Australia. It was time to get back to work. After a few tragedies she ran away from her marriage and everything else. The last thing she expected to find in her new PR job for a rookie in NASCAR was her ex-husband. No matter how far you run it seems life has a way of finding you.
Mike Lundquist had tried to forget the woman who ran away from him and left him to deal with their home and all the pieces of their broken marriage. Seeing her again let him know that he failed at putting her behind him. And now they’d be working closely in the NASCAR world, she needed to get her rookie in the news and Mike was one of the main reporters she’d have to schmooze, he liked that idea.
Another great addition to the NASCAR series. This book continues where Speed Dating left off. Dylan and Kendall have an active part in this book as they continue their relationship. Carl Edwards makes another cameo appearance in this book as well.
Nancy Warren's Book List
Nancy Warren's Book List
December 2007
Miles Apart - Ken CasperJack Dolman wants to finish his last season of NASCAR well, at fifty years old it’s time to retire. Before the new season starts he finds out his ex-wife has died, he sees his son for the first time in twenty-five years and he’s reunited with his first love. Looks like it’s going to be quite a last season.
Margaret Truesdale made the mistake of leaving Jack for someone she thought was more exciting, she had chose the wrong man. By the time she realized her mistake, her friend Lillah had been there to comfort Jack and became pregnant. So they went on with their separate lives, until now. Lillah has died and Margaret feels that her old friend had wanted to bring Jack and his son Johnny back together.
This book has several stories going on. A reunion of old sweethearts, a struggling romance with the younger characters and mainly the hate Johnny has towards the father he doesn't really know. The author did a great job of bringing the characters to life, letting the reader feel the emotions of a father who loved his son and would do anything to have him back in his life after having to know another man raised him. Great story. Speed Bumps is Vaughn Steiner’s story and those characters are in this book as well as Johnny is driving for Steiner.
Hart's Victory -Michele Dunaway
Kellie Thompson is a widow who’s son has been fighting cancer for years. Since her mom moved in to help them, Sunday night became NASCAR night, a night to put aside health issues and for Charlie to cheer his favorite driver on. Their family joke when someone asked Kellie about dating was that she was holding out for NASCAR driver Hart Hampton. She never really ever thought she would meet the man in person.
After a crash that knocked his head a bit too hard, Hart’s aunt grounded him from the next race and sent him to do some charity work at a camp he supported. One look at Kellie had his heart racing as fast as his car around the track. He soon found himself racing for a different sort of victory, trying to win the one woman who hasn’t thrown herself at him.
The characters came to life in this book as the reader finds themselves sitting in the hospital room fighting along side Charlie and Kellie or racing with Hart. A story of dreams come true and real life battles.
*********Some Characters from the previous
books appear in this series
2008 Series:
Secrets & Legends
The Grossos, The Murphy's,
The Branches & The Motor Media Group
February 2008
Book 1: In High Gear - Gina Wilkins
This is the first book of sixteen that focuses around the feuding Grosso & Murphy families along with meeting the Branch family and members from Motor Media Group, who supply PR people to keep things running smoothly.
When Kent Grosso receives an email that seems to threaten to expose his past mistakes, he can only assume it’s from his enemy Justin Murphy. Until that email arrived Kent was living the perfect life of a very lucky man. Since then things are falling apart. He just wants everything back where it was before.
Tanya Wells is a photographer and doing well in her business. She loves Kent for who he is as a person, not because he’s a NASCAR driver. She was expecting a proposal in the near future but when he tells her of his past it throws her off balance. He wasn’t completely honest with her and she is carrying pretty deep scars from living with the lies of her last serious relationship. She loves Kent, but is love going to be enough?
There is more excitement on and off the track as Kent and Tanya work out their relationship while working together against the blackmail. There are also back stories and characters that will have their tales told in the books that follow in this series. The next book, Forbidden Attraction by Marisa Carroll, continues the story with Kent’s sister Sophia and Justin Murphy.
Book 2: Forbidden Attraction - Marisa Carroll
Sophia Grosso puts her nursing skills to work after Justin Murphy gets hurt trying to help her out. Her family always tried to tell her she was suppose to hate the Murphy’s but she can’t seem to do that. If she chooses to even be friends with Justin, her choice will take her family away from her. And what no one really knows is that Sophia is a coward.
Justin Murphy was afraid he might be like the father he never knew, not relationship material. Especially when it comes to a relationship with the woman who’s relatives may have killed not only his great uncle but his father as well. Tell his heart that though.
The story continues where In High Gear left off. They still don’t know who is responsible for the deaths of two Murphy’s and feud is still alive and strong. Sophia and Justin are up against a hate that has been building for over fifty years. Other characters introduced in this story will have their own tales told in future books. The next book introduces one of the Branch daughters in Truth and Consequences. There are sixteen books in all for this part of the Harlequin NASCAR series.
March 2008
Book 3: Truth and Consequences - Bethany Campbell
Sexy swimsuit model Penny Branch Lockhart has been keeping a secret for some years. Burying the past, instead of dealing with it, always manages to come back to haunt you. In her case it’s breaking up her marriage to a man she truly loves. She’s not sure if the truth will set her free of guilt or secure her divorce.
Banker Craig Lockhart fell in love with his future wife the moment he looked at her picture on his bosses desk. He don’t know what changed but suddenly she wants a divorce, he don’t. As if that isn’t enough trouble to deal with his boss, Penny’s dad, has disappeared and secrets have been revealed. And his own family needs his help again, as they have since his father died.
In this third book of the series more mysteries are added to the mix. Hilton Branch has taken the money and run and they’ve yet to find him. The blackmailer from the first book, In High Gear, has yet to be found. More characters have been added to the mix as well. In previous books the reader was introduced to NASCAR newbies, the Branch twins Will and Bart and their younger brother Sawyer. Their stories and the mysteries continue. The fourth book in the series is Fully Engaged.
Book 4: Fully Engaged - Abby Gaines
Sandra Jacobs of Motor Media Group is in trouble. She needs to find a sponsor for Will Branch and quick. Buying out her partner and needing money for other obligations puts her in a bad financial state. And with the threat of losing Taney Motorsports hanging over her head….time is running out.
Gideon Taney finds he enjoys sparring with the stubborn PR woman. That don’t mean he won’t fire her if she can’t control his driver. And she has the nerve to try and make him feel bad for some decisions he’s making. Too bad. It’s his life and he believes it should be every man for himself. Don’t he?
The story line continues as the woman who is adding stress to the Branch family comes into the NASCAR picture along with the man who stole Sandra’s dad’s business, in her mind anyways. The reader gets a better picture of Will and Bart Branch as well. We first met Sandra Jacobs in A NASCAR Holiday 2: The Natural, as Danny Cruises PR person. The story continues in the fifth book, Slingshot Moves.
May 2008
Book 5: Slingshot Moves - Anna Schmidt
Steve Grosso is the spotter for his NASCAR cup champion cousin, Kent. He was just offered a full time position with Maximus Motorsports and can finally move ahead with plans for his future. A future that he hope includes his beautiful girlfriend. Somehow in a few weeks time his smooth flowing life and bright looking future has just turned into a ten car pile up.
Dr. Heidi Kramer loves her career as a Veterinarian. She has planned to go into a partnership with her boss. Heidi needs stability in her life. Growing up she was moved from place to place with her dads job and she saw her mom go downhill after she gave up her career to follow her husband. No way was Heidi going down that path. Only now she is faced with the choice of going with Steve on the road or holding onto her dreams of staying in one place. Is home truly where the heart is?
The Grosso’s are a gregarious bunch of folks but you don’t want to get on their bad side. Characters the reader has met from the previous books return. Things are still not going well with Sophia’s family accepting Justin as the Grosso/Murphy feud continues….both on and off the track. There is still a blackmailer out there from Kent’s story as well. The next book in the series is Peak Performance, with Rachel Murphy, Justin’s sister. More action ahead.
Book 6: Peak Performance - Helen Brenna
Rachel Murphy seems to have it all together when it comes to building engines, but keep her out of the limelight and away from people. The fear that anyone close may die has her keeping a pretty big hedge of protection around herself. Everything changes when she meets the new reporter in town.
Payton Reese knows zilch about NASCAR. His goal it to be able to report and document what he used to enjoy the most, climbing. After meeting Rachel and Justin he finds that NASCAR is getting under his skin….or is that Rachel? She has her goals and he has his, so the only thing he can do is keep his distance from the beautiful gear-head. If he can.
This book gives the reader an update on some of the characters we met in earlier books. Justin and Sophia are still struggling to put the old feud to rest between their families. The reader learns more about Hugh and Kim, who each have a story coming. The next book in this series is Out of Line, which brings back Lucy Gunter from Forbidden Attraction.
June 2008
Lucy Gunter had hopes of being a NASCAR wife but things didn’t work out with Justin Murphy. Things are looking up though when Sawyer Branch starts showing an interest in her. Maybe she’ll still get her happily ever after. Meanwhile she wants to help her friend Tanya find out who’s been trying to blackmail her fiance Kent Grosso, that is until it’s looking like she may not like the answer.
Sawyer Branch is the youngest of four. He’s had a rough few months as his money was cut off when his dad skipped town, their family name is being drug through the mud by his father’s mistress and his family won’t get off his back. They are sure he has a gambling addiction and that he’s going to ruin his twin brothers reputation if he don’t pay his loan off. And no way he is going to tell the girl of his dreams about his debt and how he’s going to pay it off. Of course, the truth always seems to come forward….at the worst of times.
The series continues with characters that have been in earlier books. Sawyer has been somewhat of a mystery in the Branch family, not being there for family meetings and seeming not to care what’s going on. Lucy had become invisible when Justin reconnected with Sophia Grosso. Many unsolved issues have been coming along for a ride through this series. The blackmailer will be unmasked from In High Gear but we still have a missing embezzler and no answer to actually had a hand in the deaths of the two Murphy’s that has caused the feud with the Grosso’s. The next book in the series is Hitting The Brakes.
Widower Jim Latimer knows nothing about owning a NASCAR team. After his Uncle Richard has a stroke that is exactly where he finds himself, running PDQ Racing. He likes the nine to five type jobs as his son is his first priority, ownership of the team is a bit more time consuming. And who knew that he’d find love again on this side of the racetrack?
Anita Wolcott, from Motor Media Group, is Bart Branch’s Pr representative. The nephew who has come to run things while Richard hopefully recovers is nothing like his laid back uncle. He may not run business the same way but he is sure easy on the eyes. If only they could get along as well in business as they do outside of it.
As in two of the earlier books there is another cameo by Carl Edwards. The media continues to hound the Branch twins about their missing father and other mysteries within this series have yet to be solved. The books continue to bring previous characters back and introduce the readers to new ones. The ninth book continues with Larry Grosso who is Steve’s dad and Kent’s uncle. Seems he’s going to cause a stir that has nothing to do with the old feud.
August 2008
Book 9: Overheated - Barbara Dunlop
Professor Larry Grosso has buried himself in his work since his wife passed away three years ago. Unlike his family that has four generations of racing in their blood he prefers solving mathematical problems rather than driving. His son Steve even joined the racing world by working with his cousin, Kent. When he meets the most beautiful woman ever he decides it may be time to move on with his life.
Crystal Hayes hates being beautiful. She’d done the trophy wife thing and never wanted that again. Even dressing down didn’t help hide her looks. When she met Larry she realized that maybe there was someone out there who could care for her beyond her beauty and even take the time to realize she had brains as well. If only she can convince him that being over twenty years older than her don’t matter.
Love don’t always make life easier. Steve is sure that Crystal must be a gold-digger and others tell Larry she deserves someone younger. Tell their hearts that. The series continues with past issues. Patsy wants her husband Dean to retire, but after trying for a championship for thirty years he’s not ready to quit without it. There are still past mysteries to be solved. Book ten continues back with the Murphy family in Teaming Up.
Kim Murphy, adopted daughter of crew chief Hugo Murphy, has a kidney disease and needs a transplant. Unfortunately she has a rare blood type that maybe her mother would be a match, but she took off thirty years ago and never returned. While getting her life in order Kim finds an old list of ten things to do before she dies. What does she have to lose if she’s on her last few laps anyways? More than she ever bargained for.
Car Chief Wade Abraham is somewhat intrigued by the beauty who has asked him out. His ego takes a hit when he finds out he was just a jock on her list but her her dad, his boss, wants Wade to find out how sick his daughter really is. So what if he’s using her? Since she’s using him as well. What he doesn’t expect is to actually enjoy his time with her.
A secondary story is Isabel Rogers, part owner of Justin’s team, and Clay Mortimer who is the main sponsor of Justin Murphy’s car. Isabel will do almost anything to convince Clay to not pull his sponsorship. There are still several people missing who have been mentioned in this series, Sylvie Ketchum, Isabel’s mother, and Hilton Branch is still on the lamb, too. Sophia Grosso seems to be more accepted by Hugo Murphy and his gang but the feud is still alive and well. The series continues with Terri Whalen from the Branch team in Tailspin.
September 2008
Book 11: Tailspin - Michele Dunaway
Book 12: Hot Pursuit - Wendy Etherington
Terri Whalen grew up in the NASCAR world. Her father is a crew chief for the up and coming Bart Branch. She also works as a personal trainer for Bart and others among other side jobs. When a mishap in a parking lot destroys her beloved truck she is hot under the collar and ready to fight tooth and nail with the insurance company. Who knew dealing with the agent there would change her life?
Max Harper had always thought himself content just raising his daughter. His ex wanted to be a starlet and had an erratic life so he wanted stability for his daughter and didn’t date much. For the first time in ten years he meets someone who shakes up his world as he knew it and wouldn’t you know that his ex-wife would choose this time to decide she wants their family back together.
The series continues with excitement on and off the racetrack. The reader gets to know Bart Branch a little more in this story along with the importance a good workout means for the driver. Alyssa Ritchie’s, the mistress of the missing Hilton Branch, book finally releases. The season is continuing to wind down but the excitement and mysteries are still going strong. The next book in the series is Hot Pursuit. This is Kylie Palmer’s story. She is the PR rep for Will Branch and has been introduced in earlier books.
Widow Kylie Palmer works for Motor Media Group and is the PR rep for NASCAR driver Will Branch. She’s been busy so far this season with the media wanting to drill her client on his missing father, Hilton Branch. When she meets her sons soccer coach she fights the attraction. She blames it on his being younger than her, but the truth may be that she’s still not ready to take a second chance on love after her husband was killed over four years ago.
Sean Treadway knew the minute he saw Ryan’s mom that she was special. He also knew her connection to the Branch family but she didn’t know he had one as well. He also knew that she wouldn’t date someone with a dangerous job so he just mentioned his brothers business which was mostly putting security alarms in. No sense telling her he was a bounty hunter and losing any chance of dating her, right?
As the series goes into the last few books one of the loose ends gets tied up, Hilton Branch. There are still a few things to settle like the Grosso/Murphy feud and who really is to blame for it. Patsy Grosso has gone missing, Kim Murphy is facing surgery and her mother is still AWOL. The thirteenth book brings us back to Maximus Racing, the team Kent Grosso is with, and it looks like things are getting shaken up there in Risky Moves.
November 2008
Book 13: Risky Moves Gina Wilkins
Tobey Harris of Maximus Racing has just become the new crew chief. Besides looking much younger than his twenty-eight years, Tobey also has to prove himself to those who regretted seeing him replace the old crew chief. And then there was the beautiful PR rep that had caught his eye from the start. With his new job he’d be around her that much more. He would just have to keep his eyes on his job and off of her.
Amy Barber from Motor Media Group loves her job. Now that Kent Grosso had won one championship and was doing well so far this season, she wanted to prove herself that much more. Besides working hard she also had her young sister and elderly great aunt to care for. Not much room for romance in her life, let alone with a co-worker. Sometimes the heart just don’t give you a choice though.
Tobey and Amy have plenty to do in their jobs and that includes keeping Kent’s mind away from troubles both on and off the track. Things like his parents struggling in their marriage and his dad hoping for the championship after trying for thirty years. The series continues with the fourteenth book in this exciting series Running on Empty. Back to the Murphy side of things with Hugo Murphy and his ex-wife who left suddenly all those years ago. Leaving Hugo to raise his young adopted daughter and his niece and nephew.
Hugo Murphy is the crew chief for his nephew Justin. He had raised Justin and his sister Rachel along with Kim, his stepdaughter who he always considered his own daughter. Especially since her mother had deserted them when Kim was only four. Hugo never gave up looking for his ex-wife or wondering why she left. Someone had come forward to give Kim the kidney she needed to live and Hugo had to believe it was Sylvie.
Sylvie Ketchum Murphy had a pretty rough life. She loved her husband and daughter so much that her only choice was to leave them. Thirty years later she heard the plea for someone to come forward to donate a kidney for her beloved Kimmy. Someone with the rare blood type she shared with her daughter. She tried to be anonymous but Hugo found her. She told the truth about the past and Sylvie didn’t have much hope for herself in the future, but at least she could give her daughter a new chance at life.
This book was full of emotions and the author did an excellent job of bringing them to life for the reader. The mystery of what happened to Sylvie has been solved along with other questions. The racing season is coming to an end now but there are still a few things that need to be settled. Book fifteen is Extreme Caution and it brings back Maeve Branch. A woman trying to keep her social standing and make it another day as her world as she knew it crumbles around her.
December 2008
Book 15: Extreme Caution - Jean Brashear
Book 16: Victory Lane - Marisa Carroll
Maeve Branch has been through so much since her cheating, stealing, no-good husband took the money and ran. She’s been hiding out and missing out on life. The one good thing she went back to her once a week volunteer job at the animal shelter under her maiden name that no one recognized. Everything was great until the day someone from her past life recognized her. Did she go back to imprisoning herself in her home or continue doing what she enjoyed?
Chuck Lawrence couldn’t believe that the plainly dressed woman at the shelter was the ice queen socialite he had met. Only this woman was broken and brought out his protective instincts. When he realized she was nothing like he assumed she was he wanted to get to know her better. Problem was her husband had really pulled a number on her and left her to not trust men or to realize what a strong, brave woman she really was. She fought his attention but Chuck was a man who always got what he wanted. And he wanted Maeve.
This family has been through so much especially with Alyssa Ritchie and her tell-all book on the twenty year affair with Hilton Branch. Maeve needed to get back in the world so that people like Alyssa and Hilton wouldn’t win in the end. And she had to do it without pity or others doing things for her. Victory Lane is the final book in this series going back to Dean and Patsy Grosso’s story. The stories continue in later books where both Will and Bart Branch get their stories told along with some of the other drivers who have been introduced in the previous books.
Jean Brashear's Book List
Jean Brashear's Book List
Dean Grosso has been trying to win the coveted NASCAR championship cup for a very long time, always with his wife at his side before and after. At forty-nine he believes he has a few more years of racing in him. His wife of thirty years disagrees. As the season winds down he has a very big choice to make. Is racing or his wife number one in his life?
Patsy Grosso is ready to have a full time husband. She wants to travel and do things together. She is afraid something is going to happen to Dean and she’ll be spending her twilight years alone. Being separated from him for the last five months while still seeing him at work and the track is hard, but she’s determined to stick to her ultimatum. Retire from racing or she’s divorcing him, even if it breaks her heart.
The season is near the end as is this part of the series. Justin and Sophia have a part in this book as well. Milo just won’t let go of the old Murphy/Grosso feud and give the kids his blessing. Sophia is torn apart between her love for Justin or losing her family. Good thing the secrets of the feud are coming to light. A new secret is exposed as well and it looks like there will be more about that in the NASCAR: Hidden Legends series starting with Scandals And Secrets. Many of the same characters the reader has met in the Harlequin NASCAR series so far will have their stories told in this next series of books.
**********
by Kimberly Raye
Jaycee Anderson is one of the first women to finish a season in fourth place. Her dad, Ace Anderson, raised her and taught her to race, unfortunately he didn’t teach her much about being a female. When he dies and leaves the race team to a half sister she never knew existed, it’s enough to turn her red with fury, or in this case everything turns pink. And now their sponsor wants her to look and act as feminine as her pink car when she’s not driving.
Rory Canyon has been doing his best to ignore Jaycee for years. He realizes she’s always been special but he had to walk away from her to become the best driver without her distracting him. It’s worked fine for fifteen years, until he sees her in a dress and heaven help him, a smile.
In A NASCAR Holiday, an anthology, this story first begins in Ladies, Start Your Engines. We meet Jaycee through her best friend Savannah, who is now Jaycee’s crew chief….since her half sister Riley has chased away most of her previous crew.
This is actually published by Love Spell and not Harlequin. The book was originally listed as Fast Track in the original Harlequin NASCAR list, but I don't know that it was ever published under that name.
**Sexual content and language
**********
The Grosso saga has more secrets to come in....
NASCAR: Hidden Legacies
The Families: Grossos, Clarks, Claytons, Cargills, Branches,
Sanfords, Hunts, Mathesons and Daltons
February 2009
Book 1: Scandals And Secrets - Ken Casper
The Grosso saga has more secrets to come in....
NASCAR: Hidden Legacies
The Families: Grossos, Clarks, Claytons, Cargills, Branches,
Sanfords, Hunts, Mathesons and Daltons
February 2009
Tara Dalton is an author who tries to spin the positive from negative experiences. Her new book will be about two NASCAR families who have dealt with the bad and went forward. The Grosso’s and the Sanford’s. She unexpectedly finds herself in the middle of a murder investigation and causing trouble by stirring up an old wound. She also needs to find a way to get the handsome owner of Sanford Racing to trust her when he has been burned by a journalist in his past.
Adam Sanford finds himself intrigued by the blond haired, blue eyed beauty. Until he finds out what she does. He’s a smart enough man not to get burned twice and yet maybe there is a chance that she’s different. Trust goes both ways and he has his own family secrets.
This is a new series but it continues from where the previous books left off, the holidays and a new racing season. Old secrets and scandals are being exposed, not to mention a murder. Seems that secrets that are buried alive always find a way to dig their way to the surface. This series now has an old unsolved kidnapping and a new murder along with a new season to race for the cup. Book two in this series, Black Flag, White Lies, continues with a character that the reader met in previous books, Will Branch.
Playboy NASCAR twins, Will and Bart, had a tough year after their dads betrayal to his business and family, but they survived. Will’s dad had pushed him to give up someone special to him ten years ago and she ended up marrying his best friend. His life changes quickly when his best friend dies and the girl he once loved tells him that he has a son. At the young age of thirty he wasn’t quite ready to grow up yet. Can he?
Zoe Lane Hitchens had loved Will. When he chose racing over her she was devastated. When Will’s friend Tanner offered her marriage, security and to love her baby as her own, she took the deal. Only after the I do’s he became a different person, and not a good one. Will says he wants to be a father to Sam, but she can only think how he left her high and dry all those years ago. Can she ever trust the handsome hunk with her son’s life and her own?
The previous books in the Secrets and Legends series introduced the reader to the Branch’s. Hilton’s betrayal and the struggles it caused his wife and four children. Bart’s story is told much later in Right Before His Eyes: End Of The Line by Abby Gaines. The secrets continue in this series with Checkered Past where we meet another Matheson brother. Chad was first introduced in Back On Track.
Jean Brashear's Book List
Jean Brashear's Book List
April 2009
Book 3: Checkered Past - Abby Gaines
Chad Matheson is part owner of Matheson Racing and is known as the Boss because of the way he controls everything. When he meets and marries someone after only a few days it’s all great until she says she wants to be on his team. No how, no way. Business and personal is separate in his life. Seems she couldn’t live with that idea. She wanted it all, all of him. It was a short-lived honeymoon.
Brianna Hudson is heiress to Getaway Hotels. When her father gets sick and asks her to do a job for him she sees it as her last chance to gain his approval. His love. Problem is he wants her to look at two NASCAR teams that he may want to sponsor. One of those teams is run by the very man she hasn’t seen for almost two years and yet thinks of everyday. She’s desperate enough to please her dad to take the job on and face Chad.
The Matheson's were first introduced in Back On Track with Trent's story. In that book a romance started with the their father Brady and his secretary Julie-Anne and continues in this book. The last brother, Zack, will have his story told in The Comeback. This book continues with another mystery that is happening in Dean and Patsy Grosso’s life, a new clue is revealed to renew their hopes. Book four, From The Outside, is Mallory Dalton’s, Tara’s sister from the first book in this series, story.
Dark hair, dark eyed actress Mallory Dalton never felt like she fit in with her blond-haired, blue-eyed family. She also is tired of being the goody-two-shoes in all the shows and movies she’s in. When asked to help clean up a bad boys image she decides that maybe she can get some of that bad boy to rub off on her image instead. In the midst of everything else a secret that should have been told years ago comes to light and shatters her world.
Roberto Castillo has succeeded at open wheel driving and now he’s joined the Cargill-Grosso team in NASCAR. His image of a bad boy playboy is alive and well whether it’s true or not. His agent wants him to have America’s Sweetheart as his pretend girlfriend to clean up his act. All he wants is someone to see who he really is inside.
The Grosso’s are busy with leads on a past mystery while trying to run their business and keep their new driver out of the tabloids. On the track there’s plenty of action as well trying to teach Roberto that Kent is a teammate not an enemy. Nothing new on the murder from book one, yet. Book five continues with Nathan Cargill as he has plenty of troubles dogging him these days in Over The Wall.
June 2009
Book 5: Over The Wall - Dorien Kelly
Nathan Cargill is ready to get on with his life and business in Boston. He has stayed on as general manager at Cargill-Grosso Racing for six months but it's time to get back. It's not bad enough that his father was murdered, but he's still on the suspect list. If that's not enough his partner back in Boston was embezzling and almost ruined the company. The final straw is the new hire that he can’t seem to keep his mind….or his lips…. off of.
Stacy Evans has an ulterior motive for wanting to work at Cargill-Grosso and so she’s determined to get the job. The handsome man who hired her could be trouble though, not only with keeping the job but to her heart. He’s given her one month to get the over-the-wall team in physical condition to cut their time down and she’s going to give it her all.
This NASCAR focus in this book focuses on the pit crew, the guys who jump over the wall and do what they can to get the driver back on track within seconds. Quiet a synchronized dance that takes seven to eight men doing a job as a team, working independently together. The sixth book is No Holds Barred where the reader is introduced to the Hunt family for the first time.
Ethan Hunt works at Sanford Racing as Trey Sanford’s crew chief. He needs a nanny for his daughter and finds one in a beautiful Marine. After agreeing to keep her little sister working as a mechanic and telling her to bring her mom and dog with to his house every day, they have a deal. Now if he can get his mind back on work and off the nanny.
Cassie Connors and her family have struggled through the years after their dad left and never looked back. While in the Marine’s she was injured and sent home. Her injury to her leg is one thing, the panic attacks are another. When she takes on the nanny job it niggles at the back of her mind that she should tell her new employer about her problem. Never good to keep things back, they always seem to come forward.
The series continues as they are still searching for a murderer and the mystery of the Grosso baby. Trey Sanford’s mysterious night trips to Mexico are something the press doesn’t want to let go of either. The seventh book is One Track Mind with Kane Ledger, Kent Grosso’s agent and Stacy Evans half-brother.
August 2009
Book 7: One Track Mind - Bethany Campbell
Kane Ledger grew up poor in a single parent home, a mother who found booze and men more important than her children. Falling in love with the town princess and having her return his love, when he was seventeen, was the highlight of his life. Her rejection of him was the worst thing….or not. It pushed Kane out of the small town of Halesboro and he went from poor to wealthy through the years. He’s now returning to his hometown for closure and maybe revenge. Only revenge don’t feel as good as he thought it would.
Lori Garland made a promise to her dad before he died and she wasn’t going to be able to keep it. The racetrack that was his legacy, his pride and joy, was too far in debt and too far gone. She finally put it for sale but with the stipulation that it would remain a racetrack. She had three days left before she would break her promise. The only offer she had was a buyer who would tear the track down. And then everything changed.
Kane is introduced into this series in book five, Over The Wall, when his half-sister Stacy Evans comes to search him out. The emotions run high in this story. Kane has gone from poor to rich while Lori has lost all she had. The murder investigation is still on and no new leads on the kidnapping from thirty years ago. The series continues with two characters who have been introduced in earlier books in Within Striking Distance. Becky Peters and Jake McMaster, who is related to Patsy Grosso.
Model Becky Peters wants to know who she really is and deep down she hopes that maybe she is the missing Grosso child, Gina. More and more people involved with NASCAR say she looks familiar and she has such a love for the sport that is must be something she inherited. She finally has hope when the PI she goes to seems to believe she could be Gina as well.
Jake McMasters is searching for his cousin Patsy’s lost daughter and candidates are coming out of the woodwork. When he realizes that Becky isn’t just another quack trying to be a Grosso he has hopes she could be Gina. Now if he could just stop thinking of the younger woman in terms that go way beyond helping her professionally. He isn’t a man who wants love and marriage and he’s way too old for her anyway. If he keeps saying it maybe he’ll believe it.
The series continues searching for Gina Grosso and the person who murdered Alan Cargill. It seems when someone starts to threaten Jake and Becky that the two cases might be connected. Book nine brings us back to the Sanford Racing team with Trey Sanford and his mystery flights to Mexico in Running Wide Open.
October 2009
Book 9: Running Wide Open - Ken Casper
Trey Sanford is the youngest of three brothers and drives for Sanford Racing. The media and blogs have been busy speculating about his late night trips to Mexico. The most common thought is that he has a woman and perhaps even a whole family living there. He’d rather they believe that idea than the truth. That he goes there for a medical condition. A condition that would most likely take away his career if people knew.
Dr. Nicole Foster, friend to Becky Peters and Tara Dalton, has made her younger brother her utmost priority. He’s almost eighteen now and rebelling against her like she was his parent and not his sister. He calls her a CFS, control freak sister. After working at the NASCAR infield clinic she discovers her brother and Trey have something in common. She had no clue that begging Trey to disclose his medical condition to Dave would change her life completely.
Many books in this series have hit upon specific health or life issues. This book also has a misunderstood condition and the author does a fabulous job of enlightening the reader. A clue comes up on the missing Grosso baby but nothing more on the murder. The tenth book in the series is A Taste For Speed, it introduces Steve Clayton and Sarah Stanton.
Steve Clayton is a retired NASCAR driver. Now that he’s fifty and has bought a winery he’s looking forward to a quieter life which is opposite of his public appearances as a playboy. While hosting a wine tasting at the racetrack he notices a woman very different from his usual young women. Different enough that he has to get to know her better.
Sarah Stanton’s new teaching position has her going to NASCAR races with Dean and Patsy Grosso. After two bad marriages the last type of guy she needs is someone like the hunky playboy she meets at her first race. And her dream to have a child don’t quite fit in with his lifestyle. Can the quiet life of a professor and the busy life of a rich playboy come together in a happy ending?
This book introduces more characters who will be in some of the next books. In book eleven, Force of Nature, Steve’s new partner Damon Tieri meets NASCAR driver Shelly Green who has been driving in the Nationwide series for Sanford Racing. The mystery of the murder from book one and the Grosso kidnapping continue to be unsolved.
December 2009
Book 11: Force Of Nature - Kristina Cook
Damon Tieri had made his millions on Wall Street and now wanted to try something new. Becoming partners with Steve Clayton and his California winery felt right. Being Steve is a retired NASCAR driver he wants to connect the winery to the sport by sponsoring a car and the final decision rests with Damon on who they will sponsor. What up and coming driver from the Nationwide series will fit them best, surely not the unsophisticated female?
NASCAR driver Shelly Green wants this sponsorship badly so she can move up to the Spring series, and goes to California to ask for it. She didn’t expect the arrogant, but extremely handsome, Damon. They are from two different worlds. Very different. She refuses to give up easily on what she wants but thanks to her mom she may have lost this fight. Missy Green is not someone that any sponsor wants to be connected with.
Shelly drives for Adam Sanford. His story is told in book one, Scandals and Secrets, and his youngest brother Trey’s story is told in book nine, Running Wide Open. Book eleven, Banking on Hope, is Brent Sanford’s story and also Hope Hunt. Her brother Ethan, book six No Holds Barred, is the crew chief for Trey Clayton. There are still mysteries to be solved and love to be found. Plenty of action on and off the track.
Hope Hunt is a psychologist who’s job is team building in the workplace. When Adam Sanford hires her for his NASCAR team he sends his brother Brent to fly her in. A past experience with someone who cheated and lied has her fighting her attraction to Brent. She knows all about his cheating four years ago and don’t want to repeat the hurt from her past relationship. Only something seems different with him. Can she learn to tell the truth from a lie?
This is the final Sanford brother but there are two more siblings in the Hunt family who’s stories are yet to be told. Book thirteen, The Comeback, continues with the Matheson family. Zack had left driving NASCAR but has recently returned. Gaby Colson is his PR rep. Both characters have been introduced in earlier books.
February 2010
Book 13: The Comeback - Abby Gaines
Zack Matheson is making his comeback to NASCAR racing but he’s slowed down by all the baggage he’s carrying around. He’s serious and a loner and proving to be a PR nightmare since he’s on his fifth representative. Only he’s having trouble scaring this one off and starting to think that maybe he don’t want to.
Gaby Colson wants the promotion that will allow her to take over for her boss Sandra Taney after her baby is born. The key to getting that job is to get the stubborn and unsociable Zack to agree to be more PR friendly. Gaby is finding that Zack can be mighty friendly in private but she needs him out there in the public.
Zack and Gaby accidentally stumble onto a clue about Alan Cargill’s murder while having one of those private moments. It looks like things may heat up on the murder case when journalist Mattie Clayton, daughter to Steve Clayton from A Taste of Speed, and the New York detective on the case Lucas Haines get together in book fourteen, Into The Corner.
Mattie Clayton, daughter of former NASCAR driver Steve Clayton, is an investigative reporter. She wants to help find who murdered her “Uncle” Alan Cargill. The NASCAR family was the most stability she had growing up while being passed between her parents. She holds no hopes of ever finding her own happily ever after.
Detective Lucas Haines needs closure on an eighth month old murder. The NASCAR folks are tight lipped around him so he has a plan. Talk Mattie into pretending they are dating so he is accepted as one of them. Pretending is all it can be no matter how much he’s attracted to her. And if he keeps telling himself that….maybe he’ll believe it. Or not.
The murder mystery is finally solved. There is still a mysterious blogger out there who seems to know something about the missing Gina Grosso. Is the thirty year old kidnapped victim alive or dead? Book fifteen, Raising The Stakes, introduces Evie Winters to the series and engine specialist Jared Hunt. Previous books have mentioned their other family members already.
April 2010
Evie Winters had left North Carolina and her heart behind years ago and made a new life for herself as an accountant in New York. Her family is falling apart so she returns home for a few months to be with her mother. Susan Winters is not herself though, mood swings and always on her computer. At least Evie has her friend to turn to. The very man who held her heart all those years ago and unfortunately she finds out he still has it.
Jared Hunt has a successful business as an engine builder. He lives the life of a playboy when he’s not working. No relationships for him. When Evie returns to town he’s surprised to find himself attracted to his old brainy friend. Maybe he can commit himself to one woman for the time she’s home, something he’s never done before.
These two families are strongly connected. Neighbors, friends and in-laws. They have both been through a lot this past year. Will Jared and Evie’s friendship survive when a secret comes to light? Crossing The Line is the sixteenth and last book in this series. The previous series and some of the following books contain the same characters but the final book will wrap up the remaining secret of this series. Who is Gina Grosso?
Grace Hunt Winters has been through a dark time but has come through it. A widow with three small children to raise and yet she started her own business. Catering for the NASCAR elite and even her own TV show. What she doesn’t need is the attention that a playboy driver is giving her. And yet something inside her wants to let loose if even for a little while.
Garrett Clark is thankful for his step-dad and is doing his best to win the championship to save their business. To win for the the man who believes in him and loves him more than his own mother ever did. He never planned on his own family but something about Grace and her three children pulls on something inside of him. Makes him a better man.
The finale to this sixteen book series was excellent. Full of emotions and characters who came to life and pulls the reader into the story. When the last part of the mystery is solved and they find Gina Grosso, who was kidnapped thirty years earlier, the author does an excellent job of expressing how this young woman feels. She has a family she has known and loved for all this time and a new family who are strangers to her.
All of the books in the Harlequin NASCAR Library are worth reading and have many of the same characters in them. There are more books that follow and continue with characters the reader has already been introduced to in the previous books.
Jean Brashear's Book List
Jean Brashear's Book List
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NASCAR: Family Secrets
This series continues as a new
mystery is involved through
Hilton Branch's journal
June 2010
This series continues as a new
mystery is involved through
Hilton Branch's journal
June 2010
Book 1: The Memory of a Kiss
Long Gone by Liz Allison and Wendy Etherington
Fourteen years ago Dane Guthrie and Lizzie Lancaster parted ways and took their broken hearts along with them. Dane went on to be successful in the world of NASCAR while Lizzie shown in the bright lights as a country music star. And now they meet again. Their hearts still belonging only to each other. Can two people who’s roads travel opposite directions find a middle ground? If their hearts have anything to do with it, they will.
Chasing The Dream by Abby Gaines
When NASCAR driver Jeb Stallworth crashes he starts thinking of his life as his car is rolling over. He realizes he doesn’t have much to show for it besides unmeaningful relationships. Cara Rivers was his best friends widow and Jeb now she was his best friend and a like a father to her three children. Jeb decided it was time to settle down and have a family. He knew just the ready made family he wanted and set out to win the most important race of his life. Winning Cara’s heart.
Hilton Branch is writing a journal. His story started in earlier books as his decisions destroyed everything around him. Each of these books start out with Hilton’s journal and it sounds like he has more secrets that weren’t exposed in the previous series.
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Book 2: At Any Cost
Driven by Mandy Hubbard
Mia Connors, sister to Cassie from No Holds Barred, has worked hard for her position as a mechanic on the Sanford Racing team, the only female mechanic. When handsome Seth Richards walks into her life she can’t believe he would really want her. Being on different teams and their drivers fierce rivals makes it even tougher to give in. Mia either needs to open herself up or she’s going to sabotage her chance for happiness.
Lady’s Choice by Marisa Carroll
Kelsey Kendall is driving NASCAR Sprint for the first year and she wants to win. After meeting the handsome doctor in the care center, thanks to a crash, she can’t get him out of her mind….or dreams. Dr. Matt Abrams is attracted to the beautiful driver but she seems so focused on her job. Just like his ex-fiance Lisa was. He is determined to fight what he feels for Kelsey fearing she may be another woman with a one track mind.
Hilton Branch continues to write in his journal. He has been keeping another very big secret from the world. A secret that affects even more lives beyond his family and business.
August 2010
Book 3: Shades of Love
Winner Takes All by Dorien Kelly
Claire Sablan lives by the rules. Too many rules. When Derek Garner walks in her classroom it seems he never stops pushing her rules. When she was a young girl she idolized the hometown hero who made it in the NASCAR world. Good thing she learned that lesson on how good looking guys can’t be trustworthy. Although it seems that’s another one of her rules the handsome heartthrob is going to push against to prove her wrong.
From The Outside by Barbara Dunlop
Harvard professor Olivia Eason is doing a sports study on working as a team. Since her friend Claire’s new boyfriend is an ex-NASCAR driver and has connections, she heads to Charlotte to interview the pit crew for Kent Grosso at Cargill-Grosso Racing. Caleb Gentry is everything opposite of any man she knows, opposite of her. And yet the age old saying of opposites attract is working overtime.
Hilton Branch continues his journal as he sits in prison. He feels locked up in more than one way. He left behind love and family along with lies and betrayal. Left behind more than just Maeve and his four children. More than anyone will ever know.
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Book 4: What He Didn't Say
Chasing The Truth by Carol Stephenson
The day that Emma-Lee Dalton, sister to Tara Dalton Sanford and Mallory Dalton Cordillo from previous books, fell, literally, into Holt Forrester’s life, it changed forever. He was a computer geek and loner while she was a people person. He had a secret though and secrets always seem to have bad timing when they make their appearance.
Cornered by Maggie Price
Some secrets can be very, very dangerous and some reporters shouldn’t try to find them out. No such luck for Rafael O’Bryan when he is ordered to allow a reporter to shadow him for a month to keep his sponsor happy. Worse yet, the original reporter was replaced by investigative reporter Caitlin Dempsey, who leaves no stone unturned. For Rafael it’s bad enough she’s nosy, but does she have to be so irresistibly gorgeous as well?
Hilton Branch continues to write in his journal while in prison. He is thinking back to the pride he had for his children and the hurt that he has lost them all. He made his choices in life and is paying the price for them.
October 2010
Book 5: Hard to Resist
Downright Distracting by Jean Brashear
Ryder McGraw, crew chief for Jeb Stallworth, has his hands overfull as it is and now his boss has asked a favor. Dixon Rogers is like a second father and has been good to Ryder so he can’t refuse helping him. Even when it includes keeping his daughter, that he just reconnected with, happy. A daughter who seems to be a distraction in more than one way to not only Ryder but his whole crew. Hailey Rogers is a gorgeous tofu eating and yoga twisting handful.
Jean Brashear's Book List
Jean Brashear's Book List
Shifting Gears by Peggy Webb
Rue Larrabee lives to cheer others on. She always wears vibrant colors and has a smile and good word to everyone she meets. No one would know she’s lonely or that she’s failed at love so often that she holds no hope for finding it. Andrew Clark is much the same only he stays quiet and to himself. He’s the one man Rue finds herself tongue tied around. Andrew is a team owner with his step-son carrying the championship title and he can learn to be content with that. Who needs the gorgeous outgoing redhead around to make life better? Maybe he does.
Hilton Branch continues to write in his journal while in prison. Seems that the long arm of criminals is longer than that arm of justice. Hilton has received a threat to his family….all of them. If only he could warn them. If only they would forgive him long enough to listen.
Book 6: One In a Million
No Ordinary Man by Abby Gaines
Eli Ward was given ultimatums from his boss and sponsor. Stop with the women and partying or he’d lose his sponsor and then his ride. Fine he’d get a new ride somewhere else besides Double S Racing. In the meantime the little sparrow who came to give him a message from the track office could be useful. A pretend girlfriend for this weekend to keep the female fans away and make it look like he took his bosses advice to find a steady girlfriend. Who knew that the feisty little Jennifer Ashby would so quickly see the real Eli. And still like him.
Daisy Chain by Marisa Carroll
Daisy Brookshire is scared. She’s pregnant and the father is dead but his wealthy family is threatening to take the baby away when it’s born. She has the support of the Tuesday Tarts but needs more. That help comes in a surprising package. Quinn Parrish is the step-brother and he wants to help Daisy and protect her from his step-father. Opening his home to the mother and baby is one thing it’s quite another thing that Quinn finds himself opening his heart as well.
Hilton Branch continues to write in his journal while in prison. Feeling helpless behind bars without the power and money he was use to wielding, Hilton continues to worry about his family. He had told them he needs to talk to them but unforgiveness keeps them away. He has to warn them how deep he was in trouble and that those people are coming after them as well.
December 2010
Book 7: This Time, Forever
Over The Top by Pamela Britton
After a plane crash that took his friends life and rehabilitation for him, many thought that Linc Shepherd was a washed up driver. Lucky for him Double S Racing had more faith in him than that. The only problem with working with Gil Sizemore was his younger sister, Marley. That crazy girl had a crush on him when she was only seventeen and was somewhat of a stalker back then. Now….well know she’s a gorgeous adult that Linc wouldn’t mind so much if she stalked him. If only she hadn’t promised Gil to stay away from him.
Pamela Britton's Book List
Pamela Britton's Book List
Talk To Me by Dorien Kelly
Ben and Susie Edmonds had the real thing, a marriage with love. Once the kids wanted to go to school rather than home-school and they stopped traveling together their lives got busier. Ben’s driving wasn’t helping to ensure a ride or a sponsor, adding more stress. Communication broke down and they started drifting. Susie was not a quitter though and took it onto herself to bring their family back to together and to keep their Edmonds family motto intact. Have fun. Great view on how not giving up and communication is everything in a marriage.
Hilton Branch continues to write in his journal while in prison. His daughter Penny finally came to see him so he could pass on the information he needed to give her. Even if that information made his daughter hate him more. It’s hard for this once very proud man to have lost everything. Too late he realizes that the treasure was not in the power and money he craved. It had been within his reach all this time, his children.
Book 8: Right Before His Eyes
At Last By Liz Allison & Wendy Etherington
Gil Sizemore is a real blue blood who can trace his ancestors back to the Revolutionary War. Sheila Trueblood is at the opposite end of the scale, trailer trash was what she considered her beginnings and it got worse after that. A secret she’s kept to herself as she built her new life within the walls of her diner. Gil persistently asked her out and oh how she wanted to say yes, but if he knew her secrets he wouldn’t want her. And as always secrets always have a way of coming to light at the worse possible times.
End Of The Line by Jean Brashear
Bart Branch is working towards winning the championship this year. His twin Will is now happily married with a family as are the rest of his siblings. He can't see having a family after the way his dad behaved, that is until Mellie Donovan and her adorable daughter Lily. The skittish young woman holds Bart’s interest as none other ever has. Mellie is on the run and is searching for her step-dad to help with Lily. She wants to tell Bart her secrets and lean on him, but she can only imagine she’ll hurt him more with the truth.
Hilton Branch continues to write in his journal while in prison. Locked in bars of prison and another jail of his own making, he feels helpless. The woman he loved has died without knowing he didn’t just abandon her and now what is left of what he had with her is missing. He can only hope that his son can help even if he’ll be doing it out of the goodness of his heart and not for any love for his father. Hilton knows he lost any hope of that when he betrayed his family.
Jean Brashear's Book List
Jean Brashear's Book List
This is the last book in the Harlequin NASCAR Library and has been worth the read. A majority of the books had the same characters so the reader really gets to know them along the way. I personally find it’s one of those series that it’s hard to say good-bye to.
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I am going to have to check these out. They sound pretty good. My 11 year old grandson loves Nascar especially Tony Stewart. Maybe if i read the books I would understand the Nascar better.
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