Review: Zero to Sixty by Marie Harte

Title: Zero to Sixty by Marie Harte
Body Shop Bad Boys Series Book Three
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 384 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

BAD BOY SAM + GOOD GIRL IVY =
LEARNING TO LOVE AGAIN

After her last disaster of a relationship, Ivy Stephens is content being single. She has her job, her apartment-and the cute little puppy she’s seen hanging around. When he escapes, she finds her search efforts aided by a big, burly, devastatingly handsome man. One who claims a prior claim on her dog.

Sam Hamilton is at loose ends since his best friend fell in love. He finds a sense of purpose in rescuing strays. The puppy who’s stolen his heart just happens to run into blond, beautiful Ivy. And Sam can’t help hoping she’ll take in one more stray-him-for good.

Review:

Zero to Sixty is a super cute, sweet and delectably steamy addition to Marie Harte’s fabulous Body Shop Bad Boys series.  Although this is the third installment in the series, it can be read as a standalone, but I HIGHLY recommend the previous two books as well.

Hottie auto mechanic Sam Hamilton is feeling a little lonely and left out now his bestie Foley Sanders has fallen in love. Rough, tumble and prone to fighting when stressed, he has a very soft heart beneath his gruff exterior.  In recent months, Sam has been rescuing stray animals on the down low and he is very concerned over his latest find, an adorable puppy he calls Scruffy who has been taken in by a very attractive shop owner. Worried his appearance will frighten the lovely lady who has caught his eye, Sam takes great pains to make himself appear non-threatening when he stops by to check on the pup.  Although he is certain massage therapist Ivy Stephens won’t be interested in dating him, he proposes they share custody of the puppy she has dubbed Cookie.  A surprising friendship quickly springs up between them and both are quick to acknowledge their simmering attraction to each other, but will Sam and  Ivy be willing to take a chance on love?

Sam is extremely loyal to family and friends and he is completely devoted to Foley and his mom Eileen.  He is deeply scarred by his abusive and dysfunctional childhood and he is incredibly grateful to Eileen for the love she showed to him while he was growing up.  Sam cannot quite bring him to cut ties with his addicted mother, Linda, although he is always wrecked after giving in to her pleas for him to help.  His new relationship with Ivy is, hands down, the best thing that has ever happened to him, but will Sam let the baggage from his past ruin his chance at happiness?

While Ivy is mostly happy with how her life has turned out, she carries a few emotional wounds from her childhood. Although she has mostly made peace with the situation with her family, she is saddened by the distance between them.  After a failed engagement and a string of bad dates, Ivy has decided to focus on her career.  Initially a little wary of Sam, she quickly realizes there is a lot of tenderness beneath his tattoos and muscles.  She is a little taken aback by his somewhat rough life but Ivy cannot resist agreeing to share custody of Cookie.   

Despite a bit of a misunderstanding following a heated kiss and unexpected make-out session, Ivy is surprisingly eager to spend time with Sam.  While a little impatient to take their relationship to the next level, she is enjoying getting to know him and his friends.  When Sam shuts her out, will Ivy be content to let him work through things on his own?  Or will she risk her heart by admitting how much he means to her?

Zero to Sixty is an absolutely heartwarming romance that old and new fans of the Body Shop Bad Boys series are going to love.  Sam and Ivy are endearing characters with interesting backstories and easy to relate to issues and flaws.  Their easygoing friendship is a wonderful foundation for their transition to lovers and the chemistry between them is palpable. The banter between Sam and his friends is delightful and their support for him is unwavering. This latest release from Marie Harte is a joyful and entertaining read that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend.