Category Archives: Body Shop Bad Boys Series

Review: Collision Course by Marie Harte

Title: Collision Course by Marie Harte
Body Shop Bad Boys Series Book Four
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 352 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

He’s always had a way with the ladies
She won’t give him the time of day
Sparks fly when two hearts in motion collide.

Florist Joey Reeves is working overtime to stay away from Lou Cortez, the ace mechanic with a reputation for irresistible charm. She’s a single mom with enough on her plate—the last thing she needs is entanglement with the hottest guy in town…

“Well, hello there.”

Joey glanced up and froze. The man who’d been haunting her sleep looked even better in the hard light of day.
“H-hello.” She coughed. The guys who worked at Webster’s Garage all looked larger than life, covered in tattoos, muscles, and that indefinable sense of danger they wore like a second skin. But this guy, the tall, Latin lover with dark-brown eyes and lips made for kissing, who had snared her.

Review:

Collision Course is the fourth scorching hot installment in Marie Harte’s sinfully sexy Body Shop Bad Boys series. This latest  addition can be read as a standalone but I highly recommend the entire series.

Lou Cortez is an all around wonderful man who is well-liked by his friends, co-workers and bosses. Although he is quite charming and rather irresistible to women, he is not interested in a long-term relationship. Lou is dedicated to his family and he has a wonderful relationship with his mom, sisters and extended family. He is relatively grounded but his childhood definitely has an impact on his view of relationships and this affects his dating life since he steers clear of single mothers. Despite his ease with women, Lou has not had much success snagging the attention of his crush Josephine “Joey” Reeves.

Joey is in her early twenties, but due to her life experiences, she is an old soul. A single mom to an almost nine year old son, Brandon, she has finally been given a well deserved promotion at work. Joey and Brandon live with her parents who have never quite gotten over their disapproval or disappointment of their only child’s teen pregnancy. Joey has not dated much over the years and she is not looking for a relationship when she tentatively agrees to go out with Lou.

The relationship between Lou and Joey is sweet but there is plenty of heat between them. Joey’s past dates have been quite disappointing so her expectations are rather low when she starts going out with Lou. The attraction between them is explosive and Joey is more than happy to let Lou take charge of their sex life.  His dirty talking and dominance hits all of her hot spots and their encounters are sizzling hot.

Although Joey and Lou are very compatible in the bedroom, trouble is waiting around the corner for the couple. Joey is stunned to discover the Brandon’s father is back in town and she is very afraid of what threat this will pose. She is also struggling with her parents’ continued negative attitude towards her and the situation between them is quickly building to a confrontation. Lou is shocked by the realization his feelings for Joey are much deeper than just attraction. He is hoping for a more permanent relationship with Joey, but his vision for their future is in jeopardy once Lou uncovers the secret she has been keeping from him.

Collision Course is a blazing hot romance that stars two extremely likable protagonists. Lou is a swoonworthy hero with a heart of gold and a commanding presence in the bedroom. Joey is an endearing single mom who finally finds the gumption to stand up to her parents in a dramatic but applause worthy showdown.  The conflict that eventually arises between Lou and Joey is realistic and quickly resolved. A sweetly entertaining and delectably steamy installment that old and new fans of Marie Harte’s Body  Shop Bad Boys series are going to love.

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Filed under Body Shop Bad Boys Series, Collision Course, Contemporary, Marie Harte, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca

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.

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Filed under Body Shop Bad Boys Series, Contemporary, Marie Harte, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Zero to Sixty

Review: Test Drive by Marie Harte

Title: Test Drive by Marie Harte
Body Shop Bad Boys Series Book One
Publisher: Sourcebooks Casablanca
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 386 pages
Book Rating: B+

Complimentary Review Copy Provided by Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

A smokin’ hot new series from Marie Harte featuring tough-guy mechanics and the women who jump-start their hearts.

GET TO KNOW THE BODY SHOP BAD BOYS

Johnny, Foley, Sam, and Lou are the rough and tumble mechanics of Webster’s Garage. These reformed bad boys are used to living fast, but it’s the women in their lives who take them from zero to sixty in a heartbeat.

JOHNNY

Johnny Devlin’s a charmer with a checkered past. He’s had his eye on scorching-hot bartender Lara Valley for ages, but she’s rejected him more than once. That doesn’t mean he won’t come to her aid when some dirtbag mauls her. When she asks him on a date as a no-strings-attached thank you, he can’t say no.  And then he’s saying nothing but hell, yes.

Review:

Test Drive by Marie Harte is a sizzling hot yet very touching romance between bad boy auto mechanic Johnny Devlin and good girl Lara Valley.  With plenty of humorous banner, tons of sexual tension and loveable characters with realistic insecurities, this first installment in the Body Shop Bad Boys series is an irresistible love story that fans of contemporary romances are sure to love.

Despite a few missteps when he was younger, Johnny has mostly cleaned up his act although he does love the occasional  brawl and swears like a sailor.  He is hardworking, loyal and very protective of the people he cares about. Charming and sinfully sexy, Johnny’s reputation as a player is legendary but he is always honest about his intentions with the women he becomes involved with.  Johnny has been lusting after the fresh faced bartender from the moment he laid eyes on her four years ago, but Lara turns him down every time he asks her out.  Although he is still strongly attracted to her, Johnny is surprised to realize that he wants to actually date Lara but will he convince her to take a chance on him?

Having grown up without much money, Lara is ambitious and quite dedicated to getting a college degree.  She has no social life since she spends most of her time either helping out with her nieces, working or going to classes.  She is very close to her family and she is quick to volunteer to help out when her parents or sister are in a bind.  Lara loves her bartending job but she does not date the customers.  She is attracted to Johnny, but she is completely committed to finishing her degree and she does not want any distractions to interfere with her plans. However, after Johnny saves her from an unsettling altercation with  her sister’s smarmy soon to be ex-husband, Lara decides to give dating Johnny a chance.

The romance between Johnny and Lara is surprisingly sweet and grows slowly over the course of the novel.  Johnny wants more from Lara than the usual one night stand so he puts a lot of thought into the dates that he takes her on. He also tries to put a moratorium on sex, but it is virtually impossible for them to resist their scorching hot attraction.  However, in between raucous bouts of insanely intense sex,  Johnny and Lara do a lot of the things most couples do; they go to movies and dinner, they enjoy quiet evenings at home and occasionally, they babysit Lara’s nieces together.  The longer they go out, the more uneasy Johnny becomes with budding relationship.  Plagued by doubts and insecurities, Johnny misunderstands a conversation with Lara and he instinctively runs away.  The future of their relationship then hangs in the balance as he tries to come to terms with the emotional baggage from his childhood.

Test Drive is a delightful romance with an appealing couple that are impossible not to root for.  The storyline is well-developed with witty and engaging dialogue.  The longstanding acquaintance between Johnny and Lara makes their transition from friends to lovers believable and it is an absolute joy watching them get to know one another and eventually fall in love. The last chapter in the novel neatly sets the stage for the next book in the Body Shop Bad Boys series and readers will be chomping at the bit to see what Marie Harte has planned for Foley Sanders in Roadside Assistance.

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Filed under Body Shop Bad Boys Series, Contemporary, Marie Harte, Rated B+, Review, Romance, Sourcebooks Casablanca, Test Drive