LauraJ’s review of Driven By Desire by LuAnn McLane
Contemporary Romance released by Signet Eclipse 7 Oct 08

I love Ms. McLane’s southern romantic comedies, but before I tried those I read one of her steamer stories in an anthology and really liked it. I was very excited to see that she was writing steamier stories this time and even more exited that it would be a full length novel. 

In this story Jayden and Alexia were teenage sweethearts. Jayden is a motocross rider who had gone on to be one of the top motocross riders in the world. When Alexia asked Jayden to give up the sport he loves after a near fatal crash. He refuses and both end up going their separate ways.

Ten years later, Alexia moves back home after ending her marriage. While hiking to through the woods she is almost ran over by none other Jayden who is home to help his best friend, and fellow motocross rider, set up a program to introduce riding to young kids to help give them an alternative to negative influences. Seeing Alexia brings back old memories and Jayden realizes that he still loves her and wants her in his life.

Alexia tries to fight her attraction to Jayden not wanting to go back to the same argument that tore them apart. When she can no longer fight her feelings and gives in to the desire, she decides she has to tell Jayden the secret that she has kept for ten years, one that could break apart their new found relationship.

One thing that I love about Ms. McLane’s books is the way she creates beautiful stories about small town life and the characters seem so real. They are people that you care about and want so much to find their happy ending. I always have such a warm feeling when I finish one of her books. Driven By Desire is exactly that way. I loved the characters. Despite what happened in the past Jayden still loved Alexia and he was ready to forgive the past even when he didn’t know the secret that Alexia kept. He knew what he wanted and no obstacle was going to come between them this time.

Alexia is someone I would love to be friends with. I felt her turmoil in trying to decide whether or not to revisit her relationship with Jayden and then the turmoil she had about telling Jayden the secret that could once again take him away from her. There is a secondary romance between Alexia’s sister Brianna and Jayden’s best friend Colin, that is just as hot and steamy as Jayden and Alexia’s.

Ms. McLane is one my must read authors. I hope she continues to write her southern romantic comedies but also hope she will keep bringing out the more steamier stories too.

Grade: A

Summary:

Only one man could make her heart race… Daredevil stunts and dangerous accidents are par for the course in the world of motocross racing. Just ask Alexia Spencer, who almost lost her high school sweetheart in a near-fatal accident. But when she asked him to give up racing, Jayden Michaels rode off without even a goodbye, leaving Alexia heartbroken.

Ten years later, Jayden’s back—determined to prove he’s over Alexia. But it’s impossible to ignore the irresistible woman she’s become. And it isn’t long before Jayden finds himself on Alexia’s doorstep, driven by his insatiable desire, hoping he can tempt the woman he still loves into letting herself feel the heat—and taking a risk with her heart.