Stevie‘s review of Dangerous Curves by Larkin Rose
Contemporary Lesbian Erotic Romance published by Bold Strokes Books 16 Apr 19
I find motor sports romances hard to resist – even knowing how cross I get if I spot plot-holes or inaccuracies – especially when the heroine is a driver. Throw in a second heroine who’s a photographer – and a former motor sport photographer at that – and there’s no way I’m going to refuse a review copy, regardless of my pre-existing reservations. Lacy McGowen turned her back on NASCAR after her bad luck meant she was the closest photographer to the scene of a fatal crash. Since then, she’s restricted herself to making money taking portraits and society wedding pictures, staying close to the money in LA rather than to the track and all her former friends in Pittsburgh. Except, that is for the one month of the year when there’s no racing: then she spends a much deserved break with her racing driver best-friend, his wife, and their daughter. This year, however, Lacy’s friend has a job for her. One of his fellow drivers has an image problem, and he’s sure Lacy is the one person able to fix that issue.
Kip Sellars always wanted to be a NASCAR driver, but an adolescent crash robbed her of her girlfriend and sent her off the rails. After a short career in Formula One, she’s finally in with a chance of competing in the series she loves most. Unfortunately, her behaviour off the track has already led to her being banned once, and it looks like another ban is looming after she’s caught street racing on a night out. Fortunately, the older driver who already took her under his wing has a friend who can help her out, and her grandfather – and main sponsor – is always willing to shell out money for whatever Sellars might need.
Lacy is unimpressed with Sellars before they even meet – more so after – and takes an instant dislike to Sellars’ grandfather. She takes the job anyway, never one to refuse her best-friend or the opportunity to funnel funds into a beloved project with the potential to help some really deserving people. As the pair begin the rounds of high-profile media events that have been lined up for them, it becomes clear that not only is Sellars her own worst enemy, but also that what she needs isn’t what her grandfather has planned for her. Lacy soon has Sellars meeting up with the volunteers and beneficiaries at a local homeless shelter. The two women start to grow closer and open up to each other about their respective pasts. Confronting the deaths hanging over both their memories brings its own set of traumas, then they both have stumbling blocks to confront before they can achieve their respective ambitions and potentially reconnect with each other after a little time apart.
I found a lot to like about this book, but also a few niggles. I have my doubts about the very sketchy backstory of Sellars having raced in Formula One with no apparent seasons in the more junior series of international motor sport to bring her to the attention of even the most junior of teams. I would have liked to see more about her actual NASAR races too and something about her relationship with the pit crew and other members of her racing team wouldn’t have gone amiss. On the other hand, I really liked all the characters and enjoyed watching Lacy at work on her day-job photography and on her project to help the homeless through publicising their artistic endeavours. While there was a fair amount of sex – obviously – it didn’t feel nearly as gratuitous as those scenes sometimes do in romances – erotic or otherwise. All in all, this is an author I’m going to look out for again.
Grade: B
Summary:
NASCAR photographer Lacy McGowen never thought she’d capture the moment of death. Unable to watch another race after a fatal crash, she flees Pittsburgh to shoot weddings and capture the images of LA’s young, fashionable, and oh-so-spoiled. She’s desperate to get back to the racetrack but has no idea how to overcome the images that haunt her.
Up-and-coming NASCAR driver Kip Sellars has a death wish. At least that’s what Lacy thinks when her best friend convinces her that cleaning up the young rookie’s image will be a breeze. Kip’s rude, arrogant, and unprofessional, not to mention scruffy, which shouldn’t be nearly as sexy as it is.
What Lacey doesn’t know is that Kip’s penchant for trouble masks a secret she can never tell and a deal with the devil she never should have made. When love waits at the finish line, dangerous curves are a risk worth taking.
Read an excerpt.
