Jacked Up by Erin McCarthy (Fast Track #6)
Contemporary Romance
June 5, 2012
Berkley

Reviewed by Helyce

Favorite Quote: “She wanted to sigh. She wanted to rub her temples. She wanted to run away to a remote Pacific island where demigods would worship her.”

Eve Monroe has lived and breathed racing her whole life. It’s in her family’s blood; so it’s not surprising that her career has something to do with racing. She handles Public Relations for both her brothers, Elec and Evan. It’s her job to make sure they stay out of trouble and maintain a clean cut image their sponsor’s can be proud of. In order to do so, she’s had to be very strict and keep her brothers and their pit crews in line. She has a reputation of being a hard ass and she has to be-you lose your sponsor, you lose your ride!

So when Nolan Ford tears his fire suit jumping over the wall and a video of his naked butt goes viral on the internet, Eve has her work cut out for her. However, once she’s face to face with Nolan, the last thing on her mind is scolding him for his wardrobe malfunction which wouldn’t have been so bad if he’d had underwear on. She’s guilty of watching the video a few times herself and now that she’s had a peek, she’s curious about what else is under that fire suit. When Nolan asks her out for a beer, to apologize for all the craziness the video has caused, she accepts.

Their first few dates go really well, and no one is more surprised than Eve. There is definite chemistry there and Eve is slowly letting her guard down. When Nolan surprises Eve with a birthday party with all her friends at a race in Las Vegas, she is completely overwhelmed. It’s been a long time since anyone has done anything like this for Eve and she finds herself falling hard for Nolan. When they find themselves outside of a Chapel on the strip, a bit drunk and on a party high, getting married just seems like something they should do.

I was very excited to finally get Eve Monroe’s story. She has appeared in each book so far and I just knew that there was more to her than the bitchy PR executive who made men tremble in her presence or do anything they could to avoid her. In this, the author does such a great job at showing us a different Eve, her softer side, if you will. We also get some back story and learn just how Eve came to be her brothers’ PR manager.

In Jacked Up we get the impression that Eve is at a turning point. While she loves being involved in the racing industry and ultimately, she is really good at what she does, she’s beginning to realize that it doesn’t make her happy anymore. Something is missing and she finds herself envious of her brothers and friends who have recently married and started families. Her initial encounter with Nolan Ford following his on-air wardrobe accident doesn’t go at all as she expected and ends with her accepting a date with him; something completely out of character for her. Nolan’s carefree attitude and easy going spirit are exactly what Eve needs in her life. Eve finds everything about Nolan to be fresh and unexpected and Nolan certainly keeps Eve guessing.

I loved that Nolan was not a driver. I’m not sure why that was important to me, but for some reason it made me very happy! With Nolan, Eve finally feels special. She has spent so many years taking care of other people, that she is pretty overwhelmed by every little thing that Nolan does. The surprise birthday party he throws for her with the help of her family and friends totally blows her away and is truly a pivotal moment in the story because it results in their impromptu marriage. Initially, I was kind of on the fence with the path the story was taking; but as it progressed, it was clear that while it seemed impulsive for Eve, for Nolan, it was perfectly in line with his character.

I loved how the author handled the aftermath of Nolan and Eve’s marriage. While laced with much humor, we continue to see Eve’s vulnerable side as she struggles to accept her feelings for Nolan without over analyzing it every step of the way. We learn something interesting and special about Eve that I don’t think had ever been revealed in either of the previous books and goes a long way in helping to understand how Eve fell into her career and why. Nolan stays true to his character from the get go. When he realizes he has feelings for Eve, he doesn’t waver and he doesn’t let her talk herself out of something he believes to be real and true, no matter the path that got them there.

I’ve really enjoyed this series. I can’t remember how I found it, but I’m sure it had something to do with the cover of the very first book Flat-Out Sexy which remains my favorite of the series to date. While centered around racing, these stories always have a strong focus on romance, good friends and family values with a wonderful dose of humor all around!

Rating: B

Recent Reviews:
Under the Covers – 5/5
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