Drive Me Crazy by Carly Robyn
Book Blurb:
Some things burn hot on and off the track…
A tumultuous season filled with reckless driving, drunken debauchery, and more bad press than a kinky politician leaves five-time Formula 1 World Champion Blake Hollis in desperate need of an image overhaul. To redeem his tarnished reputation, his team decides it’s time for drastic measures. Their solution: a tell-all book that showcases his illustrious career and presents a more respectable public persona.
Enter Ella Gold, a once-renowned sportswriter and podcast host desperate for a fresh start. She accepts the challenge of writing Blake’s biography knowing that getting close to the brooding Brit will be challenging. But interviewing Blake can’t be worse than staying in NYC where rumors of her podcast’s demise follow her like a bad Hinge date.
As they spend the season together, sparks fly, barriers break, and their dynamic shifts from antagonistic to something entirely unexpected. Throughout twenty-one races around the world, they’ll face the ultimate interview question: can they write their own happy ending, or is their love destined to crash and burn?
My Review: 5 stars
Drive Me Crazy by Carly Robyn blew me away with its humor, heart, and heat. I’m newer to rom-com (Romantic Comedy) and after reading quite a few of them, I totally think that this one shines above.
Full disclosure, I know the author quite well. She’s my daughter; but it’s the honest truth when I say I loved the heck out of this book. I was literally laughing out loud at some points and fell hard in love with Blake, the broody Brit, and Ella, the relatable journalist who could be my BFF.
The pacing of the story was spot on as I fell into the fast-paced life of an F1 driver, and the toll racing takes on both their minds and bodies. I appreciated the slow burn to the ultimately spicy and steamy romance. It made the wait and tension totally worth the wait! For me, smart conversation and good banter can make or break a book. This one had so much wit and humor that I’d be happy with that alone.
The settings in this book take the reader all around Europe which makes for great escapes. Ella, who hails from Chicago before moving to New York, offers many local references which I loved.
On top of the heart, humor and heat, there are also some serious issues woven through the book such a loss of a parent, mental illness, and sexual abuse. These issues are presented with sensitivity and care.
Bottom line, if you’re looking for a book to make you laugh with a good dollop of spice, pick this one up. Readers are all saying they can’t wait for the second in the series.
Quotes I liked:
You’re proof an angel can walk through hell and make burns look beautiful, baby.”
“If I could bottle up her smile for all my dark days, I’d be sitting under sunny skies needing sunscreen.”
“You know those people who just light up a room when they walk into it? Ella walks into a room and fucking blinds everyone.”
“It’s ridiculous how enough you are, Blake Hollis.”
