Review: Dangerous Race – Dee J Adams

Dangerous Race by Dee J Adams
Series:  Adrenaline Highs #1
Release Date:  September 5, 2011
Publisher:   Carina Press
Page Count:  308
Source:  NetGalley
Buy the book at: Amazon 

Four years ago, race car driver Tracey Bradshaw almost died in a horrific crash. Now scarred inside and out, she’s making a comeback, but her team is plagued by a series of “accidents”.
When the team leader dies under mysterious circumstances, former driver Mac Reynolds takes charge. The pair clash as Trace resents his high-handed attempts to control her, while Mac fears Trace’s recklessness will get her killed. Neither can throttle back the desire that spins out of control whenever they touch. Trace lets herself be seduced when Mac convinces her he finds her beautiful despite her scars, and she begins to hope for more. But Mac knows he’s not nearly good enough for Trace…

I’m not a racing fan and generally don’t get into racing books, but this was one that snatches you by the shirt and pulls you in. 

Tracey Bradshaw is a young woman trying to get her life back on track.  Four years ago, she was at the top of her game as a race car driver until a freak accident almost killed her.  She’s spent those four years rehabbing her body and mind to get back to that place.  And while she might be ready for racing, Tracey has other scars she has to deal with as an aftermath of the accident.  She convinced herself that no one will ever want her because of her scars (thanks to her a-hole ex-fiance) so she builds up a wall to keep her heart safe.  Too bad that wall not only keeps others out, but also locks Tracey in as well.

Mac Reynolds raced cars for Tracey’s team owner until his own terrifying accident ended his career.  To pay back a debt to the team owner, Mac agrees to be the Crew Chief for Tracey’s team after her chief unexpectedly dies.  He finds a kindred spirit in Tracey, but he’s also dealing with his own issues of self worth and a wall of shame to hide behind. 

Tracey and Mac were, at time, a very exhausting couple.  As a reader, you could see how they fit, but the characters could see that so it made you want to scream and shake them until they caught up to you.  And while their journey to get to their HEA was emotional and full of obstacles both of them threw in the way, it sometimes made me wonder why either of them would bother continuing on with the chase.

The secondary couple in the story, Matthew and Chelsea were a couple that I enjoyed and didn’t have all the emotional baggage Tracey and Mac had.  As a matter of fact, when we got the the point of the book where we found out who was behind everything, it was Matthew and Chelsea that had you turning the pages to find out what happened next.

I always like when a book unexpectedly pull me in and this one has all those elements that I like:  characters that have really big issues, hot sex and a plot that keeps you guessing.