Shifting Gears is another great story about race-tracks, romance and very strong female characters having unconventional professions!
My Shifting Gears review:
The mix between action and romance, character development, a good story and a solid plot made Shifting Gear a really good read! Of course, the fact that the protagonists already knew each other and had grown up as next-door neighbors made the story all the more delicious to me. I love the friends-to-lovers trope, and here, that was even stronger because Annabelle and Grady hadn't seen each other for years. Realizing that they had both had a 'thing' for each other when they were younger made everything that happened to them even sweeter.
Annabelle's life hadn't exactly been a dance on roses after she left home only to get married to a man who was even more controlling and belittling than her parents had been to her growing up. Only after he left her for another woman, and with a huge debt did she finally understand that this life was not for her. However, back home, her mom hadn't changed a bit - it was all about how other people saw her, so she had to be spotless, cute, and the perfect Southern belle. Even if that was as far from what Annabelle really wanted as was possible.
Grady wanted to make some changes in his life as well, for one, he wanted to leave the family business and work on his own. But at the same time, he wanted to make sure his sister and brother would continue to be as safe as possible when they were racing. Thus, they were both trying to get to shifting gears, in different ways.
The romance between Grady and Annabelle was very sweet, even if they were both doubting themselves when it came to building a new relationship. Annabelle because she didn't want to depend on someone again, and Grady because he wanted to be successful before he got serious with a woman - especially a woman like Annabelle - who was fighting to stand on her own to feet and make it on her own.
If you're looking for a romance that also has action, plus some really good characters, Shifting Gears should be added to your shelves ASAP!
Some of my favorite Shifting Gears quotes:
The kind of thing that got her compliments and envious looks from other women... but no man had ever looked over at her and said, 'Damn, honey, that pie is the sexiest thing I've ever seen. You pie vixen, you.' She wrinkled her nose a little No man had ever said that probably because it didn't sound sexy at all.
Mom never locked it. He kept chiding her for it, but she never listened. Once, he'd come over while she'd been napping. vulnerable. He'd stayed and waited for her to wake up, then asked, 'What if I'd been some kind of violent criminal?' She'd just looked at him in that way that only mothers can and said, 'Then I'd be very disappointed in you.'
"I have to admit that I've never had a man even notice my pie, much less compliment it like that."
That sounded... suggestive. did she seriously just say that in such a way? For a second, Grady felt nothing but hot, embarrassed arousal.
This review was originally posted on (un)Conventional Bookviews