Customer Reviews

On The Edge (Hqn Romance)

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I just don't get it. The first two books were great. Well rounded characters, snappy diologue, all set agianst the fast pace world of NASCAR. As a member of a NASCAR watching family (Go Jimmy Johnson!)and a devoted fan of romance novels, I quickly fell in love with the series, eagerly awaiting the next installment.

Only to be disappointed. I read it in about a day, then sat back and wondered "What just happened?" The heroine was a bit wilty and the hero seemed to jump from one extreme to the other. And where the other books were romance agianst a NASCAR backdrop, this one seemed to be all about NASCAR...oh, and let's not forget to add a story in here somewhere. Although, I'll admit, I cheered when they ganged up on the bad guy's driver (Yeah! Crash!) For me, the most entertaining character was the spunky daughter, who had WAY more guts then I did at that age.

So, disappointing, yes. But I'm not giving up. Two out of three ain't bad, so I'm hanging in for the next installment of this NASCAR series (Yeah! Crash!).

Widow Rebecca Newman inherited Newman Motorsports when he husband died tragically in a racing mishap. Now in search of a new driver for her truck team, she's surprised when precocious ten year old Lindsey Drake crashes into her quiet life to beg her to hire her father, Adam. When a panic-stricken Adam arrives on her doorstep to collect his daughter, Rebecca feels an intense attraction to him. Adam knows that she's the widow of a legend cut down before his time.

Adam was an up & coming star on the racing circuit until he discovered that his philandering wife was sleeping with a rival driver. He quit the business to concentrate on raising his daughter, but his heart has always been behind the wheel.

After auditioning and securing a spot on Rebecca's team, a former opponent whose son is vying for the spot catches them in a compromising position and claims that Adam got the spot for one reason only. Fearing the future of her team, she fires Adam, and he's quickly picked up by rival team owner and friend Blain Sanders (of "Dangerous Curves"). Rebecca is determined not to fall for another driver who could end up like Randy and she is just not ready to let him go. But Adam isn't willing to let her dismiss him, so the race is on to prove to her that she will not be cheating Randy's memory by moving on. But a plan to boost her team proves disastrous and could result in her being estranged from the sport she loves.

Britton's third in the NASCAR series is entertaining. Though it lacks the sizzle of "Dangerous Curves," Britton makes up for it by giving her characters much-needed depth. Rebecca's anguish in moving on is evident from the start and it is nice to see a heroine not just jump into the arms of a new man so quickly. Readers familiar with the series will find themselves scratching their heads as Rebecca and Randy's last name switched from Newell to Newman for no apparent reason.

I understand the NASCAR romances are G-rated and must portray the sport in a glowing, positive manner, but this does not excuse the insanity of such things as a 10-year-old girl making it all the way from Louisville, KY, to Lake Norman, NC all by herself, within a day, and allowing enough time in said day for dad to be alerted and make it there before dinner time. Or the situation where the team owner, Becca Newman, called the girl's school and had her excused from class and driven to a private airfield where another NASCAR driver picked her up in his private jet--all without permission or even the knowledge of her father. And do all of Britton's female characters have green eyes and red hair? Or does she just have those cliched phrases as shortcuts on her computer and she forgot which keys she pressed?

But the best (or worst) examples of why this is a terrible book? Halfway through the story, the Kentucky girl and her dad are suddenly referring to Tennessee as their home state, and in the middle of the race descriptions, the vehicles being driven switch back and forth between trucks and cars in every other sentence.

Nothing says "I don't give a crap" like getting your OWN characters' back story wrong, so why should the reader care to read this? If you are into Z-grade writing and storytelling and enjoy groaners, check this book out at the library, but don't even waste the penny 30+ sellers are offering it for on the used market here at Amazon.

The heroine, Rebecca seems overly stuck on her grief with losing her late husband, Randy. I thought it dragged out way too long, and started to show a pattern with Britton's books, that often seem to have the heroine as the only one who needs to deal with some inner crisis. It was very frustrating reading several of Britton's NASCAR books, and finding this pattern. It's like, why isn't there something wrong with the hero in her books??? Why is it always the woman who seems to be holding things up?

Though, the most recent of her NASCAR novels, To the Limit did improve in this respect. I will keep reading her material and see if there is continued improvement in how she casts the heroine.

I think this is her best book about Nascar. It's more tightly woven with the characters. I'm not going to write a plot summary because Amazon and a couple reviewers have did that better than I can. However I enjoyed the interaction of the characters. I loved the little girl and how she kept getting involved in everything especially getting her dad a job. You see the two previous couples in the story and find out what they have been doing. I'm really enjoying this series when I didn't think I would. I thought it would be sappy and not have enough about Nascar in it. Instead I've found that the books even have some of the inside politics incidents and the rubbing is racing in them. I would highly recommend this to any Nascar fans. Great book to take to the race and read in the morning before the race starts and RaceDay on Speed begins. Also a great beach book.

In Mooresville, North Carolina, ten year old Lindsey Drake "crashes" through office assistants to beg Widow Rebecca Newman, owner of Newman Motorsports to hire her dad, the best driver in Kentucky. When the distraught father Adam arrives, Becca thinks hunk while he thinks beautiful kind and famous. She hires him.

Becca is attracted to her new employee, NASCAR driver Adam Drake but will not act on her feelings because she believes that romance does not belong on the racing track. She also knows how precarious her team is as financially they are shaky. Brett feels the same way about his boss, but unlike Rebecca he plans to explore his desires. However, Brett finds Rebecca to be very stubborn as she refuses to believe she can be his boss at the track and his lover at night. As Brett falls in love with the reluctant Rebecca, he pulls out all the stops to get out of the pits starting with his precocious daughter, who he believes will bring the winning flag with this race for love.

This is a fun NASCAR racing contemporary romance that readers will enjoy from the moment that Lindsey starts the engines of her father and Becca. The story line contains a fascinating theme as Becca firmly believes that love and business do not mix while Adam thinks otherwise. The insight into the business side of racing is deftly interwoven within this fun tale, which from start to finish line takes readers on quite a ride around the track.

Harriet Klausner

Anytime you can read a book and laugh at loud and finish the book with a smile, you have a keeper. Once again, Ms.Britton, keeps me entertained and yes, educated (about NASCAR - who'd a thunk!) and wanting more. Keep up the good work! Can't wait to get Total Control (yep, already preordered it)!

On The Edge by Pamela Britton is G-Rated romance novel. You don't miss the steam - the story and the characters are great. Widow of famous race car driver Rebecca hires a new driver and trys not fall for him as well. All the previous characters show up in this novel - which is always fun - A GREAT AFTERNOON READ ! Check out all her books Dangerous Curves (NASCAR book I), In The Groove (NASCAR book II), On the Edge (NASCAR book III), TO THE LIMIT - coming out March 2007, (NASCAR Book IV) and TOTAL CONTROL -September 2007, HQN (Nascar Book V).

For anyone that loves NASCAR and loves a good romance Pamela Britton has caught it all. She pays a lot of attention to make sure she has the NASCAR side right and doesn't disappoint.

It was good. If you really love racing--gives ya a lot of good detail. And if you are a hopeless romantic--gives ya a good story. I give it a thumbs up. I have enjoyed all of the books. Each one has it's own unique story.