FINAL LAP (Fast Track #8) by Erin McCarthy-a review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date October 7, 2014

Switching into high gear……

At a friend’s lavish wedding, Harley McLain and her twin sister, Charity, meet sexy stock-car driver Cooper Brickman. The more reserved Harley is immediately smitten—until he hits on her twin. But Harley has had enough of being the “nice” girl, and after trading dresses with Charity, she seduces Cooper for a night of wild sex.

……ready for a hot lap.

What was supposed to be a one-night fling gets complicated when Cooper needs a nanny to look after his kid sister—and is convinced sweet, dependable Harley would be perfect for the job. She can’t resist the money—or Cooper’s hot bod. But when her deception is revealed, will it destroy her dependable image—or will he finally realize how sexy sweet can be?

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REVIEW: FINAL LAP is the eight and final installment in Erin McCarthy’s contemporary, adult Fast Track romance series focusing on the men and women of NASCAR. This is race car driver Cooper Brickman and Harley McLain-a woman Cooper hires to ‘nanny’ his younger sister-thirteen year old MaryJane. Although this is the eighth book in the series, it can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty; some of the previous storyline characters play secondary roles but any important information from the prior stories is imparted where necessary.

The premise follows Cooper and Harley’s building relationship-one that has been predicated on a bit of a lie. Having met both Harley and her flamboyantly identical twin sister Charity at a mutual friend’s wedding, Cooper found himself attracted to both sisters but with different intentions in mind. Charity is the sexy, in your face sister who goes for what she wants; Harley considers herself the more quiet and demure of the twins. After a one night stand with the woman he believed was Charity McLain, Cooper sets out to hire Harley as his sister’s live in nanny. What he never expected was to develop feelings for Harley- a woman who is all too familiar-but for reasons he is unable to understand. The twins had pulled a switch-a-roo and it was Harley to whom Cooper made love the night of the wedding.

Harley has had a crush on Cooper for a number of years but when his eye finds Charity, Harley is brokenhearted. Switching places with her twin finds Harley in bed Cooper knowing the man believes he is in bed with someone else. Harley and Cooper’s relationship begins on a professional level but our couple soon begin to develop feelings for one another. Cooper and Harley dance around one another for a good portion of the storyline knowing that eventually they will end up together-one way or another. Harley is the perfect nanny for Cooper’s younger sister but when Mary Jane’s mother comes back into the picture, words are said in anger when an offer is made that Harley cannot refuse.

The secondary characters include many of the previous storyline couples. There is a small side romance developing between Charity McLain and her boss Jeff Sterling. Cooper’s sister Mary Jane is a thirteen year old whose online blog reveals to the world everything and anything about the gossip side of racing. The world building continues with the race car circuit trials and events, as well as the comararderie between Cooper’s on track competition and fellow drivers.

With Final Lap Erin McCarthy brings the Fast Track series to an end. The wedding celebration and fund raisers see most if not all of the previous characters reunited for their final goodbye. With the next generation of family growing fast, who knows if Erin has made any decision about a spin off or if we have finally seen the end of the Fast Track drivers and the women they love.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.

Reviewed by Sandy