[ARC Review]: "Drive Me Crazy"

Drive Me Crazy by Marquita Valentine

Publisher: Marquita Valentine (February 2, 2013)

Series: Holland Springs, 1

Genre: Contemporary Romance

NASCAR racer, Carter Ambrose, has finally decided to take his doctor’s advice and find a new occupation before another wreck on the track kills him. Only his doctor hadn’t counted on his little sister’s best friend, Melanie Ann Smith, crashing his weeks of solitude with her short skirts and platform heels. And that’s not the least of his problems. His mother has decided that she wants grandchildren and the only woman that's good enough for the job-his ex-fiance.

Twenty-four year old Troublemaker Extraordinaire, Melanie Ann Smith, isn’t asking for much out of life: a house without wheels, to travel further than her home state and her best friend’s older brother, Carter Ambrose. Only three things stand in her way: juggling all of her odd jobs, keeping her daddy from gambling away all of their money and getting Carter to see her as a woman.

Soon Melanie and Carter agree to a temporary relationship. One with benefits that is mutually satisfying in every way, or so each believes. And just when they are ready admit their feelings, family secrets are exposed, threatening Melanie and Carter's fragile relationship.

Will Carter risk it all for love, or will Melanie be left holding the trophy for second place?

 

Where to  Buy*:

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More Info:

Author's Site

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My Review:

A die-hard fan, if Marquita Valentine's name is on the cover, I already know I'm going to love the book. Drive Me Crazy is no exception! I was thrilled to receive an eARC of this book, and I couldn't wait to dive into it, even though I had other books already lined up.

Welcome back to Holland Springs, this time a few years before Valentine's previous books took place. Carter Ambrose and Melanie Ann Smith have known each other since childhood, but in many ways they're nothing alike. Melanie thinks she's not good enough for Carter, plus what man would fall in love with his sister's best friend? But she can't help her feelings for him, and when he comes back to town to start his own shop, she decides it's time to show him how she feels—at least a little bit. He's crazy for her, but is it just lust or something more?

Carter was a flawed hero, I'll admit, but I still loved him. He was a jerk at times, and often opened his mouth without first engaging his brain (and admits it). But then again, what guy doesn't at some point or another? What I did like was the fact that he often knew where he had made the mistake, and wanted to fix things with Melanie. He'd say something in one chapter that would make me want to slap him, but as soon as his dirty talking started...oh, I was a goner! I melted for him all over again, just like Melanie. :)

Melanie was a great heroine. She knew what she wanted from life, and she was set on working for it, even with her father's gambling and troubles always getting in her way, and other people's judgment of her pushing her back down. She was strong, but not too strong, and she had, as Carter would say, a sassy mouth, which I enjoyed.

Here's one of my favorite quotes:

“You want me to treat you like a sister?” It hit him right in the gut how much he did not want to treat her like that, as if she were an afterthought, or still a pain in the ass kid that had followed him everywhere, always spying on him.

“You already treat me like one.” Her shoulders fell, then she took a deep breath and looked him right in the eye. “I want to be treated like a woman, with needs and wants that only a certain kind of man can satisfy.”

Damn, but she couldn’t have said the most perfectly sexy and terrifying thing right then. “Suppose I know a man who’d be up for that. A man who’d not stop until every need and want was met to your satisfaction.” Ah, hell. There was no going back now. His dick was all up for it. Literally. “And if it wasn’t…well, he’d redouble his efforts and take it from the top.”

 
*melts*

And this:

She leaned into his touch, her eyes closing and chin tipping up. Black lashes brushing the tops of her cheeks and barely visible freckles.

“You shouldn’t hide those.”

“Hide what?” Her sweet breath fanned over his face.

“Your freckles.”

“Men don’t like freckles.”

He chuckled, continuing his exploration of her face and easing his hand behind her neck. He wanted to undo the ridiculous bun she’d put her hair up in. “This man does.” Then he said the worst thing possible. “In fact I’d like to see if you have freckles in other places.”

Of their own volition, his fingers came from around her neck and coasted over her clavicle, down to the deep vee of her shirt. He nudged it to one side, watching in pure male satisfaction as goose bumps appeared. A perfect line of golden dots disappeared underneath her lacey black bra. Her breasts rose and fell, breaths coming out in little pants that made him harder than before.

“Then I’d spend some time connecting the dots with my tongue,” he added, tracing the lace at the edge of the cup.

 
Carter--I have freckles. *whispers* Call me! :)

And I can't forget this. Warning: grab a fan. And some ice. :) Actually, you'll need both for this entire book....

 “Damn, but you drive me crazy.” He brushed his lips over hers and she shivered. “Always have.”

“The feeling’s entirely mutual.”

“Is it now?” he asked with a smile so smug that she wanted to wipe it off his face. He bent his head down, his breath hot on her neck. “Last night I dreamed about you.”

Her head fell back of its own accord as his tongue traced a path along her jaw. She could barely get out the words, “You did?”

“Oh yeah,” his voice had gone deep, almost guttural sounding. “You showed up at my garage wearing a trench coat with nothing but stocking and garters on underneath. And stilettos. Can’t forget those.”

She could stop herself from asking, “Then what happened?”

“Why don’t I show you?” He lifted her in his arms, his large hands cupping her butt. A good thing since her knees had ceased to exist. Unable to speak, she wrapped her legs around his waist, his erection deliciously pressing against her sex. He set her down on the edge of his desk and smiled like the confident man he’d become. “Never took you for the quiet type.”

“Never took you for the type that never shuts up,” she said, leaning back and propped her arms on the desktop while he made quick work of the buttons on her cardigan.

“You can shut me up anytime, baby.”

Eyeing the large Crown Royale clock over the door, she said, “You’ve got ten minutes.”

He pushed the cups of her bra down until her breasts popped out, tight nipples begging for his attention. “Fast is for the racetrack, not the bedroom.” He tweaked a hard peak and her hips jerked.

“An assistant is for working, not screwing on top of your desk during business hours,” she panted. No way in hell they’d have sex while she was on the clock.

Green eyes laced with bits of black glinted. “Ten minutes it is.” Then he sealed his mouth over hers. Her hands went to his head, curling her fingers into his short strands of hair. He tasted of coffee and mint…and Carter. All male and all hers.

Large hands slid under her skirt, up her bare thighs until he discovered what she wasn’t wearing. “Ah, hell…no panties,” he growled against her mouth. “So damn wet.”

She gasped as he thrust two fingers inside of her, his thumb finding her clitoris with a practiced ease.

“Ten minutes isn’t enough time to fuck you properly.” He tugged on her bottom lip, then released it. “Instead I’m going play and you’re going to come all over my hand.”

 

4.5 STARS! Wow, with ever new book Marquita Valentine writes, I think that I have found my new favorite...until the next one comes out. I've yet to be disappointed by one of her books, and I don't think it's possible, to be honest. If you want a sexy, fun, and slightly addicting contemporary read, be sure to pick up Valentine's books—all of them. Trust me, you'll thank me later! :) Drive Me Crazy had me smiling and blushing, and just having a great time while reading it. I loved Carter's dirty talk, couldn't get enough of it, really, and I can't wait to see how Valentine's next book turns out. Impatiently waiting, and in the meantime I'll revisit all her other books. For Carter's story, I think all my bookmarks will be around the smexy scenes. Nothing wrong with that! :)



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I was lucky enough to receive a e-ARC of this book from the author in exchange for my honest review. :)

*Note*: All quotes used are the property of Marquita Valentine, and TBQ's Book Palace does not claim them in anyway.

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I can't tell you how much I LOVE Marquita Valentine's books. Really, I'm addicted, happily so. :) Sexy, funny...Valentine has managed, in all 5 of her books, to rekindle my love for contemporary! If you haven't tried her books yet, I beg of you, go and buy them NOW! You can thank me later. :)

Enjoy!   




Until Next Time,


 


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