When desire gets this hot, you’d better buckle up… Mary Daniels doesn’t let anything get in the way of her job acquiring rare artifacts for her wealthy boss. But this particular obstacle–huge, hard-muscled, unashamedly masculine–is impossible to ignore. Stuck in a cramped car with Brodie Crews for hours en route to their new assignment, Mary feels her carefully crafted persona–and her … persona–and her trademark self-control–is slipping, and she won’t allow it.
Brodie can’t imagine what secret in Mary’s past has left her so buttoned-up, though he’d dearly love to find out. Maybe then she’d trust him enough to explore their explosive chemistry. But he needs this job, so he’ll play by her rules and bide his time…until an enemy determined to outwit them strikes and he needs to get close–in every way–to protect her. Otherwise they could lose much more than a precious collectible. They could lose it all.
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Opposites Do Attract
This had me chuckling right at the start, first impressions or misconceptions and opposites grudgingly attracted.
When buttoned up Mary and openly honest TMI Brodie (I should mention too) are thrown closely together by a newly created employee situation, the humor is always there lurking because woman loving Brodie knew how to push not so loving Mary’s buttons. He still protected her as they ran into some very dicey, threatening situations, even when she thought she didn’t need it, yes, they had words and chemistry to make it confusing, for Mary anyway.
Now Howler, Brodie’s rescue just added to all the goodness as a devoted, supersmart, always hungry and naploving furbaby.
The secondary characters were described just enough to be an integral part of this story, but each needing their own HEA now.
Ms Foster can take any occupation, make it realistically interesting, add in romance and you have a fantastic read with a plethora of feels all the way to the happy sigh HEA. Loving that Cover also–mmm.
I received an ARC thru Net Galley and am giving my honest opinion.
Stand alone, Romance, Contemporary, Heat, Intrigue, Humor, Action
Funny and touching, with characters I loved
This is book 1 in a new series, though based on the author’s forward this series may be related to earlier books. I’ve only read a couple of books by this author (which I enjoyed) and these were completely new characters for me.
And what great characters they were. I absolutely loved Brodie! I’m a sucker for a guy with a dog I admit, but I also loved his heart and how protective Brodie was without moving into a-hole territory. Mary was super independent, but with good reason. I really enjoyed watching Brodie work to get through her walls and how Mary’s character grew over the course of the story.
The secondary characters were great as well, and I loved the banter Brodie had with his family, and how Mary had a family with Therman and his people even if her barriers were up too high for her to realize it. I thought the setup worked well and provided a nice amount of suspense to keep things the story moving along.
Funny and touching, with characters I loved, this was a great read, and I’m looking forward to the next book in the series.
B2B Kelly
I loved this new series by Lori Foster. Driven to Distraction is a great read. You will fall in love with the location and the characters. You won’t be able to put this book down!
Brodie is handsome, rugged, resourceful and kind. He has a rescue dog Howler that he just babies. This shows a side to Brodie that is irresistible. Mary and Brodie are a nice pair but both have to overcome a variety of things to make it as a couple.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advanced Reader copy of this book for my honest review.
This new series is going to be fun! Mary works for an eccentric wealthy man who is competitively and discreetly collecting rare artifacts. He sends Mary to offer Brodie a job as a courier; he will drive to the destination, she will handle the payment and receipt of the object. But when Mary first meets Brodie, he doesn’t make a good impression. She immediately decides she would rather work with his brother. Too bad, her boss is set on Brodie.
Mary prides herself on her professionalism and self-control, but Brodie constantly pushes her buttons trying to break through the wall she has erected. And then there is his dog Howler, a 90-pound rescue that accompanies Brodie everywhere, including on their car trips. As Mary gets to know Brodie better he begins to chip away at her defenses, and Brodie’s feelings for Mary start to change as he begins to see through those defenses.
I loved the interplay between these two, his teasing was hilarious, always pushing her buttons to get a reaction. It takes a while to get to know Mary, but in the last part of the book she seems to blossom. The villain in this book was really weird, but he was even funny at times, in a disturbed way.
A perfect cast of interesting realistic characters in a romantic and suspenseful storyline that has you enthralled from the beginning. From the eccentic but kindly employer to the violent yet scrupled crmininal, these supporting characters play important roles in the opposites attract couple, Mary and Brodie’s lives. It is an exhilarating ride that should not miss!
I just loved Brodie Crews and Mary Daniels. Brodie is secure enough, in his ‘alpha-ness’, to be gorgeous and charming and sexy and have a heart of gold without being in your face. Seriously, what I loved the most about him was that he protects those he loves, rescues an abused dog, but still gives Mary room to make her own decisions and be his partner in all things. He even loves his mother!
When these two meet, sparks fly. The ‘meet-cute’ is hilarious, I think for the reader and everyone BUT Mary (!), and so they do not start off on the right foot. But as the story unfolds, they become an unbreakable team and we discover layer after layer for both these characters. A very big part of the story is that rescue dog, Howler. OMG, the way Brodie takes care of this dog? It will make you laugh and make you want to hug ‘em both. Brodie built a special harness for Howler; he talks baby-talk to the dog; he worries about Howler’s separation anxiety; he even pretends he is eating the dog’s kibble because Howler would much rather eat people-food – the subterfuge seems to work. In return, Howler is such a loyal moosh, and he takes to Mary about as fast as Brodie did. This team of three is wonderful to read. I couldn’t wait to see how they would accomplish the next thing on their agenda.
I’ve enjoyed Ms. Foster’s heroes and heroines for years and Driven to Distraction doesn’t disappoint. I really loved the developing relationship between Mary and Brodie. I loved the secondary characters. And I loved Howler. This book really kept my attention and I read it almost straight thru, except for some much needed sleep.
This was my post food coma Christmas read this year, getting off the couch was too much trouble.
Mary and Brodie were a great couple, you won’t think so at first but Mary is waiting to blossom. This is a captivating romantic suspense with a lot of drama and loving. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
With the witty and smart bantering dialog, that had me laughing out loud several times, the story enticed me and pulled me into the dangerous world of the rich and quirky people with their odd collections.
Mary is holding on to her image as a tight-lipped, distant, introvert person, to keep the secrets from her past hidden, and to never experience the kind excruciating attention she got while living with her mom.
But Brodie Crews is challenging everything Mary is trying to portray, the way she is trying to do her job, and most of all, he is making her feel again, the kind of feelings Mary was sure she would never experience.
Brodie is macho, bossy and purposive. He knows what he wants when he wants it and is not shy about going after it. His family is everything to him, and he would do anything to protect the ones he loves. It was easy to like Brodie, especially when he turned to Mary, and fell utterly, helplessly, hopelessly in love with her.
The heat is high. The zizzle between Mary and Brodie is a special kind of hot. Brodie sweeps Mary off her feet while Mary seduces Brodie with just a smile. I loved the chemistry between them, enjoyed the ribbing and teasing, the feelings they had growing for each other.
Mary’s struggles with intimacy and letting people into her life are real. She has to work on trusting the circle of people surrounding her. It just warmed my heart to see her flourish and grow within.
The escalating danger that brings on deadly action, all wrapped around Mary and Brodie’s job, was an intense plus to the fastly entertaining tale.
The frame of the story might be a traditional one for the romance genre, but the author tells it in a fresh and delightful way that held my interest, enjoying each moment of the tale.
A very promising start for the new series!
Can’t wait for more to come…
~ Four Spoons with a teaspoon on the side
What a ride this book was!! It was sexy, it was intense, and it was everything we love about Lori Foster’s writing.
Mary was this guarded heroine who had a past that my heart just broke for. Brodie is absolutely perfect for her. He’s alpha, he’s sensitive, and shows her how a woman should truly be treated.
The story itself is a bit different than I’ve read, and a nice change of pace for the heroine’s profession. The suspense elements were intense at times, and I loved how her boss treated her as a daughter a lot of the time, even when she was guarded.
A great must read that I would definitely recommend!!
Rating: 4.5 Stars
Mary Daniels has dressed to impress – men have it so easy. Brodie Crews has a very cocky attitude. A secondary character that plays an important part here is Therman Ritter. He’s the one we have to thank for putting our couple in the same space and giving us some good chuckle moments. Another secondary character that helps with the chuckles is Charlotte Parrish. She’s a woman who you have to love for going at it with Brodie and his brother Jack. One character that doesn’t say anything had me wishing I had a snuggle bunny to cuddle with as I read this book.
I don’t know how our author knew it but Brodie has my most favorite car. I’ve had a love for that car for as long as I can remember. Sad part is that it’s outside my budget but got to feed my love back when I was in college. It was great to remember those memories as I read this book and think of being back on the road with that car. So that made it easy to picture the road scenes with Mary and Brodie.
Besides the road trips our author always does a great job in creating some heat between her main characters. Good thing with our current weather is that if I need to cool down I can just step outside my door. I like how we get to learn about our characters. As they disclose things to each other, we also get some insight into their character and what it took to become the adult they are when we meet. For me, it was gave me a vested interest in our couple. It wasn’t hard to picture these characters as real people. Once I got started on this road trip I didn’t want it to end. But make no mistake this story isn’t all about the road trips and getting to know the characters. Our author also gives us some action and suspense. This book has it all and I’m not sure how this author is going to follow this up but I can’t wait to find out – especially after teasing me.
I was not compensated nor was I required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
Lori Foster never fails to weave an engaging story. Driven To Distraction is no exception. Mary and Brodie’s story is full of heart and emotion. It’s everything I love about Lori’s writing. Whether this is your first Lori Foster book, or you’ve been reading her for years, you definitely want to pick up this book today.
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy.
Lori Foster has nailed it again!
Driven to Distraction has romance and suspense. From the beginning, you feel the chemistry between Brodie and Mary. Mary is smart and proud while Brodie is very protective and caring but they seem to balance each other out. With all the sarcasm and banter going on between these two, there were times that they had me almost laughing out while sitting in a crowd train.
I’ve always enjoyed reading Lori Foster’s books. I know the Road to Love series will be another hit.
I received an ARC from NetGalley, and this is my honest review.
Fun read!
This one had me chuckling and swooning all the way through it. Brodie didn’t make a very good first impression but he sure did make up for it quickly with that big heart of his and his goofy dog, Howler, will have you coming back for more. Mary, on the other hand, is professional to a fault even if she is giving Brodie looks on the side. It was fun to watch her blossom, especially once Brodie finally gets under her skin, so to speak. This one also had a side of suspense thrown in to keep it interesting. This is the start to a new series and with this being the beginning I am looking forward to seeing where the next one leads. Definitely recommend this one!
Driven to Distraction is a romantic, suspenseful, sweet start to Lori Foster’s new Road to Love series. I really enjoy an opposites-attract love story, but I’m not sure I’ve ever come across two such opposites as Brodie and Mary. Brodie is your quintessential Foster hero- a loving, caring family man, with a fun-loving naughty side. He is all male, in all the best ways. Mary is pretty buttoned-up, and not just in the clothing sense. She’s very straight-laced, professional, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly- which causes some strife between her and Brodie at their first meeting, and that may be putting it mildly!
I found the storyline pretty intriguing and enjoyed the way the mystery aspect played out. Mary’s boss Therman puts her and Brodie in some very precarious positions in his quest to collect rare artifacts, causing Brodie’s protective nature to kick in.
I got a kick out of Brodie and the way he pushed Mary’s buttons, without overstepping (too much, anyway). He was very gentle and patient with her when needed, doing his best to get her to open up about her life. I must admit, I had a hard time warming up to Mary at first. It helped when we finally learned why she carried herself the way she did, why she was so stand-offish, although it took a bit to get to that point. Mary really came into her own when she realized she no longer needed to let her past dictate her future. She had a whole lot of people that cared about her, and it was great to see her finally recognize that.
Once again Ms. Foster has created a wonderful cast of characters and I’m looking forward to more of the Crews crew!
I loved this story. Brodie is possessive, strong, caring, and has a heart of gold but he is also humble and sexy as hell. He is the opposite of Mary and the two of them crate sparks. She is a lonely girl who grew up to exceed all expectations of what people in her town thought she would be. She defied the odds and is a fighter in her own quiet way.
: https://shahlas-world.blogspot.com/2018/11/ms-foster-has-not-disappointed-me-yet.html
Lori Foster
Lori Foster has done it again! She has this wicked way of winding a leading man around our heart that has us swooning and turning the pages faster and faster just to see more of him! Brodie was simply a delight to read. He’s cocky, but adorable … funny, yet endearing … just an all around great guy! The touch of intrigue was just enough to keep me invested in the story. I wasn’t overjoyed with the strange collection part of the story, but the character connection and overall love of seeing them together was enough to make me overlook a slightly dragging in parts plot. Overall, I really enjoyed Brodie and Mary and I look forward to Jack’s story!
Mary Daniels enjoys working for her eccentric boss in obtaining the rare collectibles he seeks, but this time she’s not so sure he’s making a good choice! When she shows up to hire the driver at Mustang Transport that he insists upon, she’s not impressed! He’s blatantly hung-over, has a woman hanging all over him in public, and just doesn’t seem like he’s going to get the job done.
Brodie Crews needs this job in order to keep his business running smoothly, so he’s not about to let this uppity woman ruin things for him. If her boss wants him, he’s got him … and he’ll do the job correctly! Then again, riding around in the car for hours with this woman just might be too much temptation for him. Yes, she’s wicked controlling .. but he finds it kind of hot! It’s all fun and games until danger shows up in their rear-view mirror, then they need to play to win!
The first book in the Road to Love Series draws us into Mary Daniels story. Her job is to secure certain collectibles for her employer. She ends up working with Brodie at the request of her boss . Mary is very conservative and doesn’t let anything interfere with her job . She finds this much harder with Brodie around and she quickly learns to let her hair down a bit.
This book had a little bit of everything. Between the steaminess, the humor, and romance it is a great read. I received an ARC for my honest review from Netgalley.
Oh my wow! I wish Brodie lived in my town! Mary is very straight laced, trying to remove herself from her past and Brodie is just a hunk taking care of his family. Mary’s boss Therman is a bit eccentric and collects odd things. Mary’s job, with the help of a driver, is to get the items he’s purchased. Since the collecting game can be cutthroat, this can cause problems in the process of getting the items. Brodie is great taking care of Mary, even though she doesn’t want him to. The slow build up to the romance is great, and who couldn’t love Howler?? I honestly don’t think it took me 24 hours to read, I couldn’t put it down and needed to finish before I went on with my day. Can’t wait for book 2!
This review is based on an ARC from NetGalley, courtesy of the publisher. All opinions are my own.
What a great book! The characters were awesome, Brodie is super yummy. The story was fast paced and didn’t drag in any spots. I’m excited for the next in the series.