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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Good start to the new series. Mary works for an eccentric collector. With the help of a driver, she is the one who picks up Therman’s purchases, some of which may skirt the boundaries of legality. Therman sent Mary to Mustang Transportation to hire Brodie Crews to be her driver for the next pick-up, with the probability of offering Brodie steady work with them. However, Brodie didn’t make a very good first impression on Mary. Her first sight of him was as he was shirtless, sweaty, dirty, hungover, and being fondled by a woman while working on one of his cars. Brodie saw a beautiful, curvy, bossy, and uptight woman who intrigued him from the moment he met her. It was fun to see the sparks fly between them.
I enjoyed the development of the relationship between these two very different people. Brodie is laid-back, friendly, and confident in himself. He has a very close relationship with his family and a large, goofy dog that he rescued. Mary grew up under very different circumstances and has created a controlled and professional persona that hides a rather lonely woman. The chemistry between them was off the charts, though Mary desperately tried to hide it at first. Brodie was determined to uncover the woman behind the walls and had the patience to chip away them. I enjoyed their road trips, the two of them and the dog, as they slowly got to know each other. Brodie’s non-judgmental attitude and kindness made it easier for Mary to open up about her past. I loved seeing Mary blossom under Brodie’s attention, discovering that she was loved for who she was. There were some terrific scenes of her realizing that she didn’t have to be Ms. Perfect all the time. I especially loved the part in the kitchen at Brodie’s house when Mary first met his mother. Mary also had an unexpectedly sexy side when she finally allowed herself to let go, and I loved seeing her knock Brodie off balance regularly.
The suspense side of the story was pretty good. Mary’s boss, Therman, is one of several wealthy and eccentric collectors. There was one collector who seemed to be determined to get what he wanted at any cost. Brodie became super protective of Mary when some of their pickups either took place in sketchy locations, or they were physically attacked. One of the things I enjoyed was seeing that Mary does not take a subordinate role during any of the confrontations. She is smart and capable and holds her own when necessary. It was fun to see her outthink and outmaneuver a couple of the bad guys. We do get the point of view of that other collector, and he is definitely bad news. The final confrontation was pretty intense and resulted in some changed attitudes all around.
Although I thoroughly enjoyed this book, I did feel that it lacked a little bit of the intensity of some of the earlier series, such as Love Undercover and Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor. That will not stop me from reading the rest of the series.
Mary Daniels seems similar to May Price from Jude’s Law, but no quibbles with the result. A little uncertainty in the hero is always nice, and I look forward to the supporting cast showing in future books.
Exciting start to a new series.
I have been reading Lori Foster’s books for decades, and every book she writes is a great read. I was excited to learn that Driven to Distraction was the first book in an all new series, Road to Love.
Mary and Brodie were a great couple. While I enjoyed their initial sparring I loved seeing how things smoothed out between each other as they grew to care about each other. The secondary characters were wonderful as well and I can hardly wait for Jack’s story coming next in Slow Ride.
I obtained this book via the public library.
Lori Foster is one of my favorite authors, she creates very relatable characters, her books are funny and romantic and her endings are fantastic! Once you pick up a book be prepared to spend all day and night reading it, it’s so good you will not want to put it down. The lead characters Brodie and Mary will capture your heart.
Novel vocation meets hot guy driving the way!
Okay, so this is hard …. I’m a Lori Foster fan but *sigh* this just didn’t work for me. Wait, no, not that it didn’t work for me, but it *should* have been more thrilling/captivating/fun. It shouldn’t have been easy to put the book down and pick up another and it shouldn’t have been so easy to skim some parts … I mean the blurb pretty much seals that we’re gonna have a good time with a lot of sparks, amirite? Close proximity topped with opposites attract, and we should have been flying high on this one! Well, not so much. At least not for me. I don’t know if I’m just getting too old for some of these shenanigans in books, but my eyes rolled too many times LOL This book could easily have been 25% shorter and taken nothing away from the journey.
I’m still looking forward to reading a lot more from this series because this author has established herself to me as a reader already as excellent at her craft. This particular book just didn’t hit the mark for me … can’t win them all 🙂
What a wonderful start to a new series!
Brodie and Mary are complete opposites when it comes to family upbringing, but there is no denying the chemistry between them. Little by little, Brodie shows Mary what real family and true love is and not even the threat of danger will keep these two apart.
Brodie is a swoon-worthy hero all the way around and Mary is a tough-as-nails heroine that just needs a little love.
Great read, and I can’t wait for the next one!
Perfect read for a quick escape!
Lori Foster does it again with the first addition to her new Road to Love series. She grabbed my attention and I did not want to put the book down! Although she is known for writing strong, protective men falling for smart, independent women I felt like Brodie and Mary were so relatable and I just fell in love with them. Brodie is so funny and with how much he loves and dotes on his dog, Howler, totally swoon worthy. Mary met her match even though they seemed like complete opposites. I voluntarily read an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review.
As always Lori Foster delivers. A really good read, at times it did drag just a little bit but overall I loved the book.
I loved this new book by Lori Foster!! It’s a great start to a new series, you won’t be disappointed! I loved Brodie & Mary’s story and just fell in love with Brodie. So looking forward to Jack’s story!!!
Lori always writes a page turner, and her heroes are the best!
Love the characters!
Can’t wait for the next in the series!
Quite the ride….
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! Mary and Brodie was a slow burn coming together, but it was a slow burn I quite enjoyed! The plotline was multi-layered and you really become invested in these characters. Mary will break your hard and come into a family that she wasn’t quite ready to accept. A family is not always blood. Check this book out – you will not be disappointed!
I’ve only recently started reading Lori Foster’s books (yes, I know, huge miss on my part) but I am definitely enjoying her writing style. And Driven to Distraction was definitely not a disappointment. Ultimately, in my opinion, this was a beautiful love story, a story of overcoming fear and demons from the past, with just the right amount of suspense to make it irresistible even to those who like their books a little bit more dangerous.
Mary and Brodie are two intriguing characters. On first glance they are as different as night and day. But once you start getting to know them, you can see all they ways they fit perfectly together. That doesn’t mean that their relationship is easy. On the contrary, actually. Due to her past, Mary is quite resistant to all of Brodie’s advances. Even if she feels the scorching chemistry between them as strong as he does. On top of that, the danger following them around, makes things even more complicated. But all that suppressed chemistry and lurking danger leads to some burn the sheets action that will leave you breathless.
There were few places in the story that the story went a little bit slow for me, but at the same time, I was so invested in the characters that I couldn’t put the book down. I ended up finishing it in one sitting which resulted in me going to bed after 5am.
So in a few words, this is definitely a book I recommend, especially if you are looking for a good romantic story with a pinch of danger and sprinkle of hotness 🙂
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I thought Brodie and Mary’s story was a little different, a little harder to get into at first but it gets better and I ended up not being able to put this book down.
Brodie was hot, hot, hot and very likable. It took me a little longer to warm up to Mary, however she won me over in the end. I love the setting up of the addition characters, I can’t wait for their stories.
Lori Foster never disappoints..
Mary Daniels is sent by her boss to hire Brodie Crews as a courier. Mary tries to be professional with her figure hiding clothes, but her attraction to Brodie makes her feels things she has never felt before. Brodie Crews is a fun-loving, reliable man who talks baby talk to his rescue dog, Howler. Brodie tries to hide his attraction to Mary by being sarcastic and teasing Mary. Mary reluctantly works with Brodie to pick up items her boss has purchased. Can Brodie help Mary loosen up and have fun? Can Mary relinquish her control to let Brodie step in to protect her when certain purchases bring danger? Can Brodie break down Mary’s walls to show her how a family really acts and about love? Can opposites come together and find their happily ever after? Can Mary show Brodie what she is really like under her button up exterior? The chemistry between Brodie and Mary is off the charts SCORCHING HOT! Another fantastic book by Lori Foster. Driven to Distraction is full of laugh out moments, steamy chemistry, danger, and some intrigue. Brodie’s dog, Howler, and a great secondary cast add to a great beginning of the Road to Love series. Lori Foster is a MUST read author, and I would highly recommend getting Driven to Distraction. I received an ARC of this book, and I am leaving my honest review.
I received an ARC for my review.
Hot Guy, Hot Car and an adorable gangly puppy, what is not to love? Add in a heroine who is independent, smart and sexy. Throw in a little excitement and you have the makings of a great story. Sit back and enjoy the ride. You will not be disappointed.
“Driven to Distraction” (Road to Love Book 1) by Lori Foster is a wonderful read. I loved Brodie and Mary’s story. This is a fantastic start to this new series, packed with action, romance, passion, entertaining and interesting characters, humor, and more. I can’t wait to see what happens next in this series. Highly recommend to all fans of romance and series.
Some authors have a framework around which all stories are developed.
With Lori Foster, It is always a big story, with more than a bit of suspense, This one is a surefire winner, sexy and funny with scorching chemistry. The plot is constructed such that although it is a big story, it is understated and doesn’t eclipse the characters. Few authors can paint such a detailed picture of the leading characters that the reader becomes as familiar with them as with their next-door neighbor, perhaps more. And as in many of this author’s books, there is a dog with personality who has a starring role in the story.
Mary with her red hair and freckles clearly has body image dissatisfaction. Her self-talk is all about her dissatisfaction, both with herself and with others. She is anxious about many things; her ability to please her employer, her ability to keep her job, how others see her and she is always waiting for the other shoe to fall. When she goes to meet Brodie, concerned about making a good first impression, she is so disturbed by her first impression that she tries to control the situation, to back away, to no avail.
Brodie is hung over, shirtless and working on his car with a woman hanging all over him. When he sees Mary, his perception upon taking inventory is vastly different from Mary’s. He sees, a prissy although a gorgeous young woman who is clearly less than impressed with him. She has come with clear instructions that she is to hire Brodie to acquire an ‘artifact’ of sorts for her employer. Her employer has chosen Brodie and isn’t interested in making a change at Mary’s request. She is not the easiest woman to like with her controlling behavior and negative attitude. Brodie would cut her loose if it weren’t for the money. This job brought with it a big payday needed for his business. He is determined to do the job and take care of Mary despite her resistance.
The author quickly sets the stage for the journey which, as you might imagine is much more complicated than anticipated. Mary’s employer knew what he was doing when he selected Brodie as Mary’s driver. He had done his research. He sees that Mary has no life-balance and intends to shake her up a bit in this partnership. An unforeseen danger lies ahead. Mary has much to learn about herself, about trust and about how important she is to her work family.
Some things about this story are a bit farfetched and yet they work to add flavor to this mixture of Rom-Com and Romantic-Suspense. I’m quite anxious for Book 2 in this entertaining new series.