His job is to drive fast. Hers is to put the brakes on him. When sparks fly, will love cross the finish line?AJ Ryan is a publicity nightmare. After a questionable photo surfaces and his biggest sponsor threatens to pull out, the NASCAR champion admits it might be time to hit the brakes. Thankfully, his new no-nonsense image consultant knows just where to start… too bad she revs his engine so … engine so loudly he can barely think straight.
Ella Fisher’s career is a welcome distraction from her poor taste in men. Fresh off another easily avoidable heartbreak, rehabbing AJ’s career is just the diversion she needs. But when the pulse-pounding client actually listens to her advice, Ella wonders if there’s more to the man behind the hot mess.
When Ella is granted guardianship of three boisterous children under the misconception that she and AJ are a couple, AJ surprises her by going along with the charade. Before long they find themselves in a make-shift family that feels more real than pretend.
As their professional relationship takes a hard turn for the personal, a single overheard conversation could make it all go up in flames. Will Ella and AJ’s romance hit the wall, or will love take the checkered flag?
The Perfect Lap is the second standalone novel in the Racing Hearts of Serenity romance series. If you like bad boys with a heart of gold, strong women, and love stories with a new age twist, then you’ll adore Sedona Hutton’s fun, sexy tale.
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The second book in the Racing Hearts in Serenity series is as good as the first—maybe better, as hard as that is to believe! AJ Ryan is a hotshot NASCAR driver on the team headed by Davey Johnson, the hero of the first book, Nora’s Promise. Nora’s best friend, Ella Fisher, is a currently unemployed image consultant—and, boy, does AJ need one! AJ’s record and their instant attraction almost make Ella refuse the job, but she gets a hint of the good inside AJ and decides to take a chance.
Ella already volunteers at a children’s center and arranges for AJ to do a photo op helping out there. She’s surprised to find he’s a natural with kids. Thanks to his camaraderie with a young boy, they learn that he and his sisters have been alone for several days with no idea where their mother is and they’ve run out of food and money. Ella volunteers to take the kids home with her for the weekend, and before she knows it, she and AJ are “pretending” to be a couple and fostering the kids.
Two people who are attracted to one another and bonded by their common goal of helping three kids—yeah, this makes for a really good love story! What’s impressed me most with this series is the author’s ability to not only bring lots of sexual tension (and follow-through) into the story but also the way she shows two people falling deeply in love and the way she draws attention to social issues that exist in the real world. The Perfect Lap (just like Nora’s Promise) is hard to put down, and my own heart was racing as I cheered AJ and Ella on, both in their relationship and in what they’re trying to do to make their world a better place.
And the best part of all—there’s gonna be a third book!
Great book.
This is the first book I have read from this author, and I was not disappointed.
From a confused AJ Ryan, most people think is trouble, to a stressed out and fired Ella. Both need to make changes to their lives, and shockingly they become temporary parents. I enjoyed the journey and the storyline, and yes, there is a HEA, but you need to read the book to find out why.
Can’t wait to read the other books from this talented author.
I loved everything about the Perfect Lap – the way it began, the way it ended, and everything in between. Ella is smart, savvy, and admirable in her goals and intentions. AJ’s transformation is just as noteworthy, and he turns out to be one of the truly good guys when he agrees to help Ella foster the three Piper children. When he and Ella offer to help the children’s mother get back on her feet after her stint in jail, the plot comes full circle. Great characters who are not perfect but very loveable make for the perfect balance – The Perfect Lap will tug at your heartstrings and make you envy the sexy, friendly, complex but simple relationship between Ella and AJ and the hodge podge family they build.
What an exciting ride that book was!
The Perfect Lap has an intriguing plot with wonderful, well-crafted characters and is overflowing with deep emotions, like love, kindness, generosity, forgiveness, and so much more.
AJ and Ella are smart, great at what they do, and always willing to lend a helping hand to others. They join forces to provide a home for three children when their mother gets in trouble. And they support and complement each other through good and bad times. They are far from perfect, but they are perfect for each other. And I was rooting for them to work out their problems and find happiness.
Wonderful Story & Narration Captivating & Heartfelt!
The Perfect Lap
A Racing Hearts in Serenity Romance, Book 2
By: Sedona Hutton
Narrated by: Terri England
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, it is beautifully written with interesting and original storylines. The characters are realistic and easy to relate to. I adored both leads, Ella Fisher and AJ Ryan, each had their own issues but they both had huge caring hearts. Ella has not had luck with men, her last two relationships ended badly so she is on a self imposed man ban. AJ, a NASCAR champion and a bit of a hot tempered bad boy, he needs to improve his image if he wants to keep his sponsor and gain new ones. And Ella is just the person for the job, she is a successful PR consultant and has worked with some difficult clients. Neither one was expecting how electric the chemistry would be between them. Doing some charity work they find some kids in need and they come to their rescue. I loved how everything plays out in this book, there is well plotted with plenty of drama, a bit of angst, all kinds of emotional and heartfelt moments, as well as a sweet slow burn romance. The children were amazing in this book, it may have been a challenge for AJ and Ella they did a great job handling it. Loved the spiritual touches in the story too. Sedona Hutton, thank you for this wonderful story and the emotional rollercoaster ride, I enjoyed every minute of it.
I listened to the Audible edition, Terri England is a talented narrator and voice artist. She did a great job portraying the characters, bringing them to life, giving each their own voice and personality. You could hear how much heart she put into her work as she captures the characters emotions and projects them into her performance. She is an entertaining storyteller and a pleasure to listen to. Thanks you for this great listen
The Perfect Lap is author Sedona Hutton’s second book in her debut series Racing Hearts of Serenity. This series focuses on Nascar drivers and the town and people of Serenity, Tennessee. This is the second book I’ve had the pleasure of reading from Ms. Hutton and it didn’t disappoint!
AJ Ryan has proven himself as a power driver, a part of the Nascar elite by winning his first Cup win. Unfortunately, he’s also good at getting negative press, and his sponsor and boss are not happy. So when his boss suggests an image consultant, he’s shocked but willing to do anything to continue racing.
Ella Fisher just got fired from her PR firm after making a big mistake. Deciding to go home to Serenity, her best friend Nora suggests some part-time PR work and volunteering with local kids at the shelter in town. What Ella doesn’t expect is to end up working with AJ Ryan to help him clean up his image…
I have been looking forward to AJ’s story since we first met him in the previous book! Both AJ and Ella were in the previous story, Nora’s Promise but their paths never crossed. So I was interested to see how these two would meet and find their way together! I have to admit I liked AJ in the previous story but absolutely fell for him in this story! He’s this well mannered southern boy who just seems to be a magnet for trouble. He was such a kind-hearted, loveable guy that you can’t help but melt when he puts on that southern charm. I liked Ella, she’s a sweet, caring, compassionate young woman who has a heart of gold. Together they were a sweet couple and one I really wanted to see get a HEA.
I really struggled to put this one down! What I love about Ms. Hutton’s writing is she fills her stories with fabulous characters. Besides watching AJ and Ella’s romance blossom into love, we have Clare and her three kids who AJ & Ella spent a lot of time helping to get back on their feet, Nora & Davey along with several other characters from the last book, and of course CC who is going to be starring in the next book in this series!
As with the previous story, The Last Lap was extremely well-written with an absolutely perfect ending! I am so happy to hear the next story is CC’s and can’t wait to return to this series. Highly recommend this author and series!
The Perfect Lap is the second book in the Racing Hearts series, and this time we meet with AJ and Ella. Ella made a mistake and lost her job because of it. She also split with her boyfriend as he had a hand in it too. AJ is a great racing driver, but lets his personal issues cloud his mind once he has finished the race. Together, these two have lessons to learn.
This was an easy read, and a great follow on to book one. It didn’t have the same pizazz for me as Nora’s Promise, but it was still a charming read. AJ really does have a heart of gold, and just needs Ella’s help to focus on what is really important. In turn, Ella needs to realise that not every man is a write-off. Add in three children and a down-on-her-luck mother, and you have all the ingredients for the story. I particularly liked seeing the cameos from Nora and Davey, plus the hints of the books to come.
A smooth read, with no editing or grammatical errors that disrupted my reading, this was perfectly paced and with a strong set of characters. You do not have to know anything about Nascar racing either (which is a bonus for me!) Absolutely recommended, but I would suggest you start with Nora’s Promise first, just to get the bigger picture.
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book, and the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian – I Dig Good Books!
The Perfect Lap is a fun and entertaining read. I thought it was a little unique to throw in romance with Nascar as the main plot. The author did a good job making the two work. I enjoyed the chemistry between Ella and AJ.
I am giving The Perfect Lap four stars. I would love to read more like this one by Sedona Hutton in the future. I recommend this one for readers who enjoy to read a fun romance.
I received this book from the publisher. This review is 100% my own honest opinion.
A fun read with characters that I enjoyed. Ella and AJ made a cute couple, and I enjoyed the car racing background. This was the first book by Sedona Hutton for me, and this story made me want to check out Davey and Kate’s story.
I received a copy of this story through Goddess Fish Promotions, and this is my unsolicited review.
The second book in the Racing Hearts in Serenity series is as good as the first—maybe better, as hard as that is to believe! AJ Ryan is a hotshot NASCAR driver on the team headed by Davey Johnson, the hero of the first book, Nora’s Promise. Nora’s best friend, Ella Fisher, is a currently unemployed image consultant—and, boy, does AJ need one! AJ’s record and their instant attraction almost make Ella refuse the job, but she gets a hint of the good inside AJ and decides to take a chance.
Ella already volunteers at a children’s center and arranges for AJ to do a photo op helping out there. She’s surprised to find he’s a natural with kids. Thanks to his camaraderie with a young boy, they learn that he and his sisters have been alone for several days with no idea where their mother is and they’ve run out of food and money. Ella volunteers to take the kids home with her for the weekend, and before she knows it, she and AJ are “pretending” to be a couple and fostering the kids.
Two people who are attracted to one another and bonded by their common goal of helping three kids—yeah, this makes for a really good love story! What’s impressed me most with this series is the author’s ability to not only bring lots of sexual tension (and follow-through) into the story but also the way she shows two people falling deeply in love and the way she draws attention to social issues that exist in the real world. The Perfect Lap (just like Nora’s Promise) is hard to put down, and my own heart was racing as I cheered AJ and Ella on, both in their relationship and in what they’re trying to do to make their world a better place.
And the best part of all—there’s gonna be a third book!
A wonderful story to say the least! Ella has a dumb moment that gets her fired from her PR and she pretty much puts herself on a self imposed man ban. She has a discussion with her friend to help clean up the image of AJ Ryder, a NASCAR champion with a habit of bonehead decisions, like posting on social media eating meat while having a Vegan race sponsor. They both have their own baggage and preconceived notions about each other but it doesn’t stop them from have feelings for each other, despite Ella’s man ban. There’s plenty of drama and romance, as well as tear jerking moments that will keep you fully engrossed in this story! I highly recommend this one!