In the Groove
Grade : C-

I’ve enjoyed Pamela Britton’s historical romances, but since I’m less than interested in NASCAR, I haven’t really given much thought to reading her contemporary romances centered around the sport. When the heroine of her latest romance was described on the list of books to be reviewed as knowing nothing about NASCAR, I thought I was safe enough to give this one a try. Turns out, NASCAR wasn’t the problem. The issue instead lay with the sappy sweetness of the story that reminded me of all those Silhouette romances I gobbled up in the 80s. As someone whose taste has changed a lot since the days when I wore shoulder pads and slashy blush, this is not a good thing.

In a whole lot of ways, this book feels like a not so welcome blast from the past: Kindergarten teacher driven to desperation takes a job with a mega-wealthy celebrity she hasn’t yet met, they “meet cute” (he doesn’t tell her who he is), she wins his heart by baking cookies, he declares his intentions, she protests that a mega-wealthy celebrity couldn’t really love a poor girl like her . . . yadda, yadda, yadda. Add in the kindly friends who seem to exist mainly to show the heroine how nice and friendly rich people can be (and to satisfy fans waiting for cameo appearances from past heroes and heroines, of course), the firmly closed bedroom door, and the oh-so-flattering portrayal of everyone associated with NASCAR, and the sap factor is, quite simply, off the charts.

About the only thing non-retro about heroine Sarah Tingle is the fact that she lost her job because an angry ex-boyfriend posted doctored racy photos of her on the Internet. In the resulting dust up, everyone – including her boyfriend – turned against our poor heroine and she finds herself taking a job driving the motor coach of a NASCAR driver she’s never met. Sarah’s meeting with new boss Lance (yes, Lance) Cooper is less than auspicious when he nearly runs her down while she’s trying to enter his estate on foot. (Her rattletrap car broke down, you see.) While the two spar adorably over Band Aids, NASCAR, and his million dollar motor coach that she’s (of course) initially afraid to drive, soon enough her reservations are overcome and she’s happily on board Lance’s team.

Really, that’s about it for the plot. The two go to a few races, Sarah learns about NASCAR and how brave, wonderful, and just darned nice everyone associated with it is; bakes cookies for Lance that he soon decides are the key factor in helping him get over his slump; meets really nice rich people; gets attacked by a crazed fan and rescued by Lance; imparts wise life guidance to the far more “experienced” Lance; and is always perpetually overawed by Lance’s wealth and by just how darned nice he is. In the middle of all that, the two finally hook up (though that’s left to the reader’s imagination), Sarah protests (a bit late, frankly) that the two just wouldn’t work out (you know, the old mistrusting men thing), her trashy mother appears to stir up a bit of trouble, and, oh yeah, Lance and Sarah get their HEA.

Don’t get me wrong – I understand fandom. I’m certifiably fanatic about any number of things and ready and willing to lap up any amount of sap about them, so it’s certainly fair to say that NASCAR fans might well like this book more than I did. But it’s also fair to say that due to the extreme black and white nature of the story anyone who couldn’t care less about the sport should stay about ten miles away from this book because In the Groove simply isn’t – as I hoped – a love story anyone might enjoy. (As an aside, I also can't help wondering, frankly, what kind of hoops you have to jump through in order to sport that NASCAR logo on the cover, and if no onstage sex played a role in it.)

Considering that Pamela Britton wrote one of my favorite historical romances of recent years in Tempted, I have to admit that I’m delighted that my ARC of this book includes news of upcoming historical romances down the road. I’ll anxiously be awaiting those releases because this whole NASCAR detour just isn’t for me.

Reviewed by Sandy Coleman
Grade : C-

Sensuality: Kisses

Review Date : January 21, 2006

Publication Date: 2006/02

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