Audiobook Review – Joy Ride by Lauren Blakely

Joy Ride by Lauren Blakey

Narrated by Sebastian York

Standalone, but related to most other of her books in the past year.

In the last year and a half, Lauren Blakely has become one of my top favorite authors. Her male-point-of-view books are all some of my favorites, and it amazes me how quickly she pumps out these feel-good books, and they continue to be so phenomenal. Joy Ride is no exception.

I love how these are all true standalones with the majority of the focus on the main couple, but they are all part of the same group of friends and family, so you get glimpses of all of your favorite couples from earlier books, but if you haven’t read them, you wouldn’t even notice.

Max is Chase’s (from Full Package) brother. He is a total manly-man, but like all of Lauren’s guys, he respects women and treats them like equals. Well usually. Five years earlier though, Max fired Henley from his custom car business, and they have been enemies and rivals ever since.

“Long brown hair. Dark chocolate eyes. Legs that go on forever. Henley Rose Marlowe.
 Fuck me senseless.

It’s her.
The woman who drove me crazy.
I’m momentarily speechless as I take her in because she’s not twenty-one anymore. She’s five years older and twenty-five times hotter. Yes, her hotness has squared with the years.”

When Henley comes back to town, working for the competition, the two have more reason to bump into each other…especially when bidding on the same jobs. But when they get put on a big job together, these rivals have to find a way to get along.

Max tries to see her talent and skill only, but he can’t help but notice how freaking sexy and smart and capable she is as well.

Henley Rose and a hot car go together like peaches and cream, like fine Scotch and a long, dirty night. Which means working with her was like walking into the Garden of Eden every single day. It was a test of willpower because the woman could craft a car as if it were an erotic dance.
Not a striptease.
 Not an in-your-face pelvis thrust.
 But a beautiful fucking ballet of woman seducing machine. Those hands, the way she wielded tools, the intensity in her focus—it was sensual, and it was sinful, and it was this man’s fantasy made flesh.

They have so much in common, and they both love the car-themed sexual innuendo. So when they are forced to work together on an important project, they try to remain professional.

“Max?”
“Yes, Henley?”
“I don’t want to kiss you.”
“Good. I don’t want to kiss you either.”

Lauren Blakey’s male POV books are amazing and hot as hell while never overpowering the story, and with Sebastian York doing the narrating, you can bet this was a super sexy listen.

“She makes me lose focus. She makes me want to be with her. She makes me fucking feel. And that’s the problem. I feel something for her. But I want her more than I don’t want all the fucking complications.”

Likes:

• Another amazing male POV story from Lauren Blakely.
• Perfect mix of funny, sexy, romantic and HOT.
• I love an enemies-to-lovers story.
• I love how Lauren’s male characters always seem to really respect women and treat them as equals.
• The sex was totally hot but never overwhelmed the story.
• All the car-themed flirting and banter.
• The tie-ins to the other books, without it ever feeling like your would be lost if you didn’t read them.

Dislikes:

• All of these books are becoming a little more predictable and similar in feel. If this was the first I read, it probably would have been 5++++ stars but I will bring it to 4.75 stars just because it wasn’t as unique as it could be (yet I love the formula and it works).

Narration:

Sebastian York is my favorite for Male POV books.

The Down & Dirty:

Rating: 4.75 Stars, 4.5 Heat, Narration 5

Purchase Joy Ride by Lauren Blakely