Off The Grid by K. Bromberg | Book Review

Off The Grid (Full Throttle #1) by K. Bromberg

First in a Formula 1 Series. Stands alone so far.

If you know me, you know that Formula One Racing is the only sport I watch (and I’m a little obsessed) so I was begging for an author to write an F1 series. Yes, there is one series that I know of out there, but it hasn’t wowed me. So when Kristy Bromberg commented on my post that she had one coming out, you have no idea how excited I was, especially knowing she is a race fan and has written about motorsports before. Off The Grid is the first in the four-book Full Throttle Formula 1 romance series, and since I have really loved most of Kristy’s books, my expectations were really high.

Take her Driven series, add 10 years of experience including about 25 books, add modern views and values (a lot has changed in 10 years), and set it in the even sexier world of F1, and you have the Full Throttle Series. Do you need to love racing to love this? No! I read sports romances about other sports I don’t like—it’s about the romance not the setting. But it doesn’t hurt to have this story set in such a sexy sport. I mean have you actually seen the F1 drivers? The races are less than 2 hours every other weekend, it’s an easy sport to get into, especially if you watch Drive to Survive on Netflix first. (This is me needing some more F1 girlies!)

Now for the story: Spencer Riggs is the son of an F1 driver who famously crashed and died in a race. He has paid his dues in karting, F4,3,& 2, and he has seen all the friends he trained with get seats in F1, but he is still living in his father’s reckless shadow. When an F1 racer gets hurt mid-season, Riggs finally gets his chance to prove himself in F1 at Moretti Motorsports.

“She’s the boss’s daughter, and I know boundaries. This opportunity is too important to me to get distracted.”

Camilla Moretti’s father owns Moretti Motorsports. Camilla used to love hanging around F1 but something happened that drove her away, never wanting to return, until her father got ill and asked her to train to eventually take over the helm of Moretti Motorsports. Unfortunately, she didn’t realize that their new driver was the first man she’d been attracted to in years and the man who really hurt her feelings the first time they met.

“Isn’t it just like me to find the only man who made my body feverish . . . yet I was the butt of his jerkish, testosterone-laced joke?”

At first I really didn’t like Riggs and I was worried I never would, luckily he eventually won me over in a big way—drunk Riggs is adorable, but I was slow to warm up. In the end I actually really loved him—I don’t think I have ever had such a big turnaround in a book. Off The Grid was slow burn, but I felt like just when it started getting good it sped through the end. I absolutely loved the last 25% and was sad it ended so quickly.

As far as spice goes, Off The Grid was perfect. The scenes were hot, but they never overshadowed the story.

“On your fucking knees. Crawl up here. Sit on my face.”
“Don’t worry about me. I’ll come up for air when I’m goddamn good and ready. But right now, fucking drown me.”

Likes:

• I love that there is finally another F1 series, and Kristy knew her stuff minus a few little things.
• I love the banter.
• Riggs ended up being so lovable and light despite the pressure of following in his dead father’s footsteps.
• There were some beautiful emotional moments.
• The last 20-25% was unputdownable. (It took a week to read the first 75% and I read the last 25% in one sitting).
• I loved Camilla’s friend group.
• I loved the F1 Race travel to exciting destinations.
• A few emotional moments brought me to tears.

Dislikes:

• I can’t stand when something is being held back from the reader, even though I figured it out easily, I wanted the detail at the beginning.
• I absolutely hated that she was ready to trade sex for work favors.
• They both took a while for me to love.
• There were a few minor and one major F1 mistakes.

The Down & Dirty:

Rating: 4.25 Stars, 3.75 Heat

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