Lockdown 2020 will forever herefore be known as possibly one of my favourite periods for book releases in the past few years I swear. Some of my favourite romance authors have released some seriously cracking books these past few months, and I've got to say it definitely helped me through such a tough time!
One such author is Melanie Harlow, the USA Today Bestselling Author behind series such as After We Fall and Cloverleigh Farms. I first discovered Harlow after falling in love with Frannie and Mack's story in Irresistible, the first book in the Cloverleigh Farms series, and have never looked back since. You can even check out my review of the final book in the series, Unforgettable, here.
So after the Cloverleigh Farms books concluded, I was a little upset - this was a series that I'd grown to love so much, and I was gutted it was coming to an end. But with every cloud comes a silver lining, or more specifically the announcement of a brand spanking new series. The Bellamy Creek series, a new town with new (and some returning) characters, starts with Griffin and Blair's story in Drive Me Wild:
When Blair Beaufort literally crashes into Bellamy Creek wearing a ball gown and a tiara, I should have towed her car, said goodnight, and sent her packing.
I'm a mechanic, not a hotel manager. I've got enough on my plate trying to keep my shop from going under, my overbearing mother off my back, and my baseball team in contention for the league championship. I don't have time for a former debutante with zero street smarts and a cash flow problem, even if she is crazy beautiful.
Problem is, she’s stranded in my small town, and I’m hiding a protective streak underneath my broody exterior that runs deep. So I offer her a place to stay and keep my hands to myself.
For exactly one night.
If only she weren’t so gorgeous. So funny. So eager to please. She’s a disaster behind the wheel, but she drives me wild without even trying–at work, at home, in the back of my truck . . . I can’t get enough of the way she makes me feel.
But I know better than to think it can last. She wants a fairy tale, and I’m no prince.
So when it comes time for her to leave, there’s nothing I can do but let her go.
No matter how much it hurts to say goodbye.
Griffin Dempsey is a character that you can feel yourself getting completely swept away by from the outset. A hard-working, protective alpha-male, the mechanic has a heart of hold hidden under a tough exterior he puts up to protect himself.
Blair Beaufort is a sweetheart with a kind heart, always helpful and thinking of others. Leaving behind a life that is being crafted for her, she instead opts to set out on her own and become independent, creating a life for herself away from everyone in her life’s expectations.
The pair are thrown together when Blair quite literally crashes into town, collapsing into Griffins arms in true damsel-in-distress style. Thankfully though, Blair is literally anything but – she’s a headstrong individual, en route to carve her own path in the world. The chemistry between the two is palpable from the outset, and even though they are pitched as opposites, they are well balanced and compliment each other perfectly. The development of their relationship moves along at a nice pace, and what starts off as insta-attraction quickly develops into something more.
The secondary characters also shone through in addition to Griffin and Blair, and honestly Griffs mum and her matchmaking skills deserve some kind of award. Honestly, Mama Dempsey is determined to have grandkids in her future, and when she meets Blair she does anything in her power to keep pushing her together with her son. The other side characters were fantastic too, and I loved how I found myself wondering about them too long after finishing the story. It just goes to show Harlow is already planting the seeds for future books about the Bellamy Creek gang, and I can’t wait to see where this series takes us.
Overall, Drive Me Wild is a fun, heartwarming small town story about fresh starts and taking a chance. Griffin and Blairs story was beautiful from start to finish, and I loved loved loved Blair’s determination on setting out for herself and making her own mark in the world. She was such a strong independent character and her chemistry with Griffin was off the page explosive. Getting to see Frannie from Irresistible was also a bonus for me – there’s something about seeing characters from previous books living out their happily ever afters that makes me deliriously happy.
Have you read Drive Me Wild, or any other books by Melanie Harlow? What were your thoughts? Let me know in the comments below!
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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