Release Date: March 3, 2014
When life crashes down around us, how hard are we willing to fight for the one thing we can’t live without, each other?
Life is full of moments.
Big moments.
Little moments.
And none of them are inconsequential.
Every single moment prepares you for that one instance that defines your life. You must overcome all your fears, confront the demons that chase you, and cleanse the poison that clings to your soul or you risk the chance of losing everything.
Mine started the minute Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet. She made me feel. Made me whole when all I thought I could ever be was incomplete. Became the lifeline I never knew I needed. Hell yes, she’s worth the fight…but how do you fight for someone you know you don’t deserve?
Love is full of ups and downs.
Heart stopping highs.
Soul shattering lows.
And none of them are insignificant.
Love is a racecourse of unexpected twists and turns that must be negotiated. You have to break down walls, learn to trust, and heal from your past in order to win. But sometimes it’s the expected that’s the hardest to hold on to.
Colton has healed and completed me, stolen my heart, and made me realize our love’s not predictable nor perfect—it’s bent. And bent’s okay. But when outside factors put our relationship to the test, what lengths will I have to go to prove to him that he’s worth the fight?
Whoever said love is patient and love is kind, never met the two of us. We know our love is worth it—have acknowledged that we were meant to be—but when our pasts crash into our future, will the repercussions make us stronger or break us apart?
OMG have you read the first two books in the Driven Trilogy? These books must be read in order and trust me…you need to experience Colton Donovan!!!
Rylee Thomas is used to being in control. But she’s about to meet the one man that just might make her enjoy losing it…
I am the exception to the rule.
In a world full of willing women, I’m a challenge to the roguish and achingly handsome Colton Donavan. A man used to getting exactly what he wants in all aspects of life. He’s the reckless bad boy constantly skating that razor thin edge toward out of control, on and off of the track.
Colton crashes into my life like a tornado: sapping my control, testing my vulnerabilities beyond their limits, and unintentionally penetrating the protective wall around my healing heart. Tearing apart the world I rebuilt so carefully with structure, predictability, and discipline.
I can’t give him what he wants and he can’t give me what I need. But after a glimpse beneath his refined exterior into the dark secrets of his damaged soul, can I bring myself to walk away?
Our sexual chemistry is undeniable. Our individual need for complete control is irrefutable. But when our worlds collide, is the chemistry enough to bring us together or will our untold secrets and battle of wills force us apart?
What happens when the one person you never expected suddenly happens to be the one you’ll fight the hardest to keep?
Colton stole my heart. He wasn’t supposed to, and I sure as hell didn’t want him to, but he crashed into my life, ignited feelings within me that I thought had died forever, and fueled a passion that I never knew could exist.
Rylee fell out of that damn storage closet and into my life. Now I don’t think I’ll ever be the same. She’s seen glimpses of the darkness within me, and yet she’s still here. Still fighting for me. She is without a doubt the saint, and I am most definitely the sinner.
How is it the one thing neither of us wanted—neither of us anticipated that fateful night—has us fighting so hard to keep?
He steals my breath, stops my heart, and brings me back to life again all in a split second of time. But how can I love a man who won’t let me in? Who continually pushes me away to prevent me from seeing the damaged secrets in his past? My heart has fallen, but patience and forgiveness can only go so far.
How can I desire a woman who unnerves me, defies me, and forces me to see that in the deep, black abyss of my soul there’s someone worthy of her love? A place and person I swore I’d never be again. Her selfless heart and sexy body deserve so much more than I’ll ever be capable of giving her. I know I can’t be what she needs, so why can’t I just let her go?
We are driven by need and fueled with desire, but is that enough for us to crash into love?
Have you been keeping up with the Alternate POV scene as well as entering the awesome giveaways going on during CRASH Dash? In case you missed anything…check out these lovely blogs:
Day 1: A Book Whores Obsession
Day 2: The Book Vamps
Day 3: Romance Addiction
Day 4: Three Chicks and Their Books
Day 5: Smut Book Club
Day 6: Indie Bookshelf
Day 7: The Book Bellas
Day 8: The SubClub Books
Day 9: Angie’s Dreamy Reads
Day 10: Island Lovelies Book Club
Day 11: A is for Alpha, B is for Books
Day 12: Wolfel’s World of Books
Day 13: The Rock Stars of Romance
Day 14: Shh Mom’s Reading
Day 15: Vilma’s Book Blog
And you’ll want to keep an eye out for Sinfully Sexy Book Reviews because they’re up tomorrow…
Now who is ready for a little Colton action?
When I open my eyes, violet pools of concern are staring at me. Watching me with a mix of confusion and sympathy. “Colton?”
Fuck. I don’t want her to see me like this. Remember me like this. Some pussified man bawling his eyes out for reasons she can’t fathom.
I can hear the worry in her voice but all her face shows is compassion, understanding, acceptance. And that makes what I have to say so much harder. The words are there on the tip of my tongue and I fool myself into believing that I’m about to say them.
CRASH Dash
The premise of Colton & Rylee’s Awesome Scavenger Hunt (CRASH) is to create a fun task list for readers to complete and at the same time experience their own Driven Trilogy trip down memory lane like in Crashed. There are 22 tasks. Readers must complete 20 of the 22 tasks to be entered into the final grand prize drawing. The grand prize is a complete signed set of the Driven Trilogy and there will be a few runner ups as well. This is meant to be fun and you can get as creative as you want with it. Please visit the CRASH Dash Facebook Page or K’s Website for more information and how you submit your proof of task completed.
Read for your task for today… 🙂
Take a picture of you and an auction paddle
My rating: 5 of 5 stars
*ARC Given to Blog for Honest Review*
4.5 “Nothing but sheets.” “A to fucking Z” “I race you” “Hurting is feeling and feeling is living, and isn’t it good to be alive?” “New beginnings.” Kisses
*slow golf clap* Alright, let me just put this out there…K. Bromberg did not have it easy with this book…this series…or these characters. You cannot have this intense build with Driven and Fueled…these epically awesome cliffhangers…these brilliant characters…and not think that the expectation to have a fabulous conclusion isn’t there. She had a tall order to fill in my opinion and let me just say thing…she claimed the ‘motherfucking checkered flag.’ With Colton and Rylee there is and was no way for me to even begin to predict what might happen…and it’s a good thing I didn’t because my mind was blown…my expectations were exceeded…and I am absolutely in love with everything I just read. As if it was even possible…I adore Rylee and Colton even more than I did before. Oh and for the record…Crashed just demolished my ass. 😉
Rylee…what can I say…I fall more in love with her with each book…her strength astounds me…she flat out blows me away. She’s brave…kind…sweet…funny…smart…beautiful…all these amazing things but what stands out to me is her ability in the face of all these horrible, soul crushing things…she’s able to pull through it. When others would have given up…she doesn’t…and I think it’s just not in her to even contemplate the thought of giving up. She has the patience of a saint…a heart of gold…and a voodoo pussy – but a woman who can capture the attention of the one and only Colton Donavan needs all that. She is his complete and utter match in every sense of the word…where he is strong, she is weak and vice versa. They compliment each other so brilliantly…and seeing her with him, it’s like a whole new Rylee.
‘And the only thing I can focus on—can grasp onto as my heart races and body shakes with anger—is that I need a pit stop. I need to find Colton. I need to touch him, to see him—the physicality of him to quiet the turmoil in my soul.
But I can’t.
He’s somewhere close, my rebellious rogue unable to let go of the damaged little boy within. The man who has just started healing is now broken, and it kills me that I won’t be able to fix him this time.’
Colton…just wow. I knew from the moment I read Driven that Colton was not going to be an easy BBF to love…but the good ones always do pose a few challenges. I love my broken boys but if anyone was going to test the theory if all damaged men can be fixed…it’s him. The thing is…Colton’s flaws are part of what makes him so loveable…the fact that deep down he is this shattered little boy that everyone is just dying to love and he can’t see why. It’s heart breaking. The other thing I love about Colton is his layers…he’s cocky, a smart ass, has a sinfully dirty mouth, he’s alpha to the max, confident, brave, driven, sweet, smart…he’s just the embodiment of sexy. I really was looking forward to seeing growth in Colton…not that he hadn’t already developed so much since book 1…but I wasn’t sure how he was going to get to ‘that point’ – the point where he could accept and give the love he deserved and the love Rylee wanted to give him.
‘I can feel his soft chuckle against my chest. “Hey, rookie?”
I force myself to look up at him—to pull myself from my post-orgasmic coma. “Hmmm?” is all I can manage as I meet the amusement in his eyes.
“I’m the only one that’s allowed to drive you to the motherfucking checkered flag.”’
Wow. Okay…where to start. First off, I have a love/hate relationship with the last book in a series. I love them because of the completeness I know I will feel when I read the epic HEA that I know is waiting for me at the end…plus it’s the build up…the excitement, nerves and all the other emotions that are bubbling around in my head and heart…that have been leading up to this…the final book…it’s impossible not to be a little overwhelmed. So why do I hate it? Because I have issues with letting go and knowing it’s over (don’t judge me…I’m a clinger). But that’s one of the joys of books because just because it’s ‘over’ doesn’t mean I have to completely let go. Oh-em-gee…the feels that I had in this book…my heart…I didn’t know if I was going to be able to make it through this one – emotional rollercoaster doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface. Like…I thought Rylee and Colton had enough to deal with just based on how Fueled ended…then with the mountains of issues they had to deal with…but oh no…there’s so much more that comes into play. I don’t do spoilers…but trust me…I never saw any of it coming. I had countless jaw dropping moments, about a million ‘squeee’s’ and the tears…oh Lord the tears. Towards the end I truly felt like a crazy person because I was so happy but I could not control the liquid pouring from my eyeballs. I was bawling over how happy they were, how happy they made me and how happy I was for them…but it was like a weird happy/sad – I don’t know, I couldn’t wrap my brain around it then and I can’t explain it now but it was very bittersweet. The biggest thing I loved overall was how much development and growth that was shown with not only Colton but Rylee and Colton together. My brain needed Colton to grow but my heart needed both of them to do it together…and my heart is very happy.
‘I accept you, I tell him.
All of you.
The broken parts.
The bent parts.
The ones filled with shame.
The cracks where hope seeps through.
The little boy cowering in fear and the grown man still suffocating in his shadow.
The demons that haunt.
Your will to survive.
And your spirit that fights.
Every single part of you is what I love.
What I accept.
What I want to help heal.’
The other thing that warmed my heart…all the throwbacks…reliving parts of their history and what has brought them to now. Neither one of them forgets a moment of the time they have spent together (then again, who can!) but just how it came into play was so…*sigh*…it made me fall in love all over again. Colton…the self-proclaimed un-romantic guy was so swoonworthy…thank God I was sitting down while reading this or my knees would have given out. But it was because of those moments that my heart was able to make it to the end! I’m not trying to over exaggerate but it’s like the emotions were amp’d up to the max. The angst level was off the charts…the passion was electric…not like it wasn’t high enough in Driven and Fueled but I swear it was like K. was trying to squeeze every last ounce of emotion out of me! (And she succeeded!)
‘“God, I fucking race you.” The emphatic words on his lips are followed by a lopsided smirk and a shake of his head, as if he is still comprehending the depths of emotions he feels himself.
How many more times can my heart fall harder for this man? Because there it is again, the unpredictability of Colton that makes what he says just that much more poignant because you never know. Every part of my body shivers at the words from his lips and the reinforcement of them in the look in his eyes.
It’s useless to try and fight the moisture pooling in my eyes because those words mean so much more than just “racing” to me. They mean he’s trying, he’s apologizing for the times when he’s going to fuck up, and for a man previously closed off from everyone. He’s handing me the key to the lock and letting me have an all-access pass.’
The secondary characters in this book are just as amazing as Rylee and Colton…this book is not just about the two of them. Everyone from Colton’s dad…to the boys…to Sammy…and of course Becks and Haddie…they all had their parts to play in how Crashed happened and it was all magnificent. I was pleasantly surprised at how much Colton’s dad had to do with this book…the insight into Colton’s younger years and the stories he told and just hearing his feelings about Colton were unexpected and awesome. Oh…and of course I have to mention the Queen of all Twatwaffle’s…another addition to the ‘Evil Wenches in Books’ club…Tawny…where she joins the ranks of Beckah, Leah and Celia. If you thought I hated this bitch before…oh man – I angry screamed…be prepared ladies and gents because I loathe her after this book. Just when you think she can’t sink any lower…she does.
“I’m okay, Colton. You saved me.” I lean in and brush a tender kiss on his lips that I can’t seem to ever get enough of. “Thank you for saving me.”
“I think I should thank you.” He subtly shakes his head. “You’re the one who’s saving me.”
So…let’s face it, it’s easy to get a little…lax with the third book in a series. It’s hard to keep that level of tension…angst…passion…emotion – especially when it’s been carried at such a high level throughout two previous books. I said it already…the bar was high, as well as expectations and presumptions for what could possibly be done with these characters and with this plot. The possibility to take the easy way out, rush it, simplify it…they were all there. But I applaud K. for the approach she took because not one detail was spared…and she went the direct opposite route of the easy way! In fact…I’m pretty sure she gave the easy way the bird, dug down deep and decided to give Rylee and Colton the proper ending they deserved, earned and needed.
‘I wrap my arms around him feeling completely helpess but not wanting to let go, never wanting to let go. “It’s okay, Colton. It’s okay,” I repeat over and over in between his repeated words, my tears falling onto his shoulders as I hold tight letting him know that no matter how far he falls right now, I’ll catch him.
I’ll always catch him.’
K.’s always had a way with words…I love her style and her way of telling a story. She’s got a very good pace…never rushed, she paints a very complete picture…just a great balance of fluff and fact…but I saw a noticeable difference in her writing from Fueled to Crashed. A positive one. Don’t get me wrong, her signature style is still there, it’s just a little more advanced…more refined – to me it shows her progress as a writer. I feel like as the series has developed and matured…so has her talent…which is the sign of a good author – the ability to improve is not as easy as you would think! All it showed me is that if I thought I was hooked on her writing before…I’m an absolute devotee now.
‘Because I have everything I need right here in my arms.
The one thing neither of us ever wanted turned out to be the one thing we don’t ever want to live without.
Each other.’
I loved the little hints that are dropped about Haddie and Becks…I mean you can’t read this trilogy and not fall in love with them too, so I am beyond excited to see where that goes. There are so many things that I wish I could say but can’t…but just know that the ending of this book might go down as one of the best endings I have ever read in the history of evers and don’t even get me started on the epilogue. Genius mixed with amazingness and tied with the big fat glorious red bow that I love to see on top of all my books. This ending made me feel whole…completely sated and happy and honestly, brings tears to my eyes just thinking about it. I said it earlier, I am a clinger…so I don’t want to ever let go of the characters that I love…but I’m extremely happy with Colton and Rylee’s ending…enough to say that I am ready to let them go. Now you’ll have to excuse me while I try and recover from one of the worst book hangover’s I’ve ever had. #ColtonRuinedMe
K. Bromberg is that reserved woman sitting in the corner that has you all fooled about the wild child inside of her–the one she lets out every time her fingertips touch the computer keyboard. She’s a wife, mom, child rustler, toy pick-er-upper, chauffer, resident web-slinger, LaLaloopsy watching, American Girl doll dressing multi-tasker of all things domestic and otherwise. She likes her diet cokes with rum, her music loud, and her pantry stocked with a cache of chocolate.
K. lives in Southern California with her husband and three children. When she needs a break from the daily chaos of her life, you can most likely find her on the treadmill or with Kindle in hand, devouring the pages of a good, saucy book.
Fueled is K. Bromberg’s second published novel and is the highly anticipated second book of “The Driven Trilogy.” Driven was her well-received debut novel and Book #1 of the series. Make sure you keep up with all things K. Bromberg on her website.
My favorite thing about Colton is his sexy, sweet comments!
Great giveaway*
colton is so hot i love everything about him…lol
Favorite thing is the way loves Rylee and the least favorite thing is how he tries to push her away
My least favorite thing about Colton is the things he does to push Rylee away and my favorite thing is that he grows and learns to face his demons and lets Rylee in, Oh and also how hot and alpha he is too. =D
I haven’t read the series yet, but want to.
He goes after what he wants
This is the 2nd time I’ve read your blog. Love it. In fact I brought a book based on your recommendation.
Favorite: His passion for Riley and racing, and life in general BUT my least favorite: his stubborness to let people in and see his self-worth
I haven’t met Colton yet, but from the reviews, I think I will LOVE him
i just love him no matter good or bad 😉
Definitely looking forward to reading this series! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Havent read the series yet!
My favourite thing about Colton is how much he loves Rylee, and how much he cares for the boys too, my least favourite thing is that he doesn’t understand that he is worth loving, and how he pushes Rylee away rather than accepting her love.
My favorite is how he over came his horrible childhood, my least favorite is I don’t have one! Only in the beginning when he would run from his feelings for Rylee.
My favorite thing about Colton is how handsome and sexy he is, least favorite is how he keeps tying to deny his feelings for Rylee. Thanks for giveaway
Thanks for the give away! I love this series.
I love how Colton goes all possessive.
I havent read this series yet but have bought all 3 books. I plan on reading them this weekend. Thanks for the Giveaway
I love everything about Colton, especially his arrogance. I can’t say that there is anything I don’t like about him. He’s just PERFECT!
love Colton’s love for Rylee. hate Colton’s self doubt.
I haven’t read the books so I’m not sure…Hope to win and remedy that! Thanks for the giveaway!
I didn’t like the way he treated Rylee. But then again, I did. 😉
Thanks!
I race all of colton!
I haven’t met Colton yet but hope to soon!
Thanks! Oh there are man, many, many things to love and hate about Colton. But I think what I love the most about him is how strongly he loves. He’s had all this bad shit happen to him and yet he’s such a fantastic man. Although I love him, I have to say I hate that he thinks he’s no good and not worth being loved.