ARC Review: Stealing His Thunder by Sparrow Beckett

Series:	Masters of Adrenaline #1
Pub. Date:	June 21, 2016
Publisher:	Berkley Intermix
Length:	217 pages
Source:	NetGalley

The Masters of Adrenaline series is an erotic romance where Fast and Furious meets Gone in 60 Seconds. As long as you don't mind the criminal element, this one will be a hit with some of my smutty fans and followers because it was H-O-T hot. 

What can I say about Fox Larson?  Mmmm... well let's start with his red gold locks, man bun and multitude of tattoos. Now pair that with an expensive suit, a nice house, a garage full of expensive cars, and a dominant personality. Sounds yummy right? I have to admit that Fox was pretty steamy. He was also the head of an family auto theft syndicate. He would be your Dom/Vin Diesel character in Fast and Furious. He was seriously bossy in a delightfully yummy way and, profession aside, I probably would let him boss me around too. But I just couldn't get behind all the car theft. He tried to justify it by saying they weren't hurting anyone - but I just don't buy that argument. This wasn't the scenario of the "good" bad boy... Fox and gang weren't out to help law enforcement or anything like Brian and Dom in F&F. This was just straight up stealing cars for profit. It wasn't sexy for me.

Addison Kennedy is a smart and sassy girl with lots of potential for a bright future. She is on scholarship to get her graduate degree in Electrical Engineering, and she has some real talent. But... she would rather be stealing cars. I honestly had a harder time with her character than Fox. I just couldn't relate to her as a professional female who spent a whack on my education, I can't imagine throwing it all away for the thrill that she got from boosting a car. Addison was also somewhat immature and I didn't like how she handled a rough patch in the relationship with Fox... I want my characters communicating instead of playing games. (Do I sound like an old lady or nerdy bird yet?)

It's been a while since I've read anything in the BDSM trope, and this author did a good job with the steamy sexytime. The focus was more on the sex than the emotion, and those parts were well-written and definitely fogged my kindle a time or two. Fox and Addison's chemistry was off the charts, even if they weren't good about the whole adult communication thing. I would have loved some more character development there... a little more backstory or inner monologue may have drawn me in enough to get past the criminal aspect. 

I really thought that I would like this series more when I read the blurb... I love the Fast and Furious movies so I didn't think this would be a far stretch. But apparently I need some kind of redeeming aspects to support the illegal acts. Who knew? Don't get me wrong... I think the author's writing was good and most of the characters were interesting, and I had no qualms with the pacing or plot. I just couldn't get in the right head space to accept the premise. This surprised me given my love for mobsters and hit men... but thieves, not so much.

I voluntarily reviewed  a gratuitous copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.