Driven To Distraction

**received an ARC in exchange for an honest review**

4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love when a book has two main characters who are strong, independent but when they meet one another they are instantly there for the other. Mary and Brodie are a great couple in this book, the compliment one another and force the other to look at themselves and see what everyone else sees. Lori Foster always delivers an action pack book and she did not disappoint. Each page kept you one your toes and there was never a lull. It’s time to get hooked on a new series!!!

Mary is use to trying to downplay her looks. After the childhood she had, the less people notice the better. But when she meets Brodie she begins to see that maybe it’s time to let someone in, and live again. But they are co-workers and she doesn’t want to lose her job, which she loves.

Brodie is use to getting his way and protecting those he loves, so when Mary enters with a job proposition he is intrigued. But he is also intrigued with her, if only he can get her to break down her walls.

As their relationship evolves Mary and Brodie won’t only be fighting to have a relationship, they will be fighting for their lives. And in the end will they decide that it’s worth the risk to take a chance on one another?

4.25 stars
Lori Foster is one of my go to authors due to her writing style that brings out the relatability of the characters she creates. In this book, the first in the Road to Love series, she has put two seemingly opposites together and when they attract….Mary works for an eccentric millionaire. She takes pride in her job; even though at times it leaves her a little haggard and stressed. She is currently tasked with hiring Brodie to drive her to pick up another wanted item for her boss who is a collector. Brodie is the laid-back mechanic, who owns a business with his brother Jack. He is also a sexy, alpha male who knows how to work a woman. From the moment Mary meets Brodie, she wants to do everything in her power to try and cajole Jack to drive her instead. However, it is a no go and she and Brodie wind up going together and staying in close proximity to one another during their little excursion. It is during their tine together that Mary’s tidy little world gets rocked. Overall, this is one well written storyline although it was a little slow to read and things seemed to drag on longer than necessary. It is filled with a bit of suspense, drama, and steamy scenes. I look forward to reading the next book in the series.
I volunteered to read an arc of this book provided by Netgalley.

This one had me chuckling and swooning all the way through it. Brodie didn't make a very good first impression but he sure did make up for it quickly with that big heart of his and his goofy dog, Howler, will have you coming back for more. Mary, on the other hand, is professional to a fault even if she is giving Brodie looks on the side. It was fun to watch her blossom, especially once Brodie finally gets under her skin, so to speak. This one also had a side of suspense thrown in to keep it interesting. This is the start to a new series and with this being the beginning I am looking forward to seeing where the next one leads. Definitely recommend this one!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Mary is employed by the eccentric Therman Ritter and is tasked with picking up the rare art finds that he locates and ensure that he receives them in the same condition that he expects. Due to her past in order to protect herself she presents a demeanor of being cold and distant which doesn’t sit well with Brodie, the new driver her boss has hired.

Brodie is carefree and open in large part due to his loving family. He isn’t impressed with his new road trip companion, but he sure enjoys riling her up. As they spend time together, he soon realizes that she is a woman of many layers and there is much more to her than first appears.

They are very attracted to each other and although Mary doesn’t understand why she is attracted to this brash man she can’t resist him. Brody is intrigued by Mary and she raises all his protective instincts which doesn’t always go well with her independent fiery personality. Fun and flirty what started out as a job for Mary and Brodie became the adventure of a lifetime. I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Driven to Distraction is a romantic, suspenseful, sweet start to Lori Foster’s new Road to Love series. I really enjoy an opposites-attract love story, but I’m not sure I’ve ever come across two such opposites as Brodie and Mary. Brodie is your quintessential Foster hero- a loving, caring family man, with a fun-loving naughty side. He is all male, in all the best ways. Mary is pretty buttoned-up, and not just in the clothing sense. She’s very straight-laced, professional, and doesn’t suffer fools gladly- which causes some strife between her and Brodie at their first meeting, and that may be putting it mildly!

I found the storyline pretty intriguing and enjoyed the way the mystery aspect played out. Mary’s boss Therman puts her and Brodie in some very precarious positions in his quest to collect rare artifacts, causing Brodie’s protective nature to kick in.

I got a kick out of Brodie and the way he pushed Mary’s buttons, without overstepping (too much, anyway). He was very gentle and patient with her when needed, doing his best to get her to open up about her life. I must admit, I had a hard time warming up to Mary at first. It helped when we finally learned why she carried herself the way she did, why she was so stand-offish, although it took a bit to get to that point. Mary really came into her own when she realized she no longer needed to let her past dictate her future. She had a whole lot of people that cared about her, and it was great to see her finally recognize that.

Once again Ms. Foster has created a wonderful cast of characters and I'm looking forward to more of the Crews crew!

This is the kickoff to Lori Foster's new series. She's has started it off with a bang. Whenever I pick a Lori Foster book I'm always remind of why I love her writing. She's weaves such magic through the pages. Brodie and Mary were delightful. Brodie was so swoon worthy. I mean a man who treats his dog like he does makes him prime book boyfriend material. That was one of my favorite things about the book and the way Brodie made Mary feel about herself. That touched my heart it was so beautiful. I was instantly sucked into this story. The suspenseful elements has me on the edge of my seat wondering what was going to happen next. I fell in love with Brodie's family. Makes me wish I could be part of it myself. I also liked the Mary though a little insecure in some instances is such a strong brave gutsy character. With a the support of Brodie she really blossoms. This book also shows you sometimes your family isn't blood related, but the one you create with the close people around you. I'm really looking forward to the next book in the series. I can't recommend this one enough!

Starting a new series with Driven to Distraction, this story is a great new addition to your library by Lori Foster. The new characters and new setting fits the kind of stories that the author is known for. Wonderful start to the series.

Overall I really enjoyed this book. It took me about half the book to really like Red. She is very cold at the beginning of the book but as we get to know her, you learn why she is like she is and that once she found love her real personality and warmth come through. Brodie is lovable from the start and melts Red's cold heart. I love all of Brodie's family and his business is interesting. I look forward to more from this series.


*I received a free copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.*

Driven to Distraction by Lori Foster is the first book in her new series Road to Love.

Brodie Crew is all man and I could just eat him up. He is a bit cocky but not in a bad way, more of a take me as I am way. He will always stand up for what's right and is a complete sweetheart with his dog Howler. Mary Daniels is the opposite of Brodie in the fact that she not quiet comfortable in her own skin. She wears clothes to hide her curves and keeps her hair back to avoid attention. She is focused and dedicated to her job, so she tries to ignore her physical reaction to Brodie. Mary has some emotional baggage and feels unwanted, unloved and alone in life. Brodie has to proceed slowly in his pursuit of her and show her he cares without stepping on her independence.

Mary's boss has hired Brodie as the transport driver for his transactions which requires them to spend a lot of time together. Brodie chips away at Mary's walls, and she grows to feel safe with him. The job seems to be going great until a transaction goes bad and Mary and Brodie are being watched and followed.

Overall, Driven to Distraction by Lori Foster was a highly entertaining read that had just the right amount of action and suspense. I'm looking forward to reading more releases in this new series.

I loved this story. Brodie is possessive, strong, caring, and has a heart of gold but he is also humble and sexy as hell. He is the opposite of Mary and the two of them crate sparks. She is a lonely girl who grew up to exceed all expectations of what people in her town thought she would be. She defied the odds and is a fighter in her own quiet way.

Full Review: https://shahlas-world.blogspot.com/2018/11/ms-foster-has-not-disappointed-me-yet.html

A new series by Lori Foster (Fast Burn) introduces readers to the Crews brothers, Jack and Brodie. They are growing a small courier business and taking on a client like Mary's boss Therman is a great way to build up business. Brodie can be all business or all play, loves working on cars, pushing Mary's buttons, and catering unashamedly to his adopted dog Howler. He is as sweet, hot, and alpha as long time readers expect a Lori Foster hero to be. Mary is what we expect from a Lori Foster heroine: smart, stubborn, and driven. Her past has made her want to blend into the background and remain separated from everyone by a professional exterior, but eventually Brodie works on getting some of her walls down and showing her it is possible to be both a professional and a woman who is loved. He introduces her to the concept of a loving family and pushes her to accept the people reaching out to her. It was sweet to watch Mary struggle to adjust to this new way of looking at the people in her life, and heartbreaking to think of why it was such a struggle for her.

Distraction's secondary characters were fun and quirky, and I look forward to getting to see more of them in the next book. I have to admit that I found the threat and the idea behind it a little thin, and kept waiting for something more to happen- but since the point of the book was really more about Brodie and Mary's developing relationship it still worked.

While not Foster's strongest book, Driven to Distraction is full of fun characters, a sweet dog, humor, and emotion. A good read for long time Lori Foster fans and those just discovering her.

Driven to Distraction is the first book in the new series Road to Love by Lori Foster, and from the very first chapter I loved it, and I think it was because it reminded me about the Visitation series, where there is suspense, but the main focus of the story is on the characters relationship and I absolutely loved it.

When it came to the characters you cannot help but have your heartbroken by Mary Daniels and the harshness of her childhood, or find Brodie Crews antagonism of Mary amusing, but his desire of her, just as she is, heartwarming and really, it's what every woman wants in her life.

The story is wonderfully simple, as Mary is a facilitator for her collector employer and Brodie is the newly hired driver, and from the moment that Brodie and Mary embark on their mission, they are pursued by a bizarre rival collector and his violent henchmen.

Overall I really enjoyed this book, it had a simple which gave you the opportunity to focus on the characters and that made a wonderful change from a lot of books on the market now.

I give Driven to Distraction 5 stars!

Driven to Distraction by Lori Foster
Road to Love #1

Family, trust and love are central to this story. Mary Daniels is buttoned up and conservative in what she wears and how she interacts with others trying to be all that her mother was not. She may have envy but it is more an envy of those who are in loving families so unlike the home she grew up in. Brodie Crews has a wonderful family of mother, brother and a young woman that is like a sister to him. Brodie was the perfect book boyfriend and his interactions with Mary were a delight to read.

When Brodie and Mary meet there are sparks but of a negative nature…eventually those change and a romance begins to ignite as the two go on the road to collect items their boss, Therman, has purchased for his collections. There is a bad guy out to out maneuver Therman and in doing so he causes trouble for Mary and Brodie.

Brodie has a heart of gold that sees him standing up for women, children, underdogs and animals. By saving one dog, Howler, he gained a friend for life. What a wonderful addition Howler was to the story! In addition to Howler we meet those in the employ of Therman and the family of Jack and by the end of the story I am more than eager to hear what will happen in book two of the series when it seems Jack will meet the woman that will be his true love. Can’t wait to get it in my hands!

Thank you to NetGalley, HQN and the author for the ARC – This is my honest review.

4-5 Stars

Things aren't always as they seem.
Adventures in obtaining collectibles. Mary works for a collector - Therman whose collectibles are eccentric. She is uptight, wanting and ensuring the job gets done. Much to her dismay she is teamed up with transport Brodie who seemingly is a carefree, sexy bachelor.. As more jobs are deemed in close quarters both realize that there is more than meets the eye.

Mary's eccentric boss & his unusual collections created an interesting, unique and entertaining storyline. I was hooked from the very beginning and I loved how Brodie & Mary's story unfolded. Brodie's relationship with his dog, Howler, was adorable! The alpha hero's interactions with his big lovable dog added something extra special to the story. All of the secondary characters were great, as well. I especially loved Brodie's mom. She was my favorite!

Driven to Distraction is an awesome start to the Road to Love series. After reading the sneak peek of Jack's story, I can't wait to see how that situation turns out!

Lori Foster has done it again! She has this wicked way of winding a leading man around our heart that has us swooning and turning the pages faster and faster just to see more of him! Brodie was simply a delight to read. He's cocky, but adorable ... funny, yet endearing ... just an all around great guy! The touch of intrigue was just enough to keep me invested in the story. I wasn't overjoyed with the strange collection part of the story, but the character connection and overall love of seeing them together was enough to make me overlook a slightly dragging in parts plot. Overall, I really enjoyed Brodie and Mary and I look forward to Jack's story!

Mary Daniels enjoys working for her eccentric boss in obtaining the rare collectibles he seeks, but this time she's not so sure he's making a good choice! When she shows up to hire the driver at Mustang Transport that he insists upon, she's not impressed! He's blatantly hung-over, has a woman hanging all over him in public, and just doesn't seem like he's going to get the job done. 

Brodie Crews needs this job in order to keep his business running smoothly, so he's not about to let this uppity woman ruin things for him. If her boss wants him, he's got him ... and he'll do the job correctly! Then again, riding around in the car for house with this woman just might be too much temptation for him. Yes, she's wicked controlling .. but he finds it kind of hot! It's all fun and games until danger shows up in their rear-mirror, then they need to play to win!

Oh how I missed reading a Lori Foster book! I jumped right away at the opportunity to read Driven to Distraction since it was book one to a new series. I love love love Brodie! I got to say this story is so unique I have no clue where Mrs. Foster came up with it. You get so many romance novels that start to sound the same over and over again. Tropes can get overplayed. So it was refreshing that Driven to Distraction is a trope of its own.

The beginning was unexpected. My first impression of the book...Holy f@%k! What is happening. You can perceive so much and still not have the full story. I FLOVED IT!

So let's talk about Mary. She is tough as nails and is not afraid to go after what she wants. She is ready to conquer the world...until Brodie.

Their chemistry is mouth watering good! Driven to Distraction will add the drama with the sexy. You will get more than you can expect. You are in for a full course ride! The characters are amazing and this book is perfection!

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

1.5 Stars

This book was not what I was expecting. I like books where there is a forced proximity relationship, and I was expecting this from the book...but, this wasn't quite like that and it didn't entirely work for me.

The blurb, treasure chasing and a driver, the idea of a chase and looking for the items, getting away from the "bad guys" should have been a lot of fun. But, this didn't really work. The book had an odd feel to it, and it felt a little forced to me. It also never really felt real, and I never totally believed the characters in the book were actual, real people. They felt like caricatures, and they felt over the top. I kept expecting characters from Monty Python (or maybe Tim Curry) to leap into the picture and yell "this is what really happened".

So, to say that this feeling didn't lead itself well to a romance, that is not much of an exaggeration. I never felt the romance with the characters, and I was not engaged with Brodie and Mary.

I am not able to recommend this title.

If I want a romance to take me away I will look to a few authors with this one being one. In this one it was the start to a new series it would seem also. Mary was a interesting character which that being said was easy to follow her along to see what her story was. When she is with Brodie the chemistry that begins to sizzle is easily come across the pages. I do not get to read this author as often as I used too but she still can enables us readers to get lost in a story filling us up with the emotions and such that draws us to a romance that has the body and ability to take us away. Weaving in a bit of suspense also is a element I forgot that is hidden at times in her stories like in here. That was like candy for me. So I speed through this one when it was in my hands with it being delicious every bit.

An intriguing read with a unique story. Mary is a prim and proper gal focused on making something of her life. She works for Therman Ritter, an eccentric collector. Her job is to obtain the unobtainable, which at times, puts her in dangerous situations. Therman hires Brodie to provide transportation for Mary. Beyond frustrated with the, laid- back, seemingly carefree Brodie, she refuses to let him interfere with her life goals or get the best of her. She has deadlines to make and rules to follow. She will NOT get side tracked by his devilish good looks.
Through their travels together Brodie learns that Mary hides behind a sharp tongue and baggy clothes, all which intrigue him more each day. He’s determined to discover what she is hiding in her life and underneath her clothes. As the danger increases Brodie finds himself unable to just provide transportation, he steps in to provide her protection enabling us to discover he’s not the laid-back careless person we think. The traveling confinement enables their relationship to build and we thoroughly fall in love with the characters. Mary’s a hot little firecracker who will put Brodie in his place whenever he steps over the line. With his desire to learn more about her he steps over the line A LOT. This gives us some hilarious entertainment and some steamy sexual tension!
Through it all we discover what makes each character tick and watch them grow as they encounter dangerous and challenging situations. I thoroughly came to appreciate each character. I don’t want to give spoilers, but I really liked the end!! It is an enjoyable read containing suspense, humor and steam!