With a title of Hard Chrome and a auto shop named American Heavy Metal, I expected a rough, tough gritty story. It wasn’t want I got.

Duke was labeled as tough, Tanner tougher. Again, no not what I got. She cried at every turn, shook and nearly barfed often when stressed. People were sweet, lovey dovey, etc.

I didn’t hate the story. No. It was a good book 1, a good set up for a series of titles. We are introduced to many characters.

Duke’s backstory involving his family drew me in. I wanted more of this in the story. Trim off a good chunk of the side characters and events and it would have been so good.

I will read more by this author.

Thank you for the review copy of this book. I will post it on Goodreads and Amazon closer to the publication date.

I absolutely loved this book and its my first read by Vanessa North. Duke and Tanner, I loved they had a bit of enemies to lovers trope and their banter started out great. Duke is such a softy at heart! I found this book to be unpredictable which was great for me, because there were things that happened that were unexpected. The writing was excellent and the heat was just enough for this book! I really love this cover too. I look forward to more in this series!

I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I’ve never ready anything by Vanessa North before though several of her romances are on my TBR and have been for much too long.

I enjoyed this novel mainly because I’m a sucker for opposites attract and Tanner and Duke fit this trope nicely. I’m usually not really big on the whole “rugged mechanic guy” but Duke hit every sweet spot for me.

I think it was definitely rushed and wished it was larger, I just have a bit of an issue with novella length novels. I will be checking out this author’s backlist.

I liked the idea of this novel and saw great potential but unfortunately it felt somewhat flat. It would have been better if there was actually built up in creating the relationship Tanner and Duke because there was definitely chemistry there instead of the wham, bam thank you madam type of romance. Everything was rushed and the obviously the leads emotions flared up quick. Generally speaking this was a mediocre read with not much excitement.

Goodreads - September 5, 2019.
Amazon – release date.

A quote (from ARC):
She feels like something closer to a partner, and I don’t even begin to know how to deal with that. So I cling to her body instead, letting her closeness comfort and soothe me against whatever dawn is going to bring.
A cute, quick read with an improbable romantic couple – he’s a mechanic, she has an Ivy League degree – that work just fine managing their differences and, above all, connecting in tender and sexy ways.
Duke is a teddy bear, super protective and full of heart and Tanner is a driven woman, but also very protective of her family, and it was fun watching them going from enemies to lovers in “Hard Chrome”, by Vanessa North (Harlequin - Carina Press).
I liked the leads and the secondary characters, the work context and the families’ involvement in the plot, as well as the small Southern town background.

Tensions rise after the death of a beloved man, pitting his estranged daughter against the man he treated like a son. These sparks lead to plenty of fire between our couple, and they have to work through their feelings before they can find their way to being lovers. I loved the enemies to lovers feel of this easy to read romance, and it certainly made the pages fly by.

Tanner loved her father, but she’s spent years in the city building her own life, and she didn’t realize what she had until it was gone. On the other hand, Duke’s dysfunctional family made him appreciate how great Tanner’s father was, so when she returns home to help run the family business, he can’t help but feel resentful of all she overlooked. These two feud from the moment they meet, and the rising tension only fuels the flames of their desire.

It was great to watch these two burn, and then have them build that fire into something stronger. Both characters are likeable in their own way, but they are total opposites - Tanner has an Ivy League degree and Duke is redneck through and through. What connects them is family and the repair shop they are helping to run, two ties that run deep. The writing is great, making the story move quickly and keeping the reader engaged the whole time. It’s one of the most inclusive M/F books I’ve read, featuring several supporting characters who are in same sex relationships. I never thought I’d love a hero who has truck nuts on his vehicle, but Duke was a great character and he quickly won me over. There’s plenty of potential in this family for future stories, and we’re introduced to their personalities without having the supporting characters overtake the primary romance. It’s a quick and light read featuring characters who are unlike most you see in romance novels. Thank you, NetGalley for providing me with an ARC. I am voluntarily leaving a review.

I thought that this was a really good book!

I found it was very easy to read and really hard to put down too. The plot was excellent.

The characters worked very well together, they were very well developed.

It is 5 stars from me for this one, I thoroughly enjoyed it - highly recommended!

The story of Tanner and Duke. Tanner is back home after years away. Following the death of her father she is back to help run the garage owned by her family. The attraction is their, but will they give in to it?

I like how it is told from both of their points of view, so you understand the issues they both have.

Looking forward to the rest of the series

Thank you netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Decent romance. Tanner inherits her father's mechanic shop and clashes with Duke, a mechanic. Although they fight, sexual attraction forces them to meet each other half way. Tanner helps Duke cope with a troubled family and Duke helps Tanner work through the loss of her father. Nothing Earth shattering but pleasant.

This is Tanner and Duke book, Tanner left American heavy metal behind and went to do, as she thought something bigger and better! But now that her father has passed away she’s back and wants to save her father‘s legacy and bring the Premier classic car shop into the new century! Nothings going to stop her not even the sexy tech who refuses to follow her lead! Duke has been with American heavy-metal for as long as he can remember it’s his only home that he’s ever known! No high-heeled sharp tongue princess is going to take it away! He definitely thinks it’s fun to push Tanner‘s buttons but she definitely does not belong in the shop she never has and she never will as soon as she realizes it the sooner he can Get everything back to normal! This book was an OK read I do recommend reading it it was a decent book it’s just not one of my top favorites it was just a little bland but as I said I do recommend reading it it was worth reading! Thank you Netgalleyy and the publishers for sharing this book with me!