This book was not my favorite but it was still interesting enough to keep me sucked in and sexy enough to keep myour blood warm.

Marie Harte’s Zero to Sixty is the third book in her Body Shop Bad Boys series and once again she delivers a steamy, sexy romance!
This novel features massage therapist Ivy Stephens and mechanic Sam Hamilton. The couple bond over a stray dog that Ivy has named Cookie. Sam’s friends have been fostering the same dog, who is constantly running away. The dog slipped his collar and is loose, so Ivy and Sam team up to search for him. The couple finds Cookie and Sam asks if Ivy wants to adopt him. The couple agrees to meet the next night after work to talk about Cookie.
I read Marie Harte’s novels because of their unique characters, clever dialogue and fast-paced plots. I was a bit surprised when the author paired career- oriented Ivy with Sam, the tattooed car mechanic. Their first date is a disaster. A few days later, Sam helps Ivy when she has car trouble. The couple bonds over Cookie, Sci -fi movies, tea and an unexpected kiss. The author creates excellent secondary characters. Foley and the crew at the car shop are Sam’s family and the intricate relationships add authenticity to the story.  Ivy and Sam’s conversations were honest and heart breaking at times. Through the talks with Sam and his best friend Foley, the reader learns about Sam’s childhood and his relationship with his mother. Sam and Ivy are surprised by their intense and powerful attraction. Kudos to Marie Harte for Sam’s insistence for Ivy’s consent—and the importance of sexual consent—before they consummate their relationship.  
The couple faces several challenges during the novel and the ending was perfect. I enjoyed the passion in Ivy and Sam’s story and am looking forward to the next book in the series.

Reviewed by Tori

Favorite Quote:
“Give her hell, Sam Hamilton. And try to look less serial killer and more solid citizen. Smile, why don’t you?”
He forced a smile at her.
Willie blinked. “Eh, maybe not.”

Sam Hamilton has been feeling about lonely since his best friend found his soulmate. When he meets Ivy Stephens, a young lady who is interested in adopting one of the strays he helps to rehome, Sam falls hard and fast. But Sam has some serious baggage in his life. Baggage that will do anything to make sure Sam’s attention stays firmly on them. As Sam and Ivy grow closer, Sam is worried Ivy may be too nice to fit into his life. But Ivy soon proves to Sam and everyone else that being nice doesn’t mean she can’t get down and dirty when she needs to.

Zero to Sixty is the third installment in Marie Harte’s sexy and humorous Body Shop Bad Boys. This series spins off her McCauley brothers series with its focus lasered on the Webster Garage and the four gorgeous, sexy, commitment-phobic mechanics who work there. There is some character/storyline crossover but it’s mild and not invasive. Each book can be read as a standalone though previous romance storylines carry over.

Harte introduces Ivy Stephens to Sam Hamilton with a bit of a meet cute. Ivy is out searching for a stray puppy (Cookie) she has been taking care of on and off. Sam is also out looking for Cookie. They run into one another and Sam agrees to keep Cookie at his home until Ivy can talk to her landlord about having a pet. Sam decides the best way to get to know this gorgeous woman better is to vet her for Cookie’s sake through a few “dates.”

“Ah, just so we’re clear, we don’t give dogs away to just anyone who wants them.”

“Okay.”

“I mean, puppies are popular. We’d have no problem getting him a good home. A friend of mine was asking about this little guy just the other week.”
She frowned. “I have a good home.”

“We’ll see.”

[…]

“If you’re not busy tomorrow night, we can grab a beer or something. Talk about plans for Cookie.”

I reviewed the first two books in the series- Test Drive and Road Assistance-and thoroughly enjoyed.  Harte does a wonderful job of individualizing the characters and storyline so you don’t feel as if you’re reading the same romantic set up with just different names. This installment felt softer and less conflicted than the first two. The same engaging narrative, sexually enhanced romance and endearingly characters are present but Harte chooses to leave the dramatics by the curb and gently walk this couple to their HEA.

Sam is the best friend and roommate of Foley Sangers (the hero of Road Assistance). Also a mechanic at Webster’s Garage, Sam was pretty much raised by Foley’s mom, Eleanor, his own mother an abusive addict. Single, gorgeous, and ripped, Sam is honest to a fault and a total gentleman despite what his size and mannerisms suggest. A bit of a loner, Sam’s relationships with the opposite sex consists mainly of hook ups. The most important things in Sam’s life are Foley, Foley’s mom, and his job.

Ivy is a massage therapist who stays to herself. Intelligent, good looking, and a genuinely nice person, Ivy is also a bit of a loner as her family has all but abandoned her for reasons unknown and her last serious boyfriend used her to get through school then dumped her. Ivy doesn’t carry a chip on her shoulder like Sam does. She is content with herself and her life.

Harte takes Sam and Ivy’s relationship slow, allowing them the time to get to know one another using an appealing mixture of trepidation and awkwardness. Opposite attraction romances are the best and Harte does this one with justice. Fantastic dialogue, dry humorous wit, and a layered storyline allows readers to see beneath the surface and experience first hand the emotional issues they are dealing with. Ivy has pretty much laid her demons to rest but Sam is still struggling with his childhood, his time in prison, and general feelings of unworthiness. Ivy sees Sam and accepts him as he is because she understands the root of his pain. She is someone he has unknowingly been searching for. I love the humor she uses to help defuse his guilt and shame.

“So there you have it. You’re dating an ex-con.”

“Can I ask you something personal?”

“Yeah.”

“Is it true every prisoner makes license plates? Did you wear black and white striped uniforms? Have a ball chained to your ankle? Break up rocks with an Acme pickaxe?”

“You watch way too much TV.”

The sexual role reversal in here is interesting and works with the overall tone of story. Ivy is the one who not only sets the parameters of their relationship but also initiates the initial sexual aspect. She instinctively understands that Sam has some confusion between intimacy and sex and gives him all the power as she sets out to seduce him.

“You said I can touch you, right?”

“Yeah, don’t stop. Just keep petting me, baby.” He blinked at her once, then shut his eyes and groaned. “I’m gonna sit…right…here.” He shook, then sat unmoving, breathing hard.

“God, you’re gorgeous.” She stroked him from his chest to his belly button, never having been so close to perfection before. Then, because she figured the poor man had suffered enough, and her underwear would never be salvaged if she kept stringing this out, she unsnapped his jeans.

He started, his eyes remaining closed.

“You still okay?”

He swallowed. “Yeah.”

Barely a whisper, but he’d given consent.

Of course, no Harte book would be complete without the antics of the rambunctious Webster mechanics and various other characters from this series. They all step in, unasked, to help Sam deal with these new feelings of his and to explain why Rays wasn’t the right choice for a first date. Harte introduces a few new characters whose personalities fit right in with this bunch and I hope we see more of them in the future.

Zero to Sixty is a lightweight romance contemporary brimming laughter, love, and family. Perfect escapism for the romance lover in all of us. Looking forward to book four, Collision Course, which is Lou’s story. *fist pump* Release date is 10/27/2017.

Grade: B

My Review- This is the third book in this series. Sam ‘s and Ivy’s book. Sam has problems but has a soft side he foster dogs and when he goes looking for a missing dog he meets Ivy. Ivy  has her own problems but want to keep the dog-Cookie. A joint dog ownership  becomes so much more when a  nice girl meets a bad boy. A great book about love,acceptance and fighting for what you love. Another winner in this series. Lisa

When gruff Sam Hamilton goes looking for an escaped puppy, that he has taken under his wing, his search leads him to Ivy Stephens who is looking for the same puppy that she has informally adopted. The two agree to share custody of the puppy and quickly find that it is not just the puppy they want to spend time with!

Marie Harte gives equal measures of gentleness and harsh literary punches as she guides two lost souls toward happiness with each other in the third book of her Body Shop Bad Boys series. While traumatic and emotionally corrosive past played a large part in bogging her leads down they still maintained a goodness that shined through and caught each other’s attention with the fine writing of this author. Sam and Ivy were well matched and their attraction was heated, direct and meant to be. The strays and the lonely no more hearts of Zero to Sixty will no doubt find forever homes on the bookshelves of any readers they come in contact with!

Love the bad boys?  This series is for you.  This third book features Sam.  Sam is kind of a jerk and quite insecure with his relationships.  Why?  Because he knows what it is like to be tossed aside and unwanted no matter what you do.  This story broke my heart a little.  We learn about Sam in a previous book as he sabotage's his best friend's relationship.  To learn more about the backstory, reading this series in order would help.  It is still fine to read this book as a standalone.  There is enough information to bring a reader up to speed.

From a character perspective, Sam is an anti-hero.  Or maybe he is a boy who was beat down too early and often that he is now like the puppies he rescues.  He is afraid of building relationships and has severe trust issues.  There are many parallels between Sam and the rescue dogs he saves.  It is a bit of a tear jerker, especially when Sam is just like a puppy being adopted by Ivy Stephens.  

Ivy is a great character.  She is affection yet tentative.  She too has been burned and knows what it feels like not measuring up.  She is the perfect love interest for Sam.  Their interactions are awkward and hilarious.  It is sweet how they try hard and sometimes embarrass themselves.  Still, the chemistry between them is hawt.  It is a Ms. Harte story so it is a given for sweaty bed bouncing goodness.  This story could just be a hook up, but it is much more.  It is a self-actualization journey for Sam.  He finally realizes who he is and how he is worthy.  In addition, he learns to finally trust the bonds he's build over the years.  And that it is okay to make new ones and let destructive ones go.  This erotic romance will send a reader into orbit with pleasure and also break their hearts with Sam's neglected past.  This book is recommended for hopeless romantics who love their happily ever afters.

I liked Sam's story a lot more than I thought I would. While he was a bit of a jerk in Roadside Assistance, he turns out to be a big softie. 

In Roadside Assistance, Sam was pretty angry over the fact that his best friend, Foley, was interested in Cyn as more than just a quick screw. Sam grew up with a neglectful mother and was "adopted" by Foley and his mother. He spent a good deal of his childhood with them and Foley's mother treated him like another son. As grown ups, Foley and Sam lived together after they did time in jail together. The fact that Foley was spending so much time with Cyn and "pushing aside Sam" caused a lot of anger in Sam and fights between him and Foley.

In Zero to Sixty, Sam quickly changes his opinion on relationships. He knows that Ivy is a good girl, and much too good for him, but he will do whatever he needs to to spend time with Ivy. He is hooked from the first time he looks into her eyes. So the guy who never looks past a pair of tits is suddenly melting over pretty eyes. Sam still wants to get Ivy into bed but he actually waits until it can be something special between them.

Sam is a completely different character in Zero to Sixy then the one introduced to us in Roadside Assistance. While he is still a bit crass, he truly becomes a romantic from the moment he meets Ivy. I am uncertain if this is simply a matter of him finally meeting the one woman who is perfect for him or the fact that after spending time with several couples who are very happy, including Foley and Cyn, he is rethinking relationships.

Ivy and Sam are both from neglected upbringing and both spend a good deal of the book not believing they are worthy of the other. While their lives up to the moment they meet are kind of sad, it does make them a perfect match.

I would say that I enjoyed Sam's story a lot more than I originally thought I would. I was interested to see what happens with Sam after finishing Roadside Assistance but that was mostly because he was treating Foley and Cyn so bad for "abandoning" him. You can understand why Sam didn't want to lose the closeness of his adopted family, but he was very selfish in the last book and he had a hard time accepting Foley's relationship with Cyn. I needed to see how he would act when a woman walked into his life.

From the beginning, Sam was 100 percent interested in pursuing more with Ivy and I thought that was an interesting spin. I thought a guy like Sam, after giving the other guys such a hard time, would have fought the idea of having a girlfriend, rather then desperately hoping she would stay with him.

It was an enjoyable story and definitely worth the read.

Yes! I've been waiting for Sam's story since book #1 and it didn't disappoint!
I loved the first two books but this series is definitely going from strength to strength. Each book tops the one before but they're all good. They're well written and are fun and lighthearted, even when dealing with the more serious back stories.

Sam caught my attention immediately in book one. I was drawn to him and just knew he'd have a good story to tell. There's more to the brooding fighter, who rarely cracks a smile, than meets the eye.
What I really loved about this series - but this book in particular - is the camaraderie between the men. It's perfectly depicted.

Having finished this book, I am now thoroughly intrigued by the elusive florist and just what her story might be and of course Lou.

This is a great read that you're sure to enjoy as much as I did.

ZERO TO SIXTY is the third installment in Marie Harte’s contemporary, adult BODY SHOP BAD BOYS erotic, romance series focusing on the men and woman who work at Webster’s Garage. This is mechanic Sam Hamilton, and massage therapist Ivy Stephens’s story line.  ZERO TO SIXTY can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty.  BODY SHOP BAD BOYS is a spin off from Harte’s McCauley Brothers series but you do not have to have read the original series to follow the current time line. A number of the characters cross-over between the two series.

Told from several third person perspectives including Sam and Ivy, ZERO TO SIXTY follows the building relationship between bad boy mechanic Sam Hamilton and massage therapist Ivy Stephens. Sam has a bit of a soft spot where orphaned animals are involved but the disappearance of a stray puppy finds our hero face to face with Ivy Stephens, a woman who hopes to keep the puppy for her own.  What ensues is the slow building relationship between Sam and Ivy, and Sam’s struggle to keep secret his past. 

Sam Hamilton grew up in an abusive home to a single mother who all but ignored the son she should have loved but Sam found love and acceptance with his best friend Foley and his mother Eileen Sanders- a woman who took in the broken Sam as though he were one of her own. But Sam’s life has never been easy and when the demons begin to push, he is a man looking to fight his way out of the abyss.  Ivy is an independent woman whose own family history is heartbreaking and emotional. She is a woman determined to show Sam that he is worthy of love including the love she offers.

The relationship between Sam and Ivy is slow to develop. Sam is afraid to overwhelm Ivy if he moves too fast. Throughout most of the storyline our couple ‘play’ around one another without taking the next step in their growing love. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense.

There are a large number of secondary and supporting characters including several from Harte’s McCauley Brothers series. Foley and Cyn (Roadside Assistance #2) Johnny and Lara ( Test Drive #1) as well as  Mike and Delilah (What To Do With a Bad Boy) whose own relationship enters the next phase. There are plenty of lighthearted moments when the friends get together to tease one another about the lives and their loves.

The world building continues to look at family and friendship, betrayal, romance and love. The strength of the friendships throughout both of the series is emotional and tight. Everyone protects one another’s backs; no one is left alone.

ZERO TO SIXTY is an emotional story line about one man’s struggle to climb out of the depths of poverty and abuse; and one woman’s battle to prove that he is worthy of affection and love. The premise is realistic and moving; the characters are spirited and inspiring; the romance is seduction and emotional.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

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If there is anything that’s going to draw me into a story it’s gotta be a bad boy and a lost puppy. How can you even think you can resist either of those? Add to that a bad boy who is hurting, has a very emotional soft core and a lady to make his life mean something once again. Okay, you’ve got me.

If you’ve followed the Body Shop Bad Boys series, then you’ve run into Sam before. On the outside he’s a bit gruff, a voice close to a growl and issues that he keeps close inside. When his best friend who is probably as close to a brother you can get to without matching DNA finds his true love and moves on to another stage of his life, Sam is left hanging in the wind. Not that he begrudges Foley and Cyn their happiness, but life is going to change and truth be told, he’s not too happy about those changes. There are reasons why Sam acted as he did, and Zero to Sixty is abut to give us some of those answers – painful though they may be.

Sam’s pitiful excuse for a mother abused him in so many ways during his childhood. Foley and his mom made Sam a part of their family by extension and helped him through some of the roughest moments of his young life. There is nothing he would not do for his chosen family. Yet, his “brother” is wrapped up in the love of his life, starting a new chapter where Sam doesn’t play a major part any more. He’s feeling abandoned, a bit afraid if truth be told and frustrated at himself for feeling this way. Around this time a stray puppy has begun to show up around the garage and Sam’s hidden, tender heart knows someone who’s been abandoned… so he begins to care for the puppy. He never expected that puppy to lead him straight to the special lady who could heal all his hidden wounds.

Zero to Sixty is an emotional story and an emotionally satisfying story. Watching Sam and Ivy slowly come to love each other is beautiful to behold. Sam will not move their relationship forward without Ivy’s direct consent. She is absolutely, completely in control of the pace of their relationship as well as when or if they go beyond to the next stage. Ivy is everything Sam has ever longed for. He finally gets what captured Foley, and maybe understands a bit more of why their lives had to change enough to let Cyn into their circle – because he needs Ivy in that circle of family as well.

This is definitely a slow burner, a courting romance of the modern day that you will enjoy, laugh with, hold back some anger, and maybe feel a tear slip out for their past. It’s emotional, it’s a journey to what can be when two people get to know each other and like what they find. I enjoyed Sam and Ivy’s romance very much. And it’s always fun to run into past couples and characters once again. If you enjoy Romance in any form, then I believe this is a story that you’ll want to discover for yourself. While Zero to Sixty could stand alone, I believe you’ll enjoy it even more if you also pick up the previous books in this series. Definitely recommend this one for any Romance reader.

*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*

If you've been following Marie Harte's Body Shop Bad Boys series, you'll recognize Sam quickly.  We have known that he carried a lot of baggage from his past from seeing him in Foley's book in particular, so it's not surprising that this book brings a good bit of sadness and anger to the surface.  He's not easy to connect with, but you definitely want that happy ending for him.  He's such a good guy at heart.

Mechanic Sam Hamilton had a hard time adjusting when his best friend, who is also like a brother to him, found the love of his life and wasn't his sidekick anymore, but he's been doing some good with his extra time and helping stray animals get a safe place to stay and finding them forever homes.  He's on a mission for one cute puppy in particular when he approaches Ivy Stephens.

Ivy is a bit of a loner herself, so when she sees the adorable stray outside her massage clinic, she can't resist taking him home with her.  When Sam shows up looking for him, he has recently gotten loose again, so Sam agrees to help her find him.  Sam's an awkward guy, but she can't help but be attracted to him ... especially when he cares so much about this puppy!

As they spend time together and agree they are both interested in the other, will blending their lives together work out?  Will the secrets of their past and the scars they both carry from their childhood blow up in their faces before they even get started, or will they find a way to get past it all and start a life together?

Zero To Sixty is the third book in the Body Shop Bad Boys series by Marie Harte. Although this book is part of a series, it can be read as a stand alone novel. It is my favorite book in the series thus far.

Sam Hamilton is one of those guys that you either love or hate. The impressions given in previous books are misgiving. Sam is a tough guy around his buddies and guys at the body shop. Hand him a stray puppy and the layers begin to peel away.

Sam meets Ivy Stephens when he’s looking for his puppy. He finds his puppy in Ivy’s arms. Sam couldn’t get Ivy out of his mind after their brief meeting. Something about her intrigued him even though he’s not the relationship kind of guy. Sam has issues that stem from his childhood. His views on his self worth and issues of abandonment have clearly scarred his soul.

Ivy Stephens is still on the mend from her last relationship. She has taken on a new rule in her life, no relationships. She intends to focus on her own life. When a stray puppy leads her to meeting Sam, she can’t help but be attracted to the gentle giant of a man.

Both Ivy and Sam are scarred from their past experiences. They are both scared of love. Learning to overcome their issues and accept the love they deserve is easier said than done. They are both works in progress. Together they will find something that soothes their souls and makes them better people.

Marie Harte once again delivered an emotional story that was not overly heavy or overly sappy. There were humorous moments as well as emotional moments. Both of the characters were complex but very endearing.

I would highly recommend Zero To Sixty by Marie Harte. The Body Shop Bad Boys series is a good series to sink into. I can’t wait to see who comes next.

Zero to Sixty is the third book in the Body Shop Bad Boys series and from the very beginning I couldn’t wait to get Sam’s story because he was so hard, tough and a definitely a bad boy. While Zero to Sixty could be read as a standalone I would highly recommend starting this series from the beginning just for readers to get to know Sam from the very start. 
Sam Hamilton hasn’t had an easy life after growing up in an abusive home he has gotten in trouble a few times but now has been reformed. After watching his best friends fall in love he doesn’t really think it’s in the cards for him because of his past but after he meets Ivy he thinks just maybe he has been given the chance to.  
Ivy Stephens is a massage therapist that is looking to get her own life back on track and leave her family issues behind. Ivy finds a lost puppy and Sam in the alley and while she finds him attractive she knows there is so much more to him. As the two of them share custody of the puppy they get closer and Sam’s hard walls start to soften, but when Sam’s past comes calling Sam doesn’t know if Ivy will stick around or leave him life everyone else has. 

I had a hard time really liking the softer side of Sam. It felt like he did a total 180 from books one and two and that really didn’t jive with his personality. I thought the romance was slow moving and kept me interested but Ivy and Sam weren’t my favorite couple in this series. Their sex scenes aren’t romantic but more on the intense side. 

Zero to Sixty had a large number of secondary characters that I loved seeing and catching up with them. While there were some intense and emotional moments in Zero to Sixty there were also laugh out loud moments. This group of friends are a true family and it shows in everything that they do even if it ends up causing a little tension here and there. 

Overall I was happy to have a chance to read Zero to Sixty and I am really looking forward to seeing what will happen next to these fantastically written characters. If you haven’t met the Body Shop Bad Boys you are missing out are truly realistic characters that stand out and will keep you coming back for more.

Ivy has been through relationships before and she is in no hurry to find another man. Unless you're talking about Cookie; a stray dog that has been coming around her massage therapy business that she co-owns. And maybe Sam Hamilton. The sexy mechanic that has been taking care of Scruffy aka Cookie for months. He is all sorts of bad boy that just does it for her libido. As she gets to know him more and more, she finds out there is more to Sam Hamilton than meets the eye.

I was so excited when I heard that Sam was getting the next book. My heart hurt for him as his layers started to slowly fall away. Especially in book 2, Foley's story. He is all sorts of sexy bad boy that every girl wants. Even Ivy. However, I think that she could have let her feisty show more. She has a wild fire that spoke to Sam but it was the sweetness he was drawn too. She was a perfect combination for him but she did not see him until he opened up.

The Body Shop Bad Boys have grown on me and with every book I fall more in love. I really liked Zero to Sixty as Sam seemed more down to earth and approachable. Despite his permanent scowl, who has a delicious growl to his voice, and overall has a presence that demands to be noticed- he wasn't a womanizer or a full-time player. Some of the writing took awhile to get used to but it did not take away from the overall story.

Miss Harte, you did amazing with Sam and Ivy please keep up with our sexy bad boys and I cannot wait for the next one!

reviewed by Tiffrz

***ARC Provided by the Publisher and NetGalley***

2.5 Stars

I was really intrigued by this. I liked Sam in the earlier books and I was looking forward to his story.

Unfortunately, as I got to know him, I was not really all that fond of him.  I liked Ivy, and I enjoyed the scenes with them together, but I was really not that fond of Sam, which was disappointing.

I was never really able to engage with the story as a whole, as there were a lot of parts of it that was focused on Sam.

The writing was strong, and the characters stayed true throughout the book, and I think my dislike of Sam was something that was just me.  It happens, and I was a little sad as I liked the other books, but this one was a miss for me.

I recommend the other books in the series, and while I did not really like this, I am not able to really say I don't recommend it.

This was a fun and romantic book and I loved every word of it.  The characters were amazing and I can't wait for more from this author.

When Sam Hamilton is around the guys he is as tough as they come, he has the burly, rough, bad boy thing going on, but the minute he comes into contact with devastatingly beautiful Ivy Stephens all that goes by the wayside, and his charming side makes an appearance. Ever since his buddy found the woman of his dreams and asked her to marry him, Sam has been feeling a little left out, he is a lone man lately and it sucks, he wants what his friends have, he just hasn't found the right girl... until now. Problem is she isn't in the market for a man, so Sam is going to have to kick his charm into high gear and prove to her she that she can count on him, that he can be the man she has been searching for all along...and having a cute little puppy to help him seal the deal helps too!

Ivy Stephens isn't shopping for a man, she has been there, done that, and has the broken heart to prove it, but when she meets Sam Hamilton she begins to question her no relationships rule! He may look like a bad boy heart breaker, but clearly this is one time when she can't judge the man by his appearance, he is definitely a good man, with honorable intentions... and he totally throws her off her game. Every time he is near she can feel the sparks between them, and she wants to give into them, but then her broken heart and head try to talk her out of it...

Once again Ms. Harte has penned a steamy read that grabs your attention from the first page, and renders you useless until the last page is turned. I loved reading Ivy and Sam's story, their relationship felt very real, their intentions were sincere, and the passion they shared was palpable, they had me feeling the flames that's for sure! The second Sam appeared on the page I knew it was just a matter of time before he'd have my heart in his hands... and between his unexpected softer side, and the minute he let loose with a few his purely sinful sexy one-liners he had me weak in the knees... and dying for more!! He will DEFINITELY be joining my elite list of favorites!! If you haven't had the opportunity to read something from Ms. Harte yet, I highly encourage you to remedy that, not only are you missing out on some truly exceptional literary escapes, but also the opportunity to meet some really special guys that are certain to steal your heart!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

Marie Harte has mastered the anti-hero! Beginning with Test Drive, then Road Assistance and now “Zero To Sixty,” the leading character is not your typical romantic hero. They’re tattooed, they have a checkered past and definitely not rich. Now, are they attractive and sexy? YES!!!

Though very handsome, Sam can be scary-looking at times with his very intent gaze. Being very tall and tattooed give him a bad boy image. Very few knows that he actually has a heart of gold. He always takes time to visit and lend a helping hand to his senior citizen friends. And animals, specially strays recognize a safe haven with him.

Enter Ivy Stephens. Like Sam, her heart has been broken in the past. Like Sam, she is lonely. And like Sam, she fell in love with a stray puppy who has a propensity of finding Sam all the time!

You can blame the puppy if you want but Sam and Ivy finding each other seemed to be destined. With author Marie Harte seamlessly bringing readers from chapter to chapter, scene to scene, their love story blossoms into our very eyes. 

A sweet story that borders on romantic comedy, “Zero to Sixty” is Rated M for Mature due sexual content.

In Zero to Sixty it's Sam Hamilton's turn in the spotlight. If you remember, Sam had some issues in Roadside Assistance dealing with his friend Foley finding love and settling down a bit; having that feeling of possibly losing his family as the case may be. 

Zero to Sixty delves further into Sam's mindset. We find out why he had such a feeling of abandonment when Foley started dating Cyn, and even though he's come to terms with his friend's new love, we find that his own childhood plays a huge role in how he views himself, of how he views his self-worth. 

Then we have Ivy. Sam first ran into Ivy when he was looking for a rescue dog that got away from him. Well, said dog pretty much ran right into Ivy's arms. While the first meeting was very brief, Sam couldn't get Ivy out of his head. He goes back to her place of work under the guise of checking on the dog, and things pretty much start from there. 

The thing Marie Harte really did well with Sam and Ivy's story was making the decision for them to get to know one another before becoming intimate. Not only does this make the connection for the characters themselves stronger, but it does so for the readers as well. I know that I was just as ready as Ivy and Sam were to finally cross the line from platonic into romantic. Plus, this makes the chemistry between Sam and Ivy just pop off the page. 

I thought that Marie Harte did a great job with Sam's past as well. Finally getting that whole story of his childhood and the kind of relationship he has with his mother really opens your eyes to Sam's actions and attitudes, the glimpses we got, in the previous books. His past directly influences his present state of mind, there's no denying that. It was heartbreaking to see the struggle that Sam goes through trying to reconcile himself with what he believes his self-worth to be. Ivy is his savior, of sorts. They find they have similar experiences in their childhoods and it only brings them closer. They're able to fully expose their vulnerabilities to one another, so to speak, and not fear reprisals for their honesty. 

So far, I would have to say that Sam and Ivy have become my favorite couple in this series. Although I'm looking forward to the mysterious Lou's turn next. He's the one man out of the four that I feel like we know the least about, besides the fact that he's got a huge family consisting of a lot of sisters. There are definite hints letting readers know what to expect, but I'm thinking we'll be in for a few surprises along the way.