Forever Obsession: Review: Adrenaline Rush

ISBN: 978-1523632039
Pages: 239
Source: Xpresso Book Tours

Publication Date: January 3, 2016

Initial Reaction:

For velocity addicted Shelby Carleton, driving a high-powered ride is an adrenaline rush that dares her to exceed the speed limits of her safe, new world . . .

Shelby has left behind the painful memories of her dark past by attending a specialized driving school in Detroit that teaches police officers the art of high speed chases. With fast cars, pedal to the metal intensity, and super hot guys—what more can a girl ask for? But even here, Shelby still secretly craves the acceptance of a real family that she never found back home.

Then a harrowing phone call brings her new life to a screeching halt.
To protect her brother and save the family business, Shelby is forced to revisit the turbo-charged streets of rural Michigan on a quest to pay off thugs, harassing the local businesses. While back in her neighborhood, Shelby is reunited, albeit begrudgingly, with her gorgeous ex-boyfriend Logan Edwards, who mysteriously skipped town without a trace.
With Logan’s help, Shelby finds herself torn between obeying the law she’s sworn to uphold and reentering the dangerous world of illegal street racing to expose a deadly extortion scheme. But if Shelby hopes to fulfill her dreams and repair her broken relationships, she must first get behind the wheel again and go full-throttle down a dangerous road that will ultimately cause her two very different worlds to finally come crashing together. . .

This book is basically Fast and Furious with less action and more drama. Shelby is the only female trainee at a specialized driving school for police officers and she works her butt off to prove that she is not only equal to the guys but better. Being the first one in her family to experience a college education, she's not willing to let anything stand in the way of achieving her dreams. Everything's going smoothly until she gets a call from her brother Travis who is in big financial trouble.

I will be completely honest and say that I can't remember what drew me into the story in the first place. Maybe it was the adrenaline filled summary (and title...I fail at being funny) but this is definitely not a book I would normally pick up. I've watched all Fast and Furious movies and this one gave me major vibes but at the same time, it didn't hook me in the same manner. I loved the races at the beginning from the staged speed chases at the police academy to the illegal races in Shelby's hometown, but towards the end when stakes rose, I found myself losing interest.

Shelby embodies the strong independent female who has pulled herself out of her desolate situation and grabbed the chance for a better life. There were times where I questioned her choices especially her dedication to dig her brother out of the mess that he got himself into. She starts off the novel being romantically connected with Bishop, another trainee, but when she makes her way home and comes face to face with her old flame she realizes that anything with Bishop was purely physical. I don't exactly know how I would characterize her relationship with Logan...I didn't feel butterflies or anything but just through the way they acted it was clear they were the perfect fit.

Adrenaline Rush is more than just a romance and a thrilling car chase rolled into a neat little package. I didn't think that police drama would play a role beyond Shelby's career choice but it does and there's bit of small town gang activity going on as well. While this novel didn't necessarily blow me away, I still enjoyed reading something completely out of the ordinary for me.