BOOK REVIEWS: Take Me series by Colleen Masters

Take a sexy ride with some hot racers! 

Are you Team Harrison or Team Enzo?

Faster Harder (#1)
Goodreads

4.5 stars

Siena Lazio is an Italian-American PR woman working for her brother’s racing team.  Sparks fly when, at a bar, she meets Harrison Davies, a sexy British bad boy under-dog of the racing world, although initially she only knows he’s with an opposing team, not a racer.  The pair must navigate a private romance since they are on opposite sides and Siena’s brother feels threatened by Harrison, his apparent top competition. 

Told via Siena’s first person POV, Sienna is a strong female character who must wrestle with her loyalty to her family and their racing team alongside her strong romantic attraction and growing feelings for Harrison. The chemistry between the pair is good, and they seem well-matched. And Harrison is very swoon worthy!

While I don’t follow racing in the real world, I had no problem getting engaged in the story, following this well crafted plot, or feeling the steam between Siena and Harrison.

While I’m not typically a fan of cliffhangers, this cliffy isn’t over-the-top/totally leaving you gaping or blindsided (which is good), although it does keep you anxiously wanting to read more. 

If you like forbidden romance and hot, racing boys, this is definitely one series of love, lust, and loyalty spun around the racing track to give a test run. 

 AMAZON 

Faster Deeper (#2)
Goodreads

5 Stars

This second book picks up basically where book one left off and the story really takes off! Sienna is left dealing with the photos and keeping the boys in line. 

“Quit with the pissing contests, and do your goddamn job which, last time I checked, was racing not constantly whipping it out to see whose is bigger.” —Siena 

There’s plenty of male testosterone, but the female characters remain smart and strong. Meanwhile, Siena and Harrison’s relationship carries on, and it’s refreshing how they handle their relationship issues like adults. When faced with turmoil that might cause a less mature character to give up, these two look for solutions to their problems using their skills, talent, and a level head. They have faith in each other and believe in each other despite the obstacles their relationship faces.  The drama in the story comes from outside forces, which keeps you reading to find out what is going to happen next. 

Faster Deeper is fueled with excitement and a touch a mystery as the blackmail suspects pile up while being narrowed down. More hot and daring love scenes are a big plus.  The story isn’t over so once again the ending leaves you waiting for more.  

AMAZON 

Faster Longer (#3)
Goodreads

5 Stars

The third book, Faster Longer, deals with the fall out and aftermath of the tabloids and paparazzi. Well actually book #3 treats us to a steamy bath scene first!

“I would not have pegged Harrison Davies for the candles and bath salts type when we first met, but he continues to surprise me every day. My man can go from devil-may-care bad boy to sensual lover as quickly as his F1 car goes from zero to two hundred miles per hour.” —Siena

Also, readers finally get to meet “Mama” Lazio and what a breath of reason and fresh air she is in the world of fictional characters.  The message of standing by the ones you love while being your own person is a strong one, and it’s nice to see the lengths the characters go to protect their relationships and finally join together. Though they have some heated moments (not always of the sexual kind), Harrison and Siena continue to be a mature couple that have their priorities in check despite the turmoil they are thrown. 

As far as the “mystery,” I was a tad disappointed that Siena (or half of the rest of the gang for that matter) didn’t figure out the culprit sooner. At some point it seemed it was staring them in the face long before Siena fell asleep. But it helped create the on-the-edge drama at the track, and finally resolved to a satisfying exposure at the end. 

Once again Harrison is…ah…Harrison. Bad boy aurora with a heart of gold…and some toned tattooed abs and a well endowed…well you get the picture. The white knight in his fast car and the balcony scene—who could resist!

AMAZON

Faster Hotter (#4)
Goodreads

4.5 Stars

The fourth and final installment of Siena and Harrison’s love story (but not the last book) picks up where things left off in book three with Siena’s big realization.  While missing the mystery and adventure that the previous books had, it’s still a fitting final chapter for the pair.  It is sweet, sad, and sexy all in one. Plot wise, Bex and Charlie prepare for their nuptials, Siena guards a secret, and Harrison remains the “bad boy sex god and passionate romantic.”  We even learn his favorite color, met his mother, find out that he’s a good dancer, very well endowed, but a bad singer. Hey, even hottie book boyfriends have to have a flaw somewhere. If you’ve enjoyed following Harrison and Siena’s romance in the previous books, you’ll enjoy this HEA.

AMAZON

Faster Dirtier (#5)
Goodreads

4.5 Stars

Set roughly 2 years after where the last book left off, Siena and Harrison are happily married, and a little Alfie is running around. But aside from being a wife and mother, Siena is also looking for some more estrogen on Team Ferrelli, and she’s found it in the likes of up and coming driver, Ainsley “Ace” Vaughn.

Ainsley’s life is looking up. She’s been picked to be an affiliate driver and mentored by her teen crush, Enzo Lazio.  She may be his fangirl who blushes easily but she can also hold her own.

Like Siena, Ace is a great female character. She’s strong, cute, and a tad bit of a rebel. Told from her point of view, Ace gets a crash course in the lifestyles of the rich and famous—the good and the bad that comes with it.

It seems that the Ferelli siblings aren’t so different as Enzo is rearing to jump into a hot, secret love affair with Ace, much like his sister Siena did with Harrison. And there’s some steamy moments once again too. 

“‘Make no mistake, I was about to ride you hard and dirty, kid.’” —Enzo

Oh, ah... there’s also those pesky paparazzi too.

Can Ace play with the big F1 boys?  What does Enzo have up his sleeve?  And who can Ace trust in her new world?

Like the previous books there is a nice balance of adventure and sexy scenes. Enzo and Ace’s flirting is fun and the drama is of the exciting variety, not angst. Faster Dirtier can be read as a stand-alone as it’s Ace's and Enzo’s story, with Siena and Harrison in the background (and I did miss that sexy British bad boy who only made minor appearances). It’s also a nice addition to the Take Me series.

AMAZON