Series: Commitment
Volume: 1-3/6Publisher: Self-Published
Genre/s: Contemporary Gay Romance
Length: -
Read in: English
Review copy format: epub
Rate:✮✮✮✮✰✰
A simple but talented mechanic, Kyle Beaumont, starts his dream job for
a leading motor team. Thanks to his new work, the man meets one of the best race car drivers, Elliott Judd, whom he honestly admires. However, Kyle very quickly finds out that the rumors about sexual life of this incredibly attractive and charismatic racer are all true because Elliott starts to be very interested in the new, sexy and apparently heterosexual member of his racing team. The thing is, Elliott did not plan to get involved in any kind of serious relationship but, day by day, Kyle is becoming more than just an object of his sexual fantasies.
"Buckle Up", "G-Force" and "Jump Start" are the first three volumes included in the first collection of the "Commitment" series and together they are the subject of this review. As Karen Botha takes us on a long ride in the company of her main characters, I think it's them who we should pay attention to at the very beginning. There is no doubt that our first meeting with Elliott Judd is not particularly successful, as we see him "in action" with some random chick and his later behavior doesn't change the bad first impression he has made on us. I understand that in this way the author wanted to emphasize that there is a reason why a playboy label is attached to Elliott, but I feel that she did it all too well. Elliott doesn't arouse one's sympathy and the reader needs a lot of time to get to like him and see who he really is. Although in the end we give him a chance and we start to like, respect and even admire him, it seems to me that for quite a time we are not able to trust him completely. It is a shame, because he is undoubtedly a very valuable character. However, I can assure you that when we open ourselves to him, we really begin to understand him and we are able to forgive him all his imperfections. As for Kyle Beaumont, it seems to me that we've been expecting a bit more from this character from the very beginning of the series. A guy who snagged a famous playboy should have some guts, and this is what Kyle is sometimes lacking. His creation is a series of ups and downs, as sometimes he is shown as a strong and determined person who stands firmly on his feet, while at other times he is simply a wimp. We see the proofs from the very beginning of the series, for example, when on the one hand he defends his heterosexuality without much conviction, and on the other he can fight for the person he cares about. With all this in mind, I must admit that I haven't been enchanted with the characters, but I was pleased to see how they develop, change and step by step grow up to their mutual expectations.
If there was such a thing as the "seven deadly sins" of m/m romance, showing the sexual intercourse between man and woman in the first scene of the novel would surely be in the first place. In the end, there are the reasons, and every reader has his/her own, why one reaches for homosexual romances, instead of reading these heterosexual ones, right? Unfortunately, Karen Botha decided to start her series in such and no other way, which probably doesn't have a positive impact on some readers. However, let's be honest, each of us will have a different reaction to such a scene. In my case, it started with confusion and a silent pray for not going through something similar again in these novels. However, I assure you that if you get over this unfortunate beginning, later it gets better.
Well, okay, let's forget about it and move on to the topic of the erotic scenes that definitely suit the genre more and are a really great advantage of "Buckle Up, G-Force and Jump Start Collection". Karen Botha undoubtedly knows how to build sexual tension between characters and how to dose and present to her readers various erotic scenes. The author almost literally ignites our senses with them, as they are extremely hot, even without the characters going all the way. From the very beginning, we read them with flushed faces and smiles, which shouldn't be seen by ordinary people. During sex, the characters give their all and there is no problem with some false shyness. It sometimes makes us feel that we are going beyond the romance and we are taking a step towards pure erotics. Thanks to this, it is simply impossible to resist this collection as well as the entire series.
As for the plot, the series begins quite lightly and definitely not ambitiously. Like a simple book to kill time. Great love at first sight, when one wants, the other says no, when the other wants, the first one changes his mind. However, as we move forward, it begins to get serious, sometimes even very serious, because the characters have to deal with problems that are more and more difficult to solve, such as constant fight for their relationship, struggle to forgive the relatives, facing the past they thought was already behind them or acceptance of the differences in their social status. All the time, Elliot's and Kyle's unavoidable drama of everyday life is mixed up with great joys and funny situations. And so our adventure with the "Commitment" series begins rather miserably, but later on it is getting better. Thus, although the story presented by Karen Botha doesn't really conquer our hearts, we slowly like it more and more with every volume.
As far as the action is concerned, it must be admitted that it has quite a good pace, as in every volume of this collection, there is really a lot going on, whether in the context of feelings or events. And yet I must say that we don't feel it at all, because the author doesn't write too much about each of the problems presented. She rather focuses on putting together some larger and smaller episodes, which together form each volume. Thus, reading these first three parts of the series doesn't exhaust us mentally with constant tension. However, let me point out that at the same time "Buckle Up, G-Force and Jump Start Collection" doesn't make us addicted to its world and we can't really say that we are not able to stop reading or we need to learn about the fate of the protagonists as soon as possible. In this respect, I would admit that we approach this novel rather neutrally but when we start to like this series, we really find more and more advantages in it.
In conclusion, it is not easy for me to clearly rate "Buckle Up, G-Force and Jump Start Collection", as the first three volumes of "Commitment" series have their pros and cons. On the one hand, we don't get used to the characters at once, but they do become closer to us in time. Their story doesn't conquer our hearts, but nevertheless, step by step, arouses our interest and makes us curious what else may happen. So I think it's worth giving this series a chance, because it's getting better and better with every volume and eventually it will definitely surprise us more than once.
Headcanon: Kyle and Elliott take turns cooking and they always take into account the diet and/or culinary tastes of the lover.
Fanfiction idea: Kyle and Elliott spend their weekend in a rented house on a "deserted" island. Because they are alone there, they don't have to wear any clothes, and obviously they take advantage of this fact.
AU idea: Middle Ages!AU, Elliott is a knight who takes part in the tournament, and Kyle is a stable boy on the court where the tournament takes place.
Here's some more about:
Book Title: Buckle Up, G-Force and Jump Start Collection
Author: Karen Botha
Cover Artist: Jarmilla Takac
Heat Rating: 4 flames
Release Date: October 18, 2018
Blurb
On the road of life, passion is what drives us, but love makes us stay the course.
Elliott Judd is a superstar race car driver and hotter than hell. Men and women fall at his feet and he enjoys the easy pickings.
Kyle Beaumont, a straight mechanic with a body to die for, joins the racing team of his dreams with his mind fixed on the job.
But as the racing seasons come and go, these men realize they might be racing to the same trophy, each other. With their physical and emotional exploits driven to new depths. they face devastating disruptions when the past crashes into them. Are their feelings for each other enough to keep them on the right track?
Find how passion and lust turn to love, and whether these driven men focus on happiness in the journey or the destination in this hot, sexy three-book series.
Download your copy of Commitment Collection 1 - 3 now.
Elliott Judd is a superstar race car driver and hotter than hell. Men and women fall at his feet and he enjoys the easy pickings.
Kyle Beaumont, a straight mechanic with a body to die for, joins the racing team of his dreams with his mind fixed on the job.
But as the racing seasons come and go, these men realize they might be racing to the same trophy, each other. With their physical and emotional exploits driven to new depths. they face devastating disruptions when the past crashes into them. Are their feelings for each other enough to keep them on the right track?
Find how passion and lust turn to love, and whether these driven men focus on happiness in the journey or the destination in this hot, sexy three-book series.
Download your copy of Commitment Collection 1 - 3 now.
Buy Links - Available on Kindle Unlimited
Buckle-Up #1
Passion, lust and desire are the fuel that drives us. So, buckle up for the ride of your life.
Elliott Judd is a superstar race car driver and hotter than hell. Men and women fall at his feet and he enjoys the easy pickings. No one has tamed this wild stallion, but is he ready to settle down for the right person?
Kyle Beaumont, a straight mechanic with a body to die for joins the racing team of his dreams, and with his mind fixed on the job, he doesn't realise that he is Elliott's next trophy of choice.
As the racing season and the fight to be the world number one starts, so too does Elliott's game of seduction.
Will Elliott crash and burn, or will Kyle succumb to this gorgeous man's onslaught?
Buckle Up is the first book in a gay romance series by Karen Botha and a story of unlikely love.
G-Force #2
Love breeds intensity.
Intensity breeds passion.
Recovered from a life-threatening accident, Kyle Beaumont is a powerhouse who is eager to show Elliott Judd just how far he can push his hotter than ever physique. Their physical and emotional exploits are driven to a depth neither has ever experienced with anyone else.
As a racing driver superstar, Elliott loves handling power, and he's geared up for taking everything Kyle throws his way. In fact, he craves it. But, when the past smashes into their lives, is the couple prepared to handle possibly devastating disruptions?
Set in a world of fast cars, intense love, and a burning desire to win at all costs, this is a love story brimming with unbridled lust. Join Elliott and Kyle as they race their demons to the finish line in hopes of taking home the ultimate prize-their undying love.
Jump Start #3
Falling in love is easy.
Making it work, well, that's where the fun begins.
Falling in love with Kyle Beaumont helped Elliott Judd find a romantic piece of himself he didn't know existed. The two men take the next step in their relationship when Kyle moves into Elliott's place, but despite the passion he feels for his talented mechanic and lover, the scorching hot race car driver suddenly feels out of place in his own home.
Kyle adores Elliott, and thinks of him as the love of his life he didn't see coming. But calling a mansion home and fitting into Elliott's space is more of a culture shock than he'd anticipated.Join Kyle and Elliott as they adjust to sharing their lives with one another, both in and out of the spotlight.
You'll laugh, you'll cry, and you'll wonder if these two will ever get it right.
Excerpt from "Buckle Up"
“It’s the first day of my new job as a race mechanic for one of the leading motor teams in the world. I can’t explain how long I’ve waited for this. The company had me jumping through hoops before I finally received the letter inviting me to come on board.
The pay isn’t as considerable as you’d expect, but the prestige is tremendous. And the lifestyle, well it’s one for a single man, that’s for sure. I’ll be abroad for the best part of eight months out of twelve, traveling around the globe to compete in races that test my skills to the core. The rest of the year, I’ll be running flat out developing next season’s car.
I’ve entered into this late. It’s the first day of track testing the new car. A disagreement with a previous employee means I’ve been offered a chance to show them what I’m made of. It’s a huge deal, so I’m grabbing this opportunity with both my greedy hands.
“We’ll practice pit stops.” James, the number one mechanic, says.
“I snatch my tire, remove it from the cover which keeps it up to temperature when we take it off the heating chamber, and run to the front of the garage.
“Keep the cover on. Elliott will be practicing his pit stop procedure too, so the tires don’t need to be fitted,” James says.
“Oh, OK.” Fuck, first rookie error and I’m only five minutes in. I start beating myself up. Hopefully the tires will warm back up to temperature again before we need them.
I don’t have time to be overly hard on myself. The two drivers, Elliott and Brad, make their entrance.
But only one stands out.
Elliott Judd.
He’s dressed the same as Brad, they walk at the same pace, and they’re even roughly the same size. But he’s brighter. The only way I can describe it is that he has color around him like no one I’ve ever met. A star quality. The tabloid hacks are right.
The second driver pales away against the white walls of the garage while Elliott glows.”
About the Author
Karen Botha was born in Lincolnshire England where her father was in the royal air force. As a young girl she always had a passion for reading and writing. Working most of her adult life in digital marketing didn't leave her much time to pursue her passion for stories. at the age of 36 She retrained for a reflexologist and started working for herself. This helped her free up more than enough time to enjoy a re-found passion for writing.
Her first novel was inspired by true life experiences and tales from clients. But don't believe everything you read.
She enjoys traveling rugby and motor sport, this gives her inspiration and ideas for her books.
The first in the new LGBT series is a mm romance novel about a racing car driver and his mechanic.
She currently lives in London with her husband and rescue dog called Shadow.
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