Review
This was my very first read by this author. While chatting with a friend about it, I found out that this is a spin-off series from her MC series. The book started really strong, and I was loving it. The heroine, Bronte, seemed to be a strong person, and she also seemed to have some crazy chemistry with the hero, Crow, who also happened to be her new boss. That fizzled out rather quickly, and so did my excitement for the story.
The entire book is being told only from Bronte’s POV, and it just felt so one-dimensional, and a little boring to be honest. There was a bunch of drama thrown in there at some point. But after reading so many books lately with such complex plot lines, this one just went over my head, and I didn’t feel invested at all. Also, it was unnecessary in parts. Once the main drama got clarified, there was not much else to say. But the author decided to throw a couple more things in there to get a good word count in, and I think that worked against her, at least for a first time reader of her work like me.
Also worth mentioning, this was the mellowest MC I have ever read about. They wanted to act badassy, but it wasn’t working out. I wasn’t impressed with the sexy scenes either, they felt forced and there just because they are expected in a romance novel.
The ending dragged for many chapters, and just when I thought it was over, she was gearing up to throw more at us.
In all honesty, had I read this book ten or more years ago as part of some Harlequin series, this would’ve been awesome. The competition is pretty intense in the romance world now, though, with all the independent authors out there, and this book does not compare with so many others that I’ve read.
Reviewed by Dana Hoffman
Title: Custom Built
Series: Fast & Fury #1
Author: Chantal Fernando
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Release Date: November 23, 2020
BLURB
New York Times bestselling author Chantal Fernando brings you Fast & Fury: A sexy new series fully loaded with intense emotions and edge-of-your-seat suspense.
After losing her job, saying goodbye to a lifelong dream and having an all-around cruddy year, Bronte Pierce needs a break. A job at Fast & Fury might be just the thing to reset her life, even though she knows nothing about custom motorcycles. But taking a job isn’t the same as keeping it, and her fresh start quickly turns into a fresh nightmare.
Starting with her boss. Crow is hardheaded, stubborn and brutally honest. He may be easy on the eyes, but he runs with an MC and he’s anything but friendly to Bronte. She suspects he has a softer side—just not for her.
Her whole life, Bronte has known that the only person she can truly count on to save the day is herself. But when a single murder turns into a conspiracy and the threat to her life is more than she can handle alone, it’s Crow who comes through—and her newfound family might just become her greatest strength.
PURCHASE LINKS
B&N / KOBO / APPLE BOOKS
AUTHOR BIO
New York Times, Amazon & USA Today Bestselling Author Chantal Fernando is thirty-one years old and lives in Western Australia.
Lover of all things romance, Chantal is the author of the best-selling books Dragon's Lair, Maybe This Time and many more.
When not reading, writing or daydreaming she can be found enjoying life with her three sons and family.
Chantal loves to hear from readers.
AUTHOR LINKS
