Last year I read and really enjoy Leonie Mack's book Head Over Wheels which is set in the world of professional cycling (my review). It was always a given that I was going to read the follow up book!
Leesa Kubicka used to be a professional rider. In her mind, it was not a particularly successful career but she wasn't quite ready to give up. However, when injury forces her to retire, she needs to find a new career. She joins a sports marketing agency with only one proviso. She doesn't want to go anywhere near any cyclists. But when you are desperate to secure a contract, sometimes you just have to go where the work is. And so it is that she finds herself back in the world of professional cycling. It doesn't help that Leesa was often the recipient of Colin's many pranks.
Australian professional rider, Colin Gallagher is a man who has the hopes of his team on his back! As one of the successful Gallagher's there is a lot of expectation for this year's Tour de France. His sister, who was the main character in the first book, is a successful cyclist, his dad is the team manager and everyone thinks that he should be a favourite for the most prestigious and famous bike race in the world. The last thing he needs is a sports marketer following him around, filming his every move to give the team sponsor more exposure.
While Colin is driven to succeed, he is also known as a prankster and he has been known to take things a bit far. And that's especially true of his interactions with Leesa. The thing is though, part of the reason that he pranks her is that he really likes her, as in really likes her, and has done every since the first time he met her. And Leesa has no idea that this is why!
Colin needs to focus so he can't afford to be distracted from his preparation and Leesa also needs to just do her job well to increase her chance of keeping her job. Of course, that means that the more time that they spend together the more their simmering attraction keeps getting in the way.
This week was the perfect time to read this book given that the Tour de France is now underway. I do enjoy Le Tour although to be fair I do watch it more for the chateaux, cathedrals, scenery and the 5 minute cooking show which showcases the areas that the riders are racing through. I have, however, picked up some of the more technical terms which helped with reading these books. However, if you don't watch any professional cycling this is still very readable. The author does a great job of showing the gruelling physicality that the racers face, and that's before they accidentally hit the ground!
The first half is set in training camp but the second half of the book is actually set during the Tour, which is very cool!
With Colin being a prankster there is plenty of humour in this book, and the spice level is high! The chemistry between Leesa and Colin is scorching! I did find myself reading some very spicy bits while I was sitting in the café at lunchtime at work! I hope I wasn't blushing!
I have read a lot of Leonie Mack novels over the last few years and I find them very enjoyable and this was no exception! I am not sure if there will be any more books set in this world, but I hope so. In the mean time, the next book in her Adventure Wedding series is out in August so not long to wait for her next book!
Given that this book is set against the background of the Tour de France, I am counting this read for Paris in July hosted at Words and Peace! It also counts as a read for the New Release Challenge hosted at The Chocolate Lady's Book Review Blog
Rating 4/5
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