Head Over Wheels

The Whitford Crew #2

by Irene Davis

Worcester, Massachusetts, 1897. Regina Prince needs money. Without an investor to get her father's bicycle motor company up and running, she and her younger sisters will soon be going without food, let alone the fripperies of fashion. The only financier to return her letters is a man she's sure she hates—which means she has no hesitation about blackmailing him.

Walter Ellis needs to find a worthwhile investment opportunity before his father demotes him to a mail clerk, or worse. The Prince Velomotor Company might be small, but there's potential in both the motors and the fierce determination of the founder's daughter. He can't remember exactly what he did to offend Regina, but once the woman starts ordering him around, he finds that he wants to prove himself to her even more than he wants his father's approval.

Regina travels to New York with Walter, so she can make sure he's fulfilling his side of their bargain. Soon, though, she's acting as his fiancée—and wishing there was more truth to the relationship. As the web of blackmail, extortion, and family obligations around them grows ever more tangled, will Regina and Walter ever be able to find a clear path to a future together?

322 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 10, 2020

About the author

Irene Davis was raised in the wilds of Alaska, where she spent winter nights huddled in bed reading fairy tales. She has since lived on three different continents and read many, many more fairy tales while also collecting a surprising amount of knowledge about salmon, Soviet animation, and improvised self defense weapons. Currently, she can be found in a Seattle coffee shop, where she works on novels in between research rabbit holes and conversations with strangers about how handsome her dog is.

Join Irene's newsletter for updates on her writing, book recs, and research tidbits. http://www.irenedavisbooks.com/newsle...

Reviews

[Ellie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I went in expecting a light-hearted romance (after reading book 1) and mostly got it though not quite.
I love the setting - the period of new inventions and women's rights. The heroine teaches bicycle riding in a Sports academy, the hero is a financier who decides to start his own business instead of working in the family firm. I liked the banter and the fast pace, the romance was tender and passionate with some light fem dom. There is also meddling family and loyal friends. All that while enjoyable read as superficial to me. The author touched on a bunch of issues but none was explored in depth.
My main issue is the heroine got hit in the head and temporarily suffered serious health issues - memory loss, balance issues, headaches, loss of the ability to read and write. This was all presented in detail and I felt worried about her. The hero was amazing and took care of her to the best of his abilities but I felt she was too vulnerable on her own with him in New York. Her confusion and fear were palpable to me. And she had to face his friends (all of them treating her very well) and his hostile family in a state that was physically and mentally fragile. I felt really bad for her.
This whole episode (middle section of the book actually) was a total surprise as nothing in the blurb suggested it.
Overall, I am intrigued by the time period and despite some issues I had with this story , I would like to continue with the series.

[Lillian Cummings · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a lovely read. Regina Prince needs to find an investor for her father's business as she knows that the velomotor will sell and everyone will want one. So when Walter Ellis offers to invest she is thrilled until she learns what he can offer. Reggie as she is knows=n knows that she needs to go with him to find some more investors but along the way they realise that they will need to pretend to be engaged. As they will bring to much attention to them travelling together. Where will their journey lead them and will pretend become real?
What will happen when Walter gets the money that they need will Reggie leave him to go back to her family? Or will he be able to convince her to stay and to become his wife?
Such great characters Reggie is free spirited, strong willed but always thinking of others. She loves her family dearly and in time she has fallen for Walter.
Walter is determine to help Reggie & her father and he battles on until he gets what he needs. He stands up against his father.
A great read.
Thank you Netgalley & the publisher for the copy. This is my voluntary review

[Anonymous 5 · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book of the The Whitford Crew series. The author does a nice job of setting up the scenes and drawing you into the story. The setting of the story is the late 1800s, and you really get a good feel for that time period. This was a time of women's rights and change and new inventions. Regina is looking for new investors to help her father's business move forward. Walter is looking for an investment opportunity and is interested in investing in Regina's business. Regina is not too fond of Walter, but he is determined to prove himself to her. This was definitely an interesting time and I liked the progressive way of thinking of the characters. The characters were well-developed and interesting and I enjoyed their interactions and seeing their development throughout the story. A creatively written story that held my interest the whole way through. I'm looking forward to reading the next installment of the series.
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Regina and Walter . . .

The time period set for this story (1897) was definitely a time of change both in what women would find available to pursue and the discovery of new products. Regina Prince needs investors so she can get her father's bicycle motor business, The Prince Velomotor Company, moving forward and making money. Walter Ellis is trying to find an investment opportunity to get his own business in motion. He sees some potential in the product Regina is promoting, and he is aware of her strong drive to succeed. He also is aware that she is not fond of him, but perhaps he can prove his intentions are good. Will he get through to her to change her perception? Will their working together bring them closer, perhaps to even finding a future together?

[Kathryn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Intentionally, Irene Davis wrote a romance about normal people falling in love. It's sweet and cozy, and I enjoy all the period details that I know she researches meticulously (I have subscribed to her newsletters for many years.) It's refreshing to read an HR that subverts so many of the traditions of HR - they're not absurdly wealthy, they're not titled royalty, it doesn't take place in the Regency era, they buck societal conventions a bit. I haven't read an HR in a while and it makes me a little sad that I don't vibe with the modern ones as much as I'd like. Some try too hard to be progressive in an era that didn't lend itself to progressivism, so sometimes it just feels inauthentic. This doesn't feel that way.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a solid 4* read for about 70% of the book. I was thoroughly enjoying the golden retriever/black cat dynamic and it's really cool to read a historical romance sent during a time period that's a bit less represented in the genre. Unfortunately, there's a moment where the balance shifts and I personally felt very uncomfortable with it. I understand why she chose to take the money and leave, but I found it difficult to enjoy an otherwise fantastic sec scene when the entire moment was overshadowed by her already knowing what she was going to do and him having no idea. That took the rating down a notch for me to a 3.5*.

[Sandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

A time of invention.
It is easy to see that this book time period was the late 1800s the author did a splendid job of giving the reader a feel of that time period. It was such a time of change and Regina and Walter characters clearly showed the new way of thinking. There are some other super characters like Walter’s friend and the twins. This is not a simple romance there is some depth to the story and characters. This was an excellent book that I hope you check out. I did receive a free copy of this book from Booksprout and voluntarily chose to review it.

[Rona Nimmo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Head Over Wheels
The Whitford Crew, Book 2
by Irene Davis

Regina needs an investor for her fathers bicycle business as they are a reasonably new invention that have yet to gain in popularity. A tender story about Regina and the Walter are trying to build the business at a time of tremendous change woman’s rights new investigation and general changes in societies attitudes. There are is also a bit of meddling family .

A quite nice book to read

[Kimberly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Head Over Wheels by Irene Davis is a good, and enjoyable historical romance read. The story has a good story line. The characters are good, and they have good chemistry. . I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Di · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel had me from the first word, I got easily transferred in late 1800s . A little lengthy at times but nevertheless captivating and thrilling. Enjoy! .
I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Barbara · Rating 5 out of 5]

The second book in the Whitford Crew series. Worcester, Massachusetts, 1897. Regina Prince and Walter Ellis's story grabbed my interest from the first page and did not let go until I had finished reading it. I received a copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Leigh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved this book, light easy read with a very sexy twist 🖤

[Irene Davis]

I wrote this book, so I can say with great authority that it includes
- Pining exacerbated by the poetry of Emily Dickinson
- The worst best friend, or the best worst friend?
- Rude men stabbed with hat pins
- Meddlesome little sisters
- Brooklyn bicycle polo
- Latin conjugation in the midst of physical conjugation
- Lemon cake, tamales, and strawberry jam, though not necessarily at one meal

..and I can also warn you that it includes
- traumatic brain injury / concussion
- a toxic, emotionally abuse parent
- off-page death of mother & infant in childbirth

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent read. Love the characters! Also, learned a few things about rowing, cycling and bicycle polo.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.