Total Control

NASCAR #5

by Pamela Britton

Indi Wilcox has a bad track record with race-car drivers--and the skid marks on her heart to prove it. So when she's forced to team up with Todd Peters, NASCAR's number one bad boy, to grant the wish of a terminally ill child, she vows to keep things professional. Todd isn't sure what he thinks about the new Miracles caseworker. Except that she's gorgeous--and steaming mad. Not that he blames her. He accidentally let down one of her kids. Determined to prove to Indi that he's not just another spoiled NASCAR star, Todd sets out to make things right. With every combustible moment they share, deeper feelings take over. Giving up total control might be the scariest--or the best--risk they ever take.

Genres: Romance, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Sports Romance, Harlequin, Racing

384 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published September 1, 2007

About the author

With over a million books in print, Pamela Britton likes to call herself the best known author nobody’s ever heard of. Of course, that’s begun to change thanks to a certain licensing agreement with that little racing organization known as NASCAR.

Nowadays it’s not unusual to hear her books being discussed by the likes of Jay Leno, Keith Olbermann, or Stephen Colbert. Flip open a magazine and you might read about her, too, in Sports Illustrated, Entertainment Weekly, or Southwest Airlines’ Spirit Magazine. Channel surf and you might see her on CNN, ESPN, ABC or NBC.

But before the glitz and glamour of NASCAR, Pamela wrote books that were frequently voted the best of the best by The Detroit Free Press, Barnes & Noble (two years in a row) and RT BOOKclub Magazine. She’s won numerous writing awards, including the National Reader’s Choice Award, and a nomination for Romance Writers of America’s Golden Heart and the Holt Medallion.

When not following the race circuit, Pamela writes full-time from her ranch in Northern California where she lives with her husband, daughter and, at last count, twenty-one four-legged friends.

If you'd like to chat with Pamela you can find her on her myspace where she loves to hangout with her readers.

Reviews

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just a warning, this book is a tear jerker. The romance is there but it's not in full force like the other Nascar romance books in this series. The lead character in this book is a 10 year old little boy with cancer that wants a wish granted with a Nascar driver. It helps if you've read the other books in the series so that you already know who Todd Peters is and the other surrounding characters that are mentioned in the books. Ms. Britton gives some updates on the other couples in the series. I love how she told you about a driver's life off the track and the events they attend. She really got into the driver's head about his off time and how he handles all the functions going on. Ms. Britton really didn't go into the wish foundation charity. Not sure if she didn't know anyone from that area or not. I thought it was interesting how she brought in a fictional Victory Junction camp and then stated that proceeds from buying the book would go there. That would be enough for me to buy this book. It's a quick enjoyable read.

[Ummi Farhana · Rating 3 out of 5]

Same old, same old. Not much difference from the other books in the NASCAR series. But I enjoyed it, nevertheless.

Todd is the essential bad boy while Indy is the essential do-gooder. Their characters clashed but they come together for an ailing kid. It's heartwarming, actually. But still, a mediocre story. Too... cliche, I suppose.

[Tim Covell · Rating 3 out of 5]

The plot revolves around a child dying of cancer, so we're in serious tearjerker territory here. Todd's not so much a bad boy as immature. He grows up quickly and easily. Given the plot, either of the couple could have been forced into some difficult situations or decisions, but that does not happen. Perhaps the terminally ill child is darkness enough for the story. The author notes that her father died of cancer shortly before she wrote the book, and the feelings come through. This is a romance, so everything works out happily - if anything, too happily - at the end.

[Chris Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked the fact that Benjamin got better. The only thing I really didn't like was the predictable ending.

[Julie Barrett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gd nascar read

[Becca · Rating 2 out of 5]

Indi Wilcox travaille pour l'association caritative Miracles qui s'occupe de réaliser le rêve d'enfants gravement malades. Elle essaye d'ailleurs aujourd'hui d'organiser une rencontre entre Benjamin, petit garçon de 10 ans atteint d'une leucémie myéloïde chronique, et Todd Peters, champion de Nascar (et pas de Formule 1 comme indiqué sur la 4ème de couverture). Sauf que Todd a déjà annulé deux rendez-vous et qu'Indi est prête à tout pour que Benjamin puisse vivre son rêve.

Cette romance se déroule donc principalement dans le milieu de la course automobile et on apprend beaucoup sur ce sport peu connu pour nous, Français. Tous les passages sur Benjamin, sa famille et sa maladie sont très poignants et on est très souvent bouleversé par ce qui leur arrive. Cependant l'auteur s'appuie trop sur ce sujet au détriment de l'histoire d'amour entre Todd et Indi. Il est d'ailleurs difficile d'être séduit par ce couple qui rencontre beaucoup d'obstacles pour être heureux. Ils sont tous les deux tellement pris par leurs émotions personnelles qu'il leur est quasi impossible d'être ensemble. Et la maladie de Benjamin entoure le récit et nous empêche de vraiment nous sentir proche des deux héros. Le personnage de Todd qui tente de sauver Benjamin malgré tout ce que disent les médecins est touchant (on ressent un peu l'injustice de la situation) mais il est difficile de croire à cette fin qui tient plus du miracle qu'autre chose. Indi n'est pas attachante. Son personnage souffle le chaud et le froid ce qui nous empêche d'être proche d'elle. On a donc un couple qui ne convainc pas et des émotions, liées à la situation de Benjamin, présentes un peu partout, pour combler les faiblesses de cette histoire d'amour.

Au final, une histoire qui ne reprend pas vraiment les codes de la romance et qui joue un peu trop sur le pathos avec la maladie de Benjamin pour que le lecteur se sente vraiment embarqué.

[Ana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Todd admits that he was wrong. Unknowingly he missed 2 meetings with little Benjamin, a kid who has cancer and whose wish was to meet his hero - the NASCAR driver. So he decides to do everything he can to make up for it. But the woman who accompanies Benjamin holds his attention as well.

Indi has dedicated her life to Miracles, a company that fulfills the wishes of kids with terminal illnesses. And her opinion of Todd is really low, how can somebody let down a kid? But then she gets to know him, no matter how hard she tried to avoid him, and starts to care for him.

I love Benjamin, he's such a great kid, so brave. And his relationship with Todd is remarkable. The way Todd started to love the kid, doing everything he can to help. And the race he won for Benjamin, the way he thought about the kid all the time was so heart-wrenching.

Todd is a great guy. Some of you may remember him as a rival to the hero of To The Limit. But he now recognizes that his feelings for Kristen weren't the real thing, that Indi is the right woman for him. I like him.

And my problem with the book is Indi. She hurt Todd a lot, and her issues are bad. I just can't seem to like any of Pamela Britton's heroines so far. They are mostly okay in the beginning, but the way they deal with pressure and their feelings just rub me the wrong way.

Rating:

3.5 stars.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Total Control by Pamela Britton
NASCAR Series Book 5
Indi Wilcox is ticked off with a capital T. Another egotistical sports figure has blown off meeting with a young fan who may have very little time left. Young Benjamin is dying and his wish was to meet the man he considers a hero, a NASCAR driver. She’s not going to put up with it and takes it onto herself to do something about it.

Todd Peters has made life about himself and winning, he’s not always a team player either. He has been pegged with the reputation of being the ‘bad boy.’ When the pretty woman comes and tells him what he’s done to the young boy, he sets out to fix it. Todd also loves a good challenge, but could Indi be even too big a challenge for him?

The reader is introduced to Todd in passing in the first books, in book four we get to know him somewhat better after Mathew Knight buys the team he races on. This fifth book is different, it has some very real life issues in it as Indi works with very ill children. Another excellent story in this seven book series.
**Mild language
http://justjudysjumbles.blogspot.com/...

[Olivermagnus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fifth book in the NASCAR series written by Pamela Britton. This book features Indi Wilcox and Todd Peters, the bad boy of racing we met in Britton's last book. Indi works with seriously ill children at the Miracles foundation. They meet when Peters unknowingly disappoints Benjamin, a young boy who is dying and wants to meets his favorite NASCAR driver. Indi gives him a piece of her mind and Todd does everything he can to make it up to Benjamin.

I liked this book more than the others in this series. I thought that it combined a strong racing story with the powerful emotions of a dying child. You don't have to be a NASCAR fan to enjoy this emotional book. If you are looking for a strong romance, this is probably not going to satisfy you. It was another fast, easy read for a challenge that needed an auto racing tag.

[Courtney · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed the first half of this book much moreso than the last half. It got a bit carried away at the end and it was all ribbons and bows.

Todd Peters reminds me of a few real NASCAR bad-boys, but I fail to see the real "bad" in him. All in all he is rather fluffy if not a little distracted by speed and loose women.

That is until the completely infuriating Indi Wilcox (yes, a supremely terrible name) comes storming into the circut. She seems too cold, too aloof,etc. I dunno.

I liked it overall, especially the descriptions of NASCAR fans, the technical crew chief aspect, and those damn pit lizards...

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book! The storyline was fantastic and getting a look at how a hot-shot NASCAR driver could quickly go from focused solely on his racing career and caring nothing about those around him, to meeting a little boy, who started as an obligation and ends up teaching him some of life's greatest lessons. This was such a fantastic read!

[Paula · Rating 5 out of 5]

From the minute I started reading this I couldn't put it down! Pamela put a lot more emotion into this book than the other books I've read by her. I was also very satisfied with the ending. It could have taken a different turn but didn't and I love that. Can't wait to read the rest of the Nascar based books by Pamela Britton.

[Sandy · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really couldn't wait to read Todd's story, especially in the previous book where he was caught in a love triangle. This is a good read and I recommend it if you liked any other Britton book. 3/5 stars.

[Pam Masters · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was an easy read, there was of course a gimme at the end. I have enjoyed all of the Pamela Britton books I have read, and I will read more. I have passed them all on to my mom who in turn has passed them on to other friends.

[Chi Dubinski · Rating 3 out of 5]

Beautiful Indi Wilcox had her heart broken by a race car driver, and vows not to get involved again. But she has to team with bad boy Todd Peters to grant a wish to a terminally ill child. Part of the Harlequin Nascar series, so you know there’s going to be racing and romance

[Lynn Calvin]

Amazon received

[Cecelia]

ABsoLUtlY! WoNdErFuL!

[Allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good.

[Heather Blythe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the book. could not put it down..

[Lex Leandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

2,5

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

She works with dying children. He's a self-absorbed jerk of a race car driver. It did make me cry, especially with the talking about the dying children! So sad. But I really enjoyed it.

[Jenn Himes · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is one of the greatest books i read..

[Whitney West · Rating 3 out of 5]

I usually enjoy Pamela Britton's work, but this book was a bit too emotional for me.

[Chels]

One of my favorites for a quick read.