Chasing Victory

by Tory Temple

Mitchell Baker has been driving fast cars since he was old enough to reach the pedals. A professional, seasoned driver on the top level of the stock car circuit, Mitch has sponsors who are looking to him for a championship. Mitch is having issues with his job, wondering if he still has the passion for what he does. Mitch just knows if he can just find a true good luck charm, a first place finish is in his future.

Pacey Evans is a traveling track paramedic during race season. When a minor crash during a race introduces him to Mitch, Mitch discovers that Pacey might be just what he needs to take the checkered flag and please his hungry sponsors. He's willing to keep their friendship with benefits revved up if he can keep winning.

But what happens if Pacey wants to be more than Mitch's lucky charm? And what is Mitch going to do if he has to choose between his personal relationships and his job. Can Mitch and Pacey find a smooth road without sending up a caution flag? Read Chasing Victory to find out!

Genres: M M Romance, Contemporary, Romance, Gay, Sports

Paperback

First published September 1, 2009

About the author

I live in southern California, the land of no seasons. (Is wind a season?) I live with three dogs, two cats, and some tortoises. I'm married to a firefighter, which is great in the sense that some nights I get the TV all to myself, but not so great in the sense that some nights I have to figure out what to do when the washer starts leaking. (Or when there's a bat in the house, which is a thing that happened when he was working.)

Most of my books are centered around the firehouse. When you spend a lot of time around firemen, you write what you know! And what's hotter than a fireman?

Two firemen.

Enjoy!

Reviews

[Smith Barney · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like a bowl of Mini-Wheats. Not a favorite cereal of mine but was always on standby as a byproduct of having older brothers. The texture was nothing to write home about (sometimes felt like chewing dirt) until the milk softened it up..and that sweet white frosting made it all kinds of tasty to slide down not half bad.

I'm a sports junkie so of course the speed and thrill of the chase was a nice little ride. I had Dan & Mitch in my cross-hairs doing a horizontal lap or two..so alas my disappointment when we got stuck with the paramedic. Pfft.

[Elisa Rolle]

Probably from a novel set in the Race Cars Circuit you expect it to be more glamour, more “under the spotlight”, and obviously, being not exactly a gay friendly environment, you expect the usual trouble from a relationship that has to remain in the closet. But instead Chasing Victory has more a “homey” feeling. It’s strange, maybe the reason is that, after all, the Stock Car Racing is more a like a small town in comparison to a metropolis, it has its fans, but the money around it are less than the bigger international circuits. And so, also the drivers are more small town boy than big shot international champion.

At 35 years old Mitchell is in the middle: he is too young to retire but he is not more the young prodigy that makes the media talk. But since Mitchell is there not for the media, but for the joy he has from racing, it’s not that he is questioning: racing has lost its fascination on Mitchell, he is probably tired to be always in motion, to not have a really home and someone to go back to. Mitchell has an old father and nice home in Georgia, but both are getting old, and Mitchell is always too far away to be with them.

One thing that I like is that Mitchell doesn’t make a drama of his need to be discreet; Mitchell is gay and he knows that it’s not good for sponsors and all, and so he lives his relationship always far from the spotlight. I didn’t feel like Mitchell is denying himself, it’s not that he craves male companionship since he was deprived of it for too long, Mitchell wants a relationship since, I believe, he is ready for it. When he meets Pacey on the circuit (he is an ER doctor), it’s only natural for them to live the relationship with the timing of the Car Racing circuit. Pacey seems also to understand the need to be discreet.

The relationship between them is nice and quite, they are good together and they know that. Mitchell is always really open, taking Pacey to meet his family almost from moment one, and not playing the “scared in the closet” gay man with his friends. Again, Mitchell is not making a public statement, but he is not even denying his lover.

Everything actually has a “comfort zone” feeling in this novel, there are no excesses, even when Mitchell brings Pacey in Paris for a short trip, a situation that usually is described in “big words” in most of the books, here is like they are having a week-end trip on the neighbourhood town, yes, it’s nice, but nothing special. It’s strange, but in the end, I have the feeling that this is almost a family story, and that Mitchell and Pacey will have a good life together, an happily ever after without firecrackers, but for sure with high chances to be a forever type of thing.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/160370809X/?...

[Lily · Rating 3 out of 5]

Mitch is a race car driver and Pacey is a paramedic on the racetrack circuit. When they meet the attraction is strong and mutual but Mitch is deeply in the closet and definitely not looking for anything more than a bit of fun. As their 'non-relationship' grows Mitch gets the idea that Pacey is his good luck charm which leads to problems between them. It'll take some effort on his part to juggle his career, his lover and his family. Does Mitch have what it takes to love and be loved completely?

This story started out strong but lost something along the way for me. I enjoyed the racing theme and for the most part I found the relationship between Mitch and Pacey interesting despite not connecting very well with Mitch. I did like the subplot of Mitch's Dad and his circumstances which did add a nice emotional layer to the story. Overall it was a nice story with some very hot sex scenes but I was a bit disappointed with Mitch as well as the ending which felt too convenient and rushed. I was looking forward to him coming to his senses and going after his man and instead it was a chance meeting that led to their HEA? ending. I've enjoyed reading many of Tory Temple's stories in the past and while this is not one of my favorites it's a nice story.

[JenMcJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's better than anything I have read in a while. Not too much smexing, not too little smexing. A good solid story with emotion and clueless men.

[Kassa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is an unfortunate story in that the majority of it is interesting and establishes a strong connection between two exciting men, only to have the entire story ruined by an easy, cop-out plot convenience and a ridiculous ending. It seems as though the author either wrote herself into a corner without a way out or gave up on the story and just tacked on the easiest ending possible. This is incredibly disappointing as the conflict introduced and problems established had the potential to be riveting and emotional. Instead the easy ending and dropped tension ultimately ruins what could have been a good book.

The story is about stock car driver Mitch and his inadvertent relationship with race medic Pacey. What starts out as a good time between the two men soon involves deeper emotions and needs. Mitch confuses his emotions and desires for Pacey with his need to win on the racetrack and soon attributes Pacey to being his good luck charm. When Mitch mishandles a conversation in a predictably horrible way, Pacey decides he’s had enough of the man and breaks things off. Only when a problem with Mitch’s father arises does a solution to all of Mitch’s problems seem possible.

The book is really about the relationship between Mitch and Pacey and what starts out as no-strings sex sneakily turns into something deeper. Unfortunately Mitch has been in the closet for all his life and he fails to recognize all the classic signs of falling in love. Instead he attributes that to his sudden winning streak on the racetrack, which in turn is brought on by great sex with Pacey prior to races. Mitch’s slow growth has the potential to be riveting and with great depth and texture. His maturity and understanding is fun to watch while able to connect to both Pacey and the reader. Mitch’s struggle with his racing, his sexuality, his needs and desires versus those of his fans, his sponsors, and the various people he answers to all have potential conflict. Unfortunately very little is utilized within the book.

The book introduces a variety of characters but never goes anywhere with any of them. From Mitch’s rival on the track to his long time pit boss, even Pacey himself are all very loosely used in and out of scenes without much depth to each person. Each had the potential to inflict a different kind of tension and conflict yet offered little to the story and ultimately could have been left out entirely. That same sentiment fits perfectly for the side story about Mitch’s ill father. These scenes add nothing to the story except a convenient plot device towards the end of the book. This could have been cut out entirely to the benefit of the story and forced Mitch to focus and deal with his problems.

The unanswered questions in the story are numerous from Mitch’s closeted sexuality, his racing career, his fear of relationships, his future, his goals, his emotional growth and so on are never fully explained. Instead the story gives Mitch an easy out and lets things simply “happen” to give a tidy ending. The renewal of the relationship (not a spoiler since this is a romance) is due to chance and not really included in the story. By the end of the book, the two men are not back together until a leap in time to some unknown point and magically all is well again. Considering the main thrust of the story deals with their relationship and the acceptance of such, the leap over that essential journey is mind-boggling and extremely frustrating. There needed to be more context and development for Mitch’s choices and how he deals with those choices instead of giving him such easy outs and ignoring the emotional impacts.

On the positive side, the racetrack atmosphere is very well done and lends an excitement to the story. In a sea of bland contemporaries this setting stands out and gives a unique flavor and texture to the characters. If the story had stayed solidly in this setting and dealt with the relationship and all the obstacles, this could have been a great story. There are of course numerous explicit sex scenes but most had a purpose and thankfully not every sex scene had to be included but rather implied. The pacing is mostly well done up until towards the end. You’ll know it, can’t miss it. This story could have benefited greatly from close editing and focus on the characters.

If you enjoy the racing atmosphere, this book could fulfill that craving for you if you can overlook the really horrible ending. Fans of the author will recognize the almost signature use of firemen in the story ~ is it a Temple book without men in uniform!? ~ as this always serves to turn up the heat. This hasn’t put me off the author any but I was ultimately disappointed unfortunately.

[Charly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The romance isn’t as primary as I expected it to be

Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 7/10

PROS:
- I know almost nothing about competitive racecar driving, so I was fascinated by the story’s setting. There are a lot of little details that help to create a pretty well-rounded depiction of the racing world.
- The romance here, as is the case in Tinder, the only other book I’ve read by Temple, struck me as pretty realistic. There’s no love (or hate) at first sight; the guys meet, are attracted to each other, and start a tentative relationship, and then deeper feelings grow out of that.
- Pacey isn’t as big a part of the story as I wanted him to be (see cons below), but I liked him quite a bit. He’s easy-going, open, and affectionate without being clingy.
- Several of the secondary characters don’t have a lot of depth (there’s not room--the book’s only 200 pages), but they’re likeable. I especially appreciated their reactions when Mitch started coming out to his friends one-by-one.

CONS:
- The romance is certainly an important aspect of the story, but if I had to guess at how much of the book is actually about Mitch-and-Pacey as opposed to just Mitch as a person, I’d say it’s about 50-50. Pacey doesn’t appear until 30 pages in, and then it’s another 20 before he and Mitch spend any time together. My perception of the book is that it’s more like a coming-of-[middle]-age story for Mitch--one element of which is a romance--than an out-and-out love story.
- Parts of the book are a little depressing. Mitch’s father has Alzheimer’s. I commend Temple for not dwelling on the difficulties that arise from the disease (and for not allowing the story to become oppressively gloomy), but even with the matter-of-fact description of certain occurrences, some of the things Mitch has to deal with are just sad, period.
- There are some contradictions in the story. When Mitch meets a no-name guy in a bar, for example, it says, “he saved some of the more intimate things, like [penetration], for the guys he knew a little better,” yet Mitch allows Mr. One-Night Stand to top him about an hour later (after almost no talking, so they still hardly know each other).

Overall comments: I thought this book was just okay until I got to the very end. There’s a pretty long period of separation that begins about three-quarters of the way through, and while I was reading that part, I was not a huge fan of the book overall. But I found myself pretty satisfied at the book’s close; the ending is a little on the open side, but it’s realistic.

[Tracy~Bayou Book Junkie · Rating 4 out of 5]

First thing I have to say is.. I was super stoked when I saw this book revolved around racing. I am a huge NASCAR fan, and I have never found another book with this as a background. I also give props to Tory, she either likes NASCAR as well, or she did her homework :)

I liked these characters. I loved the backdrop, but I wanted more romance and focus on Pacey and Mitch. I found this book to be more about Mitch's career and family, and the relationship took a backseat to that. These characters had good chemistry, I just would have liked to seen it explored a bit more.

My other problem, was I found even with an epilogue things were left open and unresolved. I felt I didn't get complete closure. I don't know where Mitch and Pacey will end up, but that's just me. I like it all wrapped up nice and neat. I want to know that they love one another, and will live HEA, because you have enough uncertainty in real life, so I want it all in my fiction!

Overall this was a really good read. :)

[Kendra · Rating 2 out of 5]

Review contains slight spoilers...


I enjoyed most of this book. It did slightly follow the "usual" racing novels that you see in romance but I was enoying it. Then, it ended, leaving me with a feeling of "wait, how did we get here?" We went from Mitch and Pacey possibly rebuilding the relationship at the end of one chapter, to the epilogue where they are back together. It almost seemed as if the author lost interest in telling the rest of the story or needed to get it finished quickly for publication. If the ending hadn't been what it was, I would have given it more stars. Also, it is told in single 3rd person POV through Mitch and I would have REALLY liked to have known what Pacey was thinking and feeling as well.

[Rhianon · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good book that could have been better.

Temple spends more time telling the reader about her characters, and the plot, than developing that depth and reader connection through character insight. The premise of the story and the romantic plot were intriguing but the execution left me wanting more. Too much technical research, crammed down the reader's throat, and not enough time spent developing the emotional layers of the developing relationship that, in the end, was intended to be the meat of the story.

[qx · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

[Indigo · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am not into cars, neither am I into limited options. So just an ok read.

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars