WRECKED by author Lauren Asher. A new to me author as I gave in to the hype and picked up this book. It's a reissue, initially self-published a few years back.
Did I like it - not 100%, will I read more from her - maybe?
WRECKED is Jaxton and Elena's story set in the backdrop of Formula 1 car racing. Jaxton is a race-winning driver with the quintessential bad-boy image. He is known for self-destructive shenanigans more than his racing talents.
Elena works in PR, freelance and lives in Monaco with her grandmother. Her only remaining family she has. She, unlike Jaxton, is a respected name in PR known to tame the bad boys of the sports world. That's how Jaxton's team gets them together for a year with Elena in charge of cleaning up and making Jaxton shine off the race track.
Both Jax and Elena clash heads from the get-go, which may be due to their attraction towards each other. With deep emotional traumas and baggage, neither of them is willing to give in to their attraction. Hence starts a relationship that reminds you of school where the boy is mean and nasty to the girl, or vice versa, because he has a crush on her.
The story deals with two sides of a coin, one of partying, and philanthropic events, courtesy of the privilege of being a race driver.
On the other side is the immense pressure paired with personal emotional fights which shows the darker side part of a high-performing, intense-pressure world of racing.
Jaxton comes across as a jerk most of the time, which he does to hide the whirlwind of emotions that goes in his mind. He is a broken, angry yet that handsome, irresistible young man that every girl wants to cosy up to.
Elena accepts the job of taming Jaxton so she can provide for her grandmother's care. She keeps telling herself not to give in to the lust she feels for her client. However, simply the opposite happens with every day they spend together.
There are intense emotional and volatile moments in the story as the two clash. This happens both when they are good to each other and more so when they lock heads.
Separately they battle their demons and sometimes, though rarely, help each other do the same too.
There are so many moments of chaos that happen when Jaxton is on a self-destructive path. This chaos made me lose my grip on the story because it kept dragging on. I honestly questioned the length of the story and the amount of indecision Jaxton goes through.
This would've been a more impactful story emotionally had it been a bit more concise; definitely shorter in length.
So, the story kind of lost its impact on me as the characters faced one too many hot/cold moments without much progress in the story.
However, for someone who enjoys a good, low-key angsty story with enough sad moments, you'll enjoy this story.
Jax and Elena in their mid-20s falling in love, facing devastating life events will take you on an emotional, chaotic ride towards their walk in the sunset moment.
Jax Pills. Alcohol. Adrenaline. I'm addicted to destructive decisions that numb my pain. Until one night when I make a catastrophic mistake. To repair my broken reputation, my team hires Elena-- An overpaid babysitter set on ruining my plans. She's my damnation disguised as my salvation. And my newest addiction.
Elena I begged the universe to save me from my financial disaster. It answered my call with a Formula 1 team desperate for a PR miracle. One season. One job. One broody British racer. Except that Jax turns our hotel room into a battleground. To beat the enemy, I need to find his weaknesses. What I learn threatens to ruin everything. Him. Me. Us. Love is a warzone, and neither one of us plans to surrender.
Wrecked is a steamy standalone in the Dirty Air world. Recommended for mature audiences.
© 2003-2025 off-the-edge.net
all rights reserved Privacy Policy