Peak Performance

by Helen Brenna and Alex Brown

Book Overview

Rachel Murphy always puts family first. Well, sometimes family and work--as a female NASCAR engine specialist, she has a lot to prove She's got no time for romantic entanglements. Besides, having been orphaned at a young age, she's had enough abandonment to last a lifetime. For mountain-climber-turned-sportscaster Payton Reese, risk is what makes everything worthwhile. That is, until an encounter with Rachel makes Payton compromise his "play hard,...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373217897
• ISBN13: 9780373217892
• Release Date: April 2008
• Publisher: Harlequin Special Releases
• Length: 256 Pages
• Weight: 0.30 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

Fun read

Sportscaster Payton Reese, injured mountain climber, needs to post incredible TV ratings on his NASCAR series if he ever hopes to break out of the local media and into a national extreme sports show. His interview with Rachel Murphy is the key to his getting out of local television. Only two obstacles face him: Payton's lack of in-depth knowledge on any sport outside of mountain climbing, and Rachel, who does not grant interviews. Family means a lot to Rachel Murphy. She and her brother Justin were orphaned at an early age. Their uncle raised them in the family business, NASCAR racing. Justin drives for the Fulcrum Racing team, and Rachel works on the engines. No matter how good looking Payton Reese might be, Rachel won't be hurt by another misguided TV interviewer who probes into the death of her parents. Opposites attractâ"and Payton Reese and Rachel Murphy are opposites. Payton is reaching out for the choice contract that will take him to California and onto national television. Rachel Murphy is content with her life in and around NASCAR. She is renovating her parents' home outside of Charlotte, which was abandoned after her parent's death. Payton and Rachel each have their own dreams, and they collide. Distance, travel schedules, and commitment are major hurdles which need to be addressed before romance can grow and mature. Images of the race track and cars come off the page and assail your senses. Short bursts of snappy humor add depth to the characters and the story. Author Brenna's use of static vehicle descriptions to convey human imagery is profound. The book was insightful for someone who has never followed the race car circuit. I could feel the burn of the race, the smell of the fumes, and the excitement at the track. Whether you love NASCAR or have never followed the sport, the story of Payton and Rachel is one you shouldn't miss. Armchair Interviews says: Check out her other books, Treasure and Dad for Life.

Not for NASCAR fans only!

Peak Performance is a satisfying blend of romance and racing excitement. Crisp and fast-paced, this book is utterly convincing as it evokes the thrilling, dangerous world of NASCAR. Our heroine is the notoriously press-shy Rachel Murphy, an engine specialist with big dreams: she wants to be the first woman crew chief in NASCAR history. But while her professional life is zooming right along, issues in her personal life are holding her back. Rachel was orphaned at the age of two. Her parents died under murky circumstances, and she's reluctant to let people in. For Rachel, romance means a fling ... but when she finds her mother's diaries, old wounds begin to heal. Hero Payton Reese is a mountaineer who left the peaks behind after a serious climbing accident. Confident, charismatic, and gorgeous, he's an immediate success as a sportscaster. Payton initially sees NASCAR as a stepping stone to the job he really wants, but the racing world is a natural fit for this extreme sports junkie. First he's angling for an interview with Rachel, then he's falling for her. Hard. But North Carolina is a long way from Los Angeles, and Payton's never been the type to settle down. How can he stay--even for a while--when leaving will hurt so much? Peak Performance is part of a 16-book, PG-rated continuity series. Pick it up, fall in love with Payton and Rachel, and find out why NASCAR is America's #1 spectator sport.