Book Review: Racing for the Sun by Amy Lane

Title: Racing for the Sun
Author: Amy Lane
Genre: Contemporary Romance, M/M Romance
Sensuality Rating: Erotic
Source: review copy from publisher
Published: April 26, 2013 by Dreamspinner Press

"I'll do anything."

Staff Sergeant Jasper "Ace" Atchison takes one look at Private Sonny Daye and knows that every word on paper about him is pure, unadulterated bullshit. But Sonny is desperate, and although Ace isn't going to take him up on his offer of "anything," that doesn't mean he isn't tempted.

Instead, Ace takes Sonny under his wing, protecting him when they're in the service and making plans with him when they get out. Together, they're going to own a garage and build race cars and make their fortune hurtling faster than light across the desert. Together, they're going to rewrite the past, make Sonny Daye a whole and happy person, and put the ghosts in Ace's heart to rest.

But not even Sonny can build a car fast enough to escape the ghosts of the past. When Sonny's ghosts drive them down and run their plans off the road, Ace finds out exactly what he's made of. Maybe Sonny was the one to promise Ace anything, but there is nothing under the sun Ace won't do to keep Sonny safe from harm.

Reviewed By: J9

In a Nutshell: Oh my is this a unique and compelling read! Not an easy read but a must read for MM readers looking for an intense book.

The Set Up: Staff Sergeant Ace sees new recruit Sonny and knows he needs to look out for him and not abuse his offer of doing “anything” in trade. During their joint Army tour in bloody and brutal Afghanistan, Sonny shares his dream of owning a car repair shop and having Ace drive in drag races. Ace will do anything to make Sonny’s dreams come true even as Sonny’s past returns to haunt the men.

Why I Read this Book: I’ve read and enjoy Amy Lane’s angsty MM romance before and this synopsis intrigued me.

What I Liked: Ace and Sonny are desperate for each other like few romance couples are. Their emotional dependence on each other may not be textbook healthy but as a romance reader it was breathtaking in its intensity. Sonny is nearly non-functioning and Ace becomes his drug to function in his life and while I know this isn’t healthy, it made for a totally compelling read. Ace’s commitment and bottomless love for caustic Sonny was the perfect balance to Sonny’s intensity. The sexual intimacy between these two is just as fiery and desperate as their emotional relationship and seamlessly builds a powerful romance between two deeply troubled men.

What I Also Liked: Ace and Sonny are clearly in a low socio-economic status of US culture and this is rare in MM romance. They have a barely legit car repair shop; they race in illegal drag races; they live hand to mouth and Sonny never went to high school and doesn’t understand pop culture references. The dialect reflects who these characters are as people and I loved that. Sonny and Ace somehow end up with a hodgepodge of friends and they’re all unique characters: the giant Russian gay mechanic, the Latina teenager Ace rescues and Ace’s Army colleague-turned-spy. The unique socio-economic setting and secondary characters add stellar ambiance to the compelling and passionate romance.

What I Didn’t Like: This isn’t an easy book to read because of its raw intensity. Sonny has a desperation in loving Ace that readers know will come back to haunt the men. What Ace has to do in the beginning and the end of the novel to protect Sonny is beyond redeemable but his unapologetic actions are motivated by a love for Sonny so I can’t fault him but neither can I forgive him. There is a balance in what Ace does and in the fact that it will forever haunt him. The villains from Sonny’s present and past are both duly evil and provide the gut wrenching tension for the book but it’s not easy. Sonny is a survivor of horror most people can’t fathom and this book doesn’t pull any punches about what it was or how it affects Ace’s decisions to protect Sonny.

I can’t quit my day job so I feel ethically bound to say this book contains behaviors that could trigger readers. Sonny and Ace’s physical relationship is raw and rough and they engage in bonding behaviors that not all readers will be comfortable with. I won’t say what they are because it may spoil it but just that some readers may have difficulty with the choices these two complicated men make in their intense relationship.

IMO: This book isn’t for the faint of heart but for MM readers who enjoy angst-filled, intense romance, this book is a must read so long as triggering behavior isn’t troublesome for readers.

J9’s Rating: