4.5 stars.

Zero to Sixty is a super cute, sweet and delectably steamy addition to Marie Harte's fabulous Body Shop Bad Boys series. Although this is the third installment in the series, it can be read as a standalone, but I HIGHLY recommend the previous two books as well.

Hottie auto mechanic Sam Hamilton is feeling a little lonely and left out now his bestie Foley Sanders has fallen in love. Rough, tumble and prone to fighting when stressed, he has a very soft heart beneath his gruff exterior. In recent months, Sam has been rescuing stray animals on the down low and he is very concerned over his latest find, an adorable puppy he calls Scruffy who has been taken in by a very attractive shop owner. Worried his appearance will frighten the lovely lady who has caught his eye, Sam takes great pains to make himself appear non-threatening when he stops by to check on the pup. Although he is certain massage therapist Ivy Stephens won't be interested in dating him, he proposes they share custody of the puppy she has dubbed Cookie. A surprising friendship quickly springs up between them and both are quick to acknowledge their simmering attraction to each other, but will Sam and Ivy be willing to take a chance on love?

Sam is extremely loyal to family and friends and he is completely devoted to Foley and his mom Eileen. He is deeply scarred by his abusive and dysfunctional childhood and he is incredibly grateful to Eileen for the love she showed to him while he was growing up. Sam cannot quite bring him to cut ties with his addicted mother, Linda, although he is always wrecked after giving in to her pleas for him to help. His new relationship with Ivy is, hands down, the best thing that has ever happened to him, but will Sam let the baggage from his past ruin his chance at happiness?

While Ivy is mostly happy with how her life has turned out, she carries a few emotional wounds from her childhood. Although she has mostly made peace with the situation with her family, she is saddened by the distance between them. After a failed engagement and a string of bad dates, Ivy has decided to focus on her career. Initially a little wary of Sam, she quickly realizes there is a lot of tenderness beneath his tattoos and muscles. She is a little taken aback by his somewhat rough life but Ivy cannot resist agreeing to share custody of Cookie.

Despite a bit of a misunderstanding following a heated kiss and unexpected make-out session, Ivy is surprisingly eager to spend time with Sam. While a little impatient to take their relationship to the next level, she is enjoying getting to know him and his friends. When Sam shuts her out, will Ivy be content to let him work through things on his own? Or will she risk her heart by admitting how much he means to her?

Zero to Sixty is an absolutely heartwarming romance that old and new fans of the Body Shop Bad Boys series are going to love. Sam and Ivy are endearing characters with interesting backstories and easy to relate to issues and flaws. Their easygoing friendship is a wonderful foundation for their transition to lovers and the chemistry between them is palpable. The banter between Sam and his friends is delightful and their support for him is unwavering. This latest release from Marie Harte is a joyful and entertaining read that I greatly enjoyed and highly recommend.
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Easy on the eyes, tough on the heart and detrimental to the hormones. Marie Harte is an author after my own heart. There is nothing more toxic to the hormonal chemistry than a man with a puppy (except maybe a single dad). The fact that Sam was a bad boy raised the hot level tenfold. More bark than bite, Ms. Harte made it hard for me to decide who I loved more Sam and his wounded bear act or the matchmaking puppy with the hidden agenda. Zero to Sixty is a savory romance that blends humor, heart and heat to delivery a top of the charts performance. It's love at first sight.

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