| Excerpt: |
Wesley Webb turned his wheel to face the front straight, beginning the last lap of the race.
“You’re looking good,” his spotter, Kevin, said in earplugs that had long-since burned a hole in his head.
“Don’t push it, you need a good finish.”
Kevin knew him well enough to know he’d push himself through the last lap and take chances he
shouldn’t take. But a good finish wasn’t what it was about for him. It was about winning, and coming into
turn two, Wesley was confident the win was in his hands.
“Watch Peppy to your left.”
Wesley gripped the wheel as though pulling himself towards the finish line. His heart pounded and with
every beat, it seemed to pull Peppy closer to him. Wesley held his breath, as if to slow his rival’s
advance.
This win was important to him, in more ways than one. First, to mentally prepare himself for the rest of
the season. Second, because Peppy won last year and third, because he loved to win.
“Focus, focus,” Wesley said to himself as he let out a breath and took another one in, this time through
his nose. Maybe he should take up yoga. He’d heard plenty about it, and if it’d help him relax the
tightening in his chest, it’d be worth a try.
Peppy pushed him closer to the wall and Wesley had to concentrate in order to outmaneuver his tricks.
“You’re almost there,” Kevin said. “Don’t get too close to the wall.”
“Stay with me,” Wesley said to his car, to his spotter, to God and to whoever the hell else wanted to listen.
He only needed to maintain his lead for a few more seconds.
He heard Kevin’s shriek but it was too late. Peppy clipped Wesley on the rear corner and the car
whipped around. He frantically tried to steer out of the skid. For a moment, he thought control was within
reach until the tire’s sidewalls dug into the soft earth of the infield.
The car flipped over and over. He had no idea where his car landed, what the damage would be if he
ever made it out of this cage.
Or what he’d do when he got his hands around Peppy’s neck.
He came to a stop upside down and watched Peppy cross the finish line. Something he wouldn’t have a
chance to do tonight.
“You okay?” That damned voice in his earplugs again, reminding him people were probably freaking out
because he hadn’t come out of the car yet.
“Yeah.” No. Fury was like a molten hole in his stomach, eating its way into his throat, where it burned.
He crawled out of the cage and threw his helmet and earplugs to the ground. Firefighters rushed to
douse a blaze and troops surrounded him to help get him and his car out of the infield.
He pushed them aside. His main goal right now was to get past the finish line, even if he walked across
it.
Adam, his crew chief, advanced toward him. “Do you need an ambulance?”
"No.” He didn’t need an ambulance, he didn’t need sympathy and he damn sure didn’t need anyone
trying to comfort him with words.
Right now, he wasn’t sure what he wanted. Vengeance came to mind.
As they approached the stands, the merger of boos and applause as Peppy was carried from his car
joined the ringing in Wesley’s ears.
Peppy sneered at Wesley from across the throng of people and shot his hand out in a mock salute.
Wesley sprung towards him, ready to put on a brawl for the cameras.
Adam shot his hand out and landed a fist in Wesley’s chest, stopping him. “Stand back, man. It’s not
worth it.”
What wasn’t worth it? He’d gladly pay a fine if it meant Peppy’s pictures included a bloody nose. He’d
even spend the night in jail, anything to direct his anger to the man who caused it.
Adam kept his fist implanted in Wesley’s gut until he retreated. He pushed his way past the media
circus. The last thing he wanted to do was explain his feelings to them. They followed him anyway and
thrust their microphones in his direction.
“Do you have a comment on what happened tonight?”
“How do you feel about not finishing the race?”
“Do you have something to say to Peppy?”
He stopped and glared at them. Just for a moment he was tempted to comment, until Adam’s hand
against his back pressed him onward.
How the hell did they think he felt? How would they feel if the situation was reversed?
In times like these, he hated the media, people who didn't recognize or care when someone was in
pain, in mourning, and needed to be left alone. Wesley mourned the lost of first place. He'd hoped to
grab some points and get a lead on Peppy. Instead, Peppy caused him to fail at even passing the finish
line.
And for that, he wanted to kill the sonofabitch.
“You’re looking good,” his spotter, Kevin, said in earplugs that had long-since burned a hole in his head.
“Don’t push it, you need a good finish.”
Kevin knew him well enough to know he’d push himself through the last lap and take chances he
shouldn’t take. But a good finish wasn’t what it was about for him. It was about winning, and coming into
turn two, Wesley was confident the win was in his hands.
“Watch Peppy to your left.”
Wesley gripped the wheel as though pulling himself towards the finish line. His heart pounded and with
every beat, it seemed to pull Peppy closer to him. Wesley held his breath, as if to slow his rival’s
advance.
This win was important to him, in more ways than one. First, to mentally prepare himself for the rest of
the season. Second, because Peppy won last year and third, because he loved to win.
“Focus, focus,” Wesley said to himself as he let out a breath and took another one in, this time through
his nose. Maybe he should take up yoga. He’d heard plenty about it, and if it’d help him relax the
tightening in his chest, it’d be worth a try.
Peppy pushed him closer to the wall and Wesley had to concentrate in order to outmaneuver his tricks.
“You’re almost there,” Kevin said. “Don’t get too close to the wall.”
“Stay with me,” Wesley said to his car, to his spotter, to God and to whoever the hell else wanted to listen.
He only needed to maintain his lead for a few more seconds.
He heard Kevin’s shriek but it was too late. Peppy clipped Wesley on the rear corner and the car
whipped around. He frantically tried to steer out of the skid. For a moment, he thought control was within
reach until the tire’s sidewalls dug into the soft earth of the infield.
The car flipped over and over. He had no idea where his car landed, what the damage would be if he
ever made it out of this cage.
Or what he’d do when he got his hands around Peppy’s neck.
He came to a stop upside down and watched Peppy cross the finish line. Something he wouldn’t have a
chance to do tonight.
“You okay?” That damned voice in his earplugs again, reminding him people were probably freaking out
because he hadn’t come out of the car yet.
“Yeah.” No. Fury was like a molten hole in his stomach, eating its way into his throat, where it burned.
He crawled out of the cage and threw his helmet and earplugs to the ground. Firefighters rushed to
douse a blaze and troops surrounded him to help get him and his car out of the infield.
He pushed them aside. His main goal right now was to get past the finish line, even if he walked across
it.
Adam, his crew chief, advanced toward him. “Do you need an ambulance?”
"No.” He didn’t need an ambulance, he didn’t need sympathy and he damn sure didn’t need anyone
trying to comfort him with words.
Right now, he wasn’t sure what he wanted. Vengeance came to mind.
As they approached the stands, the merger of boos and applause as Peppy was carried from his car
joined the ringing in Wesley’s ears.
Peppy sneered at Wesley from across the throng of people and shot his hand out in a mock salute.
Wesley sprung towards him, ready to put on a brawl for the cameras.
Adam shot his hand out and landed a fist in Wesley’s chest, stopping him. “Stand back, man. It’s not
worth it.”
What wasn’t worth it? He’d gladly pay a fine if it meant Peppy’s pictures included a bloody nose. He’d
even spend the night in jail, anything to direct his anger to the man who caused it.
Adam kept his fist implanted in Wesley’s gut until he retreated. He pushed his way past the media
circus. The last thing he wanted to do was explain his feelings to them. They followed him anyway and
thrust their microphones in his direction.
“Do you have a comment on what happened tonight?”
“How do you feel about not finishing the race?”
“Do you have something to say to Peppy?”
He stopped and glared at them. Just for a moment he was tempted to comment, until Adam’s hand
against his back pressed him onward.
How the hell did they think he felt? How would they feel if the situation was reversed?
In times like these, he hated the media, people who didn't recognize or care when someone was in
pain, in mourning, and needed to be left alone. Wesley mourned the lost of first place. He'd hoped to
grab some points and get a lead on Peppy. Instead, Peppy caused him to fail at even passing the finish
line.
And for that, he wanted to kill the sonofabitch.
Wesley Webb is at the pinnacle of his auto
racing career when his main rival is murdered
hours after a confrontation with him. That,
along with evidence found at the scene,
shades him as the prime suspect. Now he's
under intense press scrutiny, particularly from
Caitlyn, his ex-fiancée who knows all about
his secret past.
Caitlyn Daniels doesn't look forward to her
new assignment. She thought to never see
Wesley again; now, his life may be in her
hands. They were best friends and high-
school sweethearts until a tragedy tore them
apart. As they spend more time together, their
chemistry flares up stronger than ever even as
Wesley’s life crumbles around him. Can they
work out their differences and fall in love
again, or will tragedy keep them apart?
racing career when his main rival is murdered
hours after a confrontation with him. That,
along with evidence found at the scene,
shades him as the prime suspect. Now he's
under intense press scrutiny, particularly from
Caitlyn, his ex-fiancée who knows all about
his secret past.
Caitlyn Daniels doesn't look forward to her
new assignment. She thought to never see
Wesley again; now, his life may be in her
hands. They were best friends and high-
school sweethearts until a tragedy tore them
apart. As they spend more time together, their
chemistry flares up stronger than ever even as
Wesley’s life crumbles around him. Can they
work out their differences and fall in love
again, or will tragedy keep them apart?
| Reviews: |
Oh man, I loved Holding Fast by Emma Sanders for this author has
a hit with this race car book. As a kid Wesley had big dreams of
becoming a race car driver never thinking it will kill someone close
to him. I liked Wesley because though he was a big-shot celebrity
he still cared for simple things like peace and a beautiful view from
his new house. I also fell in love with Caitlyn, like Wesley she also
blamed herself for his mother death. Two people so torn by grief
and now with the murders appearing so close to Wesley has both of
them torn between protecting one another or finding the killer.
Emma Sanders sure packed the story with so much intense heat
between these two its hard not to see the attraction and the love they
shared years ago still there. Holding Fast is not one of the
fast-paced racing stories but one filled with great imagination,
storyline and you can feel the heart of the story that Emma Sanders
poured into the it from grief, romance to the suspense throughout
each chapter which is why its highly recommended.
Reviewed by: Lena C.
ENTIRE REVIEW
a hit with this race car book. As a kid Wesley had big dreams of
becoming a race car driver never thinking it will kill someone close
to him. I liked Wesley because though he was a big-shot celebrity
he still cared for simple things like peace and a beautiful view from
his new house. I also fell in love with Caitlyn, like Wesley she also
blamed herself for his mother death. Two people so torn by grief
and now with the murders appearing so close to Wesley has both of
them torn between protecting one another or finding the killer.
Emma Sanders sure packed the story with so much intense heat
between these two its hard not to see the attraction and the love they
shared years ago still there. Holding Fast is not one of the
fast-paced racing stories but one filled with great imagination,
storyline and you can feel the heart of the story that Emma Sanders
poured into the it from grief, romance to the suspense throughout
each chapter which is why its highly recommended.
Reviewed by: Lena C.
ENTIRE REVIEW
What a great surprise I found between the pages of Emma Sanders HOLDING FAST! HOLDING FAST is
a perfect combination of suspense and romance! It was hard to put down because I became so involved
with the story. Pick up a copy and you’ll understand what I mean!
I just loved this book! I loved Wesley and Caitlyn. Sanders did a wonderful job explaining what happened
in their past without disrupting the continuity of the story. Sanders not only wrote a wonderfully romantic
story about two lovers being reunited, but she also wrote a murder/mystery story that will keep you
guessing until the end!
HOLDING FAST was just a fantastic book that drew me in and didn’t let go until I read the last page! It
definitely gets a Top Pick from me.
Julie Kornhausl, Romance Reader at Heart
ENTIRE REVIEW
a perfect combination of suspense and romance! It was hard to put down because I became so involved
with the story. Pick up a copy and you’ll understand what I mean!
I just loved this book! I loved Wesley and Caitlyn. Sanders did a wonderful job explaining what happened
in their past without disrupting the continuity of the story. Sanders not only wrote a wonderfully romantic
story about two lovers being reunited, but she also wrote a murder/mystery story that will keep you
guessing until the end!
HOLDING FAST was just a fantastic book that drew me in and didn’t let go until I read the last page! It
definitely gets a Top Pick from me.
Julie Kornhausl, Romance Reader at Heart
ENTIRE REVIEW
HOLDING FAST from Emma Sanders is a terrific story of reunited lovers. Wesley and Caitlyn are great
characters and you really want to see them work things out. Both of them were hurt by the mistakes they
made; both of them blame themselves for what happened. Now they are grown-ups, and it's time for
them to settle their past if they hope to have any chance of figuring out what's happening today.
Heather, Romance Junkies
ENTIRE REVIEW
characters and you really want to see them work things out. Both of them were hurt by the mistakes they
made; both of them blame themselves for what happened. Now they are grown-ups, and it's time for
them to settle their past if they hope to have any chance of figuring out what's happening today.
Heather, Romance Junkies
ENTIRE REVIEW
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