This book was a second chance, easy to read, delight. Vanessa North never fails to make me smile, and this book added joy to a year that is miserable.

Good friendships, solid relationship building, happy reader.

I loved this second chance romance! Sometimes teenagers just do dumb, stupid things, and they pay the price for them - in this case, ruining a meaningful relationship because of a drunken hookup. Matt is sincerely sorry for what happened and ten years later, he has the chance to be around Tiffany again when his classic car ends up in her shop and this time around he isn't going to screw it up. I empathize with Tiffany and her feelings and how she's held herself back from commitment with anyone else, but it was good to see her and Matt become friends again and for her to forgive Matt as his sincerity is evident from the start. Tiffany's siblings are delightful secondary characters and they are all still dealing with their grief from their father's death, Tiffany especially as she still lives in the home where she took care of him. I'm glad they sorted things out with the house to give her some closure too. There are sexy scenes and funny ones, sad and joyful ones and the racing scenes were fun too - it makes for an all around delightful reading experience. I can't wait to read more in this series!

Review has been submitted to BN and Amazon.

There's something about these books that pull me in. I really liked this take on second chance romance as the author does a good job in giving enough time (10 years) from the break up. It gives the charactes time to grow, live their lives and come back to each other from a place of understanding and moving forward. I'm really not fond of cheating but in this case I felt the issue was well handled as the male lead never tries to justify his actions but owns to his mistakes. It was great to revisit this family and feel that for a while the world is a better place.

Complementary copy for honest review and opinion. This book was entertaining and gave a great female character the chance to shine. Enough romance was thrown in to make it swoon worthy.

It was nice being back in Royal with all the Ellis crew. Readers were introduced to all of them in Hard Chrome, the first book in Vanessa North’s American Heavy Metal series, but we didn’t get to know Tiffani very well. Although I think I enjoyed the first book a little bit more, there was still a lot to love about Flying Gold.

This book was told from both Matt and Tiffani’s POV, which was a good thing, because the Ellis’ opinion of Matt was more than a little bit biased. Even though he broke Tiffani’s heart when they were both in their teens, seeing him again brought back all that pain. Without Matt’s POV, readers wouldn’t have known how much he regretted hurting his first love and how much he still cared.

Flying Gold was also about grief and how each of the siblings were dealing with the loss of their father, but especially Tiffani. She wasn’t exactly self destructive, but she was a thrill seeker, especially when it came to cars and speed. As much as she didn’t want to face Matt, her sister reminded her that they couldn’t afford to turn business away. Plus, she couldn’t resist working on his car. That car was what initially brought them together, but their continued attraction brought them closer.

It took a while for Tiffani to start to trust Matt and there were a couple of bumps along the way. Matt was determined to prove himself, because he didn’t want to let her slip away again. The big thing he had on his side was that he was always honest with Tiffani, even if that honesty hurt. Even though she still loved him, she had to decide if she could learn to trust him again with her heart.

The next book in the American Heavy Metal series is Salvaged Steel and from the sneak peek that readers were given at the end of Flying Gold, it should prove to be an interesting read. 😉

This was another in what I'm calling the Ellis Siblings books. Tiffani and Matt's story was cute. But like the first book, I didn't get into it as much as I'd hoped. I love a second chance lovers story and they're cute together. I liked how the story focused on them so much and how the growth of both characters, from their early high school years to present, showed growth in character and how they changed in positive ways. I just wanted more... I think I need more show and less tell. I wanted to see more connection between the two.

But I did like it and I'm looking forward to the next book.

*~~*ARC kindly provided from the publisher/author to me for an honest review *~~*

Full review to come

5 stars

Sometimes the right book comes along just when you need it, and that was Flying Gold for me. I love reading about a heroine’s personal growth but have no patience for heroes who have to learn not to be assholes. I’ve been easily distracted lately, and this second chance romance set in a world I know nothing about, amateur classic car racing, hit my sweet spot.

My tolerance for plot stress is zero right now, and I was worried the racing storyline would be too competitive for my tender heart. Luckily, the focus was less on racing (or the main characters’ past disagreements) and more on how their love for cars reminded them of their teenage longing for one another. The main characters in this book pick up their intense teenage romance after ten years, without the bog of eternal flashbacks. This gave me the headiness of instant emotional connection, without needing the suspension of disbelief that instalove requires.

Full review: https://smartbitchestrashybooks.com/reviews/flying-gold-by-vanessa-north/

Flying Gold by Vanessa North is the 2nd book in the American Heavy Metal series set in an auto shop in a small town that follows the lives and loves of the siblings who own American Heavy Metal and who are all dealing with their father’s recent death.

Tiffani is a mechanic at the shop and has been for years. She is grieving the loss of her father, trying to deal with one of her sister’s return to take over the office duties of the shop and generally having a difficult time.

Then her high-school ex-boyfriend Matt returns home and brings his car to the shop. Matt cheated on Tiffani in high school and she is still angry. This was an interesting choice for North to make – as cheaters are very problematic in Romancelandia.

And Matt did cheat. There is no misunderstanding about what happened. He owns up to what he did and (for me at least) he feels true remorse. Tiffani isn’t keen to forgive and forget, but the two spend time together and still desire each other.

I admit to being worried about whether or not I could forgive Matt’s actions. But in essence, his actions in the present are what convinced me. Tiffani is a bit lost; she is looking for something to bring her joy and Matt sees this and encourages her to find her joy.

I loved the part of the story where Tiffani finds her passion for racing cars. And how she shares this with Matt. I also think the racing helps Matt and Tiffani find their way back to each other.

Matt doesn’t shy away from his mistakes, nor does he shy away from dealing with his actions. Tiffani finds herself and she finds love. Their romance is emotional and super sexy. And I love the rest of the American Heavy Metal family as well.

Flying Gold is a great choice for those looking for romances about real-world characters (not billionaires and dukes). There is a strong family bond that ties the books in the series together. I desperately need Tanner’s story and have my fingers crossed for his hero!!

In the second book in the American Heavy Metal series, Vanessa North continues the contemporary romance series with a second chance romance story. When Tiffani's high school sweet heart and heartbreaker Matt returns to town, it's going to take some work for him to get back into her good graces. It's a classic story of regret and the need for another.

I liked this story. While I found it a bit predictable (and I read alot of contemp romance so you may not find it the same) that didn't bother me because I really liked the characters and wanted to see them get back together after the appropriate level of groveling. Ten years and a lot of stuff has gone by, so there's a lot for Matt and Tiffani to work through.

There were characters from the first book in the series in this but it did not impact the standalone aspect of this romance. Overall, an entertaining and satisfying romance set in a classic car and garage setting, if that's your thing. I enjoyed this.

An ARC was provided for review.

Flying Gold is the second book in Vanessa North's American Heavy Metal series. We met Tiffani in the first book. Tiffani's heart was shattered when she was a teenager and she hasn't been serious with anyone since. When Matt Adams's car breaks down Tiffani refuses to work on it because he is the one that broke her heart 10 years ago. For Matt, seeing Tiffani again makes him realize just how huge a mistake he made ten years ago. He always knew it was a mistake but didn't see to grasp how big. Will the two be able to move on from the past or will it always be something that haunts them?

I almost DNFed this book because the actions of Matt in the past. There are certain things I can't get over when it comes to romance novels and he did one of them. I thought Matt was a good character and properly contrite. He didn't try to make Tiffani feel bad for her feelings or make her move past something she couldn't. Because of this I was able to finish this book. I give it 4 stars.

Arguably, the best praise I can give this book right now is that I read this in like two hours, which is unheard of given my attention span and ability to focus on books right now. <i>Flying Gold</i> is a second chance romance between Tiffani and Matt, who dated and fell in love in high school and had plans until Matt ruined things between them. Tiffani is still grieving her father's death when Matt's car shows up in her life. She's also still angry with him for messing them up so carelessly a decade ago. Matt is now a... cinematographer person? Idk. He's won an Oscar. Anyway, it's very obvious from the beginning that he (a) regrets how things went with Tiffani and (b) wants to fix things.

There was a lot about this book that worked for me, but mostly it's the characters that make this book shine. Tiffani is mad. She's just got this rough edge that I just really adored. But then she has this moment where she thinks about how she's been treating Matt and realizes she doesn't want to let this bitterness really be a part of who she is anymore. It's just... So well done. And for his part, Matt is unbelievably patient and contrite in a way that I think some people may find too akin to a doormat, but I thought was handled really beautifully. He just wants to be who Tiffani wants. There's a lot about trust in this book and I really loved the way it's handled.

There are a couple of things that kept this book from being five stars for me though. One is that I felt that there was a moment in the book that requires a content warning that just didn't feel necessary to me at all. The content warning is that a man in a position of power takes advantage of his position to "just make out" with a 16 year old girl. It's handled well in terms of if this was real life, that's how I would want it to go. But I didn't feel like it needed to be in the book. It only serves to make Matt look good? And I just didn't think we really needed that. The other thing I didn't love was the conflict. It was so predictable and I just feel like we can do better than what it was. But, all things considered, I enjoyed this book a lot and I so appreciate that it thoroughly held my attention. And I'm definitely looking forward to reading the next installment in this series in October!

Here you have the second book in the Heavy Metal series. Now this story still has the family and you do find out what happens from the end of the last book. It opens though with a man in Georgia buying a Chevelle. On his way to where he will be filming a show for Netflix, it stalls and ends up towing it to Heavy Metal. The man just happens to be the boy or man who broke Tiffani’s heart ten years ago in high school, Matt Adams who is now an award-winning filmmaker.
Tiffani does not want to deal with the car once she sees the name but really is forced to because Duke is still in the hospital and she is the only one who can run a diagnostic on it. After getting another ticket she still does not find anything wrong with it when she is forced to deal with Matt herself. It is when they are together on a drive when the car stalls that he still wants to talk about the past and she does not.
She is not only dealing with her emotions from ten years ago but also in wanting to sell the family home which she has been living in since their father has died. She also was the one who took care of him as well. Her you really get a look into the workings of the family but also her feelings with loss, grief, anger everything one experiences when losing someone. Then having to deal with Matt on top of everything adds to her stress. The author does a good job of handling everything and this is really a very good story and she even brings in racing which I thought was a good touch. A wonderful book.

This second chance romance is pure Vanessa North and I'm in love! The characters pull you in from page one and you can't help but want more.

She's a mechanic-owner of her family's muscle car business, he's the guy who broke her heart at 17. Ten years later, he shows up (working on a tv production in GA) with a busted muscle car and an itch to race. Chemistry is rekindled, resisted, and ultimately given in to.

This book didn't spark for me. It was a nice read, and a quick read. I appreciated that the family business is woman run, and I appreciated the setting in the world of cars and racing. I don't know if my lack of external interest in that particular setting was the issue for me.

I think that a lot of people will read this book and love it. I suspect that this is a book that benefits from being read in series - a previous couple were on page a lot in this story. I found that there were a lot of pieces of the story that I would have liked more depth on - some secondary relationships, some other things that were mentioned and might be followed up on in future books. That said, the preview of the next book was definitely intriguing and I might want to check in and see what these characters are up to in it.

I remember my Dad taking me along to watch drag racing when I was little, it was the dullest thing I have ever watched in my life and I come from a country that follows a sport that goes on so long they stop for tea. That said, I really enjoyed this romance that features drag racing and American muscle cars (I'm not entirely sure what they are).
This is a second chance romance, which I love. I usually don't enjoy ones where they have split up due to cheating, but this time I'm prepared to forgive that. Matt and Tiffany were teenagers when they were together and although they still clearly have feelings for one another, what Matt did was back when they were very young and happened ten years ago. I think that both characters needed to be alone and become who they are before they can fully be together when they are older.
I haven't read the first book in this series, but that didn't matter. I'd be more than happy to go back and read it now and I'd certainly be keen on the next in the series. This was a good romance and I enjoyed reading it. Just what I needed to lift the spirits at the moment. Something I think we could all do with right now.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Dynamic, well-written second chance romance. I enjoyed Matt and Tiffiani reconnecting and it was nice to revisit Duke, his sisters, Tanner, and everyone else working at American Heavy Metal. It deals with cheating in the past, but Matt was only seventeen so the forgiveness tolerance is a bit lower.

Thank you Carina and NetGalley for the ARC!

A spicy romance and a whole lot of car love make up Flying Gold, the second chapter of Vanessa North’s American Heavy Metal series.

Oscar-winning filmmaker Matt Adams is shooting a flick near his Georgia hometown.  He’s just bought a showpiece of a Chevelle, but it dies and stalls before he can get it home.  That requires him to call on the services of American Heavy Metal, the repair shop owned by Tiffani Ellis, his former high school sweetheart.

Tiffani took over American Heavy Metal after her dad died, and though she enjoys the job well enough, she finds herself stepping into his role as head of the family, deferring her dreams and fantasies of a future filled with racing and photography to help both her complicated family and the business thrive.

She and Matt were thick as thieves back in the day, but a graduation night betrayal estranged them.  Tiffani refused to accept Matt’s pleas then, and she refuses to accept them now.  But Matt is nothing if not a determined man.  And Tiffani does, after all, need the money.

As she works banging the Chevelle into shape, she and Matt court and spark and fall back into bed together.  But can she ever truly forgive Matt for the indiscretion that caused their break-up?  And can they survive a scandal that threatens to end Matt’s career and embroil them both in controversy?

Flying Gold is a step up from Hard Chrome, the first book in the series, with winning characters.

I really liked edgy Tiffani, whose tough, smartass attitude covers a softer core.  I loved the realistic completeness of her, that she’s an artist and a grease monkey, a woman’s who’s not ashamed of her one-night stands but wants her own (anarchic) happily ever after.

Matt is interesting, too – part of him still clinging to his blue collar roots, friends with an up-and-coming actor who yearns to go back to his comedy roots, absolutely believing that he’s faking it until he makes it.  He’s more in love with cars than his camera, and his protective measures with an underage actress he’s trying to protect from an overbearing producer carries a bit of heft – but ultimately feels short-changed.

The plot – which involves Matt being thrown under the bus for a producer’s harassment of a teenage actress and being mistaken for her romantic partner by the press – is a little creaky at the joints, as the author tries to make a big, solid point while placing more weight on concerns that Tiffani might think bad things about Matt, versus the very serious reality of what he’s being accused of.  The book is honestly at its best when it’s just about Matt and Tiffani running around the city having fun together.

While this and the story’s grasp of life in Hollywood is decently researched but has nothing interesting to say, everything it tells us about mechanics and car racing is interesting.  We get to spend a little time with the rest of Tiffani’s family, which means more time with Duke, Tanner and Elspeth (who seems to be a lock for future heroine-hood).  These visits enhance but do not overtake the narrative.

Much of the conflict weighs upon Matt’s youthful cheating, which is sensitively and decently handled – but those who dislike cheating might not enjoy this plot. (He does not cheat on Tiffani as an adult.)

Overall, Flying Gold is a solid, spirited and highly enjoyable piece of work.

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The second book in this series - set partly alongside the first book which confused me slightly at first.

A second chance romance for Tiffani and Matt? I just didn't like how Matt had hurt her in the past so couldn't warm to him and didn't really want him to get a second chance.

Looking forward to the rest of the books in the series though.

Good book! I did read the first book and it was ok but I enjoyed this one much better! This is the second book in the series they can definitely be read as standalone! I highly recommend this book and series! It's well worth the read!Thank you NetGalley and the publishers for sharing this book with me!