Such a light and adorable book! Some parts in the beginning of the story were a little too random, but once the plot hit me, I just couldn't stop reading it! Ali has a lot of personality, while Theo is just so sweet and lovely, and they complement each other perfectly! I thought the side characters, who hop on the trip along the way, would overshadow them, but no! They are also very likeable and you just wish you could squeeze into the car with all of them. It's really good how the author manages to approache other subjects, including delicate ones, like family issues and illnesses, whithout taking away the lightness of the story or that swoony feeling. As soon as I finished this one, I was reading "The Fake Out"! I'm so glad I found Sharon! Can't wait for more!

The Fast Lane by Sharon M Peterson is the second book in the Two Harts series. Alicia Ramos needs a ride to her oldest brother’s wedding in Portland after her mother went overboard and there is no room for her in her parents’ car. Family friend, Theo Goodnight, is the man to give her a ride. However, a big problem! Ever since she proclaimed her love for Theo many, many years ago, their relationship has been lukewarm. After a recent break up, she was taking a dating sabbatical. He’s the last person she wanted to be alone with on a six day road trip, especially when he only sees her as a sister. However, as the trip begins, they fight over the playlist, banter and flirt. The close proximity and two thousand miles has her heart race. With each mile, she can’t help but wonder if Theo feels the same?
Sharon M Peterson has become my new auto-buy author. The Fast Lane is another hilarious friends-to-lovers, second-chance, brother’s best friend romantic comedy. I laughed. I sighed. I cried and I grinned ear to ear as I read well into the night. I could not put this book down. I loved Alicia and her antics. I loved the sibling banter between Alicia and her brothers. I also loved Alicia’s “note to self” notes at the beginning of each chapter. It added to the humor in the story. There was a bit of family drama as well. What is a wedding without family drama? I also loved Theo and his love for Alicia. He just gets her. You do not really need to read the first book, The Fake Out, to enjoy this story. However, I highly recommend reading it as it is another enjoyable story. I highly, highly recommend The Fast Lane.


The Fast Lane will be available in eBook on June 19, 2024

Brother’s best friend is one of my favorite tropes and this one definitely didn’t disappoint.

I already enjoyed Ali’s shenanigans in The Fake Out but she definitely topped them in the Fast Lane. You immediately get to know what kind of person she is when you read the first chapter, but of course she also has her insecurities, her worries, fears and struggles.

Since I’ve read/listened to The Do-Over and The Fake Out by the author, I already knew her characters feel unique yet relatable and her stories are just extremely funny but with a lot of heart and special family dynamics.

Ali is so brave and unashamedly herself. I loved how she cares for friends and family (even though her revenge schemes tend to be slightly illegal…) and that she tries to do right by everyone and still learns to set boundaries. The plotline about epilepsy was very well done IMO and we see both Ali’s POV who feels suffocated by all the worry, but also her mothers’ one who of course is scared and thinking of all the different scenarios where an epileptic attack could be fatal.

There were so many different situations Ali and Theo lived through together on their road trip. Some absolutely hilarious, others sweet and swoony.

I would have enjoyed a few flashbacks with previous interactions between Ali and Theo or maybe dual POV, because from Ali’s POV it felt like a giant punch to the gut when she was still a teen and professed her feelings for Theo but he rejected her.
But I definitely rooted for them and they were absolutely adorable. I think Theo could have been more open about his feelings earlier in the story because since he rejected Ali years before, his flirting of course was confusing to her. Despite her best efforts she fell more and more in love with him (again) but didn’t want to be hurt. So I think Theo could have made things a bit less emotionally stressful for Ali.

But there was one scene at the wedding that was so extremely sweet and swoony, it absolutely made up for his slight cowardice before. (Other readers might see this differently, but since Ali made herself vulnerable so many times when she was head over heels in love with Theo years prior, I think he could have done the same thing and just come right out with it with the risk of being rejected himself this time. Of course, this would have been a very short story, but still.^^)

The only thing I didn’t care for was the Pirate Romance side plot because I am a clean romance reader for a reason. There are no open door scenes (and no actual closed door scenes either since there is nothing happening aside from kissing) but especially this Pirate part comes with a lot of innuendo and of course the references to spicy books which I personally don’t like.
This is only a tiny part of the story but maybe other clean romance readers like to be aware of these contents before diving into the story.

To say “I still enjoyed the story” would sell the book short.

I LOVED the book and I love everything Peterson writes. I said it before and I will say it again - I absolutely love how real her characters feel. With all their flaws I would love to have her characters (especially Mae and Ali) in my life and the way she writes family bonds and friendships is absolutely amazing. The romantic love is always based on a strong friendship (in this case a very long friendship where both characters were always there for one another) and the physical attraction is a bonus, not the starting point. Peterson has an absolute gift of writing characters where we can just feel the chemistry and the emotional connection, stories with the best mix of heart and humor.

Absolutely enjoyed it and I hope there will be an audio version because I love to buy the audiobooks of my favorite stories to enjoy them in all ways possible.

* Thank you to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. I leave this review voluntarily and the expressed opinions are my own. (I received an eARC via NetGalley.)

This was honestly such a breath of fresh air of a read!
I fell in love with Ali & Theo almost immediately, in this heartfelt, funny, cosy comfort of a romcom in a book. An essential holiday read, Sharon M. Peterson's writing is the perfect salve for summer sun!

Ali and Theo have known each other since they were kids, Theo being Ali's brother Cal's best friend ( squeal one of my favourite tropes!). The story centers on the journey to Cal's wedding in another state, and when Ali is stuck for a lift, it's Theo's car she ends up in. Queue hours in close proximity and a road trip!! Both characters have undisclosed feelings that are put under the spotlight as they suddenly have to face what they've been avoiding half their lives-the truth!

I haven't read a secret feelings book like this before, where both characters are secretly on the same page, but I really enjoyed it. Ali was heartfelt and fun as a character, and Theo was sweet and funny in the way that made him so easy to fall for I was right there with Ali the whole time.

My first Sharon M. Peterson book was a joy and I can't wait to check out some more. If you love Emily Henry, Catherine Walsh or Hannah Grace then this book is a must read for you!

Thank you to Bookouture & Netgalley for the early arc in exchange for an honest review xoxo

I loved this book! All the chapter header notes to self were funny and a cute precursor to the plot moving forward. I laughed out and snickered many times. It is not only funny, but has wonderful character development, pacing, and you get a good understanding of their history without having to go back and forth between dual timelines. There wasn’t a single character that didn’t seem well developed. The epilogue is also so sweet and fun. I highly recommend this book!
*There are a few mild curse words and some mild, humorous innuendo.

You know how sometimes you mean to finish something sooner than you do, and then once you’ve actually done it, you kick yourself for taking so long?

That’s how I feel about reading The Fast Lane. I received an advanced copy of it for my honest opinion and here it is: I loved it. I loved it so so much. I started reading it as soon as I got the ARC but then, as you do, I got distracted with life and a bunch of other books I’d actually already read. I’m a bit of a book hoarder and do have a tendency to reread things that brought me joy when life gets a little bonkers, and I needed those at the time. Now I could kick myself because this is most definitely one of those books I’ll be rereading. Again and again. And again.

I loved Sharon’s first two books as well but there was something extra special about this one. Ali and Theo are just… the best. She’s sass and spunk and a little bit of spite and he balances her out so effortlessly. I knew going in that this would be a fluffy happily-ever-after book, and it so is. I wouldn’t change a thing. And I got a call back to a certain sassy lady from The Do-Over who I want to be when I grow up thrown it unexpectedly!

Truly, if you love sweet and fluffy romance novels, please do yourself a favor and pick this one up. You won’t regret it.

4.5 stars rounded to 5

I sprinted to NetGalley when I saw this one was up for grabs. I read The Fake Out by Sharon M. Peterson and have been dutifully following her ever since.

My thoughts: I enjoyed this one and liked the nods to the last book. I loved the misadventures in this story and the fun characters along the way. It definitely encapsulated Peterson's zest for quirky characters! That being said, the FMC was a little *too* quirky at times. I would have liked to see her be a bit more sure of herself as a grown woman. I also hated all of her pranks, another trait that made it feel like she needed to grow up more, especially if she intended to be taken seriously as *spoiler* mayor *end spoiler*.

The MMC was very much a cinnamon roll guy and seemed very sweet, but I felt like his character needed a little more depth in the beginning. I did love Theo, though, don't get me wrong! It's a single POV from the FMC which is probably why I feel like I know a lot more about her than him.

All that aside, there were some extremely relatable moments in this story and I cried during the epilogue (happy tears). Another great one from Peterson for sure!

The Fast Lane is a sweet and funny rom-com, perfect for taking with you on vacation!

This was an easy read! Ali and Theo were perfect for each other and I just loved their history and their friendship. The banter and the hilarious situations they got themselves into made me giggle and kick my feet.

This book was also full of family drama and great secondary characters. I especially loved the granddad, he was such a quirky character!

I definitely recommend this book if you love the brother's best friend trope, it was a really cute read!

The Fast Lane by Sharon M. Peterson illustrates the journey is just as important as the destination!

Two Hearts, Texas has always been Alicia’s (Ali’s) safe haven. So when she discovers the town mayor had his eye on destroying a beloved landmark, she can’t help but take a stand. Luckily when law enforcement has to get involved, Theo, her brother’s best friend is there to bail her out.

While Theo has always been a staple in Ali’s life, her unrequited feelings have stirred up trouble. Determined to keep things platonic between the two, she has distanced herself. But when the two must roadtrip to Portland, Oregon for her brother’s wedding it will be difficult to maintain boundaries. Will one trip be the undoing of a lifelong friendship, or will it prove that timing is everything?

We first met Ali in Peterson’s second book, The Fake Out. Despite making a lasting impression on reader’s with her prankster personality, she was sidelined as a secondary character. In getting her own book we see her as a full fledged main character.

I loved getting to learn more about Ali in this book. It would be easy to see Ali as somewhat of a caricature due to her awkward, spunky, and prankster personality. But if you look a little deeper you see that she has lots of depth. After being diagnosed as an epileptic at the age of sixteen her life drastically changed. She went from a carefree teenager to feeling like an unnecessary burden.

The representation of epilepsy in this book was terrific. While not a suffer of it myself I witnessed a classmate have one during our senior year. To this day it is one of the most traumatic things I have experienced. Peterson does a phenomenal job of describing what it is like to both be the person living with epilepsy and those close to them.

The outstanding character development Peterson showcased in her third book solidified this as a five star read. I highly recommend this and the rest of her book to anyone looking for a laugh out loud read with tons of heart.

Special thanks to Netgalley, Bookouture, and Sharon M. Peterson for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley, Bookouture, and Sharon M. Peterson for the early access copy of The Fast Lane.

The Fast Lane follows the story of Ali, a strong-willed, resilient, hilarious protagonist, who has had a crush on Theo, her brothers' best friend since she was a teen. Ali professed her love to Theo when she was in her teens and learned the heartache that came with the rejection. After that situation, she has kept her heart at a distance.

Theo is a caring, gentle, fiercely protective golden retriever protagonist, who was asked to drive Ali to her brother's wedding, which is a six-day road trip. Thus, begins the antics of car issues, fighting over playlists, keeping passengers both human and not happy, and opening up to the potential of something real. The Fast Lane is a forced-proximity, brother's best friend, closed-door romantic comedy, with family issues, epilepsy representation, witty humor, flirting, rambunctious situations, and a lot of passion,

This story was hard to put down and greatly missed now that I have finished it.

The Fast Lane

Alicia seems to just float through life and is 100% the main character in her own mind. In the beginning of the story she seems to be rather immature for her 27 years. Playing pranks on folks in her small town and chaining herself to a tree to stop it being cut down are a few examples. A point of conflict for Alicia is that her family and the whole town treat her like a child who is incapable of taking care of herself (this appears to be due to her having epilepsy). However, if she wants people to take her seriously as an adult, maybe she should act a bit more like one?

Theo appears on the page to be THE perfect man. I enjoyed the banter back and forth between Alicia and Theo and liked to get to know more of his backstory with the Vegas/father side plot and his writing (I want so much more - an entire novella maybe about this). But in the end, Theo still felt surface level. This is often a comment from me though when the story is told from single POV (The Fast Lane is told from Alicia’s POV). I wish we just had a little more knowledge on Theo’s love for Alicia before the final chapters and beautiful epilogue.

Alicia’s friends - Ellie and Mae. We’re introduced with an overload information and hints of a backstory that was written as if it was a call back to a previous book. So much that I had to check to see if this was part of a series. While not marketed as such, this appears to be a book including characters from some of the author’s previous works. All the call backs without reference made me feel awkward like an outsider to the friend group rather than a part of it.

The overload of information feels constant in the beginning of the book. It’s too much detail and side comments and takes me out of it. This eases up about 1/3 of the way through.

In the beginning, it felt like too many plots and side stories. The wedding. The family drama (the accident). The mayor. The mayor race. The crush on Theo. The football stadium fight. Most of this went away once the group finally hit the road.

While I enjoyed reading The Fast Lane in the end, it felt rather disjointed and it took me time to get into the story. It did leave me interested in checking out more of the author’s work though.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

"The Fast Lane" by Sharon M. Peterson is a delightful, humorous road trip romance that deftly combines sweetness with a dash of sass. The story revolves around a protagonist on a six-day journey to her brother's wedding with Theo, her brother's best friend and the man she's secretly harboured feelings for.

The plot starts with a charmingly relatable problem: an overpacked car and an unexpected offer for a ride from Theo. The tension between the protagonist's embarrassment over a past romantic confession and her lingering crush on Theo creates a lively dynamic right from the start. Peterson does a fantastic job of balancing humour and heart, making the interactions between the two characters engaging and often laugh-out-loud funny.

Theo is masterfully depicted as the archetypal good guy with a rugged charm, complete with his penchant for plaid shirts and hiking. His protectiveness and steady demeanour provide a perfect foil to the protagonist's more chaotic energy, resulting in banter and a growing chemistry that feels authentic and well-paced. The road trip setting provides ample opportunities for shared moments that are both sweet and sizzling, ensuring readers are captivated as the miles roll by.

What sets "The Fast Lane" apart is its refusal to rely on the tired trope of a third-act breakup. Instead, the story focuses on the natural development of the relationship, allowing the characters to confront their feelings and fears without unnecessary drama. This makes the resolution more satisfying, as it feels earned and authentic.

Peterson's writing style is a breath of fresh air, light and breezy, a perfect match for Emily Henry and Sarah Adams fans. The road trip shenanigans, from playlist disagreements to car troubles, inject a sense of adventure and spontaneity that enriches the romantic narrative. The protagonist's introspective musings and reflections on past heartbreaks add depth to her character, elevating her beyond the typical lovesick heroine.

Overall, "The Fast Lane" is a thoroughly enjoyable romantic comedy that combines humour, heart, and a dash of road trip magic. It's a perfect read for anyone looking to escape into a story filled with love, laughter, and the hope of second chances.

The Fast Lane was a very easy breezy read - the writing is bountiful, vibrant and so easy to get into from the get-go. The short chapters definitely helped but I highly commend Sharon Peterson's writing style and the story for The Fast Lane being a complete page-turner!

Ali and Theo are the most loveable characters. Where Ali is confident, unhinged, quirky and relatable - Theo is calm, composed, sweet, thoughtful- and resolutely supportive (side note: all the supporting characters are beautiful, in fact, with one obvious exception being Ali's ex, Alec) - the moments Ali and Theo share and the direction of the story too was unpredictable and so fun (Ali, and therefore the reader, being "introduced" to Theo's flirting - wowzas!) The equation between these two was electric!

At points, we revisit the past to show the history behind Ali and Theo's friendship which were lovely to read and did not confuse the storyline which was a relief. Everything just unfolded gracefully and I was invested in finding out more. The narrative is a mix of all your favourite tropes - think brother's best friend/friends to lovers/forced proximity - again, in the most bizarre setting (nudist (non descriptive) spa retreat) - if you enjoy those, then The Fast Lane is one for you! P.s. Theo's profession is another reason to read this!

The story is not just about the budding romance between Ali and Theo though - many major themes are dealt with and handled with sensitivity (almost effortlessly) by Sharon Peterson - I have to credit Sharon again, especially after reading the author's note at the end of the book, as representation really does matter. I hope many readers will feel seen when they pick this book up.

From what I understand when I finished the book, The Fast Lane is a part of a series however it can definitely be read as a standalone (I have not read the other books and did not find any issue in following this story....given how much I loved this book though, I will definitely be picking up the others!) What I would say is that the first few paragraphs do name drop alot which almost did put me off as I thought we were going to be dealing with multiple characters without context but the leads do become obvious as you get into the book - Peterson helpfully reminds us, where necessary, of the background within the story too if a character makes an appearance after a break, which I found helpful.

In summary, what you can expect:
- Friends x Lovers/Brother's best friend trope
- Epilepsy representation
- Loveable characters (Mains/Side)
- Engaging writing/pageturner
- Banter and wit galore!
- Wild road trip adventures
- “I am not your brother” (Just wait for it - Lord, have mercy).
- Dysfunctional/Functioning family - perfectly imperfect in every way.

Trigger warnings: minor reference to car accidents, injury detail, seizures, nudity (nondescriptive), and death of a family member.

Spice: kissing-only

Thank you to Netgalley, Bookouture and Sharon M Peterson for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest, unedited review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

First of all I’d like to thank the publisher and net!galley for granting me a free e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you would like to enjoy this book as much as I did, it gets published June 19th.

✨NOTE TO SELF: Next time I chained myself to a tree in protest, consider how in the world I was gonna be able to pee. ✨

It was in that moment I knew I would like Alicia’s character. She’s witty, sarcastic, but totally lovable. I loved how the authorgave her epilepsy, but also gave us background info about. It wasn’t an “oh I have to give my character something, but I’m not gonna talk more about.” moment.
She portrayed how family, friends would feel about having a beloved one with epilepsy, but also portrayed how the person felt about the whole situation.

Cue in Theo; the boy next-door, Brothers best friend type of guy.
Alicia loved him since forever, he found out quite recently he’s in love with her aswell.
But she has a boyfriend, nothing he can do about that.

I love how he remembers every single detail about Alicia. How his penname is A.N. (You know named after a special someone)
How he is so respectfully towards her.
I need a Theo in my life 🥹

About Alec, i hate his guts. Totally hate his guts.
I hate everything about him, how he treated Alicia, how he broke up with her, how he thinks they can reconnect. Nope nope nope.
(Which means amazing job miss Sharon Peterson, you made him perfect for the story)

I totally loved how everyone except the to main characters saw how they were perfect for each other.

It was an amazingly, easy to read, feel good book. The note to self’s were brilliant.

10/10 would recommend 🥰

I’m not a big romance reader. I basically don’t read that genre at all BUT I would read anything Sharon Peterson writes, even if it’s just a shopping list.
I inhaled this book. I read it far too quickly and then kicked mysef for not slowing down just so I could savour it a little more! It’s got humour, a sweet friends-to-lovers romance and enough tear jerking moments to make your eyes water just because you relate to the characters so much. Sharon Peterson delivers another gorgeous read and I cannot tell you how much I adore it.

Thank you to Bookouture and Sharon Peterson for this ARC.

If I could describe “The Fast Lane” in one sentence, I’d say: Hilarious road trip romcom where childhood friends (one happens to be the FMC brother’s BFF) start communicating their true feelings for one another.

Doesn’t that sound like such a fun, cute, happy premise? Well, “The Fast Lane” definitely lived up to its tropes, and Sharon Peterson is quickly becoming an author I want to read more from.

I fell in love with Ali and Theo, our MCs in “The Fast Lane.” Ali has crushed on Theo since childhood. It was hilarious to see her try to reign in her feelings after being devastatingly rejected when she professed her love to Theo during her teenage years.

I also loved the whole road trip theme. It kept the plot moving steadily, introduced some hilarious side characters, and allowed Theo to be his flirty self.

Lastly, there are two huge plot lines around forgiveness and independence when living with a disability. I loved these additions, and they certainly added to the authenticity of the novel. Peterson struck the perfect balance between cute, light rom-com moments and real, heavy issues.

While I always love spice in my romance books, I actually didn’t miss it with “The Fast Lane” because I was so invested in Theo and Ali’s relationship. Peterson expertly weaves in flashbacks so the reader can understand the foundation of the two MC’s relationship and truly understand their connection. It felt authentic and made me want to root for these two even more.

YES! This is the romcom you need, and if you have KU, you can grab it for free! I’m already starting to read the other book set in this universe (also on KU) and cannot put it down. Peterson is certainly becoming one of my go-to romance authors, and I hope you enjoy her writing as much as I did.

would like to thank netgalley and the publisher for letting me read this poignant book

meeting the main character of ali in this book is very enlightening and at times very funny.... shes the girl we all would love to be with her witty comebacks and her needs for revenge which always has very cunning ideas

but ali has a crush ..one that wasnt very secret when she was younger... she went all out for him to the embarrassment of everyone who told her to get over it... poor theo but he handled it with great humility

but now they are older and they are both on their way to alis brothers wedding and with no room in the car for ali with her parents she has to share a car journey with theo.... and boy is this journey a fun read....

but ali is on a mission set by one of her brothers....to bring back to the family the brother that walked away all those years ago and boy is this a journey fraught with tension.....

man there are some laugh out loud moments and there are times when there are tears running down your face....

this was a journey of discovery for me reading this book loved it... cant wait to read more from this author

The hilarious and swoony-sigh (it’s a thing, trust me) inducing story of Alicia and Theo.

He’s her brother’s best friend and childhood crush. Like, major crush. As in write cheesy love poems kind of crush.

She’s on a love sabbatical after her last boyfriend broke up with her and refuses to acknowledge any current feelings of the love variety toward Theo.

Her brother is getting married and by a turn of events, Theo and Alicia will be road tripping together.

Can Alicia admit her feelings for Theo? Does Theo feel the same way or is he just a big flirt? Will they make it to the wedding?!

Throw in Mack- Alicia’s grandfather and his dog. Wild family dynamics and surprises. And some interesting destinations along the way.

This is by far my favorite road-tripping romcom. I was laughing, I was crying, and I was squealing with joy.

It was another late night as I kept promising myself, "Just one more chapter." Sharon M. Peterson's books are always filled with humor, quirky characters, and surprises. This one did not disappoint. A dog named Karen with a lazy eye? Yep. Grandpa who sings Taylor Swift? He's here in this story. And don't get me started on the practical jokes and acts of revenge that Ali carries out. I'd watch my back if she was my friend or enemy. But deep down, this is a heartwarming story of a woman with epilepsy, her childhood crush and reuniting family.

Are you in the mood for a slow burn, hilarious and heartwarming book that would be perfect for your summer/beach reading list? If you are, you have to add The Fast Lane to your list!
The main characters, Ali and Theo, are so endearing. They have been friends for most of their lives. Each has hidden feelings they are scared to admit about. As they head off on a road trip the fun begins!
I have to say the author had me laughing and crying more than a few times.
I am so ecstatic to have found author, Sharon M. Peterson. I just added the rest of her books to my tbr list.
Definitely pick up The Fast Lane as soon as you can! You will not regret it.
Thanks to NetGalley, Bookouture and the author for the opportunity to read this book for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.