Racing for the Sun

By: Amy Lane

Narrated by: Nick J. Russo

Length: 8 hrs and 32 mins

Publisher's Summary

"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.

©2013 Amy Lane (P)2014 Dreamspinner Press

Maybe my least favorite Amy Lane yet.

**2.5 stars**

This is a totally bananas review because I'm a HUGE Amy Lane fan and everyone else loves this book. I'm so bummed right now.

On paper, this is an Amy Lane book that I would adore. I love her angsty, saga-ish stories (The Locker Room, Chase in Shadow), and with a whopping 22 Amy Lane books under my belt, I can safely say that I know my type. However, this book was all sorts of wrong for me.

I'm just going to come out and admit it: I was pretty terrified of Sonny. He was borderline psychopathic, in my opinion, and I sort of wanted Ace to just cut and run. From the ultra-creepy "mark me or I'll kill myself scene" or the super-jealous interactions with everyone else, Sonny read as almost abusive to me. Despite his messed up past, if this book was M/F, I don't know if as many readers would have been a fan of Sonny's manipulation and neediness. The relationship between Ace and Sonny was co-dependent at best, and I never got behind them as a couple.

I also was not a fan of the insta-love. One look and they were practically devoting their lives to each other. I wasn't buying it. Insta-love is a no go for me.

As usual, I loved the secondary characters. Amy Lane does a fabulous platonic best guy friend, and her supporting cast always shines. I thought that they all had personality and felt anything but ordinary.

As far as the narration goes, I think that Nick Russo did a very nice job. I liked his accent for Ace and his more manic voice for Sonny. You could tell that he was throwing himself into the roles, and I really enjoyed his efforts.

All in all, I wish I liked this as much as my friends did. I think this is the first Amy Lane that I have actively not enjoyed, though it had enough nice qualities that it didn't dip below 2 stars. I think I'll go mourn in my well-read copies of Christmas Kitsch and Truth in the Dark now.

**Copy provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Blue Collar Wonderful

The blurb says that Ace will do anything for Sonny and he does. This is another winner from Amy Lane. The story is told from Ace's POV and he is a wonderful, funny, tell it like it is character from a loving blue collar family. Although he has hid the fact that he is gay for a long time, wanting Sonny has made him determine to be with him and nothing is going to stop him. He is magnificent. Sonny is another story. He has been traumatized in the worst way for many years and has MAJOR trust issues. Neither of these MCs comes across as entirely mentally stable, but it is what it is and they make if work. Sometimes painfully. Overall, it is a wonderful story and the narrator is PERFECT!! He really brought these men to life for me. Definitely worth a credit.

4.75 Stars!

Any additional comments?

4.75 Stars

4.5 stars for the story, 5 stars for Nick J. Russo's excellent narration!

Told in first-person from Jasper “Ace” Anderson Atchison’s point of view this story is beautiful, crazy, messy, wonderful, and consuming. Rather like the characters.

Ace is unequivocally in love with Sonny, and Sonny has an all-consuming, possessive, jealous, love for Ace. They would lay down their lives for one another. They would kill for each other.

The story begins in the present and then segues to the past to Ace meeting Sonny in the military and follows their life together. Nick J. Russo's narration is phenomenal! I was riveted by the second sentence.

My name is Jasper Anderson Atchison. People call me Ace.
I am a murderer and a thief, but if Sonny still wants me, I will call myself a good man.

There are moments in the book, moments where I held my breath and prayed for the safety of a written character. Moments where I wondered how broken is broken, and how crazy is really crazy? Because Sonny is broken. Seriously broken. Sold at fifteen for two bricks of meth to a drug dealer who treated him worse than a dog on the streets, Sonny eventually ran and remade himself. He joined the Army to keep him but once he met Ace, he had opted to go with him instead.

“I will never want to leave you. I promise I will always want to keep you,” I told him...I couldn’t let him down. I couldn’t. “I promise, Sonny. I will try to be what you deserve.”

I absolutely loved the story and the narration. Even though this story and the characters pushed my boundaries and my limits, I was enthralled and know it will go into my rotation to listen again.

HIGHLY RECOMMENDED!

Excellent narrator!

What made the experience of listening to Racing for the Sun the most enjoyable?

The narrator. This is the first time I have listened to Nick Russo and it will not be the last.

Who was your favorite character and why?

Hai and Ace are probably my favorite characters. They both have huge hearts and are loyal through and through. They both save "puppies"

Which scene was your favorite?

When Sonny tells Ace about his past.... Maybe the attack to the base in the motor pool.

Any additional comments?

Great audio! Lane does it again, as usual.

One of my Favorite Lane stories

Since this book came out it has been 2nd only to Chase in Shadows as my favorite Amy Lane story. Nick J Russo has hit the mark with his narration of Ace and Sonny.

What will a man do for love? If that man is Jasper "Ace" Atchison he'll do what ever is needed.

Wonderful story, outstanding narration

What made the experience of listening to Racing for the Sun the most enjoyable?

This is a story where hard work, honesty, hope and love can overcome even the worst of nightmares. Amy Lane has become my favorite author of this genre and Nick Russo did an amazing job switching vocal intonations and accents with great aplomb. I hope Amy and Nick collaborate again in the near future!

What was one of the most memorable moments of Racing for the Sun?

When Sonny and Ace first meet.

Have you listened to any of Nick J. Russo’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Not yet, but I'm to look for other books he has narrated!

Was there a moment in the book that particularly moved you?

When Sonny met Ace's mother.

Any additional comments?

I would HIGHLY recommend this story to any devotee of m2m romance!

Hard to listen to, but so, so good

Sonny comes to the Army looking to escape a horrible nightmare of a life and almost finds more trouble than he can handle until Ace takes him under his wing. His “I’ll do anything” earns him a permanent place in Ace’s life and later in his heart.
After the Army, Ace builds Sonny his dream garage and when Sonny joins him the two work together – using drag racing to supplement their income – to carve out a life in the desert of southern California. Before they can find their HEA the two have to face some pretty hard-core parts of their pasts and it gets really rough before it gets good.
Amy Lane is not called the Queen of Angst for nothing. This book is filled with angst. At every turn. Beautiful, heart-wrenching angst, on the level with The Locker Room and Chase in Shadows. These two boys barely know how to communicate but they manage to find enough words to tear your heart out. They love each other so hard, it is sometimes painful, but so wondrous and sweet, too.
I love how the book opens in the desert in Afghanistan and then transitions to the desert of California. The hardships these boys face are similar, no matter the location. Ace is an amazing, soft-hearted, open-souled guy who manages to hang on to his sweetness despite being ignored by his family and being told living life as a gay man is almost not worth living at all. Sonny’s life really can’t get much tougher, yet he manages to survive, despite all odds, and still retain a part of him that just screams innocence and vulnerability that makes you want to wrap him in a quilt and feed him marshmallows all day. Ace needs to be needed and Sonny needs Ace.
In the end, they manage to slay the dragon and keep each other safe and the result is a story so touching you’ll need at least one full box of Kleenex to finish.
The narration by Nick J Russo is spot on perfect. His vaguely country twang for Ace is just how I imagined it in my head when I read the book. It made me think Ace was a real guy Amy met at a bar one day and this was the story she recorded for us, as the two shared some beers.
He does a great job with Sonny too, perfectly depicting him as an ADHD perfectionist full of neuroses but also full of heart.
Though his other characters are less believable – Mr Go-Bear could use some work- Jai is awesome and even Alba and Mrs Atchinson are well done.
I can’t recommend this enough – it is an amazing book and the audio version does it justice times ten.

A Heart Pounding Love Story

Would you listen to Racing for the Sun again? Why?

I love Amy Lane and she never disappoints me when I buy one of her books or audio books, and this one is NO EXCEPTION. In fact, I think this one has more pathos that any one I have read or listened to recently.

She manages to take ALMOST completely broken individuals and shows that through the power of LOVE lives can be changed. This story illustrates that perfectly. It also shows the extreme and dramatic steps one person will go to in order to keep those they love safe from harm.

Nick J. Russo has done a marvelous job of narration as well. I have heard quite a few of his narrations and he always does great. Together Amy and Nick make a good pair to get a story across and straight to your heart.

BE CAREFUL, do no listen to this if you do not want some tears slipping down your face during the performance.

Great job Amy and Nick! Can't wait until the next one.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Racing for the Sun?

Those tender moments when Ace kept reassuring Sonny that he would keep him forever and love him as long as he lived.

Which character – as performed by Nick J. Russo – was your favorite?

Nick did a great job on all of the characters, but I could feel the strong masculine strength as well as the tender vulnerability of Ace through his intonations.

If you could rename Racing for the Sun, what would you call it?

I think it is a perfect name.

Any additional comments?

Can't wait until this duo work together again and I get to enjoy the performance.

Worst Amy Lane Ever.

What disappointed you about Racing for the Sun?

Ridiculous plot development and very unlikable characters. Amy Lane is generally a good story teller but this time it was like she was working to develop a plot and nothing came organically.

Would you ever listen to anything by Amy Lane again?

Yes, I enjoyed several of her other works (including Keeping Promise Rock) so won't hold this one loser against her.

What three words best describe Nick J. Russo’s performance?

Stilted. Forced. Unnatural.

What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment?

Disappointment that such a good author would publish such a horrible book.

Any additional comments?

Do not waste your money, a credit, or your time. Quite possibly the worst Audible read of the 150 or so I have experienced.

Ace and Sonny make for an emotional story

I admit that I mainly got this since I'm reading/listening to Amy's Fish out of Water series, and these characters overlap and then cross over into the later books of that series. There was also a short story at the end of the 2nd Fish book that was narrated by Greg Tremblay that was my first introduction to Sonny, Ace, and Alba.

This book is about Sonny and Ace, how they met and then made a life together after their service in the military, how Ace bought Sonny a car garage, a home, a car to race with, and a family. These two young men are co-dependent on each other in a way (probably unhealthily - both of these guys need some counseling honestly), Ace would literally do anything for Sonny, and I think Sonny would too. Sonny has been through an unspeakable childhood and past, and Ace just wants to love him and care for him.

This book was narrated by Nick J Russo (who I admittedly haven't listened to very much). I thought that his narration of the dialogue was great - loved the accents for Ace and the Russian characters. I've said before with another review that I'm not a huge fan of him narrating the story parts, it just gets a bit monotonous or something for me. Same case here.

Looking forward to getting back to Jackson and Ellery and see how Sonny and Ace will be more involved. It was interesting to read some of what we know about characters from the Fish books in this book!

Enjoyable Story

The concept is interesting and well written. The characters are likeable and the narration is good.

Another fab book from Amy Lane

I hadn't planned on getting this book, but after Ace and Sonny had a cameo role in the Fish out of Water series I decided to give it a try. I highly recommend this book. The narration is great and I love the main characters.