From the Outside

Roberto Castillo has dominated Indy car racing for years; now he wants to make his mark in NASCAR. But Roberto's playboy image doesn't suit his new sponsors. NASCAR's a family-friendly sport, and it doesn't seem to matter that he's left his bad habits behind. The world sees what it expects to see. Roberto's agent arranges some appearances on the soap opera Racing Hearts ... and a fake romance with the show's star, Mallory Dalton. Mallory's known as America's sweetheart. If the public thinks she's tamed the bad boy, maybe they'll forgive his tabloid past. Good girl Mallory has her own reasons for going along with the stunt. She wants to stretch her wings as an actress, and that sweetheart image is only getting in the way. A brief romance with the Argentinian bad boy--even a fake one--is just what she needs to make the world start thinking of her in a whole new way. But Mallory finds a sizzling chemistry with her new leading man. He's not the arrogant playboy she expected. When a long-kept secret is revealed, her world is turned upside-down. Can she rely on Roberto to help her find the way home? Author Brenna has fun with this delightful story, but deeper themes abound. On the surface, Mallory and Roberto are polar opposites. Underneath, however, the similarities run deep. Family secrets and early success have prevented both Mallory and Roberto from finding their true selves; love is the force that draws them forward. Brenna gives us a convincing portrait of a bad boy hero and a small-town girl who learn to trust their hearts.