This was my first book by Sharon Peterson, but I'm already planning on buying her previous two novels. Something about her writing style just clicked with me, and I loved Ali and Theo so much.
At times I was a little jarred because the pranks were a little annoying - but that's just my personal feelings and the author can't help that! It was heartwarming and sweet and I was giggling and kicking my feet whenever the pair were with each other.

I should have known my mom would go totally overboard packing for my brother’s big day. But much like my last break-up, I’d been optimistic (in denial) that it would all work out for me. Now, I can’t fit into the car. “Don’t worry,” my brother says, “I asked Theo to give you a ride.” I flush all over and almost drop my phone. This is a BIG problem. With his neatly trimmed stubble, fierce protectiveness and an affinity for plaid shirts rivaled only by his love of hiking, I’ve always had a crush on Theo. As a teenager, I’d even declared my feelings in a tragically bad poem. The rejection almost ended our friendship, and I’ll be taking that crippling embarrassment to my grave.

He’s the last person I want to be alone with on a six-day road trip; especially since I swore off men after my last relationship went up in flames. It would be a terrible idea anyway; he only sees me as his best friend’s little sister. But as we fight over the playlist and are forced to share a night together when his car dies, it’s not distance that makes my heart grow fonder, it’s close proximity. Two thousand miles of flirting has my heart racing in the fast lane.

This book was hilarious and had me in stitches. 🤣🤣 Ali and Theo are perfectly adorable, their chemistry was so much fun. I love the forced proximity trope, and this one was done so well! Absolutely loved this!

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Sharon Peterson did it again. I enjoyed The Fake Out and The Fast Lane did not disappoint. Ali was hilarious! And Mack, I think he was my favorite character and he was just a side character. Theo was a perfect book boyfriend kind of guy. On a road trip across the country for a wedding, Ali and Theo combust. Ali has had a crush on Theo for ever. He is like a family member and her brothers best friend. Along the way they encounter many hilarious situations. Annoying and over bearing family members, a broken car, a nudist camp, am awesome grandpa Mack and his dog Karen, and reuniting with a brother who left 11 years ago. Does Theo feel the same way as Ali? Everyone thinks they belong together and will eventually marry! This story had me laughing and even sometimes crying. You truly don't want to miss out!

Sharon M. Peterson is the queen of closed door, but still sexy romance!

Ali has been on her self-imposed Love Sabbatical for about a year, ever since her ex dumped her. But her brother’s best friend Theo has been around more recently, and she was so in love with him as a teenager. And maybe she still is. So when it’s time for Ali and Theo to road trip across the country to her brother’s wedding, she vowed to keep her crush under wraps, but Theo’s making it pretty tough.

Ali is all I want in a heroine, she’s feisty and smart, but also has immense vulnerability, and Theo is a great foil to her. He’s steady and sweet. Their connection is so apparent immediately that it feels unbelievable that they don’t recognize how the other is feeling.

The Fast Lane is my second trip through Two Harts, Texas and I loved it just as much as the first time! This go around Ali is the FMC and if you read The Fake Out you will remember Ali is a fan of getting even in extremely creative ways. I am excited to announce this is a road trip romance, which is one of my all time favorites because you never can guess what they will run into (*cough* nudist resort *cough*). And it is also a brothers’ best friend romance, so get ready to listen to Ali gush about her longtime crush Theo from the very start. Not that you can blame her because he definitely treats her well. I highly recommend you check out The Fast Lane which comes out June 19th, and while you are waiting you can read The Fake Out and The Do-Over which are also 5 stars reads!

Thank you Sharon M. Peterson (@stone4031) and @netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book!

Sharon M. Peterson is quickly becoming an auto-buy author for me. Absolutely loved her debut novel, The Do-Over, and might love this one even more!

Childhood friends. Road trip. Big, nosy family. Great storyline with a lot of laughs, witty banter, and the occasional prank.

Also had epilepsy representation by the FMC, which I’ve never read in a romcom before.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for The Fast Lane to come out June 19, 2024!

The Fast Lane by Sharon M Peterson
"Love was complicated, even back then. Love was also stupid, nonsensical, illogical, and downright exhausting. Which is why I was on a Love Sabbatical."
Ali has been head over heels in LOVE with Theo since she was a teenager. The problem: Theo is her brother's best friend!! After a love confession gone wrong (like really wrong) she is determined to put the past in the past and be friends. Theo has never looked at her as anything but a little sister. As fate would have it she now has to travel with Theo to his brothers wedding and lets just say Ali can't trust herself to see things clearly. One wedding. One road trip. One last shot at love.

One shot at a life worth living. I loved how delightful the story was. It has all the aspects needed for a "true" love story. Ali's growth, her abilities, and worries about her future made this story come alive. A quick read as I devoured this in one day! I encourage all to pick up your own copy and join the journey.

I received an eArc from NetGalley for my honest review.

The Fast Lane had me laughing throughout. I liked Ali and Theo and I thought their chemistry and the depth of their friendship was wonderful to read.

I enjoyed the little subplots leading up to the wedding along the car drive there. It broke up what could have been a dull plot and kept it fresh and interesting.

A low angst, low steam romance that kept me laughing.

The Fast Lane - ARC Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
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WHAT I LIKED:
-The Epilepsy Rep - Very well done
-Ali’s Pranks of Justice
-Theo’s Flirting - swoony and sweet!
-Mack: Such a fun side character!
-The Humor: Sharon’s humor is just so good!
-Cute Epilogue: Theo remembering Ali’s ideal wedding and pulling it off was the sweetest!
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WHAT I DIDN’T LIKE:
-Drama Twists: The amount of dramatic twists/secrets revealed in this one felt a little too hard to roll with and believe. Examples: Ali’s secret niece, Theo’s secret brother, Theo secretly writing pirate romance, Alli secretly being the one who caused the driving accident, car breaking down and ending up at a nudist retreat center. So many secrets and dramatic reveals!
-Scattered Plot: With so many twists, lots of stops and side destinations on the road trip, and a large number of characters, the overall plot of this one felt like it bounced all over the place.
-Character Development: While Theo was developed pretty well, I felt like Ali could have used a bit more development. She seemed very defined by her epilepsy and being a prankster. While I enjoyed the epilepsy rep, that’s obviously not the only thing that defines a person. Would have liked to know a little more about some of her dreams, hobbies, favorites, etc. to make her character a bit more full.
.
Thank you @netgalley for my eARC copy. I was given this eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own

3.3⭐️

Ali tiene un enamoramiento por el mejor amigo de su hermano desde que es una niña, a los 16 se atrevió a confesarle sus sentimientos, el la rechazo y le dijo que sólo la veía como su amiga. Después de esa penosa escena decide que es tiempo de dejarlo ir y aunque sigue teniendo sentimientos por él, avanza y tiene novios.
Una década después Ali y Theo son amigos, y para la boda del hermano les pide que vayan a buscar a alguien, entonces ellos tienen que hacer un viaje por carretera y ella descubrirá que Theo tal vez no la vea sólo como amiga.

Me hubiera gustado tener algunos povs de Theo (el epílogo no cuenta) para poder ver más a fondo sus sentimientos por ella.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I absoutely loved this book! When I saw Sharon Peterson annouce she was publishing another book set in the same unvirse as the Fake Out, I was so excited. I loved the Fake Out and could not wait to see what Peterson did next, and she did not disappoint.

This has everything I could ask for in a romance novel. Alicia and Theo were such realistic characters, it had me feeling jealous that I was not on a shenanigan filled road trip with a hot guy who was in love with me. It was so easy to imagine them as real people, it really helped bring the story to life. I was swooning, I was laughing, I even teared up at the end. I could not have had a better time reading this book!

I absolutely will be making my friends read it once it's published!

This is the second book I've read by Sharon, and I absolutely loved it as much as the first one! There was a slow burn which isn't usually my favorite, but this one...*chef's kiss*. Both of the MC's were lovely, and I was rooting for them throughout the entire story. While it wouldn't be a romance book without a third act conflict/break-up, I think Sharon did a great job with not making it over the top, and the resolution was perfect.

Also...the epilogue had me ALL up in my feelings! It was literally the cutest thing ever, and while I would kill my husband if he ever did something like that, it was PERFECT for the FMC, and I was so giddy reading it.

Seriously, I cannot recommend this book enough - this needs to be on everyone's TBR list!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and Sharon for giving me the chance to read this ARC in exchange for my honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

I absolutely adored this book and it will be one that I will reread when I’m in need of a feel good, relatable read. This story hit all the buttons for me. Take a road trip with your former high school crush…..✅……Theo and Ali grew up as neighbors nd he was her brother’s best friend. She went so far as to declare her love for him in high school but was soon embarrassed when he did not respond the same. As they make the drive from Texas to Oregon they stop and somehow end up with several other family members who help make this road trip one to remember. Ali’s granddad is a hoot as is his dog, Karen. The cute one-liners made me want to read this book so slowly so as not to devour it in one sitting. This story does deal with real life family issues, which made this all the more familiar. I can’t wait to see where this author takes us next in her books.

Going on a road trip! There were surprises upon surprises!

Ali has been in love with her brother’s best friend Theo since she was fourteen and even confessed at some point. Ali has tried to tame her feelings over the years.

Her older brother Cal is getting married in another state. Theo ends up being the one who gives Ali a ride. It’s all going to be fine right? Keep to the status quo! Except for the fact Theo keeps reminding Ali that she’s not his sister, or his flirty moments. Along with some meddling family members comments, Ali and Theo have a lot of talking to do!

This book was funny and heartwarming.

Peterson does it again! This book was so sweet and charming. Everything about Theo's and Ali's relationship made me feel so melty and overwhelmed by how clearly they were in love with each other. Any romance novel reader with a desire for sweetness, a sense of destiny, and two people so clearly in love with each other will love this book.

In a delightful twist of fate, Alicia finds herself in need of transportation to her brother's wedding, and her brother suggests his best friend, Theo, as her chauffeur.

Despite harboring feelings for Theo for quite some time and enduring a previous rejection, Alicia reluctantly agrees to the journey. As they embark on their road trip, navigating through shared playlists, unexpected car troubles, and the close confines of the vehicle, their flirtatious banter reaches new heights, leaving Alicia to ponder whether Theo might reciprocate her affections.

Allow me to introduce you to "The Fast Lane" by Sharon M. Peterson. This romantic comedy proved to be a comforting embrace on a chilly day, leaving me with a warm, fuzzy feeling inside. I found myself irresistibly drawn into the narrative, devouring it in just a few sittings.

The book had me in stitches with its humor and sighing over its tender moments. I simply couldn't tear myself away, even sacrificing sleep to indulge in late-night binge-reading sessions. It expertly balanced the light-hearted with the emotional, delivering scenes that elicited both laughter and tears.

In summary, "The Fast Lane" was an absolute joy to experience. It left me thoroughly satisfied and eagerly anticipating my next foray into the world of romantic comedy.

Many thanks to The Publisher Bookouture, Sharon M. Peterson, and NetGalley for providing me with an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Title: The Fast Lane by Sharon M. Peterson
Release Date: June, 19th, 2024

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Stars

In this hilarious friends-to-lovers, brother’s best friend romantic comedy, Alicia finds herself in a sticky situation when she needs a ride to her brother’s wedding and her brother nominates his best friend, Theo.

Despite a long-standing crush on Theo and a past rejection, she reluctantly agrees to the road trip. As they navigate shared playlists, car troubles, and close quarters, their flirtation intensifies, leading to questions about whether Theo shares her feelings.


So, let me tell you about "The Fast Lane" by Sharon M. Peterson. This romcom was like a warm hug on a chilly day, leaving me feeling all fuzzy inside. I couldn't resist diving into the story, and before I knew it, I was finishing it in just a couple of sittings.

This book had me laughing out loud and swooning over the sweet moments. I couldn't put it down, even staying up late into the night just to binge-read it. It struck the perfect balance between fun and emotional, with some tear-jerking moments that really got to me.

Overall, "The Fast Lane" was an absolute delight to read. It left me feeling thoroughly satisfied and already looking forward to my next romcom adventure!


Thank you to The Publisher Bookouture ,Sharon M. Peterson & NetGalley for an advanced reader copy (ARC) in exchange for my honest review.

Wonderful rom-com with lovely characters. I love a fake-dating & one-bed trope & this was the best one I've read in a LONG time. Truly could not put this down & wanted more. I LOVE THAT THERE WAS NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP OMG BLESS YOU