Hell on Wheels by Z.A. Maxfield

Nash is the reliable one in the Holly family, the guy everyone counts on to keep things going. His genius twin brother is off at university, so Nash runs the family’s auto repair business and cares for his partially-paralyzed little sister while his crackpot father invents. His life seems mapped out for the foreseeable future, however much that might chafe.

So when Wolf’s Landing actor Spencer Kepler-Constantine lands in his life, Nash is ready for a diversion. Spencer is in the middle of a very painful, very public divorce and isn’t ready for a relationship—not that Nash wants one. But they both need a friend, especially one with benefits.

As they grow closer, Nash starts to see his family in a whole new light. Do they really need him so badly? Or does he simply need to be needed? Then Spencer’s ex reappears with a grand romantic gesture, and Nash has to figure out what he wants—and how to get it—before Spencer’s gone for good.

Book 3
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
ARe  ~  B&N  ~  iTunes  ~  Kobo
Riptide Publishing

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
Nash and Spencer meet in a chance encounter on the side of the road on a dark night. Nash is a completely loveable character. He is fun, hardworking, and loyal to his family. He is their rock. Spencer is charming, laid back, considerate, and a good guy. He is a cast member of Wolf's Landing and he is going through a very messy and public divorce after his husband knock up an actress.

Our couple spends a few weeks being friends and lovers, having a few fun dates, including a great one at a fun park, before Spencer wraps up filming. Nash and Spencer's lives are both changing and they are learning important things about themselves.

This is a story about finding love even when you aren't looking for it. It is an uplifting romance and it left me feeling happy, and I even cried happy tears.


Erica – ☆☆☆☆☆
What a deliciously angsty treat...

Hell on Wheels is the third installment of the Bluewater Bay series. I can attest to the fact that this can be read as a standalone, or completely out of order within the series. I've been reading from both ends – the newest releases, while starting at the beginning to catch up. Also, the installments are written by different authors.

Yet again, I decided to take a walk on the wild side by going in blind – I didn't read the blurb, nor did I check out to see who authored the title. I was hooked from the get-go, and wasn't surprised in the least to find out it was written by Z.A. Maxfield, an author whose titles I look forward to reading.

Nash is a family man – the one who stays in his hometown to take care of his widowed father and disabled sister, while his twin excels at higher academia. Content, Nash is the backbone of the family, taking care of the family business while helping his loved ones reach for their dreams. The only problem, no one helps Nash reach for his dreams, dreams he doesn't even entertain.

Out for a ride in the fog, Nash comes upon a broken down car on the side of the road. Going with the flow, he's used to the baseball cap and sunglasses routine by the roaming celebrities of Wolf's Landing. Sparks ignite, and the angst begins.

Spencer is wounded with some serious ex-husband-to-be baggage, after being manipulated and used and abused by his ex and the industry of his craft. As an actor in a hit TV series, he's more down-to-earth than most celebrities, wanting a quiet home life without the flash of cameras invading his privacy. But he's torn with whom and what he wants out of life.

Nash and Spencer had a ton of banterific playfulness, chemistry and tension, and scorching heat between them. It's fast on lust, a gradual build on friendship, and a slow-burn on the romance.

The side characters were equally darling to read – the father was hilarious, the sister the usual teenage angst (which makes an adult reader shake their head while simultaneously wanting to shake the child) but she's also disabled. Spencer's PA and bodyguard were intriguing characters, and I'm curious if we ever hear their stories.

Overall, this was an amazing addition to the Bluewater Bay series, one I feverishly read, entertaining me until the wee hours of the morning. I look forward to both more in the series and more by this author.

Z.A. Maxfield is a fifth-generation native of Los Angeles, although she now lives in the O.C. She started writing in 2007 on a dare from her children and never looked back. Pathologically disorganized and perennially optimistic, she writes as much as she can, reads as much as she dares, and enjoys her time with family and friends. If anyone asks her how a wife and mother of four manages to find time for a writing career, she’ll answer, “It’s amazing what you can do if you completely give up housework.”

Connect with Z.A.

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Hell on Wheels (Bluewater Bay #3) by Z.A. Maxfield to read and review.