Derby is the roughest and the toughest demo pilot on the Valerian space station. She will win no matter what or who gets in her way. When her boss starts making hints that maybe it’s time to put up the helmet she laughs them off. Until she meets his new ‘star’, Kai Tagawa-Dupray. An evening after drinking to excess and the following embarrassing incident near a vending machine makes his identity that much harder to swallow. She lusts after his body, but cannot stand the fact that her boss, Salazar, is trying to squeeze her out of the races with a newbie. Is she too old to keep racing? What can she do with herself after the races, having raced for almost twenty years; she doesn’t know anything else.

Kai has been the penultimate racer in the Azura for years and now he’s been shuttled off to this backwards station to race against a motley crew. He’s vowed never to become close to anyone again and doesn’t trust the feelings that Derby arouses in him. Even though they find satisfaction in each others arms off the track, they fight like rabid dogs on it. Can two people with such huge trust issues team up in any way at all?

Demo Derby was a huge step away from the norm. A futuristic demolition derby track is the backdrop in this hot and steamy affair. Kai and Derby both have gigantic issues to deal with. Nathalie Gray does a fabulous job of painting a world of gritty reality and hard knocks. The relationship between Kai and Derby was a bit rough, but she was able to end the book very well. I enjoyed the shady dealings that made the demo derby that much more exciting. The subplot of sabotage and secrets really made this story read quickly. I found myself caught up in the story quite a few times.


Reviewed by: Serena