Product Description

They met on the highway. It was the beginning of a ride they’d never forget… Texan Jude Rae Clark hit the road in his pride and joy, a jet black International big rig, searching for a new life after his divorce. Unfortunately the long, lonely hauls provided little comfort until just outside Houston on Interstate 10 a blue-eyed stranger asked for a lift. Yale Law School graduate, Logan Bleau, set out to explore America and escape his past by hitching his way across the country to San Francisco. Then he meets up with a handsome stranger in his eighteen-wheeler, a physical attraction blooms and the two men end up taking a detour. When what began as sexual exploration on the open road turns into something deeper, the pair find themselves reevaluating their lives and Jude is faced with a decision. Should he give up his career of cruising the highways or pass up on the love of a lifetime?

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #269241 in Books
• Published on: 2008-10-22
• Released on: 2008-10-22
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 244 pages

Customer Reviews

Driving Hard (Men in Motion 3) by G.A. Hauser
Third in the Men in Motion series, who better than a trucker could be one of the hero? Jude Rae is a Texan long hauler trucker. From a small town Texas, he is the proud owner of a 18 wheels new truck that he always parades in front of everyone. Jude is a good guy, and even if he is not in the closet, he doesn't see the reason to flaunt his sexuality since the trucker world seem not so accepting, especially in the deep south. In comparison to other male characters by G.A. Hauser, Jude is almost a perfect hero, tender, caring, respectful of the elders... the only time he was nasty is when he admits with himself to have been happy that his ex wife cheated on him, so she had the fault to ending their marriage, even if he long ago stopped to love her.

Logan is a 26 years old WASP mom's son... wealthy, spoilt and too much clever for his own good, after graduating from a prestigious law school, he has not reason to set an own life. He is wandering among the States searching for something he even knows what. Since he meets Jude. Even if Jude is a bit shy, he has the joy of life in him and he involves Logan. They spend a lot of time tip-toeing around each other since their gaydar seems not working well, but when they finally admit the mutual interesting, the sleeping quarter of the truck is too small to contain them.

Even if Logan is younger, he is more enthusiastic and wants to experiment a lot. He has had few partners in the past, but maybe he was freer to express his sexuality, and so he sweep off Jude with his euphoria. Jude only experiences with men are fast one night standings and he thought to be happy with that. But a relationship with Logan is not something he can hide, since the boy is too enthusiastic and "loudy", and not only in the voice meaning. If Jude wants to be with Logan, he not only needs to set down somewhere he also needs to fully embrace his sexuality and fully stepping out of the closet.

All in all Logan doesn't change much after meeting Jude. He is still a free spirit, and a spoilt brat, but Jude is too kindhearted to disappoint him: Logan only passes to be spoilt by his parents, to be spoilt by Jude.

This book is a bit of a change in the usual production from G.A. Hauser... the characters are not so "bad boy" like in the previous books. True, Logan is a brat, but all in all he is nice and friendly. Jude instead his a very good boy, the classical man your mommy would like for you to bring home...

Typical Hauser fare--not deep, but fun
Warning: This review might contain what some people consider SPOILERS.

Rating: 6/10

PROS:
- Good buildup to the characters' initial encounter. Much more tension than in the first two Men in Motion books, Mile High and Cruising. The struggles of the two men while they're each trying to figure out whether the other is gay are well examined.
- Sweet "meet the parents" scene. It didn't feel particularly realistic, but that didn't keep me from enjoying it and wishing that all parents could be so accepting when meeting their kids' chosen mates, especially when those mates aren't what the parents expect for their children.
- Less sex than the previous two books (I think). Actually, this might not really be the case, but the sex seemed less pervasive in this volume.
- Cross-setting interactions with the main characters from Mile High. I like it when authors create a world that transcends their individual stories' boundaries. (see cons below also)

CONS:
- The relationship moved too quickly for me. This seems to be a regular feature of Hauser's stories, but the romance seemed more rushed in this book than in others of her books I've read. Some people really do fall in love quickly, I know, but the characters in this book struggle so much with insecurity, uncertainty, etc. that I didn't find the ending believable.
- There's a lot of sexual tension between Logan and one of the characters from Mile High. It didn't bother me at first because I figured Hauser was setting the reader up for a play session between both couples, but that never happened. So I was left with a feeling of unease because my overactive imagination sensed nothing but trouble in the future resulting from those two men's physical attraction for each other.
- The Texan accents are taken a bit far at times. I was born in Texas and have lived here all my life (all over), and I've met very few people who have quite the drawl that Taylor and Jude seem to have. Example: "I'm thinkin' you're pretty interestin'." The majority of Texans I know don't cut the g off of -ing words at the END of sentences. (On the flip side, Jude's constant "yes, ma'am"s when talking to Logan's mom are dead on.)

Overall comments: A decent story, and fun if you've read Mile High and want to see more of Taylor and Owen. Not one of the best I've read in this genre, and certainly not for you if you're looking for an involved plot.

CONNECTIONS TO OTHER HAUSER WORKS:
* Mile High (not necessary to read Mile High first, but characters from that book make a significant appearance in this one)

Driving Hard
Cowboy trucker Jude Rae Clarke picks up hitchhiker Logan Bleau on his way to San Francisco. Logan is looking for a fresh start. He was burned by his lover and he wants to find something or someone new. He finds love with Jude, but Jude's life is on the road. He's not thinking of settling down. Driving from Texas to California, Logan and Jude find something special in each other's arms. Is Logan's love enough to keep his cowboy tied down?

Driving Hard is a love story about finding love when you least expect it. Logan and Jude's lives are drastically changed when they meet. The progression of their relationship is slow but steady. As their love grows, the sex gets kinkier. Logan brings some spice to Jude's life and Jude gives Logan the love he was craving. Jude and Logan are good guys and Driving Hard is a tender romance with lots of hot sex.

Nannette
Reviewed for Joyfully Reviewed