Reviewed by Sadonna
TITLE: Last Mechanic Standing
SERIES: Wrench Wars
AUTHOR: L.A. Witt
NARRATOR: Nick Russo
PUBLISHER: Author’s Republic
LENGTH: 2 hours and 39 minutes
RELEASE DATE: October 28, 2019
BLURB:
Everyone at Jim Irving’s garage is gung ho about Wrench Wars, a new reality show featuring mechanics. Everyone, that is, except talented mechanic Chandler Scott, the sole employee who has refused to sign the contract. The rest of the mechanics are pressuring him, too, because without Chandler—and his volatile interactions with his boss—no one’s getting on the show.
His one ally is Jim’s son, Mark, who’s stuck working for his dad until he pays down his student loans or finds better work elsewhere—and who’s been Chandler’s secret lover for a while.
Then a playful tryst in the garage blows up in their faces, giving the network ammo to blackmail Chandler by threatening to out Mark to his father. Now Chandler is backed into a corner, and Mark needs to decide how far he’s willing to go to protect the man who’s been sharing his bed…and may have stolen his heart.
REVIEW:
Chandler works in a garage that has been selected to take part in a competition reality show with two other garages. Jim, the owner of the garage is a homophobic bully. His son Mark works for him and lives at home under crushing student debt. Chandler and Mark have been in a relationship for years on the DL given Jim’s attitude. Jim and Chandler regularly get into it and Chandler has no desire to be on a reality show. He refuses to sign the contract with the network. The rest of the garage crew is pissed at Chandler because he’s the real drawn for drama with Jim.
As the deadline looms, Chandler and Mark continue to meet in secret, but it seems there is a rat in the shop. When Chandler is blackmailed into signing to protect Mark, the show goes forward. Chandler is behind the 8-ball but he refuses to let Mark be outed to Jim while he’s still got so many financial obligations. He figures it won’t be forever and he can suck it up for Mark’s sake. But when the producers continue to try to stir up trouble and manufacture drama between Jim and Chandler, Chandler refuses to rise to the bait. But it’s taking a toll on him and he’s exhausted. Mark hates seeing him like this, but Chandler will not budge. Mark is wracked with guilt about Chandler doing this for him. Neither is sure how much more they can take.
This is a short and hot story kicking of the Wrench Wars series. Chandler and Mark have a good relationship. They were friends before, but since Mark has returned from college, they have been friends with benefits – but maybe a little more. The pressure they experience dealing with Jim and the TV show push them to figure out what they really are to each other. They’ve hidden their relationship by necessity because of Mark’s financial situation and Chandler’s job at Jim’s garage. Also they are in a very small conservative town and they don’t have a lot of options. They do have some close friends who help them and maybe things will all work out for the best 😉 I’ve read some of the other books in this series, and I recommend them for a short, quick, hot story with a happy ending.
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