Synopsis

She’s a single mom, a devoted daughter, and an Indy 500 hopeful daring to dream in an exhilarating and emotional novel about family, ambition, and second chances. Mack Williams was the next big thing in motorsports. Until her wild ways forced her to leave racing in her rearview mirror. Ten years later, she’s a single mom in rural Indiana, with a struggling family business and a dad who needs full-time care. The fastest woman on four wheels now drives car pool, her dreams turned to dust. But Mack’s childhood idol, Janet Joyner, still sees the spark. Famed for breaking gender barriers on the track, Janet gives Mack a last-ditch chance to qualify for the coveted Indy 500. Mack thought her days of impulsive choices were over, but she can’t say no, whatever the risks―moving in with her estranged sister, facing down her daughter’s absentee father, and working with Mack’s new teammate, Leo. He’s gorgeous, supportive, and every kind of distraction Mack can’t afford. Juggling her personal life with a professional dream close within reach, Mack won’t let a second chance slip away again. Win or lose, the stakes have never been higher.

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Review

I’m not a racing fan, but this book intrigued me. However, I do know at least one racing fan, and I have already recommended the book to her.

Mack is a wild young woman, making waves in the racing world. Until she ends up pregnant and leaves that world behind, somewhat. A chance offer ten years later gives her the opportunity to fill that hole that was left behind after leaving racing. Will this be a new start, or will she crash and burn?

Mack is a tough woman who made a few bad choices, but ends up with a daughter who is the light of her life. She may still crave racing, but caring for her father and daughter is her top priority. That doesn’t mean she didn’t crave the opportunity when offered a chance to qualify for the Indy 500. However, will she make some of the same mistakes from her past regarding her lifestyle, or will she make better choices?

Mack was a character you love to hate. Primarily, the decisions she makes. Did she not learn anything ten years ago? Her internal battle with those decisions weighs on her, and I think many of us could recognize that we are fighting the same battles.

I enjoyed the bits of information, framed as emails and new articles, that provided a history of women in racing. It is a sport that does not see many women participants, but there have been a few.

This was a surprising read for me, and I’m glad I gave it a chance.

We give it 5 paws up.

About the Author

Kate Clark Stone is the author of The Last Sunday in May, forthcoming from Lake Union Press on April 21, 2026. Her fiction features strong and vulnerable heroines, a lot of heart, and endless love for flyover states. Kate attended her first Indianapolis 500 at six years old and wrote her first book at eleven. A former attorney, she relishes watching fast cars, swimming and paddling sports, the Oxford comma, and traveling here/there/everywhere. Kate lives in southeastern Tennessee with her husband, children, and two very good dogs. While she has lived in the South for decades, she is and will forever be a Hoosier at heart.

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