Grease Monkey

Not Suitable For Work #1

by Vari Scott

I want a second chance at winning his heart… He wants a second chance at breaking mine.

Morgana
I should never have fallen for the playboy next door, but even after seven years my heart still beats for Teddy Grant.
The ring on my finger says otherwise.
When fate throws us together again, I can tell Teddy despises me and the family-approved fiancé I’m bound to. I don’t blame him—after all, how was he to know why I had to give him up?
Now the eyes that once shone bright for me burn with a hatred so fierce, I wilt under its intensity.
But his blazing fury is about to rekindle a passion I’ve never been able to resist...

Teddy
She’s here. In my city, at my work, making me feel things I long thought were dead and buried.
The one that got away.
But even with that shiny rock on her finger, I know Morgana’s still mine. I know every flush of her skin and bite of that perfect lip is for me. She craves me, the way I still crave her.
And I hate it.
When Morgana broke me, the man she left in her wake is no longer the boy she said she loved.
She made a mistake by coming here. One I’m going to relish. After all, what’s a few more mistakes between exes?

Grease Monkey is a steamy second chance romance and the first book in the Not Safe For Work series by Vari Scott. These stories are interconnected standalones that are best read in order and feature a guaranteed HEA.
Refer to front matter for trigger warnings.

Genres: Second Chance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Second Chance Romance, M M Romance

422 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 22, 2023

About the author

Vari Scott is a British author of indecently decent romance. When she's not writing spicy stories with dirty talking men and sassy ladies, while her two pugs snooze under her table, she is reading them instead.

Reviews

[Alicia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was hoping to really like this one. But of course I didnt for the reason that the MMC was basically screwing anything that walked. Before and after he and the FMC met. I just cant get over that, its one thing to have a girlfriend or some girls after you break up but I mean he had a reputation and was the towns prized bachelor. No thanks not for me, might be for others but I just cant stand always reading about this!!!! Makes me so mad. ANDDDDD Morgana walked in on Teddy with two different women at two different times, and then basically wanted to hook up with him right after?? COME ONNNN really? No thanks,

Sorry but this book was just not for me....⭐️⭐️✨

[_book_topia_ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars ~ Gotta say, I bloody loved it.

There’s something about a guy that is a complete f*ckboy until he meets ‘the one’. You know the type, has sex with anything that’s willing, doesn’t want to be tied down, has a filthy mouth and mind. Teddy Grant is that guy. The moment I met him I knew instantly he was going to be a knockout, and that he was! His journey in the book played out fantastically. From player, to swoony sweetheart, to bitter bastard and then protective, possessive prince. Teddy tucked every goddam box. I loved the way he became petty and unforgiving in the second part, and actually felt like I wanted a bit more of that Teddy. He gave in way too easily!!

Now when it comes to Ana, I’m in two minds. On one hand I loved her in the first half of the book. She was young and naive, and I loved the way Teddy coaxed her out of her shell and helped her become the person she wanted to be. But, the second half? God I wanted to slap her silly. She was pathetic and so self absorbed. And if I’m honest, Teddy deserved better. There I said it. Teddy Grant deserved better than Morgana Adler. She was also a really bad friend to Shay, ditching her all the time. It grated on me to say the least. Especially when her girl came to have her back in her hour if need. What does she do? Leaves her alone at a bar, and asks her to stay elsewhere so she can get laid. I was not okay with his Ana treated Shay at all.

The only thing that I didn’t like was Richard. He started off as the villain and it was great, but then he was turns into an understanding guy who was just acting out. I feel that he should have either been one or the other, and I really didn’t like the direction the story went with him. But that’s just a me thing.

The story kept me hooked, it’s your typical poor boy / rich girl with disapproving parents story. But it had a lot more heart.

The side characters were great. I wanted to know exactly why Skip left and what’s his story since moving to Nee York? I also found it refreshing that he sided with who he did. Shay was a hoot and deserved a better friend than she got with Ana. And Ozzy…let’s just say I need his story in my life pronto!!

I didn’t think the next book would be about who it is about, so colour me intrigued …

[♡Gabi♡ [life & work is chaotic hiatus] · Rating 4 out of 5]

a cute, angsty, spicy, second chance romance between teddy and morgana!

she’s the rich, innocent, naive girl. teddy is the bad boy, play boy, mechanic, but has always been smitten with morgana. they finally give in to their feelings with one another her last few months of high-school and thus begins a whirlwind romance.

the problem is morgana’s mom is a bitch from hell, married to the soon to be attorney general, and won’t have her daughter dating “beneath her” bc to her, they are in a different caliber of status and class, etc., and she can’t possibly allow her daughter to love who she truly wants, so she forces morgana to break up with teddy. 💔

fast forward 7 years later, teddy is in phoenix—running his own auto shop—when morgana is sent there for work and ofc her car breaks down and who ends up being the one to fix her car?? why ofc the local, heartless, play boy teddy who has a mean streak a mile long and loathes morgana for breaking his heart all those years ago.

as the saying goes, “there’s a thin line between love and hate” and man were they treading that line once they were back in the same city again, in each others orbit. they were combustible together and had a lot to work through, but once they did sparks flew between them and their love reignited!🫶🏼🥹

overall, had an enjoyable time reading this and I was so happy to see teddy and morgana finally become a united front against morgana’s evil mom and getting their happily ever after. 💞

[Stephanie~ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have conflicted feelings about this one 🧐 while it kept me awake at night, the fact that there were at least 3 different scenes of the H with ow took so much meaning away from the love between the mcs, yes they weren’t together when those happened, but I find it so unnecessary to write detailed sex scenes in a book where the main focus is to get the h and H together 🙄 that’s why it’s a romance book for Christ’s sake, there’s nothing romantic in reading the mcs with other people.🤣🤣

[Juli Bauer Roth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I freaking loved it. The idea of falling so hard for someone and they fall just as hard back…then coming back together later on to fall in love all over again - my romantic heart sings for this. I loved it. I love the authors writing style, loved the characters, and loved sex scenes. Could I have used more? Yes. Always down for more. But if you love sweet romantic scenes paired with some dirty mouths - this is for you.

[Jess · Rating 1 out of 5]

If my brother sided with my ex-boyfriend during our breakup to the extent that he stopped speaking to me for seven years (and I don’t care how messy it is unless I’m severely psycho for some reason), I would literally never just forgive him in two seconds- especially if he knew that I was in a crazy, horrible household which he just abandoned.
And the guy- can’t remember his name (Teddy??)- literally gets so mad at Ana after she tells him the reason behind their breakup? Even though she was literally eighteen (my age) and trapped? Like she sacrificed so much for him and he doesn’t really seem to care???
Morgana deserves better.

[Ana Rita · Rating 2 out of 5]

2,5/5⭐️

He was an asshole, she was insufferable. The whole book was cliché, what a waste of time.

[annasbook nookk · Rating 5 out of 5]

When Varis drops a book, im ready. Her first two books were so good. Grease Monkey surpasses that.
I loved how Vari wrote the book in two parts. Equal amounts of goodness turned into a beautiful story.

Teddy and Morgana lived next door to each other when they were younger. The way the world is built and reading of their blossoming relationship was heartwarming until it wasn't. Damn, near ripped my heart out.
Then years down the line, them bumping into each other again. The second chance trope hit me in the feels, poor Teddy got put through the wringer throughout, and my heart hurt for him.

The fact that Vari can go from writing dark romance to contemporary romance with such brilliance makes me think she's going to go far.
Now hurry up with the rest of the series. I need more.

[Rachel · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 45%

I’m not sure why I pushed myself to read this. There was a disclaimer saying the author was Scottish and to forgive her for putting any anachronisms in as this was set in the US. Sorry, but that’s a shit excuse for not doing your research into the place setting for your novel! We don’t carry satchels or have forecourts, for example.

We also don’t leave successful businesses in AZ to randomly move to CT and then suddenly also have a super successful auto shop in just 3 months time. Unfortunately my real life business is in the auto repair industry so I’m overly familiar with the logistics involved to find any of it plausible.

We also don’t randomly move into neighborhoods where neighbors are socialites and politicians when you own an auto shop. Maybe this is explained later in the book but I didn’t have the patience.

Other than all of that very wrong stuff, it was also written so over the top with the villainry of the mom and the absent dad. I’ve read too many GOOD books with this plot to waste time on this garbage, unfortunately.

[Rombookfanlove · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a great read with lots of giggly moments, tons of spice, and then a good dose of angst.

I was really grinning and laughing even from the start, especially at the garage scene. Dead 😆. And so many moments just after that…embarrassing but hilarious! It just cemented how much I wanted Teddy and Morgana (Ana) to be together. I spent at least the first 15% of the book grinning and chuckling to myself while I was reading in a cafe, probably looking like a goof. Teddy is so cheeky and Ana’s shy curiosity meshes with that too well - so amusing!

Teddy and his dad also had me laughing and I love their relationship in this and between his parents too. I read Fly Boy as an ARC first (3rd in this interconnected standalone series), so I saw his parents in that one first but it’s fun to see them a bit more in this.

For pretty close to the first half of the book, I just spent falling in love with Teddy and Ana in their youth together, but part of me was also internally waiting for the other shoe to drop since from the blurb I knew something happened between these lovely young adult blooming-love years to the current time as more grown adults. So, while it was all lovely and giggly and cute..I knew a heartbreak was coming.

Ana’s mom is a real hag bish.

Teddy…he’s definitely ‘playboy womaniser except for her’ to a T. At some points I kind of had to disconnect from grown Teddy and his behaviour a bit and just wait until he and Ana are a thing again.

As the blurb indicates, when they meet again Morgana is engaged - not to Teddy. Their relationship develops despite this, so there is cheating though not on each other and this was a little struggle for me. It’s not a complete no for me which is why I decided to read the book anyway, but it does make it a little difficult to swallow initially though the discomfort didn’t last too long thankfully and I think the situation resolved well. I know this can be a hard limit for some, however.

Oh this book made me cry more than Fly Boy. I was SO sad for them and what they’ve lost, sad for Ana personally too. But you do get their HEA, both as a couple and for Ana, and it feels good.

Lovely book, definite recommend, 4/5 ⭐️

[This_mum_reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

*one of my top reads of 2023*

“I’m miserable without you Ana. Every girl was compared to you. Every. Damn. Time. None of them ever came close. And they still don’t”

Tropes
Lovers - enemies - lovers
Second chance
Cheating (WITH not on)

Wow. The love and adoration I have for Teddy and Ana. This book! @variscottwrites you’ve smashed it with this one. It’s perfection

What I loved about this story is that you start with their love story when they were young. You fall deeply in love with the characters and their love story and your heart is broken along with them when they are forced apart. Part 2 of the book has them coming across each other by chance 7 years later (and Ana is engaged to the worst fiancé) and you are just willing for them to get together again.

This book has the perfect amount of spice, swoon, banter and angst. Seriously one of the best second chance romances I’ve ever read. Teddy Grant I fell for you from page 1 and I can’t wait for the rest of the not suitable for work series to read more about your brothers . Also shout out to Morgana- although I wanted to give you a shake at times i understood you and I loved you. I also loved that we finally have an accountant that isn’t a geek in a book (can you guess my job 😜)

This is the definition of a 5 star read and if you are to take one recommendation from me take this one.

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Grease Monkey* by Vari Scott
Not Suitable For Work Book 1

Spice Level: 🌶🌶🌶🌶
About 14 scenes that are nice and spicy! Morgana is very inexperienced when she and Teddy first get together. But she is open and wants to learn, and he is the perfect teacher.

One of you recommended a book in this series, and being the crazy person I am, I had to read the entire series first. I knew from the very first few pages I was going to love it, and it didn’t disappoint!

Morgana and Teddy live next door to each other. He’s a few years older and hoping to eventually open his own car shop. She’s the daughter of a politician and has been groomed to ‘know her place’ and ‘sit and look pretty’. The chemistry between these two sizzles off the page, and eventually they start dating in secret. However, her mom finds out and forbids them from being together, threatening to destroy his family if she finds out they still are. So Ana breaks up with him, and he moves away.

7 years later, and she’s now in his town for a 4-month work assignment. It’s a small town, so it’s only a matter of time before they run into each other. None of that passion from 7 years ago is gone. It still burns hot and fast. Except now Ana is engaged, which makes things slightly more complicated.

The spice is nice and hot, and we get so many great scenes! It’s nothing too crazy, though, but I really enjoyed it!


Want to know where all the spice takes place?
Find me on Instagram Whereisthespice

[Samantha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Im gonna start with - this was easily one of my favourite reads already this year! I knew id love this because Im a sucker for a dirty mechanic, having grown up in a garage surrounded by them myself but this blew me away!! Vari’s writing hooked me from the start. The spice hits straight away as we’re given a glimpse of Teddy. But its his green eyed neighbour, Ana Banana, with the wild head of blonde curls that changes everything. Every emotion that either of them felt was written beautifully. (Goosebumps writing this). They fall in love slowly and naturally. It was beautiful to read. Nothing felt rushed. But then, as you’re falling with them, the carpet is ripped out from underneath you/them…and boy the landing hurt!
Years later and the attraction and pull these two have is just as strong as before when theyre in the same place once again. The tension, the chemistry. God. I couldnt put this down. I devoured it and didnt want it to end.
This played like a movie in my head, I could imagine the scenes, the side characters, the smells.
Teddy made the book boyfriend list from page 1. I am gone for that boy!

This is a must read!

[Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

The emotions in this book!! It’s incredible.

I fell in love with Teddy and Morgana and watching their relationship start and grow and then… my heart absolutely broke for them, was crushed into a million pieces broke.
When they find each other years later, can they really move on from their past.

I was so invested in this couple and couldn’t put the book down until I knew how things would turn out. I laughed with them, cried for them. They had such a connection.
There was tension, angst, spice, everything.
Teddy Grant is perfection and I fell hard for him and I adored his dirty mouth!!

Such a fantastic book and start to this series. Absolutely can’t wait to see what comes next.

[Marisa BG · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this. Like the author said, it did need some American reader fact checking, but I loved the story overall.

[Elle · Rating 5 out of 5]

How I love a good second romance! I really enjoyed watching Ana and Teddy's relationship start and grow. They couldn’t be more opposite but they fell head over heels for each other. I was really invested in this couple. They had a great connection. I loved the tension between these two and I was rooting for them the entire time. I fell for Teddy. The way he was obsessed with his Ana, the way he spoke about her, the way he loved her for who she really was... Swoon! This man and his dirty, dirty mouth will live rent free in my head.
I'm super excited about the rest of the series and I can’t wait to read Bowie's story!!

4.5⭐

[Robin L. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I ate this book up like WOW. Mhairi delivered yet another wonderful story and branched out to write something very different from her debut duet. Grease Monkey instantly made it to my all time favourite books. I devoured it in hours. There was not one dull moment and I was fully immersed in the story.

Teddy was a talented mechanic with immense love for cars. His dream was to open an auto shop in his hometown. He was young, attractive and had no desire for anything serious, not when moving back was the plan. While he slept around and established a playboy image, he formed a crush on his neighbour Morgana. A beautiful, intelligent, wealthy law student and also the daughter of the next State Attorney General. They were worlds apart.

Teddy never felt more strongly about someone than he did Morgana. Their banter, chemistry and emotional connection was top tier. She definitely brought out the best in him, and she could be her true self around him without having to put on her people-pleaser facade. I loved seeing how their love blossomed. Deep down they knew they found ‘the one’ and they were ready to rearrange their lives to be with one another. But they were faced with a huge obstacle forcing them apart. She broke his heart and he swore to never make the same mistake of falling in love. Fast forward 7 years, fate brought them together again. She was engaged to someone else and he went back to his old ways. They thought they had moved on, but did they?

Mhairi did an exceptional job in portraying the couple as young adults, how they explored intimacy, navigated relationship challenges, handled family conflict and leaned on loved ones for support. It was authentic, relatable and believable. And as grown-ups, how they struggled with societal expectations and personal pursuits. The heart wanted what it wanted. I knew they would always find their way back to one another. Seeing them happy put a big smile on my face. I was so glad they got their HEA.

Teddy and Morgana held a special place in my heart. Their story would have a lasting impact on me. I cannot wait for the next book in the NSFW series!

[Liv · Rating 4 out of 5]

⋆｡°✩ Spoiler Free Reviews ⋆｡°✩

Want a book to read where the author is a sweetheart? Look no further.

The plot - this is obviously a second chance teenage friends to enemies to lovers, also a drop of forbidden romance in there. There is a content warning at the start of the book so CHECK YA FUCKIN TRIGGERS PEOPLE. The smut is like a 3/5 on the spice scale, but honestly nothing crazy, just frequent. It’s a HEA and it will be a series of interconnected standalones when book 2 is released in March! This book…. Let me tell you, I HATED the scenes in this book around the midpoint. But I kept reading and realised that was the point. You are SUPPOSED to hate it, because that’s not the HEA point. Gotta have the bad before you can get to the goods.

The MC - that would be Ana, full name Morgana and can I say… I love that name?? It’s crazy it’s actually grown on me. So much nickname potential… If only my son was a girl, he already has the feisty, stubborn personality like this Ana does.

The male counterpart - Teddy was a difficult one to love. I’ll be honest, he made it difficult. That was intentional, because you had to go through the motions he did. But by the end, the contrast was stark and I loved him!

[Tasha_loves_to_read · Rating 5 out of 5]

Re - read and i still stand with this review! What a story! I had a sneaky feeling that I'd love these two and I was not disappointed.
Their chemistry, tension and their connection is just everything.
The emotions I had whilst reading was crazy. I felt it all. The highs, the lows, the frustration, the good and bad. And oh my the heat 🥵 was on point. I love reading about normal people with normal jobs. And I absolutely adored these two. I didn't want it end.
Well done on another amazing book Vari 💙

[Nicoll · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF at 23% it was going good. There’s supposed yo be a time skip at some point, but I can’t read about teens. Too much drama and lack of back bone in the FMC. The spicy was decent but weird coming from a 20 year old man/teen.

[Katelynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise by a new to me author that I'll be reading again! Grease monkey is about up and coming mechanic Teddy. Teddy is a playboy until he starts becoming closer with wealthy young neighbor Ana. Ana has her life dictated by her snobby parents who have everything planned out for and blue collar Teddy doesn't fit that plan. Despite the outlook not being great for them, the sparks are too great to fight, and they begin a relationship doomed to end. Seven years later, Ana is engaged and traveling for work when her car breaks down and lands her in the garage of the one that got away. Angry how she betrayed him, Teddy doesn't make anything easy for her and is still reeling from their breakup. All the things that stood between them then still exist, but can Ana find the strength to walk away from her family for Teddy safely?

Teddy was a true playboy as a teen and adult. But I really loved the obvious impact losing Ana had on him and thought that translated well how much he had changed. Ana is a people pleaser that other people pleasers can relate to. She has a sunshine quality to her as a teen, though that spark dulls with time. Their love story was full of swwet moments as well as gut-wrenching ones. Seeing both characters move past the hurt and grow to fight for each other was so satisfying. I loved getting a good backstory of how they started that felt like reaching the top of the roller coaster and then waiting for that inevitable drop. There's no time jumps, so the timeline is easy to follow. The angst was so well done, and I can't say that enough! I felt Ana's despair and Teddy's anger deeply. It kept me reading late into the night to finish the book because I couldn't stop. The steam was great, though some readers should be prepared for cheating ( not between hero and heroine), which the author says from the get-go and secondary characters do not support. I absolutely loved this story and thought this second chance romance was so worth the read!

🚘 second chance romance
🚘 rich girl, blue collar boy
🚘 excellently written high angst
🚘 neighbors

[Hannah Waldrop · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed that half the book was the beginning of their relationship, and the second half was their “reconnection.” Second chance will usually just do flashbacks so this really made connecting to these two effortless. I loved Ana, despite criticisms, I think she did the best she could. She was single handedly dealing with the she-devil while everyone else gallivanted on their merry way. I don’t fault Teddy for just leaving, but he knew what her mother was going to do. He knew how awful she was to Ana, and he knew how much Ana loved him, so for him to take a TEXT at face value and just peace out while harboring hatred for Ana for 7 years, just fell flat for me. This girl sacrificed her own happiness to protect him and his family, and no one apologizes or thanks her. Even after all these admissions, she’s still somehow vilified because she didn’t try hard enough? What a crock.

Teddys incessant need to get his dick wet was infuriating. It did add angst, which I kinda enjoyed, but there’s a certain level of betrayal there that was hard to digest.

My real hangup with this story was fucking Skip. He was such an unnecessary character. He would pop in to give vague info on his mother, talk shit about his sister, then bro it up with Teddy. The guy was a piece of shit. He knew how vile his mother was, and still left Ana to deal with all of it on her own. Couldn’t even text the poor girl back once in a while. And when she breaks up with a boy that he met ONCE, all of sudden he gets to be morally superior and act like she’s some scathing bitch who deserves unhappiness. His perspective made absolutely no sense. Not to mention him comparing his fall out with their mother vs Ana’s fall out. He was cut off, while Ana was blackmailed. Not the same, you loser troll. I hated the mother, obviously. She was an over the top villain, but sKiP can go suck a dick.

All in all, despite my strong feelings over how the plot played out and idiotic side characters, I still loved Teddy and Ana. I loved the tension, the angst, the hurt and the love. All the makings of an enjoyable second chance romance.

[Literary Temptations · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who doesn’t love a forbidden, second chance romance, with a bit of “from the wrong side of the tracks” story? Not me. This is a new to me author and honestly, I read it in a desperate bid to get myself out of what is apparently a year long slump.

And boy am I glad I read it. Firstly, lets be clear: it is not the most original storyline I’ve ever read but dammit I enjoyed it. It had enough drama and angst to hit the spot. The chemistry between the characters was insane and the author captured the right emotions for every scenario appropriately. It was banging!

Morgana and Teddy lived next door to each other when they were younger. Teddy comes from a loving, hardworking and happy family while Morgana, especially her mother, well she was just cruel. Despite having everything she could ever want materially; she is saddled with typical rich parents that don’t notice her unless they want something from her.

This thing self-esteem is a motherfcuker if you lack it. She was on some




I‘m just fucking with you 😊.
As I was saying, all her life despite how unhappy she is, Morgana does what she’s told. Even when her mother effectively asks her to cut out her own heart along with Teddy’s, she complies. For good reason, one would argue, but will Teddy see it that way when he finds out or is this thing between them done, done?

I really enjoyed this book. There were some plot development issues that could have done with some ironing out; like maybe get some time with Morgana’s dad, find out why Skip left, what Richard said to Morgana’s mom before she came to get her etc. there was a slight plot inconsistency as to how Morgana and Teddy were neighbours yet her mother thought them beneath her? They’re living next door so surely that means they have money. Or am I tripping? There were also some minor editorial issues eg typos but honestly it didn’t take away from the story at all.

Having said that, the book was great, and the author obviously has some serious writing chops so this won’t be the last time I read her books.

[smutgirlxedits · Rating 5 out of 5]

Y’all this was just such a good fucking read. Like from the first couple of pages I was giggly and smiling because of the complete charm that Teddy possessed, you couldn’t help but blush and swoon right alongside Morgana.

What I really found refreshing in this second chance romance was how this was not a flashback type of scenario. Their story starts at the beginning, so we witness the their love blossom knowing the heartache will follow. Teddy, the charming playboy, coming from a long line of mechanics and having his dream of opening his own shop back home in Phoenix where he’s originally from, living a life in Connecticut is not what is end game is but he has found a fun pastime in teasing his fellow neighbor Morgana Adler. The daughter of the Attorney General, private school student, future ivy league grad on her way to becoming a lawyer. And of course as different as their lives, status and background may seem they just can’t stop themselves from falling in love.

We witness such a tender and sweet romance between the two, but in the life Morgana is living nothing good lasts forever especially not at the hands of her evil bitch of a mother. We fast forward to seven years later where a job assignment in Phoenix and some late night car trouble lands Ana right at the front door of Grease Monkey and I’m sure you can guess who owns that mechanic shop. Mr. Teddy Grant 🤭

When I tell you I LOVED Teddy, like LOVED him. You can clearly tell how much his present self was molded because of his past with Ana. He was cold hearted, a scoundrel, a playboy and a bastard. I loved that Vari did not shy away from the realities of teddy’s sexual escapades but you totally got the why. And y’all the hurt, resentment was all still there and watching them both navigate this was such a delight to read. I laughed, I swooned, I was frustrated and filled with so much anxiety. I devoured this book!

And let’s not forget how delicious the spice was. Teddy’s dirty mouth was so H O T 🤤🤤🤤

[Tiffany Adams · Rating 5 out of 5]

After reading the first paragraph of this book, let’s just say that Vari Scott knows just the way to get the attention of smutty romance book lovers! I had to laugh because she totally fooled me as we get some dirty talk from Teddy Grant right from the opening! This whole book was just such an easy and addicting read with characters you can’t help but fall in love with, one of those being a dirty talking mechanic who brings the spice!

This book is a 2nd chance romance but starts in the past as you see how the relationship began and developed between Teddy Grant and Morgana Adler, aka, Ana Banana! Two neighbors from two different parts of society, he’s from a family of mechanics and she’s the daughter of a future State Attorney General. Her parents have her life planned out for her making their relationship forbidden as they want high class for their daughter. Teddy and Ana’s relationship continues to develop despite this and has so many good moments but things happen that tear them apart. Now, 7 years later, they find themselves back in close proximity with lots of emotions still held from the past!

I loved that in this book we get to see 2 sides to the characters in this book as the story starts from a young relationship in the beginning to then being adults 7 years later. It was such a fantastic contrast between the two aspects of their relationship as you see them fall in love while dealing with their families but then also go through lots of real life gritty parts when they meet again as adults. It gave such great dynamic to the characters!

Overall, this book is a fantastic page turner that is so easy to read! It’s a 2nd chance romance with a virgin FMC, neighbors and he falls hard! This was my first book by Vari Scott and I definitely will be reading more from her and can’t wait for the next book in this series!

[Sunstarandsea · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a good overarching story idea which had so much potential, but didn't quite deliver. However, I have read #3 in this series and that was VERY GOOD. So maybe it was just a slow start for the author ? Didn't bother me - but there is cheating; Ana has a fiance and Teddy dabbles with other women (while he is single).

Teddy and Morgana (Ana). Start out as neighbors; she's politics royalty and he works in his dad's mechanic shop. She's barely 18, he's 21 - young love and hormones bloom, he's her first. Her conniving mother intervenes and breaks them up, very suddenly, which results in a lot of trauma for both and Teddy runs away to Phoenix, to get away from it all. Fast forward 7 yrs, story picks up again where Teddy has an established garage in Phoenix and Ana (who is now engaged) gets sent there for work. Lo and behold, her car breaks down and guess who comes to the rescue. Not Teddy, but his partner. Regardless, Ana gets patched back into Teddy's world and their relationship embarks on a very rocky journey to healing.

What I loved:

1) It's a second chance romance and they were high school sweethearts, torn apart by circumstances. My bleeding heart was here for every second of it, especially seeing the chemistry between them build. Going from neighbors to friends to more. That is basically the first half of the book.

2) When it picks up 7 years later - there is a distinct shift in pace and writing. Teddy is darker, Ana is more aware/less naive.

3) The tension between the characters is palpable. They're so drawn to each other and even after 7 yrs, the attraction persists & dare I say, has become stronger. It's good sh*t chemistry.

What I loved less - Ana. She felt very weak, didn't put up much of a fight and struggled to find her voice through most of the book. Teddy & her brother call her out as a people pleaser but it takes her A LOOONNG time to figure it out. She does have a fiance in the second half and as some others have mentioned, he starts off as as self absorbed narcissist but then shows up as super empathetic and understanding when Ana is repairing her relationship with Teddy - so confusing much?

Overall, not my favorite but if the tropes work for you - why not?

[Kitty · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is an absolute gem! Teddy and Ana's story had me hooked right from the beginning. It's a delightful mix of angst, spice, and heart-warming second-chance romance that will leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy inside.
Teddy, the charming playboy mechanic, will have you swooning with his sweet and thoughtful gestures. On the other hand, Ana is the girl next door, a bit naïve and always aiming to please others. Despite Teddy's playboy reputation, he proves to be the sweetest and most caring guy, remembering even the smallest details about Ana and surprising her with cute gestures.
Their relationship gradually deepens, and their feelings grow stronger, but then life takes an unexpected turn. Fast forward seven years, Teddy now owns his own auto shop in Phoenix, and fate brings Ana back into his life. It's their second chance at love, and the emotions are overwhelming. Both still harbor strong feelings for each other, despite the lack of closure from their past.
When they reunite, sparks fly, and it's like falling in love all over again. Teddy's pain from their past separation tugs at the heartstrings, and he deserves answers and closure. Their connection is undeniable, filled with tension, love, and an understanding that runs deep. Their chemistry, tension, banter, and connection are just everything. The emotions I had whilst reading were crazy. I felt it all. The highs, the lows, the frustration, the good, and the bad. And oh the heat 🥵🥵 was on point. I love reading about normal people with normal jobs. And I absolutely adored these two. I didn't want it to end. One of my favourite reads ever 😍

[Gabby Murray · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I don’t want anyone hearing you moan my name for the first time I’m inside you. That’s all mine. Every breath, every shudder, everything is mine.”

This book is so good, I was sucked into Teddy and Ana’s story from the start. Their story gives you angst, spice, second chance romance and is so cute! Teddy is the playboy, mechanic that will have you swooning. Morgana is the girl next door, naive and huge people pleaser. Although Teddy is a big playboy, he is seriously the sweetest guy. Remember little things about Ana and his surprises were so cute. Teddy and Ana start getting closer and their feelings start to turn into more until things take a turn for the worst.
Fast forward seven years later, Teddy owns his own auto shop in Phoenix where Ana is being sent for work. Their second chance brings out all the feels! After the way they ended and no closure both of their feelings are all over the place besides the fact that they still love each other. Once they saw each other again sparks were flying like it was the first time again. My heart really hurt for Teddy even after years of being apart he was still hurting so much and deserved answers. I love the connection between these two. The tension, the love and they just truly understood one another. Ana really grew in the second half of the book finally finding her voice, standing up for herself and doing what makes herself happy for once! I was rooting for them the entire time and they truly got their happy ending full of so much love!

[Emmy Thompson · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 STARS!!! Steamy friends-to-lovers turned enemies-to-lover second chance!

These two were frustratingly sweet and spicy all at the same time. Ana comes from a family that makes your skin crawl. No joke, her mom is awful. So naturally it doesn’t go well when she falls hard and fast for the boy next door, Teddy, who is of the working class. The first half of the book has them being so sweet together as Ana navigates all her firsts. These two loved one another so much it was a little too mushy at times. When it all came crashing down, my heart just hurt for them.

Now fast forward to 7 years later when they find themselves pushed together is a weird twist of fate. This part of the story was much more my speed or maybe it’s cause my heart loves a good darker romance. Teddy was downright cruel at times but I think Ana also had a nasty streak too. Honestly, the tension was soooo thick. Holy cow it was steamy when they did get back together. It was so worth it though cause these two were made for one another.

In all fairness, the first half was a little too sweet for my liking but that second part 7 years later… whew…. I blew me away with how good it was. There was just enough enemies to lover mixed with a sweet second chance romance in there too. This is my first book that I’ve read by this author and Vari Scott is incredibly talented so I’m excited for the rest of this series. I particularly liked Skip and how amazing would it be for him to be with Shay!?!

[Renee's Reading Nook · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am so in love with this book. By the end of Grease Monkey I kept trying to turn the page because I wanted more. I didn't want to leave the world of Teddy and Ana.

Teddy and Ana (Morgana) are neighbors but from very different families. Ana's father is running for Attorney General and her mother is always focused on appearances and the upper class. Teddy's father is a mechanic just as Teddy is following in his footsteps. For Morgana’s mother that is not the type of boy her daughter can end up with so she puts an end to their relationship. Believing Ana has betrayed him and broken his heart Teddy leaves and moves back to Phoenix. Fast forward seven years and Teddy owns his own garage and Ana is engaged. They end up back in each other's orbit and Ana has to fight her residual feelings and come to terms with Teddy's anger. She has to decide what life she wants to lead and if there is any coming back from the choices she's made.

This was so heartbreakingly beautiful. I was on the verge of tears reading Teddy's pain and love for Ana. Then even more so for Ana's pain and the betrayal from the people that are supposed to love you unconditionally. I so did not want this to end, I wasn't ready to leave this world. I need so much more of Teddy and Ana and Skip and Shay and Bowie and Wyatt and Ozzy!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ obviously, then you top it with some amazing spice and dirty talk, well that's just a 🌶🌶🌶🌶 on the spice scale.