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by Simone Soltani (July 23, 2024) – Many thanks to @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted digital and audio copies! Below is my honest review.

Willow is a recent college grad with dreams of breaking into sports marketing but has yet to land a job. When her brother offers to bring her as his plus one to an F1 racing event, she jumps at the chance to network. Dev is an F1 driver and Willow’s brother’s best friend. His spot on his team is in jeopardy because of politics and an embarrassing social media debacle. After talking with Willow, he realizes they can help each other – she can rejuvenate his social media image while giving her valuable resume-building experience. So long as they can both put one stolen kiss from a year ago in the rear-view mirror. 

This was a fun book, and I loved how F1 racing set this up as both a sports romance and a global travel romance. It was my first read set in the world of racing, and it was a refreshing (read: non-hockey) take on sports romance that also includes political maneuvering within and between racing teams. The author introduced several interesting elements, such as biracial MCs, the traditions of Indian weddings, and living with chronic pain. I wished we’d had the opportunity to delve deeper into each element of the story, but I appreciated their inclusion. Throughout the story, I kept thinking, “This seems so dangerous,” and I was glad that at a certain point, the characters could discuss their feelings about being involved in a sport where you regularly cheat death. Overall, it’s a fun book, full of sweet characters, meddlesome but caring families, and lots of heart that scratches the surface of something more complex. 

The audiobook is a dual narration between Vikas Adam and Nerissa Bradley is fun and follows the book’s tone very well!

What’s your favorite sport to watch or what’s a recent book you’ve enjoyed?