I’ve never loved F1 racing more, this was perfect!!!

Kian and Harper have my entire heart. This was such a cute romance story, I could talk about it for days!!! It’s a sweet and fun rivals to lovers that had me on the edge of my seat!! I couldn’t wait to see what was next. Though, the tension too… ooh it was great. I highly recommend this book!!

Though, I have to mention the age gap!! I loved it!! I also enjoyed how open everyone one was and how there was no homophobia in the book. It was so refreshing to see!!

Was very excited for a m/m F1 romance, but was very let down. None of this…really made sense? There were too many issues with the actual F1-related things, and I didn’t care for the relationship development either. So maybe better for people who aren’t already F1 fans and won’t be bothered by little incorrect terms.

I had no idea what to expect going into this one! I'm not typically a romance reader but, having recently enjoyed several Casey McQuiston books, and as a life-long Formula 1 fan, the idea of 'Red, White and Royal Blue' meets F1 grabbed my attention immediately.

Pole Position is funny, irreverent and sexy. Caffrey has created some really entertaining characters - though I was screeching at them in frustration several times while reading this book!

Very enjoyable, very spicy. I could see this one being popular on BookTok.

"I’d never considered arson before I found myself living in a motorhome with Harper James. Right now, sending the whole thing up in flames so I can return to my quiet hotel room sounds like a really good idea."

Pole Position by new-to-me author Rebecca J. Caffery was a fun, rivals-to-lovers, MM romance read, set around the sport of F1 motor racing.

Our MCs are Kian Walker and Harper James, rivals on the track although they race for the same team, with Harper being the 25 year old 'rookie' and Kian the 34 year old 'veteran' world champion and golden boy of the sport.

Whilst there were a few angsty moments and themes, this was essentially a light-hearted read and who doesn't love it when the player realises he's fallen hard?!

What To Expect:

❣️MM romance
❣️F1 racing
❣️rivals to lovers
❣️opposites attract
❣️age gap
❣️found family
❣️steamy moments
❣️HEA

4 stars

This was fun!!!! I liked the characters and the plot was easy to follow and sweet, I've never been into F1 or racing but i genuinely enjoyed this one, sports romances really are just the best

2 stars | a cute F1 romance but didn't live up to its potential

I loved the concept of this book, and it had so much potential to be good, especially as I typically enjoy a sports romance, but this one just missed the mark. I did enjoy reading about a lot of the themes that came up in the book, and those that were more emotional were handled in a sensitive way. The dynamic between the two main characters was definitely interesting to read about, with a young up-and-coming driver who's excited to be there, and an older, more experienced and grumpy character as the other lead.

Despite this, I found myself not enjoying the book as much as I'd hoped. The inner monologues of the main characters, particularly Kian's, didn't feel realistic, which made it difficult to have a good experience with this book - he often came across as very immature for his age, despite everything he's been through and his tired attitude towards the sport. The relationship between Harper and Kian lacked a lot of depth; while they did have some chemistry, there was little else between them and much of it seemed to take place off the page, making it feel fake or unrealistic when they were suddenly close. There was also some concerning dubious consent between the two MMCs at times!

Formula One and romance. What more is there to ask for in a book? The tension was tangible, and sparks were shooting everywhere. Reading about their romance progressed to be a lot of fun, and the side characters' interactions with the main couple were also well-developed. The racing season flowed well since the timing was well-spaced throughout. My one small negative point is that sometimes a lot of information may be presented all at once, which I felt took away from the story at times when it could have been revealed a bit more naturally through character exchanges instead of as an internal monologue. A nice F1 romance all around, though, and I really enjoyed the grumpy x sunshine atmosphere.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Uk for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

4.25 out of 5

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Beware of possible spoilers.

This is THE book I was most excited to read and I have to say...it didn't let me down.

I adored this book. Everything about it. From the characters to the plot to all the tropes I love and have definitely learned to love through Rebecca J. Caffery's writing. I'm most definitely going to be looking into more of Rebecca's books because this was just *chef's kiss*

When Kian's teammate is injured and can't continue, he's replaced by a rookie with a not so great reputation. It's the whole Grumpy x Sunshine/role model x fan mash-up that brings this into something amazing. Kian's personality is different from Harper's, but they mesh so well. Plus, the age gap. A non-creepy one if I have to add (25-33).

The only part that had me a little put-off was that drunken kiss, but that was the only part. I also would have loved to see a tiny bit more about Harper's therapy and their development together. i think the story could have benefitted from that. The rest of it was just so fun to read and watch unfold, especially because the two of them were so adorable.

PLUS IT WAS FORMULA 1 AND I NEED MORE SPORTS ROMANCES THAT ARE NOT HOCKEY OR FOOTBALL PLEASE I'M BEGGING YOU!

I swear, if you have any thoughts about reading this book at all, I strongly suggest you do. It'll be worth the time.

Uhm yes! My favorite F1 romance so far :) Pole Position absolutely worked for me.

I thought the balance between the romance and F1 was great. Of course, it's not going to be verbatim about F1, so you'll have to keep this in the fictional space and work with it especially if you're a fan of the sport. It's not going to be all accurate and I was simply fine with it.

Absolutely loved Kian, a racing vet that has had such an amazing career so far. Besides being the top of his sport, I loved getting to know more about him that didn't have to do with his job. His love and devotion for his family, and just how self-aware he was when it came to his mom. A man that was constantly being pulled in two different directions, my heart went to him.

Harper was EXACTLY what I expected him to be, hot shot driver that got called up. The arrogance and cockiness is strong with him and it went a lot further into the book than I hoped for. As you get deeper into the book, we see the base of his insecurities and why he is the way he is. I wish we got to dive more into his story since at times, it felt like we were only getting the surface level.

Overall, I reallllly enjoyed this one and I couldn't put it down. Definitely looking forward to more from this series.

It has taken me longer to read this book than I would have liked, but I have done so at the right time when I have developed my obsession for books set in the world of Formula 1.
And I loved this novel, it has super addictive prose, a romance that keeps you glued to its pages and a story that leaves you obsessed with it.

I was hoping for Red, White and Royal Blue but the F1 version and was a bit disappointed in the delivery. Kian’s characterization had a lot of depth. Harper seemed like a chameleon in comparison so I had a hard time getting to understand him with how wildly different he came across in every chapter.

I love F1 so when I saw this book I knew I had to get it.
I loved how the story played out. Such a fun and enjoyable read, from a place that doesn't get written about a lot.

Red White and Royal Blue meets F1!? Sign me all the way up! This was so cute!

Kian is the golden boy of his team. He wins championships, has his head screwed on, and is more committed to motorsport than most.
When his teammate has an injury and can't compete, Kian is paired up with rookie Harper James. Harper is loud and energetic, and his reputation as a party animal and lover boy precedes him. He's the opposite of Kian in every way. There's no getting away from him, but does Kian really want to? It's getting harder to deny how unbelievably attractive Harper is and how his heart feels safer racing around a track than it does when he's in his presence.

I had such a fun time with this rivals to lovers, grumpy x sunshine romance. I absolutely adored Kian and how caring his nature is. My heart melted as he tended to Harper when he was sick. The banter between the two was absolutely on point, and I loved the will they won't they element to the story. I will say Harper frustrated me at times as although I understand he has trauma, him running away every time even a serious conversation was had felt a bit much. I'm glad he got his shit together in the end, though, because they are perfect together. The sexual chemistry between the two sizzles off the pages and, of course, there are spicy scenes that I personally loved!
It's not just a fluffy romance, though there's great depth to both the main characters, and both are dealing with big things. There's Parkinson/dementia, grief, parental loss, foster care, and alcoholism as trigger warnings to give you an idea. I thought the issues were dealt with sensitively.
Overall, I absolutely loved this book and would definitely recommend.

I absolutely loved this book. It kept me on the edge of my seat, and I loved the racing aspects within the story as well. Thank you so much Netgalley for an arc of this book. I apologize for the delayed post.

I guess I’m not the target audience for this. I know nothing about Formula 1 racing but I was excited to read another mlm sports romance. This missed the mark for me as I didn’t really buy into the chemistry of this couple nor did I care too much about their plot lines.

please note that the trigger warnings and topes/themes may contain spoilers
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
HEA: HEA
POV: dual 1st person POV
spice: a few open-door spicy scenes
TWs: abandonment, alcoholism, anxiety, cancer, cheating, death of a loved one, foster system, homophobia, panic attacks, parental neglect, Parkinson’s
Kinky Content: 69, anal, anal play, frotting, grinding, oral, rimmingstandalone: yes
final thoughts: I loved this story! It was an almost 5 star for me except for a few scenes that I didn’t feel were necessary and didn’t contribute to the story for me BUT other than that there was a lot of plot, great side characters, and great friendships.
I loved the work rivals to lovers, forced proximity, and found family tropes of this book and couldn’t put this book down. I also love a sports romance that isn’t a “typical” sport and both MCs are in the sport!
I’ll definitely be checking out more books from this author and hope this book turns into a series since there were plenty of openings for next couples and some loose ends that I would love to see tied up.
The epilogue was so cute and I love to see a broken boy MC heal ❤️

read this book if you love

🔢 age gap (25/34)
😬 angst
🍿 celebrity
💞 childhood crush
💬 epistolary
😳 forbidden lovers
🏝️ forced proximity
👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 found family
😎 good boy/bad boy
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 great side characters
🤫 hidden secrets
🩹 hurt/comfort
🌈 LGBT+ representation
💞 mutual pining
💤 nightmare comfort
🔀 opposites attract
🤐 secret relationship
💓 slowburn
🏎️ sports romance (racing)
💼 workplace romance
🌍 world building

Nope! This didn't work for me. It read like fanfiction that needed a lot more editing and a few sensitivity readers. Neither of the MCs was in any way relatable and neither felt fully fleshed out. One is a player who just can't read a room and should have been reported for sexual harassment in the workplace. The other is slightly more mature, but then has sex with his completely drunk and hence unable to consent teammate (the aforementioned player).

The descriptions of racing sport and the terminology used felt off too - and I'm saying this as someone who only has faint layman's knowledge.

This is exactly what I needed in the midst of all the thrillers/horror books I’ve read recently.

A super quick, cute, queer romance! I’ve never read anything from this author before, but I definitely will be again.

I don’t know much (anything 😂) about Formula One or car racing in general so can’t speak to the accuracy, I’m just glad it wasn’t OVERLY done & complex.

I did find the dubious consent a major ick - one character being sober and the other being absolutely wasted when they share their first kiss ect, it just took the cute, swoon worthy moment away. Not a fan.

I also feel like there was a lot of “telling” rather than “showing” of the main relationship which was disappointing.

Overall I had a fun time but I wouldn’t reread.

I received Pole Position by Rebecca J.Caffrey for free on NetGalley for an honest review. Thank you so much for my copy!

This was my first F1 romance book and now I'm obsessed!

I loved the chemistry between Kian & Harper, it was so grumpy x sunshine coded and the tension between them gave me such Jamie Tartt x Roy Kent vibes, I loved it! I raced (pun intended 😂) through this book, I literally couldn't put it down! It was such a fun romance and I really enjoyed how the author made the races feel so high stakes!

This is the perfect read for summer!

Rebecca J. Caffrey’s Pole Position is a veteran/rookie contemporary romance set in the fast-moving world of Formula 1 motor racing. It’s not a sport I see written about all that often in romances (it’s only the second F1-set one I’ve read, although I know there are more out there) which is what attracted me to it, but while I liked the way the author writes about the sport itself – the technical aspects, the qualifiers, the teamwork, the preparation and training and so on – the romance is not particularly satisfying. It hits all the right beats of a rivals-to-lovers story, but it lacks – for want of a better word – warmth; there’s no real chemistry or emotional connection between the leads and the romance feels very rushed. Plus, a lot of page time is devoted to misunderstanding and miscommunication, which made it hard to like either of the protagonists until well into the story.

Four-times World Champion Kian Walker is at the pinnacle of his career. The son of a former racing legend (whom Kian has worked very hard not to emulate), he started racing in F1 when he was nineteen and his incredibly focused, meticulous and dedicated approach to the sport saw him rising quickly to the top. But, as happens to many athletes as they age, rumours are starting to circulate that, at thirty-three, Kian is thinking about retirement. He isn’t – or not in so many words, although he has been feeling for some time that he should be stepping up to help his sister and her husband, who have shouldered the bulk of the caring responsibilities for their mother (who has Parkinson’s Disease) – and the constant speculation that this will be his final season is pissing him off. More bad news comes in the form that his teammate, Elijah, has broken his leg and will be out for the season – and things go from bad to worse when the team principal tells him he’s called up Harper James from the lower category (I’m assuming this is F2 – if so, why not call it that?) to take Elijah’s place. Kian is Not Happy. He doesn’t know Harper well -they’ve only met briefly once or twice - but he’s everything Kian dislikes, a reckless, irresponsible party-boy whose drunken exploits feature frequently in the press and overshadow anything else he’s achieved in his career. Kian worries that having to be around him constantly – on planes, in locker rooms, in pits and simulators – is going to negatively affect his performance.

Harper James almost can’t believe it when he gets the call. He’s had his eye on making it into F1 for years, and this is his dream come true. And not only will he be competing with the big boys, he’ll be driving alongside Kian Walker, his motor-racing idol and the man who fuelled quite a few of Harper’s teenaged fantasies. His enthusiasm is curbed, however, when his idol proves to have feet of clay; Kian is a judgmental prick who shuts Harper down whenever he tries to be friendly or initiate a conversation and no matter what Harper says or does, it’s the wrong thing.

Things come to a head when their first joint interview goes wildly off the rails, and the two of them are ordered to do some media training - which Harper, aggrieved and defiant, doesn’t bother to go to. Needless to say, this cavalier attitude irritates Kian even more, and the more pissed off Kian is, the more annoying Harper gets.

For the first few chapters, I wanted to bang both their heads together. They jump to conclusions about each other very quickly and then dig their heels in; although I will say that the author does a pretty good job of showing us that they’re both as bad as each other in the misunderstandings stakes. Kian thinks Harper is too undisciplined and doesn’t take anything seriously (he’s not wrong, to be fair), and Harper thinks Kian is stuck up and regimented (again, not entirely unwarranted). I admit I found Kian easier to sympathise with because chaotic personalities like Harper set my teeth on edge – he has no sense of personal space or consideration for the needs of others, and I just couldn’t believe he had the necessary mental discipline to be a successful F1 driver. Kian isn’t blameless however, because he doesn’t bother to actually tell Harper that he needs his space and quiet time. And unfortunately, because Harper thinks Kian disdains him (which he does rather by this point) he continues to go out of his way to piss him off as much as he can.

This push-and-pull does eventually settle down as the season gets underway and Kian and Harper find themselves turning to each other through their various ups and downs. A tentative camaraderie begins to develop – which swiftly turns into a sexual relationship, but there's so little build up I thought I must've missed a few chapters! It’s clear Harper has a bit of a residual crush on Kian but it takes a long time to see anything like reciprocal attraction from Kian, so when they hook up for the first time it feels like it happens out of the blue. And then (a few weeks on in terms of the timeline of the story, but actually in the next chapter or so) we find out they’ve fallen into a pattern of sleeping together every night (they’re sharing a trailer at this point), spooning, cuddling, sometimes having sex, sometimes not – but we never see any of this, we’re just told it’s become their routine.

Thing is, I did quite like them as a couple once they’re actually together. Harper starts getting his shit together and behaving more responsibly, and Kian gets to know more about why Harper is the way he is, that his tendency to self-sabotage stems from a childhood bouncing around foster homes after his parents abandoned him. Harper’s struggles to believe anybody could want him lead to the main point of conflict in the romance when Kian wants to talk about where they stand with each other and Harper just freaks out. His inability to communicate with Kian and his blow hot/blow cold behaviour becomes repetitive fast, and then he does something really horrible to get Kian to break up with him for good. By that point, I was starting to think Kian would be better off with someone else - which is never what I want to think when I’m reading a romance.

The other thing that bothered me is the number of plotlines that are introduced and then just dropped, never to be seen again. Someone from Harper’s past crawls out of the woodwork with video evidence of a foursome he had a couple of years back; Harper worries about it for a bit and then it just… goes away. Kian’s father seems to make an appearance with the sole purpose of saying something homophobic about his son, but the biggest plot hole is Kian spending almost all the book insisting he has no plans to retire – only to suddenly decide he’s ready to retire after all and eh, it’s no biggie.

All this is so frustrating, because the parts of the story that work – the races and everything that goes into them, the team camaraderie, the quieter, more intimate parts of the relationship between Kian and Harper, and the brief sections dealing with Kian’s family situation – work well, and the story itself has good bones. But the execution is off – there are big time jumps and wobbly transitions, and there is ultimately too much telling and not enough showing in the romance.

I suspect there may be a story in the works for Harper’s best friend Johannes and another of the secondary characters in this book, and if there is, I might pick it up. Pole Position is one of those books that has me on the fence; I can’t quite recommend it for the reasons I’ve stated, but I might be prepared to give the author another try to see if she can iron out some of the bugs that have tripped her up this time round.