I recently got into f1 and I was so excited to read an f1 romance - what timing!

What I liked: I like the diversity - the Indian culture! I liked the chronic illness rep too. I also really enjoyed the actual formula 1 bits. I liked that he was down bad. I also like the ending. It was dramatic.

What I didn’t like: So idk if it’s the book or me. But I just wasn’t feeling it. Brother’s best friend. They obviously like each other. So it already felt insta lovey? And then there’s that “let’s not tell my brother.” But why not? Yous a grown woman. The “conflict” didn’t feel too much like a conflict. Or I guess much at stake? Because we know that at the end they all accept the best friend bc he’s actually a good guy ha.

He talked a lot and he did a lot of cute stuff. But I think the book overall dragged so much. We weren’t really moving plot-wise. I wish there had been a better or bigger conflict keeping them apart, besides her brother and “career.” Am I hater? Haha

Overall, if you love brother’s best friend and some forced proximity - you’d like this. I don’t think that trope is for me.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the digital copy!

I have been such a sports romance kick and especially when it is Formula One. And this was delightful!
I have been reading more of brother's best friend and I have to tell you, the trope is growing on me.

"You look at her like she hung the moon, Dev. Kind of hard to miss."

I like that Dev and Willow knew each other growing up and have that deep rooted history between them. And I think part of the whole sibling best friend is that tension and the "we can't do this". Having Willow work for him just made the flirting and the pining even stronger. Dev was head over heels for Willow from the start. She was a little more hesitant in her feelings as there was so much more at stake between her brother and her career. But they truly were so good for one another and together. Willow has a chronic illness and him knowing her limits was so sweet. I just love his love for her. They were always honest in their feelings with each other and they shared the struggle with disappointing his friend/her brother.

Even though I enjoyed this, I did feel like you could tell that this was original indie book. This possible could be the writing style from the author but just comparing to other traditional pub books, I could feel the difference.

I have no clue what the next book in the series is going to be. But I will be reading!

If youre a fan of Formula 1, dual POV, brother's best friend & workplace romance - give this a try!

“I’d let her steal the sight from my eyes, the breath from my lungs. I’d let her do her worst and still be eternally grateful.”

Thanks to the publisher for sending me an early copy of the ebook and audio (narrated by Vikas Adam and Nerissa Bradley) - in addition to my thoughts on the story I must say this audiobook was incredible! The narrators were fantastic and pulled me effortlessly.

- Brothers best friend
-Sports romance (F1 racing)
-Interracial romance with biracial MCs (Black & white heroine, Indian & white hero)
- Chronically ill heroine (hypermobility)
-She’s his social media manager
- Mutual pining

I fell in love with this book before the 10% mark and continued falling in love the more I read so much that I promptly preordered a copy! Dev and Willow have tangible chemistry that charges the air of any room they’re in together and their secret kiss almost a year before the story starts is partly why - the other part is that they’ve always had a thing for each other. As leads they’re amazing but the story was a wonderful cast of supporting characters that have individual bonds as well and they breathe so much life into this story.

Dev is a character who is driven but frustrated at the circumstances he’s trapped in while Willow is equally as goal-oriented and frustrated that her job prospects aren’t great. Their collaboration is one that makes sense and gives them both what they need and I loved how they story explored a way for them to be together without either of them sacrificing their ambitions.

I loved how plain old SWEET Dev was and how Willow takes care of her chronic illness but still sometimes does a little thing she shouldn’t technically do because it brings her joy. Simone Soltani is a new author to me and I can’t wait to read more of her work!

This was a fun, steamy novel. I loved how it was about Formula 1 racing as I didn't know much about it. I also enjoyed the mutual pining these 2 characters had for each other for years. Overall it was cute, steamy and full of racing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing the ARC.

This was a cute brother's best friend book that was all fluff with not much in the way of substance. It is very much a character read, and there's not much plot to speak of. Willow and Dev are adorable together, and I enjoyed reading about them and their story. As a reader though, I would have loved to see something more substantial in the plot.

Cute book with cute characters, and a ridiculous amount of sugary sweet fluff.

I got about 20% into this book and I do not care for the characters in this book and I feel it is much to long for what it is.

You guysss, I know we love sports romance but my eyes have been opened. F1 romance is just as and maybe even the hottest sport. Dev and Willow are the cutest couple EVER. This book was so good and honestly makes me want to watch some Bollywood films if they are as romantic as I think.

Thank you so much to @netgalley and @berkleyromance for this arc. And @simonesoltani I just thank you for writing this book because I’m still swooning over it🥰🥰.

🏎️ Brothers Best Friend
🏎️ Slowburn
🏎️ F1
🏎️ He fell harder
🏎️ Diverse cultures and characters
🏎️ Top book boyfriend material👀

i had fun but i feel like a lot of the plot fell short for me. i wished there was more build up to the romance and tension. everything felt a little rushed but i still had fun!

If you love sports romances, F1 in particular, (and even if you don’t), 𝗖𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗟𝗶𝗻𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶 just dropped today in the US and you’re going to want to add it to your TBR! This is her debut and it was so cute! Dev and Willow have known each other since they were kids, Dev is Willow’s brother’s best friend. And of course she had the biggest crush on him growing up. I LOVE when a childhood crush comes full circle 🥰 Dev hires Willow to do damage control on his image and to manage his social media after a scandal created by his last social manager. He was so sweet to her and I loved their slow burn and how supportive they were to each other. The side characters brought the entertainment too! This story deals with real life issues while keeping a lighthearted feel.
Read if you like ⇣
🤍Sports Romance
🖤Brother’s Best Friend
❤️She Falls First, He Falls Harder
🤍Workplace
🖤Forbidden Romance
❤️No Third Act Breakup
🤍Dual POV
🖤Spice

Thank you so much Berkley Pub and NetGalley for this eARC!

4.5

i adore this book so much!! i think it’s my new fave f1 romance & it was truly just everything i was hoping it would be!

dev is willows brothers best friend and a hot f1 racer! he has the BEST sense of humor and has that awkward shy guy vibe whenever he’s around willow. after his ex media coordinator causes chaos on his social accounts he’s in desperate need to fix his image. enter willow!!

willow has always had a crush on dev but after the way her last relationship ended, she knew pursuing dev would never be an option. when they bump into each other at an event it’s clear the chemistry between them is undeniable. willow recently graduated and has been trying to get her foot in the door in sports pr. when dev learns she’s looking for a job he knows she’s the perfect solution to his problem. only problem is that they’ll be forced to be near each other for part of the f1 season.

the dynamic between willow & dev is perfect. she knows exactly who he is and knows how to portray him on socials in the way he’s always wanted, as his authentic self. she understands his humor, is confident, and so easy to be around. it’s clear to see why these two have feelings for eachother and how they grow stronger over the course of the book. dev truly believes in and supports willow in everything she wants to do. & the dynamic willows brother added in especially when we get to the inevitable he found out scene was everything!! you could really feel how upset he was that he was kept in the dark and i think it showcased his & devs relationship and their overall dynamic. you can really tell how close this friend group is!!

i also really enjoyed the POC & chronic illness representation in this one!! it was so well done and added a lot of unique elements to the story line! lastly, i have to say that the epilogue of this book made me unwell and all i’m saying is if there’s a book two coming i will be sat waiting!!

thank you berkley for the e-arc, i had the best time reading this one and loved every second!!!

Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC!

This book was so cute and fun! I know nothing about F1 or the racing world but I really did enjoy reading this book. It's funny, swoony, and full of heart. I so loved Dev and Willow. They are written so well. They are both so easy to root for.

I have a few qualms though. The pacing was a little weird. Romance books usually follow a specific formula that makes sense and ends exactly when it needs to. But this one was maybe 30 pages too long. The whole ending was drawn out too long and could've been shorter. Another thing that was frustrating was Oakley and his influence over Willow and Dev. It was a little too dramatic for me. I have an older brother that is plenty protective of me that would never act the way Oakley acts. The fear Dev and Willow had the entire book over Oakley and his aversion to Willow being involved with anyone was overdone. It's not that serious. And normal brothers are protective, yes, but not to the extent Oakley was. Like grow up bro, your sister is a full adult who can decide who she wants to be with. It just seemed overdone and over-dramatic. It's like the author doesn't even have an older brother.

Anyway, ranting aside, I did like this book. The romance itself was well-done and believable. It was fun to read about.

4.5 Stars— I adored this so much. Writing was excellent, plot was perfection and the characters were likeable.

Dev is in hot water and needs help to maintain his Formula 1 career. When he runs in to Willow, he gets an idea. She can help save him and he gets to spend time with her. When the lines blur, he’ll stop at nothing to make sure Willow is his.

Willow is fresh out of college and trying to make her way., leaving her unable to turn town her brother’s best friends offer of a job. She has to balance her first job being with her first crush because she needs this job to jumpstart her career. But, ignoring Dev is harder than she could’ve imagined when there’s signs he might be interested.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for something that is just light hearted and fun, this is your book. Simone Soltani did an amazing job at combining the high stakes world of F1 racing with a story about childhood friends falling in love.
I thought that she nailed the F1 references, her knowledge of the sport really shining through in this novel.
The two main characters were also both very likeable. I enjoyed the fmcs character, she was a peppy ray of sunshine that always made the best out of her situations. It was great that the book was dual-pov because I loved getting to know more about the mmc as well as his thoughts and feelings.
This was a great read filled with action, tension, kindness, culture and love. I am beyond thrilled that I got approved for this arc and I hope we get more F1 books with these characters. Mark book please!!

This was a fun, light summer romance for readers who love mutual pining, friends to lovers, and F1 racing. Unfortunately, I'm not a big fan of the friends to lovers trope so this wasn't bound to be a 5 star read for me. Surprisingly, the F1 storyline was the one I was most invested in! I haven't watched all of of "Drive to Survive" on Netflix but from the few episodes I've watched, the drama with Dev's storyline and wanting to get on a better team read as very believable to me. He was such a cinnamon roll of a romantic lead and had wayyyyy more of a personality than Willow, who was kinda infantilized to me? I think that's partially because he saw her as his best friend's little sister and that's how everyone treated her. I hated every time someone was surprised she cursed. The overprotective brother trope was also a major factor in making my enjoyment of the book go down. I just didn't think it was necessary to keep Willow and Dev apart when there was already the employee/boss and the friends to lovers dynamic. But I think Soltani is an engaging writer, and loved all the representation in the book both with race and disability. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for the arc!

3.75 - This was a cute and fun romance and my first F1 romance which I really enjoyed!! I heard a bunch of mixed reviews going in, so I was kinda iffy about if I even wanted to read this, but I'm so glad I did. I LOVE friends to lovers, and especially brother's best friend, and I thought the tropes were so well done!!

Dev and Willow bump into each other at one of Dev's races. Dev has been struggling after dealing with a bit of a PR crisis, and Willow is in need of a job. Despite not having seen each other since they last hooked up, Willow begins working with Dev. Right from the beginning, despite Willow being the one who has had a crush on Dev her whole life, you can tell that Dev is DOWN BAD. All of his friends are constantly trying to talk him out of screwing around with Willow, because she is his best friend's little sister, but Dev can't stay away from her. I loved the way that Dev worshipped Willow, always going to her whenever he needed comfort and a little bit of happiness. I loved the way they shared their cultures and families with each other. This book was steamy, but also so cute. And as my first F1 romance, I really really enjoyed that aspect of the book!! Overall this was really cute and I'm glad I read it, it was a fun F1 romance with great representation and a cute couple.

Thank you to Berkley for sending me this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!!

This was such a fun F1 romance book! It balanced the romance and the sport very well, and the F1 details were fairly accurate which I appreciate!

The tension between Willow and Dev was HIGH, and the slow burn really burned. But the payoff was worth it! I love how much Dev and Willow kept things professional, and appreciate how much Dev looked out for Willow without being possessive or overbearing. Sometimes we just need a nice guy, and Dev was it!

Also, shout out to the chronic illness representation and diversity within the book. We had many diverse characters, and the inclusion of Dev's sister's Indian wedding was super fun to read about!

If you're an F1 fan, or looking to expand your sports romance TBR, definitely pick this one up!

Thank you to Netgalley, Berkeley Publishing and Simone Soltani for the advance reader copy!

Tags:
-friends to lovers
-brother's best friend
-secret relationship
-sports romance (F1)
-no third act breakup
-slow burn

Spice: 2.5/5

First person/Dual POV

Falling for your brother's best friend who just happens to be a Formula 1 racer was definitely not on your plans when you decided to visit the Monaco in hopes of finding a sports PR Job. Willow Williams is a recent college grad who is desperate for a job. Dev Anderson is a Formula 1 driver who's career is in jeopardy when his social media scandal makes his team angry and makes sponsors want to ditch him. Dev is Willow's brother Oakley's best friend... and they might have shared a kiss.... too bad Oakley has strictly forbidden any of his friends from dating his sister. Willow has always had a crush on Dev yet after that one incident Dev has been completely head over heels for Willow. When Oakley invites Willow to attend Monaco to try and make connections for a potential job opportunity she runs into Dev... and with Dev in desperate need of a new social media manager who better than to take up the job than Willow. The only problem is that that means they'll be spending much more time together and trying to resist temptation will be almost as hard as winning a Formula 1 race. This was a sweet and cute F1 Romance read and as an F1 Girly, I had a blast. I loved the dynamic between Willow and Dev, there was great communication and support between the two and they had great chemistry. It's a totally cute read and I would absolutely recommend it!

Release Date: July 23,2024

Publication/Blog: Ash and Books (ash-and-books.tumblr.com)

*Thanks Netgalley and Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley for sending me an arc ine exchange for an honest review*

Such a cute read! I’ve never read anything about F1 racing, so I was worried going into this that I would be lost or confused, but thankfully I wasn’t! You should read this if you like:

- Brothers best friend
- Dual pov
- F1 driver x social media manager
- No 3rd act breakup
- Open door spice

Thank you so much NetGalley and Berkley for the e-ARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

I had no idea what to expect from my first Formula 1 romance since I know absolutely nothing about the sport, but I really enjoyed this one!

Willow and Dev had a secret kiss last year that they've both chosen to ignore since Willow is Dev's best friend's younger sister. Neither of them expected Willow to start working for Dev to help rehab his image after his last social media manager did some serious damage. They agree to keep things platonic, but unsurprisingly that turns out to be easier said than done.

I really enjoyed this story and Willow and Dev's characters. I also really enjoyed the various side characters in the story and would love to see more of them in the future. Willow and Dev's story was really cute and I love how supportive they are of each other. They are truly the perfect couple and balance each other so well. Dev helps Willow restore some of her confidence and sense of self that she has lost over the years from dealing with her chronic illness. I also loved all the details of Dev's culture and Willow's chronic illness the author included. It was all very well written and informative.

Overall, this was a really great read and I will definitely be reading more from this author in the future.

dev needs to reform his image after getting burned by his last social media manager. so when he runs into willow, his best friend’s little sister who needs a job, the answer is simple. hire her. but after they shared a kiss last year, things aren’t as easy as either of them would like.

dev was down baaad. I really enjoyed his character. he’s a softie. willow was really passionate about what she does and I really liked that too! I haven’t read many F1 romances and now I’m craving another one 😬

thank you netgalley and berkley romance for an arc!

tropes & things
✨ sports romances
✨ brother’s best friend
✨ childhood friends to lovers
✨ forced proximity
✨ bipoc mcs
✨ chronic illness rep