DNF @ 20%

Unfortunately this book was not for me. The main characters felt like they needed to be sent to HR not Santorini. Meanwhile, main character, Phaedra, is afraid to be seen having a private conversation with her driver for fear of rumors, but vacationing with him doesn't cause those issues?

As an F1 fan, I didn't get to see a lot of the F1 content in the book, but her threat to have Cosmin bumped down to F2 was not realistic and took me out.

The lines that finally caused me to DNF were "If she's close enough for me to smell her skin and hair, my lust is ungovernable." and "His outfit is effortlessly adorable: from the waist up, like a sexy best man at a wedding after a few drinks; from the waist down, solid indie cred."

In this story we have the female main character of Phaedra who is a formula 1 race car engineer and also the daughter of a formula 1 race car team. The team has a new hot shot playboy of a driver named Cosmin. Cosmin did not have the easiest childhood with his parents dying and leaving his sister and him as orphans who then are raised by an abusive uncle. Phaedra is for most of this story not the most likable or relatable female main character which makes it hard to root for her. That was one of my main reasons for rating this story lower. As a whole I did like the story and did want to stay until the end to see to the conclusion. I am more interested in the characters that will be the focus of book 2 of this series Klaus and Natalia. Thank you Netgallery, Josie Juniper and Forever for choosing me to be an arc reader for this book.

First off, I’m so here for the rise of F1 romances, it’s been a long time coming!
Unfortunately this one didn’t hit for me. I found it hard to connect with the characters, and the chemistry was lacking so I found it quite hard to care for them and their relationship.

A fun F1 romance that has a steamy central relationship and a story sure to keep readers hooked and wanting more.

Thank you to Netgalley and the Publishing Company for this Advanced Readers Copy of Double Apex by Josie Juniper!

It’s a fun emotional romance set in the world of auto racing. I love that the FMC is strong and dealing with past issues. It’s a great pairing of characters

I wanted to enjoy this book a lot but I did not care for the characters. The FMC frustrated me at times and the MMC constantly pushed her boundaries to a point where it felt like harassment. I don't mind a little back and forth but the way he continued to flirt with her was uncomfortable when she wasn't receptive. Unfortunately, after that, I struggled to fall in love with their relationship. This might work for other readers but it didn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I had really high hopes for Double Apex based on the excellent cover and promising synopsis. Unfortunately I found the characters to have too many problematic qualities early on. I really struggled to care for them and want to read this book, I tried two separate times before deciding to dnf at 17%

I might have been sucked in by the beautiful cover, but unfortunately this book just didn't do it for me. The chemistry between the main characters wasn't really there for me, and I felt like the pacing was a bit off.

I really did not appreciate the FMC in this book. Not only was she incessantly complaining all the time but the hyperfixation on her gender in the field she’s in surpassed “steminist” and went into some pretty odd territory.

I read this book last year and forgot to post my review here.

This contains spoilers for the second half of the book.

I am still on the hunt for a good Formula 1 romance. This one was just not it.

The book starts off on a bad note, because Cosmin is harassing Phaedra, because let’s call it what it is. When a coworker is using pet names and a person expresses discomfort or annoyance and the coworker continues using them, it’s not cute or endearing, it’s harassment.

I thought the characters independently were ok and tolerable, but together even at the end of the book they were such a toxic, off-putting mess. There was a moment while reading that I genuinely wanted to put it down and just DNF, which had crossed my mind multiple times before this point, but there’s a particular scene where I just checked out and wanted the book to end.

The scene happens in a hotel room, when Phaedra assaults Cosmin, after he accidentally smacked her leg, because she was throwing herself around and he was trying to get her to stop. She then says awful things to him about the type of person he must be, because he was raised by an abusive uncle and how he must want to hit her so badly, just like his uncle did to him.

I genuinely stopped reading there for a while, I was so incensed, because this is just incredibly abusive and irredeemable. I finished the book and I kind of wished I hadn’t.

This fast-paced workplace romance set in the world of Formula 1 racing is a thrilling ride from start to finish. The banter between Phaedra and Cosmin is full of wit, and the push-and-pull dynamic between them is both fun and engaging.

The story strikes a perfect balance between the developing romance and the personal journeys of the characters. Phaedra faces significant challenges, including her father’s illness and the belief that her career should keep her from being with Cosmin. Meanwhile, Cosmin grapples with the unresolved tension in his relationship with his sister. As both characters evolve, they become more relatable and grounded, so much so that by the end, they feel like people you’d want to be friends with in real life.

The romance is authentic and well-paced. Both Phaedra and Cosmin start off flawed but likable, and as they confront their insecurities and pasts, their connection deepens. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and while their relationship feels forbidden, it’s fascinating to watch their friendship transform into something much more meaningful.

The dual point-of-view narrative is a great choice, allowing the reader to fully understand each character's motivations and struggles. This perspective shifts smoothly throughout the story, giving a well-rounded view of the evolving plot. If you’re a fan of contemporary romance and F1 racing, I highly recommend this book.

I am grateful to Forever Publishing for granting access to a digital copy of this book through Netgalley. All of the opinions throughout this review are my own.

I truly couldn’t get through this title because of how problematic both of the main characters were for me. A man constantly sexualizing someone he works with and ignoring her attempts to keep their relationship professional was a red flag within the first chapter! But then it just seemed to get worse from there. I also found the female main character, Phaedra, was so awful to her female best friend, and to many other characters. The fact that this book was published with straight up sexual harassment in it is awful. I got about 50% in and then couldn’t go any further.

I went into Double Apex excited for a high-speed romance set against the backdrop of Formula 1 racing. Unfortunately, this one missed the mark for me.

The premise had so much potential—Phaedra, a brilliant and sharp-tongued race engineer, teaming up with Cosmin, a charismatic driver with a troubled past. The tension and chemistry between them should have been electric, but Cosmin's behavior really soured the experience. He repeatedly ignored boundaries that Phaedra had clearly set, and instead of charming, it came off as disrespectful and uncomfortable.

The writing style didn’t help much either. It felt choppy, with time jumps that left me struggling to stay engaged, and the narration performance (if you’re listening to the audiobook) didn’t do the story any favors. I found myself hate-reading just to get to the end and wishing I was better at putting books down when they aren’t working for me.

I wanted to love this book, but the poor execution and problematic romance made it a frustrating read. Definitely not my cup of tea, but maybe others will enjoy it more.

I will forever defend F1 for being one of the best settings for a romance because of its high stakes and high pressure situations, and its tendency to be a host for quite big personalities. Double Apex was no different, but there were some elements of the novel that didn't strike out for me.

Phaedra as a character was fine. I recognized her flaws and the elements of her character that made her annoying, especially when she fell into a conventional depiction of a tough woman who unnecessarily put down things she deemed 'girly'. I appreciated how confident she was in her knowledge, skills, and ability to think on her feet, but she did enter stereotypical girl boss territory.

I found Cosmin generic and felt like he went too far with crossing Phaedra's boundaries in the workplace to the point where I found it unbelievable that she would give him the time of day–like he was sexually harassing her over the radio and didn't give her the respect she deserved as his teammate!

The writing itself was a bit clunky and the dialogue was painfully cliche in some parts, which made it hard to get through at times. I think if readers love drama and what the F1 setting evokes, this would be a fit for them. Otherwise, unfortunately I didn't love it!

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the e-arc.

I guess I’m not a big fan of F1 romances. Or it just wasn’t my time with this one.

Although this seemed to be fast paced, it was a bit too quick to be believable. Maybe executed differently, I’d feel different.

While I will say this was not one of my favorite reads, there were definitely moments where I got drawn into Cos and Phae’s story. I may have almost DNF’d it though after a few of those steamy scenes…the wording at times was just a bit gaggy, without trying to yuck somebody’s yum. Phaedra also may be one of my least favorite characters in this story before her eventual growth. To me it was difficult to imagine someone growing up with a caring family, everything you could pretty much need, and a high IQ, but blaming your constant cruelty on being homeschooled basically…Other than that, the side characters were decent, but I wish there had been more time spent on them, as they felt incomplete. I loved the racing aspects and def would’ve enjoyed more of that as well. It wrapped up alright in the end! I’d give it a 2.75.

✨ Publication date: October 8, 2024✨

Double Apex is the first in a new F1 romance series by Josie Juniper. This is my first by this author and I enjoyed it so I’m looking forward to the next instalment.

Phaedra Morgan is the daughter of Emerald Racing’s owner and one of the best (and few female) race engineers in the business. She is a math prodigy and good at what she does but feels she is constantly trying to prove herself in a mostly male industry and as the bosses daughter.

This would be easier if the newly signed ace Cosmin Ardelean wasn’t part of the team. He’s cocky, has an attitude and his performances on and off the track are typically in the news. Their radio communication is at odds and the race manager forces them to spend some time together to build a better professional relationship.

Their chemistry is off the charts and after a few encounters they agree to a “no strings attached” relationship. Neither of them expected to fall in love and they certainly didn’t expect to be caught breaking the “no dating coworkers” rule.

When Phaedra’s father and team owner falls seriously ill, she misinterprets some of his final worlds to her. She breaks things off with Cosmin in hopes of keeping a professional relationship. Neither of them can handle the break up.

After discovering a letter her dad left for her after he died, Phaedra begins to realize that sometimes love is more important than everything else. Is it too late for her to salvage a future with Cosmin?

This was a good steamy F1 racing story. It was a bit slow at times and dragged a bit in certain parts but the chemistry and spice were on point. This is a 3.5 star rounded to 4.

Disclaimer: I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

#NetGalley #josiejuniper #doubleapex

Thank you to the author, publisher and @NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I wish I liked this. I wanted to like this. I was looking forward to an F1 themed romance to try it out and this let me down.

The MMC just has so many behaviors that gave me the ick and would absolutely be considered sexual harassment.

I also didn’t like the FMC. She basically acted bratty the whole time.

This is a no from me and should have been a DNF.

Double Apex was my first by Josie Juniper and it won’t be my last. This was also my first racing romance, and I learned a lot along with enjoying the story, so I appreciate that too!
While the relationship seemed to occur pretty quickly, despite them working together and the lead Female Character asking him to not make comments / sexually harass her at work…. once the story progressed I was super into it. A lot of the flaws of their relationship were miscommunication, which is one of my least favorite tropes. However, the author handled it well and the way the characters grew from it was handled well.

Thank you to Netgalley and Forever/Grand Central for the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest opinion.