I think for now this book quickly made it into the top of my F1 romance books. I thought it was such a great dynamic with brining romance into the f1 world. It wasn't super focused on the glam life of being an f1 driver while at the same time having the romance elements. I was obsessed. I wanted to smack them. I wanted them to confess their love so much.

I am so obsessed with them and I will definitely continue this series.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Not a fan of this book at all. I'm a big F1 fan and there's only a certain level of belief suspension I'm willing to do. Silly book.

Esha Patel’s Offtrack offers a promising premise—a fierce rivals-to-lovers romance set against the high-octane world of Formula One racing. However, despite its intriguing setup and potential for drama, the execution falls flat, leaving readers with a story that struggles to balance its romance and racing plotlines.

Diana Zahrani, Formula One’s first female driver in decades, is a character with plenty of potential. Her fight to be taken seriously in a hypermasculine sport is compelling, and the novel does touch on the sexism and tokenism she faces as the "pretty face" of the racing world. Diana is determined to prove her worth, and her drive (both literally and figuratively) could have made for a powerful protagonist. Unfortunately, her character development remains surface-level throughout much of the novel, with her internal struggles and motivations feeling underexplored. Readers are told that Diana has worked hard to get where she is, but there’s little depth to her backstory or journey, making it difficult to connect with her on a deeper emotional level.

Miguel de la Fuente, the world championship favorite and Diana’s main rival, starts out as the stereotypical arrogant male lead. His dismissive attitude toward Diana, coupled with his focus on winning, sets the stage for tension between the two. However, much like Diana, Miguel’s character feels one-dimensional. His initial skepticism about Diana as a racer is never fully challenged or developed, and his transformation from disdainful rival to romantic interest happens too abruptly, lacking the slow-burn tension that could have made the enemies-to-lovers dynamic more compelling.

The romance itself, which is supposed to be central to the plot, feels rushed and underwhelming. While sparks fly between Diana and Miguel, their chemistry is more told than shown. The tension between them—whether on the racetrack or off it—never quite reaches the level of intensity needed to sustain a truly engaging rivals-to-lovers storyline. Their interactions are predictable, and the progression from rivalry to romance lacks the emotional payoff that fans of the trope might be hoping for.

Where Offtrack falters most is in its handling of the racing world. While the premise offers a thrilling backdrop of Formula One, the novel barely scratches the surface of the excitement, strategy, and danger that comes with the sport. Racing scenes are few and far between, and when they do appear, they feel rushed and devoid of the adrenaline-fueled tension that should accompany such a high-stakes environment. For readers expecting an immersive experience in the world of motorsports, the book falls short, making the racing aspect feel like little more than a setting for the romance.

The novel also suffers from pacing issues. The rivalry between Diana and Miguel feels too easily resolved, and the romantic storyline lacks the push-and-pull tension that makes rivals-to-lovers romances so captivating. Additionally, some plot points feel underdeveloped, leaving readers wanting more depth and complexity, both in terms of character relationships and the challenges Diana faces as a female driver in a male-dominated sport.

Final Thoughts:
Offtrack has all the ingredients for a great romance—an exciting setting, a strong female lead, and a rivalry that should have sparked intense chemistry. Unfortunately, the execution fails to deliver on the potential. The romance feels rushed, the characters lack depth, and the world of Formula One is not fully utilized. While the novel may appeal to readers looking for a quick, light romance, fans of rivals-to-lovers stories or sports-centered romances may be left wanting more. A 2-star read that doesn’t quite make it to the finish line.

3 stars / 0 spice

TLDR : Parts of the book about F1 racing story was really cool. Had lot of potential but fell short in terms of writing, character and romance plot development.

- Switching between past memory and present gets a bit confusing at several places. Too abrupt.
- Story concept was so cool but felt like I was being told the story and abrupt pace rather than feeling/witnessing it
- Really really cool story about F1 with so much potential to be great but unfortunately fell a bit short with writing style and character and plot development (didn’t feel seamless or natural)

I realized after I read the book, that Author is college student. While I think there’s few more skills and practice needed to really do her ideas justice, I think she has a lot of potential and I can’t wait to see what she comes up with in the future. Rooting for her!

For prospective readers, this was a solid read. It had cool pieces to it, particularly Diana’s story as only female driver in F1. The romance fell very flat. Read it for the thrill of reading an F1 and a female success story in a male dominated world of F1. Don’t recommend reading for the romance.

This book was the perfect blend of romance and F1 intensity! F1 can be such a male dominated sport, so to be able to read a book where women are placed at the front center of the F1 world was amazing! I loved reading about the races! Even if you don't know a whole lot about F1, @ does a great job making it super easy to follow! I thought Diana and Miguel had super great chemistry and I love how they supported each other without losing their competitive edge while racing each other. The book was so fast paced and entertaining the whole way through!

Tropes
-rivals to lovers
-childhood friends to lovers
-forced proximity
-slow burn

I wanted to love this book so very much. Unfortunately, I felt that it fell just a little flat for me. I think my biggest frustration was simply the amount of stuff in this novel with no explanation. It's heavy on the F-1 lingo which I understand is the point, but felt careless throwing those words around like the readers already know everything there is to know about Formula 1 racing. I never got a clear understanding of the cultures of each character or the setting of the novel which just kept jumping around.
All in all, I enjoyed the story line and separately, I felt that the characters were solid. I think this novel just needed to be reworked just a bit to make it more enjoyable for the reader, and less confusing.

I sure do hate to drag books but here I am.
The writing and word choice in this book was odd. The Spanish had many, many errors. The characters were flat. This, overall, was one of the worst books I have read in a long time and I truly feel bad saying that. I am here for Carlos Sainz fanfic but this missed the mark for me, big time.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was such a fun book! i absolutely adored every single thing! the characters, the plot, the writing, the cover! it was such a wonderful book! definitely adding this to my collection

This book wasn't for me. I'm not a fan of F1 and I feel like that is a prerequisite for this book. The writing also wasn't my favorite.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a cute F1 romance and the plot was very well written. The characters were adorable and I loved their storyline. The setting feels like a real place and the characters feel like real people.

You can tell Patel has a lot of love for Formula One. The writing in regards to the racing itself was very meticulous and you can tell the details were important to her. However, I just didn’t feel any chemistry between the two love interests and the off track bits were a slough to get through. I’ll still probably read more in the series if there is any, just because of how much I liked the F1 details. Maybe other characters will speak to me more than this pair did.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really loved this version of a second chance romance especially that it was F1! I will say I was confused in some places, but the story was there. I feel like this could be a movie easily which is always a good sign while reading a book! These two are so sweet and I love a good reformed playboy.

‘Offtrack’ is a page-turning sports romance that immerses you in the thrill of Formula One Racing and reminds us that together we can make positive and equitable change in the world!

Our MFC, Diana Zahrani, is fierce and confident while also being human and vulnerable in a male-dominated sport. The illustration of chauvinism in many forms was well-written and frankly relatable. Patel did a great job showcasing how challenging it is for women to navigate for equality and a fair shot and the importance of allies advocating for their peers.

Offtrack is written in Dual POV from Diana and Miguel’s perspectives and while I don’t often sincerely relate to both of the main character's POV, I did in this book. At first, the mechanics of the action-packed racing scenes were challenging since I had no exposure to Formula One; however, I instantly appreciated the team politics, was enraptured by the fierce competition, and quickly caught on to the sport's lingo.

At three stars I liked it and recommend it if you enjoy sports romance, authentic vibes from a strong MFC who is overcoming adversity, or a second-chance romance with a HEA. I was also impressed to learn that this is a debut novel for author, Esha Patel, who is also a full-time college student and has several additional novels on deck!

I craved a bit more zing and flirty dialogue between Diana and Miguel and the transitions between scenes mid-chapter were not smooth at times. I found myself backing up to reread the last few sentences to be sure I didn’t miss something between paragraphs. This could be solved by adding an on-page visual flourish to simply alert the reader to a scene change.

THANK YOU to Esha Patel, NetGalley, and Harper 360 eARC copy in exchange for my honest review!

ZOOOOMMMM… Diana Zahrani is Formula One’s first female racing driver this century. She is out there to prove she earned her seat and wants to keep it. Diana doesn’t have time for love. Miguel de la Fuente looks down at rookies, there is no way one will take the championship from him…espcially a woman.

This was a fun read being an F1 fan, especially during a non-race week.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon for an advanced copy!

I enjoyed the premise of this book! The idea was there for sure, however, I was not a fan of this. I wanted to enjoy it so badly but I just could not get into it. I loved the idea of Diana changing the name of the game and how she was so powerful but the rest was blah. I could not understand the humor in this book, as in I could see where some scenes were supposed to be funny, however, I just could get with it! Again, I loved the idea behind this but it just did not hit the mark. I am sorry 😢😢😢😢😢

2 stars!

I was so excited because I love formula one and thought this book would be a hit for me but unfortunately I really didn’t like it. I did not feel like Diana and Miguel had any chemistry, and I also did not connect with the writing. There were also so many POVs which felt very unneeded, and overall just disappointed.

Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This was a really cute romance and I highly recommend it for fans of racing. I think the book is well paced and the conversation between the two main characters is cute and really shows how close they get as the story progresses. I love that is is based around racing and how that causes both similarities and issues between them because it made it feel more earned when they are trying to develop their relationship and see where they stand with one another.

I must admit that I really appreciated the author's attention to detail in describing the Formula 1 racing in this narrative. Either she is a major fan or her research is really good.

Now, in reference to this romance. I feel strongly that Diane and Miguel lacked chemistry. There didn't seem to be much of a connection between them outside of their sporting pursuits. Also, why was Miguel's "fiancé" even included in the book? If he was going to be with Diane, there was no need to even try to create a relationship between them. In addition, the girl was still enrolled in college, so no.

*sidebar: I don't know what it is with me choosing these slow burns but I'm going to have to slow it down.

All and all this is an alright read. If you are a fan of romance with a high-stakes racing, the add this one to your tbr.

I started this one with high hopes after recently reading my first F1 romances. Unfortunately, got whiplash in the first 10% and deleted it from my Kindle. Moving on to something else.

The Formula 1 circuit is turned upside down after Diana Zahrani becomes the first woman in the modern era to race. Her path to becoming the next F1 star is muddled with sexism and prejudice, as she has to work harder than the men to prove she is worthy of her seat. As the racing seasons continue, Miguel de la Fuente, famous third generation racer, becomes an unsuspecting ally for Diana.

Goodreads shows the top genre for this book as romance and sports romance. I went into this book thinking that it would be romance with a sprinkle of F1, but immediately I realized this was an F1 book with a sprinkle of romance. There is a relationship that builds by the end of the story, and some would say this is a slow burn, but it wasn’t until around 77% into the book that anything truly romantic happened between the two main characters. This love story fell flat for me as it took a while to progress and I’m thinking other readers may be disappointed as well. I would argue that this book’s genre should be mainly labeled as Formula 1 or sports genre, as the racing element was incredibly well written and informative. I was shocked at how detailed the racing elements were as I was not anticipating how in depth this would be. I’ve watched a few F1 races (but I wouldn’t call myself a fan) and felt that someone who has not watched or followed could still enjoy this story.

As a female working in a male dominated industry myself, the challenges Diana faced resonated with me immensely. Diana’s strength, resilience, and perseverance was truly the most redeeming aspect of this story. Additionally, the love she has for her family and the way she cares for those in her life is beautifully written. There is no story without Diana, and it is clear that Patel made sure the reader knew this was the case.

I struggled with the pacing of this book. The story starts out strong and fast, but gradually levels off. I found myself skimming through some of the plot (I can’t stand when I do this) as I felt like some of the details weren’t necessary or did not add to the plot itself.

I think this book is perfect for someone who is looking for a Formula 1, racing, sports story that happens to have a trace of romance. Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for giving me the chance to read this as an ARC for its upcoming print publishing!