This may have set me up with an F1 romance obsession!
OH WOW

What an amazing book and YES to women engineerssss!
I love the build of tension and the chemistry of these two.
So happy I got this ALC! Narration was great!

✨✨✨ NetGalley ALC Review ✨✨✨

Tropes:
Formula 1 romance
Forbidden workplace romance
Friends with benefits to 🖤
Grief and loss

3⭐️
3🌶️

This one was a struggle to push through and there were times I genuinely considered putting my headphones down and not picking it up again.

Phaedra was MEAN. Mean girl energy the entire time. She was mean to the MMC, her friends, her coworkers, literally everyone. Not to mention she was borderline abusive towards the MMC.

Now, the MMC is certainly not off the hook here either. I can’t look past the fact that he took a playful glance from Phaedra as an invite to run his junk on here AFTER SHE SAID SHE WASN'T INTERESTED MULTIPLE TIMES.

It’s 2024, nearly 2025 at this point and we are still out here publishing books with ABUSE as a subplot and trying to make it cutesy? WHY?

4 out of 5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the opportunity to listen to the ALC.

To start with the story - I really enjoyed this book! This was my first time reading an F1 racing romance and I am definitely hooked. I loved the aspects of enemies to lovers and a forbidden romance but the discussion of deeper topics is what moved this book from a 3 to a 4 star read for me. Please check the trigger warnings as there are discussions of family illness, childhood abuse, and more - but I enjoyed the heavier journey that both the FMC and MMC went on individually while also exploring their love story.

In regard to the audiobook narration, I struggled at first with the narrator for the MMC with understanding his accent. I appreciated that it was realistic to the MMC's heritage but I am usually someone who listens on 1.8-2.5x speed and I found myself having to slow it down at each chapter in the MMC's POV. In the end though, the good outweighed the bad of the accent because it made the spice so realistic and the emotion portrayed from the male narrator was unmatched!

Phaedra and Cosmin are antagonistic co-workers with Phaedra as the race engineer who has not succumbed to race car driver Cosmin’s unwanted flirting. And then somehow they form a truce and then a secret fling that helps distract Phaedra from the troubles of her dying father. But Cosmin’s actually invested in a real relationship between the two and is merely settling for what he can get. When a potential for scandal erupts, Phaedra’s the one to call it quits and put up emotional walls. The pacing of this book was a bit quick at first, making the romance a little less than believable. The big break-up also happens at about the halfway mark of the book, leaving quite a bit of time for Phaedra and Cosmin to each deal with their issues. I was very interested in Cosmin’s family backstory and the issues he had with his sister. There was also a nice set-up for the couple that will be featured in the next book of the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for the ARC

I've never read a formula 1 driver romance before but I really liked it! I enjoyed that the fmc was a mechanic, because I don't feel like there's a lot of female mechanics in literature. I thought the romance was ok, but could've wished for a bit more spark between them. Not amazing, but not bad either. Enjoyable and a good palate cleanser.

Title: Double Apex
Author: Josie Juniper
Narrators: Jonathan Lake, Mackenzie Cartwright

Double Apex is an exhilarating and passionate forbidden romance novel set against the backdrop of the high-stakes world of Formula One racing. The story revolves around Phaedra Morgan, a brilliant race engineer in Formula 1 who is an integral part of her father's Formula 1 team. Despite her expertise, Phaedra finds herself at odds with the team's driver, Cosmin Ardelean, as he constantly flirts with her and fails to take her professional abilities seriously.

Cosmin, the charismatic new addition to the team, is renowned for his romantic conquests and carefree demeanour. Yet, beneath his cocky exterior lies a complex individual with a haunted past and a deep-seated longing for Phaedra, whom he has desired ever since their first encounter. Hailing from Romania, Cosmin's enigmatic nature adds an intriguing layer to the narrative.

The narrators, Jonathan Lake and Mackenzie Cartwright, deliver a captivating performance, skillfully portraying the nuances of different languages and infusing the story with a compelling tone. Their narration enhances the immersive experience, bringing the characters and their emotions to life.

This was my first time reading a romance involving Formula 1 racing! I was really excited to read this book. I loved the premise and cute cover. Sadly, this book just wasn’t for me. Phaedra just wasn’t a nice person. I understand she had some trauma to get through, but the way she talked about and treated over people was really ugly at times. Cosmin was more likable, but not by much. Their relationship was full of miscommunication and lust, definitely not a strong basis for a functional partnership.

I do think there will be people who enjoy this story, especially if you are a reader who you don’t mind unlikable characters. I will say the narrators did a great job. So id recommend the audiobook if you’re picking this one up!

This was such a good debut novel!!! Double Apex, is a high-octane blend of romance, sports, and STEM. The story follows Phaedra, a brilliant race engineer, and Cosmin, a cocky and infuriatingly hot Formula 1 driver. Their professional rivalry quickly turns into a passionate, forbidden affair.

What I Loved:
* The STEMinism: Juniper does an excellent job of portraying Phaedra as a strong, intelligent woman who excels in a male-dominated field. Her character is inspiring and refreshing.

* The Passion: The chemistry between Phaedra and Cosmin is undeniable. Their intense attraction and fiery arguments keep the reader on the edge of their seat.

* The Racing: If you're a fan of Formula 1, you'll appreciate the detailed descriptions of the races and the technical aspects of the sport.

* The Emotional Depth: Beneath the surface of the thrilling romance, there are deeper themes of grief, loss, and personal growth.

Overall, Double Apex is a thrilling and satisfying read. It's a perfect choice for fans of romance, sports, and STEM. Thank you so much to the publisher for my ARC!

Hot shot Romanian driver, Cosmin, is notorious for his skills both on and off of the track, and race engineer Phaedra is unimpressed with his ego, wishing that the team (owned by her father) had hired a different driver instead. However, as Phae and Cos get to know each other better, they realize that maybe they have more in common and can understand each other better than they could have imagined. Unfortunately, a driver-race engineer fling is not a popular pairing in the world of F1, so they have to navigate their lives and careers while also trying to remain true to one another.

The female narrator, Mackenzie Cartwright, did an excellent job of portraying Phaedra as emotional but logical and toed the line of snark and arrogance well. Jonathan Lake had a wonderful Romanian accent, but I was not a fan of his "female" voice, in which Phaedra (and every other female character) sounded overly whiny.

I've read a lot of sports romance, and F1 is one of my favorite sports of all time. I would have loved a bit more of the sports side of things, but overall I enjoyed Phae and Cos's story and was happy that they got their HEA.

Thank you to Hachette Audio, NetGalley, and Josie Juniper for an ALC in exchange for an honest review.

This had all the excitement, drama and romance of a smash blockbuster movie! I was immediately drawn into the story, anxious for every next scene. The intensity of a Formula 1 race perfectly juxtaposes against the tension of Cosmin & Phaedra. Their relationship has the edge of an enemies to lovers burn complete with banter, longing and release. I am a sucker for an angsty third act, and this delivers an edge of the seat win. And whenever Cosmin says “Draga Mea”, my heart swoons just a little. A truly captivating story that’ll get the adrenaline pumping.

I listened to this on audio and let me tell you, the accents make this story extra luscious. Romanian is not one I have listened to yet, but every word out of Cosmin’s mouth was sexy as sin. The perfect rendition of a race car playboy. Jonathan Lake does a stellar performance. Not to be outdone, Mackenzie Cartwright gives an equally satisfying portrayal of Phaedra. These two made me feel like I was truly seeing the story unfold on screen.

Double Apex by Josie Juniper
Contemporary romance. Alternating POV. Stem.
Phaedra Morgan is a race engineer in Formula 1. One of the only women in the field. With the job and male dominated sport, she gets a lot of push back but her degree, the support of the owner and math prodigy experience proves she has the skills necessary. She also gets a lot of flirty comments and men that think they know more than her. She needs to keep her cool.
Cosmin Ardelean is known for his on-track wizardry, as well as his romantic exploits. He hadn’t considered her more than a nuisance in his ear until he’s forced to spend time working with her. Their working together leads to a forbidden arrangement that can’t be hidden for long. Do they walk away or speed through for the ultimate win?

🎧 I alternated between an ebook and an audiobook. The narrative is performed by Jonathan Lake and Mackenzie Cartwright in alternating POV’s. Both do a great job with voices and cadence. I did listen at 1.5 to more closely match my reading speed.

One of the best things about audiobooks over reading a print version is a narrator’s accent for a character. That accent of Cosmin was not at all what I got from reading and it helped me to remember over and over Formula 1 and European tracks. I’ve been to Monaco and Indianapolis and they are vastly different racing venues. So for this book, I recommend the audiobook version.

Much of the relationship angst was lack of communication. Once they got past that, they both grew to appreciate the other more and build a bit of much needed trust. More work required.
Rocky and eventually smooth sailing past the flag.
A twist on sports romance. Enticing.
3.5
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and publisher Hachette Audio.

I had to DNF at 38%. The pacing just didn’t work for me, and I found the story lacking in strength. The FMC is incredibly unpleasant . I couldn’t imagine sticking with her for the whole book. The narrators were the only redeeming factor.

2.5⭐, 3🌶️

Okay...so this was not my book. Which made me sad because a F1 Driver - Engineer romance seemed like such a GOOD idea! However, the plot had very very weird pacing, neither of the characters id I really like and the narrators had me struggling. (Im trying to not be as negative as my thoughts want me to be - que my mom's voice saying "If you cant say anything nice, don't say anything at all." But this is a book review so I gotta say SOMETHING!)

My biggest qualm with Phaedra's character is she was too uch of "that girl" Like cool, youre smart and your dad raised you around cars, but her friendship with her best friend was so hostile all the time, and then she was always the girl against other girls which rubbed me the wrong way. And the absolute disrespect the team gives her as a female annoyed me, especially because its the only time she choose to be railroaded and not stand up for herself. Cosmin's character I enjoyed. I would have possibly liked this book more if I eyeball read versus the audiobook, because as much as I enjoy Jonathan Lake's voice, his romainian voice and femal voices were AWFUL!

Okay, Im just gonna be done. This wasn't my book, I wouldnt recommend the audiobook, but i may give the second book in the series a chance soley because I love F1 and hope the author figures out some of the unneccessary characters problems by the next.

Thank you NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing), and Hachette Audio for an eARC/ ALC of this book in exchange for my honest and unpaid review.

Audiobook lovers rejoice because you are about to get a super sexy Romanian accent delivered to you via Jonathan Lake and a balls of steele grumpy STEMinist read by Mackenzie Cartwright. I can’t stress how much narrators can make or break a book and these two nailed the characters of Cosmin and Phaedra.

I know very little about F1 racing (other than now I definitely want to watch), but know when an author can make me excited about the sport and all the drama surrounding it, then they are an excellent storyteller. I ate this book up! Cosmin is a driver for Emerald F1 known for his expertise in between the sheets just as much as his speed behind the wheel. Phaedra is his race engineer who wants nothing more than for her cocky F1 Dracula driver to listen to her without smart ass comments undermining her role. It takes Team Principal Klaus maneuvering Phaedra and Cosmin together in Santorini to get them working together. And a little forced proximity is the spark that ignites their tension into a blazing inferno by Barcelona. This book is hot. Like five-alarm scorcher hot DTF hot. For Phaedra it’s initially hate-f&cking and grief as much as anything, but a small part of her knows her heart is about to get tied up in Cosmin. And it’s her nervousness at making herself available for something more than sex that really imbued me to her grumpy mask of vulnerability.

The crazy thing is as much as this book is fast and racy, it is also so sweet and subtle. I loved that Phaedra learned Romanian because she missed Cosmin and missed hearing it, when his little nicknames are originally what drove her nuts. There’s also a “first date” type of scene in America that shows Cosmin’s softer side and his choices for their activities were so thoughtful and creative, you could just feel how much he cared for Phaedra in his actions. Grief plays a role as well and Juniper lets her characters live in it without it consuming their entire beings.

To say Phaedra and Cosmin took me on a wild ride would be a pun well intended. Readers should come for the spicy angsty banter and stay for the love that’s hard won. I received an early copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

Narration: Dual, 🎤🎤🎤🎤🎤
Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Steam: 🪭🪭🪭🪭
Angst: 😤😤😤
Knowledge I gained about F1 racing: 🥇🥇🥇

I think this is a book I need to try as an ebook or physical, because I couldn't understand half the words from the male narrator with the accent. I am not an avid audiobook listener, so this may be a me problem, but unless I was 100% focused on the audio and my brain didn't wander at all, I couldn't keep track of what was going on.
Otherwise, the story seemed interesting, I liked have a female main character as an engineer in a sport that is very male dominated. I did find her quite judgy, but I could see why too since she had likely spent a lot of her life facing accusations of favouritism because of her dad, or just being disregarded since she is a woman.

Title: Double Apex
Author: Josie Juniper
Series: Frontrunners #1
Genre: Romance
Rating: 1.00
Pub Date: October 8, 2024

I received a complimentary eARC and ALC copies from Forever and Hachette Audio via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. #Gifted

T H R E E • W O R D S

Icky • Outdated • Misogynistic

📖 S Y N O P S I S

Phaedra Morgan is one of the best race engineers in Formula 1. She’s a math prodigy with dazzling skill, cutting wit, and no patience for matters of the heart. Of course, her job would be a lot easier if she didn’t keep butting heads with their team’s cocky and infuriatingly hot new driver.

Cosmin Ardelean is intense and committed, but as famous for his off-track romantic exploits as his on-track wizardry. Yet his devil-may-care façade conceals a haunted past. When the pair strikes up a secret—and thrillingly forbidden—“arrangement” to improve their communication and bond of trust, the heat of their attraction turns to something more...

But no secret stays hidden for long in the racing world, and soon things are spinning out of control. With everything on the line, will they be able to strip away all their defenses and go full throttle for a chance at love?

💭 T H O U G H T S

Double Apex came onto my radar via an Instagram post from the publisher where this title was a 'Read Now' on NetGalley for a limited amount of time. I was in a sports romance mood at the time and the premise sounded decent so I decided to give it a try. Terrible idea!

Where to even begin with this book...

The characters are very problematic. And insufferable. Phaedra's character in a poor representation of women in STEM. She is immature and treats people around her like absolute garbage, including her best friend. As for Cosmin, he is made out to be the hero, but his blatantly (and continual) sexual harassment is disturbing.

The chemistry wasn't believable. I honestly didn't buy it for one moment.

The dialogue is ridiculous. I am not even sure how some of it made it through the editing process. Like what kind of person asks someone if they are fertile while engaging in sexual activities? And if they do, I don't need to be reading about it.

There are also time jumps throughout that make the entire thing feel choppy and disconnected.

And the biggest issue of all - the lack of consent and blatant sexual harassment. Cosmin was clearly told by Phaedra that she wasn't interested and asked to stop making inappropriate jokes in the work place. Yet, he continues to do so. That's not okay and fuels stereotypes that continue to exist and people may think this type of behaviour is okay. IT. IS. NOT.

As for the audio narration, I really appreciated the dual narration. However, the male narrator's super thick accent affected the clarity of his parts. Sometimes his chapters seemed mumbled and other times it seemed like he was whispering, which really affected the flow. The female voice was robotic and although it didn't have for a good listening experience, I did find it suited the character.

Every once in awhile I finish a book which should have been a DNF, Double Apex is one such book. I'll admit the premise had so much potential, yet the execution fell entirely flat. I'll never be on board for such blatant disregard for workplace and consensual boundaries. The fact mainstream media continues to market these types of situations as 'cute' is beyond my comprehension and turns my stomach. That's a definite nope from me!

📚 R E A D • I F • Y O U • L I K E
• really awful characters

⚠️ CW: sexual content, grief, death, death of parent, terminal illness, cancer, cursing, domestic abuse, emotional abuse, physical abuse, child abuse, toxic relationship, misogyny, sexism, gaslighting, sexual assault, trafficking, body shaming, sexual harassment

Dang, I have to DNF this one. It got physical in a fight and I’m just not down for that ever in a romance book between mains.

The F1 component was well done and enjoyable, But the FMC was truly awful. I also couldn’t really hear the MMC on the audio very well, the balancing seemed off.

Do I get to say I read Josie Juniper when she was an indie author? Because I did! And I was cheering from the sidelines as hints of Double Apex being picked up by a publisher were hinted at. (Huge congrats!) Now let me shout from the roof tops just how good it is!

As someone who has an automotive background, I have low-key been looking for a mechanic novel... but Juniper filled a void I didn't know I had with this Formula 1 engineer/driver romance! I mean, the cover alone made me swoon with those coveralls, if I'm being completely honest! Being one of the steamiest book I've ever read was the cherry on top... that car scene was next level hot and I'm a sucker for that piston reference!

Cosmin gives all those bad boy rough vibes that are just necessary sometimes; he's possessive and dominant and is the kind to take charge. Juniper writes STEM romances so Phaedra is a smarter than smart woman in a male dominated industry; she's fierce and tells the guys where to go when needed. In short I loved her!

I am not doing this book justice! As much as this book is filled with off the chart chemistry, tension and steamy scenes, it is equally filled with character depth and growth. Both main characters are dealing with heavy circumstances out of their control, creating a strong backbone for their romance to be set against. Real-world emotional conflicts organically create complications for their relationship, which only makes their HEA that much sweeter!

Do not even get me started with this audiobook narration! I can't even! Draga mea!!! I'm dead! Both Jonathan Lake and Mackenzie Cartwright are amazing but what I really noticed was how perfect the voices they created for the other character were. Like, this is one of the most seamless audiobook narrations I have ever heard. Plus, you know, Romanian accent and all that.

This book would make an incredible on-screen romance, so I'm just putting that out into the world!

Read it!

Thank you NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Hachette Audio for the complimentary copies to read and review.

This sports and workplace romance with enemies-to-lovers vibes pairs race engineer Phaedra Morgan with her Formula 1 team’s hot, new driver, Cosmin Ardelean. Between the team’s no fraternization policy and her being the owner’s daughter, their attraction has “forbidden” written all over it.

Not being an F1 girlie myself—I know; I know; apparently I’ve been living under a rock—I found the races, the science behind them, and the sheer physicality of the sport fascinating. I liked those high-adrenaline moments of being dropped into the race with Phaedra behind the screens and Cosmin behind the wheel.

I’ve seen a lot of hatred for Cosmin in reviews, but I actually liked him. Do I approve of every action he makes while wearing the guise of his public persona? Of course not. Given his background story, do I understand why he crafted that persona? Yes. He’s cavalier on the surface but a softie underneath it all.

Phaedra is almost the textbook definition of high IQ but not EQ. She’s super smart—especially with numbers—but doesn’t always understand the ins and outs of relationships of the familial, friend, or romantic variety. To a certain degree, the book portrays this as being a result of her upbringing, growing up traveling the racing circuit with her father and having tutors instead of traditional schooling. Having some understanding of why she is the way she is doesn’t make it easy to watch how she treats other people, though.

I received advance copies of both the ebook and the audiobook. I enjoyed the dual narration by Jonathan Lake and Mackenzie Cartwright and applaud them for how they maintain the various accents throughout the book. Cosmin is Romanian, and Lake narrates his chapters, not just the dialogue, in Cosmin’s accent. With this being a Formula 1 novel, there are a variety of other accents in play as well.

I recommend checking content/trigger warnings before picking up this one.

3.5⭐️

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Hachette Audio. All review opinions are my own.