(4.5 stars) Pole Position hits several of the sweet spots in queer sports romance without feeling tired or dragging on too long. A satisfying quick read, will be looking at her other sports titles!

As an F1 lover and romance book girlie this one was right up my alley. Forced proximity and rivals mixed with personal growth kept me drawn in and engaged!

3.5 stars and my thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the eARC!

Publishers, stop comparing every MLM romance to RWRB: Impossible Mode.

I wanted to love this novel. I really did. There were parts that I truly enjoyed and once Harper stopped being such an absolute dick and Kian opened up for once in his life, the two characters actually had something good together.

But so much of the book had the antagonism and dumb fighting that I expect from characters much younger than what these two were supposed to be. I didn't feel like the sudden change in Harper was earned, it felt too rushed and out of character. We needed to see more of the actual work on himself to BE better. 80% of the novel was them fighting or breaking up, so we never truly get a sense of them actually like each other, let alone loving each other.

I am hopeful for more from this author, though. I do wonder if she's setting something up for a sequel...

Thank you to NetGalley for the chance to read this book. I never read any Formula 1 racing book before so this was my first. I was not sure what to expect. Kian and Harper are perfect character for this one thats been racing for 15 years and the other is newer to the race. They have a big difference about them but thats why i think they clash so well together. So i see where it is related to the idea os Red White & Royal blue but in Formula 1. The relationship that builds between them is so sweet and just makes you want more. I would say i would love to see them back again. I want to read more of these two. I recommend for fans of formula 1 racing and m/m romance.

I love LGBTQIA+ romances and I love F1, so this book was a no brainer for me. Unfortunately it didn't really catch with me. I thought the characters were to Gary Stu-esque. I truly didn't feel the connection between the two of them.

Besides that two guys being extremely hot and cold with each other, it was a good read.

What a delight this book was! It took a few chapters to get used to the writing style. As an American reader, some of the uk-specific phrasing or spelling took a bit to adjust to. But l once I got a good reading rhythm, I was IN! I’ve never read an F1 book, nor do I follow the sport. Rebecca’s writing made it easy to digest with a good balance of the F1 world and the budding romance between Kian and Harper.
3.5 ⭐️ rounded up to 4
1.5 🌶️

🏎️ Rivals to lovers
🏁 Age Gap
🏎️ Found Family
🏁 Forced Proximity
🏎️ Workplace
🏁 MM / LGBTQIA+

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper 360 for allowing me to read this ARC. All options are my own.

Pole Position focuses on two race car drivers, one entering the highest level of the sport, while the other may be leaving. After a teammate is injured, they must learn to get along. This is easier said than done, as the younger driver reminds the older driver of someone from his past, someone who he hates. Will they be able to get past their issues and get along? Could they possibly become even more than teammates? 👀

There was a lot more emotion in this story than I was initially expecting. These two have a lot of history that makes them forming a relationship really tricky. I was anticipating more spice than what was there, but there is still some. Some things did not quite line up in terms of career trajectory, but that wouldn't be something that people who don't watch racing would notice. Still a quick and easy read!

Thanks to Harper 360 and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.

This book was a fast easy read that had a DELIGHTFUL amount of spice. It scratched the F1 itch that I've been having, AND it had been the perfect book to add to the "Blind Date With a Book" shelf because everyone loves F1 rn.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!
I really enjoyed this one. I read it in less than 24 hours on vacation and it’s a great pool or beachside read. I liked getting to know about racing as I don’t know much about it. I enjoyed seeing our two characters figure their shit out and learn to love each other.

Kian Walker is the repeating champion of F1 racing focused on outshining his absent father (F1 legend with a reckless reputation). Heading into a new season he is ready to prove he still has more to do in the sport amongst rumors of retirement when he gets shocking news that his teammate is injured and rookie Harper James is being called up to fill the slot. James and Walker couldn't be more different and the new season in on of the most dangerous sports is off to a rough start.

My experience with Formula 1 is limited to one conversation with an Italian who was attempting to help me build confidence in my barely passable conversational skills and what I have read in romance novels so please take this with a grain of salt. After reading Pole Position I am starting to better understand his enthusiasm for the sport. I loved the inclusion of the various aspects of F1: statistics, car development, team dynamics, and press. I felt like I have a better understanding of the work involved not only for the driver but also the logistics. Rebecca Caffery found a great balance between the politics and nature of racing with the romantic relationship and family dynamics of the characters. I really enjoyed the character development of both Kian and Harper, both have significant emotional stumbling blocks and over the course of the book we see how they develop skills to navigate challenges and loss.


Content Warnings
Graphic:Death of parent, Sexual content, Terminal illness
Moderate: Alcohol, Car accident, Abandonment
Minor:Homophobia, Panic attacks/disorders, Injury/Injury detail

Thank you to Harper Collins 360 and NetGalley for this e-arc!

Pole Position follows steady, world champion Kian Walker and rookie playboy Harper James as they navigate working on the same team in motorsport.

If you’re into motor sports and grumpy x playboy roms this might just be for you!! Nothing beats a reformed playboy trope for me so I did think that was a fun aspect of this book. And I really respect the representation Caffery strove for too. I also loved Kian’s relationship with his sister, it was truly tender.

Unfortunately, I found there to be too much prolonged hot and cold behavior from these grown men. Their romance just felt a little flat to me and at times the plot seemed illogical which took me out of it often. Not my favorite romance, but it was fun to be in the motorsport setting!

3 ⭐️ might rec if you’re into F1

I love love love a queer sports romance. I will eat it up EVERY SINGLE TIME. This book hooked me from the start and I finished it so quickly!

This book didn't take place in a queer-normative world, but it was really nice to see these two male athletes fall in love without the queer-ness being a major conflict.

We have the classic grumpy veteran (Kian) & goofy newbie (Harper) dynamic. This leaves room for great banter. The chemistry was strong between them but my goodness are they both so stubborn. Kian and Harper both had different childhood traumas that affected their views on relationships. They both really struggled to understand their feelings but I liked how they showed up for each other. Kian taking care of Harper when he was sick? *Swoon*

I don't know anything about F1, so I can't tell you if it was at all accurate, but I liked that this sports romance actually showed the sport. I enjoyed the on track scenes and the conversations with their teams.

Would I recommend this book? Yes! I hope there is a book 2 (Johannes & the owners son?)

I loved the progression of Kian and Harper’s relationship so much! 🥹

I hope this is the first in a series because I wanna know more about Johannes and Jackson. There was literally no hint that they were together but for some reason I get those vibes and I want to know if I’m right. 😏

Thanks to Harper 360 through NetGalley for the ARC!

DNF at 21%

I went to start the chapter where Harper’s watching Kian wait for him in the gym and I realised I just couldn’t take reading any more of either of their childish behaviour. I’m sure they sort their crap out eventually, maybe even soon, but I’ll never be able to forget how these two grown men behaved like children.

Harper’s behaviour is beyond ridiculous, really rich entitled white private school boy crap that I do not have the patience for at all.

Kian could have been likeable but I also really can’t stand people who expect others to read their mind. Harper has no way of knowing that bringing up your dad will upset you, dingus. And the way he expected the team to just tell Harper for him reeked of the entitlement he hates Harper for.

Thanks for the opportunity to read. I won’t be reviewing this outside of netgalley

What a ride—literally and figuratively! This book delivers a high-speed blend of Formula 1 intensity, sizzling romance, and just the right amount of angst to keep you hooked from start to finish. The enemies-to-lovers tension crackles on every page, making each interaction between the characters feel electric. There’s a perfect balance of heart-pounding racing action and deeply emotional moments, with a touch of heartbreak that makes the story all the more compelling. If you love a romance that brings the heat both on and off the track, this one is an absolute must-read.

The narration of the audiobook adds so much depth, making the characters feel even more alive and the emotions hit even harder. The layered performances truly enhance the drama, tension, and passion woven throughout the plot. Whether you read or listen, this book is completely binge-worthy, and I can’t wait to see what this author does next!

Giggling as I write this because I LOVED IT???

I might just start a countdown until March because I need to own this book RIGHT NOW.

I loved the characters and the how the relationship was developed. I loved the drama added and how it was handled.

I do wish, as an avid F1 fan, that there was more racing. But I’m not complaining because it’s a romance and everything else was handled almost perfectly.

I can’t wait to own my own copy.

I would like to extend my sincere appreciation to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for granting me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was quite an exhilarating experience. To begin this review, I must mention that this particular type of romance is not what I typically gravitate towards—not because it features a male-male romance, but due to its focus on racing, a theme I usually do not engage with. Nevertheless, I found myself genuinely enjoying it. The concept and plot were well-developed, allowing readers to not only follow the narrative but also to visualize the story as if it were unfolding on screen. While I appreciated the character development, I believe it could have been enhanced further to create more well-rounded characters. One aspect I found less satisfying was the ending, which felt somewhat hurried, even though the content itself was strong.

I liked this one a lot overall! It starts out heavy on the miscommunication/misunderstanding/making assumptions track, which had me a bit skeptical. However, once we really got to know Harper and Kian, I grew to like them both individually AND root for them to be together. The end of the book was really sweet and the character development for Harper was truly perfect and so cute too. A quick and easy read, that doesn't require any detailed knowledge of F1!

this was a cute story!! self sabotaging playboy Harper and work focused black cat Kian made quite the pair. Harper had the biggest character growth throughout the book and Kian was the perfect person to pave that way for his journey of self discovery. so much drama happened, both between MMCs and in their own personal lives, but it wasn't overwhelming to the plot. their chemistry was spicy yet slow burning and i loved it!
do i see a book 2 in the future with Jo & Jackson?? they were both being super sneaky and what better pair than hooking up with your friend's partner's best friend. confusing, but im holding to them being a couple lol

I absolutely loved pole position. Rebecca Caffery so effortlessly captured the essence of F1. All I’ve ever wanted in my 5 years as an f1 fan is for a paddock romance. And Rebecca hit that on the head