This was such a great story! I loved the racing aspect and that is a very masculine field and these two very masculine men find each other and help each other better them selves mentally and in their profession. Both main characters are in new waters with this relationship and where that cause a riff or two they communicate and resolve their issues.

If you liked Red, White, and Royal Blue you’ll eat this book up.

A cute MM F1 romance! I absolutely loved this ALC. the narration was perfection!

Enemies to lovers
Grumpy/sunshine
Forced Proximity
Spicy 🌶️🌶️🌶️/🌶️
Sports romance 🏎️

This book is not new or original, but sometimes you just want to read about some smutty racecar drivers. The audiobook was really delightful to listen to, their accents were delicious. Their dynamic was great, you could really see how they evolve over time. You can 100% think someone as annoying as Hell, but think they are attractive - and I think that describes Kian and Harper's relationship perfectly in the beginning. They do have a "third act break-up" type situation, which feels perfectly natural for their characters, but I still hate when it happens in books. However, I love that they were able to talk about it and come out stronger on the other side. I know nothing about formula 1 or racing and still found this to be an enjoyable read. There were so many moments in this book that I found myself laughing out loud, squealing, or blushing. The story really drew a lot of emotion from me, and while the plot wasn't prize worthy - not every book out there needs to be.

The author's style reminds me a lot of Alexis Hall - specifically Boyfriend Material. If you liked that, I like you'll like this. I would say that is a better comparison than Red, White and Royal Blue. I've had this book on my list for so long and I'm annoyed it took so long to finally get around to reading it.

Thanks to #NetGalley for an e-copy #PolePosition to read and review.

{ 🎧 Pole Position }
by Rebecca J. Caffery

★ ★ ★.5
Narrator(s): Joshua Chase | James Joseph
Length: 10h 3m
Source: ALC - NetGalley, Harper Audio Adult, One More Chapter
Release Date: July 2024

•••••••
Kian Walker and Harper James—pretty much hate each other. The first 35% of this book is HARD to get through because of it. It’s rough. They’re childish. And I almost DNF’d it.

Then they really hit it off and I was like FINALLY. We get a few hot scenes and then more drama drama, y’all. I mean, it was good, but this is not a happy story. It’s emotional and really delved into the complications of abandonment and grief.

I feel like we got more plot development than relationship development and because this is market as a queer romance, that was a bit of a bummer.

While I didn’t really enjoy the story as a whole(because I thought this book would be more light hearted) the writing is pretty good! I wish we had a little better ending as well, and I’m not sure I’ll continue this series, but it was quick enough to not really matter.

NARRATION:
Joshua Chase and James Joseph did a really good job, although I couldn’t really tell their voices apart until the end. I was able to listen at 2x speed though and whoever did Harper’s character would talk way too low at certain times that really threw me off.

𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙚𝙭𝙥𝙚𝙘𝙩:
🏁 queer sports (formula 1 racing) romance
🏎️ enemies to lovers
🏁 grumpy x sunshine
🏎️ forced proximity

{I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook. All reviews are my own.}
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•
•

A quick a fun read! As a F1 fan, I loved listening to his book because it kept me sucked in with Kian and Harper. Kian, the principle, is paired with Kian, the wild rookie, when his teammates is sidelined with an injury. Sparks fly! With enemies to lovers/forced proximity tropes, the F1 season becomes the background to teammates romance.

3.75⭐️

🏁Pole Position, by Rebecca J. Caffery
⭐ 4.5 stars

Finished Reading: January 31, 2025
Reading Challenge: 19/100 books read in 2025

** Thank you to NetGalley for the audiobook arc, I’m thrilled to review this book.

Kian Walker is a champion Formula One driver who wants to defend his title for a fifth season running, but when his teammate is out on an injury and they bring in an arrogant hot shot rookie with a penchant for getting into trouble, it starts looking like Kian might be headed for trouble too.

From the jump it was clear that Kian was going to be different from the typical cocky athlete type, his commitment to family, his mother, sister and niece and nephew waa admirable, and his work ethic was clear. Harper James is of course, everything that Kian isn’t, young, cocky, obnoxious and reckless.

Their dynamic was clear from the beginning: a younger driver who idolizes his hero and an experienced driver who sees everything he hates about his absent father in who should be his protege. I loved the rivalry between Kian and Harper and was so glad that they didn’t lose that banter and competitive spirit even when they became lovers instead of just rivals.

There were so many moments to love about this book, but my personal favorite was when Harper called Kian when he got food poisoning. It was adorable to watch Kian give into Harper and draw out a side of himself that Harper hadn’t ever seen before. Daddy!Kian is so hot, and watching him take care of Harper was honestly so swoonworthy.

Pole Position is extremely heavy on the spice, but there was so much heart infused into this book, Harper dealing with his abandonment issues and learning to trust someone else, letting someone else show him he’s worthy of love was honestly beautiful, and Kian’s relationship with his family was wonderful. What really had me sobbing was the ending, when Harper shoes up for Kian in a big way, I felt such an emotional reaction when I was reading the scene at Kian’s mother’s wake.

I was provided with an audiobook arc of this book, and I loved the narrators. They provided two really distinct voices and told the story really convincingly. I would highly suggest checking this out in audiobook form, because it was a great, really easy listen.
1 like

The audiobook version of Pole Position delivers an engaging listen but leaves room for improvement. The narrators do a solid job, bringing energy to the story with clear, expressive delivery. The men reading are skilled and able to capture the excitement of the high-stakes world of racing, adding intensity to the moments when needed.

However, the characters in the story come across as a bit over the top at times, making it hard to always connect with them in a realistic way. The dramatization of certain events and personalities feels exaggerated, which may detract from the authenticity of the narrative, especially for fans who are familiar with Formula 1. The portrayal of the sport itself is not always entirely accurate either—some aspects of the racing world are simplified or distorted for the sake of the plot.

For those who aren’t die-hard F1 fans, these discrepancies may not be as noticeable, but for purists, they could be a bit distracting. That said, the pacing of the story keeps things moving, and the voice performances definitely help to maintain interest.

In conclusion, while Pole Position offers an entertaining listen, especially for those who enjoy the drama and thrill of motorsport, it’s not the most realistic or nuanced take on Formula 1 racing. Fans of the genre may enjoy it for its fast-paced nature, but others may find the characterizations and accuracy lacking.

** spoiler alert ** Thank you HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for providing this audio in exchange for a review!

Pole position is a quick, cute read. It’s an enemy to lovers; sports romance with all the feels. Cute banter and compelling characters make for a great read.

Pole Position dives in the world of Formula 1 racing with racing veteran Kian Walker and newcomer Harper James. Kian is straight narrowed, follows the rules type of guy, while Harper is a party boy extreme. Kian and Harper find themselves on the same team as Kian’s former partner is out due to injury causing Harper to move up to the big leagues. Their dislike towards one another reaches a head as they are not only forced to be on the same team but prove to the world that they are in fact the best of friends. As the two are forced to spend more time together they not only learn more about themselves, but also that they their feeling towards one another was perhaps misplaced. Besides there is a thin line between love and hate, and these two definitely found that line.

**spoiler alert ahead**

It has tearjerker moments. The buildup of the realization that Kian would lose his mother sooner rather than later was gut-wrenching because I think we can all relate to the guilt of wanting to live your life and create memories but also have the underlying guilt of needing to stay home and take care of your responsibilities. I felt that this story did a great job of showing that internal struggle through Kian.

Personal Review:

Justice for Kian!!! At certain points in the story, I kind of wanted Kian to get with Jackson, or at least explore that relationship. They had chemistry too. Kian was by far my favorite character in the whole story and despite him and Harper being cute together, I could not see them being endgame. Sure, Kian learned to loosen up because of Harper and Harper learned to become take things more seriously, but Kian was able to do those things with the help of Harper, whereas Harper grew up because of Kian and needed Kian to constantly remind him of his errors.

I just don’t see Harper sticking with his newfound maturity because when the going got tough and he didn’t want to face his feelings with Kian he would just go to the nearest club and party and dance on/with random dudes. I’m not convinced that if he gets into an argument with Kian in the future that he won’t subconsciously cheat on him. The epilogue, while it it’s good to have convinced me of this because after Kian retired, he had to go and check on Harper and get him back in line when Harper resorted to his partying ways. Kian is already going through a lot; it just seems as though Harper is adding to that weight when he should be trying to support him.

Looking back my review is very Kian heavy, mainly because I found his character most relatable. While Harper did have a good background story that ultimately had a good foundation for his character arc.

The audio mix of the audiobook was sort of a hit-or-miss for me personally because it seemed as though the audio for Haper's narrator was quite low in comparison to Kian's narrator. So, I either had to cut the audio up in order to hear Harper's POV, or turn it down for Kian's POV, since it was set at a higher volume from the previous chapter.

Overall, Pole position is cute read that can be read in one sitting but will leave you thinking about it for days. I am curious to see if there will be another addition in this series that will follow Johannes and his story. Maybe he will get his happily ever after with Jackson. Forbidden romance and rival teams anyone?

F1 rivals to lovers was something I didn’t know I needed.
I absolutely loved this book, and this audiobook was phenomenal! The chemistry between Harper and Kian was off the charts, and the British accents sold me. The narrators did a phenomenal job and I couldn’t stop listening.

This is opposites attract at its finest. The tension between Kian and Harper has me kicking my feet. It was the perfect combo of fluff and depth. I cannot recommend this enough!!!

If you want a book that will make you audibly gasp and cry while at work, then this is the book for you. This was such an amazing read and while I have read many Formula 1 romance books, this one will stick with me. The chemistry between the two main characters is very believable and the things that they go through are so real. Rebecca blends the world of F1 with a gay romance in the best way and while there are some aspects of the F1 world that aren't as factual as they are IRL it is used to further the story in the best way. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators are great choices for these characters and while the voices are a bit quiet at times, especially when listening though headphones, they really did a great job brining these characters to life.

Really cute story! I loved the rivals to lovers and grumpy vs sunshine mix. Kian is the older established racer and Harper is the rookie who is carefree and fun loving. Both have their hidden depths but are complete opposites. Then 1 motorhome and the attraction explodes, so good! I also like the racing aspect, really good description that put you in the car and the race. Once it hits the good part where everything is good which causes panic and then all the true feelings come out and it’s so sweet and still the author manages to keep it funny. I really enjoyed this one, even more than I thought I would.
The narrators are amazing too and not just because I’m a sucker for British accents. Did well with changing up vocals as needed but never pulled you out of the story.

This audiobook was so well produced and a joy to listen to! Will I also be getting the physical copy? Yes, but only because the narrator made me love the book so much that I want to reread it when it comes out. As someone who does about one third of my reading through audiobooks, I can attest to this one being excellent and I have recommended it to friends and colleagues.

reading his audiobook was okay. It was a bit slow sometimes but there is no way for this book to not be Seb/Charles in my head. Overall great.

The audiobook narration was great. Unfortunately i don’t even know how i made it 80% though before dnfing.
A year ago this would’ve been a 4 star read for me but now, im just tired of not getting anything new in romance and could tell what will happen at every part of the book as soon as i start.
The book isn’t bad at all, it’s just a repeat of every other romance book out there. Nothing special.

This was such a great read! I loved the dynamic between both the MMCs, I've don't read much MM romance but this one is up there with some of my other favorites like god of fury, what we broke and take me apart. I will definitely be reading more by Rebecca J. Caffery. And more F1 because who knew that F1 and MM romances go so great together.

Pole Positions by Rebecca J. Caffrey

4.2 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Rebecca J. Caffery for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Pole Positions was such an emotional yet fun ride! 🎧 If you enjoy romances (specifically sports romances) that have just the perfect amount of tension and spice then this is perfect for you! There were a few instances where the characters did something that gave me the “ick” but other than those few times, the story had me giggling and kicking my feet LOL I suspect there might be a second book in the future (🤞) and cannot wait!


Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Age Gap (25 & 33)
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Forced Proximity

*Audiobook Review*

Kian Walker is a F1 legend, having multiple world championships under his belt, but instead of celebrating his victories, all the fans and press want to know is - when is he retiring, and will it be sooner rather than later? After his teammate breaks his leg, Harper James is called up to race with Kian for the next season. This is Kian's worst nightmare because Harper is young, inexperienced, and a party boy with no media/PR training...he's also hot. Kian's mother is also sick and Kian needs to spend the season trying to win another championship and provide for his family and he can't afford to be distracted by Harper. Over the course of the season, the 2 men finally start to trust each other and form a connection, finally kindling a relationship by the time the championship rolls around.

I love a queer sports romance, and this was my first experience with an F1 romance, and it was honestly just a good time. The book does have it's emotional moments or moments of tension with both of the men having issues going on in their personal lives, but overall it was a cute enemies-to-lovers romance with a little bit of spice added in there. I am a big fan of the "takes care of them when sick" micro-trope so when I read the scene with Harper's food poisoning, I was sold! Overall I really loved all of the characters and how both Harper and Kian evolved over the course of the book.

Tropes/Tags:
-enemies to lovers
-F1 romance
-found family
-grumpy/sunshine
-Age gap romance
-reformed playboy

As far as the audiobook itself goes, I really liked both narrators - I thought they brought their characters to life well and the quality was great.

Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Pole Position by Rebecca J. Caffery is a thrilling romance that fuses high-stakes drama with undeniable chemistry. Set in the fast-paced world of motorsport, the novel follows a fiery, determined protagonist navigating both the adrenaline-fueled track and the complexities of love. Caffery’s sharp, vivid writing and fully realized characters keep the story engaging, while the romance provides just the right balance of tension and passion. Perfect for fans of sports romance with a fierce and modern edge.

Pole Position is my first book I've listened to by this author and I really enjoyed it. This book is a M/M formula 1, enemies to lovers book. This book is about Kian and Harper and is told from both of their points of view.

Kian has been a golden boy on his team. He has a strict routine, and follows it to a t. When one of his teammates has to leave Harper joins his spot. He's a rookie who doesn't take anything seriously. They don't get along well at first. Lots of banter between the two.

When they get stuck sharing a space for a few months feelings start to develop between the two. We find out both of them have their own battles they are dealing with. When one of them wants to make their relationship progress, the other one isn't sure how to handle it.

Will Kian and Harper get their happy ending? I liked this book, and would read/listen to more by this author.

Ohhh my goodness this book was sooo good! The author did an amazing job not going too overboard with over explaining formula 1 while also keeping it true to form for those that follow it. For a formula 1 girlie like me I absolutely devoured this book and the fact that it was MM was the cherry on top. I could see parts the author pulled for some of the real personalities of formula 1 and I am here for it.