Unfortunately, Not So Fast goes a little too fast for its own good. I'll keep it brief--I did not particularly enjoy this book. I thought the dialogue was awkward in several places, the characters paper-thin, and the overall plot itself fairly ridiculous.

I did appreicate getting an insight into F1, a sport I'm not at all familiar with, and those were some of the best parts of the book.

My thanks to Netgalley and Shannon Dales for the ARC!

This was a fun lighthearted book. I'm a bit of a sucker for a sports romance even when I don't enjoy the sport. Mia and Xander felt a little too insta love for me but I did enjoy the lack of a 3rd act breakup.

This was so fun!! i’ve never read an F1 romance so it was exciting having something a bit different but similar enough to my other favourite books. I really enjoyed the main character’s journey of self-discovery after a breakup and how she took her time focusing on herself before jumping into something new. The romance had a nice slow burn and the chemistry between the characters felt pretty genuine. Karen Booth’s writing is easy to read and engaging with just the right balance of humour and emotion. The plot was a bit predictable (like most romance novels) but it still kept me interested and made for a cozy and enjoyable little escape from real life. Perfect if you’re in the mood for a feel-good romance/palate cleanser!

I first discovered this book via an email from Harlequin about it. Despite knowing nothing about F1 racing and not being a huge fan of workplace romances, I read the description and started reading it on NetGalley. It's a cute, relatively quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the free advanced electronic copy.

Not So Fast is a fresh, fast-paced Formula One romance that delivers witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and an insightful look into the world of motorsport. Karen Booth strikes a great balance between humor, romance, and deeper emotional themes, making this book a standout in the sports-romance genre.

Mia Neal, an F1-obsessed podcaster, never expected her viral critique of struggling British driver Xander Bishop to land her in the middle of the racing world. Invited to a Grand Prix under the guise of rattling Xander further, she instead finds herself drawn to him in ways she never expected. Their initial clashes give way to a connection that feels raw and real, with themes of mental health, self-worth, and second chances woven seamlessly into the story.

Mia is a dynamic, flawed, and neurodiverse-coded protagonist whose overthinking and hypercritical nature add layers to her character. Xander, dealing with the pressures of his career and personal struggles, is equally compelling. Their slow-burning attraction and the way they challenge each other make for an engaging read. The novel’s focus on mental health support and personal growth adds depth beyond the usual rom-com tropes.

While the book’s pacing is generally strong, some frequent POV swaps felt slightly jarring, especially during key emotional moments. Additionally, the dialogue occasionally felt a bit stilted, and the spicy scenes, though abundant, seemed out of sync with the tone of the rest of the book.

Despite these minor issues, Not So Fast is an entertaining, heartfelt, and genuinely fun read. Whether you’re an F1 fan or just love a good opposites-attract romance, this book is worth picking up. I am giving this 4 stars but I really thought 3.5 ⭐️ but I’m a not do half stars on here.

This is an easy to get into F1 romance that is perfect if you have a weekend off to yourself. It's light hearted, filled with fun chemistry and a FMC who doesn't take sh*t, and I love that!

Thank you so much to Harlequin Romance for my ARC!

2.75⭐️! The best part of this book was the F1 racing aspect, in my opinion. When it came to the romance, it fell flat for me. This was one of the few books that gave me the ick a few times either during some of the intimate scenes, or just the way the MCs themselves were.

When it came to the relationship between Mia and Xander, it just felt very surface level and rushed, especially in the beginning. I think I just prefer more build up and tension. But I did enjoy the side characters and seeing their backgrounds. The writing style also was a bit harder to adjust to with it being in third person and alternating between Mia and Xander’s point of views, but after a while it was fine.

Thank you to Afterglow Books by Harlequin and NetGalley for this ARC!🏁🏎️

As a recent fan of F1, this was an experiment for me to see if I liked F1 Romance, but I do think reading romance set in sports I really enjoy just frustrated me. This book has a lot of possibility but I just couldn't get behind some of it, even as he reminded me of Lando Norris (and I love him)

Karen Booth's "Not So Fast" delivers a delightful and comfortingly familiar mix of romance, humor, and heartfelt moments- think comfort food for the rom-com enthusiast. Mia and Xander generate undeniable chemistry, fuelled by witty banter and slow-burning tension that's perfectly oh-so-satisfying.
While the story is too predictable at times it's an easy flaw to overlook as you become invested in Mia and Xander's globe-trotting adventures and their personal growth. Navigating the challenges of a long-distance relationship while addressing their own struggles adds layers of relatability and depth.
For those seeking a smart, entertaining romance with characters you’ll root for, Not So Fast is an absolute must-read.

With the F1 season starting this weekend, I knew I needed an F1 read to help set the mood. I liked this book and found it was pretty knowledgeable regarding the F1 world and its background compared to other F1 books I've read. I liked the different take on this. I haven't read an F1 book that has been based on a podcast. Even though I liked this book there were some things about it that I did not like. I felt like it was bit too quick with the story. I would have liked for the author to slow the relationship down between Xander and Mia. Give us more detail of her family and how her family works to improve current situations. Overall this was a decent read. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for this ARC.

I don't know if it's because it's the start of the F1 season or if the book is just that good.

I think it's just that good.

I loved the portrayal of Mia as a girl involved in the sports world. I appreciated how well the impact on her was painted vs Xander's.

The characters just popped out of the book for me, and I couldn't put this book down.

It was such a captivating read, and I'm looking forward to reading more books by Karen Booth.

I'm honestly glad it didn't have one of the tropes that tends to annoy me.

Mia, a massive fan of F1 Racing, starts a podcast called "Not So Fast" and quickly gets swept into the fast lane when she receives an invite from an F1 driver to fly out to a race. She then ends up running into her favorite driver, Xander, whom she recently might have bashed on after a few bad performances of his on the track. They don't hit it off right away or do they?!


- Sports romance
- British MMC
- Secret relationship
- 🌶️🌶️

This was such a cute, easy to read romance. It was a little too insta-love for me, but other than that I enjoyed it. I love how the little journal entries throughout the story give us more info on how the characters are feeling, especially since this is in third person.

Thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin - Romance and Karen Booth for the ARC!

Not so fast follows Mia, a Formula-1 fangirl and podcaster known for her occasionally brutally honest takes on the drivers. Her podcast is reaching new heights thanks to some especially “direct” feedback she aims at driver Xander Bishop. Mia suddenly finds herself invited to races, meeting the athletes and seeing inside the sport she loves. Among those athletes is, of course, Xander Bishop! Awkward…
But never fear, he’s all, broody, British and something is weighing on him on and off the track...

I have only mild knowledge of F1. So I can't do much speaking to how accurate the sport or media involvement in the story is. Other, than I know there has been a lot of commentary about the amount of celebrities and tiktokers/social media peeps in the garages. But this book was easy to read and follow even without much background info. When I read the synopsis for this I was so excited for an enemies-to-lovers trope romance. This didn’t quite do that trope justice. I would maybe call it more rivals to lovers if I could even get there. There's frankly a bit of instalove.

Now I like some emotional depth and character growth and development to really feel connected with and invested in the characters and this book didn’t really give me that. It stayed a bit more “surface-level” than I prefer. That said, it was entertaining and kept me interested. If you are looking for a fun, modern romance with a good bit of spice, give this one a read.

Wow, Karen Booth really hit it out of the park with her book, Not So Fast! She has made a new fan! I loved Mia and Xander, their chemistry was amazing!
Without giving too much away, Mia started a podcast about F1 Racing which started to take off when she made some not so nice comments about a British driver, Xander. From there she gets invited to a race, where they meet and things start to get interesting.
This book was a fun, quick read. Had some spicy moments that weren't too graphic and didn't take away from the story. The only complaint I had was the book was too short and I felt like the end was rushed, but overall I wouldn't change anything about the story. Thanks, ##netgalley , for allowing me to give an honest review!

Not So Fast stumbled in a few places as most insta-love stories do, but overall it was a quick, fun read.

I really enjoyed this book but had a difficulty time with it being it third person. The banter is great and the formula one knowledge was amazing. I really enjoyed seeing a spotlight of females within the formula one space and the importance of female voices. I loved the podcaster dynamic with her hating on her favorite driver. I enjoyed seeing a MMC going through trials and mental challenges. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and it’s a quick read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ | 🌶🌶🌶
Not So Fast was such an adorable read! Xander and Mia started off with an enemies-to-lovers vibe, but their undeniable chemistry quickly melted any lingering tension. I loved watching them realize they’d misjudged each other, leading to genuine growth and understanding.

Mia introducing Xander to journaling was such a thoughtful touch—it gave him an outlet to express the immense pressure he faced in his career. In return, Xander helped Mia recognize her worth, pushing her to stop second-guessing herself and embrace her full potential. Their dynamic was filled with sweet and uplifting moments that made me root for them both individually and as a couple.

Now, let’s talk about the steam—because whew, it was delicious! I low-key wished there was just a bit more (don’t judge me!), but what we got was definitely satisfying. Overall, this was a charming, feel-good romance with great character development, and I thoroughly enjoyed every moment!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was my first F1 themed, dislike to lovers rom com and my first by Karen Booth. The theme and mental health aspects of the book made the reading experience more engaging for me. I genuinely love when books have mental health representation. Mia and Xanders relationship was a little too insta love for me, but overall it was an enjoyable easy read.

The book had a good story but lack of formatting made me dislike it. Hopefully it’s just my e version. I like the characters that were built but I don’t feel like there was a big enough emphasis on xanders new clarity to help him perform better. The situation between her mom and aunt seemed like it was half thought out. And I’m not a fan of insta love which is what the book became. And a silly thing : no one gets jet lag?

After jumping from career to career, Mia has set her sights on something she's emjoyed for some time. She is an outspoken F1 podcaster, and Xander is a driver who has been the focus of some of her critical comments. Xander has always felt a little on the outside, having had a different path towards F1. When they meet in real life, how will they get along? The type of tension they experience shifts pretty quickly.

Not So Fast is described as an enemies to lovers romance, but they honestly are not enemies for very long. Any negative tension is basically resolved after a handful of conversations. I think it would be better described as a secret relationship romance, as they keep their involvement quiet due to concerns about how their relationship will be perceived in relation to her job as an F1 podcaster, which is actually pretty understandable. It is by no means a slow burn, but in under 300 pages, things need to get moving. It is a quick and easy read!

Thanks to Afterglow Books by Harlequin and NetGalley for an eARC of this book for an honest review.