'Not So Fast' is a cute romance about a podcast host and an F1 driver. Mia is known for giving her honest thoughts on races, not thinking any of the drivers would actually hear what she has to say. Xander Bishop tends to be highlighted a lot on Mia's podcast, usually in a negative light, due to his bad season so far. Mia ends up being invited to a race by Xander's teammate (and basically arch nemesis). What will happen when Mia comes face to face with the driver she has been sh*t talking all season??

This book really kept my interest and I did enjoy the plot as well as the spice (not too much but just right!). I'm not going to spoil anything but a lot of the tropes that have become popular lately that I do not like were not in this book and I was so relieved!!

4 1/2 STARS!

Entertaining, snarky and fun! Karen Booth is taking the racing world by storm with her delve into F1 racing and podcasting. The concept is fresh and the characters are drama filled and easy to sink your teeth into.  I especially loved Xander and his family oriented mind-set. Mia was entertaining, but she also had conflicting messages. She was all for speaking freely and not shying away from the truth, but at other times she let people walk all over her (her mom, the fan club, etc.) which didn't coincide with her mantra. Overall, I enjoyed the story very much and wouldn't mind heading back into the pit again with some of the other drivers getting a story.

I'm just a girl looking for a formula 1 book to fill my fantasies. This had some high highs and some low lows.
The highs were the spice which happened often and was a good time. I also enjoyed the characters of Xander.
The lows were the third pov which is off putting for me in romance. I also don't love instalove. It makes it hard for further relationship development when they fall so fast.

There are a lot of F1 books out there right now as there has been a surge of interest here in the U.S but this is one of my new favorites. As a dedicated fan of the sport, I felt so connected to out FMC. Definitely sharing with all my F1 girlies.

As a new F1 fan, I felt it was only right to merge my hobbies and pick up an F1 romance book. Thank you to Harlequin for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

“Not So Fast” is actually pretty quick. The romance really takes off pretty immediately once our two characters meet, so if you like instalove this is gonna be a nice read for you. The story was really easy to read, pretty binge-able, and didn’t require too much emotional commitment on the reader’s part.

I thought the F1 details were pretty authentic (from what I know as a new fan), so I appreciate the knowledge and authenticity Booth added to the romance narrative. I might have left out some of the secondary characters’ subplots and focused more on the two main characters, digging in deeper as they navigated through their respective issues. There was a bit of a lack of depth on ALL of the story lines and I think a little bit of editing/tightening up the main issues would have helped have me more emotionally invested in the romance.

I'm officially an F1 girly now!

<i>Not So Fast</i> really drew me in from the start with its relatable FMC, Mia. Her being a huge fan of Formula One racing and having a podcast really helped the author give a lot of context about the sport, without just dumping the info on the reader.

The romance and plot kept me engaged through the entire story (I didn't put this book down much in 24 hours!) and needing to know what happened next. This had everything I wanted from an F1 romance and then some. The characters were great, the tropes were immaculate, the subplots were engaging, and the representation of the sport was accurate. I couldn't ask for any more!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this title to review.

Relation between Mia and Xander is not so simple

Mia had loved watching Formula One racing since she was a little girl with her aunt but now she was following her passion by doing a podcast on her favorite sport. Mia commented about all things Formula One but especially talking about her favorite driver Xander Bishop. But she never expected to get an invitation from Xander’s teammate to actually see a race in person.

Xander knew that Mia’s comments were getting into his mind but he never expected to be attracted to someone that was causing him problems. But there is something about a Formula One driver and the top rated podcast about the sport getting together.

I’m a Formula One newbie like many of the readers but I really liked how the mix of racing and podcasting lead to a relationship between Mia and Xander.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the author and NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

My introduction to the F1 world has been through books (as has my introduction to many other sports, honestly). This story was such a cute and fun read, the plot was fast-paced and the main characters were super lovable. It reminds me of the Disney Channel movie, Starstruck, in the sense that i found myself saying, "you know what? I can totally see that happening!"

This fell a little flat for me, though it was cute and quick. I think that it was a bit TOO quick, the characters and the romance felt a little flimsy. I found it a bit weird to have a bunch of fictional characters and team names that were obviously just fake names slapped over caricatures of current drivers, but then having Verstappin and Hamilton dropped in by real name?

I dunno, I enjoyed this book but I also wanted a lot more.

What can I say??? Karen Booth created the perfect couple.

Mia makes me feel seen with her job history and her need to process her thoughts/feelings. I love that she is self-employed and a podcast host.

Xander. Oh, Xander. He's hot, British, and caring. The perfect book boyfriend.

I highly recommend this book. It's not too filled with tension, but the story never slows. And the spice is spicy!

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for an arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

When Mia started her F1 podcast, she never thought it would attract the attention of the racers themselves. She's invited to a race as the guest of a driver and meets Xander, the man who's been the focus of much of her quippy commentary. Instead of animosity, attracting is sparking between them.

Read if you like:
-Annoyance to Lovers
-Fan turned Lover
-Mental Health Rep
-Secret Relationship

While I enjoyed Not So Fast, it just didn't grab hold of my heart the way some other sports romances have. The book was written in third person, which might have played into it. Much of what I've read is in first person and Not So Fast came off as detached in comparison. It was also hard to tell what the focus of the book was: racing or the podcast. I thought there would be more of the podcast, but I felt like there was more racing.

I'd recommend it for fans of F1 romance specifically. The fans to have to read it almost exclusively.

I’m a big fan of F1 romances. And I must say this one hit the spot. I absolutely love this book. We have the tropes
❤️ Enemies to Lovers
❤️ Secret Relationship
❤️ Curvy FMC
❤️ Steamy Banter
This was a great read especially during the first week of the 2025 Formula 1 season.
I rate this book 4 stars and will have to add it to my bookshelf.
Thank you to Karen Booth and Harlequin for sending me this book in exchange of a fair and honest review.

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)