The moment I saw racing and a plus size main character I was so excited for this one!!

While I really did enjoy the chemistry between the two and the plot of the fan turned expert podcaster and the racer she loves to critique, at around 60% of the book I got very frustrated.

Up until that point I was loving the book with a few minor things that just weren’t for me, but when the FMC starts mocking herself about exercising, working out etc and choosing to utilize harmful stereotypes for the sake of humor or filler in the story, the author immediately lost me as a (plus size) reader.

It was incredibly disappointing and made the rest of the experience with the book turn sour. So while I understand some people’s experiences may mimic that sort of feelings about their confidence and self worth as a plus size person, I was absolutely turned off to the book at that point. Especially since it’s not used to further the plot (like the FMC learning to love her fat body), it was used to punch down, and considering that a lot of readers will be picking this up because of the body size on the cover, I think they’ll be disappointed as well.

All in all, this wasn’t for me and won’t be one I’ll be recommending.

This one was a new twist for a rom com, formula one racing. In which a podcaster and formula one buttheads and possibly fall in love. This one was a fast read, though I wish the characters had been just a little more developed.

I loved this so much! F1 is one of my favorite tropes and I LOVED how this was podcaster x driver!! I enjoyed the banter between Xander and Mia! Mia is such a strong and independent fmc who held her own during every push back! Such a great storyline!

Cute and fun!! Lighthearted romance, it’s an easy read but it doesn’t really hook you!
I was hoping for a bit more than I got!! It’s still cute and I’d still recommend it for anyone wanting a romance read

Thank you for the ARC @Harlequin and @NetGalley. I enjoyed reading Not So Fast by Karen Booth. This was my first book by this author and won't be my last. This book had me hooked and I could not put it down. Mia and Xander relationship was sweet, fast and spicy. I was intrigued by the Formula 1 podcast and how Mia navigated social media pressure. How these two characters shared their passions for what they love and family. Perfect Title for this book.

Mia is a new-to-the-scene Formula 1 podcaster that has developed a platform off of her humorous takes on the circuit and driver performances each race. She has gone viral for especially bashing Xander, our MMC, and when they meet in person their chemistry is apparent despite their disdain for one another.

While this read was a fun ride, it lacked a lot of the depth and nuance I wanted to see from it. It was an interesting take on an F1 dislike to lovers romance book, but I struggled to believe in Mia and Xander's romantic connection. Their physical attraction to one another was not enough to make their connection convincing to me. I also struggled to understand Mia as a character. I get that you can be frustrated by your favorite driver performing poorly, but constantly berating him on a public platform was a little much for me. I definitely sided with Xander at the beginning of the book, despite him also saying some out of pocket things that I know a driver could NEVER get away with saying in the press in the current state of the sport.

Not So Fast is a high-octane romance set against the exciting backdrop of Formula One racing. The chemistry between podcast host Mia and F1 driver Xander is electric, filled with witty banter and sizzling tension. While the fast-paced plot and focus on the racing world add a fresh element to the story, some readers may find Mia's character slightly annoying. Overall, this is a fun and engaging read for romance lovers looking for a story that's both steamy and heartwarming. I received a copy of this book for review purposes.

I had to post a quote from this book to my social media - "When have you ever passed up a chance to obliterate someone with your brain?"

While I don't have a podcast like Mia, and am not obsessed with Formula 1 racing like Mia - this is the most relatable quote I've read in a book in ages! The romance in this book felt like a light switch - enemies-to-instalove in a snap - but I enjoyed all the high life travel and international flavor it added. Plus the MMC was British, can you really go wrong there?

2.5 Stars. Mia Neal is a podcaster who gained her following by picking on one driver in particular, Xander Bishop. The pair meet in person with Xander's teammate invites Mia to a race to mess with him and the pair form an instant connection sparking a long distance and then semi-secret relationship between the pair.
I love F1 but unfortunately the F1 romances continue to just be okay. I am highly amused that this is blatant George Russel fan fiction but the book itself didn't really work for me. While the F1 facts were accurate, a lot of aspects of the sport were not explained and I can see someone not familiar with it becoming frustrated by the sport-specific terminology found throughout the book. I also found it weird that some of the trivia Mia spouted off to prove her knowledge involved current drivers when all the teams and characters in the book were made up.
I also just didn't love the romance. Insta-lust love stories do nothing for me. The book was rather short so everything just felt rushed. Conflict was resolved quickly and so much of the pair's relationship was glossed over. I struggle to call this an enemies to lovers as I've seen others call it because there is no real hatred between the two and again there was attraction the instant they met and they literally kissed the second time they met. There was no buildup so there was no payoff. There were aspects of the book I really enjoyed, but found myself wanting more.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

✔️ Enemies to Lovers
✔️ Sports Romance
✔️ Dating a Celebrity
✔️ Let's Keep Us a Secret

The beginning of the book with the intros to Xander and Mia were totally fine. I'm also not an F1 fan so some of the sport stuff was less interesting to me.

But, the momentum really picked up a third of the way in when the chemistry between the two of them dialed up to 10. I love how obsessed Xander was pretty quickly - listen, having a fictional celebrity be all about one person? Swoony to the max.

The spice was pretty great but I also enjoyed seeing each of them with their families and how being together made them be braver and more honest in that part of their lives.

Did this book turn me into an F1 fan? No. But it did absolutely turn me into a Karen Booth fan.

Steam 🔥🔥
Banter 🗣️🗣️🗣️🗣️
Swoon 💕💕💕💕

This formula one story was very enjoyable. It was my first formula one romance book. I usually read Hockey romance but have been wanting to branch out to other sports. Coming from a Nascar fan family I found this to be an intriguing read. Mia Neal is a formula podcaster who knows all there is to know about formula one racing. The MMC Xander is a british formula one driver who is a tall drink of water. Mia talks about Xander in her podcast and his competitor decides to invite Mia to a race trying to throw Xander off his game.

Will it work?

You'll have to read the book to find out.

Thanks so much to Karen Booth and Harlequin - Romance | Afterglow Books by Harlequin for the eARC of this book. I love a good F1 Romance. This was a quick and great read for me! I loved reading about Mia and Xander's story. It is a slow burn romance but is written very well. I highly recommend if you love F1 romances.

ok this was my first f1 romance and i would def read more! while it wasnt my fave trope of insta love it was a fast paced enemies to lovers story and i really want to read more from this author!

thank you so much to netgalley, pyublisher, and author for this earc!!

Thank you NetGalley for providing me with this copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a quick and enjoyable read!
Xander and Mia had an unfortunate start to their relationship when a sound bite of Mia's podcast goes viral of her quite crudely criticizing the difficulties that Xander is experiencing this racing season. Xander is under enough pressure, starting with a new team and placing poorly, the last thing he needs is a smart-ass woman who doesn't understand racing giving the Internet trolls more ammunition.
Immediately Xander's teammate invites Mia to fly out all expenses paid and come to a race live as a tactic to get in Xander's head. The plot of this book moved quickly which I was grateful for, the contents of the synopsis occurred within the first chapters allowing the character dynamics to develop immediately.
The chemistry and tension between these characters was well developed and all of the side characters in the book were multi-dimensional with interesting characteristics and complex backstories.
The world of Formula 1 racing was effectively explored without it becoming superfluous.

This is an F1 romance for those who are seeking another one, but with the understanding this is going to give you what you’re looking: happy ending, quick get together of the MMCs and some back-and-forth that is resolved quickly. I wished this story gave me more of many things; wished the characters were explored deeper, wished the dislike to lovers was drawn out more to build the chemistry up and just more complexity of the story. It’s a great read, an easy read and definitely for fans of F1 romances but it feels like one that isn’t going to stick deeply within you.

I enjoyed this book for the most part. It had a lot of potential but there were some things that just weren't it. The media parts were a little unbelievable.

This was such a fun and quick read!

Mia Neal hosts a podcast about Formula One racing. She doesn't mince her words, and her listeners appreciate that about her. Now, the racers she talks about? That is a much different story. What started out with a driver inviting her as a guest to a race, to get into a competitor's head, turns into something Mia never could have foreseen.

Xander Bishop is not having the best season. He's been in his head and dealing with the pressure of failure/disappointment. Meeting Mia, who had some choice words about his performance, was wholly unexpected. She knows the sport inside and out, has great insight and helps him find his groove again.

The romance between the pair started with flirty touches and words and grew in intensity. They teased each other in the best way. Once they got to romance, insert happy sigh and giddy feet kicking here.

This was such an easy, fun, and fast read. I read it in one night. It was easy to get lost in the sport, even as someone who had no clue about F1 racing, and it was nice to relate to a character who had gone through so many careers (like myself), but she found her footing in one of her passions since she was a child. I just loved it.

I normally don’t read books about sports that I enjoy but I did like this one to an extent. It was kinda Instalove and I normally don’t really enjoy those unless they’re done right and I don’t know if this one was that way for me. I like that later in the books Mia helped Xander get out of his head and deal with stuff but I feel like they way that the friendship started that they would be in an relationship and I’m not entirely convinced that they would end up together and stay together. I did like that the book was short but the long chapters had me feeling like it was so much longer and I do wish that it was because everything felt so rushed towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin - Romance for the opportunity to read this Arc early.

Xander• Tell me what you were really thinking when I kissed you.
Mia • Gentlemen first.
Xander •I was thinking that I’m made of metal and you’re a magnet. It felt like I had no free will.
Mia • Yeah right.
Xander • I’m serious. You’re one of the most beguiling women I’ve ever met.

Soo good! Hot and fast paced! I enjoyed this book! Perfect if you are wanting a quick and entertaining sports rom com with some spice!

Thank you so much to Harlequin Books and Karen Booth for the arc of this book!

This was such a fun read! Being an f1 girl myself, I was so excited to start this book and I was not disappointed! This book is filled with spicy banter, laugh out loud moments and of course a swoon worthy British mmc. I absolutely adored both Mia and Xander and they really complimented each other so well. I also love a good enemies to lovers with a slow burn which Karen Booth definitely delivered on. Mia and Xander's unexpected relationship with the secrecy of hiding it from f1 fans made the stakes so much higher and the tension hotter. I really enjoyed this rom-com book and would highly recommend it!