I thought the timeline of the story was compact and tight which led to a good story. It was a good fast to slow burn which I appreciated. There isn’t an overdoing of the “my wife” statement, that happens in marriage of convenience tropes. The reason for them to stay married felt right. Also I like that they are both working through their struggles together with communication and that there was no breakup rather a battle of head over heart for the FMC.

this was one of my most anticipated releases of the year and i was not disappointed🤭 simone soltani is fab at writing really fun and accurate f1 romances - which i have struggled to find in the past. i feel like she is very aware of the f1 space and funnels that perfectly into her books, which i really appreciate. the chemistry between these characters also felt extremely real and fun, and i adore how quickly i can fly through her books. this one has a sprinkling of:
- marriage of convenience
- forced proximity
- f1 romance
- both millionaires

Stella woke up in Vegas next to an infamous racecar driver with a donut on her finger after being left at her own wedding 2 weeks ago. The last thing she remembers was that her and Thomas were having a great time at a bachelor-bachelorette party. Next thing, Stella knows is that now she’s married to Thomas, after a drunk Vegas wedding. Stella and Thomas agreed to keep a marriage of convenience to help both of their careers but can they keep their feelings out?…

I LOVE THIS!! I love this wayyy more than Cross the Line! ❤️ Thomas is such a golden retriever and so so cute and gentlemanly. This is super sweet with just enough spice! I had a great time!

Spice rating: 🌶️🌶️/5

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for this ARC ❤️

This book was so fun, and a great continuation of the world of F1 from Cross the Line. Thomas and Stella are both likeable characters who definitely have some skeletons in their closets and issues in the past, but they each care about and support the other. The timeline of their romance definitely didn't feel rushed, in fact, it almost felt too slow. By the time they realized and discussed their feelings, there was a chapter and a half left in the book, and it felt like there was some missed opportunity with that.

Stella's character growth with her ex fiancé and how the relationship changed her was truly amazing, and it felt entirely realistic. I think Thomas also had good character growth within the story, not reacting when he found out who released his video. Cannot wait for more of this world to come to light in hopefully a future book.

✅ Thomas Maxwell-Brown, F1 driver for McMorris & Stella Baldwin, former model turned entrepreneur and patisserie magnate, newly single after being left at the altar
✅ after meeting at a joint bachelor & bachelorette party in Vegas, they wake up next to each other, accidentally married
✅ dual POV
✅ Flirty banter. These idiots are so gone for each other 😘
✅ As a fellow Leo, I appreciate that Stella is also a Leo.
🌶️: you’re going to have to wait but my god is it worth it.

Ride with Me is the perfect follow-up to Cross the Line (& dare I say? Even better!!!) My heart is bursting! It is a captivating romance that hooks you from the very first page. Stella, left at the altar, finds herself in a whirlwind marriage to Formula 1 driver Thomas during a chance encounter in Las Vegas. What starts as an impulsive decision soon turns into a marriage of convenience as the two navigate the complexities of their new life together. Soltani masterfully blends high-stakes romance with emotional depth, exploring the personal challenges both characters face.

As they grow closer, their bond evolves from mere convenience to something much deeper and more meaningful. The romance is heartfelt, with plenty of twists and moments that will make your heart race.

Simone Soltani has solidified herself as an auto-buy author for me after this!

Tropes:
- “my wife”
- Fake marriage turned marriage of convenience
- Down bad mmc

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for the e-arc 🤍

Ride with Me was a wild thrill ride from start to finish. Stella's post-alter meltdown and Thomas's racing career crisis collided spectacularly in Las Vegas, leading to an impulsive marriage that screamed chaos—but also chemistry. Their love story zoomed along at Formula 1 speed, with witty banter, sizzling tension, and just enough heart to make me root for their happily ever after.
The high-speed romance did hit a few predictable bumps, but hey, no race is without its pit stops. If you're craving fast cars, Vegas mishaps, and a marriage-of-convenience that actually works, buckle up—this one's a winner.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Oh noooo. Oh no no no.

I genuinely gave this a chance but in my opinion this was not it. The chapters were slow, it took forever to get to the point, and their chemistry was just non existent. I just could not buy their love or like for each other. Stella annoyed me a little bit and it felt like Thomas was just there.

There also was absolutely no plot, which is a crime cause it was too long.

I think Simone is not the writer for me and that makes me sad. TYSM Berkley & NetGalley for the arc!!

‘Ride With Me’ is the perfect mix of steamy romance, wild surprises, and adrenaline-pumping drama. Stella Baldwin, left at the altar and drowning in embarrassment, never expected her next big move would involve marrying a stranger in Vegas. But that’s exactly what happens when she meets Thomas Maxwell-Brown, a Formula 1 driver who’s desperately trying to escape the pressures of his high-stakes career.

What starts as a spontaneous, Vegas-fueled mistake quickly turns into something far more complex that weaves into a marriage of convenience which later actually becomes a solution to their personal and professional crises. The chemistry between Stella and Thomas is scorching, and watching them go from strangers to a couple trying to make it work is pure romance gold needed for everyone.

What I loved most? The emotional depth beneath the steam. Both characters have real struggles quite real to the real world..

The pacing is just right, and the tension, both romantic and dramatic. It's a total seat gripper with enough twists and steam to keep you hooked. I’m not suprised given this is one of my favorite book tropes.

Why 5 stars? Because it has everything: sizzling chemistry, fun banter, high stakes, and a couple that you root for from the start. If you love a romance with some serious fire and a bit of unexpected chaos, this book is a must-read.

This story was so much fun! And I enjoyed it a lot more than the first! The writing feels as if it’s had so much improvement and better flow. This fake dating, enemies to lovers was well rounded, with a solid back story for Thomas and Stella k felt as if I was one of the friend group getting see exactly how their dynamic works.

I love that this one was much of a slower burn than the first story, but I do felt that it was almost too slow and by the time the story ended I didn’t get to enjoy them together as much as I would have. But the back and forth between these characters kept me engaged, the overall plot had me flying through the story and keeping me invested when the romance had moments of not much progression.

I love a take on an f1 romance as there’s no many stories in that dynamic. I love the small amount of steamy scenes as I feel they were done very well and balanced perfectly to a slown burn romance.

I love F1. But something about this one didn’t live up to my expectations. It was a slow read. And while Simone is a talented writer, I found myself skimming a lot of the inner dialogue

I LOVED Thomas and I wish from the reader end we got more of his POV

Stella I could never get a read on. She was very much a perfectionist. Almost too much of a perfectionist. That her need to do what she did at the end was unnecessary

If you’re a slow burn fan you’ll love this. But for me I needed more of a buildup between them for the slow burn to work

A romance book with the good sense to show immediate sparks flying between the leads and then properly build on it! Sure, the premise is a little ridiculous but it properly put to use and the tension/slow burn had me staying up to finish the book. I would have liked to see them properly together for a bit longer but generally I can’t complain.

More than anything - I love the idea of an English gentleman sweeping an American gal off her feet! The whole thing gave Grace KElly vibes, and I loved it! A perfect brain candy read with a lovely couple that came out of an accidental Vegas wedding!

THOUGHTS:
- The first few chapters drag a bit... I like SOME backstory, but maybe not this much?
- The characters have great chemistry pretty much right off the bat, and I like that! I get tired of poorly done enemies-to-lovers romances, which seem to comprise a LOT of contemporary romances these days
- In general, the only time I like 'fake-dating' is when it's in a situation like this!! Normally, it feels entirely unrealistic but their situation feels much more probable!

**Thank you to Berkley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

A macaron empress and a F1 driver. What’s not to love about this slow burn fake marriage that does not disappoint? Layered relationship, swoon worthy writing, “my wife” possessiveness, great side characters (something about this being a second book but idk). Slow to start, slow to sex.

Thank you Negalley for this ARC.

I may have needed to read the first book before this one, so I should have taken heed to that! As someone who loves a sport romance I found disconnected during this read. I will most likely go read the first in this series and come back around to this one if I enjoy it more. AS a certified mood reader that could also be a reason why I did not enjoy this one as much as possible.

Stella needs to get her groove back. After being left at the alter on her wedding day, her confidence is lacking and being at her cousin's Las Vegas combo bachelor/bachelorette is the last place she wants to be. But when an attractive (and British) friend of the groom, Thomas, shows interest, the two decide to stick together... So much so that they end up married! After the shock wears off, they decide that faking this marriage in both their best interests. Stella doesn't want to look bad to her successful company's board members, and Thomas, an F1 driver, already has some unfortunate press out in the world, and a family who wants him to settle down. One year, that's all. And with rules in place, surely this will be a clean break, no feelings formed or hurt...right?

This was a perfect slow burn, with all the tension you could want. Thomas was a perfect gentleman and so attentive. He was respectful and listened so well to Stella, even when his feelings were far different than hers (or what she claimed hers were). I loved Stella's friend group, and reading/learning about a new sport is fun! I also admired Stella. She was a successful business woman who knew her worth and wasn't ashamed to be proud of it. And, thomas didn't diminish her or put his career ahead of hers. They had a healthy and mature relationship, that started as strangers, developed into friendship, and ended with a HEA.

Thank you netgalley for sending this my way!

I am not super familiar with F1, BUT I feel like that was helpful as I wasn't able to knit-pick at what is accurate vs what wasn't. I usually like a slow burn however this one felt like it needed a little kick to get things going.

I liked their story but I felt like something was lacking and I personally didn't connect with them. I feel like there should have been a little more depth to them.

Here’s the thing about F1 romances—they’re largely inaccurate. Soltani, however, is the first to actually capture the sport well (even if the team names are changed). Huge fan of her for doing the sport justice! This book also has one of my favorite tropes: fake relationship with a crossover of marriage of convenience. Thomas was a gem and I loved the little things he would do for Stella. I also appreciated how Stella had her own businesses and life apart from him, but still found ways to make it work between them.

This book was a slow burn but for the first time ever, it didn’t work for me. I didn’t feel the chemistry between the characters as much and I don’t know why. While I enjoyed the read, it didn’t really stand out to me as one to remember.

ੈ♡˳ rating: five of five stars

ੈ♡˳ thoughts:
i LOVED this book. love. love. love. in my opinion, it was so much better than the first book. something about that fake dating, slow burn trope gets me right in my feelings. stella, the fmc, is a fierce girl boss & thomas, the mmc, is a golden retriever who is obsessed with stella. a match made in heaven.

thomas said “my wife” so many times and he did not disappoint with them. the romance in the book wasn’t cringy at all. if anything, it was so sweeet to me. i had a great time reading this and i think everyone else will too!

ੈ♡˳ tropes
ꕥ “my wife”
ꕥ marriage of convenience
ꕥ obsessed mmc
ꕥ fake marriage
ꕥ interracial couple

Ever since I read Simone Soltani’s last book Cross the Line, I knew I wanted to read more from her. I wanted to get a better grasp on her writing and how her plots work and I’m glad I was able to do so when reading her new title Ride With Me.

Like Cross the Line, Ride with Me takes place in the world of F1 racing and you also get cameos of the main characters from her previous book in this book which added something for me to enjoy as someone who had previously read Cross the Line.

Soltani is very good at finding the foundation of romantic relationship, and developing it from there. In her last book, the main couple started as a friendship that grew into a romantic attraction. While in this book the basis of the main characters relationship was flirtation, so much so that it leads to a whirlwind night that ends in a spur of the moment Vegas Wedding. Although I would say when Soltani emphasizes the basis of the relationship and why the romantic relationship even started, it also causes stagnancy in the storyline where the pacing feels slower and you are waiting for the next big step in development for the characters.

I do think there’s something to enjoy for readers who are fans of the marriage of convenience trope, especially if they enjoy F1 racing.