This was my first F1 romance and now I’m hooked! I really loved Lilah and her growth. I loved seeing her make friends and be loved and accepted for her. And Arthur was top tier book bf. I love a my wife moment but I didn’t love how quickly that happened - I needed some time. But overall really loved, thought it was very cute and super fun. Also! I love how she and Sarah became friends - yes to women supporting women!

Lilah and Arthur are as opposite as they come, but they are presented with an opportunity to redeem themselves through sabotaging a documentary about Arthur’s Formula 1 team. Lilah wants to get revenge on her ex, and Arthur wants to avenge his image. With a little bit of fake dating, and a lot of spite, their walls begin to fall and they grow closer. Arthur’s facade fades and Lilah’s feelings grow, all while trying to navigate the cut throat lifestyle of the F1 circuit.

Their relationship unfolds in a delicious slow burn with a great emotional (and steamy) payoff! Both characters go on a journey of self discovery and learning how their pasts impact their presents. This was a great debut from Madge Maril and I am excited to read more from her.

2/5⭐️

This book wasn’t BAD…it just wasn’t good.

Let’s start with the good stuff:

Some of the tropes in this one include: fake dating, celebrity x normal person, only one bed, he falls first, “it’s always been you”, found family

The author’s voice was not bad and the writing was also okay. There were some good discussions of mental health expectations for men

the MMC….he can GET IT. He is largely why I didn’t DNF this book. He is hot and sexy and he falls first and hard and he’s very chatty in bed and I adored him. This man is a horndog for love and is a gold medalist in the “wife guy” Olympics

Now….. The FMC was INCREDIBLY annoying and unlikable. She was sooooo preoccupied with how quirky and different she was, and I was ready to strangle her. Wearing cargo shorts at the beach and being afraid of airplanes is not original. You like van Morrison and the doors? So does everyone else! Also, she was a big participant in one of my biggest pet peeves; she acted like having ADHD made her sooo different and unusual and I hate to break it to you bestie, it doesn’t! If you’re acting weird because you have ADHD that is a problem of your own making. I also have ADHD and I do not act like this.

The scheming in this book also made little sense. The scheming from the evil rich uncle businessmen was hard to follow, and the scheming that lilah and Arthur were doing to get back at him also was hard to follow. I ended up just skimming over what I would’ve otherwise enjoyed

Also the ending where he’s basically like “I’m giving up my career goal for my mental health” unrealistic. A man would never do that

4.5 stars 🌟 Without the cover I would have had no idea what Formula 1 is. But I am now an F1 romance lover because of this book! I stayed up all night reading it because I just couldn’t put it down. This speaks volumes because I’m a mom to an infant and toddler who values sleep when I get it lol.

Slipstream is fast paced with enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes, and it’s spicy ✨ The mental health aspect was handled with care. It was perfect in my opinion!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Adored and loved this. I loved how organically they connected and developed their relationship. I also love me a good F1 romance. Loved.

I loved slipstream, I loved the F1 representation and their relationship was so beautiful. I love fake dating trope os much. I will be reading more from this author

I received an ARC from Simon and SCHUSTER through NetGalley.
First I loved that the book had anxiety, ADHD, and panic attack representation as one of the main topics of the story. Lila’s and Arthur had a slight enemies to lovers feel (but not really). Arthur is an F1 driver (and blonde but we just have to overlook that) and comes off as a shy, ladies man. Lilah is a documentarian and a passion for finding the truth through the lens of her camera. That’s also how she moves through her life. Quiet, patient and always watching others in the background.
I could not put this book down!! I loved that Lilah and Arthur got their HEA!

Very fun. All the romantic tension that an enemies-to-lovers fan craves. Quite literally flew through the book. Ending did feel a bit rushed, but it didn't ruin the ride. Would not be surprised to see this on a screen some time soon.

This was such a fun and cute book! i loved the documentary aspect and how that played out! Lilah is adorable and i wish i could give her a big hug! i loved the revenge plan both our main characters devised and how they worked together to accomplish it! it was adorable to see the chemistry grow between them and so good to learn about both of them more along the way. The romance is definitely a slow burn but once it gets there it gets STEAMY! The writing style from this author is just so gorgeous and immersive when reading her books that i just can't help but relate to her characters. I also really liked the side characters and feel like they brought a lot to the story as well!

Top tier Formula 1 romance (said as someone with basically zero prior knowledge of the sport of F1). I usually am a total fake dating hater, as I think it too quickly turns into instalust. This one had the PERFECT amount of tension, an impeccable slow burn, and by the time these two finally, finally get together it feels like everyone - reader included - is about to combust. It's also nice because even though it's pretty obvious to the reader how the MMC feels (and for how long), it's also completely plausible that the FMC would miss it and could truly be oblivious all the way up until things come to a head.

My only gripe is that the last 15% or so feels a little rushed and gets a little hackneyed. I was so in for so long that it felt like whiplash to have this really underbaked conflict that is resolved with some truly absurd melodrama.

Anyways, loved it overall, can't wait for more from Madge Maril. 4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

I tried to give this one a chance, I really did. It was less of a romance and more of a 'I'm neurodivergent...', a short story, more 'don't forget I'm neurodivergent!' and back and forth over and over again. It got old really fast.

This was a super cute book in the world of Formula 1 Racing.
First of all, can I just say that Lilah's ex, Max, is a TOOL! On the other hand, I absolutely LOVED Arthur! And I also loved that Lilah and Arthur had a revenge plan as payback for that TOOL! There wasn't a ton of spice in this book but the spice it did have was pretty decent. I really liked the way this book ended and I really enjoyed this book overall!

*Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC copy in exchange for an honest review*

Am I an F1 fan now, despite never having watched a race? A sweet, he falls first, forced proximity romance based in the elite world of Formula 1 racing. Compelling story, interesting narrative, my one complaint would be that the characters didn’t feel fully fleshed out. Lilah describes herself as neurodivergent and ADHD. I would have liked to see more of how that impacted her job, relationships, self-image, etc.. That said, it’s lovely to see the representation both for these issues and for anxiety.

Thanks for NetGalley for the ARC!

My son is very much into F1 and every time I see a book about the topic that is also a romance, I read it! This title was entertaining. I liked the characters, and the pacing was action filled. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Slipstream by Madge Maril is a stunning debut set in the wild world of Formula 1 and is available everywhere May 20, 2025. Mark your calendars because you don’t want to miss this fast paced romance!

Lilah Graywood is a serious documentarian and she’s currently out of her depth with this new project she’s moved to Texas for. Her business partner/best friend/secret boyfriend, Max, agrees to film an in house movie with Ignition Energy Drink Racing team. Lilah is assigned to follow the less than thrilled F1 team’s reserve driver, Arthur Bianco. He’s got a bad boy reputation and the looks to go with it. While trying to convince Max this isn’t their company’s style of project, Max informs Lilah that they are breaking up and oh by the way he actually owns the company, it’s never really been a partnership. Lilah and Arthur end up teaming together for revenge in a way no one will see coming. Lilah continues filming Arthur and through unlikely events the pair end up fake dating in order to carry out their mission of revenge and redemption.

I loved Slipstream, I couldn’t read it fast enough! As an avid F1 fan I’m often leery of F1 romance as it’s hard to write in a way that’s inclusive for non motorsport fans. The sport is so complex and sometimes a story gets too technical or goes the opposite direction and doesn’t represent the sport at all. Madge Maril did a perfect job of introducing the sport in digestible pieces while showcasing the drama, humor, and passion that’s inherently a part of F1. This is not to say that Arthur and Lilah’s story is solely focused on Formula 1 but it is a huge part of their lives and so enjoyable. Arthur is down bad for our girl Lilah and it’s so fun to read. The chemistry and vulnerability in Slipstream will have you hooked! Not to mention the secondary characters are well written and add so much to this story. I’ve already preordered my copy and will definitely read whatever Maril puts out next. Read this if you like:
-fake dating
-enemies to lovers
-F1 romance
-slow burn

5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley and Simon & Schuster, for the eARC of Slipstream by Madge Maril! My thoughts and opinions below are entirely my own.

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again—I have never watched a Formula One race in my life, but I will read a Formula One romance every single time. And Slipstream? Hands down, my favorite one yet! This book does such a fantastic job of explaining F1 that I actually feel like I understand the sport now.

Some book tropes mentioned in review below may be considered spoilerish so read next part at your own risk.

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Slipstream follows Lilah, a documentarian, and Arthur, a reserved driver for an American Formula One team. They’re total opposites but have to work together to chase their dreams, and oh, the slow burn is so worth it. We’re talking forbidden romance, delicious angst, and just the right amount of he falls first and hard. It’s all seamlessly woven together with great research, thoughtful storytelling, and even some wonderful mental health representation.

I adored the side characters, the vibes, everything. As soon as this hits shelves, I will be grabbing a physical copy—and recommending it to everyone. If you love a good Formula One romance, this is an absolute must-read!

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC!

There is a new book boyfriend in town and his name is Arthur Bianco!!! 5 stars. Easy.

Wow! Every time I had to step away from this, I wanted to come back. Not only do you have two incredibly fleshed out, emotional characters, you also have a really great starting point for jumping into the F1 of it all. As someone who is a casual viewer and doesn't really know the ins and outs, I found myself completely wrapped up in the racing scenes. They are beautifully executed.

In this book we are following Lilah, a documentarian and Arthur, an F1 racer who is less than thrilled to film a documentary and refusing. When Lilah gets fired from her company and dumped all in the same day, she finds herself hatching a plan for revenge with Arthur that will get them both their happy ending.

Lilah, oh my god. I can't even write a proper review for her without spoiling so much. She is to me the most relatable FMC I have ever read. She is so complex and skilled and also hurt and deeply stuck in her past. Madge wrote her so incredibly well, I will be shocked if the world does not adore her.

Arthur I also loved from the jump. I did a buddy read of this ARC and we both were screaming "QUIET LOVE!!!!" the entire time. His love confession? Give it a Pulitzer prize rn, I'm so serious. I will say, I'm a sucker for dual POV, I would have loved to be in his head but I think seeing him from Lilah's point of view was a big part of the story. This man, who seemingly has it all, missing so many little pieces.

I think overall this story flowed really well! A nice fast paced plot, really likeable characters throughout the book, a twist that will have you wanting to commit crimes yourself, and so much love within Arthurs team. Those little moments before the race on the headset? That's love.

10/10. I can't wait to return to this and yap some more upon release day <3

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.

Solid 4.5 stars out of 5 stars!

Summary of the plot:
In this book, we follow the relationship between Lilah and Arthur. Lilah is a documentary-film maker who is hired to make a documentary about Arthur, a F1 racer who doesn't want to be filmed. She gets fired from her own company (that wasn't legally hers though she thought it was), dumped by her boyfriend (co-owner/sole owner of the company) for another woman, and is stranded in Texas, far away from home. Arthur sees her as a way to get himself out a contract so that he can race for another team. Together, they work to make a documentary that will put them in the spotlight. But feelings run fast in this book.

Thoughts:
This book was almost perfect for me. We get to see Lilah in her natural habitat (filming), as well as Arthur's. There is enough context to understand the world, but it's not too info-dumping, nor do you get lost about what's going on in the world of car racing and documentaries. I also thought the relationship between Lilah and Arthur was balanced pretty well. Arthur is kind of a playboy while Lilah is awkward, but it's not too cringey where I have to stop reading. They're both really soft with each other and take the time to understand the other person. (Reminds me of my own relationship, sighs). The dislike-to-love timing also felt well paced.

The only thing that I wish we got more of was the family aspect. Lilah seems to be close with her adopted parents, but only calls them maybe once or twice through the book. Also, because Lilah struggled with friends growing up (hence why her ex was her best friend), I wish there was more emphasis on Lilah creating more friendships. But those are really minor things that I can live without.

Overall, I loved this book and would recommend it to people!

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Lilah films documentaries, and during one summer, an assignment brings her to Formula 1 racing. This environment is out of her playbook, as she usually prefers more "raw" settings, but she agrees to the company's shift after her co-owner (and secret boyfriend) Max shifts the company's focus. Once the team starts their work, however, Max breaks up with/fires Lilah as she starts to document the work of Arthur, an F1 reserve racer with a bumpy career. Eventually, Arthur and Lilah team up to take back control of the documentary - so Lilah can seek revenge and Arthur can claim some redemption for the course of his career. This new partnership winds up having the two enter into a fake relationship, but they cannot deny that their chemistry is real.

I loved the backdrop of this book - I thought Formula 1 racing was a very unique setting to incorporate a storyline. I also enjoyed that even though the careers in this book were not your typical jobs, the experiences of Arthur and Lilah within their respective careers were relatable to anyone. I appreciated that with Arthur and Lilah, even though they had a relationship that, when together made the other person better, it did not detract from their individualism, but rather enhanced it. Also a special thank you to this author for incorporating mental health as a part of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

While I do not know much about F1 or making documentries, after reading this book I certainly want to know more. I was sucked into this book from the start! Both of these characters had so much much growth and complexity fit into these pages. It truly had me rooting for them becuase they did not lose their identity when they became a couple, you could see the individual growth and how they made each other better.

I also loved the take on fake dating! Trying to keep people guessing but not having anything confirmed. It helped that this was a slowburn where he fell first for sure!