If there is one thing I love in this world, it’s a romance novel. If there’s one sport I love, it’s Formula 1. The fact that this novel married these two things together so beautifully, so effortlessly—well, it immediately made this story one of the top novels I’ve read this year.

This novel proved one thing to me: you can have a Formula 1 romance, but you can also have the story mean something more. You can open the story up to talk about acceptance, to talk about putting yourself first, and to explore what it truly means to wield confidence as power. This story captured what makes romance novels and Formula 1 popular with so many people—it reminds the reader of the human element behind both forms of entertainment.

As a Formula 1 fan, I was kicking my legs over how well this novel explored and explained the sport. If you’re not familiar with Formula 1, this book is a great introduction to it. Maril does an excellent job of explaining the basic foundations of this fast-paced Motorsport in a digestible manner. Those explanations were a strength of this novel, and another reason why I recommended it to my romance-loving friends.

Of course, my favorite part of this narrative was our main character, Lilah. While her set-up was tragic—abandoned by her birth mom as a teenager, she was adopted by her foster parents, and then used by her best friend and (ex) boyfriend, Max—and fed deeply into her view of the world, I loved seeing her world-view challenged throughout her relationship with Arthur. I also appreciated what diversity she brought to the page. Our main character has ADHD, is confirmed bisexual, and may be demisexual? (That last trait wasn’t as clear. There were moments where she did come off as demisexual, but others where she did not. Her demisexuality was something I wished had a little clarity.) I adored watching Lilah come into her power and confidence in the face of the male-dominated world of Formula 1. It’s empowering stories, such as this one, that I hope we see more of in this sports-romance sub-genre.

And the thing about the romance with Arthur, our Formula 1 driver, is that the plot did what all great romance plots do: it showed two characters growing into better versions of themselves because they found the person who understood them the best. But, the relationship did not distract from their individualism, but expanded on it. The romance also supported the idea that above anything or anyone else, you have to put you first. It was a poignant message that truly resonated with me.

While a smaller plot to the story, I have to touch on the mental health elements. There is no denying that Formula 1 is an intense sport the asks a lot of its athletes and all those involved. I found Maril handled both Lilah and Arthur’s mental health journeys with attention and care.

Needless to say, this is my new favorite Formula 1 novel. Maril deftly married together the romance with the politics, action, and behind-the-scenes action of the motorsport. I loved watching the characters work through their personal journeys and come out stronger for it. This novel was a celebration of human resilience, whether looking at it from a romance or Formula 1 lens. I absolutely cannot wait to reread this book again in the future, and look forward to seeing what other stories Madge Maril has up her sleeve.

TW: ableism, abuse, anxiety, classism, discussion of pregnancy/childbirth, homophobia, and non-graphic violence.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This was a cute F1 romance I liked the documentary aspect that brought the fmc to it. The fmc Lilah is getting into F1 because of her boyfriend and after finding out that he cheated on her she realizes that the company they founded together is not hers and her boyfriend breaks up with her and fires her from the documentary. In comes the mmc Arthur who is an F1 star who needs some help with his career. They partner up to get the documentary from Lilah's ex to get revenge and boost their careers.

I enjoyed all the f1 stuff and learning about it through the lens of photography. The romance is a slow burn and it does get a bit steamy. I also liked the personal journey of the MCs and the mental health rep, career horrors, and all the side plots. Overall it was a cute read. Thanks to the publisher for this arc.

One of the best things about this website is getting the chance to preview new romance novels from debut authors. Especially when those novels are just so darn good. “Slipstream” is a must read by debut author Madge Maril.

Grab and read if you love:
***Fake dating
*** Self acceptance theme
*** Slowwwww burn but oh so good when you get there
*** He falls first
*** An protective, patient, gorgeous MMC
*** Non-perfect characters that are perfect for each other

Who thought I would have any interest in reading about Formula 1 racing?! Not me! But this novel had me hooked from the first chapter. The story, the writing style, the chemistry - I loved it all. The dance floor scene? So HOT.

I am preordering my copy right now for May, and I’ll absolutely be looking out for future writings from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

Slipstream by Madge Maril is a captivating and thought-provoking novel that keeps you engaged from start to finish. The story is beautifully written, with a perfect balance of emotion. Maril’s storytelling is rich and immersive, offering readers a unique and memorable experience. A highly recommended read for those who enjoy a blend of intrigue and depth.

madge maril struts in with a tenderly beautiful debut that will render you soft and mushy. set in the backdrop of the F1 world, this book does not hold back in showing you the reality of it, but that doesn't mean you won't fall in love with it nonetheless. a documentarian filming the fallen legacy star after a pretty rough betrayal from her long time business partner and boy friend has no business getting a rebound with the said subject racer, and she doesn't want to either. but the F1 racer has his own secrets, and situations, that lead up to a series of events where they work together to make and break the documentary and along with it, the people they want to take down.

best way to do it? very much to lilah's dismay, to act like a couple. don't ask how, just trust the process and read it. you'll fall in love with both lilah and arthur, and their professions too, simply because how much they love it. and what greater thing can a book hope to achieve than that? slipstream is one of the best books in 2025 and I'm so excited for everyone to read it in may!!

What an adorable romance. Arthur was trouble from page one and I loved how perfectly they had him embody a f1 driver. The fmc was refreshing and finally nailed the quirky lead without it being unbearable. Loved it!

This was a pretty cute story!

Lilah moves to film a new documentary with her boyfriend, best friend, and business partner, Max, of different aspects of Ignition’s F1 drivers. She meets Arthur, the backup driver she is supposed to follow and film, and they seem to annoy each other right off the bat. However, Max breaks up with Lilah and fires her after revealing he’s been not only cheating, but the company is actually all his because he dealt with the paperwork and why not screw her over? Arthur and Lilah scheme together to try to tank the documentary neither of them wanted to do in the first place, and get Arthur out of his contact with his controlling uncle. The idea?… fake date and get caught so they’re both fired. What could go wrong?

I liked Lilah, Arthur, Sarah, Delaney, and Cameron’s characters, except sometimes I wish we saw more of the side characters and their interactions. I also wish we had more to Lilah. Maybe explored her family some more. I understand her closure but maybe even some interactions of Arthur and her family would be nice.

I received an eARC from Simon & Schuster via email/NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.