i loved this book! the documentary aspect was so fun. loved the anxiety representation. this book made me very happy. I did think the epilogue was a little far fetched with lilac getting a job with the team.

It was really nice to read a romance book that wasn’t about hockey! I know nothing about F1 but this book was quite adorable. I really enjoyed Lilah finding her voice throughout the book to speak for herself and help Arthur do the same, all while falling in love. This was an easy book to read and fast paced.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC!

I really enjoyed reading this book. The plot was well written and the characters were interesting and relatable. All in all, a great read!

This was a really cute story and I enjoyed this storyline in this racing book. It was fresh compared to other racing books I've read. Such a strong debut novel!

I’ve been getting more and more into F1/ sports driving books and this was so much fun! This was so cute!

I thoroughly loved this. I loved getting to see Lilah and Arthur fall in love with each other and for Lilah to fall in love with herself. Neither compromised on their own beliefs just evolved into sharing the same. Beautifully written book.

Thanks to NetGalley for this arc. We love an F1 romance here, and this didn’t disappoint! I loved Arthur and Lilah, and the slow burn was truly chef’s kiss!

I'm a sucker for a man who falls first! Such a fun sports read, makes me want to enter into the world of F1 racing become a new superfan.

This love story is about seeing others and being seen, the narratives woven for us and the ones we take control of. It has action and humor and heart. What a wonderful book.

Lilah is a documentary filmmaker, comfortable disappearing behind the camera observing others in order to figure humans out and deciding how to alter her natural responses to something “normal” people would do. Her small doc company is co-owned by her boyfriend Max, who makes a series of decisions for her that land her in a world she doesn’t like or trust, doing a job that goes against everything she’s about. Then he dumps her.

Arthur is the charismatic Formula 1 driver she’s set to document, but he doesn’t want this, either. A former star of the circuit, he’s now a back-up driver who has historically been impossible to get to cooperate in front of a camera.

When Lilah loses everything, Arthur sees red…then an opportunity for them both to get what they want. For her: revenge for Max’s wrongdoings. For him: redemption for what his powerful uncle has taken from him.

This alliance has them spending every day together to get her film made and him closer to his goals, then soon turns into a fake-secret-dating situation that turns into something else altogether.

This slow-burn love story features a neurodivergent woman who has always felt like an outsider and a charming, talented man hiding a big part of himself from everyone but her. Their partnership is a hopeful, delightful, swoony joy to witness developing over their months together.

I loved everything about this book.

Read if you like:
Contemporary romance
Sports romance (Formula 1 racing)
Stories about storytellers
Fake dating
Documentarian x documentary subject
Positive neurodivergent and demisexual rep
Coworker (co-conspirator?) slow-burn love stories
Quirky observational humor
Forced proximity
Positive mental health rep
Open-door spice with clear consent in and out of the bedroom.
THE LOVE HATERS by Katherine Center
MORBIDLY YOURS by Ivy Fairbanks
THE LOVE HYPOTHESIS by Ali Hazelwood

I was impatient so read an ARC via NetGalley. Publishes 5/20/25.

4.5 stars!

the chemistry, the angst, the way the characters were written. everything was just good. the characters were relatable, full of flaws but growth and acceptance. the relationship was quite well, I was rooting for them the whole time. sure the reasons for some plot points seemed a little tenuous/reaching, and there were some typos/inconsistencies (specifically with how texting was shown) but over all I genuinely enjoyed slipstream. this was entertaining and just so good, can't wait to see what else the author has in store. thank you to netgalley and the publisher for a free arc of this novel in exchange for an honest review

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the digital advanced copy for review.

Lilah Graywood considers herself to be a series documentarian but now she's being forced to follow a reserve F1 driver for the summer. The glorified marketing movie is changing much more of Lilah's life than she bargains for as her friend, business partner, and secret boyfriend revels his true colors.

Arthur Bianco is regulated to a reserve driving role after a crash at Monza. With an opportunity to secure a position on his old (and better) team Arthur is the reluctant participant. Until, he is struck with the idea to turn the documentary into Lilah's revenge plan and his ticked back on the grid.

I am still new to F1 and learning about the sport. That being said I appreciate the behind the scenes approach Madge Maril took by focusing the story on a driver and a documentarian. I love a fake dating trope! I read a few other reviews that thought that aspect of the plot felt forced. I read it as evidence of how downbad Arthur was and he truly was trying to keep Lilah around to have a shot with her (his subtle pursuit).

What I liked:
I thought Lilah was relatable and appreciated that her ADHD and Social Anxiety was a major focus of the book. Her relationship with Max was manipulative and as the story progresses we see her coming to terms with her past and moving forward.

Arthur. I feel like that is all I need to say. For never getting his POV I feel like we got to know him so well. His actions spoke so loudly. He is chatty (in bed and out) and sure of himself. Easily and new favorite MMC (even if he is blond).

The representation of mental health and neurodivergence.

This was a true slow burn that includes communication and emphasis on competence.


What I didn't like:

This might be a bit of a spoiler but it triggered a major ick for me. The first time they are intimate Arthur audibly voices a desire to impregnate Lilah. Dude came on strong talking about the future and did not hold back. In a slow burn like this it felt out of place and extreme.

I will be updating my review as I work on a project looking at the statistics of F1 romance books.

I really loved this!! I’ve been looking for a good F1 romance and this delivered! Although, the fmc was feeling a little “I’m not like other girls” and got on my nerves at points, I really did like Arthur and the whole premise. The pacing felt a little off at times and it felt like some random plot lines were thrown in and then not finished. This was one of the better F1 romances I’ve
read though and I was eating it up!

This book left me feeling like a glass half full. writing a love story that involves F1 is quite popular due to Lauren Ashers series dirty air. That is not what I got from this book. at times the story line was confusing, the family tree of our main character was also confusing. I felt like there was so many run on sentences. That being said there were a handful of one liners that I did find myself highlighting them in my kindle. I just feel like it could of been so much better if it had gone through a fews more editing sessions. This is the first book that I've read from this author so I won't go writing her off but I will keep these thoughts in the back of my mind when considering her next book. Multiple times while reading this book I found myself saying, " you were good but I'm waiting for you to be great".

This is really upsetting to write, as I had such high hopes for this book. As a huge formula one and rom-com lover, I was really excited to be offered the opportunity to check this book out. The story line sounds great a little drive to survive style drama, I got the vibe that Arthur was a Daniel Ricciardo esque character and he's my fave so I was fully ready to dig in to this. What I found was a main character with a laundry list of struggles that just felt overwhelming and I found my self more annoyed with her than feeling sorry for her. She would go from confident documentarian one minute to sad Mary Jane the next. The dialogue was cringe, and the fake dating aspect came about so quickly and really kind of without reason, it felt forced. I really hope for a formula one romance I think there is so much potential here. Thank you to the publishers and netgalley for this opportunity.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for giving me the privilege of reading this ARC.

Marge Maril’s debut novel, Slipstream, was absolutely breathtaking. I was apprehensive, as I’m not someone who’s really into F1 or any racing, but from the first page, I was hooked. The ADHD representation, the heavy topics of family trauma, mental health, and the journeys of trusting yourself and others were so well done and written with such great care and compassion. Lilah is like so many of us. From a young age, us neurodivergent people are constantly being reminded of our differences. It’s a hard pill to swallow when you’re surrounded by others who don’t see you the way you need to be seen.

Arthur sees Lilah, almost immediately. He can tell when she’s lost in her head and needs coaxed out—mainly because he feels the same way. Their love story was comforting and soft, yet poignant in little but impactful ways. Witnessing Lilah bloom, come to life, and take up space rather than stay small made me so emotional. Witnessing Arthur open up and tell his story, love Madge in all the ways she needs it, and demand change for *their* future was the perfect ending. This story, her story, his story, makes me feel seen and heard too. Madge, you have a gift. Your writing is so special and I’m honored to have been able to read this before its publishing date. You have made me a loyal reader for the rest of your writing career.

A swoony debut novel that will have the F1 girlies giggling!

When Lilah, a young but thriving documentarian gets into a pickle because cheating ex and business partner Max turns her life upside down, she doesn’t have many options but to join forces with Arthur Bianco, F1 racing star for Ignition, with a reputation on the wild side. With Arthur’s sights on a new contract to race for a different team, and Lilah wanting revenge, the two pair up and fake date to ruin Maxs documentary and Arthur’s family reputation.

Thoughts and Spoilers:
🏎️🏎️🏎️

WOW! I thoroughly enjoyed this! As an F1 fan, and I mean someone who won’t schedule brunch with the girls cause it conflicts with a race, I actually was really impressed! I’ve read some F1 romances where it didn’t feel realistic and felt like the author didn’t do enough research. This wasn’t the case. Slipstream gave me just enough F1 to be happy, but not too much where I would knit pick the details, mixed with a slowburn oozing in that “will they won’t they” energy! There were moments that almost felt parody, but at the same time I could so clearly see that the author took inspiration from current F1 teams like RedBull, McLaren, Haas and Ferrari!

On to the characters! Lilah is interesting and felt very realistic to me! I thought the ADHD and Neurodivergence representation were done very well! Being “weird”, processing things differently, getting overwhelmed, it can be a huge part of someone’s identity. There were times that she came off slightly more AuDHD to me, but neurodivergent can also look like so many different things even with the same “diagnosis”
I also thought the childhood trauma was done well, just enough to see why Lilah struggles with relationships in her adult life.

Arthur? SWOON! He EXUDES F1! Confident airing on the side of cocky, but just playful enough to still love him as a character! His own trauma and struggles with mental health and ptsd were so subtle but felt so realistic as he was fighting with his own toxic masculinity mindset of “men don’t cry”
I also am such a sucker for a ✨he falls first and hard but she’s completely oblivious about it✨

Perfectly unlikable villainous characters in Max, Holmes and Birth mom. Sometimes you just need someone without a character arc. Someone to wish a wet sock upon.
And a lovely lil found family that sets up some fun characters that could eventually have their own stories

There were some plot choices I found interesting. I didn’t fully understand why Arthur didn’t just hire Lilah on his own, under the pretense of being his personal videographer, in order to ruin the documentary? The fake dating was slightly confusing as well. It was like they were pretending to fake date? It was a very thin line to tread. They wanted rumors in the paddock to get Arthur out of his contract and fired because F1 racing star with a family legacy could never date a common videographer…? But not too many rumors that it would ruin Lilahs documentarian reputation? Though in the end I think it worked but definitely a different approach to a fake dating trope!

All in all I really liked it, would definitely get a physical trophy copy for my shelf and am excited to see what Mario does in the future!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for providing me with an ARC! All thoughts and opinions are honest and my own!

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

It seems the new trend in books is sports and sporty type subplots. I can't say I've read a formula one romance before! Cute story, nice and easy.

i have, once again, been fooled by a cute cover. this is the second f1 romance i’ve given a chance, and i’m 0 for 2, so perhaps that’s a sign i should be giving up. arthur was the best part of this book, and honestly, even he was way too out there at times!! when he talked about wanting to impregnate her the FIRST time they ever had sex i was so out. i don’t care if you’re convinced you’re going to marry her, that’s freak behavior 😭 couple that with lilah’s complete lack of self worth, a cartoonish villain randomly shoved in, and very little character or relationship development, and you have a very unsatisfying read.

that being said, my biggest issue lies in the handling of lilah’s bisexuality. it was barely discussed, which isn’t a huge deal (it’s fine to not want to define yourself by your sexuality), but it was so under-discussed that i genuinely wasn’t sure for a while if she was actually bisexual or if i was making things up. it was eventually confirmed, but i counted a total of 3 times that it was mentioned — and one of those times was so offhand that i thought i was reading into it too much. the worst mention, however, was easily when it was used during a sex scene as, like, her “coming out” to arthur in a way that i think was supposed to be her opening herself up to him entirely or whatever but came off as something to turn him on. i put coming out in quotes because it was genuinely just her saying she’s been with a woman in “sexy” phrasing (it was not sexy). if it’s supposed to be a vulnerable moment where she wants him to see all of her before they sleep together, why is it expressed the way it is?? i can’t explain how uncomfortable this made me — this part of her identity that’s barely discussed has its biggest moment on page as a vehicle to make lilah more desirable. or something. i don’t know, i just found it in really poor taste, especially as a lesbian. at that point just don’t make her bisexual!! i would seriously rather her be straight than have whatever this is, and that’s saying a lot as someone who will make anything and everything gay if possible. ugh.

i already wasn’t enjoying myself by that point, but that was the nail in the coffin. it was like 6 nails in the coffin just on its own. sad. the best thing i can say about this is that it was a quick read.

This high-octane romance delivers a perfect blend of passion, revenge, and exhilarating drama set against the electrifying world of Formula 1. Lilah Graywood, a determined documentarian, never wanted to be part of the racing scene—until betrayal forces her to join forces with Arthur Bianco, a reserve driver desperate for a comeback. Their alliance, originally built on mutual benefit, soon spins into something neither of them saw coming: an undeniable, all-consuming attraction.

What makes this story truly shine is the dynamic between Lilah and Arthur. She’s fierce, stubborn, and unwilling to back down, while he’s charismatic yet vulnerable, fighting to reclaim his place in the spotlight. Their fake-dating scheme adds a delicious layer of tension, creating a slow-burn romance that feels as thrilling as a last-lap overtake. The behind-the-scenes look at F1 racing, from the intense rivalries to the cutthroat politics, adds authenticity and depth, making the setting as compelling as the romance itself.

With sharp dialogue, steamy chemistry, and a plot that keeps readers on edge, this book is a must-read for fans of enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, and high-stakes romance. Whether you're a motorsport enthusiast or just love a story about two people pushing past their limits, this novel is an irresistible ride from start to finish.

Yearning is SO BACK!!!! This is about to be your new favorite sports romance. Hands down the best debut novel I’ve read in recent memory. Slipstream is so incredibly poignant and tender— watching Lilah work through her perceptions of herself and who and what she wants had me teary eyed some moments, and cackling the next. You can viscerally feel and read her character growth through the first person narrative. Lilah and Arthur truly want for each other throughout this book. It’s the perfect slow burn with just the right amount of intimacy at just the right time. Maril has a unique writer’s voice I connected with deeply. I cannot recommend this enough! If you’re a fan of Emily Henry or Ali Hazelwood with a dash of prestige sports, this might be perfect for you. A sexy, singular, sweeping romp across the F1 circuits. 5 stars!! Thank you Madge Maril, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for this advance copy.