Offtrack

okayyyy sports romance era. i enjoyed this for what it was- it was def a fast paced cutesy romance with writing that was easily digestible and i was eating up every second of it i cant lie! i highly recommend for people who love their sports romances and are looking for a quick fix after, say, windy city

I love you so fucking much and I am glad to have you in my life as my long distance desi friend 🥺🥺

OMG reading this book was like experiencing #drivetosurvive but just in text form, it takes a while to get a hang of all the characters since the premise of F1 often has a lot of side character but once you start recalling all the main/important side characters this book is something you won’t be able to put down…

The slow burn was burning and I was like please please please I won’t be able to take it anymore 😩😩

I loved the Rise of Diana in the F1 world 🏎️❤️ SHE IS THE QUEEN, THE “DANGER”

Offtrack is a fun contemporary romance set in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 racing. Author Esha Patel had a hefty task of balancing a romance and a strong narrative about the difficulties women face in male-dominated sports, and for the most part, she was successful.
The story shifts perspectives between Miguel De la Fuente, a high-performing F1 racer from a family of drivers, and Diana Zahrani, a rookie, to F1, looking to prove herself in the just-beginning racing season. Readers are taken through the season as both characters face obstacles and fall for each other.
This is my first time reading an F1 romance, and I was pleasantly surprised! While sports romances tend to have similar themes, I appreciate the uniqueness F1 brought to the story with the different settings worldwide, the danger of the sport, and the unique focus level for driving. The sports aspects felt realistic, and it seems like Patel researched to help the story feel immersive and believable.
I liked both of the main characters, but I did have a favorite and that was Diana. Her experiences fighting sexism to live her dreams got me choked up at times and angry on her behalf at others. To me, this is a sign of a well-crafted character arc.
While a lot happens in the book, it is still a slow-burn romance. The juxtaposition of pacing of the overall story with the amount of plot we cover and the pace of the romance did feel jarring at times. This wasn’t a glaring issue, just a minor one for me.
My rating is 3.75/5 stars.
Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for a free advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Avon Publishing for giving me the chance to read this as an ARC for its upcoming print publishing.

As a Formula racing fan and sports romance lover, I absolutely adored this book. Miguel and Diana both have a passion and drive for the sport that is evident throughout and the author's love for the sport truly shines throughout.

Personally I enjoy slow burn romances that are plot-heavy so following them throughout their entire racing season and slowly seeing their relationship grow was very interesting to me. Diana's struggles with the sexism and discrimination in the sport was both inspiring and frustrating as it was all too relatable as a former athlete myself who often competed in co-ed leagues. I loved the message that a girl can do anything a boy can so long as she is willing to put in the effort.

My only complaint is in how Miguel seems to be an unreliable narrator at times, saying things about how he did not realize there were female drivers in F2 when Diana was the reigning champion at the time, because it seems like any F1 racer would know who the F2 champion was.

Overall this was an amazing book and I would love to buy a print copy especially if it comes out in a US edition.

The utter love I have for Offtrack is off the charts. The character growth, the friendship, the history behind womens rights in the Middle East, and the empathy of admiration for Diyana from Miguel is phenomenal. I laughed, my heart pitter pattered, and shed a few tears. I grew up watching F1 and you can absolutely tell that Esha Patel knows her F1.

Such a great non traditional story. The whole racing aspect of it was new and exciting, it's not a subject or background that is written about often.

Thank you NetGalley & Harper 360/Avon for allowing me access to this book! Offtrack was previously released but is now being rereleased on September 24 with some changes! I did not read the first version so I can't speak about that but I truly enjoyed my time reading this book! I have not read lots of romance yet around Formula 1 but I'm a fan of sports romances and this was very good!
Diana Zahrani, the sport's first female driver in decades, is determined to prove she's more than just a pretty face, while Miguel de la Fuente, the reigning champion, refuses to take her seriously. Their chemistry crackles as they clash on and off the track, creating a dynamic I loved to read! I would recommend this book to anyone who love Formula 1 and fierce FMC!

For starters this needs to be separated from the original version of this book. It's bringing down the average rating and that's not fair since this is an entirely new iteration of the book.

I really enjoyed the fact that this was a slow burn. They really took the time to get to know each other and become best friends. The fact that they raced together when they were younger is adorable. Diyana had to go through so much as a woman in f1 and I loved seeing her journey. She put up with so much and all she wanted to do was race. Miguel was there supporting her every step of the way.

I received an arc through netgalley.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper 360 for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Esha Patel's Offtrack offers a thrilling dive into the world of Formula One, blending the high-octane thrills of racing with a steamy rivals-to-lovers romance. At the heart of the story is Diana Zahrani, the first female driver in F1 in decades, who struggles against the sport’s deeply ingrained sexism. Her rival, Miguel de la Fuente, is a championship favorite who initially dismisses her as just another distraction. As the season progresses, their constant encounters on and off the track spark a chemistry that neither can ignore.

The book's slow-burn romance is interlaced with vivid details of the racing world, making it particularly engaging for fans of the sport. However, while the racing elements are well-researched and add authenticity, some readers might find the romance underdeveloped compared to the book’s focus on the challenges Diana faces in a male-dominated arena. The chemistry between Diana and Miguel builds gradually, but the payoff might not fully satisfy those craving a more intense or immediate connection.

Despite some pacing issues and a somewhat conventional plot, Offtrack shines in its portrayal of Diana's resilience and the dynamic between the leads. Patel's affection for F1 is evident, and the book successfully highlights both the excitement of racing and the personal struggles of breaking barriers. For readers who enjoy sports romances with a strong female protagonist, this book offers a compelling, if somewhat predictable, ride.

"Was this what we did to our women? Crippled them with so many expectations that they crumbled at their own hand?"

Thank you to Netgalley and Harper 360 for this eARC.

This book follows Diana Zahrani who is Formula 1's first female racing driver this century. The others are told to be careful around her and let her just be a pretty face for good advertising, but she's there to win. Miguel de la Fuente is a World Championship favorite, and he's not taking any rookie seriously. Motorsports is a small world, and Diana and Miguel are forced together racing their way to the top. For the sake of their teams, Diana and Miguel have to decide where their priorities lay, on the track, or off with each other.

"Cariño, you're that top step of the podium for me. You're my championship. Screw the trophies."

I really ended up enjoying this book. I don't understand much about F1 to be honest, and this is my first F1 romance book. However, despite this book having a large amount of racing involved, it really added to the story. The romance ended up being so so cute too. I loved the conversations surrounding women in racing too.

It's the year for F1 romances and I am here for it. I have a very lengthy TBR and was eager to read Offtrack with it's driver/driver romance.

Overall, I thought this was a great start to this series. There's some plot points that needed to be strengthened as I couldn't quite see the reason behind the betrothal except that the family deemed it. Even when things were obvious, the family seemed to be team what makes you happy.

Another thing that I noticed was that they didn't really remember each other from their karting days especially since they had such strong reactions to one another during that time.

I thought the F1 aspect wasn't too bad, you see a lot of what happens today occur in this book. And now women F1 is very much a possibility and I'm here for it. It tackled a little bit in Offtrack, so I liked a reigning F1 woman driver. Diyanah, LOVED her character and she was here to prove everyone wrong. She does it over and over again.

I wish there was more on the romance as a romance lover, that's what I crave more than anything.

I did enjoy this one and am looking forward to the next book! Bravo and here's to more F1 romances.

I enjoyed this book especially as I have been in my sports romance era! This book felt like being immersed fully in the F1 world, and I also really appreciated how it explored the gender dynamics present within the sport today. Some pieces were a bit unrealistic for me (e.g., some of the chemistry, Diana's immediate strength) but I did enjoy the read.

I really loved this version of a second chance romance especially that it was F1! I will say I was confused in some places, but the story was there. I feel like this could be a movie easily which is always a good sign while reading a book! These two are so sweet and I love a good reformed playboy.

I really enjoyed reading this book! It was a cute F1 romance and the plot was very well written. The characters were adorable and I loved their storyline. The setting feels like a real place and the characters feel like real people.

This book was the perfect blend of romance and F1 intensity! F1 can be such a male dominated sport, so to be able to read a book where women are placed at the front center of the F1 world was amazing! I loved reading about the races! Even if you don't know a whole lot about F1, @ does a great job making it super easy to follow! I thought Diana and Miguel had super great chemistry and I love how they supported each other without losing their competitive edge while racing each other. The book was so fast paced and entertaining the whole way through!

Tropes
-rivals to lovers
-childhood friends to lovers
-forced proximity
-slow burn

While I was initially a little disappointed that the book wasn't more of a romance I think the power of this book lies in the message about female drivers in F1. Esha Patel's clear knowledge of F1 was a huge strength and allowed for her to offer a beautiful and witty critique of the toxic male culture that is dominant in F1. Her message at the end of the book highlighting some of her inspiration for this had me cheering and screaming "yes queen!" much to the delight of my neighbors!

The period scene had me in an absolute chokehold because men truly don't get it! I work in college athletics and spend 95% of my day surrounded by male athletes so this scene just hit so close to home for me and was written in such a real and humorous way. I also love a good Love Actually moment!

I would have loved to feel more character development as the book felt very plot driven and didn't dive as deep into some of the emotional potential that was there. Overall really liked this book!

I think for now this book quickly made it into the top of my F1 romance books. I thought it was such a great dynamic with brining romance into the f1 world. It wasn't super focused on the glam life of being an f1 driver while at the same time having the romance elements. I was obsessed. I wanted to smack them. I wanted them to confess their love so much.

I am so obsessed with them and I will definitely continue this series.

I got an e-arc of this book on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The future is female in Patel’s F1 novel!

“Offtrack” follows Diana Zahrani, Formula One’s first female driver, and Miguel de la Fuente, World Championship favorite, as they race through the season. But when sparks fly, they must decide for the sake of their team where their priorities lie: on track, with the championship, or offtrack, with each other.

I loved reading from Diana’s point-of-view because she is such an empowering character! F1 is a male-dominated sport, so to see her persevere despite the misogynistic culture and the obstacles imposed on her is inspiring. She does not do so without struggle. Her perspective highlights the immense pressure she experiences, yet her love for the sport never wavers, which made her more real in my eyes.

Diana’s fellow competitors do not take her seriously. Miguel, however, recognizes that she is a fierce competitor and that is what I love about their relationship. Beyond that, the romance definitely takes a back seat to both characters’ 2022 season. Normally, I am totally okay with subtle relationship development, but because of the slow placing, that aspect of the story lost me. It paled in comparison to the well-researched F1 elements and almost felt forced, especially with the dreaded third act break-up that occurred with ten chapters to go. Nevertheless, I appreciated the friendship that blossomed between them and the way they put each other in their place on the track.

3.5/5 stars

Offtrack by Esha Patel is the story of two Formula 1 drivers: Diyana Zahrani, the first woman to compete in F1 in many years, and Miguel de la Fuente, whose family has reigned as F1 champions for generations. Diyana’s story is focused on being a woman in this elite sport that’s overwhelmingly dominated by men and misogyny (to the point that the thought of the newest F1 driver being a woman hadn’t even *occurred* to the other drivers). Miguel, on the other hand, has been one of F1’s top drivers but has yet to score his championship and uphold the legacy left by his father and grandfather. Miguel is sure that he will win— that is until Diyana takes one of the 20 other seats in F1 and shakes up his entire world.

This was my second ever F1 romance, and I’m not a sports girlie (of really any kind— it’s just not my thing unless it’s in a romance book lmao). But reading the races in this book was absolutely exhilarating. There were a few times I was taken out of the story, simply because the F1 and car-specific jargon was so new to me, making google my best friend whlie reading this book— but I feel like that’s more reader error than the book’s fault (although it does make me question where the line is for explaining hyper specific sports-related jargon and continuing as if the reader is already up to par with the language). Once I was into it though and got over the initial learning curve, I was very into and having a lot of fun reading the sport!

As for the romance— I’m not entirely sure I bought into the build up of the romance between Miguel and Diyana. First of all, while I understand the beginnings of the potential love triangle with Nic and Diyana to show how the sport can change a person’s attitude, I didn’t love that it was included at all; I feel like that change could have been shown without ading him as a romantic prospect. I also wasn’t a fan of how Miguel was arranged to be married to Jatziry up until about 49% into the book. I understand that Miguel feels that he has the weight of his entire family’s legacy upon his shoulders; however, given that this is a romance between Miguel and Diyana, not Jatziry, I do think that his story could have held up without including her at all. Jatziry simply felt unnecessary. Furthermore, I will be the first to admit that slow burns aren’t my favorite, but if they’re written well and believable, I’m almost always down for it. And yet, it was, perhaps, the obstacles of these other people that kept me from really feeling the romance between Miguel and Diyana. Despite this book being dual pov, I, as a reader, did not got enough pining, nor time on page of them sharing physical space as they fell in love. The pining was there, (and don’t get me wrong, I’m a HUGE fan of subtle pining) yet it still felt lacking.

The real star of this book was Diyana and her journey in her rookie year of this elite sport. Reading her experiences and the simultaneous grace and bullheadedness she had to take her and keep her seat in this overwhelmingly male-dominated elite sport that’s not without misogyny, was a genuine joy. She is everything I could ever hope to be like one day.

This book made me more excited to read even more F1 romances. Thank you, Netgalley and Harper 360 | Avon, for the ARC!

I honestly do not know how I waited this long to read this book. It is IMPECCABLE. No notes. I loved it with all my heart.

The way Esha is able to develop characters with such depth and feelings is hands down, incredible. Miguel and Diana are formidable opponents that race very similarly. They are dedicated to their craft and training but are also respectful of one another. They know and understand how to balance being competitors while also having feelings for one another. Miguel never wavers in his belief of Diana even when she's injured or when she's doing what she believes is right. He knows she has what it takes to be a career F1 driver and thinks she should be treated like it. Diana gives pieces of herself away to Miguel (and many others) by always looking out for the team and the big picture. I really enjoyed seeing her character development when she became more confident in her abilities because of the bolstering by Miguel. His confidence in her solidified her confidence in herself which allowed her to come out on top.

The writing is fantastic, the plot is well-paced, and the characters are incredibly developed. This book is an easy 4.75, rounded up to 5 stars for me. I cannot wait to read Overdrive next!!

3.75 stars! Okay if you love the "sports" part of sports romance, this is the book for you. The best way to describe the plot is 80% Formula 1 documentary, 20% "Where's the trophy, he just comes running over to me."

While I was reading this book, I honestly forgot it was a romance lol. It was really enjoyable because I love the sports aspect of sports romance. As I said, it felt like I was watching a Formula 1 documentary featuring a female driver and other drivers on the grid. It was kind of giving the F1 version of Hard Knocks (the NFL docu-series). The author really a did a deep dive into the sport, and I appreciate all of the research that went into writing this. I was on the edge of my seat during the race scenes—it literally felt like I was at the races myself.

Though the romance aspect of this book fell a bit flat. I felt like Diana and Miguel didn't have any romantic chemistry. Platonically though, they were great friends. And the slow burn was really slow burn (like 70+ percent into the book). And I didn't like the arranged marriage subplot. It felt like it didn't fit with the story. But I'll definitely continue reading this series...here for the F1 lol.

Thank you so much to Harper360 for sending me an ARC of Offtrack. As always, my reviews are one hundred percent voluntary and all opinions are my own :)

I LOVE a good formula 1 romance so when I got approved for this book, I was so pumped. Nothing like a good enemies to lovers to get the reader sucked in. Nothing like a good plot!! Esha knew what they were doing for this book! The plot was chefs kiss and I could not say anything bad about this book.

I have no idea what the original story read like but the rewritten update of this book was so great in so many ways. The love that develops between the two main characters, their one struggle and stories outside of their relationship, I loved all of it! I would highly recommend this book for any of my friends who love a F1 romance book!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you Avon Books and NetGalley for the eARC of Offtrack! All opinions in this review are my own.

I have two favorite things about Offtrack. The first is that the book starts immediately in the car and continues to have a lot of on-track action throughout the book. The second is that although Diana is in her first season of Formula 1, she is not on some midfield team, but on a competitive team that allows her to fight for points and wins.

These two aspects made Offtrack such a rewarding read for an F1 fan. Although it is still a romance at its core, the author makes sure to develop characters beyond Diana and Miguel. I also loved the frame of Miguel being in an arranged engagement and that him and Diana are on rival teams.

I am so glad that I don't have to wait long for the next book in the series!

Very cute read! the F1 was so well written, I really loved that aspect of the book most. Very much recommend!!

Sports Romance are all the craze now. There are three things though that set this book apart!
1. Its written by a south asian, there are 0 sports romance books out there written by diverse authors
2. This book has a female lead F1 driver who is also a POC which again is groundbreaking! Never seen it before… Esha you have carved the way for other diverse authors to follow!
3. Its about the love and passion for your job and career but also a second chance romance where the MMC goes on a journey to find he can love and still have a healthy competition with the love of his life.

Well written and captivating!

Offtrack by Esha Patel is a fun sports romance. I'm not so much into racing, but this book almost made me a fan of Formula 1. Romantic, emotional and inspiring. I enjoyed this book so much that it was difficult to put down. Great read. Thank you, Netgalley and Harper 360 | Avon Publishing for giving me the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback

I loved the book as a sports romance and Formula racing enthusiast. Throughout the story, Miguel and Diana's passion and drive for the sport are clear. Given the various global locations, dangers of the sport, and the unique level of concentration required for driving, I appreciate the originality that Formula One added to the plot. The sports elements seemed authentic, and it appears that Patel did research to make the story seem believable and interesting.

Thank you to HarperCollins and NetGalley for e-arc.

reading and formula 1 are my two favorite things so as soon as i heard about this one i knew i had to read it. i loved every second of it. had me kicking my feet, giggling, screaming, feeling all the feels.

I’m going to start off by saying I have never watched F1, so some of the terms and phrases I didn’t understand. However, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I felt Diyana portrayed how women in male dominated fields experience things and are treated lesser than their male peers pretty accurately. To see her overcome so much adversity and still give it her all was inspiring. I also liked the way she interacted with other characters in the story. And the ending was perfect!

I LOVE a rival's to lovers story and Offtrack did not disappoint. Offtrack was my first book by Esha Patel and I enjoyed every second of the story. The romance between Miguel and rookie F1 driver Diana was the perfect slow burn. I didn't know much about F1 racing before this story, but I not only learned of Miguel and Diana's love story, but I learned about the sport as well.