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 was such a fun book! i absolutely adored every single thing! the characters, the plot, the writing, the cover! it was such a wonderful book! definitely adding this to my collection

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