Cross the line

After reading this I wish I was super into F1 & knew all about real racers bc the sport seems so interesting!!!!

This follows Dev & Willow who have known each other their whole lives—next door neighbors, parents are besties, they grew up together. While willow has always had a crush on Dev, he’s only just noticed her when she confessed her crush on him & they shared a kiss. Now that they’re working together things get complicated, but they can’t help their growing feelings!

I enjoyed this! I wasn’t sure what to expect because I feel like I went in blind besides knowing it was an F1 romance. I loved the chronic illness rep in this book! I thought it was well done & realistic! I also appreciated the tension & buildup to them being together. While I didn’t love the banter or the fact that these 2 seemed like they were teenagers rather than grown adults—I do think that the sports and media plot points made up for it. What can I say? I just really love a sports romance. There was a bit of spice but nothing over the top 1.5/5🔥

🏁read if you love
•brothers best friend
•he’s her boss / workplace
•forced proximity
•chronic illness rep
•F1 racing

🎧 I listened to the majority of this via audiobook. The narrators, Vikas Adam & Nerissa Bradley did a decent job. I felt like Nerissa seemed like she was a teenager (which is maybe why this read so YA?) otherwise I found no other issues with dictation or understand. Not the greatest narrators but not bad either. 4/5🎙️

Thank you so much Netgalley for the gifted advanced copy 🫶🏼

Pure perfection! I could feel the adrenaline of the track and the chemistry between Willow and Dev. Brother's best friend is one of my favorite tropes, and this scratched that itch perfectly. The love and familial relationship between Willow and Oakley felt just as developed as the romantic relationship, and it was the perfect amount of steamy and sweet!

F1 Driver Dev Anderson is struggling with his image after his old social media manager uploaded an ego-crushing post ( Fake STDs anyone?) Now he’s hired his best friend’s little sister to help rehabilitate his image.

As Willow travels the world with Dev in the hopes that this short-term opportunity will lead to her getting a dream job in marketing, she needs to work to repress the feelings she has for Dev. Because they both know that her brother will not be happy to find out they are in a relationship.

I love the Netflix series Drive to Survive, so I was thrilled to finally see the world of F1 represented in a romance! I loved guessing who the characters were inspired by. I’m pretty sure Danny Riccardo was the inspiration behind this one, or at least I think so! I can’t wait to see who is the main protagonist next time.

4⭐️ 2.5🌶

WELCOME TO FORMULA ONE ROMANCE BABY!!

Why I waited os long to get into this I will never understand because boy was I not ready for how good this book was going to be! First of all... the audiobook was absolutely AMAZING! Dual narration with excellent creators who have amazing voices and gave such life to these characters.

I felt at the end like I was at the wedding because the author did such a good job with the cultural references and the details of the story and settings that it painted such a good image in my head. I am not craving Indian food and some Bollywood movies, what a hard life I have.

I felt like I was back in Monaco and the French Riviera and ugh I truly wish I was and not writing this from the fluorescent lit office at home. This is the one thing I can't forgive Simone Soltani for and is that she went top the most beautiful part of France (in my humble opinion) and left us all reeling because we aren't there to enjoy the coast, while sipping a drink and having some of the most amazing food.

For someone completely new to Formula One and everything inside of it, I felt very comfortable with the terms and the background information the author gives us. You can clearly see she is a fan and has put a lot of time into research and incorporated everything so seamlessly into this gorgeous romance WHICH HAS SOME OF MY ALL TIME FAVORITE TROPES!! Yes, I am looking at you "Brother's Best Friend" 🥵

The characters worked so so so well together. This was a prime example of good communication and a healthy relationship (minus the whole not telling her brother thing but they had their reasons lol) and their chemistry and tension was palpable!!

I loved it. I need a book about her brother ASAP. I cannot wait to continue this series!!

Do I know anything about Formula 1? Nope, not a bit. But that didn't stop me from taking one look at the cover, and one look at the description, and reading it anyway. And honestly, I thought it was delightful. I loved our leading couple, loved their chemistry, and truly appreciated that most the drama that was rocking the boat was external, and not internal feelings between the two. Everything was a teeny bit too tied up in a neat bow at the end, but not enough to seriously detract from this book.

This was cute. Nothing revolutionary, low stakes, but overall a really enjoyable read for romance fans. I loved the backdrop of the F1 world which I wasn't too familiar with but want to learn more about now.

2.75/3

F1 romance. It was okay and cute but wasn’t like reeling me in. I did love the South Asia representation and the chronic illness representation too.

It’s friends to lovers/ brothers best friend romance but that was the only reason they didn’t want to start a relationship? Like really? You are grown adults, you can make your own decisions, you don’t need your brothers permission. He’s not her father nor does he get a say on who she can and cannot date. To be respectful, maybe yes they should have told him but it wasn’t a necessity.

I did love that it was dual POV, one of my favorites. Dev was head over heels for Willow and vice a versa, you could feel how much love they had for each other. Sunshine x sunshine is cute and some of Devs quotes would melt me but I’m more of an enemies to lovers kind of girly.

Thank you Netgalley & Berkley Romance for the eARC!

This was a cute and fluffy book. Very low stakes and easy to read. I didn't love it but it was entertaining.

I liked that the book revolved around F1 which is a sport I have never read about before. I think my issue with this book is that the whole reason Dev and Willow's relation is kept a secret is her brother. I wasn't a fan of how he seemed to think he had any right to tell Willow who she can and cannot date. I also wish more time was spent explaining what happened with the boyfriend that started the drama in the first place.

Overall, this was a very average read but I can see why people would enjoy it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

When F1 driver Dev Anderson’s reputation is in jeopardy with his team and their sponsors he knows he needs to have a PR makeover to salvage his image and Willow Williams, his best friend’s younger sister, is the perfect person for the job. Willow has been trying to secure a sports marketing position for some time now and while Dev’s offer seems like the perfect job, she knows that being near him will not help ease the crush she has had on him since childhood. But she and Dev can keep things professional, right?

I have to give it to Simone Soltani because this might be the best portrayal of F1 in a book. And I loved that the MMC wasn’t a driver for a top team. But as an F1 fan, some of the parallels to the current grid and its drivers were quite easy to spot and I’m still not sure how I feel about that.

As much as I wanted to like the romance in this book, I just could not deal with how much weight was put on Oakley’s (Willow’s brother and Dev’s best friend) opinion. I understand that Willow’s previous relationship with someone in his friend group ended up causing a rift in their group and that this plays into how she feels about Oakley’s opinion but like y’all are adults!! When reading books with this trope, I need the couple to have another reason why they can’t be together besides the fact that they are scared of how their sibling is going to react, and Cross the Line, just didn’t have that.

This was so fun! I knew absolutely nothing about F1 and yet I was drawn in and fascinated by the racing element of the book. I also think Simone did a great job of allowing us to get to know and understand the main characters quickly so that we were able to root for them immediately. I thought the banter and interactions between Willow and Dev were PRECIOUS. They really became best friends as they fell in love and I adore stories like that.

Ultimately this was a fast and fun read full of steam and tender moments! This made me want to read more F1 romances!

My first F1 book!! I didn't connect with the characters but it was a good story with cute tropes. A fun quick romcom read, perfect for F1 girlies.

I read this book on vacation and then completely forgot to leave a review. I love the book. I’m a huge sucker for sports romance so I was immediately drawn in. I love the representation this book has.

It also had most of my favorite tropes! Definitely will be buying a physical copy for my trophy I mean bookshelf.

I was eagerly anticipating the release of Cross the Line, and while I had high hopes for this debut novel, my feelings are mixed. Simone Soltani has crafted a well-written story, but it ultimately felt like a lot of vibes with not enough stakes to fully draw me in.

The novel follows Willow and Dev, childhood acquaintances brought together again by circumstance. Dev, who is Willow’s brother Oakley’s best friend, offers her a job as his social media manager to help repair his tarnished image. The story is filled with beloved tropes like brother’s best friend, forced proximity, and sports romance, with the added layers of a South Asian MMC, Black FMC, and chronic illness representation.

The relationship between Willow and Dev is undeniably sweet, and their interactions are often adorable. I appreciated how they both supported each other, with Dev’s humor shining through their dialogue. The bond they share, strengthened by years of history, felt genuine, and I found myself rooting for their happy ending. However, the extensive pining between the two often came off as whiny, which made it hard for me to stay fully invested in their romance.

Willow, with her caring and supportive nature, was easy to like, and Dev’s treatment of her was equally endearing. I particularly enjoyed the thoughtful portrayal of Willow’s hypermobility and the insight into the world of Formula 1 racing—both topics were handled with care and taught me something new.

That said, it took me some time to connect with the characters, and even then, I found the overall progression of their relationship a bit underwhelming. While there was no third-act breakup (which I usually appreciate), the dark moment was predictable and lacked the emotional punch I look for in a good romance.

The side characters added some fun to the story, but they couldn’t quite elevate my overall enjoyment. Cross the Line has its merits, especially for a debut, but it didn’t fully capture my heart. It’s a cute read, but one that may leave you wanting more.

𝕋𝕙𝕖 𝔾𝕚𝕤𝕥:
Formula 1 driver Dev Anderson's career is in jeopardy after a social media scandal. To save his image, he turns to Willow Williams, his best friend's little sister and the woman he kissed a year ago. Willow, a recent college grad in need of a job, reluctantly agrees to help despite her long-standing crush on him.

Determined to keep things professional, Willow and Dev struggle to manage their old feelings and undeniable chemistry. But in the glamorous, high-stakes world of Formula 1, some lines are meant to be crossed.

𝕋𝕙𝕖𝕞𝕖𝕤 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕋𝕣𝕠𝕡𝕖𝕤:
🏁 Formula One Romance
💞 Brother’s best friend
🤍 Childhood friends to lovers
😍 She falls first, he falls harder
🫶🏼 Diverse representation
👏🏼 No third act breakup

𝕊𝕚𝕞𝕚𝕝𝕒𝕣 𝕍𝕚𝕓𝕖𝕤:
📚 𝗗𝗼𝘄𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗰𝗲 𝗯𝘆 𝗛𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗮𝗵 𝗟𝗶𝗹𝘆
📚 𝗧𝗵𝗿𝗼𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 𝗯𝘆 𝗟𝗮𝘂𝗿𝗲𝗻 𝗔𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿

𝕄𝕪 𝕋𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤:
This was my first f1 romance and I 𝗹𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 it. I grew up dancing at NASCAR races and this brought me back to the car races I used to watch. It was also such a fun and sweet read!

Simone's writing is an excellent example of the importance of representation! I loved how the book celebrated diverse backgrounds, vividly portraying various cultures and experiences throughout the story. Willow's disability was depicted with great sensitivity. Despite dealing with hypermobility, she was never treated as incapable or an inconvenience. The support and understanding she received from those around her, especially Dev, who remembered how to assist her from their childhood, was so heartwarming. I loved how Willow and Dev's relationship developed gradually. It was so fun to see them together, and their connection felt perfect and genuine in every way.

There some moments where the pacing felt a little off Certain parts dragged, while others felt disjointed, making it seem like key details were missing. The "brother's best friend" conflict is heavily emphasized, almost to an annoying extent. However, I was so glad that there wasn’t a typical third-act breakup, which fit this story well.

𝗧𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗸 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝗡𝗲𝘁𝗚𝗮𝗹𝗹𝗲𝘆, 𝗦𝗶𝗺𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗦𝗼𝗹𝘁𝗮𝗻𝗶, 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗕𝗲𝗿𝗸𝗹𝗲𝘆 𝗣𝘂𝗯𝗹𝗶𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗺𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗲𝗻𝘁𝗮𝗿𝘆 𝗲𝗔𝗥𝗖 𝗶𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗺𝘆 𝗿𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄.

𝕄𝕪 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (𝟰/𝟱)

𝕊𝕡𝕚𝕔𝕖 ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘:
🌶️ (𝟭.𝟱/𝟱)

Thank you to Simone Soltani, the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 ⭐️

This one was super cute! I’ve never read an F1 romance before but this was a good start. I loved how the author listed all the races for the schedule in the front of the book as well / such a fun detail!

Dev and Willow are childhood friends who reconnect a year after sharing a secret kiss. Willow has always had a thing for Dev and Dev, being down on his luck, finds himself needing a new social media manager, and what do you know - Willow is his go to girl.

This book was well paced, kept me intrigued throughout the whole story and even better, there was no third act breakup.

This was so much fun! Suddenly I need to become an F1 girly and it is all thanks to Simone!! I was hooked from the start of this, very impressive for a debut.

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the e-ARC.

The Formula 1 aspect of it intrigued me much. The behind-the-scenes drama was both heartbreaking and interesting to see unfold. I loved their relationships with friends and family. I love how open and honest Dev is with Willow after he realizes that his emotions are real and cannot be avoided. Looking forward to reading the next book in the series!

A cute read. Took me a good while to get hooked on the story. I love a good forced proximity romance 😋

I found this book really enjoyable and refreshing! I'm a casual watcher of F1, but it was nice to see a sports romance actually put value in the sport itself rather than just using the sport as a trope. The inclusion of the racing felt important to both the plot and the characters, not just put in to fill a quota.

The relationship between these two characters was also very sweet. To see a male love interest have a healthy interest in the main character and healthy ideals of relationships was nice. I would've loved to see more of the history of their friendship, since it was hinted at so heavily. It would've added so much to what we did get to see.

I love dual pov in romance novels, but tend to prefer when it's not completely split dual povs. I like a glimpse every once in a while into another pov, but it was nice to watch the relationship develop from both character's povs.

I did find the book a little long and found it seemed a bit drawn out. There were a few scenes I thought weren't entirely necessary and maybe could've been skipped, but overall I enjoyed this book and the relationship between the two main characters and their side characters!

I had a range of feelings when it comes to this book but I'll start with my favorite parts. The F1 details in this was great. I felt like I really got a feel for what F1 is really like. Getting to see the inner workings of this sport was the best part, in my opinion. I got really invested in Dev's career and the turns that it took in this book. You could feel his frustration through the pages and you felt the same right alongside him. The romance between Willow and Dev was very cute and I like how they navigated their relationship.

I'm not a fan of brother's best friend and unfortunately this book displays the reasons why. No grown women should have her brother have that much influence on her dating life regardless if she chooses to date one of his friends. The constant inner dialogue surrounding this brother character was a bit much for me. Outside of that part of the book, I liked the rest.