I was so excited for this book because I have grown to really love F1 romances and the unique take they have on the sports romance genre. However, the book did not live up to its premise. I couldn't connect with our FMC Phaedra at all, she was really mean and even to our MMC who I don't think deserved it most of the time, and overall I didn't mesh with her attitude. I was hoping to read about a strong woman working in a male dominated sport, instead she gave major "pick me" vibes that just threw me off.

The romance was cute, but I think it flipped from being enemies to lovers to in a relationship a little too quickly for my taste, and overall let me wanting more.

Thank you Forever for the eARC!

I finished this one and immediately started to review it because I’m so glad I gave it a second chance. The first time I picked this up, I was in an airport, and I actually put it down in favor of my physical read to take a technology break. As soon as I was on the go with work again.. This was exactly what I needed.

I’ve been feeling like I’m in a slump recently with romances and this is one of the few that I’ve read lately that made me smile!!

I usually do like sports romances - and I'd never read one with race drivers before so I was really into the fresh take! Also -- the idea of a hot Romanian is a new character style for me. I haven't read many romances with Eastern European zestiness, so I also loved that. I'm on the hunt for more European / non-British romances now!!

**Thank you to Forever & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

I know absolutely nothing about cars or racing or F1, but I freaking loved this book!! I was a little nervous I would have trouble connecting with the story, but that was absolutely not the case. If you are on the fence, READ IT.

This book had a really interesting storyline and complex characters and kept me engaged the entire time and both of the narrators were absolutely fantastic!

The romantic shit Cosmin would say had me swooning. The EMAILS! Ahhhh! He was so gone for her and I loved it all! Jonathan Lake’s Romanian accent had me absolutely melting.

Phaedra is a strong, take no shit character! She’s definitely what some might describe as unlikable and she’s very prickly, but I really loved her character and as a fellow black cat, I felt like I could relate to her a lot.

While this book was very funny, it definitely deals with some heavier topics so please keep that in mind!

⚠️The content warnings might accidentally be spoilers, so please be aware of that and don’t read below this if you want to avoid spoilers⚠️

CW: cancer, death of a parent during the book, death of a parent (past), abusive family member (past), mentions of sexual assault on a minor (past).

DNF @ 26%

I am so sad I didn't like this.

I normally like to give characters the benefit of the doubt when it comes to their thoughts and actions but OH MY GOD. This FMC was so insufferable and totally anti woman. Her dialogue was incredibly cringey and I hated the way that she treated the people around her.

I will say that I did enjoy the MMCs narration, but it could not make up for the incredibly unbelievable love story that was occurring between the two.

Honestly the premise was great and could have been such a fantastic read; however, the execution was extremely fumbled.

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Publishing for this eARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was pretty slow and hard for me to get into! I also didn’t sense the chemistry at all between the love interests.

i LOOOOVE F1 and when I heard this was an f1 romance book with ENEMIES TO LOVERS.... SIGN ME UP!!!

this was the perfect palate cleanser and perfect for f1 lovers !!

Double Apex offers a spicy enemies-to-lovers romance set against the high-octane backdrop of Formula 1 racing, and while it had its ups and downs, I found it engaging overall. I appreciated the characters' immaturity and grumpiness, even if it made them a bit hard to relate to at times. Their dynamic was undeniably messy, but that added a layer of realism that kept me intrigued—it's clear they have a lot of growing up to do.

Phaedra Morgan is a brilliant race engineer with a sharp mind and no time for romance, while Cosmin Ardelean, the cocky new driver, is known for both his skills on the track and his off-track escapades. Their relationship starts off rocky, filled with clashes and banter, but things take a thrilling turn when they enter a secret arrangement to improve their teamwork. The tension and attraction simmer between them, but as with any good racing story, complications arise when their hidden feelings threaten to derail everything.

While the writing was enjoyable and kept me hooked, I did find the initial immaturness a little tough to get into. However, I’m definitely interested in seeing how these characters evolve, and I’ll be looking out for more of Josie's work in the future!

F1 engineer Phaedra meets her annoying match in Cosmin, a cocky playboy driver from Romania. He infuriates her but somehow she can’t resist him at the same time. This is a definite read for the #hefallsfirst crowd! Phaedra and Cosmin are both layered, messy individuals (like so many of us in real life!) who need to grow and change throughout the book. But at their core, they are good people who care about others. And the spice? Ooh, it’s so good!

I Received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

If you are a Formula 1 fan, you absolutely must read this book! It was full of witty banter and steamy romance. This is the kind of behind the scenes look I want when I watch a Netflix show about F1 Racing. Thank you to the publisher for giving me a chance to read a digital copy of this book!

This is unfortunately a DNF for me (30%). I wanted this to work so badly I tried to push through with the audio but the accents were so thick it was getting on my nerves even more. I just couldn’t seem to follow the plot or make sense of anything happening, constantly finding the need to reread passages because I just couldn’t connect with the story or the characters.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for the advanced copy.

There was banter, tension, and spice. I enjoyed the storyline yet something was missing. This would be a great book for someone you likes women in stem, like Ali hazelwood

I’m not into alpha males that can’t take no for an answer. This made me dislike it from the get go! Seemed very toxic!

Thank you Forever for the arc! I’m still new to F1 romances and this one was pretty good but I kind expected more in certain areas. We love and support women in STEM and I’m obsessed with them. Cosmin and Phaedra have good banter and witty moments, but there were times they both irked me. It took me awhile to get in the groove of the story but I liked it and look forward to what Josie writes next.

What an absolute gem of a book. Josie Juniper reminds us that no matter how smart or successful we are, deep down we deserve to be loved. Fay wrestles with being a genius, navigating messy friendships, loss of hero mentor, and accepting you're worthy of love. Cosmin is at the top of his have, he is adored by women. Cosmin struggles with a difficult past and trying to be literally the best driver in the world. They're attraction is combustible from the beginning. Although Fay and Cosmin have to work hard their HEA is worth the drive

This enemies-to-lovers romance is set against the high-octane backdrop of Formula 1, and I was hooked from the start. Phaedra Morgan is an absolute powerhouse as a race engineer. Her sharp wit and no-nonsense attitude had me rooting for her immediately. Who wouldn’t love a math prodigy who’s unapologetically fierce?

Then there's Cosmin Ardelean, the cocky new driver with a devil-may-care attitude. The chemistry between these two is off the charts, and their banter is just as thrilling as the racing itself. Watching them navigate their intense attraction while trying to maintain a professional façade made for some seriously spicy moments. Their secret arrangement to improve communication turned into a rollercoaster of tension, and I loved every minute of it!

What I really appreciated was how Juniper delves into Cosmin’s haunted past, adding depth to his character and making their connection feel all the more real. The racing world’s scrutiny adds an extra layer of tension that kept me on the edge of my seat.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced romance filled with heat, humor, and high stakes, Double Apex is a must-read. I closed the book with a racing heart and a smile, eager to see what else Josie Juniper has in store!

There were some aspects of this that I enjoyed in the beginning, although I thought the main relationship was a bit toxic. I decided to DNF at 45% once it became physically violent.

<i> Double Apex </i>by Josie Juniper is a steamy and fast-paced romance that has its ups and downs. The premise is intriguing, and I appreciated the chemistry between the main characters, but there were a few elements that made it hard for me to fully invest in their relationship.

First, the characters and their romance felt a bit rushed. While there was definitely tension and passion, their connection didn’t feel entirely believable. The spicy scenes were well-written, with plenty of heat, but I found myself wanting more between the characters to balance out the physicality. It often felt like their relationship developed more through their physical interactions than through any real emotional connection or growth, and so things felt a bit flat.

The main issue for me was the Phaedra's portrayal as the classic "not like other girls" trope. It was frustrating to see her constantly being positioned as better than other women simply because she didn’t fit certain stereotypes. This really detracted from her character development and made it hard to root for her. While there were moments where her vulnerability shone through, the constant emphasis on how "different" she was compared to other women was overdone and became tiresome.

Overall, *Double Apex* has its moments, especially if you’re looking for a quick and steamy romance. However, the lack of depth in the characters' development and the overuse of tired tropes made it hard for me to fully connect with the story.

"Double Apex" is exactly what you'd expect from a Formula 1 romance. You have the woman that works for/will own the team and you have the handsome, but cocky driver. There is tension for days in the beginning.

I didn't really feel very invested in the main characters much unfortunately. I almost felt like the characters got together too early in the book and so that felt pretty rushed to me and made me feel like: "now what?"

Overall, I think maybe this just wasn't really my cup of tea but I can see why people would enjoy this one thoroughly.

Thank you NetGalley and Forever for selecting me for this ARC.

I couldn't put down Double Apex. I loved the relationship between Phaedra and Alexi. The enemies-to-lovers trope, which is my favorite, was alive and well in this novel. It had a lot of steamy scenes, which were enjoyable. Although Double Apex dealt with heavier matters, I thought Josie Juniper did it with a swift hand not making them a quick plot point that is easily forgotten. The trauma each character faces shapes them, much as it does us IRL. I'm glad to see this won't be the last we see of these characters as it's the first book in an upcoming series.

Thank you to Forever for a copy of this book in exchange for review consideration.

I don't think this book is for me. I didn't connect with either of the main characters and some of the scenes between them were cringe.

Thank you for the advanced copy and opportunity to review.