I really wanted to like this one more than I did. I am not a big racing fan but did find everything having to do with the racing very interesting. The tension between Cosmin and Phaedra didn't really work for me. He seemed very kind to her character so the animosity was confusing. The pacing of the book and the romance especially was all over the place. I enjoyed the little bit that we got between Phaedra and her father. Cosmin's backstory was very sad. I would highly recommend checking trigger warnings before reading. I liked the hints we got about Natalia and Klaus and would be interested in reading their story in the future.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This sports and workplace romance with enemies-to-lovers vibes pairs race engineer Phaedra Morgan with her Formula 1 team’s hot, new driver, Cosmin Ardelean. Between the team’s no fraternization policy and her being the owner’s daughter, their attraction has “forbidden” written all over it.

Not being an F1 girlie myself—I know; I know; apparently I’ve been living under a rock—I found the races, the science behind them, and the sheer physicality of the sport fascinating. I liked those high-adrenaline moments of being dropped into the race with Phaedra behind the screens and Cosmin behind the wheel.

I’ve seen a lot of hatred for Cosmin in reviews, but I actually liked him. Do I approve of every action he makes while wearing the guise of his public persona? Of course not. Given his background story, do I understand why he crafted that persona? Yes. He’s cavalier on the surface but a softie underneath it all.

Phaedra is almost the textbook definition of high IQ but not EQ. She’s super smart—especially with numbers—but doesn’t always understand the ins and outs of relationships of the familial, friend, or romantic variety. To a certain degree, the book portrays this as being a result of her upbringing, growing up traveling the racing circuit with her father and having tutors instead of traditional schooling. Having some understanding of why she is the way she is doesn’t make it easy to watch how she treats other people, though.

I recommend checking content/trigger warnings before picking up this one.

3.5⭐️

I received an advance copy of the ebook from Forever. All review opinions are my own.

Phaedra, the brilliant engineer, and Cosmin, the hot shot race car driver, are a collision of brilliance and cockiness.

Lights Out & Away We Go!
Here’s what worked for me:
🏎️ STEM Rep — I loved that Phaedra is the best engineer on the team!

🏎️ Banter and Tension — I really enjoyed the banter between Phaedra and Cosmin and the tension. And the best part? Cosmin falls first and is attracted to her intelligence.

🏎️ The Forbidden Thrill — Phaedra and Cosmin dance on the edge, defy the rules and risk it all. The stakes are high.

🏎️ Engaging Plot — This book touches on some darker subjects which add depth and complexity. Yet, I craved just a tad more exploration of those topics.

The Pit Stop
Phaedra and Cosmin exhibit some red flag behaviors so I couldn’t fully love this one the way I wanted to.

Double Apex balances emotion and humor, navigating the twists of a tricky workplace romance. This heart-racing duo will give you quite a ride!

I received an early copy of this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Publishing) for providing the ARC.

I wanted to like this book, but it really fell flat for me. While I generally enjoy F1 books, the main characters in this book didn't work well together. I love great banter, but it seemed like the author tried too hard to include it, and came up short. Phaedra is rude and abrasive, and honestly downright mean. I don't understand how someone with so much animosity could ever swing from that to falling in love with the same person. Cosmin is very direct and kind of pushy, so it's no wonder that Phaedra was getting so frustrated with him. Personally, it is not a vibe that generally works for me.

I'm sure some people will enjoy this book, but it wasn't it for me.

My thoughts: This was my first F1 romance and I’m not disappointed. I enjoyed learning the terms and picturing the race in my head. I used to go to the racetrack as a kid and watch it, never seeing the appeal, until I got older. Although I found the mmc Cosmin unlikeable because he can’t seem to understand no, I did like the fmc Phaedra. I didn’t really like them as a couple, it was giving me the same vibes as “oh boys are mean to you when they like you”. That dynamic may work for some people but it just makes me feel icky. Also the friendship between Phaedra and her best friend Natalia just didn’t sound so healthy. Going for someone’s insecurity when arguing can turn toxic fast in my opinion. The plot involving Phaedra’s sick dad, tugged at my heart strings. I can’t imagine the pain she must have felt. She’s strong for being able to work and be away from her dad , I would have never wanted to leave his side. I thought this book would go a different way so it doesn’t exactly meet my expectations but I still enjoyed it. The ending was swiftly executed but it was still a cute ending I’ll admit.

DNF….I don’t understand how this became a book. The female main character is extremely rude and immature. The male main character basically does sexual harassment and is way too much of a playboy. Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish this book and refuse to give a rating on social media.

5 chapters in and it’s putting me into a slump, I really want to like this book because I’m really loving F1 romance at the moment but I will have to soft dnf this for now

3.5 stars

I kinda enjoyed this romance but I can understand why I have seen some lower ratings and some DNFs. I think it is fair to say the FMC is written to be a bit unlikable. She is snarky in an often cruel way, she has anger issues, she's a bit of a misogynist, she's judgmental, she has trust issues, she thinks she's better/smarter than everyone, and she is at times a little violent. These things also don't change throughout the story either. In one of the last scenes she is calling another woman horrible names even if not out-loud. However, that happens often in these stories for the MMC so it's only fair I guess. If it were just about Phae, I'd give her 2-maybe 2.5-stars. I thought Cosmin was quite a good MMC and I really enjoyed his POV chapters. You could tell he liked all those things about Phae (though sometimes I was like ok man maybe reel in her jealousy by telling her the truth). And the story I mostly enjoyed (though the switch from I HATE YOU to kiss me felt sudden, and for her to think he is such a ladies man and didn't ask about STDs or a condom was concerning). The "practice love" part felt a little forced in to the story just to list it as a trope because it was barely mentioned twice and felt a little pointless. Also, this is an F1 romance with a lot about the racing which went over my head because I know nothing about F1 but it felt like it was probably correct/well-researched to me.

Again, I can understand this being a polarizing book but I didn't hate it. I would be interested in reading more of this series.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

3.5 stars. I have mixed feelings about this book. I enjoy sports romances and was excited to read my first F1 romance. I thought the characters were both flawed and showed some growth as the book went on. It was a little tough to get to that point though because I found both characters unlikeable at times. I wasn’t vibing with either of them until over halfway through. Their banter and chemistry together was great. I was happy with the amount of spice. I wanted more from the romance though and the book as a whole felt a little unfinished. I would recommend specifically to people who like F1 and could appreciate that aspect of it.

I was very intrigued by this premise! I love a sports romance, especially one with a feisty leading lady. Big thanks to NetGalley and Forever for this ARC.

Unfortunately, this book missed the mark for me. I struggled to get invested in the characters. While the conflicts were very real, it felt like they were glossed over a bit. I think I just wanted more from it.

This was a SIZZLING dual POV, forbidden workplace romance debut set in the fast-paced world of FI racing that is absolutely perfect for fans of Lauren Asher or Cross the lines by Simone Soltani. I couldn't get enough of Phaedra and Cosmin as the try to fight the sizzling chemistry and attraction between them as they work as track engineer and race car driver. Steamy, full of heart and unputdownable, I loved this and can't wait for more by this new romance author!! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and audio copy in exchange for my honest review!

(2.5 Stars) A book set in the world of Formula 1 racing sounded great. And I love a good STEM representing, female MC, in Phaedra Morgan. She is a math prodigy and engineer for the racing team. But the book lost a lot of interest for me with Cosmin Ardelean as the European driver. He is the hero type I loath. Self assured and confident that every woman wants him. He comes off as a privileged neanderthal. I hate when MMC’s think it is hot to continue to use nicknames and sexual comments when they are asked to stop. Yes, that is how characters were written decades ago but I don’t want to read that now. Boys will be boys of yesterday is now sexual harassment today. I can totally understand so many DNF’s.

I pushed on and it took till over the halfway point to find Cosmin sort of likable. I am someone who loves open door books the steamier the better. But because I didn’t care about the leads I didn’t enjoy when the dirty talk started and things got spicier. The story finishes at a decent place. If you like steamy books with caveman type male leads you will probably enjoy this. I doubt I will be looking for the sequel which features Phae’s best friend who is a journalist.

I received an ARC of this book, and unfortunately it did not live up to my expectations. The main characters were both unlikable, and the interactions between them seemed problematic at best. The secondary characters also did not add positively to the story. This was a DNF early on, and it seems many other reviewers had similar feelings. The lack of character development, and overall maturity of the characters and their actions, really weighed on the story. It's unfortunate that it did not live up to such a great premise.

3.5 stars rounded up.

Admittedly, early on I wasn’t sure this book was going to be for me. Phaedra came across as mean and Cosmin as a man who took nothing serious and thought flirting with any woman who was breathing would get him through life. As the story unfolded, it became clear both had more to their characters than the surface level facades they presented.

I enjoy an intelligent woman excelling with her skills in a male-dominated field. Phaedra was smart and confident in her abilities, and she wasn’t willing to accept being condescended to by the men around her. She had an incredibly hard exterior that made her challenging, but she knew her value to the team. I didn’t love the way she spoke to/about/thought of other women at times though. It felt beneath her and her feelings about women being looked down on.

When things were good between Phaedra and Cosmin, they were really good. As they really got to know each other and found the emotional connection, I was invested in their respective walls coming down and masks coming off. When things were off however, I felt for sad them, but then it also got a bit repetitive and like they were going in circles on more than just the race track.

Speaking of race tracks, I really appreciated how much of a role the actual racing played throughout the book. It was not just a fad setting. It was genuinely important to the story that was being told and the dynamic of Phaedra and Cosmin’s relationship.

There were a lot of external factors in Phaedra and Cosmin’s lives that influenced their characters. The storyline with Phaedra’s dad was heart wrenching. Cosmin’s family backstory was tragic, but it also felt like something really major that got a bit shortchanged when it came to being fully developed. I understood what the goal was, but I felt like it was a very heavy choice to only incorporate sporadically.

Overall, I was ultimately glad I continued reading this one despite my early reservations. I enjoyed a great deal of it, and I am intrigued by what was set up for book 2 in the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Forever for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a solid 3 star for me.

I enjoyed the F1 world, obviously, and that was well done.

I also loved the representation of women in F1, and how important every piece of the puzzle is in running a winning F1 team.

But really, I struggled with the romance of it all. I know it was supposed to be enemies to lovers, but I found their general interactions to be either cheesy or just overall lacking in chemistry.

This was not a bad book by any means. I did like it, I just didn't love it.

Thank you to Forever Grand Publishing & NetGalley for an ARC of this book, in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a solid Formula 1 Romance, that I enjoyed! The love story and banter between Cosmic & Phaedra was so good! I also loved that it was a cross over of an F1 Romance & STEM!

Sports Romance girlies will love this one too!

I went into "Double Apex" hoping this would be an Ali Hazelwood-esque take on a sports romance set in the world of F1. And while we do have a wise-cracking woman in STEM who is working to not only make her own way in the world of F1 while also championing other women in motorsports, a big dose of spice, and an MMC who is hard to parse, this book feels more emotionally heavy than Ali's books tend to be.

The story follows Phaedra, the daughter of a man who owns an F1 team. She's grown up in the world of the sports, and though she is a nepo baby, she has studied and worked hard to become a team engineer—but she's now the engineer for Cosmin Ardelean, a talented driver she thinks is an overly cocky, eye-inducing playboy with no sense of humor. There are sparks a plenty between them as Cosmin pushes Phaedra's boundaries and she fights her attraction toward him, but aside from the romance, there are other, more emotional subplots. Phaedra's father is dying, and not only is she reeling from that reality, but of the idea that her family might lose the team and she might lose her job. On top of that, she's had a falling out with her best friend—the two of whom have the kind of female friendship that I found toxic and frustrating. Then, there's Cosmin, who is butting heads with his sister, who has a particularly traumatic backstory.

While there are things to love about this book—an in-depth understanding of F1 (Josie genuinely knows her stuff!), spicy moments aplenty, and a great depiction of a character who speaks English as a second language—I sometimes had a hard time with this story as I struggled to like Phaedra, though I did empathize with her.

If you love F1 and are looking for a sports romance read that gets F1 right, and is more of a romantic drama than a romantic comedy, then definitely give "Double Apex" a go!

DNF @ 21% — I want to start by saying that this book had a content warning page at the beginning, but it did not include warnings for sexual and physical abuse, which play a major part of Cosmin’s backstory, and I feel should have been mentioned there even if they happened in the past.

I was unable to finish this book. I sadly found both the main characters to be extremely unlikeable. Phaedra, the FMC, was constantly looking for reasons to be angry that didn’t really seem to make sense, and Cosmin, the MMC, was always speaking in double entendre that honestly made me a little uncomfortable. Add into that the way this book toys with what I can only describe as workplace sexual harassment through Cosmin’s constant sexual comments and ogling of Phaedra while they are on company time, and I just wasn’t enjoying myself enough to continue. I hope this book finds its audience.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me an advanced reader copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I wanted to love this book because I love diving into the F1 world, but this wasn't for me. First, I couldn't stand Phaedra. She was abusive and spoiled and didn't know how to communicate her feelings and trauma properly. I liked Cosmin and thought his Romanian background was interesting, but the weird childhood side plot with his sister took me a bit out of the story. It was so hard to root for this relationship when they weren't really in one for MOST of the book. That was so disappointing—the characters were never really able to explore their love story and only found each other for sex or something else. The growth was minimal, and I couldn't connect. I did like the settings of the different countries for the race, but that might have been the only interesting thing. I thought the writing was choppy and lackluster. Overall, I wanted more of a love story, which I didn't get. The spice was fine—I only liked the Romanian dirty talk. Not my favorite F1 romance by any means. Thank you to Forever Publishing for providing me with an ARC to read and review.

FORMULA ONE ROMANCE, SIGN ME UP!!! The crossover I didn't know I needed but I was foaming at the mouth. I'm generally not a fan of sports romances, but this was fresh and unique in an oversaturated market. The excitement ended for me though, however, because the characters were a bit insufferable. I do enjoy reverse grumpy/sunshine, but Phaedra was rude for the majority of the book and it felt uncalled for. There were too many cliche tropes and the classic "dark and handsome" male protagonist. This had infinite potential but landed in the "meh" category for me. I will definitely read future novels by this author, but they could have spent a bit longer fleshing out this story so it didn't turn out to be an obnoxious miscommunication tropey mess.