** spoiler alert ** Thank you HarperAudio Adult and NetGalley for providing this audio in exchange for a review!

Pole position is a quick, cute read. It’s an enemy to lovers; sports romance with all the feels. Cute banter and compelling characters make for a great read.

Pole Position dives in the world of Formula 1 racing with racing veteran Kian Walker and newcomer Harper James. Kian is straight narrowed, follows the rules type of guy, while Harper is a party boy extreme. Kian and Harper find themselves on the same team as Kian’s former partner is out due to injury causing Harper to move up to the big leagues. Their dislike towards one another reaches a head as they are not only forced to be on the same team but prove to the world that they are in fact the best of friends. As the two are forced to spend more time together they not only learn more about themselves, but also that they their feeling towards one another was perhaps misplaced. Besides there is a thin line between love and hate, and these two definitely found that line.

**spoiler alert ahead**

It has tearjerker moments. The buildup of the realization that Kian would lose his mother sooner rather than later was gut-wrenching because I think we can all relate to the guilt of wanting to live your life and create memories but also have the underlying guilt of needing to stay home and take care of your responsibilities. I felt that this story did a great job of showing that internal struggle through Kian.

Personal Review:

Justice for Kian!!! At certain points in the story, I kind of wanted Kian to get with Jackson, or at least explore that relationship. They had chemistry too. Kian was by far my favorite character in the whole story and despite him and Harper being cute together, I could not see them being endgame. Sure, Kian learned to loosen up because of Harper and Harper learned to become take things more seriously, but Kian was able to do those things with the help of Harper, whereas Harper grew up because of Kian and needed Kian to constantly remind him of his errors.

I just don’t see Harper sticking with his newfound maturity because when the going got tough and he didn’t want to face his feelings with Kian he would just go to the nearest club and party and dance on/with random dudes. I’m not convinced that if he gets into an argument with Kian in the future that he won’t subconsciously cheat on him. The epilogue, while it it’s good to have convinced me of this because after Kian retired, he had to go and check on Harper and get him back in line when Harper resorted to his partying ways. Kian is already going through a lot; it just seems as though Harper is adding to that weight when he should be trying to support him.

Looking back my review is very Kian heavy, mainly because I found his character most relatable. While Harper did have a good background story that ultimately had a good foundation for his character arc.

The audio mix of the audiobook was sort of a hit-or-miss for me personally because it seemed as though the audio for Haper's narrator was quite low in comparison to Kian's narrator. So, I either had to cut the audio up in order to hear Harper's POV, or turn it down for Kian's POV, since it was set at a higher volume from the previous chapter.

Overall, Pole position is cute read that can be read in one sitting but will leave you thinking about it for days. I am curious to see if there will be another addition in this series that will follow Johannes and his story. Maybe he will get his happily ever after with Jackson. Forbidden romance and rival teams anyone?

F1 rivals to lovers was something I didn’t know I needed.
I absolutely loved this book, and this audiobook was phenomenal! The chemistry between Harper and Kian was off the charts, and the British accents sold me. The narrators did a phenomenal job and I couldn’t stop listening.

This is opposites attract at its finest. The tension between Kian and Harper has me kicking my feet. It was the perfect combo of fluff and depth. I cannot recommend this enough!!!

If you want a book that will make you audibly gasp and cry while at work, then this is the book for you. This was such an amazing read and while I have read many Formula 1 romance books, this one will stick with me. The chemistry between the two main characters is very believable and the things that they go through are so real. Rebecca blends the world of F1 with a gay romance in the best way and while there are some aspects of the F1 world that aren't as factual as they are IRL it is used to further the story in the best way. I listened to the audiobook and the narrators are great choices for these characters and while the voices are a bit quiet at times, especially when listening though headphones, they really did a great job brining these characters to life.

Really cute story! I loved the rivals to lovers and grumpy vs sunshine mix. Kian is the older established racer and Harper is the rookie who is carefree and fun loving. Both have their hidden depths but are complete opposites. Then 1 motorhome and the attraction explodes, so good! I also like the racing aspect, really good description that put you in the car and the race. Once it hits the good part where everything is good which causes panic and then all the true feelings come out and it’s so sweet and still the author manages to keep it funny. I really enjoyed this one, even more than I thought I would.
The narrators are amazing too and not just because I’m a sucker for British accents. Did well with changing up vocals as needed but never pulled you out of the story.

This audiobook was so well produced and a joy to listen to! Will I also be getting the physical copy? Yes, but only because the narrator made me love the book so much that I want to reread it when it comes out. As someone who does about one third of my reading through audiobooks, I can attest to this one being excellent and I have recommended it to friends and colleagues.

reading his audiobook was okay. It was a bit slow sometimes but there is no way for this book to not be Seb/Charles in my head. Overall great.

The audiobook narration was great. Unfortunately i don’t even know how i made it 80% though before dnfing.
A year ago this would’ve been a 4 star read for me but now, im just tired of not getting anything new in romance and could tell what will happen at every part of the book as soon as i start.
The book isn’t bad at all, it’s just a repeat of every other romance book out there. Nothing special.

This was such a great read! I loved the dynamic between both the MMCs, I've don't read much MM romance but this one is up there with some of my other favorites like god of fury, what we broke and take me apart. I will definitely be reading more by Rebecca J. Caffery. And more F1 because who knew that F1 and MM romances go so great together.

Pole Positions by Rebecca J. Caffrey

4.2 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher and Rebecca J. Caffery for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts!

Pole Positions was such an emotional yet fun ride! 🎧 If you enjoy romances (specifically sports romances) that have just the perfect amount of tension and spice then this is perfect for you! There were a few instances where the characters did something that gave me the “ick” but other than those few times, the story had me giggling and kicking my feet LOL I suspect there might be a second book in the future (🤞) and cannot wait!


Tropes:
- Enemies to Lovers
- Age Gap (25 & 33)
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Forced Proximity

*Audiobook Review*

Kian Walker is a F1 legend, having multiple world championships under his belt, but instead of celebrating his victories, all the fans and press want to know is - when is he retiring, and will it be sooner rather than later? After his teammate breaks his leg, Harper James is called up to race with Kian for the next season. This is Kian's worst nightmare because Harper is young, inexperienced, and a party boy with no media/PR training...he's also hot. Kian's mother is also sick and Kian needs to spend the season trying to win another championship and provide for his family and he can't afford to be distracted by Harper. Over the course of the season, the 2 men finally start to trust each other and form a connection, finally kindling a relationship by the time the championship rolls around.

I love a queer sports romance, and this was my first experience with an F1 romance, and it was honestly just a good time. The book does have it's emotional moments or moments of tension with both of the men having issues going on in their personal lives, but overall it was a cute enemies-to-lovers romance with a little bit of spice added in there. I am a big fan of the "takes care of them when sick" micro-trope so when I read the scene with Harper's food poisoning, I was sold! Overall I really loved all of the characters and how both Harper and Kian evolved over the course of the book.

Tropes/Tags:
-enemies to lovers
-F1 romance
-found family
-grumpy/sunshine
-Age gap romance
-reformed playboy

As far as the audiobook itself goes, I really liked both narrators - I thought they brought their characters to life well and the quality was great.

Thank you to Harper Audio and NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Pole Position by Rebecca J. Caffery is a thrilling romance that fuses high-stakes drama with undeniable chemistry. Set in the fast-paced world of motorsport, the novel follows a fiery, determined protagonist navigating both the adrenaline-fueled track and the complexities of love. Caffery’s sharp, vivid writing and fully realized characters keep the story engaging, while the romance provides just the right balance of tension and passion. Perfect for fans of sports romance with a fierce and modern edge.

Pole Position is my first book I've listened to by this author and I really enjoyed it. This book is a M/M formula 1, enemies to lovers book. This book is about Kian and Harper and is told from both of their points of view.

Kian has been a golden boy on his team. He has a strict routine, and follows it to a t. When one of his teammates has to leave Harper joins his spot. He's a rookie who doesn't take anything seriously. They don't get along well at first. Lots of banter between the two.

When they get stuck sharing a space for a few months feelings start to develop between the two. We find out both of them have their own battles they are dealing with. When one of them wants to make their relationship progress, the other one isn't sure how to handle it.

Will Kian and Harper get their happy ending? I liked this book, and would read/listen to more by this author.

Ohhh my goodness this book was sooo good! The author did an amazing job not going too overboard with over explaining formula 1 while also keeping it true to form for those that follow it. For a formula 1 girlie like me I absolutely devoured this book and the fact that it was MM was the cherry on top. I could see parts the author pulled for some of the real personalities of formula 1 and I am here for it.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The narrator brought both men to life through his voice work. I also enjoyed Kian and Harper's great chemistry and the enemies-to-lovers banter. I give this book 4/5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperAudio for the opportunity to review Pole Position by Rebecca J. Caffery

Thank you Rebecca J Caffery and the audio team for allowing to review this book. I enjoyed the book. This was the first time I had ever read a formula 1 sport romance.. I loved their romance, it was portrayed really well. Will read more from this author!

Okay, seriously, this book was a total adrenaline rush! 🏎️ Kian, legendary F1 driver, and Harper, super talented rookie, hate each other at first. But still with. 🔥 The tension between them is palpable and builds throughout, and you can practically feel the sparks flying.
Cutthroat F1 racing and the romance? 🔥🔥🔥 This enemies-to-lovers trope is done SO well. You'll be rooting for these two from the very beginning.
Plus, the LGBTQ+ rep is awesome and feels super genuine.
If you're into sports romance, or just love a good enemies-to-lovers story, you NEED to read this. It's a total page-turner!

My first book about F1 racing and I learned a lot about it, but I was left wanting more in the romance department. I understand how they fell in love and got there, but it just seemed like it needed more depth. I didn’t love each of the characters And there was a lot of fade to black moments that I didn’t expect because other parts were more explicit. It was a lot more about falling emotionally in love. I liked it, and I guess they’re setting up the scene for a sequel of one of the side characters which I would be interested in reading.

Thank you Netgalley for an ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I will admit, being a big fan of the sport made me very critical of this in a way other readers may not be. There were a lot of small errors around F1 that bothered me enough to take me out of the story (they were also big errors, but I'll get to those later). My biggest issue was with the driver-driver and driver-team dynamic. While the drivers all have working relationships, it is very rare for drivers to be best friends. There is also no scenario on earth where team principles would threaten to fire both drivers on the team over bad press, when they are both on the podium every week. Some cursory research would have helped the author make this more interesting and accurate. All that being said, I fully admit folks who don't care about F1 wouldn't notice any of this and might enjoy the book more.

Now for the 2 big issues with the book:

1) There is an on-page scene, where one of the guys is very drunk, the other guy literally thinks "he's too drunk to consent to this", then proceeds anyway. WTAF. This is called sexual assault and I truly don't know how this scene made it to print.

2) To write a gay F1 romance with no more than 2 sentences on homophobia in motorsport AND in the countries they race in is willfully negligent. Again, a cursory Google search would have told the author about drivers being punished for openly supporting LGBTQIA+ rights. And that is just supporting, not actually being out. Openly gay drivers would not be welcome to race in many countries on the calendar, and not just Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar. Hungary, for example, passed its Propaganda Law in 2021, allowing it to censor anyone with diverse gender identities in media. This could have been a chance to write a real-world forbidden romance while speaking into the global challenges LGBTQIA+ people face. Instead, she chose ignorance.

If those 2 issues weren't enough, the characters lacked chemistry, the book was boring, and the actual romance was clunky.

Overall, I wouldn't recommend this to anyone.

𝘉𝘶𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘶𝘳𝘯𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘥𝘦𝘴𝘪𝘳𝘦 𝘪𝘯𝘴𝘪𝘥𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘮𝘦 𝘪𝘴 𝘯𝘰𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘱. 𝘐𝘵’𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘪𝘮.

4/⭐️
2/🌶️

Audiobook Review 🎧
Narrated by Joshua Chase and James Joseph

Give me all the tension and banter!! Omg I freaking adored these two!! Kian is a little broody, towards the end of his career and dealing with his mom’s illness. In comes Harper, a wild rookie with a troubled childhood that plays a role in his commitment issues. These two have to overcome some issues, but gosh them together is 🔥🔥

I loved this audio!! These narrators were so good, at first I was nervous that they sounded similar but boy was I wrong!! They were so different, and really nailed each character!!

🏎️ F1 romance
❤️ Age Gap
🏎️ Rivals to Lovers
❤️ MM romance
🏎️ Opposites Attract

Very much falls into the vibes of Red, White, Royal Blue meets Formula 1. I really enjoyed the development and growth of the characters, which I wasn’t expecting from this book. While neither MMC is perfect, they express themselves and do admit their faults. And while the 3rd act breakup usually drives me bananas, it fit well in this context. I’m really hoping that they give the character Johannes his own book. Fingers crossed that is in the works!

Tropes:
-Enemies to lovers
-Grumpy/Sunshine
-Age Gap (33 and 25)
-Found Family
-Rivals to lovers

Thanks to HarperAudio and NetGalley for audiobook arc.