I adored this. Not usually an audiobook girly because i’m picky about narrators but damn was this one good. His voice was soothing and I loved the british accent and the accents he would do for different characters, it was really immersive. I loved the chemistry and the banter, two things that are vital in making a good rom com esque book like this work. This was exactly what you would expect with the added bonus of being a really well done narration. I had a blast listening to this while doing chores around the house. Definitely give it a listen if the description appeals to you!!!

Pole Position by Rebecca J. Caffery is a fast-paced, emotionally charged MM romance set against the adrenaline-fueled backdrop of professional motorsport. It’s a story of fierce rivalries, unspoken desires, and the pressure of living up to impossible legacies. With stellar narration by Joshua Chase and James Joseph, the audiobook captures not only the high-speed world of Formula racing but also the slow-burning intensity of an unexpected connection between two men who, on the surface, couldn’t be more different.

Kian Walker is the quintessential golden boy of racing: disciplined, methodical, and cool under pressure. However, beneath his polished exterior lies a man haunted by his father’s tumultuous legacy and the fear of becoming the same kind of reckless presence in someone else’s life. Kian’s depth is one of the novel’s greatest strengths. He’s not just a high-achieving athlete—he’s someone navigating complex emotions and family baggage with a quiet vulnerability that makes him incredibly relatable.

Harper James, by contrast, is all swagger and chaos—a cocky rookie determined to make his mark, both on the track and in life. His hot-headed persona hides his own insecurities and desire for recognition beyond his reputation as a heartbreaker. Harper’s raw energy and impulsiveness serve as a brilliant foil to Kian’s composure, and their dynamic crackles with tension from their very first interaction.

Caffery’s depiction of motorsport is immersive and detailed, but you don’t need to be a racing enthusiast to enjoy the story. The descriptions of high-speed chases, practice laps, and the cutthroat nature of the sport add authenticity without overshadowing the emotional core of the novel. The danger of the sport also serves as an effective metaphor for the vulnerability that comes with falling in love—both can be exhilarating and terrifying, especially when your heart is on the line.

The relationship between Kian and Harper unfolds at a deliberate pace, their initial hostility giving way to reluctant respect, friendship, and eventually something deeper. The slow-burn romance is handled with care, making their transition from rivals to lovers feel organic and believable. The moments where their defenses crack—whether during a quiet post-race conversation or a shared moment of grief—are beautifully written and pulse with emotional intensity.

The audiobook narrators, Joshua Chase and James Joseph, bring Kian and Harper to life with distinct, pitch-perfect performances. Chase captures Kian’s reserved demeanor and inner conflict, while Joseph’s portrayal of Harper exudes charisma and emotional volatility. The dual narration enhances the dual perspectives, making each character’s internal monologue feel personal and immediate.

One of the novel’s strengths is how it handles themes of masculinity, legacy, and vulnerability. Kian’s struggle to step out of his father’s shadow and Harper’s desire to be seen for more than his brash exterior create a narrative that feels as much about self-acceptance as it is about romance. However, there are moments where the pacing falters slightly, particularly in the middle sections, where the story spends a bit too long in the emotional limbo of unresolved feelings.

The supporting cast, including racing managers and teammates, adds texture to the story, though they occasionally feel like set pieces compared to the depth of Kian and Harper’s characterizations. The real focus is always on the growing connection between the two leads—and rightly so.

By the time the checkered flag waves on the final act, Pole Position delivers a satisfying blend of passion, heartbreak, and triumph. It’s a romance that understands that winning isn’t always about crossing the finish line first—it’s about who you choose to have by your side when the race is over.

For fans of sports romance and slow-burn enemies-to-lovers dynamics, Pole Position is an exhilarating ride with plenty of heart. Whether you’re in it for the high-speed action or the emotional stakes, Caffery’s story is a thrilling testament to the power of love, resilience, and finding your own path—even when the track is treacherous.

the narrators did a fantastic job with this story! i absolutely it! i enjoyed the back and forth of their relationship, the internal struggle was very believable and overall i had a great time listening to this book!

Four-time motorsport champion Kian finds his carefully constructed world disrupted by his rookie teammate, reckless and charismatic Harper. Their rivalry on the track ignites unexpected feelings off it. I loved this fast-paced and deeply emotional romance with strongly developed characters. I enjoyed the audiobook narration.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

So I really had high hopes for this one but it just fell a little flat. There was a lot of potential in the teammate, forced proximity, opposites attract tropes. But the rivals to lovers trope…….were they ever actually rivals? Overall I did enjoy it and it was a quick read for me.

I know absolutely nothing about car racing and having read this book, I’ll say that I know only just slightly more than nothing about car racing. But it didn’t matter. The author does a great job of teaching us the stakes and giving us the atmosphere without over-explaining the sport. And so you’re left with an enemies to lovers, veteran/rookie romance that feels familiar. If you’ve read one, you’ve read them all and this one is no different. However, it was still enjoyable in a familiar and comfortable way. The characters were sort of caricatures but there was enough there that it still felt swoon-worthy. It’s a sweet, spicy story that was fun to read. Don’t try to look for more than that because it’s not there, and really isn’t supposed to be. And I think to compare it to Red, White and Royal Blue sets up unfair expectations for this read. It’s not as strong or as complex. If you go in looking for a fun sports romance, it’s what you’ll get and you’ll be satisfied with it.

🏁Pole Position 🏎️by Rebecca J. Caffery
Narrated by Joshua Chase; James Joseph
Thank you @netgalley for this ALC, this is my honest review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️🌶️🌶️
💭My thoughts: To start off, the cover was enough to convince me to sign up for this ALC. It gave off exactly the vibes I felt throughout the book. The audiobook was so good and I couldn’t have casted the narrators better. The accents, the inner dialogue, was perfect! There was a buildup of so much sexual tension, and I usually enjoy that, but it didn’t click right with me on how they ended up hooking up. Just two grown men thinking with the wrong heads lol. Even though that part didn’t sit well with me, I did love the moment when they realized it turned from like to love. Without any spoilers, the last third of the book was written so well and I hope for an another book, maybe about Johannes and why he was acting so off in the book. 👀

i had a fun time reading this! to keep it easy I'm going to share what i liked and didn't like.

loved:
•their banter
•when harper admits he had a crush

dislike:
×i wanted more relationship development. they went from nothing to something way too fast. i feel like their chemistry wasn't there and not 100% believable.
×the smut was not my cup of tea
×i didn't like the time jumps
×the plot was annoying with the mom thing
×and the 3rd act breakup made me so mad

Thank you to NetGalley for the ALC in exchange for this review!

I enjoyed this! Playboy newbie to racing (for the record I know NOTHING about racing and this was still easy to understand) Harper is finally where he wants to be in the racing world and nothing is going to stop him.

Kian is a pro at the sport and focused and internal and quiet, and Harper is nothing he wants in his orbit.

This opposites attract/forced proximity MM romance was really fun to read. I wish there had been a tad more emotion and depth to the characters but still a good book!

Believable romance, entertaining characters, and an enemies-to-lovers situation fueled by competitiveness and miscommunication more than any actually villainy. I really enjoyed this story. It was just a fun, romantic read. I could have done with fewer sex scenes, but they were easily skimmed over and I know that other folks will enjoy that aspect of the story.

loved their story.loved their story.loved their story.loved their story.loved their story.loved their story.loved their story.loved their story.loved their story.

This was such a good story. I was very nervous at first because I didn't want Kian and Harper to have a big dramatic blowup on live television so I was glad it happened more privately for them. What I really loved was how easily Kian could see a future with Harper, especially given how much he didn't really care for him in the beginning. I also loved that despite not thinking highly of Harper, Kian still helped him and tried to comfort him when he was sick and then again when he was upset (about losing a race among other things). The ending was everything to me. I was so happy that Kian got to have one final good year on top and was able to go home and rest and hangout with his family without having to worry about Harper galavanting around the world doing god knows what. I usually hate time skips at the end of novels, but that one was worth it to hear how good they were doing after three years.

I really enjoyed this! There aren't as many MM sports type romances out there and I can always go for more!

Thank you NetGalley for allowing me a chance to listen to this book. The characters remind me so much of Jamie and Roy from Ted Lasso, but instead of soccer, they are racers. Quite predictable, but still enjoyable. Over all, I give it 3.5 stars.

This book is a fast-paced, high-stakes ride through the world of motorsports, and I am here for it! 🚗💨 The story revolves around Kian Walker, a four-time Championship winner, and Harper James, a rookie with as much heat off the track as on it. Their rivalry-turned-romance gives me all the slow-burn feels with just enough tension to keep you hooked.

The story balances intense racing action with that steamy romance vibe. I’m talking hurt/comfort and forced proximity tropes that give you major butterflies. 🏁 The chemistry between Kian and Harper is off the charts, and their growth from enemies to lovers is everything you want in a sports romance. That said, I felt Harper was a bit too all over the place emotionally, and Kian’s daddy issues don’t really get the closure they deserve. Still, I was invested!

The narration by Joshua Chase and James Joseph really nails it, especially the voices—they capture the energy of two athletes, both competitive and full of feels. It's like listening to professional athletes in a secret love story.

Overall, "Pole Position" is a gripping mix of adrenaline and romance, with some small flaws that don’t stop me from loving it. Can totally see myself re-listening!
4⭐️

The author's passion shines through in this book. The characters were perfect enemies to lovers. I just didn’t connect with it like I wanted to. It has great potential to appeal to other romance readers and I encourage others to try it out! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book.

🏎 Thoughts
I really enjoyed this. I'm on an F1 kick, and nothing is better than an MM romance with F1.
I would have rated it 3 stars because I did think there were some areas where I would have like to see more. The reason for four stars is bc the audio was sooo flipping good !!!

When Red, White and Royal Blue meets Formula 1, this beautiful book is what you get.
When Kian's teammate gets injured and is out for the season, the team needs to pull up the next person who just happens to be Harper James.
Kian Walker and Harper James couldn't be more opposites. Kian happens to the 4x world champ golden boy and Harper is the rookie party boy. They are literally fire and ice especially on their first few races together. As sparks start to fly as they work together as teammates, doesn't mean that the sparks don't start to fly between each other off the track.
I listened to this as an audiobook. Let me just say the two narrators were amazing! They were so clear and not difficult to listen as these narrators are British. I also love that they were not monotoned and have emotions in their reading.

Tropes:
F1/sports romance
LGBTQIA+ (Bi/gay)
Age Gap
Forced Proximity

It was an entertaining story and had me engaged the whole time but it also felt like a fanfic more than a stand alone book.