Thank you to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for providing me with a digital copy of Not So Fast by Karen Booth in exchange for an honest review.

Mia Neal has finally found her passion. For years, she's bounced between jobs, never quite finding the thing that really fits her. But she's joined her journalism background with her passion for Formula One racing in a podcast, and listeners are turning in. She suddenly goes viral when she makes a salty observation about her favorite, underperforming driver Xander Bishop, and now everyone wants to hear more.

Everybody, except Xander, of course. He knows he's a great driver and that he's got what it takes to rise through the ranks of ultracompetitive racing. He's worked for this his entire life. He just can't seem to make the top slots in the race and it's taking a toll on his self confidence. Mia's commentary is not helping. It gets worse when Xander's dismissive, ruthless teammate and former idol invites Mia to a race in the hopes that she'll dunk on Xander's driving some more.

For her part, Mia never meant for her commentary to go so far but she'll accept an expenses paid trip to the races. She really is a big Xander Bishop fan, so after their first tense meeting, she makes an effort to be friendly. Things progress rapidly from there, and before she knows it, she's wondering if she has to choose between a relationship with Xander and her podcast.

It's a good story. The Formula One backdrop is fun and interesting. Mia's interest in the subject is infectious and the race parts are exciting. Xander is almost too perfect as a hero; ambitious but tender, passionate but willing to forgive the commentary that brought them together. Mia's behavior and decision-making are a little frustrating at times but it's awesome to see a woman blazing herself a trail in a male-dominated realm. The spicy bits are spicy but not too spicy

The novel's main issue is that it didn't live up to its title. It does go very fast. Mia and Xander amp up their relationship quickly, maybe too quickly. They meet in person twice before things get spicy. It isn't a long book, so a few more pages spent bridging the semi-enemies-to-lovers gap could have made it all that much more rewarding and believable.

However, your milage may vary so if you want to see two crazy kids tumble into love at the speed of a Formula One racing car, this book is for you. Recommended for readers who enjoy racing (but not wildly racy) romances, and people who want to see a bold woman find her way.. It would be fun to see more books in this setting.

3.5 stars.

Mia has a podcast where she talks about Formula 1, her favorite sport. In it, her many comments against a driver named Xander Bishop become notorious among sports fans. Unexpectedly, Mia gets backstage access to a Formula 1 event, where she meets Xander, and the rest, as they say, is history.

I like the story's premise, an enemies-to-lovers type, with a good dose of humor and even sarcasm. In fact, it's the latter that saves Mia's character, because she knows (as the author also knows when writing) the perfect moment to make her juicy comments. Regarding Xander, I have to say that I thought it was only fair that he was able to defend himself, especially considering he's not the most perfect character you'll find in a romance book. And speaking of romance, in my opinion, it's the book's biggest flaw. Is there chemistry between the main characters? Yes. Do they look good together? Also. But the romance takes a backseat because it's shallow, vapid and vain, in my humble opinion.

Another notable detail is the fact that the author doesn't take the topic of mental health lightly and knows how to portray it delicately. Furthermore, the story's setting is very good; the details of the sport aren't perfect, but it's clear that there's been good research.

In short, a story that had everything to be great and yet still left us wanting so much.

I made it through this book, but I did a lot of skimming. There was too much rehashing of things already discussed. I had a hard time connecting with the characters for the first half of the book. I liked the racing parts, though.

Mia is a Formula 1 podcaster who just found herself at an actual F1 race as a racer's guest after saying some pretty harsh things about the driver's teammate who he wants to lose. Xander is the guy Mia insulted on her podcast and he thinks she knows nothing about him or the sport. As Mia proves him wrong time and again about who she is and what she knows Xander can't help but fall for her. But their careers are on the line, can their love handle the pressure?

This was a very typical surface level romcom. Did I enjoy it? Sure! Was it memorable long term? Not really.

Mia and Xander both had minimal, if any growth throughout the story. Maybe a bit more yearning or more time being “enemies” would have made a difference in how the story progressed but I enjoyed it and now kind of want to know more about F1.

I will post on my socials on release day.

Not So Fast is a contemporary romance about Mia, a F1 podcaster from Austin and Xander, a british F1 driver.

My favorite part about this book was definitely the formula 1 aspect of it. As someone who knows next to nothing about the sport, I was fascinated by every aspect of it. I've read a few F1 romances but I feel like this one went a lot more in depth about the ins and outs of the sport, the behind the scene and I loved going along to all the Grand Prix with the main characters. It had me googling things about F1 and even looking up the schedule to watch races.

I also loved the podcast aspect of the story. Mia started a F1 podcast as a little side hobby. She never expected it to have the success it had and all because of the way she criticized her favorite driver. I loved reading about her recording the episodes, interviewing drivers and organizing events.

Where the book fell flat for me was the romance. I was disappointed because I love a rich/athlete MC but it went way to fast in my opinion. I wanted the animosity between Mia and Xander to last more than a page. I wanted more tension and a longuer build up. As soon as the characters got together I lost all interest in their relationship, it didn't make sense to me how quickly they fell in love.

With that said, I still had a lot of fun reading this book. I would read more work from the author as I really enjoyed the writing. And who knows, maybe I even found a new sport to obsess over.

Super super cute romcom for any sports and racing fans. All characters were relatable and fun to read about. Thank you NetGalley for the early read!

Thanks to NetGalley for letting me read and review this book!

This book was well written and a good, fluffy read. Not too serious and the story is creative.

I almost DNF'd. The characters are all likeable enough, but there doesn't seem to be any conflict in the book for the majority of it. It's just them getting to know each other and somehow be able to predict what the other is about to say or is thinking because they know each other so well despite having not known each other long.

When there is conflict for the characters, it only impacts Mia, which doesn't seem fair at all. It was also frustrating how she was scared off of being too serious in a relationship without any real backstory on why.

Overall, it was okay. I wouldn't recommend though.

This was a cute, quick (and short) read! I don’t know much about F1 racing, but I really liked reading a romance book with it in there. I liked the growth the characters showed as they began to really get to know each other. I am always a fan of texting and banter in books and this one had both! The romance in this book was absolutely adorable. If you’re looking for a quick and steamy sports romance, consider picking this one up!

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

This is a fast-paced, heartfelt romance that blends the adrenaline of Formula 1 with the emotional journey of two people trying to find their footing—both professionally and personally. Mia Neal, a bright but restless perfectionist, channels her lifelong passion for F1 into a podcast that unexpectedly draws the attention (and ire) of Xander Bishop, her favorite driver-turned-reluctant romantic interest.

The chemistry between Mia and Xander sparks during their meet-cute at the Miami Grand Prix, setting off a story that’s as emotionally engaging as it is fun. Xander is a refreshingly grounded hero—a self-made man navigating immense pressure, imposter syndrome, and a demanding career. Mia, though sometimes overly dramatic about the fate of her podcast, brings a relatable vulnerability and sincerity to the story. Their romance evolves quickly but with enough charm and realism to keep readers invested.

What sets this book apart is its accessibility—F1 fans will appreciate the nods to the sport, but newcomers won’t feel lost. This story keeps the focus on character growth, emotional stakes, and globe-trotting glamor, making it a perfect entry point for anyone F1-curious.

I thought that the premise was very fun: F1 podcaster goes viral, has a secret romance with an F1 driver, HEA, etc. In my opinion, the execution was not enjoyable for me. The characters did not feel realistic to me. In my taste, a lot of the wording was cheesy: "Xander went full beans" "His dick stood up" "Magical penis" etc.

2.5 stars
I’m a fan of Karen Booth so I was really keen to read this F1-set romance and it started well for me. I liked Mia’s quips on her podcast and she started off as an interesting character. But then I felt she went completely overboard and then acted entitled to Xander’s time. She was very quick to want to psycho-analyse him without his permission and generally just acted like a stalker-fan. The stuff she said on her podcast was also started to grate, and while I’m glad she was called out on it, it was just too late for me. I did not see what Xander saw in her, it felt like I was told more than shown any real romance between them. Mia also needed to focus on getting her career and own life in order than inserting herself into Xander’s.

Pace-wise it felt like a slog as well, that by 70% I gave up and skimmed the final two chapters. A miss for me I’m afraid, but I am sure there’s plenty to love by other readers, especially those who are into F1.

Thanks to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for the ARC.

fun and cool romance with some good ideas. the characters are definitely cool and the feelings are effectively done. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

3.5 ⭐️
Overall this was a cutesy sports romcom but a tad boring at times.
I enjoyed the supportive MMC but the instant love was a bit far fetched.
There were times when it was harder to follow and felt choppy with the third pov.
Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book. This book follows Mia, who loves F1 and has a podcast about it. Her favourite driver is Xander Bishop. When her creative criticism about him causes trouble for him when they do meet it's not the way she had hoped. Soon, they find themselves unable to avoid their attraction to each other. These characters are kind, funny, and very enjoyable to read about. I had a fantastic time with this one!

I really wanted to be obsessed with this, I just wasn’t. That’s not saying I didn’t have a good time, I just wasn’t obsessed.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

I LOVED this book. I didn’t know race car driver characters would be so fun but this one definitely sparked some similar reads this year.

Hold onto your helmets, romance lovers—this Formula One romcom is firing on all cylinders! 💥 Not So Fast is a fast-paced, feel-good ride that totally surprised me in the best way. This was my first Karen Booth book, and I can already tell it won’t be my last! She’s a Midwestern gal living in the South (same here! 🙋‍♀️), and you can really feel her unique perspective come through in her writing.

🎙️ Meet Mia Neal: a no-nonsense, F1-obsessed podcaster who accidentally goes viral after a spicy take on her favorite (but recently underperforming) driver, Xander Bishop. Cue the whirlwind: glitz, glamour, and undeniable chemistry. ✨ But what happens when your dream guy actually notices you... and the spark is very, very real?

Not only is Mia witty and relatable, she’s also got a background in psychology—which she puts to good use when Xander opens up about his struggles. Mental health and self-care play a big role in this book, and I really appreciated how naturally it all flowed into the story. 👏

Mia and Xander’s connection is 🔥, but what really stood out was how they grew—both individually and together. It’s the perfect mix of flirty banter, emotional depth, and high-speed adventure. Their family dynamics felt raw and real too, which added so much heart to the story. ❤️

Was it a fantasy? Sure. But also… maybe not that far-fetched 😉 If you’ve ever dreamed of your fave celeb falling for a “regular” person—you’ll eat this one up.

Mia is a big F1 fan who decided to create a podcast to discuss the sport. Xaner is an F1 racer who's having a difficult season. It was made worse when Mia criticized his driving went viral. They crossed paths when Xaner's teammate invited Mia to a race.

This was a cute and easy read. I read it within a day. However, the pacing was off at times, and I needed more banter to make the enemies-to-lovers relationship more believable. Their love story felt a little more insta-love. I don't mind insta-love, but I was not expecting it. I enjoyed how they showed healthy ways to cope with external stressors. I will read more from this author.

This F1 romance was such a fun read. The banter was so well written and I really enjoyed the relationship between Mia and Xander. I appreciated the amount of research and knowledge that was evident in the book about F1. It made the book eve more enjoyable.

Three stars for this advance reader copy of Not So Fast. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it.

American podcaster 🎤
British racing driver 🏎️
He falls first ❤️
Insta-love ⏰
Help eachother working through mental blocks 🧠

Unfortunately for me this book was pretty meh compared to other books I’ve read in the genre so much so I started skimming sections. The female character Mia felt like she was trying to hard? The romance was unfortunately insta love.