Well it’s official!! I think I need to read more F1 romances!

This was such a cute story and the “accidentally woke up in Vegas married” trope was executed so well. Stella and Thomas had great chemistry and the banter between these two was hilarious at times. This was such a fun read and I will definitely be reading more by this author.

Huge thank you for allowing me to receive an ARC of this book. I'm not a huge fan of F1 and know very little about it, but this book was so interesting, and I fell in love with the sport and the F1 environment. This was the first book I read by this author and I enjoyed their writing style and I look forward to their future work! Quiet love is my favorite thing in the whole world and I fell in love with these characters and their story!!

I definitely need to read the first book in this series! Once again, thank you so much to NetGalley for allowing me to receive this ARC!

ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED IN VEGAS AFTER BEING LEFT AT THE ALTER??? GAG ME

First off, thank you Berkley, NetGalley and Simone for the arc of Ride With Me, out now! <3

I just adore Simone's writing, and this one had so much yearningggggggg from Thomas that I just want him. I am by no means an expert on F1 (I don't watch it at all) but F1 books??? F1 books written by Simone??? Catch me being the biggest F1 supporter! Simone has the ability to write stories about things I understand nothing about and give a new meaning to the world.

Both Stella and Thomas have to redeem themselves in the eyes of the public. Stella our lovely fmc was just left at the alter and crashed out on social media. Thomas did a little hate spew in private but was outed by someone close to him. When their worlds collide at a bachelor/bachelorette party, they start to talk and flirt a little, but never did they expect to wake up married.

I just love a man who simps, a man who yearns, a man who knows what he wants and goes after it. And that my friends, is Thomas. Simone gave us the number one simp in the world and that was Dev (my man my man my man) but now we have Thomas and I'll be giggling with the next books in the series, because I will be sat waiting for more yearners.

Stella is a strong fmc (strong being the key word, cause girlie I would have folded for Thomas a lot sooner than she did) but also, I 100% understand her reservations because hello after being left at the alter I would have crashed out too and probably do worse. But my girl has her successful bakeries, they continue to go viral, and she is now loved by a man who wants to see her succeed (he bought her all the equipment needed when she moved in with him and idk y'all I might have shed a few tears, because the thoughtfulness is insaneeeeee). I love seeing her relationships grow stronger as she becomes the person she once was but better. She grows beautifully even after being pegged down because of life.

Thomas "my wife" Maxwell-Brown, sir you were so down bad it was everything. The amount of "my wife" scenes had me gasping. Him communicating with people after wronging them and even talking to people who has wronged him made him so much better in my eyes, I fear I do not forget, nor do I forgive. When he loves, he loves hard, and I am so glad we got to see his story. His character development is one I truly enjoyed as well.

So grateful to read Simone's work and can NOT waittttt for the rest of the Lights Out series <33333

- Accidentally Married in Vegas (what happens in Vegas may not always stay in Vegas)
- Slowwwwwwwwwww Burn
- F1 Driver x Bakery Owner
- Marriage of Conveience
- Interracial Romance
- Obsessed MMC x Independent FMC
- "My Wife"

We love an interracial romance! Obsessed with this one and how much he loves her like wow the standards are HIGH!

I am trying to put my thoughts on this book into a coherent review, but finding it very hard to do so! This book is everything I need in a romance and more!

Stella is a famous baker with hundreds of stores, who was recently left at the alter. She meets Thomas Maxwell-Brown at a joint bachelor/bachelorette party, who is an English Formula 1 race car driver. They have an instant connection and spend a wild evening together in Vegas, only to find out they got hitched overnight! Together they decide to stay married out of convenience and slowly start to fall for one another.

The way the author writes these characters is exceptional. You want to be best friends with Stella and swoon over Thomas. Stella has built this powerful empire and she is someone to look up to. Thomas builds Stella back up where her prior fiancé had torn her down. He is patient, thoughtful, and pays attention to the little things. I also love the way Thomas and Stella joke and laugh together.

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and the author for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was a cute romance that had its spicy moments. I liked both of the leads and was impressed by their chemistry and back stories. I did think the book was a bit too long it dragged a bit in the middle, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

Ride with me by Simone Soltani is number 2 in the lights out series. Although it is the second book I feel you don't have to read the first book in order to read this one, but after reading this one you might want to go back and read it! I don't know much about Formula 1 but the book appeared to depict it very accurately.

Tropes for this book include: marriage of convenience, forced proximity, F1 romance, both millionaires, he falls first, strangers to lovers.

I enjoyed that the book didn't start out with the marriage but instead built it up so that you actually wanted it to happen. I'm a fan of Vegas so love all the Vegas shout outs in the book as well. I also liked that both main characters were successful in their own right.

Thank you Simone for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.

3.75 stars - I enjoyed this so much more than I expected. I did not connect with the couple from the first book but wanted to give this series another try and am so glad I did. I felt like the characters were so much more mature in this book and even though everything moved quite quickly, their relationship somehow still felt realistic. I LOVE a marriage of convenience and this one was a lot of fun. Watching Stella slowly find herself after previously being in such an awful relationship was a treat and I was so happy she found someone that was able to support her ambition and celebrate all that she is. Thomas falling first and the quiet and sweet ways he shows his affection without expecting anything in return absolutely melted my heart. Overall, I'm SO happy I continued on with this series and am excited for whatever comes next from Simone Soltani!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the eARC - all opinions are my own!

4.5 ⭐

This was my first F1 romance book and it did not disappoint! I went into this one reading it as a standalone (will have to read the debut book now). Stella is a worldwide bakery owner who just got left at the alter mere weeks ago, now she’s at her cousins wedding in Las Vegas. Thomas is a race car driver attending a close family friend’s wedding. They meet at the party and have some drinks, maybe one too many because get married! The next day Stella and Thomas realize what they did and decide to stay married out of convenience for the both of them. They set a list of rules they’re going to follow so they don’t cross any boundaries in their marriage. The chemistry between them was instant and only builds over time. Stella starts to let her guard down a bit letting him see more personal pieces of her. Thomas also shares his insecurities (he’s also the biggest sweetheart). By the end their not so fake marriage turns into the realest one with all the walls broken down and all the love for each other to give. I really enjoyed this book! The banter and the sizzling heat between Stella and Thomas.

The banter. My god, the banter in Ride With Me is unmatched. The second installment in Simone Soltani's Lights Out series is lighter on the actual F1 racing (it starts near the end of the season in Vegas, after all), but makes it up as a solid, "Oops, we accidentally got married in Vegas" story. By page 54 I was swooning. Who *is* this MMC?!

Ride With Me pairs baker/entrepreneur extraordinaire Stella Margaux with midfield driver Thomas Maxwell-Brown. I loved that that put them on more even footing that most Formula 1 romance love interests, despite Thomas' family being titled. The two meet up at a joint bachelor/bachelorette party ahead of the Las Vegas Grand Prix, not long after Stella is left at the altar. And the chemistry between them is combustible from the jump.

The accidental marriage morphs into a marriage of convenience when the two decide to stay married for a year -- but with rules. Stella is resisting, but Thomas catches feelings and eventually it's all too real.

Like Cross the Line, Ride With Me has F1 chops, but it'll be good entry point for those new to the sport and/or F1 romance. Personally, I'm looking forward to Soltani's characters spending more time on the track / in the paddock.

Ride with Me by Simone Solatani, book two in the Lights Out series, is a sizzling romance where two strangers decide to use their marriage to their advantage and ride out the drama together. This story follows Stella, a recently jilted bride and businesswoman, and Thomas, an F1 racer weathering a scandal. The two meet in Vegas at a combined bachelor/bachelorette party, spending a wild night together; where instead of drunkenly hooking up, they drunkenly got married. They decided to stay married for a year for PR reasons, and to appear together in public.

This is an opposites attract story: he’s white, she’s black; he’s a racecar driver, she’s a baker who owns a growing company; she was dumped at the altar, the last thing he was thinking of was getting married. Their banter, chemistry, and tension were off the charts; Stella and Thomas were perfect for each other. I enjoyed how they communicated and followed their rules, all while struggling to not fall for each other. The hint of drama surrounding their relationship was the perfect balance to their sweet romance and the slow burn steam.

This is the story of two wounded hearts healing together, as they learn to trust again, take risks, and dares to pierce the heart faster than any racing car. Taking a chance, while making a leap of faith, and running the risk, that what they have, no matter how shaky it may have started, can take root and grow in the most powerful of ways.

I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book.
#NetGalley #Berkely #RideWithMe

Thank you Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an advance copy of Ride With Me!
I was hooked from the start! The accidental marriage/marriage convenience was done so well. The chemistry between Stella and Thomas was palpable and undeniable. You expect slow burn with this trope post nuptials. This was definitely slow but worth the wait! I am looking forward to more from this author!

Super cute story. I wish we had gotten to see more of Stella as a businesswoman, not just how she played into Thomas’ racing career. Otherwise, I really liked it. Fast quick read, super entertaining.

rating: 4.5/5

includes:
❀ sports romance (formula 1)
❀ interracial romance
❀ marriage of convienence
❀ obessed mmc
❀ he uses "my wife" quite a lot

thomas maxwell-brown, congratulations on entering my favorite book men to exist club! very early on I had a feeling you were going to be a new entry by the way I just wanted to protect you at all costs.

stella baldwin (28) is attending her cousin's joint bachelor/bachelorette party in vegas when all she wants to do is crawl into a hole and hide. after being quite literally left at the alter, she doesn't feel like her old self. enter famous british f1 driver thomas maxwell brown (26) who is also there at the party. stella wanting to feel like her old self, decides to work up to that by spending time with thomas through the night. what ends up happening you may say? well... they end up accidently married.

they decide to stay married to help each other out. stella with wanting to prove she can be taken seriously in the business world and to show her ex who he messed with and thomas to get good publicity after a recent scandal in the f1 world.

stella battled her feelings with thomas for most of the book. in fear of putting her trust in someone else and having the world percieve her, she would rather not admit her feelings when it's clear thomas worships the ground he walks on. she is so set on being perfect that she doesn't realize she doesn't need to pretend to be anyone besides her badass self. would 100% want a friend like stella in my life. did I want to scream at her towards the end of the book because I needed her to get it together? yes.

let's talk about thomas.. you beautiful beautiful british man. his family owns a hotel chain so his entire aesthetic defintely screams old money. is he snob? absoutely not! the way he is so respectful of stella and her wishes because all he wants is for her to be happy.. please that man is not real. really enjoyed his backstory and "redemption arc" he got at the end.

stella and thomas were such a joy to read. loved loved the slow burn alongside how you could see how well they matched each other as the book kept reading.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley for this ARC!

3.5 Stars

I was so excited for this one. A baker and an F1 driver? I needed it! The story between Thomas and Stella started off with amazing banter and a strong connection. However, I think a good chunk of the middle felt more like filler for me. It caused it to stall the story. There wasn't anymore banter in the middle after there was such good banter in the beginning. It felt as if their connection wasn't the same anymore. Which didn't mix well when they were clearly very into each other. Also, I wanted a bit more of F1 in this one.

Overall it was okay, but I would've liked it more if their connection stayed strong and if there wasn't so much filler.

I just had so much fun reading this book.

I liked Cross the Line, but I loved Ride with Me. The fake marriage/marriage of convenience trope is always a favorite of mine. It forces characters in close proximity, but also makes them into a joint team in pushing forward the myth of the marriage while allowing for more of a slow burn when it comes to developing feelings.

I do think that the will-they-won't-they of this was drawn out a litttllleeee too long, especially given the fact that both characters were clearly very into the other person immediately. But ultimately, I am just happy things worked out. This is my favorite type of MMC--he's got some of his own thing going on outside of the relationship, with some side plotlines, but he's absolutely and completely obsessed with the FMC and at no point is he rude to her, belittling, mean, or anything other than completely respectful and down bad.

Respectfully, enough with the constant enemies-to-lovers. I need more of THIS.

Thanks to @berkleypub and @berkleyromance for the gifted e-ARC.

Stella and Thomas both find themselves attending a bachelor/bachelorette party in Vegas that they are not in the mood for. Entrepreneur Stella is still reeling from being left at the altar, and Thomas is the most hated man in F1 racing due to some threats he made on camera. They decide to keep each other company and have some fun. So much fun that the next morning they don’t remember getting married. But marriage helps both their professional images.

These two had soooo much chemistry. From their initial flirtation at the bar, to a very hot strip club scene, I was obsessed. Of course they had to make a no-s€x rule for their marriage which added to the pining. So much pining!

I loved how respectful Thomas was. And how much he wanted Stella to shine. She was a strong Black woman able to be fully herself. They both supported each other and made each other better. It was a beautiful illustration of a marriage of equals.

I do wish I’d been able to listen to this one. I would have loved to have heard Thomas’s British accent. Who doesn’t love a British hero!

If you’re looking for great chemistry and spice between a Black Queen and a posh Brit in a romance that illustrates the ideal relationship, this one is for you.

I had a good time while reading this romance. The couple was very cute and I loved their interactions and banter. The beginning of the novel is very solid with a mixture of fun, humor, and steam. I really enjoyed that even though they were both celebrities, they didn't feel too outlandish or unrelatable.

It did take a while to really get into F1, and for an F1 romance, I expected to see more of it earlier on. However, once it was introduced, it was done really well and will make F1 fans happy with what's included. The drama behind the scenes of F1 is always interesting to read about and I don't know why more authors don't include it!

The pacing was a little off for me at times. Some things felt dragged on while others felt too fast. Also, the conflict towards the end felt out of place. The relationship between the couple was already established really well for there to be another conflict so late. To me, it felt like out of character for the FMC so that was a little frustrating.

I would recommend if you want a fun, banter filled romance.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group, NetGalley and Simone Soltani for this opportunity to read this story!

Ride With Me is such a cute read! If you’re a sucker for accidental Vegas marriages and a slow burn then you are in for a treat. We are introduced to Stella and Thomas at a duel bachelorette and bachelor party in Vegas. Both suffering from devastating blows to their egos and careers and with liquor flowing and attraction present, what’s the worst that can happen!

I’m usually not a fan of slow burn but the banter and the drama kept me thoroughly entertained.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Heartbroken and humiliated after being left at the altar, Stella attends her cousin’s bachelorette party in Las Vegas. When she unexpectedly wakes up married to Formula 1 driver Thomas, they realize that staying together might just solve their problems—no matter how wild the circumstances.

This is a smart, fun, and spicy romance. Stella and Thomas are great characters, both separately and together. The plot and character development are strong, and the emotion high.

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