After enjoying Cross the Line, I was eager to dive back into Simone Soltani’s high-speed world of Formula 1 romance—and Ride with Me delivers another whirlwind ride, this time via a drunken Vegas wedding, a marriage of convenience, and an emotionally driven slow burn between two unexpected lovers.

Stella Baldwin is still reeling after being left at the altar, and Thomas Maxwell-Brown is a Formula 1 driver with a crumbling reputation. Their impulsive wedding should have been a disaster, but Soltani uses this chaos as the foundation for a deeply emotional and often tender romance. Readers who love the marriage of convenience trope—especially with a vulnerable, cinnamon roll hero—will find plenty to swoon over here.

Thomas is an absolute standout. He’s patient, sweet, and borderline worshipful when it comes to Stella. The way he respects her boundaries and supports her through every hesitation makes him the emotional anchor of the book. Stella, on the other hand, is confident and capable, and her struggles with trust and heartbreak feel genuine, especially in light of her recent betrayal. However, her emotional push-pull near the end of the story veered into frustrating territory. The third-act conflict felt unnecessary and undercut some of the romantic momentum.

The pacing of the novel overall is a very slow burn, which at times affected my engagement. While their banter sparkled, the romantic chemistry occasionally felt more like potential than payoff. And while the spice is present, it’s more of a gentle simmer than a sizzle—about 2 🌶️ out of 5 on the steam scale.

As for the F1 backdrop, it was exciting to revisit this world and spot cameos from Cross the Line, but I did wish the racing elements played a bigger role in the plot. Thomas’s career struggles were introduced but not fully explored, especially in the rushed conclusion that left several threads—like his future in racing—dangling.

Overall, Ride with Me is a heartfelt, trope-forward romance that fans of Soltani will appreciate. While it lacked some of the emotional urgency and narrative drive I was hoping for, it still offers a tender story of healing, trust, and falling in love when you least expect it.

Rating: 3.5/5 stars
Tropes: Marriage of Convenience, Vegas Wedding, Cinnamon Roll MMC, Slow Burn
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️/5
For fans of: Amy Daws’ Harris Brothers series, Emily Henry’s slower burns, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of fame

4.5 stars

i liked this authors debut book but i loved this book even more.. all of my praise goes to Thomas cause he’s an immediate new favorite mmc. i honestly forgot that there was the accidental/marriage of convenience trope in this one, but Thomas and Stella had so much chemistry right from the start that it made everything flow smoothly. they bond as friends first, so all the tension that fueled the slow burn made it 1000x better. they’re polar opposites, but have the same humor and compliment eachother so well despite those differences. i appreciated that they didn’t let whatever they had going on interfere with their respective careers and i also liked the side characters, mainly Amara and Mika. im hoping that the author continues writing more F1 romances cause im already invested at this point.

FYI: the extra .5 in my rating is solely for Thomas himself, this man was pretty damn close to perfection. i always tend to have a soft spot for mmc’s that are just sweet, patient and worship the ground that the fmc walks on.. Thomas is all of that and more— he was soooo obsessed with Stella and respected all of her boundaries. Stella is honestly stronger than me, cause with the way he was flirting i would have gave in a lot sooner than she did. i really liked Stella too, she’s confident with a heart of gold but i did start to get frustrated with her towards the end. i just really wish that there wasn’t a third act cause it was so unnecessary, although i did try to give Stella some grace cause i understood her mixed emotions about her horrendous ex. other than that little bit, i didn’t have any other problems with this and i LOVED the romance sm!

Ride With Me by Simone Soltani is a warm, wistful vibe of a romance - part road trip, part emotional detour. With slow-burn tension, soft banter, and just the right dose of vulnerability, it’s the kind of story that feels like a long drive with the windows down and your favorite song playing - vibes absolute perfect for a Formula One romance. Cozy, heartfelt, and effortlessly charming.

Thank you Berkley Romance, Simone Soltani and Berkley Publishing Group for the ARC via NetGalley!

Hot banter? CHECK. Swoon-worthy love scenes? CHECK. Actual good storyline and character growth for both characters? CHECK CHECK.

LOVED this and cannot wait for the next one in the series..

4⭐️
This was so cute! I love marriage of convenience trope and had so much fun reading this one. Stella was so confident in her skin and career, which I really loved seeing from a black women. Thomas loved Stella from the beginning and always made sure she knew she was loved with little things her provided for her without her asking. Acts of service is my love language so Thomas had me swooning with how well he loved Stella. They had great chemistry and were truly were such a great match for each other! I also really loved the F1 aspects of this and how Simone merged her personality into the story!

Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the e-ARC!

I absolutely adore the F1 romance books that Simone Soltani writes. Both Cross the Line and Ride With Me have been so fun and I adore them both. Ride Witch Me kept the same charm that I loved in the first book. Thomas and Stella are both so much fun.

I’ve never been that interested in racing, but this book kind of brings up the political aspects of the game and how that affects the racers which I enjoyed reading about. I thought it was a sad but neat thing to discuss. I also really loved both Stella and Thomas and their family dynamics. I always say this but I almost wish we got to see more of these dynamics, especially with Thomas. The fake marriage plot was fun especially because it was an accident. I really liked how well they handled it at first, especially Stella since this was a painful new reality of what she was expecting, just with someone else. I thought that added an interesting dynamic to their relationship.

Stella and Thomas are two very successful people that I really enjoyed reading about. I loved Stella’s confidence. I know they joked about him being attracted to cocky women but damn, she earned her cockyness, and held it over his loser (5th place) head as she should. Iykyk. Anyways, they were so much fun. I loved their drive and passion for what they were doing. I loved their deep conversations, but also their playfulness. I swear I need to try one of Stella’s macarons. I will say the lack of communication in their fake marriage did begin to frustrate me in the end, but I understand why everything was drawn out and I appreciate how everything was resolved. I really enjoyed this story and if there are more, can’t wait to read more.

Thank you Netgalley and Berkley for an earc. All opinions are my own.

This was such a fun read! I love the marriage of convenience trope and Soltani did this one so well. Thomas and Stella’s meet cute was great – I thought it set the perfect tone for the rest of their story. They start off with spicy banter and flirting which quickly leads to the oops-we-woke-up married in Vegas moment. However, there’s so much more to these characters and their story. I loved seeing both of them, but especially Stella, really grow throughout the story and realize she deserved the love she’d found.

+Accidental marriage
+Marriage of convenience
+F1 romance

After loving Soltani’s debut Cross the Line, I was eager to dive back into her Formula 1 universe, and Ride With Me did not disappoint. Stella is a badass baker and businesswoman whose life goes off the rails (and into viral territory) after being left at the altar. Thomas is a charming F1 driver who’s dealing with his own social media fiasco and a family obsessed with him marrying his childhood best friend. When these two meet at a combined bachelor/bachelorette party, sparks fly, drinks flow, and… oops, they're married in Vegas. Classic.

The setup? Delightfully chaotic. The execution? Even better.

Individually, Stella and Thomas are layered, lovable, and compelling. Together? They’re chef’s kiss perfection. The banter is sharp, the chemistry is off the charts, and the “will they/won’t they” tension had me locked in like I was part of his pit crew. Thomas is the ultimate soft-hearted “wife guy,” even if the marriage technically started with a doughnut ring and lots of drinks.

One thing I especially loved was the emotional depth underneath the glitz. Stella’s hesitancy to accept love after her public heartbreak felt incredibly grounded and relatable. Her internal journey learning to believe she deserves the kind of love Thomas offers is just as satisfying as the romance itself. Soltani nailed the balance between fun and feels.

The pacing is spot-on, and while it’s the second book in the series, Ride With Me easily works as a standalone. You’ll want to read Cross the Line eventually, though—just saying.

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC! Ride With Me hits shelves on May 20 and is available for pre-order now. Highly recommend grabbing it! 🏁💕

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I've had a hard time with romance F1 sports books. I've been more disappointed than not by how they are structured, the knowledge of the author when it comes to the sport, and how the romance is weaved into the story. I read the first book in this series and I liked it but it didn't wow me. I had hope Soltani would come into her own with this and I was right! The author totally stepped it up with this story. Not only did she seemlessly weaving the romance and the F1 world together but her writing was so much tighter with this story. From the start of the story I was hooked.
Stella Baldwin not only has had to get over being left at the alter, but she's riding on the coattails of a poorly made viral social media choice where showed her emotional side and ranted a bit too much. Thomas-Maxwell Brown is in a similar boat. He's the most hated driver in F1. When their two lives clash and a crazy night ends in marriage, they scramble to try and fix it. But can the fake marriage help both their social standings? And will they be able to walk away when their marriage time expires?
I loved Stella's character. She's so real and down to earth. It was easy to relate to her. She had great emotional depth. Her past overshadowed her a bit and she needed to learn how to break out of that mold. She became confident and sure of what she wanted and how she wanted to get there. She did sabotage her relationship with Thomas at times, but I think this showcased her fear of committing and making herself vulnarable.
And Thomas easily matched her with this. He supported her so well, despite his own issues. I always expect the drivers to be cocky and caught up in themselves. Thomas was different. He really worked to be where he was. He was so easy to like and very human. He's sweet and I enjoyed his fast fall for Stella but his ability to keep it closed a bit so it didn't hit the insta-love trope.
The pacing on this book was spot on. I tore through it as Soltani seemlessly transitioned the chapters. Dual POV in these stories gets me every time. I loved being in both characters's heads. And I haven't read a lot of marriage of convenience tropes, so this was a nice change for me. And, honestly, unexpected. I didn't read the blurb before diving in because I didn't want to go in with any preconceived ideas of what might happen. I'm really glad I did that. Solatni really let the characters grow and morph organically. And, while there is some instant chemistry between the two, I love that Soltani did not make it an insta-love. Add to that the insane banter between the characters and you really have something special. I liked that you didn't have to read the first book to read this one (even though I already had). You do see some cameos from those characters, but the time lines kind of overlap so you don't see it all. Of course I really enjoyed the secondary characters and can see where we may get some of their stories in the future.
If you're looking for an entertaining sports romance read where the author has obviously done her homework, the characters are well fleshed out and likeable, and the plot is fun, pick this one up.
Thank you to Berkley for including me in the blog tour for this title!

Ride With Me by Simone Soltani is a fun and emotional love story. It starts when Stella and Thomas wake up in Las Vegas married after a wild night. They agree to stay married for a little while to help each other, but soon, real feelings begin to grow.
Stella is smart and strong, but she sometimes makes things harder for herself. Thomas is quiet and caring, and the way they talk and tease each other is fun to read. Their connection feels real, and watching their fake marriage turn into real love is the best part of the book.
The romance moves slowly at first, and the ending felt a little too quick. Still, the story is very enjoyable. The love scenes are exciting, and the characters are easy to care about. This is a great book for anyone who enjoys romance with lots of feelings and fun moments.
Very grateful to the publisher @berkleyromance for my #gifted copy through @netgalley , opinions are my own

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (4/5 stars)

Simone Soltani’s Ride With Me is a fast-paced, emotionally satisfying ride through the high-octane world of Formula 1 and the even more unpredictable terrain of a marriage of convenience. With a Vegas meet-cute that turns into an impulsive wedding, this romance sets itself apart with a balance of spice, humor, and emotional depth.


Stella Baldwin is reeling from a very public heartbreak, only to find herself thrust into another whirlwind moment—waking up married to Thomas Maxwell-Brown, a brooding British Formula 1 driver with a PR problem and family pressures of his own. What starts as a “how did this happen” situation quickly turns into a calculated decision: stay married for mutual benefit. But as feelings get tangled and reputations are on the line, it becomes clear that pretending might be the riskiest game of all.
Soltani masterfully blends the glitz of F1 with emotional vulnerability. Stella is a standout heroine—witty, wounded, and refreshingly self-aware. Her banter with Thomas crackles, and their chemistry leaps off the page. Thomas, with his simmering charm and hidden insecurities, is far more than the typical sports-romance bad boy.
The pacing is tight, and Soltani doesn’t rely solely on tropes—though fans of fake marriage, opposites attract, and forced proximity will find plenty to love here. The Vegas backdrop in the early chapters adds a dash of chaos and fun before the story shifts gears into something more emotionally resonant.
Some secondary plot threads—especially related to Thomas’s racing career and Stella’s family dynamics—could have used more fleshing out. Readers hoping for in-depth F1 detail might find the sports side a little light, as the focus remains on the romance.

Bottom Line:
Ride With Me is a steamy, heartwarming read with just enough angst to keep things interesting. Perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey or Ali Hazelwood, this is a story about two broken people who find healing and hilarity in the unlikeliest of marriages. Whether you’re here for the scandal, the smolder, or the sports, Soltani delivers a romance that’s hard to put down and even harder not to root for.

Thomas and Stella are my babies!!!!!

I absolutely love a good accidental marriage and throw in it’s in vegas?! and he’s an f1 driver and she’s a baker?! literally so locked in.

This book was so so amazing, I can’t recommend it more.

Simone Soltani's Ride With Me offers a sweet journey of self-discovery interwoven with a delightful romance. While the protagonist, Stella, occasionally creates her own obstacles to happiness, the true charm of the book lies in the dynamic and often hilarious relationship between Stella and Thomas. Their witty banter and playful teasing evolve into a deeply felt connection. Ultimately, Ride With Me beautifully captures the nuances of longing and affection, making it a thoroughly enjoyable read for anyone who appreciates a heartwarming love story, even with a touch of relatable character flaws.

3.75 stars

Who doesn’t enjoy an F1 romance with a drunken Vegas wedding between two newly formed acquaintances during a joint bachelor/bachelorette??? I thought the plot for this was clever and entertaining, it had my attention immediately and kept it during their “fake” marriage to uphold their reputations

The chemistry was SO palpable between Thomas and Stella. The slow-burn was sloooooow burning & it made the tension that much more delicious. I loved how it developed slowly and they could break down some walls in each other and find some comfort. I really loved how realistic Stella was and how much of a green-flag Thomas was. They could openly communicate with each other and build up that trust.

This was my first Simone Soltani book and it won’t be my last! I recommend for fans of F1 romance, marriage of convenience, no third-act breakup, and a fictional man down so bad. Thank you Berkley for the arc! 💜

A solid 3.5. I'm a big fan of a fake dating trope, and loved seeing it done as 'fake marriage to marriage of connivence' kind of thing. I think both Thomas and Stella had a lot going on before they met, and I like how everything went from fake to real pretty quick. My biggest gripe is the amount of 'well i know i love them' happened, but when the conversation came up they would lie to each other or not admit their feelings. Other than that, there were a few other nit-picky things, but overall its a solid sports romance and I'm a big fan of F1 romances.

Ride with Me races into your heart. Stella, a confident, successful business women, is reeling from a online mishap. Thomas, a F1 driver, weighed down by family expectations and the racing world, meets someone who clicks with him. Thomas speeds into Stella's life, steering her into his heart for the checkered flag.

This slow-burn love takes many laps to reach the finish line toward their happily ever after.

Thank you, Berkley Publishing Group | Berkley

Stella and Thomas were great for one another. Both were dealing with their own personal issues demons but weathered the storm together. After a drunken marriage they decided to stay married to help take the heat off of their very public fiasco but the more time they spent together the more the lines became blurry.

Stella and Thomas had instant attraction and scorching hot chemistry when they first met but they both were a little standoffish when it came to relationships. Stella because of her jerk of an ex-fiancé and Thomas because his parents already had someone in mind to marry him which he was not onboard for. Not to mention he was still the most disliked racer in the F1 racing franchise.

Yes, they had a few stumbling blocks to overcome but found a way to make things work all while writing a new chapter in both of their lives. One filled with laughter, love, adventure and F1 racing.

This is my first Simone Solanti book, and it has made me a fan! I really loved the characters in this book, how relatable they were, and I love the Formula 1 aspect of this book. I'll have to go back and read the first in the series - hoping for a just as fabulous book 3!

Simone Soltani's book, Ride With Me, is a nice love story about finding love and learning about yourself. The main character, Stella, sometimes makes it hard for herself to be happy. It can be a bit frustrating to see her get in her own way, making you want her to just let good things happen.

But what makes the book great is the fun and funny
relationship between Stella and Thomas. They tease each other a lot, and their talks are witty and real. This playful back-and-forth slowly turns into a deep love.

In the end, Ride With Me shows strong feelings of love and wanting. Soltani does a great job of showing these feelings, making the love story feel real and exciting. Even with Stella's problems, the charming couple and their growing love make Ride With Me a very enjoyable book for anyone who likes romance.

🏎️🏁

I loved Cross the Line, so I was super excited for this book! Simone does it again, giving me the F1 romance I needed 😍

Stella is heartbroken after being left at the altar by her fiancé, unfortunately she has to go to her cousins joint bachelor/ bachelorette party. She decides she should step outside her comfort zone and have some fun, that’s when she meets Thomas. Thomas is an F1 racer, dealing with a bit of a scandal in the media. Thomas and Stella have a conversation, which turns into a whirlwind of a night. Waking up married, where do they go from here?

I loved these two, they had chemistry from the second they met. These two had been through a lot, it was hard for them to trust anyone. They broke those walls down, finding comfort in each other. All of a sudden their fake marriage didn’t feel so fake anymore 🥹 i highly recommend this series, such fun and cute reads!

Thank you Simone, Berkley and NetGalley for the ARC!