How I almost forgot to rate this book I’ll never know 🫣

I think the best part of the book (outside of F1) was the encouragement of seeking out therapy.

I definitely wish there was more about there relationship & that we got to spend more time with them as a couple outside of the flashbacks. However, I could easily see much of this getting resolved in a sequel, so I won’t say too much in case there’s one in the works.

The story in emojis: 🏳️‍🌈🏎️❤️

3 things about this book:
•Sports Romance (F1 & F2)
•LGBTQ+ Representation
•Emotive Read

ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘: ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2

Crash Test is a sports romance based around the F1/ F2 sport however it isn’t just a romance, there was a lot more going on with grief, acceptance and family drama.

I had seen comparisons to Red, White, and Royal Blue so this was definitely a book I wanted to read and overall I enjoyed it.

I went in expecting just a romance but this book was so much more - some of the happenings were really sad but it was nice to see the characters grow both individually and as a couple.

Travis and Jacob were perfectly imperfect for each other but I struggled to take to Jacob as he came across a bit of a twit!

Crash test is marketed as a Formula 1 romance for fans of Red, White, & Royal Blue, and whilst that may be true, there is so much more to this book. The romance is so deep and true, yet tested in unimaginable ways when one of our MMCs, Jacob, is left fighting for his life, and the other MMC, Travis, has to carry on and deal with the trauma alone. Even after Jacob wakes up, this isn’t a straightforward road to love and healing, and they have to fight tooth and nail to find their way back to each other.

Though a romance story at its core, Crash Test delved deep into the racing world and how athletes have to navigate personal issues on a public stage, heightened by the experience of being queer and having to handle the backlash that unfortunately can come with that (and side note: I pray that there comes a day that this will no longer be the case for anyone). Both our MMCs had a lot of growing to do in order to make their relationship work (Jacob moreso - I was worried about his choices at points), and this was an emotional rollercoaster for sure. In the end though, they put in the work, and found their forever.

If you love sports romances that delve deep into both the personal and the sport itself, this is for you. Don’t forget the tissues though, as it will hit you in the feels!

The Crash Test was an emotional and beautifully raw story. The first 1/3 of this book had me handing on for dear life wondering what was going to happen!

Crash Test follows two hidden lovers from within the racing world; Travis and Jacob. When their world spins on its axel and everything changes the both of them are left jilted, confused, and yearning for each other.

I think overall the pacing was great, the relationship between Travis and Jacob is already established so we don’t see much of their interactions other than in the form of several flashbacks and past POVS.

Travis was an extremely likable character from the first page, I felt for him so much - I just wish I got to see a tiny bit more of his personality peeking through!

I was more conflicted about Jacob and his choices, but it was nice to see his character develop over the course of the book. By the end he’s definitely a better person.

This was my first book from Amy James and I did enjoy it - I just would have loved for it to have been longer so we could have seen more yearning and grovelling!

Crash Test was an interesting and emotional book, this is an F1 / F2 romance book, however the characters are already in a relationship.

The book follows Jacob who is an F2 driver, and Travis who is an F1 driver. They have secretly been dating for over a year. During one of the F2 races, Jacob suffers really bad injuries from a multi car crash, which happens at the start of the book. From there the book is split into 3 parts, Sector One from Travis’ point of view, Sector Two from Jacob’s and Sector Three revolves ariund both characters.

We see the impact of the crash on both the characters and their relationship, which comes with a lot of complicated feelings and difficult decisions. As the season progresses, things get more complicated.

I think that having that pre existing relationship made it more emotional, and I enjoyed reading their point of views. I also was a fan of the supporting characters, and I hope that Matty gets his own book as I would love to learn more about him. I also really liked Heather! I liked the fact that therapy is shown as a positive thing, even though there is reluctance at first.

Definitely read this book if you like F1 romances, found family and a heartwrenching read!

Thank you, NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

Travis is 24 years old and halfway through a brilliant racing season, when Jacob Nichols is involved in a massive crash that leaves him in critical conditions. None knows they are dating for almost a year and Travis' world is turned upside down. Now his F1 team can't understand why he's underperforming, Jacob's parents don't want him with their son and Travis doesn't know what to do. As the F1 season continues, Travis and Jacob are alone and miserable and forced to be outside their comfort zone and, with the help of new friends, start a journey of , self-growth and discovery, that might lead back to each other.

I loved this contemporary romance. I don't know anything about racing and F1, but it wasn't so complicated following the book thanks to the brilliant author. F1 meets Red, white and royal blue...I had to read it and I loved it. Jacob and Travis are absolutely amazing and perfect for each other and I loved how the author talked about their journeys into be together again, growing up and changing and I cried so many times reading this book. It's so so good, now I want to read it again!

Crash Test by Amy James is epic whirlwind of a racing romance that is sure to keep you on the edge of your seat & your heart ready to race out of your chest. It’s equal parts heart wrenching and heartwarming with emotions galore that showcases this beautiful & unexpected journey these two drivers go on.

Crash Test Is great for those looking to read…
🏎️ F1 Romance
🏎️ MM Romance
🏎️ Found Family

I love a good sports romance & this was a unique one which I really appreciated. I would love to read more from this author.

If you are looking for your next MM sports romance, I highly recommend Crash Test!

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Avon for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Crash Test is a book that is labeled as a romance, but feels more like a fiction book. I'm worried that readers who go into this expecting the emotional beats of a romance, might get frustrated. There is certainly a strong romance storyline, but this dual POV story is deeply committed to character development and distance. It's about finding out who we are when we aren't even in the relationship. About figuring out what is important to us as individuals. To realize we need to heal before we have a chance of being in a relationship.

I am, once again, shocked by how much I've enjoyed a F1 romance, despite knowing next to nothing about the sport and not having watched a single race. Crash Test is the first MM F1 romance I've come across and it was delightfully angsty. If you are looking for some deep yearning, look no further.

Travis is a F1 superstar and Jacob is an up-and-coming F2 racer. The two meet by chance during a delay in practice and find themselves inextricably drawn to each other until a deadly crash pulls the two apart.

I thought, for certain, that I wasn't going to like this book given the actions of Jacob in the first act, but you quickly see the reasons for that behavior and the work he does to overcome his own issues and get back to Travis. I won't lie, there probably should have been a lot more groveling in this book (no spoilers!), but the lack of it didn't significantly detract from the story.

* Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

Oof.

This book really hits you in the feels.

Repeatedly.

In a weirdly enjoyable way.

I'd seen some reviews before diving in so I knew a little bit of what I was getting into. Still, it doesn't prepare you for the very realistic depiction of the F2 car crash aftermath. Act 1 (if you will) is told through Travis's PoV and it is so stressful and uncomfortable. You're right there with him on that emotional rollercoaster.

It's interesting making the shift for Act 2 to Jacob's PoV. I had to take some moments to collect and ready myself. And his side of things, his recovery and uncertain career prospects were just as much of a rollercoaster, with the added hurdle of needing to make me like Jacob.

The balance between the romance and the motorsports was perfect. The crash prevented the story from being overtaken with race after race but at the same time, it didn't fade into the background. For my first F1 romance, I think it's a solidly enjoyable one and I'd definitely recommend it!

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

In spring, I was super excited to start learning about F1 and was excited to received this advance copy to read. In general, I enjoyed the book! It had a lot of the F1 thrills I was looking for, with romance and intrigue wrapped into it.

Opening, it felt like the storyline with Travis fell a little flat. I didn't feel compelled to read, but told myself to keep going to get to the good parts. I also didn't really like Jacob either, and I didn't find myself rooting for them. I think both characters could have used more development, although maybe the things I didn't like were the things we weren't supposed to like! I just wish they had been fleshed out a bit further so I could have enjoyed the ending a bit more.

Overall, I see where this book was going but felt it was a miss for me.

This review is NOT for the author.
I chose not to post my review online, as I like to post reviews below three stars when I received an ARC. This book starts out strong, and I was invested. Unfortunately, it fell apart. I never actually cared about the characters. The way the timing jumped around, there wasn't enough time spent with the actual characters being together. Then, when they reunited, everything was just fine immediately; nothing to work through, no difficult conversations. Thank you for the opportunity to read and review.

There isn’t a day that goes by that I’m not craving a queer sports romance book. I had yet to read a book about Formula 1 before starting Crash Test, so I went in blind and without any knowledge of the sport.

This story was very emotional and full of angst. Travis and Jacob start the book as a couple in a secret relationship, but end up spending the majority of the book separated. Crash Test is about two men fighting against their own demons to try and find their way back together. The writing was lovely and I genuinely enjoyed how the story evolved. I thought Travis and Jacob had great chemistry. I think starting the book with a traumatic event that eventually leads to the separation of the couple was an interesting choice that I haven’t seen before. It set up a second chance storyline that I really enjoyed and thought was well-written.

Thank you Avon Books and NetGalley for the DRC of Crash Test! All opinions in this review are my own.

I absolutely loved Crash Test but I think people need to know going into it that it is not a typical F1 romance or a light-hearted romance, especially since it is often compared to Red, White, and Royal Blue.

Most of Crash Test happens after a serious crash in F2 which causes one of the main characters to fight for his life. While Jacob is in the hospital, Travis, an F1 driver struggles to not only keep it together during this time, but must pretend that everything is fine since no one knows they are together. Jacob and Travis not only face the aftermath of the crash, but also how to navigate their secret relationship in such a media infested sport.

While we don't see a ton of on-track action in the book, I like that it is able to show other sides of the sport in its absense. Between that and the fact that the characters spend a good chunk of the book apart, makes me hestiate to call it a romance book.

While some of these qualities may sound negative, they actually help make Crash Test one of the best books I've read! The characters are well-developed and it is hard not to get attached to them when you see what they go through. I also loved (most of) the side characters, especially Matty and Heather. My only complaint is that the ending seemed a little rushed, but it could also be that I was enjoying it so much I didn't want it to end!

Thank you to Avon Book and to Netgalley for an advanced copy of this book in exchange f0r a review. Crash Test by Amy James is a fast paced sports drama/romance that starts in the aftermath of a devastating fatal crash in an F2 race. However, one of the contenders for the World Championship in F1 has been secretly dating one of the racers that was critically injured.

I have very mixed feelings about this book. As a sports book, I thought it was the best description of Formula 1 and the inherent risks and consequences of the sport. The emotions were genuine and the description of the sport felt a lot more accurate than in other F1 romances. However, the romance portion of the book fell a little flat for me. The setup and aftermath of the crash for our uninjured F1 driver was great. But the second half or really the last quarter was far too neat. The author does a great job of creating the conflict of the novel but does not seem to know how to wrap it up in a satisfactory way. I am trying not to give any spoilers in this review but there is a real lack of communication in the second half of the novel and one character gets off far too easily in a way that makes the romance feel unrealistic. I would be really interested in seeing a sports drama from this author without the romance plot.

How dare this author write a character so horrid, so awful, had so many red flags and treated the other main character (who is probably one of the sweetest most mazing main characters I have read in a long time) I was literally reading this book and learning about how they were "secret" lovers and Jacob was so nasty and I ALMOST DNF'd the book because I just couldn't see how this love story was going to work. no
The scenes in the hospital where Jacob rejected him gave me nightmares. It was the worst and my heart hurt reading this scene. Nothing was giong to make me like Jacob after this!!
And then we switched prospectives. What a bait and switch, what an AMAZING redemption story. I just can't get over it. I hated Jacob and I wasn't thinking there was NO way that I was going to enjoy these two to be together. But wholly moly amazing character growth ( for both Travis and Jacob). I just loved how they came learned what worked for them and what was wrong. Just a wow. I
The book had major emotional depth and amazing character growth/development that just made this a story that was so hard to put down.
Can't say enough of how much I loved this.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager & NetGalley for this e-arc.


There are alternating timelines throughout the story. In the chapters set in the present, Travis and Jacob struggle with the aftermath of the accident. Flashbacks to their pre-crash romance are shown to us in alternate chapters. Travis and Jacob's relationship is a rocky one. They both experience significant personal development. This book was amazing. I was fully hooked from start to finish.

Crash Test was an engaging and emotional read that kept me hooked from the start. The characters felt real, with flaws and vulnerabilities that made their journey resonate. I especially liked how the story balanced heavier themes with lighter, more hopeful moments—it never felt too overwhelming, but it still packed an emotional punch.The pacing was solid, though a few scenes felt like they dragged just a little. Still, the writing style was smooth and the dialogue natural, which made it easy to stay invested. By the end, I really cared about where the characters ended up, and the book left me thinking even after I closed it.Overall, a heartfelt and well-written story—just shy of perfect, but definitely worth recommending.

This was such a compelling story that hooked me right from the start! The book opens with a heart stopping crash and Jacob getting into a terrible accident, setting the tone for an emotional, tension filled ride.

The first half of the story is told entirely through Travis’s eyes, and I loved how his storytelling dives deep into the past exploring how his and Jacob’s relationship developed over time. Their secret romance unfolds against the backdrop of the high pressure world of F1 racing, a field that doesn’t leave much room for anyone who dares step outside the norm.

In the second half, we shift into Jacob’s perspective, and eventually, the narration alternates between the two. I thought this structure was so unique and it slowly builds layers, weaving together the past and present in a way that makes the angst between them almost palpable.

There’s a lot of heartbreak here, and at one point, I even questioned if these two should be together. But watching them grow, heal, and ultimately change for the better made their journey all the more rewarding. There is an interesting dichotomy to Travis the loner building a life without Jacob and then Jacob losing what he thought was what he wanted, to then find his true self.

I listened to the audiobook and thought the narrators did a fantastic job bringing these characters to life. This was also my first F1 romance, and I loved how perfectly the balance of sports and romance played out.

This was my first book by Amy James, but it definitely won’t be my last. If you love emotional, high stakes romance with deep character growth, I highly recommend Crash Test.

Thank you to Avon for the eARC. All opinions are my own.

Crash Test grabs ahold of you from the very first page and refuses to let go until the very end. Travis and Jacob’s story is incredibly emotional, vulnerable, heartbreaking, and heartwarming. Even though I’ve just finished reading, their story lingers with me, and I know it’s one I’ll carry for a long time to come. Without a doubt, this is one of my favorite reads of the year, and my only complaint is that I wish there had been more.

Travis & Jacob are new to dating men, and with that comes the challenge of navigating their sexuality, emotions, labels, outside opinions, and the uncertainty of how the racing world will react to their relationship. What they don’t realize is that this is only the beginning. Crash Test takes us on an angst-filled, relentless ride that breaks you emotionally until glimmers of hope and color slowly begin to seep back into Travis & Jacob’s lives. Though they start out facing everything alone, and even continue to do so after their breakup, they eventually cross paths with some truly incredible people who grow into each characters’ support system and chosen family. Watching these connections form, and seeing love and support bloom when it was needed most, was nothing short of beautiful. And, watching the characters reunite and fearlessly profess their love for each other was just the cherry on top.

This book was a genuine labor of love and I can’t thank Amy James, the team at Harper Voyager, Avon Books, and Netgalley enough for allowing me to read Crash Test before it hit shelves everywhere.

PS: The audiobook is phenomenal! Gary Furlong and Patrick Zeller brought Travis and Jacob to life in a way that felt so authentic. I truly can’t imagine anyone else doing it better.