Starting a book with a devastating crash and having dual timelines flashing back to the relationship and the current situation? Diabolical. I did eat it up though. The writing had me absolutely hooked. It’s been a while since I couldn’t put a book down, and this one had me staying up throughout the night because there wasn’t a safe place to stop. I can’t attest to the accuracy of the Formula 1 parts, but I can attest to this book making me cry. Both characters had their own individual growth arcs, which is unusual in typical romances. The role of therapy and surrounding yourself with supportive people was instrumental. For me, this book was a 5/5.

If you like a stoic man who is instantly obsessed, families you choose, or have ever thought to yourself, “What if two race car drivers were in love?” this one's for you.

Thank you @avonbooks for an advanced copy to review!

I am not much of a racing girl, as in I have no idea what any of it means. But I didn’t really need to know too much to enjoy this love story. (Some spoilers below)

It definitely starts off with a bang, and high stakes emotion. I was reeling in the beginning, feeling everything with Travis. My heart was beating erratically in my chest during some of the more tense moments too. I felt Travis’s fear in my core, and his heartbreak was crushing.

I LOVED the friendship in this book. Between Matty and Heather, Travis was really well taken care of and I throughly loved the support he received. And from Matty and Anthony’s parents!? 🥹🥹😭😭

I really liked how it went back and forth between Jacob and Travis’s first interactions and the present day. I also really enjoyed the POV switch, and being inside each character’s head.

Jacob did a lot of growing in the second half of the book. I loved his therapy sessions and his realizations of what Travis means to him. (How cute was it that they both were desperate to see each other after 10 months!?)

I loved so many small moments, like the secret smiles, stolen days, the pictures in Jacob’s wallet, how he reached for Travis when he woke up, Travis’s shelter love, and so many more. I wish I had the audio cause it’s duet!!

I LOVED THIS SO MUCH
Its four in the morning right now, and im exhausted, but this was incredible. by the fifth chapter i was absolutely SOBBING, which is rare for me, and by the twentieth i was in love with all of the characters.
im unwell and need to go to bed now, but easily five stars.

I didn't want to put this one down! Between the F1 setting, the complexities of the MCs relationship as well as their individual internal struggles, and the writing style that sucked me in, I was eating up Travis and Jacob's story from page 1. With the POV set up to spend so much time with one of the boys first before switching to the POV of the other, I was really nervous that the book would lose me - but I appreciated the switch to better understand what was going on in Jacob's head and to see his emotional journey, which I thought was really well done. This is a deep story of accepting oneself, found family, and healing in more ways than one. Highly recommend!

🏎️🚦❤️‍🔥🏁⛽️🛞

I’ve been trying to write a review for 3 days now since finishing this book and still feel like I can’t quite find the words to adequately describe how I feel but here I go lol.

I love this story, and Jacob and Travis so incredibly much. This book deals with some very heavy topics, but I thought they were handled well throughout. After waking up in the hospital following a horrific car crash and breaking up with his secret, race-car driver boyfriend, Jacob starts a grueling recovery process, moves back in with his (horrendous) parents and attends therapy for the first time. He starts out angry at everyone and frustrated with the obstacles he has to overcome (understandably), but over time with the help of his therapist, he decides to dig in, work through his trauma, and do whatever it takes to get back into racing. Meanwhile, Travis returns back to the racing circuit on the other side of the world. Feeling devastated by his out of the blue breakup, and alienated from the rest of his team, he immediately isolates himself from everyone around him. Eventually, both men begin to let people back in and each develop their own supportive community. They both undergo a tremendous amount of personal growth before finally reuniting, and while the journey to get there was painful, it made the ending all the more beautiful. I love Jacob’s perseverance, I love Travis’s softness, and I love their ending. Adding this to my favorites shelf immediately 💙💙

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!! 🫶🏼

I read some of the reviews and I just don't agree. This is a good book and I really liked the characters. Jacob takes a while to like because he has a lot of internalized things that he needs to work through. I think it could have been written a little bit different but that's just me. It felt like things were going a little fast and I wanted to really understand what was going on in Jacob's head. I loved the two of them together though and I wish there was more of them at the end when they are actually happy and health together.

I received an arc through netgalley.

📚 ARC Review: Crash Test by Amy James
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.5 stars)
I went into Crash Test knowing absolutely nothing about F1 racing—and yet, I was hooked from page one. Amy James gives us a compelling MM romance between an F1 and F2 driver navigating the complexities of love, grief, healing, and identity—all with just the right amount of spice and soul.
From the very beginning, the story races forward (pun intended), full of heart-pounding and jaw-dropping moments. But as the book continues, it slows down in just the right ways, giving space for emotional depth and growth. There’s a beautiful push and pull between Travis and Jacob, and their chemistry felt raw and believable.
For readers who love:
MM Romance


Grumpy x Sunshine dynamics


Second-chance love


Found family vibes


Characters dealing with coming out, heartbreak, and healing


One quote that hit me hard—and might just gut you too:
“I had all the power in our relationship, and I was using it to hurt him.”
Too real, too personal, and too good not to share.
While I absolutely loved the journey, I did find myself wanting more from the ending. It wasn’t quite as fleshed out as I’d hoped—but that didn’t take away from how deeply this book resonated with me. Parts of it felt so relatable it was like reading chapters of my own story.
🏁 Final Lap:
This book had love, hurt, spice, excitement, and yes, a little frustration—and I wouldn’t change that mix. I’m definitely reading more from Amy James.

Thank you @avonbooks for an eARC of Crash Test!

I’m a lover of sports romance and after breezing through the synopsis I thought this would be a slam dunk! There was so much angst and yearning and I think you could technically call it slow burn! All things I loved! The DRAMA in the first 1/3 was soo good, I couldn’t put the book down.

While the overall premise was fantastic, the execution was pretty meh in the end. I loved so many components, but the format in which it was laid out (3 Acts: Travis POV, Jacob POV, and then a mix) combined with the frequent flashbacks mixed into the present day, just left the pacing feeling weird and inconsistent.

You’re hooked from the beginning, but then you’re left with a lot of mess tbh. I ended up not really loving either characters. I wanted to understand their love for each other but I just hated Jacob by the end and felt so bad for Travis 😭

I think the comp for Red, White and Royal Blue felt like a stretch but that’s not all that important!!

Absolutely obsessed from beginning to end. Amy James doesn't sweep you off your feet with Travis and Jacob's love story more than she spins you out with it. The emotion and adoration and ANGST is pulsing and bleeding from the very first line.
Travis and Jacob have such distinct personalities that can easily clash if not handled correctly. But Amy James does such an expert job of carving out their voices, really digging into their thoughts and emotions and motivations and insecurities and fears. The decision to bring in Jacob's POV well into the book is SO good because you spend so much time building up this wonderful, ideal, rose-colored picture of him with Travis that cracks and then explodes, sending us into the chaos of Jacob's mind and the daunting ordeal of recovery where healing the physical body is only the beginning.
This was more than two drivers being attracted to each other, hooking up, getting scared, breaking up, etc etc. It is the best kind of second chance where each person is forced to confront parts of themselves they were trying to avoid by focusing on the other person. Travis had to confront his self-isolation and loneliness; Jacob had to confront his need for control that did not even allow him to approach his own queerness in a productive way. Travis had to do it in the spotlight of being a hugely famous F1 star. And Jacob had to do it in the trenches of his conservative, overbearing, misunderstanding family. Every moment with his parents was an eye-twitch with how real it sounded, but his path to understanding and accepting that there are just some people that prefer ignorance over reason is heartbreakingly beautiful.
This book made my heart as full as Heated Rivalry did. Apparently I have a soft spot for extremely down-bad gay men in extremely high-stakes straight sports.

3.5⭐️
It was an okay read, I feel like a few things could have been better, especially when they got back together, after all, they went through we did not get any real fight proof of love or character development before they were already together. It was kinda disappointing.
I don't feel like I connected with the characters that much either.
However, we do have a few sweet memories shared.

Thank you, NetGalley, Avon, and Harper, for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I have complex feelings regarding the book "Crash and Test". Initially, when I began reading, it resonated with my emotions and appeared to promise a tumultuous journey, potentially culminating in a sorrowful conclusion.

The first half of the narrative centers on Travis, a Formula 1 race driver whose life is upended following an unexpected incident that renders his concealed partner, Jacob, in a critical state and unconscious. The story then shifts to flashbacks that explore the evolution of their relationship, interspersed with present-day chapters.

While I found Travis's chapters mostly engaging, they eventually became repetitive, focusing on hospital visits, flashbacks, races, and related themes. Upon Jacob's awakening, the perspective shifts to his character in the second half of the book. I must express that I found him to be an unflattering character. Although I recognize that he undergoes significant personal growth and asserts himself by confronting his parents, this development occurred too late for me to establish a connection with him as a reader.

I believe the book's conclusion would have benefited from a more realistic portrayal of the notion that sometimes, second chances are not meant to be. I would have preferred a narrative in which the characters encountered each other years later, realizing that their past connection was significant, but that it was time to conclude that chapter of their lives. Instead, the final two chapters felt rushed, presenting a scenario where Travis readily accepts Jacob back following a brief emotional reunion.

Crash Test by Amy James is a raw, gut-punch of a read… gritty, emotional, and heartbreakingly real. The characters feel like open wounds, and their journey toward healing lingers long after the final page. An unforgettable exploration of grief, identity, and survival.

Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book. I am so down bad for these boys I cannot even tell you all the ways! The author handles the race world really well, there is enough information so you know what's going on, but she doesn't overwhelm you with stats and figures. I read this in one sit down, I could not stop! The character growth and way we talk about therapy in this book are such a breath of fresh air!! Travis has the sweetest heart, and Jacob is coming around and really that's all we can ask of someone we love. I cannot wait for all of my friends to read this book.

4.5
I went in to this book just knowing I love a good sports MM romance. I was not ready (in a good way)! The premise of this book is there has already been a fatal F2 car accident that one of the man characters has been involved in. The story starts out with his boyfriend of a year coming to terms and dealing with the aftermath of their secret to everyone relationship. Told in dual perspectives, we learn about their past and whether or not their love will be able to survive this accident and all the complications that arise from it.

I read this book so quickly and had a tightness/fear in my stomach most of the time due to the tension and trauma of the accident and the fallout. It had me saying WTF or tearing up at random moments. This book includes the found family troupe as well and it was used really well. I might also have to look into more F1/F2 racing as a sport to watch.

The .5 was because there was one point of information that I really wished was included but would be a spoiler if I included it in my review. Happy Reading!

One good thing I will say is I like how Travis was different than other MMCs I’ve encountered in other F1 books. He’s not a lusty character and you feel for him, especially since he is a lonely individual.

However, I feel like his personality is mostly defined by him constantly worrying for Jacob. We don’t get much of him beyond that - like more depth about his F1 career, the interactions with his team members, how his family had affected him, etc. - it is pretty superficial. Jacob, also, wasn’t really likeable. In their interactions, it is very small dialogue and goes straight to a sexual scene. Even their first interaction didn’t have the spark and felt pretty insta-lust/love. So I really couldn’t root for both of them.

Did I know anything about F1 racing prior to reading Crash Test? Absolutely not. Am I now obsessed with these two angsty knuckleheads? Of course I am! Jacob and Travis had me hooked! Amy James truly wrote an unputdownable story. I loved the bi-rep, the pining, the arcs both Travis and Jacob developed over the storyline and I am ob-freaking-sessed with the found family aspect.

Reading this book was such a roller-coaster of emotions.
The amount of time I had a physical reaction to things happening was way too much, I was being hurt and comforted over and over. And I loved all of it!
Travis truly is the sweetest, I couldn't stop feeling bad for him with everything happening. Jacob made me really mad a few times throughout the story, but I understand where he's coming from, and all of his insecurities because of the environment he grew up in.
I kept yelling at them to "do something OMG!!!!!" but the happy ending was so worth it.
I loved the found family Travis, then Jacob, finds. Having a support system is so important and it warmed my heart to see how cared for Travis is.
I recommend picking up this book if you're not scared of angst, and if you don't mind the main characters to have stupid boy syndrome (affectionately)

A reclusive formula 1 driver meets an up and coming formula 2 driver and it's instant sparks.

Travis, knew he was gay but had never explored anything with anyone until he met Jacob. Jacob, knew he was bi but was struggling with commitment issues, with men or women. He never allowed himself to care enough to seriously commit, until Travis.

They spent nearly a year together in secret. Until a horrific crash put Jacob in the hospital. Travis is then confronted with Jacob's family, who are not supportive of his sexuality and try their hardest to get Travis to leave. When Jacob wakes up, he allows his family's ignorance to embarrass him enough to break things off with Travis.

The main chunk of this story follows Jacob as he struggles with rehabilitation and therapy following the crash. He must open himself up to his feelings, about his career, his family, and about Travis.

Travis has to learn to live without Jacob. He was closed off before and he learns to lean on others, like Heather and his teammate Matty, and open up to life in the spotlight following a championship win.

When they both realize they can't get over each other, they have to decide what to do. Stay apart forever, wondering what the other is doing, or overcome their fears about being together in the public eye. Jacob had always done what his parents wanted, but was Travis enough to have Jacob go on his own, no matter what his parents thought?

This was my first racing story. I enjoyed the banter and golden retriever/comedic relief Heather and Matty brought. The emotional struggle of life after an accident and not having the parental acceptance is actually something I personally have dealt. I was in a relationship with someone who was diagnosed with a brain tumor, and his parents did everything they could to keep me away from him. Our relationship ended while he was still recovering too.

There wasn't a whole lot of spice which fit the vibe of this story very well. I think anymore graphic detail or more scenes would have taken away from the story itself.

I didn’t put this down, I picked it up thinking oh I’ll start this before bed and read it over the weekend. 
{ Insert Julia Robert, Shopping scene come back} BIG MISTAKE , HUGE !! I got no sleep because I could not put this book down. It was heart breaking and beautiful and I loved all the moments.

It Really was the Growth of these Characters both together and apart that had me rooting for them. I’m so Sad it ended and I want more of them

4-stars because I enjoyed this book, but it is absolutely not being marketed correctly.

If you are looking for RWRB vibes, this is not the book for you. The only similarity is that Travis and Jacob are in a secret relationship for a year. This does not have the fun and silly banter you had with Alex and Henry. The publisher is doing this book a great disservice with the way it is being marketed. A lot of people are going to DNF because they think they are getting one book, but they’re getting another.

On page one, Jacob is in a bad crash and winds up in a medically induced coma for weeks. The story goes back and forth between present day and flashbacks of Travis and Jacob’s relationship.

I do appreciate the work Jacob has to do on himself in order to realize what he wants, but it left me wanting more of him and Travis.

And I think the book ends with a HFN rather with a HEA. After everything, it’s hard to imagine these two will be together forever. Again, unlike “First Prince.”