This book was fun.

A kinda top secret kind of thing. I have a friend who is demisexual so I was excited to see that lilah considered herself that in this book. I knew what it was because of that friend and I was excited to tell them I saw representation of it in a book.

I wish at the end, we got a little more of a glimpse into how things turned out. How did the documentary go and how was it received? What happened to Max? How did lilah’s view of “selling out” to sports go? Did her birth mother ever reach out again?

One thing I noticed was that the texting bubbles needed a little work. Some weren’t bubbled.

I plan to share this title closer to publication date on my Instagram page. Www.instagram.com/robinashleyreads

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC of Slipstream by Madge Maril.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I was offered this one to read and review, and I was a bit hesitant given the racing theme to it. But I’m glad I accepted it! Having never read a Madge Maril book before, topped with it being F1 racing themed, I did not expect it to be this good. As you get to know Lilah, and the fact that she flies the whole way to Texas for Max, which ends badly, then meets Arthur, all while filming a racing documentary she doesn’t really want to do. Oh, and Arthur, her min subject doesn’t want to be part of it. So how can two people who don’t want to work together possibly team up, the possibilities are endless of course! And knowing this is a romance book, you just know they will fall for one another at some point. But there is more depth to the story than just that, or just all about racing either. A good read for sure, and don’t be put off by the racing theme. If you enjoy a good romance with very mild spice (one scene, minimal details)this is for you.

This book is great. I loved how it shows a person with ADHD and how they can function in the world. The hiccups along the way that make things difficult but not unmanageable.That life, no matter where you come from rich or poor, is messing, but finding the right people to navigate it with is the key.
Love that everything Lilah thought people didn't like about her was everything that Arthur and her new friends loved about her. He saw her and she saw him and that's everything they ever wanted.

I can barely put into words how much I loved this book. It's exciting and interesting and paced perfectly following a documentarian new to the F1 world and the driver she starts to get wrapped up in. He's grumpy and misunderstood but like so is she. She also has to work with her ex. Which is relevant for the very charged moment the MMC explains what a slipstream is. I will never recover. I just want to reread this book.

The chemistry between them is undeniable even though they start off both on shaky ground, the FMC needs to protect her career and he's not sure he has one anymore. His energy is so Darcy coded. I loved the neurodivergent rep with the FMC. It is specifically referenced as ADHD, but as an autistic woman I felt SO seen so I think ND rep in general in this is great.

Also, this book is full of girls girls. It helped balance the very real sexism of the industry portrayed. But also the side characters called the FMC out, sometimes when warranted, so these felt like all real people.

But anyway, back to the romance. I am dying for my preorder because this will end up being one of my top reads for 2025. I'm still thinking about it.

Thank you so much to Simon books for the eARC!

I cannot wait for this book to be a bestseller once it's out, because it gets pole in this girl's bookish heart.
This book was so funny and steamy S and you wouldn't expect it based on the ~demure~ Lilah and her willfulness (that is beautifully explained!). If you think Lilah is unlikeable, take a breath and enjoy both MCs frustrating traits as part of the plot.
First things first, fuck Max. When you read it you will agree. FUCK. MAX. That pos was so financially, emotionally, and even more kinds (but no spoilers) abusive.
The author did a great job of showing Lilah build her self worth and come into herself fully.
Didn't love how an abused woman is painted as not a girl's girl in one part, only critique!
And finally, Arthur is my fav F1 driver. Their love story was one I will continue to think about forever. Lilah and Arthur might have butt heads, and I may have been banging my head wanting her to stop purposefully (?) misinterpreting things, but their patience with each other just made their love story even better.
The author did a great job of showing how the world and people's social and professional expectations are not accessible for people with ADHD and PTSD.
10/10 would read again ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Overall, Slipstream is a solid mid-tier F1 romance. I liked the slow burn, and I appreciate the characters supporting and connecting with each other outside of the bedroom. I don't really think the plot makes any sense at all, but hey, there's often a little suspension of disbelief in romance.

The biggest challenge I had with this book is the huge amount of emphasis on Lilah's mental health struggles, which is not done in a way that feels empowering - if anything it often feels infantilizing and it's just not enjoyable to read her aggressive self-criticism. I'm all for exploring mental health and neurodivergence. In fact some of what Lilah deals with feels very familiar to some of my own challenges. But having Lilah start from no awareness of why the relationship she's in at the start of the book is bad, to ultimately trying to get her to her happy ending, is too much of a stretch and doesn't feel earned.

I'm sorry, I can't pick up the phone right now because Arthur "King" Bianco exists, and he's perfect.

How does such a perfect book exist? I was hooked so fast by this book that I probably have whiplash. Lilah shows up in Texas and is immediately put into the worst situation; her boyfriend dumps her as a romantic partner and a business partner, leaving her without an income, job/business, and best friend. Then Arthur Bianco, the man he is, proposes an idea to help them both get what they want by the end of summer.

Lilah was a rich and interesting character. We explore her ADHD a bit and how that affects her daily life. She also grew up in an unstable household so we get glimpses into her past and how that shaped her personality into someone more serious and sparked her interest in documentaries. I loved seeing this story through her eyes, especially because most of the book, she felt too weird or too cumbersome to ever be someone Arthur could be romantically interested in.

Arthur has his own set of problems, which are explored nicely considering this is single POV. By the end, I knew exactly what was going on with him too. He puts on a mask in front of F1 crowds, convincing them he's happy, easy, carfree, but he's struggling with his mental health and how to move forward with his career.

Arthur "King" Bianco pinnnnnnned like no man has ever pined before. He had one-liners galore, so many little acts that had me squealing, and general thoughtfulness that was...ugh! When someone is looking for falls fast and harder, I will immediately point to this book. There were tropes I never expected to see in this book that made me giggle and kick my feet at 3am.

I will be recommending this to every single person I know. An incredible debut! You've made an instant fan of me, Maril.

Thank you for this opportunity to read and review this ARC. I'm a huge sports romance girl, but just fear that formula 1 racing romances aren't my jam. I just couldn't get into it. The mmc was fun to get to know and this book had a nice slow burn. I would recommend if this is your thing, i just couldn't get into it. Again. This could be a me thing.

Y’all Im a sucker for a F1 romance. Sadly however this one wasn’t my favorite. Now don’t get me wrong I enjoyed it enough to finish. But I just kept waiting for this to measure up to previous F1 favorites and it never got there.

The first half of this book is really slow. Thankfully the second half picked up but it definitely wasn’t a fast process. To top it off our MFC Lilah was pretty unlikeable. Now I get she’s supposed to be this weird outsider quirky chick. But I could never connect to her or find much to like about her.

Arther and the cast of side characters carried this book. My favorite parts was his development along with our side characters. I wish we could’ve been introducing to them earlier in the story because their found family dynamic was perfection.

Overall, even though it wasn’t my favorite F1 romance I’d still recommend it. I think this is perfect for those first starting out with the F1 world. Lastly big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for providing an arc to read and review.

Let me start off by saying I have never once watched anything related to F1 and honestly didn’t even know what a F1 car looked like until seeing this cover LOL.

On that note, I loved the book. It was fun and hooked me from the start. Our FMC has ADHD and a very quiet yet passionate personality. She was so well written and complex, adding so much depth to a contemporary romance novel.
Then you have the MMC, who is almost too hot to handle. He is so outgoing, yet he SEES our FMC for who she really is. That was the most attractive part about him. The reader doesn’t get his POV but I loved that even more. Slowly our FMC starts to realize these little details of the MMC and the slow burn is intense and so worth the wait.

I cannot believe this was a debut novel. I can’t wait to see what else Madge Maril writes going forward.

Slight spoiler: I will say the only con for me was the husband/wife/baby talk. It seemed a little intense, especially for their first time but if that’s what you’re into LOL.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an early copy of this book 😊.
I wanted to love this book as much as my new found love for F1 racing. Sadly it was a bit of a miss for me.
I liked the basic concept and thought this was perfect for anyone who knows nothing about F1. There was a lot of great explanations of things that could be confusing to people who aren’t familiar with the fundamentals of F1. I didn’t connect with the characters and wasn’t sold on the love story. I needed more Grand Prix scenes and more racing content. I did enjoy this and will continue reading F1 romance.. this just wasn’t the book for me.

This one might be a case of right book, wrong person.

I like the plot of this book, and it’s got a nice slower burn. I just could not get invested in the romance with the two main characters. I’d recommend this to others, but just was not for me.

Slipstream by Madge Maril is a debut that roars onto the track with heart, heat, and a whole lot of horsepower—both emotional and literal. Set in the high-stakes world of Formula 1 and documentary filmmaking, this romance pairs two beautifully complex leads: Lilah, an introverted film student with ADHD trying to find her footing in a fast-paced, overstimulating world; and Arthur, a cocky backup driver with something to prove and a lot more depth than his confident exterior suggests.

What starts as a summer project documenting Arthur’s racing season turns into a slow-burning, tender love story wrapped in fake dating, mental health rep, and some surprisingly weighty emotional arcs. Lilah and Arthur aren’t just falling in love—they’re learning to trust, to let someone in, and to be fully seen.

Lilah is one of those rare main characters who feels quietly revolutionary—soft, reserved, and a little awkward, but fiercely competent and unwilling to shrink herself for anyone. Watching her grow into her own was one of the most rewarding parts of the story. Arthur is just as magnetic: a man who wears charm like armor but slowly reveals the bruises beneath. The way he handles Lilah’s quirks and boundaries? Swoonworthy.

Slipstream doesn’t shy away from big feelings or sharp edges. It’s sweet, it’s spiky, it’s funny—and yes, it’s got that spicy “my wife” moment that’s going to have you raising eyebrows and fanning yourself. Some of the emotional turns (and declarations) come in a little hot and fast, and the third-act tension could’ve used a bit more grounding, but the chemistry and emotional payoff still land like a checkered flag.

If you’re a fan of sports romance, documentary-style storytelling, or complex characters trying to rebuild after trauma—this one’s for you. Bonus points if you're F1-curious: after reading, you just might find yourself Googling the next Grand Prix.

4 stars. A dynamic debut that proves love stories, like races, are best when they take the scenic route—slow, intimate, and impossible to look away from.

This book started off a bit rough for me, I wasn't sure how it was going to go or how well the ending would get wrapped up- ultimately I did like the ending and the story did get better as it went on.

For the first half of the book Lilah did annoy me a bit. She’s got abandonment issues and I get it- she’s been through some stuff. In and out of foster care, untreated adhd in a small town- her issues are all totally valid.
But I felt like for the first half of the book it was like every other page was bringing that up. Also there was a lot of almost self-loathing. Lilah didn't feel normal, never felt like she fit in, didn't know how to function in society without her ex. Was convinced no one would like her if she didn't know how to mask as a "normal" human. Again- completely valid feelings, but we didn't need to revisit them every single time she did anything. We got the point early on that she had baggage - again valid issues- but it felt just repetitive how it kept coming up so much.

Lilah was so hung up on the ethics of what it would mean for her as a documentarian to help Arthur out because she "had to stay detached" that I was genuinely worried how she would be able to end up with Arthur anyway if it would mean she would have to compromise so much of what she believed was right. I was not sure how she would be able to justify changing what she seemed to believe were such fundamental beliefs to her. But I think the way they wrapped things up worked with the story without feeling like Lilah gave up a big part of who she was and her beliefs.

As we got to know Lilah more and she becomes more comfortable with Arthur and his crew I did start to like her a bit more, since we got to see a bit more of a personality from her besides just "woe is me, i'm an alien and will never fit it, im so different from everyone but also my way of thinking of my craft is the best way". 

I did like seeing how from early on Arthur was into her, and this girl was just too oblivious and in her own head to believe anyone could actually like her. Like babes the clues were right there he was telling you how he felt the entire time. (I can't really judge though because honestly I would be just as oblivious so)

Overall the book was good, I did like the relationship between Lilah and Arthur as they got to know each other and how they supported each other. I did like how things all wrapped up.

Wow. I have no clue where to start with this book. This is one of my favorite romances I have ever read. It not only mixed sports and romance, but showcased how sports impact life. A perfect sports romance.

The way that love is represented in this book and shown through our characters is everything to me. This book to me, was about how love is not just in the way we care for others, but how love is safety and accommodation. Love is seeing all of a person and doing everything in your power to make their life easier and not giving them any flak for it. Because seeing them live a pain-free existence makes your life easier as well. Love is not falling for someone despite their differences but because of them.

Lilah’s character arc was one of my absolute favorites. Her growing confidence in herself was such a highlight for me. In my eyes, Lilah learns to allow herself the freedom to accept who she is and embrace the new facets of herself. She allows herself the freedom to grow. And that growth in turn, gives her the happiness she deserves.

Arthur is the MMC of my dreams. Not just because he is a dreamboat. But because he is a well-rounded person who learns to understand himself. He trusts and he loves. And by the end of the story, he learns to trust and love himself. His willingness by the end to get help and grow into the best version of himself, makes me love him so much.

Arthur and Lilah work because they not only care about each other, but also because they fight for each other.

Pair this all with an F1 backdrop and you then have a story with the best stakes. I really appreciate the details that went into this book. You can tell that the author so clearly loves the sport. I loved the explanation of F1 politics. As someone with a degree in politics who always looks at things with a political lens, I was immediately hooked by a documentarian fresh off a political doc being thrown into the world of Formula 1 just to find out there are plenty of politics to be found.

This book imbued me with so many emotions. And I am simply utterly obsessed with it. It also gets bonus points for turning me into an F1 fan.

It is fun, healing, transformative, and the perfect summer romance. It is a must-read.

overall it was fun. I obviously love the fact it was a racing romance, so of course I had a great time. would recommend to my friends!

Not my favorite romance read. This was my first F1 romance (and I also am not very familiar with F1 in general), so I appreciated the details on the ins-and-outs of the sport. I also thought the writing had great tone, was humorous, and was easy to follow. However, there was a lot here I wasn’t vibing with. Lilah waxed on and on about how being (1) neurodivergent and (2) adopted has made her so different from everyone around her, but it just came off as having a chip on her shoulder the size of Texas. For me, it was a classic instance of telling vs. showing. Lilah *told* us over and over that her brain works differently, but I didn’t feel that the ADHD rep was genuine or portrayed well. She also *told* us repeatedly that she doesn’t have friends besides Max (who, by the way, is too cartoonish in his antagonism and didn’t feel very believable). I also had a hard time sensing the chemistry between Lilah and Arthur. I appreciated the men’s mental health discussions on Arthur’s part, however I found myself skimming large portions of the text, which is a sign for me that I’m definitely not as invested as I could be. Overall, I am intrigued enough to pick up another F1 romance at some point in the future.

Thank you for the arc.

Cute formula 1 racing romance. Did feel dragged out in some places but then fast paced in others. Would have loved to read how they ended up where they ended with more details . But overall fun quick read.

3.5 stars

Lilah is blindsided when her boyfriend and business partner dumps her out of the blue. Now she's left with no boyfriend, no job, and no money, and isn't sure where to turn. But a chance encounter with Max, a Formula 1 driver hoping to break into his own, turns into an opportunity to get her life back on track and get a little revenge along the way, all while helping Max get out from under his family's thumb. It's a big risk, but it may be just the ticket to the big leagues for both of them.

I learned quite a bit of the broader details of Formula 1 racing, which was really fun as I hadn't really paid much attention to it before. I wasn't a super fan of the way things were manipulated in the story as it felt a little shady, but in the end it seemed to work out and everyone kind of got what they had coming to them. Lilah was still left with a few personal issues to deal with, but overall the relationship felt solid and enjoyable.

4.25

This book was so fun and entertaining. It was my first F1 romance and I honestly can’t wait to read more! It was a bit cheesy but did have some really emotional and powerful moments/lines. I thought the neurodivergent rep was really well done along with the trauma representation.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the opportunity to read this ARC. It releases May 20th!

Ps. There is only a small amount of spice and it’s definitely a slower burn romance.