This sports romance had me hooked from the start with its authentic Formula 1 setting and thoughtful neurodivergent representation. Lilah Graywood, our perfectly imperfect main character, is new to the F1 world, but she captures it with such detail and nuance that even longtime fans will fall in love with the sport all over again. She’s messy, guarded, sharp and so easy to root for. The tension between Lilah and Arthur was bubbling and the fake dating trope delivers the heat. This is a smart, emotionally layered romance that left me excited to read more from this author!

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

As an F1 fan, I’ll read any romance that brings the world of racing into the spotlight, so I was excited to dive into Slipstream — and while it had some strong points and I enjoyed reading it, it didn’t quite hit the mark for me overall.
The setup was fresh and intriguing: Lilah, a documentary filmmaker with zero interest in F1, is tasked with following reserve driver Arthur for a behind-the-scenes project. Their banter and constant bickering were a highlight, and Arthur was charming, grounded, and easy to root for.
What stood out most was the thoughtful representation. Lilah’s neurodivergence and ADHD were portrayed with care and insight, and Arthur’s mental health struggles as an elite athlete added important depth to the narrative. I appreciated how these themes were woven into the story rather than feeling forced or overly simplified.

That said, I struggled a bit with the pacing — the first 30% was slow and harder for me to get into, and it wasn’t until the middle that I felt fully invested. Lilah’s voice, written in first-person, didn’t quite click for me. Her quirky personality felt slightly overdone, as if trying too hard to be “different,” which made it difficult to connect with her.
I also would’ve loved more character development overall. While the premise was strong and the emotional elements were present, I didn’t feel the growth or evolution I was hoping for in the leads. The story stayed a bit too surface-level for my taste.

Still, I enjoyed the writing style (it reminded me a bit of Ali Hazelwood so fans of hers will probably like this one!) and I’m definitely curious to see what the author writes next!
3.5 stars

Thank you Simon Audio for the audiobook and the physical book!

I love getting to listen and read at the same time. I’m loving all the F1 racing books I’ve been getting lately... F1 racing is HOT, and I don’t care what anyone says! Revenge fake dating is such a great sub trope, and the neurodivergent rep was amazing. The longing between Lilah and Arthur was everything! The glances, the tension, the whole dynamic. I especially loved how badass Lilah was, being an introvert but showing that she can totally kick ass at her job. That really spoke to me deeply, and I love her for it!

⭐️ 3.75

This was one of the better F1 romances I've read! I always appreciate when a romance has substance as well, and I definitely felt that was the case in Slipstream. There was other stuff happening beyond the romance that kept me hooked and entertained.

What I didn't like? It felt a little insta-lovey, especially towards the end. I won't give anything away, but the epilogue had me doing a double take. Anything like that turns me off because it just seems so unrealistic. I know, I know, it's a work of fiction, but I still can't help but feel some type of way about it! 😅

Most F1 romances I would only recommend to fans of F1 romance, but I would probably recommend Slipstream to anyone who likes romances in general! I believe this Maril's debut novel, and I was super impressed — I hope she writes more F1 romances because I will absolutely read them!

I am a big F1 romance fan - Slipstream was another great one! Lilah and Arthur seek revenge by taking on a project of filming races. Lilah was vulnerable and brave. I loved seeing her emotions. I also have ADHD, which created a relatable element. Arthur has a hard outside,e but he is soft on the inside. He has so many layers. Thank you so much for this e-arc!

4.5 stars

This was an amazing debut! I loved the main characters and this was a great intro to F1 romance. As someone who hasn’t watched F1, I now want to. I loved that Lilah filming the documentary is the way we learn more about racing. The romance was so realistic and heartwarming. Arthur was so patient and understanding with Lilah. And though it takes her longer, she gets there.
I will definitely be reading any future books from Madge.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for my arc.

[2.75 Stars] Unfortunately, Slipstream was a miss for me. I had a difficult time with the writing style but because it was book centered around Formula 1 (which I LOVE), I pushed through even though I wasn't really enjoying it. The FMC was a little too "not like the other girls" for me, and for someone who believed herself to be smart and a good documentarian, she consistently talked down to and about MMC and held on to her pre-conceived notions regarding both Arthur and an entire sport for so long that she ventured all the way into "unlikable" territory. The opposites attract romance between Lilah and Arthur felt contrived and devoid of any tension, and TBH while I did like Arthur's character, he really did go from 0-100 so fast that I got whiplash.

Overall, Slipstream was fine, but I won't be going out of my way to recommend this one unless they're desperate for an F1 romance. I truly hope this book finds it's target audience, but I will not be including myself in that group.

+Thanks to Netgalley and Simon & Shuster for the ARC of Slipstream!

Didn’t love it, didn’t hate it. Took me forever to get through though. Overall, I feel like the writing wasn’t that great. It was almost like it wasn’t a fully flushed out plot and honestly kinda confusing at times for me. The romance and banter itself was good and actually had me laugh a few times. Didn’t love the fmc, she was kinda annoying, but I see how she can be relatable. Pretty average book all around.

Slipstream presents an intriguing and original premise that blends speculative fiction with a poetic, almost dreamlike narrative style. The world building is rich in metaphor and layered meaning, and at its best, the book feels like a meditation on identity, time, and memory. That said, the storytelling can be uneven. The plot sometimes meanders, and there are moments when the abstract prose clouds the emotional stakes or confuses rather than deepens the narrative. Readers who prefer a more straightforward or plot-driven novel may find themselves frustrated by its ambiguity. Still, there's something undeniably compelling about Maril's voice and the risks they take with form and structure. Slipstream may not resonate with everyone, but for those who appreciate experimental literature and lyrical writing, it offers plenty to reflect on—even if it doesn't quite stick the landing.

In an F1 setting with Lilah and Arthur scheming to film his story, as Lilah is a filmmaker, they slowly become attracted to one another while fake dating but also not dating. It was a heartfelt read, the characters had depth and loved their romance journey.

I feel like this was a really interesting take on a formula 1 romance and I really appreciated that.

The fact that it focused on a female film maker who had something to prove? I LOVED that. I think it was such an interesting plot to have them follow along a reserve driver. I knew as soon as I saw the cover, that I knew I had to IMMEDIATELY read it. Although, I felt like I didn't connect with the characters, i think this is a book that people do need to pick up.

I don't think I was really invested with the two main characters which eventually made me enjoy this book but prevent me from loving it. I really do think people who love sports romances are going to enjoy this and I'm glad I got the opportunity to read it <3

Umm, I think I'm officially a fan of F1 racing after reading Madge Maril's Slipstream. I've never read a book about F1 racing, but I'm definitely going to seek more of them out after reading Madge's spectacular debut! Also, where does one find their own Arthur Bianco?

Lilah Graywood is a documentarian, whose most recent film featured a cheating Congressman. She's one half of Black & Graywood with Max, long-time friend and current boyfriend. Max decides to take their company in a different direction from more serious subject matters to filming the Ignition Energy Drink Racing team. Lilah, who followed Max across the country, finds herself being broken up with and fired from the company on the same day. Despondent, Lilah ends up a bar where Arthur Bianco, the team's reserve driver is dealing with some of his own dilemmas. Together, they hatch a plan to ruin Max's documentary and for Arthur to rewrite the past and what a wild ride it is.

I love everything about this book. It's full of some of my favorite tropes--strangers to enemies to friends to lovers (yeah, I shoved them together), only one bed (in a way, IYKYK), fake dating, and forced proximity. The chemistry between Lilah and Arthur seemed so natural from the very beginning and Madge made the progression of their relationship feel effortless, which made me even more invested in them. And don't get me started on the way that Arthur loved to taunt Max. Those scenes had me kicking my feet and giggling because Arthur was the literal definition of down bad for Lilah. This book is heart-pounding and emotional in the best way possible and I cannot wait to yap with you all about it!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the e-ARC!

Something I really appreciated about this book is that you don't have to be a fan of F1, or even all that familiar with it, in order to enjoy the story. Lilah herself is new to the sport, but the way the other characters introduce the rules never feels belitting or like they're infodumping, which I also thought was great.

SLIPSTREAM follows Lilah Graywood, a serious documentarian who was hired along with her boyfriend, Max, to create a film about Formula 1 and driver Arthur Bianco. After moving her entire life to Texas for a film she isn't sure she wants to make, Lilah is dumped by Max and fired from the company. To get revenge, Lilah and Arthur make a pact to ruin the documentary and get Arthur signed with another F1 team.

First and foremost, I adored Lilah. Don't get me wrong--I love romances where everything is lighthearted and happy, but I love even more when romances have a darker or sadder subplot, which was the case with SLIPSTREAM. Lilah had a tumultuous upbringing with her birth mother, causing her to be placed with foster families intermittently before being adopted. After the adoption, her mother takes off. In addition, Lilah has ADHD and openly discusses how her brain works differently and the challenges that that can bring, which was something I related to.

All of the characters were written really well--the villains were easy to root against, and I loved rooting for our main characters and their support system.

The chemistry between Lilah and Austin was AMAZING, and the slow burn between these two was incredibly satisfying once it paid off. The pining was just... *chef's kiss*.

I did think the third act breakup and resolution happened a bit quickly, but we know how picky I can be about endings. Austin has an idea throughout the book of what direction he wants to take for his life and career and at the end begins to question that, which I thought was great, but how quickly he changed his mind felt a bit unrealistic to me.

Something I feel is worth noting is that I listened to the first half of this book on audio before I ran out of hours (thank you, Spotify), and while I enjoyed the narrator 90% of the time, there were some strange words that she was mispronouncing (like Monaco) that would pull me out of the story. Her accent for Austin slipped in and out as well and ranged from English to Australian to American Southern to sometimes no accent at all, which also confused me. All this to say, I would skip the audiobook for this one.

All in all, this was a super fun romance that I definitely would recommend, whether or not you're a fan of F1!

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This book was so fun to read! I loved the main characters and the pacing was so good. Some of the plot conflicts didn’t make a lot of sense to me (like some consequences that seemed to be disregarded but felt like big deals), but overall I really enjoyed the story!

Oh wow...
Have I ever been interested in any type of motorsports? No. Did I absolutely fall in love with the main characters in this story? YES!
What a romance! I got Romeo and Juliet vibes, (movie) during the party scene where Danes and DiCaprio are staring at each other and falling in love. This was Arthur and Lilah. Looks, and feelings and wanting, argh! The angst.
There was a believable plot, enough side characters for the world of racing, and just a whole lotta love.
This book has to be read to be understood. Every woman wants to be loved the way Arthur loves Lilah.
It's definitely an addictive read.

This book was hard for me to get into. The pacing seemed off. I felt myself skipping long paragraphs and hoping that I was caught up when I started reading again. The writing wasn't my favorite but the story was fun.

If there is one thing you need to know about me, it’s that I love a romance story that also includes race cars. This was such a fun read, and Arthur is very swoon-worthy 😍 Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for a copy of this eARC!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster for the advance reader copy and to Simon Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

Let's hear it for F1 romances! Reading romances is introducing me to so many new sports and making me so interested in how they work. And I am here for it.

Lilah is making a documentary about F1, despite wanting to work on more serious political topics. Arthur is equally unenthused, not wanting to be a featured driver in his uncle's production. But they come to an agreement to work together and make the documentary into what they want from it.

The racing and secrets on and off the track were intriguing. And the romance was even more so. This is a book that features characters who connect with each other at a deeper level than with others. I especially appreciated the mental health and ADHD representation. I just want amazingly good things for both Lilah and Arthur.

Parts of plot felt far fetched. But they were definitely worth suspending disbelief and driving through.

Anna Caputo performed the many different voices and accents in this 11 hour audiobook very well.

rounded up to 4 stars

Slipstream
By: Madge Maril
3 stars

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for the eARC. I almost DNF’d this one, but I am glad I stuck it out.

Why I almost DNF’d:
-The FMC Lilah has ADHD and the representation was not working for me. As someone who has ADHD, it just rubbed me the wrong way in the beginning how Lilah portrayed herself. I’m glad this lessened as the story progressed but it was getting iffy.
-The word documentarian was used so many times. I know it is Lilah’s job, but we didn’t need to use the word over and over again.

Now after I plowed through, the story got better for the most part. Lilah owns a business with her boyfriend Max where they create documentaries. They were hired by an American based F1 team to record them during the season to generate more buzz about them. In chapter 2, Max breaks up with Lilah, admits to cheating on her with the F1 teams marketing manager, Sarah. Okay…shitty. Even shittier, Max tells Lilah he is the sole owner of their company because he filed the paperwork (it’s too hard for her to manage because you know, ADHD.) and fires her. COOL! The other bad news is Max gets to follow the active drivers with Sarah while Lilah is assigned to the reserve driver, Arthur who makes it clear he doesnt want to be recorded.

Well of course, once Arthur learns Lilah has been fired and cheated on, they hatch a plan to get her back to work, following Arthur, and simultaneously make Max jealous and help Arthur get traded to another team through Lilah’s documentary talent- insert Fake Dating! While I love a fake dating trope, this one was..different. We learn that Arthur has had a crush on Lilah from the beginning? Didn’t see how but… and he helps Lilah break out of her shell and give her the confidence she needs to basically be a real life person. This bit annoyed me, but I love a good coming into oneself storyline.

It felt like a lot of details were missing. Like how could Arthur, who had a 5 minute conversation with Lilah, start to fall in love with her? I love the F1 aspects with behind the scenes, watching F1 from the strands, and the lifestyle along with it. I loved how Arthur treated Lilah, willing to learn how to care for her, and putting her in front of people who could help propel her career. Lilah on the other hand, couldn’t save herself at all which I hated! She gained friends, experience, and an actual true romance but was still insecure in it all. I wanted to shake her.

I again loved the romance that bloomed between Lilah and Arthur but their first time having sex was insane! Like I LOVE dirty talk but hot damn! The things he said? Sir….this is your first time?!!? What?!?! Hey.. we all have our kinks so you do you. I hated the stubbornness of Arthur towards the end. Like sir, you’re amazing and everyone wants to work with you! Open your eyes! The ending? Loved it. Not everyone needs a marriage proposal or baby in an epilogue.

Madge did a fantastic job with this, her debut novel. This book had me feeling all the feels from happily kicking my feet to heart broken and everything in between. I loved the mental health representation from the FMC as she struggles with ADHD. Coming from someone who.had two children who suffer I really.tnink.she did a wonderful job with it and the struggles it can cause. And Arthur.........melts my heart, such a quiet love.