Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

I found F1 racing to be interesting, not knowing anything about the sport myself. I unfortunately found Lilah to be a hard character to like which made it a hard book to read. An overall nice first book by this authors. 3.5 rounded up to 4.

Slipstream by Madge Maril

Lilah Greywood is a political documentarian who uproots her life to Texas when her business partner (and boyfriend) gets them a contract making a Formula 1 documentary for the team Ignition Energy drink, not her scene or where she wants to take their company. No problem, Lilah thinks, she can talk Max out of this, but when they finally have a minute alone he breaks up with her and drops a bomb on her about their company.

Fine. Lilah can work with this, and despite getting off on the wrong foot with backup driver Arthur Bianco, she ropes him in on a plan to benefit both of their careers.

Do I know anything about F1 racing beyond cars go zoom? Nope. Am I gonna get into it? No. I can’t afford another hyper fixation at this time. But good news! Lilah knows nothing too so we get to learn with her without feeling dumb. The whole of Arthur’s team is made up of the sweetest people who want to win, and make Arthur look good for the film. Seriously. His team is amazing. I love them all.

Watching Lilah go from I know nothing about this sport to falling in love with it WHILE also going from ugh this guy to oh no, I think I like him, was so cute. And the dramaaaaa. Oh my god. There’s more than just racing going on here and I ate it up.

I am still, over a week later, kicking my feet over the last chapter of this book. You’re gonna want this on your shelves if you like fun, romance, pining, subverting tropes or are a reylo (you’ll know it when you read it and by it i mean meeting Arthur 😉).

⭐️ 4.5

thank you Netgalley for allowing me to digitally review this book prior to release!!

I think nothing I can say truly captures how much I enjoyed this book. it was honestly refreshing in a way that I haven't read in a long time and omg it was perfect in time for the 2nd grand prix. it was the perfect balance between f1 and romance and I loved it.

and then there's arthur bianco. wow, what a man. the fact that he yearned her for SO LONG before she even started liking him makes this book so so so much better. the little things he did make me look at the wall and start giggling because what do you mean she wanted to talk and he set up a rooftop picnic? where did people like this go in the world, because I swear they only live in books. but more than him just being a gentleman, I think that he grew so much, and seeing him go from his crash to a reserve driver, then to actually racing felt like a full circle moment and it was so nice being able to witness all those moments.

and also, lilah? I HATED max from the very beginning, but seeing her become the best version of herself after she realized her worth and basically removed him from her life, I admire her. when I read books, I get so mad sometimes on the fmc's behalf that I just wish they'd do certain things, and I really liked how she actually went and did them instead of just thinking about them, if you know what I mean. and her drive to actually make the documentary was just so cool and interesting because I've never really read a book like this before.

overall, it has become one of my favorites and definitely got me out of my 3-star book streak, and I think it'll become one of my comfort reads now :)

this book was so good, too good. f1 really is back

3.75 stars, rounded up to 4.

I really enjoyed this book overall and felt it was a great debut novel. It was my first formula 1 romance book, and to be honest, I knew absolutely nothing about F1 before I started reading. I did feel that for this reason, the first 30-40% of the book felt slightly dense and harder for me to get through. I wasn’t gripped by the story at first because it felt like I was just trying to understand what was going on and what type of arrangement they were trying to establish. But once I got past 40%, I devoured the rest and really, really enjoyed the ending. I did not see the ending coming at all and I thought the author did a great job tying everything up. I did like both MCs for the most part - though i did feel like Lilah exhibited some "pick-me girl" behavior in the way that she felt she was SO different from other girls, but really she just had what seemed to be normal quirks. I also absolutely loved some of the side characters - specifically Delaney and Sarah. Found family is one of my favorite tropes (and so is fake dating). I really appreciated the amount of character development that they both went through.

I really loved both Arthur and Lilah, both for their own reasons. Their chemistry was palpable and I loved seeing them come together. I really felt like this was a true slow burn, but the build up was definitely worth the pay off! I LOVE a man who yearns and Arthur definitely delivered on that front. He’s calm and collected on the surface, but has so many layers. And he’s not so quiet behind closed doors 🤭 There are some spicy scenes but definitely not the focus of the book and I felt that they were done really well. And the love confession towards the end of the book was one of the best I’ve read in a while - SO GOOD.

It was so nice to see a main character with ADHD. It’s always a bonus when you can relate to a main character in a way that you don’t see all the time in romance novels. Lilah was so lovable despite her quirks and her struggles. I also loved the anxiety rep as well. Arthur was a sweet, sweet cinnamon roll and I loved to see him lower his walls and allow Lilah in.

There were a few times where the texting format was kind of confusing and annoying to try and figure out who was saying what and what was texting vs spoken text vs internal thoughts. I’m assuming this is something that will be adjusted before it’s published, but still wanted to mention it.

Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m so happy I got to read it early! It was great for a debut novel. I would definitely read another book by this author in the future.

This is a fantastic debut novel about F1 racing. As someone who knows nothing about the sport, I found this to be an incredibly engaging read, and I really appreciated the neurodiversity representation.

The book explores several different themes, but they are woven together seamlessly, and the writing never feels sloppy or rushed. I would highly recommend this to anyone who is looking for their next fast paced sports romance.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This book has a very cute cover and an interesting premise diving into the world of formula 1. I especially enjoyed the MMC Arthur. He was very enjoyable and was the main reason i did not DNF. Now my main issue with this book is unfortunately Lilah, our FMC. She feels like she's "weird" and not a cool girl. It also doesn't help that she got cheated on by her ex at the beginning so she struggles with her self worth. She also has some annoying tendencies. This book just unfortunately fell a bit flat for me.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC. Opinions are my own.

Lilah never dreamed of making movies for F1. As a matter of fact, she did not ask to be part of this job, but when her boyfriend and business partner decides this is the next big thing she finds herself drawn into a world she never wanted to be a part of. No big deal, she’ll just show up and convince him this isn’t the right move, except he’s already moved on in more ways than one. After attempting to fire her and oust her from a company with her name on it, Lilah teams up with a driver on the outs to secure both their reputations and ends up finding a story, a community, and a love she never expected.

The banter was bantering, the side characters were well developed, the girl on girl crime was kept to a minimum despite the subject matter. A solid 4⭐️ book for me! Will definitely pick up this author again!

This was fun! F1 politics, romance, drama. I very much enjoyed a racing book with all the behind the scenes action. I liked Lilah’s character arc and I enjoyed how she and Arthur fit together. It was a fun read and I would recommend if you like F1 or if you like a fairly slow burn romance.

Thanks NetGalley for the eARC.

Thank you to the publishing company and NetGalley for the early access to this book. I love this opportunity and privilege that I have, so thank you first and foremost.

I was so excited for this book. So. So. So excited. I don't know a ton about F1, but the premise of fake dating had me jumping on this so fast. I was grooving with it so hard. I LOVED Arthur. I loved seeing myself in Lilah (I did read her name in a thick southern accent. Sue me). I was grooving so hard with it right up until about 75% left in the book and there was something about her calling him husband that just icked my skin. I know that I can't nitpick on every little thing, but that just kinda took me out of the book. I however did love how communication was HUGE and that's something that a lot of characters in other books fail to do, and the whole "miscommunication trope" is one that rules the romance world and I hate it. This book was amazing at having healthy communication throughout the book, especially in the end. They didn't leave each other in a huff and puff when things got hard. They took space, sure, but it wasn't a "FINE!" "FINE!" It was great. Overall, I loved this book and can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy!

Slipstream is my first official F1 romance, but it is definitely not going to be my last. Let's just say I'm officially hooked and frantically trying to figure out the race schedule. This debut from Madge Maril is a firecracker packed with tension you couldn't cut with a steak knife.

A documentarian and the F1 racer she's supposed to be filming...what could possibly go wrong? Jokes on you, nothing goes wrong because this book is brilliant. Enter Lilah, a brilliant film student who got her footing in the film space after a political documentary. She struggles with ADHD and trying to be a sure footed individual. Now, enter Arthur King. By God, a cocky backup F1 driver trying to climb back to a start & pole position. The two of them form quite the bond and by the end I'm proud to say I shed a tear.

This book is everything you want in romance. It's tender, achingly sweet, and shows what it means to love someone silently. Slipstream reads like an episode of your favorite television show. I just couldn't put the thing down when the clock was striking midnight. The characters were whole, the pacing was so well timed, and divine help me...the one liners in this book. Damn near broke my finger highlighting.

If you like F1, tension, a fact paced plot, and two complicated main characters: this book is definitely for you.

4.5 stars for Slipstream, Madge Maril's debut novel.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was gifted this book as an ARC by Simon & Schuster and I honestly had no idea what to expect as I had never read a Formula 1 romance before. Well, now I’m a convert to the genre! Madge Maril did such a wonderful job bringing these characters to life. I loved how real the FMC was and the tension and build up of the romance was really fun to read. And the declaration of love from both characters?
Swoon worthy. Definitely recommend giving slipstream a read!

Slipstream was an exciting, drama-filled ride through the glamorous world of Formula 1. Lilah was a sharp, determined protagonist, and I loved how she refused to let betrayal define her. Her reluctant partnership with Arthur Bianco was full of tension, wit, and undeniable chemistry, making their fake-dating scheme as entertaining as it was emotionally charged.
The high-speed setting added so much energy to the story, and the behind-the-scenes look at racing was fascinating. Arthur’s journey from backup driver to potential star was compelling, and his dynamic with Lilah had just the right balance of angst and charm. Their revenge plot kept things engaging, but it was their slow-burn connection that really made this book shine.
While the pacing felt a bit rushed at times, the romance and tension kept me hooked until the very end. Slipstream blended passion, ambition, and high-stakes drama into a thrilling read that left me wanting more!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I loved this story so much! The neurodivergent queen that Lilah was, the downbad man Arthur was. I loved the struggles and inner dialogue of Lilah, of the longing to connect, to be “normal.” The romance felt perfectly paced, and by the time we as readers get any sort of release, it was so well deserved.
At times the story felt like it dragged on a teensy bit too long, but the writing was captivating enough that I wanted to keep going.
I’m excited to see future books from this author!

Story was good, as an F1 fan was fun to see it translated into a romantic setting. I thought the set-up could have been done better, the MMC suddenly being crazy into her kind of threw me off. There was almost too much going on with trying to stretch the plot in a dramatic way.

As a F1 fan, I appreciate the nods and real aspects of racing life and technical facts. Outside of that, I was kind of confused about the characters' motivations, and I felt they were inconsistent or believable. I also feel like the main plot, outside of the romance, was an afterthought and wasn't really flushed out all the way.

Lilah and her boyfriend Max are documentarians who are hired by Ignition Energy Drink to showcase their Formula 1 team. As soon as Lilah and Max sign the contract, everything begins to fall apart. But that's also when Lilah is assigned to the F1 reserve driver Arthur Bianco. Despite initially hating each other, the two begin to scheme on how to use the footage to get what they both want.

The most exposition-laden romance novel I've ever read (complementary). While I know a little about F1, I don't know enough to know if the nitty gritty details are correct (for instance, I think slipstream might be an outdated term but honestly it works for the book and it's fun and who cares!). These are pretty multifacted characters too (for example: while Lilah has insecurities about her ADHD and adopted status , but is portrayed as very confident, intelligent, outgoing extroverted MC). The book didn't really come together at the end, but everything up until the ending was great.

This was such a cute premise and had a lot of potential. Even as someone who doesn't know anything about Formula 1 racing, I was intrigued and looked forward to learning about it. However, this book lost me over and over again -- not from the racing but from the scheming and trying to figure out what the characters were doing and trying to do. So many times it felt like the characters went from zero to one hundred with no direction. They'd decide on something and I was so confused as to why they were doing things and their reasoning. It made it really hard to follow along throughout the book. There were also certain parts that felt unresolved or finished towards the end, which only added to my confusion.

Can we just start by saying the neurodivergent representation was so good (!!!). I absolutely loved Lilah's development throughout the story. The way she became more accepting of herself, giving herself the accommodations she needed to live well and maintaining boundaries felt so good to me (someone who could do a better job of creating that space for myself!). The way both MCs supported each other in their mental health struggles was also really impactful, and progressed in a way that made sense alongside their romantic relationship.

On to the romance: Lilah and Arthur's story was also SO CUTTTTEEEE. Not all romances are created equal, but these two characters melted my heart. Their banter was precious, and I loved the way they saw each other – like saw and came to deeply know – one another. There is some spice (eventually) and it's gooooood.

Solid 4-4.5 ⭐️ for me – I'll definitely be recommending!

I LOVED this book! It was so so much fun and the chemistry was to die for. Lilah and Arthur have my whole heart and I was on the edge of my seat the whole time, heart racing, dying for them to get their HEA.

I want to start by saying that I liked this book, and I'm rooting for it! I've never read an F1 romance before, and I loved how accessible it was for someone like me who doesn't have much knowledge about the sport. I'm now genuinely interested in something that I didn't give a hoot about before reading this book. Arthur is the best character in this book, and I loved every second with him. That being said, Lilah was not for me. I found her to be annoying pretty much from the jump. As someone who has ADHD, Lilah felt like an insulting caricaturization of neurodivergence that came off more like a "random" millennial toddler with self-esteem issues. My issues with Lilah aside, the vibes were outstanding throughout, and if it hadn't been for a couple of other problems, I think I could have rated this book higher.

The bones of this story are good, and it has so much potential, but the scheming wasn't scheming for me. It didn't make sense. As Lilah and Arthur plotted, I kept feeling like I was missing something. Obviously, the goal was to get them to a point where they were fake dating, but I wanted a more solid justification than what we had.

Finally, this book's typos and formatting errors were enough to drive me bananas. Usually, I wouldn't comment on this when reviewing an ARC, but the errors were so numerous that it was jarring. The use of chat bubbles to represent text messages and conversations is excellent, but the implementation in this book was inconsistent. Several times I came across bits of text messages that were left out of the bubble format midconversation and narration placed in bubbles that should have been in the regular body. I understand that I received this book as an ARC, but it was apparent that no one had even read this iteration before sending it out for review. Upon release, I will gladly increase my rating if I can confirm that this has been corrected.