I am a huge f1 fan in real life. I watch all of the races on tv, follow the drivers online, and I even go to the Miami GP. That being said I am very critical of f1 romances since I find it hard to separate the book from real life. This book had very good knowledge of the sport. This one had all the tropes I love: fake dating, one bed, and found family. The reason I didn’t love this book as much as I wanted to was I found it very hard to connect to the characters. The main character, Lilah, kept bringing up how she’s different than everyone else and quirky and it did not come off as the cutest quirky girl like I think it was supposed to. She was honestly a bit frustrating to follow as I didn’t like a lot of what she was saying. She would constantly bring up her ADHD (which obviously it’s different for everyone but everyone I know who has it isn’t flailing it around like she did). The actual scheme of the story was extremely hard to follow as well. I hope this book is a 5 star for someone but that is not me.

I liked that this was a slight twist on the other F1 books I’ve come across recently, given that Lilah is a documentarian coming into this world versus directly working in the racing world. I will warn that there’s some trauma both Lilah and Arthur have in their pasts that play a big part of this story. It was a little much for me at certain points but I’d still give this book 4 stars

Slipstream by Madge Maril had an intriguing concept and poetic ambition, but it just didn’t land for me.

There were moments of beauty, but overall, it didn’t capture my heart—and it’s not one I’ll be revisiting. Not every book is for every reader, and that’s okay.

If you are a fan of Lauren Asher’s Formula 1 series OR a fan of sports romances you will love this!!

Huge thank you and shout out to NetGalley, Madge AND the amazing team at Simon & Schuster for the ARC!!!!

What to expect:
⭐️ Sports Romance
⭐️ Formula 1 Docuseries love story
⭐️ slow burn
⭐️ Mental Health in sports
⭐️ Eventual Friends to Lovers
⭐️ workplace Romance
⭐️ Fabulous banter
⭐️ If you don’t love F1 this just may make you fall in love!!! Want help? Go look up some of the real drivers!!

My thoughts:

I am a massive fan of Formula One, so the details matter so much to me when I read these types of books. You can tell that a great deal of time and care was put into that aspect of the story something that I fully appreciate and acknowledge. Well, this is a romance book, and there are some spicy scenes. It really gets to the heart of the competitiveness, the drive, the hard work, the necessity of a team, and the determination of a driver on a Formula One team. I personally loved that you could tell they were aspects of the story pulled from real life occurrences and things happening in the Formula One world.

All of that to say, this story had depth, the characters were very well developed, there was more than just romance and sex scenes, which is something I personally try to seek out when looking for contemporary romance novels. For me, the story is not just about them connecting and falling in love, but also the journey each of their individual characters take to get to that point.

In this case, we get very well defined stories, both in present and also backstory that help build each of the characters. Having that depth in their backgrounds helps us understand why they are where they are, what struggles they are facing both in their professional life, and in the romance side of their personal lives.

All of that to say, I am a huge fan. I absolutely love this story. I love the banter & the focus of mental health in sports and how important it is for the drivers. I will be seeking out new ones from Madge and I hope everyone goes and bites this book whether you are a Formula One fan or not!!

I love a good revenge plot, but even more than that I love two of the most unlikely people falling in love behind closed doors as they put on a front for the world. For a good chunk of this book I was feeling like it was a good solid 4 stars, but as the book came to a close I had the biggest smile on my face. This was a true feel good novel just in time for summer. It's a story you will not want to put down and is perfect for your beach, pool, or lake bag this summer.

Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I'm a sucker for any sort of motorsports romance, which Slipstream perfectly fits the bill for. Our FMC, Lilah, is a documentarian who is following and documenting Formula 1 racer, Arthur. Something that I'm usually a bit wary of is the gender dynamics in F1 romances, but I thought that this one was well done. I enjoyed the banter between the two and how the relationship grew, and also thought that characters had complexity and growth throughout the story. Would highly recommend and look forward to the next F1 romance that Madge Maril puts out!

Slipstream by Madge Maril was such a fun and emotional read. I loved the mix of Formula One racing and romance. Lilah and Arthur were both great characters with real depth and personal struggles. Their slow burn romance felt natural and sweet, and the fake dating made it even more fun to watch them fall for each other. I liked how both characters were dealing with past pain and learning to trust again. Lilah’s growth was especially strong and inspiring, and Arthur’s quiet strength made him so lovable. The racing world added a unique and exciting backdrop, even though I didn’t always understand every detail. The story had a good mix of humor, heart, and just the right amount of spice. It was my first Formula One romance and I would definitely read more like it. If you enjoy slow burn and emotional stories with strong characters, this one is worth picking up.

Thank you to NetGalley and @Simon&Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Slipstream was such a fun surprise. I didn’t expect to enjoy a romance set in the world of Formula 1 as much as I did—turns out, fake dating with high-speed drama is a pretty unbeatable combo.

The story kicks off with Lilah, a filmmaker who ends up working on a documentary with her ex (awkward) and agrees to a fake relationship with rising F1 star Arthur Bianco to serve some petty revenge and help him shake off some family pressure. It’s one of those setups that sounds chaotic on paper but totally works in execution—funny, sharp, and full of chemistry.

Arthur completely stole the show for me. He’s genuinely one of the most lovable romance leads I’ve read in a while—charming, vulnerable, completely smitten, and somehow still managing to stay grounded. Total green flag energy.

Lilah took me a little longer to warm up to. Some of her reactions early on felt a bit exaggerated, almost like the character was written in all-caps. But as the story unfolded, she felt more real and layered, and I appreciated where her character ended up. There’s a lot being said in this book about image, insecurity, and what it means to be seen—and once that settled in, I was fully invested.

Overall, this was a great time. It’s got the playful energy of a rom-com, but with some surprisingly thoughtful moments tucked in. If you're into fake dating, revenge plots, or just want to dip your toe into F1 romance, this one’s worth picking up.
3.95 Stars rounded to 4

#NetGalley, #Slipstream, #ReleaseDay, #MadgeMaril, #Formula1, #Simon&Schuster

When Lilah and Arthur a forced to spend a summer together as she documents his life as an F1 drive, eventual fake dating ensues.
This book had great character development and a top tier slow burn.
I really liked how real these characters felt.
I love a good F1 book and this one delivered!

I can't believe that this is a debut!


Thank you to NetGalley and Simon books for the ARC!

This is the first F1 romance I've read and I absolutely loved this! I loved getting to know the sport and the characters and now want to read more F1 romances! Super fun read with characters I enjoyed rooting for!

4.25/5, rounded down

Thank you Simon & Schuster for the advanced reading copy!

This my first Formula 1 romance, and it was so fun! I would definitely read more. I grew up watching Formula 1 with my dad, so it was fun to get a little feature of the racing perspective, as well as the foreign travel that it brings.

I really loved both of our main characters, Lilah and Arthur. I appreciated the ADHD/neurodivergent rep in Lilah's character; it wasn't over the top or distracting from the story, but, rather, added to her character and the overall plot in a really seamless way. Arthur showing and acknowledging his anxiety was powerful, as well. Plus, the two of them together!!! I just loved. Their chemistry was obvious from the start, and both were super likeable, with isn't always the case in romances. I actually wish there had been more spice, because their chemistry was great. There were only about 2 open door chapters, so even if spice isn't your thing, you could easily skip in this one.

My biggest downgrades in this one were that Lilah said "birth mother" like 100 times in the first few chapters, but we didn't get an explanation until way further into the book. Her family history didn't seem super relevant to the overall plot and felt kind of superfluous. The other complaint was that I had a hard time following some of the nuances between the teams/Arthur's family/his racing history. I think there were just too many characters/names for me to fully understand what was happening. That being said, this didn't ruin the story for me at all, just distracted a bit from it at times. Everything made sense in the end, and that's what matters to me.

Overall I loved this one, and listening to it on audio was great. I would definitely read more by Madge Maril and more Formula 1 romance!

After reading Slipstream, I realize that I need to start watching Formula 1 racing! Lilah is a neurodivergent documentarian filmmaker, and her best friend/ boyfriend, Max, have been hired by an F1 racing company to promote F1 racing to American fans. She's against filming sports propaganda but when she is about to tell Max that, she finds out that he cheated on her then dumps and fires her from the company she thought she co-owned.

Arthur is the reserve driver that is Lilah's subject for the documentary. He is distrustful and needs out of his current contract to fix his mental health. Lilah meets him in a bar after the firing, and he convinces her to ruin the doc for revenge against Max and his uncle, the principal driver, by fake dating him while filming. With no further options, Lilah agrees.

Loved this one. I love the "He Falls First" trope and Arthur is one of my favorites now. Arthur is so into Lilah all the time yet she remained clueless for much of the book. She spent a lot of the time in her head working out reactions rather than just feeling. This is a slow burn and when they finally get together, it's so satisfying. I loved the way they shared their vulnerabilities.

Read this if you love:
- fake dating
- slow burn
- he falls first

Thanks to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this eARC. Slipstream is out now.

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this ARC!

I knew I would love this book with in the first couple chapter when Max made me want to throw my kindle across the room. The characters are so loveable and had great depth, even representing many different mental health struggles. Although I'm obsessed with Arthur and Lilah, the side characters were fun to meet and get to knew, they really show the bond of 'found family.' I loved how the MMC and FMC understood each other on such a deep level but continued to learn knew parts of each others' personalities throughout the whole book. Their cute moments had me smiling and kicking my feet many times throughout the book!

I will be instantly picking up Madge Maril's new book when it comes out! The writing and plot were very well done and easy to follow but never got boring. I could not put this book down! The entire book kept a great pace, which I was very surprised with, most books have at least one part that lessens my excitement to continue.

Gah!! I really loved this book!!
Madge Maril has a new fan: me! 🙋🏼‍♀️
.
I didn’t know that I liked F1 racing, but here we are. Or maybe I just liked Auther. 😍 Either way this book was such a fresh new voice in romance.
.
🏁 documentarian/race car driver
🏁opposites attract
🏁fake dating
🏁neurodivergent rep
🏁slow burn
🏁top tier banter
.
Maril’s writing/story line reminds me very much of Ali Hazelwood but instead of a focus on women in STEM it focuses on women in a male dominated field (racing).

Don’t miss this one! It’s very good!

Slipstream is an absolutely delightful F1 romance. I have been really enjoying the uptick in F1 settings for sports romance books. I am a basic girly who really enjoyed drive to survive and have since then become an F1 fan, so I think this is really appealing to the market. We’re always gonna love a hockey romance, but let’s give F1 a chance! I thought this did a great job of mental health representation on both the FMC and MMC‘s part. I always really enjoy when a romance novel focuses on the importance of friendships, particularly female friendships in a woman’s life so excellent job on that. Overall, I definitely recommend this book to sports romance fans!


Thank you #Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster & Madge Maril for the ARC!

F1 • Contemporary romance • Sports romance • Fake dating • Enemies to lovers • Slow burn

“You’re the only one I want to see me.”

How is this a debut?! I’m honestly shocked because Slipstream is one of my favorite reads this year. I’ve been curious about F1 but never really put the time in so I thought why not sign up. I had goosebumps while reading about Arthur driving around the track. Felt like I was there. It turned out to be such a cool way to dive deeper into the sport and now I’m a fan. Also, I’ll have to read everything Madge writes going forward.

I really like Lilah. For how she handled her past. And her current. She’s strong and watching her grow made me smile. I felt so many of the things she felt. She’s someone I’d want to be friends with.

Arthur surprised me. He was a lot different than I was expecting. The more I learned about him, the more I wanted to know. But what I liked most was how he pays attention to Lilah. He picks up the details. Makes sure she’s comfortable. Likes, no prefers her just as she is. That made my heart soar. These two together gave me butterflies.

I felt really attached to this story and the characters. The writing was sublime. I found it charming, sweet, and a bit Intense. Definitely relatable, maybe too much, as I found myself really emotional at times. But I wouldn’t have it any other way. The stories that pull at my heart are the ones that leave the biggest impressions. I really hope you pick this one up.

“Unless we take this leap of faith together, we’re both going to have to jump a lot further, alone.”

“Sorry I was so slow at figuring you out.” “Sorry I fell so fast,”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🔥

Another Formula 1 book that has me reeling and wanting to learn everything about the sport. Slipstream follows Lilah Graywood, a serious documentarian who is dragged into a documentary about Formula 1 racing against her interests. Her assignment has her following Arthur Bianco for this documentary, and their relationship gets complicated when they have to fake date for the sake of their careers. Arthur is so patient with Lilah and really let her set the pace for their developing relationship. He certainly the epitome of pining and waiting. I thought that the banter between the two of them was unintentionally funny. Lilah has an aloof and quirky tone to her which I absolutely loved and the complete opposite of Arthur. I will certainly continue reading and immersing myself in this sub-genre of Formula 1 racing. Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the gifted eARC. All opinions are my own.

Instagram post to go live on 20May25.

3.5⭐️’s: I devoured most of this in one sitting…stayed up until 2:30 kicking my feet and blushing! The chemistry, the banter, the yearning? Perfect. I especially loved the female representation on Arthur’s team and how thoughtfully Lilah’s ADHD and mental health journey were written.

And Arthur? “My wife” 🥵 That’s it. That’s the line.

That said, the “scheming” elements (the fake dating, the revenge plan, the legal logistics of the documentary) were confusing at times and took me out of the story. I also wish the romance had a little more time to breathe before the ending, it felt a bit rushed after such a great buildup.

Overall, Slipstream is a fun, surprisingly deep romance in the most fun setting…the world of Formula One!🏎️

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!💕🫶🏼

I thought I’d be tired out by F1 romances but this one was so beautifully written!

What a wonderful portrayal of the inner workings of Formula 1 but also great mental health representation, especially Arthur dealing with panic attacks and PTSD. The author showing Lilah’s ADHD was also done well, although I do wish it wasn’t used as an excuse for some situations. It wasn’t done often but enough to make cringe a bit.

The romance was so beautiful. It’s a bit of a slow burn but once it started burning, I couldn’t get enough of it. Arthur is THE F1 book boyfriend and I loved how patient he was with Lilah. The spice was mildly hot and I give it a 3 🌶️ out of 5.

I’m still learning more about F1 and I felt this was pretty good at capturing some of the inner workings of it. Obviously a bit more on the dramatic side but one that held my attention.

Overall, a wonderful story. Thank you NetGalley, Simon & Schuster, and Madge Maril for the ARC in exchange of an honest review.

An incredible debut novel! I love Arthur and Lilah so much. I love how relatable Lilah is. The banter was also phenomenal! I love a good sports romance with fake dating, it kinda my favorite combination add in opposites attract which is similar to grumpy sunshine and you have me sold.

For fans of F1 romances and fake dating! Let me introduce you to Lilah and Arthur :)