I really loved that the main character was a woman in such a powerful role within a male-dominated sport—it was refreshing and made the story feel unique. The F1 setting was super fun, and the romance was really cute and enjoyable to follow. Some of the dialogue felt a bit choppy, and it was a little hard to tell who was talking at times, which pulled me out of the story here and there. But overall, it was a really sweet read and I had a great time with it!

Thank you Net Galley for providing me with an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

I laughed and fell in love with the characters in Lizzy Dent's Drive Me Crazy! Chloe is a spitfire, strong, determined woman in a male dominated industry as team principal of Arden racing. She's developed a reputation of really knowing her stuff both as a former race car driver and in Formula 3 so it's not surprise to her that she's earned this place at the top but will continue to need to prove her worth. When childhood friend and recently unpredictable hot-shot driver Matt Warner is brought over to her team, Chloe is professionally and personally shocked. Matt always made her heart race, and, despite their years apart, her traitorous body still remembers her past feelings. Matt and Chloe realize they both need each other in order to prove their worth at the top as F1 driver and team principal, but is there potential for more now? Or is Chloe mixing up signals again and will set her career back exploring the same worn path or her past?

As a casual Formula 1 fan, I really enjoyed this sports romance, especially with such a strong female character at the top. Lizzy Dent created Chloe with an appropriate amount of impostor syndrome and confidence as well as the awareness of being even more closely watched as a representation of a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field. I really loved how the miscommunication trope was not used as Matt and Chloe began to work together and explore their adult relationship. By keeping the teenage angst, feelings, and confusion in the past, the reader was able to see how they both developed into adults yet remembered memories in their past. I loved the characters being in their 30's and acting like it--not jumping into fights and assuming the worst in each other, but taking time to actually have an adult conversation and support one another when it called for it. Characters supporting each other in their careers is a real swoon! It was great to also have the romance develop in the context of a Formula 1 season with real driver and team names, races, and the pressures of the industry.

♥️ 30's main characters who deal with real problems and do real communication 🗣️
♥️ second chance romance--Who doesn't cheer on the girl who might get the guy when they're grown up?
♥️ mental health representation
♥️ strong FMC and supportive, reflective MMC

What I think can be improved--Based on their shared history, I would have loved to see more banter and review of their shared history throughout the book. The dual POV was great for seeing who the characters were, but I would have loved to hear them interact more and have the development of the relationship over time be more overt and clear outside their heads and wonderings.

Would 4.5/5 stars recommend as a different kind of grown-up easy to read romance!

🌶️🌶️ a few more graphic intimate scenes, but can be skipped by the reader and not lose any story

I would definitely read it again and recommend this book.

Okay, so going in I knew absolutely nothing about F1 except they drove super fast expensive cars.

The writing felt so off. Very choppy. There were too many instances where I couldn’t follow the conversation, like it didn’t flow.

I love the fact FMC was in male dominated role and being the boss lady.

This book has a lot of potential, but it just wasn’t for me.

Cute story. Many times it had me kicking my feet and giggling! I'm so glad I was able to read this one because I will 100 percent be hyping it up.

Why was this the cutest little F1 story ever! I’m talking feet kicking, cute snort giggling, adorable little story!

Chloe and Matt are probably the cutest thing I’ve read about in a long time.

Also a really refreshing vibe where the female main character can be who she is and stand up for what she wants. Good job creating a character a lot of young women could either envision themselves embodying or someone a young woman can aspire to!

“A scorching, high-stakes romance set against the pulse-pounding backdrop of Formula 1.”

Drive Me Crazy is an irresistible blend of fierce ambition, unresolved history, and off-the-charts chemistry. Lizzy Dent delivers a swoon-worthy sports romance that perfectly balances emotional vulnerability with adrenaline-fueled tension.

Matt Warner, once a Formula 1 champion, is traded to a lower-ranked team without warning after a traumatic crash and media fallout that left his career—and confidence—shaken. Reeling from betrayal and guilt, he’s stunned to find that his new team is led by none other than Chloe Coleman, his childhood racing friend and now one of the few female team principals in F1. Their shared past through karting and F3 makes their reunion intense—and complicated.

Chloe had no idea Matt was being added to her team, and with only a few races left before the team might collapse under financial strain, the stakes couldn’t be higher. As they work to rebuild the team’s reputation and performance, old emotions and new desires collide. From charged moments in Mexico to secret nights at race tracks, Matt and Chloe push boundaries—professionally and personally.

What stands out is how Dent handles their growth. Matt’s emotional journey—from guilt and jealousy to healing and courage—makes him more than just a cocky driver. Chloe, strategic and resilient, carries the pressure of saving a legacy while guarding her heart. Their passion feels risky, raw, and real—whether it’s a late-night confession, a secret rendezvous, or a red-carpet reveal one year later.

The ending delivers everything a romance reader could want: a podium finish, personal redemption, and a quiet but meaningful happily-ever-after. And if you’re like me, you’ll finish this book hoping for Noah’s story next.

This was such a cute, fun read that made me want to dive into more F1 romances! I loved the second chance element and the dynamic between Chloe and Matt as they navigated their past and present while working together on the same team. The public hookups were spicy and added some fun tension, but the emotional connection felt underdeveloped. The chemistry was there, but it leaned heavily on lust rather than a deeper bond, and I wish Matt’s reflections on their childhood connection had been explored more thoroughly.

Chloe’s journey as a woman in a high-ranking F1 position was compelling, but her imposter syndrome felt inconsistent given her 15+ years in the sport. I wanted more scenes of her asserting herself and owning her role rather than feeling stuck in self-doubt. Also, the conflict with the journalist felt unnecessary—I think a more personal, character-driven conflict could have given Chloe a stronger arc and really shown her growth.

Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read with plenty of heat and some standout moments, but it left me wanting a bit more depth in the emotional development and character arcs.

Thank you to Lizzy Dent, Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

this was a nice, quick read!

i’m sure F1 fans will love this - and as someone with no F1 knowledge i think this book did a great job including just enough detail to keep me in the loop.

unfortunately, the third act breakup and the lack of communication between the MCs was so frustrating for me and kept be back from being truly invested in the relationship.

otherwise, i think this was well written and i enjoyed the strong FMC!

thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC!

Chloe has just landed her biggest gig yet. She is now the principal of an F1 racing team. The 2nd woman to ever be an F1 principal. The catch? She has to figure out a way to turn around Arden Racing, the worst performing team on the track. But Chloe knows that she can do this. Until a new driver is sprung upon her. A driver who broke her heart when they were young.

There were several things I liked about this story. I loved that the FMC was in a male dominated leadership role in a “boys” industry. Usually with F1 romance, the FMC is the owner’s daughter, a journalist, or marketing agent. It was nice to have it be switched up a little. I also enjoyed that the characters were in their late 20s/ early 30s. It’s nice to read about characters closer to my age.

There were a few things that I was not a fan of as well. The dialogue in this book felt off to me. It seemed very forced and unnatural. Or maybe even out of order. It kept throwing me for a loop and I’d have to look back to see if I could make sense of why a character was saying that. The intimacy between the two main characters felt rushed as well. For two people that have barely spoken to each other in 10 years, it didn’t take long for them to have their first moment together.

Overall, this book has a lot of potential, but there are a few things that just did not sit right with me.

I am obsessed and I need a sequel. Sports romance takes on a whole new level in this F1 world. When Chloe gets hired on as one of the first female team principle's, she's ready to show them she's got it. Until the team owner also hires on her girlhood crush as their new driver, without telling her. Oh and the team she was hired on to is the worst in the league. So she's got her work cut out for her all around.

I loved everything about this book. The chapter format. The race season. The side characters. The different cities and being able to picture myself there. I'd also like to compliment the fact this book had a plot, competition, character development, and not just a whole lotta spice. If the rest of Lizzy's books are like this, I found my new fav.

Thank you to Net Galley and Putnam Books! Look for this one next January!

f1 childhood best friends meet again in the race tracks. I want to clarify best friends because the way they talk is definitely how I fight with my best friends. I love the sizzling (ouch so hot) chemistry

All in all I think this book was okay. I wanted to love it, because the F1 stuff , but it felt flat to me. You can tell Lizzy Dent actually knows the sport considering I don't- I think she did her research for sure. If you’re an F1 fan, there’s a lot to appreciate here. But once you move past the racing? The romance felt so cringe to me. And hey maybe its because contemporary tends to be a hit or miss for me, but this one did. I though Chloe and Matt had zero chemistry. Their relationship pushed into physical tension but didn’t give me any of the emotional build up I was looking for.. It just felt like the inevidable was happening because this is a romance novel. The pacing also was cring for me- five races, seven weeks, and suddenly they’re in love was not it for me. I needed more build-up, more intimacy, more actual talking between them.

Also, the public hookups with spice were not it. They’re supposed to be keeping thie relationship quiet, and yet hooking up in places where literally anyone could walk in? Bye. The whole point was to be careful about image and media scrutiny. If you’re going to invent a whole new team for the main characters, just go all in and make everything fictional. Referencing real teams and drivers was weird and I thought for a second I'd see a player I knew. I didn't like the end, I think this goes back to pacing of the book. Character wise, Chloe’s imposter syndrome did not fit. I get it, being a woman in a male-dominated field is hard, and that storyline is super relatable. But she’s been in the industry for 15+ years. At some point, she should know her value—yet she still acted like she didn’t belong, which made her feel a bit all over the place and having a man show her that? CRINGE.

✨Tropes✨
⭐️ Imposter Syndrome
🌙 Banter
💫 F1 Romance
⭐️ Secret Romance
🌙 Self Reflection
💫 Childhood Crush

3.5 stars

This was very cute and an easy, fun read. However, I thought it was a little too easy. I wish that Matt had spent more time apologizing to all of his friends who he just straight up abandoned which would have created more tension between characters. I also wish the book would have spent a little more time focused on F1 and cars and racing instead of just using it as the way the two characters are brought together.

Thank you to Putnam Books for the ARC.

Box, Box! Quick Review Coming In!
Status: EPIC read confirmed. tis a hot 10/10 tire temp. Let’s debrief.

Right off the starting line this book launched like a rocket off. The pacing? on point and fire. Tight corners, clean overtakes, no dragging out lap after lap. The world? Locked in. Realistic, authentic, no flags for suspension of disbelief. It’s as if the author studied every inch of the sports circuit before laying rubber on page one.

Characters came with history or baggage ??? solid tire wear, good grip. But hey, we could’ve used a bit more depth in the pit, maybe a few more flashbacks to set the story up or even flashback lap or two more in the story to really push them into podium position. Still, they held the line under pressure, no question. I would have loved to see more of the side characters with one chapter from their POV or a growth and movement from one friend from one team to another maybe that is for book 2.

What really got us across the finish line? That dual POV setup. Smooth gear shifts between the two leads. Watching them develop from both sides of the garage gave real depth like watching from the field instead of the stands on the final lap. Our leading ladies arc just a bit ahead but they came together for the photo finish HEA. You know they've earned it..

Final call: Fast, fierce, and full of heart. An adrenaline-fueled read that stays true to the sport’s spirit, with just enough grit in the gears to keep things interesting. Would pit again and read in one sitting.

Review complete. Box out.

Drive Me Crazy was a fun, fiery ride full of heart, heat, and high-speed drama. Chloe Coleman, one of the first female team principals in Formula 1, was a sharp, determined heroine, and her chemistry with Matt Warner—her childhood crush turned disgraced star driver—crackled from their first scene.
The racing world felt fresh and exciting, and the romance struck a great balance between slow-burn tension and emotional payoff. Their shared history added depth, and the stakes on and off the track kept things moving at full throttle.
A few moments felt a bit predictable, but overall, this was a smart, satisfying sports romance that delivered the drama and the swoon. A must for fans of high-stakes love stories with fierce leads.
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 reading this book! I'm such a sucker for a workplace romance, and this one was quite well done. The story was fun, the story was hot, the story was full of romance. This was a really good book and it will definitely be enjoyed by readers once it's released!

A cute, pretty well-researched F1 romance—thanks to Putnam and NetGalley for this ARC!

While I enjoyed the mentions of IRL racing teams and drivers, it does date the book a bit (RIP Checo)—and the romance of it all went from zero to 220 a little too quickly for my liking! I felt like we needed a little more transition from the WTF to the ILYSM.

Lots of “dude” and “bro” from primarily British characters, dialogue would pull me out of the book occasionally—and it aggravated me SO much to see every single man diminishing Chloe’s accomplishments without a single thought, but… that’s life, isn’t it. Hate that for us! Realistic, as painful as it is.

Last but certainly not least—Toto would rather lick Christian Horner’s boots than be out the night before a quali or a race day doing shots and drinking with his drivers. Plz.

Three stars... maybe.

I began with a strong appreciation for this book, but as I continued reading, my enthusiasm started to wane.

The character development was lacking throughout the book.

Chloe's struggle to assert herself in a male-dominated work environment was evident, but her journey to find her footing ultimately felt unfulfilled.

That resolution was wrapped up simply in the epilogue with a quick exchange, which left much to be desired. Matt says "You've come a long way." And Chloe states (inner monologue) "I really have. I believe in myself now. And so does everyone else."

While there were moments of dialogue where she was rather "dominant", I feel like I did not truly witness her abilities on full display as I had hoped.

She consistently expressed her strategies for making an impact on the team and as the Principal, but when the opportunity arose those plans never materialized.

Chloe was someone who had navigated that field for years now and was well-acquainted with its dynamics, I believe she could have been more assertive and respected despite the fact she was a girl—that just felt amiss. There was also nothing in her background that suggested she could not take a dominant role (no trauma, past bad work experiences, etc. not saying it's a need but WHY was she so scared) I just found her character to be lacking in depth.

There was many different tropes layered on to each other that it was hard to keep up with all of them.

The childhood lover trope was delightful, and it truly should have been the sole focus, aside from the work proximity aspect, of course.

And while I recognize that workplace romance can be risky, especially in a high staked job, I feel that at their age, there should not have been a need for secrecy and I found Chloe's reasoning for her actions a bit unclear. (She aimed to assert herself) which ties back to the point I made earlier.

The romance felt quite hurried, lacking a deeper emotional connection beyond a few fleeting references to childhood and the nickname "bug," which did not resonate well.

The main plot of the story was engaging and dynamic, but it felt like certain elements could have benefited from a more measured approach. For instance, the races had the potential to be more thrilling if the pacing allowed for greater tension and emphasis on the action. The romance could benefit from a slower pace and a deeper emotional connection, rather than just fleeting moments.

It was an enjoyable read with strong writing, though the pacing and character/plot development could have been improved.

Thank you to Netgalley and Putnam for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

If you like F1, strong female main characters, childhood friends to estranged to lovers, and all the drama that comes with the world of F1, then this book is for you!

I adored Chloe so much and seeing her in a team principal position was awesome and it's actually the first F1 romance I've read that had a strong woman running the show! Using the angle of a failing team bringing on a woman to lead the charge to blame if they continue to fail felt like a scenario that could be all too real in the real world and I truly thought that the author's knowledge of F1 shined! Chloe was so likeable and relatable, especially in how she was the best for the job but men being men had to steamroll her and mansplain things to her until she finally found her footing. I loved how she and Matt grew up kart racing together and how her childhood crush led to her feeling betrayed when he left for the big leagues. I ate up the drama with him joining her failing team and how once she found her voice and was able to do things her way with Matt supporting her, they became unstoppable. That being said, I did think Matt should've stepped back a little more at times to let Chloe have her time to shine more on her own and I think they needed more time for emotional connections over lust, but to each their own. The ending also felt a little rushed there after such a long buildup as the team was pushing to finally succeed.

This book was a strong F1 romance and I did appreciate the thought that the author put into it. I love reading sports romances where the author is familiar with the sport and that was certainly the case here. I enjoyed it and really connected with Chloe so that was a podium in my book! (IYKYK)

If you’ve read Simone Soltani’s Lights Out Series you’re going to love Lizzy Dent’s Formula One novel Drive Me Crazy. This truly is the type of sports romance from the Formula One niche genre that I adore. Lizzy delivers a fast paced, heart racing, and memorable read. I admit I wasn’t familiar with Lizzy’s previous works but I truly hope this book is the start of a series because the potential is baked right into the plot and its characters.

I often wondered when we would get a Formula One novel with a female team principal and Lizzy brought Chloe to life. We all love Claire Williams and the space she held in the F1 world for such a long time has left a legacy. While the sport is dominated by men, opportunities are opening up and Lizzy takes advantage of that spark with Lizzy. She’s passionate about the sport, shy, guarded, and truly a leader. In contrast, the race car driver Matt for Team Arden is going through PTSD from a harrowing incident that occurred on the race course. They’re paired together on Team Arden and the chemistry flickers and then roars. Yes the comparisons are going to be made to ‘Ride With Me’ by Simone Soltani, but these two books stand alone and honestly have different takes and perspectives on the sport.

One thing I’d like to mention? I didn’t really enjoy the world building in this. There were ample opportunities to create fictional teams and characters and it needed to be stronger. The heavy reliance on the reader knowing the sport of Formula One is strong.

Overall I adored my time reading this book and I’m happy to give this book 4 stars! This book is out in January 2026 but honestly, get your pre-orders in NOW!

Thank you so much Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the digital arc!