I really loved this book. It really had it all—exciting formula 1 racing, great characters, a whole plot, and such a cute childhood friends to lovers romance.

I really thought the whole of Chloe rising up as a woman in such a male dominated field was great, and inspiring, especially with the added scenes of bonding with other women in the field, along with the fan build up because of her. However, the author did not completely sugar coat Chloe’s difficulties, which I really liked. It felt inspiring, but not overly sunshine and rainbows.

I also loved the arc of Matt dealing with the lasting trauma of the crash, and really how Chloe and him helped each other, while also getting the professional help he needed to make a comeback in racing.

And finally, the romance. It was so cute to see the development of Chloe and Matt’s relationship from not speaking in forever, to getting back to their old friendship, and then naturally developing into something more since they’re not kids anymore. I also absolutely loved that there was no real third act breakup and no miscommunication. The ending felt a bit rushed, but I’d say just in terms of the romance, as everything else was wrapped up nicely.

I’d love to see the author write another book in this world—maybe with Noah and/or Keyla?? (Please)

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m absolutely obsessed with F1 romances! I particularly loved how Matt and Chloe’s relationship didn’t hinder their personal growth; in fact, it helped them develop individually and together. Matt’s admiration and respect for Chloe were truly captivating. One of my favorite quotes from the book is, “I think if Chloe, and the way she looks at me, her warmth, her sharp mind, her belief in me. I want to deserve it all.” This quote perfectly encapsulates Matt’s unwavering love for Chloe. He’s determined to prove to her that he truly deserves her love and will do whatever it takes to achieve that. I also enjoyed the steer away from typical romance novels where they end up together at the end of the book whereas Chloe and Matt choose to hide their relationship because they are secure enough in each other and in the epilogue they end up announcing their relationship which was so beautiful!!

F1 girlies unite!
I grew up in a car family. We would go to F1/Indy races!
I can tell that the author did her research. I was thrilled to learn that she shadowed Redbull’s F1 team! How cool?!
I loved Chloe. She is a determined, hardworking. Committed woman in a male dominated field. And her bestie was a bada** with good advice.
Matt….. ugh I loved Matt. He was willing to put his career to the side for Chloe. WHAT MAN DOES THAT?!
My only wish- for a second book! Lol

I love this romance! The f1 part of it was amazing and makes me want to read more from the subgenre! I love this book!

I really struggled with this book. So much jargon for F1 and I couldn’t lose myself in the actual story and characters. Also the romance seemed inorganic - maybe because there was so much world building in racing and I wasn’t connecting.

This book had me up for UNGODLY hours trying to finish. It was so good I could not put it down. I have read countless sports romances, but never an f1 romance and I have to say… I have a newfound love of them. The FMC was a badass and I feel that I resonated a lot with her. She wanted to make a name for herself and I LOVED her.

The childhood crush trope? I ATE IT UP . There’s not an aspect of this book that I did not enjoy. I would recommend to anyone who is a fan of sports romances that feel real and follow the sport closely. I can’t wait for everyone to read this on pub day!

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publishers for the opportunity to read this early in exchange for honest feedback!

4/5 star rating
3/5 spice rating

I really enjoyed this book! As a fan of F1, I liked the little nods to other drivers and other teams. The romance was cute and had me kicking my feet.

There were a few errors but not enough to take away from the story. I also noticed that in Chapter 8 the POV briefly changes.

I like a good F1 story, but I felt like this was lacking. I know it's a romance, but I felt like the balance between romance and racing was off. And that could've just been me!

There were details that felt rushed, both with the plot and romance. Given, this seems to be a instalust romance so that makes sense. But it just felt too much too quickly.

I did enjoy a good portion of it, but felt a bit bored. I think if you haven't read a F1 romance story this could be a good starting point! There is some spice, so keep that in mind as well.

Thanks NetGalley and the author to the ARC!

I love childhood friends to lovers stories so the fact that this one is also enemies in between and forced proximity is so fun. Add F1 to the mix and I’m smitten 😍

I loved Chloe and Matt’s dynamic and how they so easily fell back into friendship after decades apart. Their chemistry and respect for one another was so fun to watch and I also loved all the other characters in the book. Everyone was just so lovable!

My favorite part about this book, however, was the redemption story. Watching the underdogs crawl to the top and see a woman who’s climbing the ladder in a male dominated sport is always heartwarming.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a first of mine for this author and I’m excited to read more.

Thanks Putnam Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

Going in, if you know a lot about F1, please forget what you know. The book opens with a driver being released from a contract with Rossini (Ferrari, I guess) and signed with Auden. Without his knowledge. Three quarters of the way through the season. With the driver he's replacing just having "exited." How do you sign a contract with a new team without knowing???

Anyway. Chloe is a ferocious and talented woman with experience in all aspects of Formula racing. She's just been hired on as team principal for Arden, after a sex pest scandal with the previous team principal. Which is funny, because the author said she spent some time with Red Bull and there were <i>definitely</i> some allegations there <spoilers> and obviously this is a romance so SHE is doing the wrong thing here</spoilers>.

The highlight of this book is seeing Chloe come into her own and build her self confidence. She goes from being talked over by the team owner to making her own decisions and doing what's best for the team. Matt's journey to rediscover his love of racing is lovely as well. His choice to let some of his guilt go and focus on what he can do going forwards lead to a lot of happy moments.

I'm a sucker for "second chance" romances and this <i>kind of</i> fits the bill, with Chloe and Matt having been childhood friends in the karting scene and losing touch after Matt went to Formula 1. The only kicker is that Chloe's feelings the first time round were unrequited, and Matt is just now realizing what a catch she is.

The one absolutely unforgivable moment is when someone mentions having a crush on Lando. Who would ever have a crush on Lando???

Thank you to Netgalley, publisher, and of course the author for the chance to read this. I'm always excited to see new Formula 1 romances!

This was the perfect read for living in Indiana during the month of May! I have never been into racing other than on the day of the Indy 500 but I loved this story! The characters were very likable and I enjoyed the storyline with the characters reconnecting after several years. I wish they would have included more information about the crash and friendship dynamic.

Did I just become an F1 fan??

I loved this book so much. Sports romances are my favorite, especially when the sport is not as popular, so this one checked all my boxes.

Chloe, the FMC, is the total package. She is smart, driven, and beautiful . She is the first FI Team Principal and proves her worth throughout the whole book . From the start, she has been undermined. Especially when her new boss hires a new driver without her knowing. And that new driver is the love her life ....

Matt , the MMC at one point at the top of the FI world. Hot, wealthy, and a top performer. But after a crash that rocked his world personally and professionally. He is ready to give up, but then he is sold to a team run by his former best friend.

I knew absolutely nothing about F1, and after reading this, I feel like a pro. The knowledge in this book is next level. The characters are well developed, and I felt like their love was built in the right amount of time. I loved the banter between Chloe and Berry and the rest of the crew. All the supporting characters were awesome, and I hope to get more.

Thank you NetGalley and Putnam for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this one! I read another book Slipstream prior to this which was another Formula 1 Racing setting that I loved, so this one was no exception. I’m sure I would have enjoyed this regardless, but I read during the Indianapolis 500 which felt a little more exciting.

The main character Chloe is named principle of a Formula 1 team at the bottom of its game. A woman powerhouse, she feels as though she isn’t really allowed to call the shots in a man’s sport so she’s surprised when a new driver is added to the roster without her knowledge. The driver is none other than her childhood friend Matt who has been cut from his own team, which is a top Formula 1 franchise.

Matt is battling mental health issues with an accident that forever changed a fellow driver. He can’t seem to put his head back in the game and Chloe’s team is his last hope, as well as hers.

I got this book as an ARC from Putnam Books and appreciated the experience to read, rate, and review this title.

I am a huge F1 girly so getting to read this book early was such a joy. Chloe being a strong minded female character really made the book as good as it was. I love reading about a woman who knows what she wants and doesnt sway with her beliefs. I really felt the chemistry between Chloe and Matt. Childhood friends to lovers is such a fun trope to have in a romance book, and this one was done well. I loved that both Matt and Chloe were on the same F1 team. I love that these two were falling in love as their team was fighting for a world championship. I really enjoyed this book and this authors writing.

2.75 Stars

As a huge F1 fan and a constant consumer of romance novels, I was BEYOND excited to get my hands on this book. While there were some things I really, really enjoyed in Matt and Chloe’s story there was also a lot that fell flat.

Loved: I will always swoon over a childhood friends to lovers story. The shared history lends itself so well to tender moments and in this one it didn’t disappoint.

I felt that the pacing of the story was executed really well, I never felt like I was dragging along waiting for the next thing to happen.

The chemistry between Matt and Chloe was really well written and I believed the progression of their relationship.

Overall the cast of characters provided a lot of lovable personalities and I felt that Jack made for a good villain.

I felt that the sexism Chloe faced in such a male dominated field was thoughtfully included in the story in a way that illustrated the problem without overwhelming the reader or bringing down the tone of the story.

Matt was a great love interest, he was multifaceted and showed growth throughout the book and I loved that he was totally, pathetically gone for Chloe.

Didn’t love:
like I mentioned earlier in my review, I am a huge F1 fan—it was one of the things that really excited me when requesting this ARC. I was so disappointed to find that almost immediately upon starting the book, the things that were said about the ins and outs of F1 as a sport felt under researched and incorrect to the point of being distracting. I was genuinely surprised when reading the acknowledgements at the end of the book to see that the author appears to have a connection to an F1 team, because it felt like there was barely an ounce of background knowledge about the sport that went in to the writing.

Now, I want to be clear that I understand and acknowledge that any work of fiction is going to include some artistic license about its setting to make the story work. I even tried to remind myself of this early in my reading journey. But the issues were too many for me to write off. Maybe if a reader had NO background knowledge of the sport and was reading for vibes alone, these things wouldn’t be an issue. But I suspect that if other F1 fans pick up this book, they’ll likely be challenged as I was. I did end up taking notes on the issues that I found that I’ll include below—

- It is stated early on that one of the reasons Chloe was selected to lead the team is because of her performance working in F3. The book states that she partnered with Honda and raised funds to improve the engines of her team’s cars. Unlike F1, where each team constructs their own car and can have unique engines, F3 is a one-make championship. This means that all of the teams are driving the same car with the same engines from the same manufacturer (and it isn’t Honda). The same is true of F2. Although teams have control over a ton of the settings in the car and can extract additional performance from the cars by getting the set-up right for a given track, they cannot work with the engine manufacturer to get a different piece of machinery. This was so glaringly impossible as a way that Chloe had made enough of an impact to earn a huge step up in her career that I stopped to read it out to my (fellow f1 fan) partner who was also very confused by it.

-The book seems to completely ignore the typical schedule of an F1 race weekend. Now, maybe this was an artistic choice to avoid the somewhat boring practice sessions that kick off the race, but it was definitely noticeable. The book only ever mentions qualifying and the feature race as events where Matt is in the car, when in reality he would also have 3 practice sessions at every race before qualifying. (Or one practice, a sprint qualifying, and a sprint race on the less frequent weekends when the drivers race twice.)
This especially does not make sense at the beginning of the book when Matt is first moved to Arden. We’re told that he had just arrived in Singapore the previous evening, is attending a press conference, and then goes directly to qualifying in a car he’s never driven before. The press events usually happen on Thursday/Friday of a race weekend, followed by 2 practice sessions Friday, a practice session Saturday morning, and qualifying Saturday afternoon. Matt would have arrived, thinking he was still driving for Rossini, on probably Wednesday evening if he was coming in last minute. Qualifying doesn’t take place until three days later, so why is he going directly to it after press?? Chloe also comments that Matt wasn’t with the team for testing. Of course he wasn’t, testing is a pre-season activity that would have taken place months before the story picks up. Was this supposed to mean practice? If so, when was practice?? It seemingly does not exist in the book.

-Matt’s car seat. It is brought up over and over that Matt needs to get fitted for a seat for his car. That’s correct—drivers do all sit in custom fit carbon seats that have been created based off of foam castings of their body. However, the idea that a driver would be in a car WITHOUT a seat fit to them is kind of nuts. When rookie drivers take part in a single, hour and a half long testing session with F1 teams they are fitted for custom seats much earlier in the season to make sure that they can sit in the car. A primary driver simply wouldn’t *not* have one. Because the cars are so modular, seats can be swapped out for different drivers. The seat is a massively important component of making sure FIA regulations for the car are met. They ensure the driver is in a safe position with all of the appropriate amounts of clearance to be able to escape the car in an emergency situation. Unless the previous driver was a near identical match to Matt’s body, it’s basically impossible that he could drive in someone else’s seat and be a) comfortable and b) safe. It would be more believable that they had somehow been able to take his physical seat from Rossini and put it in the new car than to say he was driving multiple times without one made for him. Or that while organizing the transfer Rossini had provided the measurements from his seat so Arden could secretly have one made for his debut. Neither of those would ever happen, but they’re still more realistic than what happens in the book.

-The Singapore track does not include a hairpin turn.

-In chapter 22 Matt finishes Q1 and then states he won’t talk to anyone but Archie between “races”. Should this be “sessions”? Qualifying is not divided into races, they’re sessions. The race is the race.

-When Matt and Chloe are walking on the track in Vegas before qualifying she notices that there are people erecting the grandstands and thinks about how the stands would have fans in them tomorrow for the race. Practice and qualifying are open to spectators with tickets for those events, the stands would have been erected prior to the first practice so that people could come watch.

-During the Las Vegas race Matt passes someone to get into fifth. He then sees the McLaren ahead of him and thinks that if he passes them he’ll be in fourth. He passes the McLaren and…then he is in third?? If you pass the fourth place car, you’re in fourth. We’re missing a pass here. He would have needed to pass another car to be in third. He would not be on the podium as written.

-Not F1 related but when Matt and Chloe are lifting weights she puts two 40 pound plates on the bar to squat and Matt is impressed she’s squatting 80lbs. This is not how weightlifting math works. Squatting two 40lb plates (which aren’t actually a standard size, it would be 45lbs each) would be squatting 125lbs, because you include the weight of the barbell in the total weight moved. He also states he remembers when she couldn’t squat any weight, just the bar. The bar is weight. The bar is 45lbs. It would make sense to say “when you could only squat the bar” but not “when you couldn’t squat any weight, just the bar”.

That’s the end of my notes about issues related to f1 in the book.

A few other pieces of feedback-
The Barry character seems to want to be a grumpy old man who is secretly a softy, I don’t think this balance is quite hit. The softer parts of him we see don’t make up for his jerk tendencies. But he has REAL potential and I’d love to see him a bit more developed. Also, much of his dialogue comes across reading as if he’s from the southern US—I don’t think this is supposed to be the case?

Stavros is such a strong presence in this book but we barely see him on the page, it felt like there should have been a bit more time with him.

Chloe thinks Barry is living in “delulu land”. This just reads as very unpolished writing to me. This is the text you send to your friend, not a line from a novel. The word delusional would suit so much better here.

The conflict with Chloe and Matt about the tabloid article seems like barely a spark of a problem and is resolved with barely any effort. It doesn’t seem like this is a big enough deal. The biggest conflict in the book seems to be along the lines of “should we be kissing or not, maybe we should wait” so we don’t see them navigate much adversity together. The stakes need to be higher somehow.

The scene where Chloe and Matt are hooking up right in front of a store in public is crazy business, honestly. I’m all for a little exhibitionism but the assertion that being under an awning up against a glass storefront on a public street is somehow “out of sight” of the rest of the people in cars or under other awnings is just totally implausible. You’re not going to have someone’s hand down your skirt right in front of a shop window where there’s quite likely a security camera. At least duck into an alley. This was so unbelievable that it broke the scene for me. (Unfortunate, because otherwise it was super hot!)


I know it seems like I’ve just been harping on in this review, but it’s because I know I COULD love this book. The story was fun and I was rooting for the characters. Their romance was sexy and the chemistry felt true. I love F1! It has all the ingredients to be a really, really great book. It just needs another really solid editing effort to work out its issues before it goes to print. I want this to be a five star read and I know the potential is there.

The scandal needs to be drawn out more.
The epilogue should be longer.
There were some points in the story were things were implied and not stated making it hard to follow along.
Plot was original to me, hadn’t read F1 books before.

First, I want to thank NetGalley, Putnam, and Lizzy Dent for providing me with an ARC of this book. As a long-time Formula 1 fan, I’ve been dying to find a fun romantic read that actually dives into the world of F1 , and when I got approved for this copy, I was absolutely elated.

This book was such a joy to read. It’s fast-paced (pun intended!) and so easy to devour. I finished it in just a day and a half. The chemistry between Chloe and Matt felt so natural, and I loved watching their spark reignite. Chloe being the first female team principal and a former driver? Iconic. That detail alone had me rooting for her from page one.

What made this book really stand out, though, was how well-researched the F1 elements were. Lizzy Dent clearly did her homework, and it shows. I’ve read other sports romances that barely scratch the surface of the actual sport, which can be disappointing. But here? We get references to tracks, car systems, engineers and more, all presented in a way that’s accessible and never too technical. It added a layer of authenticity that I really appreciated.

Matt’s character's story was just as satisfying. Watching him grow and find his place on the team was a great complement to Chloe’s journey. The supporting cast also brought so much charm. They were funny and kept these two down to earth.

Another favorite aspect from the show are the mentions of actual F1 drivers! That touch of realism made the race scenes even more immersive.

I was also relieved that the romantic dialogue didn’t lean too cheesy, and the ending felt just right. This was a really cool, refreshing read. If you're an F1 girlie like me, Driving Me Crazy needs to be on your radar.

Pub Date: January 6, 2026
Highly recommend!

Summary in Brief

Chloe Coleman has made it big: she’s the new team principal for an F1 team. There’s just one little problem—one of her new drivers is none other than her childhood crush and hotshot racer, Matt Warner, who’s looking to make a comeback after a recent accident.

Genre + Plot

Tropes: Sports Romance, Enemies to Lovers, Childhood Friends, Forced Proximity, Unrequited Love, Mutual Pining, Forbidden Love, Insta Lust

What an absolute delight of a book! I had been really looking forward to this one and was so excited to get approved for an ARC. The Kindle version was a little clunky after I downloaded it, but that was just a formatting issue.

I was immediately hooked by the premise. My husband is a big Formula 1 fan, and now I feel like I know everything about F1 racing! Our FMC is strong, independent, smart, and driven. She knows what she wants and isn’t afraid to go for it. She does battle some heavy imposter syndrome, which I could personally relate to. It’s frustrating because you just want to grab her and shake her and say, “Be confident, woman! You got this!” But of course, that’s easier said than done. By the end of the book, she’s grown into a more confident version of herself, and that development was so satisfying to watch.

Our MMC, Matt, was such a joy. He’s a hotshot racer who was recently involved in an accident that left his teammate in the hospital with a long road to recovery. He’s grappling with PTSD, anxiety, and guilt, all of which make racing difficult. He’s determined to make a comeback and revive his career. What I loved most about Matt is that he’s unapologetically himself. When he and Chloe start working together, there’s unresolved tension from their past, but they manage to address it maturely. Then, of course, the *sexual tension* kicks in—if you know what I mean. I loved how supportive Matt was of Chloe, both publicly and privately. Chloe doesn’t need a man to succeed, but it’s so refreshing to see a male counterpart who lifts her up without taking the spotlight. Sometimes he would literally just glare at people to get them to back off her—and I was here for it. He also encouraged Chloe to be more confident and offered practical tips to help with her imposter syndrome.

The side characters were surprisingly enjoyable too. Barry had his flaws and showed some slight misogynistic behavior, but I think he came around in the end and supported Chloe’s leadership. And his dogs? So freaking cute. Matt’s brother, Archie, was a standout—totally supportive and rooting for them both. And don’t even get me started on Noah, Matt’s teammate, who is just a lovable cinnamon roll of a man who deserves the world.

Their attraction was definitely *insta-lust*, and they could hardly keep their hands off each other. At first, I was a bit annoyed because I was thinking about how this could affect Chloe’s career and how it might be perceived. But as the story went on and they kept sneaking off to do the dirty, I actually started to love it. I loved that they were so into each other that they just had to be together. They were aware of the risks and tried to be careful, but they also couldn’t stay away—and that passion was so sweet. They helped each other face their demons and grow into stronger versions of themselves. And that epilogue? Chloe is such a boss—I loved it.

Final Thoughts

Overall, this was such a fun, quick read that I thoroughly enjoyed. I loved the representation of women in leadership roles in F1, and how supportive Matt was of Chloe and her career. Their love was undeniable, and they truly made each other better. I definitely recommend this one and can’t wait to read more from this author!

An F1 love story where she's the boss...yes please! A nice slow burn about childhood friends with cocky but damaged MMC ans a baddest FMC trying to make a name for herself as the boss. they're both supporting and competitive. Loved it...and learned about racing along the way!

This book wasn’t for me. It was fine, but I didn’t really care about the characters. They didn’t have any chemistry, and the stakes didn’t seem that high even though both of their careers were at risk. The racing parts of the book were interesting, especially for someone who doesn’t know anything about F1.