I’ll admit I don’t know much about F1 but I do love a sports romance.

A fun, spirited read about a hometown reconnection years later. I enjoyed learning more about F1 and enjoyed the chemistry between Matt and Chloe (though I do think he fell a little quickly upon reconnecting…) the side plots were well done and woven into the book

I am excited to read other books by Lizzy Dent. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

this was my first sport romance and i was pleasantly surprised! i really liked the F1 world and thought the author did a really good job with it! i liked the main characters and how the fmc was in a position of power and how the mmc supported her! it was a good start into the sports world

Loved it. As an f1 fan this gave me everything I needed in a romance. The adrenaline, the longing, but also humor. I love that she’s in a position of power as well. A female team principal is a crazy position to acquire so they both offer something different in the relationship!! Ugh just so fun

I enjoyed this book a lot more than I thought I would. I really liked Chloe and Matt. I liked seeing a FMC in a role of power and not having to give that up for the MMC, and I love a supportive man. I found her friend Keyla to be a little grating, like we know the relationship is bad press, no need to keep talking about it. I did feel the end was a little rushed, but I loved the epilogue. Overall, I thought this was a really great sports romance. It was my first foray into the F1 world and I don’t think it’ll be my last. This should definitely be a hit with all the sports romance fans.

This one had so much potential. I'm a big F1 fan and long-time Lizzy Dent reader. The first chapter starts out with a bang and I was hooked. Unfortunately, things unravel rather quickly. There are a lot of half-baked ideas here that don't come together as well as I would have liked and a lot of the interactions, the nicknames, the story, feel forced. Also, I think adding actual F1 drivers is not a great idea, since they tend to change teams often or have a short shelf-life and that will date this book sooner than later. Lastly, I'm not sure what happened with the dialogue, but it's very awkward and unnatural in places, and it's not clearly marked, which makes it difficult to track who is talking. I hope some of these things. can be ironed out in editing, because the ideas are there, but it feels unfinished. F1 is huge, and bigger than ever, so there's a massive market for this type of book.

Chloe is one of a few women working in Formula 1 at a senior level. She’s about to become a team principal and shockingly finds that she’ll be working with her childhood friend (and major crush). Matt was one of the fastest racers on the circuit until a horrible crash. Now, he’s surprised to find that Chloe is all grown up and that he might like her.

This novel has its charming moments and I do think Chloe and Matt are cute together. Chloe is presented as someone who cares deeply about her career and who has worked hard to get to where she is so I found it disappointing/not consistent with her character that she would put that at risk for a relationship with an employee! I think this would have worked really well with more of a slow burn / fighting feelings plot.

Thank you to Putnam and NetGalley for the opportunity to read a copy.

A pretty solid F1 romance, although not incredibly memorable. Chloe and Matt's lives both 100% revolve around racing, which means there's a lot of focus on the sports elements, and that's a positive for me. I liked that they were childhood friends who reconnected and that Chloe was a former driver as well. One thing a lot of racing romances have to reckon with is wanting the FMCs to have jobs in the sport but also relationships with drivers, and I'm not totally sure how I feel about how it was handled here, but I do love that they acknowledge the issues and Matt is super defensive of Chloe's career.

Definitely a fun, lighthearted read, well written and I will keep an eye out for any future Lizzy Dent F1 romances!

3.25 Stars

Drive Me Crazy is perfect for Formula 1 fans and novices alike, with plenty of fun nods to the real world and easy to get explanations. It's as if Lizzy Dent turned one of Netflix's episodes of Drive to Survive into a romance novel. It has all the best elements, the comeback story, the underdog team, and, of course, the smoking-hot driver. Long-at-the-top-of-his-game Matt Warner is struggling, so much so that his team drops him to the steps-from-imploding Arden Racing Team. Chloe Coleman has just gotten her big break, landing the team principal role for that same team. Aside from the obvious, there's one major, massive problem. Chloe spent her entire adolescence in deep unrequited love with him, which was replaced by hatred when he abandoned their friendship as soon as he landed his first big contract. As they're forced to work together, Chloe struggles to keep her past feelings at bay and Matt struggles with the realization that the girl he once saw as a little sister is very, very grown up.

I enjoyed this book as much as it frustrated me. The sports side of the plot was compelling and well developed. I found the characters easy to root for, even as they kept making terrible decisions. But those decisions often felt inconsistent with the characters and their motivations, particularly the ones Chloe made. It was really hard to believe that a woman who had worked her whole life for this shot would jeopardize it in all the ways she did, which made it hard to enjoy their romance.

I’m blown away with how interested in F1 driving and its inner workings I became while reading Drive Me Crazy. I’ve read a handful of books where racing was the sport highlighted, and the romance carried most of the book. But with this one, the mix was more evenly split. I felt the anxiety and heart racing excitement at every turn of the page while MMC Matt is driving the various race courses. Chloe landed her first big time position with an F1 team in a male dominated sport. It was perfect how she was written as a strong, capable woman boss, who even as the romance with Matt grew, she didn’t take her eyes off the prize. She knew her goal in succeeding was just as important as Matt’s, and the thing I loved about Matt, which you don’t always get in a MMC, Matt wanted the same for her. Some MMC’s are written to be arrogant but are actually selfish. Matt really wanted her success even over his own. Swoon! Hoping for a series so we can learn more about cutie driver Noah.
Thanks NetGalley for giving me a chance to read in exchange for my thoughts.

QUICK STATS

𝑅𝑎𝑡𝑖𝑛𝑔: ❤️❤️❤️/5
𝑻𝒓𝒐𝒑𝒆𝒔: Childhood Friends-to-Lovers, Racing Romance, Hurt/Comfort,
𝒮𝓅𝒾𝒸ℯ ℒℯ𝓋ℯ𝓁: 🌶️🌶️
𝓣𝓻𝓲𝓰𝓰𝓮𝓻 𝓦𝓪𝓻𝓷𝓲𝓷𝓰𝓼: Mentions of injury, foul language

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OVERVIEW

“Drive Me Crazy” by Lizzy Dent is a charming novel following the romance that blossoms between Chloe Coleman, the new principal for Arden, a down-on-its-luck racing team, and Matt Warner, a former F1 champion who’s seen his career decline after an accident that continues to haunt him. What I loved about Dent’s writing style was that she was able to capture Matt’s panic and trauma about the accident in a way that didn’t feel overwhelming or oversaid throughout the book, and I loved seeing him and Chloe interact, both as friends and as lovers! While I felt that they lacked romantic chemistry, reminding me more of a brother/sister dynamic, I loved the cast of characters, particularly Noah! I hope he gets his own story!

CHARACTERS

CHLOE: Chloe is the protagonist in this dual-POV story. She’s the first woman on Arden’s racing team and is dedicated to her job as the new principal. Despite this, she also suffers from imposter syndrome, something that Matt and a few other characters mention, however, we never actually see Chloe’s imposter syndrome preventing her from doing anything. It’s only mentioned and shown once, but apart from that, Chloe is always seen as confident. When Matt is brought onto the team without her consultation, she doesn’t seem to be upset, rather she’s annoyed that she wasn’t told. There are other moments where Chloe’s imposter syndrome should have made an appearance, but didn’t, rendering her character a bit flat to me in terms of development. Despite that, I loved her confidence and charm, and the banter she carried with not only Matt, but also others such as Barry, the owner of the Arden team, was amusing to read. I do wonder what happened to Chloe that made her stop racing; this is never fully explained in the book and sort of passes as an oversight.

MATT: Matt is the second protagonist of the story. He’s a former F1 champion who fell from the podium after an accident derailed his career. Sold to Arden, he's the grumpy principal racer that Chloe’s career rides on, but Matt quickly warms up to everyone in the team, especially Chloe, who he quickly falls for. I loved Matt’s character and he develops throughout the story, going from individualistic and closed-off to accepting closure about his accident and forming bonds with the team, particularly Noah, who he mentors. I wish we’d gotten to see more of Matt falling for Chloe, because even though he says several times that Chloe was always like a sister to him, his actions show that he’s incredibly attracted to her. However, there’s no segue between this friendship-to-romance that happens, particularly on Matt’s side. I wish we’d gotten more of that transition, because especially from his POV, Chloe was just a little sister-figure to him.

THE PLOT

I loved the plot of this story! While there was a lot of racing jargon that threw me off at times, I enjoyed the development that we saw not only within Chloe and Matt’s relationship, but also how Matt found his way back to the podium during the big race in Las Vegas! I do wish there was less information about racing, though, because I think it pulled me away from the story as I tried to figure out what was happening. I also feel like the relationship between Chloe and Matt happened too quickly, especially since Matt always just saw her as a little sister. I get that he hadn’t seen her in a long time, but I wish there would be a scene where his view of her was transformed from sister-like to that “love at first sight” moment. Regardless, Drive Me Crazy is a story I absolutely plan to read again! It was sweet and romantic with just the right amount of drama! I do wish we’d gotten more of the secret relationship, though, as I felt they caved a bit too quickly to their emotions, especially Chloe, who was trying to prioritize her career.

THE SPICE
This was a book where I expected heavy spice, especially when Chloe and Matt finally gave into their desires, but I was pleasantly surprised by how sweet the scene was! While it can’t be classified as heavy spice, I loved how their love and care for each other was palpable when they finally caved. My favorite scene was in the field, but I also enjoyed when Chloe pulled him into the locker room 🤣

THE TRIGGERS
There are scenes of PTSD, particularly from Matt’s POV, when he remembers the crash and how it fractured his relationship with his best friend, but Dent makes sure that these scenes aren’t graphic.

Please keep yourselves safe and check the author's list of triggers before reading ❤️

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Overall, I really enjoyed Drive Me Crazy, so much so that I read it all in one sitting! The characters are unforgettable, and I hope to see Noah getting his own HEA soon! This is a must-read if you’re looking for a truly sweet rom-com!

Do I love F1 in real life? Nope. Do I love reading romances set around F1? Yes, yes I do! This was a cute, quick read. It was insta love and I personally prefer an angst, slow burn but different strokes for different folks!

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC 😁

This was a strong 3 star read for me. I just don't not like miscommunication which was a lot of this book, I also did not like Chloe's friend, Keyla. I LOVED Matt though 💙

This book was so cute, I am such a sucker for an F1 romance book. I've been on a marathon of reading them lately and this one has really stood out to be among the rest! The banter, the humor, the 90s references? I absolutely would read this again and can't wait to see what this author does next!

SWWWWOOOONNNN!!! I am so so so obsessed with F1 romances and the fact that they butt heads so much just made it even better!!

Drive Me Crazy is such a fun, feel-good read with a refreshing F1 backdrop that instantly drew me in. I’m always a sucker for an underdog story, and Chloe’s journey to prove herself as a team principal was both heartwarming and empowering. I especially loved how much Matt believed in her—it made their connection feel genuine, even if I wished there had been a bit more depth or buildup to the tension between them.

Barry and his dogs absolutely stole my heart. I could read an entire spinoff about them alone. And as for Jack…let’s just say his “J” name suited him perfectly.

Overall, this was a charming, fast-paced story with a strong female lead and just the right dose of humor, heart, and high-speed drama. A great pick for fans of contemporary romance with a unique twist!

Drive Me Crazy
by Lizzy Dent

Drive Me Crazy follows Chloe Coleman, the newly appointed Team Principal of Arden’s Formula 1 team. After a scandal rocks the organization, team owner Bill Arden hires Chloe in a PR move—but for Chloe, this job is more than just damage control. She’s dreamed of working in Formula 1 since her go-kart days. What she doesn’t expect? Her childhood crush, and F1 star, Matt Warner being gifted to her as part of the deal.

Matt Warner is a former racing prodigy whose career has stalled after a devastating crash left his best friend hospitalized. Emotionally drained and unsure if he even wants to race again, Matt finds himself unexpectedly signed with Arden Racing, only to discover that his childhood friend Chloe is now his new boss. As they navigate the high-stakes world of Formula 1, old feelings resurface and sparks fly, on and off the track.

While the premise is fun and full of potential, Drive Me Crazy struggled in a few key areas. Although the characters are meant to be British, their dialogue rarely reflects that. Apart from a few location mentions, there’s little cultural texture or authentic voice that grounds them in England.
The formatting was also difficult to follow, dialogue was often mashed together, making it hard to track who was speaking. Additionally, the point of view would occasionally shift mid-scene without clear transitions, which disrupted the narrative flow.

Character-wise, I had a hard time connecting with Matt. While he has some moments of redemption, for much of the book he comes across as selfish and dismissive of Chloe’s goals. His emotional growth arrives late in the story, and it left me wanting more depth and maturity from his character.

I gave Drive Me Crazy 2.5 out of 5 stars— There’s charm in the concept and potential in the romance, but the execution fell short for me.

My son is obsessed with Formula 1, and the more books I read about the subject, the more I can see why. This title was fun, flirty, and fast-paced. I was into it from the start! Dent's writing and how she crafted the two main characters are examples of expert storytelling. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Drive Me Crazy by Lizzy Dent was such a good read! Although this book felt a little rushed in the beginning, I ended up really liking it. Drive Me Crazy is a tension filled, friends to lovers, fast-paced, forbidden romance book.
This is actually my first F1/ racing read and I really enjoyed it!
There’s betrayal, love, spice, and everything in between! I definitely recommend! It’s a quick, cute read!

When I say I drank this up, I drank this up. I stayed up past my bedtime (with 3 children) to finish this book.

Following Chloe and Matt in a dual perspective tale, Chloe becomes the female principal of F1 team Arden and Matt is an almost washed up driver surprisingly becoming her first driver. They have known each other all their lives, Matt thinking of her as a great friend and Chloe having been madly in love.

This book not only delved deliciously into the drama and politics of F1 but I really enjoyed the romance between Matt and Chloe. Now I will say, so the spicy scenes descriptions gave me the ick but I didn’t put the book down. And was I yelling at my kindle during certain scenes about what they were doing - absolutely.

Overall, I had a great time and this combined my love of romance with my love of F1. Highly recommmend.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an advanced digital copy; all opinions expressed in this review are my own.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

You can always find me reading a F1/racing romance whenever I am traveling for vacation, it’s one of my many guilty pleasures.

This book follows the main character navigate being the first FEMALE team principal in F1, and I really loved the female empowerment aspect of her career! Her struggles through a sexist workplace and imposter syndrome were also well written.

However, the romance between her and her new driver/old childhood crush left me feeling mostly annoyed. She kept declaring that she had to think of her career first, but would slip up and be caught up in romantic moments way too easily, where’s her self control?! Also the male MC’s reasons for ditching their friendship when they were younger didn’t feel explained enough.