Review: Not So Fast by Karen Booth

This was so much fun! Not So Fast follows Mia, a viral F1 podcaster who’s known for her no-filter commentary, and Xander, the driver she’s been (lovingly) roasting on her podcast. From the moment these two met, the banter and chemistry flew the tension? The steam? Whew. I was so locked in.

I really loved Mia’s energy. She’s sharp, funny, and genuinely passionate about F1, which made her such a fun lead. And Xander? Soft, a little bit grumpy, and so easy to root for. I felt for him as he struggled to prove himself this season, and I loved that Mia saw past his reputation to who he really was. The way they supported each other’s careers was so sweet.

Even though this had a little bit of insta-lust, I thought the pacing worked the international race settings, the quick travel, the behind the scenes racing world it all felt fast, flirty, and perfect for them. Also, shoutout to the audiobook narrator! I loved how they handled the accents and really brought both characters to life.

If you’re new to F1 romances, this is such a cute, approachable story to start with!

Not So Fast is a fresh, fast-paced Formula One romance that delivers witty banter, sizzling chemistry, and an insightful look into the world of motorsport. Karen Booth strikes a great balance between humor, romance, and deeper emotional themes, making this book a standout in the sports-romance genre.

Mia Neal, an F1-obsessed podcaster, never expected her viral critique of struggling British driver Xander Bishop to land her in the middle of the racing world. Invited to a Grand Prix under the guise of rattling Xander further, she instead finds herself drawn to him in ways she never expected. Their initial clashes give way to a connection that feels raw and real, with themes of mental health, self-worth, and second chances woven seamlessly into the story.

The dual narration—alternating between Mia and Xander’s points of view—adds depth and emotional nuance, letting readers experience their internal struggles firsthand. However, some of the frequent POV swaps felt slightly jarring, especially during key emotional moments when a steadier focus might have strengthened the impact.

Mia is a dynamic, flawed, and neurodiverse-coded protagonist whose overthinking and hypercritical nature add layers to her character. Xander, dealing with the pressures of his career and personal struggles, is equally compelling. Their slow-burning attraction and the way they challenge each other make for an engaging read. The novel’s focus on mental health support and personal growth adds depth beyond the usual rom-com tropes.

While the pacing is generally strong, the dialogue occasionally felt a bit stilted, and the spicy scenes, though abundant, seemed out of sync with the tone of the rest of the book.

Despite these minor issues, Not So Fast is an entertaining, heartfelt, and genuinely fun read. Whether you’re an F1 fan or just love a good opposites-attract romance, this book is worth picking up. I’m giving this 4 stars, though I really thought 3.5 ⭐️—but I don’t do half stars on here.

Audi review: Narrator Talon David gave an engaging performance that I enjoyed listening to. The POV setup made it a bit odd at times, but I really appreciated the different accents and the narration style in general. Good production quality too!

The book: I thought the overall idea of this story was great! Up and coming F1 podcaster Mia falls in love with her favorite driver (who also happens to be the person she was smack talking on her pod and got her noticed by so many people). You don't need to know anything about F1 to read this, but nothing is really explained either. It's more like "the FMC is a huge fan and very knowledgeable" so things are just known. Which is fine, but could be a bit murky for some readers.

The relationship was described as "enemies to lovers" in the tag line - this is the loosest interpretation of enemies to lovers I've ever read. It's also essentially instalove, which one again is fine but not my preference. I still flew through this in one day and had a good time!

Ok I loved this book! At first, I wasn't sure I was going to love the podcast aspect it seemed too modern and influencer type. But I really liked how Mia gets to where she is. I loved Mia she was so down to earth but still witty, nice, and sensible. Her and Xander had me smiling so much their interactions and flirty vibes were great. Tbh Mia made me want to get into F1 so if this was real, I would be loving her podcast lol.

Do I know literally anything about Formula One. Nope. Did I still devour this book? Yup.

Usually with any type of sports romance I get let down when the sport isn't very involved, but not to worry with this story. I felt like I was getting interested in a whole sport that I had absolutely no knowledge of before. Now I need more. This plot line was adorable, while I usually enjoy slower burn romances I did enjoy the quick pace of this book. THE COMMUNICATION AT THE END OMG LITERAL PERFECTION. This book all around just made me want to kick my feet in the air and giggle.

Now this book has the spice. It had been a moment since I have dived into anything spicy so I was definitely blushing the whole time. (read this on audio so I was constantly turning it down when those scenes got good.) The narration was wonderful and I did enjoy how it continued to be clear even while sped up! Honestly this story as a whole has put me back onto sports romances!

Thank you to Karen Booth, NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ALC of Not So Fast!

I was SOO excited for this book- truly. I probably talked my sisters ear off, but it was disappointing.i was expecting: Steamy but not rushed, romantic and cutesy AND forced proximity but it was overall nothing like that.

yes I will recommend it to certain people but this book wasnft for me. a certified it's me not the book.

This audiobook was so nice and fun to listen to! I really enjoyed the voice actors and it really enhanced the story as well!

Such a fun read! I enjoyed the characters! The spice was perfect! Thank you for the ARC! I’m looking forward to recommending it.

I was pleasantly surprised with this book! I was initially less interested due to the instant lust connection, but I grew to love these two. I always need to be in the right mood for a contemporary romance novel, and this one hit at the right time!

I loved the F1 terminology that made it feel more authentic even though I know almost nothing about the sport 😅 It was refreshing and sweet, and I would absolutely recommend it!

Not So Fast by Karen Booth
Narrated by: Talon David
Thank you to NetGalley, studio, publisher, and the author for this advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

This book was everything I didn’t know I needed.

Some context: I’m not a sporty person at all, I knew nothing about Formula One, and didn’t have the highest expectations—but now? I’m obsessed. Not So Fast had me pulling up F1 races online.

First of all, Mia. I loved her from the jump. She’s relatable in a really refreshing way—brilliant, messy, a little lost, and just trying to figure out her path. She’s had multiple degrees and a million careers that never seem to work out. And honestly? Same, girl. Her inner monologue is hilarious, and Booth’s writing had me laughing out loud more than once. The figurative language? So clever. So sharp.

And then there’s Xander: the charming, sexy, British Formula One driver. Xander is such an adorably sweet guy. And the banter between Xander and Mia is perfection, the spice is sizzling, and I absolutely loved how fast and fond he becomes of her. This was a quick “enemies” to lovers that worked.

What truly brought the story to life for me, though, was the narration. Talon David did an unreal job. Switching seamlessly between accents, juggling multiple characters, and even shifting between narration and dialogue with multiple accents—it was seriously impressive. One of the best audiobook performances I’ve heard in a while.

Not So Fast was a fun and fluffy ride that I’d recommend to anyone looking for a low-stress read. Why four stars instead of five? While I loved the ride (pun intended), it didn’t punch me in the gut or leave me in an emotional puddle questioning my existence. But not every book needs to! This was fun, super spicy, and just the right kind of escape.

If you’re looking for a fast-paced romance with heart, spice, and witty writing—especially one that might convert you into a Formula One fangirl—Not So Fast is the right read.

This one was so good and I think everyone should read this. This is definitely a cute romance. This is the first book by this author

I am always a fan of a well-written, cozy romance, and "Not So Fast" fit the bill. I love dual POV and the "enemies to lovers" trope, so I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It's also fun when a romance is given a new, not-overdone background (in this case Formula 1 racing), which I got to learn a bit about. I really enjoyed the depth that the author brought to the two main characters, letting the reader see the histories and insecurities of both. I would gladly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys romance reads and is looking for a bit of tension while still being able to trust in a happy ending.

Thank you Harlequin and Karen Booth for the ALC of Not So Fast.
This was CUTE. The perfect fluffy romance read to make you feel all warm and giddy.
I loved Mia & Xander. They complimented each other well and the chemistry was SIZZLING.
Mia was smart and witty and Xander was everything you wanted in a F1 heart throb while also being kind and thoughtful.
I ate this book up so fast.
The narration was excellent and I listened to it at 1.5-1.6 X Speed comfortably.
I really enjoyed this and I think any sports romance lover will too!

The audiobook was awesome. F1 is the new hockey, the next big thing in sports romance. This is a great listen for anyone wanting a globe trotting, smart sexy race to the finish line.

I enjoyed this book and thought the narrator did a great job. The only thing I wasn't a fan of was that it was just one female narrator and the chapters switched POVs randomly in the middle so that made it a little difficult to follow who's POV we were listening to.

This book was pretty good. I love how smooth the transitions were when switching between Mia’s and Xander’s point of view. I thought the character arc was good. The ending was sweet and I’m glad it ended well!

This book had a great a new story that I haven’t read before. I thought the characters were realistic and made rational decisions, so that was a nice change! I did fall in love with the families and the couple. It was a great read!

Mia Neal is a F1 lover who’s trying to find her place in life. With various job attempts she decides to do what she loves and start an F1 podcast. With her no holds barred, call them as you see them attitude her podcast quickly becomes a fan favorite.

Xander Bishop is one of 2 drivers at Mega Racing and because of family pressures the young driver is having a hard time scoring this season. When Mega Racings other driver invites Mia to a race so that her presence can get into Xander’s head. Mia recognizes the signs and wants no part of it because in reality Xander Bishop is her favorite driver on the grid.

Mia & Xander connect and start a secret relationship where they both support each other. However with the paddock always humming with press the secret gets leaked out and the kickback Mia receives from some of her followers is heartbreaking. The couple is faced with the decision on whether to continue their relationship or break up.

Not So Fast was a fun Formula One romance. As an F1 lover I enjoyed all the racing lingo however I’m uncertain how a person with no previous F1 knowledge would understand. Just a heads up the book is written in 3rd person POV which is not my favorite. While I liked the book I probably would have enjoyed it much more if it was written in 1st person POV. I wish that POV’s would be listed as this would have been a pass for me if I’d had known.

The audiobook narrator was @talondavidvoices and she did a good job at bringing the story to life.

✔️Enemies to Lovers
✔️Formula 1 Racing
✔️Family Pressures
✔️Secret Relationship

4.5 stars

Not So Fast by Karen Booth is a vibrant, slow-burn romance with crackling tension, playful banter, and characters you can’t help but root for.

Mia, a passionate F1 podcaster, and Xander, a brooding British driver, clash from the start—but their enemies-to-lovers journey is smart, fun, and satisfyingly spicy. The chemistry builds beautifully, and just when you think it’s all banter and fluff? "Just when I think the cute cartoon book will be tame... bam! the spice hit."

The Formula One setting adds a fresh, exciting backdrop, and the emotional growth of both characters keeps the story grounded. A couple moments felt a tad rushed, but overall, this is a charming, well-paced romance with heart.

Perfect for fans of witty dialogue, strong character arcs, and that delicious tension only a slow burn can deliver.

Honestly this was my 2nd ever F1 book I’ve read and I absolutely loved it! It was such a fast read. I loved Xander and Mia, they were absolutely perfect together 🥰 as an f1 girlie the references were so realistic, I just adored it! The spice was really good aswel 🤭
Definitely one to read if you love f1 and sports romances 🥰

*~* Fastest Read *~* (Pun Intended)

I thought this story was a really cute take on a sports romance. A unique sport and a unique premise of a podcaster learning how her shows can actually impact the drivers personally. I felt like it was a good narrative on how what we say and do online matters, even if it's about celebrities. But, I mean, all in all, I wouldn't say it was that deep. It was a cute story. Notes of depth here and there with Xander's mom having MS and him trying to help his special needs brother live a more independent life, but the book did what it came here to do - which was be a cute romance with some spice and a happy ending. :-)

Thank you to Net Galley, Harlequin Audio, and Karen Booth for an ALC of this story.