This was super cute in theory, but something about it fell short for me. I think maybe insta love isnt it for me, but also jumping right into phone sex felt weird for how our FMC was set up, she went from freaking out over a kiss to getting freaky on the phone in like one chapter.

After jumping from career to career, Mia has set her sights on something she's emjoyed for some time. She is an outspoken F1 podcaster, and Xander is a driver who has been the focus of some of her critical comments. Xander has always felt a little on the outside, having had a different path towards F1. When they meet in real life, how will they get along? The type of tension they experience shifts pretty quickly.

Not So Fast is described as an enemies to lovers romance, but they honestly are not enemies for very long. Any negative tension is basically resolved after a handful of conversations. I think it would be better described as a secret relationship romance, as they keep their involvement quiet due to concerns about how their relationship will be perceived in relation to her job as an F1 podcaster, which is actually pretty understandable. It is by no means a slow burn, but in under 300 pages, things need to get moving. It is a quick and easy read!

The audiobook edition of Not So Fast is single narrator, which isn't my usual favorite. That being said, the narrator was able to differentiate between the characters, while maintaining clarity. I was able to speed it up to 2x without issue, which is a major factor in my ability to enjoy an audiobook.

The audiobook edition of Not So Fast is single narrator, which isn't my usual favorite. That being said, the narrator was able to differentiate between the characters, while maintaining clarity. I was able to speed it up to 2x without issue, which is a major factor in my ability to enjoy an audiobook.

Thanks to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for an ALC of this audiobook for an honest review.

I received a copy of the audiobook from NetGalley. Since I'm currently on an F1 romance kick, I couldn't resist diving into this one. "Not So Fast" is a podcast hosted by Mia, a lifelong F1 fan known for her brutally honest opinions. When she shares a hot take about British driver Xander Bishop, her comments lead to an invitation to the Miami paddock from Xander's rival and teammate. The immediate tension between them transforms their enemies-to-lovers dynamic into a captivating romance that takes the F1 world by storm. As Mia gets to know Xander better, she realizes that her previous judgment of him was misguided, and there's much more to this F1 driver than just his on-track performance.

I finished this audiobook in less than a day. The romance develops quickly, and even though I typically dislike the love-at-first-sight trope, I found myself enjoying their story. It was an easy listen and a delightful addition to the F1 romance genre, perfect when you're looking for something light and quick to read.

🎧5⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐🎧
Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for allowing me to listen and review.

I truly enjoyed this book. Mia is such an entertaining character! I loved how she turned her passion into a lively and engaging career.
She hosts a podcast that offers candid commentary on Formula One, and she might have been a bit too honest about one of the drivers, Xander, so much so that her take went viral. As a result, she receives an invitation to attend the Miami Grand Prix, where she is absolutely blown away by the experience. When she finally meets Xander, the tension between them is palpable, setting the stage for an exciting dynamic.
As her podcast gains traction, Mia finds herself invited to more races, allowing her to get to know Xander better. The chemistry between them intensifies both on and off the track.

This book felt like a breath of fresh air. Sports-themed romances are often limited to the same few genres, so having one centred on Formula One was incredibly refreshing. I also appreciated the representation of mental health challenges, particularly how the book handles intrusive thoughts, all while maintaining its fun and light-hearted romantic tone.
The narrator was perfect for this book.

A super cute rom com. Formula 1 fan podcaster and her favorite driver.

I liked the family aspects and how imperfect she was. She felt real.

I had an audio arc so the journaling thing felt weird until she explained it like a third of the way in. Also the POV changes were super inconsistent. Their voices were pretty similar so it would sometimes take a few lines to realize the POV had changed. I listen at 1.75x for reference.

Overall I really liked it, but I don't think it transferred as well to audio format.

🎧 Audiobook +📗 E-book: Not So Fast-a standalone

✍🏾 Author: Karen Booth-a new to me author

📃Page Count: 283

📅Publication date: 4-1-25 audio and 5-27-25 e-book | Read: 5-13-25

🏃🏾‍➡️Run Time: 8:17

🌎 Setting: starts in Austin, TX

👆🏾POV: 3rd person single

Genre: Rom-Com, Adult Fic, Sports Romance

Tropes: enemies to lovers, F1, podcasting, family drama, body positivity, celebrity romance, forbidden romance, mental health, workplace romance, social media

⚠️TW: online bullying, down syndrome rep

🗣️Narrator: Talon David voices all the characters with standouts from Mia, Xander, and Dirk. The reading style brought the text to life, and the author and narrator worked together perfectly. The pacing and flow allowed me to get lost in the story. The narrator paused and announced new chapters and there was a table of contents which helped me follow along.


Summary: As a Formula One podcaster Mia is invited to the Miami Grand Prix by Dirk Van Dike-famed F1 driver. She has a lot to say about Xander Bishop-Dirk's teammate-shortcomings. Dirk wants to get under Xander's skin, so he drags Mia into their feud. Mia knows she's a pawn but uses this opportunity for content while fighting an attracted to her favorite driver-Xander.

👩🏾 Heroine: Mia Neal-27/28, has "Not So Fast" podcast about F1 driving

👨🏾 Hero: Xander Bishop- 28, British F1 race car driver.

🎭 Side Characters:
* Jasmine-Mia's BFF
* Judy-Mia's aunt who introduced her to F1. Estranged from Mia's mother
*Mia's mother-a journalist, disapproves of Mia's podcast/F1 interests
*Dirk Van Dike-40, Xander's opposition and teammate
*Isabel- Xander's PR rep
* Oscar, Freya, Audrey, and Edward-Xander's family
* Claudia Simon-sports journalist
* Reginald-gossip journalist

🤔 My Thoughts: Having no knowledge about F1, I enjoyed this rom com about Mia and Xander. Mia's job was to comment on races, while Xander was a struggling driver trying to get better. I don't know if Dirk was jealous or bitter, but he was inexplicably hateful towards Xander. I loved Xander's story about seeing Dirk as a kid with his father and admiring him. I loved Xander's relationship with his family, especially Oscar. I didn't understand what the issue was between Mia's mom and Aunt Judy, but once Mia had a sit-down with her mother things looked up.

*Spice: 4/5 🌶️
*Emotion: 4/5 🥲
*Couple: 4/5 🧑‍🤝‍🧑
*Rating: 4/5 ⭐

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Harlequin-Romance, Harlequin Audio, and Karen Booth for this ARC & ALC! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.

Thanks to NetGalley for sending me an ALC of the audiobook! I loved the narrator, the characters & the story!

This is such a cute romance book. I liked Mia & Xander, the third act wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been & the pace of the book was really good! I couldn’t wait to hit play each time I was able to listen.

I don’t usually love an insta love trope, but the slight enemies to lovers theme made up for it!

This was a quick & fun listen! I listened to the audiobook, and it was quite enjoyable. The storyline was entertaining & the characters were likable. The narrator, Talon David, really brought the characters to life. I am not an expert on accents, but I felt she did well with the various accents & voices. I know absolutely nothing about Formula One or any kind of racing, and that did not matter at all for enjoying the story. I was occasionally annoyed with the FMC, because she seemed a little immature. I did love her snarky attitude though! The MMC is super swoonworthy. The one thing I didn't love is that the book is written in third person and it didn't always seem to flow well. Overall, I would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a light, fun, romance!

Thank you to NetGalley & Harlequin Audio for allowing me to listen to the Audio ARC. I am excited to share my honest review.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Karen Booth for the approval for the audio ARC of "Not So Fast"! This was a fun, fast-paced rom com between a celebrity and a fan who is also rising to fame. I loved the element of the journal entries at the start of each chapter, I felt like those alone gave me the most insight into the character's psyche and told me the most about them and their growth. I felt the characters were a bit flat and that there wasn't as much tension buildup or conflict between them for my personal taste. It felt very insta-lovey for me: they meet, they kiss, they are together. The spice was incredibly cringey to me as well. I didn't love the romantic moments but I did really enjoy the banter and friendly conversations between Mia and Xander. I felt like their friendship was more interesting than their romance. Fast paced, and an easy listen overall. Great palate cleanser when you don't want to think or have to remember lots of characters and/or details. The actual audio narration was EXCELLENT! The voice was so even and clear, I loved this narrator! 2.5 Stars!

I am in my F1 era and I am not mad about it one bit. Mia has a podcast dedicated to F1. She started a podcast as a source of extra income and the cherry on top is that it is her favorite. It is Male dominated space but Mia knows her stuff. Her Not so Fast podcast is gaining listeners because of her transparency and knowledge. When she begins to critique Xander Bishop, one of the top drivers who isn’t having the best season this time around, she not only garners fans attention but Xanders as well. I got to listen to the audio of the book and loved it. The dynamic between Xander and Mia starts to take a turn after one of his races and from that moment you feel the change. Mia the overthinker who has lived life and changes careers because she simply doesn’t feel fulfilled to Xander who knew from an early age that he wanted to be a race car driver. To different mentalities but they come together so well and compliment each other.
From the family dynamics to the workplace drama Not So Fast offers you a glimpse in the F1 circuit but also introduces you to two people who can only make themselves better by just being who they are together. This was the first book I have read from Karen Booth and I have officially added her name to my list. Mia and Xander are worth the read.

cute romcom, predictable but cute
the audio was great, kept me interested
3rd pov but audio helped there
open door spice
romcom
enemies to lovers
she's a podcaster for F1
he drives F1

Thank you @harlequinbooks

Not So Fast is a fast, flirty, and feel-good Formula One romance that hits all the right beats. Mia Neal is a snarky, relatable podcaster whose hot takes on British driver Xander Bishop land her in the middle of the Miami Grand Prix—and face-to-face with the man she’s been dragging on air.

Their chemistry? Instant and electric. The banter is sharp, the tension is delicious, and their slow-burn evolution into something real had me hooked. I loved how Mia and Xander pushed each other to grow, finding confidence and vulnerability along the way.

Even if you know nothing about F1, the backdrop adds just the right amount of glam and adrenaline without overpowering the romance. It’s a quick read, packed with heart, humor, and just enough heat to make you blush.

On the audiobook side: Talon David delivers a strong performance, especially in capturing Mia’s spiraling thoughts and emotional depth. While the narration could have benefited from a dual narrator setup and slightly more variation in tone for the third-person perspective, Talon still handled the shifts well and gave each character personality. Her voice added energy and warmth to the story, making it easy to get swept up in Mia and Xander’s world.

Whether you’re reading or listening, this rom-com is a quick and satisfying ride you’ll want to binge in one sitting.

5/5 stars – 3.5/5 spice – 5/5 just a fun time.

-formula 1 driver
-podcast host
-soft enemies to lovers
-secret relationship
-witty banter
-laugh out loud moments

I loved this book! This was the first time I have read a book by Karen Booth and it won’t be the last. Xander Bishop is an up-and-coming Formula One driver who is having a rough start to his season. After switching teams, he is struggling to get his footing and has been driving terribly. Mia Neal is the host of the Not So Fast a F1 recap podcast. She has more degrees and failed professional careers than she knows what to do with. After picking on Xander, who happens to be her favorite driver, to the point of getting noticed by his competitors, Mia is invited to come to one of the races. Mia meets Xander there and the rest is history.

Mia and Xander have great chemistry throughout this entire story. There were multiple times where I was actually laughing out loud. The plot was predictable but that’s not a bad thing when it comes to a rom-com. Sometimes you just want an easy read and this delivers exactly that. There was some spice but it didn’t take anything away from the plot. Not only that, but the spice was actually very well done and had me giggling and kicking my feet.

While this was a single narrator, I think she did a great job. I really enjoyed listening to this audiobook. It was well paced and the diction was crystal clear. She also did a great job with timing the humor in the book and not rushing any of the banter.

Overall, this is a super fun read and I would definitely recommend it to someone who wants a quick, lighthearted read.

Thank you to the publisher, Afterglow Books by Harlequin, for the Advanced Listener Copy in exchange for my honest review!

3 ⭐ 3 🌶️ 4 🎧

This was cute, but not my favorite... I liked the premise but somewhere along the line it just fell a little flat for me. Nothing bad, just nothing outstanding either. It didn't help that it's third person POV.

I'm torn on the spice. Some of it was great, but I found a lot of the dialogue a little cringe. I did love the overall message of confidence and believing in yourself.

The audio probably saved me from a DNF. I really enjoyed Talon David and thought she did a wonderful job.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for the advanced listen!

A fresh take on the sports romance genre. I’m glad to see more rare and unique sports being written about, and brought to the attention of readers. I really like the premise of Mia’s podcasting job, and that she genuinely loves the sport of F1 racing. It was great way to introduce the sport to those unfamiliar with it, as well as, show Mia is not just a fan but an enthusiast for the sport. One of my favorite things about the book is the introduction of the journal entries to set up the beginning of the chapters. I felt like this was a great way to show Mia using one of her degrees to work on herself, and a way help the Xander get through his mental blocks. The mental heath representation was so nice to see. It was a fun listen, and I really loved Mia and Xander’s love story.

Xander and Mia’s romance was an absolute delight to read. This sweet and engaging story is filled with exciting Formula 1 moments, the ever-enjoyable “celebrity meets ordinary person” trope, and a heartfelt slow-burn romance that hits all the right notes.

Mia’s character stood out in the best way. She feels incredibly real—passionate, grounded, and refreshingly authentic. There are subtle but clear signs of neurodivergence that make her deeply relatable, portrayed in a way that feels natural and nuanced rather than clinical. She’s someone who goes with the flow but also knows exactly what she wants when it counts.

Xander, too, was a joy to get to know. His love for his sport and unwavering dedication to his family made him both admirable and endearing. His character adds depth and warmth to the story.

Together, Mia and Xander have a chemistry that’s impossible to ignore. Though they get off on the wrong foot at first, their dynamic quickly evolves into something charming and genuine. Their journey from strangers to something more is filled with laughter, heart, and just the right amount of tension—everything you’d want in a feel-good rom-com.

If you’re a fan of sports romances with strong character development and a fun, emotional payoff, this book is definitely worth a read.

𝗙𝗶𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝘁𝗵𝗼𝘂𝗴𝗵𝘁:

I’m really enjoying seeing more and more F1 books! This is such an action packed sport to read about it has the adrenaline, the heat, the tension and the high stakes I crave. This book was a fun read with mild enemy to lovers vibes and the writing put you right there along side the characters cheering on the drivers.

𝐒𝐲𝐧𝐨𝐩𝐬𝐢𝐬:

Mia has always loved F1 so when her bestie suggested starting a podcast to help pay her bills, she thought sure why not. Two years later and her podcast went viral for her roasting of British F1 driver: Xander Bishop. He may be her favorite driver but he is really having an off season. Mia has a huge break when Xander’s teammate invites her to Miami to a race, this was the way she took her podcast to the next level.

Xander is having a crap season and this podcaster, Mia is really making things worse by calling attention out to his struggle. His teammate even invited her here to mess with him, to prove it won’t get to him he invited Mia to the next race in Italy. He needs to figure out what’s off as a lot of people are counting on him, and his career is on the line.

Mia & Xander are complete opposites but they both share a passion for the sport of F1. As they collide off the track they realize they have a lot more in common and are racing toward the same goals. As the season goes on the attraction is undeniable and the chemistry can’t be denied, but the pressure and conflict between their jobs may cause everything to come crashing down.

𝙁𝙖𝙫 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚:

“I want to be part of your world, just like you have become part of mine.”

𝑳𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒓𝒚 𝑻𝒉𝒆𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒀𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒅:

* Curvy Podcast Host on F1 FMC
* Struggling British F1 Driver MMC
* She Went Viral for Razzing Driver: Xander Bishop
* He Can’t Stand Her but He’s Still Intrigued
* She was Invited to a Few Races w/ the Mega Racing Team
* Overthinking is Her Superpower - Highly Educated
* Secret Relationship - Steam & Banter
* Dual POV

💕🎧🏎️🔥🩵💕🎧🏎️🔥🩵🎧

Mia is an F1 podcaster who mentions that a certain someone is not as good as the rest of the field. Xander is a British F1 driver who dreams of being a champion.

I really wish the animosity between Mia and Xander lasted longer. I was hoping for some build up in the rivals/enemies to lovers but it seemed to move really fast. Other than that, I did really enjoy the story and the F1 aspect was really fun and interesting. I bought into the romance between Mia and Xander and the long distance aspect for parts of the story added something different in their development.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and author for the ALC!

Thank you Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for this copy of Not So Fast!

Overall: 3.75 Stars rounded up

I loved this. It reminded me of a cheesy romcom I’d watch. I loved the relationship growth between Mia and her mom, and how wonderful Xander was to his family. It’s a great quick read with cute romance!

My only critique is some parts were a little farfetched or unbelievable but besides that it was super cute easy read.

Strong 3.5!!! This was a great formula one romance.
Overall I enjoyed it. I would say if you aren't familiar with formula one you could get confused with some of the terms used. Had more spice than I thought it would but not so much it was overbearing.