Coming in Hot is the second in a series, but as someone who didn’t read the first novel I can confidently say it works as a standalone.

This novel is instalust to instalust at warp speed. There are so many side plots that the romance and main plot of the novel has a chance to breathe or develop in a meaningful love. Sadly I didn’t find the characters or the romance believable and everything fell flat.

This ranting in no way reflects the admirable work done by the narrators. They did everything they could with what they had and I would happily listen to them in the future.

After a decade in journalism, Natalia Evans has finally made the jump to her dream job - lead reporting for Auto Racing Journal (ARJ). Leading up to her first assignment, she decides to spend an intimate night with a smoking hot stranger she met in a hotel bar, only to find out he's the Team Principal for Emerald, Klaus Franke. Enchanted by Natalia but still feeling the death of his wife, Klaus is torn between pursuing the young journalist or keeping her at arm's length when they're both enmeshed in a high-stakes scandal.

I wanted to love this one so much, but it was a huge miss for me. First off - is everyone in Natalia's life ridiculously toxic? Her best friend literally doesn't talk to her for months because Natalia doesn't give in to her childish whims for once. Meanwhile, her parents, who have been absent since she was a child, randomly reappear with a wild story about why they left her and didnt even let her know they were still alive, and then suddenly want to be a family again.

Despite the two of them jet setting all over the world for races and other high profile F1 events, as well as a huge scandal around Klaus and his race team, there isn't a whole lot that actually happens in this book, nor do we get to see much of Natalia and Klaus developing their relationship and falling in love. Because we don't actually get to see this, the two don't seem to have much emotional chemistry. There are a handful of spicy scenes, which might have been the only saving grace.

I listened to this one on audio, narrated by Cecily Foster as Natalia Evans and Max Rauch as Klaus Franke. I'll be completely honest - this book might have worked better for me if I hadn't listened to the audio. It's not done in duet so both narrators have to narrate for each other during their respective chapters, and the accents are all over the place. I'm not usually a huge stickler about accents, but this was so poorly done that it was a huge distraction, especially considering that Juniper mentions where both MCs are from multiple times (she's from Kentucky and doesn't sound Southern, he's from Austria and sounds British).

Read if you like:
F1 racing romance
Journalist FMC
Age gap
30s FMC
Widower MC
Secret romance
International scandal

Pausing at 20% and might DNF. Nothing wrong with it as such but just lost interest. Not loving the narrators and think this may be a bit of why I'm struggling to pay attention. Might come back to this one at a later date!

This is a tough one. Having read the first book I was really looking forward to Natalia and Klaus's story. I liked that it covers a long time span- no instalove here! However, they aren't great communicators and I found myself so frustrated with them. A times they were both immature and deeply unlikable. At other times I loved them. I know Klaus isn't real but comes off as sexy.

The end of the book has that trope everyone hates. This is the best execution of it I have ever read. It's exactly what we ended to tie this story up.

The audio works well. The dual narration is enjoyable. The voicing for Natalia was perfect. The voicing for Klaus was sexy but I'm not sure the German accent came through. It was more broadly European.

Thank you to Forever, Hachette, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you NetGalley and hatchet audio for the ALC!!!

Talk about starting with a bang…. Literally!!! The spice in this book was definitely spicing. Natalia is a strong willed independent journalist who is looking for a career changing story. What she doesn’t know is the “stranger” who she had a one night stand with would turn out to be Klaus franke, Emeralds Team Principal, the icy cold man who is off limits.

This book was very good. I wouldn’t say the age gap was a big deal since it’s only about 10 years. I definitely devoured it tho. The slow burn between the two of them was perfect. I loved the dual POV it made this book even better being able to see both characters views and thought’s. I haven’t read many F1 racing books but if they are anything like this one. I’ll definitely have to try more!

this was a spicy good time. i really enjoyed the narrators on this one and the story was so fun!! i really enjoyed it

To start off with the content itself, I was more interested in this relationship in the background than the last couple during the first story and was excited to get to them! It definitely was a ride, sometimes a bit slow going though with too many time jumps with bare coverage of the times they are apart. In regards to the audio itself, the narrators have great voices, however their playing of Klaus was vastly different, with Nat’s narrator keeping him closer to the accent in the first book, and his own narrator going more into the field of British with a very slight German accent. It took me out of the story a bit when his parts would come on. All in all, it was a good story but not as deep as it could’ve gone through the emotions, in my opinion. 3.75/5 rounding up to 4 for any possible bias!

Sorry but I ended up DNFing this about 50% of the way through.
There wasn't any substance to this book.
It lost my attention after the first few chapters. which was a shame the plot was good but it was executed quite poorly.

I'm really sorry
Thank you netgalley for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed reading and listening to this one. It was a nice, easy romance to fit between some of the heavier books I’ve been reading. While there were definitely parts I didn’t love, it balanced out in the end.
One thing I really liked was the time jumps. It gave the story a broader timeline, which I always enjoy, but at the same time it made the early stages of the romance feel a bit rushed or glossed over. I actually lost track of how long they had known each other at one point.
The racing world setting was a fun touch. I liked how the characters were always on the move, which made for some great backdrops for the romance to unfold.
I was briefly annoyed by the whole parents subplot, but by the end it clicked and made more sense.
Overall, it was an pretty okay read. The pros and cons mostly balanced each other out, but it is probably not something I would be in a rush to reread.

I really enjoyed this book.
The story follows the lovable and a bit quirky main character, who is trying to navigate a career or personal crisis, and in true rom-com style, ends up tangled in a whirlwind romance. The plot is light and humorous, with just enough tension to keep you hooked. There’s a perfect balance between romance, funny situations, and a touch of vulnerability from the characters.
The characters are where this book really shines. They feel real, relatable, and are written with a lot of humor. The chemistry between the leads is undeniable, and their banter had me laughing out loud. Both characters have a fair share of baggage, but instead of feeling heavy, it adds depth and makes their romance even more fulfilling.
Overall, Coming In Hot is a feel-good, charming read with lovable characters, sizzling romance, and plenty of laughs. It’s the perfect book for anyone looking to escape into a world of laughter and love. If you’re a fan of rom-coms, this one is definitely worth picking up!

If it hadn’t been the audiobook version, it probably would’ve been a DNF.

I’m not sure I can point out anything positive when it comes to this book, but I have plenty of complaints.

First, I couldn’t connect with the characters. They both annoyed me, and both were unbearable. It felt like we kept going in circles with their arguments and breakups—always for the same reasons.

Second, the time jumps made the story impossible to follow. And because of all those jumps, we didn’t get the chance to actually see their relationship up close, which—at least for me—meant there was no chemistry between them.

Third, the accents in the audiobook were incredibly frustrating. They disrupted my understanding of the story, and I honestly don’t see the point of them.

Fourth, the level of spice didn’t work for me, especially because I felt like their whole relationship was reduced to sex, with zero emotion involved.

Fifth, Formula 1 was barely present in the book.

Sixth, the accidental pregnancy was completely unnecessary and felt like the only thing keeping the characters together in the end.

Seventh, another totally unnecessary thing was the mention of Milošević. I truly didn’t see the point, nor the purpose of dragging politics into a story that was supposed to be focused on the world of Formula 1.

All in all, I honestly can’t say anything positive. I can’t recommend this one.

If it hadn’t been the audiobook version, it probably would’ve been a DNF.

I’m not sure I can point out anything positive when it comes to this book, but I have plenty of complaints.

First, I couldn’t connect with the characters. They both annoyed me, and both were unbearable. It felt like we kept going in circles with their arguments and breakups—always for the same reasons.

Second, the time jumps made the story impossible to follow. And because of all those jumps, we didn’t get the chance to actually see their relationship up close, which—at least for me—meant there was no chemistry between them.

Third, the accents in the audiobook were incredibly frustrating. They disrupted my understanding of the story, and I honestly don’t see the point of them.

Fourth, the level of spice didn’t work for me, especially because I felt like their whole relationship was reduced to sex, with zero emotion involved.

Fifth, Formula 1 was barely present in the book.

Sixth, the accidental pregnancy was completely unnecessary and felt like the only thing keeping the characters together in the end.

Seventh, another totally unnecessary thing was the mention of Milošević. I truly didn’t see the point, nor the purpose of dragging politics into a story that was supposed to be focused on the world of Formula 1.

All in all, I honestly can’t say anything positive. I can’t recommend this one.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Hachette Audio for this advanced copy. You can pick up Coming in Hot on June 17, 2025.

I recently got into racing romances and really thought this one would deliver the vibes I was looking for. Unfortunately, shortly into starting the audiobook, I realized the writing style was very much not for me. Others might like it and enjoy the dynamic between the main characters from the get-go, but it didn't deliver for me.

This was a perfect book for an audiobook! The characters were portrayed really well and I was able to get into the story!

Both characters were in the f1 facing world and continued to be thrust in each other’s orbits.

I appreciated the time jumps because they lent realism to the story.

As far as romance tropes this book has everything!
Forbidden workplace, one night stand turned more, friends to lovers, an intense third act break up for a real reason!

Coming in Hot is the second book in a F-1 racing series by Josie Juniper. If you haven't read Double Apex, the first book in the series, I think it's essential for Coming in Hot. The first half of the book takes place as interludes during the events of Double Apex. If you haven't read that book I could find it confusing as to what's going on Coming in Hot. So much of this book felt disjointed because it was little snapshots on the on-off relationship between Natalia and Klaus. I wish that it had more connection points with each character besides their connection at races.

As for the audiobook, I found my preference towards the female narrator over the male narrator. I didn't personally care for how the male narrator would perform female voices. I feel like it's harder for me, in general, to like how male narrators perform the voices of female characters. I have both read and listened to both books and would still prefer either version to a reader.

Although I'm not sure I'd return to this particular book in the future, I prefer the storytelling and formatting of Double Apex, I do look forward to the next book in the series, coming Winter 2026.

The drama was intense in this book. I just wanted to shake the fmc and tell her to stop being so stubborn but she figured it out. This book is good but it felt frustrating and I honestly wondered if it was going to be an HEA. If this was a physical book I would have thrown it across the room. That being said I did enjoy the book. Ifykyk
The narrators were great but be prepared for them to slip in and out if they accents at times but it wasn’t too distracting. The pacing and voice acting was good overall.

I received an advanced copy of this audiobook for review. All opinions are my own. Thanks to Hachette Audio for the ALC!

<b>Genre:</b> sports/contemporary romance (Formula One)

<b>Tropes:</b> 1 night stand to awkward next encounter, forbidden romance, age gap, accidental pregnancy

<b>Spice Level:</b> 3/5 a handful of descriptive scenes, nothing too crazy

<b>Content Warning:</b> unprotected sex, accidental pregnancy, alcohol consumption


Coming in Hot is my second ever F1 romance, but I think it's pretty safe to read if you, like me, have no clue about the sport.

Natalia and Klaus have a hot one night stand than ends poorly. Naturally, they meet again soon after. She's a sports journalist, he's team principal of the Emerald F1 team, and she's got to write about him. What follows is a bunch of time skips and meetings and eventually trysts and feelings. I like Klaus a lot; he sort of reminds me of Ana Huang's MMCs. Natalia had a lot of moments where I wanted to shake her, but she came around in the end. The best friend, though, was pretty awful at first. I think she's the FMC in the first book in this series, and her dad dies, so I cut her some slack, and she does improve a lot by the end. I think the time skips make this east to follow if you're the type of reader/listener who has to stop and start a lot.

3.5/5

2 ⭐
ALC Review
I'm a big F1 fan so I pretty excited about this book when I read the blurb. I also decided to read the first one in case I would miss something important, however, now I think that wasn't the best idea because it left me feeling underwhelmed but I hoped this one would be better. Newsflash!: It was more of the same and I even thought about dnfing once or twice but I pushed through 🙈 on hindsight, I don't know if it was a great idea.

What I didn't like about this book:
1. The characters weren't likeable or relatable. The were in their mid thirties to mid forties but they both behaved like 16 year olds.
2. The FMC has abandonment issues that feel like they are swept under the rug.
3. Not enough F1 content for a supposed F1 romance, it was barely discussed.
4. There were a lot of time jumps that nade the story feel clunky and choppy at times.
5. A lot of miscommunication and fights followed by the silent treatment like they were kids at recess in elementary school.

What I liked:
1. The narrators 🙌🏽 Max and Cecily were amazing at voicing the characters. Their voices were perfect for the role and we're engaging. It wasn't their fault that the characters were annoying sometimes.
2. That the MMC was based on Toto Wolff and who doesn't love that man 🤤
3. There were some interesting ideas and plot points that could have been interesting, they just needed to be developed better. Less tropes would have made the story feel more fluid. Just focusing on the age gap and workplace/forbidden romance would have been so much fun.

Anyway, thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC in exchange for an honest review.

I could not get into this book. DNF @ 26%. I felt like there was massive, gaping holes throughout - the time jumps were confusing, there is little context given for these characters and their actions (I understand this it book 2 in the series, but it assumes SO much from book 1), and the characters are difficult to connect with. I did not like the insta-lust that just stretched out into long-lasting lust - there didn't seem to be any genuine, emotional connection between the two? And the friendship between Phae and Talia felt immature and toxic. I really tried to keep listening but had to stop.

I did thoroughly enjoy the male narrator's portions - he did a great job.

4.75 stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 🌟 Ok, so I loved this book. I loved how it jumped right into the spice but then we got to really know Natalia and Klaus on such a deep level, their relationship was very realistic (even considering he’s super rich). I absolutely loved Klaus, after the initial “meeting” of course, but I was totally into his whole persona, he was a little older and he had some baggage that the author worked through very well. I loved the travel to the different countries and the friendship between him and Talia. And definitely the freaking tension! Wow! Natalia was a very strong FMC, sometimes a little too strong, the only reason I dropped this down to 4.75 stars. I felt like she needed to be but I think she needed to concede a few times.
I was pretty shocked with the revelation towards then end of the book when we learned why Natalia grew up with her aunt, I did not see that coming.
Ok, now the spice…..holy cammmolllyyyy…..the SPICE, intense, hot, sweltering, some of the best spice I have EVER read, the emotions that were elicited!!! Woooohhhoooo Lordy.
Spice was 2.5/5 and so perfectly written(audio version) 🌶️🌶️
I listened to this book and binged it in basically one sitting, I’ve never heard of the male narrator, Max Rauch, before this book and ummm, yeah, he’s now one of my favorites and I’m going on a search for more of his books. The female narrator, Cecily Foster, was also very good, I could easily distinguish between which characters she was presenting and her voice was very pleasant to listen to as well.
This is my first book by Josie Juniper and it will DEFINITELY not be my last, I truly loved this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook and thank you Hachette Audio for this opportunity to listen to this wonderful book.