Decent but didn’t blow me away
This had a cool premise and moments that kept me interested, but overall it just didn’t hit like I wanted it to. There were scenes that pulled me in, but others felt a little flat or dragged on. The characters had potential, but I never fully connected with them.

It wasn’t bad just one of those reads where I kept waiting for something more. If you’re into the genre, you might enjoy it, but for me it was just okay.

Well, this jumped into the spice right away....and was rather uncomfortable, honestly.

There's not a lot of connection between these characters. I can't figure out why they like each other or why they even keep trying to talk to one another.

I didn't mind Klaus for most of the story, but Natalia was hard to tolerate. She expected far too much from people who don't owe her anything, and would get offended about things being kept from her....except she's literally the press?

Other notes:
• The sub-plot with her parents could have been left out completely and nothing would have been lost.
• The 3rd act break up is entirely justified for both parties, and in my opinion, there should have been no coming back from.
• The reason they get back together is THE WORST.
• Phaedra looked entirely unlikable and made me not want to go back and read the other book.

I may have given this book two stars, but its hanging on by its teeth, really.

The narration was alright, though a bit slow at times.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for providing me with this ALC.

DNF @ 4%

I feel really bad for DNF'ing this book before getting into it but I just couldn't get over the ages. This is definitely a me problem so if you're not phased by an age gap romance with older characters, you might really enjoy this book, it's just not for me.

The audiobook narrator was really enjoyable for the amount I listened to.

Thank you for the ARC <3

Finished 6/9/2025

TW: off page death/grief of a spouse, past child neglect

11 year age gap. This widower of a man just wants to find love again and afraid when he thinks he found it! Give this man a hug!
The on again, off again whiplash for these two is maddening! For a reporter, Natalie doesn't listen to her closest source and that pissed me off! The every chapter month long timeskips are crazy cause it makes it seems like their relationship is moving so slow. Like, what is their communication doing if it's so bad every month? A little toxic energy but forgivable? Loved the traveling though.

Interconnected to book 1 Phaedra/Cosmin. The beginning of this book runs concurrently with their story.

First time author for me and interested enough to go back and listen to book 1!

Audiobook narrators: Max Rauch, Cecil Foster
Dual POV, First Person
Tropes: Sports- F1, Reporter FMC, One Night Stand, Workplace
Notable Microtropes: "I'm yours"
Spice: 3/5

Listened at 1.75x speed.
First time listening to both of these narrators. I enjoyed both of them, Cecil really brought out the stubbornness in Natalia. love the accent on Max Rauch!
Their narration was great enough that I didnt feel bored of the performance and ultimately kept me interested in the story.

Thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for providing an ALC.

I absolutely loved the second time around! I loved listening to the audiobook. The narrator is perfection and it added to the story. the narrators added the much needed tension and angst that really amplified the romance. as I said before, Coming In Hot by Josie Juniper came in HOT and steamy and it was perfection! An amazing follow up to Double Apex and F1 Fans will devour this!

Josie juniper is now an auto buy author for me! I was so excited for their story after reading the first book because the tension between them was delicious and seeing how their relationship started was so good! Natalia and Klaus have such a fun dynamic. He's a team leader in F1 and she's a reporter, after one night together, the chemistry between them is undeniable and she's a moth to his flame. They try hard to stay away from each other. it's angsty, full of tension, how can they make it work when everything is stacked against them but their chemistry is so good. It's got a bit of an age gap, workplace romance with a touch of forbidden, sports, slow burn, tension and it was so fun to read! I loved this book so much and I love the way Josie writes her characters, they are complex, strong female characters in a male dominated field like motorsport but its addictive, fun and a must read!

This was my first exposure to an F1 sports romance. It was great to be immersed in this world following Natalia, a confident journalist, and her evolving relationship with Klaus, the team principal. It was refreshing to have a FMC in her 30s who was career driven even if she made some questionable choices.

From the start, the spice absolutely delivered in this book. I fell in love with Klaus and his tender moments. I completely understood the back and forth due to the professionalism that needed to be maintained. I also liked how the story jumped between locations and periods so it wasn't an instant attraction but a build to their love. I enjoyed learning about Natalia and her growth as well as learning her family's backstory but it could have been farther developed. It kind of felt random and it was explained but I wish we could have seen more. While I feel it was foreshadowed, I was a bit disappointed by the pregnancy trope. I feel that at this age they would be more responsible and it is kind of alluded to that Natalia may have chose to be irresponsible on purpose. Overall, though, I enjoyed it and will definitely look forward to more of this world.

It was great to listen to, the production was done very well. For the most part I enjoyed the voice acting. One thing to note that threw me off initially was the female narrator had an Austrian accent when she voiced Klaus in Natalia's chapters and this was hard to understand at points. However, the male narrator spoke in a British accent instead and his American accent sometimes came off more Irish.

Thank you to Josie Juniper, and Hachette Audio for this ALC.

⭐ 1.5 stars (rounded down)

No. Just no.

You know how some romances make you believe in love? Coming In Hot was the furthest possible thing from that. I didn’t realize it was the second book in a series when I requested it. Once I found out, I went back and read Double Apex—a decision I quickly regretted. But even with all the red flags from that first book, I figured I’d give this one a chance. Big mistake.

Yes, it’s technically better than the first book, but that’s not saying much. If that’s the benchmark, the bar is practically underground. And to be completely honest, had I not received the ALC, I never would've finished this. Every single chapter featured a time jump—one week, two weeks, a month, four months. It made it impossible to get grounded in the story. Instead of being immersed in character development or relationship growth, we’re simply told things after they happen. It felt like reading a collection of disconnected fanfiction one-shots rather than a cohesive novel. There’s no emotional continuity. Things just happen and we’re expected to roll with it.

The bones of a decent story were there, but the writing never followed through. Nothing is shown—everything important is told. We’re informed about fallouts, reconciliations, hookups, pregnancies, and trauma, but never shown the actual events. That kind of emotional detachment makes it hard to care about the characters or their relationships. And speaking of the characters, the main couple—she’s 34, he’s 46—acted like emotionally stunted teenagers. Their relationship revolves around secrets, sex, avoidance, and breakups with no real growth in between. It’s all drama, no development. Add in a shock-value accidental pregnancy, unresolved trauma, and family drama that felt shoehorned in for emotional manipulation, and what you get is a messy, exhausting ride with zero payoff.

The male lead, Klaus, was especially insufferable. He treated women like disposable objects, had the emotional depth of a puddle, and brought absolutely nothing meaningful to the story. His POV chapters were useless—no insight, no nuance, just more confusion. And the Santorini comment implying he’d been with other women during every breakup in their two-year on-again-off-again trainwreck? Yikes. Hard pass on that kind of romantic lead.

As someone who genuinely loves Formula 1, I was hoping that setting would add something to the story. Instead, it was barely used. The book only focused on race weekends, and everything else—training, travel, team dynamics—was skipped or summarized. The F1 world felt like background noise rather than a living, breathing part of the story, and that made the setting feel thin and wasted.

Even the audiobook was a struggle. Cecily Foster kept Klaus’s Austrian accent, which at least matched the character, but Max Rauch gave him a British one, and the inconsistency made it jarring and distracting. Instead of immersing me, the switching accents just pulled me further out of an already frustrating story.

This book tried to do a lot—trauma, second-chance romance, high-profile careers, family redemption arcs—but it executed none of it well. It lacked emotional depth, logical pacing, and meaningful character development. I wanted to love it. I wanted it to be worth the time and effort. But in the end, I just wish I could get that time back.

Book Review: Coming in Hot


Coming in Hot turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable read! The characters drove me absolutely crazy—but in the best way possible. Their chemistry, emotional highs and lows, and stubbornness kept me turning the pages and totally invested in their journey. I found myself yelling at them in one chapter and cheering them on in the next.

I’ll admit, I usually can't stand the surprise pregnancy trope—it often feels forced or overdone—but in this book, it actually worked for me. The author handled it in a way that felt more grounded and authentic, adding depth to the characters rather than just drama.

The ending wrapped things up in a satisfying way, with just the right amount of closure and heart. If you're looking for a romance that brings emotional chaos (in a good way), a trope you might not normally like done right, and characters you won’t forget anytime soon, Coming in Hot is worth a read

4.5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Coming In Hot by Josie Juniper is a fresh, fiery rom-com that delivers on every level witty banter, steamy tension, and characters with genuine emotional depth. From the first page, this book comes in hot (pun intended) and never loses its spark.

The romance is magnetic equal parts heat and heart. Juniper writes with confidence and flair, blending lol moments with emotionally charged scenes that sneak up on you. The lead characters have undeniable chemistry, and their dynamic is as charming as it is intense. This isn’t just a steamy slow burn it’s a story about letting down walls, taking emotional risks, and learning to be seen.

The pacing is spot-on, and the dialogue is sharp, modern, and packed with personality. A few supporting characters could’ve used more development, but the central relationship is so strong, it more than carries the story.


❤️shaye.readss

Thank you to Netgalley for this ARC.

I didn't realise this was book 2 in a series- it can be read as a standalone but there is a lot of hints to the backstory from book 1 which would've helped the bigger view.

I enjoyed this audiobook, the dual narrator were good and smashed his accent.

The story was a bit slow to start and I felt there were a lot of time gaps in between the story.

I do feel the characters brought a balance to each other and settled the other, but was a lot of back and forth with them.

3.5 stars

Coming in Hot is book 2 in Josie Juniper’s Frontrunner series. This can “technically” be read as a standalone. However, as someone who did not read book one prior to reading this one, I would recommend reading Double Apex first. I believe some of the timelines for this book and book one interconnect. I definitely think that knowing some of the context behind certain elements would make the reading experience even better. Although, I still really enjoyed this one without having any prior knowledge.

This book was really fun and steamy. The books is set over a couple years time period, so the pacing is FAST. I would say that the time jumps did make it a little harder to follow along. The author spent most of the book telling us about their connection with the occasional “pit stop” moments of conversation and interactions. I think this was the main reason why I felt more lust than real connection between Klaus and Natalia. Most of their interactions in the first 60% of the book were either with them fighting or hooking up. I was hoping for a little bit more development of their relationship. This was true for friend connections as well. In this particular book, it was hard to understand Natalia and Phaedra’s friendship. However, I really liked the last 40% of the book! I feel like this was where most of the relationship development happened.

Overall, I had a really fun time with this one. Special thanks to Netgalley and Forever/Grand Centeal publishing for an arc of this copy!

⭐️⭐️½
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this ALC.

Coming in Hot had all the ingredients for a standout sports romance: an ambitious female sports journalist, a brooding F1 team principal, and a high-stakes racing world full of tension and passion. Unfortunately, the execution didn’t quite match the promise. I also did not know this was a sequel book when I requested it,

I liked the idea of Natalia and Klaus’s dynamics. They are two strong-willed characters trying to navigate a relationship in a high-pressure environment, but their chemistry didn’t fully land for me. The relationship felt more like a series of arguments and reconciliations than a natural progression, and the constant time jumps made it hard to feel emotionally invested in their growth. Also, of course, my least hated trope is evident and relying on that trope, more like a convenient twist than a meaningful development, which took away from the realism of their relationship.

That said, the setting was refreshing, and the audiobook narration by Max Rauch and Cecily Foster was a definite highlight. Both narrators brought energy and emotion that the writing sometimes lacked.

In the end, I didn’t dislike it, but I didn’t love it either. With tighter storytelling and more believable character development, this could’ve been a real winner.

~ARC REVIEW~
First, huge thanks to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for this ARC, all opinions are my own.
Listen, I wanted to like this. I really did, especially when I realized there’s a lot of Romanian representation throughout this story (less than the first book but still), which is so weird to see as a Romanian, because we hardly ever get our culture explored by non-romanian authors. Nonetheless, this didn’t quite work for me. The story felt a bit all over the place, with each chapter jumping to a different location, which made it hard to stay connected. I also didn’t feel much chemistry between the characters, which was disappointing.
I did listen to the audiobook so I don’t know if reading in would’ve made a difference, but the male narrator’s use of different accents for the mmc’s thoughts versus his spoken dialogue was really confusing. I just couldn’t get comfortable with it. No spoilers ahead but I knocked a star off the rating because of what happened at the end. I just didn’t think it made any sense or added anything to the story.
Overall, it had some interesting moments, but it didn’t fully come together for me.

This was a perfect steamy romance with F1 elements, surprise pregnancy, and a swoon worthy man!

Tropes: Lust at first sight, F1 racer and reporter, break up, spanking, he supports her dreams, and pregnancy trope.

Title: Coming In Hot
Author: Josie Juniper
Narrator(s): Max Rauch and Cecily Foster

Listening to Coming In Hot as an audiobook was a dream! I absolutely loved the narrators chosen. Cecily voice was soft yet powerful which fit the main female character perfectly. The Male voice actor Max, was also a great fit. The accent was very believe-able and the power behind his voice was also spot on. I could feel the emotions coming from both narrators wonderfully. The over all performance from the Voice actors is a 5/5 star.

As for the book itself, I very much enjoyed. The growth of the characters that had taken place throughout the story was beautiful. The tension was there, the build up for the romantic scenes were great. The pacing of the story line was a tad fast at times, personally. The banter was fun, the amount of spice was superb, and the balance between F1 and romance was perfect. I loved the happy ending however wished that we had a little more closure between characters. My rating for this book is a 4.5/5 star.

Over all I very much enjoyed this production and want to thank you for the opportunity. I will be sharing my thoughts on my TikTok page, @triciareadds, and Amazon Audible.

Ok this audiobook I was on the fence about when I first started listening. I wasn’t quite sure I felt Cecil’s Foster was the right choice to voice Natalia’s character. But as I continued to listen her performance grew on me. Right off the bat I felt Max Rauch was a perfect match to voice Klaus and always looked forward to his narration throughout the story. All in all this was a slow burn listen for me, but I enjoyed it!

Love a good f1 romance. The narration was really good. I really liked the story, quick paced and sweet and swoony.

Thank you so much to Josie Juniper and Forever Publishing for this E-ARC! All thoughts and opinions are my own! 🥰

⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

Find more on my IG @kayreads_romance

⚠️ !! Please be sure to check any TWs before diving in !! ⚠️

What to expect:
* Workplace romance
* One night stand to slow burn
* F1 Racing
* Journalist FMC
* Billionaire Team Principal MMC
* Dramaaaaaaaa
* Age Ga
* 1st Person Dual POV


Spicy chapters:
1
12
16
20

My thoughts while reading:
🚨ALERT SPOILERS AHEAD🚨

SPOILER CONTENT WARNING!!!:

There is an accidental pregnancy in the third act.

Now onto my thoughts.
I wanted to L O V E this book so much. The cover was beautiful, the tropes drew me in, and who doesn’t love a messy F1 romance?

Unfortunately, this book left me wanting a lot more.
I was annoyed at the characters for most of the book and the ending left a lot to be desired.
I am a fan of the accidental pregnancy trope, but it should be listed in the content/trigger warnings or in the tropes list.
There weren’t any TW or CW in the ARC so I hope they are listed in the final version.

I don’t think Phaedra is a good friend and while I partly understand why Natalia’s parents did what they did …. I don’t know if I would be able to give them the grace that Natalia did (after a while).

The spice saved it a bit for me, and the face that Klaus called Natalia , Talia all the time 🥰.

Starts off steamy with a one-night stand between strangers who meet at a hotel bar. But it all turns bad when Natalia realizes she just slept with Klaus, her best friend’s boss, and racing manager for a team she probably will end up writing about in her new job as an auto magazine journalist. To make things worse, he tries to pay her money after their encounter. Ouch. We drift along a scattered timeline as they cross paths throughout the racing season all over the globe, with some of the events overlapping with the previous book of the series. Everyone’s got issues here, with Natalia’s sense of abandonment after her parents left her with an aunt at age 7 and Klaus’s grief over his late wife’s death. High on the steam, once they start hooking up again, but it’s angry bickering banter the whole way through. My favorite part of the book was Natalia finding out what happened to her parents all those years ago. Negative points for using the word “clean” when Natalia asks Klaus if it’s ok to have intercourse without a condom.

Listen- I wanted to love this. But the story felt so all over the place and disjointed. The chemistry and passion was riveting. But with WEEKS in between chapters/events (I get the artistic choice but it didn't work here) we lose the nuance of falling in love that happens in the in between. In the everyday, in the missing each other etc. The overlap of Double Apex to this story was a bit confusing from reading the first book a while ago. I almost think you need to do a reread of DA RIGHT before you read this to appreciate the overlap. I do believe this reads best as a series and not a standalone. DA did a great job of building up Natalia and Klaus but I needed more communication and the in between to believe all of it. Also, in an age gap where he's supposed to be Phaedra's father figure.. I think Klaus needed to be aged up about 10 years.


Regarding narration- you can tell there wasn't any communication between the narrators/from producers/directors. Our female narrator's accent for the male MC (which was great and I believe accurate to Austria?! Or not, what do I know?) made the male narrator's male MC voice feel like a completely different character from a different country.