Travis Keeping is a star Formula 1 driver with his eye on the championship. However, a major crash in Formula 2 results in Jacob Nichols ending up in critical condition. Travis rushes to the hospital, and inadvertently outs his relationship with Jacob, causing a downward cascade of events. As the F1 season and Jacob’s recovery progresses, Travis and Jacob must decide how much they value their sport versus how much they value each other.

I read the synopsis of this book, including its description as “Formula 1 meets Red, White, & Royal Blue.” While I can understand the idea behind the parallels, this book is quite a bit darker than #RWRB so that comparison feels a bit off. The will-they-or-won’t-they in #RWRB is far more comedic, but the pining here feels more devastating. I’d personally classify it more as a drama than a standard romance. I wasn’t emotionally prepared for some of the darker elements (the first chapter is literally the crash). Be aware that internalized homophobia is a major character in the book, and that both characters are on a healing journey, both physically and emotionally. I found Travis to be a bit melodramatic, and frustrated with how one-dimensional he was: his only existence was to pine after Jacob. I was equally confused by Jacob, who simultaneously has no issues/full confidence hooking up with guys but doesn’t come to terms with being into guys until the end? It felt a bit mismatched. The narrators do a great job of capturing that dramatic level of heartache, and I particularly enjoyed Gary Furlong’s portrayal of Jacob.
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Reviewed as part of #ARC from @NetGalley. Many thanks to @harpercollins for the opportunity to read and review.
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Read this book if you like:
🏁 F1/sports romance
💔 overcoming internalized homophobia
🫀 journeys of healing
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Spice warning: moderate 🌶️🌶️🌶️


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This review will be posted to Instagram @AutobiographiCole on or around the release date!

Travis and Jacob were having a secret romance before Jacob’s accident. They are two drivers (Travis is F1 and Jacob is F2) whose paths cross and end up in a a bittersweet relationship. Jacob has confusing thoughts and also severely homophobic family members who can’t accept him as bisexual. Travis has a support team. Although they are ideally so different, they fit together so well. When the accident happens and Jacob is nearing deaths door, Travis comes to terms with who they are together and is ultimately heartbroken when Jacob ends it after he wakes up.

The yearning, the character growth (both separate and together) is so beautifully written and listening to this story through the voices of Gary Furlong and Patrick Zeller was truly so moving. I felt like I was watching it all unfurl in my mind.

Hands down my most favorite audiobook queer sports romance of 2025!

4.5
Crash Test for my heart 😭

I am known for not thoroughly reading a blurb unless I am indecisive on wether or not I want to read. With Crash Test I apparently had no issue deciding... Because whatever I expected, it wasn't this. And I loved it.

I was close to tears for the first third of the book - the way Amy James structured this plot was so unexpected it took me completely off guard. Positively so. To throw us right into the what feels like a third arc conflict before we even know the characters and their story worked perfectly in favour of the book.

My feelings for both Travis and Jacob changed slightly over the curse of the book but after the compassion and pain, I already loved both of them so much as characters that their healing journeys only solidified my perception. I found it especially interesting to actually meet Jacob after already having seen so much of him from Travis' perspective.

While it might not be the most comfortable thing to read, I always like when romance authors pursue a realistic HEA and take the long road that allows for the characters to get the development and healing they need. I'm glad Amy James didn't feel the need to rush things simply for the sake of picture perfect romance.

The writing was smooth and I liked the way it allowed for a lot to be said between the lines or in actions alone. What truly elevates this to a 4.5 star book for me though was the narration! It was done so perfeclty, intense and authentic, not only giving the MMCs that extra bit of emotion but also significantly adding to shaping them into tangible, three dimensional characters.

Crash Test might not have taken the traditional route, but that is what makes it so special. It's a romance that could've been light and low stakes but stands out more for having sharp edges and moments of discomfort, immediately prioritzing the emotional connection to the characters and allowing them space to develop.

I especially recommend the audiobook version!

Thank you to NetGalley, HarperAudio Adult and Amy James for an ALC of this book

Thanks NetGalley for giving me access to this ALC. I LOVED IT!! I don’t think I’ve ever been more gripped by an audiobook right from the start. The narrators are INCREDIBLE. Their ability to convey each character’s distinct voice and such extreme emotions is incredibly impressive and SO critical for audiobooks. The person reading Travis’ chapters hooked me immediately and had me in tears within the first 10 minutes. The way Amy James structured the story — Travis’ POV first interspersed with flashbacks to the previous year followed by Jacob’s POV — worked extremely well for both characters’ story arcs. The resolution felt a bit rushed and “easy,” but by that point I just wanted Travis and Jacob back together so I didn’t really mind. There’s room for a sequel (Heated Rivalry/The Long Game style) and I’d definitely welcome spending more time with all of these characters.

So I liked the book, I really did, I just had a lot of feelings.
So first and foremost, I very much related to the internalized homophobia Jacob dealt with. It’s such a shitty feeling knowing your family won’t support you, but it doesn’t excuse any of his actions. I obviously won’t share those actions because I don’t want to spoil, but Jacob had a lot of inexcusable actions.
Following Travis after the crash was difficult, because you’re feeling his grief along with him. And then you’re navigating him trying to discreetly be there for his boyfriend. The blatant homophobia is very difficult to read.
Jacob’s family sucks. They just do. No redeeming qualities.
Minor spoilers!!
The breakup was horrendous to listen to. I sobbed like a baby from that moment until Jacob’s POV.
The book is broken in Travis’s POV in the first 3rd, then Jacob’s POV in the second 3rd, and then mixed in the final.
There was great banter between the main characters and side characters, but nothing really between the main characters until the end because Jacob is unconscious during Travis’s POV and then Jacob is in New Mexico in his POV. So it sucks because I love banter.
I was a bit shocked but not shocked at how quickly they get back together. They were both pining pretty bad so I’m not surprised. BUT I thought there would maybe be some groveling.
If you want to cry, this is a good book for it.
I got a lot of emotions out while listening to this book.

This is technically my 2nd time reading this before its even released and I still loved it. I just so happened to be selected for both the ARC and the audio ARC and enjoyed it just as much the second time around.

*4.25 stars!!

I received an ARC from HarperAudio Adult via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Now when I saw that THE Rachel Reid gave this book her blessing and high praise, I knew I had to read it no matter what. I was lucky enough to get early access to the audiobook and I am so delighted that this was as good as I was hoping for it to be!

The biggest strength of this book was the overall storytelling. It was done in such an interesting way, jumping straight into the stress and action that made you feel like you were going through the high-speed car crash yourself. Because of this, the emotions and stakes were set immediately, causing me to feel invested in their relationship. You could feel the love and anguish from the start, so when we flip from past to present, from pov to pov, you're weaving through their relationship with those high stakes in mind.

I really adored Travis right away. the emotion and love he feels for Jacob was so clear and almost devastating, I could not help but feel for him and their situation. it was difficult to understand Jacob as a character at first, but the shift to his pov made me sympathize and root for their relationship even more. The therapy scenes were also incredibly well done.

Again, the storytelling and structure of this romance is what makes it stand out. I thought that the author did a really great job with it and I was never bored. I'm actually quite impressed, as this is the first book I've read by this author and it is certainly not the last! I think she did a great job writing an intriguing and heartwarming mm romance that felt very genuine and I sincerely hope she writes more queer romance in the future!

*Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this free ARC in exchange for an honest review. Pub date: July 1, 2025

An open door M/M F1 sports romance, though not sports heavy. I think the blurb likening this to F1 meets Red White and Royal Blue does it a disservice. This is not a lighthearted romance filled with witty banter…it’s is a heavy drama-filled journey after a car crash blows up Travis and Jacob’s secret relationship. The spice is spicy but there is a lot of heartbreak along the way in the aftermath of the crash, I gasped out loud at times. Both drivers are quite young and figuring out their way, but I found Jacob’s brand of immaturity frustrating. Appreciated the character development and growth.

I listened in audio and it was a rough start—I struggled with the narration pacing and fluctuations in volume over the first few chapters but then it improved. Narration was wildly emotive and had me completely locked in. Finished this in one afternoon because of that!

Crash Test was given to me as a book through NetGalley by way of an email from the publisher because apparently they know I am a huge F1 fan. This book broke me, but in a good way. The moment this book started I was balling my eyes out. Crash test really focuses on the mental and physical health of the drivers, and while I am pretty sure some fictional HIPPA rules were broken, I can understand why they were done in the context of this story. This is a story of love, acceptance, family (chosen and blood related), and racing (obviously) and I was enthralled every second. I even requested the audiobook when that became available on NetGalley so I could do an immersive read because I wanted to be a part of this world so badly. These characters will always be remembered and this is definitely one of the best reads yet that take place in the F1 romanceverse. Thanks for the ARC!

Heat Index: 6/10

—relationship in trouble

—the aftermath of the injury

—sometimes! families! don't deserve you!

The Basics:

When a crash leaves multiple people dead and up and coming Formula 2 driver Jacob Nichols in critical condition, the racing world is shocked. None more, however, than Formula 1 star Travis Keeping—Jacob's secret boyfriend of a year. Being separated from Jacob as he recovers is devastating enough; dealing with the fallout involving his family and boundaries he didn't realize existed AFTER Jacob wakes up is worse. Separated by distance and Jacob's family, the two couldn't be further apart. And coming back together may require the kind of bravery neither one has had to uncover before.

The Review:

WHEW. Recently, the Fated Mates podcast did an episode on one of my favorite books, hockey star secret lovers romance Heated Rivalry. In it, they discussed a part of the book in which one of the lovers is injured and the other is terrified, but unable to show it to the world—and how great that is for angst and tension purposes. Now, imagine if that is... the basis of a book. Obviously, I had no choice but to pick this up.

I am nothing else if not an angsthound, and Crash Test is a book for angsthounds. It kicks off with Jacob's crash from Travis's perspective, then dovetails into a recounting of how we got here. It's a good while before we get Jacob's perspective—and I'm so glad we did. Because if you think the crash itself and Travis desperately trying to seem normal to everyone while his boyfriend is essentially in a coma is angsty? BOY. You have no idea.

I've seen some reviews say that this isn't a romance novel because there's a lot of recounting of the romance and a lot of time spent apart. Here's the thing: Those takes are wrong.

First off, the recounting is a pretty good-sized chunk of the novel, and it's not like Travis is going "we met, we fell in love". There's a lot of intimacy, both emotional and physical—with the twist being that Travis was both too in love and too inexperienced (we have a megavirgin so closeted that he's never been in a relationship prior to Jacob here) that he missed a lot of flags.

Second, what this book is, in a lot of ways, is a marriage in trouble book without the marriage. These two are deeply, agonizingly in love. But the reality is that they're in love in a way that isn't any less authentic emotionally, but takes advantage of the cocoon their secrecy and the nature of their sport provides. In some ways, it's arguably more realistic than Heated Rivalry (this isn't a dig at the former, just an observation) because it's like... Travis completely missed the severity of Jacob's internalized biphobia, a huge part of the second part of the novel, because he never met his family. Their life together was based on the whirlwind, far-flung nature of their careers.

In the harsh light of day? The problems are pretty huge.

One of the things I loved about this book is that we spend so much of the first half in Travis's mind, setting up this borderline "manic pixie dream boy" that is Jacob. Sexy, confident, charming. Travis knows he's gay, but hasn't acted on it. Jacob is closeted, sure, but he seems to know what he's doing way more than Travis does. Sure, he complains about his family, but it's just here and there. Sure, he doesn't say "I love you" back, but it's probably just because he's a rakish type.

Travis's love is so intense, and it's made even more so in these moments in the hospital that are just... devastating. And beautiful.

So it's a slap in the face when Jacob distances himself from Travis after he wakes. And not long after that? Boom. Let's flip to Jacob and see exactly how much self-loathing Travis missed in this man, for the same reason a lot of people don't realize their beloved partners are in pain—because they're so smitten. Because they're adoring.

It's a great flip, and it makes Jacob into what some would call Unlikable. I mean, to me, he was just... human. Travis, I liked and felt for and wanted to cuddle. Jacob, I—I don't want to say I related to him exactly, as I've never had a family like his. But I got him. I saw him. And his struggles go beyond his internalized biphobia; there's also the intensity of his crash, the physical trauma, the loss of identity. Because in one fell swoop, Jacob really loses two facets of his identity. He loses his status as a great F2 driver on the brink of being brought up to F1; and his loses the illusion of straightness he's maintained for his family.

So while he does stuff he has to make up for, I get it, and I felt the narrative was both sympathetic and wiling to hold him accountable (overall). I often struggle with therapy being on the page because, as someone who does therapy weekly, I find the depictions corny. Here, it's done so well, and it's so needed. It's not a magic wand that fixes Jacob. And he doesn't just find it in himself to get fixed, either.

Another thing I appreciated is that the novel doesn't hold family sacred. I've found myself angry with so many romance novels that seem to suggest that the ultimate goal is to reconcile with your awful family. Jacob's family is AWFUL in a way that is, unfortunately, casually realistic. The ingrained homophobia; the crunchy sister who spouts off tradwifeisms; the mom whose love for her son warps into victimhood; the father and brother who put their own insecure masculinity over loving Jacob. These are not caricatures. They are real people.

Often, in these queer sports romances, the lovely twist is that the family actually is totally good. That's a valid avenue to take, and there are people who turn out to be unexpectedly supportive in this book. But we also need books that get real about how some people just... are beyond saving. And frankly don't deserve saving. That's something we need to see right now. A happy ending for these two (which does happen!) that is optimistic, and yes, has Romance Reasons, but isn't utopian. Sometimes, in order to get your happy ending, you have to tell certain people to get the hell out of your life.

And that's also quite satisying to read.

I will say that I found the ending a bit rushed, and I could've used more catharsis between the lovers. To me, some aspects of ending works a little better in a cinematic context than a book context. But to be super real, I was so emotionally ready for it to all happen that... fine. I just want these two to be together.

The Sex:

I also saw reviews indicating that this is closed door. To be super clear, it isn't. It's softer on the sex, but like. There's on the page oral and anal sex. I'm. Not super sure where we got "closed door".

The first encounter is closed door, which does coincide with Travis's recounting—the scenes that happen "in the moment" are more explicit, generally. But I will say as a critique that Travis does reflect on sex more graphically at different points, and Jacob is the first person he's had sex with. So I do think it would've been good to see that on the page; but it wasn't a dealbreaker.

The Conclusion:

This is an angsty book in a very real way, but I also found it deeply moving. It gives you the fairytale of romance in its ending, but a lot of what builds up to that offers some reality that I don't always need in romance, but was so affecting and important to see. Travis and Jacob's love happens in a world against them, and we do have to see some fighting and re-learning. That certainly worked for me.

(And as an audiobook note—VERY good performances with duet narration. Great emotionality.)

Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

You asked

I loved this book. I loved loved Travis - I loved his devotion and I loved how when Jacob is in the hospital without words people understood what Jacob meant to him. It was painful and I wanted to kill Jacob’s family. I despise them.

Travis POV was powerful and painful.

Then we get Jacob breaking up with him and Travis realizing he was so much more into him (been there done that - it killed me).

I loved Travis’s therapy scenes and the evolution of his character.

Now the part that didn’t work
Jacob never groveled !!!!! I needed way more groveling . I needed Travis to say you hurt me. I needed more pining and pain. I needed him not to just kiss Jacob and forgive.

I would have liked them to start the FI season on rival teams and have Jacob earn his way back. So I needed a few more chapters. We didn’t have a lot of them together. I did enjoy that they addressed them working for rival teams.
I thought it was interesting how at the beginning of the book Jacob was the one with all the friends in the family and then by the end it was actually Travis who had the meaningful connections.

I honestly loved the this book. I just wanted more! The audio is superb! I listened to this in a day and night because I couldn’t put it down!

Full disclosure, I already read and liked this book months ago, but the audiobook fully made me love it. Apparently I am such a sucker for an angsty slow burn romance; especially when the narrators fully commit to their performances and bring the characters to life with quite affecting raw emotion.

There's a common plotline in a number of MM sports romances where everything is going fine with a secret relationship until one of them gets injured during a game (or, in this case, a race). Typically, this happens about 75% of the way through a book, but Crash Test smartly opens with this scenario.

F1 driver Travis has the championship in his sights when news comes through that there's been a major crash in an F2 race involving his secret boyfriend of the past year, Jacob. The narrative then follows the fallout of this accident and how it impacts both of their racing careers and their chance at a future together. In short, I read this whole book in a day while traveling and cried a lot in public. It's not a perfect story (simply put, not enough groveling), but its narrative structure felt fresh, and I loved the way things unfolded through flashbacks and switching POVs.

Crash Test immediately starts out with emotional tension and action. F1 star Travis' secret boyfriend Jacob is in a terrible crash, and then the POV alternates between present day and the past as we learn how they got together and how their relationship developed. It then turns into a kind of second chance romance. I've never read a book written in this style, and I liked it!

I feel like it's definitely easy to follow even if you know nothing about F1. I don't know if the author has experience in healthcare or a loved one in ICU but as someone who does, I really appreciated the accuracy there!

The characters felt so realistic. Travis was immediately likable while Jacob was (to quote him) "a dick." They both had really great character development, and represented very different experiences, thoughts, and feelings. Travis is a kind of reclusive introvert, with no family or friends, and Jacob has internalized homophobia, commitment issues, and a very brash and unaccepting family. The mental health rep and found family were great additions to the story as well. The ending was a bit quick and tidy, I'd have liked less time apart and more time spent on their repair, but overall I ate this one up and really enjoyed it!

The audio: WOW - incredible! Duet narration is my absolute favorite, and the style that this was written allowed the narration to really shine. Both narrators fit the characters so well, and the narrator for Travis nailed the emotions.

Book: 4..25/5
Audiobook: 5/5

4/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
5/5 🎧


Thank you to harperaudio and NetGalley for this ALC of this book!

Audiobook review - the audiobook performance was top notch! This duet narration really set the tone and elevated the entire story!

This was my first time reading a formula 1 romance! It was fun seeing a romance diving into another sport / entertainment industry than I’m used to. This story immediately sucked me in with the crash that puts Jacob in critical condition.

The first half of the book is really the aftermath of Jacob’s crash while simultaneously having flashbacks of how Jacob’s and Travis’s romance began over the last year. Jacob’s family discovers Jacob and Travis are romantically involved as Jacob wakes in the hotel room. After Jacob woke from his coma he ultimately could not handle the pressure of being an openly bisexual man to the public and breaks Travis’s heart.

The second half of the book is all about Travis and Jacob starting over alone and finding themselves. When Jacob finally realizes he really loves Travis and is ready to risk it all he goes after him. I don’t love the fact that Travis immediately took him back after breaking his heart. Without question or explanation he didn’t hesitate to accept him back in his life.

Overall this was a really sweet read! It started off high intensity and then really was slower paced toward the end.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!

I really really wanted to love Crash Test by Amy James, I mean?! The cover?! Hello?? The synopsis called this Formula 1 meets Red, White, & Royal Blue but failed to mention that F1 wouldn’t really be mentioned outside of acknowledging that it was the two MMCs jobs and it lacked all of the charm, tension, and heart Red, White, & Royal Blue had. Womp womp.

The opening of this book was promising. We got to feel Travis’ grief and worry about his secret boyfriend! And then after the buildup of not knowing if he was okay, he finally wakes up and immediately breaks up with him for???? No reason??? Okay! Cool!! Love that!! 😒 Then we get to see Travis be miserable for a bit while Jacob is also miserable and living with his homophobic parents in the US until Jacob is cleared to return to racing and then finally decides he should go to therapy. He’s then turned down by every team and instead of going to business school or whatever decides he should instead fly halfway across the globe to show up at Travis’ house unannounced to try to get back with him. He sees Travis on a date with another man and is DEVASTATED (??? In what world do you get to be devastated after breaking up with your boyfriend without warning or explanation and then blocking him and changing your number ALMOST A YEAR AGO????). All of this nonsense is playing out on a dual timeline that also shows Jacob being a shit boyfriend/non boyfriend/situationship with Travis leading up to his accident. Anyway, then Jacob gets signed by an F1 team (his last chance!!!) and finally gets to see Travis face to face where he’s like “lol sowwy! Let’s get back together? 🥺” and Travis is like “immediately yes” and goes down on him. TRAVIS WTF??? And then basically all their problems disappear and they dance off into the sunset THE END.

So yeah this book was cheeks and I’m actually upset I didn’t DNF it like I knew I should. The characters were hollow and unlikable, we were TOLD Travis loved Jacob but never shown, and the pacing was sort of all over the place. I really loved the idea of this book, but the execution was truly not good.

2⭐️

I want to give this book all of the stars! I cannot stop thinking about Crash Test. This book is single-handedly responsible for me entering my F1 romance era, but no other book I've read so far in the genre has come even close to this one. I've now read it twice: first the ebook and now the audiobook. Both times, I was completely enraptured by Travis and Jacob's story. I couldn't put it down and read it in one sitting, cutting into my hours of sleep to keep reading/listening. The Travis narrator knocked it out of the park and the Jacob narrator was great as well.

I'd be remiss not to mention that although the angst is angsty, their happy ever after feels so well deserved and the characters' growth is really amazing. Like they needed that time apart to better come back to one another as a best version of themselves.

This was a gut-wrenching, heartbreaking, powerful story of a second chance romance and has stayed with me long after I've finished it. And everyone who's had the chance to read and ARC or ALC has been just as obsessed with it as I am! Really incredible and well crafted storytelling and I absolutely adore Amy James' writing style. I will read anything she publishes!

Crash test by Amy James
ARC from Harper audio
Release: July 1st 2025
-this audiobook was wow
-the voice changes, accents and intonations are too good
-you get right into the action wanting to know what’s going on, my heart beating and I just started the book
-they are literally standing next to each other in interviews and you feel the tensionnnn
-Travis gives grumpy, keeps to himself but Jacob brings the sun out of him
-Jacob give sunshiny uppity guy
-the back and forth story line has me intrigued and nervous
-so many moments that were so heartbreaking omg my poor heart I just can’t their moments and exchanges make love worth fighting for
-Jacob’s parents can catch these hands
-I relate so much with Travis because I’m pretty to myself, different, overthinker, social anxious and have never seriously dated anyone so my heart truly felt tied to him my Sheila 🥹😭♥️
-I love how Jacob pushes Travis outside of his comfort zone and I love just the way they are I’m obsessed with this 🥰
-I love the growth and self discovery of Travis I feel so proud of him I feel like I’m his bestie rooting for him
-Jacob has been through so much my baby 😭 his recovery was truly heartbreakingly healing if that even makes sense 😭 his pov made me realize truly we all have different ways of thinking and don’t all see things as deeply, but also how beautifully intricate the mind is, his self discovery journey is truly beautiful
-i love Jacob and Travis so much
-the therapy rep in here is so beautiful done 👏🏾
-I need this book to be a movie
:) iykyk
-this book was my kryptonite too good 😩
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Harper Audio and Netgalley for the Advance Listener Copy. Here is my honest review.

This book came out of nowhere and floored me. It's not often a book effects me the way this one did. I absolutely loved this story and I think if I had read the book, it would just be 4.5 stars. But the audiobook elevated the book in such a profound way that this is hands down a five star listen.

Amy James has created a story that feels more like two people sharing their story than two characters. Travis and Jacob are emotionally raw throughout and this makes the entire experience feel more genuine and true. Not only that, but James invites us to see just how flawed both Travis and Jacob are.

This story also explores internalized biphobia and as a bi person myself, I think this is an important conversation to be had. Jacob is struggling with a LOT in his chapters. His life has been planned and he is influenced by his family even if he wasn't aware it was happening until after his accident. In some of his vulnerable moments, I saw myself reflected back. The third born in a religious family. Identifying as bi/queer but unwilling to upset the status quo to speak our truths. And understanding where our anger stems from, and finding healthier ways of dealing with it and reframing how we look at our lives.

Both Travis and Jacob have a lot of growing to do throughout the book, each in very different ways. I think people will probably have an easier time with Travis' journey because it's a quiet growth that happens with expansion of his inner life. Jacob's growth is messy, it's rough, it doesn't feel good. But that's why it's so much more powerful when he comes out on the other side.

I highly recommend this audiobook.

I’m newer to the F1 romances, and I’m a huge fan!

This book follows the secret relationship of two drivers. A terrible crash leaves Jacob in the hospital and them both questioning everything! Both characters are lovable in their own ways. Their friends are a great addition to the story.

This book was almost a DNF for me. I love when a narrator really gets into character. It was off putting, however, when our introduction to the characters is in a tumultuous situation. I think the book would’ve been better chronologically instead of through flashbacks. But it does end up being chronological about half way through, and I loved the rest of the story!

2 stars: ★★☆☆☆
Huge thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager | Avon for inviting me to read the eARC and to HarperAudio Adult | HarperAudio for the ALC via NetGalley 💌

IDK wtf that was but it sure wasn’t romance. I was this close to DNFing, but I betrayed my soul and gave it two stars instead of one. Not one redeeming quality. Not the characters, not the pacing, not the structure. And especially not the way the story was told. This was painfully mid-tier, and that’s me being generous.

✨ Premise? 10/10. Execution? Fell off a cliff faster than Jacob’s F2 car.

The idea was chef’s kiss—F1 drama, queer romance, heartbreak, high stakes. But somehow, this book managed to feel emotionally hollow despite its tragic setup. Like, how do you write a secret relationship between two men in elite motorsport, have one of them in a coma, and still make me feel nothing?

The first third is just Travis sulking in his feelings, and even that felt shallow. It was giving "summarized heartbreak" instead of showing us actual connection or chemistry. Travis keeps saying he loves Jacob but never shows us why. And Jacob? Bro, that man spent the first 50% unconscious and the rest acting like Travis personally ruined his life.

💥 Structure: A Mess in 3 Acts (Literally)
The book is split into three "sectors" (Formula 1 pun, cute... in theory). First sector? All Travis. Second? All Jacob. Third? Floppy ping-ponging that couldn’t decide whose head it wanted to be inside. And don’t get me started on the transitions—absolutely no flow, no rhythm. The POV switches in the final part felt like whiplash.

Also, can we talk about how everything was told in past tense reflections??? The tension? Gone. The chemistry? Skipped. The vibes? Deceased.

🚩 Jacob: The walking red flag.
I wanted to like him, I really did. But his whole arc was like a passive-aggressive apology note that never actually says "I’m sorry." He ghosted Travis, let his parents treat him like dirt, and came back like “my bad, babe” and expected applause. Travis deserved better. (Though lowkey, Travis didn’t even fight for himself so... maybe they were meant to be, in a sad, low-standards way.)

The emotional payoff? Wasn't paying.
They reunited after a year of silence and trauma, and within 5 minutes they were basically like “lol, wanna kiss?” LIKE BE SERIOUS.

⚠️ RWRB comparison? False advertising.
There were no royal vibes, no witty banter, no slow-burn enemies-to-lovers tension. Just a deeply avoidant couple who fell apart off-page and decided to try again... also mostly off-page. The comparison was pure clickbait, and I fell for it like a clown 🤡

Tropes:
🏁 Secret Relationship / Closeted Romance
🥀 Second Chance Romance
🏁 Sports Romance
🥀 Injured Love Interest (Coma Plot)
🏁 Queer Romance (MM)
🥀 Famous/High-profile Characters
🏁 Angst
🥀 Miscommunication / Lack of Communication
🏁 Hospital Setting

🎧 A quick audio note: the narration? Fine. The material? Not it. I appreciate the effort the narrators put in, but even they couldn’t save this lukewarm story.

⭐ Highlights (aka the few things that didn’t make me want to throw my phone):
✧ The F1 backdrop, though barely explored, was cool in theory.
✧ The first hospital scenes had some actual weight to them.
✧ The idea of showing how closeted athletes suffer in silence? Important. But it deserved better execution.

📝 Final thoughts:
This felt like the ghost of a good story—an outline that never got fleshed out. The bones were there, but the soul was missing. If you're looking for queer romance with actual chemistry, or sports drama that doesn’t rely on trauma dumping and unresolved tension, this ain’t it.

Would I recommend? No.
Would I reread? Hell no.
Do I regret it? Yes. But at least the cover’s pretty.