This was such a cute F1 romance! The story took a little while to get up to speed (pun intended), but once I hit the 20% mark, I was completely invested in the characters and their relationship. I felt the full range of emotions. From happy, sad, frustrated, and hopeful, which made the story feel engaging and real.

The audiobook did start off a bit muffled, but the audio quality improved quickly, and the narrators did a great job bringing the story to life. Their performances added depth to the characters and helped pull me in even more.

If you're into sports romances or just want a heartfelt, slow-burn story with a unique setting and some angst, then this one’s worth the listen. I’ll definitely be checking out more of Amy James's books in the future!

Thank you for letting me review this book!

This was a decent book! To me personally this didn't read as romance. While I still enjoyed the romantic elements I just wish there would have been more. The characters were a bit annoying at times. Sometimes you just wanted to reach through the book and shake some sense into them. It was just hard to root for them together when both characters did a lot of fairly unforgivable things in my opinion. Also I wouldn't go into this expecting a cute fluffy romance (especially going in wanting the F1 meets R,W&RB vibes) cause it's depressing and very deals with decently heavy topics.

When it comes to the F1 accuracies; I'm not a huge F1 fan personally so I can't say how well those elements where delivered but the references where easy to understand as a newbie! I also learned there was not only an F1 but an F2 and F3?

Overall the book is good, it just wasn't what I was expecting.

The audiobook was very well done! loved the dual narration!

Imagine with me… the love of your life; the person you have been with for a year has just been in a horrible accident. He and 4 of his friends have gotten into a very scary, very dangerous car crash and he’s fighting to live. One by one, his friends die and you are left wondering if he’s going to make it.

You want to be there for him in his hospital room, getting answers from the doctor, all while getting comforted by his family… BUT they don’t know you exist. You’re a secret. Actually his whole sexuality is a secret. YOUR sexuality is a secret. So you pretend to a friend, just so you can be near him.

Oh!!! By the way, THAT is how this book started. You’re telling me that’s how you begin it? And then you expect me not to curl up into a fetal position with my head tucked between my knees hoping for the best…………. Needless to say, I was a mess. I’m not the person that looks for the book that makes you sob uncontrollably. I’m the happy-go-lucky, comedy and chaos girly who’s in it for a fun time, not a long time.🫠

I don’t know a single THING about F1, except that the men are hot and they drive really fast cars, so I was excited to read this. Not to learn about the sport, because that is not the kind of romance I’m into, but because without knowing much about it, I won’t have any preconceived notions in my mind. I also won’t associate a specific racer with a character as I read it.

Overall, I enjoyed Crash Test. Was it a perfect book? No. This man probably lost years off of his life worrying about you and you did what you did as a thanks?!??? And then he didn’t make you grovel naked across tiny scorching hot pebbles as repayment? I’m not saying they shouldn’t have gotten back together, because they were obviously end game, but make his 🫏 work for it!

If you get the chance to listen to the audiobook, I say do it!!! I listened while I read it physically and let me say that duet narration is the way to go! Ughhhhhhhhhh!!!! I want all books with more than one POV to do this kind of audiobook, because I can keep up so much easier. 👨🏻‍🍳🤌🏼💋

Thank you to Avon Books for my gifted copy!!

Red white and royal blue meets F1?? Sign me up!! I love RW&RB and I’m loving formula one right now so this was perfect!

I really enjoyed this! It has dual timelines and I thought it was really well done and added a lot to the book and overall progression of the story- it keeps you interested and wanting to know more!
It was a super quick read for me because of this (and bc I just generally really enjoyed the book!) and that’s saying something because I’ve been in a bit of a slump recently
The narrators did such a great job and really helped convey all the emotions in this book!

4 stars only because I found the conflict/resolution a bit disproportionate- the miscommunication and the way the one MC acted and how quickly it was forgiven/moved on from- I would’ve liked to see a bit more there!
Overall though I thought this was a thoroughly enjoyable read and if you love MM romance and/or formula one I say 1000% give this book a go!

I am now completely obsessed with this book and its characters. I fell in love with quiet and introverted Travis from the first paragraph. But I honestly did not expect to fall even harder for Jacob. James did a wonderful job portraying both sides of a traumatic event.

Really didn't expect a book about F1 (and F2) drivers falling in love to make me cry but here we are. I loved the duel narration - especially in the duet style where the narrators are not regulated just to their character's POV chapter. This is such a great direction to go in with this book.

I LOVED the first half of the book - the desperation of our main character visiting the hospital after the crash and having to navigate language barriers, hospital regulations, and a family who didn't know you existed? Amazing. I fell in love with our characters. However, by the second half it felt like it was just rushed and angsty and I felt disconnected from the characters. Overall I enjoyed the experience and will recommend the title but it wasn't the favorite I expected after reading the first half.

I LOVED this book so much! It starts off insanely heavy and a little depressing, but watching the two main characters work on themselves and grow and then come back together?? And the found family honestly is so perfect I wanted to be included in the group chat with all of them.

The chosen narrators voices fit perfectly with how I pictured Jacob and Travis in my head. I loved the duet narration style and the acting of both narrators!

Thank you to Harper Audio Adult for the early copy!

Narrators were 10/10! I loved their voices and the feminine voices they would do for other side female characters. I would TOTALLY listen to more narrated by them. They did this queer romance a GREAT SERVICE. Listening vs reading the book made it even better with these men narrating. They did this novel justice in the best way!

Whew! Rip my heart out, why don’t you?

There was some really crafty character development here, but Travis Keeping really carried the whole thing on his very strong, muscular back.

The emotional turmoil that both main characters go through is insane. The beginning of the book mostly follows Travis, an F1 racer, as he navigates the aftermath the horrific crash his F2 racer (secret) boyfriend Jacob was in. Jacob is in a coma, surrounded by his family, and Travis can’t be by his side for fear of blowing their secret.

Travis goes through a really heartbreaking and emotional journey as he navigates the hoops of Jacob’s near-death crash and subsequent coma, a closeted relationship, a bigoted family, and demanding job. He’s forced to preform because he can’t very well tell everyone why he’s unable to drive, but along the way he makes a really amazing group of friends.

On the other side of all this, Jacob sucks. He’s selfish, unlikable, and immature, but boy does he do the work to win us all back. This was such an awesome journey.

I was given an early copy of the audiobook and both narrators did an amazing job conveying all of the messy emotions. I really enjoyed this.

Thank you Harper Audio and the author via NetGalley for this ARC!

Omg! I loved this one so much!! It made me feel all the feels and I was not expecting to cry in the first chapter (and every chapter after that 😅)but I seriously loved it so much! When I wasn’t able to be reading/listening to it all I could think about was getting back to it! Both of the MCs were great and they both also had really great character growth!

I really liked in Travis’s POV for the first part, it was mostly flash back kind of stuff of him remembering all of the good times to kind of help him push through the bad times!

I originally fell in love with Jacob (and Travis) through Travis’s memories of him and was so excited for him to wake up. Until he became a big jerk (I get it, but I’m still mad about it 😅)

Both characters had a lot of growth from beginning to end, but I really enjoyed “watching” Jacob grow and change and stand up for himself to his parents. Loved the whole story and will probably reread at least two more times!!

Thank you HarperAudio Adult for this ALC.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a review copy.

Probably 3.75 stars but I thought this is good. For all the angsty things that happen in this plot, this is pretty low stakes and a cute read. I know absolutely nothing about F1 and frankly don't really get the appeal of the sport but that knowledge wasn't necessary to enjoy this story.

There were a couple of things working against this book for me. The first was I haven't enjoyed a lot of sports romances I've read. I think know less about the sport was actually helpful in this case. I wasn't always thinking about how unrealistic certain elements were or how they compared to the sport in real life.

I also don't like dual timeline books in any genre for the most part. I didn't love it here either, but it's definitely not my least favorite version of it either. I did feel that because of the dual timelines, the second half of the book really did start to drag for me. After part 1, I felt like a lot of the stakes had been taken off the table. I still liked the second half, but didn't find it nearly as propulsive, especially given the amount of time our leads spent separated.

I did like both the MMCs. They felt very real to me and I felt like their reasoning was realistic, even when they could act in ways that were frustrating. I really wish we saw more of them together and falling in love. Because the way the timelines were set up, we didn't actually get to read about key parts of their romantic development. Since I like them as characters separately, I would have loved to see a bit more how they played off each other.

The 3rd act miscommunication/separation was one I didn't love. I think it fit the plot well enough and it didn't last overly long, but it was still a bit frustrating and took me out of the story a bit. It felt like this part drifted a bit away from romance and towards family drama. I understand why, but it wasn't as interesting to me. I also felt like a lot more could have been done with Travis's family background. His development got a bit short-shifted in the later half.

I would definitely read more from this author. The writing style was nice and very readable. I would definitely still recommend this book, with the slight caveat that I think the amount of romance in the plot may be lacking for some.

Oh goodness, I was invested in this one, with a capital I! This is a beautifully written sports romance set in the fast-paced world of Formula 1 with major feelings and emotional trauma to process. I was rooting for the MC’s the whole time, with a few moments of “Just Communicate!” This story is told through alternating perspectives of Travis and Jacob, which captures their vastly different emotional journeys. Travis is an F1 driver, navigating grief, rejection, and secrecy of his relationship with Jacob. Jacob is an F2 driver, embarking on a prolonged rehabilitation course following a fatal crash with an added layer of homophobic parents. Amy James doesn't shy away from tough topics like trauma, toxic family dynamics, and queer identity. This is a story of resilience, love, and reclaiming joy.

The audiobook is a stunning listen and brilliantly narrated. The dual performances bring Travis and Jacob’s perspectives to life with heart-wrenching honesty.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and HarperAudio Adult for an advanced listener copy in exchange for an honest review.

: This was such an easy book to fall in to! I stayed up way too late and basically inhaled it in two sittings. The writing has this unpolished and fun tone and the structure is really engaging. It starts with a major event and then unfolds backward in each main characters first person point of view in two sections.

There’s strong hurt/comfort energy here and a really solid found family thread that made me wish we had even more time with the characters. I especially would’ve loved more from Travis’s POV becuase there’s so much there I wanted to dig into. Honestly, I would’ve happily read another 100 pages of this. The storytelling itself felt rushed without spending too much time on individual events, which I would’ve liked to see. It is a HEA, even if it keeps you unsure for a while.

There are heavy hospital scenes, so definitely worth knowing going in.

eta: also listened to audiobook via netgalley and loved the narrators. a huge compliment to the text.

Crash Test by Amy James was my first racing centered sports romance, and I have a feeling it will not be my last. The story centered around Travis and Jacob and their relationship had me hooked from the very beginning. Hearing each side of their relationship told via first person and the growth that they went through to put me right into the story and had me picking sides.

Definitely worth the read/listen and I’m excited to explore other titles by Amy James!

Thank you for the ALC NetGalley & HarperAudio 🎧

Absolutely loved this book. It's dual POV & interweaves present and past events very well.

There is so much character development that was necessary for the satisfying ending. Halfway through I was not sure that Jacob could be redeemed in my eyes but he put in the effort and it was a beautiful ending.

The narration by Gary Furlong & Patrick Zeller was fantastic and really immersive. The emotions were there, the angst and pauses well timed. I could feel the conflict and stress in Travis and Jacob had a change in tone throughout.

P.S I wanted to slap Jacob for his choices but then I remembered he's under 25 and doesn't have a fully developed frontal lobe

5 stars ⭐️ I feel like I have to start this review by saying, I bought a trophy copy of this book while at work…only 2 chapters in.

This book is a five-course meal of love, loss, and growth with hot, sensitive racecar drivers served for dessert. And even if you are not an F1 fan, I still think you will find this story devastatingly beautiful.

I only wished it was longer —which is something I rarely want out of a book these days. Travis & Jacob’s relationship was so beautifully built up in sector 1, but then by sector 3, everything felt a bit rushed. Maybe I was just caught up in not wanting it to end? But really, I just wanted to be lost in them being together longer at the end.

Anyway, please, please, please go to your local indie bookstore or library and grab a copy of Crash Test asap. For my audiobook girlies, the dual narration by Gary Furlong and Patrick Zeller was an absolutely top-tier performance. Their emotions are what really drove the book for me and why I think the few chapters of this book will stick with me for a while. The narrator’s emotions in chapter 1 brought me to absolute tears. I don’t think I have ever sobbed in chapter 1 of a book before, and the narrator’s emotions just sent me over the edge.

Thank you to HarperAudio and NetGalley for this ALC and the opportunity to give my candid feedback.

Overall 5 STAR
Performance 5 STAR
Story 4 STAR

Oh my goodness all my emotions came out to play for this story!
I thoroughly enjoyed listening to Gary Furlong and Patrick Zeller bring the story to life.
I couldn't put it down!

I read through 64% of this book and unfortunately I am making the decision to DNF this one. I think the biggest issue here is that this was marketed/referenced to be similar to Red White and Royal Blue which it is nothing like that as there is tons and tons of trauma from page 1 in this book. I also unfortunately could not connect with either character, they were both unlikable in their own ways and therefore I could not get invested or root for their relationship.

I listened to the audiobook for this as well and the narration was done well given the material but I do think at times I couldn't really tell whose perspective I was on so found myself rewinding several times to make sure I was on the right character.

I do think there is the right audience for this book and perhaps removing any mention of RWRB, this just was not for me. I appreciate the opportunity to read and review this book and wish nothing but success.

Told through dual POVs, this is the story of Travis and Jacob, they havd been dating in secret for about a year. Both are Formula drivers on different levels. When Jacob has a near fatal crash during a race, he is taken to a local hospital where he under goes major surgeries. Travis has been by his side more often than not. As Jacob is waking up from a coma, his family is at his side along with Travis. Travis overcome with emotions tells Jacobs family about their history. Jacob's family is enraged and arranged to have him transferred to Arizona (the opposite side of the planet from Travis). This was a very fast paced queer love story, about second chances and dealing with the pressures that family place on relationships.

Thank you to Avon Books, William Morrow, Harper Collins, Harper Audio for the review copy, ALC.

(4.5 rounded to 5 stars when necessary) CRASH TEST by Amy James and narrated by Gary Furlong and Patrick Zeller is a MM contemporary romance set in the world of Formula 1 Racing. This is a dual POV book/audiobook where the first half of the book is told from Travis Keeping’s perspective and the second half switched between Travis and Jacob Nichols. Travis was having a phenomenal years as a F1 driver when his secret love, Jacob, was critically injured in a crash in Formula 2. Suddenly Travis’ team was concerned about why his performance was declining, the boy he loved was clinging to life, and he was locked in a power struggle with Jacob’s parents, who wanted his as far as possible from their son. Travis was sure that things would be better when Jacob woke up, but he didn’t realize how much influence Jacob’s parents had. Afterward, as the racing season continued, the two young men were miserable on opposite sides of the globe. However, with some new friends on both sides, they are pushed beyond their comfort zones and onto journeys of self discovery- possibly back to each other. This was such a cute story, and the narrators were just perfect. They flawlessly managed all the various accents that make up the world of F1 racing. I really loved Travis and the characters from his racing team that forced him out of his shell from a loner to a man with an entire friend group. I loved the person Jacob grew into, and his relationship with his therapist was hilarious. I recommend this book for readers/listeners who enjoy LGBTQIA+ contemporary sports romance with low to moderate spice.

I am voluntarily writing this honest review after reading/listening to an ALC, ARC, and paperback via Netgalley, Harper Audio, Avon Books, and Epic Tastemakers.