This story completely won me over. As both an F1 fan and a romance reader, I loved how seamlessly Silva combined the thrill of racing with a heartfelt slow-burn love story. Violet Colton is a fierce and determined heroine fighting to save her late father’s struggling team, and I admired her resilience in a sport that was stacked against her. William Foster, the so-called "damaged goods" driver, was such a surprise, charming, flawed, and deeply loyal all at once. Their dynamic felt real, full of banter, tension, and growth. What impressed me most was the accurate F1 detail, which made the racing scenes pulse with excitement while keeping the characters central to the story, an emotional and strong start to the trilogy.

Y’all know I’ve been in my F1 romance era recently, and this one was a great addition to the list! It’s the first in a trilogy and I can’t wait to see where we go with the rest of the series!

Violet’s dedication to the team and her family’s legacy was so admirable. She exudes confidence, despite facing numerous challenges, and I appreciated how this translated to her eventual success as a team principal. William’s desperation for a chance to prove himself and his all-in attitude were so enjoyable to read. He is vulnerable and realistic in a way that male characters are not always represented. I loved their dynamic together and felt they complimented each other really well. Their banter was unmatched and their chemistry was sizzling through the whole book!

Can we talk about how this is Vanessa’s debut?! It was incredible! If you’re an F1 or sports romance fan, I highly recommend checking out Racing for Redemption!

Thank you so much to Vanessa and Xpresso Book Tours for access to the eARC!

I received this book as an eARC from Xpresso Book Tours through NetGalley and this review is based on my own opinion.

Racing for redemption is a book about Colton Racing, once F1's glory but now just a backmarker team.
Violet Colton takes over as a team principal and CEO to save her fathers legacy.
William Foster, second in the F2 championship but determined to get an F1 seat.
The two of them make a great team, but can it stay professional?

I've read quite a couple of F1 romances but wow... this one is gonna be on the list of my favorites.
It's fast-paced, entertaining, has a unique F1 setting and the racing chapters are thrilling and so exciting, it makes you cheer for the team yourself.

You really will start to feel emotionally connected with the characters, the team and their building relationships.

This book is written for you if you like: Formula 1, thrilling and exciting racing parts, romance, slow burn, fast paced and a little bit of spice.

Vanessa F. Silva pulls readers straight into the high-octane world of Formula 1—fast-paced, gripping, and vividly real with the exhilarating start of the A Backmarker Love trilogy, Racing for Redemption.
Even as someone new to F1, I didn’t find the glossary necessary. Silva’s seamless writing effortlessly explains the sport’s intensity, making every turn of the track easy to follow and hard to put down.
Violet’s fierce determination won me over instantly, and Blake? The ultimate wingman with just the right amount of calm to balance her fire.
Violet and Williams' dynamic is magnetic, and watching them grow—individually and together—was deeply satisfying. That said, I do wish there had been a bit more focus on the romance. With this being the first in a trilogy, I’m hopeful we'll see that emotional connection deepen.
Thank you NetGalley and Vanessa, I can't wait to see what’s next for our couple and the entire racing team.

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this arc! i loved this! it was so much more than racing and more about heart and soul. the fmc was so awesome. she didnt let anything get her down. i loved it and would recommend it.

Arc review!

I absolutely loved this book.
And what made it better for me personally was that I was reading this book while being at the Belgium Grand Prix waiting for the next thing to see.
It really captures the sport in a good way & you can feel the love the author has for the sport.

I really liked the characters and their growth through the book.
I adored the mmc, he just has that something I look for in books.
The storyline is amazing, and easy to read through.

The fact that there is a page with the terms for people who don't really know much about f1 or just want a remember page is amazing.

I can't wait for the next book in this series.

Thank you so much for everyone involved for the arc!
The author is really nice! (spoke to her on TikTok) which I just want to say. You are doing amazing!

This is what the F1 movie could’ve been.

I know this the first book in a trilogy with these characters so the romance was on the slower side. But all in all this was a good book. The knowledge and detail on F1 shows a lot of dedication which is very admirable. These are characters you want to root for. The fact that they don’t go from the very back to the very front of the grid adds, in my opinion to the realism. The fact there wasn’t really much in the way of conflict might not appeal to some but it works to show the long game the author is working to create.

So I got this off netgalley to do like a palette cleansing. I do a lot of the darker side but I also like to read other books. Going in I thought it would be heavily focused on just racing but it’s soooo much more. Finding love when you don’t expect it, keeping her father’s legacy and so much more. I would prefer to not give any spoilers but I’ll say this. The story was great! Being able to have racing themes going with the story and it all flow and make sense made it all the more better. That’s right people our author did some research and put real terms and what not out there. Anywho, if you’re into race car drivers and love give this a read!

Racing for Redemptions by Vanessa F. Silva was such an amazing book. An F1 team on the brink of losing it all takes a wild chance on an F2 driver that is known for being a hot head and won’t even be considered by any other F1 team. The driver has dreamed of driving for F1 and when he sees an opportunity to help the team and join F1 he shoots his shot.

The FMC is ridiculously strong and an inspiration. She is living in a man’s world. She is constantly belittled and put down but she comes back fighting harder. All she wants to do is make her dad proud. She makes an incredibly risky deal with the board of the team that risks her position and might have her leave the team and her father’s legacy behind. Can this unlikely duo bring this team back to glory?

I love the raw emotion in this book. The author gets you to feel the chaos, the overwhelming need to achieve something. She expresses the thrill of the race and inner turmoil of the characters exquisitely. I truly have nothing negative to say about this book! It was an all around great read.

Review: Racing for Redemption by Vanessa F. Silva

As a Formula 1 obsessive, this book was everything. The atmosphere, the rivalries, the pressure of race weekends—it all felt so real, like I was sitting pit-side with my heart in my throat. Racing for Redemption isn’t just about cars and circuits—it’s about legacy, ambition, second chances, and the kind of chemistry that slowly burns hotter with every chapter.

Violet is such a force—sharp, determined, and fighting to reclaim her father’s F1 empire in a world that constantly underestimates her. And William? Instantly lovable. He’s scrappy, cocky, and so clearly aching for someone to believe in him again. Their push-and-pull was addicting, full of slow-burn tension and real emotional stakes.

Watching Colton Racing claw its way back from the bottom with Violet and William at the heart of it was so satisfying. This story had grit, passion, and so much heart. I couldn’t get enough—and I can’t wait to follow this team all the way to the finish line.