Madly Driven was a 5⭐️ read for me. I didn’t put it down from the moment I picked it up. Besides the -enemies to lovers and -fake relationship (turned to real feelings) tropes this book was also layered with the perfect amount of family/friends drama hurt and healing. I enjoyed the: - 🏁✊🏾 racing representation - career driven FMC and so much more!

I absolutely loved this book! The storyline and plot felt so fresh compared to the typical romance reads I’m used to. It gives frienemies to lovers with a sports twist, and I was completely here for it.
Kens and Canaan are easily my favorite couple of 2026 so far. Their dynamic was everything. What really stood out to me was how the story highlighted the importance of not carrying past relationship trauma or even things we’ve picked up from our parents into something new.
I also loved how it showed that real connections can come when you least expect them. Watching a forced fake relationship slowly turn into something genuine and full of love kept me hooked the entire time.
Beautifully written and such a refreshing read, especially for my first time reading this author.

I absolutely adored this book. This is my first time reading a Tiye book. Kensie and Canaan went to college together and can't stand one another. Canaan is a cocky NASCAR driver. Kenzie is a love guru, writer, and PhD candidate. They bump into each other in Jamaica in a spa room and have a tryst. When they return to the states and run into one another again and their encounter is leaked to the public. They embark on a fake relationship that quickly becomes real to salvage their careers and public personas. I loved how they really got to know one another on a level besides physical. I didn't like how Canaan seemed to think his career was more important that Kensie's but I was happy to see that he realized the error of his ways. I always say that proper communication can avoid and solve problems and that was demonstrated well in the book. I can't wait to read more stories bye Tiye.

This book does not let you get comfortable, and that’s exactly why it works.

Kensie and Canaan are chaos. Their dynamic reflects the ebbs and flows of life and love. While it's fraught with control issues, emotional wounds, and a need to protect themselves at all costs, there's still immense respect and admiration between the two. It’s a recipe for tension, and this story leans all the way in.

What makes it compelling is how nonlinear everything feels. The push and pull, the progress and setbacks, all mirror real relationships more than the polished versions we often see in romance. The growth isn’t clean. The love isn’t easy. It's a messy, frustrating, and ultimately satisfying journey. A must-read for readers who appreciate a thought-provoking, restorative road to love.

ARC Review - Release Date: June 30, 2026

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Madly Driven by Tiye is a compelling and emotionally layered enemies-to-lovers romance that delivers on tension, chemistry, and character growth.

The story follows Kensie, a social media influencer, and Canaan, a professional race car driver, who enter into a fake engagement that neither of them expects to turn real. What begins as a strategic arrangement quickly evolves into something deeper as both characters are forced to confront their pasts, trust issues, and emotional walls.

Both Kensie and Canaan are strong-willed and guarded, which makes their dynamic feel authentic and engaging. Their banter is sharp, their chemistry is undeniable, and the tension between them carries consistently throughout the story. Canaan’s stubborn, alpha personality is balanced by the softer side he reveals over time, particularly in his interactions with Kensie. Kensie, on the other hand, remains grounded and firm in who she is, which adds depth to their connection.

One of the strongest aspects of this novel is its focus on growth. Rather than “fixing” one another, Kensie and Canaan challenge and support each other, allowing their relationship to develop naturally. Watching them break down their emotional barriers and build trust made the payoff especially satisfying.

Overall, Madly Driven is a well-paced, character-driven romance with strong emotional depth and an engaging storyline. Readers who enjoy enemies-to-lovers, fake dating/engagement tropes, and slow-burn relationships will find this to be a rewarding read. I read this in one day, which speaks to how engaging and well-paced the story was.

Absolutely incredible. The tension. Flawless. The banter. Amazingly witty. The heat. Scorching. A wonderful book with even better characters. I loved the storyline and the vulnerability between Kensie and Canaan. They are such a passionate couple and I love to see Black love being shown loud and proud.

Still new to reading romance books but this one did not disappoint. I loved the characters and how it showcased so many different types of love - friendships, relationships, marriage, family, kids!. It hit all of these different struggles in one book. Life is messy and navigating it is always complicated and we may not always make the right choices, but as humans, we do what we can depending on what we have at that moment in time and hope it turns out.

Baby Author Tiye did NOT come to play with this one 🔥

I just finished my ARC of *Madly Driven* and whew… get ready for an emotional rollercoaster because she is taking you THROUGH IT, okay?! 😩

The way Tiye writes?? So real, so raw, and so relatable. Watching the characters unpack their past hurts, face their trauma, and finally start healing… yeah, it hit deep. Especially those feelings of abandonment, not feeling loved by your parents, and questioning your worth—she handled that with so much honesty.

What I loved most is the reminder that we ALL deserve love. Real, unconditional love. And even with everything we’ve been through, healing is possible—but you gotta be willing to open up and do the work.

Y’all already know… Tiye don’t miss 💯

Make sure you go ahead and preorder *Madly Driven* dropping June 30th! You do NOT want to miss this one.

Thank you to Tiye and NetGalley for the ARC 💕

Honestly enjoyed this book so much. I found myself cackling out loud. The banter between cannon and Kenzie was so good. I’m a sucker for an enemies to lovers. I usually don’t like the fake dating but this was done so well and tasteful. I love that Kenzie was happy on her own, she had and established career and n author and also continued her education. She had mapped out career goals. She was happy with her life already. I also loved that cannon was just a nascar car racer her had a chemical engineer degree and used that to create a company and create generational wealth. So he didn’t have to race he could have explored other dreams. This story had me intrigued the whole time. It was a good time.

📚 On Casey’s Bookshelf

Book: 76
Dates read: 04.14.2026 – 04.15.2026
Title: Madly Driven
Author: Tiye
Format: digital ARC

#caseysbookshelf

Baby one thing for sure, two for certain, I am Tiye Love’s number one fan. Even when she has me emotionally wrecked, I know she will put the pieces back together and build me up with a beautiful HEA. Now while this one did not have me crying in the corner, it absolutely gave me all the feels. And look… I ain’t even gonna hold you. If you see a Tiye book on my account, you ain’t even gotta read the review. It’s 4 or 5 stars every time. And yes, I check my bias. The ratings are truly earned.

It’s no secret fake dating is my favorite trope and enemies to lovers is my LEAST favorite. One thing you will never catch me doing is spinning the block. But somehow… Tiye slid both tropes in here and made me open my mind just a little bit. Because yeah… I liked it.

Kensie and Canaan start off in pure tension and bad decisions, and before they can even catch their breath, they’re in a fake engagement trying to clean up a mess that only gets messier. What I loved is that their chemistry doesn’t feel forced. It builds through conflict, through ego, through two people who are used to being in control realizing they don’t have control over this.

And the growth? That’s where the story really shines. This isn’t about fixing each other. It’s about confronting your own baggage and choosing to show up differently. Watching them break down those walls and actually do the work made the payoff hit.

This is messy, emotional, high-chemistry romance with characters that will have you talking to the book… but still rooting for them to get it together.

Another Tiye win, per yooj.

Thank you Black Odyssey for the NetGalley #giftedcopy in exchange for an honest review. This title releases June 30th. Be sure to add it to your preorder list!

Another book off the shelf. We keep reading with intention. 📚

Tiye absolutely ate with this one.

Madly Driven pulled me in fast and never really let me breathe. Between the tension, the secrets, the emotional walls, and trying to figure out what exactly was happening beneath the surface of these characters, I stayed locked in from beginning to end. This was my very first race car driver romance and honestly? I get the hype now.

Kensie and Canaan are messy in the best way possible. Their connection starts off sharp, complicated, and full of conflict, but the chemistry never feels forced. Every interaction feels loaded with something unspoken, which made the emotional payoff hit even harder later on. The fake engagement trope was done so well because it never felt overly cheesy or unbelievable. Instead, it felt like two people trying to stay in control while everything around them slowly spiraled.

What surprised me most was the suspense element woven throughout the story. There’s this constant feeling that something bigger is happening behind the scenes, and I found myself trying to piece everything together right alongside the characters. The emotional tension and the outside pressure balanced each other perfectly.

And let me just say this: Canaan? Whew. Stubborn, frustrating, protective, layered. Exactly the kind of character that will have you rolling your eyes one chapter and rooting for him the next.

What I appreciated most is that this story wasn’t about “saving” each other. It was about growth, accountability, trust, and learning how to let somebody in without losing yourself in the process.

This was emotional, dramatic, romantic, and surprisingly addictive. I flew through it because every chapter gave me another reason to keep going.

Huge thank you to Black Odyssey and NetGalley for the advanced reader copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher and the author for allowing me to ARC this book.

When I say TIYE did her thing on this one! I just loved the banter and chemistry between Canaan and Kensie! At time they both had me screaming at my Kindle like why are you messing up!? The book flowed so well and I could feel every emotion that Kensie and Canaan were experiencing. I love the fact that you explored how childhood trauma can be passed in the relationships that you create with others.

I’m anxious to see if Malcolm gets a story too! I would love a grumpy x next door girl love story.