Really great book - while the general kay of the book is largely easy to suss it doesn't take away from how fun the journey to get there is. See a lot of this trope, but this was a favourite.

3.75 stars
she was fun and a bit spicy

Chapter 12, 24 & 28 had descriptive open door spice. But not throughout the entire chapter. There was course language throughout
The sunshine x sunshine (dual-pov) trope was lots of fun and the characters were very loveable! It’s a happy book and felt relatively stress-free! I enjoyed how f1 was written about and it was fun reading from the perspective of the driver Dev. It was vibrant and fun. I didn’t love that it was hard to keep track of all the characters (particularly the other drivers) and the 🌶️ was a bit much for me (I prefer closed-door personally) but it didn’t rival the plot.

this was my first formula 1 romance, i don't know much about f1 but i really
enjoyed this.

the characters were so lovable and easy to enjoy, i wish we saw more of willow's disability and how it affects her but the way dev takes care of her was beautiful

You can always find me next to a f1 romance!

I adored this book and everything was so, so perfect: the setting, the main characters and especially the plot!

I adored Dev and I truly think he is the perfect book boyfriend, there was not a single thing in him that I would change. He is obsessed with her in the most cute way possible.

The f1 world was really well introduced - in a way that I truly think if you are not into the sport you will enjoy this book as well!

It’s a fast paced story and so, so enjoyable - hard to believe it’s Simoni’s first book!

I finished this book with the urge to find someone that will support my macarron obsession as well.

This was a cute read.
Loved that it was dual POV, I feel like we definitely got more of Dev than Willow but because he was so down bad for our girl I didn’t mind.
I think my rating is simply because i don’t like friends to lovers , I don’t like when the characters have all this history together that im not privy to.
I liked Dev’s F1 storyline and the message of leaving places/jobs you’re not appreciated at and can’t see potential for growth in.

I would read another book from this author

Dev is an F1 driver who has gotten himself into some hot water. He found himself in a scandal and his social media presence is a disaster. At a party in Monaco he bumps into Willow, who is freshly graduated and looking for a job in sports marketing. He sees a perfect opportunity, Willow can help him fix his image and he can give her a job to put on her resume, to find a job afterwards. There is just 1 big problem, one she is his best friend's little sister, and 7 months ago they kissed after a drunken night out and neither of them have stopped things about it.

Dev and Willow have not talked about that night, and have chosen to ignore it. With this working arrangement they vow to keep it strictly professional. As tensions rise and the season goes on it gets harder to ignore their chemistry, even with so much on the line.

As a F1 girlie, and a romance girlie this hit just right for me. I have read a few F1 romances and this is by far, leaps and bounds my favourite. There was so much complexity to the characters and their struggles. Having both characters being people of colour, and Willow have a disability she has to live with but still lives a full life. I felt the chemistry between the characters, and the conflict in the book felt very natural and not unrealistic or forced. I follow a lot of the behind the scenes of F1 and this felt very true to the sport and the going-ons. Just a fabulous book all around and I cannot wait for more from this series and author.

Every time I read an F1 romance, I fall more and more in love with the sport! And this one’s extra special coz it has so many Bollywood references. My desi, F1 loving heart devoured this book!

Dev is the dreamiest book boyfriend, he’s witty, over-the-top romantic and an absolute pookie (please see my annotations for reference) I fell for him at the very start and my love kept growing through the book. Willow on the other hand, made me want to switch careers and join F1 (does any driver need a social media manager? I’m available!) she’s a wonderful character that will make you love her.

The sexual tension between the two characters after sharing one drunken kiss is so intense, you can almost feel it radiating through the book! What starts off as a ‘We can only be friends’ relationship quickly takes a turn when they realise they’re both crazy for eachother. The little things that Dev did for Willow made my heart melt!

I also adored the other characters in the book, especially Willow’s brother. I loved how accepting he was of his sister dating his best friend.

Simone has crafted this story so beautifully, the characters are perfect, the writing is excellent and the spice is spicy enough to make you swoon and fan yourself!

CTL follows Willow and Dev who’ve grown up together as Dev is one of Willow’s brother, Oakley’s, best friends. after they share a forbidden kiss in the past they end up drifting and not speaking for years. they eventually cross paths again and Dev offers her a position to help do damage control and improve his image.
the slow burn of their relationship was the best part, they cared for each other and supported each other and made the other feel seen and held off on their feelings in favour of making Oakley happy. but they reached a point where they couldn’t contain their emotions and caved.

they were a very sweet couple plus the friendship between these two was so heartwarming.
Dev was hilarious and you could definitely tell that they made each other the best version of themselves. Dev was also so attentive towards Willow and was always taking care of her whether she asked or not and i absolutely adored that. also him flying in macaroons for her because she loves them??? ABSOLUTE SLAYYY
Dev is the definition of a golden retriever man. he’s kind, funny, sexy and absolute perfection 🔥🔥

ALSO THE POC REP IN AN F1 ROMANCE??! i’m so here for it, my south asian side was loving all the Bollywood references! the author also showcased Willow’s chronic illness and her struggle very well! it’s definitely an easy read whether you know much about f1 or not!

overall it was a sweet sports romance with a little bit of steam! i would say it’s a great place to start if you’re just getting into f1 romances!

read if you love:
🏎️ sports romance (f1)
🏎️ brothers best friend
🏎️ forced proximity
🏎️ forbidden romance
🏎️ POC characters (south asian mmc & black fmc)
🏎️ chronic illness rep
🏎️ dual pov

i’ve always loved and supported Simone’s work from the beginning and i’m so excited to see what she does next!

thank you to the author and netgallery UK for the earc copy in exchange for an honest review <3

As someone who adores watching F1, it makes me happy to not only read an accurate F1 book but also find it so enjoyable! Simone Soltani's writing is so addicting, and I loved how she incorporated so much of her culture into both Willow and Dev. F1 tends to be primarily white, and so getting to read about a Desi boy in F1 and a Black social media woman in F1, it's very special.

First of all thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A heartwarming dual-POV F1 romance with a sunshine x sunshine pairing. It was different to F1 romances I have read in the past. Also a very well done Brother's best friend romance with good representation. While she fell first, I do love the fact that he fell much much harder. Also have to love the chronic illness rep.

This book was so good. Just the right amount of tension, lots of cute moments as well as a nice amount of spice. This slow burn was so worth it and I would definitely recommend.

this book was such a big anticipated read for me and it didn’t disappoint! i was so excited when i received the arc, so thank you so much!

the characters were amazing and the plot was so fun to read!! willow and dev are everything to me and i love that they have a bit of history and harboured some feelings for one another, it just added so much more to the story and tension! i also really loved the brothers best friend and friends to lovers so it both added a little to the forbidden romance aspect

A fabulous F1 romance, with wonderful chemistry between the characters, a really hot slow burn with cute kisses and eventual scorching spice.

I like the brother's best friend trope a lot, and really enjoyed the perfect amounts of secrecy and tension here.

Big props for the multicultural aspects with both MCs being biracial, and Willow's chronic illness - which never held her back, and the portrayal was very realistic.

The only reason it wasn't a 5 star read for me, is the epilogue. So much action was left for the very end, it felt almost like that scene was written and forgotten about, then just added as an afterthought. Otherwise it was pretty much perfect, and I loved it.

This was a sweet romance and I learned a lot about formula one! However, I previously knew nothing about formula one. For example it was news to me there are multiple formulas.

This book was a really sweet romance read and I'm looking forward to more from this author! It was fun and also very romantic.

This was an enjoyable little formula 1 romance. I liked the brother's best friend aspect of the story and the fact that she was his PR agent. I loved seeing a black fmc and south asian mmc.

I really enjoyed the setup of the subplot about racism in the formula 1 industry. Unfortunately, I felt that this was never really resolved, the male protagonist simply extricated himself from the environment without any consequences for the very real crimes he was a victim of.

Sadly, I did not quite feel the chemistry between these two characters. I felt as though I was being told why they were falling for each other instead of getting to see it for myself. The reasons they shouldn't be together also became more silly and contrived a she story went on.

Ultimately, I did have fun with this book though and it was a quick read that I would recommend for fans of formula 1 romance.

This was so different to what I usually read and I absolutely loved it! The romance was cute and the amount of squeals that came out of me was unreal. Cross the Line has kick-started my love of sports romances.

I am a sucker for sports romances, especially when F1 is involved, so it is safe to say this this book was right up my alley.

I'm not usually one for slow burn, but in this case it was worth the wait. I loved that Dev and Willow had a past before we got into the story, and I loved even more that it was a Brothers Best Friend trope. The characters were so well written that it was impossible to not love them, especially the side characters.

The way Dev supports Willow and cares for her melted my heart, and watching as their relationship progressed had me turning the pages quicker than I was physically able to read. I was sucked in from the first page.

Sometimes, F1 books lack enough F1, but this book had the perfect balance of F1 and romance.

i was thoroughly impressed and cannot wait to delve into more of Simone Soltani's work. 5 Stars!

‘The theme here isn’t depression – it’s Shah Rukh Khan.’

Yes, that is my favourite quote from the book, thanks for asking.

I've been waiting to read this since it was announced, then a few days before it was supposed to be out, we got the news it was getting traditionally published and the wait would be longer. I was lucky enough to be given an arc and I'm happy to report I had lots of fun with this book.

The F1 aspect of it felt accurate (and a bit exaggerated in certain parts), though I think we could've gotten more of it to balance things out. I would've preferred this to be 50% F1, 50% romance, but it's okay.

For a debut author, Soltani's writing is strong, I was easily drawn into the world and had no trouble getting through the book. I'd say it's a slower paced read though, and the romance is kind of a slow burn.

One thing about the romance that didn't really work was how scared they both were of her brother finding out, and then that happened and it wasn't a big deal at all...and trust me I'm happy it wasn't, and that we didn't get a third act breakup (that I figured was going to start off that way), but it felt a bit anticlimactic when it was all out in the open.

The rest of it was cute, especially the Bollywood movie nights (hence the quote at the top of my review, hah). It was a really light read for the most part, until that ending...

I should've seen it coming based on the beginning, but I really DID NOT. I was sitting there thinking no way is this happening and then it did and it was just so chaotic and not really something suited for the end of a book?

Unless if it had set up some sort of cliffhanger which would be continued in the next one, but this one had to have an ending so...I think it was rushed through and it would've been better if it had happened a few chapters earlier so the characters could process it properly.

Still though my overall impression is a positive one. I love the diversity included, like the food, the wedding, the way he calls her "jaanu".

I'd recommend this to both F1 fans who want a little romance, and those who aren't fans but think the book might sound interesting. Also, this has Hannah Grace vibes (but less steamy) so if you liked any of her books you'll probably like this too.

Lastly, I hope we'll get more books in this world, the potential is definitely there.

*Thank you to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*

SUCH A CUTE BOOK!!!

A list of things I loved:
- the f1 scenes. They were so fun it was like watching an actual race the writing was that good
- how he was an underdog coz we gotta see him fight to win and who doesn’t love an underdog story
- devs love of Bollywood which he shares with Willow
- how obsessed he is with her
- how much she loves him. That driver room bit. Nearly cried.
- all the rep
- the love confessions

They are just so damn cute and I would go to war for them.

The chemistry between Dev and Willow is undeniable.

Willow is such a charismatic character, and Dev was an MMC who warmed my heart. I loved seeing how much he cared for and looked after Willow.

The banter was perfect. The slow burn was really well done.

This is a cute read with just the right amount of drama.

Thank you so much, NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for sending me this ARC.