I would like to thank Netgalley and Pan McMillan for an early arc copy of Cross the Line.
This is right up there with my favourite reads this year! I could t stop reading it and it only took me three days (very quick for me)
This was the F1 romance I've been craving. It has the perfect amount of F1 drama, romance and spice! I fell completely in love with the main characters and the supporting characters too. It was so well written and I loved the Indian culture and how it is highlighted in this book.
In Cross the Line we follow Willow and Dev through the formula 1 season and with a bubbling romance which has so many reasons why it shouldn't happen brings intense love, spice and romance to the surface. It's the perfect fell in love with my brother's friend troupe set in the wonderful world of F1.
I want more! My favourite F1 romance!

4.5⭐️

When I saw the cover on Instagram I knew I needed to get my hands on this book!

As a lover of f1 this really didn’t disappoint.
I loved the rep both diversity & chronic illness wise. The tropes were some of my favourites! Brothers best friend always get me!

Overall a really great read & can’t wait to see more from Simone in the future!

Thank you for the Arc!✨

"𝑭𝒐𝒓 𝒐𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆, 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒅𝒔𝒇𝒂𝒊𝒍 𝒎𝒆. 𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕’𝒔 𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒕 𝑾𝒊𝒍𝒍𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒊𝒕𝒉.
𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒈𝒐𝒐𝒅 𝒍𝒖𝒄𝒌 𝒄𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒎, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒔𝒉𝒆’𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒔𝒐𝒏 𝑰 𝒌𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒉𝒐 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒑𝒆𝒆𝒄𝒉𝒍𝒆𝒔𝒔."

(ES)

Desde que vi la portada de este libro, sabía que quería leerlo, así que tener la oportunidad de recibir el e-arc fue increible, aunque el formato que me enviaron estaba desordenado y eso hizo que mi lectura se volviera más pesada, pero, aun así este libro fue un 5⭐️ para mi

Si hay algo que amo leer, son los sport romance y no es un secreto, pero leer libros donde tenemos a un corredor de la F1, me gusta aun más, en esta historia tenemos a Dev, un corredor de F1 que esta pasando un mal momento en su carrera después de un escándalo, su equipo esta molesto y sus patrocinadores a punto de dejarlo, lo que él no sabe es que la única persona que podría salvar su carrera, es la misma persona a la que besó hace 1 año y a quien no ha dejado de pensar desde entonces

Por otro lado tenemos a Willow, una chica recien graduada de la universidad que no ha logrado conseguir un trabajo (sé como se siente Willow) ella siempre ha querido trabajar en el mundo de los deportes, así que cuando Dev le propone darle un trabajo temporal que podría impulsar su carrera, ella claramente acepta.

La quimica que tienen estos dos es única, y como no si se conocen de toda la vida, ver el desarrollo de sus personajes a través de todo el libro, leer como su relación avanza paso a paso y los detalles que tienen el uno con el otro me hizo sonreír durante todo el libro.

En lo personal amé a ambos mcs, pero Dev se robó mi corazón cada vez que llamaba amuleto de la suerte a Willow, eso no podría ser más tiernoooooo, es que de verdad, la relación entre ambos es por lo cual yo amo leer romance, es la representación perfecta de lo que busco siempre en los libros y sin duda, este se ha vuelto uno de mis favoritos.

Hablemos también del increible trabajo que hizo Simone al darnos tantos detalles y dejar ver que ella si sabe acerca de lo que escribe, no solo nos dio una historia, nos dio catedra de lo que es la F1 y todo lo que gira en torno a ello, los detalles y los guiños a ciertas cosas que suceden con la vida real le dieron un mega plus a la historia e hizo que la disfrutara mucho más.

Sentí que el final podía cortarse un poco más rápido, pero no me quejo, es un gran libro

(EN)

Since I saw the cover of this book, I knew I wanted to read it, so having the opportunity to receive the e-arc was incredible, although the format was a little messy and that made my reading more difficult, but, this book was a 5⭐️ for me

If there´s something I love to read, it´s sports romance and it isn´t a secret, but having books where we have an F1 racer, I like that even more, in this story we have Dev, an F1 racer who is going through a bad moment in his career after a scandal, his team is upset and his sponsors are about to leave him, what he doesn't know is that the only person who could save his career is the same person he kissed 1 year ago and whom he hasn't stopped thinking since then

On the other hand we have Willow, a girl who recently graduated from university who has not been able to get a job (I know how it feels Willow, I understand you) she has always wanted to work in the world of sports, so when Dev proposes giving her a temporary job, she clearly agrees.

The chemistry that these two have is unique, and of course if they have known each other all their lives, read the development of their characters throughout the entire book, read how their relationship progresses step by step and the details that they have with each other made me smile throughout the book.

Personally, I loved both mcs, but Dev stole my heart every time he called Willow a lucky charm, that couldn't be cuter, really, the relationship between the two is why I love reading romance, It is the perfect representation of what I always look for in books and without a doubt, this has become one of my favorites.

Let's also talk about the incredible job that Simone did by giving us so many details and showing that she does know what she is writing about, not only did she give us a story, she gave us a lesson on what F1 is and everything that revolves around it. , the details and the nods to certain things that happen in real life gave a mega plus to the story and made me enjoy it much more.

I felt like the ending could have been cut a little quicker, but I'm not complaining, it's a great book.

Thank you to the author, Simone Soltani and NetGalley for providing me with this e-arc in exchange for an honest review

If you know me you know I love F1 and romance and this was such a good pairing of my two favourite things. This book made me laugh and smile. The characters are so well written this book has more of a plot than other F1 romances I have read before.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of Cross the Line.

This book has been all over social media for months so I jumped at the chance to read it early and it was a great debut.

This was the first f1 book I’ve ever read and while I won’t be running to read another one anytime soon, that side of it was pretty enjoyable.

I struggled a bit with the pace and found the first half (maybe even a bit more than that) was a bit slow and I struggled to get into it a first but once I did, I had the best time.

I loved Dev and Willow! I particularly appreciated their great communication and the way they were always honest with each other about what they wanted. I also enjoyed that there wasn’t a lot of the drama that usually comes with the brother’s best friend trope.

3.5/5 stars

This is why I love reading romance books! Not gonna lie I'm getting a little fed up of the brooding borderline misogynistic grumpy guy we keep seeing in the genre and this was a great example that your MMC doesn't have to be an a-hole! Dev and Willow were just so sweet and cute and fun I loved it. And he got her macarons?!?! That's a neon green flag if I ever saw one ma'am. And don't worry I have ZERO interest in F1 (still don't lmao) but I didn't get lost in all the new terms or anything so you're good on that part. 4.5 stars

I did not finish this book. It was very hard for me to continue so I decided to stop reading it for now.

I didn’t feel the connection between the main characters because for me it was like they wanted to be together because they couldn’t. They were told that they couldn’t be together by the female main character’s, brother, and because of all the tension they got from that “ban” they wanted to so badly, and this kind of ruined magic for me so I didn’t feel the need to continue to find what will happen next.

They were always hiding, which is understandable but when they told each other that they wanted to be together everybody knew except the female main character’s brother, which was kind of strange because they were grown people and they just had to talk to each other and tell him and tell him the truth so they can decide whether they should even start in the first place. But they started seeing each other and being together and developing some feelings and after that, they wanted to tell the brother which was kind of a miscommunication thing, and this annoyed me because throughout the whole book, it was Back-and-forth about whether they should tell him or not, and whether they should be together or not, and it was kind of the same, which I didn’t like.

Maybe I will continue it in the future, but for now, it feels like an obligation to continue, and I don’t want to finish it like that because this will reflect on my rating. I will rate it 2,5/5 stars for now but this might change when I finish it.

Whew, what a ride! The push and pull between Dev and Willow is delicious and their chemistry insane. I could never get into F1 growing up (it was a constant in my household, to my displeasure) but I could definitely get into this book. With danger, sabotage, and reputations at risk, there’s plenty to keep reading for - plus the romance, of course! It was great to see Willow and Dev’s relationship developing emotionally, and how they understand and support each other but also know how to have a good time together as friends before the physical side of their relationship develops. Their longing and wanting was a little addictive and had me hooked.

There are some great characters in this book, and I love Dev’s relationships with his friends and with other F1 drivers. It was difficult to like Willow’s brother Oakley, but perhaps that’s more the way Willow and Dev viewed him than his actual character - hard to say.

The book could be slow in places and so at times I struggled to pick it back up but I’m still rating it a solid 4 stars because I did love the chemistry, the relationship building between Willow and Dev, the interactions with Mark and Chava, Simone Solani's writing style, and finally finding F1 interesting (maybe all the sport is missing is romance?).

I received a free copy of this book. All views are my own.

I started rereading Cross the Line a couple days ago, and decided to hold off until I got access to the audiobook on NetGalley since I have already read the book and wanted to experience the characters brought to life!

Rating — ♾️

Cross the Line was my favourite book last year and it’s probably going to be my favourite book of this year too! I loved revisiting Dev and Willow’s love story and I will never get over just how well everything works together in this story. Simone’s writing is so special and absolutely incredible, I can’t not recommend it!

This book is truly for everyone, even if you’re not particularly into the romance genre (or F1) — if you want to get a foot in the door, Willow and Dev are the perfect guides. After Dev’s reputation is tarnished by a disgruntled employee, he enlists the help of his best friend’s sister Willow to help redeem his reputation. With both Dev and Willow determined to keep their relationship strictly professional they have to ignore what’s already between them.

Willow is one of my favourite FMCs ever in a romance, she’s an incredibly sweet and driven woman who has so much love for everyone around her (and macarons) — Not to mention she is an incredible example of disability rep and has Dev wrapped around her finger. Which brings me to Dev who also happens to be one of my favourite MMCs in a book EVER, Dev is understanding and respectful whilst also being absolutely hilarious (be prepared for some of his one liners) and the way he cares yet still believes in Willow’s capabilities makes me love him all the more.

-f1 romance
-slowburn
-brothers best friend
-kind of forbidden

This was such an adorable read. Everything about this was so sweet and lovely to read!

The representation is done so well. It was so nice to see the different culture and how everything is done differently especially the wedding was written so lovely and it described the culture so well.

The slow burn between Willow and Dev was literally what was needed in this. This shows how much they actually cared for each other at the end of the story. Having to read Dev’s pov of him falling in love with Willow was done so beautifully, the way he cares so much for Willow. The way he loved everything about Willow and how he described her every single time was so charming. Willow is so sweet and so supportive of Dev, while Dev is also very supportive and treats her with so much care.

I also liked the way Willow’s disability is shown. Even though she deals with hypermobility, no one has treated her like she wasn’t capable of doing anything she wanted. Everyone was so supportive and understanding especially Dev.

The best part about this book is that there’s no third act breakup!!!

Thanks, NetGalley and the Publisher for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This book is the brother’s best friend trope at its best! Although a slow burn, the chemistry and tension between Dev and Willow was off the charts and I loved every second of it as their relationship developed. She fell first but he definitely fell harder. Dev was so sweet and protective and caring about Willow and it was adorable. Great representation. The F1 part of the story was ok for me but sadly I didn’t find it as compelling as other sports romances. I’m sure others will enjoy it though. The ending was slightly stressful and then wrapped up quickly. (Is there going to be a second book?) Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the read.

This was a fun and sweet read! The tension between the characters was great and I LOVED the representation.
The pining and heat were probably my favorite part and I never felt that any of it was forced or artificial, the story and the evolution of the characters’ feelings flowed naturally.
While I wasn’t completely hooked and felt a burning need to read it in one sitting, these are characters that I found myself easily rooting for and an exciting world that I loved exploring with them. It felt really wholesome and was light on the angst, I enjoyed myself right from the very first page.

Yes!!! Finally another F1 romance book I have devoured and loved every second of it.

All the mix of cultures, the banter, the friendships and accurate family traditions are just refreshing. I adored and was rooting for Dev and Willow every second of the way.
This is perfect for the forbidden love and slow burn girlies who get annoyed when the characters don’t go in the direction they want them to but also relieved because it was only 40% in. But, get you someone who will buy all 200 different macarons flavors just because he can, and because he loves to see you happy eating them.

I am so hoping to get an insight into Mark’s or even Oakley’s love life because I NEED MORE!!

thank you to Netgalley and Simone Soltani for an arc in exchange for an honest review!

This is my first formula 1 romance and i must say it was really enjoyable. Its a slow burn, brothers best friend story and I just felt it was written so well. I enjoyed the dual pov that really gives us insight into what they were thinking.

Willow and Dev were just the perfect characters and I enjoyed the side characters as well

Highly recommend!

The ANGST I feel while reading oh moly, stop it

Simone you can have all my money if you are going to keep writing characters like this that make me feel so much!!!

I’m not saying I want Willow to be my best friend, but I’m not not saying it either… I just love that girl. And there’s not much to be said about Dev. I mean his sincerity and clear adoration of Willow was to die for!! Just 10/10 perfection. The tension was insane and I loved how the situation with Oakley being a tad overly protective of Willow was handled towards the end of the book!

I loved Dev’s little friendship / work group and I am very excited to hopefully see more of them in upcoming books!

F1 romances just hit different and this one will have you giggling and kicking your feet and, of course, crying

R E V I E W

Cross the Line by Simone Soltani

☆☆☆☆.5

Advanced reader copy graciously provided by Pan Macmillan via Netgalley.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I'm a big fan of sports romance in general, so I knew that the author wouldn't steer me wrong (if you don't mind my pun) with a Formula 1 narrative.

This was a slow-burn, brother's best friend romance - but it was also so much more than that. In addition to these beloved tropes and some very well-written intimate moments (frankly, i'd like to kiss Dev Anderson at this point), this book also features a female main character with a chronic illness and a diverse ensemble of characters with different ethnic backgrounds.

Willow Williams has been in love with Dev Anderson for the better part of her life. But as his best friend's little sister, she's aware that this crush has always been one-sided. That is, until she inadvertently reveals her childhood feelings to the man himself during a drunken birthday outing... And he is absolutely blindsided by the information.

Dev Anderson is a popular guy. He has a lot of friends, and as an attractive, decently-performing F1 driver, he has no shortage of female admirers. But when Willow Williams drunkenly reveals that she's always had a thing for him, Dev's whole world spins on its axis, and he cannot seem to get her off his mind. Embarrassed for failing to see what was right in front of him, Dev kisses her, and it's a kiss that changes everything for him. But no sooner has he realised this than Willow is withdrawing, saying it was a mistake that ought to be forgotten and ultimately leaving him, and later his car, wrecked.

Seven silent months later, Willow has just graduated with a degree in sports marketing, but with no job opportunities to show for it, she is in a headspin. Meanwhile, Dev is having problems of his own after a disgruntled employee attacks him via social media, leVing his reputation in tatters. When a chance run-in with Willow reveals a possible solution for them both, Dev hires her to help fix his image and in return, she can gain the experience she needs to get a leg up in the industry. All they need to do is keep things professional for 6 weeks and not cross that line. But as our dual POV chapters reveal, this isnt going to be as easy as it seems. Willow may have fallen first, but Dev has fallen harder, and he is willing to fight for what he wants.

An addictive friends-to-lovers romance with the perfect balance of serious, sweet and sexy.

DNF at 8% and so gutted about it. I think this book is absolutely for you if you like early twenties characters who are looking to find themselves. This book is giving the impression from early on it's going to very steam, and contain POC representation.

Unfortunately I can't get on board with these characters though. Dev is so unlikeable to me in the way he is speaking about women and sex. Going without sex for six weeks and that’s called a dry spell?! They’re also just too young for what I like to read, I can’t read early twenties romances. Willow saying she doesn’t have her life together at 21 and being annoyed about it just doesn’t resonate with me with the same concerns in my 30s!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

A cute f1 sports romance.

This was a perfect balance of sports and romance so neither aspect was too overwhelming.

One amazing positive for this book was the chronic illness rep which was done so well

He slow burn romance was really cute and built the tension between them. It wasn’t just a given. They really worked for their HEA.

A fun book combining my love for romance and F1, what more could I ask for.
Willow is needing a job and wants to go into sports marketing and Dev is struggling with SM after his last assistant posted something rather unflattering, cue workplace romance, but also best friends sister/ secret relationship.
Both characters were really well fleshed out, I enjoyed their journeys and their time together, it was super sweet, with hints of spice every now and again.
I thought the F1 storyline was fab and knowing what everything meant was definitely a bonus.

Perhaps it was just me, but this book did not hit the sweet spot. I absolutely love reading F1 romance books, and the premise and beginning of "Cross the Line" were strong.

I truly enjoyed some of the tender moments and the angst before the main couple got together. Unfortunately, from there on, it just fell a bit flat for me, and I struggled with their chemistry. Throughout the second half of the book, it felt rushed and not genuine, and then so much happened in the epilogue!

Overall, the premise of the book was really cute, and you might really enjoy it. The writing and pacing just weren't for me at all in this one.