I absolutely adored this book and it definitely lived up to its expectations.
I am a huge fan of formula 1 and definitely felt like this was a great representation of that world. Additionally, the development of both characters was amazing and I absolutely loved their back and forth throughout as it made me laugh out loud several times.

This was a highly anticipated read for me so when I saw the ARC available on NetGalley I jumped on it! I was so excited to read it but sadly it was a flop for me ☹️

I love how more and more romances are being set in the Formula 1 world! It’s fun and exciting, and when I first read the Dirty Air series by Lauren Asher, I quickly became obsessed! So when I saw this book being promoted about an F1 driver x social media manager, I immediately pre-ordered the paperback and signed up for the ARC! Then throw in a brother’s best friend and secret relationship (some of my favourite trope combos 😍) and I was sold!

But sadly, it was a major disappointment. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I think this was a debut novel for Soltani? And it definitely felt like it. The writing failed to grip me, some of the dialogue seemed forced and I just could not get into the story.

The trope line-up was amazing, and that’s what drew me in originally;
- Formula 1 Romance
- Brother’s Best Friend
- Secret Relationship
- Chronic Illness Rep
- She falls first but He falls harder
- No 3rd act breakup

It’s a story with great potential, but I felt that it was underdeveloped and just wasn’t my cup of tea. In my head I kept comparing it to the Dirty Air series, and they were miles apart. I ended up skim reading to get to the end, and cancelled my pre-ordered paperback 😔

Thank you NetGalleyUK for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Brother’s best friend, F1 romance with a diverse cast and chronic illness rep. This book was such an enjoyable, lighthearted read. The main characters were lovable and their banter was the absolute best. The writing is amazing and the way the main characters described each other had me giddy. Dev Anderson is one amazing book boyfriend who will do anything and everything just to see his girl smile. I loved how we see F1 and the whole world of it and meet all the other drivers. Willow was a fantastic fmc; funny, strong, caring and supportive. This book had me smiling all the way through, if you’re looking for a fun read to get you back into reading or out of a slump it’s absolutely perfect!

First of all, this is an e-arc review and this opinion is my own. Thanks so much to Pan MacMillan, Simone Soltani and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review before the official publication!

The book will be released in May 2024 so you don't have to wait that long anymore!

In general, I'd give a 4/5 stars 🌟 to this read, and I'll explain why right now.
🏁 F1 sports romance
🏁 Finally some diversity in this sport
🏁 Chronic illness representation
🏁 Brother’s best friend
🏁 Forbidden relationship
🏁 Dual POV
🏁 She falls first but he falls harder
🏁 Sunshine x Sunshine
🏁 No 3rd act breakup
🌶️ 2/5

I've been watching F1 for more than 15 years, since my dad is a huge F1 fan (I'm now 33). I remember tuning in every weekend and watching the races with him and I'm now doing it with my partner from time to time. I gotta say that I'm super pleased to see more and more young females being interested in it - I guess we can say thank you to tiktok and Drive to Survive for that, right? This was actually my first F1 romance book and I was positively suprised.

In general: the romance was fun, the characters had chemistry and their relationship was very cute to see unfolding. Willow is a recent graduate and in need of a marketing job, Dev is in the middle of a PR drama and needs a new social media manager and both end up working together. The thing is they have history 👀 Willow was sweet and I liked to see her relationship with her brother. Dev gave me major Norris/Ricciardo vibes (and I love both so I'm not mad). Secondary characters were also nice! I really liked to see so many POC representation and diversity, as well as the behind the scenes of races etc. All in all, it was a super enjoyable read. Was it realistic? Not really but we're here to have fun anyway.

I could feel from time to time the reference to events that happened in F1 or to existing racers so sometimes I was thinking "ah this feels a bit like a fanfic" but in a good way, if you know what I mean? I do think this is mainly due because I'm already aware of the F1 world in general so it did not bother me.

I remove one star from my rating for the last 15% of the book but mostly the epilogue. Hear me out. I don't think the level of drama that was brought in the epilogue was needed and the book could have very well stopped there. F1 is a dangerous sport, and I felt that the book tried to remind us from time to time that, indeed, those racers are driving cars that can drive hundreds of km/h but it was still a bit too casual for me.

Very thrilled to share my thoughts on this sports themed romance. I apologize due to an unexpected family emergency I am slightly behind on posting my thoughts and full review. But I will be sharing soon. I think it is unique to see a sports based romance set on the race car driving workd as well

Thank you NetGalley and Pan McMillan for this arc!

This is the first F1 romance I’ve ever read and I’m so glad I did. I absolutely loved every single page of this book and my face hurts from smiling so much.
What I liked most about it was the diversity and illness rep. I think it’s super important to read about that in books because books are a great way of getting to know and experience different viewpoints.
The characters were very well-written. I think I even fell in love with Dev a little 🤭. I enjoyed how charming, funny and caring he was. He really was the definition of a sunshine character. Willow was amazing, too. I loved that she didn’t shy away from telling Dev what she wanted and how she made the best of her condition. Also, the chemistry and tension between them was perfect 🔥.
I didn’t want this book to end and I can’t wait to read more from Simone Soltani.

I definitely recommend this book if you like:
- poc/diverse characters
- joint hypermobility rep
- brother’s best friend/forbidden love
- F1
- sunshine characters
- she falls first, he falls harder

Brother’s best friend, F1 romance with a diverse cast and chronic illness rep. This book was such an enjoyable, lighthearted read. The main characters were lovable and their banter was the absolute best. The writing is amazing and the way the main characters described each other had me giddy. Dev Anderson is one amazing book boyfriend who will do anything and everything just to see his girl smile. I loved how we see F1 and the whole world of it and meet all the other drivers. Willow was a fantastic fmc; funny, strong, caring and supportive. This book had me smiling all the way through, if you’re looking for a fun read to get you back into reading or out of a slump it’s absolutely perfect!

The funny moments were well-balanced with the serious and emotional ones, plus, the plot was intricate and interesting, and the romance was romancing. I would definitely be on the lookout for the next Soltani’ book.

Guys. I’m in shock. An F1 romance that I actually like? Wait no, love! From the get go, I was convinced that Soltani knew exactly what she was talking about. My problems with previous F1 books usually lie in the misogyny or misinformation, but this was incredibly well researched and written.

The characters were believable, Willow was such a wonderful main character and Dev was a perfect love interest. He reminded me a bit of Daniel Ricciardo, so of course I loved him. I also loved the little easter eggs and connections to the current F1 grid. The romance was well paced and I adored the racing content, it felt real and had me on the edge of my seat. All in all, this was so much fun. F1 and reading are two of my favourite things, I’m so glad I found this book.

I really enjoyed this. It was such a fun book full of diverse characters and I loved learning more about Bollywood films and just how much goes into an Indian wedding!

I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Willow and Dev, and the fact they are basically forbidden to be with each other for various reasons. Their relationship is sweet and believable with a few 🥵🌶 scenes added in as well.

I also really enjoyed the bts of what happens behind F1 racing (which I don't tend to watch, but this has made me re-think that) and it seems really high paced and exciting and obviously a lot more goes on than people realise!

The epilogue was slightly long and seemed to be more a part of the book but I was enjoying it anyway, so I was more surprised than annoyed by this. And I loved the little bonus scene.

4⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

This book has officially reignited my love for Formula 1 romances! It had everything I could ask for in a romance novel: developed characters, swoonworthy love confessions, tension for days and NO THIRD ACT BREAKUP!!!! I repeat: this book has no third act breakup!

Cross the Line follows Dev Anderson, a Formula 1 racer whose image needs a massive overhaul after his (now ex) social media manager sabotaged his accounts, and Willow Williams, a recent graduate who is desperately looking to kickstart her career. Oh yeah, and Willow just happens to be the younger sister of Dev's best friend! When Dev offers Willow the job of fixing his image, the two of them find themselves struggling to maintain the purely professional relationship that they've promised to have.

First of all, the representation is this book is phenomenal in my opinion. Willow has hypermobility, and her chronic illness was handled so well. The book acknowledged the challenges without ever treating Willow as less than capable of living a completely whole life, a trap I've seen other authors fall into when writing about chronic illness. Both leads are biracial, white and Indian in Dev's case, and white and Black in Willow's, and I loved how the cultural representation was woven into the narrative. The Bollywood references were so enjoyable (and made me want to rewatch some of my old faves) and the author even tackled some of the tougher aspects of being a POC in the sporting world. One thing I would've loved to see is more of a look into Willow's cultural background as well as Dev's, but I loved diving into all the Indian wedding celebrations.

The character and relationship development was the strongest aspect of this book in my opinion, something you would hope for in a character based story. The friendships between Dev, Oakley, Mark and Chava were such a breath of fresh air, and I loved Willow's friendships too, even though they were long distance. Willow's friendship with Mark was also a nice addition, and the communication between all the characters was great. I really enjoyed seeing both Willow and Dev's relationship with Oakley too, and his reaction to their relationship really felt like that of a real older brother, rather than some of the cavemanesque reactions I've seen in past brothers-best-friend tropes.

The only reason this isn't a five star review is the epilogue (and this is me being really nitpicky because I truly adored the book). I felt that the events that happened in the epilogue, set one month after the conclusion of the main plot, would've been better suited to earlier in the book. As it was, it felt like a last minute addition that the author was using to try and tick a box in a list of Formula 1 tropes and it kind of fell flat for me. However, this is such a small issue for me, so it should in no way affect your decision on whether to read this book!

Overall, Cross the Line was an absolute delight to read! The low-angst, sweet and spicy, super cute romance was just what I needed from a Formula 1 rom-com. The writing was fun and easy to read and I'm waiting with extreme anticipation for whatever Simone Soltani has for us next!

I have heard nothing but absolutely phenomenal feedback about this book, and have a few friends who absolutely adore Simone's work!

I have to 100% agree with them, because this book did NOT LET ME DOWN. Chefs KISS. and it was my first F1 sports romance, so I am now hooked!

the characters were fun, angsty, steamy and there was so much banter which I adore! I loved Simone's style and am so excited to read more stories from her in the future!

This book also had so many of my favourite tropes:
- brother’s best friend (sign me up!!)
- my first but not last F1 romance
- dual POV
- chronic illness rep
- diversity rep for both MMC & FMC (this was great because I'm trying to read a lot more books with POC characters)

“𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮, 𝐖𝐢𝐥𝐥𝐨𝐰. 𝐒𝐨 𝐦𝐮𝐜𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐈 𝐟𝐨𝐫𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐞𝐝 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞 𝐤𝐞𝐞𝐩𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐮𝐬 𝐚𝐩𝐚𝐫𝐭.”

Alexa, play ‘invisible string’ by Taylor Swift. Cross the Line is an easy 5 star read for me. I loved Dev & Willow (Taylor Swift coded) so much.

I’m obsessed with how this book touched on hypermobility and chronic pain without making it a plot point, and yet making me feel so very seen. I’m yet to be diagnosed, but hypermobility is a pain in the ass.

I absolutely adore Simone’s writing style and I cannot wait to read more of hers in the future. Thank you to my Mae for recommending this book (and author) to me, forever grateful for you and your recommendations 💞

The vibes ™:
- brother’s best friend
- f1 sports romance
- dual pov!!
- chronic illness rep
- diversity

I read this book In 3 days and it was unbelievably good. I love f1 and I love romance books so with the two mixed in together it was perfect.
I loved the characters so much and how they developed their relationship throughout this story. Thank you Net Galley for this Arc

Not me giggling and screaming over this book! It was so cute! I just really love a good F1 romance!

It was so good. I like that the main characters were mixed race and all the hints to the real-life F1!

I hope we get more books as there are definitely characters I hope get their own story.

Highly recommend!!

4.25 / 5 💌🏁🏎️

e-ARC kindly gifted by Pan MacMillan, Simone Soltani and NetGalley, so huge thanks and appreciation!

I originally read this book as the self-published edition in a day might I add and then I found it was being picked up and going Trad and I was so unbelievably excited because this book truly deserves it. So to get to read an advanced copy for a second time, I was ecstatic.

And like the first time, it was just as perfect, cozy, and so fun to read. It’s SUNSHINE X SUNSHINE, what’s not to love. I love a good F1 romance and boy does this book deliver.

It's a sports romance with formula 1, that follows a driver in need of reform because of an accident and his best-friend's little sister who becomes his social media manager. Ugh it was absolutely swoon worthy. There’s lots of macarons and Bollywood appreciation with movie marathons it was so good and I did eat every second of it up.

I cannot wait to see what Simone writes next and I’m so unbelievably excited that this book will reach more people!!

💌 f1 romance
🏁 South Asian MMC & Black FMC
🏎️ best friend’s little sister (brother’s best friend)
📄 chronic illness rep

As someone getting into F1, I loved this. I thought the romance between the main characters was beautifully written and I loved seeing what the drivers in the story experienced during races. I loved the character dynamics and there was a perfect balance between the sport and the romance aspect. I thoroughly enjoyed this and would recommend to anyone interested in F1 and romance novels!

A smash of a romance. This book had it all for me. There is the adrenaline of F1 and the behind the scenes clips of what really happens to make races work. There is the rivalry and fighting to keep on a F1 team and winning. There is the romance and deception and all of this is wrapped with a huge, loud, and flashing Indian wedding. The many threads are carefully woven together and both Dev and Willow come across as real and sentient and deserving of their HEA.

5⭐️

Thank you very much Simone Soltani for the arc. I'm obsessed with Formula 1, so I couldn't pass up this book. I love this atmosphere of racing so much, this book gave me exactly what I was looking for for so long.

Cross the Line is a great sports novel that has everything I love so much. First of all, I want to draw your attention to the fact that Formula 1 races are described in detail here, which allows you to immerse yourself even more in the atmosphere of the book. Secondly, I fell in love with the characters and their relationships. It was interesting to watch the relationship between Willow and Dev develop.

A year after graduating, Willow is looking for a job in sports marketing. One day, arriving in Monaco with her older brother, Willow meets Dev Anderson, her brother's best friend and a Formula 1 driver. He invites her to become a social media manager temporarily and save his career. But there is a problem: Dev and Willow have a history, they are both secretly in love with each other and kissed last year. Now they need to work together and keep their crush a secret. But each time their attraction becomes stronger, old feelings and burning chemistry between them threaten to flare up.

I can't stop thinking about this book. Simone did a great job, so I'm looking forward to the next books in the Lights Out series.

If you love sports novels, especially if you are a Formula 1 fan, then this book is definitely for you. Here you will find such tropes as a brother's best friend, forced proximity, sunshine x sunshine. Also in this book are south Asian MMC and black FMC, as well as FMC with chronic illness.

First let me preface this by saying I am about to go into my 18th season of being a formula one fan. I was a young girl who fell in love with the sport after sitting and watching it with my dad as a teenager. For that reason alone I am incredibly passionate about the lack of contemporary and romance fiction in the motorsport space. For the first time in years it finally feels like it's okay for women to admit they find the drivers attractive without judgement.

That being said, I am frustrated with this book. I went in with an open mind and the willingness to love it and yet from page one we were dramatising crashes. Drivers do not crash because they are distracted kissing a loved one, they wouldn’t get to an elite sport like F1 if they were so easily riled. Those cars cost millions. Anyway I continued on my way. The characters felt slightly juvenile but I liked Dev’s character on the whole. I did find the whole will they won’t they, we kissed last year, I love her but her brother will kill me a little repetitive but that seems to be the gist of contemporary.

Then let me move to the last 5% and the major crash. There are rarely fireballs in F1 as safety is paramount, Romain Grosjean’s crash in 2020 Bahrain was nothing short of a miracle and does not deserve to be revisited in a romance setting - someone nearly dying is not romantic. Dragging a further three drivers into it with a plethora of career debilitating injuries just blew my mind. To then also call for the race to be cancelled like Niki Lauda Japan 1976 or Ayrton Senna Imola 1994 (which resulted in his death), I just wonder if the bulk of the framework was influenced from major F1 events that resulted in agony.

For me this would appeal more to people who aren’t fans of the sport or are new to it - not those of us who have lived these moments live and in 4k.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC