Light's Out is my first F1 romance, I very rarely reach for sporty type romances, they aren't my go-to tropes I can't explain my aversion to this trope, but hey I've yet to find one that I love, but I was more than willing to give this a go as it's written by one of my favourite authors, I have read all of her historicals and loved everyone so I was interested to read this one, despite it taking me out my comfort zone.

I will admit that I was pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it, I can't say I loved it far from it and I can't say that I have been converted to sporty/F1 romances but I did enjoy Lights Out, it's light and fun, not too serious but enjoyable. It wasn't what I was expecting, I'm not sure what I was expecting to be perfectly honest. It's very different to the other books I've read by the author but I think it's all good as this trope and the story fully allowed the author to explore a more chipper and fast-paced narrative which worked well for the story.

I enjoyed the quick and robust dialogue, it's straight into the action, with no messing about and not too much building up, this has a proper cuteness to it with no stress, no nastiness, no complicated secondary storylines, just a simple and enjoyable story. It's sweet and full of feel-good moments something I think we all need at the minute and as I say I was pleasantly surprised by how much I did enjoy it and even not knowing anything about F1 didn't impact my enjoyment of the story.

My only problem with this is that I couldn't 100% get behind the characters, Maisie and Gio are lovely, but they also came across as immature, they blow up at the smallest thing so it feels a bit like; "It's the end of the world, people, end of the world!!" I understand that they are in a high-octane environment, but does that mean they have to act like spoilt t**ts?! Sorry, maybe it's because they are so young, they are both in their twenties after all, so I couldn't relate to them and found their interactions and thoughts to be a little tiresome. Maybe I'm just old and cynical, but at times something felt a little off with them, especially as their romance was so quick that it felt as though they had gone from fake dating to falling in love within the blink of an eye.

As I don't know anything about Formula One, I was actually worried that I wouldn't understand what was going on and it would be too heavy in F1 terms, but I needn't have worried too much as the author did a great job revealing the F1 world to a novice in such a way that I didn't feel like a rabbit in headlights about to be crushed by speeding cars, I can't say that I will be turning on F1 and avidly watching it as I still have no interest in cars racing around a track at 100 miles an hour, but each to their own!

Will I read other Formula One romances?

Maybe!

I think I will definitely look at them and not dismiss this trope instantly like I have been doing, (I know that sounds awful but I am a creature of habit and tend to stick to what I know) But Jenni Fletcher has certainly opened my eyes to a different category of romance which I will certainly try and explore a little more.

Overall, despite my irritation with aspects of the story, I did enjoy it, it's not what I usually reach for but Lights Out is lots of fun, there are some serious subjects mentioned regarding accidents and injury, not nothing too heavy, so I don't think would be triggering. I think it would be perfect for those younger readers who are just branching out and discovering the romance genre I personally think it would appeal to those in the same age bracket as the characters, and a must for those who already love the F1/sporty romance tropes.

An excellent transition from historical to contemporary romance from Jenni Fletcher. You don't have to be the biggest F1 fan to love this story as the characters are engaging and the plot keeps you gripped throughout. The fake engagement storyline adds fun to the attraction between Maisie an Giovanni and you can't help but root for the two to get over their hesitancy of making fake real as they navigate the racing calendar, growing feelings and behind the scenes rivalries with another driver. The supporting characters enhance the story and give hope for further instalments of this series. Recommended.

I’d like to thank Netgalley, the publishers and Jenni Fletcher for this e-ARC. This review is unbiased and 100% my own.

Lights Out is a Formula 1 fake dating romance, which follows Giovanni, who is our F1 driver with a string of bad publicity and Maisie, a student and seller of fine soaps.

The two meet when Maisie joins her friend Ava at a catering an event, where Maisie meets Gio by accident. During their tête-à-tête Maisie tells him about her friend Ava’s F1 podcast, and Gio makes a plan to meet with Maisie again.

Fake dating might be my guilty pleasure read. And this was a nice easy read that did no real harm. Aside from some rushed pacing, and some F1 inconsistencies, Lights Out was a good, quick little read.

I would like to express my gratitude to Jenni Fletcher and Penguin Random House for providing me with this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is truly memorable. The pacing was brisk, and the storyline was engaging. The character development was well-executed, and I appreciated the tension between the main characters. Their love story was skillfully crafted, with excellent communication throughout. Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it to others.

to be more specific, I'd give this around 3.5 stars! it was a fun read for sure but I really disliked the male mc as he came across very toxic and thats not my cuppa tea!

I enjoyed the first 1/3 of the book but unfortunately it wasn't for me. I think I'm probably not the demographic for this read, it's very fluffy and would be good for someone in their late teens who doesn't know much about F1 as the accuracy isn't 100%.

I loved this book! A fun fake dating story between a psychology student looking for her next project inspiration, and an F1 driver wanting to fix his reputation, Lights Out is a fun and beautiful love story. I would definitely recommend it to other fans of sports romance, particularly motorsport romance, as this was a fantastic read!

A combination of F1 and fake dating was always going to be a winner for me.

And I'm delighted to have been able to read Jenni Fletcher's first foray into the world of F1 romances, which are a world apart from the historical romances she normally writes.

I loved Maisie and Gio, and everything to do with them.

The more time we spent with Gio, the more I fell for him myself, and arguably faster than Maisie.

Gio is the one that suggests the fake relationship in order to try to help rebuild his image and to keep his seat, And after some persuasion Maisie. agrees to the charade, especially once she realises it will help her current uni paper.

I was hooked on all the F1 details that were included in the book, and can just about forgive the author for changing where the season ends,

It was highly enjoyable and I was totally hooked.

Thank you to Penguin and Netgalley for this copy which I have reviewed honestly and voluntarily.

A sweet, gently spicy F1 romance novel that will keep you entertained. F1 romances sure are becoming popular and I can see why!

This was my first F1/sport romance and it was so fun to read. The story was such an enjoyable pace that I found difficult to put down.

I am a sucker for a fake dating trope (especially when its slow burn). It also had an opposites attract vibe, trauma and grief, and soooo much personal growth and healing.

I loved Maisie and the female friendships she has in this story. The scene with her dad made me cry, and I adored Gio’s family too.

Jenni made it so easy to understand and visualise the racing elements (as someone who doesn’t follow F1), I learnt a lot and I can’t wait to pick up more sports romance after this.

F1’s resident bad boy Giovanni Bauer needs to turn his reputation around fast - or risk losing his place on the team.

Maisie Evans is a dedicated university student, who still secretly dreams of the glittering sports career she abandoned.

When Gio and Maisie's worlds collide, the answer to their problems seems obvious: a fake relationship. She gets to travel and brush shoulders with sports royalty, and he gets to fix his public image.


Sports Romance
F1 Driver x Student
Fake Dating
Single POV (Hers)

I found this book to be a great introduction to the world of F1. This is a great book if you’re wanting a sports romance with something different but don’t know the in’s and out’s of F1. Apart from a couple of small changes like the order of races and the amount of teams & racers, all of the specifics aren’t far off.

I enjoyed the story between Maisie & Gio. It's been a while since I’ve read a book that I wanted to just get home from work so I could finish. I enjoyed the twists and turns throughout the plot and the big reveal towards the end isn’t something I saw coming. I really liked how each character grew throughout the book and how genuine it was that Masie has to take time to grow & learn about herself. I would’ve enjoyed reading this book in Dual POV to see what Gio thought in certain situations throughout the story.

Firstly, thank you for letting me read this ARC 🙌🏼 . (I am aware that it was published 31st October but I had only just received my copy on the 11th November) I really enjoyed the characters Maisie and Gio, their chemistry was from the very start and I loved how their relationship developed ❤️.
However, I do wish this was a dual POV as I would have LOVED to read from Gio’s perspective about everything and get a glimpse into more of the F1 world but that is more of my personal preference☺️. I wouldn’t describe this book particularly spicy but I would 100% recommend it for someone who is just getting into the romance genre/F1 Romance.

3.75⭐️// Thank you to NetGalley, Penguin Random House, and Jenni Fletcher for the eArc!!!

- F1 driver x Sports psychology student (former downhill biker) 🏎️🧠🚵🏼‍♀️
- Fake Dating 💖
- Slow Burn 🔥
- Holiday together ☀️
- Single POV (hers)

Such a cute book!!! So easy to read and definitely not too complicated when it comes to the F1 aspect so would be great for someone who is just getting into F1 romances! 🏎️

(Wish we got Gio’s POV 😪)
—————————————————————————————
Maisie is your average uni student studying sports psychology, so when the opportunity arises, she accepts the offer to fake date Gio so she can research for an assignment. She is so ‘normal’ and relatable and I love that! She’s fun and sweet and I really liked her as a character. 🧼🚴🏻‍♀️

✨”When Ava first told me about the motorhomes, I assumed they were basically large caravans” ✨ (same girl)

✨”I look at my reflection in my phone and wonder if my appearance is all that’s necessary to hate me” ✨☹️☹️

—————————————————————————————
Giovanni is a formula 1 driver fighting to keep his seat, and due to his less than stellar reputation, he asks Maisie to fake date to make him look better in the public eye and encourage his team to keep him on. He is witty, charming, and overall a pretty darn good book bf 🙂‍↕️💖

✨”I look at Gio, but his gaze is fixed on my mouth”✨

✨”’Yes’. He lifts the necklace. ‘It’s a wheel. See the little spokes? I thought it was fitting for both of us. Bikes and cars.’”

✨”They can wait. This can’t.” He pushes me up against the wall and braces his forearms on either side of my head”✨

Lights Out by Jenni Fletcher is a delightful read that strikes a perfect balance between plot, chemistry, and banter. From the very first chapter, I was hooked and fully invested in Maisie and Gio’s journey as their fake-dating/forced-proximity dynamic unfolded.

I loved how the F1 racing world was brought to life—it felt like I was right there, caught up in the excitement and just as invested as the characters. Sometimes sports romances can include details that are boring and go straight over my head- but Fletcher does the complete opposite, making me feel like I've been a F1 fan all my life.

The romantic tension absolutely delivered, with all the heated looks and accidental touches that had me smiling like an idiot and wanting more. I loved the moments of friendship and banter, which really helped bring the story and its characters to life.

If you love a good sports romance with delightful chemistry, great characters and a good fake dating trope- then hurry up and add it to your tbr!

I haven't read an F1 romance before. I got through this really quickly.
I liked Maisie she was smart and stood up for herself.
It was a fun read. Maisie is a psychology student who meets Gio an F1 driver when she is making extra cash as waitress at an event.
Maisie is likeable and positive and has no idea who Gio is.
There is also more to Gio than just looks. There also wasn't too much technical detail which was good.
There was chemistry there was fun.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher.

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

F1’s resident bad boy Giovanni Bauer isn’t used to losing, but when his non-stop partying leaves his position on the team at risk, he needs to turn his reputation around - fast. Maisie Evans is a dedicated psychology student, desperate to break into Gio’s competitive world and reignite her dreams of a glittering sports career, but with no clue how to do it. When Gio and Maisie’s worlds collide, the answer to their problems seems a fake relationship. She gets to travel the world and brush shoulders with sports royalty, and he gets to fix his image by settling down.

Maisie has the heart of a thrill seeker. But after her accident, it’s on the back burner and she seeks her passions down other avenues. I really, really liked Maisie. I could see parts of myself in her - particularly with the way her mind works and processes things. I absolutely adored her positive attitude and her kind and supporting personality. She really deserves the world that girl. She has dealt with a lot in her past and I love how she relies on her best friend and is determined to do good in the world. The fact she is sassy and also entirely awkward at the same time was perfect for me. No one wants a perfect lead who can do everything right!
Gio is the bad boy of racing with his imperfect record and rollercoaster attitude. But he is a lot more than that. He is kind and giving. He has a massive heart and it is clear he wants the best for those he loves and cares for. I think Gio was a great character. There are so many layers and dynamics to him that were so interesting to read. He never felt boring to read. Sure he was a little unpredictable at times with his moods, but it added to his character. There was certainly never a dull moment with him around!

I am not a big sports romance person, but I have been getting into reading them more this year. So when this one came along, I saw that it had the wonderful fake dating trope and I knew I needed to dig in! The plot is pretty good! It flows wonderfully from one event to the next and never feels clunky or boring. The fact that it goes into enough detail about Formula 1 so that we can understand it but not be burdened with too much knowledge was perfect. It all confuses me to be honest, but this has the perfect amount of background information! The characters were great. I liked that the main focus was on our lead pairing but that we got plenty of interactions with the rest of the cast. I think they were all well fleshed out and engaging to read! The romance was so sweet and so fluffy, I practically wanted to kick me feet and swoon! The chemistry between our cuties was so so adorable and I wanted to see more and more. I did appreciate that there was angst and bumps in the road because no relationship - real or not - is smooth sailing. It helped to add further depth to the story. The light spicy moments also heightened the chemistry as well. They were so tender and sweet and perfection! That ending was everything I needed and more! I could not have asked for anything better!

Overall, Lights Out is a F1 romance I highly, HIGHLY recommend!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thank you again to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an advanced copy of this book. Due to scheduling, this review will be available on my blog on 9th December. It is available now on Goodreads.

Listen, I rarely read straight romance (sorry not sorry) and have never in my life picked up an F1 romance before, but this author is so good at what she does that I was loving it from start to finish. The drama, the feels! Nice and swoony, with an impulsive and moody hot love interest, and yet the female MC has clear boundaries and won't let any man disrespect her.
This was sexy and dramatic without being toxic, and I love that.
I'm also majorly impressed with the writing - it's mostly dialogue and quick action, and the author doesn't waste much time on world-building. On top of that the style is kind of simple and not super detailed or flowery, but it all comes together in a way that makes for such an entertaining, quality romance.

Lights Out is a Formula 1 fake dating romance, which follows Giovanni, who is an F1 driver with a string of bad publicity and Maisie, a student and soap seller.

The two meet when Maisie joins her friend Ava catering an event, where Maisie meets Gio by accident. After the meeting where Maisie tells him about her friend Ava’s F1 podcast, he makes a plan to meet with Maisie again.


I love a good fake dating romance, it’s my favourite trope, and I also like Formula 1, so putting these two together in a book, I had high expectations, which were mostly met! I liked seeing Maisie and Gio’s relationship grow from a fake relationship to a real one, though I wish they did get to know eachother a bit better. I loved the drama that came with the whole F1 scene, and how it impacted both their actual relationship and their fake one.

Whilst I’m not a massive fan of a third act break up, Maisie did make some good points with having to grow by herself too.


Overall, I thought this was a really nice romance, a great read for when you want something a bit softer and a bit fuzzy and heartwarming but still with enough drama to keep you entertained the whole way though.

I am giving Lights Out 4 stars, and I am looking forward to reading Falling Fast, the next F1 book from Jenni Fletcher!

lights out was such a fun, wild ride that I had the best time reading! everything about this book was appealing, with the f1 background and the meet-cute I was instantly hooked.

plot ―୨୧⋆ ˚ the plot and whole premise of this book was so so enjoyable to read and I loved the balance of race detail, actual relationship events and communications and media posts. it made this book feel like such a breeze to read and I really could not put it down. I felt like this was well-paced albeit a little bit fast in some places especially towards the end, which felt a little bit rushed. other than that, I absolutely loved reading this book. I could not help myself but read chapter after chapter!

maisie + gio ―୨୧⋆ ˚ I loved the progression of maisie and gio's relationship and it felt real, raw and natural ! it was so easy to relate to and understand maisie and I really enjoyed her as a character. although I loved the progression of the relationship and maisie's character I feel a duel pov would have uplifted this a bit - just a peek into gio's thoughts would have been so so fun to read.

overall, I had so much fun reading this book and the issues I had with this book were not a deal breaker for me and definitely more personal preference! I will definitely look out for new romance books from Fletcher in the future !

thank you to NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

*Thank you SO much Puffin Books for this review copy*

I read this book in about two days. I was addicted, could not and would not stop. It was such an easy and fun read! The chemistry and banter between Gio and Maisie was 1000/10. I loved both characters’ stories separately and together. The side characters were cute, the f1 world was so entertaining and I just loved it.

This book has also got me back into f1 romances, thank you Jenni Fletcher x