Ok so as an f1 girlie this book just made my day!!
I’ll admit I had to get used to the story being in 3rd person I’m more of a 1st person story however once I got my head around that I absolutely loved it!!

If you’re an f1 fan and a lover of sports romance books give this one a go!!

Well put together, structured nicely.

Found the content to be slightly lacking (for me) and the dynamic between the characters felt slightly forced. I liked the technical backdrop of the F1 world and the research.

The story is a lovely sports romance centered around the thrilling world of Formula 1 racing. The two main characters are endearing and create a connection that draws readers in. The pace of the narrative is brisk, maintaining a sense of excitement throughout. Unlike many romances that fall into the trap of unnecessary breakups, this tale stands out by showcasing the characters' excellent communication skills, allowing their relationship to evolve in a healthy and relatable way. With a level of spice that adds a touch of heat without overwhelming the story, this romance strikes a delightful balance that keeps you engaged from start to finish.

In "Not So Fast" by Karen Booth, Formula One, fandom, and feelings make for a whirlwind contemporary romance that shows off the thrilling aspects of professional racing combined with the rush of romance. The novel centres around Mia Neal, an enthusiastic F1 podcaster whose harsh but insightful critiques of British driver Xander Bishop lead to an unexpected reaction when they meet at the Miami Grand Prix.

I don't know anything about Formula One but the book never made me feel ignorant. It conveyed a strong understanding of the technical and social elements of the sport without info dumping. Mia is a complex character with real flaws, whose dedication and unique qualities (such as overthinking and striving for perfection) add depth to the romance while being relatable.

The chemistry between Mia and Xander evolves differently from the standard "enemies-to-lovers" storyline to explore a more intimate dynamic. The conflict is centred around managing the consequences of their choices rather than personal conflict. This made it so that Xander is never a toxic jerk, which was very sweet and something I would like to see more of in the genre. But as sweet as the romance is, the book isn't short on spicy scenes. I would rate it a 3.5/5 for spice.

This is a great pick for readers who enjoy any sports romance with thoughtful depth, but especially Formula One romances. It's an excellent choice for fans of sweet but spicy romance who are looking for solid character development and insight into the racing world.

Thank you to Afterglow Books and NetGalley for allowing me to review an eARC of this book!

First of all i would like to thank Mills and Bone and Afterglow Book for asking me to review this awesome spicy fun book i always love working with guys they are always publishing such amazing books i am never disappointed .
being a romance lover this book had me on my hands and knees dancing like beyonce .
Car racing
Enemies to Lovers
and lots of spicy and romance nothing here i did not love .

Mia character i loved her very quick witted and thinks outside the box in times of trouble and has a passion for F1 racing we definitely could be friends at times i thought she was pretty feisty loved that .

Formula 1 driver Xander Bishop well hello !! swoon worthy and a little cocky but Mia loves that about him i did to , watch it now get that out of you smutty heads lol !! with his hard working attitude and his banter you can see why they are both drawn together .and the tension is unreal .i thought they worked well as a time .

the plot it self Formula 1 lover here what is not to love , i thought the book had a great feel to it and totally had me giggling to myself ,the husband was totally giving me that look you know what i mean spicy readers . i read the book in a day. That does not always happen .

I really hope that Karen gives us more from these characters and more books from her please as i found this a wonderful feel good read ., i thought her writing was wonderful it was very fast paced just what i needed .and she put a smile on my face .
i will be looking out for more books by Karen.

this book will keep you petrol burning 5 blazing stars

- One of the better F1 romances I have read with a good amount of the sport featured.
- Mid/low level spice
- No stupid miscommunication trope and 3rd act break up which is greatly appreciated.
- They were good enemies to lovers and had great banter with eachother.
- The pace is very fast (like an F1 car) which does mean that the relationship feels at times like the romance is sacrificed and there is not enough depth. If there are further books in an interconnected romance series this may allow for all the characters to be more developed as the series goes on.

Lovely sports romance around the sport of F1. The 2 main characters are sweet and the pace of the story is fast. No silly break up in the middle, in stead the characters have good communication. Level 2 spice.

Wonderful, feel good romance . Mia has no idea where she wants to work, despite having 2 degrees Her love of Formula 1 racing leads to a podcast which takes off momentously and leads to her meeting Zander, a driver who is finding no success. Enthralling , perfect holiday reading.

Funny, charming formula 1 romance! The banter between the main characters was amazing and the comments she made about him on her podcast were so real. Mia was easy to relate to and was dealing with issues that can be quite common. The author made both of the characters have flaws that they had to overcome thought the book. Xander was a lovable character who I could help but cheer on, he struggled with the stress and responsibility of his job and had some mental health issues to overcome.

The fierce competition both on and off the track was great to experience, I liked that the female character was involved in the F1 profession by having her own podcast about the races. She was determined to show that she had a deep understanding of the sport even though she hasn’t driven a race car.

Overall it was a quick, entertaining read with interesting characters. The book has enemies to lovers, work romance and covers mental health issues.

The premise for this book is a really great one. Mia is working on her up and coming podcast, a true passion project. She is upfront and truthful, especially about Xander Bishop and his current performance. But when they meet, sparks of a whole other nature fly.

I found that the book sadly did not live up to the premise for me. I wonder if being British is a bit of a downside reading these books as there are things that just do not make sense. I’m not sure I am the intended audience and that’s fine with me.

The love story was quite fast, and sweet, but just lacked a little depth, I wasn’t really sure of the couple.

It was a quick read for me, I loved the settings and the descriptions, and I loved that it was more about the atmosphere than it being race heavy.

Thank you for the ARC and I sincerely hope this finds the right audience.

I know nothing about F1, but I was glued to this book all day!

Mia and Xander had me smiling!

I would absolutely love more from this world.

I'm off to find more by Karen Booth!



https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7197897951?book_show_action=false

3.5 stars

As an F1 girly I’m always up for an F1 romance and I really enjoyed this story. This was a super easy read and I found as soon as I started the book I was into it. There’s no third act breakup which is always a win for me.

I did find that the ‘enemies’ to lovers felt a bit rushed for me as I prefer more of a slow burn but if you want a cosy, spicy F1 romance this is definitely the book for you.

Thanks to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the copy 💕

I can't put into words how much I enjoyed this book! I found the characters amazing with all the relationship dynamics between them as well as their own personalities. Mia and Xanders relationship was super cute to read how it went from hate to love as I read on. I also found myself in suspense each race scene as the writing really drew you in, especially with the Silverstone race. I did however find it a bit confusing with the pov changes each chapter.

Mia Neal is a formula one racing addict, who knows just about everything about the sport.
Thank you to Netgalley for an E-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Xander Bishop is a British F1 driver, who’s career is going south pretty quickly.

I’m not really a formula one person, and I genuinely know nothing about cars and racing competitions, however this book was pretty engaging, and beginner friendly.
The characters are really sweet within themselves, and it’s really easy to root for them. I liked both main characters' very real flaws, and authenticity.

I usually like dual POV, but there was something about this book that just felt odd; I think it’s because we had both POV in the same chapter, rather than a chapter each, and it just felt harder to get into, which is the only reason I haven’t given this 5 stars.

This has been a fun, quick read that whilst was a entertaining sports romance, also dealt with family issues and mental health difficulties in a genuine way, whilst maintaining sweet vibes. Whilst I don’t think I’ll read other books about formula one, I did really enjoy this one

Formula One is definitely getting its turn in the lime light and this is a romantically full book that is right in the centre of the action. It took me a while to warm to Mia the heroine., when her mother was introduced to the book in all of her judgemental ways it definitely made me think more of her. Xander also didn’t come straight across as a man to fall for and yet again the author unveiled him and he became more attractive.. the world of Formula One was the backdrop for this romance and it framed Mia and Xander well complete with petty journalistic rivalries and the teammates you can’t rely on. The romance was a slow burn until it was full on with all the complications that brings.. The ending was never really in doubt and the storytelling was a great way to get there.

2.75/5 Stars

The story follows Mia, who hosts a Formula 1 podcast, and Xander, one of the Formula 1 drivers who Mia talks about in her podcast.

I feel like this book had a lot of potential but didn’t quite hit the mark for me as a sports romance. It is described as having the enemies-to-lovers trope but the two main characters weren’t really enemies and more trying to avoid each other in the beginning. They didn’t have the chemistry or banter to the level I was maybe expecting and I think if the book was slightly longer and they had more “screen time” together in the first part of the book, more of that could’ve been included.

I did really enjoy the mental health journal prompts/responses at the beginning of each chapter as they were a really nice way to learn more about each character. I would have preferred if each chapter focused on one POV (for example the POV of the journal prompt) or if it was made more clear when the POV changed but that could also have been due to this not being the final format.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC to review.

this book ‘not so fast’ whatt a cute romance! formula one romance are either hit or miss and fortunately this one was a hit. mia was a really interesting and well developed main character, i saw a lot of myself in her. i also enjoyed reading from xander’s point of view, especially his more personal family life. the racing elements added to the story without taking too much attention and becoming distracting to the romance and the story without overwriting or over explaining too much.for my fellow f1 girlies, especially my george russell girls, this one is for you!

Not So Fast is a Formula One romance that is a perfect read whether you are a fan of Formula One or not. I am not a fan of Formula One and I really enjoyed this book and finished it in a day! I absolutely loved the chemistry between Mia and Xander and also loved that Karen wrote about their personal lives with their family in such a meaningful way. I would definitely recommend this book to romance readers.

Thank you to Net Galley, the publisher and Karen Booth for allowing me to receive an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Delicious take on F1 romance, which me as not sports person tempted to be one. This was simply so sweet and I loved main characters; it was relaxing read.