4.5 ⭐️)
Thanks to NetGalley for the arc. This is my first F1 romance.
This is the second book I've read from the author, and I loved it just as much as the first.
Fell in love with Senna from the beginning. I loved the confidence and her attitude.

Loved Connor thought he was a great book boyfriend, a full-on cheese fest at times (but who doesn't love a little sprinkle of cheese😂)
Also, bonus points because who doesn't love a boyfriend who fights and sticks up for his girl and what's right.

I found myself giggling at times, really feeling for the characters and wanting to see the relationship thrive, not only the relationship between Senna and Connor but the relationships with the whole team.

The -5 was purely for the cheesiness at times (I could just be bitter that I dont vet that kinda cheesie romance😂😂) but it's definitely worth a read and is an enjoyable read.

Conner and Senna have known each other since they were children racing each other in karts. A scary crash also crashes their friendship when they are teenagers. This book starts with Senna taking over her father's F1 team when he retires after a health scare and Conner is her newest driver. There is a lot that goes on in this book and it is anything but a short read. You will learn a lot about F1 racing and you will enjoy the way that Conner and Senna find their way back to each other. There is so much that is really good in this book and I really enjoyed reading it. Thank you NetGalley and Rebecca Chase for an advanced copy. 5 stars!

Big thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for this book! It was a cute lil F1 romance with a Swiftie FMC (🫶🏻) & a protective MMC. It had a little bit of everything; enemies to lovers, childhood friends, brother’s best friend, forced proximity, & boss x driver. There was a lot of this story that I enjoyed, like the woman empowerment in motorsports & all the Taylor Swift references. Some of the conversations started getting repetitive & I felt like her dad & brother needed to spend A LOT more time groveling. I also wish we got to spend more time celebrating the first female F1 driver in this book!!! That would be a MASSIVE deal & I wanted to have a little more spotlight on Tawny. I am super curious about her brother’s story & the mystery behind it so I’ll be looking forward to that one! 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

this was good, not great! your average F1 romance book. I feel like every F1 romance book is the whole 'bad boy f1 driver and his best friends sister' and I just need new tropes!!

This book was exactly want I wanted it to be- a quick read, fun, and steamy in all the right ways!

Senna (though I kept wanting to call her Sienna but that’s on me) has recently taken over her family’s F1 team, and her brother’s last order of business before leaving was hiring a driver for them who also happens to be his childhood best friend and her childhood crush/sworn enemy. And so drama and romance ensues.

Loved Senna as a main character. She’s underestimated in a male-dominated field and constantly needs to prover herself. And Connor was sexy! And actually fleshed out as a love interest, his reason for coming back and his fear of driving was super interesting and drove the plot forward. And together they have incredible chemistry.

This is my first book by Rebecca Chase but it definitely won’t be my last!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel! I didn't know what to expect going into this book, I've never read anything by Rebecca Chase - but I'm glad I took a chance on this one! I'm an avid Formula 1 fan so it's also a point of interest for me to read romance books set in that world. I feel like I'm collecting them like Infinity Stones! Start Your Engines is a great addition to my lexicon and I hope it sets up for more stories in the world of Coulter Racing. Connor and Senna were always going to be end game and I'm glad they worked out their differences early. The slowest of burns in the first half of the book and then we were off to the races. I will say I think Senna forgave her Dad and Niki a little too easily - but I'm glad everyone came around in the end. All in all a good book!

Didn’t love this. I feel like Senna’s character wasn’t developed enough and the dialogue did not feel realistic. Overall the plot started out good, but execution felt rushed.

Oh I so wanted to love this book because here she is the Boss and he is the bad boy f1 driver. But I felt all the characters were lacking in terms of the character development. Let’s talk about them one by one:

Senna

She was trying so hard to prove herself and she did but I hated the repetitive “bi!ch boss” monologue. I also didn’t understand how she could have such a mixed stance about a lot of things and how she went from hating Connor to having a crush on him in 2-3 chapters when all he did was tell her the truth about the past.

Connor

I didn’t really have any problems with him. He was a darling who was taking care of a lot of things and people while struggling with his loosing love for F1.

Niki

I just didn’t get it. He was making guest appearances time and time again and though he may seem like he wanted to support Senna, his reaction to a lot of things pertaining to the team threw me off.

Dad

I just hated him. He didn’t love his children like he said from time to time. What’s more weird is how his stance about the team changed so quickly at the end of the chapter. I felt a lot of conversations were missing

Ralf & Mom were a darling.

I loved the premise of the book and it had a lot of potential but I felt that first 50% didn’t have a lot of built up, it might have been second chance in terms of friendship but I just couldn’t feel their connection. After that majority of the chapters were just smut. I don’t have a problem with it and I love it generally but here it felt forced.

I read this as an arc on NetGalley and i really enjoyed it! This follows Senna who grew up in a family who owned a race car team. She and her brother both were race drivers and also her brother’s best friend, Connor. They all grew up together. Her dad is stepping away and she is the one who ends up being the boss. But there are others who don’t believe she can do it. There is one person who does believe in her and always has… This book had me laughing out loud, swooning and crying. I highly recommend it!! I love every single second of reading it!!

Start Your Engines by Rebecca Chase was a solid 3.5 star read for me. I really enjoyed the male main character and loved the dual POV we got as the reader, also like how the author hit on heavier topics with her characters made them feel alot more relatable. Had great spice throughout, though it felt like the plot got a bit lost in the second half as the romance took center stage. The beginning was a little slow, but around the 20% mark, the pacing picked up, making it more engaging. I especially liked the banter between the two leads and the classic brother’s best friend dynamic, which added an extra layer of tension and fun to their relationship. Overall, it was an enjoyable read, but I wish the balance between story and steam had been a bit stronger.

Unfortunately this book just didn’t do it for me. The f1 just was so illogical and the team dynamic was wildly inaccurate. The characters were frustrating and I felt like the plot and writing were hard to follow and just snooz-y. The enemies to lovers just was so one side and everything felt like I’d already read this somewhere else. Bummer as I love formula 1 romances usually

i loved this book so much! it was such a great read and i loved the character relationships. i’ll definitely be reading more by rebecca chase

This was my first F1 romance, and I am not only obsessed, I can't wait for book#2! Thank you so much, Netgalley, for this ARC!
Senna is "The Man," the definition of the ultimate girl boss. She no longer races but is the new boss of Coulter Racing and is determined to succeed, despite her family's lack of faith in her.
Her brother's bestfriend (who she has loved forever) believes in her and wants to help her bring the team to a win even though that means Connor has to put his fear to the side and race. Senna and Connor fall for each other after ignoring their history and chemistry for so many years. The only problem is that her brother and the team can't find out. What kind of female boss dates one of her racers? Senna is determined to normalize women in racing while chasing her own happiness.
Highly recommend this story.
Love the history between Senna, Connor, and Nikki, I hope we get to see more in book#2. The spice, sweetness, hilarious moments, and relationships in this story were perfection.
10/5 🌟

As a huge fan of Formula 1 I love a good F1 romance and Rebecca Chase nailed this one! I loved the enemies to lovers and best friend's brother tropes that played out in this book and truly can't wait for the next book in this series. While the love story between Senna and Connor was amazing, the representation of women in the sport of F1 was maybe one of my favorite parts! I know F1 books tend to rely on the drivers falling in love with women in the team but Rebecca handled this in a way that didn't make it just a plot point for the relationship but a statement that women deserve a place in F1.

Also peep the dedication and tell me you don't want to read this book and blast The Man by Taylor Swift the rest of the day!

I really wanted to read this book as I'm inlove with F1 romance or just racing of any kind so when I saw the amazing opportunity to Review this for the lovely Rebecca I jumped at the chance❤️

This book is just what I needed, tension, angst, lust, love, ugh and Senna and Connor are just everything!!! And some love for Jacs aswell!!! The plot of the book was just how I needed it to be i really enjoyed reading and i finished it in a couple of hours because I just couldn't put it down✨️ I am so happy that i was able to give this book a go because it just hit the spot!! It was simple and beautiful, so easy to follow along with the plot and I was with them the whole way❤️

If anyone is looking for their next F1/Racing romance please give this a go!!🩵

And Lastly a huge thankyou to Rebecca and Netgalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this amazing book❤️

A F1 romance that gets the sport right!
Senna is taking over a Principal from her brother, who after a serious crash whilst racing needs to escape the f1 world, however her father (the team owner) isn't confident in her and wants to remove her from the racing world. Her brother's last action before disappearing is to sign Senna's enemy Connor to the team in an airtight contact - the man who made her crash and wreaked her racing dreams. Can they work together for the season and prove her father wrong? Can Connor hide that he is in love with Senna and has been since they were teenagers racing against each other?

I really enjoyed this fast pace read. For the first book in the series it does a great job at establishing its world, and setting up characters for future books. I loved Senna and her development through the book, finding her voice and confidence in a male dominated world. At times Connor was a bit much, with his intense protection of Senna to his tears over a kitten but that didn't make me like him any less. I could picture both MC's in the paddock on race days!

Connor does well pretending to be a golden retriever to the world but in reality he is incredibly observant, suffering from intense anxiety and a secret cinnamon roll for Senna.
The mental health discussion covered in this book is great, its realistic and highlights the intense pressure that drivers face, especially after a significant crash has occurred.

I did get a bit frustrated with how ridiculous Senna's father and brother were with their insane overprotectiveness, however it was also believable. F1 is a predominantly male dominated world and the sexism that woman face is intense.

The spice was delicious, a solid 3 star with enough detail to tell the story without being too explicit.
There were a few inconsistencies in a couple of areas - Connor had a seaside house, then it was on a lake but otherwise this was a very enjoyable read and I cant believe I have to wait until 2026 for the next.

Thank you Victory Editing NetGalley Co-Op & NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's so nice to see a female in F1 done so right. I've read quite a few F1 books and they're mainly male based, as is the sport. It's nice to see that the revolution of more woman in the sport coming through in books as well. In this book we meet Senna (Yes, she's named after Senna) who has just taken over Coulter racing from her father ( then the brother) after a health scare. Her father doesn't want her to take over, he wants her brother to take over but he's also got his own things going on after a race crash. Her father doesn't believe in her and thinks a woman is better off doing another job not in F1. Of course she proves them all wrong and proves that a woman can do any job a man can do if not better (when comparing to what her father did with the team). I also really enjoyed more female in F1 work with female mechanics and a driver also added into the mix.

This story is about Senna and Connor who have known each other since teenagers but after a crashed caused by Connor which nearly cost Senna her life, they haven't spoken in years. Also to add to the mix Senna and Connor had crushes on each other in their younger years but didn't tell each other or anyone due to Connor being best friends with her brother. She takes over the team from her brother and before he gives it over to her he does one thing, signs Connor up as a new driver.

This is full of female empowerment and shows the full meaning of found family. The power of repairing relationships when you have the right people around you. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two, and you could feel the angst between them both. This story left us with loads of questions about her brother who will be the MC in the next book and I can't wait to find out the answers.

- brothers best friend
- female in sport
- team boss x driver
- F1 romance
- Found family

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Start Your Engines!! This novel releases March 14th, just in time for the first F1 race of the 2025 season in Australia!!

If you enjoy easy secret sports romance reads, with cheesy romantic love declarations, steamy bedroom (or lake, car, desk, this list could go on folks) scenes, and a heartwarming ending, this is a must read!!

I really enjoyed the character and story line of this F1 romance. Senna and Connor had a well written friends to enemies to lovers story. In other F1 romances I’ve read, this has been the first where the female main character has been the boss/dominate one. I loved the female in power aspect of her character and how she used her position to push for more females in a male dominated industry and to prove that women are just as capable of running a racing team as anyone else. I found Senna’s personality and anxieties to be very relatable. She is a person who craves control, and losing that in any regard is a struggle, until she learns that Conner is the one person who she can relax with and not have to be in control of every moment.

For Conner, his character development throughout the book was one real life men need to take note of. From loathing driving to loving it all because of his love and respect for Senna - *chefs kiss*. We see his internal battles with insomnia and anxiety, his willingness to accept therapy to help him cope with his fears, and the complete 180 of his character throughout this novel. I just adored how openly proud of Senna is his and how he’s so in love with her he’s not afraid to shout it from rooftops.

Rebecca did a wonderful job at crafting a story that hooks you and leaves you wanting more. In this first novel of the series, we were left wondering what in the world Niki’s been up to for the entirety of the racing season. I can’t wait to read the second novel and to learn more of Niki’s story.

3.5⭐

"Don't show vulnerability. Don't trust men who can break your heart. And don't fall in love."

This was a fun read! And maybe the first time I've actually enjoyed the brothers best friend trope? The dynamic between our two MC's was cute, albeit a little cringey at times (hello miscommunication and 'protect her' tropes).

Connor underwent a complete bad boy to loverboy transformation really quick, but he remained a lovable character throughout (holding a kitten in his racesuit !! hello !!). The exploration of his mental health and relationship with driving really stood out for me, and shifted this from being a cheesy romcom to something a bit more substantive. Likewise, Senna's battle with misogny and bullying (from both colleagues and family) gave this story depth and a realistic depection of women in motorsport.

Overall all, an enjoyable read with a very loveable cast of characters.

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!

gulp. yup i was sold by this. taken in by this. reading when my lights should have been off, and the reading when the lights went off. i did indeed "over"read so i could finish this book. and what a stoker of a thrilling romance. it had high stakes both on th tracks and on the heart.
Senna was a brilliant character. she held her own but had that tender and vulnerable side that you wanted to help heal too.
she was once a main player on the racing scene. but now isnt. why? because of her brother's best friend Connor. ugh him. who also happens to be her childhood crush. turns out he only crushed her, in so many painful ways. now she has to work with him. her racing team is failing and hes the only one that can help get it back on track.
there was more to him though. and more to what happened and definitely more to whats happening between the pair now. their chemistry was brilliantly written it certainly had all hearts racing on and off the track.
this book is a yes from me.
some books come at exactly the right time. i needed this time out from perhaps reality romance. and it fit the bill for me perfectly.