“Everything in my life would be pointless without you, Starling.”
Chiara de Luca is as dangerous as she is gorgeous. She’s also my brother’s best friend and the woman I swore I’d never care for. Turns out I’m better at deceiving myself than I thought because as much as I’d like to believe she’s my enemy, she has consumed my very existence. Offering her a job to work for me may be the biggest mistake I’ve ever made, but there is no turning back now. I need her, even if she doesn’t need me…
“You’ve shown me what it means to live, Leonard.”
Leonard Tick has been a thorn in my side since he tore down my sand castle when we were kids. I shoved his face into the remains, and we’ve hated each other since. Except… I find myself lost as everyone in my life starts leaving me, and the only person to catch me is the man I never thought I could stand being in a room with. Now, I’m working for him and travelling the world to meet potential investors for my dream of opening an immersive art gallery. All because he’s as stubborn as me, and seeing me succeed has become a top priority for him.
I only hope our similarities won’t cause us to leave destruction in our wake.
thank you @bridgetl.rose for sending me an e-arc of your new book!
"Don't like people looking at you, never have. At the same time, art is meant to be admired, so how could I blame him?"
Jump-start is, obviusly, an F1 romance. It tells the story of Chiara and Leonard, an aspiring artist and an F1 driver. They are "enemies" (but are they really?) that are forced to hang out with each other given that Leonard is Graham's brother and Graham is Chiara's bff.
Once I got into the book I couldn't stop reading it, I just wanted to see them get together and see their friendship and relationship evolve. Chiara's stubborn personality had a really nice contrast with Leonard's, that was just trying to help her see her dreams come true and protecting her from a life overfilling with work (not just one might I add). My favorite part of this book was Leonard's dog, Benz (you know.... Mercedes Benz...) and seeing Adrian's and Leonard's friendship form. It felt very natural and bound to happen.
Overall it was a very cute book and a good read that I suggest to everyone who loves a good formula 1 romance!
when i tell you i tried my best to finish this book… i really did, never has a book this small felt like a chore to read but still, as someone who does not like to leave books unread before i give my opinion on them, i persevered. my opinion, however, remained the same. it was painful and it almost sucked out the joy i had in reading out of me.
i never understood the criticism point of “too much telling almost no showing” until i read this book. it felt so bare and lacking of any type of depth. i was told what the story was, the author never left room for any reader interpretation, it felt like i was being force fed instead of letting myself “chew” and enjoy the story on my own pace with the emotions “portrayed” and the stories being told.
the sexual tension aspect was too much and too forced, i feel like theres better ways to write an enemies to lover trope than like this… we dont need to be reminded every 5 lines they hate each other, like their interactions should be enough to show us theyre not the best buds in the world but again it was more told than shown
ive read much better wattpad fanfictions written by 13 yos imo. but if like a lot of smut i guess go for it? can’t even go for the f1 route bc apart from a few mentions here and there, theres not much to the story that focus on f1 and leonard being a driver… i think youd find much better written stories, and more focused on the f1 side of things on ao3 n stuff but u do u
Beetje te weinig F1 voor me tbh, verder ja cheesy romance met een sliver van stalking? De eerste 50% irriteerde ze me allebei mateloos maaar goed. Love Benz tho echt een schatje
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
I wanted an original F1 romance, not LH fanfic (even though I love him) and felt like there was room for some more originality in the character. Too many things were too similar imo.
So much telling, not much showing. I felt like I was being fed a story not being immersed in the world. I don’t know how to describe it other than “clinical”. There weren’t descriptions, there was just a stream of conciseness. IE: a character is introduced and described very basic “NAME is dark haired, tall, and in a purple dress” and there’s no alluding to, description, or anything. Once or twice that’s fine but every single character and thing is just so clinically spelled out. It wasn’t beautiful to read, it was boring. It’s giving juvenile, needs a few more edits, and an honest alpha reader I fear.
This book was also entirely too long. There was so much in that 40-70% that was unnecessary. It dragged it out and made it a chore to read. I wish I would’ve DNFed it in all honesty.
Jump-Start is set 6 years before the events of Rush: Part One.
I'm gonna come out and say it, this is my favourite book by Bridget so far, and I love all of them, but Jump-Start just hit differently. I've loved Leonard since I first met him in Rush: Part One, but really getting to know him was the best time ever, him and his starling/little demon Chiara.
Chiara may just be my favourite Bridget FMC too. She's strong, stubborn as hell, fiery, she will not take any crap from everyone, but at the same time is such a sweetheart with the biggest heart. And boy, when I tell you I felt the hate between her and Leonard, its simmering so deep down, but it only adds to their electrifying chemistry. And then you have Leonard, he's equally as stubborn, and the way he's been treated as F1's only black racer has made him cold as ice. Watching him open up and melt for Chiara was everything. And when he fell, he fell for his starling.
My favourite thing about this book was seeing how Adrian Romana and Leonard Ticks friendship started. Its so organic, never forced, and just really helped open up Leonards eyes to the fact there are some good people left in the world, who do want the best for him.
And then there's Benz, Leonards Pitbull, who clearly loves Chiara alot, dogs know best, and I'm the kind of girl who if my dog doesn't like you, neither do I!
Im so excited to see where Bridget takes the rest of the Pit Stop world, because I know its nearly time for my man to shine😍
this was okay, been in a bit of a reading slump recently and not had much chance to read. this book was good and I enjoyed the character and relationship development but I didn’t really feel driven and hooked enough to want to keep picking it up
Oh lord ! Let me breath for a minute because this one was absolutely insane. Jump-Start is the perfect definition of an enemies-to-lovers romance with this extra dose of banter, angst, spice & cuteness. Please, Leonard & Chiara are just everything and I kinda fell in love with both of them.
First of all, the Formula One setting was immaculate. I loved all the little details we had and how immersive the reading was when it came to race week-ends and even training things. It was such a solid aspect of the story and as a formula one fan, that was amazing. Bridget just knows how to make us dive in in this motorsport world.
Something I adored about this book was how Bridget worked on her characters. I loved their personal stories and how we got to learn more about them and their past throughout the story. My heart ached several times for them but this emotional side of the book was just marvelous. I loved that we are following them while achieving their biggest goals. They're both really ambitious and it was inspiring to read about such hard-working characters.
Leonard & Chiara are the epitome of an explosive relationship. I really pictured them as a fire burning. But this was what made them so strong and so attracted to each other. They completed each-other perfectly, Jump-Start radiated a soulmates energy I adored. The spice was obviously top-tier and I liked that Bridget wrote explicit scenes we don't see often in romance books. AND OF COURSE WE LOVE A BOSSY WOMAN !!! Chiara is a pure gem, basically a queen. She's my girl from now on, sorry Leonard.
Leonard had a soft side I really appreciated. Underneath his cold and grumpy exterior existed a golden heart with adorable little gestures. He was confident but also very humble and I loved that about him. The way he was obsessed with Chiara was something else omg >>> Bonus points for all the nicknames he used for her ! I loved them all. But obviously, "my little demon" won, hands down.
Overall, I had a wonderful time, the pace was great and how the tension built through the chapters was just perfect. I couldn't put my book down really, I read it quite quickly.
I totally recommend it if you love enemies to lovers romance with a formula one setting and spice along the way. If you love cute moments & banter then this one is also for you ! Add it to your TBR right now, it won't disappoint, I promise.
Jump-Start is out on June 1st make sure to pre-save it on Goodreads and preorder it on Amazon !
Congrats Bridget on this one, you outdid yourself I am SO proud of you, sweetheart ♡
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5 Well Bridget has done it again! This book was incredible. Enemies to lovers, forced proximity, brothers best friend. This book follows Leonard who’s an f1 champion and Chiara who has the ambition to open her own art gallery. Bridget’s writing really does just pull you in! I was obsessed and couldn’t stop reading. Chiara as a character I thought was great she didn’t want to take hand outs, she put her foot down and didn’t let anyone walk over her! She’s been through her fair share of shit but she’s made the best out of the situations. Leonard well… champ… he was incredible yes he’s been through a lot to get to where he is but he didn’t let anyone hold him back he fought for what he wanted and that what I love about him! The chemistry between the two 🔥 seeing them grow from hate to love, Leonard was a sucker for Chiara and she didn’t even know. So many scenes had me swooning and screaming 🌶️. I loved the epilogue and how snippets of rush was used and I can’t wait to see these characters again.
este foi um dos piores livros que alguma vez li na minha vida - a história enrolava e podia ser muito mais pequena, os personagens eram enervantes (especialmente a Chiara) e estava à espera de ler um livro com várias partes de fórmula 1 e essas partes foram quase inexistentes. isto para não falar na escrita da autora, que parece escrita de uma fanfic do wattpad pela quantidade de vezes que li "she crossed her arms in front of her chest". no que conta ao Leonard, ele é tipo um grumpy Lewis Hamilton sem qualquer tipo de personalidade e cada segundo deste livro fez-me ter vontade de chorar e de largar o livro do quão mau era. resumindo e concluindo, muito sinceramente, acho que gostei mais de ler "Memorial do Convento" do que este livro aqui e, para quem me conhece, sabe o quanto eu odiei o livro.
It seems that I just got off a roller coaster, this book made me cry, laugh and a whole range of feelings!!
After a busy month and in which the little I read was slow, this book came as a breath of fresh air and a way to get out of an apparent literary hangover.
Just over 24 hours was all it took to devour this story!
Im a huge fan of motorsports, especially Formula 1. I want to thank dear Bridget L. Jones in advance for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC.
🏁🏁
Enemies to lovers is without a doubt my favorite trope, and the way it was explored in this plot is breathtaking… we start with something slow that culminates in pure fire people!!!!!
This is the story of Chiara and Leonard, an aspiring artist and F1 driver.
Chiara is best friends with Graham, Leonard's brother, and when he “leaves” her for a few months, she is led to accept the offer to share an apartment with the pilot.
Theirs relationship since they know each other is not the best, they are a kind of mortal enemies ahahah
🏎️ “You can make my life as difficult as you want, honey, because you're the one who makes life worth living.” 🏎️
What I laughed about was Leonard, who for me is undoubtedly inspired by Lewis Hamilton, but also by Max Verstappen, without a doubt similar personalities!!
🏎️ “Annoying as fuck. But he is also slowly becoming my fav-person. No. I can't even think about it without shuddering." 🏎️
As for Chiara, I just thought that when I grow up I want to be like her, without a doubt a badass character who, even after her sad past, does what she can to achieve her dreams! Opah and without a doubt the nickname little demon (which Leonard gave him) is suitable 😂😂
Parallel to the main novel, I want to highlight the plot that involves Chiara's mother and the man she shares the apartment with (I hate it so much that I don't even bother writing the name) and the evolution of Leonard's relationship with Adrian, the rookie of the season.
Oh obviously I can't leave the cuteness that is the puppy Benz (yes Benz from Mercedes Benz)!!
I think these three quotes are enough to convince you to read 🏁 𝙹𝚞𝚖𝚙-𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚝 🏁 But if you’re still not convinced, hear me out:
This book made me smile so hard my cheeks hurt even though the MCs hate smiling. Their banter was precious, because the hero couldn’t stop getting turned on by the heroine’s sass haha. Our hero also can’t help but be a sugar daddy to his woman and BUYS HER BOOKS. He cooks the most delicious meals for her and stands up to everyone who dares cross the heroine. Our boss babe is a trained fighter who can bring her man to his knees in a single leg sweep (he ends up being turned on tho) and kicks ass, looking perfect all the while with her sexy curves and pure heart.
Then there’s a dog who loves nothing more than both its parents. A found family who will fight them both for their happiness.
Also, did I mention that it’s a 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺 𝘹 𝘨𝘳𝘶𝘮𝘱𝘺 where 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘨𝘶𝘺 𝘧𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘴𝘵 🪷
And because he’s never been in love before, HE WENT TO A DOC TO MAKE SURE HIS HEART WAS OKAY, because it 𝘍𝘓𝘜𝘛𝘛𝘌𝘙𝘚 WHEN SHE’S AROUND 🙈
Bridget, thank you so much for this phenomenal ARC 🫶🏼
I love this book so much. I don’t even know where to start.
This book was perfection?? Like? There were no flaws. I fell in love with these characters, and the TENSION. let me tell you, I could feel it through my kindle.
Chiara is such a badass fmc. I would do anything for this woman. I love how independent she is and that she stands up for herself and the people she loves. The bird scene on the bench (ifykyk) had me sobbing so hard. I was in tears. Seeing this woman go through so many struggles and coming out of it resilient as ever, it’s so incredible. She felt REAL, she wasn’t perfect no, but that’s why I love her. She felt real.
Leonard was so perfect the entire book, honestly. He was so relatable. I loved seeing him grow with Chiara and take on his feelings. He was always there for Chiara when she needed him, and I was sobbing. He’s so good with his family and hers too, it’s so freaking cute. Also he has a dog he rescues and supports animal rehabilitation centers. He’s also an F1 driver. COULD HE GET ANYMORE PERFECT?
I highly recommend this book! Please read it immediately!!
Yet another great read from the amazing Bridget L. Rose! Thank you so much for this ARC! Even though this is an arc that was so kindly gifted to me, I’ll give my honest opinion🩵
If there is one thing I absolutely love to read about, it’s formula 1. As an enthusiastic F1 fan, this combination is absolutely amazing! Reading this during race week as well made it even better🙌🏼
The characters in this book were great. Even though Chiara has had a tough life, it does not change her badass attitude and Girlboss vibe, which I loved about her! Leonard is the book version of Lewis Hamilton. I swear, I could only imagine him while reading and that was a huge plus, because Lewis Hamilton forever🫶🏼
This enemies to lovers novel had the perfect balance of plot and romance, if that makes sense? The tension that was built up between the characters made me all giddy, and when they finally admitted that they had feelings towards each other!?😫
“You can make my life as hard as you would like, sweetheart, because you’re the one who makes it worth living.”
The way Leonard cared about Chiara made my heart melt, he was so sweet! He cared about her from start to end, and that When he offered to pay for her new clothes, let alone let her live in his apartment with her was top tier.
I love this book so freaking much it hurts. The banter is incredible, the longing and angst between them is chef's kiss. Leonard is my favourite book boyfriend because of who is inspired by but I had loved him from the moment we saw him in Rush and I couldnt wait for his book since then. The writing is incredible and I love how the author portrayed both characters and showed their insecurities as if we were their bestfriends and I truly felt like they are my family. I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone who loves grumpy x sunshine, enemies to lovers, brother's bestfriend and obviously f1 romances❤️❤️
Ik vond de F1 elementen leuk, Benz en Adrian vond ik ook echt cute.. Verder irriteerde ik me aan zowel Leonard als Chiara.. waarom moeten jullie zo lang om elkaar heen draaien? En verder was deze story line all over the place, opeens breekt die moeder een been, dan word chiara ziek, kut Tim is er op de meest random momenten. Dit boek had qua diepgang echt potentie (haar angst voor falen en het feit dat hij niet meer verliefd is op racen).. maar hoe lost dit boek het op.. omdat ze verliefd worden is het over.. Zo werkt het niet? Like ughhhh.. nee niet mijn boek, voelde echt als een slecht wattpad verhaal!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Thank you Bridget for once again trusting me with an early copy of your baby 🥹
I LOVED THIS SM!!!!! Anything written in the Pitstop universe is an instant win for me. I just love everything about the world that’s been created. Seeing Adrian in this was amazing and he was so funny he had me cackling out loud.
If you love LH you are going to ADORE this. If you love tension and angst, you’re going to love it. This is absolutely Bridget’s best writing and I know it can only get better from here. The banter is realistic and actually funny. It’s written SO well and honestly I can’t get over how much better Bridget’s writing is getting over the series.
I really loved Chiara but Leonard took the cake for me. He was everything. Only smiling for his girl, physical touch love language, protective, a family man, rich 🤑, caring and funny.
There were a few Americanised words that we don’t use in the UK but it made no difference to the novel overall.
Love love loved this. Really made a tough week more bearable.
• grumpy x grumpy • f1 romance • angst & spice • dog dad • British mmc • physical touch love language
someone said in a comment that this was really romantic. and while they did have really cute short moments (why it’s 2 stars at all). they were so lust heavy all the time. i get that sometimes it’s hard to transition from enemy to lover without being like. i hate them but im so attracted to them. but we don’t need to be trying to bang each other all the time. also i feel like we kept losing one of the plot points for a while and then it would just pop back up. it was weird.
I never thought I'd be reading Lewis Hamilton fanfiction, but here we are. The first half of the book reads like fanfiction, but the second half finds its footing. My biggest qualm with it is that Chiara explicitly says she doesn't like the FMCs in books she reads to put their love before their dreams, but in the end she does it, too. It is a missed opportunity to have her be like the FMCs she wishes to read about, on my opinion. Overall, I put this one in the category of "an easy beach read".
good F1 romances are so hard to find but this one will be at the top of my recommendations. i think it is obvious when a author is a fan of the sport they are writing about and this is incredibly important.
this is an enemies to lovers romance that absolutely hits. (and i find it hard to like enemies to lovers). this book had me totally absorbed and infatuated.
i feel like this is bridget’s best work so far and cannot wait to see what she produces in the future.
“You and me” - this quote always gets me, especially when the book is about:
A demanding, rich male hero & a strong, independent female heroine who have grown up together and are experts at bickering with each other - and each other only? Give me more!
I adored how Benz (Leonard’s dog - yes, he drives for Mercedes - loved that too!) has always been their common ground and their sweet spot.
Bridget knows how to write characters with such finesse and depth! I’m so happy I discovered you and your books, Bridget!
Ps. If you have a sweet spot for Lewis Hamilton, this is definitely for you ;)
Meh. It was ok, but I just don’t think it was for me. I probably would’ve DNF’d it if it weren’t a recommendation from a friend for my 12 for 12 challenge. Yes, there were things I liked and it was well written/easy to read, but more things bugged me that overshadowed the good parts.