Rush: Part One & Two

Pitstop #3

by Bridget L. Rose

Part One
Since childhood, Valentina Romana has had one become the first female Formula One championship contender. She has the talent, skill, resources, and dedication, but there is one problem. No one is willing to give her a chance of reaching her dream. Nothing can stand in the way of Valentina’s dream. All she needs is one chance to prove herself to the rest of the motorsport world.

Gabriel Biancheri dreams of becoming a Formula One World Champion. His determination to win is mirrored in his desire to be a better man for Valentina. While neither of them knows how to work past their fear of loss, they can’t stay away from each other. Their relationship is chaotic, but both realize they need each other to survive.

Part Two
A spot at the Ferrari Driver Academy is everything Valentina Romana has been waiting for, but it doesn’t come without consequences. Her childhood rival and prince of Monaco, Christian Crovetto, reappears in her life, ready to battle her for the only spot available in Formula Three. With her family and friends by her side, Valentina is more determined than ever to prove that racing runs in her blood. She deserves that spot, but will the people in charge agree?

Gabriel Biancheri is determined to win the Drivers’ Championship, but he’s also set on being the man Valentina deserves. Along with being one of the best drivers in Formula One history, he’ll stop at nothing to become the best version of himself for her while she does the same for him.

Secrets, lies, and betrayals turn their lives upside down until one question can they push past the darkness before it swallows them whole?

Genres: Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Racing

423 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 16, 2024

Reviews

[Hannah · Rating 5 out of 5]

I recently read the original version of this book right before receiving the ARC for the new version and my go my. I LOVE this new version so much more! It felt like reading a completely new book. The spice is perfect! And it helped me get over my sadness that there was no race this past weekend lol. Along with that, this book helped me work through my own personal grief, and I'm forever grateful for that.

[Amber J. Cunningham-Moorât · Rating 4 out of 5]

i can't believe i went and reviewed the wrong book the first time, but i have it right this time. thank the gods i recheck these things 🤣

i finished this book more than two hours ago and it has taken me that long to be able to not cry when i think about it. ive spent part of that time talking to Bridget (genuinely one of the nicest people i've ever spoken to by the way), and only now am i able to fully put into words how amazing but heartbreaking this book is.

it is 1,000,000% safe to say this will not be the last book of Bridget's that i read. she is an incredible author, and even beyond that, an amazing person too. i texted you the second i finished this book, sobbing, my heart was genuinely broken. when you said this book ended sadly, it did not register in my head that you meant that it ended gut-wrenchingly-heart-shatteringly sadly.

i am worried that my heart will never be repaired. terrified. i have no choice but to go read the next book because i need to see Gabriel and Valentina back together and happy because they are soulmates and i can't have it any other way. i need to see Valentina as an Alfa Adrenalina driver and i need to see Adrian and Gabriel literally destroy their team principal and the CEO of Velocitá Rossa for what they did. AND JAMES. MATE. LOVE. AH. I LOVE YOU. SO MUCH. I WAS REALLY SCARED FOR PART OF THAT LETTER. SERIOUSLY TERRIFIED OF YOU OFFING YOURSELF. I SWEAR TO GOD IF YOU DO, THERE IS GOING TO BE HELL TO PAY.

moving on though, to add to the incredible-ness (i know that's not a word, leave me be), the book is on literal god tier of inclusivity. obviously we know it's about a woman in a traditionally man's world, but there's so many other facets of inclusivity in this book. from mental health, to race, to sexuality, to trauma, there is something for so many people to relate to, and reading this book really feels like coming home for me. i love the way every one of these characters is written, no matter how horrible they are as people, they're written impeccably, and i will truly be aspiring to be like Bridget when i release my future books.

my two worlds collided in reading this book in the same way that they did with the dirty air series, and i cannot wait for the rest of this series. well, well done Bridget, i was truly honoured to be an ARC reader for you 💕 all my best, Amber x

[Melanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

When I was picked as an ARC Reader I was sooooo beyond hyped !!! I DEVOURED Rush, fittingly over the weekend of the first F1 race of the season.
I have never fallen in love with a romance book as quickly as I did with Rush !!! Literally started Saturday afternoon and stayed up to 2AM the next morning because I could not put it down.

Bridget has an amazing way of bringing you into all the blood and found family ties and of course into the world of Formula 1 racing. Even if you are not familiar with the world of F1 there is enough balance in the book for you to understand what is going on without too many technicalities to steer you away from the plot points and romance.
I am obsessed with Valentina and Gabriel's story, and with the badass representation of women in male dominated sports! There is a great balance between everything and I was hooked from the moment I started. So much so that I bought the next part of the series (Chase) seconds after finishing Rush because I had to know what happened next.
Thank you again !!! I am obsessed and can't wait to keep reading your books 🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️🏎️

[Kirsty McCracken]

DNF at 50%. I finished part 1 - barely. This felt so different from books 1 and 2 in the series, and much more like the Leonard and Chiara novella that I didn't love.
It was so slow and disjointed and dragged on forever. I was so excited cuz I love me some Charles Leclerc content as much as the next girl (he's a golden retriever but that angry look is such a classic film star glare) but this was messy and all over the place and the surname choice for the main man was a little...off to me.
I wanted to love this, to have as good as time as I did with Leonard and Chiara but I just didn't. Such a shame as I was thrilled to read a book where the leading lady was an F1 driver.

I think I'll try James' book before I try Adrian's doulogy. See how another one book concept works compared to another duology set.

Such a shame!!!

[Chloë · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of beta reading this for Bridget and I couldn’t be happier. Rush has come so far and I’m so proud!!

[Annalise Kaye · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of being one of Bridget’s ARC readers for Rush and this book did not disappoint! It took me a little longer than expected to get into it, but once I was a few chapters in I couldn’t put it down.

As you bounce back and forth from Valentina’s to Gabriel’s POV, you get to see how both characters are feeling and working through challenges. In addition to their love story, the F1 action is unmatched.

Buckle up because you’re going to cruise through this entire series!

Thank you for letting me be an ARC reader, Bridget!

[Alice · Rating 3 out of 5]

I originally read this when it was separated in Rush Part 1 and Rush Part 2. It is now sold in one combined book.

Gabriel successful Formula 1 driver 🏎. Valentina a female racing driver, trying to live up to her brother achievement 🏆 while also trying to make her dream of being a Formula 1 driver a reality 🏎. However, Gabriel also happens to be her brother’s teammate and friend 🤭.

This book felt realist in terms of the struggle women face in order to get into racing seats . You can see that currently with the current Formula 1 grid and the creation of F1 Academy. Gabriel and Adrian show to so much support for Valentina in helping her to achieve her goal while also achieving their own 🤗. With the same coming back to them with Valentina their to support and cheer them on 🎉.

I love a friend to lovers’ storyline it is one of my favourites ♥️. The we can’t be together because it will ruin the friendship, even though it is so clear to everyone but them that they have feelings for each other 🤭. Valentina and Gabriel have this back and forth between them on the we can’t be together 🙄.

When they do eventually get together the PDA in front and around Adrian is so funny 😂. It is so clearly making him uncomfortable that his sister and teammate are together, but they still continue to do it 😚.

[Vita (Booksdramaqueen) · Rating 4 out of 5]

TROVATE LA RECENSIONE IN ITALIANO SUBITO DOPO QUELLA IN INGLESE.

Thank you to the author for the eARC of this book.

I love sports romance, and until today I had only read a couple of them about Formula 1, so "Rush: Part One & Two" immediately piqued my curiosity.

The protagonists of this story are Valentina Romana, a girl who wants to become a Formula 1 driver, and Gabriel Biancheri, the former champion of the team "Velocità Rossa". The two have known each other and have been friends for years since Adrian, Valentina’s brother, is Gabriel’s teammate, and both have always had fellings for each other, but have never had the courage to declare their love for fear of ruining their friendship. Among other things, both Valentina and Gabriel have suffered a lot of losses, and for this reason they tend to keep people at distance.

The central theme of this volume is "grief" and there are several discussions on the subject, so if you are not ready to read about this topic I do not recommend reading this volume (however, there is a list of trigger warnings that you can consult). In my opinion, the subject has been handled quite well, although I would have preferred some chapters to be longer to feel more emotionally involved.

Gabriel is definitely the character most afflicted by his past, and that’s why his unfriendly attitude at the beginning of the book can be almost frustrating. However it will be part of his journey to understand how to overcome his traumas and learn to open his heart.

Valentina is a wonderful protagonist, a talented, intelligent and willing girl who does everything to get what she wants, despite all the obstacles that obstruct the way to her biggest dream. Valentina is in fact terribly discriminated against by the largest academies of Formula 1 simply because she is a girl, and she will have to fight tooth and nail not to be discouraged by every refusal she receives.

Valentina is supported by Gabriel, but also by her brother Adrian and her best friend, James, whom I loved with all my heart. I already know that we’re going to have a book dedicated to Adrian, and I’m so happy about it, and I hope that James can have his happy ending someday.

I liked the love story between Valentina and Gabriel, I found both very tender, although Gabriel's attitude at the beginning of the story tested my patience. However, I really appreciated the way the both learned to communicate. Overall, I liked the bonds between all characters in this volume.

In conclusion, "Rush: Part One & Two" may not be a particularly dynamic book, and the plot may feel slow at times, but if you are looking for a very gentle romance with positive characters, then this book is perfect for you.

Lastly, I want to emphasize that this is just the first of two volumes. Therefore, Valentina and Gabriel's story doesn't end in this volume but will continue in "Chase: Part One & Two".
Rating: 3.7⭐


RECENSIONE IN ITALIANO:

Ringrazio l'autrice per avermi mandato un'eARC della versione rivisitata di questo volume.

Amo gli sport romance, e fino ad oggi ne avevo letto solo un paio sulla Formula 1, per questo "Rush: Part One & Two" ha subito catturato la mia curiosità.

I protagonisti di questa storia sono Valentina Romana, una ragazza che vuole diventare una pilota di Formula 1, e Gabriel Biancheri, già campione della scuderia "Velocità Rossa". I due si conoscono e sono amici da anni dato che Adrian, il fratello di Valentina, è il compagno di scuderia di Gabriel, ed entrambi hanno sempre provato qualcosa l'uno per l'altra, ma non hanno mai avuto il coraggio di dichiararsi per paura di rovinare la loro amicizia. Tra l'altro sia Valentina che Gabriel hanno subito davvero tantissime perdite, e per questo tendono a tenere lontane le persone.

Al centro di questo volume c'è proprio il tema del "lutto" e vengono fatti diversi discorsi sull'argomento, quindi se non siete pronti a leggere questa tematica vi sconsiglio questo libro (in ogni caso c'è un elenco di trigger warning che potete consultare). A mio parere il tema è stato gestito abbastanza bene, anche se avrei preferito che certi capitoli fossero più lunghi per sentirmi più coinvolta emotivamente.

Gabriel è sicuramente il personaggio più afflitto dal suo passato, e per questo il suo atteggiamento scostante all'inizio del libro può risultare quasi frustrante, ma sarà proprio parte del suo percorso di crescita capire come superare i suoi traumi e imparare ad aprire il proprio cuore.

Valentina è una protagonista meravigliosa, una ragazza talentuosa, intelligente e volenterosa che fa di tutto pur di ottenere ciò che vuole, nonostante la via per il suo grande sogno sia piena zeppa di ostacoli. Valentina viene infatti discriminata dalle più grandi accademie di Formula 1 semplicemente per via del fatto che è una ragazza, e dovrà lottare con le unghie e con i denti per non farsi scoraggiare da ogni rifiuto che riceve.

A supportarla ci sono le persone a lei più vicine, oltre a Gabriel, suo fratello Adrian e il suo migliore amico, James, che ho amato con tutto il cuore. so già che avremo un libro dedicato ad Adrian e ne sono felicissima, ma spero che anche James un giorno possa avere il suo lieto fine.

La storia tra Valentina e Gabriel mi è piaciuta, li ho trovati entrambi tenerissimi, anche se Gabriel all'inizio ha messo a dura prova la mia pazienza. Devo dire comunque di aver tanto apprezzato il modo in cui tutti e due hanno imparato a comunicare. In generale mi sono piaciuti tutti i legami presenti in questo volume.

In conclusione "Rush: Part One & Two" non è un libro particolarmente dinamico, a livello di trama non succede molto e per questo potrebbe risultare un po' lento, ma se avete voglia di un romance molto soft con dei personaggi positivi allora questo libro è perfetto per voi.

Ci tengo a sottolineare infine che si tratta comunque del primo di due volumi, e che quindi la storia di Valentina e Gabriel non si è conclusa in questo libro, ma continuerà in "Chase: Part One & Two".
Voto: 3.7⭐

[Book.Wolf · Rating 1 out of 5]

As a f1 fan this is bullshit
I've read 13 pages but wtf!!! I watch their races and everything. She is small and curvy, but works out every day like how? I have nothing against curvy woman, I envy them. But if your curvy you won't even fit into a f1 car. And her muscles ache everyday after training???? What are bullshit! If you work out everyday your muscles get used to it!

And the her crush a monegasque.. named biancheri... you mean like Bianchi? (An actual f1 driver that died in a crash?) A monegasque to. are you kidding me. What a disrespect and originality!!

All the info dump on how f1 works right at the start seems just like a copy and paste from Wikipedia.. but ow no. She has to do more and push herself more because "she is a woman" f*ck that! There are only 20 men in the world that are even able to drive a car like that, don't you think they have to work their asses off to. To even keep their own seat in a car.

This book just pissed me off!!!!

[drusilla duke · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don't know much about f1 so I loved how informative it was without it being purely facts. I loved the found family aspect and the chemistry between the leads. The way the MML would do anything for the MFL and remembers the tiniest details about her had me gushing over them. The ending has me feeling all types of ways that I can't say due to spoilers. But if you love f1, sports romances, found family, and an ML who would do anything for his girl, highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Bridget L. Rose for giving me an arc of this book in return for an honest review.

[Gemma Westwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Figure out what's stronger Gabriel. Your feelings for me or your fear of them."

Friends-to-lovers might be my new favourite genre.

Rush Part One and Part Two is a dual POV romance, that focuses in Valentina Romana and Gabriel Biancheri. Valentina Romana has one goal: to be the first female driver in Formula One. It has been her dream since she was a child, but there's one problem. No one is willing to take a chance on her. All Gabriel wants is to be a Formula One World Champion, and now he is on Velocitá Rossa, and teammates with Adrian Romana, that dram is finally within his grasp. There's just one thing that can distract these two; each other. As they explore what it means to love in each other, in spite of their losses, they discover a life better for the other person being in it. But as Valentina gets her chance to prove herself, and the race for the World Championship heats up, all they can do is cling to each other, because there is a secret around the corner, and it just might change everything they think they know.

Friends-to-lovers is a genre that I really enjoy, but this might have just pushed the trope so far up my favourite tropes. Everything about this. The years of history between Valentina and Gabriel was so good, and it allowed them to connect in a different way. Valentina is able to call Gabriel out on his attitude, because she knows him and knows ow far she can push him, and whilst I love the tentative beginnings of relationships and characters getting to know each other, there is something about them already having a history together that makes it feel so natural, and just makes my heart so happy. There doesn't need to be any kind of miscommunication between them or anything like that because they know each other better.

Valentina. When I say I have been so excited to read Valentina's story, she was the one I was most excited to read about. She has been featured in the other books, and in every single one she seems like a badass wonder woman, and the kind of woman I would love to be friends with. She was even better in her own book. Reading her thoughts and feelings, and how strong she is as a character was so inspiring. The constant battle to prove herself and constantly having the door closed in her face, but making the decision to keep on going felt so special to me, and when she finally got that call to prove herself, it left the best feeling, and made me so happy. (If that's where I would have had to have waited, I would've screamed so I'm glad I could just carry on reading!) The fact that she can also stare down the face of royalty and calmly tell him "I can't choke on something that doesn't exist." had me nearly spitting out my water, but also had me reading in so much awe of her. Honestly one of my favourite thing about the Pitstop series in general is just how badass all the women are. They always do whatever it takes to achieve their dreams. The fact that they all go about it in different ways is interesting and inspiring, and shows just because Plan A didn't work doesn't mean Plan B will also fail.

Gabriel just took my heart. That man is so down bad for Valentina, and I think he might be the most in love fictional character I've ever had the pleasure of reading. The way he would do absolutely anything for the woman he loves had me swooning. This is a man who will not only happily read to Valentina, but also listened when she told him some books she's excited about, then bought them for her. That is the absolute dream right there. he says things like "Just when I thought you couldn't get more beautiful, here you are, showing me another piece of you to fall in love with." The way Bridget writes these men need to be studied because they are all kinds of perfect.
Special shoutout to Evangelin because everything about her made my heart happy.

The portrayal of grief in this, is so well done, The ability to portray something so personal, and have everyone react and cope in their own way is so important. As a really prominent theme throughout not just this book, but through the Pitstop series, I have related to each character and the way they experience and live their grief at one point, and each time I recognised a little bit of my grief in the characters, it felt healing and a little less alone.

I am so fully invested in the Pitstop series, that I am so sad I only have Chase left to read after this, but this might have become my new favourite in the series. I was so excited to read this book, to read about Valentina, the first woman in F1, and how she got there, and it didn't disappoint in anyway, and that cliff-hanger has me so excited to read Chase Part One and Part Two, this was such an easy 5 star read for me.

[Thea’s Reading World 💛 · Rating 4 out of 5]

#48 in 2024

thank you bridget for the arc 🥹 glad i could read this ahead of release.

after reading jump-start (and giving it 5 stars) i knew i had to read everything bridget comes out with. i am so glad i did cause this book exceeded expectations.

valentina is an aspiring f1 driver who lost a lot of hope after being wrongfully kicked out of f3 for being a woman and gabriel is a grief riddled driver, her brother's teammate and childhood crush. Their love story may seem easy, but it's full of obstacles that each one of them needs to go through individually and together.

i'm not going to spoil anything for you, so here are my general impressions :

- valentina deserves the whole world and she has it. she is so lucky to have a support system full of men who care and empower her every step of the way. the found family aspect is so sweet.

-gabriel is such a cutie, the love he has for her unconditionally and the little things he does for her (like taking care when's she's menstruating, a man)

-the tropes are not my favorite, but they were so well done. Even though some might seem childish or overdone, they felt so genuine and right for their relationship. personally, i don't enjoy this type of story but it worked (maybe that's why it's not a 5 star read)

-they are JEA-LOUS honey. It made me cackle a bunch of times and slap them back to reality. but it never got toxic or vengeful, thank God. it was cute seeing gabriel be so damn fixated on any guy breathing near her.

-the book was a bit long, i found myself getting a little snoozy on some couple moments, even though they were cute and natural. maybe it was a personal thing or my slumpish mood.

-the side characters made the story so much better. Sometimes in a romance i don't only care about the love between the mcs, but the friends and family a lot too. I can't wait for adrian's story and I hope James gets his happy ending.


-the representation in this book is *chef's kiss*. We have a non binary character, mentions of queer relationship and the main problem of the story is valentina facing issues being a woman in motorsports. loved seeing these in here, we need more of that.

-the character development!!!!! I told bridget that, in romances, love should make them better people and i think we see that in them. they strive to deal with their grief in healthier ways to be the best for the other person,something i should see more often in a romance.

-the writing style is one of the best if not the best i've read in an f1 romance, and if you know me i've read a ton. i think she perfected it so well to fit the stories and do them justice.

-mon tournesol and mon soleil and the meaning of them, crying.


Overall, one of the better formula one romances out there. If you love childhood friends to lovers, women in f1, found family, stories about grief and mmc taking care of fmc, try this one. I can't wait to read Chase and then move on to Reserved.

[LuvKayKay · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have to say so far this couple isn’t my favorite. I still enjoy them but I didn’t really feel for them as much as I did with Leonard and Chiara and Storm and Scar. This book is the realist and I felt so many emotions reading part 1 and I definitely understand both characters struggles. Especially with Val’s struggles with trying to be in the F1 field because she’s a woman. I understand how they loss a lot of people in their lives and are scared to keep one another but there were parts where it was just constantly going. It’s very realistic you feel something and you decide to push the other one away. Some actions they both did I was annoyed at. I love Adrian and Valentina’s sibling relationship and I can’t wait to read Adrian’s he’s my second favorite after Leonard being first. I love how close they are and how he didn’t want Val to give up her dream on being the first female F1 driver. Doing everything he can to support her. I get what Gabriel was trying to do at the end but at the same time I feel like things could have been done differently. I know there’s a 2nd part to their story that I will read because I need to see how things turn up. I’m just hoping it doesn’t drag too much. Fuck royal assness and James. I understand James but ugh I don’t like him. I love Leonard and what’s he’s trying to do can’t wait to finish his story as well.

[Rujuta Desai · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alright, let me spill the beans on this adrenaline-packed rollercoaster of a book, "Rush: Part One & Two" by Bridget L. Rose. Buckle up, folks, 'cause we're diving into a world where Formula One racing meets heart-stopping romance.

So, picture this: Valentina Romana, a total badass with a dream to be the first female Formula One champ. But guess what? The world ain't giving her an easy ride. But she's not backing down, especially with her swoon-worthy crush, Gabriel Biancheri, by her side. Their love story? Let's just say it's like a race with twists and turns that keep you on the edge of your seat.

What's cool about this book is how it tackles real stuff, like gender bias in racing, without being all preachy. And the characters? Oh man, they're as diverse as a bag of Skittles, with each one bringing something special to the table.

And let me tell you about Rose's writing style – it's like she's revving up an engine, smoothly shifting gears between heart-pounding races and tender moments.

In a nutshell, "Rush: Part One & Two" isn't just a love story or a racing tale – it's a wild ride that'll leave you breathless and wanting more. So, if you're up for a thrill, hop on board and let Valentina and Gabriel take you for the ride of your life!

[Ludo · Rating 3 out of 5]

I thank the author for sending me an eArc to read and review.
This is a Formula One romance, third in the Pitstop series, but you can read it even without reading the other two first (it happened to me, but I plan to go back and read them). However, you do have to read the fourth book in the series because this is not a standalone, but the stories of the characters continue (and I like that, there are a lot of romances that are standalones but I like when the story develops more in more books).
I liked the characters. It was interesting knowing them and seeing them struggling with mourning and achieving their dreams. In particular, Valentina’s story was interesting to discover with the F1 Academy happening now in real life. She and Gabriel were also lovely together, I like my ship enemies to lovers, but this friends to lovers with a spice of slow burn was fun to read.
The romance part was cute, I was a tad less enthusiastic about the F1 part, but probably because I follow the sport, so when there was something more technical that needed an explanation I had the feeling that the flow of the story halted. However, if you are not an expert of F1, I’m sure you’ll find it useful and might not even notice it.

[Twilight Tales · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMG, this book!! 😭🏎️ *Rush: Part One* was such a wild, emotional rollercoaster, and I’m still recovering! Valentina Romana is literally everything — strong, determined, and SO inspiring. The way she’s fighting for her dream to become a Formula One champion? Absolute queen behavior. 👑

And then there’s Gabriel. Ugh, this man. His passion, his struggles, his love for Valentina — it’s messy and complicated but also beautiful. Their chemistry was like FIRE, and I couldn’t get enough. 🔥 The push and pull, the emotional wreckage, the swoon-worthy moments — I was screaming, crying, and throwing the book across the room (in the best way).

Also, the racing scenes?? Adrenaline. Pure adrenaline. I could *feel* the engines roaring and the tension on the track. It was like I was *there* experiencing every single turn and crash. And don’t even get me started on the emotional wreckage this story left me in. Like, why am I crying over fictional characters at 3 AM?

this one hits differently. The rewrites add so much more depth, and I’m so glad I gave it another read. Valentina and Gabriel’s story is EVERYTHING, Please send tissues. And maybe a race car. 🏁😭

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Would I recommend? 1000% YES!

[Teigan · Rating 4 out of 5]

(ARC/FREE COPY)⁣
⁣
Rating — ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⭑ ⁣
⁣
I just want to preface this by saying that Bridget is one of my closest friends!⁣
Also, I want to add that biggest reason why I have rated this book 4 stars is because I have watched this book go through so much constructive criticism and reviews to the point where Bridget took EVERYTHING on board and put her all into this book and it shows — it really does. ⁣
⁣
Rush is a fast-paced childhood crushes to lovers series that follows a formula one hopeful, Valentina and her journey of trying to break into the sport whilst also facing a new relationship with her childhood crush, Gabriel, who happens to already be a formula one driver. ⁣
⁣
Now I’ve never actually read any romances where the characters already have feelings for each other and want to be together, so this trope for me was a whole new battleground and I loved the deepness it ended up adding to the up and downs of their relationship. ⁣
⁣
One of the stars in my ratings definitely goes towards Adrian Romana though, I have to admit. If there’s anything F1 romance authors have in common is that they all make me fall in love with side characters (Adrian is getting his own book, Reserved is out on the 10th of May!)

[Tanisha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Bridget for the oppertunity to let me beta read this one 🩷

This book was absolutely everything and I was so excited to read this new version of Rush.
We still follow the story of Val trying to make her dreams come true of racing in Formula 1 with the help and support of her brother and her best friends who are already racing in F1.

The main focus is about the struggles Val experiences, just for being a girl trying to make it in a male dominated sport.

In this new version we already get Gabriel's pov in Rush part one and it's so exciting.
Reading this story for a second time made me fall in love again with the story and all it's heartwarming characters.

Bridget did a great job at explaining parts of how F1 works so people who aren't familiar with the sport (yet) can also understand the story.

This book is perfect if you're into: formula 1 and sports romance and the best part is that when you've finished this, Chase: part one and two (the 3rd book in the series) is already out so you can immediatly read the rest of their story 🥰

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a longgg overdue review, but I HAD to leave one bc of my love for this book 🥹

I’m sooo freaking obsessed with Valentina and Gabriel. Literal loves of my life.

I got to read Rush as a beta reader and let me just say I couldn’t stop reading. I don’t have a computer so I was just reading on docs and I NEVER read on my phone, so if that tells you anything about how much I love this book. I cried, I laughed, I was angry, I had ALL of the emotions reading this 🥹 I want to wipe my memory and read it all again for the first time 🥲

Valentina is perfect. No one can tell me any different. She’s such a cool fmc, I mean she’s fighting to be an F1 driver, of course she’s cool! I love how she stands up for herself and doesn’t let people walk all over her, I aspire to be her.

Gabriel, ohhhhh I love this man. I’m obsessed with him. The way he treats Valentina omgg. I need a Gabriel Biancheri in my life, I freaking adore him.

[Milica · Rating 2 out of 5]

Part 1 was almost a DNF from me, which almost never happens. It breaks the "show, don't tell" rule as the reader is constantly told that Valentina can't break into F1 because she is a woman, but there is not a single scene showing that. The romance plot is unfocused and it suffers from the lack of Gabriel's POV. There is no actual conflict. The pair can not be together because they just can't. The intention behind it is probably the fear of ruining a friendship and losing more people, but, again, that is not shown. However, I forced myself to finish part 1, took a break and read part 2. Part 2 fixes the F1 plot problems of "show, don't tell" but its pitfall is having way too many plot points which appear out of nowhere and only convolute the story instead of elevating it. I will say that the spice in part 2 is well-placed throughout and well-written. Though, if I had to read the word "nervosity" one more time in the span of three pages, I would've been physically ill.

[Halie Jade · Rating 4 out of 5]

Immediately running to read Chase because Rush ripped out my heart (I loved it) and I need more ASAP.

I love Gabriel and Valentina and I was rooting for them the whole time. Even through all of their trials and tribulations I was cheering for them to get together.

BUT my favorite part of this whole book was watching Valentina continuously fighting to make her dreams a reality. I love the representation of women in motorsport that Bridget puts into her books and this was absolutely no exception. I truly felt like Valentina’s friend throughout this, wanting to cry when she was rejected and also wanting to cry (happy tears) as she inched closer to achieving her dreams.

And to touch more on the representation of so many things in Bridget’s books: There’s women in motorsport, body positivity, sexuality, gender identity, mental health and I find it so amazing that so many people will be able to feel seen through Bridget’s stories because of this!

[thesmutreader · Rating 5 out of 5]

🏎️ 𝐑𝐮𝐬𝐡🏎️ 𝐛𝐲 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐋. 𝐑𝐨𝐬𝐞

𝟓/𝟓 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
𝐒𝐩𝐢𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

𝐓𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬:
𝐅𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐝𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬
𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐬𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠
𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐅𝐚𝐦𝐢𝐥𝐲

𝐕𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐚 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐚 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐛𝐚𝐫𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐬 𝐬𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐟𝐢𝐫𝐬𝐭 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐫𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐅𝐨𝐫𝐦𝐮𝐥𝐚 𝐎𝐧𝐞. 𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥 𝐁𝐢𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐢, 𝐚 𝐭𝐚𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐝𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐬𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐨𝐰𝐧 𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐦𝐬, 𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐥𝐰𝐚𝐲𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐬𝐢𝐝𝐞. 𝐀𝐬 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐩𝐮𝐬𝐡 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐤, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐧𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐠𝐫𝐨𝐰𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐧 𝐚 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐟𝐮𝐥𝐥 𝐨𝐟 𝐜𝐡𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐞𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐡𝐢𝐠𝐡 𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬, 𝐛𝐚𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐚𝐦𝐛𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲. 𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐞𝐧𝐝, 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲’𝐥𝐥 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐞𝐜𝐢𝐝𝐞 𝐰𝐡𝐢𝐜𝐡 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐦𝐨𝐫𝐞: 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐞 𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 🏎️❤️🏁

𝐈’𝐦 𝐚 𝐛𝐢𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰, 𝐈 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰.. 𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐚𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐚 𝐲𝐞𝐚𝐫 𝐚𝐠𝐨 𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 🤭

𝐕𝐚𝐥 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐆𝐚𝐛𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐥’𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐰𝐚𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐚𝐮𝐭𝐢𝐟𝐮𝐥—𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐮𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐧𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐭𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐥𝐲 𝐟𝐞𝐥𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐰𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐦𝐚𝐝𝐞 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐡 𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 🥹❤️. 𝐇𝐮𝐠𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐤𝐬 𝐭𝐨 𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐝𝐠𝐞𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝟏 𝐰𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐲 𝐭𝐨 𝐮𝐧𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐝!!! 𝐈𝐟 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐫𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐨 𝐅𝟏, 𝐝𝐞𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐠𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐚 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭, 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐛𝐞 𝐝𝐢𝐬𝐚𝐩𝐩𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐝 🙂‍↕️❤️

[caylynn ⋆⁺₊⋆ ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so lucky to be given an ARC/beta copy of the new version of Rush and it has been a pleasure. Bridget has a way of weaving words together to create a beautiful story.

The warning at the beginning of the book heeds true, no matter if it be for the trigger warnings or warning of the slow burn relationship between our two main characters. It's been such an honour to see Bridget grow as an author since reading the first published version of Rush: Part One until now.

You can see her passion for Formula 1 and female representation in the sport as well as her passion for writing. I cannot praise Bridget enough for her kind soul and wild imagination. I'm sure this will inspire other writers and lovers of the sport to try and craft their own stories as it did with me.

I'm so proud of you Bridget! Celebrate this amazing republish <3

[Samantha Groat · Rating 3 out of 5]

The spice was definitely spicy in this one phewwww 🌶️🌶️🌶️

I enjoy this world that Bridget has created - the characters are so unique and all have their own demons and stories to tell.

I enjoyed the concept of Valentina’s life story - pushing for change, and to be the first female F1 driver, it was very compelling!

Unfortunately I didn’t vibe with this book the way I did Jumpstart. A lot of the plot points felt disjointed to me, sometimes rushed or forced and just out of place. I also struggled with the ending, it didn’t feel realistic/earnt to me and I think I was just less invested by that point.

Im not sure if I’ll go straight into Chase now or not.

HOWEVER!!! This book did get me SO SO SO SO SO excited for the release of Reserved in May! I am so keen to read Adrian’s story you don’t understand

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

"You are my pitstop"

4.5 🌟

That last chapter broke my heart. It ripped it into shreds 😭 I'll be needing to pick up Chase immediately.

I absolutely loved following Valentina's journey to F1, she is such a strong and resilient woman. And the flashbacks really helped provide integral backstory to Val's life, as well as it gave the reader the ability to understand how Val's mind works and how she views things in life. It made me appreciate her story all the more.

Gabriel, the big cheeseball. He had it bad for Val! He has experienced so much loss in his life, and seeing him find solace in Val is so heartwarming. I'm looking forward to seeing how his story unravels in the next book.

Even though he isn't a main character here, Adrian continues to be my fav MC in the Pitstop Series.

[Emma Catchpole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bridget kindly asked me to beta read this for her after having read the original version of Rush and what can I say! Bridget just outdoes herself every time! I loved Rush just as much as I loved the original, having part one and two combined is even better as you can just go straight on to part 2. What I loved about part one this time round is that we get Gabriel’s POV whereas before we didn’t get that until part two, having said this the story did have more in to accommodate for this! When I was reading this I felt all the emotions that I felt the first time round so Bridget thank you so much for breaking my heart again 😂 I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read this version of Rush and then Chase because Val and Gabe will forever have my heart ❤️

[Dana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the eARC of Rush Part One & Two! All opinions in this review are my own.

It is fitting that I finished Rush over the same weekend that F1 Academy had their first race of the season. Valentina is working so hard to get a seat in F1 that it made me wish she had an opportunity like this to help her break into the male-dominated sport.

If you are new to F1 romances, then Rush is a great place start! There is not too much on track action and Rose does really well with breaking up the information needed to understand the sport better. However, Rose expertly depicts the road blocks that Valentina faces on her journey to become an F1 driver while navigating her relationship with Gabriel.

Valentina and Gabriel have known each other for years and are both dealing with grief. Rush tells the story of them starting to figure out how to be together but their story doesn't end in one book. After the ending of Rush, I wonder what Chase has in store for them!

The revised version of Rush Part One & Two will be available March 20th!

[Briana · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great novel about a kickass female aspiring F1 racer and the guy she loves, her brother's teammate. Lots of racing and sibling love and good friendships and seeing her overcome the odds. There is a lot of discussion of grief and loss, so it's heavy at times. And it ends on a bit of a cliffhanger so don't expected everything to be resolved by the end. But a good story and definitely want more.

[Nikita Tabor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gabriel and Valentina are so lovely. I love how we see them struggle and not have everything figured out. But the ending!!!! I am just grateful to have read this at a time next book is there to pick up immediately.

[Haley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3⭐️ I really enjoyed part one and the cliffhanger but part two was a different story. I felt like it dragged on for me. Valentina and Gabriel’s story was sweet. Gabriel is a Formula 1 drive and Valentina and him have always had a thing for each other, only recently discovered.