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Racing to Romance #1
Checkered Hearts: An F1 Love Story
Things heat up both on and off the track in this enemies-to-lovers romance set in the high-octane world of Formula One racing.
Rocco Vittori is desperate for a win. With nearly as many pileups on the track as in his personal life, his formerly illustrious F1 career is in a total spinout. But a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the lead driver on the new Maverick racing team could be the answer to all his problems. He’s willing to go full throttle every second of the day to prove he deserves it more than anyone. Unfortunately, someone else on the team has her sights set on the same job, and she’s determined to drive Rocco crazy.
After leveling up from Formula Three, Nico Angelini knows she’s got just one shot to show the world she’s as qualified as any man on the circuit. Being the only female driver in the highest class of international racing puts a target on her back, and the fact that she’ll be not only racing against but forced into comradery with her one-time online nemesis raises the stakes. An ongoing rivalry with a sexy, arrogant teammate is the sort of distraction she can’t afford.
Fueled by competition and an attraction that grows stronger with every lap, Rocco and Nico are off to a bumpy start. If they can’t get a grip on their emotions, they’re both going to crash and burn this season. But finding common ground could cause a different sort of spark to ignite, and their romance might prove too hot to handle . . .
“A smart, sexy, and spirited love story that’s unafraid to embrace both grit and glamor.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A can’t-miss for sports romance fans.” —People
Rocco Vittori is desperate for a win. With nearly as many pileups on the track as in his personal life, his formerly illustrious F1 career is in a total spinout. But a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to be the lead driver on the new Maverick racing team could be the answer to all his problems. He’s willing to go full throttle every second of the day to prove he deserves it more than anyone. Unfortunately, someone else on the team has her sights set on the same job, and she’s determined to drive Rocco crazy.
After leveling up from Formula Three, Nico Angelini knows she’s got just one shot to show the world she’s as qualified as any man on the circuit. Being the only female driver in the highest class of international racing puts a target on her back, and the fact that she’ll be not only racing against but forced into comradery with her one-time online nemesis raises the stakes. An ongoing rivalry with a sexy, arrogant teammate is the sort of distraction she can’t afford.
Fueled by competition and an attraction that grows stronger with every lap, Rocco and Nico are off to a bumpy start. If they can’t get a grip on their emotions, they’re both going to crash and burn this season. But finding common ground could cause a different sort of spark to ignite, and their romance might prove too hot to handle . . .
“A smart, sexy, and spirited love story that’s unafraid to embrace both grit and glamor.” —Kirkus Reviews
“A can’t-miss for sports romance fans.” —People
328 pages, Kindle Edition
Published June 10, 2025
About the author
A.G. Starling
3 books47 followersA. G. Starling is a college professor who has lived in multiple cities and had a variety of jobs; from being an aerobics instructor to working in an art gallery in New York. She got her PhD in philosophy at Columbia University. She chose philosophy because her professors never expected any real answers from her and she discovered by asking the kinds of questions philosophers do she could sound erudite even when clueless. She is an intrepid traveler and lives in Monterey with Mr. Darcy, who, in this life, has four legs and a tail. She likes her martinis and her wit extra-dry. As for her heroes and heroines? She likes them to channel Mae West—when they’re good, they’re bad; and when they’re bad, they’re even better.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
May 27, 2025
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 2 stars ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
i really wanted to love this, but unfortunately i just didn't vibe with the book. the premise sounded so interesting to me, and the book had so much potential, but it just didn't live up to it.
i actually realised from early on that i wouldn't enjoy the book yet i pushed through. something that threw me off was that the book is written in third person, but that's not the reason i didn't enjoy it. i didn't like either the fmc or the mmc, and all their interactions and dialogue seemed so forced and it just didn't flow naturally. a lot of the conversations were repetitive and even childish sometimes, like i don't see how people would talk that way in real life.
although i didn't enjoy this, i think others might like the story if you're in the right demographic. a lot of the things i mentioned are my personal preferences of what i look for in a sports romance, and what didn't work for me, might work for you.
˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to Valentine PR and A.G. Starling for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗
pre-read:
just read an f1 romance like last week but who wouldn't want to read another?
i really wanted to love this, but unfortunately i just didn't vibe with the book. the premise sounded so interesting to me, and the book had so much potential, but it just didn't live up to it.
i actually realised from early on that i wouldn't enjoy the book yet i pushed through. something that threw me off was that the book is written in third person, but that's not the reason i didn't enjoy it. i didn't like either the fmc or the mmc, and all their interactions and dialogue seemed so forced and it just didn't flow naturally. a lot of the conversations were repetitive and even childish sometimes, like i don't see how people would talk that way in real life.
although i didn't enjoy this, i think others might like the story if you're in the right demographic. a lot of the things i mentioned are my personal preferences of what i look for in a sports romance, and what didn't work for me, might work for you.
˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to Valentine PR and A.G. Starling for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗
pre-read:
just read an f1 romance like last week but who wouldn't want to read another?
lost-interest
February 24, 2025An F1 book with both of them being racers? tell me more
May 28, 2025
I am LOVING all the Formula 1 racing romances this year and especially when they feature female drivers like this one!!
Checkered hearts is a spicy, enemies to lovers, F1 romance that sees two teammates falling for one another despite their best intentions.
I loved that it was dual POV, the narration by Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini was excellent and it had a perfect balance of romance, action and emotional depth.
HIGHLY recommended for fans of books like Josie Juniper's Double Apex or authors like Simone Soltani. Many thanks to Valentine PR for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
I can't wait to read the next book in this new series by a new to me author!!
Checkered hearts is a spicy, enemies to lovers, F1 romance that sees two teammates falling for one another despite their best intentions.
I loved that it was dual POV, the narration by Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini was excellent and it had a perfect balance of romance, action and emotional depth.
HIGHLY recommended for fans of books like Josie Juniper's Double Apex or authors like Simone Soltani. Many thanks to Valentine PR for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!
I can't wait to read the next book in this new series by a new to me author!!
September 11, 2026
2🌟 | 2🌶️
Book Review 📖
An F1 romance with a female driver immediately felt like something I was excited to dive into.
Nico was such a strong heroine, especially watching her stand her ground in such a male-dominated sport.
Unfortunately, I struggled with both main characters. Rocco’s misogynistic attitude made him incredibly difficult to warm up to, while Nico’s constant secrecy made it hard to fully connect with her. Their romance had some fun moments, but the dialogue and chemistry didn’t always feel natural to me, and I kept mixing up their names early on. I did, however, find myself more interested in the side characters, particularly Dario, Celeste, and Charles.
There was definitely potential here, especially with the F1 setting and the unique premise, but the execution kept me from connecting with the story the way I wanted to.
The racing world kept things interesting, even when the romance itself left me wanting more.
~~~~
Audiobook Review 🎧
The F1 setting and having a female racer at the center made this a refreshing sports romance, and I especially liked seeing Nico hold her own in a male-dominated world. The racing scenes were a highlight, and the enemies-to-lovers dynamic had some fun moments. Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini had distinct voices that made the characters easy to follow, although the narration wasn’t quite my personal preference. Some of the dialogue and delivery felt a little less natural to me at times, so I found it slightly harder to get fully immersed in certain scenes. Still, the unique premise and racing kept me engaged, making this an enjoyable listen overall.
~~~~
I was so excited to immerse myself in this one, especially with how intriguing the F1 setting and premise sounded. While it didn’t quite turn out to be the reading experience I had hoped for, I’m still glad I got to explore the story and see what it had to offer.
~~~~
A sincere thank you to A.G. Starling and Hambright PR for the ebook and audiobook! 🥰📚
I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨
Book Review 📖
An F1 romance with a female driver immediately felt like something I was excited to dive into.
Nico was such a strong heroine, especially watching her stand her ground in such a male-dominated sport.
Unfortunately, I struggled with both main characters. Rocco’s misogynistic attitude made him incredibly difficult to warm up to, while Nico’s constant secrecy made it hard to fully connect with her. Their romance had some fun moments, but the dialogue and chemistry didn’t always feel natural to me, and I kept mixing up their names early on. I did, however, find myself more interested in the side characters, particularly Dario, Celeste, and Charles.
There was definitely potential here, especially with the F1 setting and the unique premise, but the execution kept me from connecting with the story the way I wanted to.
The racing world kept things interesting, even when the romance itself left me wanting more.
~~~~
Audiobook Review 🎧
The F1 setting and having a female racer at the center made this a refreshing sports romance, and I especially liked seeing Nico hold her own in a male-dominated world. The racing scenes were a highlight, and the enemies-to-lovers dynamic had some fun moments. Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini had distinct voices that made the characters easy to follow, although the narration wasn’t quite my personal preference. Some of the dialogue and delivery felt a little less natural to me at times, so I found it slightly harder to get fully immersed in certain scenes. Still, the unique premise and racing kept me engaged, making this an enjoyable listen overall.
~~~~
I was so excited to immerse myself in this one, especially with how intriguing the F1 setting and premise sounded. While it didn’t quite turn out to be the reading experience I had hoped for, I’m still glad I got to explore the story and see what it had to offer.
~~~~
A sincere thank you to A.G. Starling and Hambright PR for the ebook and audiobook! 🥰📚
I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨
July 4, 2026
Enjoyment:⭐⭐⭐
Writing:⭐⭐
Characters:⭐⭐.5
Plot:⭐⭐
Romance:⭐⭐.5
Edit: I was considering giving a chance to the next book in the series, even though this one was really bad, but considering that it almost put me in a reading slump, I don't think I will.
This was bad, but at least it was entertaining. The writing was rough, and the pacing and dialogue were weird. The book is written in the third person, but the "perspective" would change in the middle of a chapter, and it would be confusing whether we were following the FMC or the MMC. There were also editing issues and a lot of repetitive sentences.
The plot is basically two people with bad experiences who, instead of going to therapy and communicating, were using the other person to heal. The big confrontation was extremely underwhelming considering the setup, and the romance was also very disjointed, but cute here and there.
All this considered, the story had some spark, since I finished the book in 2 days.
I would advise against the audiobook. I started listening to the book first, but I had to stop about 20% in and continue with the ebook. The narration was pretty bad, mainly the male narrator's part, it sounded like he recorded one word at a time and then they were put together.
Writing:⭐⭐
Characters:⭐⭐.5
Plot:⭐⭐
Romance:⭐⭐.5
Edit: I was considering giving a chance to the next book in the series, even though this one was really bad, but considering that it almost put me in a reading slump, I don't think I will.
This was bad, but at least it was entertaining. The writing was rough, and the pacing and dialogue were weird. The book is written in the third person, but the "perspective" would change in the middle of a chapter, and it would be confusing whether we were following the FMC or the MMC. There were also editing issues and a lot of repetitive sentences.
The plot is basically two people with bad experiences who, instead of going to therapy and communicating, were using the other person to heal. The big confrontation was extremely underwhelming considering the setup, and the romance was also very disjointed, but cute here and there.
All this considered, the story had some spark, since I finished the book in 2 days.
I would advise against the audiobook. I started listening to the book first, but I had to stop about 20% in and continue with the ebook. The narration was pretty bad, mainly the male narrator's part, it sounded like he recorded one word at a time and then they were put together.
June 13, 2025
#Review: Checkered Hearts: An F1 Love Story - A.G. Starling - ALC [18+]
4.4/5✨
3/5🌶️
I saw this book and it's Formula 1 theme has convinced me to give it a chance. Of course, I couldn't have done it without the author's and Valentine Pr help, who accepted me for this ALC.
Racing in Formula 1 was Nico Angelini's dream, to be the only woman racing in F1, after being part of Formula Three. She has the opportunity to drive for Maverick racing team, but that's where one of her rivals might be accepted to. That would be Rocco Vittori, who had a pretty all over the place career and life in that moment and that opportunity was exactly what he needed. But their rivalry won't give them the best start with their new team and switching sides could be pretty dangerous, especially with the growing tension between them. Can they leave the animosities behind and have the right relationship as teammates? Can they ignore the chemistry and attraction they feel for one another?
The continuous bickering was so much fun to follow. It was a pretty slow romance, where Rocco and Nico where trying hard to ignore their feelings and not to fall for their respective rival. I was impressed by Nico's story, being totally surprised by it and how strong and determined she was. There were also present multiple racing parts, which gave me a boost of adrenaline, loving all the included details.
Regarding to the audio experience, it was pretty good, but I'm not a big fan of these types of audiobooks, where each actor/actresse is the only one who narrate in his chapter, transforming his/her voice to become a man/woman. It's harder to focus on the story when I'm constantly trying to differentiate the voice tone. But that's just me🤷🏼♀️.
Overall, it was a nice experience, always loving to interact with anything which includes Formula 1. Those details were pretty on point and they interlaced good with the enemies to lovers topic, which was the main focus of this story.
✨Tropes
#EnemiesToLovers
#Rivals
#WorkplaceRomane
#SecretRomance
#CloseProximity
#TragicPast
#Athlete
#SportsRomance
#Formula1
4.4/5✨
3/5🌶️
I saw this book and it's Formula 1 theme has convinced me to give it a chance. Of course, I couldn't have done it without the author's and Valentine Pr help, who accepted me for this ALC.
Racing in Formula 1 was Nico Angelini's dream, to be the only woman racing in F1, after being part of Formula Three. She has the opportunity to drive for Maverick racing team, but that's where one of her rivals might be accepted to. That would be Rocco Vittori, who had a pretty all over the place career and life in that moment and that opportunity was exactly what he needed. But their rivalry won't give them the best start with their new team and switching sides could be pretty dangerous, especially with the growing tension between them. Can they leave the animosities behind and have the right relationship as teammates? Can they ignore the chemistry and attraction they feel for one another?
The continuous bickering was so much fun to follow. It was a pretty slow romance, where Rocco and Nico where trying hard to ignore their feelings and not to fall for their respective rival. I was impressed by Nico's story, being totally surprised by it and how strong and determined she was. There were also present multiple racing parts, which gave me a boost of adrenaline, loving all the included details.
Regarding to the audio experience, it was pretty good, but I'm not a big fan of these types of audiobooks, where each actor/actresse is the only one who narrate in his chapter, transforming his/her voice to become a man/woman. It's harder to focus on the story when I'm constantly trying to differentiate the voice tone. But that's just me🤷🏼♀️.
Overall, it was a nice experience, always loving to interact with anything which includes Formula 1. Those details were pretty on point and they interlaced good with the enemies to lovers topic, which was the main focus of this story.
✨Tropes
#EnemiesToLovers
#Rivals
#WorkplaceRomane
#SecretRomance
#CloseProximity
#TragicPast
#Athlete
#SportsRomance
#Formula1
September 16, 2026
I have mixed feelings about this one. The F1 setting with both of them being racers really drew me in. But I couldn't feel connected with the romance or the characters. Their interactions lacked tension and the chemistry was there at times, but some of the dialogue and banter didn't feel completely natural to me. But I liked the premise and especially seeing Nico fight for her place in such a male dominated sport, was inspiring. So overall, I think this book had a lot of potential and there were definitely parts I enjoyed. It just wasn't a complete hit for me.
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review
I received an ARC in exchange of an honest review
May 30, 2025
4.75 ⭐️ - I had such a great time reading this book - this is for the F1 girlies! 🏎️ Nico and Rocco are rivals who find themselves to be teammates on the newest F1 team on the grid. With complicated pasts, both individually and with each other, things heat up quickly. This is a fast-burn in terms of sexual tension, but slow-burn romance.
There was SO much good about this book - I really bought into both Nico and Rocco’s stories, and while at first I was definitely more invested in Nico than Rocco, who has a habit of putting his foot in his mouth when it comes to Nico, you quickly learn that there are layers that he won’t allow many to see and a good reason for his standoffishness, which allowed me to soften to him.
I LOVED having a female F1 driver as a part of this story. I also feel like this walks the line of giving you an idea of the intricacies of F1 while not overwhelming you with detail (or getting anything incorrect and taking you out of the story if you know and love the sport!)
Overall, I loved this book and think anyone who is interested in sports romance should put it on your TBR for when it comes out on June 10th!
Thank you to Valentine PR and A.G. Starling for the ARC!
There was SO much good about this book - I really bought into both Nico and Rocco’s stories, and while at first I was definitely more invested in Nico than Rocco, who has a habit of putting his foot in his mouth when it comes to Nico, you quickly learn that there are layers that he won’t allow many to see and a good reason for his standoffishness, which allowed me to soften to him.
I LOVED having a female F1 driver as a part of this story. I also feel like this walks the line of giving you an idea of the intricacies of F1 while not overwhelming you with detail (or getting anything incorrect and taking you out of the story if you know and love the sport!)
Overall, I loved this book and think anyone who is interested in sports romance should put it on your TBR for when it comes out on June 10th!
Thank you to Valentine PR and A.G. Starling for the ARC!
September 9, 2026
I enjoyed reading this book. I’m not really an F1 racer person but. This book has me wanting to get into it. And the book released on my birthday. I 10/10 recommend this book and the tropes are my favorite.
TROPES ✨
Rivals to Lovers
MMC & FMC F1 Drivers
Endearing Found Family
Hilarious Secondary Characters
A Masquerade Ball
Slow Burn/Fast Tension
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
TROPES ✨
Rivals to Lovers
MMC & FMC F1 Drivers
Endearing Found Family
Hilarious Secondary Characters
A Masquerade Ball
Slow Burn/Fast Tension
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
June 2, 2025
Definitely loved it!!!
*ALC version*
Rate: 5★'s!! Spice Level : 🌶🌶🌶
I enjoyed the entire book, I'll eagerly wait for book 2!! I thought it was very nice to have characters with a very different background. I loved the aspect of formula one, which I thought was very accurate to the real thing. The movie references being used throughout the book made me feel seen (I have a movie, book, and tv show obsession).
I enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope (it's my fave trope), and the formula one aspect made it extra special (huge f1 fan here 😅).
Aside from f1 and movie references, I really liked the way the characters were written, especially Nico. Nico was so bada$$, and I think her background really added to the flow of the story. (I still have so many questions 😅) Rocco was, um 🤔 dare, I say inspired by Carlos Sainz 👀 (correct me if I'm wrong), I like his character what I got mad about was how he acted towards the end 😭. I need more of them pls give me more!!!
Okay, now onto things I hated. I really disliked how short the last chapter was 😭😭 give me more 😫.
The narrators for the alc were absolutely 🤌 brilliant. Amazing job, Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini 👏.
I need a physical copy like NOW!!
Thank you, Valentine PR and A.G. Starling for the gifted alc 🫶🫶
*ALC version*
Rate: 5★'s!! Spice Level : 🌶🌶🌶
I enjoyed the entire book, I'll eagerly wait for book 2!! I thought it was very nice to have characters with a very different background. I loved the aspect of formula one, which I thought was very accurate to the real thing. The movie references being used throughout the book made me feel seen (I have a movie, book, and tv show obsession).
I enjoyed the enemies to lovers trope (it's my fave trope), and the formula one aspect made it extra special (huge f1 fan here 😅).
Aside from f1 and movie references, I really liked the way the characters were written, especially Nico. Nico was so bada$$, and I think her background really added to the flow of the story. (I still have so many questions 😅) Rocco was, um 🤔 dare, I say inspired by Carlos Sainz 👀 (correct me if I'm wrong), I like his character what I got mad about was how he acted towards the end 😭. I need more of them pls give me more!!!
Okay, now onto things I hated. I really disliked how short the last chapter was 😭😭 give me more 😫.
The narrators for the alc were absolutely 🤌 brilliant. Amazing job, Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini 👏.
I need a physical copy like NOW!!
Thank you, Valentine PR and A.G. Starling for the gifted alc 🫶🫶
June 6, 2025
The one thing that really annoyed me in this book is the FMC and MMC names are super identical so when listening to the ACL it was kinda hard to keep them separate and know who is who since both names can be used for either gender. Otherwise, the story was 10/10! I’m a big F1 fan and love any F1 romance!
June 4, 2025
4.5 rounded up
This was my first F1 romance and I'm definitely now a fan!
Rocco Vittori, a former champion, got sidetracked, but now he's being picked up by a new team and has a shot at the title again. Nico Angelini's moving up from F3 to F1, making her the only female racer—but guess what? Her nemesis, Rocco, is her teammate! She's needs to prove herself, but can she handle her feelings for him? Things are going to get intense between them, both on and off the track.
Told from the third-person perspective of Rocco and Nico, this was an incredibly entertaining book! It was engaging, and the drama between the two really kept my attention. They both had complicated pasts, making things more interesting. The slow burn romance was spicy and it did become sweet. I absolutely loved that Nico was a female F1 driver. I loved all the engine references! And, of course, let's not forget the racing! I loved how the author used conversations between the driver and the race engineer. I thought the descriptions of the races were excellent, too! This was such a fun read; however, I may have gotten a little emotional at the end, lol 😂 I enjoyed this book SO much! And if you love enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and F1, this is a definite must read! I HIGHLY recommend it🩷
This was my first F1 romance and I'm definitely now a fan!
Rocco Vittori, a former champion, got sidetracked, but now he's being picked up by a new team and has a shot at the title again. Nico Angelini's moving up from F3 to F1, making her the only female racer—but guess what? Her nemesis, Rocco, is her teammate! She's needs to prove herself, but can she handle her feelings for him? Things are going to get intense between them, both on and off the track.
Told from the third-person perspective of Rocco and Nico, this was an incredibly entertaining book! It was engaging, and the drama between the two really kept my attention. They both had complicated pasts, making things more interesting. The slow burn romance was spicy and it did become sweet. I absolutely loved that Nico was a female F1 driver. I loved all the engine references! And, of course, let's not forget the racing! I loved how the author used conversations between the driver and the race engineer. I thought the descriptions of the races were excellent, too! This was such a fun read; however, I may have gotten a little emotional at the end, lol 😂 I enjoyed this book SO much! And if you love enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity, and F1, this is a definite must read! I HIGHLY recommend it🩷
September 8, 2026
3.75 ⭐️ round up! Well this was definitely different! My first F1 romance and it was a fun one! While in the beginning I struggled to find connection between the min characters, once I got farther in the story and finding out our FMC Nico’s past and struggles with being in a male dominated sport I really ended up enjoying this! The audio definitely gave more to the story with their accents and backgrounds. Being only enemies now forced to race on the same team while fighting a mutual attraction made this a fun unique sports romance!
May 28, 2025
˗ˏˋ 2 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
i feel like the concept was really good and i loved that both the fmc and mmc are racers cuz i rarely get to see books like this. however, the execution was a bit lacking that made me unable to fall in love with the book.
honestly, neither of the main characters were likable to me. the mmc, rocco, was so misogynistic for most of the book, it was REALLY HARD to like him. there were multiple occasions where i wanted to punch him in the face for what he said.
and the fmc, nico, was basically lying the entire time and never told rocco the truth. despite that, i liked that she was portrayed as a strong fmc and i liked that she stood up for herself against rocco's sexist comments.
one thing that was annoying so much throughout the book was how similar both of the mcs names. i kept on mixing the both of them up in the first 15% of the book.
anyways, i think i liked the side characters, dario and celeste, more. i wouldn't mind reading their book if they had one. i also really liked charles, finger crossing and hoping we get a book about him too.
⤷ thank you to the author and valentine pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
07/06/2025 — also, just wanna say the cover is really pretty and i'm super excited to read this cuz i just realised both mcs are f1 racers!!
28/05/2025 — guess what!? i just got the ARC and it's another f1 romance
i feel like the concept was really good and i loved that both the fmc and mmc are racers cuz i rarely get to see books like this. however, the execution was a bit lacking that made me unable to fall in love with the book.
honestly, neither of the main characters were likable to me. the mmc, rocco, was so misogynistic for most of the book, it was REALLY HARD to like him. there were multiple occasions where i wanted to punch him in the face for what he said.
and the fmc, nico, was basically lying the entire time and never told rocco the truth. despite that, i liked that she was portrayed as a strong fmc and i liked that she stood up for herself against rocco's sexist comments.
one thing that was annoying so much throughout the book was how similar both of the mcs names. i kept on mixing the both of them up in the first 15% of the book.
anyways, i think i liked the side characters, dario and celeste, more. i wouldn't mind reading their book if they had one. i also really liked charles, finger crossing and hoping we get a book about him too.
⤷ thank you to the author and valentine pr for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
07/06/2025 — also, just wanna say the cover is really pretty and i'm super excited to read this cuz i just realised both mcs are f1 racers!!
28/05/2025 — guess what!? i just got the ARC and it's another f1 romance
September 11, 2026
Intrigued by the summary of the book but just didn’t deliver. Chemistry and dialogue between the MMC and FMC felt so forced and unnatural. The spicy scenes kinda happened out of no where it lowkey made me feel a little uncomfortable and grimy.
June 27, 2025
Checkered Hearts by A.G. Starling
Narrated by Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini
Standalone (for now) F1 Romance.
3.5 Stars
Thank you to the author for providing me with an early copy for honest review. This post contains affiliate links.
I read a lot of Formula 1 romance books. As a huge F1 fan, I love combining two of my favorite things: racing and romance. (If you didn’t know, I keep a list of every F1 romance book I’ve found on my blog.) So when A.G. Starling approached me to read or listen to Checkered Hearts , I jumped at the chance.
I’ll start with my biggest issue, which might only apply if you’re listening to the audiobook. Nico (the female main character) and Rocco (the male lead) have very similar-sounding names. Because they’re both gender-neutral or masculine, and the story is told in third person, I kept mixing up who was speaking. I rarely check reviews before writing mine, but I looked this time just to see if it was only me. It wasn’t. Others had the same problem.
Nico and Rocco are rivals. They’ve never met in person but have built a fierce social media feud. Both jumped straight from F3 to F1 and carry some insecurity about how they got there.
What Rocco doesn’t know is that he has met Nico before. She grew up as a con artist, and their first in-person meeting was actually a sexy con—complete with a blonde wig—that left a lasting impression on him.
The next day, they discover they’re teammates, but he doesn’t realize she’s the woman who conned him.
There’s definite chemistry between them, but their rivalry simmers under the surface, creating good banter and tension in this slow-burn sports romance.
Likes:
•The F1 racing. I didn’t notice any glaring errors, but there wasn’t a ton of on-track action.
•I loved Nico’s best friend.
•It kept me interested and entertained throughout.
•I absolutely adored Rocco’s nieces, and the narrators brought them to life so well.
Dislikes:
•Third person combined with similar names made it confusing at times.
•Nico never really seemed like an F1 driver. Her thoughts rarely focused on racing or training.
•Neither character felt obsessed with the sport in the way elite drivers typically are.
•In real life, a female F1 driver would be a huge global figure. Her secretive, con-artist background would never fly under the radar.
The Narration:
Both narrators were fairly new to me, and overall, they did a great job. But in several early chapters, the male narrator had long, awkward pauses between sentences. I had an ALC, so maybe this was fixed in the final version, but it almost made me DNF. I pushed through, and thankfully, the pacing smoothed out later in the book.
The Down & Dirty:
Checkered Hearts by A.G. Starling is a solid addition to the F1 romance genre, though it wasn’t one of my top favorites. It seems to be a debut or close to it, as I only found a book from about 12 years ago from this author. I see a lot of potential in A.G. Starling’s writing, and would absolutely give the next book in the series a try.
Readers who enjoy sports romance without being immersed in the world of Formula 1 will probably get more enjoyment out of Checkered Hearts than I did, since they won’t be as focused on the details that don’t quite align with real-life racing.
Still, I’m glad I read it, and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next.
Rating: 3.5 Stars, 3 Heat, 4 Narration
Purchase Checkered Hearts by A.G. Starling
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June 12, 2025
F1 Rivals to Lovers Romance
TW: parent de*th, ab*se, SA(not stated but it was absolutely there!), s*x for favors, DV, staIking, TOXIC past relationships on both sides
Nico is the only female drive in F1. The road to get there hasn’t been easy and then she realizes that her online rival will be her partner.
Rocco made the jump from F3 to F1 years ago and thinks he didn’t make the jump for his racing abilities so when he sees a tweet from Nico stating that female drivers get passed up for less talented males. He assumes she’s talking about him. So he starts an online feud with Nico over skill and comes out looking like a butt.
Both are less than enthused about working together.
When we meet Nico she’s a bada$$ who is going into F1 and will do anything to look serious. She can’t allow this feud with Rocco to continue and Rocco also needs this season to be better than his last few.
This book was funny and cute. It went over some heavy topics and I only wish it delved a little deeper into the scar issue. I felt that was very important to be said out loud and in the end it’s a little brushed over sadly. Maybe a good bonus chapter or something.
This book does contain a 3rd act break up and while I normally do not like them I did see this coming and wasn’t surprised by how it went down at all. (Little angry about words that were used during this fight)- would’ve loved some more grovel tbh.
Also the book has many homages to Princess Bride and I loved that.
The audiobook was 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼
Both the narrators did an excellent job and I loved how they sounded together! The book is a dual narrated story but both did a good job reading the male/female lines! I am so glad I got to listen to this in addition to following along in the ebook!
The accents were fun too!
Tropes: enemies to lovers, workplace rivalry, workplace romance, forced proximity, they get locked in a room together, touch her and d!e
Sp!ce: 🌶️
Steäm: 🔥🔥.5
Sweetness: 💗💗💗💗(the fourth heart is for Rocco’s family only- because Rocco lost one with his actions)
Side characters I want more of: 👧🏻👧🏻(Sophia and Beatrice)
TW: parent de*th, ab*se, SA(not stated but it was absolutely there!), s*x for favors, DV, staIking, TOXIC past relationships on both sides
Nico is the only female drive in F1. The road to get there hasn’t been easy and then she realizes that her online rival will be her partner.
Rocco made the jump from F3 to F1 years ago and thinks he didn’t make the jump for his racing abilities so when he sees a tweet from Nico stating that female drivers get passed up for less talented males. He assumes she’s talking about him. So he starts an online feud with Nico over skill and comes out looking like a butt.
Both are less than enthused about working together.
When we meet Nico she’s a bada$$ who is going into F1 and will do anything to look serious. She can’t allow this feud with Rocco to continue and Rocco also needs this season to be better than his last few.
This book was funny and cute. It went over some heavy topics and I only wish it delved a little deeper into the scar issue. I felt that was very important to be said out loud and in the end it’s a little brushed over sadly. Maybe a good bonus chapter or something.
This book does contain a 3rd act break up and while I normally do not like them I did see this coming and wasn’t surprised by how it went down at all. (Little angry about words that were used during this fight)- would’ve loved some more grovel tbh.
Also the book has many homages to Princess Bride and I loved that.
The audiobook was 🤌🏼🤌🏼🤌🏼
Both the narrators did an excellent job and I loved how they sounded together! The book is a dual narrated story but both did a good job reading the male/female lines! I am so glad I got to listen to this in addition to following along in the ebook!
The accents were fun too!
Tropes: enemies to lovers, workplace rivalry, workplace romance, forced proximity, they get locked in a room together, touch her and d!e
Sp!ce: 🌶️
Steäm: 🔥🔥.5
Sweetness: 💗💗💗💗(the fourth heart is for Rocco’s family only- because Rocco lost one with his actions)
Side characters I want more of: 👧🏻👧🏻(Sophia and Beatrice)
June 6, 2025
OMFG! 😨 What is this.... My first-ever F1 read... it was so good. I mean I love watching car racing. But reading a book on racing.... I'm done, guys... this was so good....🥹❤️🔥
Both Nico Angelini and Rocco Vittori were so good.. I mean, they were enemies and then lovers... that's my favourite trope (enemies-to-lovers).😁🤌 They were social media enemies. They didn't know how they looked until they met on the day of signing. After that, they fight many times, but the chemistry, the way they were flirting or teasing each other.... and not only this, the way they were feeling and falling for others.... both have their past regret. But with time, they are opening their heart to each other and understanding each other. But the night they play the never-have-i-ever game, they both reveal so many things about themselves. And then Rocco takes Nico to his home after knowing she will be alone at home during the breaks. There, he knew about her past, Mickey, and that led them to break up. But with enough courage, Nicoo faced and told the truth to his family. And then, when racing, Nicos' car crashed, he was shocked and not able to race. And then, suddenly hearing Nico's voice, he started again and won. The way he feels when he heard her voice..... omfg, they love each other so much....🫶⚡
.
.
.
.
.
Of course, nieces (Sofia and Beatrice) are the best.🫶🍀
.
.
plot:-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Rocco:-💚💚💚💚💚♾️
Nico:-🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷♾️
spice:-🌶️🌶️
Overall:-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Both Nico Angelini and Rocco Vittori were so good.. I mean, they were enemies and then lovers... that's my favourite trope (enemies-to-lovers).😁🤌 They were social media enemies. They didn't know how they looked until they met on the day of signing. After that, they fight many times, but the chemistry, the way they were flirting or teasing each other.... and not only this, the way they were feeling and falling for others.... both have their past regret. But with time, they are opening their heart to each other and understanding each other. But the night they play the never-have-i-ever game, they both reveal so many things about themselves. And then Rocco takes Nico to his home after knowing she will be alone at home during the breaks. There, he knew about her past, Mickey, and that led them to break up. But with enough courage, Nicoo faced and told the truth to his family. And then, when racing, Nicos' car crashed, he was shocked and not able to race. And then, suddenly hearing Nico's voice, he started again and won. The way he feels when he heard her voice..... omfg, they love each other so much....🫶⚡
.
.
.
.
.
Of course, nieces (Sofia and Beatrice) are the best.🫶🍀
.
.
plot:-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
Rocco:-💚💚💚💚💚♾️
Nico:-🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷♾️
spice:-🌶️🌶️
Overall:-🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
September 30, 2026
🏎️ A fast-moving F1 romance with plenty of chemistry, emotional baggage, and a hero who seriously needed to give his girl a little more grace.
After finishing "Checkered Hearts," I can firmly say I am #TeamNico... and maybe a little less #TeamRocco. 😂
Nico has a legitimately traumatic past, like DARK and heartbreaking, so there were definitely moments when I wanted to shake Rocco. Instead of giving her an ounce of grace, he jumps to the worst conclusions. Thankfully, he eventually gets his head out of the proverbial pit lane and comes to his senses.
This was my first sports romance centered around racing, and in true F1 fashion, this relationship goes from 0 to 100. 🏎️💨 They spend a good chunk of the book confused about their feelings, but once they finally give in? They are basically a full-fledged couple.
I also really enjoyed getting a romance set inside the world of racing. The F1 backdrop gave the story something different from the sports romances I usually pick up, and I'm curious to see where the "Racing to Romance" series goes next. I really hope it's about Celeste & Dario.
🎙️ Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini were fantastic. Even with the dual narration, the characters felt consistent as the story moved between chapters and narrators, which made the audiobook incredibly easy to settle into.
📖 Checkered Hearts: An F1 Love Story
✍️ A. G. Starling
📚 Racing to Romance, Book 1
🎙️ Charlotte Claremont & Anthony Palmini
🎁 Provided by Hambright
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
After finishing "Checkered Hearts," I can firmly say I am #TeamNico... and maybe a little less #TeamRocco. 😂
Nico has a legitimately traumatic past, like DARK and heartbreaking, so there were definitely moments when I wanted to shake Rocco. Instead of giving her an ounce of grace, he jumps to the worst conclusions. Thankfully, he eventually gets his head out of the proverbial pit lane and comes to his senses.
This was my first sports romance centered around racing, and in true F1 fashion, this relationship goes from 0 to 100. 🏎️💨 They spend a good chunk of the book confused about their feelings, but once they finally give in? They are basically a full-fledged couple.
I also really enjoyed getting a romance set inside the world of racing. The F1 backdrop gave the story something different from the sports romances I usually pick up, and I'm curious to see where the "Racing to Romance" series goes next. I really hope it's about Celeste & Dario.
🎙️ Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini were fantastic. Even with the dual narration, the characters felt consistent as the story moved between chapters and narrators, which made the audiobook incredibly easy to settle into.
📖 Checkered Hearts: An F1 Love Story
✍️ A. G. Starling
📚 Racing to Romance, Book 1
🎙️ Charlotte Claremont & Anthony Palmini
🎁 Provided by Hambright
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
June 11, 2025
Checkered Hearts ARC Review
i was very fortunate to receive an ARC of Checkered Hearts by A.G. Starling from ValentinePr, thank you so much!! ❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
“kiss me like it’s the last time your lips will touch mine. kiss me like you want to burn that kiss in my memory, so that even if i wanted to forget, i couldn’t. no matter how hard i tried.”
each time i read an f1 book, i fall more in love with the sport! and it was definitely plus having a female driver be part of the story! i absolutely devoured this book form beginning to end! once i started, i couldn’t put the book down. from the first line of the book, i was hooked and never wanted it to end. and i fell in love with both nico and rocco! they’re truly the definition of enemies to lovers, i just couldn’t get enough of them!
nico and rocco, oh how i loved them! everything about them and their relationship was perfection! however, nico absolutely stole my heart form the very beginning. she was such a strong fmc and i wanted to just give her the biggest big ever. as for rocco, i definitely did not like him at first, but as the store progressed, we got to see him slowly let his walls down and it so worth it!
i thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and am so excited to see what the author does next!! once again thank you so much to valentinepr and a.g. starling for providing me with this arc ❤️
i was very fortunate to receive an ARC of Checkered Hearts by A.G. Starling from ValentinePr, thank you so much!! ❤️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5
“kiss me like it’s the last time your lips will touch mine. kiss me like you want to burn that kiss in my memory, so that even if i wanted to forget, i couldn’t. no matter how hard i tried.”
each time i read an f1 book, i fall more in love with the sport! and it was definitely plus having a female driver be part of the story! i absolutely devoured this book form beginning to end! once i started, i couldn’t put the book down. from the first line of the book, i was hooked and never wanted it to end. and i fell in love with both nico and rocco! they’re truly the definition of enemies to lovers, i just couldn’t get enough of them!
nico and rocco, oh how i loved them! everything about them and their relationship was perfection! however, nico absolutely stole my heart form the very beginning. she was such a strong fmc and i wanted to just give her the biggest big ever. as for rocco, i definitely did not like him at first, but as the store progressed, we got to see him slowly let his walls down and it so worth it!
i thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and am so excited to see what the author does next!! once again thank you so much to valentinepr and a.g. starling for providing me with this arc ❤️
June 2, 2025
As my first dip into F1 romance, I’m glad I started it here! Rocco Vittori has had a career that’s made a splash in a big way. However, he currently is hurting for a win. And of course his new racing partner is none other than Nico Angelini. They’ve butted heads for years now over social media and now - meeting in the flesh - the disdain is mutual. This is Nico’s first time in the F1 circuit and she feels she has a LOT to prove as the only current female F1 driver. Being that they cannot even be in the same room together without fighting, how will they manage to support each other going high-speed?
A.G., you’ve written some veryyyy messy characters! Rocco and Nico are a complicated pairing and downright hateful to each other at first. They really start out rivals and it makes for some wild moments as they navigate working together. The messiness of both characters was fleshed out throughout the novel and what is learned about each characters background and cultural experience really added to the plot and overall character development.
I highly recommend this on audio, as the narrators have incredible Italian accents and provide realness to both main characters!
Thank you Valentine PR and A. G. Starling for providing a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
A.G., you’ve written some veryyyy messy characters! Rocco and Nico are a complicated pairing and downright hateful to each other at first. They really start out rivals and it makes for some wild moments as they navigate working together. The messiness of both characters was fleshed out throughout the novel and what is learned about each characters background and cultural experience really added to the plot and overall character development.
I highly recommend this on audio, as the narrators have incredible Italian accents and provide realness to both main characters!
Thank you Valentine PR and A. G. Starling for providing a copy of the audiobook in exchange for an honest review!
June 2, 2025
Checkered Hearts: An F1 Love Story
Racing to Romance, Book 1
By: A. G. Starling
Narrated by: Charlotte Claremont, Anthony Palmini
Rivals without having met, Nico and Rocco live for the insults of each other on social media. Never did they think they would be on the same Formula F1 team, but fate has something else in store for them. Rocco has something to prove. He needs to prove his worth, and there is no way he is going to let this woman come and mess up his chances. Nico is thrilled at the chance and knows she is ready to shine! She won't let Rocco get the best of her. But will their egos or attraction to each other get in the way? AG Starling pens a romance that goes through all the highs and lows, the secrets and deceit and the way to finding true love. I really enjoyed this first book in the series and look forward to more.
Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini cross the finish line with their fabulous narration. Claremont gives Nico all the attitude, all the vulnerability and all the passion. Palmini gives Rocco the tense, aggravated feel, with emotions pouring out of him. I loved these two, bringing the story alive.
Racing to Romance, Book 1
By: A. G. Starling
Narrated by: Charlotte Claremont, Anthony Palmini
Rivals without having met, Nico and Rocco live for the insults of each other on social media. Never did they think they would be on the same Formula F1 team, but fate has something else in store for them. Rocco has something to prove. He needs to prove his worth, and there is no way he is going to let this woman come and mess up his chances. Nico is thrilled at the chance and knows she is ready to shine! She won't let Rocco get the best of her. But will their egos or attraction to each other get in the way? AG Starling pens a romance that goes through all the highs and lows, the secrets and deceit and the way to finding true love. I really enjoyed this first book in the series and look forward to more.
Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini cross the finish line with their fabulous narration. Claremont gives Nico all the attitude, all the vulnerability and all the passion. Palmini gives Rocco the tense, aggravated feel, with emotions pouring out of him. I loved these two, bringing the story alive.
June 10, 2025
Checkered Hearts — ★★★★☆
ALC Review ❤️🏁🏎️
As soon as I found out Anthony Palmini was the male narrator, I was sold! I love his work—he always brings stories to life, and this one was no exception. Both narrators absolutely killed it!
Now, onto the story: I was hooked by the fact that both main characters are F1 racers. Nicco was such a badass, and honestly, Rocco had me swooning too! Since this is also an enemies/lovers - workplace romance, I appreciated that it didn’t rely on petty tit for tats between them. When the characters finally crossed the line 😏 I devoured it. And the found family element was perfect!
If I’d been reading instead of listening, I might have gotten confused by the similar names—Nicco and Rocco—but the audio helped keep things clear. Overall, I really enjoyed the story.
Huge thanks to VPR and AG Starling for the ALC! I’m already excited for the next book in the series and can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
ALC Review ❤️🏁🏎️
As soon as I found out Anthony Palmini was the male narrator, I was sold! I love his work—he always brings stories to life, and this one was no exception. Both narrators absolutely killed it!
Now, onto the story: I was hooked by the fact that both main characters are F1 racers. Nicco was such a badass, and honestly, Rocco had me swooning too! Since this is also an enemies/lovers - workplace romance, I appreciated that it didn’t rely on petty tit for tats between them. When the characters finally crossed the line 😏 I devoured it. And the found family element was perfect!
If I’d been reading instead of listening, I might have gotten confused by the similar names—Nicco and Rocco—but the audio helped keep things clear. Overall, I really enjoyed the story.
Huge thanks to VPR and AG Starling for the ALC! I’m already excited for the next book in the series and can’t wait to see how it all plays out.
June 10, 2025
This is the first in a new series, and this is Rocco and Nico’s story.
Rocco is desperate for a win, and he receives a once in a lifetime opportunity to become lead driver for the new Maverick team, but his rival is Nico, who is levelling up from F3, and desperate to prove herself in a male dominated sport, and she has her sights firmly set on the same position. The sparks fly between these two, but can they sort themselves out before they both crash and burn?
This is a well written easy to read story, with family, friendships, emotions, drama, angst, enemies / lovers, workplace romance, comradery, tension, rivalry, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, captivating page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this author whose work I recommend.
Rocco is desperate for a win, and he receives a once in a lifetime opportunity to become lead driver for the new Maverick team, but his rival is Nico, who is levelling up from F3, and desperate to prove herself in a male dominated sport, and she has her sights firmly set on the same position. The sparks fly between these two, but can they sort themselves out before they both crash and burn?
This is a well written easy to read story, with family, friendships, emotions, drama, angst, enemies / lovers, workplace romance, comradery, tension, rivalry, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, captivating page turner.
I look forward to reading more from this author whose work I recommend.
September 16, 2026
Thank you HambrightPR and A.G. starling for the ARC!
This was so much fun and refreshing to read.
These two were at each other’s throats majority of this book and I was here for it. Their pasts were structured and felt lived in. There was a depth of wasn’t expecting but really, really enjoyed.
Nico is the epitome of bad ass she’ll but soft gooey insides and really just needs love and care.
Rocco is your typical high life, rich playboy but genuinely wears those labels as a mask.
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series!
The tension and banter in this was great, the actual spice scenes did feel a little clunky sometimes but that could just be me reading this tired as hell 😂
🌶️
❤️❤️❤️
This was so much fun and refreshing to read.
These two were at each other’s throats majority of this book and I was here for it. Their pasts were structured and felt lived in. There was a depth of wasn’t expecting but really, really enjoyed.
Nico is the epitome of bad ass she’ll but soft gooey insides and really just needs love and care.
Rocco is your typical high life, rich playboy but genuinely wears those labels as a mask.
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series!
The tension and banter in this was great, the actual spice scenes did feel a little clunky sometimes but that could just be me reading this tired as hell 😂
🌶️
❤️❤️❤️
July 11, 2025
Horrible. Icky. Offensive to my favorite sport and the world of F1 and so very inaccurate. The way they talk about each other? Gross. The characters? Awful. I hated them. The writing? Not good. Pretty horrid actually. I wanted to throw up from the dialogue or talks about boners (WTF he doesn’t need to refer to them in car terminology) at least once a page on a phone ebook. I can’t even write them all down in a list there are so many. “I bet even his asshole is beautiful and the South Pole really didn’t want to(yes this is after she said to stop, he constantly assumes shit)” caused memorable facial reactions. The consent in this book is atrocious. I just love when a book tries to point out sexism and shit and yet relies on sexism to function and uses so many actually sexist micro aggressions to try and make the story sexy or funny. It’s cringe moment after moment and I’m a masochist who cannot DNF a book (my friend has suggested a lobotomy as a solution to my DNF problem. I would rather the lobotomy than to have read this book)
September 7, 2026
Ugh, I, unfortunately, had to agree with other reviewers here that the dialogue between the main characters was pretty cringe-worthy 9 out of 10 times. :/ I meant, who talked like that in the 21st century? What's worse, as enamored as I usually was when it came to formula one romance, especially when the female main character was also an F1 racer, for some reason these characters didn't intrigue me at all, and I found myself seriously couldn't care less about them, what they were up to, or how their relationship was going. In a nutshell, it was a real bummer that this book didn't work for me as I had such a high expectation based on the promising synopsis!
***Thanks to the author and Hambright PR for providing me with a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.***
***Thanks to the author and Hambright PR for providing me with a digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.***
September 1, 2026
This was overall a great romance novel! I loved the twist of having a con artist involved in the book, it helped it to stand out amongst other romance novels.
It was my first F1 book and I honestly loved it. I wish there was more racing though, because those parts were really intense and fun!
The authors writting flowed well, it was simple and easy to follow, it was a great palate cleanser read!
Nicole and broccoli were such fun characters and I loved the healing and growth they made throughout the book. Rocco family was so welcoming and sweet, my heart bleeds for them.
It was my first F1 book and I honestly loved it. I wish there was more racing though, because those parts were really intense and fun!
The authors writting flowed well, it was simple and easy to follow, it was a great palate cleanser read!
Nicole and broccoli were such fun characters and I loved the healing and growth they made throughout the book. Rocco family was so welcoming and sweet, my heart bleeds for them.
September 28, 2026
Checkered Hearts by A.G. Stirling was a cute read overall! There was definitely a lot of F1 talk, which at times felt like a little too much for me, and some of the banter didn’t quite land or felt a bit unrealistic, which made certain interactions confusing. That being said, I really enjoyed the chemistry between the main characters and loved their interactions together. They had some genuinely sweet and fun moments that kept me invested. Overall, a cute romance with plenty of F1 vibes, and I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this ARC!
August 28, 2026
Cool F1 Race Romance
I really enjoyed this story. It was light and fun, and then it got deep and tragic. Both characters were like able and I connected with them easily. It was interesting to learn a little bit about the F1 racing world too. A.G. Starling wrote this in a way that kept me engaged, interested, and flipping the pages to find out what happened next. I really liked how events didn’t happen how I thought they would. I also really enjoyed the progression of the MCs relationship throughout the story and the added family and mystery elements.
I received an ebook and audiobook from HambrightPR for an immersive read which I really, really enjoyed! It was narrated by Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini. I was disappointed that it wasn’t done in duet. Anthony is so talented and delivered an excellent performance. I really enjoyed Charlotte’s narrative style and female voices. Her male voices were ok. It’s hard to have a dual narrated audiobook when the male narrator is Anthony and then not hear his voice for all the male parts. He has such a magnetic way about his narrations.
I really enjoyed this story. It was light and fun, and then it got deep and tragic. Both characters were like able and I connected with them easily. It was interesting to learn a little bit about the F1 racing world too. A.G. Starling wrote this in a way that kept me engaged, interested, and flipping the pages to find out what happened next. I really liked how events didn’t happen how I thought they would. I also really enjoyed the progression of the MCs relationship throughout the story and the added family and mystery elements.
I received an ebook and audiobook from HambrightPR for an immersive read which I really, really enjoyed! It was narrated by Charlotte Claremont and Anthony Palmini. I was disappointed that it wasn’t done in duet. Anthony is so talented and delivered an excellent performance. I really enjoyed Charlotte’s narrative style and female voices. Her male voices were ok. It’s hard to have a dual narrated audiobook when the male narrator is Anthony and then not hear his voice for all the male parts. He has such a magnetic way about his narrations.
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