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Sparks Fly #1
For The Thrill Of It All: A Formula One Romance
From the countryside to the fast paced Formula One circuit.
Lucia DeLuca feels stuck—living on her family’s vineyard, caring for her daughter, Gia, and longing for the life she left behind. Her brother, Matteo, a star Formula One driver, refuses to let her stay in neutral. He convinces Lucia to join him on the racing circuit, hoping the adventure will reignite her spark.
Alexander Wright, a five-time world champion, thrives under pressure on the track. Off the track, keeping an eye on his best friend’s sister is a challenge he didn’t see coming. Lucia’s guarded heart and complicated past stir something in Alexander he can’t ignore.
When Alexander needs help repairing his public image after a media scandal; a fake dating scheme seems like the perfect solution. But as their worlds collide, lines blur, and one thing becomes clear, this might be the most unpredictable race of all.
Lucia DeLuca feels stuck—living on her family’s vineyard, caring for her daughter, Gia, and longing for the life she left behind. Her brother, Matteo, a star Formula One driver, refuses to let her stay in neutral. He convinces Lucia to join him on the racing circuit, hoping the adventure will reignite her spark.
Alexander Wright, a five-time world champion, thrives under pressure on the track. Off the track, keeping an eye on his best friend’s sister is a challenge he didn’t see coming. Lucia’s guarded heart and complicated past stir something in Alexander he can’t ignore.
When Alexander needs help repairing his public image after a media scandal; a fake dating scheme seems like the perfect solution. But as their worlds collide, lines blur, and one thing becomes clear, this might be the most unpredictable race of all.
311 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 22, 2025
57 people are currently reading
1491 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 125 reviews
June 28, 2025
જ⁀➴ 5 stars ⋆⭒˚.⋆
arc review
release date: may 22 💌
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🏁 fake dating
🏎️ brother’s best friend
🏁 single mom
🏎️ he takes care of her
🏁 mental health rep
🏎️ bipoc
this was the cutest single mom book ever 🥹
lucia and alex will live rent free in my head from now on 💘 i loved how gia and alex had such a cute and pure relationship before there was any romantic energy between them, he's honestly the best guy ever.
there was a mix of emotional and swoony moments which i adore. im always looking for bipoc books and i loved alex being a black f1 driver which isn't something you usually see!!
cannot wait for book 2 in this series oh my gosh
not much to say except you should 100% check this book out!!!!
thank you so so much to elliana for sending me a digital arc 😙💗
this book does have spice
🏎️┆ʚଓ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
let's take a moment to appreciate how freaking stunning this cover is. one of my most favoured illustrated covers ever?!!
okay so this plot seems so interesting and im so excited for this (dont ask why i left it until the day before release to read 😭)
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🏁 fake dating a billionaire
🏎️ brother’s best friend / family friend
🏁 single mom
🏎️ getting her pink back
🏁 mental health rep
guys don't these tropes sound so amazing?!! like single mom, mental health rep, fake DATING?!! oh this better deliver 🤭💗
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 may 21
arc review
release date: may 22 💌
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🏁 fake dating
🏎️ brother’s best friend
🏁 single mom
🏎️ he takes care of her
🏁 mental health rep
🏎️ bipoc
this was the cutest single mom book ever 🥹
lucia and alex will live rent free in my head from now on 💘 i loved how gia and alex had such a cute and pure relationship before there was any romantic energy between them, he's honestly the best guy ever.
there was a mix of emotional and swoony moments which i adore. im always looking for bipoc books and i loved alex being a black f1 driver which isn't something you usually see!!
cannot wait for book 2 in this series oh my gosh
not much to say except you should 100% check this book out!!!!
thank you so so much to elliana for sending me a digital arc 😙💗
this book does have spice
🏎️┆ʚଓ 𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 ⋆౨ৎ˚⟡˖ ࣪
let's take a moment to appreciate how freaking stunning this cover is. one of my most favoured illustrated covers ever?!!
okay so this plot seems so interesting and im so excited for this (dont ask why i left it until the day before release to read 😭)
⁀➴ 𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐬
🏁 fake dating a billionaire
🏎️ brother’s best friend / family friend
🏁 single mom
🏎️ getting her pink back
🏁 mental health rep
guys don't these tropes sound so amazing?!! like single mom, mental health rep, fake DATING?!! oh this better deliver 🤭💗
⤿ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥 may 21
May 30, 2025
Este es el primer libro que leo de F1 después de entrar en el deporte y le tenia mucha fe, la autora lo vende muy bien en Instagram, pero por desgracia termino siendo bastante pedorro.
La autora esta sufre de la enfermedad "Te digo lo que paso, no te lo muestro". Todo el libro usa la misma táctica, te tira un párrafo (como mucho) para describirte todo lo que paso en ves de... ¿DESAROLLAR LA HISTORIA?
Todos los personajes me parecieron unidimensional y caricaturescos, no tenían suficiente sustancia como para que los tome enserio, la mayoría del tiempo cuando hablaban parecía una novela sacada de wattpad en 2012 (derogatory). Se supone que la protagonista sufría de depresión (o en general mala salud mental ponele) pero la autora solo nos daba oraciones haciendo alusión a eso, nunca lo desarrollo de una manera que parezca realista y genuinamente conecte con sus problemas. Hay una parte donde el protagonista principal tiene un ataque de pánico y ella lo ayuda a calmarse, lo que podria haber sido una linda escena y un lindo desarrollo y exploración sobre su salud mental es simplemente un trope mas, la autora nunca desarrolla por que de repente al chabon le dio un ataque de ansiedad, literalmente puso esas escenas como TROPES. No digo que toda depresión/ansiedad etc etc tenga que vivirse de la misma manera, eso lo entiendo, pero fue totalmente superficial para meter alguna que otra escena "linda" y listo, no hay desarrollo, no hay profundidad, no hay nada. Un libro que tiene una buena (y realista) representación es Fall de Kristen Callihan, asi es como se escribe algo sin hacerlo "tropy".
Después la autora parece olvidarse de las cosas que escribe??? estas leyendo un párrafo y te dicen que estan haciendo X cosa, en el otro párrafo o te vuelve a explicar lo mismo o te cambia y están haciendo W cosa... hay una escena especifica donde los protagonistas y la hija de ella están en un picnic y explícitamente dice que la bebe estaba prácticamente dormida abrazando un peluche acostada al lado de su mamá, la escena sigue con el recibiendo una llamada, se ponen felices, ella se sube a su regazo, chapan y todo feliz, después narra que miran al costado porque la nena termino de hacer una torre de cubos y estaba gritando de la felicidad.... girllllllllll CONTINUIDAD!!!!!! "hay pero simplemente la nena se levanto y se fue a jugar, es obvio!" ESTAS ESCRIBIENDO UN LIBRO, NO ES UN VIDEO DONDE TENGO VISTA PANORAMICA, ESCRIBILO O NO PASO.
Otra cosa que me saco de quicio fue que no especifica las edades ni una lineal temporal fija, te tira "si nos conocemos hace un par de años" HACE CUANTO ESPECIFICA, sobre todo porque hay partes que no cuadran, se supone que el protagonista principal "tomo bajo su ala" al hermano de la protagonista, que es un año mas grande que ella, hace MINIMO cuatro años (cálculos míos: hay un salto temporal de 3 años y al principio ya te dicen que son BESTIES FOR LIFEEE el protagonista + el hermano) pero al hermano lo siguen tratando básicamente como un rookie?? hermanas no se ustedes pero no creo que a PIASTRI le sigan diciendo rookie en pleno 2025... súmale a que no te da UNA LINEA TEMPORAL CONCRETA el hecho de que no desarrolla NADA y listo hermana no sabes donde estas parada. Al final del libro aprox nos dice la edad de la protagonista pero hermana ya la reme 300 paginas listo el daño esta hecho.
¿Saben la cantidad de signos de exclamación que hay en este libro? 208. Los diálogos son una tortura.
HABLEMOS DEL PLOT; no tiene sentido, se supone que es un fake dating pero de nuevo LA AUTORA NO TENIA GANAS DE ESCRIBIRLO APARENTEMENTE. Quiero que todas juntas analicemos el razonamiento de estos personajes, contexto: la protagonista tiene una nena de casi tres años, hace tres años escapo de una relación abusiva, esta de gira con su hermano y el protagonista acompañándolos en las ultimas carreras de la temporada, explícitamente hay una escena donde el protagonista les hace firmar a TODOS los que pasan por el paddock/garaje un acuerdo de confidencialidad donde no pueden sacar fotos de ella y su beba, buenísimo, el protagonista esta queriendo limpiar su imagen porque el equipo quiere mas un hombre familiar etc etc ya saben toda esa poronga, AHORA, obviamente empezaron a circular rumores porque claramente salieron fotos y videos de ellos, el chabon le dice "Bueno podemos fingir salir entonces NOSOTROS CONTROLAMOS LA NARRATIVA".
Se puede ser mas pelotudo. Bueno la mina POR ALGUNA RAZON ACEPTA TENIENDO EN CUENTA QUE NO QUERIA FOTOS DE ELLA Y LA HIJA POR NINGUN LADO, QUERIA QUEDARSE EN EL ANONIMATO PERO AHORA ESTA BIEN PORQUE PUBLICAN FOROS ELLOS AJGSDAJKSDHK bueno basta me enoje de nuevo yo entiendo que es un romance y todo tiene que ser hermoso etc etc pero mínimo que no sea tan pelotudo. Aparte después dicen "cuando nos separemos vamos a controlar la narrativa y todo va a quedar olvidado" .... dijo nadie nunca jamás. Me molesta cuando son boludos. No sos "inocente" y optimista, sos boludo.
Entre el nulo desarrollo, los personajes caricaturescos, diálogos sacados de wattpad, descripciones conflictivas y mal estructuradas, la verdad mucho no le puedo dar, me rei un poco con las referencias a F1 que tiene, claramente el protagonista esta modelado a partir de Hamilton (y se llama ALEXANDER... peak comedy) después el hermano de ella se llama Matteo, corre para un equipo italiano de color rojo y tiene compañero de equipo a uno que se llama CARLOS TORRES.... y después hay un corredor X que siempre esta mano a mano con Alex y viene de un equipo que tiene "Energy" en su nombre... hace falta que te lo diga.
En fin, totalmente decepcionada.
La autora esta sufre de la enfermedad "Te digo lo que paso, no te lo muestro". Todo el libro usa la misma táctica, te tira un párrafo (como mucho) para describirte todo lo que paso en ves de... ¿DESAROLLAR LA HISTORIA?
Todos los personajes me parecieron unidimensional y caricaturescos, no tenían suficiente sustancia como para que los tome enserio, la mayoría del tiempo cuando hablaban parecía una novela sacada de wattpad en 2012 (derogatory). Se supone que la protagonista sufría de depresión (o en general mala salud mental ponele) pero la autora solo nos daba oraciones haciendo alusión a eso, nunca lo desarrollo de una manera que parezca realista y genuinamente conecte con sus problemas. Hay una parte donde el protagonista principal tiene un ataque de pánico y ella lo ayuda a calmarse, lo que podria haber sido una linda escena y un lindo desarrollo y exploración sobre su salud mental es simplemente un trope mas, la autora nunca desarrolla por que de repente al chabon le dio un ataque de ansiedad, literalmente puso esas escenas como TROPES. No digo que toda depresión/ansiedad etc etc tenga que vivirse de la misma manera, eso lo entiendo, pero fue totalmente superficial para meter alguna que otra escena "linda" y listo, no hay desarrollo, no hay profundidad, no hay nada. Un libro que tiene una buena (y realista) representación es Fall de Kristen Callihan, asi es como se escribe algo sin hacerlo "tropy".
Después la autora parece olvidarse de las cosas que escribe??? estas leyendo un párrafo y te dicen que estan haciendo X cosa, en el otro párrafo o te vuelve a explicar lo mismo o te cambia y están haciendo W cosa... hay una escena especifica donde los protagonistas y la hija de ella están en un picnic y explícitamente dice que la bebe estaba prácticamente dormida abrazando un peluche acostada al lado de su mamá, la escena sigue con el recibiendo una llamada, se ponen felices, ella se sube a su regazo, chapan y todo feliz, después narra que miran al costado porque la nena termino de hacer una torre de cubos y estaba gritando de la felicidad.... girllllllllll CONTINUIDAD!!!!!! "hay pero simplemente la nena se levanto y se fue a jugar, es obvio!" ESTAS ESCRIBIENDO UN LIBRO, NO ES UN VIDEO DONDE TENGO VISTA PANORAMICA, ESCRIBILO O NO PASO.
Otra cosa que me saco de quicio fue que no especifica las edades ni una lineal temporal fija, te tira "si nos conocemos hace un par de años" HACE CUANTO ESPECIFICA, sobre todo porque hay partes que no cuadran, se supone que el protagonista principal "tomo bajo su ala" al hermano de la protagonista, que es un año mas grande que ella, hace MINIMO cuatro años (cálculos míos: hay un salto temporal de 3 años y al principio ya te dicen que son BESTIES FOR LIFEEE el protagonista + el hermano) pero al hermano lo siguen tratando básicamente como un rookie?? hermanas no se ustedes pero no creo que a PIASTRI le sigan diciendo rookie en pleno 2025... súmale a que no te da UNA LINEA TEMPORAL CONCRETA el hecho de que no desarrolla NADA y listo hermana no sabes donde estas parada. Al final del libro aprox nos dice la edad de la protagonista pero hermana ya la reme 300 paginas listo el daño esta hecho.
¿Saben la cantidad de signos de exclamación que hay en este libro? 208. Los diálogos son una tortura.
HABLEMOS DEL PLOT; no tiene sentido, se supone que es un fake dating pero de nuevo LA AUTORA NO TENIA GANAS DE ESCRIBIRLO APARENTEMENTE. Quiero que todas juntas analicemos el razonamiento de estos personajes, contexto: la protagonista tiene una nena de casi tres años, hace tres años escapo de una relación abusiva, esta de gira con su hermano y el protagonista acompañándolos en las ultimas carreras de la temporada, explícitamente hay una escena donde el protagonista les hace firmar a TODOS los que pasan por el paddock/garaje un acuerdo de confidencialidad donde no pueden sacar fotos de ella y su beba, buenísimo, el protagonista esta queriendo limpiar su imagen porque el equipo quiere mas un hombre familiar etc etc ya saben toda esa poronga, AHORA, obviamente empezaron a circular rumores porque claramente salieron fotos y videos de ellos, el chabon le dice "Bueno podemos fingir salir entonces NOSOTROS CONTROLAMOS LA NARRATIVA".
Se puede ser mas pelotudo. Bueno la mina POR ALGUNA RAZON ACEPTA TENIENDO EN CUENTA QUE NO QUERIA FOTOS DE ELLA Y LA HIJA POR NINGUN LADO, QUERIA QUEDARSE EN EL ANONIMATO PERO AHORA ESTA BIEN PORQUE PUBLICAN FOROS ELLOS AJGSDAJKSDHK bueno basta me enoje de nuevo yo entiendo que es un romance y todo tiene que ser hermoso etc etc pero mínimo que no sea tan pelotudo. Aparte después dicen "cuando nos separemos vamos a controlar la narrativa y todo va a quedar olvidado" .... dijo nadie nunca jamás. Me molesta cuando son boludos. No sos "inocente" y optimista, sos boludo.
Entre el nulo desarrollo, los personajes caricaturescos, diálogos sacados de wattpad, descripciones conflictivas y mal estructuradas, la verdad mucho no le puedo dar, me rei un poco con las referencias a F1 que tiene, claramente el protagonista esta modelado a partir de Hamilton (y se llama ALEXANDER... peak comedy) después el hermano de ella se llama Matteo, corre para un equipo italiano de color rojo y tiene compañero de equipo a uno que se llama CARLOS TORRES.... y después hay un corredor X que siempre esta mano a mano con Alex y viene de un equipo que tiene "Energy" en su nombre... hace falta que te lo diga.
En fin, totalmente decepcionada.
July 18, 2025
If I read a book in one sitting it gets five stars bc my attention span is about 3 seconds normally
May 17, 2025
did i finish this book and immediately deep dive into f1 edits on tiktok?? YES MA’AM AND WHAT OF IT??
For the Thrill of it All is EXACTLY what i was looking for in an F1 romance, and the best part is that you can 100% tell that Elliana knows her STUFF when it comes to the sport.
fake dating in a sports romance book? CLASSIC. was the romance exactly what i needed? YES. idiots in love?? OBVIOUSLY!!
the way that i’m feral for all the crumbs that were left for future couples too👀 FANTASTIC GIVE ME 20
As a personal aside, I can’t express how proud I am of Elle for writing this book and everything that’s to come. literally brought a tear to my eye when i noticed the acknowledgements. VROOM VROOM FOREVER! ❣️🏎️
For the Thrill of it All is EXACTLY what i was looking for in an F1 romance, and the best part is that you can 100% tell that Elliana knows her STUFF when it comes to the sport.
fake dating in a sports romance book? CLASSIC. was the romance exactly what i needed? YES. idiots in love?? OBVIOUSLY!!
the way that i’m feral for all the crumbs that were left for future couples too👀 FANTASTIC GIVE ME 20
As a personal aside, I can’t express how proud I am of Elle for writing this book and everything that’s to come. literally brought a tear to my eye when i noticed the acknowledgements. VROOM VROOM FOREVER! ❣️🏎️
May 30, 2025
˗ˏˋ 5 stars ⟡ ݁₊ .
for the thrill of it all was such a quick and cute read. i really enjoyed reading it sm. i love the found family in this book, like all of the characters just loved each other SO HARD.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• alexander wright 🏎️
this man, omg, he's so sweet and patient. the way he is with gia. *swooning* i love how he would go above and beyond for both girls. also can we just talk about the fact that he gave her just-because-i-want-to flowers!?
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• lucia deluca 💞
i loved seeing her living out her "yes year" after what she went through with her nasty ex. i love seeing her learn to trust again and making new friends, especially with nicola.
all of this to say: i need matteo and nicola's book like right now. (i loved their banter in the car, it was so funny)
anyways, if you haven't read this book! go read it, i definitely recommend!
⤷ thank you to the author, elliana rose, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
20/05/2025 — why did i put off reading it like 5 days before pub day
10/04/2025 — i got the ARC!! LFG!
08/04/2025 — ugh why is the cover like actually so pretty??
for the thrill of it all was such a quick and cute read. i really enjoyed reading it sm. i love the found family in this book, like all of the characters just loved each other SO HARD.
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• alexander wright 🏎️
this man, omg, he's so sweet and patient. the way he is with gia. *swooning* i love how he would go above and beyond for both girls. also can we just talk about the fact that he gave her just-because-i-want-to flowers!?
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧• lucia deluca 💞
i loved seeing her living out her "yes year" after what she went through with her nasty ex. i love seeing her learn to trust again and making new friends, especially with nicola.
all of this to say: i need matteo and nicola's book like right now. (i loved their banter in the car, it was so funny)
anyways, if you haven't read this book! go read it, i definitely recommend!
⤷ thank you to the author, elliana rose, for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶˗ˋ୨♡୧ˊ˗︶︶︶⊹︶︶︶
₊˚⊹♡ pre-read ♡⊹˚₊ ↴
20/05/2025 — why did i put off reading it like 5 days before pub day
10/04/2025 — i got the ARC!! LFG!
08/04/2025 — ugh why is the cover like actually so pretty??
dnf
June 15, 2025dnf @ 60%
esto me duele porque era un libro que esperaba mucho por leer, tenía la fórmula que me gusta y al final fue tremendo flop
entiendo que los pilotos son millonarios pero dudo que se comporten como la mafia🤨
da muchas vueltas sin contarme nada🫠 de F1 tiene 2% y de un buen romance un 1.2%
creo que este libro se mantiene vivo es gracias a su ilustradora y cómo le facilita la vida a la autora para venderlo estéticamente
esto me duele porque era un libro que esperaba mucho por leer, tenía la fórmula que me gusta y al final fue tremendo flop
entiendo que los pilotos son millonarios pero dudo que se comporten como la mafia🤨
da muchas vueltas sin contarme nada🫠 de F1 tiene 2% y de un buen romance un 1.2%
creo que este libro se mantiene vivo es gracias a su ilustradora y cómo le facilita la vida a la autora para venderlo estéticamente
May 1, 2025
[4⭐️]
thank you so much to Elliana Rose for the eARC of For the Thrill of it All !!
this is my first ever arc so i was so excited when it popped up on my kindle!! although i don’t know much about f1 i have read a small handful of them and have enjoyed all of them so i had high hopes for this book!! safe to say i enjoyed this one just as much. i absolutely loved both main characters and especially their relationship. alexander is that person you can always count on to be there for you no matter what. watching the spark and joy come back to lucia was so wholesome to read, i was rooting for her and her happy ending the whole time. also can i just say that alexander’s bond with baby gia was just adorable!! the mental health rep in the book was also beautifully done. i will definitely be reading matteos book when that comes out, as i need to see what happens with him and nicola.
thank you so much to Elliana Rose for the eARC of For the Thrill of it All !!
this is my first ever arc so i was so excited when it popped up on my kindle!! although i don’t know much about f1 i have read a small handful of them and have enjoyed all of them so i had high hopes for this book!! safe to say i enjoyed this one just as much. i absolutely loved both main characters and especially their relationship. alexander is that person you can always count on to be there for you no matter what. watching the spark and joy come back to lucia was so wholesome to read, i was rooting for her and her happy ending the whole time. also can i just say that alexander’s bond with baby gia was just adorable!! the mental health rep in the book was also beautifully done. i will definitely be reading matteos book when that comes out, as i need to see what happens with him and nicola.
May 24, 2025
Thank you, Elliana Rose for the eARC 🫶📚
My first Formula One romance, but after reading this, I think I need to go to a real race ASAP! 🏎️🏁 The glossary was extremely helpful for those who know nothing about F1 and I did find myself referring back to it throughout the book. I appreciated the details of the race scenes. It felt like we were in the car with Alex. The race standings scattered throughout the book was also a fun touch!
Lucia, the FMC, living her best yes year as she should! 👏 After all that her nasty ex, Josh put her through, seeing her overcome her struggles and find pure happiness and love from her amazing village was heartwarming. They all just love each other so hard in this book and that made my heart happy.
Alexander Wright, the MMC, the sweetest sweetie. This man pays attention to every little detail! His tattoo?! 🪽The colorful flowers?! The sweet notes?! The house?! And the way he is with G?! My heart 🥹 He will go above and beyond to protect and care for the people he loves.
Not your typical “forbidden love” because it’s your brother’s-best-friend trope and I was actually here for it. Don’t get me wrong, I love a protective and pissy brother, but Matteo was so dang supportive of their relationship. Also… I need more Matteo and Nicola!! I can’t wait for their book!
I do wish we had more details about Dante and what he said or did to Josh. Alex just called Dante, Dante did his thang, Josh disappeared, then reappeared, then 👊, Alex called Dante again, and then Josh just magically disappeared ✨ I need the nitty gritty details on what happened there! 😈
Overall, I enjoyed FTTOIA! It was a sweet slow burn. Great start to the series!
3.75 ⭐️
My first Formula One romance, but after reading this, I think I need to go to a real race ASAP! 🏎️🏁 The glossary was extremely helpful for those who know nothing about F1 and I did find myself referring back to it throughout the book. I appreciated the details of the race scenes. It felt like we were in the car with Alex. The race standings scattered throughout the book was also a fun touch!
Lucia, the FMC, living her best yes year as she should! 👏 After all that her nasty ex, Josh put her through, seeing her overcome her struggles and find pure happiness and love from her amazing village was heartwarming. They all just love each other so hard in this book and that made my heart happy.
Alexander Wright, the MMC, the sweetest sweetie. This man pays attention to every little detail! His tattoo?! 🪽The colorful flowers?! The sweet notes?! The house?! And the way he is with G?! My heart 🥹 He will go above and beyond to protect and care for the people he loves.
Not your typical “forbidden love” because it’s your brother’s-best-friend trope and I was actually here for it. Don’t get me wrong, I love a protective and pissy brother, but Matteo was so dang supportive of their relationship. Also… I need more Matteo and Nicola!! I can’t wait for their book!
I do wish we had more details about Dante and what he said or did to Josh. Alex just called Dante, Dante did his thang, Josh disappeared, then reappeared, then 👊, Alex called Dante again, and then Josh just magically disappeared ✨ I need the nitty gritty details on what happened there! 😈
Overall, I enjoyed FTTOIA! It was a sweet slow burn. Great start to the series!
3.75 ⭐️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 5, 2025
This was such a cute drama free book 💗
May 21, 2025
Thank you for the ARC Elliana❤️
A man who shows you that actions count more than words?😭yup count me in
I’m so in love with Alexander Wright that man showed Lucia how much he wants her and you know what them being friends was everything their relationship needed bc they got to know each before jumping head on their relationship which I loved so much🥺❤️
I love how Alex was with Lucia’s daughter Gia gosh adorable 😍🥰
A man who shows you that actions count more than words?😭yup count me in
I’m so in love with Alexander Wright that man showed Lucia how much he wants her and you know what them being friends was everything their relationship needed bc they got to know each before jumping head on their relationship which I loved so much🥺❤️
I love how Alex was with Lucia’s daughter Gia gosh adorable 😍🥰
April 16, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
I am grateful to have recieved an ARC for this story. It was an easy read but I didn't really connect to the characters, they were likeable (particularly Matteo) but the story lines didn't feel like they were fully developed.
I am grateful to have recieved an ARC for this story. It was an easy read but I didn't really connect to the characters, they were likeable (particularly Matteo) but the story lines didn't feel like they were fully developed.
April 18, 2025
Alexander fucking Wright, thats all i have to say
April 20, 2025
For The Thrill of it All is a quick and delightful read. While the book is set in the world of Formula One, the plot is romance centric, so knowing anything about F1 is thankfully not a prerequisite.
For those who are fans, the subtle nods to current Formula One teams and drivers was quite entertaining.
The book uses a dual point of view, providing a clarity of Lucia and Alexander's feelings and motives, as well as vital background characteristics that we wouldn't understand with a singular point of view. This also lends to the likeability of the characters and how relatable they are.
Some of the plot points did feel a little unresolved, as though a string was cut too short. Some of the later chapters I was expecting to see some of the side characters again, but to no avail.
Overall, this book was a breath of fresh air between heavier reads. An easy recommendation to any romance lover or Formula One fan.
For those who are fans, the subtle nods to current Formula One teams and drivers was quite entertaining.
The book uses a dual point of view, providing a clarity of Lucia and Alexander's feelings and motives, as well as vital background characteristics that we wouldn't understand with a singular point of view. This also lends to the likeability of the characters and how relatable they are.
Some of the plot points did feel a little unresolved, as though a string was cut too short. Some of the later chapters I was expecting to see some of the side characters again, but to no avail.
Overall, this book was a breath of fresh air between heavier reads. An easy recommendation to any romance lover or Formula One fan.
April 12, 2025
I’m grateful to be approved for this ARC, I had a really fun time reading this so I’m rating it 4.25 stars.
The beginning of the book is quite emotional and hard hitting from the get go & I really encourage any readers to check their trigger warnings before starting this.
I am a sucker for a romance that involves a single mum or dad, I feel like it just adds such an emotive and wholesome layer to any story. I also love that this story involves sport, I’m not a huge grand prix fan but I could be now.
This book has some of your favourite tropes without overdoing it, the story flows well and I am an absolute fan of this book couple. I really hope we get some further books including some of the other characters that had a real impact in this book.
The beginning of the book is quite emotional and hard hitting from the get go & I really encourage any readers to check their trigger warnings before starting this.
I am a sucker for a romance that involves a single mum or dad, I feel like it just adds such an emotive and wholesome layer to any story. I also love that this story involves sport, I’m not a huge grand prix fan but I could be now.
This book has some of your favourite tropes without overdoing it, the story flows well and I am an absolute fan of this book couple. I really hope we get some further books including some of the other characters that had a real impact in this book.
April 19, 2025
3,5 ⭐️
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!
This was a very cute read. I liked the characters, the tropes and the feeling of it.
You can feel the bond between them from the beginning and him stepping up as a parental figure is something that always gets me.
I have no clue about F1, but Elliana made it really easy to understand, so don’t worry about that! The whole thing was a vibe. The thrill, the „found family“ aspect of this sport and the scenery was very interesting to get to know.
And what can I say? A single parent, who starts a fake relationship with her brothers best friend? Sold.
I also really liked the other characters, so I hope we will be able to read more of them in the future! (You hear that Elliana?)
This book is the perfect palette cleanser. It’s super easy to read and while it also talks about serious topics, you never feel like it’s going into a super dark spot.
I do have to say that it was a bit fast paced and felt repetitive at some point, which isn’t a bad thing in general, but got a bit boring.
Thank you for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC!
This was a very cute read. I liked the characters, the tropes and the feeling of it.
You can feel the bond between them from the beginning and him stepping up as a parental figure is something that always gets me.
I have no clue about F1, but Elliana made it really easy to understand, so don’t worry about that! The whole thing was a vibe. The thrill, the „found family“ aspect of this sport and the scenery was very interesting to get to know.
And what can I say? A single parent, who starts a fake relationship with her brothers best friend? Sold.
I also really liked the other characters, so I hope we will be able to read more of them in the future! (You hear that Elliana?)
This book is the perfect palette cleanser. It’s super easy to read and while it also talks about serious topics, you never feel like it’s going into a super dark spot.
I do have to say that it was a bit fast paced and felt repetitive at some point, which isn’t a bad thing in general, but got a bit boring.
May 24, 2025
2.5 ★ | 2 🌶️ | 2 💧
★ ARC REVIEW ★
Story started strong and I was buckling up for a ride and I do believe the story had potential to be a 3-4 star for sure. I think I had a hard time connecting with the way the story was built up. Super cute characters and the plot was laid nicely.
I feel like there was too many “wait what happen moments?” And many parts felt repetitive. I would have loved to know how the ex was handled? What did Dante do? It was a conundrum. There was too much words but also a lot of things that needed to be said wasn’t. It felt repetitive but also the plot concluded too fast.
Tropes: fake dating, mental health rep, single mom, brothers best friend, F1 romance, found family, friends-to-lovers
★ ARC REVIEW ★
Story started strong and I was buckling up for a ride and I do believe the story had potential to be a 3-4 star for sure. I think I had a hard time connecting with the way the story was built up. Super cute characters and the plot was laid nicely.
I feel like there was too many “wait what happen moments?” And many parts felt repetitive. I would have loved to know how the ex was handled? What did Dante do? It was a conundrum. There was too much words but also a lot of things that needed to be said wasn’t. It felt repetitive but also the plot concluded too fast.
Tropes: fake dating, mental health rep, single mom, brothers best friend, F1 romance, found family, friends-to-lovers
October 27, 2025
The tenses kept changing in the middle of sentences, it was waaaaay too repetitive, and I think the dog changed from being a purse puppy to being a golden retriever at the end of the book???
April 14, 2025
This was so dang cute. I’m obsessed with Lucia. She deserves all of the happiness and safety in the world. I don’t even like F1 but these racing romances really hit for me.
March 20, 2025
For The Thrill of it All by Elliana Rose
Book 1
5 stars
arc read
pub date | 5/22/2025
Tropes:
- Single Mom
- Formula One Romance
- Brother's Best Friend
- Fake Dating
- Mental Health Rep
Unsure of where to start with telling yall how much I loved this book. This was just one of those that I could sit down and forget I was reading. The way they characters are wrote just had me falling in love with them on every page. The family dynamic also just really healed my heart. I also want to preach about NO MISSCOMMUNICATION TROPE. One of my biggest hates.
This story takes place with our FMC leaving an abusive relationship on page one and going back to her parents. We get a little introduction of our dual pov characters before a small time jump. FMC brother and his bestie are F1 drivers and clearly the whole family is involved and supportive of the world, even our FMC toddler. So supportive they some how convince her she needs to come on the road to some races that it will be good for mom and daughter. And somehow that leads to a new found family, fake dating, and just a whole lot of emotions and I was here for every single one.
As a mom myself, reading this story had me resonating with the FMC so so much. As a mom sometimes we lose ourselves other then being MOM. We aren't anything for ourselves anymore. So seeing the struggles and being able to overcome that with a character just really speaks volumes and was so enlightening to read about. I also cannot wait to get back into this F1 world!
Book 1
5 stars
arc read
pub date | 5/22/2025
Tropes:
- Single Mom
- Formula One Romance
- Brother's Best Friend
- Fake Dating
- Mental Health Rep
Unsure of where to start with telling yall how much I loved this book. This was just one of those that I could sit down and forget I was reading. The way they characters are wrote just had me falling in love with them on every page. The family dynamic also just really healed my heart. I also want to preach about NO MISSCOMMUNICATION TROPE. One of my biggest hates.
This story takes place with our FMC leaving an abusive relationship on page one and going back to her parents. We get a little introduction of our dual pov characters before a small time jump. FMC brother and his bestie are F1 drivers and clearly the whole family is involved and supportive of the world, even our FMC toddler. So supportive they some how convince her she needs to come on the road to some races that it will be good for mom and daughter. And somehow that leads to a new found family, fake dating, and just a whole lot of emotions and I was here for every single one.
As a mom myself, reading this story had me resonating with the FMC so so much. As a mom sometimes we lose ourselves other then being MOM. We aren't anything for ourselves anymore. So seeing the struggles and being able to overcome that with a character just really speaks volumes and was so enlightening to read about. I also cannot wait to get back into this F1 world!
July 13, 2025
I fear it’s time to accept that i’m not meant to read f1 romances anymore since becoming an f1 fan and that’s okay
August 8, 2025
I’d give it 2.5 stars because it really wasn’t that bad, it just had a few things in it that really annoyed me, and that I couldn’t ignore.
The idea was fantastic, and I love Lucia and Alexander as a couple🥹 How Alex is with Gia? It’s way too cute!! The ending was lovely too, just nothing that made me think: wauw!
Small spoiler (very small) ahead! First of all it al felt a little inconsistent, Alex’s personality changed during the book, things were suddenly not really mentioned anymore and after a ‘big crash’ from Alex it took a total of two pages to be forgotten about.
The other thing that got on my nerves was the way some things from F1 were described. When I read in the autor’s note that she grew up watching F1 I immediately was looking forward to this, cause what could go wrong? But then I saw the word ‘race’ used for qualifying, and qualifying being described as a race in itself? Suddenly Alex was fighting for a position during qualifying and passing people left and right, gaining positions as he went, which just didn’t make sense.
These annoyances came in waves, sometimes it was worse than others, sometimes I totally forgot that I was irritated and just went with the flow (and it was CUTE sometimes). It wasn’t overall bad and the fact that I finished it in a little over a day is definitely a good thing, it just won’t make me want to read any of the other books in this series🫠
The idea was fantastic, and I love Lucia and Alexander as a couple🥹 How Alex is with Gia? It’s way too cute!! The ending was lovely too, just nothing that made me think: wauw!
Small spoiler (very small) ahead! First of all it al felt a little inconsistent, Alex’s personality changed during the book, things were suddenly not really mentioned anymore and after a ‘big crash’ from Alex it took a total of two pages to be forgotten about.
The other thing that got on my nerves was the way some things from F1 were described. When I read in the autor’s note that she grew up watching F1 I immediately was looking forward to this, cause what could go wrong? But then I saw the word ‘race’ used for qualifying, and qualifying being described as a race in itself? Suddenly Alex was fighting for a position during qualifying and passing people left and right, gaining positions as he went, which just didn’t make sense.
These annoyances came in waves, sometimes it was worse than others, sometimes I totally forgot that I was irritated and just went with the flow (and it was CUTE sometimes). It wasn’t overall bad and the fact that I finished it in a little over a day is definitely a good thing, it just won’t make me want to read any of the other books in this series🫠
May 23, 2025
“𝙄 𝙙𝙤𝙣’𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙖𝙣𝙨𝙬𝙚𝙧𝙨, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙄 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙥𝙧𝙤𝙢𝙞𝙨𝙚 𝙞𝙩 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙗𝙚 𝙨𝙢𝙤𝙤𝙩𝙝, 𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙄 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙙𝙤𝙪𝙗𝙩 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪, 𝙇𝙪𝙘𝙞𝙖. 𝙀𝙭𝙖𝙘𝙩𝙡𝙮 𝙖𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙖𝙧𝙚. 𝘼𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙜𝙧𝙤𝙬, 𝙖𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙘𝙝𝙖𝙣𝙜𝙚, 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙮 𝙫𝙚𝙧𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣 𝙤𝙛 𝙮𝙤𝙪. 𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙖𝙡𝙡 𝙤𝙛 𝙞𝙩.”
This was a really sweet, fast, cutesy romance. I loved the formula 1 aspect of it and the Italian setting. It was sort of a pallet cleanser between heavier themed books. This book touches on some heavy topics, but very lightly and very quickly. So that was nice.
Lucia is the sweetest. She’s a single mom to a sassy toddler named, Gianna. Lucia leaves an abusive relationship and returns to her families home on their vineyard in Italy. Her brother Matteo is an F1 driver, and he LOVES his sister and niece. He sees how Lucia is struggling to find herself after ending her relationship and becoming a single mom, so he decides her and her daughter should come on the road with him and join him on the circuit. Lucia is hesitant at first, but then decides, why not.
Alex…the greenest of green flag men. He’s Matteos best friend and teammate. And the minute he sets his eyes on Lucia, he’s hooked. Not just her, but he starts to fall for little Gia too…finding himself wanting to be around them all the time and take care of them. Alex needs some help repairing his image after a media scandal, and they decide fake dating might help…enter Lucia.
Nothing about this situation was fake lol let’s be very honest. It was fake for like 2.5 minutes before it turned very real. The burn was mid…but I loved how they built a friendship first, that morphed into love. Alex adored Lucia and Gia. Those were his girls and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for them. The way he helped Lucia find her strength and confidence again was heartwarming. And I loved how Lucia helped Alex with his panic attacks and making him feel more secure.
There were a few things that didn’t work for me which is why I gave it 3 stars. I still think the book is good…just some things were hard to get through. There were A LOT of side characters, which isn’t a problem..but at times it felt like this story was about them and not Lucia and Alex. Speaking of Alex…I know nothing about this man other than he loves Lucia and drives race cars. There was no background on him. He kind of just appeared and that was it. I would have loved more background on him.
At times, the story felt disjointed. There were a lot of good plot points but we never followed through on any of them. It kind of read like they had all these ideas and just wanted to write them down so they wouldn’t forget but never went back to it. It left me wanting more.
The book is set in Italy. I’ve been many times…I’m very familiar with the culture and surroundings. Little details like the amount of time it takes to get from one place to another was off. Minor I know. Also , it’s the Mediterranean Sea. Not ocean…there were a lot of slip ups like that , that just took me out of it at times.
All in all it was a fun book. If you want a sweet, low drama, quick romance, I’d definitely recommend it 🩵
Thank you so much Elliana Rose for the opportunity to ARC read this book🩵
🏁Sports Romance
🩵Formula One
🏁Single Mom
🩵Brothers Best Friend
🏁Fake Dating
🩵Postpartum Rep
🏁Mental Health Rep
🩵Found Family
🏁Friends to Lovers
🩵Slow Burn
🏁Finding Your Spark
🩵Dual POV
🏁Low Drama
🩵Closed Door Romance
🏁HEA
This was a really sweet, fast, cutesy romance. I loved the formula 1 aspect of it and the Italian setting. It was sort of a pallet cleanser between heavier themed books. This book touches on some heavy topics, but very lightly and very quickly. So that was nice.
Lucia is the sweetest. She’s a single mom to a sassy toddler named, Gianna. Lucia leaves an abusive relationship and returns to her families home on their vineyard in Italy. Her brother Matteo is an F1 driver, and he LOVES his sister and niece. He sees how Lucia is struggling to find herself after ending her relationship and becoming a single mom, so he decides her and her daughter should come on the road with him and join him on the circuit. Lucia is hesitant at first, but then decides, why not.
Alex…the greenest of green flag men. He’s Matteos best friend and teammate. And the minute he sets his eyes on Lucia, he’s hooked. Not just her, but he starts to fall for little Gia too…finding himself wanting to be around them all the time and take care of them. Alex needs some help repairing his image after a media scandal, and they decide fake dating might help…enter Lucia.
Nothing about this situation was fake lol let’s be very honest. It was fake for like 2.5 minutes before it turned very real. The burn was mid…but I loved how they built a friendship first, that morphed into love. Alex adored Lucia and Gia. Those were his girls and there’s nothing he wouldn’t do for them. The way he helped Lucia find her strength and confidence again was heartwarming. And I loved how Lucia helped Alex with his panic attacks and making him feel more secure.
There were a few things that didn’t work for me which is why I gave it 3 stars. I still think the book is good…just some things were hard to get through. There were A LOT of side characters, which isn’t a problem..but at times it felt like this story was about them and not Lucia and Alex. Speaking of Alex…I know nothing about this man other than he loves Lucia and drives race cars. There was no background on him. He kind of just appeared and that was it. I would have loved more background on him.
At times, the story felt disjointed. There were a lot of good plot points but we never followed through on any of them. It kind of read like they had all these ideas and just wanted to write them down so they wouldn’t forget but never went back to it. It left me wanting more.
The book is set in Italy. I’ve been many times…I’m very familiar with the culture and surroundings. Little details like the amount of time it takes to get from one place to another was off. Minor I know. Also , it’s the Mediterranean Sea. Not ocean…there were a lot of slip ups like that , that just took me out of it at times.
All in all it was a fun book. If you want a sweet, low drama, quick romance, I’d definitely recommend it 🩵
Thank you so much Elliana Rose for the opportunity to ARC read this book🩵
🏁Sports Romance
🩵Formula One
🏁Single Mom
🩵Brothers Best Friend
🏁Fake Dating
🩵Postpartum Rep
🏁Mental Health Rep
🩵Found Family
🏁Friends to Lovers
🩵Slow Burn
🏁Finding Your Spark
🩵Dual POV
🏁Low Drama
🩵Closed Door Romance
🏁HEA
May 21, 2025
ARC REVIEW:
For The Thrill of it All is my first F1 romance and I think Elliana Rose did a great job at making a F1 romance understandable to someone who has zero exposure to F1. I liked the little glossary at the beginning of the book too.
Our FMC is Lucia and at the beginning of the book, it is shown that she is in the beginning stages of an abusive relationship and her ex is starting to isolate her from her friends and family so that he becomes the only person she can depend on. Her relationship starts to get really bad to the point where she and she ends up running back to her family beaten and bruised but finds out she is pregnant too. She gives birth to a little girl named Gianna and she is as sweet as ever. The entire family dotes on her and she grows up surrounded by love and support. Our MMC is Alexander, hot shot star F1 racer for Belen Racing. Alexander is Lucia's brother's bestfriend. Alexander is protective, extremely thoughtful and caring.
I think FTTOIA is a great start for Elliana Rose because I'm still interested in reading more of this series. I think Elliana Rose did a great job at introducing side characters that will get their own stories... So much so that I'm extremely excited for Matteo and Nicola's book. I love a good bickering couple and can't wait to see what she will do with their story.
Some things that fell short for me with FTTOIA is that the conflicts in the plot were resolved almost TOO fast. I would've liked to see some build up and execution on how Dante got rid of Lucia's ex when he started to threaten her over text. What I do appreciate is that any miscommunication was squashed immediately. The writing was good, but at some points I felt like it got a little wordy. I would have liked to see some more in depth reasoning behind Alexander's panic attacks and just some more plot as I felt like it was a little incomplete. I didn't feel a strong connection between Alexander and Lucia because I only really saw Alexander as the "brother's best friend" and that he cares for her deeply after spending multiple summers together.
Overall, I didn't hate it but I didn't completely fall in love with it. But I am excited to see what Elliana is going to do with her next book.
For The Thrill of it All is my first F1 romance and I think Elliana Rose did a great job at making a F1 romance understandable to someone who has zero exposure to F1. I liked the little glossary at the beginning of the book too.
Our FMC is Lucia and at the beginning of the book, it is shown that she is in the beginning stages of an abusive relationship and her ex is starting to isolate her from her friends and family so that he becomes the only person she can depend on. Her relationship starts to get really bad to the point where she and she ends up running back to her family beaten and bruised but finds out she is pregnant too. She gives birth to a little girl named Gianna and she is as sweet as ever. The entire family dotes on her and she grows up surrounded by love and support. Our MMC is Alexander, hot shot star F1 racer for Belen Racing. Alexander is Lucia's brother's bestfriend. Alexander is protective, extremely thoughtful and caring.
I think FTTOIA is a great start for Elliana Rose because I'm still interested in reading more of this series. I think Elliana Rose did a great job at introducing side characters that will get their own stories... So much so that I'm extremely excited for Matteo and Nicola's book. I love a good bickering couple and can't wait to see what she will do with their story.
Some things that fell short for me with FTTOIA is that the conflicts in the plot were resolved almost TOO fast. I would've liked to see some build up and execution on how Dante got rid of Lucia's ex when he started to threaten her over text. What I do appreciate is that any miscommunication was squashed immediately. The writing was good, but at some points I felt like it got a little wordy. I would have liked to see some more in depth reasoning behind Alexander's panic attacks and just some more plot as I felt like it was a little incomplete. I didn't feel a strong connection between Alexander and Lucia because I only really saw Alexander as the "brother's best friend" and that he cares for her deeply after spending multiple summers together.
Overall, I didn't hate it but I didn't completely fall in love with it. But I am excited to see what Elliana is going to do with her next book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 4, 2025
3.5⭐️
Thank you Elliana Rose for the arc!
I enjoyed the book, it's a good romance debut, you know that I'm a sucker for single parent trope and fake dating, also this year I started watching the F1 so I was really excited.
I loved all the characters, the side characters too. Lucia is such a strong woman and a great mum, I appreciated that through the book she gained more confidence and realized she could be much more than only a mom and could be a little more selfish when it comes to her happiness.
Alex the man that you are, he was so kind, generous, attentive and I loved his relationship with Gianna.
Their relationship was so beautiful, their love was so gentle (I don't know how to explain) and I liked its pace and the slow burning.
I was a bit disappointed that the fake dating trope wasn’t a big part of the book, it was listed as a main trope but the characters fake dated for a few chapters only.
Also there's some drama with her ex that lasted like 2 chapters and was resolved immediately, so either it could have been avoided or dragged out a bit more.
About the plot, being honest, not much happens so we reach a point where the narrative feels repetitive.
There are a few things that as an italian I wanted to point out but that didn’t influence my rating, I discovered that the author's grandma was italian so idk why she didn't notice these ""mistakes"":
- Nicola is a masculine name, it’s not used for women
- Lucia lived “in the city” and drove 10 hours to get to her family in Tuscany, no city in Italy is 10 hours drive from tuscany since it’s a center region
- The four of them booked a vacation in Italy but the country is surrounded by the Mediterranean sea not an ocean like it was mentioned
Anyway can’t wait for more!!
Thank you Elliana Rose for the arc!
I enjoyed the book, it's a good romance debut, you know that I'm a sucker for single parent trope and fake dating, also this year I started watching the F1 so I was really excited.
I loved all the characters, the side characters too. Lucia is such a strong woman and a great mum, I appreciated that through the book she gained more confidence and realized she could be much more than only a mom and could be a little more selfish when it comes to her happiness.
Alex the man that you are, he was so kind, generous, attentive and I loved his relationship with Gianna.
Their relationship was so beautiful, their love was so gentle (I don't know how to explain) and I liked its pace and the slow burning.
I was a bit disappointed that the fake dating trope wasn’t a big part of the book, it was listed as a main trope but the characters fake dated for a few chapters only.
Also there's some drama with her ex that lasted like 2 chapters and was resolved immediately, so either it could have been avoided or dragged out a bit more.
About the plot, being honest, not much happens so we reach a point where the narrative feels repetitive.
There are a few things that as an italian I wanted to point out but that didn’t influence my rating, I discovered that the author's grandma was italian so idk why she didn't notice these ""mistakes"":
- Nicola is a masculine name, it’s not used for women
- Lucia lived “in the city” and drove 10 hours to get to her family in Tuscany, no city in Italy is 10 hours drive from tuscany since it’s a center region
- The four of them booked a vacation in Italy but the country is surrounded by the Mediterranean sea not an ocean like it was mentioned
Anyway can’t wait for more!!
April 12, 2025
ARC Review: 3.75⭐️
In this book we follow Lucia and Alex. At the beginning of the book, Lucia decides to leave a very abusive relationship when she finds out she is pregnant. She finds support in her family and in her brother’s best friend - Alex. The story then jumps ahead 3 years and we can see that Lucia has done a lot of healing but is now struggling with her identity- who is she besides being a single mother? To help, her brother and Alex invite her to join them around the world during their F1 races.
Between spending so much time together, the attention of the media, and eventually the agreement to start a fake relationship, Lucia and Alex find themselves with very real feelings towards each other.
Their love is not something that came out of lust and desire, but developed through their friendship and their deep care for each other.
There isn’t an ounce of miscommunication between them, they trust and rely on each so naturally - which made this such a soft beautiful love story.
Elliana’s writing style is also amazing, very rich and emotional!
That being said, the plot felt a bit monotoned and repetitive for me. I believe that this book is more for fans of very soft love stories. I personally would have loved to read more about how Lucia healed after being in such an abusive relationship and how that impacted her, but I also understand that is not the story the author was trying to tell.
In this book we follow Lucia and Alex. At the beginning of the book, Lucia decides to leave a very abusive relationship when she finds out she is pregnant. She finds support in her family and in her brother’s best friend - Alex. The story then jumps ahead 3 years and we can see that Lucia has done a lot of healing but is now struggling with her identity- who is she besides being a single mother? To help, her brother and Alex invite her to join them around the world during their F1 races.
Between spending so much time together, the attention of the media, and eventually the agreement to start a fake relationship, Lucia and Alex find themselves with very real feelings towards each other.
Their love is not something that came out of lust and desire, but developed through their friendship and their deep care for each other.
There isn’t an ounce of miscommunication between them, they trust and rely on each so naturally - which made this such a soft beautiful love story.
Elliana’s writing style is also amazing, very rich and emotional!
That being said, the plot felt a bit monotoned and repetitive for me. I believe that this book is more for fans of very soft love stories. I personally would have loved to read more about how Lucia healed after being in such an abusive relationship and how that impacted her, but I also understand that is not the story the author was trying to tell.
May 12, 2025
Thank you so much, Elliana, for the ARC! 💖🏁
This book was so sweet and pure—I loved it. I knew going in that the FMC was a single mom, but her daughter honestly felt like a main character too. For me, as someone who isn’t the biggest fan of kids (in general) it was a bit much so that was the main reason this didn’t rate higher. If you do enjoy stories where children play a big role in the story/plot you’ll likely love this even more than I did.
I absolutely loved the F1 world the author created—it felt immersive and authentic. I appreciated that we got actual race scenes rather than just mentions or summaries. I felt like I was there! 🏎️
Alex was such a sweet, action-oriented MMC and I really enjoyed that bc he really would go above and beyond for Lucia and Gia! I’m also a sucker for secret tattoos that tie back to the FMC! 😍😍 Watching Lucia fully embrace her “yes year,” make new friends, and learn to trust again was so satisfying. The found family aspect was heartwarming, and I loved how her family welcomed Alex as their own but also was there to support him.
One of my favorite twists on a common trope: usually in the brother’s-best-friend storyline, the brother is possessive, angry or an ass about the his friend getting with his sister. Not here—Matteo was all for it and fully supportive which was such a refreshing change which I realllyyyy liked!
This was my second F1 romance and I really enjoyed it—now I definitely need tickets to a real race!
This book was so sweet and pure—I loved it. I knew going in that the FMC was a single mom, but her daughter honestly felt like a main character too. For me, as someone who isn’t the biggest fan of kids (in general) it was a bit much so that was the main reason this didn’t rate higher. If you do enjoy stories where children play a big role in the story/plot you’ll likely love this even more than I did.
I absolutely loved the F1 world the author created—it felt immersive and authentic. I appreciated that we got actual race scenes rather than just mentions or summaries. I felt like I was there! 🏎️
Alex was such a sweet, action-oriented MMC and I really enjoyed that bc he really would go above and beyond for Lucia and Gia! I’m also a sucker for secret tattoos that tie back to the FMC! 😍😍 Watching Lucia fully embrace her “yes year,” make new friends, and learn to trust again was so satisfying. The found family aspect was heartwarming, and I loved how her family welcomed Alex as their own but also was there to support him.
One of my favorite twists on a common trope: usually in the brother’s-best-friend storyline, the brother is possessive, angry or an ass about the his friend getting with his sister. Not here—Matteo was all for it and fully supportive which was such a refreshing change which I realllyyyy liked!
This was my second F1 romance and I really enjoyed it—now I definitely need tickets to a real race!
April 20, 2025
Thank you so much Elliana Rose for the eARC!
Rating: 4.5 stars
This was an ARC that I was incredibly excited about and had my fingers crossed that I could get it. When I got the email I literally jumped in the air because I was so excited! Lucia and Gia were absolutely adorable, I fell in love immediately, so I can totally relate to Alexander. The two were perfect together and Alexander loved Gia in such a wholesome way. Lucia’s brother was such a cutie as well. While I wasnt sure about Nicola and her friendship with Lucia in the beginning, I quickly fell in love with their friendship and the way they supported each other. Right now I’m at the point where I wish I could read the book again for the first time. The setting of an italian wineyard was so sweet and the whole family seems like it is filled with endless love. The racing aspect of the book was not too prominent making it an easy read for both formula 1 fans, but also those that do not watch races. This book definitely is a comfort read, while it deals with heavy topics it’s done in a nice way. Communication is good and I loved the reactions of those around the two main characters. Overall I highly recommend this book and hope that there will be a second or maybe even a third book in the “Sparks Fly” series. Will definitely look into other books by the author that get published because I LOVED the writing style.
Rating: 4.5 stars
This was an ARC that I was incredibly excited about and had my fingers crossed that I could get it. When I got the email I literally jumped in the air because I was so excited! Lucia and Gia were absolutely adorable, I fell in love immediately, so I can totally relate to Alexander. The two were perfect together and Alexander loved Gia in such a wholesome way. Lucia’s brother was such a cutie as well. While I wasnt sure about Nicola and her friendship with Lucia in the beginning, I quickly fell in love with their friendship and the way they supported each other. Right now I’m at the point where I wish I could read the book again for the first time. The setting of an italian wineyard was so sweet and the whole family seems like it is filled with endless love. The racing aspect of the book was not too prominent making it an easy read for both formula 1 fans, but also those that do not watch races. This book definitely is a comfort read, while it deals with heavy topics it’s done in a nice way. Communication is good and I loved the reactions of those around the two main characters. Overall I highly recommend this book and hope that there will be a second or maybe even a third book in the “Sparks Fly” series. Will definitely look into other books by the author that get published because I LOVED the writing style.
May 22, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
When I read that this was an F1, single mom, fake dating, brothers best friend romance....the way I ran to the ARC link so fast.
This is my first F1 romance, but my fiance is super knowledgeable about it. I loved how well educated Elliana is on the sport. There wasn't anything that missed the mark. It actually felt like watching the show.
I loved the chemistry between Lucia and Alexander. Their attraction was lovely to watch unfold as they walked around their feelings until they couldn't anymore. Adored, the relationship between Alexander and Gia. It always felt like she was supposed to be his. And what really sent me into orbit was how quick Lucia's family came to her aid when she was at her lowest. Elliana did a fantastic job portraying DV while also making it a heartwarming moment. The perseverance and attention she wrote in Lucia reflected what happens in most cases, but with the right support you can make it out.
Where I feel that the story lacked, was the repetitiveness. It was hard to move on at times as the story was progressing because a lot of the same thoughts or feelings were being repeated. Had it had less of it, this would've been a solid 4 stars.
When I read that this was an F1, single mom, fake dating, brothers best friend romance....the way I ran to the ARC link so fast.
This is my first F1 romance, but my fiance is super knowledgeable about it. I loved how well educated Elliana is on the sport. There wasn't anything that missed the mark. It actually felt like watching the show.
I loved the chemistry between Lucia and Alexander. Their attraction was lovely to watch unfold as they walked around their feelings until they couldn't anymore. Adored, the relationship between Alexander and Gia. It always felt like she was supposed to be his. And what really sent me into orbit was how quick Lucia's family came to her aid when she was at her lowest. Elliana did a fantastic job portraying DV while also making it a heartwarming moment. The perseverance and attention she wrote in Lucia reflected what happens in most cases, but with the right support you can make it out.
Where I feel that the story lacked, was the repetitiveness. It was hard to move on at times as the story was progressing because a lot of the same thoughts or feelings were being repeated. Had it had less of it, this would've been a solid 4 stars.
April 14, 2025
4/4.5! Thank you for my ARC read!
I love single mom/dad romances! I can’t relate to that aspect but I loved the representation for postpartum and moms trying to find their groove again.
Following the FMC Lucia after leaving an abusing relationship, she learns to find ways to heal herself. I really enjoyed her relationship with her brother and his love for his niece.
Tropes include- brothers best friend, F1 racing, single mom, mental health rep, fake dating.
The best part was watching her friendship blossom with her brother’s best friend.. he never hesitated to look out for them and spoiled every chance he got.
Even better..no miscommunication through out!!
I loved this book! I have never been big on formula one racing but it was so helpful seeing the glossary at the start of the book with all the terms, etc.
I also loved Lucia’s friendship with her new female friend whom she met at the FI racing. I could totally relate to that aspect when you feel so alone after giving birth. Once you find those friendships…it’s so special!!
Great read!
I love single mom/dad romances! I can’t relate to that aspect but I loved the representation for postpartum and moms trying to find their groove again.
Following the FMC Lucia after leaving an abusing relationship, she learns to find ways to heal herself. I really enjoyed her relationship with her brother and his love for his niece.
Tropes include- brothers best friend, F1 racing, single mom, mental health rep, fake dating.
The best part was watching her friendship blossom with her brother’s best friend.. he never hesitated to look out for them and spoiled every chance he got.
Even better..no miscommunication through out!!
I loved this book! I have never been big on formula one racing but it was so helpful seeing the glossary at the start of the book with all the terms, etc.
I also loved Lucia’s friendship with her new female friend whom she met at the FI racing. I could totally relate to that aspect when you feel so alone after giving birth. Once you find those friendships…it’s so special!!
Great read!
May 20, 2025
For the Thrill of It All by Elliana Rose is such a phenomenal book- equal parts heartwarming, emotional, and completely swoon-worthy. As a huge fan of single parent romances and anything set in the world of Formula One, I jumped at the chance to read this, and it absolutely delivered.
Lucia and Alexander’s story is rich with emotional depth, especially as it gently explores heavier topics like DV, identity, and rediscovery without ever feeling overwhelming. Lucia is such a strong and relatable character. And Alexander? Total book boyfriend material. He’s intense on the track and soft where it matters, especially when it comes to Gia.
Their friends-to-fake-dating-to-lovers dynamic was filled with tension, sweetness, and genuine chemistry. I loved that both Lucia and Alexander felt like fully developed individuals, flawed, and likable. The side characters were great too, Matteo and Gia added so much heart, and I am absolutely dying for more Dante.
Also… the cover? Absolutely stunning. I need a physical copy on my shelf ASAP. I can’t wait to see what Elliana Rose writes next!
Lucia and Alexander’s story is rich with emotional depth, especially as it gently explores heavier topics like DV, identity, and rediscovery without ever feeling overwhelming. Lucia is such a strong and relatable character. And Alexander? Total book boyfriend material. He’s intense on the track and soft where it matters, especially when it comes to Gia.
Their friends-to-fake-dating-to-lovers dynamic was filled with tension, sweetness, and genuine chemistry. I loved that both Lucia and Alexander felt like fully developed individuals, flawed, and likable. The side characters were great too, Matteo and Gia added so much heart, and I am absolutely dying for more Dante.
Also… the cover? Absolutely stunning. I need a physical copy on my shelf ASAP. I can’t wait to see what Elliana Rose writes next!
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