Slipstream

Slipstream #1

by Madge Maril

A steamy, high-octane debut romance set in the world of Formula 1, featuring fake dating, enemies to lovers, and authentic queer and neurodivergent representation.
 
A political documentarian, Lilah Graywood is dismayed when her business partner and boyfriend Max decides they’re going to film a documentary about Formula 1 racing team Ignition Energy Drink Racing. Her shock turns to fury when Max blindsides her, not only ending their relationship but also threatening the company she painstakingly built.
 
Enter Arthur Bianco, an enigmatic F1 reserve driver with a tumultuous career. Lilah is supposed to document Arthur’s relegation to backup driver, but together they concoct a plan to take control of Max’s documentary, each with their own motives – Lilah’s revenge and Arthur’s redemption.
 
As they navigate the circuits and secrets of Formula 1, an unexpected speedbump forces Lilah and Arthur’s partnership to evolve into a fake relationship that feels all too real. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and Lilah finds herself drawn to Arthur’s hidden vulnerability. But as the cameras roll and the world watches, Lilah must confront her own feelings and decide if it’s time to go off course...

Genres: Romance, Sports, Sports Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Adult

40 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 20, 2025

About the author

Hello! I'm Madge Maril, author of SLIPSTREAM & THE PADDOCK CLUB (7/14/2026). When I'm not writing romance books, I'm probably on Instagram. (Or you can follow my *very* sporadic newsletter.) Happy reading!

Reviews

[naz · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoy Formula 1 books a lot 🏎️ and I was so interested in this one because it had fake dating AND the FMC was a documentarian 🎥, I thought it was a good combo. And don’t get me wrong, for some readers it will be… but sadly, this book wasn’t for me 😕

If I could summarize this book, it would come down to this: two people develop a friendship and, because of a dress malfunction, they decide to give into the attraction… lmao 😂

I couldn’t really get into the characters. He was very flirty, but also allusive. She was very stubborn and overthinker. The plot was supposed to be about fake dating, but the fake dating was very surface level because technically, they couldn’t even be seen together because she works for the Formula 1 team, so it had to be super hush-hush 🤐… then… why fake date? screams. Even the friendship felt a bit flat at times, and sadly I needed more tension, which I didn’t really get here 🫠

Once again, I think some people will love this book! I still finished it and enjoyed some scenes like the smut definitely saved the book for me 🔥 as well as the actual races 🏁 I don’t just love sports romance for the romance, I love when they weave in the sport itself the right way 🙌 and here it was done just right!!!

tropes
🏁 sports romance
🏁 fake dating (debatable for me lol)
🏁 only one bed
🏁 golden retriever x black cat


Thank you Simon & Schuster for my eARC!

⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
➳ 𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱｡ꪆৎ ˚⋅ ya girl found her next audiobook! let's see how this one goes!

[Madge Maril]

Hello out there! First of all, if you’re on this page at all: THANK YOU!! 💖 Thank you for reading Slipstream, or considering it, or reviewing it. Lilah and Arthur have taken over my life, my heart, and my head, and I’m so excited to now offer these two ridiculous, competitive, heartfelt characters to the world.

Before I leave this tiny corner of the internet to all of you, I wanted to use this reader-facing space to note content warnings for Slipstream. While I can personally guarantee that Lilah and Arthur get their happily ever after, please note that these topics are either shown or mentioned on page: Ableism, abuse, anxiety, classism, discussion of pregnancy/childbirth, homophobia, and non-graphic violence.

Slipstream is ~spicy~ as well. And since I’m an Ao3 writer at heart, here are a few other Ao3-style tags to keep in mind, if you so please: enemies to lovers, fake dating (spitefully), mutual pining, men who YEARN, competency kink, (among others), improper use of Formula 1 documentaries, improper use of Formula 1 everything really, blond man warning

So there you have it. From my heart to yours: Buckle up, crack open a can of Ignition Energy Drink, and enjoy the ride. 😉

x MM

[✨⚡ Kelcey (felinebooktrovert) ✨ · Rating 4 out of 5]

"I lied when I said I didn't think about you enough to hate you. Even then--I already knew. It was like sinking, meeting you, but it was like breaking out of a cage, too."

4.25 stars

F1 romances are starting to be a weakness for me, and I'm not mad about it.

This was another entertaining read that had some surprising weight to it. Everyone seems to be trying to expand off of what Lauren Asher did with Throttled; the documentary/social media take on an F1 romance seems to be a storyline that hits every time. And throwing in a neurodivergent character added some more substance that I wasn't expecting but thoroughly enjoyed.

Lilah was a great and unique FMC for this type of story. Very introverted, a little awkward, but very good at her job and also very good at not taking the MMC's crap. I think she did a pretty good job of navigating everything that was going on and then dealing with the inevitable conflict toward the end.

And Arthur was 🤌 He was your standard cocky driver but had some hidden depths that were addicting to keep unraveling. He paired really well with Lilah, especially with understanding her personality and doing his best not to spook her.

I'll say the relationship and little side of jealousy that developed was FAST. Almost out of nowhere and so I was confused for a bit. And there wasn't really a third act break up, though it was pretty close. But I had some issues with that as it seemed the emotional responses were again, kind of out of nowhere when what happened was essentially the outcome they were looking for and there were some communication issues, stuff that should have been discussed but never really was, so that may have been a writing miss.

But definitely recommend for F1 girlies 🧡

Thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

[tanvi · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was written for the souls who were told they were too quiet, too peculiar, and too needy or obsessive. It was also, of course, written for those who happen to love sports romance.

Lilah and Arthur are two people deeply marked by their past trauma. Toss them into a whirlwind summer of formula 1 racing and documentary filming, and what blooms is a slow, tender love story with just the right amount of adrenaline. Lilah and Arthur learn, slowly and gently, how to let someone in again and trust that their heart is in good hands.

I adored watching Lilah grow throughout this story. Her journey felt so deeply personal and powerful. She’s one of those soft, reserved main characters who slowly finds the strength to live life on her own terms, no longer bending herself to fit the expectations of the men around her or shrinking to make space for their wants.

I loved the depth of Arthur’s character. He appears so resilient, so sure of himself at first glance. The more his character is explored, the more you’re reminded that even the most composed souls can be carrying unseen heartaches.

🏁 Tropes in this book include
🚥 slow burn
🚥 fake dating
🚥 mental health rep
🚥 adoption rep
🚥 “my wife” (leaving this here with NO explanation)
🚥 as tate mcrae says “you could do it on your own while you’re looking at me” ‼️

Thank you Netgalley and Simon & Schuster for an arc in exchange for an honest review 🏎️💨

[Zoë · Rating 2 out of 5]

I think when it comes down to it a lot of this plot felt disjointed and didn’t fully connect for me ? Like the whole “if we do this it’ll get us what we both want” but never seemed to actually have anything to do with what she wanted ? And I fear if I took the time to breakdown this book beat for beat I’d probably end up feeling insane but half the time I was like in what chaotic world are we living in that any of this makes sense




But the F1 of it all was pretty good

[Miranda · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon books for this eARC!

This book wasn’t BAD…it just wasn’t good.

Let’s start with the good stuff:

Some of the tropes in this one include: fake dating, celebrity x normal person, only one bed, he falls first, “it’s always been you”, found family

The author’s voice was not bad and the writing was also okay. There were some good discussions of mental health expectations for men

the MMC….he can GET IT. He is largely why I didn’t DNF this book. He is hot and sexy and he falls first and hard and he’s very chatty in bed and I adored him. This man is a horndog for love and is a gold medalist in the “wife guy” Olympics

Now….. The FMC was INCREDIBLY annoying and unlikable. She was sooooo preoccupied with how quirky and different she was, and I was ready to strangle her. Wearing cargo shorts at the beach and being afraid of airplanes is not original. You like van Morrison and the doors? So does everyone else! Also, she was a big participant in one of my biggest pet peeves; she acted like having ADHD made her sooo different and unusual and I hate to break it to you bestie, it doesn’t! If you’re acting weird because you have ADHD that is a problem of your own making. I also have ADHD and I do not act like this.

The scheming in this book also made little sense. The scheming from the evil rich uncle businessmen was hard to follow, and the scheming that lilah and Arthur were doing to get back at him also was hard to follow. I ended up just skimming over what I would’ve otherwise enjoyed

Also the ending where he’s basically like “I’m giving up my career goal for my mental health” unrealistic. A man would never do that

[mackenzie (hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

it's not the book, it's me.

maybe i just wasn't in the mood for an f1 romance like this, maybe i need a break from contemporary romances, maybe i'm just feeling a little slumpy, i don't know. like, this isn't a bad book at all and i would absolutely recommend it to anyone who wants a fun sports romance, it's a little bit of a slow burn and the characters are likeable and there's honestly not much to complain about. a little basic and cliche at times, but that doesn't bother me. it just found me at the wrong time.

thank you to netgalley & simon and schuster for an arc! all opinions are my own <3

[Maddie · Rating 2 out of 5]

methinks a fabulous F1 romance does not exist 😔

the premise was promising, but the FMC...was "not like other girls." to the max - she thinks that f1 are just "cars that go fast" and diminishes the hell out of the sport - she also gets the insane opportunity to be a documentary person for the sport, to include all of the travel and insider access and perks etc. and just complains ab it.

she also has ADHD and it's a pretty prominent personality trait - as a girlie w ADHD it felt annoying.

unfortunately, this was not for me /:

**thank you to Simon & Schuster for the gifted copy

[Ashley Kalhagen · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was sent to me and the cover was so cool, plus I’d never read a racing romance before so I was happy to give it a try. Unfortunately you can’t judge a book by its cover and I learned that the hard way this time. I had to stop reading at 80% because it was getting worse and worse for me as I went.
The writing itself is fine, and the concept of the book was promising, however the actual execution of the plot didn’t work. The scheme of their fake dating made absolutely no sense. I couldn’t figure out why they needed to do it, how it was going to fix anything, and worst of all, why they weren’t actually pretending to date after they cooked up this scheme! The whole point of a fake dating trope in a book is so that the characters are forced to spend time together, touch, and “fake it” til they make it and actually really fall in love. In this one they decide to fake date, but then decide they have to hide the dating from everyone? It makes no sense.
The chemistry between these two is non-existent. Never has there been a couple I have cared less about. They rarely interact, and when they do they’re not even really friendly. There’s no banter, connection (physical or emotional), or anything to drive them together. Then after 70% of the book where nothing has happened between them, bam, they’re in love and literally talking about getting married and having babies together. This is when I quit.
The main character is incredibly annoying. Reading the book is like being trapped in her over analyzing mind, just listening to her rambling stream of consciousness. She has ADHD, which can often make the character or plot more interesting, but in this case it’s just the thing the main character cannot get over. She brings it up every 2 sentences. She apparently believes it’s so crippling and makes her so different that she’s impossible to love or understand. She also was adopted. This comes up almost as much as the ADHD. Instead of using these two things to make the book more complex, the author made me never want to read the term “birth mom” or “neurodivergent” again.
I hope some people can relate to the story and find it enjoyable, but for me I couldn’t be done with it fast enough.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

[Jenna ♡ (jennascornerrr) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slipstream is my first official F1 romance, but it is definitely not going to be my last. Let's just say I'm officially hooked and frantically trying to figure out the race schedule. This debut from Madge Maril is a firecracker packed with tension you couldn't cut with a steak knife.

A documentarian and the F1 racer she's supposed to be filming...what could possibly go wrong? Jokes on you, nothing goes wrong because this book is brilliant. Enter Lilah, a brilliant film student who got her footing in the film space after a political documentary. She struggles with ADHD and trying to be a sure footed individual. Now, enter Arthur King. By God, a cocky backup F1 driver trying to climb back to a start & pole position. The two of them form quite the bond and by the end I was so happy with this book!

This book is everything you want in romance. It's tender, achingly sweet, and shows what it means to love someone silently. Slipstream reads like an episode of your favorite television show. I just couldn't put the thing down when the clock was striking midnight. The characters were whole, the pacing was so well timed, and divine help me...the one liners in this book. Damn near broke my finger highlighting.

Arthur- you are the star of this show and don't let anyone tell you different....main character & my fave FOR SURE. Lilah was something else, she very much leaned into the quirky side- but at points it was overdone. In the end it became repetitive, but once you accepted it was who she is, I really had no problem with it! I could not with the line when they get freaky and they called each other husband/ wife & wanting to get her preg . Like this is the first time you freaking r u being fr? I get the pining but that line was a little off-putting!

If you like F1, tension, a fact paced plot, and two complicated main characters: this book is definitely for you.

4 stars for Slipstream, Madge Maril's debut novel.

Thank you Simon & Schuster and Netgalley for an arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[hailee · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was so good GOD I LOVE THIS BOOK AND I LOVE F1

[emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

rating — 1 out of 5 stars.

i have, once again, been fooled by a cute cover. this is the second f1 romance i’ve given a chance, and i’m 0 for 2, so perhaps that’s a sign i should be giving up. arthur was the best part of this book, and honestly, even he was way too out there at times!! when he talked about wanting to impregnate her the FIRST time they ever had sex i was so out. i don’t care if you’re convinced you’re going to marry her, that’s freak behavior 😭 couple that with lilah’s complete lack of self worth, a cartoonish villain randomly shoved in, and very little character or relationship development, and you have a very unsatisfying read.

that being said, my biggest issue lies in the handling of lilah’s bisexuality. it was barely discussed, which isn’t a huge deal (it’s fine to not want to define yourself by your sexuality), but it was so under-discussed that i genuinely wasn’t sure for a while if she was actually bisexual or if i was making things up. it was eventually confirmed, but i counted a total of 3 times that it was mentioned — and one of those times was so offhand that i thought i was reading into it too much. the worst mention, however, was easily when it was used during a sex scene as, like, her “coming out” to arthur in a way that i think was supposed to be her opening herself up to him entirely or whatever but came off as something to turn him on. i put coming out in quotes because it was genuinely just her saying she’s been with a woman in “sexy” phrasing (it was not sexy). if it’s supposed to be a vulnerable moment where she wants him to see all of her before they sleep together, why is it expressed the way it is?? i can’t explain how uncomfortable this made me — this part of her identity that’s barely discussed has its biggest moment on page as a vehicle to make lilah more desirable. or something. i don’t know, i just found it in really poor taste, especially as a lesbian. at that point just don’t make her bisexual!! i would seriously rather her be straight than have whatever this is, and that’s saying a lot as someone who will make anything and everything gay if possible. ugh.

i already wasn’t enjoying myself by that point, but that was the nail in the coffin. it was like 6 nails in the coffin just on its own. sad. the best thing i can say about this is that it was a quick read.

thank you to netgalley & the publisher for an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Natalie | nats.bookrecs · Rating 5 out of 5]

The way I stayed until 2am reading this book because it consumed my mind and I was unable to put it down. This stunning debut novel completely knocked it out of the park. The characters were so uniquely written I feel as if I was written into this book with how much I related to Lilah and a lot of the things she felt. She was such a beautiful character that I feel needs to be written about more. This author made these complex characters feel as if I’m their best friend getting to experience these things along with them.

I love Arthur and the big push on men’s mental health and how both Arthur and Lilah are there for each other in moments when they need someone. I love how beautiful he’s written from Lilah point of view. I would have lived to get his POVs but I know the story was meant to only be told from one and how much I ADORED that. My heart hurt at various times for both characters and their past but all their small little moments where I could see them fall for each other. The small glances, touches and phrases that had me squealing and giggling my feet late into the night.

This was written so so well. The plot was clear and easy to follow along. So fast paced I felt that I couldn’t put it down for fear I would miss out on its beauty. The addition of the side characters really made it a well rounded book and I love that they were their own found family at the end of the day.

[amarachireads · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a cute F1 romance I liked the documentary aspect that brought the fmc to it. The fmc Lilah is getting into F1 because of her boyfriend and after finding out that he cheated on her she realizes that the company they founded together is not hers and her boyfriend breaks up with her and fires her from the documentary. In comes the mmc Arthur who is an F1 star who needs some help with his career. They partner up to get the documentary from Lilah's ex to get revenge and boost their careers.

I enjoyed all the f1 stuff and learning about it through the lens of photography. The romance is a slow burn and it does get a bit steamy. I also liked the personal journey of the MCs and the mental health rep, career horrors, and all the side plots. Overall it was a cute read. Thanks to the publisher for this arc.

[kaz ruby &#x1065a; ‧₊˚ ⋅ · Rating 4 out of 5]

The beginning was so slow i considered DNF’ing - but once it starts picking up it’s SO GOOD.

This was so cute, Arthur and Lilah are my newest fixation.

[Chelsea · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading Slipstream by Madge Maril pre-release as a reviewer for my podcast, The Paddock Girls, an all-women Formula 1 and motorsport podcast. Huge thanks to Madge, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the opportunity!

This book absolutely blew me away. As an F1 fan, I loved how believable and immersive the world felt. The fictional team in the book definitely gave me Red Bull and McLaren vibes, which made the story even more engaging.

The relationship between Lilah, the documentarian, and Arthur Bianco, the racing driver, was a highlight. Their love story wasn’t just about romance—it was also about their personal growth. Watching them evolve both as individuals and as a couple was so satisfying. And Delaney? Easily my favorite side character!

I really appreciated how Madge portrayed ADHD. It felt genuine and well-researched—far more realistic than the exaggerated depictions you often see. There was maybe one moment where it felt slightly off, but it didn’t take away from the experience.
I couldn’t put this book down.

There were a few small mistakes (pages 66, 125, 175), but that’s expected with a pre-read. The text boxes were a fun touch, but I wish their use was more consistent—sometimes they’d shift from text to explanation, which threw me off a bit. But those are minor things.

Overall, this book is a gem. The spice was definitely there (4/5 for that alone!), but the storytelling, character growth, and world-building were what really stood out. Can’t wait to see the final version hit the shelves!

[Becky · Rating 2 out of 5]

Lilah is a documentary filmmaker assigned to cover an F1 backup driver, Arthur, who is grouchy and completely disinterested in being part of the documentary. When she arrives at the team’s training facility, a bunch of wild things happen: her boyfriend and business partner breaks up with her, confesses to cheating on her and also informs her that the business they founded together was filed solely under his name so b-t-dubs, she’s also fired. Huh? So she and Arthur form an unlikely alliance: he is trying to get out of his contract with the team and he thinks he can do so by causing a scandal; and she wants to get back at her ex by creating an awesome documentary about Arthur anyway. So they agree to fake date, natch. Then shit becomes wildly confusing and they hate each other but then the fake dating foils itself and then they love each other but he has secret anxiety and is really just trying to get back at his uncle who sabotaged him and racing cars at 200 mph is just as overwhelming as the confusing plot of this book. The end.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️

I have never read a more confusing romance book. Honestly the F1 racing was the most interesting part of the book.

Their fake dating plot had some many weird turns in it. I literally tried to explain the plot of this book to my husband out loud and couldn’t make it make sense. It was sort of like they were double agenting themselves and the scheme behind the fake dating changed like 18 times?

She had a pretty damaged childhood, the backstory of which was also wildly confusing. It almost made it seem like she grew up with her birth mom until she was 16 then got placed in the system? And she had all these abandonment issues that were never fully explored. And yo, like two chapters in she’s talking about how she can’t ever be alone and how she willing did whatever her ex-boyfriend told her to do because she just thought he was the leader in the relationship. My girl needed therapy deeply and that was never quite acknowledged. She was whiny and insecure until the last 20% of the book, she becomes this force but the character development doesn’t really… happen on page? I dunno where this came from.

Furthermore, he loved her from like minute one but their relationship doesn’t really seem to develop on page all that much. There were not a lot of relationship building moments between them that allowed me to go along for the ride.

I did love the references to the Northern Kentucky area and Bicycle Playing Cards (where multiple members of my family work!).

Overall, the plot was lumpy. The chemistry was meh. It's gonna be a no from me, dawg.

🫡 Tropes deployed: F1 romance, fake dating, complex family dynamics, foster kid rep, he’s British, ADHD rep, anxiety/panic attack rep

[Linna • linnareads · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the cover, but not the book. As someone who became a formula 1 fan in the last year I love reading romances with it. I enjoyed that aspect of the book. It was the romance that was lacking for me. I don’t think it was because of it being single POV because I’m not sure how much the mmc’s POV would have added. I just didn’t connect to either of the characters and struggled to see the chemistry between them.

🏎️ formula 1
🤭 strangers to lovers
👥 close proximity
🔥 slow burn

single POV
3/5 stars ⭐️
1/5 spice level 🌶️

[Cozy Puppy Reads · Rating 3 out of 5]

I found Slipstream by Madge Maril at the library, fresh off of watching the F1 movie, and was intrigued by the blurb, expecting a typical romantic comedy. What I found was a book that was much more different, focusing more on the characters’ mental health journeys than a traditional romance plot.

What the author handled best was the complex and nuanced representation of mental health topics, including ADHD, pressure, and anxiety. With themes of personal growth and resilience, the female lead, Lilah, learns to stand up for herself, makes choices for herself, and discovers who she is without being codependent on her ex-boyfriend.

A big pull for this book was the overarching theme of revenge, and the story shines in its exploration of love and personal healing. If you were wondering, you don't need any knowledge of Formula 1 to read this book. The sport is explained to the female lead, who doesn't know anything about F1, and makes it easily readable to everyone, without knowing all the rules.

I had mixed feelings about the overall plot and pacing. It read like a non-traditional sports rom-com, focusing more on mental health, but then it would sometimes switch and feel like reading “Legally Blonde” without any comedy. The story felt a bit confusing and convoluted at times, especially with the jarring switches between the main character’s difficult past, present, and worries about the future. While many sports romances are romantic comedies, this one is not. There is an extremely slow burn for more than half of the novel, and it leads into a rushed ending that felt like it tried to tie everything together in a neat bow, which was a little jarring after the book spent so long feeling so different from typical romances.

This book is a good read for fans of:
- Sports romance (with an F1 theme) 🏎
- Mental health representation
- ADHD representation
- Neurodivergent representation
- Anxiety representation
- Love and discovery
- Enemies-to-lovers
- Slow burn
- Fake dating (sort of)

[Nadja · Rating 2 out of 5]

2⭐️
1🌶️

Yeahhhh, this was not good lol. Arthur was definitely the best part of this book (hot, chatty in bed, full-on wife guy energy), but even he had some very weird moments. Like when he talked about wanting to get her pregnant the first time they hooked up??? Sir. That’s terrifying. I don’t care how obsessed you are — chill.

Lilah… girl. She was SO annoying. I’m sorry, but the whole “I’m sooo quirky and unlovable because of my ADHD and adoption trauma” bit got real old real fast. Like yes, those are valid struggles, but they were just repeated constantly and never developed. And the way she “came out” during a sex scene?? It was weird and icky and felt like it was meant to be hot rather than meaningful. Hated that.

She was also just… kinda stupid. Like, painfully clueless. You’re making a documentary about F1 and still don’t know basic things about the sport? Calling the French Riviera a river?? Be serious. And then somehow she lands a job in the sport by the end just because she “likes watching film”? I had to laugh.

The plot made zero sense. The fake dating thing?? They decide to fake date and then don’t actually fake date?? Explain. The villain was cartoonishly evil, the scheming was confusing, and Lilah’s total lack of awareness made it all worse. I wanted her to sit down and google literally anything.

Also, the chemistry between these two was nonexistent. We go from awkward convos to “let’s get married and have kids” with no real development in between. I felt nothing for them.

Final straw was the typos and formatting errors — I get this was an ARC, but it felt like no one proofread it at all. The chat/text bubble thing was a mess.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me at all. Arthur deserved a better book.

[Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Truly I cannot believe that this is a debut novel. I loved every second of this story and really fell in love with all of the characters. There were multiple times i laughed out loud as well as shed some tears. The depth of this book gave me the feelings of one of my absolute favorites, book lovers. Being my first f1 romance i have found a whole new romance genre i love so much! Arthur is absolutely swoon worthy and lilah is such a complex fmc. Highly recommend picking this book up on may 20th! Thank you so much to netgalley and simon and schuster for the e-arc and the opportunity to read this book early.

[Emma · Rating 1 out of 5]

I did finish the book but the entire time I just kept whispering I hate this book. It made no sense, the conflict didn’t make sense. They never fake dated. They danced once then put their fake dating on hold. They barely interacted or had any banter and then all of sudden he wanted to marry her and make her the mother of his children? Don’t even start with the clear lack of F1 knowledge/research done. The main character felt too “pick me” but don’t pick me girl. The spice isn’t even worth it and tbh weird that’s when she talks the most about being bisexual. Overall don’t recommend it.

[Em (semi-hiatus) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was a pleasant surprise. The characters were flawed but layered, and their arcs were handled really well. I’m not usually into fake dating, but the chemistry worked. The hero annoyed me more than once, but there was something raw and honest in the writing that pulled me in. Not perfect, but definitely a strong debut.

[Molly · Rating 2 out of 5]

womp womp

[Jessica Gregory · Rating 3 out of 5]

I fear this had soooo much potential with the plot, but the romance? Non existent. Girly, where was the fake dating??? Why you lyin!!

[suonnahbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slipstream by Madge Maril
-I love Lilah but her manz can catch these hands he had me fuming but he goes bye bye beautifully
-I love her passion for film making / documentaries
-love this forced proximity plan I’d love to follow an f1 driver and know the ins and outs
-Arthur seems like a serious man but he’s a caring teddy bear the way he pays attention to Lilah is so caring
-I love that I’m learning more about f1 at the same time as Lilah
-all their interactions has me giddy and nervous like I have a crush
-they are from two different worlds documentarian and f1 driver but forced proximity makes their worlds collide and im not mad made about it
-loveee a fake dating gobble gobble
-the spice was VROOM VROOM good 👀🤪
-their beautiful moments truly had me so happy and feeling in love they are everything , I hate a third act break up but apart from that I ate it up
rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Lauren Johnson · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can’t believe I finished this honestly. The entire plot and main conflict made absolutely no sense & the characters had no chemistry. FMC was insufferable. If I had a nickel for the amount of times she mentioned her ADHD and how debilitating it is and how she’s not like other girls and how she’s so weird and quirky while also having 0 backbone or sense of self worth.. I’d have a lot of nickels. Giving an extra star bc it was a debut author so trying to have some grace but I’m so glad it’s over

[Kimberly Del Cid · Rating 5 out of 5]

Madge Maril’s DEBUT novel is a slowburn F1 romance that I absolutely could not put down. She put me THROUGH IT! My heart broke, I teared up, but I also laughed and kicked my feet. Lilah is such a beautifully complex character that I deeply connected with. Arthur, on the other hand, is a man I need biblically. 😩😍I’d risk it all for him!
 
Lilah is a serious documentarian, unfamiliar with the world of F1, who has recently relocated to Texas with her boyfriend and has no interest in filming races. Soon after, she’s dumped by her boyfriend and fired from what she thought was her own company. Enter Arthur Blanco, a charismatic playboy and F1 reserve driver for Ignition, who also has no interest in filming the documentary. Together, they devise a plan to take control of the project, seeking revenge for Lilah and redemption for Arthur. But their scheme complicates things not only for the documentary but for their feelings as well.
 
Lilah, my sweet, beautiful girl, I love you so much. She is one of the most relatable FMCs I’ve ever read. She struggles with ADHD (just like I do), and it was so healing to see how she experienced the world. Her emotions made me feel so seen. Lilah is incredibly intelligent and talented but also raw and complicated. I can’t thank Madge enough for the mental health representation in this book. My heart ached for Lilah and all I wanted to do was wrap her up in a big hug.
 
Arthur is equally incredible and complex. He’s so much more than his reputation, he hides behind the mask he presents to the world, and peeling back his layers was such a joy. If you loved Ryan Shay’s quiet love in The Right Move, you will fall head over heels for Arthur. He emulates nothing but pure, wholesome, quiet love. His love confession? Made me cry in my car. I wanted to rip my heart out of my chest!!! This man is too damn hot and amazing, I am SICK (complimentary).
 
After being in a horrendous reading slump, this book breathed new life into me. I was enchanted by the MCs and watching them fall in love, flaws,and all, was perfect. I feel like I could go on and on about how much I love this book. I cannot WAIT to get my physical book to add to my trophy bookcase. Get ready to be tired of me talking about this book, you need to read it!🙌🏻

🏎️F1 Romance
🎥Documentarian x Documentarian Subject
🧡Fake Dating
🕊️ Forced Proximity
❤️‍🔥Slow Burn
✨Mental Health Rep

[Sarah Crowley · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️’s. I was hooked on this book from the very beginning. I love the cover and have been wanting to read a good F1 romance.

I loved the quick banter between Lilah and Arthur. I liked them together from the get go! I could’ve used more romance between them before they actually got together though.

I liked the discussions on mental health and also the dynamics between men and women in the workplace. I appreciated that Arthur had a woman dominated core team!

I also enjoyed seeing Lilah stop acting how she thought she should act, and actually start acting for and as herself towards the end.

Some stars knocked off because the scheming was difficult to follow and seemed overly complicated. Lilah’s family life was also confusing until a decent part of the way through the book, I think it could’ve been explained a little more clearly. The end also lost a bit of steam for me.

Overall this was a fun read and I loved being in the F1 world!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Annaliese · Rating 1 out of 5]

As some of you may know, I am a new Formula 1 fan and I am ALSO attending a sports romance convention early next year, so it felt imperative to read this.

Unfortunately, this book sucks.

The plot is so disjointed and the pacing is so so so slow until the last like 100 pages where it goes so fast you have no idea what’s happening.

The author’s treatment of Lilah’s bisexuality was…extremely horrifying.

I really need romance authors (especially millennial ones) to stop with this ADHD shit. It is never written out well, lacks complexity, and just becomes so, so annoying. “My ADHD goblins” oh my god STOP BEING SO CHEUGY

Sorry for turning rageful at the end xo <3