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Retrograde: A must-read, sizzling-hot and adrenaline-fuelled Formula 1 romance
Brought to you by Penguin.
Revolution Racing are enjoying their best season yet. But for Lucie Carolan she can’t help but feel there’s still something missing.
Brett Anderson is Revolution Racing’s all star driver. The only thing that matters more to Brett than winning championships? His best friend, and Revolution Racing’s Social Media Manager, Lucie Carolan.
Together, Lucie and Brett have spent 10 years travelling the world with their team, partying like VIPs and, for the sake of their friendship, denying the chemistry that has sizzles between them. So when Brett is forced to take a step back from racing, Lucie knows there’s nowhere else in the world she should be than by his side.
As Brett’s recovery takes them from race tracks to Lucie’s family home in Tuscany, will slowing the pace of their lives finally allow them to give in to their feelings or each other, or will taking a foot off the gas of their glamorous lives cause them to crash and burn?
Perfect for fans of Lauren Asher, Hannah Grace, Elsie Silver and Becka Mack
Emilee Carter 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024
Revolution Racing are enjoying their best season yet. But for Lucie Carolan she can’t help but feel there’s still something missing.
Brett Anderson is Revolution Racing’s all star driver. The only thing that matters more to Brett than winning championships? His best friend, and Revolution Racing’s Social Media Manager, Lucie Carolan.
Together, Lucie and Brett have spent 10 years travelling the world with their team, partying like VIPs and, for the sake of their friendship, denying the chemistry that has sizzles between them. So when Brett is forced to take a step back from racing, Lucie knows there’s nowhere else in the world she should be than by his side.
As Brett’s recovery takes them from race tracks to Lucie’s family home in Tuscany, will slowing the pace of their lives finally allow them to give in to their feelings or each other, or will taking a foot off the gas of their glamorous lives cause them to crash and burn?
Perfect for fans of Lauren Asher, Hannah Grace, Elsie Silver and Becka Mack
Emilee Carter 2024 (P) Penguin Audio 2024
Audible Audio
First published November 7, 2024
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews
November 4, 2024
2.5 ⭐️
thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book
DNF at 70%
i tried with this. i really really did. i stuck with it until i couldn’t take it anymore.
first of all, it’s in third person, which is okay for some people but i find it so difficult to read a dual POV book from a third person perspective. it was really hard to adjust.
then there’s the massive onslaught of characters. i counted and thirteen (13!!!!) different characters were either introduced or mentioned in the first chapter alone. it was a massive dump of names and it took ages to figure out who everyone was.
also, this is advertised as an f1 romance, but it’s actually WEC (it’s called something different in the book) which i know is still motorsport but for the girlies who want to read it for the f1 factor, it’s not there. that being said, there’s also not a lot of track action. for a book that’s based around motorsport, all you got was a mention of who won the race, there was nothing else. feels like a bit of a shame to write a whole book around a sport and not have at least a few dedicated scenes or chapters towards said sport.
it also felt very repetitive. brett decides he should go home for a bit and then he’s back a week later and then he’s gone again and then he’s back. it felt a bit messy and a little like the author had run out of ideas and was trying to bulk it out a bit.
their ‘love story’ was so unoriginal and i just didn’t care about it enough. everything both moved at a snail’s pace and felt too rushed at the same time.
it’s a real shame because i was looking forward to finding an f1 romance that i actually like. i love f1 but all the books i read about it just don’t grip me.
thank you to NetGalley for sending me an ARC of this book
DNF at 70%
i tried with this. i really really did. i stuck with it until i couldn’t take it anymore.
first of all, it’s in third person, which is okay for some people but i find it so difficult to read a dual POV book from a third person perspective. it was really hard to adjust.
then there’s the massive onslaught of characters. i counted and thirteen (13!!!!) different characters were either introduced or mentioned in the first chapter alone. it was a massive dump of names and it took ages to figure out who everyone was.
also, this is advertised as an f1 romance, but it’s actually WEC (it’s called something different in the book) which i know is still motorsport but for the girlies who want to read it for the f1 factor, it’s not there. that being said, there’s also not a lot of track action. for a book that’s based around motorsport, all you got was a mention of who won the race, there was nothing else. feels like a bit of a shame to write a whole book around a sport and not have at least a few dedicated scenes or chapters towards said sport.
it also felt very repetitive. brett decides he should go home for a bit and then he’s back a week later and then he’s gone again and then he’s back. it felt a bit messy and a little like the author had run out of ideas and was trying to bulk it out a bit.
their ‘love story’ was so unoriginal and i just didn’t care about it enough. everything both moved at a snail’s pace and felt too rushed at the same time.
it’s a real shame because i was looking forward to finding an f1 romance that i actually like. i love f1 but all the books i read about it just don’t grip me.
August 22, 2025
“ I love you too, you wombat!”
April 29, 2025
One thing that really bugged me with this book is who has the blurb tell you what is going to happen only after 200 pages of the book? I was really disappointed that I was constantly waiting for what I knew from the blurb and to find out it was over half way through and by that point I'd lost all interest
December 29, 2024
I’m not normally a fan of friends to lovers but I love Brett, Lucie and their story together :)
June 8, 2025
Thank fck this is over
Its written on a third person POV which docked one star immediately
But this book was ick all the way i just dont have it in me not to finish a book!!!!
The MMC was an emotionally stunted toddler
The FMC was a freaking doormat to him acting all mother hen like girrrrrlllll, that man has a momma and doesnt need one!
0.5 ⭐️ just because they have a husky in this book
The only reason I bought it was the sprayed edges from The Works. Ughh never again
Its written on a third person POV which docked one star immediately
But this book was ick all the way i just dont have it in me not to finish a book!!!!
The MMC was an emotionally stunted toddler
The FMC was a freaking doormat to him acting all mother hen like girrrrrlllll, that man has a momma and doesnt need one!
0.5 ⭐️ just because they have a husky in this book
The only reason I bought it was the sprayed edges from The Works. Ughh never again
Read
June 6, 2025DNF:(
September 29, 2026
A cute easy read. Not sure I’m in my regular romance book era atm tho. But thanks mum for the set of sprayed edge romance books I’ll get thru the other 3 in the set 😂😂
January 1, 2025
Really had to force myself to read this one. Best Friends to Lovers Trope is one of my favourite but this felt forced and honestly was just really poorly written and rushed.
April 6, 2025
I loved the first book, but this one just wasn’t it.
September 21, 2026
i really enjoyed the journey that we saw brett go on throughout this book. i always enjoy seeing men struggle with mental health issues and how they resolve them and take back their power.
unfortunately this book did fall flat for me though. brett and lucie are best friends of 10 years, who have always had chemistry, but have never let themselves go further. their reluctance to develop their relationship was such a big topic throughout the book, yet all of a sudden i felt like that was forgotten and they were happy together? some things just didn’t mesh for me for them as a couple.
the amount of pop culture references throughout this book was also slightly painful💀 one is fine, but 10 is too many for me!
i immersive read this book and the audiobook definitely had some very interesting accents which did make me cringe - but that is a me problem not a book problem!
unfortunately this book did fall flat for me though. brett and lucie are best friends of 10 years, who have always had chemistry, but have never let themselves go further. their reluctance to develop their relationship was such a big topic throughout the book, yet all of a sudden i felt like that was forgotten and they were happy together? some things just didn’t mesh for me for them as a couple.
the amount of pop culture references throughout this book was also slightly painful💀 one is fine, but 10 is too many for me!
i immersive read this book and the audiobook definitely had some very interesting accents which did make me cringe - but that is a me problem not a book problem!
January 11, 2025
cheesy but a lot of fun!! i don’t think i enjoyed this quite as much as bloodstream (which is wild bc i was so excited for a brett and lucie story and a dannyric inspired love interest!!!) but i still liked it a lot. i wish we’d gotten to see more racing honestly (something the me of two years ago never would’ve said) but the italy shenanigans and the constant jetsetting made up for it!
marco and esme next????????
marco and esme next????????
July 5, 2025
2.5 ⭐️
Not really sure what to make of this. Easy to read. Very clunky writing. Nothing happened, then everything happened all at once. Characters took a maximum of 2 seconds to process events before reacting and were a bit annoying.
Not really sure what to make of this. Easy to read. Very clunky writing. Nothing happened, then everything happened all at once. Characters took a maximum of 2 seconds to process events before reacting and were a bit annoying.
March 16, 2026
Very mid. Wasn’t a fan of his issue being alcohol- also don’t think it necessarily was depicted very well. Third act break up was realistic didn’t mean I liked it tho. Ending was alright but meh. Did not feel very set in f1 world.
January 9, 2025
I’ve realised Friends to lovers is not my jam. Either get together - or don’t. Don’t spend 300+ pages going back & forth about it.
Loved the racing element & the settings abroad
Loved the racing element & the settings abroad
January 10, 2025
Always up for a race car driver and these characters were so lovely, definitely set up for another book. predictable ending that all seemed to happen very quickly but still a nice gentle, quick read.
Nearly shed a tear at the wedding, would love Brett to plan mine it sounds gorge.
Nearly shed a tear at the wedding, would love Brett to plan mine it sounds gorge.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 4, 2025
2.5⭐️
This book had potential but the execution left much to be desired for
This book had potential but the execution left much to be desired for
July 17, 2026
2.5
•
voor de lol gekocht met tess maar best vermakelijk 🏎️
•
voor de lol gekocht met tess maar best vermakelijk 🏎️
September 22, 2026
3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
I enjoyed it, it was okay for a turn your brain off read. I wouldn’t rush to read any more of the series though.
I enjoyed it, it was okay for a turn your brain off read. I wouldn’t rush to read any more of the series though.
August 21, 2026
wasn’t really intrested at it at all and was quite dragging on, but i ended up finally finishing it after i moved houses!!
March 11, 2025
I would say, personally, this one was a fairly well-written, easy, and quick read—nothing complex, but engaging enough to keep me listening. Since the audiobook seems to be the only format available in North America (for now, at least), I went with that and it was able to hold my attention well enough.
I would say my biggest issue with the book was Brett (which I HATE saying about an MMC). I get that he was dealing with addiction and trauma and demons and whatnot, but it really felt like he was using her pretty much the entire time (I know this was covered and explained, but I still agree it felt like she was). Every time there was a minor issue, he ran straight back to his ex, which made the relationship feel more toxic and co-dependent than genuinely romantic. Maybe this is a me issue in that I don't think I've read a lot of friends-to-lovers, so maybe this is just a normal trope that I don't dig, but I definitely didn't dig it here (I'm used to FWB trope, but this definitely didn't feel like that given the time frame that they had been friends for).
There wasn’t much depth to his connection with her beyond money and gifts, which okay is a love language, but there was nothing more to it really. It felt like all she ever did was support him and all he ever did was spit in her face with the ex thing who was apparently awful to her, by the end, it didn’t feel like they had actually worked through anything. They spent time apart, sure, but none of their major issues were really addressed on-page. Maybe it happened off-page, but including those conversations would have added so much more to the story... perhaps I just need more grovelling in stories like this!
Despite my frustrations with the MMC, I think Emilee’s writing shows a lot of promise, especially being of sports romance genre. I’ll definitely keep an eye on her future work and look forward to her developing her style!
I would say my biggest issue with the book was Brett (which I HATE saying about an MMC). I get that he was dealing with addiction and trauma and demons and whatnot, but it really felt like he was using her pretty much the entire time (I know this was covered and explained, but I still agree it felt like she was). Every time there was a minor issue, he ran straight back to his ex, which made the relationship feel more toxic and co-dependent than genuinely romantic. Maybe this is a me issue in that I don't think I've read a lot of friends-to-lovers, so maybe this is just a normal trope that I don't dig, but I definitely didn't dig it here (I'm used to FWB trope, but this definitely didn't feel like that given the time frame that they had been friends for).
There wasn’t much depth to his connection with her beyond money and gifts, which okay is a love language, but there was nothing more to it really. It felt like all she ever did was support him and all he ever did was spit in her face with the ex thing who was apparently awful to her, by the end, it didn’t feel like they had actually worked through anything. They spent time apart, sure, but none of their major issues were really addressed on-page. Maybe it happened off-page, but including those conversations would have added so much more to the story... perhaps I just need more grovelling in stories like this!
Despite my frustrations with the MMC, I think Emilee’s writing shows a lot of promise, especially being of sports romance genre. I’ll definitely keep an eye on her future work and look forward to her developing her style!
January 8, 2025
Retrograde by emilee carter ⭐⭐.5
What a rollercoaster of a book ! I had such high hopes with this book and the story line is beautiful. Its deals with the difficult topic of alcoholism and having the community to support you through tough times. It also covers an amazing topic of women empowerment and making awareness of women in such a male dominated sport. Even has a beautiful best friend to lovers romance. Unfortunately the way this story was written was such a disappointment, to start with in the first chapter there was way too many names mentioned i was so overwhelmed and it took me ages to actually register who i was reading about. Then the point of view was lost there wasnt a clear sign of whos view i was reading from and would abruptly jumping to a new scene without any warning! On top of this the dialogue was messy, not always fitting into the story or not actually creating a natural flow of conversation making it seem like bits are missing. It had a lovely ending but i unfortunately wont be picking up or recommending any more of @emileecarters books.
What a rollercoaster of a book ! I had such high hopes with this book and the story line is beautiful. Its deals with the difficult topic of alcoholism and having the community to support you through tough times. It also covers an amazing topic of women empowerment and making awareness of women in such a male dominated sport. Even has a beautiful best friend to lovers romance. Unfortunately the way this story was written was such a disappointment, to start with in the first chapter there was way too many names mentioned i was so overwhelmed and it took me ages to actually register who i was reading about. Then the point of view was lost there wasnt a clear sign of whos view i was reading from and would abruptly jumping to a new scene without any warning! On top of this the dialogue was messy, not always fitting into the story or not actually creating a natural flow of conversation making it seem like bits are missing. It had a lovely ending but i unfortunately wont be picking up or recommending any more of @emileecarters books.
June 17, 2025
I really liked the idea of this bookie what it could have been, but the actual story line of their relationship was gross. If Lucy was my friend, I would tell her to never date or talk to a guy like that again. Major ick
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2025
Super slow
Like the HEA did not happen until the last paragraph
And like others said too many characters and not enough racing drama
Like the HEA did not happen until the last paragraph
And like others said too many characters and not enough racing drama
March 25, 2025
Ugh....this book had moments that were good, funny and sad, but mostly...it just drug on and on and on and I ended up fast forwarding just to get it over with.
October 26, 2024
ARC REVIEW
Brett, all-star driver and 1/3 of Revolution Racing 💛. Lucie, social media manager for the IEC and Revolution Racing 📷, Brett best friend and has been since both step into the paddock aged 18 🎟. 10 years of friendship and tension comes to a head when Brett’s metal health takes a turn of the worst 🍸.
This book has both good characters and character development and to top it all off it is written amazingly. Sometimes to have one the other is sacrifice, but not when it comes to Emilee Carter. I typically find book which are written in third person hard to get into and I can't invest in the characters as well. However, I pick a book from Emilee, and she puts me under her little reading spell 🪄, and I can't put the book down 🔮. I don't know how she does it. But I will sing the praise of these book forever and ever and ever.
I loved book one and from reading that I was always deep-down invested in rooting from Lucie and Brett ☀️. The blatant flirting is unmatched and that doesn’t go away in book 2. Instead, it gets so much better. You get to see the deeper levels of their friendship, the true feeling towards the other, and the internal battles of their stuggles not just in their relationship but in their separate lives. Brett is such a flirt I don’t know how Lucie has so much restraint, because trust me I would have had. This fact that he has a nickname for that nobody else does ☀️, and everyone but them can see how in love they are just gave me a warm fuzzy feeling when reading 🥰. No only do you see the development of Lucie and Bretts story but the development of the others, and the progression in both Faith and Julien from previous books but also the progression into hopefully a lot more future books 😏 with other characters from the group.
They are the definition of found family. Revolution Racing is first and foremost a family always has been always will be. The way in which they rally around Brett in his moment of need 💛. And don’t just abandon him but instead cheer in on to get better and be the best version of Brett, and for everyone around him especially Lucie 😢. But not only are they they’re for Brett they support Lucie in her efforts to support Brett 😭. They support and hold her up when she needs help herself. Lucie constantly brings out the inner old Brett constantly, and makes in better and happy constantly 🫠.
Brett, all-star driver and 1/3 of Revolution Racing 💛. Lucie, social media manager for the IEC and Revolution Racing 📷, Brett best friend and has been since both step into the paddock aged 18 🎟. 10 years of friendship and tension comes to a head when Brett’s metal health takes a turn of the worst 🍸.
This book has both good characters and character development and to top it all off it is written amazingly. Sometimes to have one the other is sacrifice, but not when it comes to Emilee Carter. I typically find book which are written in third person hard to get into and I can't invest in the characters as well. However, I pick a book from Emilee, and she puts me under her little reading spell 🪄, and I can't put the book down 🔮. I don't know how she does it. But I will sing the praise of these book forever and ever and ever.
I loved book one and from reading that I was always deep-down invested in rooting from Lucie and Brett ☀️. The blatant flirting is unmatched and that doesn’t go away in book 2. Instead, it gets so much better. You get to see the deeper levels of their friendship, the true feeling towards the other, and the internal battles of their stuggles not just in their relationship but in their separate lives. Brett is such a flirt I don’t know how Lucie has so much restraint, because trust me I would have had. This fact that he has a nickname for that nobody else does ☀️, and everyone but them can see how in love they are just gave me a warm fuzzy feeling when reading 🥰. No only do you see the development of Lucie and Bretts story but the development of the others, and the progression in both Faith and Julien from previous books but also the progression into hopefully a lot more future books 😏 with other characters from the group.
They are the definition of found family. Revolution Racing is first and foremost a family always has been always will be. The way in which they rally around Brett in his moment of need 💛. And don’t just abandon him but instead cheer in on to get better and be the best version of Brett, and for everyone around him especially Lucie 😢. But not only are they they’re for Brett they support Lucie in her efforts to support Brett 😭. They support and hold her up when she needs help herself. Lucie constantly brings out the inner old Brett constantly, and makes in better and happy constantly 🫠.
May 15, 2026
I think that everyone in this book hated Lucie with a burning passion, seriously why did they encourage that senseless gal to literally go back to someone who has no one else’s feelings in mind but his own. And the duration of the friendship means nothing, actually it makes all the heartbreak worse because what do you mean TEN years of fucking around. He’s so unbelievably gross. I just didn’t like anyone, I couldn’t even like Lucie because she clearly didn’t even love herself. I just felt the characters were inconsistent yet the story was so repetitive. I didn’t like the third person storytelling it made things confusing, and when the story doesn’t hit it’s terribly difficult to try and remember a whole load of different characters. Unfortunately the book did also put me in a reading slump, I will give it slight credit because it took me out of one to. The beginning to mid section of the book was quite rough, and the and definitely was too but it was entertaining in a baffling way. And to think Brett wasn’t even her ONLY option she had that French or Italian guy, I genuinely cannot believe they didn’t end up together. This is in no way a romance story in my option. And the amount of times Brett was mad and Lucie was sucking up to him MY GOODNESS. And all her friends were telling HER to talk to him. This actually made my stomach turn I won’t lie. Why does his problems have to be everyone else’s. And the epilogue made me mad af, I just had to keep telling myself ‘it’s fiction, and maybe it’s what she genuinely wanted’ no involvement in your own wedding day is crazy. And it being a surprise is horrendous, the girl didn’t even get to help decorate her own house! And he had the GULL to say ‘hurry up’, joke or not this entire book is my absolute nightmare. And truly no offence to the author, sometimes she was spitting some really relatable and deep stuff, maybe she just doesn’t know what love is, clearly no one loved themselves or anyone else😬 and the ending went by in a flash too, and of course ultimately it was her who mended what he broke. What a child
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 15, 2024
Firstly, a huge thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Random House for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review and opinion.
If there's something I've learnt from all my romance reading by now, it's that sports romances aren't always my go to. However, F1 romance novels are my favourite out of the trope, as its the one sport I actually understand what they are talking about after years of growing up around F1 mad big brothers.
This is essentially a standalone novel, however, it's set in the same world and characters as Bloodstream, Emilee's first book, so although I went into this blind, having not read Book 1, I think I would have got more out of it having got attached to some of the other characters from that book before diving into this book.
Yes, other people have commented on having quite a lot of characters thrown at you in the first chapters, but power through that and you will have yourself a fun, light-hearted, friends to lovers romance that will give you all the feels.
Brett and Lucie's dynamic in this was perfectly portrayed as the ultimate best friends that have that underlying attraction they both can't deny. It seems like everyone else around them is just waiting for the day they finally get together.
Brett faces a tough journey as he works through trying to battle an alcohol addiction, but Lucie is with him every step of the way. This book takes you from Sydney, to London, to Italy and I was just enjoying every minute of the ride 🏎️
The side characters pull you in as well. not just friends but their families too, so loveable that you find yourself wishing you were part of the gang.
We get to see the behind the scenes of the F1 world and I found it really interesting seeing what the day to day of a social media creator for the team would be like.
Loved this book, I flew through reading this and now going back to read Bloodstream!
If there's something I've learnt from all my romance reading by now, it's that sports romances aren't always my go to. However, F1 romance novels are my favourite out of the trope, as its the one sport I actually understand what they are talking about after years of growing up around F1 mad big brothers.
This is essentially a standalone novel, however, it's set in the same world and characters as Bloodstream, Emilee's first book, so although I went into this blind, having not read Book 1, I think I would have got more out of it having got attached to some of the other characters from that book before diving into this book.
Yes, other people have commented on having quite a lot of characters thrown at you in the first chapters, but power through that and you will have yourself a fun, light-hearted, friends to lovers romance that will give you all the feels.
Brett and Lucie's dynamic in this was perfectly portrayed as the ultimate best friends that have that underlying attraction they both can't deny. It seems like everyone else around them is just waiting for the day they finally get together.
Brett faces a tough journey as he works through trying to battle an alcohol addiction, but Lucie is with him every step of the way. This book takes you from Sydney, to London, to Italy and I was just enjoying every minute of the ride 🏎️
The side characters pull you in as well. not just friends but their families too, so loveable that you find yourself wishing you were part of the gang.
We get to see the behind the scenes of the F1 world and I found it really interesting seeing what the day to day of a social media creator for the team would be like.
Loved this book, I flew through reading this and now going back to read Bloodstream!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 143 reviews