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Clutch Start
She was my accidental roomie when she needed a place to stay, giving her hope that there were still good people in this life.
He offered me a place to stay while he was grieving the loss of his sister, reigniting his joy for love and life, having someone in his space again.
A friendship that bloomed into romance at a time they both needed support.
Clutch Start is story of being in the right place, at the right time, for the right person.
Content Warnings
Dealing with and discussions regarding a sibling death, i.e. suicide, grief, depression
Discussions of highly critical, negative family members
Discussions of divorce, mutually accepted
Open door, graphically explicit sex scenes
Tropes
Workplace romance
Secret relationship
Golden Retriever MMC
Black Cat FMC
Sportsbikes/Motorcycles (Not Motorcycle Club)
Track Racing (Is this a thing?)
Spicy Erotica
Kind of Billionaire (No one worries about $$$)
Found Family
This is not a dark romance or motorcycle club romance.
This is very much a light and fluffy romantic comedy. Perhaps a palette cleanser for my dark romance besties.
Clutch Start is set in Australia, with Australian characters, written by an Australian, therefore this has been written, edited and proofed in British English with some Australian colloquial words.
He offered me a place to stay while he was grieving the loss of his sister, reigniting his joy for love and life, having someone in his space again.
A friendship that bloomed into romance at a time they both needed support.
Clutch Start is story of being in the right place, at the right time, for the right person.
Content Warnings
Dealing with and discussions regarding a sibling death, i.e. suicide, grief, depression
Discussions of highly critical, negative family members
Discussions of divorce, mutually accepted
Open door, graphically explicit sex scenes
Tropes
Workplace romance
Secret relationship
Golden Retriever MMC
Black Cat FMC
Sportsbikes/Motorcycles (Not Motorcycle Club)
Track Racing (Is this a thing?)
Spicy Erotica
Kind of Billionaire (No one worries about $$$)
Found Family
This is not a dark romance or motorcycle club romance.
This is very much a light and fluffy romantic comedy. Perhaps a palette cleanser for my dark romance besties.
Clutch Start is set in Australia, with Australian characters, written by an Australian, therefore this has been written, edited and proofed in British English with some Australian colloquial words.
280 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 13, 2025
3 people are currently reading
47 people want to read
About the author
Kris Monforte
3 books21 followersKris is a rookie indie author who juggles writing amidst the chaos of motherhood, looking after herself and staying somewhat sane.
She's been writing since high school but hasn't had the guts to publish. A lover of feel good vibes and moving stories, of course this was going to infiltrate into her own books.
Love on the Limit is the first series in her interconnected world of motorsport romance, with a unique writing style, she aims for fun, fast and flirty reads with characters who support each other, regardless of if they are the main characters or side characters. But knows how to write real jerks too.
*This world is set in Australia, with Australian characters and Australian vernacular.
She's been writing since high school but hasn't had the guts to publish. A lover of feel good vibes and moving stories, of course this was going to infiltrate into her own books.
Love on the Limit is the first series in her interconnected world of motorsport romance, with a unique writing style, she aims for fun, fast and flirty reads with characters who support each other, regardless of if they are the main characters or side characters. But knows how to write real jerks too.
*This world is set in Australia, with Australian characters and Australian vernacular.
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
July 15, 2025
Clutch Start
⭐️ 3/5 – I liked it
🌶️ 5/5 – explicit and plentiful
I was gifted an eARC with no incentive to review.
Mabel is a PR babe and Riley races motorcycles. Mabel doesn’t work on Riley’s team, she works in Javi’s* team. Mabel and Riley are fast friends and often end up just lounging around together. Riley needed the company, and Mabel needed someone to help introduce her to the racing world (after coming from rally racing PR).
The meet cute between Riley and Mabel was sweet. Riley and Mabel truly felt like just-friends for the first 25% of the book, which I loved.
I liked that not everything unfolded perfectly. As an example, Riley says ‘I love you’ at an absolutely horrible time but it all ends happily ever after so yay!
This book felt like it had more detail about each character’s job, which is an improvement on the previous book. 👏
And I simply adored the epilogue. It was so sweet and just right for Mabel and Riley.
*Javi being MMC of the last book.
Sophia and Javi both make appearances throughout this book. As do the rest of the crew from ‘the paddock’.
Content warnings: suicide (of a sibling); death of a sibling; toxic familial relationships; divorce; sexual content; alcohol (but not alcoholism); depression.
Tropes: friends to lovers; workplace romance; sports romance; one hotel room.
Other notes: dual POV; motorsport; quick read (approx 3–3.5h); spicy.
Is reading HOAC necessary, or can CS be read as a standalone?
CS can be read as a standalone.
⭐️ 3/5 – I liked it
🌶️ 5/5 – explicit and plentiful
I was gifted an eARC with no incentive to review.
Mabel is a PR babe and Riley races motorcycles. Mabel doesn’t work on Riley’s team, she works in Javi’s* team. Mabel and Riley are fast friends and often end up just lounging around together. Riley needed the company, and Mabel needed someone to help introduce her to the racing world (after coming from rally racing PR).
The meet cute between Riley and Mabel was sweet. Riley and Mabel truly felt like just-friends for the first 25% of the book, which I loved.
I liked that not everything unfolded perfectly. As an example, Riley says ‘I love you’ at an absolutely horrible time but it all ends happily ever after so yay!
This book felt like it had more detail about each character’s job, which is an improvement on the previous book. 👏
And I simply adored the epilogue. It was so sweet and just right for Mabel and Riley.
*Javi being MMC of the last book.
Sophia and Javi both make appearances throughout this book. As do the rest of the crew from ‘the paddock’.
Content warnings: suicide (of a sibling); death of a sibling; toxic familial relationships; divorce; sexual content; alcohol (but not alcoholism); depression.
Tropes: friends to lovers; workplace romance; sports romance; one hotel room.
Other notes: dual POV; motorsport; quick read (approx 3–3.5h); spicy.
Is reading HOAC necessary, or can CS be read as a standalone?
CS can be read as a standalone.
July 8, 2025
Wonderful, almost cosy, read about two people who don’t necessarily want to fall in love, but find out that they have.
After the first (two-ish) chapters the story really got going and I had trouble putting it down. I loved the dynamic between these two love-birds and the fact that their friends/colleagues are so supportive and wholesome. 10/10 could relate to Mabel’s family being very critical of her.
I also loved that none of the characters are over the top melodramatic.
Kris Monforte’s writing style takes you along for a smooth ride, without getting into the nitty gritty of the race-track details. As a complete layman when it comes to track racing, I could’ve used a bit more descriptions of how things function, but as the story focusses on the relationship between Mabel and Riley, and their friends/co-workers, I didn’t miss it.
If you’re looking for a sweet story with a dollop of spice, this is your read. If you’re expecting nothing but (artificial) drama on and off track, this is not the book for you.
After the first (two-ish) chapters the story really got going and I had trouble putting it down. I loved the dynamic between these two love-birds and the fact that their friends/colleagues are so supportive and wholesome. 10/10 could relate to Mabel’s family being very critical of her.
I also loved that none of the characters are over the top melodramatic.
Kris Monforte’s writing style takes you along for a smooth ride, without getting into the nitty gritty of the race-track details. As a complete layman when it comes to track racing, I could’ve used a bit more descriptions of how things function, but as the story focusses on the relationship between Mabel and Riley, and their friends/co-workers, I didn’t miss it.
If you’re looking for a sweet story with a dollop of spice, this is your read. If you’re expecting nothing but (artificial) drama on and off track, this is not the book for you.
July 9, 2025
Favourite quote - You're a hard ass with a nice ass.
Well, what can I say. This is the first book I have ever read from this author and I will definitely be reading more of her work, even if some bits were cheesy but there's nothing wrong with a bit of cheese every now and then!
First things first, thank you Kris for letting me read this in advance. I loved the story between Riley and Mabel. I awwed quite a few times while reading this and felt like lying on my stomach and kicking my feet with the cuteness between the two.
And the SPICE, geez, so much spice (not a complaint). I thought this was going to be a cutesy rom com but woah, the spice in this was HOT.
The romance to sports ratio was perfect. I have read quite a few sports romance and it's either not enough sports or too much but this was *chefs kiss*.
Overall I rated this a 4 just because for me, I wanted just a bit more. I can't quite put my finger on it, but for me something was missing. And that's just my personal opinion. But I highly recommend this book!
Well, what can I say. This is the first book I have ever read from this author and I will definitely be reading more of her work, even if some bits were cheesy but there's nothing wrong with a bit of cheese every now and then!
First things first, thank you Kris for letting me read this in advance. I loved the story between Riley and Mabel. I awwed quite a few times while reading this and felt like lying on my stomach and kicking my feet with the cuteness between the two.
And the SPICE, geez, so much spice (not a complaint). I thought this was going to be a cutesy rom com but woah, the spice in this was HOT.
The romance to sports ratio was perfect. I have read quite a few sports romance and it's either not enough sports or too much but this was *chefs kiss*.
Overall I rated this a 4 just because for me, I wanted just a bit more. I can't quite put my finger on it, but for me something was missing. And that's just my personal opinion. But I highly recommend this book!
June 28, 2025
Short, sweet, and full of heart—Clutch Start is the perfect friends-to-lovers romance with the ideal mix of warmth, tension, and spice.
Told in dual POV, it follows a golden retriever-energy hero and a guarded black cat heroine who become accidental roommates—and unexpectedly, each other’s safe place. Riley is grieving, Mabel is trying to protect her heart, and together, they find something real and healing.
The chemistry? Off the charts. The banter? Flawless. The slow burn? Deliciously drawn out. And Mabel’s inner monologue is absolutely golden.
From emotional reunions to spicy, swoony moments, every scene had me hooked. Add in the racing backdrop, team dynamics, and heartfelt friendships, and this story truly comes alive.
Kris Monforte, you are amazing. I was invested from the dedication to the final page.
Highly recommend if you’re after a cozy yet steamy read that feels everything in all the right ways.
Told in dual POV, it follows a golden retriever-energy hero and a guarded black cat heroine who become accidental roommates—and unexpectedly, each other’s safe place. Riley is grieving, Mabel is trying to protect her heart, and together, they find something real and healing.
The chemistry? Off the charts. The banter? Flawless. The slow burn? Deliciously drawn out. And Mabel’s inner monologue is absolutely golden.
From emotional reunions to spicy, swoony moments, every scene had me hooked. Add in the racing backdrop, team dynamics, and heartfelt friendships, and this story truly comes alive.
Kris Monforte, you are amazing. I was invested from the dedication to the final page.
Highly recommend if you’re after a cozy yet steamy read that feels everything in all the right ways.
July 16, 2025
📚🏍️ ARC Review 🏍️📚
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️/5
Troupes: Motorcross Romance /Friends to Lovers/ Found Family
Thank Kris Monforte for this ARC!
This was my first read from Kris Monforte. I started reading this without having read the first book, and although the main story can stand alone, I felt I was missing some backstory about the teams. Additionally, I think it could have delved deeper into the motocross world for those of us unfamiliar with the sport.
That said, this book was amazing, funny, and spicy, with no drama. It was a dual POV book, which I love, and it was done well. I loved the found family that Mabel discovered, and it had all the feels. I will be going back to read the first book in this series, hoping it will provide some backstory on a few of the characters.
Would I recommend it? Yes — it was a fun, quick, light-hearted, and spicy sports romance.
🌶️🌶️🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️/5
Troupes: Motorcross Romance /Friends to Lovers/ Found Family
Thank Kris Monforte for this ARC!
This was my first read from Kris Monforte. I started reading this without having read the first book, and although the main story can stand alone, I felt I was missing some backstory about the teams. Additionally, I think it could have delved deeper into the motocross world for those of us unfamiliar with the sport.
That said, this book was amazing, funny, and spicy, with no drama. It was a dual POV book, which I love, and it was done well. I loved the found family that Mabel discovered, and it had all the feels. I will be going back to read the first book in this series, hoping it will provide some backstory on a few of the characters.
Would I recommend it? Yes — it was a fun, quick, light-hearted, and spicy sports romance.
July 15, 2025
This is my first book by Kris Monforte, and it won't be my last one. First, because I enjoyed Sophia, I need to read her story. And the best part about this? It's the fact that her story is the first book, so it's already been published.
I loved the romance between Mabel and Riley because Riley is such a green flag with Mabel. Even when they didn't know each other, he was already there for her, to help her. Their love story is so cute, and I liked how they balance each other and help each other.
The spice was very hot and well written, not too much.
I love this sports romance, because it was a different sport than the one I read (hello hockey romance, not your place here, but race-track). It was a good mix between romance and sport. I liked how Kris Monforte combined both of them.
A thing who the author wrote very well was the grief of Riley. It was so well written that I could feel what he was feeling, and I wanted to help him.
And the best part of this book is the dedication which hit very close to home.
I loved the romance between Mabel and Riley because Riley is such a green flag with Mabel. Even when they didn't know each other, he was already there for her, to help her. Their love story is so cute, and I liked how they balance each other and help each other.
The spice was very hot and well written, not too much.
I love this sports romance, because it was a different sport than the one I read (hello hockey romance, not your place here, but race-track). It was a good mix between romance and sport. I liked how Kris Monforte combined both of them.
A thing who the author wrote very well was the grief of Riley. It was so well written that I could feel what he was feeling, and I wanted to help him.
And the best part of this book is the dedication which hit very close to home.
July 12, 2025
✨ Huge thanks to Kris Monforte for the early read! Riley and Mabel’s story was so sweet I actually awed out loud more times than I can count. I wanted to kick my feet and giggle like a teenager at how cute they are together.
The spice? Wow. I expected a cozy rom-com, but the heat was chef’s kiss. Perfect balance of romance, sports, and found-family goodness.
Golden retriever hero + black cat heroine = perfection. The banter is sharp, the slow burn is satisfying, and the vibes are warm and real.
If you love cozy, heartfelt, steamy romances with supportive friends and swoony moments—read this immediately. Riley and Mabel have my whole heart! 💖
The spice? Wow. I expected a cozy rom-com, but the heat was chef’s kiss. Perfect balance of romance, sports, and found-family goodness.
Golden retriever hero + black cat heroine = perfection. The banter is sharp, the slow burn is satisfying, and the vibes are warm and real.
If you love cozy, heartfelt, steamy romances with supportive friends and swoony moments—read this immediately. Riley and Mabel have my whole heart! 💖
January 14, 2026
This rom com has all the things that I love in the one book.
The banter is amazing!
The MMC is adorable and their chemistry together is off the charts!
The spice is certainly spicing!!
I loved this so much, the fact that the MMC has the same name as my oldest son didnt even deter me!
Kris is so so good at capturing that banter between the couple that makes you want them to get their HEA. The story drags you in and all other plans for the day are abandoned so you can keep reading!
The banter is amazing!
The MMC is adorable and their chemistry together is off the charts!
The spice is certainly spicing!!
I loved this so much, the fact that the MMC has the same name as my oldest son didnt even deter me!
Kris is so so good at capturing that banter between the couple that makes you want them to get their HEA. The story drags you in and all other plans for the day are abandoned so you can keep reading!
July 10, 2025
4 ⭐ 3 🌶️
I love how supportive this found family group is. Especially considering they're on teams competing against each other. A wonderful story of strangers to friends to lovers who were there for each other through very different circumstances. Prefect length too.
I love how supportive this found family group is. Especially considering they're on teams competing against each other. A wonderful story of strangers to friends to lovers who were there for each other through very different circumstances. Prefect length too.
October 18, 2025
I absolutely loved this read, Riley and Mabel are so great together. I loved their banter, and I love how much Riley likes Mabel.
I love the motor sports aspect and felt like it was a really fun concept!
I love the motor sports aspect and felt like it was a really fun concept!
July 10, 2025
This book made me giggle and cry. It's a cute and a little spicy read. I didn't want it to end. I love how the whole racing teams are one big happy family.
August 3, 2025
Another great book by Kris!!!
August 13, 2025
After reading Heart of a Champion I couldn't wait to return to the racing track for yet another heart racing romance. The second book in the Love on the Limit series is Clutch Start. This book features Mabel and Rileys story. She is the new PR director and he is a driver for another team. He isn't looking for any love, but what if he falls for her?
Check out my full review on my blog Boekensteeg
Check out my full review on my blog Boekensteeg
August 23, 2025
I read this book without reading Heart of a Champion, (which I will be adding to cart, ASAP!)
Riley and Mabel had the cutest meet cute and story ever! And it seemed like a realistic love story aswell!
Riley and Mabel’s story continued on throughout the Motorsport Season, but it was super easy to follow along with. Each chapter where there had been a time jump, there was a date and location stamp at the start of the chapters so the reader could easily gauge how long had passed.
This was a short and sweet read, and now I can’t wait to get my SE event copy of this book! 👀
🩷🩷
Riley and Mabel had the cutest meet cute and story ever! And it seemed like a realistic love story aswell!
Riley and Mabel’s story continued on throughout the Motorsport Season, but it was super easy to follow along with. Each chapter where there had been a time jump, there was a date and location stamp at the start of the chapters so the reader could easily gauge how long had passed.
This was a short and sweet read, and now I can’t wait to get my SE event copy of this book! 👀
🩷🩷
October 7, 2025
I absolutely LOVED this story. I am definitely not much a contemporary genre reader, let alone sports romance, but Kris did an incredible job at hooking me into this story. I love the fun banter, the way the romance started, and everything in between. Riley and Mabel are one of my new favorite couples! They have a natural chemistry that is just perfect.
October 28, 2025
This sweet friends to lovers sports romance will have you dropping all your responsibilities to sit and finish.
I absolutely adored Riley and Mabel's story.
“𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖."
Starting off as being accidental roomies when the hotel stuffed up Mabel's room, Riley - being the good guy he is - offers the spare bed in his room. The friendship blossoms and Riley is prime Cinnamon Roll energy. Absolutely swoon-worthy.
𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅-𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒘𝒆𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝑰 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒘.
The spice was definitely spicin', and had a lot more than your average rom com which was a nice surprise. It was delicious and I absolutely loved how the story evolved around them.
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Spice: 3🌶️
I absolutely adored Riley and Mabel's story.
“𝑰 𝒘𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒚𝒐𝒖."
Starting off as being accidental roomies when the hotel stuffed up Mabel's room, Riley - being the good guy he is - offers the spare bed in his room. The friendship blossoms and Riley is prime Cinnamon Roll energy. Absolutely swoon-worthy.
𝑰𝒇 𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒇𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒅-𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍 𝒘𝒆𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒇𝒐𝒓𝒆, 𝑰 𝒅𝒆𝒇𝒊𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒚 𝒂𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒘.
The spice was definitely spicin', and had a lot more than your average rom com which was a nice surprise. It was delicious and I absolutely loved how the story evolved around them.
Rating: 4.5 ⭐
Spice: 3🌶️
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews