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Heart Racer
Not yet published
Expected 23 Apr 26Romance readers! You've had chemistry with STEMinist romance, you've raced through sports romance. Now get ready for the ultimate crossover...
Biochemistry major Keely has the next five years of her life down to a science. But when her grad school loan application is inexplicably rejected, her carefully calculated future spontaneously combusts.
Her college's Pursue Your Passions scholarship could be the answer. The problem? There's one place left, and she's not the only student in the running. Enter Max: a state champion sprinter who sets hearts racing on and off the track - and the one thing standing between Keely and her dreams.
Keely knows the key to winning is keeping her head in the game. But when your opponent is Lycra-clad and... rippling?! Well, it's hard to keep the chemistry to the lab.
Experimenting with her heart could cost Keely everything she's worked for. But staying away from Max might be a race she's destined to lose...
The Love Hypothesis meets Heated Rivalry in this spicy, dual-POV, academic rivals rom com - as nerdy as it is sure to raise your pulse...
Biochemistry major Keely has the next five years of her life down to a science. But when her grad school loan application is inexplicably rejected, her carefully calculated future spontaneously combusts.
Her college's Pursue Your Passions scholarship could be the answer. The problem? There's one place left, and she's not the only student in the running. Enter Max: a state champion sprinter who sets hearts racing on and off the track - and the one thing standing between Keely and her dreams.
Keely knows the key to winning is keeping her head in the game. But when your opponent is Lycra-clad and... rippling?! Well, it's hard to keep the chemistry to the lab.
Experimenting with her heart could cost Keely everything she's worked for. But staying away from Max might be a race she's destined to lose...
The Love Hypothesis meets Heated Rivalry in this spicy, dual-POV, academic rivals rom com - as nerdy as it is sure to raise your pulse...
416 pages, Paperback
Expected publication April 23, 2026
5 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
October 22, 2025
Heart Racer has a strong premise and the potential to be an engaging romance, but the overall execution fell short for me. The writing style feels quite young and doesn’t fully match the maturity or life experience of the characters. This disconnect made it difficult to stay immersed in the story and sometimes gave the book a YA tone rather than the more adult voice it seemed to be aiming for.
One of the biggest issues is pacing and character motivation — the main characters tend to make big decisions almost instantly, without any real sense of thought or emotional build-up. They’ll have a fleeting idea in one sentence, and by the next, they’re acting on it. This makes the story feel disjointed and a bit jarring to follow.
Overall, the book reads more like a first draft than a finished novel. It could really benefit from another thorough round of editing to tighten up the prose and clarify the character arcs. There’s also a lot of extra information thrown into sentences that doesn’t add anything to the scene or help move the story forward.
In terms of character voice, the male main character’s dialogue and inner thoughts feel fairly natural and grounded, but the female lead’s voice doesn’t come across as convincingly. Her narration often feels overly naïve — a little too “unsure young girl” for the character she’s meant to be.
I did really like the idea of flipping the typical miscommunication trope by resolving it halfway through the book, but unfortunately the misunderstanding itself felt overly juvenile and not particularly believable. It’s a clever structural idea, but it needed more depth and logic to really work.
In the end, Heart Racer has the foundation of a strong story, but it needs significant tightening and refinement to reach its potential.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
One of the biggest issues is pacing and character motivation — the main characters tend to make big decisions almost instantly, without any real sense of thought or emotional build-up. They’ll have a fleeting idea in one sentence, and by the next, they’re acting on it. This makes the story feel disjointed and a bit jarring to follow.
Overall, the book reads more like a first draft than a finished novel. It could really benefit from another thorough round of editing to tighten up the prose and clarify the character arcs. There’s also a lot of extra information thrown into sentences that doesn’t add anything to the scene or help move the story forward.
In terms of character voice, the male main character’s dialogue and inner thoughts feel fairly natural and grounded, but the female lead’s voice doesn’t come across as convincingly. Her narration often feels overly naïve — a little too “unsure young girl” for the character she’s meant to be.
I did really like the idea of flipping the typical miscommunication trope by resolving it halfway through the book, but unfortunately the misunderstanding itself felt overly juvenile and not particularly believable. It’s a clever structural idea, but it needed more depth and logic to really work.
In the end, Heart Racer has the foundation of a strong story, but it needs significant tightening and refinement to reach its potential.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 14, 2025
It's time for Max and Keely to start making their way into the world. These two idiots (affectionate) are something special; they came from a tender place in my heart I didn't know existed. I see a lot of myself in them. Max's all-or-nothingness, his tendency to flip the switch on feelings when the hurt is too big to handle. And Keely is, in another life, a younger version of me, one who white knuckles everything until her hands go numb.
If this sounds like you too, then I think you'll really love this book. I hope you find some friends in the pages.
Welcome to AMU.
If this sounds like you too, then I think you'll really love this book. I hope you find some friends in the pages.
Welcome to AMU.
January 23, 2026
3.75 stars
This was my first Megan Avery book.
The writing is good, as are the characterisations. It was likened to The Love Hypothesis, and I can see the similarities, although Heart Racer feels like it’s for a less mature audience.
The main problem I had with it was that I didn’t particularly like Keely, especially the way she starts the sabotage war. I found her selfish and vindictive.
Having said that, I really liked Max.
I would definitely try more Megan Avery books.
Many thanks to Little Brown Book Group for the advance copy.
This was my first Megan Avery book.
The writing is good, as are the characterisations. It was likened to The Love Hypothesis, and I can see the similarities, although Heart Racer feels like it’s for a less mature audience.
The main problem I had with it was that I didn’t particularly like Keely, especially the way she starts the sabotage war. I found her selfish and vindictive.
Having said that, I really liked Max.
I would definitely try more Megan Avery books.
Many thanks to Little Brown Book Group for the advance copy.
November 9, 2025
I really enjoyed this one. Max and Keely's dynamic balanced by sharp rivalry with slow growing respect is something that I truly love, it made every exchange spark with tension and humor. Keely’s focus on her biochemistry goals felt refreshing for a romance lead, and her stress about grad school and scholarships added real stakes without feeling heavy handed. Max, on the other hand, brought just the right amount of cocky charm and hidden depth, and seeing his perspective made the story flow naturally. Their banter was fast and fun, but there were also moments where the emotional walls dropped, and it felt very honest. The writing was light and engaging, and I could easily picture both characters’ worlds. Overall, it was funny, smart, and surprisingly heartfelt. Thank you so much to the author, Little, Brown Book Group and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving an honest review.
November 12, 2025
After having high hopes for this book, I'm afraid this book didn't work for me. Keely's pranks were immature which had some real serious consquences for Max. While I'm glad her called her out on it, she continued it. I appreciate that she had a journey to go on - particularly regarding her future - but it just felt too late for me. Which is why I couldn't buy the spice and romance as I couldn't take her seriously. Also, volunteering to pad your resume with a few months to go for applicationd deadline? As if any scholarship committee would buy it. That said I really loved some of the sharp banter and there were some really lovely heartfelt moments.
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK/Sphere and NetGalley for the ARC.
Thanks to Little, Brown Book Group UK/Sphere and NetGalley for the ARC.
October 20, 2025
Enjoyed this book. Really highlights dementia. Would have given it at least 4.5
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Little, Brown Book Group UK | Sphere, for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.
Heart Racer is a sweet, easy-to-read sports romance with a strong emotional core and two driven main characters fighting hard for their futures. I really enjoyed the focus on women in STEM and the realistic portrayal of college life, especially the pressure of balancing studies, work, goals, and personal relationships. Not everyone in college is a party-goer, and I appreciated how the story highlighted that experience.
Keely and Max are both ambitious and career-focused, which made their motivations feel genuine and relatable. Max’s character arc stood out in particular; the exploration of his habit of keeping his personal life guarded and how he gradually learns the value of opening up added warmth and depth. The story also weaves in strong family themes, giving the romance an emotional grounding that many readers will connect with.
As someone still getting into sports romance, I also liked the fresh setting, moving away from the usual hockey-dominated romances and into a track-and-field world that felt different and engaging. The pacing of the chapters is brisk and easy to follow, and the scholarship competition adds an apparent emotional and personal conflict for both leads.
However, there were aspects that didn’t quite work for me. Keely’s best-friend subplot felt unnecessarily harsh and didn’t fully land in terms of motivation or emotional payoff. More broadly, the writing style sometimes reads younger than the characters themselves, which gives parts of the book a YA tone rather than the more mature voice it seems to be aiming for.
The pacing and character decision-making also feel rushed at times; big choices are made almost instantly, without the emotional buildup needed to make them feel believable. This occasionally makes the narrative feel disjointed, and some sentences include extra detail that doesn’t contribute to the story or character development. While Max’s voice feels natural and grounded, Keely’s internal narration can come across as overly naïve for who she’s meant to be as a character.
There are some clever ideas here, including flipping the usual miscommunication trope earlier in the story, but the execution of that conflict feels a bit juvenile and underdeveloped, which limits its emotional impact. Overall, the book has a strong premise and plenty of potential, but it would really benefit from further editing to tighten the prose, deepen motivations, and strengthen the character arcs.
Heart Racer is heartfelt, hopeful, and built on a solid foundation; it just needs a little more refinement to fully reach its potential. A heartfelt sports romance with strong themes of ambition, family and women in STEM, and two likeable leads with real emotional stakes. While the premise is great, the pacing and character motivations sometimes feel rushed. Overall, a sweet, engaging read with potential that would benefit from tighter editing.
Heart Racer is a sweet, easy-to-read sports romance with a strong emotional core and two driven main characters fighting hard for their futures. I really enjoyed the focus on women in STEM and the realistic portrayal of college life, especially the pressure of balancing studies, work, goals, and personal relationships. Not everyone in college is a party-goer, and I appreciated how the story highlighted that experience.
Keely and Max are both ambitious and career-focused, which made their motivations feel genuine and relatable. Max’s character arc stood out in particular; the exploration of his habit of keeping his personal life guarded and how he gradually learns the value of opening up added warmth and depth. The story also weaves in strong family themes, giving the romance an emotional grounding that many readers will connect with.
As someone still getting into sports romance, I also liked the fresh setting, moving away from the usual hockey-dominated romances and into a track-and-field world that felt different and engaging. The pacing of the chapters is brisk and easy to follow, and the scholarship competition adds an apparent emotional and personal conflict for both leads.
However, there were aspects that didn’t quite work for me. Keely’s best-friend subplot felt unnecessarily harsh and didn’t fully land in terms of motivation or emotional payoff. More broadly, the writing style sometimes reads younger than the characters themselves, which gives parts of the book a YA tone rather than the more mature voice it seems to be aiming for.
The pacing and character decision-making also feel rushed at times; big choices are made almost instantly, without the emotional buildup needed to make them feel believable. This occasionally makes the narrative feel disjointed, and some sentences include extra detail that doesn’t contribute to the story or character development. While Max’s voice feels natural and grounded, Keely’s internal narration can come across as overly naïve for who she’s meant to be as a character.
There are some clever ideas here, including flipping the usual miscommunication trope earlier in the story, but the execution of that conflict feels a bit juvenile and underdeveloped, which limits its emotional impact. Overall, the book has a strong premise and plenty of potential, but it would really benefit from further editing to tighten the prose, deepen motivations, and strengthen the character arcs.
Heart Racer is heartfelt, hopeful, and built on a solid foundation; it just needs a little more refinement to fully reach its potential. A heartfelt sports romance with strong themes of ambition, family and women in STEM, and two likeable leads with real emotional stakes. While the premise is great, the pacing and character motivations sometimes feel rushed. Overall, a sweet, engaging read with potential that would benefit from tighter editing.
January 3, 2026
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Megan Avery for sending me an ARC of Heart Racer!
Keely and Max are both in the running for the last spot on a scholarship, both are counting on winning it but only one will come out on top. Follow academic Keely and athlete Max as they compete for a scholarship and discover some things along the way.
This was so cute, I loved every bit of it. It would be hard not to love these two, they bounced off each other so well, I loved the prank wars and watching them fall for each other.
I know I’ve just finished it, in what would’ve been one sitting if i didn’t have to sleep, but I already wish I could read it again for the first time. I didn’t want the ending to come. I loved how their relationship was written and ugh they’re just so cute.
I’ll definitely be grabbing myself a physical copy when this releases
Keely and Max are both in the running for the last spot on a scholarship, both are counting on winning it but only one will come out on top. Follow academic Keely and athlete Max as they compete for a scholarship and discover some things along the way.
This was so cute, I loved every bit of it. It would be hard not to love these two, they bounced off each other so well, I loved the prank wars and watching them fall for each other.
I know I’ve just finished it, in what would’ve been one sitting if i didn’t have to sleep, but I already wish I could read it again for the first time. I didn’t want the ending to come. I loved how their relationship was written and ugh they’re just so cute.
I’ll definitely be grabbing myself a physical copy when this releases
January 29, 2026
I struggled to get into this book, it starts quite slow and feels a bit clunky.
It picked up the pace significantly around halfway through so I’m glad I stuck it out.
I did enjoy Max’s character, his fears and hopes for his future being tied into what he thought his parent’s expectations of him were was relatable and felt true to him. His character development was decent. Nolan was a really lovely side character I’d like to see more of, too.
The ending was definitely satisfying, if bittersweet. Keely might have annoyed me for the first part of the book but I liked her ending. I liked seeing her finally accept herself.
This definitely wasn’t a bad read, just a little slow for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc.
It picked up the pace significantly around halfway through so I’m glad I stuck it out.
I did enjoy Max’s character, his fears and hopes for his future being tied into what he thought his parent’s expectations of him were was relatable and felt true to him. His character development was decent. Nolan was a really lovely side character I’d like to see more of, too.
The ending was definitely satisfying, if bittersweet. Keely might have annoyed me for the first part of the book but I liked her ending. I liked seeing her finally accept herself.
This definitely wasn’t a bad read, just a little slow for me.
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this arc.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2025
This book is absolutely phenomenal!!! The chemistry between Max and Keely? Sizzling. Their shared love for Biscuit? Adorable. How painfully relatable Keely is? Perfection. I wish I could go back and read this for the first time again. Hello??? The locker room scene??? If you're a fan of fast-paced, witty, spicy romance, this is the book for you!!!
October 15, 2025
I never review books before I read them but this is a Megan Murphy book so I already know it's going to be a 5-star read and I am SO excited!!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
3.75 - it’s fun, it’s quirky and falls into this romance genre really well. If you want an easy but fun read, this is it.
Thank you Netgalley & Megan Avery for this ARC.
Thank you Netgalley & Megan Avery for this ARC.
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews