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Slipstream #2
The Paddock Club
A Formula 1 romance set in the Slipstream universe following Cat Cromwell, a fashion influencer on a secret mission to ruin a driver’s reputation, but she may fall for his rival instead.
Unknown Binding
About the author
Madge Maril
2 books189 followersHello! 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!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 206 reviews
February 9, 2026
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.
i truly don’t know if i have adequate enough words to describe how much i love madge maril’s books, so please bear with me.
first - i love the writing. beautiful, witty, thought provoking prose that makes it so easy to fly through the pages and lose track of time.
these characters are so real. they’re flawed and smart and funny and vulnerable and so, so real. i loved the glimpses we got of faust from book 1 and i loved learning more about him. i am obsessed with cat - she’s one of my new favorite book characters. i loved seeing her character development and a lot of her inner monologue had me going “girl, same.” side note i also adored cat’s love for fashion and the true appreciation for it that the author showed.
the romance!!!!! the ROMANCEEEE!! so so good. the back and forth, cat and mouse dynamic they had at first had me actually screaming. i also love a “he falls first” trope and faust was down BAD for cat - it had me genuinely kicking my feet, giggling, twirling my hair, sliding down the wall, etc. every other page like oh my god?? madge knows how to write tension and banter between two intelligent characters and i truly eat it up every time.
similar to slipstream, the paddock club deals with formula 1 in a very nuanced way. as a fan of the sport, madge does a great job at writing her love for racing into the pages while also not shying away from (very valid) critiques about the sport itself and the socioeconomic divide within the world of f1. also these books are accurate regarding the rules of f1, which is very much appreciated!!
i also really resonated with how cat’s grief, especially for her grandmother, was portrayed. i was crying right alongside her and highlighted so many quotes that really got me.
also: “you’re the reason people keep lights on” iykyk!!!!!!
overall, PLEASE read these books and add them to your tbr if you haven’t already. they’re so, so well written and are such beautiful stories. if you’re a fan of f1 you’ll love them and if you are unfamiliar with f1, these books are accessible and a fun introduction to the sport.
i truly don’t know if i have adequate enough words to describe how much i love madge maril’s books, so please bear with me.
first - i love the writing. beautiful, witty, thought provoking prose that makes it so easy to fly through the pages and lose track of time.
these characters are so real. they’re flawed and smart and funny and vulnerable and so, so real. i loved the glimpses we got of faust from book 1 and i loved learning more about him. i am obsessed with cat - she’s one of my new favorite book characters. i loved seeing her character development and a lot of her inner monologue had me going “girl, same.” side note i also adored cat’s love for fashion and the true appreciation for it that the author showed.
the romance!!!!! the ROMANCEEEE!! so so good. the back and forth, cat and mouse dynamic they had at first had me actually screaming. i also love a “he falls first” trope and faust was down BAD for cat - it had me genuinely kicking my feet, giggling, twirling my hair, sliding down the wall, etc. every other page like oh my god?? madge knows how to write tension and banter between two intelligent characters and i truly eat it up every time.
similar to slipstream, the paddock club deals with formula 1 in a very nuanced way. as a fan of the sport, madge does a great job at writing her love for racing into the pages while also not shying away from (very valid) critiques about the sport itself and the socioeconomic divide within the world of f1. also these books are accurate regarding the rules of f1, which is very much appreciated!!
i also really resonated with how cat’s grief, especially for her grandmother, was portrayed. i was crying right alongside her and highlighted so many quotes that really got me.
also: “you’re the reason people keep lights on” iykyk!!!!!!
overall, PLEASE read these books and add them to your tbr if you haven’t already. they’re so, so well written and are such beautiful stories. if you’re a fan of f1 you’ll love them and if you are unfamiliar with f1, these books are accessible and a fun introduction to the sport.
Want to Read
April 24, 2026
*Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me an E-Arc in exchange for an honest review!*
One of the tropes are F1 driver x professional heartbreaker. I love professional heartbreakers!!! I'm so looking forward to this.
One of the tropes are F1 driver x professional heartbreaker. I love professional heartbreakers!!! I'm so looking forward to this.
April 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
The premise of this book jumped out at me right away, and as an F1 girlie myself who really liked Slipstream, I knew I had to read this ASAP. Unfortunately, this one simply didn’t click with me. We follow Cat Cromwell as she fake dates and breaks heart for a living - her newest mark is formula 1 driver Bernard Baudelaire and when she begins the ruse, she’s intrigued by Faust, the driver she is styling. Throughout the book, the two of them speak a few times, have some tension that I personally couldn’t see, and eventually fall for each other. My biggest issue was the timing - it moved incredibly quickly and I feel like there was nothing to back it up, just a whole lot of unnecessary angst.
Everything felt a little choppy, out of place, and overall confusing if I’m being completely honest. Luckily the characters had some depth, because that was one of the redeeming factors for me. I didn’t dislike it by any means, but I didn’t love it. I can see this 100% being other people’s cup of tea though, so if it sounds interesting to you, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.
The premise of this book jumped out at me right away, and as an F1 girlie myself who really liked Slipstream, I knew I had to read this ASAP. Unfortunately, this one simply didn’t click with me. We follow Cat Cromwell as she fake dates and breaks heart for a living - her newest mark is formula 1 driver Bernard Baudelaire and when she begins the ruse, she’s intrigued by Faust, the driver she is styling. Throughout the book, the two of them speak a few times, have some tension that I personally couldn’t see, and eventually fall for each other. My biggest issue was the timing - it moved incredibly quickly and I feel like there was nothing to back it up, just a whole lot of unnecessary angst.
Everything felt a little choppy, out of place, and overall confusing if I’m being completely honest. Luckily the characters had some depth, because that was one of the redeeming factors for me. I didn’t dislike it by any means, but I didn’t love it. I can see this 100% being other people’s cup of tea though, so if it sounds interesting to you, I’d definitely recommend giving it a go.
May 29, 2026
Finally!! A new 5 star read!! This book hooked me from the very beginning with Madge’s engaging writing. I was obsessed with Cat from the start as the fmc and I ended up relating to her more than I thought possible. As an eldest daughter and a high risk cancer patient, her character meant a lot to me. Her character development by the end was SO GOOD and had me actually a little teary.
Obviously I absolutely loved Faust and how DOWN BAD that man was for Cat!! He was quiet but fierce in his love and support for her and I loved watching their love story unfold. It was different from other romances I’ve read and I loved that so much.
The plot was unique and really fun. It made this book even more than just a romance for me which really added to my enjoyment of the book. There was so much drama that I had to keep reading every second I could. I stayed up late to read this, which I rarely do anymore.
I just really loved everything about this! The writing, the characters, the plot, the development, it was all so good. Emotional and relatable but still a really fun time. Thank you so much to the publisher for the arc 🩷
Obviously I absolutely loved Faust and how DOWN BAD that man was for Cat!! He was quiet but fierce in his love and support for her and I loved watching their love story unfold. It was different from other romances I’ve read and I loved that so much.
The plot was unique and really fun. It made this book even more than just a romance for me which really added to my enjoyment of the book. There was so much drama that I had to keep reading every second I could. I stayed up late to read this, which I rarely do anymore.
I just really loved everything about this! The writing, the characters, the plot, the development, it was all so good. Emotional and relatable but still a really fun time. Thank you so much to the publisher for the arc 🩷
March 25, 2026
Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the eARC of The Paddock Club.
Love! Love! Love! Madge Maril absolutely nailed The Paddock Club, the second book in her Slipstream series. This story was the perfect mix of F1 and romance with a male main character who absolutely yearns for our FMC. I loved the premise of Cat being a work for hire girl who breaks men’s hearts only to find her match with Faust. Their relationship and all the things Faust does along the way to show he cares had me kicking my feet. This novel was also the perfect way to pass the time while waiting for F1 to return. This is a summer must read! 5⭐️
Love! Love! Love! Madge Maril absolutely nailed The Paddock Club, the second book in her Slipstream series. This story was the perfect mix of F1 and romance with a male main character who absolutely yearns for our FMC. I loved the premise of Cat being a work for hire girl who breaks men’s hearts only to find her match with Faust. Their relationship and all the things Faust does along the way to show he cares had me kicking my feet. This novel was also the perfect way to pass the time while waiting for F1 to return. This is a summer must read! 5⭐️
December 12, 2025
I was thrilled to receive an ARC of this book from the author. Madge really grew as a writer here. Slipstream was shiny and new and a feel-good time to read, but with the Paddock Club you can really tell that Madge let loose and had a ton of fun writing these characters. It's kind of like her debut was her first-born and she was being so soft, gentle and loving with it, but the Paddock Club is like her wildchild secondborn that she lets be feral (positive) and unsupervised. I flew through this in two days because I could not stop reading it. It has a bit of an addictive quality. Congrats on Book #2, Madge!!!
April 9, 2026
4.5 ⭐️
I have never watched an F1 race but I’m apparently into reading about the sport.
Fans of Mariana Zapata I think would devour this.
Single POV
And the girl is clueless about the guys feelings. Yet we the reader just know.
I eat this up.
Little miss Cat has a unique job.
Breaking mens hearts for a living.
Secret identity
Lands a job for the team as a fashion gal
Faust, our driver.
Secretly obsessed.
Netgalley arc review ✨
I have never watched an F1 race but I’m apparently into reading about the sport.
Fans of Mariana Zapata I think would devour this.
Single POV
And the girl is clueless about the guys feelings. Yet we the reader just know.
I eat this up.
Little miss Cat has a unique job.
Breaking mens hearts for a living.
Secret identity
Lands a job for the team as a fashion gal
Faust, our driver.
Secretly obsessed.
Netgalley arc review ✨
Want to Read
June 5, 2025I need it. I want it. I'll get it.
March 5, 2026
6 stars for Cat & Faust!!!!!!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!
Madge Maril's sophomore novel, The Paddock Club is an absolutely delectable read. It follows Cat Cromwell, professional heartbreaker & Faust Ferreira Sanchez, F1 driver. When Cat is hired to break the heart of one of F1's golden boys, she unexpectedly crosses paths with Faust, who is determined to figure her out. What's the worst that could happen??? They fall in love? I sure hope so!
Cat is a character I found myself drawn to from the very beginning. She's a bit jaded on some fronts—love, men, & the wealthy being a few (can you blame her?). Her witty, charmingly awkward, & caring personality is easy to love. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to her fears surrounding love, her family, & her desire to be the one everyone can count on. Her grief is handled beautifully & with care, & I really admire how Madge incorporated it into her story/character. I adored getting to know her, see her growth & watch her open up as the story went on! Faust is a mysterious yet downright charming man who I absolutely love. He is unwaveringly caring, steady, safe, emotionally intelligent. I loved discovering parts of him & his backstory, learning about his life with F1. I adored seeing him unravel in the small intimate ways someone like him does as they fall in love. He fascinated & intrigued me & I just wanted to attach myself to his control-loving, soft-hearted soul & learn everything about him. I LOVE THEM BOTH BAD!!!
The romance! OH! THE ROMANCE!!! The Paddock Club is a masterclass in yearning. Truly. Cat & Faust have an unreal amount of chemistry & tension that feels like a real, living thing throughout the entirety of this story. It was almost mind-boggling just how much these two understood each other, and how well they were able to unravel each other. If I could describe them in one word it would be: inevitable. See also: soulmates, hot, fated, and Hot. I love them. I love their love story, albeit a wee bit unconventional. I love how much they both want it each other, so much so it's almost sickening!!!! THE JOURNAL! i'm going to cry right now.
I can't recommend this one enough!!! Add it to your tbr NOW!!!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!
Madge Maril's sophomore novel, The Paddock Club is an absolutely delectable read. It follows Cat Cromwell, professional heartbreaker & Faust Ferreira Sanchez, F1 driver. When Cat is hired to break the heart of one of F1's golden boys, she unexpectedly crosses paths with Faust, who is determined to figure her out. What's the worst that could happen??? They fall in love? I sure hope so!
Cat is a character I found myself drawn to from the very beginning. She's a bit jaded on some fronts—love, men, & the wealthy being a few (can you blame her?). Her witty, charmingly awkward, & caring personality is easy to love. I think a lot of people will be able to relate to her fears surrounding love, her family, & her desire to be the one everyone can count on. Her grief is handled beautifully & with care, & I really admire how Madge incorporated it into her story/character. I adored getting to know her, see her growth & watch her open up as the story went on! Faust is a mysterious yet downright charming man who I absolutely love. He is unwaveringly caring, steady, safe, emotionally intelligent. I loved discovering parts of him & his backstory, learning about his life with F1. I adored seeing him unravel in the small intimate ways someone like him does as they fall in love. He fascinated & intrigued me & I just wanted to attach myself to his control-loving, soft-hearted soul & learn everything about him. I LOVE THEM BOTH BAD!!!
The romance! OH! THE ROMANCE!!! The Paddock Club is a masterclass in yearning. Truly. Cat & Faust have an unreal amount of chemistry & tension that feels like a real, living thing throughout the entirety of this story. It was almost mind-boggling just how much these two understood each other, and how well they were able to unravel each other. If I could describe them in one word it would be: inevitable. See also: soulmates, hot, fated, and Hot. I love them. I love their love story, albeit a wee bit unconventional. I love how much they both want it each other, so much so it's almost sickening!!!! THE JOURNAL! i'm going to cry right now.
I can't recommend this one enough!!! Add it to your tbr NOW!!!
March 5, 2026
Rating: 5 Stars
The Paddock Club is everything I could ask for in a romance and MORE. Ever since I became a fan of Formula 1, I've been hoping to find a romance set in that world that truly captures the excitement and emotion of the sport. I've tried a couple other books, but none have managed to pull me in until THIS BOOK. From the very first chapters, I was absolutely enamored. I immediately knew this was going to be a favorite for me. This completely delivered everything I wanted from an F1 book, and right before the new season starts!
Faust is, without question, the standard for MMCs. Truly. I do not think anyone will ever compare. The way he listened to Cat, cared for her, and consistently showed up in his perfect brooding way made my heart melt. He was so attentive, thoughtful and present in a way that felt so refreshing compared to other sports romances. I have a personal vendetta against reformed playboy, so anytime a sports romance doesn't lean into that I am VERY happy.
One of my absolute favorite things in this book was the glimpses we got into his journal. Those scenes added such a soft and intimate layer to his character that made me fall in love with him even more. I was legit SQUEALING at every entry. Such a unique and fun way to add in a bit of the male POV without being too much.
This book completely reignited my excitement for F1 romances. It was so perfect and Faust is now one of my fav MMCs ever. I will immediately be picking up a copy of Slipstream, Madge Maril is now an auto buy author after this!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
The Paddock Club is everything I could ask for in a romance and MORE. Ever since I became a fan of Formula 1, I've been hoping to find a romance set in that world that truly captures the excitement and emotion of the sport. I've tried a couple other books, but none have managed to pull me in until THIS BOOK. From the very first chapters, I was absolutely enamored. I immediately knew this was going to be a favorite for me. This completely delivered everything I wanted from an F1 book, and right before the new season starts!
Faust is, without question, the standard for MMCs. Truly. I do not think anyone will ever compare. The way he listened to Cat, cared for her, and consistently showed up in his perfect brooding way made my heart melt. He was so attentive, thoughtful and present in a way that felt so refreshing compared to other sports romances. I have a personal vendetta against reformed playboy, so anytime a sports romance doesn't lean into that I am VERY happy.
One of my absolute favorite things in this book was the glimpses we got into his journal. Those scenes added such a soft and intimate layer to his character that made me fall in love with him even more. I was legit SQUEALING at every entry. Such a unique and fun way to add in a bit of the male POV without being too much.
This book completely reignited my excitement for F1 romances. It was so perfect and Faust is now one of my fav MMCs ever. I will immediately be picking up a copy of Slipstream, Madge Maril is now an auto buy author after this!
Thank you to Netgalley and Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!
June 7, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinions!
This is the second book in a series and while encouraged, it’s not necessary to read the first book!
Cat Cromwell is like the Robin Hood of dating; if you have a terrible rich man who needs to be publicly embarrassed and shamed, she is your girl. Until she meets her long time crush and ultra famous Formula 1 driver Fausto while working a job. She runs into him again while doing another job (aka dating his former friend and current rival) and he is instantly intrigued.
Cat is an wonderfully layered character; an eldest daughter and sister who holds everything together after the passing of her mother and grandmother. Faust too is a unique character who sees thru every lie and half truth Cat puts before him. They have a true cat and mouse relationship until they decide to give in. I love that the only insight we get into the inner workings of his mind are thru his journal entries. He’s so observant and serious but also so caring and kind with Cat.
This book seamlessly blends high fashion and Formula 1 racing which made for an easy and interesting read.
This is the second book in a series and while encouraged, it’s not necessary to read the first book!
Cat Cromwell is like the Robin Hood of dating; if you have a terrible rich man who needs to be publicly embarrassed and shamed, she is your girl. Until she meets her long time crush and ultra famous Formula 1 driver Fausto while working a job. She runs into him again while doing another job (aka dating his former friend and current rival) and he is instantly intrigued.
Cat is an wonderfully layered character; an eldest daughter and sister who holds everything together after the passing of her mother and grandmother. Faust too is a unique character who sees thru every lie and half truth Cat puts before him. They have a true cat and mouse relationship until they decide to give in. I love that the only insight we get into the inner workings of his mind are thru his journal entries. He’s so observant and serious but also so caring and kind with Cat.
This book seamlessly blends high fashion and Formula 1 racing which made for an easy and interesting read.
April 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the early review copy! I was very excited to receive an early copy of *The Paddock Club* after enjoying *SlipStream*.
This novel follows Cat, who is hired to break the heart of serial fiancé and F1 driver Bernard Boudalaire after he leaves yet another woman at the altar. Working undercover for an F1 team, Cat's plan begins to unravel when Bernard exits her team, leading her to work with a quiet driver named Faust.
I found *SlipStream* to be more enjoyable than this one. The premise of Cat being paid to break people's hearts felt a bit far-fetched to me, and I thought we spent too much time in her unrealistic romantic situation instead of focusing on the potential real romance with Faust. For the story to be believable, I felt that Cat needed to actually date Bernard for a longer period. Additionally, I struggled to connect with either Faust or Cat due to the confusing storyline. However, I did like Faust and wished I could have felt a stronger emotional connection to him. I admire Cat for her dedication to taking care of her family.
This novel follows Cat, who is hired to break the heart of serial fiancé and F1 driver Bernard Boudalaire after he leaves yet another woman at the altar. Working undercover for an F1 team, Cat's plan begins to unravel when Bernard exits her team, leading her to work with a quiet driver named Faust.
I found *SlipStream* to be more enjoyable than this one. The premise of Cat being paid to break people's hearts felt a bit far-fetched to me, and I thought we spent too much time in her unrealistic romantic situation instead of focusing on the potential real romance with Faust. For the story to be believable, I felt that Cat needed to actually date Bernard for a longer period. Additionally, I struggled to connect with either Faust or Cat due to the confusing storyline. However, I did like Faust and wished I could have felt a stronger emotional connection to him. I admire Cat for her dedication to taking care of her family.
Want to Read
February 11, 2026preread: guess who got the arc? me! ♡ ︎
April 10, 2026
I love the slipstream universe and I never want to leave. I LOVE THEM SO MUCH. Cat and Faust are my angel babies and I need them more than I need air or food.
February 11, 2026
I’m calling it now. The Paddock Club is going to be one of my favorite books of 2026. I loved this so much. The plot was well written, the characters were great, and I’m obsessed with Faust. Cat was so relatable and I wish I could fall into a job like that accidentally (fashion, not getting paid to break hearts). I also really loved a peek behind the curtain of luxury of F1 and fashion.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ebook in exchange for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ebook in exchange for an honest review, all opinions expressed are my own.
June 25, 2026
eARC and physical arc|
Heartbreak and lipstick and fast cars oh my!
This book was a masterclass in intentionality. Every word, reference, and scene felt perfectly placed. To put it simply, Madge Maril is the voice we need in romance right now. The Paddock Club is feminist, detailed, and well-researched; with a modern day Robin Hood for those of us who carry our lip liner as a sword.
Maril takes the idea of an F1 romance and brings the magnifying glass closer. This book begs us to examine and confront the sheer wealth that keeps the sport afloat. The way the story effortlessly is able to discuss class and wealth while still being steamy and full of heart is a feat.
Cat and Faust are truly examples of people with a hard shell and a soft center. The character work done with these two really allows the story to flow through themes of grief, vulnerability, class, and loyalty. They not only play each other in chess literally but they play each other in the way guarded people always do. Throughout, the story we get to watch the push and pull of them. Watch them carefully arrange pieces on a board until they finally admit that they are on the same team.
This is a love story for those with buckets of loyalty and walls built to high heaven. It’s a story about not only finding the person who can see right through you but what it means to allow yourself to be seen. To be known and cared for.
If I loved this book less I’d be able to talk about it more. Just look at me and my 500+ highlights.
Heartbreak and lipstick and fast cars oh my!
This book was a masterclass in intentionality. Every word, reference, and scene felt perfectly placed. To put it simply, Madge Maril is the voice we need in romance right now. The Paddock Club is feminist, detailed, and well-researched; with a modern day Robin Hood for those of us who carry our lip liner as a sword.
Maril takes the idea of an F1 romance and brings the magnifying glass closer. This book begs us to examine and confront the sheer wealth that keeps the sport afloat. The way the story effortlessly is able to discuss class and wealth while still being steamy and full of heart is a feat.
Cat and Faust are truly examples of people with a hard shell and a soft center. The character work done with these two really allows the story to flow through themes of grief, vulnerability, class, and loyalty. They not only play each other in chess literally but they play each other in the way guarded people always do. Throughout, the story we get to watch the push and pull of them. Watch them carefully arrange pieces on a board until they finally admit that they are on the same team.
This is a love story for those with buckets of loyalty and walls built to high heaven. It’s a story about not only finding the person who can see right through you but what it means to allow yourself to be seen. To be known and cared for.
If I loved this book less I’d be able to talk about it more. Just look at me and my 500+ highlights.
Want to Read
September 10, 2025I need this like I need air.
April 10, 2026
y’all are not ready
June 7, 2026
Thank you for the e-arc Simon and Schuster!
I love F1 Romances but you know what I love most F1 romances with jealousy scenes!
The Paddock Club is absolutely your next favorite F1 romance. Cat Cromwell is a fashion influencer by day and by night a professional heartbreaker. Her job has always been detached from who she really is, practically making her invisible to everyone.
That is until she bumps into Faust Sanchez, suddenly the walls she's so carefully crafted around herself begin to shake as he pursues to find out the truth about her.
Cat and Faust have undeniable chemistry, their attraction is built by the pure mystery that these two pose towards one another. It is absolutely delicious. Cat's most assignment has her closer to Faust than she would like. As she actively tries to get close to his rival, the more visible Faust's presences is.
I like my men absolutely downbad obsessed and that is exactly the role Faust has. This is a man that pays attention to the small details and notices things you wouldn't expect him to. He is attentive and committed. The minute you get a glimpse into his thoughts, you find yourself falling for him even harder.
Cat is a intriguing FMC, her past is something she vaguely speaks about due to the facade she's built around herself. Her mission as a professional heartbreaker resonates, because truly fuck the rich. I liked the intentional conversation around health care, the lack of affordability and access is something that is persistent in our society. I would have liked to see this conversation be more drawn out towards the end but regardless still think that Madge did a great job at portraying this.
F1 romance girlies, this is a book you don't want to miss!
I love F1 Romances but you know what I love most F1 romances with jealousy scenes!
The Paddock Club is absolutely your next favorite F1 romance. Cat Cromwell is a fashion influencer by day and by night a professional heartbreaker. Her job has always been detached from who she really is, practically making her invisible to everyone.
That is until she bumps into Faust Sanchez, suddenly the walls she's so carefully crafted around herself begin to shake as he pursues to find out the truth about her.
Cat and Faust have undeniable chemistry, their attraction is built by the pure mystery that these two pose towards one another. It is absolutely delicious. Cat's most assignment has her closer to Faust than she would like. As she actively tries to get close to his rival, the more visible Faust's presences is.
I like my men absolutely downbad obsessed and that is exactly the role Faust has. This is a man that pays attention to the small details and notices things you wouldn't expect him to. He is attentive and committed. The minute you get a glimpse into his thoughts, you find yourself falling for him even harder.
Cat is a intriguing FMC, her past is something she vaguely speaks about due to the facade she's built around herself. Her mission as a professional heartbreaker resonates, because truly fuck the rich. I liked the intentional conversation around health care, the lack of affordability and access is something that is persistent in our society. I would have liked to see this conversation be more drawn out towards the end but regardless still think that Madge did a great job at portraying this.
F1 romance girlies, this is a book you don't want to miss!
February 5, 2026
When I opened the email from Simon and Schuster’s Marketing team and saw that I was invited to read Madge Maril’s new Formula 1 romance—well, squealed in excitement is one way of putting it. I proceeded to drop everything I was reading to disappear into the pages of The Paddock Club.
And I’m so glad I did.
I’m placing this novel in the “books I wish I could read for the first time again” category because “I loved it” isn’t a strong enough phrase for how I feel. Much like Slipstream, this book made me laugh, cry, and squeal, all while kicking my feet. I felt butterflies in my stomach on more than one occasion, and it was all because of the electric story Maril penned on page.
Madge Maril is in a league of her own when it comes to Formula 1 romances. Her writing is funny and honest. I lost track of how many sentences I highlighted because I adored the prose so much. Much like her first novel, Maril made Formula 1 accessible to readers who may not be fans of the sport. It was easy to see how much love she has for the sport, and how many honest and valid critiques she has of it, too. Cat was the perfect narrator to usher the reader through the commentary on Formula 1, as she was a woman with a foot in both the normal experience and the upper-class experience of Formula 1. The commentary wasn’t overdone, either. It was a beautiful sub-current to the stories unfolding on the page.
Despite this novel laying out commentary about how socioeconomic classes come face-to-face at a Formula 1 race, there was also a lot of pure joy to be found in the pages of this story. An element I was surprised to enjoy was Cat’s love for fashion and how Maril wrote about it. With Maril’s history as a fashion writer, I enjoyed seeing how fashion is an art form and it’s a tool one can use express oneself. Additionally, there was the joy of watching a romance unfold on page, while enjoying a “he fell first” trope. While Cat and Faust’s romance was the cornerstone to this novel—the cat and mouse game was so fun to read about—I can’t deny that Cat’s character arc was the true triumph of this story.
The characters felt incredibly realistic and were easy to connect with; much of that realism was due to their very human faults. Cat, our female Robin Hood, needed to be in control and enjoying taking on the patriarchy in the funniest way: by starting a business in helping women get revenge on the partners who broke their hearts. She had a strong incentive for going down this path, though. While a big part of her motivation was to make enough money for her family to safely chase after their dreams, the other part was Cat running away from herself and her grief. Grief and the control that arises because of the fallout from grief are themes any reader can relate to, and both were handled with care and intention. Faust, our male love interest, was the perfect foil to Cat. Inquisitive, kind, he balanced Cat and pushed her to grow into an even better person. (Honestly, Cat and Faust have become one of my favorite fictional couples!)
I adore a romance novel that discusses more than the, well, the romance. When these novels step beyond the love plot-line and explore how that love helps a character change for a better—that is where a romance novel shines. Cat (Arcadia’s) story was no exception to that. A novel exploring the contours of loving yourself will always be a story that finds a special place in this reader’s heart.
I hope Madge Maril continues penning romance novels because she’s made a fan out of me. Whether or not she returns to Formula 1 or sports romances doesn’t matter. What does matter is continuing to explore new characters, new romances, and new stories with her addicting and gorgeous writing style.
Now if you’ll kindly excuse this reader, I need to go reread this novel from the beginning because I simply cannot get enough of Cat and Faust’s story.
P.S. I wouldn’t be opposed to the addition of an epilogue to the published version of this novel. I would give anything to see another ten pages of their story!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
And I’m so glad I did.
I’m placing this novel in the “books I wish I could read for the first time again” category because “I loved it” isn’t a strong enough phrase for how I feel. Much like Slipstream, this book made me laugh, cry, and squeal, all while kicking my feet. I felt butterflies in my stomach on more than one occasion, and it was all because of the electric story Maril penned on page.
Madge Maril is in a league of her own when it comes to Formula 1 romances. Her writing is funny and honest. I lost track of how many sentences I highlighted because I adored the prose so much. Much like her first novel, Maril made Formula 1 accessible to readers who may not be fans of the sport. It was easy to see how much love she has for the sport, and how many honest and valid critiques she has of it, too. Cat was the perfect narrator to usher the reader through the commentary on Formula 1, as she was a woman with a foot in both the normal experience and the upper-class experience of Formula 1. The commentary wasn’t overdone, either. It was a beautiful sub-current to the stories unfolding on the page.
Despite this novel laying out commentary about how socioeconomic classes come face-to-face at a Formula 1 race, there was also a lot of pure joy to be found in the pages of this story. An element I was surprised to enjoy was Cat’s love for fashion and how Maril wrote about it. With Maril’s history as a fashion writer, I enjoyed seeing how fashion is an art form and it’s a tool one can use express oneself. Additionally, there was the joy of watching a romance unfold on page, while enjoying a “he fell first” trope. While Cat and Faust’s romance was the cornerstone to this novel—the cat and mouse game was so fun to read about—I can’t deny that Cat’s character arc was the true triumph of this story.
The characters felt incredibly realistic and were easy to connect with; much of that realism was due to their very human faults. Cat, our female Robin Hood, needed to be in control and enjoying taking on the patriarchy in the funniest way: by starting a business in helping women get revenge on the partners who broke their hearts. She had a strong incentive for going down this path, though. While a big part of her motivation was to make enough money for her family to safely chase after their dreams, the other part was Cat running away from herself and her grief. Grief and the control that arises because of the fallout from grief are themes any reader can relate to, and both were handled with care and intention. Faust, our male love interest, was the perfect foil to Cat. Inquisitive, kind, he balanced Cat and pushed her to grow into an even better person. (Honestly, Cat and Faust have become one of my favorite fictional couples!)
I adore a romance novel that discusses more than the, well, the romance. When these novels step beyond the love plot-line and explore how that love helps a character change for a better—that is where a romance novel shines. Cat (Arcadia’s) story was no exception to that. A novel exploring the contours of loving yourself will always be a story that finds a special place in this reader’s heart.
I hope Madge Maril continues penning romance novels because she’s made a fan out of me. Whether or not she returns to Formula 1 or sports romances doesn’t matter. What does matter is continuing to explore new characters, new romances, and new stories with her addicting and gorgeous writing style.
Now if you’ll kindly excuse this reader, I need to go reread this novel from the beginning because I simply cannot get enough of Cat and Faust’s story.
P.S. I wouldn’t be opposed to the addition of an epilogue to the published version of this novel. I would give anything to see another ten pages of their story!
Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
July 9, 2026
This was such a fun and unique take on an F1 romance! If you enjoy Formula 1, slow-burn romance, and a heroine with a mission, this one is definitely worth picking up.
Cat is a successful model with an unconventional side business—helping women get revenge on the men who broke their hearts. When she’s hired to take down Bernard after he leaves his fiancée, Imogene, at the altar, Cat lands a job as a stylist for an F1 team so she can get close enough to make him fall for her… only to break his heart.
Things don’t exactly go according to plan when Bernard leaves the team, putting Cat’s mission in jeopardy. Enter Faust.
Cat has been an F1 fan her entire life and has secretly had a crush on Faust for years. Faust quickly figures out what Cat is trying to accomplish, and since he has his own reasons for disliking Bernard, he’s more than happy to sit back and watch her plan unfold. But the more time Cat and Faust spend together, the harder it becomes to keep things strictly business.
I really enjoyed the chemistry between Cat and Faust. Their relationship developed naturally, and I loved that Faust never tried to force anything. He was patient, supportive, and easy to root for. The Formula 1 setting added a fun backdrop, and the revenge plot kept things entertaining from start to finish.
This is a lower-spice romance with plenty of banter, tension, and heart. If you enjoy F1 romances, slow burns, revenge plots, and a hero who quietly falls first, this one is definitely worth adding to your TBR.
July 2, 2026
I am struggling to remember who sent me this e-arc because I’m currently coming to you with tears and snot running down my face. But thanks to the lovely publisher.
Set against the backdrop of the high octane world of Formula One, The Paddock Club is more than just a sports romance.
It’s refreshingly honest about the 1% who live in the racing bubble.
It’s a love letter to women who are bold and independent, grieving and lost, and who don’t think they deserve their happy-ever-after.
It’ll sweep you off your feet but also sucker punch you right back down to earth when you read a passage that could’ve been pulled right out of your brain.
It’s for the eldest daughters, the perfectionists, the ones who run at the first sign of something good; the avoidants, the women who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders.
On the face of it, yeah, sure - it’s a super fun concept about a woman who loves to ruin the lives of shitty men (amen tbh), but delve a bit deeper and you’ll find it’s far more than that - about accepting the love you deserve, relinquishing control and letting the universe take you exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Set against the backdrop of the high octane world of Formula One, The Paddock Club is more than just a sports romance.
It’s refreshingly honest about the 1% who live in the racing bubble.
It’s a love letter to women who are bold and independent, grieving and lost, and who don’t think they deserve their happy-ever-after.
It’ll sweep you off your feet but also sucker punch you right back down to earth when you read a passage that could’ve been pulled right out of your brain.
It’s for the eldest daughters, the perfectionists, the ones who run at the first sign of something good; the avoidants, the women who feel the weight of the world on their shoulders.
On the face of it, yeah, sure - it’s a super fun concept about a woman who loves to ruin the lives of shitty men (amen tbh), but delve a bit deeper and you’ll find it’s far more than that - about accepting the love you deserve, relinquishing control and letting the universe take you exactly where you’re supposed to be.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
What’s it about?
Cat gets paid to make men fall in love with her and break their hearts. And when she gets hired for her biggest client yet—F1 driver Bernard, she’s ready for the challenge. She gets a job as an F1 stylist to get close to him.
Everything is lining up perfectly, at least until she realizes her longtime F1 crush Faust is on the team too. And then Bernard quits and moves to another team. And Faust knows Cat isn’t quite what she seems.
My thoughts:
Madge writes such amazing slow burns. The chemistry, the teasing, the pining. Tall, dark, handsome, F1 driver who yearns? Perfection.
This story is a lot of fun. I enjoyed the look into the wealth behind F1. Cat’s role as a stylist was enjoyable and so interesting. Faust is a shadow daddy without magic, and I take no criticism on this. I loved how broody and talented he is, and how much he wants Cat for her true self.
I also really enjoyed all the aspects of family relationships in this book. Cat has been rubbing from her family for a long time, and I love how all of that resolves.
This book is amazing. You need it!
Cat gets paid to make men fall in love with her and break their hearts. And when she gets hired for her biggest client yet—F1 driver Bernard, she’s ready for the challenge. She gets a job as an F1 stylist to get close to him.
Everything is lining up perfectly, at least until she realizes her longtime F1 crush Faust is on the team too. And then Bernard quits and moves to another team. And Faust knows Cat isn’t quite what she seems.
My thoughts:
Madge writes such amazing slow burns. The chemistry, the teasing, the pining. Tall, dark, handsome, F1 driver who yearns? Perfection.
This story is a lot of fun. I enjoyed the look into the wealth behind F1. Cat’s role as a stylist was enjoyable and so interesting. Faust is a shadow daddy without magic, and I take no criticism on this. I loved how broody and talented he is, and how much he wants Cat for her true self.
I also really enjoyed all the aspects of family relationships in this book. Cat has been rubbing from her family for a long time, and I love how all of that resolves.
This book is amazing. You need it!
March 8, 2026
I really love Madge’s writing. I know literally nothing about the actual F1 world, but I love everything that she’s created in her own universe! I loved that we got to see a little bit of Arthur and Lilah!! And this one was a treat!
I LOVED Cat and Faust. Their chemistry was delicious! They had such a good connection, even when they were skirting around each other, even when they were trying to figure each other out!! And then when Cat did finally give in and tell Faust everything…they just were so gooooood! And I loved how much Faust wanted to take care of her, she desperately needed that!! He really was able to give her a way to find herself again.
I really struggled through the first half, and I don’t quite know why. I just felt like I was missing something? And that could really just be because of the nature of Cat’s entire life - that there is mystery and there are things missing that we don’t know about her. And it was written WELL don’t get me wrong, I do think it was a me issue not a book issue!
With that said!! I will keep reading whatever Madge writes because I love her!!
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
I LOVED Cat and Faust. Their chemistry was delicious! They had such a good connection, even when they were skirting around each other, even when they were trying to figure each other out!! And then when Cat did finally give in and tell Faust everything…they just were so gooooood! And I loved how much Faust wanted to take care of her, she desperately needed that!! He really was able to give her a way to find herself again.
I really struggled through the first half, and I don’t quite know why. I just felt like I was missing something? And that could really just be because of the nature of Cat’s entire life - that there is mystery and there are things missing that we don’t know about her. And it was written WELL don’t get me wrong, I do think it was a me issue not a book issue!
With that said!! I will keep reading whatever Madge writes because I love her!!
Thanks to Simon and Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
February 25, 2026
I personally went into this book knowing it would be different than the first one, just based on the cover alone. I am so glad I did that, because this is unlike any other F1 romance book I have read before. Our female MC breaks up with men for work, to get revenge on women who have been done dirty. That itself is an interesting premise, and it definitely caught my attention from the beginning. Additionally, I can't say I saw the plotline coming. This is by no means a cliche romance, and I truly appreciated that. This book does not feel like a copy and paste plotline, which is funnnn. I am pretty neutral on my own opinions on this book. It was not my favorite, but it was by no means bad at all!!! I think it may not have been a read for me, but for so many others I know it will be. Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read an early copy of this book!
May 30, 2026
I have post-book depression because I finished this 5 star read.
Sports F1 romance with a sizzling slow burn paired with a hot game of cat-and-mouse (or should I say Faust). I love to read when a man is down bad since day one.
I also love Madge’s writing SO MUCH. Equal parts witty and thoughtful. Her pop culture references stick out as some of my favorite.
Combining the signature tropes we all love in romance while hitting on some relevant controversial topics with ease and insight in such a natural way. Madge doesn’t shy away from showing us the flaws in a sport that she loves so much.
Sports F1 romance with a sizzling slow burn paired with a hot game of cat-and-mouse (or should I say Faust). I love to read when a man is down bad since day one.
I also love Madge’s writing SO MUCH. Equal parts witty and thoughtful. Her pop culture references stick out as some of my favorite.
Combining the signature tropes we all love in romance while hitting on some relevant controversial topics with ease and insight in such a natural way. Madge doesn’t shy away from showing us the flaws in a sport that she loves so much.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
If there's someone who did you wrong in a romantic way... Cat is who you call. She is a chameleon and makes herself forgettable. She is a professional heartbreaker, and she is working for an F1 team to get close to a driver.
Faust is another driver who is grumpy and remembers meeting her previously at a wedding.
The concept of this was interesting, and I enjoyed certain parts of this. Unfortunately, the middle felt choppy and disjointed, which took me out of the story.
Tropes:
Forbidden
Forced proximity
Fmc "Maneater" vibes
F1
If there's someone who did you wrong in a romantic way... Cat is who you call. She is a chameleon and makes herself forgettable. She is a professional heartbreaker, and she is working for an F1 team to get close to a driver.
Faust is another driver who is grumpy and remembers meeting her previously at a wedding.
The concept of this was interesting, and I enjoyed certain parts of this. Unfortunately, the middle felt choppy and disjointed, which took me out of the story.
Tropes:
Forbidden
Forced proximity
Fmc "Maneater" vibes
F1
February 26, 2026
4.5/5 ✨
European Summer Fantasies: Loading...Please wait as I book a flight to Europe
Review of Advance Copy Received from NetGalley
Beyond the dreamy romantic European setting, this book beautifully captures the essence of loving others so deeply we forget to allow ourselves to feel loved in return.
Cat is a complex character, one I wasn’t sure I would be able to relate to at first. She initially comes across as vapid, self-centered, and overly fake. As the story progresses we truly see her for who she is behind that mask: someone who just wants to give and protect others so abundantly that she forgets about herself along the way.
Now, do not let the hidden emotional depths of this love story drag you away from reading it because my goodness...Faust Ferreira Sanchez. Now that, is a man you’re gonna wanna witness for yourself.
Faust is equally complex, but in a way I would describe as “well-rounded”. He is aware of his shortcomings and isn’t afraid to articulate his thoughts. Even if it’s over an impromptu game of chess.
Tropes:
~ Grumpy x Sunshine
~ Forced Proximity
~He’s Obsessed
A huge thank you goes out to Madge Maril, Simon & Schuster team, as well as NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did.
European Summer Fantasies: Loading...Please wait as I book a flight to Europe
Review of Advance Copy Received from NetGalley
Beyond the dreamy romantic European setting, this book beautifully captures the essence of loving others so deeply we forget to allow ourselves to feel loved in return.
Cat is a complex character, one I wasn’t sure I would be able to relate to at first. She initially comes across as vapid, self-centered, and overly fake. As the story progresses we truly see her for who she is behind that mask: someone who just wants to give and protect others so abundantly that she forgets about herself along the way.
Now, do not let the hidden emotional depths of this love story drag you away from reading it because my goodness...Faust Ferreira Sanchez. Now that, is a man you’re gonna wanna witness for yourself.
Faust is equally complex, but in a way I would describe as “well-rounded”. He is aware of his shortcomings and isn’t afraid to articulate his thoughts. Even if it’s over an impromptu game of chess.
Tropes:
~ Grumpy x Sunshine
~ Forced Proximity
~He’s Obsessed
A huge thank you goes out to Madge Maril, Simon & Schuster team, as well as NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The Paddock Club by Madge Maril: The Formula 1 Romance That Isn’t Afraid to Critique Formula 1
Full Review at World Review of Books
Most Formula 1 romances ask readers to fall in love with the glamour of the paddock.
The Paddock Club certainly understands that allure: the speed, the spectacle, the impossible proximity to a sport that has inspired generations of fans. But Madge Maril’s sophomore novel refuses to romanticise that world uncritically. Instead, it asks a more interesting question: what does it cost to exist inside a sport built on extraordinary privilege, and what happens when the people who love that sport aren’t the ones it was designed for?
That tension sits at the heart of — and is embodied with gusto by — Cat Cromwell.
"I’m not a good person. What I am, though, is a good woman…Saying sorry when you’re not sorry, styling your hair within an inch of its life, choosing silence so you can be invisible, so you can do whatever you want."
When we first meet Cat, she already makes a living performing versions of herself. Her job involves pretending to date wealthy, often unpleasant men on behalf of women they’ve wronged, a deliciously inventive premise that immediately establishes performance as both livelihood and survival mechanism.
It’s a wonderfully playful setup, but Maril quickly reveals that beneath the humour lies something much heavier. Cat moves through life surrounded by carefully maintained lies, so much so that they’ve begun to shape the way she understands herself.
What makes Cat such a compelling protagonist is that she isn’t defined by one singular White Rabbit event. Contemporary romance often gravitates towards a single life-altering moment that explains everything about a character’s emotional landscape. Maril resists that temptation and delivers on it with much panache. Cat, instead, becomes the cumulative result of countless smaller moments: financial precarity, watching someone she loves move through the dungeon that is the American healthcare system, picking up pieces of her life in the aftermath of the medical horrors, repeatedly choosing self-sacrifice over self-preservation, quietly reshaping herself to fit whatever circumstances demanded of her.
She’s not broken by one catastrophe. She’s worn down by accumulation. That choice makes Cat feel startlingly real.
The novel’s commentary on class is equally nuanced. Rather than treating wealth simply as money, The Paddock Club understands it as access: access to opportunities, mistakes, second chances and the ability to solve one problem before it creates three more. Cat’s life demonstrates the opposite reality. Without those resources, setbacks rarely remain isolated. They multiply, each one quietly threatening the fragile architecture of ambitions, plans and dreams she’d painstakingly built for herself.
It’s also refreshing to see that class consciousness isn’t reserved solely for the heroine. Faust carries his own awareness of the world he’s inherited and the systems that sustain it. The resulting romance doesn’t ask readers to ignore inequality in favour of chemistry. Instead, it acknowledges those imbalances while allowing intimacy to develop honestly alongside them.
That honesty extends to Maril’s treatment of Formula 1 itself.
Like Slipstream before it, The Paddock Club is clearly written by someone who loves motorsport deeply enough to critique it. The novel understands that fandom doesn’t require blind devotion. If anything, genuine love for a sport demands a willingness to examine the structures that underpin it: the elitism, the exclusivity, the commercial ecosystem and the industries orbiting the racing itself.
Cat’s place within Formula 1’s fashion and branding world reinforces that broader perspective. Rather than focusing solely on what happens on the track, Maril pays equal attention to the secondary and tertiary ecosystems that make the sport what it is. The paddock becomes more than a glamorous backdrop; it becomes a living environment where ambition, branding, labour and privilege constantly intersect.
Perhaps my favourite thread running through the novel is watching Cat reconcile with something she loved long before she fully understood it. Her childlike awe at entering the paddock never entirely disappears, even as she becomes increasingly aware of the inequalities embedded within it. It’s a beautiful reflection of a much larger experience: recognising that the things we loved growing up were never perfect, yet finding ways to love them more honestly because of that knowledge rather than despite it.
Maril’s prose style is particularly well-suited to this kind of story.
Readers familiar with Slipstream will recognise her granular approach to interiority. Rather than summarising emotions, she lets them unfold in real time through Cat’s stream of consciousness. The effect is remarkably immersive. Instead of observing Cat from a distance, readers find themselves inhabiting her emotional landscape, feeling each hesitation, each compromise and each flicker of hope alongside her.
It’s writing that makes you feel as though you’ve crawled beneath the character’s skin.
At the same time, Maril never loses sight of the romance. The chemistry between Cat and Faust is palpable from their earliest interactions, sustained less by dramatic declarations than by careful observation, mutual understanding and an almost unbearable tension that lingers beneath every conversation. Their dynamic remains deeply entertaining even as the novel tackles considerably weightier themes, and because both characters arrive with fully lived-in histories, their relationship feels earned rather than idealised.
If I had one wish, it would simply be for more of Cat’s wonderfully theatrical alter ego. Watching her outwit terrible men through carefully constructed performances is so much fun as a concept that I found myself wanting even more of those moments before the story naturally expanded into its larger emotional concerns. But perhaps that’s also a testament to how fully realised Cat becomes.
She’s funny, resentful, vulnerable, resilient, contradictory and endlessly perceptive, a heroine who refuses to flatten herself into a single defining characteristic.
By the time the novel reaches its conclusion, The Paddock Club has become about far more than Formula 1 or even romance. It’s a story about identity, class, survival, reinvention and learning that loving something deeply doesn’t require pretending it’s flawless.
If anything, Madge Maril argues the opposite.
The deepest love is the kind that can look directly at the imperfections and choose to stay anyway.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance review copy (ARC). All opinions expressed are my own.
Full Review at World Review of Books
Most Formula 1 romances ask readers to fall in love with the glamour of the paddock.
The Paddock Club certainly understands that allure: the speed, the spectacle, the impossible proximity to a sport that has inspired generations of fans. But Madge Maril’s sophomore novel refuses to romanticise that world uncritically. Instead, it asks a more interesting question: what does it cost to exist inside a sport built on extraordinary privilege, and what happens when the people who love that sport aren’t the ones it was designed for?
That tension sits at the heart of — and is embodied with gusto by — Cat Cromwell.
"I’m not a good person. What I am, though, is a good woman…Saying sorry when you’re not sorry, styling your hair within an inch of its life, choosing silence so you can be invisible, so you can do whatever you want."
When we first meet Cat, she already makes a living performing versions of herself. Her job involves pretending to date wealthy, often unpleasant men on behalf of women they’ve wronged, a deliciously inventive premise that immediately establishes performance as both livelihood and survival mechanism.
It’s a wonderfully playful setup, but Maril quickly reveals that beneath the humour lies something much heavier. Cat moves through life surrounded by carefully maintained lies, so much so that they’ve begun to shape the way she understands herself.
What makes Cat such a compelling protagonist is that she isn’t defined by one singular White Rabbit event. Contemporary romance often gravitates towards a single life-altering moment that explains everything about a character’s emotional landscape. Maril resists that temptation and delivers on it with much panache. Cat, instead, becomes the cumulative result of countless smaller moments: financial precarity, watching someone she loves move through the dungeon that is the American healthcare system, picking up pieces of her life in the aftermath of the medical horrors, repeatedly choosing self-sacrifice over self-preservation, quietly reshaping herself to fit whatever circumstances demanded of her.
She’s not broken by one catastrophe. She’s worn down by accumulation. That choice makes Cat feel startlingly real.
The novel’s commentary on class is equally nuanced. Rather than treating wealth simply as money, The Paddock Club understands it as access: access to opportunities, mistakes, second chances and the ability to solve one problem before it creates three more. Cat’s life demonstrates the opposite reality. Without those resources, setbacks rarely remain isolated. They multiply, each one quietly threatening the fragile architecture of ambitions, plans and dreams she’d painstakingly built for herself.
It’s also refreshing to see that class consciousness isn’t reserved solely for the heroine. Faust carries his own awareness of the world he’s inherited and the systems that sustain it. The resulting romance doesn’t ask readers to ignore inequality in favour of chemistry. Instead, it acknowledges those imbalances while allowing intimacy to develop honestly alongside them.
That honesty extends to Maril’s treatment of Formula 1 itself.
Like Slipstream before it, The Paddock Club is clearly written by someone who loves motorsport deeply enough to critique it. The novel understands that fandom doesn’t require blind devotion. If anything, genuine love for a sport demands a willingness to examine the structures that underpin it: the elitism, the exclusivity, the commercial ecosystem and the industries orbiting the racing itself.
Cat’s place within Formula 1’s fashion and branding world reinforces that broader perspective. Rather than focusing solely on what happens on the track, Maril pays equal attention to the secondary and tertiary ecosystems that make the sport what it is. The paddock becomes more than a glamorous backdrop; it becomes a living environment where ambition, branding, labour and privilege constantly intersect.
Perhaps my favourite thread running through the novel is watching Cat reconcile with something she loved long before she fully understood it. Her childlike awe at entering the paddock never entirely disappears, even as she becomes increasingly aware of the inequalities embedded within it. It’s a beautiful reflection of a much larger experience: recognising that the things we loved growing up were never perfect, yet finding ways to love them more honestly because of that knowledge rather than despite it.
Maril’s prose style is particularly well-suited to this kind of story.
Readers familiar with Slipstream will recognise her granular approach to interiority. Rather than summarising emotions, she lets them unfold in real time through Cat’s stream of consciousness. The effect is remarkably immersive. Instead of observing Cat from a distance, readers find themselves inhabiting her emotional landscape, feeling each hesitation, each compromise and each flicker of hope alongside her.
It’s writing that makes you feel as though you’ve crawled beneath the character’s skin.
At the same time, Maril never loses sight of the romance. The chemistry between Cat and Faust is palpable from their earliest interactions, sustained less by dramatic declarations than by careful observation, mutual understanding and an almost unbearable tension that lingers beneath every conversation. Their dynamic remains deeply entertaining even as the novel tackles considerably weightier themes, and because both characters arrive with fully lived-in histories, their relationship feels earned rather than idealised.
If I had one wish, it would simply be for more of Cat’s wonderfully theatrical alter ego. Watching her outwit terrible men through carefully constructed performances is so much fun as a concept that I found myself wanting even more of those moments before the story naturally expanded into its larger emotional concerns. But perhaps that’s also a testament to how fully realised Cat becomes.
She’s funny, resentful, vulnerable, resilient, contradictory and endlessly perceptive, a heroine who refuses to flatten herself into a single defining characteristic.
By the time the novel reaches its conclusion, The Paddock Club has become about far more than Formula 1 or even romance. It’s a story about identity, class, survival, reinvention and learning that loving something deeply doesn’t require pretending it’s flawless.
If anything, Madge Maril argues the opposite.
The deepest love is the kind that can look directly at the imperfections and choose to stay anyway.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an advance review copy (ARC). All opinions expressed are my own.
April 14, 2026
i truly will read anything and everything madge maril ever writes. she could publish a book about the evolution of trees and i would be so incredibly seated with no questions asked.
however, i may be a little biased here, i am very glad she sticks to writing romance, and more specifically, F1 romance. while i am newer to the sport of formula one, i have read so many formula one romances, and madge brings such a fresh perspective to the genre. you can tell with every page, of not only this book, but her debut, that she has a true love for this sport and i for one am so grateful for that.
the paddock club brings a fun element of an undercover heartbreaker and a formula one driver that is only a tad bit obsessed with said heartbreaker. cat and faust are so much fun. their characters are flawed and HUMAN and funny and so much fun to read about. i don't know that i had ever read a book before with an fmc that has a goal to break men's hearts, but i desperately need more of it.
the situations cat got herself into had me on the edge of my seat while also laughing my ass off. she is truly one of my favorite characters to date and i am so excited for more people to be able to read and fall in love with her.
like me, faust fell HARD for cat. their back and forth, cat and mouse aspect, was so much fun. i love a man down bad and faust had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time.
cat's grief was another aspect that madge portrayed so beautifully. its such a hard emotion that can show up in so many ways and i am so grateful for the way it was done in this book.
if you haven't this is definitely a book you want to get your hands on and i am so excited for its release into the world.
thank you netgalley and simon and schuster for this arc!
however, i may be a little biased here, i am very glad she sticks to writing romance, and more specifically, F1 romance. while i am newer to the sport of formula one, i have read so many formula one romances, and madge brings such a fresh perspective to the genre. you can tell with every page, of not only this book, but her debut, that she has a true love for this sport and i for one am so grateful for that.
the paddock club brings a fun element of an undercover heartbreaker and a formula one driver that is only a tad bit obsessed with said heartbreaker. cat and faust are so much fun. their characters are flawed and HUMAN and funny and so much fun to read about. i don't know that i had ever read a book before with an fmc that has a goal to break men's hearts, but i desperately need more of it.
the situations cat got herself into had me on the edge of my seat while also laughing my ass off. she is truly one of my favorite characters to date and i am so excited for more people to be able to read and fall in love with her.
like me, faust fell HARD for cat. their back and forth, cat and mouse aspect, was so much fun. i love a man down bad and faust had me giggling and kicking my feet the entire time.
cat's grief was another aspect that madge portrayed so beautifully. its such a hard emotion that can show up in so many ways and i am so grateful for the way it was done in this book.
if you haven't this is definitely a book you want to get your hands on and i am so excited for its release into the world.
thank you netgalley and simon and schuster for this arc!
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