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Full Throttle
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Expected 20 Aug 26Brought to you by Penguin.
A fast-paced, enemies-to-lovers romance set against the glamorous and high-pressure world of Formula 1 racing, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Simone Soltani, and Netflix’s Drive to Survive.
She’s the first-ever female driver. He’s her biggest competition. They broke each other’s hearts. Can they survive a cutthroat Formula 1 season . . . as teammates?
When Juliette Marchmont becomes the first female driver in F1, she knows it’s her one shot to prove she has what it takes to win. She has sceptical managers, rivals, and fans to prove wrong, all while driving the worst car on the grid...and her teammate is the man who broke her heart.
Dominic Hastings is the Prince of F1, but all his composure and accolades couldn't stop his own father from firing him after a disastrous performance last season. He's desperate to show his distant, secretive father and the rest of the racing world that he's far from finished...but can he survive working with the woman who destroyed his life?
Forced to train in close quarters, Dominic and Juliette butt heads on and off the racetrack. As the competition grows ever more heated, and their connection undeniable, they start to wonder if the bruised love between them might be repaired after all...but they can't afford distractions. Teammates or no, only one driver can emerge as world champion, and each is willing to do whatever it takes to cross the finish line first.
J.K. MacLaren 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
A fast-paced, enemies-to-lovers romance set against the glamorous and high-pressure world of Formula 1 racing, perfect for fans of Hannah Grace, Simone Soltani, and Netflix’s Drive to Survive.
She’s the first-ever female driver. He’s her biggest competition. They broke each other’s hearts. Can they survive a cutthroat Formula 1 season . . . as teammates?
When Juliette Marchmont becomes the first female driver in F1, she knows it’s her one shot to prove she has what it takes to win. She has sceptical managers, rivals, and fans to prove wrong, all while driving the worst car on the grid...and her teammate is the man who broke her heart.
Dominic Hastings is the Prince of F1, but all his composure and accolades couldn't stop his own father from firing him after a disastrous performance last season. He's desperate to show his distant, secretive father and the rest of the racing world that he's far from finished...but can he survive working with the woman who destroyed his life?
Forced to train in close quarters, Dominic and Juliette butt heads on and off the racetrack. As the competition grows ever more heated, and their connection undeniable, they start to wonder if the bruised love between them might be repaired after all...but they can't afford distractions. Teammates or no, only one driver can emerge as world champion, and each is willing to do whatever it takes to cross the finish line first.
J.K. MacLaren 2026 (P) Penguin Audio 2026
Kindle Edition
Expected publication August 20, 2026
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January 27, 2026⋆🏆｡°🏎️⊹🏁⋆｡ First, thank you so much to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of Full Throttle in exchange for an honest review. 💖
That being said… buckle up, because I LOVED this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars, no hesitation)
I was immediately drawn in by the premise — enemies to lovers, elite sports, and a “first-ever female driver” FMC? Say less. I’ve never read an F1 romance before, but as a girl who loves driving fast and deeply believes in women taking up space in male-dominated worlds, this felt right up my alley.
And wow… it delivered.
🏎️. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ The World: Formula 1 Without the Confusion
Even going in with zero knowledge of Formula 1, I never felt lost. The author does an excellent job grounding the story in the high-stakes, cutthroat world of F1 without overwhelming the reader with technical jargon. The racing is exciting, relevant, and woven seamlessly into the emotional and character arcs rather than overpowering them.
The pressure of sponsorships, media scrutiny, team politics, and generational expectations all feel real — and the stakes are high on and off the track.
⋆.ೃ🍾࿔*:･ Juliette Marchmont (FMC)
Juliette is the first female driver in Formula 1, and she knows this is her one shot. Her parents are Shakespeare aficionados, she doesn't come from racing lineage. She’s strong, determined, deeply talented, and constantly underestimated — by strategists, rivals, fans, and the system itself. She’s also human: anxious, stubborn, emotional, and trying desperately not to let the weight of expectations crush her.
She was such an easy FMC to root for. A true girl boss without being written as invincible or unrealistic.
Also, side note— her choosing to walk up 250+ stairs instead of taking the elevator? I felt SEEN. (Intense, irrational fear of elevators here.)
.⋅˚₊‧ 🜲 ‧₊˚ Dominic Hastings (MMC)
Dominic Hastings is the “Prince of F1” — incredibly talented, dangerously charming, and the son of Vance Hastings (daddy ISSUES) aka owner of Duro Stallion. After a disastrous season end and being fired by his own father, Dominic is desperate to prove he still belongs at the top.
He’s complex, emotionally guarded, and quietly wrecked by expectations — and his unresolved history with Juliette adds so much tension to every interaction. Also, canonically: incredibly good kisser. Thank you.
ׂ 𓈒 🏁 ／ ⋆ ۪Supporting Cast (AKA: People I Loved & People I Loved Hating)
Capulet Marchmont – Juliette’s twin brother and originally Dominic’s teammate. Protective, layered, and emotionally impactful. He has his moments, both good and bad, but I would definitely be interested in a book from his perspective about his racing career.
Anthony Sinclair (F1 Enemy #1) & Fredrick Von Galen (Academy Arsehole) – Easily the most hateable characters. Absolute cornballs. I cheered every time they got humbled. I hated them so much, I loved it. The rivalries felt sharp, personal, and relevantly motivating — exactly what this story needed.
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ The Romance: Enemies to Teammates and Looovers
Juliette and Dominic’s relationship is layered with shared history, heartbreak, rivalry, and unresolved tension. Forced to train together as teammates, their dynamic is explosive — full of sharp banter, jealousy, resentment, and lingering desire.
This is very much an enemies-to-lovers romance rooted in mutual respect, competition, and emotional growth. While I expected more romance going in, I ended up appreciating the balance. This story prioritizes Juliette’s journey, her ambition, and her place in the sport — and that choice absolutely works.
It reads less like “literary porn” and more like a feminist, high-stakes sports romance with heart.
⊹₊✎⋆. Editing Notes (ARC Transparency)
There were a two minor typos in the first half — “cannae” (assumed cannot) and “dinnae kne” (assumed did not know) — but nothing that pulled me out of the story, and I’m confident these will be smoothed out before publication.
⋆｡°·☁︎ Final Thoughts
Full Throttle completely surprised me with how quickly I fell in love with it. I devoured it in one day and felt everything — stress, triumph, heartbreak, hope. It’s been a while since a book elicited such a strong emotional response from me.
I loved the writing, the British euphemisms and terminology, the pacing, the enemies to lovers pt. 2, the character development, and the way the romance enhanced rather than overshadowed Juliette’s story. I will be purchasing a physical copy the second it becomes available.
༝༚༝༚ If you enjoy:
- elite sports romances
- enemies-to-lovers tension
- powerful FMCs breaking barriers
- emotionally complex MMCs
- high stakes and higher ambition
I ABSOLUTELY recommend you read this book!
Tropes / What to Expect:
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🏎️ Formula 1 / Sports Romance
👩🚀 First Woman in a Male-Dominated Field
💔 Second Chance / Past Heartbreak
👩🤝👨 Forced Proximity / Teammates
🖤 Feminist, Character-Driven Story
⚡ High Stakes, High Pressure
💫 Emotional Growth & Redemption
That being said… buckle up, because I LOVED this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (5 stars, no hesitation)
I was immediately drawn in by the premise — enemies to lovers, elite sports, and a “first-ever female driver” FMC? Say less. I’ve never read an F1 romance before, but as a girl who loves driving fast and deeply believes in women taking up space in male-dominated worlds, this felt right up my alley.
And wow… it delivered.
🏎️. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ The World: Formula 1 Without the Confusion
Even going in with zero knowledge of Formula 1, I never felt lost. The author does an excellent job grounding the story in the high-stakes, cutthroat world of F1 without overwhelming the reader with technical jargon. The racing is exciting, relevant, and woven seamlessly into the emotional and character arcs rather than overpowering them.
The pressure of sponsorships, media scrutiny, team politics, and generational expectations all feel real — and the stakes are high on and off the track.
⋆.ೃ🍾࿔*:･ Juliette Marchmont (FMC)
Juliette is the first female driver in Formula 1, and she knows this is her one shot. Her parents are Shakespeare aficionados, she doesn't come from racing lineage. She’s strong, determined, deeply talented, and constantly underestimated — by strategists, rivals, fans, and the system itself. She’s also human: anxious, stubborn, emotional, and trying desperately not to let the weight of expectations crush her.
She was such an easy FMC to root for. A true girl boss without being written as invincible or unrealistic.
Also, side note— her choosing to walk up 250+ stairs instead of taking the elevator? I felt SEEN. (Intense, irrational fear of elevators here.)
.⋅˚₊‧ 🜲 ‧₊˚ Dominic Hastings (MMC)
Dominic Hastings is the “Prince of F1” — incredibly talented, dangerously charming, and the son of Vance Hastings (daddy ISSUES) aka owner of Duro Stallion. After a disastrous season end and being fired by his own father, Dominic is desperate to prove he still belongs at the top.
He’s complex, emotionally guarded, and quietly wrecked by expectations — and his unresolved history with Juliette adds so much tension to every interaction. Also, canonically: incredibly good kisser. Thank you.
ׂ 𓈒 🏁 ／ ⋆ ۪Supporting Cast (AKA: People I Loved & People I Loved Hating)
Capulet Marchmont – Juliette’s twin brother and originally Dominic’s teammate. Protective, layered, and emotionally impactful. He has his moments, both good and bad, but I would definitely be interested in a book from his perspective about his racing career.
Anthony Sinclair (F1 Enemy #1) & Fredrick Von Galen (Academy Arsehole) – Easily the most hateable characters. Absolute cornballs. I cheered every time they got humbled. I hated them so much, I loved it. The rivalries felt sharp, personal, and relevantly motivating — exactly what this story needed.
˗ˏˋ ♡ ˎˊ˗ The Romance: Enemies to Teammates and Looovers
Juliette and Dominic’s relationship is layered with shared history, heartbreak, rivalry, and unresolved tension. Forced to train together as teammates, their dynamic is explosive — full of sharp banter, jealousy, resentment, and lingering desire.
This is very much an enemies-to-lovers romance rooted in mutual respect, competition, and emotional growth. While I expected more romance going in, I ended up appreciating the balance. This story prioritizes Juliette’s journey, her ambition, and her place in the sport — and that choice absolutely works.
It reads less like “literary porn” and more like a feminist, high-stakes sports romance with heart.
⊹₊✎⋆. Editing Notes (ARC Transparency)
There were a two minor typos in the first half — “cannae” (assumed cannot) and “dinnae kne” (assumed did not know) — but nothing that pulled me out of the story, and I’m confident these will be smoothed out before publication.
⋆｡°·☁︎ Final Thoughts
Full Throttle completely surprised me with how quickly I fell in love with it. I devoured it in one day and felt everything — stress, triumph, heartbreak, hope. It’s been a while since a book elicited such a strong emotional response from me.
I loved the writing, the British euphemisms and terminology, the pacing, the enemies to lovers pt. 2, the character development, and the way the romance enhanced rather than overshadowed Juliette’s story. I will be purchasing a physical copy the second it becomes available.
༝༚༝༚ If you enjoy:
- elite sports romances
- enemies-to-lovers tension
- powerful FMCs breaking barriers
- emotionally complex MMCs
- high stakes and higher ambition
I ABSOLUTELY recommend you read this book!
Tropes / What to Expect:
🔥 Enemies to Lovers
🏎️ Formula 1 / Sports Romance
👩🚀 First Woman in a Male-Dominated Field
💔 Second Chance / Past Heartbreak
👩🤝👨 Forced Proximity / Teammates
🖤 Feminist, Character-Driven Story
⚡ High Stakes, High Pressure
💫 Emotional Growth & Redemption
January 29, 2026
I really wanted to like this one
Seriously.
The plot is an incredible idea, and I thought it all seemed very compelling.
However, the execution was… not for me.
I felt like I was reading about fourteen year olds reciting lines they saw in cool movies or read in rom coms.
I think the potential is definitely there, but I didn’t really feel the tension or depth in the dialogue that would have made it five stars.
Everything in the book felt copy and pasted from another book, like a plot of clichés and tropes already done before, which is really disappointing with such a unique idea like this one!!
However, this is just a debut, so it would be unfair for me to judge it super harshly, I hope her next books are better and I look forward to reading them!!
Seriously.
The plot is an incredible idea, and I thought it all seemed very compelling.
However, the execution was… not for me.
I felt like I was reading about fourteen year olds reciting lines they saw in cool movies or read in rom coms.
I think the potential is definitely there, but I didn’t really feel the tension or depth in the dialogue that would have made it five stars.
Everything in the book felt copy and pasted from another book, like a plot of clichés and tropes already done before, which is really disappointing with such a unique idea like this one!!
However, this is just a debut, so it would be unfair for me to judge it super harshly, I hope her next books are better and I look forward to reading them!!
January 10, 2026
First, I would like to thank NetGalley for the ARC! I am so lucky to be one of the first to read this amazing novel.
Full Throttle is a second chance romance between two drivers who ended things on not the best of terms, to say the least. Juliette is the first female F1 driver, hired by a team with the worst car in the league (I'm assuming that's the word for it, I don't really know anything about the sport). Dominic used to drive for the top team before a bad race led him to being fired. Now, he has to work for the only team that will hire him, as Juliette's teammate.
I am OBSESSED. This book completely blew me away. Not only is the romance between them beautifully done, but also hard topics such as sexism and more in the sport. Juliette deals with a lot from competitors and even her own coworkers. It's not hard to believe in the accuracy of what she endures, knowing what we do about male-dominated fields. Dominic also has his own struggles. He feels disconnected from his own culture and identity, and experiences anti-immigrant sentiments from others. I thought these were important topics that were handled with care. Even though it isn't always fun to read about, it's even less fun to experience and I think it is crucial to represent these issues in media.
Everything about this book is done well. The characters have depth and they learn and grow throughout the story. The dual POV really helps the reader get to know them and their struggles in their own individual way. They are both likable from the beginning, even when they act in frustrating ways. Everything they do is understandable and called for. I LOVE the flash backs to the past. I feel like they add a lot to the story and the glimpses into their relationship are so UGHH. Made me want to cry.
Dominic is a MAN. He is literally everything I would want in an MMC. Juliette is an icon. I want to be her. They are perfect together, and for each other. Besides the main characters, the book also displays intricate friendships and family relationships. The layers in this book were unexpected and just amazing. I could gush on and on how much I loved it, but I don't even know if I have the words to accurately express myself.
Just trust me and read this book. It deserves every one of those five stars.
Full Throttle is a second chance romance between two drivers who ended things on not the best of terms, to say the least. Juliette is the first female F1 driver, hired by a team with the worst car in the league (I'm assuming that's the word for it, I don't really know anything about the sport). Dominic used to drive for the top team before a bad race led him to being fired. Now, he has to work for the only team that will hire him, as Juliette's teammate.
I am OBSESSED. This book completely blew me away. Not only is the romance between them beautifully done, but also hard topics such as sexism and more in the sport. Juliette deals with a lot from competitors and even her own coworkers. It's not hard to believe in the accuracy of what she endures, knowing what we do about male-dominated fields. Dominic also has his own struggles. He feels disconnected from his own culture and identity, and experiences anti-immigrant sentiments from others. I thought these were important topics that were handled with care. Even though it isn't always fun to read about, it's even less fun to experience and I think it is crucial to represent these issues in media.
Everything about this book is done well. The characters have depth and they learn and grow throughout the story. The dual POV really helps the reader get to know them and their struggles in their own individual way. They are both likable from the beginning, even when they act in frustrating ways. Everything they do is understandable and called for. I LOVE the flash backs to the past. I feel like they add a lot to the story and the glimpses into their relationship are so UGHH. Made me want to cry.
Dominic is a MAN. He is literally everything I would want in an MMC. Juliette is an icon. I want to be her. They are perfect together, and for each other. Besides the main characters, the book also displays intricate friendships and family relationships. The layers in this book were unexpected and just amazing. I could gush on and on how much I loved it, but I don't even know if I have the words to accurately express myself.
Just trust me and read this book. It deserves every one of those five stars.
January 16, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️
2/5 🌶️
My first F-1 romance and it did not disappoint! I think I’m obsessed to be honest. Full Throttle not only delivers on an action packed high stakes sports plot but also a romance steaming with tension. I was on the edge of my seat and didn’t want to hit the brakes! (Tee hee, see what I did there 🤭).
Also, debut novel where?! I loved the writing style, the characters, the plot, etc. The spice was written well. 🔥 &The tension between FMC and MMC - obsessed, #givememore . I loved every second and I looked forward to the next interaction between them. The sports aspect?! I know barely anything about F-1 but I could follow along in this book it was executed so well - I could not put it down.
Overall, I loved it. I am so excited to see what this author writes next and will 100% be adding it to my tbr!
Thank you so much to Ballantine, Random House Publishing Group, Netgalley, and the Author for the eARC! 🥹🫶🏻
What to Expect:
🏎️Formula 1/Sports Romance
🏁Second Chance
🏎️Enemies to Lovers
🏁Action Packed/High Stakes
🏎️Dual POV
🏁Flashbacks in Time
🏎️Forced Proximity
🏁”Fxck It”
2/5 🌶️
My first F-1 romance and it did not disappoint! I think I’m obsessed to be honest. Full Throttle not only delivers on an action packed high stakes sports plot but also a romance steaming with tension. I was on the edge of my seat and didn’t want to hit the brakes! (Tee hee, see what I did there 🤭).
Also, debut novel where?! I loved the writing style, the characters, the plot, etc. The spice was written well. 🔥 &The tension between FMC and MMC - obsessed, #givememore . I loved every second and I looked forward to the next interaction between them. The sports aspect?! I know barely anything about F-1 but I could follow along in this book it was executed so well - I could not put it down.
Overall, I loved it. I am so excited to see what this author writes next and will 100% be adding it to my tbr!
Thank you so much to Ballantine, Random House Publishing Group, Netgalley, and the Author for the eARC! 🥹🫶🏻
What to Expect:
🏎️Formula 1/Sports Romance
🏁Second Chance
🏎️Enemies to Lovers
🏁Action Packed/High Stakes
🏎️Dual POV
🏁Flashbacks in Time
🏎️Forced Proximity
🏁”Fxck It”
February 3, 2026
Before reading this book I felt pretty neutral about racing as like, a sport. Now I think it’s really fucking stupid! Full Throttle is an aggressively heterosexual, icky read. I fear that mainstream publishing’s embrace of Wattpad IP is a plague on the culture. I actually don’t think we need to publish and adapt every novel that a teenager wrote in 2014, especially since the plot is always like: “I love the misunderstood bad boy, he’s the only guy in this story who won’t try to assault me, which proves he’s a GOOD GUY who LOVES me!” I say this as someone who had a major Wattpad phase in high school. Some things, I think, should be left wayyyyyyyyy back in the past.
December 23, 2025
Rating: 4.5/5
Trope: Female racer, woman-in-man's-world, enemies-to-lovers, 2nd-chance, chemistry.
The FMC and MMC are both young-ish ( old in racing terms, but youngish overall). The story has flashbacks, but it's tasteful and does not give a whiplash.
I liked the camaraderie between the drivers ( and the competitiveness). It's a novel novel (heh), if only because I have not read about female racers ( my kids love racing, wish I were the same!). There was strong chemistry between the leads even though the ending is Cars ( Disney movie) level of cheesy.
I still had a smile on my face when I finished reading it so there's that.
Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC
Trope: Female racer, woman-in-man's-world, enemies-to-lovers, 2nd-chance, chemistry.
The FMC and MMC are both young-ish ( old in racing terms, but youngish overall). The story has flashbacks, but it's tasteful and does not give a whiplash.
I liked the camaraderie between the drivers ( and the competitiveness). It's a novel novel (heh), if only because I have not read about female racers ( my kids love racing, wish I were the same!). There was strong chemistry between the leads even though the ending is Cars ( Disney movie) level of cheesy.
I still had a smile on my face when I finished reading it so there's that.
Thanks to Netgalley for the E-ARC
December 25, 2025
ᯓ✦ “love was—for all its shortcomings—the only thing worth living for.”
thank you so much to netgalley and random house publishing group for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
it has been FAR too long since i last read an f1 romance novel (haven’t read one since lauren asher’s dirty air series). and let me just say, this did NOT disappoint!!! i really enjoyed the plot of this one. full throttle follows dominic hastings, prince of formula 1, and juliette marchmont, the first female f1 driver. it was so intriguing to read a novel where the fmc is a driver herself! there were aspects of forced proximity, second chance, rivals, and so so so much tension! you could actually cut it with a knife.
-- “i remember everything, when it comes to you.”
personally, dominic grew on me with every chapter. for years, he’s worn the prince crown of formula 1. he’s admired by so many, ending up on podiums countless times. however, when a reckless decision on the track costs him the championship, his trajectory is thrown out of wack. his father pulls him from their team and attempts to stop him from joining any other team in the circuit. eventually, he ends up on the worst team of the 10, but it’s a team nonetheless. at the beginning of the novel, i couldn’t really connect with dominic. the reckless, beloved persona he put off was kind of hard to see past in the beginning. but as we see him reconnect with juliette, that persona begins to shed. and his real colors shine through. dominic was so sweet and caring with juliette. he was utterly infatuated with her, but what i admired the most was how he always had HER best interest in mind. despite so many people belittling her for being a woman, he never ever doubted her abilities. from the first day they met at the racing academy, he saw her grit and potential. it was so sweet to see him believe in her so fiercely. i also really liked watching him grow as an individual. it was clear through his interactions and relationships that he began to better himself throughout the novel. when his priorities became more clear, his intentions and actions did too. i would’ve liked a little more depth with him as a person, but overall i think his character was really well done!
-- “i’m just desperately in love with you, and it seems impossible to me that anyone who knows you wouldn’t be in love with you too.”
juliette marchmont was a force to be reckoned with. there’s a reason she’s the first female driver in f1. not only due to her talent, but her sheer determination and refusal to lose. she was so dedicated to the sport, to proving everyone wrong. something i really enjoyed about this book was how they didn’t sugarcoat the amount of sexism that juliette received. as a woman in a male-dominated sport, she was constantly exposed to people undermining her due to her gender. when she succeeded, people attributed it to the other racers taking it easy on her. when she failed, they assumed it was because she wasn’t cut out for such a sport. somehow, everyone around her had something to say. yet juliette never let it hurt her, only motivate her. it was so inspiring to watch her handle those situations and put herself first. however, i did notice that with dominic, she was very distant due to being hurt in the past. understandably so, she couldn’t really let herself get close with him again or let him in. i personally felt like there was a bit of an abrupt change of heart on her part. i could see it, but her yearning didn’t feel quite the same as dominic’s. i only wish there had been a little more buildup to her thought process on a relationship with dominic.
-- “he might’ve come to give the rookies the same leg up that he’d had, but so far she’d been his reason to stay.”
juliette and dominic are a power couple if i’ve ever seen one. besides the fact that they are two of the best racers in f1, they are so perfectly balanced. they balance each other so well and don’t fail to show up for each other in every way. their banter and tension were truly the cherry on top. it made their relationship feel so much more real. i also loved the flashbacks in this novel! they helped me better understand their past and history in a way that allowed me to fall in love with their love. overall, i really enjoyed full throttle and would recommend it to anyone looking for a short and sweet f1 romance! it honestly flew by for me after the first 25%!! i’m looking forward to the rest of the books that maclaren writes, especially considering this is a debut romance novel!
if you like:
🏎️ f1 romance
🏎️ second chance
🏎️ forced proximity
🏎️ lovers to rivals to lovers
🏎️ high stakes
🏎️ yearning and tension
🏎️ he falls first
thank you so much to netgalley and random house publishing group for providing me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
it has been FAR too long since i last read an f1 romance novel (haven’t read one since lauren asher’s dirty air series). and let me just say, this did NOT disappoint!!! i really enjoyed the plot of this one. full throttle follows dominic hastings, prince of formula 1, and juliette marchmont, the first female f1 driver. it was so intriguing to read a novel where the fmc is a driver herself! there were aspects of forced proximity, second chance, rivals, and so so so much tension! you could actually cut it with a knife.
-- “i remember everything, when it comes to you.”
personally, dominic grew on me with every chapter. for years, he’s worn the prince crown of formula 1. he’s admired by so many, ending up on podiums countless times. however, when a reckless decision on the track costs him the championship, his trajectory is thrown out of wack. his father pulls him from their team and attempts to stop him from joining any other team in the circuit. eventually, he ends up on the worst team of the 10, but it’s a team nonetheless. at the beginning of the novel, i couldn’t really connect with dominic. the reckless, beloved persona he put off was kind of hard to see past in the beginning. but as we see him reconnect with juliette, that persona begins to shed. and his real colors shine through. dominic was so sweet and caring with juliette. he was utterly infatuated with her, but what i admired the most was how he always had HER best interest in mind. despite so many people belittling her for being a woman, he never ever doubted her abilities. from the first day they met at the racing academy, he saw her grit and potential. it was so sweet to see him believe in her so fiercely. i also really liked watching him grow as an individual. it was clear through his interactions and relationships that he began to better himself throughout the novel. when his priorities became more clear, his intentions and actions did too. i would’ve liked a little more depth with him as a person, but overall i think his character was really well done!
-- “i’m just desperately in love with you, and it seems impossible to me that anyone who knows you wouldn’t be in love with you too.”
juliette marchmont was a force to be reckoned with. there’s a reason she’s the first female driver in f1. not only due to her talent, but her sheer determination and refusal to lose. she was so dedicated to the sport, to proving everyone wrong. something i really enjoyed about this book was how they didn’t sugarcoat the amount of sexism that juliette received. as a woman in a male-dominated sport, she was constantly exposed to people undermining her due to her gender. when she succeeded, people attributed it to the other racers taking it easy on her. when she failed, they assumed it was because she wasn’t cut out for such a sport. somehow, everyone around her had something to say. yet juliette never let it hurt her, only motivate her. it was so inspiring to watch her handle those situations and put herself first. however, i did notice that with dominic, she was very distant due to being hurt in the past. understandably so, she couldn’t really let herself get close with him again or let him in. i personally felt like there was a bit of an abrupt change of heart on her part. i could see it, but her yearning didn’t feel quite the same as dominic’s. i only wish there had been a little more buildup to her thought process on a relationship with dominic.
-- “he might’ve come to give the rookies the same leg up that he’d had, but so far she’d been his reason to stay.”
juliette and dominic are a power couple if i’ve ever seen one. besides the fact that they are two of the best racers in f1, they are so perfectly balanced. they balance each other so well and don’t fail to show up for each other in every way. their banter and tension were truly the cherry on top. it made their relationship feel so much more real. i also loved the flashbacks in this novel! they helped me better understand their past and history in a way that allowed me to fall in love with their love. overall, i really enjoyed full throttle and would recommend it to anyone looking for a short and sweet f1 romance! it honestly flew by for me after the first 25%!! i’m looking forward to the rest of the books that maclaren writes, especially considering this is a debut romance novel!
if you like:
🏎️ f1 romance
🏎️ second chance
🏎️ forced proximity
🏎️ lovers to rivals to lovers
🏎️ high stakes
🏎️ yearning and tension
🏎️ he falls first
December 31, 2025
A huge thank you to Net galley for this ARC!
In a compelling new Motorsport romance, old flames are revived when circumstances force Juliette and Dominic, two drivers with a complicated romantic history, to reunite under the same team banner. As the two navigate an intense F1 season and the old feelings their reunion brings forth, they must decide what’s most important to them, and what sacrifices must be made in service of reaching their dreams.🏁🏎️
I think a common issue I find with most sports romances is that one element, either the sports or the romance, is sacrificed in service of the other. In this case, it felt as though both of these components lost some of their power.
With the F1 setting/atmosphere, it felt like the novel set up a lot of really high stakes that it never followed through on. Being the first female driver should have been a huge deal, and at many times it was, but there were also moments when it seemed to lose importance. For instance, with the way time passes in the book, we completely skip over some of Juliette’s first podium finishes, which would be a major accomplishment for anyone. Additionally, a major fuss was made over their team having the worst car on the grid, but all of the sudden they are both in contention for the WDC with almost no adjustments being made to the car? Overall, it was hard to feel invested in the stakes set up in the book when they felt neglected or unrealistic.
I did love a lot of the characters Maclaren created. Dominic and Juliette were incredibly compelling protagonists that you couldn’t help but root for. Juliette has a strong voice and perspective throughout the novel, understanding the significance of her position and responding to external pressures with simultaneous strength and vulnerability that is admirable. Dominic I feel was slightly less developed, and there were times where it was hard to understand some aspects of his personality or motives, but I love the connections between him and his mother/his heritage throughout the novel. And his yearning for Juliette?! LOVED. I also had a soft spot for Baz and Cap and would like to learn more about both of them! Despite my enjoyment of these characters, the portrayal of Vance Hastings really frustrated me and took me out of the novel at times. He was built up to be this sort of supervillain type figure, firing his son, dating inappropriately young women, threatening to expose private images to the press to ruin a young woman’s career, etc. but then at the end we are supposed to believe he did it all for his son? And that he’s remorseful and suddenly ready for redemption? The ending fell flat for me at this part.
As for the ROMANCE, despite some of my frustrations with the miscommunications, I really believed in Juliette and Dominic’s connection. I felt as though they challenged and complimented each other very well throughout the novel, as teammates, friends and romantic partners. I do wish we got a little more plot devoted to their romantic development the first time around, because there was a clear deeper history I felt we missed out on a little bit. Overall, though, their love and chemistry was vividly depicted throughout the novel, and part of what made this read so fast paced was my want to see them happily together !
For fans of sports romance, this new book is a fun, adrenaline spiking read with a diverse cast of nuanced yet lovable characters !
In a compelling new Motorsport romance, old flames are revived when circumstances force Juliette and Dominic, two drivers with a complicated romantic history, to reunite under the same team banner. As the two navigate an intense F1 season and the old feelings their reunion brings forth, they must decide what’s most important to them, and what sacrifices must be made in service of reaching their dreams.🏁🏎️
I think a common issue I find with most sports romances is that one element, either the sports or the romance, is sacrificed in service of the other. In this case, it felt as though both of these components lost some of their power.
With the F1 setting/atmosphere, it felt like the novel set up a lot of really high stakes that it never followed through on. Being the first female driver should have been a huge deal, and at many times it was, but there were also moments when it seemed to lose importance. For instance, with the way time passes in the book, we completely skip over some of Juliette’s first podium finishes, which would be a major accomplishment for anyone. Additionally, a major fuss was made over their team having the worst car on the grid, but all of the sudden they are both in contention for the WDC with almost no adjustments being made to the car? Overall, it was hard to feel invested in the stakes set up in the book when they felt neglected or unrealistic.
I did love a lot of the characters Maclaren created. Dominic and Juliette were incredibly compelling protagonists that you couldn’t help but root for. Juliette has a strong voice and perspective throughout the novel, understanding the significance of her position and responding to external pressures with simultaneous strength and vulnerability that is admirable. Dominic I feel was slightly less developed, and there were times where it was hard to understand some aspects of his personality or motives, but I love the connections between him and his mother/his heritage throughout the novel. And his yearning for Juliette?! LOVED. I also had a soft spot for Baz and Cap and would like to learn more about both of them! Despite my enjoyment of these characters, the portrayal of Vance Hastings really frustrated me and took me out of the novel at times. He was built up to be this sort of supervillain type figure, firing his son, dating inappropriately young women, threatening to expose private images to the press to ruin a young woman’s career, etc. but then at the end we are supposed to believe he did it all for his son? And that he’s remorseful and suddenly ready for redemption? The ending fell flat for me at this part.
As for the ROMANCE, despite some of my frustrations with the miscommunications, I really believed in Juliette and Dominic’s connection. I felt as though they challenged and complimented each other very well throughout the novel, as teammates, friends and romantic partners. I do wish we got a little more plot devoted to their romantic development the first time around, because there was a clear deeper history I felt we missed out on a little bit. Overall, though, their love and chemistry was vividly depicted throughout the novel, and part of what made this read so fast paced was my want to see them happily together !
For fans of sports romance, this new book is a fun, adrenaline spiking read with a diverse cast of nuanced yet lovable characters !
February 4, 2026
A woman entering a male dominated field such as Formula 1? Sign me up! I’m always up for reading about women being such badasses in sports.
Full Throttle was a sports romance, second chance, he falls first, dual timeline romance that had potential. MacLaren does a satisfying job with setting the main characters up to have a rich second chance romance but ultimately doesn’t hit the mark completely.
Juliette Marchmont makes incredible his(her)story when she is brought up from academy to become the first female driver in Formula 1. Juliette was committed to being the best F1 driver, woman or not, and MacLaren does a phenomenal job at showing just how dedicated she was. She knew how tough it was going to be for her during her first year in F1 and sometimes even pushes herself too hard. It was empowering watching her take what everyone (even the owner of the team she was driving for) said about her not being enough and stopping at nothing to prove them wrong. She was a strong character and I loved her portrayal as a driver. I loved reading about Juliette and her twin brother, Capulet’s (who also happens to be an F1 driver) fun sibling rivalry they had growing up.
Dominic Hastings, the prince of F1, had a tough challenge ahead of him after his father booted him out of his F1 seat and suggested he retire. He was determined to get back in a seat and even went as far as joining what was considered the worst team on the grid. Dominic wanted to prove the everyone who doubted him, that he earned his seat fair and square, and what better way to show that then becoming World Champion.
We learn that Juliette and Dominic, who are now becoming teammates, have old history that took place when Dominic was a guest teacher who helped train Juliette at the academy. Things ended so terribly between them that they haven’t spoken in 2 years. MacLaren gives the reader a dual timeline and we get to witness their first meeting, them admitting their feelings for each other and ultimately what led to their break up.
Where the book fell a bit short for me was the miscommunication. I’m really not a big fan of miscommunication as it drives me crazy that the characters can’t just sit down and talk everything out clearly once and for all. I think it took way too long for the truth, about what ultimately led to their break up, to be revealed. I’m really just not a fan of miscommunication trope in general, especially when it takes almost until the very end when the truth is finally out in the open. And because of that I think the romance aspect in the book fell a bit flat as we really didn’t get a lot of Juliette and Dominic actually happy together instead of just the push and pull dance they did throughout the book.
Something I enjoyed and appreciated about Full Throttle was the diverse cast. I also hope the author makes this into a series as I saw a lot of potential of romance books with some of the side characters. Even some of the characters names were so unique and I loved all of them.
Overall, I had fun with this story. The epilogue was a cute ending to their story and thought it gave just enough of a peek into their lives. MacLaren made likable main characters and a world that was entertaining and I can only hope to read more of this world with a few of the side characters. I rate this book 3.25/5 stars.
Thank you to the author, Penguin Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Full Throttle was a sports romance, second chance, he falls first, dual timeline romance that had potential. MacLaren does a satisfying job with setting the main characters up to have a rich second chance romance but ultimately doesn’t hit the mark completely.
Juliette Marchmont makes incredible his(her)story when she is brought up from academy to become the first female driver in Formula 1. Juliette was committed to being the best F1 driver, woman or not, and MacLaren does a phenomenal job at showing just how dedicated she was. She knew how tough it was going to be for her during her first year in F1 and sometimes even pushes herself too hard. It was empowering watching her take what everyone (even the owner of the team she was driving for) said about her not being enough and stopping at nothing to prove them wrong. She was a strong character and I loved her portrayal as a driver. I loved reading about Juliette and her twin brother, Capulet’s (who also happens to be an F1 driver) fun sibling rivalry they had growing up.
Dominic Hastings, the prince of F1, had a tough challenge ahead of him after his father booted him out of his F1 seat and suggested he retire. He was determined to get back in a seat and even went as far as joining what was considered the worst team on the grid. Dominic wanted to prove the everyone who doubted him, that he earned his seat fair and square, and what better way to show that then becoming World Champion.
We learn that Juliette and Dominic, who are now becoming teammates, have old history that took place when Dominic was a guest teacher who helped train Juliette at the academy. Things ended so terribly between them that they haven’t spoken in 2 years. MacLaren gives the reader a dual timeline and we get to witness their first meeting, them admitting their feelings for each other and ultimately what led to their break up.
Where the book fell a bit short for me was the miscommunication. I’m really not a big fan of miscommunication as it drives me crazy that the characters can’t just sit down and talk everything out clearly once and for all. I think it took way too long for the truth, about what ultimately led to their break up, to be revealed. I’m really just not a fan of miscommunication trope in general, especially when it takes almost until the very end when the truth is finally out in the open. And because of that I think the romance aspect in the book fell a bit flat as we really didn’t get a lot of Juliette and Dominic actually happy together instead of just the push and pull dance they did throughout the book.
Something I enjoyed and appreciated about Full Throttle was the diverse cast. I also hope the author makes this into a series as I saw a lot of potential of romance books with some of the side characters. Even some of the characters names were so unique and I loved all of them.
Overall, I had fun with this story. The epilogue was a cute ending to their story and thought it gave just enough of a peek into their lives. MacLaren made likable main characters and a world that was entertaining and I can only hope to read more of this world with a few of the side characters. I rate this book 3.25/5 stars.
Thank you to the author, Penguin Random House Publishing, and NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I had such high hopes starting this book. It almost makes it worse that it took a little bit of a turn.
Juliette gets pulled from the driving academy to be a F1 driver for the "worst" team on the grid, along with Dominic - who is actually one of the most skillful drivers. He got sacked from his previous team by his dad. Dominic and Juliette have a past that we start to uncover through each chapter. We go back and forth between both timelines to understand what happened to them in their past that made their current relationship so strained.
I think the book did a lot of things very well; I really loved these characters - the main characters, and the minor characters really stood out to me, and their involvement in the story made the world feel more well-rounded and more alive. It was really, really fun and I loved getting to know all of these interesting players. I also think the author did a really great job writing a formule one romance with a female lead and driver, while also handling women in motorsports with care and respect. I think Jules' journey made sure to express how challenging it was as one of the only female drivers ever, while also giving her a romantic storyline that continued to show her passion and dedication to her career and the sport.
The actual f1 of it all was really fun, and there was plenty of it. It feels like there was plenty of research done on the sport, or it was written by someone who actually enjoys and watches. However, there were moments that really contradicted that, but I feel like it was done intentionally for the sake of drama and entertainment. It was still a little bit frustrating. I'd like a better balance between entertainment and the reality of the sport, because at times it was a little laughable for someone who watches formula one religiously. I don't think someone who isn't really a fan of the sport will notice, though.
I think my biggest gripe with the story is the romance, which is a shame. I really did love these characters individually, and when the story takes us to the past, it's really well done and outlined. But the back and forth and wishy washiness (especially of Juliette's) feels inconsistent to her character and just felt pointless. I would have rather experienced their trust build back up through conversation, or different types of interaction that didn't have anything to do with sex or physical intimacy. It would have made their reconciliation feel more authentic to the story and its characters. It started to feel a little messy around the 60% mark onwards.
Overall though, I had a lot of fun with this story and would love to continue to read more from this author, ESPECIALLY if there's going to be more books in a series with the side characters like Baz, Liem, and Capulet. I really loved the world and loved a lot of it, just ultimately frustrated me more than anything.
Juliette gets pulled from the driving academy to be a F1 driver for the "worst" team on the grid, along with Dominic - who is actually one of the most skillful drivers. He got sacked from his previous team by his dad. Dominic and Juliette have a past that we start to uncover through each chapter. We go back and forth between both timelines to understand what happened to them in their past that made their current relationship so strained.
I think the book did a lot of things very well; I really loved these characters - the main characters, and the minor characters really stood out to me, and their involvement in the story made the world feel more well-rounded and more alive. It was really, really fun and I loved getting to know all of these interesting players. I also think the author did a really great job writing a formule one romance with a female lead and driver, while also handling women in motorsports with care and respect. I think Jules' journey made sure to express how challenging it was as one of the only female drivers ever, while also giving her a romantic storyline that continued to show her passion and dedication to her career and the sport.
The actual f1 of it all was really fun, and there was plenty of it. It feels like there was plenty of research done on the sport, or it was written by someone who actually enjoys and watches. However, there were moments that really contradicted that, but I feel like it was done intentionally for the sake of drama and entertainment. It was still a little bit frustrating. I'd like a better balance between entertainment and the reality of the sport, because at times it was a little laughable for someone who watches formula one religiously. I don't think someone who isn't really a fan of the sport will notice, though.
I think my biggest gripe with the story is the romance, which is a shame. I really did love these characters individually, and when the story takes us to the past, it's really well done and outlined. But the back and forth and wishy washiness (especially of Juliette's) feels inconsistent to her character and just felt pointless. I would have rather experienced their trust build back up through conversation, or different types of interaction that didn't have anything to do with sex or physical intimacy. It would have made their reconciliation feel more authentic to the story and its characters. It started to feel a little messy around the 60% mark onwards.
Overall though, I had a lot of fun with this story and would love to continue to read more from this author, ESPECIALLY if there's going to be more books in a series with the side characters like Baz, Liem, and Capulet. I really loved the world and loved a lot of it, just ultimately frustrated me more than anything.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
MacLaren does an impressive job introducing readers to the high speed, high-stakes world of Formula 1 within a male-dominated industry. From the title and cover to the blurb, every element works effectively to draw readers into this adrenaline fueled setting. In theory, this book holds immense potential and promises an even greater storyline.
At the center of the narrative is Juliette, the only female driver on the circuit, who is paired with Dominic, the prince of this world. If his name doesn’t already suggest his dominance, his father’s legacy certainly does. Together, they form a compelling partnership rooted in both rivalry and history.
What truly elevates the story is their shared past. Juliette and Dominic are bitter toward each other, and their fractured relationship unfolds through well-placed flashback chapters. Credit where it’s due: these moments are strategically woven into the narrative, heightening anticipation and emotional tension.
The author also excels in portraying the struggles Juliette faces as a woman forced to continually “prove” herself in a field rife with chauvinism, an issue that resonates both within the book and in the real world.
However, despite the strong buildup surrounding their past conflict, the pivotal flashback ultimately falls short. The stakes aren’t high enough, and the miscommunication that drives them apart lacks sufficient depth. The tension inflates without delivering a satisfying emotional payoff. While Juliette and Dominic share clear chemistry in the present timeline, the flashbacks fail to fully establish why they were drawn to each other in the first place. As a result, their emotional stakes don’t feel as impactful as they could have.
That said, as an introductory read into the world of F1 romance, this book is thoroughly enjoyable. Additionally, the use of third-person POV (unexpected for the romance genre) felt refreshing and added a unique layer to the storytelling.
Overall, this is a promising and engaging read with strong themes, memorable characters, and room to grow.
Thank you to the author, Random House Publishing, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Overall: 3.75/5
At the center of the narrative is Juliette, the only female driver on the circuit, who is paired with Dominic, the prince of this world. If his name doesn’t already suggest his dominance, his father’s legacy certainly does. Together, they form a compelling partnership rooted in both rivalry and history.
What truly elevates the story is their shared past. Juliette and Dominic are bitter toward each other, and their fractured relationship unfolds through well-placed flashback chapters. Credit where it’s due: these moments are strategically woven into the narrative, heightening anticipation and emotional tension.
The author also excels in portraying the struggles Juliette faces as a woman forced to continually “prove” herself in a field rife with chauvinism, an issue that resonates both within the book and in the real world.
However, despite the strong buildup surrounding their past conflict, the pivotal flashback ultimately falls short. The stakes aren’t high enough, and the miscommunication that drives them apart lacks sufficient depth. The tension inflates without delivering a satisfying emotional payoff. While Juliette and Dominic share clear chemistry in the present timeline, the flashbacks fail to fully establish why they were drawn to each other in the first place. As a result, their emotional stakes don’t feel as impactful as they could have.
That said, as an introductory read into the world of F1 romance, this book is thoroughly enjoyable. Additionally, the use of third-person POV (unexpected for the romance genre) felt refreshing and added a unique layer to the storytelling.
Overall, this is a promising and engaging read with strong themes, memorable characters, and room to grow.
Thank you to the author, Random House Publishing, and Netgalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Overall: 3.75/5
January 7, 2026
“the world isn’t ready for ambitious women”
Is F1 romance the new hockey romance? For me, the answer might be yes… This one is a great intro to F1 romance. You don’t need to know the intricacies, and the intricacies that are brought up are introduced in an approachable way. Summer break, well that is easy to understand! DRC is introduced and utilized so we as readers are “in” on the terminology, but aren’t having it jammed down our throats, as examples. And it doesn’t take a genius to know that racing isn’t an arena where women have been given a chance to excel.
Juliette Marchmont is trying to make her way in F1 as the first female driver. She isn’t set up to succeed. She’s on a team, but she doesn’t have the best car and she’s pitted against her teammate, who happens to be Dominic Hastings, successful F1 driver who comes from a racing family and who happens to be a ghost from her romantic past. They both have something to prove to themselves and the world as a whole.
Both of these characters held a special spot in my heart as I kept reading. I was torn between who to root for. Juliette is out there with the weight of all women on her shoulders but never is she insufferable about it. And Dominic deserves a big hug 100% of the time. As characters on their own, I really liked their development. I wanted some more development in their romantic relationship. I was excited when they were able to work through things, but when I work to describe their relationship I can tell you it is very supportive, but I wish that I had more to say and to gush about, I love to gush.
“See, the difference is, Marchmont, that I don’t actually hate you. I want to hate you.” An odd light burned in his eyes. “But mostly I just despise myself for wanting you.”
Overall, this is worth the read if you want a bit of romance, and a badass woman and you are ready to join the Formula 1 bandwagon. Women belong in sports, be it as participants or as spectators.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
Is F1 romance the new hockey romance? For me, the answer might be yes… This one is a great intro to F1 romance. You don’t need to know the intricacies, and the intricacies that are brought up are introduced in an approachable way. Summer break, well that is easy to understand! DRC is introduced and utilized so we as readers are “in” on the terminology, but aren’t having it jammed down our throats, as examples. And it doesn’t take a genius to know that racing isn’t an arena where women have been given a chance to excel.
Juliette Marchmont is trying to make her way in F1 as the first female driver. She isn’t set up to succeed. She’s on a team, but she doesn’t have the best car and she’s pitted against her teammate, who happens to be Dominic Hastings, successful F1 driver who comes from a racing family and who happens to be a ghost from her romantic past. They both have something to prove to themselves and the world as a whole.
Both of these characters held a special spot in my heart as I kept reading. I was torn between who to root for. Juliette is out there with the weight of all women on her shoulders but never is she insufferable about it. And Dominic deserves a big hug 100% of the time. As characters on their own, I really liked their development. I wanted some more development in their romantic relationship. I was excited when they were able to work through things, but when I work to describe their relationship I can tell you it is very supportive, but I wish that I had more to say and to gush about, I love to gush.
“See, the difference is, Marchmont, that I don’t actually hate you. I want to hate you.” An odd light burned in his eyes. “But mostly I just despise myself for wanting you.”
Overall, this is worth the read if you want a bit of romance, and a badass woman and you are ready to join the Formula 1 bandwagon. Women belong in sports, be it as participants or as spectators.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review
January 20, 2026
In a world full of sports romances I always have been a sucker for an F1 Romance so I was very excited to read Full Throttle as soon as I read the description.
Juliette signs a contract that means she will be the first ever female driver on the F1 grid. The only problem? Her team mate is also her greatest competition. Dominic Hastings journey to F1 couldn't be more different from Juliette's. He grew up in an F1 family and was always destined for a seat on his father's team where as Juliette had to work hard to prove her value, even after getting her seat.
But Dominic is desperate to show his father and the world that he has earned his place in F1. The best way to prove their worth? Becoming the World Champion.
Things are only complicated by the fact that this isn't the first time they have crossed paths. Dominic trained Juliette back when she was training for F1. Things didn't end so well the last time they parted ways, so why would things be different this time around?
Who doesn't love an enemies to lovers story with drama and tension filled moments? The duel timelines slowly reveal the past that Dominic and Juliette share, making the present become clearer and clearer.
The only reason I took away a star is that there were some pretty vital mistakes within the structure of the sport. As an F1 fan, this bothered me as they were fairly crucial to particular plot points - in particular the way Qualifying is described or the performance of drivers in a car described as the worst on the grid.
That being said, if you don't watch a lot of F1 or are able to overlook these inconsistencies, this was a fantastic book! Definitely one to add to your TBR upon its release!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Like was such a trivial word. He liked steak. And photography. And the smell of bonfire. But liking Juliette Marchmont? It was like asking if someone liked oxygen; there was no point determining its appeal. You can't live without it. Simple as that."
"Every winner has started out as a loser. You lose and you lose, and it lights a fire in your belly. And one day, when you win, it'll feel better for all the times you've lost"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for this book in return for a honest review.
Juliette signs a contract that means she will be the first ever female driver on the F1 grid. The only problem? Her team mate is also her greatest competition. Dominic Hastings journey to F1 couldn't be more different from Juliette's. He grew up in an F1 family and was always destined for a seat on his father's team where as Juliette had to work hard to prove her value, even after getting her seat.
But Dominic is desperate to show his father and the world that he has earned his place in F1. The best way to prove their worth? Becoming the World Champion.
Things are only complicated by the fact that this isn't the first time they have crossed paths. Dominic trained Juliette back when she was training for F1. Things didn't end so well the last time they parted ways, so why would things be different this time around?
Who doesn't love an enemies to lovers story with drama and tension filled moments? The duel timelines slowly reveal the past that Dominic and Juliette share, making the present become clearer and clearer.
The only reason I took away a star is that there were some pretty vital mistakes within the structure of the sport. As an F1 fan, this bothered me as they were fairly crucial to particular plot points - in particular the way Qualifying is described or the performance of drivers in a car described as the worst on the grid.
That being said, if you don't watch a lot of F1 or are able to overlook these inconsistencies, this was a fantastic book! Definitely one to add to your TBR upon its release!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
"Like was such a trivial word. He liked steak. And photography. And the smell of bonfire. But liking Juliette Marchmont? It was like asking if someone liked oxygen; there was no point determining its appeal. You can't live without it. Simple as that."
"Every winner has started out as a loser. You lose and you lose, and it lights a fire in your belly. And one day, when you win, it'll feel better for all the times you've lost"
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC for this book in return for a honest review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book was provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Long story short I would not recommend this book. If you are interested in the F1, this book has infuriating inaccuracies. If you are interested in the romance, this book has all of the falling in love happening off the page. Spice? To call it mid would be a compliment. Plot? Unbelievable in a bad way. Writing? I regularly had to reread pages because I felt like I was missing important context and content. I genuinely found myself questioning if AI had a hand in writing this book or if perhaps it was poorly translated from a different language.
I am a big sports fan which often causes issues with my enjoyment of sports romances. I have learned to suspend some amount of disbelief in the name of a fictional romance book but this book started page one with egregious inaccuracy. On page one an F1 car is twice described as having a window/windshield, which they just very much do not have at all. I’m willing to forgive light inaccuracy because I know I am an intense sports fan but having that on literal page one did not set the tone well for the rest of the book and I have a large highlights section of racing inaccuracies. It’s odd, there is a lot of super accurate racing lore type information but the actual stuff you glean from watching and understanding racing is often off.
Juliette and Dominic have some sort of prior entanglement that the reader does not gain the details of until about 60-70% into the book. So it kinda feels like flying blind because you don't have the context necessary to understand their animosity towards each other. Neither of them come off particularly endearing and it paints Juliette in a bad light because she just seems so so stubborn and resentful for no reason.
It gets two stars because I was able to finish it, but if I had not received it as an ARC I probably would've DNF’d it.
Long story short I would not recommend this book. If you are interested in the F1, this book has infuriating inaccuracies. If you are interested in the romance, this book has all of the falling in love happening off the page. Spice? To call it mid would be a compliment. Plot? Unbelievable in a bad way. Writing? I regularly had to reread pages because I felt like I was missing important context and content. I genuinely found myself questioning if AI had a hand in writing this book or if perhaps it was poorly translated from a different language.
I am a big sports fan which often causes issues with my enjoyment of sports romances. I have learned to suspend some amount of disbelief in the name of a fictional romance book but this book started page one with egregious inaccuracy. On page one an F1 car is twice described as having a window/windshield, which they just very much do not have at all. I’m willing to forgive light inaccuracy because I know I am an intense sports fan but having that on literal page one did not set the tone well for the rest of the book and I have a large highlights section of racing inaccuracies. It’s odd, there is a lot of super accurate racing lore type information but the actual stuff you glean from watching and understanding racing is often off.
Juliette and Dominic have some sort of prior entanglement that the reader does not gain the details of until about 60-70% into the book. So it kinda feels like flying blind because you don't have the context necessary to understand their animosity towards each other. Neither of them come off particularly endearing and it paints Juliette in a bad light because she just seems so so stubborn and resentful for no reason.
It gets two stars because I was able to finish it, but if I had not received it as an ARC I probably would've DNF’d it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
When Juliette becomes the first female driver in F1, she knows it’s her one shot to prove she has what it takes to win. Unfortunately, she’s driving the worst car on the grid, and her teammate, Dominic, aka the Prince of F1, is the man who broke her heart. Forced to train together, their connection undeniable, they start to wonder if the bruised love between them might be repaired after all. However, only one driver can emerge as world champion, and each is willing to do whatever it takes to cross the finish line first.
As someone who doesn’t know too much about F1, I found the racing aspects easy to follow along and understand. However, even for me, some of the racing aspects felt a little far-fetched, and I had to suspend my disbelief at times.
I appreciated that this book explored the challenges faced by women in a male dominated sport, and it was refreshing to read about the love interests being involved in the same sport.
I struggled with the pacing at times, and I felt like some important moments happened off the page. The writing style was fine, and there was enough drama to keep me entertained.
I enjoyed the main characters and they had good chemistry, but I wish their second-chance romance had focused more on their emotional connection rather than their physical connection. I also felt like the reveal of why their relationship broke down the first time came too late for the reader. Some of the dialogue, particularly in the intimate scenes, felt like a list of what is popular and “quotable” in romance books, which I just got a little bored of.
Overall, this was a quick, fun read. If you’re a fan of rivals-to-lovers, second chance romance, and like the idea of a fast-paced, adrenaline filled racing scenes, this might be one to pick up!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing me with an eARC. This review is being left voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.
As someone who doesn’t know too much about F1, I found the racing aspects easy to follow along and understand. However, even for me, some of the racing aspects felt a little far-fetched, and I had to suspend my disbelief at times.
I appreciated that this book explored the challenges faced by women in a male dominated sport, and it was refreshing to read about the love interests being involved in the same sport.
I struggled with the pacing at times, and I felt like some important moments happened off the page. The writing style was fine, and there was enough drama to keep me entertained.
I enjoyed the main characters and they had good chemistry, but I wish their second-chance romance had focused more on their emotional connection rather than their physical connection. I also felt like the reveal of why their relationship broke down the first time came too late for the reader. Some of the dialogue, particularly in the intimate scenes, felt like a list of what is popular and “quotable” in romance books, which I just got a little bored of.
Overall, this was a quick, fun read. If you’re a fan of rivals-to-lovers, second chance romance, and like the idea of a fast-paced, adrenaline filled racing scenes, this might be one to pick up!
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin for providing me with an eARC. This review is being left voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I read a LOT of F1 romance novels and my main complaint is that they get the F1 part right or the romance part right, but never both at once. This novel chose a third path.
F1 setting: it was fine. You can handwave away some of the fluffy bits and enjoy it. Other than the initial sabotage (hardly a spoiler, it happens like 5 pages in) that for some reason A) was possible and B) was not investigated immediately despite the FMC's protests.
Romance: Why does everyone smell like citrus and the woods and taste of strawberry in romance novels? Hastings' efforts not to fall for Marchmont, despite the inevitable conclusion of a romance novel, were kind of endearing in a hopeless sort of way.
Marchmont's competency and realistic outlook on her career as a woman in motorsports was refreshing. She is an incredibly hard worker but also knows that the deck is stacked against her - F1 is a boys club. Her unwillingness to give in through harassment, sabotage, and tabloid news creates a story that lets you feel proud of Juliette at the end, even if you completely ignore the entire romance. It's cute!
Spoilers ahead, there was one character whose arc almost ruined the book for me: Naw man, absolutely not.
F1 setting: it was fine. You can handwave away some of the fluffy bits and enjoy it. Other than the initial sabotage (hardly a spoiler, it happens like 5 pages in) that for some reason A) was possible and B) was not investigated immediately despite the FMC's protests.
Romance: Why does everyone smell like citrus and the woods and taste of strawberry in romance novels? Hastings' efforts not to fall for Marchmont, despite the inevitable conclusion of a romance novel, were kind of endearing in a hopeless sort of way.
Marchmont's competency and realistic outlook on her career as a woman in motorsports was refreshing. She is an incredibly hard worker but also knows that the deck is stacked against her - F1 is a boys club. Her unwillingness to give in through harassment, sabotage, and tabloid news creates a story that lets you feel proud of Juliette at the end, even if you completely ignore the entire romance. It's cute!
Spoilers ahead, there was one character whose arc almost ruined the book for me: Naw man, absolutely not.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Makes sense this was a wattpad author. Not super well written but the spice to plot ration was good. The biggest thing was that there were so many times I thought, that would never happen in F1. Maybe someone who knows less about the sport would like it. I also wanted Cap and Baz to get together
- there is an inconsistency between some saying that Dom and Juliette’s car is the worst on the grid and is mid-range. Which is it? There is a big difference between being a feeder/lower level team with the worst cars and mid level teams fighting for points and money in the championship
- For a mid level car to be placing in the top 5 is amazing not at all common no matter who is driving it doesn’t make sense for Dom to be doing so well so often
- drivers on the same team are each others biggest competition so there wouldn’t be one team member training another. Each driver would have their own team to train them. The premise would make more sense if Dom was brought on as a consultant or something specifically for Juliette
- F1 drivers to me seem very focused and self consumed that it doesn’t seem likely that they would waste time taunting each other but if there is a mental component to driving I’m sure some are exploiting that
- Baz says dios mio WAY too much
- For being a nepo baby, Dom should understand why Juliette wants to keep things private
- Wouldn’t Juliette prefer to have lessons with Dom to dating him?
- how did no one notice Dom and Juliette spending so much time together? Why bother not having sex when even spending time together would make people think she was getting special treatment?
- After all that build up the spice scene was lackluster and even their other encounters weren’t well written
Net Galley ARC
- there is an inconsistency between some saying that Dom and Juliette’s car is the worst on the grid and is mid-range. Which is it? There is a big difference between being a feeder/lower level team with the worst cars and mid level teams fighting for points and money in the championship
- For a mid level car to be placing in the top 5 is amazing not at all common no matter who is driving it doesn’t make sense for Dom to be doing so well so often
- drivers on the same team are each others biggest competition so there wouldn’t be one team member training another. Each driver would have their own team to train them. The premise would make more sense if Dom was brought on as a consultant or something specifically for Juliette
- F1 drivers to me seem very focused and self consumed that it doesn’t seem likely that they would waste time taunting each other but if there is a mental component to driving I’m sure some are exploiting that
- Baz says dios mio WAY too much
- For being a nepo baby, Dom should understand why Juliette wants to keep things private
- Wouldn’t Juliette prefer to have lessons with Dom to dating him?
- how did no one notice Dom and Juliette spending so much time together? Why bother not having sex when even spending time together would make people think she was getting special treatment?
- After all that build up the spice scene was lackluster and even their other encounters weren’t well written
Net Galley ARC
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I think F1 romances might be my next fixation after finishing this.
The TENSION IN THIS?? So so good and the fact that it's second chance made it so much more powerful.
Juliette and Dominic were once involved, in fact, he was her instructor for a short time, but something happens between them. And during present day, they're looped into the same team when they can't stand to be around one another.
This is probably the first book where I actually ENJOYED the then chapters. We get to see their relationship progression, from how they meet to their falling-out. The secret looks, him taking care of her and she looking up to him, it was so so cute.
Juliette has to deal with a lot of sexist behaviors as the only female driver. Anything minor could tear her reputation to the ground. But she was resilient. I really admired her for persisting on doing the thing she loves despite the environment she had to succumb too. There's also Ranya, who leads the team and I found her to be a great supporter for Juliette and incredibly funny.
Dominic was raised by a father who constantly pushed him, and he chases the feeling of making him proud. But low and behold he gets kicked off his father's team, and feels lost. So when he finds out who his new teammate is, he wants to crawl into a hole. The girl he loved, and still does.
They were great to each other. Dominic never misses an opportunity to make Juliette know she deserves her place in racing. He's the only one that sees every part of her, including the minute moments where she shows emotions. The best hype man ever and there's a reallllly good scene in which all his excuses for staying away crumble to the ground and I absolutely ATE IT UP.
Thank you to Random House UK, Transword Publishers for the ecopy!
The TENSION IN THIS?? So so good and the fact that it's second chance made it so much more powerful.
Juliette and Dominic were once involved, in fact, he was her instructor for a short time, but something happens between them. And during present day, they're looped into the same team when they can't stand to be around one another.
This is probably the first book where I actually ENJOYED the then chapters. We get to see their relationship progression, from how they meet to their falling-out. The secret looks, him taking care of her and she looking up to him, it was so so cute.
Juliette has to deal with a lot of sexist behaviors as the only female driver. Anything minor could tear her reputation to the ground. But she was resilient. I really admired her for persisting on doing the thing she loves despite the environment she had to succumb too. There's also Ranya, who leads the team and I found her to be a great supporter for Juliette and incredibly funny.
Dominic was raised by a father who constantly pushed him, and he chases the feeling of making him proud. But low and behold he gets kicked off his father's team, and feels lost. So when he finds out who his new teammate is, he wants to crawl into a hole. The girl he loved, and still does.
They were great to each other. Dominic never misses an opportunity to make Juliette know she deserves her place in racing. He's the only one that sees every part of her, including the minute moments where she shows emotions. The best hype man ever and there's a reallllly good scene in which all his excuses for staying away crumble to the ground and I absolutely ATE IT UP.
Thank you to Random House UK, Transword Publishers for the ecopy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to Netgalley and Ballantine books for the ARC!
First, I would really rate this more of a 3.5 if I had the option. Second, this was my first dive into Formula 1 racing, so I can't say much about how accurate it is to the sport, but now I want to learn more!
I particularly enjoyed how the book focused on the role of women in Formula 1 and the challenges female drivers face. It effectively shows that the lack of women in F1 is not due to ability, but to long standing barriers and stereotypes within the sport. This emphasis made the book more impactful and thought provoking. Although the novel is primarily a romance, it stands out for how effectively it highlights the challenges faced by women in Formula 1. Juliette is not defined solely by her romantic relationship with Dominic, but by her ambition and determination to succeed in a male dominated sport. The book shows how Juliette must constantly prove herself, facing doubt, stereotypes, and pressure that her male counterparts do not experience. Although I enjoyed those pieces of the book, I felt like there were some pacing issues throughout. One chapter jumps 3 months ahead at one point when all I wanted was more race scenes. I will say my biggest critique is that I found the decision to name the characters in reference to Romeo and Juliet off putting. This was a distraction from the modern issues presented in Full Throttle and did not feel necessary.
With all the tertiary characters, I could see this series continuing if the author chooses and I will be a reader for sure! For a debut novel, it was solid.
First, I would really rate this more of a 3.5 if I had the option. Second, this was my first dive into Formula 1 racing, so I can't say much about how accurate it is to the sport, but now I want to learn more!
I particularly enjoyed how the book focused on the role of women in Formula 1 and the challenges female drivers face. It effectively shows that the lack of women in F1 is not due to ability, but to long standing barriers and stereotypes within the sport. This emphasis made the book more impactful and thought provoking. Although the novel is primarily a romance, it stands out for how effectively it highlights the challenges faced by women in Formula 1. Juliette is not defined solely by her romantic relationship with Dominic, but by her ambition and determination to succeed in a male dominated sport. The book shows how Juliette must constantly prove herself, facing doubt, stereotypes, and pressure that her male counterparts do not experience. Although I enjoyed those pieces of the book, I felt like there were some pacing issues throughout. One chapter jumps 3 months ahead at one point when all I wanted was more race scenes. I will say my biggest critique is that I found the decision to name the characters in reference to Romeo and Juliet off putting. This was a distraction from the modern issues presented in Full Throttle and did not feel necessary.
With all the tertiary characters, I could see this series continuing if the author chooses and I will be a reader for sure! For a debut novel, it was solid.
January 13, 2026
Full Throttle was an interesting read, especially coming from the perspective of someone who follows Formula 1. The premise is fun and the book definitely leans into drama and romance, which I think many readers will really enjoy.
For me, some of the pacing and tonal choices didn’t always align with the high stakes of the F1 world. A few conversations felt either more casual or more dramatic than I expected for the situations the characters were in, and there were moments that required a bit of suspension of disbelief when it came to the technical side of racing. That said, readers who are less familiar with F1, or who enjoy a more romance forward take on the sport, may not find this distracting at all.
The romance and tension weren’t entirely my personal preference, as some of the transitions between conflict and attraction felt a little disconnected, particularly with how the flashbacks were integrated. I also had mixed feelings about Vance’s character arc, though I can see how this element would work well for readers who enjoy unexpected character development.
Where the book really shines is in the drama. A garage scene in particular was a standout and genuinely scandalous in the best way. I also appreciated the author’s effort to explore the challenges of being a woman in a male dominated sport, as well as the nuance added to Dominic’s character through his upbringing, cultural background, and relationship with his father.
Overall, I think readers who like high drama sports romances, emotionally charged storylines, workplace tension, and romance forward narratives set in the world of Formula 1 will enjoy this book.
For me, some of the pacing and tonal choices didn’t always align with the high stakes of the F1 world. A few conversations felt either more casual or more dramatic than I expected for the situations the characters were in, and there were moments that required a bit of suspension of disbelief when it came to the technical side of racing. That said, readers who are less familiar with F1, or who enjoy a more romance forward take on the sport, may not find this distracting at all.
The romance and tension weren’t entirely my personal preference, as some of the transitions between conflict and attraction felt a little disconnected, particularly with how the flashbacks were integrated. I also had mixed feelings about Vance’s character arc, though I can see how this element would work well for readers who enjoy unexpected character development.
Where the book really shines is in the drama. A garage scene in particular was a standout and genuinely scandalous in the best way. I also appreciated the author’s effort to explore the challenges of being a woman in a male dominated sport, as well as the nuance added to Dominic’s character through his upbringing, cultural background, and relationship with his father.
Overall, I think readers who like high drama sports romances, emotionally charged storylines, workplace tension, and romance forward narratives set in the world of Formula 1 will enjoy this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an early copy of this book! Below is my honest review.
Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5 stars
I think one of the strongest points of this book was the world-building. As someone who knows very little of F1 and car racing in general, I felt like this was pretty easy to understand. There were very few times I felt confused, but otherwise, a lot of things were explained. (Although, one gripe I do have is how so many people got into accidents but no one got seriously injured. Juliette is rushed to the hospital at one point, but she gets cleared within a day to race in the tournament the next day... Even though she has a concussion?)
Another strong point was the conflicts outside of the romantic relationship. Dominic has family issues with his father (though the solution to it felt a little too easy at the end of the book). Juliette has to deal with sexism in the racing world, along with some family issues as well. We don't get much explanation of what happened to her parents, but not a big deal.
But, as much as I love a good enemies-to-lovers, this one felt a little cringe to me. There are so many instances where Juliette finds herself in a not-great situation, and lo-and-behold, Dominic is there to save the day. But oh no, she hates him with all her guts because he won't apologize for that mysterious thing that he did in the past. I think the romance should have focused more on "if they date, it might be career ending for her" rather than the hating part.
Overall, this was a fun read!
Rating: 3.75 stars out of 5 stars
I think one of the strongest points of this book was the world-building. As someone who knows very little of F1 and car racing in general, I felt like this was pretty easy to understand. There were very few times I felt confused, but otherwise, a lot of things were explained. (Although, one gripe I do have is how so many people got into accidents but no one got seriously injured. Juliette is rushed to the hospital at one point, but she gets cleared within a day to race in the tournament the next day... Even though she has a concussion?)
Another strong point was the conflicts outside of the romantic relationship. Dominic has family issues with his father (though the solution to it felt a little too easy at the end of the book). Juliette has to deal with sexism in the racing world, along with some family issues as well. We don't get much explanation of what happened to her parents, but not a big deal.
But, as much as I love a good enemies-to-lovers, this one felt a little cringe to me. There are so many instances where Juliette finds herself in a not-great situation, and lo-and-behold, Dominic is there to save the day. But oh no, she hates him with all her guts because he won't apologize for that mysterious thing that he did in the past. I think the romance should have focused more on "if they date, it might be career ending for her" rather than the hating part.
Overall, this was a fun read!
December 23, 2025
Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for this arc!
This was a solid 3.25 stars.
I'm not into any type of sports so I barely know anything about F1, but I really enjoyed that element in the book! I was fully intrigued by the premise. Our fmc Juliette is a driver but the odds are stacked against her because she is a woman. I knew by the end she would somehow win and her spot would be secured.
The romance; There were times where I was okay with it and then I started rolling my eyes. Juliette is firm on wanting to prove her position and didn't want anyone to think that she climbed her way to the top using Dominic. But then she turns around and constantly begs him to kiss her and when she gets what she wanted she goes and says this was nothing more and that she would never forgive him. GIRL. Then why?! She dug her own hole though. Because that interview came to bite her in the butt. At this point it felt like Dominic feelings were being used more by Juliette than the other way around. She keeps thinking the worst about him before he can explain things and it was extremely annoying and ruined the book for me.
And not to mention the words Dominic would say to Juliette out loud gave me second hand embarrassment. And the fact that Juliette continued to think he only cared about his own career after he just poured his heart out made me feel like she had some comprehension issues....
Some warning content: lot of language here and some spice..
Spiritual content: There was a mention of praying to Allah (islam.)
Overall solid read.
This was a solid 3.25 stars.
I'm not into any type of sports so I barely know anything about F1, but I really enjoyed that element in the book! I was fully intrigued by the premise. Our fmc Juliette is a driver but the odds are stacked against her because she is a woman. I knew by the end she would somehow win and her spot would be secured.
The romance; There were times where I was okay with it and then I started rolling my eyes. Juliette is firm on wanting to prove her position and didn't want anyone to think that she climbed her way to the top using Dominic. But then she turns around and constantly begs him to kiss her and when she gets what she wanted she goes and says this was nothing more and that she would never forgive him. GIRL. Then why?! She dug her own hole though. Because that interview came to bite her in the butt. At this point it felt like Dominic feelings were being used more by Juliette than the other way around. She keeps thinking the worst about him before he can explain things and it was extremely annoying and ruined the book for me.
And not to mention the words Dominic would say to Juliette out loud gave me second hand embarrassment. And the fact that Juliette continued to think he only cared about his own career after he just poured his heart out made me feel like she had some comprehension issues....
Some warning content: lot of language here and some spice..
Spiritual content: There was a mention of praying to Allah (islam.)
Overall solid read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
𝘍𝘶𝘭𝘭 𝘛𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 is a full-speed sports romance debut set in the competitive landscape of Formula 1.
The story follows the first female driver, Juliette, as she is forced to partner with Dominic - the man who broke her heart years ago.
I loved the writing style from the first page, and I couldn't put this book down. I'm unfamiliar with F1, and while this was my first exposure to its addictively competitive world, I never felt like I couldn't follow along. I enjoyed the storytelling and pacing in the present-day timeline, and the few flashbacks were appropriately placed and not overdone as to maintain the reader's interest.
The characters are well-developed with entertaining banter and complex relationships that I was highly invested in. Not only did I develop interest in Juliette and Dominic, but I cared for Juliette's growth in her relationship with her brother. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I won't highlight names, but I did appreciate closure provided for another important, and very complicated, relationship.
As a woman in STEM, it was easy for me to relate to Juliette's struggles to earn respect in a boy's club environment, and the author didn't shy away from diving into this reality. The exploration of success and sacrifice was well-written, and I love the positive message as the characters figure it all out in the end.
Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the advance reading copy!
The story follows the first female driver, Juliette, as she is forced to partner with Dominic - the man who broke her heart years ago.
I loved the writing style from the first page, and I couldn't put this book down. I'm unfamiliar with F1, and while this was my first exposure to its addictively competitive world, I never felt like I couldn't follow along. I enjoyed the storytelling and pacing in the present-day timeline, and the few flashbacks were appropriately placed and not overdone as to maintain the reader's interest.
The characters are well-developed with entertaining banter and complex relationships that I was highly invested in. Not only did I develop interest in Juliette and Dominic, but I cared for Juliette's growth in her relationship with her brother. In the interest of avoiding spoilers, I won't highlight names, but I did appreciate closure provided for another important, and very complicated, relationship.
As a woman in STEM, it was easy for me to relate to Juliette's struggles to earn respect in a boy's club environment, and the author didn't shy away from diving into this reality. The exploration of success and sacrifice was well-written, and I love the positive message as the characters figure it all out in the end.
Thank you to Dell and NetGalley for the advance reading copy!
December 22, 2025
Thanks to NetGalley and Ballantine for the advanced reader copy
Juliette Marchmont should be ecstatic. She's just become the first women to drive a Formula 1 car and not as a reserve driver. The only problem? Her teammate is the man who broke her heart years earlier, Dominic Hastings. Dominic, considered the golden boy of F1, was recently dropped from his team--the team his father owns--and is looking for redemption. As the two have to work together to prove that they belong on the grid, they realize that old feelings they thought were put away might have been there all along. Can they trust each other enough to find success on and off the track?
This was a good addition to the F1 sports romances. I really appreciated the twist on the typical story with having a female driver trying to prove herself. Juliette is a confident and fully fleshed out main character who you root for from the beginning. And the fact that her parents are Shakespeare lovers who've named their children after Shakespearean characters added a fun detail to the story. FULL THROTTLE felt like the most international of the F1 books I've read and it's a great book to pick up if you like:
-lovers to enemies to lovers
-forced proximity
-workplace romance
-women in the driver's seat (literally and figuratively)
Full Throttle is out August 18, 2026
Juliette Marchmont should be ecstatic. She's just become the first women to drive a Formula 1 car and not as a reserve driver. The only problem? Her teammate is the man who broke her heart years earlier, Dominic Hastings. Dominic, considered the golden boy of F1, was recently dropped from his team--the team his father owns--and is looking for redemption. As the two have to work together to prove that they belong on the grid, they realize that old feelings they thought were put away might have been there all along. Can they trust each other enough to find success on and off the track?
This was a good addition to the F1 sports romances. I really appreciated the twist on the typical story with having a female driver trying to prove herself. Juliette is a confident and fully fleshed out main character who you root for from the beginning. And the fact that her parents are Shakespeare lovers who've named their children after Shakespearean characters added a fun detail to the story. FULL THROTTLE felt like the most international of the F1 books I've read and it's a great book to pick up if you like:
-lovers to enemies to lovers
-forced proximity
-workplace romance
-women in the driver's seat (literally and figuratively)
Full Throttle is out August 18, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
DNF at 83% -- Really well written, I just didn't like the miscommunication trope which was the major driving (hehe, pun intended) factor in this book.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.
Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy.
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January 5, 2026Thank you NetGalley & publishers for an advanced review copy of this book!
F1 books are going to be all the rage with it trending IRL. Things I liked: I love the cover; seems trivial, but I miss compelling covers on my books! I like that the F1 elements felt good for those who know the sport but not so deep to turn off people who may not be familiar with the sport. I liked the dynamic between the two leads and wanted them to work out their issues to be together.
Things I didn't like as much: The pacing felt off. It was meant to be a second-chance romance and *something happened* to made them break off initially, but you don't find out what that is until way too late, which left this weird pall over their second-chance (should I be rooting for them? Should I be hoping they come to their senses and stop? Who knows.) Also the characters felt inconsistent: her entire personality read like, "I don't know if I can do the thing even though it's all i've dreamed and worked towards forever, but now that this other person said I couldn't do it, I'm going to do it - oh, but also, let me take these random *super risky* actions that could jeopardize the whole dream." Idk, it felt.. exhausting.
That said, it was a quick, generally fun read with a fun take on a second chance, sports romance and I'd give it 3/5 stars.
F1 books are going to be all the rage with it trending IRL. Things I liked: I love the cover; seems trivial, but I miss compelling covers on my books! I like that the F1 elements felt good for those who know the sport but not so deep to turn off people who may not be familiar with the sport. I liked the dynamic between the two leads and wanted them to work out their issues to be together.
Things I didn't like as much: The pacing felt off. It was meant to be a second-chance romance and *something happened* to made them break off initially, but you don't find out what that is until way too late, which left this weird pall over their second-chance (should I be rooting for them? Should I be hoping they come to their senses and stop? Who knows.) Also the characters felt inconsistent: her entire personality read like, "I don't know if I can do the thing even though it's all i've dreamed and worked towards forever, but now that this other person said I couldn't do it, I'm going to do it - oh, but also, let me take these random *super risky* actions that could jeopardize the whole dream." Idk, it felt.. exhausting.
That said, it was a quick, generally fun read with a fun take on a second chance, sports romance and I'd give it 3/5 stars.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews...
4.25/5
Thank you NetGalley & publishers for an advanced review copy of this book!
I am a sucker for a sports romance and this is the first I have picked up in the F1 world. I don't really know much about the sport, but I find it more enjoyable to suspend belief than picking apart the ins and outs of how things actually work. There were a few moments where it seemed off but overall I feel like I was able to grasp the sport despite knowing basically nothing going in.
I appreciated the writing and pacing for the most part and was only slightly frustrated at times where I felt things were a bit forced.
At first I was savoring a few chapters at a time but before I was even half way through I couldn't put it down. The characters were mostly really compelling. I found myself wanting to know more about the side characters so I hope to see more in the future. Juliette and Dominic were both outsiders in the world of sports and while I appreciate their struggles some felt over dramatized and forced. The villain of the story, I don't want to believe that there are people like him and it feels like a caricature of hate, however, in this day and age its getting harder to believe they don't exist.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and hope to read more from J. K. Maclaren in the future.
4.25/5
Thank you NetGalley & publishers for an advanced review copy of this book!
I am a sucker for a sports romance and this is the first I have picked up in the F1 world. I don't really know much about the sport, but I find it more enjoyable to suspend belief than picking apart the ins and outs of how things actually work. There were a few moments where it seemed off but overall I feel like I was able to grasp the sport despite knowing basically nothing going in.
I appreciated the writing and pacing for the most part and was only slightly frustrated at times where I felt things were a bit forced.
At first I was savoring a few chapters at a time but before I was even half way through I couldn't put it down. The characters were mostly really compelling. I found myself wanting to know more about the side characters so I hope to see more in the future. Juliette and Dominic were both outsiders in the world of sports and while I appreciate their struggles some felt over dramatized and forced. The villain of the story, I don't want to believe that there are people like him and it feels like a caricature of hate, however, in this day and age its getting harder to believe they don't exist.
Overall, I really enjoyed this novel and hope to read more from J. K. Maclaren in the future.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Full Throttle is a romance that blends elite sports drama with emotional depth and feminist grit. Even without prior knowledge of Formula 1, the story pulls you in with its sharp pacing and immersive world. The racing scenes are intense but never overwhelming, and the stakes — both personal and professional — feel real throughout.
Juliette Marchmont, the first female F1 driver, is a standout lead: fierce, flawed, and fighting to prove herself in a male-dominated arena. Her journey is full of pressure, ambition, and vulnerability, making her easy to root for. Dominic Hastings, her rival-turned-teammate, brings layered tension and emotional complexity, with a past that adds heat to every interaction.
The romance simmers with enemies-to-lovers energy, but never overshadows Juliette’s arc. Their chemistry is undeniable, but the story prioritizes her growth and grit. The supporting cast adds richness — from protective siblings to punchable rivals — and the writing balances humor, heartbreak, and triumph beautifully.
It’s not just a sports romance — it’s a story about resilience, ambition, and carving space where you’re told you don’t belong. If you love high-stakes tension, powerful female leads, and emotionally charged dynamics, this one’s a must-read.
thank you netgally for the ARC of thos book in exchange of my honest opinion! highly recommend 👌
Juliette Marchmont, the first female F1 driver, is a standout lead: fierce, flawed, and fighting to prove herself in a male-dominated arena. Her journey is full of pressure, ambition, and vulnerability, making her easy to root for. Dominic Hastings, her rival-turned-teammate, brings layered tension and emotional complexity, with a past that adds heat to every interaction.
The romance simmers with enemies-to-lovers energy, but never overshadows Juliette’s arc. Their chemistry is undeniable, but the story prioritizes her growth and grit. The supporting cast adds richness — from protective siblings to punchable rivals — and the writing balances humor, heartbreak, and triumph beautifully.
It’s not just a sports romance — it’s a story about resilience, ambition, and carving space where you’re told you don’t belong. If you love high-stakes tension, powerful female leads, and emotionally charged dynamics, this one’s a must-read.
thank you netgally for the ARC of thos book in exchange of my honest opinion! highly recommend 👌
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
First of all, that cover. It’s stunning, artsy, and immediately pulled me in. But what really sold me was the story itself. As a huge Formula 1 fan who’s always on the hunt for a truly good F1 romance, I can confidently say this was IT.
This book felt fresh, exciting, and genuinely different. The tension and angst were top tier, and the chemistry between Juliette and Dominic was palpable from the start. Every interaction crackled, on and off the track, and the enemies tolovers dynamic worked so well within the high stakes world of Formula 1.
I absolutely loved the premise of Juliette being the first female driver on the grid, and the execution was flawless. The story doesn’t shy away from highlighting the realities of being a woman in a male dominated sport. I love that the scrutiny, the pressure, the constant need to prove herself were shown, and that layer added so much depth and authenticity. It never felt gimmicky, but very raw and real and true to what women experience.
This was a fast paced, emotionally charged, sweet read that fully delivered. If you love Formula 1, then this is for you! 🏁💖
Thank you to NetGalley, J.K. MacLaren, and Dell for the eARC of this book.
This book felt fresh, exciting, and genuinely different. The tension and angst were top tier, and the chemistry between Juliette and Dominic was palpable from the start. Every interaction crackled, on and off the track, and the enemies tolovers dynamic worked so well within the high stakes world of Formula 1.
I absolutely loved the premise of Juliette being the first female driver on the grid, and the execution was flawless. The story doesn’t shy away from highlighting the realities of being a woman in a male dominated sport. I love that the scrutiny, the pressure, the constant need to prove herself were shown, and that layer added so much depth and authenticity. It never felt gimmicky, but very raw and real and true to what women experience.
This was a fast paced, emotionally charged, sweet read that fully delivered. If you love Formula 1, then this is for you! 🏁💖
Thank you to NetGalley, J.K. MacLaren, and Dell for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
“I don’t care what other people think. Not if it means I get to have you.”
“We bleed for the things we love”
Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an arc for this book.
I had such a great time with this book. I couldn’t believe it was a debut novel.
I always love an F1 romance and I’m always itching for more of them. This book felt like a breath of fresh air. I loved the concept of rivals to lovers and also second chance.
Juliette the fmc was such a strong character. The first female f1 driver full of determination and a personality that never gives up.
I loved Dominic more and more as the book went on. A driver that everyone thinks has been handed everything on a silver platter but has hurt by more than one person in his life. He was so supportive and caring always wanting to protect the people he cared about.
I also enjoyed the race scenes always felt full of adrenaline. The side characters were fun and the author really made me hate the bad characters I really wanted to punch them myself on multiple occasions.
A very enjoyable fun book through and through. Quite fast paced and an easy read. Also it’s in third person which is something I always like to know too.
I’m definitely excited to read more from this author in the future!
“We bleed for the things we love”
Thank you so much to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an arc for this book.
I had such a great time with this book. I couldn’t believe it was a debut novel.
I always love an F1 romance and I’m always itching for more of them. This book felt like a breath of fresh air. I loved the concept of rivals to lovers and also second chance.
Juliette the fmc was such a strong character. The first female f1 driver full of determination and a personality that never gives up.
I loved Dominic more and more as the book went on. A driver that everyone thinks has been handed everything on a silver platter but has hurt by more than one person in his life. He was so supportive and caring always wanting to protect the people he cared about.
I also enjoyed the race scenes always felt full of adrenaline. The side characters were fun and the author really made me hate the bad characters I really wanted to punch them myself on multiple occasions.
A very enjoyable fun book through and through. Quite fast paced and an easy read. Also it’s in third person which is something I always like to know too.
I’m definitely excited to read more from this author in the future!
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