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The Last Sunday in May: A Novel
She’s a single mom, a devoted daughter, and an Indy 500 hopeful daring to dream in an exhilarating and emotional novel about family, ambition, and second chances.
Mack Williams was the next big thing in motorsports. Until her wild ways forced her to leave racing in her rearview mirror. Ten years later, she’s a single mom in rural Indiana, with a struggling family business and a dad who needs full-time care. The fastest woman on four wheels now drives car pool, her dreams turned to dust.
But Mack’s childhood idol, Janet Joyner, still sees the spark. Famed for breaking gender barriers on the track, Janet gives Mack a last-ditch chance to qualify for the coveted Indy 500. Mack thought her days of impulsive choices were over, but she can’t say no, whatever the risks—moving in with her estranged sister, facing down her daughter’s absentee father, and working with Mack’s new teammate, Leo. He’s gorgeous, supportive, and every kind of distraction Mack can’t afford.
Juggling her personal life with a professional dream close within reach, Mack won’t let a second chance slip away again. Win or lose, the stakes have never been higher.
Mack Williams was the next big thing in motorsports. Until her wild ways forced her to leave racing in her rearview mirror. Ten years later, she’s a single mom in rural Indiana, with a struggling family business and a dad who needs full-time care. The fastest woman on four wheels now drives car pool, her dreams turned to dust.
But Mack’s childhood idol, Janet Joyner, still sees the spark. Famed for breaking gender barriers on the track, Janet gives Mack a last-ditch chance to qualify for the coveted Indy 500. Mack thought her days of impulsive choices were over, but she can’t say no, whatever the risks—moving in with her estranged sister, facing down her daughter’s absentee father, and working with Mack’s new teammate, Leo. He’s gorgeous, supportive, and every kind of distraction Mack can’t afford.
Juggling her personal life with a professional dream close within reach, Mack won’t let a second chance slip away again. Win or lose, the stakes have never been higher.
292 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 1, 2026
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
May 15, 2026
Thanks to NetGalley for a copy of the audiobook for The Last Sunday in May. My opinions are always my own, so take them with a grain of salt, but this was a definite recommendation. I love a good story meant to inspire its readers to follow their hearts and to never give up, especially when our main character is portrayed by someone exactly like Mack. When we first meet her she’s a young carefree driver just starting out, who likes to drive fast and party. Fast forward ten years, and Mack helps run a local dirt track with her dad who suffered a TBI during his race car driving career, and her pre-teen daughter. Mack’s dad has a pretty funny girlfriend who is a big part of the story too and I adored her, Billie. She was not all that she seemed and in the very best way. Our love interest for Mack, who is our sole narrator, is her new teammate and he was such a cutie. Loved that Leo was an all around good guy, and that his intentions were pure towards Mack. Our angst in part was due to those damn double standards we’ll have until the end of time shackling our poor Mack as a woman to some outdated standard, and we have some OM drama with the sperm donor for Mack’s daughter. He was an all around ass. All in all I really loved how it the ending all wrapped up and though watching NASCAR seems like cars just going round and round to me, my father diasagrees, our author wrote the driving scenes with such knowledge and suspense, it made me enjoy the visual in my head. Audiobooks narration itself was easy to listen to and her voice changes were very satisfying for the male counterpoints. Even if like me race car driving isn’t your thing, you’ll root for Mack and Leo to win all their races.
April 6, 2026
I absolutely loved The Last Sunday in May by Kate Clark Stone. It’s a heartfelt, uplifting story that beautifully reminds you it’s never too late to move beyond simply surviving and start truly living. I felt a deep connection to the main character—her journey was raw, real, and incredibly relatable. With a strong single mom, fast cars, and just the right touch of romance, this was an unforgettable, feel-good read for me.
Review of advance copy
The Last Sunday in May feels satisfyingly like a bad book. I may have disliked Little Fires Everywhere and Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow, but my issues were with viewpoints or the structure of those books despite the writing in both actually being quite polished.
The Last Sunday in May is just simplistic and dull.
In Your Head
In The Last Sunday in May, Mack is the sun, and every other character orbits her. Without her, they would have no reason to exist. A love interest who’s second career could be a cardboard cutout. A ten-year-old daughter gifted with the emotional maturity of a five-year-old. A sister who serves as the author’s venting mechanism for an unfulfilling legal career. An ex-lover whose dialogue would be no weaker if it just was “I am evil and I am saying the most evil thing right now”.
On one level this is fine. The book is about one person’s second chance, and centres (at length) around Mack’s internal monologue. The other characters of given the thinnest patinas of human emotion so they can (a) serve to resolve obstacles in Mack’s way, such as her sister’s deus ex machina of a flock of American Eagles flying onto The Brickyard and carrying Mack’s car over the finish line;* or (b) to serve as speed bumps, as easily driven over as a ten year old’s body.**
So, since we spend so much time in her head, is Mack an interesting character? No! Mack’s emotions are like big giant blocks of Duplo. You can make out their shape and put them together, but it still looks like something a toddler might have built. Mack tells us about how she was a wild child first time round, followed by the decade of caring for dependents, but in terms of taking the second chance… …things just happen and she is like… “damn, that happened”… …just spread out over four or five paragraphs. Considering her role in the story, she consistently lacks drive – the literal thing she is meant to be good at.
Details Man
Most people assumed that driving a race car was physically undemanding, but staying in control of a seven-hundred-horsepower engine embedded in a carbon fiber frame required strength, focus, stamina, and extraordinary reaction time.
A couple of times of late I have given credit to the depth of research put into a book. The Last Sunday in May serves as the counterpoint to the suggestion that is an empty platitude. Material pulled from a Wikipedia page is really boring to read. Yes, there is always a tension of the audience needing things to be explained that the in-universe characters would obviously already know, but the approach in The Last Sunday in May is that I should be grateful when it tells me that a car has four wheels.
Again, you can argue this is a book about internal emotions, so the car part is more window dressing (if the point the book ends did not make it clear enough). However, the best part of The Last Sunday in May is when the author leans on the slightly obscure detail around qualifying times to create tension. I already know that hooking up with a teammate is a bad idea, that kids get scared when their parent totals the car, or that the patriarchy is still a beast to be slayed. Perhaps those things are all true, but The Last Sunday in May adds nothing novel about it, despite the potentially interesting setting of a male dominated sport.
Slightly as an aside, the lack of research can be niggling in the small details. The email sign off of one company includes the following:
2019 Winner: Greta Thunberg “Green Standard” Award
It serves as microcosm of the book for Stone to make up an award and slap a real person’s name on it because the readers will associate it as performative – i.e. who cares about the detail, it’s about the vibe. Whatever your views on Thunberg, it reeks of laziness and that maybe the motor-racing sections are kept simple less because the author is pandering to the audience and more that a couple of pages digging into Google searches was enough for the day.
So yes, I straight up did not like it.
*Metaphorically from a point of believability.
**Metaphorically.
The Last Sunday in May is just simplistic and dull.
In Your Head
In The Last Sunday in May, Mack is the sun, and every other character orbits her. Without her, they would have no reason to exist. A love interest who’s second career could be a cardboard cutout. A ten-year-old daughter gifted with the emotional maturity of a five-year-old. A sister who serves as the author’s venting mechanism for an unfulfilling legal career. An ex-lover whose dialogue would be no weaker if it just was “I am evil and I am saying the most evil thing right now”.
On one level this is fine. The book is about one person’s second chance, and centres (at length) around Mack’s internal monologue. The other characters of given the thinnest patinas of human emotion so they can (a) serve to resolve obstacles in Mack’s way, such as her sister’s deus ex machina of a flock of American Eagles flying onto The Brickyard and carrying Mack’s car over the finish line;* or (b) to serve as speed bumps, as easily driven over as a ten year old’s body.**
So, since we spend so much time in her head, is Mack an interesting character? No! Mack’s emotions are like big giant blocks of Duplo. You can make out their shape and put them together, but it still looks like something a toddler might have built. Mack tells us about how she was a wild child first time round, followed by the decade of caring for dependents, but in terms of taking the second chance… …things just happen and she is like… “damn, that happened”… …just spread out over four or five paragraphs. Considering her role in the story, she consistently lacks drive – the literal thing she is meant to be good at.
Details Man
Most people assumed that driving a race car was physically undemanding, but staying in control of a seven-hundred-horsepower engine embedded in a carbon fiber frame required strength, focus, stamina, and extraordinary reaction time.
A couple of times of late I have given credit to the depth of research put into a book. The Last Sunday in May serves as the counterpoint to the suggestion that is an empty platitude. Material pulled from a Wikipedia page is really boring to read. Yes, there is always a tension of the audience needing things to be explained that the in-universe characters would obviously already know, but the approach in The Last Sunday in May is that I should be grateful when it tells me that a car has four wheels.
Again, you can argue this is a book about internal emotions, so the car part is more window dressing (if the point the book ends did not make it clear enough). However, the best part of The Last Sunday in May is when the author leans on the slightly obscure detail around qualifying times to create tension. I already know that hooking up with a teammate is a bad idea, that kids get scared when their parent totals the car, or that the patriarchy is still a beast to be slayed. Perhaps those things are all true, but The Last Sunday in May adds nothing novel about it, despite the potentially interesting setting of a male dominated sport.
Slightly as an aside, the lack of research can be niggling in the small details. The email sign off of one company includes the following:
2019 Winner: Greta Thunberg “Green Standard” Award
It serves as microcosm of the book for Stone to make up an award and slap a real person’s name on it because the readers will associate it as performative – i.e. who cares about the detail, it’s about the vibe. Whatever your views on Thunberg, it reeks of laziness and that maybe the motor-racing sections are kept simple less because the author is pandering to the audience and more that a couple of pages digging into Google searches was enough for the day.
So yes, I straight up did not like it.
*Metaphorically from a point of believability.
**Metaphorically.
April 18, 2026
As a former dirt track drive and as a wife to a husband and momma to a daughter who both currently dirt track race, this was a breath of fresh air for my reading list. I loved that this wasn't necessarily a romance and mainly focused on the issues that women experience in the racing world.
May 5, 2026
I typically wouldn’t have picked this book up, but was sent a review copy from Kaye Publicity and since it’s set in Indiana at the biggest spectacle in racing, decided to dive in.
Imagine my surprise when I discovered familiar places from my own childhood home county of Gibson County, Indiana and the Haubstadt Speedway.
There are a lot of great themes: making it as single mother, taking second chances at your dreams and some discourse on the lack of female representation in Indy Car racing. It’s not overly heavy on that, but just enough to give the book some depth.
Throw in a little action, romance and Easter Eggs for born and raised Hoosiers and you have the formula for a fun sports driven story. I thought the ending was perfect (no spoilers here) and I hope you’ll pick it up this May!
Imagine my surprise when I discovered familiar places from my own childhood home county of Gibson County, Indiana and the Haubstadt Speedway.
There are a lot of great themes: making it as single mother, taking second chances at your dreams and some discourse on the lack of female representation in Indy Car racing. It’s not overly heavy on that, but just enough to give the book some depth.
Throw in a little action, romance and Easter Eggs for born and raised Hoosiers and you have the formula for a fun sports driven story. I thought the ending was perfect (no spoilers here) and I hope you’ll pick it up this May!
May 19, 2026
4🌟 (Kindle)
I'm not a big racing fan, but the writing in this story was so compelling that I all but flew through it. Part coming-of-age, part romance, but ultimately putting fear aside + doing what you love best, no matter the consequences. All-in-all, there's a HEA + uniting of family, no matter how dysfunctional it seems on the surface.
I never realized how FEW women + minorities were in racing...it makes me mad they can't get enough sponsors or equipment to really show they know what they're doing out there. Keeping my eyes open for these rarities in the future so I can be the loudest cheerleader for each + every one.
I'm not a big racing fan, but the writing in this story was so compelling that I all but flew through it. Part coming-of-age, part romance, but ultimately putting fear aside + doing what you love best, no matter the consequences. All-in-all, there's a HEA + uniting of family, no matter how dysfunctional it seems on the surface.
I never realized how FEW women + minorities were in racing...it makes me mad they can't get enough sponsors or equipment to really show they know what they're doing out there. Keeping my eyes open for these rarities in the future so I can be the loudest cheerleader for each + every one.
April 16, 2026
#ad much love for my advance copy @kayepublicity #partner
The Last Sunday In May
< @
Releases: April 21, 2026
Buckle up y’all! Racing, female power, drama, and dreams do come true...maybe! Mack thought her days of racing were over but when she’s offered the chance to qualify for the Indy 500 can she really accomplish her dreams with life still lifing?
I loved this book so much and I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t exactly what I thought it’d be. It was so freaking good, I binged it the other night and still can’t stop thinking about it. Stone’s writing is the kind you can picture playing out in your mind. And this book was so much fun to read.
The story is told leading up to the Indy 500 - we go back 10 years, but just for the intro. The story is rooted in the now with Mack struggling her way through life - which felt all too relatable. The story keeps us hooked throughout and I especially loved the “bonus” things like e-mails, texts, newsletters, etc.
Seriously, don’t sleep on this book! It’s also available as an Amazon First Reads, so if you haven’t picked your books this month get this one!
The Last Sunday In May
< @
Releases: April 21, 2026
Buckle up y’all! Racing, female power, drama, and dreams do come true...maybe! Mack thought her days of racing were over but when she’s offered the chance to qualify for the Indy 500 can she really accomplish her dreams with life still lifing?
I loved this book so much and I don’t know what I was expecting but it wasn’t exactly what I thought it’d be. It was so freaking good, I binged it the other night and still can’t stop thinking about it. Stone’s writing is the kind you can picture playing out in your mind. And this book was so much fun to read.
The story is told leading up to the Indy 500 - we go back 10 years, but just for the intro. The story is rooted in the now with Mack struggling her way through life - which felt all too relatable. The story keeps us hooked throughout and I especially loved the “bonus” things like e-mails, texts, newsletters, etc.
Seriously, don’t sleep on this book! It’s also available as an Amazon First Reads, so if you haven’t picked your books this month get this one!
March 10, 2026
This was an enjoyable fiction read. I enjoyed following Mack as she gets an opportunity to follow her dreams to race an Indy 500. I loved seeing Mack as she gave racing a second chance and got back into the world she loves. This book had a great cast of characters and an inspiring storyline. Overall this was a great read!
Read this if you like:
📖 Racing
📖 Second chances
📖 Family drama
📖 Single mom FMC
📖 A bit of romance
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for the gifted copy.
Read this if you like:
📖 Racing
📖 Second chances
📖 Family drama
📖 Single mom FMC
📖 A bit of romance
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for the gifted copy.
May 7, 2026
Why is no one talking about this one? I enjoyed The Last Sunday In May. This story is about Mack. She used to be the biggest thing in motorsports until something happened. Mack had to place her dreams aside to raise her daughter, care for her dad, and run the family business full time. One day, Janet Joyner comes to give her another chance, doing something she has always dreamed of. This is a great story of shining in a sport that’s dominated by males, repairing relationships, and growth.
Audiobook narrator Lindsey Dorcus did a fantastic job and I look forward to listening to her other work.
Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and Brilliance Publishing for this ALC.
Audiobook narrator Lindsey Dorcus did a fantastic job and I look forward to listening to her other work.
Thank you NetGalley, Brilliance Audio, and Brilliance Publishing for this ALC.
May 18, 2026
This was a fun one!! Love a novel about racing, especially when there’s so many familiar landmarks and names since it’s based in Indianapolis. The race fan in me would’ve loved more Indy 500 scenes and less of the personal drama or musings on Mack’s journey but overall a good read.
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for sending me an ARC!
Thank you to Kaye Publicity for sending me an ARC!
May 22, 2026
There were many Sundays of my childhood spent watching these races with my family, and somehow this book captured that cozy nostalgia for me. & I just know it would have been magic for baby me to see a woman racing and winning. In regards to the story, Mack grows by the end (thank goodness). So if you can get through 80% of the book with her being unhinged to point of cringe, you should be fine.
May 19, 2026
This was such a fun read. I know nothing about car racing and have never watched, but this was an interesting glimpse into the ins and outs of the Indy 500 and the racing world in general.
May 2, 2026
Enjoyed this new take on the beach read. As an Indy native was impressed with the authentic references from the pagoda to Geist to Long’s Bakery. And as someone who attends family reunions in Haubstaudt, it was fun to see it mentioned as well. The racing element added lots of action and the storyline kept me wondering how it would end. I would love to see a sequel to follow these characters into the next phase.
May 18, 2026
Got this for free with Amazon First Reads. I liked learning more about the Indy 500 but couldn’t take the pity party Mack was constantly throwing herself. She had been through a lot so I got it to an extent but like buck up bitch your dreams are on the line.
Also there’s no way the daughter is 10 years old, the author has never met a 10 year old in her life because she wrote Shaw like she actually is 4.
Also there’s no way the daughter is 10 years old, the author has never met a 10 year old in her life because she wrote Shaw like she actually is 4.
May 11, 2026
This book was featured as a choice for April’s Prime Reading monthly options as a part of Prime membership. Not necessarily a fan of racing, but curious per summary and reviews, I placed it on my TBR shelf. And suddenly, April was vanishing and new choices would soon appear.
I dove in, uncertain, but quickly admired the main character’s spunk, determination, and DRIVE. A young mother, after an unplanned pregnancy that derailed and/or stalled her career choice of racing, she is an anomaly in her pit crew, with her team, and in this world. Because she is conspicuous in this male world, focus shines sharply and often cruelly as those on social media and among the Indy racers’ comment with sharpest judgements.
Despite the pressures, or because of them, she works and trains harder. Added to the conflicts is her attraction to a team member and their celebrity endorsed driver. Not only does she admire him, but she strives to follow his lead. Although he has many sponsors, she has been unable to arraign a single sponsor or endorsement deal. Without money, drive time for practice to improve and develop her skills remains limited at best.
However alone she often is and feels, her older sister, her ailing father (and girlfriend/carer taker) and her friends back home support her with unlimited childcare, sponsor appeals, and unconditional love. They believe in her and the example she is setting for her daughter. All are willing to push her when she hesitates or doubts herself, especially after an accident that damages her racing car..
Struggling with mother guilt since her role keeps her away from her 10 year old daughter, she attempts to make every moment count so she never regrets her decision or resents her life, whatever the future holds. She knows this is her second chance, her last chance. Unsatisfied with the mechanics of her car, she feels restricted until she finally confesses to her team about her needs to succeed. Alterations and modifications allow her to achieve the ranges of movements, controls, and speed she needs.
It takes a while for her team to trust and/or respect her as it also does for her. However, her teams’s leader who has inspired and attracted her helps guide her respecting her and believing in her. The ending remains deliberately ambiguous, ever hopeful. Worth a quick drive reading, especially during the last Sunday in May as Indy race arrives.
I dove in, uncertain, but quickly admired the main character’s spunk, determination, and DRIVE. A young mother, after an unplanned pregnancy that derailed and/or stalled her career choice of racing, she is an anomaly in her pit crew, with her team, and in this world. Because she is conspicuous in this male world, focus shines sharply and often cruelly as those on social media and among the Indy racers’ comment with sharpest judgements.
Despite the pressures, or because of them, she works and trains harder. Added to the conflicts is her attraction to a team member and their celebrity endorsed driver. Not only does she admire him, but she strives to follow his lead. Although he has many sponsors, she has been unable to arraign a single sponsor or endorsement deal. Without money, drive time for practice to improve and develop her skills remains limited at best.
However alone she often is and feels, her older sister, her ailing father (and girlfriend/carer taker) and her friends back home support her with unlimited childcare, sponsor appeals, and unconditional love. They believe in her and the example she is setting for her daughter. All are willing to push her when she hesitates or doubts herself, especially after an accident that damages her racing car..
Struggling with mother guilt since her role keeps her away from her 10 year old daughter, she attempts to make every moment count so she never regrets her decision or resents her life, whatever the future holds. She knows this is her second chance, her last chance. Unsatisfied with the mechanics of her car, she feels restricted until she finally confesses to her team about her needs to succeed. Alterations and modifications allow her to achieve the ranges of movements, controls, and speed she needs.
It takes a while for her team to trust and/or respect her as it also does for her. However, her teams’s leader who has inspired and attracted her helps guide her respecting her and believing in her. The ending remains deliberately ambiguous, ever hopeful. Worth a quick drive reading, especially during the last Sunday in May as Indy race arrives.
May 28, 2026
This book is a love letter to all fans of The Greatest Spectacle in Racing. 🏁
I grew up in Northern Indiana in a family of race fans. I’ve been going to Indy 500 qualifying since before I can remember. Now that I live in the Indy area, I go to Carb Day too. I don’t usually go to the race because our own personal tradition — and the Indy 500 is ALL about tradition — is to attend an Indy 500 party hosted by the family friends I grew up with (who live outside the blackout zone) but I have a lot of experience spending hours at the track (and I did attend the 100th running in 2016).
This book felt like a warm hug. It brought me so much comfort reading about the track, the Pagoda, Gasoline Alley. The landmarks across the city I’ve lived in for the last ~17 years. Long’s donuts!!
But even if you don’t feel the nostalgia that this book brought to me — even if you have never been to Indiana or watched an IndyCar race — this book has something for you. The female empowerment, the drive to show women can have it all, while still showing how very much discrimination women in motor sports face. It was so realistic. (If you don’t believe me, search online to see how people reacted to Katherine Legge, the only woman in the race, finishing 33rd this year despite her getting out because of a very experienced male driver spinning out in front of her.)
You know that feeling when Shania Twain says “let’s go girls!” and you feel like you could kick down a door and take on the world? That’s how this book made me feel.
I grew up in Northern Indiana in a family of race fans. I’ve been going to Indy 500 qualifying since before I can remember. Now that I live in the Indy area, I go to Carb Day too. I don’t usually go to the race because our own personal tradition — and the Indy 500 is ALL about tradition — is to attend an Indy 500 party hosted by the family friends I grew up with (who live outside the blackout zone) but I have a lot of experience spending hours at the track (and I did attend the 100th running in 2016).
This book felt like a warm hug. It brought me so much comfort reading about the track, the Pagoda, Gasoline Alley. The landmarks across the city I’ve lived in for the last ~17 years. Long’s donuts!!
But even if you don’t feel the nostalgia that this book brought to me — even if you have never been to Indiana or watched an IndyCar race — this book has something for you. The female empowerment, the drive to show women can have it all, while still showing how very much discrimination women in motor sports face. It was so realistic. (If you don’t believe me, search online to see how people reacted to Katherine Legge, the only woman in the race, finishing 33rd this year despite her getting out because of a very experienced male driver spinning out in front of her.)
You know that feeling when Shania Twain says “let’s go girls!” and you feel like you could kick down a door and take on the world? That’s how this book made me feel.
May 17, 2026
Impulsive decision-making takes us for a wild ride in this novel about mom guilt, fast cars, and second chances.
Mackenzie “Mack” Williams loved living and driving in the fast lane, but that all came to a screeching halt when she became a single mother taking care of a disabled father. After years of taking care of her famous race car driver father’s business, she gets the chance of a lifetime: a shot at the Indy 500!
How can she risk the dangers of driving as Shaw’s only parent? How can she do it and still take care of her responsibilities at home? She’s the Mom!
I love that this is a book about a Mom taking a chance on herself – doing something that people from the outside looking in (particularly at a woman) might call selfish. I also love that it’s not easy for her and that there are plenty of stumbles along the way. While I found Mack aggravating at times, she was definitely consistent, and she grew with the help of some great supporting characters. Billie was my favorite! The family dynamics within the novel were top notch!
While there is romance in this novel, it is peripheral to the main plot – Mack’s second shot at her dream. Her love interest is worth a mention, though, because he is super sweet. Their romance also brings up great discussion questions about how the public views celebrity couples differently by gender.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes fast-paced stories about love, family, and second chances.
Thank you to Kate Clark Stone, Lake Union Publishing, and Net Galley for the eARC of this book. I will always provide an honest review.
Mackenzie “Mack” Williams loved living and driving in the fast lane, but that all came to a screeching halt when she became a single mother taking care of a disabled father. After years of taking care of her famous race car driver father’s business, she gets the chance of a lifetime: a shot at the Indy 500!
How can she risk the dangers of driving as Shaw’s only parent? How can she do it and still take care of her responsibilities at home? She’s the Mom!
I love that this is a book about a Mom taking a chance on herself – doing something that people from the outside looking in (particularly at a woman) might call selfish. I also love that it’s not easy for her and that there are plenty of stumbles along the way. While I found Mack aggravating at times, she was definitely consistent, and she grew with the help of some great supporting characters. Billie was my favorite! The family dynamics within the novel were top notch!
While there is romance in this novel, it is peripheral to the main plot – Mack’s second shot at her dream. Her love interest is worth a mention, though, because he is super sweet. Their romance also brings up great discussion questions about how the public views celebrity couples differently by gender.
Overall, I recommend this book to anyone who likes fast-paced stories about love, family, and second chances.
Thank you to Kate Clark Stone, Lake Union Publishing, and Net Galley for the eARC of this book. I will always provide an honest review.
May 2, 2026
3.5 ⭐️really enjoyed the premise i love stories about women in sports especially in male dominated sports. also loved that the FMC was a mom i think it’s important to show a woman’s life & her dreams don’t stop when she has a child. there was important internal dialogue in the book that felt very familiar to what i’ve said to myself BUT it became a lot when there were A LOT of back to back pages of internal dialogue without the story moving foward it became a bit redundant. i would love to read another book with the same characters following up maybe a year or two to see how far they’ve come & watch. mack & leo navigate the challenges of dating & racing each other. this was a sport ive ever taken an i terst too so i loved learning about the intricacies of racing. one of my favorite part was the the emails/ social media updates at the beginning of chapters kept the story feeling very modern day & realistic.
May 7, 2026
As somebody who doesn’t have even a hint of interest in racing of any sort, I loved this. I say that in case you look at the blurb and think it’s an instant pass. It’s not. It’s worth a read.
I LOVED Mack as the main character. She was so relatable on so many levels. For me especially with the custody issue. As somebody with a wayward POS ex, I know the fear of having him out there with the power to take your most precious possession and it’s a stress that’s hard to explain. Like her, I also have a supportive family, thank goodness. But, the fear always looms.
Because I don’t know much about racing I really appreciated all the history of the sport and explanations of what was going on. I think that made it easy to stay engaged and interesting.
Basically, this was an absolute yes for me.
I LOVED Mack as the main character. She was so relatable on so many levels. For me especially with the custody issue. As somebody with a wayward POS ex, I know the fear of having him out there with the power to take your most precious possession and it’s a stress that’s hard to explain. Like her, I also have a supportive family, thank goodness. But, the fear always looms.
Because I don’t know much about racing I really appreciated all the history of the sport and explanations of what was going on. I think that made it easy to stay engaged and interesting.
Basically, this was an absolute yes for me.
May 2, 2026
I enjoyed this race car romance mixed with a second chance at a career win and being a single mother. The characters are well-written and the story entertaining. The information on racing and what it's like on the track is really interesting and Leo and Mack made great teammates. A fun love story with some serious themes that make it all more realistic.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
June 3, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book.
I care 0% about racing, but this book still managed to pull me in. The struggle of a woman to accept that she can want things in her life and want to succeed is a common issue in life that this book addresses well. The struggles between family members to maintain relationships and the guilt of a mother are also common themes addressed well in this book. Recommend.
I care 0% about racing, but this book still managed to pull me in. The struggle of a woman to accept that she can want things in her life and want to succeed is a common issue in life that this book addresses well. The struggles between family members to maintain relationships and the guilt of a mother are also common themes addressed well in this book. Recommend.
April 8, 2026
“Drive fast” Clejan
“Happy” NF
“If you want love” NF
I loved this book. I got this book from Amazon First Reads and felt like it’s not exactly my typical pick but I’m so glad I picked it. I love the characters (except Kelley- as designed) and I felt like the emotions and situations felt plausible and deep. I appreciated that there wasn’t a definite ending shown about the race but I would have loved and epilogue about the characters lives in general.
“Happy” NF
“If you want love” NF
I loved this book. I got this book from Amazon First Reads and felt like it’s not exactly my typical pick but I’m so glad I picked it. I love the characters (except Kelley- as designed) and I felt like the emotions and situations felt plausible and deep. I appreciated that there wasn’t a definite ending shown about the race but I would have loved and epilogue about the characters lives in general.
May 15, 2026
I grabbed this on Amazon first reads and on NetGalley.
The premise of this book stood out to me because I lived in Indiana for most of my adult life! I was intrigued to know her story!
The story fell flat for me unfortunately, it was more about overcoming social stigmas and diversity in the sport of racing itself, which by all means is important, I just felt bored reading it. The characters felt one dimensional except the main one, which didn’t help the relational aspects of this book. I think if you’re a die hard Indy 500 and racing fan, then you’d enjoy this!
The premise of this book stood out to me because I lived in Indiana for most of my adult life! I was intrigued to know her story!
The story fell flat for me unfortunately, it was more about overcoming social stigmas and diversity in the sport of racing itself, which by all means is important, I just felt bored reading it. The characters felt one dimensional except the main one, which didn’t help the relational aspects of this book. I think if you’re a die hard Indy 500 and racing fan, then you’d enjoy this!
May 23, 2026
3.5⭐️
What a love letter to Indy and the 500 race! A romance with heart and second chances!
What a love letter to Indy and the 500 race! A romance with heart and second chances!
May 27, 2026
4.5 ⭐️. My Indy 500 gals will love this one. Gave me all the feels of home and the magic of the month of May in Indy. I loved all the IRL places mentioned in Indy area and drivers.
June 4, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
June 15, 2026
I loved everything about this book!
May 17, 2026
Fun quick read, especially right before the 500.
May 20, 2026
I was thoroughly enjoying the book until the very end when the story slammed on its brakes and ....splat. The story crashed smack dab into the vortex of incomplete and that was it.
I went to many Indy races (Toronto and Vancouver) and could almost smell the entire experience again.
I hope there's a sequel to finish the story...
I received a free copy through Amazon, and this is my honest review. (But the book is currently not on Amazon.ca).
I went to many Indy races (Toronto and Vancouver) and could almost smell the entire experience again.
I hope there's a sequel to finish the story...
I received a free copy through Amazon, and this is my honest review. (But the book is currently not on Amazon.ca).
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