Formula Zero

by Meredith Lanzen

Romantic tension between ex-best friends rockets to new heights in this dazzling sports romance debut set in the fast-paced, interplanetary world of Formula Zero racing.

Madeline Clarke didn't think her life would be all fun and trophies after earning her spot in the solar system's most elite zero-gravity racing circuit, but she definitely thought it'd be better than this. Aside from being a female pilot in a male-dominated sport, her boss is a controlling jerk, her estranged father is a beloved figure from her team's past glory days (and an absolute ass), and she's performing so poorly she risks losing her contract. And worst of all, there's Julian Casperi.

Julian was Clarke's childhood best friend and is a rising star in the league. The dance between them has always been complicated, but when Clarke walked away from her feelings years ago and Julian didn’t stop her they became nothing more than competitors—until Clarke gets into a near-fatal accident on the track and Julian comes to her rescue.

Now back in each other’s orbits, the tension between them is at an all-time high. But navigating their relationship might be the least of Clarke’s problems. Things keep going wrong on the track, and she suspects there's something shady at play. If she wants to come out on top, she needs to move fast and make bold choices—about her team, her future, and her heart.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Science Fiction, Friends To Lovers, Audiobook, Slow Burn

448 pages, Paperback

Expected publication July 7, 2026

About the author

Meredith Lanzen is an adult sci-fi and fantasy romance author. When she's not charting out intergalactic adventures on her kitchen window, she's playing D&D, braving her fear of spiders to spend time outside, and singing show tunes loudly enough to have acquired a neighborhood nickname. She lives in Michigan with her husband, two chaos goblins cleverly disguised as human children, and a 65-pound lapdog.

Reviews

[har. · Rating 2 out of 5]

it wasn’t for me 🫠

── .✦ pre-read 𓂃˖ ࣪⊹

┆ ⤿ 🚀 ⌗ started: january 26, finished: january 29

book 5 and my last one of my 24 hour reading challenge!! i’m on my last 4 hours wow?! this was fun but exhausting. howeverrrr, wdym formula 1 but in space?! count me in 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ can you tell i miss formula 1 so much?🤸 (update: i didn’t finish this in time for the challenge but i’m loving it still!)

thank you netgalley, berkley publishing group and meredith lanzen for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

the niche of this book is specifically my niche and therefore I was sat the entire time thank you

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

i absolutely cannot believe how much fun i had with this book, i binged it in less than a day because i just couldnt put it down 😩.

i will be the first to admit that i do not understand f1, i dont watch it and i dont see the appeal (PERSONALLY) howeverrrrr, f1/racing books in general just really do something for me — the constant location changes, the forced proximity, the competitiveness, etc. then you throw space into the mix and im even more sold on it.

this book brought a fresh unique experience to the romance/sports romance genre that (to my knowledge) we’ve yet to see, which can be extremely hard to do in such a saturated environment so like props to meredith for that on its own, even if i did not like this book whatsoever that would have added stars onto my rating simply because its impressive as hell.

this book was super engaging the entire time, there was a mystery element to it that has you yelling at clarke to open her eyes to whats happening right in front of her and also following her on the journey of trying to figure out who on her own team is trying to sabotage her and the way its written kind of felt like you were kind of an invisible sidekick solving it along side her.

julian and clarke we’re truly precious. i loved the way the way that they were forced back into each others orbit (haha see what i did there) and that even though theres the obvious small bits of drama that comes with being forced to spend time with someone you dont want or know how to be friends with anymore, the entire book didnt revolve around their drama if that makes sense? it felt more bantery than anything and it was nice reading a forced proximity book where the main conflicts laid elsewhere and didnt drown the MCs.

i am very much looking forward to reading more of meredith’s books in the future and i cannot wait to see what she does next!! i would do heinous things to return to this world in the future but im also curious to see if there are any other fresh spins on the typical romance book up her sleeve!!!

[hailee · Rating 4 out of 5]

thank you to netgalley and the publisher for the arc. all opinions are my own.

formula one (zero) in SPACE?!? i’m proud to report that this was just as much fun as you’re thinking!

first i just want to say hats off to the author for the way the sport itself is described in this book. going into this, i was full expecting it to just be “formula one but in space.” while, essentially, that is the case, formula zero is so much more than that. the author clearly put a lot of time and effort into the mechanics behind the ships, the politics between teams and drivers, the overall worldbuilding with the different types of racing (off planet vs on planet), and many more. additionally, the author clearly made this as accurate as possible to the sport( considering this takes place in space, any inaccuracies can be excused in my opinion). i was interested from page one until the very end, and i would absolutely read another book in this same world following the formula zero season.

i loved clarke as our FMC. she was going THROUGH it (and i mean THROUGHHHH it that poor woman) for a lot of the book. i was enraged and heartbroken on her behalf for the majority of the story, which only made it that much more satisfying to see her character growth and the way she really came back to herself. she was strong, capable, determined, and ambitious - which i LOVE to see. women in motor(space?)sports!!!!!!!

i also had a great time with the politics/mystery aspect of the plot. while a great deal of it was predictable, that didn’t stop me from gasping along with the characters and being stressed out with each racing accident and dramatic reveal.

surprisingly, my least favorite aspect of this book was the romance. it wasn’t bad by any means, I just did not feel a proper romantic connection between our two main characters. yes, they’re childhood friends and yes, they’ve had a few “almost” moments in their past, but i think their storyline would have greatly benefited from more heartfelt scenes between them, both in the past and in the present. that being said, i still had a lot of fun reading about clarke and julian together and i enjoyed how neither of them held the other back, in any way.

overall, i had such a great time reading formula zero and highly recommend this one!!

[Alyx Gough · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Berkley for the eARC!

I am OBSESSED.

Formula Zero completely blindsided me in the best possible way. I picked this up expecting a fun sports romance in space, and what I got was an adrenaline-fueled, emotionally devastating, utterly addictive story that had me glued to the pages.

Madeline Clarke is exactly the kind of heroine I love—determined, stubborn, talented, and fighting twice as hard just to be taken seriously. Watching her navigate a sport that seems determined to push her down while refusing to give up was incredible.

And JULIAN.

JULIAN CASPERI.

The childhood best friend. The ex-best friend. The one who never quite stopped caring. The tension between these two was absolutely unreal. Every interaction felt loaded with years of history, hurt, longing, and all the things left unsaid. I was kicking my feet one minute and yelling at them the next.

The racing itself was so exciting. The zero-gravity Formula Zero circuit felt fresh and immersive, and every race had me completely locked in. Add in mysterious sabotage, high stakes, near-death moments, and enough emotional angst to keep me thriving, and I was fully invested.

This book somehow managed to be swoony, stressful, heartfelt, thrilling, and impossible to put down all at the same time.

If you love sports romances, second-chance vibes, childhood friends-to-lovers, incredible tension, fierce heroines, and stories that keep your heart racing from beginning to end, you need this book.

I am already desperate for more.

[meredithandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I initially thought that the beginning was a bit slow and I couldn’t get into it but I’m so happy I decided to finish it. I honestly cried multiple times for Clarke (especially when Julian said the thing to that one team principal and I didn’t know what was happening). Julian and Maddie’s love story was so sweet and perfect for them and I love that it’s not impacting their racing (obviously because they’re the best and so in love with each other and the sport). I wasn’t expecting some of the plot twists and it was a really fun read in the end, I loved it. However, I just wanted to know who won the last race.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.

[Devon · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 STARS!

First of all, thank you to NetGalley and Berkeley for the e-arc!! (My first ever)

Formula 1 in space? Yes please!! I absolutely loved this book. It’s exactly how it sounds, it’s thrilling!

Racing cars in space and going from planet to planet was so fun. The sci-fi aspect had me hooked from the beginning. The slow burn romance of childhood best friends was SO good. I love Julian.

I went into this book SO excited since I read the blurb and it didn’t disappoint. I had so much fun reading this and I can’t wait to purchase it when it comes out!

[jordan εїз · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 stars 🌟 F1 mixed with space??? definitely something unique and it was a wild ride for sure 🏎️🪐🏁 julianclarke had a lot of chemistry and i really liked the childhood best friends to lovers trope in this 😇 they were super cute together and i loved how the book ended for them!

my main issue with this was how long it was, and honestly how dramatic that last 20% was 😭 like soooo much was going on i just wanted the book to wrap up. i also wasn’t the biggest fan of how long it took clarke to wake the fuck up and realize what was going on at elemental 😔 otherwise this was good!

a special thank you to netgalley and berkley for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

[Taeopae · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley & Berkley for the early review copy! I requested this book as I request anything Formula 1 related; however, I had no idea that I was requesting a sci-fi Formula 1 romance! The pleasant surprise when I started to read... and it only got better!

Of course, the female main character races for a team with a horrible team prinicipal and, of course, her dad is a has-been racer for the same team. And OF COURSE, her childhood best friend (and crush/love) races for another team. Truly, the drama is unmatched and comes at you from every direction, and it was glorious.

I had so much fun reading this book, and I can only hope that Mereidth Lanzen has more stories to tell in this universe. She did an amazing job using Formula 1 as a base for Formula Zero, but still making it a completely new racing genre. I could not stop thinking about how clever and cool the concept is as I read. It also helped to feed my sci-fi need after watching Project Hail Mary.

I highly recommend this book. The romance is a slow burn for sure, and honestly, it is not even the main plot point, in my opinion, but that does not take away from the storyline.

[Rhianon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review of advance copy received from Netgalley

Not gonna lie, when I requested this book I did not read the info close enough. I thought it was another Formula 1 book and I was super pumped because it featured a female driver. I did not realize this was Formula 1 racing but in SPACE. Color me surprised when I started reading.

Overall, I enjoyed the book. It was a new area of sports romance for me. Sometimes it felt like a technical fact overload, but it was kind of necessary since this isn't your normal Earth based story. Nope we've got colonies on the moon (Lunar), Earth is "Terran", and there are colonies out on Mars and Uranus.

In terms of the romance, this was a massive mix of friends to lovers to enemies to lovers. It was also a slow burn (not my favorite). Sometimes I was frustrated because I prefer my romance to be more central to the story. This book is only from Clarke's point of view and the story focuses more on her journey. She's struggling to find her footing in this complex racing world. There are a lot of factors weighing on her and she's a young woman who feels pretty alone.

The mystery suspense aspect gave it a fun twist and had a lot of action in the final third of the book.

I look forward to seeing what else this author writes. Thank you for allowing me to read this ARC.

[Ruthie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Coming into this book I saw the cover fell in love, then the title had me. I didn’t read the synopsis of the book I just went straight into it. Shock in the first chapter flooded me and I started swimming in curiosity. I decided before I continue I need the base. Conclusion Formula 1 sports sci-fi romance. Was I a fan of sci-fi not really but romance racing and enemies to lovers story I just couldn’t resist. 40% into this book I was in deep and couldn’t put it down.

[Melissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good formula 1 romance but in SPACE I couldn't download this fast enough. It was worth it. Definitely a 4.5 it got a little clunky in the middle but it came right back and had great second half and ending.

[Caroline · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this one. A Formula 1 romcom - IN SPACE!!! It was more intense with the behind the scenes F1 political machinations than I was expecting, but that only heightened the story. Well done. Thanks to Berkley for the arc.

[Salomé]

this seems so wacky can’t wait 😂

[ems ₊⊹]

FORMULA ONE IN SPACE??!?!??! OH MY GOD GIMME

[Elle · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's at times like this when I hate having to review based on numbers... so firstly. 4/5. But at the same time, slightly below? Not quite a 3.75 even, but still below a 4. But also part of me wants to give this a 5 SO. BAD.

Without further ado, though, let me write my review.
Premise: Okay, this is technically labeled a sports romance (which it is), but there's actually a really fun mystery element to it, too! Clarke and Julian are F0 racers, which is sort of like a futuristic, sci-fi-y version of F1. Instead of racing with race cars (I'm sorry, I know next to nothing about F1 - apart from Charles Leclerc - so excuse me if they use some other, fancier term for them), they're racing literal SPACE SHIPS!!! Hello??? Our FMC and MMC compete with each other and blah blah blah but! Ooooooh mystery~~~ What's the mystery? Well, read it to find out🙃.

My Thoughts:
YOU GUYS!!!!!!!! WHEN I TELL YOU I READ THE LAST ~15/20% WITH MY JAW DROPPED????? LITERALLY CAN'T EVEN BEGIN TO COUNT THE AMOUNT OF TIMES MY BRAIN JUST WENT "pause. what the fuck is going on???????????"

Honestly (and I know, I know, this is my mistake and I accept full fault), I apparently didn't read the blurb closely enough and didn't realize this would be more sci-fi than I thought. They're literally out on other planets. I genuinely thought it would be just flying cars... So, as someone who isn't a huge fan of sci-fi, upon seeing the words "Martian" and "Jupiter", I had half a mind to drop it. BUT WHEN I TELL YOU I'M SO GLAD I DIDN'T!

Y'ALL! I LOVED IT. The following things will be in numbered form. I literally cannot pull my thoughts together enough to coherently gush about this novel with making-my-English-Teacher-proud paragraphs.

1. JULIAN!!! JULIAN I LOVE YOU. YOU'RE THE GREENEST GREEN FLAG EVER WRITTEN. Please, he was the sweetest. The way he was ALWAYS in Maddie's corner, even when she wasn't even in her own corner??? He loved her so much. I don't even know what to say... they haven't created a word in the English language strong enough to convey how much I love Julian.

2. The slow burnnnnn. My gosh, the slow burn burned real slow. Normally, I would've been so annoyed at how glacially slow the romance was moving, but Meredith did it so well. Why? Because there were other parts of the plot. So many pure romance novels get bogged down by slow burn, because it gets so boring just watching two people do nothing but circle around each other again and again and again. But in F0, we get to see Clarke trying to establish herself as a driver/pilot, while also trying to figure out what's "shady". There's never a moment where you're sitting there, thinking to yourself, "my god, this AGAIN??? GET ON WITH IT!"

3. Clarke pissed me off SO BAD at the beginning, with her fervently defending her old team. LIKE GIRL LITERALLY JUST OPEN YOUR EYES? They have a literal CHIP in your body. They don't listen to anything you say??? EVERYONE'S TELLING YOU THEY SUCK!!! I actually cheered when she finally started to stand up for herself. I was so proud of her character growth. Honestly, I need a book 2. I just know my girl will become the best F0 driver there ever was when she finally has a team behind her that supports her.

4. Thierry, you're adorable. He was sooooo fun. I hope everyone finds a friend like you. The Moms Club. Her stepdad/half-brother. The people who worked on her ship/her publicist. Lennox. Muah muah. We love a book where the side characters aren't dragging the story down.
And to that one lady, you know who you are, FUCK YOU. I can't believe I didn't see that coming from a mile away. Shame on me, honestly.

5. I know lots of debut authors are still figuring things out, so I try to give some leeway in writing, but Meredith Lanzen? You've figured it out. Zero notes on the writing. It was a delight to read.

Onto the complaints though... just a few! Like I said, loved the book overall. I have a few very minor complaints and one major complaint.

Minor: Frankly, there are all things I think most people would be able to get over them, so there were no points docked for this. They were just annoyances.
1. I touched on this above. It bothered me a lot that Maddie wasn't seeing what was literally right in front of her for so long. I almost dropped the book because of this... but that just made the end all the more satisfying.

2. Is it normal for cars in F1 to have this many big problems and for no one to step in? I get they'll... break down/need fixes, but I feel like the ones Maddie was facing were extreme? Why did no F0 officials step in earlier and be like "bro, wtf is going on with y'all?"

3. I’m gonna be honest, I didn’t really get the motive behind why the villain did what they did. I just feel it’s really shaky reasoning? Like what a 0-100 jump?

Like I said. All minor annoyances. But my one big one, which is why this is a 4 instead of a 5, was the fact that he supposedly has loved her for so long, but in the meantime, he's been sleeping with other people? Maybe it's too much to expect someone to be celibate for 6 years, but like. You said you loved her for this whole time, though??? How'd you stomach sleeping with someone else. And then her imagining him with someone else after they made out that first time... my gosh, it gave me an ick I couldn't shake off for the rest of the novel. And perhaps it's petty! I know it's petty! After all, it was literally only one paragraph. But I just couldn't forget it? It made all of his romantic talk about loving her seem... fake??? Anywho. My one and only complaint.

Oh. One last comment. I wish we could've seen Julian's POV too🥺 Novella? Book 2? Or maybe a bonus? Please?

Loved it overall. Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and Meredith Lenzen for the ARC!

[Toni Rose · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley, Netgalley, and the author for sharing an ARC with me in exchange for my honest review.

For a book that started out as a 1-star read for me, it actually ended up impressing me. The plot was complex, the characters were interesting, and the will they/won't they between Clarke and Julian had me kicking my legs. It's a love story based on friendship, healthy competition, admiration, and just amazing chemistry.

The plot:
Madeline Clarke knows what she's capable of on the Formula Zero track (think Formula One, but in space, and with no gravity). She's just not performing up to her abilities and placing on the podium this season. Maybe that's because her boss is a controlling jerk, or because her bio dad is a retired F0 star who isn't as supportive as he should be. Or just maybe it's because she's competing against Julian Casperi, her former best friend, current rival, and one time love interest. Things between Clarke and Julian have been icy for a long time, but when he intervenes and saves her after a crash on the track, they're suddenly thrown back into each other's lives, putting the tension between them back in center stage and leaving Clarke a little unsettled. And it doesn't help that her contract for next year is up in the air and her ship keeps having mysterious issues that are affecting her performance. As Clarke faces all of these issues at once, will she be able to decide what's most important to her and find a way back to being true to herself?

What I liked:
- Lately, I've been struggling with loving the romantic interest in books and disliking/not connecting with the main character. I didn't have that issue here. I really liked Clarke as a character and her motivations made sense to me. She's trying to find her footing and reach her potential without help or nepotism. She's kind, loyal, fearless, and fierce. And I love a book with a woman athlete at the center, especially when it's a largely male dominated arena.
- Julian Casperi, the man you are. Brooding. Tattooed. Yearning. Competitive. Flirtatious. I get it. I really do. He knows exactly how talented Clarke is and admires her for it, wants more for her because of it. And when he calls her Maddie or Mads instead of Clarke like everyone else does... the absolute intimacy there. I absolutely love that.
- The tension between Clarke and Julian completely won me over. That man is down bad, so in love. She's too stubborn to let herself fall. They have a hard time communicating sometimes, but they know and understand each other so well. And they have such fun banter! It's a bit of a slow burn to get them together, but the build up to get there is so fun. And no third act breakup!!! I just loved seeing them happy together and how he's brooding on the outside but a complete golden retriever for her.
- There's a mysterious aspect as Clarke tries to figure out what's going on with her ship and the associated technical issues. That was an interesting additional conflict because it was focused on Clarke and her potential, not on her and Julian. It gave the opportunity to really showcase how talented and fierce she really is.
- Considering that I almost DNF'd this at the beginning, I actually was sad it was over. I want more Clarke and Julian!

What I didn't like:
- The beginning of this book had me so super confused. The first 40 or so pages were too technical for me and I thought I'd never become invested. I'm not a Formula One fan as it is, so I don't understand the mechanics behind it, but add in zero gravity and space and astrophysics and I was so lost. In the beginning, I thought this was more of a romance for an astrophysicist than a sports romance for an F1 fan, but the descriptions got less confusing and distracting to me as the book went on.
- I also got a strangely dystopian vibe at the beginning. There's a side character who had his eyes replaced by metallic orbs and that just felt so The Hunger Games to me, like someone in The Capital would've done that. I couldn't get over that for a while.
- I haven't read sci-fi in forever. Like, perhaps over a decade. And this is definitely sci-fi. There are colonies of people on different planets. Clarke is from Mars. Julian is from one of Jupiter's moons. But they're not aliens? The full logistics of how people started living in space isn't fully explained, but it was something I struggled to wrap my head around. It reminded me of the Zenon movies on Disney Channel that I loved as a kid.
- As I was reading, I felt the book was pretty long. 361 pages for a sports romance, and 211 pages in I felt a little daunted by how much was left. But there was still a lot that needed to happen. I'm glad I pushed through.

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
Formula One by in SPACE? SIGN. ME. UP. I honestly requested this book because of the cover. I'm in my F1 phase and will read anything written about the sport, especially a romance. I didn't even read the blurb. And I didn't read the blurb before I cracked it open to start. Imagine my surprise when I started reading and they were in SPACE racing! I love me some sports romance, and I love me some sci-fi, but combine them and my mind is blown.
If you're looking for a light fluffy romance, this is not that. Yes, there is romance and tension and chemistry and spice. But it's so much more. The romance takes a back seat to the actual story line and world we are immersed in. Lanzen builds a future world where racing has moved off the actual track and into space. No gravity, racing through all kinds of chicanes and loops, traveling to distant planets, and fighting for a place on the podium flying at super high speeds. But Lanzen still uses F1 type rules and verbage to make it easy to understand the world and how racing works.
On top of the amazing world building, Lanzen gives us characters with depth who are relatable despite their place on Formula Zero (think the current F1 drivers and how untouchable they seem to be but make them down to earth). The author takes Madeline Clarke, a female driver, and shows us her struggles given her being a woman. You would think so far in the future things would be different, but you still see the struggles. Add to that her being the daughter of a famous racer, having to walk in his shoes as she races for the same team he did, and you have the set up for a character who is put into a box. I really felt for Clarke. Her team principle totally took advantage of her naiveté. I was actually angry at her manager for even allowing her to sign a contract that was so limiting for her. But there was a ton of female empowerment in this story. Clarke taking back control of her life and putting herself first was great to watch.
The romance is a slow, slow burn. Julian Casperi is a long time friend of Clarke's but they have been estranged since the death of their friend Connor. Their friendship blends childhood friends who become rivals. Their relationship is really well written. I loved all the time they were "forced" to spend together given the publicity stunt that is woven into the storyline. I will say I would have liked to see a little more background in this area. Clarke pulled away from Julian but we don't get much background as to why. There is an element of them being attracted to each other early on and deciding it was too much to just stay friends. That being in each other's orbit was just too difficult with them deciding they could never take it further. But other than this, I didn't seen any actual reason for the rift. This was an area I would have liked to see explored just a bit more.
The side characters in this book are fantastic. I hope Lanzen deicides to maybe explore some of their stories in the future (I didn't investigate to see if this was set as a series or not). These characters brought depth to the story along with some great banter and humor. Maki, Theirry, and Sara really support Clarke. And the villains are done well. So much morally gray stuff going on throughout the book.
I will say I was not expecting the mystery portion of this story, either. I enjoyed the sleuthing Clarke did and how her friends ultimately helped her.
I'm very impressed with this debut book by Lanzen. I was hooked from page 1 and tore through it. I really didn't want it to end, though I needed it to so I could see the mystery wrap up. This author is definitely one I would continue to follow and read in the future!

[amazenreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

This book had me gasping, squealing, and kicking my feet up!! I genuinely wish I could exist in this universe🫠

Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.25

🚀What I liked🚀

💫The Tension💫
I should've bought myself a fan while reading this book because omg the TENSION between Julian and Clarke at all times was so hot and PALPABLE! Julian “I want that cookie so bad” Casperi (as I like to refer to him) is so down bad for Clarke it's not even funnyyyy. Like every time Clarke would enter a room or speak to him, you could just sense the years of pinning and wanting. And vice versa, Clarke can deny herself all she wants, but it was so clear in the writing that she wanted her man BAD.

💫Julian x Clarke Dynamic (apart from the romance)💫
You know how there’s that one person who just knows you so innately that they will clock your BS immediately? To everyone else, you may seem fine, but to this one special person, they can read you like an open book? That, my friends, is Julian to Clarke. I so enjoyed watching this man time and time again be like “I don’t care that we’re not as close anymore, but I KNOW you”. Like, really truly knows her in a way that is innate and visceral. Anytime Clarke would sidestep from the truth, Julian would immediately call her on it in a way that showed he truly cares. Their dynamic was just so natural and really showed how when you grow in tandem with someone, they’ll know you like they know themselves.

💫The Premise💫
F1 but make ✨outer space✨ sounds insanely cool, and the author definitely delivered. Sometimes a book will have such a great premise, but the execution falls flat. This is not one of those books at ALL. And for a debut?? I genuinely would’ve thought this author had published works before because it was insanely good, and the writing kept me hooked from the jump. The discussion of this new civilization, where humans live spread out in different areas of outer space, was so interesting to read about. Plus, I loved all the details shared about F0, how intense the sport is, getting to be a fly on the wall (or the ship, I should say) while Clarke races, understanding the different circuits and different types of racing. It was written in such a way that I was like ya this is a real thing (I wish it was a real thing😭). I would totally just read a book about F0.

🚀What I didn’t like🚀
It just became a little frustrating seeing Clarke being dumped on by others time and time again, her being aware of it and doing NOTHING. Like girl, I will personally punch the enemies myself at this point. I kinda felt it out of character for her since in every other instance, she’s strong and confident, but taking the avenues to defend herself in F0, she flails. I don’t know, I get we can’t be confident all the time, but I felt like if that were the case with Clarke, we would have gotten to see that a bit more in her internal dialogue?

BUT that being said, the way it all wraps up in the end was nothing short of perfection!! Ugh, I have never been more satisfied with an ending in my life!!! God, how I love karmic retribution☺️

This book was truly such a treat to read, and I cannot wait to see what else this author puts out in the future!!

Thank you again to Berkley and NetGalley for the eARC of this book!

[hannah ⊹ ࣪ ˖ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Apparently I was in a big F1 because I read two different F1 romances in 48 hours lol. Like so many others, I didn’t fully read this book’s blurb/description, so I was (pleasantly) surprised that not only was this F1 (or in this specific case, F Zero), but it’s a sci-fi/space F1 romance?! This was so much fun, and Formula Zero completely won me over with its wildly creative premise. Formula 1-inspired racing is already exciting, but turning it into a zero-gravity sport spanning the solar system made this feel original, immersive, and unlike anything else I’ve read in the sports romance genre. Meredith Lanzen clearly put so much thought into the mechanics of the racing, the politics between teams, and the futuristic world, and it all came together in a way that felt exciting without losing sight of the characters at its center.

Clarke was an easy FMC to love and root for. She spends much of the book fighting uphill battles as one of the few women in the sport, against a controlling team, under the shadow of her famous father, and while questioning her own abilities. Watching her slowly reclaim her confidence and refuse to let others define her became my favorite part of the story. Her growth felt earned, and every victory along the way was satisfying and well worth the wait.

The mystery surrounding the repeated accidents and suspected sabotage kept the pages turning just as much as the races themselves. Even when I started piecing together what was happening, the tension never let up. Every race carried real stakes, and the final stretch had me flying through chapters to see how everything would unfold.

Julian and Clarke’s relationship was full of history, longing, and unresolved feelings, and I enjoyed the ex besties-to-lovers dynamic. Their banter was fun, and I appreciated that the romance complemented the larger story instead of overshadowing it. While I did wish for a few more emotionally intimate moments between them to deepen their connection, their chemistry still made me smile, and Julian was impossible not to love. I think I would’ve enjoyed this a little more if it had been in first person with dual POVs as I think that would’ve made the romance have a little more emotional depth.

Overall, Formula Zero is an imaginative blend of sports romance and science fiction that keeps your adrenaline pumping from start to finish. If you’re looking for a racing romance that offers something completely different with fierce competition, high-stakes action, a determined heroine, and a suuuuuper slow-burn second chance romance… this is absolutely worth reading! I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for whatever Meredith Lanzen writes next. I had so much fun with this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this eARC!

[Natalie]

Sports romances are winning for me this month!

I know absolutely nothing about cars or F1 or racing, but trust me that matters not at all if you're interested in reading Formula Zero. Instead I ask, do you love high stakes and slow burns, and stories that are just as much about love for someone else as it is about love for yourself? Because Meredith Lanzen nails all of that in this sci-fi sports romance!

I really just enjoyed reading this book: it was good old-fashioned fun for me. The awesome concept and Lanzen's execution on the world building (of both the actual interplanetary world and the sport of Formula Zero) combined into a fresh, compelling read that kept me turning the pages and on the edge of my seat. Lanzen was able to balance the both the romance plot and the mystery/sabotage plot so well, while also juggling the best way to reveal information about F0 and the sci-fi world. It was deeply impressive to me, because while reading, it felt effortless—and I know that can't have been the case while writing! So, hats off to her.

I loved the slow burn, second chance, childhood friends-to-lovers vibe between Julian and Clarke for sure. The tension, the yearning? Yes please. I also personally thought the choice to have them already know they're in love with each other (a bygone "right person wrong time" that is slowly turning into the right time) worked well for the story, because it meant Lanzen got to rely on a bond that already existed, rather than starting from zero with these characters and their relationship. It felt like smart writing to me!

But even more than the romance (gasp!) I loved how the story was really about Clarke finding herself and her voice in the sport that she loves (that sometimes really doesn't love her back! I know that feeling). It was so much fun watching Clarke learn to stand up for herself again, and to find out what path she wants her life to take. She doesn't have all the answers! She has to figure it out! I loved and cheered on her character every step of the way, and was so happy with her resolution. What an icon.

This world is sick, and I loved the high stakes environment of F0 so much that I really do hope that Lanzen will write more books set in this universe. It seems like such a rich world and we did get to meet a wide cast of characters, so I'm holding out hope that maybe we'll get more F0 books in the future!

[steph · Rating 4 out of 5]

As a kid who grew up in a NASCAR loving household in the 90's (my driver was Elliott Sadler because he drove the M&M's car haha), I am always ready to read books set in the racing world. So when I saw this book about Formula One (in space!!!), I knew I had to read it. And overall it didn't disappoint though I will say it's less a romance book and more focused on everything else.

Our narrator is Madeline Clarke whom everyone calls Clarke. She is 23 and has been racing professionally for 2 years on a mid level team (they aren't at the front of the pack, but they aren't at the back either). She loves racing, but her ships don't always perform well, her boss isn't the easiest person to work for and she hasn't talked to her childhood-best-friend-turned crush Julian who is currently racing for one of the top 3 ranking teams in about two years.

My girl Clarke has got a lot going on.

But when Clarke realizes that her DNF's losses and ship issues might be a deliberate act, she sets up to find out who is trying to sabotage her and why, while in the meantime growing closer to her old BFF Julian.

Things I loved about this book: Clarke, her family, her friends, the way the author weaves all the information about Formula Zero and ships in a way that is engaging and interesting.

Things I did not love about this book: At 450 pages it's too long. The story goes slow which is nice because as a reader it really made me get inside Clarke's head and learn to absolutely ADORE her, but it also dragged out the plot a bit longer than I thought it would. Like, we could have skipped some of the technical stuff about Formula Zero instead of going on for two pages about how the engines and tracks worked (although the track with the 8 black holes would be cool to race on, I'm not going to lie). And it's not really romanced focused, though the cover and synopsis imply heavily that it is. Clarke and Julian have the slowest of slow burns, they don't have that many scenes together, and the majority of their scenes initially involve Clarke running away. Their romance takes a backseat to the racing which is FINE (I was getting some Mariana Zapata vibes while reading because I do love a well written and drawn out love story) but I do wish I had known that going in. I would have lowered my expectations of the romance.

That said, this book was super interesting and fun and Clarke is probably one of my favorite main characters that I've read in awhile. I would highly recommend if you are intrigued by Formula One set in space and strong female leads.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️ (3/5 stars)

OK, OK, I know... Formula 1 in space sounds ridiculous. Trust me, I thought the same thing. But somehow it's not nearly as ridiculous as it sounds.

Clarke is a female Formula Zero driver competing in a sport that, even in the future, is still overwhelmingly male. Driving for a struggling midfield team, she's fighting to prove she deserves her seat while watching her former best friend, Julian, compete for championships. After the death of their mutual friend in a racing accident years earlier, there's a lot of unresolved history between them. As Clarke's performance continues to suffer and her future in the sport becomes uncertain, she finds herself drawn back into Julian's orbit. At the same time, strange things begin happening with her ship, and what initially seems like bad luck starts to feel much more sinister.

Some thoughts:

- As an F1 fan, I had a lot of fun with this concept. It was interesting seeing what elements of modern Formula 1 were carried into the future and what aspects were changed.
- The racing and mystery were easily the strongest parts of the book. If you're expecting a romance-first story, you may be disappointed. In fact, despite being marketed as a romance, the romance felt very much like a secondary storyline. The racing drama, team politics, and mystery took center stage.
- Clarke frustrated me to no end at times. She was so focused on keeping her seat that she refused to acknowledge evidence that was staring her directly in the face. Her stubbornness occasionally crossed into outright naivety.
- The story felt a little longer than it needed to be. While I enjoyed it overall, I think it could have been tightened up to improve the pacing.
- The themes of sexism, gaslighting, and fighting to be taken seriously in a male-dominated sport added some depth to Clarke's journey.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, especially for motorsport fans. The Formula 1 inspiration is obvious and fun, and the mystery kept me engaged even when the romance didn't. It wasn't a perfect fit for me, but it was definitely a unique concept and one I'm glad I picked up.

[Krissy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Madeline Clarke is the daughter of a legacy driver in Formula Zero. Only he gave up custody and responsibility of her when her mother was pregnant and she never interacted with him until she found herself signed to a the same team he raced for before he retired. It is her rookie year and it is not going well. She has DNFed 5 times in the 11 races they have done and her teams ship does not seem to be improving. All the blame is put on her and she is fighting to get a contact renewal by the end of the season.

Julian her former best friend and the guy she has been half in love with her whole life is also a racer in Formula Zero and currently a contender for the championship. They haven’t really spoken in a year ever since the almost ruined the friendship with their feelings and Clarke pulled away to protect herself. He continues to try and reach out and defend her reputation in the sport.

Clarke starts to finally find her voice and place in the sport and despite her less than stellar ship, starts to turn her season around, but their are powers working against her that she must expose in order to secure her future in her racing career. She also can’t keep up the facade of hate against Julian, and she starts to let him in again.

This combines so many of my favourite things a romance with so much angst and yearning, best friends (to rivals) to lovers, and formula one but make it happen in space. This was the perfect cocktail of tropes and themes for my interests. Once I picked this book up I did not want to put it down. I read it in a day and had the absolute best time reading it. I loved the chemistry between the characters. They really had to work for their romantic ending. The antagonists did feel a bit typical supervillainy but it did not bother me at all. I was just along for the ride and will 100% buy a copy for myself and read future books by the author

[Jordyn’s Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the digital ARC of Formula Zero!

Ok, where do I begin? I was initially drawn to this book because, as a fan of Formula 1 and F1 romances, I was intrigued by the concept of it essentially being F1 in space. However, this book is so much more than that! The world-building of a future where the Moon and Mars have been adapted for human life, and Formula Zero is one of many interplanetary racing circuits, was incredibly detailed and well written. I had an absolute blast reading this. I laughed, I cried, and I swooned during the romantic scenes. It was such a good time!

I went into this book thinking it was going to be like every other F1 romance and was pleasantly surprised. The romance element almost took a backseat to the underdog story of Madeline Clarke (mostly referred to as Clarke throughout the story) and her struggles as a female driver in F0. She's stuck on a team that views her as a burden while dealing with a ship that constantly breaks down on her. Her character development throughout the story was fantastic, and I found myself tearing up multiple times. There was so much female empowerment woven into the story, and I loved it.

There was also a mystery element that kept me on my toes throughout the book. The foreshadowing was well executed and had me hooked from start to finish. While I mentioned that the romance takes a bit of a backseat, that doesn't mean it isn't an important or exciting part of the story. Clarke and Julian's relationship was beautifully written and blends childhood friends, rivals-to-lovers, and right person, wrong time. The tropes worked so well together, and I loved how patient Julian was with Clarke as she navigated her feelings while dealing with the challenges from both her past and present.

Overall, this was such an enjoyable read, and I would definitely recommend it to fans of F1 romance who are looking for a fresh twist on the genre. This book blends sci-fi, romance, and mystery in an entertaining and compelling way!

[Lisa_Book_by_Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley for a gifted copy of this book

This book hit all the marks for me as a fan of slow-burn, romantic suspense, sci-fi, and Formula 1!

I’m blown away by how much it still felt like traditional Formula 1! The adaptations for space racing are clever and innovative. It feels fresh and unique, but keeps so many of the things that I associate with the sport: an international melting pot of drivers and staff, strategic racing, media days, weather complications, “street circuits” vs regular tracks, and complex team dynamics. I can be very picky with my F1 romances and the space aspect of this let me turn off the part of my brain that checks for accuracy and inspiration.

The plot outside of the romance is strong enough to hold its own and it has one of the most compelling opening scenes I’ve read in a long time. Starting mid-race, mid-crash is brilliant and sets up a lot of complicated dynamics incredibly fast in a way that doesn’t feel forced. You get intrigue, you get suspense, and there’s a bit of a mystery aspect to it. From the start, Clarke is clearly talented but still feels like an underdog. Watching her drag herself out of a bad headspace, a toxic work environment, and into a legitimate path forward is very satisfying.

I don’t always gravitate towards friends-to-lovers stories (and that’s an oversimplification of what this is) but it really works for me in this! Clarke and Julian have a very interesting dynamic and history. With their biggest obstacles being their ambition and attraction, I was immediately rooting for them to figure it out. I love a love interest who pushes the MC to be better, feels protective over her, but also trusts her to handle her own shit, and you get that with Julian.

Formula Zero will appeal to both F1 fans and non fans alike. The sci-fi vibes are approachable, the plot is compelling, and the characters are easy to love and hate. My only negative is that I struggled to grasp the world building a bit in the beginning but very quickly moved past that for what is a personal five star book for me!

[Jack Pusloskie · Rating 2 out of 5]

For fans of:

- Pole Position
- Cross The Line

Set in the thrilling, zero-gravity world of interplanetary Formula Zero racing, this sports romance follows Madeline Clarke, a talented driver fighting to prove herself in a male-dominated league while navigating a controlling boss, a complicated relationship with her estranged father, and a string of poor performances that threaten her career. When a near-fatal crash reunites her with her childhood best friend and fellow racer, Julian Casperi, unresolved feelings quickly resurface. As sparks fly both on and off the track, Clarke must uncover the truth behind a series of suspicious incidents while deciding whether to risk her heart for a second chance at love.

I'll admit that I nearly set this book aside during the first half. The pacing felt slow, and much of the early story struggled to maintain momentum. I also found it frustrating that the signs of sabotage seemed obvious to everyone except Clarke herself. Given how the novel presents her as an exceptionally talented and intelligent driver, her occasional inability to recognize what was happening around her made her feel less perceptive than she intended.

That said, I'm glad I continued reading because the second half was a significant improvement. Once the romantic tension between Clarke and Julian intensified and Clarke began uncovering the truth about her team's actions, the story gained a sense of urgency that had been missing earlier on. From that point forward, I found myself fully invested and quickly turned the pages to see how everything would unfold.

I received this eBook ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Meredith Lanzen, and Berkley Publishing Group for the opportunity to review *Formula Zero*. This review has been posted on my Goodreads: @jack-pusloskie. Check out my Goodreads profile for more reviews and recommendations.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy shirtballs, Batman...this was an unexpected and fun read!! I did not anticipate being SUCKED IN by a Formula-One-in-space sports romance this spring, but here we are.

Madeline Clarke (mostly addressed as Clarke in the story) is a downtrodden Formula Zero (F0) racer for a middling team with dysfunctional leadership. Her former BFF is one of her main rivals. We are dropped in mid-season with a stellar opening, delivering us all the context we need for the state of Clarke's team, her ship, and her relationships.

I adored the growth of Clarke—it was measured and believable. Did I want to shout at her sometimes? Of course.

The MMC, Julian Casperi, is as handsome as he is talented. I enjoyed their banter and rekindling of friendship. There is a lot of "the one that got away" vibes, but I think that only enhances their tension and draw.

What I did not expect was how much I would get into the racing and political drama. It was DELICIOUS. This story was so much more than a sports romance. It centers on a female athlete rediscovering that she is enough. Period. And that she doesn't need to be rescued, but instead open up to the community and find that support was there all along. I LOVE this kind of theme when there is a real conflict with the FMC, and while the MMC does help, he is not her rescuer: Clarke is enough.

There is spice, but if that's not your thing, it is skippable; honestly, by the end, it wasn't necessary. I loved the prose, the intrigue, the side characters. The story is so rich that the spice was a fun touch, but it was one of those books that didn't need the spice legs to stand strong in the pool of sports romances.

SO—for a sports romance, five stars.
Three chilli peppers for spice.

Thank you, #NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group, for my E-Arc of #FormulaZero!

[kat lyn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, Berkley Publishing, and Meredith Lanzen for this eARC!

Rating: 4 Stars
Review: I LOVED this book!! I binged it in two days, could not put it down, and when I did it was all I could think about. Clarke is such a badass and I'm so happy she got her happy ending!

Clarke's storyline was crazy and dramatic but really well written. I think the universe Meredith Lanzen has created is incredibly creative and this concept of F1 but in space with all the futuristic elements attached was super entertaining and I would love to read about more characters in this universe. I unfortunately do not fully understand F1 as it is so there were some aspects of F0 that I just simply had trouble picturing because I don't know this sport well. However, that didn't hinder my ability to feel what the character was feeling and experience those emotions. I enjoyed reading the race scenes despite my difficulty picturing them!

One thing I didn't love about this book is the length. While I usually don't mind a long book, this one felt unnecessarily long. Unfortunately, I think this is due to the lack of Julien/Clarke content. I did love Clarkes storyline, her character development, and the racing of it all but the ratio was just off. I mean this genuinely when I say I wish we got more of Clarke and Julien's storyline. I personally feel that since this is technically a romance that portion of the book shouldn't feel like a side plot and there could be less of Clarke's career challenges because it felt more like the main plot.

Overall, I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were entertaining, seeing Clarkes friends and co-workers rally around her was really fulfilling, the side-characters were very impactful, and Clarke and Julien had an adorable second-chance/right person wrong time story that I just wish we got more of.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘡𝘦𝘳𝘰 is an exciting and heartwarming romance debut with a unique premise - Formula One set in space!

Childhood best friends Julian and Clarke allowed a chasm to swallow their mutual pining as to not interfere with their promising F0 careers. Their distance was further deepened by a painful loss, and years later their interactions are limited to bickering. When Clarke crashes her ship and Julian saves her life, their dynamic begins to shift once again...

I'm obsessed with the mix of a captivating sci-fi setting and addictive romance plot! It's well-written in an engaging voice, and I could not put this book down. The concept was executed brilliantly, conveyed in a fast pace to match the excitement I'd expect for interplanetary Formula One!

I adored the characters, especially Julian's unwavering support and respect, even from afar. The mutual yearning made for such a swoon-worthy read - exactly what this genre should be about!

I heavily related to Clarke and her struggles, easily seeing bits of myself at 23 in her. 𝘍𝘰𝘳𝘮𝘶𝘭𝘢 𝘡𝘦𝘳𝘰 evaluates the sudden moments of pain following grief, especially grief made heavier by the weight of guilt. It examines the fractures grief can wedge in previously unbreakable relationships, and I appreciated how naturally this was developed. Her career challenges also encourage immense character growth, and the development is seamlessly balanced with other important plotlines. The prior conflict between characters was also sensical and realistic, building tension for readers from the start and allowing for a satisfying payoff by the end.

This is a debut to watch out for in 2026 when it races onto shelves near you!

Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the advance reading copy!