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Formula Zero
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.
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.
448 pages, Paperback
Published July 7, 2026
About the author
Meredith Lanzen
1 book41 followersMeredith 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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
June 27, 2026
the niche of this book is specifically my niche and therefore I was sat the entire time thank you
January 30, 2026
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
── .✦ 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
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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!!!
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!!!
March 10, 2026
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!!
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!!
July 8, 2026
Ahhhh this was an absolute dream! Any fans of F1 romance will love this book! I had such a fun time reading this and was absolutely sat! This is such a fun take on F1 romance and the plot is so incredibly thought out! This was the book to scratch the moon joy itch I’ve been having!
I loved Clarke and Julian were adorable! I loved their whole dynamic and the drama that came with them having to spend time together again after all of their time apart. It was forced proximity at its finest!
Also that cover?? Absolutely stunning I had to run out and get a shelf trophy!
I highly recommend this if you love F1 and are looking for a new take on the genre!
Read if you like;
Childhood friends to lovers
Mario Kart vibes
F1 romance but make it space!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
I loved Clarke and Julian were adorable! I loved their whole dynamic and the drama that came with them having to spend time together again after all of their time apart. It was forced proximity at its finest!
Also that cover?? Absolutely stunning I had to run out and get a shelf trophy!
I highly recommend this if you love F1 and are looking for a new take on the genre!
Read if you like;
Childhood friends to lovers
Mario Kart vibes
F1 romance but make it space!
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Berkley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!
July 26, 2026
Formula one in space!
I repeat: FORMULA 1 IN SPACE !
If you know me you know these are two of my biggest hyper fixations and this is why this book was perfect for me!
There’s also the fact that is the first f1 romance I enjoyed as an f1 fan.
the politics, corruption and the friendly competitiveness between drivers are perfectly executed
And while there is romance (and smut) it is more of a minor plot and it wasn’t corny at all.
The only thing that disturbed me was some of the themes were a bit repetitive but I can deal with that
4.75 ⭐️
The ending broke me and healed me in the best way possible.
“I’m in love with you. Have been, Will be”
I repeat: FORMULA 1 IN SPACE !
If you know me you know these are two of my biggest hyper fixations and this is why this book was perfect for me!
There’s also the fact that is the first f1 romance I enjoyed as an f1 fan.
the politics, corruption and the friendly competitiveness between drivers are perfectly executed
And while there is romance (and smut) it is more of a minor plot and it wasn’t corny at all.
The only thing that disturbed me was some of the themes were a bit repetitive but I can deal with that
4.75 ⭐️
The ending broke me and healed me in the best way possible.
“I’m in love with you. Have been, Will be”
July 22, 2026
4.5 ✰!!
believe it or not this is my first formula one romance…i’m not sure how it’s taken me this long. initially what drew me to this, specifically, was how the sci-fi genre was tied in. formula one and sci-fi? i bought it as soon as it came out, duh.
overall, i have only minuscule things that i didn’t like, one being meredith, the fmc. i have a track record of DNFing books because of how unbearable the fmc is or how frustrated their decisions make me. while i did get frustrated with her at certain points, in her defense she was going through A LOT and was compartmentalizing to the absolute maximum.
as much as i truly loved this book and the main characters journey, i found the romance between them a little sad. as a celebrity, privacy is a huge concern, of course. however, the epilogue honestly made my heart ache, though it was intended to be happy. i walked away from this wishing so much better for the two and for them to be able to express their love freely. i am the first to vouch for a book to be as realistic as possible, but i’m also so used to romance novels having an outrageous happy ending that makes readers buzzy and happy. as i said before, in terms of their relationship, this was not the case even though it was a happy ending. am i being dramatic about this one little thing? yes! but it also doesn't matter because the book was incredibly good and reinforced how much i adore romance novels with the sci-fi addition.
believe it or not this is my first formula one romance…i’m not sure how it’s taken me this long. initially what drew me to this, specifically, was how the sci-fi genre was tied in. formula one and sci-fi? i bought it as soon as it came out, duh.
overall, i have only minuscule things that i didn’t like, one being meredith, the fmc. i have a track record of DNFing books because of how unbearable the fmc is or how frustrated their decisions make me. while i did get frustrated with her at certain points, in her defense she was going through A LOT and was compartmentalizing to the absolute maximum.
as much as i truly loved this book and the main characters journey, i found the romance between them a little sad. as a celebrity, privacy is a huge concern, of course. however, the epilogue honestly made my heart ache, though it was intended to be happy. i walked away from this wishing so much better for the two and for them to be able to express their love freely. i am the first to vouch for a book to be as realistic as possible, but i’m also so used to romance novels having an outrageous happy ending that makes readers buzzy and happy. as i said before, in terms of their relationship, this was not the case even though it was a happy ending. am i being dramatic about this one little thing? yes! but it also doesn't matter because the book was incredibly good and reinforced how much i adore romance novels with the sci-fi addition.
June 9, 2026
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.
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.
July 21, 2026
4 stars. Formula Zero was so much fun! I've never watched a formula 1 race, and I've literally only ever read one formula 1, so tell me why I'm obsessed with the idea of formula 1 style racing in space! I think the creativity behind this book was incredible, and honestly, the racing scenes had be locked in. Did I understand them? Nope- not really. Did I want more? Yes! I really really did! I've been seeing some mixed reviews for this one, and I think it honestly comes down to the romance. The book is written in the 3rd person, which I think always tends to throw readers. Clarke, the FMC, is clearly the main character. But we don't get a ton of POV from the MMC, and that combined with the 3rd person aspect of things maybe meant that the romance, at times, felt more like it was telling the showing, so to speak. For me, the plot and sports component really is where the book shined-- in addition to the amazing sport, there were also some interesting politics/ sports dynamics associated with the sport that were really compelling. So in that regard, the romance, to me, took the back seat. I didn't really mind that, because I was so dialed into everything else... but if you're looking for pure romance, you may not enjoy this as much as I did. That said, I really enjoyed this! Clearly. And I want so many more books featuring this sport! Also, I totally want this sport to exist!
Thank you so much to Berkley romance (partner), Lanzen, and netgalley for the early copies!
Thank you so much to Berkley romance (partner), Lanzen, and netgalley for the early copies!
April 20, 2026
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.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read this book.
July 16, 2026
I’d been wanting to get into F1 romances and tried a few that never stuck, but this one sure did!! It’s fun and so exciting and filled with high speed races (in space!) and romance (in space!) and also some really fun corporate espionage (in space!). The romance is filled with a perfect level of tension but what really stood out to me was how good the writing about the races were. It was fast and dramatic and really made me feel like I was watching a race (in space!) happen right before me.
Read
August 12, 2026Is this?? My new favorite f1 romance?? And it’s not even about f1?????
July 14, 2026
This is the type of friends to lovers that I 100% get the wait. And I love that both of the characters are aware of how madly in love with each other they are. Clarke’s determination and love of racing doesn’t ever take a back seat to her love life. She doesn’t give up her long fought and hard won career up for a man. She finds herself being submissive and then she finds her teeth again. Honestly I’m half in love with her myself at the end of the book, and I get why Julian appeals to her. Especially when he says things “have been, will be”. Literally made me kick my feet at how adorable this was. Plus the background of F1 being off planet gave this just enough sci-fi spice to really make this fun and different enough.
April 12, 2026
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!
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!
July 8, 2026
Happy publication day to Formula Zero!
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!
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!
July 13, 2026
The banter, the plot, the racing!! A reread and I just can’t get enough 💕🥰
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
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.
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.
June 22, 2026
ARC Review
5 ⭐️
GUYS IM OBSESSED. This was so much fun, and I’ll be the fussy to admit I’m not in the F1 sphere, but the way the author seamlessly fit a space racing version into this book, while still giving us a cute romance AND a side of mystery?? I loved it.
Clarke and Julian were childhood friends turned racing rivals after a tragic accident, and had to find their way back to each other as friends and then admitting their feelings for each other. Their story was raw and beautifully written.
Thanks to Netgalley & Berkley for the eARC!
5 ⭐️
GUYS IM OBSESSED. This was so much fun, and I’ll be the fussy to admit I’m not in the F1 sphere, but the way the author seamlessly fit a space racing version into this book, while still giving us a cute romance AND a side of mystery?? I loved it.
Clarke and Julian were childhood friends turned racing rivals after a tragic accident, and had to find their way back to each other as friends and then admitting their feelings for each other. Their story was raw and beautifully written.
Thanks to Netgalley & Berkley for the eARC!
January 18, 2026
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!
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!
July 12, 2026
4/5⭐️
this book was such a fun one to read!! i usually don’t really lean towards books with sci-fi aspects, but this one was really really good especially since it had f1 aspects! it was little slow at first but once it started to pick up this book was really intriguing to read! this book has the perfect mix of slow burn romance, super cool races, and a mystery storyline! i loved how clarke character was developed throughout the story and how we saw her slowly becoming more herself again and standing up for herself!! while reading this aspect of the book, it genuinely feels like you’re solving and figuring out the clues with her which i loved! i also LOVED julian and clarke together, the slow burn romance, the angst and tension?!?! was truly so so good and you could really feel how these two love each other so so much throughout the story! one thing i really appreciated in this story is the julian and clarke remained rivals in the sport throughout the entire book! usually in books once they get into a relationship they somehow stop being rivals completely, but this one you saw their competitive aspect shine through the entire book and even when they are together! overall a super fun story and a great romance!
thank you so so much to berkley for the eARC!
this book was such a fun one to read!! i usually don’t really lean towards books with sci-fi aspects, but this one was really really good especially since it had f1 aspects! it was little slow at first but once it started to pick up this book was really intriguing to read! this book has the perfect mix of slow burn romance, super cool races, and a mystery storyline! i loved how clarke character was developed throughout the story and how we saw her slowly becoming more herself again and standing up for herself!! while reading this aspect of the book, it genuinely feels like you’re solving and figuring out the clues with her which i loved! i also LOVED julian and clarke together, the slow burn romance, the angst and tension?!?! was truly so so good and you could really feel how these two love each other so so much throughout the story! one thing i really appreciated in this story is the julian and clarke remained rivals in the sport throughout the entire book! usually in books once they get into a relationship they somehow stop being rivals completely, but this one you saw their competitive aspect shine through the entire book and even when they are together! overall a super fun story and a great romance!
thank you so so much to berkley for the eARC!
June 3, 2026
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.
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.
July 20, 2026
Thanks for the free ARC @berkleyromance #BerkleyPartner #Berkley
🚀 Review - FORMULA ZERO 🚀
Author - Meredith Lanzen
Pub Date - 7/7/2026
If you enjoy F1 sports romance novels, you’re going to love Meredith Lanzen’s exciting novel Formula Zero. The sport in this book is simliar to the concept of F1 racing except with a sci-fi twist because the racing involves piloting spaceships in a zero-gravity racing circuit.
Madeline Clarke (“Clarke”) and Julian, her former best friend and now rival, are both racers on the Formula Zero circuit. Clarke has avoided Julian for years, but when she suffers a serious crash during one of their races, it is Julian who is first onsite to make sure Clarke is okay, thus tentatively rekindling what was once a close relationship between them.
I’m always up for a good rivals to lovers romance and enjoyed watching Clarke and Julian reconnect, but what really sold me on this story was actually Clarke and her personal/career journey. She’s a woman trying to find her path and be successful in a male-dominated sport, and I loved watching her learn, grow, and assert herself as she followed this path.
Not only is there a great romance and a compelling personal journey, but the story also reads like a mystery/thriller because someone keeps sabotaging Clarke’s ships. I loved the elements of suspense and intrigue as Clarke, with some help from Julian, sets out to find the culprit.
I also thought the worldbuilding was fantastic and that the whole concept of Formula Zero racing was well developed. The descriptions of each race were so vivid that I felt like I was truly flying in the ship with Clarke, and the races were so high stakes that they had me on the edge of my seat rooting for her.
This was such an entertaining debut romance and I look forward to reading more from this author!
🚀 Review - FORMULA ZERO 🚀
Author - Meredith Lanzen
Pub Date - 7/7/2026
If you enjoy F1 sports romance novels, you’re going to love Meredith Lanzen’s exciting novel Formula Zero. The sport in this book is simliar to the concept of F1 racing except with a sci-fi twist because the racing involves piloting spaceships in a zero-gravity racing circuit.
Madeline Clarke (“Clarke”) and Julian, her former best friend and now rival, are both racers on the Formula Zero circuit. Clarke has avoided Julian for years, but when she suffers a serious crash during one of their races, it is Julian who is first onsite to make sure Clarke is okay, thus tentatively rekindling what was once a close relationship between them.
I’m always up for a good rivals to lovers romance and enjoyed watching Clarke and Julian reconnect, but what really sold me on this story was actually Clarke and her personal/career journey. She’s a woman trying to find her path and be successful in a male-dominated sport, and I loved watching her learn, grow, and assert herself as she followed this path.
Not only is there a great romance and a compelling personal journey, but the story also reads like a mystery/thriller because someone keeps sabotaging Clarke’s ships. I loved the elements of suspense and intrigue as Clarke, with some help from Julian, sets out to find the culprit.
I also thought the worldbuilding was fantastic and that the whole concept of Formula Zero racing was well developed. The descriptions of each race were so vivid that I felt like I was truly flying in the ship with Clarke, and the races were so high stakes that they had me on the edge of my seat rooting for her.
This was such an entertaining debut romance and I look forward to reading more from this author!
July 12, 2026
This was so fun!!!! I loved reading this and am completely obsessed with the idea of Formula Zero racing. All the different aspects were so crazy to envision as someone who watches formula one. Off planet racing I love you and I wish you were real.
Clarke, my love, I’m so sorry. The girl went the fucking hell and back in this book. I mean genuinely every time I thought she was handed bad news somehow something worse happened. While her plot line was treacherous and horrible it was so interesting and seeing all the different pieces start to fit together was so interesting.
I wish we got a lot more scenes of Julian and Clarke and exploring their relationship and a little bit less of the lap by lap descriptions of every race of the season :/
Thank you berkley and NetGalley for the arc!!!🤍
Clarke, my love, I’m so sorry. The girl went the fucking hell and back in this book. I mean genuinely every time I thought she was handed bad news somehow something worse happened. While her plot line was treacherous and horrible it was so interesting and seeing all the different pieces start to fit together was so interesting.
I wish we got a lot more scenes of Julian and Clarke and exploring their relationship and a little bit less of the lap by lap descriptions of every race of the season :/
Thank you berkley and NetGalley for the arc!!!🤍
July 2, 2026
Me: oh look another f1 romance yay!
Me on page 1: ITS F1 IN SPACE
Thank you to Berkely for the ARC of Formula Zero. Honestly the entire book was just f1 but they switched a few words that it was in space. It was kind of funny because space wasn’t really that relevant.
This is a romance that follows to f0 drivers and its space ships not cars. They used to be best friends and driving and tragedy has driven them apart. Their opposing teams are creating problems in different ways and this is the story of them finding their place together on the grid
I had a lot of fun with these friends to rivals to friends to lovers situation. I loved the mystery of trying to figure out how her team was screening her over and I loved her realizing she actually did have friends she could confide in.
Me on page 1: ITS F1 IN SPACE
Thank you to Berkely for the ARC of Formula Zero. Honestly the entire book was just f1 but they switched a few words that it was in space. It was kind of funny because space wasn’t really that relevant.
This is a romance that follows to f0 drivers and its space ships not cars. They used to be best friends and driving and tragedy has driven them apart. Their opposing teams are creating problems in different ways and this is the story of them finding their place together on the grid
I had a lot of fun with these friends to rivals to friends to lovers situation. I loved the mystery of trying to figure out how her team was screening her over and I loved her realizing she actually did have friends she could confide in.
August 10, 2026
okay this doesn’t have the depth i normally look for in a five star but i enjoyed it so much and had no issues with it so i think it deserves it. this was more than just a romance a really fun thrilling scifi racing story with politics and scheming alongside a really compelling and satisfying romance. i love a man who yearns and i love that they didn’t have a miscommunication trope they were both clear about their feelings but other factors played into the slow burn, which was so worth the wait. love all the side characters as well. i really hope to read more from this author and hopefully in this universe
June 24, 2026
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.
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
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.
April 21, 2026
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.
Want to Read
December 22, 2025this seems so wacky can’t wait 😂
Want to Read
January 24, 2026FORMULA ONE IN SPACE??!?!??! OH MY GOD GIMME
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