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Vanstone Racing #1
Overtake
A sexy Rivals to Lovers, Forced Proximity, Formula One romance from Amazon Top 50 and USA Today bestselling author S.J. Sylvis.
Rome Pierce is Formula One’s golden boy—reckless, ruthless, and wrapped in an ego as polished as his race suit. Arrogance isn’t just a trait; it’s his personal trademark.
As the daughter of Vanstone Racing’s chairman, I’ve spent my life loathing everything about him—and the family name he carries. The rivalry between our teams runs deeper than lap times and podiums. It’s personal.
So when my father steps back for health reasons and hands me a front-line role, I don’t hesitate to prove to the world that I’m more than just the pretty Halston daughter in the paddock.
I plan to beat Rome Pierce fair and square.
Except the promotion comes with a catch I never saw coming.
Rome Pierce isn’t driving for his father anymore.
He’s driving for mine.
Now I’m the crew chief for the one man I swore I’d never work with—the rival who knows exactly how to get under my skin. Every race is a power struggle. Every briefing feels like a war. And somewhere between late nights in the garage and two hundred mile an hour battles on the circuit, the thin line between hatred and heat starts to blur.
I think Rome Pierce came here to overtake my team.
I just never expected him to also alter the course of my heart.
Rome Pierce is Formula One’s golden boy—reckless, ruthless, and wrapped in an ego as polished as his race suit. Arrogance isn’t just a trait; it’s his personal trademark.
As the daughter of Vanstone Racing’s chairman, I’ve spent my life loathing everything about him—and the family name he carries. The rivalry between our teams runs deeper than lap times and podiums. It’s personal.
So when my father steps back for health reasons and hands me a front-line role, I don’t hesitate to prove to the world that I’m more than just the pretty Halston daughter in the paddock.
I plan to beat Rome Pierce fair and square.
Except the promotion comes with a catch I never saw coming.
Rome Pierce isn’t driving for his father anymore.
He’s driving for mine.
Now I’m the crew chief for the one man I swore I’d never work with—the rival who knows exactly how to get under my skin. Every race is a power struggle. Every briefing feels like a war. And somewhere between late nights in the garage and two hundred mile an hour battles on the circuit, the thin line between hatred and heat starts to blur.
I think Rome Pierce came here to overtake my team.
I just never expected him to also alter the course of my heart.
326 pages, Kindle Edition
Published February 12, 2026
205 people are currently reading
1380 people want to read
About the author
S.J. Sylvis
44 books2,755 followersS.J. Sylvis is an Amazon top 50 and USA Today bestselling author who is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies. She currently resides in North Carolina with her husband, two small kiddos, and dog. She is obsessed with coffee, becomes easily attached to fictional characters, and spends most of her evenings buried in a book.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 475 reviews
February 17, 2026
Following a near-fatal crash, Rome Pierce does the unthinkable and joins rival team, Vanstone Racing.
In the wake of her father's retirement, Tess Halston, is named Race Engineer. Eager to prove herself in a male-dominated sport and show a united front, Vanstone's princess must give their new driver her best effort as his crew chief, despite being skeptical of his motives.
When long days and late nights begin to blur the lines of professionalism, it's not just the race track that is heating up.
Can I just say that S.J. Sylvis has become one of my favorites? Her books aren't necessarily as smutty as my usual reads - they are steamy, just not smutty - but I love her characters, the great banter you can count on, and the swoony heroes. I'm really looking forward to this new world she's crafting around the Formula One team. If the family text thread is any indication, all of Tess' brothers are going to be fun to read!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱🎧
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult, Sports, Suspense
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
Emotions: 😱🙄🤬🫠😍
Darkness: 🩶
Burn: 🔥🔥1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Family Saga, Forbidden, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Rival Families, Secret Relationship, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Backward Hat, Grey Sweatpants, Pet Name
🔆 Character: Engineer, Race Car Driver
💋 Kinks: n/a
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: Alphahole, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, MINE!, Touch-Her-and-😭
⛔️ Safety Squad: Drugged (Not by MC) and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page and in the past and/or present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: Las Vegas, Nevada 🇺🇸
📣 Type: Overtake is the first book in the Vanstone Racing series of interconnected standalones.
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
In the wake of her father's retirement, Tess Halston, is named Race Engineer. Eager to prove herself in a male-dominated sport and show a united front, Vanstone's princess must give their new driver her best effort as his crew chief, despite being skeptical of his motives.
When long days and late nights begin to blur the lines of professionalism, it's not just the race track that is heating up.
Can I just say that S.J. Sylvis has become one of my favorites? Her books aren't necessarily as smutty as my usual reads - they are steamy, just not smutty - but I love her characters, the great banter you can count on, and the swoony heroes. I'm really looking forward to this new world she's crafting around the Formula One team. If the family text thread is any indication, all of Tess' brothers are going to be fun to read!
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️1/2
Format: 📱🎧
🗄️ Genre: Contemporary Romance
🗂️ Subgenre(s): New Adult, Sports, Suspense
Ending: 💗 {HEA}
POV: 👫🏻 {Dual | Present}
Emotions: 😱🙄🤬🫠😍
Darkness: 🩶
Burn: 🔥🔥1/2
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️
✨ Tropes: Enemies-to-Lovers, Family Saga, Forbidden, Forced Proximity, Found Family, Rival Families, Secret Relationship, Workplace
💫 Microtropes: Backward Hat, Grey Sweatpants, Pet Name
🔆 Character: Engineer, Race Car Driver
💋 Kinks: n/a
🤰🏻 Pregnancy: n/a
🚩 Red Flags: Alphahole, Jealous/Possessive/Obsessive, MINE!, Touch-Her-and-😭
⛔️ Safety Squad: Drugged (Not by MC) and other potentially triggering elements. Triggers may appear both on- and off-page and in the past and/or present. If you have any hesitation, check the warnings before diving in. Otherwise, blind is best!!
📍 Setting: Las Vegas, Nevada 🇺🇸
📣 Type: Overtake is the first book in the Vanstone Racing series of interconnected standalones.
⚠️ Warning: This sweet and steamy read will leave your panties damp and your cheeks flushed.
🛑 Be Advised: My Goodreads shelves are … explicit in both senses. As such, they could be considered spoiler-y.
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February 12, 2026Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
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February 11, 2026
I’ll be the first to admit that F1 romance is not a genre I dabble in. In fact it’s something I never once sought out. But I absolutely love SJ Sylvis and I was excited for her to introduce something new to my reading palette. And listen, I’m not mad about it.
With this being my first F1 Romance, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I know nothing about the sport. I had no idea if I would love this type of sports romance. But SJ Sylvis said hold my beer and showed me that I do in fact love the sport!
This one was a super fun and fast pace read. I devoured this one!I picked it up and couldn't put it down. The plot was engaging and a lot of fun. We have an F1 racer who left his father's team to join the rival team where his head engineer is in fact the owner's daughter, or as some call the Vanstone Princess. Their push and pull dynamic was fun. Their banter made for a fun time as well. They also had this budding tension throughout the book until it snapped in the elevator. But the real comedic relief was with the Halston family group chat. That had me on the floor dying with laughter. Like every single time someone changed the group chat name, I was laughing my booty off. It was truly the highlight of the book for me.
I did truly enjoy this one but I will say, I felt like this one read differently then the rest of SJ's books. It was really fast paced and during some of the chapters, I felt like the scene didn't fully end or there wan't a scene break when we switched scenes which through me off at times. I also feel like there was this growing this tension between Rome and Tessa which I enjoyed but there were moments were I felt like the relationship went from zero to 100. I would have loved more of build up and relationship growth before we said I love you.
There are just minor things about this book that didn't make it one of my favorites by SJ but at the end of the day, I truly enjoyed this one! I loved this new introduction to a new world and series and I can not wait for the rest of the Halston brothers to get their books!
You should most definitely read this book if you like:
- F1 Romance
- Rivals to Lovers
- Female in Sports
- Hate to Love
- Secret Relationship
- Workplace Romance
- Slow Burn
*I would like to say THANK YOU to SJ Sylvis for allowing me the pleasure to read Overtake as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review.
With this being my first F1 Romance, I honestly didn't know what to expect. I know nothing about the sport. I had no idea if I would love this type of sports romance. But SJ Sylvis said hold my beer and showed me that I do in fact love the sport!
This one was a super fun and fast pace read. I devoured this one!I picked it up and couldn't put it down. The plot was engaging and a lot of fun. We have an F1 racer who left his father's team to join the rival team where his head engineer is in fact the owner's daughter, or as some call the Vanstone Princess. Their push and pull dynamic was fun. Their banter made for a fun time as well. They also had this budding tension throughout the book until it snapped in the elevator. But the real comedic relief was with the Halston family group chat. That had me on the floor dying with laughter. Like every single time someone changed the group chat name, I was laughing my booty off. It was truly the highlight of the book for me.
I did truly enjoy this one but I will say, I felt like this one read differently then the rest of SJ's books. It was really fast paced and during some of the chapters, I felt like the scene didn't fully end or there wan't a scene break when we switched scenes which through me off at times. I also feel like there was this growing this tension between Rome and Tessa which I enjoyed but there were moments were I felt like the relationship went from zero to 100. I would have loved more of build up and relationship growth before we said I love you.
There are just minor things about this book that didn't make it one of my favorites by SJ but at the end of the day, I truly enjoyed this one! I loved this new introduction to a new world and series and I can not wait for the rest of the Halston brothers to get their books!
You should most definitely read this book if you like:
- F1 Romance
- Rivals to Lovers
- Female in Sports
- Hate to Love
- Secret Relationship
- Workplace Romance
- Slow Burn
*I would like to say THANK YOU to SJ Sylvis for allowing me the pleasure to read Overtake as an ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts, opinions and review.
February 15, 2026
Overtake by SJ Sylvis eARC Review 💜
4.5 ⭐️
SJ Sylvis has entered for f1 era and I am so here for it!
The banter in this one is so fun. Rome and Tessa are rivals to the extreme and their back and forth had me laughing so hard. The sibling group chat is hilarious and I can already tell that this series is going to be a new favorite.
The slow burn is SO WORTH it and when Rome and Tessa finally give in to their tension, wow it is HOT. Rome is such a dang softie and I adore him. Their dynamic is so fun and this little glimpse into this new world made me so excited for what’s to come!
What to expect:
Enemies to lovers
Business rivals
Formula 1 racing
Secret romance
Slow burn
Thank you so much SJ Sylvis and VPR for the arc!
4.5 ⭐️
SJ Sylvis has entered for f1 era and I am so here for it!
The banter in this one is so fun. Rome and Tessa are rivals to the extreme and their back and forth had me laughing so hard. The sibling group chat is hilarious and I can already tell that this series is going to be a new favorite.
The slow burn is SO WORTH it and when Rome and Tessa finally give in to their tension, wow it is HOT. Rome is such a dang softie and I adore him. Their dynamic is so fun and this little glimpse into this new world made me so excited for what’s to come!
What to expect:
Enemies to lovers
Business rivals
Formula 1 racing
Secret romance
Slow burn
Thank you so much SJ Sylvis and VPR for the arc!
February 12, 2026
⭐️4/5
Many thanks to the author S.J. Sylvis & Valentine PR for the arc 💘
🏎️ Overtake was such a fun and intense read. The adrenaline, the pressure, the rivalry, the constant tension on and off the track… it really gives you that rush. I loved the whole Formula 1 atmosphere and how the competitive energy never really slows down.
This story isn’t just about romance. It dives into two rival racing teams with a messy history, which makes everything even more dramatic. Rome and Tess are caught right in the middle of it, especially when circumstances force them to work closely together. There’s tension from the start, not just because of their chemistry, but because of family expectations and past conflicts😮💨
The dynamic between Tess and her four overprotective brothers was honestly one of my favorite parts. They were intense, chaotic, and hilarious at the same time 🔥
Many thanks to the author S.J. Sylvis & Valentine PR for the arc 💘
🏎️ Overtake was such a fun and intense read. The adrenaline, the pressure, the rivalry, the constant tension on and off the track… it really gives you that rush. I loved the whole Formula 1 atmosphere and how the competitive energy never really slows down.
This story isn’t just about romance. It dives into two rival racing teams with a messy history, which makes everything even more dramatic. Rome and Tess are caught right in the middle of it, especially when circumstances force them to work closely together. There’s tension from the start, not just because of their chemistry, but because of family expectations and past conflicts😮💨
The dynamic between Tess and her four overprotective brothers was honestly one of my favorite parts. They were intense, chaotic, and hilarious at the same time 🔥
February 18, 2026
#Review: *Overtake* - S.J Sylvis - ARC [18+]
4.6/5✨
2.5/5🌶️
Rome Pierce was a talented, but very arrogant Formula 1 driver, who was racing for his father's team. But that won't happen for long because he surprised everyone by switching to Vanstone Racing Team. Tessa Halston had loathed Romr for a long time and was completely taken by surprise when she found out that she was going to be his new crew chief. Only, that loathe would soon change into something else, that close proximity making them feel something completely opposite and a secret, forbidden romance was forming between them. Will they be able to ignore those feelings and keep it professional or will they just give into them and face the consequences?
I'm a huge Formula 1 fan, so I was excited about this new era of S.J Sylvis🥰. I can tell you from the start that we had tons of drama, maybe a little more than what's happening in real life in Formula 1😅. It was nice that she integrated some racing in the story and many other interesting details regarding this sport, which intertwined very nice with that secret romance between our main characters. I liked how strong Tessa was as a woman and how she proved everyone wrong with her talent and brain. It was interesting to see how Rome has changed throughout the book, becoming a different man than the one from the beginning of this story, being more responsible and more determined than ever to confront his father. That was pretty intense!
I'm really glad that I'm able to read more books with a Formula 1 theme! I liked this story, which was mainly focused on the poor relationship between our MMC and his father, which came with tons of baggages. That was besides the forbidden love story between our main characters.
Thank youu S.J Sylvis and Valentina Pr for accepting me for this e-ARC!🥰
✨Tropes
▫️Loathing To Love
▫️Workplace Romance
▫️Slow Burn
▫️Forbidden Love
▫️Secret Romance
▫️Business Rivals
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Formula 1
4.6/5✨
2.5/5🌶️
Rome Pierce was a talented, but very arrogant Formula 1 driver, who was racing for his father's team. But that won't happen for long because he surprised everyone by switching to Vanstone Racing Team. Tessa Halston had loathed Romr for a long time and was completely taken by surprise when she found out that she was going to be his new crew chief. Only, that loathe would soon change into something else, that close proximity making them feel something completely opposite and a secret, forbidden romance was forming between them. Will they be able to ignore those feelings and keep it professional or will they just give into them and face the consequences?
I'm a huge Formula 1 fan, so I was excited about this new era of S.J Sylvis🥰. I can tell you from the start that we had tons of drama, maybe a little more than what's happening in real life in Formula 1😅. It was nice that she integrated some racing in the story and many other interesting details regarding this sport, which intertwined very nice with that secret romance between our main characters. I liked how strong Tessa was as a woman and how she proved everyone wrong with her talent and brain. It was interesting to see how Rome has changed throughout the book, becoming a different man than the one from the beginning of this story, being more responsible and more determined than ever to confront his father. That was pretty intense!
I'm really glad that I'm able to read more books with a Formula 1 theme! I liked this story, which was mainly focused on the poor relationship between our MMC and his father, which came with tons of baggages. That was besides the forbidden love story between our main characters.
Thank youu S.J Sylvis and Valentina Pr for accepting me for this e-ARC!🥰
✨Tropes
▫️Loathing To Love
▫️Workplace Romance
▫️Slow Burn
▫️Forbidden Love
▫️Secret Romance
▫️Business Rivals
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Formula 1
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
This book hits the ground running and keeps the tension tight all the way to the finish line. S.J. Sylvis stepping into the Formula One world feels natural and confident. She brings the same sharp banter, emotional pull, and addictive pacing that made her hokey romances so bingeable, just with a sleek new setting and a fresh cast of characters.
Rome Pierce is exactly the kind of MMC you love to hate at first. He's freaking cocky, reckless, and fully aware of his own talent. Tessa Halston, however, peels back that golden boy exterior to reveal a man weighed down by expecations, loyalty, and a desperate need to win on his terms. She's driven, smart, and determined to prove she belongs in a space that constantly underestimates her. Watching her step into power as a crew chief while refusing to back down from Rome made their dynamic on fire!
Rome falls hard, and when he does, it’s satisfying to watch him shift from arrogant rival to fiercely protective partner. The sibling banter and group chats add humor and warmth, giving the story a strong found family feel and setting up future books in the series in a way that’s genuinely exciting.
The reason this lands at four stars instead of five comes down to wanting more. I needed more depth and more time with certain emotional beats. That said, as the first book in a brand new series, Overtake is amazing. It's a great start to the Vanstone Racing series with great tension, strong characters, and a romance.
Rome Pierce is exactly the kind of MMC you love to hate at first. He's freaking cocky, reckless, and fully aware of his own talent. Tessa Halston, however, peels back that golden boy exterior to reveal a man weighed down by expecations, loyalty, and a desperate need to win on his terms. She's driven, smart, and determined to prove she belongs in a space that constantly underestimates her. Watching her step into power as a crew chief while refusing to back down from Rome made their dynamic on fire!
Rome falls hard, and when he does, it’s satisfying to watch him shift from arrogant rival to fiercely protective partner. The sibling banter and group chats add humor and warmth, giving the story a strong found family feel and setting up future books in the series in a way that’s genuinely exciting.
The reason this lands at four stars instead of five comes down to wanting more. I needed more depth and more time with certain emotional beats. That said, as the first book in a brand new series, Overtake is amazing. It's a great start to the Vanstone Racing series with great tension, strong characters, and a romance.
February 12, 2026
Thank you SJ Sylvis + Valentine PR for my copy of Overtake. 🤍 I received this book for review, all opinions are my own and given freely.
Overtake is book 1 in SJ’s brand new series, Vanstone Racing! This is my first book from this author and I’m absolutely hooked. I met SJ at IIP and immediately added her backlist to my TBR. I was so incredibly lucky to score an arc of Overtake. I binged this book, I was up till 2:15 am finishing it!
I absolutely loved both main characters. The banter, the chemistry, the spice! The banter might have been my favorite honestly. I truly loved the dual POV from Rome and Tessa. I also really loved the side characters and all of Tessa’s family! I cannot wait for more of this series! Overtake is easily my favorite book I���ve read this year. Infinity stars!
Overtake releases 02/12.
Overtake is book 1 in SJ’s brand new series, Vanstone Racing! This is my first book from this author and I’m absolutely hooked. I met SJ at IIP and immediately added her backlist to my TBR. I was so incredibly lucky to score an arc of Overtake. I binged this book, I was up till 2:15 am finishing it!
I absolutely loved both main characters. The banter, the chemistry, the spice! The banter might have been my favorite honestly. I truly loved the dual POV from Rome and Tessa. I also really loved the side characters and all of Tessa’s family! I cannot wait for more of this series! Overtake is easily my favorite book I���ve read this year. Infinity stars!
Overtake releases 02/12.
February 15, 2026
Overtake
By S.J. Sylvis
I’ve never had something worth it waiting for me at the end of a race, so the thought of her being off limits doesn’t cross my mind twice.
“I’ve never known Rome Pierce to stop racing for anything,” I whisper.
Rome leans forward, elbows on his knees. “Well, then I guess you’re not just anything.”
“I thought winning would make me feel whole again.”
“It doesn’t?”
“Not unless I get to share it with you. I’ll keep winning, just for a chance to feel your arms around my neck, celebrating with me.”
I loved Rome and Tessa’s story! This is my first racing romance story and it was such a fun experience, I am definitely coming back for more! The family dynamic between these two, with their families being rivals in the racing world was so interesting. When scandal hits, Rome makes the choice to change sides and has to win the trust of not only Tessa but her family too. We follow along with Rome as he transitions to his new team and new Head Engineer, Tessa. The more time they spend together the more the sparks fly. I really enjoyed this read and cannot wait to go back to this world!
Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Business Rivals
Formula 1 Racing
Secret Romance
Slow Burn
Spice Starts at: 61%
Spice: 2/4
Stars: 4.5/5
Available on Kindle Unlimited
By S.J. Sylvis
I’ve never had something worth it waiting for me at the end of a race, so the thought of her being off limits doesn’t cross my mind twice.
“I’ve never known Rome Pierce to stop racing for anything,” I whisper.
Rome leans forward, elbows on his knees. “Well, then I guess you’re not just anything.”
“I thought winning would make me feel whole again.”
“It doesn’t?”
“Not unless I get to share it with you. I’ll keep winning, just for a chance to feel your arms around my neck, celebrating with me.”
I loved Rome and Tessa’s story! This is my first racing romance story and it was such a fun experience, I am definitely coming back for more! The family dynamic between these two, with their families being rivals in the racing world was so interesting. When scandal hits, Rome makes the choice to change sides and has to win the trust of not only Tessa but her family too. We follow along with Rome as he transitions to his new team and new Head Engineer, Tessa. The more time they spend together the more the sparks fly. I really enjoyed this read and cannot wait to go back to this world!
Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Business Rivals
Formula 1 Racing
Secret Romance
Slow Burn
Spice Starts at: 61%
Spice: 2/4
Stars: 4.5/5
Available on Kindle Unlimited
February 13, 2026
If you thought Formula 1 tension was only about millisecond gaps between drivers, S.J. Sylvis is here to prove it's actually about how much you can hate your teammate before you want to.. kiss them. Overtake is the stylish definition of the "I hate you, but I want you" trope, served at 300 km/h.
Rome Pierce: The "Golden Boy" of F1 with an ego as large as the Monaco circuit and arrogance he wears as well as his racing suit.
He's the type of character you want to shake, while simultaneously wondering how he'd look out of that suit.
Tessa Vanstone: The boss's daughter, a brilliant Crew Chief, and the person who hates Rome with every fiber of her being... or so she tries to convince herself.
I felt every single emotion reading this. Rome and Tessa have a chemistry that is both destructive and beautiful. My heart is still racing! Infinity stars.
Favorite qoutes:
“The thin line between hatred and heat starts to blur.”
"Please don't go silent on me. I need your voice in my ear.”
“Let yourself fall over the edge, I’ll catch you”.
Rome Pierce: The "Golden Boy" of F1 with an ego as large as the Monaco circuit and arrogance he wears as well as his racing suit.
He's the type of character you want to shake, while simultaneously wondering how he'd look out of that suit.
Tessa Vanstone: The boss's daughter, a brilliant Crew Chief, and the person who hates Rome with every fiber of her being... or so she tries to convince herself.
I felt every single emotion reading this. Rome and Tessa have a chemistry that is both destructive and beautiful. My heart is still racing! Infinity stars.
Favorite qoutes:
“The thin line between hatred and heat starts to blur.”
"Please don't go silent on me. I need your voice in my ear.”
“Let yourself fall over the edge, I’ll catch you”.
February 8, 2026
Danger Zone! You’ll speed through this adrenaline-inducing story, giving in to its enthralling mind games and rivalries. My first F1 read, and it had me zooming straight into the adventure and recklessness. Let this new obsession begin!
This was more than just a romance story—it gives you an inside look into two rival racing team empires. The opposing teams’ owners were once best friends and partners. Rome and Tess are meant to stay in their own lanes… until Tess’s dad steps down and hires Rome to drive for them. Rome’s toxic, cheating dad absolutely hates the move. Expect retaliation!
Now Tess and her four protective brothers run the empire. To prove Rome’s loyalty, her brothers enlist Rome to protect Tess, since she’s known for getting tangled up with the wrong men. As Rome’s head engineer, she’s constantly in his ear—and he cannot tune her out. I am a cheering hard for this!
This was more than just a romance story—it gives you an inside look into two rival racing team empires. The opposing teams’ owners were once best friends and partners. Rome and Tess are meant to stay in their own lanes… until Tess’s dad steps down and hires Rome to drive for them. Rome’s toxic, cheating dad absolutely hates the move. Expect retaliation!
Now Tess and her four protective brothers run the empire. To prove Rome’s loyalty, her brothers enlist Rome to protect Tess, since she’s known for getting tangled up with the wrong men. As Rome’s head engineer, she’s constantly in his ear—and he cannot tune her out. I am a cheering hard for this!
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you want a book with TOP TIER banter, then look no further because this had the absolute best banter!
Rome is a big ol teddy bear! He may seem gruff and bad ass on the outside but in reality, he's a softie and down BAD for our girl Tessa. He had so much going on behind the scenes that no one knew about it all while trying to keep his head in the race.
F1 racing is such a fun new sport to read about and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!
Rome is a big ol teddy bear! He may seem gruff and bad ass on the outside but in reality, he's a softie and down BAD for our girl Tessa. He had so much going on behind the scenes that no one knew about it all while trying to keep his head in the race.
F1 racing is such a fun new sport to read about and I'm looking forward to the rest of the series!
Read
February 10, 2026DNF
I tried really hard to like Overtake—if for nothing else than that freaking gorgeous cover—but this book is just bad, and I finally gave up forcing myself to continue.
Let’s start at the very beginning, aka the prologue, aka the moment my suspension of disbelief tripped, fell, and broke its neck. Those radio messages are ridiculous. Team radio is monitored. It’s recorded. It’s often broadcast live. Anyone can listen to it. For Rome’s dad to be saying the shit he’s saying over the radio is beyond stupid. Like, career-ending, lawsuit-inducing, “how do you not understand how your own sport works” levels of stupid. And then Vince somehow gets onto another team’s radio and starts telling Rome what to do??? That is not just unrealistic, that is fanfiction logic. You cannot just hop onto someone else’s team radio like it’s a Discord voice channel. The fact that this is treated as normal instantly killed any hope I had that the author understood motorsport even a little.
And unfortunately, it only gets worse from there.
The writing itself is… weird. Like, structurally and tonally off. Sentences don’t flow, dialogue feels stiff and unnatural, and nothing sounds like how real people talk. I never got comfortable with the prose. It constantly pulled me out of the story, and when you combine that with the fact that I already didn’t believe a single thing happening, it was a losing battle.
I also don’t care about any of the characters. Not one. They’re not nuanced, they’re caricatures. Their personalities are exaggerated to the point of absurdity, their reactions are always dialed up to eleven, and their interactions feel painfully forced and cringey. No one feels human. They feel like tropes yelling at each other.
And then there’s Rome. Oh my god, Rome.
Rome is misogynistic, insufferably arrogant, and genuinely thinks he’s the center of the universe. Not in a “flawed but interesting” way—just in a “please get this man away from me” way. He acts like he’s Zeus himself, descended from Mount Olympus to bless the racing grid with his presence.
That bar scene? I had to physically pause. When Tessa drags him away and they pass some girls, and his internal monologue is basically oh yeah, they’re totally staring at me, they’re jealous because Tessa gets to go into a private room with me—sir. Be serious. The self-importance is astronomical. NASA should be studying it.
And it doesn’t stop there. On his first official day racing for Tessa’s dad’s team, he notices she’s wearing lip gloss and immediately thinks is it for me? I need everyone to understand how unhinged that is. How self-centered do you have to be to assume a woman’s lip gloss choice exists for your benefit, especially in a professional motorsport environment? The man’s ego is a health hazard.
The siblings hating him also makes absolutely no sense. They despise him because he used to drive for a rival team and assume he must have ulterior motives now that he’s joined theirs. Except—hello?—they would 100% have access to his old team radio. They would know his dad was sabotaging him. They would know he was set up. As if he didn’t literally get into a massive crash, have to be pulled from the car by marshals, and walk away with visible scars. But sure, let’s all pretend none of that happened and act like he’s a cartoon villain with a secret evil plan.
The book constantly ignores its own logic whenever it’s inconvenient.
There’s also this random-ass security guard attitude that made me want to scream. The guard pretends not to know Rome’s name, acting all smug about it, even though he literally let him through the gate hours earlier. Are we supposed to find that funny? Because it’s not funny, it’s just stupid. It’s like the author wanted a “haha fame irony” moment and didn’t care whether it made sense.
And Tessa. Oh my god, Tessa. She gives Rome shit for braking early in the sim. Which, okay, in isolation—fine. But she knows he crashed because of brake failure. That crash was traumatic. It left scars. And it never once crosses her mind that maybe, just maybe, braking early could be connected to that? Not even a passing thought? That’s not tough love, that’s bad characterization.
At this point in motorsport, drivers do not spend their time before races in freaking tents. This is not Coachella. They use highly sophisticated, air-conditioned motorhomes, hospitality units, and private driver rooms within the team’s hospitality structure. This is basic, entry-level research. The constant use of tents made the whole thing feel weirdly dated and low-budget, like the author mashed together vibes from different eras and hoped no one would notice.
By the time I stopped reading, I wasn’t even mad—I was just tired. Tired of the bad research, tired of the cringe dialogue, tired of Rome’s god complex, tired of characters behaving in ways that make no sense just to force conflict.
So yeah. Overtake has a stunning cover, but a pretty cover can only carry a book so far—and in this case, it did maybe 20% of the work for me. The rest? A mess. Poorly researched, awkwardly written, full of characters I actively disliked, and running almost entirely on vibes instead of logic. I wanted to love it. I really tried. But I’m not forcing myself to finish a book I hate just because it might look pretty on my shelf.
I tried really hard to like Overtake—if for nothing else than that freaking gorgeous cover—but this book is just bad, and I finally gave up forcing myself to continue.
Let’s start at the very beginning, aka the prologue, aka the moment my suspension of disbelief tripped, fell, and broke its neck. Those radio messages are ridiculous. Team radio is monitored. It’s recorded. It’s often broadcast live. Anyone can listen to it. For Rome’s dad to be saying the shit he’s saying over the radio is beyond stupid. Like, career-ending, lawsuit-inducing, “how do you not understand how your own sport works” levels of stupid. And then Vince somehow gets onto another team’s radio and starts telling Rome what to do??? That is not just unrealistic, that is fanfiction logic. You cannot just hop onto someone else’s team radio like it’s a Discord voice channel. The fact that this is treated as normal instantly killed any hope I had that the author understood motorsport even a little.
And unfortunately, it only gets worse from there.
The writing itself is… weird. Like, structurally and tonally off. Sentences don’t flow, dialogue feels stiff and unnatural, and nothing sounds like how real people talk. I never got comfortable with the prose. It constantly pulled me out of the story, and when you combine that with the fact that I already didn’t believe a single thing happening, it was a losing battle.
I also don’t care about any of the characters. Not one. They’re not nuanced, they’re caricatures. Their personalities are exaggerated to the point of absurdity, their reactions are always dialed up to eleven, and their interactions feel painfully forced and cringey. No one feels human. They feel like tropes yelling at each other.
And then there’s Rome. Oh my god, Rome.
Rome is misogynistic, insufferably arrogant, and genuinely thinks he’s the center of the universe. Not in a “flawed but interesting” way—just in a “please get this man away from me” way. He acts like he’s Zeus himself, descended from Mount Olympus to bless the racing grid with his presence.
That bar scene? I had to physically pause. When Tessa drags him away and they pass some girls, and his internal monologue is basically oh yeah, they’re totally staring at me, they’re jealous because Tessa gets to go into a private room with me—sir. Be serious. The self-importance is astronomical. NASA should be studying it.
And it doesn’t stop there. On his first official day racing for Tessa’s dad’s team, he notices she’s wearing lip gloss and immediately thinks is it for me? I need everyone to understand how unhinged that is. How self-centered do you have to be to assume a woman’s lip gloss choice exists for your benefit, especially in a professional motorsport environment? The man’s ego is a health hazard.
The siblings hating him also makes absolutely no sense. They despise him because he used to drive for a rival team and assume he must have ulterior motives now that he’s joined theirs. Except—hello?—they would 100% have access to his old team radio. They would know his dad was sabotaging him. They would know he was set up. As if he didn’t literally get into a massive crash, have to be pulled from the car by marshals, and walk away with visible scars. But sure, let’s all pretend none of that happened and act like he’s a cartoon villain with a secret evil plan.
The book constantly ignores its own logic whenever it’s inconvenient.
There’s also this random-ass security guard attitude that made me want to scream. The guard pretends not to know Rome’s name, acting all smug about it, even though he literally let him through the gate hours earlier. Are we supposed to find that funny? Because it’s not funny, it’s just stupid. It’s like the author wanted a “haha fame irony” moment and didn’t care whether it made sense.
And Tessa. Oh my god, Tessa. She gives Rome shit for braking early in the sim. Which, okay, in isolation—fine. But she knows he crashed because of brake failure. That crash was traumatic. It left scars. And it never once crosses her mind that maybe, just maybe, braking early could be connected to that? Not even a passing thought? That’s not tough love, that’s bad characterization.
At this point in motorsport, drivers do not spend their time before races in freaking tents. This is not Coachella. They use highly sophisticated, air-conditioned motorhomes, hospitality units, and private driver rooms within the team’s hospitality structure. This is basic, entry-level research. The constant use of tents made the whole thing feel weirdly dated and low-budget, like the author mashed together vibes from different eras and hoped no one would notice.
By the time I stopped reading, I wasn’t even mad—I was just tired. Tired of the bad research, tired of the cringe dialogue, tired of Rome’s god complex, tired of characters behaving in ways that make no sense just to force conflict.
So yeah. Overtake has a stunning cover, but a pretty cover can only carry a book so far—and in this case, it did maybe 20% of the work for me. The rest? A mess. Poorly researched, awkwardly written, full of characters I actively disliked, and running almost entirely on vibes instead of logic. I wanted to love it. I really tried. But I’m not forcing myself to finish a book I hate just because it might look pretty on my shelf.
February 19, 2026
It's official! I'm now entering my F1 romance girlie era! After indulging myself with SJ's hockey romance in both the Bexley U trilogy (college) and the Chicago Blue Devils series (pro hockey team), it's finally time for a change and I can't be more thrilled to explore this brand-new era with my all-time-favorite author. <3
Overtake is the first book in a five-installment series all about formula one romance, featuring the Halston family with four older brothers--Van, Noah, Graham, and Beck--and one mistake surprise, Tessa. The entire family runs Vanstone Racing, the rival team of Pierce Racing, from which the male main character, Rome, comes from.
In the beginning of the book, Rome left Pierce Racing and joins Vanstone out of revenge due to an "accident" but then he found himself stuck between the Halston siblings. Not only did he need to prove that he was there to better himself and win the Vanstone over instead of overtaking the family business like the siblings believed, but he also had to figure out what the instant attraction to Tessa, his head engineer, meant.
Despite the fact that this book was quintessentially a light-hearted, fun, and quick read with hilarious banter (& group chats) from the Halston siblings and fluffy romantic elements from Tessa and Rome, what I appreciated most was how Tessa, the Vanstone Princess, navigated the male-dominated industry like a champ. As a head engineer--I had no idea it was even a thing--of F1 drivers, she was as familiar with all the stuff on the grid as the drivers and fellow male engineers were, which made her way hotter and apparently, Rome was someone who knew how to worship her. *evil grins*
Besides, the story also reflected on the darker side of the sport that might or might not happen from time to time in reality. In general, Overtake was a delightful read as it mostly focused on Rome's blending in the Vanstone family and how he sorted out his blossoming relationship with Tessa, sprinkled with funny group chats/names throughout the book. If I must admit, the only teeny, tiny room for improvement here, in my opinion, was to include a glossary with more information or definition of the F1 terminology mentioned in the story such as DRS, FIA, and box, to name a few. Just thought it would be easier for F1 beginners (like me) to get into the sport. :)
All in all, I genuinely enjoyed Rome and Tessa's story thoroughly and couldn't wait to read Van's journey, featuring a single dad/nanny trope, next! As far as I know, each Vanstone sibling will get their own book so every installment in the entire series can be read as a standalone with interconnected characters! How exciting is that?
***Massive thanks to the author for generously providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
Overtake is the first book in a five-installment series all about formula one romance, featuring the Halston family with four older brothers--Van, Noah, Graham, and Beck--and one mistake surprise, Tessa. The entire family runs Vanstone Racing, the rival team of Pierce Racing, from which the male main character, Rome, comes from.
In the beginning of the book, Rome left Pierce Racing and joins Vanstone out of revenge due to an "accident" but then he found himself stuck between the Halston siblings. Not only did he need to prove that he was there to better himself and win the Vanstone over instead of overtaking the family business like the siblings believed, but he also had to figure out what the instant attraction to Tessa, his head engineer, meant.
Despite the fact that this book was quintessentially a light-hearted, fun, and quick read with hilarious banter (& group chats) from the Halston siblings and fluffy romantic elements from Tessa and Rome, what I appreciated most was how Tessa, the Vanstone Princess, navigated the male-dominated industry like a champ. As a head engineer--I had no idea it was even a thing--of F1 drivers, she was as familiar with all the stuff on the grid as the drivers and fellow male engineers were, which made her way hotter and apparently, Rome was someone who knew how to worship her. *evil grins*
Besides, the story also reflected on the darker side of the sport that might or might not happen from time to time in reality. In general, Overtake was a delightful read as it mostly focused on Rome's blending in the Vanstone family and how he sorted out his blossoming relationship with Tessa, sprinkled with funny group chats/names throughout the book. If I must admit, the only teeny, tiny room for improvement here, in my opinion, was to include a glossary with more information or definition of the F1 terminology mentioned in the story such as DRS, FIA, and box, to name a few. Just thought it would be easier for F1 beginners (like me) to get into the sport. :)
All in all, I genuinely enjoyed Rome and Tessa's story thoroughly and couldn't wait to read Van's journey, featuring a single dad/nanny trope, next! As far as I know, each Vanstone sibling will get their own book so every installment in the entire series can be read as a standalone with interconnected characters! How exciting is that?
***Massive thanks to the author for generously providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.***
February 10, 2026
✨ARC REVIEW✨ 4.5⭐️ My first f1 romance and let me tell you I am here for it!! Rome and Tessa may have started as friends when they were younger but after and rift between their fathers, two rival racing teams were born. When Rome shows up at Vanstone ready to become their new driver Tessa and her brothers have no idea if he’s there for the right reasons or to take them down from the inside. After a horrible accident at the hands of his father Rome is done racing for Pierce Racing. He wants to take his father down but unless he wants to ruin his career too he can’t be the one to do it. Tessa is ready to prove herself as head engineer but she never thought it would be alongside her family rival Rome. He knows just how to get under her skin and that thin line between love and hate is about to be obliterated.
I absolutely LOVED this one!! I was hooked from the very start. Rome and Tessa had the best banter and tension and I was in it! There was so much to love with this book. All the elements of this story worked together so well and I loved the depth with the family rivalry and Tessa’s desire to prove herself. I could not get enough of the family group chats! I was dying at the French fry scene…this family is just so fun but each has things they are working through. I am throughly obsessed with all of them and cannot wait for the books to come in this series!!
Tropes:
✨Formula One Romance
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Forced Proximity
✨Secret Relationship
✨Family Rivals
I absolutely LOVED this one!! I was hooked from the very start. Rome and Tessa had the best banter and tension and I was in it! There was so much to love with this book. All the elements of this story worked together so well and I loved the depth with the family rivalry and Tessa’s desire to prove herself. I could not get enough of the family group chats! I was dying at the French fry scene…this family is just so fun but each has things they are working through. I am throughly obsessed with all of them and cannot wait for the books to come in this series!!
Tropes:
✨Formula One Romance
✨Enemies to Lovers
✨Forced Proximity
✨Secret Relationship
✨Family Rivals
February 13, 2026
Thank you to the author for the gifted ebook to read and give an honest review. I love a new SJ Sylvis series. Do I know anything about F1? Nope, not a bit! But I sure had fun reading this.
This one is about two families who used to be close but have since become rivals both on and off the track. When an incident forces Rome to jump ship and join his father’s rivals, he has to prove to everyone that he is there for the right reasons and also convince his new crew chief, Tess, to trust him so they can work together. I loved their banter and seeing Rome grow closer both with Tessa but also het family.
This book is more than just a sports romance, it also deals with family dynamics - health issues, narcissistic behaviors and more. The sibling group chat was fun, I was obsessed with Viv and Tessa! I think there are so many great characters and potential and cannot wait to see where this series goes next!
If you’re looking for a sexy, enemies to lovers, sports romance grab this one now!!
This one is about two families who used to be close but have since become rivals both on and off the track. When an incident forces Rome to jump ship and join his father’s rivals, he has to prove to everyone that he is there for the right reasons and also convince his new crew chief, Tess, to trust him so they can work together. I loved their banter and seeing Rome grow closer both with Tessa but also het family.
This book is more than just a sports romance, it also deals with family dynamics - health issues, narcissistic behaviors and more. The sibling group chat was fun, I was obsessed with Viv and Tessa! I think there are so many great characters and potential and cannot wait to see where this series goes next!
If you’re looking for a sexy, enemies to lovers, sports romance grab this one now!!
February 21, 2026
I absolutely loved this book!!! Even though I read this as an ARC in the background, it's honestly such a bingeable story that I could have easily devoured it in one sitting. The rivals to lovers dynamic was written so well (it gave me Romeo + Juliet vibes but without the forbidden part!) and the tension between the MCs was the best! This was also like the most perfect in-between of slow burn and insta-love. It was just super perfectly paced. I adored both of the MCs individually and then even more together! Rome especially surprised me once I started to understand him and watching him find warmth and security with Tess's family was so sweet. I have zero interest in F1 or racing, but you absolutely don't need to know anything to enjoy this book! The romance and family dynamics are the heart of the story and that's what stood out most to me! The ending left me so excited for what's next in this series! If you love emotional sports romance with banter, heart, and found family vibes, I'd definitely recommend this!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 ✨️
Before I get into the reasons I rated this book on the lower end, let me say that I love SJ Sylvis. Her writing style flows beautifully from page to page and I think this series could be really good. F1 seems to be the next big romance genre, and I enjoyed getting to immerse myself in this world that I am not familiar with.
Now, to the issues. First and foremost using "Whore Red" to describe a woman's lipstick color came across very misogynistic and low brow for me. I thought about it the entire read and couldn't get past it. The next issues was with the flow of their romantic timeline. They went from rivals who started hooking up to saying "I love you" in a matter of minutes. It didn’t feel authentic and I think it could have been structured differently.
Before I get into the reasons I rated this book on the lower end, let me say that I love SJ Sylvis. Her writing style flows beautifully from page to page and I think this series could be really good. F1 seems to be the next big romance genre, and I enjoyed getting to immerse myself in this world that I am not familiar with.
Now, to the issues. First and foremost using "Whore Red" to describe a woman's lipstick color came across very misogynistic and low brow for me. I thought about it the entire read and couldn't get past it. The next issues was with the flow of their romantic timeline. They went from rivals who started hooking up to saying "I love you" in a matter of minutes. It didn’t feel authentic and I think it could have been structured differently.
February 19, 2026
Rating - 4/5 stars ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Date Read - February 9, 2026
Publication Date - Available Now!
*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @authorsjsylvis!
I am so here for SJ's F1 era! Welcome to Overtake, a fun, F1 romance with plenty of heart and heat. I love that Tess is the lead engineer for the team and I appreciate that we get scenes with her in action, rather than just being told it’s her title. Rome is endearing with his strong morals that he sticks to even when it’s difficult. There’s so much tension between the main characters, I love it! I also love the sibling dynamic with Tess and her brothers; their group chats are hilarious and I am excited to learn more about them in future books. Overtake is a great start to this new series and I am looking forward to more! If you like F1 romances, you should try Overtake!
Get excited to read Overtake, available now!
*Please check trigger warnings*
Date Read - February 9, 2026
Publication Date - Available Now!
*I received an E-ARC of this book for free in exchange for an honest review* - Thank you @authorsjsylvis!
I am so here for SJ's F1 era! Welcome to Overtake, a fun, F1 romance with plenty of heart and heat. I love that Tess is the lead engineer for the team and I appreciate that we get scenes with her in action, rather than just being told it’s her title. Rome is endearing with his strong morals that he sticks to even when it’s difficult. There’s so much tension between the main characters, I love it! I also love the sibling dynamic with Tess and her brothers; their group chats are hilarious and I am excited to learn more about them in future books. Overtake is a great start to this new series and I am looking forward to more! If you like F1 romances, you should try Overtake!
Get excited to read Overtake, available now!
*Please check trigger warnings*
February 22, 2026
When I found out that S.J. Sylvis was writing a F1 romance. I was KICKING my feet. She has entered her F1 romance era and I am so HERE for it! This was the perfect start. She absolutely KILLED it.
Rome & Tessa story had me HOOKED since the beginning. These two are true enemies/rivals. The tension between these two was top notch. When all of the Vanstone siblings found out that they will be working with Rome whom they hate because Rome is the son of their families rivalry. They don’t trust him and they think he is there to take them down. But things slowly start to change and they start to trust each other more.
Tessa's tension starts to turn into a different kind of tension and starts to feel a little bit of jealousy when it comes to Rome. Rome was always attracted to Tessa, I mean she is gorgeous but when he sees her in action, that attraction becomes harder to ignore. I mean she is a badass.
This whole book had me blushing and kicking my feet. I couldn't put this down and I am sooo excited to see what she has in store for the rest of this series. I am also really obsessed with the cover. One of my favorites.
What to Expect:
🏁Business Rivals
🩵Secret Romance
🏁Formula 1 Romance
🩵Enemies to Lovers
🏁Slow Burn
Thank you so much S.J. Sylvis and VPR for this ARC!
Rome & Tessa story had me HOOKED since the beginning. These two are true enemies/rivals. The tension between these two was top notch. When all of the Vanstone siblings found out that they will be working with Rome whom they hate because Rome is the son of their families rivalry. They don’t trust him and they think he is there to take them down. But things slowly start to change and they start to trust each other more.
Tessa's tension starts to turn into a different kind of tension and starts to feel a little bit of jealousy when it comes to Rome. Rome was always attracted to Tessa, I mean she is gorgeous but when he sees her in action, that attraction becomes harder to ignore. I mean she is a badass.
This whole book had me blushing and kicking my feet. I couldn't put this down and I am sooo excited to see what she has in store for the rest of this series. I am also really obsessed with the cover. One of my favorites.
What to Expect:
🏁Business Rivals
🩵Secret Romance
🏁Formula 1 Romance
🩵Enemies to Lovers
🏁Slow Burn
Thank you so much S.J. Sylvis and VPR for this ARC!
February 21, 2026
This was my first F1 romance and I absolutely devoured it. I love SJ Sylvis’ writing and this one was so fun.
The banter between Rome and Tessa was so good. I love a rivals to lovers moment and this one was so fun.
Tessa was a little bada$$ and i loved her. She was truly proving herself in a man’s world and she did it well. I loved her character so much. She was sassy and fun and exactly what I would picture for an only daughter with 4 brothers.
Rome and Tessa chemistry was insane. I loved their back and forth and how the tension continuously built between them.
This series is going to be so fun and I can’t wait for book 2!
🩵F1 Romance
💜Rivals to Lovers
🩵Slow Burn
💜Secret Romance
🩵Female in Sports
💜Workplace Romance
🩵Hate to Love
The banter between Rome and Tessa was so good. I love a rivals to lovers moment and this one was so fun.
Tessa was a little bada$$ and i loved her. She was truly proving herself in a man’s world and she did it well. I loved her character so much. She was sassy and fun and exactly what I would picture for an only daughter with 4 brothers.
Rome and Tessa chemistry was insane. I loved their back and forth and how the tension continuously built between them.
This series is going to be so fun and I can’t wait for book 2!
🩵F1 Romance
💜Rivals to Lovers
🩵Slow Burn
💜Secret Romance
🩵Female in Sports
💜Workplace Romance
🩵Hate to Love
Read
February 8, 2026I don't come across many rivals to lovers books, but I love when I do! These two are everything! There's tensions, passion, spice, and racecars!
February 16, 2026
I'm obsessed. My first SJ Sylvis & definitely not my last
February 22, 2026
I was in a mood for a silly fast paced romance - however this book had no depth, and F1 setting was highly inaccurate throughout. At least it was fast paced
February 21, 2026
**ARC Review**
Overtake by SJ Sylvis
Available now - Free on Kindle Unlimited!
This was a fast paced, swoony, & steamy read! It's been a while since I've read a racing romance, so this was a nice change of pace for me. (racing pun intended)
Rome Pierce and Tessa Halston went from childhood friends to bitter rivals, and now they're teammates!
It's bad enough her enemy is on now on her Formula One team, but her new position as Vanstone Racing's lead engineer is riding on him! The tension between Rome and Tessa is so good! Even all their bickering and snarky banter can't erase their intense attraction. In fact, it might just make it worse! Late nights working together in close quarters lead to stolen moments and unexpected feelings.
I think what I love most about Rome is even though he's constantly fighting with Tessa and pushing her buttons, he will not stand for other men treating her poorly or making her feel unqualified for a job she's amazing at. (It's not her fault she's an extremely attractive woman!) I love a protective hero! Even better-- one who is willing to burn his world down for her!
These two had such amazing chemistry! Their slow burn was full of tension and swoon, and when they finally give in to their attraction, it's so worth the wait! Extra points for the nickname "Princess" going from derogatory to loving!
Read if you like:
rivals to lovers
workplace romance
female in male dominated field
sports (formula 1) romance
Driver x Team's lead engineer
protective hero
stolen moments
pining
family saga
backward hat
sweatpants
4.75 ⭐ 2.5🌶️
I read an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review. Thank you to SJ Sylvis & Valentine PR for the eARC!
Overtake by SJ Sylvis
Available now - Free on Kindle Unlimited!
This was a fast paced, swoony, & steamy read! It's been a while since I've read a racing romance, so this was a nice change of pace for me. (racing pun intended)
Rome Pierce and Tessa Halston went from childhood friends to bitter rivals, and now they're teammates!
It's bad enough her enemy is on now on her Formula One team, but her new position as Vanstone Racing's lead engineer is riding on him! The tension between Rome and Tessa is so good! Even all their bickering and snarky banter can't erase their intense attraction. In fact, it might just make it worse! Late nights working together in close quarters lead to stolen moments and unexpected feelings.
I think what I love most about Rome is even though he's constantly fighting with Tessa and pushing her buttons, he will not stand for other men treating her poorly or making her feel unqualified for a job she's amazing at. (It's not her fault she's an extremely attractive woman!) I love a protective hero! Even better-- one who is willing to burn his world down for her!
These two had such amazing chemistry! Their slow burn was full of tension and swoon, and when they finally give in to their attraction, it's so worth the wait! Extra points for the nickname "Princess" going from derogatory to loving!
Read if you like:
rivals to lovers
workplace romance
female in male dominated field
sports (formula 1) romance
Driver x Team's lead engineer
protective hero
stolen moments
pining
family saga
backward hat
sweatpants
4.75 ⭐ 2.5🌶️
I read an advanced copy of this book, and this is my honest review. Thank you to SJ Sylvis & Valentine PR for the eARC!
February 21, 2026
We have officially entered the Formula 1 Era… and it was nothing short of explosive.
This is exactly why I adore S.J. Sylvis. The way she pulls us into a story is simply out of this world. She has this rare, almost dangerous talent for weaving a narrative with such precision and tension that we become addicted—clinging to every page like thrill-seekers chasing their next hit of adrenaline. And she always delivers a twist at just the right moment, tightening her grip until there is no escape.
Overtake introduces us to Rome and Tessa—childhood best friends turned enemies, only for fate to decide they were always meant to become something far more consuming.
Rome is the epitome of a Formula 1 driver: disciplined, razor-focused, emotionally guarded. Ice in his veins. That is, until Tessa storms back into his life and sets fire to every carefully constructed wall he’s built.
And Tessa… she is fierce ambition wrapped in brilliance. Determined to carve her place in the fiercely male-dominated world of Formula 1, she dreams of becoming the first female engineer on the pit wall. When Rome joins her father’s team, he becomes both her greatest opportunity—and her greatest complication.
Because this journey? It is anything but smooth.
Sparks don’t just fly—they ignite. Tempers clash. Pride collides. Their banter cuts deep, their history bleeds through every interaction, and yet the chemistry between them reigns supreme. It is untamable, unstoppable—no extinguisher strong enough to contain the inferno building between them.
And can we talk about the overarching plot? The thread that I hope will race through the entire series? The action, the danger, the constant pulse of adrenaline—it elevates the story to another level entirely. You don’t just read it; you feel it roaring beneath your skin, like an engine revving at full throttle.
And yes… this book is scorching. The spicy scenes are crafted with masterful precision—incandescent stitches in an already blazing tapestry. They don’t merely sizzle; they consume.
An exceptional start to a series. The engines are primed, the lights are out, and we are racing toward Mach speed.
And I, for one, am strapped in and ready for the ride.
This is exactly why I adore S.J. Sylvis. The way she pulls us into a story is simply out of this world. She has this rare, almost dangerous talent for weaving a narrative with such precision and tension that we become addicted—clinging to every page like thrill-seekers chasing their next hit of adrenaline. And she always delivers a twist at just the right moment, tightening her grip until there is no escape.
Overtake introduces us to Rome and Tessa—childhood best friends turned enemies, only for fate to decide they were always meant to become something far more consuming.
Rome is the epitome of a Formula 1 driver: disciplined, razor-focused, emotionally guarded. Ice in his veins. That is, until Tessa storms back into his life and sets fire to every carefully constructed wall he’s built.
And Tessa… she is fierce ambition wrapped in brilliance. Determined to carve her place in the fiercely male-dominated world of Formula 1, she dreams of becoming the first female engineer on the pit wall. When Rome joins her father’s team, he becomes both her greatest opportunity—and her greatest complication.
Because this journey? It is anything but smooth.
Sparks don’t just fly—they ignite. Tempers clash. Pride collides. Their banter cuts deep, their history bleeds through every interaction, and yet the chemistry between them reigns supreme. It is untamable, unstoppable—no extinguisher strong enough to contain the inferno building between them.
And can we talk about the overarching plot? The thread that I hope will race through the entire series? The action, the danger, the constant pulse of adrenaline—it elevates the story to another level entirely. You don’t just read it; you feel it roaring beneath your skin, like an engine revving at full throttle.
And yes… this book is scorching. The spicy scenes are crafted with masterful precision—incandescent stitches in an already blazing tapestry. They don’t merely sizzle; they consume.
An exceptional start to a series. The engines are primed, the lights are out, and we are racing toward Mach speed.
And I, for one, am strapped in and ready for the ride.
February 16, 2026
I LOVED THIS BOOK! My only issue? I needed MORE!! Thank you Sam for a chance to read & review an ARC.
- Sports Romance (F1)
- Enemies to Lovers
- Childhood Friends
- Family Rivals
- Secret / Forbidden Relationship
4.5/5 stars with 2/5 steam.
Rome Pierce needs a change. And that change is a change of team away from his father. This is how he ends up on his families biggest rival team: Vanstone Racing. With a deal in place with his dad’s old business partner & business rivalry, he sets his sights on proving his dad wrong & doing the best for Vanstone. If only the Vanstone siblings would get along with him…
Tessa is the head engineer for Rome. She remembers Rome being he was her childhood friend once upon a time. But then their families became rivals and the rest was history. Even if she still truly knows he has a good heart, and a good looking body - she still doesn’t want anything to do with him outside of the track. But fate has other ideas, and as they work together to be the best for the family team, they can’t stop themselves for also leering each other back into their hearts. Physically & emotionally.
Their love may have to be in the dark & secret, but when outsider forces come into play - they will do nothing to keep each other safe. Even if it means Rome not driving anymore or Tessa stepping down as head engineer…
I absolutely love their connection & banter. It was a bit of a slow burn which I felt worked well for out their story & tension. However I do wish we got to read more about their childhood friendship, as well as read more about them being in a relationship. All in all, I loved this story and can’t wait to read more in the series.
- Sports Romance (F1)
- Enemies to Lovers
- Childhood Friends
- Family Rivals
- Secret / Forbidden Relationship
4.5/5 stars with 2/5 steam.
Rome Pierce needs a change. And that change is a change of team away from his father. This is how he ends up on his families biggest rival team: Vanstone Racing. With a deal in place with his dad’s old business partner & business rivalry, he sets his sights on proving his dad wrong & doing the best for Vanstone. If only the Vanstone siblings would get along with him…
Tessa is the head engineer for Rome. She remembers Rome being he was her childhood friend once upon a time. But then their families became rivals and the rest was history. Even if she still truly knows he has a good heart, and a good looking body - she still doesn’t want anything to do with him outside of the track. But fate has other ideas, and as they work together to be the best for the family team, they can’t stop themselves for also leering each other back into their hearts. Physically & emotionally.
Their love may have to be in the dark & secret, but when outsider forces come into play - they will do nothing to keep each other safe. Even if it means Rome not driving anymore or Tessa stepping down as head engineer…
I absolutely love their connection & banter. It was a bit of a slow burn which I felt worked well for out their story & tension. However I do wish we got to read more about their childhood friendship, as well as read more about them being in a relationship. All in all, I loved this story and can’t wait to read more in the series.
February 13, 2026
⭐ 4.25 - 4.5/ 2.5🌶️
Tropes:
❇️ found family
🔥 slow burn romance
💙 boy obsessed - jealous and protective mmc
🖤rivals to lovers
🏎️forced proximity - workplace romance
🤐secret romance
👑"princess"
This was a great start to the new series. I really enjoyed this formula one romance, I have read some others in the past and this is definitely one of my favourites.
I especially liked that Tessa was a smart and sassy head engineer for the team. The banter and tension she had with Rome was soo good. I really loved the history of the relationships between his family and hers and the fact they knew each other as children.
This was such a fast paced and addictive story - I couldn't put it down. The chemistry was off the charts. The book also had such a good plot that was separate from the love story between the two.
I am so ready for the rest of the series, the texting group chats were some of my favourite moments and I cannot wait for all the books to come. There were so many funny moments in addition to the moments where Rome was jealous and protective that totally had me kicking my feet.
SPOLIER ALERT I have one criticism, while it is a slow burn, I did feel like the hate to love and especially the hookup to 'I love you' was a little too quick for my taste, I would have loved about forty more pages to build up the emotional intimacy between Rome and Tessa.
Thank you VPR and SJ Sylvis for the ARC.
Tropes:
❇️ found family
🔥 slow burn romance
💙 boy obsessed - jealous and protective mmc
🖤rivals to lovers
🏎️forced proximity - workplace romance
🤐secret romance
👑"princess"
This was a great start to the new series. I really enjoyed this formula one romance, I have read some others in the past and this is definitely one of my favourites.
I especially liked that Tessa was a smart and sassy head engineer for the team. The banter and tension she had with Rome was soo good. I really loved the history of the relationships between his family and hers and the fact they knew each other as children.
This was such a fast paced and addictive story - I couldn't put it down. The chemistry was off the charts. The book also had such a good plot that was separate from the love story between the two.
I am so ready for the rest of the series, the texting group chats were some of my favourite moments and I cannot wait for all the books to come. There were so many funny moments in addition to the moments where Rome was jealous and protective that totally had me kicking my feet.
SPOLIER ALERT I have one criticism, while it is a slow burn, I did feel like the hate to love and especially the hookup to 'I love you' was a little too quick for my taste, I would have loved about forty more pages to build up the emotional intimacy between Rome and Tessa.
Thank you VPR and SJ Sylvis for the ARC.
February 12, 2026
Overtake by S.J. Sylvis
🏁Vanstone Racing, Book 1
📚Interconnected Standalone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️
Adult • Sports Romance
📖315 Pages
🗓️Out Today!
🏎️F1 romance
🏁rivals to lovers
🏎️banter
🏁workplace romance
🏎️close proximity
🏁team owner’s daughter
🏎️lead engineer/driver
📖 “I just needed to see you. I wouldn’t have been able to race if I didn’t lay my eyes on you.”
📖 “Even when you’re not speaking, I can hear you.”
📖 “Our eyes lock, and my world stops.”
We are roughly three weeks away from the start of the 2026 F1 season, which will kick off with the Australian Grand Prix. This year we will see some technical changes and also have Audi and Cadillac as new manufacturers.
And if that got you excited, this book is for you.
Rivals to lovers with a healthy dose of “Why does he/she has to be so attractive while being my enemy?” tension. These two push each other buttons like no one else. The over the top, impossible to control jealousy scenes before they are even remotely ready to admit their feelings are also a personal highlight.
And if that got you excited, this book is for you.
If not, this book is still for you because it WILL make you excited for both. It will be a transforming experience for you and you will thank me for it.
I adored this book. I inhaled it too. Read it in like two or three hours. It was physically painful to put it down, so I didn’t.
And look how pretty it is!😍
[I’m not exactly sure but I do need a book for each sibling and I’m not above begging]
🏁Vanstone Racing, Book 1
📚Interconnected Standalone
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
♾️♾️♾️♾️♾️
Adult • Sports Romance
📖315 Pages
🗓️Out Today!
🏎️F1 romance
🏁rivals to lovers
🏎️banter
🏁workplace romance
🏎️close proximity
🏁team owner’s daughter
🏎️lead engineer/driver
📖 “I just needed to see you. I wouldn’t have been able to race if I didn’t lay my eyes on you.”
📖 “Even when you’re not speaking, I can hear you.”
📖 “Our eyes lock, and my world stops.”
We are roughly three weeks away from the start of the 2026 F1 season, which will kick off with the Australian Grand Prix. This year we will see some technical changes and also have Audi and Cadillac as new manufacturers.
And if that got you excited, this book is for you.
Rivals to lovers with a healthy dose of “Why does he/she has to be so attractive while being my enemy?” tension. These two push each other buttons like no one else. The over the top, impossible to control jealousy scenes before they are even remotely ready to admit their feelings are also a personal highlight.
And if that got you excited, this book is for you.
If not, this book is still for you because it WILL make you excited for both. It will be a transforming experience for you and you will thank me for it.
I adored this book. I inhaled it too. Read it in like two or three hours. It was physically painful to put it down, so I didn’t.
And look how pretty it is!😍
[I’m not exactly sure but I do need a book for each sibling and I’m not above begging]
February 15, 2026
I loved this book! I am a F1 fan, so being set in a world I’m familiar with was a bonus for me but shouldn’t put you off if you’re not.
As the first in the series Ms. Sylvis does a great job of building the world, introducing all the characters, especially the Halston family, but not more so than our main characters, Rome and Tessa, both very engaging characters that I loved!
Their parents worked together back in the day, so they grew up together in the paddock, but a split between their fathers has them in enemy camps when the story starts.
An accident and allegations of cheating sees Rome switching sides and signing on as a driver with Halston Racing with newly promoted Tessa as his Race Engineer. There is no closer relationship in F1 than between a driver and his engineer and she doesn’t trust his motives for joining their team and he just loves pushing her buttons!
The banter between these two is brilliant and was such a joy to read, he was just like that kid in the playground who pulls the pigtails of the girl he likes just to get her attention; that it ends up in a steamy relationship that flaunts the FIA rules is unsurprising.
There’s great rivalry between the teams, on track action, off track jealousies, and of course those cheating allegations that come to a head in the most dramatic fashion.
Overall, I loved this easy to read and highly entertaining story and cannot wait for Book 2!
As the first in the series Ms. Sylvis does a great job of building the world, introducing all the characters, especially the Halston family, but not more so than our main characters, Rome and Tessa, both very engaging characters that I loved!
Their parents worked together back in the day, so they grew up together in the paddock, but a split between their fathers has them in enemy camps when the story starts.
An accident and allegations of cheating sees Rome switching sides and signing on as a driver with Halston Racing with newly promoted Tessa as his Race Engineer. There is no closer relationship in F1 than between a driver and his engineer and she doesn’t trust his motives for joining their team and he just loves pushing her buttons!
The banter between these two is brilliant and was such a joy to read, he was just like that kid in the playground who pulls the pigtails of the girl he likes just to get her attention; that it ends up in a steamy relationship that flaunts the FIA rules is unsurprising.
There’s great rivalry between the teams, on track action, off track jealousies, and of course those cheating allegations that come to a head in the most dramatic fashion.
Overall, I loved this easy to read and highly entertaining story and cannot wait for Book 2!
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