False Start

by Maggie Bradford

272 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 12, 2026

Reviews

[Shania Inglis · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this book! The banter! The little traditions that were developed and the deeper themes that were explored made me fall in love with Romeo and Mary! You definitely don’t need to know lots about F1 to really enjoy this book! First book I’ve read from Maggie but I don’t think it’ll be that last! 🤍

[allison · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

[Kristalyne, love.lovely.books · Rating 5 out of 5]

False Start by Maggie Bradford is such a fun, sweet, and swoony Formula 1 sports romance!

Maggie wrote such endearing characters that I was rooting for from the start!!!! The fake dating was done so well and had me turning the pages to see what would happen next!!!

Romeo is a Formula 1 star who will do anything to win. He is a little bit of a grump at the moment, and I love how Mary brings the sunshine into his life!

Mary is just the sweetest. I love her so much and could really relate to her. She inspired me!

I love the sweet emotional connection these two have. I love how they help each other, and I loved seeing the growth and happiness that follows!
This story has a little bit of a Cinderella feel to it which I really enjoyed!

I don’t know much about Formula 1, but the author writes in such a way that made it easy to understand, and had me excited for each and every race!!! One of my favorite parts of the story is all of the gorgeous places you get to travel to around the world. So fun!

There are lots of memorable scenes. A favorite of mine has to do with baking a favorite dessert and all of the beach scenes! I also really enjoyed the family and friends. They had me laughing!

I love Romeo and Mary! Their story made me so happy and warmed my heart! I find myself smiling everytime I think about them and this wonderful book!

I am loving this series so much!

🏎️Grumpy/Sunshine
🏎️Fake dating
🏎️Beach scenes
🏎️Love you as you are
🏎️The races
🏎️The happiest ending!
🏎️Handshake
🏎️Swoony baking
🏎️Hobbies
🏎️A certain book
🏎️Family and friends
🏎️Gorgeous settings
🏎️Happiest ending!
.
.
.
Thank you so much to the author for the arc copy. A positive review was not required but freely given!

Content: kissing only

[Stephanie - Books Less Travelled · Rating 4 out of 5]

*I read an eARC from the author. This does not affect my review. This review is voluntary.*

These two! This was such a cute and refreshing read. I admit I'm not often a sports person, and knew very little about F1 racing, but that didn't affect my enjoyment of this story in the least! I was able to figure out enough to follow along with ease, and the helpful dictionary of F1 terms was also a nice addition!

Am I the only one that want's Enzo's story now? (Probably not, but I had to ask!) I loved his friendship with Romeo, but also really loved him overall as a character. Mary and Romeo were both fun characters, too! I also appreciated seeing the different perspectives, not just in the POV way, but also in how different Mary's daily life looks from Romeo's. From their work differences to family dynamics, and how they handle challenges as they arise. Seeing that difference was a delightful way to introduce these characters, and I loved seeing them learn from each other. These changes aren't always super apparent; some were in the smaller things, and I loved that! The story was well written, and I loved reading their story. I also have to mention Straw and Grape! They were wonderful all on their own and definitely made me smile any time they popped up.

[Aimee Winmill · Rating 5 out of 5]

"False Start" is the first Formula 1 or any racing book I have read and I enjoyed it immensely!! Maggie writes it in a way that people who don't know the sport can understand what is going on which is very nice!!!

I love the trope of contracted girlfriend to more and I would say this has elements of sunshine vs grumpy :)

They slowly ease from strangers to more in a realistic and gradual way which I LOVE!! It feels real and authentic rather than rushed and unbelievable.

I really love this book and found myself invested from the start :)

I recommend it to anyone who loves a refreshing and believable modern romance :)

Thank you Maggie for having me part of your ARC team!!! It was amazing!!

[Isabelle Telgenhof · Rating 3 out of 5]

A very fun and flirty read. I am a sucker for a fake dating situation and combining that with the world of F1 was such a perfect fusion. Romeo and Mary are adorable and seeing them grow personally within the time together is just perfect. Mary being from Michigan was such a fun thing for me since I also am! This was the perfect book to read on a day off. I think the pacing was great and there was a glossary of F1 related terms to help anyone who might not have the previous knowledge about the sport which I thought was a great touch :)

[Angela - Enjoy Life With Me Podcast · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is probably my favorite of Maggie's so far, which is saying something because I really enjoyed her regency series.

There were great details and it was fun to learn a bit about a sport I know nothing about. She has a glossary at the beginning so don't worry if you don't know anything either, it's a wonderful book.

I hope she keeps this series going, it's been really fun!

Content:
Style - Dual POV, sport romance (fake dating)
Intimacy - Moderate (longing, kisses)
Language - None
Violence - None
Potential Triggers - distant family (mmc emotionally & fmc physically)

[Kate Herrera · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This was such a fun, adorable read! I really enjoyed reading a romance book centered around F1 as I’ve recently become a fan of the sport. I thought Maggie did a great job explaining the F1 world for those who might not be well-versed in it. I loved the pacing of the book and really enjoyed being in the mind of these characters! I often feel authors wrap up the ending to romance books too quickly and I’m left wanting more. However, I did not feel this way at the end of this book!So grateful to have experienced this wonderful arc!

[Dev G · Rating 4 out of 5]

I have enjoyed every Maggie Bradford book I’ve read.

Romeo and Mary’s fake dating, opposites attract story was filled with sweetness and emotion.

Romeo has a one-track mind. Winning. He’s focused. No distractions. A fake relationship is perfect, no emotions, no connections.

Mary is such a sweet character. Always wanting to make people happy and be helpful.

My favorite sweet moments were the cinnamon rolls and Jane Eyre. I loved the way those scenes played out revealing the depth of the connection between Romeo and Mary.

Thank you to Maggie Bradford for the copy. All opinions are my own.

[Maria Alvarez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Five 🌟
I fell in love with this book! False Start is just perfect. The banter between Mary and Romeo is top tier! The character development the romance. The relationship between Mary and Romeo just made me feel all the emotions. This is a sweet Formula One racing book. If romance and racing are your favorite pick up this book! You won’t be disappointed! I received this book as an ARC read and options are my own.

[Sia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a cute fake dating to real dating love fest, with an intro to the F1 world.
The characters were cute and lovable, this was a great fast paced read!
Thank you Maggie for sharing this wonderful arc!

[lucas · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really fun read! Light hearted with good characters that really make you root for them. Plus bo always love me a fake dating romance 🤭🤭🤭