Crash Course

by Piper Lawson

A spicy, angsty, slow burn F1 academy romance about fast cars, forbidden attraction, and family secrets from USA Today bestselling author Piper Lawson.

Shay MacDonald was raised to avoid two race cars and the Ashford family. But when an injury puts her mechanic father on bedrest, she vows to save his career by covertly covering his shifts at the Ashford garage and enrolling at Ashford Academy–an elite school that trains aspiring drivers and engineers, like herself, for the lucrative F1 circuit.

Keeping a low profile is out of the question when she has a run-in with the Ashford brothers on day one. Theo and Jameson are racing royalty who know they can get away with anything. Theo, the charming and reckless playboy, tempts her to break every rule, while Jameson, the brilliant prodigy, unsettles her with a cold intensity that cuts deeper than she expects.

Shay will always be the adopted daughter of a mechanic, trying to survive unnoticed in a world that was never meant for her. But Theo and Jameson’s only reprieve from their father’s sky-high expectations is Shay. She’s a shiny new pawn in their old rivalry—or a prize worth risking everything for.

When a competition to work on the F1 circuit brings her further into their orbit, Shay is forced to work harder to protect her secrets. But the deeper she’s pulled into the world of the rich and famous Ashfords, the more she realizes everyone is keeping secrets.

Secrets that could shatter her past, her future…and her heart.

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Sports, Enemies To Lovers, New Adult, Fiction, Contemporary

10 pages, Audible Audio

Published October 20, 2026

About the author

Piper Lawson is a Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestselling author of smart, steamy romance! She writes about women who follow their dreams (even the scary ones), best friends who know your dirty secrets (and love you anyway), and complex heroes you’ll fall hard for (especially after talking with them). Brains or brawn? She’ll never make you choose. Piper lives in Canada with her tall, dark and brilliant husband. She believes peanut butter is a protein, rose gold is a neutral, and love is ALWAYS the answer.

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Books by Piper Lawson:

DENVER KODIAKS SERIES

Hard to Fake
Hard to Take
Hard to Break
Rookie Season

KING OF THE COURT SERIES

Game Changer
Shot Taker
Play Maker
Game Day

WICKED SERIES

Good Girl
Bad Girl
Wicked Girl
Forever Wicked

RIVALS SERIES

A Love Song for Liars
A Love Song for Rebels
A Love Song for Dreamers
A Love Song for Always

ENEMIES SERIES

Beautiful Enemy
Beautiful Sins
Beautiful Ruin
Beautiful Salvation

OFF-LIMITS SERIES

Crave
Collide
Claim
Tempt

TRAVESTY SERIES

Schooled
Stripped
Sealed
Styled
Satisfaction

PLAY SERIES

PLAY
NSFW
RISE

MODERN ROMANCE SERIES

Easy Love
Bad Love
Twisted Love

Reviews

[Sophie]

never read a F1 romance before so this sneak peek of the first 8 chapters seemed like the perfect chance to try it. sadly, the writing style is not my favorite, a lot of scenes felt choppy and, while i love good banter, the final scene between Theo and Shay just made me cringe. Jameson was the only highlight, but he's not quite enough to make me want to continue.

⬫ ⬪ ⬫
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the sneak peek!

[Mairi Swan · Rating 5 out of 5]

*Academy
*Love triangle
*Racing
*Slow burn
*Emotional

Shay on her first day in the academy as a student engineer is hit by Jameson by car but Theo steps in and helps her. And while she tries to keep a low profile tha Ashford brothers have her on their sight each for their own reasons. All this when there is a competition to work on the F1 circuit both for engineers and drivers.
Shay is a strong woman who tries to help her father by covering his shift in the garage while studying for her dream career in the Academy.
Theo is the guy with the heartwarming smile that puts you at ease just by looking at you. He makes Shay feel comfortable and warm but is he the one for her?
Jameson is strict and cold with a prickish personality and Shay, despite their rough first meet up, feels an attraction to him that she can't explain.
I'm not spoiling with whom Shay ends up but all I'm saying is that the triangle is solved about half of the book though there are clues even before. And I was rooting for them because their connection was deep. Even when things got rough through some twists the angst was there.
Also I'm a fan of F1 and I couldn't not love this book. Even though it's a fun read, it has some deeper subjects that makes you think deeper and weighing situations.
I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.

[sabrina (books.with.sabrina) · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

✨ Rating: 4.5⭐️
🫧 Vibes: secrecy & fast cars
🎶 Song: sports car - tate mcrae
📖 Favourite Quote: "I told you once there wouldn’t be a happy ending for you and my brother, but I hope to hell there can still be one for us."
📚 Would I recommend? yes!
💬 tldr thoughts: fast-paced and thrilling!

In the package:
📦 enemies to lovers
📦 elite academy
📦 secrets & corruption

Plot: On her first day at Ashford Academy, Shay is hit by Jameson’s car and his brother, Theo, immediately steps in to help her. As she tries to keep a low profile at school and win the competition on the F1 circuit, secrets emerge as she’s pulled deeper in Theo and Jameson’s orbit.

Thoughts: This is my second F1 sports romance book and I really loved this one! It’s fast-paced and the plot twists had me on the edge of my seat 👀 I loved the setting of the book being at an elite racing academy. I know pretty much nothing about F1 racing but it was so much fun learning about it! The banter and tension between the MMC and FMC was great 🤭 Shay was a resilient and strong FMC in a male-dominated field who never gave up on her dreams and I love that for her!! Looking forward to the second book 👀

Thank you Penguin Teen for the ARC!

✩⁺₊✩☽⋆ follow me on instagram ⋆☾✩⁺₊✩

[fromthestudyof · Rating 5 out of 5]

okay I REALLY enjoyed this!!!! & I have the dozens of tabs in my copy to prove it!!

I picked this up after watching one too many Your Fault: London edits & thank god I did

F1 racing academy. Two hot brothers. Fast cars. Tension!!!! Flirty af MMCs!!!!!

I thought the cover of this book was SO clever bc without reading the synopsis you don’t really know which brother is “it” - HIGHLY recommend reading this with as little info as possible

The banter was steamy. The cars were fast. The spice was hot af. I had a fkin blast

[Sim-fully Ever After · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

4.25🌟 | 3🌶️

Two Ashford brothers, an elite F1 academy, and a love triangle that had me picking sides? This was such a fun ride!

As someone who loves reading F1 romances, I was already sold on the setting, and the mix of racing, competition, and romantic tension had me hooked from the start.

Honestly speaking, love triangles are usually a mixed bag for me, but this one was done quite well! Theo’s sweet, easygoing nature made him hard not to like, while Jameson’s broody attitude and undeniable chemistry with Shay had me intrigued. Shay was a strong FMC, and I was rooting for her as she chased her dream of becoming an engineer while helping her dad. Once I knew who I was rooting for, I was completely invested in their connection!

Between the banter, unexpected twists, and academy drama, there was plenty to keep me turning the pages. I also appreciated the deeper themes woven into the story, which added more to Shay’s journey beyond the romance.

This was an entertaining, easy-to-binge read with a fun F1 setting, plenty of chemistry, and a romance that won me over.

I’m excited to see what comes next!

~~~~

A sincere thank you to Piper Lawson, Valentine PR, Berkley XO, and NetGalley for the ARC! 🥰📚

I’m so grateful for the early read. As always, all thoughts and opinions are completely my own. ✨

[Sarah · Rating 3.5 out of 5]

This was such a fun F1 romance!

I was totally invested in Shay’s career and seeing her receive the respect she deserved for her knowledge and ideas.

Shay and the Ashford brothers were such a ride! Jameson was 100% hot! He had my attention and kept it! Theo pushed all the right buttons and had me questioning who I thought she would fall for! You could definitely feel the brothers’ age old rivalry, and the tension was palpable!

I also felt for Shay and her relationship with her dad. I understood and agreed with a lot of Shay’s decisions, but I could tell the dynamic with her dad wasn’t always easy!

This book is definitely bingeable and such a fun, quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley, Piper Lawson, Valentine PR, and Berkley XO publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Piper Lawson]

Releasing October 20th!

Pre-order your copy today!
https://books2read.com/crashcoursebook

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[Ema · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was a very entertaining story. Shay has lost her parents in a car crash when she was very young and her adoptive dad shared his love of cars and mechanics with her and when the opportunity arose to attend Ashford academy she claimed it. She first meets Theo and James Ashford in very awkward circumstances but Theos charm pulls her in and they start seeing eachother somewhat. James is the brooding, dark brother that keeps messing with her and turning her head and they eventually can’t resist their chemistry and their never again turns into a happily ever after. In my opinion her relationship with Theo could have started and stayed with friendship if their relationship wont develop further in book two, i felt more sorry for him being broken hearted than happy for James and Shay

[Randi (randi_reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this F1 romance between Shay and Jameson. It had just the right amount of racing mixed into the story. Shay is new to the academy and meets the Ashford brothers, Jameson and Theo, on her first day. There's a bit of a triangle involved, but not really. It's clear that her real attraction is to Jameson. There's spice between Jameson and Shay, but not too spicy. He's also the son seen as the favorite who does everything in his power to make Theo not feel lesser than.

I look forward to reading Theo's story next!

Thank you to Berkley XO for the advanced readers copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Syd · Rating 1 out of 5]

feels like something I would have read on wattpad at 13. one of those so bad it’s good books that you can’t stop reading. giving it 1 stars bc I can’t give it more, but that doesn’t mean I won’t read the next one for laughs

[anzhelika ୨ৎ · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚ 5 stars ˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆

"Now that I know how it feels to win with you, I don't want to do it any other way."

"You're the only one I'd choose. Over everything."

okay so i had the best time reading crash course! i think this was only my third f1 romance, and it was SO good and genuinely makes me want to read more of these. i was immediately hooked from the first chapter and not once did i want to put the book down.

the story is set at an elite racing academy and honestly that's so cool! shay was a brilliant and strong fmc, i love that she never gave up on her dreams. especially because she's a mechanic in a male-dominated field. although i don't usually read books that have a love triangle, i really enjoyed this one. we figure out who shay will end up with around half way through the book and i was rooting for them. not spoiling which brother it is though. i liked both theo and jameson but obviously there's only one right choice at the end. i'm REALLY looking forward to the second book (and i wonder who it will be about).

definitely recommend if you enjoy sports romance and if you're looking for a fun and quick read!

˗ˋˏ ୨୧ thank you to Valentine PR, Berkley XO, and Piper Lawson for the digital arc in exchange for an honest review! ୨୧ ˎˊ˗

pre-read:
f1 romance, elite academy, mechanic fmc?! sign me up!!

[Kellie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Go read this book. Right now. No joke! Crash Course by Piper Lawson had me in a chokehold like no other book has in a long long time. I was absolutely texting my besties about this book and will continue to shout from the rooftops that everyone should read this! Crash Course is actually my first book of Piper’s and since finishing it I’ve downloaded four more of her books. I need them all at this point, I have some catching up to do.

Crash Course is an F1 academy romance but make it a love triangle… Sheewwww. I was hooked from the first page. There were a few plot twists that had my jaw on the floor. I felt like I couldn’t read fast enough tbh but I also wanted to savior it to make it last longer at the same time. The tension, the chemistry, the “what’s going to happen next”, it all makes this an absolute must read.

Thank you Piper Lawson and Valentine PR for my earc! Crash Course releases 10/20.

[✨Julie✨]

Excited to start this!

Thank you to Berkley XO for the ARC!

[Jaclyn · Rating 4.25 out of 5]

⭐ 4.25 | ❤️ 4/5

This was a fun, easy read of a romance set at an F1 academy, which was new-to-me and felt novel. I devoured it.

The FMC Shay is covering her injured adoptive father's F1 mechanic shifts in secret, so he doesn't lose his job, but she dreams of a career in F1 of her own that feels impossible due to family obligation. She enrolls in secret at the local F1 Academy to stay close to home while she covers for him.

I enjoyed the love triangle between Shay and the Ashford brothers: Theo, a golden retriever who isn't characterized only by his archetype, and Jameson, a black cat with Cardan-esque vibes (à la The Cruel Prince as he loathes that he desires her). If you've read romances before, the endgame is telegraphed from the start, though they're both compelling enough in the first quarter of the story. There’s good tension and chemistry between Shay and both MMCs, but as the story goes on, it’s very clear who she should be with. So as not to spoil it by naming the endgame MMC, there is an undercurrent of tenderness with the MMC she ends up with and a gradual accumulation of thoughtful acts of service that make the romance feel earned.

Fortunately only an issue in the first quarter of the book: Shay seemed to be set up as not like the other girls: they're jealous of the attention she's getting from the Ashford brothers as they fawn over the brothers themselves, and wear short skirts while she wears leggings. But her closest friend Megan, who is also on the technical track at the academy, loves all things pink, makeup, and glitter and isn't admonished for it, which I appreciated. Later on in the story, there were a few moments that felt jarring, where the MMC and his brother separately said something misogynistic, which I didn’t feel was necessary for the story and seemed to just be there for texture. Eventually Shay calls out the MMC on his misogynistic attitude about the love triangle. But at least it wasn’t pervasive.

The line-level banter was decent, and the chemistry and tension at the scene-level was good, but sometimes the writing felt like it was overreaching particularly during big emotional beats. Occasionally the dialogue was too on the nose. Sometimes there were sentences that were ambiguous/unclear.

The exposition was clunky with Megan explaining how the academy works to new student Shay, who one would think should know the basics if she chose to enroll here. When it comes to the found family of secondary characters, there is a lot of telling rather than showing. This does improve after the first few chapters.

What pulled me out of the story the most was a character logic issue with the MMC. The story hinges the FMC’s belief in a specific ‘known fact’ as a plot mechanism for keeping the leads apart romantically for as long as possible, and the MMC’s justification for delaying clarifying this ‘known fact’ does not make sense given that the MMC and Shay have been together for weeks at some point and has given no reason for the MMC to distrust her or fear any sort of negative consequence of communicating with her directly about this. Miscommunication that exists only for plot reasons is one of my pet peeves.

There were a lot of continuity errors that hopefully will get resolved by the time this gets released. This included but is not limited to characters knowing something before they should and then the story not keeping it straight if that person knew the reveal or not and an injury that only is present during non-romantic scenes but conveniently invisible/forgotten otherwise.

Was the writing without fault? No, but I was thoroughly entertained. If you enjoy sports romances, academy environment, and love triangles and are looking for a light read with an unfamiliar setting, this could be a fit for you.

This review is based on an ARC provided by Berkley XO via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

[Amee]

Oh man. NetGalley gave me a “Sneak Peek” ARC which definitely left me wanting more… where’s the rest??

[Heather Houghtaling · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVE THEM. I love them. I loveeee them. Shay is such a kick ass character. Jameson is perfection. I am so ready for Theo’s book. I haven’t read a book this quick in a while. I’ve been feeling blah about reading and this gave me so much interest back. The slight mystery going on the entire time. Fuckin with each other’s cars as foreplay?! I mean it was so good. I was blushing the entire time reading this!!
Thank you VPR & author for this ARC!! 🫶🏻

[Nikola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

This was a fun F1 romance book. The Ashford brothers were interesting and I was a bit confused on which brother she wanted at points. However, it was unique enough in comparison to other F1 romance books. I liked Shay and how she is a strong female character and does not give up in this male dominated field. I also liked how even though her dad does not approve she continues to move towards her dream. Overall, this book was entertaining.

[Jessica Paige (Exercise_Read_Repeat) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was my first F1 book, and I loved it! Lawson’s writing and college-aged cast reminded me so much of my favorite Elle Kennedy books, only this time I was immersed in the exciting new world of racing. There was plenty of drama, including a brother rivalry, love triangle, and secrets that kept me pulled in. Plus, the audiobook features a full cast that made it so much fun to listen to! Hoping there is more set in this world!

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’ve never read an F1 racing romance before. I’ll have to say love a good mess. Two brothers, fast race cars, and a girl mechanic? Hell yes. It reminds me a lot of Elle Kennedy’s books, but with car boys instead of hockey ones. Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley XO for the ARC.

[Samantha (midterms) · Rating 2 out of 5]

🏎˳༄ 1.75 stars ༄꠶🏎

Summary: Shay starts at the Academy and interacts with the Ashford brothers.
Tropes: F1, elite academy, love triangle, opposites attract
TWs: car accidents, racing injuries, parental loss
Spice: 🌶🌶🌶/5 - multiple open-door scenes

My attempt at describing what reading this book felt like: a girl was driving a car but she forgot that she was driving a car and then the car crashed and burst into flames but she didn’t notice that she crashed because she was too busy thinking about how driving cars is fun. 💀

In summary, this book made me wanna CRASH OUT. The first few chapters had soo much potential but the rest of the book felt extremely underdeveloped and cringey.

Characters
Shay = the ooh lala “im not like other girls” character

Jameson = his personality was limited to "I'm hot" 😭

Theo = why was bro here?... Also, the part where he fought for Shay because she was the "one thing he could actually win" was weird af.

Plot
Basically this book had an uninteresting romance with F1 in the background. There were also some random side-plots (like with Jameson’s dad), but they fell as flat as my family’s car tire when we drove over a nail. 😬

Sorry for the hate review, but it had to be done. If you are looking for a book with any substance whatsoever, skip this one.


SNEAK PEEK
⭐4 stars⭐
Thank you to Piper Lawson and Netgalley for the Sneak Peek ARC of Crash Course. This review is based on the first 8 chapters only.

I am obsessed with this story and I can't wait to read more! 🤩 I'm so intrigued by the mystery surrounding Shay's dad and how her mysterious past will factor into the upcoming F1 competition. This is my first ever F1 romance, and I am loving it.

The character dynamics are so enticing: I love how New Girl Shay is such a strong character and unapologetic. That first interaction when she got run over by the Ashford brothers and laid into them was iconic. 💪 Additionally, the banter in this book is top notch, I full on cackled when Shay showed off her knowledge and then made a dick joke about Jameson in front of the class. 🤣 Shay's friends are the perfect backup, and I am excited to see more of them. And of course, the love triangle with Bad Boy Jameson and Golden Retriever Theo has me totally hooked.

My one critique is that the writing was a little choppy at times, though I'm aware this version is unedited. 🫤 I cannot wait to read the full book!

[Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

As my first ARC, this did not disappoint! I’m fairly new to the sports romance world, definitely new to a racing romance, but damn this was fun. I honestly didn’t want to put it down and was annoyed on days I was simply too tired after work or had no time at lunch to slip some reading. I was scared for a moment towards the end that one of the twists was going to go a different way, but was surprised and I think a lot less traumatized that it didn’t in fact go where my head had it going. In general though, loved the characters and the whole story ❤️

[Anca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Review: *Crash Course* - Piper Lawson - ARC [18+]
4.9/5✨
3/5🌶️

🔹Plot: Shay MacDonald has taken a huge risk by enrolling at Ashford Academy, knowing that she shouldn't be involved in that world. But Shay had no choice after her father was injured and decided that it was best to step up for him, by secretly covering his shifts at the Ashford garage. She wanted to be as discreet as she could while attending Ashford Academy, but her plans were destroyed even from her first day there, because of an incident which involved two of the most popular guys out there, the Ashford brothers, Theo and James. Shay didn't fit into their world, and that only intensified their interest in her, as it was another thing they had the opportunity to compete for, just like they were used to doing with all their things, and that was something they had learned from their own father. The longer she spent time in this world, the harder it became to keep her secrets, but Shay also realized that she wasn't the only one trying to hide things, because there were some secrets which were involving her as well and which could change everything, if they were revealed.

🔹Impressions: I was surprised in the best way ever by this book!😍 I was instantly immersed into the story, being captivated by that constant loathing between Shay and James and also that cute connection which formed between Shay and James's brother, Theo. There was a palpable tension between Shay and James, one that brought them closer, even though the two wanted to stay as far apart as possible. I simply adoreed that, knowing how conflicted they felt inside and how they tried so hard to deny that burning desire from their hearts. The fact that there was an even balance between the romance side and everything regarding the sports side made me ate this book, being such a huge fan of F1 and loving the way all those specific details were incorporated into this story. You could really see how passionate they all were and what intense feelings they had when it came to this sport. I also liked that mystery regarding Shay's past and the reason why she was present at Ashford Academy, which were the circumstances that lead to her enrolling, knowing so little in the beginning about this fact. That made me curious and wanted to discover more about Shay's story.

I'm soooo, sooo glad that I've decided to sign up for this ARC, being a little unsure in that moment if I should do so or not. But considering that it had a F1 theme, I thought that it could be a book that I might like and it turn out to be exactly what I love in a story. It truly had a bit of everything and that made it super interesting for me and made me read it in only one sitting. So, so good!😍

Super grateful for being accepted to receive this e-ARC and I have to thank Valentine Pr and the author for offering me this copy. 💙

✨Tropes
▫️Love Triangle
▫️Forbidden Love
▫️Enemies To Lovers
▫️Rival Brothers
▫️Slow Burn
▫️Opposites Attract
▫️Sports Romance
▫️Formula1 Romance
▫️College
▫️Elite Academy
▫️Family Secrets

[Laurensliterarylair · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wish I could give this book more than 5 stars. Thank you so much to Netgalley, Piper Lawson, and Berkeley XO for the arc!

This f1 academy romance is so addicting. I read it in a day and when I wasn’t reading it I couldn’t stop thinking about it. It’s one of those books that’s so good you want to scream. The characters were so fun to read. The FMC is so strong. She lost her parents and was adopted by her adoptive dad who loves cars. She goes to an F1 academy owned by the father of two brothers Theo and Jameson. Theo is happy go lucky and Jameson and broody and is know for being a bit of a jerk. Jameson has trauma but his character arc was so fun to read. Shay the FMC is amazing at working with cars and ends up working as his mechanic in an attempt to get a job as an Ashford mechanic. She is such a cool main character. I loved watching the banter between her and Jameson and found myself laughing out loud.

This book is absolute 🔥. It’s hot, it’s spicy, it’s everything youd want from an f1 romance. I’m absolutely obsessed with this book and Piper just became an auto buy author for me after reading this book! If you love f1 romance I definitely recommend you pick up this book. The writing and the story is absolutely addicting.

[Nicoletta Tompros · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Driving fast I can handle. You?” His eyes burn as he leans in. “You make me out of control.” LIKE AHHHHH!!! EXCUSE ME?! 😮‍💨🏎️🔥

BOOK BESTIES. Enemies to lovers, racing, secrets, and two people who absolutely LOVE driving each other insane?! I ATE THIS UP. Okay, let me break this down because these two are CHAOTIC. 😂👏🏻

He literally HITS HER WITH HIS CAR?! 🚗
They start messing with each other's cars, and honestly, the pettiness had me DYING. 😂
She's supposed to go on a date with HIS BROTHER (YUP, YOU HEARD ME RIGHT), and suddenly her car stops working?! 👀
AND NOW HE'S HER TUTOR?! SAY LESS.

And SHAY?! THAT'S MY GIRL. She's a badass engineer who dreams of opening a garage with her dad. She's smart, ambitious, and has absolutely NO problem putting Jameson in his place. 👏🏻
Then we have Jameson, the heir to ARI with his own racing future on the line. The tension between these two?! THE BANTER. THE CHEMISTRY. THE SECRETS. I was hooked.

But BOOK BESTIES… AT 90% MY MOUTH LITERALLY DROPPED TO THE FLOOR. WHAT. THE. ACTUAL. FUCK?! 😭

I DID NOT SEE THAT COMING.

I have DOZENS of tabs in my copy to prove how much I loved this book. 😂📚

🏎️ Enemies to Lovers
🔥 Racing Romance
🏎️ Badass Engineer FMC
🔥 Tutor x Student
🏎️ Banter + Tension
🔥 Secrets + Drama
🏎️ ALL THE CHEMISTRY

SIX STARS IF I COULD. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

[Honeybadgerreads · Rating 4.5 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
🌶️🌶️
1st person POV
Book 1

As a car girly (proud owner of a 1st gen Firebird) who’s also married to a car mechanic, I knew I had to read this! Formula 1 racing, forbidden attraction, two brothers, and a whole lot of romantic tension? SIGN ME UP! 🏎️🔥

Crash Course follows Shay (FMC), an aspiring engineer attending Ashford Academy, where she’s determined to prove herself and pursue her dreams of working in the racing world. Things get complicated when she catches the attention of two very different brothers.

One is charming, sweet, and makes her feel comfortable. The other comes off as cold, arrogant, and someone she probably shouldn’t be attracted to.

I really enjoyed the combination of romance, competition, secrets, and drama throughout this story! Shay is a strong FMC who isn’t afraid to work hard for what she wants. I loved that her ambitions played such an important role in the plot.

I also loved the racing academy setting! The competition to make it into the world of F1 added another layer of excitement. And then I was ecstatic to know ‘67 Ford Mustang Fastback was one of the main character’s cars (read to find out who)! It’s one of the cars my husband and I are planning to fix up in the near future!

Tropes + atmosphere:
F1 racing romance
Academy
2 brothers
Strong FMC
Love triangle
Slow burn
Enemies to lovers
Banter
Miscommunication
Secrets
HEA

Overall, Crash Course was a fun, steamy, drama-filled racing romance with plenty of chemistry, ambition, and emotional tension. If you enjoy sports romances, complicated relationships, and morally questionable levels of attraction then this one should go on your TBR! 🏁❤️

Thank you to Berkley XO for the eARC via NetGalley.

[Alison is probably reading smut · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this through an ARC Goodreads Giveaway, and I honestly didn’t realize I enjoyed books with slow-burn, spicy F1 Academy romances, fast cars and family secrets… until this one!

To be completely honest, I didn’t even know what F1 meant, and I know absolutely NOTHING about cars. 😂 But after reading this book, I can say without a doubt that I apparently really enjoy reading about them! From beginning to end, this book was so good. The entire storyline had me hooked, and even though it had been sitting on my shelf for a while waiting for me to pick it up, once I started, I could NOT stop.

The romance, the racing, the secrets—it all worked so well together, and I was completely invested. This author is definitely worth checking out, and I’m already eager to read more from her!

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Berkley XO for the early copy!

Crash Course was one of those books that as soon as I picked it up it was a struggle to set it down. I read 2/3 of the book in one sitting, the other third was across a couple days because pesky work.

I know absolutely nothing about F1 racing, so if there are inconsistencies there I wouldn't know. The romance built in a way that made me keep turning pages.

Shay was such a strong character and I loved her. And Jameson? Broody, mysterious, fiercely loyal? Yes please. And Theo? Really hoping he gets his own book, because he needs his happy ending too!

[Chanel “Nellie” · Rating 4 out of 5]

🏎️🏁 F1, forbidden tension, and two brothers fighting for pole position? SIGN ME UP!

I was all in for Shay’s career and loved seeing her talent and ideas finally get the respect they deserved!

Jameson? 🥵 HOT. Had my attention from the start. Theo? Had me second-guessing EVERYTHING. And that age-old rivalry between the Ashford brothers? The tension was chef’s kiss! 🔥

I also loved the emotional depth of Shay’s complicated relationship with her dad. Her choices felt real, and I was rooting for her every step of the way.

Fast-paced, bingeable, and full of F1 romance goodness! This one is a quick lap straight to the finish line. 🏁❤️

Thank you to Net Galley, Piper Lawson, Valentine PR, and Berkley XO for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Michelle Matejka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sneak Peak courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher.

I had the opportunity to get an early look at the first eight chapters of this one and let me tell you October can’t come soon enough. Let me set the scene for you. Rival brothers, a school competing in a hunger games style F1 race to win a spot on their family team, and a new girl with a mysterious past that may just have to do with that same F1 team. I can’t wait to find out what happens next!

[Nadja]

DNF at 10%.

I’m sorry, but what did I just read? 😭

I kept flipping back through the opening because I was convinced I’d missed something. Surely there was a paragraph somewhere that would make these interactions make sense??? Turns out, no, I hadn’t missed anything. We’re just doing this.

Shay gets HIT BY A CAR, and all she can think about is how hot the two guys are. Babe???? Can we check for internal bleeding before we start weighing our romantic options??? And the guy who hit her has the audacity to be angry and hostile and tell her not to report it to anyone, INCLUDING THE POLICE. Sir, YOU HIT HER WITH YOUR CAR. Why are you acting like she inconvenienced you by being in the way? 😭

And then… she just goes to school. The passenger checks on her, and within seconds, he’s walking her to campus like this is a perfectly normal meet-cute. No cops, barely any questions, almost no internal dialogue processing what happened. Just hot men and places to be, apparently. I would personally still have a few concerns about being run over, but maybe that’s just me.

Also, the way the impact was described had me picturing her practically going flying while the car was still not stopping… and we’re walking away with scraped hands??? Okay. Then some random girl on campus immediately claims her as a friend, offers to clean up said hands and gives her a tour, even though she’s already late to her first class. Everyone is so weirdly comfortable with everyone IMMEDIATELY, and I’m sitting here wondering whether these people have met before and I somehow missed that too.

Everything happens so quickly, with so little thought or believable reaction behind it, that I couldn’t settle into the story. Two chapters in, and I knew Shay found these men hot. Wonderful. What else have we got? Because I had absolutely no connection to her, and the shallow dialogue, both in her head and out loud, wasn’t helping.

And the F1 of it all… Oh, I should have protected my peace.

As an F1 fan, what I read was painful. The inaccuracies were bad enough, but then you have characters who supposedly KNOW the sport talking to each other like one of them has just emerged from the woods and needs the concept of motor racing explained. Why are we explaining things you both already know??? Please have an actual conversation with each other. I am begging.

I also couldn’t get past the whole covering-shifts situation. You’re telling me someone who has spent his whole life working for this prestigious company can’t get sick leave??? And she’s driving there to cover his shifts, so I assume she can park there, but then what was happening with the pass when she was there for classes earlier??? Maybe there’s an explanation later, but I was already spending more time trying to make the logistics make sense than caring about anything happening.

And somehow, we’re also giving insta-love with BOTH brothers. BOTH. I haven’t even recovered from the vehicular introduction, and we’re already here??? Can we establish literally anything first? 😭

I wanted to like this, but the first 10% felt like a high school fever dream, and I had no desire to push through. I’ve seen other reviewers say Wattpad circa 2010, and… yeah. Unfortunately, that’s exactly the vibe I got.