Crash Course

by Piper Lawson

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

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

Keeping a low profile is quickly 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 and their iniital interaction leaves a bitter taste in Shay's mouth. 

Despite her antipathy, both brothers can't keep away. Shay must maintain some distance to protect her secrets, but the more time she spends in the world of the rich and famous Ashfords, the more she finds everyone is keeping secrets.

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

Genres: Romance, Sports, Sports Romance

384 pages, Paperback

Expected publication 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

[Piper Lawson]

Releasing October 20th!

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[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 ❤️

[Katie Akerman]

Fast cars, adrenaline and straddling the hottest guy on the back of a Ducati. What more can I ask for. The cover of Crash Course delivers and made me painstaking wait in the crazy bookcon26 lines to get this book early. I cracked this bad boy open right when I got home after my 6 hour flight and I was so glad I did. I couldn't put it down. Was reading whenever I could possibly forgetting to blink. (Eye drops are our friends when reading) My husband is super into cars and I have learned a good deal along the way and I was very impressed that the research was all there. Of course the story didn't delve in to how to rebuild a motor or install a supercharger but I wasn't urked by flaring inaccuracies. All that being said im definitely not a car mechanic. I truly enjoyed this book so much and how it got my heart pumping. Can't wait for the next one!

[Rebecca Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this galley from PRH at Bookcon 26 with no pretense of having to provide anything in return. This is my unbiased review! I’m trying not to include any spoilers.

I first need to say that I haven’t read anything in the “sports romance” genre before but honestly, I could go back for another after reading this one from Ms Piper. THIS WAS SO MUCH FUN. I’m a slow reader and it still only took me a night and the following morning to inhale.

I don’t know how accurate any of these F1 terms are - I watch F1 but I am a very shallow participant, I don’t know industry terms or back end operations or anything. Nor do I know anything about cars. Or vehicles. But hot freaking dog it if this story isn’t just as much fun to see play out in my head.

I’m super ready for AA season 2. Maybe we just saw the start of a really good sequence of good guy stories? Or maybe it’s the perfect villain origin story 😈
I was OBSESSED with the cover art (i absolutely judged this book by the cover) and it has been my baby since getting it at the event in April.

Team Theo or Team Jamie??

[Jenna ♡ (Jenna's Corner) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Miss Piper!!! This book is so delish! I would never describe myself as an F1 fan...but this book has officially changed my mind! Enter the world of Ashford Racing & the academy of high speed drivers that come with it.

This book is all things tension, a dash of enemies to lovers, and more turns than the Saudi Arabian track! I'm impressed with the flow & the development of the characters. It's no surprise that i'm partial to our FMC, Shay. But Jameson.....man oh man am I interested in his brooding self. All of our characters were well developed and you actually wanted to see how certain aspects played out. It was a story that was SO incredibly bingeable and kept me on my toes!

If you love F1, sunshine/ grumpy BROTHERS, found family, highly intense situation, and a fast paced narrative, Crash Course & Ashford Academy NEED to be on your radar.

Thank you to Berkley XO for an advanced manuscript!

[Michelle Miller · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really liked this book. Piper Lawson invites us into the world of race cars and an F1 Academy romance. I know nothing about this world, so it was fun learning about the F1 circuit. It was nice that there was an academy aspect to it so we could learn a bit more alongside the protagonist, although she's a bad ass who knows a lot already as a mechanic and aspiring engineer.

The romance was great, too. Forbidden attraction, enemies to lovers, multiple interests...

I attended a panel at Book Con with Piper Lawson and really enjoyed how she talked about writing this book. I immediately went to the publisher's booth and asked for an arc. I finished it in a couple days! I thought she did a fantastic job taking us through the highs and lows of this racing adventure and numerous conflicts. I look forward to the next Ashford Academy books, of which I hope there is more than one coming up!

[Lacey · Rating 3 out of 5]

i really enjoyed the premise of this & overall, i LOVE the idea of the plot, tropes, & characters. unfortunately for me, it just didn’t streamline as seamlessly as i hoped. it feels like the first 40% of the book was more of just a fiction book about F1 & not necessarily a romance book. which is fine & fair & valid, BUT THEN we learn so much lore about Luca Ashford & i genuinely was like… wait how did we get here? also, the lie that Jameson was holding for Theo? how did we get there? ALSO, theo’s chapter at the end??? ok i understand how we got there, but literally what… i also need to see some justice for Shay.

i’d love to read the final published version Crash Course & see if any of it ends up being condensed to a more streamlined story.

[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