Take a photo of a barcode or cover
changenotcoins 's review for:
Crash Test
by Amy James
I went into Crash Test expecting a high speed, adrenaline fueled romance with the emotional depth of Red, White & Royal Blue set against the backdrop of Formula 1. Unfortunately, while the premise is intriguing, something was missing for me, and I struggled to fully connect with the story.
One of the biggest challenges was the timeline. The book starts with Travis and Jacob already in a relationship, and then it works backward instead of letting us experience their connection from the beginning. Because of this, I never got the chance to fall in love with them as a couple—I was just told that they loved each other. The emotional impact of their relationship felt muted, making it hard to invest in their struggles.
The structure also didn’t quite work for me. The book is divided into three parts—first Travis’s POV, then Jacob’s, then alternating between both—which made it feel disjointed. I would have preferred a more natural back and forth from the start, allowing their perspectives to build on each other rather than feeling like two separate narratives.
As for the Red, White & Royal Blue comparison, I think that sets up expectations the book doesn’t quite meet. Yes, it’s an MM romance, but beyond that, the similarities are minimal. The charm, humor, and emotional pull that made RW&RB so compelling aren’t really present here. Instead, the story leans heavily on telling rather than showing, which made the emotional beats feel less impactful.
That being said, I did appreciate the focus on the pressures of professional motorsports, the isolation of being in the public eye, and the realistic portrayal of family influence and homophobia in the racing world. The stakes were definitely there, but I just didn’t feel them as strongly as I wanted to.
Overall, Crash Test had an interesting premise and plenty of potential, but the structure and storytelling style made it difficult for me to fully connect with the romance and characters. If you love F1 and want an MM romance set in that world, it might still be worth checking out—but don’t go in expecting Red, White & Royal Blue on the racetrack.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amy James, and Avon for the eARC of this book.
One of the biggest challenges was the timeline. The book starts with Travis and Jacob already in a relationship, and then it works backward instead of letting us experience their connection from the beginning. Because of this, I never got the chance to fall in love with them as a couple—I was just told that they loved each other. The emotional impact of their relationship felt muted, making it hard to invest in their struggles.
The structure also didn’t quite work for me. The book is divided into three parts—first Travis’s POV, then Jacob’s, then alternating between both—which made it feel disjointed. I would have preferred a more natural back and forth from the start, allowing their perspectives to build on each other rather than feeling like two separate narratives.
As for the Red, White & Royal Blue comparison, I think that sets up expectations the book doesn’t quite meet. Yes, it’s an MM romance, but beyond that, the similarities are minimal. The charm, humor, and emotional pull that made RW&RB so compelling aren’t really present here. Instead, the story leans heavily on telling rather than showing, which made the emotional beats feel less impactful.
That being said, I did appreciate the focus on the pressures of professional motorsports, the isolation of being in the public eye, and the realistic portrayal of family influence and homophobia in the racing world. The stakes were definitely there, but I just didn’t feel them as strongly as I wanted to.
Overall, Crash Test had an interesting premise and plenty of potential, but the structure and storytelling style made it difficult for me to fully connect with the romance and characters. If you love F1 and want an MM romance set in that world, it might still be worth checking out—but don’t go in expecting Red, White & Royal Blue on the racetrack.
Thank you to NetGalley, Amy James, and Avon for the eARC of this book.