⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (3.5 stars)

As a huge Formula 1 fan, I was instantly drawn to The Thrill Of It All, and it totally delivered on the racing vibes and tropes I love. With a mix of single mom, brother’s best friend, and found family, this debut had all the right ingredients for a romance that could steal my heart.

Lucia and Alexander’s story had a lot of heart, and I really enjoyed the dynamics between them. Alexander being a five time world champion with a reputation to fix, and Lucia being a woman trying to find herself again after heartbreak, made for an engaging setup. I also loved the way Elliana Rose brought the Formula 1 circuit to life; it added a really fun, fast paced backdrop to the romance. And shoutout to that gorgeous cover because it is absolutely stunning and a perfect match for the vibe of the book.

That said, the writing itself felt a bit clunky to me at times. The pacing was off in places; one minute we’re finding out about a pregnancy, the next we’ve jumped ahead three years with no real warning. It threw me off and made some of the emotional beats less impactful. I think with stronger editing and some smoothing of the narrative flow, this could have packed a much bigger punch emotionally.

Still, for a debut, this had so much promise! Elliana Rose clearly has potential and a great eye for combining high stakes sports romance with emotion and sweetness. I’ll definitely be curious to see where she goes from here.

Thank you to Elliana Rose for the eARC of this book.