the_cover_contessa's Reviews (1.75k)

I loved every last word of this book and would give it infinity stars if I could!

Thank you to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I will say most F1 based romance books have left me feeling more blah than not. So I'm always skeptical going into an F1 romance at this point. So when the publisher reached out for me to read this debut book, I was a bit worried I would not enjoy it. I'm happy to report this book definitely did a great job of presenting the F1 world and the romance all in one great package.
Lilah Graywood is a documentarian who never thought she'd be spending time in the F1 world. When her co-owner signs a contract for them to film a documentary about one of the teams, she finds herself thrown into the world. But then her co-owner ousts her and she finds herself without the job she moved to Texas for. In an attempt to take control of the situation, Lilah joins forces with Arthur Bianco, the back-up driver she was meant to be filming. When the two find themselves forced into a fake relationship to ensure their success, they find themselves drawn together in more ways than just the filming would entail. Can Lilah stay true to herself while being immersed in this fast paced and political world where schemes are rampant?
I really enjoyed Lilah's character. Mostly because she's so unsure of herself and the author really shows her growth throughout the book. And she is super relatable. Add to that her mental health representation (well done Maril!) and you have someone who is fascinating and so loveable. Her life takes an unexpected turn and she almost gives up but then she takes hold of who she is and what she wants and turns it around. I love the idea of her coming into herself and realizing exactly what she wants and who she is. Lilah has a traumatic past, as well. It haunts her and makes her more quiet and needy than she would like. But she's always had to worry about her peculiarities and how she would be perceived. So many times in the book I wanted to grab Lilah and give her a big hug. But in the end she has so much growth and comes to love herself as she is, especially when she realizes there are people who also love her as she is.
Arthur knows what he wants. He wants to be a champion. But, like Lilah, he's got a past that is haunting him and family that holds him back. His character is so complex. The F1 world is truly brutal. It's every man for himself and the author really shows this for Arthur. I loved that he opened up to Lilah. Their relationship grew very organically. Arthur spent his time trying to get to know Lilah and, despite his bad boy reputation, became someone she could count on and open up her heart and soul to. My favorite part of Arthur was his tenderness. It was unexpected. I always think of F1 drivers as so focused on just their sport and how they can get to the top. But he was so much more than being a driver.
One of my favorite parts of this book was how easy it was to understand all the motor-sport jargon. The author did not bog the book down with lingo the average person might not understand. She made sure to describe things just enough for people who may not know F1 to get to know F1. I've read quite a few F1 books where this was so heavily layered it was hard to get through. Maril kept the material on the lighter side while still showing the politics of F1 and the harsh reality of being a motor-sport driver.
The relationship did develop a bit faster than I would normally like BUT there is a bit of a forced proximity trope going on, not to mention a fake dating trope. I really think these two things made the speed of the romance understandable. There was one part, which I won't get into as it's a spoiler, but involves sexy times that seemed a little pushed to me but overall I enjoyed how the author presented the characters when they were being intimate.
The pacing was spot on, as well. I flew through this book. The only things that kept me from reading it straight through were sleep and work! Plus, as a debut title goes, I think this one was really good. The prose was not boring. The scenes all made sense in the story line. There wasn't any telling, love me some showing. 
If you're looking for a sports romance in the motor sport world where the MMC falls first with a lovely amount of tenderness, the FMC has a huge amount of development and just the right amount of awkwardness, the story is emotionally charged with a fast paced plot, and the author knows what she's doing with her writing, I highly recommend this debut title from Maril.

 This needed a bunch more editing. Also, I don't think I like the narrator for this author's books. I should probably just read them in print. 

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this title to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I've had a hard time with romance F1 sports books. I've been more disappointed than not by how they are structured, the knowledge of the author when it comes to the sport, and how the romance is weaved into the story. I read the first book in this series and I liked it but it didn't wow me. I had hope Soltani would come into her own with this and I was right! The author totally stepped it up with this story. Not only did she seemlessly weaving the romance and the F1 world together but her writing was so much tighter with this story. From the start of the story I was hooked.
Stella Baldwin not only has had to get over being left at the alter, but she's riding on the coattails of a poorly made viral social media choice where showed her emotional side and ranted a bit too much. Thomas-Maxwell Brown is in a similar boat. He's the most hated driver in F1. When their two lives clash and a crazy night ends in marriage, they scramble to try and fix it. But can the fake marriage help both their social standings? And will they be able to walk away when their marriage time expires?
I loved Stella's character. She's so real and down to earth. It was easy to relate to her.  She had great emotional depth. Her past overshadowed her a bit and she needed to learn how to break out of that mold. She became confident and sure of what she wanted and how she wanted to get there. She did sabotage her relationship with Thomas at times, but I think this showcased her fear of committing and making herself vulnarable.
And Thomas easily matched her with this. He supported her so well, despite his own issues. I always expect the drivers to be cocky and caught up in themselves. Thomas was different. He really worked to be where he was. He was so easy to like and very human. He's sweet and I enjoyed his fast fall for Stella but his ability to keep it closed a bit so it didn't hit the insta-love trope.
The pacing on this book was spot on. I tore through it as Soltani seemlessly transitioned the chapters. Dual POV in these stories gets me every time. I loved being in both characters's heads. And I haven't read a lot of marriage of convenience tropes, so this was a nice change for me. And, honestly, unexpected. I didn't read the blurb before diving in because I didn't want to go in with any preconceived ideas of what might happen. I'm really glad I did that. Solatni really let the characters grow and morph organically. And, while there is some instant chemistry between the two, I love that Soltani did not make it an insta-love. Add to that the insane banter between the characters and you really have something special. I liked that you didn't have to read the first book to read this one (even though I already had). You do see some cameos from those characters, but the time lines kind of overlap so you don't see it all. Of course I really enjoyed the secondary characters and can see where we may get some of their stories in the future.
If you're looking for an entertaining sports romance read where the author has obviously done her homework, the characters are well fleshed out and likeable, and the plot is fun, pick this one up.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I have been craving second chance romances lately. Boy was I excited to see what Dewitt would give me with this trope. I was not disappointed in the least!
Wren and Ellis Byrd have been divorced for 5 years, going their separate ways after having gotten pregnant so young and then slowly growing apart. When their son is set graduate from high school and has been accepted to a school in California, a family road trip becomes inevitable. And Ellis finally sees a way to try and win back the love of his life. But Wren is skeptical at best and, while she still sees she has feelings for her ex, she's not sure the rift that infiltrated their family bubble is fixable. Can they reconnect driving the beautiful California lands?
I'm just going to say that this book really wrecked me. The way the story was told, the development of the characters, the slow burn, the hope for a second change. They were all done so well!
Wren was so wonderfully done. Her longing for connection, her heart wanting to open to love, her fear of things hurting all over again. Her journey, while not mine, was so relatable. Her loneliness was truly palpable. I was rooting for her the entire book. She made me see how love is love, even if it changes shape and form and grows. And people change and grow and sometimes need to reinvent themselves to become the person they were always meant to be.
But ELLIS! If I wanted a character to stick out for me in this book, it was him. DeWitt wrote him with so much vulnerability. I could feel in in my heart as it clenched in my chest on many occasions when Ellis was telling the story. He has so many facets. His inability to see his true worth. His selflessness, sometimes to his demise. His need to fix things. I don't often relate to the MMC, even if I love them. With Ellis I felt seen. This character will absolutely hold a special place in my heart for a very long time.
The yearning Dewitt creates is really top notch. She can't write anything I wouldn't want to read. And the family and friends who surround this couple, cheering them and helping to show them they truly can overcome their past gives that small town feel. I love found families with real families tied in.
Everything about this story was tangible. Dewitt managed to crawl into my chest and wrap around my heart with this story. The pacing was spectacular and the only thing that kept me from finishing this in one sitting was me having to get up early the next day so sleep was necessary.
The plot os one I often worry about. The story of a relationship in demiseWhat can a author do to take two estranged beings and make them love again that hasn't been done before? But the road trip was such a great way to move the plot along. It never felt stagnant since you were moving from town to town with Ellis and Rynn and doing new things with them. I was desperate for an HEA and I don't think I story has made me laugh and then break down crying like this one has.
And, that Santa Cruz connection with The Co-Op, I absolutely loved seeing the Deacon and Rynn cameo and glimpse into their HEA.
This is absolutely my favorite DeWitt book to date. The journey these characters took is raw and honest. I can't wait to read it again and again.

Thank you to Christina Wolf and Bookfunnel for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I'm a lover of all the rom-com tropes and reading this summary had me itching to see where this particular story would go. City girl goes country? Check! Forced proximity? Check! Golden retriever MMC? Check! Small town? Check! Short, sweet, and to the point story? Check! Bring it all on. Plus, this story is recommended by my girl Abby Jimenez and I love her stories.
Lucy Bowen wants her life to move forward: she's not sure she believes in love anymore and needs to advance her career. After years in the book industry, she wants to move into an editor position. How better to do that than take on the project her boss says will show her talents. So she packs up and moves to a small town for a few weeks to catalogue the small town feel and all it's people in order to have inspiration for a storyline for one of the publishing house's top authors. She doesn't expect to fall in the love, with the town and more!
I like Lucy. She has her quirks but she's endearing and relatable. I loved her use of Instagram and her funny posts to get engagement. Liam is your typical cinnamon roll character. His love of food and feeding other is his language. He's easy going and, of course, handsome. And he has the BEST dog in Blue, his German Shepard.
The romance and chemistry between these two is palpable. I had fun watching them burn towards each other. And, of course, the small town characters leant a hand in this. My favorite part of the romance is the characters being content with the happy for now rather than the happily ever after. It's so much more in line to living your life to the fullest. Also, keep in mind, love finds you when you least expect it. My favorite romantic plot of all!
If you're looking for a fast and easy romantic read with tons banter and some tense romance scenes, give this one a try. You'll fall in love with Lucy and Liam (and BLUE) and the small town of Hudson Hollow.
Wolf kept the pacing fast and light and the plot interesting and moving forward throughout the book. And, while there is a third act break-up of sorts, it's not the typical jarring you get in many romances.

Thank you to Orbit Books and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book to read and give my honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
I was excited for this second installment of this story. If you haven't read the first, you absolutely must in order to read this story. While the author does a good job reminding you of background, you will not understand much of what happens without reading the first.
Also, know this is told in epistolary (letter) format. I had not read anything like it before the first book and enjoyed it so much more than I ever thought I would. I truly thought I'd be bored. But the author does a fabulous job of presenting all different points of view to really shape the story and the relationships between the characters.
These books definitely are ones that have you stretching your imagination to understand the world. It's pure fantasy with characters living both above and within the water. The author really does a great job of building this world out even more than you know from the first book. She expands where they travel and how and with whom. Plus she introduces a new group of characters.
I will say there were times I had to back track to know what was exactly happening (thus only having a 4 star review from me). You definitely have to focus all your attention on the story and not be distracted while reading this.
I liked the mystery and how it unfolded. Plus it's ensconced in academia, which is always so intriguing to me.
There is a ton of diversity in these books ranging from mental health representation to LBGTQ+. Lots of characters with differing personalities and relationships to follow and understand. 
And the romance! Its sweet and endearing. If you're looking for sexy and explicit, you won't get that here. You get bare bones attraction and a love that grows organically.
If you're looking for a whimsical duaology set in a underwater/surrounded by water world with a fantastic array of different characters with tons of representation, check these books out!

No chemistry between the two main characters.
The male narrator's voice was so monotone.
Misogyny and other such grossness, even though he was trying to change (not enough).
Thank you to Macmillan Audio, Bramble, and NetGalley for providing me with the audio galley of this book to listen to and review. The opinions expressed below are my own.
I was excited to be approved for this title. I put in for the Kindle version was denied. So when the audio popped up, I requested right away.
The story line seems really cute: weddings and wedding meet cute, a jilted bride, a steamy attraction, some forced proximity, playboy, he falls first, slow burn. It had all the workings of a great read. And I'd not listened to either of the narrators: Aidan Snow and Andi Arndt. I always love to discover new narrators.
Unfortunately, this story just was not for me.
I didn't mind the female narrator. She did a good job portraying the FMC, Sloane. I liked the character enough. She's on a moratorium of men since being left at the alter by who she thought was her true love. Given her position as a writer for a Bride magazine, she should be enthralled with true love. But you can feel her being jilted has put a bad taste in her mouth. I saw she was trying to find herself again.
The male narrator totally turned me off. His voice is super deep, which would normally be something I love for a romance MMC, but it wasn't working for me with this particular character. Wilder is supposed to be American and British and, while he uses quite a few British words and phrases, he doesn't have an accent at all (even the though the FMC points this out right at the beginning of the book). This really bugged me. I also could not get into the dirty talk and Aidan's voice. They just didn't jive with me.
Finally, the amount of casual misogyny in the book was truly annoying me. I know this guy has been a playboy all his life and now he's suddenly found his way as he quickly falls for the FMC but there were still things that made me cringe. Constantly describing the FMC using her body parts, talking about all his one night stands, etc. I just didn't get the feel he was a changed man because of Sloane.
I ended up DNF'ing this book. Perhaps the print version might be better but I'm doubtful given the side comments and sexist nature of the MMC.