⭐ 4.25 | ❤️ TBD

I enjoyed the teaser of the first 7-chapters: it’s a light, easy read. This book is set at a F1 academy, which is new-to-me and felt novel.

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 feel 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 (Ala 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 that maybe this one subverts expectations. There’s good tension and chemistry between Shay and both MMCs; it’s hard to decide who I would want her to end up with.

Shay seems 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.

My only critique so far is the clunky exposition 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. Hopefully they’ll be more developed as the book goes on.

Overall, I enjoyed the teaser and am looking forward to reading the rest of the book.

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