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iv04's review
adventurous
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
confexxi_history's review
adventurous
challenging
lighthearted
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
I had a great reading it but at a certain point, I felt like the story took a nosedive. I loved all the racing parts, the friendships and the parents/grandma, but the more the story progressed, the harder it became to root for the relationship between JoJo and El.
It truly felt quite unbalanced, in terms of give and take, as well as selfish on one side.
They started as a cute couple, which was a pity for the end.
It was nonetheless a good story, with a diverse MC, a bisexual racer, and a jewish lesbian girl whose best friend is a muslim hijabi. Jojo and El are linked by their love for F&F, their love for motorsport and their grief.
My favorite chapter was definirely the one where CJ, their boyfriend, Zaynah, Jojo and El spent time together on the lake .
It truly felt quite unbalanced, in terms of give and take, as well as selfish on one side.
They started as a cute couple, which was a pity for the end.
It was nonetheless a good story, with a diverse MC, a bisexual racer, and a jewish lesbian girl whose best friend is a muslim hijabi. Jojo and El are linked by their love for F&F, their love for motorsport and their grief.
My favorite chapter was definirely
nithya_natalya's review
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was a very cute read. As a queer person and a lover of the Fast & Furious franchise this was a very delightful romance and homage to the film series. There were very similar themes around family and loss. The characters were really beautifully written. They each had a very distinctive voice and were relatable in their own ways. I really enjoyed the switching of perspectives each chapter. The only reason that I'm not giving this 5 stars is because while there were POC characters in the novel, they did feel like Side Characters TM. They didn't really get enough space to be fully realized humans. As soon as I met Zaynah, I wanted to learn more about her, but we only got to learn about her through the lens of her frustration with El, and not as her own person. I do think maybe Z is Palestinian, which I loved! Or at least, she was wearing a watermelon patterned hijab at the end of the novel :)
Content Warnings
Moderate: Death of parent
inaraexplains's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
introvertedinternetperson's review against another edition
3.5
My first sapphic sports romance of 2025.
This sweet YA explored themes of grief from the perspective of two teens: one who lost her mom to a car accident and one who was abandoned by her sister. I enjoyed the comparison and reflection of what it means to lose an idol, how to gain closure, the way it changes all other relationships you have, and that grief does not only come in one form. This was by far my favourite part of this book.
The writing style was in line with YA.The plotline with Max became stale after the race with Riley. I expected more mystery but it was fairly clear by this point that her version of her sister was an illusion.
Our characters El and Jojo didn’t have the most believable chemistry, but they were sweet in their own right and by the end, I was rooting for them. We got to see each perspective pretty equally, with each having their own voice. I loved seeing their friendships and wish we got more time with CJ, James and Zara.
I also loved to see a strong sense of identity with these teens that is often missing in YA. I am positive I missed the many references they made to the Fast and Furious franchise and racing/bikes/cars in general since that is out of my realm but I appreciated that piece of the story and think it could have been leveraged even more in the story.
This sweet YA explored themes of grief from the perspective of two teens: one who lost her mom to a car accident and one who was abandoned by her sister. I enjoyed the comparison and reflection of what it means to lose an idol, how to gain closure, the way it changes all other relationships you have, and that grief does not only come in one form. This was by far my favourite part of this book.
The writing style was in line with YA.
Our characters El and Jojo didn’t have the most believable chemistry, but they were sweet in their own right and by the end, I was rooting for them. We got to see each perspective pretty equally, with each having their own voice. I loved seeing their friendships and wish we got more time with CJ, James and Zara.
I also loved to see a strong sense of identity with these teens that is often missing in YA. I am positive I missed the many references they made to the Fast and Furious franchise and racing/bikes/cars in general since that is out of my realm but I appreciated that piece of the story and think it could have been leveraged even more in the story.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Grief, Car accident, and Death of parent
Moderate: Alcohol
airxsouls's review
4.0
This was such a fun one! The perfect read for June as well with its sapphic representation, the book everyone should give a try. I really enjoyed that while being YA it came across so precise and had tons of depth. If you want the beautiful mix between fast and furious tied up in a bow with romcom romance, this is for you!
lecxustv06's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
jamiebeecreations's review
4.0
Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for the ARC. This is my honest review.
I really couldn't get enough of Jamie Pacton and Becca Podos' YA racing Sapphic romance. This book has it all, humor, love, grief, growth, and love.
Yes, it is inspired by some very silly movies (Fast and the Furious series) where many outrageous things happen. But Furious has so many very realistic components to it. It has soft moments that stick with you long after you've read them.
This was my first book read by two authors, where they traded off chapters (POVs), and it was so well done. Jamie and Becca really are amazing authors in their own rights, but they also work so well together.
I really couldn't get enough of Jamie Pacton and Becca Podos' YA racing Sapphic romance. This book has it all, humor, love, grief, growth, and love.
Yes, it is inspired by some very silly movies (Fast and the Furious series) where many outrageous things happen. But Furious has so many very realistic components to it. It has soft moments that stick with you long after you've read them.
This was my first book read by two authors, where they traded off chapters (POVs), and it was so well done. Jamie and Becca really are amazing authors in their own rights, but they also work so well together.
waitingforthesecondstar's review against another edition
adventurous
funny
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5