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Start Your Engines: A brother's best friend sports romance
He's hot, a legendary F1 driver, the man who ended my racing career and my brother’s best friend... and now he's my only hope for survival.
Senna Coulter’s dreams of becoming a race car driver ended after a crash; now, she’s the head of her family’s failing Formula One team.
She’s determined to succeed, even when it means battling the people who think a woman in her twenties can’t be the boss in a male-dominated sport.
Her team’s only chance of survival is her brother’s best friend and her teen crush, Connor Dane. He’s also her team’s new arrogant hotshot driver.
Connor has carried the guilt of causing Senna’s crash for years. Being around Senna is torture especially with the secrets he’s hiding, but he promised her brother he’d protect her at all costs.
They begin the season at each other’s throats, but the undeniable spark between them means they surrender to their wants and cross a dangerous line.
It starts as a secret, steamy relationship, but as their feelings for each other intensify, it becomes harder to hide. So much is at the team, their careers, their friendships, and their reputations.
But maybe it’s all worth it for love.
Fans of Tessa Bailey will enjoy this spicy romance novel that’s Drive to Survive meets Play Along by Liz Tomforde. It features workplace sports romance, enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, secret relationship, forced proximity, and found family tropes with anxiety representation.
Senna Coulter’s dreams of becoming a race car driver ended after a crash; now, she’s the head of her family’s failing Formula One team.
She’s determined to succeed, even when it means battling the people who think a woman in her twenties can’t be the boss in a male-dominated sport.
Her team’s only chance of survival is her brother’s best friend and her teen crush, Connor Dane. He’s also her team’s new arrogant hotshot driver.
Connor has carried the guilt of causing Senna’s crash for years. Being around Senna is torture especially with the secrets he’s hiding, but he promised her brother he’d protect her at all costs.
They begin the season at each other’s throats, but the undeniable spark between them means they surrender to their wants and cross a dangerous line.
It starts as a secret, steamy relationship, but as their feelings for each other intensify, it becomes harder to hide. So much is at the team, their careers, their friendships, and their reputations.
But maybe it’s all worth it for love.
Fans of Tessa Bailey will enjoy this spicy romance novel that’s Drive to Survive meets Play Along by Liz Tomforde. It features workplace sports romance, enemies to lovers, brother’s best friend, secret relationship, forced proximity, and found family tropes with anxiety representation.
397 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 14, 2025
97 people are currently reading
691 people want to read
About the author
Rebecca Chase
21 books54 followersRebecca Chase is an English rose and a pocket rocket with a taste for drama, romance, love and sex. She adores writing, whether it’s a short story with unexpected passion or a novel that takes you through the ups and downs of a blossoming relationship. She’s always looking for everyone’s next book boyfriend. When it comes to her stories you can guarantee there will be romance, there will be love, and most of all, there will be mind-blowing sex. You’ll be desperate for more while aching for a happy ever after.
Find her on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Goodreads.
Find her on Threads, Instagram, TikTok, Twitter and Goodreads.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 99 reviews
March 7, 2025
(⭐3.5)
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advance review copy of Start Your Engines! This book releases on the 14th March!
tropes:
⤷ brother's best friend ✨
⤷ sports/f1 romance 🏎️
⤷ secret relationship 🔐
⤷ childhood friends to enemies to lovers 💖
"He'd go to the end of the earth just to see your smile."
ᯓ★ 1. Characters
Senna
Okay sooo I'm really sorry I didn't like Senna that much. She was trying too hard to be cutesy as well as scary and bossy and her arrogance tended to annoy me. I know if she were a male boss and she was doing the same thing, it would annoy me just the same. I'm glad she was opening up opportunities for other girls in the F1 workplace but honestly a lot of her gall was unnecessary. You can be a great boss with set boundaries and not be holding up your hand to shut them up when you're busy doing something else. If a guy did that to me IRL I think I would actually just walk tf away cuz WHAT?? 😭 also her nickname for Connor (Connor f*cking Dane) was funny the first few times but after a while it got old and it just seemed like she was trying to be an ass about their painful past.
Connor
I honestly really liked him! He was marketed as a 'bad boy' but he literally didn't do anything bad at all. He was a cinnamon roll who loves kitties and his lady. The one thing I really didn't like about him was his dirty talk though... it was so explicit and so jarring I tended to find myself cringing a little bit. A little bit of an ick but he's a sweetheart so he makes up for it.
Niki
I didn't like or dislike Niki. He was just kinda meh. Then again, he did go MIA for a good 75% of the story. I'd like to see his story, especially because he was so secretive about his whereabouts and disappearances. It's exciting to see Rebecca Chase's ideas for his story! I'd love a little more background and fleshing out of his character.
2. Plot
It wasn't all that bad at the start but it definitely began to drag in the middle. I was really struggling to get through it when they were just kind of laying around, f*cking at every opportunity and timeskipping.
I did find some parts of this book a little cringe, and it pains me to say this because it wasn't a bad story! I just feel like some of the humour was badly executed and a few scenes were a bit... far-fetched 🤨
And sometimes it did kiiinda feel like I was in high school, standing by my locker, waiting for the handsy cringe couple to move so I could get my books and go to class. It just kinda gives that vibe, that I'm an outsider watching a teenage h*rny couple get a bit too freaky in public. I mean, she literally sat on his lap... in a restaurant... in public... and they expected people not to notice they were dating 😬
3. Final Thoughts
Overall a solid, cute brother's best friend F1 romance. I fear Cross the Line by Simone Soltani raised my standards so impossibly high it made F1 romances always need to be at that standard for the rest of my life 🙏 but I'm not too mad at that tbh haha, Start Your Engines definitely reminded me of Cross the Line, just a little more infuriating and a little more cringe.
"I'm the storm?"
"You're the fucking cyclone I can't stop chasing."
𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ pre-read (27th Feb)
omg i got the ARC for this!! 💕 hoping it’s a hit, i love a good f1 romance 💗
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advance review copy of Start Your Engines! This book releases on the 14th March!
tropes:
⤷ brother's best friend ✨
⤷ sports/f1 romance 🏎️
⤷ secret relationship 🔐
⤷ childhood friends to enemies to lovers 💖
"He'd go to the end of the earth just to see your smile."
ᯓ★ 1. Characters
Senna
Okay sooo I'm really sorry I didn't like Senna that much. She was trying too hard to be cutesy as well as scary and bossy and her arrogance tended to annoy me. I know if she were a male boss and she was doing the same thing, it would annoy me just the same. I'm glad she was opening up opportunities for other girls in the F1 workplace but honestly a lot of her gall was unnecessary. You can be a great boss with set boundaries and not be holding up your hand to shut them up when you're busy doing something else. If a guy did that to me IRL I think I would actually just walk tf away cuz WHAT?? 😭 also her nickname for Connor (Connor f*cking Dane) was funny the first few times but after a while it got old and it just seemed like she was trying to be an ass about their painful past.
Connor
I honestly really liked him! He was marketed as a 'bad boy' but he literally didn't do anything bad at all. He was a cinnamon roll who loves kitties and his lady. The one thing I really didn't like about him was his dirty talk though... it was so explicit and so jarring I tended to find myself cringing a little bit. A little bit of an ick but he's a sweetheart so he makes up for it.
Niki
I didn't like or dislike Niki. He was just kinda meh. Then again, he did go MIA for a good 75% of the story. I'd like to see his story, especially because he was so secretive about his whereabouts and disappearances. It's exciting to see Rebecca Chase's ideas for his story! I'd love a little more background and fleshing out of his character.
2. Plot
It wasn't all that bad at the start but it definitely began to drag in the middle. I was really struggling to get through it when they were just kind of laying around, f*cking at every opportunity and timeskipping.
I did find some parts of this book a little cringe, and it pains me to say this because it wasn't a bad story! I just feel like some of the humour was badly executed and a few scenes were a bit... far-fetched 🤨
And sometimes it did kiiinda feel like I was in high school, standing by my locker, waiting for the handsy cringe couple to move so I could get my books and go to class. It just kinda gives that vibe, that I'm an outsider watching a teenage h*rny couple get a bit too freaky in public. I mean, she literally sat on his lap... in a restaurant... in public... and they expected people not to notice they were dating 😬
3. Final Thoughts
Overall a solid, cute brother's best friend F1 romance. I fear Cross the Line by Simone Soltani raised my standards so impossibly high it made F1 romances always need to be at that standard for the rest of my life 🙏 but I'm not too mad at that tbh haha, Start Your Engines definitely reminded me of Cross the Line, just a little more infuriating and a little more cringe.
"I'm the storm?"
"You're the fucking cyclone I can't stop chasing."
𝜗𝜚⋆₊˚ pre-read (27th Feb)
omg i got the ARC for this!! 💕 hoping it’s a hit, i love a good f1 romance 💗
October 2, 2025
Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc!
This wasn’t anything special, it felt very similar to other f1 romances that I’ve read in the past. Lowkey felt like a very trope written book.
It’s your typical bad boy f1 driver and his best friends sister who happens to be his boss romance. There’s also some history between them which mix’s in the miscommunication trope.
Oh and ofc they’re “enemies” but really it’s just one sided from the FMC’s side.
I feel like the only thing that stood out was that the FMC like to walk barefoot in her workplace. She like even walked barefoot in the public bathroom…
This wasn’t anything special, it felt very similar to other f1 romances that I’ve read in the past. Lowkey felt like a very trope written book.
It’s your typical bad boy f1 driver and his best friends sister who happens to be his boss romance. There’s also some history between them which mix’s in the miscommunication trope.
Oh and ofc they’re “enemies” but really it’s just one sided from the FMC’s side.
I feel like the only thing that stood out was that the FMC like to walk barefoot in her workplace. She like even walked barefoot in the public bathroom…
March 3, 2025
Мені пощастило натрапити на нову для мене авторку і я не шкодую про приділений їй час💕
Start your engines — історія про пані боса команди формули один Сенни та її пілота Коннора. У юності вони були таємно закоханими друзями та перспективними водіями, але аварія, спричинена Коннором, завершила гоночну карʼєру Сенни і розірвала їх дружні стосунки. Однак, коли батько Сенни передав їй віжки правління командою формули один, а Коннор випадково (ні) опинився її новим пілотом, таємниці та почуття стало важко приховувати.
Перш за все: одним з найбільш яскравих наративів цієї книги, що підбадьорив мене, стало те, як крихітна жінка під тиском маскулінності, невіри та без підтримки власної ж сімʼї змогла відстояти своє бажання зробити команду успішною та стала прекрасним керівником. Її батько хотів відправити її народжувати дітей, а вона нагнула гоночну індустрію і досягла прориву. Шах і мат вам! Я захоплена цією безстрашністю.
А тепер до солоденького: прошу вас упакувати копії Коннора Дейна та розіслали усім дівчатами світу, щоб їх дупці стали щасливими. Чоловік, який мав стільки тараканів у голові, настільки закохався, що попри страхи та невпевненість, йшов на все, що вгодити своїй жінці та підтримати її. І саме підтримати! Не рятувати, не робити все за неї, а підтримати її, адже вона може здійснити свої плани власноруч, цим самим довівши свій професіоналізм. І разом із підтримкою цієї жінки Коннор зміг повернути себе та почати знову отримувати насолоду від того, чим займається.
В той же час Сенна вкладала душу в усе, що робить. Її віра та розуміння перетворили Коннора на щасливого чоловіка. Він боготворив землю, по якій ходить Сенна, а вона розігнала грозові хмари у його душі та подарувала спокій.
Це роман про справжню підтримку, партнерство, палкі почуття та незламний дух. Як казав знаменитий український письменник Іван Багряний: «Сміливі завжди мають щастя».
Start your engines — історія про пані боса команди формули один Сенни та її пілота Коннора. У юності вони були таємно закоханими друзями та перспективними водіями, але аварія, спричинена Коннором, завершила гоночну карʼєру Сенни і розірвала їх дружні стосунки. Однак, коли батько Сенни передав їй віжки правління командою формули один, а Коннор випадково (ні) опинився її новим пілотом, таємниці та почуття стало важко приховувати.
Перш за все: одним з найбільш яскравих наративів цієї книги, що підбадьорив мене, стало те, як крихітна жінка під тиском маскулінності, невіри та без підтримки власної ж сімʼї змогла відстояти своє бажання зробити команду успішною та стала прекрасним керівником. Її батько хотів відправити її народжувати дітей, а вона нагнула гоночну індустрію і досягла прориву. Шах і мат вам! Я захоплена цією безстрашністю.
А тепер до солоденького: прошу вас упакувати копії Коннора Дейна та розіслали усім дівчатами світу, щоб їх дупці стали щасливими. Чоловік, який мав стільки тараканів у голові, настільки закохався, що попри страхи та невпевненість, йшов на все, що вгодити своїй жінці та підтримати її. І саме підтримати! Не рятувати, не робити все за неї, а підтримати її, адже вона може здійснити свої плани власноруч, цим самим довівши свій професіоналізм. І разом із підтримкою цієї жінки Коннор зміг повернути себе та почати знову отримувати насолоду від того, чим займається.
В той же час Сенна вкладала душу в усе, що робить. Її віра та розуміння перетворили Коннора на щасливого чоловіка. Він боготворив землю, по якій ходить Сенна, а вона розігнала грозові хмари у його душі та подарувала спокій.
Це роман про справжню підтримку, партнерство, палкі почуття та незламний дух. Як казав знаменитий український письменник Іван Багряний: «Сміливі завжди мають щастя».
March 1, 2025
Ok I have to start with ew, why does Senna walk around the office barefoot… even to the bathroom. I don’t care what her reasoning is behind that… just no.
Other than her weird shoeless habits, Senna is the true embodiment of a boss b*tch. She said glass ceiling who? And is sprinting up the hill of a male dominated field and shoving anyone who tries to stop her down that hill.
I needed her brother to take about 5 steps back. He was gone for a year and then immediately jumps back in and starts disapproving about her and Conner… only to immediately drop it and approve of them. Honestly I think he could have been a distant character that never needed to show up in person. But it’s cool.
Conner turns out to be a complete cinnamon roll of a man and I’ll never be mad about that. Even through all of his own mental health struggles he still did whatever he could for Senna. He loves her ❤️❤️
I am looking forward to the next book and seeing Nikki’s story!
Thank you to NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.
Other than her weird shoeless habits, Senna is the true embodiment of a boss b*tch. She said glass ceiling who? And is sprinting up the hill of a male dominated field and shoving anyone who tries to stop her down that hill.
I needed her brother to take about 5 steps back. He was gone for a year and then immediately jumps back in and starts disapproving about her and Conner… only to immediately drop it and approve of them. Honestly I think he could have been a distant character that never needed to show up in person. But it’s cool.
Conner turns out to be a complete cinnamon roll of a man and I’ll never be mad about that. Even through all of his own mental health struggles he still did whatever he could for Senna. He loves her ❤️❤️
I am looking forward to the next book and seeing Nikki’s story!
Thank you to NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review. All thoughts are my own and are in no way influenced by early access to this title.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 26, 2026
What a stunning F1 romance story. I have loved F1 ever since meeting my Husband and it was so unique to read about it in a fictional book, while still feeling so relevant and real. You can tell Rebecca and her Husband are F1 fans with the amount of accurate details in this book!
Even though Connor, Senna and Niki (Senna’s brother) grew up together, something happened that tore Senna and Connor apart and they lost so many precious years, until Senna becomes the new lead of the Coulter racing team and is lumbered with Connor being their new driver.
Oh my goodness, the tension was palpable and even though there was a huge miscommunication trope in here….. I loved it. It was written so well and enhanced the character dynamics and it wasn’t a mega frustrating miscommunication like in other books.
Senna’s family are arseholes, the other male drivers are arseholes, and no-one believes in her, apart from Connor, and he has done so ever since they were kids.
This story was filled with family drama, misogyny and prejudice, yearning and pining, and did I mention the F1 vibes?!?
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Even though Connor, Senna and Niki (Senna’s brother) grew up together, something happened that tore Senna and Connor apart and they lost so many precious years, until Senna becomes the new lead of the Coulter racing team and is lumbered with Connor being their new driver.
Oh my goodness, the tension was palpable and even though there was a huge miscommunication trope in here….. I loved it. It was written so well and enhanced the character dynamics and it wasn’t a mega frustrating miscommunication like in other books.
Senna’s family are arseholes, the other male drivers are arseholes, and no-one believes in her, apart from Connor, and he has done so ever since they were kids.
This story was filled with family drama, misogyny and prejudice, yearning and pining, and did I mention the F1 vibes?!?
4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 23, 2025
Start Your Engines by Rebecca Chase
I was lucky enough to beta read this steamy F1 romance. It’s an unputdownable spicy romance and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series has to offer.
Start Your Engines has a strong female lead, a hot but troubled love interest and an enemies-to-lovers trope. Need I say more?
I fell in love with Senna Coulter’s character from the first pages. She’s a strong woman, determined to make her mark in the world of F1. However, everything is stacked against her, including her team’s number one driver. Connor Dane was once Senna’s best friend and teenage crush until a secret pulled them apart. Now, Senna hates Connor, but she can’t deny the spark between them. Can they work together to win this season or will matters of the heart get in the way?
I was lucky enough to beta read this steamy F1 romance. It’s an unputdownable spicy romance and I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series has to offer.
Start Your Engines has a strong female lead, a hot but troubled love interest and an enemies-to-lovers trope. Need I say more?
I fell in love with Senna Coulter’s character from the first pages. She’s a strong woman, determined to make her mark in the world of F1. However, everything is stacked against her, including her team’s number one driver. Connor Dane was once Senna’s best friend and teenage crush until a secret pulled them apart. Now, Senna hates Connor, but she can’t deny the spark between them. Can they work together to win this season or will matters of the heart get in the way?
March 3, 2025
3.5 ⭐️
(thankyou netgalley for the arc!)
start your engines follows connor dane, a struggling f1 star and senna coulter, a communications officer turned f1 team boss.
i had so much fun reading this! i had no expectations going into this but rebecca chase wrote a fun, fast paced f1 romance and left me wanting more. the romance had soooo much tension and build up, i was eating it up the entire time. i loved the representation of women in motorsport and how hard it can be, it was such an accurate reflection on real life and how hard it can be for women to be respected in sport.
I really enjoyed the first 50% but i did find myself cringing quite a bit through the last half. Connor’s character felt like it did a 360 in the last half aswell which i did expect some turn in character from his healing but i think it could have been written slightly better.
i am excited to read more from this author though! this was a fun read.
(thankyou netgalley for the arc!)
start your engines follows connor dane, a struggling f1 star and senna coulter, a communications officer turned f1 team boss.
i had so much fun reading this! i had no expectations going into this but rebecca chase wrote a fun, fast paced f1 romance and left me wanting more. the romance had soooo much tension and build up, i was eating it up the entire time. i loved the representation of women in motorsport and how hard it can be, it was such an accurate reflection on real life and how hard it can be for women to be respected in sport.
I really enjoyed the first 50% but i did find myself cringing quite a bit through the last half. Connor’s character felt like it did a 360 in the last half aswell which i did expect some turn in character from his healing but i think it could have been written slightly better.
i am excited to read more from this author though! this was a fun read.
March 15, 2025
Thank you @netgalley , @victoryeditingngc and @rebeccahchase for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This was my second ARC from Chase, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint!
Star Your Engines is a fantastic cozy read that deepened my love for sports romance even more.
I really enjoyed Senna’s journey as she fought to thrive in a male-dominated industry, and the representation of strong women was truly refreshing.
Connor was an incredible character—cocky yet deeply vulnerable, and his devotion to Senna was everything. His care for those around him, despite having so few people to truly care for him in return, made his character even more compelling. His dirty talk was obviously another great quality of his!
As always, the side characters (including the kitties!) added so much to the story, and I’m beyond excited that another book is coming.
If you’re looking for a hot yet cozy romance with great characters, this one is a must-read!
This was my second ARC from Chase, and it absolutely didn’t disappoint!
Star Your Engines is a fantastic cozy read that deepened my love for sports romance even more.
I really enjoyed Senna’s journey as she fought to thrive in a male-dominated industry, and the representation of strong women was truly refreshing.
Connor was an incredible character—cocky yet deeply vulnerable, and his devotion to Senna was everything. His care for those around him, despite having so few people to truly care for him in return, made his character even more compelling. His dirty talk was obviously another great quality of his!
As always, the side characters (including the kitties!) added so much to the story, and I’m beyond excited that another book is coming.
If you’re looking for a hot yet cozy romance with great characters, this one is a must-read!
March 16, 2025
Tropes:
Friends to lovers 🥰
F1 romance 🏎️
Workplace romance
Found family
3.5⭐️ 2🌶️
Senna the FMC I honestly wasn't a bit fan of. She was trying to come off as flirty and cute but really she was being bossy and arrogant towards Connor. Shes the F1 team boss and has worked hard to get to wear she's at now. Shes end up falling for Connor who is not just an F1 driver, but is her brother's best friend.
Connor is a struggling F1 star that is labelled as a bad boy but it's truly the sweetest and really did nothing to get that label. He tends to have an extremely dirty mouth and he definitely knows what and who he wants, He definitely loves his kitties and his ladies.
Overall I did enjoy this story. It's a cute F1 romcom and I'm curious to see how the second book will be! I feel like I would've enjoyed this story a lot more if I liked the FMC.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC🥰🫶
Friends to lovers 🥰
F1 romance 🏎️
Workplace romance
Found family
3.5⭐️ 2🌶️
Senna the FMC I honestly wasn't a bit fan of. She was trying to come off as flirty and cute but really she was being bossy and arrogant towards Connor. Shes the F1 team boss and has worked hard to get to wear she's at now. Shes end up falling for Connor who is not just an F1 driver, but is her brother's best friend.
Connor is a struggling F1 star that is labelled as a bad boy but it's truly the sweetest and really did nothing to get that label. He tends to have an extremely dirty mouth and he definitely knows what and who he wants, He definitely loves his kitties and his ladies.
Overall I did enjoy this story. It's a cute F1 romcom and I'm curious to see how the second book will be! I feel like I would've enjoyed this story a lot more if I liked the FMC.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC🥰🫶
February 23, 2025
“𝔹𝕖𝕔𝕒𝕦𝕤𝕖 𝕚𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕒𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦. 𝔽𝕣𝕠𝕞 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕗𝕚𝕣𝕤𝕥 𝕥𝕚𝕞𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕓𝕖𝕒𝕥 𝕞𝕖 𝕠𝕟 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕥𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕜 𝕥𝕠 𝕥𝕙𝕖 𝕟𝕚𝕘𝕙𝕥 𝕓𝕖𝕗𝕠𝕣𝕖 𝕪𝕠𝕦𝕣 𝕝𝕒𝕤𝕥 𝕣𝕒𝕔𝕖 𝕨𝕙𝕖𝕟 𝕨𝕖 𝕨𝕒𝕥𝕔𝕙𝕖𝕕 𝕞𝕠𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕤 𝕥𝕠𝕘𝕖𝕥𝕙𝕖𝕣 𝕒𝕟𝕕 𝕪𝕠𝕦 𝕗𝕖𝕝𝕝 𝕒𝕤𝕝𝕖𝕖𝕡 𝕚𝕟 𝕞𝕪 𝕒𝕣𝕞𝕤. 𝕀𝕥 𝕨𝕒𝕤 𝕒𝕝𝕨𝕒𝕪𝕤 𝕪𝕠𝕦.”
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
Okay… I’m going to need a minute because this book had me giggling, kicking my feet and silently screaming the entire time. From the very first chapter. I was sucked right in! Senna, the daughter of a F1 team owner, in the wake of her brother’s horrible crash, has become the boss of the family team. While it’s what she wanted, she already has to deal with a backseat owner (her dad) criticizing every move she makes, now she has to deal with the driver her brother signed before he ran.
Insert Conner Dane, a womanizer hot shot driver who hasn’t had a win in a few seasons.
Also her brother’s best friend, her childhood crush and the reason she couldn’t peruse a racing career.
I, for one, love a good girl boss and let’s just say Senna embodies that bad b*tch energy we all strive for. Being a woman in a male dominated sport & field is always an uphill battle! Senna chose to do sprints up those damn hills. Her character throughout the book made leaps and strides to learn her roll as the boss of her father’s F1 team, but to learn to trust others and let them in.
Conner, a driver who had fallen out of love with driving, is just a sweet cinnamon roll who is trying to uphold his promise to his best friend, protect Senna. So he sucks it up and powers through, despite his crippling mental health. At the end of the day, she is still the woman he loves. Even though she hates him.
Through the wild twists and turns of this book, safe to say I could not put it down. Maybe I’m into sports romance now?
Tropes:
🏎️ f1 romance 🏎️
🏎️ second chance romance 🏎️
🏎️ forced proximity 🏎️
🏎️ forbidden romance (boss x driver) 🏎️
🏎️ he falls first & hard 🏎️
🏎️ ocd/mental health rep 🏎️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️.5
Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!
Okay… I’m going to need a minute because this book had me giggling, kicking my feet and silently screaming the entire time. From the very first chapter. I was sucked right in! Senna, the daughter of a F1 team owner, in the wake of her brother’s horrible crash, has become the boss of the family team. While it’s what she wanted, she already has to deal with a backseat owner (her dad) criticizing every move she makes, now she has to deal with the driver her brother signed before he ran.
Insert Conner Dane, a womanizer hot shot driver who hasn’t had a win in a few seasons.
Also her brother’s best friend, her childhood crush and the reason she couldn’t peruse a racing career.
I, for one, love a good girl boss and let’s just say Senna embodies that bad b*tch energy we all strive for. Being a woman in a male dominated sport & field is always an uphill battle! Senna chose to do sprints up those damn hills. Her character throughout the book made leaps and strides to learn her roll as the boss of her father’s F1 team, but to learn to trust others and let them in.
Conner, a driver who had fallen out of love with driving, is just a sweet cinnamon roll who is trying to uphold his promise to his best friend, protect Senna. So he sucks it up and powers through, despite his crippling mental health. At the end of the day, she is still the woman he loves. Even though she hates him.
Through the wild twists and turns of this book, safe to say I could not put it down. Maybe I’m into sports romance now?
Tropes:
🏎️ f1 romance 🏎️
🏎️ second chance romance 🏎️
🏎️ forced proximity 🏎️
🏎️ forbidden romance (boss x driver) 🏎️
🏎️ he falls first & hard 🏎️
🏎️ ocd/mental health rep 🏎️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 🌶️🌶️.5
February 26, 2025
3.75🌟
Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited for this book, especially after enjoying Go Cook Yourself by Rebecca (also an ARC), which I rated 4.75 stars.
Reading this F1 romance just before the season started was perfect. I really enjoyed the first half, but around the 50% mark, it became a bit too cringe and spicy for me. Connor felt a bit too much like a "cinnamon roll" and overly "lovey-dovey."
That said, the book's themes, such as female empowerment, mental health, and family issues, were great and written well.
Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read, and I'm excited for the second book in the series, especially to learn more about Niki!
#NetGalley #StartYourEngines
Firstly thank you to Netgalley and Victory Editing for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was excited for this book, especially after enjoying Go Cook Yourself by Rebecca (also an ARC), which I rated 4.75 stars.
Reading this F1 romance just before the season started was perfect. I really enjoyed the first half, but around the 50% mark, it became a bit too cringe and spicy for me. Connor felt a bit too much like a "cinnamon roll" and overly "lovey-dovey."
That said, the book's themes, such as female empowerment, mental health, and family issues, were great and written well.
Overall, it was a quick, enjoyable read, and I'm excited for the second book in the series, especially to learn more about Niki!
#NetGalley #StartYourEngines
March 11, 2025
I read this as an arc on NetGalley and i really enjoyed it! This follows Senna who grew up in a family who owned a race car team. She and her brother both were race drivers and also her brother’s best friend, Connor. They all grew up together. Her dad is stepping away and she is the one who ends up being the boss. But there are others who don’t believe she can do it. There is one person who does believe in her and always has… This book had me laughing out loud, swooning and crying. I highly recommend it!! I love every single second of reading it!!
March 14, 2025
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel! I didn't know what to expect going into this book, I've never read anything by Rebecca Chase - but I'm glad I took a chance on this one! I'm an avid Formula 1 fan so it's also a point of interest for me to read romance books set in that world. I feel like I'm collecting them like Infinity Stones! Start Your Engines is a great addition to my lexicon and I hope it sets up for more stories in the world of Coulter Racing. Connor and Senna were always going to be end game and I'm glad they worked out their differences early. The slowest of burns in the first half of the book and then we were off to the races. I will say I think Senna forgave her Dad and Niki a little too easily - but I'm glad everyone came around in the end. All in all a good book!
🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thanks to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel! I didn't know what to expect going into this book, I've never read anything by Rebecca Chase - but I'm glad I took a chance on this one! I'm an avid Formula 1 fan so it's also a point of interest for me to read romance books set in that world. I feel like I'm collecting them like Infinity Stones! Start Your Engines is a great addition to my lexicon and I hope it sets up for more stories in the world of Coulter Racing. Connor and Senna were always going to be end game and I'm glad they worked out their differences early. The slowest of burns in the first half of the book and then we were off to the races. I will say I think Senna forgave her Dad and Niki a little too easily - but I'm glad everyone came around in the end. All in all a good book!
February 27, 2025
3.5⭐️
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
What a fun read! You’ll enjoy it if you like-
🏎️friends to lovers
🏁workplace romance (she’s his boss)
🏎️F1 romance
🏁found family vibes
Senna - badass, resilient, strong female lead. LOVED the focus on empowerment in a male dominated field and how she navigated that and gave even more opportunities to other women in the sport.
Connor - he started off with bad boy vibes, then reformed bad boy (?) then just full on golden retriever vibes.
The mix of plot & spice was perfect for a fun contemporary romance, although one thing for me was that some of the spice I found the language super cringe (but maybe that’s a me issue😂).
Topics like men’s mental health, bias in a male-dominated space, misogyny & bullying - were all involved in the plot and I think it really added authenticity of what still happens in sport.
Overall, I really enjoyed this! Definitely intrigued as to what was going on with Niki when he disappeared all that time and why he was acting so strange!
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!
What a fun read! You’ll enjoy it if you like-
🏎️friends to lovers
🏁workplace romance (she’s his boss)
🏎️F1 romance
🏁found family vibes
Senna - badass, resilient, strong female lead. LOVED the focus on empowerment in a male dominated field and how she navigated that and gave even more opportunities to other women in the sport.
Connor - he started off with bad boy vibes, then reformed bad boy (?) then just full on golden retriever vibes.
The mix of plot & spice was perfect for a fun contemporary romance, although one thing for me was that some of the spice I found the language super cringe (but maybe that’s a me issue😂).
Topics like men’s mental health, bias in a male-dominated space, misogyny & bullying - were all involved in the plot and I think it really added authenticity of what still happens in sport.
Overall, I really enjoyed this! Definitely intrigued as to what was going on with Niki when he disappeared all that time and why he was acting so strange!
March 29, 2025
This book is perfect for lovers of sports romances, in particular those who love F1 based sports romances. Not only that, but there's a great undercurrent of strong women who are paving the pathway for others as well. I enjoyed reading this story of Senna and Connor, their peaks and troughs and that whole enemies to lovers trope too! I would definitely read another one in this series if it comes out, especially if these characters are involved too.
March 5, 2025
I really enjoyed this book. I liked the dynamic between Connor and Senna. It was a very cute and cheesy rom com. I couldn't put it down because I kept wanting to know what happened next and to see where it would go, and what would happen to who! The spice was wonderfully done and the characters had some depth to them that you got to explore. Can't wait for book 2, I'm curious what is going on!
March 9, 2025
We love an F1 romance here!!!! Ugh Connor and Senna are just everything!!! Not to mention Jacs🥰 This was such a fun read i literally finished it in a couple of hours I couldn't put it down!! I can't wait for more!! ❤️
December 21, 2025
take Taylor swift out and this is 5 stars x
March 8, 2025
3.5⭐
"Don't show vulnerability. Don't trust men who can break your heart. And don't fall in love."
This was a fun read! And maybe the first time I've actually enjoyed the brothers best friend trope? The dynamic between our two MC's was cute, albeit a little cringey at times (hello miscommunication and 'protect her' tropes).
Connor underwent a complete bad boy to loverboy transformation really quick, but he remained a lovable character throughout (holding a kitten in his racesuit !! hello !!). The exploration of his mental health and relationship with driving really stood out for me, and shifted this from being a cheesy romcom to something a bit more substantive. Likewise, Senna's battle with misogny and bullying (from both colleagues and family) gave this story depth and a realistic depection of women in motorsport.
Overall all, an enjoyable read with a very loveable cast of characters.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
"Don't show vulnerability. Don't trust men who can break your heart. And don't fall in love."
This was a fun read! And maybe the first time I've actually enjoyed the brothers best friend trope? The dynamic between our two MC's was cute, albeit a little cringey at times (hello miscommunication and 'protect her' tropes).
Connor underwent a complete bad boy to loverboy transformation really quick, but he remained a lovable character throughout (holding a kitten in his racesuit !! hello !!). The exploration of his mental health and relationship with driving really stood out for me, and shifted this from being a cheesy romcom to something a bit more substantive. Likewise, Senna's battle with misogny and bullying (from both colleagues and family) gave this story depth and a realistic depection of women in motorsport.
Overall all, an enjoyable read with a very loveable cast of characters.
Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC!
March 4, 2025
If started off pretty good but then it got really repetitive and comically bad. Like I was laughing but I definitely should not have been. So sorry boss queen peace and love 😪 also i’m just picky when it comes to F1 romances so totally could just be me.
March 24, 2025
Great story, hot F1 driver. What more can a girl want
March 4, 2025
𝗥𝗘𝗩𝗜𝗘𝗪: 3.5/5 𝓢𝓣𝓐𝓡𝓢 ⭐️
Start Your Engines by Rebecca Chase is a compelling second-chance romance set in the high-stakes world of Formula 1. Senna Coulter was once on track to become an F1 driver, but after a devastating accident, her dreams were stolen from her. Now, years later, she has stepped up as the boss of Coulter Racing after her father’s heart attack forced him to step down, and her brother, Niki, abandoned the sport entirely after a terrifying crash of his own. Despite her years of experience as the team’s comms director and her deep understanding of the sport, Senna constantly has to fight to be taken seriously—especially by her own family, who still treat her as fragile and incapable. Their overprotectiveness, while rooted in love, was incredibly frustrating, and I was fully invested in seeing Senna prove them wrong.
As if navigating team politics and expectations wasn’t enough, Senna is also forced to deal with the return of Connor Dane—her former best friend, first love, and now an elite F1 driver. Years ago, they were inseparable, but after her accident, everything between them shattered. Now, with Connor driving for Coulter Racing, their unresolved history comes crashing back. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and their dynamic is filled with tension, unspoken regrets, and lingering attraction. I loved the push-and-pull between them as they tried to figure out whether they could rebuild what was lost—or if they were destined to crash and burn.
The racing elements were there but not overly technical, which worked well since the focus was on Senna’s personal and professional struggles rather than the minute details of F1 strategy. While I enjoyed the romance and the tension between Senna and Connor, I felt like some of the emotional conflicts—especially her issues with her family—were resolved too quickly. I wanted more depth in those confrontations, particularly with how dismissive her father and brother were of her abilities. Similarly, some of the biggest emotional beats between her and Connor could have used more space to breathe.
Overall, Start Your Engines is a fast-paced and steamy sports romance with a strong heroine determined to prove herself in a world that underestimates her. While I had some frustrations with how quickly certain conflicts were resolved, I still enjoyed watching Senna fight for her place—not just as a team boss, but as someone worthy of love and respect. Her fiery chemistry with Connor was a definite highlight, making this an enjoyable read for fans of second-chance romance and strong-willed heroines in male-dominated spaces.
Thank you to the Rebecca Chase, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and NetGalley for the ARC!
Start Your Engines by Rebecca Chase is a compelling second-chance romance set in the high-stakes world of Formula 1. Senna Coulter was once on track to become an F1 driver, but after a devastating accident, her dreams were stolen from her. Now, years later, she has stepped up as the boss of Coulter Racing after her father’s heart attack forced him to step down, and her brother, Niki, abandoned the sport entirely after a terrifying crash of his own. Despite her years of experience as the team’s comms director and her deep understanding of the sport, Senna constantly has to fight to be taken seriously—especially by her own family, who still treat her as fragile and incapable. Their overprotectiveness, while rooted in love, was incredibly frustrating, and I was fully invested in seeing Senna prove them wrong.
As if navigating team politics and expectations wasn’t enough, Senna is also forced to deal with the return of Connor Dane—her former best friend, first love, and now an elite F1 driver. Years ago, they were inseparable, but after her accident, everything between them shattered. Now, with Connor driving for Coulter Racing, their unresolved history comes crashing back. The chemistry between them is undeniable, and their dynamic is filled with tension, unspoken regrets, and lingering attraction. I loved the push-and-pull between them as they tried to figure out whether they could rebuild what was lost—or if they were destined to crash and burn.
The racing elements were there but not overly technical, which worked well since the focus was on Senna’s personal and professional struggles rather than the minute details of F1 strategy. While I enjoyed the romance and the tension between Senna and Connor, I felt like some of the emotional conflicts—especially her issues with her family—were resolved too quickly. I wanted more depth in those confrontations, particularly with how dismissive her father and brother were of her abilities. Similarly, some of the biggest emotional beats between her and Connor could have used more space to breathe.
Overall, Start Your Engines is a fast-paced and steamy sports romance with a strong heroine determined to prove herself in a world that underestimates her. While I had some frustrations with how quickly certain conflicts were resolved, I still enjoyed watching Senna fight for her place—not just as a team boss, but as someone worthy of love and respect. Her fiery chemistry with Connor was a definite highlight, making this an enjoyable read for fans of second-chance romance and strong-willed heroines in male-dominated spaces.
Thank you to the Rebecca Chase, Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and NetGalley for the ARC!
March 13, 2025
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for this ARC! I was so happy when I got approved for this, especially since I’m a huge F1 fan! Reading this just before the new season starts was perfect.
Main characters named Senna, Niki, and Ralf? This one’s for the real fans 🤭 Also, Taylor Swift? Count me in!
This was pretty much the perfect book for me. I really enjoyed reading it. Women in motorsports is a topic that’s very close to my heart—I know from firsthand experience that most people won’t take you seriously. All the women in this book have my heart. I love that Senna is the first female team boss, Jacs is a female lead engineer, and of course, Tawny, the first woman in the sport. The representation was much appreciated, and I genuinely hope real Formula 1 can look like this in the (near) future! Another thing this book did really well was the mental health rep.
I had so much fun reading this! I went in without any expectations, but apparently, Rebecca Chase knows how to write a good F1 romance. It was very accurate regarding the sport itself. I liked that the book mentioned real-life Formula 1 drivers as well as Grand Prix races. The plot was solid, and I really appreciated that it wasn’t just about the romance—Formula 1 actually played a big role. However, it did drag a bit in the middle, especially once the characters started sleeping together. There were also some pretty big time jumps that confused me. And honestly… they were a little too horny in public for my liking. Don’t come for me.
Connor was a cinnamon roll, so I don’t quite understand how he was supposed to be marketed as a "playboy"—he’s far from that. The dirty talk didn’t match his character at all. I really enjoyed the first 50%, but I found myself cringing quite a bit through the last half. Connor’s character felt like it did a complete 180. I also didn’t love that Senna’s love essentially "healed" him… that’s not how this works. That said, their chemistry was still fun at times, especially in the beginning. I just wish his character arc had felt more consistent.
And okay, I’m sorry, but ew—why does Senna walk around the office barefoot… even to the bathroom?
Final thoughts: If you’re an F1 fan, you’ll probably love this one! The writing was engaging, and despite a few issues with pacing and character development (and cringing sometimes), I still had a great time reading it. I’d absolutely recommend it and can’t wait for book two—aka, Niki’s book! So excited to find out what he was up to when he disappeared.
Main characters named Senna, Niki, and Ralf? This one’s for the real fans 🤭 Also, Taylor Swift? Count me in!
This was pretty much the perfect book for me. I really enjoyed reading it. Women in motorsports is a topic that’s very close to my heart—I know from firsthand experience that most people won’t take you seriously. All the women in this book have my heart. I love that Senna is the first female team boss, Jacs is a female lead engineer, and of course, Tawny, the first woman in the sport. The representation was much appreciated, and I genuinely hope real Formula 1 can look like this in the (near) future! Another thing this book did really well was the mental health rep.
I had so much fun reading this! I went in without any expectations, but apparently, Rebecca Chase knows how to write a good F1 romance. It was very accurate regarding the sport itself. I liked that the book mentioned real-life Formula 1 drivers as well as Grand Prix races. The plot was solid, and I really appreciated that it wasn’t just about the romance—Formula 1 actually played a big role. However, it did drag a bit in the middle, especially once the characters started sleeping together. There were also some pretty big time jumps that confused me. And honestly… they were a little too horny in public for my liking. Don’t come for me.
Connor was a cinnamon roll, so I don’t quite understand how he was supposed to be marketed as a "playboy"—he’s far from that. The dirty talk didn’t match his character at all. I really enjoyed the first 50%, but I found myself cringing quite a bit through the last half. Connor’s character felt like it did a complete 180. I also didn’t love that Senna’s love essentially "healed" him… that’s not how this works. That said, their chemistry was still fun at times, especially in the beginning. I just wish his character arc had felt more consistent.
And okay, I’m sorry, but ew—why does Senna walk around the office barefoot… even to the bathroom?
Final thoughts: If you’re an F1 fan, you’ll probably love this one! The writing was engaging, and despite a few issues with pacing and character development (and cringing sometimes), I still had a great time reading it. I’d absolutely recommend it and can’t wait for book two—aka, Niki’s book! So excited to find out what he was up to when he disappeared.
February 23, 2025
Okay, I love any Formula 1 romance but this was so good. This book had me giggling, kicking my feet, blushing, swooning... all of the emotions from beginning to end. From the very first chapter, I was hooked, and I think this is top tier sports romance.
Senna Coulter is everything I love in an FMC. She is strong, determined, and unapologetically badass. Taking over her family’s F1 team after her brother’s tragic crash, she’s battling constant scrutiny, a backseat boss of a father, and now—Connor Dane. The hotshot driver her brother signed before his accident. The one she’s had a crush on forever. The one responsible for ending her own racing dreams. Oh, and did I mention her brother’s best friend? Yeah, the tension is delicious.
Connor had me soft. A driver who’s lost his love for racing, carrying so much guilt over Senna’s accident, and still doing everything in his power to protect her? Swoon. The way he falls first and falls hard? 10/10, no notes. I loved seeing his character arc, like how much he struggles with his mental health, yet still fights for Senna every step of the way.
The chemistry? 🔥🔥🔥 This book delivers on forced proximity, forbidden romance, and second chance tension in the best way. Every interaction crackled with intensity, and the slow burn made it all the more satisfying. The way Senna has to learn to trust again, and how Connor is determined to prove himself? Chef’s kiss.
Beyond the romance, I loved the behind the scenes F1 dynamics including team politics, media scrutiny, and the sheer pressure of the sport. And Senna navigating it all as a woman in a male dominated industry? Absolute queen behavior.
If you love grumpy x sunshine, high stakes romance, and a cinnamon roll hero who will do anything for his girl, Start Your Engines needs to be at the top of your TBR. 🏎️❤️
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Chase, and Victory Editing for the eARC of this book.
Senna Coulter is everything I love in an FMC. She is strong, determined, and unapologetically badass. Taking over her family’s F1 team after her brother’s tragic crash, she’s battling constant scrutiny, a backseat boss of a father, and now—Connor Dane. The hotshot driver her brother signed before his accident. The one she’s had a crush on forever. The one responsible for ending her own racing dreams. Oh, and did I mention her brother’s best friend? Yeah, the tension is delicious.
Connor had me soft. A driver who’s lost his love for racing, carrying so much guilt over Senna’s accident, and still doing everything in his power to protect her? Swoon. The way he falls first and falls hard? 10/10, no notes. I loved seeing his character arc, like how much he struggles with his mental health, yet still fights for Senna every step of the way.
The chemistry? 🔥🔥🔥 This book delivers on forced proximity, forbidden romance, and second chance tension in the best way. Every interaction crackled with intensity, and the slow burn made it all the more satisfying. The way Senna has to learn to trust again, and how Connor is determined to prove himself? Chef’s kiss.
Beyond the romance, I loved the behind the scenes F1 dynamics including team politics, media scrutiny, and the sheer pressure of the sport. And Senna navigating it all as a woman in a male dominated industry? Absolute queen behavior.
If you love grumpy x sunshine, high stakes romance, and a cinnamon roll hero who will do anything for his girl, Start Your Engines needs to be at the top of your TBR. 🏎️❤️
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca Chase, and Victory Editing for the eARC of this book.
March 9, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of Start Your Engines!! This novel releases March 14th, just in time for the first F1 race of the 2025 season in Australia!!
If you enjoy easy secret sports romance reads, with cheesy romantic love declarations, steamy bedroom (or lake, car, desk, this list could go on folks) scenes, and a heartwarming ending, this is a must read!!
I really enjoyed the character and story line of this F1 romance. Senna and Connor had a well written friends to enemies to lovers story. In other F1 romances I’ve read, this has been the first where the female main character has been the boss/dominate one. I loved the female in power aspect of her character and how she used her position to push for more females in a male dominated industry and to prove that women are just as capable of running a racing team as anyone else. I found Senna’s personality and anxieties to be very relatable. She is a person who craves control, and losing that in any regard is a struggle, until she learns that Conner is the one person who she can relax with and not have to be in control of every moment.
For Conner, his character development throughout the book was one real life men need to take note of. From loathing driving to loving it all because of his love and respect for Senna - *chefs kiss*. We see his internal battles with insomnia and anxiety, his willingness to accept therapy to help him cope with his fears, and the complete 180 of his character throughout this novel. I just adored how openly proud of Senna is his and how he’s so in love with her he’s not afraid to shout it from rooftops.
Rebecca did a wonderful job at crafting a story that hooks you and leaves you wanting more. In this first novel of the series, we were left wondering what in the world Niki’s been up to for the entirety of the racing season. I can’t wait to read the second novel and to learn more of Niki’s story.
If you enjoy easy secret sports romance reads, with cheesy romantic love declarations, steamy bedroom (or lake, car, desk, this list could go on folks) scenes, and a heartwarming ending, this is a must read!!
I really enjoyed the character and story line of this F1 romance. Senna and Connor had a well written friends to enemies to lovers story. In other F1 romances I’ve read, this has been the first where the female main character has been the boss/dominate one. I loved the female in power aspect of her character and how she used her position to push for more females in a male dominated industry and to prove that women are just as capable of running a racing team as anyone else. I found Senna’s personality and anxieties to be very relatable. She is a person who craves control, and losing that in any regard is a struggle, until she learns that Conner is the one person who she can relax with and not have to be in control of every moment.
For Conner, his character development throughout the book was one real life men need to take note of. From loathing driving to loving it all because of his love and respect for Senna - *chefs kiss*. We see his internal battles with insomnia and anxiety, his willingness to accept therapy to help him cope with his fears, and the complete 180 of his character throughout this novel. I just adored how openly proud of Senna is his and how he’s so in love with her he’s not afraid to shout it from rooftops.
Rebecca did a wonderful job at crafting a story that hooks you and leaves you wanting more. In this first novel of the series, we were left wondering what in the world Niki’s been up to for the entirety of the racing season. I can’t wait to read the second novel and to learn more of Niki’s story.
March 4, 2025
If you’re looking for a brother’s best friend / forced proximity, Start Your Engines needs to go on your TBR list.
First, I am a HUGE F1 fan, so I was extremely excited when this book hit my Kindle! I want to applaud the author for the F1 refences (siblings Senna and Niki? The team principal for the top team described as Toto? The Danny Ric doing a shoey reference? GAH! It made my heart go vroom vroom).
Taking over her family's (failing) racing team after her brother's crash (and disappearance), Senna had to turn it around. But as F1's only female boss, she knew she faced an uphill battle. Faced with criticism from her own father, sexist comments, financial problems and the arrival of a new driver that her brother had casually signed before his sudden departure, Senna is determined to prove everyone wrong. But this new driver, Connor Dane? Just her brother's hotheaded best friend, who happens to be the one Senna blames for ending her own racing career... and who also happens to be her teenage crush.
For the first half of the book I couldn't put it down. I love how the author followed the racing calendar (from testing in Bahrain to the summer break to Abu Dhabi). I love how Senna faced everything that was thrown at her and earned the respect of her team. I grew to like Connor, especially when you find out the full story of what happened the day he crashed into Senna. The mental health representative was also very well written. I absolutely loved that this book was also dual POV (thanks, Rebecca!). The side characters were fun, except for the father (and honestly, the brother towards the end). There were some cringe moments towards the end, but overall, a very solid story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca and Victory Editing for providing me with this Advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
First, I am a HUGE F1 fan, so I was extremely excited when this book hit my Kindle! I want to applaud the author for the F1 refences (siblings Senna and Niki? The team principal for the top team described as Toto? The Danny Ric doing a shoey reference? GAH! It made my heart go vroom vroom).
Taking over her family's (failing) racing team after her brother's crash (and disappearance), Senna had to turn it around. But as F1's only female boss, she knew she faced an uphill battle. Faced with criticism from her own father, sexist comments, financial problems and the arrival of a new driver that her brother had casually signed before his sudden departure, Senna is determined to prove everyone wrong. But this new driver, Connor Dane? Just her brother's hotheaded best friend, who happens to be the one Senna blames for ending her own racing career... and who also happens to be her teenage crush.
For the first half of the book I couldn't put it down. I love how the author followed the racing calendar (from testing in Bahrain to the summer break to Abu Dhabi). I love how Senna faced everything that was thrown at her and earned the respect of her team. I grew to like Connor, especially when you find out the full story of what happened the day he crashed into Senna. The mental health representative was also very well written. I absolutely loved that this book was also dual POV (thanks, Rebecca!). The side characters were fun, except for the father (and honestly, the brother towards the end). There were some cringe moments towards the end, but overall, a very solid story.
Thank you to NetGalley, Rebecca and Victory Editing for providing me with this Advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review.
March 9, 2025
It's so nice to see a female in F1 done so right. I've read quite a few F1 books and they're mainly male based, as is the sport. It's nice to see that the revolution of more woman in the sport coming through in books as well. In this book we meet Senna (Yes, she's named after Senna) who has just taken over Coulter racing from her father ( then the brother) after a health scare. Her father doesn't want her to take over, he wants her brother to take over but he's also got his own things going on after a race crash. Her father doesn't believe in her and thinks a woman is better off doing another job not in F1. Of course she proves them all wrong and proves that a woman can do any job a man can do if not better (when comparing to what her father did with the team). I also really enjoyed more female in F1 work with female mechanics and a driver also added into the mix.
This story is about Senna and Connor who have known each other since teenagers but after a crashed caused by Connor which nearly cost Senna her life, they haven't spoken in years. Also to add to the mix Senna and Connor had crushes on each other in their younger years but didn't tell each other or anyone due to Connor being best friends with her brother. She takes over the team from her brother and before he gives it over to her he does one thing, signs Connor up as a new driver.
This is full of female empowerment and shows the full meaning of found family. The power of repairing relationships when you have the right people around you. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two, and you could feel the angst between them both. This story left us with loads of questions about her brother who will be the MC in the next book and I can't wait to find out the answers.
- brothers best friend
- female in sport
- team boss x driver
- F1 romance
- Found family
This story is about Senna and Connor who have known each other since teenagers but after a crashed caused by Connor which nearly cost Senna her life, they haven't spoken in years. Also to add to the mix Senna and Connor had crushes on each other in their younger years but didn't tell each other or anyone due to Connor being best friends with her brother. She takes over the team from her brother and before he gives it over to her he does one thing, signs Connor up as a new driver.
This is full of female empowerment and shows the full meaning of found family. The power of repairing relationships when you have the right people around you. I really enjoyed the dynamic between the two, and you could feel the angst between them both. This story left us with loads of questions about her brother who will be the MC in the next book and I can't wait to find out the answers.
- brothers best friend
- female in sport
- team boss x driver
- F1 romance
- Found family
July 21, 2025
At first I was hopeful for this book, but it quickly became extremely repetitive (they both use baby way too much and not even in an ironic entertaining way. Like multiple times a page. They kiss then bam baby all the time), annoying in its content, boring, and the characters became pretty unlikeable (except for Jacs). The writing is basic and overly cheesy, to the point of getting major icks. The flirting and smut aspects had me cringing and made me nauseous they were so icky. And the brother named Niki who almost died in a crash and had burns on his face and shit? Come on. Too on the mark with that one. It’s like the author watched Rush and googled F1 and maybe watched a single episode of drive to survive and that’s how they wrote an F1 themed book. There were a ton of typos and sentence fragments that could make it annoying to read at times. Additionally, the overt sexism was too much and too on the nose, with the Dad literally saying you should be making babies. While overt sexism as described in the book does happen, it was so extreme and common that it actually made the story seem naive (all straight up agressions, no microaggressions or subtlety in the story at all). Also, the professionalism being so hot and cold annoyed me as well. Especially because it was then the constant topic running through the characters heads. Also, the character’s emotions and motivations don’t make sense half the time or are incredibly basic and the communication in the book sucks. While I appreciated the aspects of mental health and trauma in the the book, I was not a fan of the writing, especially around the romance and sexism elements (which pretty much made up the entire book).
March 11, 2025
Oh I so wanted to love this book because here she is the Boss and he is the bad boy f1 driver. But I felt all the characters were lacking in terms of the character development. Let’s talk about them one by one:
Senna
She was trying so hard to prove herself and she did but I hated the repetitive “bi!ch boss” monologue. I also didn’t understand how she could have such a mixed stance about a lot of things and how she went from hating Connor to having a crush on him in 2-3 chapters when all he did was tell her the truth about the past.
Connor
I didn’t really have any problems with him. He was a darling who was taking care of a lot of things and people while struggling with his loosing love for F1.
Niki
I just didn’t get it. He was making guest appearances time and time again and though he may seem like he wanted to support Senna, his reaction to a lot of things pertaining to the team threw me off.
Dad
I just hated him. He didn’t love his children like he said from time to time. What’s more weird is how his stance about the team changed so quickly at the end of the chapter. I felt a lot of conversations were missing
Ralf & Mom were a darling.
I loved the premise of the book and it had a lot of potential but I felt that first 50% didn’t have a lot of built up, it might have been second chance in terms of friendship but I just couldn’t feel their connection. After that majority of the chapters were just smut. I don’t have a problem with it and I love it generally but here it felt forced.
Senna
She was trying so hard to prove herself and she did but I hated the repetitive “bi!ch boss” monologue. I also didn’t understand how she could have such a mixed stance about a lot of things and how she went from hating Connor to having a crush on him in 2-3 chapters when all he did was tell her the truth about the past.
Connor
I didn’t really have any problems with him. He was a darling who was taking care of a lot of things and people while struggling with his loosing love for F1.
Niki
I just didn’t get it. He was making guest appearances time and time again and though he may seem like he wanted to support Senna, his reaction to a lot of things pertaining to the team threw me off.
Dad
I just hated him. He didn’t love his children like he said from time to time. What’s more weird is how his stance about the team changed so quickly at the end of the chapter. I felt a lot of conversations were missing
Ralf & Mom were a darling.
I loved the premise of the book and it had a lot of potential but I felt that first 50% didn’t have a lot of built up, it might have been second chance in terms of friendship but I just couldn’t feel their connection. After that majority of the chapters were just smut. I don’t have a problem with it and I love it generally but here it felt forced.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 27, 2025
With the popularity of Drive to Survive, Formula 1 has become a lot more popular around the world. I really appreciated that Start Your Engines was rooted in a very British Formula 1 tradition (yes, The Chain makes an appearance) of Formula One teams. Our heroine, Senna, has taken over for her brother as the manager of a Formula One team, one which considers Graham Hill, Ayrton Senna and Niki Lauda to be the greats (clearly not written by an American, since no mention of Mario Andretti).
I did really enjoy that this book spotlighted a lot of people who keep a team running - whether the mechanics or the race engineers and that a major subplot is the sexism in Formula One. A character who I really hope we'll see more of in future books is Coulter driver Tawny, who the book presents as a real Formula One trailblazer. Both Tawny and her sister, mechanic Jacks, are incredibly supportive of Senna, and I loved seeing women lifting each other up.
One thing that I wish had been a bit more nuanced was the portrayal of the sexism that Senna faces. Chase writes it less as institutional and more as the over the top attitudes of some competitors of Senna's - and I wish we had gotten to see a bit more recognition that even guys like our MMC can be subject to ideas of women needing protection which show a benign sexism.
I am excited for the series to continue, and hope we'll get to see more of it when (fingers crossed), we get to Tawny's story.
I did really enjoy that this book spotlighted a lot of people who keep a team running - whether the mechanics or the race engineers and that a major subplot is the sexism in Formula One. A character who I really hope we'll see more of in future books is Coulter driver Tawny, who the book presents as a real Formula One trailblazer. Both Tawny and her sister, mechanic Jacks, are incredibly supportive of Senna, and I loved seeing women lifting each other up.
One thing that I wish had been a bit more nuanced was the portrayal of the sexism that Senna faces. Chase writes it less as institutional and more as the over the top attitudes of some competitors of Senna's - and I wish we had gotten to see a bit more recognition that even guys like our MMC can be subject to ideas of women needing protection which show a benign sexism.
I am excited for the series to continue, and hope we'll get to see more of it when (fingers crossed), we get to Tawny's story.
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