This was a perfect summer read and I enjoyed it so much. The characters were so much fun to follow and I adored them. I have no interest in cycling and I still adored this book.

I really enjoyed the journey of Lori and Seb’s season of love. It was so fun to be immersed into the world of cycling from both sides and how they navigated their friends-to-lovers relationship.

I was hooked in the beginning, got lost in the middle and right back in for the end. Loved the Star Wars and Taylor references.

I do wish there had been a glossary for the cycling terms 🫣

Thanks so much to Bedford Square Publishers for the ARC.

I have no objectivity here - I LOVE romance books and I LOVE pro cycling, and I was honestly giddy throughout this book. The romance was cute, the cycling calendar as points where the two cyclists can come together and are forced apart [by the lack of women's races compared to men's grrrr]. The FMC battling her love and dedication to her cycling career with the possibility that the absolutely PINING MMC might be a good thing and not just a distraction...

As i said - giddy with delight. Gonna make this the first romance book my cycling-loving partner ever reads.

4.4 ✨This book was such a breath of fresh air.

I have never read a book by Leonie Mack but I think that is going to change!

Lori is an Australian cyclist recovering after a very bad cycling accident. She connects with Sebastian(Belgian) online as they train together on the cycling coaching app Zpeed. After many hours of training, chatting Lori Ghosts Seb when she realizes that she may be a little too invested in their online friendship. She doesn't have time for this and needs to focus on her training.

While at training camp she thinks she recognizes HIS voice.. This turns out to be very distracting!
When they discover their identities the tension is hard to deny.
They both agree to one time to break the tension and move on.

As they part ways and prepare for the tour Lori is plagued by bad luck at every turn and Seb is suddenly breezing through and that for someone who plans to retire..

Seb falls first for Lori and feels awful that she's had so much bad luck. He tries to be there for her as best as he can as her friend.

Lori finds it hard to deny what Seb does to her. He calms her, gives her peace of mind, cheers her on but shes determined to focus on her sport and not her feelings.

This denial and tension made for a very, very enjoyable need.

There is so much growth on Lori's part as this story covers months of their interaction ( and sometimes lack of).

I felt bad for Seb because he was really taken by her and was also dealing with his decision to retire after this tour.

The texting and banter was funny, sweet/cute the spice was perfect!

The camaraderie between Seb and his team and the way the author described the races and the utter exhaustion after a race was 🤌🤌.

There was a tiny bit of fake dating and honestly if this romance played out in real life during the tour de France I would be a dedicated follower of the sport!

Absolutely recommend this book!

Many thanks to Netgally, Bedford Square Publishers and Author for the opportunity to read and share my thoughts.

"Head Over Heels" by Leonie Mack was a book I picked up, and it was... fine. It's one of those romance novels that takes you to a pretty cool location—Venice, in this case, which is always a nice escape. The main character, Didi, is there for work and determined not to get caught up in the romantic clichés, but of course, things happen with Piero, the handsome, artsy guy.
The story has that classic "opposites attract" kind of vibe, with Didi being pragmatic and Piero being more of the brooding artist type. There's some development as they slowly become friends and Venice starts to work its magic. It's a pretty straightforward contemporary romance, and if you're looking for something that's easy to read and set in a beautiful place, it checks those boxes. It didn't totally blow me away, but it's a solid choice if you're just looking for a pleasant read without too much unexpected drama.

World-class cyclist Lori’s had a tough year. Injuries forced her from the road and a broken heart made everything worse. Training at home with an anonymous online partner brings her back to life and showcases a new side to this intensely competitive woman. But with family pressure mounting and Lori worrying about distractions, she cuts off all contact and focuses on the racing season.

Then it turns out her anonymous partner is none other than the newest member of her brother’s cycling team and journeyman, Sebastien. He’s here for one last season before moving on to something else, namely running a farm and B&B in Belgium. Definitely not Lori’s style.

They try to stay away from each other but….

I am OBSESSED with this book!

First of all, thank you for a sports romance with an FMC athlete. It’s always the MMCs getting to be the athletes in romances, but what about the FMCs and all the women out there who love sports? There are women all over the world who are killing it on the field, pitch, court, ice, pool, and in this case, the roads. We need more, and Head Over Wheels delivers!

Second, the characters were so real and the feelings and mentalities so genuine. I could feel not only their chemistry, but the longing, the angst, the competitive drive, the family pressures, the debates going on in their heads, all of it. And Seb? Adored him, the thought he puts into everything, his sincere concern for Lori and his grounded nature. Finally, the steamy scenes were hot and full of feeling too.

“He tasted like summer sunshine and lazy mornings, with a shot of adrenaline, like my first coffee of the day.”

Head Over Wheels follows Lori and Seb. Lori is the ‘most ruthless rider in the women’s peloton’ and Sébastien’s career is fizzling out. When she’s recovering from a bad accident she joins an online training community, the two meet and become training partners. She bails when the tensions rise because she needs to get her head in the game, her career has to be her main focus. That’s until she hears his voice again, at her team training camp no less! Their online chemistry turns into real world attraction and they decide to get it out of their systems before the season begins - one night, no strings attached. But as their feelings grow, they are each faced with a dilemma - what’s more important to make sacrifices for, love or wins?

After their encounter, their roles reversed - he cycles some really good races and she has spectacularly bad luck. He feels like he’s a bad luck charm. I really liked their friends to lovers evolution - he seemed completely besotted with her and was so eager for her to win. He was her ultimate cheerleader.

“Go and fight. You deserve it – everything. I’d love to be your consolation prize, but you have to go for your main prize – right? Look to the future? You didn’t want any distractions this year and this… whatever we’re doing…’”

Tropes - Dual POV Sports Romance, cycling, friends to lovers, fake dating

Overall a cute, but spicy, romance that I’d recommend if you’re looking for a unique sports romance that’s an easy read. Perfect for summer!

ARC copy provided by Bedford Square Publishers & NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Lori Gallagher is returning to her career as a professional road cyclist after an injury. She meets Sebastian, when a prank with a blow up doll goes wrong. We quickly learn that Sebastian & Lori have met before through an online forum & developed a friendly relationship. Lori is fighting to get back to her previous ability, while Sebastian is headed towards retirement. This shift frustrates Lori, feeling like he is wasting his talent.

I really enjoyed this book, even though I had no knowledge of professional cycling going into it. I loved seeing the relationship Lori had with her family, and watching her learn to set some boundaries and stick up for herself. Lori had been raised to believe that “in a relationship someone always loses” and watching her explore that vulnerability with Sebastian was satisfying. I’m a suck for good banter and you see that both in Lori & Sebastian’s present conversations, as well as flashbacks to their previous online relationship.

“Thank you, Bedford Square Publishers, for providing me with an advance copy of this book!”

Thank you Netgalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

I was really excited to read a sports romance focussed on cycling, as it sounded different and not a sport that many choose to write a romance about. I enjoyed the Swiftie references throughout the book, not often folklore gets a lot of rep in books. Overall, I just felt the romance and chemistry between the characters was a bit lacklustre for me. I think there was so much emphasis and the characters saying how they felt in their POV but when they were together, the chemistry just didn't really shine through. I recommend to romance readers who love a sports romance to try something different. Especially if you like forced proximity, age gap sports romances. I think for me this was just wrong time when I picked it up as I am such a mood reader so maybe if I try again I'll have a higher rating :)

swoony and fun romance with some very cool characters and plotlines. would definitely recommend this book. 5 stars. tysm for the arc.

4 stars

this was so good!!!
the banter was great. the romance was fantastic.
the found family was chef's kiss.
the fact that the story kept me at the edge of my seat with every race day *kicks feet in the air* so good!!!
I definitely recommend this one even if you are not a cycling fan. Trust me, you'll stay for the romance alone.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The moment I saw the title, I had a gut feeling this book would be right up my street, and I was completely right. I know nothing about competitive biking, but that didn’t matter one bit. This story was such a joyful, dorky delight from start to finish!

Lori is the daughter of two elite athletes and a cycling prodigy in her own right, still recovering from a major injury. Her slow climb back to form is helped along by an anonymous online friend, someone who’s supported her through every tough moment. But reentering the racing world comes with a twist: that friend isn’t just real, he’s suddenly right in front of her.

Sebastien is in the final year of his cycling career and has made peace with retirement. Spending time training and chatting with his mysterious online pal has been a bright spot, until he discovers she’s not just any cyclist, but Lori. One of the best in the world. Cue emotional whiplash.

As their friendship turns into something more, a fake dating scheme becomes the perfect cover, but real feelings aren’t so easily faked. With Lori just hitting her prime and Sebastien preparing to bow out, their timelines couldn’t be more out of sync… and neither of them knows what to do about it.

This is a laugh-out-loud, friends-to-lovers romance with just the right amount of heart and chaos. If you’re into sweet banter, a little emotional tension, and a whole lot of charm, you’ll have so much fun with this one.

ive been loving seeing books with more varied characters lately. they arent cookie cooker but neither are they clearly cliched or over trying. and this book gives us two more of those "real" kind of people. they are cute, a bit dorky and just good folks.
sports romances seem to be becoming quite a big thing and im always cautious but again this one was done really well. so the sports didnt become a "bro" camp and just made the story better.
Lori was really relatable as she had talent and passion but was also weighted by others expectations. her meeting of her training partner online was really cute. and him helping her get back into the swing of it after injury was a smart addition to a unique plot. but aha what happens then when she meets this online friend offline, not only that but hes on her training camp.
that online person who is now there in person is Sebastian. hes also got lots of pressures in his cycling world although he feels alot more comfortable with how and why his career is going. but when he meets Lori for real things start to feel a lot more complicated both on and off the tracks.
but how will this ever work off the bikes, off the circuit? are they both riding off into different futures. or can their two wheels each turn to the same path alongside each other.

Such a unique concept for a sport romance but I’m starting to think this author just isn’t for me.

Her characters felt one dimensional and the chemistry/romance was lacklustre and unbelievable

There’s nothing that says summer quite like a sports romance and this cycling romance absolutely delivered!

We follow Lori, a rising star in the pro cycling world recovering from a serious back injury, and Seb, a seasoned racer in his final season, who connect anonymously through an online cycling app. Their friendship blooms over virtual training sessions, movie nights, and dorky in-jokes until one day one of them deletes their account. Joining their team’s training camp they crash into each other, quite literally, and the the penny drops that this stranger is someone who they’ve been racing (and flirting) with online for months.

The chemistry between Lori and Seb is fantastic, full of witty banter, mutual respect, and emotional depth. I loved how the story explored both the glamour and grind of professional cycling, with stunning European backdrops from Italy to France that made the race scenes feel vivid and exciting.

Lori’s family dynamic added heart and complexity, and Seb’s quiet confidence made him an endearing counterpart. Their romance is a slow burn, full of tension and timing challenges, but so rewarding to watch unfold.

A refreshing, heartfelt, and summery read, I’m definitely bumping Leonie Mack’s other books up my TBR!

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Yet another fabulous story from this talented author.

I have read every one of Leonie Mack’s books and loved them all. This sports romance is different from what I normally read. I have no interest in sport or in people who are involved in competitive sports- and yet! Leonie manages to engage my interest and make me love the hero and heroine as they work, train, compete and focus on their cycling performances - as well as fall in love.

Absolutely delightful.

I love sports romances and was so excited for my first cycling romance. It was interesting to read about Lori and Seb’s individual cycling journeys, and I loved the bit of fake dating. I was really looking forward to reading about their online relationship development, but it fell a bit flat for me. I wish there was more “show don’t tell”, since I didn’t feel much of the chemistry.

Overall, give this book a read if you like the following:
-sports romance
-forced proximity
-third act breakup

I had such high hopes going into this book, I enjoy a sports romance so much and thought a cycling romance would be so different to any other book that I’ve read.
While I loved the sport aspect the romance just fell short for me. I didn’t feel any chemistry between the main characters, I felt like Lori was just using Seb to get over her bad luck streak and that they were more friends than partners.

Thank you netgalley for the arc!

I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. I requested it because the title was quite funny and the plot seemed interesting and I can confirm it was such a fun and cute read. Even for someone who isn’t interested in bikes and cycling whatsoever.

Thank you to netgalley for providing this arc!

Unfortunately I decided to DNF at 18%. I was so excited to receive this arc as the cover was so cute and the blurb sounded so fun but I just didn't click with it the way I thought I would.

I liked the idea of the book as I was curious since it was different from the usual sports romances I've read, the cycling was a nice change from football, basketball or hockey and I was actually enjoying that aspect of the book. The writing style was ok, it was easy to read and follow which was nice as it wasn't hard to comprehend. The format change in some chapters in terms of messages being exchanges was a good addition to the story. From what I got from just less than 100 pages in the characters were decent, I didn't feel negatively towards them but also I didn't feel any attachment towards them or their story. I loved how it was easy to tell the Author was a Swiftie and as a folklore girlie I enjoyed that aspect along with the Barbie movie reference.

There was nothing glaringly bad about this book, I just didn't click with it. When I get nearly 100 pages in I at least want to feel drawn to picking the book up but I just had no desire to. I would recommend other readers to try it for a different sport romance as it had potential, I just don't think it was the book for me. Maybe I'll pick the book up again later and see if its right book, wrong time but for now I don't have any desire to continue or find out what happens.