Sexy, fast paced novel of 3 interconnected couples in the F1 racing world. Messy drama all around; entertaining and a fun read. Following all the storylines were a little tough for me at points, but I did enjoy the different POV’s.
This was my first time reading this author but definitely not my last.

Thank you to Montlake and Netgalley for the ARC of this novel; all opinions are my own.

This was a very soapy book set in the world of racing. I have absolutely no interest in racing but admit that international racing is more interesting simply by virtue of the locations. We go from Monte Carlo to Morocco to Japan and so forth.

The book opens on New Year's Eve when Cece finds husband Ethan cheating on her during the party. She takes off to find Luca, his former best friend and fellow race car driver. Drama ensues.

At the start of the book there is one couple and by the end of the book 7 characters are in relationships, a ratio that seems improbable. Each chapter is set on a race weekend and follows mainly Cece, Luca and Michela. We get Ethan, Liam and Brent's pov less often.

Even though we get several scenes of Cece/Ethan/Luca coming together in various groupings, which is fun, the reader is kept at a distance. We feel like many things occur 'off screen' so to speak. And a sub-plot featuring another racer's wife, Jocelyn, is whisper thin considering what rides upon it. More interesting is Michela's position as the only female driver on the grid. She, like Brent, is the child of a former racer, and has to deal with his ego and grasping for the spotlight, while being a mere 'girl' driver. Albeit a very talented one.

Michela and Liam are among the last to get together, break up soonest and are apart longest, but end up married in the end. It all strains credulity, especially since Michela had previously dated Liam's son, her fellow team mate, Brent.

It's a slight story, with a few naughty bits sprinkled in. The cotton candy of books. 3.5 stars

Faster by Andie J Christopher.

I was so glad I was able to read this. It reminded me of some of my first forays into romance, with the novels of Jackie Collins and Jilly cooper. And I mean that in the best way possible.

Wonderfully intertwined, the three romances worked so well with the backdrop of F1. It was deep, tangled and messy in all the best ways.

I thought this type of romance novel was dead, but I am so so glad to find it again in this.

Thank you for ressurecting this incredible way of telling stories.

This was depraved and dirty in all the ways I was hoping for. Every couple was ridiculous and red flags were waving everywhere. I had such a great time reading it. Andie J. Christopher never disappoints!

Thank you Net Galley for the early copy!

I adore Andi J Christopher. I ran across her books a few years ago by happenstance. The first book of hers I devoured. It was an audiobook and she’s been one of my go-to authors since. You’re going to love this book. It’s a 3-in-1 special. Thank you so much Andi for sharing your amazing talent with us mere mortals. 😊

I've read my fair share of F1 books, and I must say that this one felt the most realistic! The race weekends were described pretty accurately, which was nice.

In Faster, we follow 3 'couples', which did overwhelm me at some points. Genre-wise, this was almost set up like a sitcom, except it wasn't a comedy. Unfortunately, this meant that I didn't really feel the chemistry for every couple. I think a lot of the dating stage happened off-page, yet that is what I usually appreciate the most in books.

This was also the first time I ever read a romance about a throuple, which was an intestering new situation. found their relationship the most fleshed out, and while the polygamy was hard to grasp for me, the author made it seem very inevitable for them.

One small negative point is that I don't like how she described the Netherlands lol. The stereotyping of us as weed-smoking, trash-throwing racists felt a bit unnecessary, but I get that she needed a "villain". Speaking of villains, I was really confused that the WAG page was randomly brought up, and then mentioned as an afterthought later. I would have loved to read a little bit more about that mystery and how it was resolved.

Nevertheless, this was a fun read! I always love it when two of my hobbies intersect!! Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC.

Andie J. Christopher strikes again! Such a fantastic ride—it felt like being in the middle of the most entertaining soap opera possible. I was totally swept along and absorbed with the intertwined narratives, and the word I keep thinking of is “propulsive.”

Faster is a little soapy, a lot sexy and it's a perfect end of summer read. Taking cues from the bonkbuster greats like Jackie Collins, Andie J. Christopher celebrates autonomy and independence through 3 interconnected couples in the glamorous world of F1. I love what she's done to modernize the subgenre -- a woman F1 driver who's no stranger to podiums, a multi-cultural cast, and a throuple.

It's got everything you want in a summer read -- the drama, the beautiful backdrops and legit F1 racing chops. Andie's a fan, so you know the racing wasn't gonna fall by the wayside. If you loved Rivals on Hulu or came into F1 fandom through Drive to Survive, Faster is a must read. .

P.S. I finished Faster where I started -- Team Luca.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for this ARC!

So. So…SO. This book was amazing! Absolutely everything I wanted and more - there were some plot points I didn’t expect at all but they made the book that much better. I love the way the 3rd person is written from the perspectives of various characters (so you get both sides of all the relationships), each one unique in their own way and their lives intertwined. Without giving a spoiler, I appreciated the different types of relationships - lgbtq rep!!

My emotions were all over the place; I started off mad and vengeful (do it, Cece!), then excited for what came next, then in shambles, and finally ending relieved and happy. Sexy…sinful…sweet - all the boxes were being checked here. I also don’t know much about F1, so it was cool to learn some new terms and more about the racing world.

If you like romance with DRAMA and MESS, this is a must read. The HEAs were true to the characters as well, which I liked (yes, they still get happy endings!). And while Cece was my clear favorite, I think I want to be friends with all of them…even Brent? Maybe. 😂

This was my first time reading Andie J. Christopher and she did NOT disappoint. *race clap*

I am OBSESSED with this author and book! Sooooo good! I can't wait to read more from this author Thank you for the ARC!

I was not prepared for how hard this book would hit me. It’s smart, bold, and full of heart. It gave me the thrill of the race and the ache of falling for someone you maybe shouldn’t want. I loved every bit of it.

well well well that was very different from what I expected in a unique way. If you love messy drama like gossip girl esque drama then you must check this out. ofc I'm sure you'd enjoy it even more if you're a F1 fan.

there are three couples we focus on and they're all pretty amazing I'd say!

It might be for some people, but wasn’t my cup of tea.
I only got this book because I’m such a huge fan of Andries prior books, which are some of my faves.
With no background in the racing world it’s a little hard to follow.
Also starting the whole book with the cece love scene and then chapters later find out he’s in love with her husband was just not well done. I was out at threesomes.

Faster is SUCH A TREAT!! A certified Bonkbuster™️ with fast cars, scandals, tension, and HEAs! Anyone who loves the scandal of the recently adapted Rivals by Jilly Cooper, the drama of Drive to Survive, and a healthy dose of spice... this is the perfect book for you!

This was a ride! I wondered how three separate romances would come together in one book. But because they are in the same world, it worked. I loved seeing these stories overlap. I really enjoyed getting all of these tropes at once. There probably wasn't as much depth and development as you would typically want, but it was too much fun to let that matter.

This book is perfect for anyone who loves high drama, love-to-hate-them flawed MCs, and truly a whirlwind of chaos during a busy sport season. I think readers who like The Favorites by Layne Fargo will be drawn to the drama of this story too! There’s every type of relationship dynamic in these characters, they’re all a mess, and you’ll be racing through to see how they make it out in the end.

Constructive review: I found the story a bit disjointed at times, with the POVs switching making what seems like an inflection point feel rushed. The writing style wasn’t completely to my taste but I think other readers will enjoy it! Thank you to the publisher for the chance to read and review this ARC!

Faster is a high-drama dive into the world of F1, packed with messy relationships, ambition, and tension on and off the track. The setting really worked for me, and the multiple points of view gave a fuller picture of the characters and their tangled lives — though at times, the number of characters was a bit much to keep track of.

There’s definitely something interesting about the chaos, but a few of the romantic dynamics didn’t quite land for me, and some character choices felt less satisfying. Still, it was an entertaining read with lots going on, and if you like stories about flawed people making complicated choices in a fast-paced sport setting, it’s worth picking up.

Heat Index: 7.5/10.

—a good, old-fashioned bonkbuster

—Challengers vibes to the max

—"oh no my ex's dad is hot"

—local rakish dumbass gets stomped on by a take no prisoners woman, absolutely loves it

The Basics:

In the high stakes world of Formula 1, three intersecting relationships go off the deep end... In a big way.

When WAG Cece catches her husband Ethan cheating, the natural move is to get back at him by sleeping with his former best friend (and new teammate) Luca. But when Ethan finds out about their hookup, he's not... only.... angry...

Micaela is the only prominent female driver in the game, and it is in fact a game she's killing. Too bad she's been lusting after her boss Liam for quite some time—even when she was dating his son, Brent. Good thing Liam has NO! IDEA! Or does he?

Brent, general dumbass at large, is heading for a crash and burn OFF the track if he doesn't get his act together. The person for the job is straitlaced press manager Paola. But as it turns out, the best way to get Brent to listen is to do things like agree to go on totally platonic dates with him. Sure, Jan!

Three high-drama romances for the price of one? SAY LESS.

The Review:

A quick note on the term "bonkbuster", which is something I hadn't heard of in quite a long time. It's basically a subgenre of romance-leaning women's lit (or true romance) wherein there's glitz, glamor, craziness, and HEAT. It was popularized by Jackie Collins, and was picked up by authors like Judith Krantz and Danielle Steele. The concept of this book, aside from the Formula 1 of it all, essentially brings that back—though here, it is solidly and determinedly romance, with HEAs all around. Never fear!

I am... absolutely thrilled that Andie J. Christopher took this on. She needs to do more of this. I am BEGGING her to do more of this. Truly, she knocked it out of the park, and this is exactly the kind of vibe that I want from contemporaries in the future. ESPECIALLY contemporaries that take place in the luxe world of sports like Formula 1. I'm not against the books about richy-riches going to small towns and rediscovering themselves.

But right now, I'd rather have it all get a bit bonkers. Because people in these worlds do tend to be bonkers! This is a perfect combination of bonkers, genuine romance, and catty drama. And I'm so impressed that each of these three romance arcs, very much separate if intersecting, feels totally complete and realized. So... I'm gonna give each one a little mini review.

Brent and Paola's story is probably the tamest of the three, which you kind of need to balance out what's going on in the rest of the book. Christopher is pretty bold in designating not one, but two cheating bastards as heroes in her novel. Not that Brent cheats on Paola, to be clear—but we know from the jump that he was unfaithful to Micaela when they were together, and basically a failure of a boyfriend. And he doesn't super care, to be honest. He's a charming loser who would absolutely talk you into bed and never call, and his daddy issues are, well, pronounced.

It's basically up to Paola to manage him like she manages everyone else. But this isn't her "fixing" him. This is her throwing down a gauntlet, and Brent realizing that he needs to level up if he wants this woman to take him seriously. Because maybe, deep down, he knows that he's a deeply unserious man, and that can't be... everything he is. Their relationship is actually quite sweet, with a lot of rolling of the eyes from her and dogged pursuit from him, with a dash of that classic "man who is entirely dependent on his employee and would die without her because oops he's in love" flavor. Though, to be clear, Paola doesn't work for Brent—she works for his dad.

Which leads us to... Liam and Micaela. I really love ex's dad as a romance concept, but I find that it's often done in way that is just... sleazy. And yes, it's inherently sleazy, but I also want to feel like the hero actually wants the heroine and loves his child takes what they're doing seriously. Which is what this nails and wrings out for max angst.

It takes a minute for us to get Liam's POV, which is a brilliant choice. Because for the first chunk of the book, it's entirely possible that Micaela is just mooning over her ex's dad while feeling very bad about it. And the moment when she realizes that it's VERY mutual? The moment when you the reader realize it? It's such a sudden, out of the blue shocker that I did a little gasp. Like, I knew the book was going to go there, but it's just such a... dirty reveal in a way that shouldn't have shocked me. But dude, I was scandalized.

And Liam is actually a good guy who does think about what he's doing, and does agonize over it. So while it's super hot, there's also a real sense of Illicit Affairs Dot MP3 going on in the best possible. I mean, that's really The Vibe. I ate it up, and the final resolution is one for the books (I mean, it is in this book, so).

Finally, my favorite of the storylines—Cece bangs her husband's former bestie and finds out their relationship was once very [GASP] and they were ROOMMATES by way of Art and Patrick in Challengers. (To be clear, Christopher wrote this before Challengers came out. So really, she was just predicting the future.)

Again, I am so impressed that this book takes on the romance Third Rail—cheating. I personally love a good cheating book. This is exactly how it should be done. Never is Ethan let off the hook easily (it's important that this novel covers almost a year's worth of time) and the novel fully owns his douchebaggery. He's gotta learn, and he's gotta grow, I personally bought it. Part of this is also because frankly, Cece is just as messy as her man. Men. She's a lowkey wild, cutting woman who may not have been screwing around on Ethan—but she sure did know to run to Luca when Ethan made that move, hmm?

Luca is... a lot. He easily could've been the Sad Piner, but nah. This is a man who gets a taste and wants it all. Perhaps my favorite moment of the whole novel is Ethan Realizing Things, because it's just SUCH a dirtbag moment from Luca, and frankly one of the hottest things I've read in a while. They're both dirtbags, your honor, and I love them?

The relationship dynamics between these three are complex and messy and lived in, so that when certain lines get crossed (you know, the lines you wanted Challengers to cross) it feels completely natural. This is always where these three were headed. There is no other option for any of them. But also—it's the biggest possible they could embark on, and Luca and Ethan are both at the pinnacles of their careers.

All three of these storylines end on the perfect notes, but frankly, the way this one finished (lol, get it, racing and also sex) was PEAK diabolical romance mayhem. Like? What are you doing? Keep doing it!

The Sex:

I mean, obviously it's stupid hot. You get illicit plane hookups, illicit public bathroom hookups, illicit revenge sex, illicit servicing from your hot idiot, breakup sex (makeup sex), sad shower hookups when you Feel Like Pure Shit And Just Want Her Back. At the same time, it feels perfectly balanced with the narrative. This is a dramatic, hot book, but it hits its emotional core perfectly.

The Conclusion:

I mean, obviously I loved this. Seriously, this is the vibe we need to see more of. Give me mess! Give me imperfect people who nonetheless fall in love! Give me longing! Give me culmination! Give me DIFFICULT FEELINGS.

Anyway, preorder it ASAP.

Thanks to Montlake and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I would like to start by thanking netgalley for the arc of this book.

Who doesn't love drive to survive and F1? No one. That is the proper answer, and when I saw faster by Andie Christopher come up I knew I had to grab this book.

When F1 WAG Cece catches her F1 driver husband Ethan cheating on her on New Year's Eve she does what any self respecting well rounded woman would do, she runs to her husband's ex-best friend/arch nemesis alpha male Luca. Unfortunately for her both Ethan and Luca do not want to let her go and what conspires between the three of them can definitely rival the pace and speed on the track.

Micaela is the only female on the grid this year and her biggest problem. Falling for her ex-boyfriend's super hot dad/team principal. He is completely off-limits but that doesn't stop her from wanting more.

Press officer Paola's biggest problem is Brett who is a spoiled, play-boy and it's Paola's job to keep him in line. The best way bribe him with kisses of course.

Fasten your seatbelt because this is one bumpy ride.

I didn’t finish this book, unfortunately. I was intrigued by the description as a racing fan, but the writing felt discombobulated and I struggled to know who the characters were from the beginning. Perhaps it’s a sequel and I didn’t realize it? Either way, it wasn’t a good fit for me.