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.