Cross the Line

What to expect:
🏎️ Formula 1 romance
🏎️ South Asian MMC and Black FMC
🏎️ Brothers best friend
🏎️ Chronic illness rep
🏎️ Macarons, racing and Bollywood references 🤩

Review:

Thanks so much to Pan MacMillan, NetGalley and Simone Soltani for the eARC, all opinions expressed are my own!

This book is a wonderful read set in the fast paced world of Formula 1, where the stakes are sky-high. Dev Anderson, a talented Formula 1 driver, faces a career-threatening crisis when a social media disaster tarnishes his reputation and jeopardizes his team's loyalty and sponsorship deals. The solution is to hire his best friends sister, but their chemistry is hard to deny!

What sets this novel apart is the magnetic chemistry between Dev and Willow, a recent graduate trying to break into the sports marketing industry. Soltani creates a forbidden romance filled with passion, with the tension between the characters driving the story, and keeps you hooked.

As the story unfolds, Soltani delves into the complexities of their characters. Dev's struggle to salvage his career while wrestling with his feelings for Willow is well portrayed. Willow, with her optimism and determination, creates such a heartwarming depiction, you’re desperately rooting for her. What sets this story apart is the chronic illness representation and the way Dev cares for Willow! Similarly, the south Asian representation made my heart happy, the Bollywood references truly made me giddy! 🤩

The story balances romance, sports drama, and family dynamics and showcases a strong and sweet love story.

I would definitely recommend! 💕

What happens when you’re a high profile F1 driver whose social media manager quits by telling the world you have an STD? You hire your best friends sister who’s looking for a job to fill the spot. Obviously ignoring the fact you’re both on the cusp of falling for each other.

Cross the Line follows Dev and Willow as they navigate putting his reputation back on the right line whilst ignoring their feeling for each other, trying to fight against a team that does not have Dev’s back and Willow managing her chronic illness.

A lovely read set in the world of F1, you’ll be hard pressed not to fall for Willow and Dev.

Thank you PanMacmillan and NetGalley for the ARC.

I've read a LOT of F1 romance books but this has to be the best one by far. Loved the two main characters and you can clearly tell the authors passion and love for F1 - it shone through the pages!! Very slow burn, angsty friends to lovers that I would recommend those who likes F1. I cannot wait for more stories from this author and will eagerly await for it!!

I’ve been wanting to read Cross the Line for months, ever since I first saw its cover, and when I saw it was available for request on Netgalley I smashed that request button faster than Dev’s lap times.

This F1 sports romance book was a delight to read; with a brothers best friend and boss/employee trope to give this sweet read some delicious tension Cross the Line was so easy to fall into. Dev Anderson needs an image makeover. After his last social media manager recked his image on her way out, Dev’s been hiding, but it’s time for him to shine. Willow Williams is the little sister of De’s best friend Oakley, and just so happens to be a recent graduate with a sports marketing degree, so when Dev offers her a temporary job, she can’t help but say yes, even if she’s been crushing on him since childhood. Spending so much time together is surely only going to deepen the feelings these two have for each other, but with Willow’s reputation and Oakley to think about, can the two make this work?

Cross the Line is the first F1 motorsport romance book I've read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The representation of chronic illness within was handled well and portrayed with grace. The sweet tension and build between Dev and Willow kept me hooked, especially reading from Dev’s POV which just showed how deeply he has fallen for Willow *chef’s kiss*. The thrill of racing was wrapped around each line giving this book an exciting pace that’s left me wanting more.

Cross the Line is a Formula 1 sports romance, following Dev whose social media manager leaves him in a bad situation where millions of people think he has an STD. Dev hires Willow to do social media and image damage control. Let’s say her brother is not too thrilled.

I loved how the chemistry was there from the start, it’s not a ‘will they won’t they’ romance, it’s a ‘when will they finally kiss?!’ romance .I enjoyed the fact that F1 actually plays a big part in the book and is not background to the relationship building, I think they were pretty equal. Personally I like it when it’s more balanced rather than the romance and spice taking over most of the attention, as there is more than the romance plot to the book.

I also liked the wedding chapters as that’s when things got really tende and secrets needed to come out, but also it was great to see the characters families, it really gave them extra depth. I liked how there was a lot of traditional Indian wedding elements to it, that were explained especially as the main characters aren’t white, Dev being half Indian and Willow being half black, and both of them belonging to the “awkward white dads club.”

Literally right at the end when you think everything is going well it suddenly all hangs on the line - and no it’s not a third act break up! It actually made me question if I am missing pages!

Overall, I found this book pretty fast paced and really enjoyable. I am giving Cross the Line by Simone Soltani 4.5 stars, and I am looking forward to what Simone writes next! I would recommend this book to people who enjoy sports romances, especially the likes of Throttled by Lauren Asher.

“My sunshine. My moon guiding me in the darkness. My Willow.”

‘Cross the Line’ is the first book in the ‘Lights Out’ and follows Willow (who’s a recent college graduate) and Dev (an F1 driver with a drive to place P1). Willow is Dev’s best friends little sister and while there’s history between the two, their romance begins to fully bloom after a fiasco causes Dev to hire Willow to manage his social media accounts.

Willow and Dev’s romance was so sweet - literally. Enough macarons were consumed in this book to go around the world twice (but I fully understand Willow’s sweet tooth). Dev is super charming and his intentions, despite having hid them from Willow for reasons the reader finds out later in the book, are very straightforward - he wants her and he’s not looking to play games with her or her feelings which I thought was so admirable. With all the Bollywood movie marathons, songs and the huge wedding that takes place, the cultural elements of this book was a personal highlight for me.

‘Cross the Line’ also touches on real life issues such as the racial micro-aggression Dev faces as a racer on a predominantly white team and in the sport. I also really appreciated the way Willow’s hypermobility was written. It doesn’t become her but also isn’t just glossed over and ignored.

I loved all the side characters - Oakley, Chava, Mark, Grace, Chantel, Dev’s parents and even the some of the drivers from the other teams like Reid and Zaid. I know the series will only have five books but I can see a potential story in all of them!

If you have you have surface level knowledge of F1 like myself, don’t feel like you can’t read this book. This book gets into all the sports action in a fun yet digestible way. I found myself cheesing when Dev finally took P1 like yes!

The epilogue was cute, a little cheesy sure but very true to them.

I’m ready and looking forward to the next installment in the ’Lights Out’ series!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC.

I really enjoyed this. It was such a fun book full of diverse characters and I loved learning more about Bollywood films and just how much goes into an Indian wedding!

I loved the chemistry between the two main characters, Willow and Dev, and the fact they are basically forbidden to be with each other for various reasons. Their relationship is sweet and believable with a few 🥵🌶 scenes added in as well.

I also really enjoyed the bts of what happens behind F1 racing (which I don't tend to watch, but this has made me re-think that) and it seems really high paced and exciting and obviously a lot more goes on than people realise!

The epilogue was slightly long and seemed to be more a part of the book but I was enjoying it anyway, so I was more surprised than annoyed by this. And I loved the little bonus scene.

4⭐

Thank you to Netgalley, Pan Macmillan and the author for the review copy, provided in exchange for an honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Pan McMillan for this arc!

This is the first F1 romance I’ve ever read and I’m so glad I did. I absolutely loved every single page of this book and my face hurts from smiling so much.
What I liked most about it was the diversity and illness rep. I think it’s super important to read about that in books because books are a great way of getting to know and experience different viewpoints.
The characters were very well-written. I think I even fell in love with Dev a little 🤭. I enjoyed how charming, funny and caring he was. He really was the definition of a sunshine character. Willow was amazing, too. I loved that she didn’t shy away from telling Dev what she wanted and how she made the best of her condition. Also, the chemistry and tension between them was perfect 🔥.
I didn’t want this book to end and I can’t wait to read more from Simone Soltani.

I definitely recommend this book if you like:
- poc/diverse characters
- joint hypermobility rep
- brother’s best friend/forbidden love
- F1
- sunshine characters
- she falls first, he falls harder

Brother’s best friend, F1 romance with a diverse cast and chronic illness rep. This book was such an enjoyable, lighthearted read. The main characters were lovable and their banter was the absolute best. The writing is amazing and the way the main characters described each other had me giddy. Dev Anderson is one amazing book boyfriend who will do anything and everything just to see his girl smile. I loved how we see F1 and the whole world of it and meet all the other drivers. Willow was a fantastic fmc; funny, strong, caring and supportive. This book had me smiling all the way through, if you’re looking for a fun read to get you back into reading or out of a slump it’s absolutely perfect!

Guys. I’m in shock. An F1 romance that I actually like? Wait no, love! From the get go, I was convinced that Soltani knew exactly what she was talking about. My problems with previous F1 books usually lie in the misogyny or misinformation, but this was incredibly well researched and written.

The characters were believable, Willow was such a wonderful main character and Dev was a perfect love interest. He reminded me a bit of Daniel Ricciardo, so of course I loved him. I also loved the little easter eggs and connections to the current F1 grid. The romance was well paced and I adored the racing content, it felt real and had me on the edge of my seat. All in all, this was so much fun. F1 and reading are two of my favourite things, I’m so glad I found this book.

A smash of a romance. This book had it all for me. There is the adrenaline of F1 and the behind the scenes clips of what really happens to make races work. There is the rivalry and fighting to keep on a F1 team and winning. There is the romance and deception and all of this is wrapped with a huge, loud, and flashing Indian wedding. The many threads are carefully woven together and both Dev and Willow come across as real and sentient and deserving of their HEA.

I would like to thank the author, the publisher and NetGalley for this arc.

I’ll start by saying that I absolutely loved diving into the world of F1 which was completely unfamiliar to me before I read this book. I can’t speak to how authentically the author portrayed the sport but I do feel like I learned a great deal about. I also loved how she gave Dev a height that was realistic for an F1 driver, for some reason that really stuck out to me.

Now talking about our main characters, I absolutely loved Dev!! He’s sense of humor was stellar and he actually had me laughing out loud from time to time. Willow was also fantastic main character and I enjoyed how both of them were simultaneously experiencing periods of growth in their respective lives. The author does a great job at showing them as individuals who are finding themselves while building a relationship with each other.

With that said the story was a slow burn and I do believe that it could have been paced a bit better because it felt like it dragged toward the end.

I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a fun read, with extensive representation, and for fans of F1.

I absolutely adored this book and it definitely lived up to its expectations.
I am a huge fan of formula 1 and definitely felt like this was a great representation of that world. Additionally, the development of both characters was amazing and I absolutely loved their back and forth throughout as it made me laugh out loud several times.

Brother’s best friend, F1 romance with a diverse cast and chronic illness rep. This book was such an enjoyable, lighthearted read. The main characters were lovable and their banter was the absolute best. The writing is amazing and the way the main characters described each other had me giddy. Dev Anderson is one amazing book boyfriend who will do anything and everything just to see his girl smile. I loved how we see F1 and the whole world of it and meet all the other drivers. Willow was a fantastic fmc; funny, strong, caring and supportive. This book had me smiling all the way through, if you’re looking for a fun read to get you back into reading or out of a slump it’s absolutely perfect!

Thank you to NetGalley and Simone Soltani for this ARC.
I loved this book. I read it in one sitting. A perfec mix of romance and Formula 1. All the pining and the tension was perfect. And the resolution for the main couple was incredible. Can’t wait to read more from this author.

Cross the line by Simone Soltani 

This is a brother's best friend F1 romance, and my first F1 romance at that. 
This story features Formula 1 driver Dev Anderson and Willow Williams recent media graduate. Dev is struggling with his image after a run-in with his old social media team, and Willow is struggling to get any job with a sports team. They realise the answers to each other's problems, however, there is one catch... They have to be professional regardless of the crazy chemistry between them. 

This book is lovely, the romance feels well-paced and not rushed. You also get to travel the world with the pair and fall more in love with what makes them special. Dev is so lovable, he is kind, funny and obviously extremely dedicated to the sport. However, this book is very much a she falls first HE FALLS HARDER which I absolutely loved. 

Willow is wonderful. This is a golden retriever x golden retriever, and although this is not usually what I would go for I really enjoyed it. They were both kind with each other's feelings.  The smut was amazing and did not overcompensate the plot. 

All in al, this was a very well-written sports romance and I am so happy it was my first F1 romance.

Thank you to Pan Macmillian, Bookbreakuk and Netgalley for this ARC to read.

I'm loving the F1 romances recently, so I was very excited to read this ARC. I was especially interested in this book because how diverse the cast was, and I think the book is done so well, the writing is fantastic.

What to expect:

Diverse heritage characters
🏎 South East Asian culture ref
🏎 Hypermobilty rep
🏎 F1 romance
🏎 Brothers Best Friend/Forbidden romance
🏎 Workplace romance
🏎 She falls first/he falls harder

Firstly as a girl of hypermobilty myself, I was so thrilled to read a book that represents a small group of adults that carry the illness on to adulthood. Even though my condition is so minor compared to Willows, the same rules apply. Trying to look after my body is super hard and I'm so glad it's highlighted here. The illness didn't rule Willow, she took measures to prevent injury, but the writer didn't gloss over the illness either.

I loved learning more about southern Asian cultures, and Devs love for Bollywood films as his comfort is so wholesome. I loved Oakley and Devs friendship group, the support the boys had for each other was so lovely, it was nice to read about a non toxic group of guys supporting each other.
The book touched on racist micro aggressions the Dev had to face in a nearly all white American sports team, and I think it is done amazingly well. To highlight that the actions to not have to be loud but little everyday slights, that can have a huge impact.

The best bit about this book was no 3rd act breakup! We had the slow burn in the beginning, and I'm so glad the book was written this way. It did initially start off a little slow for me bit the second half of the book I read in one sitting.
Definitely one of the best F1 romances I've read, it's nice to read about a F1 character that isn't toxic.

Highly recommend this has a multi dimensional sports romance, with alot of representation and issues throughout the book that are handled so well.

4.25/4.5 stars!

I'll be sharing on my Instagram very soon!

ADORABLE. Willow and dev's relationship was the sweetest thing. This was such a fun book!

This book had me completely hooked from the very beginning! I'm not a huge F1 fan, and this was easy to understand for someone who has never watched it before. I have always loved the brother's best friend trope but this book took it one step further by making Dev the second best friend that Willow has fallen for, which made it even better. I was seriously giggling and kicking my feet the entire time!

This story was so warm and cute! I really liked the writing style of this debut novel. It was very smoothly written, there were no big dramas that felt forced, but it all fit perfectly in the plot. It was also hilarious in parts. I laughed, loved, and I was excited to see how the friends to lovers romance would evolve.

The romance was build up really believable, and I was rooting for our couple from the first pages. If you love cliché romance sentences, you've hit the jackpot with this book - in the best sense. It's got everything.
Dev was such a green flag guy, with drive and ambition. And I loved that our FMC Willow was such a relatable disability rep who worked smartly for her goals.
A big plus was the fact that the book didn't have a third act break up and all the contrived drama that goes with it.
A main theme in this book was the friendship between Dev and his friends, including his best friend which also is Willows brother and how the dynamics would shift while getting older and becoming romantically involved.

It was also interesting to see into the world of Formula 1, including all the build up to the races, the team intern structures and beyond.
This provided a good subplot that perfectly complemented the main romance plot.

A perfect feelgood book. Would love to read another one in this universe, maybe with another driver?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I’ve been an f1 girl since I was a kid and for most of my life my weekend plans have revolved around: is it racing season? is there a grand prix this weekend? so, you can imagine the squeal of excitement that escaped me when I came across cross the line - a book that merges both my love of f1 and reading into one sweet romance novel.

Don’t get me wrong, I know there are other f1 romances out there but I’m going to be honest - I’ve tried a few and found them lacking. However, I am like Lewis Hamilton chasing that 8th championship - I will find one I love.

Cross the Line is one I looooooove.

This book is everything I’ve wanted from an f1 romance. Simone Saltani has created an amazing story within the f1 world that works which is so hard to do. The romance is hot and sweet (on to that in a minute) but firstly, as a fan of the sport, the f1 plot is just so fun and believable! I loved all the team politics, the other drivers that factor in and the way Saltani was not afraid to criticise the less savoury areas of the sport and tackle the racism prevalent within the sports system head on. Interweaving it with a more simple boy next door narrative helped me not hate the characters as sometimes can happen whenever I read something set in a world with obscene wealth and I felt like whenever they went home to San Diego, I was taking a breather with them from the fast paced glam of f1. Alongside that, Soltani knows her shit. The race descriptions and strategy discussions were all so well written and plucked straight out of a team radio.

The romance was so lovely and well paced. I adored all the pining and the flirting and the open conversations the characters had throughout. The steamy moments were well timed and considerate of both characters. I am also a lover of books no third act break ups (I get so anxious when I get to the point in romance books when they’re together and there’s still fifty pages left) and because of the communication between the characters, this was an easy relationship to love.

Both characters were so well written in their own rights and I literally had to put the book down in frustration at some points because I got so attached to Dev’s racing career. Willow’s motivations were also so well crafted and her chronic illness, how she handled it and how others around her (including Dev) supported her with it was a nice touch. I also loved that Dev’s culture was explored and not just stated with his sister’s wedding and his love of Bollywood movies.

I just need more f1 romances by Simone Saltani faster than a Red Bull on race day.

OMG!!! literally found my new comfort book. this was most probably one of the best representation of a south asian(indian) and i'm literally so happy that i can literally get the references right and also don't have to translate because i know what it alr means. i literally had the time of my life reading this book. INDIAN GIRLS WE WON!!

if you're looking for a cute n spicy romcom w/ tropes like brother's bestfriend, sports romance, she fell first he fell harder, workplace environment, boy obsessed, childhood friends, girl next door this is the BOOK for you so go pick it up

DON'T NEED TO ASK HE'S A SMOOTH OPERATORR SMOOTH OPERATOR i believe that he is the carlos sainz of the bookworld. i adore this man. i simply cann;t explain in words how him calling willow jaanu changed THE TRAJECTORY OF MY LIFE🤰. if my @future doesn't act like him i don't want him. he is the husband i need like the references of srk and boy do i love how he's literally obsessed w/ bollywood movies like OOOOMYGOOOD(kal ho naa ho is literally his comfort movie like pls marry me ASAP). man did everything right, from appreciating his girl, to bringing her comfort food, giving her the biggest hugs ever known to mankind, also he's so jealous i love it, makes her laugh, also SOOO HOT WHEN HE USES HIS MOUTH(iykyk), he's vulnerable to her and only her and makes his feeling clear to her everytime like my boys shows literally all of the 5 love languages. he's DA BEST

SHE'S A GIRL'S GIRL MY HONOR i believe that every bookgirl named willow is the cutest & the purest soul to exist in this world💗 she was literally so charming with her wit like girl had me chokehold i was so interested in her and her monologues. i love that she cares about the tiniest things and how she's just like me fr being scared for the future and being the little sister<3 stress-baking she's in fact my soul sister. my my it's like she the pehla nasha (means the first high) - i could never truly ever get over her.

i love the side character, from oakely to mark to chava to grace to chantal to neha aunty literally everyone of them were so perfect and the indian weddings the whole event description and yes infact our weddings are literally the longest and the BEST. i love our traditions and the outfits and everything - it's a festive time, the chaos is unreal and yes our aunties gossip loud. loud enough so YOU CAN HEAR THEM GOOD!! also love how neha aunty made indian food made me crave meri mom ki daal roti sabji<3

my precious pookies 🩹💌their relationship is so flawless like i can't describe my love for them how hard i shipped them. it's is literally nerve wracking how much i wanted them to be together and how i invested i am in them.they understood each other so well like god i miss them alr, the big hugs, the movie marthons, the cuddlesm, the steamy stuff omg everything JUST WOOWWW. they are my #OTP

MY FAV QUOTES:

"the one when Dev pulled me to him for the sweatiest, hottest (temperature-wise), tightest hug after the race.And the way he cupped my face like it was the most natural move? Like he didn’t care who was watching? Like I was the only one in the entire garage? Yeah."- my BABIES THEY'RE JUST SO PERFECT <333

‘You wanna eat these with me? Or are you going to be a tattletale? Because snitches don’t get macarons.’ I hold up my pinky. ‘I promise, no snitching.’ - he brings her the cupcakes she mentioned one time and her remembers and literally brings it every time he can & also the teasing ahhhh i love themmm<3

"I pelted him with gummy bears when he belted out ‘Ajab Si’ like I was the one he was confessing his feelings for. "- aakho mai teri ajab si ajab si adai hai mera dil le gye iss toh ye kam se i'm toh done for (hindi)

"She did all of that before she knew whether I’d even be interested? ‘You listened to every episode?’ " - literally, this is one of the hundredth time of him just appreciating it I'M IN LOVEEE ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE

‘You’re obviously uncomfortable. We can leave right now. I’ll call Mark on our way so he can be ready to work on your—’ - HE LITERALLY IS SO PROTECTIVE OF HER LIKE MY MAN GETS IT🎀

Thank you, NetGalley & the publisher, for approving me to read this arc and write this review.

Gah, this book! It was SO GOOD! So im not an F1 fan per sé but i do usually like books in the F1 setting and this one did not disappoint! The storyline was so good, the story and the characters were all so well-written, the interactions, the developments, just everything was spot on. Definitely recommend!

I just want to know how I can get my own Dev….

Thanks for the arc
This book was one of the most anticipated for me in terms of sport romance

In this book you have
🏁 Dual POV
🏁 No 3 act breakup
🏁 Brother’s Best Friend
🏁 Sunshine x Sunshine
🏁 She falls first but he falls harder
🏁Chronic Illness rep

Dev and Willow are just adorable.
She’s had a crush on Dev since she was a small kid. They pretty been in each others lives forever.
Something happens one night but they can’t really act on their feelings because of Willow’s brother.
But then she ends up working for him and did I mention he buys 200 macaroons just because she loves them.
He loves Bollywood movies and it’s his way to calm down and she watches them with him when he’s having a bad day.
He’s the only one that doesn’t treat her differently just because of her chronic illness.
And he kinda have a soft spot for his girl especially when she’s wearing sundresses 😂😍

5 stars!
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Thank you to Pan Macmillan, Simone Soltani and Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!
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I'm going to be honest and say that there was not a single thing that I didn't like about this book, it basically played out like a movie in my head the entire time. From the plot, to the characters, to all the minor details, i loved it all.
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I'm not usually one for epilogues / bonus chapters because they can feel like last minute ideas, but not in this book, all the writing was so cohesive and consistent.
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Simone Soltani may just be my new auto-buy author lol

Willow and Dev are written in the stars.

An F1 romance with the brothers best friend. With no F1 race this weekend it was a perfect little read.

I loved the romance and I really appreciated they were friends first even if Willow fancied Dev for most of her life lol.

The friend and family dynamics were wholesome. Oakley is definitely a protective older brother and that's the root of most of the drama in the book as they are both too scared to admit how they feel.

I loved the wedding and the references to Bollywood movies (funnily enough I had listened a podcast episode about the history of Bollywood last week so I got some of the references were)

The F1 drama was real and the twist at the end made me so sad. I wanted to know what happened and if everyone is okay in book 2.

It's definitely worth a read and I had high expectations because I had seen so much of this book before I got approved to read it.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher✨

*4.5
A captivating debut novel in the realm of F1 romance, this book offers a perfect blend of compelling storytelling and well-developed characters. Dev and Willow's mature relationship, marked by open communication, stands out amidst the narrative. Both characters are multifaceted, with ambitions and depth that add richness to the story. The absence of a typical third-act breakup is refreshing, emphasizing the couple's clear intentions and ongoing dialogue. Overall, I highly recommend this for fans of romance and F1 enthusiasts alike.

I loved this - I struggle to find F1 romances that hit the spot. Most of them overexplain the sport to the point where it's a commentary and not fiction. But Simone Soltani has found the perfect balance. The romance was wonderful, very Danny Ric coded but I won't complain about that! Dev was a wonderful MMC, and I enjoyed the disability rep with Willow's character. Overall a great F1 romance, and I need a companion novel NOW after that epilogue!