Review: Fast & Reckless by Amanda Weaver

Race into a sexy New Adult romance, set in the fast-paced world of Formula One. These friends-to-lovers are about to fall . . . fast and reckless.

He’s the one man she can’t have . . .

FAST & RECKLESS by AMANDA WEAVER

Series: n/a

Publication date: September 10, 2024

Published by: Zando, Slowburn

Genre: contemporary romance

 

SYNOPSIS

Mira Wentworth knows Will Hawley is trouble. Even if he revs her engine, flirting with the handsome new driver on her father’s Formula One team is not in the cards. Mira has sworn off on-track romance after a mistake as a teen cost her everything. Now she has a chance to win back her spot in F1 as a team assistant, and she's not going to let one cheeky, bad boy driver get in her way.

She’s the one woman he wants . . .

After his party boy antics nearly blew up his racing career, Will is finally back in the driver’s seat and determined to get onto the podium. He likes to think he’s reformed, but with one look at the boss’ daughter, he’s willing to risk it all.

As the heat builds between Mira and Will, their chemistry deepens into something more. But when the ugly events of the past come to call, their fragile new relationship is put to the test. Can Mira and Will’s love cross the finish line?

Purchase your copy now!

Amazon |  B&N | Kobo

Praise for Fast and Reckless:

“Weaver delivers a smart, sexy romance perfectly paired with the high-octane world of Formula One. Whether you’re already a fan of the sport or just getting up to speed, Mira and Will’s story is not to be missed!” ―Grace Reilly, USA TODAY bestselling author of First Down

“Amanda Weaver burns up the pages in Fast & Reckless, a gripping, sexy story between F1’s bad boy driver and a straightlaced assistant trying to outrace her past. With an exciting peek into the world of Formula One racing and the angst of forbidden romance, I could not turn the pages fast enough!” ―Liana De la Rosa, author of Ana María and the Fox

“Fast & Reckless is a high-octane forbidden love story, playing out on the global stage of Formula One racing. The heartfelt romance is enhanced by the glittering locations and adrenaline-filled moments of speed and danger.” ―Adele Buck, author of Fake Flame

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Amanda has loved romance since she read that very first Kathleen E. Woodiwiss novel at fifteen. After a long detour into a career as a costume designer in theatre, she’s found her way back to romance, this time as a writer.

A native Floridian, Amanda transplanted to New York City many years ago and now considers Brooklyn home, along with her husband, daughter, two cats, and nowhere near enough space.

Follow her:

Website | Goodreads | X | Facebook | Instagram

REVIEW

Fast & Reckless: A Racing Hearts Novel by Amanda Weaver
My rating: 4.5 of 5 stars

   He could feel it happening, like something 

locking into place in his heart. He was 

falling for this girl like he’d fallen for 

racing: hard, fast, and irrevocably.

This book appealed to me because of the Formula one setting. I have read very, very few romances with this as a backdrop (only 3 come to mind!) so I was looking forward to something a little outside of my norm. This is also my first read by this author, so of course I had no idea whether or not I would connect with her writing style. I'm happy to report that I really enjoyed Amanda Weaver's writing-most especially her attention to detail in describing the racing world. You really get a behind the scenes look at not only some of what a driver experiences, but the support team including engineers, assistants, and principal. I don't watch racing, so it was great to learn a little bit more about this competitive field. You can really tell when an author takes the time to put in extensive research and it's glaringly obvious Amanda Weaver took that aspect very seriously. Kudos to her for bringing the characters and setting to life so brilliantly.

This book has a strong forbidden romance theme from both the male and female leads' side. Will is the new driver for Mira's father's team and he is determined to prove that his disastrous party boy ways are in his past. His reputation is still in tatters after he let fame get to his head and acted unprofessionally his first time as a driver.

   Will was the wild card, the hotheaded 

bad boy, the flashy angle they’d use 

to sell their stories.

He wants to redeem himself in the media and prove to his new boss that he made the right choice taking a chance on him. Getting involved with his boss' daughter is the last thing that would achieve that. On Mira's side, she has a lot to prove as well. She got involved with a driver from another team which caused a lot of damage to her father's team after a scandal broke out. Now both Mira and Will are looking for redemption-the absolute last thing they are looking for is an ill-advised attraction. I enjoyed this forbidden theme quite a bit, it added some tension and anticipation. There was also a sense of foreboding as they got closer to giving into their feelings because you know everything is going to blow up in their faces quite spectacularly. It's pretty much inevitable.

   Well, that extremely inconvenient blast of 

physical attraction was going straight into 

a trunk, padlocked, and dumped into the 

depths of the ocean, because there was 

no way. Not ever. He was one thousand 

percent off-limits for a million 

different reasons.

Mira and Will both have their own individual struggles causing internal conflicts. Mira feels a deep sense of shame over her past foolish involvement with a man who used her horribly and ruined her reputation. She was a rebellious teenager who made a stupid decision and that choice almost destroyed her father's team as well as her own chance at a career in Formula 1. The man from her past is still around, and never fails to taunt her with her personal demons. Will is struggling to prove to the media as well as his team that his head is 100% focused on winning. More than that, he wants to become a success to finally make his snobby parents proud. He was always a disappointment to them for not joining the family banking business, and their approval is never within reach. I do wish this conflict was explored as much as Mira's was, but that's nitpicking if I'm being honest.

Mira and her father's relationship is damaged, but slowly, gradually, they begin to work their way back to a stronger place. There is a definite lack of communication between the two that has led to some hurt feelings and misunderstandings over her past mistakes. Mira is upset that her father seemingly judges her bad decisions and that there is still distrust on his side that she can be responsible. He is not the most expressive, open person so there is a bit of a wall between them. Their fragile relationship added another layer to the forbidden romance between Will and Mira because she did not want her actions to ever negatively impact her father again.

I thoroughly enjoyed this one and would definitely read another by this author in the future. Even if you're not a fan of Formula 1, there is a lot to appreciate with this romance and I'm sure you will find the detailed racing world immersive. There were hints that one of the secondary characters named Violet will be getting her own story told next, and I'm fully on board for continuing on with the series with that installment.

FOLLOW SMOKIN HOT BOOK BLOG ON:

View all my reviews