Reviews

Cross the Line by Simone Soltani

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uwa_1's review

adventurous funny hopeful informative lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

4/5 ⭐

You know those books where you keep on scrolling even though it says 'the end' because you can't believe it's over? This was that kind of book.

I was hooked from beginning to end thanks to the characters who were hilarious!

The FMC, Willow, oh my dear relatable girl in her twenties, fresh from uni and getting rejection letters from jobs (I feel you) was a sunshine character through and through. Determined, unwilling to back down in the face of injustice, fighting for Dev, for them and herself. I was ecstatic when she found her footing in what she wanted to do later in the book. She will forever be in my heart.

The MMC, Dev (I need him in my life fr 😭😭😭) was literally the sweetest person. Ambitious for his career, and hardworking in a place that wanted to crush his spirit but didn't let him. Considerate, knew Willow and her limits, respecting her in every way. Also has superior taste in old Bollywood movies.

Their connection was everything! Built over years of trust and mutual understanding, and a lot of tension, it was inevitable. This is a lesson to COMMUNICATE! 📢📢📢 I think it's loud enough. Reveal your true selves with people you trust.

And lastly, the side characters. Every time Chava came on-page I would swoon because, he was funny and fine. Also a good wingman. Not as great as Mark, but he'll do.

Thank you so much @simonesoltani for giving me this arc to read. it was an absolute blast and I for one cannot wait for your future work.

Congratulations on releasing CROSS THE LINE! And for introducing me to F1. I will now try to watch races ❤

End of ARC REVIEW

TROPES:

🏎Friends-to-lovers
🏎Workplace romance
🏎Sports romance (F1)
🏎Brothers best friend
🏎Golden retriever MMC
🏎FMC with chronic illness
🏎Diverse characters (Black FMC, South Asian MMC)
🏎No third-act breakup
🏎HEA

bookwormbullet's review

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emotional funny lighthearted relaxing slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

hanreads__'s review

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DNF @ 62%.

I love what Simone is doing with this book and I truly think she’s a wonderful writer. I love the diversity, I love the plot, but when it comes to the pacing, it’s just too slow for me.

I find myself constantly forcing myself to read the book, and it’s put me in a slump in all honesty. The book itself started to pick up around 52%, but even then it was a ton of repetition about them being off-limits, and why they were, I felt as though the reader was being reminded constantly about something that was easy to remember. I’m not saying a book needs to have spicy scenes or something taking place constantly, but when someone is struggling to feel the angst and tension between the two main characters? That’s where the issue lies for me.

I feel terrible because I think she’s going to do wonders with this book, but not every book can be for everyone. So please, if you read this review, do not let it discourage you from reading her work. I am sure someone will love this book in a way that I couldn’t.

Thank you to Simone for allowing me the chance to read this ARC, and I’m sorry I’ve let you down.

Content Warnings

ohheylila's review

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adventurous funny lighthearted medium-paced

Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes

5.0

F1 driver + social media queen?! I NEEDED TO READ THIS!!!

Dev and Willow’s love story was filled with adrenaline, angst, and super sweet moments tucked into the chaos of F1. Both characters were easy to fall in love with, Willow especially. I loved everything about her, from her tenacity to go after what she wants to the obsession with macarons! Reading her come into her own throughout the book was what kept me coming back for more!! The representation of her chronic illness didn’t feel forced, instead it was such a real a raw insight. I want more Willow content!!!!!!!

Dev is hot, that’s all I have to say. Case closed, I loved him!!! The angst and history was the perfect level of YUM.

The sports and social media management storylines were beautifully written and captivating. If you’re new to F1 or don’t understand it well, Simone does a beautiful job of making everything easy to understand. Other topics such as being a person of color and almost needing to “prove” something in the workplace hit home in a way I haven’t yet read before. When books make me reflect on my own life experiences this way, I think room for growth and healing is huge here. That’s why I love to read 🙂

I am so so happy to have received this ARC and I am excited to get a physical copy to annotate with all my lil giggles and squeals when it releases!

jessthemessreads's review

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funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

5.0

mapage's review

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lighthearted slow-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? It's complicated
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? N/A

3.75

emmasdeaf's review

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4.0

4/5☆

So, I was super excited for this book to come out. Because it is about Formula 1, and I loved the cover a lot, and than I got an email that I got the fking arc!!
It is my first arc ever, so I was super happy hehe.

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If you love Formula 1/sportromance,and macarons + Bollywood references, you should definitely read this masterpiece. [Comes out soon (follow @simonesoltani on instagram for updates)]

Tropes
- Childhood friends/crush
- Brothers bestfriend
- She falls first, he falls harder
- Worklplace
- Secret/forbidden
- Childhood neighbours
- Sunshine x Sunshine

Review with spoilers;

I loved this book sooo much, I read the first half so fast. But then my schoolstress came so i took a bit longer to finish it. But it is literally so so good. The writing is easy and beautiful to read, there is also no third act break up (so happy, because sometimes third act breakups are so dumb lmao.).
This book talked about having a chronic illness, I don't remember what it was exactly called, but Willow the maincharacter could easlily get her bones broken. And the book talked about that, and how she went through her childhood with that, and things she couldn't do even if she loved it.
But the book also talked about stopping with something(in this case F1). Because Oakley (brother of Willow) also did motorsport in F3, but stopped after seeing an accident and also because of the extreme diet. Because he didn't want to put his life to danger. And I think that is kinda intresting to see, because not in a lot of books that I read, I see people stop, so this was refreshing kind of.

Anyway lets talk about the story now :).
Willow and Dev were so fking cute together, and just fr made for each other. Probably also because they know eachother since they were kids, because they were neighbours. Dev is also her brothers bestfriend. They never hurted one anohter and just always lit up when they saw the other just exsiting. I loved their little movie dates
, of Bollywood films, but also just them spending time together and being happy with eahother. And ofcourse the picnic was cute asf too.

"I've played the clown so that I can watch her face light up. So I can witness those deep dimples appearing like little craters in the moon. And what's more beauitful than the moon? Nothing. Except for Willow."

I love macarons, and Dev literally bought 200 macarons for Willow, like pls give me a chance Dev.
Also how at the end he put the ring between two macarons was so cute, because Willow is obsessed with them hehe. Also how Willow still has that elephant Ellie that Dev won for her in a carnival thingy, so cute how Dev put them to bed.

To be honest, they both just cared so much for eachother, and really are in love. She maybe fell first but he fell harder fr. Everyone knew she had something for him, so Dev must be blind fr lmao.
He may be blind, but he does speak 5 languages (hot).

I LOVED Willow her two friends Grace and Chantal, they were just so fking funny and they did really care for Willow. Same for Dev his friends, Chava and Mark. First I was kind of suspicious of Mark, but at the end I think I loved him the most lmao. Also both Chava and Mark were so funny lol. Or Chava is the funny one and Mark is the hot one hehe. I liked how Oakley didn't get mad at them for being together, like he really is a good brother, and I felt sad because of him thinking it was his fault for not defending Willow to Jermey. But tbh Jermey is just a piece of trash, and the friends that took his side too, I'm happy they are not bonded with them anymore. Oakley really is a good brother and friend, and he wasn't that overprotective brother like in other books, where they are too overprotective yk, he knew Willow was a human of her own and could make decisions on her own, so I really loved that about Oakley. Their little knock system on the door was also so cute tbh.
I also sensed something between Oakley and Dev his sister, from the beginning.
LovedDev his mom a lot, lmao she knew everything, love her.

It was also very reletable in the beginning, when Willow was like searching for a job.
Especially because I'm in the same boat atm, by going to my first year of college and stuff.
But Willow really is a fking smart person and I am happy she still get to do something she loved.
Thank you Reid for giving her a chance, and also for being hot :). And ofcourse it was also thanks to Willow, that Dev his reputation became good again :).

Fking hated Buck and Nathaniel, sometimes I thought that Nathaniel could be a better person, if he left his dad, but that is probably not going to happen soon. I hated especially the part where Dev was racing so fking good, and then he got told to retire the car, like wtf. Nothing was wrong with the car bro, like Buck is so insecure fr. I was literally hoping Dev could go to another team, and he got to. He is literally in the team with his Idol Zaid, like that's so amazing. Now even in Zaid his seat, because of his injury.
Also I do feel sad for Lorenzo, it also kinda reminds me of Santiago from the Dirty Air series.

But fr the title of the book 'Çross the Line' makes sense, but not for Dev and Willow crossing a line, no. It makes sense because Buck literally crossed so many shitty lines.

"Everything else in the world falls away. All the bullshit. All the drama. All the worry. It's gone, and all I know is her. My sunshine. My moon guiding me in the darkness. My Willow."
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I am so excited for this book to come out, also because I am in my F1 era.
I NEED IT RN

08-09 I RECEIVED AN ARC OMG CANT WAIT TO READ IT

natslibrary's review

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5.0

If I could give this a million stars, I most definitely would! Formula One romances are my guilty pleasure and this filled my heart with so much jo, I feel like I’m on cloud nine.

If you love friends to lovers, brother’s best friend, sports romance and no third act breakups then this is definitely the book for you. The writing was so beautiful and the story flow was so easy to follow that it made it so difficult to put it down. It explored so many beautiful and different things without making them feel forced.

Willow was an absolute sweetheart and there was no way anyone could ever hate her. She was considerate, thoughtfu, kind and so funny. Dev was a gem, quickly making his way into my top three best book boyfriends! He loves fiercely, has a big heart and honestly he was just perfect - blowing my standards once again out of this world. I loved their journey so much that I didn’t want it to end.

It’s a must read for me! 10000% recommended! And lastly, thank you so much to the author for the opportunity of getting an ARC for an honest review.

natsbookshelves's review

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emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

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 eight st 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 faved 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.

addiesbookshelf_'s review

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emotional funny hopeful lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? No

4.5

I’ve been accused of being a romantic. A sap. But how could I be anything different? I grew up on Bollywood movies with men spinning around in fields of flowers, singing about how the girl they love is more beautiful than every daisy, rose, and tulip in the world. How the fuck am I not supposed to tell Willow that she’s brighter than all the stars in the sky? How can I look at her and say you look nice, when I want to scream from a snow-covered mountaintop that just the sound of her voice could raise me from my grave?

Okay, I LOVED this book. I was sold from the beginning on the premise: a Bollywood-loving, race car driving MMC and a tiny spitfire FMC (who also has chronic joint issues)? Sign me up.

The tension between the two of them was palpable from the beginning with how it was set up, and it never. let. up. I was completely invested in Dev and Willow’s love story, and loved how it all come together.

Dev was my absolute favorite. I loved how obsessed he was with Willow and what good care of her he took. Not only did he buy her a million macarons cause he know she liked them, but he also drew a bath for her when he know she was having a bad pain day, and also just treated her generally with such care while never baby-ing her or thinking she couldn't do something.

Because we did spend so much time with him, though, I do feel like we didn't het to know Willow as well, which is too bad because I really liked her.

I also honestly feel like we could haveused one or two more spicy scenes for the plot (no, for real!).

But all in all, a new obsession for me. Go read this book ASAP!

Thank you to the author for providing an e-arc of this book for review.

Content Warnings

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