Crash Test by Amy James is being pitched as Formula 1 meets Red, White & Royal Blue, but let’s be honest, that comparison might do it more harm than good. While this queer romance dives deep into the emotional fallout of a traumatic accident, it’s less slow-burn banter and more emotional aftermath, with a dose of behind-the-scenes F1 drama. If you’re expecting a romcom, you might want to pump the brakes. I picked it up after seeing Rachel Reid (author of Heated Rivalry) call it one of the best sports romances she’s ever read, and while I trust her taste, this one didn’t quite click for me the same way.
Disclosure: I received this book for free from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review. This post contains affiliate links. That means we receive a small commission at no cost to you from any purchases you make through these links.
Crash Test by Amy James
CONTEMPORARY ROMANCE
Standalone
July 1, 2025
Read this if you want:
- A queer sports romance that leans emotional over steamy
- A slow, introspective journey of healing and identity
What is Crash Test by Amy James really about?
On paper, this book has a hook: F1 golden boy Travis Keeping is having the season of his life, until a horrific crash lands his boyfriend Jacob in a coma, and Travis can’t even publicly grieve. Their relationship has been private, and Jacob’s parents want Travis far away. Cue emotional isolation, racing pressures, and a whole lot of unresolved heartbreak.
What follows is less about racing and more about holding on when everything feels like it’s falling apart. Travis is stuck trying to keep it together for his team, for himself, and for a boyfriend who may never wake up, or may wake up and push him away.
Does Crash Test by Amy James deliver the emotional and romantic payoff?
This is where things get a little complicated. If you’re coming in expecting a grand, sweeping romance… that’s not quite what this book is offering. The emotional tone leans heavy: grief, fear, loneliness. And stays that way for most of the book. It reminded me a bit of early 2010s trauma-porn romances, where the pain is front and center but the romance plays a quieter, background role in this one.
We’re told that Travis and Jacob are deeply in love, but beyond a few flashbacks, we don’t really see that connection bloom on the page. The romance is more of a remembered one, which can make it hard to fully root for them to find their way back to each other, especially when it felt a little too easily resolved after so much build-up.
What worked in Crash Test by Amy James?
Where the book shines is in the quieter moments and the world around Travis. F1 fans will appreciate the peek into the business side of racing, contracts, rivalries, F1 vs F2 and team politics, without it ever feeling like a technical info dump. And Travis, for all his reserved demeanor, isn’t alone. The people in his corner, especially his protective inner circle and even his boss, bring some warmth and light to an otherwise emotionally heavy story. I loved seeing he had someone on his side and would’ve loved to see more of that.
If you’re looking for a low-steam romance where the emotional focus is on healing and identity, with a slower, quieter narrative arc, this may resonate. Just know you’re getting more introspection than interaction, and more aftermath than build-up.
Final thoughts on Crash Test by Amy James
This isn’t a bad book, it’s just a mismarketed one. Comparing it to Red, White & Royal Blue sets up expectations it doesn’t try (or want) to meet. Crash Test is about heartbreak, personal growth, and the messy, sometimes unfair ways life throws obstacles at you when you least expect it. It might not be the romance some readers are looking for, but it’s trying to tell a different kind of love story, one about holding on, letting go, and finding your way forward.
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