Slipstream (Volume 1) - Softcover

Maril, Madge

Softcover

ISBN 10: 1668098776 ISBN 13: 9781668098776

Verlag: Simon & Schuster, 2025

Inhaltsangabe

“A whip-smart documentarian. A hunky driver. A circuit of glamorous global races...From the word ‘go,’ Slipstream paints a vivid picture of the high-stakes world of Formula 1 racing.” —Women’s Health

In the high-speed world of Formula 1, documentarian Lilah teams up with racing driver Arthur Bianco for a whirlwind of revenge—and perhaps something more.

Lilah Graywood never imagined she’d be spending her summer amidst the roaring engines and adrenaline-fueled world of Formula 1 racing. As a serious documentarian, her passion lies in capturing the raw, unfiltered truth. But when her best friend, business co-owner, and secret boyfriend Max decides to pivot their documentary company to film the Ignition Energy Drink Racing team, Lilah is thrust into a world she despises. Her disdain turns to fury when Max blindsides her, not only ending their relationship but also threatening the company she painstakingly built.

Enter Arthur Bianco, the charismatic and enigmatic F1 reserve driver whose career is as tumultuous as the races he dreams of winning. Initially, Lilah is supposed to document Arthur’s relegation to backup driver, but together they concoct a plan to take control of Max’s documentary, each with their own motives—Lilah’s revenge and Arthur’s redemption. Their secret alliance promises to change the narrative, both on and off the track.

As they navigate the glamorous circuits and behind-the-scenes secrets of Formula 1, an unexpected speedbump forces Lilah and Arthur’s partnership to evolve into a fake relationship that feels all too real. The chemistry between them is off-limits and undeniable, and as Arthur’s cinematic comeback plays out over the hot globe-trotting summer, Lilah finds herself drawn to his true charm and hidden vulnerability. But as the cameras roll and the world watches, Lilah must confront her own feelings and the reality that no script can dictate the course of true love.

Slipstream is a captivating tale of love, revenge, and the unexpected turns life takes. With its blend of humor, heart, and high-speed drama, this contemporary romance is a must-read for anyone who believes in the power of second chances and the thrill of the chase.

Über diesen Titel

Über die Autorin bzw. den Autor

Madge Maril is a writer, editor, and Byronic hero enthusiast whose work has been published by Harper’s Bazaar, Cosmopolitan, and more. Previously a beauty and fashion journalist, Madge fell back in love with fiction through fandom and has been writing stories about big feelings ever since. She lives in Ohio with her husband and cat.

Auszug. © Genehmigter Nachdruck. Alle Rechte vorbehalten.

Chapter One: United States Chapter One United States
Stories sell. People think of directors and screenwriters as the ultimate storytellers—human gods shaping real life into fables. But really it’s me, the camera. A documentary is where metalworkers become heroes and empty store shelves become plot. Veterans in vacant fields, tiny pageant queens, real life made better. Documentarians can’t promise our subject matter will stay neat and pretty after the credits roll; after all, happily ever after doesn’t exist in real life.

But for a moment there, at the end of a documentary? My movies can trick you into thinking that the world makes sense.

And that’s a story people want to buy.

“Hey, it’s me again. I managed to find a cab, so now I’m standing out front of this… building.” I blow a strand of hair from my face and squint at the intimidatingly large locked gate. “Can you text me the code to get in? I can’t find it in the email.”

I end the voicemail to my boyfriend, Max Black. Then I wait. And wait. He must be busy—like me, he can get distracted—so I swallow my pride and press the call button to the front office. “Lilah Graywood from Black & Graywood here,” I tell the intercom. “Do you mind letting me in the front door? It’s a little hot outside.”

The intercom crackles ominously. Then a voice slithers out. “The schedule says you should’ve signed in at eight a.m. with your business partner?”

“Sorry. My flight was delayed.” And my business partner refused to skip the morning meeting to pick me up from the airport after I moved from Washington, D.C. to Glory Run, Texas for him. And all the rideshares were booked until tomorrow morning, making me spend cash I didn’t have on a cab I didn’t want to take. And—you get the gist. Bad day, busy boyfriend, new job.

The door buzzes as it unlocks. “The documentary crew is in the pool training room. Go down the water aerobics hallway, then left, then right, then right, then slightly straight before another left.”

“Sorry, that was left and then…?”

No reply.

I love my job. I love my life. I love this world I’ve built myself. I repeat my words of affirmation as I wander through the brightly lit hallways of Ignition Energy Drink Racing’s Formula 1 training facility. Yup. Formula 1. After graduating from film school, starting my own documentary company with my then-best-friend, now-boyfriend, and winning the Rising Documentary Director Award for our film about a congressman’s campaign-trail sex scandal—total luck, right place at the right time with the right questions—Max had decided we’re trading politics for motorsports.

Because, as he put it, Formula 1 is cool and it’ll make us fuck-you money.

Weirdly, I don’t feel cool as I navigate the glossy orange-and-white hallways, still in my wrinkled plane clothes and completely alone. I feel like my creative life partner has gone off the deep end. But it’s fine. This whole building smells like fluorescent light bulbs and citrus Clorox, and it wants to impress the same fear of God in me as an ancient gothic cathedral while looking like a Clockwork Orange set, and I may be contributing to the death of the ozone layer by even stepping foot in here, but it’s fine.

Max is still my best friend.

I can still talk him out of making this movie.

As I open a door blissfully labeled POOL in huge block letters, I sneak in a gulp of what I hope will be meditative, centering air. Instead, the sharp smell of chlorine kicks me in the teeth. And the sunshine. Suddenly I’m standing in a giant glass-topped room, with an Olympic-sized pool rippling in the center of it. I blink, disoriented. I’ve never been able to tell how much cash has been poured into a company from the size of a pool, but yeah, this isn’t the Kentucky public parks system.

This is a whole new world.

I spot a lanky, brown-haired man next to a petite blonde woman, and my heart somersaults with relief. I’d know Max anywhere. Even if every facet of this sports facility makes me uncanny-valley levels of uncomfortable, Max is here, so I’m okay. “Hey!” I say as loudly as I can emotionally muster.

Everyone turns to look at me. Max with his adorable surprise, the blonde with her high bouncing ponytail, and all the important-looking people in matching neon orange athleisure at the end of the pool, helping a tan man with golden hair stretch out his calves. Mission critical work, I’m sure.

My face heats all the way through from the attention. “Sorry,” I stage-whisper, scuttling over.

“Lilah, hey, I wasn’t sure if you’d actually show.” Max’s dark eyes shift between me and the blonde.

“My plane was late, but I’m here now.” I hold out my hand, determined to prove to this new person that I am, in fact, a consummate professional documentarian and not only a woman who yells excitedly when she finds her boyfriend. Not that she would know that Max and I are dating. We keep our relationship on the down-low; people are likelier to invest in us if they aren’t worried we’re about to break up. His idea.

The woman takes my hand with a fluorescent smile. “It’s so lovely to finally meet you. I’m Sarah, marketing manager here at Ignition and who Max has been emailing with since last… gosh, how long has it been now? December?” She looks at him with an equally cheery grin, almost conspiratorial, like they had to email their life stories back and forth to arrange for this production. “Our team principal, Holmes Bianco, adores your documentary about the congressman. The one who cheated on his wife? He couldn’t stop raving about how great you made him look!”

Naturally. The big boss man of a sports team would enjoy an accidental image scrub. “I, um, didn’t realize people would be that sympathetic toward him after watching it.”

“You made him human. You have a gift. If you ever want to get away from this guy and into marketing”—Sarah winks—“we’d love having you as a videographer.”

I force a smile. She’s being nice. She doesn’t know that to me, filming expensive race cars and the problematic men who drive them feels like a personal failing. “Hey, no poaching my camera girl,” Max laughs, and now my smile is real. It’s one of our inside jokes: He’s the heart of Black & Graywood, the handsome and funny people person, and I’m the head. Analytical and quiet, with an encyclopedic understanding of camera angles and cinema verité. We’re a package deal.

And after a childhood of bouncing around the foster system until my parents adopted me, I have to hand it to this whole not-being-alone thing.

Being part of a package? Way better than the alternative.

“So, as you may know already, Lilah, this documentary is all about summer in the life of a Formula 1 driver. The glitz, the glam, the danger.” Sarah splays her fingers dramatically, palms out, stars in her eyes. Then she blinks. “But in a brand-friendly way. Ignition is a wholesome, family-friendly energy drink company and an exciting, invigorating Formula 1 team, so we must navigate accordingly.”

I bite the inside of my cheek to keep from laughing. “Makes sense.”

“Our two main drivers, James and Faust, are both traveling today. But I have our...

Details zur Ausgabe

• Verlag: Simon & Schuster
• Erscheinungsdatum: 2025
• Sprache: Englisch
• ISBN 10: 1668098776
• ISBN 13: 9781668098776
• Einband: Taschenbuch
• Anzahl der Seiten: 352
• Kontakt zum Hersteller: webstar; casetta@mondadori.it; ; Via Mondadori 1,; Segrate Milano; 20090; Italien