Seventeen-year-old Isabella Bellini lives for speedâand for the one boy whoâs never quite caught her. But when a crash shakes her confidence and the people she trusts let her fall, she turns to the one person whoâs always been there: Matias, her best friend with secrets of his own. With her shot at the European racing league on the line, Isabella must choose between first love, fierce ambition, and the quiet kind of love that never asked her to slow down.
Close Enough to Burn is a swoon-filled, high-speed YA romance about loyalty, heartbreak, and learning to race for yourself.
Seventeen-year-old Isabella Bellini lives for speedâand for the one boy whoâs never quite caught her. But when a crash shakes her confidence and the people she trusts let her fall, she turns to the one person whoâs always been there: Matias, her best friend with secrets of his own. With her shot at the European racing league on the line, Isabella must choose between first love, fierce ambition, and the quiet kind of love that never asked her to slow down.
Close Enough to Burn is a swoon-filled, high-speed YA romance about loyalty, heartbreak, and learning to race for yourself.
Isabella tightened her grip on the wheel, her pulse hammering in sync with the go-kartâs revving engine. The ocean breeze carried the scent of salt and gasoline as she flicked her gaze to the competitionâ his brother Rocco on her left, Marco on her right. The three of them lined up at the makeshift start line along the Santa Monica shoreline, the sun setting behind them, casting streaks of orange and purple across the sky.
Marco turned, flashing his signature smirk. His hazel eyes, always filled with mischief, glinted beneath the shadow of his helmet. "Hope you can keep up, Isabella."
She rolled her eyes, though her stomach twisted in that familiar way it always did around him. Marco had been her partner in speed since they were kids, the person she imagined standing beside her in motorsports, battling for first, pushing each other to be better. The fastest. The fiercest. Rivals on the track but equals in their love for racing.
"Just try not to eat my dust," she shot back, nudging the gas pedal.
The signal was given, and they launched forward. Isabella gritted her teeth as her kart shot down the narrow beach track, the tires kicking up flecks of sand. The roar of the engines filled her ears, the vibrations of speed thrumming through her fingertips. The ocean breeze whipped past, salt clinging to her lips. She maneuvered the turns with precision, feeling the thrill of speed course through her veins. But Marco and Rocco were right there with her, their karts inches apart, engines roaring like a pack of wild animals.
Rocco surged ahead at the last turn, blocking her path just enough for Marco to slip past her, taking first place as they crossed the finish line. Isabellaâs kart skidded to a stop, her tires kicking up a small cloud of sand. She ripped off her helmet, shaking out her wind-tousled hair, a light sheen of sweat sticking to her skin. Third place. Again.
Marco pulled up beside her and tugged off his helmet, ruffling his fingers through his dark, slightly damp hair. The sea breeze tousled it effortlessly, making him look even more annoyingly perfect. A bead of sweat ran down his temple, catching the last light of the sun. His breathing was still heavy, his adrenaline still high, but that signature smirk was firmly in place.
"You were flying out there. One of these days, you might actually beat me."
His words sent a rush of warmth through her, the way they always did. For a fleeting second, she let herself believe in that dream againâof them pushing each other, side by side, fighting for every inch of the track. But then a voice cut through her thoughts.
"Baby, that was amazing!" Katâs sugary tone made Isabellaâs stomach drop. She turned in time to see Kat throw her arms around Marcoâs neck and press a kiss to his lips.
The cheers from the small crowd muffled into a dull hum. Kat was everything a professional racerâs girlfriend should beâtall, stunning, always impeccably dressed, even on the beach. Her makeup was flawless, her long, dark hair always styled like she had just stepped out of a salon. The kind of girl who belonged in the winnerâs circle, draped over her championâs arm, flashing perfect white teeth at the cameras.
Isabella? She could never be that. She never wore makeup, never had the patience for it. Her uniform was jeans and flats, her hair usually in a ponytail or thrown under a cap. She belonged behind the wheel, not in the spotlight.
Rocco stepped beside her, hands shoved in his pockets. "You know heâs off-limits, right?"
She clenched her jaw, staring straight ahead, willing herself not to react. Not to let it show.
Rocco exhaled, his voice quieter this time. "Ella..."
She still didnât answer.
Marco had been Roccoâs best friend since kindergarten, which meant heâd been in Isabellaâs life for as long as she could remember. The three of them had been introduced to racing when they were just five years old, barely able to reach the pedals but already hooked on the adrenaline. Racing had been their bond, their obsession, their world.
Before she could respond to his brother, Cindy came running over, practically screaming with excitement, her phone held high in the air.
"Ella! That was insane! I got everything on video. TikTok is going to love thisâthis is the kind of content that makes people go viral!"
She was practically bouncing on her toes, her dark curls spilling over her shoulders as she waved the phone in front of Isabellaâs face. Cindy had been her best friend since they were four, always the first to cheer her on, the first to believe in her. While Isabella had always been about racing, Cindy had been about making sure the world saw it. She swore that when Isabella went pro, sheâd be her PR manager, her social media guru, the one making sure everyone knew her name. And the crazy part? Cindy actually believed in herâmore than Isabella sometimes believed in herself.
"Youâre going to be famous, Ella," Cindy continued, practically vibrating with excitement. "And when you are, youâre stuck with me."
Isabella laughed, shaking her head. "Like I could ever get rid of you."
"Third place," a voice cut in behind them, smooth and measured. "Not bad. But if you're serious about going pro, you're going to have to do better than that."
Isabella turned, pulse spiking, as Sianna stepped into view. Helmet tucked under one arm, mirrored sunglasses hiding her eyes, she exuded calm authority. Three years older and already graduated, Sianna had spent the summer racing with a European F3 junior teamâan invitation-only league Isabella could only dream of. Tall, blonde, and all business, she wore her half-zipped jacket like a trophy, the team logo catching the fading sunlight. Every race they had ever competed in, Sianna had won. Every single one. She wasn't just ahead in age or experienceâshe was ahead in skill. And Isabella felt it in her gut.
"Thanks for the pep talk," Isabella said coolly.
Sianna gave a half-smile. "Just keeping you honest."
And just like that, she turned and walked off toward the far end of the track, where a group of local racers were already huddling around the leaderboard. Isabella watched as Sianna joined them with an easy confidence, offering quick greetings and casually mentioning her time with the European F3 team. She laughed at something one of them said, then gestured animatedly as if recounting a race. It was subtle, but clearâshe wasnât just saying hello. She was making sure everyone knew exactly where she'd been, and what she'd accomplished.
Beside her, Cindy leaned in and muttered, "Ignore her. She just wants attention. You will beat her this year."
Her dadâs voice boomed across the track from the glass-walled office perched above the garage baysâa second-story lookout he used to oversee everything from race prep to training drills. The windows were cracked open, letting the sounds of revving engines and shouting teens filter up to him. "Ella! Matias just landed. Heâs on his way home! Let's go Home!" he called, his voice carrying effortlessly over the noise of the racing engines.
Isabella sighed, but this time, it wasnât out of frustration. The mention of Matias stirred something lighter inside herâexcitement, maybe even relief. The thought of seeing him again, hearing his ridiculous jokes and watching him raid the fridge like he hadnât eaten in days, made her smile. Just like that, the sting of third place, the ache of watching Marco with Kat, even Siannaâs smug returnâall of it faded into the background. For now, at least.
Close Enough to Burn by Daniela R. Morassutti is an engaging, character-driven young adult story of personal ambition, determination, and the singular focus to achieve oneâs dreams. At the same time, a sweet childhood attraction grows into mature adult love, all set in the exciting world of formula car racing. A sister and a brother, along with their two lifelong friends, compete against each other at the entry level of the California F4 racing circuit, hoping to attract sponsors and an invitation to one of the European F3 training teams. But as they focus on achieving their goals, romantic entanglements threaten to derail one racerâs dream.
High school junior Isabella Rossi has wanted to be a Formula One racer like her father since her race against her brother and their friend, Marco. That desire has kept her on course ever since. She has also secretly longed to be more than just a friend to Marco. While never articulating her romantic yearning, her best friend and fellow racer, Matias, probably knows, as he seems to understand Isabella better than she does herself. However, Marco has always had his eyes on his future in racing and had a relationship with another girl, until the tension between him and Isabella became too great to ignore. When the smoldering feelings between Marco and Isabella finally ignite, their romance is sweet but fast-burning.
Morassuttiâs young adult characters are intensely motivated, whether it is for racing success or, as in Matiasâs case, acceptance into the college of his dreams: Caltech. However, Matias is more balanced and patient in his pursuits than either Marco or Isabella. The three main characters are able to analyze their feelings and actions well enough to follow up after conflicts appropriately; in fact, they are better at it than most adults. As a result, the story progresses with just the right amount of tension and angst without becoming bogged down in overly lengthy drama.
The story is more novella-length than novel, so the plot moves quickly. The racing scenes were thrilling and well-choreographed, especially the final Las Vegas race. I did encounter a little confusion at the beginning of the story when the characters were being introduced and their relationships established due to mixed up pronouns (i.e., Rocco is referred to as âhis brotherâ rather than âherâ brother) and later when the name Matias is used when Marco was actually correct. Perhaps, this was an unconscious projection of Matias always being there for Isabella rather than Marco.
With its engaging, reflective young characters and unique formula racing setting, I recommend CLOSE ENOUGH TO BURN to readers of young adult fiction, especially those who enjoy stories of romance or have an interest in racecar driving.