My Darling Jane

The Darlings #2

by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills returns with a sexy he-falls-first sports romance about a quarterback and his frenemy-matchmaker.

On an ordinary day, Jane Darling wouldn’t be caught dead in a sports bar wearing a toga with angel wings. But she’s desperate to launch her matchmaking business to secure her young daughter’s future. Her mission: to attract new clients at any cost.

Her Cupid outfit catches the eye of New York’s beloved star quarterback, Jasper Jannich. She and Jasper have always clashed, but when a pushy admirer goes too far, he steps in as an unexpected knight in shining armor.

He offers a tantalizing proposal: to be Cupid’s Arrow’s premier client. Reluctantly, Jane agrees, aware of the business potential despite her reservations about Jasper and his playboy reputation.

As she sets him up on date after date, it grows clear that Jane’s the only woman he wants.

She is his goal, his endgame.

She’s not not interested…but her heart has been burned before. To get anywhere, they’ll need courage and faith, not just sizzling chemistry.

He’s ready to make the pass. Is his darling ready to catch it?

Genres: Romance, Sports Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Sports, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Contemporary

295 pages, Kindle Edition

First published November 5, 2024

About the author

#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.

A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺


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New Book News:

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Not My Romeo is live!
I Promise You drops October 12/20
Not My Match drops January 19/21 (pre-order on Amazon)

Reviews

[Tea]

Jane’s match making business is at a stand still and she’s in desperate need of new clients. Lucky for her, the retired playboy and famous football star - Jasper Jannich volounteers to help out. Jasper himself would rather go out with Jane, but since she’s not on board with that idea, someone else will have to do. Can Jane find Jasper his perfect match without falling head over heels herself?

- Reverse grumpy(ish) x Sunshine
- Single mom
- Found family
- He falls first
- dislike(from the fmc’s side) to lovers
- No real owd, mmc does not sleep with any of his ”dates”

I was not a fan of Jane’s, at least not in the beginning. I think the author tried a little too hard to make her ”not like other girls”. She was a bit too judgemental. She had literally no valid reason to dislike Jasper, she just assumed and judged.

I liked Jasper. He’s a sweetheart. I felt so bad for him at times. He was misunderstood and judged too harshly, even by his friends.
Warning: he has a man bun. (And why is there no man bun on the cover?)

I was hoping for great sexual tension but no, they were fucking like rabbits and it didn’t fit the vibe. ”I have to protect my heart” *proccedes to repeatedly have sex with him* 230(ish) pages. Make. Them. Count. Don’t waste them on too much boring sex..??

I wanted too see more of a relationship development between Jasper and Londyn (Jane’s daughter). They just kind of meet and were best friends straight away. It didn’t feel authentic to me. I liked the kid though, her and Jasper were adorable together.

A sweet, entertaining read. Nothing special. I really liked the ending.

- Pls tell me Dalton is getting a book.
- Jasper’s nieces are absolute idiots.
- What was the point in making Londyn’s bio father come back? I did not like the way that ”drama” played out.

Arc Review
3.25 stars

[Gigi]

Jane and Jasper are absolutely adorable together! Their witty banter and the tension between them had me grinning nonstop. Jane’s the grumpy one, and Jasper’s the happy-go-lucky guy who loves poking at her. Both have some emotional baggage, but watching them go from frenemies to lovers, slowly dropping their walls, and finally taking a chance on each other gave me all the feels.

Jasper is just swoon-worthy. His bond with his nieces is adorable. And his determination to win over Jane is too sweet for words. I don’t know how she resisted him for so long! Jasper is definitely the shining star of this story, no question.

The only downside? Emma and Graham’s cameos felt a bit off. They weren’t as supportive or likable as I expected, which was a bummer. But honestly, Jane and Jasper’s love story more than makes up for it. Other than that little hiccup, this book was a total blast, and I was grinning the whole time.

Read this if you like:
❤️‍🔥 Single Mom
❤️‍🔥 Football Romance
❤️‍🔥 Reverse Grumpy x Sunshine
❤️‍🔥 Enemies(ish) To Lovers

🚨🚨 TW: Child neglect, domestic abuse, child abandonment

[Jonetta]

the setup…
Jane Darling is working hard to make Cupid’s Arrow, her startup matchmaking business, a success so showing up in sports bars in a toga and angel wings to promote it isn’t beneath her. Running into the annoying Jasper Jannich, New York’s star quarterback and the best friend of her brother-in-law, wasn’t part of her plan. They have a prickly relationship but he decides just for giggles to sign up for her services. And the fun begins!

the heart of the story…
Despite their bickering, Jane and Jasper have a lot in common. She’s a single mother to four-year old Londyn and family means everything after she and her sister and brother were abandoned by their mother. Jasper’s mother abandoned him when he was five-years old but he was soon adopted by a close, loving family. It doesn’t take long before he shifts from the assignment being a lark to desperately trying to win Jane’s heart.

the narration…
Stella Hunter is new to me and was wonderful as Jane. Sebastian York is a favorite and was much more subtle as Jasper, just as he needed to be. Combined they delivered a lovely performance and made me believe in their characters.

the bottom line…
I worried this wouldn’t live up to the second book but it more than held its own. It helps when there’s a lot to like about both main characters. Jane and Jasper were expertly developed, both hindered somewhat by their pasts but working hard to rise above it. There were many humorous moments as well as some serious drama but it was the romance that swept me away.

Posted on Blue Mood Café

(Thanks to Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)

[manda ౨ৎ]

idk why i keep having to say this but stop making MCs a single parent and advertising the trope if we rarely ever even see the kid like..cause tell me why for the entire first HALF of the book we saw more of the hero’s NIECES and interactions with both the hero and heroine than we did of her actual kid? and then in the second half we barely saw any significant development with the kid and the hero

like at that point just don’t make the book a single parent book one seriously

[Christy]

3.5 stars

This was cute. I didn’t love it as much as the first book in the series. I think the problem for me was the lack of connection between the two main characters. I wish the ending would have had… more. And I didn’t understand the point of bringing in her ex when it really went nowhere or added anything to the story. Overall it was okay, not my favorite.

Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 3.5 stars
Narrators: Stella Hunter & Sebastian York
Narration Rating: 4 stars
Genre: Romance
Length: 7h 59m

[Antonella]

Release date: 05 November,2024
Topics & themes: single parent, abandonment issues, matchmaking, sports, adoption, family ties, kids

Even though we met these characters in previous books, you don't have to read that book. It is completely fine to read this as standalone.

It is an okay read, I didn't fall in love with our main couple, I liked them just fine but nothing more than that.

If you are looking for a light contemporary romance, you might give this one a try.

3.5 ⭐️


Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the copy of the book

[MELISSA *Mel Reader*]

5 Stars!
(ARC provided by Grey's Promotions)

Jasper Jannich is an NFL star quarterback for the New York Pythons. He has a loving family and grew up with four older sisters he adores. He’s known for his charming, sunshine personality, and is one of New York’s most eligible bachelors. When he unexpectedly crosses paths with a woman he’s always clashed with he can’t help being intrigued. He can’t figure out why she doesn’t like him, but it’s clear she definitely thinks he’s somehow earned her disapproval. He enjoys getting a rise out of her, and engaging in their usual dance they seem to play since they met.

Jane Darling is a former model that became a single mother. She’s dealt with heartbreak and built a life for herself and her little girl Londyn. She’s a strong, independent woman struggling to make ends meet while getting her new matchmaking business up and running. She wants to make Cupid’s Arrow a success by offering a personalized approach to finding love. While at a local sports bar trying to grow her clientele list she runs into a professional athlete she’s known a while. He never fails to irritate her, so she’s shocked when he unexpectedly comes to her rescue. He’s a typical playboy jock whose charm doesn’t work on her, but surprisingly he becomes her newest client. Soon something shifts between them as lines get blurred and a connection grows. Jane is building a career on love even though she doesn’t have time in her life for romance. Her daughter is her world, and she’s been focused on protecting and guarding her heart. Falling in love wasn’t part of her plan, but can she let herself dream of a future where she gets her happily ever after and her own true match?

My Darling Jane (The Darlings #2) by Ilsa Madden-Mills is a slow burn, single mom, reverse grumpy/sunshine, he falls first, frenemies to lovers, sports romance full of emotion, humor, angst, passion, sizzling chemistry and fabulous banter. I really enjoyed this story, and love this series! Jasper really brought all the swoon and kept me smiling from start to finish! <333



***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://www.amazon.com/Darling-Jane-D...

[Ꮗ€♫◗☿ ❤️ ilikebooksbest.com ❤️]

A Matchmaker Meets Her Perfect Match



The following ratings are out of 5:
Romance: 💙💛💚❤️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Chemistry: 🧪🧪🧪🧪🧪
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙
World building: 🌏🌍🌎🌏
Character development: 😋🙂😁🤓
Narrator(s): 🎙🎙🎙🎙🎙
Narration type: Dual Narration

Character Backgrounds and Plot Summary

Jane Darling is the owner of a new matchmaking business, but despite helping other people find love, her own romantic life is far from perfect. Jasper Jannich is New York’s golden-boy quarterback, adored by fans and constantly in the spotlight. On paper, they come from completely different worlds, but their connection develops in a way that feels both natural and entertaining.

One of the things I enjoyed most was how Jane’s profession influenced the story. She spends her days analyzing compatibility and relationships, yet when it comes to Jasper, she finds herself facing emotions that cannot be neatly organized into a matchmaking profile. Jasper initially comes across as the confident sports star everyone expects him to be, but as the story progresses, he reveals a much more vulnerable side. Some of my favorite moments were the quieter scenes where he let down his public persona and simply connected with Jane as a person rather than as a celebrity athlete.

The relationship develops through a mix of chemistry, humor, and emotional baggage. Jasper becomes Jane’s most famous client and Jane spends a lot of time trying to find his perfect match while they get to know each other better and open up to each other revealing the fact that there is more between them than their initial attraction. Watching them navigate their lives, a budding romance and other challenges kept me invested throughout the audiobook.

Highlights and Limitations

The strongest part of this book for me was the character chemistry. Jane and Jasper have playful banter from the beginning, and their conversations felt genuine rather than forced. I especially enjoyed the scenes where Jane refused to be dazzled by Jasper’s celebrity status. She challenged him when necessary, which helped keep the relationship balanced.

I also appreciated how Jasper was given emotional depth beyond being a famous quarterback. There are moments where the pressure of his position on the team with a new rookie waiting in the wings, trying to find a place for himself, clearly weighs on him, and those scenes made him much more relatable. I found myself caring about him far more than I expected at the start.

Another highlight was the way the story blended romance with humor. Several interactions between the leads made me smile, and the lighter moments helped balance some of the more emotional scenes. Jane’s ex-boyfriend who left her five years ago when she got pregnant has returned to her life at the same time as Jasper’s biological mother, who left him when he was five years old.

As for limitations, there were a few conflicts that felt like they could have been resolved more quickly if the characters had communicated more directly. While I understood why the misunderstandings existed, there were moments when I wanted both Jane and Jasper to simply sit down and have an honest conversation. I also would have liked a little more time spent exploring certain secondary characters because a few of them seemed interesting enough to deserve additional page time.

Narration

Stella Hunter and Sebastian York delivered a strong performance that elevated the story. Stella Hunter captured Jane’s intelligence, independence, and emotional vulnerability extremely well. Her performance helped me connect with Jane’s internal struggles, especially during scenes where she questioned whether she could trust her feelings.

Sebastian York was an excellent choice for Jasper. His voice carried the confidence expected from a superstar athlete while also conveying the softer emotions hidden beneath the surface. When Jasper’s more vulnerable moments arrived, York handled them with enough sincerity that they felt believable rather than overly dramatic.

The dual narration worked particularly well during emotional conversations between the characters. Having each narrator fully embody their character made the romance feel more immersive and helped the chemistry come through clearly in audio format.

Final Opinion

Overall, I had a great time with My Darling Jane. The combination of a successful matchmaker heroine and a beloved quarterback hero created a romance that felt fresh, charming, and emotionally engaging. What stayed with me most was the way both characters had to look beyond their carefully constructed public identities in order to build something real together.

While I wished some of the communication issues had been resolved a bit sooner, the chemistry between Jane and Jasper easily carried the story for me. Their emotional growth, the humorous banter, and the strong narration made this an audiobook I looked forward to returning to each time I pressed play.

If you enjoy sports romance, confident but emotionally layered heroes, and heroines who refuse to be swept away by fame, I would definitely recommend giving My Darling Jane a listen.

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[Em (semi-hiatus)]

What a disaster. Miscommunication galore, a heroine who’d rather lie than use her words, and a hero who shrugs off losing the condom like it’s no big deal. She cries to him about needing Plan B, doesn’t take it, and doesn’t even bother to tell him, all while being broke, unable to afford another kid, and in a relationship that isn’t even solid yet. Deserves, 0-stars.

[Kiran]

normally really like Ilsa Madden Mills books. They are fun romps and good easy romances but this one just did not connect with me. I liked aspects of it but it almost seemed weirdly rushed to me. Plot lines like his biological mother or the father of her child felt too easily resolved and too quickly done so. I also felt the ending and epilogue were unearned. I hope her next book is back to what I expect from the author.

This is actually more a 2.5 then a 2

[glavreads]

4.25 stars - such a cute and emotional read about two people who come from broken backgrounds and finally find a person they can count on in each other.

jane is a single mom and matchmaker and jasper is a pro football player who isn’t really looking for love but when he sees jane put while promoting her business, he can’t resist filling out her online form.

i loved their banter and chemistry so much and i love a trope where he goes along with being fixed up even though he really only wants her. so sweet and angsty for my angst lovers!

[Melanie (mells_view)]

“You know you’ve got me hooked, right?”

My Darling Jane is book two in The Darlings series from Ilsa Madden-Mills. This story follows ex-model, new business owner, single mom Jane as she navigates her start up matchmaking business, manages her sisters bookstore, and raises her sweet daughter Londyn. Oh, and as she falls in love with the frustrating “player” Jasper. We’ve met Jasper in some of Ilsa’s other books and he’s hard to forget. He’s known as a bit of a jokester/playboy and his relationship with Jane so far has been playful and banter galore.

In this book Jane tries to matchmaker Jasper because he would bring in a lot of publicity and other big names to her matchmaking business. Things don’t really go as planned, but they do spend a lot of time together. Even though they “so aren’t into each other” lol haha, yeah.

Anyway. I absolutely adored this book. I thought it was super sweet and it was fun seeing Jane fall in love after reading much of her struggles in her sister’s book (My Darling Bride). She’s just one of those characters you root for easily.

TW/CW (may include plot spoilers): discussions of parental abandonment, unplanned pregnancy, discussions of plan B use, anaphylactic reaction to peanuts,

AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC

[Jillian &#x1f337;]

I mean this with my whole heart… what the fuck?

[Alba and Her Secrets..♥]

4 'The Lovers' Stars!
ARC provided via Grey's Promotions in exchange for an honest review.


Today I am back reading another one of my favorite authors. I am talking about Ilsa Madden-Mills and her newest release. If you love sports romance that happens to have a side of matchmaking gone wrong, you are in for a treat with this one. If you remember reading about Jasper and Jane in My Darling Bride (Ilsa’s last release in this series), you remember these two frenemies that happen to have a whole lot of chemistry between them and now it’s their time to shine!

So, My Darling Jane is the second installment of what Ilsa has called her The Darlings series. It tells the story of Jasper Jannich and Jane Darling. He is a very talented quarterback and she is his frenemy matchmaker. What is going to happen now that Jasper is Jane’s new and famous client? Unexpected feelings start flowing and Jasper is more than decided to have his way with Jane. But neither expected to fall head over heels in love.

“It’s going to take more than charm to find your match.”
His eyes lower to half-mast. “Challenge accepted. But remember, sometimes what we’re searching for is right in front of us.”

I have to say I really enjoyed reading the story between these two polar opposites. While having that “hate to love” vibe, it was so clear to me that Jasper falls first and hard for Jane. He is trying to date other women, the ones Jane is throwing his way, but he is not having it. He wants Jane and he fights to get his chance with her. And does he fight! The connection between these two was so intense and I loved reading how they are unable to stop falling for one another. I also loved the “found family” feel that the whole novel has, especially with the interactions with Londyn (Jane’s daughter).

He’s broken down all my walls.
He’s opened the door to my guarded heart and walked right in.

So, I am rating My Darling Jane with 4 STARS because I enjoyed reading how this couple falls in love and how that turns into a beautiful found family together with Londyn. The sparks were unexpected for both but their connection is so worth the wait. If you love Ilsa’s other sports romances, you cannot miss this one either. Especially if you loved the first installment of the series. I am sure you are so curious to know how Jasper and Jane fall hard for one another!

[Intel Chicky Reads Romance (Kara Merideth)]

Emotional journey

Story: ⭐⭐⭐⭐1\2
Trope: opposites attract; reverse grumpy/sunshine
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥

Beautiful story about two people with deep seeded abandonment issues, finding the strength to find love. I love a good grumpy heroine story and our FMC has plenty of reasons to be a bit on the bitter side, lol. Luckily for her, our hero likes a little extra saltiness his diet, but its definitely a bumpy road for all. The story paces well and had me invested to the end. Can't wait to see what's next!

[Bronwyn]

DNF @ 13%: I know that’s not very far into the book, but Jasper is a tool. I’m disappointed because I was looking forward to reading this. The first book was funny, but this one has been nothing but annoying. There’s been a lot of eye rolling on my part.

On a side note, while the cover model is hot (at least to me), he is nothing like the MMC. Jasper is described as having wavy blond hair that falls to his shoulder. Uhhh, was the author not paying attention when choosing a cover for a character with that description?

Moving on…hopefully to something better.

[Betül]

**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**

My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills is a fun, lighthearted romance that hits all the right notes. Jane Darling, a single mom trying to launch her matchmaking business, ends up in a playful tug-of-war with Jasper Jannich, New York’s star quarterback. He’s only got one goal in mind—winning Jane’s heart.

Jasper’s determination to woo Jane is super charming, and his scenes with his nieces are hilarious. He’s definitely the star of the show. The chemistry between Jane and Jasper is strong, making their banter and connection so enjoyable to read.

If you’re in the mood for a straightforward, feel-good sports romance, My Darling Jane is a great pick!

[Ana | SheSaidYestoBooks]

Couldn’t get into.

[Michelle Brenner]

1.5 ⭐️
Unfortunately, this book wasn't as good as I had hoped. There were many 'small' things that I didn't like about the book and the storyline wasn't original or fast-paced enough to keep me interested. I had read My Darling Bride, and had been introduced to both characters before, so I had some expectations to begin with. This book just missed the mark, IMO.

~~What I liked~~
-I liked that it was kinda a grumpy sunshine reversal, with Jane being a grump and Jasper being the sunshine.
-I liked that both characters had a good support network.

~~What I didn't like~~
-There were several 'small' things that bothered me. 1) Jane goes out to promote her business at a bar which I'm assuming is in the evening, but leaves her kid in preschool. Preschools usually close at 6. 2) Jasper's nieces do not act their age. They are 17 but act like they are tweens and have a bedtime. 3) At one point Jasper has several drinks in a row but this doesn't seem to cause him any issues, which is unrealistic. 4) Londyn is almost 5 and is still learning to be potty trained? And she goes to preschool, this doesn't compute. 5) Lastly, why has Jane never attempted to get child support from her highly successful ex?
-The storyline was pretty boring, with nothing unexpected happening. I just didn't feel like it was as polished or original enough to be entertaining. I really struggled to get through it, skipping sections.

Overall, I was sadly disappointed with this book. I don't think I would recommend to others, but I did like other books by Ilsa Madden-Mills, so I probably won't give up on her as a possible future read.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

[Romancing the Reader]

Another great KU read & listen option…

Sometimes it’s like a gift when one of my favorite authors puts out a read-and-listen. This book went by so fast with that option.

📕 𝗕𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗜𝗻𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻: My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills

📙 𝗦𝗲𝗿𝗶𝗲𝘀: The Darlings character series. Book 2.

📗 𝗥𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗗𝗲𝘁𝗮𝗶𝗹𝘀: E-book and audio on Kindle app. 🆓 on KU.

📘 𝗚𝗲𝗻𝗿𝗲: Contemporary romance

📔 𝗧𝗿𝗼𝗽𝗲𝘀: Sports (football), banter, reformed playboy, single mom.

📖 𝗦𝘆𝗻𝗼𝗽𝘀𝗶𝘀: Jane is working on getting her matchmaking business to take off. Jasper is finally ready to think about settling down. But as bad dates pass, he realizes he just might be more attracted to the woman setting him up.

🌟 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: Ok, so in all honestly the blurb on this one didn’t pull me in. Girl in a bar in a costume? Felt like I’ve read that before from Ilsa Madden-Mills. But I needed an audio, so I took a chance.

It definitely wasn’t the same story - so that was a nice surprise. Also wasn’t what I would call enemies-to-lovers, which the blurb implied as well. And though Jasper is a quarterback, the book isn’t sports heavy at all. So I’d say the billing on this was all wrong.

That aside, it was funny and cute. It read quickly, and didn’t have any unnecessary drama or twists and turns. I liked Jasper - and the fact that he was smitten from the get-go. Jane was funny and independent, and her move to constantly set Jasper up was very funny as well.

Overall, good but not great. I might not remember the plot in a week, so I’m not raving about it, but it was a solid option especially if you need a free listen, since the narrators were pretty good.

𝗥𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴: 3.5/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

𝗦𝗽𝗶𝗰𝗲 𝗟𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗹: 3/5 🌶🌶🌶

[Dali]

Read if you like: angsty romances, messy miscommunications, sports stars with troubled pasts, single-mom struggles, and emotional journeys where not everything gets tied up neatly.

Rating 3.5

📚 My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills is an emotional rollercoaster of a romance that dives headfirst into heartbreak, healing, and complicated relationships. New York’s star quarterback Jasper Jannich and single mom-turned-matchmaker Jane Darling have undeniable chemistry, but their love story is as messy as it is magnetic.

👩‍❤️‍👨 Miscommunication plays a starring role here, and not always for the better. Jane often chooses avoidance over honesty, leading to unnecessary complications (and plenty of frustration).

👩‍👦 While Jane’s devotion to her daughter is admirable, her decision-making leaves much to be desired. Jasper, meanwhile, shines in moments of emotional clarity, especially when it comes to standing firm against his manipulative mother (“I won’t be a bank to someone who couldn’t be a mother” – a standout line!). However, both characters struggle under the weight of their respective traumas, which sometimes threatens to overshadow the romance entirely.

💞 Despite its flaws, the story doesn’t shy away from messy, unresolved emotions. The leads' personal struggles—Jane’s financial instability and Jasper’s fraught family relationships—add depth but occasionally bog down the pacing. However, it’s refreshing that not every conflict is conveniently resolved, lending the story a sense of realism amidst the drama.

✍️ Ilsa Madden-Mills balances her trademark angst with moments of humor and tenderness, though the emotional drama sometimes overshadows the romance.

🌟 My Darling Jane offers plenty of heat, a dose of heart, and a not-so-neat happily ever after. It’s a love story for readers who enjoy the emotional messiness of real life but don’t mind a few frustrating decisions along the way.

[Rachael]

JANE AND JASPER WERE EVERYTHING 😍

4.5 ⭐️

[Lisa Mandina]

I am always happy to read a new story from this author, as I love her characters, not only the main ones, but also those who make up their lives. In this one we had the adorable little Londyn, Jane’s daughter, as well as Jasper’s twin nieces Lacy and Macy, who were a ton of fun as well. And then we had the somehow enemies to lovers type of story, even if Jane maybe misjudged poor Jasper a bit out of the gate.

The whole dating app/service was a fun aspect to the story, and I liked how Jane soon learned that maybe the computer’s picks of matches might not be perfect in real life. The different dates were funny, both Jasper’s as well as hearing how terrible some of the others went, and knowing that is realistic for many people who find themselves in those situations. The romance was sweet, but also very steamy at times.

While I understand that Jane’s more dream job was running her matchmaking service, I would have loved her bookstore management gig myself. I laughed at the codes they called over the intercom, as well as the strange customers they had, like a flasher and a pet chicken. Another fun story from one of my favorite authors!

Review first posted on Lisa Loves Literature.

[Linda]

I listened to the audiobook of this and the narrators are two of my favorites!

Jasper was great. I really liked him in this book. Wasn't he one of Tuck's friends from a different series? Anyway, I really liked Jane too. She's built a life and is trying a new venture, with limited success.

A perfect example of a romantic comedy with some spice. I love Ilsa's books!

[Saunders]

DNF @ 62%

Couldn't stand the FC.

[ReadingTilTheBreakOfDawn]

"Sometimes the people who push our buttons the most can end up being the ones we need. They challenge us."

After finishing My Darling Bride I was really looking forward to getting the sister's story. And look what Ms Madden-Mills gave us! A Jane Darling story that was cute and fun. If you like a frenemy to lovers story with a misunderstood hero, My Darling Jane may be for you.

Jane is a single mom running a book store in the middle of New York City. She likes seeing people happy in love. To make ends meet, she starts a matchmaking service. While love is on the board for everyone, it's not really for Jane since her life is kind of complicated. But surprises can happen to the best laid plans.

Jasper may seem like a playboy, good-looking, starting QB of the local NFL team, but there's more to him, right? I mean, he had his twin nieces staying with him for the summer, so I knew there was hope there. He had a caring heart. But he also was living to push all of Jane's buttons and mess with her. He even eluded to all he wanted was S-E-X and superficial things. But when it came to Jane, there was some sort of magic between them. They had that frenemy sort of situation, but they were also so comfortable with one another. And boy, did they push their friend limits hard.

I liked the charming Jasper and getting to see who he truly was. What his family was like and how that molded him into the man he was. He was the star of the story for me. As for Jane, she was a harder nut to crack, but with everything she had gone through with her daughter's father and her own mother, it was easier to understand. These two had obvious chemistry and I liked their form of jealousy. They were protective of one another without admitting it.

"I'll protect you if you'll let me."

When that line was said (or rather texted) I knew these two could break their pasts hurts and make a future that was beautiful.

Overall, this was a decent story with good characters. I wish we saw more of the past characters, but I liked getting the ones we got. I liked Jasper's family and the support they gave him. The pacing was ok, but there did seem to be a couple things that fell flat and didn't have enough follow through. While this book didn't wow me, I did enjoy it. I liked the characters. I liked their journey. I liked how they evolved for one another. It just didn't have that wow factor for me in particular. Still enjoyed it.
**But PS, why doesn't the cover match the description of the character in the story?! so frustrating when that happens!

[Zita]

พระเอกเป็นควอเตอร์แบ็กซุปตาร์ในนิวยอร์ก นางเอกเป็นคุณแม่เลี้ยงเดี่ยวที่เพิ่งเริ่มธุรกิจหาคู่เพื่อหาเงินไว้ให้ลูกสาว ตอนแรกพระนางไม่ค่อยถูกกัน แต่พอพระเอกมาเป็นลูกค้านางเอก ทั้งคู่ก็เลยได้ใกล้ชิดกันมากขึ้นแล้วก็รักกันเอง จบ พล็อตมีแค่นี้

ถึงจะไม่ค่อยมีอะไรมาก แต่พอมีตัวเทียบเป็นเล่มแรกแล้วรู้สึกสนุกขึ้นเยอะเลย ตอนอ่านเล่มแรกจบเกือบไม่อ่านเล่มนี้ต่อแล้วเพราะรู้สึกพระเอกนางเอกคู่นี้ตอนโผล่มาในเล่มแรกเด็กน้อยมากกก นางเอกเจอพระเอกครั้งแรกก็ตัดสินไปแล้วว่าพระเอกเป็นพวกนักกีฬาเพลย์บอยสมองกลวง ทั้งๆ ที่พระเอกก็ไม่ได้ทำอะไรให้เลย แถมเสนอตัวช่วยงานนางเอกด้วยซ้ำ แล้วพอพระเอกเห็นนางเอกชอบจิกกัดตัวเองก็ดันไปแหย่ให้นางเอกโกรธ ยัยนางเอกก็ยิ่งหัวฟัดหัวเหวี่ยงเกลียดพระเอกแบบไม่มีเหตุผลกว่าเดิม ซึ่งเล่มนี้เปิดมาตอนแรกก็ฟีลประมาณนั้น ตีกันแบบเด็กน้อยสุดๆ (จริงๆ ปกติก็ชอบพวกพระเอกนางเอกหยุมหัวกันนะ แต่คู่นี้เกลียดกันแบบไม่มีเหตุผลไปหน่อย ขอเหตุผลที่หนักแน่นกว่านี้สักนิดจะดีมาก)

แต่ยังดีที่ช่วงตีกันมันโผล่มาแค่นิดเดียว แป๊บๆ ก็หันมาดีกันละ พอดีกันแล้วอ่านเพลินเลย พระเอกน่ารักม้าก พ่อหนุ่มซันไชน์แสนดี <3 รู้สึกว่าพระนางคู่นี้มีเคมีและ relationship development มากกว่าเล่มแรก บางช่วงกลอกตานิดหน่อยเพราะพระนางมี abandonment issues ทั้งคู่เลยผลัดๆ กันเดินถอยออกมา แต่สุดท้ายก็จบได้น่าซาบซึ้งใจดี (และโคตรจะ cheesy อีกแล้ว 5555555)

โดยรวมก็เป็น light read พอๆ กะเล่มแรก ปมหลายๆ อย่างมาง่ายไปง่ายเหมือนเดิม บางส่วนก็ไม่ค่อยสมจริง (เช่นธุรกิจหาคู่ของนางเอก ดูจากวิธีการทำงานน่าจะเจ๊งไปนานแล้ว) แต่ก็รู้สึกว่าเขียนออกมากลมกล่อมกว่าเล่มแรกแหละ ชอบตีม family ในเล่มนี้ เป็นหัวข้อที่ gets me every time (แต่เสียดายที่ bonding ระหว่างพระเอกกับลูกนางเอกน้อยไปนิส)

[✰ Bianca ✰ BJ's Book Blog ✰]

Jane + Jasper

We already met both in Emmy and Graham's book. Jane's Emmy's little sister and Jasper is Graham's buddy. I would suggest you read My Darling Bride first!
Jane is still the manager of the family book store and mom to four year old Londyn. She's also just started her own matchmaking business - but it's not going all that well yet. She has lots of female clients, but there are no eligible guys anywhere!
Enter Jasper. He's really attracted to Jane but she can't stand him. Right?! It's not easy to read her. But at least he can sign up for her business to be closer to her. And going on a few dates won't be that hard for him... until he doesn't want to date other people anymore....

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Such a cute romance!
It's not all sweet and funny rom-commy. We have some problems with Jasper's real mom and Londyn's dad. But it's mostly just a really fun and adorable and sweet love story,
I adore that book store. The little girl is super cute and Jasper is just the sweetest guy. He is trying so hard to get that happily ever after. Because he usually runs away when it gets to serious because he'd rather leave himself than being left.
It all felt a tiny bit rushed here and there. Or too slow at the same time. I didn't get enough adorable Jasper and Londyn time and all the other side happenings were a bit much ... they took us away from the love story too often.
Also... Jasper is NOT a billionaire - there are very few sports billionaires and not even Tom Brady is anywhere close to being one. Michael Jordan. Michael Schumacher, Tiger Woods and two other golfers - that's it.
Oh and can we please cut Jasper's hair and make him look like the guy on the cover? I don't do man buns! Ew!

But I still really liked reading this story. Wouldn't mind getting a TV show with the book store and the football team as the main characters!

MY DARLING JANE was such a fun + sweet + adorable love story! I loved it! Run to your nearest book store for your own Jaspie - this one is MINE!

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💜 💜

[booksbydee]

4 hvězdy 3 plameny

[Ambriehl Khalil]

it was good until that dumbass fucking trope i hate got thrown in