Real's Love

by Elle Kayson

The only kind of relationship Everly Love Miller is interested in having with men is one in which emotions don’t factor into the equation. The last thing she’s looking for is love. The pretty labor and delivery nurse learned the hard way that many men were attracted to women like her but often behind closed doors. As long as it’s mutually beneficial, Everly keeps their secrets—and her heart—to herself. It’s the ideal she calls all the shots and everything remains perfect in her world.

Montréal Hamilton doesn't give a damn about Everly's list of rules and regulations. Upending her orderly little universe is quickly becoming his favorite thing to do. The more the real estate mogul is around the woman he calls "love," the more of her he craves. When Real finds out the thick beauty isn't whom or what she seems, he sets out to unravel the mystery that is Love Miller. Only time—and a little persistence—will Is Everly his worst enemy or Real's Love?

Genres: Romance, African American Romance, Urban

460 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 19, 2025

About the author

Published Author.

Exasperated Mother.

Southern Cook.

Angsty, Beautiful, Clueless Mess.

That's me, in short. I've been writing since elementary school and won my first prize in seventh grade. I am a romantic at heart and love a happy ending! Join me on this writing (and reading) journey--you won't be disappointed!

Reviews

[↬ Ⓛ · Rating 1 out of 5]

she playing too hard to get and he chasing homegal hella hard across the damn country and/or state, i’m too old for this cat and mouse game. if yall like complicated lame ass situation-ship wishy washy heroine (bc she lacks accountability-denial/delusional) this is for you. only highlight is real bc my dude have always kept it real. the 3 month separation is insane bc it wasn’t even noted in the ch or page, but just randomly mentioned & it was the heroine’s grandma who had to give her the push to go back and ask for forgiveness (aka grovel) bc she know he was the one who got away. also the ending was weird af due to heroine being prego last min & how the author time jump where they have the baby already. the timeline needs to make sense and it ain’t. it was all over the place with no structure, she kind of just rushed the ending. & real still deserves better, i said what i said. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[AniyasReads · Rating 2 out of 5]

The only reason why I didn’t dnf this book is because I wanted to see if everly came to her senses. Spoiler alert, she did and it took the entire book. Everly was one of the most insufferable and annoying FMCs have I ever read. She swore off dating due to men not being able to love her out loud and past hurts from her years in college. I just kept reading to see if sis had some type of therapy because there’s no way you are still heartbroken from your first year of college and you’re 26. The best parts of this book were Real, Targen, and Everly’s family. I didnt like how she basically felt she wasn’t good enough for anyone and Real showed her time and time again that he was interested in her, wanted to show her off, and wanted to be with her forever. He even chased her all the way to North Louisiana to prove that he was all in. And what did she do yet again? Chase him off. It became an annoying back and forth simply because she was way too guarded over past hurts. Get some help baby. It’s almost like she treated herself as a fetish; only allowing these men to spend money on her privately or sleep with them if she felt comfortable enough. Not every man is Tate or ashamed of being with curvy women. This book was a disappointment to say the least.

[Leslie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was good but slow for me. I hated Everly... she was extremely childish to me and I couldn't take it. I loved the cousins arc of the story and I can't wait to read more about them.
The ending did a super weird jump around that completely threw me off.

I will read the next books in this series.

[Keiaira Oliver · Rating 5 out of 5]

It’s been a minute since I’ve written a review, so bear with me! 😭😭🙌🏾🙌🏾


Elle Kayson did her thing with this one—she wrote the HELL outta this book!



I’ve been seeing some mixed reviews about how y’all felt about Ev… and listen, she will get on your nerves at times, no doubt!
But I get why she didn’t just open up right away. What happened to her 10 years ago really left a mark, and truthfully, she never had to deal with it head-on… until Montreal stepped in.

Whewwww, Montreal! He came in and showed her what a real man looks like.
Yeah, he played a little with her emotions in the beginning, but honestly? He was so patient with her and stayed consistent, letting her know he wasn’t going anywhere. It took her a while to believe it, but I’m so glad she finally did!

Now… I really hope Targen and Theory are next!! I loved every single thing about Targen. Whewwww, that man right there? He’s gonna be SOMETHING! ♥️♥️🔥🔥🙌🏾🙌🏾

[J · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed almost everything about the book, except for the female main character. I understand she was still dealing with trauma from something that happened seven years ago, she let the MMC show her multiple times he was different and genuinely cared for her. Despite that, she continued to make him chase her for the majority of the book. She decided she wanted to be with him around 95% of the way through the book

[Felicia · Rating 4 out of 5]

damn

So I enjoyed Theory and Target story more than Reals and Ev’s story. Can’t say I like EV, she really did too much in my opinion.

[ShaTorey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this is NOT demons dream. Now that we have that covered, I still thoroughly enjoyed this book. I got sucked in pretty quickly. In the beginning I didn’t get why everyone was annoyed with Ev and then eventually her anxiousness and fear got irritating to read over and over again. She really waited until the last 20% to start gathering some sense. Real is excellent 👏🏾

Now I must say that I NEED a theory and targen book. Especially with the way this ended. Now Elle, two characters with the name starting with a T is the max. We know from Texas tale how much you love t characters.

[KB’s Book Chronicles · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️ because I thoroughly enjoyed it right up til the end. The ending was so anticlimactic - what deal was dad trying to strike with his kids, what happened with T&T Pip & Jag…..so many loose ends 😫 I really hope there’s a part 2.

[SDWhite · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

Everly was annoying the majority of the book, but it was a good read. The last half of the book was more about Tragen and Theory instead of Everly and Real, and the ending was rushed.

[Olesha · Rating 1 out of 5]

every female in this story is annoying

Ev annoyed me from the beginning. I couldn’t even finish the book. I skipped so many pages and then eventually skipped to the end. I love this author but this story was so hard to read for me. I understand Everly was hurt but she was so annoying. I wanted Real to move on from her. I started to like Theory’s story until she got on my nerves too. If there’s a part 2 I won’t be reading. Nothing like Demon’s Dream or her other work.

[Ambra | ambreadbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5
— Montréal “Real” Hamilton, whew! He knew what he wanted and that was Everly Love. She had her faults and insecurities but I’m glad she finally realized she deserved all of the love and affection he was providing.
— I can’t wait to get Theory and Targen’s story.

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a little of everything. Humor and banter, a couple of interesting plot points, chemistry and layered characters. Speaking of….The author asked us to give the FMC Everly some grace because of how she moved in the book. Which I can do and did to an extent. BUT this woman fought this man for LITERALLY 95% of the book before she reconciled her feelings for him. He spent all that time begging to break down her walls, pleading to love her out loud, showing her his heart and how different he was from the rest. And at that point I wanted him to want more for himself and to leave her alone. I enjoyed the characters (except Everly) and I’m interested in reading more about them. So I hope that this is a set up for a multi book series.

[mo be readin · Rating 3 out of 5]

I actually really enjoyed this story. There was enough balance between hearing Real and Love’s perspectives on what they were doing and how they were moving. I also liked the world building of Emancipation and the Miller family. I would’ve liked that same level of care extended to the Hamilton’s because there was a whole lot there that was dropped on us and never explored further - something I didn’t care for in this. Unless I’m mistaken, I’m not sure these characters will be the central focus of the other books in this series, so it didn’t make sense that things were mentioned and not really explained unless there’s a plan to circle back to this at some point (which I hope is the case).

I’ve seen other reviews that weren’t really feeling Love’s perspective in all of this which is fair because got damn girl let it go, but I also understand where her hesitation is coming from, so I was more understanding of the stubbornness from Love.

What really brought my rating down was the pacing of the last few chapters. Everything just started moving so fast and I was like huh? So much time went into really telling a fleshed out story that it was off putting to go through the last chapters. I would’ve rather it been set up to continue to the next book instead of trying to wrap up as much as possible so we can move on. Again, making the next book specifically focused on continuing this story of these characters or just writing a longer book would’ve solved this problem, but I’m assuming there’s a plan/long game in play so🤷🏾‍♀️

(Also, the dual nature of these business ventures feels like a last minute inclusion instead of something deliberately planned for these characters🫤. If they gonna be shady, let’s let them be shady)

Let me head onto the next book and maybe my issues will get addressed in it lol

[S · Rating 3 out of 5]

Everly…

I try to be nice to FMCs, but Everly just got on my nerves. elle kayson is a talented writer, however Everly made this boo annoyingly long. I cheered when Real gave up and left. I’ll read Theory and Targen’s book. I’m actually looking forward to it. Also of elle did a small town Black romance series featuring the residents of Emancipation, it would read those.

[🍬 ⋆ 🍡 🎀 𝒜𝓃𝑔𝑒𝓁𝒾𝒸𝒶 🎀 🍡 ⋆ 🍬 · Rating 4 out of 5]

The storyline was solid, but it honestly felt like a cat-and-mouse game for about 70% of the book. And I get it—seven years ago, Everly promised herself she’d never take a man seriously again. Because of that, she started dogging men out and using them for what they had.
But Real consistently showed her that he wanted more than just a situationship. Everly is one of the most emotionally confused FMCs I’ve read in a while. It was clear she never truly healed or found closure, because if she had, she wouldn’t have put Real through so much. Every red flag she thought she saw, she ran with instead of communicating. She’d shut down, put on a mask, and self-sabotage just to avoid getting hurt.
She let Tate’s actions from the past dictate her entire future when it came to men and relationships. I was actually glad when Real finally stood his ground—she needed that wake-up call. Honestly, he could’ve left her alone, but that man was a good one. She let a few bad apples who didn’t love her right—or out loud—shape her mindset, and when she finally got a man who did, she fumbled him. Bad. I was relieved when she finally came to her senses.
The side characters were a highlight for me. I loved Theory and Targen’s storyline, but I hated that the author left us on a cliffhanger with their situation. Juvie added humor, and Everly’s grandparents were hilarious as well.

[KaalaPatrice · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay… let’s talk.

I was really into this book in the beginning. The intense, romantic, emotionally charged, slow-burn entanglement that Real and Ev found themselves in was absolutely engaging. The chemistry? Thick. The tension? Delicious. The emotional pull had me locked in and ready for whatever ride Elle Kayson was about to take me on.

However… somewhere around the 300-page mark, my excitement slowly turned into worry—and then straight-up annoyance.

At a certain point, Ev’s unwillingness to budge, despite Real doing everything to show up, started to feel exhausting. I caught myself thinking, Sir… please go home. Because at that moment, it felt like she was standing directly in her own way. And don’t get me wrong—I completely understand when life throws onions at you and you have to figure out how to make onion soup. I get self-protection. I get walls.

But what became frustrating was how she would almost admit her feelings, then immediately gaslight herself out of believing Real was genuine. Homegirl was fighting ghosts. As someone who has emotional walls twelve times the size of the Great Wall of China, I empathize deeply with playing it safe. But what bothered me was how she refused the pressure of healthy love while being very willing to accept the negative narratives planted by other men from her past. That imbalance? Aggravating.

And yes—I really wanted Real to take his happy, emotionally available self right back home.

Now… Targen & Theory.

Listen. I know this is going to sound non–girls’ girl of me (which… honestly tracks), but I was far more interested in his story than hers. Targen’s background felt layered, intriguing, and emotionally complex—especially with the Russian storyline. I sympathized with Theory’s pain and felt every ache she described, but I kept wanting to know more about HIS scars and how they shaped him.

Which brings me to my biggest question:
👉 Are we getting a book about them?
Because the next two books aren’t centered on them, and I truly don’t want them reduced to side characters.

Let’s wrap this up.

This is a good book—but it does become draining once the back-and-forth starts looping without much progression. I stayed engaged because I needed to know how it ended, but I wish we’d gotten more time seeing the other side of their love. Once they finally worked things out, I wanted to watch them be together—dating, learning, choosing each other.

Instead, we jump straight into the kidnapping plot and then suddenly we’re in the epilogue: baby here, wedding talk there.

And while I understand the purpose of suspense (truly), it’s a personal pet peeve of mine when we don’t get to sit in the happiness. I want to see the joy. The peace. The everyday love—not just be told it happened.

Final thoughts:
Solid read. Strong emotional foundation. But I wanted more payoff once the walls finally came down.

✨ Let me see the happy ending—not just read about it.

[Amber J · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know people are gonna get on here and rate this book based off demons dream even though there is a disclaimer that this is not that! This book was so good, the writing, the imagery, the small family town story. Ugh I didn’t want the story to end and I can’t wait for the return to Emancipation. A lot of women can relate to what Love went through and how it’s so easy to allow your past to dictate your future and cause others to pay for past transgressions. Can’t call them stupid or dumb if the shoe has never been on your foot. The one thing I hated but what was so true is how it took her seeing her past to realize how much she appreciated Real and how much he was there for her when she was fighting him tooth and nail! But love prevailed and I can’t wait for the next book!

[Nisha Ni · Rating 5 out of 5]

Big Elle….. not the little one

Girllll you did your big one. Definitely a blend of slowness and unhinged behavior. If you’re expecting Demons Dream then don’t….she even mentions that in the opening. This one deserves its own accolades without comparison.

[Jasmen Spurell · Rating 5 out of 5]

True this is no demon’s dream but this book is so so good. Elle Kayson knows how to write a man forsure LMAO. Really I have no complaints, Everly was a bit annoying but so was Real. Both stubborn. I enjoyed the back and forth. I’m hoping the epilogue hinted to a sequel????!?!

[Jada · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plot twist!

I truly didn't expect half of the events that occurred in this book but I was on edge of my seat the entire time. I loved this extra slow burn but Ev gives you a time!

[Keysha · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

The first 47% was meh, but the second half was really good I enjoy both Real family n Ev family. Targen and Theory saved the story to me.

[Savannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love was about as hard as vibranium from Wakanda, she was relentless and gave Real hell all the way up until like the last 20 pages of the book. I don't think I read a book with a more closed off FMC. Real applied straight pressure and even that wasn't enough to completely tear down the walls Love had built. I was exhausted for him.

The way this book ended I'm hopeful for book two. I hope it's centered around Targen and Theory. I loved the little bit of them I got.

But overall this was a enjoyable read

[Debbie Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Complex Characters and a Story That Keeps You Hooked

I enjoyed this one. Real was that man. He’s calm, protective, and oh so patient. Everly, on the other hand… gurl. She had me side-eyeing 🙄 my Kindle more than once. I was honestly more drawn to Theory and Targen’s chemistry (because I was lowkey sick of Everly), and now I’m really hoping their full story is next. This had the drama, the spice, the humor, and the family dynamics to keep me invested.

[Kwastina Jackson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enjoyed it...

Let me first say, I enjoyed this book and it is well written. However, Ev... I just couldn't with her . She annoyed me to the point that I had to take breaks because sheesh! I get it, she had trauma, but it was just too drawn out for me. Her resolve and the resolution to the storyline came way too late and was moved through super fast. Some of the repetitive cycle of running could have been glossed to show more of her redemption.

[Kyla · Rating 3 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️.5

[Jite · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Stars…

This was compelling enough to keep me coming back, and I did understand Everly’s hang-ups about relationship given her past experience, but she was also a little immature in not recognising how much her past was giving her a super toxic approach to life- the girl was clearly not okay however together she thought she was, and one of her cousin/sisters should have told her the truth about that so many years later.

I think the back and forth between Ev and Real got a little tiring- they both acted like teenagers. The he-man attacking everyone she spoke to thing was not sexy. I just didn’t particularly care for Ev or Real and by the time they got together as a couple, I was really over them both.

The couple I really cared about in this was Theory and Target who were going so well before Target had to go pay his bratva family piper for taking care of Theory’s blackmail. Unfortunately, this plot angle of actually mature people ended on a cliffhanger. I really want to read what’s next with this series and I’m looking forward to seeing the next installment.

[K_Clear22 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listennnn

I LOVEEEEEEE how Elle supported other authors by including them in her book. I love the story of Real and Everly! Having Targen and Theory was an added bonus. The way Elle was able to write this story and intertwine all of these characters and their stories was absolutely amazing! This story was definitely different as the plot begin to thicken. I loved loved loved book. I highly recommend!

[Shantell Freeman · Rating 2 out of 5]

Frustrating

The FMC was a disappointment. This man loved her out loud the whole book then she instantly changes at the very end with no real explanation and a time jump. Real deserved better. At least give him 2 chapters of reciprocity. I gave 2 stars because I liked the MMC only. Hopefully we do better with Theory's story.

[CLorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes: Black Love, Multicultural, Transactional Romance, Businessman with Criminal Ties, Love at First Sight, Past Abuse, Urban
Real's Love by Elle Kayson is the third book that I have read by this entertaining author. Like the first two books, Kayson gives her readers a sweeping narrative, with a few open-ended storylines that leave us waiting for the other shoe to drop, hopefully, somewhere down the line. She also manages again to juggle more than one romantic pair quite nicely. This book is the first one in her series, Welcome to Emancipation.
If we went by the number of chapters assigned, Everly Love Miller and Montréal Hamilton are the “stars” of the book; however, Montréal’s best friend and partner in crime, Targen and Theory, Everly’s cousin, are just as interesting with a less complicated and clearer path to love.
Early in her romantic career during her first year in college, Everly was “burned” by her first love. Everly is beautiful, brilliant and full-figured; Tate Thibadeau, scion of a prestigious family and conscious of optics, is totally smitten with Everly but understands that she does not look the part of a girlfriend, and certainly not a future spouse. He sees her as a private girlfriend, not one to be seen with in public ☹. His callous actions influence how Everly treats romance. All connections become transactional and governed by her rules. The men she interacts with are wealthy and can provide her with the capital she needs to make her dreams of giving back to her community a reality (a cold method to achieve a warm reality).
But that is BM (Before Montréal); Montréal is a suave, handsome real estate tycoon with an extremely questionable side hustle and an adversarial relationship with his older half-brother. He also has interesting full siblings and hopefully we will get their stories at some point. Montréal has slotted himself into the places that Everly will allow him, enjoying the carefully curated spaces she lets him access all the while falling in love with the person she hides from the world. When she bolts (because that is what she does); he follows with Targen in tow. Everly is still skittish and standoffish while once Targen meets Theory, they start their own love story. Will Everly allow Montréal to truly see her and love her, or will she continue to allow Tate to shape how she sees herself and how she handles connections? Will Targen and Theory continue on their road to love, or will he just be a speed bump?
Conclusion:
I liked the construction of this story. We could see the innocence of the young Everly and then her later cynicism that hid the pain of that old betrayal. She carried that hurt and tried to harden her heart to disappointment. I have read a few reviews that panned Everly’s adherence to past damage to shape her trajectory, but I empathized with her response. Coming into her life, Montréal was a breath of fresh air; he was not looking for love but found himself in deep with the enigmatic and closed off Everly. They did a great deal of back and forth as he struggled to make a dent in her barriers. Their trip to Emancipation. Alabama was one of the highlights of the story. Here we meet Everly’s family, which is a of fodder of stories involving the cousins and sisters. Theory and Tagen’s story end on a bit of a cliffhanger and other stories are prepped to begin (I hope)
Jag and Pip
Braeden and Hyacinth
Ghazi and Shane
Cairo and Keelah
In addition, sprinkled in this story are links to other related books by different authors. The characters in these stories are related through friendship or family ties:
Trenches by Aubry J.; Weak for You by Aubry J.; Before I Go With You by R. S. Nicole, Wait for Me by Aubry J. (Kelsey and Taleah have stories but I could not find them on Kindle).
Final Words, I really enjoyed his story and look forward to reading other books in this series as well as the other highlighted couples. Montréal and Everly were messy and funny; the way they went back and forth made me dizzy in the best way. Emotional trauma and physical trauma were addressed in this book in a respectful manner. The author left me curious about Targen’s history; I would like to know more about his injuries and his family!
https://theretiredreader.com/f/reals-...

[ShybutRude92 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Yeah unfortunately this did not hit like Demon’s Dream. It was ok. Even at the end I don’t want a man like Real. I felt like he’s controlling. The ending was confusing. Like is there going to be a part two? Idk. Also the underlining of words/names throughout the book was annoying. How that was missed during editing I don’t know. Targen seemed like the only man with some sense.

The following are all the thoughts I had while reading this book so it may contains some spoilers:

$25,000 on a freshman you me the previous semester?? Girl don’t take it! He’s buying your love.

Hmmm would I give up my v card for $25k??? Nahhh especially if we’re not in an official relationship.

At least he knows he’s selfish.

I kind of have a thing when it comes to names so if I met a man named Naaman i’d have to say nah, man! 🤣✌🏾

Really don’t care for the underlined words. I’m not sure if it’s just my book doing that but if not then it seems really unnecessary.

These names🤣🤣🤣. Sounds like paternity court specials! Reasyn?? PLEASE!!!! But definitely more sim name ideas!

Yeah I don’t think I want a man like Real. He’s kind of controlling to me. Him catching feelings isn’t a problem. The problem is he thinks because he caught feelings he can now control wtf they got going on! She clearly laid her rules and expectations out there. And you agreed. Now you want to do things differently which is fine but she still has a choice in the matter! And this is part of the problem that caused her to do things the way she has been for the past five years if I remember correctly. You want more but you didn’t directly tell her you want more.

And let this show you ladies that a man can take you to meet his mama and family without claiming you! Nahhh claim me! Tell me you want me as your partner/gf/wife. I don’t have time for the bullshit.

I didn’t slam my kindle closed! I kept reading but i’m telling you right now if Targen would have gave Assad a grape!!! I was going to be big mad! Leave the dog out of it!

“Ev wasn’t even officially mine…” EXACTLY! But trying to control her! Fuck that! Couldn’t be me! Oh now you’re her boyfriend?! How come you didn’t make that claim in her presence all these months? Foh! Please realize that this is controlling behavior! Toxic! And then threatening her! Toxic!! No way around it!