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Out of Her League
Win a free print copy of this book!
8 days and 07:04:14
20 copies available
U.S. only
"Ava Rani creates the perfect mix of romance and drama!" —
People
To make her ex jealous, an ambitious young surgeon recruits a charming star soccer player to be her date to a lavish Parisian wedding—but love might have a game plan of its own, in this stand-alone romance from the USA Today bestselling author of the Biotech Billionaires series.
Dr. Isabelle Mercado is this close to having it all. Top of her class at the country’s most competitive orthopedic surgery residency, a dream career within reach, and a golden ticket to the wedding of the year in Paris.
There’s just one her ex—the one who got away—is going to be there… with his perfect new fiancée.
Desperate to save face (and maybe spark a little jealousy), Isa enlists soccer legend and global heartthrob Austin Cade to be her fake date. It’s the perfect after an injury and some unfortunate encounters with the press, he needs good PR and the kind of elite connections this wedding will attract. Plus, her ex just so happens to be his #1 fan. Win-win.
But between champagne toasts, macaron baking classes, and stolen glances under the Parisian stars, pretending starts to feel a lot like the real thing. Isa’s always been all-in on her career—love was never the goal.
But maybe, just maybe… this time, the heart has its own agenda.
TROPES YOU'LL
Fake datingFancy Paris weddingSo. much. banter!Billionaires and rich people shenanigansReputation rehabOnly one bed
To make her ex jealous, an ambitious young surgeon recruits a charming star soccer player to be her date to a lavish Parisian wedding—but love might have a game plan of its own, in this stand-alone romance from the USA Today bestselling author of the Biotech Billionaires series.
Dr. Isabelle Mercado is this close to having it all. Top of her class at the country’s most competitive orthopedic surgery residency, a dream career within reach, and a golden ticket to the wedding of the year in Paris.
There’s just one her ex—the one who got away—is going to be there… with his perfect new fiancée.
Desperate to save face (and maybe spark a little jealousy), Isa enlists soccer legend and global heartthrob Austin Cade to be her fake date. It’s the perfect after an injury and some unfortunate encounters with the press, he needs good PR and the kind of elite connections this wedding will attract. Plus, her ex just so happens to be his #1 fan. Win-win.
But between champagne toasts, macaron baking classes, and stolen glances under the Parisian stars, pretending starts to feel a lot like the real thing. Isa’s always been all-in on her career—love was never the goal.
But maybe, just maybe… this time, the heart has its own agenda.
TROPES YOU'LL
Fake datingFancy Paris weddingSo. much. banter!Billionaires and rich people shenanigansReputation rehabOnly one bed
Audible Audio
Expected publication May 12, 2026
101 people are currently reading
10254 people want to read
About the author
Ava Rani
5 books395 followersAva is a USA Today Bestselling author and a desi-girl chasing HEAs
The daughter of two immigrants, her Indian-American roots peek out in different ways in her novels.
She writes diverse escapism. Flawed characters with real problems in an idealized world. Fall in love with the hero and the heroine. But also, fall in love with their friend group. Fall in love with their chosen families and the people who support them.
When she's not writing, she's living her best 'Charlotte Pickles' life and taking over the corporate world while being a wife and mom to an adorable kiddo and labradoodle. With hobbies from gardening to studying to being a sommelier, she's always looking for her next delicious treat.
The daughter of two immigrants, her Indian-American roots peek out in different ways in her novels.
She writes diverse escapism. Flawed characters with real problems in an idealized world. Fall in love with the hero and the heroine. But also, fall in love with their friend group. Fall in love with their chosen families and the people who support them.
When she's not writing, she's living her best 'Charlotte Pickles' life and taking over the corporate world while being a wife and mom to an adorable kiddo and labradoodle. With hobbies from gardening to studying to being a sommelier, she's always looking for her next delicious treat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 653 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
— Rating: 3 ★ .ᐟ
˚ 𝜗𝜚 ₊ 🩺 . “I’m competing with the life you’re
building for yourself. Because unless I can add to it,
I don’t deserve to be part of it.” ‧₊˚
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 ᢉ𐭩
౨ৎ fake dating
౨ৎ one bed
౨ৎ surgeon x footballer
‧˚꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ⋮ ୭
I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. The overall story was decent, I loved the depth of the FMC, but the lack of chemistry between the main characters in a romance book was too hard to ignore. There was a scarce amount of tension, a distant narrative, and no compelling spark in the characters relationship.
The concept of the plot sounded great but I feel it wasn’t executed to its full potential. This book was extremely slow paced, especially in the beginning. It felt like nothing was happening, no progressive change in the characters or their dynamic, then all of a sudden a crucial moment was being thrown into the writing with no build up. I was constantly getting distracted as the plot often times bored me and I wasn’t capable of fully immersing myself into the writing. The story line was still interesting, I really liked the ‘make her ex jealous’ via fake dating scenario, but truthfully it wasn’t the most entertaining. It only really started to slightly entrance me near the end of the book where the pacing started to pick up.
I think Isabelle and Austin spent too much time apart during the start of the story which contributed to the lackluster dynamic between the two. It also felt very insta-lovey. Despite knowing each other before this book took place, they only really got to learn about the other for two-ish weeks before gaining feelings. I must say they had tons of banter albeit being repetitive and awkward at times. One of the better aspects in their dynamic was the tension. When it did make appearances, which was unfortunately not often, I found it to be decently engrossing. In all, the character’s chemistry felt fairly forced with few rememberable interactions where I could feel a true meaningful connection.
The descriptions though? Absolutely wondrous. Ava Rani illustrated the ethereal setting so well it astonished me, it frankly may have been some of the most descriptive writing I’ve read thus far. Her vocabulary was especially unique. While we’re on the topic of unique, it was fascinating to see characters with the occupations the ones in this book had. A surgeon and soccer play? Absolutely loved it. Unfortunately aside from the fabulous use of figurative language, the writing felt rather clunky and sort of lacked a smooth flow between sentences which made the overall story feel distant.
Sadly there was also a lack of true emotional complexity specifically in Austin’s character. Don’t get me wrong, Isabelle’s fears were delved into really well, however I feel that the author focused too much on Isabelle’s traumas that Austin’s were somewhat dismissed. The effects of his best-friend’s death on him weren’t really mentioned after the beginning chapters in addition to his foster home and education struggles not being particularly looked into. I do think he got some depth but I wish we had seen more intricacy in his character.
‧˚꒰ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⋮ ୭
౨ৎ Isabelle Mercado.
I absolutely loved her character! She was so ambitious and didn’t let anything get in the way of her goals. This ambition at times did become unhealthy to the point she often overlooked her personal life and non-work related relationships, but she had great character development throughout the book. It was fascinating to see Isabelle become a committed surgeon capable of balancing life and work in the epilogue despite the very different introduction of her outlook. I will say, she did annoy me from time to time. The lack of communication on her end and how she dealt with her ex was a tad iffy.
I do wish we had gotten to see more of the effects of being a colored woman in the medical field. It was mentioned a few times but never really got fully delved into which was disappointing. Isabelle undoubtedly had intriguing individuality but her inner monologue started to become repetitive as the book went on and I was disappointed that we hadn’t learned more about her interests aside from being a surgeon. Nonetheless I loved reading about her and the growth she had despite the sometimes boring scenes she contributed to.
౨ৎ Austin Cade.
Unfortunately did not giggle and kick my feet for this man but he had had some good qualities. Albeit fairly boring, he was so caring and kind to everyone he interacted with which I have to appreciate. The struggles he had with deciding what his future would look like were delved into really well but aside from that his other traumas/insecurities were rather overlooked.
Truthfully he didn’t really stick out to me and more often than not he was uninteresting. Alike to Isabelle, we didn’t learn much about Austin’s hobbies or interests aside from soccer. In the first few chapters his dialogue was sort of awkward and inauthentic yet he did make the banter somewhat amusing so props to that.
‧˚꒰ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 ⋮ ୭
It wasn’t a bad book per say, but Out of her League just wasn’t for me personally. I couldn’t really connect with the storyline due to the distant writing and the chemistry between the main characters being almost completely absent. The descriptive illustrations and emotional complexity of the FMC at the least did intrigue me while reading but in all it was rather boring due to the slow-pace with a lack of any suspension. I considered DNF’ing half way but I pushed through and unfortunately the character’s dynamic, the plot, the dialogue, none of it became truly entertaining. This was my first read from Ava Rani and I truthfully do not see myself reading her other books, but maybe? Still, if you’re looking for a simple yet spicy read with a fake dating trope and main characters with fascinating occupations I’d recommend trying this book!
⋆˚࿔ read: march 19 - march 31 ; 2026
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this arc in an exchange for an honest review
── ・ ── 𝜗𝜚 ── ・ ──
₊˚ ౿ ⚽️ pre-read !!
First ever ARC and I’m so excited 🥹. I’ve seen mixed-ish reviews on the pacing of the book but overall it seems interesting!! (Also love seeing a FMC with a medical career)
˚ 𝜗𝜚 ₊ 🩺 . “I’m competing with the life you’re
building for yourself. Because unless I can add to it,
I don’t deserve to be part of it.” ‧₊˚
𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭 ᢉ𐭩
౨ৎ fake dating
౨ৎ one bed
౨ৎ surgeon x footballer
‧˚꒰ 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 ⋮ ୭
I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t get into it. The overall story was decent, I loved the depth of the FMC, but the lack of chemistry between the main characters in a romance book was too hard to ignore. There was a scarce amount of tension, a distant narrative, and no compelling spark in the characters relationship.
The concept of the plot sounded great but I feel it wasn’t executed to its full potential. This book was extremely slow paced, especially in the beginning. It felt like nothing was happening, no progressive change in the characters or their dynamic, then all of a sudden a crucial moment was being thrown into the writing with no build up. I was constantly getting distracted as the plot often times bored me and I wasn’t capable of fully immersing myself into the writing. The story line was still interesting, I really liked the ‘make her ex jealous’ via fake dating scenario, but truthfully it wasn’t the most entertaining. It only really started to slightly entrance me near the end of the book where the pacing started to pick up.
I think Isabelle and Austin spent too much time apart during the start of the story which contributed to the lackluster dynamic between the two. It also felt very insta-lovey. Despite knowing each other before this book took place, they only really got to learn about the other for two-ish weeks before gaining feelings. I must say they had tons of banter albeit being repetitive and awkward at times. One of the better aspects in their dynamic was the tension. When it did make appearances, which was unfortunately not often, I found it to be decently engrossing. In all, the character’s chemistry felt fairly forced with few rememberable interactions where I could feel a true meaningful connection.
The descriptions though? Absolutely wondrous. Ava Rani illustrated the ethereal setting so well it astonished me, it frankly may have been some of the most descriptive writing I’ve read thus far. Her vocabulary was especially unique. While we’re on the topic of unique, it was fascinating to see characters with the occupations the ones in this book had. A surgeon and soccer play? Absolutely loved it. Unfortunately aside from the fabulous use of figurative language, the writing felt rather clunky and sort of lacked a smooth flow between sentences which made the overall story feel distant.
Sadly there was also a lack of true emotional complexity specifically in Austin’s character. Don’t get me wrong, Isabelle’s fears were delved into really well, however I feel that the author focused too much on Isabelle’s traumas that Austin’s were somewhat dismissed. The effects of his best-friend’s death on him weren’t really mentioned after the beginning chapters in addition to his foster home and education struggles not being particularly looked into. I do think he got some depth but I wish we had seen more intricacy in his character.
‧˚꒰ 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 ⋮ ୭
౨ৎ Isabelle Mercado.
I absolutely loved her character! She was so ambitious and didn’t let anything get in the way of her goals. This ambition at times did become unhealthy to the point she often overlooked her personal life and non-work related relationships, but she had great character development throughout the book. It was fascinating to see Isabelle become a committed surgeon capable of balancing life and work in the epilogue despite the very different introduction of her outlook. I will say, she did annoy me from time to time. The lack of communication on her end and how she dealt with her ex was a tad iffy.
I do wish we had gotten to see more of the effects of being a colored woman in the medical field. It was mentioned a few times but never really got fully delved into which was disappointing. Isabelle undoubtedly had intriguing individuality but her inner monologue started to become repetitive as the book went on and I was disappointed that we hadn’t learned more about her interests aside from being a surgeon. Nonetheless I loved reading about her and the growth she had despite the sometimes boring scenes she contributed to.
౨ৎ Austin Cade.
Unfortunately did not giggle and kick my feet for this man but he had had some good qualities. Albeit fairly boring, he was so caring and kind to everyone he interacted with which I have to appreciate. The struggles he had with deciding what his future would look like were delved into really well but aside from that his other traumas/insecurities were rather overlooked.
Truthfully he didn’t really stick out to me and more often than not he was uninteresting. Alike to Isabelle, we didn’t learn much about Austin’s hobbies or interests aside from soccer. In the first few chapters his dialogue was sort of awkward and inauthentic yet he did make the banter somewhat amusing so props to that.
‧˚꒰ 𝐎𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐥 ⋮ ୭
It wasn’t a bad book per say, but Out of her League just wasn’t for me personally. I couldn’t really connect with the storyline due to the distant writing and the chemistry between the main characters being almost completely absent. The descriptive illustrations and emotional complexity of the FMC at the least did intrigue me while reading but in all it was rather boring due to the slow-pace with a lack of any suspension. I considered DNF’ing half way but I pushed through and unfortunately the character’s dynamic, the plot, the dialogue, none of it became truly entertaining. This was my first read from Ava Rani and I truthfully do not see myself reading her other books, but maybe? Still, if you’re looking for a simple yet spicy read with a fake dating trope and main characters with fascinating occupations I’d recommend trying this book!
⋆˚࿔ read: march 19 - march 31 ; 2026
Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this arc in an exchange for an honest review
── ・ ── 𝜗𝜚 ── ・ ──
₊˚ ౿ ⚽️ pre-read !!
First ever ARC and I’m so excited 🥹. I’ve seen mixed-ish reviews on the pacing of the book but overall it seems interesting!! (Also love seeing a FMC with a medical career)
May 11, 2026
3.5💫
this was fun! i enjoyed the fake wedding date plot to make an ex jealous. the banter was great between our two main characters, and our fmc, isa, was so iconic. i love to see a strong, independent, stem woman!!! i sometimes felt that she belittled our fmc, austin, when talking about certain things, but not too bad where it made me dislike her. she had so much growth in this book, and I am glad she was able to realize that happiness was more important than impressing her parents!
i do wish there were a little more jealousy scenes since it was the whole point of the fake dating, but i enjoyed what we were given!! i also think there should have been some more focus on the wedding and wedding trip since it was also the plot of the book- im pretty sure we skipped the entire actual wedding.
thank you so much avon and ava rani for the arc!!!!
this was fun! i enjoyed the fake wedding date plot to make an ex jealous. the banter was great between our two main characters, and our fmc, isa, was so iconic. i love to see a strong, independent, stem woman!!! i sometimes felt that she belittled our fmc, austin, when talking about certain things, but not too bad where it made me dislike her. she had so much growth in this book, and I am glad she was able to realize that happiness was more important than impressing her parents!
i do wish there were a little more jealousy scenes since it was the whole point of the fake dating, but i enjoyed what we were given!! i also think there should have been some more focus on the wedding and wedding trip since it was also the plot of the book- im pretty sure we skipped the entire actual wedding.
thank you so much avon and ava rani for the arc!!!!
Read
January 1, 2026An immersive, addicting, and feel-good romance that isn't afraid to dig deep. Out of Her League is a must-read, and Ava Rani paints a world I want to live in forever.
Do yourself a favor and add this one to your TBR!
Do yourself a favor and add this one to your TBR!
Currently Reading
May 10, 2026𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ ── pre-read
i ADORE ava rani!!! after seeing so many edits & reviews for this, i had to start!! (audio is listen now on netgalley!!) pls read more south asian authors esp if ur looking for south asian rep <3
+ latina rep
as someone who's a BIG fan of women in stem in romance, i am truly soso excited! i heard isabelle is mentioned in her billionaire romance series so i'll be reading that very soon as well!!
the cover?! 😋
✧˖°💘 ⋆｡˚꩜ tropes & things to expect
⤷ she's a surgeon
⤷ fake dating her ex's fav athlete
⤷ 'no hands'
⤷ one bed
⤷ banter
⤷ famous soccer player
⤷ childless by choice
⤷ jealousy
out may 12!!
thank you avon for the for the digital advanced copy & ALC!
i ADORE ava rani!!! after seeing so many edits & reviews for this, i had to start!! (audio is listen now on netgalley!!) pls read more south asian authors esp if ur looking for south asian rep <3
+ latina rep
as someone who's a BIG fan of women in stem in romance, i am truly soso excited! i heard isabelle is mentioned in her billionaire romance series so i'll be reading that very soon as well!!
the cover?! 😋
✧˖°💘 ⋆｡˚꩜ tropes & things to expect
⤷ she's a surgeon
⤷ fake dating her ex's fav athlete
⤷ 'no hands'
⤷ one bed
⤷ banter
⤷ famous soccer player
⤷ childless by choice
⤷ jealousy
out may 12!!
thank you avon for the for the digital advanced copy & ALC!
Currently Reading
May 10, 2026making your ex-boyfriend jealous by dating his favorite athlete is a power move 🙇🏽♀️
_______
Thank you to Avon for the ARC and to HarperAudio for the ALC.
_______
Thank you to Avon for the ARC and to HarperAudio for the ALC.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
The SCREECH i let out during the auction! 10/10.
The TENSION in this is top tier.
This has emotional depth for days, sexy af tension and spice, and some truly spectacular banter.
What to love…
- STEM FMC
- eldest daughter vibes (she’s actually an only child but, ya know.. Overachiever, plagued by parental expectations, putting others desires and expectations above her own)
- he’s down very very bad and I loved it.
- great side characters and emotional development outside of the romance
- but the romance is also 10/10
Audio Narration: 4/5
Narrators: Vikas Adam & Vanessa Vasquez
Style: DUAL
Length: 9 hrs 31 mins
Thoughts: This was good but not great. Vanessa’s performance was pretty fantastic, no real issues there. For the male narrator, the pausing was excessive, which is one of my biggest audiobook pet peeves. It makes finding a comfortable listening speed so hard. Overall the pacing was slightly inconsistent between the two narrators. Not enough for me to change speeds every time they switched but enough that I noticed and occasionally needed to adjust the speed.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Avon for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
The TENSION in this is top tier.
This has emotional depth for days, sexy af tension and spice, and some truly spectacular banter.
What to love…
- STEM FMC
- eldest daughter vibes (she’s actually an only child but, ya know.. Overachiever, plagued by parental expectations, putting others desires and expectations above her own)
- he’s down very very bad and I loved it.
- great side characters and emotional development outside of the romance
- but the romance is also 10/10
Audio Narration: 4/5
Narrators: Vikas Adam & Vanessa Vasquez
Style: DUAL
Length: 9 hrs 31 mins
Thoughts: This was good but not great. Vanessa’s performance was pretty fantastic, no real issues there. For the male narrator, the pausing was excessive, which is one of my biggest audiobook pet peeves. It makes finding a comfortable listening speed so hard. Overall the pacing was slightly inconsistent between the two narrators. Not enough for me to change speeds every time they switched but enough that I noticed and occasionally needed to adjust the speed.
4.25⭐️| IG | TikTok |
Thank you Avon for the gifted book. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Since I'm in the medical field myself, I initially was envious of Isa for not being a first-generation student (like me 🫣), but it turns out that having a famous doctor as a parent can be challenging too. This felt relatable because, truly, medical school makes people miss a lot of important moments in life; it makes you lose friends and completely alters your priorities. I liked that Isa could escape this vicious cycle and be happy with someone who truly cares about her and appreciates her for who she is 🥹
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTERS: 22, 27, 34
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I have read every single Ava Rani book, and I have a feeling this one will be relatable. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and HarperAudio Adult for the eARC and ALC 🩵🩷
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕮𝖑𝖔𝖘𝖊𝖉 𝕯𝖔𝖔𝖗 𝕸𝖔𝖉𝖎𝖋𝖎𝖈𝖆𝖙𝖎𝖔𝖓𝖘˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
SKIP CHAPTERS: 22, 27, 34
⋆ ˚｡⋆୨୧˚𝕻𝖗𝖊-𝖗𝖊𝖆𝖉˚୨୧⋆｡˚ ⋆
I have read every single Ava Rani book, and I have a feeling this one will be relatable. Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and HarperAudio Adult for the eARC and ALC 🩵🩷
April 29, 2026
4.25 This one completely snuck up on me! What I expected to be just a "cute romance" turned into an engaging read that kept drawing me in. As a female physician, I especially appreciated the authentic attention to the challenges and prejudices women face in the world of medicine. It’s a wonderful balance of a sweet love story and a meaningful look at professional hurdles. A great listen!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you to NetGalley for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
First book from Ava Rani and I had such a good time. It's so easy to read and the fake dating trope is always a favorite of mine. The chemistry between these two felt sooo real from the start and I loved how their relationship developed.
Read this if you love:
• fake dating
• orthopedic surgeon and soccer star
• he falls first
• yearning
First book from Ava Rani and I had such a good time. It's so easy to read and the fake dating trope is always a favorite of mine. The chemistry between these two felt sooo real from the start and I loved how their relationship developed.
Read this if you love:
• fake dating
• orthopedic surgeon and soccer star
• he falls first
• yearning
May 2, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley & HarperAudio Adult for the ALC!
4 ⭐️ 3🌶️
Yep. This book did what I needed it to. FMC Isabelle is a confident, badass surgeon, and MMC Austin is a soccer legend and actual decent guy. He becomes her fake date to her best friend’s Parisian wedding to make her ex jealous. I enjoyed their banter and how he made her feel safe enough to relax and let go (“It was nice to have someone else take control”). I like how their relationship grew organically (none of that insta-love 🤢), and that there was space for her to grieve and process her past relationship ❤️🩹.
My only critiques are that I wish we had more time in Paris (such a romantic city) and that the addition of some more fun side characters would have made the story a little lighter. Oh, and that DUET NARRATION would have made the listening experience much more fun. The narrators were fine, but coming off of several multi-cast/duet romance audiobooks, it really takes me out of the story when the narrators are doing all the voices. Just a personal preference. The story was fun though. This will be a great beach read. This is my first book by Ava, and I’ll definitely read more 👍🏽!
4 ⭐️ 3🌶️
Yep. This book did what I needed it to. FMC Isabelle is a confident, badass surgeon, and MMC Austin is a soccer legend and actual decent guy. He becomes her fake date to her best friend’s Parisian wedding to make her ex jealous. I enjoyed their banter and how he made her feel safe enough to relax and let go (“It was nice to have someone else take control”). I like how their relationship grew organically (none of that insta-love 🤢), and that there was space for her to grieve and process her past relationship ❤️🩹.
My only critiques are that I wish we had more time in Paris (such a romantic city) and that the addition of some more fun side characters would have made the story a little lighter. Oh, and that DUET NARRATION would have made the listening experience much more fun. The narrators were fine, but coming off of several multi-cast/duet romance audiobooks, it really takes me out of the story when the narrators are doing all the voices. Just a personal preference. The story was fun though. This will be a great beach read. This is my first book by Ava, and I’ll definitely read more 👍🏽!
April 20, 2026
My first read from Ava Rani and this book just made me a permanent resident of her fan club.
Isa is the daughter of two famous doctors, and is constantly trying to live up to their expectations. The feelings Isa had about wanting to be the best at what she does and then struggling when she realizes that what she wants vs what is expected of her are different.
But what brought that feeling of change? GASP...a MAN!
Austin is a pro soccer player who made it big in Europe, but returned home to the states to help his best friend who was sick. He's 8 years older than Isa and considering retiring from his sport, but doesn't know what his next move should be. Is it the thing he's being told is best? Is it to keep playing? Or is it a secret third option that ends up feeling just right?
Without saying toooooo much and spoiling anything, these two end up fake dating for a wedding abroad and of courrrrrrse end up becoming close. The way their friendship blossomed and grew, along with their trust in each other, made rooting for them so easy and fun. They support one another and help each other realize what they truly want.
I was fearing a third act breakup, but these two really stuck it out and communicated so so well after a slight cool off period to get their heads on straight.
Adults doing adult shit while falling in love. SWOOOOON
Thank you NetGalley & Avon for an e-ARC to read early!
Isa is the daughter of two famous doctors, and is constantly trying to live up to their expectations. The feelings Isa had about wanting to be the best at what she does and then struggling when she realizes that what she wants vs what is expected of her are different.
But what brought that feeling of change? GASP...a MAN!
Austin is a pro soccer player who made it big in Europe, but returned home to the states to help his best friend who was sick. He's 8 years older than Isa and considering retiring from his sport, but doesn't know what his next move should be. Is it the thing he's being told is best? Is it to keep playing? Or is it a secret third option that ends up feeling just right?
Without saying toooooo much and spoiling anything, these two end up fake dating for a wedding abroad and of courrrrrrse end up becoming close. The way their friendship blossomed and grew, along with their trust in each other, made rooting for them so easy and fun. They support one another and help each other realize what they truly want.
I was fearing a third act breakup, but these two really stuck it out and communicated so so well after a slight cool off period to get their heads on straight.
Adults doing adult shit while falling in love. SWOOOOON
Thank you NetGalley & Avon for an e-ARC to read early!
February 12, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
This was a fun and quick read. I love a fake dating romance, especially when it is to make an ex jealous. There is just something so satisfying about watching a plan that is meant to be temporary and strategic slowly unravel into something real and authentic.
Isa and Austin are such an unlikely match on paper, but that contrast (almost opposites attract) is exactly what makes them work. Isa is career driven, focused, and determined surgeon. Austin, on the other hand, is nearing the end of his professional football career and quietly grappling with what comes next.
Despite them agreeing to fake date, their connection never felt forced or overly performative. The chemistry developed naturally, and the shift from pretend to real felt seamless. I appreciated that their relationship was built on genuine conversations and mutual respect rather than just their physical attraction.
If I am being honest, I would have loved a bit more depth when it came to their individual struggles, especially Austin’s transition out of sports and Isa’s internal conflict between love and ambition. There were hints at deeper emotional stakes that could have been explored further. Overall, it was an enjoyable, light romance with heart, charm, and a couple you can easily root for.
This was a fun and quick read. I love a fake dating romance, especially when it is to make an ex jealous. There is just something so satisfying about watching a plan that is meant to be temporary and strategic slowly unravel into something real and authentic.
Isa and Austin are such an unlikely match on paper, but that contrast (almost opposites attract) is exactly what makes them work. Isa is career driven, focused, and determined surgeon. Austin, on the other hand, is nearing the end of his professional football career and quietly grappling with what comes next.
Despite them agreeing to fake date, their connection never felt forced or overly performative. The chemistry developed naturally, and the shift from pretend to real felt seamless. I appreciated that their relationship was built on genuine conversations and mutual respect rather than just their physical attraction.
If I am being honest, I would have loved a bit more depth when it came to their individual struggles, especially Austin’s transition out of sports and Isa’s internal conflict between love and ambition. There were hints at deeper emotional stakes that could have been explored further. Overall, it was an enjoyable, light romance with heart, charm, and a couple you can easily root for.
May 7, 2026
Out of Her League was such a fun, charming read! The banter and chemistry kept me invested, and it had that easy rom-com feel that makes the pages fly by.
I did wish for a little more emotional depth and stronger development in certain moments, but overall this was a cute, entertaining romance that left me satisfied by the end.
I did wish for a little more emotional depth and stronger development in certain moments, but overall this was a cute, entertaining romance that left me satisfied by the end.
2026
February 2, 2026ANHPI TBR
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Avon
Valentine's Day TBR
📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Avon
May 6, 2026
Out of her league follows the story of Isabelle, whose only dream has been to follow on his father's footsteps and become the best surgeon; and Austin, a legendary soccer player. Austin agrees to be Isabelle's plus one to her best friend's extravagant wedding as Austin will be able to connect with powerful and rich people who can fund his foundation, and Isabelle's will be able to make her ex jealous by taking her ex's idol and favorite soccer player to the wedding.
The book had the right amount of spice, but I had a difficult time falling in love with the main characters; Isabelle's ambition overpowered the entire story and it got annoying by the end of it. As much as I loved the ending of the story, unfortunately, it did not make up for the rest of the story. The narrators did an amazing job with the audiobook.
Thank you HarperAudio Adult | Avon for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The book had the right amount of spice, but I had a difficult time falling in love with the main characters; Isabelle's ambition overpowered the entire story and it got annoying by the end of it. As much as I loved the ending of the story, unfortunately, it did not make up for the rest of the story. The narrators did an amazing job with the audiobook.
Thank you HarperAudio Adult | Avon for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
April 18, 2026
I’m always going to eat up and Ava Rani book and this was no different. I just always enjoy the plot and characters so much. I think this is her first sports romance and I was obsessed with the fmc who is a surgeon. I love that her fmc are always strong, smart hardworking career women. The mmc at one point in his career was one of the best soccer players but after his injury is looking to see where to take his career. This is a fake dating plot where the fmc asks the mmc to fake date her because of her ex. I really liked how the fmcs career was explored especially because of her dad and her mom’s respect careers. The romance was cute, I liked how the MCs got o know each other and continued to develop the relationship. There’s chemistry, spice and a smidge of conflict throughout the book. I thought it was realistic with how the FMCS grappled with balances both the relationship and her career that she had been working for so many years. Overall this is a good sports romance with diverse fmc. Thanks to Avon for this arc for an honest review.
Read for:
- Fmc in STEM
- Soccer player mmc
- Fake dating plot where
- Forced proximity
Read for:
- Fmc in STEM
- Soccer player mmc
- Fake dating plot where
- Forced proximity
May 8, 2026
Out of Her League owns my whole heart! And it earned it because my heart went through all the feels! It laughed along with the good humor and striking banter. It swooned a billion times over with the gorgeous, slow burn romance. It deliciously anguished over the heart-aching angst. And it flew with inspiration at the lesson at the center of this work: choose happiness without ever losing your true self. This is a spectacular read that will sit on that top tier shelf of my book loving heart.
Isabelle is set to be the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding, but when she finds out the ex that broke her heart will be attending (and with a surprise fiancée to boot!), she locks in former soccer superstar Austin to be her fake date at the wedding. She’ll help him find investors for his foundation and he’ll make her ex green with envy. A solid exchange, but neither expects their hearts to be on the line. Those aforementioned swoons? Yeah, start ‘em now! Because wheww, does this romance bring it!
But first, let’s discuss my favorite character. Beautiful, strong Isabelle. I adored Isa so much. She is fierce, resilient, and intelligent. But she has so much on her plate and at times so little of herself. She strives to overcome the shadow of her father, who is also in medicine; and, in equal measure, she strives to ensure she doesn't make the same presumed mistakes of her mother. Isa perceives her mom regretting having and raising her, as it derailed her own medical career. And so, Isa has a specific career goal in mind and nevermind if it's not actually what her heart desires. She simply looks to obtain the best to prove the best. Not out of arrogance or pride, but out of the need to create her own legacy and escape the pitfalls she fears lie before her. But in striving for this legacy, she stands in the way of her own happiness. She sees love and compromise in a way that is limiting and hindering, fearing the only way to make room for it is to set aside her own goals, because both can’t exist in the same space. And part of her journey is learning that isn’t the case. Her past relationship with her ex reveals not only his missteps but her own as well. Specifically in thinking she can’t choose every part of her happiness, that she can’t find someone who will match her stride rather than slow her.
Enter Austin.
I love how Austin never dims the light of Isa. He nurtures her if anything, he wants to see her always bloom. He’ll match her stride with glee, he’ll give her space if she needs it, he’ll put her first and never make her choose or compromise in a way that dims that brilliance she exudes. He is seriously a green flag man but in a way that feels truly real, tangible, and genuine. And that in itself scares Isa, that someone can be so forthright and open as he. But gosh I love how Isa learns to brave that fear to give him a chance, because he’s exactly what she deserves. And she’s what Austin deserves in turn. Isa may not read her own heart well at times, but she reads Austin’s well, and helps to direct him towards his true heart’s desire. I love the way these two challenge one another and support each other, both in such positive ways.
Like Isa, Austin is navigating his own path. Like Isa, he may not be choosing the one of true happiness, rather the one of expectations. He believes his path is to coach soccer (or football, depending on your preference hehe), but he also desires to see the foundation he began with best friend take flight. He could hand the control over to others, or take up the reins himself. Both he and Isa believe they know the ‘right’ paths but so much of their paralleling journey is seeing perhaps the right path isn’t the one full of expectations, but the one that invigorates personal drive and happiness. Isa and Austin positively challenge each other over the course of this narrative, and they do so in the way that pushes themselves towards their heart’s desire. By believing in one another and supporting one another, their respective perspective changes, broadening in a positive way. And I ate it up! I simply ate it up. Their chemistry is electric on every level, but I think what called to me most is the emotional bonding that occurs between them.
Also, as a quick sidenote, I really appreciated the way the narrative approaches the topic of having children. Specifically how it’s left open-ended. It’s not a yes or a no, it’s a “we’ll see,” for Isa. Maybe one day she’ll have kids, but maybe she won’t, and she’s okay with whatever happens, as is Austin who fully supports her. I’m used to this situation always being defined by book’s end, that it is quite nice to see a narrative leave it open for our leads to decide after we leave their beautiful story behind.
I loved this book so much. I admired our leads, I fell for their love story, and I rooted for them so hard. Both in terms of their personal journeys and of course their romance. You want to see them win in the way they deserve. That’s the best way for me to describe how it felt reading this one.
This book is forever memorable and always going to be loved by me. A top tier favorite, right here!
Thank you kindly to Avon and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
Isabelle is set to be the maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding, but when she finds out the ex that broke her heart will be attending (and with a surprise fiancée to boot!), she locks in former soccer superstar Austin to be her fake date at the wedding. She’ll help him find investors for his foundation and he’ll make her ex green with envy. A solid exchange, but neither expects their hearts to be on the line. Those aforementioned swoons? Yeah, start ‘em now! Because wheww, does this romance bring it!
But first, let’s discuss my favorite character. Beautiful, strong Isabelle. I adored Isa so much. She is fierce, resilient, and intelligent. But she has so much on her plate and at times so little of herself. She strives to overcome the shadow of her father, who is also in medicine; and, in equal measure, she strives to ensure she doesn't make the same presumed mistakes of her mother. Isa perceives her mom regretting having and raising her, as it derailed her own medical career. And so, Isa has a specific career goal in mind and nevermind if it's not actually what her heart desires. She simply looks to obtain the best to prove the best. Not out of arrogance or pride, but out of the need to create her own legacy and escape the pitfalls she fears lie before her. But in striving for this legacy, she stands in the way of her own happiness. She sees love and compromise in a way that is limiting and hindering, fearing the only way to make room for it is to set aside her own goals, because both can’t exist in the same space. And part of her journey is learning that isn’t the case. Her past relationship with her ex reveals not only his missteps but her own as well. Specifically in thinking she can’t choose every part of her happiness, that she can’t find someone who will match her stride rather than slow her.
Enter Austin.
I love how Austin never dims the light of Isa. He nurtures her if anything, he wants to see her always bloom. He’ll match her stride with glee, he’ll give her space if she needs it, he’ll put her first and never make her choose or compromise in a way that dims that brilliance she exudes. He is seriously a green flag man but in a way that feels truly real, tangible, and genuine. And that in itself scares Isa, that someone can be so forthright and open as he. But gosh I love how Isa learns to brave that fear to give him a chance, because he’s exactly what she deserves. And she’s what Austin deserves in turn. Isa may not read her own heart well at times, but she reads Austin’s well, and helps to direct him towards his true heart’s desire. I love the way these two challenge one another and support each other, both in such positive ways.
Like Isa, Austin is navigating his own path. Like Isa, he may not be choosing the one of true happiness, rather the one of expectations. He believes his path is to coach soccer (or football, depending on your preference hehe), but he also desires to see the foundation he began with best friend take flight. He could hand the control over to others, or take up the reins himself. Both he and Isa believe they know the ‘right’ paths but so much of their paralleling journey is seeing perhaps the right path isn’t the one full of expectations, but the one that invigorates personal drive and happiness. Isa and Austin positively challenge each other over the course of this narrative, and they do so in the way that pushes themselves towards their heart’s desire. By believing in one another and supporting one another, their respective perspective changes, broadening in a positive way. And I ate it up! I simply ate it up. Their chemistry is electric on every level, but I think what called to me most is the emotional bonding that occurs between them.
Also, as a quick sidenote, I really appreciated the way the narrative approaches the topic of having children. Specifically how it’s left open-ended. It’s not a yes or a no, it’s a “we’ll see,” for Isa. Maybe one day she’ll have kids, but maybe she won’t, and she’s okay with whatever happens, as is Austin who fully supports her. I’m used to this situation always being defined by book’s end, that it is quite nice to see a narrative leave it open for our leads to decide after we leave their beautiful story behind.
I loved this book so much. I admired our leads, I fell for their love story, and I rooted for them so hard. Both in terms of their personal journeys and of course their romance. You want to see them win in the way they deserve. That’s the best way for me to describe how it felt reading this one.
This book is forever memorable and always going to be loved by me. A top tier favorite, right here!
Thank you kindly to Avon and NetGalley for this complimentary eARC, I leave this honest review voluntarily.
May 4, 2026
This book was hard to put down from the minute I started. I love that everything started with fake dating 🤭 and then the tension between the characters became too much!
Following the journey of these two characters as they found themselves and then each other was inspiring. I love that they pushed each other to achieve their best.
Our FMC learns what it feels like to not have to settle and still be able to live out her dreams. While also sharing that with her person and being able to have everything she wanted. The MMC learns that the future he wanted could be more than he was settling for as well. Together they gave each other the support they needed and the love was pure. Plus the banter was top tier in this one as well.
My first book by Ava and I loved every second of it! I will definitely be reading more if I can. 😍
Following the journey of these two characters as they found themselves and then each other was inspiring. I love that they pushed each other to achieve their best.
Our FMC learns what it feels like to not have to settle and still be able to live out her dreams. While also sharing that with her person and being able to have everything she wanted. The MMC learns that the future he wanted could be more than he was settling for as well. Together they gave each other the support they needed and the love was pure. Plus the banter was top tier in this one as well.
My first book by Ava and I loved every second of it! I will definitely be reading more if I can. 😍
April 23, 2026
Out of Her League by Ava Rani 🩺
I really, really enjoyed this! Ava Rani is becoming a favorite and auto buy author for me. Give me all the strong, independent women in romance books.
Isa is the top of her class at her orthopedic surgery residency and close to having the career she has been focused on reaching. Her best friend is about to get married and she's finally taking some time off after all that hard work. Except she finds out that her ex will be at the wedding and needs to find a date, even if it's fake, to show she has moved on too. That's where Austin comes in. They've spoken to each other in passing as she does some work for the professional soccer team that he plays for but end up striking a deal for Austin to be Isa's fake date to the wedding. She proves to her ex that she has moved on and he gets to try and raise some funding for his charity by schmoozing a bunch of rich people at the wedding. It's a win win situation, until Isa and Austin realize there's real chemistry between them and they both are unsure about acting on it.
I really liked Isa. She knows what she wants and has not let anything get in the way of what she has set out to achieve for herself despite whatever is thrown her way. Then Austin was a sweetie who had reached a point in his life that he isn't sure what his next step is and needs a bit of a push to make the decision of what he really wants. I liked seeing them both get to know each other in a close proximity setting of Isa's friends wedding. A fake dating moment always accelerates the timeline for two characters to learn about each other and realize there's chemistry, and I will eat it up every time.
I loved the conversations had between Isa and Austin. Isa remains focused on her career throughout the book and Austin each time reassures her fears that even if they pursue the relationship, he'd never do anything to make her lose what she has been working so hard for.
🤍 age gap (8 years, he’s older)
🩺 she’s a doctor
⚽️ he’s a professional soccer player
💕 fake dating
🫶🏼 childfree by choice
🤒 he takes care of her when she’s sick
dual POV
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️
I really, really enjoyed this! Ava Rani is becoming a favorite and auto buy author for me. Give me all the strong, independent women in romance books.
Isa is the top of her class at her orthopedic surgery residency and close to having the career she has been focused on reaching. Her best friend is about to get married and she's finally taking some time off after all that hard work. Except she finds out that her ex will be at the wedding and needs to find a date, even if it's fake, to show she has moved on too. That's where Austin comes in. They've spoken to each other in passing as she does some work for the professional soccer team that he plays for but end up striking a deal for Austin to be Isa's fake date to the wedding. She proves to her ex that she has moved on and he gets to try and raise some funding for his charity by schmoozing a bunch of rich people at the wedding. It's a win win situation, until Isa and Austin realize there's real chemistry between them and they both are unsure about acting on it.
I really liked Isa. She knows what she wants and has not let anything get in the way of what she has set out to achieve for herself despite whatever is thrown her way. Then Austin was a sweetie who had reached a point in his life that he isn't sure what his next step is and needs a bit of a push to make the decision of what he really wants. I liked seeing them both get to know each other in a close proximity setting of Isa's friends wedding. A fake dating moment always accelerates the timeline for two characters to learn about each other and realize there's chemistry, and I will eat it up every time.
I loved the conversations had between Isa and Austin. Isa remains focused on her career throughout the book and Austin each time reassures her fears that even if they pursue the relationship, he'd never do anything to make her lose what she has been working so hard for.
🤍 age gap (8 years, he’s older)
🩺 she’s a doctor
⚽️ he’s a professional soccer player
💕 fake dating
🫶🏼 childfree by choice
🤒 he takes care of her when she’s sick
dual POV
4.5/5 stars ⭐️
2/5 spice level 🌶️
April 11, 2026
4.5
I loved this book! It was so sweet and the characters were very well done! I’m such a huge advocate for not compromising your dreams for anyone and I’m glad Isa stood on business especially as her dreams evolved! Austin was a sweetie and I loved their relationship so much!
Isa is an ambitious surgeon who recruits a grumpy soccer star to be her date to her friend’s wedding where her ex boyfriend will be attending. Through the events of the wedding the fake dating lines blur and Isa is forced to choose what she wants.
I loved the characters in this! They felt so fleshed out! I love Isa so so much! I love how she followed her dream even when it wasn’t easy and that she gave herself grace as her dream evolved. Austin was such a sweetheart I love that he never made Isa feel like her dreams were a problem. The spice was also spicing! Spicy scenes didn’t feel clunky at all and the chemistry was on point! 🫶🩷
I absolutely recommend picking this up if you’re a fan of fake dating, banter, and women in medicine!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
I loved this book! It was so sweet and the characters were very well done! I’m such a huge advocate for not compromising your dreams for anyone and I’m glad Isa stood on business especially as her dreams evolved! Austin was a sweetie and I loved their relationship so much!
Isa is an ambitious surgeon who recruits a grumpy soccer star to be her date to her friend’s wedding where her ex boyfriend will be attending. Through the events of the wedding the fake dating lines blur and Isa is forced to choose what she wants.
I loved the characters in this! They felt so fleshed out! I love Isa so so much! I love how she followed her dream even when it wasn’t easy and that she gave herself grace as her dream evolved. Austin was such a sweetheart I love that he never made Isa feel like her dreams were a problem. The spice was also spicing! Spicy scenes didn’t feel clunky at all and the chemistry was on point! 🫶🩷
I absolutely recommend picking this up if you’re a fan of fake dating, banter, and women in medicine!
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review!!
May 12, 2026
This was my second book I’ve read by Ava Rani and I find her writing style fast paced and engaging. A few characters from her Biotech Billionaire series appear in this book, and that is how we find out that Isa’s best friend is Selena, who is the FMC from the Heir. Selena is getting married in Paris and when Isa find outs her ex and his fiancee will be at the wedding, she decides she doesn’t want to attend the wedding alone.
I love how Ava portrays her FMCs as highly ambitious, driven and excelling in male dominated fields. Isa is a talented orthopaedic surgeon who is looking to get admitted to a prestigious fellow ship. She’s been struggling with the pressure she has been putting on herself and by her parents. Despite thriving in her career, she feels like she’s lacking the work life balance. Austin is a former professional soccer player and after sustaining an inquiry, is contemplating the next phase in his career.
What started with Isa asking Austin to fake-date her at her best friend’s wedding to make her ex jealous slowly grows into a genuine friendship built on mutual respect. Their relationship evolved with an easy, natural chemistry. I loved Isa’s self-discovery journey as she navigated the pressure to “have it all” and learned what she truly wanted versus what was expected of her. Austin was a supportive MMC who wasn’t threatened by her ambition and success.
Overall, it’s a fun and bingeable read featuring a fake dating trope at a destination wedding!
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
I love how Ava portrays her FMCs as highly ambitious, driven and excelling in male dominated fields. Isa is a talented orthopaedic surgeon who is looking to get admitted to a prestigious fellow ship. She’s been struggling with the pressure she has been putting on herself and by her parents. Despite thriving in her career, she feels like she’s lacking the work life balance. Austin is a former professional soccer player and after sustaining an inquiry, is contemplating the next phase in his career.
What started with Isa asking Austin to fake-date her at her best friend’s wedding to make her ex jealous slowly grows into a genuine friendship built on mutual respect. Their relationship evolved with an easy, natural chemistry. I loved Isa’s self-discovery journey as she navigated the pressure to “have it all” and learned what she truly wanted versus what was expected of her. Austin was a supportive MMC who wasn’t threatened by her ambition and success.
Overall, it’s a fun and bingeable read featuring a fake dating trope at a destination wedding!
Thank you Avon and Harper Voyager for the ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.
March 22, 2026
NetGalley ARC Review 🫶 Honestly, who doesn’t love a fake dating trope? If you had the chance to make your ex jealous by showing up with their favourite soccer player on your arm, and you’d take it, then you would like this romance.
I loved that Isa was so career focused, it’s rare to see an FMC stick to their ambitions and not “give it all up” to show their love. I also love how they showed how uncertain the MMC Austin was about his future after his career requires a shift. It’s nice to see people who are imperfect, know they need to work on things, and do it. It’s rare you see character growth sometimes in these romance novels, but you did here!
If you enjoyed the Windy City series or Twisted love series, you should give this a try!
I loved that Isa was so career focused, it’s rare to see an FMC stick to their ambitions and not “give it all up” to show their love. I also love how they showed how uncertain the MMC Austin was about his future after his career requires a shift. It’s nice to see people who are imperfect, know they need to work on things, and do it. It’s rare you see character growth sometimes in these romance novels, but you did here!
If you enjoyed the Windy City series or Twisted love series, you should give this a try!
May 9, 2026
There were so many tropes and plot points in this book that are my absolute favorite - I ate this book up! Some billionaire romance mixed in (but not a main part of the story), a female surgeon & a famous soccer player - this was a true opposites attract situation.
When Isa's "some day of a situationship/ex" suddenly turns up engaged, she is so thrown for a loop and determined to make sure she does not show up dateless to her best frineds upconing overseas wedding. Luckily, her bestie comes in clutch, and when an opportunity to outbid the ex's fiance Francesca at a charity auction comes along, she buys some time with the famous American soccer player. Isa and Austin immediately hit it off with their chemistry, but decide to use this situaton as business arrangement. Austin will be Isa's date to the upcoming wedding for a little fake dating, and Isa will use her skill and charm to help network & increase foot traffic to the foundation Austin runs that is so near and dear to his heart. In typical romance fashion (at the risk of giving away some obvious spoilers that will obviously give them their HEA), their fake dating turned real comes with some of the spiciest chemistry between the two of them. He definitely falls first in this one, and though his insecurities constantly push him to believe he is not worthy, Austin is convinced to make their relationship more than the 2 weeks of this wedding trip.
This book consists of a MMC dealing with the loss of his best friend Theo, but while overcoming his own grief, he continues to work effortlessly on the foundation of Theo's dreams, and constantly showing up for Theo's wife and daughter. Isa has her own battles, working so hard to outshine her parents shadow (her dad mainly) & make sure every accomplishment she has is "worthy" of her mother, who gave up her own dreams to be a mom. She suffers her own inner demons because of parents that honestly just kind of suck but make her strive to be better in probabky a super unhealthy way.
What I loved about this book is that the ex tried to put all the blame on their ended situatonship on her for prioritzing herself and her career, but when they have it out, she lets him have it right back to be sure he knows she is not the villain for chasing her dreams and goals, and he never even considered his own sacrifices. A strong FMC is becoming more and more popular these days and I will read every single one of them that crosses my desk. When they become confident with themselves alone and THEN find an MMC who can support and cheer for them the loudest, that is the book I want to read. That is the circumstance I hope everyone strives for - to have the confidence to know your worth, keep fighting for your goals, and eventually find a partner who wants only the best for you.
This was such a great read, and I truly hope it is set up for more in the series Thank you Avon for the gifted copy & Netgalley for the gifted digital and audio. The narrators for this book were new to me, but I can NOT wait to hear more from them. They delivered the story perfectly, bringing a clear concise sound and providing so much entertainment with their voices. Each to follow ad easy to binge.
When Isa's "some day of a situationship/ex" suddenly turns up engaged, she is so thrown for a loop and determined to make sure she does not show up dateless to her best frineds upconing overseas wedding. Luckily, her bestie comes in clutch, and when an opportunity to outbid the ex's fiance Francesca at a charity auction comes along, she buys some time with the famous American soccer player. Isa and Austin immediately hit it off with their chemistry, but decide to use this situaton as business arrangement. Austin will be Isa's date to the upcoming wedding for a little fake dating, and Isa will use her skill and charm to help network & increase foot traffic to the foundation Austin runs that is so near and dear to his heart. In typical romance fashion (at the risk of giving away some obvious spoilers that will obviously give them their HEA), their fake dating turned real comes with some of the spiciest chemistry between the two of them. He definitely falls first in this one, and though his insecurities constantly push him to believe he is not worthy, Austin is convinced to make their relationship more than the 2 weeks of this wedding trip.
This book consists of a MMC dealing with the loss of his best friend Theo, but while overcoming his own grief, he continues to work effortlessly on the foundation of Theo's dreams, and constantly showing up for Theo's wife and daughter. Isa has her own battles, working so hard to outshine her parents shadow (her dad mainly) & make sure every accomplishment she has is "worthy" of her mother, who gave up her own dreams to be a mom. She suffers her own inner demons because of parents that honestly just kind of suck but make her strive to be better in probabky a super unhealthy way.
What I loved about this book is that the ex tried to put all the blame on their ended situatonship on her for prioritzing herself and her career, but when they have it out, she lets him have it right back to be sure he knows she is not the villain for chasing her dreams and goals, and he never even considered his own sacrifices. A strong FMC is becoming more and more popular these days and I will read every single one of them that crosses my desk. When they become confident with themselves alone and THEN find an MMC who can support and cheer for them the loudest, that is the book I want to read. That is the circumstance I hope everyone strives for - to have the confidence to know your worth, keep fighting for your goals, and eventually find a partner who wants only the best for you.
This was such a great read, and I truly hope it is set up for more in the series Thank you Avon for the gifted copy & Netgalley for the gifted digital and audio. The narrators for this book were new to me, but I can NOT wait to hear more from them. They delivered the story perfectly, bringing a clear concise sound and providing so much entertainment with their voices. Each to follow ad easy to binge.
April 30, 2026
I LOVED THIS! And the audio was fantastic. The audio is dual format, and I am not a new listener to Vanessa Vasquez. As always, she did a phenomenal job. Her variety of voices great. He male voice was not to forced and easy to listen to and her pacing was easy to listen to at high rates of speed and very easy to understand. She brought all the characters to life. Now I am new to Vikas Adams and I really like him. I will 100% percent listen to him again. I found him easy to listen to and equally matched to Vanessa. They made me fly through my immersion read easily at work.
I loved how our characters met and I really like Isa. She is a doctor who needs a date when she finds out the person she thought she would end up coming back to later on after everything is now engaged and bringing a date to her best friend's wedding in Paris. Now Austin is a soccer player, and I can tell you I know nothing about soccer...so when they were talking about leagues I was a little lost. But he is so great. He is confident and supportive and just the perfect guy. It is a fake dating trope and I loved when he checks in with her when they are at the wedding festivities and asks her what she wants. I need a physical copy of this book for my library...and fun fact while this is a standalone her bestfriend does have a book.... I will be reading it!
Thank you to Avon and Harper Audio for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I loved how our characters met and I really like Isa. She is a doctor who needs a date when she finds out the person she thought she would end up coming back to later on after everything is now engaged and bringing a date to her best friend's wedding in Paris. Now Austin is a soccer player, and I can tell you I know nothing about soccer...so when they were talking about leagues I was a little lost. But he is so great. He is confident and supportive and just the perfect guy. It is a fake dating trope and I loved when he checks in with her when they are at the wedding festivities and asks her what she wants. I need a physical copy of this book for my library...and fun fact while this is a standalone her bestfriend does have a book.... I will be reading it!
Thank you to Avon and Harper Audio for the complimentary copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
April 21, 2026
Star rating: 3.25 🌟
Spice rating: 3🥵🔥
Tropes: Fake dating, SOOOO much banter, Only one bed, Reputation rehab, Paris setting, Hot athlete x hot surgeon
Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Collins for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review
Okay, to start off I was so excited when I received this one on my doorstep because I have read other books by Ava, and they are always the absolute best time. My expectations and excitement were high going into this one, because I absolutely love the fake dating trope (and when it’s fake dating your ex’s favorite soccer star to make him jealous?! SIGN ME UP IMMEDIATELY). And I did really enjoy a lot of things about this book, but also agree with other reviews of something in the execution of this book fell flat for me. I know some reviews state it was the chemistry between out two main characters, Isabella and Austin, but honestly I thought that was done really well. For me, it was the entire character of Isabella that fell flat.
At first, I really enjoyed the headstrong, determined FMC that was Isabella. She has dreams and gosh dang she was going to achieve them… but I was expecting her to grow a little throughout the book, and get a little less selfish in the aspect of her dreams being the most important thing, trumping any thing and any one else… and I didn’t really see that to the degree I was hoping to. I love a strong and ambitious FMC, but I do feel like it is realistic that when you love someone, you’re willing to make sacrifices and be happy to do so. And I just don’t feel like Isabella at the end of it got there. I would have loved to see her be truly selfless in the name of loving someone more than her own ambitions, even if that sacrifice didn’t end up happening… it’s more of the thought that she could be selfless in that way… ya know😅
Although this may not be my favorite book of Ava’s, I did really enjoy myself and sped right through it! I would highly recommend for anyone looking to pick up a fun, fake-dating rom-com💕 Releasing May 12th
For more bookish content and reviews, please consider giving my bookstagram a follow💕
https://www.instagram.com/lovinmyshelf
Spice rating: 3🥵🔥
Tropes: Fake dating, SOOOO much banter, Only one bed, Reputation rehab, Paris setting, Hot athlete x hot surgeon
Thank you so much to Avon and Harper Collins for sending me an ARC in exchange for my honest review
Okay, to start off I was so excited when I received this one on my doorstep because I have read other books by Ava, and they are always the absolute best time. My expectations and excitement were high going into this one, because I absolutely love the fake dating trope (and when it’s fake dating your ex’s favorite soccer star to make him jealous?! SIGN ME UP IMMEDIATELY). And I did really enjoy a lot of things about this book, but also agree with other reviews of something in the execution of this book fell flat for me. I know some reviews state it was the chemistry between out two main characters, Isabella and Austin, but honestly I thought that was done really well. For me, it was the entire character of Isabella that fell flat.
At first, I really enjoyed the headstrong, determined FMC that was Isabella. She has dreams and gosh dang she was going to achieve them… but I was expecting her to grow a little throughout the book, and get a little less selfish in the aspect of her dreams being the most important thing, trumping any thing and any one else… and I didn’t really see that to the degree I was hoping to. I love a strong and ambitious FMC, but I do feel like it is realistic that when you love someone, you’re willing to make sacrifices and be happy to do so. And I just don’t feel like Isabella at the end of it got there. I would have loved to see her be truly selfless in the name of loving someone more than her own ambitions, even if that sacrifice didn’t end up happening… it’s more of the thought that she could be selfless in that way… ya know😅
Although this may not be my favorite book of Ava’s, I did really enjoy myself and sped right through it! I would highly recommend for anyone looking to pick up a fun, fake-dating rom-com💕 Releasing May 12th
For more bookish content and reviews, please consider giving my bookstagram a follow💕
https://www.instagram.com/lovinmyshelf
February 26, 2026
Fake dating! It will always be my favorite trope! I loved how he fell first in this one! I will definitely go and read more by this author.
May 4, 2026
Rating: ★★★★½
ARC Review:
I received an advance copy of this book from Avon via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Standalone or Series: Standalone
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Vibe: Summery and spicy
Pacing: Medium
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger: No
Reread-worthy: Yes
Tropes:
✵Surgeon x Soccer Player
✵Only One Bed
✵Fake Dating
✵He Falls First
Synopsis: To make her ex jealous, Isabelle realizes that the best revenge possible is dating his favorite soccer player.
My Thoughts: This was SO CUTE!! I absolutely devoured this story. I was immediately drawn in by the description, because dating your ex’s favorite soccer player is one of the best revenge plots out there. Isa was so career focused, and she never lost sight of that, which I loved. She refused to change who she was or the goals she set for any man! I loved the focus and care that was put into writing her character, and making sure her career was authentic and realistic. It was such a huge part of who she was, and that really came across on the page. Austin was such a fun MMC, and I loved his personality! He was so down bad for Isa, and I LOVE a man obsessed. He never made her feel bad about making her career a priority and I love that! I am also such a sucker for a fake dating plot, and adding Paris into the mix? Spectacular!
This was my first book by Ava Rani, and I am eager to read the rest of her books immediately!
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!
ARC Review:
I received an advance copy of this book from Avon via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Release Date: May 12, 2026
Standalone or Series: Standalone
POV: First Person, Dual
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Vibe: Summery and spicy
Pacing: Medium
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Cliffhanger: No
Reread-worthy: Yes
Tropes:
✵Surgeon x Soccer Player
✵Only One Bed
✵Fake Dating
✵He Falls First
Synopsis: To make her ex jealous, Isabelle realizes that the best revenge possible is dating his favorite soccer player.
My Thoughts: This was SO CUTE!! I absolutely devoured this story. I was immediately drawn in by the description, because dating your ex’s favorite soccer player is one of the best revenge plots out there. Isa was so career focused, and she never lost sight of that, which I loved. She refused to change who she was or the goals she set for any man! I loved the focus and care that was put into writing her character, and making sure her career was authentic and realistic. It was such a huge part of who she was, and that really came across on the page. Austin was such a fun MMC, and I loved his personality! He was so down bad for Isa, and I LOVE a man obsessed. He never made her feel bad about making her career a priority and I love that! I am also such a sucker for a fake dating plot, and adding Paris into the mix? Spectacular!
This was my first book by Ava Rani, and I am eager to read the rest of her books immediately!
Follow me on Instagram and TikTok for more!
May 9, 2026
Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for this arc!
Dr. Isabelle Mercado is a driven orthopedic surgeon who has a focused and well crafted plan for her future…residency, research, and coveted fellowships. She doesn’t let anything get in her way, especially not a relationship. But when she learns of her “on again/off again” ex-boyfriend’s recent engagement, she finds herself reeling from the news as she always figured they would find their way back to one another.
So when Isabelle finds out she is going to be stuck with her ex and his new fiancé while all attending her best friend’s wedding in Paris, she enlists the help of professional soccer star, Austin Cade to be her fake boyfriend.
But when fake dating starts to turn into real feelings, Isabelle must consider what (and who) her future plans will include!
This was such a fun fake dating read!! I will always love a strong, independent, STEM FMC and Isabelle was a force to be reckoned with!! Watching her build her own legacy while balancing the pressures that accompany not living in your parent’s shadow when both her parents are well-renowned doctors as well made it so easy to cheer her on!
Isabelle’s character development does a really nice job of exploring the intricacies between pursuing your life goals inside a demanding professional setting while also wanting to find companionship and love and the delicate balance needed to pursue both!
It was easy to see why Isabelle was so taken with soccer star, Austin Cade! Despite his own notoriety and international fame, he was charming, humble, down to earth, and was committed to successfully growing the foundation he and his late best friend started. These two worked so well together because Austin’s drive and passion rivaled Isabelle’s and it didn’t scare him away, but rather made him fall harder!
The witty banter and tension between these two was so fun and all the descriptions of Paris made me instantly want to book a plane ticket!
Tropes:
- Doctor FMC x Soccer star MMC
- Fake dating
- Age gap
- He falls first and hard
- One bed
- Witty banter
Dr. Isabelle Mercado is a driven orthopedic surgeon who has a focused and well crafted plan for her future…residency, research, and coveted fellowships. She doesn’t let anything get in her way, especially not a relationship. But when she learns of her “on again/off again” ex-boyfriend’s recent engagement, she finds herself reeling from the news as she always figured they would find their way back to one another.
So when Isabelle finds out she is going to be stuck with her ex and his new fiancé while all attending her best friend’s wedding in Paris, she enlists the help of professional soccer star, Austin Cade to be her fake boyfriend.
But when fake dating starts to turn into real feelings, Isabelle must consider what (and who) her future plans will include!
This was such a fun fake dating read!! I will always love a strong, independent, STEM FMC and Isabelle was a force to be reckoned with!! Watching her build her own legacy while balancing the pressures that accompany not living in your parent’s shadow when both her parents are well-renowned doctors as well made it so easy to cheer her on!
Isabelle’s character development does a really nice job of exploring the intricacies between pursuing your life goals inside a demanding professional setting while also wanting to find companionship and love and the delicate balance needed to pursue both!
It was easy to see why Isabelle was so taken with soccer star, Austin Cade! Despite his own notoriety and international fame, he was charming, humble, down to earth, and was committed to successfully growing the foundation he and his late best friend started. These two worked so well together because Austin’s drive and passion rivaled Isabelle’s and it didn’t scare him away, but rather made him fall harder!
The witty banter and tension between these two was so fun and all the descriptions of Paris made me instantly want to book a plane ticket!
Tropes:
- Doctor FMC x Soccer star MMC
- Fake dating
- Age gap
- He falls first and hard
- One bed
- Witty banter
April 13, 2026
Thank you Avon for the ARC!
I was not expecting to love this so much! It was so much fun, laugh out loud funny, but also so really and heartfelt.
When Isa’s ex rsvps to her best friends wedding with a fiance, she isn’t sure what to do so she agrees to fake date soccer star Austin Cade, because he is super nice/hot and it’ll piss her ex off the most. What starts out as revenge turns to love!
I really loved this book because of Isa and Austin’s relationship. Isa struggles in relationships as she is in her residency and wants to focus on her career first. Relationships make her feel like she has to not put herself first. Austin doesn’t want her to change and shows up for and shows how he supports her time and time again and I LOVED this side of the story. I really liked their conversation around kids vs careers and how to find family needs elsewhere.
I also really loved how Isa handled family pressure to do certain things with her career over the course of the book.
This book was a true fake dating master piece and I enjoyed every second of it!
I was not expecting to love this so much! It was so much fun, laugh out loud funny, but also so really and heartfelt.
When Isa’s ex rsvps to her best friends wedding with a fiance, she isn’t sure what to do so she agrees to fake date soccer star Austin Cade, because he is super nice/hot and it’ll piss her ex off the most. What starts out as revenge turns to love!
I really loved this book because of Isa and Austin’s relationship. Isa struggles in relationships as she is in her residency and wants to focus on her career first. Relationships make her feel like she has to not put herself first. Austin doesn’t want her to change and shows up for and shows how he supports her time and time again and I LOVED this side of the story. I really liked their conversation around kids vs careers and how to find family needs elsewhere.
I also really loved how Isa handled family pressure to do certain things with her career over the course of the book.
This book was a true fake dating master piece and I enjoyed every second of it!
May 2, 2026
immersive / 5* / netgalley
Calling all strong independent women - this one’s about us. We are stubborn, and unwilling to accept help from others. And somehow it becomes our biggest flaw, perhaps even a red flag. Luckily there are book boyfriends like Austin who won’t give up on us. Through fake dating, and beyond. He was extra supportive is just was Isa needed.
I loved the older more established MC’s and how they both grew over time. While I haven’t read other novels by this author, I understand there are some reoccurring characters within her novels - so I will definitely be going back through her catalogue!
Let’s talk about narration - because it was so well done! I would say the narration bumped this up to a full 5 for me. The steam was felt and the tension between the characters could be cut with a knife. Vikas Adam and Vanessa Vasquez were perfection as Austin and Isa!
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this book in advance of its release, always an honour.
Calling all strong independent women - this one’s about us. We are stubborn, and unwilling to accept help from others. And somehow it becomes our biggest flaw, perhaps even a red flag. Luckily there are book boyfriends like Austin who won’t give up on us. Through fake dating, and beyond. He was extra supportive is just was Isa needed.
I loved the older more established MC’s and how they both grew over time. While I haven’t read other novels by this author, I understand there are some reoccurring characters within her novels - so I will definitely be going back through her catalogue!
Let’s talk about narration - because it was so well done! I would say the narration bumped this up to a full 5 for me. The steam was felt and the tension between the characters could be cut with a knife. Vikas Adam and Vanessa Vasquez were perfection as Austin and Isa!
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Audio for the opportunity to read and listen to this book in advance of its release, always an honour.
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