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Strangers in Love #1
Beauty and the Baller
An Amazon Charts and #1 Kindle Store bestseller. An NFL quarterback turned small-town coach gets sacked by a Texas beauty queen in this swoony, passionate romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills. Gorgeous, talented, and brilliant, NFL quarterback Ronan Smith has the world in his hands. But after losing his career and his fiancée in a car accident, he falls into a pit of grief and bad choices. When a mysterious girl shows up to his party, he feels drawn to her and makes her his…for one night. Former beauty queen Nova Morgan is on a mission. Scantily clad as a princess from a galaxy far, far away, she sneaks into a high-profile party to capture the attention of her favorite quarterback. But her hopes crash after an awful one-night stand. Fast-forward two years. Broke and desperate, Nova returns home to Blue Belle, Texas, where, by a cosmic twist of fate, her broody neighbor is none other than Ronan, the shiny new football coach everyone adores. But he has no idea who she is. The booster club keeps shoving women at Ronan to keep him in town. His solution? He proposes fake dating to Nova. But things heat up for real under these Friday-night lights when he realizes she’s the one who slipped away. Has this jaded beauty found her forever baller, or will his past keep them apart?
Audio CD
First published March 29, 2022
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About the author
Ilsa Madden-Mills
39 books16.4k followers#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.
A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺
★ Sign up for her newsletter and receive insider info about new releases and exclusive giveaways
★ You can stalk her/sign up on the contact page: ilsamaddenmills.com
★ Facebook: Author Ilsa Madden-Mills
★ Join her private reader group on FB: Unicorn Girls
★ Instagram @Ilsamaddenmills
New Book News:
Dear Ava is live!
Not My Romeo is live!
I Promise You drops October 12/20
Not My Match drops January 19/21 (pre-order on Amazon)
A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.
She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺
★ Sign up for her newsletter and receive insider info about new releases and exclusive giveaways
★ You can stalk her/sign up on the contact page: ilsamaddenmills.com
★ Facebook: Author Ilsa Madden-Mills
★ Join her private reader group on FB: Unicorn Girls
★ Instagram @Ilsamaddenmills
New Book News:
Dear Ava is live!
Not My Romeo is live!
I Promise You drops October 12/20
Not My Match drops January 19/21 (pre-order on Amazon)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,365 reviews
April 12, 2022
4 Stars
This was super cute read. I love most sport romances, but I especially love hockey and football romances. This was basically decorating my top friend feed, getting great reviews, and available via Kindle Unlimited. So I did what we all do and 1-clicked.
So glad I did, because this was super cute and full of great (but not overly done) banter and quirk. I really enjoyed all the characters, the small town charm, and of course, the football angle.
Side note: I somehow overlooked the "dead fiancée" detail in the blurb and I'm really glad I did. The whole dead ex angle is NOT a favorite of mine and I tend to avoid it. (More on that HERE for anyone interested)
Luckily, it wasn't too much of a sticking point for me here and was basically a nonissue.
Most importantly, Ronan and Nova had sizzling chemistry, which is my favorite thing and can offset a lot for me, generally speaking.
A great way to spend an afternoon.
This was super cute read. I love most sport romances, but I especially love hockey and football romances. This was basically decorating my top friend feed, getting great reviews, and available via Kindle Unlimited. So I did what we all do and 1-clicked.
So glad I did, because this was super cute and full of great (but not overly done) banter and quirk. I really enjoyed all the characters, the small town charm, and of course, the football angle.
Side note: I somehow overlooked the "dead fiancée" detail in the blurb and I'm really glad I did. The whole dead ex angle is NOT a favorite of mine and I tend to avoid it. (More on that HERE for anyone interested)
Luckily, it wasn't too much of a sticking point for me here and was basically a nonissue.
Most importantly, Ronan and Nova had sizzling chemistry, which is my favorite thing and can offset a lot for me, generally speaking.
A great way to spend an afternoon.
May 5, 2022
2 stars b/c I’m feeling generous. Where do I even begin?
I’m at a loss because this book has so many good reviews. Did we all read the same book? Some of my friends liked this too, so I’m sorry if I’m insulting your personal preferences… but this book just didn’t work for me. At all.
My issues, in list form:
1. The writing, the writing, the writing. Ick. There were times when I felt like I was reading the ramblings of a teenager, not a book about the late 20’s/early 30’s h&H. Their inner monologues were repetitive and LONG. I really felt like the book lasted FOREVER. Also, all of the side characters were like caricatures of who they were supposed to be. Most had no depth… so many were just TEXANS™️.
2. The author tried REALLY hard to make the hero & heroine sound “wise”… but both ended up sounding dumber than a box of bricks. There are constant quotes from “The Art of War” and the hero talks about “winning the heart” about 200 times as part of his football spiel. Then, the heroine gives advice that sounds like it could have come from my 5 year old’s Daniel Tiger books.
An example:
“ Beauty isn’t on the outside. I learned that in the pageants. I met some beautiful women who were ugly on the inside and some who were incredible. Beauty is how we go on, the life we create around us. Living a life that’s meaningful.
It’s such a nice sentiment, but it feels like I’ve heard this same thing about 1000x in the past, it’s not a unique sentiment, and yet the author tries to pass it off as the wisest wisdom that ever wisded.
The same is true of stuff the hero says. There’s one part in the book where the hero uses a slightly less common word and the heroine is all “woooow you’re so smart, who uses words like that when they speak??” But like, it wasn’t that uncommon of a word. And he “spoke smart” ONCE in the entire book. 🙄
3. I really dislike when a heroine is written in a way to create an us vs. them mentality with other women in the book. Like the heroine and a few of her friends are nearly perfect, and the rest of the women in the story are either background noise or just straight up crazy bitches. The heroine was SO MUCH MORE FUN, and SO BEAUTIFUL, and SO KIND, etc.
Then, a boy wants to date the heroine’s sister (who is also portrayed positively), and so he says to the heroine:
“I know you don’t know me, but I think she’s incredible. Smart. She helps me with my history. I know she doesn’t like to touch her eraser and that the fire alarm makes her jittery. She rubs her ring when she gets anxious. She doesn’t always get what people say, and I like that about her. She’s not like other girls. She says what she thinks, too, and there’s no pretending.”
LIKE SERIOUSLY? "Not like other girls"??? What a joke to actually throw that line right into the book.
It’s great to have a unique heroine, but you know what’s also great? Acknowledging that everyone has flaws and no one is perfect. That there are plenty of good people out there. The OW didn't have to be so awful that the heroine was near perfection in comparison.
4. The first chapter. The hero is drunk, takes the heroine to his hotel room to fuck anyways, and then calls her by his dead fiancée’s name when he orgasms. 🤡🤡 This probably should have been #1.
5. The hero and heroine are then separated for 2.5 years and both have other partners during this time. Not my personal cuppa. He obviously had no trouble moving on with other girls after the heroine.
6. The heroine is DEFINITELY second best. The hero spent too much time thinking about his dead fiancée for my taste. I could have managed it if he had truly moved on by the time they were reunited. But he still needed to get “closure” towards the end of the book. There’s some token attempt to say that he loved them differently. But it seemed too little, too late, and didn't ultimately convince me.
7. The hero does a lot of pushing away because he’s SO AFRAID OF HURTING SOMEONE like he hurt his dead fiancée. 🤨🤨 ……….…. Ummm? They were in a car accident. She wasn’t wearing her seat belt. She died. How is that HIS fault? He needed therapy, not random hookups or a relationship. Ofc no mention of therapy for him, he just has to get over his issues. Guess getting professional mental health help isn’t sexy enough for this book.
8. The whole thing about how the hero only likes blondes and the heroine only dates athletes. I cringed HARD. They both apparently had lists about a mile long of past relationships with their “type”.
9. The plot was dragged out so that the most obvious conflict could happen between the H&h. I mean, seriously? We all saw it coming from 20000 miles away. Why not actually surprise your reader, Ms. IMM? Aren’t we all sick of the standard plot progression by now? I know I am.
10. LAST BUT NOT LEAST. I did a mix with this book between audio & reading. It’s available through KU to read & listen for free btw. The narrators for this audiobook? HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, THE WORST. I hate Sebastian York. His monotone voice grinds my gears, he ruins every book he touches. The female narrator, Savannah Peachwood, also didn’t work for this character. Although, she’s nowhere near as bad as York imo.
There’s more, but I’m tired of this mess. I will say that the epilogue was nice and long & I did appreciate that. I think I’m officially done with this author. She is clearly not for me, but there are obviously people who do enjoy her writing.
SWE; no virgins, hero was engaged and his fiancée died. I didn’t feel like he was really over her for most of the book. Heroine was cheated on by her HS boyfriend (who causes some OM drama in this book), she then dated slews of other athletes. They had a ONS (where he calls the heroine by his dead fiancée’s name) and then separated for 2.5 years and both had other partners. No scenes with OM/OW, no cheating between H&h (although there’s a detailed memory of the heroine catching her HS BF cheating on her), there’s quite a bit of OM&OW drama.
I’m at a loss because this book has so many good reviews. Did we all read the same book? Some of my friends liked this too, so I’m sorry if I’m insulting your personal preferences… but this book just didn’t work for me. At all.
My issues, in list form:
1. The writing, the writing, the writing. Ick. There were times when I felt like I was reading the ramblings of a teenager, not a book about the late 20’s/early 30’s h&H. Their inner monologues were repetitive and LONG. I really felt like the book lasted FOREVER. Also, all of the side characters were like caricatures of who they were supposed to be. Most had no depth… so many were just TEXANS™️.
2. The author tried REALLY hard to make the hero & heroine sound “wise”… but both ended up sounding dumber than a box of bricks. There are constant quotes from “The Art of War” and the hero talks about “winning the heart” about 200 times as part of his football spiel. Then, the heroine gives advice that sounds like it could have come from my 5 year old’s Daniel Tiger books.
An example:
“ Beauty isn’t on the outside. I learned that in the pageants. I met some beautiful women who were ugly on the inside and some who were incredible. Beauty is how we go on, the life we create around us. Living a life that’s meaningful.
It’s such a nice sentiment, but it feels like I’ve heard this same thing about 1000x in the past, it’s not a unique sentiment, and yet the author tries to pass it off as the wisest wisdom that ever wisded.
The same is true of stuff the hero says. There’s one part in the book where the hero uses a slightly less common word and the heroine is all “woooow you’re so smart, who uses words like that when they speak??” But like, it wasn’t that uncommon of a word. And he “spoke smart” ONCE in the entire book. 🙄
3. I really dislike when a heroine is written in a way to create an us vs. them mentality with other women in the book. Like the heroine and a few of her friends are nearly perfect, and the rest of the women in the story are either background noise or just straight up crazy bitches. The heroine was SO MUCH MORE FUN, and SO BEAUTIFUL, and SO KIND, etc.
Then, a boy wants to date the heroine’s sister (who is also portrayed positively), and so he says to the heroine:
“I know you don’t know me, but I think she’s incredible. Smart. She helps me with my history. I know she doesn’t like to touch her eraser and that the fire alarm makes her jittery. She rubs her ring when she gets anxious. She doesn’t always get what people say, and I like that about her. She’s not like other girls. She says what she thinks, too, and there’s no pretending.”
LIKE SERIOUSLY? "Not like other girls"??? What a joke to actually throw that line right into the book.
It’s great to have a unique heroine, but you know what’s also great? Acknowledging that everyone has flaws and no one is perfect. That there are plenty of good people out there. The OW didn't have to be so awful that the heroine was near perfection in comparison.
4. The first chapter. The hero is drunk, takes the heroine to his hotel room to fuck anyways, and then calls her by his dead fiancée’s name when he orgasms. 🤡🤡 This probably should have been #1.
5. The hero and heroine are then separated for 2.5 years and both have other partners during this time. Not my personal cuppa. He obviously had no trouble moving on with other girls after the heroine.
6. The heroine is DEFINITELY second best. The hero spent too much time thinking about his dead fiancée for my taste. I could have managed it if he had truly moved on by the time they were reunited. But he still needed to get “closure” towards the end of the book. There’s some token attempt to say that he loved them differently. But it seemed too little, too late, and didn't ultimately convince me.
7. The hero does a lot of pushing away because he’s SO AFRAID OF HURTING SOMEONE like he hurt his dead fiancée. 🤨🤨 ……….…. Ummm? They were in a car accident. She wasn’t wearing her seat belt. She died. How is that HIS fault? He needed therapy, not random hookups or a relationship. Ofc no mention of therapy for him, he just has to get over his issues. Guess getting professional mental health help isn’t sexy enough for this book.
8. The whole thing about how the hero only likes blondes and the heroine only dates athletes. I cringed HARD. They both apparently had lists about a mile long of past relationships with their “type”.
9. The plot was dragged out so that the most obvious conflict could happen between the H&h. I mean, seriously? We all saw it coming from 20000 miles away. Why not actually surprise your reader, Ms. IMM? Aren’t we all sick of the standard plot progression by now? I know I am.
10. LAST BUT NOT LEAST. I did a mix with this book between audio & reading. It’s available through KU to read & listen for free btw. The narrators for this audiobook? HORRIBLE, TERRIBLE, THE WORST. I hate Sebastian York. His monotone voice grinds my gears, he ruins every book he touches. The female narrator, Savannah Peachwood, also didn’t work for this character. Although, she’s nowhere near as bad as York imo.
There’s more, but I’m tired of this mess. I will say that the epilogue was nice and long & I did appreciate that. I think I’m officially done with this author. She is clearly not for me, but there are obviously people who do enjoy her writing.
SWE; no virgins, hero was engaged and his fiancée died. I didn’t feel like he was really over her for most of the book. Heroine was cheated on by her HS boyfriend (who causes some OM drama in this book), she then dated slews of other athletes. They had a ONS (where he calls the heroine by his dead fiancée’s name) and then separated for 2.5 years and both had other partners. No scenes with OM/OW, no cheating between H&h (although there’s a detailed memory of the heroine catching her HS BF cheating on her), there’s quite a bit of OM&OW drama.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2022
4 stars
This was exactly what I needed to read: heartwarming, funny, a heavy dose of found family, small time quirky characters, it was all there.
I will admit that if you go into the book purely for some great love story, you’re maybe gonna be disappointed. This is not to say that the romantic relationship wasn’t well done, because I personally did enjoy it. This was probably one of the only instances in which I didn’t mind the “deceased wife” trope because while she was portrayed as someone that was nice and whom he loved, we were really showed and told that his relationship with the heroine was on another level, some soulmate type thing (if you believe in that).
Why I really loved this book though, is the combination of small town charm, the beautiful sibling relationship between the heroine and her sister, the nosy neighbours who are overbearing but mean well, the small nuggets of parental wisdom which the heroine inherited and she kept passing forward, the epilogue, there’s probably a few other reasons. What I’m trying to say is that this book might not have the best romantic plot, or the most original, but the overall story was so full of good things which really compensated for it.
I can’t wait for the next book with Tuck’s story. I hope I’ll like him as I’m not a fan of the usual manwho athlete routine.
This was exactly what I needed to read: heartwarming, funny, a heavy dose of found family, small time quirky characters, it was all there.
I will admit that if you go into the book purely for some great love story, you’re maybe gonna be disappointed. This is not to say that the romantic relationship wasn’t well done, because I personally did enjoy it. This was probably one of the only instances in which I didn’t mind the “deceased wife” trope because while she was portrayed as someone that was nice and whom he loved, we were really showed and told that his relationship with the heroine was on another level, some soulmate type thing (if you believe in that).
Why I really loved this book though, is the combination of small town charm, the beautiful sibling relationship between the heroine and her sister, the nosy neighbours who are overbearing but mean well, the small nuggets of parental wisdom which the heroine inherited and she kept passing forward, the epilogue, there’s probably a few other reasons. What I’m trying to say is that this book might not have the best romantic plot, or the most original, but the overall story was so full of good things which really compensated for it.
I can’t wait for the next book with Tuck’s story. I hope I’ll like him as I’m not a fan of the usual manwho athlete routine.
March 28, 2022
A southern bell and a football coach, fated mates from different worlds that collide to one and are truly inseparable...
Ronan and Nova... sighs... these two are simply a dream boat. This was the perfect book I needed to read to get out of my book funk. Ilsa's books are always my favorites, and this one was just the right amount of sweet that I needed. Everything about Nova's and Ronan's meet cute was the ideal meet cute. And though obstacles were in the way from them being together, fate would always bring them back. All the characters, from Nova's sister to Ronan's football players. This story is the right cherry for everyone to enjoy this spring;
I am hoping Ilsa writes a story for Sabine. She is the type of quirky, and unique character that we romance lovers truly adore.
ARC kindly provided by the publicist, in exchange for an honest review...
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Ronan and Nova... sighs... these two are simply a dream boat. This was the perfect book I needed to read to get out of my book funk. Ilsa's books are always my favorites, and this one was just the right amount of sweet that I needed. Everything about Nova's and Ronan's meet cute was the ideal meet cute. And though obstacles were in the way from them being together, fate would always bring them back. All the characters, from Nova's sister to Ronan's football players. This story is the right cherry for everyone to enjoy this spring;
“My beauty. We’re gonna have the world…”
I am hoping Ilsa writes a story for Sabine. She is the type of quirky, and unique character that we romance lovers truly adore.
ARC kindly provided by the publicist, in exchange for an honest review...
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February 28, 2025
3.75 stars
Say you won’t let go by James Arthur
This book was lovely and cute. I enjoyed it so much and loved the small-town romance and the sweet little moments between Ronan and Nova. It was beautiful and heartwarming. I was smiling, giggling, and laughing because of how beautiful and funny thw story was.
I was craving a sports romance—or rather, a football romance—and this one was perfect. The small-town romance and found family trope in this were the cherry on top. The writing was simple and smooth, and the pacing was fast—that’s what I loved about this book. I was totally invested in it and in Ronan and Nova. The characters were so well written, and I loved that there was even character growth throughout the book.
Nova Morgan is a star who shines and makes everything around her shine with her sunshine. She is strong, confident, loyal, fierce, funny, and witty in her own way. I loved how devoted she is to her sister, Sabine, and how she loved and cared for Ronan and helped him. I love her so much—she was so relatable, and, most importantly, she never backed down from anything. A perfect star who made others shine around her effortlessly.
“Beauty is how we go on, the life we create around us. Living a life that’s meaningful. I’m not sure I’m there, to be honest. I’m trying hard. We all are. I know that coming home was good for me, even though the reason is sad.”
Ronan Smith is perfect. I loved his geeky personality and how he was such a wonderful and caring man to everyone around him, especially Nova. He was logical, hardworking, generous, and a little stubborn, but I loved everything about him—especially how he cared for Nova every time, her family, and how much he loved Star Wars. He was a goner for Nova. I’m glad he survived and healed from his trauma and past, and I’m glad Nova was there for him.
“Princess, when I love someone, it’s with my soul. It’s full commitment. It’s a relationship that will grow, evolve, and change to fit us. I won’t ever stop trying to be the best man I can be. I won’t give up on us, through thick and thin.”
I loved Nova and Ronan as a couple so much. I love how they healed each other and understood each other’s vulnerabilities. It was amazingly beautiful—two uncomplicated people who helped and healed each other, fitting effortlessly into each other’s lives. I loved their sweet moments, where they shared bits and pieces of their lives with each other. From the moment they met, they had this undeniable spark, and the delicious chemistry and tension were so good. Nova loved Ronan’s scars and was patient with him because he needed time to properly put his life back together after the trauma of losing his ex-girlfriend. Ronan loved, cared for, and helped Nova when she moved back to her hometown after losing her mom. They were just two people made for each other, and no matter what, they would always find their way back.
This book has witty characters, great banter, a strong FMC, fake dating, a football coach and PA relationship, a little angst when the couple met again, lovely side characters (except for some nosy neighbourhood lady), healing, grief, a heartwarming and sweet couple, fluff, and some good hilarious moments. Totally adorable and a perfect mix of sweet and spicy small-town romance. I also loved the Mighty Morgan girls—Sabine and Nova’s sisterhood was incredible in this.
The ending was perfect, and I’m so happy I got to see glimpses of their future and how freaking adorable and happy they were, even after several years.
“You’ll take a chance on me?”
Yes, yes, a million times. I nod.
He gives me a wide smile, then brushes his nose with mine.
Say you won’t let go by James Arthur
This book was lovely and cute. I enjoyed it so much and loved the small-town romance and the sweet little moments between Ronan and Nova. It was beautiful and heartwarming. I was smiling, giggling, and laughing because of how beautiful and funny thw story was.
I was craving a sports romance—or rather, a football romance—and this one was perfect. The small-town romance and found family trope in this were the cherry on top. The writing was simple and smooth, and the pacing was fast—that’s what I loved about this book. I was totally invested in it and in Ronan and Nova. The characters were so well written, and I loved that there was even character growth throughout the book.
Nova Morgan is a star who shines and makes everything around her shine with her sunshine. She is strong, confident, loyal, fierce, funny, and witty in her own way. I loved how devoted she is to her sister, Sabine, and how she loved and cared for Ronan and helped him. I love her so much—she was so relatable, and, most importantly, she never backed down from anything. A perfect star who made others shine around her effortlessly.
“Beauty is how we go on, the life we create around us. Living a life that’s meaningful. I’m not sure I’m there, to be honest. I’m trying hard. We all are. I know that coming home was good for me, even though the reason is sad.”
Ronan Smith is perfect. I loved his geeky personality and how he was such a wonderful and caring man to everyone around him, especially Nova. He was logical, hardworking, generous, and a little stubborn, but I loved everything about him—especially how he cared for Nova every time, her family, and how much he loved Star Wars. He was a goner for Nova. I’m glad he survived and healed from his trauma and past, and I’m glad Nova was there for him.
“Princess, when I love someone, it’s with my soul. It’s full commitment. It’s a relationship that will grow, evolve, and change to fit us. I won’t ever stop trying to be the best man I can be. I won’t give up on us, through thick and thin.”
I loved Nova and Ronan as a couple so much. I love how they healed each other and understood each other’s vulnerabilities. It was amazingly beautiful—two uncomplicated people who helped and healed each other, fitting effortlessly into each other’s lives. I loved their sweet moments, where they shared bits and pieces of their lives with each other. From the moment they met, they had this undeniable spark, and the delicious chemistry and tension were so good. Nova loved Ronan’s scars and was patient with him because he needed time to properly put his life back together after the trauma of losing his ex-girlfriend. Ronan loved, cared for, and helped Nova when she moved back to her hometown after losing her mom. They were just two people made for each other, and no matter what, they would always find their way back.
“Because you’re a burst of light,” he says softly. “Because you believe in people. Because I can’t look up at the night sky without thinking about you. You’re a star."
“I’m really scared, Nova,” he whispers.
“Life will always be scary. It’s better when you do it with someone.”
This book has witty characters, great banter, a strong FMC, fake dating, a football coach and PA relationship, a little angst when the couple met again, lovely side characters (except for some nosy neighbourhood lady), healing, grief, a heartwarming and sweet couple, fluff, and some good hilarious moments. Totally adorable and a perfect mix of sweet and spicy small-town romance. I also loved the Mighty Morgan girls—Sabine and Nova’s sisterhood was incredible in this.
“My hand is intertwined with Nova’s. She’s my love, my everything. She brought the sun—and stars—right to my soul.”
The ending was perfect, and I’m so happy I got to see glimpses of their future and how freaking adorable and happy they were, even after several years.
April 6, 2022
4.5 stars
These two met a few years back in NYC in an interesting way. I thought this was going to be enemies to lovers and maybe at the start it was like that, but it quickly switched to a charming friends to lovers/fake dating tale. There were so many great characters and I enjoyed it so much!
"I knew exactly which road to take, and it was back to you."This book kept a smile on my face! The audiobook was so fun and I truly enjoyed listening to it. I love sports romance and I really liked how this wasn't your typical sports romance. Ronan is retired from the NFL and has moved from NYC to Texas to coach a promising high school team. Nova's path brought her back to her hometown in Texas from NYC as well. What are the odds...
These two met a few years back in NYC in an interesting way. I thought this was going to be enemies to lovers and maybe at the start it was like that, but it quickly switched to a charming friends to lovers/fake dating tale. There were so many great characters and I enjoyed it so much!
Audio book source: Audible
Story Rating: 4.5 stars
Narrators: Sebastian York & Savannah Peachwood
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance (Sports)
Length: 10h 10m
June 21, 2022
4.5 ⭐️ Nova might be one of my favorite female mc’s ever?? she was so iconic, sure of herself, confident, kind & hilarious!!! not once did she piss me off and that’s saying something cause I be getting mad at these book characters left & right. Ronan was also great but Nova was my ✨star✨ I loved the small town feels, the entire football team, and all the side characters!
Nova & Ronan reminded me a lot of Lemon & Lavon from ‘Hart Of Dixie’ HAHAHAA I love that show leave me alone. southern belle meets football star vibes u know? anyway, can’t wait for the next one!
“life will always be scary, it’s better when you do it with someone.” <3
Nova & Ronan reminded me a lot of Lemon & Lavon from ‘Hart Of Dixie’ HAHAHAA I love that show leave me alone. southern belle meets football star vibes u know? anyway, can’t wait for the next one!
“life will always be scary, it’s better when you do it with someone.” <3
October 22, 2022
True romance!
The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Romance: 💙💚🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
Character development: 😪😠🤐🙂😘
The heroine: Nova Morgan - dressed in a gold bikini a’la Princess Leia from Return of the Jedi. She sneaks in to a party full of NFL players to meet her quarterback crush. She grew up in Texas where football is revered.
The Hero: Ronan Smith - NFL quarterback and huge Star Wars fan, who recently lost both his career and his fiancé in a car accident. He won the Heisman trophy and went on to three super bowl wins in a row before the accident.
The Story: Nova and Ronan end up having a one night stand after meeting at the costume party. Though Ronan has been drinking and is still suffering grief from the loss of his fiancé and his football career and the night doesn’t go as Nova had hoped.
Fast forward a few years and Nova has to return to her home town to take care of her teenage sister after their mother dies. In their town, high school football is the biggest thing and everyone idolizes a winning coach.
Nova is not happy to learn that her new neighbor is none other than Ronan Smith and he doesn’t remember her. The local boosters are determined to get Ronan married to a local girl to keep him in town after his first winning season. Nova is not happy to see the multitude of local girls at the house next door.
This was told in dual points of view via dual narration where the male narrator does all the chapters in Ronan’s point of view and the female does the chapters told in Nova’s point of view. The narrators are Sebastian York and Savannah Peachwood who are two of my favorites. Sebastian has a deep gravelly voice which is perfect for Ronan and Savannah has a soft pleasing voice.
I really liked how the relationship between Ronan and Nova progressed in this one. There is animosity between them at first when they meet again in Texas, then they become reluctant friends, and then share a secret and help each other becoming even closer.
Though Ronan has issues from his past and has fear of becoming close to someone else after losing his fiancé so tragically and feelings of guilt stemming from that. He has no plans to have a real relationship with anyone. This was just a very good romance with steamy scenes and more.
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The following ratings are out of 5:
Narration: 🎙🎙🎙🎙
Romance: 💙💚🖤💜❤️
Heat/Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Story/Plot: 📕📗📘📙📔
World building: 🌎🌍🌏🌎🌍
Character development: 😪😠🤐🙂😘
The heroine: Nova Morgan - dressed in a gold bikini a’la Princess Leia from Return of the Jedi. She sneaks in to a party full of NFL players to meet her quarterback crush. She grew up in Texas where football is revered.
The Hero: Ronan Smith - NFL quarterback and huge Star Wars fan, who recently lost both his career and his fiancé in a car accident. He won the Heisman trophy and went on to three super bowl wins in a row before the accident.
The Story: Nova and Ronan end up having a one night stand after meeting at the costume party. Though Ronan has been drinking and is still suffering grief from the loss of his fiancé and his football career and the night doesn’t go as Nova had hoped.
Fast forward a few years and Nova has to return to her home town to take care of her teenage sister after their mother dies. In their town, high school football is the biggest thing and everyone idolizes a winning coach.
Nova is not happy to learn that her new neighbor is none other than Ronan Smith and he doesn’t remember her. The local boosters are determined to get Ronan married to a local girl to keep him in town after his first winning season. Nova is not happy to see the multitude of local girls at the house next door.
This was told in dual points of view via dual narration where the male narrator does all the chapters in Ronan’s point of view and the female does the chapters told in Nova’s point of view. The narrators are Sebastian York and Savannah Peachwood who are two of my favorites. Sebastian has a deep gravelly voice which is perfect for Ronan and Savannah has a soft pleasing voice.
I really liked how the relationship between Ronan and Nova progressed in this one. There is animosity between them at first when they meet again in Texas, then they become reluctant friends, and then share a secret and help each other becoming even closer.
Though Ronan has issues from his past and has fear of becoming close to someone else after losing his fiancé so tragically and feelings of guilt stemming from that. He has no plans to have a real relationship with anyone. This was just a very good romance with steamy scenes and more.
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March 29, 2022
I want to touch the stars, even if I get burned.
Absolutely loved Beauty and the Baller so much. It’s been a minute since I’ve read a new Ilsa book, and BatB was exactly what the librarian ordered. Did this book make me want to pack up and move to Blue Belle? 100%! I so easily fell in love with Nova, Ronan and just about every single character in this book.
This is definitely a sweet romance with an interesting meet-cute, and some hot steamy bits, but honestly the meaningful non-romantic relationships and self reflection from both Nova and Ronan really sealed my love for this one. These characters are not in the exact place in life that they planned to be, but they are figuring out that maybe they are right where they need to be anyway. There are some ups and downs between the main couple, but honestly they make sense to the characters and anything else would have been too easy. Ronan messes up a handful of times, but he wins Nova and me over every single time afterward. I felt so many things while reading this book. I cried, I smiled, I got mad, and I laughed my butt off at some parts. I think this was such a well written and well rounded story. It had a little bit of everything and was a definite reminder of why I love Ilsa’s books so much!
Obviously I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you like love after loss, sweet small towns with nosy neighbors, sweet as strawberry jam sibling relationships, not so fake faking dating, and a love story that’s not easy going, but definitely worth it, then you’ll LOVE Beauty and the Baller!
Tiktok - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdm2ppme/
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
Absolutely loved Beauty and the Baller so much. It’s been a minute since I’ve read a new Ilsa book, and BatB was exactly what the librarian ordered. Did this book make me want to pack up and move to Blue Belle? 100%! I so easily fell in love with Nova, Ronan and just about every single character in this book.
This is definitely a sweet romance with an interesting meet-cute, and some hot steamy bits, but honestly the meaningful non-romantic relationships and self reflection from both Nova and Ronan really sealed my love for this one. These characters are not in the exact place in life that they planned to be, but they are figuring out that maybe they are right where they need to be anyway. There are some ups and downs between the main couple, but honestly they make sense to the characters and anything else would have been too easy. Ronan messes up a handful of times, but he wins Nova and me over every single time afterward. I felt so many things while reading this book. I cried, I smiled, I got mad, and I laughed my butt off at some parts. I think this was such a well written and well rounded story. It had a little bit of everything and was a definite reminder of why I love Ilsa’s books so much!
Obviously I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you like love after loss, sweet small towns with nosy neighbors, sweet as strawberry jam sibling relationships, not so fake faking dating, and a love story that’s not easy going, but definitely worth it, then you’ll LOVE Beauty and the Baller!
Tiktok - https://vm.tiktok.com/ZTdm2ppme/
AVAILABLE NOW!
*ARC
March 29, 2022
I have 3 words for you: Pool Table Sex
Do I even need to continue this review? I gave this book 5-STARS and there is Pool Table Sex. That's a one-click buy, bitches!
Okay, okay. I'll keep going.
𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥 has everything I need. Enemies-to-Lovers, fake relationship, ex pro-sports player with a hot body, strong female lead, autism representation, snort-laughs, love, loss, healing, family, small town.....EVERYTHING. Wait...did I mention the Pool Table Sex?
Nova is hilarious and hardworking and so damn likable. I adored her character! And Ronan is so swoony. A true cinnamon roll hero who is dealing with grief and job pressure and a small town who is all up in his business. I loved Nova and Ronan together so much! And their steamy scenes are H-O-T. I am still blushing! I don't remember if I've mentioned this, but POOL TABLE SEX.
𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥 gets a very enthusiastic 5-STARS from me and, as you know, I am a Stingy Star Bitch™️. This book can, at times, read a little slow, but keep reading because it is so, so, SO good!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated NC-17 / 5+ sex scenes, harsh language. *MIGHT* include props/bondage.
TRIGGERS: past fatal car accident, cheating ex, past death of parent
FEELS-O-METER: 3/5 - So many feels you might tear up a little.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3tAMRTi (affiliate)
👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
Do I even need to continue this review? I gave this book 5-STARS and there is Pool Table Sex. That's a one-click buy, bitches!
Okay, okay. I'll keep going.
𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥 has everything I need. Enemies-to-Lovers, fake relationship, ex pro-sports player with a hot body, strong female lead, autism representation, snort-laughs, love, loss, healing, family, small town.....EVERYTHING. Wait...did I mention the Pool Table Sex?
Nova is hilarious and hardworking and so damn likable. I adored her character! And Ronan is so swoony. A true cinnamon roll hero who is dealing with grief and job pressure and a small town who is all up in his business. I loved Nova and Ronan together so much! And their steamy scenes are H-O-T. I am still blushing! I don't remember if I've mentioned this, but POOL TABLE SEX.
𝗕𝗘𝗔𝗨𝗧𝗬 𝗔𝗡𝗗 𝗧𝗛𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗟𝗟𝗘𝗥 gets a very enthusiastic 5-STARS from me and, as you know, I am a Stingy Star Bitch™️. This book can, at times, read a little slow, but keep reading because it is so, so, SO good!
RATING:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated NC-17 / 5+ sex scenes, harsh language. *MIGHT* include props/bondage.
TRIGGERS: past fatal car accident, cheating ex, past death of parent
FEELS-O-METER: 3/5 - So many feels you might tear up a little.
I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
BUY IT HERE: https://amzn.to/3tAMRTi (affiliate)
👇🏻HANG OUT WITH ME HERE!👇🏻
INSTAGRAM | YEAR OF SMUT CHALLENGE
August 18, 2022
3.5 stars
This was simply such a fun time. Enjoyable, quirky, and full of small town charm. And oh don’t get me started on the nosy neighbours!!
This was simply such a fun time. Enjoyable, quirky, and full of small town charm. And oh don’t get me started on the nosy neighbours!!
April 7, 2022
I honestly feel like I read a totally different book to everyone else, who either four or five starred it. I was bored. Couldn't connect with the two main characters ... or the secondary characters. Didn't care for them at all or how it all panned out ... it was a 2.5 at most but round it up instead of down. Literally sped-read/skimmed the last few chapters ...
I know my reading has been crappy lately - not read a lot of new books. I seem to be stuck in re-read land, especially the In Death series - I need to get over my addiction to Eve and Roarke!
On to my next read, whatever that may be.
I know my reading has been crappy lately - not read a lot of new books. I seem to be stuck in re-read land, especially the In Death series - I need to get over my addiction to Eve and Roarke!
On to my next read, whatever that may be.
Read
April 13, 2022what in the lame ass friday night lights rip-off is this:
it's time for me to throw in the towel, unfortunately. i made it to about seventy-percent and then … yeah. i just could not, for the life of me, continue.
and look, i am clearly in the minority with this opinion so take all of my random thoughts with a grain of salt.
now, if i had to sum up why this book stopped working for me it would probably boil down to two main things:
lack of chemistry.
and
dead fiancé alert.
when it comes to the former, well … imo, nova and … um … ronan? ronan. *clears throat* imo, nova and ronan had zero chemistry. which, ahahahaha, not great when the entire book is basically billed as a second-chance romance. tbh, i just could not buy into their "second-chance."
for one thing, nova was still not over her ex which put a real damper on things. i don't know if she needed better closure or what, but all the andrew talk annoyed me. add to that ronan's dead fiancé thing?
negative.
no thanks.
i don't want it.
and speaking of the dead fiancé …
ahahahahaha- HE PULLED AN ugly love 😭😭
him saying his dead-fiancé's name during his one night stand with nova was PEAK cringe. plus, ronan was CLEARLY still not over his fiancé's untimely death. and i just … *sigh* idk, i just wasn't in the mood for nova and ronan to do their "i-don't-like-you-but-i-obviously-like-you" dance for another thirty-percent.
that being said, i feel like i'm in the minority with this opinion, soooooo idk. do with that info what you will 🤷♀️
“we haven’t lost a game yet. and you know why?”
“our heart!” one of them calls. ...
“win the heart, win everything!” they say in unison.
… no. just no.
it's time for me to throw in the towel, unfortunately. i made it to about seventy-percent and then … yeah. i just could not, for the life of me, continue.
and look, i am clearly in the minority with this opinion so take all of my random thoughts with a grain of salt.
now, if i had to sum up why this book stopped working for me it would probably boil down to two main things:
lack of chemistry.
and
dead fiancé alert.
when it comes to the former, well … imo, nova and … um … ronan? ronan. *clears throat* imo, nova and ronan had zero chemistry. which, ahahahaha, not great when the entire book is basically billed as a second-chance romance. tbh, i just could not buy into their "second-chance."
for one thing, nova was still not over her ex which put a real damper on things. i don't know if she needed better closure or what, but all the andrew talk annoyed me. add to that ronan's dead fiancé thing?
negative.
no thanks.
i don't want it.
and speaking of the dead fiancé …
ahahahahaha- HE PULLED AN ugly love 😭😭
him saying his dead-fiancé's name during his one night stand with nova was PEAK cringe. plus, ronan was CLEARLY still not over his fiancé's untimely death. and i just … *sigh* idk, i just wasn't in the mood for nova and ronan to do their "i-don't-like-you-but-i-obviously-like-you" dance for another thirty-percent.
that being said, i feel like i'm in the minority with this opinion, soooooo idk. do with that info what you will 🤷♀️
April 16, 2022
3 Stars
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable for what it was, but I really think it could’ve been better. I liked the overall premise. I liked the small town feel. I honestly think it was the H. He fell flat for me. We didn’t ever get the full story of what happened that night his life changed and I think that was a big miss. I also think he claimed to be worried about letting people down and hurting them but he was doing exactly that by not communicating, and that was really frustrating. I don’t think I ever really connected with him. I liked the h though! Overall, this was enjoyable at times but disappointing at others…so I’m going with a middle of the road 3 star rating.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Nova and Ronan’s story. Ronan is grieving his NFL career and his fiancé after an accident took them both away from his and is spiraling. He meets Nova and they have a hot night together that ended with her sneaking out while he passed out. Years later, they find out that they’re neighbors and Ronan is the new popular coach at Nova’s small Texas hometown’s high school when she returns to take care of her sister after her mother dies. Nova ends up being a part-time teacher and part-time PA for Ronan and that’s when he proposes that they fake a relationship to help deal with other people. Nova agrees and lines get crossed, there’s some funny side character drama, some big life choices to be made, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Nova and Ronan’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well for the most part with some slower parts.
Instalove: Kind of. Instant connection and instalust.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Ronan. I liked how he said some sweet things at times, but I also wanted to shake him to communicate better a good bit.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Nova. I liked her. I appreciated her strength, how kind she was to everyone, and how she remained positive.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. This is what I would call a slow burn (even though they have a ONS at the beginning), because they take until ~65% in my kindle app to be intimate again.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, but mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Not technically
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
Overall Opinion: This was enjoyable for what it was, but I really think it could’ve been better. I liked the overall premise. I liked the small town feel. I honestly think it was the H. He fell flat for me. We didn’t ever get the full story of what happened that night his life changed and I think that was a big miss. I also think he claimed to be worried about letting people down and hurting them but he was doing exactly that by not communicating, and that was really frustrating. I don’t think I ever really connected with him. I liked the h though! Overall, this was enjoyable at times but disappointing at others…so I’m going with a middle of the road 3 star rating.
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Nova and Ronan’s story. Ronan is grieving his NFL career and his fiancé after an accident took them both away from his and is spiraling. He meets Nova and they have a hot night together that ended with her sneaking out while he passed out. Years later, they find out that they’re neighbors and Ronan is the new popular coach at Nova’s small Texas hometown’s high school when she returns to take care of her sister after her mother dies. Nova ends up being a part-time teacher and part-time PA for Ronan and that’s when he proposes that they fake a relationship to help deal with other people. Nova agrees and lines get crossed, there’s some funny side character drama, some big life choices to be made, and some sexy times…and they get a HEA ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Nova and Ronan’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well for the most part with some slower parts.
Instalove: Kind of. Instant connection and instalust.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Ronan. I liked how he said some sweet things at times, but I also wanted to shake him to communicate better a good bit.
h (heroine) rating: 4 stars. Nova. I liked her. I appreciated her strength, how kind she was to everyone, and how she remained positive.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Good. They have some good tension, chemistry, and scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. This is what I would call a slow burn (even though they have a ONS at the beginning), because they take until ~65% in my kindle app to be intimate again.
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes, but mild
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: Not technically
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends with a cute epilogue and what I would call a HEA ending
Safety: This one should be Safe for most safety gang readers
March 30, 2022
4.5🌟
I haven't enjoyed a book like this one in a hot minute.
It was a while since i've read the fake dating trope and combined with second chance romance and grumpy/sunshine set in a small town i loved it.😩
Ronan is a NFL player mourning the death of his fiance and also his career when he meets Nova dressed as Princess Leia. (that's like his ultimate woman crush😂) they have immediate sparks and also ONS when he calls her by his dead fiance's name. (I know,i know, i was cringing too, but the guy was srsly in deep pain and later on i understood where he was coming from. He was still not ready to move on.)
Then 2 and a half years later they meet again with both of them living in the same town of blue belle (hart of dixie anyone? zoewade 4ever😭) and nova moves in to take care of her sister after their mother's death. She meets the elusive football coach who turns out to be the guy who she had an unforgettable night with.
They start someting like enemies, bickering all the time and i loved their banter. They had so much chemistry and after they started their fake relationship the stolen touches, the pretend kisses were *chefs kisses*😍 that smut scene in the pantry was crazy hot.🥵
I loved how they comunicated with songs, how Ronan profesed his love while singing their song😭😭 my heart couldn't take it.
◇I loved how the storyline with his dead fiance was not dragged for the sake of drama. He just got over it and accepted that he could have two loves of his life.
◇I loved Nova, how she went to one of her students home bc he was strugling in school after his parents died and helped him cope with the trauma. She was srsly the best.
◇I loved Sabine her sister, the bond they shared.
Also the side characters were amazing. Expecially the kids at school, they were precious.🥺
and that epilogue was perfection.
I haven't enjoyed a book like this one in a hot minute.
It was a while since i've read the fake dating trope and combined with second chance romance and grumpy/sunshine set in a small town i loved it.😩
Ronan is a NFL player mourning the death of his fiance and also his career when he meets Nova dressed as Princess Leia. (that's like his ultimate woman crush😂) they have immediate sparks and also ONS when he calls her by his dead fiance's name. (I know,i know, i was cringing too, but the guy was srsly in deep pain and later on i understood where he was coming from. He was still not ready to move on.)
Then 2 and a half years later they meet again with both of them living in the same town of blue belle (hart of dixie anyone? zoewade 4ever😭) and nova moves in to take care of her sister after their mother's death. She meets the elusive football coach who turns out to be the guy who she had an unforgettable night with.
They start someting like enemies, bickering all the time and i loved their banter. They had so much chemistry and after they started their fake relationship the stolen touches, the pretend kisses were *chefs kisses*😍 that smut scene in the pantry was crazy hot.🥵
I loved how they comunicated with songs, how Ronan profesed his love while singing their song😭😭 my heart couldn't take it.
"He laughs softly. “Ah, then how about I sing ‘Say You Won’t Let Go’ now? I’ve been working on it. There’s no guitar, but . . .”
My heart soars as he sings the words softly, a song about a guy who meets a girl at a party—yes, there’s alcohol involved. The years pass, and he’s waiting for her to see him as he dreams of them growing old together.
◇I loved how the storyline with his dead fiance was not dragged for the sake of drama. He just got over it and accepted that he could have two loves of his life.
◇I loved Nova, how she went to one of her students home bc he was strugling in school after his parents died and helped him cope with the trauma. She was srsly the best.
◇I loved Sabine her sister, the bond they shared.
Also the side characters were amazing. Expecially the kids at school, they were precious.🥺
and that epilogue was perfection.
"I’ve never loved someone like this.”
January 21, 2022
Sigh! I love the heart, sizzle and laughs that Ilsa Madden-Mills's Beauty and The Baller delivered. This small town love story had the perfect combination of a delicious and sexy one-night stand with a pining-filled fake-dating arrangement!! Ronan and Nova were a breath of fresh air that I loved! I enjoyed their chemistry, banter, snark and swoony moments!!!
I think what I loved more than anything was the author's honest portrayal of Ronan and his complicated emotions as he navigated his own feelings for Nova after coming to terms with his loss. This story was sexy, poignant and filled with sigh-inducing moments! In addition, Nova was adorable. She had trainwreck moments that had me covering my face in embarrassment but her honest, hilarious and forthright nature won me over! She knew what she wanted and Ronan never saw her coming!! Overall this was a quick and fun read! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
***
Okay, can we first acknowledge the cover on this book? So eye-catching and visually stunning, it's honestly the first thing that sucked me in. Once I got to the blurb and saw “NFL quarterback” it was a no brainer for me. My catnip. My weak spot. Good gravy, I just love football players so much.
Ronan did not disappoint. I loved him so much. His story had just the right punch of emotion, plus growly alpha, plus sweet, sexy chemistry. He was the whole package and he was absolutely delicious.
While the “meet cute” (at least the first time around) was a heart-punching cringe for me, the second time around gave me a side of Nova that I found completely irresistible. She was the perfect match for Ronan. I loved her big heart, her loyalty, and her “take no crap” attitude when it came to Ronan. I loved the way they slowly warmed to each other. Their banter was 100% on point and there were moments that made me laugh out loud. They were wonderful!
I loved the secondary characters in this story too. The small town setting added some depth and warmth (and hilarity) to the whole thing. This was such a satisfying read. There are some heavy emotional moments, but a lot of lightness and charm to balance it out. I enjoyed every moment spent between these pages! ~ Shelly 4 Stars
I think what I loved more than anything was the author's honest portrayal of Ronan and his complicated emotions as he navigated his own feelings for Nova after coming to terms with his loss. This story was sexy, poignant and filled with sigh-inducing moments! In addition, Nova was adorable. She had trainwreck moments that had me covering my face in embarrassment but her honest, hilarious and forthright nature won me over! She knew what she wanted and Ronan never saw her coming!! Overall this was a quick and fun read! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
***
Okay, can we first acknowledge the cover on this book? So eye-catching and visually stunning, it's honestly the first thing that sucked me in. Once I got to the blurb and saw “NFL quarterback” it was a no brainer for me. My catnip. My weak spot. Good gravy, I just love football players so much.
Ronan did not disappoint. I loved him so much. His story had just the right punch of emotion, plus growly alpha, plus sweet, sexy chemistry. He was the whole package and he was absolutely delicious.
While the “meet cute” (at least the first time around) was a heart-punching cringe for me, the second time around gave me a side of Nova that I found completely irresistible. She was the perfect match for Ronan. I loved her big heart, her loyalty, and her “take no crap” attitude when it came to Ronan. I loved the way they slowly warmed to each other. Their banter was 100% on point and there were moments that made me laugh out loud. They were wonderful!
I loved the secondary characters in this story too. The small town setting added some depth and warmth (and hilarity) to the whole thing. This was such a satisfying read. There are some heavy emotional moments, but a lot of lightness and charm to balance it out. I enjoyed every moment spent between these pages! ~ Shelly 4 Stars
April 21, 2023
4.5 Star Wars stars
Sigh. When I got to the end, I didn’t want it to end (I love that the audiobook was free to listen to through KU). Maybe I’m being biased because I love Star Wars (my daughter’s middle name is Leia) and there were many references to it LOL. But I enjoyed reading this.
The book starts off with the prologue. Ronan lost his fiancé almost a year ago in a car accident that has caused him to be scarred and hasn’t been able to move on since. His friend, Tuck, invited him to an event, and he begrudgingly goes. There, a blonde Princess Leia approaches him and they hang out. He’s attracted to her and they end up having a one-night stand (and he never asks her name 🙈).
2 1/2 years later, Nova’s (29) forced to move back to the town that she grew up in because her mother just passed away and now she has to take care of her teenage sister. Unbeknownst to her, the high school football coach lives next-door, and he has parties- the current one has ruined her mom‘s planted yellow flowers. She marches over to confront him, noticing that there are tons of women, young women, at this house. Then, she’s confronted with her one-night stand from 2 1/2 years before, Ronan (32). The thing is this- he doesn’t remember her 😅😬.
Ronan has been successfully coaching the high school football team, which means that the town wants him to settle down with someone so he doesn’t leave, and a very nosy townie, Lois, does whatever she needs to do to get Nova and Ronan together. Nova needs a job- and she gets hired as an emergency part-time English teacher and PA to Ronan. On top of this, both Ronan and Nova are experiencing OP drama- Women are trying to hook their claws into him and her ex, that’s recently divorced, wants her back. So they agree to pretend to be together. Let the sparks begin👀.
What I liked:
-The chemistry between them😅. Yeah, it takes Ronan a little while to remember that Nova is the Princess Leia from the past😬. But once he does, he realizes that he’s very attracted to her, and even though they’re pretending, the chemistry between them is real.
-Their first kiss after their ONS is at 31%, and then their first smexy time is at 65% (oh LAWD it was 🔥). The dirty talks his way into her pantry-hiding pants 👀 and he gets so so alpha 🥵
-the games they play (the pool game, the dart game, the lap dance r0l€ playing). I was laughing/covering my face for some of these lol
-he calls her PRINCESS (and babe too)
-The Star Wars references, others as well. I mean, Julius Caesar is referenced too
-The secondary characters- um… the most important one is named SONIA (yesss!! My name appears lol). Jk. There’s also Sabine, Skeeter, Tuck, Lois, Toby and others
-the singing/sweet moments (like when they share stories, their truths, their dares- I’ll always remember how she broke Ryan Reynolds’s toilet 😂😂😂)
-the LOL moments (lice? Underwear wearing, vanilla wafers, etc)
-the soft/sad moments (not always between Nova and Ronin)
-THE JP SCENES 😈. I loooove OMD scenes 💅, especially when the OM really wants the h. in this case, it’s her ex, Andrew, and it really makes Ronan wake up LOL.
-the different types of sex list (yup. I totally highlighted it lol)
What I didn’t like/wanted more of:
-Ronan finding closure sooner for his dead fiancé. There were times where she was referenced and I wanted to know that he was over her and all about Nova. Even though it takes a while, I understood his hesitancy. But since he’s been with people since Nova, I would’ve expected him to be better about this.
Overall, I really enjoyed it ❤️
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing
-death of loved ones (fiancé- car accident; mom)
-H has a gf when present time begins. They break up.
-OWD- there are girls trying to get with H. He always turns them down. Once H and h are together, it mostly stops but some OW still give them the side eye. When they had their ONS, the H calls the h by his dead fiancé’s name
-OMD- the h’s ex constantly flirts with her and he wants her back. OM kisses her without her realizing it and H comes in and almost kicks his a$$
-2.5 year separation after ONS; neither was celibate
-condoms/then none
-HEA/epilogue 5 years then several years after
-the h’s ex cheated on her. She remembers it in details
Sigh. When I got to the end, I didn’t want it to end (I love that the audiobook was free to listen to through KU). Maybe I’m being biased because I love Star Wars (my daughter’s middle name is Leia) and there were many references to it LOL. But I enjoyed reading this.
The book starts off with the prologue. Ronan lost his fiancé almost a year ago in a car accident that has caused him to be scarred and hasn’t been able to move on since. His friend, Tuck, invited him to an event, and he begrudgingly goes. There, a blonde Princess Leia approaches him and they hang out. He’s attracted to her and they end up having a one-night stand (and he never asks her name 🙈).
2 1/2 years later, Nova’s (29) forced to move back to the town that she grew up in because her mother just passed away and now she has to take care of her teenage sister. Unbeknownst to her, the high school football coach lives next-door, and he has parties- the current one has ruined her mom‘s planted yellow flowers. She marches over to confront him, noticing that there are tons of women, young women, at this house. Then, she’s confronted with her one-night stand from 2 1/2 years before, Ronan (32). The thing is this- he doesn’t remember her 😅😬.
Ronan has been successfully coaching the high school football team, which means that the town wants him to settle down with someone so he doesn’t leave, and a very nosy townie, Lois, does whatever she needs to do to get Nova and Ronan together. Nova needs a job- and she gets hired as an emergency part-time English teacher and PA to Ronan. On top of this, both Ronan and Nova are experiencing OP drama- Women are trying to hook their claws into him and her ex, that’s recently divorced, wants her back. So they agree to pretend to be together. Let the sparks begin👀.
What I liked:
-The chemistry between them😅. Yeah, it takes Ronan a little while to remember that Nova is the Princess Leia from the past😬. But once he does, he realizes that he’s very attracted to her, and even though they’re pretending, the chemistry between them is real.
-Their first kiss after their ONS is at 31%, and then their first smexy time is at 65% (oh LAWD it was 🔥). The dirty talks his way into her pantry-hiding pants 👀 and he gets so so alpha 🥵
-the games they play (the pool game, the dart game, the lap dance r0l€ playing). I was laughing/covering my face for some of these lol
l manage to sink the ball. I turn around and face her, trying not to gloat.
“Well?” she asks in a low, sultry voice. “What’s it gonna be, darling?”
“Get on the table. Spread your legs.”
Her breath hitches. “You dirty, dirty man. You still have the eight ball.”
“F*ck the eight ball. I want you. Now.” She walks toward me, and I meet her halfway. I pull her face to me and kiss her.
“I love kissing you. Each time is different,” I murmur as our breaths mingle. “Now get your sweet ass on the edge of the table so I can eat your p*ssy.”
-he calls her PRINCESS (and babe too)
-The Star Wars references, others as well. I mean, Julius Caesar is referenced too
-The secondary characters- um… the most important one is named SONIA (yesss!! My name appears lol). Jk. There’s also Sabine, Skeeter, Tuck, Lois, Toby and others
-the singing/sweet moments (like when they share stories, their truths, their dares- I’ll always remember how she broke Ryan Reynolds’s toilet 😂😂😂)
-the LOL moments (lice? Underwear wearing, vanilla wafers, etc)
-the soft/sad moments (not always between Nova and Ronin)
-THE JP SCENES 😈. I loooove OMD scenes 💅, especially when the OM really wants the h. in this case, it’s her ex, Andrew, and it really makes Ronan wake up LOL.
-the different types of sex list (yup. I totally highlighted it lol)
What I didn’t like/wanted more of:
-Ronan finding closure sooner for his dead fiancé. There were times where she was referenced and I wanted to know that he was over her and all about Nova. Even though it takes a while, I understood his hesitancy. But since he’s been with people since Nova, I would’ve expected him to be better about this.
Overall, I really enjoyed it ❤️
”A person can want something at one point in their life, then want something entirely different later, especially after they’ve realized what’s important.”
⚠️safety squad⚠️
-no cheating/sharing
-death of loved ones (fiancé- car accident; mom)
-H has a gf when present time begins. They break up.
-OWD- there are girls trying to get with H. He always turns them down. Once H and h are together, it mostly stops but some OW still give them the side eye. When they had their ONS, the H calls the h by his dead fiancé’s name
-OMD- the h’s ex constantly flirts with her and he wants her back. OM kisses her without her realizing it and H comes in and almost kicks his a$$
-2.5 year separation after ONS; neither was celibate
-condoms/then none
-HEA/epilogue 5 years then several years after
-the h’s ex cheated on her. She remembers it in details
May 2, 2022
The best sports romance I've read in a LONG time. I absolutely adored this story and these characters.
Now, bring on Tuck's book because I love that man. ❤️
Now, bring on Tuck's book because I love that man. ❤️
March 31, 2022
5 Stars!
(ARC provided by Social Butterfly PR)
-We’re different flowers from the same garden, but we’re perfect together.
Ronan Smith is a superstar NFL quarterback who had it all until his dreams were shattered by and accident that took away his fiancée and his career. He was suddenly on a path of self destruction when he hits rock bottom. He’s in a dark place as he mourns his old life. Then he makes new plans and starts over in a small town in Texas.
Nova Morgan leaves behind her life in New York and returns to her hometown in Texas. She swore she’d never come back, but she is now her sister’s guardian, and family is everything to her. She is desperately in need of a fresh start and hoping things turn around for her. She could definitely use some good in her life, but luck isn’t on her side when she learns her new neighbor is the awful, awkward one night stand she’s never been able to forget. It’s been two years since she’s seen Ronan. He’s still just as beautiful as she remembers, and they share a history that could complicate life in a small town since he’s the new high school football coach the town adores. Football is the most exciting thing in Blue Belle, and everyone is trying to play matchmaker with the newest bachelor. He’s not interested in a relationship and is emotionally unavailable. After an unexpected proposition she finds herself fake dating the one man that could be dangerous to her heart. As things feel too real and lines get crossed will they let the past ruin their future, or take a chance on love?
-He awakens something in my body; therefore, he is dangerous.
-Her beauty is like a blow to a man’s chest.
-I fucking love looking at her, and it isn’t just her beauty. There’s an infectious quality about her smile, a sense of irrepressible joy that surrounds her.
Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills is a standalone, small town, neighbors, fake relationship, second chance, sports romance full of emotion, humor, chemistry, passion and plenty of swoon. It’s about family, change, fresh starts and beautiful connections. I loved this story and couldn’t get enough of this sexy ex-footballer and his quirky Texas beauty queen! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3wO8AZY
(ARC provided by Social Butterfly PR)
-We’re different flowers from the same garden, but we’re perfect together.
Ronan Smith is a superstar NFL quarterback who had it all until his dreams were shattered by and accident that took away his fiancée and his career. He was suddenly on a path of self destruction when he hits rock bottom. He’s in a dark place as he mourns his old life. Then he makes new plans and starts over in a small town in Texas.
Nova Morgan leaves behind her life in New York and returns to her hometown in Texas. She swore she’d never come back, but she is now her sister’s guardian, and family is everything to her. She is desperately in need of a fresh start and hoping things turn around for her. She could definitely use some good in her life, but luck isn’t on her side when she learns her new neighbor is the awful, awkward one night stand she’s never been able to forget. It’s been two years since she’s seen Ronan. He’s still just as beautiful as she remembers, and they share a history that could complicate life in a small town since he’s the new high school football coach the town adores. Football is the most exciting thing in Blue Belle, and everyone is trying to play matchmaker with the newest bachelor. He’s not interested in a relationship and is emotionally unavailable. After an unexpected proposition she finds herself fake dating the one man that could be dangerous to her heart. As things feel too real and lines get crossed will they let the past ruin their future, or take a chance on love?
-He awakens something in my body; therefore, he is dangerous.
-Her beauty is like a blow to a man’s chest.
-I fucking love looking at her, and it isn’t just her beauty. There’s an infectious quality about her smile, a sense of irrepressible joy that surrounds her.
Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills is a standalone, small town, neighbors, fake relationship, second chance, sports romance full of emotion, humor, chemistry, passion and plenty of swoon. It’s about family, change, fresh starts and beautiful connections. I loved this story and couldn’t get enough of this sexy ex-footballer and his quirky Texas beauty queen! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3wO8AZY
March 29, 2022
Nova and Ronan.
Two and a half years ago Ronan didn't have a good night at his football team's party. He was still grieving his fiancée and his professional football career - both of which he lost in a car accident the year before.
But that night he was dared to have some fun by his best friend Tuck ... and so he spent an amazing night with this mysterious stranger. She was gone the next morning and he was so drunk that he didn't ask her name ... he didn't even remember her face. He might've even called her by his ex-fiancée's name. Whoops.
Now he's living in a small texan town coaching the highschool football team.
Nova is back in her little hometown to take care of her teenaged sister after their mom died. She's also coincidentally living next door to the new highschool football coach - who still doesn't remember her!
And this new neighbor kinda asks her to be his fake girlfriend - because the whole town is trying to find him a wife to make him stay!
LET THE FUN TIMES BEGIN ...
═════════════════
ADORABLE
This was a sweet and funny and adorable footbally small town love story with some very sad & emotional parts thrown in. I really loved reading this.
I think that I've read a million sexy and funny & heartbreaking sports romances. BUT - I love those books! I love football and small town romances. And this one was just adorable!
I could've done without the dead fiancée - those things are always a bit too sad and silly for my tastes. But it wasn't too bad here - it's been over three years since she died and they only knew each other nine months before she died - she wasn't his highschool sweetheart or anything like that. But still - they loved each other and it's always weird to root for the new girl.
BUT - I really loved this story. It was so sweet and sunshiney-texasy-smalltownish. I loved the sister and the kids at school and the friends and the pets ...
I need Tuck's story next please!
BEAUTY AND THE BALLER was such a funny + adorable + sexy + heartbreaking small town Texas football romance! I loved it! Run to your nearest amazon for your own RONAN - this one is MINE!
💜
💜
January 24, 2023
⭐️⭐️? (Sometimes ⭐️⭐️.5)
''I jumped off the cliff straight into the volcano.'' (How I felt reading this)
Safety warnings:
- No cheating (between MCs)
- OM/OW drama (barely but it was annoying)
- Loss of loved ones
- Grief
- HEA
I don't have a lot of nice things to say about this tbh.
This one was a major hit and miss for me. Some parts worked well but overall it just didn’t do what I thought it would.
Kind of disappointed tbh since I enjoyed the second book.
This one had so much potential to be an amazing story, but it was stuck for almost the entire book reminding you that he loved his ex-fiancée and only wasn't with her because she died. I felt like our FMC was second place and will always be that? He basically didn't want anything serious with her and his POV confirmed over and over that he didn't want attachments and had ''moments'' of seeing a future but knocked it down every time.
Every time he touched her, he would instantly regret it and make her feel like an absolute mistake and honestly? It got annoying after a while.
Don't even get me started on their first night together. He literally forgot her face afterwards and spent the next few years hooking up with girls that were too young (legal age but still). They never exchanged numbers nor names (though he is famous, and she knew who he was) so he didn't seek her out BUT I am pretty sure he would have never wanted to be with her out even if he knew who she was. The only reason they ended up together was because they were forced into being around each other and I felt like the MMC settled.
I'll stop now or I'll end up being really critical about the littlest things.
''I jumped off the cliff straight into the volcano.'' (How I felt reading this)
Safety warnings:
- No cheating (between MCs)
- OM/OW drama (barely but it was annoying)
- Loss of loved ones
- Grief
- HEA
I don't have a lot of nice things to say about this tbh.
This one was a major hit and miss for me. Some parts worked well but overall it just didn’t do what I thought it would.
Kind of disappointed tbh since I enjoyed the second book.
This one had so much potential to be an amazing story, but it was stuck for almost the entire book reminding you that he loved his ex-fiancée and only wasn't with her because she died. I felt like our FMC was second place and will always be that? He basically didn't want anything serious with her and his POV confirmed over and over that he didn't want attachments and had ''moments'' of seeing a future but knocked it down every time.
Every time he touched her, he would instantly regret it and make her feel like an absolute mistake and honestly? It got annoying after a while.
Don't even get me started on their first night together. He literally forgot her face afterwards and spent the next few years hooking up with girls that were too young (legal age but still). They never exchanged numbers nor names (though he is famous, and she knew who he was) so he didn't seek her out BUT I am pretty sure he would have never wanted to be with her out even if he knew who she was. The only reason they ended up together was because they were forced into being around each other and I felt like the MMC settled.
I'll stop now or I'll end up being really critical about the littlest things.
March 31, 2022
4.5 STARS!
Well, well, well, I do love a book that hits the ground running and this one HELLA does!
Nova waltzes into Ronan's party one night dressed head to toe as Princess Leia, while he is a HUGE Star Wars buff. Coincidence? Well, you'll have to read to find out. But they share an instant connection and I was so here for it. I'm not usually a fan of the couple hooking up at the start of the book but it SOOOO worked here. In fact, I don't see how this story would've worked without it!
It is major love and chemistry and HOTNESS at first sight. However, Ronan, who at the time is still grieving his late fiancée, pulls a major faux pas that abruptly ends the evening and the short-lived relationship.
It's two and a half years later and Nova lands herself back home after the death of her mother to her small town to care for her sister where none other than Ronan is her neighbor and soon, colleague at school too.
This book had all the components I love:
- Sexiness
- Small town
- Banter
- Hilarious secondary characters with dimension
- Second chance
- Friday night lights -- He's a high school football coach!
They definitely had their share of obstacles, but there was no stupid drama or misunderstandings. Just all around sweetness and fun. This was my first read by this author, but it will most certainly not be my last. (I picked up the paperback of Dear Ava immediately after finishing this.)
While the story centers around the romance, I loved the added message of self discovery and how, at the start, neither one of them wanted to be in Blue Belle, but how that evolves by the end...be still my heart!!
Would recommend this book to fans of:
Penny Reid's Homecoming King
Tessa Bailey's Too Hard to Forget
Friday Night Lights the NBC TV show
And once again...this occasion calls for my fave football gif!
I received an e-ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
"Who are you gorgeous?"
Silence, thick and sweet, stretches between us. "Yours."
Well, well, well, I do love a book that hits the ground running and this one HELLA does!
Nova waltzes into Ronan's party one night dressed head to toe as Princess Leia, while he is a HUGE Star Wars buff. Coincidence? Well, you'll have to read to find out. But they share an instant connection and I was so here for it. I'm not usually a fan of the couple hooking up at the start of the book but it SOOOO worked here. In fact, I don't see how this story would've worked without it!
It is major love and chemistry and HOTNESS at first sight. However, Ronan, who at the time is still grieving his late fiancée, pulls a major faux pas that abruptly ends the evening and the short-lived relationship.
It's two and a half years later and Nova lands herself back home after the death of her mother to her small town to care for her sister where none other than Ronan is her neighbor and soon, colleague at school too.
This book had all the components I love:
- Sexiness
- Small town
- Banter
- Hilarious secondary characters with dimension
- Second chance
- Friday night lights -- He's a high school football coach!
They definitely had their share of obstacles, but there was no stupid drama or misunderstandings. Just all around sweetness and fun. This was my first read by this author, but it will most certainly not be my last. (I picked up the paperback of Dear Ava immediately after finishing this.)
While the story centers around the romance, I loved the added message of self discovery and how, at the start, neither one of them wanted to be in Blue Belle, but how that evolves by the end...be still my heart!!
"I knew exactly which road to take, and it was back to you."
Would recommend this book to fans of:
Penny Reid's Homecoming King
Tessa Bailey's Too Hard to Forget
Friday Night Lights the NBC TV show
And once again...this occasion calls for my fave football gif!
I received an e-ARC of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are my own.
July 26, 2022
This was fun. A cute football romance set in Texas. Baseball and hockey ones are better 😜 but this was good too. Especially with that side helping of Star Wars, yes you heard that right. I could do without all the Southern this and Southern that, but that's just me.
March 16, 2022
Looking at other reviews I feel I am definitely in the minority here…
Nova and ex-NFL QB Ronan have a one-night encounter (essentially prostitution, but let’s not think about it) that ends with Ronan passing out drunk and Nova leaving before the morning. Three-ish years later, Nova moves back home to Texas and learns that Ronan is her obnoxious new neighbor.
Ronan now coaches football at the local high school. He’s looking to move up his career ladder, but everyone in town is trying to wife him up so that he'll stay at the school. Meanwhile, Nova has to face her ex-boyfriend, Andrew, who she still has unresolved feelings for. How do these two decide to solve their problems? By fake dating!
Fake dating is supposed to be fun and suspenseful, but this just felt forced. I didn’t grasp how the fake dating helped either of them, since girls were still trying to get with Ronan and Andrew was still trying to get with Nova. No one respected their fake dating and it’s because it didn’t even make sense to do it in the first place.
Nova was also a very unlikable character for me. Her personality is just obnoxious, attention-seeking, “I’m not like other girls”... just a big fat NOPE. She would crack eye-roll worthy whips all the time, but then say something basic like “Find your glow” or “Do you believe in possibilities?” and then Ronan would be all “OMG I have never met such a deep person before. How does she think of all these amazing things to say???”
Normally, my favorite aspect of romance tropes like enemies-to-lovers is the banter. While Nova and Ronan aren’t necessarily enemies, they do get off on the wrong foot being neighbors and they have this sort of teasing relationship with one another. However, their banter was just awful. It made me appreciate how good banter is in other novels.
Finally, the side storyline with Skeeter and Sonia also didn’t do it for me! Skeeter was such a clueless ditz who had to be told what to do with Sonia the entire time. Seriously, Sonia deserves so much better she just doesn’t see her own self worth. Those two will definitely not last.
I’m not mad about reading this, but I enjoyed very little of it. However, maybe it just wasn’t the book for me. Other reviewers seem to have really enjoyed this, so if it’s something you’ve been eyeing it might still be worth the read for you. You can always play a drinking game to help with the reading experience! Take a sip whenever the author uses an exclamation point! You’ll be out dead by halftime!
Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Nova and ex-NFL QB Ronan have a one-night encounter (essentially prostitution, but let’s not think about it) that ends with Ronan passing out drunk and Nova leaving before the morning. Three-ish years later, Nova moves back home to Texas and learns that Ronan is her obnoxious new neighbor.
Ronan now coaches football at the local high school. He’s looking to move up his career ladder, but everyone in town is trying to wife him up so that he'll stay at the school. Meanwhile, Nova has to face her ex-boyfriend, Andrew, who she still has unresolved feelings for. How do these two decide to solve their problems? By fake dating!
Fake dating is supposed to be fun and suspenseful, but this just felt forced. I didn’t grasp how the fake dating helped either of them, since girls were still trying to get with Ronan and Andrew was still trying to get with Nova. No one respected their fake dating and it’s because it didn’t even make sense to do it in the first place.
Nova was also a very unlikable character for me. Her personality is just obnoxious, attention-seeking, “I’m not like other girls”... just a big fat NOPE. She would crack eye-roll worthy whips all the time, but then say something basic like “Find your glow” or “Do you believe in possibilities?” and then Ronan would be all “OMG I have never met such a deep person before. How does she think of all these amazing things to say???”
Normally, my favorite aspect of romance tropes like enemies-to-lovers is the banter. While Nova and Ronan aren’t necessarily enemies, they do get off on the wrong foot being neighbors and they have this sort of teasing relationship with one another. However, their banter was just awful. It made me appreciate how good banter is in other novels.
Finally, the side storyline with Skeeter and Sonia also didn’t do it for me! Skeeter was such a clueless ditz who had to be told what to do with Sonia the entire time. Seriously, Sonia deserves so much better she just doesn’t see her own self worth. Those two will definitely not last.
I’m not mad about reading this, but I enjoyed very little of it. However, maybe it just wasn’t the book for me. Other reviewers seem to have really enjoyed this, so if it’s something you’ve been eyeing it might still be worth the read for you. You can always play a drinking game to help with the reading experience! Take a sip whenever the author uses an exclamation point! You’ll be out dead by halftime!
Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
May 9, 2022
2.5🌟
this didn't work for me
too many ex issues
and I didn't like either H or h
meh
this didn't work for me
too many ex issues
and I didn't like either H or h
meh
March 28, 2022
4.5 'Find your glow' Stars!
ARC provided via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been quite a while since my last read from Ilsa Madden-Mills and that is an absolute crime because I truly adore her writing. She completely stole the show for me with Dear Ava and now she is back with another emotional love story that I know many romance readers will love. With Beauty and the Baller, we are getting a glorious mix of sports romance, one-night stands impossible to forget and a second chance feel to it too. What’s not to love about everything I just said, am I right?
So, Beauty and the Baller is a new standalone novel about Ronan Smith and Nova Morgan. Ronan had everything he wanted: a gorgeous and talented NFL quarterback with the world at his feet and a fiancée he adored. A car accident changes his life completely, he is lost in his grief and doesn’t know how to come back from it. Enter Nova. She enters Ronan’s life because he is her favorite QB and they have a mind-blowing but awful night that again changes Ronan’s journey. What they didn’t expect is to meet again after two years. Now they are neighbors and Ronan doesn’t remember anything about that night. What will happen when things get even more complicated and they decide the solution is to fake a relationship?
How did I get here with you? How did you find me?
What a journey with this amazing couple! Ilsa is fantastic at writing a type of character that shows a whole array of emotions but still has a quirky and funny side that will steal your heart completely. And that is what happens with Ronan and Nova. Their first meeting is all kinds of cute and sooooo nerdy. I loved it. I loved how their journey starts and how it develops after they meet again after two years. They are both going through loss and it’s so clear their paths keep crossing because of a connection impossible to miss. Fate is acting for them and love starts growing. And while it’s not easy for either of them to accept those feelings for each other, their chemistry is so much stronger. I seriously loved this book and this couple, and I am so glad they got their happy ending!
Being with him, even though he’s still finding out who he is and what he needs, is like peeking into possibilities.
Therefore, I am rating Beauty and the Baller with 4.5 STARS because Ilsa simply did it again. She gave us a beautiful love story, with complex and quirky characters to love and a couple with so much chemistry that you’ll melt all over the place. Ronan and Nova will steal the hearts of many with their steamy, emotional and quirky love story. Mine is already stolen and I really hope Ilsa writes more stories about the characters we’ve meet in this book because I would be so happy and excited to read them!
ARC provided via Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review.
It’s been quite a while since my last read from Ilsa Madden-Mills and that is an absolute crime because I truly adore her writing. She completely stole the show for me with Dear Ava and now she is back with another emotional love story that I know many romance readers will love. With Beauty and the Baller, we are getting a glorious mix of sports romance, one-night stands impossible to forget and a second chance feel to it too. What’s not to love about everything I just said, am I right?
So, Beauty and the Baller is a new standalone novel about Ronan Smith and Nova Morgan. Ronan had everything he wanted: a gorgeous and talented NFL quarterback with the world at his feet and a fiancée he adored. A car accident changes his life completely, he is lost in his grief and doesn’t know how to come back from it. Enter Nova. She enters Ronan’s life because he is her favorite QB and they have a mind-blowing but awful night that again changes Ronan’s journey. What they didn’t expect is to meet again after two years. Now they are neighbors and Ronan doesn’t remember anything about that night. What will happen when things get even more complicated and they decide the solution is to fake a relationship?
How did I get here with you? How did you find me?
What a journey with this amazing couple! Ilsa is fantastic at writing a type of character that shows a whole array of emotions but still has a quirky and funny side that will steal your heart completely. And that is what happens with Ronan and Nova. Their first meeting is all kinds of cute and sooooo nerdy. I loved it. I loved how their journey starts and how it develops after they meet again after two years. They are both going through loss and it’s so clear their paths keep crossing because of a connection impossible to miss. Fate is acting for them and love starts growing. And while it’s not easy for either of them to accept those feelings for each other, their chemistry is so much stronger. I seriously loved this book and this couple, and I am so glad they got their happy ending!
Being with him, even though he’s still finding out who he is and what he needs, is like peeking into possibilities.
Therefore, I am rating Beauty and the Baller with 4.5 STARS because Ilsa simply did it again. She gave us a beautiful love story, with complex and quirky characters to love and a couple with so much chemistry that you’ll melt all over the place. Ronan and Nova will steal the hearts of many with their steamy, emotional and quirky love story. Mine is already stolen and I really hope Ilsa writes more stories about the characters we’ve meet in this book because I would be so happy and excited to read them!
March 30, 2022
I'm sorry but...this book possibly has the worst start to a romance book I've ever read. It's both completely bizarre and ridiculously unrealistic.
The hero, an NFL player, is drunk at his football team's party...and when I say drunk...I mean he's stumbling, haze over his mind, blackout drunk. The (sober) heroine walks into the party uninvited, dressed in a Princess Leia outfit. She's hot and the hero likes Star Wars...so he's intrigued. Over the course of a few pages (all in the first chapter), the hero dances with her and she seduces him...and then the hero takes her to his hotel room and they have sex. All the while I'm wondering why the heroine is so quickly interested in having sex with the blackout, stumbling, boozy-breathed hero while she's completely sober...
And then to top it all off...at the end of the weird, way-to-fast sex scene, the hero shouts out his dead fiance's name while he climaxes. He then wakes up to an empty bed and is not able to recall what the heroine looked like because he was so drunk. He also never asked her name (while she knew his).
Anyways...I hate books that just seem so fake and unbelievable. Like why in the heck would the heroine have even persued and slept with the hero considering how drunk he was? She was the one who initiated all the physical and sexual contact. It felt so icky to me all around; just not a good look and a terrible first impression. I don't know how other reviewers aren't flagging this; maybe if the genders were reversed it would be more off-putting to people.
I did skim through to try to figure out if there was any justification for why the heroine was so forward and how she knew the hero's name.
Side note: after skimming to the end, I also felt like the dead-ex trope was not done in a satisfactory way for me. I know this is petty, but I like when the hero loves the heroine more than he does his ex; that's not the case in this book. The hero considers his dead-ex his first soulmate and the heroine his second - it's one of those "two great love" scenarios and he still misses her.
The hero, an NFL player, is drunk at his football team's party...and when I say drunk...I mean he's stumbling, haze over his mind, blackout drunk. The (sober) heroine walks into the party uninvited, dressed in a Princess Leia outfit. She's hot and the hero likes Star Wars...so he's intrigued. Over the course of a few pages (all in the first chapter), the hero dances with her and she seduces him...and then the hero takes her to his hotel room and they have sex. All the while I'm wondering why the heroine is so quickly interested in having sex with the blackout, stumbling, boozy-breathed hero while she's completely sober...
And then to top it all off...at the end of the weird, way-to-fast sex scene, the hero shouts out his dead fiance's name while he climaxes. He then wakes up to an empty bed and is not able to recall what the heroine looked like because he was so drunk. He also never asked her name (while she knew his).
Anyways...I hate books that just seem so fake and unbelievable. Like why in the heck would the heroine have even persued and slept with the hero considering how drunk he was? She was the one who initiated all the physical and sexual contact. It felt so icky to me all around; just not a good look and a terrible first impression. I don't know how other reviewers aren't flagging this; maybe if the genders were reversed it would be more off-putting to people.
I did skim through to try to figure out if there was any justification for why the heroine was so forward and how she knew the hero's name.
Side note: after skimming to the end, I also felt like the dead-ex trope was not done in a satisfactory way for me. I know this is petty, but I like when the hero loves the heroine more than he does his ex; that's not the case in this book. The hero considers his dead-ex his first soulmate and the heroine his second - it's one of those "two great love" scenarios and he still misses her.
July 13, 2022
Beauty and the Baller was entertaining, sexy, and sweet. It had fun, playful banter throughout the story that had me grinning and rooting for Nova and Ronan to get together. I had a fantastic time reading it.
I loved Ronan and Nova from their very first meeting and that magnetic chemistry they had. There was such a spark and pull between them. Nova was a bright, positive light with sarcastic wit and I loved her infectious personality. I felt for her and what she was going through. Ronan was struggling with the past and my heart went out to him. I really enjoyed him opening up, being vulnerable, and healing. I liked the fake relationship aspect they pursued and the reasoning behind it as well as all the exciting scenes that transpired, and of course when feelings start to get involved. There was a good bit of emotion and light drama involved but mostly it was super entertaining with a nice bit of heat mixed in.
This story started with a Star Wars reference and I was all in. As a huge fan, I was thrilled how they popped up throughout the story as well. There was a great build and I loved the development of Nova and Ronan’s relationship, all the ups and downs, and Ronan getting to his moment where he figured everything out. It pulled at my heartstrings and put a smile on my face all at the same time. I loved the different characters and adored Nova’s relationship with her sister. I liked their friends and coworkers and how they all came together, making the entertainment factor that much better.
This was my first time reading this author and I'm kicking myself for not reading her sooner. This story was witty and sexy with seriously humorous banter and it made me happy to read!
Complimentary copy received from Montlake.
I loved Ronan and Nova from their very first meeting and that magnetic chemistry they had. There was such a spark and pull between them. Nova was a bright, positive light with sarcastic wit and I loved her infectious personality. I felt for her and what she was going through. Ronan was struggling with the past and my heart went out to him. I really enjoyed him opening up, being vulnerable, and healing. I liked the fake relationship aspect they pursued and the reasoning behind it as well as all the exciting scenes that transpired, and of course when feelings start to get involved. There was a good bit of emotion and light drama involved but mostly it was super entertaining with a nice bit of heat mixed in.
This story started with a Star Wars reference and I was all in. As a huge fan, I was thrilled how they popped up throughout the story as well. There was a great build and I loved the development of Nova and Ronan’s relationship, all the ups and downs, and Ronan getting to his moment where he figured everything out. It pulled at my heartstrings and put a smile on my face all at the same time. I loved the different characters and adored Nova’s relationship with her sister. I liked their friends and coworkers and how they all came together, making the entertainment factor that much better.
This was my first time reading this author and I'm kicking myself for not reading her sooner. This story was witty and sexy with seriously humorous banter and it made me happy to read!
Complimentary copy received from Montlake.
April 27, 2022
"You deserve all the wonderful things in the world Nova. I´m not it."
This was such a fun read hitting all the right tropes. We have second chance love, we have fake dating and we have the taking care while sick.
Ronan is this hot, shredded, athletic nerd (so kind of like Henry Cavill) who constantly makes Star Wars references and really geeks over them, it is, as Nova would say, adorable.
I quite liked Nova´s character although it felt a little bit stereotypical at times with her being the blond texan sweetheart and former cheerleader that everybody seems to like.
Ronans and Novas chemistry was really good and I liked the banter between them. I loved the build up for the relationship, it felt right and not to fast paced.
I liked that the plotline of the side characters was developed as well, I loved what was going on with Skeeter and Sonia. This is a two POV book with chapters switching between Novas and Ronans point of view.
Overall it was a really good book with a cute romance and a chemistry that was just right. The banter was there as well and the plotline developed nicely.
This was such a fun read hitting all the right tropes. We have second chance love, we have fake dating and we have the taking care while sick.
Ronan is this hot, shredded, athletic nerd (so kind of like Henry Cavill) who constantly makes Star Wars references and really geeks over them, it is, as Nova would say, adorable.
I quite liked Nova´s character although it felt a little bit stereotypical at times with her being the blond texan sweetheart and former cheerleader that everybody seems to like.
Ronans and Novas chemistry was really good and I liked the banter between them. I loved the build up for the relationship, it felt right and not to fast paced.
I liked that the plotline of the side characters was developed as well, I loved what was going on with Skeeter and Sonia. This is a two POV book with chapters switching between Novas and Ronans point of view.
Overall it was a really good book with a cute romance and a chemistry that was just right. The banter was there as well and the plotline developed nicely.
June 19, 2022
4.5⭐️ Another great Ilsa Madden Mills book. I love that it had some of my favorite tropes like fake dating, small town romance, and sports romance. Simply AMAZING.
Now the stars of this book, Nova and Ronan were such likable characters. Their relationship developed so beautifully and their chemistry was through the roof. Everything about their relationship was so cute and made my heart so happy. ALSO I loved the little games they played and I loved their banter… all of it made me so giddy.
Can’t wait for book 2 of this duet to come out so soon!
“Everything will be fine. We’re different flowers from the same garden, but we’re perfect together.” 💛
Now the stars of this book, Nova and Ronan were such likable characters. Their relationship developed so beautifully and their chemistry was through the roof. Everything about their relationship was so cute and made my heart so happy. ALSO I loved the little games they played and I loved their banter… all of it made me so giddy.
Can’t wait for book 2 of this duet to come out so soon!
“Everything will be fine. We’re different flowers from the same garden, but we’re perfect together.” 💛
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