NOT MY ROMEO is the first instalment in Ilsa Madden-Mills contemporary, adult THE GAME CHANGERS erotic, romance series. This is twenty-eight year old, professional football quarterback Jack Hawke, and twenty-six year old librarian/lingerie designer Elena Riley.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Elena and Jack) NOT MY ROMEO follows the building romance and relationship between twenty-eight year old, professional football quarterback Jack Hawke, and twenty-six year old librarian/lingerie designer Elena Riley. A Valentine blind date, and a one night stand finds our heroine battling between head and heart when she discovers that her blind date wasn’t her blind date after all but professional football player Jack Hawke. Our heroine had mistakenly believed Jack was her date, and Jack, being the gentleman that he isn’t, played along but our hero’s current reputation both on and off the field is in tatters, and quickly finds himself getting attached to a woman who wants something more. Unable to offer Elena forever or a happily ever after, Jack continues to find himself drawn to our heroine, a draw that is about to spiral out of control. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Jack and Elena, and the potential fall-out as Jack’s issues of trust find our heroine on the outside looking in when Jack accuses her of manipulation and lies.

Jack Hawke grew up in the foster care system having lived much of his life angry and abused. Betrayal at the hands of his ex force Jack to keep one eye open including having Elena sign an NDA, an agreement Elena refuses to accept. Elena Riley had no idea the who or the what of quarterback Jack Hawke. Falling for Jack, Elena knew she was about to have her heart broken, having been forewarned by our story line hero. Been burned in the past, Elena knows she has to move on but there is always a constant reminder wherever she goes.

The relationship between Jack and Elena starts as a case of mistaken identity , one in which Jack carries over into a one-night stand. Jack doesn’t do relationships having been betrayed by his ex, and in this Jack struggles with issues of trust, issues that will directly affect his relationship with our story line heroine. Elena continues to battle her attraction to Jack knowing Jack wants nothing to do with a happily ever after but Jack’s constant presence in her life give our heroine pause as to perhaps there may be hope for something more. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and energetic secondary and supporting characters including Elena’s ex boyfriend Preston, her roommate Topher, and her sister Giselle, as well as their mother, Aunt Clare who owns and runs a local salon. We are introduced to Jack’s head of security Quinn, a young man who is more or less our hero’s gopher; fellow teammate and friend Devon, quarterback Aiden Woods, PR agent Lawrence, Town stage director Laura and her son Timmy, and Jack’s ex girlfriend Sophia.

NOT MY ROMEO is a story of family, friendships, betrayal, trust and love; a story of one man’s struggle to move on from the past, and one woman’s heart break when said man refuses to acknowledge her love. The character driven premise is captivating and seductive; the romance is fun and flirty; the characters are lively, dynamic and charming. A wonderful and impassioned story.



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CHAPTERS/INDIGO (Sandy_At_the_Reading_Cafe) posted

Ummm....excuse me? How and why is this my first Ilsa Madden-Mills book? I am shooketh! SHOOKETH! I'm now immediately rectifying my mistake by purchasing the woman's entire backlist. True story. But I digress.

I totally misjudged this book based on the blurb. I was expecting just another famous jock meets nobody heroine fluffy romance. But this was so much more than that. It was packed full of feels and laugh out loud moments. It was adorably quirky and layered with plenty of emotion.

It's a case of mistaken identity when Elena meets Jack. Elena is searching for her blind date, and thinks Jack is the weatherman that she's been set up with. Elena is also a little bumbling, a touch awkward, but full of sass and fire. She's impossible not to love from the very first page.

Jack is the bad boy of football. With a reputation that precedes him, he's used to being eviscerated by the media. He's also extremely misunderstood and the readers learns this as layers begin to peel back on him. Jack prefers to lay low but when a quirky beauty rushes to his table and questions him like she knows him, he plays along. And when he realizes he's not quite who she thinks he is, it's too late to turn back. He's already riveted by her.

What's supposed to be just one steamy night turns into something much more when their worlds collide shortly after.

Now usually I'm not as invested in the romance when the characters sleep together so early in the story, but the author pulls this off flawlessly. She does it so well, in fact, that the following slow burn just about killed me. If these two didn't come together soon, I thought my head would explode.

They dance around each other for weeks. When Jack lands in Elena's small town by pure happenstance, he knows he has to go after his chance even though Elena is not thrilled to see him. I loved the way that Elena makes him work for it. She may be quirky and awkward at times, but the girl has sass for days.

I loved all of the secondary characters, Jack's best friend especially. The chemistry between Jack and Elena was incendiary, but their inability to communicate about their feelings until the end drove me a little batty. But I also understood why each of them struggled with this, as they both had their trust issues. Jack especially, coming off of the ex that he had. But I also appreciated that there really wasn't any female drama with that, except for the issues it caused his image and career.

Ultimately, this was a fun, sweet and steamy read that I enjoyed immensely and can't wait for Elena's sister to get her story next.

I really had known idea what this book was going to be about when I began, it had been on my TBR list for a while and so when I began, I was hooked from the very beginning. Elena has had no luck when it comes to Valentine's day dates. Now meeting a blind date who is supposed to be a weatherman, he is also to be wearing a blue shirt. Seeing a man in the far corner wearing a blue shirt she goes and sits at his table. Giving him grieve because it is rude to begin to eat before your date arrives, she proceeds. It is this whole conversation at the table that hooks me and the rest of their time at the restaurant. The banter back and forth and it is not until much later that she realizes he is not a weatherman. When they arrive at his apartment, he asks her to sign an NDA which she does as Julia Capulet from Romeo and Juliet the play.
Elena does not back down from him and keeps him grounded he just does not know that. Are their parts of the book that are from other stories maybe a few but overall, this is a funny story but also with a touch a realism. She is showing Jack that there are people out there that care just about him, not about the money he makes or that he is a pro quarterback which she did not even know at first. It is Jack who needs to learn trust and acceptance. I am leaving a lot out because you should really read this book. It has wonderful characters and a very good storyline, overall a very good book.

OMG, I Love, Love, Love this story! Jack the reluctant, shy hero with a bad reputation and Elena the beautiful Librarian/ lingerie designer. Both living lives and hiding who they really are, were it not for a chance meeting. A mistaken identity. A night they couldn’t forget.
I love the pain the rawness of their fears and they way they see one another with out lol the pretense of his lifestyle and the quirkiness of her personality. They just cam together so well as a couple fighting to be together even if they feared that it would all come to an end like Romeo and Juliet’s love did. Their banter is priceless, and their witty banter perfection.
This book brought me tears, joy and love all wrapped nicely in an amazing cover. Opposites never read better that Jack and Elena.

I FREAKING LOVE THIS STORY!! Elle and Jack are just perfect for each other and I fell in love with them from the first encounter. Elena is a quirky librarian who went back to live in Daisy , her hometown. After breaking up with her boyfriend who is now dating her sister.... she goes on a blind date organised by her BF Topher. When she goes to meet Mr Weatherman she gets more than she bargained for. “Love means making yourself vulnerable; it means giving power to someone to hurt you. Who needs that?” Jack is not just the best quarterback out there ... he is more than that and I loved how we get to know him, love him, feel for him and sing with him ... Jack was not prepared for Elena and doesn’t know how to handle all the emotions ... The passion between them is scorching hot and I love their dialogue. The secondary characters also made this story more relatable and I felt like I was part of the DAISY LADY GANG, I want to be part of it!! Devon, Alabama and Gisèle ... of love to read their stories too! Jack and Elle are made for each other but the secrets, the hurdles and the insecurities are in their way of happiness . Will they get their HEA? Full of emotional angst, scorching love scenes, and a compelling story line, Not My Romeo will have you flipping pages.

This book was just OK for me. It was entertaining and I was able to finish it, but some things about the story were distracting and plain implausible.

I love Ilsa so much and I have desperately missed her writing! I LOVE sports romance and love/hate relationships and Ilsa is the queen of this!!!

From the very beginning I loved everything about Jack and Elena. I especially loved their "meet cute" and how 100% oblivious Elena was to who Jack is. I also loved how totally different Jack and Elena are from your typical nerd and jock characters. Elena especially, because she has sooo many layers to who she is. From this naughty and secret hobby to being a librarian in a small town, she was so interesting! And then we have Jack, who definitely has some of the typical traits, but he has been so bruised and battered by media and women. His approach to life and Elena are both way different than your typical famous football player.

Chemistry, HOLY CRAP ON A CRACKER, did this book have chemistry!!! Just like everything else, there were layers to this chemistry too, and not just between Elena and Jack. The dynamic with Aunt Clara, Topher and even Devin were all so amazing!! BUT Elena and Jack were on fire!! These two could steam a room just looking at each other. It was super swoon worthy! And then add in the Shakespeare lines and the other poetry, holy cow the panties were on fire! Not only is he a hot football player, HE HAS ONE HECK OF A BRAIN!

I can only gush so much without giving things away but I really, really loved this book. I cannot wait to see where Ilsa takes us with these characters. Her series are always some of my favorites an I can tell this will definitely be up there on the list!

Sports romance? Small town? Oh yes please. Sign me up!

Take a blind date, a gorgeous football star and a librarian from a small town and what do you have? Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden Mills. A deliciously sexy read, with a hit to the heart twist, that is everything you need right now to forgot all that ails you.

Jack may be carved by the quarterback gods but he’s got quirks and massive anxiety. Elena is sassy and a paradox on the inside to how she appears on the outside. Neither one is what they seem to be to the casual observer. What could these two have in common? They have both been burned by love, they both have trust issue AND chemistry that had me smiling as I turned the pages.

After Elena realizes her mistake, her blind date was not a weatherman, it seems irrelevant to her since she’ll never see him again. Wrong! How to avoid Jack when he becomes the lead in the town production of Romeo & Juliet – when she’s Juliet? The shenanigans begin!

“Jack Hawke, give me my panties.
Give me a kiss first.
Why?
Because I can’t stop thinking about your lips.”

“he’s not the same man from last night. That person had been into me, his kisses deep, like red wine, dark and rich and intoxicating – Forget that. I just came back here to get my underwear.”

You would think Ilsa really knows small town life a-la Gilmore Girls because the secondary characters are so fun. Not my Romeo doesn’t get too deep and that’s just fine with me.

Rom-Com gold! Excuse me while I mix myself a gin and tonic. ;-)

FIVE CUTE STARS for Elena and Jack 💖🖤💖🖤!!!

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

This is the third book that I've read by Ilsa Madden-Mills and now I can for sure to say that she knows how to write an interesting book that keeps your attention and make you feel all the emotions through reading it.

She did it again!

Ilsa wrote one more amazing book that stole my heart and soul from the first page.

"Not My Romeo" is a sports romance with opposites attract trope and much more.

Elena is a twenty-six-year-old female character who is single and works as a librarian.

She always behaves politely because she thinks that's what other people expect from her.

But, after a bad break up, she decides to change and get out of her comfort zone and go on a blind date on Valentine's Day.

And on that date, she meets Jack who is the complete opposite of the men she had been dating until then who brings out her wild side.

Jack is a male character whose only important thing in his life is football and to be the best in it.

But, after he meets Elena, he understands that maybe what had been occupying him every day until then might not be so important.

And no matter how much he fights at the beginning against his feelings towards Elena, in the end, he gives up because he realizes that Elena is the one he wants.

Elena and Jack's relationship is beautiful and their chemistry is amazing!

I absolutely loved their relationship and the way they fell for each other!

If you're looking for a sports romance book that will make you laugh a lot and it's also sweet and sexy at the same time, then this is definitely a book for you!!!

Highly recommended!!!

The perfect romance
5 stars

I love Ilsa Madden-Mills - her writing, her storytelling and the characters I am guaranteed to fall in love with. I’ve mostly read her new adult romances but this story is adult contemporary with 20-something hero and heroine. But fear not, it’s every bit as good as - if not better than - her NA books.

We start off with a hilariously adorable meet cute - and it’s clear from that first chapter that both our hero and heroine have, inadvertently changed each other’s lives in their short meeting. Oh, and things get heated very, very fast! It’s hilarious, hot and I was almost giddy with excitement with what was to come.

Elena was truly my kind of heroine. She was sassy, spunky and while she might see herself as slightly average, she has a wild streak that makes her a character I could both see myself in, but also really aspire to be more like. She was unapologetically quirky and in just being herself she managed to capture the interest of Jack.

Now let’s take a moment of silence to adore and worship the character that is Jack. He is my catnip. The absolutely best kind of hero ever to live. Normally I want a character for my very own…but Jack is made for Elena (and vice versa, obviously) so I wouldn’t even dream of desiring him. What I want is my own Jack. He’s hot, alpha, grumpy and has a cold, closed off demeanour. But that’s simply a smoke screen to hide a man who still has scars from a traumatic childhood, as well as someone who suffers from severe social anxiety. Oh, and of course his trust issues. I just wanted to hug the poor (gorgeous) man. I also feel there should be some kudos to Ms Madden-Mills for making Jack just as smart as Elena. No dumb jock here, thank goodness.

Whenever I read an Ilsa Madden Mills book, and I see how she writes the relationship between the hero and heroine, all I can think is “I want that”. Oh, I don’t mean the sex (although, uh - yes, please!) but the connection of the pairing. How perfect they are for each other. How much they want each other. How they see the other - all their quirks and imperfections - and just *get* them. I read a lot of romance, but it’s very rarely I love a couple while also thinking “this author really knows what true love is and how it feels”. It really gives you a wistful, yearning feeling while reading. And it’s everything.

Okay, I admit it - sometimes I flick through sex scenes in books. I love them, but at times I just want to read the story and skip the sexy shenanigans. Not so with this book. I read Every. Single. Word. Twice. And damn was it good. For them, for me, for everyone. So, so hot. Even as time - and their relationship - progressed, we never lose the heat but with each encounter comes more emotional connection and holy shit was I there for that.

The book is written from the perspective of both Jack and Elena, so we see both of their points-of-view, how they’re feeling and what they’re thinking. You can really see the emotions between our couple and although at times I wanted to hit Jack upside the head, I still totally understood his motivations for acting the way he did.

As I moved to the end of the book, I was surprised to realise I had tears rolling down my cheeks. It wasn’t just the resolution of Jack and Elena’s story, but the resolution of different aspects of our story. It made me happy, it made me sad (but not in a bad way) and it inspired me to be a bit more like Elena. And when Jack says Elena’s name during the play - I still go over that scene in my head and get butterflies. Perfection.

While the book focuses on our couple and their journey, the rest of the town of Daisy also stole my heart. I really hope we hear more about the Daisy Lady Gang and I am almost salivating at the thought of Devon getting his own story. He was just as swoon worthy as Jack and he definitely deserves to be given a run for his money by the woman of his dreams.

As always, Ilsa Madden-Mills pens a romance that is everything you could ever want. It’s got engaging characters, hot sex, laughs, crazy situations, deep emotions and - of course - true love. Ms Madden Mills is an absolute genius story-teller and I love the worlds and characters that she builds. This book is absolutely perfection and I love, love, loved every second of it. 5 stars.

Have you ever read the perfect story at the perfect time? This book was that and more. Truthfully I love Ilsa Madden-Mills and I was not disappointed with this read. With everything going on in the world, humor with an added helping of sexy was everything I needed and more.

OMG the beginning definitely brought on the funny with the right amount of clueless. It was so good. Elena our heroine had me laughing from the start. Who goes on a blind date on Valentines Day? I was dying at her internal and external dialogue. When, where, how she meets Jack is priceless. Who she thinks he is has me both producing a snort laugh and cringing in embarrassment for her.

Jack you are our yummy bad boy football player. Yikes are you misunderstood or what?! I actually love who Jack is and it makes me sad that the rest of the saw him in a different light.

Elena and Jack take us on a bit of a journey with an AWESOME tribe supporting them. You get a little bit of everything in this book with all kinds of fun, touching, and meaningful interactions. Ugh I want to tell all especially the funny bits but I won’t cause I am a spoiler free kinda gal. All I can say is this book is five star worthy. Hilarious and naughty five stars. Wink. Happy Reading Everyone!

I was really, really looking forward to this book because I love Madden-Mills' writing, but ultimately ended up a bit disappointed by it. There was too much push/pull and something was just missing from the story, so I didn't feel all that engaged by the romance. It's still a good book because she's a great author, but I found it very easy to put down and walk away from. Which I did, repeatedly. I'm looking forward to the followup and will probably give this a reread at that time to see if it reads better.

***ARC Provided by the Author***

3.5 Stars

This was my first title by Ilsa Madden Mills and I enjoyed it. I liked the writing, and I felt that the characters seemed like real people who you could relate to. It's definitely not going to be my last.

Jack and Elena meet when they are on a blind date...yet, somehow only one of them is on the date, well both of them are on a date, just not with one another. I loved the meet cute and the idea that she didn't know who he was and how much he enjoyed being able to get to know someone who didn't want to be with him because he is a celebrity.

I enjoyed their chemistry and how Jack felt comfortable enough with her to actually be open with who he was and with the things he was dealing with in his personal life (trying not to spoil), and I loved how much it showed that he trusts her.

I enjoyed and recommend this title

Jack Hawke is not Elena Riley’s Valentine’s Day blind date…

But it doesn’t stop them from making the most of a dating mixup and revel in the easy way they connect.

Jack Hawke is not someone who needs anymore distractions from his football career…

But that doesn’t mean he’s not willing to put himself out there for the right woman, despite his trust issues, a tainted past, and a reputation that makes him look more bad boy than he actually is.

Jack Hawke should not be Elena Riley’s Romeo…

But it doesn’t stop Jack’s Juliet from wondering if two people who are complete opposites can find a way to make things work.

Jack Hawke may not know exactly how to be Elena Riley’s one, but he’ll use whatever he needs to, to prove that he’s not just her Romeo, but her everything.

There’s a complexity to Jack’s personality that is illustrated throughout the duration of the book. It’s clear that he is so much more than the media portrays and what he allows people to see and believe. A person can only be burned so many times before his walls go up and he no longer trusts anyone. But it’s obvious that Elena brings out different parts of him - sides that many probably have never seen and he may not even remember he has. And seeing this tiny and introverted southern belle bring this tough and dominant football alpha male to his knees proves that all it takes is the right person to someone truly live again.

Elena is definitely my kind of heroine. She may be an introverted librarian, but she is also so full of light and grace that it makes those around her want to be better people. Her quirkiness is endearing and the fact that she takes it upon herself to spread her wings and do things her way makes experiencing those things through her eyes all the better.

I am all about a new sports romance series from Ilsa Madden-Mills, and the fact that it takes place in a small Tennessee town called Daisy and has a cast of primary and secondary characters who add such depth to the storyline makes book one, Not My Romeo, a must-read.

4.5 Poison Apples

4.5 Stars
This is one of my favorite authors and I absolutely loved Not My Romeo. After reading the blurb I couldn’t wait to get this book in my hands. This is a great start to a new series.

This book was just what I needed. I have been really missing sports and can’t wait for football to start back. Jack is a football player with a reputation, and he doesn’t trust easily. Elena is a librarian in a small town. The way these two meet was so funny. This book had me laughing as well as taking me on an emotional rollercoaster.

I loved this book and can’t wait for more in this series.

Oh my, what an absolutely delightful, swoony read! I've read this author's work before, but I can't say I enjoyed her other books as much as I adored Elena and Jack in Not My Romeo. This was a charming and thoroughly enjoyable love story -- yes, love story -- this wasn't just a romance novel. I wanted them to find their HEA so badly because I was so invested in these characters from Page 1. Romantic, angsty comedy that begins with a blind date mix-up and just gets better from there. What more could you want -- a feisty librarian, a pet pig, the Daisy Lady Gang and a family that is laugh-out-loud hilariously funny. The cast of secondary characters rounds out this perfect rom-com by one of today's best romantic comedy authors. I loved everything about this read! I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

A sexy football player and a sassy librarian? What’s not to love!?! Not My Romeo is the story of Jack and Elena who were an absolute joy to read. Jack and Elena’s meet-cute was fantastic and their overall story was full of humor, emotional moments, and feisty characters. The side characters in this book also blew me away. I love that Ilsa writes characters that you can so easily understand and feel a connection with! Loved this book and highly recommend

A blind date on Valentine's day leads to all kinds of deliciousness! What started with a lie could end up becoming so much more if Football player Jake Hawke could trust in love and let himself feel more than just what's on the surface. Elena knows there is only one path going forward, heart ache and grief, but throwing caution to the wind and embracing what might be seems inevitable. Despite her misgivings she pushes a head and their attraction is palpable. Hot hot chemistry and it's so funny! They may have started off with a chance encounter and a misunderstanding, but where they end up is all up to them, if only they could let go and embrace their feelings.

Sexy as sin reformed bad boy professional football player meets sassy and fierce librarian in this star crossed romance! What’s not to love!!!

About Not My Romeo:

Not My Romeo is a sweet and sassy standalone about a professional football player trying to revise and renew his reputation, catching the eye of a librarian trying desperately to stand out from the crowd and achieve her dreams in the fashion industry as a lingerie stylist.

All Elena wants is to get through this Valentine’s day blind date with her stomach full and her best friend off her back. When she gets to the restaurant she spots the blue shirt and the dark hair, her friend happened to leave out the sexy as sin appeal this man has going on… He’s way too good looking to be the weatherman her best friend set her up with… could the odds truly be in her favor this time?

Jack has the world on his shoulders all thanks to his ex-girlfriend and her faux tell all novel she released. So imagine his surprise when the vision of his teenage fantasy’s comes up to his table and sits down. Imagine his surprise when she orders food and wine, imagine his surprise when she asks him about the weather…..

The saying goes, all’s fair in love and war, and that’s exactly what is approaching when Elena wakes up the morning after and discovers her blind date isn’t who he claimed to be and her custom handsewn priceless panties are missing….

My Thoughts:

Ilsa Madden-Mills is still a fairly new to me author. In fact, Not My Romeo, is book number 5 marked off my tbr list. I can honestly say, every damn time I dive into a novel written by Ilsa Madden-Mills, I find myself getting lost in her words. Her words easily paint a vivid picture in my mind. Her books are a great escape from the hardships that come with the real world.

The premise of this novel is dangerously appetizing! A librarian and the bad boy football player…. SIGN ME UP!!! I knew right away, after reading the synopsis, I needed to have this book in my hands and I needed it now!

I loved the hell out of this couple. Everything from their opposites attract vibe to their personalities matched perfectly. I haven’t read a novel where the love interests are so intune with one another in a long time! Elena and Jack will go down in my reading history as one of my favorite book couples.

Jack’s personality is guarded, but once you dig beneath the surface, and he lets his guard down, this man is as goofy as they come… What also surprised me was the fact that he’s got a bit of a shy streak. One of my favorite moments was watching Jack slowly lower his guard for Elena. He let her see the man he is. He let her see the real Jack that he kept under lock and key.

Elena comes off as a good girl at the beginning of the novel…. But good lord did she ever surprise me. This tiger definitely has a wild streak when need be. My most favorite moment with her was watching her slowly weave her way beneath the surface of Jack’s wall. I also loved her sassy attitude and her independence.

Overall, Not My Romeo surprised the hell out of me. I expected to like this book, but I walked away loving the hell out of it and adding Jack and Elena to my ten favorites of 2020 list! My heart felt light and happy throughout this book. It was fun and, at times, a bit angsty. Bottom line is, everything I love about reading romance is woven in the pages of this novel! Definitely worthy of the 1 click!!

Ilsa Madden Mills
writes broken, damaged and flawed man to perfection. They are always so easy to connect with and fell head over heels in love with. And Jake was swoon worthy that's for sure . I could feel his struggles and wanted to hug him and never let go. Elena is my spirit animal. She was a for force and I want to be her when I'm older!

I never thought I'd love someone more than Blaze but here comes Jake and takes no. 1 (sorry Blaze I still love you). Of it's not obvious I ABSOLUTELY LOVED THIS BOOK and I'm giving it all the frickin stars!!

***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***