Another great rom-com from Ilsa Madden-Mills. She really creates great couples with humor and heart. Not My Romeo is simply good fun romance that had me grinning ear to ear throughout the entire book.

Elena and Zack were quite the couple. Usually you have the cocky, overly-confident jock romancing the shy small-town girl, but this book flips that old formula on it's head! Zack may be a bad-boy quarterback, but he is a bit insecure, shy and unsure of how to proceed with Elena. Elena is sassy and smart and totally willing to give Zack a run for his money and make him earn it!

Mistaken identity lead to true love with a lot of fun twists and turns along the way.

A great read fully of fun, humor and romance. A must read!

Ilsa Madden-Mills and her affinity for fated love gives her matchmaking best in the first book in her The Game Changers series, Not My Romeo!

It takes impressive maneuvering to create empathy for a hero who goes out of his way to be seemingly indifferent on the best of days and atrocious on the worst, yet this author managed to do so from the start with Jack. Seeds were planted, clues were thrown in and a tenacious heroine and curious readers were given the opportunity to not be put off and see the extraordinary hero he hid underneath his rough exterior. Jack was incredibly guarded even while he was transparent in his actions and need to belong when people took the time to look. Elena's lack of filter was at times awkward, hilarious, and brutally to the point yet that was the very trait that made her endearing. Her outspoken thoughts were tempered in kindness and good deeds making her truths the very things that took her to a whole new level of attraction. Quirky and fun Elena was surrounded in love and knew how to get through to Jack and show him love.

This couple was driven by mutual lust but they fell in love with who they were inside and that is what really drove this story. Two lonely people, they were able to weather their mistakes and fortunate enough to find lasting happiness. The trust building in this relationship was hard earned and painful to watch play out. Slightly older than Ms. Madden-Mills usual portrayals, mid to late 20's, their personal life experience was apparent in how they handled their problems and was reflected well by this author. Lots of little details flourished in this work creating a robust story with lots of things to love. A charming secondary cast gave all the intimacy of a small town without taking over the plot.

Ilsa Madden-Mills has built a strong foundation in her signature writing style giving her reader's reliable high quality works. She continues to exceed expectations with each new book by combining her reliability with fresh new ideas and fresh takes on old ideas. With panoramic views into her characters feelings, funny and poignant are a package deal with this writer. Not My Romeo proves in the end who needs Romeo and Juliet when you can have Jack and Elena!

I was provided an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This will be published on August 18, 2020.



I was expecting this to be more serious, but it is actually more of a rom-com. I found myself laughing out loud fairly often at the situations and the banter between the main characters Elena and Jack. Their very first meeting sets the stage for the comedy that ensues throughout the book. Elena's best friend has set her up on a blind date on Valentine's Day, she is running late, and sits down with the only single man in the place. She assumes that Jack is the person she is supposed to meet, and when he is charmed by her antics and the fact that she has no idea who he is, he doesn't correct her. Sparks fly and they have a very nice evening. Jack feels bad that he didn’t tell her who he was, but he does intend to make things right. Unfortunately, the timing doesn’t work out and Elena finds out before he can explain.



Both Elena and Jack have been betrayed by people they cared about, and Jack has a lot of baggage in his past that causes him to have major trust and commitment issues. Elena is constantly trying to live up to everyone else's expectations and trying to fit into what the people in her small town think she should be doing. Over the course of the book Elena has to decide if she really wants to go after her dreams of entering the fashion world to design lingerie while Jack has to figure out if he can heal from the past hurts he’s experienced and start to trust people again. As an unlikely couple, they have to work together to see if they can make things work.



Just when you think this is going to be another insta-love story, it turns out not to be. Jack and Elena are caught up in insta-lust for sure, and they can't deny that they are able to relax and be themselves when they are together. They both have to grow as individuals as well as a couple before they can finally face their issues. The whole time they are "dating", but they refuse to acknowledge that as they get to know each other. This story takes place over time vs a few days which I really appreciate. It gives the characters time to actually build a relationship that feels realistic instead of falling in love in a week and living happily ever after.



I really enjoyed this and I’m looking forward to more books in the series. I hope we get books about some of the side characters.

Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills is the first book in her new The Game Changers series. We meet our heroine, Elena Riley, as she goes to a restaurant to meet a blind date on Valentine’s Day, that her roommate set up for her. After waiting a bit, not seeing the date supposedly wearing a blue shirt, she texts her date, with no response; she notices far in the corner a hot hunk wearing a blue shirt and sitting alone. She walks to his table and says “are you the guy”.

Jack Hawke, our hero, and famous pro quarterback, is sitting quietly waiting for his dinner to be served. He is surprised when this beautiful young lady sits down at his table; he then realizes she thinks he is her blind date, who is a weatherman. Jack also noticed that she was one of the rare people who did not recognize him, and goes along with pretending to be her date. It was a pretty funny dinner between them, and they both end up the evening with a wild sexy one-night stand.

Jack and Elena are total opposites. Jack is shy and private, and does not like the limelight; especially after an ex-girlfriend wrote a book about her affair with him, filled with lies, causing Jack to have major trust issues. Elena is a librarian and designs sexy lingerie; she is also very outgoing, sassy and a bit wild. The following day, with Jack already gone before she awoke, she learns that he is not who she thought he was. When Jack saves a young boy, who asks him for favors, he agrees to perform at the school play, Romeo and Juliet. To his surprise, Elena is playing the part of Juliet, and a wild, sexy, sizzling romance begins to heat up. Elena finds her self falling hard for Jack, and he feels the same, but his trust issues and fear of anything permanent stands in the way. Will Jack get past his issues to stay with Elena?

I did enjoy the wonderful secondary characters; friends and family of Elena, as well as Jack’s football buddies (especially Devon). They were all fun. But most of all, Jack and Elena were so great together, with so much scorching chemistry between them, as well as their romance being terrific and fun.

Not My Romeo was a fun, lighthearted, sexy, sweet, hot romance, with a fantastic couple. There were lots of laughter, and sexy scenes. Ilsa Madden-Mills wrote a wonderful fun romantic story that was just simply fun from start to finish. I also loved the epilogue. I suggest you read Not My Romeo.

Ilsa Madden-Mills strikes again.

The set up and execution of this sports romance is top notch. Written in a way that has you dying to know what happens next, Not My Romeo takes a new spin on the famous classic Romeo and Juliet. With enough differences from the original play, Mills gives us a redemption story of a troubled football player and a small town librarian.

THE ANGST! No, seriously, the angst. After a hookup the main characters find themselves constantly bumping into each other. Their banter and sass left me swooning for their next reunion. Mills does an amazing job keeping the reader engaged in the relationship and the story. Being character driven, this dual POV is a quick RomCom that had me in fits of laughter and in moments of internal sighing. If you are in search of an adorable fast paced read with a solid set of characters, this is for you.

I'm so glad I went back an re-read this book - the first time I tried to read it was at the beginning of the pandemic, and my head just wasn't in the right place, but now that things are really improving, I went back and reread this, and I enjoyed it even more the second time around.

I love the meet-cute between the two main characters Elena and Jack - the tale of mistaken identities, only this time it was on a blind date! The two of them had instant chemistry, even though both of them fought the attraction from the start. Being a librarian myself, I totally loved Elena's character from the start. She is what I want to be. Elena's family drove me a bit crazy by how much they were into her business, but in the end I loved them all the more for it.

This is definitely a must-read if you enjoy fun, sexy romances with a bit of sportiness thrown in for good measure.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the chance to review this advanced reading copy!

4.5 Stars

YES!! This book is amazing!

Elena is a sweet librarian living with her gay best friend and her rescue micro pig (HOW CUTE). She has had hard luck when it comes to love, it even goes as far as her boyfriend and sister hooking up. Cringe. When Valentine day rolls around Elena accepts the idea of a blind date. What's the worst that could happen? He could be absolutely drop-dead gorgeous and gives her the best night of her life! Problem is, he isn't her blind date. OOPPSS.Enter Jack, he just so happens to be sitting in the right restaurant, wearing the right colour top, and sitting alone. Who wouldn't make that honest mistake!

Elena is so sweet and innocent while Jack is a famous quarterback with a very "colourful" history. However, don't believe everything you read in the papers. I loved these characters. Elena is so strong, she knows her limits and her goals yet it doesn't stop her. She is determined and goes after what she wants which I really admire. Jack has had a hard life, some true, some not so true. Even with this "baggage" Jack continues with life and shows his true colours to Elena. Some parts of him, that he hasn't shown to anyone. I loved his soft and vulnerable side. I loved the fact this book has a dual POV as we can really see Jack's inner struggles because his exterior doesn't give much away.

I loved the secondary characters. They are fun, yet they give an element of structure and fluidity to the storyline. They are a great support to the main characters also.

I loved the writing technique. The storyline flowed perfectly and the pace was great.

Genuinely can't wait for the next book.

Overall I highly recommend this book.

She thought he was someone else, while he thought she was delightful. When the truth is reveled, will the accidental valentine have a chance of turning into something more?

I had so much fun reading this book! From the very first chapter, I knew it would give me the rom-com feels I was searching for.

Like Jack, I thought Elena was delightful. She was unapologetically herself. She was charming and witty, but also a straight shooter. She was the perfect blend of sweet and sassy and never failed to bring great energy to whatever she was involved in.

Jack was complicated. Though he was a famous NFL quarterback, he was rather shy. But his shyness was often misconstrued as aloofness and had earned Jack quite a reputation. He also experienced some really devastating things in his past, and though he was now surrounded and supported by some fantastic people, he has also made the mistake of letting the wrong people into his circle. This made him very slow to trust others, but he was fiercely loyal to those who earned it.

Speaking of circles, both Elena and Jack had a great group of family and friends. I absolutely loved meeting them all, and as this is a series, I am hoping I get to know each and every one of them better. I already have two of them paired off for their own HEA, so I am hoping Ilsa Madden-Mills saw it the same way I did and writes their book.

And you know what else? There's an epilogue, my friends, a jump ahead epilogue. It was so sweet and satisfying. I must confess, I was filled with so much joy from this epilogue, that I had all the happy tears flowing from my eyes.

This book had everything I look for in my romances and more. The hero and heroine were fabulous, had great chemistry, and delivered the type of banter I live for. The small town setting was featured well, and all it's quirky inhabitants added to the fun. I know I will be returning to Daisy with bells on and anticipate more feels, fun, and laughs in my future.

4 1/2 Stars for this sweet romance!

I loved this book! It had me laughing out loud one minute and swooning the next. Elena just killed me ... she was just so real and didn't give two hoots that Jack was a famous NFL quarterback. If she was mad at someone ... she would let them have it. I loved when Devon (Jack's friend) said something stupid to her and she just up and slapped him on the forehead ... that still makes me giggle! And Jack just didn't know what to do with her ... he was used to women falling over him, he never chased after them ... ever ... until Elena.

I love how the book started with Elena mistaking Jack for her blind date and he was so stunned that she just came up to him and sat at his table. He never corrects her that he's not her date and when she finds out ... she is pissed at him for not telling her he wasn't the weatherman. It must be destiny that Elena and Jack get together because they keep bumping into one another. The author sure knows how to write the steamy scenes because they are ... VERY STEAMY! I highly recommend this book because it's a fabulous start to a new series!

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake Romance through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I had my doubts when this book began. Blind date on Valentine's Day. Stereotypical alpha male football player and librarian who designs lingerie on the side. But this book was so much more. It was funny and you really rooted for Elena and Jack to get over their issues and finally be together. A great read with a HEA.

Not My Romeo drew me in from the very beginning and I have to say, it's one of Ilsa Madden-Mills best books, in my opinion! This book has a bit of everything, but along with it being a great rom-com, it also has a whole lot of heart.

Elena Riley, the local librarian in her hometown of Daisy, has a blind date set up for Valentine's Day and it doesn't go quite as planned. When she sees the man she thinks is Greg, the weatherman she's to meet, she sits down with him and proceeds to have dinner. Not only that, she heads home with the man she had dinner with, however she has no idea that she has ended up with Jack Hawke, the starting quarterback for the local professional football team!

While Jack has trust issues and Elena was hurt in her last relationship, what starts to unfold between the two is not at all what either one of them expected! Add to that Elena's family, who has it's own zany moments, along with a staging of Romeo and Juliet, some other colorful members of the Daisy community and you've got yourself the makings of one delightful and entertaining story!

I enjoyed this book not only because it was a great rom-com, but also because the characters were fantastic. I felt like we really got to know both Jack and Elena, which made it easier to understand what they were both dealing with. There were some swoonworthy moments towards the end too that just made me smile. This is one I would suggest you run, not walk to pick up!

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

Lately with everything that's been happening in the world;  I've been wallowing in the safe and comfortable.  I finally decided to live a little on the wild side and check out a new author and the verdict is ............
A blind date on Valentine's Day ends with a night of hot sex in a luxury penthouse and an NDA. What's a girl to do but sign the NDA as Juliet Capulet with an address in Verona Italy especially given that she woke up alone to a note and an NDA.  Definitely not cool. Elena is quirky, feisty and fun and is definitely willing to give infamous football star Jack Hawke a run for the heart. 
Jack has a lot of baggage from a difficult childhood exacerbated by a tell all book by his erstwhile girlfriend and the painful lack of a superball ring. Oh and the guy is painfully shy and tongue tied in a crowd. Given his past, he's a paranoid commitment phobe and Elena will really have a hard time getting him to trust. He does have an interesting entourage of friends that I hope to read more about in forthcoming books. 
As the story of their romance plays out in the small town casting of Romeo and Juliet,  they play their roles in public with hot can't keep their hands and mouths off strategic body parts explosive episodes to enliven things up. The story has surprisingly a lot of sweet and emotional moments with a strong cast of supporting characters.
This is my first by the author and I can assure you that it's definitely not my last. I also see on her website that she has an interesting shelf of books that I'd like to check out while I wait for the next story in this series.

I read Not My Romeo all in one sitting, and I have no regrets. It started off with the most hilarious "first date" ever and was impossible to put down. I was rooting for Elena and Jack the whole way. Jack is not your typical athlete, he's arrogant (par for the course) but also a bit shy and awkward. I loved the combo. I also loved that he had a not so perfect past that he was trying to recover from. I adored Elena. She was strong, but still had doubts about herself and her relationship. She's someone I would love to be friends with.

The side characters (whom I hope to see more of in future books in the series) were just as awesome. Despite what happened I grew to like Elena's sister, I adored Devon (I hope his book is next) and the rest of small town Daisy.

Not My Romeo had just the right amount of sexiness to it, and blended well with the humor and all the feels at the end. There are definitely some deeper feelings unleashed towards the end.

Highly recommend!

Being at the right place at the wrong time never sounded so good!!

Not My Romeo follows the story of Jack and Elena. When we first meet up with these two, it's Valentine's Day. Elena has agreed to a blind date, but has no clue what the guy looks like. She only knows the basics and that he's wearing a blue shirt. That's where Jack comes into play. A simple case of mistaken identity. He knows he should tell Elena the the truth, but it's so refreshing to him that she has no clue who he is. Jack and Elena spend an unforgettable night together. Too bad, everything went totally wrong the next morning....

Not My Romeo was a fun and refreshing read. Elena and Jack were easy to root for and connect with. I loved the mistaken identity and small town girl vibe. Jack started off completely arrogant, and wasn't afraid to go after what he wanted. He was a bad boy and completely irresistible. Elena was a fantastic character. Sure she seemed a little quiet and innocent. She is a librarian after all. But, there is so much more to this girl than meets the eye. When she falls in love, she goes all the way in. Together these two amazing together. I loved the push and pull and couldn't help but root for these two to find their way to a happily ever after. Speaking of happily ever afters, no romance would be complete without a few bumps in the road. Jack and Elena's story pulled at my heart and had me anxious to see how it would all come together in the end.

Not My Romeo was a terrific read from beginning to end. I loved the plot and fell head over heels for the characters. This story is filled with romance, angst, frustration and some seriously sexy good times. All in all, a wonderful book to spend your day getting lost in.

This was a cute and funny book, however I couldn't really connect with any of the characters. I loved the banter between Elena and her best friend Topher in this, and I laughed out loud a few times. But I didn't find myself invested in the relationship between Elena or Jack, and I found myself putting the book down a lot. I do think others might like this more than I did.

This is my first introduction to Ilsa Madden-Mills and what a fantastic introduction it was. As this story had me enthralled from the moment Elena sat down uninvited at Jack's table and started talking non-stop about everything from her c-l-i-t to her pet pig Romeo. And honestly, I couldn't turn the pages fast enough. As not only was it utterly delightful and entertaining. But OMG these characters just stole my heart as they were fun, and very real. And in Jack's case sexy as hell, but he was also vulnerable, shy, guarded, and sweet and I adored watching him interact with Elena, her wonderful family, and the people of Daisy.

And with plenty of small town charm, laughs and little drama Not My Romeo was just perfect and exactly what I was looking for.

Would highly recommend.

Fun, flirty, and filled with small town charm -- <i>Not My Romeo</i> was filled with so many things I love about reading romance.

And so, it was a little surprising that it was also a little bit of a mixed bag for me.

When it was on – it was ~so on~. Like the banter and the chemistry and the whole dynamic between superstar quarterback and small town librarian really worked for me. In fact, it’s one of my favorite tropes – so I was primed to love it. And I did – in moments and scenes and chapters.

Unfortunately it wasn’t always ~.on~. for me. There were several times where I felt pulled out of the story as the author manipulated it in a way that didn’t feel organic or real. I felt like the connection between Elena and Shane should have stood alone, so when dialogue or situations were taken over-the-top in order to force the storyline – it was frustrating for me. I skimmed a fair amount looking for those bits that grabbed hold of my heart and kept my mind sparking.

In the end, I was won over by Shane and Elena and their sweet, adorable happily ever after. It was a sweet, sexy escape and I’m glad to have taken it – and there was plenty of delight to be found in the secondary characters – to the extent that I’m so curious and anxious to see where the series goes from here!

When her friend sets her up on a blind date for Valentine's Day Elena knows it's surely going to end in disaster, seriously how could it not. She is having trouble having faith in the opposite sex right now, after her ex left her for her own sister. So she goes into this date with the hope of a good meal and maybe some decent conversation... but finds so much more than that when she sits down across from her uber sexy date. The man waiting for her was nothing like she expected, and the night ends better than expected too. The next morning however.... not so much!

Not My Romeo is an enthralling little literary romp that will have you swooning, smiling like a fool, and laughing the whole way through. This unlikely pairing are united by a little mistake, but it's their undeniable chemistry and mutual attraction to one another that keeps them coming back for more. Jack is a one night stand kind of guy, he doesn't do love, relationships, one night is really all he is comfortable offering. And Elena is anything but that, she wants date nights, cozy nights at home, love, a relationship to build upon. She knows Jack is not up for that, but for some dumb reason she can't seem to shake her attraction to him. She tries her best to walk away, but he keeps finding reasons to pull her back in, and she knows it's just a matter of time before things become dangerous for her heart. Watching these two fall for one another was rough on the ticker at times, with both of them constantly wavering, not willing to go all in for fear of getting hurt, and pushing each other away. But there were those moments when they let their minds take a back seat to their hearts, and that is where the good stuff was lying... the stuff you knew was bound to lead to a happily ever after, and those moments would have you swimming in happy feels. I loved this one, it was a perfectly blended tale that was impossible to put down! Highly recommend!

I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.

I've been such a fan of Ilsa for years. Every book she writes gets better and better. I loved this book. Elena is such a great character and I love her relationship with Jack. It was a beautiful story with a lot of emotions. Aunt Clara needs her own book. Another great one for my collection.

Thank you Netgalley, the author and publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

We have an opposites attract/mistaken identity. So we meet elena a cute quirky shy librarian or so we thought, Elena is going on blind date. And then fun began. Jack ends up being her blind date but not the one that she was supposed to me but honestly friend this is going to be a better option, now Elena seemed to flip a switch and her fighty/sassy side come out. This was cute fun book. Enjoy!