The story is wonderful with great characters from the hero/heroine to the secondary characters. The book is well-paced and loved the award show behind the scene details. The author clearly had some experience in the area to create the award show setting.

In this contemporary romance, Ella Simone seems to be living the dream—she’s a famous pop star married to powerhouse music producer Elliot Majors. But behind the glitz and glam, Elliot’s repeated infidelities have pushed Ella to the edge. Determined to reclaim her freedom and career, she begins the uphill battle of divorce—made even trickier by a ruthless prenup and the need to keep her image squeaky clean.

Enter Miles Westbrook, baseball’s golden boy, who accidentally throws Ella into the tabloids after a red carpet mishap. What starts as an inconvenient scandal soon turns into a strategic PR move: fake a romance for the cameras and keep their public images intact. But as feelings start to feel a little too real, Ella must choose between sticking to the script or taking a chance on something genuine.


This was a 3.5-star read for me. The story was cute and had its charming moments, but it didn’t fully pull me in the way I had hoped. I enjoyed the premise and the chemistry between the characters, but it lacked that extra spark to make it unforgettable.

This is a gorgeously written romance, perfect for readers of Abby Jimenez and Kennedy Ryan. A celeb/celeb, strangers to friends to lovers that's sexy and soulful, it's grown folks business in the best way! The romantic and sexual tension between the MCs is electric, but what I really love about this story is how much you root for the leading lady, Ella. Her journey is powerful, and the lessons she learns along the way are pearls of wisdom that all readers will benefit from.

Ariel is a fantastic voice in the adult contemporary romance space, and I'm so excited to see what she comes out with next!

No Ordinary Love is a story that lingers long after the final page—a quiet, powerful exploration of healing, connection, and the kind of love that asks you to be fully seen. Myah Ariel writes with tenderness and honesty, crafting characters who feel achingly real in their vulnerabilities and desires.

This isn’t a love story wrapped in fairytales or grand gestures. It’s a love story built on truth, on choosing one another even when it’s hard, and on the deep, soul-level work of unlearning pain and making space for something new. The emotional depth in this book is profound—every conversation, every hesitation, every moment of softness feels purposeful and beautifully earned.

What makes No Ordinary Love so special is that it doesn’t just ask what love is—it asks what love costs, what it heals, and what it means to find someone who sees the pieces you hide and loves you not in spite of them, but because of them.

This is more than a romance. It’s a journey through grief, self-discovery, and the brave act of letting yourself be loved. Quietly powerful and deeply human, No Ordinary Love lives up to its title—and then some.

This was sharp, intimate, and charged with emotion! Loved it even more than Myah's debut. It reads like a secret someone finally felt brave enough to say out loud. The push and pull between desire and self-protection, it aches! It's about love, but also survival, power, and what it means to be truly seen. More than a romance to me!

No Ordinary Love by Myah Ariel is a dazzling, heartfelt romance that brilliantly captures the tension between fame, authenticity, and unexpected love. When pop superstar Ella Simone decides to leave her unfaithful music-producer husband, her carefully crafted public image teeters on collapse—until a red carpet mishap throws her into the arms of Miles Westbrook, baseball’s most desirable bad boy. What begins as a PR stunt quickly evolves into something far more complicated and genuine. Myah Ariel masterfully balances glamour and emotional depth, weaving a story about reclaiming self-worth while navigating the messy worlds of fame and love. Ella is a resilient, relatable heroine, and her chemistry with Miles is both swoon-worthy and sincere. Their faux relationship pulses with tension, wit, and vulnerability as both characters discover what it means to choose love freely. With smart dialogue and a refreshing take on celebrity romance, No Ordinary Love is pure, page-turning satisfaction.

I thought the writing in this book was soooo well done and it just made the story and characters shine even more. This delivered more than the romance because these characters developed self love and finding their own voice. I also thought following their careers was a plus because you got to see more of their personality shine.

I will be reading something from this author again.

Ella Simone seems to have it all, the famous pop star with the even more famous producer husband Elliot Majors. What the fans don’t know is that Ella is tired of Elliots infidelity and they will be announcing their plans to divorce, they just need to get through this awards show. Ella needs to stick to the plan: no headlines, no rumors and no rocking the boat. All of this is a must to fight the ironclad prenup Ella signed years ago. A wardrobe malfunction at the awards show, and a.quick thinking rescue by Miles Westbrook (the most eligible bachelor in MLB) sends the tabloids into a frenzy. Now Ella must do whatever it takes to turn this scandal into a positive for herself and Miles, but love was never on her radar.

Thank you NetGalley and Berkeley Publishing for this ARC

I loved this book. It was like wrapping all the emotions of a 90’s RnB song into one book. Myah Ariel knows how to write love in a way that just makes you swoon. I loved watching Ella overcome all the obstacles that were thrown her way. The romance between her and Miles was passionate and so so romantic. I loved Miles character so much. The angst and emotions were everything, I absolutely adored this book!

No Ordinary Love by Myah Ariel is a heartfelt slow-burn romance with pop star glamour. Miles is such a sweet and sincere male lead who stands out in a surprising way, especially since they are both celebrities. He's not what you expect from a handsome athlete. The baseball references and history were cool. And I really liked the nostalgic 90s/2000s music vibe and references. Flashbacks enrich the present-day story, making it worth the emotional investment. This is a good pick when you're in the mood for something tender and reflective.

I think overall it was a good read but it wasn't my favorite read. There was nothing about it that grabbed my attention personally. The romance and the building of the relationship was really well done and made the book better. I want to read this author's other book to see if I'd like that better. Overall this was a decent book and I believe other readers would really like it.

Short synopsis: Ella (a rising popstar) is recently separated from her music producer husband, and fighting a messy divorce. She meets Miles Westbrook (an MLB superstar) and they make a PR arrangement, that leads to real feelings quickly.

My thoughts: I heard this was a celebrity romance, and was immediately all in! I loved that Ella and Miles they were both celebrity, and had both been in messy relationships. It made their chemistry feel more real, because they they could really understand each other on a different level.

I adored the banter, and flirty messages sent back and forth. And each character went through some great growth!

Read if you love:
* Celebrity Romance (Pop singer and MLB Pitcher)
* He falls first
* Recently divorced looking for healing
* R&B music

3.5*

This book took me to when I would be reading celebrity romance books in middle school and I mean that in the best way.

This was a cute romance book, fun one time read. It has a pretty good pacing and is well written. I would read more from this author. I also liked that the supporting characters actually were quite influential in the book too, and not just there to be there.

Tropes / things you’ll like:
-Baseball player x rnb singer
-forced proximity
-wholesome mmc
-giving love another shot

No Ordinary Love was a stunning sophomore novel from Myah Ariel.

Out in public, everyone thinks Ella Simone has the popstar's dream. She's married to award winning producer Elliot Majors, and has the records to prove her voice is no joke. But, behind the scenes everything is different as he's cheated on her multiple times and threatened to leave her with nothing left. Helping her out is Miles Westbrook, MLB Bachelor, who she is spotted with at the Grammy's which makes the world go WILD. She's got to ride the high of the public's attention. But what happens when both her and Miles start to realize they may have more than just an ordinary love?

Myah Ariel has a way with writing that characters that make you immediately root for or hate them. I was cheering on both Ella and MIles throughout the book, wanting the best for both of them. I ADORED the MLB date and her want to learn more about his career. Ugh, Elliot- but again, she writes him in way that makes readers hate him. No Ordinary Love also brings up important issues about the music industry. Read this for second chances, love that was was unexpected and swoony gestures.

When I heard that this book was inspired by the love story of Derek Jeter and Mariah Carey I was immediately sold. I love me some Mimi! This book follows Elladee who is leaving her toxic marriage with her big-shot-mega-producer husband. In this midst of this she meets Miles-- a MLB player-- during a wardrobe malfunction at the Grammys. They immediately have a physical attraction towards one another, but its all during the wrong timing.

This book read more like a women's fiction than a romance. The book focus more on Elladee and her discovery of self. I absolutely love this. I love a story of overcoming a toxic situation with a little bit of romance in the background. Except for when the book is marketed at a romance. I also felt like the romance was superficial at best. I don't really see the relationship lasting long term, because everything was based on physical attraction. The crazy thing about that is that most of the sex scenes were closed door.

I did however like that this was somewhat of a coming of age story. Since Elladee was very young when she started dating her estranged husband, he immensely molded her. She was able to find who she was and learn to not only set boundaries, but to take control of her life. It was nice to see. This book was less than 300 pages, with a little more length, the author could have illustrated compatibility that goes beyond lust.

Nonetheless, I would certainly read another book by this author and felt that this was a decent quick read. Thanks to Berkley Publishing Group for the early e-copy as a part of the black voices campaign.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Rounded up to 4 stars.

“For the broken hearts in search of healing. You have the right to require only love.” This is the dedication Myah Ariel wrote for No Ordinary Love, and it is simply the best way to describe this novel.

Ella Simone seems to have it all—an amazing music career and all the awards and accolades she once dreamed of, a music producer husband, but she is tired of being cheated on by him and the power he still holds over her career. With their divorce finally underway, Ella needs to avoid negative press and ensure this is a smooth ride for her lawyer. But when a wardrobe malfunction occurs at an award show with her co-presenter and MLB superstar Miles Westbrook, she and their teams work together to carry out a mutually beneficial PR partnership.

Ella and Miles are both wary of the press and of love, but they find themselves being drawn to one another from the start. And when they stop fighting it, they find a sweet, tender, and honest love story. I really enjoyed that their love blossomed the way that it did; it was pure and safe, which they both needed. In her dedication for this novel Myah Ariel writes, “You have the right to require only love,” and that is exactly what Miles gives Ella. He is constantly reminding her of her strength, her courage, her beauty, and their love is the quiet kind that is ever present. I’m also that their third-act conflict did not require a breakup because that would not have made sense to their story. I do wish we had a bit more time with them together as a couple.

And I really hope we get a book for Jaime and Gabe in the future!!

Thanks to NetGalley for my ARC of this book. It was my first ready by Myah Ariel and I will definitely read more of her novels. This story sweeps you in as you watch Ella and Miles figure out if either of them can love again.

Ella Simone is a pop sensation, but her personal life is falling apart. She is trying to hold everything together while fighting to hold onto everything she has worked so hard to achieve Just when things can't get more complicated, she meets Miles Westbrook, the star pitcher for thr LA Dogers. Their first encounter leaves Ella wondering about the curveball that has come her way.

I love how Ariel weaves music into the story and introduces classic songs to compliment her beautiful storytelling. I enjoyed this read and would definitely recommend it for any romance fan.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Berkley, for the gifted copy of this book. I was a fan of the author from her first book, When I
Think of You.

This story follows our FMC, Ella, who is going through a messy divorce. She is a singer, and her soon-to-be ex is in the same industry.
The ex is controlling, and her life improves when she meets Miles, a baseball player, and the attraction is instant. But her messy divorce from the controlling Elliott places restrictions and bars on her ability to pursue a relationship with Miles.
The story started strong. Because the premise of the story is that they must keep the relationship under cover, I didn't connect to the romance. There didn't seem to be much substance to the relationship. Unfortunately, I found some of the dialogue cringey or relied too heavily on song lyrics. So it felt unoriginal. I felt bored after the first 1/4 of the book. But it does have some pleasant spice in the romantic scenes.
It's a good story that many will like, but this one didn't work for me.

Such a cozy romance novel that’s perfect if you’re wanting something fluffy to read! Sometimes we need a break from all of the craziness in the world , and this book provides just that!

I adore Maya Ariel’s writing. When I Think of You is one of my favorite reads of the year, and I was so excited to read her newest book. Her voice is so readable and engaging—I flew through No Ordinary Love in just a couple sittings!

I really enjoyed the premise and loved the celebrity backdrop. Ella is a pop star and Miles is a baseball player, and the story taps into that glamorous but lonely world in a way that feels fresh. I did find myself wishing for more on-page time between the two leads. Most of their connection happens through voice memos and texts, and while I appreciate the modern take on long-distance love, I personally wanted more of that face-to-face tension and chemistry. I think they only have a handful of in-person interactions throughout the entire book.

Still, Maya Ariel’s storytelling is so good that I kept turning the pages. I’ll absolutely keep reading whatever she writes next!