Loved this romance! Took me a little bit to get into it at the beginning mainly because of the slight insta-love, but I love the premise.

Ella and Miles’ connection is so beautiful. I love how he accepts her for her, and she leans into him so fully and naturally. A beautiful and pure love story. And the audiobook is just as amazing!!

4.5 ⭐️ thank you so much to the publisher and NetGalley for this e-galley 🫶🏽

This novel initially caught my eye because the cover is simply stunning! While fake dating is usually a trope I tend to stray away from, I did enjoy this one! This novel did start off a little slow for me, but once things picked up, I was locked in! This story was very well written. I look forward to reading more from this author!

This was one of my most anticipated. Why? Because of the cover lmao I’m not even kidding. And I’m so glad that I thought the inside of the book was just as good as the outside. This one is definitely a winner!

This was like a love letter to R&B. It’s an epistolary story that holds text messages and voice notes. And since those are two of my favorite things, I loved this one. I think I stopped at every song to listen as I read lol But I had to because it was all the classics! I wish I had read this with my eyeballs so that I could also listen at the same time, but even still, pausing it to listen still enhanced the scene a little bit. I actually liked it a lot. This day and age the “letter writing style” is easiest done via text messages. But this is one of the first I’ve found that also has voice notes. Am I the only one who doesn’t use those? I know they’re convenient because the group chat uses them, but I just can’t. Anyways, I think that made it cute. Especially since there was the speech impediment that he had. He trusted her and I thought they were adorable.

The romance was cute but it wasn’t the end all be all? Like they were apart a lot because of the long distance and the baseball games. And of course we can’t forget her terrible ex. But when they finally got to talking, it was the cutest. That video set scene?! My Gawd lol I think I listened to it twice. The chemistry they had made me fan myself lol I knew they were going to be amazing together. But the amount of drama they had was blocked a lot of it. When the spice finally happened it was a lot milder than I thought it would be with the amount of chemistry they had.

Since this is being labeled as a sports romance I guess I should mention how much sports is in it. She watches him on tv, he has an injury from pithing, and they finally get to go to one game. My only qualm is I like a little more sports in my sports romance. I think I wanted to see more of them at the games. I wish that we had gotten to see that one part at the end. Especially since we didn’t get the dual POV. I wanted to see some action on the field since we don’t get in his head.

As for the other characters, I didn’t like them. Like none of them besides the big wig from the record label and her lawyer lol Everyone else was annoying or just ridiculous. The only one I liked even a smidgen was his mom. But if you’re not new here, you know I have issues with parental figures and these types of problems. So yeah. I had some issues, but still.

This was good, but I do wish some things were different. Myah Ariel is definitely getting added to my Auto Buy list. Because both of her books have been bangers to me. I can’t help but wait for her next one!

Thanks to Berkley for letting me read and review this book early. All thoughts are my own!!

No Ordinary Love follows Ella, a mega superstar singer, as she fights to divorce her music producer husband and take ownership of her work. A chance encounter leaves Ella and Miles, a professional baseball player, working together to help both of their images. But will what started as a PR move stay fake?

I knew this book was going to be phenomenal, and I was right! I flew through this book, and I really wished it never ended. From the start, this book grips you by the heart. I’m not even someone who really cares for celebrity romance books, and I was genuinely so invested in Ella’s journey. Ella is truly so strong and wonderful. She fights for herself and makes space for herself. I loved following her point of view in this book, especially as she worked towards her dreams.

Myah Ariel has such a masterful way of writing. The way she connects what Ella feels to musical elements and weaves these undertones of music into the story was spectacular. The connection between Ella and Miles is so tender and sweet and real. They connect to each other immediately and make the reader truly feel everything they’re feeling. Their stolen moments between the events of this story were soft and gentle and lovely. They get each other so deeply and immediately, and I wish we got more scenes of them because I JUST LOVE THEM SO MUCH!!

The character dynamics between Ella and her team were some of my favorite parts of this book. They weren’t afraid to speak their mind, and they were truly a family to each other. The support they gave each other throughout this book was a highlight.

This book is absolutely an amazing one, and I can’t wait to read more from Myah Ariel!!

I wanted to like this book much more than I did. A celebrity (singer) x athlete (baseball player) romance sounded right up my alley, but unfortunately it fell flat for me. Our main characters barely spend any time together, so their romance felt super underdeveloped. It almost felt like the romance was the secondary plot line, with the main focus being Ella’s career problems. I honestly don’t feel like there was enough joy in this book! I understand that our girl was going through it, but even until the epilogue there are problems on top of problems that don’t really get resolved properly. I also felt like there were too many side characters that ended up feeling one dimensional. Overall I’d say there were one too many subplots going on in this book and not enough development of Miles and Ella as a couple.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc, these are my own opinions.

I love celebrity stories and this one is no different. Then you throw in a baseball player, and it makes it that much better.

Ella Simone has her life turned upside down by a vindictive ex-husband hell-bent on essentially destroying her career. After a wardrobe malfunction at an awards show, the handsome Miles Westbrook saves the day and quite possibly Ella's heart.

This story was cute, emotional, made me angry, and had me rooting for Ella and Miles the whole time.

I enjoyed it and can't wait to read more from Myah Ariel.

Thank you Berkley for selecting me for this ARC through the underrepresented voices program.

What to expect:
- Mariah Carey and Derek Jeter inspired
- Popstar FMC
- MLB Pitcher MMC
- PR Relationship
- Forced Proximity

“I learned a long time ago that holding back the things I’m really after doesn’t usually serve me in the long run.”

“Even the gentle press of our bodies as we moved so effortlessly to lyrics that confessed things we’d never dare say out loud.”

R&B singer/popstar Ella Simone and MLB’s most eligible player/pitcher, Miles Westbrook, have an arrangement of a scandal that has evolved into much more. The dynamics of the relationships, from messy pasts/relationships to how fate can show up in the most unexpected ways, genuinely shed light on the realness in life. I felt connected with Ella’s character, and her resilience spoke volumes. I also devoured the chemistry between Ella and Miles and this romance!

Thankful for the opportunity from Myah Ariel and Berkley Romance to read this as an ARC!

This was cute little romance! I liked seeing a story with characters in the music industry and major league baseball. I loved seeing Ella deal with real problems with her divorce and abusive ex-husband. I loved seeing each main character deal with the issues with their parents because it gave them depth. I loved Miles with his little nervous stutter. It was so endearing. I think the only thing I wanted more of was them together. But I think it was realistic of two high profile individuals with busy careers. Overall, I enjoyed it and would recommend especially for the music or pop culture lover.

3.75 rounded up

i really enjoyed this! i think there were some pacing issues and at some points i felt like i wasn't reading a romance novel, but overall it was super sweet and quickly paced.

i loved ella and miles... i have never met a miles i didn't love. i LOVEDDDD how much he loved her. he called her his dream girl constantly and was so tender and patient with her. and i loved his story with his mom and grandma and how he is a man for his women!!!!

ella was so resilient and strong but also so soft and delicate. she embodied them all simultaneously and was a very multi-faceted character. as a famous star in the music industry, she really paved her way and made a name completely for herself. she had a super strong support "glam team" system and i adored their antics.

the only reason i'm not rating this higher is because as i mentioned, there were some pacing issues. her relationship with miles was pretty insta-love and i found myself not caring??? not feeling giddy?? just because they were already head over heels. there was no conflict between them (which is great, fine even) but it made their romance fall by the wayside. it seemed like the author wanted to make this book be about women in the music industry and the exploitation they deal with, and a romance, but i think chapter by chapter it just kept switching off. i wish they had expanded more on one or the other.

either way, this was still a fantastic book and i flew through it in 2 days.

thank you berkley for the arc!

I absolutely loved this book! The characters were so well written, and I especially appreciated the growth of the main character. This story beautifully captures the theme of second chances at love, recognizing your worth, and embracing what you truly deserve. The banter between the characters was adorable and brought a smile to my face.
This was my first read from this author, and I’m definitely looking forward to exploring more of her work!

Thank you to Berkley Romance for giving me the chance to read an early digital copy of Myah Ariel's newest book, No Ordinary Love. One of the things that I love about books like this is the beauty of Black love, which I feel like is underrepresented in today's society and culture. There were many tropes in this one that I enjoyed, but perhaps what I enjoyed the most was the swoony interactions between the two main characters throughout the book. I love books with a professional athlete as the male lead so this one was right up my alley. I was immediately drawn into the story and was rooting for the main characters the entire time. One thing is for sure- Myah Ariel is quickly solidifying herself as an auto-read author for me, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next!

I love Myah Ariel but I’m not sure I enjoyed this book. It started out really slow and the plot fell flat along the way. I had high hopes but my expectations weren’t met.
I understand Ella wanting to reclaim her voice but the storyline needed some more development.

Thanks so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance for the free book!

A PR partnership between a pop superstar and a pro-athlete bad boy turns into so much more In this swoony romance.

^from the publisher!

I had read and enjoyed Myah’s debut last year so I was really excited to read singer/athlete romance. It was a lot more than that and I was here for it! There was heartbreak, fear, childhood trauma, emotional abuse, and more in these pages. I also really appreciated Miles’ backstory!! I savored this book over the course of several days, taking my time with the characters and their story.

I loved the friends Ella surrounded herself with. They were all good people to have in her corner and how cuuuuuute was that side romance???? IYKYK 😏

Watching Ella and Miles fall in love was lovely. Their romance definitely was swoony and what a first *pretend* kiss!!! But watching Ella come into her own with her supportive found family - that was the true happy ending imo! While her family left a lot to be desired (her mom!????), she had the best support system around. LOVED her Lawyer and loved the karma at the end 💅🏻

ALSO how cute was that epilogue??

Enjoy 🩷

Thanks so much to @berkleypub @berkleyromance or @acebookspub for the free book!

3.5 ⭐️The imagery in this story was immaculate. From the title alone I immediately understood the vibes and the added in song references also put me deep into the scenes. I feel this book fell a little short in character development and detail - some things gave too much and other things not enough. The divorce was a whole central plot theme in the book and it’s kind of just glossed over in the epilogue too quickly in my opinion. I would have loved to get more into the nuance of Miles especially since we only ever meet two people in his world. Overall I’d like to see more from this author!

Miles. Miles. Miles. To have a man like Miles by your side is to be seen, feel heard, and be loved the way you are meant to be love. Place near the top of the fictional boyfriend list because his ability to be so in tuned with Ella is enough to make anyone in a sticky relationship realize their worth. Myah wrote relatable and understandable characters to the point where you understood their flaws and hesitations and made you willing to put up with their shenanigans without being over them completely.

This a romance that ignites the feeling of being able to still find love despite currently being with someone who doesn't value you. Myah Ariel does a great job of transmitting the chemistry between the to in a way that makes you yourself get hot and flustered. I gave 4 out 5 because to me the chemistry was there between the two but towards the end it felt like part of the spark fell off. Still loved the book though!

Honestly I thought Michael B Jordan was on the front cover. And the characters physical description being a MLb pitcher is pretty close. Though he’s half puerto rican and they mentioned he resembles Roberto Clemente.
Ella seems like such a down to earth, talented, steadfast person and she has been treated as if she’s dispensable by those that were supposed to cherish her.
Miles and her were paired up for an award show and you can tell there was chemistry from the start. She was going through a very messy divorce. Was not a fan of her ex. These kinds of dudes need to disappear, thinking that they made you and you owe them.
Such a sweet, raw, real romance between two people in the spotlight.

No Ordinary Love by Myah Ariel is a beautifully layered story about healing, hope, and the complicated but powerful ways love can transform us. From the very first page, Ariel draws you into the lives of characters who feel real flawed, strong, vulnerable, and deeply human.

What makes this novel stand out is how it captures love in all its forms not just romantic love, but self-love, forgiveness, and the love that comes from finding your own voice after heartbreak. Ariel’s writing is emotional without ever feeling forced. She paints vivid scenes with language that feels both raw and poetic.

2.5 stars. A few too many things about this one didn’t work for me. The romance seemed a bit insta-lovey and their feelings developed really fast and grew serious QUICK. It all ended up feeling really rushed, especially the ending. I also understand that with it being based in modern media, pop culture references would show up, but there were SO MANY that it constantly took me out of the book. Disappointed with this one.

Thank you to Berkley for the advance reader copy and to PRH Audio for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I'm not always a fan of celebrity romance if the characters feel too unrelatable. But wow, Myah Ariel could change my mind about the entire genre. I absolutely loved the pop superstar Ella and MLB star Miles. And even more, I loved the two of them together.

There's so much tension, angst, and steam. There's an incredible energy around whether they will date or fake it. And it's all happening quite publicly while she goes through a divorce. I found his relationship with his mother and his friend incredibly powerful. And even as I wondered how the couple could come together in a way that worked for both of them, I was so incredibly engrossed. This is a book I could not put down. And fortunately, I read it on the weekend so I didn't have to.

Yinka Ladeinde was a new-to-me narrator, and I loved how she performed the entire audiobook.

4.5 stars rounded up

when Ella, a pop star, tires of her Music producer husband's many infidelities, she decides to fight for her independence despite the ironclad prenup that threatens her career.
Ella is under strict orders to stick to The no headlines, no rumors, no rocking the boat. But this strategy is thrown a curveball after an awards show wardrobe snafu and quick rescue by Miles Westbrook, MLB’s most eligible player, sends the tabloids into a frenzy.


This was cute. I found out afterwards that this may or may not have been based on Mariah Carey an Derick Jeter?
ANYHOO. i enjoyed it!

3/5

Thank you to Net Galley for the Arc. All opinions are my own.