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.

**A big thanks to Berkley Romance for the e-arc! All thoughts are my own.**

3.5 stars

A solid read, and more of a women's fiction/coming of age/growth story than a romance one. I adore Miles, and while I'm satisfied with this being a single POV story, I do wish we could have gotten more scenes with Miles. Around the ~60% mark the story just sort of flies into the epilogue and the ending had me going oh! It's over!? Okay!!

This was an amazing read. I loved the character development. I can only image what it would be like to work so hard and to let someone take your whole career away simple because they could.

This was a compelling story of what it means to love yourself more. I highly recommend this novel.

Simply amazing read

Unfortunately, this just didn’t do it for me. I felt like the right idea was there but it wasn’t executed properly. I understood the gist of the her relationship falling apart and how abuse isn’t always physical but after 30% it just fell flat? Miles was written as a good character but since this labeled as a romance, I feel like it didn’t hit that genre enough. The fallout of her divorce after a decade and getting into something less than 3 months after didn’t feel genuine or make sense for the “self exploration” self worth theme that was being presented.

Thank you Berkeley and netgalley for the earc!

From the very beginning I felt like this book was very different than other contemporary romance books that I have read. The post-divorce element of this book is something as a reader you do not get a lot of and I enjoyed that perspective. Ella is a perfect FMC and Miles…wooo. I loved Miles and Ella’s banter and vulnerability with each other and the spice was enjoyable. I also normally do not like pop culture references but Myah did a great job in this book of adding these references in a tasteful way. Overall, I throughly enjoyed this book and would definitely recommend it.

With a stunning cover and an intriguing blurb, I was excited to dig into this one. I love a good fake relationship romance with some complexity behind it, and I’ve heard a lot of good things about Ariel’s debut. However, the romance reader in me was disappointed to discover that the love story is almost an afterthought and wildly underdeveloped. That’s not to say that the story isn’t good, I simply think it’s more likely to resonate with women’s fiction readers. It’s very much the heroine’s journey, told exclusively from her perspective and focused on finding her strength after ending a toxic marriage. I liked the rich and layered backstory, which felt original and nuanced. There were also some really sweet moments with the hero, though I wish the reader (and the heroine!) got to know him better. The book is pretty short, and I think it could’ve benefited from a longer length. All in all, it wasn’t a bad experience, but it certainly didn’t live up to the promise of the gorgeous cover.

The story follows Ella, a pop star who signed contracts that were predatory when she was young and in love, something that she’s only discovering now that she’s divorcing her husband. He was integral in the creation of her public persona, and now Ella isn’t sure what to think. When a brief interaction with a playboy baseball player gets public attention, Ella finds herself entering into a tentative fake relationship with the man. Miles is recently divorced and in a state of flux as well, so the two form an unexpected connection. As lines are crossed, feelings change, and Ella begins to fall for Miles at the worst possible time.

I went into this with a lot of excitement and quickly realized that it wasn’t going in the direction I expected. I was looking forward to the fake relationship and the connection between Miles and Ella, which wasn’t really the focus of the story. Sure, their relationship is a major component, but many of their interactions were brief. There’s just as much (if not more) time spent on Ella’s marriage, including some flashbacks and many solo moments as she figures out where she’s heading next. She doesn’t spend a ton of time on the page with Miles, and several of their interactions just left me with more questions. I do think her solo journey was important and interesting in many ways, it simply didn’t keep me hooked. Ultimately, I didn’t feel as emotionally connected to the characters as I would like.

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for the free copy! 4.75 Stars. Myah Ariel truly has a special literary gift.
“No Ordinary Love” showcases this talent fully. It’s a love story that feels reminiscent of 90s black love movies and fills you with this syrupy sweet warmth. I loved the descriptive writing and the clear tone of each character.

Ella and Miles’ love story seemed organic and straightforward in a way that was a breath of fresh air! Two people who were burned by past relationships not letting trauma block their forever was so satisfying to see. I loved the attention to detail concerning Miles’ stutter and it really gave depth to him as a character. I do wish we could have gotten Miles’ POV. I also hope that Jamie and Gabriel have a follow up. I loved the relationship Ella had with her team and appreciated the gentle communication of the issues they ran into and the way she handled being there for them like they were for her!

“When I Think of You” was one of my top reads of 2024 and “No Ordinary Love” did not disappoint as a follow up. I was a fan before but now Myah Ariel has solidified her position as one of my favorite authors and I’m excited to read whatever she writes next!