Thanks to Netgalley and Atria the gifted copy of Only in Your Dreams.

I enjoyed the story from the first to page to the last page. The characters were fantastic. I liked Melody’s story line the most. And Zac was swoon-worthy for a MMC.

The reason that Melody and Zac were not together throughout the book was kind of frustrating but it was realistic and probably happens a lot.

I did also enjoy the audio. The narrators were great. And I’d recommend the audiobook

You might like Only in Your Dreams if you like:
* Football
* Brother’s Best Friend
* Small town
* Second chance
* Secret and fake dating

⚠️ Trigger warnings— there is some discussion about emotional abuse.

Only In Your Dreams by Ellie K Wilde is a heartfelt second-chance romance that beautifully explores love, healing, and personal growth. Melody Woods returns to her hometown of Oakwood Bay, broken and struggling after a tough breakup. When she unexpectedly reunites with Zac Porter, her twin brother’s best friend, the chemistry they shared a decade ago reignites. Zac, who has always loved Melody, is determined to prove that they’re meant to be together, but he’s also patient and understanding of her emotional scars, giving her the time and space she needs to heal.

Watching Zac and Melody reconnect is truly heartwarming. Zac is the perfect hero—thoughtful, patient, and considerate of Melody’s journey. His unwavering support as she navigates her past and finds her way back to him is incredibly sweet. The romance is moving, and the relationship between Zac, Melody, and Noah made my heart swell. I’d love to read an entire book just about their little found family.
The book is a perfect mix of swoon-worthy romance and emotional depth, with Zac proving to be the hero we all want. I’m already excited for Brooks’ book and can’t wait to dive into more of Ellie’s backlist! If you love second-chance romances with plenty of heart, Only In Your Dreams is a must-read.

This was my first Ellie K Wilde but it won’t be my last! I loved this story and these characters. I loved that they got their own personal growth within the story. Melody is nursing a heartbreak and starting over again in her hometown while living with her twin brother . She is a brilliant analyst who is looking for a new opportunity to make her own path. Zac , her childhood crush and her brother’s best friend , who is also working on proving himself as is the new football head coach. Within the story there are heavy topics that are discussed like domestic violence (not on page) , narcissistic/controlling relationships ( not by main characters ) and self worth. If you love the found family, childhood crush, second chance troupes you will enjoy this. The romance is also superb.

Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K Wilde is a swoony, sexy sports-adjacent romance, perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey and Grace Reilly.

On graduation night, Zac and Melody shared a kiss, and he promised to come back to her. But he didn't. 10 years later, Zac has never left his hometown, and now he's head football coach for their local college team, still pining for the girl who got away. Melody left town right after high school for the big city, but now she's back after a terrible break up, staying with her twin brother while she gets her feet back underneath her.

When Zac and Melody get stranded on a camping trip (just one air mattress, anyone?), they're forced to stare their past in the face. And when they get back to town, they have to ask themselves a serious question: could we really make this work?

This book has some of my favorite micro-tropes: "It's always been you," cute nicknames, secret tattoos, brother's best friend, and years and year of pining.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

This was a cute second chance, brother's best friend, sports romance that was quick and easy to read for the most part. The chemistry between Melody and Zac was incredible and had a good balance of spice to plot. The character development was so well done. Definitely would recommend this book.

This was such a cute story. I am a sucker for sports romance and I don’t touch her trope. Melody is fresh off a terrible break up and moves back home in with her twin brother (who I can’t decide if I like or not). By doing this, she has to face her past or more precisely her brother’s best friend Zach, whom she happened to be head over heels for in high school. Little does she know Zach felt the same way and he is out to do whatever it takes to win her over. Zack is probably one of the sweetest characters I’ve ever read and I myself. I’m in love with him. This is such a fun sweet book to read, and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.

Zac and Melody were childhood friends with unspoken feelings, but life took them in different directions...Melody leaving for college while Zac stayed behind, eventually becoming the town’s beloved football coach. Zac is the ultimate sweetheart, full of pining and devotion, while Melody, the grumpy yet hilarious counterpart, keeps the banter sharp and entertaining. Their second-chance romance is the perfect mix of emotional depth, sizzling chemistry, and just the right balance of smut and plot. With Zac’s heartfelt groveling and Melody’s confidence despite past heartbreak, this love story is swoon-worthy from start to finish.

I ate this sh*t uppppppp omg. Brothers best friend? Sign me tf up! I was hooked from the first chapter and the camping bit? So freaking funny but I was invested, I needed to know more lol. The banter between Zac & Melody was so fun to watch and the pining!!! Zac, he’s perfect. And the spice? Geez I was not disappointed.


I’m actually a little upset I missed an email for the arc because I could’ve read this months ago!!! Thank you NetGalley & Atria books for the arc, this was sooooo good😭🫶🏼

A heartfelt second-chance romance with the perfect mix of angst and charm.

Melody and Zac’s chemistry is undeniable, with their shared history adding tension and emotion to every interaction. Zac isn’t just trying to win her back with words, he’s proving his love through actions, offering unwavering support even if it means encouraging her to chase dreams that could take her away from him.

For Melody, his support is both comforting and terrifying. After years of being manipulated by her ex, Zac’s genuine belief in her feels overwhelming. As she rebuilds her life, she’s torn between the dreams she thought she wanted and the love she never truly let go.

The emotional payoff? Zac’s love isn’t about holding on—it’s about letting go, helping Melody find the strength to choose herself and, maybe, choose him too.

Nice romance enemy to lovers story very much of what I love to read. I really enjoyed the story line and how everything tied together. Thank you so much neutrally and publisher for the chance to read this title in advance.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an advance copy!

I really enjoyed this book. Brother's best friend, lots of long-term pining...plenty of spice. Highly recommend!

Spicy, male female, 1st person dual point of view, contemporary romance. I really loved this couple; individually and together. Their chemistry was sizzling and their relationship emotional and believable. This was a great read and I'll be looking for more from this author.

ARC Review

Melody and Zac were friends in high school. They both had feelings for each other but never said anything. The night before Melody is supposed to leave for college something changes between them. She asks him to kiss her. He tells her he needs to do something and will be right back. Only he never came back. Ten years later, Melody is back in her hometown and fresh out of a six year relationship. Her brother forces her to take his place on their annual camping trip. She doesn’t want to go because she knows Zac will be there. Ultimately she is left with no choice but to go on the camping trip.
Zac sees Melody for the first time in ten years and is shocked. He had been devastated and thought he lost her for good all those years ago. Now he is determined to win her back no matter what it takes or how long it takes. When a storm rolls in and they get stranded on the campsite, he takes it as a sign to explain what happened that night. But Melody does not want to hear it. She tries to avoid him the best she can.
Melody only plans on staying in town until she can get back on her feet. She doesn’t want to get into another relationship considering she is still reeling from her previous one. But Zac is making it difficult for her not to fall back in love with him. If Zac is able to convince Melody that he has always loved her, then maybe they can be more than just a dream.

Only in Your Dreams is the first book I’ve read from Ellie K. Wilde and I loved it! I loved the characters and the storyline. Friends to lovers and second chance are a couple of my favorite tropes. I was so glad that Melody was able to get away from the toxic relationship she was in even if she didn’t realized it until after. Zac was such a sweetheart. He made sure that Melody was able to do the things she wanted and helped her take back control of her life. He didn’t expect anything in return unlike her previous boyfriend. I was happy that they got their second chance. I thought it was funny that Melody’s brother played a key role in getting them to talk again even though he threatened all the guys in high school to stay away from her. Overall, I enjoyed this book and can’t wait to read more by this author!

Thank you Atria Books, Ellie K. Wilde, and NetGalley for the ARC!

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Goodreads, and Amazon.

3 stars.

Ellie K. Wilde's "Only in Your Dreams" is a veeeeeeery spicy, super quick read featuring a brother's best friend sports romance. I was not entirely enthralled with this story or these characters, but it was a fine book. I love spice just as much as the next person, but it felt like a lot of the heaviest scenes were there unnecessarily. I'd rather have a healthy, hearty mix of pining/yearning AND spice as opposed to just straight-up spice for spice sake. Unfortunately, I didn't think that the pining/yearning part was there, even though the main male character, Zac, has been in love with Melody for around 14 years. One thing I will say is the book feels a little too long for the subject matter and for these tropes. You can easily telegraph where the story is going to go the longer it goes on. That being said, I think there is definitely a large portion of the romance reading public that will absolutely devour this book. It's entertaining, but it just didn't hit me in the feels, or in the emotions, like I like. I kept waiting for something amazing to happen and it just didn't.

Thank you to NetGalley, Ellie K. Wilde, and Atria Books for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

*Only in Your Dreams* by Ellie K Wilde is a light, breezy read that blends romance and self-discovery. The book follows the journey of its protagonist as she navigates the complexities of love, friendship, and pursuing her dreams. Wilde’s writing style is engaging, and the relationship dynamics between the characters are relatable, offering a sense of warmth and comfort.

However, the story does feel a bit formulaic at times, with a predictable plot that doesn’t offer many surprises. Some of the character development also felt rushed, making it difficult to fully connect with the main character's emotional journey. While there are touching moments, the pacing could have been stronger, and a deeper exploration of the themes would have made the story more impactful.

Overall, *Only in Your Dreams* is an enjoyable, feel-good read, but it lacks the depth and complexity to make it stand out in the crowded genre of romance novels. Perfect for a light, easy read, but not necessarily a story that lingers long after you’ve finished.

How do I get me a Zac?!?!? Sweetest, most patient, kind, sexy man ever! Melanie was so relatable, from the insecurities to the life changing plans. I thoroughly enjoyed reading about them and watching them evolve.

Loved everything about this book, read it in literally 24 hours and it brought me so much joy. Cannot wait for the next book in the series and I hope that we get to hear all about Zac and Mel

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

I just love a good sports romance!

Melody moves back home and reunited with her crush Zac, who is also her brother’s best friend. Zac has been in love with Melody for over a decade and when these two meet back up *fireworks*!!!

Zac was the best part of this book. His support and love makes him the perfect book boyfriend. Melody has to overcome some obstacles she faced with her horrible ex. The characters had amazing chemistry and I loved watching them grow. If you’re looking for a fun and cute read, this is the perfect book!

📘: Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K Wilde
🗓️: January 21, 2025

Thank you to NetGalley, Ellie K Wilde, and Atria Books for this ARC!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*Reviewed on NetGalley, Amazon, and Goodreads.

Thank you to @netgalley and @atriabooks for this arc! I loved it so much that I got the audiobook and I needed my book trophy!

Listen besties, you need to add this to your list! This had the VIBES and I ate it up and then some! I laughed, I kicked my feet, and I felt for these characters! This has a great mix of story, spice and humor and I absolutely loved it! This is a book that will have you staying up until 2am reading!

If you love:
🏈Brothers Best Friend
🔥Slow burn
🏕️One tent
✌️Second chance
🗣️Communication
🧑‍🧑‍🧒‍🧒Found family
🌶️SPICY SPICY
🍀Cute nickname
❤️‍🩹Healing from toxic past

Add this to your list and thank me later…I LOVED IT!!!

#netgalley #atriabooks #onlyinyourdreams #brothersbestfriend #secondchance #clover #spicy #romcom #romcombooks #bookreview #fivestarbook #booklover #bookaddict #bookaesthetic #flatlay

I thought it was fine, a little too long for my liking, I felt like the middle dragged a bit but maybe I’m just not the target audience for this one!