Oh My God.

Such an incredible read!! The plot, the characters, the football...

The found family in this book was so special, and watching Melody recover from her past relationship, while building a new one with Zac was addictive. Once I picked up this book, I couldn't put it down. I was desperate to find out what would happen next between them.

I was so glad there was the addition of Noah. I think his character added so much to the story and the development of Melody and Zac.

The last half of this book had me squealing and constantly having to put the book down to process what was happening. Such a great sports romance that deals with some very real topics, but still keeps it fun and flirty.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an eARC of this book!

I giggled, I kicked my feet, I (internally) screamed. Give me a man like Zac Porter, please and thank you. The adoration you can see this man has for Melody is obvious to anyone within miles, and I love them as the intro to our Oakwood Bay folks.

4.5 rounded to 5.

It was really clear pretty early into this book that it was going to be a good one. The characters - even the side characters - sort of grow on you instantly and there's this witty sense of humor that makes you laugh out loud. It had a real comedy-of-errors feel to it at times that was thisshy of being too corny but never really crossed that line into eyeroll worthy.

We have Melody, who is fresh off a break up & returning to her small hometown to move in with her bachelor-esque twin brother after living in a busy city for ten years, being in a relationship for 6 of those years and having a real Big Girl job/apartment/wardrobe. She comes off as super relatable because I think we've all had a point in our lives where we felt like we were going backwards, or even at a standstill and everything felt sort of embarrassing and hopeless. Add to that she's desperately trying to avoid her ex-almost, Zac - her brother's best friend from high school who rejected her ten years prior.

Zac is a perpetual grump who's nothing like the fun-loving guy he was ten years prior. He's coaching a losing football team, the town who used to worship him for being a star football player is now hating him for being a "bad coach" and the girl of his dreams hates his guts. This especially sucks (or... the opposite?) when they wind up stranded at a campground during a storm of epic proportions.

Throughout the story, we get to see a lot of really amazing things happen - Melody's perspective of her six year relationship with her ex shifts now that she's allowed to talk to her friends and brother again (did I mention her ex was a controlling jerk?); Zac and Melody stumble (blindly, through a really dark and stormy forest with lots of things to trip over) back into one another's lives; dreams are discovered and "What's Really Important" becomes apparent - for side characters as well, not just our main two. However, all of that to say this is a SLOWWWWWWW BURNNNNNNNNN.

The spice was also really.... spicy! I don't know why I went into this thinking it would have one or two decently written smut scenes, but no. Our girl Melody is a little brat and Zac has ZERO issues handling that. (Also.... he's a munch.)

My only frustration with the book is that sometimes it felt TOO drawn out. By 45% in, I was starting to get a bit bored and ready for the story to get a move on. It pulled me back in, of course, but that's not to say there weren't bumps in the road.

All in all, I really enjoyed this one and it's my first five star read since November 2024.

Instagram review to be linked tomorrow 1/18/25

This was cheesy- but I absolutely enjoyed it! The plot line was predictable, but still fun! TW for abusive relationships and an abusive ex though. I wasn’t a huge fan of the lack of communication and then how quickly everything resolved after how long it was drawn out, so that’s what made this more of a 3.5-4 star read for me!

I really enjoyed Only in Your Dreams and highly recommend it to adult romance readers. I can't wait to read more from Ellie K Wilde including the sequel to Only in Your Dreams. Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

I had a fun time reading this book. Did the arrangement seem far fetched? Yep, but I was here for it. They had amazing chemistry and I loved how she grew and realized her previous relationship was so toxic.

Only in your dreams is a heartfelt, second chance romance that blends past regrets with present hopes artistically but in a new way for the theme. Though there were times when it felt like I could get lost, the book brought me back to the main themes. I loved how them getting lost together in the woods helped bring them together. Loved how each character was well rounded and were able to stand out on their own. Zac is hilarious at trying to hide his crush on Melody and was able to hide it well enough that she didn't realize.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the ARC copy of this new contemporary romance! This book was good! I loved Zac, the down-bad MMC and his point of view. Our plot moved rather slowly and I think could have been a bit shorter in length overall. I look forward to reading more from this author though as I enjoyed her writing very much! Giving this book a high 3 star rating. Would recommend this book to fans of contemporary/sports romance.

Super cute little romance. Love a good spicy small town romance and this hits. Okay first of all love the name melody and its fits her so well because she is like a sweet melody in personality and I am absolutely obsessed with her brother. Parker, the ultimate matchmaker of the century and he does it so effortlessly. Also absolutely feral for a second chance romance, I love when characters get a second chance and Melody and Zac totally deserved it. I liked the banter between the two it seemed very genuine and loved the "I'm not afraid to stand my ground. I did find it a little cringe that Zac still harbor such intense feelings for someone he essentially had no contact with for over a decade, but the relationship seems natural enough and the spice makes up for it. But the whole thing felt a little cliche and cringe for my taste. A cute read but not my favorite.

Only in Your Dreams is the spicy brother's best friend romance that you NEED in your life! Zac and Melody have a past, but when they reunite 10 years later, their love story is written in the raindrops.

Zac is a college football coach who has never been the same after he broke the heart of the girl he loved most, Melody (his best friend's twin sister). He hasn't seen Melody in years and is surprised when he faces her at a camping trip. Melody was dumped by her obnoxious ex and isn't ready for love, but when she sees Zac, she can't help but get butterflies. The camping trip was supposed to help clear her mind, but it only made things a bit more complicated. Now, she has to decide if giving Zac another chance is in her playbook?

I loved this book from start to finish. It featured so many of my favorite tropes: brother's best friend, small-town romance, second-chance, fake dating, and it had the perfect amount of spice! I think readers will enjoy the soft and sweet side of Zac. He is giving book boyfriend of the year. The way he would do anything for Melody and not use it against her like her dumb ex Connor is applaud worthy. Melody struggled with her failed relationship and finding herself again at the beginning and it was good to see her get her confidence back. I loved the added found family aspect with Noah. He is such a sweet young man who acted as the perfect buffer to get Zac and Melody to figure things out. There are so many moments that I adored and those moments made this book unputdownable. Only in Your Dreams gets all the four leaf clover and red shoelace stars!!

Thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my honest opinion. This book had so many of my favorite tropes all rolled into one - small-town romance, brother's best friend, sports romance, and forced proximity. After a 10-year absence, Melody Woods returns home after being unexpectedly dumped and moves in with her twin brother. In the spirit of cheering her up, her brother convinces her to take his place on an annual Labor Day camping trip with their friends, one of which is his best friend Zac Porter (the boy she crushed on as a teenager ten years ago, but when a pivotal moment was about to happen between them, it did not go as expected). When a storm at the campsite throws Melody and Zac together, what could go wrong? A lot. On the other hand, a lot could also go right. This story was an ideal blend of charming characters, humor, romantic tension, spice and swoon-worthy sweetness for me. Zac has definitely earned a spot on my favorite book boyfriends list! :)

I loved this book as an indie book, and I love it still now.

It’s a really beautiful story of pining and love enduring through time and circumstance.

IT’s also a way I see how love grows and changes as people get older.

When the man is SO OBSSED that it makes me squeal while reading because he was so down bad, and their little make shift family?!?! PACK ME UP AND SEND ME HOME WITH TISSUES

I went into this book blind, but was pleasantly surprised! Small town and brother's best friend - auto sign up! When you add in the one that got away, I am an absolute goner for them.

I enjoyed the development of the relationship between Melody and Zac after having no contact for multiple years. I will say that what made it not a five star read for me was the super quick resolution of everything - it seemed rushed and did not necessarily align with how the book felt like it needed to pan out. Other than that, I really liked this book.

A note on spice:
There were multiple spicy scenes but it wasn't anything too vulgar or intense.

Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde is the first book in the Oakwood Bay series.
Melody was blindsided when her boyfriend of six years dumped her right before he left the country for a boys trip. Mel returns to her hometown of Oakwood Bay to crash with her twin brother, Parker, until she can get her life back on track. Parker, needing the apartment empty, sends Mel on a 3 day camping trip with their old pals. Zac hasn’t seen Melody in 10 years, not since he broke her heart. She’s actively trying to avoid Zac while Zac is trying desperately to get back into Mel’s good graces. The situation takes a turn when a brutal storm hits their campsite. What happened 10 years ago and can Zac and Melody ever repair what’s broken?

Overall, I really enjoyed this book. I loved Zac’s relationship with his athlete, Noah. I loved how Zac gave Melody the space she needed in order to come to terms with the reality of her last relationship. I thought Zac was thoughtful and sweet with a side of grumpy, which I adore in a MMC. I thought Melody was a strong and interesting character. It was rewarding to read how she rebuilt her confidence. The pining and the forced proximity between the two were top notch! However, I did find the pacing of this book to be a little off. It almost felt like 2 different stories, the campsite and then the after. Which isn’t necessarily bad, the story just seemed to drag at points when they were back home. I also found the reason they didn’t see or speak to one another for 10 years rather weak.
I am looking forward to the next book in this series as it follows my favorite secondary character from this story, Brooks. Read this if you like:
-small town romance
-brothers best friend
-sports romance (MMC coaches football)
-forced proximity
-he falls first
-secret relationship
-fake dating
-no third act breakup

3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
🌶️🌶️

Spicy small town romance? Sign me up! I loved this book! Her journey to discovering how controlling her ex was sad but also something a lot of people can benefit from reading. To have a second chance at love with such an amazing man! I adored Melody and Zac’s banter! The care they had for each other 🥹 he remembered all of the details about her and I don’t want to spoil too much but trust me this is such a great read 🩷 her journey to finding herself and recovering her friendships was just as great as the romance. But the spicy scenes!!! They were spicing 😉 definitely recommend this for the sports romance lovers!

Only In Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde 💙
Oakwood Bay Series, Book 1
Interconnected Standalone

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Adult • Sports Romance
ARC Review
432 pages
🗓️ January 21

🏈football romance (coach)
💙second chance(ish)
🏈best friend’s sister
💙friends to strangers to lovers
🏈stranded together
💙secret relationship
🏈slow burn
💙no 3rd act breakup

📍“I’ve never been single. I’ve been yours.”

📍“I’m thinking about never realizing just how lonely I’ve been until the very moment I felt full. Now. Here, with you. You make me feel so full, I can’t even breathe, sometimes.”

📍“She’s that first ray of sunlight after a bad storm. Peeking through the clouds.”

📍“I’d burn everything to the ground for you and walk away without another look.”

Men written by women, am I right or am I right?! And Zac is the man written by a woman who puts all others to shame. My goodness, this man was something. Something quite special. The pinning. I just… you know what, you need to read it to understand. 😌

I must say that Melody’s story hit home. Sometimes we don’t see how t0xic a relationship is until we’re out. The red flags — so obvious after — are everywhere but we are completely oblivious to them.

Thank goodness for torrential rain in books because close proximity in the middle of the woods is pretty much unbeatable 👏🏼👏🏼👏🏼

I adored this book. No, I loooooved this one. This kind of second chance romance had me eating out of its pages with all the delicious slow burn 🔥 Absolutely perfect 👏🏼👏🏼

This was my first Ellie K. Wilde. And it’s always quite risky to request an ARC by an author you haven’t read before but I’m patting myself on the back for making this decision 😎

Thank you so much @atriabooks @elliekwildeauthor and @netgalley for this gifted ARC.

I'm glad I had the opportunity to read Only in Your Dreams.

Only in Your Dreams follows Melody, who is fresh off a break up from what she is discovering wasn't quite the picture perfect relationship she always thought it was. Moving home, embarrassed, and not at heart broken as she would expect, Melody moves in with her twin brother, who promptly kicks her out and sends her on a camping trip with friends for the weekend. melody is less than excited when she realizes said camping trip will force her to spend time with her teenage crush, Zac. After he broke her heart ten years ago, she would rather not ever see him again, but fate had other plans.

Zac has never gotten over the night he broke Melody's heart. Now that she's back, he hopes he can finally show her how much he loves her and win her heart.

I really enjoyed watching Melody come back into her spunky, sarcastic self. I have to be honest, I was rooting for Zac the whole time. I know being able to see his perspective made it even more clear how much he wasn't like Connor, but I spent a lot of time feeling like MELODY!! GET WITH THE PROGRAM!! Overall, I really enjoyed the story and I can't wait to read more from Ellie K. Wilde!

Thank you Atria for letting me read Only in Your Dreams.

This book was just too much. It was WAY too long, repetitive, and kind of just - mundane. These characters were stunted, trapped in the past, and yet took no actions in the ten years since they last saw each other to even reach out in any way, much less have an adult conversation. Also, the ending was just too easy. After all that, it was like - cool, no worries. It was a quick read, there were bits of goodness here and there, but overall a disappointment.

Really enjoyed this one. It’s a cute childhood romance that develops I couldn’t have loved it more, plus some parts keep you wondering. Loved the storyline.

📖: Only in Your Dreams, Oakwood Bay Book #1

✍🏾 Author: Ellie K. Wilde-new to me author

📅Publication date: 1-21-25 | Read 1-16-25

📃 # of pages: 454 eBook

Genre:
*Rom-Com/Contemporary Romance
*Adult Fic

Tropes:
* 2nd chance romance
* small town
* brother's best friend
* same tent/same bed
*camping
*fake dating
*slow burn
*sports romance

👆🏾POV: 1st person, dual

⚠️TW: emotional and physical abuse, alcoholism

🌎 Setting: Oakwood Bay

Summary: Melody comes home after a painful break-up needing a job and a place to stay. She moves in with her twin brother Parker who forces her to go on a camping trip in his place. Parker's BFF Zac volunteers for the Labor Day camping trip so when he sees Melody he vows to do anything to make her his.

👩🏾 Heroine: Melody "Clover" Woods-28, comes home after 10 years-reconnects w/ townspeople, friends, and her twin. Works p/t at an investment bank(remotely) and server @ Sheffield's dinner

👨🏾 Hero: Zac Porter-28, college football coach pressured to win games with a losing team or get fired.

🎭 Other Characters:
* Parker Woods-Mel's overprotective twin brother, Zac's BFF
* Summer Prescott-Mel's BFF
* Brooks Attwood-ex-NFL player, part of their friend group
* Connor-Mel's ex-bf, dated 6 years
* Noah- one of Zac's players

🤔 My Thoughts: It had a few slow parts after Mel and Zac's camping adventure. Mel started working at the town diner and got to know Zac's players. Brooks was featured a lot as Mel's "boyfriend" and setup to be the H for the next book. I loved that Mel got a job in a male dominated industry, and that Zac was so supportive. I would definitely read book#2 in the series.

Rating: 4/5⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice level 4/5 🔥 🔥🔥🔥

🙏🏾Thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Ellie Wilde for this ARC🏈! I voluntarily give my honest review, and all opinions are my own.