Tropes:
*small town romance
*second chance
*brother's best friend
*forced proximity

This was my first book by Ellie K Wilde and I absolutely loved it! I cannot wait for the sequel to come out next year!!

Melody Woods has moved back home after a bad breakup to crash with her brother for a while. And just as she gets in town, she is forced to face her old crush/her brother's best friend that broke her heart years ago, Zac Porter. Zac has regretted that night for ten years now and is shocked to find himself face to face with Melody again. But once that shock wears off, he is determined not to mess it up again and get her to trust him and see what they could be together, which proves difficult when all she wants is to learn to stand on her own again after her bad relationship.

I thought this was such a sweet and angsty slow burn, second chance romance. I liked the fact that the brother's best friend trope in this book didn't have an age gap, which can sometimes be a little odd or cringy in other books. It made it more realistic that they would have spent so much time together and developed feelings for each other as teens. Zac and Melody's chemistry and connection is so clear from the start, despite how hard they work to hold back from each other. You can really feel the internal struggle they feel with wanting to put it all out there but being hesitant because of how things ended before. It was a good transition from enemies to friends to lovers as they built that trust and friendship back. There was great banter between not only Zac and Melody, but the friends around as well. I am excited to read Brooks' story in the sequel and hope to see more of Summer, Parker, and Noah!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC to read in exchange for my honest review!

This book had its moments, and while it wasn’t perfect, there were aspects I genuinely enjoyed. The friendship within the group was heartwarming, especially the bond between Noah and Zac. Add to that Noah’s connection with Melody, and it was easy to get swept up in their sweet and supportive dynamic.

Melody’s journey really resonated with me. Breaking free from a relationship she didn’t realize was mentally abusive and rebuilding her life from scratch made her a strong and inspiring character. Her growth was empowering, and I loved seeing her create the life she truly wanted.

That said, some parts of the story felt a bit unrealistic. I’m not a big fan of the miscommunication trope, and in this case, it didn’t land for me. The idea of coming back after ten years of no contact and finding a guy living in a house that mirrors your dream home—on paper, it sounds romantic, but in reality, it leans a little creepy. Despite this, I really liked where the story ended. It was a fitting conclusion that the characters needed to reach, and it felt satisfying.

This was my first book by this author, but it definitely won’t be my last! I’m especially intrigued to see how the other characters’ stories unfold. With Brooks’ book up next, I can’t wait to find out how this retired NFL player makes his way back into the league. If you enjoy stories of friendship, personal growth, and unconventional love, this book is worth a read!

It has tension it had heat and if your into the brothers best friend / sports trope then you'll like this. A football coach thought he'd never have another chance with his best friend sister, but whhen she shows up camping instead his best friend. He thinks he has a chance . It's cute. The writing is good. The chemistry is fine

Omg Zac. The man that you are. Perfect mmc and I loved how much the author reversed the tropes on me. Grumpy sunshine reversal And WHO DID THIS TO YOU from the fmc ?! YESSSSS - amazing book, I gobbled it up and hope we see more from brooks?!

Thank you NetGalley, Atria Books and Ellie K Wilde for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. I requested the ARC of this book on a whim and I'm so glad I did; it was fantastic!

The story follows Melody as she navigates life after her six year relationship ends. She has to move out of her boyfriend's apartment, and with nowhere else to go, ends up back in her hometown, staying in her twin brother's spare bedroom. Now, Melody has been avoiding her hometown in the 10 years since she graduated because the night before she left for college, she confessed her feelings to her brother's best friend, Zac. Zac left her hanging that night, effectively breaking her heart and making her never want to see him again.

Since they're all still part of the same friend group, Melody and Zac end up spending time together and their feelings for each other grow. One of my favorite things about this book was how their relationship bloomed (in secret from her brother). They didn't just jump right to sex. They got to know each other as adults and slowly, their physical relationship developed.

This book had everything I love in a romance: cinnamon roll MMC, forced proximity, fiesty FFC who grows as a person and figures out what she wants in life and love, spice, forbidden love and a happy, happy ending.

Ellie K Wilde, I can't wait for the next book in this series!

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was between 3.75 and 4 stars for this and ultimately went with 3.75 because the plot and pacing was pretty slow, and overall I felt like the book was too long for what it accomplished. That said, I LOVED Zac, I thought the spicy scenes were really well done and the relationship and longing between the MCs felt real. I also loved the side character Noah and hope he’s the subject of a future book. The miscommunication and length of time for it to come to a head didn’t feel very believable (and the stakes seemed way too low for it to go on as long as it did), and some of the side characters were pretty flat but overall, I enjoyed so much about the book and loved the MMC so much that I will definitely read other books by Ellie.

So excited to find out this was being trad published!!! I love this book, I love Zac, I love the banter - love it all! There were a few things I didn't love about Melody, but this has the best HEA!

First, I'd like to thank Simon & Schuster, Atria Books, and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC. I am posting this review voluntarily.

I was hesitant to start this book because of the description, but I'm mostly glad I did. There were some odd phrases scattered throughout, which I assume will be edited further. I had to deduct a star due to the heavy use of the miscommunication trope, and the lack of a filter between siblings discussing their sex lives, which just wasn't to my taste. Another star was deducted because I felt the ending was extremely abrupt, disrupting the flow of the book due to its rushed nature.

I give this book three out of five stars. While I enjoyed the banter between friends, the sibling relationship needs work.

Thank you, Atria books, for inviting me to read this book.

This was a sweet story of redemption and winning the girl you've pined for years. The characters mature nicely throughout the book.

Warning: This book is VERY heavy on the spice. I skipped through some because it was pretty explicit.

4.9 stars!! After this book, I really have to remember to never judge a book by it’s cover. I thought this was going to be an easy, mediocre, typical romance story from looking at the cover (no hate) but omg this is one of my favs!! Zac makes me wanna 🥹🫠🥰😮‍💨🔥😍. He’s so patient and caring and thoughtful and selfless. Both Melody and Zac have such strong character development that I was so happy to see!! There was something that happened years ago that was brought up throughout the story, and I was constantly like “well what happened??!!”. Every chapter left you wanting more answers. (I NEED to know more on Parker and Summer, Brooks, and Noah!!!!!)

Super cute second chance romance. I loved the main characters and the pacing of the development of their relationship was perfect. I think it was a perfect amount of slow burn without the miscommunication trope, more of a development of feelings and realizations. It was a a little insta lovey for me in the beginning, but I felt was well made up for in the end. I also loved the representation of recovering from emotional abuse and feel that the FMC’s development was so enjoyable. Overall, super cute and very romantic! Would definitely recommend for fans of small town romance!

Thank you to Atria books and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review

Thank you so much. Atria Books Publishing & Marketing. For the absolute beautiful opportunity for inviting me to read an ARC of Author Ellie K. Wilde. New upcoming
sports romance Novel🍀🏈✨💫
(Only In Your Dreams)
The first installment in
“The oakwood bay series”
5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Read!!! I was absolutely swept off my feet utterly blown away with the Author’s incredible writing skills & style that held me completely devoted & hooked from the very beginning to the very end!
Ellie K. Wilde, immerses you into a richly cinematic detailed world, making it impossible to put the book down🤩
The way she engrosses you into her atmospheres of creativity for each character and chapter shows remarkable skill that shines through in every aspect, featuring fresh ideas and perspectives that I deeply respect and admire. The perfect balance of suspense and romance that kept me profoundly on the edge of my seat and I seriously couldn’t have wanted it any other way🥹🩷
“Only In Your Dreams” takes you on a poignant and inspiring exploration through the lives of
(🍀Melody Woods✨ & ✨Zachary Porter🏈)
Ellie K. Wilde, begins her tale as we’re sink into a story of two young teens with deep feelings hidden beneath the surface🥹
As Melody, counts down the hours until her college departure, her twin brother and Zachary, must confront the reality of her impending absence. But when Zachary appears out of the blue on her last night, with a unexpected goodbye gift, untold emotions start to stir when Melody asks Zachary for just one more memorable goodbye, Zachary is stunned with sparked emotions he storms off with a promise he will be back to fulfill her wish💫
Unkept promises, comes clashing down when disappointment erupts, leaving Melody, shattered by Zachary's sudden and unexplained departure when he never shows up later and never shows up for good.
Now: A decade has flown by since Melody and Zac last crossed paths. with Life taken them down separate roads. Melody Woods, endures one of the most crushing nights of her life. Now, she's back in Oakwood Bay, her small hometown, with a bad case of heartache: she's broke, jaded, and just got dumped. To add insult to injury, her twin brother Parker is pushing her to join a camping trip with the one guy she's been avoiding for a decade👀
But now with College football coach Zac Porter, to be the one that slipped away. A teenage mistake had ruined his chances with Melody, Zac always thought he'd lost his opportunity forever. But when Melody shows up at the campsite instead of her brother, Zac finally sees a second chance and to win her back & her heart
always & forever🩷🥹
As we travel through their story as pages turn we're drawn into a captivating world of Brothers best friend and second chance romance, set against the charming backdrop of small town football culture, boy-obsessed narratives✨💋and tantalizing slow burn chemistry, with athletic female leads and with a perfect blend of cinnamon roll sweetness and expertly crafted tension every step of the way!
As the Author creates a beautiful plot she also showers that same passionate love for her main characters♥️✨

Zachary AKA Zac, an adorning football coach that draws you into him being your new all time favorite book boyfriend💋✨ that you will love and enjoy endlessly, Zac captures your heart instantly and especially with the laugh lines around his eyes that are a map of his happiest memories, and his smile is the brightest part of his day. he’s a profound true gem, with a personality as warm and loving as a golden retriever🤩
Ellie K. Wilde, pens a stunningly emotional🥹 and beautiful love story between Zac and Melody, showcasing the profound impact of their deeply devoted and caring relationship. As they navigate the complexities of love, they demonstrate unwavering kindness, compassion, patience, and protectionism that makes Zac, to be even more attractive♥️ Melody learns invaluable lessons about self-worth, self-expression, and the importance of never compromising on true love. Their love story is a heartfelt testament to the enduring power of true devotion and unconditional love that you always want more🥹💕

Melody AKA Clover🍀✨ my lovely girl is a absolute love & spark of delightful energy filled with gratitude and joy, and a fiery persona that only brings Zac closer and falling for her harder & harder each time as you get captivated by her enchanting personality and affectionate heart that makes everyone adore her even more💕She embodies remarkable resilience and incredible strength along determination that inspires us all⭐️ Alongside It's truly adorable & admirable how protective she is of her Zac♥️ and the way they showcase the beauty of love and the opportunities that come with it is really something special. Clover’s creation by the author was poured with so much emotions and beauty!! All together this 5 star read was everything to me and has left a huge impact of constantly wanted more and I am so excited for book 2 to come out soon✨

Pre Order
“ONLY IN YOUR DREAMS”
Asap for beautiful sports romance tale filled with endless bittersweet moments & engrossing love🥹🩷
Releasing January 21st 2025
And you can do just that by visiting the author’s social media @elliekwildeauthor on IG or visit her website https://elliekwilde.com/links/
But in the meantime till then you
definitely have the time to read the author previous work that you will also find on her IG page alongside teasers and aesthetics of each book🤩💕

Thank you, #NetGalley, for the opportunity to read an ARC of Ellie Wilde's newest story, Only in Your Dreams. A super cute romance story involving young love, miscommunications, & finding each other again years later when the time is right. Mel is just coming out of an emotional abuse relationship when she returns to her hometown and meets back up with her brother's best friend, Zac, who she thought broke her heart 10 years ago before she left town. Only in Your Dreams is both a "He falls first" & "Brother's best friend" tropes that will hook you into the story, so you'll be rooting for Mel & Zac from the first page.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own, but do yourself a favor & read this story, especially if you like a little heat with your romance.

Brothers best friend, small town, second chance (ish) and one bed?! This romance has it all! I absolutely loved that this was a sports romance, but with adults. It is more difficult to find, but I do love when they are closer to my age, it feels more relatable.

Melody (Clover, the cutest nickname!) and Zac, the two main characters have a second chance meeting 10 years after their failed first attempt. Their lovely friends put them in a forced proximity camping situation, where the only one bed comes in to play. Then they think they are being sneaky by hiding their fling from their friends.

The way that Zac has spent the last 10 years trying to prepare for when he gets a second chance with Mel, by building her vision board dream house, collecting clover tattoos, pining away, it just made my heart melt! I did think she was a bit overly stubborn about the whole thing. The miscommunication issue could have been solved if just one of them had been more brave 10’years prior, but teenagers aren’t the best at figuring that stuff out.

I loved the development of the side characters and feel so deeply invested in Noah and his journey! I want to know where he gets drafted, if he falls in love, if his father gets better, etc. I also felt like we needed more about Parker, Melody’s twin. I wanted to get to know more about him, he felt a bit unfinished.

Overall, a great amount of open door spice, grand romantic gestures, small acts of love, and comedy to keep me reading. Loved this book and the love story between Clover and Zac.

This book had been on my Kindle Unlimited check out list for a minute, and then I realized that it was getting published which CONGRATS- so I applied for the ARC and YAY here we are :) I really enjoyed this first book into a series. It was small town with some sports thrown in as well as a second chance with brother's best friend. I liked these characters a lot! I liked watching Melody who had been gaslighted in her long relationship realize this truth and become comfortable in her own skin again. And I LOVED that Zac was helping her do all of this with the underlying plan of getting her to now only forgive him but to fall for him again. I thought the flashback at the beginning was the perfect setup to how everything unfolded. I will say that the reason they didn't talk for 10 years was a little weak in my opinion BUT I also know Melody put her heart on the line and was basically ghosted. Fast forward and Melody has been dumped, is moving in with her brother and ends up camping with Zac. I liked the disaster that followed and how the tension between them was still there. It was so cute watching Zac coax Melody out ever so slowly. How he was trying to make her realize how amazing she was. I also liked watching Melody help Zac grow in his confidence with his new job. I liked the sneaking around- there's always something so scandalous about that. And man did I like the plot twist of Melody fake dating someone to hide what her and Zac were doing. Bottom line these two missed their moment when they were 18 but now was their time to see if what they had was the real thing. They made each other better. They SHINED together!

Melody has found herself in an unthinkable position. She has been dumped by her boyfriend of 6 years so he can go do whatever he wants on a guys trip. She has moved back home to the town she has been avoiding for 10 years because her brother's best friend broke her heart. And now she's living with her brother TEMPORARILY. Until she can figure out her next step. The next step was not meant to be camping with said best friend, Zac. The boy now man who gave her hope and then ghosted her without a trace. Somehow she has found herself camping with him in the SAME tent. Then under a bizarre twist of events they are alone trying to survive together in the wilderness for a few days. She can't deny that her feelings for him are mixed. How has he gotten more handsome? But she notices he doesn't smile like he used to. He keeps wanting to bring up what happened between them, but she isn't ready. Especially because she is starting to realize that her relationship with her ex may not have been the most healthy. Her and Zac have an explosive moment together but she makes it clear this was a one time thing. He then reaches out a few days later with a thin line about not being able to sleep without her. Which is how she finds herself playing house with her ex who she can't stop thinking about. Who is surprising her at every turn. Who is holding her hand through this reawakening of herself. So she gives back a little- she helps him with work. She shows up for him. And even though they are having to hide this thing between them she knows it's the real deal. She keeps reminding herself that she is going to be leaving soon. But something tells her that if Zac asked she would figure it out. Because even though they missed their chance all those years ago, she isn't willing to let things fizzle again.

Zac has just been handed a gift. A second chance with the love of his life, his best friend's little sister. He messed up all those years ago because he didn't know how to handle what happened. So he ghosted her and has regretted it ever since. But now she's back. And she is here camping with him. Sleeping in his tent. Looking more beautiful than he could have ever thought. And he is reminded of his feelings for her that have never left. He decides then and there that he is going to do everything in his power to get her to forgive him and then in a perfect world fall for him. Because he has been living as a shell of a man since she has been gone. While camp circumstances strike that put them in closer quarters than expected. They sleep in the same bed. Wake up snuggling. He has never slept better than this. He sees how she looks at him. So when she makes a move he goes for it. But then she says that was a one time thing. He wants to talk about what happened between them. He wants to explain how deep his feelings are. But they leave and he waist patiently before reaching out. He throws out an idea that he needs her to sleep well. And what do you know she shows up at his house. And now they are doing this. And though she asks to go the distance together, he won't do it until she admits that she wants more. He shows up for her though. He helps her come out of her shell that was her ex. He shows her what things could be like between them and then she agrees to do this thing. But no one can know. He comes up with a way to cover things up and now they are doing this thing. But she keeps talking about leaving and he has to convince her to stay. Or at least that he will go anywhere with her because he can't go on living another day without her. Not this time.

I liked this intro to a series. The setting was great. I liked Parker a lot- how diabolical of him to get these two together! I liked Brooks and can't wait to read his book which is next. I love getting to meet all of the characters that we will get to follow on their love journey. The angst in this one was perfect. I loved learning about how deep Zac's feelings for Melody were and having her learn it too was cool. I also liked the added adopted son if you will of Zac quarterback who stayed with them and kind of made them a little family of sorts. Overall I would recommend this one if you are looking for a steamy, second chance romance with a fun cast of characters and a lovely HEA!

Thank you to NetGalley and Ellie for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4.5 ⭐️ This book was such an amazing ride. So grateful to Atria for introducing me to Ellie and this story, I had the best time!

I wasn’t too sure what to expect going in but a disastrous camping trip with her childhood friend/crush turned heartbreaker after 10 years apart was a sure fire way to kick things off! I really enjoyed the way Ellie wove the second chance and brother’s best friend tropes together. I was expecting to go down the usual brother ‘throws a tantrum’ route especially because they were so nervous about his reaction but I really liked the way she played things out. The entire friend group had such amazing chemistry and I loved the found family aspect of this book so much. The Noah part especially. Seeing the three of them together was a highlight for me, I’m praying we’ll get to see more as the series progresses!

As for the main characters, Zac was perfection! I appreciated that he took accountability for their past and the way he went about showing Melody he loved her without getting in the way or her rediscovering herself. The way this man loved her and all the things he did because of that love were so sweet they made my chest ache! I could really feel the ‘Sweet Home Alabama’ influence on their story and because that’s one of my favourite movies of all time I loved it even more. Melody was getting back on her feet after discovering who the man she spent the last 6 years with really was. It was so great getting to see her flourish in life on her own terms. The simultaneous journey of her becoming the person she wanted to be and slowly falling back in love with Zac was a true joy to witness. I only wish we got to see a little further into their future in the epilogue. I’m hoping we’ll get to see more as the series continues and I’m so excited to see what happens next!

Again thank you so much to Atria for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review 🤍

This is a very on-the-nose, second-chance love story that has so many wonderful elements and a great plot-to-spice ratio. Melody returns to her hometown after the demise of her 6-year relationship - the town she avoided for the past decade after her twin brother's best friend, Zac, broke her heart. Zac still reveres Mel as the one who got away - he's never stopped loving her (understatement). It's a classic tale of the forbidden best friend's sister with variable twists.

Melody's coming out of an emotionally abusive relationship that she's trying to wrap her head around. The realization she has around how she's been treated & her character arc that has her confidence growing and her returning to the person she used to be is inspiring and dealt with very delicately. I really appreciated how the author handles the concept of love bombing.

Zac is a wonderful MMC - that boy is obsessed & his feelings never waiver when it comes to Mel. This is his second chance and he is not wasting it. His determination to make Mel happy & show her how she should be treated is very swoony & sweet.

This is a slow burn but with many spicy moments on the way to them getting together. Zac & Mel's banter is fun and while it's a long road to see them finally get together (some might think a little too long), there are a lot of beautiful moments on the way. I love the secondary character Noah & his little brother type of relationship with Zac - this added something special to Mel & Zac's dynamic.

I have to also shout out Brooks, the former NFL player turned assistant coach and friend to Zac. He very much intrigued me and would love to see a book focused on his story.

💖 Second Chance Romance
➶ Brother's Best Friend
🏈 College Football
❤️‍🩹 Who Hurt You?
🛏️ Forced Proximity/One Bed
🏡 Small Town
💋 Fake Dating
☀️ Reverse Grumpy Sunshine
🫶 Found Family
❣️ It's always been you
✌🏻 Dual POV

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Simon & Schuster, Atria Books, and the author, Ellie K. Wilde for the ARC.

My first question is where do I find a man like Zac? He is just the absolute sweetest and was giving me butterflies with his kind gestures. If you love a man that yearns you’re going to love Zac.

I’m normally very hesitant of second chance stories as they typically get back together too fast in an unrealistic way, but this was done in such a beautiful and amazing way. Zac was patient, consistent and always loving. I appreciated that he gave Mel time to figure out what she wanted and where she wanted her life to go.

Overall this was a sweet, brother’s best friend, sports romcom done so well! I can’t wait to read more from this author and have a copy of this book on my shelf.

Supeerrrr cute!! Wow. Zac. Zac. Zac. Can you be any sweeter?!! My goodness! Zac & melody are absolutely perfect for each other. I love how they reconnected & moved on from the past, so they can truly love each other correctly.

The storyline was good, the drama with Connor was done just right, the spiccceeee was fan worthy 🥵🥵🥵🥵 and all in all, it was a really good book.


✨ Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Simon & Schuster, Atria Books, and of course the author, Ellie K. Wilde for the ARC!✨

I feel, potentially, like this author wanted to throw as many tropes as she could into this book. We've got the good ol loved trope of brothers best friend, second chance, and forced proximity, but they also get stranded in the middle of nowhere about 10% into the book, and then just get rescued, and the book goes on. It reads like a haphazard plot just plunked right in with no thought whatsoever. It was also just super unrealistic to me that not only were their friends so busy trying to get away from the storm that they left them there, but that they were just fine in the storm that they so desperately needed to get away from, and that their friends didn't notice for 3 days that they were gone. The fact that they had sex 20% of the way into the book after the FMC claiming up and down that she would not forgive the MMC for ghosting her for 10 years just felt weird to me.