Such a good read!! Supee duper excited to have read this book as an arc. As a massive fan of ellie k wilde and all of her books I was genuinely so excited to read brooks’s story. It is centered around brooks and siena (brooks is besties with zac and parker) and they meet when siena was sneaking into a stadium and gets hit by a football. brooks checks on her and they accidentally get locked in the coaches office together. brooks gets a call from his manager (he previously retired from a bad concussion and is now trying to return to his team). they decide he needs a fake long term gf and a picture gets out of him and siena so it has to be her. when they got locked in together brooks picks a fight with her after learning her ex was also a fb player and he thinks she’s a jersey chaser. she thinks he’s arrogant and rude. but they have greaaatttt tension and bickering. genuinely so good! i thought the premise was so fun and so different from other books i’ve read in the best way. as they fake date they get super close and form a good friendship. siena only agrees to the fake dating to get money for her mom. as they open up to each other the fake dating starts to blur. siena decides on a list of boundaries that they aren’t allowed to cross. but 1 kiss turns into many many more. their relationship is very cute and very very fun to read! can definitely tell their personalities match well and woooweeee that spice was gorg. i do however have a couple minor complaints: one being it at some times has a bit of a depressing undertone in the book which is kinda hard to pinpoint but still there. i do think it’s a bit odd that all of the relationships in the series so far move out of oakwood bay, but oh well ig. i also think it also at some points feels a bit disconnected from the rest of the series. but don’t get it twisted i still loved this book. ellie k wilde writes some of the best relationships i’ve read. they are so fun but have such a meaningful relationship that makes them feel so loveable. also i am just constantly kicking my feet and giggling. seriously great book!!

This fake dating setup was everything I wanted!

Brooks is trying to fix his image and get back in the NFL. Siena wants nothing to do with football ever again. But one viral selfie and a fake relationship later, things start feeling a little too real.

Their first meeting had me laughing out loud, and I loved every second of their banter!

The fake dating was top tier, especially with her swearing off athletes and him being so hopelessly into her. Brooks was fully obsessed!

If you love fake dating, football, and heroes who fall hard, add this one to your list.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria for the gifted copy!

I really enjoyed this book! Siena and Brooks both were just amazing < and the slow burn!! yess!! I really like how they challenge each other , o and let me mention the "fake dating"!!! A big THANK YOU to net galley and Ellie K for letting me read this arc , My reviews are always honest even if arc is given.

Only Between Us is a contemporary romance book. the sequel to Only in your Dreams!
Football romance is always a good one as it’s my favorite sport to watch! Brooks and Siena tumbled upon each other at the football field where Brooks was training and She was trespassing.

Brooks is a college football coach, after sustaining a head injury and having to retire from the pros early, but with his determination he’s ready to make a comeback but his dream team does love his actions and his way of life lately.

Siena the Wild free spirit girl and where she lacked in a childhood she’s made up in bad decisions according to her friends and parents. But finding the one place, she was able to connect with her late father, was the last place she would find herself in a fake dating ploy.

Siena and Brooks start off a fake dating relationship but soon realize they both needed each other more than they let on. By trying not to fall for each other during their stint, they find that the other is just what they needed, Brooks broken from his past needed Siena to praise and love him just for who he is, not for what he brings to the table. Siena needed brooks to push through her walls, and bulldoze his way and allow her to see help and a little spoiling is always a green flag.

tropes
-professional football player
-fake dating
-summer fling
-dog dad
-biker girl
-open spice
-found family

I was kindly provided with the arc of this book by NetGalley and the editors in exchange of an honest review, thank you ✨

5⭐️

I literally have nothing to say, I loved it, I loved everything, the fake dating, the enemies to lovers, Siena’s personality and independence, Brooks’s heart and how he were always there for Siena 😭❤️‍🩹 I just loved it so much!!!

This book was sweet and kept my attention throughout. I enjoyed the bantering and fake dating and the spice. I’m not usually a huge fan of sports romances, but Ellie Wilde’s books are my exception. This was an easy and fun read.

I did not realize this was book number 2 in the series, but it didn’t take too much away from the overall story. Now I have to go read the first book!

Anything with football and romance, count me in! I’m not always the biggest fan of the fake dating troupe, but I didn’t mind it in this book. They started off as friends and grew into lovers. Brooks really understood Siena and her trust issues, and I think every woman deserves a man like that. The spice level was about 4/5, a lot of dirty talk for smut lovers. Overall four ⭐️ for this book and I’d recommend!

Yes!!! Take me out of my reading slump, and make me swoon and highlight EVERYTHING!!!

I really didn't think I'd enjoy Brooks' story, he was kind of just there in Only In Your Dreams. But he surprised me and made me want someone to be so protective and sweet and dirty all at once. He is amazing.

And Siena! The way she found her voice and brought up anything and everything to her mom and how she felt vulnerable with Brooks and her whole story was so good.

Couldn't put it down, read it in a day! Need Parker's story now. Thank you Ellie!

I’m very grateful for be given the opportunity to have an ARC of the book “Only between us” by Ellie K.

On one hand have the FMC, Siena, who had a difficult childhood and his dad recently died so she took care of his shop. On the other hand we have Brooks who’s a former NFL player who retired after a terrible injury. He wants to play again but his playboy reputation is ruining his chances of returning to his old team.
Both of them agree to a mutual benefit agreement but they don’t really get along that well.
I have to say that I do love sports romances specially football ones so I enjoyed that part. I like that Siena was actually a unique FMC because lately most of the books have like the same FMC who is a virgin, good girl, innocent and gullible and it’s so EXHAUSTING and REPETITIVE. Therefore I really thank the author for that because we need more variety like this. However I did not enjoy the MMC, I just couldn’t connect with him and honestly he kinda annoyed me and I just felt he was cringy.
I did not like their dynamic and it just felt very “meh” to put it some way. Mostly it’s because of Brooks because he was just annoying. I must confess I’m one of the few who hates enemies to lovers or dislike to love or when they fight a lot, so me liking a book with this tropes is very difficult and sadly this one didn’t do it for me.
I appreciate so much the opportunity of having an advanced copy. I was so excited when I read the email and wanted to start the book right away. I can’t thank you enough for this.

I just think the writing in these books isn’t for me. I didn’t really enjoy it. I loved the fake dating trope but that was really it for me.
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc ebook in exchange for an honest review.

This book was predictable in all the best ways! I love this book!!! This was a great combination of a light fun read and a spicy romance. I love the relationship between the two main characters and how they set up the next book (I assume) with Summer and Parker.

Spoiler alert – I also loved that there was not a third act break up in this book, it made it feel much more realistic.

I love the trope of fake dating where the lines blur and this novel does it well. The main characters have awesome chemistry and the plot kept my attention so much I finished it in a day. This novel has comedy, romance, humor, sadness, happiness and lots of spice. I look forward to reading more by Ellie K Wilde.

I can't believe I'm saying this but I like the first one better. But, it doesn't negate the fact Brooks and Siena's chemistry is off the page.

I want to move to this world Ellie has created and never leave. The banter, the tension. This book was everything. Their fake dating that never quite was fake. Give me all the football.

I think the main fault of this book was that it was too long. After the 70% mark I pretty much lost all interest. I liked the characters but I did not feel connected to them enough to make the last bit enjoyable. I would say 2.5/2.75 rounded up.

i love a fake dating trope so much! brooks and siena had amazing chemistry. i love how obsessed brooks is with siena

First I want to say thank you Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my first by the author and I found myself just kicking my feet at the adorable love between these two. I mean I am a sucker for fake dating and then to see that slow burn between the two when you first think they despise each other, I mean don't we all love that tension building romance story? I know I love it. Since this was my first by this author, most likely I will go back and read the first one.

What to Expect:

🩷 Fake Dating
🏈 Found Family
🩷 Slow Burn
🏈 Only One Bed
🩷 Hate to Love
🏈 Football Romance
🩷 He Falls First

REVIEW✨
Only Between Us
(Oakwood Bay #2)
By Ellie K. Wilde
••• ••• ••• ••• ••• ••• •••
“Reckless to the bitter end.” pg 178

I loved this book so much! I was so excited to read Brooks’s story after meeting him in Only in Your Dreams. This sequel was so steamy (praise kink and butt play) but it was balanced well with so much heart and soul. I loved the backstory of Siena so much and thought she was so strong and beautiful.
This romance follows a former pro football star (Brooks) who agrees to fake date a girl (Siena) that used to date another NFL player so they can both save what’s most important to them and also find out what they want as well.
This book had me kicking my feet, she’s a strong independent woman that has survived on her own, and he’s a man that just wants to take care of her. It was so well done, the plot was amazing, the character development was emotional and well deserved, and the spice was extra hot. I love the Oakwood Bay series and highly suggest it for anyone looking for a sports romance.

Romance: ❤️❤️❤️❤️
Plot points: 💥💥💥💥
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Stars: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Out everywhere July 8 2025

I would like to thank Simon and Schuster and Netgalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“Break my heart. Love it back. Rip it right out of my chest. It’s yours, anyway. Do whatever you want with it.”

Honestly, this is everything you could want in a fake dating sports romance. He’s obsessed? Check! Off the charts chemistry? Check! Emotionally drained main characters that heal throughout the story? Check! I absolutely ate this book up!
—

this and that:
♡ cribbage
♡ dog daddy
♡ dual pov
♡ fake dating
♡ found family
♡ he falls first
♡ loathe-to-love
♡ open door spice
♡ skinny dipping
♡ small town
♡ sports (american football)

triggers:
☞ abandonment (past)
☞ child neglect (past)
☞ death of a loved one (past)
☞ grief
☞ infidelity (not between mcd)
☞ predatory behavior of landlord
☞ sports injury

I didn’t love this one as much as the first, which was a bit of a bummer! There were definitely some moments I really enjoyed, but a lot of it just didn’t click for me. The first few chapters were tough to get into. and Eve though I usually love the tropes in this book (second-chance and fake dating), something about the way they were done here felt a little off. Additionally, Brooks seemed different in this book, than he did in the first book. As I read the book eventually I did and up liking Siena and Brooks. I was rooting for them. Overall, I think if you liked Only in Your Dreams you will also enjoy Only Between us. I hope Parker eventually gets his own book. Thank you Atria and NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review!