Thank you Atria for my gifted copies. All opinions are my own.

I loved Only in Your Dreams earlier this year and Only Between Us officially cements Ellie K. Wilde as an autobuy author for me.

Brooks made an appearance in Only in Your Dreams and is Only Between Us, he’s pursuing his dream of returning to the NFL. He needs to look like he’s in a committed relationship and accidentally falls into fake dating Sienna. I loved both Brooks and Sienna. They found such similar struggles in believing they deserved love. I loved how absolutely gone for Sienna, Brooks was and how they showed up for one another. This was steamy and swoon worthy with great banter! I cannot wait for the 3rd book in this series!

I am sadly DNFing this book at 28%. I want to start out by saying that I do think this book has a lot of potential to be popular, I think it just wasn't for me.

The book surrounds Brooks, a retired NFL player attempting to make a return after concussion issues ended his career, and Siena, the ex-girlfriend of the face of the NFL, who fake date in order to make Brooks more appealing to his former team and for Siena to make some money and help keep her family's tackle shop above water.

Despite knowing that this was enemies-to-lovers, which is not my favourite trope, I thought that the summary sounded interesting, and I am a sucker for fake dating. Unfortunately, I just found it very difficult to connect to the characters and, given that this is a largely character-driven book, found myself not wanting to pick the book back up.

I think Ellie K. Wilde's writing is well done, and I would be interested in giving other books by her a try! I just think a combination of me not being a football fan, plus my difficulty with the characters, just meant this wasn't my time to read this book. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone who enjoys football (it deals heavily with Brooks' desire to re-enter the league) and enjoys banter between the two main characters.

Overall, I think Only Between Us has a lot of great aspects for a good romance novel, it just wasn't for me in particular.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing me with an ARC of this book!

Huge thanks to Ellie K. Wilde, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the ARC of Only Between Us! 💌

From the moment Brooks Attwood strutted onto the page in book one, I knew he needed his own story—and wow, did Ellie deliver! I adored every swoony, heartfelt, and hilarious second of Brooks and Siena’s journey. They made me laugh, cry, blush, and fall completely head-over-heels. Their chemistry? Off the charts. Their emotional depth? Chef’s kiss. And Pete the German Shepherd? Truly the goodest boy and the cherry on top of an already perfect love story 🐾💕

I’m already counting down the days until we get Parker and Summer’s story in book three! 😍

This is not this book for me. It has several of my least favorite tropes. It was written fine but was lacking any sort of character depth/development besides "sad backstory."

Brooks is trying to reignite his NFL career after an awful injury, but his past wild days are catching up with him and the family friendly team no longer wants to sign him. Enter Siena. They are caught in a compromising position and she agrees to be his fake girlfriend in hopes that it will get her some brand deals that will help her struggling bait shop. Of course, sparks soon fly between them but can they trust each other after past hurts?

There are some storylines/micro tropes that just don't work for me. One of them is when people who are professional capacity act like horny idiots. What do you mean you forgot that you had a vibrator in and he turned it on while at a job related event? Totally normal. I felt like the only writing this book had was either (1) sad backstory or (2) spicy scene. I don't know what these two saw in each other besides being hot. Brooks was overly protective in a gross way. There was also no real conflict or growth.

I'm sad this one didn't work for me because I thought the first book was cute. I am interested in the 3rd book in the series because I love friends-to-lovers. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria books in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to Atria books, Simon & Schuster, and NetGalley for the eARC of this book! If you love spicy sports romance, fake-dating, and hilarious banter, you will adore book two in the Oakwood Bay series!

Brooks Attwood retired from the NFL after suffering a bad concussion, and he went on to coach college football. Simultaneously, he discovered his girlfriend Naomi was having an affair with his teammate. Depressed and lost, Brooks began partying and sleeping around to try and fill the voids that Naomi and football left behind. Brooks now decides he wants to stage a comeback to the NFL, and his friends Parker and Summer (whom we met in book one) are helping with his training. The only problem is, his old team is not pleased with his 'party animal' reputation, and he must somehow convince them that he has turned over a new leaf.

One day, Brooks collides with a beautiful woman who was trespassing on the field. Siena "Cece" Pippen, ex-girlfriend of another NFL player, is wild, rebellious, and everything Brooks didn't know he needed. They get locked in a coaching booth together, a photo of them goes viral, and they make a deal to fake date and save Brooks' reputation. Siena begins receiving offers for promotional ads and beauty deals, which will help her with her financial troubles. She is currently managing a bait and tackle shop that her father left behind, but she dreams of doing more with her life.

Brooks and Siena have great banter, and they begin to grow attracted to each other as their fake dating journey unfolds. Siena starts to fall for his charm, and Brooks feels compassion for Siena's difficult childhood and money struggles. Siena does whatever she can to help Brooks with his comeback, but they know that if he re-signs with the Rebels, they will no longer live on the same coast. The story brings you along as this media-worthy couple figures out if there is a happily ever after for them, buried beneath all the pretending.

"I think he's an arrogant jerk. He thinks I'm a gold-digging jersey chaser. But if we've got any hope of convincing anyone we've been secretly dating for nine months, we're going to have to figure out how to get past all that. Or at least learn to fake it."

I had a very good time with this book, and I have truly become a fan of Wilde's writing. I did not feel as connected to this couple and love story as I did in book one. Their chemistry felt a little bit like "insta-love," with not enough angst and build-up. Fake dating is not typically one of my favorite tropes, but I thought the author did a good job making this feel plausible and fun. Wilde is a master of writing flirty dialogue and delicious spice, and the spicy scenes were kicked up an extra notch in this book.

I would definitely recommend this book to lovers of contemporary rom-coms and sports romance. Brooks and Siena's story was sweet, smutty, and down-right entertaining. I'm very excited for book three to be released!

Favorite quotes:
"He has I dare you to make bad decisions with me written all over him. And I've always been a sucker for bad decisions."

"My head falls onto the back of the sofa. Pretty sure this'll be the last day of my life. Death by Siena's dirty talk. What a glorious way to go."

"There's only so much you can ask of me as a man, and keeping my eyes off you isn't one of them."

"And just so you're aware? You aren't an afterthought to me. You are the thought. From the moment I wake up to the second I fall asleep. It's you."

"I want you and your chaos. I want all your laughter and the tears you refuse to cry. I want you and all those walls you live behind."

Topics/Themes/Trigger Warnings:
*Sports/football romance
*Sports injury/concussion
*Grief/loss of a parent
*Fake dating
*Homeless teen/foster care
*Military spouse/deployment (briefly mentioned)
*Forced proximity/one bed
*Thalassophobia (fear of deep bodies of water)

This was my first book by this author and I don’t think it will be my last. The second book in the series and I don’t think it necessarily needs to be read as a standalone. We are introduced to Brooks and Siena who couldn’t be more opposite on paper, but deep down have very similar needs. Brooks is looking to go back into football and restart his career and refresh his image. Siena needs extra income so they enter into a fake dating relationship. This is becoming one of my favorite type of tropes lately. The spice is the books is spicing in all the right places and the banter is amazing. I loved the dual POV, he falls first and found family. Perfect second book.

Ex-NFL player, Brooks Atwood's, life flips upside down when a woman named Siena crashes into him and posts some selfies of them together. Brooks has been training hard to recover from an old injury so he can recoup his NFL career. But his old team will not give him a chance at tryouts if he keeps up his playboy ways. Brooks asks Siena to be his fake girlfriend to improve his image and benefit them both. Can Brooks keep up the pretense long enough to win back his career?

This was a cute, feel-good romance. I liked how both Brooks and Siena were struggling with personal issues, Brooks with a shattered self-esteem from a bad breakup and broken career; Siena from feeling beholden to upholding the legacy of her adoptive family. Both characters make a lot of growth throughout the book and help hold each other up along the way.

*** I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. ***

I thought for a sports romance it was ok, with the current surplus of sports romance we are really starting to see a repeat of the exact same thing but in a different sport or in a slightly different way. I think personally for me it just wasn't the perfect fit.

This was cute and just a fun time overall. I loved that it was lighthearted and I really did like Siena and Brooks together.

There were several moments that felt so unrealistic that truly took me out of the book. For example, at the beginning, Siena accidentally posts a photo of her and Brooks together while they’re stuck in the same room. Suddenly while they’re still in the room, that photo (of a retired NFL player with a woman) is on ESPN. Brooks also buys Siena a car and a boat over the course of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed this book more than the first book in this series and would read more by Ellie K. Wilde.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria for the eARC.

I loved everything about this book! The characters are well written and developed and their banter is top notch. The alternating POVs made connecting with them a breeze. I never wanted it to end!

Thanks to netgalley and the publishers for this advance copy.

I found Brooks to be funny and outgoing in book one, I’m am very glad he got a whole book just for himself and Siena. Both were funny and charismatic. Their fake dating journey was slow and long but they managed to make it through the end without any permanent damage and lots of laughs. Quick banter jabs and heartfelt backstory to both Brooks and Siena’s character development was exceptionally written.

his was out this week! and the fake dating/sports romance of my dreams.

Brooks was such a sweetheart in Only In Your Dreams so we were here to see a hea! Siena was a great new addition to our gang. she was perfect for Brooks. helped him learn to trust again after his past relationship.

i am so excited for Summer and Parker’s story next! we got a little hint at it in this book. so many fun vibes!

if you are looking for a sporty romance series you need to check out this series and start with book #1.

4⭐️/5⭐️

Holy Freaken Crap! I still don't understand, why it freaken took me so Long to read this freaken book!! Like seriously, I already loved "Only in your Dreams" and I was dying to read the sequel, but now I am like why the fudge didn't I read it when I first received the Netgalley (arc) Thank you by the Way 😅

All the Banter, the Angst, The Love, The Regret, The Joy! Like what was there not to love! Siena and Brooks got me crying like a Baby for a few chapters, had me laughing for many more that my 16-year-old and my Husband were looking at me like if I was crazy most of the day! 😆😆 I need a Sequel to this freaken sequel because I need a Sophia book that's for freaken sure!! 😁😉😬

I honestly didnt think I could love this book more than the first one in the series, but it's SO GOOD! Fake dating, he falls first, and those spicy scenes are 🔥🔥🔥🔥! Brooks and Siena might just be my new favorite book couple! Also, Brooks dirty talk game is on point! I was kicking my feet and giggling the whole time I was reading this book and I got a little teary eyed in the epilogue! Just such a great sequel and I can't wait for the next one!! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!! ❤️❤️❤️

Oh my goodness, Brooks and Siena have stolen my heart! Their story is one of those that has me YEARNING for them to switch their fake dating to real.

Siena has a tragic story that showcases why she acts the way that she does, and Ellie masterfully weaves this story for her internal growth to make sense. I’m in love.

Brooks also typifies a man that knows exactly how to support an independent woman as she learns how to rely on others. I also appreciate his growth in thinking what his future looks like, and how relationships fit into that.

Masterclass writing by Ellie in the follow up to Only in Your Dreams, and I will for sure be picking up the next one!

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Brooks and Siena are such a fun couple and have so much chemistry that their fauxmance can only seem faux to them. They had the banter, the tender moments, and the red hot spice that made their story exciting to listen to. The audiobook, narrated by Tim Paige and Mia Barron, is the perfect way to enjoy escaping into this fun contemporary romantic comedy that you'll want to devour in one bite.

ARC Review

Thank you so much Ellie, NetGalley, and Atria for the eArc!

Fake Dating Supremacy!!! The tension between these two was immediate and SO HOT!! But there is slowburn tension don't worry!!!

The banter??? Unmatched.

The he falls first?????? perfection.

The found family? Beautiful.

I absolutely ate this book UP!

The irony of a man falling into a fake dating situation twice! That being said, they didn't play up the fake dating as much as I had hoped and as such I had a hard time believing the relationship. I didn't really feel the growth, it was just a strange liking and then full blown lust. The characters were fun and the banter was on point, I just wanted more from the story.

Man do I love a fake dating trope! Ellie Wilde handled this incredibly. I was hooked from the very start. It was so funny. The amount of times I laughed to myself needs to be inspected. I adored Brooks and Siena. Their constant banter, goofiness, and love poured through the pages.

“𝑩𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒌𝒔, 𝒄𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒕𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒆 𝒔𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒔𝒕𝒍𝒚?” “𝑨𝒏𝒚𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈.” “𝑰𝒇 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒎 𝒇𝒖𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆, 𝒘𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔 𝒊𝒕 𝒍𝒐𝒐𝒌 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆?” “𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒄𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒅𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒓𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒊𝒏 𝒇𝒓𝒐𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒆.”

I definitely think this book opened my eyes to the dynamic between partners when it comes to long-term dreams. Yes, all romance books will have that HEA feeling, but going deeper into what it really means to have a romantic relationship with someone is also about understanding their dreams and seeing how you can both achieve every single one. THIS BOOK WAS THAT GOOD.

I love a fake dating trope, especially when they have to fake it ‘til they make it' which is Brooks’ football contract aka they gotta stay together for a whileee. I loved how they hated each other after their ‘meet-cute’ but understood from the start that the dating had to look believable. Our girl Sienna needs the exposure on her socials to make money, and Brooks looks good with her on his arm, so it’s a win-win.

The rollercoaster of little things they had to do publicaly that were a bit awkward to then basically looking natural was perfection (well let's be honest it wasn't natural they were falling in love). ALSO THE SPICE OF THIS BOOK!!! The gala scene.. um yes 🔥.

The flirtatious tone they both have woven into their personalities is what made me turn the pages so fast, like you already knew they were going to go alllll innnnn. I loved it all!

I do want to say that some parts dragged on a bit, and while there was no third-act breakup (WHICH I LOVED SO MUCH), with this being a thick book, I totally would’ve loved it to be maybe 50 pages shorter.

tropes
-he falls first
-fake dating
-sports romance
-no third act breakup
-dual pov