I had a really good time reading this book. The writing wasn’t anything spectacular but it was an easy read to get through. Even though there were some parts where the characters were not my favorite… miscommunication is the WORST ! I think I may hate it more when it’s not between the two mc’s but still affects their relationship.
The banter was refreshing, the chemistry was there, the spice scenes were top notch.. but definitely a lot of them and in very impractical settings most times.
This was definitely a fun read if you are wanting something fast and simple, maybe to get out of a reading slump and it’s set in summer time and near the water so perfect for this time of year!

Crashing meet cute💕Banter & Spice 💕Charged chemistry 🥵✨ 𝒟𝒾𝒹 𝐼 𝓂𝑒𝓃𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒷𝒶𝓃𝓉𝑒𝓇? 🥰✨ I adore Ellie’s writing style and this book was no different 🙌🏾!!✨Cute. Electric. Just yes!✨

⭐️ 4 | 🌶️ 3

This was such a well anticipated continuation! This is book two but could be read as a standalone.

The fake dating trope is one of my favorites!! I loved the banter and slow burn between Brooks and Siena. 🔥 They both had past issues they weren’t over, but agree to fake date to help each other out. I enjoyed their story and would totally recommend it to someone who loves a fun, football, he falls first romance.

I am happily on the Ellie band wagon and I can’t wait to read more of her work!

4.5/5

I am not normally a sports romance girl, but I absolutely loved this. I love Sienna’s character, she’s so funny and so relatable in so many ways. Brooks is what you describe when you talk about a book boyfriend. I will absolutely be going back to read the other book in this series, and anything else Wilde writes in the future.

Brooks and Siena definitely had some assumptions about each other at first, but the way those walls slowly came down? I ate it up. Watching their connection grow as they actually got to know one another was so satisfying.

Brooks is that quietly supportive book boyfriend who sees your potential before you do. He pushed Siena to chase what she wanted—not what was expected of her—and he never once wavered in his support. Once he realized he was all in?? GAME OVER. Man was smitten and nothing was getting in his way 🥹🫶🏻

Siena’s journey hit me right in the heart. Her insecurities about being wanted and feeling enough paired with Brooks being so all-in?? Absolutely broke me 😭 And don’t even get me started on her mom and Shyla’s family—pure comfort energy 🤍

Oh—and the spice?? Literally addictive. I was blushing, kicking my feet, the whole thing ❤️‍🔥

I love ellie k wilde

Only Between Us is the second in the Oakwood Bay series. I love these books. They are filled with fully rounded characters and so much spice.

Brooks is a retired football player who is hoping to make a comeback. The biggest issue is that he gained a reputation as a playboy after his retirement, and his old team isn’t sure they want that reputation tied to them. Brooks literally runs into Siena on a football field. After a rough start (with a selfie), Brooks’ agent thinks that fake dating would help Brooks' reputation. Siena is known on the Internet for being meme famous along with her football ex. The two of them are running on assumptions about each other, but as they let their guard down, the feelings start to grow.

Brooks and Siena are a great fit. They flow well together. Both of them are dealing with struggles in their lives. They help each other grow.

The spice in this book is so hot. Not for you if you like closed door.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Ellie K. Wilde for the e-ARC. This review is my own opinion.

I loved Brooks and Siena’s meet cute gone bad 🤭 They may have had certain judgements about each other when they first met but the more Brooks and Siena spent time together, the more they truly learned about each other. It was amazing seeing the growth between Brooks and Siena.

Brooks encouraged Siena to follow her dreams over obligations. He was always in her corner, supporting her and reassuring her 🫶🏻 Brooks was head over heels for her and once he figured that out, nothing was stopping him from being with her 🥹

Seeing Siena struggle with feeling wanted and being good enough after reading how down Brooks is for her was just heart wrenching 😭 Siena’s mom is so sweet and I love their support system, Shyla and her parents 🤍

also the spice in this book was absolutely addicting ❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥❤️‍🔥

5 ⭐️ | 3 🌶️

BROOKS ATTWOOD - THE MAN THAT YOU ARE 👏🏼

📖 Only Between Us is about 2 strangers who concoct a fake dating scheme so Brooks (the MMC) can improve his image to get signed by his dream team, and Siena (the FMC) can use his notoriety to raise funds to help her family’s bait shop!

🏈 NFL player MMC
💕 fake dating
🏈 Hate to love
💕 Amazing found family vibes
🏈 Golden retriever MMC (but not always 🤭)
💕 One bed

Let me tell you, this book was just swoon city from start to finish! There were sweet gestures like this one, hilarious banter, toe curling spice, and the best found family moments.

I truly didn’t want this book to end. Every part of this was just perfection 😍. HIGHLY recommend Only Between Us to anyone who enjoys the listed tropes!

Thank you so much to Ellie K Wilde, NetGalley and Atria books for the opportunity to arc read Only Between Us

Whew, this book was hot!

Brooks, a former NFL player, left the game after a serious injury, but has decided that the coaching life isn't for him. He wants to play again, and he only wants to do it with his former team. The only problem is they won't sign him with the bad boy image he gained after a break-up led to a series of back-alley break-ups. So when Siena, ex-girlfriend to one of the league's hottest quarterbacks, posts a picture of them that goes viral, Brooks tries to talk her into a fake relationship. Siena finally agrees when the brand deals start rolling in and she sees the opportunity to keep her late father's bait and tackle store afloat. Now all they have to do is convince everyone that they've been in a committed relationship while remembering that it's all pretend... right?

Brooks and Siena are some of my favorite characters that I've read this year. They both felt well-developed and fully fleshed out. I'll admit that I didn't think I was going to like Siena very much at first, but she really grew on me and I loved how much of a free spirit she was. I love it when an FMC isn't afraid to challenge the MMC in general. I enjoyed the journey that their relationship took as they slowly learned more about each other, let go of their bad first impressions, and let down their walls. I also lived for their banter- is it even a romance if they don't have good banter?

I did feel like the book was a little long, but I didn't necessarily think any of the plot points were drawn out. If anything, it was probably the number of spicy scenes that slowed down the pace, lol. Which I'm not saying is a bad thing! Just something to keep in mind, depending on what kind of romance you're in the mood for.

All in all, I really enjoyed this, and I will be eagerly awaiting Summer and Parker's story! It seems like we're in for an extra steamy one if the teasers in this book are anything to go by.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Truly an amazing sequel to the first book in the series! I loved every moment, and hold the characters so dear. I cannot wait to read the finale with Summer and Parker!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I have already started trying to manifest a Brooks Attwood for myself, he is the definition of the perfect man!! This romance was so cute I can't get over it!

The author did such a good job with all these characters! I will definitely be going back to read the first book to know Mel ad Zac's story. Siena is such a fun and unhinged character (in all the best ways) to read about, I couldn't get enough of her. And then add Brooks into the mix! They are perfect together and I love how he embraces all her craziness. Shy is one of the sweetest side character and Rosie has my whole heart, she is the sweetest little two-year-old. Honestly kind of hoping for a prequel/ novella of either Max and Shy meeting or a glimpse into their life. Siena's backstory was so heartbreaking but loving, it added so much to her story and made her that much more loveable. The unwavering support displayed by both Siena and Brooks' parents was a welcome change from so many stories with either one or both sets of parents being a let down to their child.

We all know (and love) the fake dating trope but this book really had be questioning the ending, not if they were going to end up together at the end but they had so many decisions to make together there were a number of situations that could've played out! I am definitely happy with the ending, although I do wish we would've had a hint about a maybe Sophia in the future but there's still another book to go!

Looking forward to reading more of Emily K. Wilde's books! Will definitely be going back to read the first! Thanks again for giving me the opportunity to read this book before it was released!

4.5 rounded up! Loved this one, really really enjoyed the fake dating trope and LOVED the family dynamics. This is a SPICY one haha my eyes bulged from my head several times and I can usually contain my facial expressions if I’m reading smut in public but I had to put this one down lol it was a little much sometimes. Not the scenes themselves but more like where they took place?? It was just a little too public for me lol

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for this e-ARC, all opinions are my own

That was so good!!!! This is my second book by Ellie K Wilde and I loved it even more than the first. The chemistry between the characters was sooooo good like you could feel it. I was giggling and kicking my feet like I was the one falling in love. The fmc's backstory also felt really unique to me and her struggles with guilt and self worth really stood out to me because it felt very realistic and not forced at all, which is not something a lot of romance stories can accomplish. And this book was spicy! Like I don't know if I just lost my memory but I do not remember the first book being this spicy so I was a little shocked but once again, nothing about it felt forced. All the spicy scenes felt necessary and natural and really played into their arc as a couple. And you know I love fake dating so I fear I knew I would love this book, but the author did a great job with their chemistry. And the mmc was just the best golden retriever bf ever but also such a little freak? Yeah love that.

Unfortunately I didn't end up liking this one as much as I liked the first in the series "Only in Your Dreams but I'm hopeful for the next one. I think I just had trouble with the main characters in this one the way I did with Melody and Zac. I also already love Summer and Parker, they were honestly some of my favorite parts of this book. Overall it was cute and fun story with a dash of b deeper storylines. There was a lot of spice and I could have used a little more plot for these characters.

Bring on Parker and Summer!

Only Between Us by Ellie K Wilde was a fun sequel to Only in Your Dreams. I enjoyed the first book, but the second book is even better! The chemistry between Siena and Brooks is sizzling! I listened to the audiobook narration by Mia Barron and Tim Paige, which was well done and added to the characters' stories.

Check out this book if you enjoy:
-Football romance
-Fake dating
-He falls first
-Dual POV
-Fun banter
-Only one bed
-Steam & spice
-Interconnected standalone
-Protective MMC
-Processing grief after losing a parent (before the story starts)
-Found family
-Dog dad
-Small town

📚 Read if you like: sports romance (football), dual POV, fake dating, only one bed, spicy romance

I really enjoyed this fake dating contemporary romance book y’all. I read an ARC of the first book in the Oakwood Bay series (Only in Your Dreams) and was blown away by how much I loved that one so I knew I was in for a good time with this one! It’s very funny, pretty spicy (more than I anticipated but not complaining at all… 🥵) and surprisingly emotional. There is some great banter between the two MCs - I ate up how much they keep forgetting they’re supposed to be annoyed with each other. They absolutely hate how much they like each other and that will win me over every time. And I gotta say, I am absolutely giddy to read the final book in the series (If Only You Knew - out in Feb 2026!) because the dropped hints about Summer and Parker have me ready to ignore all my responsibilities for their story.

Thank you to @atriabooks for the eARC in exchange for my honest opinion

I loved this one SO much!! I loved Ellie's first book ONLY IN YOUR DREAMS and I loved getting to see the cast again in ONLY BETWEEN US. Unlike most romance novels, I felt like the relationship between Sienna and Brooks was really developed and worked on, they made sense together as a couple and they truly knew each other. The writing was great, pulling me in every time I opened the book to read. I love the way Parker and Summer's story was set in this one so that it can begin seamlessly in the next one!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Read if you like: Perfect chemistry that will make you giddy, a man in touch with his feelings and protective, a woman who is independant and sassy, cute text messages and fake dating perfection.

After Brooks retired from his pro-NFL career two seasons ago due to an injury, he decides to try and make a comeback. The only team that he wants to sign with isn’t sure about his image anymore. That is, until a picture of him with Siena goes unexpectedly viral. He asks her to fake-date him until he gets signed. Despite their rocky start, she agrees…

Brooks was TOP TIER book boyfriend material. He bought Siena twenty drinks because he wasn’t sure what she liked, drove her to and from work when her car stopped working, always fixed her necklace and took care of her mom when she couldn’t be there. I fell hard for his charm.

Siena was such a relatable character for me. She was independent, never wanted to ask for help and was working to repay her parents for all they did for her. I loved how she showed up for Brooks, listened to him and validated him.

These two were great together. I loved their chemistry and the spice in this book was HOT!

I had such a good time reading this and was cheesing through the whole thing. This is out today and I 1000% recommend giving it a read! It’s the second book in the series but can be read as a standalone.

only between us | ellie k. wilde 🏈⚓️
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

*Thank you @netgalley and @elliekwildeauthor for the eARC in exchange for an honest review 🫶

« You with me, Pippen? »
« Yeah. I’m with you. »

I can’t put into words how much I enjoyed reading this book! It was so sweet and funny, it got me giggling and kicking my feet multiple times 🥹❤️‍🩹

I love reading about a professional football player and it had been a while since I read a good one : this one HIT 👏 THE 👏 SPOT 👏

The story flowed so well and it gave me the best summer vibes, I just couldn’t put my kindle down! The banter between Brooks and Siena was incredible and I loved them so much 💖

I had not read the first book in the Oakwood Bay series but will definitely go back to learn more about Melody and Zac that we get to see in Only between us. A third book is also planned to come out next February 🫶

This was a fun and needed palate cleanser! It definitely continues the fun vibes from the first book, but I definitely liked these characters more than Zac and Melody.

This is like a classic and kind of tropey fake dating and sports romance, but it’s a lot of fun and exactly what I was in the mood for! It’s also definitely he falls first romance.

Oakwood Bay is so confusing to me as a town! In the last book I could have sworn it was in California, but it’s clearly on the East Coast (this is important!!) and I don’t know what I was thinking before lol

I liked Siena a lot, although I do wish we dug more into her background with her bio parents and her football ex. I think there was an opportunity to go a little deeper there, especially with the ex!

Brooks was a classic like MMC written by a woman, he just becomes obsessed and kind of possessive but like in a way only a fictional man can get away with.

I’m excited for Summer and Parker’s book! It sounds like it will be friends to lovers!

Thanks to Atria and NetGalley for this eARC! Only Between Us is out now!