I started this book and was very iffy. I couldn’t get into it right away and just didn’t like the vibe between the two main characters. After about 4 chapters, I was reeled in. I was so hooked, I made my husband take over parenting so I could finish it.
The development between Siena at the beginning vs her at the end is unlike most female characters I’ve read. She is such a strong character and I absolutely adored her.
The ending did seem to speed up, which I didn’t totally enjoy. I wish there had been 2-3 more chapters and that it had been less condensed, however I still really enjoyed this book!!

I really enjoyed "Only In Your Dreams" but I just knew I was gonna be feral for Brooks book...low and behold, I really was.

I love a football romance but when you combine that with fake dating and a sprinkle of "boy obsessed," it's a recipe for a romance that I just don't want to put down. Brooks was a perfect MMC; I love that he very quickly learned that Siena was nothing like his clout-chasing ex and turned around and started chasing her instead because he just knew that she was it for him.
Similarly, I love how much dimension Siena was given; she was complex in a very realistic way. She's definitely for the girlies who don't ever want to disappoint their parents and always carry that fear that they're not worth the trouble that others go through for them. Their romance was so good; it wasn't insta-but it also didn't drag out too long like a full-on slow burn. The progression felt natural and I am a total sucker for the fake dating to accidental real relationship pipeline. There's just something about the realization that suddenly the feelings are verrrrry real that has me giggling and giddily running around and kicking my feet while reading.
In addition to the romance, the spice had me on my knees; oh my god. The scene at the gala??? THE COAT CLOSET? I have so much to say; I need to discuss this with someone because I legitimately screamed at some scenes.

Like Melody and Zac's book, I am grateful there wasn't a big miscommunication or bombastic breakup that quickly needed to be resolved. The conflict fit the rest of the story and didn't feel too big or too small. And speaking of Mel and Zac: I really loved that we got some peeks of them but it didn't ever feel like they were too big a part of Brooks and Siena's story. They fit in so seamlessly and it was like a little treat after reading the first book!

Overall, I can't wait for this book to release in July and get its flowers. I just know people are going to (rightfully) be so down bad for the filthy-mouthed footballer and I'm glad I got to fall in love with him second (...Siena was first.)

Thank you to Ellie K. Wilde, Atria Books, and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review!

Oh my goodness... this book is filthy, dirty, steamy, spicy, NSFW... not enough words to describe this.
I absolutely loved the story and characters and everything.
did not want to put it down!!!

I loved this book and it was so well written and the way it was written made every but of the story seem real and i think it will resinate with other readers as well. This was my first book by Ellie wilde and I can’t wait to read more.

Ellie K. Wilde you have outdone yourself with this one!! I ADORED this book with every fiber in my body. The steamy chemistry between Brooks and Siena had me hooked from the beginning. The tension and draw between them had my heart pounding. The soft and tender moment were a perfect balance in comparison to the moments that made me giggle and kick my feet. Siena is such a strong and relatable FMC and I could not get enough of her surprises. Im SO glad Brooks received (haha see what i did there haha) his happy ending even if it wasn’t what he expected it to be. His dedication, loyalty, and growth was so well written and id read it over and over again. The way Brooks and Siena comfort each other and are patient is something that appeals to their relationship. I really fell for this book the way Brooks and Siena fell for each other and cannot wait to have it on my shelf and read her next piece of work. THANK YOU ELLIE K. WILDE AND NET-GALLEY FOR THE CHANCE TO READ THIS BOOK 🏈🩷🐟

4.25/5 ⭐️
3/5 🌶️

Siena Pippen didn’t think going to the football field of her late father’s favorite team would end with her being in a fake relationship with a tall, hot, tattooed man named Brooks Atwood who’s trying to make a pro football comeback, but here she is…

Once again, Ellie K. Wilde has delivered! I absolutely loved Only In Your Dreams (the first in the Oakwood Bay Series) and loved Only Between Us as well! The conversations felt genuine, the tension was HIGH and the problems felt realistic.

Siena and Brooks relationship developed overtime and with some really adorable dates and situations. I loved seeing the TENSION between them!! Definitely kept me interested in what would happen next!

TROPES:
* Fake Dating
* Found Family
* He Spoils Her
* Only One Bed
* He Takes Care of Her
* Former NFL Star (who’s making a comeback) MMC
* Sh*tty Exes (BOTH of them)
* Hate to Love
* Meet Cute Gone Wrong
* He Falls First

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, Atria Books, for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review! All opinions are my own.

It is impossible to dislike Brooks because he is so caring, kind, considerate and ridiculously sweet. His golden retriever energy was strong. Siena was also so refreshing and fun to get to know. She has a type of warmth and consideration for people that makes her extremely lovable. I adored every interaction between Brooks and Siena and I could never have enough of their banter. I loved the whole premise of the fake dating. Both Brooks and Siena carries so much with them and I enjoyed how they helped each other with their emotional baggage throughout the story. My favorite scene of this story was between Siena and her mom, which had me tearing up with all their honesty and things revealed!

Spectacular—give me 14 more just like it! This book kept me up way past my bedtime because I simply couldn’t put it down.

Siena Pippen never expected her life to be turned upside down by Brooks Atwood—former NFL superstar on the brink of a comeback. Their chemistry is electric from the very first encounter, and after they accidentally get locked in a stadium suite and snap a playful selfie, it goes viral. Suddenly, they’re thrust into a fake relationship for the sake of public image.

But things take a sharp turn when Brooks finds out Siena was previously involved with another NFL player. He immediately assumes she’s a jersey chaser, just like his ex, and their sizzling chemistry turns icy fast. Despite their growing animosity, both their futures depend on making this fake relationship look real—his career, her livelihood.

What neither of them expects is to fall hard for each other along the way. And let me just say—Brooks Atwood is the ultimate fake boyfriend. From driving Siena to work when her car breaks down to buying her a new one (and oh, just casually gifting her a sailboat so she can start chartering trips), he goes above and beyond just to see her smile. He’s a total dream.

This book had me laughing, tearing up, and swooning chapter after chapter. An emotional rollercoaster—in the best way. I can’t wait to see where the rest of this series goes!

Ellie knocked it out of the park with this one! I'm not typically a huge football romance reader (or even sports romance reader, in general) but this was everything and more. The banter between the MCs was hilarious, and the flirty, will-they-wont-they tension had me kicking my feet. I literally stayed up until 2am because I couldn't put this book down once that spice started (in the coat closet?! RIP me, Brooks killed me)

And it wasn't only spicy fun times. The character growth was absolute perfection and the third-act conflict was so perfect without an unnecessary breakup (they talked like adults! imagine that!)

Fake dating and a rom-com is an instant yes for me! Ellie is a new author for me, and I am so glad I dove into her world. The chemistry and banter were so good. The spice and slow burn had me wishing it would never end. I couldn't get enough! I loved the characters and felt like they were developed well. I was so frustrated with the 3rd act breakup, in all the best ways. ❤️

After reading Only in Your Dream (which I really enjoyed), I was really excited to read the sequel. I mean, who doesn't love some sport/football romance with a side of fake dating. Honestly, I had so much fun reading this book, I devoured it in an afternoon.

In Only Between Us, we get to revisit Brooks, who we first met in Only in Your Dream, and he was such a fun, hot, and sweet main male character. There was just something about him that was so charming. To see him try to get back on the field, after an injury that left him pretty much thinking her wouldn't get to play professionally again. And then we had Sienna , who was a great and fun balance to him. To see her go through her own challenges with the family business. And their chemistry was definitely amazing. I mean, how can you not root for them from the get go. The push and pull, the misunderstandings, the banter... it was just great. Those two were simply a match made in even.

Honestly, Ellie K. Wilde is definitely getting added to my list of authors I must read. So far, she has delivered two great and fun romance that just kept me hooked. It was a fun and banter filled book. And I'm definitely already looking forward to her next book!

Only Between Us had everything I wanted—fake dating, a grumpy football player, fiery banter, and a deliciously chaotic media circus. Brooks and Siena had great chemistry, and the emotional moments landed well.

But the sentence fragments? Constant. Distracting. They pulled me out of the story more than once and made the pacing feel uneven.

Still, if you’re here for sports romance, snarky leads, and a slow-burn that turns steamy, this delivers.

3.5 stars, would’ve been higher with a cleaner edit.

Wow I absolutely loved this book. The banter, tension, the chemistry all you could ever ask for is there. Just the things brooks does for Siena alone I’m obsessed.

Ok listen carefully: this book was four stars as a ROMANCE book. I would recommend this and any of Wilde’s books if you like reading romance, specially sports romance. The characters are cute, it’s a little corny-in-a-good-way at times, the plot is easy-breezy, and it’s light on the sports references. I'm already looking forward to the next!

Received as an ARC from NetGalley- very happy to report I finished it in a day as it was a light and fun read, with lots of humor and realistic yearning portrayed as financial and emotional circumstances that get in the way of a situationship/expirationship turning into a long-term relationship.

Good news is that it is a happily ever after and the characters, especially the mmc, are not emotionally stunted and know how to communicate. Emotional intelligence exists in this book! Read as a standalone and if you like to intersperse a feel-good read amongst the other books in your tbr, consider this one.

A couple grammatical errors and some scenes feeling repetitive, but overall a high 3.9 stars!

Siena and Brooks meet while he is training for his NFL comeback. As a former WAG, she has no interest in dating another athlete. However, to help his image and help her finances, they fake date.

I thought it was cute! Similar to the first book, I did think it could have been shorter. But, cute and I liked the ending (and lack of drama).

A steamy and emotional romance that keeps you turning the pages. The chemistry between the lead characters is undeniable, and the story is full of twists and turns. It explores themes of trust and vulnerability making it more than just a sports romance.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Only Between Us by Ellie K Wilde

Truly and I mean TRULY infinity stars for this book. I have been on the edge of my seat since I finished Only in Your Dreams to see who Brooks Attwood falls for and absolutely obliterates my heart while doing it. Ellie has a way of making me swoon and blush and want to tear my heart out yet have butterflies in my stomach all at the same time. Wow! Wow!! WOW!! Exceeded my expectations 🫶

Brooks is trying to make the come back of his life on the football field after 2 seasons away due to an injury. The only place he wants to end up is back with his old team, but when some unsavory photos end up online, his old team doesn’t know if they want him and his image back. When the tabloids post a photo of him and his new girlfriend, let’s just say Brooks is shocked because he doesn’t have a girlfriend. Yet, the teams are starting to line up wanting to actually sign Brooks, who is now settled down. You would think it would be easy to get on board with a fake relationship when all these teams start giving him interest, but his fiery new ‘girlfriend’ happens to be exs with the face of the league and she doesn’t want anything to do with football or it’s players. As Siena and Brooks start to get on the same page, because Siena starts to see the upside to this viral moment for her families shop, the stakes for both of them are higher then ever when more people start commenting on how good they are for each other. Like how hard can it be to pretend to fall madly in love with each other without falling for each other? Well, what some would think would be easy to do and walk away, Brooks and Siena may just show the world that it’s not so easy to do.

Siena definitely didn’t see this coming. She never saw Brooks, a filthy mouthed human teddy bear make her question on falling for another football bad boy. After her complicated and overall unhappy relationship with her ex, she was going to leave all that life behind and focus on her families business. Don’t matter if it’s not the life she saw for herself, it’s the life she was taught to do since she was little. After some swaying to stick with this fake relationship, Siena can’t help but see somewhat of an upside to their viral moments. She also can’t help to think, Brooks may not be the party boy, bad boy, that everyone thinks. Maybe he is just a guy that is following a dream he’s always had and being with Siena can make that happen. Siena knows she cannot get any closer to Brooks, arms length is what she needs to do, but dang is he not breaking down her walls without even knowing it. As they get closer to the end timeline they set to break up, aka Brooks signing to a team, Siena and Brooks seem to not want to say goodbye.

I wanted to this book to never end. I got so wrapped up in Brooks and Siena that I felt like I was right on the sideline rooting for them every step of the way. We love a man so down for his girl, but dang was Siena down for him too. I devoured this book and it will sit rent free in my mind or quite sometime.

i don’t know if this book put me in a reading slump or just couldn’t pull me out of it but it took me so long to get through, especially considering the first book in the series was one of my favorite reads this year :/

The second in the Oakwood series, this one focuses on Brooks, Parker’s coaching friend and ex-NFL player trying to get a comeback season started for himself. What he doesn’t expect is firey Siena. These two were adorable, hilarious and omg the gala scene🥵🥵🥵🥵
Like its predecessor, I also couldn’t put this book down to save my life; I just wanted to keep reading about Brooks and Siena🥺
I learned that if Ellie is gonna write it, I’m probably gonna read it.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!