I was SO eager to read this ARC (Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books!) after devouring the first book in this series by Ellie K Wilde. It’s safe to say that it did not disappoint and I again finished this one in a day—who doesn’t love a fake dating trope within a sports romance?!

Only Between Us is the spicy yet sweet story of NFL player Brooks Attwood and the infamous ex of another high profile player, Siena Pippen. After a chance encounter, the two realize that they have a) amazing chemistry together and b) the potential to make each other’s dreams come true (in more ways than one). They decide to start a fake romance, at least until Brooks gets signed with his dream team. But, as every romance reader knows—remaining in a ‘fake’ relationship somehow always ends up turning real.

You can find Only Between Us on shelves near you on its release date of July 8th, 2025!

#ARCreader #atriabooks #netgalley #EllieKWilde #OnlyBetweenUs #Footballromance #Sportsromance

4 stars — Fake dating, elite banter, and a golden retriever hero? I was seated.

Listen. Brooks Attwood? Book boyfriend unlocked. He’s charming, cocky, lowkey soft, and in major denial about his feelings. Enter Siena Pippen—fierce, independent, and DONE with NFL drama—until life (and one viral selfie) ropes her into a fake dating scheme with said golden retriever menace. Sparks? Oh, they FLEW.

Their chemistry was off the charts. I’m talking banter that made me grin, tension that had me kicking my feet, and a slow burn that hurt in the best way. Watching them go from reluctant allies to soft, vulnerable, heart-eyed messes? Chef’s kiss.

I also loved how real the emotional beats felt—Brooks navigating career pressure and public scrutiny, Siena trying to protect her heart while holding it all together. And the third act breakup?? Pain. Agony. But I get it (still mad though).

Only reason this wasn’t a 5-star read for me? The pacing dipped a little in the middle and I wish we got just a bit more resolution post-angst. But overall? A fun, emotional, trope-filled delight that had me rooting HARD for Brooks and Siena.

If you love sports romance, fake dating that turns way too real, and men who fall first and hard, grab this one ASAP.

Big thanks to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Ellie K. Wilde for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

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

This book was almost perfect. I wanted to give it five stars, but I hate the third-act break-up, especially when it's not truly needed for the story. This was textbook fake-dating sports romance, and I was here for it. I loved the chemistry between Brooks (MMC) and Siena (FMC); their banter was top-notch. There were points in the book when I was cackling aloud, and people looked at me like I was crazy. I didn't know this book was a series, so now I have to go back and read the previous books.

Read if you like:
- Fake dating
- Sports romance
- He falls first
- Only one bed
- LOTS of spice
- Dual POV

Thank you Netgalley and Atria Books for the ARC !

This book had a very different vibe from the first in the series. A lot less emotional, and I had a hard time connecting to the characters. I am not sure if they even had any chemistry, this book just felt bland to me. I truly do not remember what happened most of it, and what the main conflicts even are. I had such high expectations for emotions and feelings after the first book, it left me feeling kinda meh.
I did like Brooks character, I wish we elaborated on his trauma and his previous relationship and it impacted him mentally. He did have an insta love vibe and that's one thing I did not like.
Siena was just bland, and she didn't really stick out to me. Her personality was a bit meh, but I did enjoy learning about her trauma.

Oh my god. This book was SUCH MUCH better than the first and I liked the first. Brooks Atwood is the golden retriever man I LOVE! Sienna is an independent girlie with some trauma but who doesn’t have trauma nowadays. It was emotional, funny, and gave me all the feels. Like audibly laughed and giggled while reading this. THIS IS HOW FAKE DATING IS DONE RIGHT! No crazy third act breakup bc someone found out they’re fake dating. That drives me nuts. A wholesome love story. Ugh I already want to re-read this!!!

Thank you NetGalley, Ellie Wilde, and Atria Books for this ARC! I’m screaming 🫶🏼

⭐️: 4.50
📖: Kindle

Enemies to lovers' football romance.

Brooks Attwood is looking for a comeback after retiring from the NFL. He is also looking to clean up his image after a few years of debauchery.

Siena Pippen is not looking to get into another relationship with an NFL star, she is also not looking to lose her late father business either.

This was a really cute romance. Their mutual hate was adorable, and they had great banter. It did not take either of them long to turn away from hate and start focusing on their mutual attraction. You did get the feel of a good passage of time; it did not feel like a quicky romance to me. I like the development of both of the main characters. I also enjoyed the side characters and hope that they also get books of their own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this title. This is my very honest review.

I've just recently gotten into sport romances; mostly doing hockey (thanks Icebreaker). For my first football sports romance, I thoroughly enjoyed it! Wonderful story between the two main characters. Thanks for sharing1

4.5⭐️

I was absolutely giggling and kicking my feet while reading this book. I’m so obsessed with Brooks and Siena. That man would do anything for miss girl and we love to see it. I really enjoyed reading this book and quite literally didn’t want to put it down. Hands down better than the first book in my opinion!

I loved both characters separately and together. I mean seriously the man went and bought a bunch of different coffees and teas just because he didn’t know what she liked. This book was everything.

*The banter 20% of the way in had me cackling.

- fake dating
- small town
- sports romance
- he falls first
- one bed

(What more could you ask for🫣🤭)

Huge thank you to Atria Books for allowing me to read this early through NetGalley!

SO GOOD. INSANELY GOOD.

The PINING IN THIS BOOK.

I literally cannot put into words how deeply I love Brooks Atwood and his gooey lover boy interior.

Siena is another prickly in the best way FMC with a back story that will make you cry, and her sense of humor is perfect and you just can’t help rooting for her.

Pick this book up if you love:

🏈dislike to lovers
⛵️lovable side characters
🏈dogs
⛵️only one bed
🏈he falls first
⛵️redemption story

LOVE LOVE LOVE this book! Siena and Brooks' story is so beautiful and a real testament to what can happen when you learn to trust again. I am such a fan of Ellie's writing style and am hooked on her stories from here on out.

Thank you to NetGalley & Elie K Wilde for this ARC!
Immediately rated this a 5 star.
I'm not sure I could have loved this book more if I tried!
Siena and Brooks were one of the best sports romance couples I have across in a while! Seriously, I try my best to read anything and everything sports romance (it is my absolute favorite genre), and this couple will go down as one of the best in my book.
The witty banter was spot on. The complexity of figuring out not only how to fall in love but love themselves, made this so much more than just your typical easy romance read. Both Siena and Brooks are complex and have traumas that made them people who didn't know how to love themselves. Watching them fall in love with one another and thereby learning to like themselves again, was magic. I enjoyed this plot, I rooted for the characters, and I felt ALL the emotions! If you love sports romance that has the spice but also all the plot and complex characters, this is the book for you! Do yourself a favor and read this book ASAP on release day!

THANK YOU NETGALLEY FOR THE ARC EEEEEEEEEEK

Guys, I've been waiting for this book to come since Oct. 2023. To get an ARC of it was an absolute honor.

I want to start out by saying that even though my rating is a 2.5 (taking into consideration a lot of different factors from this book,) my enjoyment was ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 4/5.

I love Ellie K. Wilde's storytelling. You're right there with the characters in any scene they're in. And she just knooooooows how to write obsessed men. It was a fun time, easy to read romance. VERY SPICY.

I'm assumiiiiiing the third book is going to be about Parker and Summer AND I CAN'T WAAAAAAIT.

I cannot stress how perfectly this book was wrapped up. I read the first in the series and I didn’t think anything could top it until I read this. I love them so much.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

“I hate how much I don’t hate kissing him.”

Siena agrees to fake date a former NFL player who’s trying to get back into the league in order to gain enough social media promo work to pay her bills.

Brooks is giving every ounce into training for the NFL in hopes to make a comeback.

What starts out as an arrangement turns into a spicy 🌶️ hot romance with a cinnamon roll MMC and a badass FMC with a soft side for her family.

⛵️ Chartering ships
⚓️ Found family
🦈 Swimming with sharks
🐕 Man’s best friend
🏈 Hopes and dreams
✈️ Long distance

Thanks to @netgalley and @atriabooks for the ARC of this book. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I had been looking forward to reading this as soon as Brooks was introduced in Only In Your Dreams and this book was exactly what I was hoping it would be like. This is perfect for fans of fake dating and sports romances.

💖ARC Review💖
📖: Only Between Us @elliekwildeauthor
Release date: 07.08.25

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️

I found Ellie K Wilde and her Sunset Landing series earlier this month and immediately dived into book 1 of the Oakwood Bay series and fell in love with the characters and setting. When I saw book 2 was available for ARC, I jumped at the chance and was lucky to get a copy!

I devoured this book.💕

We met Brooks (MMC) in book 1 of the series and I was so excited to learn more of his story! Siena (our FMC) is a new character and my goodness how much I love them both! 🥰

Brooks has recovered from what he thought was a career ending professional football injury. Siena is an independent business owner in the town over.

Brooks and Siena have an adorable meet/cute that goes south. But due to circumstances, they have to fake date to help Brooks gain a spot back on his team and Siena can help her family business.

I just loved everything about this story! Siena has a backstory that really tugs at your heart and is written so well. Siena’s history makes her less trusting and unsure. Brooks falls first and hard and eventually Brooks and Siena get the HEA they deserve! 🩷

Characters from the first book show up here and I’m curious to see what’s next for this crew! 👀

✨pro football romance
✨meet cute gone wrong
✨fake dating
✨he falls first

Thank you @atriabooks for providing this book via @netgalley. 😊

Just like the first book, it was the perfect palate cleanser. Also like the first one, loved the yearning but sometimes felt a bit too much: Also a love/hate that I can totally tell it’s a woman writing a man’s thoughts since a lot of the chapters from Brook’s perspective felt that way. But on that same side, I looooove women writing for the female gaze so sign me up every-time.
I also had trouble putting it down today and just wanted to sink into it- which is a good sign that I’m into it! Each time Ellie writes a book, I’ll keep reading them!
4/5⭐️
4/5 🌶️ the spice was hot- I’m a fan

I loved this book!! There were kind of a lot of S names (summer, shy, siena), however, it got easier to keep up as I went along! I loveeee Brooks, he was awesome, I wish we had more of Pete. However, this was a great beach day, spicy read! I loved it! It was definitely a fun read, highly recommend!

A classic fake dating sports romance done so right! We have all the ingredients that make up a delicious meal: sexy banter and chemistry, emotional moments that tug on your heartstrings, a tiny dash of angst, tooth rotting sweet moments and and a healthy amount of sex to top it all off!

Sexy sports romances always scratch that itch for me and so when I saw the little snippet Ellie K Wilde posted, I just knew I needed to get my hands on this and boy did this deliver. We have our FMC, Siena Pippen, who is a a fun and fun refreshing character. There were times where she genuinely made me laugh out loud, but then also made me tear up because of her internal struggles regarding her parents. We also have our MMC, Brooks Attwood, who was such a charming but so down bad and sweet character. He treated Siena so well. I'm actually so jealous. I need him.

Ellie K Wilde's writing was so so entertaining and fun, I adored it. Sometimes sports romances can start to feel like they all blend in together, but this totally stood out amongst some others and I cannot see what she does next! (Please be a Summer x Parker book!!!) I will say that although this book is marketed as hate to love, it's definitely more just a misunderstanding that they need to clear up. Overall, I'd definitely recommend this book so do yourself a favour and preorder this beauty. Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book for review.

As far as fake dating, sports romances go, this was okay! Generally speaking, I liked the main characters. I felt like the pair were good natured and easy to empathize with. For me, the reasons behind the fake dating have to be really solid (ie. it’s coercion with one half holding something over the other half, or the pair both have something the other needs and it’s more of a mutual decision…). I understood Siena’s reasons to say yes to the scheme (she needed money), but I had a hard time believing that Sienna had such an amazing, wholesome social media reputation that the Rebel football team would see her as an such a valuable asset to their social media presence, that dating her would legitimately help Brooks’ chances of making the team. Maybe I am too nitpicky about that, but I just want the stakes/risks/reasons to clearly make sense, ya know?

My main complaint was the abundance of sexual scenes. Again, probably a me thing, but holy moly. I haven’t read this author before so I did not know to expecting repetitive, big time spice. I felt like there was enough tension there between the couple without needing to add so many physical scenes.

Overall, not a bad book. At the core of it, it just lacked a little bit of clarity in some of the plot.