5 🌟
“Come on, Siena. Swim with sharks with me.”
One of my top reads so far this year!
Thank you so much to Atria for the ARC!

I fell in love with book one, so I was so stoked for Brooks’s story, and Ellie K. Wilde delivered. Saying she knocked it out of the park doesn’t even come close. She completely blew me away. I would quite literally do anything for Brooks Attwood. The fake dating? The banter? Utter perfection 🤌🏼.

Sienna stole my heart. Her confidence, her strength, and that quiet ache to simply be loved and wanted? I felt all of it.
And Brooks… my sweet, guarded, jaded boy. He had to earn it, but he showed up. He also ached to be loved and I was truly rooting for him. Football daddy forever 🤭.

In the book Sienna referred to them as “twin souls,” and honestly, I could not think of a description more perfect for them.

✨Book Review: Only Between Us by Ellie Wilde✨
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (easily!!)

Okay, this is how you do a fake dating sports romance! I devoured Only Between Us and I’m still not over Brooks Attwood being the ultimate golden retriever in cleats 🥺💛. The chemistry? Instant. The banter? Top-tier. The emotional connection? WhewWEEEEEE!!! I cried, I blushed, I squealed and sometimes they may or may not have been all in the same chapter.

To summarize-esq, Brooks is an ex-NFL star trying to stage a comeback after a career-pausing injury and a not-so-cute reputation. Siena Pippen? She’s the fiery, no-nonsense ex of one of the league’s golden boys, just trying to keep her family’s bait shop afloat and avoid the spotlight she never asked for. Their accidental selfie-gone-viral sparks a PR frenzy, and next thing you know... boom, they’re fake dating. For the cameras, for the contracts, for the brand deals. But of course — it doesn’t stay fake for long 👀🔥.

💕Tropes I absolutely DEVOURED:
Fake dating (with the slowest, sweetest burn)
He falls first (and so hard)
Opposites attract (grumpy/feral ✨ queen meets charming, golden boy athlete)
Trauma bonding----- done right
Small town vibes
Found family feels
Dual POV (we LOVEEE getting in his head)
"There’s only one bed" level tension 🫠
🔥 Spice Level: 4/5 (For me!! Everyones spice scale is different!!)
Not just steamy, but it was all intentional. Every scene felt earned, grounded in their growing trust and connection. And let’s be real, Brooks down bad is a special kind of HOT 😮‍💨. Respectful, sweet, but very much a man who knows what he’s doing 👏

🎯 Why I gave it this rating, and why this book worked for ME:
Now, take every review with grains of salt, but to ME what makes this book stand out is the balance. YES, it’s sexy and funny, but there’s depth. Both Siena and Brooks are healing from real pain. Siena’s been burned by fame before, and she’s guarded for good reason. Brooks is trying to rewrite a version of himself that the world judged too quickly. They see each other in ways no one else does and it’s those quiet moments of softness and honesty that made me fall for them. That quiet love gets me every time. (Sorry I've been watching so much love island LOL)

Also... Siena? She’s everything. Unhinged, scrappy, stubborn, independent, and such a breath of fresh air. I was rooting for her from page one. Her sass gave me life and her vulnerable side wrecked me. Brooks? Certified dog dad energy 🐶. A big, loyal, cinnamon roll of a man who just wants his second chance both in football and in love. The way he adores Siena? SWOON.

🥹 Favorite vibes/moments:
That first fake kiss that felt a little too real
Their banter DUH. It was sharp, hilarious, emotionally loaded
Brooks making Siena laugh when she’s having the worst day-- because ugh what more can a gal ask for??????? please?????
The “I’ve got you” moments. PLURAL. Ugh my HEART.


Final Thoughts:
Such a good, quick read that got me out of a slump. I definitely request. the best books because they all seem to get me out of slumps, and then are so good they put me back into them LOL. This was the kind of read that made me feel so many things. Not just the butterflies, but the ache and hope too. It gave sports, steam, sass, and soul. I’m already counting down to the next book in the Oakwood Bay series.

Dear Ellie Wilde, I’m hooked!!!!

This book had me laughing so much. I really enjoyed the characters humor. The story was really cute and you definitely saw the character's growth throughout, which was great! I have never read a book by this author and I didn't realize there was a book before this one, but I still feel like I could go and read that book even though I read this first, however, I wish I had known! I love to be able to read the books in order, even if it's not important to the story. This book gave me all the feels though. I laughed, held back tears, was giddy over the romance, just all of it.

One thing that bugged me a little bit was that the FMC, Siena, was a bit immature at the beginning, but I felt like she was able to grow and that made a huge difference. It was also spicier than I anticipated. Again, I knew nothing going into this book and anything about the author, so I just hadn't expected that much spice, but it wasn't too much where it took away from the plot.

Loved this book! Definitely will be recommending!

5⭐️ - (late) ARC read

I loved reading Brooks and Siena's story. From the way the characters first met to the last chapter of the book. Another story I hope becomes a movie one day.

This is the first book I read by Ellie K. Wilde.

4.25⭐
Engaging rom-com with fake (or is it?) dating between an ex-NFL wide receiver and the ex of a popular quarterback. He's attempting o a comeback and needs a PR boost and she's just been overwhelmed with financial obligations. Both characters are well written with top tier banter in this deliciously spicy story. Thanks to netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

"Only Between Us" is book 2 in the Oakwood Bay series and it was such a fun continuation.

We had the opportunity to meet Brooks in book 1 and I was excited to hear that his story was next. Siena is a great connection for him to explore. Once again, we have a fake dating trope but in the best way possible. I was rooting so hard for this couple and enjoyed their chemistry and banter.

I cannot wait for this series to continue!

Thank you Atria for selecting me for this ARC.

This book is overall just fine.

I'm sure this book has an audience but it isn't me.

Thank you Atria Books

This is the second book in the Oakwood series. Brooks and Siena are the leads. It is a sports romance but there isn't an overwhelming amount of sports references which is great for people like me who have no interest in sports. Brooks and Siena are fake dating to improve his public image. No surprise- they catch feelings! The first half has some tension and slow burn but also manages to have a little spice. Later it gets fully spicy. Ellie Wilde writes great spicy scenes!

I did think it was a little too long.

Thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for this eARC!

3.25 ⭐️
Spice 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the advance copy.

Only Between Us (Oakwood Bay #2) by Ellie Wilde shows noticeable growth from the first book, Only in Your Dreams (DNF) especially in the development of Brooks and Siena. I appreciated that both characters had something to gain from the fake relationship and that their backstories added real depth. Siena’s journey was especially touching, sad but empowering.

It’s a cute, funny fake-dating football romance with heart. That said, this one leaned a little too spicy for my personal taste. I’m not really into books with that level of heat, so it’s not something I’d typically pick up again or continue to the 3rd book. But if you enjoy steamy romance with great banter and emotional layers, you’ll probably enjoy this one!

Thank you to Atria Books, Ellie K Wilde, and NetGalley for the arc copy of this book. All opinions expressed are entirely my own.

Brooks Atwood, an ex pro football player, is working on his comeback to the NFL after a 2 year retirement due to a bad concussion. Currently coaching for the UOB Huskies football team, he is on the field one day when he intercepts a pass from hitting a random woman on the field, who isn't supposed to be there. Insert Siena Pippen, who did in fact sneak onto the field with her best friend, but is determined to lie her way out of the situation. Siena tells Brooks that she works for the Huskies social media team and needs photos of the field, so he takes her to the coaches box. Needless to say, after finding themselves locked in said coaches box, Siena posts a selfie of the pair to social media as a last ditch effort to convince Brooks of her story. The photo quickly goes viral and the pair find themselves in quite the entanglement.

At the insistence of Brooks' manager, Brooks begs Siena to be his fake girlfriend. The Rebels, the football team he is desperately trying to get resigned with, are not fond of the image Brooks created for himself during retirement. After being cheated on and leaving his dream job, Brooks fell into a deep depression and images of his many hookups with several different women are all over the internet. The Rebels employ family oriented players, so Brooks needs Siena to recreate his image and prove he has changed.

Siena is hesitant at first. After being accused of seeking Brooks out and him essentially calling her a gold digger, she doesn't like him at all. The last thing she wants to do is pretend date him, but soon she realizes she can greatly benefit from the perks of dating famous Brooks Atwood. Her family owned bait shop needs 10k in repairs, her car just took a crap, and her rent is increasing. Their rumored relationship is already bringing brand deals her way, and she cannot deny the money. They agree to a fake relationship and boundaries are set. But the more they hang out, the blurrier the lines become.

This book is hot, point blank. The spice is spicin', the relationship building is ridiculously sweet, and the characters are so wholesome my heart hurts. Brooks and Siena are honest and vulnerable with their personal struggles and trust issues. It's refreshing to have a MMC with those qualities who is down BAD for his girl. I love a good sports romance and fake dating book, and Ellie really knows how to write a good one. Can't wait for the next book!

This was sweet, spicy, and everything you want in a sports romance. The plot was fantastic and so was the chemistry. A huge improvement from book one in my opinion. Obsessed!

This book is full of electric chemistry from the start. I loved that Brooks and Siena butted heads from the moment they met. Aside from both being stubborn, they are opposites and it shows in the best way through their top tier banter! These two had me feeling all the feels, there were lots of laughs while carrying a deeper back story. Brooks and Siena go through it, but they, along with the side characters, are easy to love and relate to.

𝗪𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗲𝘅𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁 ⇣
Sports romance
Small town
Football comeback story
Meet-hate
Fake dating
He falls first
Black cat x golden retriever energy
Slow burn
Dual POV
Spice

Thank you Atria Books and NetGalley for the ARC!

This sports romance was really cute - I enjoyed the fake dating trope and witty banter between our characters! If you love sports romances then grab this one!!!

Thanks so much to Atria books for the ARC in exchange for my review.

3.5 stars

This is the perfect summer/fall read for spicy romance lovers. He's a reformed bad boy who really is just a golden retriever and she's the well loved ex of a football player. They are forced to fake date for image purposes, and you can guess what comes next.

Lighter on the sports components so if you're not a football fan you won't be lost. You can definitely read this book without reading Only in Your Dreams (but read it because it's good).

The highlight of the book for me was the spice & dirty talk. This one was HOT. Like probably four peppers. Tons of dirty talk. Everybody leaves satisfied many times over.

A bit cutesy and lovey dovey for me after the 3/4 mark.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

The audacity of this book to be so smutty and also make me cry 4... Maybe 5 times? I lost count 😩

Ellie's specialty is writing a man truly obsessedddd. That was once again the case in this book, but there was also so much emotional depth. Granted, our main girly Siena probably still needs a lot of therapy, but I'm sure she'll get there eventually!

Brooks is the golden retriever boyfriend of dreams—with just the right amount of spice. 🐶🔥
Siena is delightfully unhinged in the best possible way.

I was a little worried this would feel cliché or overdone, but I ended up really enjoying it! The story was sweet, touching at times, and hilarious at others.

The writing style pulled me in, and I devoured it in no time.

I love this series, these characters, Ellie with my whole heart!! I’m not over exaggerating when I say Ellie is the QUEEN of writing banter, depth, humor, and the hottest spice into a story!

We met Brooks in Only In Your Dreams when he fake dates his best friend’s sister. In Only Between Us, he finds himself fake dating a different woman, this time to help restart his NFL career. Of course, he starts falling fast for Siena and when they can't keep their hands off each other, and they share secrets with each other that no one else knows, their fake relationship starts feeling very real!

Brooks and Siena’s meet cute is so fun and he’s possessive of her from the start 😏 Their story is like those butterfly effect videos on TikTok 🥹 And the steamy scenes?! Shocked me in the best way!!


Thank you so much to Atria for inviting me again to read Ellie's newest book, and for the physical galley!!

I loved this book. Retired NFL player Brooks Attwood is trying to make a comeback. Beloved NFL ex-gf Sienna Pippen is trying to get back on her feet after a string of unfortunate events. They agree to fake dating for their own personal reasons, and the playful banter, tension and chemistry that follows between these two is delicious.

It’s hard not to fall for both the FMC, Sienna and MMC, Brooks, because Ellie Wilde wrote them as the perfect match for each other in all the best ways. Sienna was fierce, strong-willed, independent, sassy and unapologetically herself. I loved watching her stand her ground, set her boundaries and challenge Brooks at every turn. Her spunky, slightly unhinged energy made her so fun to read.

Brooks and Sienna’s chemistry was instant and electric, but what made this story special was the emotional connection between them. There was a lot to unpack from both of their pasts and turns out, Sienna and Brooks were exactly what each other needed. They saw each other. They understood each other. And their quiet moments alone, where they expressed how the other one made them feel or acknowledged and praised each other were my absolute favorite scenes. I cried more than once when they said or did something that showed their adoration and love for each other.

Their playful banter, the fake dating setup and the tension was so fun to read. This is the kind of fake relationship story I love, where the shift from pretend to real feels natural, inevitable, and worth every page.

The spice also did not disappoint! They had instant and electric chemistry, remember?

Ellie Wilde is a new-to-me author, but after Only Between Us, I can’t wait for the rest of this series.

This is book 2 of the Oakwood Bay series. Brooks Attwood has been training to make his NFL comeback since his near death injury took him out 2 seasons ago. He really wants to get back on his old team the but some old naughty pics of him leaked online and are not helping his chances. He plans to keep a low profile but a recent pic with a Sienna Pippen, who happens to be the ex of another famous football players in the league goes viral, the tabloids think they’re the newest it couple. Suddenly other teams are showing interest in Brooks so he hatches a plan to fake date Sienna until he gets signed a team.
Sienna isn’t on board with the idea except she starts getting brand deals that could really help her financially with her struggling business and personally. Even though doesn’t want to get involved with another athlete after her breakup, she agrees to Brooks’ plan.
I love a fake dating trope and these two were a hoot! They had to fake being in love for the public but secretly hating each other. It was awkward and funny at the same time. The more time they spend together they realized they had more in common than they thought. Brooks is the ultimate golden retriever fake boyfriend turned real boyfriend. I just loved these two together.
I was eagerly anticipating this book and I knew it would be another great one. I could not put this book down! I was hooked from the first chapter! The banter, the spice, the flirty tension and the chemistry between these two was just chef’s kiss.  
 
Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for an e-Arc copy of this book

🏈pro football player  
🛥️beach town
🏈fake dating
🛥️he falls first
🏈found family
🛥️dog dad
🏈trauma bonding

This was one of the best rom-coms that I’ve read so far this year - no scratch that this is the best rom-com I’ve read this year and I think it’s ruined me for all other romances for the foreseeable future. From the very start this book had my attention and never let go. The banter between Brooks and Siena was ELECTRIC and their chemistry was SIZZLING. For two fictitious characters I could not get over how many emotions they made me feel - it was quite the rollercoaster in the best way. Honestly this was everything you could ask for from a good book: Compelling characters that you root for, yearning, spicy spice, and a happily ever after. I liked the first book in the series, but I LOVED this book and am looking forward to the next one and getting Parker and Summer’s story.

Thank you to Atria and NetGalley for the ARC!!