Ellie did it again. I’ve read everything she’s put out into the world, and you guys, I loved this.

Brooks is a former football player turned coach turned comeback player. He’s hot, charming, hilarious, and has quite the mouth. Then there’s Siena, sweet, independent, and full of sass. I adored her. She’s doing her best to keep everyone around her happy, including helping run her parents tackle shop. She’s sunshine in human form.

The fake dating trope always gets me especially when the fake part doesn’t stay fake for long. Brooks is trying to reignite his career, but his past keeps getting in the way. Enter Siena, and suddenly, a chance to prove he’s changed and play the role of the perfect boyfriend falls right into his lap.

Ellie has a gift for writing stories that feel real, like you could step right into the characters shoes and really understand them. She nails the balance of fun, spice, heart, and happily ever afters every single time.

And that epilogue? MY GOD.

I cannot wait to see what’s next.

Huge thanks to Atria for the early copy. <3

Brooks retired from the NFL 2 years ago after an injury but has decided to make a comeback, only problem is the team he wants doesn’t think he fits the family friendly image they need. Brooks stumbles upon Siena and the fake dating rumors spiral and they decide to go for it. As we all know, fake dating almost always turns into real feelings😍 at some point but Siena is determined not to date anymore sports guys. 🙅🏼‍♀️
This book has so many tropes that I absolutely love- fake dating, one bed, he falls first....and the spice scenes?? It is hard for me to find spice scenes that I don't find absolutely cringy but I devoured these. The side characters were very likable as well as the main characters. I really enjoyed the dual POVs. This is a great book to read if you like fake dating and/or sports romances!!

ARC Review 5/5 🥹💜
I didn’t even know where to begin writing about this book, because I would rather just dive back into it from the start.

Brooks and Siena had such a cute and funny meet cute. It turned a little ugly, pretty quickly actually, but fate had its own reasons for putting them there at the same time. Both of them had their insecurities and emotional baggage that made trust difficulty after they met, but their circumstances kept them together whether they wanted to be or not. I loved watching their smart remarks ping back and forth between the two as they slowly grew more comfortable with each other. Their running jokes and emotional understanding of each other made this book so lovable and captivating.
Once I really dove into this book, I couldn’t stop. And I KNEW it would be this way after reading Only in Your Dreams. I am an absolute fan of Ellie K. Wilde and her writing. This book is funny, sweet, sexy as hell, but also so pleasantly soul touching. I love the individuality and growth of the characters and am hoping for at least one more book in Oakwood 🤞🏼

“What’s your thing? When you’re sighing that hard?”
“How sad is it that I think she’s my thing?”
🥹🫶🏼 safe to say he fell first and harder

Cute, spicy read! Love a good fake dating trope and a sports romance. Would definitely recommend for anyone wanting a book with this kind of vibe :)

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC!

This was a cute, spicy romance that was perfect to read at the pool.
The only thing I didn’t like was the conversations about “forcing” the relationship and the break up (which was dumb).

I’m a sucker for a fake dating trope - this book had me kicking my feet and squealing! I loveddd the banter between Brooks and Siena and the plot was plotting. Their chemistry was off the charts and phewww was it HOT! The ending had me in happy tears which doesn’t happen often but the build up was SO good and even though I kinda knew what was coming, it still hit me like a bag of bricks.

I really enjoyed Ellie’s writing style - it was engaging and light. I didn’t read the first book in this series as they’re basically all standalones but I’ll definitely be going back to read it.

The goods:
💖 Fake Dating
💖 Sports Romance
💖 He Falls First // Golden Retriever Energy
💖 Dual POV

Huge thank you to Atria Books & Ellie for the opportunity to read this early! I’m leaving this review voluntarily💖

Only Between Us is a perfect mix of sweet and sexy! If you're a fan of fake dating, athlete romances, or cheeky banter - you're going to love this one!

I loved the chemistry between these two characters. Both Brooks and Siena are carrying some serious emotional baggage, and the way they slowly open up and help each other heal was beautiful to watch unfold (plus their spicey scenes were very well done!!)

This wasn’t one of those romances where the conflict feels shallow or could be fixed in one conversation. The issues were real! Ellie K. Wilde did such a great job building characters you root for and understand.

Overall, this was an easy, feel-good read that still packed a lot of emotional punch. If you’re in the mood for a romance that’ll make you smile, swoon, and maybe tear up a little, this one’s a winner! Solid 10/10.

This was a great book with a good amount of angst. I loved the push and pull in the beginning with Brooks and Siena. The author did a good job in building their relationship and allowing the characters to be vulnerable with each other. At about 90% through the author tried to rip my heart out, which made the ending even sweeter.

4 Stars!!!

After a death-defying injury sidelined him for two seasons, Brooks Attwood’s pro football comeback has hit a major snag. Naughty photos from a post-break-up bender have leaked, and they’re killing his chances with the Rebels—his old team, and the only one he wants to play on.

Together, Brooks and Siena hatch a ignore the will to kill each other and pretend to be madly in love—at least, until Brooks signs with a team. But the longer they pretend, the less fake their fauxmance begins to feel…and Brooks becomes as determined to convince Siena they’re truly meant to be as he is to land a spot on the Rebels’ roster.

Further I got into the book the more I could feel the connection and chemistry grow between the two. Yes, Siena frustrated me at times because I didn't think she was emotional mature for her age but I also had to look at where she came from. At the age of 13 something big happened to change her life. Brooks gave her everything he had once he honestly opened up to her. Sometimes you just know things happen for a reason and I do believe Siena's dad sent Brooks to her. He is the calm to her storm.

I really enjoyed this book. It is a low angst sports romance. It is a light and fluffy read. Now Siena does come from a rough past. It could be trigging for some people. The thing that I would change about this book was it was a little to long. I feel like it could have been cut and still had the same feelings.

Tropes:
- Fake dating
- Dislike to love
- He falls first
- She doesn't date athletes
- His ex gave him trust issues
- Pro sports comeback story
- He bakes for her and her mom
- She's a wild child x He's a teddy bear

Thank you Ellie K. Wilde, NetGalley, and Atria Books for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This was a decent story. I definitely think the book could have been shorter and still achieved the same things. There was a lot of spice in this book. Honestly I could have done with less. I did enjoy watching the characters grow through the story and how everything turned out in the end. Thanks yo NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Ellie K. Wilde, how do you do this. Only Between Us is the kind of sequel that makes you want to reread book one just to experience the whole thing again.

Let’s start with the obvious: this book is HOT HOT HOT. Like, curl-your-toes hot. But it’s also super emotionally charged and had me fully invested. Brooks Attwood is the ultimate sweet and spicy book boyfriend. Protective, thoughtful, and so wildly into Siena that I was second-hand blushing. He’s right up there with the swooniest leads (hello, Dr. Jacob from Yours Truly) but brings his own brand of golden retriever charm to the table.

The fake dating trope is done to absolute perfection. This might be one of the best versions I’ve read. It’s smart, sexy, and surprisingly heartfelt with tension that is off the charts. I genuinely cared about these two navigating their own healing while falling headfirst into love.

Set to release on July 8, 2025, Only Between Us is a sizzling, swoony, fake dating romance that deserves a permanent spot on your TBR. Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC I’m already counting down the days until Ellie’s next novel - let’s GO Parker and Summer!

I'm a sucker for fake dating romance and combine that with football, and yes please! This was so so cute.

I was so unbelievably excited to get this book as an ARC! I really loved the first book in the series and Only Between Us didn’t disappoint. I feel like you get the best of both worlds in this romance - you get a great storyline, but also get the more romantic parts and there is a good balance. You can read this book as a standalone, or read it in order of series. Ellie Wilde has a beautiful writing style and I’m really hoping there is going to be a third in this series. 🤞🏼

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC!

3.75⭐️thank you again ellie for another arc!! i’ve loved ellie’s books since her very first one and im so glad im able to read them early. as for this one, i wasn’t able to fully enjoy it bc my dumb ass started this right before finals season but that’s my fault. either way, i enjoyed reading brooks and siena a lot. sometimes it did feel like it dragged on but overall very solid read.

Super Super Super cute! Loved it. 5/5 ✨.

A fun sports romance about an ex-player reigniting his spark for football. To be able to join the old team that he loves, he needs to fake-date a woman that he just met.

wowza - this was a HOT sports romance! the characters were fun, the plot was exhilarating, and the spice was SPICY.

it follows brooks and siena. brooks is a retired nfl player, who was forced to retire after a serious concussion. now he’s itching to get back into the nfl, but because of his seedy past after a bad breakup, he needs to clean up his image. enter siena. she works at her family’s fishing shop, but is a fan favorite after a video of her went viral supporting her ex at his game (also a football player). brooks thinks she’s using him for clout, siena thinks he’s a jackass. but hey - they both can use each other. cue the fake dating!

this was so fun. the tension was palpable and their connection and sexual chemistry transcended the pages. i truly ate this up. i did rank this a bit lower because siena was frustrating the hell out of he at the end, but i still had a fun time reading this. add this to your summer reading list!

thank you net galley and atria books for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

"Fake dating, real sparks, and one ex-football star who’s all green flags.”

This second book in the Oakwood Bay series is just as swoony and heartfelt as the first! Brooks and Sienna’s fake dating setup brings all the best tropes—forced proximity, friends-to-lovers, and undeniable chemistry. Brooks is a total sweetheart, and Sienna’s journey to follow her dreams was so satisfying to watch. Add in small-town charm, dual POV, and a tease for the next couple? I’m hooked. Can’t wait for more from this series!

Thanks to the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

DNF Review: Only Between Us by Ellie K. Wilde

I genuinely wish I had better things to say about this one, especially because I really enjoyed the first book in the series and was excited to dive back in. Unfortunately, Only Between Us lost me in a big way.

Without spoiling too much (although… it's hard not to), there's a scene where the FMC goes to a gala and forgets she has a vibrator inside her. Yes, forgets. It’s played for laughs or tension—I’m honestly not sure—but the result is more baffling than anything. Not only did it completely pull me out of the story, but it also undermined the character in a way that felt ridiculous and insulting to the reader’s intelligence. The whole scenario felt forced, over-the-top, and disconnected from the grounded emotional tone that drew me to the first book.

I wanted to love this one, I really did. But between the implausibility of that scene and the frustration that followed, I had to put it down. Not every book is for every reader, and this one just wasn’t for me.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

I absolutely loved this book! Ellie K. Wilde has become one of my auto buy authors and she honestly never disappoints. The way she writes characters and builds the relationships is unmatched. I’ve read all of her books at this point and loved seeing Brooks and Siena’s story unfold after meeting him in Only in Your Dreams. The tension, the flirting, the hate to love, the fake dating, he falls first, and PETE (!!!) this book was just perfect. Thank you so much NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC!

I was so honoured to be picked to read this book as an ARC!

A fake dating romance is not always one of my favourite but it was acceptable here! I loved both characters to a point but sometimes I also really turned against Brook, he seemed like he was missing something that might have made him a really good book boyfriend for me! Though he was sweet and charming.

Piper was a great character and had everything I normally like about FMC! She felt whole as a character to me and I really connected with her and felt bad for her at some parts! (You’ll know when you read it.)

The banter and spice was great in this book and was one of the big things that kept me going through it!

I would recommend this book.