Jack Hawke is my new book boyfriend. I had heard great things from fellow book friends, but was SO happy to find that their reviews were spot on. Elena and Jack meet accidentally on a blind date mistake. She doesn't know who he is and he loves that about her. Their chemistry is on fire and the side characters and small town charm in this story make me hope that we get more of Daisy, TN really soon. If you love steamy, fun, sports romances - This is your book.

3.5☆
Cute

What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Dual POVs
Part of a series: The Game Changers
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue

I look forward to reading the next book in this series.

I loved it from the hilarious beginning to the sweet end. I definitely recommend this book and I can't wait for the next one in this series.

4 stars
Characters were quirky and different. Elena Riley shows up on a blind date, thinking it was someone her friend set her up with, ends up on a "day" with hot and famous quarterback, Jack Hawke, Jack plays along, thinking she might be a reporter and he is trying to fix his damaged image.

They have a crazy rollercoaster of a relationship, but you are pulling for them the whole time!

I had so much fun reading this book!! I love how Elena and Jack met and how they kept running it to each other. The banter between the two is great and the town of Daisy sounds so quaint.

I read this book in a day and look forward to the next one in the series.

Thank you @netgalley for a copy of the books.

Elena doesn't have the best of luck with men. They usually love her and leave her and she's had enough. But when her best friend sets her up on a blind date - she agrees. Turns out her date is a hottie and they end up having a one night stand. Turns out the hottie wasn't who said he was and is football quarterback Jack Hawke.

I absolutely LOVED Not My Romeo. I read it over the course of one day and could not put this book down. Elena and Jack had so much great chemistry together and I loved the way they let their guard down with one another. Their little inside jokes and hanging out (watching K-dramas) were my favorite.

I really enjoyed the secondary characters in Not My Romeo as well and that is really hard to do. A lot of times secondary characters are added in, but don't really help with the plot of the book. Definitely not the case with this book and I loved everyone from Elena's mom to Timmy - the little boy who idolizes Jack.

Not My Romeo was my first book my Ilsa Madden-Mills, but will most definitely NOT be my last! I can not wait for the next book in the series (maybe Devon or Aiden?).

If you can suspend disbelief as the plot combines a sports romance with the tropes of a small-town love story, this was a very enjoyable read. The heroine is a sexy librarian who goes on a blind date to help get over with her former boyfriend becoming engaged to her younger sister. After a mix-up, she ends up spending a night with football bad-boy quarterback, Jack Hawke. But neither character fits the stereotypical depictions. She is not some shy librarian, but a ballsy woman who isn’t afraid to say what she thinks even if she has a tendency to babble on when she’s nervous. Jack doesn’t deserve his bad boy reputation. He had a terrible childhood and then his ex wrote a dishonest, supposed tell-all memoir making up stuff about him. However, he’s immediately attracted to the heroine and keeps going to visit her in her small town. He even volunteers to play Romeo in the local production in which she’s playing Juliet. Hence the title.

There is a real culture clash between his world of intrusive media and sports and hers in a small town where everyone knows and gets into everyone else’s business. Being a southern town, there a lot of “bless her hearts’ thrown around on the way to a HEA.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

this was a pretty cute story. I was sort of bothered that the heroine was so unable to understand the hero's need for privacy, but it wasn't like terrible or anything. Competent.

OMG!!! Not My Romeo by Ilsa Madden-Mills is a swoony sports romance. Jack and Elena stole my heart. I loved this book so much. I am so sad that it's over. I love sports romances, but this was so much more.
What started out as a case of mistaken identity turns into an instant connection and holy hotness of football player Jack Hawke. Elena is supposed to be meeting her blind date and thinks the guy in the blue shirt is him. Who doesn't know Nashville's top quarterback? Elena is a librarian and is trying to start a design company for lingerie. She is quirky, spunky and has been hurt from a prior relationship. Jack doesn't trust easily, tries to avoid living in the public eye and is not looking for a relationship. When he meets Elena, he can't stop thinking about her. Not used to having to chase girls, Elena is not your average girl and doesn't care who he is on the outside but wants the real Jack.
These two will warm your heart, and keep you up reading until you finish as it's so good! This story and these characters were amazing. Their attraction and chemistry were off the charts.
This is a must read sports romance as its so much more and will leave you with all the feels.

Do you have any friends with similar reading tastes who get you so excited to read a book? Not My Romeo was on my radar but not at the top of the list until two trusted friends shared how much they enjoyed it. And when one texted about the heroine saying: “librarian, used to edit romance novels, makes her own quirky clothing and lingerie” quickly followed by “there’s a teacup potbellied pig in a sweater” I was SOLD! I was starting this book immediately!!

It kicks off with Elena going on a blind date - and assuming the man alone in a blue shirt must be her date. He was not. I am a sucker for a solid mistaken identity start! Turns out the man she sat with just happens to be Jack - the quarterback for the local football team who never gets to just be himself because people always think they already know him. Except the beautiful woman who just sat at his table and thinks he’s a local weatherman.

I loved most of this book. There were some parts toward the end that weren’t my favorite - poor communication and a romance trope that doesn’t work for me - but I would still really recommend this. It was a great break from the real world and had me grinning at many points.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the advance reading copy.

CW: hero remembering abuse by stepfather and witnessing murder of his mother

I want to know if the Daisy Lady Gang would consider a petition for non-Daisy residents. I feel that in today's society it just seems fair. I would absolutely be devoted. I can hold the satellite meetings at my house. But we have the right to declare visitation. As a satellite branch, the OGs would need to visit several times a year. Oh and lingerie privileges!

If you are lost, it's only because you haven't read it yet. Not My Romeo is a ball busting good time. Also I may have peed myself laughing....(allegedly!)

Elena is absolutely fantastic. She is quirky and real but I am so enamored by her quick wit and her tongue. She had me in love with her just reading her interactions with the football "gods." From then on, I was Team Elena no questions asked, just point me to the body we need to bury.

Not My Romeo is sexy, sweet, and small town with the feel of a magical wonderland. This fairytale comes complete with flirty panties (lots of panties!), an abundance of gorgeous man candy, and swoony version of Romeo and Juliet that can not be forgotten.

Don't take my word for it, ask Timmy!

Thank you Montlake Romance for the eARC of Not My Romeo!

I just finished Not My Romeo and I loved it so freaking much! I went into the ARC of this totally blind, I’ve never read any books from Ilsa Madden Mills before and this totally blew me away.

I’ll have a more coherent review up closer to pub date, I’m still in the swoony “I can’t believe how good that was” phase. But I’m the times of COVID, I just have to immediately share when I find a contemporary book that I loved as much as this one. It takes a lot to hold my attention and this book made me laugh, swoon, and feel alllll the things. I highly recommend adding this one to your TBR or preordering it (it’s definitely preorder worthy!)

Elena is a librarian and secret lingerie designer who thinks she’s being set up on a blind date with a weatherman, ON Valentine’s Day. Instead she sits at the table of Jake Hawke, a shy NFL quarterback with a lot of secrets. After a hot night together, Elena wakes up to a note clarifying that she did not just sleep with the weatherman.

This was the type of unexpected forced proximity romance I live for! Jake and Elena keep finding themselves in the same places and it’s impossible to deny their chemistry together. I mean, they end up preforming Romeo and Juliet together for the community theater! #perfection! Jake has a pretty dark backstory that surprised me when I first started the book (CW below) but I found his character to be so swoon worthy. I’m a sucker for shy heroes! ⁣
⁣
I laughed so many times while reading this one, I mean how can you not when the book has a sassy pig wearing a sweater?! I love love loved the small town of Daisy where Elena lives, give me all the meddling family members! I’m so happy this will be a series because I NEED more from all of these characters! ⁣

Not My Romeo deserves alllll the stars! Highly highly recommend!

CW: hero abused by mothers BF, witnessed her murder.

-- Read this review, and others, on my blog www.hookedbythatbook.com –

Ah, this was a proper love story. Elena crashes Jack’s dinner for one when she mistakes him for her blind date. Jack was very intrigued when he realized that she had no idea he was football’s latest poster boy for scandal and gossip. Jack couldn’t get Elena out of his mind, and he kept contriving situations that will bring him closer to her.

Jack had a lot more going for him than he shows on the surface. He is a painfully shy person thrust into the spotlight by his chosen profession, and people can’t understand why he doesn’t like all the attention. He believes himself incapable of love until he tangled with the occasionally wild librarian.

I liked both Elena and Jack. Jack seemed to forget he was considered a big deal anytime he is around her. All he wants is to make her happy. Elena is funny, creative, and interesting. She sees beyond the surface to who Jack really is. The romance between them got off to a quick start, but the real relationship built up slowly and just right. It follows the usual pattern you would expect from a book like this, but there is a reason we love them so much.

This book made me sigh, and I was really rooting for Jack and Elena. The supporting cast of characters were also fun and interesting. And I had that “awww” feeling at the end, you know the one, right? When the hero convinces the heroine to pick him and live happily ever after? Yes, that one.

If you love romance, don’t miss this one.

Thank you to Montlake Romance and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I haven’t read many books by this author so I decided I would read another.

I enjoyed this story but it didn’t WOW me. I thought the book was too long. I felt the story dragged in spots and really slowed the progression of Elena and Jack’s story. This was a little too much of a slow burn for me.

By the end I really just wanted to smack Jack. So I kind of lost the connection I had to him and Elena’s story.

Just because this wasn’t a favorite of mine doesn’t mean others won’t love it. The storyline was entertaining enough and I loved some of the secondary characters we met. I just think there was some extra drama added that didn’t need to be.

I would recommend this book to romance readers. And I will still read future books by this author.

I’ve been a fan of Ilsa’s college sports romances for a while now. I was so excited to read a professional sports romance from her. I so enjoyed Not My Romeo. I started it when nothing else would hold my interest. It was fun, flirty, and steamy. Just what I expected from an Ilsa Madden Mills romance. I look forward to more from this world.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

When a Super Bowl quarterback is thrown into fried green tomatoes (the movie). Therefore, as a European, I wasn't the target reader for this book. Nevertheless, I'm a hard believer that no matter the story itself, good writing can hook up anyone. The main characters (Jack and Elena) are two broken souls that have been betrayed by the ones they loved. Well, I guess that was the primary explanation for their controlled behavior. The main problem for me was that I didn't feel much for them. I usually build an image in my mind, but this time I couldn't put a face on Elena or Jack. Something was missing, the little thing that makes them live in my head and ease in the story. Weirdly, it was more comfortable with some of the secondary characters.
Moreover, I didn't like the poor nerdy small-town girl's vibe, who never had an orgasm meeting a gorgeous ultra-rich guy who's going to teach her what good sex is. Overall, I couldn't understand Elena. Her arguments for the passion she's hiding weren't convincing.
The sappy storyline was also too predictable and disjointed. I only kept reading, wondering how the author would get them to the HEA, and how they would face up and be a little smart.
I won't spoil the story, but I didn't understand how Jack finally realized that Elena was the one. Added to that, I found some inner dialogs a little annoying and too many inconsistencies that I won't list to avoid spoiling. The writing was a bit repetitive: each time she saw him, she described how he was dressed and was overwhelmed by how hot he was. It was so recurrent that I ended up believing he was just a dumb hot jock.

I don't believe a good romance needs crazy twists or a lot of drama, but it has to be a little believable and go with the flow of the story. Moreover, why bother giving so many details about Jack's work and health issues and don't follow up. It was like the epilogue was there to make up for it. The bottom line is that if I had been transported by the story, I would probably have forgotten about the inconsistencies.

I ended up skimming this book. I didn't like how he led the the heroine on and slept with her while maintaining a false identity. Based on how she was described, I didn't get enough chemistry between them to believe she would just sleep with him after a bad date. I liked the heroine but felt she deserved better than the hero written for her

One of my favorite romance reads of the year!! 
I highly recommend it to every romance reader, this book has off the chart chemistry and unbelievably believable dialogue. 

It is hard for me to be critical or even write a review when you loved the book as much as I did love this one. I feel like I can’t express it well enough how much I enjoy reading this. 
What I find the best is writing more specifically the heroine. I haven’t read such a well fleshed out character in a long time. 

It seems that this book will be book one in a series. But don’t worry, it can be read as standalone. I assume the next book is about one of the side characters. Which I will be reading, of course. This book is about a football star Jack and small-town librarian Elena. They meet in a restaurant where Elena mistakes him for her blind date. From there all yumminess ensues. Jack can’t stay away from the mysterious Elena. But it seems that they also keep bumping into each other. 
Do opposite attract? Or do they have much more in common than they think? 
Many interesting side characters keep this story going. From Elena’s meddling mother who wants her to find a boyfriend to her damaged relationship with her sister, her cheating ex-boyfriend, her vivacious aunt, sweet roommate, Jack’s teammates, and a bunch of curious small-town people this book makes a page-turner. Once I started it I couldn’t stop reading it. Jack makes a sweet book boyfriend. I loved the pace of the book and character development. I would categorize this as a small town, mistaken identity, or even sport romance. But this book doesn’t shy away from some heavier topics such as cheating, abuse, trust issues, self confidence. 

Filled with funny moments, lots of steam too, but the emotional parts are what tied everything in a perfect feel-good read. Not My Romeo is a book that every romance reader will be in love with. 
This is a book I want to reread!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! 
I will be sharing it with my Goodreads & Twitter friends closer to the relase date. And can't wait for all of them to read this book.

This is one of those weird cases where my head says this book really should not have worked for me at all but I flew through it and know I will reading the other books in this series as soon as they come out because I really want stories for all of the side characters. So why did this book for me? Fun supporting characters are not generally enough but I loved the opening with the mistaken identity blind date and there is the comfort of an escapist Cinderella story where a celebrity falls in love with an average person. Make it a misunderstood supposed bad boy celebrity and my knees can’t help but get a little weak and the hero in this book delivers. It was enough to keep me engrossed and for me to forgive a kind of silly ending and other small gripes.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

5 stars. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
A fabulous rom-com, it ranks right up there along with all my other top favorites in this category.

The story was total rom-com magic....I laughed, smiled and sighed at times ...I also felt my positive endorphin levels rising with each new page that I read!!!
This has to be one of ilsa Madden Mills best books ever IMO.

It starts off with a Valentine's Day blind date misstep when Elena (a sweet librarian and albeit secret lingerie designer) mistakes Jack Hawke (a somewhat cynical and shy football player) for her intended date (a weatherman named Greg) and she boldly sits down at his table.

What followed was such a fantastic scene (absolutely one of my all time book favorites) and it definitely sets the stage for this zany, crazy and positively adorable ROMANCE .

I loved Elena so much and all her crazy family. In fact I loved all of these characters including the insufferable ones such as Elena's Ex as they are all part of the reason this was such an endearing and "very" special read.
The majority of the book is set in Elena's "oh so" cute and charming hometown of Daisy....delightful!!!

There is even a little Romeo and Juliet action going on here in terms of the town's annual play...note the choice of book title.

I totally devoured this delightful book and....

I HIGHLY RECOMMEND READING IT ......thank you so much Montlake publishing for giving me this ARC...it was my pleasure!!!!

ARC was received in exchange for an honest review.