Y'all, I LOVED THIS! Ilsa Madden-Mills is pretty much a 1-click for me, but this one made my heart SO HAPPY while reading it! Then I was even happier seeing it is the first one in the series, I can think of a few secondary characters I would like to see in their own stories *deviously rubs hands together*! Not only are Jake and Elena two amazing people, but honestly, this book was just extremely well rounded. You have the great main characters, supportive secondary characters, emotional times, off the charts chemistry, and amazing personalities-- YES, PLEASE!!

Jake is not your typical football player, but you would not know it by what you read in the papers. This guy is not very trusting, which makes it even harder when a feisty librarian starts getting beneath his layers. Elena is also NOT your typical librarian! This chick is awesome, I want to be besties with her like FOR REAL! She has her own layers and each one is better than the next. This story will want you believing in something real and connections that are just down right REAL and GOOD!

All in all, you should just read this book! If you like the blurb, it is a good set up of the story and you will not be disappointed. I had all of the feels and was totally engrossed in the book and give it 5 stars!

PS: Thank you to Ilsa Madden-Mills and Social Butterfly PR for allowing me an advanced copy of the book to read and review.

I did love these characters, don't get me wrong, but it's lacking the normal heart throb to it...
Elena is a small town librarian whose best friend talks her into a blind date. This would be fine if she didn't mix the guys up.
Jack is so used to women trying to get something out of him, he just lets her go on about random things at first and then he plays along.
It was just so unbelievable how much she trusts him at first, like going home with him, when she was afraid to even go on the date? I mean common. It just was little things like that. I just had a hard time connecting.

The fun I had with this one!

I couldn't have loved Jack and Elena more! They were perfect together. I loved Elena because she was real, kind and her witty comments made Not My Romeo unputdownable.
And Jack - strong, brody, with a past. But he couldn't keep his eyes off Elena. No matter where he went or what he did, she was always on his mind.

And boy, these two had some realy steamy moments!

Loved it!

In a sexy, endearing tale that begins with an entertaining case of mistaken identity, Ilsa Madden-Mills yet again delivers a masterpiece.

"...broken people love the hardest..."

Having to constantly measure up while hiding the parts of herself that bring her happiness has been Elena's life. When she finally goes against her intuition and goes on a blind date on Valentine's Day, her world is rocked in a way she never saw coming.

Pretending that he's strong, fearless and always in control has been Jack Hawke's cover for the past 14 years. Afraid of the pain that he sees as love's constant companion, he's shut down emotionally, only giving the bare minimum to appear normal. But as his unexpected Valentine's Day with Elena continues, he's struck by the unfamiliar stirrings of want as well as a keen desperation to be in her space always.

"Love means making yourself vulnerable; it means giving power to someone to hurt you."

I really enjoyed this book. Two hearts - more alike than they first thought - finally realise that love with the right person makes it easier to let your guard down and be your true self.

I can't wait to read the next in the series!

I voluntarily read & reviewed an ARC of this book.

This book gets you and drags you in right from the beginning. Loved the characters and the story was so good and unique.

Sinfully sexy and so much fun! I absolutely adored this story. It is full of laughs, swoons, steam and emotions. I loved these characters and I enjoyed being their through their journey. I am definitely looking forward to more from this author.

I decided long ago that I will read anything that Ilsa writes, but this book blew me away. It made my heart ache then oh so happy. I laughed and cried and felt every emotion right along with the characters. Jack was everything a hero should be and I adored Elena! I’m so so excited that this is just the first of a series!!

This book was just so great! I loved how the QB fell for the librarian and the added bonus of the community play was fun. I really liked the supporting cast and was excited that I'd get to ready their stories as well.

Oh this author never fails to dissapoint me, she is constantly amazing me with her stories. This book I devoured I heart these charaters so much this story was great

A blind date and a case of mistaken identity make for a very interesting and entertaining start to this book.

Elena is sweet and quirky and I instantly loved her. Jack is a big time NFL quarterback, used to women throwing themselves at him, so finding out that Elena has no idea who he is and then that she doesn’t care who he is has him incredibly intrigued.

Neither of them trusts the other, but for completely different reasons. Jack is definitely much more than the sexy, bad boy football player that everyone thinks he is...sexy, yes...bad boy, not so much. And Elena is exactly the one who brings out the best in him.

When he becomes the Romeo to her Juliet, all bets are off as these two try to navigate in each other’s worlds.

There may be some laugh out loud funny moments in this book, but wow, the raw emotion is what got me! Steamy, sweet and with amazing characters, many of which I can’t wait to hopefully find out more about in future books, this is a story that left me smiling.

Cute, fun, light-hearted - football extraordinaire meet girl next door librarian. Blind date, one night stand, second chance romance. Likeable characters especially strong southern woman. Overall, charming and enjoyable read.

This is hands down my favorite book so far this year. I really do not have all the correct words to start or even complete my review.
Jack is a broken man with one of the most tragic childhoods I have ever read. He second guessed everything and everyone. But as parts of his past were revealed it was understandable as to why he was this way.
I know this part of my review makes it seem that the whole book is all doom and gloom. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Add in Elena, who was absolutely perfect for Jack and there were laughs aplenty.
There are also some magnificent supporting characters that all added to make this truly a memorable story,
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

This was EXACTLY what I expected from IMH ... amazing characters, funny, flirty, and emotional storyline.

Jack & Elena are just so sweet, and cannot wait to see more amazing things in the series.

Since binge-reading IMH works late last year, I’ve become a massive fan and is always excited for her new projects 🥰🥰

This story was soooo good.
I‘m in love with all the characters and can‘t wait for the second characters to get their story as well.

Elena has been single for a while after her ex boyfriend and her sister got together so she get‘s set up on a blind date by her best friend and roommate. On this blind date she meets our hero Jack but she doesn‘t know who he is and he likes it that she doesn‘t. After a one night stand it is revealed who Jack really is and their turbulent story begins.

Jack has a really troubling past. He‘s a quaterback and hated by the media due to his past. He‘s quiet, broody and very hot. But he also has a heart of gold that he doesn‘t show everybody.

Elena and Jacks story is angsty, emotional and heartbreaking. It was so good I didn‘t want to stop reading it because I needed to see them get together so bad.

4.5⭐️

I love Ilsa Madden-Mills book. It's so amazing didn't want to stop reading it. Five stars for sure. This cover is absolutely gorgeous

Ilsa has done it again! I loved Dear Ava so very much, and I still think the ending is one of the best I've ever read. Not My Romeo is a sports rom-com with more, and it is fantastic! I laughed from the beginning of the book and swooned until the end. Jack is the perfect sort of grumpy but romantic hero, and Elena personifies the hot librarian. Throw in a pet pig and a small town in Tennessee, and we have the makings of a great story.

Jack and Elena's story starts with mistaken identity and blossoms from there. I mean when I read the description of Elena's outfit: black pencil skirt, white blouse with Peter Pan collar (please note the flying pigs' design on the shirt), stockings, pumps (pumps, ladies not stilettos), cat's eyeglasses, and hair in a chignon. I knew we were in for a fun ride. Elena proceeded to guzzle gin and tonics and leave Jack speechless. This beginning was only the opening of one of the most enjoyable romps (yes, this is literally a romantic romp if ever there was one) I have read.

Jack and Elena have trust issues. Big ones. Overcoming those issues and trusting each other takes some, goofy good friends, meddling family members, and William Shakespeare. Throw in some personal phobias, insecurity, anxiety, and missing panties; well, this story can only get better, right? And it does. The scenes in this book had me laughing at how Elena was not impressed by NFL players and wasn't about to let them get away with anything. Thinking about Elena facing down, Jack, dressed like Olivia Newton-John from Grease's final scene, was outstanding!

I am so happy this is a new series from Ilsa Madden-Mills. I have enjoyed her previous series and novels that featured college-aged characters. This venture into sports-themed adult romantic-comedy is delightful, and I cannot wait for the next installment!

I loved this one so much. I could hardly put it down. It's a book you get frustrated that you get interrupted while reading. I loved Jack and Elena. Right from their first meeting until the end of this book they weave you right into their journey. They made laugh, smile, and cry with their story. I mean Jack's past broke my heart and how alone he feels. It made my heart happy that Elena's small town opens their arms for him. He deserves to have a whole bunch of people in his corner without wanting something from him in return. Elena deserves some romance and things to work out for her in love life. She has such a good heart that just makes you root for her to get her HEA. This book had me laughing from beginning to end. I can honestly say this book got me out of a book funk I was in. It's just a good fun story that has a lot of heart and feels. When I finished this book my heart happy sighed. It's definitely a must read!

I had so much fun reading this book. Jack and Elena’s meet-cute was such perfection and it hooked me right in. They start to develop a friendship but Jack continues to hold her at arm’s length even though he KNOWS he can trust her. There were so many fun witty moments and great side characters in this book.

I loved this book so much.
Jack didn’t have the best life growing up, I just wanted to go into the book and hug him. He has a hard time trusting woman. Why? Well that’s because his long-term girlfriend ended up writing a book about him and it was all lies, saying that he was this and that. One day he gets some severe anxiety when he is around people that he doesn’t know. Let alone reporters that want to get info outta him.
Elena has her own unique lingerie and she has a pet teacup piggy named Romeo. She thinks that she is going on a blind date with a weather reporter. Jack doesn’t tell her right away who he is because he thinks that it’s great someone doesn’t know who he is.
This is only my second book by this author, and she is slowly becoming one of my favourites. I can’t wait to see what she comes out with next.

i read this book and listen to part of it. it was a. fun enjoyable experience. I can't wait to read the sister;'s story. I think that will be a lot of fun.