This was my first Ilsa Madden-Mills but it won't be my last.

Honestly, I was so taken by the cover of this one I knew I had to read it. Elena is a small town librarian who recently moved back to Daisy, TN after living in NYC. A chance encounter of mistaken identity on Valentine's Day leads to a one-night stand with Jack Hawke that Elena won't forget. When Elena realizes that man she slept with is bad-boy NFL quarterback with an image problem, Elena thanks the stars that they don't run in the same circles. But as Jack and Elena's paths cross more and more, their chemistry blows through the roof as meddling relatives, exes, and bad press converge to threaten the sweet relationship.

This book is the perfect summer romance. One that gets your blood pumping, gets you laughing and swooning. Elena is so much more than a small town librarian and I loved that she had so many complexities. Jack has so many walls up it's a surprise that he can walk around anywhere! I loved seeing both of them break down the other person's barriers and the love that they find is so sweet it hurts. Overall, I really enjoyed this one and am excited to see who will be featured in the next in the series (I know who I want but I don't want to share and spoil anything!).

Jack is that book boyfriend you read about and immediately start the hankypanky with your significant other. He’s literally the. perfect. guy. I mean..aside from his emotional baggage, but who gives a shit about that?

✔ Professional football player
✔ Dirty talker
✔ Closet nerd

Elena is the sweetest most genuine heroine I’ve ever read about. She loves unconditionally, trusts completely, and backsasses the worst of them. She’s fiery yet humble. Loving yet fierce. Forgiving yet unrelenting. Bold yet shy all at the same time.

Their chemistry lit my kindle on fire.
Their attraction was that of a cat and mouse game; both felt this instant connection yet neither would admit to their true feelings.

Ilsa wrote a remarkable enemies-to-friends-to-lovers novel that I could not get enough of. I devoured this book in one day and had jack ingrained into my mind days after finishing.

GAH

he was p e r f e c t.

𝐘𝐀’𝐋𝐋 𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐁𝐎𝐎𝐊

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Not my Romeo started off really well. I couldn't put it down! I had to see how things would play out between Jack and Elena. Their banter was fun and delicious and I really enjoyed how they got together.
Once Jack started doing the play though, his character became slightly inconsistent. Or maybe their conversations felt slightly different.
I was happy that Elena, her Mum, and her sister sorted out their differences. It was an easy book to follow and definitely something light and easy to make you smile.
3.5 stars

This book delivered EVERYTHING I want in a romance. Not My Romeo offers a fresh take on who a romance hero can be. At a glance, Jack Hawke is the star NFL quarterback with the bad reputation and aloof attitude. But Ilsa Madden-Mills has given Jack a personality and depth that sets him apart from the legions of heros we read every day. I won't give anything away, but Jack is a man you want to get to know. I fell in love with him a little more with each turn of the page. Ms. Madden-Mills has an incomparable talent for drawing me into her characters lives.

Elena is the perfect match for Jack, though seemingly opposite in every way. Pint sized and curvy, this sassy southern girl is nothing like the women he's known before. A buttoned-up librarian by day, Elena's got a sexy side that has Jack intrigued. She fascinates him, even though he doesn't know if he can trust her. Elena's been burned by love, but wants to keep trying. That determination leads to their first unexpected and thoroughly entertaining encounter.

For me, Not My Romeo is a romantic dram-edy. There's no slapstick humor but so many laugh out loud moments. Elena's quirky family and Jack's friends add yet another bright layer to this story. I want to read more about every single one of them, and Not My Match, the next Game Changers book, will hopefully give me that chance!

4.5 stars!
The thing I loved the most was the chemistry between the main characters. From the moment they met I was sold. In just a few pages the author managed to make me feel that little something in the air, magical and all the butterflies!

I was rooting for Elena and Jack since the beginning. It took one misunderstanding to put these two in the same path. For once not being recognized was refreshing and Jack took advantage of it. Sometimes all it takes is one moment to change everything and they are going to learn in a hard way, to push their limits and to overcome their fears.

I adored their banter and kept each other on their toes (especially Elena with Jack), seemed to be in different places and also not on the same page regarding relationships. Elena wasn’t a one time girl material and Jack couldn’t give more. But fate had definitely other plans for these two.
When they kept meeting each other in random places, well sparks flew! Strong hint of sexiness on the way!

The heroine wasn’t looking for Romeo and Jack would prove her that he could be more than this and well you have to read it to see how interesting these two were. Jack was really a surprise to me. Just amazing!
They drove me crazy at times but it kept things interesting and it was not easy for sure.

They made me smile so hard and it was effortless, their chemistry was off the charts and their banter from easygoing to seriousness leading to some emotional parts. And the swooning… be still my heart!!

It was a story I loved reading, from the characters to the storyline.
A feel good book with great characters that put a smile on my face.

I absolutely adored Jack & Elena’s story! A great sports & comedy romance wrapped up in one. I laughed a lot while reading! Great banter & chemistry!


I voluntarily reviewed this book.

Another recommendable read by Ilsa Madden Mills. She has honestly become one of my favourite one-click authors. She hasn’t disappointed me with her books and Not My Romeo was another smashing hit.

Jack and Elena’s initial meet was so much fun to read. 
I am a sucker for small town romance plus add into that another favourite trope of mine- Sports romance,you know it’s going to be an entertaining read for sure.
If that wasn’t enough, add into that a female protagonist who is a librarian and a football star…I mean, come on! You know for sure that the chemistry and storyline is going to be off the charts.

I loved Elena so much. She is fun, quirky, smart, an introvert and has a secret hobby that is legit awesome! 
It is very rare for me to say that a hero of a book, who just so happens to be a football player is sweet but Jack is that and some more. I adore him to bits.

Once again Ilsa Madden Mills has delivered a book that is the perfect mixture of fun, sexy, heartfelt and swoony.

A definite must read.

I’m lost for words on how to express my love of Elena and Jack. This sports romance has some of what you expect but also so much more.

Jack and Elena had sizzling chemistry from their very first awkward encounter. I loved Elena she had a fiery personality with some nerdy awkwardness and an outstandingly kind heart. Jack was broken, alpha and a master at C-L-*-T-S but he also had a mixture of other things in his character that set him apart from every Hero in any sports romance or any book that I have ever read.

Ilsa Madden-Mills started this all new series with bang! This heartwarmingly sweet, witty, scorching, all new sports romance that sets itself apart from others. Jack is without a doubt a top rated book boyfriend and Not My Romeo is a top read of 2020 and my new favorite Ilsa Madden-Mills book.

I received a copy of this book with thanks to Netgalley and the publisher voluntarily, all thoughts and opinions are my own.

I needed to read this book, it such a feel-good romance book, you know the ones that will make you swoon like a teenage girl and laugh like the crazy adult you are.

Elena and Jack meet on Valentines day,when she mistakes him for a blind date and after spending the night together they part ways but life has other plans for them and they meet again.And this time things get complicated since both of them starts to feel more than just that night they spent together...

You will love Jack and Elena; he the professional athlete with trust issues that longs for someone to complete him and she with the big dreams and the wonderful family, a good old fashion love story that will leave you with a warm heart.

Ilsa Madden Mills has lately become one of my favorite authors, with her warm- hearted, funny,real page turner stories that will always leave you with that feel good feeling as you read the last sentence.

A big plus is that Madden always succeeds with the side characters, they shine without outshining the main characters but managed to capture your interests so much that you want to know their story. I m so looking forward to read Aiden´s (and Giselles?) story.

4 Stars
Ilsa Madden-Mills could write the phone book and I would stay up through the night to read it knowing I would have something very entertaining and fun.

This time it is the dreaded blind date and not only is there confusion, but the people also connect under mistaken impressions. Like Really Connect and the fella fails to speak up...

Oh Boy, he knows he needs to come clean but he is really loving being with our gal and when the truth comes out, he is going to lose everything.

Elena is a small town librarian who agreed to go on a blind date with a weatherman. Her ex is currently dating her sister and this is an effort for her to move on and meet someone new. What she doesn't know is that her blind date isn't the weatherman she expected to meet, but Jack, who is a famous football player and doesn't have a good public image.

When she finds out, she tries to stay away from him, since he is bad news, but fate seems to throw them together in different places and circumstances.

I enjoyed this one so much! I've been blessed lately with good romance books and this is one of them. It's a sport romance, but it doesn't focus much on the game. There's also some forced proximity, which I enjoyed. The secondary characters were all amazing and I totally loved the complexity of the main characters. I loved how the author broke some stereotypes by giving them layers.

When you have a good plot, multi - dimensional heroes, amazing secondary characters, funny dialogues and sexy scenes, you're holding on your hands a gem. Definitely recommend this one!

Not My Romeo is the start of a new series from Ilsa Madden-Mills. It’s a sports romance between a bad boy football player and a small town librarian. I’m not even sure I would qualify it as a sports romance because football was really in the background mostly. They have an epic first meet, where she thinks he’s her blind date, and chaos ensues. They end up having a one-night stand, and later she finds out who he actually is, and she’s angry! Unfortunately for her, Jack just keeps showing up everywhere she is. I have to say Jack was a hard character to like from the beginning, but he does grow on me by the end. Elena, on the other hand, was fun, sassy, sweet, smart from the very beginning and I couldn’t have loved her any more. The secondary characters were all wonderful and added a lot to the story. I loved the small town feel to this too! This is a great start to this new series and I can’t wait to see where Ilsa Madden-Mills goes from here!

* ARC provided by NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

I loved this book so much! Elena quickly became one of my favorite heroines with her no nonsense attitude. She was quirky and fun and a little quiet at times but she was also not afraid to speak her mind and would stand up to even the most imposing football players. She and Jack were amazing together and it was so fun to see Jack not sure how to handle a woman like Elena who didn't just fall all over herself to get to him.

Jack really opened up around Elena and it made me love him so much that he showed that side of him to her when usually he hid it around other people. He was sensitive and sweet under the tough football god exterior and it really drew me to his character. He and Elena together had me smiling so much and I just couldn't get enough of them. I was sad to see the book end but I can't wait to read more from this series.

I. Loved. This. Book. When I think Ilsa Madden-Mills can't get any better, she does. This book was so good. I was captivated from the first chapter and had a hard time putting this book down. Elena and Jack were the perfect main characters. Elena was strong and sassy and Jack was sweet and gun-shy due to his past. Their meet-cute was the best and I loved all of their run-ins. If you like romance you will love this book!

This is the first book by this author that I have read and I love her writing style, it’s fun and flirty yet has serious elements woven in brilliantly. I can honestly say I was hooked from the first page!

Elena is such an adorable character, quirky, a bit of a nerd, sexy in an understated way, gutsy but honest and so caring. Jack is a touch arrogant, yes, but he has his reasons. He is vulnerable and extra cautious about those vulnerabilities, with reason too. I liked both characters straight away and found them to be so much fun together. It also doesn’t hurt that their raw passion is as sexy as all get out.

Fantastic descriptions and expressions make it easy to visually run the story as a film reel in your head. They also have you laughing out loud quite often with sayings such as... “... is like a t*rd in a punch bowl.” A sensational romantic comedy.

Fast-paced and easy to read because of its solid storyline this is a book you won’t want to put down, I found it hard. This story makes you feel great, not just after you finish it but the whole dang way through, I can not recommend it enough.

Emotional!

Super sweet and very steamy with a lot of drama mixed in.

I voluntarily read an advanced copy.

A great start to a new series from Ilsa Madden-Mills! I loved getting to know Jack, Elena, and all their friends in Nashville and the tiny town of Daisy.

The story was a great balance of heat, romance, and humor with measurable growth in both Jack and Elena. The banter between them and their deepening connection were fun to read about. I did feel like Elena overreacted a lot at one point, but I did understand her reasoning behind being upset.

I think at least two or three books are to come based on other characters introduced and I am really looking forward to seeing who is next!

I’ve been in a rasping slump recently, but Not My Romeo got me out of it for sure! Really good contemporary romance. Did I get occasionally frustrated? Yes, but overall I liked both the characters and the story.

Book: Ilsa Madden-Mills
Author: Not My Romeo
Rating: 4.5/5 stars

"Do I make your heart beat?"

And lord did this book made my heart beat!!! This book is the reason why I fell in love with romance novels I loved every second of it! It was a journey, to say the least. Thank you, Ilsa, for sharing this amazing story with us.

This book was sensational; I had a blast! The first chapters were hilarious; I couldn't stop laughing. The chemistry and banter between Jack and Elena were off the charts. It was such a fulfilling read to me; it captivated my heart and, I felt so happy after reading it.

Elena and Jack's story had it all, romance, funny scenes, banter, great chemistry, angst, and more than anything; we were able to see their development and growth. Seeing them fall in love was beautiful and even more, seeing them realize love matters, how they felt about each other mattered and, that overcoming their insecurities and fighting for a future together was the right answer all along!

Btw, I didn't know this was a new series and OMG I couldn't be more excited to see where the next books will take us!!!

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

Feels 3
Steam 3
Storyline 4
Overall Rating 4
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley

Elena recently went through a really shitty breakup and wants nothing more than to swear off men forever. She somehow finds herself agreeing to a blind date her best friend sets up for her. Off she goes to a five star restaurant to meet a weather man in a blue shirt and on Valentine’s Day, none the less, what could possible go wrong?

“I can’t help but notice that she looks at me as if I’m no one special, no glint of excitement in her eyes, no fluttering lashes, no awe at the weight the name Jack Hawke carries. Fascinating.”

Jack is just trying to enjoy a dinner alone when Elena sits down across from him and starts rambling nonstop. He has no idea what to make of her or what the hell is going on. When she drops the info about him being her blind date, he should tell her, right? But as they continue talking he becomes enamored with the quirky, sexy librarian and lets her believe he is someone he isn’t. One thing leads to another and hello penthouse, a nondisclosure agreement, a steamy one night stand and stolen sparkly panties.

“I may not recognize this daring part of myself, but he is what I want right now. This moment. This bliss. This one night.”

Eventually Elena finds out Jack isn’t the weatherman and that he is actually Jack Hawke. Sexy football god extraordinaire. She is pissed...kind of. I think she’s a tad more pissed about the stolen underwear. She can’t seem to not be where he is and he can’t seem to get her out of his head. So begins their game of cat and mouse.

I really liked Elena. She was super sweet and quirky with a side of oh so naughty. I also loved how she accepted Jack for himself instead of who he was to everyone else. Jack was amazing and his awkwardness was enduring and sweet. Plus my man was so sexy. I am a huge fan of Ilsa Madden-Mills and have always loved all her books. While I liked this one, I just didn’t love it. It was a sweet and light read. It just didn’t wow me like her other books have and felt like there was something missing although I am not sure what. I didn’t think their chemistry was spot on but I am not sure if that’s even what had me struggling at times to stay interested. I loved the characters. I guess I just wasn’t a huge fan of the story. I do look forward to reading more from this author.

“I’m deeply, irrevocably in love with my Romeo.”