Ok, I absolutely loved Giselle and her quirkiness. I mean, she’s everything. She’s funny, her best friend is an old lady, she worries about everyone else and not herself, she has a romantic past that couldn’t be made up, except it is, and she knows who she is. Then Devon. Her perfect match in every way. He takes care of her. He loves her. But does he fight for her? I couldn’t get enough of this book. I read it so quickly that I couldn’t believe it was over when I was finished.

Wow...just wow. This book was everything. Devon and Giselle are everything. And not only are they these two characters you would necessarily put together every time something about there chemistry is just magnetizing! The universes just come together for them! —“love and happiness those intangible, beautiful, hard-to-hold things, are what count the most....” this quote is just something that hit me hard as I was reading the book.

Devon is this football player that you think is just that a player and he has met his match in Giselle and from there everything about what brings them together is a slow burn. There are not a lot of steamy moments in this book but that okay. The emotion that is conveyed in the moments Devon is thinking or by himself just are raw and full of so much heart it makes you believe that men like him do exist! I love Giselle’s quirkiness, everything about her made me smile, she was awkward but she wasn’t and she feels as though love doesn’t want her or she is cursed but it took meeting the right person to make all those fears go away!

Every time I read on of Ilsa Madden-Mills books I just want more. And I cannot wait until she releases the next book. She is becoming one of my favorite authors. All the emotion that she puts into her books just makes me believe that love stories likes she writes truly does exist!

I received a ARC in exchange for a honest review

”Life doesn’t decide who you fall for. Love knows no rules at all.”

5 Level-Five-superstars! My first Top Read of the year! Devon and Giselle were hilarious, so much fun, hot AF and hella swoony and romantic! I loved their banter, the scorching zing and emotional connection between them. I ABSOLUTELY ADORED THEM!

”Part of me knows that I’m teetering close to a heady infatuation with Giselle, throwing my inhibitions aside and devouring her piece by piece.”

Devon Walsh is charming and cocky. He’s not in the market for a committed relationship. He usually lasts about a month with one woman and then he sends them happily on their way. However, when it comes to Giselle Riley, he’s not completely sure if he’s coming or going. For the first time in a long time, she makes him feel and want things that he’s closed himself off from. His fears hold him back from going after what he craves with her.

”We stare at each other, and heat builds and rises inside me, a yearning to touch him that makes me feel light headed.”

Giselle finds herself in a mess – things are not going well with her studies, her dream job looks out of reach, she’s still repairing her relationship with her sister, and her apartment just burnt down. The only good thing seems to be her budding friendship with Devon, in spite of the obvious attraction between them. However, when she finds herself living at his apartment, it’s pretty hard to keep ignore the zing between them, especially when they seem to gel so well, too. She’s tired of making mistakes in her life but the more time she spends with Devon, the more she might be willing to take a leap of faith with him.

”He wants me – maybe more than just want, and the fierce girl inside me pounces. She’s had enough. She demands.”

Gaahhhh!!! This book gripped me every which way! On the surface, Devon and Giselle were an unlikely pairing. He’s the commitment-shy, bad boy player and she’s the genius, nerdy scientist who’s looking for monogamy. Devon was just downright gorgeous – not just on the outside, either. Underneath, he was as soft and squidgy as a toasted marshmallow. I adored his innate goodness and vulnerable heart. Giselle was surprisingly funny and goofy. She’s supersmart but was unapologetically her quirky self. I found her sweet, caring side and fierce protectiveness of others somewhat bittersweet, as she often struggled to stand up for herself. The two of them together were so fun and amusing. I adored their banter and connection. I really laughed out loud at some of their antics. LOL. Their chemistry was sizzling and the tension between them delicious taut. Devon made me swoon hard!! He tried so hard to do the right thing by her but, in the end, his desire and jealousy pushed him to claim her. And, HOW he claimed her! *heart eyes* This novel (as well as the first novel, Not My Romeo) was full of colourful characters that made for a hilarious read! LOL. This author goes from strength to strength and I can’t wait for her next novel.

I 100% loved this book. One thing that will always get me is a smart girl romance, mix that with a sports romance and I’m all in. The opening of this book got me from the first page. That rarely happens these day and is a true testament to a good book.
Giselle is the nerdy hot girl, who is a virgin. But unlike most virgin stories it’s not because she’s awkward and a hidden hot girl. It’s because life keeps creating moments of absolute gold to mess with her getting her Mack on. Also underneath it all she is still like every girl and wants that first time to be special. Sometimes I wish I had been older smarter and knew my body better when I did that. So she is now on a mission to find a good guy to lose it with.
But of course in walks the hottie football player who is besties with her brother in law. They have had an unknown attraction for each other. He as well as the entire football team have been sworn away from her.
There are so many moments I laughed out loud. So many moments I truly just swooned. The banter and relationship between them is perfection. The side characters are so much fun I want all of them in every book. Note to self need to see if Daisy, Tennessee is a real place and then go there.
Giselle is one of my favorite heroines. She is also on the sly writing an alien romance novel based on fact/science. Same way I imagine any physicist would. This is just a side component of the amazingness of Giselle.
The sexual tension was off the charts. So many moments I did my squirm in my seat dance. Holy balls all the steam. All I’m going to add is red Maserati scene and when you know you know. Fire, fire! I lost an entire week worth of panties.
This book was everything I needed in life right now, I’m so thrilled I got to read it.

Giselle and Devon are soulmates but I really didn’t believe that until Ilsa Madden Mills convinced me. I did not like Giselle at all due to her actions in her sister’s book. To me, she was a boyfriend-stealing, backstabbing hussy with no chance for redemption. Well, IMM does redemption so so well and she grew on me. She’ll never be my favorite heroine but she deserves her HEA. She’s clueless and hapless, and desperate for love. Devon is the shining star in the book. What a beautiful man! The dialogue is fresh and perfect and funny. The big miscommunication/misunderstanding never really happens because (shocker) these two actually do communicate and act like adults. A really lovely story with a heart-melting hero.

I knew I would love Devon from the moment he was introduced in Not My Romeo, Giselle on the other hand took some getting used to but she also won me over from the very beginning.
Giselle is insanely smart; she is kind of quirky and I honestly loved her. She hasn’t had the best of luck when it comes to her life lately. Devon is an insanely talented football player and all his cockiness goes to show he knows how good he is. Devon is also extremely protective, especially of Giselle.
Giselle and Devon have loads of chemistry. I loved their friendship and I loved seeing the tension build between them. They are complete opposites and both of them have their own struggles to get through. I loved seeing a different side to Devon, too. He may seem like he has everything in life to most of the public, but really he doesn’t and he struggles with the pain of his past. Devon and Giselle both need each other and it wasn’t always an easy road.
Not My Match had me laughing, swoony, falling in love and crying from the very beginning.
If you’re looking for a friends to lovers, sports romance, quirky/nerdy heroine romance this one is a MUST READ! It can also be read as a standalone.

This was a beautiful story of two people finding what they were missing in each other. It’s also a beautiful story showing that dreams change as we get older.

Giselle is a grad student who is getting her degree in physics. She’s super smart, funny and tends to have bad luck around her birthday. Devon is the star wide receiver of the Nashville football team. The two have mutual friends. Her sister and the quarterback for the team are married. After a house fire displaces her, Devon comes to her aid and she moves into his penthouse. The attraction is there but science proves that two opposites due in fact attract.

I love how quirky and smart Giselle is. She had me laughing and had me feeling. Devon is a stud and a alpha gentleman. He’s a fierce protector which I love reading in a book. This is the second book in the Game Changers series and can be read as a stand-alone.

This book was a great example of following your dreams. But also knowing that dreams change and that’s okay. Follow your heart and your dreams will grow too.


Review for Goodreads:
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3773805776?book_show_action=false&from_review_page=1

I'll post the same review on Amazon and my blog once the book is live. https://lateknightlunareads.wordpress.com

*** 5+ SWOONY STARS ***

I am completely, utterly and hopelessly in love with Devon Walsh. This author continues to write heroes and heroines who are unique, addictive, bold and unforgettable. Not only has Devon Walsh soared to the top of my favorite sports heroes list - this man is oh so swoony with his confidence, flirtatious personality, charm, and compassion - but Giselle is the perfect match for him. This is not your typical story of hot jock meets nerdy girl. These two have so much chemistry between them that it did in fact feel like they had been together for years, not months.

If you read Not My Romeo in this series, you may remember Giselle as Elena's sister and have some hesitations about her. But she wiped any misgivings I may have had about her in the first pages of this book. I was smitten over her. She is quirky, bold, and says what she thinks and means it. She does not let anyone get to her - her ex, these big burly NFL players, or her misogynistic advisor. She surprised me again and again from her fun antics and jokes with Devon to her daring and brazen activities in the bedroom. I LOVED HER!

The push and pull between these two is perfect. Their relationship felt real and organic, and developed in such a natural way that I FELT it. Devon's backstory broke my heart, and Giselle's family had me laughing out loud at times. This book will bring ALL THE FEELS and I know it will be one of my TOP favorite reads of 2021. IMM has done it again with her fabulous writing and I can't wait to read what comes next from her!! Well done!

I don't know what I expected but I love Giselle more than Elena. And Devon is soooo swoonworthy! I really enjoyed reading this book and I like it more than book 1. I'm hoping for more books in this world. I must say while reading book 1 I didn't like Giselle much but I really fell in love with her in this book.

Book 2 in the Game Changer series from Isla Madden-Mills, I was so glad to get Aiden and Giselle’s story.

This is a sweet and sexy story, a slow burn opposites attract romance. Giselle’s is left homeless after a fire in her building, Aiden comes to her rescue and offer’s her a place to stay. Giselle is still coming to terms with the break up with her fiancé, and Aiden is a little gun shy to start something with his best friends sister-on-law.

Follow these two as they learn to deal with their insecurities, and come to realize they are each others better half.

Not my match may be one of my favorite books by Ilsa to date! Devon is a superstar wide receiver who can't keep his eyes off of his best friend's sister in law Giselle. Giselle is trying to move on and find a new man. Devon happens to be at her first disaster blind date which eventually leads into their friendship accelerating at a quick pace. Devon must sort out his feelings but Giselle can't wait forever for him to get there. This book had great banter and angst. I didn't feel like the angst was over the top and unwarranted or just present for the sake of drama. Giselle is smart, ferocious and quirky making her a loveable heroine. Devon is dreamy, sweet and ever so caring making him an endearing alpha. I loved all the zings of attraction from these two and felt they had great chemistry. Don't skip out on this book, it finally got me out of a long book slump!

I have to admit that I went into this book thinking that I probably wouldn't like it. See, if you read Not My Romeo first, you know that Giselle (the h in this book) did something to her sister that some people, like myself, might find unforgivable. So here's my take on this story...

Giselle is a 24 year old woman who is a virgin despite being previously engaged. She is a career driven college student with a close knit family in a small town.

Devon is pro football player that grew up without a mom and with a dad who couldn't hold a job or a woman. Everyone who Devon cares about or loves always leaves, so he doesn't let people get too close.

Giselle and Devon know each other because Giselle's sister is married to Devon's friend and teammate Jack, who declared Giselle off limits to all his teammates. So despite his attraction to Giselle, Devon does his best to keep her in the friend zone. An emergency leads to them being temporary roommates. As they grow closer and cross the friendship line, an opportunity presents itself to Giselle. One that would leave Devon behind and so she has to choose.

Overall, I liked the story. It became a little easier to forgive the h as the story progressed. Even so, I didn't feel the heat between them and the chemistry was lackluster. I love a great build up that leads to the two characters finally getting together, but again, it fell flat. I loved Devon and thought the author did a great job making him seem real and very likeable. He's the reason I finished the book. Maybe I couldn't get past what Giselle did, I'm not sure. I just know I couldn't connect with her character and didn't care for her. So while not my favorite Ilsa Madden-Mills book, I'm glad I read it and expect others will enjoy the story.

This book was my match! 5 stars

Right away this author had me laughing then feeling for Giselle. There were sparks between Giselle and Devon, but he thinks he should stay away. I loved Devon so much; he was the perfect combination of bad boy on the outside but sweet and swoony on the inside. My heart broke for Devon once his past was revealed. He did frustrate me but after everything he’d been through, can he trust love? As I got to know Giselle, I loved her too; she’s quirky, intelligent and funny. I felt for her so much during this book. She was also finding herself, and there was one point where I applauded her. As she’s finding herself, can she find love too? The slow burn between them was exquisite, and when it ignited it was fire. I was rooting for them, because this author took her time and let me invest in them. This book matched everything I love in a romance: fun yet angsty and emotional, a couple I root for with smoking chemistry that left a smile on my face and won a place in my heart. I definitely recommend this book!

*I requested and received an advanced copy of this ebook for my honest review that I am voluntarily leaving.*

This friends to lovers romance is sure to heat up with the sparks flying between Devon and Giselle. When you add drama and my favorite sport of football, it makes for a great read. These two have a clear attraction but can they get out of their own ways to do something about it? It’s one story that I enjoyed reading and look forward to checking out other stories by this author.

I really enjoyed this. It had me laughing in quite a few spots and even had a spider featured and for me, as a spider lover, that was awesome. The characters were pleasant and I enjoyed revisiting with the characters from Not My Romeo which still remains one of my favorite Ilsa books. Even though it is the second in this series, it could easily be read as a standalone and it has an HEA.

If you want a SUPER smart, sassy, heroine who is going for her doctorate, teaches physics and makes it fun, writes alien romance and wants to go to CERN then Ms Mills has a little something for you.
If you want the MOST adorable alphamallow hero who has a little bit of broken in him and sees something in a special girl and wants to give her the world AND her dreams then Ms. Mills has a little something for you.
If you want friends to roommates to lovers with banter and sparks and oh so much longing you can't even stand it, then Ms. Mills has a little something for you.
Let me tell you I'm always hyped for an Ilsa Madden-Mils book. It's just who I am as a person. But this hit different. The dynamic between Giselle and Devon is more than obvious from the start and I just wanted them both to have it all. I adored every word of this. And the side characters were so hilariously refreshing. I volunteered to read and review an early copy of this. All opinions are my own.

I was excited for Not My Match because after reading and falling in love with the first book this one had a lot of expectations and let me just say this book was everything I expected and so much more.
Ilsa Madden-Mills is an author that draws you in, she captivates you with her words and she has you falling hook, line and sinker for her characters and that’s exactly what happened with Devon and Giselle’s journey. Once I picked this book up and there was no putting down until I had read the final line because I needed to know how this journey ended.
Devon is a professional wide receiver and like most sportsman he comes across as a bad boy but as we all know bad boys can be tamed if they meet the right woman and that’s where Giselle comes in......
Giselle is not the type of girl to wooed by fame so Devon really needed to work hard to get this smart, sweet with a hint of sass girl on his side and that means showing her his vulnerability......
So will these two opposites make a go of it, well I guess you need to read the book to find that out.
This book ticked all my boxes, I loved the characters, I swooned and sighed a lot and I smiled as I joined this couple on journey. Not My Match has the perfect mix of humour and drama and I highly recommend it to all romance lovers.

Ilsa Madden-Mills pens an irresistibly sweet, fun, sexy, pull at your heartstrings romance worthy of 5++ swoony ⭐️s!

➵ Facts: Not My Match is book #2 of The Game Changers by Wall Street Journal, NY Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills. It is a standalone romance, told from both points of view with a smile inducing happily ever after ending. Sub-genres: sports romance | friends to lovers | roommates to lovers | opposites attract.

➵ Plot: T When player and NHL star Devon Walsh met virginal, genius physicist Giselle Riley, the two could not seem more different. After a fire forced her to find a temporary place to stay, Devon and Giselle become friends of sorts. He’s playing matchmaker while she’s using him as inspiration for her sexy alien warrior hero in romance novel while both try to quash their mutual attraction because she dreams of finishing her PhD on the other side of the world while he dreads being left behind.

One thing is blatantly undeniable, being around each other makes them both deliriously happy. Can they overcome their opposite views on relationships?

➵ Hero: OMG I L.O.V.E.D. Devon with his sexy and gruff alpha male exterior protecting his very vulnerable and squishy heart. Coming from humble beginnings, a broken home, and a relationship that left him feeling less than, it was difficult for him to open up to the possibility of him and Giselle.

➵ Heroine: Giselle was a wonderful surprise. I loved her just as much as I did Devon. She totally appealed to my geeky side (engineer with a couple of master’s degrees here), my love for teaching science in non-traditional ways, and my love for romance (romance book lover here). She’s quirky and fun and exactly what Devon needed.

➵ Sexiness: Not My Match was a delicious slow burn that built on the banter, friendship and attraction between Devon and Giselle. Their chemistry was palpable and was deepened as they got to know each other. There were so many moments they shared that made my heart melt.

4.5 stars

I am a huge fan of this author and so any book that she writes is sure to hit my good book meter, hence the huge fan. However, this book exceeded even those expectations.

I wasn't prepared to like Giselle as much as I did. There was just something about watching her inner mind work that had me cracking up. She was awkward and knew random facts. Social settings and friends were not her thing and I loved that about her. The connection that she had with Devon made me laugh. He was this jock who was far from naive and yet Giselle turned his world upside down and made him awkward in his own way.

Great storyline that had a fresh spin to it, loveable characters, and just the right amount of steam. The epilogue was also pretty dang perfect. I thoroughly enjoyed this book.

Not my Match is one interesting, intriguing story!
It seems Giselle is rather cursed in regards to her relationships. When her apartment building has a fire, Devon suggests she stay with him. He is her brother in laws best friend and a high profile football player.
Needless to say this book is quite the slow burn. Can these two ‘just friends’ survive living together?
Giselle reminded me a little of Amy from The Big Bang Theory and her quirky insights were endearing. What I really admired about her, was her taking charge of her life and standing up for herself.
There is quite an amount of family drama, however there are some incredibly heartwarming but also sad moments and I really felt for them both. Devon may be a very private person, however he seems to let Giselle into his circle.
I really enjoyed this book. It made me curious, wanting them both to be happy and hoping for a great outcome for all involved.
This book definitely brought a smile to my face.