I tried to go in to this story with an open mind. In Not My Romeo, I was not the biggest Giselle fan. Now Devon? I loved this right off the bat. But Giselle, not so much. Within the first couple of chapters, I completely changed my mind. I feel in love with her. She was sweet, so freaking smart and funnier than I would have ever thought. She’s the perfect cool nerd. Her stories are really out there and I love it!
I was so happy getting to know Devon. We get a sweet, slow burn with these two. Their friendship grew so steady and once they give in to their zing is amazing. These two have had hurts in the past that’s each have to get over. But I loved their story. This book was a total page turner. I didn’t want to set it down and loved every minute of the story!!

Now we need Aiden’s story. And i want to see more of Devon’s cousin too.

Ilsa Madden-Mills has done it again! I swear, she never ceases to amaze me. How is it that every single book she writes is pure perfection! I can honestly say, I have absolutely loved every single book I've ever read by her, and they just seem to be getting better and better! This one tells the story of Giselle, the sister of Elena from Not My Romeo, who totally redeems herself in this one, and Devon, an NFL player, and the best friend of Jack (Elena's new husband).

Giselle and Devon find themselves in the same places a lot, and become fast best friends, with each harboring secret feelings for the other. This was such a realistic depiction of a true love story, and I hated for it to end. This one, along with the first book, Not My Romeo, is highly recommended!

I received an ARC from the author, and this is my honest review of Not My Match.

Oh how I LOVED Not My Match! Ilsa Madden-Mills once again delivers an incredible story full of laughs, love, and all the feels. The second book in The Game Changers series, Not My Match reads as a complete standalone but there are spoilers so I highly recommend you read Not My Romeo first to get the backstory on all of the characters. It'll enhance your reading experience you'll thank me later for it.

Readers will swoon something fierce for Devon, the sexy star football player. This man is sheer perfection! He's funny, protective, loyal, and underneath his Adonis body lies a heart of gold. Giselle is a brilliant, driven woman who seems to find herself in unlucky situations. She and Devon have incredible chemistry and I adored their hilarious, witty banter. I found myself laughing out loud throughout the book. Their story builds slowly as Madden-Mills ratchets up the heat between these two and when they finally get together they combust. I'm talking level 5 sexiness! I loved everything about this dynamic couple! Add in an eclectic cast of characters that will have you roaring with laughter and you've got the perfect story. I can't seem to get enough of these characters (I'm looking at you Mama, Aunt Clara and Aiden!) and hope that we get more of them in future stories. They are so much fun! Thank you Madden-Mills for giving us Devin, Giselle and every other character in this delicious series. I can't wait to read the next book! 5 stars

I am so insanely in love with Devon and Giselle. Their chemistry started with a zing

Giselle is a perfect mix of intelligent, sassy, and loving with a touch of awkward rambling driven by her passion for physics. She has a small circle but the love she has for them is as pure and genuine as she is. She was chasing the dreams she’s had since childhood and on the way there she found her voice standing up for herself in ways she never had before. I loved having a front row seat to the growth her character had throughout this book. She was the same but she also found this inner strength which made her already admirable character even more so.

Devon is cocky, possessive, and unsurpassably alpha; his past has left scars on his heart and although he’s been warned by his best friend that Giselle is off limits there is nothing that could come between the chemistry they share.

The chemistry between Devon and Giselle starts with a zing then spreads like wildfire becoming this soul-searing, all-consuming intensity that made my heart flutter. They were seemingly opposite yet they understood each other like no one else ever could. There was no doubt in my mind that Devon and Giselle were written in the stars.

Ilsa Madden-Mills continuously fascinates me with her ability to write such fleshed out characters the hero and heroine may be an NFL star and a physicist but the emotions, fears, and insecurities can touch a cord with any of us. That is exactly what I experienced while reading Devon’s most inner thoughts as they could have been a reflection of my own.

The storyline was alluring. It felt like a slow burn but it also played out fast, is a slow burn - fast burn a thing, it is now. There was the zing followed by them becoming closer, friends as opposed to aquantincises. They had a mix of witty banter and deep conversations that made me laugh on one page and shed a tear the next.

Ilsa Madden-Mills delivered an alluring blend of soul-searing chemistry, a hero that’s an addicting blend of swoon and cocky alpha, a heroine that’s intelligent with a touch of adorably awkward, witty banter, an abundance of feels, and steam.

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

Devon is a likable character despite his bad boy persona and Giselle definitely redeems herself from her slightly unsavory past.
I like that she’s a super smart and quirky heroine.
I liked their banter and they had some really great funny moments.
Secondary character Aiden is awesome ! He’s hilarious and a great friend.
I loved seeing familiar characters from the authors book Not my Romeo. They are so quirky and fun. They add a lot of comedy and heart.

I read the first book in the series and adored it so I could not wait to check out this book. It stars Giselle, who was the one who stole her sisters ex when her sister caught Giselle kissing her fiancee Preston. Now Giselle is a single virgin and really wants to get rid of her virginity.

Devon is bestfriends with Jack who married Giselle sister and while they are honeymooning he is trying to watch over her. Well all that changes when she loses her apartment and needs a place to stay.

I loved Giselle and Devon together. He really tries hard to resist her and she really tortures him but it was so fun to watch as these two drive each other crazy but in the best way possible.

This was a wonderful story with awesome characterss and characters I fell hard for,

I received a free ARC copy of this book from NETGALLERY prior to release and am voluntarily leaving a review.

While I didn't read #1 in this series, I didn't have a problems figuring out how the earlier stories connected to this one. The problem I did have was with the characters and the storyline. All was so-so and a bit ridiculous. I didn't feel the chemistry -- readers were told they had the hots for each other, but it didn't come off the page the same way as I think the author wanted us to believe it.

Initially I was thinking it was an ok story, but on reflection, it's a little lower than 2 stars read.

First up, I have to be honest - I was not really a fan of Giselle in the first book, so wasn't 100% sure what i'd think of this book.... I really enjoyed this book!
We didn't really get to know much about Giselle in the first book, apart from the drama with her fiance which wasn't a very positive impression, so I'm glad we got to see a different side to Giselle in this book- it took a little for me to warm up to her, but I then found her to be quirky, a bit nerdy, funny and a little naive.
But Devon? He made this book for me! His backstory, the emotions, him letting his guard down with Giselle, just everything. He wasn't perfect, he made mistakes, but he had the best of intentions and he really tried.
And together they just worked so beautifully!

I don’t why I struggled with this one. I had moments of being super into it and moments that I just wasn’t that into it. Not good or bad just meh. Maybe I just read it when I was in the wrong mood.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

Giselle Riley – is brain smart but boy her common sense smarts, are off by a mile.  Not to mention her instincts.  Everything is going downhill fast and then it literally all goes up in smoke.  Don’t worry!  Devon Walsh to the rescue.


Devon Walsh – a sexy, sweet, successful football player who's been burned so no entanglements is the name of the game.  Until his best friend’s new sister in law “drops” into his life.

Did you guys read Not Your Romeo?  I was NOT a Giselle fan.  As a matter of fact, I wanted to slap her a few times for her past actions.  I really wanted to keep hating her, but I couldn’t.  Ilsa made me like her dammit!  She is funny and nerdy and a virgin who is looking to take care of that little issue ASAP.  Unfortunately, for her, the dating disasters are piling up.  At this point in the story, I felt it was just desserts, but I soon warmed to her.

Devon has been told that Giselle is off-limits.  So how is he supposed to stop thinking about her and all the things he’d like to do to her?  How?  Well, by offering her his home after a fire at her place.  But wait!  There’s more.  He’s also going to be her wingman on future dates because he’s her friend.

These two are clueless!  How could they be oblivious to the electricity between them?  Simple.  Both are carrying the burden of their past and the internal warning bells that are screaming “Danger, Danger Will Robinson”.  Sorry.  Back to the story at hand.  They do become friends and are helpless to the slow burn bubbling between them.  Despite their good intentions, keeping their hands off each other proves impossible.

Little by little, they each start to trust each other.  They start to open up to each other.  Still, that slow burn is ever-present – sometimes a little too slow burn for me.  Thrown in some sizzling hot kisses and now I’m rooting for them.

Ilsa Madden-Mills is a gifted writer.  This hit the sweet spot for me.  Sexy, angsty with a hit of drama.  I smiled, I giggled, I was angry and then happy and once it was all said and done, Not My Match is another winner in my humble opinion.

Not My Match is the second book in the The Game Changers series by Ilsa Madden-Mills. You can read it as a standalone, but you should read Not My Romeo because it's great and you get to meet Devon and Giselle! Devon's the bad boy wide receiver and Giselle is Elena's sister (who you don't really like at first) who I absolutely love! This was an emotional, sexy, hilarious book about two people who appear to be opposites, but just get each other down to their souls. Everything bad Giselle has ever heard about herself, Devon loves. The things Devon believed his whole life, she's showing him they are possible. Devon loves her quirkiness and her scientific theories and she loves just being with him for him, not his fame or money. But they are friends and that's all Devon thinks they can be. She's too good for him. She has dreams to fulfill. Giselle is fine with being just his friend. Totally fine! She can resist his sexiness, his laugh, the fun they have. Right? Oh so wrong! One kiss starts the sparks and every time they are together it just heats up. But Devon can't cross that line with her. Everyone is worried he'll break her heart, but he knows the truth. She has the ability to crush his. Will he take the chance? Wow! I loved this story so much! I laughed until I cried and I cried until I couldn't even see the pages. It was so much fun and so full of emotion. All the laughs. The sexiness. The foreplay. The family. The friends. The teammates. This book is the reason I read romance!

Oh my word Ilsa has once again given me characters that I fall in love with and want to be their friends. I absolutely love the opposites attract genre and this couple was so much more than I could have imagined. Devon is the perfect swoon worthy alpha male and Giselle is our intelligent, virginal, newly single gal friend. I honestly could not get enough of this couple.
Giselle Riley finds herself in a pickle when a fire leaves her homeless. Devon has a huge apartment just going to waste of course he offers her to stay with him, oh this is going to her very interesting.
Devon is our hot shot bar owner and athlete that has had a bit of an infatuation with the lovely Giselle but since she was engaged and his friends sister...totally off limits.
Giselle is newly single and looking to unload that pesky virgin status but first she will move in the the totally out of her league or so she thinks Devon.
I loved this couples wonderfully witty honest banter. They were so much fun and such a breath of fresh air. Get ready to fall head over heals in love with Giselle and Devon.
~~Michele McMullen ~~

Not My Match is the second book in Ilsa Madden-Mills The Game Changers Series and it follow's Elena's younger sister Giselle and Jack's best friend and teammate Devon. This book can be read as a standalone, I would recomment reading it in order for maximum reading pleasure.

We met Giselle during Not my Romeo, where she was a controversial character for me based on what happened during NMR. But starting NMM she grew on me alot. She's insanly intelligent and so much fun. She's a quirky girl with a big brain.

Devon is a broody, very sexy football player. He has some big commitment and abandonment issues that you can clearly see during this book, but he secretly has a really really big heart.

I really enjoyed Giselle and Devon's story. It was so funny but also had some very emotional aspects to it. The writing was great although at times very slow. Overall I really liked their story and I hope to see a book about Aiden next.

4.5⭐️

3 for neutral. Will update once I read the previous books. Did not realize it was a series and tried to read, but couldn’t enjoy knowing it wasn’t the first.x.

Oh geez. Finally, we get Braden’s book. Dare to Stay is the fourth book in the Dare Nation series. You can enjoy it as a stand-alone, but I highly recommend reading the other books. It’s filled with such great characters and unique storylines; you won’t be sorry. Okay. Braden. Braden is the Prescott sibling that left two years ago to work with Doctors Without Borders. While his family was off being successful sports professionals and building a business to help those sports professionals, Dare Nation, he was out in another country providing medical care to the less fortunate. When his cousin Ian, the owner of the Miami Thunder NFL team, needs a head physician, he decides to come back home to fill the position. Coming back to family was the easy part. Coming back to see the woman he loved and left behind is the more challenging part. Willow is a Sports Therapist for the Miami Thunder and is taken off guard when she finds out her new colleague is her ex, who left her without an explanation. A man she loved and trusted but, like everyone else in her life, left in the end. After seeing Willow, Braden wants her back, but can he get beyond her walls to get him to trust him again?

This book had me doing a happy sigh at the end. Braden and Willow had a lot to work through. Braden had to be honest with Willow about why he left, and Willow had to decide if he was worth taking a second chance on. They both became each other’s strengths and truths. While Braden’s slow and steady persistence won out, Willow didn’t make it easy for him. This story was set at a nice pace and had so many heartfelt moments. I turned the last page as a happy reader.

Absolutely loved this book. Giselle is an awesome woman! Brains, beauty and a sense of humor. Who wouldn't want to snatch this gal up in a heartbeat?! Well, let's just say her new Brother in law tells his teammates that she's off limits to them all, but trusts his best friend to keep an eye on her while said BIL is on his honeymoon. What could go wrong?... Certainly not a small apartment fire that has more smoke damage than flames. And then add in the birthday curse. Again, what could go wrong?...

Some bad luck never brought Giselle such good luck! After being displaced she just must move in with NFL hottie, club owner and all around gorgeous charmer Devon!
What starts as a crush can easily turn to more when jealousy, smarts, movies, spiders and lust get involved!!!

I adored every word of this one from the fab IMM! I read it in two sittings. I just couldn’t wait to find out what Giselle decides, how patient Devon was...love, love, love this book! Oh and the secondary characters, especially Elena and Jack (who I LOVE) were an awesome addition. Be ready to fall in love with the LadyGang of Daisy and a bunch of heart melting footballers! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Highly recommend!!!

Not My Match is the second book in the The Game Changers series by Ilsa Madden-Mills. It can be read as standalone but I recommend reading Not My Romeo since it’s amazing and where you first meet Giselle, Elena’s sister and Devon, Jack’s teammate. This is their story...

Giselle was lost months ago. She picks up the pieces and now is ready to kick ass. She is having fun, making new friends, writing a book, and finishing school. She also wants to get rid of her V-card very soon. She wasn’t saving herself for someone special, she was just cursed and wants it gone so she can fully move-on. She was ready, random hook-up was fine with her but not with Devon. Nope. He wanted to find the perfect match for her to share that with. Not just some asshole at a bar. Someone who deserved her. He wished it were him but she was too good for him. Smart, sexy, and sweet. A relationship kind of girl. He wasn’t an ass or anything but he got bored easily. He also knew she was the one to make him fall and he didn’t want another broken heart. She wouldn’t be a woman to walk away from him.

It was his mission to not touch her but to find someone worthy of her. It was hard to follow the rules living apart but now after fate stepped in it was nearly impossible since she was now living with him. Yeah, very hard indeed. Will he find her perfect match?

I absolutely loved them. Giselle, of course wasn’t a favorite in her sister’s story but we didn’t really get to know her till the end. Now? I love her! She is funny, genius-level smart, sweet, and caring. Devon is so much fun, I liked him as Jack’s friend/teammate and fell hard for him in this book. He is charming, funny, and sweet with an alpha side and has other sides I didn’t see coming. Loved that. Together, their banter is fun and flirty, their connection is sweet and sexy. I laughed. I cried. I swooned. I can’t wait to see who is up next to fall. I think I know but we shall see.

Quotes:

“Get that club from the Hummer. Shit is about to get real.”
I do as she says, swinging the club as I walk back to her, wondering what the hell she’s going to do.
“Here, hold my beer.”
“Said every redneck before they wake up in the hospital.”

I don’t get close to a lot of people, and with him, there’s a beautiful connection I’m afraid of destroying.

“That’s barely a bikini!” Aiden says from behind me.
“Shut up, Alabama,” Devon growls. “We were going swimming.”
“You don’t have a pool!”
“I’m going to build one!” Devon replies.

Not My Match but My EVERYTHING

Ilsa Madden-Mills is full of glitter, wonder, and heart eyed awesomeness...or so I assume.

Not My Match is everything a hopeless/hopeful romantic dreams of. Feisty banter, amazing ZING, and characters you either want to be yours or your new BFF. There is no going back. The Daisy Lady Gang will have you in its clutches. It doesn't hurt that big sexy NFL players happen to be everywhere. Its like wandering a pick your own orchard. All that mouth watering juiciness just waiting for you to sink your teeth into it...

Also sexy French movies that I need to get Netflix to watch. Yeah, Ilsa brought the magic and I ate it right up! With a goofy HEA grin and tears in my eyes, Not My Match is my everything!

“There’s an ancient Chinese myth that’s says if two people are destined to be together, then no matter how long it takes, their paths will continue to cross and intertwine. They believe there an invisible red thread that ties destined couples. The thread may knot or tangle but will never break.”

Ilsa just can’t seem to stop pumping out all the feels. She does it again in this newest sports romance. He’s the yummiest of alpha males and she’s the classic nerd. Opposites truly attract and we are pulled into their universe.

Devon , while being everything on the outside that a woman could want, is damaged. He comes across as crazy, flirty and fun but he has more layers. He’s never been first, never been truly loved and has been left behind so many times. He doesn’t believe he has it in him to ever try again for that one person who could complete him. He holds himself back and he’s guarded.

Giselle is all about science and geeks out over physics. Shes quirky, nerdy and a whole lot of fun. She’s Elena’s sister and we all had a few issues with her from the first book in this series. We didn’t actually know the full story...and there is a story there. An inexperienced girl, sucked in, caught up, makes the wrong choice....She’s recently single, determined to change her life and now homeless when Devon steps in to help.

These two built a beautiful relationship. First a friendship that became solid and fun. They were supportive and stood behind the other. They “see” one another. Then there was more. The chemistry between the two is amazing! It’s a slow burn that builds and builds until it explodes and moves quickly. You could feel the intensity from the pages.

“You are the best person in all my universes.” -seriously one of the best lines ever!

This was a fantastic romance. It was a slow burn all the way through but it just kept building and leaving us on the edge waiting for more crumbs to fall. You will snicker and swoon and leave with a smile on your face all while being happily sucked into this black hole.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R2LQ77PI8TNF58/ref=pe_1098610_137716200_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3784514318