I was a little hesitant when I started reading this book because it was different than the other books I have read by Ilsa Madden-Mills. The beginning kind of through me for a loop because it just jumped right into the middle of Ronan and his current mood without much of what was going on. Cue the meet cute when Nova enters the scene and incoming holy hotness! Ronan decided after his one night with Nova that it was time to get it together and move forward with his life.

Nova and Ronan's story continues in the small town of Blue Belle where everyone knows everyone and everyone knows your business. The small town feel added to the romance of the story with the quirky characters and loveable animals. I laughed out loud to Skeeters obliviousness of life and Sonia's quirky life philosophies. I believe the story could have been more focused on the main characters even thought side characters can add to the charm but there was a lot of side stories added in.

Ronan and Nova's story was sweet and steamy with their fun and games, banter, and playfulness. Ilsa made you feel the turmoil that Ronan was feeling with his emotions and tough decisions and Nova was a fierce and strong character that held it all together. This wasn't my favorite read by this author but it was sweet and funny plus the epilogue finished it off nicely.

Arc, for an honest review.

This is definitely one of favorite reads. There were many hilarious conversations between Nova and Sonia & Nova and Sabine. Many laugh out loud moments. Nova is sassy and funny and extremely smart. She moves back to Blue Belle to take care of her sister after their mother recently passed and I love the way she basically takes care of everyone in her own way.
Ronan isn't fully healed, even years after he lost the love of his life and his football career in a crazy accident. He moves to Blue Belle for a fresh start. Nearly after two years of people throwing women at his feet to get him to stay, he has this plan to start fake dating his new neighbor.
Let me tell you how HOT this story was. It wasn't just Ronan and Nova, it was the whole enchilada, it was the relationships between everyone, it was every neighbor, it was every co-worker, it was every student. Top fav's for sure.

Nova and Ronan - so many tropes so much drama so much page turning! Nova and Ronan met at a party and had a one night stand and now, two years later, they are neighbors in the small town of Blue Belle, Texas. She's raising her sister, he's working as a high school football coach. She goes to work for him and then when they've both had enough of others meddling in their love lives, they decide to have a fake relationship. You know what happens next! This has appropriate steam, fun characters, and a good spirit. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

After an intense encounter 2 years ago, former football star Ronan Smith finds himself in small town Texas coaching. He wants to get his life back after a tragic event. Ronan never thought he would see the mysterious beauty he met years prior but Nova Morgan just happens to be his new neighbor. Can he makeup for the past and find what he needs? A perfect balance of laughs, heart and redemption in this small town, sports meets second chance, fake relationship romance. Ronan is adorable and a great match for feisty Nova. A delightful, feel good romance that will have you falling for the coach! Also, I just loved their friends, Skeeter and Sonia! A definite top read of 2022. Told in dual POV

This was an very enjoyable book. Ronan is a former NFL player who is still trying to deal with a tragedy when he has a one night stand that makes him reevaluate his life. Two and a half years later, Nova returns to her home town to care for her sister after her mom passes away. When she finally meets the new neighbor that had moved in next to her mom’s house a year ago, she can’t believe it is Ronan. This is a story of facing fears and learning to love and live again. There are also great side characters, many funny parts and a few Easter eggs from other books by Ilas Madden-Mills.

Y'all, I don't say this lightly, but this might be one of my favorite arcs that I've ever had the pleasure of receiving.

This book was phenomenal and just a pure joy to read. I laughed so much, I fell so deeply in love with the characters and the town of Blue Belle.

Nova is a no holds barred, fun loving kind of gal. She's honestly infectious and a huge reason why this book was such a joy to read.
Ronan is the yin to her yang. He's been through a lot in his life. Experienced the highest of highs and the lowest of lows. But, he still has some learning left to do.
From the moment they met, you could feel the chemistry that they have and it only got better as the book progressed. Their connection made me swoon more times than I count, I lost track of how many awes were said out loud.

One of my favorite aspects about the book was Sabine and her relationship with Nova. They were hilarious. Not to mention Tuck and Skeeter. There are so many side characters in books that you fall in love with along the way, but these guys truly have a hold on my heart. In fact, this book as a whole has a hold on my heart and won't ever let go. You absolutely have to read this when it comes out.

Big thanks to Montclair Publishing for the e-ARC of this book via NetGalley. This review is being given honestly and all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Overall 3.5/5 rounded up to 4 based on enjoyment

CWs: death of loved ones (fiancé & mother), grief, dead fiancé, cheating (not hero)

You’ll enjoy if you like:
-One Night Stand to Forever
- Beauty & the Beast retelling
- Fake Dating
- Found Family

This was my first Ilsa Madden-Mills book, she is an author I’ve seen around for a while but hadn’t read anything from. Glad I took a chance on this title because I really enjoyed it. This was a pretty good read and I found myself genuinely laughing out loud at SP many scenes. I will say that sometimes the writing wasn’t consistent. The majority of the book went smoothly but there were moments where the writing just didn’t fit the moment, this was especially true for me, with scenes in Ronan’s POV.

I think another perk of this book was the amazing secondary characters. I absolutely loved the found family aspect of this book and all the extra storylines we got. Would definitely love to see Sabine get a book but the teaser for book 2 was also VERY interesting!

In conclusion:
Did I like this? Yes
Would I recommend it? Yes
Would I reread? Maybe
Will I continue the series? Yes

NFL quarterback Ronan Smith has the world in his hands. But after losing his career and his fiancée in a car accident, he falls into a pit of grief and bad choices. Former beauty queen, Nova Morgan, is on a mission. Scantily clad as a princess from a galaxy far, far away, she sneaks into a high-profile party to capture the attention of her favorite quarterback. But her hopes crash after an awful one-night stand. Fast-forward two years. Broke and desperate, Nova returns home to Blue Belle, Texas, where, by a cosmic twist of fate, her broody neighbor is none other than Ronan, the shiny new football coach everyone adores. But he has no idea who she is.

The booster club keeps shoving women at Ronan to keep him in town. His solution? He proposes fake dating to Nova. But things heat up for real under these Friday-night lights when he realizes she’s the one who slipped away.

Ilsa Madden-Mills always writes a great romance. I have yet to be disappointed in something she puts out. Ronan and Nova have a rocky start, but that doesn't last long. Once Ronan realizes he can longer fight his feelings and attraction to Nova, it's game over. Nova was just what he needed to realize that he can move on from his horrible past. I love the storyline, characters and small town feel of this book.

Thanks to NetGalley and Montlake for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story starts with Ronan Smith having drinks and mourning the loss of his NFL career and the death of his fiancée. It's been a year and he's still broken, grieving, and hasn't been able to get his life back on track. He doesn't know what hits his drunken mind when a nameless, beautiful woman strolls in sporting a Princess Leia getup. After a passionate, anonymous night, Ronan wakes and she's gone. But it took that night and what he felt to realize it was finally time to move forward.

Fast forward two years later and we meet Nova who is moving back to her hometown after her mother passed. She runs into her next door neighbor, Ronan, who is the high school coach and the man she shared one passionate night with. But he doesn't recognize her.

What follows is a series of small town interactions, fun moments, emotional times, a fake relationship, high school sports, a bunch of behind-the-scenes teacher behavior, and a slow romance with a whole heck of a lot of Star Wars references to keep fans entertained.

The story is funny in parts and emotional in others. There's a huge cast of supporting characters and tons of things that happen over the course of the book. Tons. At times, I wish the story would have focused more on just Ronan and Nova and their relationship and those events that moved their relationship forward. Because I really did like Ronan and Nova - both separately and together. But at times, there was a lot going on.

If you like small town romances and second chances, you will likely enjoy this one.

/I received an early edition of this book. This did not affect my opinion of the story or content of my review./

“Win the heart, win everything!”

The oft-repeated motto in this book works for both the high school football team and for our romantic couple. Ronan and Nova have a complicated romance - one that starts out as a torrid ONS which ends on a horribly depressing note, then next-door neighbors who decide to fake date to avoid the advances of pushy potential mates, and of course then that builds into real feelings pretty quickly, especially since it's fueled by some serious chemistry and incendiary sex scenes.

Ultimately, this small town story is about each of them starting over and finding their community, first separately then together. There weren't any surprises along the way, but I did admire Ronan's honesty when he was presented with the "relationship or career" conflict towards the end. I was a bit turned off by how arrogant he was, always lamenting how all the women just throw themselves at him constantly wherever he goes, but I guess that's necessary to show us why he felt the need to invent a fake relationship just so he could get a moment's peace.

Nova is a more likeable character, fresh off her mother's passing and back in her small home town to help raise her teenage sister. I also liked the secondary romances, and enjoyed getting to know the assorted folks at the high school where both Nova and Ronan worked. Lois and her intrusively controlling boosters can eat my shorts, however. If that's the way it really is in Texas, I'm glad I'll never live there.

The story was a bit longer than it needed to be, but fans of this author probably appreciate the slow pace and savor the minutia. I did like that the HEA was neatly wrapped up with a years-later epilogue. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

I needed this steamy football romance. I have been seriously slumpy and Beauty and the Baller was the fast paced, but emotional and fun read that I needed to just keep reading. This story of a pro football player turned coach and Nova, back in her home town after her mother's death, is filled with a cast of characters that are so easy to love and a romance that has you rooting for both of them from the first page. I love her personality and sass. I love his heart and fear and how he over comes it. This was just what I needed.

This landed at a solid 4.5 for me.

I really enjoyed this book! I'm a sucker for fake dating stories, and this also had a second chance at love & sportsball, so I was glad to get the chance to read it. I really liked Nova & Ronan, both as individuals and as a couple - I thought they got each other as people, and it was nice seeing this. The emotional moments were well done, and made me cheer when they supported each other. The banter between Nova & Ronan was on point, and the chemistry was sizzling! This was a charming & sexy read, and my first by Ilsa Madden-Mills but it won't be my last.

Thanks to Montlake & NetGalley for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Beauty and the Baller is a fantastic read you will not want to miss. I loved this one so much. Nova is fantastic, especially when it comes to taking care of her younger sister. Nova has a type and Ronan is just that. You feel the chemistry during their first meet, and you feel the pull still so strong when they meet for the second time. Ronan carries the pain of losing his fiancé for years. He was a talented football player now turned coach. I love how this small Texas town meddles in his life. You will just love Nova and Ronan together as they test out their fake relationship. The passion, attraction and banter will keep you glued to the pages. Nova and Ronan will own your heart as walls come down and fake becomes real. I could not get enough of Nova and Ronan. This one took a little piece of my heart with it when it ended. You need to meet Nova and Ronan today. Go one click this one now.

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Years after an awful one-night stand, Nova and Ronan were reunited. But, would Ronan be able to overcome the pain of his past and make a future with Nova?

There is nothing that delights me more than the universe working its magic. It was clear that Ronan could not form a meaningful connection with Nova the night they met. He had lost too much in his accident, and seemed to be sinking deeper and deeper into his grief and misery. When Nova discovered Ronan was her mother’s neighbor, that among other things, seemed like a sign that these two belonged to each other.

My heart soared, and I was giddy with the anticipation of this love match. The physical was there from the start. The sparks, the heat, there was an abundance of all that between these two, but they had the pain of their pasts keeping them apart. Nova allowed hers to drive her from her home and impede her trust in people, while Ronan wouldn’t allow himself to let people into his heart. I was cheering for them the whole time and watching them heal together was a beautiful thing.

This romance was made even better with a colorful cast of supporting characters, the charm of Blue Belle, a beautiful sibling relationship, Dolly Parton songs, a hairless cat, and a dog named Dog. And, let’s not forget that ending. It was the type of sticky sweet that turned me to mush.

This book was the perfect combination of sexy and sweet. The heavier emotional moments were balanced with hijinks and humor, while there was also a hearty infusion of joy. I was thankful that the universe brought Ronan and Nova to Blue Belle which ended up being the perfect place for them to rehab their hearts.

“I want to touch the stars, even if I get burned.”

Absolutely loved Beauty and the Baller so much. It’s been a minute since I’ve read a new Ilsa book, and BatB was exactly what the librarian ordered. Did this book make me want to pack up and move to Blue Belle? 100%! I so easily fell in love with Nova, Ronan and just about every single character in this book.

This is definitely a sweet romance with an interesting meet-cute, and some hot steamy bits, but honestly the meaningful non-romantic relationships and self reflection from both Nova and Ronan really sealed my love for this one. These characters are not in the exact place in life that they planned to be, but they are figuring out that maybe they are right where they need to be anyway. There are some ups and downs between the main couple, but honestly they make sense to the characters and anything else would have been too easy. Ronan messes up a handful of times, but he wins Nova and me over every single time afterward. I felt so many things while reading this book. I cried, I smiled, I got mad, and I laughed my butt off at some parts. I think this was such a well written and well rounded story. It had a little bit of everything and was a definite reminder of why I love Ilsa’s books so much!

Obviously I don’t want to spoil anything, but if you like love after loss, sweet small towns with nosy neighbors, sweet as strawberry jaw sibling relationships, not so fake faking dating, and a love story that’s not easy going, but definitely worth it, then you’ll LOVE Beauty and the Baller!

Loved this small town town with of Ronan and Nova. They’ve got history and are back in town together. I loved their story. I loved the people around them and how they fell for each other. Ilsa Madden Mills gives a perfect romance, happily ever after!!

I really enjoyed this one! It is a steamy, fake relationship, sports romance. The story flowed perfectly and I loved the chemistry and the banter between Ronan and Nova. I smiled the whole time I was reading it!

Nova and Ronan met a few years back at a football party at a bar. Ronan is not in a good place in his life and is drunk when he meets Nova. They have a one night stand and he can not remember much about it the next morning and the girl has taken off!

Two years later Nova has to move back to her hometown to take care of her sister after losing their mother. Her life has changed greatly and she is trying to figure it all out when she meets her new neighbor, the highschool football coach! That is when it starts to get fun.

This book was good and so much fun, you will laugh out loud a lot and swoon when you are not laughing. I highly recommend Beauty and the Baller! I can not wait for the next book by Isla Madden-Mills, she has become one of my new favorites!

Thank you Netgalley and Montlake for providing me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

When I requested an ARC of this book from NetGalley the cover wasn't available, but now that's it been revealed it is perfect for Nova & Ronan's story! I love this cover and I loved this couple and how they both tried so hard not to "fall" for each other. As with many other reads by Ms. Madden-Mills, it has all those swoony moments balanced with some hilarious, laugh-out-loud antics that we've come to expect in her books. Nova and Ronan have chemistry and sparks that jump off the page but I think it was Nova and Sabine's sweet relationship between sisters that really touched my soul. And I'm a sucker for small town romances --this one hits on every aspect that I adore about them. I love all the charming events that happen in small communities where everyone knows everyone else (and everyone else's business as well!) Beauty and the Baller had the perfect balance of sweet, sexy and heartwarming moments and it was Nova's "glow" that really made me smile throughout the entire read. I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC for NetGalley.

*Thank you to Montlake, Ilsa Madden-Mills, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

This is such a wonderful book. It has it all; steam, humor, great supporting characters and genuine emotion. I just loved it and I am not usually a fan of sports romances. Nova and Ronan are such great characters and this retelling of 'Beauty and the Beast' is spot on.

Ronan has lost it all because of a car accident; his football career and his beloved fiance. His best friend Tuck hires Nova to come to a party dressed as Princess Leia and they have a memorable one-night stand. And then Nova disappears. They meet two years later when Ronan moves next door to her in Blue Belle, Texas.

I loved everything about their relationship including the very real portrayal of loss and grief. Nova steps up to the plate to take care of her highly functioning autistic sister, Sabine, while making enormous sacrifices to her career and her lifestyle. The scenes with Nova fake-dating Ronan are so fun and hilarious. Her self-confidence is epic. Well done and a great surprise!

It was a cute read, but I wished it focused more on the couple. There were also so many things going on and nothing felt complete.