I binged this one hard as I couldn't put it down.

Tuck's life has grown roots in disaster and heartbreak, years after he's still avoiding any repeat on hurt at all costs.

One night at a masquerade ball changes it all. He bumps into a princess dressed in a wedding dress and is bewitched by her. They share a night with masks still on.

Francesca's such a cool girl, sweet and full of life! I loved her the most! Her personality, the way she handled life.
A queen if you ask me!

One day she bumps into a gorgeous male. He's without a mask, but she recognizes the hottie from the masquerade right away.

And so their 'dance' begins.

The push and pull, their steamy banter, their sizzling chemistry and the rollercoaster ride of emotions was simply everything!

The emotion came through so well, even the funny stuff was delivered with impeccable timing.

Absolutely loved it!

Tuck Avery, an NFL star, is out with the boys for a masquerade, birthday celebration. He doesn’t have much hope for the night until he runs into a woman, Francesca, who is dressed in a wedding gown and ready to forget about her cheating ex. After a one night stand between two masked strangers, Tuck and Francesca part ways without exchanging numbers or names. Unexpectedly, life has different plans for them as they happen to live in the same apartment building and Francesca just found out she is pregnant.

Ilsa Madden-Mills can make me fly through a book. Something about the writing always has me wanting to binge the story until I read the last page. It’s always funny, sweet, and romantic. I love all the angst that this author always brings to the table. It makes these stories that more addicting.

I enjoyed the first book in the series more than this one. I love the secret baby trope when it is done well, but this one had its flaws. I liked parts of this book but Francesca’s actions were incredibly frustrating. She made a lot of assumptions and sometimes I understood and sometimes I didn’t. Even though I didn’t love the ending, Princess and the Player is still a great, 4 star read.

Thank you to the author and Social Butterfly PR for sending me this book to review. Princess and the Player is available now!

Themes:
- Sports Romance
- One Night Stand
- Surprise Baby
- Ex Drama
- Hot Public Sexy Times
- Fun Friend Group

Ratings:
Overall - 4⭐️
Angst - 3💗
Spice - 3.5🌶

She makes it all seem so easy. This book is “chef’s kiss” perfection in the dialogue, characters and chemistry departments. It’s effortlessly written and a such and easy and hilarious read. A tiny bit of angst but it’s all handled so well by both Tuck and Francesca. I love me a secret baby trope! A perfect fall read for when football is on in the other room but you really don’t care. Highly recommend.

The Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Francesca and Tuck meet at a masquerade party at a private club. Both aren’t looking for serious. Francesca was just betrayed by her fiancée whom she promptly left at the altar. Then there’s Tuck. He’s there because his friends and fellow NFL teammates want to celebrate his birthday. Francesca still in her wedding dress literally runs into Tuck at the party. They end up spending the night together with one catch…they stay anonymous and keep the masks on. Both go their separate ways, but Francesca soon realizes her one night stand is none other than the city’s famous quarterback. He not only lives in her building, but surprise…she’s carrying his baby.

The first book, Beauty and the Baller, was so good and it set the bar high for the series. I really wanted to love this one too. There is pivotal news not being shared by Francesca and I’m probably the minority in this…but I didn’t feel a deep connection between the two MC’s. What I did enjoy were the secondary characters and their support of Francesca and Tuck. I love reading about good friendships. Overall the ending and the epilogue did bring it back around. 3.5/5 stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Rating: 4 stars
Steam: 2 chilis
Pub date: 11/8/22

Ilsa Madden Mills has done it again! She’s created another billionaire, sports romance that is romantic, steamy and low angst. I am loving the standalone stories in the Strangers in Love series so far, and I think I liked this one better than Beauty and the Baller!

For his 35th birthday, Tucker’s friends and NFL teammates take him to a masquerade party at a private sex club for a night of fun. That’s where he meets Francesca, the jilted bride that he rescues from her handsy date, and the two of them spend a very steamy night together. They agree not to exchange names or personal info and in the morning they go their separate ways. It doesn't take long for Francesca to realize that the man from the club is the NFL billionaire that lives in her building. And she has a big surprise for him.

This book was utterly addictive and unputdownable. It’s no secret that I’m not a big fan of the surprise pregnancy trope, but it just works here. Francesca is an artist and a strong, feisty character who doesn’t take anyone’s crap. Tucker is sweet but damaged and he comes with a lot of baggage. These total opposites have a ton of chemistry and they can’t keep their hands off of each other.

Family is such an important theme throughout the story and I really loved the found family component in it. All of Francesca’s friends are hilarious and supportive of everything she does. Tucker’s friend Jasper adds some hilarious comic relief to the story, too, and I’m wondering if we’ll see him again in the next installment.

This is a super fun, romantic read that is full of great banter and layered, complex characters. I can’t wait to see what Mills comes up with next. Thank you so much to Ilsa Madden Mills, NetGalley, and Social Butterfly PR for the early copy. Princess and the Player is out today!.

Princess and the Player is the second book in the Strangers in Love series. Whilst the first book, Beauty and the Baller, was more low angst and small town charm, Princess and the Player is quite different. This book is high on angst and touches on a number of tough topics, which I was not expecting, but it definitely added emotional depth to the story. Isla’s writing style is so delightfully captivating and this book had me hooked from the very first chapter. Her ability to create complex and emotionally layered characters almost seems effortless. Both main characters, Francesca and Tuck, experienced traumatic childhoods, leaving them feeling cautious in adulthood and slightly unsettled. After a one night stand ends in an unexpected result, the characters realize their paths may be crossing in more ways than one, and perhaps fate is playing a bigger role than they initially thought. Personally, I adored Francesca’s character - she was fierce in the best possible way and had some serious moxie! I also loved the cast of supporting characters. They brought some much needed comedic relief and were the perfect example of finding and building your own family. All in all, this book was not quite what I was expecting, but I really enjoyed it and felt it was nicely balanced across emotion, humor, spice, and swoon.

A special thanks for Valentine PR and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
I loved the first book in this series and this one did not disappoint. Who better to turn the player into a loving husband than the girl who is the opposite of all the girls he usually dates?

Tate Avery is an NFL player that everyone wants a piece of, and Francesca Lane is the down-to-earth girl who loves art. They live in the same building but never speak. When they meet at a masked ball, the spark between them is felt at every touch. Neither of them wants more than one night.

This is the perfect opposites attract story and it is absolutely perfect. I loved the way Tuck is with Francesca and, in the end, family life is what he needed. The story is filled with banter, flaws, a past that will make you cry, a strong heroine, a troubled hero, great friends, sweet emotions, and a love to last in the end.

I was drawn in from the first page and loved the ride with Tuck and Francesca until the end. It is the perfect love story. I highly recommend reading the first book in this duet, although it is a standalone, you do not want to miss a thing with Tuck in that book too.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Romance

Francesca is living her best life now that she's left her cheating fiancé behind. With her best friends, Cece, Brogan, and Darden, Francesca has surrounded herself with love.

Tucker is high on life. He is successful, can have any woman he wants, and has a great team around him. His best friends are hilarious and keep life interesting.

When Tucker and Francesca have their one night – no names, just attraction – you can see the steam leaving the pages. They have intense chemistry and a reaction to each other than neither knows quite what to do with.

When Francesca finds herself knowing who her one night was with AND finds out that she's now in a family way, she leans on her own strength, her friends, and perhaps a little love to figure out what her life will look like moving forward.

Tucker is scared. He has been for a long time. Getting hurt is not something he wants to relive and so he keeps everyone at arm’s length.

When Tucker and Francesca have to come to terms with their futures, both will have to decide if it's alone, or together.

You won't be disappointed in this story. It's fresh, fun, sexy, and the characters are people you would want as friends yourself.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, but you can read it as a standalone – although I really enjoyed BEAUTY AND THE BALLER, so would also recommend it to you.

Tucker Avery may seem to have it all as the son of a wealthy family and a successful NFL player, but we learn how the truth can be hidden by his playboy and playful ways. And getting to know him, and how one woman gets under the façade, is a really enjoyable adventure – if somewhat sad at times.

Francesca was a genuine foundling, left on the steps of a police station in the snow, with only a necklace to give any clue as to who she was. A life of foster families and hard knocks could have made her a hard person, but she had so much about her, that she is now a graduate of art school and a semi-successful artist, living in a beautiful building overlooking Central Park.

They first meet behind disguises, but then discover not only their identities in a restaurant, but that they live in the same building! This should seem ridiculous, but makes complete sense in the context of the story – and was such a fun twist!

Neither really wants to get involved, even if they both have feelings for each other – but one might say destiny has other ideas.

Lovely story, with lots of lovely side character friends – I just spent my Sunday totally immersed in their world and loved every page.

Princess and the Player is the 2nd book in the Strangers in Love series but can 100% be read as a standalone.

This story follows Francesca & Tuck, their story starts out unconventional & it very quickly steams up. After a slight awkward interaction these two strangers have a hot and heavy night together and that's all it was every supposed to be.

Their story has a bit of everything, one night stand turned casual fling turned reluctant realtionship filled with emotional baggage, a surprise/accidental pregnancy between an Aging NFL player and a tattoo artist.

I really enjoy Illsa's story telling and writing style and tend to fly through her books. I loved Francesca from the get go and all the people that came along with her but I struggled to connect with Tuck. I understood his reservations, insecurities & reasons beh8md being gaurded but I wasn't sold on his & Francesca's love for each other. I didn't like how Francesca held on to her 'secret' for as long as she did and hated Tuck's response. One main character with holding information from the other is not a plot line I enjoy. I did find myself more invested in the side characters and the storylines not directly about the relationship more than any of the romance but I did enjoy the ending and would reccomend this story to others who enjoy these types of books.

Gosh! This book is everything! I absolutely LOVED this story and these characters. Not only is it my favorite trope, but I was completely hooked from the first to the last page. I am addicted to the words this author writes!

I loved all the characters in this book. Tuck and Francesca were fire! Their chemistry was hot, I enjoyed their banter a lot. They made the story such a joy to read, and I devoured it in just a few short hours. I wish I could read this one for the first time again!

I read, and loved, the first book in the series and, if you did to, you need to know that THE PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER is a vastly different book. These two books don't really belong in the same series, imo. The first book is all small town humor and charm. THE PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER is big city angst, dark(ish), and broody.

WHAT I LIKED:
- The lead heroine, Francesca, is strong, badass, and feisty, but sweet.
- A great tortured Hero who is likable even while he struggles with his own demons.
- Great sex positivity.
- The epilogue was freaking amazing.

WHAT I LOVED:
- The found family and side characters were amazing. Fantastic female friendships.
- Very positive depiction of therapy.
- Super HOT steamy scenes. Sex in a public bookstore? Yes please.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
- Literally every ex-boyfriend Francesca has ever had screwed her over and is suddenly back in her life, hopelessly in love with her again/wants a second chance.
- A really shallow and wholly negative depiction of a l character with Bipolar Disorder. I have multiple good friends with Bipolar and there is life, love, positive relationships, and fantastic parenting that is absolutely available to those with Bipolar Disorder. This depiction is very ham-fisted and there is zero nuance. She has bipolar therefore she is unstable, selfish, and crazy.

Overall, THE PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER was a decent, very feelsy, read for me. But I didn't love it and I don't think it belongs in the same series as the first book.

𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗔𝗠 𝗟𝗘𝗩𝗘𝗟: Rated R / 1-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗚𝗚𝗘𝗥𝗦: past parent abandonment, childhood domestic violence, foster care, past family member suicide, bipolar disorder (an entirely negative depiction)
𝗙𝗘𝗘𝗟𝗦: 4/5 - Tackled some seriously tough topics.

Ahh tuck and his princess just wowwed me, I devoured this story in a day and feel like I need more from them. I'm hoping some of the side characters gets stories too

Tuck is surprised when his friends decide to bring him, the old man of the team, out to a sex club for his birthday but not wanting to seem ungrateful he plays along. It’s not like he was going to hook up with anyone tonight anyway. That is until he decides to save an absolute stunning woman in a wedding gown.

Francesca has just been dealt the ultimate betrayal from her fiancé but she decides why waste a perfectly good wedding gown when there’s a masquerade party at a sex club she can wear it to. When a stranger comes to her aid as her literal Prince Charming she throws caution to the wind and decides why not have one night of anonymous fun with her savior.

Everything is back to normal until life decides to throw a wrench in her plans in the form of a positive pregnancy test. When her Prince Charming comes back into the picture and she discovers he’s the stuck up nfl player who lives in the pent house and has never once acknowledged her presence she’s determined to do this on her own. But when Tuck finds his Cinderella again he’s determined to make her give him a shot. Sure he might not be ready now (or ever) to settle down but he doesn’t have to be. Or does he?

Okay so I’ll be honest and say surprise pregnancy is not my favorite trope mostly because it usually involves one of my other least fave tropes which is miscommunication. But I love Ilsa and I’ll read anything she puts out so I had to give this one a shot. I loved Francesca and how in spite of her life flipping upside down multiple times just in this book she was resilient and determined and I can just tell she is going to be a rockstar mom.

Tuck had a lot of unresolved trauma and it definitely influenced his actions. I was so frustrated by his character especially because I knew exactly how he was going to react. I think his grovel absolutely made up for it though and I was so glad for my girl Francesca.

I think if you love surprise pregnancy then you definitely need to check this one out but be prepared for some stubborn characters, a cute puppy, lovable side characters who you want books about next and a healing dose of tension followed by some satisfying steamy scenes.

Thanks so much to Ilsa and Social Butterfly PR for providing me with an early copy to review!

“One night. No names. No strings. And the masks don’t come off.”

A decadent telling of mystery lover meets unexpected, fateful connection. In Ilsa Madden-Mills’ Princess and the Player, this nuanced sports romance was entertaining and a complete standalone.

During a masquerade meet cute, Artist, Francesca Lane meets NFL Star, Tuck Avery at a high-end, exclusive club, where anonymity is key and reality stays outside for one night. And after their one night of no strings attached, when a plus sign appears on a pregnancy test, Francesca must decide on Tuck’s involvement in this forced proximity romance.

While I truly enjoyed Beauty and the Baller, book 1 in the Strangers In Love series, I found the premise of this book was slow to develop, which effected the connection between the MCs, until fate had her way with them. Also, the angst and tempered heat struggled to keep the engagement of the initial setup of strangers who hook up for one night and are actually neighbors. IMO, a more direct conflict and resolution, with ebb and flow, would have made the moments of contention palpable instead of stagnant as certain “wrap ups” were in a drop of third-person POV. However, if you enjoy a slow-burn, angsty surprise pregnancy story, check out this novel. I reviewed an early copy voluntarily, and look forward to additional works by the author.

I have really enjoyed this series! I absolutely loved Beauty and The Baller and was so excited when I heard Princess and The Player was coming! Ilsa Madden Mills did a fantastic job writing Tuck and Francesca’s story.

I loved the fun banter and the great chemistry these characters have! Fate has brought them together but they just do not realize it. Through a lot of ups and downs life seems to always push them in the right direction.

This spicy romcom pulls at your heart and has some emotional moments but I loved every page from start to finish. The supporting characters are perfect! I loved each one of them! I can not wait to see what Ilsa Madden Mills has in store for us next!

Thank you Montlake and Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Bent but not broken....

Tuck and Francesca met at an exclusive sex club. The deal was: One night, no names, no strings. And the masks don't come off. The masks did not come off. But Francesca knows who her mystery Prince Player is...Tuck.
Tuck met him Princess Bride (with the bent wing tattoo) and enjoyed one night with her on his birthday. He got cake and the girl. Tuck is a 35 year old football player, who hides his darkness behind his smile. He has a traumatic past with his father, that still haunts him.

I liked both Tuck and Francesca, with their traumatic pasts and their bent but not broken natures.
When the pregnancy test turned positive, the have to figure out their future.
Recommend.

Wow! Just wow!

This book was so much more than a romance. Francesca and Tucks story is pure perfection. Both MCs have things from their past they are trying to overcome, and you see a lot of their growth on these pages. I loved these two from their first meeting up until the swoon-worthy HEA. Ilsa has a perfect way of telling romances with so much heart and feeling you can’t help falling in love with her characters.

The secondary characters in this one make that story so much more. And I absolutely love Tuck’s teammate, Jasper, he made me laugh out loud so many times.

Do you believe in fate or do you think it’s more coincidence?

Melli’s Book Breakdown
🤍Sports Romance
🤍Secret Baby
🤍Football Romance
🤍Dual POV

Much like the first book, Princess and the Player was "un-put-downable" for me... but book 1 still holds the title as my favorite. Truly enjoyed the erotic side of this romance read as Francesca and Tuck meet at a rather exclusive sex-club. With their identity hidden behind masks, they commit to a night of forgetting and have a one-night stand. However, we all know forgetting isn't quite what happened.

So, there is a the pregnancy trope, which I don't mind at all. But it bugged me a bit that Francesca held onto the secret for a while, which felt like it really rushed the ending for me. I definitely wanted more time with them.

Truly loved getting to know Francesca and Tuck, and I can't wait to see what else is in store with the next book.

Ahhh!! I just love Ilsa Madden-Mills stories!! The Princess and the Player has heart, swoons, SURPRISES and was full of amazing moments that took my breath away!! I just loved Francesca and Tuck's story!

If you loved Tuck from the first book in the series, you will absolutely love him in this story. This story was sexy, swoony and full of amazing banter. I loved the chemistry and connection between them and could not get enough of this book! Furthermore, the emotional connection between them will knock your socks off! This book was straight Fire! 4 stars! ~Ratula ❤️

4 ½ Stars for this rom com

At first this is a light hearted rom com, but then it takes on this serious tone that took me off guard and ends up being a very emotional story. I love how Francesca was so positive about life even though she grew up in the foster care system and had her heart broken a couple of time. Tuck is very wealthy ... not only from his career in the NFL, but he has a trust fund. He's scared he's going to become abusive like his father or bi-polar like his mother and therefore leads the life of a player ... no relationships, no strings EVER. But the heart wants what the heart wants and Francesca and Tuck burned up between the sheets ... they almost set my iPad on fire. I great story and I highly recommend it.

Francesca and Tuck meet at a masquerade ball and have a hot hook-up ... no names and the masks stay on! It doesn't take long for them to realize that they live in the same building ... Tuck in the penthouse and Francesca in a much smaller apartment with 2 roommates. They both feel the chemistry arcing between them, but Tuck doesn't do relationships. When Francesca finds out she's pregnant with Tuck's baby, she has a hard time telling him as she knows he does NOT want kids. Will Francesca raise this baby by herself? Or will Tuck step up?

I received an early copy courtesy of Montlake through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

4.5 stars

What a fantastic story this really was. It was like a puzzle being assembled as you turned the pages. The revelations as they unfold and unravel are amazing. When you think you have figured something out it changes. And that's only the back stories of the characters and that's what makes this a fantastic read.

Francesca and Tuck are truly fated. The way their lives entwined was crazy but what a beautiful love story it was to read. Both characters are misunderstood. More so Tuck, as his parents really messed with his head. Francesca on the other hand created her family with friends that become more than family. The secondary characters are brilliant and make this story even better.

The pregnancy secret runs through this book and it's heartbreaking to read. Especially with Francesca being so frightened to be abandoned, was sometimes too much to take. Now I can't say any more on this, as I'm coming too close to spilling too much. I can honestly say I really laughed and I really cried reading this book. The way your emotions are provoked is very clever and one that this author is great at doing.

This book is a huge recommendation from me and this series is shaping up to be brilliant. What a great read.