Skip to main content

~**~ ARC Review: Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills ~**~

***5 ‘Glow’ Stars***

I have to admit that the start of this book had me going “Uuugmmm…” not in a bad way, I promise, but it was definitely an interesting start to things. And did have it’s eyebrow raising, eye rolling, heavy sigh moments, but…and this is the important one BUT it also had a bunch of heartwarming and hilarious moments and was filled with such great characters ~ with a few exceptions ~ that I ended up absolutely loving it and hoping that we get more from this crew in the future.

Nova and Ronan. I loved them. I did. Nova is a force and an enigma. One minute she is all kinds of confidant and fearless and the next she’s struggling with her own insecurities. I loved how she owned all that she was, even the things that others may look down on, she owned herself in every way. Ronan. This man. He’s got walls built up around him a country mile wide, but even with his standoffish-ness (though in one situation I totally agree with how he uses it) he has a good soul and it shines through when he’s being the ‘coach’.

Their journey to their HEA was a fun one from start to finish, even with the bumps in the road that they tended to create for themselves. The chemistry between them was intense from the start and only grew the more they were together. I loved their bantering and just how they flowed when they were together, which made the fake dating thing not so fake. They had a few bumps in their road to deal with, some took a bit of time, but in the end, I loved where they ended up.

While I loved Nova and Ronan, I have to admit that my enjoyment of this book was kicked up a notch by the supporting cast of characters. I ended up loving so many of them because they were unique and brought all kinds of depth to the story. IF I had to pick a favorite, it would be Sabine, but I loved Tuck and Sparky and Dog were also awesome. So, if you’re looking for a fun read filled with great characters and a full on small town vibe, then this is a must read for you!

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~


An NFL quarterback turned small-town coach gets sacked by a Texas beauty queen in this swoony, passionate romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills.

Gorgeous, talented, and brilliant, 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. When a mysterious girl shows up to his party, he feels drawn to her and makes her his…for one night.

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.

Has this jaded beauty found her forever baller, or will his past keep them apart?

Release Date: March 29th, 2022

Goodreads | Amazon 

Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4. 

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero. 

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online.

 

Website | Facebook | Goodreads | Twitter | Instagram | FB Group | Amazon | Bookbub

Comments