Not My Romeo is a new sweet heart thumping romance with an abundance of quirky and fun characters! 

Elena Is Librarian by day and secret lingerie designer by night. Though she has a fiery spirit and fun personality she’s had some bad luck in the men department. On a blind date Elena meets famous footballer Jack Hawks, except he’s not the blind date she’s supposed to meet. 

Their chance encounter throws Jack and Elena into a small town, world wind romance. Elena knows what she wants and knows how much Jack is closed off due to his past, but she can’t stop herself from wanting to be close to him anyway.

When these two end up in the local play together as Romeo and Juliet, they have no choice but work together and decide whether their chemistry is worth exploring. Elena is all in, but what will it take to prove to Jack that he can trust her? 

This book was fantastic. I loved Jack and Elenas chemistry. The sparks were everywhere on every single page. I loved that Elena was so driven but so kind. While I loved that even though Jack was an alpha male he had such a shy side to him that made him so different from other sports romance alphas. 

Their relationship and story was refreshing. I’m still thinking about them 24 hours after finishing the book. I can’t wait to see more from This series!

5/5 stars

Nothing compliments a balmy summer day more than a romantic comedy with well-defined characters and hot sexy times. Not My Romeo by author Ilsa Madden-Mills, is a fun read that kept me entertained and smiling. I read this book from cover to cover very quickly because the narrative was too good to put down. This is the first book from the brand new series The Game Changers and it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Elena loved growing up in the small town of Daisy, Tennessee. After graduating from NYU, she enjoyed living in NYC and working as a romance book editor. When she inherited her grandmother's stately home, she decided it was time to return to the hometown that she loved. Now back in Daisy, she is very involved in the community and enjoys being the town's librarian. Elena is quite creative and designs sexy lingerie in her free time.

Jack Hawke is a famous and talented football quarterback. His horrific upbringing has caused him to be quite insecure when it comes to trusting and relationships. Elena has no idea who he is and she mistakenly thinks he is her blind date. They share an instant chemistry and one passionate evening evolves into much more.

I truly enjoyed this book. Elena and Jack are wonderful together and their sexy times are hot. The author brilliantly combines a complicated yet delightful romance, emotional moments, and unique individuals into this seductive narrative. Don't pass up the opportunity to read this well-conceived, contemporary romance. 

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This is my first book by this author but definitely not the last!  This one was not only light but full of fun and a little angst but good ole' bless your heart southern romance.  Elena is on the rebound after her boyfriend leaves her for her sister and her roommate sets her up for a blind date on Valentine's Day (really) and when she shows up she finds a man who is dressed like who so she sits down and after an awkward time where she rambles through the entree they end up back at his penthouse for the night. After she is asked to sign an NDA (which she signs with the wrong name) they have an unforgetable night.  Jack turns out to not be her blind date but a football star who really needs a reputation rehab but really he just needs Elena. These two are perfect for each other but they have so much working against them, including each other.  Trust is a funny thing...just when you think you have it, something creeps up.  Will Jack forget he really does know Elena after all?  This one was really good and I cannot wait to read more from this author!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

Not My Romeo starts with a blind date mix up that I thought was just too cute. Jack loves the idea that someone doesn't know him and so he plays along, pretending to be Elena's date.

After that meet cute, Elena does learn his true identity, but Jack isn't giving up. He ends up getting the part of Romeo to her Juliet in a local production of Romeo and Juliet. Adorable! These two are so different: Jack is a football bad boy with a string of women in his wake and Elena is a buttoned up librarian who has never been satisfied by a man. Her last boyfriend left her for her sister! Elena has some unique talents she totally embraces and I loved that about her. I loved that Jack was tenacious when it came to Elena and that he admitted he was out of his element but not willing to give up.

Overall, Not My Romeo is sweet and sexy so its perfect for a lighter weekend read! There is plenty of humor and both Elena and Jack are characters you will fall in love with. The secondary characters are great as well, and really make the town of Daisy come to life.

Also, I must mention the cover model for Not My Romeo. That face is chiseled! Stunning.

Not My Romeo is the story of Jack and Elena, who would never have crossed paths if it wasn’t for Elena’s friend setting her up on a blind date, and Elena mistaking Jack, the misunderstood ‘bad-boy’ quarterback of the NFL, for the man she was meant to be meeting. 

When a quirky woman sits down at Jack’s table in a restaurant on Valentine’s evening, he can only assume it’s another reporter trying to get a story out of him. But when she introduces herself and starts talking about the weather, he realises that this woman has no clue who he is, about his past or his career, and thinks he’s someone else. Deciding to go along with it, they spend the night together, and Jack disappears the next morning, leaving behind a note letting Elena know about the mix up. Elena, finding out who he is from Jack’s bodyguard, is angry and confused. Returning home to her small town just outside of Nashville, where her younger sister has just got engaged to her ex, the last person she expects to run into a church the next day is Jack. Jack, having hit headlines again for the wrong reasons, is suddenly thrown into small town life to make up for his mistakes, including playing Romeo in the town’s production of Romeo and Juliet, opposite Elena as Juliet. As they begin to spend time together, in rehearsals and out, Elena begins to break down Jack’s walls, realising he’s a shy and introverted guy who is paranoid and has trust issues thanks to his past. He slowly lets her into his life, opening up day by day about his past betrayals and why he is the way he is. But when Jack gets the slightest idea that Elena could be untrustworthy, will he throw everything they’ve built away?

Not My Romeo was heart aching, sweet, and I loved how Romeo and Juliet was interwoven into the plot, along with other author’s work. Both Jack and Elena had been betrayed, meaning they had an inkling as to how the other felt. Jack had had a difficult start in life, and after being let down time and time again decided it was best to just trust nobody. Expecting everyone to want something from him, he was extremely private, but found it refreshing when Elena sat down at his table without a clue who he was. Being from completely different worlds made them work because Elena couldn’t care less about his fame, or believe the lies people had published about him, she knew the real him and that was all that mattered. I loved how patient he was with her, how romantic and sweet, because although it was hard for him to trust but he wanted to try for Elena. 

Elena saw herself differently to everyone else, not believing in herself after her ex left her for her sister. Known in town as the quiet librarian, she had to keep her sexier side of herself hidden to avoid the scrutiny of her small town, and her mother, but she could be free and open with Jack, he knew every side of her. She knew her worth, standing up to Jack’s demands for an NDA and making sure that he knew where she stood always. She was there for him, ready to listen and support through anything, but she knew when to stop fighting and let him come back to her. Jack and Elena’s love was partially star-crossed, but only because of their own insecurities trying to keep them apart.

My favourite scene of the whole book had to be the performance of Romeo and Juliet, no spoilers but it was absolutely perfect, so Jack and Elena and Ila took the script and twisted it to make it her own, which made it perfect. It made me laugh, smile and my heart ache, but I went back and re-read it straight away because it was so amazing. The secondary characters really added to the story, especially Devon, Jack’s friend and Topher, Elena’s friend who was responsible for the Valentine’s date, and I cannot wait for the next book from this world and to return to these characters. Not My Romeo is such a great romance read, I would highly recommend it.

Looking for an alpha male that is so used to everyone taking advantage of him that he does not know how to react when Elena does not use him for his fame or fortune?  Check out Jack Hawke a pro quarterback for a football team that Elena knows nothing about.   When they accidentally go out on a blind date sparks fly, the attraction is there, and they both do not know what to do about it.   Are you wondering how someone accidentally goes out on a blind date?  You will have to read the book to find out the answer to that.

 

I loved Elena.   She has spunk, she is strong, but she has a sweet and innocent side to her.   While she puts Jack in his place more than once, she also understands that Jack is used to people using him for what he can get them, where he can take them, and what he does for a living.   Very few people know the real Jack Hawke and Elena wants to know that person.   

The small-town setting where most of the book takes place is so true to form.  Everyone knows everyone else, they gossip, drive by the house when a new car appears, and knows your coming and goings.   Daisy, the town, was the perfect place for Elena to live and for her story to be told.

This book was a great mix of fun, romance and a bit of angst. I loved the main character, Elena!! She was truly awesome and witty and once you thought that she fitted the stereotype of the nerdy virgin girl you were proved wrong!! Which is great.

The banter between Jack and Elena was gold. They both had issues to resolve and at first seemed the kind of people that could never be together, but they were exactly what each other needed. This story wasn't silly at all, it had several layers of depth and you were caught in the plot from the first page. I remember I read half of the book during the first sitting, and this is saying something.

Waiting for the next book of the series!

Jack is a professional quarterback who has learnt the hard way of the perils of letting the wrong person too close and he is paying the price.    He certainly wasn’t looking for love when he sat down to enjoy h is solitary meal but when a beautiful woman joins him thinking she is his blind date he isn’t about to just walk away.

Elena is a librarian, but she has a sexy side that she keeps hidden as evidenced by her second career.   All she knows about her blind date is that he is a weatherman but what she wasn’t expecting was the chemistry she would feel for him or that the steamy night they shared was based on a lie.

They never expected to see each other again but fate had other plans.    Both have been burnt by love in the past so they are cautious, but some things are undeniable.     The chemistry between them is intense, their banter is humorous and the romance  is enough to make you swoon so even though there were a few obstacles along the way it only make it that much sweeter.

THIS BOOK IS WHAT MY DREAMS ARE MADE OF. 

hello, jack?? i’m in love with you. 

this book was the perfect sport / mistaken identity / sweeeet romance. it was truly *chefs kiss* of perfection. 

the story flowed so effortlessly & the secondary characters added so much to the story, helping to create a dynamic cast of characters & growth. truly there wasn’t a character i wasn’t invested in. 

if you’re looking for one of my favorite romances of ALL TIME. yes, i said it. give this one a read! 

i received an arc in exchange for my honest review.

One of my favorite reads this year! It has everything I love in a romance novel. 

Elena is a feisty heroine with a strong sense of self and style. Some people take her as shy or a people pleaser but she is not afraid to be herself with a good dose of rebellion. Even with insecurities that every woman faces, she pushes forward with what she wants and deserves. 

Elena’s family of women (mom, aunt, and sister) who has their issues but band together and support each other in their own way. Three cheers for the Daisy Lady Gang. 
Elena even has a super cute pet miniature pig, Romeo, who has a personality all his own. 

Jake is an alpha hero that is broken and extremely guarded but you see him grow and open up to Elena throughout the book. 

Their mistaken identity meet-cute is the best! I am not going to say anything else because I want you to have the joy of experiencing it for the first time without any spoilers. 

Their chemistry together is off the charts! Elena is not afraid to challenge Jack, which is not something he is used to as a superstar athlete. These two are able to see each other based on their true self and not public perceptions or others' expectations. Their ‘arguing’ is HOT, the dirty talk is 🔥 and the way that Madden-Mills write the kissing scenes makes me melt. Who knew a kissing scene would get you so worked up!

Football player and a librarian... talk about match made in romance heaven. Jack and Elenas story is full of humor and sass.
 Ilsa has a way of captivating her readers. She writes characters that are flawed yet relatable. If you are looking for a story that will have you smiling and swooning, look no further. Looking forward to this series.

I was pleasantly surprised by this story as I hadn't read anything by this author before. It was funny with witty banter and the circumstances as to how they keep seeing each other is hilarious. They have amazing chemistry as well so there's this amazing tension between them.

She has done it again! What an amazing book! I love every second of it, I finished in just a few hours because I just couldn’t stop reading. It is absolutely beautiful, swoony, funny, sweet, and hot.

I really loved this read. Jack is an amazing character! He's so jaded, and broody and yet a vulnerable, shy, and emotional guy. Elena is also amazing and how she's very understanding of him and accept him for who he is.

It was a beautiful story with a lot of emotions. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

Not My Romeo starts of as a case of mistaken identity that eventually leads into an unexpected but fun and flirty romance involving a hot shot professional football player and a sweet, sassy and subtly sexy librarian.

Jack is an extremely private and reserved quarterback who is often misunderstood and trying to clean up this 'bad boy' image that seems to follow him around. He is very cautious when he meets knew people and finds it hard to trust having been betrayed in the past. I loved how kind, caring and patient he was as well as being incredibly sexy while he secretly geeked out over k drama and pop music in the cutest way. He did have moments where he frustrated me but given how badly he had been betrayed I understood where a lot of his actions and reservations came from.

Elena has also been betrayed by people she thought she could trust and is trying to move on but thats not always easy when that betrayal is constanlty being thrown into your present. She is smart, funny, passionate, creative and compassionate. She has a secretly sexy vibe about her that she doesnt always notice and I absolutely loved everything about her.

Jack & Elena had sizzling chemistry, a strong connection and their entire relationship was swoon worthy. I really enjoyed their story and loved all the many side characters that made up this fun and sightly quirky romance and can't wait for more from this series and more from the Daisy Lady Gang.

This is the 1st in a new series and what a fantastic beginning Jack and Elena’s story is. What starts of as a mistaken identity blind date leads to an intriguing page turner. Jack is a bad boy quarterback football player, who has a devastating past which had moulded him into the man he is today. Elena is sassy and is not afraid to fight for what she wants. There is intense chemistry between these two, and when Jack keeps turning up in places Elena is at, he lands himself with the role as Romeo to Elena’s Juliet in a small-town community theatre play. This is a beautifully written tale which is an emotional roller coaster ride, and with heartbreak and love, which all had me totally captivated throughout this addictive page turner. I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I recommend for all readers.

3. 5 Stars

Elena Riley has a blind date on Valentine's Day. Yes, she knows that's not ideal and she debated not going at all, but after her best friend really insisted she would love the weatherman he wanted to introduce her to, she decided to give it a go.

You see, Elena is a 26-year-old librarian that recently moved back to her small town. Although she is expected to be this perfect little southern girl she has a lot of spark to her. And after a recent breakup that ended in a very awkward situation, she deserves a fun night out.

Jack Hawke is a professional football player for the Tigers in Nashville. He is always in the spotlight, but not usually for the best of reasons. He is just that guy that everyone loves to hate. And although he might seem cocky, he is often misunderstood. On a particularly bad day, he is having dinner at this restaurant when the lovely Elena sits at his table. She thinks he is the weatherman, and he thinks it's absolutely refreshing to have the company of someone that doesn't know who he is and doesn't care who he is!

After a super-steamy night together Jack and Elena each go their separate ways, but life has other plans for them and destiny just keeps bringing them together.

The plot was really fun and Ilsa Madden-Mills knows how to write characters full of life. Elena and her whole family were delightful. Jack is your typical sports romance hero, sure he was a sweet one, but there weren't many layers besides that.

Although this book was a lovely and entertaining read, the Romeo and Juliet thing made this such a cheesy book. It was very predictable and cliche. If you're looking for a cute sports romance this might be the book for you. For me, it was just missing the extra spark I found in other Ilsa Madden-Mills works.

I absolutely loved this story, and it’s now become one of my favorites from Ilsa Madden-Mills. I loved Jack and Elena and watching them try and fight their growing attraction to each other was amazing. 

Jack is an NFL star, who has a reputation for being a bad boy. He’s been burned before, so when a gorgeous girl mistakes him for her blind date on Valentine’s day, for some reason he finds himself not correcting her, but also asking her to sign an NDA. 

Elena is none to pleased to be asked to sign an NDA, but she does…just not with her own name. After their one night together, she says good riddance, or so she thought. She can’t seem to shake Jack, and the more time they spend together the harder it is to be apart. But when push comes to shove, can Jack be all in?

Ilsa absolutely killed this book. From beginning to end I couldn’t put it down, and actually ended up reading this book in one sitting. She created such a beautiful story, and as much as I didn’t want to finish this one, I had to know what was going to happen. The banter between not just Jack and Elena but all of the characters was pure gold. This book was perfection, and I’m so excited that it’s the start of what I can already tell is going to be an amazing series!

A really fun and enjoyable read

As soon as I read the blurb for this book I knew I had to read it, and it lived up to everything I expected. NOT MY ROMEO was a fun and enjoyable read. Elena and Jack were two very relatable characters, who had me smile, laughing and sighing constantly with their banter and actions. The chemistry between them had all the sparks flying and the libido rising!! Ms Madden-Mills certainly knows how to write a story you don't want to put down.

Elena Riley, librarian, was such a wonderful character. She was quirky, fun, smart, a lover of lingerie and the owner of a pet pig. She has one problem though, there is no man in her life and she's not looking forward to joining the dating game again. Jack Hawke, champion quarterback (yet he still yet to win a Super Bowl), is one yummy male. Sexy does not describe this man ... get ready to swoon ladies!! Even though his professional life is moving along nicely, his personal life one is in disarray. A chance meeting between Elena and Jack changes both in ways they never expected.

Ms Madden-Mills wrote a wonderful story with such endearing characters ... it would have to be my favourite ever from her. Both of her characters have baggage from their past, they need to relearn how to trust, love and rebuild their self-confidence and their self-esteem. I adored the way in which their friendship and relationship developed, especially considering Jack's initial hesitancy regarding accepting his feeling for Elena.

With a cast of wonderful secondary characters ... oh please can Devon have a book of his own ... to support both Elena and Jack, this story is a real winner. Small town charm, busy city life, a hunky footballer, a sexy librarian and a crazy family, all combine for laughter, tears and a whole lot of sighing.

Another fabulous read from Isla Madden-Mills.

Read and Reviewed for Reading Is Our Satisfaction

FIVE STARS

Not My Romeo is the first book in the new Game Changers series and is a great introduction to this new fictional world. It's a fantastic mix of sports romance and romantic comedy, and provides the reader with a fun, feel good story about sports superstar, Jack, and librarian x secret lingerie designer, Elena.

The story focuses on Elena and her blind date on Valentine's Day. Expecting Greg the weatherman, Elena discovers just how great a case of mistaken identity can be when she finally realises Greg isn't Greg at all but is actually Jack. As you can imagine, hilarity ensues!

I loved how quirky this book was. Everything from the main characters, side characters, the small town, and the various plotlines made me laugh one moment, then gave me the warm and fuzzies next. Both Jack and Elena dance around their feelings for a significant amount of this book and it was so entertaining to watch them slowly fall in love. The romance in this book was very sweet and balanced well with their own personal growth. For Elena it was about learning to be comfortable and confident in her life choices and owning her uniqueness. For Jack it was about learning to love and trust another person. Both of these personal issues were made easier to overcome with the support of each other in this book.

Outside of the romance, I loved so many of the other characters. Jack's teammates are hilarious and I hope they get their own books in this series! I also loved Romeo (Elena's pet pig), Clara (her aunt) and Topher (her friend/roommate). While the concept of these two opposite characters doing the community theatre production of Romeo and Juliet (and scoring the leading roles) may have seemed a little farfetched. Madden-Mills makes it work and she does it so well!

Overall, I think this was a really entertaining read and would be perfect for someone looking for something light and fluffy.

4.5 'Mark Twain's Romeo' Stars!
ARC provided by the the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I think it was enough for me to want to read this book since it’s written by Ilsa Madden-Mills and, also, specially, after seeing its title. Not My Romeo. Just with that and I was desperate for this novel! I am glad to say Ilsa did a fantastic job and started her new series perfectly. A novel full of quirks, humor, sexiness and emotions. Everything I love and everything I needed to fall for with this amazing couple and the new list of characters introduced.

Not My Romeo is, as I said, the first installment in Ilsa’s new series called The Game Changers. It’s the love story between Jack Hawke and Elena Riley, a smoking-hot and troubled football player and a sassy small-town librarian. It’s Valentine’s Day and Elena has a blind date. Apparently Jack. Or not? Circumstances bring them together, they are opposites in many ways but they share an unforgettable night. Fate makes its magic and now they are also acting as Romeo and Juliet in the community’s theater. But not everything is hearts and flowers. Both these people are scared to love. Will they win their happy ending?

The wolf has caught me, and I couldn’t be happier.
I may not recognize this daring part of myself, but he is what I want right now. This moment. This bliss. This one night.

I loved this book. I devoured it. It was hilarious, it was full of sexual tension, it was addicting and it was emotional. It had some drama but just enough to still keep it a light romance. Not My Romeo simply has everything I enjoy in a good sports romance. Let’s start with the storyline. I was all over the idea. Two opposites (apparently) having an inescapable connection? Oh yes! I adored Jack and Elena as characters. Jack is so swoony, broken, protective, an inside nerd and sexy AF. Elena is sassy, funny, nerdy, loving and a lingerie lover. Those two together? AMAZING. They just click. They are perfect for each other and it freaking shows.

I should beg her to stay. I should. Because it feels like that—like I’d be willing to walk across hot coals just to get her to be with me.

Their chemistry is burning from the very first page to the very last one and I loved their whole relationship and how Ilsa developed it. I loved how Jack and Elena bring the best in each other, how Elena helps him to open up about what haunts him, how Jack slowly but surely falls for Elena’s charms. They are adorable, quirky and burning hot together and I could not get enough of them. I especially enjoyed the last chapters, all the interactions with the secondary characters and I am just so glad these two found their HEA.

“Sometimes, fate gives you a bad game, but in the end destiny straightens it out. And you win. You and I are going to win.”

Therefore, I am rating Not My Romeo with 4.5 STARS because it found it the perfect way to start this new series and fall in love with this crew of characters. I loved Jack and Elena, their moments together and with the rest of the crew, their steamy chemistry and all the feels. I cannot wait to see what is next in the series and who is getting the next love story. Ilsa, wonderful job! Highly recommend to any sports romance fans!