4.5 star

I was pulled right into this story. The story has laughs, secrets, and heartbreak.

If you have not read the below I would recommend reading those books(s) first:
Beauty and the Baller (Strangers in Love #1)

This is Francesca and Tuck’s story. Francesca was betrayed by her fiancé and runs to a masquerade ball. The ball is being held at a special club and all interactions between the two were masked and with no names. What she didn’t know is the man she was with is Tuck the man that lives in the penthouse of her apartment building. She decides that she needs to keep her distance as he has not recognized her, and she knows he is a player. But when she gets plus sign on her test all bets are off. Can she really deal with a player again after her hurt of the past? Or is he about to have her questioning everything she thought she knew? Can these two who didn’t have the best families learn to be together and build a better family?

I highly recommend this book.

I enjoyed this story about Tuck and Francesca! I loved their connection and bond!

Francesca hasn’t had an easy life, but she doesn’t let that drag her down. She’s strong, loyal, and fierce. She wants to make the best life for herself that she can.

Tuck is nearing the end of his football career. He’s not ready to let it go, but his age is telling him it’s coming whether he’s ready or not. He doesn’t do commitment and for a very good reason, but he’s drawn to Francesca. Will he change his ways and commit to Francesca?

This is another good read from Ilsa. I really hope Jasper gets a story!

I love Ilsa Madden Mills books so much. While the wasn't my favorite of hers I still devoured it. Thank you to Montlake for the advanced copy

Not my first read by the author but she is still a 50/50 to me meaning that some of her books contain my triggers and dislikes in reading so I have been reading her on and off depending on which book and I guess being a mood reader you just dive in and see how it goes. This one almost had me DNF at 17% because of a huge dislike (where the hero is either kissing, having sex or dating another female even before the H&H are an actual thing.) It’s a huge turn off for me and just gets me super angry. I luckily was at work and stopped reading then got busy forgot and remembered to skip a chapter. And this is for the ladies that have the same issue as me of this while reading. Beware. YUK to the ex!

This book so far is really pulling me in directions. On one way I get a vibe of possessive sexy hot hero then he turns into a early 20’s frat boy type then back then back again. WHIPLASH! I only say that because I really dislike the wishy-washy hero’s that act like that. We get quite a lot of ex’s in this book I didn’t realize, I’m only at 41% I wonder if we will get every single ex of the heroine by the time this is done. The heroine, I can’t point my finger on her, I want to believe she is strong and I like her but her actions and wishy-washy way words, I am not sure what to think about her. And no offense but I don’t give a damn about Courtney, she is a thorn through out the whole book. And I could not form a connection between the H&H i tried so hard but their just so who care attitude for one another and what they do, just throws me right back. I am confused as to why this book is the way it is, I love Ilsa’s books and have read a lot but this just, I don’t understand it. It’s a lot of tropes that are just mixed and added then not. WHY?! It’s also hard to write a surprise baby and the hero doesn’t get to find out until the end. Because when it comes to that point it’s always harsh and in this book and case, that was outright not the peek I was expecting but makes sense with the way I feel about this book. That was harsh and in turn made me start hating the hero from then on and loving the heroine for not taking his shit. Okay so this concludes the portion on my MOODY READER I am also a MOODY reviewer as you can see. I don’t really need to mention the ending because well it’s all sweet and beautiful but I just wish I was able to fall in love with this like I anticipated and hoped!

Love, love, love this book! Princess and the Player is book #2 in the Strangers in Love series. It can be read as a stand-alone. It will pull you in and have you laughing out loud! It is funny, romantic, and charming but has some angst as well.

Tuck and Francesca are my new favorite couple! Tuck is charming and confident on the outside but has a lot going on under his NFL persona. I love his evolution throughout the story. Francesca is awesome. So unique and talented. She is so upbeat and kind.

I need to give props to the secondary characters who made this story even better. Cece, Jasper, Brogan, and Mr. Darden! All unique and so funny!

I love reading Ilsa Madden-Mills. She writes fun and uplifting sports-romance stories. Princess and the Player is definitely my new favorite. I look forward to the next story in the Strangers in Love series.

When I read “Beauty and The Baller”, I loved Tuck and his balls to the walls personality. I really thought the books would run in the same series and it would be around the same romcom premise. It was not. Apart from how Tuck and Francesca met, in the masquerade party and all her found family/friends (which by the way, I’m really hoping they have their own books), the books was kind of dark.

Francesca had no family in her life, but she managed to find the most incredible friends and formed a real family together. When she suddenly gets pregnant after a mysterious one night stand, they rally behind her in the most sweet and funny way. But her past exes come barreling in a very creepy way and it kind of broke me all the things she went through life and even how much independent and strong she was, she felt scared and afraid to be left alone, again.

Tuck also had some past traumas, especially with the ladies. But he is very lovable and with a big heart. Which end up hurting the most when Fran finally found out that the baby she was expecting was his and never tell him over fear. I mean, I love a surprise pregnancy trope and even more when it’s a secret baby one, but the secret needs to be reasonable, which I didn’t find to be here.

Overall the books is steamy, somehow funny and with heavy matters discussed at times. I loved the friendship all the characters formed through the story, main and side ones, as I said before. But I don’t think after all that went down the couple could mend the problems, but I guess in the book world is a wonderful place to be!

Great series and I was excited to see this one pop up for review! The arc of the characters was great and honestly was the highlight of the book for me. I walked away when done feeling refreshed.

This was such a wonderful book. This surprise baby/sports romance was sweet and emotional. Tuck and Francesca were fated to be together. They both had to overcome hard times, but were strong and meant for one another. I couldn’t put it down. Five stars

Some of the first romance novels I ever read centered around football players so this book was a huge nostalgia trip for me! I really enjoyed the characters and their journey!

Thank you to netgalley and the publishers for providing me with an arc for an honest review!

A masquerade ball brings together an NFL player and a penniless princess in this smart and sexy romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills.

Levelheaded Francesca Lane never thought she’d miss her own wedding. But when her fiancé betrays her, she puts on her wedding dress and ditches the altar for a masquerade ball—at an exclusive lifestyle club.

There, she meets unknown-to-her NFL star Tuck Avery, dressed as a prince and hiding behind a mask—he’s there to celebrate his birthday. For one night, Francesca and Tuck indulge in a wickedly incognito affair. No names. No strings. And the masks don’t come off.

Unfortunately, Francesca realizes quickly that her masked prince is the wealthy jock who lives in the penthouse of her apartment building. His hobbies include parties and supermodels—or so the tabloids say. Getting tangled up with a shallow jerk is the last thing Francesca needs right now, so she vows to keep Tuck from recognizing her (not that she’s his type anyway).

But fate has a teeny-tiny trick up her sleeve…a plus sign on a pregnancy test. Can this tormented prince accept love, or will he push his princess away forever?

Smutty + angsty NA romance. Highly recommended if you like the first book. This book is not for everyone.
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!

Another five-star read by Ilsa Madden Mills! What can I say about her books that hasn't already been said? She just never ceases to amaze me! She tells these seemingly normal stories, but yet makes them so funny and interesting, to where you just can't put them down! This book is just one more example of why Ilsa Madden Mills is such an amazingly talented writer!

Tuck and Francesca were so good together. They had this undeniable connection and chemistry, and they and their friends had me laughing out loud at their antics. It also had some unexpected twists to it. I loved everything about this one, and I highly recommend it with more than five stars!

Gosh I love this series so much. The first was fantastic and this was even better. I can’t wait for more friends to read to talk about it.

Après avoir découvert Nova et Ronan dans Beauty and The Baller, le 1er tome de la série, je me suis laissé tenter par ce second tome.

Tuck est une star de la NFL plutôt en fin de carrière. Sa vie personnelle n’est pas des plus calme et cela commence à affecter ses performances sur le terrain. Ses coéquipiers lui organisent sa fête d’anniversaire dans un club exclusif où il fait la connaissance de Francesca, une princesse, sans vraiment savoir qui elle est car tout le monde porte un masque et les protagonistes décident de garder l’anonymat.

Ce qui n’était qu’une soirée de fête et débauche se termine avec un invité surprise : Francesca tombe enceinte malgré les précautions prises. Et le destin ne les épargne pas, Francesca découvre rapidement que son amant d’un soir habite au sommet de son immeuble. Le prince inconnu n’est plus inconnu du tout mais il ne sait pas encore que sa princesse habite quelques étages plus bas.

Francesca fera tout ce qu’elle peut pour ne pas tomber sur Tuck et qu’il ne découvre son identité, mais le destin s’en mêlera et ils seront l’un et l’autre démasqués. La grande question qui demeure pour Fran c’est avouer ou non sa grossesse à Tuck. Va-t-il penser que c’est un coup monté ? Veut-il fonder une famille ?

Cette romance explore une fois de plus un thème récurrent, la grossesse accidentelle. J’avoue avoir été un peu déçue du choix de l’auteure même si les personnages sont authentiques et attachants. Fran et Tuck ont des passés difficiles, et c’est ce qui va les rapprocher. Alors que Tuck vit son football à fond, malgré son arrivée en fin de carrière, Fran elle est une artiste. Nous la découvrons tatoueuse avant qu’elle ne fasse un changement de carrière un peu forcé.

L’auteure a, pour moi, exploré trop rapidement le passé de Fran et a trop fait durer l’indécision d’avouer à Tuck sa grossesse. Certains passages étaient longs, l’histoire manque de fluidité. Leur histoire mérite pourtant d’être lu car elle démontre que l’on peut toujours s’en sortir même si on prend un mauvais départ.

En bref, une relation qui démarre à l’improviste pour finir par changer des vies. Fran et Tuck surmontent leurs passés et créent quelque chose de nouveau. Même si cela manque d’originalité et traine parfois en longueur, laissez une chance à ce couple de vous faire découvrir leur histoire.

A gorgeous story of love, found family, second chances, redemption, and fate, Ilsa Madden-Mills The Princess and The Player brought me to tears, made me laugh and swoon, with the love between Tuck and Francesca and their found families!

"Family is the compass that guides us, a light that leads us, the most important aspect of a child’s life. It is unconditional and loves you no matter your shortcomings."

The found family aspect in The Princess and The Player is one of the sweetest I've seen this year, and Ilsa Madden-Mills did an amazing job building it up on both sides. Francesca has been alone most of her life, but as an adult she has Cece, Brogan, Mr. Darden, the Doorman Hermann, and even the Widow Carnes. All of these friends, even the grouchy Darden and judgy Widow stand for her and with her in everything, and especially as everything starts to go pear shaped with Tuck.

Tuck thinks he's still alone after his friend Ronan retired, but doesn't notice that Jasper, Deacon and even the semi-wretched Camille are always there. They may bedevil him like no one else, but they've also got his back all the time. Jasper doesn't even let Camille do the dumbest thing possible in trying to get between Tuck and Francesca.

The plot line and redemption arc for both these characters is so well developed, nothing is left out. The beauty of Frannie and Tuck's relationship from beginning to end, to beginning again is achingly sweet in a way that you just root for them the whole time - you can see how beautiful they could really be together if they just stop fighting themselves so hard!

Five out of five stars for Ilsa Madden-Mills gloriously gorgeous The Princess and The Player. Everyone needs this kind of found family love story on their shelf!!

When sparks fly at a masquerade night, can no strings turn into more? Francesca and Tuck have a very unique meet-cute, and it turns out that fate might be throwing them together for a reason. But first, they must grow and learn to trust themselves before the princess and the player can get their happily ever after.

The Princess and the Player has a lot of emotions - it’s a very fun romcom and it also made me cry a little. The epilogue was delightful, too!

Hot one stand…check….role playing…check…feeling when you don’t want them..check. What more can I say about this amazing book?! Francesca and Tuck…the perfect non couple! Secrets and pasts and non communication will get you a hot one stand…bask in the fire of these two!!!

I loved this book, the male lead was quite grumpy and sceptical which is the male lead I love and the female lead doesn't let people push her around. I loved this all the way through the book but this book relies heavily on the miscommunication trope which I don't mind but be warned!
This isn't the largest miscommunication trope I have seen but it relies heavily on the ending and third part crisis, I loved how they met but the pregnancy trope isn't the best for me but I think it fits well with them both as if it wasn't by accident they probably wouldn't have had children together.

I really enjoyed this one. It was a fun Sunday afternoon read. I was entertained with the characters and it really was a story of fate stepping in when Tuck and Francesca need it.

They have lived in the same building for years until a chance encounter at a private club sets off a chance reaction of chance meetings. Their story was an entertaining one to read. Both Tuck and Francesca have led completely different lives but they both have some scars from it.

Its hard to write this review without giving the storyline away and honestly its one you need to experience and enjoy yourself. You will laugh and cry throughout. All the characters were engaging and entertaining. You wont be able to help yourself love them all. I could have read more.

This was a really enjoyable book.
I love that the forming of Tuck and Francesca's relationship was not conventional, but it worked for them. They had an interesting way of meeting, then getting to know each other, and finding out just how connected they were but hadn't realised.
They were both great characters, both with some baggage, and neither were perfect, but knew they had something between them.
So many wonderful side characters too, that I'm hoping we get more of.
I'm not sure if there's more planned for this series, but i'm hoping so as I'm really enjoying this series and all the characters.

POV: First person / Dual
Genre: Sports Romance (American Football) / One night stand / Neighbours / Surprise Pregnancy / Hidden Pregnancy

On his 35th birthday, NFL wide receiver Tuck’s plans of a night indulging in chocolate cake are thrown out of the window when his friends surprise him with a masquerade night at a very private and elegant sex club, Decadence. Once there he rescues a mysterious Princess, dressed in a wedding gown. The chemistry between the two is smoking, and they indulge in each other, for one night only, no names and the masks stay on.

Fast forward a few weeks, and Tuck bumps into his Princess again, the pair are able to deduce who each other is. It’s not long before Tuck and Francesca are spending more and more time together. They have a connection that Tuck wants to explore, but he’s been burned before and doesn’t trust easily.

What he doesn’t know is that Francesca is keeping secrets from him, she’s pregnant, and the baby she’s carrying is his…

Tuck and Francesca had wonderful chemistry and their scenes together were steamy! Princess and the Player pulled me in, I thoroughly enjoyed the various components of the story and how they pulled together to engross you. The chemistry, banter, sexy times, sweetness and emotional depth were extremely well written.

Princess and the Player is a story of two individuals, who despite being from different worlds are inexplicably linked by their emotional trauma stemming from difficult childhoods. It was a story of fate and serendipity, and by the last page, my heart was full with a smile on my face.