I loved how this story started - I was immediately hooked, and couldn't stop reading. Up until 40-50% I thought this was going to be a new 5 star read, but then story started to become weird and by the end I was disappointed.
It's still a solid contemporary romance, I love Ilsa Madden-Mills and I'm always entertained by her books, but there are quite a few details I think should've been left out or come sooner in the story, making it a much better one overall:

1.) Tuck discovering pregnancy on his own at around 75%

I'm still not completely sure how did Francesca think she'll be able to hide her pregnancy from Tuck and why she thought that would be a good idea. I get her reluctance to tell him at first, but I still believe her realization how messed up her hiding it from him really was came way too late in the story. It messed up the pacing, leaving too little time for a proper growth of the characters and their relationship.
I definitely think that she should've been the one to tell him, him realizing it on his own was underwhelming and not good for the romance of the story. There were too many flaws in that plot and it made the story weaker than it could've been.

2.) Too many exs

There just so many exs one story can handle before it becomes too much, and this one definitely crossed that line. I understand that there was purpose for Edward being in the story - his cheating on Francesca creates opportunity for the MC's to meet and for the story to set off. But there was really no purpose for that other guy (I can't even remember his name), and that whole plot took too many pages from the main plot and relationship development between MCs.
And the whole awkward scene in the third act, with the creepy artist ex and the hero in art gallery, it was unnecessary and ridiculous. It made the hero seem immature, I guess it was supposed to be funny, but for me it just showed the flaws in the writing and a need for more editing.
I'm generally not a fan of the characters whose sole purpose is to make other MC jealous, so I hated Courtney. The scene when Jesper goes off on her after she tried to make Francesca think she and Tuck are hooking up was written confusingly and I hope it gets more editing, it's not clear at all what's going on.


3.) Weird comments on art (history) and pop culture - this is definitely a minor complaint, and if I weren's so angry with the path the story took, I would probably overlook it.

Tuck is 35 year old millenial who's never seen Titanic?! Please, that movie was huge in the 90's, it's arguably one of the most iconic movies of the decade, and it's relegated to a chic-flick and not-for-men movie by the hero?
And the art talk between the hero and the heroine, when they are supposed to seem like true connoisseurs, is super-weird. I mean, the speech Tuck gives on Van Gogh sounds like he's reading it from Wikipedia, and Francesca admiring his knowledge on freaking Van Gogh, one of the world's most recognizable and well-known artists, is just laughable. This people are supposed to be an artist and a long-time art collector/admirer. I know that I, as an art historian, may be biased on what's a common knowledge, but knowing fun facts about people like Dante or Van Gogh should not be something extraordinary, especially for someone with an art degree or history degree for that matter.

4.) Inconsistences in characters

Somewhere in the middle of the story, both Francesca and Tuck start acting way different from what their characters are set up as. Tuck we met in the previous book, where he's described as a party animal, drinking, easy-going, enjoying women and life type of guy. I know it's pretty usual in romances to have a character who is described as such act differently in his own book, but i felt like there were inconsistences and changes in the character within this book, that happened without enough explanation or reason behind those changes. I feel like if we were shown more of his relationship with his mother, and not only told about it, it would be easier to understand him as a character.
The same goes for Francesca, there's so much happening with her - pregnancy, past trauma, all the exs, discovering long lost relatives. It's too much for one story, especially with everything else that's happening, and it showed in Francesca's character by the end. She started out as strong, independent, creative and interesting character, but honestly, by the end, she was just annoying and flat character.


I mentioned most of the stuff that bugged me while reading, but there were some stuff I love of course!

1.) the steam - most of the intimate scenes are great, I enjoyed them a lot!

2.) small moments between MCs when they are getting to know each other - I loved their walks, and how interested Tuck was in Francesca. I also loved what a good guy Tuck is, genuinly caring for others.

3.) I think this is the first book I read where the heroine was a tattoo artist! I loved that, and I wish we got more of Francesca working in that field. I generally enjoy the artsy characters, so this was a big plus and the thing that got me hooked at the beginning.

4.) descriptions of New York and of winter atmosphere - the descriptions in this book really made me think of coziness of winter/Christmas reads, and the release date being in November, I can totaly imagine this novel being great Christmas romance. At one point I even thought it's going to play out as something like that, which I would've loved

4 ⭐️’s

Tropes;
One Night Stand
Sports Romance
Accidental Pregnancy

I absolutely adored Beauty And The Baller and was so excited that we were getting Tuck’s book. Especially with it being accidental pregnancy trope (one of my favs urgh)!!

In The Princess And The Player we follow Francesca Lane and Tuck Avery. Their worlds collide when they have a anonymous one-night stand at an exclusive club. However, this one-night stand doesn’t stay anonymous as Francesca discovers that the mystery man is no other then her NFL neighbour, knowing his history of being a player she decides to try and avoid giving away her identity. These plans are slightly skewed when Francesca is met with an unexpected plus sign.

I don’t want to give to much away but this was overall a super enjoyable, fun, quick read. Both characters have complicated pasts which helps flesh out their characters and give them enough depth to get attached and interested by them. Their chemistry is also off the charts and this book wasn’t lacking at all in the steam department. I loved reading about these two and this was a rollercoaster of a story. And as always this book made me laugh so much as does most of Ilsa books, she never fails to balance the humour, heavier moments and plot in her books.

If you are looking for a quick, fun sports romance then this is the book for you!

I was so dang entertained by Beauty and the Baller that I couldn’t pass up getting my hands on an ARC of Princess and the Player, book two of Ilsa Madden-Mills’ Strangers in Love series.

Princess and the Player was just as fun of a read as Beauty and the Baller but a little more emotional. Tuck and Francesca both have their own trauma that they carry with them from relationship to relationship. Despite fate continuously pushing them together, that baggage keeps getting in the way of their happiness - that and a big secret that Francesca is keeping after their one-night stand.

Aside from the moments that had me reaching for tissues, there was plenty of witty banter and steamy sexy time - my favorite combo! I fell in love with the side characters, all of whom have big personalities and even bigger mouths. I can’t tell whose book I want more, Jasper or Brogan!

If I had to offer any criticism, it would be that Francesca kept her secret for way too long and I think she should have done more groveling than Tuck did - nevertheless, I’m hoping this series continues on and that I get to see more of Jasper, Brogan, and Cece!

Ilsa Madden-Mills NEVER MISSES.
Such a good book. Unique characters, cliche tropes but in the absolute BEST WAY!!!!!! The tropes in this one gave me butterflies.
I felt for Francesca so deeply. She was outwardly a badass who can deal with anything, but deep down she was vulnerable and hurting. She wants so badly not to care and will do anything to avoid it.
I also really like Tuck. He was extremely likable even when he was borderline being a paranoid a hole, you really felt like you could understand and approve of why he acted the way he does.
Two beautiful characters with tragic backstories come together and make MAGIC.

Ilsa Madden-Mills did an amazing job with Princess and the Player. This book had heart, raw emotions and relatable characters from the start.. As always, Ilsa Madden-Mills scored major points with her stunning prose as she allowed readers to see and feel this tangible connection of Tuck and Francesca. So if you are looking for a story with tropes one night stand leads to accidental pregnancy then this book is definitely for you.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

One night. No real names. No exchanging of numbers. That’s what NFL player Tuck and jilted bride and artist Francesca agree to when they meet by chance at an exclusive nightclub where anything goes. Imagine Francesca’s surprise when she realizes that her masked one-night stand lives in her building. Francesca vows to keep her identity hidden, but fate (and Tuck) have other plans for their relationship. As Francesca and Tuck begin to explore the possibility of enjoying each other more permanently, they will each have to confront their own pasts and insecurities and decide if they are ready and willing to take the leap. This book offered a unique meet cute with two characters you can’t help but fall for. While I don’t normally enjoy an unplanned pregnancy plot, this book delivered it in a way that was genuine to the characters and had me racing towards the end. At certain times it felt as if there were so many different things happening that it was hard to focus on one central plot, but overall it was an enjoyable read.

I absolutely loved this story from start to finish and read it practically in one sitting. It's heartfelt, hilarious, and honest - a great compliment to the first book in the Strangers in Love series. Ilsa Madden-Mills writes amazing contemporary sports romance stories with fresh perspective, charming characters and great, engaging storytelling and structure. These two main characters truly charmed me. Their story is interesting and endearing and you will easily fall in love right along with them. The themes of fate and coincidence are a huge part of the story which gave it an interesting whimsical feel making it all the more romantic. And it's just incredibly funny. From the two mains extending to the secondary cast, I laughed so much. They are a motley crew who are wonderfully quirky and anecdotal and can banter with the best of anyone. The family Madden-Mills created in this book leaves you feeling hopeful as does the wonderful romance. I can't wait for more out of this wonderful, new realm this author is creating.

I always love anything Isla writes. One night stand that leads to accidental pregnancy, is one of my favorite tropes. The story jumped around a bit, but I reminded myself this is an ARC, and her stories are usually a smooth read. I'll definitely keep an eye out for more books in the series! (I'm hoping Jasper's story is next!)

This was a fun read with a predictable ending.
I don't know that I like the writer's style, but this is a good beach read.

I was hoping for Tuck book since I read about him in Ronan book. This book gives you everything you ask for. This book is filled with so much of passion, fun, happiness and bit of sad. FrancescaTuck spend night with each other without revealing their faces. Their one night has resulted in Francesca Preganancy.

I loved both FrancescaTuck Individually and together. They both are strong despite facing so much in their childhood. No child should go through what Tuck had went in their childhood. I just wanted to jump into the book and protect Tuck. Francesca is such a strong badass girl for building a life despite not having her parents. They deserve every happiness in this world and I am not even kidding.

This book is a must read if you want to enjoy a one night stand, surprise pregnancy, found family book.

I didn't connect really with either of these characters. Francesca is a lonely artist with a troubled past. Tuck is a player with wealth and fame. I didn't buy into their masquerade meet-up and that leading to an actual connection. I read the book but was underwhelmed.

I want to say going in that I loved Beauty and the Baller.

I was so excited to be lucky enough to get an ARC of this book. I dropped everything that I was reading to grab it up. I started reading it and enjoyed this opening scenes, but then it got confusing once they meet up in the building. I kept reading and it was still a little odd, along with it really bugged me that Francessa didn't tell Tuck about being pregnant for so long once it was clear he wanted to court her. It's a one night steamy hot stand that turns into a surprise baby.

I will be giving the next book a chance to see what is in store for this series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Montlake for the ARC.

🌟🌟🌟🌟 4/5 stars

I absolutely loved Beauty and the Baller and couldn’t wait for Tuck’s story. While I didn’t love it quite as much as BATB, Princess and the Player was another steamy romance with all the chemistry and banter.

Francesca and Tuck meet at an exclusive lifestyle club while wearing masquerade masks. They immediately hit it off and have a very memorable night together (while never taking off the masks). When Francesca realizes that the mystery man is her neighbor and an NFL star, she doesn’t believe their lives could ever fit together. However, when she takes a pregnancy test, everything changes.

This was a very cute story and a lot more emotional than I was expecting. I loved Tuck and Francesca and their “fated” love story. I flew through this one and it was a fun romance to get lost in.

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Full review to be posted closer to release date.

I read this in one sitting. I stayed up until 3 a.m. because I could not put it down. Amazing as always Ilsa!!!!
Thanks so much for the ARC

I must admit that I went into this book knowing I would enjoy it.
I read Beauty and the Baller, which is book 1 in the Strangers In Love series, and had loved that too.

Francesca is a tattoo artist who meets RICH (he casually mentions his father left him 2 billion when he died) NFL player Tuck Avery at a masked party at a sex club. They have a crazy night together, then go their separate ways. They agree to keep masks on throughout the night, so neither has a clue who the other is.

They meet weeks later, & both get the feeling that the other is "that person", but are not sure. They have undeniable chemistry & can't keep away from each other.

There is a very steamy book store scene which I have though about since lol.

Francesca is an orphan & has created her own family with her friends, & her grumpy 80 yr old neighbour. Tuck is lonely, even though he has his friend Jasper - he feels like all he has is football; and is holding onto his career with everything he has.

There is a theme around the two being fated to be together, & I loved it.

The two people connected by the red thread are destined lovers, regardless of place, time, or circumstances.

Their paths crossed at so many points & they never met until that night at the party.
It was the day that would have been her wedding day, & it was his birthday.

TW: Cheating / Childhood trauma (DV in the home)

Tropes:
One-night stand
Surprise Pregnancy

The story was a rollercoaster of emotions. It was funny at times, sad, steamy & at other times just made me feel happy.

I will admit that I was freaking out when things were getting serious between the tow, & Francesca wasn't telling him the truth. I was on the edge with every conversation at that point!

Overall, I really enjoyed the read, & would totally recommend.

I was a bit surprised that we were getting Tuck story. But I don’t care cause I will still read anything that Ilsa Madden Mills writes. She knows how to write heart-breaking sports romance books. I don’t know how she does it, but she can pull it off. It’s a talent that I love from her. And I hope we get more books from her. But let’s get back to her newest book, Princess and the Player (aka Tuck's story).

Princess and the Player will bring a one-night stand into multiple dates after Francesca and Tuck reunite with each other. It’s definitely surprising for both of them to reunite again because they never knew each other's identity. And yet, they also live close to each other by living in the same building. What a coincidence!

Even though they keep running into each other, they both have walls to break, though, if they want a relationship with each other, especially in Francesca's case. She is holding a big secret that affects his and her life as well.

There is so more to the story. Both of them have a past that they need to work on. It’s going to take time and trust to overcome their past. They just need to be honest with each other.

After a steamy one night stand with a masked stranger Francesca never expects to see her prince again much less find out that he is pro-football player who also lives in her building. But there he is and avoiding him when he turns up everywhere and seems intent on getting to know her. The only issue is that as it turns out orgasms aren’t the only things he gave her during their torrid night together and Francesca isn’t sure if or how she should let him know.

This book started a little shakey for me but once it hit its stride it was the fun weekend read I was looking for. I wish that Francesca had not kept the secret foe such an uncomfortably long time and that the conflict at the end hadn’t resolved so quickly and seemingly out of the blue but the fantasy of the hot football player wooing the object of his affection through winter time walks and lavished attention made it all worth while.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Great 2nd book in the series. It starts out slower than I like but I loved the ending. Tuck takes some time to get to know but Francesca is perfect for him. I love the back story of friends who are family. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

I am a total sucker for the One Night Stand Leads to Accidental Pregnancy trope, and so the blurb had me diving head first into Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-Mills. This book had nuanced characters who showed great character growth, amazing banter and a well deserved HEA.
It's almost like nothing ever went right for Tuck and Francesca their entire lives. In the span of the storyline (5 months, approximately), Francesca had to deal with two exes, an unplanned pregnancy, and joblessness. Tuck has been scarred by his childhood, a stalker and has severe commitment issues as a result of his childhood. Everything that could go wrong, did go wrong. Which is why their ending was rather relieving as (hopefully) their lives were all roses from there on.
This book was touching, and really makes you feel a rollercoaster of emotions for both main characters. Said rollercoaster brought me out of a month long reading slump, for which I shall forever be grateful.
Princess and the Player is a book that will pull on your heartstrings and is definitely worth reading. I jumped right into Beauty and l Baller after finishing to hold onto their world a little longer.


*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you NetGalley and Montlake for the ARC!*

I loved this newest Madden-Milla book! It was a rollercoaster ride of a love story and kept me reading late into the night. I loved Tuck and Francesca's story!