5 Star!
Tuck Avery is a famous professional football player for the New York Pythons. At thirty five he’s the oldest wide receiver in the NFL. He has a reputation as a carefree party guy, and on the outside seems to have it all. He’s a star athlete that everyone adores and everything appears to come easy for him. Then he meets a stranger that challenges and intrigues him. The gorgeous brunette is full of fire and attitude, and he’s drawn to her. Could she end up being the most real and genuine part of his life?

Lately nothing is as it should be for Francesca Lane. She’s fresh off a break up and her life is a total mess. A night out is just what she needs, and a no names, no strings one night stand is the cherry on top of a wonderful evening. She plans to never see her sexy stranger again, but soon realizes that’s not going to be easy since she now knows who he is. She wants to still remain anonymous, but their paths continue to cross. Soon she can’t deny there just might be something between them. Has she finally met the one man to make her believe I’m fate and happily ever after?

Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-Mills is the second book in the Strangers in Love series. It’s a standalone, neighbors, sports romance full of emotion, angst, humor, chemistry and fabulous banter. I’ve wanted more of Tuck since we met him as Ronan’s funny best friend. Who knew there were so many beautiful layers to Tuck Avery. This story has so much heart and swoon. Just LOVED it!!! <333

This was cute.
I liked it a lot better than book one. The main characters were cute and they balanced each other rather well.
There were some things that I didn't believe like a guy not noticing his girlfriend's stomach was getting bigger 🤷‍♀️ I was like that makes no sense yet still I like their relationship.
My favorite characters were Francesca's roommates. I love ride or die supportive friends and those two were amazing.
I liked the main plot yet i still feel like something was missing here. The ending felt to rush or like a lot of things were fixed too easy.
The story was enjoyable though and the epilogue was super adorable so it was a fun read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I can barely handle how good this book is!! These characters hooked me from the first page. Francesca and Tuck definitely deserved all of the HEAs. This story had me all in my feels but the end was such perfection. I really hope there's so much more from this series!!

Surprise pregnancy isn't a trope that I usually look for, but I was totally here for Tuck's story!
Their meet cute was at least interesting, and all the coincidences that led to them finally becoming a thing, make it an really sweet.

Francesca is an interesting character, full of art and love, but she's also really closed up to everyone outside her chosen family circle.
When she gets pregnant after a one night stand at a sex club, and then find out who her baby's daddy is, things get complicated with feelings that neither of them are willing to face or assume.

I liked both main characters, and as always, the side characters were a real treat here, complementing their group in a really good way!
I loved the writing, and even though I felt that she could have told him sooner, I also saw all the red flags in doing it, since he was adamant in not wanting a family.

All worked it out, and I liked how it ended.

From the first page to the last, I was captivated by Francesca & Tuck and their story.

Francesca just got dumped, the last thing she expected was to find love again. She couldn’t have planned on Tuck. I love how much humor and heart was in their story.

I can’t wait to see what adventures Ilsa Madden-Mills will take her readers on next!

I voluntarily reviewed this book.

4 1/2 stars

Oh this book has so much to love! Masquerade outing to a private club where the masks don't come off and names aren't exchanged. Right from the beginning, Tuck and Francesca's chemistry is off the charts and crazy hot. Then as the book continues, other fun twists get added to it as well. Francesca is a strong woman who has some moments where she makes poor choices. I didn't like the secret she insisted on keeping for way too long. Other than that, I had few faults with the story.

Tuck had some personal baggage which made him overly sensitized to certain situations. Because of this, he was a little too quick to react without listening fully and weighing all the information first. It was the one time that I didn't care for him as a character. Other than that, he was a perfectly swoony male lead for the majority of the story.

I haven't read the first book in this series yet, but absolutely intend to. You definitely do not need to have read it to enjoy this story.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to read and review it and the opinions contained within are my own.

This was not good. It started out okay and I was mostly vibing, but then it just devolved from there and kept getting worse and I don’t even know why I finished. The writing was chaotic, the plot weirdly thought out, the nicknames atrocious, and it just was not it. I’m bummed.

I could keep going but I don’t really want to think much about this book anymore so I’m just gonna say this book was bad and I’m sad about it.


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

I felt like this was an adult version of Scrooge getting visits from boyfriends past, present, and future. Also, I know pregnancies are different but I really was surprised that he couldn't tell. Great story, and in typical fashion I read the entire thing in two chunks because I couldn't stop reading once I started. I like the epilogue of checking in years later, but it almost seems like a different tone than the rest of the book. Maybe it's supposed to, since it's so much further down the road in the relationship. Another great story and I enjoyed it more than the first in the series!

Ilsa Madden Mills' ongoing theme of fated love continues to enchant her readers in her latest work Princess and the Player.

Aging football superstar Tuck Avery was clinging to the life he had made for himself even as that life inevitably evolved. His past held him back from a future beyond what he had so far achieved and as much as he wanted more he was stuck by his inability to see beyond the present. Artist Francesca Lane had more than her share of let downs and it was no surprise that she guarded her heart and let few people into her inner circle. When Tuck and Francesca met in an unconventional and unexpected way it seemed that fate had given them a break for once unfortunately they had to wade through lifetimes of hurts and self imposed walls to get their HEA's.

It soon became clear that Tuck and Francesca were remarkably well suited even as their personal issues came to the forefront and presented challenges. The very things seemingly holding Tuck and Francesca back instead enabled this couple to move on when they were forced to confront them versus suppressing them, in the end serving as a catalyst for each other's what could be's. The snark and push pull of this couple lit up the pages with desire and longing even while pushing them to deal with their problems. The jolt of their unforeseen attraction proved to be exactly what they needed to move on. Despite there being a fair amount of poignant moments in this work there were more than enough laughs and sweet gestures helping to mitigate the huge amount of pain circulating throughout this story rounding it out.

There is no denying that Ms. Madden-Mills writes some of the best supporting characters out there. They are in a whole league of their own and while they never detract from the story at hand they always add something special to this author's works and this once again proved true in Princess and the Player. Charming and fun each secondary character added to the story with their quirkiness and standout personalities.

Ms. Madden-Mills’ ability to unite lost souls in well deserved happily ever afters coupled with her engaging writing has successfully kept her audience coming back over and over. Her stories are full of depth and have a sensitivity that she translates beautifully to her work. By no means are her characters perfect, in fact they are often riddled with flaws, but in the end each and everyone of her portrayals possess some form of kindness and the ability ultimately to move past their emotional wounds. Ilsa Madden-Mill’s Princess and the Player is one big touching hug of a story and a perfect read to crack even the toughest heart!

***5 Stars***

I couldn’t put this baby down.
Well, I did because of that workthing, but I did sneak in a few chapters when I shouldn’t have.
It had all that I love in a book no matter the genre and has me crossing my toes that we get to catch up with this cast of characters at some point in the future to see how they are all doing.

I adored Francesca and Tuck. Both have gone through some pretty trying and hurtful situations in their lives, but they’ve managed to carve out lives that make them happy, at least on the surface. Francesca is feisty, Tuck is charming and they are both just good people with huge hearts.

Their journey was definitely an interesting one and definitely makes one believe in fate. The chemistry between them was undeniable and their bantering was a lot of fun. I enjoyed watching as they collided time and time again and how, despite some hesitation, they found that they truly liked who the other person was. As for the “Surprise! I’m pregnant” issue. I actually liked how that played out and in the end, I love how things worked out for Francesca and Tuck.

This was simply a fun read. It was easy to like Francesca and Tuck from the start and be fully invested in them getting their HEA. There are some topics that may make some uncomfortable, but they are necessary for character growth. And as for the supporting cast of characters…I freakin’ adored them all ~ well at least the ones that were considered friends and family by our MC’s. Darden is my fav, Cece and Broga are a close second, but I’m crossing my toes that Jasper get’s a book at some point down the road because he was awesome!

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed

I loved reading Tuck and Francesca’s story. When they meet there is an immediate connection and they have one incredible night together. After that night, neither one of them has any expectations of ever meeting again, but fate has other ideas.

I found Tuck easy to like. He Is successful in football, but unfortunately, his personal life is a mess. At thirty-five he is the oldest wide receiver in football and he is not sure what he will do when his football career is over. Tuck’s life seems to be going downhill and he isn’t sure what to do about it. When Tuck meets Francesca again, he wants to spend time with her, but he has a hard time convincing her it’s a good idea.

I easily connected with Tuck and Francesca and I was rooting for them because they both deserve some good in their lives. I felt sorry for them because neither of them has had an easy life, they are both flawed and have baggage from their pasts.

This is a wonderfully written story and it left me with a good feeling. Tuck and Francesca are perfect for each other. They are interesting, easy to connect with and I enjoyed all of their encounters. I also enjoyed the odd assortment of friends in this story. They add a lot of laughter and entertainment. I highly recommend the Princess and the Player.

*Thank you to Montlake, Ilsa Madden-Mills, and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review*

I love this series. I loved Beauty and the Baller and I love this one even more. There wasn't a character in this book what wasn't multi-layered, flawed and hilarious. Francesca is strong and independent. Tuck had what appeared to be an idyllic childhood, but was anything but. I am usually not a lover of secret pregnancy books but I got it. If I had to nitpick on anything, I just wished that authors did more research on New York City while placing their characters there. This is an amazing romance with everything you want; steam, angst, humor and respect. Brilliant!

I unfortunately did not finish this book. She waited entirely too long to tell him she was pregnant. I had high hopes but could not handle it.

Where to start?

Francesca Lane is an artist who works as a tattooist while she tries to sell her art. When her fiance dumps her for the shop manager just before her wedding she decides the only way to get over the betrayal is to go to a masked ball at a sex club to get over him. At the ball she meets Tuck Avery, he's a big-shot NFL player but because they are both masked neither knows who the other is. After a steamy night they go their separate ways, never realising that they both live in the same apartment building (don't even get me started on how a struggling tattoo artist can afford to live in the same apartment building - it's a ridiculous story).

Tucker has a terrible family history (don't they all), he's the original poor little rich boy, and as a consequence he fears getting close to other people. Added to which a recent injury may spell the end of his NFL career and he is having trouble controlling his anger. At first when he sees Francesca at his local restaurant ordering take-out he is suspicious that she is stalking him (not the first time that has happened to him), but soon he is falling under her spell.

I seriously considered DNFing this book. I guess if you think it is perfectly normal (or even sexy) to go to a sex club in your wedding dress and hook up with a stranger then you'll probably find this a great read. I had seen rave reviews about Ilsa Madden-Mills so I was eager to request an ARC, but sadly this is is not for me. There are so many unbelievable plot lines (I won't even call them twists), Francesca calls them serendipity but I just see it as the author forcing a square peg in a round hole.

So, ridiculous plot and one bonk scene after another, not my cup of tea but horses for courses as they say.

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

I loved Tuck in Ronan and Nova’s story and knew his story would be good. He’s a great character but Francesca stole the show here. She’s so strong and independent, having taken care of herself all her life. Until she met her friends, she never had a family or anyone to depend on. She’s initially annoyed to realize Tuck is the mysterious stranger with whom she shared the best night of her life but the more time they spend together, the more he grows on her.

A family is the last thing Tuck wants. His childhood was too scarred and he’s still tortured by his family’s dark truths. I received an ARC from Social Butterfly PR in exchange for an honest review. But he knows he’s falling for Francesca, no matter how hard he tries to resist. He also knows she has a secret and Francesca knows she’s running out of time to fess up, but she wants to hold onto him just a little longer, knowing she’ll lose him when the truth comes out.

This is a story about the family you choose and not letting the past define you. It’s sweet and a tad emotional but the ending is well worth it. Now I’m waiting for Jasper’s story and hoping we get it soon.

OH MY!! You need to grab Princess and the Player and meet Tuck and Francesca!!! Ilsa Madden-Mills weaves her magic yet again and brings us another phenomenal couple whose love story will captivate you from the first chapter to the last. I was so drawn to Tuck right from the start. His charm and swagger could sweep any woman off her feet. Of course, she would have to be able to handle all his darkness too. Francesca had her own darkness to contend with and she refused to give in to it. She was beautiful, fierce and independent with a side of sass. These two were definitely meant to be, but would they ever be able to see that themselves?

I am always such a big fan of this author whose writing style is so full of description as to help you picture her stories as if you were a part of them. Her main characters are beautifully written and always have their flaws, but their good side outweighs their bad. The supporting characters are quirky, funny, and always endearing. One can't help but be captured by the web they spin in the background. This story is no different. Jasper will steal your attention more than once! There wasn't much down time once I started reading. This was a story that was hard to let go of, so the pages were being turned rather quickly. I highly recommend you jump in and meet Tuck and Francesca. Theirs is a complicated, but ultimately satisfying love story that's sure to make you smile.

Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-Mills is book Two in the Strangers in Love Series. This is the story of Tuck and Francesca. Francesca and Tuck have a hot encounter at Decadence which they think is a one an done. But fate is having them tied up again. Ms. Madden-Mills for me is a must read author. Loved it.

This was such a beautiful story about about mental health and discovering family. Francesca grew up an orphan, being moved from foster home to foster home all around New York. To say she has abandonment issues is an understatement. Tuck, while growing up in high society, has a broken relationship with his parents.

When their worlds collide as a masquerade party at a salacious sex club, it seems fate has plans for them. They keep running into each other, even though they never took off their masks and never shared names. They must decide if their tumultuous pasts will keep them apart or if they will break the pattern of their pasts.

I really enjoyed this book. There were so many laugh out loud moments, especially by our side characters Jasper and Cece, while dealing with some pretty heavy topics. The things that come up in the book are all pretty relatable so it’s pretty easy to connect with the characters.

Well, Ilsa Madden-Mills has done it again. Another top sports romance to my collection. Princess and the Player is really much more than a sports romance though. Tuck and Francesca are two fantastic characters that each have a broken life backstory, and the way each of them are handling it, and struggling to feel completely whole, is wonderfully heartbreaking.

Beneath Tuck's cocky, sometimes gruff exterior, are lingering insecurities causing him to think that he will turn into the worst parts of both of his parents. He's carrying around a world of mistaken guilt, and he figures it's better for everyone if he stays closed off to the possibility of much more in life. And aging in the sport that he so loves adds to the emotional fuel. Francesca is running from her past and a recent betrayal, but she's determined to keep the found family and love she has now. Their mysterious meet cute is fun and entertaining, quickly turning into a very spicy connection. Both think it's a one-off, though both also can't quite stop thinking about it. The last thing they expect is to run into each other again. Francesca thinks it might be fate, Tuck isn't quite there yet though he knows he wants to spend more time with her.

There are surprises and twists in this story, and deeper emotions that hit me harder than I expected. Tuck and Francesca are two of my favorite IMM characters, and the supporting characters are amazing and I would love to see more from them in the future. Princess and the Player hit all my buttons and the humor, heart, and heat make it an unputdownable romance.

Story: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Trope: ONS, accidental pregnancy
Angst: 😱😱😱😱
Smexy: 🔥🔥🔥🔥

"𝘖𝘯𝘦 𝘯𝘪𝘨𝘩𝘵. 𝘕𝘰 𝘯𝘢𝘮𝘦𝘴. 𝘕𝘰. 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘴𝘬𝘴 𝘥𝘰𝘯'𝘵 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘰𝘧𝘧".

I really haven't read a bad book by Ilsa Madden-Mills and the Princess and the Player did not disappoint. Francesca Lane and Tuck Avery are two people with some with different, but equally tragic backstories and fate just seems to keep throwing them together. They bump into each other at a sex club. The pro-football player, past his prime, past his man-ho past, but open to having fun with a stranger and the tattoo artist who just caught her fiancé cheating. One doesn't believe in fate because that would mean all the bad things in his life was meant to happen and the other has to believe in fate or she's just a person someone abandoned as a child. But, as fate would have it, Francesca's going to walk away from that night with more than just memories of a hot ONS, and the "stranger" ends up being someone she crosses paths with on the daily.

"𝘠𝘰𝘶'𝘳𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘯. 𝘐'𝘮 𝘢 𝘤𝘺𝘯𝘪𝘤 𝘵𝘰𝘰, 𝘣𝘶𝘵... 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘣𝘦 𝘢 𝘱𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦; 𝘰𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘸𝘪𝘴𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵'𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘱𝘰𝘪𝘯𝘵 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘦𝘥𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘶𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨?"

Absolutely beautiful and heart wrenching storytelling at its finest ♥️. So well written and the character development was phenomenal. Literally crying for these characters and what they had to go through. The self-sabotage and self-doubt. Francesca is just wonderful. Super brassy, somewhat of a ball-buster, her tragic start has left her with a bit of a hard outer shell, but she's pragmatic and adaptable and knows who she is. Tuck is the super easy going guy, but something simmers under the surface that not everyone can see. He has darkness and rage that's been simmering for a while and his uncertainty about his football, the one place he finds his calm, is leaving him teetering on the edge. Life has made him gun shy and has learned the hard way to expect rejection and his unexpected feelings for Francesca feed his self-doubt. The chemistry and banter between them is fantastic. Princess and the Player has a fantastic cast of side characters and unexpected turns that will leave a huge smile on your face. Pure, Ilsa Madden-Mills gold!

"𝘐 𝘳𝘦𝘮𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺𝘴𝘦𝘭𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘍𝘳𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘴𝘤𝘢 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘐 𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘵 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘴. 𝘞𝘦'𝘳𝘦 𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭. 𝘞𝘦'𝘳𝘦, 𝘸𝘦𝘭𝘭, 𝘧𝘢𝘵𝘦𝘥, 𝘸𝘳𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴. 𝘈𝘯𝘥 𝘐'𝘭𝘭 𝘤𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩 𝘦𝘢𝘤𝘩 𝘮𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵 𝘸𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘦."