My Darling Jane is book 2 in The Darlings series by Ilsa Madden-Mills. This is Jane and Jasper’s story and is a fun feel good sports romance. You can never go wrong with this author and she didn’t disappoint with this book. I loved it and highly recommend it!

Jane's matchmaking business needs a jolt, and Jasper Jannich is going to be that caffeine boost. But though he doesn't really want to go on a bunch of dates, he does want to be nearer to Jane. Will she let this quarterback into her endzone? Or keep blocking him from her heart?

Jasper tells everyone he can't stand Jane, but he knows deep inside that he actually feels the opposite. Now that he's her client, he can use the situation to finally get past her walls and claim her heart, if she'll actually allow him to.

Jasper is so freaking swoony. The way he is with his nieces, and the determination he has to woo Jane, I don't know how she resisted him as long as she did. They both have some serious baggage, but Jasper dealt with his better than Jane. She strong walls, but in the end they were no match for Jasper. I enjoyed this light-hearted reverse grumpy/sunshine tale. Jasper is by far the shiniest star of his story, along with the snarky, witty banter, and their obvious chemistry.

4.25⭐

Ilsa Madden Mills delivers a story that is tempting and tantalisingly sweet. Whilst still bringing the spice. Not to mention banter and humour. Oh and just the right amount of angst!

As single mum, Jane is working hard at trying to get her new matchmaking business off the ground. But so far it's not so good. That is until Jane tries to matchmake the star local NFL Quarterback Jasper.

Only Jane doesn't count on the spark and banter between her and Jasper or the amount of time she ends up spending with him. Even though both claim neither is in to the other.

But they can't deny there is a pull and the pair do have plenty in common. However, that is ultimately what could pull them apart.

And with likable characters, but questionable decisions. This was an enjoyable read. That easily pulled me in and kept me engaged in the few hours it took to read.

Loved being able to get Jasper and Jane's story! Such a cute quick read! This story is a standalone but better appreciated if you read the first book in the series.

What happens when the only woman to dislike you is the only one you can’t stop thinking about. Jane and Jasper seem wrong for each other in so many ways but maybe, just maybe the one who always runs will fall for the one left to pick up the pieces after being run out on.

Jane and Jasper both find it hard to put their trust in, and rely on, other people, they’ve both been let down and hurt in the past, so much so they’re not even open to the possibility of finding love.

Jasper is noticing that all his teammates are settling down and there are less and less single guys on the team now but what’s even more surprising is that Jane runs a matchmaking website to find love but isn’t open to the idea herself.

Great second book in the Darling series and i’m loving the grit and stubbornness of these Darling women.

3.75 stars

This was so sweet and fun.
I liked the romance and how sweet our Hero was towards Londyn!
Ilsa always gave us heartfelt romances, and this was no exception.

This is the second book in this impressive series, and this is Jane and Jasper’s story.
Jane is a single mom to her daughter, and to help launch her new matchmaking business, she dresses in a toga with angel wings and goes to a sports bar to try and drum up business, where she comes across Jasper, who has a playboy reputation, and is New York's star quarterback. The more Jane sets him up with women, the more he is convinced Jane is the one for him, but can he convince her to take a chance on them being together?
This is a beautifully written easy to read story, with family, friendships, reverse grumpy / sunshine, opposites attract. Emotions, humor, witty banter, enemies / lovers, undeniable chemistry, and love, which leads to an entertaining, sweet, and fun sports romance.
I look forward to reading more from this talented author whose work I highly recommend.

I loved the first book in this new series by Mills so I was excited for the second book, MY DARLING JANE.

Right off, I loved the banter and chemistry between Jane and Jasper. There is so much sizzle beneath their barbs and I loved it. Jane is a badass who is so easy to root for and Jasper is the cocky player you'll fall in love with!

I love a single mom romance, but Jane's child was nearly non-existent in this book. Jane is throwing on costumes and going to bars to find clients for her matchmaking business and her daughter is always conveniently taken care of.

HIM: wanna stay later and hang out?
HER: sure, my adult brother is at our home and can deal with my kid without me clearing that with him or checking in.

There is also a decent amount of emotional drama happening with both leads, which sometimes felt like it was overwhelming their love story, but I loved that that drama wasn't easily tied up with a bow by the end.

The heat in MY DARLING JANE was fantastic and the slow friendship that bloomed between these enemies-to-lovers was sweet and believable.

This was a really good read that I totally recommend.

SPICE LEVEL: Rated R / 2-4 descriptive sex scenes, may have harsh language.
CONTENT WARNING: past parent abandonment, partner abandonment when pregnant
FEELS: 3/5 - You will definitely feel some feels.
POV: Dual - M/F - 1st Person

Jane is a real life matchmaker on a mission to get her struggling business off the ground and Jasper is the reluctant customer who realizes that he’s not interested in any old match but he wants the matchmaker herself.

Now just to convince her he’s worth the risk. Because this matchmaker has been burned before and while she’s ready to find love for others she has sworn it off for herself.

It’s hard to put into words how truly disappointing this book was for me. Jane is one of the most unlikeable heroines I have ever met. She has absolutely zero reason not to like Jasper besides the fact that she’s decided his character based on one negative interaction with him. She also is absolutely terrible at being a matchmaker. She does nothing but set people up on bad dates and she also insists on setting Jasper up with her clients despite already forming a sexual relationship with him. Honestly it’s wildly unprofessional and when one of her clients calls her out for it she still cannot internalize that she did the wrong thing.

Also I need to discuss the undisclosed surprise pregnancy trope. The fmc KNEW what she was doing here. She made an active decision not to take the plan b and already had one unplanned pregnancy so she knew exactly how babies are made. There was also unnecessary and uninteresting drama with her first kids bio dad and absolutely zero relationship building between Jasper and her daughter.

I am a huge fan of Ilsa and I hate giving negative reviews but this entire book just missed the mark for me. I look forward to seeing what she releases next though I hope if she continues to work with the publisher they are more honest about tropes and trigger warnings going forward.

En bref, j'ai énormément aimé les personnages, Jane et Jasper, leur histoire qui a su me toucher et me faire vibrer et tout ce que l'on vit avec eux. On ne s'ennuie pas une seule seconde même si dans l'ensemble il n'y a pas de grosse surprise et j'ai adoré les voir se battre pour ce qui compte pour eux et aller au bout de leurs idées. Les événements et les problèmes s'enchainent et ils vont aussi nous réserver quelques petites surprises. J'ai aimé l'enchainement des événements et les réponses qui nous sont apportées à la fin. Une très chouette histoire en bonne compagnie !

See Jane Set Up Dates....

Jane is determined to make her match making business a success. She has her kiddo to take care of.

Jasper is a player. He has an end game. Jane. But he will be crafty as he lets her set him up on date after date...
Recommend. Fun and steamy.

Jane is a single mom of a 5 year old and is trying to make it as a matchmaker. She's not having a lot of luck though. She knows Jasper who has been a playboy in the past and is a football player. He wants to date her but she is not having it. He agrees to sign up at he site, but it's only to get closer to her. Jasper is a nice guy that is ready to settle down with the right woman, but he has to convince her first. I liked his character - he loves his teenage nieces who play prants on him and when he meets Jane's daughter, they get along great. It takes a little convincing, but he finally wears her down and they become a couple. A cute lighthearted story

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

My Darling Jane is book two in The Darlings series by Ilsa Madden-Mills.
I loved book one My Darling Bride. So I was super excited to jump into the second book which did not disappoint.
This was such a lovely story.
I just loved these characters.
They have some sweet and swoonie moments, and a whole lot of heart, heat, and humor.

Ilsa Madden-Mills is an instant one click author for me and is one of those authors I picked up from her debut novel and then anxiously await each new release. And although her writing style hasn't changed, her novels are all unique and different. So I pick up her books not knowing what to expect but knowing I'm not going to be able to put it down.

I picked this up not realising that it was part of a series and the characters are known to us from an earlier book. And despite my goldfish memory I was so excited to be back in the bookstore and laughing at Jasper. Although I was surprised that we didn't get more Emmy and Graham.

Jane had so much going on, both privately and professionally and I found it really easy to understand her. And on the surface, it was hard to see what Jane and Jasper had in common. But the more we got to know Jasper I realised that he had almost as much going on he just kept it hidden.

The story was easy to get caught up in, even if my kids did their best to keep me preoccupied. There was so much sweetness with just the right blend of drama. And the epilogue was super cute. I can't wait to see what Ilsa is going to give us next.

I was more than happy to return to the world of the Darling family, this time to see Jane find her happy ending with Jasper Jannich, a football quarterback and teammate of her brother-in-law. Jane is a struggling single mom, who is trying to build a matchmaking business, while working at her family book store. Enter Jasper Jannich, the sexy playboy quarterback, who agrees to let Jane find him a match, although the only match he's really interested in, is one with her. Unfortunately, for him, Jane is committed to her business and her daughter Londyn, and has no interest in pursuing a relationship. I liked Jasper, as a character, but Jane's journey to realizing she was in love with Jasper was a bit aggravating- she didn't seem to have a compelling reason not to be with him, and made things unnecessarily difficult.
Overall the book was good- the spice was moderate, and while I have read many by this author, I wouldn't consider this my favorite. The plot felt a little thin. I would recommend it to those who have read the first book in the series, and would like to continue it. I wouldn't call it a "must read" as a standalone.
Tropes:
-Single mom
-Found family
-He falls first
-Quarterback MMC
-Frenemies to lovers

Smart, Sexy, and funny! I loved Jane and Jasper! Their banter and chemistry were off the charts! Their push and pull kept me invested and the romance was realistic while giving ooey gooey vibes! I also love a MMC who steps up to protect and be there for a single momma!

4 1/2 stars. I just loved Jasper from the very beginning. Although this is enemies to lovers, I was so relieved that they didn't spend half the book hating each other. I didn't give 5 stars for little petty things, like the twins, I really didn't get. 17, yet they acted like they were 13. And the whole felicity things was weird too towards the end. I feel like there was something else I was petty nit picking, but now I can't remember. I did, however, love that the epilogue was so satisfying! I really appreciated that it wasn't just an ending or one little piece.

4 ⭐
2.5 🌶️

Another sweet read from Ilsa Madden-Mills. It was nice to see Jane from My Darling Bride meet her match. My surprise was the cinnamon roll that Jasper turned out to be. But it all worked as we watched these two people work through issues many of us have to deal with: abandonment, rejection, and the fear that goes along with it. Both were surrounded by family and friends who helped, but it turned into a very poignant reading experience, and watching the growth and trust between these characters made the ending that much sweeter. This is a quick read but filled with emotion and happiness. You will definitely get your HEA with these two.

Thank you, NetGalley and Montlake, for the eArc. These opinions are mine.

My Darling Jane is the second book in The Darlings series by Ilsa Madden-Mills.

Jane is a single mom who is working to build up her matchmaking business while also helping manage her sister's bookstore. Jasper is the quarterback of the local NFL team who really isn't into long term. He's earned the playboy label over the years. One thing he has going for him is he has his nieces staying with him for the summer.

Jane realizes that if she can set Jasper up using her matchmaking business, it would bring her a significant amount of publicity. Of course, plans don't always go according to plan and that's exactly what happens here. Jane and Jasper end up spending a lot of time together though, and things begin to change between them. Can the frenemies become more?

There was an absolute chemistry between these two characters. It was nice to finally get to see who Jasper really was (after seeing him in other books) and to see what was below the surface. I also really enjoyed his nieces! I have to admit, I struggled with Jane at the beginning, but I finally warmed to her. This was an enjoyable read for me.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

3.5⭐️

Honestly I wasn’t hooked on this book, I just wasn’t a fan of Jane, I couldn’t connect with her and was annoyed a lot of the book with her choices and thought processes. However, I did love how Jasper loved all the things I hated about her and he took it all with stride and I loved that about him. I loved Jane and Jasper’s relations with the twins and Londyn and how well they hung out and merged at the moment.

This book has a good review because of how much I loved Jasper and his family, his friends, and overall everything about his story, even when he falls for Jane. They are perfect for each other and I did like their relationship I just wasn’t a fan of Jane herself. I also loved the bookstore and the workers from there, it was so fun and added some humor to this story which has some emotional storylines!