My Darling Jane is the (at least in my case) much anticipated story of Jasper and Jane, whose oil-and-water energy from My Darling Bride had me positively salivating.

This book does bring some of that same energy to the fore, but not as much as I expected. Overall, the premise is an interesting one with a lot of black cat/golden retriever elements, which I thoroughly enjoyed reading. I also enjoyed the fact that Jasper hails from my home state. (Shout out to Utah!)

There’s just something about these two characters together that didn’t quite land for me in this book, as much as I wanted it to. And there were also a few really integral plot points that felt implausible to me, especially given the nature of reproductive rights in the US right now. There were some choices that Jane makes because of her previous trauma that she couples with others that felt diametrically opposed to those prior choices, which felt a bit confusing. But Jasper is a real one, and I always enjoy reading an MMC with those vibes.

Overall, I liked the continuation of the series, and am still an avid Ilsa Madden-Mills stan. While this story didn’t quite hit for me, I still think it’s worth a read, especially if you love seeing a prickly heroine melt for devoted hero.

MY DARLING JANE
3.5⭐
An easy breezy feel good story featuring a matchmaker and a sportsman. We have troupes of single parent, he falls first, work place romance with underlining issues of Estrangement from spouse and accidental pregnancy.
Overall it was one time read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for giving me an ARC of My Darling Jane in exchange for an honest review of the book. My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills is the second book in the Darlings series. This book is about Jane and Jasper, both of whom were met in the first book of the series. This book is a stand-alone, although by reading the first book in the series, you learn more about the Darling family and their background.

Jane is a strong, independent woman who is scared of relying on anyone other than herself and her siblings. After all, they are all she has. In her mind, Jasper, her brother-in-law's former teammate is a player and irritating, not anyone she wants to spend anytime with at all. One night while she is at a bar trying to get her new match-making business get off the ground he sees a man trying to take advantage of her and he steps in to save the day. He ends up offering to go on her match-making website which leads them closer together.

This book was just what I was looking for. The storyline was easy to follow and kept my interest, which is necessary these days. The characters faced their fears and grew individually and also as a couple. I also always love an enemies to lovers trope.

The reason I gave it 4 stars instead of 5 is because there weren't as many family scenes and since I read the first book, I know how important family is to the Darlings. There also definitely wasn't enough Babs. She's a hoot!

I generally love IMM's books, but this one just didn't work. I kept reading wondering what was wrong with my mood and why I was struggling so hard with these characters. But Jane just never landed for me. I felt like she was mean for the sake of mean and I just wasn't into it.

I was lucky enough to receive as an ARC 🥰

This is Book 2 in the Darling Series!

My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills is a delightful blend of romance, humor, and second chances, with a fun twist on the matchmaking trope. With a quirky heroine and a swoon-worthy quarterback hero, this book delivers on all fronts.

Jane Darling never expected her path to cross with New York’s star quarterback, Jasper Jannich—especially not while dressed as Cupid in a toga! But desperate to kickstart her matchmaking business and provide for her daughter, Jane’s willing to go to extremes. Jasper, the charming playboy with a reputation to match, steps in to help her out in an unexpected moment of need, and their partnership is born.

While Jane is busy setting Jasper up on dates, it’s clear from the start that he only has eyes for one woman—Jane herself. The sparks between them are undeniable, but Jane is hesitant to trust her heart after past heartbreak. Jasper, however, is all in, making it his mission to win her over both on and off the field.

The chemistry between Jane and Jasper is sizzling, and their banter is just as entertaining as their tender moments. Jane’s determination to build a better life for her daughter is both relatable and heartwarming, while Jasper’s persistence in pursuing her makes him a hero you can’t help but root for. The tension builds as Jane struggles to open her heart again, leading to a sweet, satisfying ending.

If you love a romance with sports, strong single moms, and a dash of humor, My Darling Jane is a must-read! It’s a heartwarming story about taking chances, letting go of the past, and finding love where you least expect it.

As the second book in The Darlings series from Ilsa Madden-Mills, I was a little worried I’d get lost since I hadn’t read the first book. Luckily, My Darling Jane gives enough backstory on the characters to make it read OK as a standalone. This story follows Jane Darling, a struggling entrepreneur who can’t seem to get her matchmaking business off the ground and Jasper Jannich, star quarterback and annoyingly frustrating “playboy”. At least, that’s how Jane sees him, but in all actuality, their playful banter has the makings for a connection Jane never could’ve seen coming. Jasper’s one goal? To win Jane’s heart, and he'll stop at nothing to get there. Overall, My Darling Jane is an easy-to-read, sweet sports romance.

3.5 stars rounded up

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for the opportunity to read this digital ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

The second in The Darlings series, this story focuses on Jane Darling (a lot less chaotic than her sister Emma). Jane, a single mom of Londyn, has kicked off her matchmaking business to mixed results. While trying to drum up some potential male clients in her Cupid style toga at the bar, she bumps into Jasper, her sister's husband's friend. I wouldn't term this a enemies to lovers story as it feels like there's a history that brings them pretty quick to the "lovers" point. Honestly, this book wasn't it for me. It was... fine. The characters were... okay. But I didn't feel like there was the same level of character development as what I saw in My Darling Bride. I don't know that I'd recommend this book given the plethora of sports star romances that are out there now. This was a bit of a bummer for me given that I've liked the other books I've read by Ilsa.

dear eva was my first book by this author and i absolutely loved it. i hate to admit that it wasn’t the case with my darling jane. i felt the story was a bit rushed at the beginning and i wanted better introduction to both characters as i haven’t read the previous book in the series. we also didn’t get flashbooks to their first kiss? it was just mentioned in one of jasper’s chapters. he tried to kiss jane and then she slapped him. i would’ve wanted to witness that in detail! also, jane and jasper hooking up that early left much to be desired. i also didn’t like the third act conflict as it involved a trope i dislike in romance… this had the chance to be a phenomenal read but alas…

thank you netgalley for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review! <3

Jane a single mom who is starting and struggling with her business which is matchmaking she is trying to sign up new clients she can help find love. Enter Jasper is a Quarterback who is sweet and caring and love his family. He wants Jane and is trying to woo her but her life is complicated and doesnt have the time for it. Jasper try to help. there are hilarious moments and sweet with Jane daughter.

this book felt like it was all over the place and it felt rush trying to close the drama the author brought to the story which it seem that it wasnt necessary, especially for an author. it just seem off i felt like it need a redo my opion

4.5/5⭐️

I absolutely loved and devoured this book. It has been taunting on my NetGalley shelf for too long and I couldn’t wait any longer to pick it up. I really enjoyed My Darling Bride but this was even better. The tension and banter between Jasper and Jane was there from the very beginning and it did NOT disappoint. I loved the few times she mentioned Tuck and Francesca. I read this entire book with a smile on my face. You always know Ilsa is going to bring the spice and just an overall great book. Highly recommend.

My Darling Jane is book two in The Darlings series but is able to be read alone as it is an interconnected standalone. Overall this was an okay story, but after the first one, I expected more. The daughter seemed like a plot point rather than a character - there should have been more development there.

Pick this one up if you enjoy:
◽ Sports (football) romance
◽ Single mom
◽ Frenemies to lovers
◽ Lighthearted romance
◽ Matchmaker with a new business
◽ Black cat x golden retriever

This one also has a few TW that should be noted: abandonment, cults, unplanned pregnancy, discussion of plan B use

Thank you to NetGalley & Montlake for the advance copy

I really like Jane when I read My Darling bride. Truly I have a soft spot for all the Darlings siblings. She’s feisty and strong and I love her as a mom.

But there is also more to Jasper than meets the eyes. They both have been hurt in their past and are weary to open up and be vulnerable.

Sparring with each other seems safer than being real with one another and I do love a good banter.

This book touched on heavy subjects but felt sweet and was an easy read. Thank you NetGalley for giving me an ARC, all my opinions are my own.

Ilsa Madden-Mills is back with her newest sports romance – My Darling Jane. Jane Darling is a single mom trying to start a matchmaking business called Cupid’s Arrow. Jasper Jannich is the starting quarterback for the New York Pythons. Jane believes that if she can find Jasper the perfect match, then her business will take off. Jasper wants Jane, and he will use any excuse to spend time with her, including going on dates that she sets up for him.

I am a big fan of Ilsa Madden-Mills. Her books are fun and easy to read (minus her darker novels). And I like Jane and Jasper as characters. I just couldn’t get invested in them as a couple. They were boring and the storyline felt trite. Enemies to lovers is a common romance trope but usually the characters have enough chemistry to pull it off. In this case, they do not. It’s an okay read, but Madden-Mills has a lot better stories that you should check out instead.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for sharing this advanced review copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback!

A cute romance of he falls first and she is so not interested

It’s a nice dynamic especially when her resistance fails and great banter between the characters

A perfect romance to settle down and enjoy

I really liked My Darling Bride when I read it last year and was excited to get Jane's story. While I enjoyed some parts of this book, I couldn't really connect with the characters.

I liked the grumpy/sunshine, enemies to lovers relationship between them. Those are two of my favorite tropes and I always love when the grumpy one starts opening up. I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would in My Darling Jane. I wish the characters and relationships were more fleshed out. It was hard to connect with them.

Overall, this book wasn't for me. I really enjoyed my Darling Bride and I wish I could've connected more with the characters in My Darling Jane.

I M-M does not miss. She’s an author that you discover and spend ages wondering why it took you so long to get here. She is the queen of broody men, with charisma, charm for the one they want, and female leads who exude what it is to be a modern woman. I won’t spoil this but man I loved it

i had read the previous books but this works perfectly as a standalone as well!

even though we had met our main characters in previous books and this usually makes me really care for them, i really struggled to connect with them in this. jasper was sweet but i didn’t love jane - i liked them together but didn’t really fall in love with them the way i like to with a romance book.

i thought the ending was really sweet though and am excited to read more from this author! i think if you’re looking for a lighter romance to read this will be perfect for you.

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

"Sometimes the people who push our buttons the most can end up being the ones we need. They challenge us."

After finishing My Darling Bride I was really looking forward to getting the sister's story. And look what Ms Madden-Mills gave us! A Jane Darling story that was cute and fun. If you like a frenemy to lovers story with a misunderstood hero, My Darling Jane may be for you.

Jane is a single mom running a book store in the middle of New York City. She likes seeing people happy in love. To make ends meet, she starts a matchmaking service. While love is on the board for everyone, it's not really for Jane since her life is kind of complicated. But surprises can happen to the best laid plans.

Jasper may seem like a playboy, good-looking, starting QB of the local NFL team, but there's more to him, right? I mean, he had his twin nieces staying with him for the summer, so I knew there was hope there. He had a caring heart. But he also was living to push all of Jane's buttons and mess with her. He even eluded to all he wanted was S-E-X and superficial things. But when it came to Jane, there was some sort of magic between them. They had that frenemy sort of situation, but they were also so comfortable with one another. And boy, did they push their friend limits hard.

I liked the charming Jasper and getting to see who he truly was. What his family was like and how that molded him into the man he was. He was the star of the story for me. As for Jane, she was a harder nut to crack, but with everything she had gone through with her daughter's father and her own mother, it was easier to understand. These two had obvious chemistry and I liked their form of jealousy. They were protective of one another without admitting it.

"I'll protect you if you'll let me."

When that line was said (or rather texted) I knew these two could break their pasts hurts and make a future that was beautiful.

Overall, this was a decent story with good characters. I wish we saw more of the past characters, but I liked getting the ones we got. I liked Jasper's family and the support they gave him. The pacing was ok, but there did seem to be a couple things that fell flat and didn't have enough follow through. While this book didn't wow me, I did enjoy it. I liked the characters. I liked their journey. I liked how they evolved for one another. It just didn't have that wow factor for me in particular. Still enjoyed it.
**But PS, why doesn't the cover match the description of the character in the story?! so frustrating when that happens!

I have to admit, it took me longer to read this story than I usually take with this author's books. I thought Jane was a little too sharp, even to people who are not mean to her and while I know that the author set her up with a difficult background, it does take a little out of her likability. Jasper was great. He was a likable all around character, especially since the author gave him some background and family to play off of (his nieces were adorable). That made Jane's prickliness even more obvious and slowed down the story for me. That said, as the story progressed, I liked how Jane grew and I adored the ending so I'm happy about the story overall. Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and author for an early read.

***4 Stars***

Great read. Great characters throughout, but man was the frustration with Jane and Jasper real…understandable when you find out why, but still frustrating when you can see how good they are together but won’t admit it outloud.

Even with my eyes hurting from the rolling they did while reading this, I loved Jane and Jasper. Jane is all kinds of determined when it comes to her family, her daughter and her job. She has no problem putting herself out there, but when it comes to her heart ~ that baby is all kinds of walled off. Jasper is charming, protective and sweet but he has his own demons that mess with his head and makes opening up to anyone but his chosen family difficult. Their journey to their HEA is a rocky one in all kinds of ways, but when they let their guard down and just go with the flow, they definitely had a strong connection then add in Londyn and it was all kinds of goodness.

While my eyes would have liked a little rolling, this was a great read. There are situations that pop up that may be triggering, but it all goes into understanding why Jane and Jasper are who they are. I loved Jasper’s & Jane’s family and friends and I’m crossing my toes we’ll get to see more of them down the road ~ especially Andrew.

~ Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley & voluntarily reviewed ~