The second in the Darlings series, My Dear Jane is a bantery enemies to lovers - featuring the sister of our heroine from My Darling Bride.

Gah, I really wanted to love this, because I normally adore Ilsa Madden Mills, but sadly My Dear Jane didn’t quite endear itself to me like normal. I found myself struggling to find the chemistry between the characters, or to believe there was any emotional connection. Actions didn’t always seem to align to their words- but I felt little between them besides the sex. And I really struggled with Jane as our heroine- I think she was trying to be established as a harried, quirky, sharp single mom- but she felt judgmental, hypocritical, and inconsistent in places. Jasper, on the other hand, was really sweet and charming underneath the (very false) perception of him- I just didn’t feel the connection between him or Jane…or her daughter Londyn (something I crave in single parent romances).

The audio narration was really well done, but I found myself walking about from the listen just because I wasn’t pulled to these characters or their lukewarm romance. I can normally fly through audios, even for books that I'm only mildly enjoying, so switching it off to listen to something else several times I guess is just an indication that this one just wasn't my favorite. I enjoyed the first book in the series well enough, though it was far from my favorite Ilsa story. Not sure if this just means this series may not be my favorite of hers, but I still adore her writing and will check out what’s next.

- Reverse grumpy x Sunshine
- He falls first
- Single mom
- Found family
- enemies to lovers (mostly on her side)

I didn't expect to love this book but I did. It was a fun sports romance where New York;s beloved quarterback Jasper Jannich runs into his former frenemy Jane Darling. Jane is a nerdy bookstore working, fun loving girl who is trying to get her matchmaking business off the ground. She believes Jasper to be a womanizer and when he steps in and defends her it opens Jane's eyes A LITTLE and she begins to wonder if her opinion of Jasper is wrong. Jasper agrees to be her client and to help her gain attention to her matchmaking business. Of course they have DRAMA as they both navigate this relationship gaining and losing trust and also dealing with their mutual chemistry. A great romantic story with a HEA. It was read by Sebastian York and Stella Hunter which makes the story so much more dynamic! Loved the book, the story, the narration and the length of 8 hours was great! Add it to your reading musts! You won't be disappointed.

Enemies to lovers
Reverse grumpy sunshine
Slow burn
Angst
Sports
Single parent


An easy read with great banter and fun. Jane Darling is trying to get her matchmaking business started. She needs a boost. Jasper. The star NY quarterback offer to be her high profile client.
Time didn’t together ignited chemistry and a love connection they didn’t see coming, Jasper is definitely a keeper.

It was a cute story! I love the fact that he falls first and she was just being stubborn at first!

Jane has a dating business but it isn’t going that well. She lands on a high profile player who not only has the money but says he wants to also help her.

She’s a single mother and cannot decline the money from him as she needs it.

I absolutely LOVED the banter/chemistry between Jane & Jasper! 🔥

📖 My Darling Jane by Ilsa Madden-Mills
📚 book 2 • The Darlings series 
(interconnected stand alones)
⭐️: 4.5/5
🌶️: open door, a few scenes

💭 overall thoughts:
I needed this duo after meeting them in My Darling Bride - while this can be read as a standalone, it was fun to have already met both MCs.

At first glance, Jane & Jasper seem to be opposites, but they actually have far more in common than they first realized.

Jane is a single mom & Jasper has a parental role in his teen niece’s lives. They’ve both been abandoned in different ways, and become somewhat of a lifeline for one another 🥹

Though Jasper is an NFL quarterback, and definitely an athlete, it was missing more sports 🙃 I would have also liked to have seen a connection between Jasper & Londyn (Jane’s daughter). We do see her connect with his nieces.

🎙 audiobook thoughts:
I absolutely adore Stella Hunter & Sebastian York as a duo! Audio was awesome.

read if you love:
💗single mom/bookstore manager
🏈 football quarterback billionaire
💋 she’s his matchmaker, but he only wants her
🔥 banter + chemistry (enemies-ish to lovers)
🌦 grumpy/sunshine (her/him)
💙 he falls first
🐢 slow burn
💕 dual 1st person pov

Thank you to Montlake & Brilliance audio for an advanced copies. All opinions are my own.

Ilsa just has me coming back for more and more with every book that she writes. This book was incredible and the tension was amazing. I am so excited for her getting a more wide reach with her words, because she greatly deserves it. This is one of my tops of hers for sure.

This is book two in The Darlings series. This book can definitely be read as a standalone.
It follows Jane Darling as she tries to start her matchmaking business and be a single mom to her young daughter, Londyn.

Jasper Jannich, New York's star quarterback, knows Jane because her sister is married to Graham, also on the team. They are not exactly friends, more like frenemies. When they run into each other while she is out advertising her business, she reluctantly agrees to take him on as a client in the hopes that his name will bring more her more clients. With each date she sets up, it is more and more apparent that Jasper and Jane are meant to be.

Both Jasper and Jane have issues of abandonment in their past. The author deals with these issues nicely--Jasper with his birth mom and Jane with her ex. I like that there was more than a romance story in this.

We get both Jasper and Jane's POV in this story, which I am always a fan of. I love knowing what is going on in the male main character's head.

I listened to this and read along. The narrators are Stella Hunter and Sebastian York. Both wonderful! Thank you to Montlake Romance for the advance readers copy and to Brilliance Publishing for an advanced listeners copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

The Darling family has a special place in my heart. Jane is a single mom, working on the family bill store with a matchmaking side hustle. Jasper is a untamed football player trying to find his place. Their love affair was a bit unexpected but an actual delight to listen to. Sebastian York and Stella Hunter being this story to life and it's an absolute treat for the ears.

Jane Darling is a young single mother who works at her sister’s bookstore and also runs a matchmaking company. As Jane is dressed up as Cupid to drum up more clients she runs into Jasper the local football team’s quarterback. Jane and Jasper have know each other since Jane’s sister is married to one of Jasper’s friends. Now Jasper wants to join Jane’s elite matchmaking business as a customer. Will Jasper finally ind someone he can settle down with for the rest of his life? Will Jane put her feelings aside and give love another chance. This was a cute auto book that was full of banter between Jane and Jasper. It also didn’t disappoint with the sexual tension between the characters. While this is book 2 in the Darling series you can read/listen to these books as stand alone. I would like to thank both NetGalley and Brilliance Audio for letting me listen to this audiobook.

This was such a quick and fun read! It deals with some pretty serious topics, specifically abandonment by the people who should love us most, which allowed me to connect to the book on a deeper level. A matchmaker playing cupid, and a football player friend of the family - what could go wrong? The banter was witty and giving, and I loved the romance and spice. Exactly what I needed!

The audiobook, specifically, was perfection. The narrators added so much to the story!

This is a charming sports romance with engaging narration by Stella Hunter and Sebastian York. Jane Darling, a single mom, tries to build her matchmaking business and reluctantly agrees to help star quarterback Jasper Jannich find love. As Jane arranges his dates, Jasper only has eyes for her. Hunter’s portrayal of Jane’s vulnerability and determination complements York’s smooth, charismatic voice for Jasper, making their chemistry palpable. The narrators shine in bringing the characters to life, making this an enjoyable listen for fans of sweet sports romances with witty banter.

I've read a few Ilsa Madden Mills books now and enjoyed them all. But this one wasn't for me. I did enjoy parts of this book, but there was more than I didn't enjoy.
Jane was my main issue, I feel like she had so much judgment towards Jasper for no real reason. I found her annoying most of the time. Jasper and London are the ones holding this story together.
The drama with Jane's ex and Jasper's real mom was underdeveloped and it felt forced and put into the book to add a bit of drama.
I wish Jane and Jasper's relationship was developed on a deeper level rather than being mostly physical.
I really did enjoy parts of this book, so it's a shame that I didn't connect with the characters.
Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Publishing for the ALC!