i’m typically a little dubious about the one-of-us-is-famous trope (or in this case, both of them) but i decided to give this a try anyway since i’ve heard great things and it unfortunately wasn’t working for me 😔 i didn’t like the progression of their relationship and the will-they won’t-they with their respective exes was so very dramatic. i dnf’d halfway through, but the writing was still entertaining! i did enjoy the side characters as well 💫

I really enjoy this love story, and it made me think of so many celeb relationships, and trying to have relationships while being in the public eye. I love everything about her supporting friends that help get her through this time in her life and how they showed up for her. I Loved how the author used popular quotes and music to help tell the story and each chapter. It felt like I went through this rollercoaster journey with Ella, the sadness, anxiety, coming to terms with the end of that relationship, discovering a new love and her self discovery.

It was going to take a special kind of man to understand what Ella needed, and Miles did that so effortlessly. from the night they met, he showed so much care, he was thoughtful even in their meeting, he gave her space to work on what she had going on in her life, he made sure she was comfortable with everything they did. Miles gave her the space to heal, as well as to open up, while Ella in turn did the same for him.

This was a well written book, I can tell how much research and care went into telling this story. this is the type of love story you want to experience over and over again. I was left just wanting more of them after the smoke clears.

This book was so enjoyable! I loved everything about the two lovers and especially how they were both people of color . I’m definitely going to recommend this to my book friends and read more from this author!

No Ordinary Love starts with a breakup, and sometimes, that’s what’s best. We see our main character, Ella, as she’s dealing with the divorce from her music producer husband. She’s a very successful pop star who is just trying to catch a break. However, it’s not easy as she’s constantly reminded of her ex and dealing with the aftermath of him being a downright jerk, to put it in a nice way.

She’s lying low and doing her thing until she meets Miles Westbrook. Miles is an MLB player who is also trying to keep a low profile, but from their very first meeting, it’s clear the chemistry is there. It comes to a head when the two are spotted looking cozy at an awards show. At first, it doesn’t seem like much, but the two end up agreeing to get into a PR relationship to help both of them out.

While the book did focus a lot on the undeniable chemistry between Miles and Ella, the star of the book is Ella. She’s dealing with such a snake of an ex-husband who wants to take everything she’s worked so hard for, and it’s frankly hard to read. She manages to keep her cool and win out in the end, but his audacity is frustrating, to say the least. Since it’s a romance, Ella triumphs in the end.

Mostly, I loved how cinematic everything felt in No Ordinary Love. I don’t know if it’s the way Myah Ariel writes, but her books seem like they’d translate well to film. Plus, it was no hardship to picture Ella Mai and Jayson Tatum as the characters in the book. While he’s an NBA player, these two felt like the perfect pair to cast if this one ever got made into the movie.

No matter what happens, No Ordinary Love was an excellent romance with loads of great character development and a plot pulled straight from theaters. Coupled with its beautiful cover, then you’re in for a real treat if you pick this book up.

Ok so this was super cute, heartwarming and absolutely swoon worthy. Ella is a pop superstar going through a messy and very public divorce and Miles is an MLB player going through his own PR crisis and when you bring the two together, we get an angsty, sloooooow burn romance. I loved that although this was a romance we had a FMC who was finding her own way and becoming stronger and more courageous throughout the process. I enjoyed this book so much I quickly picked up Ariel's debut When I Think of You.

This book is what it feels like when your favorite song, on your favorite playlist comes on, and you have to hit the repeat button because you just don’t want that feeling to end. I didn’t want Ella and Miles loves story to end from the very moment it began. And let me just say the chemistry was there ON SIGHT!

Myah Ariel has done it again and crafted a love story that feels like that one love song that freezes you in time and transports you beyond the current moment and head-first into all of your feelings and tucked away memories. You will be sure to cycle through all of your feelings as you embark on this journey with FMC, Ella, of reclaiming all that is rightfully hers. Including her name, her worth, her talent, her light, and most importantly her heart from a man who never deserved it anyways. Can I get an amen? This single POV story will leave you deeply invested in the emotional journeys of both main characters and rooting relentlessly for their healing. And there is also a wonderful ensemble of side-characters that I immediately grew fond of. May we all be blessed with a circle of friends like Ella’s!

The palpable chemistry that is so powerfully penned by Myah Ariel between MMC, Miles, and FMC, Ella will have you kicking your feet in giddy anticipation and turning page after page with no end in sight. Miles has officially been added to my MMC hall of fame because what a man! While Ella’s backstory of her journey to stardom as a pop star will leave you wanting to throw hands with a few characters, and understandably so. This well-paced story is crafted in such a way that extraordinary love on the other side of all the pain was absolutely worth all it took to get there.

I received this e-ARC from Berkeley Publishing Group to read and review. I am so excited to have been able to share my reflections and statements after reading this book. Thank you so much. I absolutely loved this book

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for this arc.

This was so cute with a dose of drama. Giving very much not your ordinary love story for real. During such a tense moment in Ella’s life, she finally chose her because Elliot, the ex husband, tried his best to break her. Ella wouldn’t let him this time. On the other side of choosing her was a love that is gentle, sensual, funny and caring waiting. When Ella and Miles were together they had the cutest moments. Both filled with butterflies and pure innocence. The spice was good too. The author, Myah, just let their love build and that is important. Makes the relationship seem more believable. 

Both cared and supported each other so naturally. I love their group of friends that stayed down for them with everything. I like that we get glimpses of their friend’s lives also. Only wish we got a dual pov. Either way we got insight into Miles life as a baseball player and what he dealt with. 

Love the ending when he ask for a dance. 😊 ♥️

A swoony, slow burn celeb singer x pro MLB player romance that felt so real, was great on audio and is perfect for all the T-Swift fans. It should also appeal to anyone who enjoyed Katie Cotungo's Heavy hitter. I especially enjoyed that it was loosely based on Mariah Carrey's love affair with Derek Jeeter and that the MMC has a stutter. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review!

No Ordinary Love is soulful and heartfelt! It’s a beautifully written story about healing, self-discovery, and a beautiful tribute to finding love after heartbreak. R&B superstar Ella Simone is navigating a painful divorce when she meets MLB pitcher Miles Westbrook, a man who offers her the kind of love she never thought possible. Their chemistry is electric, and Ariel’s writing is gifted as she is always able captures every emotional beat with the warmth of a ’90s R&B love song— I really enjoyed that aspect, felt super nostalgic!

The character development is rich, with Ella’s journey of reclaiming her voice taking center stage. I loved her and admired the way she was determined to find true happiness for herself no matter what she would have to lose in the process. Miles is the perfect blend of charming and supportive, making their romance all the more swoon-worthy; he really was the star for me! He truly was a unique character and I love that Ariel wrote him that way! 🥹 I really loved the voice note exchanges— they were such a nice touch to their method of communication.

I was a teenager when Mariah Carey and Derek Jeter dated, and I loved the two of them together. When I heard this was inspired a bit by their romance and Mariah in general, I couldn't wait to read No Ordinary Love, and I loved this book!

Ella is a R&B superstar and Miles is baseball's most eligible bachelor. After meeting at an awards show, where their chemistry is noticeable to everyone around them, they enter into a PR relationship, which quickly turns into real feelings for each other.

From their banter, to their vulnerability with each other, they are an easy couple to root for. I loved their voice memos to each other, and listening to the audiobook version, Yinka Ladeinde really brought them to life with her narration. It was a fun and heartwarming story with some spice mixed in. I loved going on Ella's journey as she freed herself from her ex-husband Elliot, and took her life back with Miles supporting her all along the way.

This was my first book by Myah Ariel, and I absolutely adored it. The book was raw, tender, and sweet, and I found myself relating so much to the FMC, Ella. When I discovered that this book was inspired by Mariah Carey + Derek Jeter’s romance, I was instantly sold.

Yinka Ladeinde totally nailed it as the narrator. She really got into Ella’s vibe and personality, adding so much depth, intensity, and humor to the story. Her storytelling was so engaging, pulling me right in and making the book a memorable ride.

𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘐 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥 ♡
❥ Miles 🫠! He was everything Ella needed and more. Their relationship was well-developed and heartwarming throughout the book.
❥ The romance between Ella and Miles. 🤌🏾
❥ Ella’s friends! Every girl needs friends like them in her corner. They were hilarious and supportive throughout the book. 🫶🏾
❥ Ella! Myah went beyond the romance and showed how Ella navigated through the challenges she faced. She was a strong and independent character who grew throughout the book.
❥ The banter, the yearning, the character growth, and the swoon-worthy moments 😍

Thank you NetGalley and Berkley Pub for the gifted e-arc.

This was MAGIC! I loved When I Think of You so much, so I had a really good feeling about this one! And it was fantastic! Ella and Miles were perfection. Their romance was a WHIRLWIND and it was so so beautiful! Their chemistry was DELICIOUS! Now quickly they fell for each other?? They both knew it was going to be easy, they both had such big lives, but they did want it to work so they made it possible!! They were sweet and so soft for each other. I loved it SO much!

I loved how complex both Ella and Miles’s backstories were, there was so much attention to detail! I loved that Ella got everything she deserved and more!! I also thought how toxic the music industry can be was written well. Ella being so young when she started out, and seeing what she had dealt with, but then NOW having someone, her lawyer, really be on her side was so great to see!! I also really appreciated that while her ex is the cause for a lot of her issues, he was not really prominent on page!!

I thought everything was so well written and paced so well! I cannot wait to see what’s next from Myah!!

Thanks to Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!!

This was such a sweet, heartwarming story 💕 that had me hooked from the very beginning. Miles and Ella’s initial chemistry? Electric ⚡ I was fully invested and genuinely thought this might turn into a new favorite .🌟

But somewhere after the halfway point, it lost a bit of that magic for me. Once things got intimate between them 😳, their relationship moved really quickly. I totally get it—it’s a shorter book 📖 and time is limited—but I still felt like their connection needed a bit more room to breathe. Without a third act breakup or major conflict, the story started to feel a little flat toward the end. 🫤

What stood out the most to me were the characters as individuals. I adored Miles—his kindness, especially toward the women in his life, was so endearing 🥹 And Ella’s growth was inspiring ✨ Watching her rebuild her confidence after her painful past and navigate the harsh realities of the entertainment industry 🎬 was powerful and emotional.

While I didn’t fully connect with the romance 💔, I still appreciate the important themes this book touches on. The writing? Absolutely beautiful 🖋️ And I can totally see myself picking up more from this author—there’s so much talent there, and I’m excited to see what she does next. 💫

📚 If you’re in the mood for a quick, emotional read with a hopeful tone, this might be the one for you. 💌

Popstar Ella Simone is determined to break free from her cheating husband despite a restrictive prenup, but a public mishap with baseball star Miles Westbrook throws her into an unexpected media frenzy. As they navigate a PR-fueled romance to salvage their reputations, Ella must decide whether to stick to the script or risk everything for a love that feels real.

No Ordinary Love is the first book I’ve read by Myah Ariel. The premise immediately intrigued me. The story starts off strong and pulled me in right away, but the middle felt slow and dragged at times. Ella was an interesting character. I didn’t dislike her, but I also didn’t fully connect with her. I appreciated seeing her inner thoughts and how those around her tried to ground her in reality, but I kept craving more depth from her character. I also struggled to see the chemistry between Ella and Miles. Their attraction seemed purely physical and with only a handful of meaningful conversations, their connection felt underdeveloped. I wanted to know more about Miles and to feel a deeper emotional bond between them. The pacing of the story was uneven with some scenes feeling rushed while others dragged on for too long which made it difficult to stay fully engaged. The ending was decent, but it felt incomplete and needed more development. While there were aspects of the story that kept me interested, I ultimately wanted more depth in both the characters and their relationships. This had the potential to be a compelling romance, but it just didn’t have the emotional connection I was looking for.

Pop superstar Ella Simone is stuck in a bad marriage, by a pre-nuptial agreement that could end her career. Her determination to reclaim her independence is both empowering and significant, and her unexpected connection with MLB “bad-boy” Miles Westbrook adds an irresistible layer of tension and charm to the story.

However, Ella, afraid to lose herself to another relationship, can’t help denying the connection between them. The pace is fast, the story is heartwarming, and will have you rooting for the characters till the end.

If you are looking for an emotional romance with a little spice and fantastic characters, then this is for you. The emotional depth will hook you from start to finish.

This was a fun, emotional, relatable and captivating read. This book is a perfect start for your spring / summer romance reading journey.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this advanced digital copy, in exchange for an honest review!
Sometimes, it pays off to go into a book without knowing anything about the premise. That was definitely the case with this book. I enjoyed the author’s first book, When I Think of You, but I was left with a feeling of wanting more. I think this book was that little bit more! One thing that I would have loved to see in this book was Miles’ pov. I feel like that would’ve added a sense of a deeper connection, if we could have seen it from his perspective. I would read another book by this author! I’m curious about Jamie and Gabe’s relationship, so it would be interesting to stay in this world to explore them in another book!
3.75 stars

Final rating 4 stars

Really enjoyed this! So much warmth and sensuality in this romance. Myah does a phenomenal job at putting you in the scene with the characters and making you feel what they feel in that moment. The chemistry between Miles and Ella leapt off the pages and I loved that he was sure that he wanted her and never played it too cool. My only complaint would be it was a little heavy with the pop culture references but outside of that the perfect warm and seductive romance read.

3.75⭐️
This was such a sweet read! Once I saw this on Netgalley, I had to request because I loved Myah Ariel’s writing in When I Think of You. This book follows Miles, the starting pitcher for the LA Dodgers, and Ella, a famous pop star. What I loved about this book is that even though it has the popstar/sports romance aspects, it felt so much more. I could feel the tensions between Miles and Ella from their very first meeting and was sucked into their story immediately. I loved how each interaction between them got deeper as they opened up to each other more. I really enjoyed Ella’s relationships with her team members and Miles’ relationship with his best friend and mom because it showed the benefit of having a great community around you in a high profile life. Over the course of the book, Ella learns to find her confidence again after her messy divorce and I really enjoyed reading her find her spark again. Ariel explores a lot of different themes in this book and her writing was so so good. I did have some issues with the pacing of the first half and second half of the book but despite that this was still a lovely read.

Thank you to Berkley Romance for the e-ARC! 💖

Read This Book If…you love a juicy Hollywood relationship!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
No Ordinary Love by Myah Ariel

Genre: romance
Spice Level: 3/5🌶, a few open door scenes
Setting: NYC & LA
POV: single, 1st person, present tense
Tropes: sports (baseball), celebrity, secret

My Thoughts:
These two had such insane chemistry from the start! There were so many swoon-worthy moments, which makes sense if this was inspired by Mariah Carey+Derek Jeter.

I really enjoyed Ella’s support system with her friends and her team and how that affected her resiliency and strength.

For me, the first half of the book drew me in and I thought I would binge the whole thing, but the pacing felt a little off in the second half. Overall, this was a sweet story with beautiful writing!

Memorable Quote: “Despite what the tabloids have said, Miles Westbrook has self-control, and everything in me wants to test it.”

Thank you to the publisher for my advance copy!

Listen to me when I tell you this – I am completely and utterly hypnotized by this book.
The way the story is laid out and how we are introduced to miles and Ella.. It is done in such an electrifying and flowing way that you can feel it coming off of the book

One of the biggest highlights of this book is how there is so many associated songs with specific scenes in this book and I love that because it’s like a playlist within the book that’s going off in your head - these are also hyper specific to the actual plot
(all the things by Joe being one)

Listen this book essentially is just how Ella is trying to get out of a messy relationship and trying to make divorce proceedings go as smoothly as possible, but she’s dealing with an absolute douche bag of a man and she’s introduced to Miles (THIS MAN) - and he makes her feel things that she has NEVER felt before. This story and their connected relationship, making time between being a famous artist and a MLB pitcher... Top tier story okay!!!

Thoughts:
Him showing up to her hotel room because she left an event early and he’s wet from the rain and then he thinks about her all the time and tells her this while he’s unbuttoning his bowtie (this scene was too specific in my head)
" Miles Westbrook is not just eye candy, he has a whole problem. An emotional wrecking ball with the potential to make me crumble to pieces in the palm of his hand, to be exact.”
" Tonight, it’s just us. Anything you want. Everything I’ve got, It’s yours. " -- The things that he says to her while he’s pushing her up against the wall with her hands above her head, please stop!!!
This story is somewhat messy, but their pole is so strong and I just love it
The romance/spice descriptions are actually pretty low-key compared to what I thought it was gonna be
I didn’t actually want to stop reading this. I just wanted to keep on reading it throughout the night.
I would just like to make it known that I am obsessed with Miles Westbrook - make it clear for the record
“ I don’t want to belong to anybody”
“ and baby, that’s OK. I’m good with that. After what you’ve been through, I understand it, but what if I want to belong to you?”
LIKE SIR PLEASE MY HEART

The only issue I had with the book is the way it wrapped up. I felt like it wrapped up pretty quickly and all of a sudden the clock started, and I still felt like there was things that I wanted to get disclosed instead of being wrapped up within one single chapter. I just felt like it could’ve been longer or maybe it’s because I like this book so much that I felt like it left me wanting more.

MYAH ARIEL im obsessed with these two - bless you and this book

Thank you Berklepub & Berkley romance for the ARC!