I loved Myah Ariel’s debut novel When I Think of You, so I was so excited to read this one. I really enjoyed the feeling of this book- it had an R&B silky feel but I found the book to be slow and I wasn’t drawn to the storyline that much. I really liked how Ella’s journey of self- love but I found the slow burn between her and Miles to be a bit too slow for my liking. I feel like we don’t get alot of “celebrity love stories” so I enjoyed that aspect of it.

OMG!! I’m obsessed with this book! I even shed a tear! The story of Elladee and Miles was absolutely beautiful I didn’t even want it to end and I hope there’s a sequel!

Loved this book so much. 🥰 The MMC is a MLB player and the FMC is a pop star?! I loved the attention to detail when it came to their careers and even the bits of their individual back stories. I always appreciate when a romance can deliver more than just the relationship. I do wish we had could have replaced some flashback moments of Elliot and Ella to more moments of Ella and Miles together. The spicy bits I felt were paced well and the attraction Miles and Ella felt from the beginning was believable.

Also I really hope we get a story for Jamie and Gabe 😍😝💕

Thank you netgalley for the eARC. I will definitely need a physical trophy for my shelf 🏆

I enjoyed this book, Myah's debut was good and I thought this was even better. This is a single pov that follows the fmc, a popular singer, as she navigates separation from her husband, who was also her manager and producer. I loved the book's music scene and plot, especially because of all the Black musicians and songs named. I really liked that while this was a romance it also showed the strength of the fmc as she left an abusive relationship and tried to navigate the gaslighting that her ex put her through. This black romance was so sweet, tender, and sexual and I was fully immersed in it. Thanks to Berkley for this arc!

Love a depiction of black love and celebrity black love at that! Such a fun premise.
Appreciated how both MCs felt fully developed and interesting. However, why they're pushed together felt a bit hard to believe especially given how different their celebrity is.
I didn't love the flashback chapters, but appreciate it giving us a well rounded story and how the FMC found herself where she is.

Despite my hangups, feel like others will rightfully fall in love with this read.

I loved this a thousand times over. Ella was so relatable with her relationship mess and trying to figure life out in the midst of it. I truly loved Miles, Ella deserved an amazing man after everything she's been through. Ella's glam team (friends) were truly comical, and I loved all of them. They're the friends everyone needs in life. This was a beautiful story to read through and watch it unfold. Highly recommend!

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group to read/review. All of the statements above are my true opinions after fully reading this book.

Thank you Netgalley for my ARC copy of No Ordinary Love. As a music lover and a fan of Sade, I knew this book would have my heart. I love romance novels that embody strength through the FMC without tearing her down completely! I don’t like struggle love tropes, and No Ordinary Love’s plot tells you exactly why it’s okay to start over, not settle, and rebrand. Our girl Elladee has the support system and overall strength to keep going even with her cheating ex husband tried to ruin her. Good things happen when you let love in. Overall i would rate this book at 4-4.5 just due to some gaps in the timing. Some parts felt slow and then the others faster, but i really enjoyed it!

There is nothing like reading a storyline in which you can envision yourself being there because so much of it is true to life for many people. There is nothing like a love story where love truly wins in the end. Stories like this make everyone want to find and have true love. This book was very well written. This is a must-read if you are a romantic at heart.

This book is everything and MORE!
The disability representation, athlete MMC + music artist FMC, and the homage to Sade Adu, were all so well done!
I’m not sure if this is considered a “sports romance” but if so, i’ll take another written by Myah Ariel, specifically!

I thought this book was written beautifully. I like how real world elements like songs and artists were added into the book. I like how it was a whirlwind romance but still felt realistic since it happened over a few months instead of a few days or weeks. I like the education about aspects of the music industry. I can picture certain actors as some of the characters.

This was a a breathtaking exploration of love’s transformative power that captivated me from the very first page. I was drawn into the beautifully intertwined lives of the characters, each grappling with their own pasts and desires, creating a rich tapestry of emotion that resonated deeply with me. Ariel’s lyrical and poignant writing made it easy for me to immerse myself in their world, feeling their joys and heartaches as if they were my own. The chemistry between the protagonists was electric, and their journey was filled with vulnerability and strength, keeping me engaged with unexpected twists and tender moments. With vivid imagery and emotional depth, Ariel wove themes of love, resilience, and self-discovery throughout the narrative, leaving me with a sense of hope and inspiration. In conclusion, "No Ordinary Love" is a remarkable novel that I wholeheartedly recommend to anyone seeking a heartfelt and compelling love story—it's a true gem that lingers long after I turned the last page!

Omg this story was so beautiful. It definitely reminded me of the song "someone to love you" by Ruff Endz 🩷 I found myself saying "awwwwww" alot 🤧 it was just too cute!

Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley for providing a DRC of this title.

So sweet! There were points where the pacing read a little slow to me, but, overall, I still really like the way Ariel draws characters and look forward to reading more from her! Would definitely recommend to my patrons.

Oh, I adored this so bad! This was my first book by Myah Ariel and I’m so glad it was an enjoyable experience. I loved the writing style, the pacing, the plot and of course the romance. The chemistry was very clear between the two main characters and I loved the way MA took their time focusing on the issues that women face in the music industry. Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.75 rounded up

i really enjoyed this! i think there were some pacing issues and at some points i felt like i wasn't reading a romance novel, but overall it was super sweet and quickly paced.

i loved ella and miles... i have never met a miles i didn't love. i LOVEDDDD how much he loved her. he called her his dream girl constantly and was so tender and patient with her. and i loved his story with his mom and grandma and how he is a man for his women!!!!

ella was so resilient and strong but also so soft and delicate. she embodied them all simultaneously and was a very multi-faceted character. as a famous star in the music industry, she really paved her way (without elliot FUCK THAT BITCH) and made a name completely for herself. she had a super strong support "glam team" system and i adored their antics.

the only reason i'm not rating this higher is because as i mentioned, there were some pacing issues. her relationship with miles was pretty insta-love and i found myself not caring??? not feeling giddy?? just because they were already head over heels. there was no conflict between them (which is great, fine even) but it made their romance fall by the wayside. it seemed like the author wanted to make this book be about women in the music industry and the exploitation they deal with, and a romance, but i think chapter by chapter it just kept switching off. i wish they had expanded more on one or the other.

either way, this was still a fantastic book and i flew through it in 2 days.

thank you berkley for the arc!

Myah Ariel's second novel outdoes her first in this fake dating romance. Music and baseball cross over into a emotional, fun, and romantic love story. Ella and Miles are two people who guard their hearts and only the other has the key to unlock them both.

4⭐️ An MLB pitcher and an R&B/ Pop Princess ?! Sign me up. I will say , I liked this book alot, but I wasn’t in love with it. There was a few great moments in the romance between the two mcs. I just wish the mcs had more scenes together and dates. Because I didn’t get those, It almost felt rushed with them falling in love . It was a great story though, I really liked the plot just wish there was just ..more moments. Would still very much recommend this read.

Thank you Berkley for the ARC 😊

@myahmeetscute ‘s writing and beautiful complex characters F O R E V E R have my heart 🧡💙

Just when I thought a book couldn’t top When I Think of You…this banger came along and smashed all my expectations!! @myahmeetscute I can’t thank you enough for this book, and the joy it gave me over the past week (when I needed more than anything to escape into a fictional world)!

5⭐️

Read this if you’re looking for:
💕Fake Dating
⭐️BTS of the Entertainment Industry
✨A Music Centric Story
🤎Black Love & Joy
🫂It Takes a Village/Found Family
⚾️Sports Romance

✨NO ORDINARY LOVE, out APR 1st✨

Special thanks to @berkleypub @berkleyromance for this advance review copy!! All thoughts and opinions are my own!

This was a beautiful story in self acceptance but also accepting the love you deserve. I enjoyed the dynamic between the main characters and the way their relationship developed. I do wish that the backstory for Miles’ previous relationship was a bit more flushed out. I think it would’ve added to not only the story but his character development. Overall I found this story to feel like a feeling warm sun rays on an autumn day. Comforting. 3.75 read for me.

I loved Myah Ariel's debut, When I Think of You, so much that I went into this knowing that I would love it. I was unprepared for how much; No Ordinary Love is and emotionally stunning, gorgeously written story of a woman learning to love herself and let herself be free even after a disappointing man has failed to love her properly. Ella, a talented singer, is getting a divorce from a terrible man, who is absolutely to blame for everything, and who also somehow thinks he is entitled to everything. He's been cheating for a long time, but when she has a flirty moment with a hot baseball player at an awards show, of course her ex becomes outraged, because men like that I guess believe they own any woman they have been involved with. He's the worst, and don't worry, he gets what's coming to him. Also, the handsome baseball player turns out to be a gem of a human, a gorgeous and emotionally complex man who is reeling from his own failed marriage. You'll be rooting so hard for the home team, and by home team, I mean for Ella and Miles to finally get together and give each other the love they both deserve.

Thank you to Myah Ariel, Berkley Books, and NetGalley for this eARC in exchange for my review!