This book has everything that I could want in a friends then strangers to lovers romance novel! The pining, the sweet words, the words of affirmation, all from Zac was so well written!
Melody and Zac were great together, and they each had their independence and were very strong characters. It didn’t feel forced at all!

I really enjoyed Melody’s character. She was very headstrong, and even when she didn’t know if she wanted, it still felt like she did know what she wanted in her heart.

The plot was great, and there were no plot holes. I love that this doesn’t have a third act breakup! I loved the communication and the ability to listen to each other.

The side characters were amazing and I love Parker. He is such a good brother! And Zac was such a good big brother figure to Noah!

I just really really enjoyed this book and I would read it again!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc! All opinions are my own!

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing the ARC.

I really enjoyed this book and its cavity-causing sweetness. Melody fresh out of a relationship with an emotionally abusive ex ends up back in her hometown with Zac, the boy that crushed her heart ten years prior. Little did Mel know that Zac has been harboring a deep, unrequited love for Mel and there were circumstances with her brother preventing him from ever acting on it before. They dance around each other, starting at a deep level of acceptance and love.

There were a lot of things that I loved about this book: Mel and Zac's overall relationship, the way he situated her into his life, despite the fact that she had left and was with someone else, the way that he cares for people deeply. When Wilde wrote them, it was amazing. The prose was sweet and tender and evocative. It was hard to put down during those parts.

The rest of the story was a bit of a chaotic mess. The pacing was off a lot in places and it felt like things were either happening at light speed or at a glacial pace. It was hard to keep track of how anyone was supposed to feel. And some of the plot points seemed excessively childish, to the point where I sometimes forgot that these characters were close to their 30s.

Overall, I thought the story was emotionally sweet and it was engaging enough that I wanted to see how everything turned out in the end, despite its shortcomings.

Only in Your Dreams is a spicy, friends-to-lovers romance set in the world of college football (though the main characters are slighly older than the typical college students). I enjoyed it!

The story begins with Melody and Zac at a high school graduation party. Melody asks Zac for a kiss, and he leaves with a promise to return—but they don’t speak again for 10 years. After a tough breakup and (content warning) realizing the extent of emotional abuse in her last relationship, Melody moves back home to live with her twin brother Parker, who is Zac’s childhood best friend.

As the story develops, we learn why they lost touch and see how they help each other grow while falling in love. Multiple explicit scenes throughout the book!

If you're looking for a spicy football romance, I recommend this one!

Some pros:
1. I'm really done with the hockey romances. I don't watch hockey, no one plays hockey in the South, and there's just a lot put right now. I liked the football storyline, and it wasn't a typical high school, nerd and QB storyline.
2. The supporting cast was great. I loved the dynamic with the brother. The friends were hilarious...
3. The relationship with Noah was A+. Very few things are sexier than guys acting as a father figure, and I loved Melody's ready acceptance of Zac's role in Noah's life.
4. The guys' protectiveness
5. I liked the epilogue. It's kind of formulaic, but also kind of not.
6. The dedication was perfect

Cons:
1. This book could not make up its mind what it wanted to be. There's the abusive ex, the fake dating trope (kind of), friends to lovers, second chance, small town, and kind of a dark romance, too. It also wanted to be a slow burn, but it wasn't (see below).
2. The sex was... weird. Within the first 10 chapters, they're hooking up, and they hadn't had a romantic relationship before. It wasn't even forbidden attraction. Melody didn't know Zac liked her in college. The first scene was very disorienting. Also, it was rough sex, which is not my vibe and seemed out of left field for the story. I kind of wanted it to be sweet. The story wanted to be a slow burn, but again, they hooked up very early on.
3. The incident at the campsite at the beginning was not nearly as bad as they made it out to be. All of a sudden, a thunderstorm is the scariest thing ever, and they can't fall asleep without each other? They are not Katniss and Peeta surviving the Hunger Games. Also, Zac says, "Do you think we can only fall asleep together?" when they're discussing their mutual insomnia. The line is CRINGEY to the extreme. Y'all are dramatic and need to get it together.
4. This is silly, but at one point, Zac is telling Melody about the food he has in the house, and he says, "There's a little bit of everything." I don't know if I've ever heard a guy use that phrase. Bit, I get the ick when guys say "outfit" when describing clothing, so it's a personal preference too.
5. Noah tells Melody that Zac doesn't let him have girls spend the night when he's there, and on weekdays, Zac makes him study for a few hours before he can do anything else. I'm sorry, the man is a grown adult. He's 20, not 16. He's not an addict or parolee or in high school. I get the no girls thing, fine whatever. But is Noah some sort of irresponsible sort?
6. The PINING. It's not cute. It's just sad and weird. You're telling me that you rejected a bunch of girls bc they weren't your high school crush? That's pathetic. Get over it.
7. I was SO CONFUSED as to the timeline of everything. It could very well be a me problem, but I wasn't sure when anything happened when it was talking about the ages when everyone was friends.

Overall, this was a cute football love story. I wouldn't read it again, but if you need some bubblegum for your brain for the weekend, this isn't a bad way to spend the time.

Rating: 4.5 ⭐

This was my first book by Ellie and I enjoyed it! It was such a fun combo of small town and sports romance.

I love a good slow burn romance, and when you add in second chance, it’s even better because you know that the characters are working for their second chance. Melody and Zac were estranged for 10 years before Melody returned to their small town after a breakup. Soon, they’re forced together during a camping trip that goes sideways, and they’re stuck together alone for days. During this time, Melody realizes the toxicity that her previous relationship contained, and she was determined to get her life back on track for her afterwards. That was one thing I admired about Melody in this story; after she saw how toxic her ex was, she wanted to improve her life and live it for herself after 6 years living it for someone else. Melody was determined to find her way back to who she was before her bad relationship, and it was great watching her come back to herself.

Zac Porter has been pining for Melody Woods for years, and when he gets stuck with her on the ill-fated camping trip, he becomes determined to win back Melody’s trust after he lost it 10 years ago. Zac knew he made mistakes 10 years ago, but he learned from them and knew that he had to have Melody back. It was amazing watching Zac win Melody’s trust back throughout the story because he wanted to earn her trust and eventually her love! He did everything he could to show Melody that he learned from his mistake all those years ago, but also that he was nothing like her ex and that he was worthy of her trust and love. It was great watching Zac earn Melody’s trust, but it was also great watching Melody learn to open up to Zac again and learn to trust someone again.

One thing I enjoyed a lot about this book was the banter! And it wasn’t just banter between Zac and Melody, though that was hilarious and they were so well-suited that way; there was also great banter between Zac and Melody with the side characters like their friends and family. I always appreciate good banter in a story, and this banter was top-tier. I would read another Ellie book just for the promise of hilarious banter alone! It kept me laughing throughout because I’m definitely sarcastic like Melody, so it was nice to see her have someone like Zac come into her life and accept her and her sarcasm in stride.

This was such a great story and I’m glad this was my first Ellie book because it was such a great introduction to her writing. I loved Melody and Zac so much and their story was so fun and heartwarming.


Thank you, Ellie and Atria Books, for providing me with an ARC!

Zach and Melody were fun to read. This book is the first one I read from this author and I liked the story. I definitely will be reading more.

This was the perfect blend of sweet and spicy! I am obsessed with the main characters Zac and Melody. The way he pined and grovelled was just too good. This book had so many of my favourite tropes and they were done perfectly. While this was my first book by Ellie, it definitely will not be my last. I cannot wait to continue the Oakwood Bay series and I recommend it if you enjoy small town sports romances.

What to expect:
🩵 Sports Romance
🩵 Football Coach
🩵 Brother’s Best Friend
🩵 Cinnamon Roll MMC
🩵 Second Chance
🩵 Small Town

Thank you to Ellie K. Wilde, Atria Books and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ugh. Zach sucks. Connor sucks more. But Zach is controlling and keeps calling her a brat and somehow that is supposed to be endearing. DNF at 75% because I just can't with these characters. Even the whole premise if having to hide because her brother Parker wouldn't approve is so poorly done.

I love a small town romance and this one did not disappoint, This was an emotionally charged romance that manages to capture your attention right from the first page. with the chemistry between Melody and Zac. The charm of second chances and undeniable chemistry. Set in Oakwood Bay, a charming small town, this story is packed with heartfelt moments and just the right dash of spice to keep you hooked from page one. I could not put this one down. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy. Ellie Wilde is a new author for me and I look forward to devouring her back list.
This book is a great choice for anyone who enjoys a heartwarming, addictive story with the perfect mix of passion.

3.5 stars! This book was so cute! I especially loved all the ways that Zac shows his love throughout the book! From the way that he accommodates his love languages to Melody’s needs in the present to how we learn that he has loved her throughout their time apart. I did feel like some of the reasoning for spending 10 years apart was a little lacking, obviously this adds to them being young and dumb though. I really liked the side characters in the story and would definitely be open to reading more about them in their own books, especially Noah and Brooks. It would be fun to see beyond the glimpses we get in this book and see how they grow through their own struggles. It looks like Brooks might have his own book coming out later this year, which is exciting! Overall, this was definitely a fun read!

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for sending me an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! The chemistry between Melody and Zac was fantastic—so much banter, playfulness, and undeniable tension. The plot had great twists, and the overall storyline was solid. 🌟That said, parts of it felt a little slow, especially the texting scenes. It sometimes dragged on a bit too much for my taste. 😬 But overall, I highly recommend this book and will definitely be continuing the series! Can’t wait to see what happens next! 💕

The quote "right person, wrong time" was the theme for this book, and I adored every second of it. The "Stranded in the Woods" chapters were probably some of my favorites. Honestly, I found the entire situation slightly hilarious and ironic. Poor Melody gets the bomb of camping with a guy who broke her heart dropped on her and then, not even 15 pages later, finds herself completely stranded in the woods with said guy for three days. Melody's struggle to find herself in a post-toxic relationship is a concept I think readers will find relatable since it is a struggle that is quite common for so many people. I loved Melody and Zac brainstorming her playbook. It was just a super wholesome and sweet scene in the book that is etched into my memory forever. I also liked how their friend group is combined; it makes for some hilarious banter and super wholesome moments throughout the book. You can see how much the 5 of them love and care for each other, which was also super heartwarming.

I loved this book, and I am looking forward to and very excited about the next book(s) in this series!

A big thank you to Atria Books and NetGalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. This book is available for purchase as of January 21st, 2025!

I was really excited to start this book, and my expectations were met. This spicy romance novel was everything I was hoping for ♡

The chapters are long, which I don’t love. I was able to look past it as the content was enthralling. This gave me Icebreaker and somewhat Magnolia Parks vibes.

The spice was intense, and a bit cringy at times. There were at least 3-4 heavy spice scenes, but they were incorporated thoughtfully.

I fell in love with the two main characters - Melody and Zac. Connor can kick rocks… that fucker deserves to rot in the core of the earth. I would happily read a second book about his downfall.

Although this book could’ve been 100 pages shorter and still had the same outcome, I wasn’t mad about the length of the book.

4.25/5 ⭒

What a man Zac is. I was constantly swooning over him. I loved this book for the fact that it didn't have a third act breakup. Their lack of communication was frustrating sometimes but much better than many other romance books I've read. I read this one so quickly because I couldn't put it down. I loved the process of Mel realizing how controlling Connor has been.

i really loved the dedication and the beginning of this book. i was super into it. i think the characters got together a little early and then the rest of the story had so much happening in it that i got lost a little in the middle, but it was still a cute and enjoyable read. definitely interested in seeing how the rest of the series goes.

Melody and Zac’s story was an absolute rollercoaster of a journey. There’s second chance love, reuniting after a decade apart. There’s tension, banter, there’s great characters and a great story line. I mean… sharing a tent?!?!?! Some slow burn but still enjoyable and the cover art is beyond gorgeous. There’s a lot of growth in the characters. I am so grateful for the opportunity to have read and reviewed this book.

3.75 stars. The vibes were there but at times the story felt too long for what it was. Zac was the ultimate golden retriever- very Notebook coded. The way he supported Melody and gave her the space to heal and grow?! Chefs kiss. The spice?!! Spicing and well written. There were several external storylines that didn’t fully feel fleshed out.

All I have to say is Zac… 🥰🍀🥰🍀

The way he’s loved Melody - quietly for YEARS. Out loud and in your face. Never giving up on the dream that she could be his. Always supporting what she needs. The pining in this book you guys! He is down bad!! 🥵

This story was really enjoyable. The side characters were great. Zac and Melody…I cannot!! This may have been my first book by Ellie K Wilde but it won’t be my last.

What to expect:
- Brother's best friend
- Second chance
- Dual POV
- It's always been you
- Manipulative ex (hers)
- Really enjoyable character growth

Thank you Atria Books, Ellie K Wilde and Net Galley for this ARC!

I felt as if this could have been a novella of the first 20% forest scene. The camping bit held potential, when talking about their past and the two of them reconnecting, etc. However the rest of the book to me felt like filler since they already kind of established that they liked each other and had feelings? It just felt disjointed as a novel when the first part was a campsite survival with reconnections and the second part was just their everyday lives at home with no true mention or callback to the campsite fiasco.

Thank you NetGalley and Atria Books for a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

Omg, for a moment I would be fanning myself with the electrifying chemistry they have, and the next I’ll be screaming into my pillow because WHY IS HE SO OBSESSED WITH HER? Ridiculously cute. Incredibly amazing.

This book was so sweet and spicy they need to make a new sauce with all that. The pages were sizzling and sparkles were flying. I just cannot get enough of those two characters.

Zac is so sweet and considerate behind the grumpiness facade, and when he got jealous? Hottest shit ever. Melody is actually kinda grumpy, and I love how even thought she isn’t into sappy words, she had her way to say it and he would understand it.


📝brother best friend
📝forced proximity
📝he fall first and hard
📝he is obsessed with her
📝Touch him and 💀
📝slow burn
📝small town

🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5