Wanted to like this book but just couldn’t get into it, I was bored and found my self skimming to see if it got better

🏈🍀 only in your dreams by ellie k. wilde 🍀🏈

this was CUTE my goodness. as a biiiiig sports romance girly, i really loved this one and it had alllllll the tropes

🍀small town
🍀healing after a breakup with her toxic ex
🍀second chance
🍀brother’s best friend
🍀secret relationship
🍀one bed (orrrr tent on a camping trip 🤭)
🍀found family

wilde did a great job conveying the gaslighting and emotional manipulation from melody’s ex-boyfriend and i legitimately could feel my stress levels rising during those scenes. the slow burn was also worth the wait 🔥 4/5⭐️!

thanks to the author, publisher, and netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

I LOVED this book so much. I loved the chemistry between Zac and Melody. This book has made me want to go read all of Ellie K. Wilde's other books now. The angst between the 2 main characters was very well written, it was spicy and kept me engaged the entire time.

This book offers a captivating blend of engaging storytelling and well-crafted characters. The plot moves at a steady pace, keeping the reader hooked from start to finish. The author’s writing style is both accessible and thought-provoking, with themes that resonate long after the final page. While the story may feel familiar at times, the depth of the characters and the emotional weight of their journeys make it a worthwhile read. Overall, this book is an enjoyable and memorable experience, perfect for fans of romance books. Highly recommended!

I’ll be back with a full review closer to release but this book was so SWEET. UGH.

I don’t usually reach for brothers best friend off the bat but I will absolutely reach for 14 years of pining and brothers best friend was also her best friend.

Premise of this book is Melody returning to her home town to live with her twin brother, Parker, after being away for a decade with her ex in the city. Zac, Parker’s bestie hasn’t seen Melody since the night he blew her off 10 years ago but he has definitely not stopped dreaming of the day she returned.

Parker sends Melody off on their annual camping trip when he has plans come up in town and Zac is quick to realize his time is limited when it comes to making up for his past.

The banter in this book kept me entertained at every single turn. Like wrapping up in your favorite blanket and watching a rerun of your favorite drama unfold.

I LOVE second chances. I loooOOoove friends to lovers.

And I love it even more when the MMC is giving Me & You Together by The 1975 energy.

This book's pacing is making me dizzy, some if the scenes were making me doubt on what i read prior.

This book was absolutely amazing! The angst, the tension, and the spice was great! I will definitely be reading more from Ellie K. Wilde!

🔥 A Small-Town, Brother’s Best Friend, Sports Romance That Delivers All the Feels! 🔥

If you’re a sucker for second chances, forbidden love, and the kind of chemistry that simmers over a decade, Only in Your Dreams is your next must-read. Ellie K Wilde weaves a story that’s heartwarming and spicy, taking you back to a hometown filled with old wounds, unfinished business, and a love worth fighting for.

✨ The Story:
Melody Woods never thought she’d return to Oakwood Bay—especially with a broken heart and empty pockets. But when her twin brother, Parker, pushes her to fill his spot on a camping trip, she’s forced to confront the one man she’s avoided for ten years. Zac Porter, the college football coach who was always off-limits, once let Melody slip through his fingers. He’s older now, wiser, and determined to right his past wrongs. The sudden reunion at camp sparks a fierce connection, reigniting old flames and reminding them both of what could have been.

✨ "If he can prove he loved her then, and he loves her still, this time might be different."

For Zac, this camping trip is his shot at convincing Melody that their story isn’t over—it’s just getting started. But as he fights for a winning season on the field and for Melody’s heart off of it, he also has to keep their rekindled romance a secret from her overprotective brother. For Melody, returning to Oakwood Bay was just a pit stop, not a plan for permanence. But with Zac’s unwavering devotion and the slow burn of rediscovered love, maybe this small town has something more to offer.

🌟 Why You’ll Love It:
• Brother’s Best Friend Trope: Deliciously forbidden and loaded with tension.
• Second-Chance Romance: A lingering past and long-held regrets collide with hope and healing.
• Sports Angle: Get behind the scenes of college football drama and a coach who plays for keeps.
• Small-Town Charm: Cozy vibes, close-knit community, and that comforting sense of homecoming.
• Perfect Blend of Humor & Heat: Swoony moments, heartfelt confrontations, and a spice level that’ll make you blush.

This is the kind of romance that reminds you that time doesn’t extinguish true love—it just makes that final spark all the sweeter. Don’t miss Only in Your Dreams if you crave an emotional journey packed with secret glances, tender kisses, and the promise of forever.

📖 #BookReview #EllieKWilde #OnlyInYourDreams #BrothersBestFriend #SecondChanceRomance #SmallTownRomance #SportsRomance #SpicyReads #BookWorm #BookTok #Bookstagram #MustReadRomance

Such a cute sports romance. I loved the character dynamics and writing style so so much. I will definitely be picking up more by this author in the future. 🥰💕🏈

3.5 rounded down to 3

Melody returns to her hometown after breaking up with her toxic ex, only to be exiled on a camping trip with a friend group that includes the boy she wanted to kiss her but never did. Then when the trip goes wrong, the two are stranded together in the woods. Will the finally deal with their past?

Read if you like:
-He Falls First
-Second Chance Romance
-Childhood Friends to Lovers
-Forced Proximity
-Off Limits
-Found Family

I liked Only in Your Dreams. It was fun and clever and fresh. I loved the camping trip gone wrong angle and how after they couldn't sleep without the other. But the solution to the off-limits problem was a little clunky and polluted the plot. Still a really fun read though!

This was such a cute novel. I loved the connection between the main characters and the buildup to their HEA. The side characters were also a lot of fun. My only qualm with the book is the fact that the MMC was pining for the FMC for a decade before he confessed his feelings. That just seems unreasonable to me. Why go so long without saying anything?! But I loved how the story ended up in the end. Great read! I hope this book becomes a series with the other side characters as the focus.

Thanks to my friends at Atria for sending me a free e-arc of this book! All thoughts are my own!

3.75 stars rounded to four for NetGalley’s rating system!

Uh, the first 25% was a ROLLERCOASTER!! We went from her taking her brother’s place on a camping trip to them getting stranded and hunted by wild animals. Then somehow they HAD to sleep together every night to get sleep due to trauma from said animal hunting them. I guess??

After they were rescued from the camping trip, the rest of the book was honestly kinda slow. We didn’t really do much in the way of plot. it was just following them as they went about their lives and got closer, which I didn’t mind. It just left me kinda wanting more in terms of plot.

Their relationship development was…interesting. I didn’t dislike it, but it was kinda wild. I know they had unresolved feelings from high school, but people can change a lot in ten years, especially when you go through a traumatic relationship/breakup like Melody did. Yet, we were constantly reminded of how they were basically the same people they were in high school. I don’t know about you, but I’m not the same person I was in high school and it’s only been four years for me, not ten.

I did love them together, though. I still feel like the reason he left her that night ten years ago was a bad reason, and I hate that that is what kept them apart all this time. I wished it had more to it than that, because it felt easily solvable through some basic communication. But MAN DOES ZAC LOVE TO EAT 🥵

So, it all felt both too fast and too slow. I loved how Melody’s feelings grew and changed, but Zac kinda had no development or growth as a character. He stayed the same the whole way through. Melody, however, grew exponentially as a character. I really enjoyed her growth, and I’m so pleased she found herself again after her toxic relationship.

I wished we got more of the side characters too. Summer sorta disappeared for large chunks of the book, considering she was supposed to be Melody’s best friend. We didn’t really see Parker and Zac interact much, when they’re also supposed to be close. Brooks is just there sometimes? He worked with Zac, so he was around, but I feel like we didn’t really get to see them as a group, or even individually that much. They had a group chat that was used maybe twice?

I think there will be more books in this series, and I will probably read those, as this book definitely entertained me!

Cute book but I felt like the characters were a bit immature for their age and the storyline didn't feel realistic.

Thanks NetGalley for the ARC!

This book hit some real checkmarks for me, I gotta say I was pleasantly surprised.

We had grumpy/sunshine, but those roles flip flop a few times throughout. I was super fun. Our FMC is kinda known for being "moody", which really just means she doesn't don the feminine mask of 'let me smile all the time so that I'm not perceived as a bitch' type of deal and honestly good for her. She goes through a manipulative relationship prior to the start of the book and like, been there girl. So she's doing a lot of healing throughout and I just really enjoyed it even when I wanted to smack her.

We also had fake dating, snarky dialogue and a Friends moment near the end. All in all, very cute. Very fun.

I absolutely loved this book! It’s the ultimate brothers best friend, small town romance where she has always loved him and he’s always loved her but it never eorked. Zac puts in so much effort to get melody to trust him. I had a relationship much like melody and Connor and it absolutely resonated with me, even him tracking her down. I adore how long Zac waited for her and all the tiny details he remembers about her and her likes and dreams. I absolutely would recommend this book when it comes out in January! Thank you to the author, Ellie Wilde and the publisher for allowing me to review this ahead of time!

I liked this book. We have a story of melody who, after breaking up with her long-term boyfriend. Moose, by back home with her brother and runs into her childhood crush sack, who was also still living in their hometown. He's a college football coach. After being The Star football player growing up. She's trying to find her way trying to get back to the city. Doesn't wanna be stuck in her hometown. She is still mad at Zack for doing her dirty. Many years ago, does she want to forgive him? Does she still want him? Does she want to move on? Does she just want to get back to the city? There's AA group of interesting characters within the book. Also, melody's brother Zach's co-worker, that was a fun read. Definitely recommend

Ok… this book shocked me. I don’t think I’ve felt this much tension in a book in a long time. I loved the main male character and both of the characters stuggles and growth. The way this man acts towards her is INSANE. I think my realistic view of men has been completley destroyed. I need to read more from this author.

This book……confused me? It has some very strong moments and some super strange and off putting ones. I really did like the second chance element of this romance and Zac was definitely pining for Melody which was cute. What was not cute was the random moments of unnecessary and uncalled for jealousy from the hero which was just kinda unsettling. Strangely, the first big chunk of the book is a camping trip which felt like a pretty different story from the rest set in the heroines home town. Overall, I think this book had some nice relationship development but I had problems with the main characters, the plotting, and the pacing of the story. Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this e-arc in exchange for an honest review :)

"Only in Your Dreams" is such a fun best friend's brother, enemies-to-lovers romance that had me hooked right away. I loved Zac's male yearning, and the chemistry between him and Melody was amazing. My only gripe was how often Melody’s ex was brought up... I was like okay we get it, he sucks lol, now let's get back to Melody and Zac. But overall, I really enjoyed this one. Definitely a solid 4 stars!

Melody Woods returns to her hometown heartbroken and broke. She moves in with her brother while she plans her next steps. Whole Melody may be unhappy with her situation, Zac Porter is delighted to find he has a second chance to win Melody over after dropping the ball 10 years earlier. I really wanted to like this but did not feel like there was enough tension between the characters. Thanks to NetGalley and Atria for the ARC.