This was surprisingly more enjoyable than i thought it would be. I enjoyed the romance that had been built on their friendship. I feel like a bit more communication would have resolved so many issues.

This sizzling romance did not disappoint! When our main character, Melody Woods, finally escapes what she doesn't see as a horrible relationship we get to know our MC and the life she led at home. She bunks with her brother (for the time being) and is thrust right into the social circle he's created. When she's reunited with an old flame, sparks fly, and the pages of this book sizzle.
I love how Ellie Wilde made the main character more than our typical "airhead" protagonists, and the story pieces just fit. I loved this one!

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the opportunity to read an advance e-copy of Only in Your Dreams by Ellie Wilde! I’m so grateful because this book was an absolute delight and one of those rare reads that I just didn’t want to put down. From the first page, it felt like an escape—the perfect mix of humor, heat, and heart that kept me hooked until the very end.

First off, let’s talk about the banter. Wilde absolutely nailed it here. The dialogue between Melody and Zac sparkled with wit, and their back-and-forth was so sharp and entertaining that I found myself grinning like an idiot more times than I can count. If you love banter that’s playful, a little snarky, and full of chemistry, this book delivers in spades.

And speaking of chemistry, the steam level? Boiling hot. Wilde doesn’t hold back, and the romantic tension between the leads crackled with intensity. But it wasn’t just about the heat—the romance had so much depth because of the well-drawn characters.

Melody, the FMC, stole my heart with her journey of self-discovery and growth. Watching her find her voice and step into her own power was so endearing and inspiring. Zac, on the other hand, is the ultimate cinnamon roll MMC. Sweet, supportive, and utterly swoon-worthy, he’s the kind of character you can’t help but fall for.

Ellie Wilde has a gift for creating a world so vivid and immersive that I felt like I was right there in the pages. Only in Your Dreams is more than just a romance; it’s a reminder of the joy and magic that comes from connecting with someone who truly sees and values you. If you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh, blush, and maybe even tear up a little, this one’s for you.

This was literally a perfect romance book with everything I could want! The pining, the reunion after so long and the way this man did so much for her- it was perfection:) Also always nice to see the snarky and not always smiley girl get the perfect man who takes her as is and loves it!

Honestly, I really struggled with the first 25% ish of the book. I just couldn’t get behind the camping part. I wanted to get to the whole football thing a lot sooner, and when we did it got soooo much better. I liked reading about a struggling team, that our male main character Zac had to try to fix.

Zac truly is a book boyfriend, but I didn’t love the spice(but that’s not really my thing to begin with so that’s on me). Being in love with your high school crush ten years later? That’s Hallmark level romance, and he showed up when it was important. I love when a male main character is a soft guy at heart and isn’t ashamed about it one bit. He was easily my favorite character of the book.

With that all being said I wouldn’t hate to see a book of certain football player mentioned (iykyk). I’d love to see the potential of that and maybe a slow burn???

Only In Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Selfie! We’ve been soaking up the Christmas spirit with our new baby sister but finding time to read when we can! First off, thank you @Netgalley and @Atriabooks for the ARC of Only In Your Dreams! This was exactly the right book for us in the throws of PP nightly wake ups. It kept us distracted and entertained so we didn’t fall asleep on our feeding baby.

This Dual POV follows Melody and Zac as they get their second chance ten years in the making! We can say it isn’t our favorite second-chance romance, but it did entertain! It felt about 100 pages too long honestly. Less would have been more. The story also felt as if it was trying to fit in every trope possible. Some tropes you can expect to see are:
-second chance
-fake dating
-brother’s best friend
-one bed
-forced proximity


There were parts of this story that just felt so unrealistic to us. The camping storyline and sleeping arrangements were cheesy and just didn’t make sense. Zac was so loving and adorable, but again, did not feel like any real life male to the point that he was a cheese ball.

One thing we did love was the story surrounding Melody’s ex, her breakup and the gaslighting she endures. This should be considered a trigger warning. We could see this as healing and relatable to anyone who had experienced a controlling relationship with a narcissist. And while her brother wanted what was best for her, he also was weirdly controlling (though we do not think that was the intention of the author….). Overall, we are glad we read this but would recommend with caution.

All the delicious tension, banter, and emotions I love in a second chance romance came together in this book to make such a fun read! The humor often times didn't land with me, but I still enjoyed Melody and Zac's dynamic. As a hopeless romantic who struggles to get over the past, I really connected to Zac's character and how deeply he still feels for Melody when the book begins.

I binged this book in a day and just fell in love with Zac so many times it’s unbelievable. What a gem of a book, and honestly a fantastic way to be kind and caring when writing about emotionally abusive and narcissistic relationships and the healing that’s got to come after. Thank you so much to the author and Atria books for my copy of this e-ARC!

Dang. I think I might be pregnant after reading this book. This is a fantastic and super spicy friends to enemies to lovers romance. Zac is so swoony and I love this group of friends. And the relationship with Noah. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

Wow!! This book is so cute and puts you in all the feels! This novel follows Zac and Melody’s love story. A sports rom-com, it’s about him trying to get the girl who got away while she attempts to run the opposite direction. Such a sweet book that you will pick up again and again.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC.

4 ⭐️ 3 🌶️ Zac and Melody. Second chance, brothers best friend, sports romcom. I really loved the premise of this book and how it started with the forced proximity camping trip. The tension was chefs kiss. Zac is swoon-worthy. The way he pines after melody is how every woman dreams to be treated. Big heart eyes. (Some of the 🔥 scenes, wow.) The conflict did feel slightly childish to me and I also feel the book is a little too long. But I was able to look past those because I enjoyed the ride!

Loved all the side characters with the exception of Connor (obviously). Connor is the actual worst ex-boyfriend. An actual villian. Wilde did a really really good job of writing a character the reader will automatically detest. Who nicknames their GF Melly. Why not just call her smelly?

Excited for the next book to release. Hoping Noah gets a book at some point.

The synopsis of Only in Your Dreams sounded so good and I was looking forward to a second chance romance. Unfortunately, I didn't connect with the characters in Only in Your Dreams. I love a good second chance romance, but this book dealt with a lot of heavier topics that I felt sometimes made the romance take a back seat. I didn't feel the angst and longing that I wanted between Melody and Zac. And that third act breakup was so frustrating. I usually don't mind a third act breakup if the romance calls for it - but I didn't care for this one.

Overall I would rate Only in Your Dreams 2.5 stars.

Thank you NG & Atria Books for an e-arc!

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Melody breaks up with her boyfriend of six years and moved back to her hometown to live with her brother. She meets her high school crush, Zac.
Zac is a football coach, and always loved Melody. He's sweet and caring. He does everything to win Melody back.

I enjoyed this story so much! I loved the banter and the chemistry between them. It was so cute! I loved the muddy scene in the woods🔥and the red shoelaces storyline. I also enjoyed the side characters. They're such good friends for Zac and Melody.
I can't wait for the next book!

I definitely recommend this!

I loved this story a lot. I enjoyed reading it and felt very invested in the characters. I especially enjoyed Ellie Wilde's way of writing common romance tropes in a new way. This spicy, football, small-town romance includes the tropes of second-chance, brother's best friend, fake dating, and one bed. These are all common tropes, but Wilde presents them uniquely, making them all feel fresh. I love reading the fake-dating trope, and Wilde's use is the most offbeat (in a good way!) and interesting way I've read it before. The banter and relationships between characters are great, and I enjoyed the humor intertwined. Likewise, the spice is incredible!

I found this to be okay. There are parts of this that I loved and others that I thought could have gone without. I wasn't a huge fan of Melody. But I liked Zac. I connected with him over her more easily. I think Melody just had experiences that were hard for me to relate to. Others would probably be able to relate to her well enough to enjoy her antics; however, she just wasn't my cup of tea. I didn't particularly enjoy that the back-and-forth was repetitive until the last seven chapters. The entire plot between them took a long time to move on, which caused me to become disinterested. I'm not a fan of slow-burn second chances, so I may not be the target reader for this particular story. However, I would still recommend this to my friends/followers because it has elements I know many would enjoy!

melody and zac u are everything to meeeee!!

this was so so cute, if a little shallow at points. but honestly i can't even complain about that bc it really just reads like a sweet, fun little romcom with a few emotional punches. also the ending is literally the 🥹 emoji.

writing was fast paced and really easy to read, there wasn't a lot of fluff but it also wasn't blunt and unreadable. overall if u want a cute romance then i'd 100% recommend this one!

thank you to atria books for reaching out & to netgalley for the arc! all opinions are my own <3

I loved this book and the way the characters were portrayed. It had moments that made me laugh and cry! I liked how the characters were almost flipped in the way they were as Melody being the “sourpuss” and Zac being the “romantic”. Gave it a different perspective that is sourpuss females needed! There wasn’t a thing I didn’t love about this book.

The pining, the will-they-won’t-they, the misunderstandings!!!!! I was hooked within minutes of starting this book and the story was absolutely lovely to read!!!

This books is full of all the tropes that will take you from giggling like an idiot one moment to sniffling away tears the next. Seriously, I just want my very own Zac to keep forever and ever.

I adored the back-and-forth bickering between Melody and Zac— and I was certainly thrown for a little twist with the whole ‘camping trip gone awry’ (I GASPED WHEN WE FIND OUT WHAT WHAT SHE WENT BACK FOR). Call Wilde a chef, because she is cooking up some *spice* in this book! It’s a sizzling, wonderful read that puts its readers through all the emotions. Please, melody, how are you gonna leave Zac hanging for so long after the mud without an answer (iykyk).

It was such a breath of fresh air to read a book that highlighted what it’s like to be in a toxic relationship— but also how powerful it is to find yourself in the aftermath of said relationship. Not to mention the fantastic humor that was sprinkled in throughout the book!

I struggle with how main characters behave in books and these two just felt a little immature and childish for me. I know that she had a bad relationship, but she treated it like a light switch. It was a fast turn around with very little growth and a whole lot of miscommunication.

Reached for my chapstick and was immediately taken back to this book. I have not been able to stop thinking about these characters! I adore the grumpy/sunshine trope along with a sexy, golden retriever of a man lead character. This book was right up my alley. I thoroughly enjoyed the added sports' touches, side characters, and the added suspense while on the camping trip. Cannot wait to read more from Ellie K Wilde.