This is a very on-the-nose, second-chance love story that has so many wonderful elements and a great plot-to-spice ratio. Melody returns to her hometown after the demise of her 6-year relationship - the town she avoided for the past decade after her twin brother's best friend, Zac, broke her heart. Zac still reveres Mel as the one who got away - he's never stopped loving her (understatement). It's a classic tale of the forbidden best friend's sister with variable twists.

Melody's coming out of an emotionally abusive relationship that she's trying to wrap her head around. The realization she has around how she's been treated & her character arc that has her confidence growing and her returning to the person she used to be is inspiring and dealt with very delicately. I really appreciated how the author handles the concept of love bombing.

Zac is a wonderful MMC - that boy is obsessed & his feelings never waiver when it comes to Mel. This is his second chance and he is not wasting it. His determination to make Mel happy & show her how she should be treated is very swoony & sweet.

This is a slow burn but with many spicy moments on the way to them getting together. Zac & Mel's banter is fun and while it's a long road to see them finally get together (some might think a little too long), there are a lot of beautiful moments on the way. I love the secondary character Noah & his little brother type of relationship with Zac - this added something special to Mel & Zac's dynamic.

I have to also shout out Brooks, the former NFL player turned assistant coach and friend to Zac. He very much intrigued me and would love to see a book focused on his story.

💖 Second Chance Romance
➶ Brother's Best Friend
🏈 College Football
❤️‍🩹 Who Hurt You?
🛏️ Forced Proximity/One Bed
🏡 Small Town
💋 Fake Dating
☀️ Reverse Grumpy Sunshine
🫶 Found Family
❣️ It's always been you
✌🏻 Dual POV

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Simon & Schuster, Atria Books, and the author, Ellie K. Wilde for the ARC.

My first question is where do I find a man like Zac? He is just the absolute sweetest and was giving me butterflies with his kind gestures. If you love a man that yearns you’re going to love Zac.

I’m normally very hesitant of second chance stories as they typically get back together too fast in an unrealistic way, but this was done in such a beautiful and amazing way. Zac was patient, consistent and always loving. I appreciated that he gave Mel time to figure out what she wanted and where she wanted her life to go.

Overall this was a sweet, brother’s best friend, sports romcom done so well! I can’t wait to read more from this author and have a copy of this book on my shelf.

Supeerrrr cute!! Wow. Zac. Zac. Zac. Can you be any sweeter?!! My goodness! Zac & melody are absolutely perfect for each other. I love how they reconnected & moved on from the past, so they can truly love each other correctly.

The storyline was good, the drama with Connor was done just right, the spiccceeee was fan worthy 🥵🥵🥵🥵 and all in all, it was a really good book.


✨ Thank you NetGalley, the publisher Simon & Schuster, Atria Books, and of course the author, Ellie K. Wilde for the ARC!✨

I feel, potentially, like this author wanted to throw as many tropes as she could into this book. We've got the good ol loved trope of brothers best friend, second chance, and forced proximity, but they also get stranded in the middle of nowhere about 10% into the book, and then just get rescued, and the book goes on. It reads like a haphazard plot just plunked right in with no thought whatsoever. It was also just super unrealistic to me that not only were their friends so busy trying to get away from the storm that they left them there, but that they were just fine in the storm that they so desperately needed to get away from, and that their friends didn't notice for 3 days that they were gone. The fact that they had sex 20% of the way into the book after the FMC claiming up and down that she would not forgive the MMC for ghosting her for 10 years just felt weird to me.

A wonderful balance of plot and spice!

This was a second chance story done so well. I was not prepared for the FILTH that comes out of Zac’s mouth but I was here for every bit of it. I relate to Melody so so much and watching her find her voice and confidence was so rewarding.

The way that Zac wove his way into her life patiently and seamlessly was everything to me. To meet a woman where she’s at after suffering from narcissistic abuse was just another example of why Zac is a great book boyfriend.

This book is perfect if you love..
-second chance
-forced proximity
- brother’s best friend

Only in Your Dreams is the story of Melody and Zac. After a night of misunderstandings in high school, Zac and Melody share a crush that they never got the chance to act on. Now, Melody has been dumped and is back in her hometown. Zac is now working as a football coach and is stunned to see Melody back in town. Is this the second chance that they never had in high school?

Only in Your Dreams is a sweet and overall lighthearted read. Zac and Melody have great chemistry. I love how Zac was always very careful to never repeat the manipulative actions of Melody’s ex. The forced proximity in the camping scene was amazing! The surrounding cast of characters was great and I’m hoping we get a chance to read their stories later in the series. It did sort of irritate me how much Zac held fast to the rule from Parker about Melody, but I was still able to enjoy the story. Readers who enjoy a hero who is absolutely down bad for the heroine, second chances, and the highs and lows of football will enjoy Only in Your Dreams.

Thank you to Ellie K Wilde, Atria Books, and Netgalley for a free ARC in exchange for an honest review.

For publisher: My review will be posted on Goodreads, Amazon, Storygraph, and Barnes & Noble etc.

Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde is a sweet sports rom-com about Zac, who has been in love with Melody, his best friend’s twin sister, since high school. Melody felt the same way but neither expressed interest until the night before Melody left for college- and it didn’t end well. Ten years later, Melody is back in her home town after a break up from her long term boyfriend. Now that she’s back home, Zac is determined to show her that they are meant to be together and have their own happily ever after.

This was an easy, light read. While it’s a pretty basic rom-com, I thought the characters were interesting and the story kept me from putting the book down.
It does get pretty spicy. Themes of second chances, fake dating, healing after unhealthy relationships, and self-discovery were explored throughout the story. Fans of rom-coms, sports romance, and easy reads with a HEA will likely enjoy this book!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and author for granting me a complimentary advanced reader copy of the ebook. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and based off of this draft; the final publication may be different. Expected publication date is January 21, 2025.

Thank you NetGalley & Ellie K. Wilde for the ARC.

Oh this book was absolutely delightful. It made me want it almost as much as Zac. Only in your dreams is a second chance sports romance, with a swoon worthy MMC and a sassy yet very loveable FMC.

I absolutely loved the writing, the humour, the details & the love. It's an absolute joy to watch Melody become the girl she always thought she would be. I also loved that he respected her boundaries and she did the same. He showed her what love is supposed to be like.

10/10 would ABSOLUTELY recommend.

3.5⭐️

Thank you Atria for sending me this eARC for an honest review.

It’s a cute sports romance…second chance (kind of?), brother’s best friend. I enjoyed the overall idea but once you find out why the falling out happened 10 years prior it kind of kills it. It so easily could have been rectified if Zac would have just responded to a freaking text…overall cute quick read. Definitely want to read the next book 🙂

No notes. This book was amazing. I loved the characters, the sappiness, and the banter. This book is a must read for all the small town, second chance, he fell first and harder fans out there. I can't recommend it enough.

Once I started this book I couldn’t put it down. I loved it so much! We had a second chance romance, brothers best friend, found family, even a little fake dating. All the good tropes wrapped in once! Melody and Zac finally come together after 10 years and some misunderstandings. Zac is ready to grovel and show just how much he has loved her over the years and Melody has some healing she’s got to do after she feels like over the last 10 years her life has just flopped. I loved the feelings and emotions of the characters. I laughed with them, fell in love with them and cried as they did. Such a great read.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
“When you’ve been desperately in love with someone for fourteen years, a fling isn’t good enough. I want to be her last, and I need her to be mine”

This was my first Ellie K. Wilde book and I can’t wait to read more! The characters were well developed and likable, the plot was rich in history, and the journey to the happily ever after was complex yet sweet.

Zac has been in love with Melody, his best friend’s twin sister, since high school. Melody felt the same way but neither expressed interest until the night before Melody left for college- and it didn’t end well.

Ten years later, Melody is back in her home town, living with her brother, after a break up from her long term boyfriend. Now that she’s back home, Zac is determined to show her that they are meant to be together and have their own happily ever after.

🏈 Football coach
⛺️ One tent
🤫 Secret dating
👗 Sexy green dress
💋 Steamy kisses
🌶️ Spicy scenes

Ahh!!! Loved this book!! All of my favorite tropes in one - small town, sports, fake dating, brothers best friend, second chance romance!!

Melody and Zac get a second chance at love 10 years after Melody left her small town for a big city to start a new life and recover from her teenage heartbreak. Now she is back in town after another heartbreak and her twin brother Parker makes her go on a camping trip in his place with Zac!!

Zac is so caring and Melody has so much growth! I really enjoyed their story!!

Thank you Atria Books & Netgalley.

YOUR HONOR....I LOVE HER

I have no notes. Perfect. Amazing. Flawless. Exactly what I needed. After a semi-hiatus, this book fell exactly at the right time in my crazy life, and let me just say, THANK YOU ATRIA BOOKS!!! I couldn't believe it when I got the email, but I was so incredibly honored to be chosen to read this book. Atria publishing has been serving lately, and this was no exception.

The characters were so good that I really started to think about the people in my life- are they gaslighting me too??? My girl Mel has been through the ringer with her ex (total d-bag), but Zac is what book boyfriends dream about being. Can we talk about his nickname? Not cringey, thank you. The romantic gestures? I'm gagged. The absolute amazing way he actually seems to not GAF about his team? LOL GUYS - HE JUST WANTS HER, CAREER BE DAMNED!

Also, I feel like I need to say this- Ellie K, I feel like I owe you an apology. At the beginning of this book, I was bored. There I said it. I'm not proud of it, but dang girl I worship your writing. Not only was the plot chef's kiss, but it was so well written. I'm such a big stickler for writing, but this honestly set the bar! Now, let's talk about Brooks and Summer while I'm unpacking...

Thank you again to Atria Books and NetGalley for possibly the best eARC I have received this year!!

Awe this book was so cute! It was a quick read, perfect for someone who needs a little palette cleanser. This book was almost a five star read, but I didn't love the pacing of the beginning of the book. I think diving right into the camping trip was a little too much too soon for me. Other than that, I loved it! I liked watching Melody come to terms with her past relationship and how that affected her in her day to day life.

Zac's infatuation with Melody despite a decade apart was a little intense, but the little (or sometimes big) gestures were super cute. Second chance romances are hit or miss for me, but overall I did like this one! 3.5 stars, but I'll round up to 4!

I was invited to review a complimentary copy of this book. This review is my own opinion.

I will be the first to admit I am NOT a football girlie, but this definitely focuses more on romance. If you’re like me and don’t know a first down from a three point conversion, you’re safe to read this book!

Zac and Melody were inseparable as teens, but a huge misunderstanding kept them apart for a decade. Mel is back in their hometown after a breakup, and they’re stuck together in a tent for three days. (That was a hilarious and ridiculous setting but it worked and it was a lot of fun.) We get fake dating and sweet gestures and a whole lot of pining.

Holy hell the PINING. Good lord. Zac is such a sweetheart with a dirty mouth. And Melody’s ex can take a long walk off a short pier.

And y’all. This was SEXY. I can’t immediately remember ever reading a certain act involving numbers (wink wink nudge nudge) in a tradpub book before, so that was a treat to discover. I laughed out loud a lot with this one, so I definitely recommend it.

I definitely look forward to more books from this author and I hope we get books for the other people in their friend group!

Thanks to Simon & Schuster, Atria, and Netgalley for the ARC!

Have I read any Ellie K Wilde books before? No. Am I going to read absolutely everything she has written before now? Absolutely, 1000% yes! I loved this story soooo much. I could never get enough. I read it all in a day and that’s how you know it’s a good book. Sneak a chapter in when I wake up, during lunch and stay up all night reading it.

"This is the moment that can't be topped. Or may it can be. Maybe that's the point. Because as long as I have her, my four-leaf clover, we'll have a lifetime of topping the last moment."

Second chance romance with the most ah-mazing book boyfriend- Zac. This is my first book by Ellie K Wilde and she literally has a little bit of everything worked into this story. Second chance, brother's best friend, sports romance, small town, forced proximity, fake dating, plenty of spice and a great plot to bring it all together.

The characters are completely loveable, Wilde did a great job with character development. There were no details lacking in Ellie and Zac's story. That being said, some of the chapters did drag on a bit but there was nothing "bad" about it- just a much more detailed romance. If you love the spicy scenes, you get plenty of details there too! I also loved the involvement of some special extra characters- Noah, specifically. He was the perfect addition to this book and maybe one day, he will get his own story- I would definitely be all over that!

Overall, absolutely loved this and would like to read more of this author's work! Thank you NetGalley and Atria (Simon & Schuster) Books for the opportunity to read this e-ARC in return for my honest opinion!

this was pretty decent! i had a fun time reading this even though i wasn't really feeling the romance, the spice however was great. i would definitely read this if your interested!

Dnf at 55%

I dnfed this book because it really wasn’t for me. I didn’t like the whole benefits thing and the characters seemed a little.. cringe to me?? The book was still entertaining but not enough for me to want to finish it. I honestly might pick it up in the future just to see how it ends but for now it’s a dnf