When Melody and Zac were 18, they almost kissed. At 28 years old, Melody moves back in with her twin brother, Parker, after her boyfriend, Connor, of 6 years dumped her. In her first weekend back, Melody is forced to go on a weekend camping trip with Zac, Brooks, and Summer. Melody and Zac haven't spent any real time together since he walked away from their kiss 10 years ago. Will their weekend in the woods lead to a second chance?

This book was good but nothing to write home about and it was spicier than I was expecting. I do enjoy a good friends to lovers romance story and I really liked Zac's character. It would be almost impossible to choose between a best friend and the girl you love at just 18 and he ended up losing both. Melody's character was pretty hard to believe, but maybe I'm just insensitive or don't understand? How can she go from not knowing she was emotionally manipulated for 6 years to being back to her witty old self in just a few days?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
I loved this book. It started out slow with them and connecting after getting stuck camping during a storm and needing each other to find sleep when they return. Zac’s love for melody lasted every year that they were apart. He remembered every detail of her and made sure she felt special at every turn. Wearing his bracelet, her favorite cup, and her favorite waffles. Totally swoon worthy. I can’t wait for this book to be released so I can recommend it to every friend.

Thank you NetGalley Atria books, and Ellie K Wilde

Such an adorable and sweet book with tons of spice. The story had a lot of heart and after an emotional book prior this one was the perfect palate cleanse. The banter is adorable and I loved how their reconnection unfolded. I also loved that the characters were mature and the main character developing personal strength after a terrible relationship. I rooted for them from the beginning and highly recommend to anyone looking for a cutesy romance with lots of chemistry and spice.

This book is the PERFECT mix of smut and plot for me. Second chance romance from their teenage years and their chemistry was incredible. I absolutely loved Melody and Zac. A man that is groveling and on his knees for her?! SIGN ME UP. I also loved the fact that even though Melody came out of a bad relationship emotionally vulnerable, that she enjoyed sex and was confident in that aspect.

It’s giving “right where you left me” from Taylor Swift 😭 the love was intense in the best way and honestly I love Melody’s character arc. Once I picked this book up I couldn’t put it down. I’m so grateful Net Galley invited me to read this. I recommend checking this out!

You can also look forward to these tropes:

🏈Second Chance
🩷Small Town
🏈Forced Proximity
🩷Brother’s Best Friend

I love a good brother's best friend romance, and this did not disappoint. I was a little frustrated at first by their inability to truly communicate with one another, but once the communication truly started, it was phenomenal. I had a lot of respect for how the author handled the situation with the ex-boyfriend. It was an illustration of the strength of Melody's character and a portrait of the support of those who love you through those situations. Their snarky repartee and Zac's steady, calm presence made the love jump off the page. Although I am not a huge fan of the second chance trope, in this case, I found it heartwarming and engaging. I read this book through quite quickly because I could not put it down. There is a lot to recommend in this story, so go out and read it. Disclaimer: I received an advanced copy from NetGalley for an honest review.

I didn’t finish this book. I really did not enjoy the characters or the plot. There wasn’t enough back story or build up for the romance between the main characters.

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Absolutely Perfect!

Ellie K. Wilde has done it again with Only in Your Dreams! This book is an emotional rollercoaster that blends heartwarming romance, sizzling chemistry, and a love for football into one unforgettable story.

The second-chance romance between Melody and Zac was beautifully written. Their history was rich , and made their reunion all the more satisfying. I was completely swept away by their jokes, their shared love for football, and the tender moments with Zac —those scenes were so cozy and intimate, they had me craving their happy ending.

Ellie K. Wilde masterfully captures the push and pull of two people finding their way back to each other after Zac's mistake has pulled them apart. The characters are flawed, relatable, and deeply lovable, and the pacing of their journey is just perfect—enough to keep you hooked but also to let you savor every spicy moment.

If you’re looking for a romance that tugs at your heartstrings and leaves you smiling Only in Your Dreams is it. Highly recommended for fans of second-chance love stories, sports romance, or anyone who just really loves falling in love over breakfast on the porch.

I absolutely fell in love with this book when I first read it on KU, and over a year later, after plenty of rereads, and now this arc - i’m still obsessed!
I am a sucker for a sweet angsty romance and Mel and Zac are the perfect balance! This second-chance romance was done so well in that I truly believed that the years they spent apart and the time spent developing their relationship in the book was imperative for their HEA.
I am pretty skeptical of how abusive/controlling relationships are handled in the romance genre, especially in stories where a MC is healing from one while meeting someone new because I think theres a tendency to tokenize a toxic situation for the sake of a good love story. This book passed all my tests though and I felt really connected to Mel’s experience after her breakup and the sequelae of her realizing her past relationship was abusive and then taking the time and space to really heal before completely committing to Zac. This book is the type where while it might technically be a love story, it’s an everything story, and along with setting the tone for a healthy and fulfilling romantic relationship, there was also a very wonderful depiction of found family, genuine friendships, and self care.

Very sweet romance between the two main characters, definitely the perfect romance palette cleanser. I loved the second chance romance trope!

Thank you Atria Marketing, NetGalley & Ellie Wilde for this copy of Only in Your Dreams!!
I went into this literally knowing NOTHING about the plot or the author or really anything. But this pleasantly surprised me, I enjoyed it the whole time. I’m not really a big fan of miscommunication or not communicating, but for some reason I didn’t really mind it. Zac…. Heart eyes… a grump but a cinnamon roll for her. And she’s a lil black cat vibes, but GETS BETTER! I promise she’s not grumpy the whole time. Anyway, cute lil rom com about childhood friends to lovers and I love love love a happy ending 🫶🏼

⭐️: 4.0
Kindle

A sweet and spicy second chance romance! This was a great romance palette cleanser! Spicy enough that it made me take notes, but had enough plot and substance that I was motivated to finish it!

Melody Woods has just been dumped by her boyfriend, moved home to stay with her twin brother and now she’s stuck in a tent with the guy who broke her heart ten years ago.

This was one of the top five sweetest romances I have ever read. Zac Porter is the perfect man. He literally only got better and better as the story continued.

This book was super cute. We love when a man is the one begging for the relationship! I love that not only was there the romance, but Mel also wanting to become independent and making herself better without a man. Zac is pure respect and green flags. A great quick romance! Thank you NetGalley and Atria books for a copy of this ARC.

I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Melody is back in the small town she grew up in, post-breakup. She winds up trading her brother's place on a camping trip, and gets thrown together with another heartache, only from her past - Zac, her brother's best friend and someone she would rather forget. Zac sees this event as a second chance, and sets out to prove to Melody that mistakes happen and they belong together (although in the same breath, he doesn't want her brother to find out, either).

The only issue I had with this book was the amount of time between high school and when the pair re-connected - around ten years, which is a lot. Not only are we all different people in high school, but people tend to move on after ten years. That being said, Zac and Melody did have good chemistry and their banter was enjoyable. There was a good blend in this book of spicey scenes and heartfelt moments, great character growth (especially for Melody as she explores her previous relationship), and even the secondary characters filled the story really well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.75/5 stars

I enjoyed this! It wasn’t my fav hockey romance but it was a nice pallet cleanser. Definitely give a go if you like the genre already!

I liked this sports themed romance novel. The characters were enjoyable and it actually included more sports than a lot of sports romances. I would pick up another book by this author.

When I read the synopsis for Ellie K Wilde’s novel, “Only in Your Dreams”, and I saw "Brother’s best friend" and "sports romance," I knew that this book was a must-read for me. From the very first page, I was completely captivated, and I am thrilled to say it was fantastic from start to finish!

The characters in this story are wonderfully developed, each bringing their unique flair and depth to the narrative. I found myself emotionally invested in their journeys, and I truly enjoyed the dynamics between them. The chemistry between Melody and her brother's best friend, Zac, was electric, making their interactions incredibly engaging and fun to read.

I sincerely hope that Ellie considers expanding this story into a series. There are so many supporting characters whose stories I would love to explore further, as they added richness to the overall narrative. “Only in Your Dreams” is a five-star read, and I look forward to diving into more of Ellie K Wilde in the future!

I really enjoyed this book! The characters were great and very entertaining. The story was very well written and I loved the plot!

SO cute. The yearning! The slow-burn! The friends-to-enemies-to-lovers. Amazing. Sometimes the yearning from Zac was a smidge too much but overall I found myself thinking about this book often. I’m in the middle of reading a big fantasy series right now and this book is exactly what I wanted. I wanted a palate cleanser and this book delivered. Gave me very much The Notebook vibe. Also nice balance of plot and spice. Sometimes with little romcoms it’s straight to the romance and then plot later on, so I really liked the bit of a slow burn and how the plot built over the book and the rekindling between the characters felt realistic.
4/5 ⭐️
4/5 🌶️