Melody did not expect to be coming back to her hometown after 10 years, tail tucked between her legs, with no boyfriend and no killer job. Especially when she runs into Zac Porter, her twin brother’s best friend and her high school crush. Turns out it might be easier to believe in yourself with someone else cheering you on…

This is my first time reading an Ellie Wilde novel and she is a great writer with a clear voice. I thought the topic of emotional abuse was handled very well and very sensitively. It is a topic that needs to be dealt h with in romance, since domestic violence remains far too common. I really appreciated the novel advocating that survivors can heal and form healthier relationships. I also really enjoyed the MCs circle of friends - Summer, Parker and Brooke are kind and supportive friends.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves sports romance and I hope the author will write more books in the series to follow up with other Oakwood residents!

Ellie K. Wilde’s "Only in Your Dreams" is the romantic whirlwind you didn’t know you needed, blending small-town charm, sports drama, and a decade-long second chance into a book you’ll devour in one sitting. At its heart, this spicy and heartfelt tale is about rekindling love, rediscovering oneself, and the beauty of moving forward with someone who’s always been in your corner. For fans of trope-filled romances with a generous helping of swoon-worthy moments, this book is an absolute treat.

Melody Woods returns to Oakwood Bay, a small coastal town brimming with nostalgia and unresolved emotions, after a series of personal and professional setbacks. Freshly out of a toxic relationship, Melody is on a mission to rebuild her life—preferably far from Zac Porter, her twin brother Parker’s best friend and the boy who broke her heart a decade ago. But fate, meddling family, and a camping trip gone awry force Melody and Zac into close quarters, sparking a collision of unresolved tension, heartfelt confessions, and sizzling chemistry.

Zac, now a college football coach battling his own challenges, sees Melody’s return as his last chance to prove to her—and himself—that their love was real, even if he fumbled it the first time. What follows is a deliciously angsty and tender journey of second chances, slow-burn romance, and steamy moments that’ll leave you rooting for this pair from start to finish.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

I loved this book! It had a touch of sports romance, a lot of pining, and some fun side characters I'd love to see more of.

Zac and Melody's chemistry was palpable. In our opening scenes with them on a camping trip, I'll admit, I was a little unsure. Things were moving really fast for two people who hadn't seen each other in ten years, but once the camping ended, I fell in love with this book and their relationship. I loved how they addressed problems together and recognized when they were avoiding problems, making plans to talk about them later when they couldn't in that moment. Also, I thought their trust in each other and slow build of their relationship was very well paced. Zac was pretty much all in from the start but I appreciated Melody's build of her relationship with Zac.

Also, I loved that Wilde would address a potential red flag or problem before I could get anxious about it. For example, Zac kept prefacing his reason for leaving Melody ten years ago as "not a good reason" so by the time I heard the reason and mentally thought, that's not a very good reason, it had already been addressed. Zac already knew he'd messed up without even good reason to have.

One of my absolute favorite parts of this book was the character of Noah. He's one of Zac's college players who has a hard home life, so ends up bunking at Zac's house a lot. I loved his whole story and seeing how Zac and Melody doted on him like a little brother. It was heartwarming and cute, and I'd love to see more of him!

I could also see a book for Summer and/or Parker coming along. I didn't feel any romantic chemistry between Summer and Parker, but you never know.

Overall, this book will be on my mind for a while! I loved the story and the slow build of Zac and Melody's healthy relationship. I'd dive back into this world at any moment!

☆☆☆☆
4 out of 5 Stars

This was a pretty light and sweet story, and it did a good job at establishing a friend group to build a series around. By the end I was ready to jump into the next character’s book!

My biggest critique is that it did feel a little long, mostly that the camping scenes in the beginning could have been condensed a little. And with such an emphasis put on the bad relationship the FMC just left, and watching her essentially deal with some level of emotional trauma from it, I was surprised that the character didn’t seek out any sort of counseling during the story.

•Small College Town
•College Football Coach MMC
•Mathematician FMC
•Childhood Friends
•He Falls First
•Open Door Spice
•Dual POV (First Person)

Thank you NetGalley for giving me access to an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

From the first page, I was hooked on Melody and Zac’s story. Melody’s back in her small hometown after hitting rock bottom, and Zac, her brother’s best friend (and the guy who totally blew it with her ten years ago), is suddenly back in her life. You already know sparks are gonna fly. ✨ Like, hello, buckle up, we’re in for a RIDE!

The chemistry between these two? So good. Zac is the perfect mix of sweet, determined, and a little broody—basically the guy you can’t help but root for. Total book boyfriend! And Melody? She’s so real. She’s tough but vulnerable, and you just want her to find her happy ending. I loved how the story balances all the emotions—there’s angst, humor, and plenty of swoony moments that had me grinning like an idiot.

Ellie K. Wilde’s writing is so good—fun, emotional, and packed with small-town charm. Plus, the side characters are hilarious (Parker, I need your book ASAP). It’s the perfect mix of swoony romance, personal growth, forgiveness, and all the drama you want in a second-chance love story. If you’re a fan of childhood crush turned soulmates vibes, this one is a MUST. Seriously, don’t sleep on it—it’s a cozy, heartfelt read that’ll have you dreaming about Zac and Melody long after you finish. 🌲💖✨

This book was SO sweet but also the sex scenes were HOT. 🥵 The perfect mix. 🤩 I’m only knocking it down a star because the plot in the beginning was far fetched.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC! This book played on many tropes, including fake dating, second chance romance, brother's best friend, and gave touch her and die vibes. Overall, a cute and spicy read about two people reconnecting after a miscommunication that ended their connection 10 years ago.

Brother's best friend done correctly! At the start of this book, I was really not sure of how much I was going to love this. Around the 30% I was hooked. Second chance romances can be hit or miss for me but I devoured this book than less in one day.

I can't wait to read the next book!

ARC review Only in your dreams by @elliekwildeauthor

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This book was everything I could have wanted. Had me kicking my feet and giggling like a little school girl. This was heartwarming and adorably sweet with tension and banter and I loved every second of it. Finally being with the person you have loved since you were 14 years old just hits different. Cannot wait to see who comes next ✨

A little angsty, a lot sweet, and a veritable treasure trove of tropes.

I was sold on this couple within the first couple of pages. There’s good chemistry and then there’s something beyond that, when a couple is just so right together that you can’t imagine any other outcome for them. Zac is absolutely besotted with Melody, even when she’s feisty and sarcastic, maybe especially when she’s feisty and sarcastic. And while it takes Mel a little bit longer to get on board, how could she resist a reliable guy, always in her corner, and consistently puts her needs first? Especially as she emerges from a toxic relationship.

As stated before, there are a ton of tropes in this book. Under normal circumstances, that could spell disaster. Somehow, in this book, it all works. The pacing did lag in a few spots, and the reason for Zac and Mel’s ten-year estrangement felt flimsy, but overall this was a solid read.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Atria Books for providing an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

Melody Woods’s life is falling apart. Dumped by her boyfriend of 6 years, unable to afford to live in the city alone, she moves back to her small coastal town with her twin brother despite avoiding this place, or must I say a certain someone for 10 years. One camping trip gone wrong and now all those feelings buried that summer night 10 years ago are threatened to come back. Will Mel be able to resist the temptation?

This is my ranking system, so this book is a 5-star for this sweet small-town, brother’s best friend romance.

I felt captivated from the very first page. I couldn’t stop reading because the writing just flows so seamlessly.

Melody Woods is one of the most relatable FMCs I have gotten a chance to meet in a while. I love reading her pov. She cracked me up with her thoughts and smart-ass one-liners. She is hilarious, slightly dramatic, and adorable.

Zac matches her energy to the t and the two of them can’t stop with their banters. He is so sweet and supportive of Mel, slowly weaving himself back into Mel’s story and Mel’s life.

Overall, I enjoyed this story, and thank you Net Galley and Atria for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review.

Ellie Wilde can do no wrong and I absolutely stand by that! I love this one so much. Was all the feels, sucked in from start to finish and the execution of character development was beautifully done

I feel like it’s only appropriate to start this arc review by bringing attention to my original review when I read the independently published version, which was of course a 5 star and noted “never thought I’d say these words: thank god I fell victim to a one line teaser on booktok”. I stand by that hardcore.

This time around I am feeling more of an “I’m so glad I accepted the opportunity to reread this book before it is traditionally published” type of review. I knew I really enjoyed it before but this time made me realize I LOVE this book. I LOVE both characters. Zac is the blueprint. This had the perfect amount of wit, humor, devastation, self discovery, longing, angst, and deep deep love you could truly feel through the pages. The list could go on and on. It was long and covered a lot of ground but I don’t feel like it ever lost the plot or dragged. I cannot wait to revisit this universe and the side characters when their books are released.

Ellie was an author I hadn’t read before but once I did I immediately read through her backlog. Her writing style is exactly how I like it to be. Looking forward to more!

Thank you NetGalley, Ellie, and Atria for the invitation to read this arc in exchange for an honest review.

Notebook meets a sports romance 💕

I LOVED this book! The way Zac encouraged her to follow her dreams even if it wasn’t the best option for him?! 😍😍

Read if you love:
Small town romance
Brothers best friend
Obsessive MMC - He falls HARD

3.8 stars! 🌟 Huge thanks to NetGalley and Atria Books for the ARC of Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K. Wilde! This 432-page sports romance hits shelves on January 21, 2025, and trust me, it’s got all the feels. 🥰

Reading this felt like snuggling up in your coziest sweater while chaos, drama, and swoon-worthy tension unfold on the page. Zac and Melody’s story is a small-town, second-chance romance dream with tropes galore—and NO third-act breakup. 🎉 (Seriously, Ellie K. Wilde, thank you for sparing my heart!)

✨ Tropes Galore ✨
✧ Second chance 💞
✧ Brother’s best friend 💖
✧ Forced proximity ⛺
✧ Small-town romance 🏡
✧ "It’s always been you" 💘
✧ Reverse grumpy-sunshine 🌞
✧ Sneaking around 🤭
✧ Healing from heartbreak 💔
✧ Fake dating 🤥
✧ Protective MMC 🛡️

What I Loved
Zac? Literal human fridge: solid, reliable, and lowkey cold, but he’s exactly what Melody needs in her chaos. A DECADE of pining is excessive (sir, get a hobby—or therapy), but his snark, sweetness, and fiercely protective side totally won me over. 💕 Melody’s journey of rebuilding her confidence post-breakup had me rooting for her every step of the way. She shines in this book, and Zac supporting her without making it all about him? PERFECTION. 🥹

The chemistry? SCORCHING. 🔥 The wilderness forced-proximity setup was gold—equal parts giggle-worthy and spicy. Their banter had me grinning, and the flashbacks added just the right dose of emotional weight. And those side characters? Parker and Brooks need their own stories, like, yesterday. 👏

What Didn't Work
- The pacing dragged in a few spots, especially when the focus wasn’t on Zac and Melody.
- The reason for their 10-year silence? WEAK. Dude, ever heard of texting?! 😩

HIGHLIGHTS
- No third-act breakup—HALLELUJAH! 🥳
- Steamy scenes with emotional depth. 💓
- Side characters that stole my heart (Brooks, I’m looking at you). 💕
- Angsty second-chance vibes that hit just right. 🎯

BOTTOM LINE
This is for the second-chance girlies who love a protective football coach MMC, small-town charm, and “it’s always been you” romance. Melody and Zac’s chemistry will keep you hooked, and that HEA left me smiling like an idiot. 🥹 Definitely recommend for fans of angsty-but-sweet romance with just the right spice.

CW: Gaslighting ex, emotional manipulation, brief mentions of toxic relationships.

I love a friends to lovers trope however this started as a 2 for me because it was just too cheesy and unrealistic that Zac said he thought of melody every second even though they hadn’t seen or spoken to each other in 10 years. It rose to a 3 for me because the pacing was good, everything happened over months and got more realistic towards the end. Thank you to the publisher for this arc

Twins Melody and Parker practically adopted their best friend Zac growing up, but after Melody revealed her feelings for Zac, he abruptly ghosted her and they haven’t talked in 10 years.

Newly out of a controlling relationship, Melody is back in town living with her brother Parker and still angry about the way Zac left things. But after being forced together against their will, she finds out maybe he wasn’t avoiding her simply because he didn’t feel the same way.

This sweet and spicy childhood friends to lovers romance has lots of tension and banter as you unravel the past and what actually kept them apart for a 10 years.

I really enjoyed the characters in this book and the slow reveal of their true feelings for each other.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I’ve been craving a sports romance and this book delivered everything I wanted and more. It has childhood friends to lovers, brothers best friend and of course sports romance. Zac is one of my favorite main characters I’ve ever read. He is the definition of I would do anything for her and she’s it for me. I was kicking my feet when he made her dream house just for her and didn’t decorate it until she came back into his life. I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The story follows Melody who is finally back home after ending a six-year relationship that was anything but healthy. As she tries to move on, she finds herself questioning everything—especially whether she's ever really made choices for herself or if she's just been influenced by her ex the whole time. Just as she’s starting to process all of this, she’s forced into an unexpected camping trip with Zac, the guy who stood her up ten years ago on an important night. He thinks this might be the right moment to explain what really happened back then and admit feelings that have stayed with him all these years.

Watching her figure out who she is and what she wants was inspiring. Zac? He’s the kind of guy who just melts your heart. From the moment he steps onto the page, he’s sweet and charming in a way that feels almost unreal. He’s constantly there for Melody, and I’m not giving anything away, but wow—this guy really knows how to show up. (And I have to say, any guy who loves food as much as Zac does is a winner in my book.)

The pacing of the story was smooth, and both Melody and Zac were well-developed characters. Even some of the supporting characters managed to pull at my heartstrings.

I think the story could’ve been a bit shorter, and I would’ve loved to see a more powerful moment for Melody when it comes to getting closure with her ex. Still, it was a fun, engaging read with plenty of romance, some heat, and a few classic tropes thrown in for good measure. If you like a fun, steamy rom-com this is for you.
4.25 Stars!

As someone with an unusually high percentage of friends who are twins (kind of insane i’m not gonna lie, three of my closest friends are twins, one of them having a fraternal male twin, like the characters in the books) and being a girl with a brother, the sibling relationship in this book was ROUGH. I couldn’t get through it. Siblings do not interact or talk like this and it unfortunately ruined the book for me. People who care less about this will probably enjoy the book greatly