Has this been done before? Yes. Was it a bit tropey and contrived? Also yes. Did I care in the slightest- NOPE. This was sweet and sexy and everything I’m looking for in a feel good romance.

4.5 enthusiastic stars!

Looking for a spicy football romance with a SUPER cinnamon roll hero who's packing a big...secret? Then look no further. This was fun, ridiculously entertaining, and made me a rabid football romance fan once again!

Melody and Zac had crushes on one another in high school. On the last night before college, she makes her feelings known, and he disappears. They haven't spoken in a decade, but now, all of a sudden, they're sharing a campsite! Every interaction is brimming with all of the things they felt but didn't say. Are they destined to be together, or will Zac fumble AGAIN?!?

Ellie K. Wilde is a darn good writer! She writes some intense love scenes that might have been a smidge too much for me, but the way they cared for each other once the walls were down...chef's kiss! I don't tend to go for the protective/alpha male stuff either, but the way Zac was able to be both soft and strong was really impressive! The ensemble cast was also really well-written, making me absolutely excited to read more books in the series.

I got to his ARC late in the game, so I also had the pleasure of listening to the audio part of the time. The narrators, including Teddy Hamilton, were superb!!

Trigger warnings: gaslighting, emotional abuse, alcoholic father, family in crisis, physical abuse (pushing, punching, shirt grabbing, slamming someone into a wall)

I'd like to thank Atria Books and Netgalley for the eARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

This might be the first football rom com beside Sarah Adams that I actually liked. The story was sweet and the heroine and hero were actually likeable. And while most readers relate football rom coms to taylor and travis. I'm now relating them to Josh Allen and Hailee Steinfeld. Which is what I think is making me at least like football rom coms.

This was the first book in a long string of them that didn't immediately have me wanting to quit it, but it did still take me almost 2 weeks to read. I'm usually a huge fan of brothers' best friend romances. I'm a sucker for the angst; the pining. The <i>want</i>. And while <i>Only in Your Dreams</i> had all of those things, this one was a little bit...far fetched? I get it; it's literature. The authors can *and should* do what they want with their stories/characters, but what immediately set me back was the fact that the MMC put off his life for <i>ten years</i> without going for what he wanted? TEN YEARS? After he *walked away* from her. That is not walking away at all. That's just unrealistic and frankly: stupid. It immediately made me stop and question all the things and whether or not they should even be together.

I'm looking forward to future books in this series and hoping what pulled me in on this one (the writing was superb) will keep me engaged again.

<i>Many thanks to the publisher for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!</i>

Loved this! It had pining and angst and secret meetings between them. Touch her and see what happens, the tight knit friend group. Everything meshed so well. The way that Zac and Mel found each other after so long is inspiring. His cinnamon roll personality to her grumpy personality is perfectly done.

I had to put the book down when Mel was understanding her previous relationship. The relationship is what many people go through, and it was hard to digest. Amazingly written but seeing the truth-even in a fiction romance novel- is always hard to digest.

It did get more steamy than I was expecting, and I felt the camping portion had too much going on.

Overall, loved it, finished in 3 days, and highlighted so much!

There is nothing more that I love than a sports romance. This brothers best friend romance was very cookie cutter however the ending was cute. I loved the side characters and hope to see some stories for them as well. I do love the small town vibe.

This didn’t end up being for me 😬. The characters just didn’t have a spark and it developed to a physical relationship with such a whiplash effect that just didn’t help me invest in the relationship at all.

And, as always, just because I didn’t enjoy it doesn’t mean you won’t! So give it a read!

RATING: 4 stars
SPice: 2.5

This was a cute second chance sports romance that was easy to read and had some good always been you vibes.

Zac is down bad for his best friend's sister Melody and has been since he missed his chance with her ten years ago. Melody is now back and ends up in forced proximity with Zac and all the old feelings come back pretty quickly. Zac really is all in with Melody and has been (hello secret tattoo) and the banter and spice between them was easy to read.

If you like books where he is the coach and don't mind a little bit of miscommunication than this book will be for you

So so freaking good!!! I loved this one and this is my first time reading this author. Will definitely be looking out for another book by her!!

THIS WAS SO CUTE!! Melody and Zac are everything! The longing and passion between them made those moments they had together after so long amazing!

Zac is so down bad for her! I really loved seeing their relationship pick up after ten years and realizing that even tho time had passed they really love each other.
Their love for each other was so evident. All the little and big moments they had added so much to these characters finally being together again! There’s no question the spice in this was HOTT!! So unexpected but it adds so much to their passion!

I also absolutely loved seeing them accomplish great things as independent characters and celebrating them together! It shows how much these characters have grown together and separately!

I enjoyed this book much more than I anticipated! It’s a nice twist on sports romance. The book moved st just the right speed and it was the right length.

First off, thank you SO much to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC! I really enjoyed this book. 🫶🏻

Only in Your Dreams is a swoony second-chance romance packed with heart, humor, and just the right dose of angst. Melody Woods, freshly dumped and feeling untethered, returns to her small hometown after 10 years—only to end up sharing a tent (and some *serious* unresolved tension) with Zac Porter, her brother's best friend and the guy who ghosted her after one unforgettable night. Cue the fireworks.

Tropes:
- Brother’s Best Friend
- Second Chance
- Forced Proximity: Sharing a tent? Stranded together? Yes, please.
- It’s Always Been You: 14 years of pining. (Zac, buddy, we get it. 🙄)
- Reverse Grumpy-Sunshine

I thought Wilde masterfully balanced laugh-out-loud moments (thanks, Parker!) with deep emotional scenes. Zac’s quiet devotion and Melody’s journey to rebuild her confidence after a toxic relationship make their love story both swoon-worthy and satisfying. The flashbacks and wilderness setting added tension and intimacy, and the side characters stole the show—I’d really love to see Brooks and Parker get their own books!!!

The downside? The 10-year silence explanation felt weak (seriously, no one sent a text?), and the pacing dragged a bit in places. But with no third-act breakup and a perfectly steamy HEA, I couldn’t put this one down and read it in a couple of days.

LOVED LOVED LOVED!!!!!!
Zac is a cinnamon roll with a dirty mouth
Melody had the best character development
The sex scenes were 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

“Only in Your Dreams” offers a heartfelt narrative suitable for fans of small-town and second-chance romances. While it embraces familiar tropes, the novel provides a blend of emotional moments and lighthearted interactions. Potential readers should be prepared for themes involving past relationship challenges and miscommunications.

Thanks to Netgalley and Atria the gifted copy of Only in Your Dreams.

I enjoyed the story from the first to page to the last page. The characters were fantastic. I liked Melody’s story line the most. And Zac was swoon-worthy for a MMC.

The reason that Melody and Zac were not together throughout the book was kind of frustrating but it was realistic and probably happens a lot.

I did also enjoy the audio. The narrators were great. And I’d recommend the audiobook

You might like Only in Your Dreams if you like:
* Football
* Brother’s Best Friend
* Small town
* Second chance
* Secret and fake dating

⚠️ Trigger warnings— there is some discussion about emotional abuse.

Only In Your Dreams by Ellie K Wilde is a heartfelt second-chance romance that beautifully explores love, healing, and personal growth. Melody Woods returns to her hometown of Oakwood Bay, broken and struggling after a tough breakup. When she unexpectedly reunites with Zac Porter, her twin brother’s best friend, the chemistry they shared a decade ago reignites. Zac, who has always loved Melody, is determined to prove that they’re meant to be together, but he’s also patient and understanding of her emotional scars, giving her the time and space she needs to heal.

Watching Zac and Melody reconnect is truly heartwarming. Zac is the perfect hero—thoughtful, patient, and considerate of Melody’s journey. His unwavering support as she navigates her past and finds her way back to him is incredibly sweet. The romance is moving, and the relationship between Zac, Melody, and Noah made my heart swell. I’d love to read an entire book just about their little found family.
The book is a perfect mix of swoon-worthy romance and emotional depth, with Zac proving to be the hero we all want. I’m already excited for Brooks’ book and can’t wait to dive into more of Ellie’s backlist! If you love second-chance romances with plenty of heart, Only In Your Dreams is a must-read.

This was my first Ellie K Wilde but it won’t be my last! I loved this story and these characters. I loved that they got their own personal growth within the story. Melody is nursing a heartbreak and starting over again in her hometown while living with her twin brother . She is a brilliant analyst who is looking for a new opportunity to make her own path. Zac , her childhood crush and her brother’s best friend , who is also working on proving himself as is the new football head coach. Within the story there are heavy topics that are discussed like domestic violence (not on page) , narcissistic/controlling relationships ( not by main characters ) and self worth. If you love the found family, childhood crush, second chance troupes you will enjoy this. The romance is also superb.

Only in Your Dreams by Ellie K Wilde is a swoony, sexy sports-adjacent romance, perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey and Grace Reilly.

On graduation night, Zac and Melody shared a kiss, and he promised to come back to her. But he didn't. 10 years later, Zac has never left his hometown, and now he's head football coach for their local college team, still pining for the girl who got away. Melody left town right after high school for the big city, but now she's back after a terrible break up, staying with her twin brother while she gets her feet back underneath her.

When Zac and Melody get stranded on a camping trip (just one air mattress, anyone?), they're forced to stare their past in the face. And when they get back to town, they have to ask themselves a serious question: could we really make this work?

This book has some of my favorite micro-tropes: "It's always been you," cute nicknames, secret tattoos, brother's best friend, and years and year of pining.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5.

This was a cute second chance, brother's best friend, sports romance that was quick and easy to read for the most part. The chemistry between Melody and Zac was incredible and had a good balance of spice to plot. The character development was so well done. Definitely would recommend this book.

This was such a cute story. I am a sucker for sports romance and I don’t touch her trope. Melody is fresh off a terrible break up and moves back home in with her twin brother (who I can’t decide if I like or not). By doing this, she has to face her past or more precisely her brother’s best friend Zach, whom she happened to be head over heels for in high school. Little does she know Zach felt the same way and he is out to do whatever it takes to win her over. Zack is probably one of the sweetest characters I’ve ever read and I myself. I’m in love with him. This is such a fun sweet book to read, and I can’t wait for the rest of the series.