Blog Tour & Review: Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills

Beauty and the Baller by Ilsa Madden-Mills
Series: Strangers in Love #1
Published by Montlake on March 29, 2022
Pages: 315
Format: ARC
Genres: Romance, Romantic Comedy, Sports Romance


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An NFL quarterback turned small-town coach gets sacked by a Texas beauty queen in this swoony, passionate romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills.

Gorgeous, talented, and brilliant, NFL quarterback Ronan Smith has the world in his hands. But after losing his career and his fiancée in a car accident, he falls into a pit of grief and bad choices. When a mysterious girl shows up to his party, he feels drawn to her and makes her his…for one night.

Former beauty queen Nova Morgan is on a mission. Scantily clad as a princess from a galaxy far, far away, she sneaks into a high-profile party to capture the attention of her favorite quarterback. But her hopes crash after an awful one-night stand.

Fast-forward two years. Broke and desperate, Nova returns home to Blue Belle, Texas, where, by a cosmic twist of fate, her broody neighbor is none other than Ronan, the shiny new football coach everyone adores. But he has no idea who she is.

The booster club keeps shoving women at Ronan to keep him in town. His solution? He proposes fake dating to Nova. But things heat up for real under these Friday-night lights when he realizes she’s the one who slipped away.

Has this jaded beauty found her forever baller, or will his past keep them apart?

The cover of Beauty and the Baller caught my eye, the synopsis made me instantly want to read the book, and the story kept my romantic heart entertained throughout.

When former beauty queen Nova meets star quarterback Ronan at a party, he is at the lowest point in his life. Struggling to recover from the sudden death of his fiancé and facing the end of his illustrious NFL career, the two share a one-night stand that does not end well. Fast forward two and a half years, and Nova returns to her small hometown in Texas only to find that Ronan is the high school football coach who now lives next door—and he doesn’t even remember her. Ouch.

Nova isn’t just a pretty face. This southern belle has a healthy dose of sass, and she’s whip-smart. Time and again she proves her selflessness, especially when it comes to putting her younger sister’s well-being before her own happiness. I loved her to pieces.

I fell for Ronan’s vulnerability and decency. He is a strong man who isn’t ashamed to admit his fears, and that’s sexier than a defined six pack. I respected his devotion to his team and the town.

Nova and Ronan have both been burned by love in different ways and have carefully guarded their hearts. I enjoyed seeing Nova inch towards laying her heart on the line and watching her tear down Ronan’s walls piece by piece. There was never a chance that their fake dating plan would be anything but 100% real. These two are such fun together. I loved their competitive games with zany rewards.

The small Texas town with its rabid high school football fans and eccentric citizens provides a humorous setting for this heartwarming romantic comedy. It’s quite an enjoyable read.

Recommended for fans of:
High School Football
Small Towns
Fake Dating
Rose Bushes
Hairless Cats
Star Wars

** I received an early copy to voluntarily read and offer an honest review. **

 

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