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A review by javalenciaph
Not My Match by Ilsa Madden-Mills
5.0
Note: An ARC was provided by the publisher.
After reading Not My Romeo last year, Not My Match quickly became one of my most anticipated reads for 2020, and boy, oh boy, Ilsa Madden-Mills did NOT disappoint! This second novel in the Game Changers series is the story of Devon Walsh, twenty-eight-year-old wide receiver for the Nashville Tigers and best friend to Jack Hawke, and Giselle Riley, graduate student, secret sci-fi romance author, and twenty-four-year-old sister of Elena Hawke née Riley, aka Jack's wife. (FYI, Jack and Elena's story plays out in the series starter, Not My Romeo.) You don't necessarily need to read one book before the other because they do work rather well as standalones; however, I highly recommend you read both books because they truly are quite lovely reads with a wonderful cast of characters.
Giselle and Devon... Gah! How I adored these two! They most certainly belonged together, but they had their respective shares of insecurities and issues that served as hurdles to them getting to that point. I loved how they brought out the best in each other, offering not just love but support and understanding as well, with one accepting the other wholeheartedly, without strings or caveats. There's wit and humor, but there's also some angst, touching upon heavier issues like alcoholism and abandonment. The author did a splendid job balancing all the aspects of her story and main characters, but then this is Ilsa Madden-Mills we're talking about, and I wouldn't have expected anything less. That's two books in a row that have proven to be absolute gems in this series. Dare I hope for more? There are AT LEAST three more supporting characters whose stories MUST be told. Fingers crossed! For now, I shall bask in my Not My Match book hangover. Five-plus stars.
After reading Not My Romeo last year, Not My Match quickly became one of my most anticipated reads for 2020, and boy, oh boy, Ilsa Madden-Mills did NOT disappoint! This second novel in the Game Changers series is the story of Devon Walsh, twenty-eight-year-old wide receiver for the Nashville Tigers and best friend to Jack Hawke, and Giselle Riley, graduate student, secret sci-fi romance author, and twenty-four-year-old sister of Elena Hawke née Riley, aka Jack's wife. (FYI, Jack and Elena's story plays out in the series starter, Not My Romeo.) You don't necessarily need to read one book before the other because they do work rather well as standalones; however, I highly recommend you read both books because they truly are quite lovely reads with a wonderful cast of characters.
Giselle and Devon... Gah! How I adored these two! They most certainly belonged together, but they had their respective shares of insecurities and issues that served as hurdles to them getting to that point. I loved how they brought out the best in each other, offering not just love but support and understanding as well, with one accepting the other wholeheartedly, without strings or caveats. There's wit and humor, but there's also some angst, touching upon heavier issues like alcoholism and abandonment. The author did a splendid job balancing all the aspects of her story and main characters, but then this is Ilsa Madden-Mills we're talking about, and I wouldn't have expected anything less. That's two books in a row that have proven to be absolute gems in this series. Dare I hope for more? There are AT LEAST three more supporting characters whose stories MUST be told. Fingers crossed! For now, I shall bask in my Not My Match book hangover. Five-plus stars.