Princess and the Player (Strangers in Love 2) by Ilsa Madden-Mills-review tour

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 8, 2022

Level-headed Francesca Lane never thought she’d miss her own wedding. But when her fiancé betrays her, she puts on her wedding dress and ditches the altar for a masquerade ball—at a sex club.

There, she meets NFL star Tuck Avery, dressed as a prince and hiding behind a mask as he celebrates his birthday. For one night, Francesca and Tuck indulge in a wickedly incognito affair. No names. No strings. And the masks don’t come off.

Unfortunately, Francesca soon realizes her prince is the wealthy jock who lives in the penthouse of her apartment building. His hobbies include parties and supermodels—or so the tabloids say. Another shallow jerk is the last thing Francesca needs, so she vows to keep Tuck from recognizing her, not that she’s his type anyway.

But fate has a teeny-tiny trick up her sleeve… a plus sign on a pregnancy test. Can this tormented prince accept love, or will he push his princess away forever?

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REVIEW: PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER is the second instalment in Ilsa Madden-Mills’ contemporary, adult STRANGERS IN LOVE erotic, romance series. This is thirty-five year old, NFL running back Tuck Avery, and thirty year old, tattooist/artist Francesca Lane’s story line. PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story line is revealed where necessary.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Tuck and Francesca) PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER follows the building romance and relationship between thirty-five year old, NFL running back Tuck Avery, and thirty year old, tattooist/artist Francesca Lane. After catching her fiance with another woman, Francesca found herself without a direction in life. At her best friend Cecelia’s insistence , Francesca visits an exclusive $ex club where her one-night stand ends with a surprise pregnancy but more surprising is the identity of the father, the man with whom Francesca will fall in love. Enter NFL running back Tuck Avery, an embittered man who struggles with the demons from the past.The loss of her job, the news of her pregnancy, and Tuck’s pronouncement about never wanting to be a father, sends Francesca into a spiral where uncovering her own broken past reveals the heart breaking truth about the parents she never knew. What ensues is the building romance and relationship between Tuck and Francesca, and the potential fall-out when Tuck’s demons continue to control his life going forward.

Francesca Lane grew up in the foster care system, and life wasn’t always easy but our heroine has made a family of her own, with the friends that have supported her with kindness and love.Tuck Avery struggles to move on from his past, and it is his past that continues to haunt and control every action in his life. With issues of trust, Tuck manages to keep everyone at a distance including the woman with whom he will fall in love.

The relationship between Tuck and Francesca begins as a one-night stand at an exclusive $ex club where anonymity is always assured but a surprise pregnancy, and an unsure future threatens our heroine’s sense of security, and any possibility of her own happily ever after. Tuck Avery’s football career is struggling, and his own future unsure but the announcement of a baby reinforces his issues of trust, and his struggle with family and love. The $ex scenes are passionate and intense without the use of over the top sexually graphic language and text.

There is a large ensemble cast of colorful and charismatic secondary and supporting characters. We are introduced to Francesca’s best friend Cece, and their friends Brogan and Darden, as well as her ex fiance Edward, former boss Danny, and former foster brother Levi; Tuck’s teammate and friend Jasper, as well as several women that come in and out of the players lives.

PRINCESS AND THE PLAYER is a story of family, friendships, and relationships; trust and understanding; betrayal and acceptance; love and happily ever after. The premise is captivating and emotional; the romance is seductive and heart breaking; the characters are broken but struggling to move on.

Click HERE for Sandy’s review of book one BEAUTY AND THE BALLER

Copy supplied by Netgalley

Reviewed by Sandy

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Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her angsty new adult romances and romantic comedies.

Fourteen of her Eighteen novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Best-seller List: Dirty English #1; Not My Romeo #1; The Revenge Pact #1; Dear Ava, Fake Fiancée, I Dare You, and I Promise You #2; I Hate You #5; Not My Match, I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things #6; Boyfriend Bargain #8; The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, #4.

A former high school English teacher, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She’s addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females.