Princess and the Player by Ilsa Madden-Mills

A masquerade ball brings together an NFL player and a penniless princess in this smart and sexy romance from Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills.

Levelheaded 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 an exclusive lifestyle club.

There, she meets unknown-to-her NFL star Tuck Avery, dressed as a prince and hiding behind a mask—he’s there to celebrate 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 realizes quickly that her masked 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. Getting tangled up with a shallow jerk is the last thing Francesca needs right now, 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?

Don’t miss our reviews of the rest of the Strangers in Love series!
For book one, Beauty and the Baller, click HERE.

 

 

Book 2
Buy Links

Amazon US  ~  Amazon UK  ~  Amazon Au  ~  Amazon Ca
Audiobook (US)  ~  Paperback (US)
~ Also Available with KindleUnlimited ~

 

 

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary – ☆☆☆☆☆
I loved the first book in this series and this one did not disappoint. Who better to turn the player into a loving husband than the girl who is the opposite of all the girls he usually dates?

Tate Avery is an NFL player that everyone wants a piece of, and Francesca Lane is the down-to-earth girl who loves art. They live in the same building but never speak. When they meet at a masked ball, the spark between them is felt at every touch. Neither of them wants more than one night.

This is the perfect opposites attract story and it is absolutely perfect. I loved the way Tuck is with Francesca and, in the end, family life is what he needed. The story is filled with banter, flaws, a past that will make you cry, a strong heroine, a troubled hero, great friends, sweet emotions, and a love to last in the end.

I was drawn in from the first page and loved the ride with Tuck and Francesca until the end. It is the perfect love story. I highly recommend reading the first book in this duet, although it is a standalone, you do not want to miss a thing with Tuck in that book too.


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆☆
4.5 stars
M/F Romance

Francesca is living her best life now that she's left her cheating fiancé behind. With her best friends, Cece, Brogan, and Darden, Francesca has surrounded herself with love.

Tucker is high on life. He is successful, can have any woman he wants, and has a great team around him. His best friends are hilarious and keep life interesting.

When Tucker and Francesca have their one night – no names, just attraction – you can see the steam leaving the pages. They have intense chemistry and a reaction to each other than neither knows quite what to do with.

When Francesca finds herself knowing who her one night was with AND finds out that she's now in a family way, she leans on her own strength, her friends, and perhaps a little love to figure out what her life will look like moving forward.

Tucker is scared. He has been for a long time. Getting hurt is not something he wants to relive and so he keeps everyone at arm’s length.

When Tucker and Francesca have to come to terms with their futures, both will have to decide if it's alone, or together.

You won't be disappointed in this story. It's fresh, fun, sexy, and the characters are people you would want as friends yourself.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
This is the second book in the series, but you can read it as a standalone – although I really enjoyed Beauty and the Baller, so would also recommend it to you.

Tucker Avery may seem to have it all as the son of a wealthy family and a successful NFL player, but we learn how the truth can be hidden by his playboy and playful ways. And getting to know him, and how one woman gets under the façade, is a really enjoyable adventure – if somewhat sad at times.

Francesca was a genuine foundling, left on the steps of a police station in the snow, with only a necklace to give any clue as to who she was. A life of foster families and hard knocks could have made her a hard person, but she had so much about her, that she is now a graduate of art school and a semi-successful artist, living in a beautiful building overlooking Central Park.

They first meet behind disguises, but then discover not only their identities in a restaurant, but that they live in the same building! This should seem ridiculous, but makes complete sense in the context of the story – and was such a fun twist!

Neither really wants to get involved, even if they both have feelings for each other – but one might say destiny has other ideas.

Lovely story, with lots of lovely side character friends – I just spent my Sunday totally immersed in their world and loved every page.

 

 

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.

Eight of her eleven novels have placed in the Amazon Top 10 Bestseller List: Dirty English #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You #2; 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. Feel free to stalk her online.

Connect with Ilsa Madden-Mills

Facebook  ~  Twitter  ~  Instagram  ~  Website  ~  Goodreads
Facebook Group: Unicorn Girls

 

 

ARC provided by

Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of Princess and the Player (Strangers in Love #2) by Ilsa Madden-Mills to read and review.