Dillon McQueen: Babe. I promise. You want me.
Serena Jensen: Um, who are you?
There’s a legend at Waylon University: the first girl you kiss freshman year at the bonfire party is the one you’ll never forget. She’ll crawl under your skin and never leave. She’ll spark a passion so fierce you’ll burn the world down to possess her.
You might even put a ring on it.
As in all things with fate, timing is everything. That kiss can go horribly wrong. She might run in the opposite direction. And boy, did Serena run.
Dillon is Waylon’s hotshot quarterback with something to prove. All he wants is to graduate and make it to the NFL. What he doesn’t need is to finally meet the mystery girl he kissed at the bonfire freshman year. Isn’t it enough that she’s haunted his dreams for more than a thousand nights?
Fate laughs in his face when he runs into the quirky girl at the Piggly Wiggly. Surrounded by his entourage, he’s got all the Oreos in his cart; she gets revenge by buying every six-pack of his favorite beer.
Obviously, that legend is a curse. She’s not his type. She hates him. Worst of all, how can she not remember him when she left a Serena-shaped hole in his heart for the past three years?
So why can’t he stop trying to win her?
Will this quarterback score the girl or make the biggest fumble of his life?
Title: | I Promise You |
Author: | Ilsa Madden-Mills |
Series: | The Hook Up Series (Book 4) |
Pages: | 330 |
Genre(s): | Contemporary, New Adult |
Trope(s): | Opposites Attract Sports Romance (Amercian Football) Enemies to Lovers Soul Mates |
Point of View: | First person, Present Tense, Dual Viewpoint (H & h) |
Location: | Mississippi, USA |
HEA: | ✔ |
Release Date: | 12th October, 2020 |
Spectacular as always
With this book Isla Madden-Mills takes us back to Waylon University (which is in Mississippi if I remember correctly), their football team and the women who bring the players to their knees. Some characters from her previous books do pop up, or are talked about as former team mates now graduated, but this book is a complete stand-alone.
But believe me, after reading this, you’re going to want to read absolutely EVERYTHING Ms Madden-Mills has ever written.
She’s got a way of writing a story that sucks you in from the very first. You’re there. You know these people and you can see what’s happening almost as if it’s happening right in front of you. But it’s her characters that are the stand out. We get so much richness and detail about them – but done in such a subtle way that you’re never overwhelmed with detail. Alongside that, their smart and realistic thoughts, inner monologues and banter, and you’ve got major feels for these characters in the blink of an eye.
Dillon is an absolute delight. Is he cocky? Sure. Is he drop-dead gorgeous? Absolutely. Is he a bit taken aback when Serena doesn’t immediately fall under his spell? Oh yes. But he’s got a vulnerability and enough emotional baggage to make him interesting and empathetic. Oh, and they way he gets nervous around Serena and starts getting really goofy and loses all his smoothness and charm was everything! You know a man feels something when he gets nervous around the girl he likes. Oh and the gift he gave Serena? swoon
Serena herself is the ultimate cool chick. She’s independent, spunky and likes Dillon for himself rather than his status. Well, after she stops thinking he’s an absolute douche, that is. A smokin’ hot douche – but a douche nonetheless. She also has baggage, and an understandable hesitation to put her trust in Dillon. But she’s smart with it, and I liked the way that she was sensible enough to listen and forgive people yet still stay true to her principles. And buying all the beer to stop Dillon getting any was the kind of passive aggressive shit that I can 100% get behind. I love it!
There’s a nice amount of sizzle in this book and I loved the sex scenes – especially as they mirrored the growing emotional intimacy between our couple. But it’s the moments when the pair are just having fun together – like paint ball or the safari trip – that made my heart sing. I even noticed myself randomly smiling at the book in the sweeter moments.
Ilsa Madden-Mills, for me, is the ultimate queen of the college new-adult romance and she’s definitely onto another winner with this book. She takes a couple who feel slightly damaged, and laden with emotional baggage, and gives them the ultimate happily ever after. True love is possible and it’s found between the pages of an Ilsa Madden-Mills book. I loved every second. A very enthusiastic 5 stars.
Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills is best known for her contemporary romances ranging from new adult angst to romantic sports comedy.
Seven of her ten novels have placed in the Amazon US Store Top Six Best-seller List: Dirty English hit #1; Fake Fiancée and I Dare You hit #2; I Bet You, Filthy English, and Very Bad Things all placed #6 in the Amazon US Store. The Last Guy, her collaboration with Tia Louise, hit #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.
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