Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Madden-Mills's steamy and emotional second Strangers in Love romance (after Beauty and the Baller) begins when NFL player Tuck Avery and his teammates head to a masquerade ball at a high-end sex club for Tuck's 35th birthday. There, Tuck, masquerading as a prince, bumps into Francesca Lane, dressed as a bride. Her outfit is no costume: it was supposed to be her wedding day until she found out her fiancé cheated on her. Francesca initially rebuffs Tuck--and Tuck's friends, witnessing the rejection, make a bet that Tuck won't be able to get Francesca to warm up to him. They lose the wager when Tuck scares off another of Francesca's unwanted suitors, leaving her grateful--and attracted. The pair agree to a one-night stand with the caveat that their masks stay on to preserve anonymity. Soon thereafter, however, Francesca learns that Tuck lives in the penthouse of her apartment building, and Tuck is just as quick to recognize Francesca as his mystery woman. They dance around each other--until Francesca discovers she's pregnant. Before these two can get their happy ending, however, they'll need to work through mountains of emotional baggage. The couple has chemistry to spare and Madden-Mills packs in the feels. Returning readers will be pleased. (Nov.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
At the same time as Francesca Lane discovers her fiancé is cheating on her with a coworker, she also loses her job. To let off some steam, she joins her friends at an anonymous, exclusive club and ends up meeting a man who fascinates her. That man is none other than her neighbor, Tuck Avery, but she doesn't realize he's the football star who lives in her building. After another chance encounter, they both realize why the other one seems familiar, and they suddenly find their lives intertwined in ways they never imagined. They each have childhood trauma experiences and insecurities that keep them from letting someone in, and Francesca is worried that getting too involved will lead to disaster. As Tuck slowly starts to trust Francesca, a secret she has kept from him threatens to break the foundation of everything they have built. VERDICT Madden-Mills's second "Strangers in Love" novel (following Beauty and the Baller) is a steamy romance that will appeal to fans of Karla Sorenson and Kristen Callihan.--Ashli Wells
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
A football player and an artist find true love after a one-night stand. On Tuck Avery's 35th birthday, his best friends surprise him with a trip to Manhattan's most exclusive sex club. Tuck is happy for the distraction: It's also the anniversary of his father's death, and he's worried that he might be aging out of professional football. He meets a beautiful young woman, and the two have a night of anonymous, sizzling sex in a private room at the club. Ten weeks later, Francesca Lane is experiencing multiple crises: A vengeful boss just fired her from her job as a tattoo artist and she realizes she's pregnant from her one-night stand with the mysterious stranger. Having grown up bouncing among foster homes, being left behind over and over, Francesca decides to keep the baby. Coincidentally, she discovers that her mystery lover has been living in her apartment building for years. They've never crossed paths before because he has his own private elevator to the penthouse. Tuck can't believe his luck--the woman he can't stop thinking about has been right under his nose all along. Francesca decides to keep the baby a secret from Tuck despite the fact that her roommates, several other building residents, and even the doorman know about her pregnancy. Eventually, Tuck and Francesca can no longer resist each other, and they begin a passionate affair that lasts for months. The book steams merrily forward with this common sense--defying plot. Tuck, a wide receiver who can sight and catch a football from anywhere on the field, somehow fails to see the baby bump right in front of him. Increasingly more dramatic storylines are introduced, perhaps with the goal of creating a chaotic, happy whirlwind of a book, but instead it feels tired and sloppy. A contrived plot and underdeveloped characters keep this one on the bench. Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
