Dear Ava
by Ilsa Madden-Mills
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Blurb
WSJ bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers a sizzling and emotional enemies-to-lovers romance.
The rich and popular Sharks rule at prestigious, ivy-covered Camden Prep. Once upon a time, I wanted to be part of their world—until they destroyed me.
The last thing I expected was an anonymous love letter from one of them.
Please. I hate those rich jerks for what they did to me. The question is, which Shark is my secret admirer?
Knox, the scarred quarterback.
Dane, his twin brother.
Or Chance, the guy who dumped me . . .
Dear Ava,
Your eyes are the color of the Caribbean Sea.
Sh*t. That’s stupid.
What I really mean is, you look at me and I feel something REAL.
It’s been ten months since you were here, but I can’t forget you.
I’ve missed seeing you walk down the hall.
I’ve missed you cheering at my football games.
I’ve missed the smell of your hair.
And then everything fell apart that night.
Don’t hate me because I’m a Shark.
I just want to make you mine.
Still.
Not part of any other series. Dark high school romance. Recommended for 18+.
An excerpt of Dear Ava appeared in Team Player 2: A Sports Anthology in 2019. (No longer available.)
This full-length version is 100,000 words.
Find Dear Ava on GOODREADS
Review
5 stars!
“You’re a bright star in this shitty place.”
Ilsa Madden-Mills gives us all the feels in this emotional story of the girl who was abused and the boy who wants nothing more than to make it right. It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance that brings on the heartache before it heals, and you can’t stop rooting for Ava and Knox. Even though it is set in high school, Ava and Knox’s story deals with mature themes and is not a YA novel.
Ava is strong and brave. She did not let the awful event that happened ten months earlier stop her from fighting for her family and returning to the high school that turned against her. She knows what is best for her brother and she won’t give up. I loved her drive and determination to succeed. I respected her and I hurt for her. What happened was gut-wrenching and she is left with unanswered questions that linger in her mind making things harder, and us questioning everything.
Knox is so much different that Ava originally thought. He may be hot and popular but it’s his heart that keeps you wanting more. He is sweet, vulnerable, and endearing, and has his own demons that he doesn’t let people see. He stands up for what he believes in no matter what people will think and he has more emotions coursing through his body than he lets on. My heart hurt for him as well and I just wanted to take away his burdens.
Ava and Knox have some insane chemistry and though they are enemies, they feel a connection that surprises them. They realize that there is so much more to them than meets the eye and their preconceived notions couldn’t be more wrong. Ava isn’t just the girl from the wrong side of the tracks who is at the school on a scholarship and Knox isn’t just the son of a billionaire who gets everything handed to him. They are complex characters and though that are far from perfect, they are relatable and real.
As they spend more time with each other, Knox and Ava open up in ways that they haven’t before. They learn to trust and believe in each other, and they are so good together no matter the odds that are stacked against them. They fall hard and fast, and I felt their love. They are fierce and protective, and they refuse to break when faced with the challenges ahead of them.
When I read the first part of Ava and Knox’s story in the Team Player 2 Sports Anthology I knew I needed more. The novella just touched on everything Knox and Ava could be and we get so much more of all the good stuff in the completed novel. More healing and growth, more steam and swoon, and so many more feels to consume you. We get the answers we so desperately need and the happily ever after that we crave. I loved the way the story unfolds and I am relieved when there is closure. Add in the heartwarming epilogues (there are two!!) and I couldn’t have been giddier or more in love with Knox and Ava’s love story!
I have to add that I love the secondary characters and everything they add to the story. Tyler is a sweet addition and the reason Ava has so much drive. Piper and Wyatt are there for Ava when she needs the support. And then there is Dane. He is so important to Knox and I felt their love for each other. My heart broke for everything the twins go through, particularly the things that haunt Dane, and I want more of him. I would love to experience his healing and watch him fall in love, especially after the glimpse we get in the second epilogue.
Overall, Dear Ava is an emotional journey of healing, hope, and love, and I loved every part of this original enemies-to-lovers romance.
*ARC generously provided by the author and Social Butterfly PR*
About the Author
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 Best-seller 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.
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