
Only in Your Dreams (Oakwood Bay, Bk. 1)
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Overview
Sizzling with tension, irresistible heat, and swoon-worthy moments, Only in Your Dreams is the small-town sports romance that readers are devouring in a single sitting.
Melody Woods never planned on coming back to Oakwood Bay. Ten years away from her small hometown felt like exactly enough time to move on — from the memories, from the heartbreak, and especially from him. But a brutal breakup and an empty bank account have a way of rerouting even the most carefully laid plans.
Now she's back, bruised and reluctant, and her twin brother Parker is already pushing her buttons. His latest move? Convincing her to take his spot on a camping trip. The problem is who else will be there.
Zac Porter has spent ten years building a life that looks good on paper. He's a college football coach, he's respected, and he's never stopped thinking about Melody. He made a mistake with her once — a bad one — and he's carried it ever since.
When Melody walks into that campsite instead of Parker, Zac knows this is his shot. Not to rush her, not to pressure her, but to show her exactly who he is now and why what they had always meant something real.
Melody isn't looking for a second chance. She's looking for a fresh start somewhere far from Oakwood Bay. She plans to get back on her feet and leave — simple as that.
But Zac is patient, warm, and determined in a way that's hard to ignore. And the more time they spend together, the harder it becomes to remember why she was so set on leaving.
There's just one catch: Parker can never find out. Because his best friend and his twin sister is the one line he's never allowed anyone to cross.
With a struggling football team to turn around, a secret to keep, and a decade of unspoken feelings between them, Zac has never faced longer odds — on or off the field.
"Ellie's writing is like a bag of trail mix with personality: salty and sweet, zesty, and blended with the perfect mix of everything you'd want to satisfy your rom-com cravings. At over 400 pages, you'll breeze through it at the speed of a novella because, yes – it's just that good!" - The Romantic Comedy Book Club
Series Information
Series Name: Oakwood Bay
Series Reading Order
This series is best read in publication order.
Book 1 - Only in Your Dreams
Book 2 - Only Between Us
Book 3 - If Only You Knew
Reviews and Author Praise
"packed with sizzling tension, heat, and sweet, swoon-worthy moments"
— Peyton Corinne, author of TikTok sensation Unsteady
"Only In Your Dreams is a total must read, this book is cute, fun and has a totally adorable golden retriever hero that will instantly melt your heart. If you are a fan of sports romance books with a side of cute but steamy chemistry then this is definitely the book for you!"
— Harlequin Junkie Blog!
"Ellie's writing is like a bag of trail mix with personality: salty and sweet, zesty, and blended with the perfect mix of everything you'd want to satisfy your rom-com cravings. At over 400 pages, you'll breeze through it at the speed of a novella because, yes – it's just that good!"
— The Romantic Comedy Book Club
"Sultry, entertaining, and sweet! Only in Your Dreams is a passionate, charming tale... Overall, Only in Your Dreams is a fabulous read to kick off the new year. I enjoyed the characters, I enjoyed the storyline, and I swooned over the happy-ever-after ending!"
— What's Better Than Books?
"A glittering small-town romance, delightfully angsty and heartfelt, packed with sizzling tension, heat, and sweet, swoon-worthy moments. Wilde’s voice is fresh, authentic, and wonderfully charming."
— Peyton Corinne, author of TikTok sensation Unsteady
"Achingly tender and deliciously sexy, Only in Your Dreams is everything readers are looking for in a brother's best friend romance! Wilde's writing is brimming with palpable tension and deeply relatable characters, and my heart was completely enthralled by every moment."
— Jillian Meadows, author of Give Me Butterflies
Topics and Key Themes
Narrative Tropes
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
Forbidden Love
Second Chance Romance
Brother's Best Friend
Key Themes
Running from the past — coming home forces Melody to face what she never fully left behind.
Patient love versus guarded walls — Zac's quiet determination slowly dismantles Melody's defenses.
The secret that changes everything — one unspoken rule between brothers threatens it all.
Rebuilding after heartbreak — Melody learns that a fresh start doesn't always mean running farther away.
Redemption through showing up — Zac's decade-old mistake can only be undone by who he becomes now.
Who is this book for?
Primary Genre: Small-Town Sports Romance
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ 4/5: Very Spicy
Turning up the heat! Multiple steamy scenes with clear, descriptive detail and strong chemistry. Romance and spice share the spotlight here.
Fans of Peyton Corinne's Unsteady will enjoy the sizzling second-chance tension, forbidden brother's best friend dynamics, and emotionally charged slow-burn romance set against a charming small-town backdrop.
About the Author
Ellie K. Wilde dreams up love stories with a lot of heart and the kind of spice that makes your knees shake. She writes male leads with big personalities and sweet, cinnamon roll insides, and women who discover they’re just as tough as they wish they were. Happily-ever-afters only. Visit EllieKWilde.com and follow her on Instagram and TikTok @EllieKWildeAuthor.
Similar Authors
Colleen Hoover, Peyton Corinne, Lyla Sage
Reader FAQs
The book carries a high spice level — rated 4 out of 5. It includes explicit romantic content alongside emotional slow-burn tension, so it is intended for adult readers comfortable with steamy romance.
Both share emotionally charged romance and strong character work, but Only in Your Dreams is lighter in tone — closer to a rom-com than Hoover's more dramatic style. The pacing is faster and the overall mood is warmer and more playful.
At over 400 pages the book reads quickly. The pacing is closer to a novella in feel — driven by witty dialogue, romantic tension, and a tight cast of characters rather than lengthy plot detours.
The emotional weight is moderate. The book engages seriously with themes of heartbreak, past mistakes, and guarded trust, but the tone stays warm and rom-com-leaning rather than angsty or dark.
The book layers three interlocking tensions — second chance, forbidden love, and a brother's-best-friend secret — around a hero defined by patient, quiet redemption rather than the typical alpha archetype. That combination gives it a distinct emotional texture.
Info
ISBN: 9781668093160
Published Date: January 21, 2025
Publisher: Atria Books
Language: English
Page Count: 418
Size: 8.25" l x 5.25" w x 1.00" h
Category
Fiction