Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills returns with an all-new swoon-fest of a novel about what happens when you take a chance on love.Amazon Top 11 Bestseller; #1 SportsWanted: one hot guy with rock-hard abs and a big stick.Broke and desperate, Sugar Ryan has no use for arrogant, bad-boy athletes…until she’s forced to bargain with the cockiest of them all.If only he knew she … with the cockiest of them all.
If only he knew she was alive.
Her mission? Get on this hockey player’s radar any way possible.
Zack Morgan is the king of the ice and the bedroom, but nothing prepares him for the mystery girl who shows up everywhere he does–frat parties, his favorite bar, and finally his front door with an offer he can’t refuse. The only rule in her boyfriend bargain: no falling in love.
But after one (um, two) smoking-hot hookups, he’s done with pretending and vows to make their fake relationship real. Too bad she can’t trust a player with a reputation for breaking hearts.
Will this hockey star score his forever girl, or will this boyfriend bargain end in heartbreak?
“Who can turn down a bad boy hockey star with a big . . . stick? Zack is hot hot hot, and Sugar is the perfect blend of sweet and sassy! Their chemistry sizzles in Boyfriend Bargain!” ~Melanie Harlow, USA Today bestselling author
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I have one thing to say about new Ilsa’s Madden Mills book – I FEEL CAPTIVATED!!!! This book totalny steal my attention, and sedeucee my bookish heart.
Of course, I should be suprised because it’s book from this certain author, who always knows how to write amazing and beautifull love stories…. HOWEVER I didn’t expect this kind of mess that Z and Sugar will do with my mind…. and heart!.
I wasn’t well prepared for so emotional story! Since the begining I was deep inside Boyfriend Baragain, as every reader could imagine. Mrs Ilsa Madden Mills literaly outdone herself !!!! She created wondrefull masterpiece that every reader must have.I didn’t read it… I’ve devoured whole story in the speed of light. It was sweet, it was steamy, it was angsty….. but also so heartwarming!!!
Z and Sugar left me deeply in love…. In love with Sugar and her amazing character and personslity…. In love with her big heart and loyalty !!! In love with Z and his broken soul.. In love with Z and his pround and brave nature…. Well they was just simply everything. They were very intense together and even more emotional!
Absolutely the best book from Mrs. MADDEN MILLS I’ve ever read.
What a stunningly good read!! My heart is full. Just fabulous!
“Zack Morgan is an inferno that will burn me up. There’s something about him that makes me lose my breath. And that…that must not be allowed.”
Sugar Ryan has got something to prove, which makes her a desperate young woman. Desperate enough to proposition the big sports star on campus. However, when the lines start to blur, she must remember to keep her vulnerable heart guarded.
“I’m going to make her mine. She just doesn’t know it yet.”
Zack AKA Z Morgan is on the cusp of NHL stardom. He’s in his final year of college and he wants to leave on a high. He’s fed up with the party scene but, as captain of the hockey team, he likes to keep up appearances. And, appearance is important since he’s hiding a big secret from everyone except his family and his best friend.
I loved this book SO HARD!! I thought it was going to be a fun, light read but it was actually quite angsty and emotional.
Zack’s reputation precedes him but a lot of it is just rumour. I loved the real guy underneath his public persona. He’s full of guilt and pain from the past. His connection with Sugar is compelling and I loved how he could let his walls down and be real with her. Sugar is a tough cookie. She’s got real backbone and I admired her courage. And, goodness, the chemistry between them is absolutely scorching! The author really knows how to write those steamy scenes! *fans self*
This novel was just gorgeous. It was about passion, guilt, forgiveness and falling into forever love.
I was completely riveted by it.
A super sports romance that will have you tearing your hair out! Ilsa has blessed her readers with a jam-packed, fast-paced story filled with drama, drama, drama!
Zack ‘Z’ Morgan is the super hot, Viking styled hockey Captain of the prestigious Hawthorne University. Uber confident in his abilities on and off the ice. He is the number one draft pick for the NHL and in his senior year is looking to take home the championship.
Sugar Ryan is the sweet shy southern belle determined to get better from her life. She is studying pre law and is pushing to attend one of the most prestigious law schools in the country. There is only one problem, she has been wait listed to her first choice and must now attend a social gathering with the Dean to try an impress. Sugar is going to use everything to her advantage, even if that means propositioning the seriously cocky, hockey captain with a bargain he won’t refuse (she hopes).
One super hot encounter later, cue the drama!! Sugar and Zack chemistry is off the charts HOTT and before they know it the lines are blurring. Neither are what the other expected and that becomes apparent very quickly. Sugar is not expecting Zack’s determination to push her out of her comfort zone and head long into trouble – trouble being to break all the rules set out by the boyfriend bargain. But Zack has a secret, one that could lead to disastrous outcomes.
So much emotion, intensely sensual with a side of hold on to your hats. This story will pick you up, put you down and stitch you back together!! Loved it!
4.5 stars
Another completely adorable installment from Isla Madden-Mills. IMM is quickly becoming one of my go-to authors for sports romances!
Z and Sugar couldn’t be more different, Zach, aka Z, is the big man on campus; a hockey god setting the sports world on fire. On the road to a first round draft pick, he’s the IT guy, whereas Sugar is awkward as hell, a book worm and GoT junkie just trying to make her way to law school and better her trailer park upbringing. Born on the wrong side of the tracks and raised by a single mom when her dad split, Sugar has a hard time trusting, without even mentioning her cheating exes. After being wait-listed to her dream college, Sugar hatches a plan to hitch her wagon to Z’s star and ride the wave up, up, up. She’s just got to convince him to be her fake boyfriend for a month. The bargain has rules; no hanky panky, no nicknames and absolutely no falling in love. Z isn’t really a rule follower though. Being with Sugar shows him all the things he never knew he wanted. Now his plan is to make her fall in love for real and make this boyfriend bargain permanent.
Adorable!!! I loved the quirky characters and the skillful story telling that sucked me in from page one. IMM has made it to me one click list and I can’t wait for more.
AnnMarie – Alphas Do It Better Book Blog
I loved Sugar right off the bat. I feel I could be friends with her easily and then seeing with her friends made me want to be part of that group. Zack surprised me in a good way. I could definitely relate to him with his daily struggle because I do myself. I loved the way Sugar makes Zack want to be a better man. They have a ton of chemistry and the sparks fly between the two. Then on the flip side they’re cute together. They bring out a more relaxed, okay to be yourself side to each other that I found refreshing. Zack has a lot to work through, but he feels he can so that with Sugar by his side to bad what agreed to was pretend. Can Zack convince Sugar she can count on him? He past relationship with popular guy didn’t go so well and being with the king of hockey on campus brings out insecurities. This book was hard to put down because I really got invested in Zack and Sugar’s story. It’s one you don’t want to pass up!
‘She’s mine. She’s a symbol of me getting my life right. My love, my hope. Always’
Zack Morgan is a hockey god who could have anyone he wants, but all he wants is to get through this year and win his team the championship before moving onto the NHL. Sugar Ryan wants to prove her worth by going to Vanderbilt law school, she has the grades now she just has to find a way to get off the wait list and that is where Zack aka Z comes in. Willing to accept Sugar’s proposal for as a fake boyfriend is a no brainer for Z, he’s ready to do anything in order to spend more time with her and prove to her that they can be something more.
Man do I love Z, he is so tortured, laden with guilt from his past and pressure from the present and future obligations to be the best. His school is counting on him to bring home the championship and the NHL is making sure that the contract they offered him is worth the investment. He tries so hard to be everything to everyone that his anxiety is really starting to affect him. I love how real his character is, yah he’s a cocky athlete who knows how good looking he is but he is so real and his vulnerability makes you just want to be there for him. Sugar was a fierce woman who knew what she was worth even though as a kid her and her mom were cast aside like yesterday’s garbage by her father. Having worked so hard Sugar o applies for Law School at the same college her father went to but is wait listed. She wants nothing more than to prove that she is just as good as him even though he wanted nothing to do with her.
Sugar and Z together was explosive, you just knew as soon as they got close to each other their chemistry was going to be off the charts! Their problems were real problems and nothing that could be fixed by a bouquet of flowers. I loved them so much as a couple that I just could not put this book down. Their struggles became my struggles and I found their high points to be my happiness. If you’re looking for a book with all the feels, plenty of hotness and real life struggles than this book is for you. I also really hope there will be more stories about the secondary characters because I loved them too especially Eric!!
Oh Zack Morgan “Z” is what book boyfriends are made of…SWOONING! GAH… this man is just BEAUTIFUL add in some Sugar Ryan and you have one amazingly beautiful couple that will give you all the feels.
Z is the hockey star all the girls want but they don’t know the true man behind the gorgeous face and long hair. Z has a past, one that has been haunting him for years. Will he be able to finally put his demons to rest?
Sugar Ryan is tired of being played and feeling like she isn’t good enough. Wanting to get into one of the best law schools she sets out on a plan to finally get what she wants! But will she? Or will she finally realize what she wanted isn’t really what is important?
BB is truly one of my FAVORITE love stories to date. It has been over a week and I still can’t stop thinking about their story. You will be sucked in from page one!
4.5 stars!!
Oh, I loved this book!! I didn’t want it to end. I’m a sucker for a steamy hockey romance and this one was pure magic. Z and Sugar were sizzling. I’m absolutely in love with their energy and their connections.
Boyfriend Bargain was a lot deeper and emotional than I expected. That honestly made me love the book more. The author did a phenomenal job showing these characters insecurities and their feeling of loneliness and despair. Then giving them hope and love. Gah! So in love with this book. Ilsa Madden-Mills is very quickly becoming one of my automatic one-click authors. Everything I’ve read by her is gold.
This was just okay for me. The writing was okay, but YA novels are hit and miss for me, and this one wasn’t quite a hit. Sugar is blatantly stalking Zack, even though she tries to rationalize it to herself. She tries to act like she’s above silly girls and the party scene, but then ends up in the bathroom with the H in about 2 seconds flat. That was hard to wrap my head around. Zack seemed like a good guy, but he had is own issues. It was hard for me to buy a relationship between he and Sugar when I felt like he wasn’t over Willow. The ending was okay, and these 2 get their HEA. Although this wasn’t my favorite from this author, I will be looking for whatever comes next.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
Ilsa Madden-Mills hits it in the net with BOYFRIEND BARGAIN. Sugar Ryan enlist the help of NHL number one draft pick Zack Morgan to pretend to be her fake boyfriend at an event to help get her into her first-choice law school. He makes a counteroffer with her being his girlfriend of the month to keep the girls away so he could focus on hockey, but Zack wants more than a month. This story takes place in Minnesota. It is suitable for new adult readers.
I loved this story. Ilsa Madden-Mills does a great job of slowly feeding you information keeping you hooked throughout the novel. The characters were adeptly developed. Sugar and Zack both have their share of secrets. They have fun verbal banter and chemistry. Zack has a playboy reputation. He feels guilt for something he is not responsible for and suffers anxiety. He and his brother, Reece, have some conflict they need to resolve. Sugar is introverted and awkward. She is driven to prove her worth. Zack and Sugar undergo numerous obstacles while helping each other heal and grow.
The story had a great epilogue that felt well concluded. I wouldn’t mind seeing this book turn into a series with some of the other Hawthorne University hockey players. I recommend this book to people that enjoy sports romances and fake boyfriend books. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book.
Zack has noticed the gorgeous woman who keeps showing up wherever he happens to be. Of course he’s noticed her, how could he not? But when he finally makes his move, her reaction isn’t really what he was expecting. Well…it was, sorta. He got what he wanted from her, but she also tried to take off and deny anything had happened. She sure wasn’t the puck bunny he had been thinking she was. Or was she?
Boyfriend Bargain has all the feels and the heart that I’ve come to expect from Ilsa. It’s a bit heartbreaking, what with Zack’s demons, and Sugar’s, too, but it’s also sweet, and the chemistry between Sugar and Zack sparks all over the place. I swooned over this romance, let me tell ya. It’s not often that New Adult fiction gets me anywhere near the heart (or other organs), but Boyfriend Bargain had the perfect balance of heart and heat with damaged but lovable characters. I can’t help but think that Zack and Sugar are out there living happily ever after now that they’ve fought through their demons. I certainly hope so!
*4,5 stars*
I really enjoyed this sweet, and at times angsty, sport romance read! Also a story that deals with an issue that a lot of people go through and I really liked the way the author addressed it in this story. A definite must read!
Zack has been dealing with a lot of issues lately and having that constant pressure on him to get his team to win every time isn’t helping how he’s feeling. He’s been reliving his past and tries to deal with it in his own way. When his eye catches Sugar on a party, there’s this connection between them that he cannot seem to shake. The more they are getting to know each other, the more he feels like himself again. Sugar has a lot of things to deal with on her own but there’s just something about Zack that keeps her drawn to him, even though maybe she shouldn’t. Their relationship is evolving but when Zack’s past comes colliding into it, he’ll do whatever it takes to prove that they do belong…
Sports Romance At It’s Finest
Sqee HOLY HOTTNESS Zack and Sugar are My New Favorites. The Chemistry is off the Freakin charts HOT!! I that it Deals with Real Life events. And The OMG Poetry played with My Heart Strings swoon Fan Girl Down The Heartache is Real and they find their way together. So buckle up and get ready for this Amazing ride. Definitely Your Next 5 star Read..
A sports romance, a fake boyfriend and Ilsa Madden-Mills, there’s no better mix! Ilsa Madden-Mills is one of those authors who whenever I read her I think, “damn I need to go back and read more from her.”. I then go on a binge and catch up on anything I have missed from her. Her characters are flawed but strong. Characters you cheer for, want the best for and fall in love with while reading. And this book is no different – except – you might fall in love a little deeper with these characters.
So they are both broken, in need of each other and they don’t even know it. Zach (or Z as he’s called) and Sugar are those 2 characters. Z, THE Man on Campus, star hockey player, known manwhore and Sugar – raised by her mother’s friend who owns a strip club, meet after Sugar “accidentally” meets Z. Z can help her achieve the goal of attending Vanderbilt so she pursues him to be her fake boyfriend
Once these two start to get to know each other, you know what’s gonna happen right? They fall in love and its a HEA? Ilsa didn’t make it that easy on them and that’s why you will enjoy every angst-filled moment of this book.
Sugar and Zack were everything!! Who doesn’t love a swoon worthy hockey player and the woman he falls for! The chemistry was absolutely sizzling and flying off the pages! They had a connection that was so easy to feel. THe banter between them had be stuck in the pages! I loved this book!!
I’m not sure where to start and I really hope my words will not only do this book justice but also make you want to one click this amazing read. This story has all the feels you want and expect in a five star read….. so her goes !!
Sugar and Z are perfect together but that doesn’t mean they don’t have flaws but those flaws will make you love them even more, the chemistry they share is sizzling but it was the witty banter that really got to me because it flowed it was so natural and I fell in love with these guys big time I didn’t want their story to end I wanted more and that for me means this book ticked all the boxes.
Z is the man every girl wants to be with and the man every man wants to be but he is not looking to be that man he hides his secrets well and when it comes down to it he only wants to be with Sugar.
Sugar is the heroine we all wished we had as a best friend and throughout this book I found myself wishing and hoping she got the HEA she so deserves.
A fake relationship that turns into so much more but not before Z and Sugar stumble through a few road blocks on their journey to true love. This book has it all, passion, love and story that flows as well as the funny banter this couple share. Love is never straight forward but these two know their love is worth the bumps along the way. This is certainly going on my best reads of 2019 and please do yourself a favour and one click this must read,
What an amazing 5 star story this was. I was hooked from the start to the end. I was addicted.
Zack is a star hockey player that has some secrets that he keeps close to him. Sugar needs Zack for her benefits. She needs a fake boyfriend. Together they will help each other.
I enjoyed everything about this story. The amazing characters and addicting storyline. It’s a college type romance that made me feel so much. They were troubled characters. Bottomline this is a must read.
Standalone told in a dual POV with an HEA. I strongly recommend this story.
“NOTHING GOLD CAN STAY”…
Ilsa Mills-Madden has knocked another one out of the park with BOYFRIEND BARGAIN…..Another good book with all of the elements I love in a book…..
Sexy, All-Alpha Male, Zack Morgan, appears to be the golden boy of his college hockey team and life in general…..Z is not known for lasting relationships, but he is gorgeous, popular and is so talented, an NHL team has already signed him and is waiting for his graduation…..From the outside looking in, Z has it all….but things are never perfect….
Smart, Feisty, Pre-Law, College Senior, Sugar Rae Ryan, has been waitlisted for the law school to which she has always dreamed of going…..But, Sugar has thought of another way to possibly be accepted….She just needs Zack Morgan’s help….thus, “The Bargain.”….
Loved these characters, and that they both have their own deep, personal issues…Sometime during this “pretend relationship”, their real feelings and issues all come to the surface, and everything implodes….The chemistry between Z and Sugar, is scorching hot…..and so is the bookcover……I highly recommend this book…
Well then… this was a lovely pile of sex-on-a-stick! I mean, anyone have a tall glass of ice water and a fan? I feel I need to cool down! Boyfriend Bargain was just as insta-love for me as it was the characters in the book. Really, none of us stand a chance against Ilsa Madden-Mills words or her characters! I’m not the biggest fan of sports romances, however, I do have my favorites… and this is now among them! Even then, hockey is not a sport I even watch snippets of… I know nothing on it! But Boyfriend Bargain is not just a sports romance. It’s fully enriched in love and feelings… what we do for the ones we care about and love.
My favorite thing about this book was the characters. Zach is a hockey God and he’s taking the fans for a ride and the hockey-world by storm. He’s the total package… I mean, he has the NHL waiting for him to finish college. He is wanted and he knows it! He’s a total alpha! Sugar, Lord, how I adore her! She’s this sweet southern belle. But she isn’t all debutantes and balls… on no, she’s got grit and determination. I think Zack fell for her pure strength as he did her heart. Separate these two are amazing and swoonable but once you put them together… they are combustible! I loved them! I loved Isla’s writing and story development! This book was total fun and crazy sexy! I’m really hoping it releases in audio too… I’d love to hear this two!
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
Ilsa does it again with this college sports romance. So many feels from this story. We get beautifully flawed characters with almost instant heat and sparks, pasts that haunt each step they take, and fear of feeling too much.
Z is in his last year of college and is ready to take the NHL by storm. He comes across as the hot, cocky, bad boy Ice King to everyone he meets. Inside, he’s a mess. The past has wrapped itself around his throat and the noose tightens more every day. He’s not sure if he’s going to make it. Can he keep the pressures at bay or will he fall apart and lose it all?
Sugar wasn’t blessed with a perfect family growing up. She struggled every day. She’s in her last year at HSU and what she wants more than anything is to get into Vandy. Law school was always the plan but she’s been rejected and told maybe in the future. She needs a way to get in. To show those who have judged her and looked down upon her that she’s made it. She’s more than they ever could have dreamed she would be.
She needs him. He could be her ticket to making her dreams come true. He needs her, to keep others at bay so he can focus on his future. They don’t realize that their fake plan will become more than either ever imagined. She understands what he needs and she’s does it. He gets her quirks and supports her like no one else has. Together they step into murky waters and get wrapped up in each other.
Truths of the past come to light and a downward spiral begins. Old hurts become new and trust doesn’t extend very far. Happiness is driven away and heartache surrounds them both. A decision to fight for one another, to extend understanding to ghosts of the past and to truly open their hearts is the only way they will survive this heartache.
I can’t say enough about Ilsa and her understanding of creating characters that are perfectly flawed together. She has a fantastic capability of creating a story that draws us in so much that we can feel the ups and downs and the road that the characters must travel. It’s wonderful and it’s a phenomenal ride!