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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College sports and fake relationship stories are my absolute fave and this one has them both!
From the outside it looks like Zack has it all, he’s smart, popular and on track to be scouted to play in the NHL. But what is less obvious on the outside is the tragedy and anxiety that plague him. His perfect facade is starting to crack and with the scouts watching on he needs to get back in control.
Sugar knows what she wants – to get into the law school the father attended. The same father who wants nothing to do with her. Once she is wait listed by her dream law school she decides to take her future into her own hands and find a way in – by making Zack her fake boyfriend.
The more time they spend together, the more the chemistry between them grows until they’re no longer just pretending to have feelings for each other. Another fantastic book from Ilsa Madden-Mills.
Another great college sports romance by Ilsa Madden Mills, with Zack, the captain and all-star of the Hawthorne University hockey team and Sugar, the smart girl who is trying to become a lawyer and get into a prestige law school after college, having to bargain with the cocky hockey player to help her get into law school.
Stand-alone book, which is great!
This audio book was EXCEPTIONAL. Truly, one of the best that I have listened to.
Stephen Dexter just nailed it. He made “Z” come to life.
Savannah Peachwood was brilliant as Sugar.
For the story. I just adored these two characters. They come from similar, yet different backgrounds.
I thought their chemistry was dynamite. A lot of times, in college stories with athletes, they have everything going for them and things come easy to them. That wasn’t the case in Zach’s life and it made the story that much more compelling.
The only problem that I may have had was that they story was so much more than the title implies.
KU. This started off kind of slow. It was 25% before we even knew why Sugar was looking for Zack to be her fake boyfriend. Instead of feeling suspenseful, it felt frustrating.
After that, things really got rolling and I truly enjoyed the story. This reminded me of Sarina Bowen’s N/A novels. The angst isn’t petty incessant internal whining ~ it’s real gritty topics and you can’t help but fall in love with and root for Zack & Sugar. As individuals and as a couple.
I’m kinda hoping this becomes a series A semi-concurrent story with Reece’s POV and then his own HEA would be pretty awesome. Eric was amazing and also needs his own HEA.
This was my first Ilsa Madden-Mills read. It won’t be my last.
Sugar and spice and everything nice
I loved sugar and z’s story! So much !
Sugar is a smart, intelligent beautiful woman who is also broken . Her mum died when she was young and her dad is not in the picture. Her ex was a cheater and she was heart broken by him . She aspires to go to law school but thinks she needs the help of a rising hockey star to get into the university of her choice.
Cue z. The rising star of hockey. He’s gorgeous and every girl wants him but not everything is as it seems.
Zack, doesn’t like the spotlight and is sick of the meaningless girls.
He also suffers from anxiety and it affects every part of his life.
Their story is one of hope and healing and finding love along the way .
I really loved the side characters too ! There’s a great bunch of friends entwines in their worlds
A really great read ! I’m looking forward to reading more of this series !!
This was such a good and steamy romance read with great characters and moments that will make you laugh out loud. There’s hockey, a cheating ex that won’t take no for an answer, a spiteful and jealous girl looking to take out the competition with any means necessary, regrets, guilt and an unexpected gift from a parent that wanted nothing to do with jis daughter. This story had its moments of drama, angst, hurtful, loving, sweet, funny and steamy moments but the chemistry between Sugar and Zack was undeniable. I loved every minute of it. The ending was sweet and deserving. I absolutely loved this story and look forward to reading more books from this author.
This story was too cute for words. The attraction between Z and Sugar is crazy. She resembles someone from his past and he doesn’t do relationships. When he learns of Sugar’s plan, for him to be her fake boyfriend, he says yes but I don’t believe he ever expected the outcome to be as it was. There were certain things in the story that gave me hope for their relationship but the problems that they faced were big and daunting. His past haunted him but would he be able to convince her that what is in the past is in the past. The ending was sweet and perfect. I read this book in two days, it was a fast and easy read. You won’t want to put it down.
I loved this one. Steamy and fun.
This is an amazingly well written sports romance. These characters feel so real, and capture your heart. Even though Z has a lot to work through in this story, I think every woman deserves a man who cares about her as deeply as Z cared about Sugar. Sugar had had a rough life, she was always being let down, but her feelings for Z gave her the push she needed to overcome the fear of being tossed away.
OMG!!! I loved this book so much Mrs Madden-Mills gave us another amazing story. I really enjoy all her books, but this one from the first page it grabbed my attention, and it didn’t let go until the end. I read all night couldn’t put it done, of course I’m paying for it today …. LOL, but it was so worth it!
Sugar and Zach where a perfectly imperfect couple, their characters were balivable. I felt all the emotional angst that each of them were going through. It was heartbreaking, I was routing for them the whole time.
This book had a little bit of everything you crave in a hot sexy NA college sports romance novel. It has sadness, happiness, it was witty in parts, sports, great characters, hot steamy chemistry, and after all the heartache they had the happy-ever-after.
This was a standalone, and no cliffhangers.
I am in pins and needles waiting to find out who comes next?
I loved this book! It took a little for me to get into it but the story was great. I love how Ilsa writes she sucks you in and this story was a whole lot of ups and downs.
Sugar has a lot of crap happen to her in life she refuses to give up. She wants to be a lawyer and go to Vanderbilt law school so bad she is willing to do anything even have a fake boy friend.
Zack is captain of the hockey team and is also MVP he already has a contract with the NHL but refuses to leave college before graduation and bringing his team victory.
He has so much dedication to the game and his team. He is also known around the ladies.
He likes the girls and they like him but what is true and what is fiction surrounding this sexy hockey player.
Such a great story I can’t wait to read the other ones this is going to be an awesome series I hope to see some of the characters from this book in the next. Mainly Sugar and Zack because they are great.
This is truly one of the best books I have read this year.
Z is a boyfriend that everyone is going to covet. He shows the world his larger then life personality, but there are secrets that are slowing tearing him apart.
Sugar is just what her name implies, she is sweet and loving. But she too has a past that she doesn’t even realize is cause if her to hide from what she truly wants in life.
When these two get together they is a explosion of passion, and love. But there are things that are holding them back from really living. There struggles are going to make you love them even more.
But my favorite thing about this book is how real it is. It highlights a very real issue that millions of people face every day. It brings it to the surface and paints it in a light that will allow people to know that they are not alone that there is always someone there that they can talk to.
4 to 4.5 stars
This is the first book that I have read from this author, and I am kicking myself for waiting so long! I have read other college hockey-based books and series before, but Ms. Madden- Mills brought something new and fresh in Z and Sugar’s story.
Z appears to lead a charmed life as the star of the team with a big NHL contract waiting for him, but no one realizes that he is fighting demons every time he steps on the ice. Very few people actually see anything except the fame and a chance to say they shared a piece of the greatness for a few moments though.
Sugar has spent her whole life in the shadow of a father who considered her a dirty little secret, and she has been determined to make her own way in life since the day he made it clear he would not be part of her life. Now, her goal of earning entry into one of the best law schools in the country is in jeopardy, and she needs Z’s help in order to have a chance at being admitted into her dream school. Too bad she knows zero about hockey and even less about how to get his attention long enough to try to convince him to go along with her crazy plan.
I have to say, they definitely had instant chemistry, but those demons they are both fighting are going to make it a very bumpy road when the fake relationship starts to become oh so real. I really fell hard for Z despite his major missteps and being utterly clueless when it comes to trying to navigate a real relationship rather than a quick fling with a jersey chaser. And Sugar’s complete distrust of any man who gives the appearance of a player caused her a whole lot of angst. But all in all, I really enjoyed their story and I am looking forward to more of this series! I am hoping that Eric’s story is next… and maybe a certain roommate might just be a part of his story… I will have to wait to see but I can hope!
Finally a Hockey sports romance. : )
Ilsa Madden-Mills delivered it all in this book. A little angst, humor, heartbreak, sass, a whole lot of sexy and anxiety. Which is a huge struggle for many people these days. She did a beautiful job writing Zack and Sugar’s story.
I loved this book. It took me far to long to read it, but that was all me, and my mood. This book was easily a one-sitting read.
I loved Z and Sugar. They had such amazing chemistry and even with the instant attraction, they built a good friendship.
Of course, there’s going to be drama and you knew throughout the book what it would be. So I had the sense of waiting for the other shoe to drop. Let me just say…Z’s brother really irritated me with how he treated Sugar. And his girlfriend….she didnt get the comeuppance she deserved.
I also loved the friendship Sugar had with Z’s teammate Eric. I’d love to see a book for him.
Overall, this book is super steamy, and a must read!
Ilsa Madden-Mill’s Boyfriend Bargain introduces a deal that came at a high emotional price but in the end was worth every single smoldering pain filled moment!
Zach Morgan was the perfect example of a hero who seemed like there was nothing he could not handle and had it all except underneath he was floundering. With a past that haunted him jeopardizing his future he was the kind of character whose struggle felt real and his pain was translated well by this author to her audience. Sugar Ryan was a fighter armored in trust issues. Laying low on the radar this heroine took on obstacles but they were never her true focus rather the accomplishments that resulted in her taking them on. Zach and Sugar had wonderful chemistry from the moment they connected on the pages. Interesting and vulnerable with sexy thrown in this couple was fantastically devised.
This writer’s stories are consistently wonderful The Boyfriend Bargain being no exception. Despite coming from vastly different backgrounds both Zach and Sugar had their fair share of life’s hard knocks. Ms. Madden-Mills put a lot of care and thought into the leads of this book and it showed. With a well balanced dynamic between her leads this author worked through some brutal truths making not only Zach and Sugar’s relationship stronger but her work as a whole. Adeptly placed acts of kindness were able to shine through at the right times for some great revelations and plot twist. If Ilsa Madden-Mills’ Boyfriend Bargain is not at the top of your TBR list your missing out on one great read!
*I was given an advanced copy. All opinions expressed are my own*
In this book we have Zack Morgan, he is in his senior year of college. He’s already. Even picked up by a NHL hockey team. Zach seems to have some serious anxiety issues when he’s around too many people and even before he goes out onto the ice.
We also have Sugar Ryan, who is a pre-law student. She is just about broke, a few dollars in her bank account. Sugar needs to bargain with Zack, but of course lays the no falling in love on the tables.
Sugar has closed her heart off to relationships. Zack likes to be with one woman for a month then leaves them. Is a fake relationship what they both need to heal their hearts?
I did receive a free ARC copy of this book. I am freely leaving a honest review.
Who doesn’t love a hot hockey player romance?
I have an absolute, obsessive attachment to brilliant sports romances. Boyfriend Bargain isn’t an exception—an honest narrative with perfect amounts of all-consuming endearment, delightfully cute moments and heart-wrenching emotions that capture and ensnare every facet of your being. Featuring a sinfully cocksure hockey player and awe-inspiring determined heroine, Boyfriend Bargain won’t disappoint!
“There’s something going on between us that’s …I don’t know…interesting. I knew it the moment I saw you.”
Sugar Ryan didn’t grow up with luxuries, but that hasn’t diminished her resolution to succeed in life. Her shy, quiet albeit fiery nature and fierceness, together with an unrivaled determination to successfully become a lawyer by attending Vanderbilt, makes this young woman’s formidable intelligence an astonishing inspiration.
Quickly becoming one of the NHL’s greatest contenders, Zack Morgan is surrounded by adoring fans, a rain of love and shower of praise. He isn’t without his own troubles however—hidden demons difficult to push away lurk within the shadows, an incessant pressure, a quiet “shame” that becomes a hindrance in maintaining a seeming perfect life.
“I told her not to be afraid to fall…because I’m falling for her…so hard.”
Intense chemistry and noticeable sexual tension simmers between Z and Sugar. Despite establishing a relationship of pretense and convenience, the connection between them is fierce and fervent, an undeniable bond of sincerity, hope and encouragement. I loved the commanding and domineering presence that brewed within Z, especially within the bedroom, the assertive nature soothed by some intimacy.
Boyfriend Bargain is filled with witty banter, heartfelt emotions and two characters who have a deep, earnest connection. Ilsa Madden-Mills transforms this into a narrative with substance and profundity, making this more than “just another sports romance”. Beautifully written and wonderfully constructed, the Hawthorne University series doesn’t disappoint!
Welcome to Hawthorne University where hockey is the sport to follow and Zach Morgan is the god that everyone loves. Especially the girls who always try to get his attention and be the next one picked to be his for the month. All except Sugar Ryan, who wants Z for a whole different reason, a fake boyfriend to be exact. Her life’s plans just went down the toilet and is now armed with Plan B and needs the big man to accomplish it. Which turned out to be a lot easier than Sugar thought to get his attention and agree to the boyfriend bargain. What neither of them did count on was getting along for real and wanting to spend time together without needing the reminder of their rules of pretending. But what’s portrayed on the outside isn’t always correct and secrets lurk in the shadows, just waiting to be revealed and dump all over this newfound relationship that both Z and Sugar are starting to truly enjoy.
I’m always up for a sports romance and I’m actually loving it’s about hockey, I’ve read a few previous to Boyfriend Bargain and find it fun to get into a new sport even if it’s just in a book. Ilsa Madden-Mills knows how to pull you in with her writing and this one was no different, immediately starting off with a bang and setting the stage for an intriguing read. I was instantly hooked on Z, curious as to what’s in his head and also in awe how strong he is with everything he has to deal with. So much pressure to be the best and win a title and it was nice to see that Z had a true support system behind him with his best friend, Eric, and younger brother, Reece. Sugar was such a down to earth character and I love how she just did her own thing, not caring what anyone else thought. When she and Z strike up the bargain for the fake relationship it was easy to see those were just words since the chemistry was there from the start. The heart aches between these two were quite emotional to read and mixed with everything else made for one lovely story that I couldn’t put down and I absolutely look forward to what’s next for the rest of the characters in this brand new series.