Special Release Price!WSJ bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills delivers a gripping enemies-to-lovers, secret admirer, high school 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 every one of those … them.
Please. I hate every one of 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 ex who dumped me. . .
Dear Ava,
Your eyes are the color of the Caribbean Sea.
Wait. 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 the night of the kegger.
Don’t hate me because I’m a Shark.
I just want to make you mine.
Still.
★★★★★
“A gut punch right in the feels. These characters wreck you. It’s a deep storyline, with such tender, beautiful, unbelievably perfect romance. Gah. I. Am. Wowed. Five Stars!” Angie, Angie’s Dreamy Reads
Not part of any other series. Dark High School Romance. Recommended for 18+.
A short excerpt of Dear Ava appeared in Team Player 2. (No longer available) This all-new, full-length version is 331 pages and 100,000 words.
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I absolutely loved reading the excerpt of Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills in the Team Player anthology, so when I had the opportunity to read the full standalone book, I jumped at the chance and I loved it! Just loved it! This young adult story captivated my start to finish. It does touch some difficult subjects, but the author did a great a job with the story.
Ava finds herself back to the last place she wants to be. But she has goals and nothing and no one will stand in her way. She was so strong, stronger than she knew, and tough, even when she felt vulnerable. Somehow she finds herself in the middle of the sharks, the popular guys at Campden Prep. But this time around they do not know who they are messing with! Knox was cocky and determined, but I loved seeing who he was with Ava. Their chemistry was intense, but could two people from different worlds find their way together?
Dear Ava by Ilsa Madden-Mills was an amazing read and I loved it. The story was sad, emotional, but also about healing and moving forward.
Read and reviewed for Sultry Sirens Book Blog.
Happy reading!
Wow! Wow! Wow! This was such an addictive read. Thrilling, intense and emotional. All the words. All the feels. I loved it so much. My first Top Read of 2020!
“He won’t take his eyes off me. I watch with fascination as Knox bites his lower lip, digging in deep, so hard I expect to see blood bloom there.”
Ava has been away from her elite private school for ten months, dealing with a trauma that has left her ostracised from her peers. Not only does she have to deal with the fallout of the scandal, but she has to deal with the Sharks – the ruling rich kids of the school. However, she has her reasons for coming back and she’ll be damned if anyone tries to scare her away. What she doesn’t expect is a tentative friendship with the King Shark, even though there’s always been a weird tension between them.
“Part of me never wants to see her face again, but the other side of me…well, that’s the one I have to worry about.”
Knox Grayson, King Shark, famous for being the school’s star QB, infamous for his under-the-bleacher girls, known for never kissing on the lips. Scarred, broody and surly. He wants Ava but she’s forbidden to him for so many reasons. However, the intense yearning he feels towards her consumes him. She’s back and single, and no matter how hard he tries, he can’t stay away.
“Kissing him is like I’ve spent a day in the sunshine, and when night comes, the stars will only shine for me.”
Gaaaahhh!! I was completely hooked on Ava and Knox’s story. Ava is a such a strong heroine with so many reasons to play the broken, helpless card but her spirit endures. SHE endures. Her indomitability is fierce, breathtaking and awe-inspiring. She lost something of herself through her traumatic experience, but she’s looking to take it back by strutting back into her own personal hell.
Knox is a seemingly assholey guy but underneath his scarred facade lurks a beautiful, vulnerable soul, looking to protect those he loves. I appreciated that even though he was old enough for sexual intimacies, when it came to the really hard adult issues that life is made of, he acknowledged the fact that he was just a kid and ill-equipped to deal with them.
“You have to take a good long look at me, a f*cking long look and see what I’m made of, what makes me tick, and it’s about you.”
There’s a real dichotomy in this book between the hard-to-deal-with issues and the sheer romance of Ava and Knox. Their connection is incredible, their chemistry exquisite, their passion for one another overwhelming, and their strength took my breath away. I loved the progression in their relationship and I absolutely swooned at their gorgeous, emotional ending.
I have yet to read a less than stellar book by this author. She is totally my jam!
You know when you read a book and it moves you so deeply that you can’t stop thinking about it? That’s Dear Ava for me. Since I finished the book a few days ago, I’ll randomly find myself ruminating over and savoring the memory of certain scenes, and I’ve already gone back a reread some of my favorite parts several times.
(CW: sexual assault, addiction, suicide, abuse)
Dear Ava is such a beautiful story about pain, healing, and the power and perseverance of love. It’s heartbreakingly emotional, but also uplifting, romantic, and inspiring. It is so much more than an enemies-to-lovers or secret admirer plot. Dear Ava is a 6 Star read for me, and Knox and Ava are officially on my “favorite couples of all time” list. I loved this book with my whole heart.
Sweet, strong, sassy Ava. This girl is so fierce. I can’t tell you how many times I was in awe of her strength in this book. The things she’s experienced and the pain she’s endured would be enough to make anyone give up and cower, but Ava doesn’t break. She doesn’t give up. She comes back stronger, somehow with more grace, and she perseveres. Ava Harrison is such an inspiring heroine, and I love everything about her. I even loved her moments of weakness and vulnerability, because it made her that much more real. Her character arc is glorious, and I would gladly read 10 more books about her if I could.
Knox Grayson is such an enigmatic, intriguing, and heartfelt hero. On the surface he seems gruff and hardened, but he is so much more than he appears. I’m a total fool for Knox Grayson. The depth of his character had my heart aching with every layer that was revealed, and I fell so hard for his sexy, broody, complex self.
Despite their different circles, Knox and Ava have quite a bit more in common than they realize. They’ve both known extreme pain, they’ve both experienced loss, they’ve both had to take on immense responsibility at a young age, and they both play their cards close to the chest. They’re so unbelievably GOOD for one another. Their chemistry, the tension, the LOVE. I was so deeply moved by their story. The things they have to go through and overcome to get to one another. The things they do for one another. Dear Ava is a romance of epic proportions, and Ilsa Madden Mills did a brilliant job with it. She made me feel EVERYTHING, and she did it beautifully.
This story deals with some serious topics, and at times my heart was aching for these characters, but in the end, I was left feeling happy, hopeful, and so full of love. I was satisfied with the perfect ending, but I also didn’t want to book to end. I want more of these characters simply because I love them so much. Dear Ava gets 6 stars from me, and my highest recommendation.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
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This has to be my favorite book by Ilsa! So well written, tragically captivating and makes you want to spill your insides on the dirty floor just to make Ave stop feeling the pain. But Knox, a true hero. Cold Evil yes, but so damn worth the angst! I’m going to need everyone to stop whatever you’re doing and DEVOUR this book! So worth it!
When I started reading this book, I said to myself, I’ve already read this, I know I have. Well, turns out I read part of it in an Anthology called Team Player. But THIS, THIS is so much more. I have to say, I bawled my eyes out, then I laughed and then I cried and laughed some more. These characters make you want to dive into the pages and rip their heads off, hug them, help them and show them some loving.
If I could give it 10 stars, you know I would!!!
I’m definitely going to be thinking bout this book for a long time. The beginning had my heart breaking and so upset I needed to put it down for a min. After reading on to the next chapters the story had me laughing, the quick whit back and forth between Ava and Knox had me cracking up. After you get passed humerus parts you can feel the emotions the characters are trying to hid behind. Ava and Knox are different yet very similar in the traumas they have experienced. Even though Knox and Ava have got so many different things going on in their lives they have such warm and caring hearts and you can help but love them., they both love their families and will do anything to protect them. The story has so many emotional twists and turns I was struggling to keep my emotions in check. I absolutely loved this book. I was so excited for it to come out, and it did not disappoint.
I’ll be honest, I love a good angsty high school drama. I’m not sure why. I’ve heard people who say that they can’t relate to the ages of the characters, but I’ve never had that issue. Maybe because we were all that age once? Maybe because it’s real, but it’s also fiction? It’s almost a way to live vicariously through the characters? Because my public high school education was certainly nothing like attending a rich prep school. But I love it. And I especially love it the way Ilsa writes it. A girl – Ava – who should be pretty beaten and broken, instead rises from the ashes of a horrific ordeal with her spine steeled, and her resolve intact. She is the embodiment of the sentiment that after high school is over, none of it will matter. She’s driven and protective, and her goals are so much more important than the spoiled rich kids out to make her senior year tough.
And Knox? Cold and evil, as he appears, of course he’s hiding his own pain and secrets. Motivated and protective in different ways, Knox tries hard to avoid the pull of his attraction to Ava, but come on. We know how that goes.
This story was heartbreaking and hard to read in parts, but so relevant. It gives a voice to a lot of women whose voices are ignored. It explores a really awful – and prevalent – issue, particularly one where the rich, ‘protected’ kids never have to answer for their crimes.
But mostly, it’s a story of hope and love, and rising above. It’s a coming of age story about two people who had to grow up way too early, and then needed time to adapt. It’s beautiful and sweet, angsty in all the best ways, and it will stay with you a long time after you turn the final page.
Wow this story definitely packed a punch!!
Ava has had a tough upbringing and doesn’t really fit in with the rich kids she goes to school with. A year ago she left school after speaking up about a terrible event had most people turning against her and not believing her. But some are wondering what the truth really is…
Now she’s back, she’s stronger and isn’t going to be the wallflower some of them thought she was. She’s determined to make sure they won’t win, and to find out what really happened. And looks like she’s got a Secret Admirer on her side….
I loved Ava and her love for Tyler. It was the absolute sweetest!
Knox was such a great character. Yes he’s one of the football players, the leader, but he’s always been drawn to Ava and he believes her story – which doesn’t make his fellow team members happy. He seems like such a complex character, the unobtainable guy that everyone wants but he never really lets anyone close. His care and concern for his brother, and his actions with Ava show his softer side. I loved the scenes between Knox and Dane, and the love between the brothers. I hope Dane gets a book!
This was an amazing book about love, truth, loyalty, hope, justice and family. Loved it and hope we see more of these characters.
Wow. Just finished Dear Ava and I really loved it. I’m a fan of Ilsa Madden-Mills and this is her best yet. It’s such a powerful story of a Phoenix rising from the ashes of her life and finding her family. The plot sounds a little like a bully story, and that’s a part of it, but it’s only a minor part of the whole. Ava returns to her private high school after being drugged and raped during a football team party the year before, so be warned if you have triggers. She is plagued by memory loss and not knowing what really happened to her. She mostly gets hostility from the other students, with the notable exceptions of a secret admirer who texts her and the attention of the king of the school and QB of the football team, Knox. Ava is a scholarship student, living in a Catholic orphanage, while Knox is from one of the wealthiest families in the school. As Ava and Knox grow closer, they learn about each other’s tragic pasts and that neither is who they present to the world. The mystery of what happened the night of the party is a pall that hangs over the school and affects them each day. Both of these characters are richly drawn and lovable. They are torn by their love for each other and the obligations to their brothers. No spoilers, but you are going to be rooting for both Ava and Knox over and over again. Knox first appears as an arrogant alpha until you see into his heart and you’re going to fall in love with him too. Ava is such a fiercely independent and brave heroine, with so many disadvantages thrown at her by life. How she perseveres, makes tough choices, sacrifices for others, and loves with her whole heart is a beautiful story. This is a story that’s going to stay with you.
I love reading Ilsa Madden-Mills. So when the opportunity to read an early copy of this book presented itself I just signed up without even reading a description. I loved going in blind, I just love surprises. This story was a wonderful surprise. I have read Ms. Madden-Mills before and I have gotten emotional while reading, but this story really sent me on a roller coaster of feels. This book is definitely my favorite work from Ilsa Madden-Mills to date. This is absolutely a must read!
Ava comes back to school after ten months after being destroyed. She walks into school with her head held high and sees the elite sharks who run the school. She just needs to get through her senior year. Oh and some shark leaves her a love note. Who can it be ? This book touched on some tough subjects and was done realistically. Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended. Excellent book
So being a massive fan of Ilsa Madden-Mills I immediately signed up to review this book. Then I saw that it was a longer version of a short story from an anthology I had previously read. But figured it would be ok, my memory is pretty bad and there’s a load more contents.
As I started reading it I started to remember the story and I was a little worried that the new content was just filler. But I was so hooked and I couldn’t remember some of the details so I kept reading and fell in love with the whole thing. And there was so much more to the story.
Ava is a character who is completely forged in steel. She went through hell and back and never came close to giving up. She just kept fighting for everything she wanted and I loved her so much.
But Knox was equally as beautiful. He had moments where he ran hot and cold and I wanted to scream at him because Ava deserved so much more. But then I also understood where he was coming from thanks to the story being told in dual point of view. I wish there was a lot more of them together but I can’t complain because seeing Ava heal and grow made me all warm and fuzzy.
And I really loved the epilogues. That’s right two of them just to put the cherry on the awesome story sundae. The background characters were perfect and I would kill for them all to get their own books.
Dear Ava was another great read by Ilsa Madden Mills. I really liked it. It was an angsty, emotional and beautiful enemies to lovers romance. I loved Knox and Ava together. Definitely recommend this!
I had to read this book in one sitting because It deserved it, I think this is by far Miss Madden-Mills best book to date my heart broke for Tulip and Lee, but at the same time it made me swoon because their story was incredible, everything was perfection.
Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy at no cost from the publisher/author. All opinions in my review are my own.
Dear Ava is a book that kind of took me by surprise. This book deals with some sensitive issues and I honestly wasn’t expecting it. I do think that the author handled these issues with grace, but I imagine they will still be triggering for some people. There were some things that were hard to read but they were impactful all the same.
These characters are so easy to connect with. I especially loved Ava. She was resilient, strong, and had a golden heart. She fought for and sacrificed for the ones that she loves. Knox was also a character that would do anything for those that he loves. The love that she showed for Ava through his actions, even before they were a couple, was just beautiful. I enjoyed the secondary characters in this story very much. They really added wonderful depth to the story.
I enjoyed the romance for the most part. There were a few parts of the story where the pacing didn’t seem quite right where the romance was concerned. A few instances, in particular, felt kind of rushed. I did like how the romance was based on admiration for the other and not merely attraction. I think that Ava and Knox formed a wonderful bond and the epilogues were so appreciated in this story.
I thought that the plot of this story was good. It definitely kept my interest and I was so eager to find out certain aspects of the story. I was glued to the pages. While there was plenty of drama in this book, I kind of expected a little more conflict towards the end of the story. Other than that, I felt that this was a well-crafted story with many ups and downs.
Overall, Dear Ava is a love story that is heartwrenching at times but is also full of hope. It’s so easy to get lost in these characters because they are so raw and realistic. This isn’t an easy story by any means, but it is one that is definitely worth reading. I can’t wait to read more from this author!
Ava Harris has just returned to Camden Prep after being gone for 10 months after being raped at a bonfire and not knowing who was responsible but now being subject to the hatred of most of the school population.
Yet when she receives an anonymous letter from a “Shark”, one of the mos popular boys in the school she must figure out which of them may actually care for her or if it is all part of a greater plan to get back at her for the past.
Will Ava be able to figure out who is truly on her side before she loses everything?
This was such an amazing book and I have been eagerly waiting for it since I read the novella inside of an anthology!
I loved Ava so much and I admired for her having the guts to come back and overcome everything that had been against her for so long! I admired her dedication to her brother and how she was willing to sacrifice everything to get him a better education. She was surprised with the first anonymous note she received and was super worried as it could have been a trick but gradually she discovered her secret admirer was the real deal.
There were a few characters initially that you thought it could be but soon enough the reader hopes they are right with their guess of who it actually is. The author does an incredible job of really showing the “stress” of high school with following the “bro code” and also trying to balance family with a girlfriend.
I loved the Secret Admirer and how he slowly found a way to prove to Ava that he was genuine and how much he cared. He definitely went above and beyond and my heart was cheering for him again and again.
I truly respected the author for how she dealt with the rape incident. Ava did everything that she needed to do but there were so many obstacles and I can only imagine how something like that happens in school today but people are so afraid to talk about it for fear of being victimized. The author did an amazing job and really showed the importance of telling the truth and speaking up so it doesn’t keep happening.
The author also does an amazing job with approaching mental illness with what happened in the past with Dane’s mom and what he himself was going through. I loved how Knox knew he needed to be there for him but their dad was away so much that he was really missing that Dane was falling apart.
I was proud of Chance for turning around in this book and owning his past mistakes and growing from them.
Knox was amazing and was a huge part of my heart in this book yet my heart also broke for him and everything he had been through in the past and how much guilt he felt over his own actions at the bonfire!
The end made my heart do fireworks and I can’t wait for another book by his author!!
Angst alert, but soooo worth it. Just to warn everyone, this does have some very serious triggers around drinking and rape. That being said, the story is so well told that the romance that blooms from the aftermath does not feel forced or upsetting. Ava and Knox sent me on a journey of all my feelings and I could not love this story more. Ilsa Madden-Mills is a master story teller and this is one of my all time favorites period. I love all of her books but this one breaks the old and tells a very special story of love, strength, and courage.
The moment he first saw her Knox knew she was special, far too good for a man like him… but that didn’t stop him from wanting her. Everyday she would come to school, distract him with her beauty, and tempt him more than anyone every had. But she chose his best friend, and that stung more than a little, so he tried to let her go. But as much as he tried he just couldn’t shed his feelings for her.
Then one night she was hurt, someone took something from her she’d never get back, and it broke her. And he swore that he would protect her from that day forward, and find the person who destroyed his beautiful angel, without ever letting her know. He’d be her secret savior…
Dear Ava is a heartbreaking story of resilience, healing, survival, and finding love where you least expect it. From the very first page this one had my heart in my throat, and my emotions all over the place. Knox was a tough character to embrace, known around campus as being a rich and arrogant bully, he initially rubbed me the wrong way. But as the layers began to be peeled back, I began to see a different young man, one that stole my heart. He was in desperate need of healing, understanding and love, and Ava gave him that. My heart broke for Ava and all she had endured throughout her young life, but her resilience inspired me too. Their union wan’t an insta-love kind of thing, there was a lot of push and pull between them, which had anticipation at an all time high, but necessary for the sake of the story. I loved watching these two fall for one another, and heal one another, it was such a beautiful and therapeutic thing to witness.This is by far one of my favorite reads so far this year, from beginning to end the words kept me completely captivated and swimming in feels, it was amazing!!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am voluntarily leaving my honest and unbiased opinion.
Dear Ava… Wow! This was such an extraordinary read… From the very real and truly heartbreaking circumstances that is Ava’s new reality; dealing with her sexual assault, to seeing the aftermath of those events and how everyone at Camden Prep is/ was/ isn’t handling that fateful night and a mysterious letter delivered in a locker… I was hooked from page one.
This story begins on the worst night of Ava’s life and then fast forwards 10 months to her return to Camden Prep. Ava is back and ready to prove to everyone that she isn’t broken. Her feisty attitude, her take no prisoners mind set and her unwillingness to back down; you’ll be rooting for her for sure. But what she wasn’t expecting was that unexpected draw to the school’s “King” Knox to still be there. These two were like magnets… an undeniable connection that they both tried to avoid at all cost. ALL THE FEELS! So much angst, darkness, broken memories, family drama and an ending that I did not see coming but it was everything I wanted it to be and then some!
This was such an honest and real read; your heart will break and then be put back together in the best possible way and honestly, I could not put this book down && I hope that you enjoy it as much as I did.
***ARC Provided in Exchange for an Honest Review/ Megan Scandalous Book Blog***
I was completely blown away by this book. It owned my heart and all my time, as I could not put it down. Knox and Ava were perfect together.
The book opens with harrowing circumstances where our heroine, Ava, wakes up in a field, not knowing how she got there, her clothes all over the places and a devastating realisation that she has been assaulted.
We then jump forward 10 months later and Ava is going back to school, the school who didn’t believe her attack and all the rich people who look down on her.
There were so many times I was sad for Ava. Her upbringing was terrible and she really didn’t have a great start in life. Her mother abandoned her when she was really young and she was raised by the ‘Sisters of Charity’. Although not the best circumstances, Ava is a heroine who is a fighter and wants to better herself. Walking through those doors 10 months later took major courage, knowing the backlash she would receive and I admired her strength.
While all this is going on, she is paired with Knox in class and slowly she starts to see who he really is, and not the star athlete, top boy around school that everyone knows. Knox has his own demons and scars and the coming together of this pair is perfect, I loved them so hard.
This book is a real journey of life and recovery for the MC’s and is very well written. It’s tense at times but it’s a story that will capture your heart and one I’ll be recommending to everyone! A MUST read.
ARC received for an honest review – thank you
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Overall Ratings;u2063
First Sex Scene – 65%
POV – Duel
Hero –
Heroine –
Story –
Angst –
Steam –
Chemistry –