Princess and the Player

Madden-Mills’s steamy and emotional second Strangers in Love romance (after Beauty and the Baller) begins when NFL player Tuck Avery and his teammates head to a masquerade ball at a high-end sex club for Tuck’s 35th birthday. There, Tuck, masquerading as a prince, bumps into Francesca Lane, dressed as a bride. Her outfit is no costume: it was supposed to be her wedding day until she found out her fiancé cheated on her. Francesca initially rebuffs Tuck—and Tuck’s friends, witnessing the rejection, make a bet that Tuck won’t be able to get Francesca to warm up to him. They lose the wager when Tuck scares off another of Francesca’s unwanted suitors, leaving her grateful—and attracted. The pair agree to a one-night stand with the caveat that their masks stay on to preserve anonymity. Soon thereafter, however, Francesca learns that Tuck lives in the penthouse of her apartment building, and Tuck is just as quick to recognize Francesca as his mystery woman. They dance around each other—until Francesca discovers she’s pregnant. Before these two can get their happy ending, however, they’ll need to work through mountains of emotional baggage. The couple has chemistry to spare and Madden-Mills packs in the feels. Returning readers will be pleased. (Nov.)