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Ilsa Madden-Mills
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Boyfriend Bargain: A Fake Relationship Hockey Romance (Hawthorne University Book 1) Kindle Edition

by Ilsa Madden-Mills (Author) Format: Kindle Edition
4.4 out of 5 stars 9,290 ratings

Will this hockey star score his forever girl, or will this boyfriend bargain end in heartbreak?


Wall Street Journal bestselling author Ilsa Madden-Mills returns with an all-new emotional swoon-fest of a novel about what happens when you throw caution to the wind and take a chance on love.

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 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. She needs him to get into law school and for some crazy reason he agrees to be her fake boyfriend. The only rule: 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.

“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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  1. Book 1 of 2
    Hawthorne University
  2. Print length
    356 pages
  3. Language
    English
  4. Publication date
    May 2, 2019
  5. File size
    687 KB
  6. Page Flip
    Enabled
  7. Word Wise
    Enabled
  8. Enhanced typesetting
    Enabled
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  1. I wake up the next day and my first thought is I need ten cups of coffee and a whole lot of Jesus.
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  3. “But the thing is, you love me. You can’t breathe without me. You want me just as much as I want you.”
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From the Publisher

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Editorial Reviews

Review

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Ilsa Madden-Mills has once again KILLED me with her writing. Boyfriend Bargain is the PERFECT new adult college sports romance." Mells View

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
"Run to your nearest Amazon for your own Zack - this one is MINE!" BJ's Books Blog

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Stories like this are what continually keep me seeking out this author." Keri Loves Books

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This book was a glorious sports-new adult read." Kay Daniels Romance

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Ilsa Madden-Mills has the magic touch! Her books are sexy, filled to the brim with banter to die for and characters you can't get enough of." Bookgasms Book Blog

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Z and Sugar are so damn explosive! I was blown away by their pull and I'll never recover....shoot I don't want too!" Words We Love By Blog

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Ilsa Madden-Mills' books are always a great one click for me, and this is another hit, another must read." A Book Lover's Emporium Book Blog

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "This is one of the best books I've read this year." Cat's Guilty Pleasure

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Boyfriend Bargain by Ilsa Madden-Mills proves again why she's one of my few one-click authors, no questions asked." KRDBCK

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "It's a definite must read and in the running for my "Best Reads of 2019!" Bibliophile Chloe

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "The book sucked me in from the first page and the suspense about when the other shoe would drop had me reading the entire thing in one sitting." Brittany from Can't Quit Books

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "Someone get me a fan cause lord have mercy these two." Cranky, The Book Curmudgeon

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "There are many sports romance out there but only a few that I've read had me on the edge with so many feelings." LianaReads Blog

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I loved this book! I was rooting for them the whole time especially when things got angsty. I have read several Ilsa Madden-Mills books, and this one is my favorite so far! I loved this fun, sexy, romantic new adult book with a little bit of hockey and I highly recommend it!" Stacy (Romance Reading Diva)

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ "I am a bit of a sucker for sport romance, but more than that, I love when i can really feel the characters and get so invested in them, that they just feel real for me, that doesn't always happen." Eileen Robinson

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ B07RD87KBK
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ IMM Publishing (May 2, 2019)
  • Publication date ‏ : ‎ May 2, 2019
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • File size ‏ : ‎ 687 KB
  • Text-to-Speech ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Screen Reader ‏ : ‎ Supported
  • Enhanced typesetting ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • X-Ray ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Word Wise ‏ : ‎ Enabled
  • Print length ‏ : ‎ 356 pages
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.4 out of 5 stars 9,290 ratings

About the author

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Ilsa Madden-Mills

Ilsa Madden-Mills

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#1 Amazon Charts, Wall Street Journal, New York Times, and USA Today best-selling author Ilsa Madden-Mills pens angsty new adult and contemporary romances.

A former high school English teacher and librarian, she adores all things Pride and Prejudice, and of course, Mr. Darcy is her ultimate hero.

She's addicted to frothy coffee beverages, cheesy magnets, and any book featuring unicorns and sword-wielding females. Feel free to stalk her online. ☺

★ Sign up for her newsletter and receive insider info about new releases and exclusive giveaways

★ You can stalk her/sign up on the contact page: ilsamaddenmills.com

★ Facebook: Author Ilsa Madden-Mills

★ Join her private reader group on FB: Unicorn Girls

★ Instagram @Ilsamaddenmills

Customer reviews

4.4 out of 5 stars
9,290 global ratings

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Customers say

Customers love Sugar and Z's story, describing it as a 5-star romance with amazing chemistry and steamy scenes. The book features well-developed characters with steamy chemistry, and customers appreciate its emotional depth, with one review noting how it pulls readers in with high emotion. Customers find the book witty and full of giggles, with one review highlighting the amazing banter between the characters.

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Story qualityEmotion levelCharacter developmentSexinessHeat levelHumorSweetnessChemistry
159 customers mention "Story quality"136 positive23 negative

Customers love the story of Zack and Sugar, describing it as a 5-star narrative that they couldn't stop reading.

"...Not my normal age group I read but this was fascinating and not so childless as some books are in this age group. Enjoy!!!" Read more

"...Some were explained well and held complexity. But others I died to know more about. To realize how deep some scars really went...." Read more

"...have so much personal depth that’s explored and growth that happens throughout the story. The banter is amazing. The naughty bits are INTENSELY HOT...." Read more

"...It sucked me in from the first words until the very end!!! The plot was so detailed and interesting, the characters were intriguing and captivating,..." Read more

80 customers mention "Emotion level"75 positive5 negative

Customers appreciate the emotional depth of the book, noting its heartfelt moments and believable connections between characters, with one customer mentioning it leaves their heart bursting.

"...They get there slowly and passionately...." Read more

"...Watching them grow and learn to trust each other was beautiful...." Read more

"...The heat in this one is CALIENTE. They have an intense attraction and just can not seem to stay away from one another...." Read more

"...Full of heartache and despair, but sweetly hopeful and crazy sexy, BB was a book I couldn't put down...." Read more

76 customers mention "Character development"74 positive2 negative

Customers love the characters in the book, particularly noting their steamy chemistry and entertaining individual plots.

"...It held great side characters who I can't wait to read about. The love story between Zack and Sugar was one that I truly enjoyed...." Read more

"...The love story and the individual character plots are entertaining, and the cast of side characters insured that there was never a dull moment...." Read more

"...The secondary characters were wonderful. Some you liked and some you wanted to hurt but they were all important to Sugar and Z's journey...." Read more

"...He was such a wonderful supporting character. FAVORITE QUOTES..." Read more

47 customers mention "Sexiness"47 positive0 negative

Customers find the book sweet and sexy, with plenty of steamy scenes and romantic moments.

"...He wasn't the jock everyone thought him to be. But still, he was handsome, hardworking and held a very healthy appetite for the dirty...." Read more

"...Her ability to make them swoony and sexy, but also have a slightly dark and mysterious edge gets me every time. Z was no different...." Read more

"...Full of heartache and despair, but sweetly hopeful and crazy sexy, BB was a book I couldn't put down...." Read more

"...It is affecting every part of his life and especially his game. Sugar is a beautiful, yet socially awkward girl trying desperately to get into..." Read more

34 customers mention "Heat level"34 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the steamy scenes in the book, describing them as deliciously hot with great chemistry between the characters.

"...Very hot and steamy things. The chemistry between the two sizzled my screen every single time...." Read more

"...two people who are so tense and wary of each other, but their heat is witty and hot...." Read more

"...I really liked this one! I read it in a day and a half. The heat in this one is CALIENTE...." Read more

"...Well....SHE WAS RIGHT!!! Mercy, he was deliciously hot and that dirty mouth did a whole lot more than turn Sugar on!..." Read more

32 customers mention "Humor"32 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the book's humor, finding it witty and full of giggles, with one customer specifically praising the amazing banter and well-written spicy scenes.

"...The banter is amazing. The naughty bits are INTENSELY HOT...." Read more

"...Sugar and Zach's story is a unique and fun fake romance story that had me laughing, and falling hard for both characters...." Read more

"Zach and Sugars story was just too good to put down. I loved the banter between them and the heat. These two were explosive together...." Read more

"...I liked the friends, and the spicy scenes were well written. The tension was palpable. I didn't like her being blamed in the end...." Read more

31 customers mention "Sweetness"31 positive0 negative

Customers love the sweetness of the book, describing it as sweet as sugar with a perfect amount of spice, and particularly adoring the characters Sugar and Z.

"...I loved the back and forth between Zach and Sugar, and the push and pull between them...." Read more

"...Each one that she delivers has just the right amount of sweet & spice to keep me entertained throughout the entire book...." Read more

"I loved the connection between Z and Sugar...." Read more

"I love Sports Romances and this book had the perfect amount of spice and pretty much every trope you can think of in one book!..." Read more

23 customers mention "Chemistry"23 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the chemistry in the book, describing it as amazing and hot between the characters, with one customer noting it was off the charts.

"...I loved seeing their instant chemistry but watching Sugar fight it and Zack trying to wear her down...." Read more

"...Their chemistry was off the charts HOT!! This couple really brought the steam to this story and I was totally there for it...." Read more

"...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..." Read more

"...Of course, it doesn't happen as planned. They have undeniable chemistry and Sugar learns that Z is a really great guy...." Read more

A real sexy sports romance in a college town..
4 out of 5 stars
A real sexy sports romance in a college town..
Boyfriend Bargain by @ilsamaddenmills follows Zack and Sugar. Sugar goes to a party one night in search of the college hockey superstar to strike up a bargain with him. Before she ever gets to propose her idea, the two meet on the dance floor and engage in a passionate bathroom hookup. Afterwards, Zack can’t stop thinking about her and she has an eerie familiarity to someone in his past.After their one night the two strike a deal. Sugar needs Zack to help convince the Vandy board to let her into law school (they’re huge hockey fans) and Zack needs Sugar as a pretend girlfriend to ward off the groupies so he can focus on his final hockey season. Everything should be fine for them to go on pretending but neither of them can forget that one night together. As much as Sugar pushes back, the chemistry is magnetic and Zack is determined to make Sugar his for real. But Sugar isn’t sure if she can fully surrender to him and Zack is hiding a few secrets of his own..I really liked this one! I read it in a day and a half. The heat in this one is CALIENTE. They have an intense attraction and just can not seem to stay away from one another. Zack had some demons in his closet and it was interesting to see how those played out. I loved seeing their instant chemistry but watching Sugar fight it and Zack trying to wear her down. If you want a nice quick beach read that packs some tenderness and heat - this one is for you! And BONUS - the next one in the series comes out in October featuring one of the hockey friends! // ☕️☕️☕️☕️
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Top reviews from the United States

  • Kindle Customer
    5.0 out of 5 stars Super great romance
    Reviewed in the United States on March 7, 2025
    Verified Purchase
    This was such a wonderful romance. Perfect! Z and Sugar grew so much over their short time together. both insecure about different things in their lives. They realized working together helped them be stronger people to overcome their problems. I laughed and literally shed some tears in places. Such a well written novel. You wont be able to put it down. Not my normal age group I read but this was fascinating and not so childless as some books are in this age group. Enjoy!!!
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  • Booked up with Lizzy
    4.0 out of 5 stars I'll love to have my own Boyfriend Bargain with Zack Morgan!
    Reviewed in the United States on May 11, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Darling, sports romances make my heart beat even quicker. And a hockey romance makes me swoon.

    Boyfriend Bargain by Ilsa Madden-Mills was indeed swoon-worthy and definitely worthy of the four stars.

    Thank God, these kinds of books exist or my life would have been very dull without my daily fix of gorgeous men. Zack aka Z was for a few days my new obsession. An obsession I loved to suffer from.

    Boyfriend Bargain was entertaining and worth your time. The story was about more than a handsome hockey player and I'd like to share it with you.

    Boyfriend Bargain held two great characters who I fell in love with right away. We have Sugar Ryan, a pre-law student that dreams of nothing more than attend the school her family went to. Sugar was sweet but spicy and the same time. Smart and comfortable with her own body. A woman that deserves nothing more than be loved wholeheartedly. But her heart has been broken before by her ex-boyfriend, Bennett and since then trust is a concept that she struggles with.

    "You have to live life fearlessly, Sugar. Recognize that things are scary and uncertain, but jump in anyway. If you don't, how will you ever know?"

    To reach her dreams Sugar comes up with a plan. And this plan consists of a fake boyfriend namely Zack Morgan. Star hockey player and in her eyes and chick magnet with a new flavor every month. It takes Sugar a while to ask Z to be her boyfriend and before that conversation comes into the book many things have already happened to the two. Very hot and steamy things.

    The chemistry between the two sizzled my screen every single time. The first time the two met an instant connection grew and eyes could only take in the other. I loved how much I felt it. I'm normally not a fan of getting it on right away, but in this book, I didn't mind it. It felt natural and those sex scenes were damn hot. I'll always remember that chapter in the garage because damn. The hot and steamy chapters definitely deserve five stars.

    When Sugar finally does ask Z to be her fake boyfriend he accepts right away because he too feels the electricity between them. Zack Morgan was a surprise to me. I kind of loved the way the author wrote a completely different character than all those other sports romances have. It was something new and a breath of fresh air. One I need once in a while.

    Z carries a lot of guilt and that guilt has side effects on his mental health. Anxiety rilles his body once in a while as well as nightmares. And I completely understand where they came from. He has darkness around him. A secret only a handful know. One that makes it hard for him to breathe.
    He wasn't the jock everyone thought him to be. But still, he was handsome, hardworking and held a very healthy appetite for the dirty. Zack Morgan couldn't keep his eyes from Sugar the first time he saw her. And I couldn't keep my eyes Zack.

    The two gravitated towards each other like two magnets. The moments they spend together were fun and lifted the corners of my mouth. I smiled a lot while reading this book. Of course, the lovers discover soon enough that their fake relationship is not that fake. But still both struggle with their own problems of trust and secrets. Which a book needs to be entertaining.

    "But the thing is, you love me. You can't breathe without me. You want me just as much as I want you."

    The book was mature because of the topics it talked about. It held great side characters who I can't wait to read about. The love story between Zack and Sugar was one that I truly enjoyed. It was sweet and sexy. Two people that fit like puzzle pieces, but take a while to figure out how exactly.

    The only thing that holds me back from giving it five stars is the depth of some topics. Some were explained well and held complexity. But others I died to know more about. To realize how deep some scars really went. The same goes for their relationship. I wanted more. Maybe, the book needed to be a bit longer to develop all the topics. And this really is the only thing that I missed in this book. The other aspects to make a great story were all ticked off right away.

    But after all, this book was a great read and one I enjoyed. I will check out Ilsa Madden-Mills for more of her works. She's talented I tell you that. I didn't know her before, but now I have even more authors to keep an eye on. More books to read is a fantastic feeling to experience. I know that a side character in this book gets his own story and I can't wait for that one.

    Boyfriend Bargain is a book you need to check out if you're into the sports romances. And come on Zack is enough to get you to read this book.
    5 people found this helpful
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  • mells_view
    5.0 out of 5 stars We’re in a bubble, the two of us, and everyone around us seems irrelevant.
    Reviewed in the United States on May 3, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    I can’t. Ilsa Madden-Mills has once again KILLED me with her writing. Boyfriend Bargain is the PERFECT new adult college sports romance. Ilsa writes Z and Sugar in a way that makes them truly feel like the only two people in the world. Are they perfect characters? No. But their flaws feel relatable and not tedious as sometimes can happen in new adult. Their romance starts off with sparks and fire, but it isn’t only that. The banter. I can’t with the banter. It’s two people who are so tense and wary of each other, but their heat is witty and hot. There’s this connection between them that they can’t resist and it truly is so intense. I swear the naughty bits in this book were so dang hot. They weren’t over the top or crazy, but they were so good. I could feel the passion between these two characters pouring from the pages. I could truly feel their need for each other.

    Sugar is relatable in so many ways, and a heroine you want to be friends with. I was equal parts rooting for her and screaming my advice at her. Like just let yourself love girl!! You deserve all the good things!!

    Z is the big man on campus who could care less about being the big man on campus. He’s outwardly that guy, but inside he’s deep. Honestly deep seems like a weak description, but it’s also the perfect one for him.

    So this is essentially a fake relationship read, and we know how those go. They don’t stay fake for long. Sugar is reluctant though, because of a cheating ex, and Z has secrets of his own. The point being is that these two don’t plan on things evolving past fake, but they do. They get there slowly and passionately. Each of these characters have so much personal depth that’s explored and growth that happens throughout the story. The banter is amazing. The naughty bits are INTENSELY HOT. The love story and the individual character plots are entertaining, and the cast of side characters insured that there was never a dull moment.

    It’s an up and down ride, but the character’s love and story is so worth the bumps. Highly recommend.
    88 people found this helpful
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Top reviews from other countries

  • Megan Mac
    5.0 out of 5 stars Boyfriend bargain
    Reviewed in Australia on August 30, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    I just devoured this book, I couldn’t put it down. I found it hard to get into at first but once I was hooked I couldn’t stop.
    I loved Sugar and Z. I loved the real life struggles and how they affected the characters. I loved Sugar and her personality, I couldn’t stop smiling. Her friends were fantastic and I really liked getting to know her roommate. Would love a story about her. And Reece and Eric too.
    I’d highly recommend this book as it’s heartwarming, full of love and emotion.
    Report
  • Samantha Lynn
    5.0 out of 5 stars So good!
    Reviewed in Canada on October 13, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    This was so good. It was a perfect balance of watching two characters deal with their mental health and their own issues while learning how to be a couple. The relationship between Zack and Sugar is incredibly intense and explosive which makes for some good characterization. The plot didn’t really fall at all. I do wish we would have some flashbacks to certain things like Sugar with her Mom and Zack with Willow, but this story was still really good.
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  • L beaver
    5.0 out of 5 stars Well written story
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on May 5, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    Zac and Sugar are at the same University and Sugar wants him to help her but she isnt quite sure that he will agree. He is the ice hockey star loved by all the girls and admired by his team except Zac finds himself frozen with anxiety not sure he can live up to the hype. Sugar manages to get close and Zac feels her presence agreeing to just about anything to be with her. Their chemistry is hot and the dialogue between the two is sharp and well written. There are problems along the way with Zac finding it hard to express how he feels about her, his nightmares and anxiety and he gets help. Its a good sports romance and the characters develop nicely.
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  • Ana
    5.0 out of 5 stars Loved, as always
    Reviewed in Spain on June 22, 2021
    Verified Purchase
    Both had difficult pasts, a bargain got them together and the book shows how they overcome the past. Good read, as always from Ilsa Madden-Mills.
    Report
  • InuYasha
    5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing
    Reviewed in Germany on July 12, 2022
    Verified Purchase
    What a book!! It was amazing. I love when authris give stories with passion and layers.
    Z is not just hockey star, he is dealing with demons and he is struggling to be on top of his game and studies. He has a horrible Family past and although he is considered a player, it turns out that these are just rumours and gossip.
    Sugar is perfect, strong and determined and definitely fighting her own demons.
    There is a fight or flight moment when she decides to leave. Should she have asked for explanations? They would probably not get it right.
    I didn't like that Z took so long to find her and yes it probably looked like he was waiting for the season to be over (convenient much?) But Ilsa gives so much depth in her characters that in the end you forgive them..
    Loved it.. let's see what Eric's story is about!!😜😜
    Report

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