Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Natural Born Charmer

Publisher: Avon

ISBN-13: 978-0061233050

My rating: 3/5

Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard is the luckiest man in the world: a bona-fide sports superstar and the pride of the NFL with a profitable side career as a buff billboard model for End Zone underwear. But life in the glory lane has started to pale, and Dean has set off on a cross-country trip to figure out what's gone wrong. When he hits a lonely stretch of Colorado highway, he spies something that will shake up his gilded life in ways he can't imagine. A young woman . . . dressed in a beaver suit.
Blue Bailey is on a mission to murder her ex. Or at least inflict serious damage. As for the beaver suit she's wearing . . . Is it her fault that life keeps throwing her curveballs? Witness the expensive black sports car pulling up next to her on the highway and the Greek god stepping out of it.
Natural Born Charmer is for everyone who's ever thought about leaving their old life in the dust and never looking back.

Chicago Stars Book #7 (www.susanephillips.com)


My thoughts

Okay - those who read my "reviews" know I like SEP books! They're funny, witty, full of romance and make my day. I found the exception to the rule :-(

The story is simple: Blue gets picked up by Dean (one of the Chicago Stars) who's on a cross country trip to figure out what's missing in his life. So far so good! He gives Blue a lift and they somehow end up together on his new farm.

The usual SEP-recipe in her books doesn't work this time - we add Dean's mother, his father and his half sister -  oh yes, not to forget, Nita, the owner of the town nearby the farm. That should work, shouldn't it?

First of all, I couldn't warm to Blue. For me she was a pain in the butt with all her whinging and attitudes .... only to end up in Dean's bed, so she, for once in her life, could have something "good". Dean was ... not a charmer, but something else and his character not well developed, witty or even "sensitive" as all the other Chicago Stars. And the ending was confusing and irritating.

I loved April - she had style, attitude, character and was well developed. And again, not to forget Nita ... she gave the story the oompf it needed!


Bottom line ... if you've read all the other Chicago Stars Books, you should read this one, yet don't expect too much. If you haven't .... don't start with this one!

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Match me if you can

Publisher: Avon

ISBN-13: 978-0060794361

My rating: 4/5

You met star quarterback Kevin Tucker in This Heart of Mine. Now get ready to meet his shark of an agent, Heath Champion, and Annabelle Granger, the girl least likely to succeed. But that's going to change now that Annabelle’s taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking business. Why does the wealthy, driven, and gorgeous sports agent Heath Champion need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? When the determined Matchmaker promised she'd do anything to keep her star client happy . . . did she mean anything? If Annabelle isn't careful, she just might find herself going heart-to-heart with the toughest negotiator in town.

Chicago Stars Book #6 (www.susanephillips.com)

My thoughts

Being still on sick leave I wanted to read something familiar and something I knew I would like. And SEP delivered!!!

 This book is a feast for Chicago Stars fans! Not only do we get served the wonderful story between Annabelle and Heath, but we can also reacquaint ourselves with friends like Molly and Kevin, Phoebe and Dan as well as the Tucker campground.

In short, the plot is Annabelle Granger inherited a matchmaking business from her grandmother and with the help of her friend Molly she lands a deal with Heath Champion (Kevin Tucker’s agent) as one of her clients. But, she not only has to cope with his demands, but also with Portia Powers owner of the matchmaking competition.

A special treat is the subplot – Portia’s romance with Bodie, Heath’s bodyguard. I LOVED IT!

 So in true SEP style, it’s a great book. The dialogue is witty, funny and “just right”. The characters are loveable and all we are used to in Susan’s stories. I loved the chapters at the campground with most of the characters from previous books – Phoebe Somerville and husband Dan (“It Had to Be You”) and Molly Somerville and husband Kevin Tucker ("This Heart of Mine") ... plus quite a few little kids.

Phoebe is great and I loved every scene she was in. She’s a real character nowadays and IMO deserves another book!

Molly’s little one is a hoot and I loved every single line she and Heath were in it.

A great story and it made my days "in bed" enjoyable!