Pearl's World of Romance - Reviews with a Passion: Chicago Stars Series

Showing posts with label Chicago Stars Series. Show all posts

June 29, 2007

Heaven, Texas - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

5:35 PM |

Come heck or high water, Gracie Snow is determined to track down the legendary ex-jock Bobby Tom Denton and drag him back home to Heaven, Texas, to begin shooting his first motion picture. But taming an egotistical cowboy in a '57 T-Bird might be more than this prim Ohio wallflower can handle. Despite his dazzling good looks and killer charm, Bobby Tom has reservations about being movie star--and no plans to cooperate with the bossy little virgins whom he can't get off his mind or out of his life. Instead, the hellraising playboy decides to make her over from plain Janet to Texas wildcat.
But nothing's more dangerous than a wildcat with an angel's heart in a town too small for a bad boy to hide. And all hell breaks loose when two unforgettable people discover love, laughter, passion--and a match that can be made only in Heaven.

This is the second book in the Chicago Stars series and I must say I loved it. Like the first (It Had to be You) it’s funny, touching and hot!
It grabs you right from the start and doesn’t let go until the last page..

Bobby does his best to come across as a womanizing charming playboy but underneath his boyish charm is a sensitive and vulnerable man who needs a woman who can see through his outward facade and love him despite for who he is and not what he is.
Gracie is this woman. Bossy, determined, and a real sweetheart always putting other people’s interests first. She may be a homely virgin but she’s s a tough cookie to dodge. And also the only woman who sees the real Bobby Tom.
The chemistry between Bobby Tom and Gracie is defenitely there but because of them being so different they keep fighting it. Their dialogues are outright funny, I had many laugh-out-loud moments reading this book.

It was a great story with funny characters, humorous dialogue and some sexy love-scenes that were real hot without them even going all the way.
Secondary to the romance between Gracie and Bobby Tom there’s also a storyline of the romance between Bobby Tom’s mother and the town’s bad boy who had been in love with her since highschool. Where normally a secondary romance tends to distract you from the main story, it didn’t in this book. It blended into it perfectly and seamlessly and I loved reading it and now I’m looking forward for the next Chicago Stars book!

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Labels: Chicago Stars Series, Contemporary Romance, good reads, HarperCollins Publishers, reviews, Susan Elizabeth Phillips | 0 comments |

May 7, 2007

It Had To Be You - Susan Elizabeth Phillips

8:16 PM |

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I read this book in March 2007

The windy city isn't quite ready for Phoebe Somerville-the trendy, outrageous and curvaceous New York knockout who has just inherited the Chicago Stars football team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars' head coach Dan Celbow - an Alabama-born former gridiron legend and blond barbarian.

Calebow is everything Phoebe abhors - a sexist, jock tacskmaster with a one-track mind. The beautiful new boss is everything Dan despises - a meddling bimbo whos doesn't know pigskin from a pitcher's mound, So why is he drawn to the shameless sexpot like a heat-seeking missile? And why does Dan's good ol'boy charm leave cosmpolitan Pheobe feeling awkward, tongue-tied and frightened to death?

This is one of the few contempary romance I’ve read ever since starting reading in English and I must say I liked it as much as an old school Regency or a good paranormal/vampire.

It’s sassy, its funny and Dan and Phoebe cause so much sensual tension, the book is really on fire!
Both of them have a similar past that prevents them from trusting each other but the attraction is so palpable you know from the beginning there’s no escaping it.

Phoebe had a bully for a father and was assaulted when she was young by her cousin. She runs away and returns for her fathers funeral after a more than a decade. It turns out he has left her his footballteam just to prove that she can’t do anything right. She takes the challenge.
Dan deep down is just a nice guy with a bit of a temper who just wants to settle down with a good woman and have some kids. Everything he didn’t have in his childhood with his alcoholic mother and abusive father. He didn’t find it with his ex-wife either who just wanted to play wicked sexgames.
And now he has to deal with a new owner of the team whom he thinks is just a brainless bimbo who’s only going to screw everything back.
Phoebe is just as unhappy cause to her Dan’s a brainless selfish, cranky jock.
But they’re both very wrong and immediately attracted to each other.

After some misunderstandings and difficulties they discover they love each other and of course everything turns out all fine and dandy. Just like a nice romance should end.

Ms Phillips has a great writing style. The story, even with all the background tidbits and football-terminology, is fast-paced and a delicious read. I laughed out loud several times, but also needed some airconditioning with some of the love-scenes! I just love men who know what they want and aren’t afraid to take it!
Every interaction between Dan and Phoebe not only has a nice sensual undertone but is also a battle of wits. You feel the attraction but also their insecurities and fears. And you just know they belong together.
But not only Dan and Phoebe are fun to read. The secondary characters like Ron (managing-director of the team), Bobby Tom (player) and Phoebe’s poodle Pooh just steals the show from the first scene…laugh-out-loud funny!

I never was a fan for football but this first book in the Chicago Stars-series was certainly a touch-down and has left me wanting to read the rest of the series!

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