TBR Challenge: SEP - Heroes Are My Weakness

He's a reclusive writer whose imagination creates chilling horror novels. She's a down-on-her-luck actress reduced to staging kids' puppet shows. He knows a dozen ways to kill his characters with his bare hands. She knows a dozen ways to kill an audience with laughs. But she's not laughing now.
Annie Hewitt has arrived on Peregrine Island in the middle of a snowstorm and at the end of her resources. She's broke, dispirited, but not quite ready to give up. Her red suitcases hold the puppets she uses to make her living: sensible Dilly, spunky Scamp, and Leo, the baddest of bad guys. Her puppets, the romantic novels she loves, and a little bit of courage are all she has left.
Annie couldn't be more ill prepared for what she finds when she reaches Moonraker Cottage or for the man who dwells in Harp House, the mysterious mansion that hovers above the cottage. When she was a teenager, he betrayed her in a way she can never forget or forgive. Now they're trapped together on a frozen island along with a lonely widow, a mute little girl, and townspeople who don't know how to mind their own business.
Is he the villain she remembers, or has he changed? Her head says no. Her heart says yes.

Comment: July in the TBR Challenge is dedicated to Favorite Trope. I must say I don't have one single type of trope I consider much better than any other but this is by author SEP, whose work I've come to enjoy and added to that this would feature a somewhat reluctant couple to admit their feelings (as usually happens in SEP's books) so I expected all sorts of situations that would look like catnip to my reading preferences. Thus, there I went!

In this stand alone story, we have Annie Hewitt as the heroine while, down on her luck, she goes back to Peregrine Island, a place she thought she would never need to return to. But after a huge amount of debt and some depressing thoughts, she decided to go there anyway, to try to discover some legacy left by her recently late mother.

What she didn't count on was to find Theo Harp, the boy she had a crush on while they were teenagers but who was also the author of seriously bad pranks, to the point of Annie fearing for her life. Now they are both back to the island and although Annie tries to stay away, something seems to be happening between them again and it's not just a return to teenage hormones...

Yes, this was all I expected from the author and it hit pretty much all the buttons I needed to be entertained and proven right about what I'd like to get from this author. Any fan or reader of the author would immediately recognize the usual trademarks, the somewhat in dire straits heroine who finds herself and love on the way to the end of the book and the reluctance to accept a situation but eventually it being too hard to ignore, for instance.

I know it can be a repetitive formula but it does work for me.

This is a romance but I liked it how the author compared the tone, which felt a little darker due to a certain mystery going on and some complicated situations the heroine seems to go through, with the fact the hero Theo is a horror writer who uses his work as a escapism tool to deal with his inner guilt and dilemmas. I suppose this is one of the reasons why this title seems to be one of the lowest rated by this author in sites like GR. But I still thought we had enough character development, we still have a good romance, filled with quirky scenes and situations we don't usually find in real life. Even the intimacy between the characters didn't run too far from the usual.

And, as I imagined, the HEA is cute and the epilogue even more so. Perhaps what's missing is the usual second romance, which was not included here and the focus is on Annie herself and in her relationship with Theo.

I liked seeing them together. I especially liked how the romance developed slowly but in a consistent way with the way both thought about the other at first and I think the pace was believable too. It was also good to see how their reluctance to fall in love or to acknowledge their feelings was just an attempt to protect themselves. They seemed to balance each other well in the end and that counted a lot for me. It's comforting to know what you want to see will happen, despite surprises here and there.

I guess the plot had some flaws, some things that weren't as well done but to be honest, I was focusing on the main couple and could out that aside. Although Annie's work with her puppets felt rather silly and - yes, I admit, rather disturbing in a weird horror movie potential way -  I still think it was quite imaginative. Some psychological issues addressed also felt a bit simplified and I'd have preferred different situations to have been included to discuss them.

The end of the book has some silly scenes playing out. But..this also happened in all the author's books and many readers loved those. Taste is always relative, even with steady, reliable authors like SEP.

For me, this book worked out. I still think about the epilogue and how fun it is to imagine those characters' lives. I always seem to be well entertained by her stories so, for me, this was another successful book, despite the flaws.

I think I'll keep on being a fan of the author and considering her work to be included in favorite tropes or scenarios.

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - First Star I See Tonight

A star quarterback and a feisty detective play for keeps in this sporty, sexy, sassy novel—a long-awaited new entry in the beloved, award-winning, New York Times bestselling author’s fan-favorite Chicago Stars football series.Piper Dove is a woman with a dream—to become the best detective in the city of Chicago. First job? Trail former Chicago Stars quarterback, Cooper Graham. Problem? Graham’s spotted her, and he’s not happy.
Which is why a good detective needs to think on her feet. “The fact is . . . I’m your stalker. Not full-out barmy. Just . . . mildly unhinged.”
Piper soon finds herself working for Graham himself, although not as the bodyguard he refuses to admit he so desperately needs. Instead, he’s hired her to keep an eye on the employees at his exclusive new nightclub. But Coop’s life might be in danger, and Piper’s determined to protect him, whether he wants it or not. (Hint: Not!) If only she weren’t also dealing with a bevy of Middle Eastern princesses, a Pakistani servant girl yearning for freedom, a teenager who just wants of fit in, and an elderly neighbor demanding Piper find her very dead husband.
And then there’s Cooper Graham himself, a legendary sports hero who always gets what he wants—even if what he wants is a feisty detective hell bent on proving she’s as tough as he is.

Comment: This is most recent installment in the Chicago Stars series by author Susan Elizabeth Phillips, years after the last book had been published. Since I've recently read the books by the author in this and another series she wrote, I still feel relatively familiarized with her style and narrative so I was eager to have one more story set in the world I came to enjoy a lot while reading the series.

In this book we meet Piper Dove, a very determined and confident woman who wants to be successful at her brand new detective agency, something she inherited from her father but recently organized her own way. The problem is that her first case investigating former athlete Cooper Graham, a man everyone knows in Chicago due to his years playing in the Chicago Stars football team, goes wrong because he soon realizes what she's doing and she's uncovered.

Cooper just wants to make his night club Spiral a hit so more could follow. Yes, the night club scene can get a bit boring but he's in it to make it a personal success even if he also tries to get his hands in another deal. Piper is annoying at first but the more time they spend together, the crazy things get and even his feelings start being out of his control...

I know this is not the best novel ever written but to be honest, it was amazing for me for two very basic reasons: even among all the crazy and unrealistic situations, I had a fun time reading and immersing myself in the characters' adventures and I like the author's writing style.

The author's books can be filled with crazy situations, an almost feel her characters are larger than life, they are described as ordinary in their feelings, emotions and reactions but the reality is we can struggle to imagine them as common people in the street. This can be difficult for the reader to relate to the characters but the story is so well thought and imaginative and structured that, in my personal opinion, I can put all that aside and simply enjoy a simple novel which happens to include crazy scenes.

Perhaps what makes it work here and not in other series is that this author does know how to do it well.

I liked Piper a lot. She is very different from me in terms of personality and obviously it's always easier to connect if we have common trait with the characters but here I could see Piper's vulnerability so although she is so different, I was rooting for her and I wanted her to be as special as she seemed to be.

Coop was great too, he's a good hero, not over the top in any aspect and despite being a great person, a great hero, a great man, he doesn't use his advantages to be superior so i liked his character too.

The romance was very cute, I really liked the HEA and how sweet it is. I've finished the book on Monday I'm still thinking about the epilogue, super sweet but not in a silly way.

The type of plot isn't complicated, this is a contemporary romance without all those tricks to make it more intense or dramatic. I liked how we got layers to go through so we could get to message, especially when it comes to Coop's dreams, Piper's need to be her own person, to prove herself...things they can certainly talk about so we know but in some scenes we can learn more than just seeing their dialogue. I also liked how the secondary characters were well inserted into the plot, never in an over the top manner (except for when it's an obvious tactic for some reason) and although we have several different characters and many have a voice they don't take over, they don't get the spotlight from Piper and Cooper. I really liked how "populated" the story was but never overcrowded.

All in all, I loved it, I will re-read my favorite scenes many times for sure and I just wanted to say that it might not be the best thing ever but it truly worked out for me now and  just the smile I know I have because of it is enough to have made it a successful story for me.

Grade: 9/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - The Great Escape

Lucy Jorik is a champ at never embarrassing the family she adores—not surprising since her mother is one of the most famous women in the world. But now Lucy has done just that. And on her wedding day, no less, to the most perfect man she's ever known.
Instead of saying "I do" to Mr. Irresistible, Lucy flees the church in an ill-fitting blue choir robe and hitches a ride on the back of a beat-up motorcycle plastered with offensive bumper stickers. She's flying into the unknown with a rough-looking, bad-tempered stranger who couldn't be more foreign to her privileged existence.
While the world searches for her, Lucy must search for herself, and she quickly realizes that her customary good manners are no defense against a man who's raised rudeness to an art form. Lucy needs to toughen up—and fast.
Her great escape takes her to his rambling beach house on a Great Lakes island. Here, she hopes to find a new direction . . . and unlock the secrets of this man who knows so much about her but reveals nothing about himself. As the hot summer days unfold amid scented breezes and sudden storms, she'll also encounter a beautiful, troubled beekeeper; a frightened young boy; a modern-day evil queen; and a passion that could change her life forever.

Comment: This is the last installment in the Wynette, Texas series by author Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

I think I've previously said enough about the writing, the style and the whys of enjoying the books by the author. I won't take too long with this comment when most things were said in my comments on the other books.

In this final story, the book starts with Lucy running away and the action pace goes along the same time as Call Me Irresistible did, meaning we get parallel situations here but obviously from Lucy's perspective.

Lucy Jorik is running from the perfect man because deep in her heart she knows their relationship isn't as perfect. She escapes her own wedding, she leaves a mess and the idea she's disappointing the people she loves the most.

Helping her is Panda, a man who gives her a ride and presents himself as Ted's friend. She barely pays attention, because her head is getting numb. She stays with him for a while until she decides what she want to do and who she really is besides crazy, after all. But time and space make Lucy understand some things and not even an almost betrayal makes her go home in shame.

When Lucy makes a surprising decision, in come more friends more challenges and maybe, if she acts as smart as she is, love as well. But will Lucy find what she is missing?

As always, the author has written a great story, well structured, a good fluid narrative about two people who apparently have nothing in common but end up being perfect to each other. It was great too see another emotional journey with characters we like and enjoy spending time with. I think this is one of the author's best qualities, how to make us care and be interested in the characters and what they do and why they are in the situations we are reading about.

Sure, not everything is very realistic or easy to solve as it appears in books, but I like this idea the characters need to get to something, even if only a goal of normalcy or happiness and we go along for the ride.

The main couple of this novel as quite good. Both Lucy and Panda had qualities, little irritating things too, but overall I liked them and the path they took towards happiness. I can understand why this book could have looked weaker than some others but I think it's author's trademark and it was well presented. I liked all the secondary characters as well, I liked the lessons we are expected to get while the action develops and I eve liked the HEA.

Sure, not everything is wonderful and I'd change certain scenes or situations, but overall I had as much fun and entertainment with this novel as I did with all the others. The main couple captivated me and I was interested in learning things about them. How amazing it would be if everyone could have epiphanies or could find what they look for in life like these fictional characters do...

This might not be perfect, but it works for me.

I'm sorry the series has ended but I'm certainly a fan now and will read more by the author as soon as I can or as soon as she publishes more.

I'm also glad the stories by her are well thought and recognizable, always making me feel happy I have something by her to read.

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Call Me Irresistible

The funniest love story of the year, Call Me Irresistible is the book Susan Elizabeth Phillips fans have been craving. The beloved New York Times bestselling author returns with a delightfully sassy, sexy, and downright irresistible tale of true love Texas style.
Ted Beaudine, one of Phillips’s most charming characters (the adolescent heartbreaker from her hilarious debut, Fancy Pants, and the new college graduate from Lady Be Good) is now all grown up and in a heap of romantic trouble all his own—in a perfectly marvelous contemporary romance that fans of Emily Giffin, Kristen Hannah, and Elin Hilderbrand will simply adore.

Comment: This is the 6th installment in the Wynette, Texas series by author Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I've been catching up with this author's work and I have to say I'm always please with her books, even the ones I liked less were still well structured and presented.

This book finally tells us the story of Teddy Beaudine, the child we got to fall in love in book#1 and who has appeared in other books too. Teddy is now well liked by everyone in Wynette and the whole town defends and cares about him.

Teddy is about to marry Lucy Jorik, another character we've met in previous books but she runs away on the wedding day. Being left behind is Meg Koranda, another child of famous people and Lucy's best friend. Everyone blames flighty Meg for steady Lucy's sudden change in behavior but Meg is not at fault. Caught at a very bad moment in her life, Meg stays in Wynette, a place where no one seems to like her, until her situation changes but in the meantime, can she really fight her attraction to Teddy? And can the town that hates her benefit from her help?

Once again, I was very impressed with a story by this author. The writing style is very appealing, the plot catching and one can't help but feel good reading and this was a book I devoured in one day because I couldn't put it down.

The story is very appealing, like I said, and Teddy and Meg make a good couple. The best thing is that their relationship isn't insta-love and insta-sex, there is some development to them as individuals and then as a couple and because it takes time before they get intimate, everything seems more believable and true. I applaud the author's efforts to crate sexual tension and situations where we the characters interact and be adversaries and then slowly convincing themselves they are in love.

Despite this, obviously the book it's not perfection and certain scenes seemed too unlikely or didn't match the type of things in development... I especially can't help noticing that when characters do accept the attraction between them is inevitable, it almost feels like it's the only way for things to progress but obviously not everyone feels the same. Only characters in these books always act like that.

Meg, as the heroine, has most of the scenes concerning her or related to her. As always, the author's trademark of having her heroine down on her luck and without any convincing or quick means to support herself independently happens here too. But of course part of the interest is seeing how the heroine gains respect of others, starts to like herself and being happy in her skin and competences. It's also great to see others starting to warm up to her and the HEA feels even better because of that. Meg is a perfect example of all this.

Teddy, the hero, is quieter and has more depth than it looks like at first. Because of this, I think he feels more distant as a character than other heroes in the past, but I guess his charm is always there. I liked seeing him as grown up.

The best thing, however, is the amazing character relationships we see throughout the book. It's great to see such a cast interact and all the beloved characters be an important - but not central - part of the story. The community sense we get out of this is great and that happens not only because it's a place we would like to know in real life but also because it makes us feel good when people naturally care for one another and defend them against enemies or people who might hurt/harm them somehow.

The family connections was also something interesting in this novel, namely the relationships each main character had with their parents. That gave quite the idea of how both Meg and Teddy behaved but it wasn't as depicted as I imagined. I know it wasn't supposed to be the focus but still.

I liked the book and how it made me feel, how captivating it was and that it made me want to read more and more...

All in all, this is a great book, I had fun reading and now only one is missing for the series to be complete.

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - What I Did for Love

How did this happen? Georgie York, once the costar of America's favorite television sitcom, has been publicly abandoned by her famous husband, her film career has tanked, her father is driving her crazy, and her public image as a spunky heroine is taking a serious beating.
What should a down-on-her-luck actress do? Not go to Vegas . . . not run into her detestable former costar, dreamboat-from-hell Bramwell Shepard . . . and not get caught up in an ugly incident that leads to a calamitous elopement. Before she knows it, Georgie has a fake marriage, a fake husband, and maybe (or not) a fake sex life.
It's a paparazzi free-for-all, and Georgie's nonsupporting cast doesn't help. There's Bram's punk-nightmare housekeeper, Georgie's own pushy parent, a suck-up agent, an icy studio head with a private agenda, and her ex-husband's new wife, who can't get enough of doing good deeds and saving the world--the bitch. As for Georgie's leading man, Bram's giving the performance of his life, but he's never cared about anyone except himself, and it's not exactly clear why.
Two enemies find themselves working without a script in a town where the spotlight shines bright . . . and where the strongest emotions can wear startling disguises. 

Comment: This is the fifth installment in the Wynette, Texas series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I've been trying to go through her backlist and so far it has been a good experience.

This is the story of Georgie York and Bram Shepard. They are both actors and used to co-star in a sitcom 8 years ago but the show was cancelled because of Bram's erratic behavior. Georgie and Bram never really liked each other but now they meet again at a very bad moment for Georgie, because her famous ex has just announced his new girlfriend's pregnancy when he and Georgie never got to be parents.

Georgie thinks she needs something to make the public not feel pity for her anymore and somehow she finds Bram again at a party in Vegas and they end up married. Now Georgie has to manage her public, private and personal life with a lot more challenges. But what if some mistakes are actually good omens?

Well, I'm always glad I'm going to start a book by this author and this was no exception. There's something about the way ms Phillips tells a story that makes you want to keep reading. I don't always feel the characters are acting they way they should but with time I can't help but want to see them achieve their goals or to find happiness. I guess this is what makes her books so successful, this idea the reader ends up with that makes it all have meaning.

The plot isn't super imaginative, it's all about Hollywood people and how actors really must feel compared with the idea we have of them. I'm usually not very fond of Hollywood set plots but of course, the presence of beloved characters helped. I suppose this is where the book can be included in the series because it definitely doesn't come close to Texas in any page... I ended up happy with the way things developed but in terms of relationships, this wasn't my favorite. Still, it does not mean it's not appealing or captivating.

The main romance had its highs and lows, I especially liked how we can focus on the idea that is always possible to turn into better people but at the same time the steps they took towards happiness weren't very credible in some parts. I mean, do people really manage to deceive or to act like that fo so long in a believable way?

OF course I liked they got their HEA and that the epilogue shows how good things can be if two people really decide to love each other and cherish the one another.

The secondary characters were funny sidekicks, I liked the idea we have two extra romances, always as a second focus point but still there. Some scenes were wonderful and the dialogue - even if not very realistic all the time - great and addictive.

All in all, this was a good story, one I felt amazing to read and, honestly, it only took me one day to read which speaks for itself. the author obviously takes care about what to tell and how and the result can be very special. The characters' personality bring it all to life, though, and in that, we always have preferences, both in the characters themselves and in the situations they are in.

I hope the author continues to present good plots and I'm looking for to read more.

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - First Lady

The beautiful young widow of the President of the United States thought she was free of the White House, but circumstances have forced her back into the role of the First Lady. Not for long, however, because she's made up her mind to escape -- if only for a few days -- so she can live the life of an ordinary person. All she needs is the perfect disguise...and she's just found it. As an entire nation searches for her, the First Lady teams up with an infuriatingly secretive, quietly seductive stranger and two adorable little orphaned girls in need of a family. And all together they head out across the heartland chasing their own American Dream -- on a wild journey, adventure, and glorious rebirth.

Comment: In keeping up with my trend to read books part of series one month a book, so to speak, this month I've read book #4 in the Wynette, Texas series by author Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I've been eager to read the author's books, there's something about her style that is captivating and that makes one want to read more. As escapism books, her work is amazing and it does allow for fantasies to be believable...

In this book, the central character is Cornelia "Nealy" Case, the former First Lady of the USA. Nealy is a widow and she wants some time for herself, something she so rarely had since she was a child. To have a few days of freedom, she hides from the Service Secret and disguises herself, leaving the White House as an old lady. Then she finds another disguise and finally can travel alone, on her own until she meets Mat Jorik and the two kids traveling with him. They meet because Nealy's car is stolen, as well as her money. To not give up on her days of fun, she accepts their help and travels with them in heir winnebago. What she didn't count on was falling in love with all of them...

I was fascinated by this book because I think anyone would like to have an idea of how important people like presidents live and what their days are like. It adds to interest the fact the presidents of the USA being someone with so much influence that it's just plain curiosity to imagine what would it be like to be in his shoes. Although the main character here is the First Lady, I was interested in seeing how things would develop and I was quite pleased by all the little details the author provided on previous First Ladies, the workings of the White House, how the Secret Service works...I know everything was superficial and there are many books out there that can provide more complete information but just the little details was something interesting for me, especially because it's a reality different from my own country.

As for the plot itself, it was obviously a take on the romance on the road, sort of, but it was incredible. I could empathize with Nealy and her difficulties, lack of privacy, I wouldn't want to imagine a life like that. I liked how she seemed to change by falling in love and finding people to take care of, but this is not so uncommon on romances.

Mat is an interesting character, he's a journalist, he went to the dark side and wrote for tabloids, but he regrets it and as soon as he realizes who Nealy really is he could use it but he's quite fair about the whole thing. I liked his character didn't do something irreversible in that aspect. There is some conflict between them, of course, so  the reunion can feel sweeter, but overall, there is a balance among them.

Another important character is Lucy, which will feature on her own book a few installments ahead. Lucy is a teenager and feels very responsible for her baby sister and wants to find her a home so she pushes Nealy and Mat together. But I liked her and her attempts to do the right thing for her more vulnerable sister.

All characters have some depth I feel is mostly part of the author's talent to write. They are intriguing, not perfect but we feel close to them. Yes, some of their actions feel too easy to accomplish but that's the fantasy part, real life is always tougher to go through.

The way the story is told is very addictive to read. I liked spending time with the characters, knowing what they were doing, what their interests and aims were and why certain situations mattered. Yes, some things can be considered too easy, too fictional, but part of the interest of the book is to have us think about the possibilities, the ways of how he character's lives could work out. There are some more boring moments but most time I was interested and eager to keep reading.

I'm looking for to read more books by the author.

Grade: 8/10

Two comments on books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Lisa Kleypas

 Kev Merripen has longed for the beautiful, well-bred Winnifred Hathaway ever since her family rescued him from the brink of death when he was just a boy. But this handsome Gypsy is a man of mysterious origins—and he fears that the darkness of his past could crush delicate, luminous Win. So Kev refuses to submit to temptation... and before long Win is torn from him by a devastating twist of fate.
Then, Win returns to England... only to find that Kev has hardened into a man who will deny love at all costs. Meantime, an attractive, seductive suitor has set his sights on Win. It’s now or never for Kev to make his move. But first, he must confront a dangerous secret about his destiny—or risk losing the only woman he has lived for...

Fleur Savagar is the most beautiful woman in the world . . . to everyone but herself. With her oversized hands and paddle-boat feet, her streaky blond hair and funny green eyes, she lives a life filled with secrets that began before she was born. That was when her bewitching mother left home to find James Dean and met Errol Flynn instead. Now Fleur has to grow up quickly, and life won't make that easy.
Jake Koranda is both New York's most brilliant playwright and Hollywood's hottest actor. Difficult, talented, and tormented, he has no patience for international glamour girls, not even ones with beautiful bodies and smart-aleck mouths. But there's more to the Glitter Baby than shine, and Fleur's tougher than Jake expects. Even with the odds stacked against her, she's fiercely determined to discover the woman she's destined to be.
An ugly duckling who can't believe she's turned into a swan . . . A tough-guy movie star with a haunted past . . . In a land of broken dreams, can two unlikely lovers trust their hearts?

Comment: I'm placing these two books together in one post to save time and because I have the same grade for both. Both belong to ongoing series I'm following and my opinion was pretty much the same about both.

I think both stories had interesting elements but didn't get exactly to the point where I think they would be more than good.

Glitter Baby is the 3rd book in the Wynette, Texas series and is a special story and I liked it but not as much as its predecessor simply because the action jumped moments too much. This means the narrative went from one moment in the character's lives to another and another. I understand the tactic but it interrupts the story and the flow, so I don't think we feel as connected to the characters. I was glad they found happiness but I wasn't as invested in them as I feel with some characters in other books by the author.

Something I also feel wasn't as positive was the behavior of certain characters. I can justify this by the time the book was written but many situations didn't feel as interesting or something I cared about. The setting didn't help, I'm usually not a big fan of books about Hollywood or featuring the lifestyle and ideas that surround the film industry.

But it's a SEP book and it shows and I felt glad by the amazing end, especially the way the protagonists found happiness and contentment. I'm looking for to see them again in incoming books.

Seduce Me at Sunrise is the 2nd book in the Hathaways series by Lisa Kleypas. I also liked this story but not as much as I did the first one, simply because the romance in this book wasn't as special, even more so after the glimpses of it we've had in the first book. It promised to be amazing but, again, the interruptions in the time frame of the narrative - even if necessary by important goals - made the romance feel less thrilling. Yes, we have some good scenes with the protagonists and we know they love each other but it wasn't as romantic as I imagined. Their HEA is quite good though and I feel it was good they could put aside any problems and focus on each other.

Also good was the interactions between the characters, especially the secondary ones and something else, the news we learn about the hero throughout the book also made me happy even if, when one thinks seriously, they aren't as credible as that.

I'm also looking for to read the next installment, in particular to see more interactions between these family elements, people I'd like to know in real life and what makes the series good. This book wasn't as addictive but it's still a good installment.

- > The two stories are well worth the time to read them and I liked getting one step further in reading and going towards the goal of finishing more series, and even more so when it's with characters I liked overall and in settings I feel interesting in reading.

Still, their little less than stellar elements made me lower the grade a bit when comparing to the previous books, but they are still in the positive zone.

Grade for both: 7/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Lady Be Good

Lady Emma Wells-Finch is determined to cause a scandal. Nothing big, you understand, just enough to convince her pompous British suitor that she's not an eligible candidate for marriage. She's thinking along the lines of, oh, maybe a discreet tattoo. But when suspended Texas golf pro Kenny Traveler meets her plane at Dallas-Ft. Worth Airport, Emma decides that he's the perfect candidate to destroy her reputation.
Kenny, on the other hand--who desperately wants to be reinstated on the golf tour--is just as determined to keep a low profile and remain squeaky-clean. If Lady Emma weren't a close personal friend of the golf commissioner's wife, he'd never have agreed to squire her around town. Unfortunately for Kenny, his weakness for the British beauty is growing daily, and it seems as though Emma may have feelings for him as well. In a bizarre turn of events, wild man Kenny finds himself trying to keep the prim and proper British lady from causing a scandal the size of which even the lone-star state has never seen, and the results will leave you laughing with delight.
Below the hilarious dialogue that is Susan Elizabeth Phillips's trademark, Kenny, Emma, and the charming array of characters that populate this exceptional contemporary are warm and wonderfully human. Emma saves her Kenny and he saves her right back--never were two people more gloriously deserving of each other. 

Comment: This is the second book in the Wynette, Texas series by author Susan Elizabeth Phillips. because I've liked the first book, here I am keeping up with the series and I'm quite glad I did because this book is better than the first. At least, it was easier to follow and the character's behavior more interesting to follow.

In this second story we meet Lady Emma, a descendant from British aristocracy working as a headmistress at a private school. Her school is in danger of closing because the duke who owns the propriety claims they will marry and she would the school and her job if she doesn't accept. Lady Emma asks for help from her friend Francesca (heroine in book #1) and then she travels to Texas to complete her research on a woman from the 19th century and as an excuse to ruin her reputation so the duke won't want to marry her anymore.

Her plans seem to get along when she meets Kenny, someone she mistakes for a driver/gigolo and not for the famous golf player he really is. Kenny is amused by Emma but quickly realizes there's more about her than what he thinks at first sight. With adventures and silly miscommunications in between, can they admit to the serious feelings between them?

I liked this book. I liked Emma and Kenny, their relationship's development and the way the plot moved along. I think it was such a wonderful time spent with these characters, this was one of the books I had more fun reading lately.

The plot is slightly silly and some situations look rather unlikely but the beauty of SEP's talent is how she can turn something with no apparent sense into something interesting, witty and fun to watch.

Lady Emma is a good character. I liked knowing about her and the difficulties she was facing. Yes, some scenes were ridiculous but the best thing about the author's writing is how small details or mentions of situations the characters faced gain a whole new meaning just because of the way things are presented. So, although Emma's troubles were dealt with some comic behaviors, we were still given some glimpses of what her childhood was, her intentions, her love for the school and why it was important to her... and later on, about her feelings for Kenny and why she was falling for him.

She is the type of character I like, with good, light moments but coming from a serious background and with a serious attitude to the things that matter.

Kenny is interesting, I understood where he was coming from and why his current situation was a struggle for him. He provided some of the most funny scenes in the book but he also had some serious moments where he could have a certain knowledge about his challenges and how much better he would be with Emma. His family was another subject he had to deal with and thankfully he got to develop a closer relationship to them.

Their relationship is quite balanced, because the best features of one another complement them. It was fun to see how they used each others' abilities to reach a compromise and find an equilibrium.

The secondary characters were very interesting and, as always, we have a second romance to see develop. The author does this well, the multiple POVs scheme, the development of a simple situation into something as multilayered as real life can be, even in fiction, and also important, how the things we take for granted in romance novels can have a special flavor in this author's books because of the way we process what's being said.

Another great thing is the connection to previous known characters, namely the one from the previous book. It was great to follow up the connections between everyone.

Some situations were a bit far fetched, even for a comedy as it looks like sometimes and the end had some aspects. some resolutions that i found not very credible, but overall, the story was fresh and fun and great to be spending time with.

All things considered, this book was great to read and I liked almost everything related to the plot and the character's development. For that alone, cheers.

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Fancy Pants

She was the most beautiful British bauble in Europe's jet-set playgrounds. Now she's broke, furious, and limping down a backwoods road in an ugly pink Southern Belle gown....
He was tall, lean, and all-American gorgeous. He liked his brews cold and women loved to keep him warm. Why in hell is he stopping his car for this woebegone, surly Scarlett?
Meet Francesca Day and Dallie Beaudine, two incredible characters whose tangled love affair is at the heart of this ravishing New York Times bestseller from award-winning author Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Come enjoy the adventure of a lifetime — an irresistible story that's touching, hilarious, and hellcat-passionate. You'll never forget Dallie and the sassy lady who needs a good swift kick in her...

Comment: This year I've decided to read another series by author Susan Elizabeth Phillips, namely Wynette, Texas series. This is the first book in it although it can be considered a sort of prequel, because not all action is set in that Texan city. I was very curious about this series, especially because, in average, the other one I've read by this author was quite good.

This is the story of Francesca Day and Dallas Beaudine, two people that meet by chance in Texas and have a romance until Francesca finds out he's actually married. From then on, they go separate ways but nothing is ever easy and life brings them together once more ten years later, or so. But the couple that meets now has gone through different experiences and both of them aren't the same as they were in their younger years. Can they use the difficulties and the attraction to have a future?

Well, this is a god story by the author, although the time it was written (late 80s) is rather obvious in the backgrounds and secondary situations. Part of the success of a story is how timeless it can appear and for the most part, one wouldn't notice...but there are other parts where is too obvious. Still, it didn't made me less eager to read or interested.

But this book didn't seem as wonderful as others by the author because of two other things, which didn't look as smooth or well structured: the plot development and timeline in the story.

This book tells us a story that spans years. Nothing wrong with that but because we get a lot of air time in one year, then anther, plus backgrounds on Francesca's mother too...it makes the plot too distinct, too far apart. This means that the reader's attention has to focus on different things for too long, so the past years can't be read as the main part of the book, only a part of it. Then we have the second part, with more development, but it doesn't have the same impact.

I don't mind having the part set in the past because it adds a better understanding of the character's behavior, inner journey...but despite the importance of specific situations or moments, it gets too distracting and the part set in the present, or the moment where the main action is supposed to be happening, loses the strength it might have otherwise.

I think a different structure, more like we see in her following titles is better, meaning, we knowing about important or key things by people's interactions or thoughts.

So, the main couple is Dallas and Francesca. Their romance isn't that special because their bond happens very quickly after they met and they were in a position in life that it's obviously meant to show us they weren't ready to have a commitment or a solid relationship. So, when they meet again and reconnect in the present it kind of lacks power because it's almost as if they have to start again and it's annoying to see a lovers reunited trope, they keep thinking and mentioning past things...which, after we did read all of it already, makes it repetitive and boring for me. I so much prefer the adventure of a new love.

Dallas is ok, honestly I feel I never got to know him that well, he comes across as a honest man but too insecure to fight for things presenting an air of aloofness. Ok...but then his scenes didn't seem cohesive and he didn't strike me as the best protagonist ever nor did I feel I got to know all the important details about him. He's kind of forgettable.

Francesca also annoyed me a lot to a certain point because despite her background she never tried to be better...she was vain and uninteresting but then something happens and the best part of the book, what made me eager to finish it and to know what would happen was how she learned a lesson and, for a while, she had to work hard and be humble and grow up. That was my favorite part. I'm glad she managed to find deserved success and happiness but when she tried was what I liked best.

All in all, this is good enough romance, with interesting situations, development, good enough secondary characters...the protagonists ended up being two people I sort of cared about but the road to that place wasn't always as smooth and captivating as I would have liked.

Anyway, I still recommend it but I'm looking for to see her more contemporary settings again.

Grade: 7/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Kiss an Angel

Pretty, flighty Daisy Devreaux can either go to jail or marry the mystery man her father has chosen for her. Arranged marriages don't happen in the modern world, so how did the irrepressible Daisy find herself in this fix?
Alex Markov, as humorless as he is deadly handsome, has no intention of playing the loving bridegroom to a spoiled little featherhead with champagne tastes. He drags Daisy form her uptown life to a broken down traveling circus and set out to tame her to his ways.

Comment: This is another book by mrs Phillips I had in my TBR and after seeing the reviews and the idea behind the romance, I was intrigued and got it many months ago. I decided I would read it this month so I can start another series by her in 2016 and not have this one hanging out waiting.

 

In this book we meet Theodosia "Daisy" Devreaux, a young woman whose father just married her to a man she never met before and the book starts precisely with the "I do" on their wedding day. Daisy thinks she will only need to convince her new husband, Alex Markov, for a loan so she can try to get out of this problem and solve her life but he is willing to play his part and pay his debt to Daisy's father so he takes her with him while he participates in the next season with the circus he works with.

Daisy isn't an easy person to teach at first but with time the suspicion the circus members have of her changes to friendship. But not everyone thinks the same and there's also Daisy and Alex's relationship to bear in mind...

 

This book has all the usual elements we can expect to see in a SEP book, the interesting setting, the larger than life characters, the romance, the easy plot, the secondary romance...but somehow, this book didn't win me over as all the others before did. In fact, this is probably my least favorite of them all so far.

I'm not very fond of the circus setting, nothing against it but it's not something I find much interest in. I know, the circumstances weren't what they seemed for the main characters in the end, but the majority of the plot was centered around circus related issues and I wasn't very interested in that.

Then Alex and Daisy's relationship never convinced me either.

 

The best part about this book was seeing Daisy learn to love animals and wanting to defend them. Her interactions with the elephant, the tiger and her love for children were the best parts of the book for me. I also liked the end, the overall writing is as smooth as always and not boring, which means the reader wants to keep on reading.

My problem is with many other things, namely the way the story develops, Daisy and Alex's lack of convincing love and a little something too unbelievable to buy closer to the end.

 

I didn't like certain things.

First, the way Daisy is humiliated in the beginning because she obviously doesn't know how to do the things expected of her. I can understand the idea behind this, she is supposed to be funny in her attempts, but to me this only seemed bullying. She had had a sort of privileged life, of course she wouldn't be good at the tasks asked of her in the circus right away. I had a hard time not wanting the circus people and Alex to stop being like that.

 

Her relationship with Alex didn't feel romantic at all for me. I know he is supposed to be cold so his change becomes more important after, but the connection between them never felt very real and the way he deals with her after he realizes she isn't the bimbo or the snob he believed her to be didn't seem what someone who wants to start again looked like.

Daisy is a virgin when they marry, at 26. I'm certain this isn't very common nowadays in western cultures but I kind of like when this happens, I want to know why the heroine feels she should have waited and obviously, if it's a romance, to find that special person she trusts to share that moment with. Daisy has good reasons to wait, we learn of certain disappointments she had but the emotional side of this wasn't fully explores as I think it should. then her first time with Alex wasn't very romantic, honestly it seemed very vulgar. If the heroine is a virgin she should have more focus on her choices, etc. I feel most romances nowadays only have virgins to enhance their first time or to show off how eager they are to not being virgins anymore. I don't think such a good writer as SEP is should waste this opportunity with a loss of focus on what should matter.

 

Closer to the end there is a situation regarding Alex's desire to not have children and the way everything was dealt with was so juvenile and unlikely... again, I get the point, but it's still childish.

The secondary romance didn't convince me either and overall, apart from two or three examples, most character relationships didn't seem balanced or with people I would want to meet. I felt very disappointed about all the things I got annoyed at while reading the book.

 

This isn't a failure, I just can't seem to look at it with the same appreciation I had for other books by her. With such interesting ideas running around here, the amazing potential for an emotional and powerful story, I felt the angst scenes closer to the end weren't as poignant as they could because so many other things lacked depth, in my opinion.

 

There's a HEA which is great, I liked knowing some things, but overall, this book let me down a bit because my expectations are always high when it comes to this author. Well, we can't enjoy everything by all authors we like, so...

I hope the books by her I have yet to read are better.

Grade: 6/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Breathing Room

Dr. Isabel Favor, author of Four Cornerstones for a Favorable Life, has sacrificed everything to build her self-help empire. Then, in a matter of weeks, it all comes crashing down. She loses her money to an unscrupulous accountant, her fiancé to a frumpy older woman, and her reputation to headlines denouncing her as a fraud. America's diva of self-help soon discovers she can fix everyone's life but her own. Broke, heartsick, and soul-weary, she heads for Italy in search of a little breathing room.
Lorenzo Gage makes his living killing people... on the silver screen, that is. He's viciously handsome and sublimely talented. But as he begins his vacation in Italy, he's also vaguely dissatisfied. Being a villain with a face to die for has its rewards, but he hates the feeling that everything he's neglected in life is catching up with him. Then he spots Isabel sipping a glass of wine in a sidewalk café. A good guy wouldn't think of seducing such a tidy-looking woman... but he'd never seen the fun in playing the hero.
It doesn't take long for Isabel to realize she's escaped one kind of chaos only to be plunged into another. Even the shelter of a simple stone farmhouse nestled in a Tuscan olive grove can't provide her with the refuge she needs -- not when the townspeople are scheming to drive her away, and her plan to restore her reputation has come up empty. And especially not when the man who deceived her refuses to leave her in peace.

Comment: Now that I've gotten a taste for ms Phillips' books, I'm trying to get to her backlist - something I'll eventually go through - and this title caught my attention and I was even more interested in the blurb after reading it.

I think the author's style is very appealing and I couldn't wait to read.

 

In this book we meet Isabel favor, a self help coach who worked hard her all life and a true believer in her lessons about self worth, hard work, healthy relationships and positive thinking. The story begins with Isabel finding out that her account stole her money, people are cancelling attendance to her presentations and her fiancé tells her he loves someone else and he's going to be a father.

It's a now penniless, depressed and single Isabel that goes to Tuscany to spend some time at a friend's villa and to think about her future.

It's in Italy that Isabel meets Ren Gage, an actor who got famous playing the villain in action movies. But there's mot than meets the eye when it comes to Ren and his and Isabel's paths are going to cross after they realize they share the same space for a while. But aren't they looking for more than just acceptance in their lives.

 

I enjoyed this book. As always, the author creates an interesting cast of characters and places them in situations where they have no other option but to evolve, to become better, to find the things they didn't even know they were looking for. Sometimes that happens because they fall in love and they see through others' eyes how special they can be.

 

I always think it's fascinating how the author finds situations not always very realistic and makes them somehow believable. Isabel and Ren's lives are possible yes, but surely still in the realm of hopeful dreams that anyone would want to try for some reason. I liked how they seemed unapproachable at first but deep down their choices and hardships were as common as anyone else's.

People have issues in their lives and I was glad things just didn't solve themselves for Ren and Isabel, despite a little exaggerated scene towards the end which I think was avoidable.

The lesson to learn is that we make our own paths and sometimes little decisions can be the solution to bigger problems, who knows...

 

The romance was interesting because Ren and Isabel were so different, had different expectations and thought differently about life and how to live it. Of course opposite people would complement each other and it was sweet to see the practical and calm Isabel help others and giving advice to Ren the way he needed. And Ren was more impulsive but made Isabel take risks, feel things get out of the tight control she had that almost stopped her from living.

Their relationship felt balanced and it wasn't picture perfect, they had to talk and learn from each other to find happiness.

 

The secondary characters are funny, have an interesting part in developing the story and I liked how they mattered to the story and to the development of the main couple's relationship. Sure, some things seemed rather avoidable, not that they were badly done, only that I think they weren't helping anything, such as the problem many inhabitants had after Isabel moved and why.

Some secondary characters were interesting and I genuinely liked them, like Tracy, Harry and their children. All of them helped Isabel and Ren somehow.

 

In the end of it, I had fun with this book, I liked spending time with the characters and learn about their lives and see how a HEA can make someone feel better. I have good hopes for the author's other books too.

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Natural Born Charmer

It wasn't every day a guy saw a headless beaver marching down the side of a road, not even in Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard's larger-than-life world. He slammed on the brakes of his brand-new Aston Martin Vanquish and pulled over in front of her.
The beaver marched right past, her big, flat tail bouncing in the gravel, and her small, sharp nose stuck up in the air. Way up. The beaver looked highly pissed . . .
She was definitely a girl beaver because her beaver head was missing, revealing sweaty, dark hair pulled into a scraggly ponytail. He'd been praying for a little distraction from his own depressing company, so he threw open the door and stepped out onto the shoulder of the Colorado road . . .
Funny, sexy, and touching—Natural Born Charmer is the unforgettable love story of a golden boy who might be losing his luster and a spirited woman who's learned never to depend on anyone but herself.  

Comment: This is the last book I've read. It's also the last one of the Chicago Stars series by author Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Or not.

Nevertheless, it's a series I've taken a lot of enjoyment from and this book, somehow, seemed to be generally more balanced than some of the others in terms of romance.

 

This is the story of Dean Robillard, a character we've met in the previous book as a jock without much humility. While traveling to his farm which has been renovated, he sees a woman in a beaver costume walking on the road without the costume's head. Her name is Blue and at first he only wanted her to amuse him.

Because of circumstances, Dean takes Blue to his farm and they start to get to know each other better. Along with the farm, Dean finds his mother, someone he didn't want to talk to anymore. Then his half sister shows up. Then his distant father. Dean's personal life is a mess but with Blue by his side and all the things they learn together about the past and forgiveness, could this mean life has more to offer than simply money and fame?

 

I had a great time reading this book. The author's style is very appealing because even when more dramatic situations happen or when characters have more difficult challenges to deal with, we know there will be a flawless HEA at the end and that, globally, the story will be a successful one.

 

This series has been a very good one. Despite that, I never considered any of them close to perfection because there were some details that stopped me from considering them so.

In this book case, I think everything worked out much better or, at least it felt so to me, because the main couple's relationship felt more realistic in its development and solidity.

Usually the couple's meet, things happen and they fall in love without saying for a while, then one says it first, the other takes more time but things end well.

With Blue and Dean, I think since they get intimate until their happy epilogue, things seem more balanced between them. I can't explain it very well, it's actually more a feeling I got while reading, but it seemed to me that because they both had similar issues with their parents, the way they bonded seemed more realistic. And their path to happiness felt more believable too.

Of course this is fiction. I don't see this kind of "reality" near me or in the lives of real people, but if one considers the way the romance is shaped and develops, the way Dean and Blue develop a relationship based on mutual elements, these things make it seem stronger.

 

The relationship being the strongest element of this book, it is even better because of its balance. I always felt Blue and Dean weren't on different stages in life despite their differences, nor did I feel one was at a better place emotionally than the other. They had a good balance between them and I enjoyed seeing the journey they did.

Something that contributed to this were the secondary relationships they had with other family members and people they met. I think that by having to deal with others, that helped them to put in some perspective what was happening to them, what their past experiences meant and how they sort of prepared them to who they were now, where in life they were and how important it would be to have someone you could depend on, just like they found out it could happen between them.

It does help the reader to compare a character's state of mind when we have interactions with others. The key is to do it well, and ms. Phillips does it beautifully.

 

I also like the feel of the story, and with this I mean the natural following of happenings that make me want to keep reading and finding out what comes after. Again, this also requires talent. Many authors seem to want to finish so badly it becomes obvious to the reader. In this case, the words and sentences felt perfect to the type of story that was happening.

 

All in all, a very good example of how a romance should be like. I'm very pleased to know I have more books and another series by this author to read and later on this year I'll definitely try something else by her.

As for this one, considering all the series and how balanced and well structured it felt, to finish with a book that, for me, felt even better is the cherry on top.

Grade: 9/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Match Me If You can

Annabelle's endured dead-end jobs, a broken engagement . . . even her hair's a mess! But that's going to change now that she's taken over her late grandmother's matchmaking business. All Annabelle has to do is land the Windy City's hottest bachelor as her client, and she'll be the most sought-after matchmaker in town.
Why does the wealthy, driven, and gorgeous sports agent Heath Champion need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? True, she's entertaining, and she does have a certain quirky appeal. But Heath is searching for the ultimate symbol of success -- the perfect wife. And to make an extraordinary match, he needs an extraordinary matchmaker, right?
Soon everyone in Chicago has a stake in the outcome, and a very big question: 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. 

Comment: This is the sixth installment in the Chicago Stars series by this author. This series has achieved great reviews total and this book in particular has been one of the ones I looked for the most based on the blurb alone. I was very curious about how the story would develop and thankfully, I was proved right by its execution.

This is the story of Annabelle Granger and her attempt of further developing and improve her late grandmother's matchmaking business. She gets a huge opportunity when her friend Molly sets her a meeting with Heath Champion, a very smart sports agent.

Heath already has a contract with a matchmaking agency but he decides to listen to Annabelle as a favor but she's late to the meeting. Annabelle doesn't give up though and storms his office. He thinks she will ruin her own prospects and he doesn't mind her much.

But Annabelle is everywhere in Heath's life now and strangely, he kind of likes her and welcomes her help too. Maybe he's not looking for a wife in the right place...

It's always such a pleasure to read a book by this author. Although some situations are often exaggerated and too unlikely to be done by thinking people, I still think her stories are highly entertaining and point out many human reactions to things out of our control. I like to expect what will happen, how the characters will talk, meet, deal with each other. 

This isn't drama nor literary fiction but I think some of the themes present in the novels and how the characters learn to deal with them give enough depth to the stories in order to not make them simple chick lit things.

I liked the two main characters. Heath and Annabelle have a good story and my favorite aspect in the whole book was how they grew to be comfortable around each other and happy with the other one even in silly situations. At first things happened with reluctance between them, but as time went by and they knew how the other was more and more, they developed a real friendship and acceptance. The attraction was quiet, not over the top but the intimacy between them was a bit too easy though and I think I'd have liked for that side of their romance to not have been treated almost as without the level of meaning it deserved. My opinion, of course.

Their relationship turned into greatness by the end and the HEA was assured. Still. I believe the intensity and emotion this story should have bee given wasn't totally there. This would have bumped this to perfection level and I really wanted it to, but it almost got there.

Annabelle is a very funny woman. She is a good person and acts accordingly. I liked how she treated Heath and how she tried to get the best of him. I liked her family reactions, because she comes from a successful family and she feels she isn't. This didn't affect her sort of bubbly personality which I think was a missed opportunity, but it didn't mean she was aloof about the emotional hits from the family.

Heath too had things to overcome, thus he's success, drive and pragmatic way of finding a wife. I think he went over the top here but a plot was needed. His childhood issues were important and I feel they weren't given the importance they needed, but overall, I liked how his personality was balanced now.

As usual, the sex an intimacy are treated in a way I find too easy and not as powerful as it could. Things are always too routine and seen too much to be really meaningful in my opinion. Maybe if they didn't think about it so much...

Anyway, this story was as good as the others I've read. There's always something I wish could be different but all things considered, the author delivers good, entertaining stories with couples who face moments and situations that really make them grow.

I like seeing that and hopefully, all the books by her I still want to read will be as good.

Grade: 8/10

Susan Elizabeth Phillips - This Heart of Mine

Molly Somerville loves her career as the creator of the Daphne the Bunny children's book series, but the rest of her life could use some improvement. She has a reputation for trouble that started even before she gave away her fifteen-million-dollar inheritance. Then there's her long-term crush on the quarterback for the Chicago Stars football team her sister owns—that awful, gorgeous Kevin Tucker, a man who can't even remember Molly's name!
One night Kevin barges into Molly's not-quite-perfect life and turns it upside down. Unfortunately, the Ferrari-driving riving, poodle-hating jock isn't as shallow as she wishes he were, and she soon finds herself at a place called Wind Lake. Surrounded by paintbox cottages, including a charming old bed-and-breakfast, Molly and Kevin battle their attraction and each other as they face one of life's most important lessons. Sometimes love hurts, sometimes it makes you mad as hell, and sometimes—if you're lucky—it can heal in a most unexpected way.

Comment: As those who come here have noticed, I like to read series one book a month. One of the series I'm currently going  through is Chicago Stars by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I'm having a great time with the books and this month I picked This Heart of Mine.

This is the story of Molly Somerville, she's the younger sister of Phoebe, the heroine from book #1, and she's had a crush on Kevin Tucker, a character we met in book #3. 

Molly is a children's books writer and she finds inspiration in many things but sometimes she seems to act a little crazy when it comes to her personal life. Molly has done things when she gets antsy and what she does isn't always easy to understand. Now that her work is threatened she needs to relax but when she goes to her sister's cabin Kevin Tucker is already there! 

Of course Kevin, who plays for Phoebe's team, needs some time too before next season starts. But he didn't count on old times catching up to him, and even people from his past. But after getting an heritage he didn't want, could his life change for the better? Even with Molly and her craziness in the way too?

I liked this story. I think the author has a natural way with words and with creating scenes and it was so easy to keep following the plot and what the characters were doing. The words seem to flow and I confess I had a hard time putting the book down.

This story focuses on Molly and Kevin and their separate lives' issues until they meet properly and start dealing with each other. As always, it was good to see each of their personal stories develop slowly and getting more strength the more they interacted.

It was also interesting to see the secondary love story about an important character for the main plot I think was really cleverly put together.

The romance between Molly and Kevin has the main focus here obviously. I liked how the author starts the romance slowly even if with a sort of unlikely situation. But we, the reader, have time to get to know the protagonists, to know why and how they act they way they do and why their start is slow to develop. But personally I prefer that way, after all I want to see their relationship develop, get better, touch the important issues, becoming necessary. The author manages this very well, I think.

Molly is a young woman who has her life tidy but she misses something and that leads her to act impulsively often, like when she gave her inheritance away. Still, I liked her personality and her behavior although some actions of hers weren't as commendable and a bit stupid I'd say. I mean, people in a certain state of mind can do things they regret or they realize are stupid but the way Molly acted towards Kevin at first seems really something bad and despite understanding it was only for plot's purposes, I still have my doubts about it.

However, by the end I was totally rooting for Molly and her happiness and her need to express her feelings. There's always a part of me that dismisses the easiness some characters find in solving things but I guess that's part of the fantasy side of romances.

Kevin was very interesting and by having the protagonism, he seemed different from the book where we met him. I liked he learned a lot, he grew up a lot and that he wasn't as impulsive and distracted as he seemed. It was really fascinating seeing in an environment he didn't control but he always acted responsible and dedicated nevertheless. He is a forgiving person and realistically speaking in RL he might not have but it was very special how he forgave and gave a chance to those who deserved and to his happiness with Molly.

Some things, little details stop this from being perfect, but I had such a great time, I liked reading about the setting, the characters a lot. I'm convinced the author is very talented and despite not being on board with one idea or another, I think she does a great job in creating the characters, in giving them life and in making things seem positive and wonderful. I'm really looking for the next book.

This story ended up with a HEA I really liked, I especially loved the details in this book, about the children's book writing, about the camp business, about friendship and family love. This is a highly entertaining read and I do recommend it.

Grade: 8/10