Tag: Carly Phillips

Throwback Thursday Review: Serendipity by Carly Phillips

Posted November 19, 2020 by Rowena in Reviews | 1 Comment

Throwback Thursday Review: Serendipity by Carly PhillipsReviewer: Rowena
Serendipity by Carly Phillips
Series: Serendipity #1
Also in this series: Serendipity
Publisher: Berkley
Publication Date: September 6, 2011
Point-of-View: Alternating Third
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 283
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Faith Harrington is a classic girl of privilege-until her father is convicted for running a Ponzi scheme. Now she's back in her hometown, where she runs into her teenage crush-dark, brooding Ethan Barron, who's no stranger to scandal himself.

This review was originally posted on September 8, 2011.

I was in the mood for a contemporary romance and this fit the bill so I picked it up. I wasn’t sorry that I did either. This book was cute and I was pleased with my selection. I haven’t absolutely loved every single book that I’ve read by Carly Phillips but I was delighted with this book. Getting to know both Ethan and Faith made for an entertaining day of reading and this book made me thirsty for more. I’m more than a little anxious for Dare and Nash’s story.

This book follows Ethan Barron and Faith Harrington as they make their way back to their hometown of Serendipity, New York. Faith Harrington is looking for a fresh start and Ethan is looking to repair the relationship between him and his brothers.

Things don’t start out so promising for either of them since Faith’s father is responsible for the making a lot of families in Serendipity broke and Ethan’s brothers aren’t at all interested in repairing their estranged relationship. While I understood Ethan’s brothers reasons for not wanting to have anything to do with him, I didn’t understand the town’s reaction to Faith. I wasn’t a fan of them making their little snide remarks to Faith like she had anything to do with her father’s actions.

Of the two brothers, I didn’t like Nash the most. While I understood why he was so angry with Ethan, his attitude throughout the entire book grated on my nerves and more than anything, I wanted to punch him in the nuts and go on my merry way. To hell with him and to hell with his stupid, woe is me attitude. I think what made him worse was that he held Faith accountable for her father’s actions and all of the shit that he gave her about it made me want to karate chop him in balls. I liked that Dare was more accepting at giving Ethan a chance even though it took some effort on Ethan’s part for him to come around. It was only right that Ethan made an effort to get his brothers to forgive him.
The relationship that blossomed between Faith and Ethan was my favorite part of the book. I enjoyed watching these two come together because they weren’t stupid about their feelings. They were both mature about it and dealt with their growing attraction and then feelings the way that you would hope mature adults would deal with their feelings. They were both upfront and honest about their reservations but they didn’t use their past betrayals and hurts to dissuade them from giving their relationship a go. I liked that even though both of them weren’t looking for a relationship, they didn’t run away from each other with idiotic excuses.

My second favorite part of this story was the addition of Tess. I loved Tess like she was my own little sister and I enjoyed watching her thaw and then let Ethan in. I loved how protective she was over Ethan and Faith and I loved how she did what she thought was right even when it caused bigger problems for those she had come to love. She was a good kid and she made this book all the more enjoyable because she was in it.

This book was good and I’m glad that I picked it up. Even though the next book is Nash’s story, I’m still looking forward to it. Nash is my least favorite brother but I’m interested in seeing Carly Phillips work Nash’s magic on me. Fans of Carly Phillips will enjoy this new addition to her back list and people looking for a good, fun and steamy romance to take with them to the beach should pick this one up. They won’t be sorry.

Rating: 4.5 out of 5.

four-half-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , ,

Review: Anthology – Santa Baby

Posted December 27, 2017 by Holly in Reviews | 3 Comments

Review: Anthology – Santa BabyReviewer: Holly
Santa, Baby by Jennifer Crusie, Carly Phillips, Lori Foster
Publisher: St. Martin's Press
Publication Date: October 31st 2006
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 328
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
Get ready for a holiday season you'll never forget with three of today's most sensational writers who know what every woman wants for the holidays. You'll believe in Santa all over again with these seductive stories from: JENNIFER CRUSIEMayhem ensues under the mistletoe as a determined shopper grabs the very last hot toy action figure off the shelf, only to find herself plunged into the middle of a real-life spy game--in the arms of a sexy secret agent. . . LORI FOSTERTwo dedicated coworkers with a lot of secrets (and fantasies!) between them must plan a Christmas party side by side--and discover a love worth celebrating--in this steamy office romance. CARLY PHILLIPSA "mistletoe moment" begins when a no-nonsense lawyer intent on seducing her boss meets his twin instead--after giving him a scintillating kiss that leaves him begging for more. . .

*****As part of our 10 year anniversary celebration, we’ll be re-posting old reviews and posts that make us cringe, laugh or sigh all over again.*****

Holly: I love holiday anthologies. I would say 92% of my holiday reads come in the form of anthos.

This post was originally published January 6, 2009

I bought this anthology because the Jennifer Crusie was one I hadn’t read before and she’s one of my favorite authors. So I’m sure you can imagine my surprise when her entry turned out to be my least favorite of them all.

Hot Toy by JENNIFER CRUSIE

Mayhem ensues under the mistletoe as a determined shopper grabs the very last hot toy action figure off the shelf, only to find herself plunged into the middle of a real-life spy game—in the arms of a sexy secret agent. . .

Believe it or not my big issue with this story was the hero. Shocking, I know, since generally it’s the heroines I have trouble with. Trudy is out looking for a toy for her nephew when she runs into Nolan, a man she dated for awhile. A man she thought was different. A man she thought might be the one. Until their 4th date when he took a call, said he’d be back and just disappeared. His reasons for doing so seemed suspect in the beginning, and unfortunately were still suspect at the end – meaning I didn’t really buy his excuse.

Having said that, a less than stellar novel from Jenny Crusie is still better than some super stellar novels by other authors. I found the novella to have her trademark sass and humor and I really enjoyed Trudy and her sister. I even liked Nolan apart from his situation with Trudy.

Overall a fun, well-written story that probably needed a bit more depth to make it work a little better for me.

3.5 out of 5

Christmas Bonus by LORI FOSTER

Two dedicated coworkers with a lot of secrets (and fantasies!) between them must plan a Christmas party side by side—and discover a love worth celebrating—in this steamy office romance.

Lori Foster tends to be really hit or miss for me. I think I probably love 2 out of every 5 books of hers I read. This definitely falls into the “love” category. It was a sweet, cute story. Maggie and Eric have been attracted to each other for ages but age – and Maggie’s father, Eric’s boss – kept them separated. When they’re forced to work together planning a holiday party things quickly heat up.

The chemistry here really worked for me and the story – while short – really had some great emotional depth. I really enjoyed it.

4.0 out of 5

Naughty Under the Mistletoe by CARLY PHILLIPS

A “mistletoe moment” begins when a no-nonsense lawyer intent on seducing her boss meets his twin instead—after giving him a scintillating kiss that leaves him begging for more. . .

Carly Phillips, like Lori Foster, is an author that’s really hit or miss for me. Something about her writing style bugs me, though I’ve never been able to put my finger on just what. But, like Foster’s entry, this one really worked for me. Actually, this may be my favorite of the collection.

Something about Max and Toni really worked for me. Maybe it was her playing Elf and Max falling like a ton of bricks. Or maybe it was Max being super sexy and Toni falling for him like a ton of bricks. Either way, it as cute and I enjoyed it.

I did have an issue with the ending. I’m not really sure I buy them being head-over-heels in love after one night. I guess on a pure fantasy level it worked, but I definitely had to suspend disbelief. Otherwise it was great.

4.0 out of 5

Overall a cute collection of stories.

Total Grade: 4 out of 5

This book is available from St. Martin’s Press. You can buy it here.


Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Release Day Blitz: Rock Me by Carly Phillips

Posted September 19, 2017 by Rowena in Promotions | 1 Comment

Carly Phillips has a new series coming out and the first book, Rock Me, comes out today!

Check it out:

Rock Me by Carly Phillips
Series: Bodyguard Bad Boys #1
Release Date: September 19, 2017
Publisher: Self Published, Carly Phillips
Genres: Contemporary Romance

Bodyguard Bad Boys… Sexy, Hot, and oh so protective!

A pop star in danger.

Her reluctant bodyguard.

A past they can’t deny.

Summer Michelle is on the verge of ultimate fame.

Ben Hollander has sworn off mixing business with pleasure.

But keeping his hands off of the sexy songstress is easier said than done and once the threat is neutralized, will she choose fame over love?

Order the Book:

AMAZON || BARNES AND NOBLE || GOOGLE || KOBO

 

Teasers

About the Author

Carly Phillips

WEBSITE | TWITTER | FACEBOOK | GOODREADS

New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips N.Y. Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Carly Phillips has written over 40 sexy contemporary romance novels that today’s readers identify with and enjoy. After a successful 15 year career with various New York publishing houses, Carly is making the leap to Indie author, with the goal of giving her readers more books at a faster pace at a better price. Her Serendipity books will still finish up in January/February 2014 via Berkley as planned. Carly lives in Purchase, NY with her family, two nearly adult daughters and two crazy dogs who star on her Facebook Fan Page and website. She’s a writer, a knitter of sorts, a wife, and a mom. In addition, she’s a Twitter and Internet junkie and is always around to interact with her readers. You can find all information about Carly at her website and other social media sites …


Tagged: , , ,

Lightning Review: Serendipity by Carly Phillips

Posted March 21, 2016 by Holly in Reviews | 1 Comment

Lightning Review: Serendipity by Carly PhillipsReviewer: Holly
Serendipity by Carly Phillips
Series: Serendipity #1
Also in this series: Serendipity
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: September 6th 2011
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 304
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
three-half-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Faith Harrington is a classic girl of privilege-until her father is convicted for running a Ponzi scheme. Now she's back in her hometown, where she runs into her teenage crush-dark, brooding Ethan Barron, who's no stranger to scandal himself.

This was a sweet contemporary romance. Ethan was a bad boy in high school. When his family needed him most he disappeared. Now he’s back and looking to make amends. Faith was the golden girl growing up but the mighty have fallen..hard. She’s looking to rebuild her life after her father was arrested for his part in a ponzi scheme that affected a lot of the town. Together they have enough issues to fill a warehouse, but they just might be what the other needs…

I really liked how well Ethan and Faith fit. I also liked that they didn’t gloss over or make light of their issues. Both were willing to accept responsibility for their own actions, both past and present. I really love it when characters own their mistakes and work to atone for them.

I did think Faith took things a little too far in the end, but overall I enjoyed the story and the romance.

3.5 out of 5

three-half-stars


Tagged: , , , , , ,

Review: Perfect Fling by Carly Phillips

Posted July 27, 2014 by Holly in Reviews | 0 Comments

Review: Perfect Fling by Carly PhillipsReviewer: Holly
Perfect Fling by Carly Phillips
Series: Serendipity's Finest #2
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: July 30th 2013
Genres: Fiction
Pages: 336
Add It: Goodreads
Amazon | Barnes & Noble | The Ripped Bodice | Google Play Books
four-stars
Series Rating: four-stars

Dear Readers:
Thank you for loving the small town of Serendipity. Because of you, I’m able to continue what I started…and introduce you to Serendipity’s Finest—the cops of Serendipity…
Best wishes, Carly

In the picturesque town of Serendipity, New York, three siblings have grown up in the shadow of their proud and respected police chief father. But what do love, fate, and fortune have in store for the next generation of Serendipity’s finest?
Assistant D.A. Erin Marsden is Serendipity’s quintessential good girl. The daughter of the ex–police chief, she’s never made a misstep, content with her quiet, predictable life...or so she thinks. Until Cole Sanders shows up with heated interest in his eyes and shadows in his past.
After seven years of deep undercover work in New York, Cole returns to town to help his aging father and find his moral compass again. Not to get involved with wholesome Erin Marsden. Even as a rebellious teen, he knew a girl like Erin was off limits. But neither can resist their off-the-charts chemistry, and a one-night stand brings complications neither expected.
Then a case puts Erin in a killer’s crosshairs, and Erin succumbs to Cole’s take-charge attitude. As a bodyguard, he’s the best. As a lover, he’s even better. But there’s more than Erin’s safety at stake. And Cole must forgive the sins of his past and prove to himself—and to Erin—that he’s capable of the love and the forever she so desperately needs.

I needed to take a break from small town romance for awhile so I didn’t read this when it was first released. I’m glad I did, because I was able to appreciate the story in a way I wouldn’t have a few months ago.

Cole and Erin had a one-night-stand.  She wouldn’t have minded more, but Cole made it clear that’s all he was interested in. Until she was shot and he found out she was pregnant.  Now he wants nothing more than to keep her and their baby safe.

Forced to live together for safety, neither can deny their attraction.  They embark on an affair, but Cole makes it clear he’s not interested in a long term relationship.  He wants to be involved with his child, but he works undercover and knows that’s no life for a wife.

Erin would prefer to make her own decisions about what’s best for her, but she realizes early on Cole is too stubborn to let her. She makes a play for him, hoping they’ll have a future together,  but quickly realizes he isn’t going to budge.

Cole’s feelings were so all over the place even he didn’t know what he wanted. The mixed signals he was sending were enough to confuse anyone. Erin was quick to call him out when he said one thing but acted in a conflicting manor. It was good to see her push,  since that was clearly what he needed. Seeing the way his father was with it, plus factoring in his job, made his actions understandable. I don’t know if I’d have been so forgiving if Erin had let him get away with blowing hot and cold, but as it stands I was able to relate.

Erin was an optimist who could have become annoying,  but she had a temper that balanced out her innate goodness. She wasn’t perfect, but she owned her flaws and mistakes.  She was established in her career, had good friends and tight family bonds and wasn’t afraid to stand on her own two feet. She was a little mixed up about Cole – and who wouldn’t be with all his mixed signals? – but overall she was a great character.

They had a good support system. Many characters from past books showed up, but not in an obtrusive way.

The town of Serendipity is one I’d like to live in and its inhabitants people I could call friends. Phillips really drew me into her world and made me want to stay.

4.25 out of 5

This book is available from Jove. You can buy it here or here in e-format.

four-stars


Tagged: , , , , , , ,