Holly‘s review of Perfect Fit (Serendipity, Book 4) by Carly Phillips
Carly’s NY Times Bestselling SERENDIPITY series was such a hit with readers, she brings you back to the picturesque upstate NY town, where 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?
MIKE
Always feeling like the odd man out in his family, Michael Marsden wanted to make it on his own. So he escaped Serendipity to become an undercover cop in Manhattan, where the Marsden name wasn’t known. But Michael’s independence is compromised when he returns home to replace his sick father as chief of police. Back in the shadow of his family, he’s as lost and restless as ever, until he’s challenged by someone he never anticipated.
CARA
Cara Hartley is the Serendipity cop with whom Mike had a one night stand three months earlier. Neither expected anything more but fate has other things in store. When Mike returns as Cara’s boss, the sexual tension between them is impossible to ignore – and the unexpected emotional connection continues to grow. But Cara’s a small town girl while Mike has a wanderer’s blood in his veins.
Together their chemistry explodes but … Both are convinced a future together is impossible. Until Mike’s real father’s secrets come back to haunt him and he realizes there are some things worth staying and fighting for. Including Cara
I really enjoyed the first three books in Phillips’ Serendipity series and I’m glad she’s continuing on.
Mike and Cara shared one night together while he was in town for a wedding. Now he’s back to take over his father’s job while the older man battles cancer. His stay in town is temporary and he doesn’t want to get involved with Cara for a couple reasons. 1) She’s tied closely to the family and 2) His feelings for her are pretty intense and he isn’t looking for anything more than a fling.
Cara can take a hint and isn’t about to throw herself at Mike now that he’s back in town and avoiding her like the plague. But she has to admit it gets under her skin that he treats her like dirt, especially since things were so hot between them. It doesn’t help that he’s her boss now and his brother is her best friend and partner.
Cara is a great heroine. She’s tough but still has a vulnerable side. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind or stand up for herself, but also realizes sometimes it’s better to let things go. I often get frustrated while reading romance novels because the heroine will convince herself the hero wants more than he does. That was’t the case with Cara. She went into their affair with her eyes wide open..and she kept them open. Mike said he didn’t want a relationship and she took him at his word, even though she came to want more. She had insecurities like any other woman, but she didn’t let them run her life or base her decisions on them. As the novel progressed I came to respect her independence and sharp wit.
Mike had insecurities of his own. His biological father bailed on his mom before he was born. His step-father adopted him and raised him as his own, but he’s always felt separated from the rest of his family. He knows he has his father’s blood running through his veins, and just like the man who abandoned him, he’s not made for permanence. His thinking was seriously flawed in a lot of ways, but our emotions aren’t always rational. I understood his fears came from a lifetime of insecurity, which made them easier to take. That isn’t to say I didn’t get frustrated with him at times, because I did. His unwillingness to open up to the people around him or put down roots became more tiresome the longer the novel wore on. His redeeming quality was his tenderness toward Cara and his internal struggle with his feelings for her and his hometown.
The characters from previous books popped up, but weren’t a distraction from the main protagonists and their story. I enjoyed seeing them again. I also enjoyed the new cast of secondary characters – Mike’s family and Cara’s friends – and look forward to learning more about them in the future.
Phillips has created a strong contemporary series with real-life characters and situations.
4.25 out of 5
This book is available from Berkley. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.
I can’t wait to read this book! I love Carly’s writing style & this series has been excellent so far. Thanks for the review!