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This Heart of Mine (Chicago Stars #5)

by Susan Elizabeth Phillips (Goodreads Author)

4.1 of 5 stars 4.10 · rating details · 10,661 ratings · 415 reviews

This Heart of Mine - Molly Somerville knows she has a reputation for trouble. She did give away her fifteen-million-dollar inheritance, but, hey, nobody's perfect. Still, if anyone has an almost perfect life, it's Molly. While her Daphne the Bunny children's books could be selling better, she loves her cramped loft, her French poodle, and her career creating the fictional...more This Heart of Mine - Molly Somerville knows she has a reputation for trouble. She did give away her fifteen-million-dollar inheritance, but, hey, nobody's perfect. Still, if anyone has an almost perfect life, it's Molly. While her Daphne the Bunny children's books could be selling better, she loves her cramped loft, her French poodle, and her career creating the fictional animals who live in Nightingale Woods. She even loves her sister, Phoebe. True, it was a little tough growing up in her shadow. Phoebe is beautiful, blissfully married, and the owner of the most successful professional football team in America. But who other than your sister knows you're about to do something drastic every time you change your hair? Yes, Molly's happy about almost everything ... except her long-term crush on the daredevil quarterback for the Chicago Stars, that awful, gorgeous Kevin Tucker, a man who can't even remember her name! One night Molly's penchant for running into trouble runs right into Kevin himself, turning her world upside down. Heartbreak follows, and just when she's certain things can't get worse, Kevin forces his way back into her life. If only the overpaid, Ferrari-driving, poodle-hating jock was as shallow as she wants him to be, she could get on with her almost perfect life. But Kevin's hidden depths and iron will propel Molly out of her comfortable existence into an unforgettable summer at a place called Wind Lake. Surrounded by paintbox cottages and a charming old bed-and-breakfast, she and Kevin battle their attraction while trying to cope with an aging sexpot actress, a cranky world-famous artist, and a pair of teenage newlyweds.

Their careers and lives are in crisis ... yet they can't seem to stay away from each other. Before the summer is over, will they be able to learn one of life's most important lessons? Sometimes falling in love hurts, sometimes it makes you mad as hell, and sometimes if you're very lucky it can heal in the most special and unexpected way.

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Mass Market Paperback, 432 pages

Published February 5th 2002 by Avon (first published December 22nd 2000)

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May 30, 2012 Audrey rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, wtf-was-i-thinking

I tried to like this book, but I really just didn't.

I was waffling between giving this book a 1 or a 2 because it's not like I absolutely hated it like some of the other 1-star books I've read. However, I didn't like it, so I don't think it really merits that 2-star "it was okay" sort of generosity.

No matter how charming, self-sacrificing, and noble the hero Kevin was, I just couldn't like or enjoy reading about the immature, periodically TSTL, and impulsively reckless heroine Molly. She was sel...more

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Apr 20, 2011 Anzu The Great Destroyer rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: zomg-i-must-have-him, reviewed-2011, lit-for-the-chicks, romance-contemp

Another wonderful story brought to us by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I must say that the whole Chicago Stars series, so far at least, is amazing. This story was simple, but what made it great were the characters. She has great talent when creating fascinating characters, and this is one of the things I love most when reading her books.

In This Heart of Mine I got attached to Kevin even since the beginning. In the previous books from the series I always sided with the girls, especially since the guy...more

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Dec 21, 2010 Krista (One Love) (Critical) rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult, susan-el-phillips, cont-romance, male-degradation

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Okay, so this is going to be a rant, not a review.

At first, I thought I would enjoy this book. I should have known better, because this is Susan Elizabeth Phillips, whose work ALWAYS annoys me because of the sexist tendencies all of her women seem to exhibit. This one was no different.

When I was first introduced to Molly, I found her likable, funny, kind of weird, but not in a bad way--and then she goes and does something unthinkable and after that point, I just couldn't like her at all. So, K...more

25 likes · like · see review

Sep 30, 2007 Ummi rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: chicago-stars, chic-lit

Synopsis: Ever since she was a teenager, children's book author Molly Somerville has been infatuated with handsome Kevin Tucker, quarterback for her sister's Chicago Stars football team. Unfortunately, Kevin doesn't know she's alive until one fateful weekend when they're marooned together at the family vacation cabin. When Molly gets carried away by her creative imagination and compromises Kevin, the results are disastrous and before the dust settles, Kevin's in trouble with his boss, Molly's in...more

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Jul 11, 2011 Cacophony rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, contemporary-read

I truly enjoyed this book and I think I have finally come around to appreciating this authors writing style. At first if felt like I was reading a rewriting of the third book in the series but then there was a twist and the story went in a better direction.
I really liked the way the two characters complemented each other and understood each others' faults. I came away from this book convinced that these two characters belonged together and I can't ask for more in a happy ending. Frankly it is a...more

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Jan 01, 2008 Erin rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance

I liked this one far more than the other SEP novels I've read, and it almost makes up for It Had to Be You, in that we get to see Phoebe and Dan again and their romance is more palatable this time around. (The characters are endearing! You can buy that they love each other!)

The circumstances under which this novels protagonists find themselves together are a little absurd, but the progression of their relationship seems more organic than the relationships in the other SEP novels, plus it was kin...more

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Jan 23, 2012 Patricia rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: series, contemporary-romance, authors-p-q-r, sports

Susan Elizabeth Phillips follows a similar formula for each installment of this series, but that in no way detracts from their ability to entertain and tug at the heart strings.

"Isn't there a mirror someplace where you can go admire yourself?"
"I've never known a woman so hung up on my good looks."
"ALL your women are hung up on your good looks. They just PRETEND it's your personality."
"I swear, somebody needs to spank you."
"You are, like, so not the man to do it."
"You are, like, such a damned bra...more

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Mar 22, 2013 Aimee Bowyer rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was all prepared to either skip this book or hate it. Based on the reviews and the disgust people had for the actions of Molly (sister of Phoebe from book one in the series), I wasn't sure if this one was going to be the level of quality I've come to anticipate from Ms. Phillips.

I freely admit.,.i was wrong. Granted, had the genders been reversed, things would be a lot different. The same could be said for the way the acceptance level would be different in the book "The Reader" had the younge...more I was all prepared to either skip this book or hate it. Based on the reviews and the disgust people had for the actions of Molly (sister of Phoebe from book one in the series), I wasn't sure if this one was going to be the level of quality I've come to anticipate from Ms. Phillips.

I freely admit.,.i was wrong. Granted, had the genders been reversed, things would be a lot different. The same could be said for the way the acceptance level would be different in the book "The Reader" had the younger lover been female instead of male. Well, isn't what she did along the lines of what Jane did in the 3rd book in this series? I don't condone her actions and I don't condone Molly's.

There's a common theme in many of Ms. Phillips' books...in her series and stand alone books. There's a common element of forgiveness in most of her books. I like that some of her characters are guilty of seemingly "unforgivable" actions. Who among us hasn't done something we have needed to have forgiven? Who has never done something that caused them to be ashamed? Molly, while she did something really, really awful, she owned up to it. Her impulsivity made me wonder if she had ADD or something. We can't define anyone by just one action or by the past. To do so isn't fair to the individual as we are each more than our pasts and there is no one action that will define the totality of the individual.

This was a book that allowed us to journey from the "original sin" to the redemption to the forgiveness of the main character. Flawed, flighty, tempestuous and impulsive, Molly really as a class clown trapped in the body of a goody-goody. The power of love can give us the power to love those who matter despite their transgressions against us. Besides, forgiveness is for ourselves, not for the one who did us dirty. I love that Kevin was able to forgive Molly and that Molly could forgive herself. So despite the difficult start and my own misgivings, I found that this book was one that spoke to me on many levels. That's a well written book...if you look past the parts that some may call "unforgivable" and remember that each one of us has done something that someone else may consider to be unforgivable. (less)

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Jan 31, 2013 Bookswithbenefits rated it 5 of 5 stars

Susan Elizabeth Phillips squeezes the heart with this adorable, funny, and moving story about a girl who turns puppy love into a mature romance.

Synopsis: Molly Somerville, the little sister of the owner of the Stars Football team (Phoebe Somerville of It Had to Be You), is all grown up and a successfull children's author. A long-lived crush on the Stars quarterback, Kevin Tucker, reaches a turning point when he almost runs her over with his Ferrari. Determined to change her life, Molly retreats...more Susan Elizabeth Phillips squeezes the heart with this adorable, funny, and moving story about a girl who turns puppy love into a mature romance.

Synopsis: Molly Somerville, the little sister of the owner of the Stars Football team (Phoebe Somerville of It Had to Be You), is all grown up and a successfull children's author. A long-lived crush on the Stars quarterback, Kevin Tucker, reaches a turning point when he almost runs her over with his Ferrari. Determined to change her life, Molly retreats to a family vacation house to work and think. Much to Molly's surprise, Kevin shows up in the middle of the night, banished there by Molly's sister Phoebe for bad behavior and a chance to cool down...only that's not what happens. Things heat up pretty quickly between the two, and suddenly Molly and Kevin find themselves disabused of the notions they have about one another and having to deal with a life they didn't expect to be living--let alone together.

Okay, here’s what I love about this story and what makes it a Summer Read even though it starts in the winter. As metaphors go, this is kind of one of those "now is the winter of our discontent" kind of things. Molly is an incredibly sympathetic character who makes all "normal" girls feel a little bit of hope and pride all rolled into one. At the start of the novel, she's at a turning point in her life that comes to a head when her lifelong crush proves just one last time to be a lost cause and a jerk. A place every "normal" girl has been...longing for the guy they can't or shouldn't have. The best part of the story is that Kevin is not a Prince Charming. He's a hot mess. He's looking for love and adventure and life in all the wrong places. By the end of the story, Molly has given Kevin a home and Kevin realizes Molly is his Princess Charming. It ends in summer--warm and full of the lazy sunshine of life that makes you glad to be alive (and maybe a little bit happier to be yourself).

As posted on http://bookswithbenefits.com (less)

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Oct 26, 2012 Sharreb rated it 5 of 5 stars

It's quirky and unexpected. It's not flawless and on some pages you wished it would pick up more pace but it deserves 5 stars for originality and for being hoots of fun on some pages and endearing uon others.
I never saw this coming. Surprised me when Molly climb into Kevin's bed and took advantage of him while hes asleep. And then I was surprise she got pregnant. I did expect him to find out but din expect his marriage proposal. And when they were at the altar I envision the next chapter of the...more

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Oct 01, 2012 Hannah rated it 2 of 5 stars

I've read the majority of the Chicago Stars series, not in order, and actually started out with Match Me If You Can on accident when I found it lying around a thrift store when I was in high school. So far, I've read Annabelle and Heath's story more times than I'd like to admit, because they're just adorable and I fell in love with them.

If you've read any SEP, you know what's coming. Same basic story line, a few different personalities thrown in each time. I don't read SEP for an intellectual jo...more

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Sep 07, 2012 VaultOfBooks rated it 3 of 5 stars

By Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Grade B+
An entertaining read but nowhere near Ms Phillips’ best. Honestly, I was expecting better.
Molly Somerville (previously appeared in It Had To Be You) 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, especially her long-term crush on the quarterback for the Chicago Stars football team her sister owns””that awful, gorgeous Kevin Tucker (previously appeared in Nobody’s Baby But Mi...more By Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Grade B+
An entertaining read but nowhere near Ms Phillips’ best. Honestly, I was expecting better.
Molly Somerville (previously appeared in It Had To Be You) 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, especially her long-term crush on the quarterback for the Chicago Stars football team her sister owns””that awful, gorgeous Kevin Tucker (previously appeared in Nobody’s Baby But Mine), a man who can’t even remember Molly’s name. One night Kevin barges into Molly’s not-quite-perfect life and turns it all upside down. Sometimes love hurts, sometimes it makes you mad as hell, and sometimes””if you’re lucky””it can heal in a most unexpected way.

Mollie Sommerville, a children’s book author with a hard earned reputation for being a good girl has had a crush on Kevin for years. Unfortunately, he can’t even remember her name. She’s also had restless and wild impulses for years. Both she successfully subdues . . . most of the time. And one of those few times she didn’t is something for which Kevin doesn’t seem willing to forgive her.
When they both ended up at the Calebow family cabin for a weekend alone, she acts on her crush by climbing into bed with him. He’s so out of it that he doesn’t know who it is until he wakes up, amid a broken condom. He thinks she’s nothing more than a spoiled heiress. Feeling violated, he tosses her out. Kevin is forced by her brother in law (and GM of the Stars) to make an honest woman out of her.
An unexpected pregnancy, a forced marriage, and a tragedy serve to drive Kevin and Molly apart. But Kevin, plagued by a sense of guilt and responsibility, is drawn back to Molly just as she’s sunk into the depths of depression. Not knowing what else to do, he hauls her off to a tourist camp in the northern Michigan woods where he has some business to settle. It’s not the stuffy old folks retreat he remembers from his childhood – it’s now a B&B with cottages that cater to the family crowd, and it’s there that Molly comes alive again, as she and Kevin’s relationship takes a dramatic turn. It’s there that Molly and Kevin will peel back their defensive layers and finally find out who they are and what they mean to each other.
Let us start with what didn’t work for me. The starting, for one. The initial getting-together of the rather immature heroine and hero felt more like a plot device from an historical novel, and seemed totally out of place in a contemporary setting. What sort of woman gets into bed to make love with a man who is asleep? Rape, much?
Also, the intelligent football player who dates stupid women, the older couple secondary romance, and the surprise pregnancy have all appeared in earlier books, and Ms Phillips fail to manage to make sure that everything old is new again. It doesn’t work, especially the secondary romance, something I hate in all the books I have read. They just take you away from the main story and piss you off.
And the similarity to Nobody’s Baby But Mine! Both women trick the men into sleeping with them, women get pregnant, men force them to marry them because they don’t want to breed, women underestimate sports jocks to be stupid but they prove to be smart, yudda yudda yudda. All of the conversations are the same, it’s the same shallow humor that lacks essense and the chemistry isn’t really sizzling.
What I liked was how every chapter begins with an excerpt from one of Molly’s books or her articles, which is a really fun touch. Molly’s fictional bunny Daphne has a nemesis named Benny the badger who is obviously Kevin. Several funny scenes arise from this. Also, the reference to Harry Potter. The Calebow family always uses “Slytherin” as an expletive, something which Molly follows, a trait I found endearing.
I also liked the appearance of Dan and Phoebe Calebow. They made the story spicier and even made me laugh out loud when the played baseball in the camp. However, if I hadn’t read about them before, I found have thought them to be way too meddlesome. They bullied Kevin into marrying Molly by threatening his career and then later in the book, came to the camp to discuss her sex life. Which was just weird and made me uncomfortable. I’m glad Molly stood up to them, but their interaction with her just seemed inappropriate.
As I was telling my friend the other day, SEP is a great author, but lately, I feel she is getting too repetitive. Even the humour barely makes me laugh out loud. The plot, the lines, the characters,it is all like you’ve read it before. I would classify most of her books as good reads, and only two stand out: First Lady and Kiss An Angel. These two are brilliant novels and make the author deserving of the credit she has been given. She needs to kick back, take a break and fix her writing. Personally, I like her rival Jennifer Crusie much better.

Originally reviewed at www.vaultofbooks.com (less)

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Aug 08, 2012 Ann Tancio rated it 4 of 5 stars

I had stopped reading the second book when I peeped into this 5th one. I really liked the first book, It Had to Be You, even though I was really skeptic about liking a 'bimbo' and 'total jock' as the main characters. I had to give it to SEP though, she has a way with words and with manipulating characters that even before you know it, you're already in love with all the characters.

So glancing through all the other books, I found out that this one was about Molly and immediately, I know I wanted...more I had stopped reading the second book when I peeped into this 5th one. I really liked the first book, It Had to Be You, even though I was really skeptic about liking a 'bimbo' and 'total jock' as the main characters. I had to give it to SEP though, she has a way with words and with manipulating characters that even before you know it, you're already in love with all the characters.

So glancing through all the other books, I found out that this one was about Molly and immediately, I know I wanted to jump onto this one more than the 2nd one. Having a delicious quarterback like Kevin as well did not hurt, and I had looked forward to see how Molly had grown up. Her personality is very unlike of Phoebe's but her charm was a true Somerville quality, that even Kevin was not immune to it.

SEP likes to keep her readers on their toes, when you think you know what the heroine/hero will do, they would surprise you but doing something else. I find her characters very well thought off and its just what you need to get into a story. You need to be able to identify with, at least, one character. It doesn't matter how old or young that character is, but somehow you would want to feel that one of characteristic is one that you can relate too.

I love all the bickering and the slow acceptance of each other in this book. Unlike other books, the Chicago Stars series has that way of not surprising you with a sudden declaration of love. Each emotion is well thought off and you, as well, will start thinking whether the hero/heroine is really in love with the other.

The only reason I give this a 4 star is somehow I feel that sometimes there's too much going on in the story. Too many people falling in love, and for readers, they can get distracted easily and lose track of what's really happening. I like the first book because it focused mostly about Pheobe and Dan, but this book, aside from having Kevin and Molly, had to Liam and Lilly as well. Too much emotions and conflict can ruin a good story. Somehow SEP was able to hold the story together, but I just wish sometimes, she shouldn't overwhelm her readers by having a young couple and an old couple having their own sex lives.(less)

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Jul 19, 2012 Rebecca rated it 5 of 5 stars

Absolutely LOVE IT! I'm a huge Susan Elizabeth Phillips fan, but this has got to be one of her best. The story is clever and keeps pace all the way through the book, it's not all happy sunshine and rainbows, but the hard stuff is really well handled, and of course it all turns out well in the end. The inclusion of notes and stories from Daphne the Bunny (the heroine Molly's characters from her children's books) are really well done and compliment the story nicely without being overly corny. The...more

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Jun 25, 2012 Vladiza rated it 3 of 5 stars

This is the last book I've read of the Chicago Stars series. I haven't read them in order but as I found them...I don't know if what I'm going to write next might be viewed as a spoiler but in doubt better be safe! So If you’d prefer not to have the book spoiled...better not read my review. I’m not writing in particular about this book but I’m referring in general to all books in this series. I enjoyed most of the characters, the author is really good at giving each hero and heroine a unique per...more

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May 23, 2012 Laurie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, family, favorites, hot-romances, sports, writers-journalists-reporters

I stayed up all night reading this book cover to cover, I liked it so much! Kevin was a great hero. He grew up straitlaced, but as the star football quarterback for the Chicago Stars, he lived on the edge. I loved that he was a preacher's kid, that he loved jazz, and he was a reader. It just brought more depth to his character. In the beginning, when he blamed Molly for their "circumstances" I didn't really warm up to his character. But throughout the book I found out, like Molly, that he was mo...more

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Jul 19, 2011 Iris Blobel rated it 4 of 5 stars

She does not disappoint, does she! Another wonderful book, which I read within only a few days - boy I love those men from the Chicago Stars! AND their women.

The story is pretty much straight forward. Molly, who we got to know from "It Had to be You" is now in her mid-twenties, author of the Daphne children's book series and owner of a big crush for Kevin Tucker ("Nobody's Baby but Mine"). These two coincidentally end up in a cottage together and because of circumstances better not told her, the...more She does not disappoint, does she! Another wonderful book, which I read within only a few days - boy I love those men from the Chicago Stars! AND their women.

The story is pretty much straight forward. Molly, who we got to know from "It Had to be You" is now in her mid-twenties, author of the Daphne children's book series and owner of a big crush for Kevin Tucker ("Nobody's Baby but Mine"). These two coincidentally end up in a cottage together and because of circumstances better not told her, they get married a few weeks later. Okay, now this is a bit worn - they "have" to get married. Yet, in true SEP-style they fall in love. The campground is a wonderful setting and I envy SEP for her ability to put so many metaphors into the story as well as the way she lets the characters "grow" so subtly. Molly and Kevin are a wonderful couple, each with their insecurities and troubled past, I'm sure everyone else will like them as well. The witty and funny dialogue between them made me laugh out loud quite a few times. One of the funniest parts of the book was near the end when Kevin took Molly to the lake to show her "how romantic" he can be.
The subplot is about Lilly, an aged TV star in her 50s, who happens to be connected to Kevin and when she finds out about his marriage, makes her way to the campground as well. And that's where she meets Liam, a brilliant artist. I've also got to say a big Hooray to SEP for so beautifully addressing the issue of the aging female body. It was a delight to read Liam's comments about Lilly's looks!

Now having said all that - it should be a 5/5. But sorry I can't! Being a writer myself I do know that we sometimes have to stretch certain "plots" to find a start, or even ending, but somehow deep in my heart -even though it's a book - I cannot go past the reason why Molly and Kevin had to get married. It seems wrong to me.

BUT if you can see past that - definitely a book I'd wholeheartedly recommend to anybody who likes a nice and solid romance! Susan Elizabeth Phillips has delivered again !

Favourite Quote
"Did anybody tell you that you're a few french fries short of a Happy Meal?" (less)

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Jul 09, 2011 Julianne rated it 5 of 5 stars

This is one of the "Chicago Stars" series of books about people connected with the professional football team. In this instance, it's the owner's sister and the star quarterback. There's trouble, there's a marriage, misunderstanding, more trouble, depression, then off to a campground in Northern Michigan. This is where life gets more complicated and much more interesting!

Enter an NFL head coach, an aging movie star, a children's books author, a world-famous artist, a powerful businesswoman, rand...more

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Feb 21, 2011 Erin Kern rated it 5 of 5 stars

When I first read "It Had To Be You" I didn't care for Kevin Tucker. He sort of came off as an immature punk. By the time I got to the end of "Nobody's Baby But Mine," he'd grown on me. Despite that I anticipated the release of "This Heart of Mine" because I wanted to see the interaction between Kevin and Molly.

Out of the entire Stars series Kevin and Molly's story is my favorite. In fact to this day, Kevin and Molly remain two of my favorite H/h duo. The interaction between them is snarky, witt...more

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Feb 16, 2011 Sarah Eiseman rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is part of the Chicago Stars series, but can be read out of order without losing too much of the story. This story follows Molly Somerville and Kevin Tucker. Kevin’s the Star’s quarterback, Molly is the half-sister of the Star’s owner, Phoebe Somerville. Molly is a children’s book author and often bases her stories on her interactions with Kevin, her secret crush. These two hook up early in the book and end up with more than they bargained for, which causes both of their families to pr...more

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Feb 06, 2011 Mara rated it 1 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance, dnf, contemporary, the-worst, this-heroine-be-cray

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book made feel dirty (in a bad way). To me, there was no excuse for what the heroine did near the beginning.

Molly always had a crush on Kevin, and when they accidentally end up staying under the same roof, she goes through his things, finds a condom in his toiletries bag, goes to his room while he's asleep, gets into his bed (he's still sleeping), puts a condom on him and then proceeds to rape him. That's right, rape. There's no way that what she did isn't rape. He wakes up and is furious,...more This book made feel dirty (in a bad way). To me, there was no excuse for what the heroine did near the beginning.

Molly always had a crush on Kevin, and when they accidentally end up staying under the same roof, she goes through his things, finds a condom in his toiletries bag, goes to his room while he's asleep, gets into his bed (he's still sleeping), puts a condom on him and then proceeds to rape him. That's right, rape. There's no way that what she did isn't rape. He wakes up and is furious, she's ashamed or something, the ancient condom broke, they go their separate ways.

A month later, Kevin calls Molly to see whether the faulty condom left any consequences, she says no and pretends that she's with a boyfriend. She is, of course, lying, because she is a romance heroine, and those are by default stupid, manipulative, and lying about the existence of children to said children's fathers.

Molly's sister finds out that Molly's pregnant, only the situation is complicated because the sister, Phoebe, is Kevin's boss and the owner of the sports team. Molly won't say who the father is, but Phoebe and her husband figure out it's Kevin, and the husband goes to Australia to punch Kevin and force him to marry Molly. Good thing they won't allow shotguns on airplanes.

At this point, I am imagining myself in Kevin's place, I was raped while I was asleep, there is a pregnancy and my boss is making me marry my rapist (because they are related) so that the child wouldn't be a bastard. Poor child, what an environment to grow up in.

Kevin is a good person and a good man, a lot better than I would be in his place, so he agrees to get married and won't tell everyone what happened.

At this point, SEP knows she wrote herself into a corner, so Molly has a miscarriage and gets depressed. I won't lie, those scenes made me cry for half an hour, the whole thing was beyond sad, and there was nothing that could fix it. Also, I felt SEP played me like a violin, and I don't like that.

Kevin feels bad, goes to check on Molly, she is a wreck, so he takes her on a trip to see a camp he inherited and wants to sell. Everything goes fine, more or less, and then in chapter 12, Molly has the following train of thought (emphasis mine):

She reined in her imagination. This was exactly the kind of fantasizing that had gotten her in such terrible trouble. And maybe it was time she reminded herself that Kevin hadn't exactly been the most memorable lover. In point of fact, he'd been a dud.

That wasn't fair. He'd been operating under a double disadvantage. He'd been sound asleep, and he wasn't attracted to her.

Wow, how kind of you to think so. At this point, I just couldn't read this book anymore. What's the point? There's no way Molly deserved Kevin, yet I knew she would get him to leave everything for her, since this is a romance novel and this is a SEP book.

I can sort of see how some people might give this book 5 stars, but that's not me. Sorry.
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Sep 10, 2010 Jane Stewart rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: humorous-contemporary-romance

Another witty and fun read from author Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Although I preferred the first three Chicago Stars football books to this one, I still rank this one with 4 stars as a good read. The first three books which I felt were great are: It Had to be You, Heaven, Texas, and Nobody's Baby But Mine. In this book, I didn't enjoy the two main characters as much as I enjoyed the characters in her other books. I'm not sure why. They both sought entertainment through risk taking. Molly was suppos...more

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Jun 24, 2010 Jenny rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: adult-humor, adult-romance

Molly Somerville, sister of Phoebe formerly-Somerville (owner of the Chicago Stars), is a former heiress (she gave away all her money), the creator of a series of children's books, and has been hopelessly in love (she calls it a crush) with the quarterback of her sister's team for years.

One thing leads to another, and Molly and Kevin (aforementioned hunky quarterback) find themselves together, running a bed and breakfast and lakeside campground Kevin's family has dumped in his lap.

The plot its...more

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Jun 02, 2010 Alison rated it 3 of 5 stars

So far of the three books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips in the Chicago Stars series, this one is my least favorite. It just began so strangely. It's funny because in 'Match Me If You Can' I loved Molly and Kevin together, they seemed so well matched, but damn those are some strange beginnings. Molly pretty much rapes Kevin, sorta... the way they first talk about it, it definitely seems like it's borderline rape anyhow. And on top of that she gets pregnant, then there's a sympathy sham of a wedding...more

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Mar 01, 2010 Anita rated it 3 of 5 stars

It's really hard loving and hating an arthor at the same time.

I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips because her characters are so real, so likeable. So darn FUNNY and endearing. But I HATE HER at the same time because the Male protagonist usually ends up treating the female like DOG CRAP throughout two-thirds of the book.

Then she gets fed up, tunes out, has a breakdown, whatever, and he realizes what an ass he's been but now it's too late and he has to spend the last third of the book backpedaling and...more

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Jul 04, 2009 Marcie rated it 4 of 5 stars

It was so hard to first get into this book, transitioning from a heavier novel (that required a dictionary close at hand). It was SO sweet and light and even a little nauseating in the beginning...and then suddenly it happened.

I became the heroine, suffering a miscarriage, deeply depressed, not bathing nor working, sleeping constantly...who cares about mail or phone calls.

But this is a romance novel, so she is whisked to an enchanting woods (summer camp) where she is enlisted to help save, re-in...more It was so hard to first get into this book, transitioning from a heavier novel (that required a dictionary close at hand). It was SO sweet and light and even a little nauseating in the beginning...and then suddenly it happened.

I became the heroine, suffering a miscarriage, deeply depressed, not bathing nor working, sleeping constantly...who cares about mail or phone calls.

But this is a romance novel, so she is whisked to an enchanting woods (summer camp) where she is enlisted to help save, re-invent, and manage a charming B&B (complete with single-unit tiny Victorian gingerbread houses scattered in the woods). She is awakening at 5:30 am to cook breakfast pastries for the guests, serving tea at 5 pm in the main parlor, running the accounts, fetching supplies in town.

She nestles into one of the cottages with a screened back porch where she draws and writes her children's books, reads, and heals. (The back-and-forth between the book's action and the excerpts from the heroine's children's books and "teenage girl" magazine articles she writes to support herself was annoying at first, and then brilliant strokes of perfection by the end.) She's also swimming, canoeing, diving off cliffs, recruited to play in games with the kids. And of course, falling in love.

Next thing you know, I'm grinning, then laughing. The scene of the impromptu softball game between the "Jocks" and the "Last Kids To Be Chosen in Gym Class," and how the latter use every psychological trick to win, is PRICELESS.

SEP is the best romance novelist at work today, and wow, has the genre changed and grown up in her deft hands. There's no bodices to rip. Her heroines are overcoming real rapes, terrible childhoods, biting criticism, low self-esteem, the stress of imposed perfection, promiscuity, prudishness, spoiledness, etc. And there's always a side-line couple battling their problems to get together also, and they're the older parent or in this case, a 50-year-old actress who has put on a few pounds. Romance is not just for the young and beautiful, SEP insists. (I remember one sex scene a few books back with the older characters and it was HOT. Really well done. SEP is never vulgar, though, intelligent and just the right mix of tasteful and...interesting.)

SEP's heroines wear bunny slippers and granny-panties and sometimes socks that don't match and red plastic hair barettes and one had red, frizzy hair. Imagine that 50-year-old overweight actress kicking off her leopard pumps and sliding into home base.

SEP has lots of messages inside her sweet confections. As the characters search for answers, they are fighting their way back into the light. When I pick up a romance novel, I want to be transported into the light, too. And SEP gets us there. If we would all just listen to her, we would be in love...and happy and healthy and laughing.

One of her characters in another novel stated that romance novels are one of God's good gifts. SEP novels are definitely one of God's good gifts.
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Apr 25, 2009 Kath rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. Kevin Tucker was introduced in "Nobody's Baby but Mine" as the rookie quarterback coming in to take Cal Bonner's place. Out of all of the Chicago Stars characters, Kevin Tucker is my second favorite character of all the Stars (other than Bobby Tom Denton). He's the charming, sweet, caring son of a preacher. While this is not my favorite story in the series, Kevin's still one of my favorites.

Doing daredevil things during football season has Coach Dan Calebow sending him to his house in the mounta...more Kevin Tucker was introduced in "Nobody's Baby but Mine" as the rookie quarterback coming in to take Cal Bonner's place. Out of all of the Chicago Stars characters, Kevin Tucker is my second favorite character of all the Stars (other than Bobby Tom Denton). He's the charming, sweet, caring son of a preacher. While this is not my favorite story in the series, Kevin's still one of my favorites.

Doing daredevil things during football season has Coach Dan Calebow sending him to his house in the mountains for the weekend to relax and thing about things. Nobody realizes that Dan's younger sister in law, Molly - a brainy girl who writes childrens books heads there to write as well. The two spend some time together, but Molly is going through a personal crisis and litterally hops into bed with Kevin.....the guy who doesn't even know her name and she has had a long time crush on.

I don't want to give away too much of the plot, but months later, the two end up at a camp ground that formerly belonged to Kevin's parents (adoptive) and he's trying to sell. They find that it is in need of help to be run for the season and the two stick around until they find someone to take the job. Kevin wants to keep his distance from Molly since she is the boss's sister (much younger sister), but knows she needs to be away from home, so he keeps her there. Molly has always had a crush on Kevin, but also keeps her distance for other reasons.

Kevin's estranged mother shows up, as do many other campers, including the Calebow clan.

This is a light read and I really liked the relationship between Kevin and Molly. The evolution seemed pretty realistic and I loved the references to the characters in Molly's books and their banter.

As in Dream a Little Dream, I found myself irritated with previous book characters interference in their families lives. Dan and Pheobe were heavy handed with Molly and Kevin that went way beyond being over-protective. They poked theirselves into business that was not theirs to poke into and not only did not fare well with Molly, but made Kevin feel as though his career was threatened.(less)

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Oct 21, 2011 C_ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: deutsch, lieblich, lies

Molly, 27 und leicht chaotisch aber wahnsinnig liebenswert, führt ein nettes Leben: Sie ist Kinderbuchautorin, hat ein gemütliches Appartment und eine wundervolle Familie. Allerdings passt das nicht so ganz zu der Tatsache, dass sie die millionenschwere Erbin ihres Vaters sein müsste, einem Footballmagnat, der zwar stinkreich war, seine beiden Töchter aber schwer vernachlässigte. Und so kommt es wohl auch, dass Molly immer mal ein bisschen ausrastet und aus ihrer perfekten Welt ausbricht. So auc...more Molly, 27 und leicht chaotisch aber wahnsinnig liebenswert, führt ein nettes Leben: Sie ist Kinderbuchautorin, hat ein gemütliches Appartment und eine wundervolle Familie. Allerdings passt das nicht so ganz zu der Tatsache, dass sie die millionenschwere Erbin ihres Vaters sein müsste, einem Footballmagnat, der zwar stinkreich war, seine beiden Töchter aber schwer vernachlässigte. Und so kommt es wohl auch, dass Molly immer mal ein bisschen ausrastet und aus ihrer perfekten Welt ausbricht. So auch, als sie zufällig mit ihrem Schwarm, Kevin Tucker, DEM Footballstar schlechthin, in einem Ferienhaus in der verschneiten Einöde landet...sie schleicht sich in sein Bett und verführt ihn während er noch schläft. Seltsam, seltsam. Nun ja, dann platzt auch noch das Kondom (noch seltsamer) und Molly wird schwanger. Ihre Schwester, die das Footballunternehmen des Vaters erbte und somit Kevins Chefin ist, nötigt den jungen, supertoll gebauten, gutaussehenden Mann, Molly zu heiraten. Und so fängt alles an...Natürlich gibt es Streitereien und Probleme, die beiden finden aber doch irgendwie zueinander, und noch mehr Streitereien und Probleme uuuuund natürlich, wie könnte es anders sein: ein happy end! ;)

Nachdem ich den Einstieg doch arg befremdlich (Molly vergewaltigt den sexy Footballspieler ja irgendwie) und zu überspitzt konstruiert fand (ebendieser sexy Footballer wird von Gewissensbissen geplagt und ehelicht seine Vergewaltigerin?!), ging es flott weiter und ich war komplett gefesselt von Mollys niedlicher und liebenswerter Art. Seite um Seite flog vorbei und ich drückte insgeheim die Daumen, dass kleines chaotisches Mädchen wahnsinnig gutaussehenden und dazu noch einfühlsamen Traummann findet :) Nachdem der Anfang also einmal vorüber war, hatte ich viel Spaß mit diesem Buch, was hauptsächlich an den humorvollen, manchmal bissig sarkastischen Dialogen lag. Ein Lächeln blieb hartnäckig auf meinen Lippen, bis der Roman vorüber war. Auch die Liebesgeschichte von Lilly gefiel mir ganz gut.

Ein amüsantes, modernes Märchen für große Mädchen...und ich will auch einen Pudel wie Ruh! ;)(less)

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Jul 29, 2011 Shelly rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: audiobook-version, favorites, romance-contemporary

I need to be shot! Immediately! What in the hell was I thinking in ignoring this book? I've read all but 5 of SEP's work. This one included. 99% of them I adore, love and can't get enough of, but one or two (Glitter Baby and First Lady) took me a lot longer in the story to like, but eventually I did. When I first read It Had to Be You, my first SEP years ago, I really didn't care for Molly. In fact, I decided I wasn't that interested in reading her story, and in books in the series that follow t...more I need to be shot! Immediately! What in the hell was I thinking in ignoring this book? I've read all but 5 of SEP's work. This one included. 99% of them I adore, love and can't get enough of, but one or two (Glitter Baby and First Lady) took me a lot longer in the story to like, but eventually I did. When I first read It Had to Be You, my first SEP years ago, I really didn't care for Molly. In fact, I decided I wasn't that interested in reading her story, and in books in the series that follow this, when Molly and Kevin appear, I'm less than thrilled. I didn't get them, I didn't want to, they just didn't hold my interest. Well, now I have to go back and re-read those after the series, just to get more of them since I didn't pay attention to them then! I can be so stupid sometimes!! My absolute favorite SEP book is still Match Me If You Can, but this book is now going to be up there with it in my list of favorites!! There isn't one thing I didn't love about Kevin and Molly's story, not one thing!

In It Had to Be You, Molly was 15, and the type of teenager I thought was boring. She didn't excite me and truthfully I didn't think she had the stuff to become the type of heroine I would love. Like everyone else in Molly's life, I too was guilty of thinking she was too much of a goody goody and expected her to just fall in line with what was expected of her. What I have seen of Kevin in other books, he seemed a little boring as well. Now I know why!!!!! Molly wants to be the good girl to please everyone, but secretly she hears fire alarms going off in her head, telling her to drastic things, usually to her hair! And poor Kevin feels disconnected from everyone, so he keeps himself disconnected and focuses on the one thing in his life that helps fill the void in his heart. Usually, people like this - people who hide their true selves, I would say don't work well together, but of course, SEP does her magic and they are beautiful together. And so damn funny!!! Molly has stolen her way into my heart, a place I never expected to find her. Her children's books seemed sort of silly to me in later books in the series, but I didn't have the full Daphne and Benny treatment, like I was suppose to if I had bothered to read the series in order. Always read series in order!!!!

The side love story with Liam and Lily was just terrific as well. The reclusive creator and the just-past-her-prime aging TV star come together at just the right time for each other, and seeing Liam telling Lily how it is, that even though she's overweight and old, she is beautiful and does have power. Between Kevin and Liam's unexpected rough treatment of her, something she's not use to, she realizes her true happiness with herself. And who doesn't love a cranky but ruggedly handsome recluse who is super talented in more ways that one!!! Great characters, as usual in SEP's works.

Seriously, I usually can find something to complain about in even the most fabulous books (though not much in SEP's) but there isn't anything I didn't like. I will admit, I am insanely biased. As long as I live, there will never be an author's work I adore more, so take what I say with a tiny grain of salt, but just a tiny one! I'm off to read the rest of SEP's work, because the few left (Lady Be Good, Kiss an Angel, Honey Moon, Just Imagine and Hot Shot) are toast! I will finish them before summer is out!!! Go grab this book. Now!(less)

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Mar 14, 2011 Twiggy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

More of a struggle than the previous books.

I had liked Molly in phoebe's story and was interested to see what had happened to her. Unfortunately she came across as simply neurotic and annoying. She seemed to be the kind of person, who no matter what kind of stupid/ irresponsible or crazy thing she did, everyone else excused her actions and she never had to take proper responsibility for her actions.

Kevin had been introduced previously and was a lot more likeable.

The story line: Molly has a cr...more

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About Susan Elizabeth Phillips

SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS

The Huffington Post says the books of Susan Elizabeth Phillips provide a “gateway drug to the whole [romance] genre,” which she assumes is a good thing. Bookpage magazine calls her “the crown jewel of romantic comedy writers,” which is definitely a good thing. Since she wrote her first novel on a typewriter in her kitchen, her books have been published in over 30 languages...more

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Natural Born Charmer (Chicago Stars, #7)

Dream a Little Dream (Chicago Stars, #4)

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“It was a kiss made in lonely dreams. A kiss that took its time. A kiss that felt so right she couldn't remember all the reasons it was wrong.” — 70 people liked it

“Did anybody tell you that you're a few french fries short of a Happy Meal?” — 70 people liked it

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