Jane Darlington and Cal Bonner's book
Nobody's Baby But Mine (Chicago Star book 3)
By Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Narrated by Anna Fields
Book Blurb:
A physicist wants to spare her child from becoming a nerdy scientist's kid. So she sets out to snare a dumb jock to father her child.
The style of writing in Nobody's Baby But Mine was classic Susan Elizabeth Phillips (SEP). I've grown to really enjoy SEP stories but the actual story line of Nobody's Baby But Mine was not my cup of tea. In fact, I found it rather lacking. The idea that a brilliant world class physicist wanted to birth a stupid (non smart) child to be utterly ridiculous. Even more ridiculous was the fact that she thought a world class athlete would be the perfect, dumb hick of a sperm donor to impregnate her. I kid you not, right there was the plot.
There was just so much stupidity in Nobody's Baby But Mine I don't even know where to start. From Jane pretending to be a hooker (that doesn't take her clothes off) to luring the superstar athlete Cal (who is used to having women throwing themselves at him) into unknowingly implanting his sperm into her was so far fetched. Not to mention how quickly his entire family forgives Jane from doing what I consider to be one of the most despicable acts a woman can do in regards to deception. The best observance made in Nobody's Baby But Mine was that Jane, who is highly intelligent, is rather dumb as a post.
I found there was nothing redeeming about Jane that would allow me to forgive her. I understand the idea of wanting a baby so badly that you'd do almost anything but all of her reasoning and the way she went about it, was just to unforgiving to me.
I liked Cal but really I liked his family more. It was his mom, dad and grandma that made this story for me. Luckily there was a strong secondary cast with a great side story that made me want to finish out Nobody's Baby But Mine. It was their story that increased the rating to a 2 for me.
Although this story was not my favourite, I am 100% continuing on with this Chicago Stars series. In fact I've already put on hold the fourth book in the series and I can't wait for the library to notify me that Dream a Little Dream is ready for me.
Teasers: Pink bow, coolest grandma ever, Bonner back story
Gracie Snow and Bobby Tom Denton's book
Heaven, Texas
By Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Narrated by Anna Fields
Book Blurb:
It seems like an easy assignment for an assertive but sweet woman like Gracie Snow: track down her friend, Bobby Denton, a famous ex-jock, and bring him to Heaven (Texas, that is) to shoot a movie. How could he refuse a glamorous offer like that?
Easy, if you've got a big ego, a 1957 T-Bird and prefer cruising the highways for girls. And Bobby Tom isn't certain about being a movie star. Sure he's charismatic and good looking, but that doesn't mean he'll help out an overhearing Ohio wallflower.
But Bobby can't get Gracie, an angel, out of his mind. Why not head to Heaven and raise a little hell? Gracie can look out for the consequences. And chaos is sure to follow these two as they discover and delight in each other, a match made... in Heaven.
I love the characters that Susan Elizabeth Phillips creates. Yes they are awesome but they are also flawed. Bobby Tom is charming and sexy and oh so arrogant. I wanted to smack him upside the head a few times. Gracie is sweet and determined but stubborn to a fault. In fact that stubbornness made me dislike her on a few occasions. So clearly I had a love/hate relationship with this couple.
Forced into an early football retirement due to a career ending knee injury, the former quarterback of the Chicago Stars really hasn't a clue what to do with his life. It seems like pretty much everyone who has ever met Bobby Tom wants a piece of him or a favour of some sort. I really felt for him. Taking an acting role for a Hollywood film wasn't really what he wanted but it helped him pass the time begrudgingly.
Since Bobby Tom inadvertently got Gracie fired he devises a plan to rehire her but under the ruse that she is still employed by the film studio. Bobby Tom starts out thinking that Gracie is a bother, then he thinks she is kind of cute and after he arranges for her to get a makeover, she morphed into someone quite attractive that Bobby Tom can't seem to keep his hands off of.
Gracie's personality and looks really mature within Heaven, Texas. She is a 30 yr old virgin, she is sexually frustrated and she just wants to lose her virgin status. She almost immediately falls in love with the handsome Bobby Tom and my favourite scene in the book is where she becomes completely drunk after three coolers and pretty much begs Bobby Tom to have sex with her. I was laughing out loud when she was crying to Bobby Tom's mother that her son was not a good man because he wouldn't have sex with her. I love a drunk and silly heroine. Always good for a laugh.
I really loved listening to the story about these two. I laughed, got angry, gasped and all sorts of other emotions. I truly loved it but I will admit that Gracie's stubbornness made me quite angry at the end and it was almost like she was trying to be a misplaced martyr. Probably my least favourite part of the book and I was really worried that chapter was going to lose all the love I had gained for this couple. I have to say that it didn't ruin it but I was debating between a 4 and 5 rating.
Teasers: cross country road trip, breast feeding film dilemma, excellent side story for Bobby Tom's mother, celebrity golf tournament
Coach Dan Calebow and Phoebe Somerville's book
It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars #1)
By Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Narrated by Anna Fields
Book Blurb:
It's Dan Calebow's worst nightmare: Phoebe Somerville, a trendy New York knockout, inherits the Chicago Stars, the football team he coaches. And she wants to help him run it. Phoebe's sure he needs her. He's a sexist, good-ol'-boy jock with a one track mind. She can straighten him out.
So why should each find the other attractive? Call it the competitive urge, but these two stubborn people play the game for keeps.
The best form of book publicity is word of mouth. My good friend, who has introduced me to so many fabulous books, once again encouraged me to read Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I've been on this recent audiobook kick and I was pleased to see that my library has lots of options for her books.
I am a football nut so It Had to Be You was right up my alley. I loved it. A great romance and I kept thinking what a wonderful movie this story would make. There was even a suspenseful ending. It Had to Be You is the first book in the Chicago Stars series and I eagerly look forward to reading/listening to the rest.
Phoebe Somerville was a complex character. Just when you thought you'd understand her character the author, Susan Elizabeth Phillips would provide a memory flashback and you'd want to sob and then change your perception about her.
Coach Dan Calebow is a man's man and deeply submerged into the boy's club of football. I have to admit, I expected a lot more push back or snark from the coach when Phoebe inherited and took over the Star's NFL Football Club. He had a temper and soon Phoebe knew exactly which buttons to press. Honestly, Phoebe was the smartest "bimbo" I've ever read. That probably was because she wasn't a bimbo at all. A bombshell yes, bimbo no.
Phoebe's dad was a jerk and one of the biggest, misogynist dolts I've ever read. I can state my opinion and we never even meet him. The story starts out with all the characters attending his funeral. One of the funniest scenes in the entire book occurs during his funeral and I knew from that first chapter, I was committed to It Had to Be You.
It Had to Be You was very enjoyable listen with the one exception. I didn't really care for the narrator's voiceover of Dan's character. It was supposed to be southern accent but I kept picturing an overweight man with big lips. Like a cartoon character. Other than that, I loved it. I smiled a lot and I also got quite angry a few times. Excellent story and it kept me highly engaged.
Teasers: Pooh the dog, new found sisterly love, scary role play scene, AFC Championship game
Georgie York and Bram Shepard's book
What I Did for Love
by Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Narrated by Julia Gibson
Book Blurb:
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.
Right off the bat let me tell you that I loved What I Did for Love. I borrowed the audiobook from my library so that I could have a good book to listen to while walking. I fell in love with the story so quickly that I ended up listening to the entire book in two days. I kept sneaking away looking for ways to be alone so that I could plug in the earphones and listen. What I Did for Love is the fourth book in the "Wynette, Texas" series but you can 100% read as a stand alone. In fact, I am surprised that it was part of series. It didn't feel like a series as I was reading. I didn't feel I was losing out on any connecting characters at all. There is nothing about Texas in this story.
What I Did for Love was my first Susan Elizabeth Phillips book and it will certainly not be my last. In fact, I am checking online directly following my review writing to see if the library have more audiobooks available to check out.
I am not sure how Susan Elizabeth Phillips did it but she had me falling for a very unlikable "hero", Bram. When I first started listening to the audiobook, I was thinking to myself that this guy is a real jerk. There was nothing I liked about him. Thankfully little tidbits about Bram came to light and by the end of the book, I was in love with him. I'd like to add that it was a nice slow anticipated build up. There was not one moment where BAM! I completely changed my mind about him.
Georgie was adorable and probably a rarity in the real Hollywood world. She was a childhood star who had a protective father that looked after her earnings responsibly and thankfully Georgie didn't end up a waste case like so many other young Hollywood child stars do. She had a good head on her shoulders. It was very interesting that Georgie and Bram were teen stars together on the same TV show but they really disliked each other. There was a lot of growing up and maturity required by both of them.
Stories that have the "Hate to Love" plots are hard to pull off and I found What I Did for Love was practically flawless in the storyline. I was completely engaged and I could envision a lot of real life parallels between the fictional Georgie and Bram to quite a few popular Hollywood couples. The paparazzi were relentless and it would be truly exhausting to live that lifestyle.
The secondary cast of characters really added to the story. Different personalities all around. As there were so many varying personality traits, it made easy listening to the narrator, Julia Gibson. She gave each character a distinct sound and I was not confused with who was to be speaking at any given moment. She did an especially great job of the cook/housekeeper, Chaz.
Teasers: fake marriage, father/daughter relationship, steamy lingerie shopping scene, SARS house prison
