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Chicago Stars #1
It Had to Be You
What if a woman who knows nothing about sports inherits a professional football team? The Windy City definitely isn't ready for Phoebe Somerville, the outrageous York knockout who’s taking over their home town team. And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars' head coach Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. This is the book that began it all. The Chicago Stars are about to take the field... and they’re not the only ones playing for keeps.
376 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1994
About the author
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
43 books15.4k followersSUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS
Susan Elizabeth Phillips has been called the “Queen of Romantic Comedy and is the creator of the sports romance, beginning with her 1989 bestseller, FANCY PANTS. An internationally acclaimed author, her books have been published in over 30 languages. She’s the only four-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Favorite Book of the Year Award, and a recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Susan's newest book, SIMPLY THE BEST, is coming in hardcover, ebook and audiobook in February 2024. SIMPLY THE BEST is book #10 in the highly acclaimed CHICAGO STARS football series. Susan is also known for the Wynette, Texas book series and many stand-alone women's fiction/romance novels.
In addition to being a New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today bestseller, she is a hiker, lazy gardener, horrible singer, passable cook, passionate reader, wife, mother of two grown sons, and grandmother.
You can visit Susan on Facebook, Instagram or on her website.
https://www.facebook.com/SusanElizabe...
https://www.instagram.com/SEPauthor/
http://susanelizabethphillips.com/
Susan Elizabeth Phillips has been called the “Queen of Romantic Comedy and is the creator of the sports romance, beginning with her 1989 bestseller, FANCY PANTS. An internationally acclaimed author, her books have been published in over 30 languages. She’s the only four-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Favorite Book of the Year Award, and a recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award.
Susan's newest book, SIMPLY THE BEST, is coming in hardcover, ebook and audiobook in February 2024. SIMPLY THE BEST is book #10 in the highly acclaimed CHICAGO STARS football series. Susan is also known for the Wynette, Texas book series and many stand-alone women's fiction/romance novels.
In addition to being a New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today bestseller, she is a hiker, lazy gardener, horrible singer, passable cook, passionate reader, wife, mother of two grown sons, and grandmother.
You can visit Susan on Facebook, Instagram or on her website.
https://www.facebook.com/SusanElizabe...
https://www.instagram.com/SEPauthor/
http://susanelizabethphillips.com/
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,025 reviews
November 9, 2021
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Phoebe Summerville is like a cross between Elle Woods and Peg Bundy - she's rich, she's tacky, everyone writes her off as a dumb bimbo. However, she's quite a bit more clever and complicated than anyone gives her credit for, including her father, who disliked her so much that he decided to screw with her from beyond the grave: instead of being disinherited as per his original plan, he's giving her his football team, the Chicago Stars, for a year. If the team loses the NFL playoffs, she gets $100,000 and ownership reverts to her icky cousin, Reed. If she wins, she keeps the team. Damned if she does, damned if she doesn't.
Dan Calebow, the coach of the Stars, is highly displeased when he finds out who the new owner is. He's even more displeased when he finds himself inexplicably attracted to her. I know the Goodreads blurb describes him as "a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind", but this doesn't even come close to describing what a piece of work this man is, and what he does to Phoebe.
First, let me say that I loved the premise behind this book. I love books that show that women can be fashionable, girly, ditzy, and smart. Legally Blonde and Clueless are two of my favorite movies, and for a while I thought this book was going to be like that, with Phoebe learning more about management and football while also teaching the players "the bend and snap." Because Phoebe was a great character, and her tacky, over-the-top 90s outfits are all kinds of awesome.
My problem with the book is Dan. Just Dan. And while it seems a bit harsh, I know, to lower the ratings of a book so dramatically just because one of the characters ticked me off, Dan is the love interest and one of the narrators, so he's kind of inescapable. In the first scene from his POV, we're led to believe that he's having sex with a sixteen-year-old high school cheerleader. In actuality, it's his ex-wife, Valerie, who likes to play kinky roleplaying games, but I felt like I was led on way too long into thinking that this hero is actually the type of man to sleep with underage women.
Minus one.
Dan is also kind of creepy. Even as he's having kinky sex with his ex-wife, he's shopping for the next one, and eventually hones in on a preschool teacher named Sharon Anderson. So he's dating this girl while having sex with his ex-wife and having sexual thoughts about Phoebe. The worst part is, Sharon never finds out about any of this. Dan breaks up with her eventually, and tells her it's because she wasn't what he was looking for after all, and that's the end of it. Poor Sharon never finds out.
Minus two.
At one point, Dan and his ex-wife are planning rape play. When Phoebe drops by unexpectedly, Dan mistakes her for his ex-wife and drags her off into the woods while saying all these threatening things. Phoebe, who is a rape victim, freaks out, and Dan doesn't realize anything is wrong until she starts screaming. His excuse is that it's dark. And he doesn't really feel as sorry as he should have.
Minus three.
Towards the end of the book, Dan tells Phoebe that he doesn't feel comfortable dating someone with the power to fire him.
Minus four.
Also, the inclusion of this line:
What good were curvy hips and full breasts if she couldn't let a man caress them, if they would never bring a baby into the world or nuture its new life? (142)
Minus five.
And the inclusion of this line:
Phoebe was a curvy, buxom , good-time girl, custom-designed by God for just this kind of romp (239).
Minus six.
Plus, there were some weird stylistic choices in the narrative style that just felt odd to me. For example:
Her curved hips swayed in a sassy walk that seemed to have a language all its own
Hot cha cha
Hot cha cha
Hot hot
Cha cha cha cha (55).
I have no idea if this is a reference to something or what it's supposed to mean, but the author seems to like it, because she repeats it several times. She has a couple favorite words that are also repeated several times, like "peek-a-boo", "sassy", and "delirious."
This line was kind of weird as well.
Like plantation slaves, the National Football League's Chicago Stars had come to pay homage to the man who owned them (5).
In addition to Dan, I also despised Molly, Phoebe's younger half-sister. She's such a sh*t to her sister, despite everything Phoebe does for her. Molly's not happy at school? Phoebe changes schools for her. Molly's not happy at home? She gets to live with Phoebe. Molly feels drab? Phoebe offers to go clothes shopping with her. How does Molly repay her? By putting her down and making her feel bad about herself every chance she gets, and at one point, telling a stranger (Dan) that Phoebe hits her.
How does Dan react to this? In the end, he pretty much laughs it off. It becomes a joke at the end.
I loved Phoebe's character and I liked how she talked about what good people her horrible father's wives were. She never slut-shames any of her stepmothers and at one point says that they're strong women because they were survivors who did the best they could to live their lives. I also loved her interactions with the players and with Ron, and her locker room speech was really cute. I also liked how when she found out about Dan going out with Sharon, she didn't blame Sharon. She blamed Dan. Isn't that refreshing? Blaming the cheater instead of the cheatee? I thought so.
Phoebe was clever and a schemer, and she wasn't afraid to live her life. Even though she was raped, and suffered blow after blow to her self-esteem, she learned to take advantage of the male gaze, and how to cow male bullies by beating them at their own game. She was a wonderful, complicated, quirky heroine, and it made me so sad to see her paired off with such a terrible, terrible hero.
The dated 90s references were so amusing. Rows of payphones in a locker room? Chokers? LOL.
P.S. Donald Trump makes a random paragraph-long cameo.
2 to 2.5 stars.
February 23, 2019
One word: BLISS!
QUICK REVIEW:
Enjoyment:: 4.5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Storyline: 5/5
Hero: 4/5
Heroine: 5/5
Secondary characters: 5/5
Hotness/chemistry: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Angst: 3/5
Darkness level: 2/5
Humor: 4/5
Depth of the book: 5/5
POV: multiple, 3rd person
Triggers:
Books with a similar theme: Hard to say. Just like KA, this author is in a league of her own.
QUICK REVIEW:
Enjoyment:: 4.5/5
Writing style: 5/5
Storyline: 5/5
Hero: 4/5
Heroine: 5/5
Secondary characters: 5/5
Hotness/chemistry: 4/5
Romance: 4/5
Angst: 3/5
Darkness level: 2/5
Humor: 4/5
Depth of the book: 5/5
POV: multiple, 3rd person
Triggers:
Books with a similar theme: Hard to say. Just like KA, this author is in a league of her own.
September 16, 2016
The Windy City isn't quite ready for Phoebe Somerville—the outrageous, curvaceous New York knockout who has just inherited the Chicago Stars football team. And Phoebe is definitely not ready for the Stars' head coach, former gridiron legend Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. Calebow is everything Phoebe abhors. And the sexy new boss is everything Dan despises—a meddling bimbo who doesn't know a pigskin from a pitcher's mound.
Dan is alpha, opinionated, chauvanistic, thick-skinned! I LOVED HIM.
She was, without a doubt, the most worthless, spineless, silliest excuse for a human being he'd ever met in his life.
This was a re-read for me. It was as good if not better the second time 'round.
Phoebe was great. She'd been through a lot in her life and sort of came across as a brainless bimbo. But she was far from brainless and not at all like a bimbo.
"She sure doesn't know much about football. In the third quarter she cheered when we went offside."
LOL, you and me both, Phoebe. Haven't a clue about American Football.
What was his brainy bimbo up to now?
Ron was a great side-kick. He sure showed 'em!
The book is over 20 years old. Can you tell? Yes, but that doesn't take away from the enjoyment of the book.
It wasn't enough. He wanted more. More of her sex. Her heart. Her soul.
I liked Molly too. Great that she gets her own story in another book.
I'm glad my friends are discovering these books!
January 24, 2024
The hero was an arrogant, twisted, two-timing, misogynistic piece of shit. Why then 5 stars you ask? Because SEP is a fucking miracle worker, that's why.
January 21, 2021
I knew I would love this one on audio. Anna Fields is a fabulous narrator and she did a wonderful job giving voice to the characters and making the story even a little more exciting. I feel like I am repeating myself about her! ❤
Ladies, Dan Calebow is sooo dreamy! Goodness every time he called Phoebe darlin I swooned. LOL
And Phoebe aka 'the bimbo' HA! was such a perfect match for him. As I said in my first review this book was FANFREAKINGTASTIC and if you don't give this series a try you are missing out!!!
***********************************
I don't care that this book was first published 20 years ago. Actually I think that is why I thought it was FANFREAKINGTASTIC! Seriously, ladies you will absolutely love Dan Calebow. I sure did.
I hope to get back to do a complete review because this book deserves one. RL is just a bit hectic at the moment.
This one is going on my favorites shelf and I will recommend it to everyone too! It was sexy, sweet and funny.
And Pooh....
February 6, 2015
***4.5 NOW stars***
You’re my only failure. My only failure, Phoebe.
Perfect book for getting in the spirit of the upcoming Super Bowl XLVIII (2/2/2014).
Phoebe is a sexy underestimated daughter of a football owner (Chicago Stars). When her father sudden dies she inherits his team. Unfortunately, her father’s “gift” wasn’t given out of kindness. Her father had always seen her as a failure and this opportunity to run the team was a test. She must win the championship or she will lose any inheritance.
Dan is the cocky coach of the Chicago Stars. He has little faith in the new owner of the team. Butting heads and misunderstandings overshadow their relationship. The chemistry between these two is best summarized by them:
It Had To Be You just celebrated its 20th year in publication. It has some cheesy moments but that seems to be common with books written in the 90's. This was my first book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and it won’t be my last.
SERIES:
You’re my only failure. My only failure, Phoebe.
Perfect book for getting in the spirit of the upcoming Super Bowl XLVIII (2/2/2014).
Phoebe is a sexy underestimated daughter of a football owner (Chicago Stars). When her father sudden dies she inherits his team. Unfortunately, her father’s “gift” wasn’t given out of kindness. Her father had always seen her as a failure and this opportunity to run the team was a test. She must win the championship or she will lose any inheritance.
Dan is the cocky coach of the Chicago Stars. He has little faith in the new owner of the team. Butting heads and misunderstandings overshadow their relationship. The chemistry between these two is best summarized by them:
”I guess we’re like oil and water.” -Phoebe
”I’d say we’re more like gasoline and a blowtorch.” -Dan
It Had To Be You just celebrated its 20th year in publication. It has some cheesy moments but that seems to be common with books written in the 90's. This was my first book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips and it won’t be my last.
SERIES:
![Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].](https://cdn.statically.io/img/i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1626057011i/10717098._UX200_CR0,33,200,200_.jpg)
February 5, 2022
It Had To Be You is book one in the series, Chicago Stars, by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I have read a few of the later books in this series and finally I went back to read the first book. Whenever I read one of this author’s books, I end up being overwhelmed on every level. With emotions, with warm and fuzzies, with EVERYTHING! Last night I finished this at 11:00, then tried to go to bed and laid there with my eyes wide open. The last twenty five percent was a crazy whirlwind and I was about as wound up as I could get. Just wow!!!
Phoebe Somerville is thirty three years old and is the daughter of the owner of the Chicago Stars. The daughter of a powerful man she has been estranged from all of her adult life. The daughter of a man who couldn’t stand her and let her know it. Now her father is gone. As far as Phoebe knew, she had been disinherited. But now she finds out that he left her the team, but with a whole bunch of stipulations.
Phoebe learned the hard way how to keep her feelings hidden. She uses her dramatic flair, her sex appeal, as an armor. Only one person sees the real her and that is her best friend, Viktor. And of course, her little white poodle and constant companion, Pooh.
Dan Calebow is thirty seven years old and is the new head coach of the Chicago Stars. He’s a brilliant and very tough coach. The team has been in trouble for some time and he is determined to bring them back. Only the team owner dies and who is Dan stuck with as his new boss, a blonde vixen who knows nothing at all about football and seems determined to ruin his life.
All Dan and Phoebe do from the start is argue but all that energy seems to have an unexpected effect on both of them. No matter how frustrated they get with each other, they both feel a constant pull towards each other as well. A pull they both fight but neither can ignore.
Dan had a bad childhood. As a result, he is determined to find a certain type of wife and have a house full of children and to be a better parent than his own were. He thinks he knows exactly what he wants in a wife, until Phoebe works herself under his skin.
“We’re headin’ straight for the bedroom, darlin’. Since there’s a good chance I’m going to have a heart attach before the night’s over, I want to die in my own bed.”
Dan thought he knew what kind of woman Phoebe was but as they get closer and she reveals the secrets of her own past, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Phoebe never thought she’d be normal, that she’d be able to experience love, attraction, lust, like other women. She thought she was broken. Until Dan somehow put her all back together.
“Her mind told her she wasn’t safe in his arms, but her heart felt as if it had found a home.”
I’m making this sound all serious and some of it was. But it was also hilarious, sweet, sexy and also, I was shocked at the heart pounding suspense. I loved every single thing about this book. EVERY SINGLE THING! SEP is one of those authors that finds a way to surprise you in a new way with every single book. The next book in this series is called Heaven, Texas, and I can’t wait to read it.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
Phoebe Somerville is thirty three years old and is the daughter of the owner of the Chicago Stars. The daughter of a powerful man she has been estranged from all of her adult life. The daughter of a man who couldn’t stand her and let her know it. Now her father is gone. As far as Phoebe knew, she had been disinherited. But now she finds out that he left her the team, but with a whole bunch of stipulations.
Phoebe learned the hard way how to keep her feelings hidden. She uses her dramatic flair, her sex appeal, as an armor. Only one person sees the real her and that is her best friend, Viktor. And of course, her little white poodle and constant companion, Pooh.
Dan Calebow is thirty seven years old and is the new head coach of the Chicago Stars. He’s a brilliant and very tough coach. The team has been in trouble for some time and he is determined to bring them back. Only the team owner dies and who is Dan stuck with as his new boss, a blonde vixen who knows nothing at all about football and seems determined to ruin his life.
All Dan and Phoebe do from the start is argue but all that energy seems to have an unexpected effect on both of them. No matter how frustrated they get with each other, they both feel a constant pull towards each other as well. A pull they both fight but neither can ignore.
Dan had a bad childhood. As a result, he is determined to find a certain type of wife and have a house full of children and to be a better parent than his own were. He thinks he knows exactly what he wants in a wife, until Phoebe works herself under his skin.
“We’re headin’ straight for the bedroom, darlin’. Since there’s a good chance I’m going to have a heart attach before the night’s over, I want to die in my own bed.”
Dan thought he knew what kind of woman Phoebe was but as they get closer and she reveals the secrets of her own past, he couldn’t have been more wrong. Phoebe never thought she’d be normal, that she’d be able to experience love, attraction, lust, like other women. She thought she was broken. Until Dan somehow put her all back together.
“Her mind told her she wasn’t safe in his arms, but her heart felt as if it had found a home.”
I’m making this sound all serious and some of it was. But it was also hilarious, sweet, sexy and also, I was shocked at the heart pounding suspense. I loved every single thing about this book. EVERY SINGLE THING! SEP is one of those authors that finds a way to surprise you in a new way with every single book. The next book in this series is called Heaven, Texas, and I can’t wait to read it.
For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...
August 10, 2013
WOW!
What an amazing read, and although I don't often read sports-romance books (especially football..hey I'm Canadian if anything, I'd read a romance with hockey..Eh?..LOL) this was really good!
This happened a lot while reading this story
I really, really, really liked Dan. I loved his complexity, strength, loyalty, gentleness, and his own desire for a HEA.
He is not what I'm used to in a 'hero', but he was written beautifully! He just seemed SO real, with many layers.
I was wonderful to read how frustrated, and angry Dan would get when trying to talk to, or even relate to Phoebe
.. and Phoebe, you were AMAZING! Your upbringing and what happened to you broke my heart, but GIRRRL.. YOU. ARE. A. SURVIVOR! You did what you had to do in order to survive and what amazed me about your character was that you did not become cold and bitter, but if anything you were insecure (but never let it show), and yet still so strong and able to adapt to any and all situations brilliantly!
All you ever wanted was to be accepted and loved.
LOVED THIS STORY!
Definitely one of my favorites!
March 11, 2015
5 STARS
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What can I say? Another 5 star book? Most definitely!!! I’m starting to think Susan Elizabeth Phillips cannot write a bad book… either that or she has most definitely found the key to my heart. These books exemplify the delicate balance of intense emotion, witty dialogue and comic relief. I have nothing but high praise and giddy admiration for this author and her fabulous books.
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Phoebe Sommerville was a thirty-three year old outrageous Manhattan socialite, who was the notorious mistress of a famous Spanish painter. Returning to Chicago for her father’s funeral, Phoebe, who had believed herself disinherited from her father’s will, is shocked to find that he has left her the sole owner of his Chicago Stars NFL football team.
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Phoebe, who not only has no knowledge of football, also has no interest in accepting this very public responsibility. As well.. the organization has no intension of having this buxom bimbo take over their organization.
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Dan Calabow is a retired star quarterback, who is now the head coach of the Chicago Stars football team. He is sexist, he is hot-headed, and he is determined to rescue his team from this useless airhead, who is not only an embarrassment to his organization but who is also his boss. But his biggest problem… is that he seems to be obsessed with her. And boy does he have a funny way of showing it!
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“I must have your promise, Coach, that you won't hurt her."
"I promise."
"You spoke a bit too quickly for my taste. I don't quite believe you."
"I'm a man of my word, and I promise that I won't hurt her. When I murder her, I'll do it real quick, so she won't feel a thing."
Viktor sighed. "That's exactly what I was afraid of.”
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”I can’t tolerate the idea of anyone feeling sorry for me.” “You’d rather have everyone dislike you?”
She forced a cocky smile as she reached for the knob. “I’m comfortable with contempt. It’s pity I can’t stand.”
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”I guess we’re oil and water.”
“I’d say we’re more like gasoline and a blowtorch.”
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”The photographs are beautiful, Phoebe. Both of us know that. But they’re still not as pretty as you are.”
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”I, Mr. Pigskin-For-Brains, am the owner of this football team; not you. Do I make myself absolutely clear?”
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”We’re heading straight for the bedroom, darlin’. Since there’s a good chance I’m going to have a heart attack before the night’s over, I want to die in my own bed.”
This is a fantastically funny and endearing love story. It is an explosion of bad tempers and sexual attraction, past traumas and abandoned dreams.
![]()
And it is just the beginning…
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What can I say? Another 5 star book? Most definitely!!! I’m starting to think Susan Elizabeth Phillips cannot write a bad book… either that or she has most definitely found the key to my heart. These books exemplify the delicate balance of intense emotion, witty dialogue and comic relief. I have nothing but high praise and giddy admiration for this author and her fabulous books.
Phoebe Sommerville was a thirty-three year old outrageous Manhattan socialite, who was the notorious mistress of a famous Spanish painter. Returning to Chicago for her father’s funeral, Phoebe, who had believed herself disinherited from her father’s will, is shocked to find that he has left her the sole owner of his Chicago Stars NFL football team.
Phoebe, who not only has no knowledge of football, also has no interest in accepting this very public responsibility. As well.. the organization has no intension of having this buxom bimbo take over their organization.
Dan Calabow is a retired star quarterback, who is now the head coach of the Chicago Stars football team. He is sexist, he is hot-headed, and he is determined to rescue his team from this useless airhead, who is not only an embarrassment to his organization but who is also his boss. But his biggest problem… is that he seems to be obsessed with her. And boy does he have a funny way of showing it!
“I must have your promise, Coach, that you won't hurt her."
"I promise."
"You spoke a bit too quickly for my taste. I don't quite believe you."
"I'm a man of my word, and I promise that I won't hurt her. When I murder her, I'll do it real quick, so she won't feel a thing."
Viktor sighed. "That's exactly what I was afraid of.”
”I can’t tolerate the idea of anyone feeling sorry for me.” “You’d rather have everyone dislike you?”
She forced a cocky smile as she reached for the knob. “I’m comfortable with contempt. It’s pity I can’t stand.”
”I guess we’re oil and water.”
“I’d say we’re more like gasoline and a blowtorch.”
”The photographs are beautiful, Phoebe. Both of us know that. But they’re still not as pretty as you are.”
”I, Mr. Pigskin-For-Brains, am the owner of this football team; not you. Do I make myself absolutely clear?”
”We’re heading straight for the bedroom, darlin’. Since there’s a good chance I’m going to have a heart attack before the night’s over, I want to die in my own bed.”
This is a fantastically funny and endearing love story. It is an explosion of bad tempers and sexual attraction, past traumas and abandoned dreams.
And it is just the beginning…
February 10, 2024
Cannot go wrong with this book ...
===============================
This was a re-re-re-re-read!! LOL. I must read it nearly every fecking year. I LOVE IT. I love Dan. I love Phoebe. I LOVE SEP!!
Thought I was updating on the kindle version but I seem to have been updating on the paperback one. Sorry about that. There will be two ratings on here then. Both 5 stars and I am sure the next time I read it, it will still be FIVE stars.
===============================
This was a re-re-re-re-read!! LOL. I must read it nearly every fecking year. I LOVE IT. I love Dan. I love Phoebe. I LOVE SEP!!
Thought I was updating on the kindle version but I seem to have been updating on the paperback one. Sorry about that. There will be two ratings on here then. Both 5 stars and I am sure the next time I read it, it will still be FIVE stars.
Shelved as 'avoid'
June 18, 2018Not only does he have sex with his ex after meeting the heroine we are given a full gag worthy account.
On top of that he keeps dating a “marriage material” respectable woman while fucking the “not so marriage material” heroine.
Of course he doesn’t do it intentionally but that doesn’t make him any less disrespectful, or less cheating.
You either respect someone or you don’t.
My vote is he doesn’t.
Sorry mou.
On top of that he keeps dating a “marriage material” respectable woman while fucking the “not so marriage material” heroine.
Of course he doesn’t do it intentionally but that doesn’t make him any less disrespectful, or less cheating.
You either respect someone or you don’t.
My vote is he doesn’t.
Sorry mou.
October 21, 2010
I just have no words to describe how much I loved this book. It was amazing! Maybe I was just in the right mood for this kind of read or maybe it really is a terrific read. I just know that apart from LK's Travises series, I had never, ever enjoyed a contemporary romance as much as I did this one and the Travises. And yes, it was that good for me. Well maybe not that good, lol, but definitely the closest I will ever find.
I loved Phoebe! She was an amazing heroine. Everything about her was so appealing. She was just so broken and lost, and so many things were wrong with her at the beginning. But we get to see her grow into the kind of person we all wanna be. She still was very funny at the beginning, lol, so many scenes made me laugh so hard I had to stop reading the book and analyze them over and over again. Oh Pooh (He's the dog for those who have not read it yet), you were my favorite character, so sweet. Phoebe was so strong and she definitely deserved her HEA!
Now let's get to the good stuff! Yes Dan Calebow, I'm talking about you. What a hero. You know, maybe it's just me that I have been reading paranormal for too long and heroes were always the same. Dan was so different from every other hero I have read about so far. He felt so real, I hated him at the beginning, and ended LOVING him, yes LOVING him. How could I not? He was so human, so real and had his personal demons to confront as Phoebe did.
Of course they made it work out at the end together, it's romance after all, lol, but the story makes you need to keep reading until you finish the it. There's so many emotions enclosed in this book. I wanted to laugh sometimes and cry others, even both at the same time. I was frustrated and extremely exhilarated the next second. That's how good the book is.
I don't know why so many did not gave more than 3 stars to this book. IMHO this was a terrific contemporary romance and I loved every second of it. I'm dying to read more in this amazing series. As always Ally you were right. Here goes another book into my favs list! Enjoy people, definitely a must read for romance lovers.
I loved Phoebe! She was an amazing heroine. Everything about her was so appealing. She was just so broken and lost, and so many things were wrong with her at the beginning. But we get to see her grow into the kind of person we all wanna be. She still was very funny at the beginning, lol, so many scenes made me laugh so hard I had to stop reading the book and analyze them over and over again. Oh Pooh (He's the dog for those who have not read it yet), you were my favorite character, so sweet. Phoebe was so strong and she definitely deserved her HEA!
Now let's get to the good stuff! Yes Dan Calebow, I'm talking about you. What a hero. You know, maybe it's just me that I have been reading paranormal for too long and heroes were always the same. Dan was so different from every other hero I have read about so far. He felt so real, I hated him at the beginning, and ended LOVING him, yes LOVING him. How could I not? He was so human, so real and had his personal demons to confront as Phoebe did.
Of course they made it work out at the end together, it's romance after all, lol, but the story makes you need to keep reading until you finish the it. There's so many emotions enclosed in this book. I wanted to laugh sometimes and cry others, even both at the same time. I was frustrated and extremely exhilarated the next second. That's how good the book is.
I don't know why so many did not gave more than 3 stars to this book. IMHO this was a terrific contemporary romance and I loved every second of it. I'm dying to read more in this amazing series. As always Ally you were right. Here goes another book into my favs list! Enjoy people, definitely a must read for romance lovers.
March 25, 2020
My first by SEP and I loved it. The book was written 25 years ago and it is a traditional contemporary romance of enemies to lovers troupe. Even though it was written a long time ago, I loved being taken back to 1994. As I’m in my 50’s, I remembered so many references and loved being brought back in time.
Phoebe Summerville is the new owner of the Chicago Stars football team. It was left to her by her deceased estranged father. She plays the part of a blonde bimbo but she is anything but that. She is beautiful, sexy, flirtatious, and smart and I adored her.
Dan Calebow, is the quintessential football player turned coach. He’s cocky, arrogant, handsome, hot headed, and sexist. But hey, once you meet him, you can’t help but fall in love with his caveman antics.
These two are oil and water. They don’t mix but when they do it’s sassy, feisty, fabulous and very combustible. Being on the sideline while they navigate their feelings is awesome, just like a perfectly executed touchdown pass!!!
I will say that I also loved all the secondary characters....Molly, Ron, and Bobby Tom were perfect!! I would definitely recommend this oldie (1994) but goodie romance!!
February 18, 2023
Oldie but a goodie!
reread
I love underdogs in sports and in life.
Learned a lot about football.
Realized that Susan E. Phillips is a flawlessly amazing author.
She writes all characters with layers and depth that makes them more real and reading her stories is a joy.
I love a heroine like this. Someone everybody underestimates and labels as a certain type.
Reminds me of Pretty Face So if you like that you will love this or vice versa.
Comfort read!!!
some parts are problematic but this is still a reread for me - one that I enjoy very much!
reread
I love underdogs in sports and in life.
Learned a lot about football.
Realized that Susan E. Phillips is a flawlessly amazing author.
She writes all characters with layers and depth that makes them more real and reading her stories is a joy.
I love a heroine like this. Someone everybody underestimates and labels as a certain type.
Reminds me of Pretty Face So if you like that you will love this or vice versa.
Comfort read!!!
some parts are problematic but this is still a reread for me - one that I enjoy very much!
July 4, 2018
Absolutely fantastic read!!!
In fact, i might say, the best I ve read this year (and the book was first published almost over 20 years ago *facepalm* so, in my eyes, the words "it 's never too late" and "never say never" have a whole new meaning...) considering the genre.
This book can't be presented through out the re-telling of the storyline, cause that would be impossible to do without spilling it all and spoiling it...so, I m gonna stick to the old folks' saying: "less is more" 😉
But to appease my own soul cause of the need to express my admiration and thrill i had during and after the reading, I will add this: you might think according to the blurb that this is another case of a light rom/com sport drama à la Jerry McGuire and in some aspects, yeah, I guess it is...but it's also so much more...
Incredible, effortless writing pulls you in from page one into the world of sport drama and intrigue with multiple layered characters that feel so palpably raw and real as you watch them interact, feel, express their thoughts and emotions...
Then you are enveloped into this thrill of action sequences, emotional rollercoaster with a touch of suspense and twist that you suddenly realize you've been holding your breath for quite a while and the relief from exhaling is substantialy close to a complete catharsis
Highly recommended!
And once again, thanks Anna's Ramblings for pointing out this author to me!
In fact, i might say, the best I ve read this year (and the book was first published almost over 20 years ago *facepalm* so, in my eyes, the words "it 's never too late" and "never say never" have a whole new meaning...) considering the genre.
This book can't be presented through out the re-telling of the storyline, cause that would be impossible to do without spilling it all and spoiling it...so, I m gonna stick to the old folks' saying: "less is more" 😉
But to appease my own soul cause of the need to express my admiration and thrill i had during and after the reading, I will add this: you might think according to the blurb that this is another case of a light rom/com sport drama à la Jerry McGuire and in some aspects, yeah, I guess it is...but it's also so much more...
Incredible, effortless writing pulls you in from page one into the world of sport drama and intrigue with multiple layered characters that feel so palpably raw and real as you watch them interact, feel, express their thoughts and emotions...
Then you are enveloped into this thrill of action sequences, emotional rollercoaster with a touch of suspense and twist that you suddenly realize you've been holding your breath for quite a while and the relief from exhaling is substantialy close to a complete catharsis
Highly recommended!
And once again, thanks Anna's Ramblings for pointing out this author to me!
June 24, 2017
It was so fun to be in this book.
I’ve read the paperback three times and recently listened to the audiobook. I laughed a lot the first time I read it. I didn’t laugh as much in subsequent reads because I knew what to expect, but I still loved it.
Phoebe’s mother died early and her father didn’t love her. He kept her away in boarding schools and camps. She was raped, but her father didn’t believe her. She creates a false front, looking and acting like a Marilyn Monroe-Mae West-blond-bombshell-bimbo. She’s afraid of sex, but she talks as if she has many lovers. She appears silly and not smart, but underneath she is very smart. Because of this false front her dialogue does not fit her inner motivations. But it’s believable because her false front is her protection. And it provides good dialogue and conflict.
There are no details about the rape. It consists of Phoebe telling her father afterwards that she has been raped. Some readers avoid books with rape scenes. I think this might be mild enough not to bother them.
Dan was a football star and is now head coach of a pro football team. Dan and Phoebe conflicts are entertaining. And Dan’s intense desire for Phoebe melts me. There’s some really cool passion.
SEMI-SPOILER ABOUT DAN’S MOTIVATIONS:
Dan’s had sex with lots of women, but he no longer wants that. He’s looking for a wife who likes domestic activities and children. He starts dating a kindergarten teacher thinking she fits. But then he finds himself drawn to Phoebe. He can’t resist his lust for her. Yet he tries to resist as the honorable thing to do since he doesn’t view Phoebe as marriage material.
END SPOILER.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Anna Fields did a great job with male and female voices.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 387 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: none. Number of sex or kissing scenes: about 8. Setting: current day mostly Chicago, Illinois area. Copyright: 1994. Genre: contemporary sports romance, football.
OTHER BOOKS:
To date, I’ve read all books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, except for the first one which is out of print. Dates below are copyright dates. In the two series, I recommend reading them in order (but not required). Some characters have minor parts flowing into future books. It’s nice knowing their backgrounds.
WYNETTE, TEXAS:
5 stars. Glitter Baby 1987 & 2009 (2009 version has changes)
4 ½ stars. Fancy Pants 1989
5 stars. Lady Be Good 1999
5 stars. First Lady 2000
4 ½ stars. Call Me Irresistible 2011
4 stars. The Great Escape 2012
CHICAGO STARS (Football):
5 stars. It Had To Be You 1994
5 stars. Heaven, Texas 1995
5 stars. Nobody’s Baby But Mine 1997
4 stars. Dream A Little Dream 1998
4 stars. This Heart Of Mine 2001
5 stars. Match Me If You Can 2005
5 stars. Natural Born Charmer 2007
4 ½ stars. First Star I See Tonight 2016
NON-SERIES NOVELS:
not read. The Copeland Bride 1983 (writing as Justine Cole)
2 stars. Just Imagine 1984 (aka Risen Glory)
5 stars. Hot Shot 1991
4 stars. Honey Moon 1993
4 stars. Kiss An Angel 1996
3 stars. Breathing Room 2002
4 stars. Ain’t She Sweet? 2004
5 stars. What I Did For Love 2009 (Meg visits, from Wynette, Texas series)
3 ½ stars. Heroes Are My Weakness 2014
I’ve read the paperback three times and recently listened to the audiobook. I laughed a lot the first time I read it. I didn’t laugh as much in subsequent reads because I knew what to expect, but I still loved it.
Phoebe’s mother died early and her father didn’t love her. He kept her away in boarding schools and camps. She was raped, but her father didn’t believe her. She creates a false front, looking and acting like a Marilyn Monroe-Mae West-blond-bombshell-bimbo. She’s afraid of sex, but she talks as if she has many lovers. She appears silly and not smart, but underneath she is very smart. Because of this false front her dialogue does not fit her inner motivations. But it’s believable because her false front is her protection. And it provides good dialogue and conflict.
There are no details about the rape. It consists of Phoebe telling her father afterwards that she has been raped. Some readers avoid books with rape scenes. I think this might be mild enough not to bother them.
Dan was a football star and is now head coach of a pro football team. Dan and Phoebe conflicts are entertaining. And Dan’s intense desire for Phoebe melts me. There’s some really cool passion.
SEMI-SPOILER ABOUT DAN’S MOTIVATIONS:
Dan’s had sex with lots of women, but he no longer wants that. He’s looking for a wife who likes domestic activities and children. He starts dating a kindergarten teacher thinking she fits. But then he finds himself drawn to Phoebe. He can’t resist his lust for her. Yet he tries to resist as the honorable thing to do since he doesn’t view Phoebe as marriage material.
END SPOILER.
AUDIOBOOK NARRATOR:
Anna Fields did a great job with male and female voices.
DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 387 pages. Swearing language: strong, including religious swear words. Sexual language: none. Number of sex or kissing scenes: about 8. Setting: current day mostly Chicago, Illinois area. Copyright: 1994. Genre: contemporary sports romance, football.
OTHER BOOKS:
To date, I’ve read all books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips, except for the first one which is out of print. Dates below are copyright dates. In the two series, I recommend reading them in order (but not required). Some characters have minor parts flowing into future books. It’s nice knowing their backgrounds.
WYNETTE, TEXAS:
5 stars. Glitter Baby 1987 & 2009 (2009 version has changes)
4 ½ stars. Fancy Pants 1989
5 stars. Lady Be Good 1999
5 stars. First Lady 2000
4 ½ stars. Call Me Irresistible 2011
4 stars. The Great Escape 2012
CHICAGO STARS (Football):
5 stars. It Had To Be You 1994
5 stars. Heaven, Texas 1995
5 stars. Nobody’s Baby But Mine 1997
4 stars. Dream A Little Dream 1998
4 stars. This Heart Of Mine 2001
5 stars. Match Me If You Can 2005
5 stars. Natural Born Charmer 2007
4 ½ stars. First Star I See Tonight 2016
NON-SERIES NOVELS:
not read. The Copeland Bride 1983 (writing as Justine Cole)
2 stars. Just Imagine 1984 (aka Risen Glory)
5 stars. Hot Shot 1991
4 stars. Honey Moon 1993
4 stars. Kiss An Angel 1996
3 stars. Breathing Room 2002
4 stars. Ain’t She Sweet? 2004
5 stars. What I Did For Love 2009 (Meg visits, from Wynette, Texas series)
3 ½ stars. Heroes Are My Weakness 2014
June 30, 2016
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my friends Karen, Mo and Sharon for clogging my feed with updates of binge reading books by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Because of them I just may have found a new favorite author. I definitely discovered a delightful sports romance to add to my favorites bookshelf.
It Had to Be You is old-school romance at its finest and I’m not talking about the fact that it was written over 20 years ago. In fact, if it weren’t for some dated references (cassette tapes, VCR, a Walkman, OJ Simpson as the sportscaster, etc.) it could very well have been a new release. But the refreshing writing style sets this book apart from its more modern counterparts and makes it reminiscent of the types of romance novels that made me fall in love with the genre. This book has the perfect blend of poignancy and humor.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips has created a wonderful cast of characters, including the lovable members of the Chicago Stars football team. My favorite character, however, is Phoebe.
She’s such a complex character: curvaceous, flamboyant, airheaded sexpot, wounded survivor, witty, smart. She is so much more than she appears to be on the outside.
I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
It Had to Be You is old-school romance at its finest and I’m not talking about the fact that it was written over 20 years ago. In fact, if it weren’t for some dated references (cassette tapes, VCR, a Walkman, OJ Simpson as the sportscaster, etc.) it could very well have been a new release. But the refreshing writing style sets this book apart from its more modern counterparts and makes it reminiscent of the types of romance novels that made me fall in love with the genre. This book has the perfect blend of poignancy and humor.
“Poor Phoebe. When are you going to finish inventing yourself?”
“When I get it right,” she said softly.
“I guess we’re oil and water.”I loved the slow burn of not just the romance between Phoebe and Dan but the relationship between Phoebe and her sister and the bromance between Ron and Dan as well. The love scenes are sexy and pack a lot of heat without feeling raunchy.
“I’d say we’re more like gasoline and blowtorch.”
Susan Elizabeth Phillips has created a wonderful cast of characters, including the lovable members of the Chicago Stars football team. My favorite character, however, is Phoebe.
She’s such a complex character: curvaceous, flamboyant, airheaded sexpot, wounded survivor, witty, smart. She is so much more than she appears to be on the outside.
“Sometimes I think bimbo is just another word men made up so they could feel superior to women who are better at survival than they are.”It was a joy seeing the way Susan Elizabeth Phillips constructed her evolution.
I’m looking forward to reading the other books in the series.
October 15, 2016
A new-to-me author and a book written in 94. That's taking a chance. And I'm so glad I did. I thoroughly enjoyed it, though there are some elements that are going to divide based on audience experience and expectation, I think.
Phillips gives herself a hard hurdle from the start with Phoebe. She's a victim of rape who has since learned to manipulate sexual situations by turning all situations sexual with her in control. In other words, she maximizes her sexual broadcast to emphasize her desirability in order to be able to turn all men down with the implication they don't meet her exacting standards. So she comes off as a tramp, deliberately, but does so to guard her celibacy. At the core, though, is a fear of men that has persisted for fifteen years. Part of the success of this strategy in her past is the discovery of high-profile gay men (artists, mainly) who use her as a beard—starting with one more than forty years her senior who ended up being more the father she never had than the lover they pretend he is. This being the mid 90s, AIDS plays a big role in her experience and so does sympathy for the gay community. This all works very well to set her up as an artsy socialite and the exact opposite of what the NFL world she finds herself in would value.
Not content with the hangups in the heroine, Phillips doubles down with Dan; he's a nice guy in a manly profession whose ex-wife still wants him to play dominance games with her. He doesn't like the games, but the sex is good and he really doesn't want to return to the sexual smorgasbord of his youth as a famous football player. Which leaves him highly vulnerable to misunderstanding Phoebe's whipsaw sexuality and susceptible to traumatizing her further when he gets her mixed signals. Which is a really tricky line to walk and where personal background and experience will lead people with otherwise similar tastes to have vastly different perceptions of this book, I think. Personally, I found Dan's charm and kindness and care nine kind of engaging and I fell for him early and hard. Almost as hard as I fell for Phoebe. I've always been a sucker for the strong alpha with a kind heart and ready sympathy and Dan is all that and more. His concern while trying to decrypt Phoebe's signals had me from their first interactions and kept me through his inevitable missteps and apologies. That said, I would completely understand if others had a hard time with Dan's misreads and wrote him off as a result.
There are one and a half drawbacks I had with the book, but they're relatively minor. The main drawback is the psycho weirdo stalking Dan and the couple of page-long sections from his viewpoint. I found those completely unnecessary and . The half problem was .
As strongly engaged as I was (and able to pull me away from my New Orleans vacation to read), this was an easy five stars. The small detractions didn't pull it down enough to lower the rating.
A note about Steamy: Three plus one explicit sex scenes put this on the high side of my tolerance, though only barely. That's mainly because they're so tightly tied to Phoebe's emotional recovery and they're exactly where Dan shines best. The plus one is a scene that lets the reader know the kind of games Dan has become used to with his ex. Which makes it a judgement call to include, but I think Phillips used it well so it doesn't trip my "sex with other people" pet peeve I usually have in romances.
Phillips gives herself a hard hurdle from the start with Phoebe. She's a victim of rape who has since learned to manipulate sexual situations by turning all situations sexual with her in control. In other words, she maximizes her sexual broadcast to emphasize her desirability in order to be able to turn all men down with the implication they don't meet her exacting standards. So she comes off as a tramp, deliberately, but does so to guard her celibacy. At the core, though, is a fear of men that has persisted for fifteen years. Part of the success of this strategy in her past is the discovery of high-profile gay men (artists, mainly) who use her as a beard—starting with one more than forty years her senior who ended up being more the father she never had than the lover they pretend he is. This being the mid 90s, AIDS plays a big role in her experience and so does sympathy for the gay community. This all works very well to set her up as an artsy socialite and the exact opposite of what the NFL world she finds herself in would value.
Not content with the hangups in the heroine, Phillips doubles down with Dan; he's a nice guy in a manly profession whose ex-wife still wants him to play dominance games with her. He doesn't like the games, but the sex is good and he really doesn't want to return to the sexual smorgasbord of his youth as a famous football player. Which leaves him highly vulnerable to misunderstanding Phoebe's whipsaw sexuality and susceptible to traumatizing her further when he gets her mixed signals. Which is a really tricky line to walk and where personal background and experience will lead people with otherwise similar tastes to have vastly different perceptions of this book, I think. Personally, I found Dan's charm and kindness and care nine kind of engaging and I fell for him early and hard. Almost as hard as I fell for Phoebe. I've always been a sucker for the strong alpha with a kind heart and ready sympathy and Dan is all that and more. His concern while trying to decrypt Phoebe's signals had me from their first interactions and kept me through his inevitable missteps and apologies. That said, I would completely understand if others had a hard time with Dan's misreads and wrote him off as a result.
There are one and a half drawbacks I had with the book, but they're relatively minor. The main drawback is the psycho weirdo stalking Dan and the couple of page-long sections from his viewpoint. I found those completely unnecessary and . The half problem was .
As strongly engaged as I was (and able to pull me away from my New Orleans vacation to read), this was an easy five stars. The small detractions didn't pull it down enough to lower the rating.
A note about Steamy: Three plus one explicit sex scenes put this on the high side of my tolerance, though only barely. That's mainly because they're so tightly tied to Phoebe's emotional recovery and they're exactly where Dan shines best. The plus one is a scene that lets the reader know the kind of games Dan has become used to with his ex. Which makes it a judgement call to include, but I think Phillips used it well so it doesn't trip my "sex with other people" pet peeve I usually have in romances.
February 24, 2021
Nuestra reseña en A la cama con... un libro
//Relectura de nuevo//
Me cansaré algún día de este libro? No parece que vaya a pasar, ya que he perdido la cuenta de las veces que lo he leído, me lo sé de memoria y lo sigo disfrutando tanto como el primer día. Además, cada vez tardo un poco más en leerlo únicamente por el placer de regodearme en sus páginas y en la historia de Phoebe y Dan, que se hicieron una casita en mi corazón y de ahí no les mueve ni Penry. Otra lectura, otro momento maravilloso con este libro.
--------------
//Otra relectura más//
Qué voy a decir a estas alturas que no haya dicho antes de este libro! Lo adoro y jamás falla en alegrarme la vida (y decir esto en tiempos del confinamiento por el Covid-19 es decir mucho). Lo he disfrutado como siempre hago y con esa sensación de no querer terminarlo porque soy feliz entre sus páginas. Es un básico en mi vida lectora y del que jamás me cansaré ❤❤❤.
----------------
//Nueva relectura//
Aunque aquí figuren dos lecturas, este es un libro que he leído al menos dos veces más y del que nunca nunca nunca me canso. La primera vez que lo leí me enamoró y no ha dejado de hacerlo cada vez que lo leo. Me parto de la risa con los momentos vergüenzajenescos, adoro la sensibilidad e inteligencia de Phoebe y no puedo con la vida con Dan Calebow, con su sorna, su humor, su capacidad de desintegrarme las enaguas cada vez que sale y nos regala su encanto y su acento sureño. Es uno de mis libros favoritos y al que siempre recurro para animarme la vida. Me encanta haber terminado el año lector con él ❤️❤️❤️
--------------
[Relectura]
Sencillamente maravilloso, uno de mis libros favoritos, lo he disfrutado más que la primera vez. Me hace reír, me hace sufrir y me hace emocionarme una y mil veces. Y muero de amor por Dan, de lo mejor que le ha podido pasar a mis ojitos lectores. No puedo adorarlo lo suficiente. 5 Gandys Superplus y mi corazón para este libro
//Relectura de nuevo//
Me cansaré algún día de este libro? No parece que vaya a pasar, ya que he perdido la cuenta de las veces que lo he leído, me lo sé de memoria y lo sigo disfrutando tanto como el primer día. Además, cada vez tardo un poco más en leerlo únicamente por el placer de regodearme en sus páginas y en la historia de Phoebe y Dan, que se hicieron una casita en mi corazón y de ahí no les mueve ni Penry. Otra lectura, otro momento maravilloso con este libro.
--------------
//Otra relectura más//
Qué voy a decir a estas alturas que no haya dicho antes de este libro! Lo adoro y jamás falla en alegrarme la vida (y decir esto en tiempos del confinamiento por el Covid-19 es decir mucho). Lo he disfrutado como siempre hago y con esa sensación de no querer terminarlo porque soy feliz entre sus páginas. Es un básico en mi vida lectora y del que jamás me cansaré ❤❤❤.
----------------
//Nueva relectura//
Aunque aquí figuren dos lecturas, este es un libro que he leído al menos dos veces más y del que nunca nunca nunca me canso. La primera vez que lo leí me enamoró y no ha dejado de hacerlo cada vez que lo leo. Me parto de la risa con los momentos vergüenzajenescos, adoro la sensibilidad e inteligencia de Phoebe y no puedo con la vida con Dan Calebow, con su sorna, su humor, su capacidad de desintegrarme las enaguas cada vez que sale y nos regala su encanto y su acento sureño. Es uno de mis libros favoritos y al que siempre recurro para animarme la vida. Me encanta haber terminado el año lector con él ❤️❤️❤️
--------------
[Relectura]
Sencillamente maravilloso, uno de mis libros favoritos, lo he disfrutado más que la primera vez. Me hace reír, me hace sufrir y me hace emocionarme una y mil veces. Y muero de amor por Dan, de lo mejor que le ha podido pasar a mis ojitos lectores. No puedo adorarlo lo suficiente. 5 Gandys Superplus y mi corazón para este libro
July 13, 2017
Como no darle 5 estrellas a este libro??? Sencillamente ENAMORADA es lo que te deja este libro, que manera tiene SEP de escribir y crear historias, sobre todo en crear esos personajes masculinos inolvidables.. Me encanta SEP sin duda es una de mis escritoras favoritas porque no me canso de leerla y siempre me sorprende.
Dan.. Dan.. Creo que será difícil olvidarte!!! Definitivamente es de esos libros que valen la pena releerlos y nunca nunca te cansarías.. Que joya! A por más de ti SEP!! Gracias gracias por esta delicia..
Dan.. Dan.. Creo que será difícil olvidarte!!! Definitivamente es de esos libros que valen la pena releerlos y nunca nunca te cansarías.. Que joya! A por más de ti SEP!! Gracias gracias por esta delicia..
November 6, 2019
Ce carte! O surpriza deosebita! O poveste plină de adrenalina, suspans și umor, condimentata din plin cu iubire și prietenie!
Superbă! Phebe și Dan sunt două personaje foarte bine construite, adorabile. Eroina este pur și simplu delicioasă.
Impresii despre serie:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
Superbă! Phebe și Dan sunt două personaje foarte bine construite, adorabile. Eroina este pur și simplu delicioasă.
Impresii despre serie:
https://justreadingmybooks.wordpress....
March 29, 2020
If i want to speak about the books that can kill me with their Romance and breathtaking moments I'm going to put this book on top of my list. I loved the combination of sports and romance in this book, it was totally amazing and truned it so attractive that grab your attention until the end and take your breath away. I couldn't stop reading it and I enjoyed it so much.
the characters, romance, plot and everything was so good!! I really missed reading this type of books. Actually I prefer fantasy books more but reading this was such a great and fun experience.
*** ( sorry if my reviews are not good enough, I try hard to do it better and I really work on it. Thanks for everything guys! 🙈) ****
the characters, romance, plot and everything was so good!! I really missed reading this type of books. Actually I prefer fantasy books more but reading this was such a great and fun experience.
*** ( sorry if my reviews are not good enough, I try hard to do it better and I really work on it. Thanks for everything guys! 🙈) ****
October 21, 2013
4 Stars! What started out as a book I thought I wasn't going to be too fond of, turned into a story I loved!
I read this entire series out of order. I started with Nobody's Baby But Mine, which was good, then Dream a Little Dream, which was excellent and my favorite in the series. Then it was on to Heaven, Texas, very good and funny, and now back to book one. So unlike me to do this, but hey, what can I say. Anyhoo, in those books you always hear about Phoebe and Dan Calebow, the owners of the Stars, so I had to read their story for myself. Well, I was cringing a little in the beginning, particularly because of one scene, but this is SEP so I knew what I was reading was not really what I was reading. It happened again a little later in the book, and of course my mind did the same thing, but once it was all explained, I breathed a sigh of relief and the story took hold. SEP worked her magic on me and I ended up loving Dan and Phoebe's story and seeing them both live their dream. The epilogue was beautiful!
July 1, 2019
5 Throwback Stars
"Sometimes I think bimbo is just another word men made up so they could feel superior to women who are better at survival than they are.”
Many moons ago, as a freshman home from college, I discovered my mom’s collection of Susan Elizabeth Phillips books and I’ve never looked back. It had to be you was my very first SEP read and I’m so grateful I picked it up.
Originally, I gave this one a 4 star, but after my weekend reread I’m bumping it up to a 5. Yes, some of the references are dated (OJ Simpson still had a sportscaster job, y’all!) and it’s been a while since I’ve worn a pair of pleated shorts, but the story itself is still a winner. I laughed, I cried, I marveled at SEP’s ability to keep me interested in more than one storyline at a time. This book introduced this author to me and for that, I’ll forever be thankful.
"Sometimes I think bimbo is just another word men made up so they could feel superior to women who are better at survival than they are.”
Many moons ago, as a freshman home from college, I discovered my mom’s collection of Susan Elizabeth Phillips books and I’ve never looked back. It had to be you was my very first SEP read and I’m so grateful I picked it up.
Originally, I gave this one a 4 star, but after my weekend reread I’m bumping it up to a 5. Yes, some of the references are dated (OJ Simpson still had a sportscaster job, y’all!) and it’s been a while since I’ve worn a pair of pleated shorts, but the story itself is still a winner. I laughed, I cried, I marveled at SEP’s ability to keep me interested in more than one storyline at a time. This book introduced this author to me and for that, I’ll forever be thankful.
February 24, 2019
Ranting, bad words and spoilers ahead
2* for Phoebe and a giant ol fuck you to Dan the dickhead
I've read and loved this author for many years, her books are in my treasured multiple format collection but I'm a much different reader to all those years ago so my love for this book is definitely a thing of the past.
Phoebe inherits temporary ownership of the Stars, she knows nothing of football and because she was estranged from her father for many years she was shocked at the terms of his will. Should the stars win the AFC championship she'd retain ownership of the team if they didn't her cousin would own it and get get money. Phoebe is not well respected by coach Dan at the beginning of this. She portrays the image of a blonde bimbo and sexpot to keep men where she wants them. As such she and Dan have a contentious relationship for probably about 70% of this book.
Phoebe was raped as a teen and when she reported it to her father he didn't believe her so she ran away. She made some bad decisions enduring sex with men without enjoyment because of the Spectre of the rape hanging over her. Her name became scandalous because she'd posed nude for paintings and a photo spread. I liked Phoebe for the most part, she'd been through something very traumatic and had been living in fear of a certain type of male for years. She's able to fool many men with her sexpot act but by the end of the book she'd grown beautifully and was able to come into her own. Though Phoebe was spirited and stood up to Dan some of her choices upset !e greatly.
My main problems with the book stem from Dan. In the first half of this book Dan is having kinky sex with his ex wife which we are treated to front row seats for. They do role play and spankings and such. Because of her prominent government position apprently finding a partner to deliver her brand of kink is a tough job for Dan's ex so he fills the position. The scene where they act out the teen inviting him home turned my stomach and though Dan isn't much into kink he sure enjoys himself. This continues until Dan decides he wants to marry and settle down. In the middle of the book Dan meets Sharon or Susan or something like that. Fuckwad Dan has an idea of the type of mother he'd like for his kids and the shy preschool teacher fits the bill exactly. Pretty soon he starts dating his perfect teacher and though they share some kisses he doesn't expect or press for sex from what he expects to be his future wife. Meantime lousy shithead Dan is fucking Phoebe. He tries, our boy does, to stay way from her because he's had women like her all his life and he's pass the bimbo stage but the Sparks fly between them so he slipped a couple times. Then my man Dan decided he likes both women so he'd keep Phoebe as a friend and continue dating his teacher. Until about 80%??(I can't recall) fuckface Dan realises that he loves Phoebe so he ends things with Susan/Sharon. Aside from Dan's Randy cock his attitude towards Phoebe mad me dislike dickhead Dan. Yes her dress code and behavior portrayed a certain image but who the fuck is Dan to be calling her a bimbo? He said hurtful things to her on many occasions and then apologizes quickly and blames his quick temper. Not even in the epilogue did I like Dan the dickhead.
The ending felt very rushed. Maybe if the author had left out some of Randy Dan's cock exploits more space could've been devoted to - the cousin Reed being the one who'd actually raped Phoebe and not the guy she actually thought it was, the ily between Dan and Phoebe, the kidnapping and the settling of a lot of misconceptions that motherfucking Dan held for a lot of the book.
Additional things that raised my blood pressure- the two almost rape scenes between Phoebe and Dan. I understood that in the first he mistook her for his kinky ex who liked that kinda thing and in the second she told him not to stop no matter what seems said but given that she was actually raped as a youngster I was very disturbed.
Sharon/Susan who Dan the piece of shit thought was so perfect will forever be around because Dan in his benevolence turned matchmaker so Ron married the shy teacher after all
I think reading through this entire series may result in a bonfire in my backyard but I confess to being curious so moving on to the next.
2* for Phoebe and a giant ol fuck you to Dan the dickhead
I've read and loved this author for many years, her books are in my treasured multiple format collection but I'm a much different reader to all those years ago so my love for this book is definitely a thing of the past.
Phoebe inherits temporary ownership of the Stars, she knows nothing of football and because she was estranged from her father for many years she was shocked at the terms of his will. Should the stars win the AFC championship she'd retain ownership of the team if they didn't her cousin would own it and get get money. Phoebe is not well respected by coach Dan at the beginning of this. She portrays the image of a blonde bimbo and sexpot to keep men where she wants them. As such she and Dan have a contentious relationship for probably about 70% of this book.
Phoebe was raped as a teen and when she reported it to her father he didn't believe her so she ran away. She made some bad decisions enduring sex with men without enjoyment because of the Spectre of the rape hanging over her. Her name became scandalous because she'd posed nude for paintings and a photo spread. I liked Phoebe for the most part, she'd been through something very traumatic and had been living in fear of a certain type of male for years. She's able to fool many men with her sexpot act but by the end of the book she'd grown beautifully and was able to come into her own. Though Phoebe was spirited and stood up to Dan some of her choices upset !e greatly.
My main problems with the book stem from Dan. In the first half of this book Dan is having kinky sex with his ex wife which we are treated to front row seats for. They do role play and spankings and such. Because of her prominent government position apprently finding a partner to deliver her brand of kink is a tough job for Dan's ex so he fills the position. The scene where they act out the teen inviting him home turned my stomach and though Dan isn't much into kink he sure enjoys himself. This continues until Dan decides he wants to marry and settle down. In the middle of the book Dan meets Sharon or Susan or something like that. Fuckwad Dan has an idea of the type of mother he'd like for his kids and the shy preschool teacher fits the bill exactly. Pretty soon he starts dating his perfect teacher and though they share some kisses he doesn't expect or press for sex from what he expects to be his future wife. Meantime lousy shithead Dan is fucking Phoebe. He tries, our boy does, to stay way from her because he's had women like her all his life and he's pass the bimbo stage but the Sparks fly between them so he slipped a couple times. Then my man Dan decided he likes both women so he'd keep Phoebe as a friend and continue dating his teacher. Until about 80%??(I can't recall) fuckface Dan realises that he loves Phoebe so he ends things with Susan/Sharon. Aside from Dan's Randy cock his attitude towards Phoebe mad me dislike dickhead Dan. Yes her dress code and behavior portrayed a certain image but who the fuck is Dan to be calling her a bimbo? He said hurtful things to her on many occasions and then apologizes quickly and blames his quick temper. Not even in the epilogue did I like Dan the dickhead.
The ending felt very rushed. Maybe if the author had left out some of Randy Dan's cock exploits more space could've been devoted to - the cousin Reed being the one who'd actually raped Phoebe and not the guy she actually thought it was, the ily between Dan and Phoebe, the kidnapping and the settling of a lot of misconceptions that motherfucking Dan held for a lot of the book.
Additional things that raised my blood pressure- the two almost rape scenes between Phoebe and Dan. I understood that in the first he mistook her for his kinky ex who liked that kinda thing and in the second she told him not to stop no matter what seems said but given that she was actually raped as a youngster I was very disturbed.
Sharon/Susan who Dan the piece of shit thought was so perfect will forever be around because Dan in his benevolence turned matchmaker so Ron married the shy teacher after all
I think reading through this entire series may result in a bonfire in my backyard but I confess to being curious so moving on to the next.
July 3, 2019
4 Stars (Originally Read 5/15/2014)
3 Stars (Re-Read 5/15/2014)
I'm not going to write my typical review with my (type-A personality 😜) formatting because I didn't write my review right when I finished it. I also listened to two audiobooks while (and after finishing) this book, so I don't feel like I would be a super reliable source since I might get the stories mixed up.
Here's what I DO remember about this re-read:
I thought this was just okay.
It's super dated. While I don't have big issues with that, I do know a lot of readers do -- so just putting it out there! Talk of VHS, cassette tapes, Madonna, and Donald Trump -- oh my!
I found it kind of ridiculous with how sexualized the perception of the h was...I mean I get it -- she's built like a bombshell, but enough already! I felt it got old quick.
I also didn't like the H. He was a jerk, and I never felt like he really made up for being such a jerk either.
I never fully felt their connection so it seemed like all of a sudden they were "in love" and I didn't get it.
So, overall not very great impression....but I didn't hate it either. It just wasn't all that great of a re-read 🤷🏻♀️
3 Stars (Re-Read 5/15/2014)
I'm not going to write my typical review with my (type-A personality 😜) formatting because I didn't write my review right when I finished it. I also listened to two audiobooks while (and after finishing) this book, so I don't feel like I would be a super reliable source since I might get the stories mixed up.
Here's what I DO remember about this re-read:
I thought this was just okay.
It's super dated. While I don't have big issues with that, I do know a lot of readers do -- so just putting it out there! Talk of VHS, cassette tapes, Madonna, and Donald Trump -- oh my!
I found it kind of ridiculous with how sexualized the perception of the h was...I mean I get it -- she's built like a bombshell, but enough already! I felt it got old quick.
I also didn't like the H. He was a jerk, and I never felt like he really made up for being such a jerk either.
I never fully felt their connection so it seemed like all of a sudden they were "in love" and I didn't get it.
So, overall not very great impression....but I didn't hate it either. It just wasn't all that great of a re-read 🤷🏻♀️
April 10, 2013
To be honest, I have always been a huge fan of historical romance since it takes me to a time that is so completely different from the current times. However, after reading this little gem of a romance novel, I started to gain interest in the world of contemporary romance. “It Had To Be You” was the first romance novel I have read from author Susan Elizabeth Phillips and after I had read this book, I am definitely looking forward to reading more of her wonderful books! “It Had To Be You” is full of hot, sizzling romance, pure football fun and drama that will set any romance fans’ heads spinning!
When Bert Somerville, the owner of the prized football team, the Chicago Stars, dies he left in his will that his estranged daughter, Phoebe Somerville, will inherit the football team after his death. Unfortunately, since Phoebe and her father never got along, there is a condition that Phoebe must follow in order to be successful in inheriting the football team. If the Chicago Stars are able to make it to the AFC Championships, then Phoebe will be able to inherit the football team and earn one thousand dollars, but if the team fails to win, then Phoebe’s cruel cousin, Reed Chandler, will inherit the football team. Things get more complicated when Phoebe meets the head football coach, Dan Calebow and at first sight, the two of them never got along. However, Phoebe and Dan will soon discover how true love can work in mysterious ways…especially on the football field!
Alright, so now that you saw the cover of this book (a blown up photo of a woman’s chest) you are probably thinking that this book would turn out to be too kinky for anyone’s taste in romance novels. NO, that is not so! Susan Elizabeth Phillips has not only written a romance novel full of hot and sizzling love scenes, but she wrote a romance novel that is full of drama and love! Susan Elizabeth Phillips made the characters come to life in this novel, especially Phoebe Somerville and Dan Calebow! Let me just say that I just love Phoebe Somerville to death! Not only is Phoebe truly attractive to the boys, but she is extremely independent and I loved the way that she handles the football team with so much confidence, despite the fact that she does not know anything about football. I also loved the fact that Phoebe is always so determined to do everything right, no matter how hard the task is and I loved her relationship with her younger half-sister Molly and her attempts to make Molly see her as a good person, which truly makes Phoebe into such a caring heroine. It was also heartbreaking in hearing about Phoebe’s childhood and how she was raped at such a young age. I truly felt for her character when she experienced that horrible event and it was understandable why she would not let Dan near her in the first place. Now onto the good part and that’s the all handsome and all muscle hero, Dan Calebow! Dan Calebow is clearly one of my favorite romance heroes of all time because even though he has a terrible temper, he can be so caring and funny towards Phoebe and his dedication to football is truly inspiring in his nature. Also, his dream of marrying a woman who loves children and wants to start a family with him, is just so sweet and dreamy! I just love men who are so caring about having a family of their own to take care of! And do not forget the love scenes between Phoebe and Dan! They are truly smoking and romance fans everywhere will definitely be fanning themselves once they read through these love scenes between Dan and Phoebe!
For those of you who do not like strong language and strong sex scenes, this novel has a lot of strong language and the sex scenes might be too explicit, so it would be best to skip over these scenes if it becomes too problematic.
Overall, “It Had To Be You” is easily one of the best contemporary romances ever written and anyone who is interested in reading romance novels that deal with the love of sports has got to check this novel out!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
When Bert Somerville, the owner of the prized football team, the Chicago Stars, dies he left in his will that his estranged daughter, Phoebe Somerville, will inherit the football team after his death. Unfortunately, since Phoebe and her father never got along, there is a condition that Phoebe must follow in order to be successful in inheriting the football team. If the Chicago Stars are able to make it to the AFC Championships, then Phoebe will be able to inherit the football team and earn one thousand dollars, but if the team fails to win, then Phoebe’s cruel cousin, Reed Chandler, will inherit the football team. Things get more complicated when Phoebe meets the head football coach, Dan Calebow and at first sight, the two of them never got along. However, Phoebe and Dan will soon discover how true love can work in mysterious ways…especially on the football field!
Alright, so now that you saw the cover of this book (a blown up photo of a woman’s chest) you are probably thinking that this book would turn out to be too kinky for anyone’s taste in romance novels. NO, that is not so! Susan Elizabeth Phillips has not only written a romance novel full of hot and sizzling love scenes, but she wrote a romance novel that is full of drama and love! Susan Elizabeth Phillips made the characters come to life in this novel, especially Phoebe Somerville and Dan Calebow! Let me just say that I just love Phoebe Somerville to death! Not only is Phoebe truly attractive to the boys, but she is extremely independent and I loved the way that she handles the football team with so much confidence, despite the fact that she does not know anything about football. I also loved the fact that Phoebe is always so determined to do everything right, no matter how hard the task is and I loved her relationship with her younger half-sister Molly and her attempts to make Molly see her as a good person, which truly makes Phoebe into such a caring heroine. It was also heartbreaking in hearing about Phoebe’s childhood and how she was raped at such a young age. I truly felt for her character when she experienced that horrible event and it was understandable why she would not let Dan near her in the first place. Now onto the good part and that’s the all handsome and all muscle hero, Dan Calebow! Dan Calebow is clearly one of my favorite romance heroes of all time because even though he has a terrible temper, he can be so caring and funny towards Phoebe and his dedication to football is truly inspiring in his nature. Also, his dream of marrying a woman who loves children and wants to start a family with him, is just so sweet and dreamy! I just love men who are so caring about having a family of their own to take care of! And do not forget the love scenes between Phoebe and Dan! They are truly smoking and romance fans everywhere will definitely be fanning themselves once they read through these love scenes between Dan and Phoebe!
For those of you who do not like strong language and strong sex scenes, this novel has a lot of strong language and the sex scenes might be too explicit, so it would be best to skip over these scenes if it becomes too problematic.
Overall, “It Had To Be You” is easily one of the best contemporary romances ever written and anyone who is interested in reading romance novels that deal with the love of sports has got to check this novel out!
Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog
November 20, 2020
It is a nice enough story, but it does feel very dated right now. This book was published in the 90's and it shows. The men are pretty sexist, including the male protagonist, which bothers me a lot.
It is entertaining, although the start was a bit low for me, however, the way somethings were treated felt to me like things were not well rounded and opportunities were missed.
Also, I don't know if it was because of the audiobook narrator, because it was another time (3 decades ago), or because it was indeed written that way, but the male protagonist seemed older to me that what he was supposed to be, the way he expresses himself, the way he sees somethings, he just feels older to me, more like he was in his 40s rather than in his 30s.
The audiobook narrator is very good, however her voice and tone in general aged the narration. A fresher tone and younger voice would have been more complementary to the story in my opinion.
The cover is horrendous! Why would someone who is looking for a romance want to pick up a book with two boobs as the whole cover? I read this book because it was recommended to me, never in a million years would I have picked it up otherwise (not that romance books in general have appealing covers, but still). Whomever said it was a good idea lied, it is plain sabotage.
It is entertaining, although the start was a bit low for me, however, the way somethings were treated felt to me like things were not well rounded and opportunities were missed.
Also, I don't know if it was because of the audiobook narrator, because it was another time (3 decades ago), or because it was indeed written that way, but the male protagonist seemed older to me that what he was supposed to be, the way he expresses himself, the way he sees somethings, he just feels older to me, more like he was in his 40s rather than in his 30s.
The audiobook narrator is very good, however her voice and tone in general aged the narration. A fresher tone and younger voice would have been more complementary to the story in my opinion.
The cover is horrendous! Why would someone who is looking for a romance want to pick up a book with two boobs as the whole cover? I read this book because it was recommended to me, never in a million years would I have picked it up otherwise (not that romance books in general have appealing covers, but still). Whomever said it was a good idea lied, it is plain sabotage.
July 21, 2017
I enjoyed it. Perhaps more so since I've been experiencing a dry spell of DNFs lately.
This book is contemporary-ish. It was published in '94 and definitely shows its age. I tend to enjoy the older books, but understand some want nothing to do with anything written last century. If you're one of those readers who is iffy about older romances, this probably isn't the book for you. Also there could potentially be triggers for sex abuse victims.
The beginning was odd. I can see any reader being turned off by the role play scene between the hero and his ex-wife. The way it was written made it seem that the hero was honestly interested in getting it on with a 16-year-old, rather than him playing along with one of his ex-wife's sexual power play scenarios. We also get to see the sex scene. I realize SEP was trying to provide context about the sexual relationship between the hero and his ex, as it did color things that happened between the H/h, but it could have been done in a different and less squicky way.
The heroine was definitely over-the-top. I do wish her Betty Boop persona had been toned down some. I understood that she was using her sexuality as a power play, but some of her shenanigans were just silly and I felt attempting to play it for laughs took something away from what was a very tragic situation. As a rape victim, she felt powerless and developed a persona that used the sexual appeal she blamed for her rape as a shield. She even went through a brief period of promiscuity after the rape before taking refuge as the 'mistress' of a gay man and being celibate for 15 years. In most romance novels, a rape is almost always followed by sexual deep freeze. I admired SEP for bringing in the real fact that sometimes sex abuse victims become promiscuous. It seems counter-intuitive, but the human psyche is complex.
The hero had his own issues based on an abusive childhood that encouraged anger as the only acceptable emotion. He had some epic explosions that made him look like a complete ass and he wasn't the most politically correct guy. He was obviously confused about women and what he needed/wanted. I couldn't help liking him though, he wasn't a bad guy and showed more compassion and understanding of the heroine's past than I expected based on some of his temper tantrums. He was a jealous guy, but he did not encompass the heroine's rapist or her post-rape behavior in his jealousy.
This had it's faults, but it really drew me in. I was surprised since I care NOTHING about sports of any kind. It's fine that people enjoy watching, I just don't get it.
This book is contemporary-ish. It was published in '94 and definitely shows its age. I tend to enjoy the older books, but understand some want nothing to do with anything written last century. If you're one of those readers who is iffy about older romances, this probably isn't the book for you. Also there could potentially be triggers for sex abuse victims.
The beginning was odd. I can see any reader being turned off by the role play scene between the hero and his ex-wife. The way it was written made it seem that the hero was honestly interested in getting it on with a 16-year-old, rather than him playing along with one of his ex-wife's sexual power play scenarios. We also get to see the sex scene. I realize SEP was trying to provide context about the sexual relationship between the hero and his ex, as it did color things that happened between the H/h, but it could have been done in a different and less squicky way.
The heroine was definitely over-the-top. I do wish her Betty Boop persona had been toned down some. I understood that she was using her sexuality as a power play, but some of her shenanigans were just silly and I felt attempting to play it for laughs took something away from what was a very tragic situation. As a rape victim, she felt powerless and developed a persona that used the sexual appeal she blamed for her rape as a shield. She even went through a brief period of promiscuity after the rape before taking refuge as the 'mistress' of a gay man and being celibate for 15 years. In most romance novels, a rape is almost always followed by sexual deep freeze. I admired SEP for bringing in the real fact that sometimes sex abuse victims become promiscuous. It seems counter-intuitive, but the human psyche is complex.
The hero had his own issues based on an abusive childhood that encouraged anger as the only acceptable emotion. He had some epic explosions that made him look like a complete ass and he wasn't the most politically correct guy. He was obviously confused about women and what he needed/wanted. I couldn't help liking him though, he wasn't a bad guy and showed more compassion and understanding of the heroine's past than I expected based on some of his temper tantrums. He was a jealous guy, but he did not encompass the heroine's rapist or her post-rape behavior in his jealousy.
This had it's faults, but it really drew me in. I was surprised since I care NOTHING about sports of any kind. It's fine that people enjoy watching, I just don't get it.
May 19, 2020
Re-read (actually listen). I love this book so much! Susan Elizabeth Phillips is comfort for my soul. I think I actually like the audiobook even more! The narrator Anna Fields is so wonderful to listen to. I can’t recommend SEP enough. If you have a good sense of humor, love romance and women’s fiction, you will love her books.
Original Review :
4.5 stars. Great sports romance that gave me everything I love about romance novels and nothing I dislike.
It was extremely well written and I flew through the pages.
Maybe it’s because this book is 24 years old that I liked it so much. I read a lot of romance. At least a couple a week, and I feel that almost all of them have something that irks me. Whether it’s the character that’s scared of getting hurt and pushes the other character away to the way that the hero’s exes and all the women other than the heroine are portrayed as being sluts that throw themselves at the hero. This book didn’t have any of that.
I also liked that this book was about the heroine being the underdog. I always love a good underdog story. Phoebe inherits her fathers NFL team with the stipulation that she has to win the playoffs to keep it. No one thinks she can succeed, even herself. And at first, she doesn’t really care enough to try. After enduring years of verbal abuse by her father and being raped, she makes a new life for herself and surrounds herself by men that can’t hurt her. She builds up walls and a whole different persona to deal with domineering men. But it’s all a facade to cope.
Her strength is incredible and her ability to prove everyone wrong is inspiring. This is not a story of the hero saving the heroine. This is a story of a woman saving herself.
Original Review :
4.5 stars. Great sports romance that gave me everything I love about romance novels and nothing I dislike.
It was extremely well written and I flew through the pages.
Maybe it’s because this book is 24 years old that I liked it so much. I read a lot of romance. At least a couple a week, and I feel that almost all of them have something that irks me. Whether it’s the character that’s scared of getting hurt and pushes the other character away to the way that the hero’s exes and all the women other than the heroine are portrayed as being sluts that throw themselves at the hero. This book didn’t have any of that.
I also liked that this book was about the heroine being the underdog. I always love a good underdog story. Phoebe inherits her fathers NFL team with the stipulation that she has to win the playoffs to keep it. No one thinks she can succeed, even herself. And at first, she doesn’t really care enough to try. After enduring years of verbal abuse by her father and being raped, she makes a new life for herself and surrounds herself by men that can’t hurt her. She builds up walls and a whole different persona to deal with domineering men. But it’s all a facade to cope.
Her strength is incredible and her ability to prove everyone wrong is inspiring. This is not a story of the hero saving the heroine. This is a story of a woman saving herself.
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