Carly Phillips - Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Rosamunde Pilcher
Phillips, Carly - BRAZEN (Harlequin Temptation 736 - 6/99) (4)
Driven by a promise she made on her mother's deathbed, Samantha "Sam" Reed agrees to a loveless marriage in order to save her father from financial ruin. But first, she plans to experience everything the upcoming marriage will deny her—excitement, desire, and passion. Sam finds all three at a bar called The Hungry Bear.
As a favor to his best friend, Ryan "Mac" Mackenzie is tending bar at The Hungry Bear. He likes socializing with his childhood friends and being one of the crowd, and he enjoys the anonymity that this stint behind the bar allows him. Being the wealthy owner of The Resort, he finds himself hunted and chased by women seeking something he isn't willing to give.
The chemistry between Sam and Mac begins to blaze at the moment of introduction and becomes a wildfire as the story progresses. But each of them is hiding something. Mac doesn't divulge the fact that he is wealthy, and Sam doesn't let on that she is only after a quick fling. Deep inside, both want to be loved for themselves, but they are wary of being hurt.
How the couple deals with these issues makes BRAZEN a book that is difficult to put down. This story will entice you from reality, and you will have a hard time letting go of Mac and Sam. They make a wonderful couple, and the love scenes literally sizzle. I would definitely advise having a fan nearby while reading BRAZEN! ~Pat Cavender for Bookbug on the Web
Phillips, Susan Elizabeth - DREAM A LITTLE DREAM (Avon - 1998) (4)
Good sequel to NOBODY'S BABY BUT MINE (though not as good, in my opinion). Heroine is very well defined and sympathetic; hero has a few too many psychological hang-ups for my tastes, but I continue to like his family. Phillips handles the issue of fraudulent religious huckstering with great finesse, incorporating a bit of satire while avoiding vast generalizations that might offend. She again shows her talent for making seedy small-town entertainment sites come alive—here it's an abandoned Carolina drive-in movie theater. ~Elena P.
Phillips, Susan Elizabeth - HONEY MOON (Pocket - 1993) (4+)
Very satisfying Hollywood potboiler with a moving, well-drawn heroine and TWO fine heroes. ~Elena P.
Phillips, Susan Elizabeth - KISS AN ANGEL (Avon - 1996) (4+)
A favorite Phillips book for me. I especially enjoyed the seedy traveling-circus setting. The rich-bitch-forced-to-rough-it heroine is not entirely new for Phillips, but she creates some particularly funny moments. The zoo stuff toward the end is predictable and corny, but I loved it anyway! ~Elena P.
Phillips, Susan Elizabeth - LADY BE GOOD (Avon - 2/99) (5)
Because of an unwanted marriage proposal from the overbearing owner of England's St. Gertrude's School for Girls, Lady Emma Wells-Finch (the head mistress) supposedly travels to Texas for two weeks to do further research on a paper she is writing; but actually, she is there for another purpose—to ruin her good name. She must somehow discourage her unwanted suitor by making herself unsuitable to be his wife, but she can't seemingly manipulate him as he has threatened to sell the school to a developer if she doesn't accept his proposal. Emma can't let that happen. St. Gertrude's means everything to her; not only is it her place of employment, it is the only loving home she has ever known.
At the airport, Emma is met by playboy Kenny Traveler, a professional golfer on a winning streak, who has just been suspended from playing because of too many public shenanigans. Kenny has been persuaded to serve as Lady Emma's driver by Francesca, the wife of the acting PGA commissioner, Dallas Beaudine. After meeting Emma, Kenny thinks she's bossy and single-minded, and then discovers she is one lady who doesn't want to be good! She's determined to kick up her heels and visit bars, tattoo parlors, and buy his "services" for a night. Just what he doesn't need—more bad publicity!
Emma believes Kenny is lazy and no good, but as she gets to know him better, she realizes there is more to him than his lackadaisical attitude. When she discovers that a spy is relating her activities to her unwanted suitor, she convinces Kenny to take her to his ranch for a few days. There she meets his unusual family and begins to fall in love with him. However, our hero must learn that love—not his career—is the most important thing in life.
Susan Elizabeth Phillips has written another winner. LADY BE GOOD is an hilariously funny, yet sensual and achingly serious romance that all of her fans will love! The repartee and interaction between Kenny and Emma will have readers laughing out loud and eager to know the outcome. Their characters are well-portrayed and the insight into their personalities makes this story so very enjoyable. Kenny is a goof-off who grew up thinking his antics and success on the golf course were the only way to earn his father's love and attention, while Emma is serious in her determination to save her school...even if it means ruining herself. These two people are complete opposites, but they need each other. The many secondary characters: Kenny's family, the Beaudines (Dallas and Francesca from FANCY PANTS), and Kenny's male housekeeper add extra depth to the story. There is even a secondary romance between Kenny's sister and the man her father has chosen to be her next husband. LADY BE GOOD will give the reader plenty of laughs and a warm feeling from all the love. A must read! ~Sharon Laird for Bookbug on the Web
Phillips, Susan Elizabeth - NOBODY'S BABY BUT MINE
(Avon - 1997) (4+)
It is hard to be funny and romantic at the same time, but Phillips manages to do this masterfully. For me, this sequel to HEAVEN, TEXAS, et al was especially enjoyable because it cut down on the football (sorry, I'm a baseball fan) and shifted the setting from Texas to the far more picturesque Carolina mountains. In addition to a strong hero and heroine, it also included a wonderful mountain granny. In short, Phillips scores a touchdown.
~Elena P.
Pilcher, Rosamunde - SNOW IN APRIL (4+)
This romance was written in 1972 before Pilcher's bestsellers, such as SEPTEMBER (which my mother has raved about). Caroline Cliburn is engaged to marry her stepmother's brother, Hugh, a London stockbroker she cares about, but feels no real passion for. A week before the wedding, circumstances cause her to travel to Scotland to search for her older brother. Caroline is an inexperienced driver, and during a sudden snowstorm she runs her car into a snowbank, which is near the estate of a man who is there taking care of his recently-deceased brother's affairs. Excellent story! I'm looking forward to reading more of this author's books. ~Maudeen W. (maudeenw@aol.com)
NEXT PAGE
Background provided by Judi's Doodlings
Copyright © 1997-1999 Bookbug on the Web