It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars, #1) by Susan Elizabeth Phillips Series: Chicago Stars #1
Published by HarperCollins e-books on May 14th 2013
Pages: 388
Amazon
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.
So why is Dan drawn to the shameless sexpot like a heat-seeking missile? And why does the coach's good ol' boy charm leave cosmopolitan Phoebe feeling awkward, tongue-tied . . . and ready to fight?
The sexy, heartwarming, and hilarious "prequel" to This Heart of Mine—Susan Elizabeth Phillips's New York Times bestselling blockbuster—It Had To Be You is an enchanting story of two stubborn people who believe in playing for keeps.
I owe a huge debt of gratitude to my friends friends for clogging my Goodreads 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.
“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’d say we’re more like gasoline and blowtorch.”
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.
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.
About Susan Elizabeth Phillips
Susan Elizabeth Phillips is an international bestseller whose 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. Among her other accomplishments, Susan created the sports romance.
Susan’s newest book, FIRST STAR I SEE TONIGHT, is book #8 in the highly acclaimed CHICAGO STARS SERIES. The mass market paperback is now available.
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.
Any thoughts? (Comments may be held for moderation.)