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3.75 AVERAGE
3.75 AVERAGE
I believe a read this book a long time ago when all I read was romance. Ugh. Sounds like something I wouldn't like now
This third book in the Chicago Stars series delivers in unexpected ways. Jane Darlington got more than she bargained for when she set out to create a child on her own. Her personal journey, along with Cal's, is aided by a network of remarkable women representing multiple generations. Set in the mountains, we also get to gain an appreciation for the simplicity and complexities of that lifestyle.
This is a real winner.
This is a real winner.
A rare outlier - a pregnancy romance book that I actually liked! I don't usually do accidentally pregnant/secret pregnancy romances, because they push all my buttons and make me ragey, but this was recommended by so many people (primarily as a good sports romance)and the pregnancy isn't really accidental or secret (for long any way) so I gave it a shot.
And it was really good fun. I mean, I wouldn't want to be married to Cal, but he and Jane had a sparky combative relationship that was fun to read about. I was briefly worried that it might get a little bit too old school for me (aka rapey) but it never got far down that road at all (despite Cal's posturing). I whistled through most of this on Sunday afternoon and evening - and it was a great weekend book - escapist and fun with a happy ending. Even if the ending does include a baby!
I'll be watching for more SEP.
And it was really good fun. I mean, I wouldn't want to be married to Cal, but he and Jane had a sparky combative relationship that was fun to read about. I was briefly worried that it might get a little bit too old school for me (aka rapey) but it never got far down that road at all (despite Cal's posturing). I whistled through most of this on Sunday afternoon and evening - and it was a great weekend book - escapist and fun with a happy ending. Even if the ending does include a baby!
I'll be watching for more SEP.
emotional
funny
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
For some reason this book reminded me of the novella Miss Congeniality in the When He Was Bad anthology. I think Jane reminds me of Irene.
Anyway, the story starts off implausibly. The football players want to find a woman (or hooker) for Cal for his birthday because he's been down in the dumps. But she has to be classy. So they ask a bleached blonde, no-class barmaid (because you would). She meets her parents' next door neighbour Jane one night and finds out she is a Professor and desperate for a baby. But Jane is sooo clever that she feels totally ostracised, accelerated through school and college she made no friends and is socially awkward (although this seems to disappear so maybe I made that up). Anyway, to offset her brilliance she is looking for a stupid baby-daddy so that her child will be normal. Said barmaid switches on the TV to watch the pre-match interviews and Jane spots Cal doing his "aw shucks" impression to an interviewer he despises and she says she would like her baby daddy to be someone as ignorant as Cal.
Said barmaid has a cunning idea - pretend Jane is a hooker, give her to Cal as a birthday present and sabotage the condom. What could go wrong?
The actual sex is a disaster. With Jane's lack of experience and bizarre need to not enjoy things (because that's not why she's there) and Cal's frank disbelief of everything she says it is cringeworthy. And she doesn't get pregnant.
Despite the bad sex and dodgy story Cal actually quite liked "Rose Bud" or was at least intrigued. A month later Jane decides to try again and goes to Cal's hotel room. Cal is now convinced that Rosebud is a bored housewife or football groupie and they have sex again - it's not kind. But this time she gets pregnant.
The barmaid only arranged for Cal to meet Jane if the players arranged for her to get Kevin Tucker into bed (she's a jersey collector). When they fail to follow through she tells them they owe because she got Cal's birthday present. Cal overhears and forces the whole story out of her including the fact that Jane is pregnant.
So, we now have the "forced wedding because no child of mine is growing up a bastard" plot in which both parties hate each other and do everything in their power to punish each other.
Like the other Susan Elizabeth Phillips stories I have read there are multiple plot lines going on. I hope that we get to meet Cal's brothers in future books (and Kevin Tucker).
I'm devouring these books like M&Ms and they aren't getting boring. Roll on Dream A Little Dream!
Anyway, the story starts off implausibly. The football players want to find a woman (or hooker) for Cal for his birthday because he's been down in the dumps. But she has to be classy. So they ask a bleached blonde, no-class barmaid (because you would). She meets her parents' next door neighbour Jane one night and finds out she is a Professor and desperate for a baby. But Jane is sooo clever that she feels totally ostracised, accelerated through school and college she made no friends and is socially awkward (although this seems to disappear so maybe I made that up). Anyway, to offset her brilliance she is looking for a stupid baby-daddy so that her child will be normal. Said barmaid switches on the TV to watch the pre-match interviews and Jane spots Cal doing his "aw shucks" impression to an interviewer he despises and she says she would like her baby daddy to be someone as ignorant as Cal.
Said barmaid has a cunning idea - pretend Jane is a hooker, give her to Cal as a birthday present and sabotage the condom. What could go wrong?
The actual sex is a disaster. With Jane's lack of experience and bizarre need to not enjoy things (because that's not why she's there) and Cal's frank disbelief of everything she says it is cringeworthy. And she doesn't get pregnant.
Despite the bad sex and dodgy story Cal actually quite liked "Rose Bud" or was at least intrigued. A month later Jane decides to try again and goes to Cal's hotel room. Cal is now convinced that Rosebud is a bored housewife or football groupie and they have sex again - it's not kind. But this time she gets pregnant.
The barmaid only arranged for Cal to meet Jane if the players arranged for her to get Kevin Tucker into bed (she's a jersey collector). When they fail to follow through she tells them they owe because she got Cal's birthday present. Cal overhears and forces the whole story out of her including the fact that Jane is pregnant.
So, we now have the "forced wedding because no child of mine is growing up a bastard" plot in which both parties hate each other and do everything in their power to punish each other.
Like the other Susan Elizabeth Phillips stories I have read there are multiple plot lines going on. I hope that we get to meet Cal's brothers in future books (and Kevin Tucker).
I'm devouring these books like M&Ms and they aren't getting boring. Roll on Dream A Little Dream!
I loved this book. I listened to it on audio while I drove around town. This book is hysterical, just laugh out loud funny.
It's the first book I've 'read' by [a:Susan Elizabeth Phillips|41313|Susan Elizabeth Phillips|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351268280p2/41313.jpg]. I've already downloaded [b:It Had to Be You|73070|It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars, #1)|Susan Elizabeth Phillips|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1297088239s/73070.jpg|2268839].
So much fun.
It's the first book I've 'read' by [a:Susan Elizabeth Phillips|41313|Susan Elizabeth Phillips|https://d.gr-assets.com/authors/1351268280p2/41313.jpg]. I've already downloaded [b:It Had to Be You|73070|It Had to Be You (Chicago Stars, #1)|Susan Elizabeth Phillips|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1297088239s/73070.jpg|2268839].
So much fun.
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
I absolutely freaking love this series! The banter and angst makes these characters and their story so enjoyable to read about. I spent most of my time with a huge grin on my face while reading.
emotional
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book was a wild and laugh-out-loud ride. I put it on my TBR after Fated Mates did a deep dive on it and they were right, it was great, and I can't wait to read the rest of this series.