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3.74 AVERAGE
3.74 AVERAGE
Good start to a series that left a lot open for the next installment. There was a lot of family drama in this one that I thought Phillips handled really well. It ended kind of suddenly. I would probably give it 5 stars otherwise. The next book is about a character I didn't love in this one so we'll see how that one goes. One thing I'm not a fan of is that "problem" teenagers in these books always dress in dark clothes and combat boots and are convinced to dress differently by the end of the book. I don't see why the clothes they wear has to be the only indication that they have gotten over their issues.
Apparently, I have a romance problem right now as I've read about 10 in the space of two weeks!
Apparently, I have a romance problem right now as I've read about 10 in the space of two weeks!
I really enjoyed this book it was fun and easy going! I am really looking for to read book 2
Serendipity is the first book in the series by the same name. This is Faith Harrington and Ethan Barron’s story and is a second chance romance.
Faith and Ethan knew each other in high school. Both moved away and both have moved back to Serendipity, NY. Ethan bought the house that Faith was raised in. Her father is in jail and her mother is pretty useless always has been but worse now that her father is in jail.
Faith and Ethan have changed places in life. Ethan now has money and Faith doesn’t.
I ate up this story. I pretty much read it straight through because I loved reading this book. This new series is off to a great start with Serendipity. Loved it.
Faith and Ethan knew each other in high school. Both moved away and both have moved back to Serendipity, NY. Ethan bought the house that Faith was raised in. Her father is in jail and her mother is pretty useless always has been but worse now that her father is in jail.
Faith and Ethan have changed places in life. Ethan now has money and Faith doesn’t.
I ate up this story. I pretty much read it straight through because I loved reading this book. This new series is off to a great start with Serendipity. Loved it.
Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Ethan’s back in Serendipity, after leaving years ago following his parents fatal car crash. He was young and not able to deal so he took off, leaving his 2 younger brothers and didn’t look back. Well, he’s back now and his brothers want nothing to do with him. Each brother was raised separately in foster homes, Nash on the right side of the tracks, Dare on the wrong, and now Ethan’s back to try and make amends and bring his family back together again. He’s made a good career for himself and as way to reestablish himself in the community, he buys the “mansion on the hill” and needs a lot of help trying to turn it into a home.
Faith is also back in Serendipity, her life doing a complete 180 from where she was the last time she lived here. Her father’s in prison for running an investment scam that ruined many residents and businesses in Serendipity and his guilt is put upon Faith and her mother by many in the town. Faith’s not sitting around moping though, she’s determined to make a life for herself and puts out her shingle for her new interior design business. After being caught at her old family home by the new owner, Ethan, sparks still fly between them, proving that their attraction from high school is still there and Ethan convinces her to take him on as her first client and redecorate his new house.
This was such a fun, easy read about two people trying to make lives for themselves surrounded by a town, in Faith’s case, and brothers in Ethan’s, that are hesitant to give them a second chance. They find friendship first, rekindling what they once felt for each other as teens, only it means so much more now and the feelings are just that much stronger. There’s no denying they have chemistry and while Faith may be the more skittish of the two, wanting desperately to be independent, something she lost when she was married to her controlling ex-husband, Ethan’s determined not to let her get away again, or ignore what’s building between them.
Ethan grinned. He hadn’t realized his little tigress had teeth and he found himself wishing she’d use them on him, not to reprimand him the way she had her judgmental mother, but in bed.
I loved this couple – it was a nice slow build up, with a lot of fun banter between them and incredibly sweet and sexy scenes all throughout their relationship. When Ethan gets the shock of a lifetime dumped on his front doorstep, Faith is there for him and helps him deal with this new development in his life. He also has problems relating to his brothers who are none too quick to offer him any forgiveness. I see their side, absolutely. Ethan ran away, he had no other way to deal with the tragedy that happened in their family and at 18 he was as lost as his brothers were, only they didn’t have the choice to run. While I felt for Ethan as he tried to mend their relationships, I couldn’t fault the brothers for being stand-offish and hostile, and it takes a young teenage girl to be the common factor in all their lives that starts to bring them back together.
Teenage Tess was really a nice addition when she came on the scene. She’s a smartass, sassy and incredibly vulnerable. She hasn’t had a stable life to this point and when she’s dropped off at Ethan’s, she’s angry, confrontational and wants nothing to do with anybody. She shuts herself off from opening up to anyone until she overhears the brothers fighting about their past and brings it up to Ethan:
“Man, you really were a screw up, weren’t you? Guess we have something in common after all,” Tess said, sounding pleased with herself and him.
He bit the inside of his cheek. “Does that mean you’ll give me a break and behave from now on?”
“Hell, no.” She burst out laughing, taking him off guard.
When she realizes that Ethan had issues himself growing up, they find some common ground to build on and she slowly starts coming around. She bonds with Faith and it was charming to see her go from that insecure, covered head to toe in black clothes, hostile girl to acting like a teenager who’s comfortable with her life and not so worried anymore about things outside her control.
This was a great start to what’s sure to be a fun series centered around siblings in a small town. I enjoyed the sexy, easy (with a few bumps along the way) romance between Ethan and Faith, and look forward to Nash’s story next, which we get a little taste of at the end of this book.
Ethan’s back in Serendipity, after leaving years ago following his parents fatal car crash. He was young and not able to deal so he took off, leaving his 2 younger brothers and didn’t look back. Well, he’s back now and his brothers want nothing to do with him. Each brother was raised separately in foster homes, Nash on the right side of the tracks, Dare on the wrong, and now Ethan’s back to try and make amends and bring his family back together again. He’s made a good career for himself and as way to reestablish himself in the community, he buys the “mansion on the hill” and needs a lot of help trying to turn it into a home.
Faith is also back in Serendipity, her life doing a complete 180 from where she was the last time she lived here. Her father’s in prison for running an investment scam that ruined many residents and businesses in Serendipity and his guilt is put upon Faith and her mother by many in the town. Faith’s not sitting around moping though, she’s determined to make a life for herself and puts out her shingle for her new interior design business. After being caught at her old family home by the new owner, Ethan, sparks still fly between them, proving that their attraction from high school is still there and Ethan convinces her to take him on as her first client and redecorate his new house.
This was such a fun, easy read about two people trying to make lives for themselves surrounded by a town, in Faith’s case, and brothers in Ethan’s, that are hesitant to give them a second chance. They find friendship first, rekindling what they once felt for each other as teens, only it means so much more now and the feelings are just that much stronger. There’s no denying they have chemistry and while Faith may be the more skittish of the two, wanting desperately to be independent, something she lost when she was married to her controlling ex-husband, Ethan’s determined not to let her get away again, or ignore what’s building between them.
Ethan grinned. He hadn’t realized his little tigress had teeth and he found himself wishing she’d use them on him, not to reprimand him the way she had her judgmental mother, but in bed.
I loved this couple – it was a nice slow build up, with a lot of fun banter between them and incredibly sweet and sexy scenes all throughout their relationship. When Ethan gets the shock of a lifetime dumped on his front doorstep, Faith is there for him and helps him deal with this new development in his life. He also has problems relating to his brothers who are none too quick to offer him any forgiveness. I see their side, absolutely. Ethan ran away, he had no other way to deal with the tragedy that happened in their family and at 18 he was as lost as his brothers were, only they didn’t have the choice to run. While I felt for Ethan as he tried to mend their relationships, I couldn’t fault the brothers for being stand-offish and hostile, and it takes a young teenage girl to be the common factor in all their lives that starts to bring them back together.
Teenage Tess was really a nice addition when she came on the scene. She’s a smartass, sassy and incredibly vulnerable. She hasn’t had a stable life to this point and when she’s dropped off at Ethan’s, she’s angry, confrontational and wants nothing to do with anybody. She shuts herself off from opening up to anyone until she overhears the brothers fighting about their past and brings it up to Ethan:
“Man, you really were a screw up, weren’t you? Guess we have something in common after all,” Tess said, sounding pleased with herself and him.
He bit the inside of his cheek. “Does that mean you’ll give me a break and behave from now on?”
“Hell, no.” She burst out laughing, taking him off guard.
When she realizes that Ethan had issues himself growing up, they find some common ground to build on and she slowly starts coming around. She bonds with Faith and it was charming to see her go from that insecure, covered head to toe in black clothes, hostile girl to acting like a teenager who’s comfortable with her life and not so worried anymore about things outside her control.
This was a great start to what’s sure to be a fun series centered around siblings in a small town. I enjoyed the sexy, easy (with a few bumps along the way) romance between Ethan and Faith, and look forward to Nash’s story next, which we get a little taste of at the end of this book.
Really loved this book both main characters were really awesome and can't wait for the next story.
Thank goodness I found this on audio since I have had zero time to actually sit and read lately! I love Carly Phillips so of course I HAD to read this as soon as I could. Great, fun, romantic read. I can't wait to read the next one :)
Phillips take you to the brink of heartache and despair. Serendipity dives into the emotions that are hard to face and finds salvation. Faith and Ethan grab hold of the soul and sweep away with your heart.
Oh contemporary romance, how I love thee. Let me count the ways. I love a romance where the sexy hero is searching for redemption and the heroine is there to help him find his way.
Ethan Barron (love the last name) and Faith Harrington have returned to their hometown of Serendipity for different reasons. After her father was convicted of spear-heading a Ponzi scheme and finding out that her good-for-nothing ex-husband was using her for her father's connections, Faith is looking to start her life anew in the only place that she could truly call home. Ethan left Serendipity 10 years ago and never looked back. Now that he is rich and successful, he wants to show the town and his brothers that he is no longer the irresponsible kid that left them when their parents died. Ethan knows that it's not going to be easy to gain his brothers trust and love again but he is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back.
Ethan is looking for redemption and validation. He has left his Bad Boy persona behind and wants to show everyone that he has changed. Ethan and Faith already have a bit of history. When she was 16, Faith and Ethan shared a passionate kiss. Faith pulled away not because she thought that Ethan wasn't good enough for her but because she didn't understand the feelings that he aroused in her. Ten years later and the teenage attraction has not faded. Faith isn't looking to get into a new relationship. She wants to concentrate on starting her new business, building a new life.
Serendipity is a romance that will pull at your heart-strings. I felt so bad for Ethan when his brothers constantly rejected him and bashed him. Faith is the one person who is constantly in his corner reassuring him that he is not the bad person his brothers makes him out to be. Even with her own issues thanks to her dad pilfering money from the residents of Serendipity, Faith did not waver from her determination to start a new life. Serendipity has a great cast of characters that added depth to the story. I liked how the book wasn't just about Ethan and Faith's romance, but about family and reinforcing that familial foundation. Despite all of his career success, Ethan doesn't fill truly successful without his brothers in his life.
Ethan and Faith face a few bumps in the road as they try to forge ahead with their relationship but I loved that the conflict wasn't drawn out. Phillips has you rooting for Ethan from page 1. All you want is for his brothers to give him a second chance. There were plenty of times where I wanted to bash Nash over the head.
I am a huge Carly Phillips fan. Her Hot Zone series is one of my favorite all time contemporary romance series. If you haven't read it, you are missing out! Phillips does not disappoint with Serendipity. Serendipity has everything that I love about contemporary romance. The romance between Ethan and Faith was believable. They had great sexual chemistry. The cast of side characters added great depth to the story line, especially Ethan's brothers, Nash and Dare. I can't wait to visit them again.
Serendipity has heart, romance and a tortured hero looking for redemption. All in all, Serendipity was everything I wanted out of a contemporary romance.
B+
Ethan Barron (love the last name) and Faith Harrington have returned to their hometown of Serendipity for different reasons. After her father was convicted of spear-heading a Ponzi scheme and finding out that her good-for-nothing ex-husband was using her for her father's connections, Faith is looking to start her life anew in the only place that she could truly call home. Ethan left Serendipity 10 years ago and never looked back. Now that he is rich and successful, he wants to show the town and his brothers that he is no longer the irresponsible kid that left them when their parents died. Ethan knows that it's not going to be easy to gain his brothers trust and love again but he is willing to do whatever it takes to get it back.
Ethan is looking for redemption and validation. He has left his Bad Boy persona behind and wants to show everyone that he has changed. Ethan and Faith already have a bit of history. When she was 16, Faith and Ethan shared a passionate kiss. Faith pulled away not because she thought that Ethan wasn't good enough for her but because she didn't understand the feelings that he aroused in her. Ten years later and the teenage attraction has not faded. Faith isn't looking to get into a new relationship. She wants to concentrate on starting her new business, building a new life.
Serendipity is a romance that will pull at your heart-strings. I felt so bad for Ethan when his brothers constantly rejected him and bashed him. Faith is the one person who is constantly in his corner reassuring him that he is not the bad person his brothers makes him out to be. Even with her own issues thanks to her dad pilfering money from the residents of Serendipity, Faith did not waver from her determination to start a new life. Serendipity has a great cast of characters that added depth to the story. I liked how the book wasn't just about Ethan and Faith's romance, but about family and reinforcing that familial foundation. Despite all of his career success, Ethan doesn't fill truly successful without his brothers in his life.
Ethan and Faith face a few bumps in the road as they try to forge ahead with their relationship but I loved that the conflict wasn't drawn out. Phillips has you rooting for Ethan from page 1. All you want is for his brothers to give him a second chance. There were plenty of times where I wanted to bash Nash over the head.
I am a huge Carly Phillips fan. Her Hot Zone series is one of my favorite all time contemporary romance series. If you haven't read it, you are missing out! Phillips does not disappoint with Serendipity. Serendipity has everything that I love about contemporary romance. The romance between Ethan and Faith was believable. They had great sexual chemistry. The cast of side characters added great depth to the story line, especially Ethan's brothers, Nash and Dare. I can't wait to visit them again.
Serendipity has heart, romance and a tortured hero looking for redemption. All in all, Serendipity was everything I wanted out of a contemporary romance.
B+
The story reminded me a lot of some of her previous work, but I guess that is why I chose it. I guess I don't much mind the formula in contemporary romances. I did quite like the characters, although Nash did irritate me. I mean get over it already.
I’ve had this book for ages, one of those books in the TBR that never gets read, until a promo invite arrives. I read the blurb, it was the type of story I like and when I found it in my Kindle, started to read right away! And stayed reading the rest of the day, it was so good.
I love bad boy/good girl stories and this one was that and more. Faith Harrington lived in the mansion on the hill in Serendipity, New York. She was rich, a good girl, the apple of her father’s eye. She had her eye on Ethan Barron, the school bad boy, the one who always got into trouble. When he offered her a ride in his bike, it was like a challenge, but she accepted the ride and the kiss that followed. Then her father got arrested for a Ponzi scheme and Ethan’s parents were killed in an accident on the way to bail him out of jail.
Fast forward ten years, Faith is back in Serendipity to start again, same as Ethan. Except that this time Ethan is the owner of the mansion of the hill, the one where Faith used to live. And Faith is renting an apartment over Joe’s bar on Main Street. The reversal of fortunes was riveting, same as Faith’s courage in facing all the detractors of her father’s crime, Ethan’s decision to make amends with his younger brothers whom he abandoned when he fled town, it all made for a fantastic story.
The author’s writing was superb, I loved how she developed the characters and the emotions she took them through. Ethan gets a surprise during his first weeks, involved Faith in all his projects, and a lovely story evolves. The brothers were horrible initially, same as Faith’s mother. Loved how that story evolved and how the author got us ready for the next one in the series. Needless to say, I’m hunting for the next one ASAP.
I love bad boy/good girl stories and this one was that and more. Faith Harrington lived in the mansion on the hill in Serendipity, New York. She was rich, a good girl, the apple of her father’s eye. She had her eye on Ethan Barron, the school bad boy, the one who always got into trouble. When he offered her a ride in his bike, it was like a challenge, but she accepted the ride and the kiss that followed. Then her father got arrested for a Ponzi scheme and Ethan’s parents were killed in an accident on the way to bail him out of jail.
Fast forward ten years, Faith is back in Serendipity to start again, same as Ethan. Except that this time Ethan is the owner of the mansion of the hill, the one where Faith used to live. And Faith is renting an apartment over Joe’s bar on Main Street. The reversal of fortunes was riveting, same as Faith’s courage in facing all the detractors of her father’s crime, Ethan’s decision to make amends with his younger brothers whom he abandoned when he fled town, it all made for a fantastic story.
The author’s writing was superb, I loved how she developed the characters and the emotions she took them through. Ethan gets a surprise during his first weeks, involved Faith in all his projects, and a lovely story evolves. The brothers were horrible initially, same as Faith’s mother. Loved how that story evolved and how the author got us ready for the next one in the series. Needless to say, I’m hunting for the next one ASAP.