Carly Phillips

Engaging and readable romance
5 stars

We continue into the Dare Crossover series with this fourth book. It does take place in the same world as the other books in the series - and at the same Bachelor auction - but it features a brand new couple and completely stands alone. You don’t have to read any books before or after to understand and enjoy this one although if you have, you might see cameos and mentions from previous characters.

This story is about bubbly yet feisty, Lauren, and her show more need for a last minute fake boyfriend to take to her sister’s wedding. The sister that happens to be marrying Lauren’s ex! But the regular, average man she set her heart on winning at the bachelor auction is the complete opposite of the gorgeous, grumpy and aloof, Chase. Yet it’s him she’s stuck with. And him that, despite his grumpy personality, she wants something real with.

Lauren is an event-coordinator at a posh hotel but she lives a fairly normal, down to earth lifestyle. And she might be a small-town girl but she’s all New York in attitude. She never comes over as too bolshie but I love how she stood her ground and went after what she wanted. She was always kind - sometimes too kind as I personally would have scratched my sister’s eyes out - but she was exactly what Chase needed.

I always love a grumpy hero but Chase took that one step further by also being a little arrogant and a lot aloof. His bafflement when he can’t just buy off Lauren was a delight - as was watching him try to keep his emotional and physical distance and his walls crumble for her. His gradual enlightenment towards his feelings felt real but he was always just a touch grumpy - so I was happy.

As a couple, Lauren and Chase were made for each other. They got on well, connected and they had some sizzling chemistry. This book is written by two queens of spicy romances so of course we’re going to have some lovely, sizzling sex scenes. I loved them as a couple and was rooting for them from their first meeting.

This is a short book at just 188 but I loved the way it was written and that it easily held my attention from beginning to end. I have absolutely no issue with a third-act break-up but I have to admit that it was quite nice how Lauren and Chase parted, and how everything was resolved. I’m always keen for a Carly Phillips and Erika Wilde collaboration and this book showed me exactly why. Easily 5 stars. show less

A fun and satisfying small-town romance
5 stars

We’re back in Serendipity, New York for this, the second book in the Serendipity’s Finest series - a spin-off from the original Serendipity series, this time focussing on the men and woman of the town’s law enforcement. The first book in the series, Perfect Fit, featured now Police Chief, Mike Marsden, now this one follows his sister, Assistant DA, Erin Marsden and town bad boy and undercover cop, Cole Sanders. It’s definitely nice to show more read the rest of these books and find out the stories of the secondary characters - but they really do stand alone so that’s not a prerequisite to reading, understanding and enjoying this book.

Erin is supposedly the town good girl but when we first meet her, she’s doing the walk of shame from bad boy, Cole’s, bed after a night of delightful debauchery. But that is an anomaly for her and while she is sweet and kind-hearted, she’s more good in the way of always doing the right thing, rather than not being naughty. She’s an independent woman who can and does stand up for herself. I liked her immensely and really felt a connection with her.

Cole is a classic Carly Phillips hero and also exactly the type of hero that I love to read about. The kind that swears up and down that they will never fall in love and it’s only sex to them. Oh how I like to laugh at them. Cole is bossy, alpha, possessive and doesn’t realise he’s a big ol’ teddy bear that rather than being a lone wolf, actually just has issues from his childhood. He’s delightfully clueless and unsure how to deal with his growing feelings for Erin. Yes, he’s the perfect type of hero.

Cole, I have to admit, is probably the first of Phillips’ heroes that I’ve ever worried might not change his ways, get his act together and achieve his happily ever after with the woman he loves. I mean, of course he would, but I wondered if it would believably be pulled off. But as we move through the book, Cole slowly and steadily starts to shift his mindset and to believe in his own worthiness - with Erin’s help, of course!

There’s an amount of peril in the story but it doesn’t raise to the level of romantic suspense. It’s just enough to keep the story going and to help nudge our couple along when they need it. Most of the stuff happens to Erin - the shooting, stalking, disturbing “gifts” and the like. It’s also fairly obvious who the perpetrator is - but it’s also not meant to be a mystery, so there’s that.

Despite our couple having an amazing one night stand the night before the start of our book, there was still that nice build up of sexual tension before they get a repeat performance. Carly Phillips excels with the sexy - so you know you’re going to love our couple together and get a little hot and bothered yourself. But it’s not just that. You can see and feel the building of feelings and love our couple have for each other that feels so real. I loved every moment.

While this is a standalone romance, it’s always nice to have little snippets of previous couples in the series and see them in love and happy. It’s like espresso shots of epilogues. And on top of that, we also get little teases of the next books in the series which makes me giddy with excitement.

I’m really enjoying this series and this was a great addition to it. Carly Phillips’ unique and fun writing style brings us characters that are easy to root for, a romance that’s sweet and sexy and a believable happily ever after that will make you sigh with satisfaction. Definitely 5 stars for this one. show less

Fun and sexy
5 stars

I love Carly Phillips. There’s something about her books that are so positive and uplifting that reading them just makes me feel happy. Add in the fact that her stories are hella sexy and romantic and you’re onto a winner with every book.

This book is the fourth in the Dare Nation series - a spin-off from Phillips’ other Dare series’. I’ve read two of the previous books in this series, and while the couples from those books turn up in this one, you definitely show more don’t need to have read the others to understand and enjoy this tale.

Of our main characters - I really loved Willow. She was smart, understandably cautious but willing to be honest with herself regarding her lust - and feelings - for Braden. I never felt she was being unreasonable and I liked that the progression of her trust, in both herself and Braden, was believable. Her back story gave her depth but never bogged her, or the story, down in upsetting details.

Having read about Braden in previous Dare Nation novels - I was wondering how Ms Phillips would make me like him - as I was less than sympathetic about him leaving (even if he did join MSF) and like Willow, I wasn’t inclined to believe he was back for good. I shouldn’t have worried because Braden was an absolute gem. He realised where he’d gone wrong in the past and was determined to make it up to Willow. And he was so sensitive to her needs - moving the relationship along at a pace she was comfortable with. But he was still a sexy alpha male so there was also a nice bit of pushing and cajoling. My favourite!

Together the pair had an amazing chemistry that really gave you butterflies in the tummy moments. There was just the right amount of sexiness blended with the sweetness - it really made me believe in Willow and Braden as a couple that would last.

As always with Carly Phillips, the writing was fresh, fun and very engaging. A second-chance romance with enough going on that it will never lose your interest - I would definitely recommend this book if you’re looking for a sexy story chock full of chemistry. 5 stars. show less

Fun and sexy series end
5 stars

This is the book of the third and youngest Barron sibling from Serendipity, New York. If you want to get up to speed with the other brother’s stories and the family backstory, grab Serendipity and Destiny. But you don’t have to as this is a complete standalone and Liza is a new character for this book.

Dare Barron is known as the happy-go-lucky, down to earth and easy-going small town cop. It seems as though he likes everyone - except maybe town drunk, Brian, show more and the sister that’s always bailing Brian out of jail, Liza.

We’re quick to realise that Dare doesn’t dislike Liza - he’s actually smitten with her. While also being frustrated with her actions. He does come across as all the attributes above but it was nice to delve deeper into his personality and find out all the deeper parts of him. He’s basically a good guy, trying his best to get over past traumas while also wanting to do his best by Liza. I liked that he was himself and didn’t apologise for it - but also that he genuinely tried to learn from his mistakes and admitted when he was wrong. Plus he knew that he wanted Liza and wasn’t afraid to go after her. Le swoon!

Liza was really easy for me to like and root for. She comes from a dysfunctional family and she’s learnt to keep herself closed off and not trust anyone. She tries to keep Dare at arm’s length, telling herself to guard her heart - but it’s not as easy as all that when Dare Barron has you in his sights. Liza was a strong and able woman and I liked her no-nonsense personality as well as her vulnerabilities. She herself has trauma in her past and while it shaped her, I didn’t feel it controlled her. Either way, I was with her and wanted her to get her happily ever after. She deserved it.

Dare and Liza have a lot of chemistry and they give off sparks together and in the reader. There’s a nice amount of sex in our story and it builds up a great intimacy between our couple. They’ve got a lot of things to work out but it was a good build up to happily ever after.

Yes, Liza is older than Dare and yes, this is a trope I’m not a fan of. But it’s only a 3 year difference and once it’s mentioned, it’s done. It’s not made an issue for the couple or the readers so it’s not a problem for me.

There’s some minor peril taking place in the book which added another dimension to the story which I enjoyed a lot. There was a few people that could have been the culprit and I went into full-on detective mode before it was revealed. I was a little off base in the end.

I admit to being a bit confused by the ordering of the Serendipity series. This book focuses on the third of the three Barron brothers. While some sites have this down as the third book, there are also two other books set in Serendipity that go along with this series but were released before this one. Those extra books are nice little extras but I guess the main books are those of Dare, Nash and Ethan and these three are definitely ones you’ll want to (but don’t have to) read as a set.

There are a few things in this book that could be triggering but I felt it was handled with just enough depth to make me feel something, but not so much that it overwhelms or made me uncomfortable. Carly Phillips, as always, manages to weave her romances into very real situations and very real families and does so with such flair that you can’t help but be left with a smile on your face. The ending was delightful and with the news that Tess is also getting her own story, I’m a happy camper. Definitely recommended. show less