Susan Elizabeth Phillips recommendations

Ash · Joined: 11 Jul 2011 Posts: 166

hmm without getting spoilerish I'd have to say that some feel that the heroines of both books make a few questionable and irrational choices over the course of the story... I believe the term haters frequently used to describe the heroines was TSTL Razz

The heroine of "This Heart Of Mine" in particular puts the hero through a wringer and makes him jump through hoops for no good reason.

I personally really liked "To Kiss An Angel" it had an unusual setting and a wonderful heroine, emotionally speaking the book had me hooked.

I'm adding the ARR review links for both "Kiss An Angel" and "It Had To Be You" they might help you make up your mind.

http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=4190

http://www.likesbooks.com/cgi-bin/bookReview.pl?BookReviewId=4311

Kathy · Joined: 31 Mar 2009 Posts: 46 Location: Southeast U.S.

Thanks, Judy Z6666 and Ash! I can see how those issues would be hot buttons for some.

I read the reviews, Ash, (and thanks for the links BTW). It's still kind of hard to decide which to read first, but I'm leaning toward "Kiss An Angel".

I can see a trip to the UBS in my future tomorrow. Very Happy

Linda in sw va · Joined: 27 Mar 2007 Posts: 4708

kris · Posted: Thu May 24, 2012 4:04 pm Post subject:

Heaven,Texas is without a doubt my favourite SEP. Bobby Tom Denton is sexy and adorable.
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goldberry · Joined: 26 Dec 2011 Posts: 31

xina · Joined: 22 Mar 2007 Posts: 6630 Location: minneapolis

Susan/DC · Joined: 26 Mar 2007 Posts: 1602

I'm in the minority. I liked much of Kiss an Angel but felt that Daisy was manipulated too much for my taste, especially at the very end when

spoiler alert her father? stepmother? substitutes sugar pills for her birth control and she winds up pregnant end spoiler

-- that bothered me quite a bit and ruined my enjoyment of the book.

OTOH, the things that bothered others about Nobody's Baby But Mine did not bother me. I can understand why other people criticized Jane, and the basic premise Jane uses for her decision is scientifically ridiculous, but I found the book so funny and the chemistry between her and Cal so palpable that I forgave the book its flaws.

Like Linda in sw va, I also liked Lady Be Good a lot. Again, the heroine's reasoning for her initial actions is deeply flawed, but both hero and heroine are so appealing and the book so funny that I couldn't help but like it. And as a bonus, it has a great secondary couple.

PWNN · Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 827

In Nobody's Baby But Mine I got over Jane's sperm stealing because it's just done so tongue in cheek ridiculously and Jane while a physics genius is a social moron who obviously failed Biology 101. That and the book is very LOL funny and Cal more than holds his own. It also has a very good secondary more serious story with Cal's parents.

This Heart Of Mine on the other hand is a complete wall-banger for me from the very first chapter (so not really a spoiler) where the heroine rapes the hero - until the very end where he's the one proving he's good enough for her. Just ... Shocked

My favorites are: Ain't She Sweet (great twist with heroine being the once town bad girl), Breathing Room (loved the Italian setting the dynamic between the H/h), Match Me If You Can (great snappy humor and two excellent couples) and Nobody's Baby But Mine.

Also if you enjoy audio books the late Anna Fields who narrated all but I think the last 2 of 3 makes the books even better. She made a B read for me - Lady Be Good (disliked how everyone treated the hero) into a joyful experience.
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Nana · Joined: 02 Apr 2007 Posts: 898

It Had To Be You was one of my first romance novels and remains in my top five. I just love Phoebe and Dan. I enjoy couples with a bit of an antagonistic streak, but it's unusual for authors to make them fall in love convincingly. Usually it's "HATEHATEHATE wait I hate you cuz I love you!" I thought Phoebe and Dan really were a great match.

Plus, I can't resist dialogue like:

"You and me - we're like oil and water."
"I'd say we're more like gasoline and a blowtorch."

PWNN · Joined: 11 Apr 2010 Posts: 827

I also like a realistic adversarial to romance relationship but never read It Had To be You because I hated Phoebe in This Heart Of Mine and didn't much like her in Match Me If You Can. The perils of reading a series out of order. Sad

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mirole · Joined: 06 Aug 2010 Posts: 257 Location: Toronto, Ontario

So far I have read only two books - Kiss an Angel - which I loved (it's one of the best books with the right balance of romance/angst/humor.

The second was It Had to Be You. It was ok but not nearly as good as Kiss an Angel mostly because of the hero (for me). I was appalled by his behaviour: he was leading the heroine on as well as another girl (especially his behaviour towards the h after a certain scene on the plane).

Also I found her portrayal of the raveling circus and circus animals as the setting of KaA brilliant and far more captivating than that of an NFL organization. [And it's even more fascinating for me because overall I am fairly indifferent to animals and hate the circus].

jaime · Joined: 23 Sep 2011 Posts: 359

I have liked or loved most of the SEPs I have read, even the "controversial" ones like Ain't She Sweet and This Heart Of Mine. I mostly love the Chicago Stars series (Dean Robillard is yummy!) and considering I have zero interest in American football that's quite a feat.

The only SEPs I was kind of meh on were the one where the heroine is a motivational speaker type whose own life ironically falls apart and she travels to France to get away from things, and the one where the heroine is a famous TV actress - with that book I couldn't get past the thinly veiled "homage" to the horrid real life Jennifer Anniston/Brad Pitt/Angelina Jolie triangle.

I haven't read Kiss An Angel but after reading this thread I will try and get myself a copy.

And like with Jennifer Crusie's books I think Phillips romances make for nice re-reads, plus they are often very funny - cereal killer, heh, heh...

Manda · Joined: 23 Apr 2007 Posts: 522

My favorite is still LADY BE GOOD. It just makes me laugh. And it's the one I re-read the most. Because it makes me laugh.

I understand the criticism of NBBM, and THIM, but I love them anyway. It takes a lot to set my back up as a reader. It does happen, but rarely. Then again, I tend to read mostly tried and true authors I trust.
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Sandlynn · Joined: 23 Mar 2007 Posts: 1613 Location: Washington, D.C.

I'd say start with It Had to Be You. It's one of her most popular books. I enjoyed all the Chicago Star books.

Also, I just read Glitter Baby and liked that. As for the controversial ones, I really liked Ain't She Sweet, but I could see where the book could have used more back story to make it a richer read.