Carly Phillips Reviews

Page One

Added August 5, 2003

The Heartbreaker

Author: Carly Phillips
Publisher: Warner Books
Available At:Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: August 27, 2003
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Hardcover
Price: $16.95
ISBN: 0-446-51152-8
Author Email/Website: www.carlyphillips.com
Reviewer: Robin Taylor

You've read Roman's story in The Bachelor, and Rick's story in The Playboy, both by Carly Phillips. Now it is time for Chase's story. Chase, a journalist and running the family newspaper business, is the oldest of the three Chandler boys.

Chase has the chance to get the scoop of a lifetime. Good thing, because he is ready to leave the small town of Yorkshire Falls behind. He helped his mother, Raina, raise his two brothers when their father died. He kept the newspaper alive. Chase wants to break away from the "responsible mode" altogether. In Washington, D.C., while scoping out the story of Vice Presidential candidate, Michael Carlisle, Chase decides to head to a local bar one evening for a cold beer. Will the woman Chase meets that night be the one to cause him for once to ignore responsibility and act on his desires?

Sloane Carlisle has led a fairly sheltered life. One day, however, she overhears devastating news, and what's worse, a threat. Sloane gets away for a bit to deal with what she has heard. She ends up at a bar, deciding to have a pretty strong drink and to also take some time to figure out where to go from here. When she looks up into the gorgeous blue eyes of a handsome stranger, the pull of attraction is so powerful, she decides to throw all caution to the wind.

Sloane's sense of security has been destroyed. She just found out that Senator Michael Carlisle is not her natural father. Furthermore, her real father may be in danger, especially because of the current political campaign. While Sloane is trying to decide how to deal with the threat, she also wants to know why her parents lied to her? She is twenty-eight years old. There was never a good time to tell her?

Chase and Sloane spend a hot and heavy night together, the thing is, she tells him her name is Faith. That is Sloane's middle name, and they do not exchange last names. She wants to push her troubles far out of her mind, thus she behaves out of character, only to experience a night she'll never forget. Chase's search for fulfillment is slightly hampered by the intense feelings and desires Sloane makes him feel. He is rather pleased it is only a one-night stand, because he might just want to take care of this woman for a long, long time.

Sloane wants her father to achieve his dreams, and she'll do whatever she can to secure her his candidacy for the vice presidential campaign. Sloane does not want to hamper the campaign in any way, so she decides to head to Yorkshire Falls to find out her own answers. Her plans are to meet Sampson, her natural father, but also to warn him.

Chase is known as the upstanding Chandler, the dutiful brother, the straight shooter. When he gets the opportunity to speak to Michael Carlisle, Mrs. Carlisle strikes a deal with him. Since Mrs. Carlisle knows Chase's brother, Roman, and his wife Charlotte well, she feels she can trust Chase to go back to Yorkshire Falls to keep an eye on Sloane. What will Chase do when he finds out his one-night stand is Sloane, the Senator's daughter, and that she used her middle name that time?

The Heartbreaker has an amazing story that will captivate you. There is drama, sadness, love, family values and loyalty. All of these have very important roles in this book. Carly Philips has taken the Chandler Brothers trilogy, and pulled it all together very nicely. The things we learn about Chase are intense. A deep, quiet man with strength beyond belief. He is torn between family and Sloane at times, and also between his job as a journalist and his relationship with Sloane. It is extremely gratifying to see Chase recognize that the man he is can also stop and love, marriage and his own family without losing any more of himself.

Sloane is a very powerful character in The Heartbreaker. She deals with her past very well, all the while dealing with growing feelings for Chase, his family and the wonderful town of Yorkshire Falls. Even though the circumstances are difficult, Sloane's meeting her real father was a wonderful experience to read. Sloane's deep love and respect for her entire family was manifest as well. I was curious to see how things would work out with Sloane now that she has two fathers, one she just met, and one that raised her from infancy and who she still loves dearly.

The conclusion of this story is very touching as Sloane and Chase learn a lot about trust and commitment. Reading The Heartbreaker was like being at a small family reunion. All the family members from the previous two books had wonderful roles in this one. I am sad to see this trilogy end, even though it leaves me feeling good inside.

Return to top of page.

Added January 20, 2003

The Playboy

Author: Carly Phillips
Publisher: Warner Books
Available At:Bookstores Everywhere
Publishing Date: January 2003
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Format: Paperback
Price: $5.99
ISBN: 0-446-61055-0
Author Email/Website: www.carlyphillips.com
Reviewer: Robin Taylor

The Playboy was a great read. It was HIGHLY anticipated after The Bachelor, and will be followed by The Heartbreaker. These three books contain the story of the Chandler men, Roman, Rick and Chase.

The Playboy is Rick and Kendall's story. The premise for the books on these gorgeous brothers is that their mom falls ill, and decides that while she's still around, wants to be a grandma. The only problem is, she needs to "marry her boys off". Good plan, huh, Roman found Charlotte, and they are very happy.

Well, this is about Rick now. And what a chore for us to read! *g* NOT!!!. *g* Rick is the sexy officer. Will Rick give into his mother's attempts to throw women at him? When we see one really botched attempt at fixing him up, he's ready to blow a gasket.

Then one night, while on duty, Officer Rick gets a call about a woman in distress. He's thinking, oh Mom, what have you done this time. But, this time is different, very different. This is a bride in all her frilly glory, Kendall Sutton. She decided that marriage wasn't the right thing for her, and so she while settling her aunt's estate in Rick's town, she's hoping to regroup.

Rick knows opportunity when he sees it. So, he convinces Kendall to play the part of his attentive lover while she's in town. She agrees. But, man, oh man, what a mistake that was. The problem is, they have a sizzling attraction. It won't be pretend for much longer.

I must tell you that this book was awesome. It played a very intense love story between Kendall and Rick, who each had to work out their painful pasts, all the while trying to hold on the incredible love they have for each other. Then there is Raina, the meddling mom. She's wonderful. There are the brothers, Roman and Chase, and Roman's wife, Charlotte. All of whom we met in The Bachelor. In The Playboy we meet Hannah, Kendall's sister. Ms. Phillips writes such a realistic teen!!!

This book is absolutely wonderful. It ties in family love, romantic love, and helps us to see that our painful pasts can be moved out of the way for a blessed future. I am a very big fan of Ms. Phillips, and I thereby recommend, no, insist, that you pick up The Playboy and read it as soon as possible.

Return to top of page.

This page was last updated on January 1, 2008

This page and all its contents are Copyright© 2002-2008 In the Library Reviews and the individual reviewers. Except where noted, all graphics are Copyright© Eos Development and are used with permission. All book covers are Copyright© their respective publishers and are used with permission. The In the Library Reviews logo is Copyright© 2002 by In the Library Reviews/Sharyn McGinty. Site maintained by In the Library Reviews.