Karma - Carly Phillips

Book Blurb:
Police Officer Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight ever since he was a teenager. But despite his lifelong attraction, the closest he’s ever come to interacting with her is watching Liza regularly bail out her brother at the station. Dare’s dark past with Liza’s brother, Brian, has always kept him from pursuing her.

But suddenly Liza finds herself in need of protection and Dare appoints himself as the man for the job. And while the sizzling attraction between Dare and Liza draws them together, the past that Dare and Brian share threatens to keep the two apart forever.

In My Own Words:
Sometimes the one thing we want to forget the most from our past comes back to haunt us which is the case with Dare and Liza.  He wants so much to forget and redeem himself for the party he left when he was 15 years old, resulting in the death of a friend.  The party was held at Liza's house by her brother, and every time he sees Liza, all he can think is what a screwup her brother is and how could she help him the way she does and still have a conscience?

Liza has secrets of her own, and none of them is she willing to share with the uppity Officer Barron.  When they are continually at the same place at the same time, some of the walls start to crumble and the pair start to actually like each others company.  When her brother's screw-ups start tracking her down and threatening her, Dare feels it is his responsibility to rush in and save her, until he is forced to confront demons from his own past.

Review:
These two have baggage with a capital "B".  I loved the chemistry between them, and watching them argue was almost as much fun as watching the makeup sessions.  I enjoyed getting to see the past couples and of course Tess.  It has been awesome to see this family evolve over that past 3 books not only with their romantic relationships but with each other and their new sister.  Karma was a wonderful wrap up of the family, with lots of new additions and healing coming full circle.  My only complaint was the large amount of editing issues.  Names were switched a few times, and punctuation was missing several places, it became about me finding the errors instead of focusing on the story.  I do recommend this book, and of course, the editing won't stop me from buying another Carly Phillips book, but in this one, there were more than a few.

Destiny - Carly Phillips

Book Blurb:
Nash can't help but admire Kelly Moss's confidence and beauty. But he's forced to keep his distance because getting involved with Kelly could destroy his relationship with his newly discovered teenage half-sister, Tess. And Kelly has other reasons for keeping her distance-like the secret she knows Nash will never forgive...

In My Own Words:

As Kelly helps Nash try to build a bridge with their sister, she can't help but start to feel things for him.  Things that she shouldn't feel considering the state her life is in.  Spending time with Nash is a bad idea, but she just can't seem to help herself.  Her big worry now, is if Nash finds out about her past, will he ever look at her the same?  When her mother shows up and starts making noises about getting Tess, the whole family come together to do what is best for Tess.  When they include Kelly in those decisions, he heart is broken wide open and things go down hill from there.  Secrets are exposed and people are hurt, healing is what needs to happen next.  But, will they allow that to happen?

Review:

I really loved watching Nash and Kelly find their way to each other.  So much was packed in one little book.  Nash has to confront his past AND his hatred for his oldest brother.  Kelly needs to focus on building a new life, and neither needs the complication of a relationship.  BUT, a heart doesn't care what your plans are, they have minds of their own.  I think my favorite parts were the interactions with Tess.  That is one great teen.  I know she is young, but I really hope she gets a book too.

Serendipity - Carly Phillips

Book Blurb:
Faith Harrington was the classic girl of privilege–until her father was convicted of running a Ponzi scheme and then her marriage crashed and burned.

Now Faith is back in her hometown, hoping for a fresh start. But her father’s betrayal has rocked Serendipity – and not everyone is ready to welcome her with open arms. Then she runs into her teenage crush — the dark, brooding Ethan Barron. Ethan, no stranger to scandal himself, never imagined he’d own the mansion on the hill, much less ever again come face to face with Faith–the princess he once kissed senseless. The chance meeting reignites the electric charge between them.

Still, when Ethan hires her to redecorate what was once her childhood home, Faith is sure that getting involved with the town’s notorious bad boy will only lead to trouble. But her heart has other ideas. And so do the townspeople of Serendipity …

In My Own Words:
Classic story of good little rich girl, falls for bad boy on a motorcycle.  But, Serendipity gives us a twist.  In the years since Faith and Ethan's spark charged kiss on the back of his motorcycle, many lives have changed, and not necessarily for the better.  Ethan's parents were killed by a drunk driver on the way to bail Ethan out of jail, thus starting a tailspin affect where Ethan leaves his two younger brothers to try and make it on his own.  While he has amassed lots of fortune and has come back to make things right, neither Nash or Dare are ready to buy what he is selling.  Old wounds cut very deep with these three.

Coming back to her hometown licking her own wounds, Faith stops by the one place that she will always remember as home.  Her mansion on the hill.  After her father is arrested for bilking people out of millions of dollars, to basically keep him in the style he has been accustomed.  When the arrest is made, her husband of convenience (on his part) decided to make it known he himself had a side attraction, to other females.  Coming home seemed the right thing to do, until her visit to her childhood home brought her face to face with Ethan Barron.

Faith and Ethan come to an understanding and start a working relationship while Faith helps him decorate his new mansion and he helps build her new design company.  All seems to be going well, and headed towards great things, until one night he is delivered a gift, by way of a teen with a chip on her shoulder.  Can this teen-goth-hellion be the glue this family so desperately needs?

Notable Quote:
"It's interesting how the mighty have fallen" (Ethan and Faith's first conversation since coming home)

Review:
I really enjoyed Serendipity.  I thought the teen brought a huge element to the book and made Ethan seem more....human.  There were several relationships to the story.  One the friendships that people make throughout their lives, the friendship between Kate and Lissa which are very different, but very dear to Faith.  The relationship between mother and daughter.  It was interesting to see their interaction and watch Faith stand up for herself.  The relationships between brothers.  As Ethan tries to put his family back together after tragedy.  It was almost heartbreaking to read, to know so much pain existed.  The relationship between brothers and sister.  That was an interesting dynamic.  Watching Tess bounce off each and every one of them, and then bonding to tightly with the one everyone swore had no heart.  Finally the relationship with the town.  As much as both Ethan and Faith hated what home represented, they both wound up there to heal.  I am VERY interested in Nash and Kelly's story.  The spark almost made my Nook burn up when she appeared.