Review by Booklist Review
*Starred Review* As the former Super Bowl-winning quarterback for the Chicago Stars, Cooper Graham is used to having starstruck women follow him around, but this is something different. For more than a week, someone in various disguises has been tailing him. When Cooper finally confronts her in his nightclub, she claims to be Esmerelda Crocker, a nutty yet harmless stalker. But Cooper soon discovers that she is actually Piper Dove, a private investigator; despite his best efforts to get Piper to divulge the name of her client, she remains mum. Impressed by her integrity, Cooper decides to hire Piper to work for him, thinking that if he spends enough time with her, he will eventually induce her to crack. After all, when it comes to getting what he wants, Cooper always wins. But this time, much to his surprise, he is sure to lose, and what Piper wins is his heart. Best-selling RITA Award-winning Phillips' (Heroes Are My Weakness, 2014) literary star shines bright in her latest dazzling (and long-awaited) installment in her Chicago Stars series (Natural Born Charmer, 2006). Writing with a deceptively easy sense of grace, equally enhanced by her distinctively dry sense of wit, Phillips fashions an irresistibly sexy love story that is guaranteed to hit every romance reader's sweet spot.--Charles, John Copyright 2016 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Phillips continues her popular contemporary Chicago Stars series (after Natural Born Charmer) with an utterly delightful standalone gambol that pairs up recently retired Stars quarterback Cooper Graham and private detective Piper Dove. Coop knows what he wants to do with his post-football life-start a trendy nightclub called Spiral-or at least he thinks he does. But he can't seem to make the venture's financial numbers add up. Piper is also having money trouble: she's being paid to tail Coop, but when he spots her, the client drops her, leaving her at poverty's doorstep. When she reveals to Coop that he's being robbed by his nightclub staff, they launch into a relationship with all the head-butting explosiveness of an NFL game, plus frequent diversions into steamier contact sports. As usual, Phillips's Chicago landscape is dotted with plenty of interesting local scenery, plus juicy details of high-end clothing, accessories, and decor. She has a knack for nuance and stage-setting that grounds her characters and makes them feel perfectly real. Fans and newcomers alike are certain to fall in love with this delightful pair as they scrimmage and score. Agent: Steve Axelrod, Axelrod Agency. (Aug.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Newly retired football star and neophyte nightclub owner Cooper Graham is used to attracting fans' attention. Then he spots the same woman (in different disguises) several days in a row. When she shows up at his club, he decides she's more than a fan and decides to take action. Piper Dove is determined to make her detective agency a success, and since getting the scoop on Cooper is her first job, she's not about to let him intimidate her. A smart, resourceful heroine who needs to prove herself (to herself) and a strong, caring hero who needs to figure out what he really wants star in this riveting, danger-laced story that won't disappoint. VERDICT Laugh-out-loud funny, insightful, and touching, this latest gem from one of the genre's best is a must-buy for all library collections. Phillips (Heroes Are My Weakness) lives in the Chicago area. [See Prepub Alert, 2/21/16.] © Copyright 2016. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
