Book Review

NATURAL BORN CHARMER
by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Genre: Contemporary Romance, General Contemporary Romance
Sensuality: MILD

RT Rating

Combine a bunch of misfits carrying emotional baggage with lots of humor, and you have another Phillips masterpiece. The dialogue, emotions and offbeat scenarios elevate this book to genuine reading joy. Phillips not only plucks at heartstrings, she plays a full concert.

Heading to his newly purchased farm in Garrison, Tenn., Chicago Stars quarterback Dean Robillard finds himself diverted by the sight of a woman in a beaver suit stomping down the road. Angry doesn't begin to cover artist Blue Bailey's feelings about her ex-boyfriend's behavior. Entertained by the explosive confrontation, Dean offers Blue a ride when it becomes apparent she has little cash and no job. Blue's failure to fall at his feet is a breath of fresh air, and Dean wants to keep her around.

Upon arriving at the farm, Dean is dumbfounded to discover that the "housekeeper" who has been taking care of renovations is his estranged, recovering-alcoholic mother, April. Dean's dysfunctional family life gets even more complicated when his 11-year-old half-sister, Riley, turns up after having run away from their rock-star father. Dysfunction is something Blue understands, so she becomes the unlikely lifeline between the parties. But does she dare risk her own emotions? (MORROW, Feb., 400 pp., $24.95)

Reviewed By: Jill M. Smith

Publisher: Morrow

Published: February 2007

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Natural Born Charmer / Chicago Stars /

Submitted by mlacroix on July 1, 2010 - 7:28pm.

Blue Bailey is walking down a road outside Denver, in a beaver suit without a head, when Dean Robillard, Chicago Stars, Quarter back stops to offer her a ride. What Dean and Blue don't know is this is the start of a ride of a lifetime. Dean brings Blue to his new farm in Tennessee, where he discovers that his estranged mother is actually his housekeeper. If that didn't beat all, his eleven year old half sister Riley shows up on his doorstep after her mother dies. To make things even worse, his estranged rocker father has come to take his sister home, and an old lady who owns the whole town of Garrison, Tennessee is a pain in the rear end.
I loved this book. This is only the second book I've read by Ms Phillips. It was humorous and the characters and plot were great. I couldn't put the book down. The only problem I had against it was Blue and Dean were suffering from the same abandonment issues I have been and the book cut close to the quick several times.

Natural Born Charmer

Submitted by Robin in PA on May 23, 2010 - 5:44pm.

Chicago Stars Quarterback Dean Robillard is on his way to his new summer home when he sees a woman wearing a Beaver suit. Thinking this will make the drive entertaining, he offers her a ride. Blue Bailey has no money, no car and is looking for a job. Both Dean and Blue have complicated lives, but when they arrive at his home in Tennessee they find an aging rock star, a mother who is looking for forgiveness for her past, an old lady that hates everyone, and a little girl who desperately needs a family.

I loved this book. The dialogue was witty, the characters were interesting. As usual SEP has included a secondary romance which just adds to the story. I'm just sorry this is the last book in her Chicago Stars series. I wish there were more. My rating: 5 Stars.