Susan Elizabeth Phillips sure knows how to write amazing stories. She pulls you in from page one. This book was I believe one of her best and now my new favorite!

Solidly a ten out of ten. This series is near and dear to my heart, and I every last minute of this most recent installment!

I really loved all the twists and turns in When Stars Collide. Not only does it give you a great romance but it brings in amazing suspense elements as well!

I have read this series before and enjoyed the authors writing. Not all but some of the books in the series. I was excited when she came out with a new book and could not wait to dig in. This story was light on romance but heavy on the plot and has a mystery angle as well.

It features, Thad who is a backup quarterback and model. and he is paired with Olivia, an opera singer and diva who end up working together on a traveling tour to promote a watch brand. They are a fun couple with lots of witty banter and very opposite attracting each other and a side of plot featuring a mystery with an unknown villain. I would have preferred more romance but it was a very enjoyable romance with a bit of suspense too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my digital copy in exchange for an honest review. I requested this book because I have read this author before and really enjoyed my experience. This time was no different for me. I do not enjoy sports (or opera) but I figured it couldn't be a bad match...and I was right...the characters and all of their quirks were very easy to get to know and their personalities went together very well...enough to keep me amused throughout which can sometimes be hard to do. All in all, I loved this book and would recommend it to anyone that likes contemporary romance with a tiny bit of mystery and a whole lot of laughter.

This latest addition to Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Chicago Stars series (which can be read as a stand alone) was an enjoyable read that combined romance with elements of mystery and suspense. Thad, a pro football quarterback and Olivia, an opera superstar find themselves thrown together on a nationwide tour for a luxury watch brand that they’re endorsing. These two from different worlds clash at first in part to misconceptions they have about each other. Both characters are strong and independent and begin to see each other in a different light as they begin to realize they have more in common than they thought. As the relationship develops, Thad learns of threats that Olivia is receiving and challenges she’s facing and is determined to support her and keep her safe. A charming read that combines romantic tension, humor, witty dialogue and intrigue.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Good romance with some mystery and danger.

Characters were likeable and fully developed. Nice lite summer love story.

When Stars Collide is the 9th!!! book in Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Chicago Stars series. I have read every single book she has ever written and I have been waiting for Olivia and Thad’s book impatiently for such a long time! It is a bit different from her usual approach – she has sprinkled some suspense and mystery into the complex love story that is set in the world where opera collides with football. You can totally read this story as a standalone but you’ll get curious about some other couples/characters that pop up so if you really want to treat yourself to something amazing, pick up the first 8 books as well. You will get lost into the Chicago Stars universe and you will end up venturing into her other stories!
Olivia and Thad seem so different on the surface but the further along we come on their journey, I mean on their tour cross America, the more you realize that they actually have so much in common. The care the writer takes when telling the story, the banter and the humor, the sex scenes that are like a dance that seduce you and make you keep your fingers crossed and wishing, I mean hoping for them to make it …
When Stars Collide is another one of those books that you can will keep going back to and re-reading and discovering more and more and you will discover (or re-discover) your love of opera and you can just close your eyes and see it all playing out in front of your eyes! Cannot wait to see who is getting their story next in the series … what is your guess?

I received an ARC for an honest review, I didn't manage to finish the book before it was published. I know that SEP is a very successful author, I've heard her speak and she is so gregarious and funny! I had no idea that the Chicago Stars series was such a long running one, and I'm glad I picked this one up. I learned so much about opera, it was actually really fascinating.

This book surprised me more the once. Just when I though I saw a a cliché coming a mile away I was wrong! Phillips creates complex characters, great suspense and a well researched story to delight the reader.

Thad isn't your typical football player. He's smart. He's gorgeous. He's compassionate. He's a team player even when it's the last thing he wants to be. He’s kind, especially to Olivia. Olivia shares a lot of these traits. She’s in a cutthroat world yet has made friends among the other cast. Even when her best friend’s loyalty is questioned, and there is a lot of room for doubt, she never thinks the friend guilty. She’s bad about assuming the worst of Thad initially but can’t help but notice fairly quickly that he’s not a dumb jock stuck on himself. Can two alpha competitors find their happily ever after? It seems unlikely. Especially when conventional wisdom dwells on the assumption that two giant egos cannot coexist without one taking a back seat. Generally, the woman. Thad is there, in every way a good man should be, for Olivia. He’s also preparing for an unwanted but inevitable future using the degree he worked hard for while playing college ball. These are not one-dimensional characters. Add an unknown character bent on hurting one or both of them and you’ve got some delicious intrigue to round out the story. A few red herrings keep the reader guessing too.

I was so impressed with the depth of details about singing and football both. Phillips really captured the nuances of an opera diva and the inner makings of a successful football team. She’s given us a perfectly reasonable explanation for Olivia’s struggles singing and a realistic picture of a player with the most minor flaw that prevents him from being the best. .

I loved this book from start to finish and campy recommend it highly enough.

Thanks to the Publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Although the ninth book in the Chicago Stars series, this book can be read as a stand-alone, but the story would be enriched if you new the backstories of the other characters.

Those of you who are not strangers to Ms. Phillips will expect a witty and fun rom-com, and this one fulfills your expectations. This one does diverge from the feel of the first books in the series as it's more a mystery/suspense than a romance. Closed-door, very PG rated for SEP.

Normally I feel ebullient after reading a SEP novel, but this one just didn't do it for me. I loved Dance Away With Me, mainly for the witty banter between the two MCs, but also for integrating an important social issue with no holds barred. But this novel felt flat to me. I only laughed out loud once. I thought the romance was pushed too quickly, and especially having them marry after knowing each other for a few weeks which got a vocal "Oh no she didn't!". The mystery was interesting but not all that suspenseful.

A disappointed 3 stars. Will still read anything new by this author. And that cover-beautiful

Thanks to William Morrow Books for the digital arc of this title.

One sentence review: A fun enemies to lovers romance featuring an opera singer, a second string quarterback, and fun side characters that is perfect for those that love sports romances.⁣
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I love sports romances. There is just something about that behind the scenes glance at celebrities that I really enjoy. In the case of this book we see behind the worlds of both professional football and the opera. The basic premise is that a quarterback and opera singer are put together as part of an ad campaign for watches. The two pretty much clash from the start. You can guess where it goes from there.⁣
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My thoughts:⁣
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- The author does a great job of creating nuanced characters that go way beyond the stereotypes of football player and opera singer.⁣
- I loved the contrast in the match between the two professions and how the author draws parallels between the two.⁣
- There is a fun mystery element to this one that keeps things exciting.⁣
- I really loved the side characters in this one. I take it this is part of a long series centered around the football team. I haven't read any of the previous book but can't wait to catch up on past titles!⁣
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Long story short - if you are a fan of sports romances this is one I would highly recommend.

I enjoyed reading this entry into the Chicago Stars series, just like I've enjoyed all the other volumes I've read by Phillips over the years. The main difference is that I've listened to most of the titles, but this time I read a print version. Although they've been fun as audiobooks, I enjoyed the byplay between the characters just as well in print.

Romances, being formulaic by definition, are all similar. What makes some stand out is how the author handles plot events, believably and the personalities of the main characters. Phillips does a great job, especially with the characters. In this case, we have a professional football player and an opera diva; it's amazing how we discover that there are many points where these professions have similarities!

There's a mystery going on, some danger, but the fun is where two people, seemingly so different, discover common ground and friendship... and more, of course. I do appreciate that the author handles sex in the novel well, in my opinion. There's just enough to give us the idea that everyone's having a great time, over an extended period of time... Use your imagination! Or not, whatever appeals to you.

The whole series is highly recommended.

I am a huge fan of SEP. She's one of my go to romance authors.

I absolutely love her Chicago Stars series so I was excited to get this one. The two protagonists are thrown together for a publicity tour for six weeks. At first they couldn't be more opposite from each other. Both characters were set in their ways and they really put up a fight between their attraction to each other.

As with all great SEP novels, there is a give and take between the characters. She always has an interesting premise for the meet cute and how the two eventually come together in the end.

Each of these can be read as a standalone and you don't need to read the series in order to understand what's going on.

Loved this one,

This one was a lot of fun- Olivia is a force to be reckoned with and a super badass chick, and Thad is more complex than meets the eye, with a caring and protective side Olivia seems to bring out in him. This one had an air of cozy mystery meets romance to it, which was a fun combination, and it was really neat to see Olivia and Thad get over their initial assumptions and start to draw together as the promotional tour marches onward and the terrorizing incidents start to ratchet up. And, no spoilers intended, but I do love it when opposites attract stories resolve in a way like this one does. I also liked that while it's several into an established series, it truly did feel like it read like a standalone. I was intrigued by some of the past characters mentioned, but didn't feel lost at all in joining into the world of the Chicago Stars.

What do a football player and opera singer have in common? Endorsements. Thad and Olivia are pushed together in order to represent a luxury watch brand. They're initial rivalry and enemies vibes hinted at some hilarity that I wish had been more present.
This isn't one of my favorite trope collaborations and I could have done with more rom-com, and less romantic suspense. Part of my issue is that I went into this book blind, not having read the synopsis in several weeks and without reading any reviews. The pretty illustrated cover set me up for something different.
I did appreciate that Olivia's claim to fame is at a higher level in her sphere. It's not often the female has the higher profile in what could be called a sports romance (although I do think Thad's profession was not as prevalent in comparison). There's also a moment where I was really pleased that Olivia took a stance in their relationship that I was hoping for but not expecting. How's that for avoiding a spoiler?
While this is the ninth novel in the series, it stood on it's own. I didn't feel like I was missing anything by reading this out of order. It's well-written, just not a favorite plot. As I haven't read Susan before, I'm not deterred. I'd like to think I'm better prepared for the next one though.
Thank you to William Morrow and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

What happens when two stars from opposite spectrums collide? Renowned opera singer Olivia and NFL football quarterback Thad are both brand ambassadors for an upscale watch. Immediately they start off on the wrong foot. Olivia doesn't want anything to do with jock Thad. Thad thinks Olivia is an uptight diva after she repeatedly freezes him out.

But the more time Thad and Olivia spend with one another, the more they realize how much they like each other. But soon enough Olivia's life is being threatened and protective quarterback Thad will go to any length to keep Olivia safe. How long can these two before their passion ignites. And once that happens, how can they realistically make a relationship work between the two of them? They are both career driven and independent personalities.

I have read each and every single one of the Chicago Stars books and love the world that SEP has created! It was so much fun revisiting with some of the characters that we loved in previous books. I do feel like I had a harder time connecting with Thad and Olivia as a couple in When Stars Collide. There was often so much other stuff happening in the story and I wanted just a little more of their romance.

When Stars Collide had a ton of fun and hilarious moments thrown in with some mystery and suspense to round it out!

Thaddeus Walker Bowman Owens, the backup quarterback for the Chicago Stars, is a team player, talented sideline coach, occasional male underwear model, and a man with a low tolerance for Divas.

Olivia Shore, international opera superstar, is a driven diva with a passion for perfection, a craving for justice, too many secrets—and a monumental grudge against the egotistical, lowbrow jock she’s been stuck with.

It’s Mozart meets Monday Night Football as the temperamental soprano and stubborn jock embark on a nationwide tour promoting a luxury watch brand. Along the way, the combatants will engage in soul-searching and trash talk, backstage drama and, for sure, a quarterback pass. But they’ll also face trouble as threatening letters, haunting photographs, and a series of dangerous encounters complicate their lives. Is it the work of an overzealous fan or something more sinister?

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a new book out featuring older leads–she’s a world famous opera singer and he’s a backup quarterback for the Chicago Stars. Dabney and Rachel read it and are here to share their views.

Dabney: Those who love Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Chicago Stars series but haven’t been wild about her more recent works will be happy to hear that, while not perfect, When Stars Collide is vintage SEP.

Rachel: The book definitely did feel like a lot of SEP’s previous work. The protagonists have an initially antagonistic dynamic that grows over time into something more, an old standby in Phillips’ books.

Dabney: I enjoyed it–it has a lightness that I think I needed not to mention main characters that are older. Did you?

Rachel: I really loved the reading experience, the book had a lot of what I love in a romance. I liked the older characters too. The only issue I really had with it was how over the top it got- and that’s usually fine for SEP’s books. This time, though, some of the twists fell flat for me. It started to go downhill at about the two-thirds mark in my opinion.

Dabney: I kinda agree although I was fine until the 85% mark. As the book careened toward the end, the suspense plot swamped the romance and the, up until that point, lovely character development of our two leads.

Rachel: I think it definitely distracted from the characters when the plot got more convoluted. Both leads had great moments, especially when they started to understand each other better and began to communicate. I also thought the supporting characters lived up to SEP’s previous work, she has such great attention to detail in that way.

Dabney: Totes agree about the supporting characters. It’s such a strong point in her work. I loved Clint, the young foot player who keeps dogging Thad, the main lead, as well as Paisley, the hilarious social media whiz. SEP writes young and old people in ways that seem real–and she does a great job showing the generational differences with humor. I also really loved the whole opera plot. I had so much empathy for Liv’s fear that she’d never truly sing again.

What did you love?

Rachel: I loved the opera plot as well, it’s always so interesting to read about characters devoted to their art and passionate about their work. I also love when characters are from different worlds but have a lot of common ground. I would say my favorite part of the whole book is Thad’s development. He goes through so much growth in the book.

Dabney: What didn’t work for you?

Rachel: The suspense of it all didn’t really hold water for me. I usually like SEP’s damsels in distress, and appreciate how they overcome their adversaries, but the conflict in this book was so byzantine. It seemed needlessly complicated for shock value, to surprise the reader. I don’t like when plot twists are engineered specifically so you didn’t see it coming, and feel inorganic to the story. What about you?

Dabney: I agree. I loved the relationship between the leads and I really thought the book would have been just fine–stronger even–if they’d just focused on Olivia’s quest to regain her voice. The whole someone is out to get her thing which morphed into a crazy villainous plot propelled by somewhat obscure motives distracted from the love story.

Rachel: Yes, I think the suspense subplot made a good initial hook and might have been just fine if it had been resolved midway through the story. Olivia’s emotional journey is a lot more interesting, and if that had been more of the focus of the book I would have liked it a lot more.

Dabney: So what grade would you give it?

Rachel: I would say it’s a C from me. What about you?

Dabney: Even with all the unnecessary shenanigans, I’d give it a B+. I enjoyed the characters enough to overlook the nutso goings-on.

Rachel: I definitely liked reading about the characters, but it just didn’t give me enough. I can definitely read a book that is totally bananas and if it’s written well enough and the characters are compelling, it gets an A from me, like Match Me If You Can. This one just didn’t get there for me, unfortunately.

Dabney: So, we’ll call it a B-. Readers, what do you think? SEP gold or brass?

WHEN STARS COLLIDE – Susan Elizabeth Phillips
A Chicago Stars Novel
William Morrow
ISBN: 978-0-06-297308-5
June 29, 2021
Contemporary Romance

United States – Present Day

Chicago Stars backup quarterback Thad Owens is roped into a cross-country promotional campaign for a brand of premier watches. His co-brand ambassador will be star opera singer Olivia Shore, whom he nicknames “The Diva.” Neither is looking forward to the weeks of traveling around the country promoting watches with numerous press appearances, especially since they don’t exactly hit it off right away. Thad thinks Olivia is stuck up, while she believes that he is arrogant. But for the press, they must pretend to play nice with each other. Will they survive their time together—or end up killing each other?

Olivia has a secret. She is currently unable to sing due to the shock of her former fiancé’s suicidal death. Just before he died, he sent her an email telling Olivia of his suicide plans and that it was her fault. She feels guilty, leading to her being unable to sing—which is bad when you’re an opera singer and you have an important gig in a few weeks. Soon after their tour begins, Thad discovers Olivia’s secret—and that she is also receiving threatening notes supposedly from her late ex blaming her for his death. These can’t be real, or is someone trying to psych out Olivia? Things get even scarier after Olivia is nearly mugged in New Orleans. Is her life in danger? It brings them closer and Thad vows that he will do whatever it takes to protect Olivia.

Soon after WHEN STARS COLLIDE opens, Thad and Olivia start bickering. Yet, underlying the sparring there is sexual tension. This is what happens when you throw together an attractive, headstrong couple. They eventually become friends, but it soon changes to sexual attraction. Once the tour is over, Thad and Olivia won’t likely see each other as she’s not into football and he’s not into the opera. So, why not a little fling to cap off their trip together? Thad promises to help Olivia get her mind off the threatening notes and other things, while Thad gets to bed the pretty diva. She finally agrees to Vegas being their night together in bed, but unfortunately, things go awry…

WHEN STARS COLLIDE is the latest installment in Susan Elizabeth Phillips’s long- running Chicago Stars series that revolves around a professional football team. You don’t have to have read the other books to read this tale as it works as a standalone. As with the others in the series, there is snappy dialogue and laugh-out-loud scenes. Never let it be said that things will work out exactly as to how our characters want it to happen. Olivia is uptight around Thad, but deep down she is just as happy at home lounging around, just as he likes to hang out with his buddies.

Thad wants to be the starting quarterback, but he has never been good enough to permanently keep the job. Right now, he is playing second fiddle to starter Clint Garrett, who Thad thinks is an idiot (even if they still hang out together). And as he approaches the twilight of his football career, he is beginning to think about retirement. Meanwhile, Thad has to complete this tour with a woman who is as cold as ice…until he discovers how to melt her. Thad isn’t looking for something longer than a night or two with Olivia, but their sexual chemistry sizzles off the pages. If they can meet halfway while working together, maybe they can work on a future together.

A funny and entertaining tale right from the first chapter, WHEN STARS COLLIDE is that perfect beach read when you want to be swept away in the lives of a couple who are as different as night and day. Don’t miss the latest winner from Ms. Phillips. Grab a copy of WHEN STARS COLLIDE.

Patti Fischer

s it wrong that I want Phillips to spend the rest of her writing career creating new Chicago Stars stories? Not that I don't enjoy her other books - I do - but there's just an extra sumpin sumpin about the books in the Stars universe that check my happy reader boxes.

When Stars Collide is brimming with many of the things I enjoy about Phillips' books: snappy banter, sizzling chemistry, and a satisfying depth of emotion. This book also tosses in a mystery/suspense thread that builds throughout the book and kept me guessing right up until the reveal.

The book started a bit slow for me but once Olivia and Thad teamed up it began to pick up speed and kept its pace until the conclusion. I really enjoyed seeing these two go up against one another. They're so sure they are polar opposites and neither has much respect for the other at the beginning, which made the unraveling of their misconceptions, and development of their relationship, so much fun to watch. I also found the behind-the-scenes look at life as an opera star fascinating. It allowed readers to gain a deeper understanding of Olivia, while the push and pull between Thad and the rookie QB replacing him with the Stars offered insight into what makes him tick.

If you like opera or football or just a well-executed story with romance, suspense, heart-tugging emotion, and a generous sprinkling of SEP wit and humor, give this one a try. It's the ninth book in the Chicago Stars series but stands well on its own.

*ARC received for fair and unbiased review