4.5 Stars. I didn't realize until a little ways into this book that it was a continuation of the Chicago Stars series by Phillips. I did think it had a little bit of a different vibe to it than the others because of the murder and the mystery surrounding it.

Rory and Brett were such wonderful characters. Rory is the stepsister of a famous football player, but is determined to make it on her own. Brett is a sports manager and very together as opposed to Brett's style of living. Her style is pretty eclectic and Brett is in loafers. This is a case of everyone "refusing to fall in love." The romance was hard fought and hard won.

Rory also has issues with her stepmother which was actually a very charming part of the story. Their issues go way back and seem to stem from misconceptions. I truly did love their relationship in the end. The murder mystery part added another dimension to the story.

I loved this story as I have loved all the others by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

The h’s brother is a professional football player who is on the outs with his sister and his agent. She unknowingly sleeps with his agent? Who thinks she is an escort. When the h goes to her brother’s house, she finds his former girlfriend dead and her brother no where to be found. The H finds her over the dead body The brother is considered the main suspect.

Rory is one of the best characters I've read in a long time. Quirky, funny, with a beautiful fashion sense, I love how Susan Elizabeth Phillips writes amazingly relateable characters that still have flaws, that seem so human. It was quite fun to read while both stubborn mules - Rory and Brett, gravitate towards each other and admit their feelings. I loved the relationship between Rory and Kristen and how Kristen was so put upon and long suffering, but still clearly cared. Also, I need to say coming back to a Chicago stars book feels like coming home! So cozy, and I love love love the slices of life of previous characters, like Heath and Annabelle. This book is just another shining example of why SEP is a master of her craft and why she will always be a one click author for me.

Simply the Best is the highly anticipated new book in Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ Chicago Stars series and it is a winner. Rory Meadows Garrett is the half-sister to Stars quarterback Clint Garrett and has a huge inferiority complex. She wants to be a chocolatier and do it on her terms but can’t seem to make it happen. Brett Rivers is Clint’s sports agent and made the mistake of bad-mouthing Clint’s now ex-girlfriend. Now he is trying to get back into Clint’s good graces, but spending a drunken one-night stand with Rory isn’t the best way to go about it. Unfortunately, Clint’s girlfriend is found dead in his home and Clint is nowhere to be found. Rory takes it upon herself to try and clear Clint’s name and Brett unwillingly helps her. This is when their adventure begins.

The author has written an easy to read enemies-to-lover story in which there is witty banter, a slow burn of attraction with flawed but likeable characters. Rory has spent most of her life in the shadow of her younger brother since he was the golden child to their father and her step-mother. Brett helped her see that she was the only one standing in her own way. Once she talked to Clint she saw his life wasn’t so perfect and he didn’t have it as good as she thought. Brett worked hard for his lifestyle but didn’t realize that he really didn’t have a life or friends. Rory saw right through him and showed him how shallow his life really was. They may be opposites in so many ways but you can see that they were perfect for one another. Rory can bring life to his life, and Brett gives her the confidence she needs to start her business.

I adore this author’s stories and writing style and she is an auto-buy each and every time. Parts of the story didn’t feel cohesive to the storyline and I wondered why they were included. However, it may not have been a slam dunk of a perfect book but it was a pretty close, and I did enjoy it.

You know that feeling of getting cozy with a book on your couch with a fuzzy blanket and a cup of coffee? An SEP book is an equivalent of that for me. A cozy comforting blanket of an experience. My love for some of the og romance tropes and archetypes started from this author’s books (enemies to lovers, sports, small town, banter, etc), and I will always go back when I need the equivalent of a literary hug.

STB is the latest in the Chicago stars series, and what a timely release, on the heels of the most romantic Super Bowl experience of all time. It’s like this year’s SH was written by SEP. This one’s not a jock-celebrity romance though. This is a slick big shot agent falls for (in-spite of himself) down on her luck quirky chocolatier romance. He’s a cunning and ambitious Slytherin, chasing money and success and the next big thing, she’s the sweet, kind, and yes foodie Hufflepuff, with a strong moral core.

Obviously there’s friction, sparks fly, and they’re drawn together like opposites do, even as they pretend to dislike each other. Dislike to banter to reluctant alliance to friendship turns to more, all while they try to solve a redrum mystery and their own respective issues. The author not only gives us sparkling humor sizzling romance, but also throws in a bonus romance (few can do that with aplomb anymore), and a beautiful arc of familial relationships which I loved almost as much as the romance.

I love the Chicago Stars series, and Simply The Best has been one of my favorites! Brett is the put together highly regarded sports agent to the stars. Rory is a chocolatier who has had a run of bad luck. When the two of them have a one night stand and then learn that Brett is Rory's brother's agent, things get weird.

This book has Susan Elizabeth Phillips characteristic banter, and also a murder mystery which is a bit of a departure for her (but one that I really enjoyed). The situations are funny, the romance is spicy, and the banter is cutting. A really fun sports adjacent romance!

Thanks to Avon publishing for providing me with an ARC of this book.

Anyway, on to my review which basically boils down to, loved it. I’ve been reading this series since the very first one and Phillips always creates a heroine who can speak to your soul. Her leading men are equal parts lovable and frustrating and grow into a man you would be happy to have in your life. Rory is one of my favorite main characters that she has written and I was rooting for her the whole time. I also always love seeing characters from past books pop up so this series is definitely more immersive if read in order.

Wonderful story for everyone to enjoy. I received an ARC of this book courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher. All opinions expressed in this review are my own and given freely. Happy reading!

This one had me from the first page, what a great way to start a novel!

Clint and Rory had chemistry from page one, and I loved watching their story evolve. And this one from SEP had an original twist that haven't been in her earlier stories, a mystery. Rory takes it upon herself to help solve it and clear her baby brother's name. Doing so helps her strengthen her relationship with him, and with her step-mother Kristin. Kristin was kind of a sleeper character for me, and I really loved watching her story as well.

This one was great from start to finish!

This opposites attract, enemies to more, modern day cinderalla romance is humor filled fun. There is also a mystery element but it's the amazing, colorful characters and their chemistry, hilarious banter and dialog that keeps the pages turning. As always, struggles are involved but the happy ending arrives. The book was fantastic from start to finish and put a smile on my face. 100% recommend!

I have read everything SEP has written and for the most part loved them all! But this book was not for me and missed the mark on so many levels. I didn’t like the characters to start with. Rory is immature and makes bad decisions knowing they are bad decisions. Brett is just an a hole. I have no clue even at the end why they like each other much less want to get married. There were awkward moments where they kissed and I guess had sex at some point. Their banter isn’t even good.

The story for me wasn’t presented well either. It’s all centered around Rory’s brother ex girlfriend who was murdered. Not only do we have that to contend either trying to do a romance between Rory and Brett (her brothers agent) but then there’s an added storyline about her step mother and her new boyfriend that was completely unnecessary. Also she’s an awful person and I didn’t like her so skimmed her chapters.

The cornering jewel of this whole book was when Heath and Annabelle were in the scenes. Otherwise it would have received even lower stars.

While I will continue to read anything SEP puts out, I would recommend reading any other stars book than this one.

After having a one night stand, Rory and Brett are thrown together when her half-brother, his client, is implicated in a murder. They both go back and forth on dealing with each other while also trying to find her brother who has gone missing. Rory is trying to find the real murderer, while keeping her chocolatier food truck afloat. I would have liked better interactions between Rory and Brett. It was a hate to love you. They spend the entire book not really having any chemistry. For every step forward they took, it seemed like they took three back. There was more relationship growth between Rory and her step-mother than with Brett. There was potential for growth with Rory and Brett, but I felt it didn't happen.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has been my go-to author for years so it's no shock that I jumped at the chance to read her newest release Simply The Best. A romance with a murder mystery in the mix? Sign me up! Brett and Rory's story is another great addition to an undoubtedly awesome series. Simply The Best reminded me of SEP's older work especially the romance. A driven sports agent and the eccentric, kind hearted chocolatier. Their dynamic throughout the book had me hooked and the tension was palpable. Thank you to Netgalley and Avon for my copy!

"Simply the Best" is an enjoyable story with some unanticipated twists to it. After the unexpected death of her best friend, Rory Garrett is determined to prove her brother's innocence, and we follow along as she tries to find her brother and figure out what really happened that led to Ashley's death, all while battling a growing attraction to her brother's forbidden sports agent and trying to pick up the pieces of her failure of a life.

While there is a lot going on in the story, the characters were engaging and the opposites-attract romance was enjoyable. And I'll admit, I was surprised to learn who the killer was. I had one person pegged as the culprit for much of the story, so was pleasantly surprised when it turned out to be someone else.

Thank you to Susan Elizabeth Phillips, Avon and Harper Voyager, and NetGalley for an advance review copy.

Simply the Best was fun from the beginning to the end! Romance with a mystery, humor and sarcasm. Brett and Rory's love story was entertaining, and I couldn't stop reading/listening to this book. Great narrator too!

It's been years since I've read one of the Chicago Stars books but I'm so glad I picked this one up. I've always enjoyed Susan Elizabeth Phillips books!

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review. All opinions are my own.

Publication date: 13 February 2024

Brett Rivers is a top sports agent. Rory Garrett is a mess. She lives in the shadow of her football hero brother. Brett and Rory share on stupid drunken night together. There is no way that should pf happened or will work out. The basic question is what price are we willing to pay to be simply the best. Read and find out.

Thanks to Avon for an advanced copy of Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

I've read all the books in the Chicago Stars series but unfortunately, this book wasn't for me. I love sports books and the sports agent/megastar football client's sister is a great trope but I didn't like Brett or River.

Hopefully, SEP fans will enjoy this more than I did.

Simply the Best was so much fun to read. And the fact that SEP combines her epic sense of humor with a whodunit made this book 10x better. The banter is some of the best. The entire time I am laughing my butt off, I was trying to figure out who the killer was, and I must admit that I never once guessed. Because who I thought it was, was completely way off. This whole book was an absolute joy to read, filled with lovely characters and silly moments and so much heart. I loved it!


And as always Happy Reading!!

Classic SEP. this feels like past SEP but without the problematic consent issues. I absolutely loved this book - it’s fun, funny, swoony, the tension builds and feels realistic. I was worried it would be: rich, strong man and messy inept woman but Rory really is so much stronger than you think (and her family thinks) at the outset.

I also liked the mystery of this and was surprised at who the killer was!

My one negative critique is that both characters talk about how they don’t want kids or marriage but that shifts really quickly by the end. I understand people’s ideas changing when they meet the right person BUT I do wish that SEP had them stay firm at least with their desire to not have children as it’s so rare in romance.

The latest Chicago Stars novel enters new territory, focusing on an agent and his client who is suspected, and accused, of killing his ex-girlfriend. That client’s sister joins his agent in attempting to clear her brother and identify the real killer while also trying to right her own dream of becoming an artisanal chocolatier. SEP, as always, rewards her readers with her wry wit and her opposites attract plot lines. There are rocky paths travelled to a well earned HEA and plenty of charming, yet unconventional, characters confronted along the way.