According to my Goodreads list this is my first Susan Elizabeth Phillips book which I find hard to believe! I actually read it twice, once in October and then again during release week because I just loved it! Who would have thought a little murder mystery in a romance book would hook me? I had the opportunity to hear Susan speak about her book and romance writing at the Love Y'all Book Festival and have my book signed which was such a blast! It also gave me some inside perspective into our main characters and what just works about sports romance.

I really loved Rory's character because she's kind of a mess but still optimistic and a ball of energy. She's snarky, independent and is chasing her dream even if it's not what most would consider practical. Brett is definitely described as a Type A workaholic which is not usually my type but everything about him works for me. He's sarcastic and funny, incredibly driven and success-oriented. He's a business shark, but underneath it all is a good heart. The dynamic between the two is funny and full of chemistry and I love the banter. Rory definitely gives Brett a run for her money. Plus -- the chocolates! Who could resist the chocolates. Despite the history Rory has with her brother and step mom and unresolved feelings of being second best, she is determined to clear his name in the murder of her somewhat friend/neighbor. We also get a look into her step mom's romantic life which is interesting because it also shows how she interprets her relationship with Rory. The story starts off with a one-night stand between Rory and Brett, neither knowing who the other is, which turns into a big misunderstanding and fuels the animosity/chemistry between the two. It's sports romance but sort of detective romance too as the two try to solve the mystery of who murdered Clint's ex girlfriend, because Rory doesn't believe the police will dig deep enough when her brother seems to be the perfect culprit.

It's a truly enjoyable and fast-paced read that definitely deserves all 5 stars! I wasn't able to put it down.

Read if you like forbidden love, opposites attract, enemies to lovers, murder mystery, family drama, a bit of danger, banter and lots of laughs.

This is the 10th book in the Chicago Stars series and I am so excited I have 9 books to go back and read because I ate this one up! I can say that you don't need to have read the others to enjoy this book but it will have you craving more from the author.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced digital copy from Avon on NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Simply the Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Simply the Best is an amazing story from beginning to end. I especially loved the descriptions of the chocolates. Read the story you will be amazed.

Simply The Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is another touchdown in the Chicago football series. I always love this series. The grumpy/sunshine and the mystery sprinkled in keep the plot moving right along. The bonbons were a great addition too! Happy reading!

SEP knocked it out of the park again! her latest instalment in the Chicago Stars series is everything I love about her books, funny, heart warming, and well written. Loved that this one also had an element of mystery/crime solving to it too and wasn't a typical sports romance!

I loved the quirky main characters of this book. You will laugh and totally root for them! Brett and Rory have a love and hate relationship, where two very different people start to for, a relationship. They are trying to solve a murder that her innocent brother is being blamed for. Will they be able to solve the case and protect what they both want? I was given an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wonderful story, great character development, great writing! Highly recommend this book. I thoroughly enjoyed it

I adore this writer and have read every book she has written. When I see a new release, I don't even read what it is about-I just go ahead and order because I know I will love it. I received this one via NetGalley as an ARC in exchange for a review. Mrs. Phillips' characters typically have a quirky female lead, a hunky overconfident male lead whose life is turned upside down by the romance that occurs between the two characters and a heavy dose of conflict and humor. This book was no exception. Brett Rivers is a driven, successful sports agent who meets his biggest client's sister Rory without realizing who she is. Rory is scattered, has a low self-esteem from being overshadowed by her famous football player brother, and she never quite lives up to her potential. However, there is a murder, and her brother, the main suspect goes missing. Brett and Rory team up to track him down and the adventures begin. I really enjoyed the interaction between the two main characters as well as the conflict that Rory had with her stepmother. They mutually disapproved of each other and there was humorous sarcasm, utilized by both, until their relationship grew, and they realized that they had much in common, as well as that their differences complemented each other. I highly recommend this author and her latest book. No one writes romantic comedy quite like she does.

Ms Phillips is the queen of sports romance for a reason! This one combines sports, a mystery, sweets, and a cast of fantastic characters! Rory has always been in the shadow of her star half-brother. Clint Brett, Clint's agent excels at work and he's gotten to the top because of it. When Clint finds himself in a bit of trouble Rory and Brett find themselves joining forces but will it bring them together or tear Clint's world apart?!

Two people who were barely supposed to meet, find themselves having a drunken one night together but that’s just the beginning of this story…

This story was fast paced if not a little crazy. If you can handle the plot I think you’ll enjoy this story.

Thank you Avon and NetGalley for the ARC.

Whenever I pick up a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book I know I’m in for an enjoyable time. Especially when it’s a Chicago Stars story. While this book isn’t as zany as her stories can get (see Nobody’s Baby But Mine), there is a murder mystery to solve. Yep, SEP is throwing murder into the mix. Of course, we also get some cameos from old favorites, too.

Rory is such an amazing FMC. She is kind and caring even if her life is a mess. She marches to her own beat and doesn’t care what others think. Yet, inside, she is still that little girl whose mom died, whose dad remarried quickly, who ended up the big sister to a super-star little brother. Rory has always felt she could do no right in her stepmom’s eyes, and she was invisible in her father’s eyes. Her brother’s not a bad guy, but she has hard feelings from the mere fact he was whom she was always compared to…and found inferior every time.

This story starts with starts fast right out of the gate. One thing after another until Rory and Brett are somewhat forced into working together and go from nemeses to frienemies to friends to (finally) lovers. I love the way they snipe at one another because of their fear of the feelings they are having. Sometimes they even own up to being wrong and apologize and that’s even more amazing.

As usual with this author, the chemistry is on point. The push/pull of these two is amazing. Toward the end of the story, there is a text exchange thread that had me falling more in love with Brett and convinced me he was the right man for Rory. Amazing.

Reading this book reminded me that I still have some SEP books I never read. I’m going back to see what I still need to read and getting to that asap.

Very entertaining addition to the Chicago Stars series (this can be read as a standalone). I enjoyed the core relationship of the primary characters and the author did a nice job including a secondary step mother character. For those of us that have read the Stars series there were some nice callbacks to previous characters.

I gave this 3.5 stars rounded up to 4. I really loved the characters and was very interested in the supporting characters’ stories. I want Clint’s story next!

I really enjoyed this book .It was a great story of finding yourself and figuring out what you want out of your life. Every character had this moment. Rory is a great female protagonist. She's spunky, unique, fun, and comes across as a lovely person that you'd want to have as a friend. Brett is ruthless, focused, sharp, and a good foil for Rory. Then you have her stepmother, Kristin, and her half brother, Clint. There are other characters that are great as well. I liked that this was a romance with some intrigue thrown in as well with the murder. That part kept me guessing the whole time. Highly recommend this one!

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for advanced copy, and I give my review freely

Some books peak early, but Simply the Best was a book that got better and better the more I read. As a writer, Susan Elizabeth Philips excels at her craft. She chooses the perfect words for her dialogue and her characters’ thoughts and it’s so lovely reading a novel with that amount of attention to language.
This book opened with a one-night stand and quickly devolved into an enemies-to-lovers, forced proximity story where Rory, sister to a famous Chicago footballer, and Brett, his agent, unwillingly team up when they encounter an unfortunate murder. To be honest this really threw me. I was not expecting a heavy dose of who-dunnit in my romance and was initially worried. The murder didn’t in my mind seem to do much to evolve the romance except that it did force some characters to interact in ways they never would have otherwise. But I found myself really loving the family dynamics and forced proximity between Kristen and Rory, and Rory and Brett.
This was where SEP hit her sweet spot (pun intended), using the differences between the characters to draw them even closer to one another. Rory’s failure as a sweet shop owner is likened to Kristen’s failure as a stepmom and Brett’s failure to be anything other than a workaholic. I think the family dynamic was my favorite aspect of the book, surprisingly even more so than the romance. Although this definitely does has elements of a romance (a HEA, character conflict), I think this book might fit more squarely into women’s fiction—nothing wrong with that, but the romance aspect was just one part of the overall storytelling. As I mentioned, the story just got better and better the more I read. I found myself appreciating characters who initially I didn’t like or who gave a bad first impression and I loved the banter between Rory and Brett, especially the texts towards the end of the book (so simple and yet so funny). And the descriptions of chocolate? I could just imagine Rory’s truck and her bonbons—the descriptions made me salivate. This is book 10 in the Chicago Stars series but can easily be read as a standalone. I’d love to go back and read some of the earlier books because the world these characters emerged from is such an interesting one. I received an advanced copy from Avon and NetGalley. All opinions are my own. 4,25 ⭐️

Phillips writes raucous reads with loads of heat and sass.
I loved the bantering between Brett and Rory. I loved that Rory never gave up on her dreams, even after being knocked down several times. Her outfits made me wince but it was also endearing because she marched to her own drum.
I loved how she slayed big bad ambitious Brett. Seeing him felled like a huge sequoia was amusing.
I also liked Brett’s ambition and that he always had a side hustle.
Reading a Phillips books is simply the best.

Simply the Best" by Susan Elizabeth Phillips delivers a delightful departure from her usual romance formula by introducing a murder mystery into the mix. The story revolves around Rory Garrett, a failed chocolatier, and Brett Rivers, a top sports agent, whose worlds collide in a take-no-prisoners battle of the sexes. As they grapple with a murder investigation, the narrative skillfully blends romance, mystery, and the trademark humor Phillips is known for. Despite the murder subplot feeling a bit out of place, it serves as a catalyst for Rory and Brett's evolving relationship. The characters, particularly Rory's endearing resilience and Brett's internal struggles, add depth to the story. The Big Misunderstanding trope and the dramatic climax may feel familiar, but overall, "Simply the Best" is a captivating and entertaining addition to the Chicago Stars series.
Very grateful to the publisher for my copy, opinions are my own.

Not the best book I've read. A sports romance meshed with a whodunit mystery. I had difficulty getting invested in the story. After a lackluster start the book does pick up a bit and has some good elements- overall execution seemed lacking though

Brett Rivers is all work as a hotshot sports agent, always on the go, always reaching for the next promotion. At a party for one of his biggest clients, Clint Garrett the Chicago Stars winning quarterback, Brett decides to let of steam with one of the high end escorts at the party. She's different than the others... quirky, funny, and with her own sense of style and somehow it works for him. But when he returns to the party he realizes his horrible mistake. She's not an escort but his client's older sister, a mistake that could cost him his job. And now his client is missing, a woman has been murdered, and he's thrown together with Rory to try and find Clint.
Rory's life is going downhill with her failing business, the slap in the face of a $500 tip left on a dresser, and now her brother accused of murder. And now she's forced to spend time with a man she hates but is still drawn to in order to clear her brother's name.
These two are total opposites and the bickering at the beginning was funny. I enjoyed seeing Rory build her business from nothing and Brett finally stepping back from his business and stepping up for Rory. The added mystery in this book was something new for the series and added a bit of suspense. I love the bright attractive cover which caught me eye in the first place. I've read the first couple books in this series but didn't feel like I was missing anything skipping to this book #10. It can totally be read as a standalone.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was fun, fast-paced, steamy, action packed and it kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and will read more books by this author.

I have been on a sports romance read lately and this one was Simply The Best. This had some of the best characters who were witty yet argumentative with each other in that slow burn way that Ms.Phillips has perfected. Both Rory and Brett were flawed characters with redeeming qualities that made me love them. The secondary characters added a lot to this book, not only giving context to the backstories but also to show how redemption works. Couldn’t have loved it more and my only complaint is that it takes SEP too long between books. I need another one soon! I voluntarily read and reviewed a gifted copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.