Another winner. Interesting characters and great character development. A little mystery and sweet romance. Fun read.

Murder? SEP is throwing a murder into this romance? Be still my heart. My favorite romance author is adding a little suspense to spice up her romance. I. Can't. Wait!!!! Snarky humor and sarcastic dialogue spice up this latest Chicago Stars book. SEP has moved from sweet romance to a slightly darker side and adds a murder into the mix. As a romance, the opposites attract trope works fantastic. As a coat tale mystery, the baddie was a complete unknown, but that wasn't the focus of the book, just a means for Rory and Brett to keep bumping up against each other. I loved seeing some of SEP's past couples make cameo appearances.

What happens when a tipsy Juliet Capulet meets a disgruntled Darth Vader on a dark balcony? A lot of fireworks and a big misunderstanding. Brett Rivers and Rory Garrett have no idea who the other is and that just makes the smash up all the more interesting.

Brett Rivers is a wealthy sports agent who puts his client's interests first - always. He is tethered to his phone and striving for a promotion to Vice President at Champion Sports Management. He has broken a cardinal rule - Never dish the star client's girlfriend and is paying for it. That is what led him to drink a little too much and end up on a balcony with said Star Client's sister.

Rory Garrett is a free spirit with a big heart, big dreams and a small bank account even though her half-brother, Clint Garrett, is the star quarterback for the Chicago Stars. Rory had a tough time growing up in the shadow of such a gifted brother and she wants nothing from him. She is going to make it on her own as a chocolatier, but that plan isn't quite working out and all she has is a pink and purple food truck and no cash to stock it.

Rory and Brett both owe Clint an apology for messing in his life, with good intentions, of course. But when a body turns up, they both really, really need each other to figure out how to save an innocent man. But first they have to figure out what to do with each other.

My thanks to the Publisher, and Author, for providing a complimentary digital Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) of this novel via NetGalley. This is my fair, honest and personal review. All opinions are mine alone and were not biased in any way.

Very good Story. This author always tells the story so well, you can see the characters. This one revolved around Rory and Brett. Rory was the 1/2 sister of Clint who was a famous football player. Brett was his manager. At a birthday party for Clint, Brett slept with Rory, thinking she was a hooker and left her $500. She was so angry she cut every bill in half. He was really upset when he found out who she was. A day or so later, Rory has gone to Clint's house and Brett shows up. They are both looking for him and start going through the house. They are shocked to see Clint's ex girlfriend dead on the patio. They called the cops and told their story. The bad part is Clint is missing. He really is just in hiding because he is broken up about the break up. Rory is bound and determined to figure out who killed her. She knew Ashley was just after Clint for his money, but she didn't wish her dead. She reluctantly calls Clint's mom, Kristin, who she doesn't really get along with. Kristin comes to town immediately. Surprisingly, they are starting to get along and become business partners. Rory has a truck she wanted to sell her chocolates out of. Brett loves her chocolates - they are each unique and tasty. She knows how to pair them with beer or wine. He is surprised how good they are and that she really know how to create these wonderful creations.
Who the killer was was a surprise. I thought it was someone else, but was wrong. I loved the banter between Rory and Brett. They were destined for each other, they were just fighting it.

The title could also describe this book. This was so very enjoyable to read. The characters were interesting and the dialogue was witty and fun all the way through. I loved the relationship between Brett and Rory. I could have read their conversations and text exchanges for another hundred pages. Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a master of witty, snarky dialogues. I want to spend more time with these characters. Rory was especially delightful. Her life was a bit of a mess, but she is honorable and honest. She won’t take money from her millionaire quarterback brother. She’s determined to make it on her own as she creates exotic-sounding chocolates. You’ll root for her as she builds her food-truck business while investigating a murder that the police think her brother committed. And she does all this while winning the heart of master-of-the-universe top sports agent. You won’t want to miss this book!

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

Brett Rivers is a successful, wealthy sports agent who would never accept failure. He also has no plans to get into a serious relationship or, worse, marriage.

Rory Garrett was the problem child growing up. She never felt good enough when compared to her overachieving brother who excelled at everything he tried. And she didn’t get along well with her evil stepmother who never had anything good to say about her. She fails at just about everything she tries and gives up too easily.

Rory’s brother is now a famous NFL football player and client of Brett Rivers.

Rory and Brett meet under less than desirable circumstances and it goes downhill from there. They are total opposites. Rory gets on Brett’s nerves, and she doesn’t have anything good to say about Brett in return. But when a body is found outside her brother’s mansion and he’s nowhere to be found, they both set out to find him. The more time they spend together, the more each gets to see the other in a different light. Can they get past their differences and at least be civil to each other? Maybe even more? Is her brother guilty of murder? If not, who is?

This book was such a fun read! Romance, suspense, family dynamics, danger, humor, sharky bantering, sarcasm, and more.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

M&P are huge fans of Queen SEP's Chicago Stars Series! We've been reading SEP since P's med school days and these books are contemporary, escapist romance at their best! The series follows the fictional Chicago Stars football team, whose female owner, Phoebe Calebow, holds court over expanding generation of football players, coaches, agents and others in the the Chicago Stars family.

The series features strong women, who are often at a cross-roads in life - some of the FMCs include a football team owner, physics professor, children's author, matchmaker, and now chocalatier, and the men who fall in love with them.

Simply the best is book 10 in the series, and features sports agent Brett Rivers and chocolatier Rory Garret, who's brother of the Stars' quarterback. The two have a mistaken one-night stand, only to be forced to team up to find Rory's brother and exonerate him from the murder of a woman, found dead at his home.

We loved this book - it's a cozy, comfort read of a romance, with lovers-to-enemies-to falling in love, lots of family involvement, a background mystery, and two characters figuring out who they are and their place in the world. We love this book and series and would highly recommend - and of course with real-life Taylor/Travis deep in football playoff season, it's fun to imagine Taylor and Travis as their own installment in the football series! Now is the perfect time to pick up this book, and the entire Chicago Stars backlog.

Slight warning that the early books were written a *long* time ago (book 1 was written in 2002!), and do feature some outdated gender norms - nonetheless we love this series! Thank you to NetGalley and to SEP for providing advanced access to this book!

Simply the Best
Susan Elizabeth Phillips
February 13, 2024

In the latest Chicago Stars novel we are introduced to Rory Garrett. She is half-sister to the infamous Clint Garrett, quarterback for the Stars. At Brett River’s party bash with the players she finds herself beyond tipsy and aimlessly following him to one of the hotel rooms. Come dawn the crew is heading back to whence they came. For a few couples, especially Clint and his girl, Ashley, all was not well. This story begins with problems and continues with friends and family trying to solve the mess the promiscuous party has created.
Simply the Best will be published on February 13, 2024 by HarperCollins Publications. I was able to read and review Phillips' latest book via NetGalley. This is #10 in the series and I found it fun yet accompanied by suspense when a murder is unexpectedly discovered in the worst of all places. The Garrett family is drawn together along with Brett and Rory trying their best to solve the crime. This is a very enjoyable book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. Due to the series many characters are familiar to the readers. Don’t miss this one!

This is the latest entry in the longtime Chicago Stars series and I must say, like the previous one, I just didn't feel the same kind of connection with this series as I used to - the very first book in the series, It Had to Be you, is my all-time favorite romance and Phoebe at least got a mention in this one, though I was hoping for a cameo. Rory and Brett were decent characters, though it seemed the murder plot overshadowed the romance and Kristin, Rory's stepmother, took up too many pages with her weird, instalove romance. Although this didn't feel like a Chicago Stars novel I think fans of the series and SEP will enjoy this entry even if just for nostalgia's sake. 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the DRC in exchange for an honest review.

Simply the Best is another book in Susan Elizabeth Phillips's Chicago Stars series. We are introduced to Rory Meadows who is down on her luck dreaming of owning her own chocolate shop. Her half-brother, Clint Garrett, I is the star quarterback of the Chicago Stars. When a young woman who had been dating Clint is found dead, Rory is determined to find out the truth. She is hindered by Clint's agent, Brett Rivers, who also wants to clear Clint's name. The two are thrown together in their quest but their strong personalties clash. Adding to the cast of characters is Kristin, Clint's mom and Rory's stepmom. In true SEP style, her characters are witty and sarcastic in their banter. I loved the story and couldn't put the book down and i hadn't been expecting a murder mystery. I also loved that the book is set in the Chicago area. The Chicago references are all spot on. I finished the book wishing I could try all of Rory's decadent chocolates.

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read Simply the Best by one of my favorite authors.

I was so excited to read a new story in the Chicago Stars world and loved the surprises in store for me! Brett and Rory's forbidden love story was exciting and fun, and I was captivated by the mystery they were trying to solve. Brett is a high-powered sports agent, and Rory is a quirky, 'down on her luck' chocolatier and sister to his quarterback client, Clint. Brett and Rory had a night of anonymous passion before realizing who they were to each other. They both need to forget the hottest night in their lives and concentrate on helping Clint through his heartbreak. But when Clint's ex-girlfriend ends up dead and Clint is missing, they will try to work together to clear Clint's name, even with the forbidden fiery chemistry that burns between them. This is a fast-paced, hilarious, and heartfelt story about two stubborn people finding each other through the chaos. I loved how they challenged each other as they worked together through one hilarious situation after another, and helped each other grow and become stronger, all while trying to deny their chemistry and failing! My heart hurt for Rory but soared as she repaired her relationships with her family and became more confident. This story was the perfect balance of hilarious humor, heartfelt emotion, and heat with just enough mystery suspense to keep me completely captivated from start to finish.

This book is SEP at her finest. Recipe for success: one successful driven hero, one chaotic struggling heroine, and lots of craziness that really shouldn't work, but totally does.

Rory is the sister of the super successful Chicago Stars quarterback, Clint Garrett. Her life is not so golden. She owns a failing food truck that has mechanical issues and owes thousands in fines, and her dream of being a chocolatier is nowhere in sight. When she has an intimate encounter with Clint's agent, Brett Rivers, things go from bad to worse. A body is discovered, family relationships are in danger, Brett's job is in peril; can these two fall in love and put each other first through all the obstacles?

SEP's novels are some of my absolute favorites to get lost in. She throws together so many elements that seem ludicrous but she makes compelling. Also her emotional arcs are unmatched. She puts these characters through the ringer every time, and this book was no exception. I had such a delightful time with this story. All the characters and story lines were fun to follow. I loved Rory and Brett and their romance, but another highlight for me was the relationship between Rory and her stepmom. These are the emotions that I read SEP for. Also revisiting old favorite couples is definitely a bonus. I'm really hoping another Chicago Stars is in the future because Clint definitely needs his own story too!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books for the advanced e-book in exchange for my honest review!

One of the best romance books I've read in awhile. Rory and her relationships were not predictable or boring. She made me think that she was independent and a wounded woman. Love the story line with sport stars and small business add ins along with chocolate. Recommend!

This was a book that pulled me in from the start. Rory is struggling to make her dreams of being a chocolatier come true, while Brett is a ruthless sport as agent for her brother. This was a great enemies to lovers with a mystery thrown in.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher, for the opportunity to read this title in exchange for an honest review.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a big name in romance for a reason. When I saw there was a chance to read this book early, I jumped on it in a heartbeat. 'Simply The Best' was engaging, paced well, and kept me guessing what would happen next. It can also be read as a standalone without confusion, which I appreciated.

Thank you, Susan Elizabeth Phillips, for taking me on such a fun adventure!

Frankly, SEB can do no wrong. I mean, she invented sports romance for goodness sakes! So it should be no surprise that Simply The Best is, well, simply the best!

My eyes forgot to blink as I was pouring through this book because it is just that good. Rory and Brett are officially part of my all time favorite couples list—and the way they meet is truly a gem. Not to mention, one of my other favorite couples Heath and Annabelle Champion are in this book as well!

Simply the Best made me fall in love with the Chicago Stars series all over again, and now I must reread the series — but starting with Heath and Annabelle’s book 🥰

Dual POV
Murder mystery
Opposites attract
Forced proximity
Sports romance

Anytime I read a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book. I know I will be laughing at characters banter, and at the same time feeling so many emotions while they go through their journeys. Once again, we are back in the Chicago stars universe, and it was enjoyable from start to finish. This time there is an enemies to lovers element to this book that is fascinating but the more fun is the murder mystery.

Rory and Brett have a misunderstanding from a party at Rory‘s stepbrother Clint‘s house. Brett is a star agent Rory is a bit of a disaster. They both had issues with Clint, who now ends up dead, and they are suspects, and Clint is missing. this book had fantastic banter, and some cameos by two of my favorites, Heath and Annabelle from match me if you can. It was a really heartwarming to see Rory‘s journey because of how she was viewed by her family and she was also navigating familiar relationships while trying to find her brother with Brett, who she finds herself falling for even though they do have issues with one another.

There is, of course the banter that I am used to Susan Elizabeth Phillips book and the murder mystery was such a fantastic plot element, and kept me in tranced with the book from start to finish

Susan Elizabeth Phillips is one of my favorite authors. I met her years ago at one of her book signings and she is as delightful in person as one would believe from reading her books. This one was splendid! It is a continuing of the Chicago Stars series, which is fun to visit with prior characters, and it could definitely be read as a stand-alone as well. It is a mystery, suspenseful, growing and healing relationships, romance and a whole lot of fun! Thank you, to NetGalley, Avon and Harper Voyager for an ARC copy of this title. I enjoyed this one very much!

I’ve been a big fan of Susan’s books for years and was so happy to see her continue the Chicago Stars series. The banter between Rory and Brett was so funny. I also enjoyed the dynamic between her and Kristin. It was refreshing to read about a woman who isn’t afraid to speak her mind, wear what she wants and not be afraid to follow her dreams!

I have not read all the books in this series but this one seemed fine as a stand alone book. Sport romances are one of my favorite tropes so I enjoyed this one a lot but I think even if aren't your choice you will enjoy it too.

Rory Garrett is down on her luck. If things can go wrong in her life, they probably will. Her dream is to be a chocolatier but currently she has a pink and purple food truck she sells purchased candy out of except her ex-partner took off with all the inventory and the cash. Add in a superstar football player brother, a hot sports agent and a murdered friend and things really get interesting for her. Read this one to see how Rory gets the guy, saves her brother and discovers a murderer.

In Simply the Best, Susan Elizabeth Phillip returns to the world of her beloved Chicago Stars football team series. I have been following along with the series since I read book two, Heaven Texas, in 1995, and I was excited to read the next chapter.

Rory Garrett is thirty-four and broke with only a dilapidated food truck to her name, after years of studying and training to be a chocolatier. She’s the family black sheep to her golden child stepbrother, Clint. Clint is the best at everything he tries, and now he is the starting the starting quarterback for the Chicago Stars. It is at Clint’s birthday party, that Rory crosses paths with Brett “The River” Rivers, Clint’s agent. Brett is another golden child. He is an overachiever, who believes that if you aren’t succeeding, then you just need to try harder. He is the best sports agent at Champion Sports Management (owned by Heath Champion of Match Me if You Can, Chicago Stars book 6) with his eye on the second in command position, Senior Vice President. Unaware of their connection through Clint, Brett and Rory spend the night together, after which Brett leaves $500 for Rory, mistakenly believing she is an escort. The next time they cross paths is at Clint’s house, where they find a dead body on the patio.

I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ novels! That said, Simply the Best is not her finest Chicago Stars novel (in my opinion, that honor should go to This Heart of Mine, book 5, Molly and Kevin forever!), but it is a solid addition. Rory and Brett have great chemistry, with engaging back and forth exchanges that race off the page. The mystery angle was a new and interesting plot device for Phillips, though the killer didn’t stand out as a suspect for most of the novel. I also really enjoyed the subplot between Kristin, Rory’s stepmother, and Daniel, an awkward electrical engineer. It was enjoyable to read Kristin, gaining much needed confidence in herself. Love, love, loved the epilogue! So cute. Overall, a fun, easy to read, romance novel, with quirky characters, humor, and heart!

Thank you to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sharing this advanced review copy with me in exchange for my honest feedback!