I've been a fan of Susan Elizabeth Phillips, generally, and the Chicago Stars series, specifically, for years. It Had to be You (1994) and Dream a Little Dream (1998) are in my list of favorite books ever and I credit them with changing my mindset about romance as a "guilty pleasure" and recognizing the genre as worthy of great respect (it always was, I'm just saying it was those novels that opened my eyes).

All that said, it pains me to give When Stars Collide a poor review, but I must. The big misunderstanding (Olivia thinks Thad attempted to rape her former roommate, but finds out that was a lie) at the beginning of the book feels unnecessary and tired at best, and downright triggering and harmful at worst. And then it is never mentioned again.

I find that there's a lot of "telling not showing" throughout. The reader is told that Thad and Olivia are attracted to one another, but it's mostly through checking out each others' butts. Not much sexual tension makes it to the page, and the characters are so in control of themselves that they can plan a time in the future to begin their sexual affair. The main perils in the book (the attacks on Olivia and the nasty letters) are just like, things that happen. There's no foreshadowing to the denouement, it's just "event, event, event, here's who did it." No buildup, no sense of peril getting closer, no sense of anybody trying to figure out a mystery.

Side characters are hit or miss. Olivia visits Thad's parents, who had not been mentioned previously, and were not mentioned again, and the fact that it was a 12 hour round trip drive (that resulted in no great insight into the man's character--in fact, it discouraged the heroine more) was glossed over. Thad's exasperated yet loving relationship with his mentee, the current Stars' charming, callow QB, is the most fully formed, but is well-trod territory that any reader of the series will recognize immediately.

The nature of Thad's side-gig is never revealed until kind of an "oh, by the way" at the end. The fact that he has a side-gig is hinted at in a perfunctory way throughout--he's on the computer a lot, and closes it as soon as someone else walks in the room.

The near-final scene where Thad makes his big declaration defies all suspension of disbelief, from the coincidence of his meeting the ONE person out of hundreds he would have to meet, to the manner of his making his entry.

All that said, I think there is an excellent book to be made from the bones of this story--the characters are interesting and forced proximity is a favorite plot line for me., but this ARC felt like an early draft, to be honest.

I have loved this series, even when there are things not to love so much (consent in This Heart of Mine, for example). I'm sad to say that When Stars Collide falls woefully short of its predecessors.

I really enjoyed this story of opposites, Olivia, a famous opera singer, and Thad, a well-known quarterback. They're on a world PR tour promoting a luxury brand watch and their interactions are laugh out loud funny at times. However, the are both professionals in their fields, who find they have more in common than they thought. When it seems like Olivia might have a deranged stalker, Thad feels the need to protect her whether she wants his help or not. When the mystery is solved, they realize that they are perfect for each other. Mystery, suspense, humor and romance make this a recommended read.

I’d give this book 100 stars if I could. I have read all of Ms. Phillips books (a few got me through postpartum depression). Sometimes when an author gets to the last few books in a series it starts to feel like they are just trying to get it over with. You cannot say this about this book. It is laugh out loud funny and I dare you to try and put it down. It is that good! My only complaint is that it is the last book in the series but I know another great book is on the way

I forgot how much I enjoyed a novel by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. This is part of her Chicago Stars series.
An opera singer and a football player. Definitely an interesting and fun combination. I recommend it.
I need to read the others in this series. Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy.

Disclaimer: I got this ARC in exchange for an honest review from @NetGalley.

I absolutely adored this book! I'm a fan of the opposites attract trope and this is right up my alley. It's a romance between a quarterback and a popstar. This is my first Chicago Stars book and I'm excited to go and read the others!! It's a cute story, but it does remind me a little bit of a Wattpad story which is completely fine because some of my favorite books are Wattpad books (like Silence by Natasha Preston)! If you're a fan of cute rom-com books, then When Stars Collide is for you!

This book was near perfect! I loved the characters, their communication and the very real issues that they had to consider to get to their HEA. The mystery was very decent and made sense. Spoiler coming - I was so disappointed that SEP used the trope of "crying rape" at the beginning - there was really no reason for it and, given SEPs true capability, a bit of a cop out to create tension. The characters had plenty of issues to deal with.

I love SEP, I loved most of this book, but that part really made me mad.

Readers who have been waiting for a new book in the Chicago Stars series will be so happy to see When Stars Collide. A famous opera singer and a famous football player are thrown together as they join a four week tour to promote a luxury watch brand. Mutual dislike soon turns to mutual respect, then love. But there are frightening threats and more from unknown people from the past who are set on harm and revenge. So -- lots of great romance, mystery and intrigue. Longtime readers of this series will love seeing appearances by characters from past books. Looking forward to recommending this book.

When Stars Collide was.... OK. I read it through to the end, but it fell short of my expectations for SEP. Olivia, a renown diva, was not particularly relatable and her friendships poorly developed. Other characters in the book either needed fleshing out or they needed not to be there. The major plot line, outside of a growing attraction between Olivia and Thad, a Chicago Stars football star, was trying to figure out who was harassing/threatening Olivia as she struggles with emotional issues that are affecting her career. Without giving anything away, let’s just say that the answers to that question, for the most part, feel like rabbits pulled out of a hat. As usual for the Chicago Stars, Thad was hot and likable with some depth to him. Same goes for his teammates and friends.
I did enjoy learning something about the life of an opera singer and the world she lives in.

After raising her bar to a new high with Dance Away With Me, Susan Elizabeth Phillips disappointed with this one.

This title was a classic Susan Elizabeth Phillips. She returns to her roots in the Chicago Stars franchise. I loved seeing pop ups from old characters and greatly enjoyed the new romance.

It has been a long time since we have had a book in this series. I liked seeing older characters return for a visit. This book had lots of twists and turns and then a surprising ending. This is another great book by this author, you will really enjoy it

I remember enjoying the rest if the series, if in a not entirely serious way, so I was a touch disappointed to discover this new installment is...kind of messy. The characters don't feel relatable and their chemistry reads as forced. Still, it's a cute story and you'll run into some old friends along the way.

I have been waiting a long time for another Chicago Stars book from Susan Elizabeth Phillips. When Stars Collide was worth the wait. I loved it.

The wit and banter had me laughing out loud. The mystery and intrigue had me guessing until the last minute.

Olivia and Thad had so much in common, both being elite professionals in demanding careers. Yet superficially they seem opposites. He, the quintessential cocky quarterback; she, the operatic diva. They are thrown together on a whirlwind watch promotional tour and after a rocky start, they begin to connect. When mysterious gifts and notes begin showing up at the hotels they are staying at, Thad’s protective instincts make him determined to keep Olivia close, whether she likes it or not.

I learned so much about the world of opera from When Stars Collide. There were various jazz references as well and I found myself searching youtube for clips of every song mentioned in this book.

When Stars Collide, a great contemporary romance and a great addition to the Chicago Stars series.

Thank you NetGalley and William Morrow for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I always get so giddy when I see a new book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. It took me a minute to get into When Stars Collide. The idea of Thad Owens referring to Olivia Shore as "The Diva" from the beginning was a little too much. Once I got passed a few things that irked me about the characters, I was able to be more into it. It was an interesting premise, and fans of Phillips' will enjoy!

Susan Elizabeth Phillips does it again. This story is really compelling for several different reasons. I loved the peek into the world of opera; Phillips definitely did her research, and that world felt really authentic. Speaking of authentic - I absolutely love the relationship between Thad and Olivia. They're both described as super dramatic people, and yet their back and forth and the development of their relationship feels so natural, in a way that even surpasses the last couple of Phillips' books I've read. They genuinely like each other and the connection is so easily identifiable; it's a little less opposites-attract and more about how similar and well-matched they are, which is a fun change. The conflict - even the villains - were complicated enough that there were some surprises for me at the end, which was fun. And of course there are several characters from previous Stars books that make appearances, even Champion, which I found just plain fun. All in all one of the most enjoyable romances I've read in some time.

*I received a review copy from the publisher/author via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.*