I'm always excited for a Susan Elizabeth Phillips book -- especially a Chicago Stars one. I loved the return to my favorite football team and the twisty conflicts that emerged between the agent and sister of one of the biggest football players having sex with each other. When the football player is accused of murder, no one cares more about clearing his name than these two. So even though nothing about them being together makes sense. They have a shared goal and a lot of chemistry flying between them as they try to achieve it. When it comes to sports romance Susan Elizabeth Phillips is *simply the best*

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy in exchange for this honest review!

Love this series. Great rom con we get so much from Susan’s books little bit of suspense in this romance novel I loved it

I received an arc of this title from NetGalley for an honest review. I usually like books by Phillips, but I found this book difficult to get into. I may try it on audio, but for now, it's a dnf.

Simply the Best is an interesting football romance where the MMC is a sports agent, and the FMC is the football player's sister. It's an interesting romance.

I can't believe this series is three decades old, and yet, fans of the series will race to get the newest installment, as I did. Phillips' books are known for their fun and flirty romances, charming characters, and humor, all of which are found in this novel. Adding a murder mystery does shake up the tried-and-true rom/com plot, and it works. Can be read as a stand-alone, but why would you want to? Read them all but remember that romance books written 30 years ago were written in a different culture.

I absolutely loved this book. The way the character development continued to evolve throughout the story was perfect! Once I started reading this book I literally could not put it down (I tried i really did). I can't wait till I can read more from this author

What a great book!
An enjoyable read I would recommend to anyone who likes contemporary fiction, a fun, vivid and immersive novel.

First off I love SEP, and was so excited that I got an ARC for the next Chicago Stars series. I really started reading again when I picked up the first book the series. Her characters are always amazing and she really pioneered the genre so well. I love the twist of her latest books, not just having pure romance but other plot points also. Rory and Brett meet in an unconventional way, which leads them into an unexpected journey looking for her half brother and his client who may or not murdered his girlfriend. As always, the story was amazing and I will read any SEP available. I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rory is a hot mess walking under a perennial black cloud. Brett, on the other hand, is a shining star whose touch seems to turn everything to gold. Except for when he accidentally advised one of his star players on his personal life (something he never does!) and it was taken very much the wrong way. If that was not enough to dim Brett's shine, then he also accidentally slept with said star player's half sister and mistook her for a high end prostitute. In an effort to keep his job and reputation, Brett realizes he has to apologize and get Rory on his side long enough to fix things. The more time they spend together makes it harder for him to stop thinking about her. As irritating as he is, she can't stop thinking about him.

This is the first Susan Elizabeth Phillips book I've read, but it will not be the last! Very amusing and sweet beach read. I loved the story and the characterization. The characters kept this book from being formulaic and predictable, but somehow managed to retain that relaxed, reading-simply-for-pleasure vibe. I wish the cover were more appealing - it feels dated to me and I feel like it doesn't stand enough to catch an eye on bookshelf when the story inside it should have that advantage.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has done it again!! I've said it before and I will say it again, I will read whatever she writes.

The Chicago Star will FOREVER be one of my favorite series. Rory is absolutely the best. She loves chocolate and protects those who she loves. When her brother goes missing, she has to begrudgingly team up with his agent Brett to find him. Everything and anything happens to Rory and Brett. You will LAUGH, cry, and absolutely cheer them on.

Pick this up. Better yet, start at the beginning with It Had to be You. You won't regret it.

A new installment of Chicago Stars, yes please!!! SEP is the grand dame of sports romance for a reason. Lots of great banter, mistaken identity, crazy family dynamics. A fun read!

Brett Rivers is a sports agent and Rory Meadows, the sister of one of his clients, act like they don't care for each other. Except there is the night of her brother's birthday party. It's hilarious laughter as they throw darts at each other. Her dream is to be a successful chocolatier, but she doesn't have any money. She has a plan with her stepmother of all people. Meanwhile, her brother's girlfriend ends up murdered and he's the prime suspect. Rory doesn't believe it and sets out to prove his innocence. It's one false lead after another and Bret's not going to let her do it alone. Rory has one smart mouth that will keep you in stitches. Verbal foreplay and descriptive sex.
I voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley.

It's been a while since seen the last Chicago Stars book. This one has the usual SEP humorous banter, endearing characters, but also a murder mystery and my favorite part, lots of chocolate.

Rory was only five years old when her mother died. Her father quickly remarried, not because of love, but carelessness. Twenty one year old Kristin was madly involve with him, but the feeling was not mutual. However when he found out she was pregnant he said he would marry her and both were very happy with their baby boy, Clint. Clint was everything Rory was not, excelling her in school and sports, so she soon gave up. She has dreamed of a career as a chocolatier, apprenticing under many top chocolatier until she has become the best. But her business skills have not supported her talent and she is now in debt with a large tax bill on a broken down food truck that she had bought together wit her thieving partner. Clint is a superstar on the Chicago Stars and even though they aren't close, he asked her to go with him to a party, mostly because he has dumped by Ashley, the women he was going to marry, Rory's neighbor. There, a bit drunk, Rory does something she never does, hooks up with a man. Brett Rivers, sports agent, thought she was a hooker, not the half sister of his client. And so the comedy of errors begins. And then Rory and Brett, both looking for Clint at his house, find Ashley there instead- dead. The police think that Clint did it, but Rory doesn't believe it for a minute and is going to find the real murderer- with or without Brett's help.

Rory is such an endearing character, that you can't help root for her. A HEA, the murderer revealed and estranged family members bond make this an enjoyable book. But the best thing of all is the information about the creation of chocolate confectionery, the equipment, and all the process.

I read an advanced reader's copy from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased, honest and voluntary review.

Been looking forward to the next book by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. She did not disappoint with this book. Loved getting to follow Bret and Rory in their romance. Look forward to the next one in this series! Great book and absolutely recommend!

I wanted to love this book because I usually love all of SEP's books. However, this book was a miss for me. The premise was sound, but the story bounced all over the place. Rory is a quirky somewhat likeable character, but Brett was not likeable at all.

Brett is a sports agent and his top client is very upset with him. Enter Rory, sister of client. Rory's brother is accused of murder and somehow Brett and Rory have to save the day.

A great addition to the Chicago Stars series and it delivers a delightful blend of romance, humor and mystery.
It is a must read for Rom Com lovers.
Many thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Simply The Best by Susan Elizabeth Phillips is a sports romance

Rory is the older sister of Clint, an NFL football player, and a failing owner of a food truck that serves specialty chocolate. When she goes to a party she has a one night stand with a man at the party, discovering he left money on the end table thinking she’s a paid escort. When she comes downstairs she discovers her mystery man happens to be Brett, her brother’s manager.
Brett normally doesn’t hook up with escorts, but this one is super hot. When he discovers he really messed up, he fears Rory will spill the beans.
When Rory’s neighbor turns up dead at Clint’s home, Clint becomes suspect number one. Why is she there? Because Ashley was looking for a rich husband, and when she decides she wants him back, she runs to his house, which costs her the ultimate price, her life.
Not believing her brother could do such a horrible crime, Rory starts to investigate on her own.

What I disliked was the generalizations and assumptions about the group of people at the junkyard they run into on the way to the cabin. Rory goes on a tangent calling them names and degrading them for their looks and intelligence. Then later she brings chocolate to hope to bribe these uneducated rednecks into helping them remove the tree blocking the driveway. I hate the way authors stereotype people, making one group out to be a dangerous monster while breezing over the negative and destructive comments that are made. About them.

While I liked the story I felt that more actual police work should have been implemented in the search for Ashley’s killer. The police chose a suspect and didn’t bother to investigate anyone else.

Their relationship was a very slow burn, often not seeing any heat at all. The romance was ok. I preferred the as a couple during the last 15% of the book. I also liked the way Rory and Kristen makeup.

This was a great enemies-to-lovers romance with some family drama thrown in. There was also a murder mystery that felt a little forced, but overall this was a good read.

Susan Elizabeth Philips is one of my favorites, and Simply the Best was so much fun. I think it's been a decade since i've read one of her books, but I was completely sucked in within the first chapter!

Sarah Elizabeth Phillips and her Chicago Stars series has always been one of my favorite contemporary romance series. Each book is a standalone but with guest appearances in other books.

This book was for Rory, a down-on-her luck chocolatier and Brett, a sports agent to Rory’s NFL brother, Clint. After a one night stand, Rory and Brett start a messy friendship to help clear Clint’s name in a murder. Brett finds himself falling for Rory, who is stubborn and judgmental. I didn’t see their chemistry until about halfway into the book.

I expected to like this as much as the other Stars’ books but it felt flatter than the others. I wanted to read more of the family dynamic between Rory and Clint. I enjoyed the character arc of Rory after she got over herself. But it’s SEP and I look forward to another of her books.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for this eARC. Simply the Best is out now.