This is probably the earliest I’ve ever put out a review but I couldn’t hold this one back. I’ll be posting again closer to pub date but I had to scream how much I LOVE THIS BOOK!

When I read a romance book, I want happy. I want to end the book smiling and overjoyed that these characters are exactly where they should be. No one does that better than Susan Elizabeth Phillips, the originator of the sports romance. I know I say this every book in the Chicago Stars series, but Dancy and Clint are my new fave couple. I loved Dancy’s spirit, her determination and how much she cared about everyone around her. Clint was a great foil to her in the beginning and then getting to see him being introspective really deepened his character. Phillips knows how to create characters that you care about and miss when the book ends. This is a five star book for me!!

Such a fun book. This a quick romance read but definitely am enjoyable one. Good pacing and characters.

This book was a mixed read for me. Dancy and Clint have a complicated past, and while I appreciated the second-chance romance angle, it was hard to connect with Dancy at first. Her choices and attitude made it tough to root for her, though there is some growth along the way.

There were several subplots—including a stalker storyline—that felt underdeveloped or delayed. It did eventually wrap up but the pacing made it easy to forget. A few moments also stretched believability, like Dancy saying she never wanted to see Clint again, only to ask to stay on his property later.

The tone shifted a lot, and the epilogue told from the dog’s point of view felt out of place after all the emotional tension. It might have worked better if that had been part of the story earlier.

That said, there were still some entertaining and heartfelt scenes, especially with the supporting characters. It just didn’t fully land for me, but I know many readers enjoy Susan Elizabeth Phillips’ blend of humor and heart, and I’ll still check out more of her work.

Susan Elizabeth Phillips seriously cannot do any wrong in my eyes. Every time I pick up one of her books, I know I’m in for something special — and And the Crowd Went Wild was no exception. I devoured this one!

Dancy and Clint’s story had everything I love: tension, heart, banter, and just the right amount of emotional messiness. Their chemistry jumped off the page, and the way they kept clashing (and then connecting) made it impossible to stop reading. Also, the setting? The rescue dog? The whole caboose-in-the-woods thing?? So fun.

I laughed, I swooned, I stayed up way too late — and I regret nothing. SEP just knows how to deliver the perfect mix of heart and humor. I honestly love every single word this woman writes.All the stars!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review an early copy of this book.

Oh my there are not enough good words to describe this book. It made me laugh and it made me cry. I loved Clint and Darcy and Watch the dog. I now want to go back and read the whole series again. I highly recommend this book and it could be read as a standalone.

Susan has done it again, as usual. I expected nothing less from the queen of sports romance herself. I loved Clint and Dancy almost as much as I love Kevin and Molly and Dan and Phoebe, and that’s saying something from me. This book is another hit.

Also, the references to the Boxcar Children were *chefs kiss*. Totally made the book for me!

Somehow Susan Elizabeth Phillips never makes a wrong step. She’s the queen of rom com, while still making you feel all the things. The witty repartee that is her trademark is on full display here, so you’re laughing while she breaks your heart and puts it back together again.

This… this felt like the return all SEPPIES were wanting and waiting for!

I read my first SEP book when I was 14; It Had To Be You and I’m now 45. That’s 31 years that the Chicago Stars series has existed!

I’ll share my full review closer to the release date, but for now y’all need to add it to your TBR immediately! It’s packed with ALL THE FEELS and absolutely worth the read!

This book blew my mind, made me laugh, made me cry and will stay with me forever. I read the entire book in one seating. I couldn't put it down. I didn't want it to end. Susan Elizabeth Phillips has long been one of my favorite authors. I have cherished every book she has written. But this book - these characters - are the best I have seen from her. Clint and Dancy are both mega stars in their own fields. Yet they are real people, too. They are written as unvarnished, raw human beings. Their relationship started as teens, ended badly and had a gap of almost 20 years. In spite of that, they find their way back to each other and the new relationship that develops is one that learns from the past and results in two people being their purest selves with each other. The book is about finding a soul mate, finding hope and looking at what's really behind what looks like a perfect exterior. This is one of the best books I've read this year. Read it! If you are familiar with Susan Elizabeth Phillips' writing, you will love it. If you aren't, it's a great start that will have you digging eagerly into all of the books she has written and enjoying every second of them.