When Stars Collide: A Chicago Stars Novel

Thaddeus Walker Bowman Owens is the backup quarterback for the Chicago Stars. Thad won the Heisman trophy in college but he hasn't become the greatest QB in the NFL as he hoped, but he still gives 100% to his team. When Thad agrees to be a spokesperson for Marchand Timepieces in the off season, he never expected to be spending four weeks touring with Olivia Shore, the diva of the opera world who will also be a spokesperson. When Olivia treats Thad in a negative way because of something from her past that she heard, the fun begins. As these two divas duke it out, you get the fun, typical banter one is used to from Susan Elizabeth Phillips. As Olivia and Thad are one upping each other....and really starting to enjoy each other's company....Thad realizes that Olivia's life is in danger. As the chemistry between these two starts to sizzle, they realize that they can't hold back any longer and decide to just spend the time on the tour together and then it's over. How could two people who put their job above everything else, ever have anything more than just a fling? As their feelings start getting stronger, and the danger keeps ramping up, Olivia and Thad both find out things the other was hiding. As these two strong individuals try to figure out what they want, it all comes crashing down. Just when it looks like everything is over, one of them has an epiphany and is determined to set things right. It will take some crazy dramatics, a scary kidnapping, but in the end Olivia and Thad will get their happy ending. I just LOVED this sexy story! I loved how these two people, so the same, yet so different just worked. They both thought they knew what they wanted in life, but they were both so wrong. I enjoyed how Olivia was trying to not repeat the past and I understood her reasons. I really adored Thad. He sounded like just the perfect man and he now is my favorite new book boyfriend! I can't wait for the next Chicago Stars book and I am hoping it will be Clint's!

5 long years! Wow, I never thought we would be seeing another SEP/STARS book, but here we go! And the wait was worth it. Then again, the series was supposed to have ended with This Heart of Mine, and I am so glad it did not. This book was a tad darker than in the past. There were fewer giggles for sure. At least that was what I thought until I started re-reading the books this weekend! All of the books have a bit of a dark, angsty side to them. For some odd reason, a relationship between an opera singer and a football player just seemed to be more 'out there' than the past pairings. But it worked. For me, it worked quite well. On an interesting side note, I had, as I had said, thought that an opera singer as the female protagonist was unusual until I re-read First Star I See Tonight I am sure as I keep re-reading the series find more things that delight me as much as this book did. There were so many mysteries to be solved, and I had to admit that I thought I had the mystery solved, but I didn't, and I love that! This book was dark but captivating, romantic, and sexy. The characters, Thad and Olivia, were the perfect foils for each other. For long-time fans of SEP, this is a beautiful read. If you are new to the series, this can be read as a stand-alone, but I think you will read the earlier works to see how SEP has grown as an author and read each character's books. I certainly hope that there will be some more books in the Stars collection, but I can understand why there may not be. This book is defiantly going into my re-read/comfort read book folder *ARC supplied by the publisher, author Susan Elizabeth Phillips, and NetGalley. Thank you.

I loved this book! I'm a massive fan of The Chicago Stars series anyway, so I was eagerly awaiting this one and whilst it was different in that it was only loosely based on the sports side, it was just as enjoyable. Thad (Chicago Stars) and Olivia (opera singer) are thrown together when they do a nationwide tour promoting a very expensive watch brand. They are like chalk and cheese and sparks fly from the get-go, very funny a lot of the time. There is also a mystery running through the story of someone threatening Olivia, with a few close calls, and I must admit I didn't figure out who it was until near the end. Thad became very protective of Olivia, who resisted against it, and again there were some very funny parts. Eventually it all sorted itself out, and I loved the way there was a proper ending with all loose ends tied up. I listened to this on audiobook and again Nicole Poole did a fabulous job, she really made me forget she was narrating and just lose myself in the story. I really hope we get more of The Chicago Stars, there's been a five year gap since the last book in this series, far too long! Great fun and very enjoyable.