First Star I See Tonight

First Star I See Tonight is good fun. The witty dialogue and funny “inner voices” of the main protagonists flow as easily as always from SEP’s brain. The humor is never forced or labored. One can tell she is really a funny person rather than just someone who tries to write humor. In fact, this one is funnier than many of her more recent books. Her characters are likable and quirky without being overly precious about it. I loved glimpses of past characters from preceding novels. Are you sensing a “but” coming? Well you would be right. This one does lack those heart-tugging moments that Phillips usually incorporates into her novels. There are no genuine hardships to overcome, or past demons to slay. Piper does have “Daddy issues”, but Daddy is dead, so there is no dramatic confrontation or closure to anticipate. Also, I’ve just about had enough of the hero and heroine having great sex, lots in common, great fun and friendship despite their conflicts, and then the heroine being devastated by figuring out that she is in love. Of course, this is a great calamity, and the poor hero has to spend the last quarter of the book convincing the stubborn girl that they can have a HEA.But, what can I say? It’s Susan Elizabeth Phillips, It’s a Star’s book, and it’s a solid 4 stars.

The plot snagged my interest almost immediately and I read the book very quickly. The hero Cooper Graham is a retired Chicago Stars quarterback who's opened a nightclub. He's always been very driven and ambitious, and he wants to eventually open a chain of clubs. He's been waiting for a prospective investor to make up her mind about whether she'll invest in his dream. Coop has always been driven to be the very best; to him, losing is never an option. Piper Dove has been secretly (or so she thought) trailing Coop on behalf of a client. But Coop has noticed her following him, and when he confronts her at his club, the first of many hilarious scenes between them begin. Piper's an only child whose mom was murdered in a street robbery when she was very young. Her dad, a private investigator, raised her as he would've raised a son: to be tough, unemotional, driven, scrupulously ethical, never back down, and never, ever cry. She learned his business inside and out growing up and expected him to pass it on to her. But besides teaching her to be tough, her dad was also overprotective and didn't want her in the business because he thought it was too dangerous. After his death, she used up all her savings to buy the business from her greedy stepmother. She's now struggling to keep and build the business, so her one current client is all-important. When she reports to the client that Coop knows she'd been following him, the client drops her but stipulates that Piper not tell him who hired her to follow him. Through an interesting set of circumstances Piper ends up working for Coop. Their romance is funny, unique, touching, and has some surprises. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and highly recommend it.

i enjoyed authors first books. the last 2 just have been a chore to read

Nopity nope nope! That's not how this work! That's not how any of this works! You don't help women who are not believed by putting false rape accusations in your book. Internationally famous athletes are not hunted down and booked in jail solely on the word of a known sex worker. Romance novels from Susan Elizabeth Phillips shouldn't need trigger warnings. I'm angry 😡 I paid money for this book.

When a bunch of my favorite authors have the same book on their "Best of 2016" lists, I pay attention. When the book then goes on sale, I take that as a sign. Somehow, this new release escaped my attention. I am so glad I saw that article.First Star is classic SEP. Piper is a terrific Shero. She's smart, loyal, and hysterically funny. She has a few commitment issues, which lead to the most character appropriate resolution ever. Piper is determined to do what's best for Coop, regardless of what Coop believes. Her investigation firm brings Coop into her sights.Coop has recently retired as QB from our favorite Chicago football team. He has opened a club, but things may not be running as smoothly a Coop thinks. Piper susses out the truth, much to Coop's chagrin. Piper isn't his normal type, but he can't get her out of his mind.Everything about First Star worked for me. Humor, character development, great secondary characters, Heath and Annabelle, Phoebe...Classic SEP.Bottom line- terrific story, funny and smart. A great addition to one of the best series ever.

First Star I See Tonight is a fun and funny romance. It opens with an epic meet-cute. Piper Dove is struggling to get her detective agency financially solvent. She finally has her big break with a job tailing Cooper Graham, a former Chicago Stars quarterback who has just opened a nightclub. Piper has been hired by a potential investor in Coop's expansion efforts. Unfortunately, she is spotted by her prey. Piper refuses to name her employer. In order to avert being sued, she offers to work in Coop's club to resolve some security issues she discovered while on assignment. Each of these strong-willed characters is convinced that they can take care of themselves. But it soon becomes apparent that, although he is adored by thousands of fans, Cooper Graham also has a dangerous enemy. Piper is determined to discover the guilty party and equally determined not to fall in love with her boss. But life doesn't always go the way you plan it. This was an enjoyable, laugh out loud read. It is also apparently part of a series. While it certainly isn't necessary to read all of the Chicago Stars novels, I suspect that I will be looking for more of them.