Perfect Together - Carly Phillips (Berkley - Feb 2014)

Series: Serendipity's Finest (Book 3)

Tired of being the easygoing daughter, always ignored in favor of her high-maintenance sister, and no longer interested in being her fiancé’s trophy wife, Nicole Farnsworth calls off her wedding. All she wants is to be herself. And where better to find her destiny than Serendipity? The place where she met the one man who made her heart beat faster, and gave her the courage to reinvent her life -- even if he doesn’t know it.

Officer Sam Marsden calls Serendipity home and he loves it there -- even though his childhood sweetheart was stolen by his best friend. After such heartbreak, Sam fears he can’t trust his instincts when it comes to love. Yet he’s so tempted by Nicole, a woman he met only briefly but who has starred in his dreams ever since. For Nicole and Sam, opening their hearts one more time could change their lives forever. But who’ll be the first to take that chance?

Wonderful conclusion to the Serendipity's Finest series. Nicole has come to Serendipity to make a new start to her life. She isn't too sure of her reception, as her twin sister, who has mental health issues, was arrested for stalking another character in Perfect Fling. But she liked the town, and she especially liked the cop she had dealings with.

Sam is the youngest of his siblings and the only one unmarried. He has sworn off relationships after being left at the altar when his fiancee ran off with his best friend. He no longer trusts his instincts when it comes to people he can trust. He was attracted to Nicole when she came to find her sister, but when she went back to Manhattan he figured that was the end of it. He hasn't been able to forget her, and when she returns to Serendipity the attraction continues to grow.

I loved Sam and Nicole together. The chemistry was hot and their love scenes were pretty steamy. But more than that, they understood each other, though both had some issues they needed to overcome. Because Sam had been burned by his ex-fiancee, finding out that Nicole had just broken off her engagement made him wonder if Nicole was just like his ex. It made him wary of trusting her and reluctant to risk his heart again. After she met Sam in the previous book, and experienced the feelings he roused in her, Nicole realized that she couldn't go through with her engagement. She and Tyler were more like friends than lovers and she didn't want a loveless marriage. She has also spent her life trying to get the approval of her parents and having realized that it isn't happening is determined to make a new life for herself. Sam and Nicole find it easy to admit their attraction and decide to pursue a no strings relationship, insisting that they have no wish for messy emotions to get involved. Of course, that doesn't last, but neither knows quite what to do to change things.

When Nicole broke off her engagement, she also overheard her ex's father talking about some illegal activity he has engaged in. She's not sure what to do with that information. When Tyler comes to Serendipity to attempt to win her back, she isn't sure of his motivation or if he's involved in it. The possibility of danger to Nicole brings Sam and Tyler together to ensure her safety.

Nicole tries to make Tyler understand that he has no chance, and discovers that Tyler's arrival has sparked a very possessive attitude in Sam. She has fallen for him, but believes that he is still intent on a short term relationship. She wants the love she finally feels that she deserves. Sam is still fighting his feelings and trying to protect his heart. A conversation with his mother and one with his brother Mike, makes him realize his mistake and that he's in danger of losing the best thing that ever happened to him.

I loved the setting of Serendipity and what it meant for Nicole. Coming from a cold, emotionless family she is sometimes overwhelmed by what she finds there. She makes a good friend in Macy, who also puts her on the path to fulfilling her dream of owning her own bakery. I loved Nicole's meeting with Macy's Aunt Lulu and the part it played in Nicole realizing her dream. I also loved seeing the way that Sam's family embraced Nicole, in spite of her connection to Victoria. This gave Nicole a view of a family dynamic she had never experienced for herself. I loved Macy and really enjoyed the way she stepped in to deal with Tyler. They were fun together and I'd enjoy seeing a novella dealing with what is developing between them.

Perfect Fling - Carly Phillips (Jove - Aug 2013)

Series: Serendipity's Finest (Book 2)

Erin ... The Good Girl

Assistant District Attorney, Erin Marsden,is Serendipity's quintessential good girl. The only daughter of the ex-police chief, she has never made a misstep, content with her quiet, predictable life ... or so she thinks. Until Cole Sanders returns to town with heated interest in his eyes and shadows in his past.

Cole ... The Bad Boy

After seven years of deep under cover work in New York City, Cole returns to Serendipity to help his aging father and to find his moral compass once more. Not to get involved with wholesome Erin Marsden. Even as a rebellious teen, he knew a girl like Erin was off limits and that hasn't changed. But neither one of them can resist their off-the-charts chemistry and a one night stand brings complications neither Erin nor Cole expected.

The Attraction ... Off the Charts!

Then Erin's current case plunges her into a killer's crosshairs. With more at stake than anyone knows, Erin succumbs to Cole's take-charge attitude. As a bodyguard, he's the best. As a lover, he's even better. But there's more than the matter of Erin's safety at stake. And Cole must forgive the sins of his past and prove to himself - and to Erin - that he's capable of the love and the forever she - and their baby - desperately need.

Loved this good girl vs bad boy story. After her brother Mike's wedding, Erin was feeling pretty blue. It seemed like everyone was part of a couple except her, so she stopped in at Joe's Bar because she didn't want to go home yet. There she ran into Cole, the bad boy she had a crush on in high school. No one knows what Cole has been doing since he left town, but the bad boy still draws her attention. A few dances later the heat between them is sizzling and they decide to do something with it. 

Even though they had agreed that it was a one-night thing, neither one has been able to forget that night. But Cole doesn't do relationships at all. As an undercover detective his life has no room for other people. Plus, he's well aware that his past makes him totally unsuitable to be anywhere near a woman as good as Erin. Meanwhile, Erin really doesn't care what Cole's reputation is, she knows he's a good man. That is made abundantly obvious when she ends up pregnant from that one night and Cole immediately accepts his responsibility.

I loved the two of them together. Erin may be the town good girl, but she's no pushover. Though stunned by her pregnancy, she's ready to do the best she can. She's not quite sure how she's going to tell Cole, but that gets taken out of her hands when she gets shot and he overhears her talking to the doctor. Cole is stunned, her brothers are furious, and she appears to have a stalker. I loved watching her stand up to all of them over what is best to be done, and finally accepting Cole's protection. When Cole finds out about the pregnancy, he's stunned, but refuses to just walk away. With the added need to protect Erin, he moves in with her. He tries very hard to maintain his emotional distance, but being with Erin 24/7 leaves him vulnerable to the way she makes him feel.

Cole really fought hard against the feelings he was beginning to have for Erin. As the son of an emotionally abusive man, Cole had spent a lot of time creating trouble as a teen. Even after he moved away and straightened up his life, becoming a detective, his father still belittles him at every turn. Added to the things he's done in the course of his undercover work, Cole feels that he is nowhere good enough for Erin. He is determined that he will leave after the danger to her is gone. But Erin constantly chips away at the walls around his heart, and dreams of what it could be like make him wonder if it could happen. In spite of his assertions that he is not a good man, Cole is very good at taking care of Erin. I loved the way he cooked for her, made sure she rested, and started getting really involved in the idea of the baby. He started to understand that he was falling for her, but the idea scared him to death and he worked harder at pushing  her away, then admitting his unhappiness when he succeeded. He was stubborn about believing in his worthiness all the way to the end. 

Erin seems to be the only person who can see the good in Cole. Even that first night, she never would have slept with him if she hadn't believed in him. Though they had agreed on one night, no strings, she hadn't been able to forget him, and kept trying to connect with him. Finding out she was pregnant threw her into confusion. She wanted the baby, but how could she tell him about it? With him not wanting any relationship, she would be on her own. But once she did tell him, he surprised her with his determination to be involved. Having him constantly underfoot was playing havoc with her peace of mind. He claimed that he was no good for her, but she certainly felt cherished when he was around. She quickly realized she had fallen for him, but had no idea how she was going to get him to want to stay. I loved her method of simply showing him what life with her would be like. I loved watching her get to him, and ached for her when it looked like he just wasn't  going to believe. The ending was sweet, as Cole finally believed in what Erin saw.

The suspense was a good part of the story as it was the catalyst bringing Cole and Erin together. It wasn't super intense but still enough to keep me interested in seeing how it turned out. The identity of the stalker was no surprise, but there was a small twist about it. The final confrontation went quickly and Cole was able to protect Erin. I thought Erin's actions toward the stalker at the end were pretty classy.