Publishers Weekly
03/30/2015
Bestseller Phillips's pleasant but rote contemporary romance launches a companion trilogy to her Serendipity series. Mike Marsden, who happily shook off Serendipity's dust for a law-enforcement career in a big city, reluctantly returns to fill in for the ailing police chief, Simon, who also happens to be Mike's adoptive father. Unfortunately, that also means having to work side-by-side with his unforgettable onetime lover, Officer Cara Hartley. After some chemistry-laden encounters, Cara and Mike agree to a no-strings affair that unsurprisingly leaves them both wanting more but afraid to commit. When Cara ends up investigating a 30-year-old cold case that involves Mike's long-absent biological father, they work together to uncover old family secrets, bumping down the road to their happy ending. Fans will enjoy following up on familiar characters, and there is power to the dramatic domestic violence subplot, but formulaic relationships and a clunky third-person narrative style weigh down an amiable but unexceptional story. Agents: Kimberly Witherspoon and David Forrer, InkWell Management. (Jan.)
From the Publisher
Praise for the Serendipity novels:
“A funny, sexy story with exactly the right mix of sass and heart.” —Susan Mallery, New York Times bestselling author
“[A] sexy, thought-provoking contemporary romance.”—Publishers Weekly
“Carly Phillips has me addicted!”—Joyfully Reviewed
Kirkus Reviews
When Michael Marsden and Cara Hartley shared one passionate night together, they both knew the score--no commitments. But will Michael's love-'em-and-leave-'em M.O. survive when he has to move back to his small hometown, connect with his sick adopted father, comfort his close-knit family and work day in and day out with the only woman who's ever touched his heart? Michael Marsden left Serendipity years ago to work undercover in Manhattan and Atlantic City. He never expected to spend any length of time in the small town again. But when his adopted father, the town's chief of police, falls ill and recommends Michael for the interim position, Michael feels honor-bound to accept. The one night stand he had with Officer Cara Hartley during his last visit home makes things awkward, since she's also best friends and on-the-job partners with his brother. And when Sam is involved in a car accident while investigating a cold case that could implicate their father in a long-ago crime, Michael and Cara must look into the incident together. The red-hot attraction between them is still there, and the two agree to a no-holds-barred, but no-hearts-engaged affair--which always sounds better in theory than it ever plays out in real life. As Cara helps a woman extricate herself from domestic abuse and Michael's biological father crawls out of the woodwork, each of them must face emotional and physical dangers that will forge deep, unexpected bonds between them but may ultimately drive them apart if they can't get to the heart of their own fears and overcome complicated pasts. Phillips' fans will enjoy favorite characters from past series titles and may have fun speculating on future Marsden family pairings. Phillips delivers another satisfying romance with emotional depth and intriguing plot elements in her popular small-town series, extending the brand with the new "Serendipity's Finest" police theme.
