Rating: 
Summary: The best romance I've ever read!!!
Review: Seemingly arrogant, shallow, handsome-as-sin, professional quaterback, Bobby Tom Denton is permanently injured taking away his football career which had become his identity and leaving him at a crossroad in life. Being worshiped from a young age, in his small hometown of Telerosa Texas, for his extraordinary good looks and athletic talent, he had accepted his identity, understanding no one cared to see what lay beneath the surface...untill Gracie Snow.Born into a shelterd existance and raised in a nursing home, Gracie had an unrelenting passion to experience life. At the death of her parents, she accepts a job with a small film company which is having trouble getting it's newest star, football icon, Bobby Tom Denton, to honor his contract and show up to star in his first feature, being filmed, at his request, in his hometown hoping to help its troubled economy. On her first assignment, plain, drab, inexperienced Gracie is sent to convince playboy, Bobby Tom, to fulfill his contract for the film. Intimidated but determined Gracie intrigues Bobby Tom in their first encounter with her innocent sincerity, and quite strength of character. She is the first woman to see past his act of smooth cowboy-talking Don Juan, oozing with calculated charm, to the extremely intelligent, lonely man inside. Gracie succeeds in bringing Bobby Tom back to his hometown for filming, helping him face the shadows that chase him, and loving him with a rare passion that forever changes Bobbby Tom's life as well as her own. After reading over 400 romances in the last 6 months, I can without a doubt say this is the best romance novel I have read to date. Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a rare gift of storytelling that enters your heart and stamps a vivid memory. The only complaint I have is that she doesn't publish enough. All her books are jewels!
Rating:
Summary: The best romance I've ever read!!!
Review: After reading over 400 romances in the last 6 months, I can without a doubt say this is the best romance novel I have read to date. Susan Elizabeth Phillips has a rare gift of storytelling that enters your heart and stamps a vivid memory. The only complaint I have is that she doesn't publish enough. All her books are jewels!
Rating:
Summary: Fabulous
Review: If you like funny contemporary romances with strong but far from perfect characters that really seem to have chemistry between them, then this book is for you. I could not put it down. I started it and was immediately put off by the name Bobby Tom. I flipped through the pages hoping that he was not referred to as Bobby Tom all the way through. I almost chucked it when I saw that he was but boy would I have missed out on a treat. BT was funny and really quite sexy. While Gracie was a strong woman who accepted herself for what she was and BT for what she thought he was. Hate novels where the woman agonises and pines over some twit. And the two of them were so funny, their antics had me laughing out loud on several occasions. I stayed up till almost 7am one night reading this book till exhaustion got the better of me. I am now quite a fan of SEP and can't wait to read another of her books.
Rating:
Summary: Absolutely heavenly...
Review: Another sure-fire winner by Susan Elizabeth Phillips! I must say I had my doubts aobut this one - I didn't think there was any way I could get excited about a hero named "Bobby Tom" who wears a cowboy hat, but I shouldn't have worried. As always, SEP has managed to create a great story, unique characters, laugh-out-loud dialogue and sexy love scenes. Bobby Tom is a football star forced into retriement by a career-ending injury, and beneath lots of good ol' boy charm, he's not too happy about it. Not knowing what to do with his life, he agrees to star in a movie. The producers are justifiably concerned about this infamous playboy's reliability, so they hire a babysitter - the none too tempting Gracie Snow. The resulting relationship is just great. SEP succeeds at doing a lot of things in this book that usually turn me off in a romance novel. First, I don't like unattractive heroines that either miraculously become beautiful, but Gracie's transformation into a cute, perky and kind of sexy leading character works. Second, as a former Texan I usually can't stand the loud, folksy stereotype that Bobby Tom initially appears to be. However, SEP managed to make it work without being silly and does a good job portraying smalltown Texas. I still refuse to picture Bobby Tom wearing a great big cowboy hat, but if it works for you... Third, there is a secondary romance between two older characters, and I usually find that distracts from the main plot. Here it's so well done and flows so seamlessly into the main storyline that I was glad to see it. There are few authors who never fail to deliver, and Susan Elizabeth Phillips certainly falls into that category!
Rating:
Summary: A match made in Heaven...
Review: Last week I read _It Had To Be You_, the first book in Susan Elizabeth Phillips' Chicago Stars series. I loved it and I couldn't wait to get my hands on more. I was more then satisfied with _Heaven, Texas_. I know I'm in the minority here, but I enjoyed _Heaven, Texas_ more then _It Had To Be You_. Gracie Snow must bring Bobby Tom Denton back home to Heaven, Texas so that he can begin shooting his first movie. Bobby Tom was forced into retirement from football when an injury totally damaged his knee. From then on, Bobby Tom felt like his life had no direction, without football, his soul was gone. So, he tried different things... signing movie contracts and the like, so that he could find out which one he really liked. Unfortunately, Bobby Tom had no intention of fulfilling his movie obligations and he was late getting to the location. So, Windmill pictures sent their production assistant, Gracie Snow after him. Gracie grew up in a nursing home and also ran it for many years. When Windmill Pictures offered her a job, Gracie pounced on it, hoping to start a new life. Her first assignment, find Bobby Tom and bring him home. And so starts a journey for Gracie that will change her life. On the road with Bobby Tom, Gracie shows her stubborness, but by some miracle manages to get him back to Heaven (aka Telarosa). As Gracie undergoes a makeover, so does her heart, and she falls madly in love with Bobby Tom. Can a man who's had women throw themselves at him all his life see that Gracie is the one for him? Now, _It Had To Be You_ was great, but _Heaven, Texas_ was spectacular, and my reasons for favoring it are as follows. Pheobe from _IHTBY_ was a larger then life heroine. She was amazingly well fleshed out, and it was easy to get to know her as a character, but no matter how hard I try, I can't see her as a normal person walking down the street because of her larger then life status. Gracie, on the other hand, could be your next door neighbor. She's much easier to connect with because the reader gets the feeling that they could have been best friends growing up. Gracie seemed like she was one of the crowd, and that's why I enjoyed her so much in this book. Also, she was not drop dead gorgeous. Infact, in the begining, she's got a bad perm and a bad wardroab. It's easier for me to think that the scenerio in _Heaven, Texas_ could happen. Also, Bobby Tom was a wonderfully flawed character. The rampant emotions that run through him are delightful, and his actions as a character are so well fleshed out that he comes alive along with Gracie. I'd give Susan Elizabeth Phillips two thumbs up to the stratosphere for _Heaven, Texas_. This book penned from one of romance's susperstars is one not to be missed. Her humor is sprinkled expertly into the book and every facet of it shines like a gem. I lost many hours of sleep for reading into the wee hours of the night. I'm quickly acquiring her books as they're not going to be in paperback much longer... this year, she's making the leap to hardcover. Brava, SEP!
Rating:
Summary: Romance... doesn't get any better than this!
Review: HEAVEN, TEXAS by SEP is the second book in the Chicago Football Stars series. The prequel to this novel is IT HAD TO BE YOU, which I have yet to read. I always seem to be reading series in the wrong order, but all I can say is that HEAVEN, TEXAS is an awesome book on its own. This is the love story between Bobby Tom, a famous Chicago Stars quarterback and a-one-of-a-kind lady named Gracie Snow. Bobby Tom was just forced to retire from playing football because of a bad knee injury he received during one of the games. Being very depressed, he decides to have some fun and signs up to be a star in a Hollywood movie. When he doesn't show up for his filming, newly hired Gracie is sent to find Bobby Tom and bring him to set. Poor Gracie, her first assignment and she bring Bobby Tom back to the set, two weeks late!! Even going through an impromptu striptease for Bobby Tom, she was unable to get him in on time. Well it is not right to completely blame Gracie, for Bobby Tom did give Gracie a lot of trouble. He's just not used to a lady with a bossy mouth and a bad perm to tell him what to do! Moreover, feeling attracted to such a lady, when he's seen ones that were ten times more beautiful, is something he'd never imagine he'd do. But what he does not notice and takes for granted till the very end, is that Gracie has the most generous and kind heart in the whole world. Only until Bobby Tom breaks Gracie's heart and when she runs back to her old life, does Bobby Tom realize how much he took for granted and how much he has come to love her. What did I like most of the story? Like all the other readers have said... sometimes when you feel awkward or unattractive, just be yourself, for there is always someone that will look right into your heart and love you for who you are. I believe SEP has delivered a wonderful story with a beautiful message.
Rating:
Summary: It Had to Be Gracie
Review: Susan Elizabeth Phillips is the queen of the hive, head of the class, top of the heap when it comes to romance writers, and with HEAVEN TEXAS, she reaches perfection in her art. There is no sweeter heroine than Gracie, smart and tough while simultaneously kind and innocent. Bobby Tom is that bad boy that all good girls want, cuter than Brad Pitt or Tom Cruise or Bob Redford (pick your generation), spoiled but with a heart that just is waiting to be rescued by the love of the right woman. And, let us be blunt, nobody writes a love scene like Susan Elizabeth Phillips does, though many others have tried. I like everything that she's authored, but I think I like this novel most of all. HEAVEN, TEXAS really flies while one reads it, and stays with the reader long after it ends.
Rating: 
Summary: predictable and stereotyped
Review: Based on reviews here I bought 3 books by this author, including Heaven, Texas. They were all "easy reads" but the plots were sadly alike, the characters the worst type of sterotypes... Generally this author seems to make her heroines virgins or the next closest thing, the men on the other hand have slept with thousands of women, but deep down they are ready to settle down. (Of course once the hero has sex with the heroine, he sees fireworks like he's never seen before, how pathetic!) Love seems to be all about giving up something, and the plots seem built on the worst type of teen fantasies about love and sex. If that is what you want OK. But a warning for those thinking of getting this book, due to links like "people who bought this book also bought"... On the back cover the author is quoted saying she wished the whole world was like romance novels. If she means her's I find this a SCARY THOUGHT!
Rating:
Summary: A Keeper!
Review: Plain Jane, Gracie Snow. That's how everyone views her, but maybe that's because that is the way Grace views herself. She plays the role to the hilt by dressing in drabby clothes and getting bad 80s perms. However, Gracie is recalled to the living! Her life starts once she leaves her home town and resolves to look for adventure. She meets adventure all right, in the form of Bobby Tom Denton. At heart Bobby Tom is a sensitive simple guy. But he's been conditoned to think that what he needs is a gorgeous bomb-shell when he's really satisified and happy with a cute equally simple girl like Gracie. Unfortunately, for Bobby Tom to realize this, Gracie must go through a lot of pain and heart-break. But despite previous passivity, Gracie knows that she deserves more than second best and forces Bobby Tom to make a choice. And oh boy, he does! Gracie, who knows nothing about football passes Bobby Tom's NFL test with flying colours...a true testament of how much Bobby Tom cares about Gracie.
Rating:
Summary: One More Triumph for SEP
Review: Bobby Tom Denton, the legendary football player from Chicago Stars, is forced to retire at the age of 33 when he suffered from knee injury. Now he is ready to be one of the Hollywood leading man with his woman-killer face and dazzling smile. Problem is, his attitude is not as charming as his face and Gracie Snow is forced to find him and bring him to the shooting location and makes sure he stays. Come hell and high water, Gracie is determined to drag this stubborn mule with every single thing she knows how. Now the two couple meet face to face, all Hell breaks loose, and only God knows what happen next when passion overcomes them. I've been a loyal SEP fans after finishing Lady Be Good and Dream a Little Dream. I agree with all the reviewers that this is one of her best works ever. No, let me repeat that, one of the best romance book ever written! You'll fall in love with Bobby Tom, you'll admire Gracie Snow, and the next second you'll find yourself brought to Heaven, Texas, and like LaVyrle Spencer wrote on the back-cover of this book "Watch Susan Elizabeth Phillips Go Places". PS: Dan and Phoebe from It Had to Be You also made a special appearance since Dan used to be Bobby Tom's coach at Chicago Stars
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