Verliebt, verruckt, verheiratet (This Heart of Mine) Book

This Heart of Mine is book #5 in the Chicago Stars series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. This book was a gift from my dear friend, Kelly, and I am so thankful she gave it to me. I have read one other book by this author and I fell in love with it. Is it possible, now, to love SEP even more? This book had me laughing out loud and within a few minutes, breaking my heart. The characters were loveable, the story wonderful and silly and engaging. It was unputdownable. I have decided that SEP's writing is magical. I was entranced from the first page.



Molly Somerville is the younger sister of Phoebe Calebow. She's now twenty seven years old and is the author of the adorable children's book series Daphne the Bunny featuring Daphne and her best friend, Benny the Badger. Molly loves her sister and Phoebe's husband, Dan and their four children with all her heart. She has always tried to be the best she can be for them since she owes them so much. But Molly has also been known for some little slips of crazy now and then. She's been feeling restless lately so she decides a few days away will be good for her. She needs the time to concentrate on her next book. So she packs up her adorable little poodle, Roo, and takes off for the family vacation home in the woods. Little did she realize that she would have a visitor while she was there. The object of a crush she couldn't seem to shake, the Quarterback of the Chicago Stars football team her sister owns, the oh so delectable Kevin Tucker.



Kevin Tucker has pushed his bosses as far as he dares. He's been participating in some daredevil stunts lately, things that could injure him, ruin his future with the team. As a last resort he is sent to spend a few days at the Calebow's vacation home for some time to rest and think. Little did he realize that the house already had a visitor.



Kevin and Molly's few days together at the cabin start them on a journey neither of them could have ever expected. It started at the cabin, continued in Chicago, and then led them to a place that was a piece of Kevin's history, the Windlake Campground. While Kevin's purpose for the visit to Windlake was merely to get rid of it, Molly was immediately drawn to the adorable cottages and the bed and breakfast. She felt a peace and a purpose she hadn't been able to find in a long time.

"There was something magical about the campground. Possibilities seemed to shimmer in the air. It felt almost enchanted."



In their time at Windlake, Kevin and Molly got to know each other. And what they learned surprised them both. Feelings began to grow and change. But Kevin is still determined that he needs to get rid of the campground. That football is the only future he can concentrate on right now. That nothing is more important than his football career.

You can't help but to fall in love with Molly and Kevin. Molly was crazy and impulsive and sweet and heartbreaking. She made me laugh out loud with her crazy antics and she kept Kevin on his toes. Kevin was sexy and bossy and stubborn and swoony. I would go from loving him to wanting to smack him.



You will also meet another very important character in this book, Lilly who plays an important part in Kevin and Molly's lives. I don't want to tell you what her connection is. Only that there is also a whole little side story going on with her and a famous artist, Liam Jenner.

After reading the two books of SEP's books that I have read, I have put her right up at the top of my favorite authors' list. Her writing is just magical. Her books are truly heartwarming. I was hooked right from the start and when I wasn't reading, I was thinking about reading. Thinking about Molly and Kevin, hoping that they would figure everything out and that I needed to get back to the book to make sure that they do.

The very first book of this series, It Had to be You, is Phoebe's story. So even though there have been other books in between, it seems like this book is kind of a sequel to that one. I loved this book so much and can't wait to read more by this author.

"There was something missing inside me I was trying to fill up, but I went about doing it the wrong way. But there sure isn't anything missing inside me now, because you're there."