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Serendipity #3
Karma
New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips presents her third novel set in the quaint upstate New York town of Serendipity, where fate, fortune and love intertwine…
Officer Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight ever since he was a teenager. But despite his lifelong attraction, the closest he’s ever come to interacting with her is watching Liza regularly bail out her brother at the police station.
Dare’s dark past with Liza’s brother, Brian, has always kept him from pursuing her. But suddenly Liza finds herself in need of protection and Dare appoints himself as the man for the job. And while the sizzling attraction between Dare and Liza draws them together, the past threatens to keep the two apart forever.
Officer Dare Barron has had a crush on Liza McKnight ever since he was a teenager. But despite his lifelong attraction, the closest he’s ever come to interacting with her is watching Liza regularly bail out her brother at the police station.
Dare’s dark past with Liza’s brother, Brian, has always kept him from pursuing her. But suddenly Liza finds herself in need of protection and Dare appoints himself as the man for the job. And while the sizzling attraction between Dare and Liza draws them together, the past threatens to keep the two apart forever.
284 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published May 1, 2012
199 people are currently reading
1799 people want to read
About the author
Carly Phillips
349 books9,778 followersNY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller, Carly Phillips is the queen of Alpha Heroes, at least according to The Harlequin Junkie Reviewer.. Carly married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her crazy dogs who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram pages. The author of over 75 romance novels, she has raised two incredible daughters and is now an empty nester. Carly’s book, The Bachelor, was chosen by Kelly Ripa as her first romance club pick. Carly loves social media and interacting with her readers. Want to keep up with Carly? Sign up for her newsletter and receive TWO FREE books at www.carlyphillips.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 257 reviews
May 15, 2024
Okay for a quick read or listen.
May 19, 2014
Phillips ends her Serendipity trilogy with Dare, the youngest and most open of the Barron brothers. Or so we thought. The truth is, Dare has been harboring a lot of pain and guilt over the death of a teen at a party he attended as a teen. He didn't have anything to do with the teen dying, but he didn't do anything to help or to stop the parents of those responsible for creating a cover-up.
Dare has been attracted to Liza for a long time. Unfortunately it was her brother who caused the boy's death all those years ago, and Dare can't get past his hatred for him.
Liza is used to relying on herself. She works, bails her brother out when he needs it and escapes to the city on the weekends to blow off stream. So she might have a little crush on sexy cop Dare Barron..she isn't going to act on it. She knows better than anyone that you can't trust people and men don't stick around.
But when Liza gets injured, it's Dare who takes care of her... they soon realize they have more than attraction between them. But Dare is still tangled up in the past...and so is Liza.
This wasn't always easy to read. Both Dare and Liza had a lot of baggage they needed to deal with. There were times I was frustrated with both of them. I understood, however, why they acted the way they did. Neither was wrong for feeling the way they did. I think Phillips did a credible job of helping them both work through their past issues, and to recognize that they had to forgive themselves before they could be with each other.
A solid read.
Dare has been attracted to Liza for a long time. Unfortunately it was her brother who caused the boy's death all those years ago, and Dare can't get past his hatred for him.
Liza is used to relying on herself. She works, bails her brother out when he needs it and escapes to the city on the weekends to blow off stream. So she might have a little crush on sexy cop Dare Barron..she isn't going to act on it. She knows better than anyone that you can't trust people and men don't stick around.
But when Liza gets injured, it's Dare who takes care of her... they soon realize they have more than attraction between them. But Dare is still tangled up in the past...and so is Liza.
This wasn't always easy to read. Both Dare and Liza had a lot of baggage they needed to deal with. There were times I was frustrated with both of them. I understood, however, why they acted the way they did. Neither was wrong for feeling the way they did. I think Phillips did a credible job of helping them both work through their past issues, and to recognize that they had to forgive themselves before they could be with each other.
A solid read.
February 24, 2015
Have you ever read a book that was so awful that you couldn’t help but to keep reading because you were compelled to see just how awful and ridiculous it was going to get? Well this book fits that description for me. I took notes all through my reading of it because it was that bad. I had so many questions and was so annoyed while reading this that I can’t believe I even finished it. But it was too bad not to.
This book is filled with nonsense. There are so many stereotypes, assumptions, people rushing to judgement and shenanigans going on in this book. There is a scene with Liza’s drunken brother at a dunking booth that was both silly and unnecessary. Liza and Dare both moved to stop him from throwing the ball when if they had just left well enough alone he would have thrown his last ball and would have had to move on. Because of their interfering, Liza gets whacked in the head with the ball and ends up with a concussion as a result.
The relationship between Dare and Liza set my teeth on edge. Their communication was awkward, clunky, and clumsy at best. The conversation was strange and stilted and at times made no sense whatsoever. Liza is the most dimwitted character in the world. When faced with indisputable evidence of her brother’s embezzlement, she still wonders if she’s jumping to conclusions and if her brother could possibly be innocent of the crime.
Also you cannot get away from the major issues and events driving the guilt these two characters still carry with them since they were teenagers because the author reminds us of it every other page and practically beats us over the head with it. Okay, they both regret the death and cover up of the death of Stuart Rosserman that a drunken teenage Brian caused during a party he was not supposed to be having. But these people are adults now and I would expect them to deal with their issues already and get the hell over it. It all seemed so very trivial and petty too in the grand scheme of things.
Oh, and when Dare reveals to her that it was actually her brother who punched and accidentally killed Stuart Rosserman so long ago, Liza is baffled. I find it completely implausible that she could have went all of those years and not know that it was her own brother that threw that fateful punch. I don’t care how well their parents got it covered up, Liza would have found something like that out way before Dare had revealed it to her.
I have more notes on all the things that annoyed me about this book, but this review is rambly and long enough. I was looking forward to reading Carly Phillips because people rave about her books. But this book was a big disappointment and I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to trying her again. I don’t even care to know what happened in the previous two stories. Just ugh.
This book is filled with nonsense. There are so many stereotypes, assumptions, people rushing to judgement and shenanigans going on in this book. There is a scene with Liza’s drunken brother at a dunking booth that was both silly and unnecessary. Liza and Dare both moved to stop him from throwing the ball when if they had just left well enough alone he would have thrown his last ball and would have had to move on. Because of their interfering, Liza gets whacked in the head with the ball and ends up with a concussion as a result.
The relationship between Dare and Liza set my teeth on edge. Their communication was awkward, clunky, and clumsy at best. The conversation was strange and stilted and at times made no sense whatsoever. Liza is the most dimwitted character in the world. When faced with indisputable evidence of her brother’s embezzlement, she still wonders if she’s jumping to conclusions and if her brother could possibly be innocent of the crime.
Also you cannot get away from the major issues and events driving the guilt these two characters still carry with them since they were teenagers because the author reminds us of it every other page and practically beats us over the head with it. Okay, they both regret the death and cover up of the death of Stuart Rosserman that a drunken teenage Brian caused during a party he was not supposed to be having. But these people are adults now and I would expect them to deal with their issues already and get the hell over it. It all seemed so very trivial and petty too in the grand scheme of things.
Oh, and when Dare reveals to her that it was actually her brother who punched and accidentally killed Stuart Rosserman so long ago, Liza is baffled. I find it completely implausible that she could have went all of those years and not know that it was her own brother that threw that fateful punch. I don’t care how well their parents got it covered up, Liza would have found something like that out way before Dare had revealed it to her.
I have more notes on all the things that annoyed me about this book, but this review is rambly and long enough. I was looking forward to reading Carly Phillips because people rave about her books. But this book was a big disappointment and I don’t know if I’ll ever get around to trying her again. I don’t even care to know what happened in the previous two stories. Just ugh.
February 5, 2012
Loved! Dare knocked me off my feet :-)
April 17, 2012
DiDi's review posted 4/17 on Guilty Pleasures
SIGHHHH!!!! WOW!!! What an INCREDIBLE ending to the first SERENDIPITY trilogy.
KARAMA is Dare Barron and Liza McKnight's story. Dare is the happy go lucky brother, always has a smile on his face and always out to help others, no one realized the guilt, sadness and regret that his devastatingly handsome smile hides. Dare felt partly responsible for the death of a classmate at a party when he was a teenager, a death caused by. Brian McKnight, the brother of the girl he had a major crush on. Dare is a Serendipity Police Officer, he still has the hots for Liza, even more now that they are adults, but he can't hide his distaste for the fact that she is always bailing her drunk brother out of jail. Liza has baggage of her own, she too feels responsible for the death of Dare and her brother's classmate. Her guilt is compounded by her parents' constant pinning everything that goes wrong in Brian's life on Liza.
When Dare and Liza decide to give into intense physical attraction they have for each other, they ignore the past, Liza because she doesn't do relationships and Dare because he is finally getting the woman he has wanted forever. The chemistry between Dare and Liza is explosive, they are evenly matched in the bedroom and it is HOT!!! Dare is an incredibly sexy ALPHA, protective and caring. Liza is strong, shy and sexy, watching them fall in love was sweet and addicting. Reality intrudes as a result of Brian's alcoholism and schemes, making the past and all feelings associated with it to rear it's ugly head, causing a rift between Dare and Liza. I felt like Dare and Liza were real friends of mine and watching them deal with their emotional baggage was heartbreaking. With a little help from Ethan, Faith, Nash, Kelly, and sassy Tess, Dare and Liza make it through some incredible trials and challenges to their HEA.
KARMA is an exceptionally written, fast paced, emotional roller coaster, complete with complex characters, sizzling hot loving, humor, and a bit of suspense, that has become one of my absolute favorite books of Carly Phillips (and that's saying a lot, because there are a lot of her books that are my favorites).
Color me excited that even though this is the last of this Serendipity series, we will be returning to Serendipity in February, 2013, with the first book in The Cops of Serendipity trilogy. Of course that is way too long for me to wait to return to Serendipity, so I will be revisiting with a re-read soon!
SIGHHHH!!!! WOW!!! What an INCREDIBLE ending to the first SERENDIPITY trilogy.
KARAMA is Dare Barron and Liza McKnight's story. Dare is the happy go lucky brother, always has a smile on his face and always out to help others, no one realized the guilt, sadness and regret that his devastatingly handsome smile hides. Dare felt partly responsible for the death of a classmate at a party when he was a teenager, a death caused by. Brian McKnight, the brother of the girl he had a major crush on. Dare is a Serendipity Police Officer, he still has the hots for Liza, even more now that they are adults, but he can't hide his distaste for the fact that she is always bailing her drunk brother out of jail. Liza has baggage of her own, she too feels responsible for the death of Dare and her brother's classmate. Her guilt is compounded by her parents' constant pinning everything that goes wrong in Brian's life on Liza.
When Dare and Liza decide to give into intense physical attraction they have for each other, they ignore the past, Liza because she doesn't do relationships and Dare because he is finally getting the woman he has wanted forever. The chemistry between Dare and Liza is explosive, they are evenly matched in the bedroom and it is HOT!!! Dare is an incredibly sexy ALPHA, protective and caring. Liza is strong, shy and sexy, watching them fall in love was sweet and addicting. Reality intrudes as a result of Brian's alcoholism and schemes, making the past and all feelings associated with it to rear it's ugly head, causing a rift between Dare and Liza. I felt like Dare and Liza were real friends of mine and watching them deal with their emotional baggage was heartbreaking. With a little help from Ethan, Faith, Nash, Kelly, and sassy Tess, Dare and Liza make it through some incredible trials and challenges to their HEA.
KARMA is an exceptionally written, fast paced, emotional roller coaster, complete with complex characters, sizzling hot loving, humor, and a bit of suspense, that has become one of my absolute favorite books of Carly Phillips (and that's saying a lot, because there are a lot of her books that are my favorites).
Color me excited that even though this is the last of this Serendipity series, we will be returning to Serendipity in February, 2013, with the first book in The Cops of Serendipity trilogy. Of course that is way too long for me to wait to return to Serendipity, so I will be revisiting with a re-read soon!
July 27, 2014
I loved Dare and Liza. She's a wonderful woman, neglected by her parents, who left her with an alcoholic brother and it's up to her to get him out of trouble.
Dare has been in love with her for a long time. ANd now that Liza has to pay her brother's gambling debts, Dare is ready to help her and to keep her!
Good
Dare has been in love with her for a long time. ANd now that Liza has to pay her brother's gambling debts, Dare is ready to help her and to keep her!
Good
February 4, 2013
3.75 stars. Emotional, steamy, angsty read with a lot of miscommunications, misunderstandings and trauma/torment/baggage from the past.
June 25, 2023
Karma by Carly Phillips is book Three in the Serendipity Series. This is the story of Liza McKnight and Dare Barron. Liza and Dare have always had crushes on each other that neither let on. This mainly due to a incident that happened that seem to change everyone when they where younger. Now in their present day, Liza's brother Brian seems to deal with this by drinking. Dare became a Police Officer for their town of Serendipity. Dare is the one that keeps arresting Brian which in turns means that Liza is the one bailing her brother out. But this book takes us into their story dealing with that crush and mystery that between them. Enjoyed.
July 3, 2014
Dare Barron had a big crush on Liza McKnight back when they were kids, though she was a bit older and pretty much out of his league. Now adults, his only real interaction with her is when she comes into the station to bail out her brother, Brian. The attraction is still there, but Dare can’t seem to make himself act on it. Dare hates Brian McKnight. Never friends, they have a past that is inextricably entwined and every time Brian is arrested, memories of the tragic death of a young boy come back to haunt Dare.
Liza McKnight has definitely noticed Dare. Unfortunately, every time she comes into the station, he gives her grief about it making any kind of civilized conversation impossible. But when Dare learns that Liza is in danger, his protective instincts take over and he appoints himself her bodyguard. Being together almost 24/7 ignites their passion and it’s not long before they give in to their attraction. But can Dare accept Liza into his heart when he’s constantly reminded of her brother Brian’s role in the death of young boy? Further, can he ever forgive himself?
I didn’t have to read too far into this book, to know that it would be my favorite of the series so far. In Dare we have a man who suffered greatly in his childhood; first with the loss of his parents, and then by witnessing the death of a young boy. I loved how the author showed two completely opposite outcomes with respect to how Dare chose to live his life in comparison to what happens with Brian McKnight. In here, Dare has become a police officer; committed to taking care of not only his family, but the people in the town. He volunteers at the youth center and heads the D.A.R.E. program at the local school. He does all of this in the hope that educating the youth will prevent another senseless death. Brian McKnight, on the other hand, lives with his guilt by numbing himself with alcohol and gambling away his inheritance; the latter putting himself and by connection, his sister, in grave danger.
It is clear that Dare struggles with his feelings for Liza from the get go. The attraction is there, yet he can’t get over the fact that she continues to enable her brother’s bad habits even after his actions put her life in jeopardy. At this point, we see Dare’s protective instincts soar toward the surface, overriding everything else. In spite of the huge issues with Brian between them, Liza and Dare are perfect for each other. I loved how Dare emphatically states at one point that he’s a “relationship” kind of guy as Liza just as strongly states that she is not relationship material. Liza’s vulnerability comes through so strongly here. Her whole life, she has always felt second best; to her parents she felt no more than a side note and her one prior relationship with a man left her so scarred that she never pursued another. Until Dare that is. In Dare she senses his feelings for her are intense and true and no matter how hard she fights it, she falls, she just can’t help it.
The conflict within the story that puts Liza in danger serves many purposes and provides the catalyst for Dare to find a way to not only forgive himself, but to let go of the intense hatred for Brian McKnight that has festered within him for so many years. I loved watching Dare come to this realization. For years he’d had to fake the “everything is okay” vibe around family and friends. Letting go of the past and making peace with it settled him and let his true self shine through. Liza, too, comes full circle with respect to her feelings about relationships. As Dare learns to forgive, she begins to open her heart to the possibility of love with him.
Brian McKnight is the bad guy in here, but by the end of the story I was really pulling for him as he took that first step to healing by entering a rehab facility. It was really rock bottom time for him, and I could feel his tremendous pain and guilt while at the same time still struggling to take that first step. I truly hope Ms. Phillips has a book planned for him. I’d loved to see him recover, make some amends for his past and find his own HEA.
I love a series that centers around a family setting because you can always count on previous characters making appearances in future books and that is one of the things I adore about a series as a rule. In this book, we get a lot of page time with the previous Barron brothers, Ethan and Nash as well as their wives and of course their sister Tess who can be counted on to keep her brothers on their toes. I also very much enjoyed the changes and growth in the character of Lanie, Faith’s mom who is slowly coming out of her shell in a really good way.
I do hope Ms. Phillips has plans to continue this series. The family element and the small town feel really works. If you enjoy contemporary romance, I definitely recommend!
Liza McKnight has definitely noticed Dare. Unfortunately, every time she comes into the station, he gives her grief about it making any kind of civilized conversation impossible. But when Dare learns that Liza is in danger, his protective instincts take over and he appoints himself her bodyguard. Being together almost 24/7 ignites their passion and it’s not long before they give in to their attraction. But can Dare accept Liza into his heart when he’s constantly reminded of her brother Brian’s role in the death of young boy? Further, can he ever forgive himself?
I didn’t have to read too far into this book, to know that it would be my favorite of the series so far. In Dare we have a man who suffered greatly in his childhood; first with the loss of his parents, and then by witnessing the death of a young boy. I loved how the author showed two completely opposite outcomes with respect to how Dare chose to live his life in comparison to what happens with Brian McKnight. In here, Dare has become a police officer; committed to taking care of not only his family, but the people in the town. He volunteers at the youth center and heads the D.A.R.E. program at the local school. He does all of this in the hope that educating the youth will prevent another senseless death. Brian McKnight, on the other hand, lives with his guilt by numbing himself with alcohol and gambling away his inheritance; the latter putting himself and by connection, his sister, in grave danger.
It is clear that Dare struggles with his feelings for Liza from the get go. The attraction is there, yet he can’t get over the fact that she continues to enable her brother’s bad habits even after his actions put her life in jeopardy. At this point, we see Dare’s protective instincts soar toward the surface, overriding everything else. In spite of the huge issues with Brian between them, Liza and Dare are perfect for each other. I loved how Dare emphatically states at one point that he’s a “relationship” kind of guy as Liza just as strongly states that she is not relationship material. Liza’s vulnerability comes through so strongly here. Her whole life, she has always felt second best; to her parents she felt no more than a side note and her one prior relationship with a man left her so scarred that she never pursued another. Until Dare that is. In Dare she senses his feelings for her are intense and true and no matter how hard she fights it, she falls, she just can’t help it.
The conflict within the story that puts Liza in danger serves many purposes and provides the catalyst for Dare to find a way to not only forgive himself, but to let go of the intense hatred for Brian McKnight that has festered within him for so many years. I loved watching Dare come to this realization. For years he’d had to fake the “everything is okay” vibe around family and friends. Letting go of the past and making peace with it settled him and let his true self shine through. Liza, too, comes full circle with respect to her feelings about relationships. As Dare learns to forgive, she begins to open her heart to the possibility of love with him.
Brian McKnight is the bad guy in here, but by the end of the story I was really pulling for him as he took that first step to healing by entering a rehab facility. It was really rock bottom time for him, and I could feel his tremendous pain and guilt while at the same time still struggling to take that first step. I truly hope Ms. Phillips has a book planned for him. I’d loved to see him recover, make some amends for his past and find his own HEA.
I love a series that centers around a family setting because you can always count on previous characters making appearances in future books and that is one of the things I adore about a series as a rule. In this book, we get a lot of page time with the previous Barron brothers, Ethan and Nash as well as their wives and of course their sister Tess who can be counted on to keep her brothers on their toes. I also very much enjoyed the changes and growth in the character of Lanie, Faith’s mom who is slowly coming out of her shell in a really good way.
I do hope Ms. Phillips has plans to continue this series. The family element and the small town feel really works. If you enjoy contemporary romance, I definitely recommend!
April 30, 2012
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/04/30/...
I’ve been a fan of Carly Phillips for a long time, and whenever she writes books set in small towns, I know that I will be in for a fabulous read. The Serendipity series is no exception, and the third Barron brother book was just as good as the first two.
Dare is the youngest Barron brother and one of the local police officers in Serendipity. Dare has had a longtime crush on Liza, but he only gets to see her when she comes to the station to bail her brother out of jail. He’s long wanted to get to know her better, but between her enabling her brother’s horrible behavior, and Dare’s own secret shame from his past, he had never been able to be anything other than rude and abrasive with her.
Liza has always been attracted to Dare, but he was always so surly with her. But when things at work and in her personal life start spinning out of control, Dare volunteers to be her personal bodyguard. Their attraction to each other spirals and both Dare and Liza begin to fall deeply for each other. But with their pasts intertwined in violence and secrets, will they be able to move past it and start a life together?
I figured that Dare would be the Barron brother with the most issues and secrets, and I loved him for it. The motivation behind him becoming a police officer, his relationship with his brothers, even his interaction with everyone else around him is one of regret and guilt and his never ending desire to make amends for something he had no control over as a child. While I occasionally wanted to smack Dare and tell him to snap out of it, I have to admit that I adored his character so much because of it. And especially once he was able to let go of all that guilt… *melt*
I also really liked Liza for Dare. She seemed to match him so well. Not only was their attraction to each other so obvious from the moment they first laid eyes on each other, but they also balanced each other in every way. Where Liza was soft and insecure, Dare was there to be her strength and build back her confidence. They shared in the guilt from their pasts, and they each did everything possible to help the other move on and get past all the BS.
I was glad to see their relationship progress slowly. Neither one seemed ready or willing to jump into anything serious, and once they did get to that point, they were both careful of their budding relationship. I have to admit that Dare pissed me off a bit when he snapped at Liza after a stressful evening. While I understood why he was so upset, I wanted to hurt him for taking it out on her. At least his way of proving his love to her was pretty epic.
I’m so glad that this will not be the last book in the Serendipity series as a whole. I adore this small town and can’t wait to go back into the town and watch as more of the townsfolk find love.
All in all I was very happy with the third Barron brother Serendipity novel. I adored Dare from the first moment he walked onto the page and couldn’t wait to learn all his secrets. In this regard, Phillips doesn’t disappoint. The romance was wonderful, the heat was intense and the emotional journey from start to finish was a wild ride. Phillips fans will love this installment of the Serendipity Series!
I give Karma a B+
I’ve been a fan of Carly Phillips for a long time, and whenever she writes books set in small towns, I know that I will be in for a fabulous read. The Serendipity series is no exception, and the third Barron brother book was just as good as the first two.
Dare is the youngest Barron brother and one of the local police officers in Serendipity. Dare has had a longtime crush on Liza, but he only gets to see her when she comes to the station to bail her brother out of jail. He’s long wanted to get to know her better, but between her enabling her brother’s horrible behavior, and Dare’s own secret shame from his past, he had never been able to be anything other than rude and abrasive with her.
Liza has always been attracted to Dare, but he was always so surly with her. But when things at work and in her personal life start spinning out of control, Dare volunteers to be her personal bodyguard. Their attraction to each other spirals and both Dare and Liza begin to fall deeply for each other. But with their pasts intertwined in violence and secrets, will they be able to move past it and start a life together?
I figured that Dare would be the Barron brother with the most issues and secrets, and I loved him for it. The motivation behind him becoming a police officer, his relationship with his brothers, even his interaction with everyone else around him is one of regret and guilt and his never ending desire to make amends for something he had no control over as a child. While I occasionally wanted to smack Dare and tell him to snap out of it, I have to admit that I adored his character so much because of it. And especially once he was able to let go of all that guilt… *melt*
I also really liked Liza for Dare. She seemed to match him so well. Not only was their attraction to each other so obvious from the moment they first laid eyes on each other, but they also balanced each other in every way. Where Liza was soft and insecure, Dare was there to be her strength and build back her confidence. They shared in the guilt from their pasts, and they each did everything possible to help the other move on and get past all the BS.
I was glad to see their relationship progress slowly. Neither one seemed ready or willing to jump into anything serious, and once they did get to that point, they were both careful of their budding relationship. I have to admit that Dare pissed me off a bit when he snapped at Liza after a stressful evening. While I understood why he was so upset, I wanted to hurt him for taking it out on her. At least his way of proving his love to her was pretty epic.
I’m so glad that this will not be the last book in the Serendipity series as a whole. I adore this small town and can’t wait to go back into the town and watch as more of the townsfolk find love.
All in all I was very happy with the third Barron brother Serendipity novel. I adored Dare from the first moment he walked onto the page and couldn’t wait to learn all his secrets. In this regard, Phillips doesn’t disappoint. The romance was wonderful, the heat was intense and the emotional journey from start to finish was a wild ride. Phillips fans will love this installment of the Serendipity Series!
I give Karma a B+
April 17, 2012
Blue Ribbon Rating: 4.5 out of 5
Original Review Link
Officer Dare Barron has wanted Liza McKnight since he was a teenager. Unfortunately, a dark incident in his past involving Liza’s brother Brian has made him keep his distance from Liza. The only time he sees her is when she’s bailing Brian out of trouble. But when Brian’s out of control behavior puts Liza in danger, Dare is right there to protect her. Attraction sparks instantly, but will Dare be able to put the past behind him? Or will his anger toward Brian destroy Dare’s burgeoning relationship with Liza?
The third Barron brother meets his match in the engaging, emotional KARMA. Author Carly Phillips is at her best here, gifting readers with characters they are sure to grow attached to and a love story that will make romance readers sigh with pleasure. As a pair, Dare and Liza are fantastic. The dynamic between them is excellent and the sensuality definitely heats up KARMA. Individually, I loved both protagonists. I absolutely adored Liza. She’s intelligent, hardworking and incredibly friendly, but she’s also incredibly vulnerable. No one has ever stood up for her, or even stood with her, and it just plain broke my heart to see someone so worthy of being loved be alone. While Dare accuses her of enabling Brian’s bad behavior – which is true – the reasoning behind it makes Liza’s actions understandable.
And speaking of Dare…whew! I’ve been waiting for this particular Barron brother to get his book and Ms. Phillips did not disappoint. Dare’s sexy as hell, caring and protective, but he is by no means perfect. Guilt, bitterness and internal scarring because of his past all combine to make Dare lose his temper and make mistakes with Liza. Even though he needed to be smacked upside the head at times, I like that he was flawed – it humanized him.
KARMA is the third full-length book in Ms. Phillips’s SERENDIPITY series, but you don’t have to have read SERENDIPITY or DESTINY to follow along. However, Dare’s siblings and sisters-in-law play major roles in KARMA, so if you haven’t read the first two books, you’ll definitely be salivating for them after finishing KARMA. Having read SERENDIPITY and DESTINY, I was delighted to revisit the Barron family. Dare’s family often pokes their noses into his love life, but the real joy of seeing them was in the updates Ms. Phillips gave on their own lives. I finished KARMA feeling satisfied not only with the book itself but with the SERENDIPITY series as a whole. While all three Barron brothers have found love, I desperately hope that KARMA doesn’t mark the end of the SERENDIPITY series, for the town and the townsfolk Ms. Phillips has created are simply delightful. Whether or not my hopes pan out, I’ll definitely be re-reading this wonderful series again and again and again!
Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies.
Original Review Link
Officer Dare Barron has wanted Liza McKnight since he was a teenager. Unfortunately, a dark incident in his past involving Liza’s brother Brian has made him keep his distance from Liza. The only time he sees her is when she’s bailing Brian out of trouble. But when Brian’s out of control behavior puts Liza in danger, Dare is right there to protect her. Attraction sparks instantly, but will Dare be able to put the past behind him? Or will his anger toward Brian destroy Dare’s burgeoning relationship with Liza?
The third Barron brother meets his match in the engaging, emotional KARMA. Author Carly Phillips is at her best here, gifting readers with characters they are sure to grow attached to and a love story that will make romance readers sigh with pleasure. As a pair, Dare and Liza are fantastic. The dynamic between them is excellent and the sensuality definitely heats up KARMA. Individually, I loved both protagonists. I absolutely adored Liza. She’s intelligent, hardworking and incredibly friendly, but she’s also incredibly vulnerable. No one has ever stood up for her, or even stood with her, and it just plain broke my heart to see someone so worthy of being loved be alone. While Dare accuses her of enabling Brian’s bad behavior – which is true – the reasoning behind it makes Liza’s actions understandable.
And speaking of Dare…whew! I’ve been waiting for this particular Barron brother to get his book and Ms. Phillips did not disappoint. Dare’s sexy as hell, caring and protective, but he is by no means perfect. Guilt, bitterness and internal scarring because of his past all combine to make Dare lose his temper and make mistakes with Liza. Even though he needed to be smacked upside the head at times, I like that he was flawed – it humanized him.
KARMA is the third full-length book in Ms. Phillips’s SERENDIPITY series, but you don’t have to have read SERENDIPITY or DESTINY to follow along. However, Dare’s siblings and sisters-in-law play major roles in KARMA, so if you haven’t read the first two books, you’ll definitely be salivating for them after finishing KARMA. Having read SERENDIPITY and DESTINY, I was delighted to revisit the Barron family. Dare’s family often pokes their noses into his love life, but the real joy of seeing them was in the updates Ms. Phillips gave on their own lives. I finished KARMA feeling satisfied not only with the book itself but with the SERENDIPITY series as a whole. While all three Barron brothers have found love, I desperately hope that KARMA doesn’t mark the end of the SERENDIPITY series, for the town and the townsfolk Ms. Phillips has created are simply delightful. Whether or not my hopes pan out, I’ll definitely be re-reading this wonderful series again and again and again!
Note: My review was written for Romance Junkies and is cross-posted here courtesy of Romance Junkies.
December 4, 2013
This is the last Serendipity book by Carly Phillips. It’s about the younger Barron brother, Dare. In Nash’s book, we find out that Dare had kept a huge secret from Nash and we find out what that secret was. In this book, we see the background to all of that and where Dare’s head has been about the secret then and now.
Dare attended a party when he was younger and a kid died at that party. Instead of staying behind and helping the kid or calling 9-1-1, young Dare fled the scene with his friends. The kid ended up dying and Dare has felt guilty ever since. The guy who threw the party was the person to deal the blow that killed the kid and from Dare can see, he hasn’t changed a bit. He’s still a giant asshole and a drunk to boot. He’s still careless and entitled and Dare does not like him.
Staying as far away from Brian McKnight (Haha, I kept singing Do I ever cross your mind….anytime while reading this book) should have been easy for Dare except he had a big thing for Brian’s sister, Liza and all of these years later, that hasn’t changed.
The only thing that has changed is Dare doing something about it. Dare is drawn to Liza and when they start hanging out, things change quickly and he’s left reeling from it all.
Liza has spent her life much like Dare. She’s been trying to make up for past mistakes and she’s not quite sure how she’s doing. She finds out things about her brother that shock the hell out of her and she’s left feeling unbalanced and not in control of herself. She’s drawn to Dare but doesn’t know how a relationship between them can work since he hates her brother with a passion and she owes her brother for being there for her when nobody else was.
Seeing the two of these guys battle their differences in order to be together brought about some interesting reading. I was caught up in their story and their relationship. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours and I’m glad that I read this book because I came to really adore Dare. I loved the protectiveness he had toward Liza and I loved the way he loved her. He was solid and good and he had a knack for knowing exactly what she needed and giving it to her. He loved her without thought and seeing him come to that realization was just too cute for words.
I found myself thinking the same things about Liza that I was thinking about Kelly. I wish she had come out sooner with what she was hiding from Dare. Not that she was outright hiding them from him but she neglected to tell him what was going on and that was what bothered me. I wish she had been straight up and honest with him from the beginning but even though that bothered me, I really enjoyed the book. As much as I adored Dare and enjoyed this story, I think that Nash’s book was my favorite and Nash and Kelly were my favorite couple. Yeah, I’m still reeling from that since I remember so thoroughly hating Nash’s guts.
But this was another great book and I enjoyed it. You should definitely check it out.
Grade: 4.25 out of 5.
Dare attended a party when he was younger and a kid died at that party. Instead of staying behind and helping the kid or calling 9-1-1, young Dare fled the scene with his friends. The kid ended up dying and Dare has felt guilty ever since. The guy who threw the party was the person to deal the blow that killed the kid and from Dare can see, he hasn’t changed a bit. He’s still a giant asshole and a drunk to boot. He’s still careless and entitled and Dare does not like him.
Staying as far away from Brian McKnight (Haha, I kept singing Do I ever cross your mind….anytime while reading this book) should have been easy for Dare except he had a big thing for Brian’s sister, Liza and all of these years later, that hasn’t changed.
The only thing that has changed is Dare doing something about it. Dare is drawn to Liza and when they start hanging out, things change quickly and he’s left reeling from it all.
Liza has spent her life much like Dare. She’s been trying to make up for past mistakes and she’s not quite sure how she’s doing. She finds out things about her brother that shock the hell out of her and she’s left feeling unbalanced and not in control of herself. She’s drawn to Dare but doesn’t know how a relationship between them can work since he hates her brother with a passion and she owes her brother for being there for her when nobody else was.
Seeing the two of these guys battle their differences in order to be together brought about some interesting reading. I was caught up in their story and their relationship. It was a great way to spend a couple of hours and I’m glad that I read this book because I came to really adore Dare. I loved the protectiveness he had toward Liza and I loved the way he loved her. He was solid and good and he had a knack for knowing exactly what she needed and giving it to her. He loved her without thought and seeing him come to that realization was just too cute for words.
I found myself thinking the same things about Liza that I was thinking about Kelly. I wish she had come out sooner with what she was hiding from Dare. Not that she was outright hiding them from him but she neglected to tell him what was going on and that was what bothered me. I wish she had been straight up and honest with him from the beginning but even though that bothered me, I really enjoyed the book. As much as I adored Dare and enjoyed this story, I think that Nash’s book was my favorite and Nash and Kelly were my favorite couple. Yeah, I’m still reeling from that since I remember so thoroughly hating Nash’s guts.
But this was another great book and I enjoyed it. You should definitely check it out.
Grade: 4.25 out of 5.
September 3, 2013
Anyone who became a Carly Phillips fan back when she soared on the success of the Chandler brothers, Hot Zone and Costas sisters series might understandably wonder whether "Karma" was written by the same author.
Phillips' books haven't had the same flow and zing since Ari Costas ventured "Under the Boardwalk" and Kelly Ripa's celebrity endorsement sent readers swooning over "The Bachelor" (Roman Chandler, not those reality show kiss-and-tell hunks and chumps).
The author's tilt to the so-so side appeared to start when she sought to join the mavens of romantic suspense, moving away from what she always has done best: sassy repartee, sizzling love scenes and engaging characters whose angst isn't the primary plot line.
Phillips seems to be in her element when the story is not too stuffy, nor too fluffy, but satisfyingly in between. But her writing has been up, down and all around in recent years -- and that's as good a way as any to describe her latest series set in Serendipity, N.Y.
And "Karma," the third and final Barron brothers book, is one of Phillips' most uneven offerings.
More was expected of Dare, the youngest Barron, who was portrayed in the first two novels as less volatile and brooding than Ethan, the ubiquitous bad boy, and Nash, who displays all the charm of a wounded wolverine before he makes his peace with the past.
Yet in "Karma," Dare's tortured conscience nearly derails the charismatic cop's mutual attraction to alluring architect Liza McKnight, who is struggling to avoid being sucked under by her own emotional whirlpool. Brian, her arrogant, alcoholic brother, is the catalyst to the trouble that flares early and often between Liza and Dare.
One of the most bothersome aspects about "Karma" is the plunge ahead, pull back pace of their courtship, and that's less a description of the sex than of their emotional investment. The numerous and abrupt about-faces may leave some readers feeling like a spectator at a yo-yo exhibition, and in those instances neither character comes out a winner.
Also annoying is what could be dubbed the "Danielle Steel syndrome," or the habit of reiterating too often the pivotal pieces of backstory that readers would have to be comatose to miss in the first place. In "Karma," such repetitions involve Liza's lack of family and friends she can count on and Dare's dubious prospects for forgiving himself and Brian for their youthful lapses in judgment -- with tragic consequences -- at a drunken party Brian hosted.
The bottom line: Curling up with Phillips' Serendipity series, as with many of her other contemporary romance novels, isn't a bad way to pass the time. But it's not as fulfilling as it could and should be.
Phillips' books haven't had the same flow and zing since Ari Costas ventured "Under the Boardwalk" and Kelly Ripa's celebrity endorsement sent readers swooning over "The Bachelor" (Roman Chandler, not those reality show kiss-and-tell hunks and chumps).
The author's tilt to the so-so side appeared to start when she sought to join the mavens of romantic suspense, moving away from what she always has done best: sassy repartee, sizzling love scenes and engaging characters whose angst isn't the primary plot line.
Phillips seems to be in her element when the story is not too stuffy, nor too fluffy, but satisfyingly in between. But her writing has been up, down and all around in recent years -- and that's as good a way as any to describe her latest series set in Serendipity, N.Y.
And "Karma," the third and final Barron brothers book, is one of Phillips' most uneven offerings.
More was expected of Dare, the youngest Barron, who was portrayed in the first two novels as less volatile and brooding than Ethan, the ubiquitous bad boy, and Nash, who displays all the charm of a wounded wolverine before he makes his peace with the past.
Yet in "Karma," Dare's tortured conscience nearly derails the charismatic cop's mutual attraction to alluring architect Liza McKnight, who is struggling to avoid being sucked under by her own emotional whirlpool. Brian, her arrogant, alcoholic brother, is the catalyst to the trouble that flares early and often between Liza and Dare.
One of the most bothersome aspects about "Karma" is the plunge ahead, pull back pace of their courtship, and that's less a description of the sex than of their emotional investment. The numerous and abrupt about-faces may leave some readers feeling like a spectator at a yo-yo exhibition, and in those instances neither character comes out a winner.
Also annoying is what could be dubbed the "Danielle Steel syndrome," or the habit of reiterating too often the pivotal pieces of backstory that readers would have to be comatose to miss in the first place. In "Karma," such repetitions involve Liza's lack of family and friends she can count on and Dare's dubious prospects for forgiving himself and Brian for their youthful lapses in judgment -- with tragic consequences -- at a drunken party Brian hosted.
The bottom line: Curling up with Phillips' Serendipity series, as with many of her other contemporary romance novels, isn't a bad way to pass the time. But it's not as fulfilling as it could and should be.
September 5, 2012
Excellent conclusion to the trilogy. Dare's teenage crush on Liza has never gone away. But the only time they see each other is when she's bailing out her brother and Dare is giving her a hard time about it. His friends have told him that until she sees him as something other than a cop, that's all it will be. Suddenly he's running into her all over town and discovers that the attraction he feels is reciprocated. They give in to their passions and begin a relationship, but it has some major problems they have to work through. When threats are made against Liza, Dare moves in as protector. But he has to learn to deal with her relationship to Brian, and she has to learn to trust.
I really liked both Liza and Dare. Liza is a strong, sexy lady. She works hard, but ends up bailing her brother out of trouble many times. He was responsible for the death of a friend when he was a teen, but his indulgent parents covered it up. They also told Liza it wouldn't have happened if she'd been there. Her parents had been crappy parents, indulging Brian and basically ignoring Liza. She'd also had bad luck with a couple other relationships, and as a result keeps herself emotionally distant from everyone. When she discovers an intense attraction to Dare, she gives in to it, but doesn't expect it to last because nothing ever does. She knows Dare has problems with her brother, but tries to keep the two separate. Unfortunately for her, things are happening that keep blurring the lines. Dare has always seemed to be the happiest of the three Barron brothers. What no one realizes is that he has buried some intense pain very deep. He was at the party where the teenager died and has always felt guilty for not doing anything to try to save the boy. He has always had feelings for Liza, but now he can finally indulge in them. He has a problem in that he really hates Brian for what he did, and that Liza is always helping him. There are several times in the book when I want to smack him for being so judgmental. He really loses it at one point toward the end of the book and nearly ruins his relationship with Liza forever. Thanks to his family he begins to see what he did and makes the effort to right his wrongs. There were parts of this book, especially near the end, that were incredibly emotional to read. I loved seeing more of the brothers and their wives and Tess. Seeing them include Liza in their family was really wonderful. It brought home to Dare just how alone Liza had been, and gave him more insight into why she behaved the way she did. I'm looking forward to going back to Serendipity when the next books come out.
I really liked both Liza and Dare. Liza is a strong, sexy lady. She works hard, but ends up bailing her brother out of trouble many times. He was responsible for the death of a friend when he was a teen, but his indulgent parents covered it up. They also told Liza it wouldn't have happened if she'd been there. Her parents had been crappy parents, indulging Brian and basically ignoring Liza. She'd also had bad luck with a couple other relationships, and as a result keeps herself emotionally distant from everyone. When she discovers an intense attraction to Dare, she gives in to it, but doesn't expect it to last because nothing ever does. She knows Dare has problems with her brother, but tries to keep the two separate. Unfortunately for her, things are happening that keep blurring the lines. Dare has always seemed to be the happiest of the three Barron brothers. What no one realizes is that he has buried some intense pain very deep. He was at the party where the teenager died and has always felt guilty for not doing anything to try to save the boy. He has always had feelings for Liza, but now he can finally indulge in them. He has a problem in that he really hates Brian for what he did, and that Liza is always helping him. There are several times in the book when I want to smack him for being so judgmental. He really loses it at one point toward the end of the book and nearly ruins his relationship with Liza forever. Thanks to his family he begins to see what he did and makes the effort to right his wrongs. There were parts of this book, especially near the end, that were incredibly emotional to read. I loved seeing more of the brothers and their wives and Tess. Seeing them include Liza in their family was really wonderful. It brought home to Dare just how alone Liza had been, and gave him more insight into why she behaved the way she did. I'm looking forward to going back to Serendipity when the next books come out.
September 19, 2015
This review was posted at Under the Covers
So it's official, Dare is my favorite Barron brother. He always seemed like the most carefree of the three and then in the last book we find out something a bit dark in his past that has haunted him and has influenced the man he's become and the things he's had to experience and endure. Guilt for things he really had no control over has been eating at him. And in a roundabout way, the girl that he's always had a crush on is at the center of that. That would be Liza McKnight.
Liza has been enabling her alcoholic brother her whole life and he continues to be an irresponsible mess. Dare has to struggle with his hatred for her brother and his disapproval of how she handles him. But there are secrets in Liza's past as well and reasons why she does what she does.
Dare is such a straight up guy, so strong and just one of those guys that when he is in the room he undoubtedly draws your attention. A few years younger than her, this sexy cop might be just what she needs to finally let herself go. Their relationship had to overcome some pretty hard obstacles and it didn't happen overnight, but I liked that they didn't fight their attraction because of those things. They gave in to it and explored it.
Liza on the other hand is a very strong heroine and I have to respect her for that. She's had to make some tough decisions in her life, dealth with parents that were not the most stellar. It's hard for her to BE loved. But once Dare is in, he doesn't hold back in showing her what it's like to not be alone. Of course, minus one minor mishap in which I might've wanted to bash his head.
Another thing I love about Ms. Phillips books is the fact that we always see more of the rest of the family. The two couples in the previous books are still very much a part of this story, as well as Tess.
I am definitely looking forward to seeing more about the characters from this town in the upcoming spin-off series.
*ARC provided by publisher
So it's official, Dare is my favorite Barron brother. He always seemed like the most carefree of the three and then in the last book we find out something a bit dark in his past that has haunted him and has influenced the man he's become and the things he's had to experience and endure. Guilt for things he really had no control over has been eating at him. And in a roundabout way, the girl that he's always had a crush on is at the center of that. That would be Liza McKnight.
Liza has been enabling her alcoholic brother her whole life and he continues to be an irresponsible mess. Dare has to struggle with his hatred for her brother and his disapproval of how she handles him. But there are secrets in Liza's past as well and reasons why she does what she does.
Dare is such a straight up guy, so strong and just one of those guys that when he is in the room he undoubtedly draws your attention. A few years younger than her, this sexy cop might be just what she needs to finally let herself go. Their relationship had to overcome some pretty hard obstacles and it didn't happen overnight, but I liked that they didn't fight their attraction because of those things. They gave in to it and explored it.
Liza on the other hand is a very strong heroine and I have to respect her for that. She's had to make some tough decisions in her life, dealth with parents that were not the most stellar. It's hard for her to BE loved. But once Dare is in, he doesn't hold back in showing her what it's like to not be alone. Of course, minus one minor mishap in which I might've wanted to bash his head.
Another thing I love about Ms. Phillips books is the fact that we always see more of the rest of the family. The two couples in the previous books are still very much a part of this story, as well as Tess.
I am definitely looking forward to seeing more about the characters from this town in the upcoming spin-off series.
*ARC provided by publisher
September 4, 2013
Oh, Carly Phillips. Another enjoyable story. It's not drop dead fantastic but it is a very good book. I feel like the writing in this series is a little like a procedural but the characters are so likeable and well developed that I just love them.
Dare Barron is the last of the Barron brothers to fall in love and get his HEA. Liza McKnight is a constant reminder of the worst night of Dare's life. Of course, he is drawn to her and she is confused by her feelings for him.
Dare and Liza are thrown together after Liza gets hit in the face with a baseball and she gets a concussion. I will admit that I thought it was a little ridiculous when Dare moved into Liza's house to take care of her as she recovered but as the story progressed it became obvious that Dare really was the only choice. This story includes a drunk and disorderly brother who is constantly making trouble. There are also rich old biddies who look down their noses at everyone. There are mobsters, car accidents, hot sex, poor parenting, introductions of characters for the next couple of books, a teenager, rohypnal and the Barron brother's super fast HEA relationships. And that is just scratches the surface. It could have devolved into a Telenovela at any minute! Carly Phillips pulled back just enough to make the ending realistic.
I would recommend this book for romance lovers. If you want a story that pulls at your heart strings a little then this might be the book for you!
Quotes:
"So you're not his girlfriend?" the teenager asked.
"I'll answer that if you tell me how Faith ended up with a concussion." Liza raised her eyebrows, determined to hold her own with the teen. page 102
And Dare wanted Liza in his bed.
He jerked his head, wondering where that thought had come from. page 5
purchased copy from Target
Dare Barron is the last of the Barron brothers to fall in love and get his HEA. Liza McKnight is a constant reminder of the worst night of Dare's life. Of course, he is drawn to her and she is confused by her feelings for him.
Dare and Liza are thrown together after Liza gets hit in the face with a baseball and she gets a concussion. I will admit that I thought it was a little ridiculous when Dare moved into Liza's house to take care of her as she recovered but as the story progressed it became obvious that Dare really was the only choice. This story includes a drunk and disorderly brother who is constantly making trouble. There are also rich old biddies who look down their noses at everyone. There are mobsters, car accidents, hot sex, poor parenting, introductions of characters for the next couple of books, a teenager, rohypnal and the Barron brother's super fast HEA relationships. And that is just scratches the surface. It could have devolved into a Telenovela at any minute! Carly Phillips pulled back just enough to make the ending realistic.
I would recommend this book for romance lovers. If you want a story that pulls at your heart strings a little then this might be the book for you!
Quotes:
"So you're not his girlfriend?" the teenager asked.
"I'll answer that if you tell me how Faith ended up with a concussion." Liza raised her eyebrows, determined to hold her own with the teen. page 102
And Dare wanted Liza in his bed.
He jerked his head, wondering where that thought had come from. page 5
purchased copy from Target
November 27, 2012
Karma is a pithy contemporary adult romance. It is the 3rd book in the Serendipity series and explores Dare Barron's dark past with the brother of his teenage crush. Dare is a cop. Liza McKnight is the woman he can't get out from under his skin. She is regularly at the police station bailing out her troubled, drunken, no good brother. Liza's enabling of her brother only seems to incense Dare and make him more hostile toward her when she is around.
Liza is exhausted rescuing her troubled brother, Brian, and she doesn't have the time or patience for some sexy, annoying, judgmental cop. What is she to do? Brian was there for her when it really counted and so she owes him. Her parents may not live in the town anymore, but they still expect her to clean up after her brother's messes and keep the family reputation intact. Dare maybe easy on the eyes, but Liza prefers being alone.
The attraction between Dare and Liza is undeniable and intense, but is it enough for Dare to get past his tortured conscience and the disgust he has for Brian? Embezzlement, black mail, car mishaps, kidnapping, and a charity event are all at work creating a deeper connection between Dare and Liza. But can she have the one thing that has eluded her, love? Can Dare make peace with his demons to have the woman who could be his future?
I liked this story. It made me want to read the previous 2 books that tell Dare's brothers stories. I enjoyed the back and forth push and pull between Dare and Liza. I appreciate a story that makes the ending worth while. I initially thought the story would be corny with names like Dare and Serendipity but I couldn't have been more wrong. I look forward to additional books by Carly Phillps.
Liza is exhausted rescuing her troubled brother, Brian, and she doesn't have the time or patience for some sexy, annoying, judgmental cop. What is she to do? Brian was there for her when it really counted and so she owes him. Her parents may not live in the town anymore, but they still expect her to clean up after her brother's messes and keep the family reputation intact. Dare maybe easy on the eyes, but Liza prefers being alone.
The attraction between Dare and Liza is undeniable and intense, but is it enough for Dare to get past his tortured conscience and the disgust he has for Brian? Embezzlement, black mail, car mishaps, kidnapping, and a charity event are all at work creating a deeper connection between Dare and Liza. But can she have the one thing that has eluded her, love? Can Dare make peace with his demons to have the woman who could be his future?
I liked this story. It made me want to read the previous 2 books that tell Dare's brothers stories. I enjoyed the back and forth push and pull between Dare and Liza. I appreciate a story that makes the ending worth while. I initially thought the story would be corny with names like Dare and Serendipity but I couldn't have been more wrong. I look forward to additional books by Carly Phillps.
November 1, 2012
Reviewed for TwoLips Reviews, LLC
4 1/2 Kisses, 1 Pepper (M/F, oral sex)
Dare Barron, officer of the law and youngest of the three Barron brothers, has had a crush on Liza McKnight since high school, long before the fateful party that changed his life forever. He wants her badly, despite the fact that she continues to enable her loser brother's criminal behavior by bailing him out of jail every time he gets in trouble. Dare finally realizes that he's never going to have a chance with her if he keeps putting out disapproving vibes every time he sees her, so he decides to make a change.
When Liza is injured by her idiot brother and has a mild concussion, Dare offers to care for her over the weekend, giving them a perfect opportunity to get close and get to know each other. Their first kiss is super hot and I felt an immediate connection between them. But Liza has serious trust issues and Dare has been dealing with soul-numbing guilt for years. If they can find a way to work through their challenges and inner turmoil, they'll really have something special.
Karma is the third book in the Serendipity trilogy and while it could easily be read as a standalone, I think it helps that I've read the previous two books. I already feel like I know and understand Dare and the past issues he’s facing.
I love their chemistry and Dare and Liza are really likable characters. Karma was a very captivating contemporary romance and a hard book to put down. The ending is very satisfying, and the whole series was wrapped up very nicely. I'm looking forward to reading more works from Carly Phillips.
4 1/2 Kisses, 1 Pepper (M/F, oral sex)
Dare Barron, officer of the law and youngest of the three Barron brothers, has had a crush on Liza McKnight since high school, long before the fateful party that changed his life forever. He wants her badly, despite the fact that she continues to enable her loser brother's criminal behavior by bailing him out of jail every time he gets in trouble. Dare finally realizes that he's never going to have a chance with her if he keeps putting out disapproving vibes every time he sees her, so he decides to make a change.
When Liza is injured by her idiot brother and has a mild concussion, Dare offers to care for her over the weekend, giving them a perfect opportunity to get close and get to know each other. Their first kiss is super hot and I felt an immediate connection between them. But Liza has serious trust issues and Dare has been dealing with soul-numbing guilt for years. If they can find a way to work through their challenges and inner turmoil, they'll really have something special.
Karma is the third book in the Serendipity trilogy and while it could easily be read as a standalone, I think it helps that I've read the previous two books. I already feel like I know and understand Dare and the past issues he’s facing.
I love their chemistry and Dare and Liza are really likable characters. Karma was a very captivating contemporary romance and a hard book to put down. The ending is very satisfying, and the whole series was wrapped up very nicely. I'm looking forward to reading more works from Carly Phillips.
May 27, 2015
I really liked the book. At the beginning of the third book we see dare being a pompous jerk because of something that happened in the past. I liked how it starts with nash and dare, the two closest brothers being estranged and how they have to work on their issues. It is great that it shows that every family has flaws. i loved how lanie became a much better person at the end of the series, and how anabel is with brian because maybe he too deserves forgiveness. There were momemts in the book when I went oh please, like liza would forgiv dare for going condo shopping with cara. I was very happy that the story comes full circle with dare making sure that what happened to stuart did not happen to tess. i would have loved for lanie to find a man of her own however. The fact that annie and joe were together made me feel good about them as a couple. how could brian embezzle from his sister and all, and not think of the consequences of his actions. I was happy to see him sober up at the end of the story. i hated how liza made excuses for brian but loved when cara called dare on his treatment of liza. I understood why dare would not live with the rossmans but felt that he was trying to survive, but did he have to be so high handed about it. I loved how everyhing ties up together with a bow on it. Michelle became a hero, but how could dare blame liza when the party he was thinking of occured years ago. i felt the parents of liza never made brian take responsiblity for his actions . one of the funniest line was when brian said party, what party and dare had been only thinking of one party all the years. glad brian straightened up.
December 21, 2016
Every man had a weakness and apparently she was his. Because being with her meant dealing with garbage he’d hoped to leave in the past. He only hoped he was strong enough to handle it.
Liza was a great heroine. I loved her loyalty to her brother, even though he didn’t really deserve it. It just showed how big her heart was. And the more we got to know her, how awful her parents are and how lonely she really is, I just loved her even more.
Dare has quite a dark past, one that influenced his life in big ways. I loved that Dare has had a crush on Liza since he was a teenager, but because of his hatred for her brother, and his inability to understand why she continues to bail him out of jail, he has never made a move. Until her life is in danger, and Dare decides he’s the only one who can protect her. I loved that the more Dare got to know Liza, the more determined he was in having a relationship with her, no matter how hard she tried to keep things casual between them.
The romance was great, both of them realising there is a lot more to the other than they originally thought and their sizzling chemistry was wonderful. Although I knew the guilt and hate Dare felt for her brother was going to cause trouble for them, I was still very upset at the things he said to her near the end, and he didn’t grovel nearly enough in my opinion. But I was still very glad that things worked out for them in the end.
Carly Phillips always writes such easy and entertaining small town romances, and I really enjoyed this one.
May 4, 2012
Oh Barron brothers, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways: Serendipity, Destiny, and now Karma! Carly Phillips is a really entertaining and wonderfully prolific contemporary romance author. This is good news because once you’re done with the Serendipity series you’ll really want to read earlier works from her (if you haven’t already glommed through everything). She does a very good job of writing entertaining, endearing, and sexy characters. A great example of this would be Dare Barron, from Karma. He’s had a crush on Liza McKnight since he was a teenager but because of a past trauma he’s kept his distance. With their social and professional lives intersecting every time they turn around, they can’t fight any longer the attraction they each feel. But with a past that haunts them both can they work together to accept the pain their pasts have brought in to their lives?
A really great addition to the Serendipity trilogy but it deals with a lot of sensitive and possibly hard to read issues: abuse and addiction. The characters were very well written and the journey they took while addressing and hopefully overcoming these issues was a great wonderfully well written and handled. Good read and I’m excited for what Ms. Phillips has coming next!
A really great addition to the Serendipity trilogy but it deals with a lot of sensitive and possibly hard to read issues: abuse and addiction. The characters were very well written and the journey they took while addressing and hopefully overcoming these issues was a great wonderfully well written and handled. Good read and I’m excited for what Ms. Phillips has coming next!
October 23, 2012
4.5 stars actually for this bittersweet swan song.
This swan song to the Barron Brothers was definitely bittersweet and a very strong entry wrapping the series. It’s Dare’s turn to flex, and flex he does as a knight in shining armor, ever ready to save his chosen damsel in distress. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Dare & Liza who actually seemed perfect for each other. While the brothers and their wives played secondary roles this time out, their appearances reminded me fondly of their time front and center. They are in for more than cameos but don’t overtake the story and you get enough of them to know they are not only still around, they are very much part of this family themed series. The crux of this outing finishes up issues raised during the last book and let you know just how far reaching things actually were. Once again Ms. Phillips makes you wonder why this genre isn’t everyone’s favorite.
While I would advise that you read this in order, you won���t be totally lost if you don’t. There are bridges within the books to remind you this is a series, but enough information is given so that you are not lost.
This swan song to the Barron Brothers was definitely bittersweet and a very strong entry wrapping the series. It’s Dare’s turn to flex, and flex he does as a knight in shining armor, ever ready to save his chosen damsel in distress. I really enjoyed the chemistry between Dare & Liza who actually seemed perfect for each other. While the brothers and their wives played secondary roles this time out, their appearances reminded me fondly of their time front and center. They are in for more than cameos but don’t overtake the story and you get enough of them to know they are not only still around, they are very much part of this family themed series. The crux of this outing finishes up issues raised during the last book and let you know just how far reaching things actually were. Once again Ms. Phillips makes you wonder why this genre isn’t everyone’s favorite.
While I would advise that you read this in order, you won���t be totally lost if you don’t. There are bridges within the books to remind you this is a series, but enough information is given so that you are not lost.
June 9, 2012
I feel that this book is the most emotional in this series.
Both Dare and Liza had a lot of baggage making their relationship not an easy one. But I loved reading how they worked through their issues and came together. It was also sad reading how Liza grew up, the things she longed for, the woman she is. I'm glad that Dare was perfect for her.
It was also sweet reading how Faith and Liza clicked again despite not keeping contact over the years. It was also sweet that Kelly and Liza became close too. I felt comforted reading the support that Liza had especially when times became even more difficult and while dealing with the insecurities she had with Dare.
I also admired the courage that Dare had to overcome his own issues. I thought it was honorable of him to find Brian and helped him. I love a man who isn't afraid of admitting his mistakes and setting things right.
Great series and wonderful, heartwarming closure. Can't wait to read the upcoming books happening in Serendipity.
Both Dare and Liza had a lot of baggage making their relationship not an easy one. But I loved reading how they worked through their issues and came together. It was also sad reading how Liza grew up, the things she longed for, the woman she is. I'm glad that Dare was perfect for her.
It was also sweet reading how Faith and Liza clicked again despite not keeping contact over the years. It was also sweet that Kelly and Liza became close too. I felt comforted reading the support that Liza had especially when times became even more difficult and while dealing with the insecurities she had with Dare.
I also admired the courage that Dare had to overcome his own issues. I thought it was honorable of him to find Brian and helped him. I love a man who isn't afraid of admitting his mistakes and setting things right.
Great series and wonderful, heartwarming closure. Can't wait to read the upcoming books happening in Serendipity.
January 11, 2014
Here's the thing, I liked this book until the last 50ish pages and then Dare (the hero) is such a MASSIVE dick in what he does to Liza at the hospital that when she forgives (which no sane woman would do) I don't actually believe their HEA. Liza deserves better after having a truly horrible set of parents and brother who she enables. I believed her growth and change in the book, and I appreciated all the effort she made. Dare, on the other hand, supposedly had growth and change in the book for something which is completely not his fault, and I have no sympathy for his guilt as it is insanely misplaced, and when he does finally grow up and realize he needs to change it all happens in about 10 pages. None of which I believe. And she forgives him??? Whhy????
It all made me want to throw the book over my balcony.
I really wanted to like this book (good premise and legit conflict) but the ending just ruined it. I'm pretty sure Liza and Dare will be headed for divorce court in 10 years after he continues to be a judgemental ass. So, that is not a happily ever after.
It all made me want to throw the book over my balcony.
I really wanted to like this book (good premise and legit conflict) but the ending just ruined it. I'm pretty sure Liza and Dare will be headed for divorce court in 10 years after he continues to be a judgemental ass. So, that is not a happily ever after.
March 29, 2013
Beautiful story! I didnt expect that Dare was going to be complicated. The story started light hearted and i loved how the story turned more serious and focused on tackling Dare and Liz's past and dealing with Brian, which i thought was handled pretty well.
There were some parts of the story that was jarring esp during Dare and Liz fighting about her enabling her brother. I can understand Dare's frustration but also relate to Liz's situation of wanting to help his brother. Im actually looking forward to see a story of Brian and what happens when he gets out of the treatment center.
I also liked how solid the barron family has become. I admit i couldnt finish reading and Nash and Kelly's story because i didnt like both of their characters but in this book they were pretty cool so i might go back and finish their story. A lot of characters were introduced and im excited to read the next trilogy!
There were some parts of the story that was jarring esp during Dare and Liz fighting about her enabling her brother. I can understand Dare's frustration but also relate to Liz's situation of wanting to help his brother. Im actually looking forward to see a story of Brian and what happens when he gets out of the treatment center.
I also liked how solid the barron family has become. I admit i couldnt finish reading and Nash and Kelly's story because i didnt like both of their characters but in this book they were pretty cool so i might go back and finish their story. A lot of characters were introduced and im excited to read the next trilogy!
February 13, 2013
1-1/2 stars
I won this book in a giveaway from one my book blogs, Bookpushers. I had never read a Carly Phillips book before, but they are so popular, I figured I would try one. But I hated it. HATED IT
This book had very cookie cutter, one dimensional characters. I thought the treatment matter of some very serious issues, like alcohol addiction, gambling with threatening leg-breakers as a result of gambling debts, enabling behavior, and parental neglect were treated very superficially and in a trite manner. Things resolved too easily into saccharine little bows.
And the characters! I didn't like either of them, but I found Dare to be more of an asshat than Liza was. I was actively rooting against a HEA. Lia shouldn't have forgiven Dare- she should have told him to f#%k off.
I am not going to try another Carly Philips book. This was like a USA Today sort of lite story without redeeming qualities. I did appreciate the giveaway, but this was not the author for me.
I won this book in a giveaway from one my book blogs, Bookpushers. I had never read a Carly Phillips book before, but they are so popular, I figured I would try one. But I hated it. HATED IT
This book had very cookie cutter, one dimensional characters. I thought the treatment matter of some very serious issues, like alcohol addiction, gambling with threatening leg-breakers as a result of gambling debts, enabling behavior, and parental neglect were treated very superficially and in a trite manner. Things resolved too easily into saccharine little bows.
And the characters! I didn't like either of them, but I found Dare to be more of an asshat than Liza was. I was actively rooting against a HEA. Lia shouldn't have forgiven Dare- she should have told him to f#%k off.
I am not going to try another Carly Philips book. This was like a USA Today sort of lite story without redeeming qualities. I did appreciate the giveaway, but this was not the author for me.
June 22, 2023
5 Star Review Karma (Serendipity #3) by Carly Phillips
We are back in Serendipity N.Y. for Officer Dare Barron and Liza McKnight’s story and what an entertaining story it was. They have a complicated relationship since Liza’s brother Brian is always having issues with the law.
Dare has had feelings for Liz for as long as he can remember but he has never crossed the line, fearing the complications that would arise. However, all that is about to change. When Liza finds herself in need of protection, Dare steps up.
Their journey wasn’t easy but it was worth it. Seeing familiar faces make an appearance added an extra layer to the story. Can he convince Liza to take a chance? Will he be able to break through the walls that Liza has surrounded herself with?
We are back in Serendipity N.Y. for Officer Dare Barron and Liza McKnight’s story and what an entertaining story it was. They have a complicated relationship since Liza’s brother Brian is always having issues with the law.
Dare has had feelings for Liz for as long as he can remember but he has never crossed the line, fearing the complications that would arise. However, all that is about to change. When Liza finds herself in need of protection, Dare steps up.
Their journey wasn’t easy but it was worth it. Seeing familiar faces make an appearance added an extra layer to the story. Can he convince Liza to take a chance? Will he be able to break through the walls that Liza has surrounded herself with?
July 15, 2014
What a great read! I really enjoyed these Barron brother's. Dare's character while seeming lighthearted and forgiving in the other two novels was actually a tortured sould. Living with something that he couldn't change. Liza's character is so simliar she also carried guilt from the same tragic thing her past plus some more demons. The tug of war that Dare puts Liza through in this book broke my heart a little with each page I turned. I would've smacked him if he was standing nearby. Obviously this book had my emotions on overdrive. I would recommend this book, but it's better if you read the series from the begining.
December 30, 2020
I loved this story so much. Carly Phillips books are filled with so much fun and great characters and great stories. I love her books and this one didn't disappoint. This book is the last of the Barron Brothers books from Serendipity. I loved this series. It's about family love and how strong it is even in the face of extremely difficult times. This story touches on some tough issues but Carly Phillips brings us through them with such compassion.
January 12, 2013
Loved this series. Hot scenes, hot guys, great female characters, story never got boring. Each book was different and exciting.
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