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Chicago Stars #6

by Susan Elizabeth Phillips

Anabelle, dueña de una agencia matrimonial, necesita un cliente de alto perfil para promocionar su negocio. Ha conseguido al soltero de oro Heath Champion. Los malentendidos, la diversión y el romance, están servidos…

Annabelle es la menor de tres hermanos de una exitosa familia que a la muerte de su abuela decide hacerse cargo del negocio de ésta, una agencia matrimonial. Para poder despegar como negocio independiente se da cuenta de que debe encontrar un cliente influyente y conseguirle la esposa perfecta, por lo que pide ayuda a una de sus mejore amigas, Molly, casada con un jugador de fútbol profesional. Ésta le consigue una entrevista con Heath Champion, agente de jugadores, rico y soltero, que acaba de contratar a otra agencia para que le busque una esposa. En principio, Heath, un hombre que ha llegado a la riqueza por sus propios medios y que considera que ya le ha llegado el momento de formar una familia, sólo accede a entrevistarse con Annabelle por su amistad con el esposo de Molly, sin ninguna intención de contratarla, pero Annabelle consigue que le dé una sola oportunidad; si le concierta una cita con una mujer adecuada, que para él implica guapa, educada y hogareña, considerará contratarla... De allí en adelante, todo son malentendidos, encuentros y desencuentros, pasiones fulminantes y diversión a granel.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Chick Lit, Sports, Sports Romance, Fiction

384 pages, Flexible con solapas

First published August 1, 2005

About the author

SUSAN ELIZABETH PHILLIPS

Susan Elizabeth Phillips has been called the “Queen of Romantic Comedy and is the creator of the sports romance, beginning with her 1989 bestseller, FANCY PANTS. An internationally acclaimed author, her books have been published in over 30 languages. She’s the only four-time recipient of the Romance Writers of America’s prestigious Favorite Book of the Year Award, and a recipient of their Lifetime Achievement Award.

Susan's newest book, SIMPLY THE BEST, is coming in hardcover, ebook and audiobook in February 2024. SIMPLY THE BEST is book #10 in the highly acclaimed CHICAGO STARS football series. Susan is also known for the Wynette, Texas book series and many stand-alone women's fiction/romance novels.

In addition to being a New York Times, Publisher’s Weekly, and USA Today bestseller, she is a hiker, lazy gardener, horrible singer, passable cook, passionate reader, wife, mother of two grown sons, and grandmother.

You can visit Susan on Facebook, Instagram or on her website.

https://www.facebook.com/SusanElizabe...

https://www.instagram.com/SEPauthor/

http://susanelizabethphillips.com/

Reviews

[Dina · Rating 4 out of 5]

Let me start by saying this: I admit I'm a "sexist" and I read romance novels mostly for the hero. As long as the hero is worth it and the heroine isn't a pain in the a$$, I'm happy.

That said, I have to state that the best thing about Match Me If You Can was Annabelle and not Heath. She was just adorable in her quirkiness, the kind of friend I cherish in RL. She loved Heath, so I wanted her to have him. Not because he was to-die-for, but because he was "the one" for her. Seriously, I spent a large portion of the book frustrated with his "blindness" and wanting to shake some sense into him. In the end, I was thrilled to see him voicing my feelings brilliantly:

"I'm sorry it took me so long to get my head straight, but, as you've been quick to point out, I'm an idiot (...)"

Yes, you were, Heath! Obviously, that simple statement wasn't enough to win Annabelle right back. She needed deserved the whole package and not the scraps Heath was willing to give at 1st, so kudos to her for sticking to her principles until he finally proved to be worthy of her.

This was only my 2nd book by SEP, but I've been told she likes to make her heroes do some serious groveling before conquering their heroines back. Groveling scenes are complicated to me, because they usually come after some ugly and almost unforgiveable behavior by the hero, so I was happy to see that Heath's actions weren't that damaging and unforgiveable. The usually ruthless and goal-oriented man was just clueless when it came to wooing Annabelle, which only showed how much she was important to him.

I loved the cast of secondary characters - all of them, but especially little Pippy and her fascination with cell phones - as they added an interesting layer to the story and helped me understand Heath and Annabelle's personalities better. Their scenes were great at "showing, not telling" what made Heath and Annabelle tick, and there was some great writing there, IMHO.

All in all, this was a very enjoyable read, light, funny and downright hilarious at times. A straight contemporary novel with neither sudden plot twists nor emotionally-draining angst, a lovely heroine, a nice (but emotional slow) hero and a bunch of secondary characters that didn't feel like fillers. I can't say SEP has become one of my favorite authors yet, but she's on my radar and I'll definitely give her another try.

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Listened to the AUDIBLE. Enjoyed it just as much as reading it!!

================================================================

l loved it just as much, if not more, the second time around.


Annabelle. What's not to love? A strong, independent lady who won't bow down to the whims of her family. She knows what she wants to do and she goes for it.


Heath. Sexy, and boy does he know it. But he's made a name for himself and is now a smart, confident, rich guy.


Great to catch up with Phoebe, Dan, Molly, Kevin and the gang.



I know, Heath's description in the book is nothing like this guy but who cares.... I know what I like so I will just go with what I like!!


Pippi, what a cutie she was.

And we had a secondary story going with Heath's friend, Bodie. Cannot recommend this author enough.

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars

I’m just gonna say this:



QUICK REVIEW:

Enjoyment:: 4/5
Writing style: 5/5
Storyline: 5/5
Hero: 4/5
Heroine: 4/5
Secondary characters: 5/5
Hotness/chemistry: 3.5/5
Romance: 4/5
Angst: 2.5/5
Darkness level: 2/5
Humor: 4/5
Depth of the book: 5/5
POV: multiple, 3rd person
Triggers: none

[peachygirl · Rating 5 out of 5]

SEP writes alpha males like nobody's business.
Was it just me or did anyone else get "Josh and Hazel's guide to not dating" vibes during the Python's dates set up by Annabelle? I couldn't help but draw parallels between both.
The chemistry between Annabelle and Heath was electrifying, the banter was phenomenal and the writing was so freaking good. Even the secondary couple had a better romance than the entire Twilight series put together.
There was not a single character I didn't like and some of them were pretty unforgettable. Yesssss, I am talking about Dean freaking Robillard. That guy was such a sweetheart and I cannot wait to get my hands on his book!

[EmBibliophile · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

This is like the really old fashioned version of josh and hazel’s guide to not dating and managed. If these two books were relatives somehow, this one would’ve been their grandmother.

I’ve been slowly making my way through this series, just to get to this one, because it seemed to be everyone’s favorite. Now for some reason, this turned out being my least favorite in the whole series and I’m so disappointed, because it had a grumpy manager and a sunshine heroine and it should’ve worked for me. But nope I‘d even take the one who tricked a man to get herself pregnant than this one.

[♥Sharon♥ · Rating 5 out of 5]

💙💙I loved reading this one but I have to say I LOVED listening to it even more. I am such a huge fan of SEP and this series. I’m looking forward to listening to the new releases coming next month! 💙💙

😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊

And the magic continues. Though I have to admit, I wasn’t sure if I was going to love this one as much as the other. I wondered how SEP would pull it off since these two characters were not part of the immediate Chicago Stars family but she did it. I. LOVED. IT.

I’m going to try to keep this one short and sweet.

In Match Me If You Can we meet Heath. He is Kevin Tucker’s agent. He was sexy, had a killer smile and dressed to kill. He was also known as the Python.



Having just about everything he wanted, having met all the goals he set for himself, all that was left for him to do is find the perfect wife. Enter Annabelle. Or as Pippi would say Belle. :)



Annabelle will do what’s needed to keep Heath as her client with her match making company. But one little misunderstanding involving a Princess Party creates a bit of a bump in the road for the both of them.



Sweet Pippi Tucker was Heath’s nemesis. He wouldn’t admit to it but he loved the little girl. It would be a secret that Pippi whispers in his ear that will make her his little angel.

Heath was certainly hard to please. With every perfect woman Annabelle handed over to him came one rejection after another. Slow to realize what he had right in front of him Heath ends up making a mistake that might not be fixable.



Like I said, I wasn’t sure if I was going to love this one as much as the others. But I did. It was fun to catch up with Phoebe & Molly. The ladies book club was a hoot too. I loved going back to Wind Lake. Something sexy always goes on in one of those cottages. ❤

I enjoyed meeting Bodie (Heath’s driver & partner). The side story with him and Portia was a great offset to the main plot. Their story was just as sweet and sexy too.

This is such an amazing series and I will highly recommend it to anyone who already loves Susan Elizabeth Phillips writing or to anyone who has yet to read anything from her.

[Jackie · Rating 2 out of 5]

I often have mixed feelings about SEP books, but this one really made me uncomfortable. Some takeaway messages:

• To start your book off with a bang, make your heroine an insecure screw-up and make sure you mess up her clothes and make her late for an important appointment
• It's ok if your family denigrates and insults you, as long as they love you (you, of course, being a woman)
• Men who work too hard have to fall in love and they'll learn to scale back; women who work too hard have to have their careers destroyed, their sexual preference for dominant men confirmed, and be forced to appear in public in an embarrassing physical predicament in order to reform (but of course we'll take it all back in a feel-good epilogue)
• Men don't like to read; the rare odd one who does can't be in the all-women's book club because he'd throw off the "dynamic"
• You shouldn't worry too much about your clothes, girls, but reading about them is definitely worth your time
• All girl-children like princess parties, especially when all the dresses are pink

Yeah, I know it's supposed to be funny. But so much of the humor rests on gender stereotypes that I just didn't find myself laughing...

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

Match Me If You Can is book six in the Chicago Stars series by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I FINISHED THIS SERIES! Yes, I read them out of order. But I loved every single book and this one was a great one to finish with. I adored these characters. SEP writes the BEST FMC’s that just steal our hearts right out of our chests. And don’t get me started on Heath. He tested me a time or two but I loved watching his heart grow bigger and bigger. And once again SEP snuck in a secondary couple with a little story of their own.



Annabelle Granger is thirty one years old. Annabelle has moved to Chicago and taken over her beloved grandmother’s matchmaking business, living in her grandmother’s home after she passed away. Annabelle has two very successful older brothers and also her parents who like to remind her often that she should do more with her life. But Annabelle is determined that she will turn her grandmother’s business around. In order to do that, she needs to snag a high profile client, namely one very well known bachelor that is looking for a wife.

Heath Champion is a thirty four year old sports agent. He had a terrible childhood and has made it his life’s ambition to be a success in his adult life. Part of that plan is to marry the perfect woman. But Heath works twenty four hours a day which doesn’t leave much time for searching for a wife. So he hired a very prominent matchmaking service but they haven’t come through yet. Then the very unusual woman with the crazy hair storms into his office claiming that she can find him the perfect wife. Let the games begin!



These two! I laughed so much but they also squeezed my heart! Annabelle has such a huge heart and as much as she tries to avoid it, that heart starts to fall for Heath. I loved the effect Annabelle had on Heath who is all work and no play. Heath who will do anything for his clients but has no life of his own. Heath who THINKS he knows what he wants but just might be very mistaken.

As I said before, we also get a second couple that has a little bit of a story themselves. And of course, I loved all of the secondary characters. We get to know Dean Robillard in this book who is the main character of the next book, Natural Born Charmer, which I’ve already read and adored. This entire series is amazing. Each book can be read as a standalone and is it’s own experience. But seriously, if you read just one, you won’t be able to stop until you’ve read them all.

For more about this book and so many others, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/Carol...

[Mandy · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS

“If I could put my brain in her body, the world would be mine for the taking.”



OH MY GOD! Why I did not read this earlier I do not understand. This book was the perfect mix of romance,banter, and heart pounding moments. I loved the dialogue between Annabelle and Heath. I loved Annabelle's sassy wit. I loved Heath's sexy, arrogant-as-hell attitude. Basically I loved everything about it.

Heath Champion aka The Python, is Chicago's sexiest bachelor, who needs a "perfect" wife by his 35th birthday. Having already hired Portia Powers, he refuses to hire Annabelle as well. But he was pleasantly surprised by Annabelle's tenacious attitude and her earnestness, and decides to give her a shot.

Annabelle is ecstatic that she landed Heath as a client. With overbearing parents, and brothers who are settled and happily married, Annabelle is the odd one out. She is determined to prove to her parents that she is successful as well. All she has to do is find Heath a wife.

I loved watching their relationship progressing. Heath makes Annabelle sit through every new introduction between him and potential candidates was highly entertaining. Her quick wit and humour amused me to no ends. Unlucky for Annabelle because every candidate she proposed was rejected. And after all, the one who Heath has all the delicious chemistry is with Annabelle.

But although Annabelle is fun, sharp-witted, and smart, she's isn't sophisticated or classy enough. His idea of a dream wife is a elegant and sweet lady who will reflect every accomplishment in his life.

“He grinned, and right then it occurred to him that he hadn't enjoyed himself so much with a woman in a very long time. If Annabelle Granger were a few inches taller, a hell of a lot more sophisticated, better organized, less bossy, and more inclined to worship at his feet, she'd have made a perfect wife.”

But Heath finds there is a difference between what he thinks he wants, to what he really needs.

Overall, it was an amazing read. This was my first SEP book, and it most certainly won't be my last.

[Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Damn, I found a winner!!!

I freaking loved book 1 in the series and now book 6 Match me if you can totally overthrew book 1 from the pedestal...

It's all you seek in a romance, I don't wanna dwell on that, and neither should you...and just like the line in the book goes:

Hey, this is supposed to be like in Jerry Maguire. Remember?
'You had me at hello.

Maybe, it didnt quite happened that way for Annabelle Granger aka Tinker Bell and Heath Champion, in this hilariously spontanious, funny, sweet and a bit angsty romance drama about a matchmaker and a hotshot spirts agent in pursuit for a wife-a perfect wife.

When in fact, he had the best thing ever right in front of him the whole time.

So, yeah...it took them to get there...it wasnt 'at hello' for them, but it was for me and it was perfect either way!

Why are you smiling?" his wife asked, with a smile of her own.
"Because you're perfect."
"No, I'm not," she laughed. "But I'm perfect for you."

Amen.

Hook, line & sinker

One of my fave books as of now!

[Mo · Rating 5 out of 5]

I feel a bit sad i.e. pathetic when I re-read these SEP book. I feel some of you are rolling your eyes saying "what is she doing reading/listening to that AGAIN?" I don't know, I can't help myself, especially if I have read a few "dud" books ... at least I know with an old favourite, I will be in a happy place... and I was. I love Heath and Annabelle and the supporting cast from all the other books. It was raining all day long here yesterday so that was my excuse for just staying put and re-reading!!

[Ingie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written May 5, 2015

4.4 Stars - Amusing, romantic, great high quality m/f romance as always from SEP

I just finished the 11:15 hrs audiobook edition amazingly well narrated by always delivering Anna Fields. — I love all these characters, this style of contemporary and enjoyed every minute.

This will be a lazy review... you all already know how much I like these Susan Elizabeth Phillips romances. It's not much to say: this was another GREAT installment to an fantastic series.

*********************************************

“Basically, you expect me to find your bride, court her, and hand her over at the altar. Or do I have to come on the honeymoon, too?”
“Definitely not.” He gave her a lazy smile.
“I can take care of that all by myself.”

From the book blurb:
« Why does the wealthy, driven, and gorgeous sports agent Heath Champion need a matchmaker, especially a red-haired screw-up like Annabelle Granger? True, she's entertaining, and she does have a certain quirky appeal.

But Heath is searching for the ultimate symbol of success -- the perfect wife. And to make an extraordinary match, he needs an extraordinary matchmaker, right? »

‘He grinned, and right then it occurred to him that he hadn't enjoyed himself so much with a woman in a very long time. If Annabelle Granger were a few inches taller, a hell of a lot more sophisticated, better organized, less bossy, and more inclined to worship at his feet, she'd have made a perfect wife.’

********************************************

Match Me If You Can from the Chicago Stars fotball 'world' is book #6 published 2005 and this is my sixth book (not read in order - standalones) in this series. (Reviews in my reading order:

I read by myself as paperbacks and loved:
• #2 - Heaven, Texas (5 stars),
Gracie Snow & Bobby Tom Denton
• #1 - It Had to Be You (4.5 stars),
Phoebe Somerville & Dan Calebow

I listened to audiobooks, faultlessly narrated by Anna Fields:
• #7 - Natural Born Charmer (4.1 stars),
Blue Bailey & Dean Robillard
• #5 - This Heart of Mine (4,0 stars),
Molly Somerwille & Kevin Tucker
• #3 - Nobody's Baby But Mine (4.7 stars),
Jane Darlington & Cal Bonner

~ all five with an easy going amusing style. Higly recommended as audiobooks as well.)

*********************************************

No complaints, just a happy joy-cry from my corner
Admittedly, are perhaps some of these books a bit in years soon, but don't hesitate, this is genuine traditional well-made romances in the wittily fun entertaining genre. Romantic emotional, with lovely kissable smexy sexy heroes and the funniest and sweetest heroines. You just want to be one of those adorable heroines. Never ever annoying or clingy, just the best and loveliest.

(I, in any case, hope for an invitation to these ladies awesome book club. It's still more or less fair since I hardly have a chance to get a sexy Chicago Stars man to my future (dream) hubby. ~ Awwww, those lucky girls! )

I LIKE - hilarious funny romances

[Christina ~ Brunette Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

4,5 "Perfect for You" Stars

... and right then it occurred to him that he hadn't enjoyed himself so much with a woman in a very long time.

Fun, fun, fun! A non-stop romantic funfest from start to finish where Annabelle Granger, a quirky thirty-something matchmaker with a fledgling business, a colourful wardrobe and a big heart meets Heath Champion, a too-handsome NFL top agent with a goal in mind: marrying his ideal woman, aka everything Annabelle is not. Will our resourceful matchmaker be able to find her for him?
Not an easy fit, considering a battalion of nosy relatives, stubborn ageing clients, several bad-hair days, shark-on-stilettos competitors and most of all, a potential Mr. Right who hasn't realised yet that, in life, what you think you want doesn't always match with what you really need...

A writing that just keeps you turning the pages, snappy humour, sizzling chemistry, brilliant dialogues, a very amusing but not excessively intrusive secondary romance, an endearing cast of characters from previous (and next) books well and lively crafted just as much as the leading couple. Annabelle and Heath both have likeable, strong personalities and all their interactions, from sparring to teasing to flirting, are a hoot. Seeing them first skirting around each other all business-like and then gloating while they got entangled in their own unexpected emotions made for a wild romp punctuated by some head-shaking at their stubbornness, frequent laughing out loud moments and rewarding sighing at their cuteness (... but don't tell Heath this last one!).
Romantic comedy doesn't get much better than this.

Buddy-read with Jill :)

[Amy | Foxy Blogs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Match Me If You Can is about Heath, the wealthy sports agent, who wants the perfect wife. Of course, he's too busy to look for this perfect woman and instead has two different match making agencies in search of her. Annabelle is the owner of one of those agencies and she's determined to find him the perfect woman.

Heath's demands on Annabelle created a lot of fun banter. Having Annabelle attend all the introductions between him and the potential candidates built lively conversation between the two of them. At this point, in the story, she had fallen for him and of course he was totally clueless to her feelings towards him.



Match Me If You Can is part of the Chicago Stars series and while it's book #6 in the series I was able to read it just fine even though I've only read book #1. Don't let the series numbers stop you from giving it a try. I enjoyed listening to this audio while I painted our fence. It helped pass the hours. My kids thought it was funny the only place I ended up with paint was on my ear (from pulling out my headphones).

SERIES:

And the author has announced she is making another book- http://susanelizabethphillips.com/f-a-q/

[Antonella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Susan Elizabeth Phillips books....



And I don't know who I like more the hero or the heroine ...



Definitely on the top of my favorites in the series!!



This is one of the go-to rereads in this series when I need a pick-me-up and feel-good book. A stand out and I really enjoyed these characters, the storyline, and the couple.

[L. · Rating 1 out of 5]

Some readers would consider this a contemporary romance. I call it chick-lit, because I'm doing a chick-lit challenge and I don't feel like digging up another book. Besides, Match Me If You Can conforms to all the chick-lit rules. There's a ne'er-do-well heroine who can't do anything right (work, love, relationships, etc.); the hero is rich and handsome (and nothing more); there are some sidekicks who are supportive and/or quirky; and there's endless, endless, endless descriptions of what these characters are wearing and brand name products they use. Because, you know, chicks care about these details. But I don't. OMG, what's wrong with me?!? Why am I not materialistic enough for chick-lit??

But I digress.

Annabelle Granger, jack of all trades - master of none, has inherited her late grandmother's matchmaking service. To pull the struggling business into the black, Annabelle needs to land a big name client. That big name is sports agent Heath Champion. He's a self-made millionaire, Harvard graduate, Olympian god incarnate, so of course he's having trouble finding a wife. Fighting against Annabelle is rival matchmaker Portia Powers. She's able to throw beautiful, intelligent, successful women at Heath, because they also have problems finding men and need a matchmaker. (I never realized how hard it is to be rich and beautiful. I'm beginning to feel sorry for them.) Portia and another side character, Bodie, have their own relationship problems, but they're not really in the book enough for me to come to care about them and their hill of beans. Frankly, I didn't care about Annabelle and Heath, and they're the stars of this story.

Negatives: There was no real connection between the h/h. Except for getting into his bank account and bed, I saw no reason for Annabelle to be attracted to Heath.

The blurbs on the back of the book say this is supposed to be a funny novel. I'm still waiting. Maybe the publisher mails you the jokes after you're done reading.

Positives: Ummmmmmm.... I didn't hate it enough not to finish reading it.

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm totally reading the books in this series out of order, but hey, real life is so hectic right now and listening to audiobooks is the only way I can get any reading done. I'll take these books in whatever order I can get them and so far I don't see it interfering with my enjoyment of them.

Heath Champion is a sexy, successful sports agent who has everything he wants, except for one thing...a wife. In order to find the right woman, he's hired a matchmaking service to help. At the same time though he takes a meeting with Annabelle Granger as a favor to a friend.

Annabelle has just taken over her grandmother's matchmaking service. She needs Heath as a client to prove to herself and her family that she is a successful business woman. Her quirky behavior and banter with Heath was amusing to watch. Heath insists that Annabelle be present for every introduction to a new woman.

"Basically, you expect me to find your bride, court her and hand her over at the alter. Or do I have to come on the honeymoon too?"

"Definitely not. I can take care of that all by myself."

Through all of these dates and shared conversations, Annabelle finds herself falling for him. It takes a while too, but eventually Heath finally catches on...

"Annabelle Granger was his perfect match."

This was such a fun, sassy read. I loved how Annabelle didn't hold anything back when talking to Heath. I also loved the side romance going on between Bodie and Portia. And who couldn't love the phone stealing little Pippi. I can't wait to read/listen to the next book.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 STARS


Another stunner from Susan Elizabeth Phillips! I can’t seem to get enough of these books. Match Me if You Can is Book 5 in the Chicago Stars series, and it features Kevin Tucker’s sports agent...

Heath Champion, who has enlisted the aid of a matchmaking firm to find him the perfect wife… before his upcoming deadline for marriage, his thirty-fifth birthday.



“I’m looking for someone extraordinary.”

It seems Heath has his life planned to the “T.” After surviving his disaster of a childhood, Heath has dedicated his life to seeking perfection. He has amassed millions building his highly successful Sports Agency.

And along the way he has developed a reputation in the sports world for ruthless negotiation. And his soul-less determination to achieve his goals has left him with a nickname he has undoubtably earned. The Python



But what it hasn’t left him with… is a meaningful social life. He’s not starving for female company, actually quite the opposite. In fact, his clients wear girls like gaudy jewelry. But what Heath is determined to find is the ultimate wife. Not a bimbo or a trophy, but a beautiful, intelligent, and very well put together class act. A blue blood. The cherry on top of his fame and fortune. Someone who can complete his image.



”…his wife would be the ultimate symbol of his accomplishments, the final proof that he’d left Beau Vista Trailer Park behind him forever.”



Unfortunately Heath know’s he’ll never find the woman of his dreams in the company he’s forced to keep, so in order to find his perfect bride he’s hiring out the most prestigious match making firm in Chicago.



Annabelle Granger is Molly Tucker’s thirty-one year-old friend from college, and she has recently inherited a matchmaking company from her grandmother. It’s a one-woman bare bones company, but it’s all hers. And she’s determined to make a success of it, since everything else in her life is turning to shit.



She just needs a big name… a high profile client to get her the recognition she needs to get her company off the ground. So she’s calling in a favor. Heath Champion would be the perfect client to get her noticed. She just has to find a way to convince him to give her a chance.

“He was rich, successful and gorgeous, which made him a dream match, assuming he didn’t scare his dates to death, which was a distinct possibility.”

This is such an endearing story. Annabelle seems so sweet and quirky. And it is instantly apparent that she is in way over her head. She is a baby seal swimming in a pool of sharks. But she is so determined to succeed and prove to her family that she isn’t a failure that she’ll do just about anything to get Heath’s business.



“Sometimes knowing when to give up is the real test of character.”

And it’s not helping that he is making her job just about as difficult as humanly possible.



“Nobody’s right for you! I swear, you’d find something wrong with the Virgin Mary.”



I loved all of the characters in this one. There was once again a great side-story romance. This time it was Heath’s burly assistant Bodie, and Annabelle’s chief competition Portia Powers.

“I want to be judged by my work, not by how much I weigh.” “Then grow a penis.”

And then there were the Tucker’s and their lovely daughter Pip, who had this thing for cell phones… and Pwinces!



There was a bit of “stupid” female syndrome at the end… but all’s well that ends well, right?!!!



“Two different men have ordered me not to call you a twit, but honestly, Annabelle, if the shoe fits…”



“Annabelle gazed wistfully toward the doorway. “If I could put my brain in her body, the world would be mine for the taking.”

[Geo Just Reading My Books · Rating 5 out of 5]

Al șaselea volum al seriei păstrează calitățile celorlalte: are multe momente ce stârnesc hohote de râs, clipe de tensiune și dramatism. Dar, cel mai important, avem parte de o poveste de dragoste foarte frumoasă și care ne rămâne în suflet.
Annabelle și Heath sunt personaje care ne impresionează, pe care le îndrăgim și pe care nu le vom uita prea curând.

[Eilonwy · Rating 2 out of 5]

2-1/2 stars

Annabelle Granger has inherited her grandmother’s matchmaking service (previously specializing in senior citizens) and could really use some younger, high profile clients to establish the business under its new ownership. Enter Heath Champion, Chicago’s top sports agent, who gives Annabelle an interview only because the wife of one of his most lucrative clients happens to be Annabelle’s best friend. But Heath is also signed up with Portia Powers, Annabelle’s toughest competition in the matchmaking biz. Can Annabelle find the perfect woman for Heath? While managing to ignore the chemistry she feels with him?

Well, meh. I’d been looking forward to this book for years, since Annabelle and Heath show up in every later Chicago Stars book, and I’ve been quite taken with them as a couple then. But this book just did not do it for me.

My biggest problem was that in the later books, Annabelle comes across as confident, competent, and organized. And maybe she is in the future. But in this book, while she’s decently competent, she’s also kind of scatterbrained and barely clinging to any sense of organization. And while I understand that this is supposed to make her “relatable,” because of course we nearly all suffer a certain amount of imposter syndrome while seeming much more polished and fierce than we feel, it all felt jarring and disappointing to me. Sometimes I would really like to read about a woman who actually feels competent.

I also spent the entire book feeling utterly exasperated with Annabelle and her constant whining about her “terrible” hair. I realize this was published around the peak of the bone-straight hair craze (2005), but I got very tired of Annabelle’s constant hatred of her gorgeous red curls. Yes, nearly every woman I know wishes her hair would do something different than it naturally wants to. But to go on about it all the freaking time? Sheesh, no wonder men get to run the world.

My next biggest issue was that this book was full of ludicrous situations that I just couldn’t swallow. Yes, ridiculous situations are the basis of the entire romance genre, but none of these felt organic to the story. Every single one felt manufactured, the characters forced to go along with it. I can’t tell if I was simply not in the right mood for this book, or if I’ve been ruined by reading more current romances that are more believable, even if still slightly ridiculous. Also, the previous book in this series ( This Heart of Mine) made me a bit leery of the author, and seeing the main character from that book make repeated appearances in this one made me more sensitive to cringe factors.

Another huge problem for my enjoyment was that this book is full of alph-holes, with a message that competent women can’t be happy until they give in to being dominated by a man. (At least Brodie did encourage Portia to go get some therapy that she sorely needed. But while I wanted to like him, I found him a bit of a creep. And Portia was severely abused by this entire book.)

In addition to the alph-hole romantic leads, Annabelle’s family is absolute crap, treating her with zero respect and zero boundaries, and acting like they own her. They say terrible things to her all the time, including in front of Heath when they meet him. And Heath sees it all as “wow, they love her so much!” and does not call them out on the lack of respect, or validate Annabelle’s accurate perception of how badly they behave towards her. Barf.

Last, there is some transphobia. It was probably a bold choice to include a trans character in 2005, and she’s treated with some decent compassion, but the things Annabelle thinks about her are terrible. They might very well be accurate depictions of what Annabelle would think, but it still made me angry.

So overall, this book was a miss for me. I might read the current Chicago Stars book that just came out, but I’m giving up on the back catalog for this series.

[Mahlet · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a totally unexpected treat!! I really loved this one. It was my first Susan Elizabeth Phillips book, but I’m already looking for more of her work. The premise was so adorable. Annabelle Granger comes from a family of successful doctors, accountants and the like, but every business she becomes involved with ends up failing. She studied theatre in college, but that didn’t amount to much. Her ex-fiancé is now a cross dresser, and she hasn’t been with a man since their broken engagement 2 years ago. But things are turning around for Annabelle. When she inherits her grandmother’s matchmaking business, Matches by Myrna, she changes the name to “Perfect For You”, and through one of her contacts, she lands Chicago’s ultimate bachelor - aggressive, talented, and devilishly handsome sports agent Heath Champion – aka The Python – as a Perfect For You client. Heath is already working with another matchmaker, Portia Powers, but Annabelle’s tenacious and determined enough that he gives her a shot. The book jumps right in, with Annabelle running late to her first meeting with Heath.

Heath already works too hard as a sports agent, and he doesn’t want to work too hard at finding his dream wife. So, after seeing how well Annabelle is at making the initial introductions, Heath forces Annabelle to attend all the initial dates. Each set up lasts 20 minutes, and Annabelle’s job is to help get the conversation going, apologize and keep them busy – you know, in case Heath is running late or needs to take a call! :) Then, Annabelle is to advise Heath on whether he should pursue a 2nd date, one on one. If Annabelle can match Heath, the success of her matchmaking business would be insured. So in spite of his crazy demands, Annabelle is game. Heath’s dream wife can’t be too career oriented – she needs to fly across the country with him at moments notice, like sports, look like a model, have wit, not much older than 30 since Heath wants kids but not right away, polished upbringing….the list goes on. Heath sounds like a total ass, and he was initially, but I still fell for him.

The dates don’t seem to work out because it’s actually fun, unconventional redhead Annabelle that Heath has the most chemistry with. The banter and delicious tension can only go on for so long; Heath and Annabelle struggle to keep it professional, and fail miserably :) Annabelle is so conflicted as she’s trying to protect her business and her heart. She even has a sham relationship with a star athlete Heath is dying to sign to keep up the appearance that Heath is only a friend and client. Annabelle is so torn as she has to set up dates for the man she’s falling in love with! Heath is also conflicted as Annabelle doesn’t meet this ideal fantasy wife he’s concocted in his head. When Heath puts Annabelle under the gun, she produces this fantasy candidate…but is that what Heath still wants?

I just loved Annabelle! Usually, it’s the guy I swoon over the most in romances, but I totally fell for Annabelle. The dialogue was snappy, all the side characters were entertaining, and the unexpected romance between rival matchmaker Portia & Bodie (Heath’s associate/kinda bodyguard) was fun & hot, too. I can’t recall all the times I laughed at the outrageous things that came out of Heath’s mouth! Everything was great about this – glad I found it.

[Denisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 This is one of the best romances I've ever read!


I admit, I don't think that a lot of romances deserve more than 3 stars. Don't get me wrong, I love reading contemporary, but I rarely find a great one. Why? Because they're all so much alike! Mostly, if you've read one, you've read them all.


So, how can a romance get more than 3 stars from me? Well, there are a few "feelings" I need to have, for it to deserve more. Any good romance has to make me laugh, anxious, happy, sad, giddy, and, if I'm lucky, it makes me a bit teary as well. And the characters need to have chemistry, they have to evolve a bit at least during the story, and they have to be smart. Ah, and the writing has to be pretty good (although well, I can get over some stuff if I really love the chars).

You think I'm asking for too much? Well, maybe I am, but I don't really care.


So imagine my excitement when I find romances who actually have all these things!


Yup, you guessed it, this book was absolutely awesome! I didn't really have high hopes for it (I never really do) and I'm so glad it was more than I expected! It made me laugh out loud a few times, it was awesome !


So if you haven't read this one yet, why are you still standing around! Get to it!

[Consuelo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Guau uauuuuuu, de verdad lo mío con SEP, es enfermizo. ...maravillosa....divertida y fabulosa....termino por ahora toda la serie de los Chicago Star. ...hasta febrero que sale el siguiente. ...y éste junto con el 4...es el mejor....ME HA ENCANTADO. ....

[Izzie (semi-hiatus) McFussy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was too darn cute with a side of “no worries.” An easy ride with custom mirrors that allowed you to see around corners.

What I Liked
-Lots of characters with ✨personalities✨
-Two romances
-Good banter
-Four memorable scenes.
-Tolerable 3rd act breakup.
-Sherman 🚘

What I Liked the Best
Here’s the biggie🥁: Leisurely paced in a way that suggested Phillips loved writing and cared about her characters.🏆

What surprised me was the low emphasis on 🌶️. Perhaps it was because it was published before “Fifty Shades of Grey.”

🌹My thanks to Gloria for bringing this book to my attention. If you’re interested in deets, please read her delightful review.🌹

[NMmomof4 · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 Stars

Overall Opinion: I think I was hoping for more here, because the premise was very promising. I just didn't get their connection past friendship tbh. As friends, I felt like they definitely fit! And that along with the side characters made it an enjoyable read. It might be the lack of time spent as them being an actual couple, and it might also be the mild heat factor going on...but I just felt like it was missing something.

Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Annabelle and Heath's story. Annabelle lands Heath as a client for her failing matchmaking business, and she has her work cut out for her. Heath decides that Annabelle is a good buffer in having her along for these introductions as she makes the women comfortable, so he makes her attend all the meetings even those made by her competitor. The more time they spend together they form a friendships of sorts that eventually turns into more. There is some funny moments and some sweet times...and they get a HEA ending.

POV: This alternated between focusing mainly on Annabelle and Heath in 3rd person narrative. There were some parts that also focused on two side characters and their romance as well.

Overall Pace of Story: Good until the ending that felt abrupt, and I never skimmed.

Instalove: No, they take a while to develop stronger feelings.

H rating: 3.5 stars. Heath. I understood his damage, but I also wanted to shake him a few times because of his behavior.

h rating: 4 stars. Annabelle. I liked her. I appreciated her determination and loyalty.

Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed

Push/Pull: Yes They both push away and I'd say that the H is the main pursuer of the relationship.

Heat level: Mild. They have some okay tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- and not so much it takes away from the story.

Descriptive sex: Not really. Some descriptions, but more about the emotional aspect instead of the physical.

OW/OM drama: Yes They both have other people that they're jealous of that cause some drama.

Sex scene with OW or OM: No.

Cheating: No The H does go on dates and kisses OW after being intimate with the h, but they weren't considered together at this point.

Separation: Not really I never even considered them really together until the epilogue, so I don't think they were ever separated.

Possible Triggers: Yes H grew up with abusive/alcoholic father in poverty and the h's family is borderline emotionally abusive.

Closure: This had an abrupt ending that put us right into a HEA in the epilogue. I personally would've liked more time with them as an actual couple before the HEA.

Safety: This one should be Safe or Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences.

- Does Not have cheating
- Does Not have a descriptive sex scene with OW/OM
- Does have both the h and H pushing away
- Does Not have a separation between the h and H (see above)
- Does Not have abuse
- Does have a HEA ending

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is tightly tied to some of the previous in the series. I'd definitely read This Heart of Mine first, and probably It Had to Be You before that. Phoebe and Molly Calebow feature prominently here, so knowing their backstories is an enhancement. Despite the cover copy, Nobody's Baby But Mine is completely unnecessary (though not a bad story, so whatever).

Anyway, this story rocked. I enjoyed it from first to last, not least for making me laugh. Often. Both Annabelle and Heath are fun to spend time with and their banter is outstanding. I worried about the matchmaker angle as it means Annabelle is spending a good deal of the novel looking for other women to throw at Heath. I loved that she did her honest best even as she was falling for him. I loved even more that her doing her honest best let him know her well enough to fall for her in return.

Seriously, I can't think of any aspects of the novel that had me even pause a little bit in my enjoyment. Even the really weird secondary romance ended up being just perfect. And neither Annabelle's withdrawal after they go too far nor Heath's inability to say the right words at the right time changed that (and both normally would have at least had me pause a little bit). The thing is, both were perfectly reasonable given the state of their emotional status at the time and neither persisted beyond reason. Plus, I love when the main characters in a romance learn and grow together and each end up needing exactly what the other provides. This is SEP at her best and if you like her books at all, I'm guessing this one will at least be entertaining.

A note about Steamy: Low for SEP, actually, with two explicit sex scenes for the main couple and only one on-screen for the secondaries. Which puts it in the middle of my range.

[Eve · Rating 5 out of 5]

Series: Chicago Stars, #6
Contemporary Romance / Romantic Comedy
Publication Date: August 9, 2005

Another feel-good story by Susan Elizabeth Phillips. I enjoyed unique and flawed character and how the story flaws.



We first meet a protagonist, Annabelle Granger (31) trying to lure a drunk man out from under the wheels of her car because she's getting late for a very important meeting with sports agent Heath "Python" Champion. Heath (34) reluctantly gives Annabelle one chance to set up a date. She finds suitable woman (sort of!) and gets a chance to work with Heath and even sit in on his meetings arranged by another matchmaker, Portia Powers. But things won't go quite as Annabelle planned...

“Disagreements over money are the biggest cause of divorce."
She waved her hand. "Absolutely no problem. Your money is our money. My money is my money." She wrote away.
"I should make you negotiate with Phoebe.”

Heath & Annabel make an enjoyable couple. I loved the interaction between these two. They were not perfect but they find themselves; they learn to love and trust. Its quite often that in romance books, the main characters have no chemistry, non, yet, they quickly jump to bed and declare that they are in love. These two are loaded with chemistry. Sparks fly when they are together. I really enjoyed watching how their relationship develop and grow throughout the story.



I liked that Annabel had pride and didn't run after Heath. At first she seemed insecure, klutzy and lost, but she proved to be strong, determined, quirky and loveable. I liked to see how Annabelle's confidence grew, how she's finding her inner strength, and learning that it is ok just to be herself and not settle for less.

Secondary romance was also fun to watch (the blue face peel was pricless and had me laugh out loud!).

Note: "Match Me If You Can" is book #6 in Chicago Stars series. It fits perfectly into this series but it can be read as standalone. However, as many characters from previous and future books will make their appearance, then you may want to look up their stories also.

[Jan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've upped this to 4 full stars on a reread. Maybe I raced through too much on a first read, and didn't really appreciate the characters as much that first time around.

The plot moves along nicely and keeps you reading. The MCs have real chemistry. There is also a cast of interesting secondary characters, and a light secondary romance. There are some funny scenes and moments. The opening scene when Annabelle is running late for her first appointment with Heath. Pippa the toddler who has a thing for hiding people's phones and then 'forgetting' where she hid them. The scene with Portia when she goes to see Heath with a blue face after having a chemical peel. Classic Phillips romcom gold.

IMO this is one of the better books in this series. Well worth the reread. Thanks to the GR friends who brought it to my attention again.

[[~Ami~]♥Sexy Dexy♥ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 star

I liked how the couple transitioned from friends to a relationship as opposed to insta love. I didn't feel like this made much of an impact on me though. In fact I'm pretty sure it will be forgotten next week. Overall it was a nice light fluffy book to pass the time.

[Milica's Bookshelf · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nisam očekivala puno od ove knjige, ali mi se zaista svidela.
Heath me je totalno osvojio. :)