It Had to Be You discussion

It Had to Be You by Susan Elizabeth Phillips - Buddyread April 11-13, 2014

Ingela and Kathleen (..and maybe Mo?)

“What if a woman who knows nothing about sports inherits a professional football team?

- The Windy City definitely isn't ready for Phoebe Somerville, the outrageous York knockout who’s taking over their home town team.
- And Phoebe is definitely not prepared for the Stars' head coach Dan Calebow, a sexist jock taskmaster with a one-track mind. This is the book that began it all.
- The Chicago Stars are about to take the field...and they’re not the only ones playing for keeps.(less)”

The song: http://youtu.be/MUqV1HoEYLw



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Warning: It might be story spoilers in our BR chat....

I would love to change the avatar for this book. The 1 that shows here is the full-on well filled out bra. Somehow that doesn't describe the book to me.

I'm excited to join in a shared book journey with Ingela and Mo! :)

Which one of the book covers available on the English editions do you like best, Lori?

Kathleen wrote: "I'm excited to join in a shared book journey with Ingela and Mo! :)"

Me too!!

I agree with Lori, although she does like to show off her assets. I like the covers with the shoe and the dog.

Lori wrote: "I would love to change the avatar for this book. The 1 that shows here is the full-on well filled out bra. Somehow that doesn't describe the book to me." yeah but it does describe phoebe, the rereleased issues of this series all have a similar look

Okay Kathleen, then we start in the weekend.
Looking forward. Both to read this book and even more to read it with you. See you!



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# I hope I have some time to start reading late friday evening, but maybe it will be first on Saturday. (My morning is your evening the day before etc. It is probably 10 hours difference.)

# I asked Mo and she sayd she wanted to join if she had time. Any other friend you want to ask to join?

# Kathleen wrote: "I agree with Lori, although she does like to show off her assets. I like the covers with the shoe and the dog."

# Melody wrote: ".....yeah but it does describe phoe..."

I like the yellow funny cover best. The third looks like an historical romance and the last with the shoe as a FSoG kind of book. I agree this one with the breast isn't the best one for SEP style of stories. Too sexy or...?!

Thanks for the reminder,Ingela. Looking forward to it!
Ps. I agree about the shoe and 50 Shades... Lol.

** Waves!** Preparing myself for a romantic and funny story.

Me, too! Haha!

I start to morrow morning when it still is Friday over there in the big U.S.
See you soon, hon!

Hey speedster! You're ahead of me already. I couldn't get away today, but will start tomorrow (Sat morning). Do you like it so far?

I'm going to lurk around and see what you think of it! :)

Kathleen wrote: "Hey speedster! You're ahead of me already. I couldn't get away today, but will start tomorrow (Sat morning). Do you like it so far?"

Haha! - I havn't read a word yet. It's Saturday morning now (soon 11am). I have just a fem chapters in another book to finish and some stuff to do. I start my afternoon (your morning). Okay?

Susanne wrote: "I'm going to lurk around and see what you think of it! :)"

You're welcome, Susanne!

Kathleen: Susanne recommended me this one from the start. She thinks it is the best one in this series. Right Susanne?

Our reading

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It is 25 chapters. What about reading chapter 1-4. It is 54 pages in my paperback of 376 pages, and then leave a comment here and maybe chat about it.

...Then 4 more or maybe 5, etc.

What do you think, Kathleen? Does it sounds good?

Ingela wrote: "Susanne wrote: "I'm going to lurk around and see what you think of it! :)"

You're welcome, Susanne!

Kathleen: Susanne revommended me this one from the start. She thinks it is the best one in th..."

That is right! I really hope you both love it!

I'm starting to read now (6pm).

About an hour or so will my sister and I go to the movies. We will see the new grand biblical drama, Noha with Russel Crowe (in 3D), so I'll be gone a few hours.

Enjoy the movie! I just started 30 minutes ago, but on audio, so slower than reading. I may not finish this weekend.

Yes, Ingela, I like your plan. Will comment after 4 chaps.

Thanks, Suzanne!

I just got home again. It's raining and windy outside and in Noha film was of course lots of water. God's punishing with thunderous downpour from both the sky and the underworld. A melancholy and strange story but very grand done, and Mr. Crowe played fantastic as always.



I'll be back when I've read a bit.

Kathleen wrote: "Enjoy the movie! I just started 30 minutes ago, but on audio, so slower than reading. I may not finish this weekend."

It is quite okay, Kathleen. We read (listen) at the pace that works.
I have two other books to read and finish next week also and will read some in them in between.
... On Friday am I leaving for Shanghai (a three-week visit at the home of my brother and his family. It will be soooo fun.)

Noha. Flood city. Sounds like the movie and your Swedish weather combined could have really put a damper on your day. Glad it didn't work out that way!

Chapter 4 update. Loving it already!

FYI -- Excuse spelling errors with names, but I'm listening, not reading.

Pooh at the funeral. I chuckled. Out loud.

I cannot believe what Phoebe's father said to her, when she was 18, and had that encounter at the dance (view spoiler)[ with Craig. He raped her. And her dad made her tell the story in front of that hateful Reed! And he wouldn't believe her. Ugh! (hide spoiler)] I really hope Coach Calbow beats them both bloody. Now, I'm in chapter 4, with Calbow and Phoebe and Victor, in her condo.
Victor is a doll, yes? And notice what Phoebe told her doorman, when she thought Calbow was Viktor.

Hi Kathleen. I've been lagging behind now. Is still only in chapter 3.

As always, I like SEP's narrative voice in her books.
It began so hilaroius. That was really funny...

Poor Phoebe seems the be completely different on the inside than the outside shows. What a tragic childhood, I already hate her father and nasty cousin. What heartless people. I wish she could just say no to the heritage and ignore it, but I don't want that horrible Reed should get the "team" either.

It is a bit fun with this Viktor character because my father is Hungarian and it makes it extra interesting. I think I should tell him to tease. He is in fact still a bit old fashioned anxious about the gay issue. He always says that "Hungarians they're honest people"...with the sense that they not fools themselves, etc. LoL!!

Yay! I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves. I started this morning and I couldn't put it down so I actually reread the book in one sitting. I couldn't help myself!

Enjoy girls. Of course I did not start it yet.... I am away so finding it hard to read. Will drop in here anyway.

Hungarian honesty. Goulash, not hogwash! Your dad sounds adorable!

Susanne wrote: "Yay! I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves. I started this morning and I couldn't put it down so I actually reread the book in one sitting. I couldn't help myself!"

Impressive Susanne! You're quick. :))))

Mo wrote: "Enjoy girls. Of course I did not start it yet.... I am away so finding it hard to read. Will drop in here anyway."

Glad to see you, Mo!

Kathleen wrote: "Hungarian honesty. Goulash, not hogwash! Your dad sounds adorable!"

Haha, he is in his own way. I've just been there for Sunday dinner. It was an Hungarian classics; paprika chicken with galuska/nokedli (homemade egg-dumplings). Yummy good... Still after 50 years my #1 favorite.

Ingela wrote: "Susanne wrote: "Yay! I'm glad you're enjoying yourselves. I started this morning and I couldn't put it down so I actually reread the book in one sitting. I couldn't help myself!"

Impressive Susan..."

I have a cold so I was stuck in the sofa all day xD

I think Phoebe is so used to being judged by her body that she keeps the "soft side" and her brains hidden from most. Her attempts to reach Molly after the funeral shows me she hasn't forgotten the loneliness of her childhood.

Still loving it! Appalling scene at 1am when Phoebe got involved in Valerie's sex games. Poor Phoebe.

Great cast of characters. Molly and Pooh included. And I'm getting a bad feeling about Hardesty. (Also, love seeing Bobby Tom from Heaven Texas.)

Yummmm. Hungarian home cooked!!! Dinner!

Chapter 8 update. - I feel Dan will be a great "hero"...

Finally I got started properly. This weekend was so messy and there was almost no reading at all.

Yet, there's not much happened but I like what I read. Phoebe and Ron's artful persuasion of Dan to give Ron job back was fun and clever. I hope it gets a little more heat and romance between them soon. ...Maybe at the party that starts now?

How far into the book have you'd time to listen, Kathleen?

I have finished it. After a fairly slow start, I really got into it. There is a scene where Dan accidentally scares the daylights out of Phoebe, at 1:00am in the woods. Did you get there yet? That's the scene that caught my interest, and things moved more quickly from there. (And yes -- it heats up. In the hotel, the airplane, the house, and at the end, on the ... (No, that would be telling).

There is mayhem and life-threatening scene towards the end. Sweet, how that played out.

Like you, I loved the way Phoebe saw Ron's superior talents as team manager, and championed him. That little manipulation scene was a kick!

I just read that scene Kathleen. I felt the same, my interest came to life. .
Am at page 133 (376) now and will try to read the rest of this evening (6.20pm)

Are you happy with it overall?

Yes, I liked it a lot. A solid 4 stars, maybe 5. It's sweet and funny, with some bite and a little action / suspense. Lots of heat, too. Cal is one Alabama red rebel.

Woot!

...Back to the book.

Hey girlfriend, I posted a quick review, while it was fresh in my mind. Can't wait to see your review, whenever you finish it. I am now re-reading other books from this series. Too much fun!

I've read half the book now, and are a bit grumpy and annoyed at Dan. Wasn't he rude in that conference room? So very lousy and ugly to say of him. Especially after how he handled her after their first night. sigh!! - Shame on you, Dan! - He has just been sent home for a week.

I'll read your review as soon as I finished.

I enjoying it so far. I should read a lot more romances in this style...

Yes, he was horrible to her, wasn't he!! Actually, he's horrible several times, but that always comes with a SEP hero.

My heart aches for poor Phoebe.



...but thanksgod, no snow here today. :)))))

Mine did, too. She won me over, totally. Never played the victim, or threw herself a pity party, but she had cause.

Kathleen wrote: "Yes, he was horrible to her, wasn't he!! Actually, he's horrible several times, but that always comes with a SEP hero."

I it is true enough. Even the men in the other two SEP-books I read began as, and was for a long time, real "a$$h@les". But I do like those heroes if I'm crass. Quirky I! LoL!