Under The Boardwalk (Costas Sisters, Book 1) [Unknown Binding]

Carly Phillips (Author)

Product Details

• Unknown Binding
• Publisher: Warner Books (January 1, 2004)
• ASIN: B003BHZ6CQ
• Average Customer Review: 2.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)

More About the Author

New York Times bestselling author Carly Phillips tossed away her legal briefs and a career as an attorney to become a stay at home mom. Within the year, she turned her love of reading into an obsession with writing. Over 25 published novels later, Carly writes sexy contemporary romances, striking a balance between entertainment and emotion, and giving her readers the compelling story they have come to expect and enjoy.

Carly is a New York Times bestseller, USA Today Bestseller and Publisher's Weekly bestseller. The triple play earned her a spot on Romance Writers of America's coveted Honor Roll. In 2002, Carly's novel, The Bachelor, became Kelly Ripa's "Reading with Ripa" pick on Live with Regis and Kelly, making it the first romance ever chosen on a nationally televised bookclub.

Carly received her undergraduate degree from Brandeis University and is a graduate of Boston University School of Law (J.D.). To date, Carly has over twenty-five novels to her credit, all available wherever books are sold.

When not writing or playing online, Carly loves to read, to knit, and to spend time with her family. She lives in Purchase, New York with her husband, two daughters and two soft-coated wheaten terriers who act like their third and fourth children.

For more information, visit Carly's always updated web site at www.carlyphillips.com where she has monthly contests, excerpts and much more.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A fun beach read, June 10, 2004

By 

Ratmammy "The Ratmammy" (Ratmammy's Town, CA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Under the Boardwalk by Carly Philips

Courtesy of WWW.Loveromances.Com

Here's a great beach read to pass the time away on a long lazy summer afternoon: Carly Phillip's UNDER THE BOARDWALK. It's the story of an identical twin that returns home after years of living apart from her family, to find her twin sister that has gone missing. The novel is funny with a little bit of intrigue and adventure and some romance as well, as Ariana Costas, the main character, does her best to find her sister.

Ari has never felt that she belonged with her crazy family. Her parents, cousins, aunts and uncles are all a bunch of crazy Greeks who enjoy a good con job to make some instant cash. They don't see their actions as doing anything wrong. They are just trying to earn a living the only way they know how. In addition, as the reader gets involved with the hi-jinks of the Costas family, it is not difficult to fall in love with this zany family. However, Ari always felt she had to be straight-laced and clean, and could not stand living with them. She was embarrassed to be a part of this family. Years ago, she had made a decision to be different from the rest of them, and left home to become a professor at a college in Vermont. Her only reason to return home to New Jersey was because of her sister. Although the two were not as close as they once where, blood is thicker than water.

Upon her arrival back in town, Ari runs into a good looking man that thinks Ari is her sister Zoe, and although there is some confusion at first, Quinn Donovan realizes it has to be the other twin. Their meeting occurs while Ari becomes a target as live bullets are firing upon her. Quinn saves her life and makes his introduction. Ari finds out that Zoe and Quinn worked together at the local Casino, and Ari feels that the casino holds the clues to her missing sister. While Quinn tells Ari to go home, because she is putting herself in danger by staying, Ari does the opposite and gets herself a job at the casino. She soon finds her life on the line, as she gets closer to the truth about Zoe.

In the mean time, there are sparks flying between Ari and Quinn, but Ari thinks it's because she has dressed herself up to look more like Zoe, who was always been the more glamorous of the two. Quinn, who unknown to Ari is an undercover detective, finds himself drawn to Ari. There are a number of steamy scenes between the two, amidst the action at the casino. The book ends with a climactic scene at the casino, Ari learns the truth about her sister and as with all romances, there is a happy ending.

This reviewer enjoyed UNDER THE BOARDWALK for what it was, a beach read. While it wasn't the perfect book, as a casual read it fit the bill. The mix between the mystery behind Zoe's disappearance, the adventures in the casino and the romance between Ari and Quinn did not work well for this reviewer. The book may have been better if there was more emphasis on comedy, especially the Costas family (including their silly little monkey) and less emphasis on the serious themes, such as the subplot of the young foster child that gets involved with the Costas. Although the story was touching, and it helped show off Quinn's personality, this reviewer felt it might have been better to make that story a separate book. Despite these negative points, there were plenty of positives in UNDER THE BOARDWALK, and as a beach read, it's a recommended read. This reviewer gives the book 3 and a half stars.

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars exciting police procedural romance, May 26, 2004

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters, Book 1) (Hardcover)

When Vermont based psychology college professor Ariana Costas learns that her twin Zoe is missing and probably dead, she takes a leave of absence and returns to her family home in Ocean Isle, New Jersey. She does not believe Zoe is dead because she has a certain affinity for her sister though they have been estranged for five years since Ariana fled her family of con artists.

Quinn Donovan is stunned to see Zoe's sister walking on the beach as Zoe promised that Ariana would never come home. Someone fires a shot at Ariana, but Quinn reacts and knocks her down. After he reluctantly gets off her, they talk. He tells her he worked with her mother and her sister at Damon's Casino, but hides his instant attraction to her and that Special Agent Zoe is safe. Ariana informs him she will stay until Zoe comes home. Quinn worries she will destroy his undercover work at the casino trying to prove illegal happenings. As Ariana and Quinn fall in love, he breaks the rules of undercover work for her while worrying about her safety and their future together.

This exciting police procedural romance works on several levels but readers will especially feel the attraction between the two lead protagonists as well as that of a secondary couple. The vast cast adds depth as Ariana learns what family means through the reactions of a street teen to her likable con artist kin though her constant insistence that she does not belong amongst loved ones becomes irritating. Romantic suspense readers will take immense pleasure with this fine suspense laden tale starring a lovable You Can't take It With You cast.

Harriet Klausner

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Not her best or steamiest, but not the worst either, June 28, 2005

By 

Tracy Vest (Northern California) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Under the Boardwalk (Costas Sisters, Book 1) (Hardcover)

Ari Costas has always felt like a fish out of water when it came to her family. After fleeing for sedate Vermont for the last five years, she returns to her Atlantic City roots and quirky Greek family of con artists, as she searches for her missing (and presumed dead) twin sister, Zoe.

Within hours, she is tackled by Quinn Donovan on the beach when someone takes a shot at her, assuming she is Zoe. Quinn recommends that she go back to Vermont. She is not sure what to think of him, but throws caution to the wind, and gets a job at the casino Zoe worked at to investigate her disappearance and get closer to Quinn, though she does not know that he is a cop deep undercover, and her nosiness could destroy two years of work. As he tries to watch over her, they become involved even deeper, threatening his cover. They think that they are too different - she has a loud, Greek family that she is ashamed of, while he spent most of his youth in foster care.

There is so much packed in to make it funny, like a pocket-picking monkey with a penchant to strip, a lonely runaway in need of a good family, and a odd-ball assortment of relatives that would rather con their way into riches (or don "Addams Family" garb and perform) than get 9 to 5 jobs.

While not exactly worthy of a Pulitzer, it will provide plenty of chuckles and is pure escapism.