The Playboy (The Chandler Brothers, Book 2) (Mass Market Paperback)

by Carly Phillips (Author) "Officer Rick Chandler brought his patrol car to a stop in front of a quiet house on Fulton Street and exited with caution..." (more)
Key Phrases: sidewalk sale, Yorkshire Falls, Rick Chandler, Aunt Crystal (more...)

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
In the first book of Phillips's trilogy (The Bachelor) about the irresistible marriage-resistant Chandler brothers of rural Yorkshire Falls, N.Y., footloose foreign correspondent Roman got hooked, thanks to the ingenious plotting of his matchmaking mama. This follow-up focuses on the middle brother, Rick, a loving but broken-hearted divorcee determined to resist both mom's marriage plots and those of his admirers-roughly every single woman in town. To do so, Rick employs a counterplot involving equally commitment-shy Kendall Sutton, whom the playboy policeman rescues from a car mishap as she's fleeing her own wedding. But will the independent twosome, feigning coupledom to remove themselves from the matchmaking game, foil themselves by genuinely falling for each other? Of course. In fact, there's little in the way of surprise or suspense herein. The characters express astonishment at certain plot turns, but readers won't, as all devious deeds are broadcast miles in advance. Still, the brothers' considerable charisma makes up for many sins of style and substance. Those who like their romances fast 'n' frothy may well find this lightweight tale an appealing afternoon's diversion.
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review
...complex characters who reveal the depths of their personalities...and skilled writing that brings everything to wonderful life. -- Joni Richards Bodart, The Romance Reader

...in-depth characters and charming storyline make it impossible to put THE PLAYBOY down until the last page is turned. -- Robin Peek, The Word on Romance

...those who like their romance fast n' frothy may well find this lightweight tale an appealing afternoon's diversion. -- Publisher's Weekly

Ms. Phillips outdoes herself with this sensuous and humorous tale that showcases her extraordinary talent as an author. -- Suzanne Coleburn, Newandusedbooks.com

Rick and Kendall were terrific, down to earth characters and...nothing beats the Chandlers' matriarch! I eagerly await Chase's story. -- 4 1/2 Stars, Kathy Boswell, Romantic Times Magazine

Sexual tension and incredible sparks...highly recommended. A sizzling delight, THE PLAYBOY...joins THE BACHELOR on the keeper shelf -- Cindy Penn, Wordweaving

THE PLAYBOY IS AWESOME!!! It may be hard to believe, but THE PLAYBOY is even better then THE BACHELOR. -- Barb Hicks, The Best Reviews

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Forever (January 1, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0446610550
• ISBN-13: 978-0446610551
• Product Dimensions: 6.7 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #46,218 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

• This is item 2 in The Chandler Brothers Series.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Disappointed, September 4, 2003

By	Lisa B. (Sewickley, PA United States) - See all my reviews

I picked up this book after reading all the rave reviews and I guess it must be me, because I certainly can't say I loved it. The storyline was pretty good and I really liked the characters but had enough of Kendall's constant hashing back and forth as to whether or not she could commit to staying put. That seemed to be a third of the book and it got old really fast.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Jerry Springer Style, February 11, 2003

By	D. Hunt "dhunt2" (West Virginia) - See all my reviews

It took me months to finish "The Bachelor" so I am really unsure as to why I thought "The Playboy" would be easier to read. The plot, although plausible, gets off to a wham bam start with meddling mothers, psychotic women chasing the hero, instant lust, and Kmart quality clothing descriptions. Perhaps I am getting old (32 in August) or maybe just jaded, but I felt like I was reading a Sweet Valley High on Summer Break novel.
Rick Chandler, the hero, was the most mature person in the cast of characters which includes his brothers, mother, and heroine, Kendell Sutton. Rick's mother is continuing to meddle in her son's lives, scheme and plot her fake heart condition, and beat herself up with guilt (albeit never telling them the truth), to the point where the reader wants to shake her hard and scream "Get a Life!"
Furthermore, the heroine is a little to quick to jump into spandex and Rick's sheets to be taken as seriously. Instant flames are great, and quick love scenes normally don't bother me, but the lack of emotional depth in the character makes it hard to believe that she can feel anything very deeply, other than maybe her tan lines. Her emotional immaturity and trashy mannerisms culminate in a confrotation near the end of the novel. Not all women are jealously possessive enough to pick fights; I kept wainting for the hair pulling to begin.
A trilogy is a great way to hook a reader. Look at Nora Roberts, she has it down to an art; however, this one seems to be the Jerry Springer version. It keeps the reader hooked the train wreck way - wondering "How much worse can it get?

8 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Read it from cover to cover non stop!, January 5, 2003

By	Tina M. Musial "tmmusial" (United States) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I have been looking forward to reading this book since I finished The Bachelor! It came in the mail and I opened it and finished it 12 hours later! It met my high expectations for a sequel: the characters were detailed well, the plot was defined nicely and the situations were believable. I never once stopped and went huh? the booked flowed so smoothly.

We had more bits into the lovable Chandlers of the first book, but they didn't overshadow the new characters and they were easy to keep track of. (Some books are overrun with small part characters and you loose sight of the origianl plot line). The dialogue was believable, the sexual tension was great and Yorkshire Falls seems like a very quaint small town that I wish I could visit. This book has been delayed in its release, but I think the wait was well worth it as this book is solid in structure and content and not hastily thrown together to meet the original release date. The story of the second Chandler brother is entertaining, erotic and sure to please everyone who liked the first installment! My only problem will be passing the time until the third installment is released in August!