He’s got wanderlust and no intention of settling down. She’s home to stay and has put her bad boy ex in her rearview mirror.
After spending his life abroad, embracing his freedom at every turn as a foreign correspondent, Roman Chandler finds himself the brother nominated to deal with his ailing mother’s matchmaking shenanigans. Thanks to a coin toss, he needs to find someone to marry and fast. It shouldn’t be that hard in sleepy Yorkshire Falls where women fall over themselves to hook a Chandler man.
But Roman only wants the one woman who got away.
Charlotte Bronson is back home to put down roots and get her lingerie business off the ground. She’s not interested in her past or a man that chose to chase breaking news stories to the far corners of the earth over her. No matter how good they used to be or how combustible their chemistry still burns.
It’s up to Roman to convince Charlotte he’s a changed man and here to stay.
Title: | The Bachelor |
Author: | Carly Phillips |
Series: | Chandler Brothers (Book 1) |
Pages: | 370 |
Genre(s): | Contemporary |
Trope(s): | Second Chance Romance Small Town Romance |
Point of View: | Third Person, Past Tense, Dual Viewpoint (H & h) |
Location: | Yorkshire Falls, US |
HEA: | ✔️ |
Release Date: | 16th February, 2021 (Original version published 1st January 2002) |
An enjoyable, vibrant read
I’m a big fan of Carly Phillips but I was a bit late to the party and this is the first time I’ve read any of the Chandler Brothers books. They’ve been updated and modernised for their 20th birthday and now have hot and sexy new covers, too. They still stand alone with this book featuring one couple who get their own HEA.
Charlotte was a likeable character who was equal parts smart and savvy, and cautious and unsure. She was definitely a strong, modern woman who I enjoyed, even when I didn’t agree with some of her decisions/actions.
Roman – all three Chandler Brothers, really – were the perfect kind of heroes. Masculine, alpha, hot, sexy and aware of exactly how to treat a woman. I 100% believed his dilemma and his quick descent into feelings with Charlotte.
The chemistry between our couple was palpable and I loved their interactions. The push and pull was frustratingly excellent and I really enjoyed and rooted for them as a pair.
The difference between this and many other Carly Phillips novels I’ve read of late is that this one covers more than just our main couple. We also get a little bit of Raina Chandler – Roman’s mum – and her own feelings and blossoming romance. As well as Annie and Russell – Charlotte’s parents. It was nice to see and hear a different perspective but I was definitely most interested in Roman and Charlotte.
I guess my main reason for giving the book 4 stars rather than 5 was probably down to the excellent writing! I really believed Roman was a wanderer at heart and I’m never really happy when a couple being together means some sort of compromise. That’s more than fine in real life but I want fantasy! I was happy in the end – especially since we get an epilogue – yay! – but I was too scared for too long that perhaps things couldn’t work out. But it’s Carly Phillips so of course we get a happy happily ever after.
I didn’t read this book back in the day, so I can’t speak to whether there a lot of differences between this modernised version and the original. But I can say that the story felt very contemporary – not a fax machine, pager or cassette tape in sight!
I’m looking forward to the rest of the revamped Chandler Brothers books – The Playboy and The Heartbreaker. And strangely, I’m also considering crocheting myself some sexy lingerie! 4 stars for this one and an enjoyable, vibrant and absorbing read.
* In honor of THE BACHELOR’s 20th Anniversary all three books have been updated and will be reissued with gorgeous NEW covers with the same content but modernized for your reading pleasure. The BACHELOR was the first book that Kelly Ripa chose for her Reading with Ripa Bookclub. *
Carly Phillips gives her readers Alphalicious heroes to swoon for and romance to set your heart on fire, and she loves everything about writing romance. She married her college sweetheart and lives in Purchase, NY along with her three crazy dogs: two wheaten terriers and a mutant Havanese, who are featured on her Facebook and Instagram. She has raised two incredible daughters who put up with having a mom as a romance author. Carly is the author of over fifty romances, and is a NY Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today Bestseller. She 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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