DESTINY – Carly Phillips
A Perfect 10
Serendipity Series , Book 2
Berkley
ISBN: 978-0-425-24574-3
January 2012
Contemporary Romance

Serendipity, New York – Present Day

Soon after having helped unite her half-sister, Tess, with the half-brothers on the other side of the family, Kelly Moss decides to settle down in Serendipity to start a new life. Compared with the turbulent life she left behind, the quiet little town of Serendipity is a nice break, and it doesn't help that one of Tess's half brothers, Nash Barron, catches her eye. Nash is hard to get to know at first, yet the connection between them can't be denied. He makes it clear he isn't in the market for a relationship, but Kelly isn't either, so the two soon give into the fiery passion exploding between them. Yet, Nash has his own issues, mainly with his brother Ethan, which causes friction in the family. Kelly is caught between the family feuds and her attraction to Nash.

After their family was torn asunder while the Barron brothers were teens, Nash is filled with a lot of resentment, mainly against Ethan, and has a huge chip on his shoulder. He likes Kelly and wants to get to know her better, but unfortunately she is good friends with Ethan. Why can't Kelly see that he can't interact with his brother without wanting to pop him in the mouth? Nash has a better rapport with his other brother, Dare, but soon that relationship is turned upside down when a secret from their past is revealed. Nash's world is shaken, and the one person who seems to be reaching out to him is Kelly. Can he open up to her…and let her into his heart?

Oh, what an emotional read DESTINY turns out to be. We already knew from Ethan's story, SERENDIPITY, that this family has enough angst and guilt to surely fill the pages. The main link to the brothers right now is half-sister Tess, a smart mouth teen who needs some guidance, something the three Barron brothers wouldn't have expected to come from them. Nash is the middle brother, and he has always felt somehow responsible that Dare ended up in a bad foster home after their parents were killed, while Nash ended up in a wealthy home with doting foster parents. Now all that festered guilt is exposed when the truth of why Dare and Nash were split up is revealed. A fling with Kelly isn't probably the smartest move he has made, but sex helps him forget all the pain he's trying to hide.

On the heels of a disastrous relationship in New York City , Kelly sees Serendipity as a way to begin again. Since their mother abandoned Tess, Kelly hopes a fresh start for both sisters will be just what they need, and Tess will have a stable home life with her half-brother Ethan. But just when she thinks things are going good, Kelly learns someone is asking questions about her. Is it connected to what happened in New York City ? If so, will her past come roaring back to haunt her, destroying her newfound happiness in Serendipity…and with Nash? Even the fact that Kelly inadvertently becomes friends with Nash's ex doesn't stop their relationship from going full steam ahead. Yet, Kelly always feels as if she's walking on eggs with Nash.

Even if you haven't read SERENDIPITY, you'll be pulled into the heart tugging romance of Nash and Kelly in DESTINY. Right from the first page, you're caught as Kelly and Nash spar and the sexual sparks flow back and forth between them. Then there is Tess…a sassy half child/half woman…and the one person Kelly and Nash both care for and want to help. Yet for Nash and Kelly, the past comes back to haunt them. Will it destroy any chance of a future for them? A Perfect Ten from Romance Reviews Today means DESTINY meets the definition of a stellar romance, and with its combination of emotion packed drama, sensuality, and terrific storytelling, DESTINY is the perfect read you must not miss.

Patti Fischer