January 06, 2013

Book Review: ALL HE EVER DESIRED by Shannon Stacey



Book:  All He Ever Desired
Author:  Shannon Stacey
Publisher:  Harlequin
Category:  Adult Romance

"Yours. That's the word I'd use."- Ryan
"What do you mean?"- Lauren
"If somebody wants you to pin a label on my place in your life, Just tell them I'm Yours.  It's that simple."-Ryan
"That simple huh? Mine?"- Lauren
"Yours."- Ryan

Book Description via Goodreads:

A second shot at first love

After college, Ryan Kowalski decided to leave Whitford, Maine, rather than watch Lauren Carpenter marry another man. Now his siblings need his help to refurbish the family-owned Northern Star Lodge and he’s forced to face the past sooner rather than later when he collars a vandal—and learns the boy is Lauren’s son…

The last person Lauren needs back in her life is Ryan Kowalski. With a bitter ex-husband and a moody teenage son, she has enough man trouble already. But her son needs to learn a few lessons about right and wrong, even if Lauren has to escort him to Ryan’s door every day to work off his crime.

With all this close contact, Ryan and Lauren can’t deny the chemistry between them is as powerful as ever. But can a few searing kisses erase their past and pave the way for a second chance at true love?


Ryan kowalski has only ever loved one girl. Lauren, the woman of his dreams, the one who broke his heart by getting pregnant and marrying his best friend.  That was years before.  Now ryan, who owns a successful building business, is back in town where they both grew up to fix his family's lodge, the Northern Star Lodge..but only for a few weeks.....or at least that was the plan until he saw Lauren.

Lauren has always dwelled on the what-ifs.  What if she said yes to Ryan when he asked her to run away with him? What would have life been like? Surely it's better than being cheated on by her now ex husband Dean and being a single mother to a teenage boy struggling with day to day expenses in a small town where everyone knows everybody else's business.  But Ryan is gone, having moved to the big city when she refused his intentions.

Then a Kowalski gets married.  

Ryan's older brother Mitch is getting married to Lauren's good friend Paige (from the book All He Ever Needed).  Which means inevitably they would run into each other.... A lot.  What they never expected was for Lauren's son Nick to be its catalyst.

Ryan catches Nick trying to vandalize the family lodge. Upon learning that he is Lauren's son, he offers for Nick to work off the damages so Lauren wouldn't have to give up her meager savings.  This leaves Ryan with a lot of one on one time with Lauren.  Then the inevitable happens and they fall in love.... But will their 2nd chance at love spell forever?

I have always loved
 Shannon Stacey.  The characters she creates are fun and strong with great one liners.  Plus i have a soft spot for the Kowalskis from the very first book...they are all interesting, tough and sweet at the same time, which makes me want to meet, or date, any of them.  You can actually exchange one character for the other since all Kowalski men are pretty much made from the same mold...hard on the outside, gooey on the inside.  

Despite the similarities, boredom does not set in when reading these books.  another plus is the chemistry between the two main characters which is explosive with lots of sexy moments. Written with much humour and heart, i am looking forward to reading more stories of different family members in the future, the next of which is
 Josh Kowalski in the book All He Ever Dreamed.

Happy Reading!

You may visit the author's site at:
http://shannonstacey.com/

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