Book Review: ALL HE EVER DREAMED by Shannon Stacey

Book Review:  All He Ever Dreamed

Author:  Shannon Stacey

Publisher:  Carina Press

Category:   Adult Romance

“I’ve loved you for as long as I can remember Josh.  But I don’t want to spend the rest of my life watching you turn bitter and hateful because you never got out of Whitford, so I’m taking away the choice and saying goodbye.”- Katie

“Katie, please.  I need you.”- Josh

“You and I will always be friends…but you need to go find the thing that’s going to make you happy.  I’m just sorry it wasn’t me.”- Katie

Description via Goodreads:

Josh Kowalski is tired of holding down the fort—better known as the Northern Star Lodge—while his siblings are off living their dreams. Now that his oldest brother has returned to Whitford, Maine for good, Josh is free to chase some dreams of his own.

Josh Kowalski's story

As the daughter of the lodge's longtime housekeeper, Katie Davis grew up alongside the Kowalski kids. Though she's always been "one of the guys", her feelings for Josh are anything but sisterly. And after a hot late-night encounter in the kitchen, it's clear Josh finally sees her as the woman she is.


Katie's been waiting years for Josh to notice her, but now that he has, she's afraid it's too late. Giving her heart to a man who can't wait to leave town is one sure way to have it broken. But Josh keeps coming up with excuses not to leave—could it be that everything he's ever wanted is closer than he could have imagined?

Katie has always loved Josh but he only looks at her as just another guy, his best friend forever.  It doesn’t help that they grew up together since Katie’s mom Rosie has worked for decades at the Northern Star lodge, Josh’s family’s business. 

Sean Kowalski's story

Josh is restless.  He’s the only one among his siblings stuck taking care of the lodge.  Everyone else has had the chance to get out of town and build their careers…but not him.  So he wants to sell the lodge and get the hell out.

Slowly they are rebuilding the lodge for an eventual sale.  What they never expected is for their beloved Rosie to get sick.  So Katie decides to stay over at the lodge to take care of her mother and help Josh with it. 

An accidental run in finally makes Josh see Katie as the beautiful woman he has always ignored.  The attraction between them sizzles.  And though Josh tries to ignore and fight his feelings, he eventually succumbs.  At last Katie has her man.  But is what they have enough to stop Josh from leaving and doing what he has always dreamed?

Ryan Kowalski's story

I’ve said it before I will say it again.  I am a sucker for happy endings. And I know that anything by Shannon Stacey, particularly anything Kowalski, is sure to have a happy ending, so it was a no brainer for me to read this book.  An extra plus is the plot. I have always found stories of friendships that turn into love extra romantic and thrilling, and No, I never tire of reading these, so after getting the ARC copy I dove right into the first page and read straight through the night.  Another un-put downable book by Stacey, All She Ever Dreamed may be my favorite Kowalski story yet.

The Kowalski family has the best one liners:

Mitch Kowalski's story

Funny:
you finally realized your trusty sidekick is actually a woman

Hot:
I wanted to see how many licks it takes to get to the center of your tootsie pop

Romantic:
You’re the fantasy Katie.  The rest is just the setting

Also they are the best characters.  It is pretty hard to choose which Kowalski is my favorite but I would say that Josh is pretty much it right now. I wouldn’t hold my breath though because based on the side stories within this one, another Kowalski book will be on the way soon I’m sure, that of Josh’s sister Liz and Mitch Kowalski’s best friend Drew. 

If you like your imagination tickled, with lots of thrilling and romantic moments in between, read anything Kowalski.  Or better yet, read all of them!

Check out the author’s website for a list of these books:
http://shannonstacey.com/

For my reviews on the Kowalski books, click:
http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2013/01/book-review-all-he-ever-desired-by.html
http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2012/01/book-review-undeniably-yours-by-shannon.html
http://readingtsinoy.blogspot.com/2011/12/book-review-exclusively-yours-by.html