Book Title: Love a little sideways
Author: Shannon Stacey
Publisher: Carina Press
Category:
Contemporary Adult Romance
“I don’t want to come between you and
Mitch. You’ve been friends for as
long as I can remember.”- Liz
“You know I want you.”- Drew
“You’re still young, Drew. You’ll find the right woman.”- Liz
“It’s hard to find her when all I can think about
is how much I want you.”- Drew
Description via NetGalley:
Liz Kowalski is heading home to Whitford, Maine—this time for good. Eager
for her family, a fresh start and some fun, she
doesn't count on being rescued by the chief of police her very first night back in town. Drew is everything she's not
looking for…so why is she still so attracted to him?
After
a brief, forbidden
rendezvous at her brother's wedding, Drew Miller expects Liz to return to New Mexico and stay there. He's
searching for someone to settle down with, not a casual
fling with his best friend's sister.
But when they're stuck together on the annual Kowalski camping trip, things start going a little sideways. Keeping their hands off each other proves just as impossible
as keeping
their secret from becoming public
knowledge.
Amid
family,
mud and melted marshmallow, Liz and Drew try to
fight what's growing between them. But a little time alone, a lot of chemistry and too many opinions might be just what it takes to bring
together two people so determined not to fall in love.
My Summary:
Liz is home. After many years away from her family
to be with her lazy
boyfriend, she finally came home. Sure she would need to start all over
in the very town she grew up in but hey, her brothers are there to back her up. What she didn’t expect was for her past
to bite her in the ass on her first night home.
Drew has
never forgotten Liz. She ceased
being just his best friend’s little sister the night they got together at her brother’s wedding reception.
But he knew nothing long term would come out of it. He still needs to find THE ONE. The person who would give
him what he has always dreamed of: Children,
A complete family to love forever.
But from the
moment he laid eyes on Liz again he knew they could never go back. For the sake of his friendship with
Mitch, Liz’s oldest brother, he would try to stay away from her. But how could he when he can barely keep his hands,
and thoughts, off her? How would
he when Liz herself can’t
stay away from him?
Implosion is inevitable and that
happens at the worst time with Mitch there to catch them in the act. When everything settles, her
family automatically assume an eventual
marriage for the two. But Liz isn’t ready.
She still needs to find herself.
And while doing so, she just might lose the only man who’s ready and
willing to give her his forever.
My Review:
Having been a Kowalski
family fan, I expected a lot:
that this would be funny, a fast read and a hot, enjoyable book...
In some ways it was...but it fell short of my expectations compared to the previous Kowalski stories. Granted all the Kowalski characters featured beforehand were all men, and this is the first and only woman, I should be more flexible in my judgment. But then again, Drew, the main man here, is as good as a Kowalski since he grew up practically glued to one.
As main characters go,
both Liz and Drew are solid. They love their families and are loyal to a fault, but they also
have insecurities and questions, particularly when it's about continuing a relationship with the other.
What I didn't like
here was the wait. It took more than half a book before all hell
broke loose and they decide to go
with what they feel. Before that, it was all should I, should I nots.
After a few chapters of that I wanted to stop. It was frustrating. But then again
the antics of the family, especially the kids with their Games of Doom, saved a bit of it for me. As for the support
characters, namely the Kowalski men Mitch, Ryan, Sean and the others, they are still the same hot and humorous men I
met in their own stories.
My favorite here is Mitch. He is a great friend and an even greater
brother, torn between being one, the other or both. I liked when he threatened
Drew, even though he loves
him like a brother, should he break Liz's scarred heart. It just shows how much thicker blood is than
water. As for Ryan,
the only other person who knows about Drew and Liz's one nighter, he tries his
hardest not to get involved but how can he not when his only sister's
happiness is on the line?
The ending came too
fast after the main conflict and it felt like the author tried to rush their
happy ever after ...and this
after a VERY slow build up too! It's just too unbelievable, even for a romantic like me.
I’d never been
disappointed by Shannon Stacey but this book certainly proves that there is always a first time
for everything. I don't know
if there will be more Kowalski books in the future but I still look forward
to reading them. I will
just consider this a dip in an otherwise straight, and exciting, line.
Check out the author’s website for a list of
these books:
http://shannonstacey.com/
For my reviews on the Kowalski books, click:
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
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
All photos lifted from Publisher's site.
