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39th out of 394 books
—
770 voters
Yours to Keep (Kowalski Family #3)
by
Shannon Stacey (Goodreads Author)
Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the Army than he's recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiance. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother's upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn't like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma's offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there's no chance he...more
ebook, 201 pages
Published
June 6th 2011
by Carina Press
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Sep 22, 2011
UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Lovers of fun, romantic, sexy contemporary romance
“I have the magic penis, so I get the keys, remember?”
Yours to Keep is the third book in the Kowalski Family series and my first taste of Shannon Stacey’s writing. It turned out to be one of the sweetest, most amusing contemporary romances I’ve read in a long time, and I’m definitely going to be picking up the first two books in this series. And in case you're wondering, reading this one out of order didn't diminish the story at all.
Although I think it would be a fairly common theme, I don’t r...more
For the love of all that is batsh*t crazy (borrowing Sean's phrase), I cannot stress enough of the awesomeness of this book. Love it, like it, adore it and L O V V I T!!!! (have I stressed it enough yet?)
Sean and Emma are adorable people, even though their sense of humor were a bit twisted sometimes. Then again, their twistedness was the key element that made the whole story so much fun. The sticky notes that Sean liked to leave for Emma were extra cute, loved those.
I had a very good time readin...more
Sean and Emma are adorable people, even though their sense of humor were a bit twisted sometimes. Then again, their twistedness was the key element that made the whole story so much fun. The sticky notes that Sean liked to leave for Emma were extra cute, loved those.
I had a very good time readin...more
Full review posted at: Happily Ever After - Reads
“Are you Sean Kowalski?”
“Yup.”
“I’m Emma Shaw…your fake fiancée.”
“Say what?”
And with that, our hero and heroine meet. Such a sweet beginning that set the tone for the whole story. Fun, sweet and simply enjoyable.
Emma, in an attempt to convince her Grandmother, that she’s really ok living by herself, taking care of the home she grew up in and running her own business, tells a little white lie about having a fiancé in her life in the hopes that h...more
“Are you Sean Kowalski?”
“Yup.”
“I’m Emma Shaw…your fake fiancée.”
“Say what?”
And with that, our hero and heroine meet. Such a sweet beginning that set the tone for the whole story. Fun, sweet and simply enjoyable.
Emma, in an attempt to convince her Grandmother, that she’s really ok living by herself, taking care of the home she grew up in and running her own business, tells a little white lie about having a fiancé in her life in the hopes that h...more
Awesome! It was melt-the-heart kind of good. Sean and Emma made a great couple. The romance felt believable, the heat was just right (steamy!), and the laughs were frequent. A great feel-good romance.
Sep 28, 2011
Angela James
marked it as edited
I'll refrain from rating this, since I edited it :P You can extrapolate what I think of it (it's awesome and the best Shannon Stacey book yet).
Woooo! Me and this book had a fabulous time together.
This is the first Shannon Stacey that I've finished and I absolutely loved the premise and how the plot progressed. I didn't find that the family aspect in this book was too overbearing or gag worthy, which is a nice change from a lot of other books.
Sure the premise is a bit ridiculous, but it's great that the plot plays out in a way that really highlights how ridiculous of a predicament the characters are in.
I Love Love Loved this fun, quick...more
This is the first Shannon Stacey that I've finished and I absolutely loved the premise and how the plot progressed. I didn't find that the family aspect in this book was too overbearing or gag worthy, which is a nice change from a lot of other books.
Sure the premise is a bit ridiculous, but it's great that the plot plays out in a way that really highlights how ridiculous of a predicament the characters are in.
I Love Love Loved this fun, quick...more
4 1/2 stars. I loved mixing it up again with the Kowalski's. Just a fun story, with a cute plot, a crazy, sweet h, Emma, and hot Kowalski, Sean. Some terrific dialogue, laugh out loud moments, and very sensual. My favorite part of the book was the inclusion of the Kowalski's from the previous books. The family element just brought so much to the story.
My only complaint...I think it needed an epilogue. Especially since we have to wait until September 2012 for Mitch's book...and then we actually...more
My only complaint...I think it needed an epilogue. Especially since we have to wait until September 2012 for Mitch's book...and then we actually...more
ATV-ing in New Hampshire
★★★★☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I haven’t heard Lauren Fortgang narrate before, but I quite like her. She has a raspy voice that lends well to the masculine voices, yet she still does a very nice job on the female ones, especially the not so dim-witted grandmother, Cat. She’s certainly a reader I’d pick up again, as I liked her tone, pitch and intensity.
There is nothing of monumental complexity in this little love story. It probably won’t cause an epiphany, or...more
★★★★☆ (This is a review of the audiobook.) I haven’t heard Lauren Fortgang narrate before, but I quite like her. She has a raspy voice that lends well to the masculine voices, yet she still does a very nice job on the female ones, especially the not so dim-witted grandmother, Cat. She’s certainly a reader I’d pick up again, as I liked her tone, pitch and intensity.
There is nothing of monumental complexity in this little love story. It probably won’t cause an epiphany, or...more
This book was wonderful. Fully rounded characters and a fun, emotional story. Sean and Emma are together for all the wrong reasons, and you want them to stay together for all the right reasons. I was invested in this book from the very beginning. I highly recommend Yours To Keep. This is what romance is supposed to be about.
I 100% loved this series and am hoping and praying that Stacey writes more - thankfully she introduced four more Kowalski's in this book that all happen to be single. Since I read all three books in just over 24 hours, I decided to just write a review on the last - especially since I can't pick a favorite. The books are all lighthearted yet emotional, which is a great combination. I've gotta admit that I definitely teared up at some point during each book. They also each have a secondary romance...more
Jul 12, 2011
Juliana
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommended to Juliana by:
Mia
Shelves:
contemporary-romance,
recommended-by-goodreads-friends,
net-galley,
ebook-digital-copy,
part-of-a-romance-series,
advance-reading-copy-or-galley,
challenge-2011-rlci-july,
2011-jul-reads,
2011-reads,
cr-humorous,
cr-hero-police-soldier-firefighter,
cr-mistaken-identity-impersonation,
challenge-2011-wllk-all-things-smmr,
3-half-stars,
novella-ish,
cr-heroine-businesswoman,
cr-instant-attraction,
0-reviewed,
0-own-as-an-ebook,
challenge-2011-bb-the-50-states
A light and fun novella-ish romance that provides some great laughs (3.5 stars)
This was a very light and cute romance. I had never read anything by Shannon Stacey before, but reading Yours to Keep made me want to check out her backlist and the other books in the Kowalski Family series. The thing I loved best was the humor; some parts had me laughing out loud and there was one particular scene (Newlywed game anyone?) that made me have to put the book down and focus on remembering to breathe. Alwa...more
This was a very light and cute romance. I had never read anything by Shannon Stacey before, but reading Yours to Keep made me want to check out her backlist and the other books in the Kowalski Family series. The thing I loved best was the humor; some parts had me laughing out loud and there was one particular scene (Newlywed game anyone?) that made me have to put the book down and focus on remembering to breathe. Alwa...more
May 28, 2011
Maldivianbookreviewer
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
Fans of contemporary romances, fans of Shannon Stacey, Fans of Kowlaski Family Series.
Recommended to Maldivianbookreviewer by:
Netgalley
Shelves:
shannon-stacey,
contemporary-romance,
arcs,
part-of-a-series,
brooding-hero,
brooding-heroine,
commitment-phobic-hero,
emotional-wrangler,
endearing-hero,
endearing-heroine,
explosive-passion,
ex-military-hero,
family-drama,
favorite-alpha-heroes,
favorites,
favorite-heroines,
favorite-endings,
hot-as-sin-hero,
hottest-first-kiss,
hottest-sex-scenes-ever,
laugh-out-loud-moments,
not-yet-released,
netgalley-reads,
opposites-attract,
pretend-engagement,
quirky-family-included,
sizzling-sexual-tension,
unforgettable-hero
Yours to Keep is the 3rd book in the Kowalski Family series by the very talented Shannon Stacey. Though this is my very first book by Ms. Stacey, I had no trouble identifying with the fact that she can deliver a fantastic romance, and this one definitely makes it into the list of my favorite reads for 2011. This book is going to follow the I-Review format which I introduced earlier and would follow a question and answer format which will hopefully do justice to the wonderful romance this deliver...more
Favorite Quote: She snorted and looked out her window. “Oh yes, Sean Kowalski. Your amazing kisses have made all rational thought fly out of my besotted brain. If only you could fill me with your magic penis, I know we’ll fall madly in love and live happily ever after.”
Emma lives in her grandmother’s old farm house in New Hampshire. She doesn’t have a lot of family around and now that her grandmother has retired to Florida, she worries about Emma living all by herself so far away. Emma wants her...more
Emma lives in her grandmother’s old farm house in New Hampshire. She doesn’t have a lot of family around and now that her grandmother has retired to Florida, she worries about Emma living all by herself so far away. Emma wants her...more
I received this ARC via Netgalley.
After getting out of the Army after 12 years, the last thing Sean Kowalski wants is to be tied down to anything. He plans to travel a lot and explore being back on USA soil.
When Emma Shaw realizes her grandmother will not sell her the home she’s been living in and taking care of for the last few years due to her gram thinking the house is too big for her. Emma hatches a plan. Tell gram she’s got engaged.
So when Gram decided to visit for a month, Emma shows up a...more
Funny with a lot of heart. I read this book in public and laughed out loud in many places. It earned me some strange looks. It's one of the best contemps I've read this year. Stacey is really growing as an author and I think this book shows her great range. The characters are authentic and their romance believable. Not once did I think, 'oh this would never happen'. The interaction between the family members show the both the sibling rivalry as well as the deep support family can provide. This c...more
The story was cute, and I had fun time reading it for the most part. I really liked Emma and Sean together right from the beginning. The pretend engagement wasn't nearly as hokey as I thought it would be, even though the idea was a throwback to category romances from 20 years ago. It was actually handled pretty realistically, after the I finally wrapped my mind around why Emma needed a fake fiancé.
Unfortunately, the story just couldn't keep me engaged in the long run. I don't know if it was the...more
Unfortunately, the story just couldn't keep me engaged in the long run. I don't know if it was the...more
My favorite of the series! If you can get over the preposterous plot, which I did, then it's a very enjoyable story. I loved both of the characters and enjoyed watching them fall in love. Also enjoyed the sub-plot with Grandma.
Oct 02, 2011
Joyzi
rated it
5 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
Those who love romantic comedies
Recommended to Joyzi by:
netgalley
Note: This book is given free courtesy of www.netgalley.com for book review purposes.
It's been a while since I downloaded this galley and transfer it to my phone to be read, but unfortunately I didn't have enough time to really read it. Then, came the time that my mother got hospitalized and I'm taking care of her 24/7 that I finally have the time to read it in my phone during the hours that I do not actually do anything.
At first the e-book started with a short summary intro of the book and I re...more
It's been a while since I downloaded this galley and transfer it to my phone to be read, but unfortunately I didn't have enough time to really read it. Then, came the time that my mother got hospitalized and I'm taking care of her 24/7 that I finally have the time to read it in my phone during the hours that I do not actually do anything.
At first the e-book started with a short summary intro of the book and I re...more
100% predictable.
100% zany premise.
And….
100% fun!
If I hadn't heard so many people talking this book up on Twitter I would have never read it based on the summary.
Yours to Keep has such a wacky premise. Emma's grandmother has moved to FL to retire. Emma loves her Gram and wants her to be happy and stay in FL enjoying her retirement, not running back home to take care of Emma whom she seems to think can't handle the big family homestead all alone.
Grams is coming for a month long visit and Emma ha...more
100% zany premise.
And….
100% fun!
If I hadn't heard so many people talking this book up on Twitter I would have never read it based on the summary.
Yours to Keep has such a wacky premise. Emma's grandmother has moved to FL to retire. Emma loves her Gram and wants her to be happy and stay in FL enjoying her retirement, not running back home to take care of Emma whom she seems to think can't handle the big family homestead all alone.
Grams is coming for a month long visit and Emma ha...more
3.5 stars
This one featured a fake betrothal plot, which happens to be one of my favorite tropes, so it's little wonder I ended up enjoying it.
Sean and Emma end up living together for a month, pretending to be engaged for the shake of Emma's grandmother, who was too worried for her grand-daughter living alone while she was away. There is attraction at first sight from both sides, but it takes a while for the two of them to act on it, but in the end, along with a little help from Sean's extensive...more
This one featured a fake betrothal plot, which happens to be one of my favorite tropes, so it's little wonder I ended up enjoying it.
Sean and Emma end up living together for a month, pretending to be engaged for the shake of Emma's grandmother, who was too worried for her grand-daughter living alone while she was away. There is attraction at first sight from both sides, but it takes a while for the two of them to act on it, but in the end, along with a little help from Sean's extensive...more
Sean Kowalski has just come from the army and is thrown into an awkward situation. "Batshite Crazy Chick" Emma Shaw,made up a fake fiance( Sean) to ease her grandmother's worries so she could stay happily in Florida.Her Grandmother is a worried sport and doesn't believe Emma is capable of keeping up her home that's been in the family for years.So now that Emma spills the beans that she's now getting married,her Grandmother Cat,let's loose and now feels comfortable.Emma and Sean have supposedly b...more
Posted at http://yummymenandkickasschicks.com/?...
When I first told my husband about what Yours to Keep was about, he looked at me with an “are you sh*tting me?” expression, shook his head and walked away. Mind you, that is often his reaction when I tell him about one of my books – that and walking away mumbling “Why did I not just stay in the basement?…” I must admit that I did feel a little like he did this time around. The idea that a woman would go up to a total stranger and ask him to be he...more
When I first told my husband about what Yours to Keep was about, he looked at me with an “are you sh*tting me?” expression, shook his head and walked away. Mind you, that is often his reaction when I tell him about one of my books – that and walking away mumbling “Why did I not just stay in the basement?…” I must admit that I did feel a little like he did this time around. The idea that a woman would go up to a total stranger and ask him to be he...more
I really enjoyed this wonderful contemporary romance, received through netgalley.
It's a great follow-up from Undeniably Yours, and both of them were much better for me than Exclusively Yours, which had a whole family-camping-trip-from-hell thing going on which I didn't care for.
Like Undeniably Yours, this book focuses more on the hero and heroine, with just enough playtime for the secondary Kowalski family and other characters to give it realism. Mrs. Kowalski's famous wooden spoon also makes...more
It's a great follow-up from Undeniably Yours, and both of them were much better for me than Exclusively Yours, which had a whole family-camping-trip-from-hell thing going on which I didn't care for.
Like Undeniably Yours, this book focuses more on the hero and heroine, with just enough playtime for the secondary Kowalski family and other characters to give it realism. Mrs. Kowalski's famous wooden spoon also makes...more
http://obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com
I really enjoy Shannon Stacey’s fun and witty romances and ‘Yours to Keep’ was no exception, I loved this installment of the Kowalski family series.
Emma Shaw has told a lie to keep her grandmother from worrying about her, she owns and runs her own landscape gardening business and is maintaining a large home, her grandmother is coming to town and in order to keep her secret; a make believe fiancé, she has to convince said fiancé to lie for her.
Sean Kowalski...more
I really enjoy Shannon Stacey’s fun and witty romances and ‘Yours to Keep’ was no exception, I loved this installment of the Kowalski family series.
Emma Shaw has told a lie to keep her grandmother from worrying about her, she owns and runs her own landscape gardening business and is maintaining a large home, her grandmother is coming to town and in order to keep her secret; a make believe fiancé, she has to convince said fiancé to lie for her.
Sean Kowalski...more
I marked this one as one of my favorites for the year before I was even half-way finished.
Let me get this out of the way first - I loved this book so much that I started writing my review on sticky notes. Naaa I’m just kidding, but the sticky notes played such a cute, make me smile part in Yours to Keep, I had to mention them right off the top.
The pretend, fake fiancé storyline is certainly not a new concept and in Yours to Keep it could have been cheesy and cliché but Shannon Stacey tells a f...more
Let me get this out of the way first - I loved this book so much that I started writing my review on sticky notes. Naaa I’m just kidding, but the sticky notes played such a cute, make me smile part in Yours to Keep, I had to mention them right off the top.
The pretend, fake fiancé storyline is certainly not a new concept and in Yours to Keep it could have been cheesy and cliché but Shannon Stacey tells a f...more
This was my favorite of the trilogy. I loved Sean (of course), and gran. Emma was ok. The story was predictable, but that's ok. Sometimes you just need a sweet comfort read. I'm interested in reading more by Ms. Stacey. I'll keep my fingers crossed that she revists the Kowalski family.
loved, loved it. this is a great series but this is definitely my favorite! i loved the relationship between sean and emma and the whole kowlaski bunch is awesome. i love their kowalski tournaments of DOOM!! lol.
the ending was so sweet, i almost cried too. awesome book! keep them coming.
the ending was so sweet, i almost cried too. awesome book! keep them coming.
This was the Shannon Stacey jackpot especially after being disappointed to lukewarm about her other plots and characters, but enjoying her writing. This book was funny, warm, with believable (even if occasionally maddening) characters.
so far it is laugh out loud funny, I would have liked more of a ending but the author added more about Keri & Joe and Kevin & Beth so I am hoping there is another book coming. I would like to read a book about Sean's brother Mitch.
What a sweet, adorable story. I was worried at first based in the premise, but Stacey pulled off the bat-shit crazy heroine extremely well.
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Shannon Stacey married her Prince Charming in 1993 and is the proud mother of two incredible sons. She lives in New England, where her two favorite activities are trying to stay warm and writing stories of happily ever after. Her two cats refuse to curl up on her lap and keep it warm while she writes, but her Shih Tzu is never far away.
When she’s not writing, she’s indulging in her other passion—f...more
More about Shannon Stacey...
When she’s not writing, she’s indulging in her other passion—f...more
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“Josh: Just because you’re not looking for something doesn’t mean you won’t find it.
Sean: Well, aren’t you quite the fucking fortune cookie.”
—
47 people liked it
Sean: Well, aren’t you quite the fucking fortune cookie.”
“He could do this. He'd survived boot camp. He'd survived combat and the harsh weather of Afghanistan. He could survive broccoli. Probably.”
—
15 people liked it
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Dec 28, 2011 04:18pm
Dec 28, 2011 04:37pm