Hunk for the Holidays

Aug 24, 2012 Jill rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance

Cassie McPherson works for her father's company, M&M Construction. To keep her family from pestering her about dating she hires male escorts. When James Sutton turns up, Cass mistakes him for her escort for the evening to the Christmas party. But James is the McPhersons' competitor in the construction business.

I'm a big fan of Katie Lane and have read and enjoyed each of her Deep in the Heart of Texas books. But this one really didn't do it for me at all. What distinguishes her usually from...more

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Nov 14, 2012 Kat ~ Forever Book Lover ♥ rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc, netgalley, christmas-romance, contemporary

You can read this review and more at Forever Book Lover

It is that time of year when authors flood the book aisle with Christmas themed romance books. I saw this cover and knew I needed to "uncover " what was hidden inside. Oh my I made a funny pun. ;)
Well it was a great read, it was humorous and plenty of sexy romance to fill the pages. The premise was about mistaken identity and then getting to involved that the truth may end this perfect romance.

This story was filled with great secondary chara...more

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Dec 09, 2012 Evie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I debated on the rating for this book. Why? I have no idea. The more I thought about it, the more I thought it really deserved a top rating.

Cassie is not like most heroines. Sure, she's a workaholic but what sets her apart from most is that she's a total tomboy. How can she not be? She grew up with four brothers and no sisters. And she does in her dad's company what her brothers don't. Dating is out of the question for her. Her ex turned out to like her shoes and stockings more than he liked he...more I debated on the rating for this book. Why? I have no idea. The more I thought about it, the more I thought it really deserved a top rating.

Cassie is not like most heroines. Sure, she's a workaholic but what sets her apart from most is that she's a total tomboy. How can she not be? She grew up with four brothers and no sisters. And she does in her dad's company what her brothers don't. Dating is out of the question for her. Her ex turned out to like her shoes and stockings more than he liked her. Yeah, imagine that! And to avoid getting set up on blind dates, she hires escorts to go with her as her dates to family gatherings. Isn't she something or what? What's funny is her last escort turns out to be none other than her worst enemy, but she doesn't know it because she's never seen his picture.

James literally stumbles upon Cassie. He shows up for a meeting with her dad, but instead he meets her. When she confuses him for her escort he follows along. It's too comical and he doesn't want to ruin the fun. Especially when he finds her clutch is full of condoms. His plan is to seduce her, but not before he comes clean revealing his true identity. That last proves too hard a task to accomplish because a series of things happen preventing James from telling her the truth.

Oh my gosh, let me not forget about Aunt Wheezie. She's a total riot, and her advice to Cassie is "get naked" because that always works.

I could go on and on but all I can say is Cassie, James and Aunt Wheezie kept me up 'til the wee hours of the night.

I had never read anything by Katie Lane but after this book I am a new fan. This was too fun a read and I could look at both the front and back cover all day. Like I said as I read it: "I want a hunk like James Sutton for Christmas".

Blurb:

Always putting business before pleasure, Cassie McPherson works hard for her family's construction business. That might explain why she doesn't have a date for the company Christmas party. But it doesn't quite explain why she's crazy enough to hire an escort for the event or - crazier still - why she's dying to unwrap him like a present . . .

With whiskey-colored eyes and a killer smile, James is one gorgeous hunk who really knows how to fill out a tuxedo. He charms everyone, including Cassie. And when the night ends, the party doesn't stop. As Cassie falls, literally, into his bed, James falls head over heels in love. Now he has to figure out a way to tell her the truth: he's not an escort. He's her family's fiercest business rival. But all he wants for Christmas is her . . .
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Sep 27, 2012 Wminbc rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: coming-soon-from-nrr, christmas-holiday

What a fun, great Christmas read...pick this one up come snowfall!

Check out my review that was posted this week...

http://www.nocturnereads.com/2012/09/...

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Feb 25, 2013 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, holiday, non-erotic

Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/bo...

Cassie pays good money for the male escorts she hires and while she doesn’t ask for sex she does require total submission. This holiday’s male attraction doesn’t have a submissive bone in his body and tests Cassie’s limits with his male arrogance and looks that leave all the women trailing after him like stray cats. James may not be what she wants, but he is most certainly what she needs.

Cassie is what I would expect in a successful b...more Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/bo...

Cassie pays good money for the male escorts she hires and while she doesn’t ask for sex she does require total submission. This holiday’s male attraction doesn’t have a submissive bone in his body and tests Cassie’s limits with his male arrogance and looks that leave all the women trailing after him like stray cats. James may not be what she wants, but he is most certainly what she needs.

Cassie is what I would expect in a successful business woman, smart and determined. While these qualities make her the right hand woman in the family business it leaves her little room for a personal life. Top that with her no nonsense attitude and need for control and there are more than a few lonely nights for her. That is until she meets James, who seems to challenge her at every available moment which both irritates her and turns her on. I really enjoyed watching her grow as an individual and to realize how important a personal life is to accompany her business success.

James seems to have found the balance that Cassie is lacking to a certain extent. He knows that Cassie is a find and is willing to take the time out to focus on developing the relationship. I also appreciated that while he may have mislead Cassie he did it with good intentions. As many of us know however, sometimes the worst actions come out of the best of intentions. Let’s just hope that his good intentions don’t turn out to be the largest mistake in his life.

The author drew out some real emotions from me when reading this story. There are some parts when I felt frustrated with Cassie’s inability to accept what was in front of her. Then I may find myself laughing out loud at the antics of the characters while trying to fix the relationship or at Cassie’s families humor. I even got angry at other characters such as Cassie’s father. It made the story much more enjoyable and keep the pages turning. I would recommend this story to anyone during the holidays or any other time in the year.(less)

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Dec 31, 2012 drey rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2012-reads, romance-contemporary

Katie Lane’s Hunk for the Holidays features a workaholic heroine, a mistaken-identity hero, and a lot of misunderstanding.

Cassie McPherson doesn’t have a date for her company’s holiday party, so she arranges for an escort to keep her family out of her personal affairs. Bad enough she’s a woman in a man’s world, but does her family have to keep reminding her of that fact? When James shows up, dressed to the nines, Cassie is so unsettled by his looks that she forgets to check that he’s who she tho...more

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Dec 31, 2012 Karen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was sexy, adorable, and laugh-out-loud zany funny in a steamy-Jennifer-Crusie kind of way.

Overworked and unlucky in love, workaholic-behind-the-family-business Cassie McPherson mistakes her family's biggest rival in the construction business for the male escort she'd hired for the company Christmas party, and soon finds herself wishing he *was* really interested in her and not just the sexy dress her assistant conned her into, or the fat tip he'll likely get at the end of an unexpectedly wo...more This was sexy, adorable, and laugh-out-loud zany funny in a steamy-Jennifer-Crusie kind of way.

Overworked and unlucky in love, workaholic-behind-the-family-business Cassie McPherson mistakes her family's biggest rival in the construction business for the male escort she'd hired for the company Christmas party, and soon finds herself wishing he *was* really interested in her and not just the sexy dress her assistant conned her into, or the fat tip he'll likely get at the end of an unexpectedly wonderful evening. And maybe she could find him a new job... say, something in construction....

Self-made millionaire James Sutton, expecting an appointment with company head Big Al McPherson, is *not* prepared to find daughter Cassie flashing her red panties at him from amidst a sea of condoms. He *certainly* wasn't expecting to be the pampered little rich girl's date to the McPherson's company Christmas party. Least of all did he think he'd actually like the tough-but-loving McPhersons-- and one bossy, hard-working, independent spitfire in particular-- far more than he ever expected. He never actually lied to her... but he wasn't exactly straight with her either, and it's getting harder to tell the truth the more they get involved. Now all he has to do is figure out how to tell Cassie his last name without her killing him. Or worse, stop loving him...

Of course, the path from misunderstanding (and mind-blowing sex) to true love (with even more steamy sex) is fraught with many difficulties... like four incredibly protective brothers, way too much champagne and shrimp, a bellicose father with a heart condition, interfering relatives, neighbors, assistants, a one-eyed cat, OCD cleaning, and a touch of (purely accidental) arson.

I particularly liked the two-for-one Christmas bonus of assistant Amy's romance-- her kid is an absolute gem, and not at all the precious wide-eyed annoyance you often find in romances. And as much as I usually find the interfering auntie meme kind of trite and annoying, Aunt Wheezie was pretty awesome, too.

Loved it, and I'm definitely going to check out a few of Ms. Lane's cowboys for the New Year....(less)

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Dec 16, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cassie McPherson works for her father's construction company. She really wants to be out in the field but since her fathers bypass surgery she's keen not to upset him. She works long hours so to keep her family from pestering her about dating she hires male escorts.

Her friend and assistant Amy puts her in heels too high and a dress to short for the annual Christmas party. When James shows up she mistakes him for the male escort, and is to busy firing off instructions for him to follow she doesn...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Melanie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Well, ‘tis the season for sampling some more ‘new’ to me authors, and today Ms. Katie Lane is giving me a taste of ‘Hunk for the Holidays’.

Have you ever read a book where you had a permanent [get your minds out of the gutter, my bookworms!] grin? If you’ve never experienced the sensation, then you need to read this book. There wasn’t a page I read that it didn’t make me grin, smile or straight out laugh out loud. That’s how funny the writing is.

Cassie McPherson is smart, gorgeous and very funny...more Well, ‘tis the season for sampling some more ‘new’ to me authors, and today Ms. Katie Lane is giving me a taste of ‘Hunk for the Holidays’.

Have you ever read a book where you had a permanent [get your minds out of the gutter, my bookworms!] grin? If you’ve never experienced the sensation, then you need to read this book. There wasn’t a page I read that it didn’t make me grin, smile or straight out laugh out loud. That’s how funny the writing is.

Cassie McPherson is smart, gorgeous and very funny yet she doesn’t come across as such to the people closest to her. To her brothers she’s the sister they are protective of, even though she’s as tough as they are. To her father, she’s the ‘glorified accountant’ in his company; to her mother she’s someone to be fussed over; and to the rest of her family she’s someone that they’re determined to ‘fix up’ with any and all available bachelors.

But to her own self, she’s become someone even she isn’t happy with lately. As much as she adores her family and working for her father’s construction company, she feels that she would be better suited and much happier outside the office and on the designing end of the projects. That dream however is yet again postponed as she’s in charge of the company and working along her brothers, as her dad’s recovering from a heart attack. Her work schedule has tripled and not just her love life is suffering, but it seems that the new man in town with his own construction company is poised to take over most of their clients.

Oh yeah, and there’s a company Christmas Party she dreads getting ready for.

Since she doesn’t have that ‘significant other’ and she doesn’t want her family to know as they would jump to find her one, she does what she’s been doing lately for those occasions: she gets an escort for the evening. In walks the ‘escort’ and our Cassie can feel it in her bones that [and other places too] that this ‘escort’ is nothing she had expected …Yeah, you guessed it…

James Sutton.

Let me stop here and get your attention to the cover of this book. Whoever chose it needs to be thanked and congratulated. This is One. Damn. Good. Locking. Man. He IS who will be in your head, no doubt about it! With that said, let me tell you a bit more about our hero.

In order to succeed, he sacrificed a lot, primarily his relationship with his father. After his mother’s passing, he builds a wall of protection around him and dedicates himself to school and then to achieving his goals never really wanting to dig deeper into why he neglects his relationships with not just family but friends as well. He doesn’t do commitments well and would rather stay out of the way of his neighbors just so he wouldn’t get attached or obligated to them in some way.

Here’s the excerpt where these two meet… James shows up and Cassie mistakes him for her ‘escort’ and off they go…

“A man stood by the Christmas tree in the foyer. Not a man really, more like a vision. The clear lights that twinkled around his dark head made him look like something straight out of a dream. Man, Elite Escorts had outdone themselves this time. This was no gangly college boy in an ill-fitting rental tux, but ... Thanks for finishing this review at b2b...

http://bookworm2bookworm.wordpress.co...(less)

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Dec 09, 2012 Viviane Crystal rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Cassie McPherson come from tough stock, a family who have become successful in commercial building and who watch out for each other, sometimes a bit too much. Cassie always wanted to be an architect in the family business but need comes first and she's more of a family accountant for the business. Right now she's extremely ticked off because another company seems to be outbidding her family on jobs and taking away customers. Her Dad is recovering from a heart attack and she's determined to find...more Cassie McPherson come from tough stock, a family who have become successful in commercial building and who watch out for each other, sometimes a bit too much. Cassie always wanted to be an architect in the family business but need comes first and she's more of a family accountant for the business. Right now she's extremely ticked off because another company seems to be outbidding her family on jobs and taking away customers. Her Dad is recovering from a heart attack and she's determined to find out who this upstart guy in this new company in town is. Her philosophy is to meet the enemy before you figure out how to deal with the competitor!

Before that can happen, however, she has to show up at a company Christmas party and hires an escort who will act like he's her date and current boyfriend as her family also wants to see her settle down and marry, sooner rather than later! That she's not buying at all. The chemistry between her and her escort, who initially is nameless, is electric and snappy! Cassie's in "boss" mode mentally but her body is reacting to this "hunk" of a sexy male that seems created to be kissed, etc!

The "Hunk" as well is not used to being bossed around but refuses to reveal who he is; add to it he normally chooses, loves and dumps the ladies he meets but is magnetically struck by this feisty woman. Little by little, he realizes she's got him thinking about his past affairs and if that's really all he wants out of a relationship.

So as both readjust their thinking, they begin to get to know each other, that is when they're not hopping into hot, hot, hot bedroom action! The pain each has known from the loss of a family member begins to wane as they realize what a holiday gift they truly are for each other. No, it's not without some turmoil and some fast aced action about the business, but it's a lovely holiday romance sure to delight romance fans who will be attracted by this sexy cover and not disappointed inside its pages! Hunk for the Holidays is a must romance fiction read for the holidays!(less)

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Dec 03, 2012 Kat rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary, review, romance, read-2012

My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2012/12...

Since her father’s heart attack, Cassie McPherson has been working harder than ever for her family’s construction business. Being a workaholic, she doesn’t exactly have time to scare up a date for her family’s holiday party. Rather than showing up to the party alone and being subjected to countless matchmaking attempts, Cassie hires an escort. But James isn’t like any escort Cassie’s hired before. James is charming,...more My review cross-posted from Wit and Sin: http://witandsin.blogspot.com/2012/12...

Since her father’s heart attack, Cassie McPherson has been working harder than ever for her family’s construction business. Being a workaholic, she doesn’t exactly have time to scare up a date for her family’s holiday party. Rather than showing up to the party alone and being subjected to countless matchmaking attempts, Cassie hires an escort. But James isn’t like any escort Cassie’s hired before. James is charming, sexy, and puts Cassie’s libido into overdrive. There’s just one problem…

James isn’t an escort — he’s her family’s biggest competitor! A case of mistaken identity lands him as Cassie’s date for an evening, but by the time he falls into bed with the raven-haired beauty, James is already tumbling headlong into love. James knows he needs to tell Cassie who he really is, but will he be able to convince her to give their burgeoning relationship a chance once she learns the truth?

Sex, secrets, and holiday cheer are at the heart of Hunk for the Holidays . Author Katie Lane delivers a fast-paced, sprightly romance that’s ideal for anyone looking for a sensual, fun Christmastime read.

James is a hardworking contractor who is pretty much the perfect hero. Yes, he doesn’t tell Cassie the truth immediately upon figuring out she’s mistaken him for an escort, but to be fair to him, she doesn’t seem to want to listen when he does try to explain. James is handsome, patient, and a bit lonely, making it easy for me to want him to find love. Cassie, in turn, is a bit harder to root for. I wanted to adore her. In the beginning of Hunk for the Holidays , Cassie’s presented as a smart, capable woman who’s not ashamed of being a tomboy, and I liked her for it. But as the story goes on, she (1) has no interest in listening to James when he’s trying to tell her important information and (2) has so many “TSTL” moments (example: dragging a half-dead tree across luminarias [candles in paper bags] and then acting surprised when the tree catches on fire) I grew irritated with her. Cassie’s increasingly frustrating behavior and the multiple big misunderstandings in Hunk for the Holidays dragged down what otherwise would have been an utterly delightful romance.

I can’t write about Hunk for the Holidays without talking about Cassie’s family. Where Ms. Lane truly made me smile was in scenes involving the McPherson clan. Cassie’s brothers all charmed me in their own way and her aunt Wheezie was a pip. The McPherson family brings humor and warmth to Hunk for the Holidays , keeping me invested in the story when I might have otherwise put the book down. Out of all the McPhersons, I was most enraptured with Rory. Ms. Lane has a subplot involving Rory and the woman he’s loved for years, Cassie’s best friend, Amy. Rory and Amy’s romance just might be my favorite plotline of Hunk for the Holidays ; it’s simple, heartwarming, and truly lovely.

Hunk for the Holidays has some ups and downs, but overall it’s an entertaining story. I enjoyed the McPhersons enough that I’m hoping Ms. Lane has plans to write a sequel to Hunk for the Holidays , for Cassie’s two unmarried brothers have all the makings of excellent heroes.(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Ni_kii rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: comedy, smexy, sexy, mistaken-identity, netgalley

Really 3.75 Stars
Reviewed at http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot....

Life for Cassie involves going to work and going home; there is very little room for anything in-between! Since her Father had a heart attack, it’s gotten so bad she has taken to hiring men to take her to functions to keeper match-making family at bay. When it comes to the latest function, it seems that the escort agency has outdone themselves. He’s suave, gorgeous and very charming.... he’s even putting her “no-sleeping with t...more Really 3.75 Stars
Reviewed at http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot....

Life for Cassie involves going to work and going home; there is very little room for anything in-between! Since her Father had a heart attack, it’s gotten so bad she has taken to hiring men to take her to functions to keeper match-making family at bay. When it comes to the latest function, it seems that the escort agency has outdone themselves. He’s suave, gorgeous and very charming.... he’s even putting her “no-sleeping with the escort” rule to the test. He really does seem too good to be true....

James Sutton is due to meet a legend in his business, Al McPhereson. When he arrives for his meeting he sees no sign of the man, but a gorgeous brunette approaches him, assuming he is escort. Fascinated as to where this is going, and realising that she is the daughter of the man he is there to meet, he decides to pretend that he is exactly who she thinks he is and see where the evening takes them.

Sparks start to fly within minutes but only one of them knows who the other really is. What will Cassie think when she realises the competition she is so attracted to is the man she blames for putting her father in the hospital with a stress related heart attack? And once they give in to the heat between them, will it be easy to wash away any feelings as she realises what a mistake she has made.

I love Katie Lane’s books so I immediately requested this book on netgalley. It wasn’t what I expected and, although I enjoyed it overall, there were problems that stopped me giving this four stars. It didn’t have the comical characters that I loved with the other books in the series but it did have a comical setup with the mistaken identity trope. I loved the set-up, loved the main characters but the side characters took away from the main plot and dampened my excitement for this book.

When I think of Katie Lane books, I think of sweet love stories with a lot of heat. This one certainly fits that bill! The main love story was so cute but you could see the crap hitting the fan from a mile away. Cassie has had a downer on men since the last man she had a serious relationship with and since then has paraded an endless assortment of young escorts to her family’s shin-digs. James is definitely the best of the bunch but, as cute as he is, there is no way she will carry on their liaison when she finds out who he is. The initial party scenes are the funniest in the entire book. With an elderly aunt who tries to put James through his paces to see if he is worthy of her niece to the scenes where a very drunk Cassie tries to convince James he wants to sleep with her, I chuckled with every page turn.

As they grew closer, I couldn’t understand why he didn’t tell her who he was. It was obvious that they were going past the initial feelings of lust and it would have been the ideal time to fess up but he didn’t. I knew it was going to be bad when he did find out...it was like a car crash waiting to happen and I couldn’t look away. You’ll have to read it to see what happens, but I liked it!

The side story with Amy and Rory was pretty interesting up until its resolution. I enjoyed the tension and the back story between the two of them and it had the potential to be one of the best part of the story. Unfortunately, the resolution really didn’t work for me as I found it rushed and a little bit twee. I was a little disappointed and its probably for this reason that it didn’t quite make 4 stars.

Overall, this is a sweet book with some genuine comedy moments and a steamy love story at its core. With crazy aunties, mistaken identities and the holiday blues all around, it’s clear this will be a crazy ride.(less)

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Oct 12, 2012 Guilty Pleasures added it · review of another edition

Shelves: guiltypleasures-kclu

KcLu's review posted on Guilty Pleasures

4.75 Stars

Hunk for the Holidays is another fun book from Katie Lane! I am a huge fan of her mixture of romance and laughter. This one is a great story of one mortal enemy turning into prince charming with the Fairy Godmother being a whiskey drinking, cigar smoking, and funny as hell aunt.

Cassie McPherson is one the ultimate daddy’s girl, and she has a hard time standing up to said larger than life daddy. She works in a position in the family company she ha...more

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Sep 21, 2012 Christi Snow rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

My Review:
Flat out, if you are looking for a fun and entertaining holiday read, this is a fabulous book to pick up. Cassie is working at the family construction company as a glorified accountant, although she'd like to be and works like so much more. Her father has just had a heart attack and while she and all four of her brothers work at the business, Cassie handles most of it. And they are all struggling with the new construction company in town headed by James Sutton, but none of them have ev...more My Review:
Flat out, if you are looking for a fun and entertaining holiday read, this is a fabulous book to pick up. Cassie is working at the family construction company as a glorified accountant, although she'd like to be and works like so much more. Her father has just had a heart attack and while she and all four of her brothers work at the business, Cassie handles most of it. And they are all struggling with the new construction company in town headed by James Sutton, but none of them have ever met James.

With the fact that Cassie devotes her life to the family construction company, she doesn't have time to date. As a result, she hires escorts for all her social needs. It's her deep dark secret, but it keeps her matchmaking mama and aunts off her back. When it's time for the family Christmas party, she is pleasantly surprised to find a much older and more good-looking escort than normal...she just doesn't realize that her "escort" is actually the family enemy James Sutton.

For his part, James is kind of blown over by Cassie...both by her looks, but also by her take-charge attitude. She doesn't give him much of a chance to correct her incorrect assumption about who he is and that's where the story truly becomes fun.

Everything about this story is fun too! From all of Cassie's brothers...who were so well-developed, I am hoping that means that we are going to get their stories from Katie Lane too. To her 90 yo interfering Aunt. To James' Christmas-crazy and nosy neighbors. I giggled all the way through the scene with him and the steak knife out in his front yard. There were many moments throughout this book where I was simply grinning with the fun story.

And while I have a hard time believing a Happily Ever After that comes after only two days, I still enjoyed this book and the chemistry between Cassie and James. Cassie is tough, but extremely business savvy. I love that she drives a truck and a motorcycle. James has worked hard to make sure that his construction company is a success. I love that he recognizes Cassie's talent. I also really love how much he respects Cassie's family and their business. He doesn't see them as the competition at all. He completely looks up to what they have built.

BTW, that cover for this book is one of the most perfect covers I've ever seen. All through the opening scenes between Cassie and James, I kept imagining this cover and model with his bow tie undone...such a great visual.

I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.(less)

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Sep 12, 2012 Bitten By Love Reviews rated it 5 of 5 stars

Cassie McPherson is vice president of her family’s construction company and always puts business before pleasure. Which is why she does not have a date to the company Christmas party. Also doesn’t explain why she is crazy to hire an escort for the event…or even crazier for wanting to unwrap him like a present…

With a killer smile and whiskey-colored eyes, James is one of those men who can fill out a tuxedo very nicely. He is able to charm absolutely everyone…including Cassie. The night has ended,...more

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Aug 27, 2012 Ashley Deniz rated it 5 of 5 stars

With the number of books I load onto my Kindle it's easy to get confused about which book is which, which is why when I opened this novel I thought it was an anthology. I kept looking at my progress bar trying to figure out how much longer I had in this story and if staying up an hour later than I meant to would mean I would get to finish it (the answer sadly was no). So I woke up the next morning (and being on vacation allowed me to do this) and laid in bed for another hour gobbling up more of...more

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Dec 26, 2012 Mlleelizabeth rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

With a title like Hunk for the Holidays, I have to admit I was not expecting much beyond holiday-themed smut. I certainly wasn't expecting a fairly complex, riotously funny family drama with two well-written romances or the best holiday read of the year. I got very lucky on Christmas day with this book.

The primary romance is both a mistaken-identity story and an enemies/rivals-to-lovers story. It is hot and angsty and hilarious in turns. And ridiculous as well, but I don't think it would work wi...more

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Dec 10, 2012 Arshia rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

This was a cute Christmas romance sure to cheer up holiday spirits. Cassie McPherson works too much and barely has time to date. So she has come up with the perfect solution to keep her loud rambunctious family at bay; she hires escorts. This time around she mistakenly takes her family's business rival to a work Christmas party. Enter James Sutton, also a workaholic. The romance was hot enough to steam the pages. The family, which made up most of the secondary characters, were funny and the loud...more

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Nov 23, 2012 Suzanne the Mighty ~Satin Seductress~ rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: contemporary-romance, funny-funny-har-har

Cassie McPherson is a workaholic and Vice President of her fathers very successful construction company, although recently they have started to lose contracts to Sutton Construction, ran by the very driven and ambitious James Sutton. However, Christmas is coming up and she has to reluctantly put business behind her and get in the holiday spirit for her rambunctious family's festivities, and to stop any relatives planning on some ill conceived and unwanted matchmaking she does what she always doe...more

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Oct 18, 2012 Liza rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

3.5 out of 5 stars.

I requested Hunk for the Holidays from NetGalley after a friend told me how much she loved it. This is the first book I’ve read by Katie Lane, but won’t be my last since I really enjoyed her voice.

I loved Cassie from the moment she appeared on the page. She is such a strong character yet still hires an escort to take to her company Christmas party to avoid having to deal with sympathetic looks and matchmaking from family and family friends. When James shows up in her office sh...more 3.5 out of 5 stars.

I requested Hunk for the Holidays from NetGalley after a friend told me how much she loved it. This is the first book I’ve read by Katie Lane, but won’t be my last since I really enjoyed her voice.

I loved Cassie from the moment she appeared on the page. She is such a strong character yet still hires an escort to take to her company Christmas party to avoid having to deal with sympathetic looks and matchmaking from family and family friends. When James shows up in her office she mistakes him for the escort she has hired for the night, and for the first time ever, she is thinking about sleeping with her paid escort. Unknown to Cassie, James is actually James Sutton, her family’s biggest business rival. He was only in her office because he had an appointment scheduled with her father.

Cassie and James had really great chemistry. While I myself have never experienced love at first sight, I kinda got that feel with Cassie and James…maybe lust at first sight is more appropriate. They really did have great chemistry together and I was really cheering for them to make it the whole time I was reading. I knew Cassie wouldn’t be very understanding when she found out who James really was, and she reacted as I expected. I totally understood how Cassie felt but also had seen James try and tell her a couple of times who he really was. I knew part of the reason Cassie was so mad was because for probably the first time ever, she had real feelings for a man. James had the same problem once he and Cassie argued over their situation. He really fell hard and fast for Cassie, and wasn’t ready to accept less than everything from Cassie.

I also loved the secondary love story between Cassie’s brother Rory and Cassie’s best friend Amy. Amy and Rory had been attracted to one another since they first met when she came to work for the company. However, due to a lack of communication between the two, they hadn’t ever acted on said feelings. While I could see they would get a quick resolution to their love story, I really wish they had been given a book of their own. I would have loved to see Rory romance Amy to win her over.

I really enjoyed Hunk for the Holidays. While the entire romance took place over the course of 3-4 days, I liked it. Made me laugh out loud a few times, fan myself and others, and even tear up a couple of times. I really like when a book makes me feel a wide range of emotions. For more about Katie Lane, check out her website.
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Oct 15, 2012 Cherise rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-review-copy, first-reads, romance

4.5 Stars!

I received this book free through GoodReads first reads.

Cassie McPherson is from a lively Scottish family where they pride themselves in being able to hold their whisky and being a strong close family. The trouble is Cassie is tired of the questions about her love life so she has started hiring escorts to accompany her to various big company parties and gatherings. She is her father’s right hand woman in their family owned construction company and is also known as the ice princess. But...more

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Sep 24, 2012 Stephanie Collins rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

2.5 stars:

Please suspend belief for the amount of time it takes you to read this and if you do so it isn't a bad read.

Cassie is a work-a-holic who is stuck working as an accountant for her family's construction business when she would rather be getting her hands dirty. She uses escorts at various social functions rather than letting a man in to her life. All this changes due to mistaken identity.. and man is he some sexy man meat in a tux... She lets her hair down at the party and ends up havin...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Mary (BookHounds) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: from-publisher-author, 2012

MY THOUGHTS
LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!

Cassie works at her father's construction company with her four overbearing brothers. That wouldn't be so bad, except her father thinks she should be office help only. She really wants to be and architect and work in the field. When she is expected to attend the company Christmas part, she does what she always does to get her family off of her back about her social life: she hires an escort. So when a handsome guy shows up at her office at the right time and dress...more

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Dec 19, 2012 Anas Attic Book Blog rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: holiday

Read more of my reviews and ramblings at Ana's Attic Sexy Tales

I love a good holiday book. Especially one that makes you feel good and happy. I saw Hunk For The Holidays by Katie Lane on Net-Galley, and it sounded great, though I must say, I really don’t like the name, or the guy on the cover. But I grabbed it anyway. I’m so glad I did! I really loved this book, and I would have enjoyed it any time of year. While the book is not overly memorable or unique, I still enjoyed every page. I smiled th...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Melody May rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: christmas, contemporary, romance

Also found on http://sillymelody.blogspot.com
As I make my way through the Christmas reads, I have finished another one. (As I pretend there is cheering in the background). Anyways, I started reading Hunk for the Holidays not knowing what to expect. I read the back the book and thought this could be interesting. Here's what I mean:

Cassie McPherson has always put her love life on the back burner, work always came first. When she needed a date she would hire an escort to take her out. Plus, this w...more

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Dec 06, 2012 Nikki Brandyberry rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I have always enjoyed Katie Lane’s writing. She often writes quirky southern characters who are full of charm but may not know how to go about achieving happiness. Hunk For The Holidays is a solid read about a stubborn career driven woman and a classic case of mistaken identity. Cassie is over worked and desperate to not look it. Wanting to impress her father while he is on medical leave she attempts to take over the larger aspects of their construction business while still doing her own medial...more I have always enjoyed Katie Lane’s writing. She often writes quirky southern characters who are full of charm but may not know how to go about achieving happiness. Hunk For The Holidays is a solid read about a stubborn career driven woman and a classic case of mistaken identity. Cassie is over worked and desperate to not look it. Wanting to impress her father while he is on medical leave she attempts to take over the larger aspects of their construction business while still doing her own medial paperwork job. Intent on proving herself and perhaps getting him to see that she would be more useful in other areas, like planning and architecture. Having so much work though means no personal life, a fact that she has resigned herself to for quite some time. When she needs a date she just calls an escort service, something she has done for the upcoming company Christmas party. When a man shows up right on time she assumes he’s the date even though he looks nothing like the barely out of teenage years escorts the company has sent before. This is a mature, extremely sexy man who seems to know exactly how to act in any situation.

James is no male escort, he’s actually the owner of the one corporation that has been taking business away from Cassie’s family. The instant attraction he feels to this uptight woman war with his need to tell her the truth about his identity. Of course, one too many glasses of wine later they are falling into bed together and he certainly can’t tell her then right? I liked James. He made several valiant efforts to tell Cassie the truth but her stubbornness always lead to more mistaken ideas. Having been raised alongside brothers, Cassie had to fight for everything she was given and that has continued into her adulthood. She craves a more hands on job but has been unable to voice her authority to her aging father and instead has wasted her talent sitting in the office where he put her. James, though she knows not who he is, gives her the opportunity to believe in herself. I thought they worked well together and even when faced with the truth Cassie makes strides in her self and her belief in James.

The one thing I didn’t like was also the thing I liked the most. Amy, Cassie’s best friend has a side story in this with Cassie’s brother. I really liked Amy and wished she had her own story because as it was, it felt incredibly rushed. She was relegated to a few paragraphs here and there and it just wasn’t enough to do her justice.

This was a cute holiday romance. Katie Lane writes believable characters who are both smart and snarky. I enjoy the down home feel each book she writes has and appreciate the attention to detail that comes with her seasoned writing. While not earth shattering in any means, A Hunk For The Holidays will get you in good spirits!

I give A Hunk For The Holidays by Katie Lane 3.75 stars!
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Oct 12, 2012 Lisa rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: earc

This is actually my first Katie Lane book. The blurb sounded fun and i have heard good things about Katie Lane books so i was excited to read this.The McPherson's have a big construction company in which all the family work. Cassie is the Vice President but really a glorified account by her own words. It's not what she wants to do but as the only girl in the family her overprotective dad wants her in a safe place so she's stuck. James Sutton is the the McPherson's biggest rival right now so he's...more

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Dec 21, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Oh my goodness, this book was SO GOOD! I was really excited when I saw this holiday romance in my mailbox and knew I had to get into it as soon as possible. It was honestly the perfect read for the holiday season!

Cassie grew up with four brothers, so you could say she's learned how to be tough and take care of herself. And being the VP of her Dad's construction company, Cassie has to be able to keep up with the big boys if she wants to be respected when it comes to her job. Being such a workahol...more Oh my goodness, this book was SO GOOD! I was really excited when I saw this holiday romance in my mailbox and knew I had to get into it as soon as possible. It was honestly the perfect read for the holiday season!

Cassie grew up with four brothers, so you could say she's learned how to be tough and take care of herself. And being the VP of her Dad's construction company, Cassie has to be able to keep up with the big boys if she wants to be respected when it comes to her job. Being such a workaholic, though, has left Cassie with not much time for dating, so she has found the key to solving that issue: hiring escorts for social events. The most recent escort, though, happens to be a man like no escort she's had before; he's dark, handsome, and knows how to treat a woman. Little does Cassie know, he's not her escort but the owner of the rival construction company. Too confused by Cassie's assumption that he's her escort, James is forced to go along and can't tell Cassie the truth until they've already fallen for each other. Now, James doesn't know how to reveal his true identity without losing the only girl he's ever thought about more than his work.

I loved all of the characters in this book so much. Cassie is a girl you find yourself rooting for, James is a guy you find yourself falling for, and all of Cassie's brothers are just too awesome for words. And I absolutely loved the side story with Amy and Cassie's brother Rory. Normally I'm not a big fan of side stories, but this one was just as intriguing as James and Cassie's story. The holiday atmosphere gave this book a whole other side of enjoyment too. With holiday parties, family Christmas dinners, and flammable Christmas trees, Hunk for the Holidays proves to be the perfect book to snuggle up with by the twinkling lights and warm fire.

Overall, I loved this book and would recommend it to any romance lover who's in the mood for a holiday read. A little bit of romance with some holiday cheer? What more could a girl ask for during Christmastime? (less)

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Oct 02, 2012 Nicole rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: read-in-2012, review, romance

Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/01/...

I love a good frienemies story, especially one that takes place over Christmas and ends with a happily ever after. I was super excited for this book, and unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype I gave it.

Cassie is working for the family business, but stuck in a job that she hates, not able to do the one thing in the company that would make her beyond happy. Instead, she is stuck behind a desk, running the company while he...more Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/01/...

I love a good frienemies story, especially one that takes place over Christmas and ends with a happily ever after. I was super excited for this book, and unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype I gave it.

Cassie is working for the family business, but stuck in a job that she hates, not able to do the one thing in the company that would make her beyond happy. Instead, she is stuck behind a desk, running the company while her father is out after surgery. To make matters worse, a new man in town is undercutting their business and threatening their bottom line. To say the least, it doesn’t make Cassie a happy camper.

James loves the company he has built from the ground up, and when he meets Cassie in the most unconventional way, he is absolutely smitten with her. He falls – hard and fast for her, but is scared to tell her the truth about who he really is. Because he knows, once Cassie realizes he is her business rival, he is going to lose her, and despite his business being his baby, he realizes that someone to share it worth, is so much more than he ever expected.

I wanted to love this book. I thought it had a great premise, and would be the basis for a super cute story, but there was just something about the execution that didn’t work for me. The story was so “same ole-same ole” and didn’t really have anything new or special about it that stood out for me. Also, given the fact that the book spans about three days, the romance came across as very unrealistic and too fairytale like for me.

I will admit that I liked the characters overall. Both Cassie and James were characters that I could enjoy. Cassie was headstrong and a real shark when it came to the business she loved, and at the same time she was a family girl. She adored her brothers, her overbearing father, and her quirky aunt. She loved working in the family business and was a sexy sweet vixen. But, on the other hand, she was annoying perfect most of the time and I wanted her to have some real flaws, instead of just superficial fears.

Likewise, James walked onto the pages of the book as a single-minded businessman who would do anything and everything for his company. But as the story progressed, he became practically obsessed with Cassie, and after just a few short days was ready to profess his undying love for her. For someone who came across as so crafty and intelligent in the boardroom, his willingness to jump feet first into a relationship didn’t really seem to fit his character. But you know me, and I do respect a hero who knows what he wants and is willing to chase after it with everything he has.

Unfortunately, their romance was just too quick, and seemed to progress too rapidly for the developing feelings. With the secondary plot of Cassie’s assistant and brother finally getting together after years of dancing around each other, and the amount of page time spent on Cassie and her family, it seemed as if the romance really didn’t get as much page time as it should have – given the extent of their feelings for each other. I had a hard time believing in their romance, and for me, that really ruined the whole reading experience.

All in all I really wanted to enjoy this book – and while there were certainly some great aspects of it – I had a hard time getting into and liking this one overall. The rushed romance and too-perfect hero and heroine were too much for the quirky and loveable supporting cast to overcome. While I thought this book had some great potential, it really just didn’t live up to my expectations.
I give Hunk for the Holidays a C-(less)

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Jan 14, 2013 Tamera Lawrence rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Head strong, Cassie McPherson has a problem. She needs a date for a Christmas party and she needs one quick. So what’s a girl to do? Call up an escort service of course. Why not? Cassie has before and the experience wasn’t so bad. In fact, it was a perfect way to fool her family, especially her brothers, who keep a close eye on their sister and the men in her life. But when Cassie runs into her striking date, she is stunned by her reaction to the gorgeous hunk. Always one to control every situat...more

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