All He Ever Desired (Kowalski Family, #5)

Nov 18, 2012 UniquelyMoi *Dhestiny* BlithelyBookish rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-for-review, series-kowalski-family, reviewed-for-netgalley, publisher-carina-press, author-shannon-stacey, series-must-read, 2012-reads, 4-stars, second-chances, single-parent

All He Ever Desired is the fifth book in the Kowalski Family series and another enjoyable story. I can tell you, without hesitation, that Shannon Stacey is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and this series is must read for me. The stories are sweet, passionate, humorous, and often focus on valuable lessons, reminding us of what is most important in life; Love, family and integrity.

A second shot at first love…

After college, Ryan Kowalski decided to leave Whitford, Maine, rather tha

...more
All He Ever Desired is the fifth book in the Kowalski Family series and another enjoyable story. I can tell you, without hesitation, that Shannon Stacey is one of my favorite contemporary romance authors, and this series is must read for me. The stories are sweet, passionate, humorous, and often focus on valuable lessons, reminding us of what is most important in life; Love, family and integrity.

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?

There are so many things to love about this story! Revisiting the Kowalski clan as they come together for Paige and Mitch’s wedding made for some fun times. Watching Rose and Andy grow closer – Rose’s snarky (for Rose) comments and Andy’s obvious affection for her. Meeting Lauren’s troubled teen age son, Nick, and getting a glimpse into the man he’ll become. And most especially, Ryan and Lauren, the stars of this story.

Ironically, my favorite part of this story is also my least favorite. Like the cover blurb tells us, a lot of years have passed since Ryan made Lauren an offer she was obviously able to refuse, and both moved on with their lives, though neither ever forgot the other. Circumstances have brought them together again, so with all those years behind them and nothing to stop them, they’re finally ready to take a chance on each other and see what the future might hold.

And this is why it's my favorite part: I loved how real it felt. How we watched their struggle - Ryan's to approach Lauren again after having already been shot down once. It might have been 16 years ago, but the wound she inflicted to his pride, and his heart, is still fresh. And Lauren's struggle to take a chance and allow someone into her life again, especially a man like Ryan Kowalski who makes her feel things no one, not even her ex husband, had ever made her feel.

And this is why it's my least favorite part: It's heartwarming, at times poignant and inspirational, but by the very nature of this story, it also causes some lag in the flow and pacing. Not to the point of distraction, mind you, but for me it was there and that's the only thing keeping this from being a 5 star read.

So now I'm very much looking forward to Josh's story and finding out if he can make his own dreams come true. He's been the one person holding everything together while everyone else was off following their own dreams and now it's his time to shine. And then there's Liz's story, too. That girl's had it rough and it's time that she have a chance at love, whether she realizes she wants it or not.

The bottom line: Like all the books in this series, All He Ever Desired is a romantic, steamy, funny, feel good story. The devotion to family and community gives these books that small town feel that I adore, and the characters - their lives and loves - are what keeping me coming back for more.

My thanks to netgalley.com and Carina Press for providing me with a copy of this book for review. As always, it was a pleasure.(less)

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Oct 23, 2012 Ana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: z-read-in-2012, contemporary-romance, z-netgalley, small-town-romance

4.5 stars

A great contemporary romance!

Lauren Carpentner is satisfied with her life. She's free of her husband (not that he was all bad, bu the constant cheating wasn't nice), she has her loyal friends, her son (although he does let his hormones rule him a bit too much)... True, there's no man around, but who actually needs them? Right?

And then Ryan Kowalski walk back to town. Ryan, well he is a successful business owner who really doesn't want to come back to Whitford. You see, he has an unfo...more

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Oct 17, 2012 Jane Litte rated it 4 of 5 stars

I'm not a lover of big family events, but Stacey makes the Kowalksis so appealing that even a curmudgeon like me would like to spend time with them. Since they are fictional, the closest I can get is by reading these books. All He Ever Desired is all I want in a contemporary romance. Two appealing leads whose life choices took them through a long and crooked path to their much deserved happy ever after, making their connections more concrete and believable. I'd like her to write about this famil...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Melinda Dozier rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-copies

The Kowalskis are at it again. Shannon Stacey's Kowalski men are some of my favorite Alpha men. Ryan Kowalski is no disappointment. He is honrable, honest, kind, hard-working and a driven man who has always loved Lauren Carpenter.

As teenagers, Ryan asked Laurent to leave her husband, move with him and he'd raise Nick as his own son. But, Lauren was too young to make that decision. Ryan left town without turning back and made a multimillion dollar life for himself. Now back in town to help his fa...more The Kowalskis are at it again. Shannon Stacey's Kowalski men are some of my favorite Alpha men. Ryan Kowalski is no disappointment. He is honrable, honest, kind, hard-working and a driven man who has always loved Lauren Carpenter.

As teenagers, Ryan asked Laurent to leave her husband, move with him and he'd raise Nick as his own son. But, Lauren was too young to make that decision. Ryan left town without turning back and made a multimillion dollar life for himself. Now back in town to help his family, he can't take his eyes off Lauren, a grown sexy woman. Divorced now, she also can't help but wonder "What If" anytime she sees handsome Ryan. Their friendship turns into a lasting love that has me smiling from ear-to-ear. How sweet is this line? "If somebody wants you to pin a label on my place in your life, just tell them I'm yours."

My favorite parts of All He Ever Desired are: 1) Kowalski clan. Stacy has a unique way of combining a feisty family, each with their own personality, into the storyline. Characters from other Kowalski books show up and new characters are just waiting for their own story to be told. Ryan's brother Mitch's story was in the previous book. I'm wondering when Josh will get his own, since he made me laugh. The brothers have their typcial male relationships, joking when things get serious, but they take care of each other in their own way.

2) Complex characters. only does Stacey handle the Kowalskis, but there are other intense characters such as Dean, the ex-husband, and Hailey and Paige, Lauren's best friends. Each has a developed history and background that makes me think I really know them.

3) The sensual scenes are crazy-mad hot! love how Stacey can still keep it sexy, but at the same time crack a joke in between kisses. One of my favorite lines from a sex xcene is: "A woman should never have to choose between sexx and cake." It's true, isn't it?

Overall, the story is real, relatable and sexy. A must read for Stacey fans and Kowalski lovers. Ryan and Lauren's story reaches you deep in the heart and stays there for days after finishing the book. Can't wait to read more Kowalski tales. (less)

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Nov 16, 2012 Jess rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: family_sibling_series, for_review, contemporary

Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: B+

As she sat down, Lauren tried to shake off the nerves that being so close to him [Ryan] seemed to have set to quivering, only to find herself pinned by Paige’s all-too-observant stare. She should have made the time to pack a lunch this morning.

“Coffee?”

“They have that effect on women.”

“Coffees?”

“Kowalskis.”

Ryan owns a successful building company out of state, but has returned home for a short time to help rebuild his family’s lodge. Wh...more Review posted: Happily Ever After - Reads
Blog rating: B+

As she sat down, Lauren tried to shake off the nerves that being so close to him [Ryan] seemed to have set to quivering, only to find herself pinned by Paige’s all-too-observant stare. She should have made the time to pack a lunch this morning.

“Coffee?”

“They have that effect on women.”

“Coffees?”

“Kowalskis.”

Ryan owns a successful building company out of state, but has returned home for a short time to help rebuild his family’s lodge. Whether they keep it or sell it once all is said and done is still up in the air, but Ryan is back in town where the first love of his life turned him down years ago and he’s shocked when he finds her sixteen year old son, Nick, vandalizing their property. He lets Nick work off the debt he owes and this puts Ryan right in Lauren’s path daily now and the spark is still there between them.

Lauren is a single mom, having divorced Nick’s dad Dean (who is also former best friends with Ryan) years ago after he cheated on her. She has a pretty thankless job, but it pays the bills and gives her flexible hours to be home for Nick. She still remembers the day years ago when Ryan showed up and wanted to take her and then infant Nick away with him and away from Dean, who never really treated her right. She said no and has spent all the years since fantasizing about what it would have been like had she said yes and just fantasizing about Ryan, period.

The first half of the story really builds up each character individually. There’s some subtle foreplay between Ryan and Lauren but their romance doesn’t take off until the midway point, during Ryan’s brother’s wedding. I liked the slow build up for these two. It gives us time to get to know a bit more about each of their lives, especially in Lauren’s case as she juggles her job, Nick, and dealing with an ex who can’t stand having his son working for Ryan. For as full and crazy as her life is, she’s still missing something, and she wants someone to share this life with. When she gets the chance to be a little bold and ask Ryan to dance at his brother’s wedding, she does it, he accepts and after an awkward moment or two, they get comfortable together fast and their romance takes off.

I thought their romance was incredibly sweet and it’s easy to believe that Lauren would be imagining Ryan in her dreams, because he’s pretty sigh-worthy. What stands out most about their relationship was how real it felt. These two are dealing with families, work, friends and the biggest obstacle they have is living in different states. Ryan is here for now, but the lodge gets rebuilt quickly and then they have a big decision to make. I really enjoyed how their romance developed. It’s sexy at times, serious when it needs to be and seeing them fall in love and try to make it work is a satisfying journey for them and for readers.

The heart of this series remains the Kowalski’s and there’s a big family get-together centered around Mitch and Paige’s wedding (All He Ever Needed). We get much more of Liz Kowalski on page, the sister who lives across the country had me surprised at who she hooks up with at the wedding. I love the family banter, the siblings that love to bicker and fight followed up quickly by wanting to take a sibling picture together because it reminds them of a picture their mom took years ago before her death. It’s the little moments with this family that I love seeing play out. Now, I’m excited to learn more about Liz and of course the last single Kowalski brother, Josh – his heroine is right in front of his face. I can’t wait to see that man finally wake up and take notice.

The Kowalski’s and their friends continue to be charming and fun to get to know with each book. I enjoyed the romance between Lauren and Ryan. They have moments that are steamy, at times sweet and seeing them become not only a couple, but a family with her son Nick was nice progression. This is a charming series and All He Ever Desired fits right in, a read I’d definitely recommend.(less)

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Nov 02, 2012 Judy rated it 5 of 5 stars

All He Ever Desired by Shannon Stacey
The Kowalski Series Book 5
Ryan Kowalski has come back to Northern Star Lodge in Whitford, Maine to help his brothers get it fixed up to sell. He’s been home over the past few years and each time he tries to ignore the beautiful Lauren. This time is different. Not only does he run into her in town, he catches her son vandalizing their property and makes Nick work it off. Leaving Lauren to come by the lodge to pick her son up and maybe giving Ryan a second chan...more

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Nov 28, 2012 Julie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: shannon-stacey, contemporary-romance, fiction

I love Shannon Stacey's writing and the Kowalskis in particular. Stacey has become an auto-buy for me -- when I purchase one of her books, I know that I'm going to get sharp, witty dialogue, a well-written romance, and characters I'd want to spend time with in real life. All He Ever Desired has that in spades. It focuses on Ryan Kowalski, who was first seen in his brother Mitch's story (book one in this branch of the series), All He Ever Needed. Ryan is a successful builder who lives in Brooklin...more I love Shannon Stacey's writing and the Kowalskis in particular. Stacey has become an auto-buy for me -- when I purchase one of her books, I know that I'm going to get sharp, witty dialogue, a well-written romance, and characters I'd want to spend time with in real life. All He Ever Desired has that in spades. It focuses on Ryan Kowalski, who was first seen in his brother Mitch's story (book one in this branch of the series), All He Ever Needed. Ryan is a successful builder who lives in Brookline, Massachusetts, and he comes home to Whitford, Maine to help fix up the family's old, broken-down lodge, the Northern Star. The plot with the lodge is continued from All He Ever Needed and some references are made to the events of that book, but you can read All He Ever Desired as a standalone.

So, Ryan comes back to town and runs into his high school crush, Lauren Carpenter, who married Ryan's (now former) best friend after she got pregnant at 18. Ryan asked her to run away with him years ago when her son was a baby. She said no and stayed with her husband. Now both Ryan and Lauren are divorced, and surprise, they still have feelings for each other and are unexpectedly forced to see each other thanks to the antics of Lauren's son.

Nick, Lauren's 16-year-old son, gets in some trouble and is caught vandalizing the lodge. When Ryan learns that Nick is Lauren's son, he allows Nick to work at the lodge as a way of paying Ryan back for the damage he caused. Now Lauren and Ryan are seeing each other several times a week while sorting out their attraction. The whole "Nick working at the lodge" thing never seemed like a heavy-handed way to get the two of them in close contact, though.

The romance develops naturally from there, and it's a good romance. The story really shines, however, in the interactions between the Kowalskis and the lodge's housekeeper, Rose, and Lauren's interactions with her friends Hailey and Paige. (Paige is Ryan's sister-in-law; she got together with his brother Mitch in All He Ever Desired.) Ryan and Lauren are great characters. Lauren doesn't put up with any bullshit, and I liked that about her. She also laughs in Ryan's face when he uses a cheesy line on her, and that was great. Poor Ryan, thinking ladies want to hear things like, "My eyes are only beautiful because you're reflected in them." I love that Stacey is able to infuse humor in her stories and that her dialogue is realistic. I love dialogue, and if it doesn't sound like how people actually talk and react to things, I'll end up hating the book. I've never had that problem with Shannon Stacey's books.

The story isn't without some angst, though, as Ryan and Lauren grapple with Ryan being in Whitford only temporarily to help at the lodge as their relationship continues to grow. Coming home and trying to find where a character fits in is a theme that happens a lot in Stacey's books. Ryan and Lauren want to be together, but her life and family are in Whitford, and Ryan's business and life are back in Brookline. Neither one of them really wants to leave where they live now, and that's the central conflict of the story.

SPOILERS AFTER THIS POINT

I have mixed feelings about the ending, which is why a star got knocked off this review. I'm a big fan of themes of home and finding home (either in a place or with other people) in stories. Ryan builds a (metaphorical) home for himself in Whitford with Lauren and Nick. I know that it didn't make sense for Ryan to stay in Whitford because he has a business and employees, but it doesn't seem like Brookline is home to him. Ryan's house is just a place for him to crash after work; there's nothing about it that makes it seem like a home aside from the pictures of his family in his room, as Lauren observes at one point. Maybe Lauren and Nick will help him decorate and their presence will make the house become a home? I'm not sure.

He doesn't have any particular affection for the place, and it doesn't seem like he has friends there. His existence in Brookline seems stressful and lonely. Ryan's reluctance to leave Brookline is all about the fact that his business is there -- which, granted, is a huge part of his life, and he has people who depend on him for a paycheck. Lauren, on the other hand, does have an established home and friends, her parents are in Whitford, and she has a son who she'd have to pull of school, move across state lines, and get permission from her ex to take out of state. She doesn't seem to dislike Whitford or want to leave. I wouldn't have such mixed feelings about the ending if Lauren were like, "Goddammit, I hate this town and I want to get out of here" or "I need a change in my life."

Looking it from a writing standpoint, I can imagine any ending (Ryan moving to Whitford, Lauren moving to Brookline, or the two of them commuting back and forth) would have been difficult for Shannon Stacey to write. Ryan and Lauren being married and commuting back and forth would have made no sense. Ryan staying in Whitford and trying to run his business remotely or shuttling back and forth to Massachusetts for important jobs wouldn't have made sense either. I guess the ending we get, with Lauren and Nick moving to Brookline, is the best compromise.

Still, I highly recommend this book. It's ended a months-long streak of bad books for me.(less)

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Oct 31, 2012 A Tasty Read/ Sweet Reads Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, first-reads, netgalley

Ryan Kowalski is back in town, and trying his best to stop running into the one woman that he always wanted and never had, Lauren Carpenter. Lauren can't forget that "what-if" moment in her life with Ryan years ago, but now she may have a second chance with him and she plans to take full advantage. But for two people who's lives are so far apart, can a romance work between them, or will they just crash and burn?

The fifth book in the Kowalski Series was so much fun! Not only did we have a steamy,...more

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Nov 05, 2012 Kindle Gal rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: genre-contemporary-romance, netgalley, read-in-2012, favorites, llol-funny, arc, read-for-blog

Review posted on Kindles & Wine

YES!!!! This is the book I’ve been waiting for Shannon Stacey to write.

All He Ever Desired is Book 5 in Stacey’s series about the Kowalski family. Truth be told, I’ve been rating the books in this series pretty tough. Don’t get me wrong, I think Shannon Stacey is a fantastic writer; I love her voice and sense of humor, and this big family she’s created is just so awesome and one you can’t help but adore. But there was always something I took issue with in the e...more

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Nov 21, 2012 Mandi Schreiner rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary

Favorite Quote: “Coffee?”

Lauren pressed a hand to her stomach, cursing the butterflies. “I think I’ll have decaf.”

“They have that effect on women.”

“Coffees?”

“Kowalskis.”

Why does Shannon Stacey write such adorable books? Her Kowalski series has quickly gone to one of my most anticipated series. In this book we get a hero who was so desperately in love with the heroine when they were younger that he asked her to leave her husband to be with him. Although Laura married young and had to care for her...more

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Dec 08, 2012 Jonetta rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary-romance, netgalley-arc

Ryan Kowalski (36) has never forgotten Lauren Carpenter (34) after almost 14 years and the passion of his past has certainly tempered. She's only improved over time and he has a whole new set of feelings to contend with. Lauren has played the "what if" game with herself since her divorce eight years ago, imagining what her life might have been like if she'd taken Ryan up on his offer to run away with him. She's got a chance to play things out in the present but wonders if he still has any feelin...more Ryan Kowalski (36) has never forgotten Lauren Carpenter (34) after almost 14 years and the passion of his past has certainly tempered. She's only improved over time and he has a whole new set of feelings to contend with. Lauren has played the "what if" game with herself since her divorce eight years ago, imagining what her life might have been like if she'd taken Ryan up on his offer to run away with him. She's got a chance to play things out in the present but wonders if he still has any feelings for her.

Ryan and Lauren's relationship is truly a contemporary romance. As a single mother of a 16-year old teenaged boy, she's constantly juggling the demands of a job, strained finances and being a mom while trying to have a social life. Ryan is part of a big extended family (four hot brothers, a sister, and four equally attractive first cousins) and he's only in Whitford, Maine to help his brothers restore the family lodge as he has his own multi-million dollar company to run in Brookline, Massachusetts. He and Lauren not only have their own past baggage to deal with as they consider a long-distance relationship but all of these pulls from their current circumstances. There weren't easy solutions and it made this story more engaging, even in the midst of a pretty hot romance.

What made this story even more enjoyable were the many funny moments arising from being a part of a large family. Ryan has great relationships with his brothers but everyone is in each others' business. It helped balance out the tough aspects of the romance, it all seeming so normal while still providing a nice escape. And, you have the whole town involved in seeing these two make it.

Ryan and Lauren are two interesting personalities and have one hot romance in spite of their obstacles. I really liked how their story was presented with all of its ups and downs, challenges and triumphs, as well as the many siblings who provide more flavor. It ended a bit briefly but every book in this series includes updates for every member of this family so we haven't heard the last about them.

(I received an ARC from NetGalley)(less)

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Nov 14, 2012 Mikaela rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, contemporary-romance

After reading All he ever needed, which was a disappointment to me, I hestitated before I requested this one on Netgalley. Since it was an Arc, I figured all I would lose if I didn't like it was time. I am happy to say that I did like it.

Just like all the Kowalski novels, this book was a small town romance with down to earth characters. I loved how both the good sides and bad sides of living in a small town were included in the novel.

If this novel had a theme, it was second chances. Lauren and R...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Amanda Ryan rated it 3 of 5 stars

Ah, The Kowalski's. All He Ever Desired brings us Ryan Kowalski's story. Ryan owns and operates a successful construction company, and he returns to his roots in Maine in order to put his skills to use in restoring the family's lodge. He's hesitant to come back, mostly because he still has a knee-jerk reaction to seeing the woman he once loved, Lauren. Lauren is divorced and has an angsty teenage son, and she's having her own unwelcome reactions to Ryan's return. After her son is caught vandaliz...more

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Nov 07, 2012 Yazmin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Romantic, sexy, fun and with just the right amount of drama. What more can we ask for in a romance book?

We've all asked the question of "What if", well this is what Lauren has been asking herself since she declined Ryan's proposal to leave her husband and go him and her baby son when he graduated from college. Now many years later and after divorcing her husband Lauren finds herself trying to live day-to-day supporting her moody teenage son and dealing with her bitter ex-husband.

Ryan has come b...more

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Nov 17, 2012 Anne rated it 4 of 5 stars

I am in love with this series of books by Shannon Stacey, they are my go to comfort/romance reads. This book has two great main characters, Ryan and Lauren, and I really enjoyed reading about both of them. They have known each other since they were kids but when they meet again after both have been married and divorced to other people the sparks really fly between them. Ryan had been in love with Lauren for a long time and it was great to see him finally get to be with the girl of his dreams.

I d...more

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Oct 29, 2012 Judith rated it 4 of 5 stars

Seems like the prevailing fad in romance fiction is the "second chance" syndrome. Yet it reads well and seems to pull at our heart strings. This novel is no exception. It's really filled with that sense of regret that both Laurie and Ryan feel, especially when they review their history, recognize that they both made some poor choices, and now must live with the fall-out. Suffice it to say that Laurie's ex and her teen son figure prominently in this story of two people who have lots of obstacles...more

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Nov 15, 2012 Sassafrass rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, challenge-books-2012, romance, src-fa12, ng

ALL HE EVER DESIRED is the latest in the Kowalski Family Series and it’s a great addition to the series!

Ryan Kowalski left his hometown of Whitford, Maine years ago after the woman he loved, Lauren Carpenter, refused to leave her husband and run away with him. But now, his family’s business needs him back in the area so he’ll just have to avoid Lauren.

That’s easier said than down when a vandal is caught destroying the family’s property. To make matters worse, the vandal happens to be Lauren’s so...more

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Nov 03, 2012 Angela rated it 5 of 5 stars

Recommended to Angela by: netgalley

I love the Kowalski series. The first three were about the New Hampshire branch and the last two have been about their cousins in Maine. The Maine branch are a little less boisterous, but are just as family oriented, enough so you wish you were part of the clan. This book was about Ryan and Lauren, two people that really need to be together considering the second chance they're getting. When I first met Ryan in Mitch's book I thought he seemed kinda like a jerk, but after getting to know him it...more

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Nov 11, 2012 Christi Snow rated it 4 of 5 stars

My Review:
The one thing I can say about absolutely every book of Shannon's from this series is that I am constantly laughing. I love the Kowalski family and the camaraderie that Shannon has created among them. This is a family that loves each other dearly and show it by giving each other a hard time and snarky comments. I love that!

This book follows Ryan. We met him in the last book and knew that there was something up with his history with Lauren, but WHOA...I had no idea. They do have some his...more My Review:
The one thing I can say about absolutely every book of Shannon's from this series is that I am constantly laughing. I love the Kowalski family and the camaraderie that Shannon has created among them. This is a family that loves each other dearly and show it by giving each other a hard time and snarky comments. I love that!

This book follows Ryan. We met him in the last book and knew that there was something up with his history with Lauren, but WHOA...I had no idea. They do have some history....and it was that history that gave me pause with this book so that I didn't completely fall in love with everything about it. It just started me out with a bad taste in my mouth about Ryan...that he would do that sort of thing. I understand why and I understand his motivation and that he was young and stupid, but it just left me unsettled feeling about him and the whole basis of when they knew each other before.

But beyond that bit of history, the book was good. Obviously Lauren and Ryan have this history. He's always been her "what-if" guy that she used for fantasy scenarios, so when he comes back to town, it throws her for a loop. Neither one of them has any desire to revisit their past so they get pretty good at avoiding each other. That works until Lauren's teenage son does something that throws them together on a daily basis. Then there is no denying that the feelings between them are still strong.

Like all the Kowalski books, there's a lot going on here. Lauren's teenage son is dealing with some things which show the difficulties between her and her ex, Dean. Ryan is working on the Lodge and brought two of his young workers with him. His issues with their cell phones and texting kept me giggling throughout the entire book. Mitch and Paige (H/h from bk #4) have their wedding in this book so there were some great scenes with the ENTIRE Kowalski clan. There are also the normal small town gossips and twists & turns happening here.

Another good installment to this series. It wasn't quite up to my love of the other books, but it still rates pretty high in my list of contemporary books.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
(less)

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Nov 19, 2012 Mari rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemp-romnce-series, secondchancelove

It seems second chance love stories are trendying in the literary world, No complaints from me, I like it a lot especially ones that tap into your emotions. This one is no different, the fourth book in the Kowalski Brothers series, Shannon Stacey continues with her smooth and easy writing style of this family from Maine.

It so happens, I was reading another second chance at love story at the same time as this one. They both have Lauren's and a kid involved. But similarities are stopping at that....more

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Nov 12, 2012 Becky Moe rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, netgalley

I absolutely loved the first 95% or so of this book...I adored Ryan (how it is possible that each new Kowalski guy is my favorite? It shouldn't be possible, yet it keeps happening), and I really liked Lauren--not a smidge of TSTL-ishness, and almost all of her issues and decisions made total sense to me; and there were funny scenes and humorous dialog galore in this one. Even Mary and Rose's machinations, which in the other books did get to be a bit much, were controlled this time around. We got...more

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Nov 18, 2012 Shirley Frances rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, mf-series, read-2-review

A great story about second chances at love.

Ryan is a successful builder who returns home to help restore the family's inn. He is reluctant to return because he doesn't want to run into Lauren, the woman he opened his heart to and refused him. But of course, fate has other plans for him when he runs into her and then catches her son vandalizing the family's property.

I liked Ryan from the start. He was a tortured soul who once laid his heart on the table only to have it be broken by Lauren. He liv...more A great story about second chances at love.

Ryan is a successful builder who returns home to help restore the family's inn. He is reluctant to return because he doesn't want to run into Lauren, the woman he opened his heart to and refused him. But of course, fate has other plans for him when he runs into her and then catches her son vandalizing the family's property.

I liked Ryan from the start. He was a tortured soul who once laid his heart on the table only to have it be broken by Lauren. He lived his life for his work, having one relationship and nothing more significant than that. He felt real and my heart went out to him and his conflicting emotions. While his heart was saying one thing his mind was being practical and it wasn't until the very end that his feelings won out.

Lauren felt real too. A divorced woman with a teenage son, she struggled everyday to make a life for herself and her son. Always remembering the one that got away and imagining how it could have been. But she doesn't kid herself into believing that all will be well if she gets together with Ryan. She has responsibilities and I admired her for putting them first rather than giving into her desires to let it all go and be with Ryan.

I loved their interactions. Their chemistry was very palpable and their dialog very entertaining and revealing. I enjoyed having both points of view since it truly gave me a chance to really get to know their personalities, hesitations and wants. The author did a great job of bringing them together in a believable way. Their courtship may have been short, but their interactions and their history really helped me imagine it could be real. I also enjoyed the secondary characters and the son's struggles with adapting with his situation with his father. It helped show a different, more assertive side to Lauren and Ryan in how they dealt with that situation and how they related to him.

The writing was very good. I feel that my expectations for this book were met since it was filled with great humor and banter, amazing chemistry and well developed characters. I liked that the events presented served a purpose. Each time they interacted with themselves or secondary characters I got to know a little bit more about them and I appreciated that.

I am looking forward to the next book in the series, Josh's story. I adored him in book 4 and he really won my heart in this book with his humor and great heart. (less)

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Oct 20, 2012 Amy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012, contemporary-romance

I have loved all of Shannon’s Kowalski books. In Ryan and Lauren’s story you get the same smooth, easy writing that Shannon delivers along with a great story that always has meddling family and friends. There are few contemporary romance writers out there where I can read book after book of theirs and not feel I am reading the same story with different characters. One of the great things about Shannon’s books is that you don’t get the clichéd scenes. You never quite know what her characters are...more I have loved all of Shannon’s Kowalski books. In Ryan and Lauren’s story you get the same smooth, easy writing that Shannon delivers along with a great story that always has meddling family and friends. There are few contemporary romance writers out there where I can read book after book of theirs and not feel I am reading the same story with different characters. One of the great things about Shannon’s books is that you don’t get the clichéd scenes. You never quite know what her characters are going to do or react to a certain situation. I laughed at many parts of the story and even had to read some of them out loud to my husband. I also had a heavy heart at some parts of the story. Thank goodness for happy endings!

In this story I thought it was great how Lauren would just ask Ryan a question about why he did or did not do something she was worrying about. Sure, they both were insecure about what the other one thought at times, but they had an attraction to one another and acted on it. This second chance story was a little trickier since Lauren’s ex husband (Dean) is a former best friend of Ryan’s. Dean finally learns why Ryan skipped town several years back and didn't give him a reason. Not sure he likes the reason, though. Since Lauren and Dean have a son, Nick, it made things a little more difficult. That family dynamic made the story very real, as many people deal with situations like this all the time. Lauren and Ryan are very compatible but their relationship wasn't easy by any means. Ryan did a wonderful job with Nick, even when he walked in on Lauren and Ryan one morning. I think the intimate scenes between Lauren and Ryan were fun and fit the story and the couple perfectly.

Josh was great fun, a typical little brother and I look forward to his story. I love Rose, of course. She has such a good way of interfering but not. She loves the Kowalski boys as if they were her own and only wants to see them happy (well, she wants grandchildren too). She might need to push them a little but hey, that is what mother figures are all about, right? Mitch and Paige’s wedding brought out the cousins, Aunt Mary and Uncle Leo from all Shannon’s other books which was fun to read about. There are several stories that I hope will play out in future books or novellas, including Liz, Rose and Hailey’s. Hailey has been such an awesome friend to Lauren and Paige. I found All He Ever Desired to be one of my favorite Kowalski stories. It had so much going on in it and I had a tough time putting it down. If you love contemporary romance with a big, loving family and great friends, then give this one a try!
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Nov 13, 2012 Brie C. rated it 4 of 5 stars

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Source: A review copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

The Kowalski books keep getting stronger. This new trilogy almost feels like a different series, maybe because it features a new set of brothers living in a different town. I’m very glad because it keeps the books fresh. This new installment also features a role reversal in the main couple, and a heroine that pushes some genre boundaries, or at least has a set of goals...more Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Source: A review copy of the book was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

The Kowalski books keep getting stronger. This new trilogy almost feels like a different series, maybe because it features a new set of brothers living in a different town. I’m very glad because it keeps the books fresh. This new installment also features a role reversal in the main couple, and a heroine that pushes some genre boundaries, or at least has a set of goals that are quite uncommon in Romance.

Ryan Kowalski left town and never looked back. But unlike the typical Romance hero, wanderlust had nothing to do with his decision. The real reason he never came back was because the woman he loved married his best friend, and it was too painful for him to live so close to them. He did make a last effort to lure her away, but she shut him down because she was truly in love with her husband. So right there you have the role reversal: the hero is the one suffering from unrequited love, and she never saw him as anything but a friend. He became successful in his profession, whereas her personal life imploded.

Many years later, Lauren has a rebellious teenage son, a cheating ex-husband and tons of debt. But she’s happy and has no regrets. Sometimes she imagines her life had she agreed to leave with Ryan, but she knows it’s nothing but a foolish fantasy. The problem is that Ryan is back, at least temporarily, and she’s forced to confront that fantasy, and a new-found attraction that confuses her and is quite unwelcome. Everything gets even more complicated when her son gets in trouble with Ryan, and they end up spending more time together. Her reactions is reluctant attraction, his is a full on willingness to give themselves a chance to see where their relationship can go.

I liked this book a lot. It was better than the previous one, which I also enjoyed. I liked that the hero was the one who had his heart broken, the one falling in love first. It gave a new flavor to an old situation. They are honest and talk. She tells him her plans for the future, and he tells her that he’s committed to their relationship. She’s weary but hopeful, and doesn't let her fears get in the way of their relationship. It was a different type of story to what Ms. Stacey usually writes. The characters where more levelheaded and grounded, something I really appreciated.

Ryan is conflicted about his feelings, and feels guilty for what he did to his friend. It was obvious that he acted on impulse and out of love, but his actions were questionable and he’s fully aware of it.

Lauren’s son plays a pivotal role in the book, but he had personality and didn't feel like a mere plot device. He behaves like a teenager, gets in trouble and is grumpy. The secondary characters are a tad too cutesy, but it’s the curse of the small-town romance, the quirky characters are everywhere. Fans of the series will be happy to get a glimpse at previous characters when they reunite for Mitch and Paige’s wedding. However, the book stands alone well, so you don’t have to be familiar with the series to enjoy this book. Some of the secondary characters have recurrent plots, though, so that would be the only reason to read them in order.

My favorite thing about the book is that the heroine remains true to herself, and by doing so, the story tells us that happy endings don’t have to be based on what the genre traditionally tells us a happy ending should be. I don’t want to spoil you, so I won’t say more, but I was pleasantly surprised by the turn of events.

All He Ever Desired is a great book. I thoroughly enjoyed it, and I can’t wait to read the next book. Great Contemporary Romance, recommended to fans of the genre.(less)

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Nov 11, 2012 Stephanie Collins rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shannon Stacey does it again!! The Kowalski series has to be one of my favorites and I always wish she could give us one every month as I don't think I will ever get tired of the heart, heat and humor that each book contains.

In this installment we get to see Ryan get his HEA in the form of the woman who got away. I mean sure they never dated… sure she married his best friend while he watched from the shadows… sure they got divorced and he had some major cajones when he was younger but… they neve...more Shannon Stacey does it again!! The Kowalski series has to be one of my favorites and I always wish she could give us one every month as I don't think I will ever get tired of the heart, heat and humor that each book contains.

In this installment we get to see Ryan get his HEA in the form of the woman who got away. I mean sure they never dated… sure she married his best friend while he watched from the shadows… sure they got divorced and he had some major cajones when he was younger but… they never actually dated. They definitely felt a connection and there was something there but they never acted on it. He's been married and now runs his construction business out of town but when he comes back in town to work on the family lodge he finally decides to make his move on Lauren. He's such a sweetheart and a serious man so watching him lighten up and relax around her was fun. He's also really great around her son and treats the teenager as if he was his son which I adored. He doesn't know how to make it work with her but he knows he wants her in his life permanently he just needs her to admit it.

Lauren is raising her son on her own with very little help from her ex Dean. He got caught cheating on her in their marital bed when her son was old enough to see (maybe not completely understand) what was going on. She's made the best of it but you sense she wants to have a true partner in her life even if she won't acknowledge it. She's always had an attraction to Ryan but never acted on it as she was faithful to Dean even if he didn't deserve it. When she lets Ryan in it is with the understanding this is just an until the lodge gets done sort of thing since she can't see it working with him living elsewhere and her not willing to uproot her son. There is a ton of heat when these two act on their attraction but the heart behind it will make you smile at the same time you will want to scream when something he does makes her react without thinking.

I'm so happy with this series and all I can say is "KEEP THEM COMING!!!" (hint hint to Angela James and Carina Press… more more more)

Special thanks to NetGalley.com and Carina Press for letting me read this in exchange for my honest review. If you wish to purchase this (HIGHLY RECOMMEND) then please see the Carina link in my sidebar to do so. (less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Liza rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was lucky enough to get an early copy of All He Ever Desired from NetGalley. I’m a huge fan of Shannon Stacey and especially love her Kowalski series.

Ryan Kowalski has been in love with Lauren Carpenter pretty much his entire life. When she marries another man, he leaves his hometown rather than watch her with another man. When he comes home to help out his brothers with the family-owned lodge, he runs into Lauren as soon as he gets back to town. He plans to avoid Lauren like always when he is...more

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Oct 31, 2012 Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: net-galley

Thanks to the publisher, Carina Press, and NetGalley for the chance to read this!

Once I finally got a chance to start this book, pesky work kept getting in the way, I couldn’t put it down. WoW ~ this author really knows how to pull strong emotions out of her characters. I didn’t think I was going to survive the tension between Ryan & Lauren. Every book in this series so far has been outstanding; I only hope that more relatives crawl out of the woodwork – cuz’ I don’t want this series to end....more

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Nov 15, 2012 Ni_kii rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, dreamy-men, must-read-series, motorbike, funny

Full review at http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot....

I love this series; it makes me so happy! This is the book of Ryan Kowalski, the serious constructor introduced to us in Mitch’s book. In that book, he was so serious and work driven that I wondered how this book. We had been tantalised with the rumour that “something” had happened between him and the mysterious Lauren that had kept him away from home. In this book, we find out that he had thought himself madly in love with her and asked her...more Full review at http://scorchingbookreviews.blogspot....

I love this series; it makes me so happy! This is the book of Ryan Kowalski, the serious constructor introduced to us in Mitch’s book. In that book, he was so serious and work driven that I wondered how this book. We had been tantalised with the rumour that “something” had happened between him and the mysterious Lauren that had kept him away from home. In this book, we find out that he had thought himself madly in love with her and asked her, and her baby, to move away with him... and she.said.no. That’d be enough to keep any man away as dented pride is something that is difficult to heal. I knew he wanted to stay away from her, I understood the decision, but knew it was inevitable that it wouldn’t happen. When he catches Lauren's son vandalising his property, they had to come into contact with each other again and I loved the way he came up with a punishment that both suited his needs and Lauren's. He was such a damn nice guy that there was no way that I could dislike him,

Ryan as a character was fantastic. He was charming, considerate and sexy as hell. The only thing that I could see was his flaw was his work ethic; he saw as work as the conduit to him having a happy life so he let it consume his life. He was always working and that was the ultimate barrier to their relationship; he had no intention of giving up his business or relocating to be with her....in effect he chose the business over her as he couldn’t see how she would be happy without all the things his money provided. He knew that he wanted her, was completely unafraid at breaking down all her barriers (the scenes with him trying to build a relationship with her son are amazing...swoon worthy!) but was completely unable to look at his own. Typical man!

Lauren was a hard-working single mom, struggling to survive financially and juggle her own needs with that of her family. I wanted her to get together with Ryan just so she could start seeing herself as something other than a mom. She was a woman who I could get onboard with; she was strong enough to fight for what she wanted but had enough self preservation to step back when she was fighting a losing battle. Her reactions to Ryan were all fantastic to read about and completely believable.

The scenes with the two of them were full of a sweet heat that was both satisfying and entertaining to read. I loved every single scene between them and couldn’t think of an outcome to this book where they weren’t together. There is a reason I read romance and this book is one of them; I read this book with a smile on my face for over 75% of it and wouldn’t have liked an ending other than the one I got. The only thing that I couldn’t see was HOW the resolution was going to come about, what kind of relationship they would have and if I would be happy with it. I was and that’s all you’re going to get out of me.

Overall, this is a great addition to a fantastic series. If you want a sweet, satisfying read that you can get lost in, anyone of the books in this series are perfect. With a strong Hero who is great with kids, drives a motorcycle and really is quite dreamy, this is a book that I would recommend to anyone :)(less)

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Nov 12, 2012 Sarah rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012

3.5 stars

{This review as originally published on Clear Eyes, Full Shelves.}

“You are going to dance with Ryan before this party ends. I don’t care if I have to stand on a chair and announce to everybody that he has to dance with you.”

“If you do that, I’ll go to the library on Tuesday and check out every Nicholas Sparks book you have and not bring them back so you’ll have to tell everybody you don’t have any of his books. Forever.”

“You wouldn’t.”

Lauren smiled over the rim of her champagne glass. “

...more

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Nov 12, 2012 Emma Cunningham rated it 5 of 5 stars

I mentioned a while ago that Kevin Kowalski might be the only hero in a romance novel I'd actually date in real life.

Well, I'd take Ryan over Kevin any day. What a great guy! Don't get me wrong, he's a well-developed character with a normal amount of character flaws, but overall, he's a winner for me.

Lauren also ranks high on my list of favourite characters. What I enjoy most about Shannon Stacey's novels are characters I want to know and genuinely care about as they face conflict throughout the...more

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All He Ever Desired (Kowalski Family #5)

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