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Kowalski Family #6.5
Alone with You
When waitress Darcy Vaughan's friend asks her to help out with the launch of a fledgling restaurant, she's happy to oblige. Little does she know the owner is Jake Holland, the perfect guy who slipped through her fingers after their one night of passion. But for Darcy and Jake, one touch was just not enough.
58 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 22, 2013
34 people are currently reading
883 people want to read
About the author
Shannon Stacey
145 books2,640 followersNew York Times and USA Today bestselling author Shannon Stacey lives with her husband and two sons in New England, where her favorite activities are writing romance and really random tweets when she’s not riding her ATV. She loves mud, books, football & watching way too much TV.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
February 24, 2020
The story is just lame. After one night of passion, Jake never calls Darcy. He wanted to, but lost her number, and did everything to find her, with no success. Of course, Darcy doesn’t believe him when they meet six weeks later. They establish being merely colleagues, and working together on opening a new bar, but three weeks later the chemistry between them takes over. So far, it’s good. Not so original, but good.
The characters are both likeable. I appreciate their honesty and no-games attitude.
But the end! Another week later, Jake . Why, dear God, why?? Fortunately, it's made privately, not in public.
The characters are both likeable. I appreciate their honesty and no-games attitude.
She frowned at him. "Are you picturing me naked right now?"
"No."
"Okay, good."
"I'm picturing you in thigh-high, black leather boots, wearing one of those corset things that pushes your boobs up."
But the end! Another week later, Jake . Why, dear God, why?? Fortunately, it's made privately, not in public.
March 22, 2017
For a novella it was great. It was exactly what I wanted.
March 13, 2017
Reviewed for Romancing the Readers Blog:
https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
One of my personal catch up authors this year is Shannon Stacey she has a new Kowalski Family book and I really need to get caught up. Or at least I'm really trying to do so. Alone With You is about Darcy & Jake. They themselves aren't Kowalski's but friends.
I didn't really need to read this to keep up with this series but I hate reading out of order, so...
I'm glad I did read it. I really enjoyed both Darcy & Jake. They were fun characters that kept you reading their story. I also really wanted a "big ass steak" by the time I was done with this story. We both know you're now interested in what's that about.
Then you should read the story, it's a quickie. When I started it I didn't realize it was only about 60 pages or so. But will say it didn't feel that short.
If you haven't read this author you don't know what you're missing. She's really good, her stories are funny and well-written. I'm going to enjoy reading more of her books. One day I'll be caught up.
Follow me on:
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https://romancingthereaders.blogspot....
One of my personal catch up authors this year is Shannon Stacey she has a new Kowalski Family book and I really need to get caught up. Or at least I'm really trying to do so. Alone With You is about Darcy & Jake. They themselves aren't Kowalski's but friends.
I didn't really need to read this to keep up with this series but I hate reading out of order, so...
I'm glad I did read it. I really enjoyed both Darcy & Jake. They were fun characters that kept you reading their story. I also really wanted a "big ass steak" by the time I was done with this story. We both know you're now interested in what's that about.
Then you should read the story, it's a quickie. When I started it I didn't realize it was only about 60 pages or so. But will say it didn't feel that short.
If you haven't read this author you don't know what you're missing. She's really good, her stories are funny and well-written. I'm going to enjoy reading more of her books. One day I'll be caught up.
Follow me on:
https://www.facebook.com/RomancingThe...
January 22, 2023
This short packs the same punch as a full novel!
February 3, 2019
Great quick read
Great quick easy read set in Kevin's pub. Jake and Darcy are interesting characters and their story is fun and sexy. Recommended
Great quick easy read set in Kevin's pub. Jake and Darcy are interesting characters and their story is fun and sexy. Recommended
February 26, 2014
For me, much of the appeal of Shannon Stacey's contemporary romances is that they are so totally down-to-earth, so basic. They are set in northern New England (as is my life), and they feature totally normal people -- waitresses, landscapers, diner owners, barbers, contractors, cops -- in totally normal situations, against a small-town backdrop that feels like the snowy, dingy, sleepy, neighborly small towns where I have lived, and not like a polished, twee Hollywood representation of "Small Town, USA." Usually, there isn't any contrived conflict or angsty melodrama; instead, the characters confront the sort of totally normal problems that totally normal people have, and they just happen to fall in love in the process. Sure, these aren't the most exciting romances out there, but I find them sweetly reassuring in their conviction that true love can blossom among ordinary people in ordinary circumstances.
This novella didn't work for me because the plot is premised upon a coincidence that is totally contrived and ridiculous, which is exactly the sort of plot WTFery that I read Shannon Stacey to escape. Darcy and Jake meet at trivia night in a bar. Darcy invites Jake to spend the night. He does, and the earth moves, angels sing, flowers burst spontaneously into bloom all up and down the eastern seacoast, blah blah blah.... She writes down her number, but he gets caught out in the rain, the ink runs, and... c'est la vie. He can't remember the name of the bar where they met, can't remember where her house is, didn't catch her last name: it's hopeless. . . . EXCEPT of course she works for Jake's best friend and business partner, and six weeks later, her boss sends her up north to East Bumbleshoot, NH, to help his buddy start up a new restaurant, and of course the buddy is the One Night Stand That Got Away. SURPRISE!
Even setting aside my annoyance at the Contrived Coincidence, Darcy and Jake really have very poor communication skills. The conflict in the last half of the story, once they've been reunited, stems from their inability to talk to each other about their developing feelings and the logistical issues that stem from the fact that Darcy lives in Concord and Jake is increasingly happy in East Bumbleshoot, three hours away. Conflict driven by the main characters' inability to talk through their issues like grownups is always a big turn-off for me, and this was no exception.
This novella didn't work for me because the plot is premised upon a coincidence that is totally contrived and ridiculous, which is exactly the sort of plot WTFery that I read Shannon Stacey to escape. Darcy and Jake meet at trivia night in a bar. Darcy invites Jake to spend the night. He does, and the earth moves, angels sing, flowers burst spontaneously into bloom all up and down the eastern seacoast, blah blah blah.... She writes down her number, but he gets caught out in the rain, the ink runs, and... c'est la vie. He can't remember the name of the bar where they met, can't remember where her house is, didn't catch her last name: it's hopeless. . . . EXCEPT of course she works for Jake's best friend and business partner, and six weeks later, her boss sends her up north to East Bumbleshoot, NH, to help his buddy start up a new restaurant, and of course the buddy is the One Night Stand That Got Away. SURPRISE!
Even setting aside my annoyance at the Contrived Coincidence, Darcy and Jake really have very poor communication skills. The conflict in the last half of the story, once they've been reunited, stems from their inability to talk to each other about their developing feelings and the logistical issues that stem from the fact that Darcy lives in Concord and Jake is increasingly happy in East Bumbleshoot, three hours away. Conflict driven by the main characters' inability to talk through their issues like grownups is always a big turn-off for me, and this was no exception.
January 19, 2015
When Darcy Vaughn is teamed up with Jake Holland for trivia night, sparks fly between them. By the end of the night, they are at Darcy's apartment for more fun and games. Jake takes Darcy's phone number and promises to call. She is disappointed when she doesn't hear from him. When her boss at the bar sends her north to help his business partner open a new restaurant, Darcy is shocked to find the business partner is Jake. She doesn't believe him when he tells her the paper with her phone number was ruined in a rainstorm. Now Darcy and Jake are forced to live and work in close quarters for the next six weeks.
This is a cute spin-off novella to The Kowalski Family series. I usually don't care for short stories, but this one worked in the limited amount of pages. My rating: 4 Stars.
This is a cute spin-off novella to The Kowalski Family series. I usually don't care for short stories, but this one worked in the limited amount of pages. My rating: 4 Stars.
July 8, 2019
Somehow, I missed this little short story nugget while reading the rest of the Kowalski Family series. It looks like it may have been part of a multi-author compilation Valentine’s Day book originally. No matter, I’m glad I came across it and was able to finally read this story.
Darcy and Jake are adorable right from the start. I love how they meet, how they progress to intimacy, and how it all falls apart. And then I love it again when they find each other. So much love all around for this story! So much chemistry, I just kept turning pages.
You absolutely do not have to have read the rest of the series to enjoy this story at all. It’s amazing all on its own. If you’ve never read this author before and don’t want to dive into a full length book, this would be a wonderful introduction to her writing.
This review can also be found at All In Good Time.
Darcy and Jake are adorable right from the start. I love how they meet, how they progress to intimacy, and how it all falls apart. And then I love it again when they find each other. So much love all around for this story! So much chemistry, I just kept turning pages.
You absolutely do not have to have read the rest of the series to enjoy this story at all. It’s amazing all on its own. If you’ve never read this author before and don’t want to dive into a full length book, this would be a wonderful introduction to her writing.
This review can also be found at All In Good Time.
October 11, 2023
#6.5 in the Kowalski Family romance series
Darcy is a valued waitress at Kevin's bar, Jasper's. When he and a partner decide to start a spinoff pub in Northern NH, he asks her to provide on-the-spot set-up advice. The partner turns out to be a one-night stand that Darcy had met at a local trivia night. Because Jake lost her phone number (legitimately, although she didn't believe him), he had never contacted her, so now things are awkward. But they work together to make the pub a success for Kevin's sake. Romance is inevitable, resulting in a HEA. Definitely not my favorite, mostly because there is very little connection with the Kowalski crowd, but still in the same style. A sweet, quick, and enjoyable read.
Darcy is a valued waitress at Kevin's bar, Jasper's. When he and a partner decide to start a spinoff pub in Northern NH, he asks her to provide on-the-spot set-up advice. The partner turns out to be a one-night stand that Darcy had met at a local trivia night. Because Jake lost her phone number (legitimately, although she didn't believe him), he had never contacted her, so now things are awkward. But they work together to make the pub a success for Kevin's sake. Romance is inevitable, resulting in a HEA. Definitely not my favorite, mostly because there is very little connection with the Kowalski crowd, but still in the same style. A sweet, quick, and enjoyable read.
November 29, 2020
This was a good one! It's short, so not perfect, but a decent, solid romance.
A few things bugged me, like their business relationship. The fact that he kept refusing to tell her what the Valentine's Day promotion was going to be (it seems she should have been in on planning it). And no, when you're roomies with someone, you don't get to yell at them for not leaving a note when they go grocery shopping. Also the sex scenes were not great (though I've been re-reading a lot of Victoria Dahl lately, so maybe my standards are too high now, lol!).
But overall, I enjoyed their fights and their making up and the story. It was sweet.
A few things bugged me, like their business relationship. The fact that he kept refusing to tell her what the Valentine's Day promotion was going to be (it seems she should have been in on planning it). And no, when you're roomies with someone, you don't get to yell at them for not leaving a note when they go grocery shopping. Also the sex scenes were not great (though I've been re-reading a lot of Victoria Dahl lately, so maybe my standards are too high now, lol!).
But overall, I enjoyed their fights and their making up and the story. It was sweet.
January 30, 2022
While it is just a novella, it is definitely one of the weaker entries in the series. I loved Darcy and Jake, but since they don't belong to Kowalski family, I am left wanting for more as the book gets over way to soon and the entire conflict in the middle of the two lovers is largely superfluous and could be resolved in probably a few minutes, if they bothered actually talking to each other. But still a good read nonetheless, if you have a couple of hours to kill and don't really want to burden yourself with anything too taxing.
February 9, 2023
this book was okay, def very YA romance. the relationship between the characters was great but at the very end I feel like it accelerated way too quickly and lost the “realistic wait and it will find you” type of love that I usually like. but it was a satisfying and super easy read. a great filler book honestly. I finished in less than 24 hours!
February 28, 2022
**2.5/5
Una historia cortita y ,en mi opinión, algo apresurada sobre estos dos enamorándose hasta el punto de pedir matrimonio y demás.
Además muy tonta la discusión por la que terminaron menos mal se dieron cuenta rápidamente de lo tontos que estaban siendo
Una historia cortita y ,en mi opinión, algo apresurada sobre estos dos enamorándose hasta el punto de pedir matrimonio y demás.
Además muy tonta la discusión por la que terminaron menos mal se dieron cuenta rápidamente de lo tontos que estaban siendo
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 7, 2022
Look, is this particularly good? No. It is a novella about side characters in this book series, and it has approximately 1/3 of a plot. But was it enjoyable to read in the name of completeness? Yes.
May 3, 2018
Alone with You
I love sweet romances and this book definitely fits the bill. The story was typical with the predictable ending but I did enjoy the journey.
I love sweet romances and this book definitely fits the bill. The story was typical with the predictable ending but I did enjoy the journey.
October 17, 2019
Really enjoyed the story!
August 18, 2020
Meh...
December 12, 2020
Alone with You review
Alone with You is a short novella ( # 6.5 ) in The Kowalskis series written by author Shannon Stacey.
Alone with You is a short novella ( # 6.5 ) in The Kowalskis series written by author Shannon Stacey.
February 16, 2021
The chemistry between Darcy and Jake was a little fast paced, but nicely developed for a Novella. I loved reading both point of views!
August 4, 2021
It was kind of weird going from Nothern Star Kowalskis back to Jaspers but this story line was cute, rushed of course for being a short book but we got to see a barely see character in book 2 get their HEA
January 30, 2023
Loved it! Look forward to reading the next book.
March 13, 2017
Silly and unrealistic sum up this plot. Who writes down someone's cell number, instead of putting it into their phone? I'm also unimpressed with one-night stands that are then instant love.
This novella is a huge disappointment in the Kowalski series. I've enjoyed the others.
This novella is a huge disappointment in the Kowalski series. I've enjoyed the others.
October 30, 2016
Alone With You by Shannon Stacey
Darcy Vaughan waitress, trivia queen... Jake Holland, bar/restaurant owner with his friend, trivia king... they meet one night over bar trivia... team up, and win the shebang... and end up in her bed... she gives him her number (felt pen on paper) and he heads out to their new restaurant up north, to get it ready for opening - but gets lost, helps a woman by towing her truck out of a ditch in the rain... and the phone number get wet and runs... when he makes it back to town, he can't find the bar they met at or her apartment...
a month later her boss/his partner sends her up to help him with planning the opening... hmmmm... he talks her into staying, she semi accepts his explanation, they butt heads a bit as they work out the details... they end up in bed again... both are a bit shy about expressing their feelings, and then misunderstand what the other intends... she leaves in a huff on opening night... he makes plans for a trivia Valentine's night at the new bar, and invites her up... she has her come to Jesus moment, and goes with an open heart, to be charmed by the trivia questions he has planned (about things relevant to them)... and ends in his proposal... ahhh
Darcy Vaughan waitress, trivia queen... Jake Holland, bar/restaurant owner with his friend, trivia king... they meet one night over bar trivia... team up, and win the shebang... and end up in her bed... she gives him her number (felt pen on paper) and he heads out to their new restaurant up north, to get it ready for opening - but gets lost, helps a woman by towing her truck out of a ditch in the rain... and the phone number get wet and runs... when he makes it back to town, he can't find the bar they met at or her apartment...
a month later her boss/his partner sends her up to help him with planning the opening... hmmmm... he talks her into staying, she semi accepts his explanation, they butt heads a bit as they work out the details... they end up in bed again... both are a bit shy about expressing their feelings, and then misunderstand what the other intends... she leaves in a huff on opening night... he makes plans for a trivia Valentine's night at the new bar, and invites her up... she has her come to Jesus moment, and goes with an open heart, to be charmed by the trivia questions he has planned (about things relevant to them)... and ends in his proposal... ahhh
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 29, 2014
I loved this novella. It was a little nice break from the Kowalski family, especially after reading six books in a row. Well played, Stacey. Well played.
Darcy was a very little character when Kevin's sport bar was the setting of other books and it was nice to get to know her. She was a strong character and I'm glad the Shannon Stacey choose to writer her story because it would have been a damn shame if it would just fade in the dark.
Jake is probably one of my favorite leading man from this author. He's sweet and charming, also with a very strong personality. And he damn knows what he wants in life, his priorities are in the right place. He knows when he does something right and when he does something wrong and it's not afraid to admit it.
Perhaps the fact this is a novella made this book sweeter, but I would like to think it was rather the well round writtern characters that make it, for me, a favorite from the Kowalski Family series.
Darcy was a very little character when Kevin's sport bar was the setting of other books and it was nice to get to know her. She was a strong character and I'm glad the Shannon Stacey choose to writer her story because it would have been a damn shame if it would just fade in the dark.
Jake is probably one of my favorite leading man from this author. He's sweet and charming, also with a very strong personality. And he damn knows what he wants in life, his priorities are in the right place. He knows when he does something right and when he does something wrong and it's not afraid to admit it.
Perhaps the fact this is a novella made this book sweeter, but I would like to think it was rather the well round writtern characters that make it, for me, a favorite from the Kowalski Family series.
December 28, 2015
3,5 stars
It's been a long time since I read a Kowalski story, though technically neither hero nor heroine is a Kowalski but they are repectively friend/business partner and employee of Kevin Kowalski. It was only when I'd already started reading the story that I realized it was part of the Kowalski series and I'd skipped like 3 books/stories from where I'd left off with the series (HORROR!!! for this read-in-order obssessed reader) but I was already on chapter 2 so I just kept on reading.
I liked this story but didn't love it as it felt a bit rushed and especially at the ending it went really quickly emotionally speaking. I also found though there was nothing really wrong with the sex scenes, they did feel a bit mechanical, I missed sexy and emotion-driven sexy times. This may have had something to do with the small page-count. What I absolutely loved was the story with setting up the pub so in conclusion I liked the story and I really need to catch up on this whole series
It's been a long time since I read a Kowalski story, though technically neither hero nor heroine is a Kowalski but they are repectively friend/business partner and employee of Kevin Kowalski. It was only when I'd already started reading the story that I realized it was part of the Kowalski series and I'd skipped like 3 books/stories from where I'd left off with the series (HORROR!!! for this read-in-order obssessed reader) but I was already on chapter 2 so I just kept on reading.
I liked this story but didn't love it as it felt a bit rushed and especially at the ending it went really quickly emotionally speaking. I also found though there was nothing really wrong with the sex scenes, they did feel a bit mechanical, I missed sexy and emotion-driven sexy times. This may have had something to do with the small page-count. What I absolutely loved was the story with setting up the pub so in conclusion I liked the story and I really need to catch up on this whole series
July 26, 2015
Short-stories and novellas many times get a bad rap due to lack of character development and plot, which are difficult for an author to create with so little words. I thought that Stacey did an excellent job. This story was a condensed version of the other books in the series and did not lack for anything. I adore the Kowalski family series. The characters are written as regular people with typical actions. I liked Darcy & Jake in that they didn't have the usual ridiculous non-communication that make you scratch your head wondering why the author chose to make their seemingly smart character can make such bad choices. Sure, there was a little hiccup toward the end, but it was needed to wrap up the plot accordingly, otherwise reviewers would have been whining about lack of excitement.
August 8, 2014
One thing I dislike about novellas - they're too short when they should be longer.
I loved Jake and Darcy, but the story was rushed. I usually go into novellas expecting to be disappointed. Not because of a bad storyline, never because of a bad storyline; but because it's such a good storyline in the shortest way possible. Everything seems rushed, the way they fall in love and I hate how the authors jump in time to two weeks later and then in the next page, it's like 3 months later. A huge thing for me about story telling is the progression, the sequence in which things take place, the tension that builds up. And all of that is lacking in novellas.
Don't get me wrong, novellas are good, especially when you wait like a year for the next big installment in a series. It just leaves me craving for more.
I loved Jake and Darcy, but the story was rushed. I usually go into novellas expecting to be disappointed. Not because of a bad storyline, never because of a bad storyline; but because it's such a good storyline in the shortest way possible. Everything seems rushed, the way they fall in love and I hate how the authors jump in time to two weeks later and then in the next page, it's like 3 months later. A huge thing for me about story telling is the progression, the sequence in which things take place, the tension that builds up. And all of that is lacking in novellas.
Don't get me wrong, novellas are good, especially when you wait like a year for the next big installment in a series. It just leaves me craving for more.
April 19, 2014
A cute novella I was able to finish in just a few hours. Darcy and Jake meet on trivia night at a bar and instantly sparks fly. They hook up and Darcy gives jake her phone number thinking he will call her the next day. The paper with her number gets wet, making the ink smear and jake is unable to call her. Six weeks later Darcy is sent by her boss to help startup their new restaurant, lo-and-behold jake is her boss's partner and she is forced to not only work with him but to share an apartment together. While Darcy is still upset that she never got a return call from jake, they both still have to fight their attraction to each other and work together.
The book was predictable but was still an entertaining and light read. 3.5 stars for me.
The book was predictable but was still an entertaining and light read. 3.5 stars for me.
March 18, 2014
I can't say enough about the Kowalski series and this is a quick short read about Darcy and Jake. (Darcy is the waitress that works for Kevin Kowalski) If you want a short and quick feel good story - this will do it! Jake and Darcy meet at a Trivia night and have instant attraction! They spend the night together but both want more --even though Jake is going to be gone alot. He writes Darcy's number down and promises to but never does because the paper with her number was ruined. Little do both of them know Darcy is sent to open Kevin's new club with his partner JP (JAKE) Now passion and work meet.... sweet story!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews