Exclusively Yours (Kowalski Family, #1) by Shannon Stacey

4/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

When Keri Daniels' editor finds out she has previous carnal knowledge of reclusive bestselling author Joe Kowalski, she gives Keri a choice: get an interview or get a new job.

Joe's never forgotten the first girl to break his heart, so he's intrigued to hear Keri's back in town--and looking for him. Despite his intense need for privacy, he'll grant Keri an interview if it means a chance to finish what they started in high school.

He proposes an outrageous plan--for every day she survives with his family on their annual camping and four-wheeling trip, Keri can ask one question. Keri agrees; she's worked too hard to walk away from her career.

But the chemistry between them is still as potent as the bug spray, Joe's sister is out to avenge his broken heart and Keri hasn't ridden an ATV since she was ten. Who knew a little blackmail, a whole lot of family and some sizzling romantic interludes could make Keri reconsider the old dream of Keri & Joe together forever.

My Review:

When I first read what this book was about, I didn't realized there were 3 books. You don't need to read them all, but the 3 books are all about the same family. I love when authors do that. This book is my favorite out of the 3. I just really liked the characters, setting, and plot. The whole basis on Joe having Keri join him with his family after years and years of not seeing each other was just great. It was funny watching all the different things that happened and really moving along in the story with the characters. A great read. I'll definitely read more from this author.

Undeniably Yours (Kowalski Family #2) by Shannon Stacey

4/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him, but lately he’s more interested in finding a woman to settle down with. A woman like Beth Hansen. If only their first meeting hadn’t gone so badly...

Beth’s tending bar at a wedding when she comes face-to-face with a tuxedo-clad man she never thought she’d see again. She tries to keep her distance from Kevin but, by last call, she can’t say no to his too-blue eyes or the invitation back to his room. Then she slips out before breakfast without leaving a note and, despite their precautions, pregnant.

Kevin quickly warms to the idea of being a dad and to seeing where things go with Beth. After all, he’s not the player she thinks he is. But she’s not ready for a relationship and, given his reputation, it’s going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child...

My Review:

Again, the Kowalski men are just amazing fictional characters (yes, I unfortunately said fictional). I would put this one in 3rd place as far as the series goes. But, as I gave it 4 stars, it's still really good. The author does an amazing job at describing the characters and what they go through. A great, quick, easy read.

Yours to Keep (Kowalski Family #3) by Shannon Stacey

4/5 Stars

Goodreads Summary:

Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he's recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiancé. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother's upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn't like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma's offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there's no chance he'll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he's not planning to call home.

Emma's not interested in a real relationship either; not with a man whose idea of home is wherever he drops his duffel bag. No matter how amazing his "pretend" kisses are...

My Review:

*Swoon* Sean Kowalski is just an amazing character. Too bad he's just that...a character. I really liked the interaction between him and Emma. The whole story was really really cute. I found myself emotionally involved just as the characters were.

Too Good to Be True by Kristan Higgins

4/5 Stars

B&N:
When Grace Emerson's ex-fiancé starts dating her younger sister, extreme measures are called for. To keep everyone from obsessing about her love life, Grace announces that she's seeing someone. Someone wonderful. Someone handsome. Someone completely made up. Who is this Mr. Right? Someone...exactly unlike her renegade neighbor Callahan O'Shea. Well, someone with his looks, maybe. His hot body. His knife-sharp sense of humor. His smarts and big heart.
Whoa. No. Callahan O'Shea is not her perfect man! Not with his unsavory past. So why does Mr. Wrong feel so...right?

My QUICK Review:

I loved this one, too! I must say, I'm kind of sad that I've now read all her books. But anyways, I couldn't believe that the younger sisters started dating the ex-fiance! I was like, really?!?! I would have punched the younger sister. But then I was a little annoyed with Grace even thinking of him after he did that. But still, I really enjoyed the story. I loved the way Grace and Callahan interacted. And the who dating scene for Grace...funny stuff. I also really liked how Grace was so into history reenactments. Overall, a great read.

Until There Was You by Kristan Higgins

4/5 Stars

B&N:

Posey Osterhagen can't complain. She owns a successful architectural salvaging company, she's surrounded by her lovable, if off-center, family and she has a boyfriend—sort of. Still, something's missing. Something tall, brooding and criminally good-looking…something like Liam Murphy.
When Posey was sixteen, the bad boy of Bellsford, New Hampshire, broke her heart. But now he's back, sending Posey's traitorous schoolgirl heart into overdrive once again. She should be giving him a wide berth, but it seems fate has other ideas….

My QUICK Review:

I really really really liked this book. I found myself laughing at loud with some of the things Posey said. She has a great sarcastic sense of humor. And some of the conversations between her and Liam...priceless. Also, I really enjoyed hating her cousin with her. Overall, a fantastic, light, easy read.

Amy and Roger's Epic Detour by Morgan Matson

4/5 Stars

B&N:
Amy Curry thinks her life sucks. Her mom decides to move from California to Connecticut to start anew--just in time for Amy's senior year. Her dad recently died in a car accident. So Amy embarks on a road trip to escape from it all, driving cross-country from the home she's always known toward her new life. Joining Amy on the road trip is Roger, the son of Amy's mother's old friend. Amy hasn’t seen him in years, and she is less than thrilled to be driving across the country with a guy she barely knows. So she's surprised to find that she is developing a crush on him. At the same time, she’s coming to terms with her father’s death and how to put her own life back together after the accident. Told in traditional narrative as well as scraps from the road--diner napkins, motel receipts, postcards--this is the story of one girl's journey to find herself.

My Review:

This book was very well written. The characters were developed so well that you really could feel what they were feeling. Amy and Roger are so like-able. Roger is just a nice guy who you really can't help having a crush on right along with Amy's character. The author does an amazing job taking us on the journal across the USA along with these two. They are both learning things about themselves and each other. There are funny parts, cute parts, and parts that just pull on your heart strings. Seeing what this young girl goes through after her father dies really got to me. The author also did a great job using flashbacks to help move the story along letting us see things that happened for ourselves rather than the main character just telling us what happened.

I'm hoping to pick up a copy for my classroom because I think middle school and high school kids would really like it. (No graphic sex scenes!--yay!)

Things Not Seen by Andrew Clements

3/5 Stars

B&N:

Bobby Phillips is an average fifteen-year-old boy. Until the morning he wakes up and can't see himself in the mirror. Not blind, not dreaming—Bobby is just plain invisible. There doesn't seem to be any rhyme or reason to Bobby's new condition; even his dad the physicist can't figure it out. For Bobby that means no school, no friends, no life. He's a missing person. Then he meets Alicia. She's blind, and Bobby can't resist talking to her, trusting her. But people are starting to wonder where Bobby is. Bobby knows that his invisibility could have dangerous consequences for his family and that time is running out. He has to find out how to be seen again—before it's too late.

My Review:

I've had this book in my library for a while, and I've heard some great things. I'm glad I read it so that I can recommend it to my students. It's an easier read, but the content can really create some great discussions. You can take the invisibility at face-value, or you can go a little deeper with it.

The characters were developed nicely. There were some funny parts, and then at the end, there was a point where you had to keep reading to find out how it all played out.

I heard there's a second one...I'll probably check that one out, too.