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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Ended a tad too soon. But overall good book. Interesting plot and character development.
I read this entire series during multiple plane journeys over the past week and whilst this was cute, I think this was actually my least favourite book of the series so far. There were just far too many characters.
Really enjoyable start to a series that I grew to love and our very first glimpse into the Kowalski family that I adore!
2019 Audio Update: I must have been feeling generous when I gave this book two stars a few years ago. Because I somehow inexplicably bought every single book in this series years ago, and I am bent on actually reading them in the coming year, I thought I'd remind myself what is going on with this family by listening to the audio book of the first book of the series. It was ... not good. Not good at all. I do happen to know that I really liked book five, hence the purchasing of all the initial books in the series, so I have hopes that things will get better. But this book? Ugh. These people are all in their mid to late thirties, but they are still rehashing high school. High school! This felt like a high school book with legal drinking and married/family issues. Not a fan. But luckily these audio books are part of the audible escape package, so I can listen without too much guilt as I work through a few of these to see if I can find the magic I saw in the later books of the series. But this one was a big giant fail.
I actually read book six of this series before and really enjoyed it. That's why I decided to start at the very beginning with book one and see how the entire series plays out. It turns out that it was good that I started with another book in the series because I did not really care for this story at all. I would have never continued in the series after reading this book, but I know that there are good things to come with this family, so I'm willing to count this story as an it's-you-not-me experience and give the rest of the series the benefit of a doubt.
So what didn't I like?
The relationship this story focuses on did not ring true to me at all. Technically it wasn't insta-love since Joe and Keri were high school sweethearts, but the two have been separated for almost twenty years after Keri abruptly left Joe after high school in order to make her own way in the world as a reporter/writer on the west coast. Joe was devastated and has never really gotten over Keri after all these years. Keri wasn't hit as hard by the break up, and she has spent her years living a fairly luxurious life of comfort and ease on her own as she works her way up the ladder at a successful national gossip magazine. Two people who were once madly in love as teenagers have not communicated for almost twenty years and now find themselves together when Keri's editor threatens to fire her if she doesn't get an exclusive interview with Joe who is now a reclusive successful author. So far the story makes sense and seems to be a setup for an interesting book. But it falls apart, in my opinion. No it isn't insta-love, but these two meet up after twenty years and it's like nothing has changed. Joe calls Keri "babe" and touches her in the comfortable way that two long time friends/lovers would ... massaging shoulders, holding hands, distractedly caressing arms or legs while sitting together. Who does this after a horrible breakup and a twenty year separation. It just didn't seem normal for these two to jump back together without it being crazily awkward. But there is really not a second of awkwardness. It seemed weird. But, okay, let's just allow that these two are not like me and have no issues with this. Fine. But there is a HUGE thing that kept them apart for 20 years. Joe loves his family and wants to stay near them. Keri is freaked out about losing her own identity if she stays with Joe. She wants to be successful in her career and doesn't have time to have a family. That's a HUGE issue dividing them. She never actually explained her issues to Joe the first time when she left. Now they are together as mature adults. It seems like it would be a good time to hash things out and explain the dilemma, but hardly any of the story deals with this at all. Add to that two VERY different ideas about marriage and parenthood, and you have a really big hurdle to overcome. The end occurs almost like magic with very little headache for either of the two. That doesn't ring true at all. Those problems don't just magically disappear simply because two people have great chemistry. It irritated me.
I had a huge problem with Keri as a character, and this is a case where it has a lot to do with who I am as a person, so others may not have any issues at all with this, but I did. Keri was sooooo proud of her $200 pajamas and name brand accessories. She loves her expensive trips to the spa and her fancy apartment and her ridiculous beauty routine. That's the girl she had been for all these years since high school. That wasn't the real problem for me, I guess, although to me it showed a sense of selfishness and egoism that was off-putting. That led to the thing that really irked me. Keri ran away from Joe because she felt like staying with him would destroy her individual identity. If she became a wife or a mother it would no longer be all about her. Suddenly she would be attached to someone, and she believes she wouldn't be herself anymore. That is such an incredibly selfish idea of what it means to be married or to have children. Sure, I guess if you want for your life to revolve around expensive things for yourself and all your desires then I guess marriage and family would be a giant bummer in your life. That's okay. To each their own. But I had a hard time rooting for her to end up in a relationship with Joe who did care deeply about marriage and family. He deserved someone who recognized that our lives are enhanced and enriched and deepened through those family relationships, not destroyed. Keri is not going to magically give up all of her self centered desires simply because Joe looks good without a shirt on. I didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling with this relationship, unfortunately.
So this story didn't work for me, but I know that good things are coming up in this series. I'm not in a rush to run out and grab the next book, but I'll keep this on my radar. I'm sure I'll come back to it later. Two stars for this one. It was okay.
I actually read book six of this series before and really enjoyed it. That's why I decided to start at the very beginning with book one and see how the entire series plays out. It turns out that it was good that I started with another book in the series because I did not really care for this story at all. I would have never continued in the series after reading this book, but I know that there are good things to come with this family, so I'm willing to count this story as an it's-you-not-me experience and give the rest of the series the benefit of a doubt.
So what didn't I like?
The relationship this story focuses on did not ring true to me at all. Technically it wasn't insta-love since Joe and Keri were high school sweethearts, but the two have been separated for almost twenty years after Keri abruptly left Joe after high school in order to make her own way in the world as a reporter/writer on the west coast. Joe was devastated and has never really gotten over Keri after all these years. Keri wasn't hit as hard by the break up, and she has spent her years living a fairly luxurious life of comfort and ease on her own as she works her way up the ladder at a successful national gossip magazine. Two people who were once madly in love as teenagers have not communicated for almost twenty years and now find themselves together when Keri's editor threatens to fire her if she doesn't get an exclusive interview with Joe who is now a reclusive successful author. So far the story makes sense and seems to be a setup for an interesting book. But it falls apart, in my opinion. No it isn't insta-love, but these two meet up after twenty years and it's like nothing has changed. Joe calls Keri "babe" and touches her in the comfortable way that two long time friends/lovers would ... massaging shoulders, holding hands, distractedly caressing arms or legs while sitting together. Who does this after a horrible breakup and a twenty year separation. It just didn't seem normal for these two to jump back together without it being crazily awkward. But there is really not a second of awkwardness. It seemed weird. But, okay, let's just allow that these two are not like me and have no issues with this. Fine. But there is a HUGE thing that kept them apart for 20 years. Joe loves his family and wants to stay near them. Keri is freaked out about losing her own identity if she stays with Joe. She wants to be successful in her career and doesn't have time to have a family. That's a HUGE issue dividing them. She never actually explained her issues to Joe the first time when she left. Now they are together as mature adults. It seems like it would be a good time to hash things out and explain the dilemma, but hardly any of the story deals with this at all. Add to that two VERY different ideas about marriage and parenthood, and you have a really big hurdle to overcome. The end occurs almost like magic with very little headache for either of the two. That doesn't ring true at all. Those problems don't just magically disappear simply because two people have great chemistry. It irritated me.
I had a huge problem with Keri as a character, and this is a case where it has a lot to do with who I am as a person, so others may not have any issues at all with this, but I did. Keri was sooooo proud of her $200 pajamas and name brand accessories. She loves her expensive trips to the spa and her fancy apartment and her ridiculous beauty routine. That's the girl she had been for all these years since high school. That wasn't the real problem for me, I guess, although to me it showed a sense of selfishness and egoism that was off-putting. That led to the thing that really irked me. Keri ran away from Joe because she felt like staying with him would destroy her individual identity. If she became a wife or a mother it would no longer be all about her. Suddenly she would be attached to someone, and she believes she wouldn't be herself anymore. That is such an incredibly selfish idea of what it means to be married or to have children. Sure, I guess if you want for your life to revolve around expensive things for yourself and all your desires then I guess marriage and family would be a giant bummer in your life. That's okay. To each their own. But I had a hard time rooting for her to end up in a relationship with Joe who did care deeply about marriage and family. He deserved someone who recognized that our lives are enhanced and enriched and deepened through those family relationships, not destroyed. Keri is not going to magically give up all of her self centered desires simply because Joe looks good without a shirt on. I didn't get a warm fuzzy feeling with this relationship, unfortunately.
So this story didn't work for me, but I know that good things are coming up in this series. I'm not in a rush to run out and grab the next book, but I'll keep this on my radar. I'm sure I'll come back to it later. Two stars for this one. It was okay.
This had a good opening line. Although it was slightly long winded. It certainly sets up the romance; and the heroine, by showing that she's tried to keep that private even though for her job she knew she should have told before. Sort of sets up the end of the story, as well-what she would/should do for the job vs her love/respect for Joe.
I liked Joe when he was trying to woo Keri but the following can't-get-over-her Joe, I didn't really like the needy, crying Joe was not my kind of guy. It was an odd proposition as the major conflict. I didn't like the idea that they all had their own ATV and 5th Wheel for everyone. His occupation never really seemed to be a big factor despite it being important initially.
I liked Joe when he was trying to woo Keri but the following can't-get-over-her Joe, I didn't really like the needy, crying Joe was not my kind of guy. It was an odd proposition as the major conflict. I didn't like the idea that they all had their own ATV and 5th Wheel for everyone. His occupation never really seemed to be a big factor despite it being important initially.
For a contemporary romance, it was pretty good. The secondary story lines were good in their own right and didn't feel like filler. The ending was a little too pat for my taste, but it kept me occupied through a 4 hour flight.
This story was adorable. Best straight romance I've read in a while. I love that Ms. Stacey is local, so all her settings hit home for me.
The characters were deep and the emotions strong. Great job.
The characters were deep and the emotions strong. Great job.
Great story. I love reunited lovers. There were several laugh out loud moments -- I love humor in my stories! And a sad part. Plus there was a story within a story with Terry and Evan. All in all, an all around fun read.
I was really disappointed in this book. I hated how Joe called Keri "babe" all the time. I wanted to smack Terry the bitter sister. I hated how Keri always felt that she wasn't good enough because she wanted to be her own person. This book just annoyed me from beginning to end.