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gretchenbookindieluft's review
emotional
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
lifeand100books's review
5.0
Super bestest reading friend Kelly, from Reading With Analysis, turned me on to author Ruthie Knox's Camelot series several months ago. The first in the series, a novella entitled How to Misbehave, seriously impressed me with its depth of character development. I instantly became hooked to the series and continued with book two, Along Came Trouble. Again, the characters just spoke to me. My love for Knox's writing grew again, and I became giddy with anticipation for the third novel in the series, Flirting With Disaster.
After breaking away from a marriage that should have never even happened, Katie Clark needs shelter from the storm that has become her life. So, Katie returns to her hometown of Camelot, Ohio to reboot and begin again. She does so with gusto, beginning work at her brother's security firm and pouring all of her time into her work. While there, she is assigned to an important case of a stalker that is threatening a popular singer. Also assigned to the case is Sean Owen, who is determined to not speak to Katie and avoids her whenever necessary. While Katie is confused by this, Sean has good reason to do so. Ever since he sat behind her in high school, Sean has had a crush on Katie. Now that they work together, he must find a way to break his silence and risk her rejection once she remembers who he is. What's more, Katie has been blundering the investigation and he must find a way to get back on track, both professionally and personally with Katie. Can they make it work in the office and in the sheets?
So romance novels usually always have big, strong, super masculine men as their heroes, yeah? Now don't read that sentence as a negative. I personally don't think there is anything wrong with the typical male archetype, I just get bored sometimes reading about the hottest, most attractive guy with 12 pack abs, the strength of ten men, and the looks of Adonis. I like reading about the underdog male sometimes. The geek. The guy with glasses. The shy one in the corner. You get my drift....
Cue Ruthie Knox and her amazing imagination. Sean, the male lead from Flirting with Disaster, is a geek and man do I love him. He loves hacking computers. He reads sci-fi/fantasy books. He has a stutter and it's pretty damn sexy. His differences from the standard romance hero make him unique, interesting, and titillating.
Flirting With Disaster delves deeply into examining the immense amount of pressure placed on people to be perfect. Knox's exquisite writing and characterization allow us to see how that pressure can affect people in many different ways. From Sean's mother's need for her son's speech to be perfect, Katie's need for her marriage to be ideal, to even Judah's (a supporting rock-star character) need to perfect in his sex god/rock god status. Everyone has an image that needs to be projected, and the idea that finding their perfect partner allows them to drop that false image is the true moral of this story. (IMO) Perfection is just that, an image. An image of unrealistic and unattainable proportions. The partner meant for us will love us faults and all.
I am so in love with Knox's writing. It's deep and honest; her novels offer insight into the human condition better than most novels I've read. She gets people. She understands relationships. And dammit, the woman can write. Check this series out. It honestly can't be missed.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
Originally Posted: http://wp.me/p18lIL-1Z5
After breaking away from a marriage that should have never even happened, Katie Clark needs shelter from the storm that has become her life. So, Katie returns to her hometown of Camelot, Ohio to reboot and begin again. She does so with gusto, beginning work at her brother's security firm and pouring all of her time into her work. While there, she is assigned to an important case of a stalker that is threatening a popular singer. Also assigned to the case is Sean Owen, who is determined to not speak to Katie and avoids her whenever necessary. While Katie is confused by this, Sean has good reason to do so. Ever since he sat behind her in high school, Sean has had a crush on Katie. Now that they work together, he must find a way to break his silence and risk her rejection once she remembers who he is. What's more, Katie has been blundering the investigation and he must find a way to get back on track, both professionally and personally with Katie. Can they make it work in the office and in the sheets?
So romance novels usually always have big, strong, super masculine men as their heroes, yeah? Now don't read that sentence as a negative. I personally don't think there is anything wrong with the typical male archetype, I just get bored sometimes reading about the hottest, most attractive guy with 12 pack abs, the strength of ten men, and the looks of Adonis. I like reading about the underdog male sometimes. The geek. The guy with glasses. The shy one in the corner. You get my drift....
Cue Ruthie Knox and her amazing imagination. Sean, the male lead from Flirting with Disaster, is a geek and man do I love him. He loves hacking computers. He reads sci-fi/fantasy books. He has a stutter and it's pretty damn sexy. His differences from the standard romance hero make him unique, interesting, and titillating.
Flirting With Disaster delves deeply into examining the immense amount of pressure placed on people to be perfect. Knox's exquisite writing and characterization allow us to see how that pressure can affect people in many different ways. From Sean's mother's need for her son's speech to be perfect, Katie's need for her marriage to be ideal, to even Judah's (a supporting rock-star character) need to perfect in his sex god/rock god status. Everyone has an image that needs to be projected, and the idea that finding their perfect partner allows them to drop that false image is the true moral of this story. (IMO) Perfection is just that, an image. An image of unrealistic and unattainable proportions. The partner meant for us will love us faults and all.
I am so in love with Knox's writing. It's deep and honest; her novels offer insight into the human condition better than most novels I've read. She gets people. She understands relationships. And dammit, the woman can write. Check this series out. It honestly can't be missed.
Kimberly (Reflections of a Book Addict)
Originally Posted: http://wp.me/p18lIL-1Z5
corieob's review
5.0
Love this series and I think Sean might be my fave? IDK I do love me some Tony too. I won't pick I will just appreciate them all. Great series, by a great romance author!
mimireadsromance's review
5.0
Ruthie Knox is one of those authors that knows how to deliver! Her latest installment in the Camelot series was full of what I've come to expect from her books...a sense of fun and hot romance! Not to mention the close family ties in her stories.
I absolutely loved Sean Owens, the "stuttering hacker". His character was complex & I was thrilled when he wound up with Katie, the girl of his dreams! Seeing the two main characters deal with their issues and find a way to be together was beyond satisfying.
Ruthie Knox's books are like warm chocolate chip cookies...decadent & comforting...definitely not to be missed!
I absolutely loved Sean Owens, the "stuttering hacker". His character was complex & I was thrilled when he wound up with Katie, the girl of his dreams! Seeing the two main characters deal with their issues and find a way to be together was beyond satisfying.
Ruthie Knox's books are like warm chocolate chip cookies...decadent & comforting...definitely not to be missed!
erinarkin20's review
4.0
4 stars - Another great story by Ruthie Knox!
Flirting with Disaster is the third book in the Camelot series and follows the story of Katie and Sean. If you have read any of the other books in this series, you may recall that Katie is the younger sister of Caleb and Amber. She also is just getting back into her life in Camelot after her divorce and working for Caleb at his security company when Sean comes back into her life.
Sean Owens is something else...seriously. He isn't perfect and that is what I loved about him. Yes, he is good looking, sexy, and has a successful computer security company in California but he also struggles with a stutter and is still dealing with some issues he had with his mother growing up. All of these things make him into the man he is today and the second he comes back to Camelot to pack up his dead mother’s house, everything comes rushing back. He can’t seem to pack up the house his mother lived in and what should have been a fairly quick trip turns into an event that he can’t seem to wrap up. He decides to take a leave of absence from his work/life in California but finds sitting around in Camelot isn't something he wants to do.
An encounter with Caleb at a bar turns into a job and ultimately, the chance for him to work with Katie. Sean and Katie knew each other in high school only in that they sat near each other in math and would sometimes smile at each other in the hallway. The thing is, Sean always had a thing for Katie Carter and he knows that if he opens his mouth in front of her, he will stutter like crazy so he refuses to talk to her until they begin to work on a case together. Katie takes this as a sign of him not liking her and she can’t figure it out.
Underneath all the character stuff, the story that Knox creates revolves around Judah Pratt. He is a popular, sexy musician that is doing some random tours but has requested Katie to help him figure out a security issue he is having. Someone is threatening him via email and social media and he needs to find out if it is who he thinks it is. See, Judah has a big secret – despite his womanizing, he is gay and after years of pretending to be someone he really isn't, he is ready to reveal the truth. The problem is that the emails are leading him to the one person he hopes isn't responsible and he has a feeling that Katie will be the one to help him resolve his problem.
This becomes the job that brings Sean and Katie together. Katie is fairly open about being attracted to Sean but he knows he is leaving and doesn't want to hurt Katie so he tries to fight it. Thankfully he changes his mind and eventually (really – in a car on the way back to Ohio during a blizzard) fulfills two of his fantasies.
I love the characters that Knox creates – they always have so many different layers. Katie is trying to figure out who she is and she has hit a point in her life where she is finally deciding to do what is right for her and what she wants. Sean is also trying to figure out who he is but also what he wants. For so long, he did what he did because of his mother and it was perfect to see him finally figure things out.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend the series. We get to see bits of the other characters from the series (Ellen, Henry, Caleb, Jamie, and Carly) and I love that even though their books are wrapped up, we still get to see how things are progressing with all of them. These are always quick reads (not due to the length but because I can’t put them down) and Knox writes some of the best stories and characters. Knox continues to be one of my favorite romance authors and I will be waitingpatiently for the next one.
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC.
Flirting with Disaster is the third book in the Camelot series and follows the story of Katie and Sean. If you have read any of the other books in this series, you may recall that Katie is the younger sister of Caleb and Amber. She also is just getting back into her life in Camelot after her divorce and working for Caleb at his security company when Sean comes back into her life.
Sean Owens is something else...seriously. He isn't perfect and that is what I loved about him. Yes, he is good looking, sexy, and has a successful computer security company in California but he also struggles with a stutter and is still dealing with some issues he had with his mother growing up. All of these things make him into the man he is today and the second he comes back to Camelot to pack up his dead mother’s house, everything comes rushing back. He can’t seem to pack up the house his mother lived in and what should have been a fairly quick trip turns into an event that he can’t seem to wrap up. He decides to take a leave of absence from his work/life in California but finds sitting around in Camelot isn't something he wants to do.
An encounter with Caleb at a bar turns into a job and ultimately, the chance for him to work with Katie. Sean and Katie knew each other in high school only in that they sat near each other in math and would sometimes smile at each other in the hallway. The thing is, Sean always had a thing for Katie Carter and he knows that if he opens his mouth in front of her, he will stutter like crazy so he refuses to talk to her until they begin to work on a case together. Katie takes this as a sign of him not liking her and she can’t figure it out.
Underneath all the character stuff, the story that Knox creates revolves around Judah Pratt. He is a popular, sexy musician that is doing some random tours but has requested Katie to help him figure out a security issue he is having. Someone is threatening him via email and social media and he needs to find out if it is who he thinks it is. See, Judah has a big secret – despite his womanizing, he is gay and after years of pretending to be someone he really isn't, he is ready to reveal the truth. The problem is that the emails are leading him to the one person he hopes isn't responsible and he has a feeling that Katie will be the one to help him resolve his problem.
This becomes the job that brings Sean and Katie together. Katie is fairly open about being attracted to Sean but he knows he is leaving and doesn't want to hurt Katie so he tries to fight it. Thankfully he changes his mind and eventually (really – in a car on the way back to Ohio during a blizzard) fulfills two of his fantasies.
I love the characters that Knox creates – they always have so many different layers. Katie is trying to figure out who she is and she has hit a point in her life where she is finally deciding to do what is right for her and what she wants. Sean is also trying to figure out who he is but also what he wants. For so long, he did what he did because of his mother and it was perfect to see him finally figure things out.
I really enjoyed this book and recommend the series. We get to see bits of the other characters from the series (Ellen, Henry, Caleb, Jamie, and Carly) and I love that even though their books are wrapped up, we still get to see how things are progressing with all of them. These are always quick reads (not due to the length but because I can’t put them down) and Knox writes some of the best stories and characters. Knox continues to be one of my favorite romance authors and I will be waiting
Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC.
moviemavengal's review
3.0
The first half had a lot of sexual tension as we gradually learn that silent Sean is pining for Katie, and won't talk to her for a reason. Because he has a bad stutter.
The book lost momentum for me in the second half, and I never really bought into the side story of Judah the pop singer who was hiding that he is gay.
I'd give it two and a half stars if I could. The usual Ruthie Know magic wasn't there for me, but I give her props for having a hero with a stutter.
The book lost momentum for me in the second half, and I never really bought into the side story of Judah the pop singer who was hiding that he is gay.
I'd give it two and a half stars if I could. The usual Ruthie Know magic wasn't there for me, but I give her props for having a hero with a stutter.
roshio's review
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.5
Memorable romance. Mostly enjoyed reading about a less than perfect hero and a heroine who didn’t feel it was her job to save him. She was just there for him.
cdb393's review
4.0
I received an arc of this book from netgalley in exchange for an honest review
This book really worked for me because of how much I liked the characters and their development. Katie has come out of a bad marriage to her high school sweetheart and is finally ready to move on. She decides to do so with an affair with the pop star she and Sean are hired to guard, Judah.
Sean is back in Camelot to take care of his estranged mother’s estate. He’s had a crush on Katie since high school but never talks to her due to his stutter. He managed to overcome his stutter after high school but it comes back when he tries to talk to Katie. He realizes he can’t stand by and watch her go after Judah so he kisses her in front of Judah. Afterwards, he still refuses to talk to Katie, which naturally confuses and annoys her.
Katie can’t get Sean’s kiss out of her mind when she’s in Judah’s hotel room so she puts a stop to Judah’s advances. Judah doesn’t seem to mind. While I liked Judah, his storyline didn’t work quite as well for me as the development of the romance between Katie and Sean. He’s very secretive about why he’s hired the other two to protect him. I thought Judah’s secretiveness seemed rather forced and went on too long. Sean and Katie quit due to Judah’s lack of cooperation but Sean can’t quite stop himself from looking into Judah to see what could be scaring him. Meanwhile, Judah constantly calls Katie to try to get her back to work for him and they become friends during these calls.
When Sean comes to Katie with what he’s discovered about Judah he makes a decision to talk to her despite his stutter. I liked how this revelation led to Sean and Katie finally really getting to know one another. I also enjoyed how while Katie didn’t care about the stutter she was curious and made a couple of missteps when addressing the problem with Sean. Sean’s stutter never felt like a convenient plot device just to him more likeable or vulnerable like is so often the case. It’s an integral part of who he is but not the defining part.
After resolving the mystery with Judah, Sean is forced to confront his issues with his mother and deal with her estate. Katie is instrumental in helping him through this even though she knows Sean will leave her and go back to California. I felt this conflict about what will happen since Sean is determined to get back to California, where he feels like a successful businessman who’s overcome his speech problems instead of a tongue-tied schoolboy like he does in Camelot, was handled perfectly. The conflict never felt forced and none of the decisions the characters make seem inconsistent with their characterization earlier in the book. Katie has grown, learned what she wants and needs for herself and is not willing to blindly follow someone else’s plans and goals so she refuses to go to California with him. I think the final resolution of their conflict was perfect.
I think this book works so well because of how great of characters Katie and Sean are. They’re both flawed and dealing with major issues. Over the course of the book they both learn how to be better, happier people in their own right not just with one another with often isn’t the case in romances. The Judah storyline was interesting as well but for me it was more interesting as a catalyst for Sean and Katie’s relationship than for the actual things happening to Judah. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants a sweet, fun read filled with interesting characters.
This book really worked for me because of how much I liked the characters and their development. Katie has come out of a bad marriage to her high school sweetheart and is finally ready to move on. She decides to do so with an affair with the pop star she and Sean are hired to guard, Judah.
Sean is back in Camelot to take care of his estranged mother’s estate. He’s had a crush on Katie since high school but never talks to her due to his stutter. He managed to overcome his stutter after high school but it comes back when he tries to talk to Katie. He realizes he can’t stand by and watch her go after Judah so he kisses her in front of Judah. Afterwards, he still refuses to talk to Katie, which naturally confuses and annoys her.
Katie can’t get Sean’s kiss out of her mind when she’s in Judah’s hotel room so she puts a stop to Judah’s advances. Judah doesn’t seem to mind. While I liked Judah, his storyline didn’t work quite as well for me as the development of the romance between Katie and Sean. He’s very secretive about why he’s hired the other two to protect him. I thought Judah’s secretiveness seemed rather forced and went on too long. Sean and Katie quit due to Judah’s lack of cooperation but Sean can’t quite stop himself from looking into Judah to see what could be scaring him. Meanwhile, Judah constantly calls Katie to try to get her back to work for him and they become friends during these calls.
When Sean comes to Katie with what he’s discovered about Judah he makes a decision to talk to her despite his stutter. I liked how this revelation led to Sean and Katie finally really getting to know one another. I also enjoyed how while Katie didn’t care about the stutter she was curious and made a couple of missteps when addressing the problem with Sean. Sean’s stutter never felt like a convenient plot device just to him more likeable or vulnerable like is so often the case. It’s an integral part of who he is but not the defining part.
After resolving the mystery with Judah, Sean is forced to confront his issues with his mother and deal with her estate. Katie is instrumental in helping him through this even though she knows Sean will leave her and go back to California. I felt this conflict about what will happen since Sean is determined to get back to California, where he feels like a successful businessman who’s overcome his speech problems instead of a tongue-tied schoolboy like he does in Camelot, was handled perfectly. The conflict never felt forced and none of the decisions the characters make seem inconsistent with their characterization earlier in the book. Katie has grown, learned what she wants and needs for herself and is not willing to blindly follow someone else’s plans and goals so she refuses to go to California with him. I think the final resolution of their conflict was perfect.
I think this book works so well because of how great of characters Katie and Sean are. They’re both flawed and dealing with major issues. Over the course of the book they both learn how to be better, happier people in their own right not just with one another with often isn’t the case in romances. The Judah storyline was interesting as well but for me it was more interesting as a catalyst for Sean and Katie’s relationship than for the actual things happening to Judah. I would recommend this book for anyone who wants a sweet, fun read filled with interesting characters.
nononanette's review
3.0
I guess this is the 2nd time I tried reading this book. Apparently, I liked it better this time but mostly because I skimmed a bunch of parts.
I think I figured out why I just liked it the first time—I loved Katie’s relationship with other men more than Sean. The other men were her brother Caleb and the mystical musician Judah. Judah was such a fascinating character that he was the only other character beside Katie and sean to have his own POV. Even though I haven’t read Caleb and Ellen’s story, Caleb and his relationship with his sister felt very real, warm and caring. Sean was interesting but his hot and cold behavior with Katie, despite his reasons, kind of felt off. Still I was happy with their HEA.
I think I figured out why I just liked it the first time—I loved Katie’s relationship with other men more than Sean. The other men were her brother Caleb and the mystical musician Judah. Judah was such a fascinating character that he was the only other character beside Katie and sean to have his own POV. Even though I haven’t read Caleb and Ellen’s story, Caleb and his relationship with his sister felt very real, warm and caring. Sean was interesting but his hot and cold behavior with Katie, despite his reasons, kind of felt off. Still I was happy with their HEA.
wilovebooks's review
4.0
Katie is convinced that Sean hates her because he never speaks to her. Then they end up having to go out and work in the field together. They have to drive together, work together, and Sean won't talk to her. Katie is understandably irritated. Sean is so insecure about his issue, but when he finally starts talking to Katie her treatment of it is just what he needs. They compliment one another and make a perfect couple. This book has humor, suspense, and steam. I really liked the nerdy Sean, even though it takes him a while to stop being an idiot and just talk to Katie. This is part of a series, though this is the first I've read and it stood alone just fine. It did refer to events in other books, but just enough to make me curious.