Holly‘s review of Exclusively Yours
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 2gether 4ever.
This is the first book I’ve ever read by Shannon Stacey. I tried reading one sometime back, but that was about the time Romantic Suspense and I decided to separate, and I didn’t finished it. Since RS and I still haven’t reconciled, I haven’t picked up another.
But when I realized this was a straight contemp I decided to try it. Especially after seeing Lori’s glowing review. Which, upon further consideration, is what was the deciding factor for me. Because I don’t DO journalist heroines.
This heroine worked for me, however, because she was upfront right from the beginning about her motivations and the lines she was (and wasn’t) willing to cross personally and professionally. She didn’t have a hidden agenda – it was right there out in the open.
Keri and Joe were both mature characters. There was no big misunderstanding or immature antics on either side. Just two adults who had once loved each other and were battling nostalgia and attraction. Their conflict was a believable one, because 20 years had passed and they were different now than they’d been before.
I knew some serious moments of real fear several time while reading. I kept waiting for the moment when Joe would accuse Keri of selling him out, or when Keri would consider doing it. Thankfully Stacey didn’t go that route.
The main complaint I have is that Joe was rather selfish about Keri’s career. He kept thinking she needed to leave LA and move in with him. Only..Joe was an author. He needed nothing more than a laptop to work. Location meant nothing to him. Keri’s job as a journalist for a gossip rag required her to be closer to the action, so she needed to stay in California. Why didn’t he ever think, “I’ll go with her” instead of “She needs to come to me”?
I liked that Keri called him on it in the end, however. I also liked that Keri didn’t suddenly have a change of heart and decide she wanted to give up her career for Joe. The resolution was much better than that.
The secondary threads featuring Joe’s brother and sister were also well done, though I think both were resolved rather quickly. For the issues each were having with their respective spouses, especially Terry, Joe’s sister, the resolution wasn’t believable in such a short amount of time. Mike and Lisa’s was a bit more believable, but it felt like Stacey ran out of time and just wrapped things up. I’d have almost preferred she carry at least one of them over to the next book.
Overall I found this to be wonderfully done. The characters are well drawn and believable, and I loved the way the family dynamics were portrayed. I’m really looking forward to the next book, Undeniably Yours (coming Fall, 2010).
4.25 out of 5
This book is available from Carina Press in digital format only.. You can buy it here or here.
Sounds pretty good 😀 I had my eyes out on this one after Lori’s review 🙂 Now, both eyes LOL.
I just finished this book and really enjoyed it! Great sexual tension. I even dreamed about going out on an ATV!