Guest Review: All He Ever Dreamed by Shannon Stacey

Judith’s review of All He Ever Dreamed (Kowalski Family #6) by Shannon Stacey

Josh Kowalski is tired of holding down the fort—better known as the Northern Star Lodge—while his siblings are off living their dreams. Now that his oldest brother has returned to Whitford, Maine for good, Josh is free to chase some dreams of his own.

As the daughter of the lodge’s longtime housekeeper, Katie Davis grew up alongside the Kowalski kids. Though she’s always been “one of the guys”, her feelings for Josh are anything but sisterly. And after a hot late-night encounter in the kitchen, it’s clear Josh finally sees her as the woman she is.

Katie’s been waiting years for Josh to notice her, but now that he has, she’s afraid it’s too late. Giving her heart to a man who can’t wait to leave town is one sure way to have it broken. But Josh keeps coming up with excuses not to leave—could it be that everything he’s ever wanted is closer than he could have imagined?

This novel continues the family saga of the Kowalskis and for many readers, especially fans of Shannon Stacey’s stories, this is a welcome addition to the series.  It features two people who have been a part of the Northern Star Lodge since the beginning of their lives, and for Katie and Josh, the Lodge is as much a part of their lives as their connection as best friends.  Yet for Josh, his connection to the Lodge is one that has been forced by the abandonment of his siblings, leaving him no choice as he sees it, and binding him to the Lodge for the foreseeable future.  His anger and bitterness run deep.

By contrast, Katie is a woman who has loved Josh for years–friendship kind of love, to be sure, but way more than that as well.  Yet the man is clueless and some of the wit and humor in the narrative come from friends who comment on his cluelessness to one another as well as Katie.  It’s almost as if Josh is so wrapped up in his own grief and bitterness over what he perceives as being a future out of his reach that he doesn’t really “see” Katie.

This is a wonderful story of relationships on many levels, emotional boundaries that widen for some and are locked in place for others.  It is about family–a family that includes lots of honorary members and those who have been critical to the health of all the Kowalski siblings.  It is a story of forgiveness–as in the long-running feud between Rosie and Andy–as well as allowing the reader to see the vulnerability and sensitivity of men who are not always open about their feelings but who dare to open themselves up to family and those they trust.  The friendship that Katie shares with Hailey is hilarious in so many ways, especially their back and forth conversation about “salacious” activities in one another’s lives, a conversation that runs throughout the book.  I couldn’t suppress the chuckles on a few occasions over this one.

There’s so much to like about this book that not only has to do with this novel itself as well as enjoying the continuing stories about this family.  There is an unmistakable energy level throughout that is always in Stacey’s stories, a verve and vitality that makes it a true “feel-good” story and one that brings forth sighs of deep satisfaction from readers when they reach the last page.  The only “downer” is that the story ends at all. Surely we’re not incorrect to look forward to a book about the lone female in the Kowalski pack, hints of which were quietly present in the conversation Josh had with his sister who has been absent from Whitford for many years.  And who might her swain be?  Stay tuned . . . as they say.  It’s a book that romance fiction readers shouldn’t miss.  I, for one, am delighted to have read it.

I give it a rating of 4.25 out of 5.

 

You can read more from Judith at Dr J’s Book Place.

book is available from Carina Press. You can buy it here or here in e-format. This book was provided by the publisher for an honest review.

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