December 16, 2014

All He Ever Dreamed by Shannon Stacy



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?

Yes, it is another Kowalski book. I requested this one from Netgalley an eon ago. See how long I let posts just sit half-finished here. I need a badge that says Worlds Worst Blogger.

When I got the book. I was so happy. I love those boys, and I enjoy Shannon's writing so much.

Now I'm going to tell you that if you don't want to be spoiled, you need to stop reading right now. I have a few choice words I want to say to the character Josh, and they might spoil some of the story for you

SO if you are leaving the post now I will give you the short version of my review


  • If you like the Kowalski boys and their universe, you wanna read this
  • If you like a good tear-jerker that makes you giggle in places, you wanna read this
  • If you like some hot sexing, you wanna read this
  • If you like a story where you get so angry at a character that you wish he was real, so you could storm over to his house and bitch him out for being an ass, READ IT

We shall take a short pause here while those who do not want to be spoiled leave, and I prepare for my bitch-out session with a pretend person ....



Take your time


For those sticking around, look at this.



Okay, are they gone? Good. Sit back, my dears. It's gonna get bumpy


Josh, what the hell is your problem? If you were real, I would be offering you a Midol, you old curmudgeon.

Yes, I called you a curmudgeon.

What the hell kind of man, and I use that term loosely, acts like this?

You have your lovely friend Katie, who not only likes sports but also likes you and puts up with your shit AND supports herself AND is hot and sweet. Granted, she cant cook as well as her mother, but you know that shit takes practice


I get the whole "I didn't see her as a female" thing, which is fine and all. I was great up until
Christmas Eve. Yes, the party you and Katie put together, because Rosie was not well enough to help out, which of course was all a plot by the brilliant Rosie to get you two knuckleheads to work together.

Anyway, there she was under the mistletoe that your bro put up, because he's a sneaky SOB, and
you're all hemming and hawing and making poor Katie feel like chopped liver, because you can't get over get over being fifteen-years-old !!!


I was so angry for Katie. There she stood in her pretty dress, all crushing on you, and you're being an asshole. If I was her I would have walked away and left you to kiss yourself. You did not deserve to kiss her

Poor Katie is so smitten with Josh, and he has his head up his ass for most of the book.
I know I know, he had to leave home and learn about how much she meant to him, but I swear I was so angry, I wanted to see him hurt more than Katie was hurting, which made Rosie hurt, and that made me cry


I just wish I was one of the aunties, because I would have hit him upside the head!

You know what I've said before. When I have a visceral response to characters, either good or bad, it means the character was crafted well.

I do not like Josh

I don't care if he was redeemed (it is a romance, so no shocker there).   I do not like him. He made me so angry


I liked Katie, even though I wanted to be one of her friends to tell her Josh wasn't worthy of her tears or devotion, and that if he came back, she should make him work for it

I knew Katie loved him, but HOLY COW there's only so much a girl should take. He;d better be the most amazingest hubby ever, because he's so so so lucky he isn't real.

Now, is it worth the read? Yes, I think it's worth the frustration, because I got to know Katie, and to me, she makes the journey worth it. I like her a lot.

Josh. not so much. He needs his brains rattled a few times

BUT he is very much a guy

I give this one 5 Stars just because it caused such a reaction within me.


Share/Save/Bookmark

No comments:

Post a Comment