Sizzling Book Club Pick for June: Yours to Keep by Shannon Stacey

Sizzling Book ClubTime for the June Sizzling Book Club Pick – and if you’ve been paying attention this one isn’t much of a surprise. Heh.

Book Cover This month’s pick is the third book in Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski series: Yours to Keep.It is an outstanding contemporary romance, and I hope you like it.

Here’s the synopsis: Sean Kowalski no sooner leaves the army than he’s recruited by Emma Shaw to be her fake fiancé. Emma needs to produce a husband-to-be for her grandmother’s upcoming visit, and, though Sean doesn’t like the deception, he could use the landscaping job Emma’s offering while he decides what to do with his civilian life. And, despite his attraction to Emma, there’s no chance he’ll fall for a woman with deep roots in a town he’s not planning to call home.

Emma’s not interested in a real relationship either; not with a man whose idea of home is wherever he drops his duffel bag. No matter how amazing his “pretend” kisses are…

As usual, if you use SBTBARE at checkout, you will get a 50% eBook Bucks Rebate at AllRomance.com, the official sponsor of the Sizzling Book Club. The 50% rebate at AllRomance will be valid from June 10-20, 2011.

Curious how to read a digital book? There’s a list of options for software to read ebooks at the ARe site, and of course there’s free apps from Amazon and BN should you wish to try those, too.

The rebate price at ARe is ridiculously awesome – and please note, this is a rebate, which means Ebook Bucks in the amount of $2.49 will be available for your shopping pleasure if you purchase the book there. You can read more about the eBook Bucks at All Romance.

But wait, there’s more! Mark your calendars for the Sizzling Book Club Chat on 22 June at 9:00 pm EDT. Author Shannon Stacey will join us at 10:00pm EDT to take questions and pretend to be horrified at the Book Club Chat mayhem.

Want to add the chat to your Google Calendar? Here’s a button:

Seriously, I can’t even tell you how much I enjoyed this book. I’ve been talking about it for a few weeks now, and I cannot wait to hear what you think.

Categorized:

General Bitching...

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  1. Just downloaded Exclusively Yours.  I am compulsive about reading series in order.  I never thought I liked straight contemporary romance until I discovered Lori Foster.  Now I hope to add Shannon Stacey to the list.

  2. Chelsea says:

    Ya, I decided to start from Exclusively Yours even though I was told they stand alone just fine. Besides, I saw that their was camping involved and I’m childishly fond of camping. Really hope I can get through all three in time.

  3. Leah says:

    The book looks great, but I was really disappointed when I saw it is only available in epub.  I am not anti-digital, but I truly prefer to read books in the old-fashioned print format, and I can’t with this book- at least not until the paperback release next year.  I suppose digital readers feel the same way when books are released in print and not digitally:)

  4. Kathleen says:

    I’m with Leah on this one…. I don’t have an e-reader, but more and more books are just being published for them, so I guess I am going to have to bite the bullet and get one…

  5. LG says:

    @Kathleen – That’s why I ended up finally breaking down and buying an e-reader. I still prefer to read books in paper format, but I got tired of reading about all kinds of great books that either were only available as e-books or were prohibitively expensive as paper books.

  6. SB Sarah says:

    @Elaine and @Chelsea: The books definitely stand alone. I loved the first one, couldn’t finish the second one because I wanted to smack the heroine repeatedly, and LOVED the third. I hope you can join us for the book club!

    @Leah and @Kathleen: I totally struggled with the fact that I wanted to choose this book for June because I’d just featured a different digital-only novella last month. I empathize with your desire to read print – nothing wrong with that! But you don’t have to get an e-reader. You can read on your computer (not the most comfortable thing, I concede) or if you have a smart phone, on any of the free apps for android and iOS devices. There are many options that are free, and I’d hate to see you shell out some cash for a reader you aren’t going to love.

    Let me know if I can help, k?

  7. Becca says:

    It’s $3.99 at Amazon, if you need it in mobi format. Or, if you want to buy it from AllRomance, it’s non-drm’d so you could convert to mobi using Calibre.

  8. Alyssa Cole says:

    Yay, I read this the other night!

    I downloaded it from Amazon onto my iPod using the kindle app. It was only my second time buying an ebook (the first was Courtney Milan’s Unlocked)—and it was really easy. I hope no one is discouraged just because it’s an ebook!

  9. Bev Stephans says:

    I too hate the fact that this is only in ebook format.  I downloaded it to my computer and am almost finished with it.  You can dowload it from Carina Press, B & N and Amazon.  With B & N and Amazon, you have to download the free Nook or Kindle aps.  It’s all the same price, so whatever floats your boat.

    I have loved Shannon Stacey’s writing for a long time, and she is one of a few authors that I will put up with reading on my computer.  I still like print books over the epub format.

  10. library addict says:

    Couldn’t wait for the coupon code and bought it from ARe on release day.

    Loved the book, too! 

    The first book may still be my favorite, but mostly because I LOVED both secondary couples in Exclusively Yours

    Looking forward to the chat.

  11. Batty Tabby says:

    I’m so glad this book was recommended! As promised, the Scrabble technique was terrific. The use of Photoshop made me laugh so much….

  12. Courtney says:

    I read this the other day (after reading the recommendation here!) and I don’t think I have ever enjoyed a book so much!  It was so funny!  I have been recommending it to everyone and it has been added to my read again pile.

  13. Laura (in PA) says:

    Yayyy!!! I finished it last night, and loved it. I can’t wait.

    I find it interesting that you didn’t finish the second one, Sarah. Did that one get reviewed? I’d love to hear your reasons.

    SO looking forward to this chat.

  14. Popula says:

    I gagged after the first few sentences of the synopsis. Needing a fake spouse is the most overdone trope in romance, followed by my secret vampire baby’s vampire billionaire father. I look for more originality.

  15. Carolyn says:

    For me, it’s not so much the trope. It’s what the writer does with it. Good writing can save many a tale.  🙂

  16. SB Sarah says:

    @LaurainPA

    I find it interesting that you didn’t finish the second one, Sarah. Did that one get reviewed? I’d love to hear your reasons.

    I didn’t review it, as I didn’t finish it. I didn’t get past the first three or four chapters, if I recall. The hero and his family are marvelous, as always, but I despised the heroine. I thought she was selfish, self-absorbed, and at times a complete flipping idiot. When I realized I couldn’t root for her happy ending or her, I had to stop reading. She pissed me off.

  17. elisa says:

    At first, the premise through me off. Yeah, it’s been done but the writing, dialog and characters sucked me in within three chapters. Then, read it on one sitting. I’m depressed that I finished it. Really. I think I’ll reread it just because I can. One of those books you just want to keep going. Can’t wait for the discussion.

  18. Laura (in PA) says:

    Thanks for responding to my curiousity, Sarah. I did end up reading all of book 2, but liked 1 and 3 much better.

    I, too, was put off a bit by the pretend engagement premise of Yours To Keep, since it seems to be totally out of place in a contemporary, but ended up loving the book, and read the end twice. I’m so glad we’ll have a chance to discuss it.

  19. I read Exclusively Yours today and will definitely be buying the next two.

    A nice, solid romance with no dark parts.  Of course, Joe does write horror mysteries, so I guess that counts.  -grin-

  20. StephanieL says:

    LOVED Exclusively Yours.  I am a sucker for first loves reuniting stories and the secondary characters were entertaining as well.  Undeniably Yours was okay, but nowhere near as good as the first.  I could understand why Beth was reluctant to give her heart to Kevin but after awhile she just got annoying.

    Yours to Keep is on par with the first.  I liked the concept and Sean Kowalski was dream and I loved the growing relationship between Sean and Emma.  I wasn’t put off by the fake engagement.  I enjoyed the ensuing drama, and funny situations, it caused.

  21. Molly says:

    I apologize, because this is extremely OT, but the plot of this book reminded me: have any of you seen the film “Dear Frankie”?  Gerard Butler (*drooooool*) plays a mysterious stranger hired by a woman to pretend to be her son’s father, to keep up a deception she started years ago to spare her son the knowledge of what a loser his dad is. (That’s a major oversimplification, but I’m keeping spoilers to a minimum.)  It’s a beautiful film, and Gerard, who skulks about in a leather jacket, is at his scrumptious best. I was also deeply touched to read an interview with him where he basically said it’s one of his favorites. Highly recommended.

    And, um, the book looks good! I’ll have to check it out! 🙂

    Molly

  22. Betty Fokker says:

    Just read it. It was very good and I thought the dialogue was particularly realistic!

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