Book Review: Exclusively Yours by Shannon Stacey

Paperback Cover

At First Sight: Keri Daniels has spent the las 18 years in California, making a name for herself and the magazine world and climbing the corporate ladder at Spotlight, an entertainment magazine. But now she's being forced to revisit her past and the people she left behind in her small, New Hampshire town. 

Why? because her boss Tina just found out that, once upon a time, Keri dated reclusive, best-selling author Joe Kowalski, who's horror books are loved by many and whose latest book is set to be a summer block buster. And Tina wants an exclusive interview with him, no matter what Keri has to do to obtain it. 

Keri isn't thrilled at the idea of seeing Joe again, knowing she hurt him deeply when she left. Joe, for his part, well, he does want to see Keri again, but this time on his terms. After she moved away, Joe fell a bit into the gutter and had to claw his way out, he doesn't want to return to the man he used to be right after she left, so this time they are going to do everything his way. 

But even he is surprised when he ends up inviting Keri to the annual Kowalski Family vacation - which basically means 'camping' for two weeks in the woods with his parents, his brothers, nephews and with Joe's twin sister Terri, who used to be Keri's best friend. 

Second Glance: Exclusively Yours is the first book in The Kowalskis series and I have to say that for the most part I had a nice time reading it. 

Keri and Joe were both very likable characters and quite normal too. Though I didn't entirely agree, I could understand Keri's need to move away when she was younger - she wanted to forge her own identity aside from being Joe's girl - and why she clung to her career as much as she died. 

I liked Joe and how his family meant so much to him, and how he was happy with his life, writing books and living in the same town he had been born in. Plus, he was a really decent person, and hurt as he was, he never lashed out in a complete jerk-o manner, even though he could. 

The secondary characters, mostly Joe's siblings and their families served to give context to Keri and Joe, and I even enjoyed their subplots. 

Now, I did have problem with the pacing, because at one point the book started to feel a little long, and the ending a little rushed. 

Ebook Cover

Bottom Line: Over all, Exclusively Yours was a lovely contemporary read, and it made me laugh out loud quite a few times. And I really liked how down to earth everyone was. 

Favorite Quote: "You got busy in the backseat of a '78 Ford Granada with Joseph Kowalski - only the most reclusive best-selling author since J.D. Sallinger - and you don't think to tell me about it?"

"Would you want anybody to know?"

"That I had sex with Joseph Kowalski?"

"No, that you had sex in the backseat of a '78 Granada."