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Hunk for the Holidays #1
Hunk for the Holidays
Always putting business before pleasure, Cassie McPherson works hard for her family's construction business. That might explain why she doesn't have a date for the company Christmas party. But it doesn't quite explain why she's crazy enough to hire an escort for the event or - crazier still - why she's dying to unwrap him like a present . . .
With whiskey-colored eyes and a killer smile, James is one gorgeous hunk who really knows how to fill out a tuxedo. He charms everyone, including Cassie. And when the night ends, the party doesn't stop. As Cassie falls, literally, into his bed, James falls head over heels in love. Now he has to figure out a way to tell her the truth: he's not an escort. He's her family's fiercest business rival. But all he wants for Christmas is her . . .
(88000 words)
With whiskey-colored eyes and a killer smile, James is one gorgeous hunk who really knows how to fill out a tuxedo. He charms everyone, including Cassie. And when the night ends, the party doesn't stop. As Cassie falls, literally, into his bed, James falls head over heels in love. Now he has to figure out a way to tell her the truth: he's not an escort. He's her family's fiercest business rival. But all he wants for Christmas is her . . .
(88000 words)
337 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 25, 2012
47 people are currently reading
1098 people want to read
About the author
Katie Lane
59 books578 followersKatie Lane is the USA Today bestselling author of the Deep in the Heart of Texas, Hunk for the Holidays, Overnight Billionaires, Tender Heart Texas, Bad Boy Ranch, Kingman Ranch, Holiday Ranch series. Katie lives in Albuquerque, New Mexico, and when she isn’t writing, she enjoys reading, traveling, and cuddling with her high school sweetheart and cairn terrier, Roo.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 179 reviews
September 4, 2012
3.5 Stars
Hunk for the Holidays gives us the romance between Cassandra McPherson and the hated business rival, James Sutton. Growing up with four brothers, Cassie’s had to fight for everything, even her dominating father’s attention. She’s aggressive, controlling and never lets emotions get in her way as she deals with the daily challenges in her father’s Construction business. To keep her large Scot/Irish family off her back and meddling into her affairs, she’s resorted to hiring male escorts.
James Sutton appears at the office of M&M Construction for a meeting with Cassie’s dad, Al McPherson. Instead, he is mistaken by Cassie as her date for a Christmas Party. Intrigued by this beautiful and straightforward young woman, he goes along with her plans, only revealing his first name.
From the moment Cassie turns and sets eyes on James, she’s left breathless. With his whiskey colored eyes, gorgeous looks, and totally sexy body, what woman could resist! Her sex starved body instantly went on red alert and the chemistry is combustionable.
I was instantly drawn into their story. James Sutton is handsome, all alpha male, and smart. Sexalicious is one word that would define him well. I found myself laughing through their humorous dialog that the misunderstanding brought into play. One of the talents I most enjoy from Katie Lane is her ability to make me laugh one minute while needing to fan myself in the next instant.
The family dynamics were well done with this large, boisterous family and I enjoyed the secondary romance that was included between Cassie’s brother, Rory, and her best friend, Amy. Aunt Wheezie is a blast of fun and one of my favorite characters in the book. You will love this zany, quirky ninety year old match maker.
The only complaint I have is the distraction I felt when about three fourths in. As Cassie finally discovers James’ deception, I became distracted with wacky neighbors, crazy cats and more misunderstandings. It could be that I was anxious for these two to resolve their differences. Thankfully, this didn’t last long and I was soon back on track, enjoying their story.
This is a light, fun, sexy Holiday romance with a winning combination of humor and smoldering sex scenes along with a cast of secondary characters that I enjoyed, a heroine I liked and a hero that is utterly divine.
The author has given us a reminder that love is the most precious gift to receive and how blessed and thankful to be surrounded by the treasures of family and friends.
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
ERD: 9/25/2012
My Sincerest Thank You to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Hunk for the Holidays gives us the romance between Cassandra McPherson and the hated business rival, James Sutton. Growing up with four brothers, Cassie’s had to fight for everything, even her dominating father’s attention. She’s aggressive, controlling and never lets emotions get in her way as she deals with the daily challenges in her father’s Construction business. To keep her large Scot/Irish family off her back and meddling into her affairs, she’s resorted to hiring male escorts.
James Sutton appears at the office of M&M Construction for a meeting with Cassie’s dad, Al McPherson. Instead, he is mistaken by Cassie as her date for a Christmas Party. Intrigued by this beautiful and straightforward young woman, he goes along with her plans, only revealing his first name.
From the moment Cassie turns and sets eyes on James, she’s left breathless. With his whiskey colored eyes, gorgeous looks, and totally sexy body, what woman could resist! Her sex starved body instantly went on red alert and the chemistry is combustionable.
I was instantly drawn into their story. James Sutton is handsome, all alpha male, and smart. Sexalicious is one word that would define him well. I found myself laughing through their humorous dialog that the misunderstanding brought into play. One of the talents I most enjoy from Katie Lane is her ability to make me laugh one minute while needing to fan myself in the next instant.
The family dynamics were well done with this large, boisterous family and I enjoyed the secondary romance that was included between Cassie’s brother, Rory, and her best friend, Amy. Aunt Wheezie is a blast of fun and one of my favorite characters in the book. You will love this zany, quirky ninety year old match maker.
The only complaint I have is the distraction I felt when about three fourths in. As Cassie finally discovers James’ deception, I became distracted with wacky neighbors, crazy cats and more misunderstandings. It could be that I was anxious for these two to resolve their differences. Thankfully, this didn’t last long and I was soon back on track, enjoying their story.
This is a light, fun, sexy Holiday romance with a winning combination of humor and smoldering sex scenes along with a cast of secondary characters that I enjoyed, a heroine I liked and a hero that is utterly divine.
The author has given us a reminder that love is the most precious gift to receive and how blessed and thankful to be surrounded by the treasures of family and friends.
My Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
ERD: 9/25/2012
My Sincerest Thank You to Netgalley and Grand Central Publishing for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
December 26, 2017
26/12 - Somewhere between 'meh' and 'reasonable'. Best parts were that it was a Christmas romance perfect for Christmas Eve and that it was a very easy and quick read - I started reading it with dinner, intended to put it down after eating to watch some telly but found I couldn't and had it finished before midnight (5-6 hours altogether).
Cassie, the heroine, was a bit unlikeable. On the night she met her hero she drank so far to excess she had to vomit out the door of his car as he drove her home - really attractive. Then the next morning, after he's been a total gentleman, she wakes him up with surprise oral sex and then jumps on top of him without having any kind of discussion with him about what he wants (just because he showed interest the night before doesn't mean he's willing the next morning, the outrage would be loud and clear if the man had been the instigator here) and that left a bad taste in my mouth. They use a condom during that first sexual encounter, but in each subsequent sex scene condoms aren't brought up again. They didn't even bother with the 'Are you clean faux discussion?' that often passes for 'safe sex' in contemporary (especially NA) romances these days. And at 28 and 35 these guys didn't have the excuse of being naïve or inexperienced.
James, the hero, was okay except for the fact that he found himself incapable of telling Cassie the truth about who he was. Whenever he 'made' the decision that he was going to tell her something would just happen to interrupt him (often Cassie groping him) and then he'd put it off till a better time came up, except he left it too late and she found out on her own.
The plot was completely predictable. From the moment we're told that Cassie has hired an escort for her office Christmas party I knew exactly what was going to happen. From her mistaking him for the escort, to how she would uncover his real identity it was all absolutely transparent. This was my third Katie Lane book, and my second three star rating (I gave Going Cowboy Crazy four stars). It looks like I wasn't a fan of the heroine in that other three star rating, either, so maybe I'm just not a fan of Lane's heroines. Would still read another of her books if I came across one of them, but I won't be making an effort to find any.
Cassie, the heroine, was a bit unlikeable. On the night she met her hero she drank so far to excess she had to vomit out the door of his car as he drove her home - really attractive. Then the next morning, after he's been a total gentleman, she wakes him up with surprise oral sex and then jumps on top of him without having any kind of discussion with him about what he wants (just because he showed interest the night before doesn't mean he's willing the next morning, the outrage would be loud and clear if the man had been the instigator here) and that left a bad taste in my mouth. They use a condom during that first sexual encounter, but in each subsequent sex scene condoms aren't brought up again. They didn't even bother with the 'Are you clean faux discussion?' that often passes for 'safe sex' in contemporary (especially NA) romances these days. And at 28 and 35 these guys didn't have the excuse of being naïve or inexperienced.
James, the hero, was okay except for the fact that he found himself incapable of telling Cassie the truth about who he was. Whenever he 'made' the decision that he was going to tell her something would just happen to interrupt him (often Cassie groping him) and then he'd put it off till a better time came up, except he left it too late and she found out on her own.
The plot was completely predictable. From the moment we're told that Cassie has hired an escort for her office Christmas party I knew exactly what was going to happen. From her mistaking him for the escort, to how she would uncover his real identity it was all absolutely transparent. This was my third Katie Lane book, and my second three star rating (I gave Going Cowboy Crazy four stars). It looks like I wasn't a fan of the heroine in that other three star rating, either, so maybe I'm just not a fan of Lane's heroines. Would still read another of her books if I came across one of them, but I won't be making an effort to find any.
April 22, 2018
3.5
Cassandra "Cassie" McPherson work in accounting for her father's construction business. But that's not what she wants to be. She would prefer to be an architect but even being a confident woman can be difficult when your dad is intimidating. Tired of the matchmaking family and friends who always try to impose her dates, Cassie developed the habit of hiring escorts from an agency to accompany her to the partys and evenings where she's invited. She sometimes bring the same young man and sometimes it's different ones she present as a friend of a companion because who wants to admit they engaged an escort ? When she's about to quit for an office Christmas party and this gorgeous specimen of male come into her place of work, she can only imagine that's the escort the agency sent her for the evening.
James Sutton was supposed to meet Al McPherson for what he thought would be a conversation about their business experience. He doesn't even know that the McPherson family consider him as their number one competitor and enemy. And when he realize that Cassie mistake him for a paid companion, he doesn't rectify the situation because what would be the fun in that ?
Add Cassie's four protective and bickering brothers, her wacky aunt with good intentions, a secondary romance between her funny assistant Amy and one of the heroine's brother, nosy neighbors and you have a Christmas time full of emotions and turmoils.
I liked that even if Cassie was a career woman she wasn't the cliché of the workaholic stuck-up business woman. I liked that James had old-fashioned manners without the macho attitude. But to believe in the case of mistaken identity, I had to forget the fact that it's almost impossible in these days of Internet and social medias that not one person in the McPherson's family would know what their competitor looked like. I also have to say I wish the first sexual encounter happened differently.
I'm used to reading this author's cowboy contemporary but her great writing style was still there so I'm glad to see it work in other settings too.
Cassandra "Cassie" McPherson work in accounting for her father's construction business. But that's not what she wants to be. She would prefer to be an architect but even being a confident woman can be difficult when your dad is intimidating. Tired of the matchmaking family and friends who always try to impose her dates, Cassie developed the habit of hiring escorts from an agency to accompany her to the partys and evenings where she's invited. She sometimes bring the same young man and sometimes it's different ones she present as a friend of a companion because who wants to admit they engaged an escort ? When she's about to quit for an office Christmas party and this gorgeous specimen of male come into her place of work, she can only imagine that's the escort the agency sent her for the evening.
James Sutton was supposed to meet Al McPherson for what he thought would be a conversation about their business experience. He doesn't even know that the McPherson family consider him as their number one competitor and enemy. And when he realize that Cassie mistake him for a paid companion, he doesn't rectify the situation because what would be the fun in that ?
Add Cassie's four protective and bickering brothers, her wacky aunt with good intentions, a secondary romance between her funny assistant Amy and one of the heroine's brother, nosy neighbors and you have a Christmas time full of emotions and turmoils.
I liked that even if Cassie was a career woman she wasn't the cliché of the workaholic stuck-up business woman. I liked that James had old-fashioned manners without the macho attitude. But to believe in the case of mistaken identity, I had to forget the fact that it's almost impossible in these days of Internet and social medias that not one person in the McPherson's family would know what their competitor looked like. I also have to say I wish the first sexual encounter happened differently.
I'm used to reading this author's cowboy contemporary but her great writing style was still there so I'm glad to see it work in other settings too.
December 1, 2015
I tried, I swear I tried, to finish the book because I wanted to know if this will be included in my "What to read this coming Christmas" post in our blog (title still in progress). But I should have known that no one could make me do anything that I don't like. Including myself.
So.. DNF!!!
Cute cliché title aside, this book is bo-ring.
We have a tomboyish heroine who prefers business than pleasure. You know the type. Those " I want to show Dad that even though I'm a girl, I can still do better than my brothers in this men-infested work" type.
Then there's the hero who was mistaken to be an escort hired by the girl but actually, the bastard is the threat in their business.
The blurb sounds so good at first but trust me, it's unpredictable. I can't relate to the heroine and the dude is so bland. Like excuse me Sir, kindly do something memorable so my shitty memory can still remember you after 3 weeks.
This book doesn't even make me pee with giddyness. The chemistry between the H/h of this book is under sea level it's not visible to the naked eye. I keep on waiting for some explosive that can make me say "wow, I wanna hump that dude" or " Oh man, that's so sweet it makes me gag".
But no. Nada.Nada. Nada.Nada.
This book gave the term "no-brainer" into a whole new level. It's an absolute epic fail for me so I don't have the confidence to recommend this.
But don't let me stop you. This review is just my opinion. Go read this and see if you want to know if the hero is "hump-able" to you.
January 1, 2013
Oh my god some stories are just like a train wreck... but in the best possible way. With Cases of mistaken identity, falling for the enemy, naughty things done against doors with said enemy, wild tempers and trees getting set on fire Hunk for the Holidays was an entertaining ride and one I couldn't pull my eyes away from for a single second. It provided me my favorite new phrase..."penis-pilot" too!
Some books, I think, are just meant to be fun. They can be a little ridiculous, a little predictable, full of crazy, passionate characters and do it all in a way that really just...works. This was my first time reading Lane and it really hit the spot, both warming my heart and making me chuckle which is the best type of Christmas read in my opinion.
James and Cassie have an interesting meet, seeing she thinks he's the escort she hired to take her to the family's company Christmas party and he decided to go along for the ride and not tell her he's her families main business competition and public enemy number one. Oy, right? You just know there are going to be some fireworks down the line with that one!
James is pretty much sex on two legs. He's got the whole alpha sexiness going on and is old fashioned about opening doors and such. *rawr* and Cassie is most definitely a handful. She's a control freak and used to bossing men around which pretty much stops with James. *rawr* again. LOL I loved the head butting their similarities in personality caused and the control exchange between them. The relationship goes at warp speed but the chemistry between the two definitely works and things get down right steamy. The two make some lovely blunders that'll make you laugh, make you cringe and make you want to lock them in a room until they get it right.
One of the things I found interesting was the secondary storyline of Cassie's brother, Rory, finding his happily ever after. What caught me with it was that I got just as lost in his and Amy's story as I did in the main one. I'd completely forget about the other while I was reading this one or that one. Not sure if that's a good thing or not but Lane had a way of getting me so incredibly focused on what I was reading that all else kinda of left my brain for a while.
After spending a little time with Cassie's big, crazy, wonderful (and very involved) family I'd really love to hear some of their stories one day. They're a wild group, and yeah if they were yours they'd probably make you twitch, but damn from the outside looking in they're a real trip.
*A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest opinon
Some books, I think, are just meant to be fun. They can be a little ridiculous, a little predictable, full of crazy, passionate characters and do it all in a way that really just...works. This was my first time reading Lane and it really hit the spot, both warming my heart and making me chuckle which is the best type of Christmas read in my opinion.
"Brains and looks. I like that in a man." She leaned forward and rested her wrinkled hands on the glass table. "But if you're planning on catching Cassie, you'll need more than brains and good looks. You'll need the patience of a saint and the endurance of a pack mule. In case you haven't noticed, my niece is a real fireball."
James had noticed.
James and Cassie have an interesting meet, seeing she thinks he's the escort she hired to take her to the family's company Christmas party and he decided to go along for the ride and not tell her he's her families main business competition and public enemy number one. Oy, right? You just know there are going to be some fireworks down the line with that one!
James is pretty much sex on two legs. He's got the whole alpha sexiness going on and is old fashioned about opening doors and such. *rawr* and Cassie is most definitely a handful. She's a control freak and used to bossing men around which pretty much stops with James. *rawr* again. LOL I loved the head butting their similarities in personality caused and the control exchange between them. The relationship goes at warp speed but the chemistry between the two definitely works and things get down right steamy. The two make some lovely blunders that'll make you laugh, make you cringe and make you want to lock them in a room until they get it right.
One of the things I found interesting was the secondary storyline of Cassie's brother, Rory, finding his happily ever after. What caught me with it was that I got just as lost in his and Amy's story as I did in the main one. I'd completely forget about the other while I was reading this one or that one. Not sure if that's a good thing or not but Lane had a way of getting me so incredibly focused on what I was reading that all else kinda of left my brain for a while.
After spending a little time with Cassie's big, crazy, wonderful (and very involved) family I'd really love to hear some of their stories one day. They're a wild group, and yeah if they were yours they'd probably make you twitch, but damn from the outside looking in they're a real trip.
*A copy of this book was provided in exchange for an honest opinon
September 27, 2012
What a fun, great Christmas read...pick this one up come snowfall!
Check out my review that was posted this week...
http://www.nocturnereads.com/2012/09/...
Check out my review that was posted this week...
http://www.nocturnereads.com/2012/09/...
December 20, 2012
Read more of my reviews and ramblings at Ana's Attic Sexy Tales
I love a good holiday book. Especially one that makes you feel good and happy. I saw Hunk For The Holidays by Katie Lane on Net-Galley, and it sounded great, though I must say, I really don’t like the name, or the guy on the cover. But I grabbed it anyway. I’m so glad I did! I really loved this book, and I would have enjoyed it any time of year. While the book is not overly memorable or unique, I still enjoyed every page. I smiled throughout, and stayed up all night reading.
Cassie is the Vice President in her family’s construction business. Though she has been relegated to an accounting-type position by her tough-as-nails, boy’s club father, she is more in love with the construction business than any one of her many brothers. Cassie is a jeans and work-boots kind of girl. She works so much, she has no time for a social life, outside of her assistant, single mom Amy, being her best friend. For social gatherings, Cassie hires paid escorts so all of the well-meaning family and friends won’t take pity on her and try to set her up.
The night of the company Christmas party, Cassie was working late, waiting for her paid escort, and had to change for the party in the office. But Amy, her assistant, in an effort to get Cassie to live life a little, switched out her boring outfit for a hot, short red dress and spiked heels. When Cassie sees a gorgeous man in the lobby, she immediately assumes it is her escort for the night.
“A man stood by the Christmas tree in the foyer. Not a man really, more like a vision. The clear lights that twinkled around his dark head made him look like something straight out of a dream. Man, Elite Escorts had outdone themselves this time. This was no gangly college boy in an ill-fitting rental tux, but a mature man in a tuxedo that looked made-to-order for his tall, muscular frame.
….
Cassie forgot to breathe.
….
She swallowed and tried to get her mind off his hot body and back in her head. It was difficult, especially when this wonderful eye candy stood so close and when she and Amy had just been discussing how long it had been since she’d had sex. But hot or not, she needed to remember that this man was one of her employees. She dealt with men all day long. Alpha men. She could handle some pretty boy who worked for an escort service.
She plastered on a smile. “Yes, I’m fine. It’s just that you’re early.”
The quizzical look remained, and he tugged up the sleeve of his jacket and glanced at a watch that looked an awful lot like her father’s Rolex. “No, I’m right on time.”
She waved him off. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here.” She grabbed the car keys from the desk and brushed past him. He smelled really good, like hot spiced cider and primitive lust. Or was the primitive lust her?
This “escort” was non other than the McPherson family’s biggest competitor in the construction business, James Sutton, there to meet with Cassie’s father. But at the sight of the beautiful woman willing to take him out, he decided not to correct her and just go with it. And WOW, did this couple hit it off! James charmed everyone in attendance, including Cassie. With a little meddling from hysterical, 90 year old Aunt Wheezie, the couple was bound for each other.
I loved all of the secondary characters. Cassie’s brothers and father were great characters. Aunt Wheezie was awesome, and Cassie’s assistant had a side story all of her own which I loved as well. In fact, I wish that story had a little more page time.
James had numerous opportunities to tell Cassie who he really was, but was afraid to ruin what they had going on. But when the truth comes out, they both make some pretty stupid moves, and one that turns out pretty funny. Sure, it was a fairly predictable story, but what romance isn’t?
Likes:
-A happy, smile your face off story with funny moments and characters.
-Great side characters.
-Sexy, silly and touching, my favorite combination.
-This is a full-length novel I read in a day.
Dislikes:
-The name is cheesy and the cover isn’t much better.
Rating: 4.25 stars, 3.25 for Heat.
This is a fall-in-love fast kind of book. I, for one, believe in love at first sight. I met my husband over Christmas vacation and knew within 2 days that he was THE ONE. 25 years later, he is still the one. Hunk for the Holidays was fun, romantic, silly, sexy and just made me feel good.
This book reminded me of RL Mathewson’s Checkmate (see my review here) but not quite as zany.
*Thank you Net-Galley for the ARC of this book.
I love a good holiday book. Especially one that makes you feel good and happy. I saw Hunk For The Holidays by Katie Lane on Net-Galley, and it sounded great, though I must say, I really don’t like the name, or the guy on the cover. But I grabbed it anyway. I’m so glad I did! I really loved this book, and I would have enjoyed it any time of year. While the book is not overly memorable or unique, I still enjoyed every page. I smiled throughout, and stayed up all night reading.
Cassie is the Vice President in her family’s construction business. Though she has been relegated to an accounting-type position by her tough-as-nails, boy’s club father, she is more in love with the construction business than any one of her many brothers. Cassie is a jeans and work-boots kind of girl. She works so much, she has no time for a social life, outside of her assistant, single mom Amy, being her best friend. For social gatherings, Cassie hires paid escorts so all of the well-meaning family and friends won’t take pity on her and try to set her up.
The night of the company Christmas party, Cassie was working late, waiting for her paid escort, and had to change for the party in the office. But Amy, her assistant, in an effort to get Cassie to live life a little, switched out her boring outfit for a hot, short red dress and spiked heels. When Cassie sees a gorgeous man in the lobby, she immediately assumes it is her escort for the night.
“A man stood by the Christmas tree in the foyer. Not a man really, more like a vision. The clear lights that twinkled around his dark head made him look like something straight out of a dream. Man, Elite Escorts had outdone themselves this time. This was no gangly college boy in an ill-fitting rental tux, but a mature man in a tuxedo that looked made-to-order for his tall, muscular frame.
….
Cassie forgot to breathe.
….
She swallowed and tried to get her mind off his hot body and back in her head. It was difficult, especially when this wonderful eye candy stood so close and when she and Amy had just been discussing how long it had been since she’d had sex. But hot or not, she needed to remember that this man was one of her employees. She dealt with men all day long. Alpha men. She could handle some pretty boy who worked for an escort service.
She plastered on a smile. “Yes, I’m fine. It’s just that you’re early.”
The quizzical look remained, and he tugged up the sleeve of his jacket and glanced at a watch that looked an awful lot like her father’s Rolex. “No, I’m right on time.”
She waved him off. “It doesn’t matter. You’re here.” She grabbed the car keys from the desk and brushed past him. He smelled really good, like hot spiced cider and primitive lust. Or was the primitive lust her?
This “escort” was non other than the McPherson family’s biggest competitor in the construction business, James Sutton, there to meet with Cassie’s father. But at the sight of the beautiful woman willing to take him out, he decided not to correct her and just go with it. And WOW, did this couple hit it off! James charmed everyone in attendance, including Cassie. With a little meddling from hysterical, 90 year old Aunt Wheezie, the couple was bound for each other.
I loved all of the secondary characters. Cassie’s brothers and father were great characters. Aunt Wheezie was awesome, and Cassie’s assistant had a side story all of her own which I loved as well. In fact, I wish that story had a little more page time.
James had numerous opportunities to tell Cassie who he really was, but was afraid to ruin what they had going on. But when the truth comes out, they both make some pretty stupid moves, and one that turns out pretty funny. Sure, it was a fairly predictable story, but what romance isn’t?
Likes:
-A happy, smile your face off story with funny moments and characters.
-Great side characters.
-Sexy, silly and touching, my favorite combination.
-This is a full-length novel I read in a day.
Dislikes:
-The name is cheesy and the cover isn’t much better.
Rating: 4.25 stars, 3.25 for Heat.
This is a fall-in-love fast kind of book. I, for one, believe in love at first sight. I met my husband over Christmas vacation and knew within 2 days that he was THE ONE. 25 years later, he is still the one. Hunk for the Holidays was fun, romantic, silly, sexy and just made me feel good.
This book reminded me of RL Mathewson’s Checkmate (see my review here) but not quite as zany.
*Thank you Net-Galley for the ARC of this book.
November 14, 2012
You can read this review and more at Forever Book Lover
It is that time of year when authors flood the book aisle with Christmas themed romance books. I saw this cover and knew I needed to "uncover " what was hidden inside. Oh my I made a funny pun. ;)
Well it was a great read, it was humorous and plenty of sexy romance to fill the pages. The premise was about mistaken identity and then getting to involved that the truth may end this perfect romance.
This story was filled with great secondary characters to join in on the fun. First you will get a kick out of all of Cassie's brothers, since so much time was spent on giving these sexy men some page time, I am hoping that we are going see their stories soon! And Cassie has the sweetest Aunt, who would imagine she still had enough spunk in her 90's!! Talk about meddlesome. If you are deciding upon which holiday romance to read, pick this one up, you won't go wrong.
I plan on adding Katie Lane on my must buy list.
It is that time of year when authors flood the book aisle with Christmas themed romance books. I saw this cover and knew I needed to "uncover " what was hidden inside. Oh my I made a funny pun. ;)
Well it was a great read, it was humorous and plenty of sexy romance to fill the pages. The premise was about mistaken identity and then getting to involved that the truth may end this perfect romance.
This story was filled with great secondary characters to join in on the fun. First you will get a kick out of all of Cassie's brothers, since so much time was spent on giving these sexy men some page time, I am hoping that we are going see their stories soon! And Cassie has the sweetest Aunt, who would imagine she still had enough spunk in her 90's!! Talk about meddlesome. If you are deciding upon which holiday romance to read, pick this one up, you won't go wrong.
I plan on adding Katie Lane on my must buy list.
December 27, 2018
This was easily my favourite Christmas read this season 🙌🏻🎄. The premise had me hooked from the start, the characters were relatable and it had a super cute secondary romance storyline too!
.
Our heroine works as Vice President for her family’s construction business. Christmas party season has rolled around and she needs a date for the party stat to stop her family from matchmaking. So what’s a girl to do but hire an escort? (😂😂😂). Our hero is NOT an escort but the owner of a competitor construction business but when he turns up for a late meeting wearing a tux she assumes he is her escort and the rest shall we say is history.
.
This was such a fun little read, and normally I hate story lines that revolve around miscommunication so that’s saying something. The heroine had a massive family with four brothers and the scenes with them as a family (including bickering) gave me all the Christmas feels! Overall a fantastic Christmas read!
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Our heroine works as Vice President for her family’s construction business. Christmas party season has rolled around and she needs a date for the party stat to stop her family from matchmaking. So what’s a girl to do but hire an escort? (😂😂😂). Our hero is NOT an escort but the owner of a competitor construction business but when he turns up for a late meeting wearing a tux she assumes he is her escort and the rest shall we say is history.
.
This was such a fun little read, and normally I hate story lines that revolve around miscommunication so that’s saying something. The heroine had a massive family with four brothers and the scenes with them as a family (including bickering) gave me all the Christmas feels! Overall a fantastic Christmas read!
October 3, 2012
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2012/10/01/...
I love a good frienemies story, especially one that takes place over Christmas and ends with a happily ever after. I was super excited for this book, and unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype I gave it.
Cassie is working for the family business, but stuck in a job that she hates, not able to do the one thing in the company that would make her beyond happy. Instead, she is stuck behind a desk, running the company while her father is out after surgery. To make matters worse, a new man in town is undercutting their business and threatening their bottom line. To say the least, it doesn’t make Cassie a happy camper.
James loves the company he has built from the ground up, and when he meets Cassie in the most unconventional way, he is absolutely smitten with her. He falls – hard and fast for her, but is scared to tell her the truth about who he really is. Because he knows, once Cassie realizes he is her business rival, he is going to lose her, and despite his business being his baby, he realizes that someone to share it worth, is so much more than he ever expected.
I wanted to love this book. I thought it had a great premise, and would be the basis for a super cute story, but there was just something about the execution that didn’t work for me. The story was so “same ole-same ole” and didn’t really have anything new or special about it that stood out for me. Also, given the fact that the book spans about three days, the romance came across as very unrealistic and too fairytale like for me.
I will admit that I liked the characters overall. Both Cassie and James were characters that I could enjoy. Cassie was headstrong and a real shark when it came to the business she loved, and at the same time she was a family girl. She adored her brothers, her overbearing father, and her quirky aunt. She loved working in the family business and was a sexy sweet vixen. But, on the other hand, she was annoying perfect most of the time and I wanted her to have some real flaws, instead of just superficial fears.
Likewise, James walked onto the pages of the book as a single-minded businessman who would do anything and everything for his company. But as the story progressed, he became practically obsessed with Cassie, and after just a few short days was ready to profess his undying love for her. For someone who came across as so crafty and intelligent in the boardroom, his willingness to jump feet first into a relationship didn’t really seem to fit his character. But you know me, and I do respect a hero who knows what he wants and is willing to chase after it with everything he has.
Unfortunately, their romance was just too quick, and seemed to progress too rapidly for the developing feelings. With the secondary plot of Cassie’s assistant and brother finally getting together after years of dancing around each other, and the amount of page time spent on Cassie and her family, it seemed as if the romance really didn’t get as much page time as it should have – given the extent of their feelings for each other. I had a hard time believing in their romance, and for me, that really ruined the whole reading experience.
All in all I really wanted to enjoy this book – and while there were certainly some great aspects of it – I had a hard time getting into and liking this one overall. The rushed romance and too-perfect hero and heroine were too much for the quirky and loveable supporting cast to overcome. While I thought this book had some great potential, it really just didn’t live up to my expectations.
I give Hunk for the Holidays a C-
I love a good frienemies story, especially one that takes place over Christmas and ends with a happily ever after. I was super excited for this book, and unfortunately it didn’t live up to the hype I gave it.
Cassie is working for the family business, but stuck in a job that she hates, not able to do the one thing in the company that would make her beyond happy. Instead, she is stuck behind a desk, running the company while her father is out after surgery. To make matters worse, a new man in town is undercutting their business and threatening their bottom line. To say the least, it doesn’t make Cassie a happy camper.
James loves the company he has built from the ground up, and when he meets Cassie in the most unconventional way, he is absolutely smitten with her. He falls – hard and fast for her, but is scared to tell her the truth about who he really is. Because he knows, once Cassie realizes he is her business rival, he is going to lose her, and despite his business being his baby, he realizes that someone to share it worth, is so much more than he ever expected.
I wanted to love this book. I thought it had a great premise, and would be the basis for a super cute story, but there was just something about the execution that didn’t work for me. The story was so “same ole-same ole” and didn’t really have anything new or special about it that stood out for me. Also, given the fact that the book spans about three days, the romance came across as very unrealistic and too fairytale like for me.
I will admit that I liked the characters overall. Both Cassie and James were characters that I could enjoy. Cassie was headstrong and a real shark when it came to the business she loved, and at the same time she was a family girl. She adored her brothers, her overbearing father, and her quirky aunt. She loved working in the family business and was a sexy sweet vixen. But, on the other hand, she was annoying perfect most of the time and I wanted her to have some real flaws, instead of just superficial fears.
Likewise, James walked onto the pages of the book as a single-minded businessman who would do anything and everything for his company. But as the story progressed, he became practically obsessed with Cassie, and after just a few short days was ready to profess his undying love for her. For someone who came across as so crafty and intelligent in the boardroom, his willingness to jump feet first into a relationship didn’t really seem to fit his character. But you know me, and I do respect a hero who knows what he wants and is willing to chase after it with everything he has.
Unfortunately, their romance was just too quick, and seemed to progress too rapidly for the developing feelings. With the secondary plot of Cassie’s assistant and brother finally getting together after years of dancing around each other, and the amount of page time spent on Cassie and her family, it seemed as if the romance really didn’t get as much page time as it should have – given the extent of their feelings for each other. I had a hard time believing in their romance, and for me, that really ruined the whole reading experience.
All in all I really wanted to enjoy this book – and while there were certainly some great aspects of it – I had a hard time getting into and liking this one overall. The rushed romance and too-perfect hero and heroine were too much for the quirky and loveable supporting cast to overcome. While I thought this book had some great potential, it really just didn’t live up to my expectations.
I give Hunk for the Holidays a C-
July 23, 2013
This was a really fun book. Cassie is a workaholic who doesn't have time to date. Because she's tired of her family constantly trying to fix her up she has resorted to hiring escorts to go with her to social functions. She is surprised by the man who shows up as her date for the Christmas party.. He's older than the ones she's had before and a lot better looking. He's perfectly charming at the party and afterwards when they continue with their own private party. James is totally hooked on her and wants to get to know her even better. Unfortunately, he's pretty sure the feeling won't be mutual when she discovers he's not the escort she thought he was but her family's detested business rival.
I really liked both Cassie and James. Cassie is pretty much running the company since her father's heart attack. She's not real happy that she's stuck in an office job because she the girl in the family, but she's doing it anyway. When she sees the man in the office lobby she assumes he's her escort for the evening and starts letting him know what she expects. I loved her assertiveness, but it sure came back to bite her when she wouldn't give him the chance to correct her assumption. There was a definite chemistry between the two that was obvious from the beginning. Cassie wasn't going to do anything about it, but then decided that since she had "paid" for it, why not? Over the next couple days they spend time together and she discovers a lot to like about him. But before she can really wrap her mind about what that means the cat is out of the bag. She is angry, hurt, humiliated and in love. Cassie definitely has some control issues that come out in her dealings with James. Those and her aggressiveness are a result of having to deal with her father and four older brothers. I enjoyed seeing the way that James brought out the more feminine and softer side of Cassie. The final chapters are a comedy of errors with them and lots of fun to read. I loved seeing Cassie finally stand up to her dad.
James is at M & M to meet with Cassie's father, who isn't there. He is surprised and amused to be mistaken for an escort by Cassie. With his immediate attraction to her he's more than willing to go along with it to spend some time with her. He has a great time with Cassie at the Christmas party and has high hopes for the rest of the night - until she has too much to drink. He's all ready to come clean just before she passes out. I loved the way they spent the rest of the weekend together. He is really a nice guy and obviously really into her. He's really trying to figure out how to tell her who he is when she finds out. From there he is dealing with her reactions to the news and has his own hurt to deal with when she has some things to say to him. I really enjoyed his immediate fascination with Cassie. He obviously was trying to do everything right while attempting to figure out how to save himself and the relationship he wants with her.
I loved all the humor in this story. Besides some of the interactions between Cassie and James, the family members were great. Cassie's brothers had some great "older protective brothers" lines but also some wonderful times of their own. I especially liked Rory's dealings with his own romance and Matt's obvious enjoyment of stirring things up when he found out James's identity. My absolute favorite character (other than Cassie and James) was Aunt Wheezie. She was really quite the schemer and an absolute hoot. I sure hope there will be stories for Matt snd Patrick. I'm sure Wheezie will have her fingers in their business too.
I really liked both Cassie and James. Cassie is pretty much running the company since her father's heart attack. She's not real happy that she's stuck in an office job because she the girl in the family, but she's doing it anyway. When she sees the man in the office lobby she assumes he's her escort for the evening and starts letting him know what she expects. I loved her assertiveness, but it sure came back to bite her when she wouldn't give him the chance to correct her assumption. There was a definite chemistry between the two that was obvious from the beginning. Cassie wasn't going to do anything about it, but then decided that since she had "paid" for it, why not? Over the next couple days they spend time together and she discovers a lot to like about him. But before she can really wrap her mind about what that means the cat is out of the bag. She is angry, hurt, humiliated and in love. Cassie definitely has some control issues that come out in her dealings with James. Those and her aggressiveness are a result of having to deal with her father and four older brothers. I enjoyed seeing the way that James brought out the more feminine and softer side of Cassie. The final chapters are a comedy of errors with them and lots of fun to read. I loved seeing Cassie finally stand up to her dad.
James is at M & M to meet with Cassie's father, who isn't there. He is surprised and amused to be mistaken for an escort by Cassie. With his immediate attraction to her he's more than willing to go along with it to spend some time with her. He has a great time with Cassie at the Christmas party and has high hopes for the rest of the night - until she has too much to drink. He's all ready to come clean just before she passes out. I loved the way they spent the rest of the weekend together. He is really a nice guy and obviously really into her. He's really trying to figure out how to tell her who he is when she finds out. From there he is dealing with her reactions to the news and has his own hurt to deal with when she has some things to say to him. I really enjoyed his immediate fascination with Cassie. He obviously was trying to do everything right while attempting to figure out how to save himself and the relationship he wants with her.
I loved all the humor in this story. Besides some of the interactions between Cassie and James, the family members were great. Cassie's brothers had some great "older protective brothers" lines but also some wonderful times of their own. I especially liked Rory's dealings with his own romance and Matt's obvious enjoyment of stirring things up when he found out James's identity. My absolute favorite character (other than Cassie and James) was Aunt Wheezie. She was really quite the schemer and an absolute hoot. I sure hope there will be stories for Matt snd Patrick. I'm sure Wheezie will have her fingers in their business too.
September 21, 2012
My Review:
Flat out, if you are looking for a fun and entertaining holiday read, this is a fabulous book to pick up. Cassie is working at the family construction company as a glorified accountant, although she'd like to be and works like so much more. Her father has just had a heart attack and while she and all four of her brothers work at the business, Cassie handles most of it. And they are all struggling with the new construction company in town headed by James Sutton, but none of them have ever met James.
With the fact that Cassie devotes her life to the family construction company, she doesn't have time to date. As a result, she hires escorts for all her social needs. It's her deep dark secret, but it keeps her matchmaking mama and aunts off her back. When it's time for the family Christmas party, she is pleasantly surprised to find a much older and more good-looking escort than normal...she just doesn't realize that her "escort" is actually the family enemy James Sutton.
For his part, James is kind of blown over by Cassie...both by her looks, but also by her take-charge attitude. She doesn't give him much of a chance to correct her incorrect assumption about who he is and that's where the story truly becomes fun.
Everything about this story is fun too! From all of Cassie's brothers...who were so well-developed, I am hoping that means that we are going to get their stories from Katie Lane too. To her 90 yo interfering Aunt. To James' Christmas-crazy and nosy neighbors. I giggled all the way through the scene with him and the steak knife out in his front yard. There were many moments throughout this book where I was simply grinning with the fun story.
And while I have a hard time believing a Happily Ever After that comes after only two days, I still enjoyed this book and the chemistry between Cassie and James. Cassie is tough, but extremely business savvy. I love that she drives a truck and a motorcycle. James has worked hard to make sure that his construction company is a success. I love that he recognizes Cassie's talent. I also really love how much he respects Cassie's family and their business. He doesn't see them as the competition at all. He completely looks up to what they have built.
BTW, that cover for this book is one of the most perfect covers I've ever seen. All through the opening scenes between Cassie and James, I kept imagining this cover and model with his bow tie undone...such a great visual.
I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
Flat out, if you are looking for a fun and entertaining holiday read, this is a fabulous book to pick up. Cassie is working at the family construction company as a glorified accountant, although she'd like to be and works like so much more. Her father has just had a heart attack and while she and all four of her brothers work at the business, Cassie handles most of it. And they are all struggling with the new construction company in town headed by James Sutton, but none of them have ever met James.
With the fact that Cassie devotes her life to the family construction company, she doesn't have time to date. As a result, she hires escorts for all her social needs. It's her deep dark secret, but it keeps her matchmaking mama and aunts off her back. When it's time for the family Christmas party, she is pleasantly surprised to find a much older and more good-looking escort than normal...she just doesn't realize that her "escort" is actually the family enemy James Sutton.
For his part, James is kind of blown over by Cassie...both by her looks, but also by her take-charge attitude. She doesn't give him much of a chance to correct her incorrect assumption about who he is and that's where the story truly becomes fun.
Everything about this story is fun too! From all of Cassie's brothers...who were so well-developed, I am hoping that means that we are going to get their stories from Katie Lane too. To her 90 yo interfering Aunt. To James' Christmas-crazy and nosy neighbors. I giggled all the way through the scene with him and the steak knife out in his front yard. There were many moments throughout this book where I was simply grinning with the fun story.
And while I have a hard time believing a Happily Ever After that comes after only two days, I still enjoyed this book and the chemistry between Cassie and James. Cassie is tough, but extremely business savvy. I love that she drives a truck and a motorcycle. James has worked hard to make sure that his construction company is a success. I love that he recognizes Cassie's talent. I also really love how much he respects Cassie's family and their business. He doesn't see them as the competition at all. He completely looks up to what they have built.
BTW, that cover for this book is one of the most perfect covers I've ever seen. All through the opening scenes between Cassie and James, I kept imagining this cover and model with his bow tie undone...such a great visual.
I received a complementary copy of this book in return for an honest review.
February 26, 2013
Originally posted at: http://www.longandshortreviews.com/bo...
Cassie pays good money for the male escorts she hires and while she doesn’t ask for sex she does require total submission. This holiday’s male attraction doesn’t have a submissive bone in his body and tests Cassie’s limits with his male arrogance and looks that leave all the women trailing after him like stray cats. James may not be what she wants, but he is most certainly what she needs.
Cassie is what I would expect in a successful business woman, smart and determined. While these qualities make her the right hand woman in the family business it leaves her little room for a personal life. Top that with her no nonsense attitude and need for control and there are more than a few lonely nights for her. That is until she meets James, who seems to challenge her at every available moment which both irritates her and turns her on. I really enjoyed watching her grow as an individual and to realize how important a personal life is to accompany her business success.
James seems to have found the balance that Cassie is lacking to a certain extent. He knows that Cassie is a find and is willing to take the time out to focus on developing the relationship. I also appreciated that while he may have mislead Cassie he did it with good intentions. As many of us know however, sometimes the worst actions come out of the best of intentions. Let’s just hope that his good intentions don’t turn out to be the largest mistake in his life.
The author drew out some real emotions from me when reading this story. There are some parts when I felt frustrated with Cassie’s inability to accept what was in front of her. Then I may find myself laughing out loud at the antics of the characters while trying to fix the relationship or at Cassie’s families humor. I even got angry at other characters such as Cassie’s father. It made the story much more enjoyable and keep the pages turning. I would recommend this story to anyone during the holidays or any other time in the year.
Cassie pays good money for the male escorts she hires and while she doesn’t ask for sex she does require total submission. This holiday’s male attraction doesn’t have a submissive bone in his body and tests Cassie’s limits with his male arrogance and looks that leave all the women trailing after him like stray cats. James may not be what she wants, but he is most certainly what she needs.
Cassie is what I would expect in a successful business woman, smart and determined. While these qualities make her the right hand woman in the family business it leaves her little room for a personal life. Top that with her no nonsense attitude and need for control and there are more than a few lonely nights for her. That is until she meets James, who seems to challenge her at every available moment which both irritates her and turns her on. I really enjoyed watching her grow as an individual and to realize how important a personal life is to accompany her business success.
James seems to have found the balance that Cassie is lacking to a certain extent. He knows that Cassie is a find and is willing to take the time out to focus on developing the relationship. I also appreciated that while he may have mislead Cassie he did it with good intentions. As many of us know however, sometimes the worst actions come out of the best of intentions. Let’s just hope that his good intentions don’t turn out to be the largest mistake in his life.
The author drew out some real emotions from me when reading this story. There are some parts when I felt frustrated with Cassie’s inability to accept what was in front of her. Then I may find myself laughing out loud at the antics of the characters while trying to fix the relationship or at Cassie’s families humor. I even got angry at other characters such as Cassie’s father. It made the story much more enjoyable and keep the pages turning. I would recommend this story to anyone during the holidays or any other time in the year.
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October 12, 2012KcLu's review posted on Guilty Pleasures
4.75 Stars
Hunk for the Holidays is another fun book from Katie Lane! I am a huge fan of her mixture of romance and laughter. This one is a great story of one mortal enemy turning into prince charming with the Fairy Godmother being a whiskey drinking, cigar smoking, and funny as hell aunt.
Cassie McPherson is one the ultimate daddy’s girl, and she has a hard time standing up to said larger than life daddy. She works in a position in the family company she hates because of that. She loves her huge family, but gets tired of them meddling in her love life. So for major events she has taken to hiring escorts to be her date.
James Sutton is the enemy as far as Cassie and her family is concerned. His company has won quite a few major jobs from their construction company lately and to say they are tired of that is an understatement.
Cassie’s big hearted secretary makes her wear one sexy and short dress to the company Christmas party, and she is bending over to pickup her purse when James walks into the main lobby of their office building. She mistakes him for the escort, and thinking with his umm lower head he doesn’t correct her. When he can think clearly again he knows he has to tell her the truth of who he is, but before he can everything that can get in their way does. Boy will he have a tough time getting past that stubborn McPherson pride to get her.
This is a great story with so many great characters!! The McPherson clan is a great loving interfering bunch. I absolutely adored Cassie’s secretary, Amy, and her cute little girl, Gabby. I love the way that Katie doesn’t stick kids in the back ground of a story. They have a big part, and often times add lots of humor! This is a great holiday read to curl up with on a weekend afternoon to get you in the mood for Christmas!!! I highly recommend this one!!!
4.75 Stars
Hunk for the Holidays is another fun book from Katie Lane! I am a huge fan of her mixture of romance and laughter. This one is a great story of one mortal enemy turning into prince charming with the Fairy Godmother being a whiskey drinking, cigar smoking, and funny as hell aunt.
Cassie McPherson is one the ultimate daddy’s girl, and she has a hard time standing up to said larger than life daddy. She works in a position in the family company she hates because of that. She loves her huge family, but gets tired of them meddling in her love life. So for major events she has taken to hiring escorts to be her date.
James Sutton is the enemy as far as Cassie and her family is concerned. His company has won quite a few major jobs from their construction company lately and to say they are tired of that is an understatement.
Cassie’s big hearted secretary makes her wear one sexy and short dress to the company Christmas party, and she is bending over to pickup her purse when James walks into the main lobby of their office building. She mistakes him for the escort, and thinking with his umm lower head he doesn’t correct her. When he can think clearly again he knows he has to tell her the truth of who he is, but before he can everything that can get in their way does. Boy will he have a tough time getting past that stubborn McPherson pride to get her.
This is a great story with so many great characters!! The McPherson clan is a great loving interfering bunch. I absolutely adored Cassie’s secretary, Amy, and her cute little girl, Gabby. I love the way that Katie doesn’t stick kids in the back ground of a story. They have a big part, and often times add lots of humor! This is a great holiday read to curl up with on a weekend afternoon to get you in the mood for Christmas!!! I highly recommend this one!!!
November 23, 2012
Cassie McPherson is a workaholic and Vice President of her fathers very successful construction company, although recently they have started to lose contracts to Sutton Construction, ran by the very driven and ambitious James Sutton. However, Christmas is coming up and she has to reluctantly put business behind her and get in the holiday spirit for her rambunctious family's festivities, and to stop any relatives planning on some ill conceived and unwanted matchmaking she does what she always does and hires an escort to pose as her plus one. But, her escort is much better then the others she has had, James is more handsome and charismatic; his smile alone makes her think of paying for a few "extras"...but James has a secret; one he is dying to tell Cassie but could ruin their budding relationship.
This book was such fun! Like a good mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter's night it was sweet and warmed you up from the inside out. Although you wouldn't perhaps find this memorable or put it on your favourites shelf it was still a fun book that is perfect for snuggling up with this Christmas.
Most of the humour in this came from some misunderstandings between the main characters, but the sassy heroine, Cassie, also had her moments. As well as the humour, the characters in this were likable from Cassie's overprotective brothers to James' bubbly assistant, although they were all background characters they each brought charm to the book. The central romance was also good, James and Cassie were a great couple and I was cheering them on all the way through.
You also get a two for one deal with this book! I LOVE a secondary romance, and although there wasn't loads and loads of page time spent on this one, I still loved it and was just as pleased to see them get their HEA as I was James and Cassie.
A good easy read, with some humour and a sweet romance, although not an original story it is worth giving it a try.
This book was such fun! Like a good mug of hot chocolate on a cold winter's night it was sweet and warmed you up from the inside out. Although you wouldn't perhaps find this memorable or put it on your favourites shelf it was still a fun book that is perfect for snuggling up with this Christmas.
Most of the humour in this came from some misunderstandings between the main characters, but the sassy heroine, Cassie, also had her moments. As well as the humour, the characters in this were likable from Cassie's overprotective brothers to James' bubbly assistant, although they were all background characters they each brought charm to the book. The central romance was also good, James and Cassie were a great couple and I was cheering them on all the way through.
You also get a two for one deal with this book! I LOVE a secondary romance, and although there wasn't loads and loads of page time spent on this one, I still loved it and was just as pleased to see them get their HEA as I was James and Cassie.
A good easy read, with some humour and a sweet romance, although not an original story it is worth giving it a try.
December 9, 2012
MY THOUGHTS
LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!
Cassie works at her father's construction company with her four overbearing brothers. That wouldn't be so bad, except her father thinks she should be office help only. She really wants to be and architect and work in the field. When she is expected to attend the company Christmas part, she does what she always does to get her family off of her back about her social life: she hires an escort. So when a handsome guy shows up at her office at the right time and dressed in a tux, she thinks she hit the escort jackpot. Of course, the handsome guy plays along when he sees Cassie, since, hey, who would turn down a beautiful girl in a slinky red dress!
As the party progresses, Cassie has a few too many and one thing leads to another before she discovers exactly who this guy is. It turns out even more interesting when the guy turns out to be James Sutton, her family's business rival. The two have a chemistry that is flammable, of course, in all the right ways. In fact, there is an accidental fire towards the end that had me howling! There is also a little subplot between Amy, her loyal assistant, and one of Cassie's brothers. With so many brothers, this book has the promise of a really good series.
I just loved the story and there is a lot of depth to all of the characters, even those who make brief appearances like her overprotective brothers. There is also lots of well worked in moments of tension, all kinds of tension, both steamy and plot driven. Everything moves forward at a perfect pace and this was really the right book at the right time for me. It really made me forget my troubles for the five hours it took me to read this. YAY!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVED IT!
Cassie works at her father's construction company with her four overbearing brothers. That wouldn't be so bad, except her father thinks she should be office help only. She really wants to be and architect and work in the field. When she is expected to attend the company Christmas part, she does what she always does to get her family off of her back about her social life: she hires an escort. So when a handsome guy shows up at her office at the right time and dressed in a tux, she thinks she hit the escort jackpot. Of course, the handsome guy plays along when he sees Cassie, since, hey, who would turn down a beautiful girl in a slinky red dress!
As the party progresses, Cassie has a few too many and one thing leads to another before she discovers exactly who this guy is. It turns out even more interesting when the guy turns out to be James Sutton, her family's business rival. The two have a chemistry that is flammable, of course, in all the right ways. In fact, there is an accidental fire towards the end that had me howling! There is also a little subplot between Amy, her loyal assistant, and one of Cassie's brothers. With so many brothers, this book has the promise of a really good series.
I just loved the story and there is a lot of depth to all of the characters, even those who make brief appearances like her overprotective brothers. There is also lots of well worked in moments of tension, all kinds of tension, both steamy and plot driven. Everything moves forward at a perfect pace and this was really the right book at the right time for me. It really made me forget my troubles for the five hours it took me to read this. YAY!
September 25, 2012
Have you ever been caught up in a situation where someone assumed you were someone else, when you were really the last person they would want to associate with?? Well...that is there James Sutton finds himself a few days before Christmas, standing in front of Cassie McPherson, beautiful, sexy, and looking for her escort for the night. What's a man to do?
Cassie thinks that this amazingly sexy man is the escort she hired to be her date for the annual Christmas Party. Never before has she felt an instant attraction to a man as she does with James, so when the mistletoe is hanging and the drinks are flowing, what's a girl to do?
Cassie and James fall for one another, hook, line and sinker, but what will happen when Cassie finds out that her "James' is none other than James Sutton of Sutton Construction, the company trying to put her company out of business.
I really enjoyed this Holiday Romance. It was sweet, funny, sexy and laugh-out-loud funny! The second James and Cassie set eyes on each other, it's MAGIC!! Their chemistry jumps off the pages, with sweet tender words and then smokin' hot love makin, you can't help but love these two together.
I found this book so funny in some parts, especially when Cassie tries to make things better between her and James and she just makes things WAYYYYYY worse. Haha..you will have to read to find out what I am talking about.
This is a great Holiday Romance and one that I HIGHLY recommend. It will definitely be a romance to read over and over each year around the holidays!!
Cassie thinks that this amazingly sexy man is the escort she hired to be her date for the annual Christmas Party. Never before has she felt an instant attraction to a man as she does with James, so when the mistletoe is hanging and the drinks are flowing, what's a girl to do?
Cassie and James fall for one another, hook, line and sinker, but what will happen when Cassie finds out that her "James' is none other than James Sutton of Sutton Construction, the company trying to put her company out of business.
I really enjoyed this Holiday Romance. It was sweet, funny, sexy and laugh-out-loud funny! The second James and Cassie set eyes on each other, it's MAGIC!! Their chemistry jumps off the pages, with sweet tender words and then smokin' hot love makin, you can't help but love these two together.
I found this book so funny in some parts, especially when Cassie tries to make things better between her and James and she just makes things WAYYYYYY worse. Haha..you will have to read to find out what I am talking about.
This is a great Holiday Romance and one that I HIGHLY recommend. It will definitely be a romance to read over and over each year around the holidays!!
January 8, 2013
I like this book a lot. I kept thinking of screwball romantic comedy movies of the past. It was cute and funny but you might have trouble believing a couple can fall in love in just a couple of days. James is a hunk who kept love at arms length. Cassie is a hardworking woman who is taken seriously by the males of her dad's construction company. For once in her life she does the unexpected and she meets James who she believes is an escort. Let the games begin. So suspend your beliefs in reality and just enjoy.(less)
September 27, 2012
Cassie McPherson is used to being resourceful, especially with a family of brothers and working for her fathers construction company. With a Christmas party looming and matchmakers at her heels, Cassie hires an escort to fend off the busybees and allow her to enjoy the evening. When she meets her escort for the night, James, just James, she is a little thrown by his good looks and seductive nature. Even though she lays out the rules ahead of time, she can’t help be tempted to imagine what he would be like in bed.
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=7838
Full review on Single Titles
http://singletitles.com/?p=7838
December 12, 2012
An enjoyable, fun read. The characters were well sketched, good secondary characters. The main romance was interesting (predictable, sure, but still engaging), and there was a good b-storyline as well. A number of sex scenes, brief but explicit.
March 29, 2013
This was a cute, funny holiday story. I loved all the misconceptions that happened. Aunt Wheezie was the best part of the story. I loved how she put her nose in everyone’s business and conspired with a kid to get one couple together.
January 1, 2013
3 ½ stars – Contemporary/Holiday Romance
November 15, 2012
This was light and predictable, but cute and funny. I was thoroughly entertained! I liked Cassie's family, especially the brothers.
August 30, 2016
The book cover looks charming and seductive. I give this book 5 stars.
December 18, 2019
This was one of those books that I enjoyed reading, but when I finished it, wasn't sure exactly why. It's a predictable enough holiday romance, though it doesn't fall into the tropes so hard you know precisely what and how something's gonna go. But you have a good idea. That's not a bad thing, and is termed "comfort reading" by yours truly. It just makes for a somewhat lackluster review.
Character-wise, I appreciated that the heroine, Cassie, was a successful career woman, though it got a bit heavy occasionally. Still, I could see her being real. Ish. Mostly. (As real as any romance novel heroine can get, in that she hates wearing heels but still has amazing boobs in a strapless bra.) James appealed as well, in that he was passionate about his work. He was as realistically handsome as the leading lady, but that's not a big surprise. We want romantic fantasy here, after all. That was what bugged me, actually. The beautiful people and all the perfect sex. I know, I know. It's a romance novel. What do I expect? Maybe something a little less....perfect? All the time, perfect?
(There was also a side story with Cassie's brother Rory, and her friend Amy. I loved that. It was sweet, and the relationship felt more real because it didn't have perfect sex as a crutch. I actually liked that story better, I think.)
Weirdly, the thing I liked about this book was when the author through in little details about the construction business. Both the leads work for competing construction companies, so when one appreciates the architecture or something, I appreciate that. I could believe they did what they were written doing.
The best part, though, was Cassie's family. I love a good bout of family banter, and this family was absolutely fun.
In the end, if you pick up a book called "Hunk for the Holidays" you already know what you're going to get, right?
Character-wise, I appreciated that the heroine, Cassie, was a successful career woman, though it got a bit heavy occasionally. Still, I could see her being real. Ish. Mostly. (As real as any romance novel heroine can get, in that she hates wearing heels but still has amazing boobs in a strapless bra.) James appealed as well, in that he was passionate about his work. He was as realistically handsome as the leading lady, but that's not a big surprise. We want romantic fantasy here, after all. That was what bugged me, actually. The beautiful people and all the perfect sex. I know, I know. It's a romance novel. What do I expect? Maybe something a little less....perfect? All the time, perfect?
(There was also a side story with Cassie's brother Rory, and her friend Amy. I loved that. It was sweet, and the relationship felt more real because it didn't have perfect sex as a crutch. I actually liked that story better, I think.)
Weirdly, the thing I liked about this book was when the author through in little details about the construction business. Both the leads work for competing construction companies, so when one appreciates the architecture or something, I appreciate that. I could believe they did what they were written doing.
The best part, though, was Cassie's family. I love a good bout of family banter, and this family was absolutely fun.
In the end, if you pick up a book called "Hunk for the Holidays" you already know what you're going to get, right?
December 29, 2017
I had high hopes for this one. I saw the word “escort” in the description and since I went on an “escort” (see bookshelf) kick this year I thought perfect, a book with a heroine with a career who hires escorts because she’s busy and it’s the holidays!
My holiday Christmas reads have been ho-hum this year. I immediately hit buy even though I already had plenty of Christmas reads to get me through the New Year. I started downloading it in the car as soon as I closed the door for our trip home and I should have known there was a problem when my cell signal instantly went to “no service” and I had to wait out the drive down the dirt country roads to get to the farm-to-market for it to finish downloading (actually it took me that long to figure out how to connect to the car’s wi-fi but that’s a whole other story. It was a sign. Who says I don’t believe in Magic 8 balls? See An Ex for Christmas for that reference).
Honestly, the first 10% of the book I just couldn’t get past the complaints about Mike, Cassie’s latest ex-boyfriend, coming from everyone including Cassie, Cassie’s best friend (can’t remember her name & can’t be bothered to look it up now) and her grandmother who harped on and on about the guy and his trying on her shoes and making pumpkin bread for family get-togethers (OMG, how awful he must be, what was she thinking? RME). If you want to be judgmental, okay, that’s fine but don’t turn around and hire college age escorts to take you to company parties and family functions while you're sneering down from your pedestal. When the H started waxing on in his head about his “penis-pilot” I had enough. DNF.
My holiday Christmas reads have been ho-hum this year. I immediately hit buy even though I already had plenty of Christmas reads to get me through the New Year. I started downloading it in the car as soon as I closed the door for our trip home and I should have known there was a problem when my cell signal instantly went to “no service” and I had to wait out the drive down the dirt country roads to get to the farm-to-market for it to finish downloading (actually it took me that long to figure out how to connect to the car’s wi-fi but that’s a whole other story. It was a sign. Who says I don’t believe in Magic 8 balls? See An Ex for Christmas for that reference).
Honestly, the first 10% of the book I just couldn’t get past the complaints about Mike, Cassie’s latest ex-boyfriend, coming from everyone including Cassie, Cassie’s best friend (can’t remember her name & can’t be bothered to look it up now) and her grandmother who harped on and on about the guy and his trying on her shoes and making pumpkin bread for family get-togethers (OMG, how awful he must be, what was she thinking? RME). If you want to be judgmental, okay, that’s fine but don’t turn around and hire college age escorts to take you to company parties and family functions while you're sneering down from your pedestal. When the H started waxing on in his head about his “penis-pilot” I had enough. DNF.
November 8, 2017
3.5 stars
I am really on a holiday romance reading kick lately. Now that it’s November I guess I can really say ‘tis the season. And I’m loving it!
Katie Lane is a new-to-me author…I think. The thing is, I thought I had read a short story of hers in a compilation and that was how I even thought to look into her books. But I can’t find a record of reading anything by her. Which makes me wonder where I heard of her. Hmmm. Whatever way I came across her works, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Cassie is a heroine that, although she’s tough and focused, is easy to relate to. As tough as she is, she still wants to keep her parents happy and doesn’t speak up for herself with them. She seems to have no issues keeping her brothers in line, yet turns to a little girl when her parents are involved. That need to please them is holding her back, professionally and emotionally.
James seems to instinctively understand Cassie and instantly becomes protective of her, even when he knows the deeper in he gets with her the more he may end up being the person she needs to (emotionally) protect herself from. To his credit, he does try more than once to set things straight.
See my full review at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...
I am really on a holiday romance reading kick lately. Now that it’s November I guess I can really say ‘tis the season. And I’m loving it!
Katie Lane is a new-to-me author…I think. The thing is, I thought I had read a short story of hers in a compilation and that was how I even thought to look into her books. But I can’t find a record of reading anything by her. Which makes me wonder where I heard of her. Hmmm. Whatever way I came across her works, I thoroughly enjoyed this story.
Cassie is a heroine that, although she’s tough and focused, is easy to relate to. As tough as she is, she still wants to keep her parents happy and doesn’t speak up for herself with them. She seems to have no issues keeping her brothers in line, yet turns to a little girl when her parents are involved. That need to please them is holding her back, professionally and emotionally.
James seems to instinctively understand Cassie and instantly becomes protective of her, even when he knows the deeper in he gets with her the more he may end up being the person she needs to (emotionally) protect herself from. To his credit, he does try more than once to set things straight.
See my full review at https://allingoodtimeblog.wordpress.c...
January 14, 2017
The plot and/or idea of this book is good, I didn't like Cassie, she is strong but too controlling and annoying and sometimes comes across like a spoiled child making demands. James is the alpha male, rich, intelligent and powerful who isn't the right man for her, but turns out to be the man she needs. The romance between James and Cassie is fart to develop with a lot sex in it. There are quite a few humerous parts of the book the I like. The secondary characters, too, were enjoyable, especially Amy, and Cassie brother, they had a side story all of her, I like and will like to read more about them. This book had the right about of romance, angst, and intrigue to keep you wanting to see what comes next.
December 3, 2017
OMG!! This was such a crazy, fun, laugh out loud, filled with misunderstandings and memorable book by Katie! I LOVED it!!
I really liked the heroine, Cassie/Cassandra and the hero, James, from the first few words I read about them. They were perfect for each other since they were so similar that is, wanting to be in control.
I loved their funny and sexy banter as well as the secondary characters of Cassie's brothers and her aunt, Wheeze, who was so hilarious.
If you are in need of a crazy, fun, romantic and light hearted read before and during the holidays, I highly recommend this one! Thank YOU, Katie, for writing this fun, memorable and adventures-filled of a ride book. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series!
I really liked the heroine, Cassie/Cassandra and the hero, James, from the first few words I read about them. They were perfect for each other since they were so similar that is, wanting to be in control.
I loved their funny and sexy banter as well as the secondary characters of Cassie's brothers and her aunt, Wheeze, who was so hilarious.
If you are in need of a crazy, fun, romantic and light hearted read before and during the holidays, I highly recommend this one! Thank YOU, Katie, for writing this fun, memorable and adventures-filled of a ride book. I look forward to reading the rest of the books in this series!
December 28, 2017
4.5 Fantastic Stars
I reading this series out of order since I read Unwrapped over a year ago and didn’t even pay attention to the fact that it was the third in a series. I’m so in love with Katie Layne’s writing and want to pick up all of her books now. I love the McPherson family and can’t wait to see what’s in store for me with Mattie’s story.
I reading this series out of order since I read Unwrapped over a year ago and didn’t even pay attention to the fact that it was the third in a series. I’m so in love with Katie Layne’s writing and want to pick up all of her books now. I love the McPherson family and can’t wait to see what’s in store for me with Mattie’s story.
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