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Risk #1
Worth the Risk
Is it possible to overcome a lifetime of barriers and finally take a chance on love?
Jamie Callahan handles her job as an investment analyst, her distant relationship with her niece, and her romantic liaisons with a cool head and unaffected heart. Until she meets Kate Brown, a woman who threatens to push aside Jamie’s protective defenses and uncover the emotions hiding underneath.
Kate has a mask for every occasion. She wears them to please her parents, to move ahead in her career, to fit in the right social circles. She meets with Jamie because she needs funding for an Olympic-caliber horse, but instead she finds someone who sees beyond the image Kate projects and brings out her true desires.
From the boardroom to the show ring in Portland, Oregon, Jamie and Kate routinely face uncertainty and challenge in their careers but never in romance. As their growing attraction threatens to expose vulnerabilities both try to hide, will they decide the stakes are too high or that love is worth the risk?
Jamie Callahan handles her job as an investment analyst, her distant relationship with her niece, and her romantic liaisons with a cool head and unaffected heart. Until she meets Kate Brown, a woman who threatens to push aside Jamie’s protective defenses and uncover the emotions hiding underneath.
Kate has a mask for every occasion. She wears them to please her parents, to move ahead in her career, to fit in the right social circles. She meets with Jamie because she needs funding for an Olympic-caliber horse, but instead she finds someone who sees beyond the image Kate projects and brings out her true desires.
From the boardroom to the show ring in Portland, Oregon, Jamie and Kate routinely face uncertainty and challenge in their careers but never in romance. As their growing attraction threatens to expose vulnerabilities both try to hide, will they decide the stakes are too high or that love is worth the risk?
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 17, 2012
7 people are currently reading
260 people want to read
About the author
Karis Walsh
33 books152 followersKaris Walsh is a native of the Pacific Northwest and an adopted citizen of Texas. When she isn’t wrapped up in a book—either reading or writing one—she spends her time with her animals, playing music on her viola or violin, or hiking among the prickly pears.
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Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
July 26, 2016
This is my fifth book that I have read by this author.
Firstly – I’m surprised at myself that it took me a good long while before I caught on to the title. Well, maybe not surprised, since I wasn’t really paying attention to the title. ‘Worth the Risk’ – I was seeing it, when I briefly rarely thought of the issue, as ‘is the proposal by the person who wishes to pay a million plus dollars for a horsie worth the risk?’ And yes, there is a connection between the two – the proposal and the book title. But then there’s also the other type of risk. The one I might have caught on to quicker, or at least caught the connection to the title, if I had been paying more attention – ‘is this person worth the risk to break through the barriers that I have put up around myself?’ – and before you ask, that question goes to both characters.
At a relatively young age, Jamie Callahan was caught making out with another female by her parents. Neither of whom approved of the activity. And let Jamie know. The step-father, though, took the ‘punishment’ rather far. Then the mother abandoned them. And, eventually, at the age of 15 Jamie broke away with her younger sister to attempt to both protect her sister, and attempt to do something approaching a better life. She put herself through college, got a job, one that she was/is highly successful at. Though she’s something of a large shark in a tiny pond because she’s staying in the Portland area instead of attempting to make it big in one of the larger financial sectors of the nation (like, say, New York and possibly Chicago). To a large extent she’s stayed a large shark because she has a kid to raise who has ‘special needs’ (which is both true and misleading, depending on how someone interrupts my use of that phrase). Let’s be clear – her niece is in a wheel-chair; Jamie is raising her because the mother is dead; Jamie, somewhat, blames herself for both the need for the wheel-chair, and the death of the child’s mother; having to grow up fast, she’s not emotionally equipped to show love – neither to her sister, who she raised since she was 15 (and the sister was . . . 10?), nor to her niece. So, she has work that distracts her and many one night stands. She doesn’t think she’s equipped for more than that. But, is it worth the risk to have more than just sex? More than just a one night stand? With Kate Brown?
Kate Brown’s parents raised her to always be striving to go as high as she can socially. To be a social climber. They left their homes in Kentucky, and put on airs of being more than they were so that Kate could push higher (by the way, the mother doesn’t like the name ‘Kate’ as she thinks it’s too . . . mundane? Something). And Kate has fallen into the trap that she wants to both protect her parents (reputation? Something else?), and advance herself. So, when the opportunity came to reach higher than she currently resides in the horse jumping world, she jumps at it. The opportunity involves a horse, a million dollar horse, which will allow Kate to reach the heights of the field, maybe even an Olympic medal (the maybe even part might need to be stricken from the sentence). Kate works hard to get the financial backing to get the horse. She has a proposal in at Davison and Burke, and Jamie Callahan has been assigned by D&B to investigate the proposal. The ‘is it worth the risk’ for Kate is two-fold – is it worth the risk to break away from her parents desires and strive for her own (i.e., she found happiness in her own situation – a barn, (a) good horse(s), teaching students (some of whom require special teaching methods, like those who are autistic, or use wheelchairs, or have M.S.)), and/or is it worth the risk to see if there’s more that could develop between her and Jamie Callahan?
The conflict, stress, turmoil involved, found within the story seems, at a first read glance (which is good enough for me, I rarely do more than one read) to be largely in keeping with the characters and story-line. And yes, there is conflict, there is drama, angst, and ‘issues’ that come up. Barriers that have to be breached. Issues that have to be tackled. Emotional growth that needs to occur.
I think I just wrote a teaser instead of a review. Hmms. Mmphs.
Well, I rather enjoyed the time spent with the horses, the time spent between Kate and Jamie, even when both were trying to be professional; the time they spent when they weren’t trying to be professional; the various competitions; the growth shown by Jamie in various areas. The sex.
March 17 2016
Firstly – I’m surprised at myself that it took me a good long while before I caught on to the title. Well, maybe not surprised, since I wasn’t really paying attention to the title. ‘Worth the Risk’ – I was seeing it, when I briefly rarely thought of the issue, as ‘is the proposal by the person who wishes to pay a million plus dollars for a horsie worth the risk?’ And yes, there is a connection between the two – the proposal and the book title. But then there’s also the other type of risk. The one I might have caught on to quicker, or at least caught the connection to the title, if I had been paying more attention – ‘is this person worth the risk to break through the barriers that I have put up around myself?’ – and before you ask, that question goes to both characters.
At a relatively young age, Jamie Callahan was caught making out with another female by her parents. Neither of whom approved of the activity. And let Jamie know. The step-father, though, took the ‘punishment’ rather far. Then the mother abandoned them. And, eventually, at the age of 15 Jamie broke away with her younger sister to attempt to both protect her sister, and attempt to do something approaching a better life. She put herself through college, got a job, one that she was/is highly successful at. Though she’s something of a large shark in a tiny pond because she’s staying in the Portland area instead of attempting to make it big in one of the larger financial sectors of the nation (like, say, New York and possibly Chicago). To a large extent she’s stayed a large shark because she has a kid to raise who has ‘special needs’ (which is both true and misleading, depending on how someone interrupts my use of that phrase). Let’s be clear – her niece is in a wheel-chair; Jamie is raising her because the mother is dead; Jamie, somewhat, blames herself for both the need for the wheel-chair, and the death of the child’s mother; having to grow up fast, she’s not emotionally equipped to show love – neither to her sister, who she raised since she was 15 (and the sister was . . . 10?), nor to her niece. So, she has work that distracts her and many one night stands. She doesn’t think she’s equipped for more than that. But, is it worth the risk to have more than just sex? More than just a one night stand? With Kate Brown?
Kate Brown’s parents raised her to always be striving to go as high as she can socially. To be a social climber. They left their homes in Kentucky, and put on airs of being more than they were so that Kate could push higher (by the way, the mother doesn’t like the name ‘Kate’ as she thinks it’s too . . . mundane? Something). And Kate has fallen into the trap that she wants to both protect her parents (reputation? Something else?), and advance herself. So, when the opportunity came to reach higher than she currently resides in the horse jumping world, she jumps at it. The opportunity involves a horse, a million dollar horse, which will allow Kate to reach the heights of the field, maybe even an Olympic medal (the maybe even part might need to be stricken from the sentence). Kate works hard to get the financial backing to get the horse. She has a proposal in at Davison and Burke, and Jamie Callahan has been assigned by D&B to investigate the proposal. The ‘is it worth the risk’ for Kate is two-fold – is it worth the risk to break away from her parents desires and strive for her own (i.e., she found happiness in her own situation – a barn, (a) good horse(s), teaching students (some of whom require special teaching methods, like those who are autistic, or use wheelchairs, or have M.S.)), and/or is it worth the risk to see if there’s more that could develop between her and Jamie Callahan?
The conflict, stress, turmoil involved, found within the story seems, at a first read glance (which is good enough for me, I rarely do more than one read) to be largely in keeping with the characters and story-line. And yes, there is conflict, there is drama, angst, and ‘issues’ that come up. Barriers that have to be breached. Issues that have to be tackled. Emotional growth that needs to occur.
I think I just wrote a teaser instead of a review. Hmms. Mmphs.
Well, I rather enjoyed the time spent with the horses, the time spent between Kate and Jamie, even when both were trying to be professional; the time they spent when they weren’t trying to be professional; the various competitions; the growth shown by Jamie in various areas. The sex.
March 17 2016
November 10, 2015
This book is charmingly cantankerous. The author brings the charm, and the two leading women most certainly add their special adaptation of cantankerousness. Plus, one additional young lady practically outperforms everyone and definitively corners the market by outcharming them all and, oh yes, "outcharm" is in the Oxford English Dictionary. This book is simply yet unequivocally delightful!
Jamie Callahan is both a talented and productive investment analyst. She is also the aunt of a remarkable survivor, yet a bit of an uncomfortable reminder of Jamie's younger years, her sister, and possibly the frailty yet indomitableness of the human form and spirit. She has hired a live-in nanny for her disabled niece which is a tad admirable, but Jamie hardly participates or shows needed affection to Anna who would really thrive if some genuine emotion from her aunt managed to find its way to her. Jamie may very well be in need of her own version of a nanny who might crack that impregnable shield returning Jamie to a world where love and honest affection for others is the norm and not the exception. Jamie is a powerhouse personality within a sensuous and perfectly tailored body, who might very well be able to conquer the world if that were an item on her agenda, but her humanity is in need of a tune-up. Impressively idiosyncratic!
Kaitlyn Brown, almost always referred to as Kate, is quite an exceptional horse trainer and manager of her magnificent stables. She is seeking financial assistance to make a significant change that involves the acquisition of an Olympic level jumper. In many ways Kate is trying to please her parents in addition to satisfying her grand ambitions by making this serious move. She has earned the right to move up within her chosen career path, but she still sometimes questions herself. She stunningly hides these insecurities as she boldly presents her grand plan. Kate is truly passionate on all fronts including her ability to submerge possibly imagined insubstantialities. She knows, lives, and is burdened with the dreams her parents have for her even while having embraced most of those dreams for herself. Kate has earned her stripes. She is also going to have a unique impact on Jamie and Anna while giving her and her parents' dreams an honest run for the roses. I genuinely adore Kate, especially when she is honestly unpredictable to herself and everyone. Superbly glorious!
With lovers, horse racing, and triumphs galore, this book is a winner! Enjoyably entertaining!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
Jamie Callahan is both a talented and productive investment analyst. She is also the aunt of a remarkable survivor, yet a bit of an uncomfortable reminder of Jamie's younger years, her sister, and possibly the frailty yet indomitableness of the human form and spirit. She has hired a live-in nanny for her disabled niece which is a tad admirable, but Jamie hardly participates or shows needed affection to Anna who would really thrive if some genuine emotion from her aunt managed to find its way to her. Jamie may very well be in need of her own version of a nanny who might crack that impregnable shield returning Jamie to a world where love and honest affection for others is the norm and not the exception. Jamie is a powerhouse personality within a sensuous and perfectly tailored body, who might very well be able to conquer the world if that were an item on her agenda, but her humanity is in need of a tune-up. Impressively idiosyncratic!
Kaitlyn Brown, almost always referred to as Kate, is quite an exceptional horse trainer and manager of her magnificent stables. She is seeking financial assistance to make a significant change that involves the acquisition of an Olympic level jumper. In many ways Kate is trying to please her parents in addition to satisfying her grand ambitions by making this serious move. She has earned the right to move up within her chosen career path, but she still sometimes questions herself. She stunningly hides these insecurities as she boldly presents her grand plan. Kate is truly passionate on all fronts including her ability to submerge possibly imagined insubstantialities. She knows, lives, and is burdened with the dreams her parents have for her even while having embraced most of those dreams for herself. Kate has earned her stripes. She is also going to have a unique impact on Jamie and Anna while giving her and her parents' dreams an honest run for the roses. I genuinely adore Kate, especially when she is honestly unpredictable to herself and everyone. Superbly glorious!
With lovers, horse racing, and triumphs galore, this book is a winner! Enjoyably entertaining!
NOTE: This book was provided by Bold Strokes Books for the purpose of a review on Rainbow Book Reviews.
May 20, 2024
Jamie Callahan and Kate Brown meet because Kate needs a sponsor to back her in her bid for the Olympics. She needs the money for a champion horse to further her career and Jamie is the banker she needs to impress. Jamie is a sexual predator that holds Kate's need for money over her head making it clear that if Kate wants the money she needs to put out. Kate is a very sweet and interesting character; someone I would love to know. Hence, the 2 star rating.
SUMMARY: Really pathetic character and very unlikely story in these times. An easy lawsuit for sexual harassment. Not sure why Ms Walsh choose that angle for her story.
SUMMARY: Really pathetic character and very unlikely story in these times. An easy lawsuit for sexual harassment. Not sure why Ms Walsh choose that angle for her story.
May 10, 2013
If someone is able to read this book without seeing Jamie as a sexual predator...power to you I guess. I found this story to be disturbing and unsettling. It's not romantic, it's downright creepy. Far better lesfic out there.
April 17, 2017
The main character Jamie is a narcissistic, control freak who has no more than fleeting concern(which only serves to make her more disturbing because of this confirmation that she knows better) for her actions as she repeatedly gropes, fondles and generally disrespects her prey with unsolicited sexual advances that seem only to be returned because the author suddenly remembers this is a romance novel. The character of Jamie is deeply flawed and actually would be rather interesting inhabiting a less limiting novel, or maybe even dark erotica. As it is, there is no way this chick is going to get over her issues just because she gets a few butterflies in her stomach over a pretty blonde with a sexy southern drawl. This is the second novel I've read by Karis Walsh, and she seems to make characters too complex and interesting to squeeze into the romance genre.
November 22, 2016
Classic Karis Walsh and I love that. Horses, hot chicks, a little drama, and a happy ending. What more could one want in a lesbian romance?
January 24, 2017
Really good story, with a great cast of characters and story lines. I really liked the way the author showed you how the characters grew in their personal lives, because of the business endeavor.
February 21, 2021
Fun read
I love that the story took place in Oregon. In fact, I live about 6 miles from Portland. I also love stories about horses. I guess I am still that little girl who dreamed about riding a horse. I loved the characters and the story line.
I love that the story took place in Oregon. In fact, I live about 6 miles from Portland. I also love stories about horses. I guess I am still that little girl who dreamed about riding a horse. I loved the characters and the story line.
December 28, 2017
It wasn't too technical so I wasn't so bothered with the horses talk.
December 5, 2024
Never felt any chemistry between the MCs, the story felt superficial, and the narrator was pretty bad.
October 29, 2025
I can't understand some of the comments at all, so mean to Jamie! It makes no sense!
Jamie is simply the perfect one in all the stories I've read. Smart, talented, gentle, cultured, tasteful
Jamie is simply the perfect one in all the stories I've read. Smart, talented, gentle, cultured, tasteful
May 5, 2017
i thoroughly enjoyed the book , the level of angst was high which i seek the most . both characters were imperfect which made it real. i love that it had kid too , however more conversation with anna would have been 5 star for me . there must be a small one shot regarding their future life i wish
February 17, 2014
Jamie Callahan is a workaholic and a player. She is obsessively good at her jobs an investment analyst but the rest of her life is closed down. A difficult childhood, loss, responsibility and pain have all closed her off until she barely registers any form of emotional contact. Women are there to be used, her work is her life. It is how she maintains her façade while writhing with guilt on the inside.
Kate appears to be cool, calm and collected, yet approachable and endearing. It is all a show however, just as much as her dressage outfit or her horses plaited mane. She has come up from the servants quarters with parents determined to make her into an Olympic show jumper. Chameleon like, she has a face, an outfit, a manner and a character for every occasion.
When Jamie takes on the side project of assessing Kates’ bid for investment funding they are brought together like oil and water, opposing magnetic poles. Between their fears, their fighting and their flirting will they stay safe in their closed off worlds or risk everything for happiness?
------------
The setting of this novel is exquisite, based on Karis Walsh’s own background in horsemanship and knowledge of showjumping. It provides a wonderful plot to the story, a great backdrop to the characters and an interesting insight for those of us who don’t know that world.
Jamie and Kate are intriguing characters. Well rounded and layered their backgrounds are unusual and their self protective behaviors are both frustrating and amusing to watch. They are both vulnerable and yet strong, independent and powerful in their own way. The romantic plot revolves around their mutual attraction and yet their public personas frequently repulse each other.
I loved how Ms Walsh demonstrated and developed the relationship between Jamie and her niece, Kate and the riding group, and how that thread of caring is the core that shows these women their real personalities.
Another great book by Karis Walsh. Well written, well paced, amusing and warming. Definitely a hit for me.
Kate appears to be cool, calm and collected, yet approachable and endearing. It is all a show however, just as much as her dressage outfit or her horses plaited mane. She has come up from the servants quarters with parents determined to make her into an Olympic show jumper. Chameleon like, she has a face, an outfit, a manner and a character for every occasion.
When Jamie takes on the side project of assessing Kates’ bid for investment funding they are brought together like oil and water, opposing magnetic poles. Between their fears, their fighting and their flirting will they stay safe in their closed off worlds or risk everything for happiness?
------------
The setting of this novel is exquisite, based on Karis Walsh’s own background in horsemanship and knowledge of showjumping. It provides a wonderful plot to the story, a great backdrop to the characters and an interesting insight for those of us who don’t know that world.
Jamie and Kate are intriguing characters. Well rounded and layered their backgrounds are unusual and their self protective behaviors are both frustrating and amusing to watch. They are both vulnerable and yet strong, independent and powerful in their own way. The romantic plot revolves around their mutual attraction and yet their public personas frequently repulse each other.
I loved how Ms Walsh demonstrated and developed the relationship between Jamie and her niece, Kate and the riding group, and how that thread of caring is the core that shows these women their real personalities.
Another great book by Karis Walsh. Well written, well paced, amusing and warming. Definitely a hit for me.
August 1, 2016
I've really enjoyed Karis Walsh's stories and in comparison to the other stories by her that I've read, this wasn't quite at the same level of enjoyment. It still had some great lines and the interactions between Jaime Callahan and Kate Brown at times made me laugh but overall I think the set up of their regular world relationship was a little dicey when starting a romance. Overall, I enjoyed the story and will look forward to reading more Karis Walsh in the future.
January 9, 2016
First book I have read by this author.
I started to read this book at 11:00 am on Friday and finished it 12:12 am Saturday. I only put the book down to use the rest room and have a smoke. Loved the story line and the characters were awesome! I can't wait to read other books by Karis Walsh. Well done!
I started to read this book at 11:00 am on Friday and finished it 12:12 am Saturday. I only put the book down to use the rest room and have a smoke. Loved the story line and the characters were awesome! I can't wait to read other books by Karis Walsh. Well done!
November 11, 2016
This was the first lesbian romance novel I read and Karis Walsh is definitely not a bad author to start with. I followed Jamie's character and her need for a strong career but remember there's more to life than work work work...
September 12, 2013
A pleasant distraction.,
October 26, 2015
2012 Rainbow Awards Honorable Mention (5* from at least 1 judge)
January 26, 2016
Really liked It
This was a really good story with two beautiful,equally strong women, a wonderful love story, and of course horses!!! What more could I ask for!! Job well done!!!
This was a really good story with two beautiful,equally strong women, a wonderful love story, and of course horses!!! What more could I ask for!! Job well done!!!
April 15, 2017
One knew the protagonists attraction and could predict the whole book from the beginning ....so for me this was just not fulfilling. ...it was read because it was lesbian themed but supplying nothing thereafter. I however did like the information on investments and horses....at least I got something from that.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews