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Men At Work
'Through the Roof' by Karen Kendall
When socialite Marina Reston's fiancé loses his business, his pride will not let her support him. But she's not going to take it lying down—unless that's the best way to get back her man!
'Taking His Measure' by Cindi Myers
Samantha Delaney is a lucky calendar photographer. Then her teenage crush, gorgeous Josh Kittredge, strolls into her studio—all grown up. Her fantasies have suddenly turned X-rated.
'Watching It Go Up' by Colleen Collins
Tough P.I. Gina Keys is assigned to follow a suspected thief—a breathtakingly hot 'skywalker' who fearlessly works on tall buildings. His presence makes her pulse rate soar—especially when they get busy several stories up.
When socialite Marina Reston's fiancé loses his business, his pride will not let her support him. But she's not going to take it lying down—unless that's the best way to get back her man!
'Taking His Measure' by Cindi Myers
Samantha Delaney is a lucky calendar photographer. Then her teenage crush, gorgeous Josh Kittredge, strolls into her studio—all grown up. Her fantasies have suddenly turned X-rated.
'Watching It Go Up' by Colleen Collins
Tough P.I. Gina Keys is assigned to follow a suspected thief—a breathtakingly hot 'skywalker' who fearlessly works on tall buildings. His presence makes her pulse rate soar—especially when they get busy several stories up.
238 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 1, 2007
64 people want to read
About the author
Karen Kendall
44 books36 followersKaren Kendall is the author of many disasters and nine romantic comedies. She grew up in Austin, Texas, and credits her early interest in writing to several teachers and her mother, a professor of comparative literature.
A graduate of Smith College, Karen studied the mysteries of modern and contemporary art before enrolling in a masters program in Museum Education, with the aim of teaching children about art. She worked for several museums and galleries before following her lifelong dream and completing a novel.
Karen is still a big fan of children's art, but she now writes full time and lives in Florida with her husband, Don, and attack-cat Boo, who turns up her nose at chicken and fish but adores asparagus and mint-chocolate-chip ice cream.
A graduate of Smith College, Karen studied the mysteries of modern and contemporary art before enrolling in a masters program in Museum Education, with the aim of teaching children about art. She worked for several museums and galleries before following her lifelong dream and completing a novel.
Karen is still a big fan of children's art, but she now writes full time and lives in Florida with her husband, Don, and attack-cat Boo, who turns up her nose at chicken and fish but adores asparagus and mint-chocolate-chip ice cream.
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Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews
September 5, 2009
Whoa! Don't you just love a man who isn't afraid to grab a tool and lend a hand in construction? There's something about bare chests glistening with sweat, tight jeans, work boots, and tool belts that simply gets to me.
Fantasy over, moving on.
This little anthology was a great find on my Mount TBR, and I'm so glad for my ebooks shopping spree a few years back.
These three little stories really made my day/evening/night/whatever.
There was steamy sex, there was romance, there was drama, snappy dialogs, great chemistry, and even a touch of suspense in the last story. 4 ½ stars
I had some problems getting into the first one, Through the Roof by Karen Kendall, because the heroine was a wealthy, self-absorbed, narcissistic, materialistic bitch, and the hero a prideful, "don't want to be maintained by my woman so I'll just break it off with her", sex-on-a-stick, half-Peruvian macho.
Two hot, and completely out of the blue, scenes later and a few screaming tantrums, the heroine realized that her wealth and self-absorption made the hero feel like he has a small penis, and the hero realized that maybe the woman he loved and asked to marry wasn't like his mother who abandoned everything to chase a rich man...HEA ensued.
The second, Taking His Measure by Cindi Myers, was a little better, with two childhood friends reuniting after fifteen years, she as a photographer for a sexy calendar featuring construction workers in their birthday suits with strategically placed tools, he as one of her models.
They got together thanks to a house he was reconstructing, they broke up because of the same house that he sold to a nice family. She realized her stupidity (who ever gets into a fight over a house they don't even own?!), asked for forgiveness, he bought her a porch swing...HEA ensued.
The third, Watching It Go Up by Colleen Collins, was the shortest, and in my humble reader's opinion the best. A P.I. (the same P.I. who found the hero for the heroine in the first story after the idiot split) is hired to find proof that a worker on a construction site is stealing expensive equipment. She follows him, tries to interview him, searches his room, but all she find out is that the guy is incredibly tight-lipped, and packs one heck of a sexy body.
Since this was the shortest, everything happened too quickly, the ending was rushed, the grand finale left us hanging (literally), but the final scene was sooooooo uber sweet it made up for everything.
Fantasy over, moving on.
This little anthology was a great find on my Mount TBR, and I'm so glad for my ebooks shopping spree a few years back.
These three little stories really made my day/evening/night/whatever.
There was steamy sex, there was romance, there was drama, snappy dialogs, great chemistry, and even a touch of suspense in the last story. 4 ½ stars
I had some problems getting into the first one, Through the Roof by Karen Kendall, because the heroine was a wealthy, self-absorbed, narcissistic, materialistic bitch, and the hero a prideful, "don't want to be maintained by my woman so I'll just break it off with her", sex-on-a-stick, half-Peruvian macho.
Two hot, and completely out of the blue, scenes later and a few screaming tantrums, the heroine realized that her wealth and self-absorption made the hero feel like he has a small penis, and the hero realized that maybe the woman he loved and asked to marry wasn't like his mother who abandoned everything to chase a rich man...HEA ensued.
The second, Taking His Measure by Cindi Myers, was a little better, with two childhood friends reuniting after fifteen years, she as a photographer for a sexy calendar featuring construction workers in their birthday suits with strategically placed tools, he as one of her models.
They got together thanks to a house he was reconstructing, they broke up because of the same house that he sold to a nice family. She realized her stupidity (who ever gets into a fight over a house they don't even own?!), asked for forgiveness, he bought her a porch swing...HEA ensued.
The third, Watching It Go Up by Colleen Collins, was the shortest, and in my humble reader's opinion the best. A P.I. (the same P.I. who found the hero for the heroine in the first story after the idiot split) is hired to find proof that a worker on a construction site is stealing expensive equipment. She follows him, tries to interview him, searches his room, but all she find out is that the guy is incredibly tight-lipped, and packs one heck of a sexy body.
Since this was the shortest, everything happened too quickly, the ending was rushed, the grand finale left us hanging (literally), but the final scene was sooooooo uber sweet it made up for everything.
January 28, 2021
Disappointing Blaze Anthology
1 star
Through the Roof - Karen Kendall
Socialite Marina Reston is heartbroken when her fiancé leaves her after he loses his business but Ben will not let her support him. But Marina is used to getting what she wants and she vows to win back her man by any means.
Taking His Measure - Cindi Myers
Samantha Delaney has landed the perfect job - photographer for a charity calendar full of delicious, naked working men. But then Josh Kitteredge - the subject of all her teenage fantasies - walks through her door. But now the pair are all grown up and all their fantasies are about to become reality.
Watching It Go Up - Colleen Collins
Private Investigator Gina Keys has been assigned to follow a suspected thief - Hawk Shadow Bonaparte. But this hot man gets her pulse racing with his dangerous work on tall buildings - and with what he gets up to several stories up.
I was looking forward to this Blaze anthology about delicious working men but I am sad to say that I was really disappointed in it.
The characters in Karen Kendall's were so terrible that it was hard to dredge up even a tiny bit of sympathy or compassion for them. Marina was a spoilt brat with a love of plastic surgery and only thought of herself. I admit she was written like this but I could not identify with such a person. Ben too was hard to like - an alpha male taken one step too far - basically a chauvinist pig.
In Taking His Measure - I again had problems liking either of the characters. A boyish girl and a former stripper - not my idea of a good romantic hero or heroine. The conflict in the story was also a little weak.
And finally I admit that by the time I got to the last story I was so fed up that I couldn't find a good thing about it either.
Unfortunately I really can't recommend this book and if you're looking for a sexy, fun set of romance stories then I suggest that you try some other Blaze anthologies as there are many excellent ones out there. A disappointing 1 star.
1 star
Through the Roof - Karen Kendall
Socialite Marina Reston is heartbroken when her fiancé leaves her after he loses his business but Ben will not let her support him. But Marina is used to getting what she wants and she vows to win back her man by any means.
Taking His Measure - Cindi Myers
Samantha Delaney has landed the perfect job - photographer for a charity calendar full of delicious, naked working men. But then Josh Kitteredge - the subject of all her teenage fantasies - walks through her door. But now the pair are all grown up and all their fantasies are about to become reality.
Watching It Go Up - Colleen Collins
Private Investigator Gina Keys has been assigned to follow a suspected thief - Hawk Shadow Bonaparte. But this hot man gets her pulse racing with his dangerous work on tall buildings - and with what he gets up to several stories up.
I was looking forward to this Blaze anthology about delicious working men but I am sad to say that I was really disappointed in it.
The characters in Karen Kendall's were so terrible that it was hard to dredge up even a tiny bit of sympathy or compassion for them. Marina was a spoilt brat with a love of plastic surgery and only thought of herself. I admit she was written like this but I could not identify with such a person. Ben too was hard to like - an alpha male taken one step too far - basically a chauvinist pig.
In Taking His Measure - I again had problems liking either of the characters. A boyish girl and a former stripper - not my idea of a good romantic hero or heroine. The conflict in the story was also a little weak.
And finally I admit that by the time I got to the last story I was so fed up that I couldn't find a good thing about it either.
Unfortunately I really can't recommend this book and if you're looking for a sexy, fun set of romance stories then I suggest that you try some other Blaze anthologies as there are many excellent ones out there. A disappointing 1 star.
March 13, 2019
Very surprised at enjoying a Harlequin novel (Harlequin Blaze). Karen Kendall, Cindi Myers and Colleen Collins, all three authors presented well-written stories but after researching only two authors writings interest me. Myers and Collins (especially Collins).
Cheers
Cheers
March 5, 2010
A collection of three connected short stories bundled as a Blaze book. In the first, "Through the Roof", the heroine is TSTL and the hero is a buffoon. Next.
The second, "Taking His Measure", had a decent story, good characters, and seemed well written. Had the other two stories been close to this one the book would have been a 3.5 or even higher. Unfortunately, you can see where this is going.
The final story, "Taking His Measure" started OK. The premise was decent but the plot quickly went in the crapper with an inexplicable action.
All in all I'd have to say that this was OK.
The second, "Taking His Measure", had a decent story, good characters, and seemed well written. Had the other two stories been close to this one the book would have been a 3.5 or even higher. Unfortunately, you can see where this is going.
The final story, "Taking His Measure" started OK. The premise was decent but the plot quickly went in the crapper with an inexplicable action.
All in all I'd have to say that this was OK.
June 25, 2008
First story sucks. The rest are great.
May 17, 2016
Enjoyed "Watching It Go Up" more.
January 29, 2025
Fan the sheets! Whew!
Read
November 27, 2011not the best.
June 7, 2014
3.5 stars
Displaying 1 - 9 of 9 reviews