Unzipped?

The Man-Handlers #2

by Karen Kendall

Unzipped? by Karen Kendall released on Aug 30, 2005 is available now for purchase.

Genres: Harlequin Blaze, Romance, Harlequin

249 pages, Mass Market Paperback

First published January 1, 2005

About the author

Karen 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.

Reviews

[Janet · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was entertaining and definitely a hot story.

[Amanda · Rating 2 out of 5]

I couldn’t stand the main female character Shannon. . I didn’t find one redeeming quality about her. She was a hypocrite, vain, and so immature. She was also in my opinion conceited as well. Every thing she accused Hal of being, she was it herself. I couldn’t stand that she was forcing her client Hal to buy things he didn’t want to buy, throwing his personal belongings in the garbage. Then whenever he protested she accused him of being rude then turned around and was rude herself. I think the author was trying to aim at it being funny, but it just wasn’t. I was cringing the whole time reading it.

[Fedora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unzipped by Karen Kendall is the second in her The Manhandlers trilogy from Harlequin Blaze (#201).

Shannon Shane is a image consultant, and her new client is a geek extraordinaire. Hal Underwood is about to take his tech company public, when his sister, mom, and COO all insist he needs to update his image to properly represent the hotshot tech they’re building.

Shannon and Hal don’t count on the immediate and mutual chemistry, and that throws them both for a loop as they also juggle corporate espionage, identity crises, and lots of other good stuff…

A fun read.

[Janet · Rating 2 out of 5]

HBZ #201

[Luxie Ryder · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a shame! I loved the first third of this book. The banter between Hal and Shannon was funny and totally engaging. But then things went a bit too far for me. I guess the author was trying to show that Hal's feelings were as important as Shannon's, but some of the things he said and did to her bordered on the abusive IMO. The scenes displayed a lack of respect for her as a person rather than just as a potential lover. The dumpster scene caused me a particular problem...as did the butt-touching scene in the gym. What he was doing to Shannon in 'retaliation' for her actions was totally OTT.

Some of the conflict seemed a tad forced too. This story would have been much shorter if some of the manufactured angst and hurt feelings had been left out. The kind of guy who allows a gorgeous woman to seduce with him within hours of meeting her is NOT going to get all huffy afterwards and feel she is treating him like a dildo! Especially when said man had one of the most amazing sexual experiences of his life.

The sex scenes were hot but a little cliche. Having said that, a couple of bits of dialogue made me LOL, even if they did border on the ridiculous.

I did enjoy this book but those scenes I mentioned earlier did affect how I viewed the whole thing, which is a shame, as I said.

[Diah Didi · Rating 4 out of 5]

My very first of Karen Kendall, and Me loved this!
Smart, nerd or geek, but handsome hero story always caught my attention. Especially when you combined it with beautiful blonde chick. It's fun, quiet hot, and yet sweet. I can't imagine how awful Hal must be at first for being called Saddam. And when he rudely pushed Shannon to the garbage. :))
And I cried two times. Kinda funny huh, crying while reading Blaze. :)) But it's true. I cried when I arrived on part Shannon read the letter from her biological mother, and when she called her mother to say that she loved her and her father, and that they'd always be her parents. :')

[Darla Stokes · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is how you write sexy romance. No cringey, awkward, adolescent longings; no paint-by-numbers, tab-A-into-slot-B sex scenes. Just characters you can believe doing, saying, and thinking things that make sense. My only complaint, and this may very well be just me, was the assumption throughout the book that the more expensive something is, the better it is, and the more virtuous someone is who buys it. Karen Kendall is a wonderful writer, and this book was the perfect palate-cleanser. I actually read it in one sitting.

[Carisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was surprised by this harlequin read. Funny, original plot. Can't believe I found the geek hero so sexy.
HERO is a Performer, a very smart computer geek who only cares about his career. To further promote his company, he agrees to be counseled by an image consultant who awakes his lust and then his love.
SCENES/CONTENT: few/hot
GENRE/TONE: contemporary/light
LENGHT: 245 pages

[Dar · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was surprised by the depth of emotion in the book, there were parts that I really felt for Shannon and Hal, separately and together. But oh, there were some fun parts in this book, and some really hot scenes as well - go Hal, go!!!

[Alice · Rating 5 out of 5]

[Sharyn O'Neill · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a bit of a surprise read... Especially for my partner when I read out loud one of the raunchy parts. Lol.