Calling the Shots

by Ellen Hartman

He's had a wild ride, and now sex club owner Josh Scott is looking for a change of scene. But first, he's determined to bring two friends together, and he's willing to be a third wheel to move things along…

Beth Norris is eager to be set up with hot bartender Oliver Stephenson, but she's equally attracted to matchmaker Josh. Soon she's fantasizing about both men at once—and about being the one to call the shots in the encounter…

Ready to move on with his life post-divorce, Oliver is conflicted by the realization that he's attracted to women and men. Or more specifically, to Beth and Josh. He tries to keep his distance, but it's not long before the chemistry between the trio combusts in a night of mind-blowing sex.

In the light of day, it's clear something deeper than desire is growing between Josh, Beth and Oliver. But though Josh has helped others find love in unconventional relationships, is he willing to take a chance on one himself?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Harlequin, Category Romance

256 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 1, 2010

About the author

Ellen wrote much of her first novel in the back of a preschool classroom while she was trying to ease her younger son's separation anxiety. She had agreed to stick around for a day, maybe two. Somehow—the exact chain of events is hazy—one day turned into a full year of scribbling in a notebook on the bench in the corner. Her son is now a completely independent middle school student (phew!), and that book became her first sale to Harlequin Books.

Ellen and her husband are both from Scranton, Pennsylvania. They met on a blind date on New Year's Eve in a mutual love-at-first-sight moment—which would make an awesome novel, if only her husband would agree to be "fictionalized." Find Ellen on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/pages/Ellen-H...

Reviews

[Christa Schönmann Abbühl · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is not for everyone (which book is), but it came very close to being perfect for me.

Hartman tells the story of two (single) parents and how they try to do their best by their respective kid. They both love their children like crazy, but they also screw up, are in over their heads, and burden the kids with old stuff from long ago. This felt very real to me, and the parenting story was slightly more important to me than the romance.

The romance is very sweet, and both heroine and hero have flaws and hang ups - but also are very lovable and giving people, who might just be right for each other.

The end was touching, but I wanted more. Which was probably not possible in this format. But I still give this book the whole five stars, for giving me real people with real issues connecting in beautiful and sincere ways.

I hope they can work out a way to build on this nice beginning, work through the stuff from the past, and be a family.

[Jacqueline J · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was just okay. I liked the kids Allie and Tim. Allie was more well developed than Tim. He could have used more time on screen. I liked the hero, Bryan more than the heroine, Clare. Clare didn't open up at all until the last 2 or 3 pages. She was very closed in and stand offish. Her sudden turn around was a little unbelievable.

There was so much time spent with the kids and their problems that the romance was given very little page time. They were basically never together alone. I didn't see them fall in love at all. I kept expecting Clare to tell Bryan about her sister earlier and them to work together to see her overcome her fears. Instead there are scenes like the one where Allie gets her period and Bryan needs help in the grocery store picking the right feminine products. He asks Clare to come talk to Allie but she refuses in order to keep her emotional distance. So no payoff from that scene and there were plenty of other scenes like it. Scene after scene showing Clare protecting her emotions but none showing her really reaching out and taking a chance and growing. I don't really know what Bryan saw in her. There were 2 scenes which included kissing. There was no sex at all with the hero. In fact she was the one to come on to him the first time. I kind of got the feeling she was seducing him and he wasn't really interested mentally just physically. The second time very late in the book didn't seem to have any real reason behind it. Clare had just told him about her sister who had died of a disease years earlier. That was the reason she's so scared of letting anyone close. So he necks with her in the back of a car to make her feel 'cherished and safe and whole.' That didn't really make much sense and they didn't become any closer because of it.

Also, I didn't like quite how promiscuous Clare seemed to be. She had a new boyfriend just for sex in everytown. I'm open to my modern heroines having love lives before they meet the hero but hers seemed excessive especially with her having a son born out of wedlock.

Bryan was well written as a man who traveled alot and didn't know his daughter or how to be a single parent but who was trying hard and muddling through.

Lack of real romance however pulls the entire volume down. This is a Harlequin Romance after all. The romance should be central.

[Delaney Diamond · Rating 3 out of 5]

At first I couldn't get into the story because it started a little slow, but then I got sucked in. The lack of sex and sexual tension didn't detract from the powerful story. About a quarter way through I was vested in the characters--and boy did they have issues!

Bryan had only been with one woman, his ex-wife. This was the first time I'd read a romance novel where the male character had less sexual experience than the heroine; it was fine, though. It didn't make him seem less manly at all. It was actually kinda sweet, which fit with his personality in the book.

Bryan was struggling to be a good father to a sullen, angst-ridden teenage daughter, and I sympathized with him for that, as well as his personal struggle with feelings of inadequacy.

I sympathized with Clare (though not as much as I did with Bryan) and her issues with intimacy and love. They paralyzed her and kept her from having meaningful relationships and setting down roots--something her son desperately wanted.

This wasn't something I'd normally read, but it was very sweet. All in all, I really wanted everyone to get through their problems, heal, and find their HEA. This is a romance, so luckily, they did.

[Shelley · Rating 4 out of 5]

The fourth star is for Bryan, who was such a great character. If only Clare had been as great. Her walls stayed up for too long, to the detriment of her and the story. Things should have started happening at least a fourth of the book earlier than the did. She ended up coming off as a real bitch instead of someone emotionally hurting. But Bryan was an awesome lead and an awesome dad and I loved to read his and Allie's scenes. He deserved better than Clare!

[Sheri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I rate it a B. I really enjoyed the book. It just took too long to get to where they were going and it seriously needed to be longer. The character's lives, their world, completely changes and the book ends one second later. Not fair. I enjoyed the hockey theme.

[SheLove2Read]

Got this as a freebie from Tell Harlequin. I'm just not into books with heavy "kid" influence.

[Lisa Arnold · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not one of my alltime favourites but still an enjoyable lunchtime read.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

If it weren't for the hero and the two pre-teens, I would have given this a 2.5 out of 5, because I found Claire, the heroine, seriously annoying. She moved around every year and seemed shocked when her son suddenly found that upsetting. Also, while I'm not much of a sports fan myself and can certainly understand Claire's lack of interest in hockey, I was VERY upset that she would read a book during her son's games. During practice is fine, but during his game?!?! It's obviously something important to him, and yet she completely ignores it. The hero's attempts to rebuild his relationship with his daughter after his divorce were touching, and really he and the kids saved this book. I can't really recommend it because of the horrible heroine (I couldn't understand why anyone would put up with her and her painful past just didn't justify her self-centered behavior in my opinion).

[Susan · Rating 2 out of 5]

Calling the Shots is less a romance and more a story of parents dealing with teenage children. Because of this, the romance did not feel right; the two adults even acted like children at times. There was too much hurt and too much past angst to fully embrace this story as a romance. This book is not a bad story if you are looking for a tale that centers on teenage angst and growing pains. I could never get into either Bryan's or Clare's psyche and was much more sympathetic to the kids. I could never believe that the adults had a romance, so I can do nothing but warn you away.

[Beth · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was not a book I would have chosen to read; it was sent to me for a survey. It was ok, I enjoyed the premise and the fact that it involved hockey added to the story. To me though the story was about the suddenly-single father trying to bond with his 13-year-old hockey-playing daughter and the romantic aspect with the new lady in town could have been left out entirely.

[Tressa · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Calling the Shots. I liked how both Bryan and Beth were doing the best they can while also figuring out what was best for themselves and their families. I wished that the book was longer because I wanted to know what happened next.

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: You, Me & the Kids

[Harlequin Books]

Miniseries: You, Me & the Kids

[Fedora · Rating 3 out of 5]

Overall I enjoyed this, but couldn't really relate to the heroine's hangups. Good story overall though.

[Yona Racheva · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great read, I guess I'm on romance wave right now.

[Maryann · Rating 2 out of 5]

A little end of semester light reading. Not too bad, not amazing.

[Rachelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harlequin Super Romance which is truly a romance. They do have a short time in the back of a car but do not have interccourse.

[Cecelia]

I thought it was kind of slow and the charachters just a little stiff but that's just me