Sunday, July 8, 2012

Review: Slow Summer Kisses by Shannon Stacey

Anna Frazier is used to living life at 100 mph, but being downsized out of a job in the financial industry has her permanently stalled. With nowhere to "go, go, go, " Anna hails a cab to her grandparents' neglected New Hampshire camp to plan her next move. It seems like a good idea--until she realizes there's no takeout to be had and the boy next door has grown into a sexy but surly recluse.

Cameron Mayfield knows he can kiss his peace and quiet goodbye when Hurricane Anna blows in. She was loud and bossy as a ten-year-old--and besides developing some attractive curves, she hasn't changed. Cam's not looking for a relationship, especially not with a woman like Anna. He nearly broke down on that road once before. So why can't he stop thinking about her?

It's not long before their sizzling attraction leads to smoking-hot kisses. But as the days get shorter, Anna must decide if she's found a new road to happiness, or just taken a detour.
Slow Summer Kisses by Shannon Stacey is a short summer romance with fun filled moments between the two main characters. It's the type of summer romance that I usually love to read any time of the year.

After losing her job and while looking for a new one, Anna goes to her grandparent's camp in New Hampshire to stay and to maybe learn how to relax a little. An almost impossible task for a woman who doesn't seem to know when to stop and smell the roses. Cameron, the boy she knew from childhood summer days, is now her gorgeous neighbor and so easy on the eye that Anna can spend hours just enjoying him as the view. Unfortunately, although he helps her when needed, the man is permanently cranky and prefers his own company.

Cam has been there and done that... he recognizes the type of woman Anna has become, a workaholic with ambitions, the same traits that killed his father and would have done the same to him. But Cam changed his life and now lives at the camp in New Hampshire on a full-time basis. He keeps telling himself that he doesn't like Anna... that is until he can't help himself and they begin sharing slow kisses.
"A kiss should be anticipated. You should know it's coming so your heart can beat faster and your skin can flush with heat." - Cam
I enjoyed the light atmosphere, the heat and summery atmosphere in this story. Additionally, Cam and Anna knew each other as children and had shared some cute moments, even if they saw them differently -- she remembered Cam teaching her how to swim, he remembered her as bossy and chatty. There is initial sexual tension between them with hostility thrown in for good measure and that goes well with the summer heat. Additionally there are some really funny baseball moments since Cam is a Red Sox fan and Anna, a Yankee fan. I loved those moments!
"You're a Yankees fan."

"Yup."

"I kissed a Yankees fan."

"Yup. Really well, too."

It was too late for mouthwash, so he did the next best thing and wiped the back of his hand across his mouth. "Get off my dock."

"Fine. You stay on your half. Move your chair over."

He didn't even make it to the first inning. The radio announcer was going through the line-up and, when he got to Jeter and Anna made a little woo-hoo sound, Cam got out of the chair and walked away.

"Damn Yankees fan."

Her laughter followed him all the way to the house.
I loved Shannon Stacey's contemporary romance Yours to Keep, and I also wanted to love this book. The real conflict between Cameron and Anna is that of incompatibility, they want and need different things. Of course this conflict is never really a conflict because they don't talk about how their needs would affect a real relationship since all they are having is an affair. At least not until the end of the book after the conflict has already been resolved.

Slow Summer Kisses is a short, quick read. Unfortunately, I think in this case that worked against it as I found there to be a lack of real development in the romance. The beginning of the relationship is well rendered -- those wonderful fun moments that turn to hot sex -- but the rest is glossed over, and the end feels rushed. Regardless, Slow Summer Kisses is a quick summer read, that romance readers might enjoy for those fun, sexy moments, and others might actually love as a short, light, beach romance read. :)

Category: Contemporary Romance
Series: None
Publisher/Released: Carina Press/June 4, 2012 - Kindle Ed.
Grade: C

Visit Shannon Stacey here.

8 comments:

  1. This sounds cute. I still need to read Stacey's other books. LOL

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    1. Ames, this book IS cute. :D I also need to read more Stacey books. I have the other books from her Kowalski series in my TBR, and if they are anything like Yours to Keep, they are great reads. I'm in the mood for contemporaries, so maybe I'll just get through them this summer. :)

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  2. It does sound like a short summery read, though the conflict seems to be a bit thin.
    I usually like this author's books, though, so I'll try to check it out.

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    1. Alex, the in-depth development wasn't there, but this is definitely a cute, short, light, summery read. I enjoyed lightness and cuteness aspect of it quite a bit actually. I also like this author and will be reading more! :)

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  3. Aw sounds like a really cute summer story, even if a bit undeveloped. I'm gonna read it. :)

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    1. Christine, yes... it's worth reading -- short and sweet and perfect for a summer day. You'll enjoy it. :)

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  4. LOL I don't like baseball but I did like that scene. I need to read this one when I'm in the mood for something lite.

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    1. Leslie, the baseball-related scenes are a hoot. They're all like the one I chose above... fun! You can't choose better if you're in the mood for light, and I know you love Shannon Stacey. :D

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