All He Ever Needed by Shannon Stacey

Title: All He Ever Needed by Shannon Stacey
Kowalski Family Book Four
Publisher: Carina Press
Genre: Contemporary, Romance
Length: 70,000 words
Book Rating: B+

Review Copy Obtained from Publisher Through NetGalley

Summary:

He won’t stay put for a woman, and she won’t chase after any man…

Mitch Kowalski lives out of a suitcase–and he likes it that way. Traveling for work has the added bonus of scaring off women who would otherwise try to tie him down. But when he’s called home to help with the family lodge, he’s intrigued by the new girl in town and her insistence that she doesn’t need a man. If there’s one thing Mitch can’t resist, it’s a challenge.

After a nomadic childhood, Paige Sullivan is finally putting down roots. Determined to stand on her own two feet, she lives by the motto “Men are a luxury, not a necessity.” But when Mr. Tall, Dark and Hot pulls up a stool in her diner and offers her six weeks of naughty fun with a built-in expiration date, she’s tempted to indulge.

They’re the perfect match for a no-strings fling. Until they realize their sexy affair has become anything but casual…

70,000 words

The Review:

Another wonderful installment in Shannon Stacey’s Kowalski Family series, All He Ever Needed is a delightfully light-hearted romance between two people who become involved in a no strings attached short term fling. Paige Sullivan loves her small town life in Whitford while Mitch Kowalski is counting down the days until he can leave again.

Mitch and Paige are total opposites when it comes to small town living. Close friendships and a sense of community give Paige the connection she has been looking for. For Mitch, that translates into all of his past indiscretions coming back to haunt him every time he steps foot in town. He is defined by his youthful mistakes and no one quite sees the man he has become.

The relationship between Mitch and Paige is fun, flirty and sexy. There is genuine warmth and caring between them, and they share an easy friendship. They both work hard to keep their relationship casual but before long, they find themselves walking a very fine line between friends with benefits and a real relationship. With Mitch giving off mixed signals, Paige finds herself falling back into old patterns, but fortunately she realizes what she is doing and stops herself from acting on her impulses.

In addition to Paige and Mitch’s romance, there are also a few secondary story arcs in All He Ever Needed. Several of the characters’ lives intersect with both Paige and Mitch and it will be interesting to see how some of the various plotlines are resolved in future books of the series. The dynamics between the Kowalski brothers are quite fascinating and while they are close, there are definitely things they do not know about one another.

All He Ever Needed is a fantastic addition to the Kowalski Family series. The characters are appealing and well-developed. The conflict between Mitch and Paige is realistic and they solve their problems with very little angst or drama. Shannon Stacey skillfully leaves her readers anticipating the next installment of this fabulous series.