It was a quick read with a familiar series.  It was good and well written.

This story works as a stand-alone, but is meant just as much as a love letter to the fans of the Kowalski books.  Going into the book I honestly had mediocre expectations, expecting it to be 50% catching-up with the old characters and 50% focusing on the central characters.  I was pleasantly surprised at how Shannon Stacey managed to get the reader caught up in the lives of the rest of the family and still keep the focus on Laney and Ben.  The secondary story focusing on a couple from one of the previous books, Sean and Emma, was also done well and added to the overall story and my enjoyment of the book.  As I started this review, this book could be read as a stand-alone, although you (like Laney) might start to get confused by who all the other characters in the book are, but the previous books in this series are well worth reading if you have a spare month or two...

Seeing this book on Netgalley was a nice surprise, I had no idea it was coming out. 
I loved the main characters and their story and even more I enjoyed reading about all the characters from the previous books in the series.
Great addition to the series!

I just love the kowalski family an Shannon Stacey for giving us them. Was over the moon when I got this book an it did not disappoint one bit. Liked that we got to catch up with all the characters an got new fantastic romance too in laney an Ben. Was one happy reader I can tell you an if you haven't try this series you are definitely missing out an you won't be disappointed so go ahead try this series. Definitely recommend of course

I've been a fan of Shannon Stacey's Kowalski series and so reading and reviewing this tenth book in the series was a no-brainer for me. There something about the Kowalski clan that just makes me feel good, and What It Takes follows that tradition for me.

The romance in this installment is between Ben, the quad-driving paramedic who is the go-to guy for medical events happening on the quad trails of the Northern Star Lodge. He's a bit seasoned after having spent his younger years working in the city where he was too busy to find himself a wife and start a family.  Now that he's back in Whitford where things are a little slower, he's reminded of what is missing in his life. When he runs into Laney who is helping Rosie with the chores ta the Lodge, he's attracted to her, even though he knows she's in a much different place.

Laney is happy working at the lodge and staying in a camper for the summer as she finds her old self after a stifling marriage.  I really got where she was coming from.  When she finds herself attracted to Ben she's faced with the dilemma of letting her heart go again, or resisting the pull she feels for him because she needs to be able to stand on her own two feet after her divorce.  

Neither Laney or Ben can ignore the attraction they feel toward each other, and eventually give into it.  Laney tries to keep her emotions under control, not wanting to jump into another relationship so soon, and Ben is very patient with her.  But he's not willing to wait forever, and the moment it becomes clear to Laney and Ben they cannot reconcile their different viewpoints is heartbreaking. 

What It Takes is really more about the relationships in Whitford than it is about the Kowalski's although the family is front and center when there's a 4th of July family reunion at the Lodge. There's a very sweet story revolving around Emma and Sean that warmed my heart and it was great catching up on both sides of the Kowalski family.  I'd forgotten about some of the early books and it was great to be reminded of the characters and just how much this entire series has wormed it's way into my heart.

If you are a fan of the series, this is a "must read".  If you haven't read the series, I think What It Takes would standalone as a contemporary romance. Either way, you will get Shannon Stacey's wonderful voice as she tells the tale of another couple in the town of Whitford. It's all about the love of friends and family and I love that about this series.  

ARC provided for review.

Each time a new Kowalski book comes out I jump up and do the Riverdance. Okay, not really, but you get the idea. I've never wanted to be part of a fictional family as much as I'd love to be in this family. I'm so sad that we ran out of family until the kids grow up (hint, hint). The family having the annual family vacation of doom at the lodge was fabulous. Seeing them all again as the background noise to Laney and Ben's romance was perfect. I need more! 

Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC.

Even though this is my first time reading this series, I’ve been wanting to give it a try for a years.  This book doesn’t actually feature a Kowalski HEA but instead one of their lifelong friends.   I don’t have much of a frame of reference in terms of comparing this to previous books, but I did enjoy the small town, relaxed vibe of the book.

Ben is a sexy paramedic.  He grew up with the Kowalskis and had left town to live in the city until, recently, he came back.  He sees all his friends settled down and having kids and is ready to be in that same place himself.  Laney just got out of a bad marriage.  She’s trying to find herself again and her independence by working at the Northern Star.  The last thing she wants is a relationship, a man, or anything more than a fling.

I thought the romance between Ben and Laney definitely had sparks, but I didn’t think when they finally got together those sparks lived up to the expectation I had for them.  He spends so much time trying not to take over and let her set the pace, and she spends so much time wanting to prove to herself she can be independent that I felt like at times they were both getting in the way of the romance a bit too much.

Fans of the series will be happy to get glimpses of a lot of the previous couples.  The fact that this plot centers around an annual family camping trip will give everyone a taste of old characters and for a new reader of the series like myself it sparked my interest in some of the other members of the family.  The group scenes were so much fun to read about and felt natural and real.  Definitely my favorite part of this story because it gave the book a true feeling of family comfort.  That coupled with the cute small town with all the expected gossipy people and it had a lot of those elements I love in this type of story.  I will be checking out the previous books for sure.

Another great book by a great author. Overall I liked this book, although I never quite got the idea of what Laney was looking for. I get that she didn't want to be controlled, but what did she want instead? I liked her and Ben together, and overall enjoyed the book. It was just her issue that I felt wasn't explained well, that cost a star. Otherwise, I highly recommend this book and series. I have read a couple of this author's series now, and enjoy her work. I think you will too.

I really enjoyed this book. It was great seeing all the Kowalskis again and I really enjoyed Ben and Laney’s part of the story. I loved Ben, he was a great character, strong and brace and smart and loving with a strong family and surrounded by support. Laney on the other hand had plenty of baggage between her family and her ex. I struggled with her character at times since although I could see her point, I could see the other side and see that she was denying something that was making her happy out of fear and that was hurting Ben and I loved Ben! You do not have to have read the other Kowalski novels to read this story but some familiarity with the family does make it more enjoyable. I received an arc of this book from the publisher through net galley in exchange for an honest review.

What It Takes by Shannon Stacey......This was an amazing story that I could not put down. Another Entertaining book in the Kowalski Family reunion. I loved Laney and Ben and the romance they shared it was fun to watch. Shannon Stacey is one of my favorites authors always a must read. I voluntarily reviewed an advance reader copy of this book from publisher via NetGalley.

My Review:
The Kowalski's are back with another two week camping trip of doom...LOL. But this time, they're dragging two civilians into the fray...Laney (who's the newest hire at the Kowalski Lodge) and Ben (who's the emergency paramedic who's just begun working for the town). Because of both their jobs and their circle of friends, they quickly find themselves constantly being thrown together in different circumstances. Normally this would be great, because they have fantastic chemistry, but right now they want different things. Ben is looking for forever. Laney is looking for right now. She just escaped a stifling 10 year marriage...she has no desire to enter into another relationship like that. 

This book had all the things that I've loved about all the Kowalski stories...sweeping scenes with all the family...lots of group dynamics where everyone is giving everyone else a hard time. There's the four-wheeling, dirty scrabble, lots of family meals, and s'mores. There is also a side story happening between one of the former couples (who just happened to have one of my favorite stories of the series, so I loved that)...Sean and Emma.

But despite all that there's a slightly different feel to this one just because of who Ben and Laney are. They aren't Kowalski's...they're just really close. But because they are support personnel (so to speak) for the Kowalski event, they provide a new interesting perspective. I loved both of their viewpoints. Ben is a paramedic who is constantly being called out to take care of injured 4-wheeler riders. I found those scenes fascinating and thoroughly enjoyed them. Then there's Laney in her little camper. I'll admit to having a certain level of envy over her circumstance. For the first time in 10 years, she has her own tiny little space with the pure freedom of all that entailed. That was a fun thing for me to imagine. I also really got where she was coming from in not wanting to get involved with Ben. She made a horrific choice for her first marriage. She would have issues trusting herself and her judgment after that. I couldn't judge her for that, although I really, really wanted her to give Ben a chance. He's such a good guy.

It's been a while since I got to enjoy a visit with the Kowalski clan. This book was awesome to provide that and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I will always be happy to revisit them, so hopefully, Shannon Stacey keeps finding ways for us to revisit them. And don't worry...you can read any of the books in the series as a stand alone without feeling lost or confused. Each book focuses on a separate couple.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review.

This was a fun quick read about a family ( the Kowalski's)  written about in many previous books by Shannon Stacey.  I have read all the books and so really enjoyed this one.  Although there were new characters as the main H/h, Ms. Stacey did a very good job incorporating them into the regular Kowalski family.  If you haven't read any of the previous books, this is still a fun standalone and it may get you into the mood to read the others.  I have always enjoyed Ms.Stacey's writing and her obvious love for this family makes this a good small town contemporary romance!  Thanks as always to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read this book for an honest review.

I was so excited when I found out that there was going to be a new book in the Kowalskis!

It's been a while since I last read this series (and I just realized I never did finish Max's book...). I enjoyed reading how Ben and Laney fell in love, and it's such a great feeling to be reunited with this big family again.

As someone who has read all previous “nine” books of this series by Shannon Stacey, it goes without saying I’m obviously a Kowalski family fan. With publishing dates ranging from 2010 - 2014, I read and thoroughly enjoyed each and every one shortly after their initial release date. However, likely because too much time and too many books have passed through my hands since then, I felt as overwhelmed as Laney did when they all converged together for a family reunion/camping trip at the Kowalski owned/operated lodge. I vaguely recognized names but my memory was foggy on most of these stand-alone romantic tale characters. That’s likely why I didn’t find myself particularly engaged when individual monologues took the reins of the story in several subsequent chapters for quite some time.

Unless you are the author or are a “trekkie” type fan of this series, I think what it takes to enjoy Book 10 is to have recently just read the entire series back to back, or at the very least reread each book synopsis to reacquaint yourself with what will be a long list of sub-characters in this book. You see, though the story line started off with a “not looking for love” recently divorced heroine, Laney, and Ben, a pushing 40 good guy paramedic hero who’s decided he’s been alone long enough, their romance seemed to be pushed aside for a large portion of the book. Admittedly, Laney was so reluctant to get involved with Ben, because she needed her world to revolve only around herself to the point I felt sorry for Ben who was pining for her, it likely didn’t matter overly much. Btw, the reason she divorced her husband of ten years wasn’t cheating or physical abuse. 

When the Kowalski clan finally cleared out, it was like a switch was flipped, and the main couple got back to not being a couple. At least that is what Laney kept telling herself. Ben was such a sweet guy and fell for Laney pretty quickly, and it took her a long time to even consider the possibility of them dating. 

How was the writing? Maybe it was just me but parts of it felt overly long and had too many details. Whether it be the never ending list of Kowalski relatives, family, and friends...and who owned what...who knew who...who was best friends with who...or the townspeople details...or more info than I wanted or needed about rock climbing, riding an ATV, etc. Goodness, at one point the hero explained why he enjoyed using a Koozie, to keep the condensation from running down the can into his cup holder. I openly admit I have a one track mind. I pretty much zero in on the main couple and get overly impatient when my romantic read has taken a turn away from romance. I did enjoy Ben and Laney when they actually were scripted scenes together. 

What was the passion meter? At 34% they had their first kiss but had actually spent very little time together. Overall, in general, it took a long time to tell this romantic tale due to the constant sub-content interruptions. Even after some very steamy, smexy time together, Laney still wasn’t letting go of her “not ready to date yet” stance. Slowly but surely they were becoming a couple. She just didn’t want to recognize it was happening. When she finally did, you had better not blink, because it came across very rushed.

Here’s to hoping others really enjoy this one. For me, I would have preferred the individual monologues to have been left out, and the characters just worked in. Ben was by far my favorite aspect of this book. It has been a long time since I’ve come across such a sweet book boyfriend. Laney almost let him get away, folks. Lucky for her he was really into her.

I do recommend reading each individual book, if you like sweet, romantic reads with some steaminess. But just like most family gatherings, sometimes it is just overwhelming to have everyone under the same roof at the same time. I felt this story line got overly crowded, as well. 

Title: What It Takes, Series: Kowalski Family (Book 10), Author: Shannon Stacey, Pages: 352, stand-alone but part of a series, no cheating, no love triangle, no OW/OM drama, reluctant to love divorced heroine, pining for her hero trying not to let it show, lots of monologues by sub-characters, rushed/sweet ending, a few VERY steamy scenes.

(This review is based on advanced reader copy provided via NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased, fair review. No compensation was provided to this reviewer, nor is there any affiliation between the reviewer and author/publisher/NetGalley. It will be posted on Amazon, Goodreads, NetGalley, and Barnes & Noble.)

Shannon Stacey. A winner every time. Love this! Be sure to pick it up!

I've been in a major reading slump lately. MAJOR. I can't really find books to hold my attention because life has been way too hectic. But when I saw another Kowalski book on Netgalley? I couldn't help but ask for it. 

I feel like I owe Shannon Stacey a HUGE Thank You for breaking my slump! Because let me tell you - this book? FABULOUS! 

Laney is fantastic! She's breaking out on her own after a divorce from a marriage that lasted WAY too long, and she finds a job and a camper living at the Kowalski lodge! 

Ben is back in his hometown of Whitford and ready to settle down. Which means that of course he's going to fall for Laney who isn't ready for ANY sort of a relationship! 
This book is full of everything we love about the Kowalski family - including (as the title tells us) a reunion with all of our favorite characters! And I just want to live in it's pages forever! There were laughs, swoons and everything fabulous that Shannon Stacey books are made of! 

I have missed this family, and I am so glad that they helped to break my reading slump!

When the annual Kowalski family camping trip is moved to the Northern Star, both Ben and Laney are surrounded by the kind of happiness they've always wanted but never had. It just might be theirs—if they can put aside the past and reach for it together. Laney can't decide what she wants out of life. After coming out of a divorce Laney finds herself working for the Kowalski's. Her family isn't very supportive of her divorce or her choices now. Ben Rivers was a paramedic in the city where everything moves fast. Now he's back home working as a EMT still but with a twist as he's needed on the trails of Josh Kowalski's lodge. This gives him plenty of opportunity to come in contact with Laney. Sparks fly but Ben wants more than Laney. He has to convince her without pushing to hard that he's the one for her. Love these two new characters. Watching them connect was exciting but more, seeing my old favorite characters come back and see what's going on with them as well  was awesome. So much good stuff in one book. If you're a fan of the series don't miss this one!

I would have liked to have read more about the Kowalksis.  I spent a pleasant afternoon curled up reading this story.  Good characters, nice plot.  Nothing really exciting but on a rainy afternoon it was a good read.

A great new story from Shannon Stacey! The type of small town story we've come to expect from Ms. Stacey. Laney and Ben were awesome, and a wonderful addition to the Kowalski family. As for the reunion aspect of the story, if you haven't read the previous 9 books in the series, I probably wouldn't start the series with this one! The author does a good job of summarizing the previous couples and their backgrounds, but there are so many characters, you might be confused. And you would be missing out on some amazing books. If I could change one thing it would be that we could get more POVs from the other characters instead of just Sean & Emma, although they were one of my favorites!

As always, Stacey writes family dynamics like few others, and you want to book your next trip to the Northern Star resort. While it's lovely to check in with the whole Kowalski clan, it's equally lovely to have a new story to discover, and Laney and Ben are the perfect couple to fall for this time. I thought that Laney's hesitations were completely logical, and that Ben's return and desire to move on with his life - especially after seeing his friends and their lives - was a neat twist on the usual trope. Overall, it's the characters that you love in a Shannon Stacey book, because they remind you of who you know, so they feel like family. 
Such a lovely note to end on - while I do hope that there are more Kowalski novels or even novellas in the future, this wraps up the clan on just the right note.