Blog Tour: Easy Love: Kristen Proby

by Reviews by Tammy and Kim - Thursday, March 12, 2015

Easy Love(Boudreaux #1)
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Eli Boudreaux’s family has built ships and boats in Louisiana for generations. He comes from a hardworking, wealthy family and his empire is growing by leaps and bounds. At thirty, he is the youngest CEO to ever head Bayou Enterprises, co-chairing with his eldest brother. His head for business and his no-nonsense work ethic is also quickly making him the best the company has seen in generations. His staff admires him, women adore him and Eli’s family is solid. But he’s recently discovered that someone on the inside of his business is stealing from him and he’s determined to find out who.

Kate O’Shaughnessy is hired by companies all over the world to slip inside and investigate every member of the organization from the CEO down to the custodial staff to find the person or persons responsible for embezzling. She’s excellent at blending, becoming part of the team, and finding the weakest link. She’s smart, quick-witted, and she’s now been hired by Bayou Enterprises, specifically Eli Boudreaux. The attraction is immediate and the chemistry is off the charts, but Kate has heard all about Eli’s playboy past and she has a job to do. Sleeping with the boss isn’t a part of that job, even if just the sound of her name rolling off that Cajun tongue and the way he fills out a designer suit does make her sweat.

Eli’s southern charms surprise Kate. The man whose reputation labels him as a ruthless, callous womanizer is not the man she’s coming to know intimately. He’s generous, protective and makes her smile. Cracking through Kate’s cool, reserved demeanor and discovering her love of sexy, expensive lingerie is a challenge Eli can’t resist, but her sweet nature, love of family and sense of humor pull at him in ways no one else ever has.

But when the person responsible for trying to single-handedly dismantle Eli’s empire comes to light, and it’s time for Kate to move on, to what lengths will Eli go to keep the woman he’s fallen in love with by his side?

Kate O’Shaughnessy has been hired by Bayou Enterprises to investigate missing funds. Having gone to college with two of the Boudreaux siblings, she already knows most of the family and is excited to work with people she knows and loves. The only member of the family she hasn’t met is the CEO and eldest brother, Eli.

Eli Boudreaux is a workaholic, haunted by his father’s last words and disappointment. Attempting to do what would have made his father proud leaves very little time, energy, or desire for relationships outside his mother and siblings. But when he meets Kate his priorities shift. He finds himself torn between his desire to entertain and get to know the smart, savvy woman and his dedication to the family business.

The chemistry between these two is off the charts. From their first meeting the attraction grows, though each are hesitant to act on the pull for different reasons.

I loved the play between these two, as they juggled work responsibilities and exploration around the city, their personalities really sparkled and they showed each other sides of themselves not seen by anyone else. I loved the journey Eli had to make in order to let Kate into his life completely. He is holding some baggage that wasn’t otherwise obvious, but that absolutely explained so much about his personality.

Easy Love is classic Proby through and through. From the large family dynamic, to the drunken girls’ night, this is a perfect solution for fans who were sad to see her Seattle series end. With a new location, new characters, and new hilarity, Easy Love will entertain her fans fantastically.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kate O'Shaunessy has come to New Orleans to help her friend Savannah figure out who is embezzling form their family business and she is brought back into the fold of the Boudreaux family. The one Boudreaux she has never met, Eli, immediately sparks her interest. But she's already been warned about his attitude and playboy ways. And he has been told by his sister that he is to keep his hands off Kate.

But they have a magnetic pull that just seems to grow the more they are around each other. They know they are a very bad idea. She is close to his family, she has a time limit, her history with men is not great, and he is not known for having relationships.

Eli is a complete workaholic and has just been surviving, but not really living life. He is sexy, dirty-talking, and delicious. Who can resist that drawl and the way he calls her "cher"? But he does not think he is capable of or deserves love. She has been burned by love and wants respect and a bit of excitement. Together they have witty rapport, hot chemistry, and an easygoing dynamic. They know they should not get attached or fall in love. They know they are on borrowed time. But she really brings him back to life, and he does the same for her. I really liked Kate and Eli together. He had this inner vulnerability hiding under his brooding, tough, alpha facade. They dichotomy between the impersonal workaholic and the considerate, caring man he was with her made me fall for him. And she challenged him and made him less serious. They made each other more playful and sparks flew between them. But both of them can't really see past the present. They have not really dealt with their pasts enough to be able to look towards a future.

But can they stop themselves from falling? And how will they handle it when their time is up?

This starts a whole new series in New Orleans with a big new family to fall in love with. Eli's siblings Beau, Declan, Savannah, Gabby, and Charly all have stories to tell. I loved this big, close knit family. The brothers were protective, and they all had each other's backs. And it is obvious that Kate's cousin Rhys and their friends Lila and Ben will be back too. She already teased many of their back stories and connections.

This was an easy book to sink into with likable main characters with issues, dual points of view, and plenty of action from the engaging side characters. It was a typical story about a stoic, heartless CEO who is tamed by a real woman with spunk, but the fun side characters and city of New Orleans gave it a bit more depth. It was funny, sweet, sexy, and heartfelt and even had a bit of mystery and suspense thrown in. I am looking forward to reading more about the Boudreaux and O'Shaunessy clans. Lila and Asher will be featured in the novella Easy With Me (in 1001 Dark Knights).

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Kristen Proby
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New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author Kristen Proby is the author of the popular With Me in Seattle series. She has a passion for a good love story and strong characters who love humor and have a strong sense of loyalty and family. Her men are the alpha type—fiercely protective and a bit bossy—and her ladies are fun, strong, and not afraid to stand up for themselves. Kristen spends her days with her muse in the Pacific Northwest. She enjoys coffee, chocolate, and sunshine. And naps. Visit her at KristenProby.com.