Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey

Title/Author: Undeniably Yours by Shannon Stacey
Publisher/Date published: November 1st 2010 by Carina Press
How I got this book: it was sent to me by the publisher through NetGalley
Why I read this book: it was one of those times I felt like reading a romance novel

Goodreads summary: "One-night stand + two percent condom failure rate = happily ever after?
Bar owner Kevin Kowalski is used to women throwing their phone numbers at him, but lately he's more interested in finding a woman to settle down with. A woman like Beth Hansen. If only their first meeting hadn't gone so badly...
Beth's tending bar at a wedding when she comes face-to-face with a tuxedo-clad man she never thought she'd see again. She tries to keep her distance from Kevin but, by last call, she can't say no to his too-blue eyes or the invitation back to his room. Then she slips out before breakfast without leaving a note and, despite their precautions, pregnant.
Kevin quickly warms to the idea of being a dad and to seeing where things go with Beth. After all, he's not the player she thinks he is. But she's not ready for a relationship and, given his reputation, it's going to take a lot to convince her to go on a second date with the father of her child..."

I thought this was a sweet read. I really warmed up to Kevin, not so much to Beth. I did like the storyline, but I thought it dragged a bit in the middle.

Kevin and Beth got off on the wrong foot, which is a problem when you're having a baby together and therefore being around each other a lot. Kevin is a family guy through and through, his whole family is charming with their loud and friendly nature. I could see how the lot of them could be overwhelming to Beth, who is an only child.

Beth wanted to be independant from a very young age and never stays in the same place for too long. Always ready to pack up her stuff and get on the next bus when the mood strikes her. So having to settle down and do the sensible thing for her baby means a big change. She takes Kevin's urge to take care of her as overbearing and tries to push him away, because she's afraid to lean too much on him and then not being able to do it on her own again if he decides to leave.

Kevin has a hard time convincing her he's ready to be in a real relationship, with her. The constant stream of women leaving him their napkins with lipstick kisses on them, inviting him to spend the night, doesn't really help him win her over. But he's determined to keep trying.

I thought Kevin was really sweet, even though I found it a bit hard to believe he had baskets full of before mentioned napkins. He genuinely cared for Beth and thought she was beautiful even after she'd spent 3 sleepless nights looking after the baby.
Beth was harder for me to relate to. I get that she hates the women in the bar throwing themselves at Kevin, but she should have given him the benefit of the doubt in my opinion on discovering he hadn't acted upon it since they slept together the first time. I found her immediate refusal of anything that could possibly help her, provided by someone else, hard to believe. And I really felt sorry for Kevin at her constant refusal of him.

All in all, I did like the story, it was sweet and I loved the sensitive guy Kevin really was.
My rating: 3 stars