She’ll juggle your balls.For Stella Allesandro, chaos is good. She’s a rising star at a leading sports publicity firm. She’s known throughout the industry as the jock whisperer–the one who can tame the baddest of the bad boys in professional sports without losing her signature smile.But Cal Hartshorn is an entirely different kind of chaos.He’ll fix your broken heart.This former Army Ranger and … your broken heart.
This former Army Ranger and now-famous cardiothoracic surgeon fails at nothing…except talking to a woman he’s adored from afar. Whether on the battlefield or operating room, he’s exacting, precise, and efficient, but all of that crumbles when Stella is in sight.
Cal always knows–and gets–what he wants, and now he wants all of her. His forever girl.
But Stella isn’t convinced she’s anyone’s forever.
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The Girl
She’s the before girl but to him she’s THE Girl. It only takes forever for her to realize it.
This sexy, sweet, and frustrating as Hell story is perfect. I may even be into balls because of it. (Snickering like a 13 year old boy) With a fun and downright dirty sense of humor, it was hard not to be entertained. Just enough drama and love to keep the reader from being bored or quitting in frustration. Though there will be plenty of frustration!!!
I’m watching to see if we get a story about a certain dynamic duo too!
Cal was one of my favorite secondary characters from Nick and Erin’s book. In the hospital he is a brilliant surgeon although a bit of a curmudgeon. Enter Stella who brings out the sweet protective side of Cal that will make you fall in love with him. This was a sweet love story and I enjoyed the character cameos from past books!
Loved it!
I wanted to love this book, I really did. I love Kate Canterbary writing style and this book is no exception. I liked but didn’t love either character. The beginning started well, but then kinda went off the rails for me. Hummmm, I just don’t know.
Cal has been watching Stella everyday in the park. He wants to talk to her but not sure how to.
Stella loves sports and is very good at her job, which happens to be typically a male profession. She’s so busy with her job she doesn’t have time for a relationship until she meets Cal.
When Cal runs into her by mistake the romance starts. He becomes a tongue tied man that puts his foot in his month several times so to speak.
Can Cal change her mind about relationships? Is Stella everything Cal thought she was from afar? Can two busy career minded people make a relationship work?
Every story that Kate write just gets better & better I just can’t wait for her books. This one is no different, and with the appearance of the Walsh’s I was so excited they are diffidently my favorite family.
I feel like I waited forever for Before Girl. We get swoony Cal’s story here and it was worth it! Cal is such a great mix of dirty talking heart throb and blushing “school boy”. He FINALLY talks to his dream girl and she is everything he hoped. Poor Stella is so thrown by the attraction she acts completely out of character. I loved how she kept telling herself to fight it, but she really just went with it. And Stella’s family?? So funny.
This is my first book by this author. I’ve heard a lot of great things about her books so I’m really glad that I finally checked one out. I definitely like her writing style. Cal is all kinds of fun, he was cracking me up with his obsession over Stella. And hell yeah for Stella being a strong character. I’m for sure going to check out her other books.
Loved it….love Cal and Stella…such a great book!
I love, love LOVE Before Girl! Possibly my new favorite story by this author, but that’s hard to say because I think I feel that way after each new KC book I read!
Cal has wanted Stella from afar, he even asked her to marry him on their first meeting.
“Yes, I’ll marry you tonight.
Yes, you can name our babies whatever you want. But not Melvin, please. …
No, I don’t think any of this is moving too quickly.”
Kate Canterbary pens the absolute best “rumbly-grumbly”, rough, gruff, dirty talking heroes!! I completely melt into a puddle of goo just thinking about Cal!!
-5+ Stars!-
I’m starting to think Kate Canterbary might be my current favorite author. Everything she writes I devour and I become desperate for more. Before Girl is a new stand-alone about an ex-ranger turned hot doc and the woman he’s been lusting after since seeing her on his morning run.
He knows she’s perfect for him, she doesn’t think she’s perfect for anyone. Their story isn’t easy or smooth but it is perfection to me. They have to work for their love. Cal was the brooding hero I need and Stella was the strong-willed heroine I fell hard for.
Kate Canterbary’s writing is just plainperfection. It’s always so smart but still easy to read. Her stories feel like ones I’ve loved forever and still completely unique. I ‘ve become addicted to her and can’t wait for whatever she gives me next.
~m
4.5 stars for – Before Girl – by Kate Canterbary. This book features a character that we met a while back through the enigmatic Walsh family so while this one is a stand alone I highly recommend reading the entire Walsh family series for Kate’s signature style of sexy seduction mixed with witty humor and laugh out loud fun.
Cal Hartshorn, cardio-thoracic surgeon extraordinarie, has been the perpetually single friend of both Nick and Alex and is the only one bound and determined to get Stremmel to not be in such a crap mood all the time. Boston in January never gives anyone warm and fuzzy feelings but while coming around a corner while doing his morning jog the most gorgeous woman with curves in all the right places says good morning to him and she takes his breath away. Now Cal has a whole new reason to get up and run every morning with the hopes of talking to this beautiful woman again. For months rain or shine he is there, trying to work up the nerve to talk to her again until the day he literally runs right into her.
Stella Alessandro is living the single life doing what makes her happy except for the jogging. She only does that because she loves to eat desserts therefore she runs because she has to not because she wants to. Her job has her all over the country essentially babysitting adults that act like children but she loves what she does and makes a decent living while doing it. The last thing she ever expected was to run into a brick wall of a man while being chased by a killer raccoon. Not only does she wind up bruised and bleeding the shy, awkward man-brick is just so darn charming she insists on going for coffee with a side of more…
I love anything Kate Canterbury writes!
Oh my growly Man-Brick! How long I have waited and pined for you! And, you did not disappoint!
What surprised me was how much I loved Stella! I love a successful, confident working woman who knows what she wants and how to get it.
Kate makes you believe in love at first bite as her fantastic descriptive writing style makes you feel all those wonderful feels deep inside! The growly Man-Brick ready to claim his woman while patiently waiting for her to realize he is the one! The confident mature Woman who has no need for commitment. The wooing is off the charts.
Absolutely loved this one!!!
Stella Alessandro is happy with her well-planned life. She doesn’t suffer from a lack of male company when she wants it and they all know the score.
Cal Hartshorn can’t seem to get up the nerve to talk to the beauty he first saw months ago on the trail around the pond. Until an unfortunate incident throws them together, he is happy to observe her from afar.
I absolutely love this author’s words and her ability to bring her characters to life. Her words, her stories don’t fit within any boxes. Her heroines are self-sufficient and strong almost to a fault. The heroes in her stories are strong and confident enough to allow the heroines to discover themselves. I love that she allows them to rescue themselves.
This author never disappoints and I’m happy to add this book to her previously established greatness. I highly recommend this author and this story.
I really enjoyed Before Girl by Kate Canterbary!
Stella’s organized life comes to a screeching halt when a big grumbly bear of a man accidentally knocks her down when she stops suddenly out on the jogging trail.
Cal has been has not only been infatuated with her, but half way in love with her without ever having met her, but after their really uncomfortable introduction Cal slowly gets Stella to drop her extremely organized and scheduled lifestyle to take a chance on love by spending time with him.
I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.
Growly bitey perfection
I loved Cal Hartshorn from the first minute I met him. He knew exactly what he wanted and after his initial hesitation, he went for it. Balls to the wall, laser intense. Who wouldn’t swoon to have that focus on her? Stella, that’s who. Stella has her own agenda, and her own focus. She’s not sure where Cal fits into her complicated life, but she can’t seem to shake him.
Check out Manbrick and his Stel! I know you’ll love them as much as I did!
4.5 ‘Manbricking’ stars.
Before Girl by Kate Canterbary was a slow-burning, sweet sexy story with a smidgeon of angst which is to be expected as the main characters aren’t in their twenties. Cal Hartshorn is a forty-two year old cardiothoracic surgeon with a plethora of achievements to his name, not the least of which is being an ex-Army Ranger. This man has been to war zones, he’s taken bullet wounds to save lives but nothing has prepared him for Stella Allesandro.
Stella is a media consultant. She gets pro athletes out of any trouble they find themselves in, she can find the way out of anything.
But when she is tripped up by a man in the park, she has no idea what’s coming next.
Cal noticed Stella months ago and has been trying to think of a way to talk to her. Crashing into her was no in his game plan, but he’ll take it.
One coffee shop proposal later and these two are doing the dance of will he won’t he. Will she fall in love. Can Stella let go of the past and let the sweetest, sexiest ‘manbrick’ into her life?
Cal isn’t good at talking to women, he never has been, but with Stella it’s like he becomes a different man. He knows what he wants and after getting to know Stella, he knows how to get it. Until one text message he wasn’t meant to see changes everything.
Can Stella be the woman he needs nom that he’s the one clamming up or will she remain as what she feared she’d be. The one left behind when the guy found ‘the one’.
Will she stay the Before Girl?
Grab your copy today and find out.
Before Girl is one romance, I’m glad I didn’t miss. I swear everything that Kate writes is Gold.
Cal and Stella are from two different worlds. Stella is so used to her daily routines. Since that’s what she has control over. Never deviating from the path. That is until Cal comes bulldozing into her life. I understood Stella’s reluctance for the whole thing. Holding on to a past, that has hurt her, and she doesn’t want another repeat. But sometimes you have to let go and jump into something else that means so much more.
Cal had his mindset , and he wasn’t going to let anyone stop him. Though, the relationship isn’t without the bumps in the road. I loved this story. Cal is such a fantastic character, and I felt like he worshipped Stella on a level, that any woman would dream of. To have someone so wrapped up in them, that nothing else really mattered. That their mind was made up, and they took control. Stella, I did love her, she wasn’t your typical character. She had her quirks, and she had her own beliefs. She’s gotten this far in life with a successful career. It was also great seeing the characters from the other stories as well, make an appearance.
Before girl is full of heart, and lots of man brick steaminess. I was so wrapped up in this story, I paid no attention to anything around me and realized that my hand fell asleep from holding my kindle lol. What I love most about reading. I’m so thankful for Kate, and her words wrap themselves around you. These characters that you love, the stories that take hold of your heart. If you ever start reading her books, you’re never going to stop. And there’s nothing wrong about that.
Overall, Five Boundless Stars.
I love this book…
Stella is my hero. She owns herself, and her life.
Cal…grumbly. But fascinated with her.
Watching these two come together, and apart, and together…sigh. Although Cal may need a good smack upside the head.
Go forth and read this!!
5 Stars
Oh. My. Goshhhhhh! #ManBrick is finally here and it was soooooo worth the wait!!!
Ok so now I got that out of the way…
Before Girl is the all new INCREDIBLE novel by Kate Canterbary. I honestly don’t know how Ms. Canterbary does it. She exceeds all expectations. Every. Single. Time. This book was EVERYTHING. It was beautifully written packed full of emotions but still hot AF. Cal and Stella stole a piece of my heart and I know with 100% certainty that their story will stay with me for a long time to come. I know I will reread it over and over again.
So without giving anything away…Cal is a successful cardio thoracic surgeon. He is smart, good looking, and is the complete package. He has had his eyes set on the mystery walker for months. MONTHS!!! But he’s never gotten the guts to say anything to her. Until one day he literally bumps into her. From that moment on, Cal knows she’s the one. But he has his work cut out for him…
Stella is a successful sports publicist. She doesn’t do relationships, and at 35 years old, she isn’t about to change. So while on her morning walk this #manbrick literally knocks her over, confesses stalking her for months, and is completely awkward. She thinks keeping him at a distance will be a piece of cake. But Stella didn’t take into consideration how persistent Cal can be…
Before Girl completely blew me away! I swear I fell in love with both characters from the get-go. This book was so well written and the characters and their banter was PHENOMENAL! I swooned hardcore! I cannot wait to see what’s next for Ms. Canterbary!