The Cohen Cruise Line and Caliendo resort are merging. Emma Caliendo and her sister, Izzy, set sail on the maiden voyage to be two of the faces of this new resort venture. Izzy is up for fun in the sun, but Emma wants to steer clear of the Cohen men, who are nothing but a bunch of womanizers. She’s especially keen on avoiding Grayson Cohen.Grayson, a childhood acquaintance, is now an arrogant, … arrogant, self-centered ladies’ man whose face is plastered all over the cruise’s advertising campaign. Emma can’t seem to turn a corner without seeing his stupid, conceited face.
Nevertheless, when Grayson starts seeking her out, platonic badgering becomes sexual teasing and Emma discovers she’s not as repelled by Grayson as she thought. In fact, she can’t help but notice the real man beneath the haughty exterior.
Suddenly, a three-week cruise fling with a Cohen man is exactly what she desires, but will walking away from him when it’s all over be as easy as she’s convinced herself?
This book can be read as a stand alone, but for more enjoyment read them in the order of the series, as all the characters appear in future books.
Read the full BY THE LAKE SERIES:
MCADAMS SISTERS
BOOK 1: Lakeshore Secrets
BOOK 2: Lakeshore Legend
BOOK 3: Lakeshore Love
BOOK 4: Lakeshore Candy
BOOK 5: Lakeshore Lyrics
THE CALIENDO RESORT:
BOOK 1: Sunset Thunder
BOOK 2: Sunset Rivalry
BOOK 3: Sunset Sail
BOOK 4: Sunset Flare
BOOK 5: Sunset Shelter
more
I really enjoyed this “sort of” enemies to lovers story!
Emma is not a fan of Grayson. He’s a complete womanizer and she intends to ignore him completely on the cruise she’s been forced to attend as her family and his go into a merger. What she’s not prepared for is his witty nature and his warm charm or the way her heart and body react to him.
Grayson has a past that is steeped in deception. He will never give his heart to a woman. Yet, when the opportunity to have a friends-with-benefits cruise affair with Emma presents itself, he throws himself completely into it. As long as Emma doesn’t allow her feelings to get involved, everything will be fine and they will go their separate ways at the end of the cruise.
I totally understood Emma’s judgement of Grayson as that was the only persona he presented to the world. But I cheered as she began to open herself to the possibility that there was so much more to him than what was on the surface. Grayson had a lot, a LOT, to overcome and my heart hurt for him and for the sucky hand he had been dealt.
There’s a lot of family drama here along with some other woman drama as well. The writing has a very nice pace and it never felt bogged down. The steam factor is mild and is fade to black. Secondary characters shine and truly add to the total enjoyment of the story. I would have liked a nice epilogue but as the series continues I’m hoping we get a further glance at how this couple manage to make a relationship on land work for them.
Altogether, a very nice read that isn’t heavy with angst but has just enough to keep the story moving.
As one of the middle children in a family of six siblings, it’s easy for Emma to stay out of the spotlight and let the world see her as the nerdy, bookish, goody-two-shoes she willingly portrays, rather than a business woman in her family’s luxury resort. Grayson Cohen, of the Cohen Cruise Lines Cohen’s, is the guy with his face gracing billboards and a different woman on his arm each night. Dear arrogant, egotistical, shallow, playboy Grayson. Or maybe that’s the façade he shows to the world in order to keep safely hidden the broken hearted little boy who lost his mother when he was far too young.
Grayson and Emma have a love/hate relationship. He loves to needle her and get under her skin, and she hates to even give him the time of day unless it’s in the form of a verbal smack down to put him in his place. With the Caliendos and Cohens considering a business partnership and spending three weeks together at sea, Grayson and Emma will be in each other’s company far more than usual. But when Grayson allows himself to be friends with Emma, something he’s never done with anyone before, she has a way of sneaking inside and filling up his empty places.
I’ve said it before, soap operas and telenovelas have nothing on these Caliendos, and now we can include the Cohens in that statement, as well. It’s pretty much a given that any book that features the Calliendos will be a romping great read, but this one is a little heavier on heartfelt and a little lighter on shenanigans than the other books. Of course, anytime Izzy shows up, there are guaranteed outrageous comments that will have you laughing out loud, but there was just something about Grayson’s character that took this book to a deeper level.
It was quickly apparent there was something more to Grayson than what he portrayed to the world, and Emma was astute enough to see behind his mask. Emma was a fantastic character and I loved watching the journey to forever with these two. Yes, they had great chemistry, but they also brought out the best in each other. It wasn’t an easy journey, by any means, but Emma had a way of cutting through the betrayal and pain in Grayson’s past, confronting the demons head-on, and facilitating the healing Grayson and his family so desperately needed. The series wouldn’t be complete without Emma’s story, and I think this book with its humor, steam and boatload of heart is my favorite so far.
*I reviewed this book freely and voluntarily, having made no commitment to provide a review and receiving no compensation of any kind from any source for this review.
Emma gets dragged to the launch of the Caliendo and Cohen cruise lines so now she will have to deal with Grayson the womanizer. Ever since college he has hounded her and she has given it right back but as much as she insults him he loves it. When Emma’s sister Izzy dresses her for a dinner with the families Grayson can’t take his eyes off her but Emma is smart as much as she wants him she is not gonna be a notch on his bedpost. When they agree to be friends Grayson can’t believe how she makes him feel but he knows she deserves better than his love and leave relationships. They decide to just be friends but neither wants just that as they decide to do friends with benefits but old ghosts show themselves and Emma and Grayson will have to see how much they let them haunt their relationship. I love this story and how the families have their secrets and how they resolve them. I am really looking forward to the next in the series because you can’t not love this family.
Book 3 of the Caliendo family. Emma story. A wonderful light contemporary romance book. Emma is the quiet sweet sister, who is sent on a cruise for a merger between the Caliendo and Cohen family. With her sister izzy, friends Abby and Melissa there is always fun loving trouble following them. .looking forward to reading izzy’s book sunset flare.
“Walk away from me. Do it for yourself and find the man who says I love you back ……and means it.”
Grayson Cohen has it all, good looks, a sexy sinful behavior, a wealthy business and he can have all the women he wants.
Emma Caliendo is a quiet woman that shies away from the cameras and all the press surrounding her wealthy family; the Caliendo. She is simple, beautiful and stays away from complicated relationships.
They met thru their families but never been closed. Life always brought them together at family functions and galas but they looked at each other from afar until their family decided on a merger that would be beneficial on both side. Emma and Grayson have to work together for the press image but can they resist each other and keep a platonic friendly relationship or is their attraction too hard to resist..
Emma tries to play it cool but can she let loose and have meaningless fun for a few weeks?
Can Grayson get over his past and finally let himself open to something more in his life?
Shannyn Leah once again brought it all out in a wonderful story. I can’t put any of her books down; once I start one I have to keep going till the end.
Fun, Laughter, Love, Betrayals, Loyalty, Family, Friendship, Lies and Deceptions; bring it all !
What makes a man become a playboy, the king of one night stands? What can make him change & settle down with just one woman? Shannyn Leah gives you a story that answers those questions in Sunset Sail, book 3 in The Caliendo Resort. Emma Caliendo thinks she is the quiet, boring one of the family. After all, when she was in college & tutored Grayson Cohen, he really didn’t try to do more than flirt. The Caliendo & Cohen families were working on a deal that would involve the Cohen cruise ships & the Caliendo resorts. To announce it, a journalist & a photographer are going to be on the same cruise that Emma & Izzy & two friends are going to be on. They are looking to interview both families.
Grayson Cohen has always been attracted to Emma Caliendo but doesn’t think she’ll agree to his terms. He doesn’t feel he deserves happiness or an HEA after he lost his mother when he was younger. He refused to leave with her after his parents fought & before they could talk about it, she died. After that, his father changed & slept with everything in skirts. Grayson is following in his steps. After marrying someone while drunk, Grayson caught her sleeping with his dad. Now he doesn’t trust any female. So what’s so different about Emma? Why does she get under his skin?
Even though this book is book 3 in the series, I really feel it could be read as a stand alone. Each book seems to give you enough background to figure out the players & the story. Emma comes across as quiet & retiring but once she knows you, she’s anything but. Her personality comes across as sweet but she is more than that. Her interactions are fun, reading, flirty, sarcastic & funny. Grayson was easy to dislike in the beginning. He seemed full of himself & arrogant. After a while you see that the attitude is due to his hurt & distrust. I really enjoyed watching him realize that he deserved to be happy too & that Emma could be trusted. I can’t wait to see what the next book brings.