Flirting with Disaster

Camelot #3

by Ruthie Knox

In the latest eBook original novel in Ruthie Knox’s scorching-hot Camelot series, a no-strings fling looks an awful lot like falling in love—or flirting with disaster.

Fresh out of a fiasco of a marriage, Katie Clark has retreated to her hometown to start over. The new Katie is sophisticated, cavalier, and hell-bent on kicking butt at her job in her brother’s security firm. But on her first assignment—digging up the truth about the stalker threatening a world-famous singer-songwriter—Katie must endure the silent treatment from a stern but sexy partner who doesn’t want her help . . . or her company.

Sean Owens knows that if he opens his mouth around Katie, she’ll instantly remember him as the geeky kid who sat behind her in high school. Silence is golden, but he can’t keep quiet forever, not with Katie stampeding through their investigation. It’s time for Sean to step up and take control of the case, and his decade-old crush. If he can break through Katie’s newfound independence, they just might find they make a perfect team—on the road, on the job, and in bed.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: How to Misbehave, Along Came Trouble, and About Last Night.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Adult, Erotica, Fiction, Humor

448 pages, Kindle Edition

First published June 10, 2013

About the author

Ruthie Knox is the critically acclaimed, New York Times bestselling author of more than a dozen novels. She writes both mystery and romance, usually with co-author Annie Mare. You can find Ruthie's books under the pen names Ruthie Knox (mystery and het romance), Mae Marvel (queer romance), and Robin York (New Adult romance). Ruthie and Annie are married and live with two teenagers, two dogs, multiple fish, two glorious cats, four hermit crabs, and a bazillion plants in a very old house with a garden.

Reviews

[Navessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Stands*

*Shuffles feet*

*Glances up*

*Opens mouth*

*Blurts*

“I LOVE ROMANCE NOVELS!!!”

There, I’ve said it. There’s no taking it back now. I love them and I’ll never give them up even if most of them drive me batshit crazy because every now and then I stumble across one like this and it makes all the ones I hated totally worth it.

What can I say? I have a lot of pet peeves. I hate drama-for-drama’s sake, get ragey when there are innumerable miscommunications that could have been avoided if the characters had simply spoken to each other and don’t even get me started on what petty jealousy does to my facial expressions.

This book was decidedly free of all those overused tropes. Everybody say it with me:

“HALLE-FUCKING-LUJAH!”

Glancing at the cover, you can probably figure out that there’s some schmexy in this. There is. Oh boy, there is. These characters have fantastic chemistry. What the cover doesn’t tell you that this book is gut-busting funny at times. Just look at my updates for a few examples. Katie, our female lead, tends to overshare when she’s nervous. It was her internal monologue that really had me cracking up though.

Not only is she funny but she’s able to recognize her faults and wants to fix them, not for a man, not for anybody else but for…wait for it…HERSELF. How refreshing! You see, Katie has been a doormat. She’s a helper, a fixer, she sees a pity case or a problem and she just has to get involved. The man she was with took complete advantage of this and then dropped her. So now she’s moved back home and is trying to pick up the pieces and make some changes in her life. She’s working for her brother’s security firm as an office manager and wants to test her skills in the field. That opportunity comes along with a partner.

Enter Sean, the leading man. He is leg-humping attractive. And not just physically. Dude is a hacker. With a stutter.

NERD LUST: ACTIVATED

Don’t even think about crushing on him because Angela, Sarah and I already have a Sean Sharing Schedule worked out and there’s no room left in it for any of you interlopers.

Katie has always been a weakness for OUR MAN and she brings the stutter he thought he’d left in his youth bubbling back up, so instead of speaking to her and embarrassing himself (awwwww), he remains silent. She takes it the wrong way. At first.

Here’s part of why I loved this book so much. Where a lot of other authors would draw out this drama, Knox didn’t and this theme is repeated throughout. Because Katie isn’t a moron she quickly realizes that there’s more to Sean’s silent treatment than the dislike she’s subscribed it to and together they work out a way to communicate until he can bring himself to speak to the girl he’s had a crush on since high school.

Though a lot of this book involves their interactions, there’s a side character that takes up a portion of it as well; Judah Pratt, aging music icon and the man they’ve been assigned to protect. I didn’t really like him all that much at first but he really grew on me as the story progressed and I was continuously curious as to what he was keeping from our MCs until the big reveal nearly 3/4 of the way through. I really liked how much the book focused on their assignment and the mystery surrounding the threats Judah was receiving.

One of the main reasons I enjoyed this book as much as I did was the realism. One of my closest cousins has a stutter and reading about Sean and his difficulties, specifically the words he gets hung up on and the ways he distracts himself away from his speech to make it easier, felt incredibly accurate to me and well researched. Not only that, but his hacks were detailed as well. There wasn’t much glossing over of his computer wizardry. The obsession with cracking codes, the descriptions of his methods and his ideas about hacks related to their case rang true.

Both Katie and Sean’s problems also felt real, not only as individuals but as two people struggling to figure out their feelings for each other and what exactly those feelings meant. I loved the character progression in these two, especially Katie. It’s so nice to read about a female lead that can recognize when she’s being silly, overly emotional or is falling into old, unhealthy patterns and can also put a stop to these things.

This book was such a breath of fresh air for me on so many levels and I’m so happy that I picked it up after seeing the above-mentioned Sarah’s review. If you’re looking for a romance novel that stands out from the pack in a great way, I highly recommend this one.

[Lana ❇✾DG Romance❇✾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sean was supposed to be good at solving probles, but he did't have the first fucking clue what to do about Katie.

He was so different from what she'd thought a week ago, and a hundred times more dangerous. Because she could fall for him. If she wasn't careful, she would fall for him.


How, how on earth have I not found this author before?! If you have yet to read a book that is written by the pure awesome that is Ruthie Knox, you are seriously missing out. Now I know, I know, right now you're probably thinking...

It can't be THAT good. But it is, it honestly is.
This was the first book I've read in this series, and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series now. It is easily read as a standalone, though.

It was a fantastic combination of story telling, fantastic characterization, steam, humor, and incredible characters.

Katie is recently divorced, after her highschool sweetheart left her high and dry. Reeling from the fiasco that was her marriage, Katie comes back from Alaska to her hometown of Camelot to start over.
She is now an all new Katie. She's a risk-taking Katie, a sophisticated "Parisian Katie", and she wants to be an Agent Katie at her brother's security firm. She sees her chance when famous and sexy singer, Judah wants her. Though secretive as to why he wants to hire her, the stalker that is threatening Judah is very much evident.

Her brother allows her to be part of the team, but with a slight caveat; he wants Sean to be her partner.

Now Sean...

Oops...sorry, that just seems to be a reflex for when I read his name...moving along...

So as I was saying, Sean...

GAH! Concentrate...have to concentrate!

Sean was so different from so many of the domineering, possessive alpha males that I have read about lately. Though Katie does nickname him "Granite Man".

Katie thinks that Sean absolutely hates her, I mean the man refuses to utter a word to her. What else can that mean, right? Little does Katie know that Sean has had a crush on her since he was a geeky and quiet little high school kid.

He could hardly tell her he'd memorized her in high school. That he'd known all the colors of her nail polish, her favorite clothes, and the names of her friends.
He could hardly tell her she'd worn the sweater she had on today to the office two weeks ago, and her silver necklace had shown up in September and quickly become a favorite. He couldn't help it. He noticed things. He noticed her.

And even though he is now successful and grown, he finds that Katie still leaves him at a loss for words (though there is another reason for it, that I won't mention since I don't want to spoil anything.

When they are stuck alone together working on an investigation, they have no choice but to start talking to one another. Soon Katie begins to see that Sean is not quite the man she thought he was. He is so much more. One night while they are snowed in their car, the passion between them finally comes to the surface.


Sean was such an endearing hero. He wan't perfect, and you couldn't help but just completely fall for him.

Katie was such a fantastic heroine as well. I love her quirkiness and humor. Her internal monologue had me giggling all through the book.

Did it make her a complete pervert, that hearing Sean geek out about computer stuff was turning her on?
Probably.
Did she officially have a candy-apple-red girl crush on her partner?
Yes. Yes, she did.
Way to go, Smarticus. VeryLa Femme Nikita of you.

The interaction between her and Sean never failed to leave a smile on my face.

"You were the kind of girl who punched the boys you really liked, weren't you?"
"I kicked Jeff Myers in the shins all the time during recess. He never understood."
"That explains why my scalp hurts."
"Your scalp?"
"You pulled my hair. Bit me, too. I think you might love me."
"Did I? I'm sorry. I didn't even realize. I was too busy getting screwed so hard, I lost all sense of reality."

And the steam factor in this book? SCORCHING, set your panties on fire HOT!

"Don't make me come again," she said. "I want you with me."
"Next time. This time, I get to watch." His voice in her ear was so low and growly, his hands between her legs so masterful, she gave in and let the orgasm rip through her, one tight, titanic wave that left her trembling when it receded.
As promised, he watched her, his deep blue irises glittering with possessive satisfaction.
"Holy shit," she said.
"Mmm," he replied.
Then he started all over again.

The relationship between them developed with each steamy encounter.


We also get the POV of Judah, though it was minor, and never took away from the story, only added to it. The suspense part was entertaining till the very end. I think I truly loved everything about this book. I could not recommend it enough.

**ARC provided by publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review**

For more reviews visit: Dirty Girl Romance Book Blog

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Stars! Slow on the uptake, but then it came on strong in the end!

Each book in the series has a unique feel to it, and this one gives us a hero who thinks he’s not worthy of the girl of his dreams, because of his speech impediment. Sean stutters, and when his past comes back to haunt him, he has a hard time controlling his speech. Katie wants Sean, and as far as she’s concerned, he’s perfect, now all she has to do is convince him of that!

I will admit it took me a while to get into the story and to connect to the characters. I think it had to do with Sean’s lack of dialogue early on, due to him being self-conscious of his stuttering were Katie was concerned. She was a trigger for him, he associated her with Camelot, his disturbing childhood, and it would cause him to stutter uncontrollably. Once he realizes that his speech doesn’t matter to her and they begin to interact, then the story took off.

The suspense part of the story, Judah and his stalker, didn’t do much for me, however I did like Judah and felt for him and all his struggles. What I enjoyed most about this book was the journey that Katie and Sean took together, opening up to each other about their pasts, and acting on the attraction they had for each other. Katie was the rock that Sean needed to confront his past, and he allowed her to finally become her own person, not living someone else’s dream.

I really enjoyed the ending, the compromise and sacrifice that each of them made for each other. Also seeing all the other characters from the previous books, was a nice little extra!

[UniquelyMoi ~ BlithelyBookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny, charming, romantic, sexy... Ruthie Knox is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors in contemporary romance! I absolutely love Sean. So smart. So sexy. So solid. And yet, soooo vulnerable. Yep, I adore him! And Katie is a great match for Sean. She gives him the drive to step up and take charge and I love it! Apart they're awesome, together they're perfect!

Great characters, great story. Poignant in some places, witty in others. Such a wonderful, feel good read!

ARC provided by the publisher, Loveswept, via Netgalley.

[Sam I AMNreader · Rating 3 out of 5]

RTC. Maybe. I'll just say Ruthie Knox goodness for now 3.5, rounded down for now

[Duchess Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

She'd developed a geek fetish. Next thing she knew, he'd pull out a graphing calculator, and she'd faint from lust."

Yeah, I loved Sean. He's a computer nerd...suddenly rich because his hacking skills led him to a very lucrative career in computer security, he's quite the catch to begin with. Add in the fact that he grew up painfully shy due to an extreme stutter and a massive crush on the younger, beautiful Katie. What's crazy is that Katie never even knew. She sees Sean as a big, good looking, silently disapproving jerk. She thinks he doesn't like her because he won't talk to her. He'll talk to everyone AROUND her, but never to her.

"Sean took everything in stride. The man had the emotional range of a boulder."

What's really going on is that Sean had learned to conquer that stutter as he became more confident in himself. But being around Katie again after living in California for years and running his own business has brought him back in time, and brought back all of his insecurities. Sean knows of Katie's young marriage to the popular kid in high school. What he didn't realize, and is now learning, is how bad of a marriage that was and how strong Katie is for coming through it with her cheerful demeanor.

"Balls. Katie had balls
She went through life with her heart on her sleeve, saying what she meant, telling people how she felt, what she wanted, what she needed, and she got slapped for it. But she didn't let it set her back."

When the two are thrown together on a job working security for a famous singer, their close proximity forces them to work out some of their issues...on each other. And sparks do fly!! Ruthie Knox is great at sexual tension and explosive chemistry.

"He picked her up. Picked her up and carried her, as if she were Scarlett O'Hara and he were Rhett Butler, if Rhett had been the kind of guy to go down on Scarlett in a doorway. Which, let's be honest, he probably was."

One of my favorite parts about Ruthie Knox' writing is that she's un-apologetically normal. Her heroines are goofballs sometimes, prideful sometimes, and they can get on my nerves just like I get on my own nerves. But there's nothing mean spirited or obnoxious about their actions. They're so likeable.

"Pointless tears welled up in her eyes, and she lifted one hand to dismiss them and lost her Grip on the frame. It slipped from her fingers. The corner stabbed into the top of her foot before flopping over onto the carpeted floor.
"Mother fucker!" Katie lifted her injured foot to cradle it in her hands. She lost her balance, hopped a few times and came down on her butt, her fall cushioned by the scraping of her back against the edge of the couch." (Gosh, this is so me!)

My biggest complaint about this story is how the ex never factors into the story. He's mentioned but there's no resolution there. I hate when no justice is served.

Still, a great story with a fantastic set of secondary characteristics and the perfect amount of drama. Nothing over the top, great hot sex but not too much, and I'm officially a fan of this author!

[Jaime Arkin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm pretty much convinced at this point that Ruthie Knox can do no wrong.

She is absolutely one of my all-time favorite contemporary romance authors and for good reason.

In Flirting with Disaster, the third book in the Camelot series, we get Katie's story. She's just finalized a disaster of a marriage and is starting over again, working for her brother's security company. Unsure what she wants to do in her life, she's spent the majority of it taking care of others ... from her ex Levi to her family and friends, she's always giving giving giving.

Katie is determined to become the best her possible, and so when the opportunity arrives for her to take on her first assignment she jumps. Only she has to work with Sean Owens. He's very much the strong silent type ... at least with her. His refusal to talk to her irks her and she is convinced he hates her.

Which couldn't be further from the truth.

Going on this job with Katie was a mistake if you ask Sean. He can't even get up the nerve to talk with her. Not because he's shy... or because he's had a crush on her since high school (which he has) but because he finds himself reverting back to the old Sean... the one who has a speech impediment and isn't perfect.

He finds himself not only fighting back the memories that Camelot has brought back, but his rising feelings for this woman who has stampeded back into his life... all while trying to solve a mysterious case.

I loved loved loved these two. I wasn't sure I would. I mean, I was frustrated with Sean in the beginning, but holy man did he reach in and grab hold of my heart. I think my new favorite hero might be the strong, silent, stuttering, geeky type.

And Katie was wonderful as well. You guys know me by now... it's hard for me to 100% like a heroine, but I think Katie completely won me over. I loved her determination to make something of herself and to not completely fall apart when something went wrong.

The chemistry was wonderfully written, as always, and the story and plot had me turning pages. While romance definitely has a formula, Ruthie has a way of writing it in a fresh and wonderful way, making everything an interesting read.

Ruthie never disappoints and Flirting with Disaster is no exception to that statement. Definitely pick this one up when it comes out in June!

Thank you to Random House and Netgalley for the advance copy for review.

This review can be found on my blog, Fic Fare:

[Paula · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie Clark is newly divorced after her ex-husband leaves her high and dry without any money. She’s moved home to Camelot and now lives with her brother, Caleb. Slowly after the divorce, she’s starting to get her life back together. Caleb has been a good support system for Katie by helping get physically fit and emotionally happy again. He also gives Katie a job at his security company working as an office manager. Now Katie wants to prove to her brother that she can be a field agent after a famous musician asks Katie, specifically, to work his case. Since Katie is still learning the ropes, Caleb teams her up with Sean Owens – which is a bad idea since he refuses to talk to Katie. She can’t figure out if the glowering, silent hottie hates her or not since he won’t talk to her and that drives Katie nuts. A decade of being a nurturing, dependent, people pleasing doormat for people, especially her husband, has left Katie feeling like she needs to turn over a new leaf and find her independence again. So, she is not going to let Sean’s silence get to her. She’s got things to prove and independence to find. She’s ready to take this job and, if she has to, take on Sean.

Sean has returned to Camelot to handle his mother’s estate. When he left he was a stuttering, insecure, nerdy kid who could hack into people’s personal data. Now he’s a ruthless, talented, smart businessman who owns his own company that specializes in securing computer personal data. He’s still a computer geek, but a sexy one. After leaving Camelot years ago, he’s never been back until now. Taking care of his mother’s estate shouldn’t take long, but Sean has found himself emotionally unable to leave. His issues have kept him in Camelot, stuck in his mother’s house, not knowing how to move on. It’s time for Sean to deal with the emotional baggage he buried years ago. Being forced to work with Katie, the girl of his dreams, turns him into a stuttering mess. But, while around his own employees or other people, like Caleb, he’s more focused and confident and the stuttering remains under control.

There is something about Katie that makes Sean lose all control. Sean has been infatuated with Katie since high school and, even after all these years, his feelings for never went away. Sean does eventually talk to Katie, and when his stutter is revealed to her, she barely acknowledged it. She doesn’t pity him for his stutter. Katie is a genuine, nice person who sees beyond people’s flaws--being that she’s a flawed person herself. It was fun to watch the relationship between these two develop. I especially like watching Katie fall for the sexy, stuttering, computer geek…

“She developed a geek fetish. Next thing she knew, he’s pull out a graphing calculator, and she’d faint from lust.”

The chemistry between Katie and Sean is ridiculously sexy. Sean does his best to stay away from Katie, knowing he will be going home soon. He doesn’t want to hurt her. But Katie decided to boldly proposition him. While he does say no, at first, he eventually gives in to the pent up desire and passion he’s had for Katie all these years. And Sean definitely does not hold back showing her the kind of dirty talking, domineering man he can be.

“Nice?” he said fiercely. “Nice is a lemonade stand.” He withdrew and thrust deep. “Nice is a picnic on the lawn. This is not—nice. You are not a nice woman. You are fucking—sstupefying.”

In addition to Katie and Sean’s story, Ruthie Knox also creates another story with the rock star, Judah Pratt. Judah’s story is what brought Katie and Sean together to begin with. Judah hired Katie and Sean to find out who is sending him threatening letters, but there is more to the story than Judah lets on. As the story progresses, we learn who the man is behind the celebrity heart throb. Judah has secrets and it’s up to Sean and Katie to uncover the mystery that surrounds Judah.

While Flirting with Disaster isn’t my favorite in the series, it’s still an excellent read that I would recommend. I started out concerned I wouldn’t like Katie. In the beginning of the story, I thought she acted a little too immature and silly but I quickly got over how I felt as I got to know her. It was worth seeing her go through her many phases as she discovers who she is. Also, I really didn’t care to read from Judah’s POV. Not only did it throw me off when I began reading his part, I’m not even sure I ever warmed up to reading from his POV. But his part does play an integral role to the story, so I can see why it was important.

Hot, funny, romantic, sexy, flirty, and dirty… the Camelot Series by Ruthie Knox has been a ton of fun to read. And Flirting with Disaster, the last book in the series, is no exception. I can’t help but be sad it’s over. *sniffles* However, I’m looking forward to seeing what Ruthie Knox comes up with next. I will continue to read Ruthie’s books because I love how she always writes highly flawed and relatable characters. Her stories are always well-developed and engaging. One of the best parts of her stories is that there are always at least three very sexy scenes in each of her books. Who doesn’t love their sexy times? I know, I do!

Rating: B
Heat: Hot


-- A Romantic Book Affairs Review


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[Mandi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Favorite Quote: He picked her up. Picked her up and carried her, as if she were Scarlett O’Hara and he were Rhett Butler, if Rhett had been the kind of guy to go down on Scarlett in a doorway. Which, let’s be honest, he probably was.

When I heard the hero in this book had a stutter, I got excited. What is it about a stuttering hero that makes me so giddy? I’m not sure but Ruthie Knox gives us an adorable hero in this book. He is a super smart guy who owns his own start-up internet security firm but comes back to his hometown of Camelot, Ohio after his mother dies. Sean grew up with a mother who he hated. She didn’t abuse Sean but he didn’t have it easy. He had an extremely bad stutter growing up, and didn’t get the therapy he needed for it. It wasn’t until a young adult that he found his way to a speech therapist who totally changed his life. Instead of always being silent, he found his voice and his confidence. After moving to California to start his company, the stutter became a thing of the past. While in California he forgot all about Camelot, including his mother. But then she dies, and he comes home for her funeral and to her house that was basically a shrine to him. Memories come crashing back, along with guilt and his stutter. While sorting out his affairs and on leave from California, he takes a job with his friend Caleb at his local security firm, which is how he meets Caleb’s sister Katie – the girl he was once in love with.

Katie and Sean went to high school together. Sean had a huge crush on her, but due to his stutter, could never approach her. Now as an adult, every time he is around her, his stutter comes raging back. It frustrates him to no end – so instead of talking to her, he broodingly stares at her, and now Katie thinks he hates her. Katie wants more responsibility in the company, so her brother sends Katie and Sean out of town to meet with a rock star who has been receiving threatening letters hoping the two of them can get to the bottom of the mystery. This also means, Sean is going to have to talk to Katie, something he is not sure he can do.

Oh the adorableness of this book. Sean is so damn sexy. He is a big, sexy, smart guy, who has such a vulnerable side. I think Katie describes him as the the “World’s Manliest Geek.” Is there anything better? His frustration at not being about to speak around Katie is portrayed so well. And her frustration at him just staring at her confuses the hell out of her. She truly thinks he hates her. This slow sexual tension starts to build between them, even before Sean can mutter a word.

“What?” she asked him. “What did I do?”

She didn’t mean regarding the case. She wasn’t entirely sure what she meant, except maybe that she couldn’t have ignited that look in his eyes with one hand on his knee. It was impossible. As though she’d wandered into opposite land.

He loomed over her. He was a looming sort of man, taller than her, bigger in every dimension. She could smell him, warm skin and dark beer, and when she breathed in that smell it went places in her body she’d never invited it.

Secret, smoky, yearning places.

Sean leaned closer, until his mouth was close to her ear and his own palm was braced on the bed right beside her hip, so his forearm pressed against her side almost all the way to her waist.

So much contact, when before today there’d been a black hole between them.

“Nothing,” he whispered.

The way he said the word – as if it were in a foreign language, or he were reading it off a card. Delivering it to her. She shuddered.

I also really adored the fact that Katie falls for Sean and comes right out with it. And while he denies her at first, and she is humiliated, she acts mature about it. Of course, they can’t stay away from each other for long, and I love their relationship. It’s sweet and endearing…and just a little dirty.

Also playing a big part in this book is Jonah, the rock star (or once a rock start hoping for a comeback) who has a lot of issues of his own. Sometimes during his scenes I was antsy to get back to Sean and Katie. We learn a lot about Judah and I didn’t dislike him, but I didn’t need all the stuff about him. His part in this story was just okay for me and sometimes felt drawn out. Thankfully, Sean and Katie steal the show.

Rating: B

[Feminista · Rating 3 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5 out of 5.

I compare every Ruthie Know book with her "About Last Night" novel. It blew my mind, it was amazing.

Consequently, while I liked this novel, it didn't hit the same amount of amazing that ALN did.

Sean Owens, CEO of a successful company, finds himself stuttering when he sees the girl he was in love with in high school. Katie Clark, just out of a marriage, does not understand why Sean is ignoring her and refusing to talk to her.

Sean was a sweet hero. I loved his stuttering and I loved the fact that the author did not shy away from it.

There was a bit of suspense in the novel, with regards to a musician called Judah and the threats he has been receiving.

Overall, it was a satisfying read.

ARC Courtesy of Random House Publishing Group and NetGalley.

[figuranta❤️addicted❤️to❤️books❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Heartbreaking Stars

Review posted at: http://romanceisoursecretpleasure.blo...

Full review now posted



Blurb

In the latest eBook original novel in Ruthie Knox’s scorching-hot Camelot series, a no-strings fling looks an awful lot like falling in love—or flirting with disaster.

Fresh out of a fiasco of a marriage, Katie Clark has retreated to her hometown to start over. The new Katie is sophisticated, cavalier, and hell-bent on kicking butt at her job in her brother’s security firm. But on her first assignment—digging up the truth about the stalker threatening a world-famous singer-songwriter—Katie must endure the silent treatment from a stern but sexy partner who doesn’t want her help . . . or her company.

Sean Owens knows that if he opens his mouth around Katie, she’ll instantly remember him as the geeky kid who sat behind her in high school. Silence is golden, but he can’t keep quiet forever, not with Katie stampeding through their investigation. It’s time for Sean to step up and take control of the case, and his decade-old crush. If he can break through Katie’s newfound independence, they just might find they make a perfect team—on the road, on the job, and in bed.

Includes a special message from the editor, as well as excerpts from these Loveswept titles: How to Misbehave, Along Came Trouble, and About Last Night.


My thoughts

Amazing, Sweet and Heartbreaking

Flirting With Disaster Is the 3 book in the Camelot Series and in my opinion the best book of this series.

I don't want to spoil the pleasure of reading this book so i will keep this review sweet and short.

I really really liked this book, an amazing and emotional story, awesome plot, hilarious,but most important so damn well written.
I absolutely loved Katie and Sean, the way they behave with each other at work and later on as a couple. I liked Sean imperfection and by that i mean his stutter.

It's so refreshing to read a book when the hero is not the perfect alpha male. I loved that. He looks so sure of himself but not many people knows how hard is for him to hide his imperfection and in special to hide them from Katie.

Katie it's an amazing heroine, beautiful, sweet, kind and sexy. I loved her in special the way she stands by Sean after she finds out about his stutter and how hard his childhood was with a sick mother who treat him so bad and who never truly cared about him. It was almost heartbreaking at some points to read about Sean and how hard was for him to deal with everything.

From the first page when i started to read this book i connected with the characters and i felt they connection and chemistry.
The books in this series just get's better and better and i can't wait to read the next book in this series.

This books is a must read and you won't regret it if you choose to do so.

Thank you Ruthie Knox for creating such an amazing book.


ARC courtesy to Random House Publishing Group via NetGalley

[Jen · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 Rounding Up Stars

Katie Clark has come home to Camelot, OH with one goal…to finally get her life on track. She’s spent the past decade putting her dreams aside and working to put her husband through school, then working to get their business up and running. Now divorced and broke thanks to her prince of an ex, she finds herself working for her brother’s security firm and hoping she’s finally found something she can excel at. Sean Owens spent the better part of his high school years worshipping Katie from afar but never really talking to her. Growing up Sean had what can only be described as a severe stutter and as a result kept mostly to himself. He’s worked hard to overcome his obstacles and has made a successful life for himself in California. Back in Camelot to deal with his deceased Mother’s estate, he takes a temporary job with Camelot Security and finds himself working alongside his high school crush.

If I were rating this book solely on the story alone this would probably be a three star read for me. It was a little slow at times and the reason Katie and Sean were thrown together, and the subsequent storyline, didn’t really knock my socks off. They were supposed to be investigating threats being made against a famous musician, but that kind of fizzled out and turned into something else entirely different. Katie and Sean don’t actually talk a whole lot until about the Thirty percent mark because Katie has a way of bringing out the stutter in Sean and he’s embarrassed to speak to her. I never really got why these two fell for each other. The sex was hot and everything else seemed pleasant enough, but there was just something missing between them.

So why the 4 star rating? I love the way Ruthie Knox writes! The dialogue never seems unnatural and the characters sound like people I’d actually like to have a conversation with. Nothing’s too formal or stunted, which is a huge pet peeve of mine. When you’re reading the characters should sound like people, not robots. Ruthie Knox writes some truly excellent inner monologues and she had me laughing more than once.

He really needed to stop calling her “sexy,” because they were not on television, and it was not 1978, and he did not have a mustache and a giant pelt of curly chest hair.

Aint that the truth! So while the story did drag a bit at times, the book kept me entertained and I had a good time reading it. I’ve enjoyed every book I’ve read from Ms. Knox and I look forward to checking out her future stories.

ARC provided from the Publisher via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review

[Saly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ruthie Knox has quite quickly I must admit become an author whose books I look forward too. Her books are not just sexy but also features characters that are layered and complex and that make you wanna keep turning the pages.

Flirting with Disaster, the third book in the Camelot series is another excellent book by Ruthie. The book features the youngest Camelot sibling Katie, who spent her life pleasing others and what that got her was a husband, whose dreams she worked for and who took off, leaving her behind.
So, she came back home, having not told anyone that she was married to her high school boyfriend, but now she is newly divorced and working for her brother's security company, off on her first assignment as a field agent and ready to start having sex again, so what if her target is a rock-star and that she is partnered with Sean, a guy she knows from high-school and who seems to dislike her so much so that he has never spoken a word to her. Nothing is going to stop Katie from living her life again.

Sean left Camelot long ago never looking back. He found success and help to overcome his stuttering but then his mom died and a visit to sort out her things has turned into months and a leave of absence from his company. In the meanwhile he is working with Caleb to occupy his time. Katie is a reminder of the crush he had on her when he was a teenager and suffering with stuttering, even now he can't talk to her, because he would stutter and that is embarrassing to him.

Wow, first off Sean was great. He was raised by a narcissist mother who never treated his stuttering seriously so much so that by the time he came to Camelot he had stopped talking all together in many ways. He took the courage to break free and never look back but when his mom dies and he comes back, he become paralyzed by guilt, anger and so many other emotions. That he is attracted to Katie is obvious but he doesn't want to take advantage of Katie, she has been hurt enough and he has a company to get back to.

I loved how Sean gradually revealed himself to Katie. At first Katie thinks, he is rude and hates her, then she learns about his stuttering, his mother and they grow closer. I loved the romance and the characters. Katie was great and what I loved was that this time she was not willing to keep herself second.

All in all I will fully recommend the book. It features an extremely hot hero who stutters and a heroine who wants to put herself first.

ARC provided by the publisher through Netgalley.

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so much fun to read! Katie's a woman I found it so easy to relate to - she wasn't quite sure what she wanted out of life, or even who she wanted to be; she just knew that she needed more than what she'd had. So Katie pushed herself, trying new things, being 'her best self' and attempting to change her life by changing her attitude towards it. It was really refreshing to read about a heroine that knew she had to start with herself in order to make herself happy. When she gets paired up with Sean she can't figure out why he hates her so much - enough that he won't even speak to her. Her memories from school are fond, so what happened. Katie's got some of the same insecurities as nearly every female I've ever talked to. The nice thing was that she didn't let them own her, at least not for long. Her previous history had allowed her to learn to deal with what she was feeling, get past it, and make the best of nearly any situation.

Sean doesn't hate Katie, but he won't talk around her anyway. He worked years to get past the stutter that haunted him throughout school. Ten minutes around Katie though, and it's back and getting worse. He can't stand the thought of letting her hear him unable to control his own words. When he finally has to talk, it sets up some of the sexiest chemistry I've read about in a good long while. Plus, Sean's a geek, a hacker, and smart as all hell. He has Star Wars posters in his old room at home, disappears into his hacking and programming for days on end, and loves to solve real-world puzzles. I could not get enough of Sean! He makes a few mistakes with Katie, but he makes up for them so beautifully.

We first see a glimpse of Sean, and Katie, in Along Came Trouble. Sean's taken a temporary job for Caleb's security while he's home to deal with his mother's estate. Camelot's not a happy place for him, memories attempt to suffocate while he's there, so he spends as much time as possible avoiding what needs to be done and distracting himself with the work...and Katie.

Katie and Sean are perfect for each other. They, as corny as it sounds, complete each other. And I really loved the idea of the high-school geek ending up with his crush. I couldn't stop myself from grinning throughout this whole book. As they spend more time with each other, things really heat up and I have to say...Ruthie Knox writes some of the best sex scenes I've read. Not only are they sexy, but the emotions of the characters come through really well.

There's a minor mystery going on in this book, and while I felt it was interesting enough to drive the story along - mainly in bringing Katie and Sean together and making them interact - it wasn't the focus of the book. That was Katie and Sean's relationship and how they were going to make it work; if they were going to make it work.

I could gush about this book forever, but it's going to devolve into this: READ THIS BOOK! Go on now, pick it up. I'd be willing to bet you won't regret it.


Previous Thoughts: I waffled between 4.5 and 5 stars, but I really loved this book. There wasn't one moment of the book that I didn't love.

Fantastic, fun, and incredibly sexy.

Full review to come shortly.

[Crista · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review posted at: Swept Away By Romance

4 Stars!

Flirting With Disaster is the latest book in Ruthie Knox’s incredible Camelot series, and in this book, Katie Clark and Sean Owens get their chance at love.

Sean Owens is a computer hacking entrepreneur who’s come home to Camelot following the death of his mother. Caleb Clark (Katie’s brother from Along Came Trouble) hires Sean to work for his security company. Sean not only sees this as an opportunity to pass the time in Camelot, but also as a chance to get close to Katie Clark (whom he’s had a crush on since high school). Katie also works for Caleb’s security company, and she and Sean partner up to investigate who has been sending threatening messages to Judah Pratt, a gorgeous celebrity/famous musician.

This book has a completely different feel from the rest of the books in the Camelot series. Although Ruthie’s trademark humor and wit are still present, this book has some dark and serious undertones. Sean Owens stutters, and his battle with this speech impediment intensifies while in Katie Clark’s company. There is no mistaking that he is gorgeous, sexy, and brilliant, but he is also a vulnerable hero. The combination of being raised by a narcissistic mother along with his speech difficulties created deep insecurities and emotional wounds within Sean. His inner turmoil is tangible and very heart breaking.

There were so many fabulously romantic moments in this book that I simply lost track of them all, but at the core, this book is about the acceptance of self and of others. Watching all the main characters find personal freedom from the things that enslaved them was incredibly liberating (for both the characters and the reader)!

The friendship that develops between Sean and Katie was so unique and special. Katie truly respects Sean and never makes him feels any shame about his stuttering. She accepts him, just as he is, without judgment or reservation. I think this is one of the main reasons I loved this heroine as much as I did.

Here are some of my favorite quotes from Sean as he tries to come to terms with his feelings for Katie:

Katie Clark made him weak. He almost hated her for that.

“There are no rules Clark. There’s just what you do to me, and me trying to figure out how to handle it.”


Overall, an excellent, compelling, witty, and engaging read. I am completely hooked on this series and Ruthie Knox’s talent continues to blow me away. The epilogue in this book is a huge bonus, and I loved catching up with all the characters from the previous Camelot books. I am waiting, albeit impatiently, for the next installment!
Enjoy!


A big thank you to Random House via Netgalley and Ruthie Knox for providing this ARC!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sexy, fun,charming and a bit unique is what I have come to expect from Ruthie Knox and Flirting with Disaster is no exception. We have Sean: World's Manliest Geek according to his heroine, Katie. He is exactly that. I adored him and all his **minor spoiler** stuttering, confused glory. He had a bit of a rough childhood with an overachiever mom and it has left him with some unresolved feelings. Katie was also the type of girl you just adore: able to speak her mind and handle the rejection (though it does leave her a bit torn up inside), kind hearted and able to handle whatever is thrown her way. Trying to get past a failed marriage and get a step up in her career she tries to help a low grade rock star find a stalker. And that was probably the only bit of this sassy romance that dragged a bit for me. While I cared about what happened with Jonah, I also just wanted more time with Sean and Katie because together, they were delightful. I started with a smile on my face and I had a nice goofy grin numerous times watching these two stubble there way to their happily ever after. Ruthie Knox can not write fast enough for me! 4 stars

[AnHeC the Paperback Obliterator · Rating 3 out of 5]

Word count: about 100 000
Rating: I'm not saying I approve, I'm just saying I understand.



Two things to mention before I go at it:
a) I’ve read it at a bad time
b) I’ve had way too much romance lately and it makes me sick


I had a problem with rating this book. On one hand it drove me crazy. On the other it's a really well balanced story. Every element is well developed and realistic. I can't just ignore it because I don't like the heroine. It deserves four stars

I will try to speak about this book as objectively as humanly possible, but I had my big, big, BIG issues with the heroine. Suffices to say we wouldn’t be ‘besties’.

Writing: The author really does a decent job from a technical point of view. It reads well (apart from a few ‘flowery’ phrases. His penis smelled like forest in the summer XD That is hilarious. Or his “talented hands”. Seriously. What is wrong with those authors?! Or the way “He claimed her without apology” How do you claim someone with one? Say 'I'm sorry" on every stroke?) I guess authors really struggle to make descriptions of sex scenes entertaining and poetic. At least it was funny. I never turn down a good laugh.

Story: It’s there. It isn’t much, nothing special, but it’s a romance novel, so action wasn’t the main focus, obviously. It’s coherent, has a mystery element to it and more or less makes sense. It’s interesting enough to pull us in, without being overdone and overshadowing the real topic – emotional turmoil (no, not a drama- lama; we get here something more realistic).

And that is what I’d like to point out – the realism of the romantic plot. It was really good. There was no instant love. Both heroine and a hero have personalities, faults, and charming sides. It doesn’t seem forced. The pull between them is logical, the progression makes sense. That is way more than could be said for vast majority of romance novels.

Characters:

Sean – a male love interest. If you know where to find a hot geek (or you are one), call me. That guy is awesome. Much better than Kate (our female MC). He has both strengths and weaknesses. In ways he has been hardened by life, but still is crushingly vulnerable. He has issues, fights them, sometimes runs from them, but doesn’t wallow in self pity. He is likeable, but not perfect. His struggle with stuttering was realistic, interesting and justified a lot of his behaviour. Maybe ‘justified’ is not the right word. His stutter is an integral part of his life that affects everything. Which is what happens in real life. Things like that have a huge impact. Yet it didn’t overpower the story. It would be so easy to reduce Sean to his stutter. Luckily, that doesn’t happen.

It all makes him feel much more real than 99% of ‘hot guys’ we find in books. To be fair he has his fucked up asshole moments too! But Kate…

Kate took annoying me to another level. On every. Single. Page. There was something that made me frustrated. I’ll voice my problems with her in a minute, for now I’d like to keep it fair, instead of focusing on my pet peeves. She was a doormat in the past. Now, after a failed marriage, she tries to get a grip on her life. She’s highly motivated to become a better person. It’s nice to see someone try to change. She struggles (duh), but never lets it stop her from trying again. You need that type of admirable determination to get things done. Unfortunately for her, she's so focused on what she believes is supposed to be, she can't deal with reality. That + the fact that she’s a type of person I prefer to keep 20 mile distance from, doesn’t help.

With that said, she’s a well constructed, realistic character. She’s not a sex-bomb, but she’s also not ugly. Just a normal woman that has her characteristic trades and makes the most of her assets. She’s not one of ‘holy virgins’ we find in books. She’s not a slut. She’s just… normal. Just normal.



So what annoyed me about Kate? She’s a petulant child. Naïve. Ignorant. Selfish.



- She’s useless and whiny. No skills/abilities/talents – all mouth and demands.

- She came back to her hometown and is working for her brother’s company. Really? That is her way of becoming strong and independent? Working for your own brother. That’s a joke…

- She gets assigned to the case ONLY because her brother decided to be indulgent. She doesn’t have experience, education, skills… She’s about as qualified to become a field agent as I’m to fly an aeroplane or give birth to a live albatross.

- Ergo she’s not helpful on the case, just a waste of space.

- She allows her brother to be overprotective. I wouldn’t take bullshit he’s been trying to pull, but since she has no mind of her own, I guess she’s fine with that.

- Her nosy brother is a dick and I'd slap him. I totally would. It’s her life and she should make it clear.

- Her 'ambition' is childish – “oh, I don't know anything and have no skills, but I soooo want to be a real field agent! I totally deserve it now that I'm assertive and shit. I mean, this is how I actually express my assertiveness!” Yep, unreasonable demands make her seem extremely mature. *sarcasm*

- I think she's fake and weak. If she really wanted to prove something to herself, she'd find a job outside of her brother's company.





- He treats her like a child and she act's like one. (Mock conversation between Kate and her brother):

- I'm totally getting a promotion.
- Sure, when you earn one. *smirks*
- I will! I can do it! You know I can! Admit it! ADMIT IT!
- Of course you can. *pats on the head* You can do anything when you put your mind to it.
- You only say it because you don't think it'll happen *pouts*
- *smirks* sure, sure. *steals her coffee and leaves*
- *mutters* I totally deserve it. I'm a real field agent now! Well, I'll be, when I finally get my first client. I don't have any skills or experience or knowledge? So what, I'm totally professional with my plans to fuck a client that clearly hired me solely to have some fun in between the sheets. But that doesn't mean I'm not fit for the job! It's a SECURITY AGENCY, what attributes could I possibly be missing? I'm perfect! Yes Katie, think happy thoughts, imagine your 'best self'.




- Chapter 11. Seriously. First pages of this chapter make me want to murder her.

- She’s been exercising with her brother in the basement. Brother leaves to open the door so she skips part of a workout. Hello? You’re doing it for yourself. Your brother’s presence should be irrelevant.

- She loves celebrity gossip… I just can’t. I can’t. I can't really like her. For fuck's sake, she has favorite gossip sites! Shoot me.

- No, you didn't tell your friend about sex by accident. You're a hopeless gossiper. So she likes gossip in all shapes and forms. Keep her away from me.

- She can’t keep a secret.

- Or a promise - don’t trust this one.

- She drives a car while chatting on a phone. She poses danger to others! I’d literally slap her for it. I do understand that sometimes you need to make a quick call. But to have a useless, pointless friendly chit-chat lasting over an hour? I HATE her for it. I wish her a slow, painful death.

- Why the fuck she wants Judah to apologize? For what? I don’t' think she deserved an apology she DEMANDS.

- Why did she decide to become a field agent? "The short version is, I got sick of sitting around in an office all day, and I thought going out in the field would make my life more interesting." Are you fucking kidding me... She's a bored child that wanted to play an interesting game.

- “She enjoyed going through guys' wallets" WTF? How often does it happen?! How often do you do that? You should be locked up… Seriously, bitch respects no boundaries.

- She feels entitled.

- She doesn't do her job. She doesn’t know what the job entails! USELESS!

- One of the things I'll probably never understand is loss of control. I never stop thinking. So when people forget themselves I get annoyed. What are you? A cat in heat?

- She's unreasonable. She knows how Sean works - he told her - he locks himself in, and works without a break. And yet she fucking cries, because he hasn’t seen her in a while! Give me a blunt object, before it breeds.

- She's worried because there are haters out there? Trolls on the internet leaving mean comments on artists’ websites? Really? Welcome to the real world, you useless bitch. And he agrees somebody should be tracking them! Please, don't feed the troll. What a waste of time and effort.

- Talking during serious foreplay? Really? That's when you keep on bringing the case?

- "Women who turned themselves into doormats got walked on. How many times did she need to prove it to herself before the lesson stuck?" Yes, except the thing she's referring to WASNT FUCKING ABOUT HER! The world doesn't revolve around you, hon. Just another proof of childishness and naivety. She believes everything is about her.

- Scene at the shop when they’re trying on dresses for the wedding. My version of hell... Women are despicable. Those were not empowered women. Those were giggly, selfish, inappropriate, stupid, and nosy as hell bitches. They embody everything I hate about my own sex. Congratulations.

- Even though she goes overboard with "I won't let people use me" to the point of being self obsessed and controlled by that fear, she has a good idea. Just needs to find balance. She makes stupid decisions and struggles to stay with them "I've decided to move on, no, I won't try to get my happiness here"

- Little Camelot Security agency + criminal profiling? You are a one, dumb bitch. If you get to criminal profiling, you’re dealing with crime, which means involvement of a police/FBI. Not some small town “security agency”. Which, by the way, we don’t know anything about. That is a huge plot hole if you ask me.




Some fun quotes!
"If Caleb knew someone was threatening Judah's life, he would fabricate a reason to send another agent to New York. He wouldn't come right out and admit he didn't want her to go, but she'd know he was protecting her, and she didn't want to be protected. She wanted to go to Buffalo with Sean" A) childish B) that's why you don't work for your brother C) you're really not qualified.


"I'm not going to be stupid anymore. That's why I changed jobs. I'm going to be a different person. Smarter, and stronger, and all-around tougher and less idiotic. So, you know, fair warning if you liked the old Katie. I'm killing her off." See? She lost the connection with reality.

"I never wuh-want to her you use the word 'stupid' t-to descrive yourself again. you're not stupid. You were sssmart as a whip in high school, and you still are..." Nope, I'd say she was a classic doormat; focused on a guy to the max. I honestly don’t know what you see in her.

“I’m going to go up there and see if there’s anything I can do to help. I’m useless back here.” She’d been told to stay out of the way and observe, but she needed to be watching a door or scanning the crowd from one side of the stage (scanning for what, she doesn’t know). She had to do something. --> What? What the fuck are you looking for? Just GTFO. She needs to learn to sit on her ass.

"I've never been fired before" Well, if you were always working for family and friends...

She's really rattled after she 'gets fired'. Why? "I wanted to be good at this job, but if I wasn't good at it, I at least wanted to be a good friend to Judah." Fuck me. What is wrong with her?

‘Brilliant’ observation by Kate: "She'd done her make up for the show. I bet it took her more than twenty minutes" - yeah, what a sin! Newsflash, most women tend to take at least 20 minutes to get ready before being seen in public. That doesn’t indicate ANYTHING. You’re no Sherlock. Go home.

"She doesn't look dangerous" ... She's mentally unstable and having an anxiety attack. If that's not dangerous I don't know what dangerous looks like. The wise Katie strikes again! Proving she’s only qualified to asses pancakes.


I'll stop myself here. There is no point to raging on. If those behaviours are a deal breaker for you - you've been warned. If not - have fun.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's been two years since Katie's ex-husband walked out on her taking all of the money from their joint bank account with him. Her divorce went through months ago and Katie has been working hard to rebuild her life working with her brother Caleb at his security firm. She wants to be more than his office manager though and has finally convinced Caleb to let her take her first assignment as an agent. Judah is a famous rock star who has been receiving threatening messages and it is up to Katie to try and find out who is behind them and if his life is really at risk. Of course Caleb wouldn't send Katie off alone so he's partnered her with one of his best agents Sean. Sean has had a crush on Katie since he was a teenager but he gets so nervous around her that he literally can't get his mouth to work properly. Refusing to let her see him stutter Caleb is determined not to speak to Katie at all but as the case pushes them together he finds his attraction to her impossible to resist.

I've been a massive fan of Ruthie Knox ever since I read About Last Night last year and since then I have devoured everything that she has published. I think it is fair to say that I have a crush on all of her heroes but Sean may just be my new favourite (alongside Tom from Ride with Me anyway!). I have a bit of a thing for geeky guys and this stuttering hacker who loves sci-fi (and reads erotic novels) quickly stole my heart. Everyone thought Sean was just incredibly shy at school but it was his stutter that held him back and made him keep himself to himself. His mother only made his problems worse and it wasn't until he moved away from home that he finally got the treatment he needed and started to come out of his shell. Along with his best friend Mike he has used his hacking skills to create a successful internet security company and the only reason he is back in Camelot is to deal with his mother's estate. Something about being back in Camelot and the stress he is under after his mother's death is taking him straight back to his teenage years and bringing his stutter out in full force but it is noticeably worse when he is around Katie. He had a thing for Katie back in school but would never have had the courage to make a move on her but now they're both single and Caleb isn't sure how long he can deny the heat that his building between them. Sean may have a stutter but he is sexy as hell and it certainly doesn't stop him talking dirty once he gets over his shyness and decides to actually talk to Katie!

Katie has been through a lot thanks to her ex so she has lost faith in herself and her abilities, she is determined to reinvent herself into a woman who people will respect and take seriously though. She wants to prove to Caleb that she can be more than just his office manager even though she never got her college degree and when Judah requests her personally for his case it is the perfect opportunity for her to show Caleb what she is made of. She is attracted to Sean but confused by the way he blows so hot and cold with her, he won't talk to her for days at a time but then when Judah shows an interest in her Sean kisses her to make his claim. I have to admit if I'd been Katie there would have been times that I would have wanted to strangle Sean for the mixed messages he was sending. It was only the fact that the story was told from both of their points of view that saved him from coming across as a complete ass at times but because we get inside his head we get to see exactly how messed up and confused he is about his feelings and that just made me love him all the more. Katie is an expert at getting people to open up but Sean seems to be the one person she can't get a read on and she finds it incredibly frustrating.

The romance that builds up between Sean and Katie is incredibly sweet and believable, they have fantastic chemistry but they also have a deeper emotional connection as they both open up and share painful secrets from their pasts. Another thing I really enjoyed was catching up with the couples from Along Came Trouble (Caleb and Ellen plus Jamie and Carly) and seeing how their relationships have been progressing. I'm also very excited that Tony and Amber (from How to Misbehave) have a second novella coming out in July, their previous story was set quite a long time before the series actually starts so it will be good to catch up with them now that they've been married for years and have three children. Ruthie Knox is an expert at writing stories that are full of humour, intense emotions and very hot sex and Flirting with Disaster is no exception. Although this story works well as a standalone I guarantee you're going to want to go back and read the rest of the series, every single story has been one I've thoroughly enjoyed and I would recommend them all to contemporary romance fans.

[Erin Arkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

4 stars - Another great story by Ruthie Knox!

Flirting with Disaster is the third book in the Camelot series and follows the story of Katie and Sean. If you have read any of the other books in this series, you may recall that Katie is the younger sister of Caleb and Amber. She also is just getting back into her life in Camelot after her divorce and working for Caleb at his security company when Sean comes back into her life.

Sean Owens is something else...seriously. He isn't perfect and that is what I loved about him. Yes, he is good looking, sexy, and has a successful computer security company in California but he also struggles with a stutter and is still dealing with some issues he had with his mother growing up. All of these things make him into the man he is today and the second he comes back to Camelot to pack up his dead mother’s house, everything comes rushing back. He can’t seem to pack up the house his mother lived in and what should have been a fairly quick trip turns into an event that he can’t seem to wrap up. He decides to take a leave of absence from his work/life in California but finds sitting around in Camelot isn't something he wants to do.

An encounter with Caleb at a bar turns into a job and ultimately, the chance for him to work with Katie. Sean and Katie knew each other in high school only in that they sat near each other in math and would sometimes smile at each other in the hallway. The thing is, Sean always had a thing for Katie Carter and he knows that if he opens his mouth in front of her, he will stutter like crazy so he refuses to talk to her until they begin to work on a case together. Katie takes this as a sign of him not liking her and she can’t figure it out.

Underneath all the character stuff, the story that Knox creates revolves around Judah Pratt. He is a popular, sexy musician that is doing some random tours but has requested Katie to help him figure out a security issue he is having. Someone is threatening him via email and social media and he needs to find out if it is who he thinks it is. See, Judah has a big secret – despite his womanizing, he is gay and after years of pretending to be someone he really isn't, he is ready to reveal the truth. The problem is that the emails are leading him to the one person he hopes isn't responsible and he has a feeling that Katie will be the one to help him resolve his problem.

This becomes the job that brings Sean and Katie together. Katie is fairly open about being attracted to Sean but he knows he is leaving and doesn't want to hurt Katie so he tries to fight it. Thankfully he changes his mind and eventually (really – in a car on the way back to Ohio during a blizzard) fulfills two of his fantasies.



I love the characters that Knox creates – they always have so many different layers. Katie is trying to figure out who she is and she has hit a point in her life where she is finally deciding to do what is right for her and what she wants. Sean is also trying to figure out who he is but also what he wants. For so long, he did what he did because of his mother and it was perfect to see him finally figure things out.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend the series. We get to see bits of the other characters from the series (Ellen, Henry, Caleb, Jamie, and Carly) and I love that even though their books are wrapped up, we still get to see how things are progressing with all of them. These are always quick reads (not due to the length but because I can’t put them down) and Knox writes some of the best stories and characters. Knox continues to be one of my favorite romance authors and I will be waiting patiently for the next one.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for the ARC.

[Beth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie Clark is starting over. Her ex-husband took all her money a left her stranded in Alaska. Now she is working for her brother in his security business. Her brother gives her a shot as a field agent but he sends along his very sexy employee Sean Owens to help Katie learn the ropes. The last thing Katie wants is a man in her life so why does Sean push all her buttons...

Sean Owens has come home to settle his mother’s affairs now that she has passed. Tormented by his past failings and a speech impediment, Sean thought he left this all behind. Now he gets reacquianted with Katie and all the training to keep him from stuttering has gone right out the window. He can’t even say her name without stuttering. To make matters worse, Katie was his dream girl in high school.

Flirting with Disaster was a pleasurable, entertaining read. What a fabulous experience, watching Katie and Sean’s building arelationship and watching them face the stepping stones along the way. The chemistry between the characters and romantic encounters were combustible, keep a fire extinguisher handy. Flirting with Disaster was truly a wonderfully enjoyable romance, flooding your senses and taking root in your imagination.

I received this ARC copy of Flirting with Disaster from Random House - Loveswept in exchange for a honest review. This book is set for publication June 10, 2013.

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[Sunny · Rating 4 out of 5]

Things I like about Ruthie Knox's books:

*Her characters are completely accessible. They could be your neighbors or the parents of the children in your kid's class.

*Their concerns are relatable. Katie is suffering from a crisis of self-esteem. She keeps second guessing herself because her divorce left her wondering how she missed all the signs. And then they grow in a smart way:

"I'm not anybody's dream girl. And I guess I'm not all that tough, and we both know I'm not as smart as you. But even so, I deserve better than what you're offering me."

*The relationships are steamy and her couples are good (not necessarily perfect) together:

"I'm not sure if you've noticed," Katie said, giving him a smile as twisted up and bliss-deranged as her heart felt, "but who you are with me is kind of a mess."

*The men are multidimensional, not just alpha. Sean is confident and controlling on the outside, but on the inside he's an insecure mess. But they make it work.

And there you have it, the Camelot series.

IN A NUTSHELL: Flirting with Disaster is book 3 in the Camelot series by Ruthie Knox. This book can be a standalone but why do that when you can have a nice three course dinner. Start with the appetizer, How to Misbehave and enjoy your meal.

[Katie(babs) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hot geek hero is a former stutterer who reverts back to stuttering because of the heroine, who he had a crush on in high school. They team up to fight crime (hot rockstar is being stalked and sent threatening notes.) Their passions explode and we are given one of the best, stuck in a snow bank, let's have hot sex in a SVU scenes in a romance.

Lots of funny and haha moments here and the dialogue is great.

A win for me!

[Dabney · Rating 4 out of 5]

this review was originally published at All About Romance

I am a fan of Ruthie Knox's works. Her books are filled with characters it's easy to care for, zingy conversations, smoking love scenes, and realistic relational conundrums. Thus I am not a whit surprised I like her latest, Flirting with Disaster, the third book in her Camelot series. This consistently entertaining series features the Clark siblings; Flirting with Disaster tells the tale of the youngest, Katie.

Katie is back in Camelot, Ohio after her husband and high school sweetheart Levi dumped her and cleaned out their bank account. In an effort to pull her out of the dumps, her big brother Caleb (the hero of the previous book, Along Came Trouble) hires her to manage his new company Camelot Security. The job does pull Katie out of her post-Levi slump but running the office is just a step toward her new and improved future. Katie's current goal is for Caleb to promote her to agent. Caleb, however, is on the over-protective side and has little interest putting Katie in any situation where she faces any danger.

Fortunately for Katie, Judah Pratt, a famous rocker who hires Camelot Security to deal with a series of mysterious threats, takes one look at Katie and announces he'll only hire the firm if Katie is on the job. Caleb agrees but insists Katie work with his other employee, Sean Owens. This pairing poses a problem for Katie because Sean refuses to speak to her. "Not at all, not ever, not under any circumstances." Katie hasn't a clue why she gets the silent treatment from Sean and the whole thing makes her crazy.

Katie makes Sean crazy. Not only is she his high-school crush and the star of many of his fantasies, she triggers the stuttering problem that plagued him for years which he, until he encounters all-grown-up Katie, has generally overcome.

Thus both of them are wound rather tightly as they head off to Louisville, where Judah is performing. When they arrive at the dive at which Judah asked they all meet, Katie demands to know how she and Sean are going to work together.

“Seriously, can you at least write me notes? Send me emails? I don’t see how this is going to work otherwise.”  

She had a point. He didn’t see how it was going to work, either. How to interview Judah Pratt with Katie as a sidekick and manage not to stutter?  

He’d have to improvise.  

He took his phone out of his pocket and tapped out a text message. Shall we go in?  

Katie’s phone chirped. She checked out the screen. “Very funny.”  

She stomped across the gravel lot toward the building’s entrance, leaving him to trail along behind her, trying to keep his eyes off her ass.

When they walk in the club, Judah isn't there. In fact, once in Louisville, they find it difficult to get Judah to talk to them. He's not at the club and he's booked them into a hotel far from his. Sean, determined to solve this case, books himself and Katie into the swanky hotel where Judah is staying, a hotel in which the only available room is the Atrium Suite.

This It Happened One Night set-up has been done a thousand times but Ms. Knox makes it seem fresh and hilarious. Sean's not the only one with lust in his heart. Before they've even managed to eat the food Katie's ordered up for dinner, Katie's realizes she's warm for Sean's form. Their lust-o-rama is complicated by not only Sean's inability to talk to Katie but by Judah's apparent lust for Katie as well.

That evening, when Katie and Sean meet up with Judah, tensions are high. Judah refuses to tell Sean and Katie anything about the threats - this both mystifies and pisses off Sean. Judah does agree, however, to talk with just Katie, after the show, in his hotel room. This makes Sean so irate he does the only thing he can think of to warn off Judah and draw in Katie: He kisses her.

This was what he’d wanted to tell her earlier in the room. This.  

Her energy moved into him where they touched, thighs and mouths and his palm on her bare skin, the other wrapped around the nape of her neck. The pleasure of smelling her, touching her, unhitched something essential he kept reined in, and he felt the sudden rush of it, the terrible freedom of losing control—  

And that made him stop.  

...When he pulled away, she made a sound, a sort of helpless squeak that said she wanted to continue, and hearing it called up a desperate ache in his chest that he immediately locked down.  

Appalling, what she did to him. He wanted her. Right here, right now, with that black dress bunched up around her thighs. He wanted her anywhere, everywhere, any way he could get her.

Despite the kiss, Katie goes to Judah's room where she realizes Judah's just pretending to be interested in her. When she asks what he's up to, he tells her tells her he has no idea, that he just knows she's supposed to be there, to help him in some way.

This book has a lot going on it. Judah has a complicated life and, as he and Katie become friends, the two work to sort out the many issues in Judah's life. Sean, who came to Camelot to settle his mother's estate, is trying to mangage his real life in California, come to terms with his unresolved feelings about his dead mother, and solve Judah's case. Katie is striving to move past being the enabler she was with Levi, figure out what she wants to do with her life, and navigate her relationships with her family. As all this is going on, Katie and Sean are falling for each other, even as Sean plans, when Judah's case is over, to return home to California. Ms. Knox manages to keep all these plots clear and, even better, she weaves them together so that each storyline strengthens the others.

Flirting with Disaster is, at heart, a love story and it's one that Ms. Knox makes sweet and sexy. The scenes between Sean and Katie are filled with wit and want. Here, Sean is asking Katie about the romance novels she loves to read.

“What do you read those books for?”  

“Same reason anyone does, I guess.”  

“Are they your ffantasies?”

“Some of them,” she said. “Not all.”  

His hands on the steering wheel drew her eyes. He had such big hands. His nails were blunt and short and unpretty. Rough hands. Hands that had gathered her close and held her in place when he took that kiss.  

“Have you ever been with a man who d-did those things to you?” His voice had turned husky and dark. “Talked dirty to you? Spanked you? Tied you up and sspent hours figuring out how many ways he could make you c-come with his tongue?”  

“No.” She put as much scorn into the word as she could manage. As if scorn could protect her from the way he was turning her on. Or prevent him from knowing he was doing it.  

It was no use. Sean turned to look at her, and he smiled the wickedest smile she’d ever seen. A smile that said he knew exactly what he was doing, and he’d known all along. “Sounds like the guys you’ve been with have been reading all the wrong books.”

My only complaint about the book is its rushed and rather formulaic ending. In its epilogue,  Flirting with Disaster  offers easy answers to pretty much everything and in doing so lessens the power of the struggles portrayed in the book. This is a book where everyone lives  too  happily ever after. Still, that's a small flaw in an overall good book. I remain a fan. It gets a B+.

[Brie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Originally posted at Romance Around the Corner

Source: a review copy was provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Flirting with Disaster is the third book in the Camelot series, and it brings closure and a happy ending to Katie, the last Clark sibling. The previous book was a bit of a mixed bag, but this new installment worked much better for me, even if some of the same issues remained.

Katie is a people pleaser. She followed her husband to Alaska so that he could make his dreams come true, and in the process she lost herself and put her life on hold. So when her husband left her with nothing, she came back to her hometown completely defeated. Her brother gave her a job, which helped her get her life back on track, but she remains a work in progress.

Sean is back in town to sort his recently deceased mother’s affairs. It’s a deceivingly easy task, because although all he has to do is get rid of her clothes and sell her house, he’s also forced to confront the bad memories of a mother who was less-than stellar. He’s really bad at dealing with his baggage, though, and really good at ignoring them and hoping they will go away, which is why he’s staying in town far longer than planned.

That’s how Sean ends up helping Katie’s brother and partnering with her in an assignment that involves protecting a famous singer.

But wait, there’s more! Sean was in love with Katie during the time they were in high school together, and has been (mostly) pining after her. The problem is that he has a stutter that, after years of therapy, is somewhat under control. But he fears that the stress of being in town, plus the stress of being with Katie, will bring back the stutter, so he doesn't speak to her. Ever. So of course she thinks he hates her.

The conflict is mostly internal and not particularly epic (because Sean and Katie have issues, both as individuals and as a potential couple), which is perfectly fine. These are two people who must decide if they want and can make it work. In Sean’s case, he’s in denial of his need to find closure, but by having a relationship with Katie, all those things that need closure become front and center, and unfortunately for him, it’s impossible to get the girl without first dealing with the baggage. Katie, on the other hand, needs to learn how to hold on to her newfound sense of self. She finally learned how to put herself first, and now she must keep doing it. These are personal journeys that aren't entirely compatible with a committed relationship that demands negotiation, compromises, and sacrifices.

As was the case in the previous book, Flirting with Disaster comes equipped with its very own subplot and a secondary character that features prominently in the story. And just like in the previous book, the subplot felt unnecessary and intrusive. This character was quite charming, and I spent half the time thinking he was outshining the main couple, while the rest of the time I felt like he was invading the main romance. Worse, the suspense part was predictable and boring.

However, all the characters were full of life and personality. It’s impossible not to be immersed in their stories and invested in their happiness. It’s what Ms. Knox does best and the main reason why I keep coming back for more. Flirting with Disaster is not her best, but it is a good book.

3.5 Stars

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

Slick‘s review posted on Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Review copy provided for an honest review

5 STARS

I’ve really loved The Camelot series by Ruthie Knox and I was eagerly awaiting Katie’s story because she seemed so broken and I knew it would take a special man to understand her past hurt and win her heart. Never did I suspect she’d find someone who was as broken if not more so nor have I ever thought a stuttering hero would be such a heartbreaker, but Caleb is that and so much more.

This is by far the most complicated and serious book of the three in this series. Yet it is every bit as intriguing, witty, and sexy and it also has the most heart of them all as well. Katie is newly divorced after her ex-husband cleaned out their bank accounts of the money she had saved to go to college. With her brother’s help, she is more fit physically and mentally that she’s been in a while and she’s finally convinced him to let her be a field agent in his security company. Well that and a somewhat high profile celebrity client asked her help specifically. But, he’s paired her with Sean a temporary agent working while in Camelot handling his mother’s estate. A man she thinks hates her, a man who refuses to talk to her, and a man who use to be a boy she was intrigued by in high school. She is miserable around him because she thinks he’s handsome, smart, and hot. Sean is no less miserable; he’s had a thing for Katie since high school but never acted on it because of his stuttering. He left town and never looked back until he was forced to deal with his mother’s estate. Problem is he’s not dealing with it or anything else including the company he left behind in California that is struggling. Now force to work with Katie he doesn’t know how he’s going to manage keeping his issues to himself and not want to kill the fading rock star, Judah Pratt, who he assumes wants Katie as his next sexual plaything.

I really love when seriously wounded characters find someone they are interested enough in to get past their hurt and move on with life. What makes this book even more special is both Katie and Sean helped the other confront and work to resolve their issues and were there to give unconditional support. While this might sound like a super mushy love story it wasn’t; this couple had a hard road to their happily ever after. In addition to their personal issues; they are trying to figure out who is stalking Judah and trying to pretend that Sean isn’t eventually going to head back to his life in California. While Katie wants a physical relationship with Sean, he tries to do the right thing but eventually events cause them to reach out to each other and they do so in spectacular form.

Flirting With Disaster is a well written story with characters that are beautifully flawed making them believable and relatable. Add to that a completely engaging plot including all the characters from the previous books and this is the perfect ending to the Camelot series

[Trader (RedHotBlueReads) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I didn’t make a single review note while I read this. I sank into the story and kept reading until the end. That’s one indicator of a 5-star book for me. And when I wanted to re-read all or part of it again, well, that was the second indicator.

Flirting with Disaster was just perfect for me from start to finish. I love Ruthie Knox’s writing. So many smart lines. It was really terrific.

Katie’s been dumped by her husband and returns to Ohio from Alaska to start her new life. I love that she isn’t defeated by what happened to her. She smart and strong and doesn’t take any crap. Both Sean and Judah fall for her.

Sean is just a mess. He’s smart and sexy and sorta messed up in the head. He’s been running for a long time. But when he finds out that he and Katie are good together, not just as partners, and work colleagues, but also in the sack (or should I say SUV?), their relationship starts changing to something more than just a fling. Ruthie Knox does a fantastic job of portraying Sean’s pain without making him look weak.

Katie is a strong, smart woman who has had her share of bad luck, and its so easy to want her to have her HEA.

I was surprised to find I ended up liking Judah, when he was sort of a pain in the anatomy at the start of the book. I thought he was a great secondary character. I loved the relationship he developed with Katie, and maybe it was Katie that was just really good at people. She knew when to push and when to step back.

So wonderful to read a book that you can just sit back and enjoy, where the writing is smart and polished, the story tight, and the secondary characters bringing that little extra dash of spice to the story. I can’t think of a single thing I didn’t like about this. .I couldn't put it down. Just what I want in a romance. A good story, lovely characters, a bit of angst, and HEA. Go read this series.

Thanks to Random House and Loveswept’s Netgalley Catalog for the opportunity to read this ebook in exchange for an honest review.

[Aly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie Clark wants a promotion from office manager to agent in her brother's security company. Her sibling was a great help after her husband cleaned her out and dropped her, but now she wants to show him he can stop coddling her. When a rockstar gets threatening messages and ask for their help, it's Katie chance to make her proof. But it means teaming up with Sean Owens, a man who dislike her. Sean has been working for her brother since the summer. He doesn't seem to like her much because he never talk to her. She tried being nice, ignoring him but nope, not a word. The truth is, Sean doesn't dislike her, far from it, but he doesn't want her to know that he stutter.

This cover might screams erotica and the blurb could make you think about romantic suspense, but this book is really contemporary romance. Not to say that things doesn't heat it up between the MC and the hero is one sexy geek. First time I read this book (it was also the first book I read from this author), I adored it. I still enjoyed my read but I didn't remember the heroine sounding so whiny. Katie is at a crossroad in her life but it's obvious she doesn't know yet what she wants. But she'll discover that one of this "thing" is Sean. The trouble is, Sean's issues, not just with his stutter, might be too big for him to let himself fall in love.

One thing that I can say about Ruthie Knox writing style is that she always have her own way to tell a story and it's always a pleasure to discover it.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

*ARC received from netgalley*


Even if that book is a part of a series, you can totally read it as a stand alone. You won't have any problems of understanding. I didn't read the two firsts books but I really enjoyed this one. It was a great book.

This is the story of Katie and Sean who are 'investigating' the threats that Judah received. They know he isn't telling them everything and that they have to dig if they want to find out who's threatening him. (And we don't know until the end the identity of the person who's sending those hatred messages).

I liked that Sean wasn't perfect and had his flaws. Because in most of the books, the guys are like perfect playboys who could have a girl in the second if they're flashing their big Hollywood-sexy-smile. Don't get me wrong, Sean is hot and with the stuttering it made the story more realist and real. I feel so much sympathy for him! I loved his character! He's shy and I just wanted Katie to understand him (he's afraid of her rejection if he starts to stutter).

Katie is an honest person and I liked that. She's also funny, frank and open to everyone. The others characters were enjoyable too (Henry, Ben, Katie's brother...).

It was a really cute story. It was entertaining and I had a great time reading this book. So if you want an easy read, I recommend it. :)

[Elena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 "it's not you, it's me" stars. If you're into contemporary romance with a high steam level, this will be your perfect book. I'm not hugely into contemporary, and the plot wasn't thrillerish enough to hold my interest, but it was certainly well written, and people whose taste in books leans toward this genre will eat it up.

I do really appreciate that the hero was a bit atypical--a computer hacker with a severe stutter (and mommy issues). That said, there was a weird amount of geek shaming going on, with Katie teasing Sean about being a geek, and Sean being really defensive and embarrassed about it. Apparently Ruthie Knox hasn't gotten the memo about geeks being cool these days? I felt like I was reading a book set in the '90s during those bits.

In the end this book wasn't for me, but I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone looking for a lighthearted and steamy read.

[WiLoveBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Katie is convinced that Sean hates her because he never speaks to her. Then they end up having to go out and work in the field together. They have to drive together, work together, and Sean won't talk to her. Katie is understandably irritated. Sean is so insecure about his issue, but when he finally starts talking to Katie her treatment of it is just what he needs. They compliment one another and make a perfect couple. This book has humor, suspense, and steam. I really liked the nerdy Sean, even though it takes him a while to stop being an idiot and just talk to Katie. This is part of a series, though this is the first I've read and it stood alone just fine. It did refer to events in other books, but just enough to make me curious.