Return to Me [Mass Market Paperback]

Shannon McKenna (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 1, 2005

It's been years since bad boy Simon Riley hopped a freight train out of town and Ellen Kent's given up wondering what happened to him. Running a successful bed and breakfast in Oregon doesn't leave her a lot of time for fantasizing about midnight kisses and secret passion...until an unexpected visitor knocks on her door. Simon is back. She had no idea that he was a famous photojournalist, working in war zones around the world. But the man is everything she wants in a lover - and more...Dogged by trouble, Simon swore he'd never return to this backwater town, even to see El Kent. But he had to investigate his uncle's sudden death - and El's lush beauty still tempts him beyond belief. He knows he can satisfy her most hidden desire--and he's hungry for the sensual tenderness that only she can give. The last thing Simon would ever do is hurt El, but someone is forcing his hand. Someone who will stop at nothing to keep the past dead and buried - even if means silencing the woman Simon loves...

Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 384 pages
• Publisher: Kensington Books (March 1, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0758205619
• ISBN-13: 978-0758205612
• Product Dimensions: 6.8 x 4.2 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (28 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #840,720 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Shannon McKenna is the NYT bestselling author of over ten action packed, turbocharged romantic thrillers, among which are the stories of the wildly popular McCloud series. She loves tough and heroic alpha males, heroines with the brains and guts to match them, villains who challenge them to their utmost, adventure, scorching sensuality, and most of all, the redemptive power of true love. Since she was small she has loved abandoning herself to the magic of a good book, and her fond childhood fantasy was that writing would be just like that, but with the added benefit of being able to take credit for the story at the end. Alas, the alchemy of writing turned out to be messier than she'd ever dreamed. But what the hell, she loves it anyway, and hopes that readers enjoy the results of her alchemical experiments. She loves to hear from her readers. Contact her at her website, shannonmckenna.com, or join the newsletter by signing up at http://eepurl.com/hb3JY.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

95 of 101 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Loved this book, May 26, 2004

By 

Judy "book reader" (Cincinnati, ohio United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Return to Me (Paperback)

Return To Me by Shannon McKenna has all the hallmarks you love in her books' passion, laughter and suspense.

Simon Riley is returning home to tend to his late uncles estate. When he was just a young man, he couldn't get out of town fast enough. Everyone had labeled him a bad seed, all but Ellen Kent.

Ellen thought she had put her young love for Simon behind her. She is engaged to another man and running a successful inn. But seeing Simon again has made her question her true feelings.

As Simon works his way back into her life, danger is lurking in the wings. Simon's uncles death was ruled a suicide but things are not adding up and someone wants to keep the truth quiet.

Ellen and Simon have an attraction that is incredible. Each time they connect is more erotic and passionate then the last.

Shannon McKenna tells a tale that will make you reach for the fan to cool off. She is an auto-buy for me and will be looking forward to her next book.

35 of 38 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars My Favorite By This Author So Far!!!, June 27, 2004

By 

Kristi Ahlers (Illinois) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Return to Me (Paperback)

This story to date has been my favorite by Ms. McKenna and I've read all of her stories. We meet a whole new group of people and the storyline is entertaining. So if you have read all of her full length novels your in for a treat. This book is very different from "Behind Closed Doors" and "Standing In The Shadows". This is more of a downhome story with the characters all having had a past history together. They grew up experienced good times/bad times...you get the picture. There is a slight suspense storyline in the background. The main focus of this story is the renewed relationship between the towns "bad boy" Simon Riley and the "good-girl" Ellen Kent.

The chemistry between Ellen and Simon is both sweet and explosive. It was very entertaining to read how these two very different people managed to face that which scared them the most and how they each could be the strength for the other. While at the same time trying to figure out if Simon's uncle killed himself or was murdered.

This was a fast paced read that kept moving. There were no slow spots to drag down the story. Secondary characters and flashbacks help with the background that was missing. Ms. McKenna is a truly gifted storyteller and one that I highly recommend!

19 of 21 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars McKenna does it again, September 12, 2004

By 

Kim "Kim" (Seattle) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Return to Me (Paperback)

Now I've read some of the negative reviews and I honestly don't get it. I didn't see Simon as a neanderthal or as being into dominance sexually at all.

In fact, I saw Simon as one of those people who has opened himself up a few times to other people and has been kicked in the teeth because of it. He's lonely and lost and needs love but he can't bear to get hurt or lose another person. He takes pictures because you can watch life through the lens but you don't have to live it that way.

Ellen is a woman who has loved this wounded man for most of her life. Yes, he walked out 17 years before and she's always held him in the back of her mind but she gets him in a way that others don't.

So it seems to me, utterly natural that they'd both be fumbling around, messing things up over it. Simon in his defensive mode and Ellen, feeling frustrated at that defense but understanding it all the same.

I liked the tension between Ellen and Simon better than that between Connor and Erin in Standing in the Shadows and the story caught me much quicker than SIS did. In fact, Ellen is much less a damsel in distress than Erin was and I liked her more although there was a point at which I wish she'd told her future mother in law to shut up.

One thing that did puzzle me was the 180 degree change in some of the characters like Brad. He starts off a jerk but ends up a hurt boy who fights to get his real love back, I couldn't really find the logical place where that happened.

Overall though, Return to Me appealed to me more than Standing in the Shadows but I've loved all three of McKenna's full length books as well as the short stories she's done. All hail the misunderstood bad boy.