Satin Pleasures [Kindle Edition]

Karen Docter (Author)

Book Description

Bustiers, Birds, and the Blues…

Dan McDonald walked away from the American dream, a life full of money, glamorous women and power. Now nothing can lure him back into the corporate death trap. Except….

Dan’s scheming aunt snares him into opening a lingerie shop in Tess Emory’s shopping mall. Tess is everything Dan has vowed to avoid…sexy, smart, and obsessed with work.

Tess is determined to make her life a success and right the wrongs of her past, no matter the cost.

They’re both going to discover that true love breaks all their rules.

** Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® Best Short Contemporary Romance Finalist

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Karen Docter writes romantic suspense (Women hunted by killers...men who'd die to protect them) and contemporary (The lighter side of romance – Not a killer in sight…unless it’s killer heat!) novels. FMI: www.karendocter.com She's a member of Romance Writers of America®, Colorado Romance Writers, Kiss of Death Romance Writers, and From the Heart Romance Writers. She loves writing, reading, music, camping, fishing, and spending time with her family. She's four-time Golden Heart® finalist and a charter member of RWA® PRO and The Golden Network®.

Product Details

• File Size: 326 KB
• Print Length: 342 pages
• Sold by: Amazon Digital Services, Inc.
• Language: English
• ASIN: B0078VSY6G
• Text-to-Speech: Enabled
• X-Ray: Enabled
• Lending: Enabled
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #271,898 Paid in Kindle Store (See Top 100 Paid in Kindle Store)

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

20 of 22 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Fluffy, cute,...read it! March 13, 2012

By _yay_ @ Book that Thing

Format:Kindle Edition

A bad health scare brought workaholic Dan McDonald to rethink his priorities.
Now he's left the stress behind and vowed to take better care of himself. On
his way to help his aunt with the opening of her lingerie store he meets Tess
Emory. The brunette embodies everything he should avoid like the plague. She's
married to her work, constantly pressed for time, and very unbalanced. No, no, no
- not what he wants! Right? Too bad his dog doesn't seem to agree with him.
That's because Colby has good taste in food...and women, while Dan takes a bit
longer to realize what's good for him.

*Sighs*. Such a cute feel-good romance! I read it after a long day and was happy to finally just kick back. Today the sun has come out to play. I'd also recommend this novel as a beach read.

Normally I'd start out with my thoughts on the hero or the heroine, but today I need to give a shout-out to Dan's aunt Mary first. She's a lovely lady and cared deeply for her nephew (just like his mother and step-dad). A great little cast! I came to hold Tessa's parents in high regard, as well. It was palpable how important it was for them to see their daughter happy. Nothing else mattered. Nice people, concerned parents.

Dan requires a "good guy" tag on this post. He's there for his family - always. Even though he'd have preferred to stay in seclusion a bit longer, he drives to San Francisco to give his aunt Mary a hand. Dan obviously didn't expect a certain brunette to cross his path, let alone call to his libido like that. The last woman in his life inflicted some serious damage. I applauded his decision to turn his back on the "fast-track", but thought it about time for him to give love a second chance.... I knew from the beginning that he wasn't the "bag `em and leave `em" kinda guy. He didn't play games or tried to be someone he's not. You got what you saw. That's refreshingly honest.

Because his heart and brain were busy in a stand-off, he didn't grasp just how much his laid back personality affected Tessa. She knew she was more worried about the well-being of others than her own happiness, but talking to Dan put the floodlight on that particular circumstance ("Must he rub it in my face like that?" - Yep!) Not that she could change anything about it!?! The story of their first time meeting on a bridge is one for the grand children. Hilarious, yet very sweet. Dan acted like a true gentleman and stirred up my blood but good in the process. I love, love, love when a person is able to smile with his eyes. Such a huge turn-on!

Tessa was terrified by how good and save she felt in his presence. Her opposite lifestyles made it all the more complicated. I can't tell you anything about where her relentless drive to make it in the business came from, for it would spoil the fun in finding out for yourselves. What I will tell you is that she, too, got "burned" by a man and still carried the scars. Despite their different attitudes towards how far one should go to reach their goals, Dan and Tessa were two peas in a pod. This didn't make fighting their explosive attraction any easier. :-) <-- Me *gloating* all the way though the first half of the book.

The poor girl was desperate to keep Dan at a distance and came up with the funniest lie of omission I've ever heard. It took me a couple of minutes to pull myself back together and stop with the giggling. She was often drawn between putting him in a choke hold and admiring his calm and relaxed demeanor. Meanwhile Dan's hanky-panky fantasies about Tess drove him up the wall. Couldn't wait for them to give in and jump each other's bones. Let's just say the experience included two of my favorite...errr...ingredients. Coffee and a man's privates *coughs*. Also, I really liked how quickly Dan got the handle on her (as in he knew what made her tick). I only wished for him to be just a teeny-weeny bit more bad boy, but that's just a preference of mine. Can't help it!

There's no way you won't like this contemporary romance. It's fluffy, sexy, and I immensely enjoyed the time I spend with Dan and Tessa. No unnecessary or implausible drama - instead a blooming romance spiced up by a couple of obstacles the main characters had to overcome (and not to forget the lemony lemons). That's how I like it! 4 stars to Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter.

Beware of Spoilers!
A few of my favorite quotes for those of you who are interested:
° "The blend of cool professionalism and hot sensuality."
° "He reminded her of a grizzly bear she saw once at the San Francisco Zoo, fierce and dominating."
° "What she wouldn't give to bottle this man up and take him home, to be opened for those times when life got her down."
° "She was a businesswoman first, a woman...well, never." Read more ›

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Pure Romance, and wonderful fun read August 25, 2012

By Barb thereadingcafe

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter is pure romance, and wonderful one at that. This was such an enjoyable read, that I couldn't put it down, since this was such a feel good book.

The story begins with Dan MacDonald, who is returning from a year of a peaceful seclusion from a stressful career, to San Francisco to help his family. He is stuck with his dog, Colby, a German Shepard, on the bridge due to a overturned truck. While he waits, he spots a beautiful brunette sitting on the hood of her car, talking on the phone, and begins to fantasize what sex would be like with her. Of course, at that moment, a group of young men were passing the time playing Frisbee and boom.......the girl is hit in the head, knocking her unconscious off the car, and the phone into the water.

Dan to the rescue of the damsel is distress. Meet Tess Emory, who wakes up in the arms of a handsome stranger. Dan brings Tess to his trailer to make sure she is ok, and suspects she may have a concussion. Tess, who is a business woman on the verge of a nervous breakdown, is in a panic. She was on her way to a meeting that was important to her career, and with her phone in the water, she cannot call to say she will be late. Dan tries to calm her, and explain they are stuck there for a couple of hours. He keeps Tess busy, talking to her, and just about when the traffic backlog begins to open up, Dan surprises her with a kiss.

Both have had relationship failures, which have turned them off from looking for any kind of romance. But before they go their separate ways, there is an attraction, and we know they will meet again.

Tess is a manager of a Mall, and is fighting for a promotion. She is working long hours, and is totally stressed out.... Unbeknownst to Tess, Dan is going to help his family for three months, to operate a lingerie store. This of course is in the same mall that Tess manages...small world...but not in romance. 

Dan who has been there and done that, stepped away from a high profile job, that threatened to destroy him. So he knows that Tess is on her way to a breakdown. Not only because he is attracted to her, but because he is concerned for her well being, Dan tries to help. Tess fights off her attraction to Dan, and is determined to let nothing stand in her way. But each time she sees Dan, she finds it harder to keep her distance. Dan is sexy, handsome, smart, a family man, dog lover, and all in all, a great guy. The sexual tension between them is hot, and soon they cannot resist each other.

It was beautiful to watch their romance, even if both were afraid to allow this to become something permanent. But love has a way of sneaking up, despite the two lovers fierce determination not to do so. Dan learns that Tess needs this promotion, as her father needs an operation, to allow him to walk again. She blames herself for an accident that happened years ago, and refuses to face the fact that he may never walk again. Dan begins to understand Tess, and though he tries to make her understand that she needs to live for herself, and let things go, she refuses to see this. During the course of their romance, Tess gets angry at Dan, and they fight, and near the end, it begins to look like they will never be able to get past these issues.

Karen Docter has done a wonderful job with this contemporary romance, which grabs hold of your heart and will not let go. I loved Dan and Tess, and the battle to fight off their attraction, only to see themselves fall deeper in love. There are twists and turns, but you find yourself rooting for them from the start. Docter has done a good job of creating great secondary characters, such as Tess's mother and father, Dan's family, and even Anthony and Cleopatra, not mention the wonderful Colby, who decided that Tess was his. I truly enjoyed this book and would recommend this to anyone who wants to sit back read a beautiful romance. Read more ›

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A LOVELY WAY TO SPEND A DAY September 2, 2012

By LINDA RAE BLAIR

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I tucked this one away in my Kindle while, like one of the main characters, Dan McDonald's old self, let myself get pushed away by "life". Yesterday, I decided to follow his example by putting down everything so darned important--take a little time and smell some roses.

This definitely turned out to be a great read. It was sexy in a smart and entertaining way. A great little love story with enough push and pull between hero and heroine that you could almost "smell the ozone" building up with the tension.

Karen Docter definitely deserved to win the award she received for writing this one. It was very well done, very entertaining and a great way to break free of all those pesky things that "have" to be done. And, it was perfectly executed and definitely deserves a 5-star!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars 2.5 Stars October 9, 2012

By ChristyBee

Format:Kindle Edition|Amazon Verified Purchase

I hesitated with this one because of the title. The description sounded fun and it was a free download so I gave it a try. The story and characters are good, just not memorable. Nothing stood out for me about this book, good or bad. I am rating it right in the middle at 2.5 stars. If you like the typical romance formula, you will enjoy it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Fun, fast, sensual read June 13, 2012

By T.Moyer

Format:Kindle Edition

Satin Pleasures by Karen Docter is a thoroughly enjoyable, light-hearted romp through the minefield of love. In this well written story, main characters Tess and Dan confront the impracticalities and impossibilities of a relationship between opposites. They battle fierce sexual attraction and real underlying issues in a quick read that's fun and entertaining all the way to a satisfying end. A mood card? A canary lover? Mylar balloons? The details will keep you smiling long after you turn the last page.

More About the Author

Karen Docter writes two different kinds of romance novels....

Books of Danger, Romantic Suspense: Women hunted by killers...men who'd die to protect them.

Books of Heat, Contemporary Romance: The lighter side of romance - Not a killer in sight...unless it's killer heat!

Karen's contemporaries are cute and spicy, romantic comedies. She loves writing about real men and women with dreams and goals that don't allow for a relationship just so she can throw them in each other's path...with a tickle and a smile. "Satin Pleasures", one of her four Romance Writers of America® Golden Heart® Best Short Contemporary finalist novels, debuted on Amazon February 2012.

Her romantic suspense novels are also filled with heat, although the dangers the hero and heroine face are intense, usually because a serial killer is bent on ending one or both of their lives before they can fall in love. These are psychological, woman-in-jeopardy stories. "Killing Secrets", the first of her Thorne's Thorns series about six brothers and the women they'd die to protect, will be released October 2012.

Karen enjoys writing both sides of the line between light and dark romance. When she's not saving her characters or helping them fall in love, she loves camping and fishing with her family, reading, gardening & cooking. If she can do most of those things over a campfire, all the better!