Review: Moonlight on Nightingale Way - Samantha Young

Logan from Echoes of Scotland Street is back with his own smouldering story, as the bestselling On Dublin Street series returns...

Logan spent two years paying for the mistakes he made. Now, he's ready to start over. He has a great apartment, a good job, and plenty of women to distract him from his past. And one woman who is driving him to distraction...

Grace escaped her manipulative family by moving to a new city. Her new life, made to suit her own needs, is almost perfect. All she needs to do is find her Mr. Right-or at least figure out a way to ignore her irresistible yet annoying womanizer of a neighbor.

Grace is determined to have nothing to do with Logan until a life-changing surprise slowly begins turning the wild heartbreaker into exactly the kind of strong, stable man she's been searching for. Only just when she begins to give into his charms, her own messy past threatens to derail everything they've worked to build...

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
Moonlight on Nightingale Way is the last full length novel in the On Dublin Street series and as much as I've loved these books I can't help thinking that's probably for the best because the stories have started to feel a little forced now. I was actually looking forward to reading Logan's book, we met him in Echoes of Scotland Street (he's Shannon's brother so we've already seen exactly what he was prepared to sacrifice to protect his sister!) and I really wanted to see him get his own happy ending after everything he's been through.

Logan is trying to put his life back together after being released from prison, he has a steady job and he's making up for lost time when it comes to women working his way through a string of one night stands but he refuses to let anyone close to him. Grace escaped from her emotionally manipulative family and has built a new life for herself in Edinburgh. She's happy with her career but is still looking for Mr Right. Grace and Logan are neighbours whose relationship doesn't get off to the best start when he's constantly disturbing her with his very loud bedroom antics but in spite of their instant dislike there is also some pretty intense chemistry between them. They're thrown together when Logan makes a shocking discovery and Grace happens to be there to witness it, she goes out of her way to help Logan deal with his new situation and as they spend more time together they start to realise that assumptions they'd previously made about each other might not be quite so accurate.

I have to confess I was a little disappointed in the romance between these two, they're both great characters so it had the potential to be great but there was so much drama between them and we spent too long watching Logan sleeping around with other women. I don't mind that he had a past but I'm not interested in listening in on the hero when he's in bed with other women and I didn't like the way he threw it in Grace's face, it wasn't that he was cheating on her as they weren't in a relationship or even friends at the time but he was quite disrespectful to her as a neighbour and it made me wonder why she'd ever be interested in him as a potential partner. There were a few times when he pushed her away for ridiculous reasons too and I just got bored of them circling around each other when it was so obvious they both wanted to be together.

I think my main issue with the later books in this series is how Samantha Young is so determined to mention every single previous couple that she creates events just to be able to shoehorn them in. I actually love it when contemporary romance series allow us to revisit previous couples but when a series is this long you don't need to bring in ALL of the previous characters or it just becomes an overwhelming list of characters, I can't keep track of who everyone is and I honestly don't care that they all have 300 children and this is their names and ages. It makes sense in this case to have Shannon and Cole on the scene because she's Logan's sister, you could even bring in Jo and Cam because they're Cole's family but when you go beyond that you just bog down your story with name dropping and short change the couple you're supposed to be focused on. Even the epilogue gives us a final wrap up for all previous couples and yes I understand that this was supposed to be the last book in the series (although we know there have since been a couple of novellas!) but I think it would have been better to post that separately, perhaps as deleted scenes on the author's website.

Overall I think Moonlight on Nightingale Way could have been a lot stronger than it was, I think its probably a good thing that the author decided to end things here because I doubt I'd have continued beyond this point anyway.

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Valentine - Samantha Young

Joss & Braden. Ellie & Adam. Jo & Cam. Olivia & Nate. Hannah & Marco. Shanon & Cole. And one Valentine’s Day they’ll never forget.

It’s Valentine’s Day! How do Joss & Braden, Ellie & Adam, Jo & Cam, Olivia & Nate, Hannah & Marco and Shannon & Cole keep the fire burning in their relationships while trying to juggle busy careers and the joyful chaos of parenthood? Find out in VALENTINE, six sexy and emotional short stories, one for each couple in the On Dublin Street series so far, making up a short novella about one very special day.

VALENTINE: An On Dublin Street Novella is a special gift to fans of the series in thanks for supporting HERO, her first standalone contemporary romance.

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
I'm a huge fan of Samantha Young's On Dublin Street series and I absolutely love it when author's revisit favourite couples and give us a glimpse of how they're getting on after we've read about their HEA. I especially love it when authors give their fans these little snippets for free as a thank you for supporting their work and that's exactly what Samantha Young has done with Valentine.

This novella contains 6 short stories, one about each of the previous couples in the series and shows them celebrating valentine's day together. Some of them are home babysitting, others are getting a rare night away from the kids and normal day to day responsibilities while the younger couples are just wanting to do something special with the ones they love. Some of the couples are stronger than ever where others are going through a rough patch and need to reconnect. Each of these stories offers something different, some are super romantic, others tug at your heart strings but they all include a little spice and they're all very realistic for the couple they feature.

This is a fab little collection and I thoroughly enjoyed catching up with everyone and seeing how they're getting on. Of course we all have our favourite couples and I'm sure you'll love some stories more than others but they're all great little slices of life and this is well worth a read if you're a fan of the series.

Source: Free read from the author (downloaded from Amazon)

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Review: Echoes of Scotland Street - Samantha Young

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From the bestselling author of On Dublin Street, 'Scotland's EL James' (Sunday Post) comes a seductive story of forgiving the past and making up for lost time . . .

Shannon MacLeod has always gone for the wrong type of man. After she drifted from one toxic relationship to the next, her last boyfriend gave her a wake-up call in the worst possible way. With her world shattered, she's sworn off men - especially those of the bad-boy variety.

Cole Walker is exactly the sort that Shannon wants to avoid - gorgeous, tattooed, charming, and cocky. But his rough exterior hides a good man - one who's determined to pull Shannon from her self-imposed solitude and win her heart.

As Shannon begins to open up, the passion between them ignites to blazing levels. But when her past comes back to haunt her, her fears may destroy the trust Cole has built between them - and tear them apart for good . . .

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
I've been a fan of Samantha Young since I first read On Dublin Street and this series really has just got stronger and stronger as it's gone along. Cole was a sweet boy when we met him in Down London Road but we really got a chance to see what a fabulous man he'd grown into in Fall from India Place so I was incredibly excited to finally read his story. It's felt like Echoes of Scotland Street was a long time coming but Cole was definitely worth the wait and he's my kind of hero!

We already know that Cole didn't have the best upbringing thanks to his alcoholic and abusive mother. As much as his sister Jo, and her now husband Cam, have been positive influences in his life helping him become the wonderful man he is today deep down he still has the scars from the way his mother treated him. Those scars may be hidden deep but they are there if you look closely enough. Cole has seen how wonderful life has been for Jo since she met Cam and what he wants more than anything is to find the right woman for him so he can settle down and start a family of his own. He knows from the moment he meets her that there is something special about Shannon but she has sworn off of men and for the first time in his life Cole finds himself wanting a woman who isn't interested.

Shannon isn't completely immune to Cole's charms, in fact she is incredibly attracted to him, but she doesn't trust her judgement and is scared to take a risk. She has always been drawn to the bad boys which has led to a string of broken relationships and heartbreak and she has sworn to herself that she will never go down that road again. Tattoo artist Cole may look like a bad boy but he's actually one of the sweetest, kindest men you could ever ask to meet. Shannon doesn't take too long to realise how badly she has misjudged him but she is still wary and scared of getting hurt. Something terrible happened in her last relationship and she still hasn't forgiven herself for everything her family went through in the aftermath. She wants to trust Cole and if she's honest with herself she can tell he's different to the guys she has known before but she is still scared to take a chance on him. Cole is going to have to work hard if he wants to gain her trust and start a relationship with the woman of his dreams.

I loved Cole from the very first page so of course I was irritated with Shannon when she immediately misjudged him but to be fair to her I think most of us would have had the same opinion if we'd had the same relationship history as her. I was so pleased that Samantha Young didn't drag out Shannon's negative opinion though, it didn't take her long to realise how wrong she'd been and she was woman enough to speak to Cole and apologise for her previous actions. I can always find respect for people who are willing to own up to their mistakes and do something to fix them. Shannon and Cole were perfect together, not only do they have fantastic chemistry (and trust me the heat between them is off the charts!), but they also have a lot in common and their relationship is based on a solid friendship. I loved the fact that Shannon wasn't jealous of his friendship with Hannah and I also loved the way she stood her ground when a certain woman tried to butt into her relationship with Cole. Shannon has every reason not to trust men but she knows she's onto something good with Cole and in spite of a misunderstanding between them towards the end of the book overall this story was fairly drama free which I appreciated.

Echoes of Scotland Street is a fabulous instalment to the series, Shannon is someone I could see myself being friends with (if I wasn't so jealous that she got my man Cole LOL), and Cole is definitely a hero worth swooning over. Although you don't need to read this series in order because each book is about a different couple I would recommend starting with On Dublin Street, not only because all of these stories are fantastic but because you really get to know the whole group of characters as the series continues. I love the fact that all of the previous couples make appearances in the later stories and it always makes me smile to see how happy they all are now. I'm going to end this review by saying that I can't wait to get my hands on the next book, we are introduced to the hero in this story (all I'm saying is he's a close relative of Shannon) and I have a feeling I'm going to love him!

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Before Jamaica Lane - Samantha Young

UK Cover

Edinburgh was going to be a fresh start for Olivia Holloway. Crippled by shyness around the opposite sex. Olivia nevertheless meets gorgeous postgraduate Nate Sawyer and decides it is time to push her fears aside.

Before long, Olivia and Nate form a close friendship and she finds herself confessing her deepest secrets, and Nate, being her best friend, offers to teach her the art of flirting. As Olivia and Nate's friendship turns intense, it blossoms into a passionate love affair.

For the first time Olivia opens her heart, but what she doesn't realize is that Nate has his own fears, and just when she finds herself hopelessly falling for him, Nate's past returns to haunt him.

Will Nate have the courage to confide in Olivia, or will he cut and run? And can Olivia face up to her own fears and keep him?

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
I've loved this series since I read On Dublin Street but I have to say I think Nate and Olivia are now my favourite couple and Before Jamaica Lane is the best book so far. I always enjoy the friends to lovers trope and I loved that Nate and Olivia had such a strong bond long before things started to get physical between them.

Olivia has always been attracted to Nate but she knows what a player he is so she put him firmly in the friendship only box so she didn't get hurt. She was such a sweet character, sometimes she could be a little too naive and innocent but she had the same kind of insecurities that most women have experienced at some point in their lives which made her very easy to relate to. I quickly warmed to her character and I laughed a lot at how clumsy she could be and the way she kept putting her foot in it. Olivia is a normal girl, someone I could easily picture myself being friends with and I just generally enjoyed spending time with her.

Nate is sexy as hell but he's also a player, his heart was broken when his childhood sweetheart died and there is no way he's ever going to put himself in a position where he could feel so much pain again. Olivia is his best friend and no matter how beautiful he thinks she is he has no intention of taking their relationship beyond friendship. He had no idea how lonely Olivia was though and after she makes a drunken confession he wants to help her overcome her shyness. He offers to teach her the art of seduction so that she can find the man of her dreams but what starts out as just a friends with benefits kind of situation soon becomes so much more. The more he starts to feel for her the more he starts to panic and he makes a very stupid mistake by pushing her away.

Thankfully Nate comes to his senses but Olivia makes him work hard to earn her trust back and I really enjoyed seeing how far she'd come from the shy girl she was at the beginning of the book. I loved Nate for the way he built up Olivia's confidence too, he helped her see herself for who she really was and he made her feel beautiful inside and out.

Before Jamaica Lane is definitely a feel good romance, I smiled and swooned the whole way through reading it and the ending was completely perfect. If you're new to the series then you could probably read this book as a stand alone but I would highly recommend reading the books in order, all of the books have been great and I love the close knit group of family and friends who we've come to know so well throughout the series.

Source: Purchased

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Review: Fall from India Place - Samantha Young

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When Hannah Nichols last saw Marco D'Alessandro five long years ago, he broke her heart. The bad boy with a hidden sweet side was the only man Hannah ever loved. After one intense night, Marco took off, leaving Scotland and Hannah behind. Shattered by the consequences of their night together, Hannah has never truly moved on.

Leaving Hannah was the biggest mistake of Marco's life - something he has deeply regretted for years. So when fate reunites them, he's determined to make her his.

But just when Marco thinks they're committed to a future together, Hannah makes a discovery that unearths the pain she's been hiding from him - a secret that could tear them apart before they've had a real chance to start again . . .

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
I have become a huge fan of Samantha Young since I first read On Dublin Street and I've really enjoyed getting to know this close knit group of family and friends as I've continued reading the series. Fall from India Place actually jumps forward about five years from the ending of Before Jamaica Lane and here we get to see Ellie and Braden's young sister as a grown woman. I was actually a little nervous that it might be weird seeing Hannah as an adult since I'm so used to seeing her as a teenager but Samantha Young did a fabulous job of laying the foundations for this story in the previous book and it didn't take me long to get used to the time jump. Moving forward five years also gives us the opportunity to catch up with all of our favourite couples and see how they're all getting on now, most of them are married and we also get to see a new additions to the extended family which was fun.

Marco was Hannah's childhood crush and if you've read Before Jamaica Lane then you'll probably recognise him as the boy she was crazy about. The two were close friends but although Hannah always wanted more Marco kept her at a distance until one night when he gave into temptation. Hannah was heartbroken when Marco walked away from her after that and she was even more devastated when she found out he'd left the country and returned to America without even saying goodbye. Now, five years later, Hannah has done her best to put Marco to the back of her mind, she has worked hard to build a good life for herself and is just starting out in her career as an English teacher. She's never been able to trust another man with her heart but apart from that her life is good and she is happy being single. Bumping into Marco unexpectedly at a friend's wedding brings back all the old feelings of hurt and betrayal though. Marco is desperate to explain his actions and make things right between them but Hannah is wary of getting her heart broken again and he is the last person she can trust.

I love a story about second chance romances so I was really looking forward to seeing Marco prove himself to Hannah. As much as I was annoyed at the way he hurt her in the past I think his actions were explained well and I believed how sorry he was for what he did. He had a good reason for leaving and although I think he should have come back sooner I could understand why he hadn't. I felt really sorry for Hannah in the beginning and could see why she was so determined to keep her distance from Marco but in the end I have to admit I started getting more than a little annoyed by the way she kept pushing him away. The tension and drama between them just felt a little overdone and it didn't help that they both had huge secrets that they were keeping. These secrets are even kept from the reader although I have to say they weren't hard to figure out so I knew what was coming long before the big reveal. I found it incredibly frustrating that every time the two of them seemed to come to an understanding something would happen to send Hannah running again. I could understand why she was wary but since Marco had such good reasons for everything he'd done I started to get irritated that Hannah kept blaming him for everything that had happened. I was also annoyed about Marco's secret, he should have been more upfront with her from the beginning and I didn't feel that the story needed the extra drama that the big reveal caused.

Although this wasn't my favourite book in the series it was still an enjoyable read and I finished it in one sitting. Samantha Young has created such a fantastic cast of characters and I love diving back into this world to see what they're all getting up to. The absolute stand out character in this book is Cole (Jo's younger brother) who is now a young man in his own right and who is such a fantastic friend to Hannah. I'm already half in love with him so you can imagine how excited I am that he's getting his own book! The UK paperback of Fall from India Place also includes the story Castle Hill which was previously only available as an ebook. Castle Hill is a fabulous novella featuring Joss and Braden that is set after On Dublin Street and if you haven't already had a chance to read it I'm sure you'll love it as much as I did. You can read my full review of Castle Hill HERE if you're interested.

Source: Received from Piatkus in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Castle Hill - Samantha Young

UK Cover

Braden Carmichael never imagined he'd fall as hard and as fast as he did for Jocelyn Butler. He also could not have anticipated how difficult it would be to convince her to give in to love. But now that he has her, he's never letting go. He's got it all planned - the passionate proposal, the dream wedding, the sexy Hawaiian honeymoon - even the perfect family they'll start.

After trying to flee from her painful past, Joss is finally allowing herself to embrace the future. But when things start moving faster than she anticipated, she finds herself panicking over something Braden can't understand. After everything they've been through, Joss is sure that their love can survive even her worst fears. But, this time, she may push Braden too far - and risk losing everything all over again . . .

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
If, like me, you're a fan of Braden then you won't want to miss Castle Hill. I fell head over heels for Braden in On Dublin Street and as much as I've enjoyed getting to know the other characters in this series he's still my favourite so of course I jumped at the chance of spending more time with him and Joss in this novella. My only complaint was that it was too short and I could have happily carried on reading.

I think that one of the things I loved most about the story is that it was Braden's turn to mess up, as much as his actions annoyed me at one point I think the fact that he makes mistakes just makes him feel even more real than he did before. Besides, after all the times Joss pushed him away in On Dublin Street, I think he was due a freak out of his own! What was also great was seeing how much Joss has grown up and has started to deal with her issues, things that would have sent her running before she is now able to take in her stride and I was pleased with the way she has become more secure in their relationship. They've certainly come a long way as a couple since they first met and their bond is stronger than ever at the end of this novella.

I don't want to say too much about the story so I'll just tell you that there are some fabulously sweet and poignant moments between them, there is also plenty of their trademark banter and of course it wouldn't be Braden and Joss if there wasn't plenty of steam! I love Samantha Young's writing and this has just made me even more eager to read Before Jamaica Lane when it publishes later this month.

Source: Received from Penguin in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Down London Road - Samantha Young

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Johanna Walker is used to taking charge. But she's about to meet someone who will make her lose control . . .

It has always been up to Johanna to care for her family, particularly her younger brother, Cole. With an absent father and a useless mother, she's been making decisions based on what's best for Cole for as long as she can remember. She even determines what men to date by how much they can provide for her brother and her, not on whatever sparks may - or may not - fly.

But with Cameron MacCabe, the attraction is undeniable. The sexy new barman at work gives her butterflies every time she looks at him. And for once, Jo is tempted to put her needs first. Cam is just as obsessed with getting to know Jo, but her walls are too solid to let him get close enough to even try.

Then Cam moves into the flat below Jo's, and their connection becomes impossible to ignore. Especially since Cam is determined to uncover all of Jo's secrets . . . even if it means taking apart her defences piece by piece.

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
With an alcoholic, dysfunctional mother and a father who disappeared years ago Jo has been taking care of her family since she was 16 years old. Forced to leave school and get a job just to pay the bills she never had much of a childhood but she is determined life will be better for her younger brother Cole. Everything she does is done in Cole's best interest, even when it comes to the guys she dates it is more about how they can help her financially rather than how much she loves them. That is until she meets Cam, he is the one man who tempts her to put her own needs first, she finds it impossible to deny the attraction she feels towards him but she is determined to keep him at a distance. That becomes impossible when Cam moves into the flat below hers though. Cam is intrigued by Jo and wants to get to know her better, she isn't the person he first thought she was and that just makes him want to break down her barriers and learn all of her secrets. Can he convince Jo that they could be good together?

I was a huge fan of On Dublin Street so I've been eagerly waiting for Down London Road ever since I finished reading it. I have to admit that I was a little disappointed when I found out that this was Jo's book, I'll admit that I had judged her based on what we saw of her in the first book and I thought she was a gold digger and not someone I was interested in seeing more of. It just goes to remind me that we shouldn't judge a book by it's cover though, Jo is nothing like I expected her to be and my opinion of her completely changed within the first couple of chapters. She isn't perfect and she does tend to look at men in terms of what they can do for her but she obviously cares for the guys she dates and I think deep down she is a romantic who was looking for a rich prince charming to sweep her off her feet and protect her and her brother. She's had a tough life, she works two jobs just to make ends meet and she does everything she can to make sure Cole has a better life than she did. She is saving every penny she can so he can get the good education that she missed out on and she does her best to protect him from their mother's drunken ranting outbursts. Some people would have probably walked away from their family as soon as they were old enough but Jo sticks around for Cole's sake and you have to admire her for that. She doesn't always make the right decisions, she can be a bit on the ruthless side, especially when it comes to men, but everything she does is done with good intentions and you can't really fault her for that.

Cam was actually an a-hole when he first met Jo. Like me he judged her on first appearances and found her wanting and he wasn't shy in letting her know just how much he disliked her for it. I was really quite concerned for a few minutes that he wasn't going to be a worthy hero but I should have known better and trusted Samantha Young to come through for me. Cam makes mistakes but he is man enough to admit it when he realises he is wrong, he feels terrible when he understands how badly he misjudged Jo and he goes out of his way to make it up to her. I think the reason he reacted so badly towards her in the first place was because he was so attracted to her and didn't think he stood a chance because he wasn't the kind of rich guy she'd be interested in. That doesn't excuse his behaviour but it does make it more understandable. When we get to know him we start to see what a sweet guy Cam really is, he grows to care a lot for Jo and he understands how important her family is to her. He really takes Cole under his wing and is a good influence on both of them. They make a great couple and it is impossible not to route for them.

One of the things I enjoyed most about the book was the dynamics between Jo and Cole, Cole is like the typical 14 year old boy but he loves his sister and appreciates everything she has done for him. They have such a great bond and I really enjoyed seeing them spend time together. I know that the biggest question fans of On Dublin Street will have is do we get to see more of Joss and Braden? You'll be pleased to know that they both have fairly large roles in the story and it was great to catch up with both of them along with Ellie and Adam. The stars of the show are definitely Jo and Cam but we see plenty of the other characters we know and love.

I expected to enjoy Down London Road but I never thought Samantha Young could make me fall for another couple even harder than I fell for Joss and Braden. I'm happy to say that is exactly what she did though, Jo and Cam were so good together and I just loved everything about this book. The romance is sweet and sexy, the family dynamics were great, Jo has a strong network of friends who she learns she can rely on to help her and the ending just left me with a huge smile on my face. I don't think it would have been possible to change anything in this book to make me like it more and it has just left me even more excited to get my hands on anything else that the author writes in the future. If you enjoyed On Dublin Street you're going to LOVE Down London Road!

I'm just going to leave you with this teaser that Samantha Young posted on her website:

Source: Received from Penguin in exchange for an honest review

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Review: Until Fountain Bridge - Samantha Young

UK Cover

Ellie Carmichael had a crush on Adam Sutherland, her brother, Braden’s, best friend, for years, and although Adam treated her with proprietary concern he made it clear he thought of her only as a little sister.

Over the years, as Ellie’s crush develops into love, her romantic idealism makes it difficult for her to move on. To make matters worse, as she’s gotten older, Adam’s attitude has changed toward her. His affection for her is now joined by attraction, but his loyalty to Braden, and his fear of losing the only family he has, stops him from claiming Ellie the way she wishes he would.

But one night his attraction is put to the test, and as much as Adam would like things to remain the same everything changes between them in a simple brush of the lips.

Soon lust, love, jealousy and heartbreak combine to force change upon their relationship… and Adam discovers the hard way that life is too damn short to spend it on regret.

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
Until Fountain Bridge is a short novella set just after the end of On Dublin Street, please not that it does cover some of the events that appeared in the book so I wouldn't recommend reading it first. If you've already read On Dublin Street then you probably enjoyed the side romance between Ellie (Braden's sister & Joss's room mate) and Adam (Braden's best friend) as much as I did so you'll be pleased to know that this is their story. Samantha Young is currently offering this novella as a free gift to fans of the series who have pre-ordered the next book Down London Road but I believe that it will be made available as an ebook that can be purchased at some point in the future. In the meantime if you have pre-ordered Down London Road you can find instructions on how to get your copy of Until Fountain Bridge on Samantha Young's blog here.

I loved Ellie and Adam when we met them in On Dublin Street so although I already knew how they became a couple I was still really excited to read about things from their point of view. What was so nice about Until Fountain Bridge though was the way Samantha Young managed to show us so much of their history by sharing snippets of Ellie's diaries from over the years they have known each other. Ellie has been in love with Adam since she was a teenager but Adam has always held himself back, at first because she was too young for him but even when he realised she was a grown woman he was worried about ruining his friendship with Braden. It took the shock of what happened to Ellie for him to realise he couldn't live without her and it was so good to see how they are getting on as a couple.

I think the fact they have so much history made it easy for the author to create a believable romance in only 80 pages. Their relationship has taken years to reach the point it is at today and they have a past full of lust, love, romance and even jealousy between them. I don't think Adam realised what mixed signals he had been sending to Ellie until he read her diary entries and saw things from her point of view, he is just lucky that Ellie is such a romantic and didn't give up on him! They make such a cute couple and I really enjoyed seeing things from Ellie's point of view. Although the focus of this story is very much on Ellie and Adam (as it should be!) it was also nice to get a glimpse into Braden and Joss's relationship from Ellie's perspective. We get to see just how much she loves her brother but also how quickly she grew to care for Joss and how much she wanted the pair of them to work things out.

Until Fountain Bridge is a great little addition to the series and one I'm sure fans of On Dublin Street won't want to miss so make sure you get hold of your copy now while it's free. If you're reading this after the free promotion has ended then I'm still going to recommend you try to get a copy - even if you have to pay for it I still think you'll find it well worth reading.

Source: Received for free from the author as a gift for pre-ordering a copy of Down London Road

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Review: On Dublin Street - Samantha Young

UK Cover

Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare…

Four years ago, Jocelyn left her tragic past behind in the States and started over in Scotland, burying her grief, ignoring her demons, and forging ahead without attachments. Her solitary life is working well—until she moves into a new apartment on Dublin Street where she meets a man who shakes her carefully guarded world to its core.

Braden Carmichael is used to getting what he wants, and he’s determined to get Jocelyn into his bed. Knowing how skittish she is about entering a relationship, Braden proposes an arrangement that will satisfy their intense attraction without any strings attached.

But after an intrigued Jocelyn accepts, she realizes that Braden won’t be satisfied with just mind-blowing passion. The stubborn Scotsman is intent on truly knowing her… down to the very soul.

On Dublin Street Series:
On Dublin Street
Until Fountain Bridge (Novella)
Down London Road
Castle Hill (Novella)
Before Jamaica Lane
Fall from India Place
Echoes of Scotland Street
Valentine (Novella)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way
One King's Way (Novella)
Stars Over Castle Hill (Novella)

Visit Samantha Young's website or the On Dublin Street website for more information

Review:
Ever since losing her entire family when she was just 14 years old Joss has remained closed off from others emotionally, unwilling to let anyone in for fear of the pain she will feel if anything happens to them. Even her closest friend Rhian is kept at a distance and she left everything familiar behind to move from the US to Scotland as soon as she was old enough to come into her inheritance. Joss has always felt happy to be alone but things start to change when she moves into an apartment on Dublin Street and starts to get to know her new roommate Ellie. It isn't just Ellie that starts to find a way into Joss's affections though but also her very sexy older brother Braden. Braden knows he wants Joss and understands that it isn't going to be easy to break through her defences but he is prepared to work at it. The attraction between them is undeniable and he offers her a no strings arrangement so they can get it out of their system. Before Joss even realises what is happening Braden starts to work his way into her heart but can she get past her fears enough to see that they have a future together?

On Dublin Street is a wonderful story and I enjoyed every minute of it. The characters are realistic, they have flaws but are still likeable and it was easy to understand their emotions and actions even when I didn't necessarily agree with them. My heart broke for Joss because she had been through so much at such a young age, she had never really managed to grieve for her family and suffered emotionally because of that. It wasn't easy for her but I was pleased she was adult enough to realise she had a problem and actually seek the help she needed. Even if she didn't always want to immediately take her councillor's advice she would take it on board and think things through for herself. As much as I was irritated with her for the way she pushed both Braden and Ellie away at times I couldn't stay mad at her because we got to see exactly how she was feeling. In a lot of ways Joss is a hard person to get to know but she is a loyal friend to those she cares about, she was also sassy, independent and knew what she wanted from life.

Braden was a wonderful hero, definitely an alpha male who knows what he wants and sets out to get it but he was caring and sweet and obviously had genuine feelings for Joss. He knows there could be something special between them and is happy to put in the effort required to make things work. One of the things I enjoyed most was the banter between him and Joss, the way they teased each other had me laughing out loud and the fun side to their relationship shone through in the scorching hot chemistry between them. The sex between them was explosive and left me in need of a cold shower on several occasions but I wouldn't have enjoyed it as much as I did if they hadn't had such a great emotional connection.

Although the focus of the story is on the romance between Joss and Braden other characters like Ellie and the rest of her family and Braden's best friend Adam all had important roles to play. I enjoyed getting to know all of them and am looking forward to spending more time with the group in future books. On Dublin Street was an emotionally engaging story, a book that made me laugh out loud one minute and brought tears to my eyes the next, it tugged on my heartstrings but left me smiling at the end. This was my first book by Samantha Young but I can tell you right now that the sequel Down London Road has jumped right to the top of my wish list and I can't wait to get my hands on a copy. If you're looking for a fabulous romance then you can't go wrong with this one.

An On Dublin Street Christmas:

Anyone who read and enjoyed On Dublin Street needs to make sure they read the free short story An On Dublin Street Christmas. It's like an extra epilogue to the story and gives readers the chance to share a Christmas with Joss and Braden. I love it when authors revisit their characters and give you a glimpse of their happy ever after and this was a very enjoyable short! You can find it online at the Smexy Books blog here so don't miss out.

Source: Received from the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review

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