Review: Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young

Hart Street Lane by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This is the third book in the Return to Dublin Street series, but you can read it as a standalone as all of the couples are interconnected but their stories are independent. We first met Baird and Maia in On Loverose Lane, but they were in different places in their lives. Maia was engaged at the time, but Baird knew there was something between them and was determined to get to know her. Fast forward to the future, Maia is in a pickle when her engagement is suddenly broken and she needs a fiancé fast or her job may b on the line. Fortunately for her Baird has been in love with her from day one, and just needs to convince her that his player days are in the past and he only has eyes for her.

Maia is a buyer for a posh department store in Scotland, and their marketing department has cooked up a campain to sponsor a wedding from engagement through honeymoon. The catch is that Maia is the bride to be and she and her fiance have just ended things. Baird has been acting out doing more and more reckless things since his concussion 2 years ago trying to prove that he is invincible as well as the best goalie in the league. The campaign is good for both of them for different reasons, and the best friends might just end up in love at the end of it all. Unfortunately, Maia has alot of baggage when it comes to love, trust, and relationships, which is understandable given her past. Things from her past are brought to light in the campaign that she would rather stay in the past and it threatens the life she's built and the relationship she's building with Baird.

I'm so glad Baird finally got his own book! I loved him as much as other fans of the series did when we first met him as Callan's sidekick in the first book in the series. He was such a fun character that deserved his own story and his own happy ending. Much like the other books in the series this does deal with some heavy and serious topics so make sure you take care of yourself first if you have triggers. Trigger warnings for (not inclusive) (view spoiler). I appreciated that they both had some things to deal with and were patient and kind with each other. I also appreciated that Maia had a great support group in place and were willing to tell her sternly but kindly that she needed to talk to someone about her trauma and that she was being unfair to Baird.

There was a good bit of growth from their characters as they supported each other through good and bad, and they worked through their problems.

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Review: Half-Light Harbor by Samantha Young

Half-Light Harbor by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This is a new romantic suspense from Samantha Young.  It follows a New York socialite and heiress to a hotel chain looking to connect with her Scottish roots and recover from her grief after a tragic accident takes both of her parents.  Tierney Silver feels more at home on the remote island of Glenvulin than she ever did in New York and finds some peace and healing as she begins work on restoring an old guesthouse into a Bed and Breakfast.  Before leaving the states, she found out some disturbing information about her parent's accident and she is determined to find the truth with the help of an investigative reporter.  This puts them both in danger, but Tierney is sure that she will be find on the tiny isle so far away from the hustle and bustle of NY.

Enter Ramsay McRae, a surly contractor working on the B & B who is full of secrets.  He and Tierney are immediately attracted to one another despite their age difference, but Ramsay has a past he isn't proud of and he lives in isolation to keep his past in his past and the people of the island protected.  Finding comfort in each other as they hide their secrets and sort through their feelings of guilt and grief.  Their no strings attached situation turns into something more, but as the truth of Tierney's parents is exposed she is put in danger which sends Ramsay into a tailspin for many reasons.  Can their relationship survive all of the secrets and scandals that surround them or will they find their way back to one another?

I really enjoyed this new series and I'm excited to see where the series is headed.  I immediately fell in love with the island and the people.  This is a fast paced story with plenty of spice and several suspenseful plotlines that while seem unrelated eventually tied together.  While I'm not usually one for the lack of communication trope, it was always clear that Ramsay and Tierney were going to keep secrets when they started their affair.  It was part of their agreement that they didn't owe each other information or feelings.  I thought the author did a great job with their interactions and discussions about trust, and the later communications about trauma and their pasts.  This book does include physical and emotional abuse of Tierney's friend, so take care if that is a trigger for you.  While I initially couldn't figure out how that tied into the main plot, Young did a good job making sure that things came together.  She really kept us on our toes with this one and her skill with suspense writing has really expanded.  I'm really looking forward to spending more time on the island in future books!

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Review: Bitten by Destiny by S. Young

Bitten by Destiny by S. Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I received an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

This was a much anticipated ending to the True Immortality series.  Echo is a vampire who has discovered that her maker is not the loving father she thought he was.  He has manipulated her from a young age and she has had enough.  She won't let her younger "sister" be manipulated and turned under false pretenses like she was, but in order to protect her, she must track down and partner with the fae she is supposed to eliminate.  Elijah is living the high life as a rock star.  He has known about his warlock abilities for a while, but he hasn't dipped his toes very deeply into the paranormal world.  He knows it exists, but when Echo shows up claiming he is fae he thinks she is insane.

To save the world and the people they love, Elijah and Echo have to find the other fae, who we have met in the previous books.  While this installment does read as a standalone, it does bring elements and characters together from the previous books.  I do think it elements from the overarching storyline are important to have as background and recommend reading those before jumping into this book as a starting point.  The author does do a great job giving background information and catching the reader up on past events as the last book came out 5 years ago and many of us haven't revisited this world in quite some time.  I was quickly able to remember who everyone was and what happened in their part of the story.  Each one of the fae born has a part to play in, and Elijah finds out that he and Echo are part of the bigger picture.  The are also extremely attracted to one another, but Echo has reservations especially when she is convinced she can't have anything good in her life.  Elijah is able to show her that being a vampire does not automatically mean she is evil.  There are some spicy scenes, but overall they are able to show each other how they feel and that they have each other's backs.  Not only do Elijah and Echo work as a team, but they work well with the other couples to save the world from impending doom.  It was nice to connect with the other couples for the final battle, and I also really appreciated the epilogue that closes out the storyline for each couple.  

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Review: A Royal Mile by Samantha Young

A Royal Mile by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

I’m really enjoying the second generation of the Dublin Street kids. This follows Lily, Liv and Cam’s eldest daughter who is a student working towards her degree in psychotherapy and also has a dating podcast with her friends. She hasn’t had the best luck with dating and relationships, but she hasn’t let that keep her down. Sebastian on the other hand doesn’t want a serious relationship. He’s k own as a player and only wants to be friends with Lily. Their relationship has gotten off to a rocky start, but with time they become inseparable and feelings become more than friendly.

I really enjoyed getting to know Lily and Sebastian. I also loved getting to see all of the characters from the original Dublin Street series all grown up and as parents. Both characters have a great friend group to support them through think and thin. Our characters face some obstacles as they sort out their feelings for one another, and having a strong support group was key to them figuring things out. They also had great chemistry and communication once they started working together on how they felt about each other.

This reads as a complete standalone, but if you want to get to know Beth and Callan who are mentioned several times I. This book I highly recommend On Loverose Lane.

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Review: On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young

On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided an ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are my own.

The book reads as a complete standalone, however if you have read the original On Dublin Street series, you will recognize many characters who make cameos.  I love that we have returned to this world with Beth, the daughter of Joss and Braden and hope to see more of the 2nd generation of the Dublin Street characters. 

Beth owns a successful social media company, she grew up with privilege but she always had to work for what she wanted.  One thing that she wanted, but pushed away was Callan Keen.  She thought she was doing the right thing at 16, but things didn't end up the way she had hope and they both ended up hurt in the end.  Callan is now a famous soccer/football star, and he happens to be moving into Beth's building.  Running into each other regularly brings back memories and unresolved feelings, especially when Beth asks Callan to be her fake boyfriend to help her land a big client.  In return, Beth promises to set Callan and his best friend Baird up with a meeting with her dad regarding a property he owns.  This mutually beneficial relationship would be great for their career goals, and it just so happens it is equally beneficial in the bedroom as well.  Things get a bit spicy between these two.  As their casual arrangement comes to a close, neither one of them wants it to end but they both have things from their past that are keeping them from taking the next step.  

This has good mental health rep as Beth deals with anxiety, but she doesn't full open up about it.  She takes on too much and deals with everything on her own.  If you have read On Dublin Street, you will be familiar with Joss' struggles with grief and anxiety.  Joss has conversations with both Beth and Callan about how she learned to deal with those things and that she was there for them both if they needed someone to talk to.  Callan, like Joss, has a hard time letting people get close to him because of tragic loss at a young age and doesn't know how to deal with big feelings.  With the support of the people around them, they are able to take steps to fight for their relationship and build something together.  I really enjoyed getting to know Beth and Callan as they got to know each other as adults and rekindle their romance from high school. This also has great side characters, Beth has a huge family and we meet many of them in the book.  I suspect as this is a 2nd gen series we will see more of them in the future.  Callan's best friend and business partner Baird was awesome, and I hope to see more of him in the future as well.

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RELEASE BLITZ: On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young

 

On Loverose Lane by Samantha Young is now live! 

Imagine my surprise when my new neighbor turns out to be one of Scotland’s most famous (and hottest) professional footballers, Callan Keen. I’m even more shocked to discover that the brooding player is still holding a grudge for something that happened (or didn’t happen) between us years ago.

Too busy trying to take my social media management company to the next level, I don’t have time for this gorgeous blast from the past. Or at least I shouldn’t. Yet whenever I see him, I can’t help but engage in a battle of wits with the grump upstairs.

When a huge client opportunity arises, circumstances force me to enlist Callan’s help. I require a fake date and Callan needs me to facilitate a meeting with my dad to further his own business interests.

The deal between us should be simple. Except, of course, the blazing chemistry we’ve shared since the moment we met. We can’t deny it, we can’t control it, and soon we’re agreeing to six weeks of no-strings-attached, mind-blowing, steamy shenanigans.

I told myself I was too smart to catch feelings. But when Callan finally finds out the truth about our past, he becomes the guy I used to know. And that man is way too easy to fall for.

The problem is that Callan has vowed to never let another person close enough to break his heart again.

It just might prove impossible to show my stubborn Scotsman I’m worth the risk, especially when old wounds are re-opened and threaten to wreck any chance of a future together…

The #1 International bestselling author is back with this emotional and steamy sports romance in which ambitious entrepreneur, Beth Carmichael, meets her match in the grumpy football captain who moves into the apartment above hers.

  

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Meet Samantha

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She's been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.
She resides in Scotland.

 

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RELEASE BLITZ: Forever the Highlands by Samantha Young

 

Forever the Highlands by Samantha Young is now live! 

He’s her brother’s best friend. She’s totally off-limits. But when life takes an unexpected turn, she’s the only one he wants at his side…

Fyfe Moray raised himself. His only real family is his best friend, Lewis Adair. For that reason, Lewis’s sister Eilidh is totally off-limits. Fyfe is in deep denial about their intense attraction. Thankfully, Eilidh is a famous actor living in London while he runs his cyber security company from the Highlands. They’re worlds apart. Until one day, Eilidh reaches out asking for a lifeline and Fyfe can’t bring himself to turn her away.

Acting isn’t what Eilidh Adair expected. As a kid, she wanted to be just like her famous uncles. But the double-edged sword of fame cuts deeper than expected. Afraid to admit she’s made a mistake, Eilidh is spiraling. The only person who knows the truth is Fyfe, but her childhood crush has developed into a love he won’t return. Yet when she comes home intent on starting over, Fyfe can’t seem to stay away. His confused feelings might just be the end of them. Until a woman from Fyfe’s past abandons the baby daughter he never knew he had.

Now a single father, Fyfe needs support. He just never expected Eilidh to be the one he needed most. Fyfe can’t believe how quickly he falls for his child and how rapidly his world view changes. He’s ready to admit the truth: he’s madly in love with his best friend’s sister. And Fyfe’s done wasting time. But someone else believes Eilidh belongs to them. Someone who has been watching her far longer than she realizes. Just when she thinks she might have everything she wants, Eilidh finds herself caught in the crosshairs of a person intent on destroying everything she holds dear.

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Audio Narrated by: Shane East & Zara Hampton-Brown

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Meet Samantha

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She's been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.
She resides in Scotland.

 

Connect with Samantha

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Review: Forever the Highlands by Samantha Young

Forever the Highlands by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both and ALC and ARC of this book via the Author, all opinions are my own.

This is the 6th and I believe the final installment of the Highlands series.  This follows Eilidh Adair and Fyfe Moray, whom we've met in prior installments of the Highlands series and in the Adair Family series.  As with all of the books in both series, this can be read as a standalone, however if you want to know more about the other characters or the Adair estate, I highly recommend the other books in the series.  I've completely fallen in love with Scotland through this series, but I definitely feel like I've taken a trip there through reading this series.  I hope to one day visit the beautiful country Samantha has described so lovingly in her books.

Eilidh is all grown up now, and has become a successful actress.  Fyfe is Eilidh's brother's best friend, and has known the Adair's for years, he has a very successful cybersecurity company.  They have known each other for years, and it is no secret that Eilidh has always harbored a crush on Fyfe.  Fyfe has never had a serious relationship, and he is always clear about his lack of desire for a serious relationship or a family.  Eilidh is feeling burnt out from acting and all of the negativity she receives from social media.  She returns home to Ardnoch to be with family and figure out her next steps.  She and Fyfe have always had a great friendship, but it quickly becomes clear that they both want more.  He knows he can't give her more and keeps his distance, but when an old fling drops a huge surprise off on his doorstep Eilidh steps in to help him.

This has alot going on in terms of plot.  Fyfe has to deal with his child abandonment issues in several scenarios throughout the book, while Eilidh has to deal with the fallout from leaving acting, a stalker, and her feelings for Fyfe which may never be reciprocated.  There is more to the story but I don't want to spoil it.  I thought Samantha did a good job balancing the romance aspect with the suspense aspects while also dealing with some other heavy topics.   This had great character development from both Eilidh and Fyfe.  We get to see many of the characters from the Adair and the Highlands series again as Eilidh and Fyfe sort out their relationship.  This is a bit of a slow burn, but once things get going it has a decent amount of spice.

I loved the second epilogue.  It was so nice to see each of the couples again and where they are now.  It was such a lovely and spicy way to end the series.  It gave a sense of closure to our time at Ardnoch.  I really loved getting to know all of the characters and the times spend on the estate, I just finished and I miss it already.  I see a reread of the entire series in my future soon.

As for the audiobook Shane East and Zara Hampton Brown are magnificent narrators as always.  They are both so talented and give each character a distinctive voice.  They bring every emotion to the forefront in every chapter.  I'm always thrilled when I see either of them as a narrator, and the pair together is even better!

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Review: Northern Twilight by Samantha Young

Northern Twilight by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both an audio and print ARC of this book via the author, all opinions are by own.

This book like all of the other books in the series does read as a complete standalone, however it does feature characters that we have gotten to know over the course of the series.  Callie and Lewis were children in previous installments when we met their parents, now they are all grown up and we learn how they went from best friends as kids to high school sweethearts to not speaking to one another.  

Lewis and Callie both left Ardnoch after high school.  Lewis moved to London for university and is beginning his career as an architect.  He is beginning to feel the pull to move back home and be closer to his family, but he is still heartbroken over losing Callie.  She's recently moved back home to work at her mother's bakery after a stint in Paris studying pastry arts.  Callie was adamant she never wanted to leave Scotland and their small town, so naturally Lewis is confused by her actions and their breakup.  When they run into each other in London, all of those unresolved feelings come rushing back and they both let emotion and passion lead them.  

As with the other books set in Ardnoch this has a bit of a suspense element to it.  It doesn't overtake the main romance plot between Lewis and Callie as they navigate getting to know one another again, but strange things keep happening to them that threaten to upend their happiness.  I really enjoyed getting to know Lewis and Callie as adults.  I thought it was a nice creative touch that this was told in both the present and the past.  We get to know them both as teenagers when their romantic relationship was developing and as it fell apart and we get to know them as adults as they start dating again and re-establishing their relationship and navigate the things that tore them apart in the first place.  Callie has to deal with the emotional trauma from her past as well as all of the local gossips wanting to stir up drama for her and her family.  Fortunately she has a strong support system, and she and Lewis slowly ease their way back to what they once had only better.  This has a good amount of spice and was a great second chance romance!

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RELEASE BLAST: Skies Over Caledonia by Samantha Young

 

Skies Over Caledonia by Samantha Young is now live! 

He’s a down-to-earth highland farmer. She’s the rebellious daughter of Hollywood royalty. They might seem like they’re from different worlds, but that won’t stop them from engaging in a marriage of convenience…

It’s been five years since Jared McCulloch’s grandfather Collum passed away and he inherited his farm in the Scottish Highlands. After his grandad saved him from his past life, Jared is determined to honor Collum’s legacy. But not only has a series of bad luck put him in danger of losing the farm, his estranged father is disputing the will. In a desperate situation, Jared realizes he’ll do just about anything to save the land.

Even marrying Allegra Howard, a woman he’s avoided at all costs.

A woman who tempts him beyond reason.

There’s only one place that makes Allegra Howard feel safe; one place that feeds her artist’s soul. Allegra wants to settle down in Scotland and expand her business. But there’s a hitch: immigration intends to return her to US soil.

Panicked, Allegra finds the one person just as desperate as she is. The same person she’s lusted after for years. In exchange for marrying her, she’ll invest financially in Jared McCulloch’s farm.

However, living together only forces them to acknowledge their searing mutual attraction. And with it comes an undeniable emotional connection Jared’s not sure he’s ready for.

Yet, blurring the lines of their arrangement is the least of his concerns when someone begins terrorizing the farm.

Allegra and Jared came together to save what matters most and now that might just be each other. And unless they can figure out which of their pasts has returned to torment them, they could lose their chance at a real future together...

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Meet Samantha

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She's been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.
She resides in Scotland.

 

Connect with Samantha

Website: http://authorsamanthayoung.com

Goodreads:  http://bit.ly/2FWgYdn

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorSamanthaYoung/

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1520019958258238/

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Review: Skies Over Caledonia by Samantha Young

Skies Over Caledonia by Samantha Young
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

I was provided both an audio and ebook ARC of this book via the author and Valentine PR, all opinions are my own.

The audiobook is narrated by Shane East and Stella Hunter, who are absolutely fabulous as Allegra and Jared. East really captures the grumpy farmer who just wants to be left alone to tend to the land and do what he loves. Hunter in turn captures the artistic Allegra, who is happy in the peaceful highlands of Scotland who wants so badly to settle down, make her art, and put her past behind her. Keep some earbuds handy as parts of this are NSFW.

As with the other books in the series, this reads as a standalone, but if you want to get to know the other couples mentioned in the book they each have their own stories. Allegra is the younger sister of Ardnoch manager Aria, who we got to know in Among the Heather. Allegra loves Scotland and being near her older sister, who is more of a mother to her than their mother. But pesky immigration laws spoil her plans to settle in Scotland and expand her art business. Allegra is desperate to find a way to stay in Scotland on more than a tourist visa. Jared is equally desperate to keep his farm in the family and make it successful. The last few years have been hard to make ends meet and he his determined to figure out a way to make things work. When Allegra approaches him with a crazy idea to benefit both of them, he is skeptical, but it just might work.

They agree on a marriage of convenience with no emotional strings attached, the only problem is they are attracted to one another. The more time they spend with each other, the more they begin to genuinely like each other and care about one another. They truly being to trust one another and confide in each other about their pasts and their futures. As things begin to threaten their peaceful bubble on the farm, doubt creeps in and they have to face their past and make decisions about their future.

I really liked Jared and Allegra together. They had good character development and the pacing of the story was good. They had good chemistry. They had good push and pull, and weren't afraid to challenge each other as they got to know one another. I really liked that Allegra trusted Jared with her past and he saw her for her true self, not the girl he thought she was. My favorite part was when he stood up to her parents on her behalf. Their characters offset each other nicely. The mystery didn't overpower the romance, but still added the suspense element that is common throughout the series.

I love this series and can't wait for the next installment!
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