Samantha Young

Castle Hill (#2.5) – Samantha Young

Posted on December 17, 2013December 17, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

A Joss and Braden Novella

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…

5 out of 5 stars

My Review of On Dublin Street
My Review of Until Fountain Bridge
My Review of Down London Road

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My review

I cannot tell you how much i love this series. Like, i love it so hard! Joss and Braden are one of my favourite couples and it was great to see that Samantha gave us that bit more of them. Of their relationship, their wedding and the pain and tribulations that came after that.

Samantha really got us with this novella. I went through the emotions; I was swooning, grinning so hard, laughing so much and really wanting to have a their relationship….and then it all went tits up and I was scared and angry and shouting at my kindle and crying and just wanted my favourite couple to talk, to talk it out and make everything better between them. I was completely anxious to see how it all panned out – to see if it would all be okay in the end.

You see the proposal (SWOONING MUCH?! Holy god, it was so romantic), the wedding, the honeymoon and what happens when they get back. Joss and Braden, as I’ve mentioned, are one of my fav couples. You can see they are just perfect for each other, they balance each other out and their banter and chemistry just mixes them together and they know just how to sweet talk and talk dirty to one another. But they also can bite back and they take no shit.

We all know the things that Joss has been through, the pain of losing her family, then her best friend and nearly Ellie, so we know that she is petrified that when she is happy, something bad is around the corner. Even getting married, she is scared she is going to lose everyone she loves sooner or later. We see her think things over, try to get her life in order now she has the love of her life. BUT when the dreaded drama happens, holy crap, I was a shaking mess. I actually cannot believe that Braden acted that way after everything that Joss had been through in her past. He ignored her, didnt want to touch her, hardly saw her and we see Joss feel so alone, going through the situation that made Braden just walk away.

Seriously, although he is swoon worthy and the Braden we all know and love, I just wanted to hit him, smack him, make him listen to Joss! Let her explain the situation and her feelings about it. Seriously! She has been through enough, witnessed enough and for him not to listen and just cut her off was the wrong reaction of his and it made me so angry.

Despite this though, they end up sorting it out and spunky Joss finally gets him to listen, to listen to her and Braden is literally begging Joss for forgiveness. You know she gives it though, she loves him with everything and it was a miscommunication between both of them.

I do love this couple and I cant wait to see little bits of them in the future series. This novella really did put me through the motions but it completed their story to perfection.

Waiting On Wednesday: Into The Deep – Samantha Young

Posted on June 19, 2013August 16, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Waiting on Wednesday is hosted by Breaking the Spine. It’s a weekly event that allows all us book bloggers and lovers to talk about what upcoming book we’re most looking forward to reading.

Synopsis

Live young. Live hard. Love deep.

Charley Redford was just an ordinary girl until Jake Caplin moved to her small town in Indiana and convinced her she was extraordinary. Almost from day one Jake pulled Charley into the deep and promised he was right there with her. But when a tragic incident darkened Jake’s life he waded out into the shallows and left Charley behind.

Almost four years later Charley thinks she’s moved on. That is until she takes a study year abroad in Edinburgh and bumps into none other than Jake Caplin at a party with his new girlfriend. The bad-boy-turned-good attempts to convince Charley to forgive him, and as her best friend starts spending time with Jake’s, Charley calls a truce, only to find herself tumbling back into a friendship with him.

As they grow closer, the spark between them flares and begins playing havoc with their lives and relationships. When jealousy and longing rear their destructive heads, Charley and Jake struggle to come to grips with what they mean to one another.

And even if they work it out, there is no guarantee Charley will ever trust Jake to lead her back into the deep…

Release date: 20th August

Family, New Adult, Romance, Samantha Young

ARC: Down London Road (#2) – Samantha Young

Posted on May 5, 2013May 5, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

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 bartender 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 blistering connection becomes impossible to ignore. Especially since Cam is determined to uncover all of Jo’s secrets even if it means taking apart her defenses piece by piece.

My review of On Dublin Street can be found HERE

My review of Until Fountain Bridge can be found HERE

5 / 5 Stars

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My Review

I was so privileged to have receive a copy of Down London Road and I literally cannot wait for all of you to get your hands on this when it is out… I NEED someone to talk to about it and no one can yet 😦 BOO! I guess I’ll just have to wait for you all to read it and fall in love with Cam and rekindle your love for Braden…because you sure as hell will, for both of these!

We all fell in love with Samantha Young during On Dublin Street and now you will fall even more in love with her. Down London Road had me hooked. I took the book everywhere with me and read it when I could. I even did the whole clichéd ‘sit in starbucks with a hot chocolate reading a book whilst it rained outside’. My first proper cliché! Samantha definitely knows how to keep you captivated, if it’s not with the sexual chemistry, it’s the dialogue to the journey each character takes to the drama in the book. You can mark my words at times I had to walk away from the book to take a breather as I couldn’t handle the things that were happening.

So when Down London Road comes out, can someone read it ASAP so we can talk about it please? It’s already killing me to keep everything locked up inside when I just want to scream that I loved this book so much.

Anyway enough of my fangirling for Samantha Young and Down London Road, here’s what you are waiting for…the review!

Johanna Walker has always been there for her family, or more importantly, her little brother Cole. Her father is absent and her mother is literally useless, so it’s up to Johanna to provide for Cole and make decisions on what is best for both of them. Dating men who have money and being the ‘best’ girlfriend is what is important. Knowing that they can provide for both her and Cole, regardless of if there are any sparks.

But enter Cameron MacCabe. The attraction between them is sizzling, but they get off to a rocky start. Although they don’t see eye to eye, Jo can’t help but eye him up every opportunity at work and for once, she is tempted to put her needs first. But can she give in?

When he moves into the flat below, it’s then that he learns about Jo’s home life and there that they become friends who have this amazing connection that Jo tries to ignore. Cam is obsessed with wanting to know her and be with her but he knows she had her walls built too damn high. Yet Cam is determined to break down and smash every brick to make her see that letting someone in and being loved isn’t the end of the world.

Before reading Down London Road, I had this preconception of Johanna, from On Dublin Street where all she did was use guys for their money. Ohh how wrong was I? Okay, so she picks guys who have money, but each to their own, shes doing it so she and her brother have a future, so they can be cared and provided for. Everything she does, she does it with the mindset of making sure her brother has everything she never when she was younger.

That is how she is with Malcolm now. She cares for him, he has money but she’s not in love with him. One night at an Art Gallery showing for Malcolm’s ex-girlfriend is where she links eyes (and souls) with a gorgeous, tattooed guy across the room. The attraction is immediate but before long, she finds out he is going out with Malcolm’s ex.

From the get-go, Cam is horrible to Jo, judging her before he knows her. Jo is used to this and so she doesn’t bother correcting him, letting him think what he wants. If he wants to think shes this false bimbo gold digger, shell let him, because there’s no way she is telling him about her mother and Cole. She knows the truth and that’s that. Although Cam was a little bastard, she still helps him out with getting a job at Club 39.

But Johanna is conflicted. She has this instant attraction to Cam the first time she meets him, but he’s judged her already, making her out to be something shes not, but then even through the attraction she thinks he’s an absolute dickhead the way he talks to her.

Jo had been told all her life she will never amount to anything. She’s a high school dropout who had worked hard to keep her family afloat and housed with food on the table. No thanks to her mother. She will do whatever it takes to make sure her brother Cole is safe and secure, that he never goes without. She is one protective sister and will beat anyone who hurts him. Despite not thinking she is good enough, being told that enough times in her life, which is one reason she goes for men who are wealthy, so she and Cole will be cared for.

She tore at my heart at her low opinion of herself, because truly, everything she was doing was all for Cole and his future and making sure he was happy, even with the situation of their mother. She doesn’t want anyone to know about her home life, embarrassed over what is really going on under the roof of London Road. No boyfriends have ever been inside, let alone met Cole or her mother and she prefers it that way.

As much as I felt so sorry for Jo, she was a strong character, standing up for herself, protecting her and Cole and working hard to provide. But she had a vulnerable side, she didn’t like opening herself up to other people, she didn’t accept their help and she was a stubborn soul. But despite all of this, she really goes on a journey, into accepting herself and letting her walls slowly crumble around her, for the better good of herself. It was a long journey, but no less important as it grafted her into the person we fall in love with along the way to the very end.

Although Cam starts out as an asshole to Jo, he does redeem himself and truth be told, I forgave him for the way he acted as he does tell Jo why. He’s not Jo’s usual type but their attraction to one another is on another scale. Although he was a douchebag, the more he finds out about Jo and the more he understands her and learns about her family situation, the more he admires her strength for what she is doing and falls in love with her.

He is the sweetest, kindest guy and completely embraces Jo and her brother Cole into his life, hell he’s more than happy to. He knows how stubborn Jo is, so peeling away her insecurities and wall piece by piece, it was so nice to see Cam wanting to help Jo out, loving her and protecting her. Have I mentioned how much I love him and how much reading about him and Jo and of course, his relationship with her brother Cole…uh it literally melted my heart.

It was plain and simple to see how much these two were attracted to one another and it was lovely to see them fall in love along the way. The sex, well, it was steaming and there was one sex scene where I wanted to be Jo so badly!! I’m going to put this on my list for when I get a boyfriend so we can go and do it haha. I’m not going to say what or where it was, but it definitely was fun and sexy to read about!

There was a point in the book where my heart couldn’t handle it…I had to put the book down and walk away. Okay two points. One was a soppy part, which I loved and another, I just couldn’t take it because I had a feeling something was going to happen and I really didn’t want it to.

The epilogue, oh god, it had me crying and squealing like the emotional wreck I am when I read books that really capture me. I wrote on Twitter when reading Down London Road that I get emotionally involved when reading books, and that is exactly what I was when I was reading this. So much so, I was feeling every emotion Jo was, from her insecurities to her love for her friends and family to her questioning over a certain thing that happens – I literally was feeling her emotions and feeling panicky over the next few pages – even when I hadn’t even come to them yet because I was this wreck. Books that evoke that reaction, to me, are the greatest kind around. But got to be said, you will cry your eyes out whilst giggling when you read the end, because it is THE best way to end the book and the best way to end the story of Cam and Jo.

Joss and Braden are still the people and couple we all adore! They are waaay more cuter in Down London Road. The things Joss came out with had me in stitches, the way she handles Braden, the both of them together and the way they are fiercely protective are what made me love them even more. They were always there for Jo and Cole. Although they aren’t in it a lot, it was great to see them involved in the important parts that occur.

You really do see all the characters come together for one another and they are really are a family. They help one another out, they bicker, they throw comments to each other but they really do protect and love one another to pieces, as you will see when things happen throughout the book. Everyone is fiercely protective and it made my heart clench at them all. After everything that Jo has had to go through on her own, to know she had so many people to fall back on when things get tough, it really did bring a tear to my eye and a smile to my face.

I know this review is realllllly long and trust me, there is a whole lot more I could write about and gush about Cam and Braden but I have forced myself to stop otherwise I would be writing an essay and you really don’t want that. I will leave you on the fact I totally absorbed this book. It made me happy, giddy, frustrated, cry but most of all, end on such a high. So when it’s out, can someone PLEASE read it asap so I can talk about it with you! I will repay you in pictures of hot, semi-naked males in return!

Author Interviews, Samantha Young

The Book Lovers presents…Samantha Young.

Posted on May 4, 2013April 30, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

So I got an email about a week ago from the lovely Katie Sheldrake at Penguin UK inviting me to ask Samantha Young some questions. Seeing as I love Samantha and her books and because I have never interviewed an author yet, and to be invited to interview one, well I jumped at the chance.

I’ m not going to take credit for all the questions, my friend and fellow author Karli Perrin chipped in with some questions of her own, so in the run-up to the release of Down London Road, here are the Q&A’s with the lovely Samantha Young.

Look out for my review of Down London Road coming tomorrow on my blog too!

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Questions for Samantha Young

1. I know you probably get asked this question a lot, but what made you start writing? Did you always want to be a writer?

When I was little I read the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe and it sparked my imagination so much. From then on I always had a pen and paper in hand, whether I was writing worlds or drawing them.

2. You write both Young Adult and Adult/Contemporary Romance, which do you prefer?

I love writing young adult because I get to create these young heroines that teens can relate to and throughout the book or series I develop them into young woman who readers hopefully can look up to and admire. Writing adult fiction is wonderful too because there are less limitations, and with contemporary romance it really is all about characterisation which is my favourite part of writing. Hmm… I don’t think I can choose a genre. I love both!

3. How do you come up with the plot of your books? Do the storylines just come to you?

My inspiration is usually sparked from something—whether real events, a setting, or even song lyrics. Once I get that first little ember of an idea I sit down with pen and paper in hand, music on in the background, and the plot for a new book usually builds quite quickly from there.

4. How do you pick the names of your characters? And do you spend time thinking of the ‘right’ names for your characters?

I do spend time thinking about the right names for my characters. Their name has to fit their personality and often, not always, have some kind of significance, whether major or minor. Sometimes I scroll through baby name websites to help me out, but most of the time the name comes to me quite organically as I write character profiles.

5. Do the names come to you before or after you plot out the storylines? And what about the names of the novels? I know they are the streets in which the characters live on, but what made you pick those streets?

The names come to me after I work out character histories and plot. Usually. The titles for this series are street names because it’s the place setting that has an important role in the turning point in the main character’s lives. A series also needs continuity in the titles so the street names are all Edinburgh street names of cities or countries in other parts of the world.

6. With On Dublin Street and Down London Road, did you have a process of how you wrote them? For example, did you start at chapter 1 and work through or did you write random scenes then bring them all together?

I wish I could write out of chronology but I need to write from beginning to end. Piecing scenes in here and there like a puzzle would probably confuse me. I need to let the development of the characters and the plot unfold naturally in order to catch any mistakes or tweak scenes that aren’t working toward the overall development.

7. As someone who cannot pick a favourite character, from both the guys and girls, can you? Who is your favourite guy and girl? And who was your favourite character to write about?

I don’t know if I can pick a favourite guy and girl because as couples I love both their dynamics, but I think Jo was definitely my favourite character to write. She was the most challenging heroine I’ve ever written and by the end of the story I absolutely adored her. I think she’s an incredibly relatable and likeable heroine.

8. Out of the three books – On Dublin Street, Until Fountain Bridge and Down London Road, what were your favourite scenes to write from all of them?

On Dublin Street – my favourite scene to write was a scene at the end when Joss and Braden are clearing up their misunderstandings. After having gone through so much it was such a passionate and heartfelt encounter. I loved writing it. For Until Fountain Bridge I loved the scene when Ellie’s going on her first date and Adam and Braden are overbearing but really funny. And for Down London Road my favourite scene to write was the “kitchen spider” scene. It’s a pivotal moment between Cam and Jo and I loved building their chemistry to sizzling.

9. When I read On Dublin street, I was impartial to Johanna, but when I read Down London Road I became to admire her strength and determination. What made you write a book about Johanna? I know many fans were hoping for a sequel for Joss and Braden.

I love that readers wanted more from Joss and Braden but a sequel from them would have been about throwing angst and drama at them for the sake of plot and I try to make my novels more natural than that. The important element of their story had been told and I really felt I needed to move onto someone else’s story. However, that didn’t mean I wouldn’t keep Joss and Braden around so readers could still catch up with them. Choosing Johanna seemed like the natural next step. When she was introduced in On Dublin Street readers were introduced to her in a way that most people in her life are — completely misunderstanding her. This is partly Jo’s fault of course, but that made her interesting. I loved the idea of taking a character that appeared to be one thing on the outside but was in fact so much more on the inside. The challenge was getting who she really is across to the reader and I hope I definitely did that.

10. Have you thought about who you would like to play each character if your books were made into movies?

I have thought about most of the characters. For Joss – Jennifer Lawrence. For Braden – Chris Hemsworth. For Ellie – Rosamund Pike. For Jo – Alexis Knapp. For Cam- Jamie Dornan. I’m still stuck on Adam. I like James McAvoy for Adam but many of my readers prefer Henry Cavill.

11. Are the streets in your book close together? This is for *street stalkers* such as myself who is planning a trip to Scotland to visit these streets.

The title streets Dublin Street and London Road are about a ten minute walk from one another. However, London Road is a very long road and Johanna lives at the lower end so it’s probably a twenty minute walk.

12. And lastly, is there a deep, dark secret that you would like to share with the rest of us 😉

I may be working on a new project…

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So there you have it! Many thanks to Samantha Young for answering my questions and I hope you all love Down London Road as much as I did. And hands up who is excited for this new project *Hands up*..Hmm i wonder what it is?!

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Author Bio

Samantha Young is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She’s been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller ON DUBLIN STREET.

For more info on Samantha’s adult fiction visit http://www.ondublinstreet.com
For info on her young adult fiction visit www.samanthayoungbooks.com

New Adult, Samantha Young

Until Fountain Bridge (#1.5) – Samantha Young

Posted on April 27, 2013April 25, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

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.

5 /5 stars

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My Review

“I want every piece of you. Even the stuff I missed without even knowing I was missing it.”

Ellie has been writing diaries since she was a kid. Shes documented everything throughout her life up until a couple of months ago. Ellie now lives with Adam, the love of her life since she was a child, and he finds her surrounded by her diaries one day.

Intrigued by them and wanting to know her versions of events between them over the years, he starts to read them with her and so this starts the beginning of their ‘relationship’ to the point in which they are at now. The diaries conveyed a lot of jealousy, heartbreaks and hidden attraction until a few pivotal points in their friendship happen changing it up.

Join Ellie and Adam throughout their history, to their present, where they are happy and in love. Life is definitely too short for regrets.

Even since I read On Dublin Street, Ellie just took over me. She was, is, an amazing character to read. She’s caring, loyal, a romantic; tries to see the good in people but she’s also got a spark in her which Adam seems to set off a lot. It makes her feisty, but causes her heartbreak every time.

So when Samantha Young mentioned how she had written a novella about Adam and Ellie which was a freebie for all of those who had pre-ordered Down London Road, I knew I had to email her and get my copy, because I wanted to know about their story. As we know, Ellie has been in love with Adam since a young age. But when did Adam realize he had feelings for her? It fills in the blanks for all the questions we had during On Dublin Street for these two.

As mentioned, Ellie has moved in with Adam and is sorting out boxes that she should have unpacked weeks ago. There she stumbles upon what she is looking for – her old diaries. Adam comes up to see what she is doing and that is how this novella starts. Adam wants to read them and know how much he affected Ellie when they were growing up. With Adam being seven years older, we follow Ellie’s journey of growing up, harbouring these feelings for her brother’s best friend, going through Adam’s over-protectiveness, being angered by Adam’s brotherly ways, to turning into an adult, dating, having her heart broken by boyfriends, being confused over Adam. You name it, Ellie documented every little detail and feeling in her diaries over the years.

Although many of us love Adam, he was a bit of an idiot throughout the diary entries, but alas, he didn’t actually know Ellie’s feelings and when he realized his feelings for her, he wanted her but couldn’t have her because he thought it would affect his friendship with Braden. When you read the novella, you will understand the pain and heartbreak that Ellie encountered time and time again by Adam. Sometimes not on purpose as he didn’t know that he was doing it, but others – he did. And these were the parts I literally wanted to sob for Ellie. (I couldn’t as I read this in the library.)

It was a great yet heartbreaking read. It was heartbreaking to see Ellie go through all the pain of loving Adam since her childhood but great to read the history of their story. I loved the journey of Ellie growing up, trying to forget her feelings for Adam by dating other guys but none of them seemed to match up to him. She never felt that spark when she kissed them but then everything changes when they brush lips one night. That was it then. She was in love.

I also liked how we got to see Adam’s side to what he was reading after every entry. You could feel his emotions once he read them, see the guilt, the pain, the anguish of how he was making Ellie feel, even if he didn’t know it. My heart really did go out to him because of it because he spent years being in love with her too, but didn’t do anything. You do seem him man-up though, as we also see in On Dublin Street, but we see exactly what happens in the bedroom.

I have to say, I sat in a quiet area of the library, only one person hidden behind the book cases. I had my Ipod in and normally when I read, the music doesn’t go in until I really listen to it and during some pivotal points in the book, two songs came on that just described those scenes brilliantly. So brilliantly that I wanted to burst into tears there and then, but I had to hold my tears back.

The first song is: Kelly Clarkson – My Life Would Suck Without you.
Not evening joking, this came on when it was Ellie’s illness scene. I am not going to spoil what happens but it kicks someone’s butt into gear. I sat listening to the lyrics, reading the words on my kindle, wanting to sob my little heart out. It truly was a fitting song to what was happening and what had happened previously.

And the next song was The Fray – Look After You.
This came on during the last diary entry where they talk about their future and then into the present, where it ends their journey to where they are at now. I am in love with this song so much, and it fits Ellie and Adam’s love perfectly. It fitted those scenes perfectly and it made my heart ache in a good way over the lyrics and reading what the two of them were talking about. I would highly recommend listening to this song during the last entry.

I command Samantha Young for this amazing novella. I am so happy to have read about Ellie and Adam’s history, to understand their relationship more, to how it all started to where they are at now. For those who haven’t had the chance to receive this freebie by pre-ordering Down London Road, you are missing out. But you won’t be missing out for long, as you will be able to buy this novella in June.

If you loved On Dublin Street, then you really need to read this. You will love Ellie and Adam even more than you probably do. (Then when Down London Road is out – which is amazing btw – you will see even more of these two!)

Cover Reveal, Samantha Young

US COVER: Until Fountain Bridge – Samantha Young

Posted on April 24, 2013April 22, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Until Fountain Bridge (an On Dublin Street novella) the story that follows Ellie Carmichael and Adam Sutherland’s romance will be available in ebook edition from NAL in the US June 18th!

I have this on my kindle as it was a freebie from Samantha Young if you emailed her proof you had pre-ordered Down London Road. I haven’t got around to reading it yet, but I am really excited to read Adam and Ellie’s story. I loved Ellie in both On Dublin Street and Down London Road and I know Adam is going to steal a piece of my heart when I read this. (PS. The guy looks like someone I used to work with. I would LAUGH so hard if it was…)

Synopsis

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