protection – Z. Elizabeth

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!

New Adult, Romance

Real (#1) – Katy Evans

Posted on April 23, 2013April 22, 2013 by Z. Elizabeth

Synopsis

A fallen boxer.
A woman with a broken dream.
A competition…

He even makes me forget my name. One night was all it took, and I forgot everything and anything except the sexy fighter in the ring who sets my mind ablaze and my body on fire with wanting…

Remington Tate is the strongest, most confusing man I’ve ever met in my life.

He’s the star of the dangerous underground fighting circuit, and I’m drawn to him as I’ve never been drawn to anything in my life. I forget who I am, what I want, with just one look from him. When he’s near, I need to remind myself that I am strong–but he is stronger. And now it’s my job to keep his body working like a perfect machine, his taut muscles primed and ready to break the bones of his next opponents . . .

But the one he’s most threatening to, now, is me.

I want him. I want him without fear. Without reservations.

If only I knew for sure what it is that he wants from me?

5 / 5 stars

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My Review

Brooke Dumas is dragged to an underground fighting match by her best friend Melanie one night and the eye of Melanie’s crush is aimed at one fighter in particular – Remington Tate.

Remington, or Remy, is the desire of females across the country. But during this fight and one of Melanie’s many screaming fits to Remy, he flicks his eyes over to the place where he heard Mel shout and catches Brooke’s eye. In that moment, he’s hooked.

Following Brooke after one fight, he has a proposition for her. Join him and his team on the last three months of the competition as his sports rehab specialist. Her attraction to Remy is at an all time high and after mulling over it, she accepts. Now shes touring with this sexy beast of a man and no matter how much she wants him, does he want her that way she needs and wants him?

Brooke is going crazy over the music and the little smiles and interactions she and Remy are sharing and it comes to a point where she needs him before she explodes but Remy is much more reserved, wanting to take things slow until she truly knows who he is and then she will always be his.

When everything is spilled about Remy, Brooke still wants him, still cares about him and will do whatever to keep him. But what happens when a fight goes wrong and Remy is put in danger? Her heart is breaking to tipping point and she doesn’t know what to do anymore. This man, this man who she loves with everything is breaking her and maybe now is the time to walk away?

Will Remy let her walk away or will he fight to keep her his?

I had seen the buzz on Twitter about Real and how everyone was raving about this book and about Remy. So I shifted my butt over to Amazon, clicked the 1-Click button and boom-ya. I’ve mentioned how scared I get to read angsty books but reading snippets of Real just made me decided to man up and open the file up. BY JESUS how glad I am that I read this book. I was sucked in, captivated by every sentence and every page. I felt every emotion from Brooke, especially the first half where I was desperately needing Remy to just have sex with Brooke, but I will come to that later on in my review. I laughed, I was frustrated, I cried, I grinned and I cheered and shouted throughout the book. Make me feel all sort of emotions in your book and make me feel all over the place and it’s an instant love for you and your book – and that is definitely what I feel about Real and Katy Evans.

Real is pure, its raw, it’s dangerous but it’s powerful and you will become hooked with it.

As mentioned, Brooke meets Remy at one of his fights. He catches her eye at the end of one of his fights and when Brooke decides she needs the bathroom; Remy suddenly runs after her and confronts her, demanding to know her name. This is the beginning for both of them.

A few days later, Remy and his team propose to Brooke that she come on the last few months of the competition as Remy’s rehab specialist. This means spending a lot of time with Remy, touching him when all she wants to do his jump his bones. She agrees.

During the months, she becomes closer to Remy, develops deep feelings for him but she wonders if he feels the same way? She thinks he does with the music he chooses for her to listen to, but she doesn’t fully know until one night at a club they all attend. Although Remy wants Brooke, he won’t have sex with her until she knows the real him, all of him and if she still wants to be with him, then she has to be HIS because he doesn’t just want a one-night stand with her, shes stiring emotions in him that he didn’t think he would ever feel.

When she sees and finds out the real Remy, it doesn’t make her leave. She loves Remy and will help him through his illness. As much as she is his, he is definitely hers. But when Brooke does something behind Remy’s back – to try and help her sister out – Remy’s mind is anywhere but on the fight with the snake that is Scorpion and what happens after that causes Brooke to leave. Her heart is broken.

Yet Remy and Brooke are soul mates, they have find the missing piece to their puzzle. Will Remy fight for the love of his life?

I firstly have to say how much I loved that music was an important part of Real – a way that Remy and Brooke could show each other their feelings for one another through the music and lyrics. Each song choice from both of them played a huge part in sharing their feelings without voicing them and music, to me, is a great way to express what you are feelings. Whether happy, sad, angry, there is music for every emotion and Remy and Brooke certainly knew the right songs to play to each other. Iris by the Goo Goo Dolls is one of my favourite songs and every time it was mentioned I would put it on and read that part with it playing. Music really does make a scene more powerful.

Remy is a quiet guy. His life hasn’t been the greatest and music is his release and his way of showing his feelings. No one gets to see this caring, loving side to him apart from Brooke, who brings it out in him. To everyone else, he is primal, animalistic (is this even a word? it is now), protective, a man that women want to sleep with and a man that men want to be (and perhaps sleep with), but despite this side of him, his fighting side, he has a vulnerable side, a caring and a warmth to him. He wants Brooke more than he’s ever wanted anyone and it scares him that he’s feeling these unknown feelings but that is why he is trying to make her see the REAL him, this side that no one apart from his team know about, because he’s scared she only wants him because he is Riptide. He wants her to see him and know all of him, Remy, not Riptide.

He is the typical Alpha-male but despite what is wrong with him; you can obviously see his protection towards Brooke. See how much he loves her through his attentiveness and his music and how much he needs her. He will do whatever to make sure she is protected, wanted, needed, cared for and make sure she is his. You do see his other side, and while it is scary, having Brooke there calms him down, makes him less’ speedy’ and you can tell she has a positive effect on him that no one in his team have even seen. Brooke truly is the girl for Remy.

I also loved that he always looked for her before a fight and smiled a secret smile for her, a smile that heightened their connection and told her that this was for her, this win was all for her.

I am totally on the Remy bandwagon, you so should you!!

Now Brooke. She is a tough cookie, but also fragile at the beginning. We find out that her dreams of being an Olympian were shattered when she not only tore her ACL one, but twice (and the fall is on Yotube) and so now she is a specialist at a sports rehab centre. If she can’t be an Olympian, she will help out teenagers recover and follow their own dreams. This, in my eyes, makes her admirable.

From the moment she laid eyes on Remy at the fight, something inside her sets alight. She’s never had this feeling before, never been so attracted to someone that they make her feel all these emotions. When she goes on tour with him, she realises that Remy isn’t a big communicator and so their commutation is through lyrics and music, picking the perfect songs to express their feelings. But I did love her spunk. She seems a bit shy, but with Remy and her overpowering feelings towards him shes frustrated that he won’t touch her or have sex with her – yes, it is enough to blow up – and that’s exactly what she does. She fronts him and shouts at him asking him what is wrong with her.

Her confidence in what she wants and loves is brilliant to read and she really is a great heroine.

The more time they spend together, whether it’s prepping his body after his coaching or fights or just listening to music, the higher the sexual tension builds for her (and him). I felt every emotion that Brooke was during this period. I felt the longing, the nervousness of touching him, of wanting him or picking the perfect song for him. I went on a journey with her, wanting him, wanting to protect him, caring for him and falling in love with him. Although she’s got broken dreams, she knows that this is where she is meant to be, with Remy.

You see Brooke love fiercely. Not just love for Remy, but love for her best friend Melanie and her sister Nora. She will fight and protect and do whatever for her friends. Her protection and love pours off the kindle and she truly is a strong character. You’d expect Remy to be protective, but just wait until you see Brooke’s protectiveness coming out. Holy hell!

Got to be said, Remy and Brooke got me so hot under the collar and frustrated for the first half of the book before they had sex. As much as Remy wanted Brooke, he wanted her to know all of him and want to want him, not Riptide and find out about him before giving himself to her and giving her what she so desperately wanted. I have to say I really admired that about Remy. Normally the guy would jump straight in but he wanted her to be sure that she would be his when they finally had sex and that she knew what she was getting into with him before he took anything further even though it was killing him to hold back from her.

Also when they did finally have sex, it got my all frustrated once again and stupid me, I read the first sex scene before bed. Yeah I really needed to be hosed down after that. Katy Evans certainly knows how to keep you on your toes with Remy and Brooke being sexually charged for one another. It literally pours of the kindle and into your body. Steamy is such an understatement that I cant even think of a word to describe how I felt reading the two of them together. If anyone can think of a word, please let me know!

Slight spoiler now!

I have to say, picking a favourite scene is pretty hard but there was one part that completely made my heart swell and that is when Remy is ‘speedy’ and he and the team are in the car and he is resting on Brooke, who is running her fingers through his hair and keeping him relaxed. His team have never seen this happen ever, and it just made me feel so many emotions that Brooke had this effect over Remy, to make him act this way for the first time during his ‘episode’. It truly was amazing to read this part and the part after.

Katy did an awesome job with Real. She portrayed the characters brilliantly, wrote them in a way where you see their journey, from start to finish, see them fall in love, see their vulnerable and protective sides and just see them find that piece that has been missing. They found each other and despite their tribulations, they just know that this is the end game for them both. They found that person who they completely fell hard for and who they need next to them.

I will recommend Real a thousand times over. It’s one book that will stick with you for days after (hence why I needed to be in the frame mind to write this review) and Remy will definitely take a piece of your heart along with him. Don’t skip this book; make it a book you read RIGHT NOW!

Whilst writing this review, a song on my Ipod came on. I’m not sure if you are aware of Emeli Sande and Labrinth (If you are American) but they sing a song called “Beneath Your Beautiful” and this song just made me tear up and think about Remy and Brooke’s relationship and their journey. Take a listen to it below. (So lyrics not fit, but the majority – to me – do)