Book Review: On Hart's Boardwalk by Samantha Young

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On Hart's Boardwalk
On Dublin Street  6.7
Author: Samantha Young
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: March 20, 2018

One of New York Times bestselling author Samantha Young’s most beloved couples returns for the first time in a brand new novella set ten years after her blockbuster bestseller Before Jamaica Lane…

Nate and Liv have a great life together but they miss the spontaneity and freedom they enjoyed early on in their romance. Careers and their children have inevitably kept them busy, so when Nate discovers Liv is feeling disconnected from him, he plans an anniversary trip to the idyllic seaside town of Hartwell, Delaware. There he hopes they will have the opportunity they’ve been craving—a chance to reinvent themselves and fall in love all over again.

With each new day comes a new adventure, from wedding crashing at the five-star boardwalk hotel to pretending they are two strangers having a chance encounter at the boardwalk bar. In the midst of this daring, sexually charged game of romantic rediscovery, Nate and Liv discover the only constant they need is each other.

I have to start this review by saying I LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEE Samantha Young.  She is one of my all time favorite authors.  She wrote my most listened to and read book (On Dublin Street) and every thing she write is gold.  That being said, On Hart's Boardwalk, was amazing.

I absolutely LOVE Nate and Liv, I fell in love with their characters in Before Jamaica Lane, and feel even deeper reading this book.  We are take ten years later and as many marriages do after the honeymoon phase, things were a little stale.  They now have busy careers and children and the romance is not what it once was.  Sometimes a little spontaneity is all you need.

Samantha Young did an amazing job on this story.  I connected with these characters more now than ever before.  I think most adults over the age of 25 can relate with needing to take time and just enjoy life a little.

I am rating this book 4.5 stars because it tugged at my heartstrings from the beginning.  It felt like seeing old friends again.  I highly recommend this entire series.  It is so beautifully written.  I read this in one sitting because I could just not put it down.

New Cover Reveal: On Dublin Street by Samantha Young

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ON DUBLIN STREET

Author: Samantha Young

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.

Buy Links: 

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On Dublin Street by Samantha Young
Chapter 1 – from Braden’s POV

Sighing, Braden shrugged his shoulders back and looked up at the sky, squinting against
the sunlight. Decked out in a three-piece suit on a hot day like this didn’t ease his growing
frustration with his plan to sell La Cour. No one knew he was thinking of selling La Cour
except Thomas Prendergast, a fellow restaurateur. A successful one. If any of his business
associates knew Braden was selling La Cour they’d think he was nuts. The restaurant had a
world-class chef and a stellar reputation. And it made money.
In truth, Braden was just stretched too thin and not interested in La Cour. All his
concentration and focus was going into making his nightclub Fire a success, developing
properties that turned profits, and of course he still had his father’s estate agency to keep up
with, as well as a successful Scottish seasonal restaurant he co-owned with the chef, Frazier
Allie, down on the Shore.
La Cour as it stood was a nuisance, a nuisance Braden felt obligated to attend to since his
father worked so hard to make it the success it was. But his father had always told him that
when business became a nuisance rather than a challenge, and was no longer satisfying, it
was time to move on to greener pastures.
Thomas was dragging his feet with an answer.
He glanced back at the restaurant. Come on, Thomas, make up your mind, man.
Braden’s phone beeped in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the digital reminder
informing him he had a meeting in twenty minutes with one of his managers at Douglas
Carmichael & Co, the estate agency his grandfather built up from the ground up to become
one of the primary agencies in the Lothians.
Shit. He’d spent longer with Thomas Prendergast than he’d meant to. Scowling, Braden
walked toward Bruntsfield Church, his pale blue eyes trained on the road ahead, willing a cab
to make an appearance. Only seconds later one turned around the corner and he stepped out
onto the curb with his arm raised. To his relief the taxi pulled up to him. He’d make his
meeting.
Reaching for the handle on the passenger side, a clean, fruity smell drifted towards him
seconds before a warm, small and very feminine hand collided with his.
Braden dipped his head and looked down into the face of a woman, her skin bright from
the sunlight, her eyes narrowed to slits as she squinted against the sun behind his head. There

was a surprised disgruntlement in her expression. Clearly she assumed this was her black cab.
Braden prepared to disabuse her of the notion but stopped. His father taught him that reading
people, and by that he meant all the things they didn’t say with their mouths but did with their
bodies and eyes, was the key to success in business. Braden read stubbornness in her features
he could make out and in the obstinate tension she held in her shoulders. He was in no mood
for stubbornness or fighting over a bloody cab after his meeting with Thomas had come to no
satisfactory conclusion.
For the sake of expedience Braden asked, “Which way are you headed?”
He heard the words ‘Dublin Street’ and did what he always did: maneuvered things to his
liking. “Good.” He pulled the cab door open. “I’m heading in that direction, and since I’m
already running late, might I suggest we share the taxi instead of wasting ten minutes
deciding who needs it more.” He placed a hand on the small of her back and nudged her into
the cab.
Relieved she didn’t stall them, Braden got in after her and immediately gave the cab driver
their first destination. His sister, Ellie, lived on Dublin Street in a flat he’d renovated and then
gifted to her. Ellie was his half-sister—they shared the same father. She’d never had it
particularly easy from their dad. That was putting it politely. Douglas Carmichael was a
negligent bastard and despite the fact that he and Braden had finally become friends of a sort
before he died, Braden had never forgiven him for his treatment of Ellie. The guilt Douglas
should have felt transferred to Braden, and he’d done everything he could to make sure her
life was easier, and that she knew he cared. Giving her the flat meant she could concentrate
on that PhD she was studying for. Braden might think the PhD impractical, but it made her
happy, and in the end that was all that mattered. He also liked having her close to the estate
agency which was on Dundas Street. Anytime he was in the area, which was more often than
not, he could drop by to see Els. Braden was lucky to call Ellie not only his sister, but one of
his closest friends, and it was nice to escape the stress of his business life at least for ten
minutes when he stopped by for a coffee with her.
Braden decided he’d get the cab driver to stop at the top of Dublin Street, burl around and
come back toward Dundas Street. It would be easier to drop him off first but it was ingrained
in him to never let a woman pay for anything, so he’d drop off the unexpected passenger so
he could pay the fare.
“Thanks I guess,” the woman answered from his left, the words sardonic. It wasn’t the
tone that drew his attention. It was the husky, sexy voice and the American accent.

Glancing in interest at her, Braden almost did a double take. She was attractive. Very. So
busy checking her out he asked somewhat stupidly, “You’re an American?”
She turned to him and as soon as their eyes met Braden felt his blood heat with the impact.
Jesus fucking Christ. Intelligent, exotic, feline gray eyes appraised him as she tucked a loose
strand of dark-blonde hair behind her ear. Her hair was long and pulled back in a pony-tail,
giving him an unhindered view of a graceful neck and an arresting face. For some reason he
couldn’t look away.
Watching her eyes drop to his body, drinking him in, Braden was intrigued. He was used
to women looking at him. He was a big guy and he worked out and he’d had no complaints
from women. He wasn’t, however, used to a woman appearing so consternated by the fact
that she was checking him out. He raised an eyebrow, curious about her.
“Yeah, I’m American.”
That voice. He shifted in his seat. She really did have the sexiest voice he’d ever heard. He
wanted to hear it again. “Just visiting?” Braden murmured.
“Nope.”
“Then you’re a student?”
Whatever she heard in his tone it made her tense. Braden envied her casual, light clothing
in this heat and thanked God for throwing her in his path on a day so hot in Scotland it had
caused the American to wear those tiny shorts.
True, she wasn’t his usual type. Most of his girlfriends, including his current girlfriend
Holly, and his ex-wife Analise, were tall, slender platinum blondes. The American was the
opposite of every woman he’d ever dated.
And yet… she was beyond appealing.
She had surprisingly large breasts for such a delicately built woman—big boobs, wee
waist, and another surprise were those gorgeous legs of hers. They were shapely and long
despite her small stature. Hot blood rushed southwards.
Bloody Nora.
When Braden finally dragged his eyes up to her expressive face he noted the raised
eyebrow. He’d been caught eating her up and she did not look impressed. Amused, he
grinned at her. Usually this would incur a responding grin. Instead the brat rolled her eyes at
him.
“I was a student,” she answered, and Braden’s ears warmed to the purr of her dulcet voice.
“I live here. Dual citizenship.”
“You’re part Scottish?”

She gave him a barely-there nod and seemed intent to not look at him. He smiled
inwardly, feeling anticipation he hadn’t felt in a while, and definitely not over a woman. It
was the anticipation of a challenge. Women came quite easily to him and it certainly made
life less difficult. Life was stressful enough in business. But he couldn’t argue with what this
strange, inexplicable feeling toward the American.
He’d never felt instant attraction like it.
Braden eyed her and grew even more dangerously hot at the idea of turning that willful
glint in her stunning eyes soft with need as he explored every inch of her.
He shifted in his seat again, disappointment settling over him when he belatedly
remembered he was seeing someone else. Since he wasn’t the kind of man to ask for another
woman’s number while he was in a relationship that meant he’d have to ignore whatever was
between him and the American.
Bugger.
The timing was fucked.
He couldn’t have her. Eyeing her mouth, despite knowing that conversation—or
anything—was pointless, he found himself asking, “What do you do now that you’ve
graduated?”
She shot him a look out of the corner of her eyes and it seemed to hold more than a hint of
disdain. “What do you do? I mean, when you’re not manhandling women into cabs?”
It occurred to Braden that a man knew he was really bored with life when he got a kick out
of a woman’s condescension. “What do you think I do?”
“I’m thinking lawyer. Answering questions with questions, manhandling…”
“I’m not a lawyer. But you could be. I seemed to recall a question answered with a
question. And that,” he gestured to her full mouth, wondering how she’d taste, “That’s a
definite smirk.” His voice was thick with want and he knew she heard it in the way her eyes
flared as their gazes met.
Yeah, she felt the heat too.
The air in the cab was suddenly heavy with sexual tension. An undeniable, incredible
electricity that Braden really fucking wanted to explore.
As awful as it was, he was cursing the existence of Holly, his current girlfriend, to hell in
that moment. What he had with Holly wasn’t special. It was just fun. But it was exclusive.
Shit.
The American not only looked away but seemed to deliberately lean her whole body away
from him as she stared out at the passing traffic. As he watched her attempt to create a

distance between them with silence, his eyes caressed the sharp sweep of her jawline and the
smoothness of her olive skin. She had great skin. Skin that told of her age, and it suddenly
occurred to him that the American was quite young, probably ages with Ellie. He hadn’t
realized at first because she had seemed attractively self-possessed.
Now she seemed uncomfortable… perhaps inexperienced?
It should have put him off.
It didn’t.
Whoever she was, however she was, Braden was intrigued.
He wanted to work her out.
“Are you shy?” He asked trying not to sound like a condescending prick.
She turned to him with a bemused smile. “Excuse me?”
Not shy then. He eyed her carefully. She wasn’t as easy to read as he’d first thought. He
liked that. “Are you shy?” he repeated to be polite, already knowing the answer to that
question was no. She was something, but it wasn’t shy.
“Why would you think that?”
He decided to see just how self-possessed she really was. “Most women would be taking
advantage of my imprisonment in the taxi with them—chew my ear off, shove their phone
number in my face…as well as other things.” His eyes instantly lowered to her lush breasts,
letting her know he thought they were well worthy of the attention.
Anticipating either a blush or a scowl when he drew his eyes back to her face, Braden was
taken aback to find her grinning at him. Fuck. Her smile hit him with more of an impact than
her sexy body. She had one helluva sweet smile. “Wow, you really think a lot of yourself.”
He grinned back. “I’m just speaking from experience.”
“Well, I’m not the kind of girl who hands out her number to a guy she just met.”
Even though he couldn’t ask for her number he was immediately disappointed by her
answer. He’d begun building an idea of who she was in his head and prudish girl next door
was definitely not it. “Ahh,” he looked away. “You’re a no-sex-until-the-third-date, marriage-
and-babies kind of woman.” Not exactly his type.
“No, no, and no,” she answered, seeming affronted by the idea. So affronted in fact that he
suddenly wondered if the opposite was true. Was he in the presence of that rare creature? A
woman afraid of commitment?
“Interesting,” he murmured.
“I’m not giving you my number.”

Unfortunately Braden couldn’t seduce her number out of her. “I didn’t ask for it. And even
if I wanted it, I wouldn’t ask for it.” Fucking lie. “I have a girlfriend.” Unfortunately, true.
Braden mentally slapped himself across the head for that ungentlemanly thought. Holly was a
good girl and deserved better than that.
“Then stop looking at me like that.”
“I have a girlfriend, but I’m not blind. Just because I can’t do anything doesn’t mean I’m
not allowed to look.” A crying shame if you asked him. He wanted to look. He wanted to
look past the cynical eyes and through the sweet smile and find out which one of them was
her. Maybe she was both. Maybe she was neither. He didn’t know. At all. And he wanted to.
Jesus—
“Here’s good, thanks.”
What? His fascination with her mystery was suddenly brought to an abrupt halt by her
direction to the driver. They weren’t at Dublin Street yet. They still had… Braden looked
outside. They were at Queen Street Gardens, only seconds from her destination. And why
was he panicking? She was off limits.
The driver pulled up to the curb and she handed him fare and reached for the door.
“Wait,” Braden found himself saying.
She turned to him, her expression impatient. “What?”
Braden sensed he had seconds here. He could either tell her to take her money back and
offer to pay for the entire cab fare as he intended. Or he could ask her the one thing that had
been itching at him since they met.
“Do you have a name?”
She smiled and Braden automatically found himself smiling with her. “Actually, I have
two.”
What?
She jumped out of the cab and despite the loss of her he found myself chuckling at her
cool reply.
It was his own fault. He’d asked a smart woman the wrong question.
Just as abruptly as she’d left him, Braden’s amusement fled. He realized he’d probably
never see her again. Now that really was a crying shame. His father was right. His intuition
was what made him a successful businessman, and his intuition was telling him he’d just let a
great opportunity pass him by.
Swallowing his disappointment, Braden directed the cabbie to turnabout and head toward
his meeting… in an even worse fucking mood than he’d started out in.

Blog Tour: The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

Welcome to our stop on The Impossible Vastness of Us tour for Samantha Young. This tour is hosted by InkSlingerPR.

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THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US
Author: Samantha Young
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: June 27, 2017
Review Source: Harlequin Teen

I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever…

The Impossible Vastness of Us was an incredible story.  I tend to prefer New Adult books but this Young Adult book is so much more than I expected.  I knew before opening the cover that it was going to be amazing because, HELLO, SAMANTHA YOUNG wrong it!!!!  I didn't have any idea it was going to blow me away the way it did though.

I have to say that I love the names of the characters in this book.  I was captivated by this beautiful story the second I went in.  India gets uprooted from her life in California to go all the way to Boston where she moves in with her mom's new fiance.  She went from being popular and comfortable to a wealthy private school.  What a culture shock!!!
On top of that crazy move and life change, there are so many mysteries and secrets that you have to try and guess at throughout the book.  While I guessed some, others I had no idea about.  This was a book that kept me on my toes the entire time.  I loved the heroine!  She is so caring, smart, and fierce.  She reminds me of my BFF in a lot of ways so I loved her completely!  And then there's Finn.  Samantha Young is the absolute best at writing males.  Finn is so mysterious and handsome that you're so drawn to him.

All in all, I'm rating this story with 4.5 stars because it has been one of my favorite reads for 2017 so far and I absolutely loved it.  I am never disappointed by a Samantha Young, which is why she remains in my favorite, automatic one click author list.  GO READ THIS BOOK!

Amazon US Hardcover: http://amzn.to/2f0RQGu

Amazon US eBook: http://amzn.to/2kj5JD1

Barnes and Noble: http://bit.ly/2s6JJNr

iBooks US: http://apple.co/2kbLRC9

Amazon UK: http://amzn.to/2q7Bd2S

Kobo UK: http://bit.ly/2qKZDOC

GooglePlay: http://bit.ly/2qtHGR8

iBooks UK: http://apple.co/2qFNlV0

Kobo US: http://bit.ly/2rnAuey

Add to your Goodreads

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Samantha Young is the New York Times,  USA Today  and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows.  Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us will be published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook & hardback June 2017

Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.

Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads 

   

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Feature Tour Schedule

July 2nd-Nose Stuck in a Book-Character Interview with India
July 3rd-Once Upon a Twilight-Author Interview
July 4th-Good Choice Reading-Excerpt
July 5th-Natasha is a Book Junkie-Excerpt
July 6th-Readers Live a 1000 Lives-Character Interview with Eloise
July 7th-Mundie Moms-Character Interview with Finn
July 8th-Vilma's Book Blog-Author Interview

AUTHOR INTERVIEW

1.       What/who made you want to start writing?

 C.S. Lewis. I was about seven years old and my mum gave me a tattered copy of The Lion, The Witch, and The Wardrobe. I was so blown away by that story as a kid, and when I discovered my own wardrobe did NOT lead to Narnia, I thought the only way to recapture the magic was to start writing my own stories.

2.       What is your favorite genre to write?  What is your favorite genre to read?

 Difficult question. I love contemporary and paranormal for different reasons. With paranormal I love the freedom of the world-building.  My imagination is entirely let loose. Plus, I was a history student so I like using my research skills for my paranormal stories because I like fusing my imagination with real history. However, with contemporary I get to focus on one of my favorite aspects of writing – character development. Contemporary fiction is ALL about the characters and I love the challenge of taking a character through a journey in which they change and grow throughout the story. Moreover, I love writing romance for that exact reason because it’s about developing two characters so that they come to fit each other in a way no other two could (making their romance epic!). So no, I can’t choose LOL.

As for my favorite genre to read… hmm… it depends on my mood. It really does. I love fantasy, dystopian, sci-fi, paranormal, contemporary romance, historical romance, steampunk. My favorite reading levels are YA, NA and adult.

3.       What was the writing process like for "The Impossible Vastness of Us" compared to other books you've written?

 Although my writing process was the same in that I plotted and planned it the way I would any book, it was different in that the process was much longer. This book required patience and time because it does deal with sensitive issues. I had a number of beta readers who read the novel at different stages in the process. It was extremely important to me that I told India, Eloise and Finn’s story in realistic but sensitive way.

4.       Which character did you relate the most to from "TIVOU"?

 My upbringing was completely different to my three main characters’ upbringing, however, there were elements to each of their stories that I could relate to. Mostly, I’d say I could relate to India. Although our experiences were different I did have to grow up faster than most of my peers, and was more serious and mature than my friends as a teen. Part of it was losing someone when I was very young, and part of it was just personality. My mum tells me I was born forty, ha! So I had a bit of an armor on when I was teenager, much like India. I was also considered the ‘mama bear’ of our group of friends because I could get pretty protective when someone tried to hurt one of them.

 Even if we didn’t share the same experiences, I completely understand India. I have a lot of affection for her.

5.       Where did you draw inspiration for this novel?

 Really from coming-of-age stories I’ve enjoyed over the years, and mostly the experience of coming of age myself as a teen. I really feel like that’s the time when kids start to grow up and learn that there are people outside their own little bubble with problems and experiences, too. We tend to just see what is right in front of us when we’re young, without looking below the surface. That ability, that perceptiveness is something we develop, especially in our later teens. The first time I met someone who understood my own life experiences I was a teenager. That friendship was like a weight lifting off my shoulders. It’s an amazing feeling to bond with someone in such a way that you don’t feel so alone anymore. I wanted that feeling to drive the narrative of this book.

6.       Is it difficult switching from New Adult to Young adult?

 It’s challenging because there are restrictions in what language you can use. As an author I’m always aware of how my characters are portrayed, but with YA I was particularly concerned about why and what they represented. I deal with sensitive issues in TIVOU and I was very much aware of handling the issues sensitively too. Moreover, the voice has to be slightly different. My narrator has to sound like a teen but a teen my older readers would want to read about too. Getting that right balance of mature teen was difficult at first, but once I found India’s voice it was easy to hold on to it.

7.       How do you select the names of your characters?

 I get to know my characters first and then I look through baby-name websites and try to find a name that I like that fits them. India’s name actually came to me while I was developing her – no baby-name website needed. Moreover, I think with Finn I’d just really been waiting to use that name for a hero. Eloise was definitely a baby-name website. I was looking for something that sounded refined, traditional, but soft, too.

8.       What is your all-time favorite female and male character you've ever written?

 Ahhh, that’s so difficult. It’s like choosing a favorite child, no? Ha! My favorites are always the ones I’m currently writing. India, Eloise and Finn are definitely favorites. They are such a journey as characters. Readers will begin their story thinking they’ve got them all totally worked out – maybe even not liking them very much either – but as the story goes on the unravel as characters. I hope readers end up falling for them all as much as I have.

9.       Out of all of the books you have written, which one would you most like to see made into a movie?

 It would be great to see any of my books made into a movie but TIVOU feels the most relevant and I’d love to see it on the big screen. If not TIVOU then Smokeless Fire (Fire Spirits #1). There is so much world-building and fun characters in that series. It would probably work really well as a TV series. Ah, maybe one day!

10.   You've written many different types of books, do you have any genres you'd like to get into, that you haven't yet?

 Yes, I have an idea for an historical epic based on real history but it would take months, perhaps years, of research so I’ll leave that one to when I’m much older and have slowed down my schedule a little :p

Is there one subject/genre you would never write about as an author?

 Horror. I don’t read it. And I’d just freak myself out too much.

11.   What is your all-time favorite book?

 I have many but one of them is The Knife of Never Letting Go by Patrick Ness.

12.   Your last 5 star read?

 Firelight (Darkest London #1) by Kristen Callihan.

13.   If you could do anything besides write, what would you do?

I’d be an events planner for Historic Scotland. That would involve planning weddings, ceremonies, etc to take place at different Scottish Castles and other historic buildings under Historic Scotland’s ownership.

14.   What's next for you?  Next project/ signing?

 I’m working on a number of projects at the moment. Another YA with Harlequin TEEN. A few projects with Berkley romance for my adult contemporary. Moreover I’ll be self-publishing the first in an adult contemporary romance set in Scotland this year. Lots on the go!

--- and just for fun ---

15.   If you had a superpower, what would it be?

 Mind reader. I’m nosy. Plus, I like to think I’m pretty perceptive so it would be funny to find out if I’m actually really not :p

16.   Number one pet peeve, doesn’t have to be book world related?

Drivers who drive aggressively close to my car. It is SO annoying.

17.   Favorite song at the moment?

Eyes Closed by Halsey.

Book Release: The Impossible Vastness of Us by Samantha Young

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THE IMPOSSIBLE VASTNESS OF US
Author: Samantha Young
Reading Level: Young Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: June 27, 2017
Review Source: Harlequin Teen | InkslingerPR

I know how to watch my back. I’m the only one that ever has.

India Maxwell hasn’t just moved across the country—she’s plummeted to the bottom rung of the social ladder. It’s taken years to cover the mess of her home life with a veneer of popularity. Now she’s living in one of Boston’s wealthiest neighborhoods with her mom’s fiancé and his daughter, Eloise. Thanks to her soon-to-be stepsister’s clique of friends, including Eloise’s gorgeous, arrogant boyfriend Finn, India feels like the one thing she hoped never to be seen as again: trash.

But India’s not alone in struggling to control the secrets of her past. Eloise and Finn, the school’s golden couple, aren’t all they seem to be. In fact, everyone’s life is infinitely more complex than it first appears. And as India grows closer to Finn and befriends Eloise, threatening the facades that hold them together, what’s left are truths that are brutal, beautiful, and big enough to change them forever…

Review Blitz and Giveaway: Every Little Thing by Samantha Young

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EVERY LITTLE THING
Hart's Boardwalk #2
Author: Samantha Young
Reading Level: New Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Released: March 7, 2017
Review Source: Berkley

Hartwell, Delaware—the perfect place to get away from it all, and find what you never knew you needed…

Bailey Hartwell has many reasons to feel content—her successful business, a close circle of friends, and her steady boyfriend…even if their romance feels staid after ten years without a serious commitment. The only challenge in her life comes in the form of sexy businessman Vaughn Tremaine. She thinks the ex-New Yorker acts superior and that he considers her a small-town nobody. But when Bailey’s blindsided by a betrayal, she’s shocked to discover Vaughn is actually a decent guy.

Vaughn admires Bailey’s free spirit, independence, and loyalty. As his passion for her has grown, his antagonism toward her has only worsened. Every little thing Bailey does seduces him. But when Vaughn’s painful emotional past makes him walk away in fear he will hurt her, it opens an old wound in Bailey, and she uncharacteristically retreats.

Once Vaughn begins to realize he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he has no choice but to fight like he’s never fought before to convince Bailey that the love they’ve found together only comes around once in a lifetime.

I was SOOOOOO Glad to be back at Hart's Boardwalk!  Every Little Thing was one of my most anticipated books of 2017 so I could not wait to get my hands on this book!!  Samantha Young NEVER disappoints.  This book lived up to all my expectations.  Just like with the first book, I was sucked in immediately!

As soon as I started reading Vaughn and Bailey's book, it was like no time had passed for me.  I was sucked back into the world Samantha created in no time.  My interest was definitely piqued in the first book about Vaughn and Bailey so I was so glad to read their stories.  I absolutely LOVED Bailey's character.  She was such a loyal, fierce, independent woman.  I loved her in the first book but even more in the second book.

Samantha Young is the queen at writing alpha males, and Vaughn is no different.  He's "a pompous, smug, wealthy, arrogant businessman".  Vaughn definitely made me want to smack some sense into him a few times but he had some really great redeeming qualities.  The chemistry between Vaughn and Bailey was off the charts and seriously had me needing a fan.

I'm rating this book 5 stars because it was everything I have come to love in a Samantha Young book and then some.  She is one of my ALL TIME favorite authors, I would literally read her shopping list.  I could not put this book down!!  I cannot wait to read the rest of this series!!  I highly recommend this series.  Actually, I highly recommend any book by Samantha Young.

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Blog Tour: The One Real Thing by Samantha Young | Excerpt | Giveaway

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The One Thing

Author: Samantha Young
Hart's Boardwalk #1

Reading Level: New Adult

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Released: September 6, 2016

Review Source: Netgalley

Welcome to Hartwell, a quiet seaside escape where uncovering old secrets could lead one woman to discover the meaning of a love that lasts…

While Doctor Jessica Huntington engages with the inmates at the women’s correctional facility where she works, she’s always careful to avoid emotional attachments in her personal life. Loss and betrayal taught her that lesson long ago. But when she comes across a set of old love letters in the prison’s library and visits the picturesque town of Hartwell to deliver them to their intended recipient, she finds herself unable to resist the town’s charm—and her attraction to the sexy owner of a local bar proves equally hard to deny.

Since his divorce from his unfaithful ex-wife, Cooper Lawson has focused on what really matters: his family and the boardwalk pub they’ve owned for generations. But the first time Jessica steps into his bar, Cooper is beyond tempted to risk his heart on her.

Yet as their attraction grows hotter and Jessica remains stubbornly closed off, he begins to realize it will take more than just passion to convince her there’s only one real thing in life worth fighting for…

The Story:  Jessica Huntington, a doctor in a prison from Wilmington, believes she is satisfied in her life.  She works, has a couple work acquaintances, and is in a friends with benefits type relationship with a fellow doctor.  One day while at work, she stumbles across four heartbreaking letters that lead her on a life changing journey where she finds everything she has been unknowingly missing.
Cooper Lawson, the sexy bar owner from Hartwell, wasn't looking for anything serious after being cheated on by his wife and best friend.  He was interested in focusing on his bar, his friends and his family.  That was the case until a drenched, beautiful stranger crashes into him.

The Likes:  This story solidifies, once again, why Samantha Young is one of my favorite authors.  I love Jessica and Cooper together.  I love that there was an instant connection but a realistic time line to develop feelings for each other without the insta love.  Their chemistry was ON FIREEEE!!  That first kiss had me completely transfixed, heart pounding, and swooning for days.  Samantha is a GENIUS at writing romance.  She also paints the picture of the quaint beach town beautifully.  I am completely enamored with the town of Hartwell and the relationships between all of the business owners.  They are a close knit, loyal group that you really want to be a part of.

The Dislikes:  The only thing I didn't love about this book was that it went from the first person point of view of Jessica to a third person point of view of Cooper.  I would have liked it better if it would have alternated first person point of views the whole time.  It kinda took me a minute to transition between the different point of views.

The Rating:  I am rating this story 4.5 stars because it was a great story.  I couldn't put the book down.  I have yet to read a Samantha Young book that didn't completely suck me in from the very beginning.  I have quickly grown attached to these unique, charming characters that Samantha has created and I cannot wait to read more of this series!

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The One Real Thing
by: Samantha Young
Blog tour excerpt

Why did it feel like having sex had complicated things so much? Usually sex was complication-free

for me.

But before that night I’d been completely sure that Cooper was interested in exploring something

more with me, and now I was freaking out that his interest would wane now that he’d had me.

I shook my head slowly. “No. It was good.”

He scowled, his arms tightening around me so much there wasn’t an inch of space between us. “It

was better than fucking good, Jessica.”

I scowled back and pushed at his chest for some breathing space. “Well, I’m sure you’d know all

about that.”

“What the fuck does that mean?”

“You use the word ‘fuck’ a lot.”

“It’s a good fucking word.”

I was tempted to laugh at how disgruntled he sounded and he seemed to catch my amusement

because his hold on me eased.

“What’s going on in your head, Jess?”

I thought about evading this conversation. I’d never had to have an adult, open conversation with a

man about sex. However, I realized, somewhat reluctantly, if I wanted something more with Cooper

Lawson I was going to have to give him more than I was used to giving.

I couldn’t change his past, but I could figure out what it was he wanted in the future by just being

honest and asking the question.

“You still want something with me, right? This”—I gestured behind me to the table—“it wasn’t just

about sex.”

“No,” he said. “It’s not just about sex.”

As I heaved a sigh of relief, he let go of my waist to cup my face in his hands, dipping his head down

to mine so our noses almost touched. He stared deep into my eyes and I shivered. I felt like he was trying

to see right into my soul.

“I’m in this for the long haul, Doc. I was before you walked into my bar tonight, but now, after the

best fucking sex of my life, after how wild that was, there’s no way I’m letting you walk out of here

without me.”

And there he went doing it again.

His words resonated deep within me along with giving me that deep, sexual belly flip of arousal.

My fingers curled into the top of his biceps. “Best sex of my life, too,” I murmured. “It stunned me a

little. Confused me . . . I thought maybe . . . you . . . this was old hat for you . . .”

He gave me a crooked grin. “You think I make a habit of fucking women in my bar.”

“You could,” I said. “You are definitely a man who could pull that off.”

Cooper threw his head back in laughter and I pressed my body deeper into his to feel his joy.

And then he wrapped his arms around me and hugged me.

Just as I’d suspected, he was a really good hugger.

When he pulled back he was smiling gently at me. “You’re the only woman I’ve had in my bar.” He

let me go only to take my hand in his. “No one sits at that table anymore.” He gestured to the scene of the

best sex we’d both ever had. “It’s now a shrine.”

“You can’t do that!” I was mortified at the possibility of people finding out why there was a table in

Cooper Lawson’s bar that no one was allowed to sit at.

“I can. It’s my bar. I think I’ll even carve ‘Coop and Doc were here’ on it.”

Finally getting that he was joking, I made a face. “Funny.”

“You’re slow on the uptake tonight,” he teased.

“My brain was just frazzled by the orgasm to beat all orgasms.”

He squeezed my hand. “You up for more brain frazzling?”

I shivered at the thought. “Definitely.”

His eyes darkened. “Let’s go back to my place.”

Exhilarated by the prospect, I followed him, and it wasn’t until we’d stepped outside the bar into the

cool night air that I said, “I don’t suppose you know where my panties are?”

“I do, actually.” He led me to the back of his bar to the parking lot. A dark-colored GMC was the

only truck there.

“Um . . . could I have them, please?”

He stopped me at the passenger side of the truck, pressing me up against the car. “Why?” he

whispered against my lips before he kissed me deeply. He came up for air a few seconds later. “You’re not

going to need them where we’re going.”

The nagging pressure between my legs increased. “You are so very, very good at stringing the exact

right words together.”

He kissed me again.

“You’re just good with your mouth in general,” I murmured.

Cooper grinned and brushed his lips over mine. “In the truck, Doc.”

★★★★★★★★  

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About the Author 

Samantha Young is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series, including Moonlight on Nightingale Way, Echoes of Scotland Street, and Fall from India Place, as well as the standalone novel Hero. She resides in Scotland.