ON DUBLIN STREET by SAMANTHA YOUNG

Thank you Samantha Young for “On Dublin Street”. You managed to pull me kicking and screaming out of a recent reading funk and this is easily going straight up the list of my favourite reads for 2012.

I loved this book, it had me in tears at the prologue. Yes, you read correctly….the prologue! There was so much emotion in those first few pages that I found myself hooked and couldn’t put it down. I stayed up till 3am to finish because the characters just kept pulling me back in.

The story follows Jocelyn Butler and picks up four years after she left her tragic past behind in the States to start a new life in Edinburgh. Her way of dealing with her past demons is to avoid attachments to people at all costs.

This works well for Jocelyn until she moves into a beautiful apartment on Dublin Street and it is here that her carefully guarded world is rocked by her flatmate Ellie and her older brother, the gorgeous and very sexy Braden Carmichael.

Jocelyn : “Sometimes words aren’t needed to know a change has come upon you”

I loved Jocelyn. She is damaged and has a lot of insecurities, but she is also strong and determined and at times vulnerable. She has a really sassy, smart mouth which provided some light relief and endeared her to me even more. Jocelyn is dealing with a lot of demons from her past and the emotion you feel from her unravelling story really grips you throughout the book.

Braden Carmichael is a man who always gets what he wants. And what he wants is Jocelyn in his bed.

Braden! Wow! Where do I start with him? A strong yet sensitive alpha player who falls for our girl Jocelyn (lucky girl). This man could melt your knickers with a single glance! I have definitely just found a new book boyfriend!

“After last night, there’s no denying the promise of what’s between us. I’m not backing off, so rather than coming up with a new defense – which I’m sure I’d find highly entertaining – just give in, babe. You know you’re going to eventually.”

This book is hot! The chemistry between Jocelyn and Braden is off the charts, every page sizzles when these two get together, but this book is so much more than a hot romp. This book has heart – and lots of it. Their relationship did take a while to build up but when it did it was worth the wait.

It was at times an emotional read, as you can expect when a book is dealing with grief and insecurities but it also contained just the right amount of humour. Honestly, there is one scene that is easiest the funniest thing I have ever read it a book. It came out of nowhere and had me giggling for ages. I’ve got a smile on my face just thinking of it now. Yes, this book had it all for me.

“I know you love me, Jocelyn, because there’s no fucking way I can be this much in love with you, and not have you feel the same way. It’s not possible.”

The story is so well executed with some of the most relatable characters you could meet. There is no such thing as “secondary” characters in this book because you feel connected to every single one of them as they all form such an important part of the story and play integral roles in Jocelyn’s growth throughout the book. I especially had such a soft spot for Braden’s sister Ellie. What a beautiful character she was.

I believe this is Samantha’s first dip in the Adult Contemporary romance genre, though you’d never guess from the way this story is written. If you want a book that will lure you in, grab you by the scuff of the neck and never let you go until you finish reading the last page, then On Dublin Street is the book for you. Would absolutely recommend this book!