Sy reviews: BEFORE JAMAICA LANE by Samantha Young

Title: Before Jamaica Lane
Series: On Dublin Street #3
Author: Samantha Young

One simple lesson in seduction between two friends can turn into so much more…

Despite her outgoing demeanor, Olivia is painfully insecure around the opposite sex—usually, she can’t get up the nerve to approach guys she’s interested in. But moving to Edinburgh has given her a new start, and, after she develops a crush on a sexy postgrad, she decides it’s time to push past her fears and go after what she wants.

Nate Sawyer is a gorgeous player who never commits, but to his close friends, he’s as loyal as they come. So when Olivia turns to him with her relationship woes, he offers to instruct her in the art of flirting and to help her become more sexually confident.

The friendly education in seduction soon grows into an intense and hot romance. But then Nate’s past and commitment issues rear their ugly heads, and Olivia is left broken-hearted. When Nate realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he will have to work harder than he ever has before to entice his best friend into falling back in love with him—or he may lose her forever…

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~Review~

A certified manwhore and a girl with insecurities. Put them together and you got a recipe for a sweet love story with just enough heart ache.

I have started to read this series last year but only got to pick up Before Jamaica Lane today to get me out of a book slump. I almost forgot how in love I have been with this series and reading Before Jamaica Lane and being reunited with these characters reminded me of that.

Lately, I have been dreaming (okay fine fantasizing) about book characters with alpha male badassery attitude. And believe me, I always find that hot. Now Nate, he may not be the alpha male I've been reading lately but boy that man still managed to sweep me off my feet with his wits and charm and well, his handsome and hotness glory. There's just something about his character that makes you want to cheer for him even if he's a manwhore. I guess it's because he's also sweet and kind when it matters.

Olivia, I guess every girl can relate to her. I think at one point in every girl's life she struggles with insecurities to the point of almost breaking her. And I think Olivia is also every girl's hero. I admire how she's brave enough to do something about battling these insecurities and I think girls would pick up a thing or two from her.

Before Jamaica Lane is that kind of love story that slowly builds up and blooms in the end. It's not even just the story of the main characters. I love how every story from these series have all these great sideline stories excellently and strongly written to prepare you for the next one.

~Playlist~

Here's my Knight playlist:

Taylor Swift - Sparks Fly
Ed Sheeran - I'm A Mess
Casey James - Don't

Rating:

DIAMOND RECORD

About the Author

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author from Stirlingshire, Scotland. She's been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for her international bestseller ON DUBLIN STREET. ON DUBLIN STREET is Samantha's first adult contemporary romance series and has sold in twenty-seven countries.

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

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Sy reviews: KNIGHT by Kristen Ashley

Title: Knight
Series: Unfinished Hero #1
Author: Kristen Ashley

Anya Gage has learned that to get anything good in life, you have to work for it. She has no expectations, no dreams.

Then she finds herself at a party where she doesn’t want to be and she meets Knight.

Knight Sebring knows who he is, what he wants and what he likes. And he gets it. But he never expected something as sweet as Anya Gage to wander into his bedroom during a party he did not expect to be having to borrow his phone.

Knight tries to leave Anya to the life she deserves of white picket fences and a man who watches football on Sundays – good, normal and clean. But when Anya comes to his nightclub and finds herself in a situation, he knows someone has to look after her, he can’t fight it anymore and he decides that man will be him.

Knight teaches Anya that, just as with the bad, in life you should also expect the good. And he teaches her this by giving it to her.

But Knight has a dark past and just as he desires Anya for exactly who she is, he fears when she finds out exactly the man he has become and always intends to be, she’ll leave him for good, normal and clean.

WARNING: This book is an ADULT EROTIC romance featuring an anti-hero. This novel contains explicit sex scenes and language. The hero in this novel lives a life by his own code with no apologies. He is not your "normal" hero. If you do not enjoy the above, this novel may not be for you.

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~Review~

I was a bad girl. A very very bad girl. I talked and judged this book too soon. Way too soon.

So I'm sure the whole universe knows by now how much I love and adore and love more KA's books and her alpha males. I was a little hesitant though to get started on Knight because I've been hearing more negative feedback over this than positive ones. Then one day, I decided to read it and guess what? I wasn't feeling it so I did not finish it. I guess that decision to not finish the book was also clouded by so many mixed reviews for that book.

As a KA fan and self-declared rock chick though, I feel some sort of an obligation to read all her books. So during one of those evil week-long book funk, I picked up Knight again and decided to give it another try. And I'm so glad I did.

Knight, I love Knight. He is utterly sweet and generous and controlling in a way that works for me. And if I'd usually get irritated at weak heroines, for some reason, Anya's submission to Knight almost immediately all the time works for me too. Now that is the the kind of opposites attract that I find beautiful and sweet.

So the "Daddy" thing maybe a little too much for me but I was willing to let that slide because there were other parts of the story that more than made up for it.

My favorite parts of the book? First was the end result of "Honey, you haven't even kissed me yet." I read that part a million times because it's just indescribably too swoon-worthy. Second, Knight's birthday. What he said was so touching I was in tears. Third, when Knight gave Anya a ring (it's not what you think) and he said some words that even if it's not what a girl wanted and have always dreamed of hearing from her man, it was so heartfelt that it's more than enough. Lastly, when Anya shared her "secret" on the last part of the book. That part right there, where not much words were said but how KA described the scene was too perfect again it left me in tears.

This is not just a Dominant-Submission kind of book. This is more of a story about love and accepting and loving a person for who they truly are and what they do and what they believed in even if it's against or opposite your beliefs. Knight may not be the conventional dream man every girl wishes to have. He may not be the ideal alpha male I was used to but when I got to know him, he has won me over. Knight may not be the kind of fairy tale I've always known but it's the kind of fairy tale that's real and for that I love it. So for those who rallied and almost bossed me to give Knight a second chance, thank you!

~Playlist~

Here's my Knight playlist:

Matt Nathanson - Run
Jason Walker - You Fill My Heart
Ron Pope - Perfect For Me

Rating:

DIAMOND RECORD

About the Author

Kristen Ashley was born in Gary, Indiana, USA. She nearly killed her mother and herself making it into the world, seeing as she had the umbilical cord wrapped around her neck (already attempting to accessorise and she hadn't taken her first breath!). Kristen grew up in Brownsburg, Indiana but has lived in Denver, Colorado and the West Country of England. Thus she has been blessed to have friends and family around the globe. Her posse is loopy (to say the least) but loopy is good when you want to write. Kristen was raised in a house with a large and multi-generational family. They lived on a very small farm in a small town in the heartland and existed amongst the strains of Glenn Miller, The Everly Brothers, REO Speedwagon and Whitesnake (and the wardrobes that matched). Needless to say, growing up in a house full of music, clothes and love was a good way to grow up. And as she keeps growing up, it keeps getting better.
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Sy reviews: PROMISED by Jodi Ellen Malpas

Title: Promised
Series: One Night #1
Author: Jodi Ellen Malpas

Livy notices him the moment he walks into the coffee shop. He's heart-stoppingly stunning, with a blue-eyed gaze so piercing she's almost too distracted to take his order. When he walks out the door, she thinks she'll never see him again. Then she finds the note he left on his napkin . . . signed M.

All he wants is one night to worship her. No feelings, no commitment, nothing but pleasure. Every defense mechanism Livy has adopted during her solitary life is at risk of being obliterated by this confounding man. He's obnoxious but well-mannered. He's a gentleman but aloof. He's passionate but emotionless. Yet the fascination is so powerful, Livy can't deny him... or herself.

M awakens something in Livy, something deep and addictive that she never knew existed -- and that she fears only he can satisfy. But she senses that behind the fast cars, fancy suits, and posh apartment, he's aching inside. To have him, body and soul, she'll have to brave his dark secrets. Delving into his world and breaking down his defenses become her obsession - an obsession that could shatter her heart beyond repair..

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~Review~

If you think this is another one of those dominant billionaire story, think again. It may seem like it is but I promise you it is not.

Promised started off with M being all rich and snob and cocky and of course hot and Livy being all sweet and kind and beautiful. M made a proposition to Livy which she eventually agreed on because really, she didn't have any choice. I mean, how could she have with someone like M?

This is a budding love story shrouded with mysteries and dark & secret pasts from both main characters. There are parts of the story that made me swoon, laugh, made my heart ache and made my ereader almost burst into flames.

As a lover of romance and steamy novels (did I really just say that? Haha! I did), it is rare to find a story that veers away from what is usually written and still make you, as a reader, feel full and satisfied. A good sign of a love story for me is if I get so sucked in with the story and the characters that it puts me in a trance for sometime. And Jodi Ellen Malpas did exactly that the whole time I was reading Promised.

This is an achingly beautiful yet twisted love story that's full of promise.

~Playlist~

Here's my Promised playlist:

Talking to the Moon - Bruno Mars
Regina Spektor - Samson
Uncle Kracker - You Make Me Smile
Gabrielle Aplin - Ready to Question

I just wanna say that when M showed Livy his paintings and they sat on the couch facing the London night sky and he told her that some nights he could sleep there, I think that was just beautiful in a very heartbreaking and sad and lonely way. And then Bruno Mars's Talking to the Moon has been playing in my head after that.

Rating:

PLATINUM RECORD

About the Author

Jodi Ellen Malpas was born and raised in the Midlands town of Northampton, England, where she lives with her two boys. Working for her father’s construction business full time, she tried to ignore the lingering idea of writing until it became impossible. She wrote in secret for a long time before finally finding the courage to unleash her creative streak, and in October 2012 she released This Man. She took a chance on a story with some intense characters and sparked incredible reactions from women all over the world. Writing powerful love stories and creating addictive characters have become her passion - a passion she now shares with her devoted readers. Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads