Mini-Reviews : On Dublin Street & Until Fountain Bridge by Samantha Young

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : On Dublin Street (On Dublin Street #1)
Author : Samantha Young
Publication Date : December 31st 2012
Publisher : NAL
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Jocelyn Butler has been hiding from her past for years. But all her secrets are about to be laid bare…

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.

Personal Thoughts 

I wasn't feeling any of the YA books I was reading when I decided to pick up a review copy of Echoes of Scotland Street by Samantha Young, and I fell completely in love with the book. It was beyond amazing, with a fabulous cast of characters. I was quick to pick up On Dublin Street, and I've found a new series to obsess over. This book was so much fun to read. What made it so entertaining were undoubtedly the well fleshed-out characters that manage to settle in my heart. From the main characters, Joss and Braden, to the secondary characters, each and everyone of these characters were beyond amazing. I want to be friends with these people and I want to know everything about them. Joss as the heroine of the book, was feisty, fun and a bit rough on the edges. She had some issues stemming from the loss of her family in an accident, but she wasn't the frustrating kind of character who pushed people away. While I loved Joss, Braden was my favorite. Are you even surprised? He oozed sex appeal, had a dirty mouth and loved his close friends deeply. He was hard not to fall in love with him. His chemistry with Joss was ... WOW! These two were smoking together and absolutely perfect for each other and I couldn't help but swoon and root for them! There was a bit of drama that you usually find in contemporary books, but it didn't drag on for too long, so I didn't mind it at all. This was an exceptional adult contemporary romance and I'm excited to read more books in this series.

Rating

Cover : 3/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 4/5

Summary (from Goodreads) 

Title : Until Fountain Bridge (On Dublin Street #1.5)
Author : Samantha Young
Publication Date : June 18th 2013
Publisher : NAL
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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.

Personal Thoughts

Most of you know how much I detest novellas, but Siiri mentioned how amazing this book was and how it was one of her favorite books in the series. I was a bit upset upon finding out that Adam and Ellie wouldn't get a full length novel, because I shipped them so hard in On Dublin Street, but you guys, Samantha Young did not at once make me feel like I was reading a novella. The format of Until Fountain Bridge was different in that most of the book is told in diary entries written by Ellie, but it worked so well. We get to see both Ellie and Adam grow throughout these entries and it was beautiful. The development of their relationship, the angst with not being able to become a couple, Ellie's cancer scare, was gorgeously written and it made me feel so much. Along with Ellie, I smiled, laughed, cried and swooned. If you can't tell, I thought it was absolutely perfect. By the end of the book, I was emotionally satiated. It was definitely one of the best written novellas that I have ever read.

Rating

Cover : 3/5
Plot : 4/5
Characters : 5/5
Writing : 5/5

**Overall Rating : 4.5/5**