On Dublin Street by Samantha Young is a New Favorite

Holy Crap! I found another awesome book, and no doubt about it, this will be on a few of my favorite lists. I grabbed On Dublin Street by Samantha Young after I saw a bunch of 5 stars pop up but didn’t read any reviews. The cover and the name didn’t grab me. Still, I bought it without reading a thing about it. And I fell in love.

I was crying at the prologue people! But, throughout the book I laughed, I cried, I totally wanted to yell at the book, and I fell madly in love with Braden Carmichael. Oh Braden, you ruggedly handsome, manly, monogamous, devilish, caring, protective, sexy, alpha guy who has a Scottish, yes, Scottish accent. I read the first chapter before I went to bed. Then I picked it up again in the morning. TODAY. I did not stop reading all day. I couldn’t!

Jocelyn lost her parents and little sister at 14. She lost her best friend a year later. Cut to 8 years later and Joss has graduated from college in Scotland, and is looking for a new apartment and roommate. On the way to check out an apartment, she ends up sharing a cab with Mr. Sex on a Stick. They flirt, but she never gives him her name. Ah, but guess what? He is the new roommate’s rich, sexy older half brother, he owns the apartment and they are super close.

I’d thought that spark that people apparently felt when they touched someone they were attracted to was a myth reserved for chick-lit and Hollywood.

But no.

From page one, you know Joss is fucked up. I usually don’t like my heroines fucked up, and it got to be a bit much at times, but I got it. Joss lost everyone she ever loved in her life and would not allow anyone to get close to her. But her roommate Ellie and her brother Braden begin to break through her shell. The attraction between her and Braden is almost electric. You feel that anticipation for almost half of the book. It just builds and builds….you know it is bound to combust. Joss won’t give in to her feelings and Braden is all alpha, who she can’t get away with that crap for long:

His grip on my chin tightened, quieting me. “I’ll come over tomorrow night.”
This was not happening. How could I let this happen? “Braden, I don’t want anything to happen between us.”
He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “Tell that to your damp knickers, babe.”
I narrowed my eyes on him. “You are such a dick.”

Joss knows she can’t resist him anymore, but doesn’t want a relationship. So they agree on 3 months of exclusive sex with business-social dates. No love, no commitment, no attachments. But in those three months, they have totally HOT sex (Braden is an alpha, commanding, wrist holding, against the cabinet kind of guy….yum)

“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.” ~ Braden

There is also a wonderful secondary story with Joss’s roommate, Ellie, who you couldn’t help but love, and Braden’s best friend, Adam. Both of them pretend that they aren’t totally in love with each other but Adam keeps scaring away any potential boyfriends Ellie has.

Likes:

• The book grabbed me from the first page and didn’t let go.
• I felt the tension between Joss and Braden, it literally leapt off the page.
• The sex scenes were just numerous and detailed enough.
• Braden……..<3 He is totally my book boyfriend <3
• A nice epilogue. I love an epilogue.
• The author used the word Vajayjay. I love anyone who uses that word!

Dislikes:

• The description of events interspersed with Joss’s therapy appointments had me a bit confused on the timeline of some things.
• Joss’s fear of love was a little too overwhelming and all-consuming.
• There is love, heartache, friendship, dealing with loss and a totally swoon worthy hero! The writing kept me glued to the pages

“Do you know what’s scarier than taking a risk and losing?” I shook my head. Regret, Joss. Regret does awful things to a person.”

Take a risk and buy this book. You won’t regret it! Just don’t schedule anything else for at least a day. Books to compare to would be any Kristen Ashley book and Bared to You mixed.

Purchase On Dublin Street (414 pages) at Amazon || BN.com || iBooks

 

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