Review: Down London Road (On Dublin Street, #2) by Samantha Young

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Review

The long awaited follow up to On Dublin Street – a book that totally rocked my world! This book seems to be getting a lot of mixed reviews, and although I really liked it, I can see why people could struggle. So I’m going to go into a bit of (non spoilery) detail about the story to give you an idea of what it’s about, because I figure if you can get past the some of the early issues, you should be able to go on and enjoy the rest of the story.

We met Jo in On Dublin Street – she works at the bar with Joss. In that book she is portrayed as a gold digger, only dating wealthy men. And when she set her sights on Braden, I had instant hatred for her. Down London Road is set 18 months after the end of On Dublin Street. Jo is still working at the bar, is now best friends with Joss, and she is still dating wealthy men, at the moment, a really nice guy called Malcolm. Although she cares for Malcolm, her feelings for him aren’t strong, and she is going through the motions of a relationship with him, using her looks and trying to be the perfect girlfriend and hold on to him in order for the security he provides.

Yeah, not cool. And honestly, she’s a little bit hard to like at this point, but her reasons for her behaviour become clear when we learn her background, and the fear that she lives with. With an alcoholic mother who is completely useless, Jo is the sole support for her family, working two jobs to provide for the three of them, she not only cares for her bedridden mother, but is also raising her 14 year old brother, Cole, and constantly trying to protect him from their mother’s outbursts. And with everything that she has been through (which is revealed throughout the story) I can understand why she believes that she has no other options.

But then along comes Cam. As soon as the two of them lay eyes on each other, they have an instant, freakish attraction, which they both ignore, because she has her boyfriend, and he thinks she’s a money-hungry bitch. Things become more complicated when they end up working together at the bar, and then Cam moves into the apartment downstairs from hers. The attraction is still there, but there is a simmering animosity between them as Cam misunderstands Jo over and over, and makes it clear to her what he thinks of the way she lives her life. But when Cam gets a chance to see what Jo’s real life is, he suddenly gets it, and makes an effort to reach out to her.

“You and I are starting over today. I’m not some asshole who has judged you over and over again and got you wrong every single time. Trust me. Please.”

And so they become friends. Cam is a fantastic support for Jo and her brother, and as Jo lets Cam in, he gets to know the real her.

“That girl you were out there is not Jo. I don’t know who that is, but she’s an arse who pisses me off. She’s fake, she’s simpering, and she’s a fucking bimbo. She’s not you.”

They still have that freakish attraction, but they don’t act on it as they are both in relationships. But the closer they get, the chemistry between them becomes impossible to ignore.

“I can’t go on like this. I’m not the guy who cheats on his girlfriend wishing all the time she was someone else.”
Elation and fear washed over me in equal measure. “Cam, I…”
“You want this. I know you do.”

Yep, he’s right, and the woman is not a robot, how can she resist? So they finally ditch their respective partners, and it’s all on.

“I’m going to fuck you so hard, sink so deep inside of you, you’ll never work me out from under your skin. Never.”

I love Cam!! And he and Jo together are pure win! With a relationship based on friendship, they have fun, they laugh, they are insanely hot together (like, seriously hot! Damn Samantha Young can write a sensational love scene!), and slowly, Cam helps Jo through her issues, encouraging her to live her life for herself. And as she takes his advice to heart, I was really impressed with her growth, and the development of her character. She starts to stand up for herself, being with Cam because she wants him rather than what he can offer her, and even though she struggles to overcome the perception that people have of her, Cam stands by her, protecting her, and supporting her the whole time (he’s kinda perfect like that).

“I’ve never met anyone as quietly brave and strong as you. I’ve never met a woman so unassuming, so kind, and so selfless. You are a complex lady.” His mouth curled up at the corners. “And you are smart, and passionate, and funny, and exciting, and you blow me fucking away.”

And he isn’t prepared to take any of her shit either, refusing to let her escape inside of her head, and retreat from him.

“I need space to think.”
He looked stunned, almost like I’d hit him. “Space?”
I nodded, chewing my lip to hell.
And then Cam’s eyes darkened, his whole expression growing taut with coming anger. I began to gnaw my lip as he took a menacing step towards me. “Space from me?”
I nodded.
“Fuck that shit,” he growled.

But even with all of the happy, there are some big issues that they have to deal with – Jo’s family, and her past and the impact it has on her, as well as the reappearance of somebody from Cam’s past that causes some big problems. Their relationship is functional for the most part, but there is a bit of stupid towards the end which could have been resolved if they just talked to each other. But it is resolved, and even though the resolution had me rolling my eyes just a wee bit, I was happy to see them get their HEA.

The external relationships are fantastic. Joss and Braden play a big part in the story, and I loved getting to see them again (Joss has also had quite a bit of character growth, and is a lot softer now than what she was – but I guess 18 months with Braden, the Fuckhot Scot, will do that for a girl *sigh*), and as Jo and Cole have been adopted into their circle, there is also time with Ellie and Adam, Hannah, and the extended family, and the Sunday lunch scenes were sensational as always.

We are also introduced to Cam’s friend Nate, who is great fun, and who (I believe) will be the focus of the next book, and Cam’s relationship with Cole is absolutely gorgeous. He takes on a big brother role, and the two of them have a great dynamic as the whole crew effortlessly become a part of each other’s lives.

“Fuck, man,” Nate breathed, his attention suddenly on the shoes and my legs. “Don’t let her sell those.” His heated eyes devoured me. “Those are shit hot.”
“I will seriously hit you,” Cam warned him darkly.
Nate shrugged, threw me a cheeky grin, and turned back to the television screen.
“Not my fault your girlfriend is so bloody fuckable.”
Cole slammed his shoulder into Nate before Cam could retaliate. “Dude, that’s my sister.”

I was up and down with this book. Jo is not instantly likeable, and it’s a bit slow to get moving while her life is set up, but I adored Jo and Cam together, and was riding their high through most of the story. There are some twists which I didn’t see coming, and I liked watching them play out, and there’s a nice set up there for the next book in the series. And there’s even a gorgeously swoony epilogue!

While, for me, it doesn’t compare to the pure awesome of On Dublin Street, I’m still really glad that I read it, and am looking forward to more from this sensational group of characters.

4 stars.

* * * * * * * * * * *

Bonus scene:

This is a delicious little peek into the mind of Cam. It takes place during Down London Road during the height of the angsty UST between him and Jo – at the moment where Cam realises he is falling for her and they share their first almost-kiss.

It hurt to look at her. He couldn’t remember wanting anything more in his life and the thought that he couldn’t have her…
Cam couldn’t live with that.

They were living a lie, but this right here between them, right here in this moment in his kitchen… this was truth.”

It’s short and sweet, but it still gave me shivers. Samantha Young certainly has a gift for romance. God, I love this series!

4 stars.

 

The On Dublin Street series

On Dublin Street  Until Fountain Bridge  Down London Road  Castle Hill  Before Jamaica Lane  Fall from India Place

Echoes of Scotland Street    Moonlight on Nightingale Way  One King's Way   

On Dublin Street (#1) (Braden & Joss)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook  |  Paperback

Until Fountain Bridge (#1.5) (Adam & Ellie)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook

Down London Road (#2) (Cam & Jo)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook  |  Paperback

Castle Hill (#2.5) (Braden & Joss)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook

Before Jamaica Lane (#3) (Nate & Olivia)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook  |  Paperback

Fall from India Place (#4) (Hanna & Marco)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook  |  Paperback

Echoes of Scotland Street (#5) (Cole & Shannon)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook  |  Paperback

Valentine (#5.5) (Excerpts with each couple)
Buy:  Kindle Ebook

Moonlight on Nightingale Way (#6) (Logan & Grace)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook  |  Paperback

One King’s Way (#6.5) (Craig & Rain)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook

Stars Over Castle Hill (#6.6) (Braden & Joss)
Buy:  Kindle Ebook

On Hart’s Boardwalk (#6.7, Hart’s Boardwalk, #2.5) (Nate & Olivia)
Review
Buy:  Kindle Ebook

 

On Dublin Street: The Bonus Material 
Buy:  Amazon

 

 

 

Samantha Young also has a series of On Dublin Street bonus scenes on her website.  A must-read for fans!!!

 

Check out our Contemporary Romance Recommendations page for more awesome reads.

 

 

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