A Royal Mile by Samantha Young is live!
An enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story with epic chemistry and the most delicious slow burn. It’s sweet and fun with lots of emotion, and such a beautiful read. I loved it.
Amazon
Blurb
A steamy enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Young.
It’s hard to stay in the friend zone when the attraction is this hot…
Going into my senior year of university at war with a member of the British royal family wasn’t in my carefully laid plans. Sebastian Thorne might be the grandson of a princess, but it’ll take more than a royal pardon to get me to forgive him for pretending to be someone he’s not.
But Sebastian is determined to be my friend. Even if it means signing up to a psych experiment just to get me to talk to him. Who knew a sincere apology and him saying my name in that posh English accent would make me weak in the knees?
This year was supposed to be about my dissertation and graduate school. Only, Sebastian has thrown my ordered world off kilter. He makes me bolder, more confident. A braver version of me.
Yet every lingering glance and stolen touch has me realizing one thing…
I’m falling for my best friend.
There’s just one problem. Sebastian has demons, ones that make him determined to keep me in the friend zone no matter the cost.
And even when temptation sends his walls tumbling down, the beauty we’ve found might not survive against the powerful will of outside forces…
Review
5 stars
The second book in the Return to Dublin Street, the, this is an enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story with epic chemistry and the most delicious slow burn. It’s sweet and fun with lots of emotion, and such a beautiful read. I loved it.
This is an On Dublin Street next generation series, and this is the story of Lily, daughter of Nate and Liv from Before Jamaica Lane, which is one of my all-time faves. It’s a real treat for On Dublin Street fans, or for those who read the first book in this series, On Loverose Lane, but this book can easily be read as a stand alone.
Lily and Sebastian are both students at Edinburgh University. They had an instant attraction when they met, but Sebastian was keeping secrets and the potential of what they could be fell apart pretty badly. Determined to fix things, he begs Lily for a second chance – just as friends, and his heartfelt sincerity and effort wins her over and she agrees. The attraction is still there, but it’s their final year of study which is a clear priority for both of them, plus, Sebastian is a bit of a player and Lily is a relationship girl, so friendship is definitely the safest choice – though their connection remains undeniably electric.
“Are you going to make everything sound dirty?”
Sebastian grinned like he was surprised by my response. “It only sounds dirty if you’re receptive to it sounding dirty.”
OMG, I love these two together so much! They are all-in on the friendship and instantly all up in each other’s lives. They talk about everything, they laugh and tease, they go out and have fun, they don’t hold back with each other, and they become each other’s ‘person’, the one they go to for everything and the best of friends. Supportive and encouraging, they help each other through rough times and they make each other better in every way. The only thing they don’t talk about is how they’re falling hard for each other.
I could cry at the absurdity of my current situation.
I’d met my unicorn.
The guy who made me feel comfortable I could talk to him about anything.
And yet whom I was so attracted to, I felt like every fiber of my being came alive in a way it never had until him.
A bloody unicorn.
Yet he didn’t feel the same way.
Lily’s past relationships have left her vulnerable and self-conscious, but she’s overcome it to become strong, smart and sensible, and she is the most wonderfully relatable heroine! And Sebastian is so gorgeous – smart, funny, and dealing with a lot, but he wears his heart on his sleeve for his best friend and I just adored him as he struggles with his feelings, desperate to hold on to her.
This is Lily, I reminded myself sharply. Lovely, kind, smart, funny Lily who was the only person I felt truly myself around.
Something as animal and basic as physical attraction was not going to drive a wedge between us.
I needed her too damn much.
No, I still didn’t understand why I’d attached myself to her like a fucking barnacle, but it was what it was, and I wouldn’t ruin our friendship.
It’s so obvious that these two are perfect for each other, and it’s quite the ride watching them get there. It’s emotional, sexy, and angsty in the best of ways, and I hurt for both of them as they try to balance their need for each other, their growing feelings, and the abject fear of ruining their friendship and losing each other for good. They have a lot to work through, and I loved watching them figure it all out, and it’s so worth the wait because the romance does come and OMG, a smitten Sebastian is the greatest thing ever!
“I’m so in love with you, I cannot imagine my life without you. I don’t want to.”
There is a great bunch of supporting characters with the along the way. Lily and Sebastian’s friends and family all feature prominently, and in particular we see a fair bit of Lily’s family, which I absolutely loved. Nate is a gorgeously protective dad, Liv is a beautiful support to her girls, and Lily’s sister, January is a wild and filterless scene-stealer, and so freaking entertaining. I loved seeing the found family developed in On Dublin Street still so closely interwoven, and can’t wait to explore more with this group as the series continues.
This is a gorgeous read that brings all the feels, and I devoured this one.
5 stars.
Return to Dublin Street
A second-generation spin-off series from On Dublin Street (one of our faves!)
On Loverose Lane (#1) (Callan & Beth)
Review
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Meet Samantha
Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.
She resides in Scotland.
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