Review and Giveaway: Echoes of Scotland Street

Echoes of Scotland Street (On Dublin Street - Book 5) by Samantha Young

Publication Date: 10/07/2014
Publisher: Penguin Group
Imprint: New American Library
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pages: 336
ISBN-10: 0451471695
ISBN-13: 978-0451471695

(Received for an honest review from New American Library)

Purchase: Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book Depository, Indiebound

Samantha Young on the WEB: website, twitter, facebook, goodreads

Books in the series: 

On Dublin Street

1. On Dublin Street
1.5. Until Fountain Bridge
2. Down London Road
2.5. Castle Hill: A Joss and Braden Novella
3. Before Jamaica Lane
4. Fall From India Place
5. Echoes of Scotland Street

Coverart: Click the Image for a larger, clearer view of the covers in this series.

WARNING: This book is not appropriate for readers under 18 years of age.

Synopsis:

From the New York Times bestselling author of On Dublin Street comes a seductive story of forgiving the past and making up for lost time.…

Shannon MacLeod has always gone for the wrong type of man. After she drifted from one toxic relationship to the next, her last boyfriend gave her a wake-up call in the worst possible way. With her world shattered, she’s sworn off men—especially those of the bad-boy variety.
Cole Walker is exactly the sort that Shannon wants to avoid—gorgeous, tattooed, charming, and cocky. But his rough exterior hides a good man who’s ready to find “the one.” He’s determined to pull Shannon from her self-imposed solitude to win her heart.
As Shannon opens up in the face of Cole’s steady devotion, the passion between them ignites to blazing levels. But when Shannon’s past comes back to haunt her, her fears may destroy the trust Cole has built between them—and tear them apart for good.…

Thoughts:

Samantha Young brings readers the next On Dublin 
Street book, Echoes of Scotland Street. Fans of this series will be enchanted by the 'wee fairy' Shannon and totally enamored with bad boy, Cole Walker. The angst and tension is strong in this one and readers won't be able to put it done for a second as the sizzling chemistry between this lead couple explodes on the page. Readers looking for a very sexy, yet poignant read will find this one as irresistible as the hero!

What I liked:

Samantha Young's, On Dublin Street series has a serious following. There are fans that practically swoon when each new book comes out and there is a reason for that. Young seems to be able to tap into the pulse of audience she is writing for. Her contemporary romance titles strike a cord with readers. They often star heroes and heroines that have issues, that are realistic and have the scars to prove it. These characters become more than words on a page. Young gives them life, vibrancy and realism that is a hallmark of a fantastic writer and Echoes of Scotland Street serves to confirm that.

Cole Walker is one bad boy. From his dirty mouth to his tatted up skin, he sizzles off the pages of this book. Readers were first introduced to him as young boy in a terrible situation in Joanna's story. But now he's all grown up and he's got it together in a great way. He knows who he is, what he wants and how to get it. I loved his confidence and his edge. Young lets the reader understand Cole, his motivations and his desires. He doesn't pull any punches. He wants Shannon and he is determined to help her move on from a troubled past. He is the epitome of bad boy hero.

Shannon is a great character in her own right. When we first meet her as a teen she seems to be all unicorns and rainbows. Full of smiles and dreams, but nine years later, she is bit more broken. She has been through some bad experiences, she has grown and changed. Both she and Cole have matured and become more real. I loved her. She was a petite beauty, who had a little too much hurt behind her smile and Young made her so easy to root for. I wanted that happy ending as much as any I've read in awhile.

The secondary characters and returning characters from previous books, add so much to this story. When I read a series, I don't want to leave the heroes and heroines behind. I want them to be connected and a part of each new book in the series and Young certainly knows how to do that. She adds in new people, but she never forgets the readers love for knowing what happened to their favorites. I loved meeting Logan and Shannon's fiery coworker, Rae. This is such a character driven series. Readers who love strong men and women who can beat the odds will just love this book.

What I didn't like:

There were a few moments where I wanted to pull my hair out and say to these characters, "Wake Up!" But I didn't. I patiently read on and was rewarded for those moments of weirdness because it all worked out in the end. Be prepared for some serious angst and some serious steam with this one!

Bottom Line:

I loved this book. From the first glimpse of Cole and Shannon as teenagers to the moment they face off in the tattoo parlor nine years later. Young does such a wonderful job with everything from characterization to setting. This is a contemporary novel that will rock readers and bring them from tears to laughter more than once. It is very emotional and poignant, yet it is gritty and rough around the edges. It tends to be a bit harsh sometimes and soft at others, keeping the readers emotions in turmoil most of the book and I totally loved that. It made me melt and it made me simmer. Such a good book!

Echoes of Scotland Street will be available from your local bookstore on October 7th. Pre-order is available with select online retailers NOW.

I'm giving this one 5 out of 5 apples from my book bag!

About the Author:

Samantha Young is the New York bTimes and USA Today bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series, including Fall from India Place, Before Jamaica Lane, Down London Road, and On Dublin Street. She resides in Scotland.

Giveaway Details:

The publisher is sponsoring a giveaway for one copy of Echoes of Scotland Street by Samantha Young.

~ You must be an email subscriber to participate.
~ US addresses only.
~ The deadline to enter this giveaway is Midnight EST, October 15th.

1. Please leave a comment. Do you have a tattoo? What kind and if you don't what would you get if you could?

2. Please fill out the FORM.