Cover Design By Hang Le

Nora O’Brien chased a dream from Indiana to Scotland, so sure it was the right thing to do. Three years later she was left in her adopted country with nothing to her name but guilt and regret.

Until Aidan Lennox entered her life.

Older, worldlier, a music producer and composer, the sexy Scot should never have made sense for Nora. But somehow in each other they found the light they were looking for, the laughter and the passion—the strength to play on despite their past losses.

But when life dealt Aidan another unlucky hand, instead of reaching for her he disappeared. The agonizing loss of him inspired something within Nora. It fired her spirit— the anger and hurt pushing her forward to take control and reach for her dreams.

Finally pursuing a career on stage while she put herself through college, everything is how Nora wants it. She’s avoiding heartbreak and concentrating on her goals.

Sounds easy but it’s not. Because Aidan is back. And for some reason he hates Nora.

He’s determined to be at war with her.

And she has absolutely no idea why.

OUT NOW in digital and paperback edition!

Tera’s 3.75 Blush Review

 

“It was easy, when you loved people, to find ways to blame yourself when you couldn’t protect them from the hurts of the world. That was an impossible task and we only ended up hurting ourselves by believing that it wasn’t.”

I’ve been on a Samantha Young binge lately running to all the newest releases. The appeal? Her freaking characters. She has an immense talent in writing truly believable characters that you can’t help but feel like are your friends. And this cover? Stunning!

Play On is a contemporary romance set in Indiana and Scotland. It’s a novel of falling in love, redemption and second chances.

But this book didn’t give me that feel. And that was probably the biggest downfall. Especially with Nora. Nora was a very kind-hearted character, but she was one dimensional and I mostly just wanted to shake her. I didn’t feel the draw to her that Jim and Aidan did.

“Because people could disappoint you, and sometimes that was okay, but sometimes… it wrecked you so badly it changed you irrevocably.”

Part II of the book was my favorite. The situations seemed more real and more relatable. Jim was frustrating. Nora was frustrating. Aidan was swoon-worthy. Sylvie was to die for. But just when the connections started to come, Part III came and it fell flat.

“Just because it takes more than falling in love to find yourself doesn’t mean that losing yourself in another person can’t be fucking beautiful.”

The premise of the story was decent, and if you’re looking for something just a little different within contemporary romance, this is a good pick. Especially since Samantha Young has such good writing.

 

Excerpt: 

The searing glance Aidan had given me before he drove off killed the smile as anticipation enveloped me.

Not long later, I got a text with his address and a time. I texted back a simple “I’ll be there” response.

And now here I was.

With my palms sweating.

I pressed the buzzer to his apartment and some seconds later heard his delicious voice, “Hello?”

“It’s me.”

The door buzzed and I smiled as I stepped inside, thinking that sometimes he was a man of few words.  

Aidan lived on the second from the top floor and when the elevator binged open, it was facing his apartment door—he was standing in it, his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the doorjamb.

My breath caught as I took him in. He was pure masculine, rugged perfection. Every time I saw him, he grew more attractive. His soulful eyes were focused on me as mine took in the fact that he was wearing a different T-shirt from earlier and ragged jeans. His hair was still wet so I knew, like me, he’d just had a shower.

Shivers tickled down my spine at the reason why. I stepped out of the elevator before the doors closed on me and approached him slowly, still drinking him in, disbelieving really that this kind, funny, smart and unbelievably sexy man was gazing at me like he thought I was all those things too. His eyes drifted down my body slowly and then rose, lingering over every detail, until they came back to my face.

“I like this dress,” he said.

I smiled softly. “You’re easily pleased.”

Aidan took my hand and led me inside his apartment, but I didn’t have a chance to look at it because he was speaking again, distracting me. “No, I didn’t used to be.” He closed the door, locking it behind us. “I used to be an arsehole.” His expression was almost one of wonder as he looked down at me. “A picky, womanizing arsehole.”

I tensed, not really enjoying the idea of him and other women. And picky? I remember Sylvie telling me her uncle dated the most beautiful women she’d ever seen.

Christ.

I tugged on my cardigan, wondering what possessed me to wear it.

“Don’t.” It was as if he sensed my sudden insecurity, sliding an arm around my waist and drawing me to him. My hands fluttered down on his hard, warm chest, and I tilted my head back to keep eye contact. “You’re perfect.”

“My hair is too short.” I touched the strands at my nape. “It used to be long.”

“I remember.”

“I cut it because of Jim,” I told him sadly…

Aidan squeezed my waist in reassurance.

“But I loved my hair too,” I said, feeling stupid about the whole thing. “I know it’s only hair … but I’m mad I cut it.”

He studied me so long, I was almost afraid to ask what he was thinking, but I shouldn’t have been. Aidan released my waist with one hand to brush his fingers through the bangs that had grown out past my ears. His fingers curled around my ear, his thumb stroking my cheekbone, and his eyes caught mine with a fierceness that made my belly squeeze. “You could shave it all off, Pixie, and still be so bloody beautiful, I can’t concentrate on anything else when you’re in the room.”

Wow. I exhaled slowly on his name, “Aidan.”

His eyes closed as if he was in pain and he dropped his forehead to mine. His cologne washed over me, the heat of him prickling my skin like I’d stepped out of an air-conditioned room into the hot sun. “I want to hear you say my name like that when I’m inside you,” he murmured against my lips.

 

Purchase Links:

iBooks US – http://apple.co/2vCfGRk 

Amazon US – http://amzn.to/2x2PVtV

Barnes & Noble – http://bit.ly/2wwfwrW

Kobo US – http://bit.ly/2ueLyMy

Amazon UK – http://amzn.to/2vSAKEt

iBooks UK – http://apple.co/2ufnPf6

Kobo UK –  http://bit.ly/2vatfoR

Smashwords – http://bit.ly/2wwr9za

About Samantha Young:

 

Samantha Young is the New York Times,  USA Today  and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows.  Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us was published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook & hardback June 2017. Play On is an adult contemporary romance and the first in a brand new series set in Scotland.

 

Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.

Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.

Website | Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | Goodreads | Pinterest