Coffee Pot Reviews: Uncharted by Tracey Garvis-Graves & Until Fountain Bridge by Samantha Young

 
Welcome to Coffee Pot Reviews! These are short and sweet reviews done in the length of time it takes my coffee pot to brew! I have two novellas to share with you today both from authors I love. Adult books contain mature content and are not intended for readers under 18 years of age. Grab a cup of coffee and a slice of coffee cake! 

Uncharted: An "On the Island" Novella 
by Tracey Garvis-Graves
Series: On the Island #1.5
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: July 2, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher in exchange for unbiased review
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
*purchases through buy links help support this blog
My review of : On An Island

Tracey Garvis Graves - and Anna and T.J. - return in this companion novella to the New York Times bestseller On the Island. When twenty-three-year-old dot-com millionaire Owen Sparks walked away from his charmed life, he had one goal in mind: get as far away as possible from the people who resented his success, or had their hand out for a piece of it. A remote uncharted island halfway around the world seemed like a perfectly logical place to get away from it all.  Calia Reed wasn't part of Owen's plans. The beautiful British girl - on holiday in the Maldives with her brother, James - made Owen wonder if getting away from it all might be a lot more enjoyable with a carefree girl who didn't know anything about the life he left behind.  But Owen had no idea how much his carefully detailed plans would go awry. Nor did he realize that a decision he made would have such a catastrophic effect on two passengers who boarded a plane in Chicago.  And when Owen shows up at Anna and T.J.'s door with an incredible story to tell, everyone involved will learn just how much their lives are intertwined. Uncharted includes an early look at Covet, coming September 2013.

I was completely taken by surprise with how much I enjoyed On An Island as it embraced a subject I wasn't sure I could accept. I loved it, adored it and shared it with everyone. I even bought copies for family members at Christmas!  So when the publisher informed me there was a novella that tells the story about some of the mysteries on the island I about flipped at the chance to review it. I devoured Uncharted in one sitting and found Owen's story to be touching, captivating and intense. I loved the growth we see in Owen and enjoyed the tale he shared with us. A lot of the unanswered question I had from Anna and T.J.'s time on the island are answered. Of course it was also delightful to see Anna and T.J. again. Tracey Garvis-Graves has so impressed me with her ability to give you a glimpse into others lives and to share in their experiences. She makes you rethink taboo subjects and the people involved  in them. There is a sneak-peak of her Covet, her next novel due out in September 2013. 

Three and half cups of mocha coffee out of five

Until Fountain Bridge
by Samantha Young
Series: On Dublin Street #1.6
Publisher: Penguin
Publication date: June 18, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Source: Purchase
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon
*purchases made through buy links support this blog
My review: On Dublin Street (book #1)
My review: Down London Road (book #2)

Ellie Carmichael had a crush on Adam Sutherland, her brother, Braden’s, best friend, for years, and although Adam treated her with proprietary concern he made it clear he thought of her only as a little sister. Over the years, as Ellie’s crush develops into love, her romantic idealism makes it difficult for her to move on. To make matters worse, as she’s gotten older, Adam’s attitude has changed toward her. His affection for her is now joined by attraction, but his loyalty to Braden, and his fear of losing the only family he has, stops him from claiming Ellie the way she wishes he would.  But one night his attraction is put to the test, and as much as Adam would like things to remain the same everything changes between them in a simple brush of the lips. Soon lust, love, jealousy and heartbreak combine to force change upon their relationship… and Adam discovers the hard way that life is too damn short to spend it on regret.

So far I have read and loved On Dublin Street and Down London Road and while Ellie and Adam were present in both books, we never really got their back story. Until Fountain Bridge delivers just that through some flashbacks using Ellie's diaries as a guide. It was sweet, tender and adorable giving us a glimpse at Ellie and her crush on Adam through the years. I enjoyed reading about their interactions. Fans of the series will enjoy this short and sweet novella. I read this in under an hour and laughed, giggled and sighed. 

Three and half cups of coffee out of five

Review: Down London Road by Samantha Young

Down London Road
by Samantha Young
Series: On Dublin Street #2
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: May 7, 2013
Genre: Adult Contemporary Romance
Purchase*: Barnes and Noble/Amazon/Book Depository
Source: purchase
*purchases through buy links support this blog
My review of book one: On Dublin Street

Johanna Walker is used to taking charge. But she’s about to meet someone who will make her lose control....It has always been up to Johanna to care for her family, particularly her younger brother, Cole. With an absent father and a useless mother, she’s been making decisions based on what’s best for Cole for as long as she can remember. She even determines what men to date by how much they can provide for her brother and her, not on whatever sparks may—or may not—fly. But with Cameron MacCabe, the attraction is undeniable. The sexy new bartender at work gives her butterflies every time she looks at him. And for once, Jo is tempted to put her needs first. Cam is just as obsessed with getting to know Jo, but her walls are too solid to let him get close enough to even try. Then Cam moves into the flat below Jo’s, and their blistering connection becomes impossible to ignore. Especially since Cam is determined to uncover all of Jo’s secrets …even if it means taking apart her defenses piece by piece.

I really enjoyed On Dublin Street and immediately pre-ordered Down London Road by Samantha Young. Ignoring my tight reading schedule I decided to jump right in and read it. Once again Young gave me fleshed out, complicated characters that I found myself rooting for. I quickly consumed this in a single evening and cannot wait to go back. Three word review: heart-warming, sizzling and captivating. 

We met Johanna Walker in On Dublin Street and I was apprehensive about reading her story. On the surface she is a Paraná looking for a sugar daddy, but Johanna;s life is complicated. Her father is MIA and she has been left to taking care of her younger brother Cole and her sorry excuse for a mother.  She does not let many people into her inner circle, especially the men she dates. In fact, you might even say Johanna is completely two different people. One works at a bar and cares for the family the other molds herself into the perfect girlfriend. When Cameron MacCabe walks in he completely upends Johanna’s world and the tale that unfolded had me giggling, sighing and shedding a tear.

Once you get pass Jo’s outward persona and see the real Jo you cannot help but admire how strong and courageous she is. She has managed to make a home for her brother, work two jobs to make ends meet and is looking for a way to better both of their lives.  She has some self-esteem issues and I think Young does a wonderful job of showing how this affects a person’s self-worth. She likes the men she dates and sex is ok, but she’s never really felt an intense physical or emotional attachment. Cameron MacCabe is a tattooed, dark haired, abs of steel, Irish god. *swoons*  Cameron had me uneasy after the first encounter but I quickly came to adore him. The chemistry between these two was smokin’ hot and watching them interact and keep boundaries was hilarious and had me on pins and needles waiting for the inevitable. Jocelyn and Braden had some scene time as well as his family. Jocelyn has really grown and become more confident. We saw growth in her and it was fun to see her blossom.

Young really gets me with her characters. They are complex, a little flawed and at their core good people struggling to make it in this crazy world. Dublin is the backdrop to this story and I now fantasies about moving there. Both Jo and Cam are in relationships at the onset and while no lines were crossed, I imagine if you were in a room with them the sexual tension would be electrifying. I so enjoyed their pre-tango dance and the buildup was delicious. The romance felt genuine and the chemistry curled my toes. Young creates steamy scenes that sizzle with just the right amount of details. She managed to give this series a small-town feel and I like how old characters and new interact and form bigger circles. The tale flowed wonderfully, with the right amount of tension, heat and drama to keep me turning the pages. I consumed this in one sitting and cannot wait for book three.

If you like character driven romance in small-town settings check out Down London Road and its predecessor On Dublin Street. The third book will publish in 2014.

Four and half cups of Irish coffee out of five