On Dublin Street (On Dublin Street, #1)

by Samantha Young

[Ashley]

booknook — Young Adult book reviews

If you read my review of Just for Now by Abbi Glines, you'll know that I've been DESPERATE for something sexy. Just for Now was okay, but it wasn't really the hot, dirty, heavy, dripping with lust kind of book I was looking for. I'm very pleased to say that On Dublin Street rocked my sexual universe.

This book was HOT. I mean.. really, really hot. The book itself was screaming sex. I loved it. Consider my hunger for a heavy, lusty book satisfied.

But moving on from the sex for a second.. I really connected with On Dublin Street because of the whole American-in-Scotland thing. Jocelyn is an American but she moves to Scotland for university and then continues living there afterwards and then starts a relationship with a Scotsman. So we have people teasing her about her accent, people arguing over lingo, Jocelyn adapting to a new culture, etc. I can totally relate to this because that character is ME! I'm an American and I moved to the UK to go to university and I fell in love with a Brit! Well, it was more like I fell in love with a Bit so then I moved to the UK.. but let's not get technical. It was awesome just to read about someone who went through the same experiences I did and in a similar part of the world!

What I found most interesting about this book was that the traditional male and female roles were reversed. In books like this, normally you have the girl and then the strong, badass playboy. The girl wants a relationship and the guy is kind of closed off and struggling to change. It was the complete opposite in On Dublin Street! I mean, yes, Braden was a bit of a playboy (or a serial monogamist), but Jocelyn was the one who was emotionally closed off and against having a 'normal' relationship.

On Dublin Street did more than just fulfil my craving for a hot book; it also fulfilled my craving for another mind blowing emotional roller coaster. I've been craving more books like Beautiful Disaster, Easy, and Seduced in the Dark. Well, ladies and gentleman, we have a winner!



On Dublin Street was certainly loaded with intriguing emotional baggage. As much as it is about a hot sexual escapade, it's also about a girl struggling with her past and trying to come to terms with the horrors that linger there. I have to admit, sometimes Jocelyn drove me completely insane. She was an emotional wreck and refused to let people into her life. Towards the end it started bothering me most, because that's when her friends really needed her to be there for them and she just closed herself off completely. I wanted to bang her head against the wall! But I just forced myself to remember that this was the point of the book—it's about an emotional journey and overcoming traumas. Not everyone is able to deal with things like that, and it's about Jocelyn struggling to overcome it.

And then there was Braden. Braden is a complete and utter sex GOD, but still manages to be a nice guy. Sure he may date a lot of women, but he doesn't cheat on them. Yes, he's rich, but he's not an arrogant asshole. He's kind and sweet and he truly cares about people. But in bed, he's no gentleman. ;) He does have his moments of jealousy, but don't we all? Braden puts up with a lot of crap from Jocelyn and it was nice to see him hang in there. He supports people through the bad times and doesn't just bail when things get tough.

On Dublin Street was everything I hoped it would be. It was HOT THROUGH THE ROOF, an emotional whirlwind, drove me to the edge of tears, and was also a little heart-warming. I highly recommend it!