Book Info:
Title: Play On
Author: Samantha Young
Genre: Adult romance
Release Date: September 12th, 2017
My rating: 5 stars
Cover Design: By
Hang Le
Synopsis:
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
determined to be at war with her.
And
she has absolutely no idea why.
she has absolutely no idea why.
Out
September 12th 2017 in digital and paperback edition!
September 12th 2017 in digital and paperback edition!
Excerpt:
From the angle I was sitting, I could
only see Aidan’s profile. A rush of feeling flooded over me as I studied his
familiar face. Memories flooded me. Smiles. Laughter. Kisses. Soft touches.
Tears. Him falling to his knees. Not meeting my eyes and telling me to leave
and get rest. The last thing he ever said to me.
only see Aidan’s profile. A rush of feeling flooded over me as I studied his
familiar face. Memories flooded me. Smiles. Laughter. Kisses. Soft touches.
Tears. Him falling to his knees. Not meeting my eyes and telling me to leave
and get rest. The last thing he ever said to me.
I’d never felt such a confusing mix of
fury and longing in my entire life. I at once wanted to go to him, make him
look at me, hold me, and I also wanted to march up to him, grab his sweater in my
fist, and shake him, even though he’d barely budge under my assault.
fury and longing in my entire life. I at once wanted to go to him, make him
look at me, hold me, and I also wanted to march up to him, grab his sweater in my
fist, and shake him, even though he’d barely budge under my assault.
I
remember you, Pixie.
remember you, Pixie.
I closed my eyes, in pain at the memory.
If he called me by his nickname for me again, I didn’t know whether I’d burst
into tears or smack him across the face.
If he called me by his nickname for me again, I didn’t know whether I’d burst
into tears or smack him across the face.
Probably both.
“Viola!” Quentin spun on his heel to look
at me. “On stage.”
at me. “On stage.”
Nerves hit me in a massive wave and I
took a moment to exhale slowly before I stood and walked toward the stage. I
hoped I appeared calm and ready to do this because inside, I was under attack.
took a moment to exhale slowly before I stood and walked toward the stage. I
hoped I appeared calm and ready to do this because inside, I was under attack.
I joined Eddie up on stage; he gave me a
bolstering smile.
bolstering smile.
In my entrance on performance nights, I
would be accompanied by Eddie as Captain and we’d have extras with us as our
sailors. “‘What country, friends, is this?’” I said in a faux upper-crust
English accent, slowly walking across the stage, looking awed.
would be accompanied by Eddie as Captain and we’d have extras with us as our
sailors. “‘What country, friends, is this?’” I said in a faux upper-crust
English accent, slowly walking across the stage, looking awed.
“‘This is Illyria, lady,’” Eddie said,
following me.
following me.
I swiftly turned to look at him. “‘And
what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium …’”
what should I do in Illyria? My brother he is in Elysium …’”
We fell into the scene and I was feeling
pretty good about it when it came to an end, until I looked over at Quentin and
Aidan. Finally, I had Aidan’s attention. But I’d take him ignoring me over the
scowl he wore.
pretty good about it when it came to an end, until I looked over at Quentin and
Aidan. Finally, I had Aidan’s attention. But I’d take him ignoring me over the
scowl he wore.
As my director opened his mouth to speak,
Aidan called up to me, “You need to work on that accent.”
Aidan called up to me, “You need to work on that accent.”
I flushed, turning expectantly to
Quentin. He looked a little taken aback by Aidan’s input but he nodded at me.
“If one person thinks it’s not great, others might. Practice it. It’s not a
huge concern yet.”
Quentin. He looked a little taken aback by Aidan’s input but he nodded at me.
“If one person thinks it’s not great, others might. Practice it. It’s not a
huge concern yet.”
“The way she’s wandering around the stage
like a bewildered child is,” Aidan said, like he hadn’t insulted the hell out
of me. “Viola is bold enough to dress as a man in order to find her brother.
She wouldn’t be wild-eyed and frightened.”
like a bewildered child is,” Aidan said, like he hadn’t insulted the hell out
of me. “Viola is bold enough to dress as a man in order to find her brother.
She wouldn’t be wild-eyed and frightened.”
Wild-eyed and frightened?
I hadn’t been acting wild-eyed and
frightened!
frightened!
Quentin quirked an brow at his friend and
then smirked up at me. “Play it a little less vulnerable in your next scene.”
then smirked up at me. “Play it a little less vulnerable in your next scene.”
Seething, I could only nod. Completely
unable to look at Aidan, I turned to Eddie. He gave me a sympathetic smile and
we left the stage together. The actors playing Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew
took the stage.
unable to look at Aidan, I turned to Eddie. He gave me a sympathetic smile and
we left the stage together. The actors playing Maria, Sir Toby, and Sir Andrew
took the stage.
Ignoring Aidan, I strode farther down the
aisle to get away from him, and Amanda gave me a smug smile from her seat next
to Hamish. “You’ll get better with practice,” she said.
aisle to get away from him, and Amanda gave me a smug smile from her seat next
to Hamish. “You’ll get better with practice,” she said.
I returned her smile with a tight one of
my own and flopped down on a seat near the back.
my own and flopped down on a seat near the back.
It wasn’t long later, however, that
Quentin was calling me up to stage again with Will and Jack. After Aidan’s
criticism—something he did not dole out to anyone else—I was on edge but
fighting the feeling because I didn’t want it to affect my performance.
Quentin was calling me up to stage again with Will and Jack. After Aidan’s
criticism—something he did not dole out to anyone else—I was on edge but
fighting the feeling because I didn’t want it to affect my performance.
We were halfway through the scene when
Quentin called up for us to stop. Dread filled me as we looked down at him.
Quentin called up for us to stop. Dread filled me as we looked down at him.
But it was Aidan who spoke. “You’re doing
it again. All doe-eyed while he’s talking.” He gestured to Jack.
it again. All doe-eyed while he’s talking.” He gestured to Jack.
Anger flared out of me. “I’m supposed to
be in love with him,” I argued.
be in love with him,” I argued.
“And you’re masquerading as a man. You’re
good at deception,” he bit out, and I couldn’t miss the hiss of anger in his
words. Were we still talking about the play? “At this point in the play, you
can control your feelings for this man.”
good at deception,” he bit out, and I couldn’t miss the hiss of anger in his
words. Were we still talking about the play? “At this point in the play, you
can control your feelings for this man.”
Reeling from his words, I couldn’t argue
this time. In fact, the whole atmosphere in the theater had changed, as if
everyone else had heard the underlying fury in his words and were confused by
them.
this time. In fact, the whole atmosphere in the theater had changed, as if
everyone else had heard the underlying fury in his words and were confused by
them.
As confused as I was.
Why the hell was Aidan mad at me?
My Review:
As usual, Samantha Young’s writing has grabbed my heart and ripped the tears from my eyes. I was unsure when I started, because it is an older man who is the romantic interest, and I’m usually not a fan of those types of relationships. But Young knows how to make the age difference, even as it gets pointed out in the story, and is a big issue within the story, not what the whole story is about. Her characters are ones that I can’t help but want to know what will happen to them. Several points throughout the story had me in tears, not sure how the story would go, how things could get better. But all of the things that were big issues in the story definitely worked and were realistic, the obstacles they faced, the misunderstandings, for the most part really weren’t ones that make me think that people in real life wouldn’t act that way. Those problems the couple faced were not problems just created for drama, their reactions to the situations not ones that were just written to extend the suspense. All of them fit the story perfectly, and made it out to be the latest story of perfection that Samantha Young has created.
About the Author:
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.
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.
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.
currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling
author.
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Thanks for sharing – I'm glad you enjoyed this one. I've been reading a lot of age-gap m/m romances lately. It seems to be working for me though!
-Lauren
http://www.shootingstarsmag.net
I have to keep telling myself that it really shouldn't be any different than what I do like, older women with younger men, but it just isn't the same. Thanks for stopping by!