Moonlight on Nightingale Way by Samantha Young
Series: On Dublin Street, #6
Contemporary Romance
June 2, 2015
NAL
Reviewed by Tori
Favorite Quote: “I’m a selfish bastard. I want to bury myself inside of you, and I’m not sure I can keep holding myself back from doing it.”
Logan spent two years paying for the mistakes he made. Now, he’s ready to start over. He has a great apartment, a good job, and plenty of women to distract him from his past. And one woman who is driving him to distraction…
Grace escaped her manipulative family by moving to a new city. Her new life, made to suit her own needs, is almost perfect. All she needs to do is find her Mr. Right—or at least figure out a way to ignore her irresistible yet annoying womanizer of a neighbor.
Grace is determined to have nothing to do with Logan until a life-changing surprise slowly begins turning the wild heartbreaker into exactly the kind of strong, stable man she’s been searching for. Only just when she begins to give into his charms, her own messy past threatens to derail everything they’ve worked to build…(Goodreads)
Moonlight on Nightingale Way is listed as the final book in Young’s adult romance contemporary series, On Dublin Street. Based on a group of friends and family, we have watched this group grow and expand beyond what was first introduced in book one-On Dublin Street. Brimming with sexy men and women, humor, angst, real world issues, and much growth in the world, characterization, and from the author herself, I have enjoyed, for the most part, my journey through this series.
Opposites attract and enemies to lovers are always fun tropes to read in romance. Often starting from an antagonistic base, readers laugh and rejoice as the protagonists learn more about one another and find that spark we saw from the beginning. I admit I was uneasy when I read the excerpt to this book at the end of book five. I really didn’t want another story about woman or man whose baggage is so great they are unable to emotionally or mentally move on with their lives; choosing instead to place all their anger on the shoulders on the one person who truly sees them. Luckily for us, this is not one of those stories.
Grace Farquhar is a quiet, intelligent, studious woman who works from home as a freelance book editor. When she finds a pair of thong underwear drying on the landing between her apartment and her neighbor’s, she expects to make her issues known and leave…in a quiet, considerate manner. Unfortunately, her neighbor doesn’t seem like a quiet considerate man. He’s gregarious, big, gorgeous, obnoxious and immediately takes offense at what he deems Grace’s prude-like stance. From there starts a battle of the wills that left me giggling and smiling non stop.
“For the last three nights I’ve had to put up with the constant loud sex from you and your bloody American. I just want peace and quiet. I want some bloody goddamn sleep!”
“Have you got a glass up against the wall?”
“Excuse me?”
“How did you know I’ve been fucking an American?”
“Because. I. Can. Hear. Every. Word. She. Says.”
Logan McLeod was just released from a two year stint in prison for assaulting the man who beat and almost raped his sister. Working as a nightclub manager; all he wants is to catch up on everything he missed during his incarceration. Namely sex. He uses one night stands to avoid commitment and dealing with his issues. When Grace makes her feelings known over the underwear, the loud sex noises, the constant parade of woman, he feels judged and strikes back.
“You don’t have to be so antagonistic, you know. You should consider removing that stick from your tiny arse.”
“Excuse me?”
“You talk down to me. And there’s that pinchy-mouthed look you give me instead of a smile every time you pass me in the hall.”
Pinchy-mouthed? I sniffed at the insult and turned to leave again, not deigning to give him a response.
“And that. That haughty little sniff is extremely fucking annoying…”
I really liked Grace and Logan. Grace with her soft snarky wit and strong sense of self. She escaped her abusive family years ago and has made a life for herself with the help of some close friends. Watching her learn to trust Logan intimately was delightful, especially after he put a roadblock in their way only to discover he screwed up. MEN! Luckily for him he has an ace in the hole-namely his sister and her friends. Logan delights and confounds with his blatant sexuality and obnoxious charm, making the chemistry between them burn throughout the story. Young does a great job of facilitating the romance amongst the backdrop of their personal issues.
“I know good and bad, Logan, trust me. And deep down you do too. And you know you’re a good man. You know it. And I’m not going to tell you any different.”
Emotionally the overall tone is rather lightweight. A bit more formulaic than usual for Young, this engaging romance contemporary can be read alone though it is part of a series. A delightful journey of love and second chances. The fast steady pacing coupled with the slow burning romance is perfect for the overall tone of the story and subject matters at hand. Young’s witty dialogue and dynamic characterization only adds to the over all appeal.
“The horror. How will you ever get your next booty call?”
The main conflict blends well with the subplots. Young injects tongue in cheek humor to help offset the seriousness of the subject matter. Young slowly peels the lid back on Grace and Logan’s problems and begins to systematically and realistically address them using some well placed secondary characters. Logan learns to let go of his fear and guilt over what happened in the past, accepting he paid the price and can move on. Grace learns that she is worthy in all aspects of her life and that sometimes letting go completely is the best way to move forward.
The ending is a bit serendipity in that Logan and Grace both receive the ‘out’ they need to close the book on their respective pasts. It ends rather abruptly; shifting straight into a brief epilogue that gives us small peeks into the lives all the past couples; gifting us with a fond farewell. While I’m sad to see this series end, I’m sure this will not be the last we see of Samantha Young and her wonderful imagination.
RATING: B
Recent Reviews:
Dear Author
Heroes and Heartbreakers
Caffeinated Book Reviewer
Goodreads I Author Website I Series List
Great review. I also really enjoyed this book. I was very hesitant to read it because the previous two books were big disappointments but am glad I gave this one a shot. I loved the beginning and their arguments and how they slowly became friends and then more. I’m sad the series ended but am glad she ended on a high note with this book.
And I read somewhere that she is going to be writing novellas about some of the secondary characters. The first is about Craig the bartender who worked with Joss and Jo and is supposed to be released in the fall. And will take place during the time between the first two books.
Thank you. Yes, I too have heard rumors that she isn’t quite done with this group yet. I hope that’s true.