Title: Before Jamaica Lane (On Dublin Street #3)
Author: Samantha Young
Release Date: January 7, 2014 (paperback)
Publisher: NAL Trade
Pages: 432
Source: Bought

Overall: 5 Stars

Summary:

The follow-up to the runaway bestsellers ON DUBLIN STREET and DOWN LONDON ROAD

Despite her outgoing demeanor, Olivia is painfully insecure around the opposite sex—usually, she can’t get up the nerve to approach guys she’s interested in. But moving to Edinburgh has given her a new start, and, after she develops a crush on a sexy postgrad, she decides it’s time to push past her fears and go after what she wants.

Nate Sawyer is a gorgeous player who never commits, but to his close friends, he’s as loyal as they come. So when Olivia turns to him with her relationship woes, he offers to instruct her in the art of flirting and to help her become more sexually confident.

The friendly education in seduction soon grows into an intense and hot romance. But then Nate’s past and commitment issues rear their ugly heads, and Olivia is left brokenhearted. When Nate realizes he’s made the biggest mistake of his life, he will have to work harder than he ever has before to entice his best friend into falling back in love with him—or he may lose her forever…. 

My Thoughts:  
After first meeting Olivia and Nate in Down London Road, I couldn't wait to read their love story in Before Jamaica Lane. Olivia and Nate have become the best of friends the past few months, the two single people left in their group of friends who are all happily engaged. Just like the previous novels in the series, Samantha Young finds a ways to balance hot, sexy scenes with a compelling storyline that develops the main characters as individuals too.

Olivia's teenage years were spent caring for her sick mother before she passed away, but now settled in Edinburgh with a new job as a librarian, she's hoping for a fresh start. The problem? Olivia is painfully shy around men and doesn't know how to speak to them. Her lack of success at dating has lowered her self-confidence, making her feel that nobody could possibly be interested in her. She's such a kind, wonderful and fun person, but her insecurities hold her back.

Nate's handsome looks and playboy exterior hide the grief he still feels over losing his first love many years ago. He may give his body to countless women, but he'll never give them his heart. When Nate offers to help Olivia in the art of seduction with all his experience, the dynamics of their friendship are forever changed... and Olivia can't help falling for him. Nate helps Olivia see for herself just how beautiful she truly is, and no one understands her like he does.

But the path to happily ever after is not so easy, and Olivia and Nate had so much to overcome before they could finally be together. It hurt so much to see them struggle with their feelings while still being tormented by the ghosts of their pasts. I was proud to see Olivia put everything on the line and take a risk with her heart, not settling for being anyone's second choice. And when Nate pulled away, you could practically hear Olivia's heart shatter into a million pieces in the terrible silence that seemed to follow. 

Samantha Young's Before Jamaica Lane brought tears to my eyes. It was emotional. It was romantic. It was everything I had hoped it would be.