Samantha Young

"Alexa Holland's father was her hero--until her shocking discovery that her mother and she weren't his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who's as damaged by her father's mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him"--

Hero

Yasmin Dunnewind

I do think there were a lot of flaws in this books, but it still felt like a quick and easy book to read

When Alexa Holland is fired from her job because she confronted Caine Carraway with their shared past, she doesn't know if she will ever work again.  In order to smooth things over with Caine, she goes to see him, and he unexpectedly offers her a job as his PA.  Even though Caine makes life for Alexa as tough as he can, she manages to slowly win him over until he can no longer resist their growing attraction.  However, there is so much history and anger between them, that it isn't long before danger finds them as well.

There is a lot of angst and groveling in Hero, mostly by Caine, who acts and reacts badly throughout most of this book, making him a fairly unlikable character.  It would have been more enjoyable if this book had contained both Alex's and Caine's perspectives so the reader would have a better understanding of Caine's choices.  The bit of suspense that is added near the end of this book really doesn't fit with the story that is being told.  Also, this book has Fifty Shades of Grey vibes which took me out of the story as I was reading it.  Overall, Hero is a decent story about a PA and her boss finding love that neither of them really wants.

Lynn Braden

When Alexa Holland is fired from her job because she confronted Caine Carraway with their shared past, she doesn't know if she will ever work again.  In order to smooth things over with Caine, she goes to see him, and he unexpectedly offers her a job as his PA.  Even though Caine makes life for Alexa as tough as he can, she manages to slowly win him over until he can no longer resist their growing attraction.  However, there is so much history and anger between them, that it isn't long before danger finds them as well.

There is a lot of angst and groveling in Hero, mostly by Caine, who acts and reacts badly throughout most of this book, making him a fairly unlikable character.  It would have been more enjoyable if this book had contained both Alex's and Caine's perspectives so the reader would have a better understanding of Caine's choices.  The bit of suspense that is added near the end of this book really doesn't fit with the story that is being told.  Also, this book has Fifty Shades of Grey vibes which took me out of the story as I was reading it.  Overall, Hero is a decent story about a PA and her boss finding love that neither of them really wants.

Tshering Yangzom

Bethany Lacey

OMG! This book. The feels.

I became a fan of Samantha Young whilst reading her On Dublin Street and Into the Deep series. 
So I was super stoked to learn that I had won an ARC copy! I literally squealed and began devouring this awesome book. Samantha Young is an awesome author; but this book is perfection and ensures a place for Samantha Young on my fave kick-ass Authors! 

So, Alexa Holland's dad used to be a spoilt, pretentious prick - and because of his need for his elitist family's toxic money, he left Caine Carraway's mother for dead after a drug overdose. Caine's father then killed himself, leaving Caine to be put in the system at 12 years old. Since then he went to college and started up his own Financial Holdings business.

Alexa Holland was the PA for photographer Benito. She's not been coping well with her mother's recent passing and after returning from a short break away, she's arrived straight to Benito's next job: photographing Caine Carraway. Only recently finding out the boy's name whose life her father ruined, Alexa is overcome with guilt and tries to apologise to Caine. Can I just say how sweet Caine was at the beginning - when trying to give Alexa coffee.


  Caine raised an eyebrow and pushed the coffee toward me.
I took it, completely unable to keep the bafflement off my face.
"A peace offering," he said, and I shivered again at the sound of his deep, cultured voice. "It would seem I scare you for some absurd reason."
Our eyes locked, and my pulse was racing for an entirely different reason now.
"What are they saying about me these days?"
For a moment I forgot everything, but what it was like to be lost in his beautiful eyes. "Lots," I answered softly. "They are saying lots of things about you these days."
He grinned, proving me wrong - he did not need a gymnast and her twin to put a smile on his face.


Caine however, disgusted at the sight of a Holland, fires Alexa's boss Benito - who fires her.

Let without a job, Alexa is desperate and goes to the Carraway office to ask for Caine's help in getting her rehired by her boss. However, her boss is a stubborn ass and Caine ends up hiring Alexa as his PA. He's decided to make her life a living hell due to her being a Holland. 

I absolutely loved, loved I say, when Alexa began working as Caine's PA. Her smart-assery, the banter and sexual tension was just delicious! It was smouldering - I especially liked the introduction of Caine's best friend Henry. He was simply charming. And Caine's possessiveness of Alexa, and his jealousy over Henry, was absolutely adorable and sizzingly. Henry's little match-matching was hilarious, and I hope we get his and Nadia's story: how she managed to catch the uncatchable.


  My gaze moved to Caine, who stopped at the sight of me and scowled. "I'll be out for lunch. If there's anything urgent have it forwarded to my cell."
Why was he telling me something I already knew?
"I know how to do my job, sir," I said, smiling through clenched teeth.
"Did I say you didn't?"
I saw Henry's eyebrows draw together as he watched our interaction.
"Well, when you instruct me to do something I already know how to do, you're implying I don't know my job." I shrugged, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Are you going to be this sensitive for the next two weeks? Because I'd like to prepare myself."
"Oh, why don't you - "
"Children, children." Henry stepped in between us, "What is going on here? I thought after Saturday - "
"You thought whaT?" Caine and I snapped in unison, and then glowered at each other. 


Caine is the epitome of an alpha-male. He was an asshole, no doubt about it, but he was also sweet, loving, and gentle: specially with Effie. Caine Carraway is imperfectly perfect - he was beautiful inside and out. And his secret was nothing to be ashamed about; it was in the past and he couldn't do anything about it now. When he began thawing towards Alexa, and started hanging out with her it was simply adorable.


  "Favourite band?"
"You didn't tell me what your favourite movie was."
"That's easy. Gone with the Wind. Although I could slap Scarlett silly for most of the movie. I mean, who would ever choose Ashley over Rhett?"
Sensing I wanted an actual answer, Caine shrugged. "I'm not sure."
"No one, that's who. Ashley is this Byronic limp noodle and Rhett is dark and challenging and all man. There's no competition. Scarlett was a nincompoop."
Caine's lips twitched. "A nincompoop?"
"Yes! It would be like me choosing to have Dean in this bed instead of you."
His amusement fled. "Who's Dean?"


I felt so sorry for Alexa. Her family were all a bunch of selfish pricks. Being an illegitimate child, her father's family were not allowed to ever know about her in fear of what it would do to their family name. It was disgusting. Yes, her grandfather was okay in the end, but still. And having never been chosen first, Alexa wanted to be put first for a change - by the man she was starting to fall in love with. I wanted Alexa to have her happily ever after - she 100% deserved it. Can I also say I absolutely loved how hot and smouldering and secretive Caine and Alexa's affair was. I especially loved how Caine wanted their affair out in the open and began to get impatient with Alexa trying to keep it quite.

That twist near the end. Colour me shocked - I was not expecting that. Alexa being hurt was completely out of left field: I literally sat there for a few minutes thinking "What?" I loved the introduction of the Body Guards (is there a story between the nurse and one of the body guards?) and that Caine wanted to look after Alexa. 


  "I love you," I choked out against his warm chest.
In answer, Caine gently pulled me away, just far enough so he could look into my face. I was tearstained, swollen-faced, and exhausted. I was a mess. But he stared at me as if I were the only person in the room, and as if I was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. His voice was gruff as he confessed, "I love you too."


This book was kick-ass! It was emotionally heart-felt, full of angst, romance and sexual chemistry. GUYS GET READING!

Jenni Clements

10/10 LOVE. I couldn’t put this one down. Lexie and Caine are just the definition of love. This one is a little bit an enemies to lovers with just a hint of bad boy CEO meets beautiful down to earth personal assistant. Oh with a horrible family history that brought both their lives crashing together in more ways than one. 

This was a great read: an amazing plot and just enough spice to keep it hot! 

Another Samantha Young novel that never disappoints!

Ashley 

Siobhán

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads
.

I’m relatively new to Samantha’s books, having only started reading her mid last year. Since that time I’ve devoured all the books in her On Dublin Street series (and am anxiously awaiting the final book). When I learned she was writing a standalone, I knew I had to read it. I suspected I would enjoy it. I just didn’t realize how much.

Hero is one of those books that grabbed me from the very first few pages. I was pulled into Alexa’s attempts to handle the truth about her father and make things right with Caine Carraway. Of course, her efforts do little but anger him and she’s the one who pays the consequences, losing her job and the prospect of finding a new job in her field anytime soon. She’s unwilling to let things rest, despite Caine’s wishes, and in a surprising turn of events, she winds up working for him. And my goodness is it fun to watch them interact in the early days of her job. Caine Carraway is a hell of a lot hotter than Miranda Priestley (a la Devil Wears Prada), but he seems to have taken some lessons from her. He’s demanding and difficult, but he’s sexy and Alexa can’t seem to shake her attraction to him. Forbidden sexy times with the boss aren’t exactly new in literature, but Alexa and Caine own it. This is the best I’ve ever read in this trope.

I really liked Alexa. She was strong and determined. She wasn’t living an easy life, with her father’s lies and her family basically shunning her. She was impulsive, which is what led her into the situation she found herself in with Caine. But, she really did think she was doing the right thing, trying to apologize for what happened between her dad and his mom years ago.

Caine was a tough man to like. I know he was struggling with his attraction to Alexa and everything that meant, but I wanted to strangle him for the way he spoke to her (and of her) at times. I don’t think he ever *meant* to hurt her, but he did. He was definitely a complex man with a complicated (and unexpected) past. He’s the kind of character you never expect to land on your swoony book boyfriend list, but sneaks in and takes you by surprise. I was definitely singing his praises by the end of the book.

The dynamic between Alexa and Caine was interesting. Of course, it was incredibly antagonistic in the beginning of the book. What I loved most was watching them open up and their connection evolve. It might have started as something purely physical – a sort of explosion to help them work out all the tension between them – but there was so much more to these two. There was something real there. They just both had to be open to the possibility. 

Books with characters like this – who are unwilling to see what’s right in front of them – need strong secondary characters to help guide the main characters. The big standout for me in this book is Caine’s neighbor, Effie Flanagan. Oh, how I loved this nosy woman. Her presence helped humanize Caine and show Alexa just how much more there was to him than what met the eye. She also helped Caine realize how special Alexa was and encouraged him (on the sly, of course) to let down his walls and let Alexa in. Caine’s coworker Henry also did his part to help these two find their way. Of course, he took a slightly different path, but it was no less effective. Jealousy will spur a man like Caine into action any day. Hero would’ve looked a lot different without both of these characters. 

I was so hooked on all the things about this book. The characters, their dynamics, the sexy times – I couldn’t walk away. When you decide to read Hero (and it’s soon, I hope), clear out a good block of time. You’ll want to read it cover to cover in one sitting. I found myself forgoing sleep to finish this book. I regret nothing. Not only does Samantha Young bring the sexy, she brought ALL the feels and some twists and revelations that blew my mind. And kept me on the edge of my seat, waiting to see what would happen next.

Oh, and that epilogue? Brilliant. I ended this book with a giant smile on my face.

I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Lisa ✩ @lifeinlit

I know this will be shocking, but this was my very first Samantha Young book. I know, RIGHT?! Just crazy. I do actually have her On Dublin Street on my shelf, which I recently acquired a copy of, as well as a copy of Fall From India Place that was given to me over the holidays as a gift. I WILL be reading both of these, that’s for sure, as well as the rest of that series, I’m sure. I feel for Samantha’s writing instantly and was quickly shown why so many are such huge fans of hers.

Though this isn’t the type of book I would normally enjoy, I really did find myself enjoying this story right away. Alexa and Caine had an undeniable chemistry, one that was apparent right from the beginning. This type of thing normally bugs me a little, but Samantha had a way of making not seem insta-lovey, and instead seem like very realistic instant attraction, which I can totally handle. ;) These two were hot, and the slow burn until we were able to see some action kept my attention hooked solely on this story.

I know some have categorized this as a new adult book, and I can see why. Though to me, it read much more like an adult book to me. I think it honestly all comes down to the characters’ ages, so this book can easily be categorized in either group. Either way, it’s a steamy romance with plenty of drama and sexy scenes to keep you entertained. I’m happy to say it’s not overloaded with sex scenes either, which I’m NOT a fan of, and has plenty of story and character drama to carry you through the book without having the story be told through strictly intimate scenes. (Yay!) A new author to add to my must-read list. Samantha Young won me over with this book, and I’m definitely looking forward to reading more from her.

Audiobook Impressions:
Angelica Lee is a new narrator to me. She’s only narrated a handful of books that I know of, but that didn’t show at all through her performance. She did a wonderful job, and narrated like a pro! I was honestly shocked when I looked to see what other books she narrated and only found three others. She performed Alexa beautifully and did a great job of Caine as well. I hope to see more books narrated by Angelica, hopefully in the romance genre since she did such a great job with this one.

(Thanks to Penguin Audio for the review copy!)

Find this review and others like it at Lost in Literature!

The explosive, emotional and unforgettable new romance from the NYT bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series Alexa Holland's father was her hero-until her shocking discovery. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who's as damaged by her father's mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him. Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa's efforts at redemption, but it's not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and all-consuming affair. Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for, and when they're on the precipice of danger, he finds he'll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again . . . Praise for Samantha Young: 'Ridiculously incendiary chemistry.' - Dear Author 'Scotland's answer to E.L. James. Steamy romance . . . mysterious, all-consuming and pretty damn good' Closer 'Humor, heartbreak, drama, and passion.'-The Reading Cafe 'A true gift for storytelling with a liberal dose of racy encounters. But what really sets it apart is exquisite characterisation, so vivid that the cast seeps into the reader's psyche' - Daily Record "Heartwarming, sizzling and captivating. . . . [Young's characters] are complex, a little flawed, and at their core good people struggling to make it in this crazy world. . . . Young creates steamy scenes that sizzle with just the right amount of details." - Caffeinated Book Reviewer

Hero B

Lacey

Originally posted at Booklovers For Life

I. Loved. Hero!!! Loved, loved, loved it! I simply adored this new (upcoming) release from Samantha Young. I was already a fan after the On Dublin Street series, but now I’m even more in love with her writing and storytelling. Hero had me hooked from start to finish, and I never wanted Caine and Alexa’s story to end! So if you’re a fan of Samantha Young, be excited for Hero because it’ll make you fall in love and sweep you away!

This book was pretty much the perfect read for me – it had a sassy heroine I genuinely liked and admired, and a hot-as-hell, alpha, rude, domineering hero in a suit. And the two of them together clash. Alexa Holland is an assistant to a photographer, and it’s at a photo shoot where she meets Caine Carraway. It’s lust at first sight, but when Alexa’s past comes to light and Caine finds out that it was Alexa’s father who ruined Caine’s family, he wants nothing to do with her, despite their attraction to one another. When Alexa loses her job, Caine offers one as his assistant, but only so that he can make life hell-on-earth for her.

“Oh, and, Alexa?”
I froze but my pulse sped up. He’d never said my name before.
It sounded nice on his lips. Very, very nice.
“Yeah?” I whispered.
“From now on you will refer to me as Mr. Carraway and only Mr. Carraway.”
Ouch.

Caine is definitely an ass to Alexa, but Alexa’s not the type of woman to let him run all over her. She gives as good as she gets, and she’s determined to prove to Caine that she doesn’t bear the sins of her father. My heart actually ached for her and life she’s had. She’s always been put second in the lives of those she loves, but she’s all the more stronger for it. She doesn’t let people, least of all Caine, bring her down.

Hero had me grinning so, so much. The flames between Caine and Alexa only get hotter as they spend more time together. I loved that Caine tries to make Alexa hate him and her job, all while lusting after her. He wants to hate her, but as he gets to know more of her, he can’t. All he wants is her.

“I fantasize about fucking you in this office a hundred times a day.”

And Alexa is just the most genuine, funny heroine ever! She knew exactly what Caine was trying to do, but she sees through his tough exterior to the warm heart he has. And he really does have a heart of gold underneath his harsh exterior, even though Caine himself believes otherwise.

“I’m not your white knight. I’m just the guy who wanted to fuck you.”

When Caine and Alexa give in to their need for each other, it’s explosive. The two of them have an intense, raw passion for each other, but while Alexa knows there’s more between them, Caine keeps her at a distance. He doesn’t believe he’s capable of love, and Alexa sets on to prove him otherwise.

It should have been frustrating that Caine was so hot and cold about his feelings – he’s protective and possessive of Alexa one moment, then cold and detached the next – but it just… wasn’t. There was an honest, genuine feel to Alexa and Caine’s growing romance. I was rooting for Caine to realize how perfect he and Alexa are together. They have some of the sweetest moments together that warmed my heart.

“For the longest time my company is what got me up in the morning. It was what motivated me every second of every day. Since the moment you started working for me, you are what has gotten me up in the morning. You are what motivates me every second of every day. And still I want more from you.”

*Dreamy sigh* Oh, Caine, how I love you <3

The romance in Hero was simply brilliant. It’s an office romance but with a unique, fresh take. I adored everything about this book – the story, the characters, the writing. I fell in love with Alexa and Caine and I felt for them. If you haven’t preordered Hero, go do it now! I highly recommend this heartfelt, sexy, romantic read!

Quotes are taken from the ARC and are subject to change in the final version.

Thanks to the publisher for generously providing me an ARC to review.

Amazon Ebook: http://amzn.to/1oYdnka
Amazon Paperback: http://amzn.to/ZY8GLs

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Regina 

Prerana agrawal

Matilda

The emotional and unforgettable new romance from the New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series. Alexa Holland’s father was her hero—until her shocking discovery that her mother and she weren’t his only family. Ever since, Alexa has worked to turn her life in a different direction and forge her own identity outside of his terrible secrets. But when she meets a man who’s as damaged by her father’s mistakes as she is, Alexa must help him. Caine Carraway wants nothing to do with Alexa’s efforts at redemption, but it’s not so easy to push her away. Determined to make her hate him, he brings her to the edge of her patience and waits for her to walk away. But his actions only draw them together and, despite the odds, they begin an intense and explosive affair. Only Caine knows he can never be the white knight that Alexa has always longed for. And when they’re on the precipice of danger, he finds he’ll do anything to protect either one of them from being hurt again....

Hero

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