I have followed Cj from the beginning, from The Summer series, through to now with the Heart of the City series. She is one of my go to authors, with me often re-reading her books and relishing in the fun factor and heart stopping romance time and time again. New York Nights was no exception. I love this series and getting to travel the world through Cj and her characters eyes. The writing is always descriptive and charismatic, it never fails to draw you in and always enables you to picture everything, from the characters, right down to the surroundings. In New York Nights, Cj brings us two totally different characters, who shouldn't work but they do. Their different personalities keep the storyline exciting. The plot and characters in this book are cute. There are plenty of moments that have you smiling a big cheesy grin (and have you probably looking like a loon if you are reading in public). As always, Cj's writing is fresh and fun. You lose yourself in her books, wishing you were there. And, as with every other book written by Cj, I find myself with another book boyfriend by the time I have finished reading. I am thoroughly enjoying my trip around the world with Cj's writing! I think between London Bound and New York Nights, London Bound still has that very small edge for me, but I cannot wait to see what the rest of the series brings us. I've always wanted to go to Rome!

I wish I could have got Bens POV in this book to get more insight into his side of the relationship, because I struggled with the fact that Ben and Sarah hardly spend any time together to form a relationship in the first place so to just have the narrative from Sarah only left me thinking how they ended up in love in the first place. The story was okay some nice twists I didn't see coming, but the book is short and the characters didn't have any time to fall for each other but then the ending came and bam they were in love, an odd one for me.

Was unable to download this book but will look at buying it in the future as I do like the authors books.

I have reviewed this book on amazon uk it was a brilliant read and 5 stars from me

Another many/boss love story. This one was a miss for me. Here is why. I felt no chemistry between Ben and Sarah. To be fair, I didnt read book one in this series, so maybe that is why I  wasnt too invested in this book.

This is my first C.J Duggan book and it wont be my last, the writing style is very accessible and engaging. I was automatically sucked into the book and I could not put my e-reader down. I was expecting one thing and was surprised and delighted by the complexity of Ben. What a guy.. Baby Gracie girl. Oh my ovaries!!!

I love finding new authors and this year has already opened my eyes to a plethora of new-to-me authors that leave me wanting more. And so it is with CJ Duggan’s latest book, New York Nights. The second book in her City Lights series centres around a young independent Aussie, Sarah Williams, who takes the bold step of moving to the bright lights of New York to become au pair for a wealthy Manhattan businessman, Ben Worthington, and his daughter, Grace. As Sarah soon discovers, Ben is not the doting father she expects. Distant and moody, Ben seems more interested in his career than spending any time with Grace. Of course there is more to his story than meets the eye and Sarah is just the person to melt this mans heart.

I do love our Aussie spirit of rolling up your sleeves and getting on with it, no matter how challenging the job is. Even with the standoffish personalities of Ben and some of his family members, Sarah forged ahead, wanting only the best for Grace, she was completely dedicated to her charge. Caring and compassionate, she blended charming naivete with a fearless sense of adventure, and a great sense of humour. Never one to let a challenge get the better of her, I loved her dogged determination when dealing with a few hiccups along the way, and her will to always put the needs of Grace first. As the skeletons begin to emerge from the Worthington family closet, Sarah’s big-hearted and understanding nature comes to the fore, as she helps Ben navigate some pretty heavy emotional baggage and life-changing family secrets.

Ben was the product of a very wealthy family, prone to aloofness, broodiness and arrogance. In the beginning, he came across as uncertain and seemingly lacking confidence when it came to rearing his beautiful young daughter. He felt like a fish out of water at times, but as the story of what had lead him to this unfolds, it becomes glaringly obvious that he has suffered a great deal and is struggling with some uncomfortable emotions and painful situations. I did love Ben. He was trying so hard and I loved the growth his character experienced with the help of Sarah and his sister, Nikki. He was fiercely loyal and loved with his whole being, and once Sarah cracked his heart open and he eventually had his ‘aha’ moment, it was a lovely sight to see.

As the attraction between Sarah and Ben intensifies, so does their bond, strengthened by their love of Grace. As they give in to their needs and desires, emotions become tangled and confused over the nature of their relationship and the appropriateness of taking it further. Communication issues play a part in painful words spoken, and my heart did feel for both Sarah and Ben as they try to accept and process their deepening feelings for each other. The Worthington secrets cut deep and once Sarah unwittingly stumbled across them, she opened deep wounds Ben had buried and situations the family really did not want to revisit. Throughout, Ben’s sister Nikki, played an important role in Sarah and Ben’s character growth and lent some humor and lightness, albeit with weighty words of wisdom, to the more unpleasant characters like Ben’s mother. Even if some were not very likable, I did like reading all of the secondary characters, each one with their own personalities and appeal and their own place in this story.

As with my previous review, I seem to be forming a habit of jumping in to a series at book 2 or 3 without realising it, and I am happy to say that you can read New York Nights as a standalone, but I will be going back to catch up on Book 1, Paris Lights. Book 3 London Bound, is due out in April this year.

Free ARC from NetGalley
“Let’s get one thing clear. Being an au pair is nothing like in The Sound of Music.” 
Sarah is a funny, articulate young woman with an emphasis on “young”. Ben is a brooding, tortured single father. The two meet when Sarah becomes the live-in au pair to Ben’s daughter grace. It sounds like a romance from that famous musical, but when Sarah says that being an au pair is nothing like it is portrayed on stage and screen, she means it. Ben has secrets and seems to struggle with bonding with his daughter. Sarah is not always the most mature young woman on the planet. Outside forces get in the way of romance. You know, things like naps and nappies and truly dysfunctional people. This is a romance set in realism. 
What works in this novel is the humor and the clever observations, mostly by Sarah. There were many times that I laughed out loud over some of the things she said or thought. Additionally, Duggan is a descriptive writer, and New York is lovingly described in ways that make it fun and inviting. The author is careful to portray child care in all of its less than glamorous glory, and this works for me. Cherubic children who are preternaturally well behaved are just a bit creepy. 
What did not work for me is that I found Sarah to be immature and annoying in certain scenes. She is not that way through the whole book, thankfully, but there are enough times that her behavior is questionable, thatI found myself setting the book down to take a breath. Her clever humor was mostly amusing, but there were times when it came across as mean spirited and self-absorbed. On the other hand, Ben is a major Eeyore through parts of the story. He is supposed to be “haunted” and brooding over past hurts. I get that, but it became redundant after a while and rather annoying. I can only take so much anguish from a character before I feel like pulling a Cher, slapping him and telling him to, “Snap out of it!” 
In the end, this novel gets a mixed review from me. Some of it was just so clever and well done, and some of it was too deep into immature angst. The clever parts were worth the read, but I cannot say that I loved the book, just liked it.

I enjoyed this story. Sarah's move to New York to look after baby Grace as an au pair was exciting and intriguing. Ben was a bit of a mystery man who was hard to get to know but overall they found their way to each other.
This is a well written, easy read.

This was a 3.5 star read for me - I didn't love it, and I didn't hate it. The premise of the story was a good one - our heroine is hired as an au pair for a wealthy single father of a little baby girl. Their family is quite dysfunctional and has many secrets. She doesn't feel, and is frequently told, that it is not her place to ask questions, so she makes some assumptions as to why this father is distant and absent. She is very frustrated by his lack of interaction with his daughter. However, he occasionally shows moments of kindness and tenderness. I didn't buy the sudden connection and falling for him on her part. It was lacking depth for me. The writing seemed to check all the boxes - okay, I have the brooding, seemingly broken man. I have the misunderstandings/assumptions. I have the moments where he seems to have a breakthrough and shows his softer side. Then I have the big reveal, the required angsty misunderstanding, and the coming together and their desire to be together. The relationship aspect of it just fell a little flat and I think it could have used some extra fluff around that part.

I loved this story so much and the characters within it. I felt that there was so much going on in the story that had me captivated from the start. C.J. Duggan done a wonderful job with writing this story and I love it from start to finish.

New York Nights, is the second book in the Heart of the City series, but can easily be read as a standalone.

Sarah Williams is hired as Ben Worthington's Aupair. This is a sweet romance with a plethora of secrets, betrayal, and mystery that surround the Worthington family. Ben is a rich, sexy, brooding, moody, closed off, impersonal and controlled individual, although a very confident businessman. When he finally opens up he's quite an endearing character. Ben is the father of the gorgeous infant Grace, who steals the show, and your heart.

Sarah is a hard working, caring and like-able individual. A young Australian women, she comes from a working class family, and comes from a completely different social class to the Worthington family. She has to jump through quite a few hoops, in order to gain a job.

The sexual chemistry sparks off this pair right from the very beginning, but it is a slow burn romance. Their banter has humor and sarcasm and warmth.

Overall an entertaining and engaging read and I look forward to the final title in this series.

I’m really happy that I took the plunge to read a  C.J. Duggan novel.  New York Nights is the second book in the Heart of the City series, but each are most certainly standalone stories.  What they have in common is the theme of love in a big city with young women who are chasing their dreams. C.J. Duggan’s writing is bold, lively and really quite funny at times. 
“Holy shit, did I really just say that? Did I just question his parenting skills? Someone hand me the hammer and nails for my coffin.”
I really liked the leads in this story. Finding herself in a foreign country and most certainly out of her comfort zone, Sarah exhibits real strength, persistence and dedication. The family she works for  has many hidden secrets, yet she remained true to herself and confidently spoke out. 

“I could just imagine the eye roll that would result from saying I was heading to Tiffany’s. Screw it. The Worthingtons’ secrecy made me want to be nothing but an open book.”
Ben exudes all that is dark and mysterious - handsome yet broody at finding himself a single father. Just like Sarah, one is not sure of the reason - but slowly the plot is revealed and the causes become devastatingly clear.  There is definite chemistry between Sarah and Ben right from the start, yet they each try not to cross that professional working line. 

“All that was missing were some candles and some Barry White crooning in the background. Was this crossing the line?”
Although it would have been nice to see things develop at a slower, deeper level, I have no complaints as  New York Nights is light and a quick read that I demolished in a weekend. There is romance, there are secrets, scandals and there is New York!

“There was no mistaking I was in New York in this park –there was a certain vibe here. The arch, the fountains, the artists, the performers, the students, the lovers, the loners and me.”
If a quick, light and entertaining read is what you are after, then this is the book for you. Remember it is a standalone and I definitely recommend it for some light escapism. 

This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher and provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. The quoted material may have changed in the final release

Synopsis
Sarah Williams is a spirited, independent Aussie who has always dreamed of New York City. So when a job opportunity arises to become an au pair for a successful businessman in the heart of Manhattan, Sarah jumps at the chance to follow her dream.

What she didn't bet on was a beautiful newborn and a distant, abrasive man whose eyes hold a million anguished secrets. Determined to care for his daughter and face the challenges of the impossible Ben Worthington, Sarah was always prepared to follow her heart; she just wasn't prepared to lose it to a complicated man like Ben.


From the moment that I began reading New York Nights I was completely enthralled in this story, which is incredibly fast-paced and sweet, with the perfect amount of twists that you wont see coming. And the writing was so effortless, it made this an enjoyable read.

Sarah is such a likable and relatable heroine, who is half way across the world and deeply immersed in a world unlike one she has ever experienced before.
While faced with the challenges in caring for a beautiful little baby Grace, she handles the difficulties of  her complex new work relationship with the baby’s gorgeous, brooding father quite well. And it her tenacity makes her a truly admirable character.

While I felt like Sarah was such an independent and strong heroine, I felt that I wanted to know so much more about the gorgeous Ben Worthington.
We learn a lot about the enigmatic architect, through the course of the book, but I felt like I was left wanting more one on one intimate interaction between Sarah and Ben instead of the fleeting moments the pair shared. I just wanted to peel a few more of his layers off and see all sides to the incredibly beautiful man.

While New York City plays a very minor role in this story, CJ Duggan weaves intriguing, entertaining (and at times frustrating) secondary characters throughout. And I must say that Ben’s sister Nikki is one of the memorable and endearing characters that really shine in this book.


My only complaint would be about the timeframe the story takes place in, while so much happens in the duration of the entire novel, there is no real slow burn development to the relationship between Sarah and Ben. There are so many twists and turns that I never saw coming, but just a little more of a build up and greater amount of angst in their relationship would have made this book perfect for me.

4 stars

*ARC provided by the Publisher through NetGalley for an honest review

This book was a very fast read for me as it sucked me in so fast. The characters were both strong in voice and reading. I especially loved it being an Aussie girl in New York City. I'm now reading Paris Lights as the stories are stand alone and can be read in any order. I'm sure the characters will suck me in just as fast. Thoroughly enjoyed CJ's writing style.

I requested New York Nights because the cover and book blurb captured my attention. I love stories that take place in cities, especially New York City, since I have spent a considerable amount of time in many of the places author C.J. Dugan references in her book.  This is the second novel in the Heart of the City series, and it can be read as a standalone.

Sarah Williams is an au pair from the land down under, seeking a huge change in her life. Relocating to New York City has been a dream of hers for a very long time, and now that her present assignment has ended, she has the opportunity to make her distant dream a reality.  With a stellar recommendation from her former employer, Sarah becomes the nanny to three-month-old Grace Worthington.

The extremely wealthy Worthington family is replete with a snobbish matriarch, a down-to-earth and very pregnant daughter, a cad of a brother, and Ben, a widower caught in the middle of it all. The family's arrogance and secrets are beyond anything Sarah has ever experienced before. Sarah works for Ben, a successful architect that completely prefers working to caring for his adorable daughter.

I liked this book, however the plot lacked some emotion and complexity. The characters are well-defined and the author does a terrific job of contrasting their unique personalities. Sarah's spunk and determination wins Ben over, and as a result, they forge a future together. Overall, a solid read.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

Sarah's character was extremely likable.  She was fearless in going to a new city and a new country. Her love for Grace was tangible.  
Ben came off as very cold. There was zero chemistry between him and Sarah. 
The Worthingtons were a collection of clichés.  It was like watching a really melodramatic soap opera.

This was my first foray into Duggan’s Heart of the City Series, which features Australian protagonists heading out into the big, wide world. I’ve always loved the way that Duggan can capture an atmosphere, and she does that so well with New York, just as she does with her Australian settings.

The synopsis sums this book up really well, so I’m going to jump straight into my review.

What Fed My Addiction:

Sarah’s fascination with New York City. 
I really loved discovering New York City through Sarah’s eyes. She had a wonderful outsider’s perspective, and Duggan captured both the hustle and bustle and the beauty of the city well. Sarah visited several iconic spots, and it was fun to see her explore the city—and then document it via her art.

Baby Grace. 
I enjoyed all of the aspects of the book that had to do with Sarah’s job as an au pair (which was a lot of the book!). She had to learn all of little Grace’s idiosyncrasies and get to know her—which is tough enough for a new mom and harder still for someone trying to adapt to a whole new life in a somewhat awkward situation (which the au pair situation definitely was!). Grace herself was pretty adorable, and I loved how she brought so many of the characters together out of their love for her.

Secrets and lies. 
There were lots of mysteries surrounding the Worthington family. Some of them I had pretty much figured out, but there were definitely a few surprises!

What Left Me Hungry for More:

Wasn’t feeling the connection. 
Unfortunately, I had a hard time warming up to Ben—who was standoffish for very good reasons—and I never really felt a solid connection between Ben and Sarah. I wished that I could have seen a bit more development between them so that I could understand why they fell for each other. I don’t know, for some reason I just wasn’t feeling it. I didn’t dislike them together, but I was sort of meh about them as a couple.

Not sure how I felt about the climax. 
When everything was finally revealed in the end and we discovered what all the secrecy was about, I was a bit underwhelmed, and I couldn’t get 100% behind everyone’s actions. I guess I just wasn’t as shocked at the big reveal as I was expecting to be, and I thought maybe everyone was overreacting a bit? Check out the post on my blog if you want to read a spoiler about this.

In the end, this book was an enjoyable read, but it didn’t capture my heart like Duggan’s books have in the past. I’ll definitely still be reading the rest of the series and I hope I’m more swept away by the next one. I give this book 3/5 stars!

enjoyed this book