Initially, I had some reservations about reading this book because it’s the fourth book in a series and I am usually a stickler for reading a series in order. This book is definitely the exception as the author does a brilliant job making this story a stand-alone. Characters from earlier in the series do make an appearance in this story but it did not detract or in any way take my focus off of Molly and Daniel. Honestly, I don’t think even a meteorite crashing into my living room would have distracted me.

I loved this story. It checks off so many of the things I look for in the romance genre without getting too sappy or bordering on too explicit. First of all, dogs. Especially dogs that feature prominently in the story are going to interest me. The dogs in this story are Molly’s dalmatian, Valentine, who is named for his heart shaped nose and Brutus, the German Shepherd that Daniel wrangles as a prop to grab Molly’s interest. I loved that these two dogs are actively part of the story, and not in the background.

I also loved that Daniel and Molly really appear to be so broken that love and relationships just don’t work out for them the way they do for others. And with good reason, given their respective backgrounds. The underlying message that love finds you most often when you aren’t looking for it was wonderful and it was awesome to watch it happening with these two.

I thought the story was realistic and the premise was cute, though it could appear a little creepy that a man would “borrow” a dog so he could meet a girl he sees jogging in the park. I did not feel an “ick” factor. Instead, I felt Daniel deserved points for his ingenuity in arranging this meet cute. I’m also super grateful that the author did not drag out the whole “keeping secrets and being dishonest” trope because that would have annoyed me as both Molly and Daniel played their cards very close to their chests. The great thing is that when dishonesty was discovered on both their parts, discussions were had like adults and the reader was saved from too much of the giant misunderstanding and drama chaos.

This book is my first experience reading Sarah Morgan’s work and I am excited to find more of her work. She creates characters that are very easy to like and relate to and that give the reader a sense of camaraderie with. This entire series is set in and around Manhattan which gives me more of an interest in visiting. The descriptive detail of Molly and Daniel’s world feels very picturesque and vibrant. I now want a Dalmatian that I can walk in Central Park.

I paired my reading of this book with the audiobook format which was quite enjoyable. The narrator, Jennifer Woodward does a wonderful job of bringing these characters to life and flawlessly switches between Molly’s English accent and everyone else’s American accent. The emotion she put into her narrative performance brought tears to my eyes and had me laughing out loud several times.

My Final Verdict: I highly recommend this book because…did I mention dogs? Fans of dogs must absolutely stop what they are doing right now and read this book. I also highly recommend fans of the romance genre, be it romantic comedy, contemporary romance or chick-lit read this book because a happily ever after is always a good thing.

Thank you to the publisher, Harlequin | HQN, who provided an advance reader copy of this book via NetGalley.

I warmed to the story over time, even if the beginning introduction to Daniel did not warm me to him. The constant need for Daniel to mention masculinity, even in terms of the dog, and his inability to back off when he was told directly to was frustrating to read. His character benefitted from being fleshed out, but these qualities never completely went away. There's many people who would love this but unfortunately, I'm not one of them.

I am a huge fan of Sarah Morgan and I have enjoyed her New York series so far. For me "New York, Actually" was my least favourite book of the series.

The book was an enjoyable read but I couldn't find myself really getting into the story. It had some nice aspects and I really liked the male protagonist but I had some problems with the female one. Molly was quite a difficult character, troubled past and founding herself unable to fall in love. This made her quite distant for me and I couldn't connect with her.

I really liked Daniel who is rather a counterpart with his job as a divorce attorney. He was a really great guy with a great sense of humour. I really liked the contrasts between him and Molly but still couldn't really connect with the relationship of the two.

Although I wasn't a big fan of the fourth book in this series, I will definitely continue reading it.

If you’re looking for a sweet escape when it comes to romances, you can’t go wrong with Sarah Morgan’s books.
I’ve been fan of her work for a while now and every time I read one of her stories, I forget the world around me and lose myself in the passionate occasions.

New York, Actually is the fourth book in the From Manhattan With Love series, but it can be read as standalone.
It is written in third person and it follows perspectives of Molly and Daniel.

I think they were very likeable characters and great company.
I loved spending time with them, but I also really enjoyed reading about side characters, especially Daniel’s sisters Felicity and Harriet. I know next two books in the series are about them, and I am looking forward to read them.

Since this is a series, even though each book can be read as a standalone the same characters do show up in books through the series. I was happy to recognize Eva and Lucas from Miracle on 5th Avenue.

The book itself was really enjoyable, and I really liked how dogs played big part in the story, and how the author gave them their own personalities.
Trust me, dogs were real characters and not just side animals that would trig the plot.

I loved reading about their walks in Central Park and at some point the story even reminded me of the beginning of 101 Dalmatian, even though it is totally different.

New York, Actually is the romance in the first place, but it also touches some serious topics and even asks some important questions (from example, should you try to save the marriage if there are children involved or is it better for children to grow up in house where parents don’t argue).

Overall, this was a fast, relaxing read and I would recommend it to romance lovers.

I received a complimentary copy of this book via Netgalley but all opinions provided are my own.

Sarah Morgan’s New York, Actually is a delightful, Must Love Dogs-esque romance that’s perfect for people who love our canine friends and want a fantastically relationship-shy couple to root for.

Daniel is a divorce attorney who avoids relationships because of his painful childhood. But he sees Molly running with her dog in the park, and he’s so drawn to her that he decides to borrow one of his sisters’ foster dogs for a daily run so that Molly will finally notice him.

What could go wrong with that plan?

The fact is, the plan works. At least initially.

Molly does notice the very handsome man who has a very handsome dog. But when he asks her out, over and over again, she says no. She’s a hugely successful psychologist and advice-writer who is averse to forming romantic relationships for herself. She thinks that she’s hurt too many people, and she doesn’t want to add anyone else, even Daniel (and later, especially Daniel) to the list.

But I’m sure you can see how that’s going to go.

There were so many things about this book and Daniel and Molly’s love story that I loved. To start with, Molly and Daniel are both successful, articulate, dynamic people who also carry loads of baggage. And when they finally open up to one another, their moments of vulnerability are really lovely, as they reveal their burgeoning trust.

But there were times I grew a bit frustrated with how their relationship played out, particularly as Daniel kept asking Molly to go out with him, and Molly continued saying no. Then there were a few other bumps in the road. In short, there were times when their path to love felt a little harder (for lack of a better word) than it should have been—for the overall successful, honest, and decisive characters they were.

Overall, New York, Actually was an absolutely enjoyable read with a highly satisfying HEA. Morgan is a skilled and engaging writer, and in her hands, NYC and Daniel and Molly’s growing relationship are things to savor. I’m excited to read more of her books.

Beware pet lovers and romance readers! Are you ready to fall in love? I'm pretty sure the lead characters in this book weren't that ready, and it made the experience of reading their story more fun.
I have a wonderful time with this book. It was sweet, light and funny, also it was one of the most entertaining romance novel that I've read in a long time. Even when it's part of a series it can be read as standalone.
Daniel and Molly were wonderful characters, and I'm deeply in love with them. Both had a difficult past that make them wary of relationships, but what started as something casual slowly turned into something more.
Daniel is a divorce lawyer, practical and cynical when it comes to love. Molly has a hidden identity! She's a famous blogger who gives advice online about relationships, but never had had one of her own. They are different in so many ways, but they complement each other. I loved them, and I'm sure you will love them as well. But be careful, because not all the characters are human. And the fur babies in the story will melt your heart as well.

Who are Daniel, Fliss, and Harriet? What is Daniel asking of Fliss and Harriet? Who gives him a hard time about his request? Why? Who are Aggie and Valentine? What is their relationship? What does Aggie do for a living? What about Daniel, Fliss, and Harriet? When Molly finds out about what Daniel has done, what does she say and do? When Daniel shows up at her home that night to 'talk' about things, what does he show up to? Why is Molly panicked? When things go from bad to worse, to Typhoon Mary levels, what happens? How did it get to the Typhoon Mary stage? Watching as Daniel, Molly, Gabe, Mark, Fliss, and Harriett all pull up their big girl and boy panties and help out someone in trouble, thinking certain things are way cooler than they ever thought they’d be, it really does warm the heart. This truly was a fun book to read. I'm not going to tell you anything else about the book, because I don't want to give it away. Just know this was a really fun book to read. I recommend it highly. Not your typical romance. The people are real and have their own demons that make trusting and relationships possibly not doable. Read and see what happens.

This read was OK. Not my favorite but still a fun good book!

Overall, this was typical Sarah Morgan -- cute, charming, and an easy and fun read. I truly enjoy this series, and her writing in general, and I always know I can pick up one of her books for a good time. Low heat level, yes, but I'm okay with this and know it going in. The cast of characters and friends are always great (though I do wish Molly had some good, close friends here, but I suppose we're supposed to see that she's just starting to make new friends with the previous group of heroines, etc.).


But I did have a few issues with this one, hence the rating. And those issues all revolve around something the hero did or said/thought.


First, Daniel throws an internal-monologue fit about how he doesn't want to show interest in her hobbies and whatnot, and why can't she do manly things that he likes instead because he just does NOT have time to waste on such silly, pointless, womanly things like spin class and salsa dancing and whatever else. To which I say, fuck you, dude, fuck you. I'm a bit leery that you're ready for a relationship with that kind of view because I'm worried that you don't understand that a good relationship is about give and take and balance -- including things like "Hey, want to do This Thing because I enjoy it and I want to spend time with you?".


But the other part that REALLY pissed me off was after her identity was revealed and he wants to know more about her past. They come back from a party, she's drunk, and he's PUSHING her to have this Very Serious Conversation RIGHT NOW, drunk or not, because HE wants to get some answers from her. GO FUCK YOURSELF, DUDE. She even says something like "I'm too drunk to walk straight so I'm too drunk to have this conversation, we'll talk tomorrow" and instead he takes her home and keeps pushing her and pushing her and eventually goes so far as to strip her naked and throw her in a cold shower to sober her up enough that she can answer his questions. AGAIN, FUCK OFF, THAT IS NOT SEXY OR RIGHT AND YOU ARE TAKING ADVANTAGE OF HER WHILE DRUNK. EVEN THOUGH IT’S NOT IN A SEXUAL WAY, IT'S STILL WRONG. She's fine with this -- his pushing, undressing her (!!) and throwing her in the shower, and magically sobers up enough to sit down and spill all of her secrets to him like he demanded. And I felt so violated for her during that scene. You want to talk about your potential partner's past/secrets/life? YOU DO NOT DO IT AGAINST THEIR WILL/ABILITY TO CONSENT LIKE THAT. He could have waited until the following morning. But no, he pulled this dick move and I had a hard time looking at him the same way after that.


Without those two things, this would have been a solid 4 stars. With it, I'm going back and forth between 3 and 3 1/2 Stars. Because I did have a good time with the rest of the story! But I also still want to kick Daniel in the nuts a few (dozen) times for pulling that shit. And for it being treated like it was an “okay” thing to do. SPOILER: IT IS NOT, DON’T DO THAT.


Between 3 and 3 1/2 Stars

Sweet

Molly is an incognito author/blogger who specializes and advises the public in relationships, matters of the heart. Daniel is a divorce attorney who gets what he wants even to go so far as to obtain a dog to portray that of a dog owner.

Miss Bates hasn’t ever warmed to Sarah Morgan’s contemporaries as much as she adored her categories (Playing By the Greek’s Rules is a must-read). The longer roms have been uneven, but Morgan made up for a lot when she penned New York, Actually. Its chicklit vibe and hokey opening weren’t auspicious and Miss Bates came close to DNF-ing. But she stuck to it … because Morgan … and, in the end, was captured by some clever, interesting things Morgan did.

We meet the heroine first, “Aggie”, aka Molly Parker, behaviourial psychologist, English beauty in New York, and writer of the love-lorn-seeking-help blog, “Ask A Girl.” In the opening, Molly’s extolling the praises of her sound-asleep faithful companion, which Morgan makes us think is a man, the heart-shaped-nosed Dalmatian, Valentine. After a terrible, online love experience that saw Molly leave England three years ago, she’s sworn off men, deeming herself incapable of falling in love, of feeling, and a self-designated femme fatale: mess with Molly and you’ll be hurt. Molly now makes other people’s HEA her business, “Happy Ever After Together was her goal for other people. Her own goal was Happy By Herself,” and with her dog, career, and a few neighbourly friends.

In the meanwhile, our hero, Daniel Knight, successful Manhattan divorce lawyer, is begging to borrow a dog to walk in Central Park from his twin sisters, owners of the dog-walking company, the Bark Rangers. Fliss and Harriet reluctantly agree to Daniel’s request. They can’t help but indulge the brother who took care of them during “the cracks and the shifting emotional landscape of their parents’ marriage” and subsequent ugly divorce. This also explains Daniel’s reluctance for commitment. We have one unfeeling heroine and equally unfeeling hero, and two loveable dogs. Fliss and Harriet lend Daniel an adorably dysfunctional German shepherd named “Ruffles,” which Daniel, protective already of “Ruffles”‘s dignity, renames Brutus. Daniel’s espied the beauty running in Central Park with Valentine. One borrowed dog, one successful ruse-meet-cute, and love-em-and-leave-em committed to bachelorhood heartbreaker Daniel is sitting on a park bench, sharing hot liquids with Ms Iced-Heart Molly.

New York, Actually‘s attractions are its hero and heroine, their comeuppance by love, and how their true selves, loving and committed, are represented by their relationships to their dogs rather than each other. Their frozen hearts’ sources lie in their childhoods. Molly is the child of a mother who abandoned her; despite an exemplary, loving father, she is wounded. A painfully broken relationship served to further ensure her response to a relationship as the road to “trauma and trouble.” Daniel’s backstory is more interesting. He’s the product of a highly manipulative father and helpless, loving mother. Daniel grew up protecting his sisters and mother. He stays away from romantic entanglements and enjoys his bachelor life. Molly, I-have-no-heart meet Daniel, I’m-a-heartless-lawyer: match made in heaven? Molly and Daniel seem to think so. There’s wooing and convincing and scorching attraction. There’s also this air-clearing: Molly’s ” ‘I’ve never been in love. I can’t fall in love’ ” to Daniel’s ” ‘ … there is no chance of you breaking my heart … I’ve been told a million times that I don’t have a heart. Not only does that make me safe from your badgirl tendencies, it also makes me your perfect date.’ ” Morgan pokes gentle fun at Molly and Daniel’s anti-love protestations.

In the meanwhile, Morgan portrays Daniel’s care and affection for Molly as she does Molly’s regard and fondness for Daniel. Romance isn’t terribly interested or good at sharp irony, but this gentle version of Morgan’s is lovely. Molly and Daniel may say one thing, but their actions do very much the opposite. Morgan adds another layer representative of their true, loving selves in portraying their devotion to their dogs. Daniel and Molly lavish oodles of love, attention, and care on their pets (Daniel’s denying of Brutus as his pet makes this even more amusing) that it’s easy to imagine them doing the same to a spouse and children. They’re good people. They’re decent, kind, loyal, supportive, and endearing. Their “doth protest too much” only makes them more so as the reader feels she knows things they don’t. Morgan’s New York, Actually is sexy, funny, and gently lays on some truths about vulnerability, about two people whose hearts are big and tender, but whose fears have to be overcome. Pets help. Friends help. And the most important aspect of romance helps: physical and emotional intimacy. Sarah Morgan’s fourth From Manhattan, With Love novel is a delight. With Miss Austen, Miss Bates says of New York, Actually,”there is no charm equal to tenderness of heart,” Emma.

Sarah Morgan’s New York, Actually is published by HQN Books. It was released on May 30, 2017, and may be procured from your preferred vendor. Miss Bates received in e-ARC from HQN Books, via Netgalley.

It has taken me a little longer than normal to make my way through this.
I will happily state this has nothing to do with the book or the author, I have had very sick children and then ill myself, courtesy of said children 😊
Every time I managed to pick this up during my half hour break at work, I would remember how much I love this series, the author and the characters.
From the very start the characters of Daniel and Molly are well matched with very well written chemistry. I liked the dialogue between the two of them.
Admittedly I thought Molly’s whole “I can’t fall in love with anyone, I’m not wired that way” was utter rubbish and considering she is a smart lady I expected better on that front.
Obviously this is a predictable love story. But if you are like me that’s part of the appeal.
As per usual with Sarah Morgan’s books, the array of secondary characters are part of the charm and help make the story even better,
This is a lovely easy light-hearted read with the promised happy ending 😊

This is book #4 in a series and this is one of those romance series that you can pick up at any point in the series, but this series is so good, that I would completely suggest to start at book 1 and read from there.

This book out of all four is probably my least favorite and I think after reading it is because this is the first book that didn't center around the original group of friends that started the series. Instead this book is a semi offshoot of that group being that the main girl character was a connection between those girls and a company they now work with. If that was confusing, it was and I didn't love how far from the original group of girls it was.

On top of that dislike, as always romance books are predictable and I have said here numerous times that it isn't the obvious ending that keeps people reading romance it is the journey for the characters. This journey in this book was just ok. I didn't fall in love with either of the main characters and didn't love their story. It was all just ehh. I still love Sarah Morgan's writing, but for me these characters were my least favorite to follow.

I have said all of this and for the next two days I am going to be reading the next two in the series and I am still excited to pick them up, I would almost say you could skip this one and go straight to 5, but I will answer that question tomorrow when I review book #5.

i read the first 3 in this series almost a year ago so i've basically forgotten everything about them. i remember them being cute, fluffy and fun. exactly what i wanted and expected. since then, i've gotten way more into romance and my expectations are probably higher than they were then. however, for what this is and what i expected, it was exactly what i wanted. it was cute and fluffy and i had fun reading it. can't wait to read fliss & harry's books. daniel and molly were cute and i loved the dogs. definitely recommend for a beach/pool read or cozying up on the couch with a hot cuppa (though ugh why did she like earl grey, ew). so bottom line, for what they are, i am enjoying this series immensely. i'll pick up some more intense romance books next weekend.

From Manhatten with Love series #4. A wonderful series which has a wonderful ability of making me feel better and like how a nice red glass of wine makes you feel when you're all snuggled up in Winter. Just like the preview, Daniel and Molly think they know everything there is when it comes to relationships until they meet each other. A story which is easy to read, really enjoyable and totally embodies a wonderful addition to chic lit genre.

I really enjoyed this book it. It made me laugh, cry and stress over what was going to happen next. I cannot wait to read the next book in the series. It is going to be very interesting.

Molly is a relationship expert but feels she is not good at them. Max is a divorce lawyer. Do they clash or do the blend. Read it and find out you will be happy you did,

Review: Sarah Morgan has once more created a magical romance read. I was hooked. Her plot intrigued me. A woman who was successful keeps getting herself into entangled romances that she has no interest of being a part of…yet it doesn’t stop the men from proposing. My heart went out this character. She was truthful when she tells the men she’s not looking for a forever happily ever after. But they end up falling in love with her despite protesting that they wouldn’t. The unexpected twist of a woman being the heart breaker was new to me.

New York, Actually is the latest tile written by this bestselling writer. Her characters pull readers like myself deep into her fictional world. Trouble, some drama, and an HEA. I love being kept on my toes. Constantly, I was guessing if they characters could indeed make it work out for them. Their chemistry was hot and visible.

Sarah Morgan’s lead female protagonist, Molly, is interesting. She defy she the norm of most female leads. She pushes men out of her life. Not because she doesn’t feel the attraction or sexual awareness caused by them, but because she can’t love. Love just isn’t happening for her. Molly has tried to love the men in her life back, but felt nothing. Disastrous relationship one after the other plus, the career crumbling due to her past love life has caused her to shut men out…however, she finds a way to pull her life out of the gutter. Moves to New York, builds herself a new career, takes in a dog and she’s happy again. Until a sexy man running in the same park plans to win her attention, her love, and her heart.

Then there’s Sarah Morgan’s male protagonist, Daniel. Daniel oozes sex. He has the money, career, and the looks to make any woman melt. That’s one issue. Women come to him, not him having to chase a woman. Yet, once he sees Molly running in the same park, he tries to steal her attention. Nothing works. Plan B, Daniel thinks of a creative route to win her attention. From there, the plot speeds up and takes readers on a roller-coaster ride.

Emotionally, stunning. I laughed, I cried, and I cheered for both Daniel and Molly. Plus, if readers are an animal lover, then I highly recommend Sarah Morgan’s New York, Actually. Sexy, heartfelt, and engaging from beginning to end. This is one romance readers won’t want to miss.

Favorite Quotes:

His smile promised fun and sin and a thousand things she didn’t dare think about while she had hot tea in her hand.

Apparently my heart, and my defenses, are impenetrable. I’m like the Great Wall of China, only without the tourists.

Run? Do you know how hard it was to walk from the bed to the door? I couldn’t run if you threatened my naked body with a cactus.

I don’t know anyone who would date you unless they were medicated first.

It’s the journalist who should be sorry for asking questions that were none of his damn business. And he was sorry, I’m happy to tell you. I was walking a rescue dog who has a very snarly temper. I didn’t actually allow sharp teeth to snap tight on sensitive flesh but it was a close enough thing to ensure he won’t be back in a hurry. And I might have mentioned in passing that the dog’s favorite food is testicles.

“We’re your urban family.” Cheerful, Fliss poured coffee into mugs. “That means we can argue, be generally annoying, hang around when you really wish we’d leave, drink your coffee, eat your food— do you need me to go on?”


My Review:

Sarah Morgan continues to delight and entertain with her engaging From Manhattan With Love series. New York Actually introduces new characters to the mix and while I cherished the new additions, I missed the Urban Genie posse. I particularly enjoyed how the characters had conversations with their pets. Molly and Daniel were well suited on several levels; they were both wildly attractive, wealthy, successful, hard working, smart, well educated, avoided relationships, liked dogs, had painful pasts and traumatic losses, buried their emotions, loathed sharing their secrets, and had an instant attraction and phenomenal chemistry. I enjoy Ms. Morgan’s amusing and witty style and quirky yet alluring characters. I don’t think I could ever tire of this series, and thankfully, Manhattan has a large and varied population that could keep her busy for years to come.

New York, Actually, the 4th book in the From Manhattan with Love series is another adorable read by Sarah Morgan. It can be read as a stand alone- previous stories/ characters are in the book but their back stories aren't needed to enjoy the current story.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.