Willow connects with the delightfully Scottish New York Times bestselling author, Samantha Young. Together, they traverse the trials of travel, living ahead of time, combining worlds, and comparative needy breeds of Poo.

"If my brain is starting to hurt with writer’s block, then it’s time to just find something to distract me—because I always find that if I am distracted, that’s when I’m hit with inspiration.
— Samantha Young

http://www.willowaster.com/podcast/2018/10/31episode44-samantha-young

Olivia is sad somethings wrong with her husband Nate or maybe it’s just her because she was turning forty she just felt like Nate didn’t love her anymore. When Nate overhears Olivia talking about it with her friend he knew he had been pushing her away but the conversation he overheard sounded like she was leaving him. With two beautiful young girls Nate and Olivia have lost their way and maybe a surprise for Olivia will help.

A nice short story that gives you an insight into the characters' lives 10 years down the road. I enjoyed it.

I adore Nate and Liv and this novella was a great way to hop back into their lives. While it didn't add a lot for me in terms of depth, I always love these little stories that take me back to my favorite series. Thank you Samantha!

Samantha Young's On Hart's Boardwalk is a novella set ten years after the first book in her On Dublin Street series. I loved getting to read more about the characters, especially Nate and Live. I just wish it had been longer.

A delightful crossover blending Samantha Young’s two popular series.

I have to confess that Nate and Olivia were my favorite couple from the On Dublin Street series and seeing them having marriage problems absolutely broke my heart.

Things are not right at the Sawyer house and after a particularly bad fight, Nate realizes that he is actually at risk of losing his family. Things have been strained between Nate and Olivia. Does the breach between them have anything to do with Nate losing one of his best friends in a car accident or has it have more to do with Olivia hiting 40?

Nate is hoping that some alone time with is wife can help get them back on track so he takes Olivia to relive a childhood memory of a happy vacation at the shore. Time on the beach, relaxing at the Hart’s Inn B&B and enjoying the shops and businesses on the boardwalk is helping to reduce the stress between them and rekindle their sex life. Yet there is still something festering deep in their relationship that needs to be addressed in order for their marriage to truly be saved.

Every marriage goes through ups and downs and having this flaw in their perfect world makes our couple more real, and like any real couple, both fear that in airing their concerns, their worst fears might just be realized. So do you accept the so-so flawed status quo which is only a shadow of your original relatinoship or do you risk airing your grievences and possibly lose everything?

If you have only tried one of Samantha Young’s series (Hart’s Boardwalk or On Dublin Street), this story gives you an introduction to both sets of characters so you can “have a look around” the other series.

My absolute favorite 'On Dublin Street' couple gets and extended HEA *happy sigh*
Before I read this little gem, I pulled out my copy of Before Jamaica Lane to make sure I had all those little details that make Nate and Olivia one of my all time favorite fiction couples. Reading these back to back remains one of the best two days of 2018 so far!
On Hart's Boardwalk was so much more than an epilogue. It was another journey. It was a journey back to their roots. It was a re-connection. It was everything you would want to read about a couple who are still madly in love but yet find themselves just floating thru their relationship..

Nate and Liv are two of my most favorite Samantha Young characters. In fact, their book is my top favorite of hers. I fell in love with their story and I was so excited to learn we were getting MORE of them. The fact that this novella took place /tied in with Hart’s Boardwalk was just another plus! I loved seeing all these characters interacting!

Nate and Liv have been married over 10 years now and seem to have the perfect life. They love each other, have two beautiful daughters, both have successful careers, and a great group of friend. As much as these two love each other, marriage can be hard work. As any married person will tell you, sometimes it takes a little push, a little something extra to feel connected and in-tune with your partner, and that is exactly what Nate and Liv need.

Nate has a wonderful idea to make this happen- he’s taking Liv to America for vacation. No kids, no work, no distractions. Just the two of them. There, they are able to reconnect, really talk, and fall in love even more than they already are.

What I loved most about this story is that it feels real. Marriage isn’t always hearts and flowers, and Young does a great job of depicting that. Also, it’s always fun to see what has happened to a couple you love in the future. We become so attached, then they get their hea, and we are left to wonder. Nate and Liv are incredible together. I mean, #RelationshipGoals right here. I loved seeing all my favorite characters from both series as well. This novella was equal parts steamy and romantic, and really hit the spot for me! Recommend to any fans of Samantha Young’s On Dublin Street series and/or Hart’s Boardwalk series!

Totally love Nat and Liv from the characters Samantha Young has created. This book was a great fulfilment of getting more of these two. Liked how we get to see where they are now and how their marriage and their children have flourished. Great read to satisfy the want factor on these characters.

It's been AGES since I read — or honestly even thought about — the On Dublin Street series and characters. I was so excited to see Samantha Young was adding to the series with On Hart's Boardwalk. (And I enjoyed that it was a crossover with the Hart's Boardwalk series, too.) I loved Nate and Liv's story the first time around and I was thrilled to get more... even if I was a little nervous because I don't like it when my favorites have problems. 

This novella was every bit as real and emotional as I expected it would be. Marriages are hard and, when it comes to books, we don't always see what happens AFTER the happily ever after. It's easy to assume the characters go on and live in bliss, but that's not very realistic, is it? As much as this novella stung at times, I really did enjoy the reminder that even book couples aren't perfect and their marriages have trouble, too. While I did get a little teary-eyed a few times, I also smiled and swooned because Nate and Liv really are perfection.

It was so nice to spend time with Nate and Liv — and see them interact with the Hart's Boardwalk gang. I loved how they fought for their marriage. Sometimes you just have to admit things have gotten ... boring? ... and you need to shake things up. Their trip did just that. Of course, there were deeper issues at play than tedium. The death of one of Nate's closest friends broke him and, in turn, broke me as he explained how it impacted him. But, when all was said and done, all was right with the world and Nate and Liv's love was strengthened. (And I fell just a little bit more in love with them, too.) 

FAVORITE QUOTES
"Marriages are not perfect because people aren't perfect. But we've recognized our wrongs and we can make this work again."

"I'll never stop fighting for you, Liv. Love of my fucking life. We'll make this right."

"I'm going to make it up to you. By the end of this vacation you'll never doubt my love for you again."

I love Nate and Liv! I was so excited to see that we get to read more from these characters and to see where they have ended up. I will never tire of reading any of the characters from this series.

This was a great addition to the series. It feeds my addiction. It is sweet and beautiful and emotional and definitely packs a punch for a novella. I absolutely loved it and I am dying to read more from this author and from this series.

First off Nate & Olivia were one of my favorite couples of this series. Second, marriage isn't always easy and there are bumps with that journey. So seeing Nate's & Olivia's struggles were close to home. Third, it crosses over with the Hart's Boardwalk series which I also adore. This trifecta made me instantly fall in love with this story.

This story is many years later with Nate and Olivia having two children and marriage issues after a loss of one of Nate's friends. With this loss he pushes Liv away instead of turning to her, which causes a breakdown of communication. With a way to fix their marriage they take off for a trip to the states and find themselves at Hart's boardwalk where they open up and learn to bridge the gap.

"How do I go on? How would I know how to breathe in and breathe out in a world where you didn't exist?"

This story was real and raw and beautiful yet still sexy.

This was a realistic view to a marriage. Relationships take work and this novella rips off the rose colored glasses and shows you a grittier side of their relationship. Nate and Liv continue to work towards their HEA and with the help of their friends they'll reach new heights in their relationship. I think this was a different sort of romance while still capturing the raw emotion and alpha side of Nate. There's dirty fun mixed in with loving moments that will take you back to the On Dublin series. Can't wait for the next in Hart's Boardwalk!

Nate and Olivia are my favorite couple from Samantha Young. And I was so thrilled that they were getting a novella. I couldn’t wait to dive in. On Hart’s Boardwalk was filled with heart, heat, angst, and fun moments. This book picks up 10 years later from when Nate and Olivia got their HEA and we get to see what life is like them. This story really showed a couple working to maintaining their HEA. It wasn’t all sunshine and roses so it was interesting to see what happens when the storm comes in. My emotions were all over the place reading this story. It was heartbreaking, heartwarming, fun moments, sad moments, sweet, and sexy. It had everything. I knew Samantha would never steer me wrong but man this ride was intense. I also liked getting the glimpses of the characters from both the Dublin and Hart’s Boardwalk series. I really enjoyed this story from start to finish. I love this couple so much so I definitely enjoyed this novella. A fantastic storyline, characters, and writing. On Hart’s Boardwalk was a perfect addendum.

Nate and Liv were my favorite of the On Dublin Street series. I was curious to see where their lives are at in Hart’s Boardwalk. Overall, I did not enjoy this as much as I had hoped. Liv has turned into an insecure mess and Nate is shut down. It turns out his close friend has recently died and he isn’t handling it well. I understand Liv’s frustration but for her it translated into he must be cheating. After a blow up, they decide to take a trip Hartwell for Liv’s birthday. They continue to work on what is eating them. The story wraps up with a syrupy HEA. I will say I did enjoy the snippets of their kids and their parenting.

copy received via netgalley in exchange for a voluntary review

4.5 stars

Nate and Liv have always been my favorite couple of this series so I was hugely excited to see they were getting a novella follow up story!

The first chapter stunned me a bit and made my heart hurt, but looks can be deceiving! In truth, Nate and Liv are going through a rough patch after 14 years together, and I have to admit their issues resonated with me more than I care to think about. Busy lives, kids and stressful jobs can get in the way of the most passionate couples, but Liv is terrified to talk to Nate about her fears. Their moment of reckoning is painful, but Nate’s solution is swoony, romantic and all Nate Sawyer!

I loved their getaway to the boardwalk, and it was my introduction to one of the author’s other series that I really need to get caught up on. Nate and Liv still have some issues,to work out but they recapture their magic in ways that remind why I adore them so much to begin with!

If you are new to this author’s books or if you have missed any of the stories in either series, don’t hesitate to jump into On Hart’s Boardwalk! It can easily be read as an introductory tale or as a re-visting of familiar friends and faces, and I hope you fall in love with these characters as much as I have.

Of all of the couples that Samantha Young has written, Nate and Liv come only second to Joss and Braden. I absolutely LOVED Before Jamaica Lane and was beyond thrilled when this On Dublin Street novella was announced… and better yet, not only is it an ODS novella but a crossover with a newer series by this author, Hart’s Boardwalk. An equally addictive series that brings on another set of amazing characters. I do have to admit that I questioned how it would all work, but I’m not even sure why, Samantha Young is a brilliant author and she blended these two worlds seamlessly. I loved the reason that Nate brings Liv to Hartwell, Delaware and how we got to visit with my favorite couple from that series, Bailey and Vaughn.

Are you still with me? I hope so because now I have to tell just how much I enjoyed this novella. Being back in the ODS world is always amazing, it’s like catching up with family after a long absence. On Hart’s Boardwalk brings us to the life that Nate and Liv have been living the past 10 years as a married couple. It brings us as close to reality as possible and I think that is one of the main reasons why I not only loved the story, but truly connected with it. Like all marriages, it takes work, communication, commitment, and of course unconditional love. Liv is feeling quite insecure and Nate seems to have put those insecurities there by creating a divide, unintentionally, but there nonetheless. After finally communicating, Nate decides to be proactive and takes Liv on an vacation across the pond… away from their home and without the kids. From the moment they arrive in Hartwell their story takes off running. The question being… will they be able to find their way back to each other?

“I can’t lose you, babe. You’d take my soul with you.”

I devoured this novella in one sitting. My time spent with Nate and Liv was filled with anticipation and hope. On Hart’s Boardwalk has all the magic of the On Dublin Street series and all of the heart of the Hart’s Boardwalk series. It is sexy, swoony, and just a little bit angsty… plus, it has to be said, Nate is HOTTER than ever!!!

I didn't know until much later that this was a cross over novel featuring 10 years later after the happily ever after for Nate and Liv. To make matters worse I have not read the author's popular Dublin Street series and was disappointed that the book was not about the many characters on Harts Boardwalk who's stories I have been waiting for. Once I put all that behind me and settled into this book, the story ...................

I know I am among those readers who always wish I could revisit my favorite couples after the author has written "The End" on their love story. This is not necessarily all it might be trumped up to be as this story proves. Ten years after they fell in love the bloom seems to have fallen off their dewy romance. The day to day grind has taken its toll even as they are wonderful parents to their two children but horrors of horrors could Nate have so fallen out of love with Liv that he's having an affair?
Nate is horrified when he overhears Liv's anguish and since he does love his wife he plans to take her away for a beach vacation in the US in an attempt to mend the distance and rekindle their romance. They end up at our favorite inn on Harts Boardwalk. Thank you Ms. Young for weaving in all the characters from the series we grown to know and love as Liv and Nate wander the town and meet the locals. Nate and Liv are mature lovers after ten years of marriage and sharing of losses and pain, there's no need to gently step into sexual encounters instead we get a series of hot and exciting adventures as the two re-kindle the heat in their marriage.
As is typical in Ms. Young's stories, I cried, I laughed and learned a lot about what makes for sustainable relationships. Reminder to self: Find the books in the Dublin Street Series to read.

I was a bit nervous about doing a review for this one because I haven't made it far in the On Dublin Street Series, as in I hadn't made it to book 3 which is Nate and Liv's story BUT I have read the first two books in the Hart's Boardwalk series. That balances things out, right? I think so and honestly, it didn't hurt my experience of the book at all. In fact, it's given me new motivation to catch up on the former series that's been patiently waiting for me on my bookshelf.


As much as I'm loving reading romance I do find that there are times when I want a storyline that focuses on an older couple. The perspectives have evolved and the experiences are different. In On Hart's Boardwalk, Nate and Liv have been married while now, have two daughters and lead happy but busy lives. It's a typical family scenario. What's changed is that they feel disconnected lately leading so rash assumptions and fears about the other. Nate arranges a surprise trip to the town of Hartwell meant to be a relaxing getaway and to get back to each other.


There's so much in this that's relatable that it's easy to see where their issues come from. All they need is for quiet down so that they can focus on them, and Hartwell is that perfect place to unplug from the frenzy and slow down. Nate and Live still have it as they rediscover their spontaneous side and rekindle the fire between them. Emphasis on spontaneous ;-)


On Hart's Boardwalk is a lovely mix of hot and sensual moments and even more so, the playfulness and emotional intimacy that sometimes go missing in long-term relationships. It also doesn't hurt to imagine Nate's sexy Scottish accent in your mind. I loved returning to Hartwell and its characters, and that this is a bridge between Young's two series. Definitely read it!


~ Bel

Samantha Young’s On Dublin Street series is one of my favorites. Of all time. Set in Young’s homeland, Scotland, in the bustling city of Edinburgh, each book is an homage to the streets, lanes, roads, and ways—and all the places I can’t wait to visit—and this group of friends that become a family. And my favorite of all is Nate and Olivia from Before Jamaica Lane. Theirs is everything I love about a great romance: friends to lovers, lessons in seduction, curvy librarian heroine and sexy comic-lovin’ hero who only has eyes for her, once he sees the right one was in front of him all along.

The beauty of the series is growing with all the characters and every couple as the series progressed, and getting to see beyond the happily ever afters in nearly every case. On Hart’s Boardwalk is a very special novella because not only do we get a peek at Nate and Olivia TEN YEARS DOWN THE ROAD (!!), but this time, it’s a crossover with Young’s latest series, Hart’s Boardwalk, or Nate and Olivia Do America.

The other real gem with this family is that they feel real, because they practically are real. In Scotland, they’re part of a bustling, everyday setting, and each couple deals with real family struggles and rough starts, terminal illness and substance abuse, incarceration and poverty, the things that affect us all usually in some way or another. And in the ten years since Nate and Olivia fell in love, they have two careers and two adorable daughters, and they love their life. But along with being busy turn-of-the-30-to-40-year-old parents in the midst of full-blown adulthood, Nate has suffered a loss, and Olivia can’t help but feel he’s pulling away for her when she was always the one he ran to. This angsty uncertainty is so in tune with the ups and downs of life, and so relatable. You’re anxious for Nate and Olivia to get back on track, but in the meantime, it feels so real to know that even our storybook characters go through these stages, the same as us.

Dreamy as he is, Nate’s solution is to show Olivia they’ve still got it, and the two set off on a 40th birthday trip for Olivia to the seaside town of Hartwell, Delaware. It’s hot and sexy—every bit as much as the first time around, because now they’re older and wiser. And the sexiest thing about two people as beautiful and loving as Nate and Olivia finding that new spark is that it’s the last ten years of history that make them so much more even now. It’s a perfect little story, and will only make us greedy to revisit all of our beloved On Dublin Street couples, one at a time, forever and ever.