I had such a fun time reading this book!! It was such a good one. Seamus and Allie were two characters that just pulled you into them. They might have both needed help, which led to each other, but you couldn’t help as the reader feeling they were perfect for each other. And you couldn’t help but keep your fingers crossed that they would fall in love and figure out their own happy ending.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book provided by NetGalley.

Final Score - 4.5 Bittersweet Stars!

I've been reading this series from the very beginning and to see it all end, saddens me, but leaves with a profound sense of peace. My love for these characters and this series know no bounds!

First introduced in another series, The O'Brien clan have made me laugh, made me ugly cry, and made me tear up with joy - all in the name of family. Family is what it's all about and no more so than for the main character in this story - Seamus O'Brien. He's got older brother, younger brothers and a sister, and he wouldn't trade them for anything in the world. To see them all happily settled in their personal lives makes he truly wish that he could find the same happiness.

Enter Allie Mendes. Allie is also all about family - avoiding them that is. She loves her family, but in small doses, as they tend to not only bring her down, but make her feel insignificant and constantly berate her in favor of her much loved sister Val. A chance encounter at a a bakery may just be the thing to get her family off her back - and also a chance a HEA.

Allie and Seamus - both struggling with family duty & obligations. They are like caterpillars struggling to become butterflies. Can these two lost souls discover their forever in each other?

Cecy Robson had me from the get go! The emotions of her characters fly off of each page and just absorb you into their turmoil, thoughts, & lives. This was superb writing - the perfect combination of heart, humor, romance and sex appeal.

Save Me is more than a tale of family, it's about finding your inner strength, standing up for yourself against those that would bring you down, and finding second chances where you least expect.

3 stars

The O'Brien Family series by Cecy Robson has been a very enjoyable read.
I've enjoyed watching the O'Brien siblings find their soul mates and couldn't wait to read Seamus's book.
Now having read Save Me I'm struggling with my feelings.
The things I loved were getting to spend time with all the O'Brien's again. They continued to make me laugh and swoon and they reminded me why I've enjoyed this series so much.

Then I think of Seamus and I feel a little let down, I wanted to love him as much as I've loved his brothers but I struggled with his character. While he had the biggest heart and would do anything for his family or loved ones I failed to connect with him.

I really liked Allie, I found myself connecting with her and I hated watching her mother and sister taking advantage of her sweet and giving personality to make themselves feel more important than what they were.
I have no idea how Allie didn't slap her sister and just cut ties with her after what she did. I wish she had found her voice a little earlier but I'm happy by the end of the book she had the love and support of Seamus and life was going to be good.

I just wished I had more fuzzy feels throughout the book.

So while I didn't enjoy Save Me as much as I've loved the previous books I am happy to have read Seamus's and Allie's story and I was happy with how author Cecy Robson brought the series to a close.
The epilogue was a beautiful and heartwarming way to say goodbye to the O'Brien siblings and the partners.

*Get your copy of Save Me at these outlets*
Amazon: https://tinyurl.com/ycjd5uhn
B&N: https://tinyurl.com/y7v9ck35
iTunes: https://tinyurl.com/ybowzx7r
Kobo: https://tinyurl.com/ya7fs4wn

*I received an advance copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.*

I adore the O’Brien family and am sad to see this series end. I can’t decide which family member is my favorite, but Seamus might win the prize. He’s goofy, kind, a tad cocky and sexy. He reconnects with Allie by chance and doesn’t recognize her natural beauty immediately, because she’s still protecting herself and hiding after having her heartbroken. When the fire does ignite between them, they have terrific chemistry. Save Me is a thoroughly entertaining and sweetly emotional slow-burn romance that is a terrific end to an outstanding series.

DNF I’m sorry but I could not get into this book. I’ve enjoyed the others in the series that I’ve read but this one just didn’t do it for me.

3.75⭐
This was an enjoyable read. Yet I did find it hard to get into mainly because it's the last in a series I've never read. But also because it wasn't quite what I was expecting, and found it quite slow paced.

Yet, I did like all the characters, and the familial banter between them. Even though I didn't quite get all the family connections.

However, I did feel there was just too much going on in this story. What with all the O'Brien wedding and then everything with Allie's bitch of a sister and family.

But there was more I liked than I didn't. Although I'm not sure if there was enough to convince me to go back and read the four previous books if I'm being totally honest. But I'm sure fans of the series and the author will really enjoy Seamus and Allie's story.

Save Me is a bit of a 'ugly duckling to beautiful swan' story, except her fairy godmother is a foul mouthed Irishman who acts like a frat boy. Plus, you also have the fake relationship trope which is more the focus of the plot after Allie's makeover! Allie's family is horrible. Talk about evil siblings and mothers! Holy moly! Her sister is marring the man that Allie was engaged to. Her mom can't understand why Allie isn't supportive of her sister. Allie is the quiet, mousy type that everyone forgets about because her sister is a model (literally). But Allie is kind and caring and she wants nothing else but for people to notice that about her and remember her for that.

Seamus is a manwhoring frat boy who is looking down 40 years old with no prospects for long term relationships. His lady friends have been sleazy and criminal. When he runs into Allie he sees a chance to help her and help himself! Allie is respectable, pretty (once he gives her a makeover), and would be perfect to get his family off his back. Its win-win...right?

Sometimes I wanted to smack Seamus for being so ignorant. However, he is cognizant of Allie's feelings and he doesn't want to hurt her. He is torn between his budding feelings for her and feeling like she is NOT the girl for him. He is a bit self centered too. Yes, he is 'helping' Allie, but he is really doing it to help himself. I have always struggled with the 'ugly duckling' trope because it makes me feel like girls are judged by their looks and guys want 'pretty swans'. He told Allie his family would never buy him dating her the way she was. I think that was an indictment of HIM not her. Perhaps he should have changed...but I digress. Of course, he does grow a bit throughout the novel and there is something endearing about him being a bit of a train wreck at times. While Seamus is my least favorite O'Brien, I still loved him. He does start to fall for Allie but then thinks she shouldn't be with a guy like him. God save us from men who think they know whats best! What really won me over was Allie. Her awful family didn't stop her from becoming successful. She struggled with self esteem in her personal life, but she was a successful woman and I think regardless of a makeover and some new clothes, she would have found a man worthy of her.

For me, a huge plus for Save Me was seeing the other O'Brien siblings! Their stories were so wonderful that it was great to get more! While Seamus might not be a favorite hero of mine, his brothers and sister were for sure and for them alone, this book was great!
Link live on blog 4/24/18

Save Me by Cecy Robson is the fifth book in the O’Brien Family series, which incidentally, is an offshoot of the Shattered Pasts series (just a bit of trivia!). In its most basic form, the story revolves around two lonely people, in need of saving, who save each other.

Save Me revolves around the third eldest O’Brien child Seamus, who, let’s face it, is a carefree womaniser. His family adore him but think that as he’s getting older, and they are all settling down themselves, he needs to find a good woman, preferably one that won’t steal their wallets whenever they are not looking! The loving pressure from his family has Seamus inventing a ‘good girl’ girlfriend; the only problem he hasn’t met her yet. Enter Allie Mendes. Allie has problems of her own, but unlike Seamus’ family’s loving encouragement, Allie is the recipient of disinterested disrespect from all members of her family. A family occasion and a chance reunification with Seamus leads to an arrangement where they will be each other’s, romantic partners... Let the games begin!

This series of books, along with the Shattered Pasts trilogy, is characterised by emotion with a capital E. Some of these stories have left me in tears, and while Seamus’ wicked sense of humour and just general carefree personality stop the story from becoming too heavy, it is still an emotional ride.

I love Cecy Robson’s writing style, it just grabs you from the beginning and doesn’t let go. Her characters are well developed, and you can’t help but fall a little in love with Seamus and sympathise entirely with Allie. I also loved that Angus (the eldest brother) also got his closure in this book.

It is possible to read this book without reading the previous titles in the series, but honestly, I wouldn’t recommend it. Although each book has a different couple, they all blend together to form a story that spans eight books over the two series. The books would be a much more shallow experience without knowing the backstories to the other characters, and there are a lot of inside jokes and conversations that just wouldn’t make much sense without having read the previous titles.

I have absolutely loved my time with the madcap O’Brien family, and Save Me is a fitting end to the series. I’d highly recommend this book, and series, to anyone who enjoys an emotional rollercoaster peppered with a lot of laughs and a genuine ‘feel good’ vibe.

This O'Brien family is a loud and loving family and Seamus is the last of them to find someone to love. He tends to find those who are not suitable and he knows it and his family has deemed he has to find someone suitable to bring to all the wedding functions, and there are a lot of them, in the coming months. A chance meeting in the bakery with Allie Mendez who he doesn't immediately remember, oh he remembers her sister because everyone remembers her sister, but after talking for a few minutes he remembers her as the kind person of his youth who was always there taking care of his siblings and others. When her sister and mother walk into the bakery and she utters, "Save me" he takes that to heart and draws her to him and their charade begins. They are going to be each others boyfriend/girlfriend for the coming months to get through all the family drama but first Seamus is going to transform Allie. "Do you trust me?" he asks her and off they go to find the beautiful, sexy, confident Allie who has been lurking under all that hair and drab clothing. Will all the pretending lead to more? This was so much fun to watch these two find their way and to watch the O'Brien clan in all their loud and brash glory. I am truly sorry to see this series end. It has been a lot of fun!

This one, as can all the others, can be read as a standalone.

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

I did it again.
Not only did I pick to read a book in series out of order, but it just so happened to be the LAST book in the series, one I’ve wanted to dive into, but never had the time and now that I did, it was the finale.
And before you can think it, Yes, I’m Gibbs smacking myself HARD because I fucking ADORED everything about Save Me.
From Seamus and Allie, to the O’Brien clan as a whole.
I ADORED everything about this book.
I laughed out loud, snorted in amused disbelief and even shed tears because no amount of blinking and willing them to not fall worked.
This book had it all and so much more!

I adored Seamus. The things that come out of this mans mouth had me either blinking in disbelief or cracking up, sometimes both, or swooning because the honesty and sincerity that went along with it was undeniable. He’s simply a good man, who loves his family and the life that he’s living.

Allie, I loved upon meeting her, but there were moments when I wanted so desperately to yell at her to stand up for herself. I understood why she reacted to certain things and people in the way she did, but the frustration was real because the woman I saw was strong, hard working and had such a good heart that I wanted to gut anyone who’d thought it was in their right to bruise and batter it ~ even unintentionally.


I loved and thoroughly enjoyed how Seamus and Allie’s relationship evolved from acquaintances to friends and them more.. It was funny, heartwarming and had a lot of heart. Their bantering had me cracking up and the chemistry between them was a slow burn, but a hot one. What made it all work for me was that they just somehow got each other. They were opposites in a lot of ways, and yet they saw beyond all that and really respected each other for who they were at their very souls.


Even though I did things half ass backwards...well, simply backwards...Save Me can be read as a standalone, but after meeting all of the O’Brien’s and experiencing their special brand of familial love, I will definitely be going back and reading about each of their HEA’s. And though this is my first O’Brien Family read, it isn’t the first of the author’s books I’ve read and as with those, I really enjoyed the writing, pacing and how everything played out with all the characters in the story. There were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming, but loved the direction it took the story. So, if you’re looking for a well written romance with a cast of crazy, but lovable characters (at least most of them) then this is a definite must read!

Imaginative fun romance

I hadn't realize that Save Me was part of Cecy Robson's An O'Brien Family series. While after reading this book I wish I had read all the siblings stories this book does read well as a stand alone story.
Seamus and Allie start out as friends but end up lovers. There is a special chemistry from the very start. I loved the dialogue which was fast paced and smart. The plot line had some interesting twists and I found the final HEA absolutely perfect.
I received an advance reader copy from Netgalley.

***ARC Provided by the Publisher via NetGalley***

I wanted to like this title. I have read other books by this author and I have enjoyed them, so I was looking forward to it.

And, there were parts of this title that I enjoyed. However, the way the dialog was written, I was not ever able to feel fully connected to the characters. I know it seems small, but they always felt like carictares and like they were not real, but the stereotypical character.

I don't know, they could be based on real people, and this could be a totally accurate depiction...but it pulled me out of the story.

I am not able to recommend this title.

Shamelessly sexy. Utterly clueless. Hard to resist. Seamus O'Brien feels like the last man standing in a family that's dropping like flies. Love is reeking havoc in his family and he seems to keep missing the blow. That is until the girl he never saw, becomes the woman he can't forget. A chance encounter and a desperate favor have Allie Mendes and Seamus O'Brien rethinking everything they thought they knew about love. Cecy Robson is an emotional writer. She targets the heart with humorous dialogue, tempting romance and a heaping level of sex appeal. Save Me is a saucy tale of lost dreams and second chances that proves happiness is usually where you least expect.

*sob* This feels like a final book in the series and I'm not ready to let them go. This has been a fantastic series showing off the O'Brien siblings and their friends It has highlighted that family isn't always blood, love comes in many guises and that healing takes time. I absolutely loved this story, it was a wonderful ending to a series, that has made me laugh, cry, rage at the injustice and still love the characters in all their complexities.



This is Seamus's story, he's the big brother who gave so much of himself to make sure his siblings didn't need to sacrifice as much. Stepping up after his father failed to be a better man Seamus left school to pursue a construction career that it turns out he's pretty darn good at. Creating customized homes for clients who ask for the unique Seamus and his brothers have gone from the poor kids to being pretty well set. As all his siblings fall in love and get married Seamus finds himself in desperate need of a date for all the family events and he can't bring any of his "normal" women.

Allie's family is also celebrating a wedding and she can't wait to get out of it. However, her mother keeps insisting she makes an appearance and Allie is desperate to get away. When a chance encounter with a childhood crush leads to a misunderstanding that she now has to embrace to keep from being the only single woman at the wedding.



I totally fell in love with these characters. I absolutely loved that despite her family's input Allie has become a successful woman. Seamus is a fantastic character even though to everyone else he appears to be the one left behind in the family he's a man comfortable with where he is and who he is.



I laughed so much when it came to this story, from the meet-cute to the final scenes. I loved the wit between Seamus and Allie. I loved how they were doing their best not to be single people at their families weddings and yet they found themselves slowly sliding towards coupledom. Seamus's antics when dealing with Allie made me love him so much. His internal monologue gave us such an insight into him and just made this story funny sweet and sexy.



Even though they appeared to be the most well adjusted of their family members Allie and Seamus had their own scars that they dealt with as well. Seamus had a good reason why he was still single and how he dealt with it. Confronting it with Allie made him realize that he was holding himself back in a way that wasn't healthy. Allie's family??? My gawd they were definitely terrible. First of all, I can't even deal with her sister, her mother was trash and deserved everything she got at the end. I never understood parents that treated their kids like that then expected loyalty, like no. When I was reading Allie's interactions with them I wanted to jump in a defend her so badly. I loved that she shared this vulnerability with Seamus & that when it mattered she took his advice.



I laughed quite a bit with this novel because Seamus is hilarious. However, this novel still had its heart-stopping moments and even a few moments that brought tears to my eyes as we caught up with family members and got to see them as they headed towards their happy endings. His sister's wedding was a tearjerker moment for sure. I loved the talk about Catholic weddings and all the traditions that went into them as it definitely brought me back to my school days and reminded me of those moments with my family as well.



Although this novel didn't have as many of the sexy times moments as the others did, it was still sweetly passionate and I loved how they interacted with each other. Some of my favorite moments were when Allie brought Seamus food because they took such good care of each other in those moments. They shared their vulnerabilities in a way that was sweet and funny and Seamus never allowed the moment to become too bogged down so they felt comfortable. His lessons?? Absolutely hilarious. I loved the ending scenes because you just know that they are all going to be alright. Although I would have loved to have seen more from his other brother who was engaged the entire series, I loved the ending we did get. Maybe Cecy will revisit the family through their kids?? Who knows, even if she doesn't the ending we got was still wonderful.



★★★★☆

RECOMMENDATIONS

Marked Men Series by Jay Crownover
The Reed Brothers by Tammy Faulkner

Happy Reading my loves,

This was a hilarious romantic comedy that I blew through in just one afternoon! If you can only read one book on a vacation, pick this one up and at least read to Chapter 6. That chapter is one of the funniest pieces of writing I have read in quite some time. I generally pick up romances not thinking it's going to be very funny - a lot of books just seem to lean more on the heavy side these days, with lots of angst and drama. While this book did have those things as well, the comic relief brought by the two main characters' interactions was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Allie Mendes is facing her worst nightmare - her sister is getting married to Allie's ex-boyfriend, who cheated on her seven years ago with said sister. Confronted by them in a bakery, standing beside a hot guy from her past, she prays to God to save her. And he gives her none other than Seamus O'Brien. There is no way that Seamus O'Brien can find a nice girl to be his date to his sister's wedding. Having slept his way through the beds of women who would rather steal his wallet than steal his heart, most women who want him do not fit the bill. But into his life crashes Allie Mendes, and with a few tweaks to her wardrobe and a large helping of self confidence, and she could be the best thing that ever happened to him. If they can just keep up their relationship charade long enough to fool their respective families. What could go wrong?

This is an adult version of the classic trope nerdy-girl-turned-popular that I haven't seen often in a romantic novel but love all the same! Seamus is a shameless flirt who just can't help being that way - at 37 years of age, it is highly unlikely he will ever change, so he just embraces himself for who he is. His family constantly mocks him for his many bad dating choices, particularly the ones who have led to him losing money, clothing, or both. What's possibly the funniest thing about his character is how nice he is and how much he wants a relationship, but he just simply has the worst case of horniness. And then there's Allie - this poor thing has really had it bad for a while! Her mom is terrible, her sister is someone I wouldn't wish on my worst enemy...okay, maybe my worst, but still...and she has been put in the really unhappy situation of being dateless during the worst time in her life. Thankfully, she and Seamus hit it off quickly, and their chemistry is off the charts. Even though they don't see it at first, it's obvious that their strong friendship is sure to become a romance soon. When it does, it just gives you a really happy feeling inside.

I have read other books by Cecy Robson and really liked them! The great thing about this series is that you don't really have to read the other books to understand this one, and so you can literally dive in at will into any of these books. I can't wait to go back and read the earlier books to learn more about the O'Brien family!

I can’t believe this is my first encounter with the O’Brien Family by Cecy Robson, If Save Me is anything to go by I’m playing catch up with a brilliant series and I’m prof that this book can be read as a stand-alone.
Three Weddings to attend and a family on your back about you not having a date to take, what’s a hot stud to do ... maybe find yourself a fake girlfriend and what better than the girl who taught your siblings Sunday School many moons ago.
This book hooked me from the first chapter and there was no putting this baby down until I had read the last line, it’s a emotional read about a couple getting to know each other while pretending to be a couple, it has some great laugh out loud moments from Seamus and I found myself making expressions I’m sure Allie would be making listening to his stories. I shed some tears at weddings and I know I need to back track and read the rest of the books in this series. If you love romance stories that includes great characters, family loyalty and some seriously hot moments this is a must read........ looking forward to more from Cecy Robson

I voluntarily borrowered and read the book. My opinions are my own. This is my first book reading about the Obriens. Seamus is an Obrien who has deplorable taste in women but is expected to attend some family weddings and events. However, his normal choice of a date is not acceptable. He meets Allie again from childhood and saves her from an embarrassing situation. Allie's sister is a famous model who slept with Allie's boyfriend. Now her sister and ex are getting married. Alie is successful in her career and a nice girl that Seamus decides to make a deal. Seamus also helps her with a makeover so Allie can shine. They will pose as a couple to placate both families. A real romance ensues but it is sad to see how Allie is treated by her mom and sister. Seamus is crude at times and was stuck in meaningless relationships. It took a bit of time to warm up to him and Allie's meekness was frustrating at times. However they get their revengender in the end. Nice story.

I didn't realize when I clicked on this that it was book #5 in a series. I read the description and I thought it would be interesting, and it certainly was. OMG Seamus is one of 7 in a big Irish family. Since I didn't read the other 4, I totally need to read the others because the O'Brien's are something else. So many shenanigans between the brothers. I was cracking up at Seamus. I just couldn't get over some of the things that would come out of his mouth. Now, he has horrible taste in women and he basically has no filter. But if you can look past the big ego and his in your face ways, he is absolutely 100% all heart. Especially when it comes to Allie and his family. Allie is such a sweetheart and a giver. I hated her relationship with her family and I loved how Seamus helped her navigate through all of the b.s. her sister was putting her though and man up. Even though they really don't get together until basically the end, I found myself really entertained by it all so it didn't really bother me. I some more O'Brien's in my life so I'm going to go check out book #1.

I really struggled with this book. For starters this book 5 and I haven’t read any of the other books in this series. Although this book is supposed to be a standalone, I felt that if I knew more about the other characters in the book I might have enjoyed this one. Unfortunately I did not care for Seamus at all. I actually couldn’t really bother finish reading his narcissistic rambles and sexist remarks about women. DNF.

Save Me is the fifth book in Cecy Robeson’s O’Brien Family series and was a marvel to read.

Seamus O’Brien is almost forty years old and has abysmal taste in women. This fact has never bothered him before; quite at easy with a string of one-night stands or short-term relationships, he never put much effort into finding ‘the one’. But now with all his siblings in loving relationships and three upcoming weddings, Seamus is desperate for respectable women to introduce to his rowdy ‘If you cut us, we’d bleed Leprechauns that would dance a jig the moment their little feet hit the floor’ Irish family.

Ever since she discovered her boyfriend had slept with her sister, Allie Mendes has had no desire to be in a relationship, instead she has spent the past few years working on growing her real-estate business. That begins to change when her mother drops news that Allie’s perfect, do-no-wrong-sister is getting married… to Allie’s high school sweetheart.

A chance meeting brings Allie and Seamus together at the perfect moment, Allie needs a stand-in boyfriend to avoid looking like the lonely jilted sister, and Seamus needs a woman suitable to bring to his siblings weddings.
The last thing either of them expects is to have their own chance at forever.

I have loved the crude yet lovably rowdy O’Brien family since we met them in Once Pure (the last novel in the Shattered Past Series), and was over the moon when I discovered Cecy Robson was giving the family a spin off series. I have loved each and every O’Brien throughout the series and Seamus was no different.

Seamus was so will written, with Robson creating a perfect balance between his rough and often crude side, and the sweet genuine man he is to those he cares about.

“I was mortified to be so easily forgotten, especially given my history with Seamus and his family. I wanted to dismiss him as a simple thick headed brute. Until he remembered my kindness.”

Save Me is a slow burn romance, which at times I found to be a little too slow for my liking. This however did give you the chance to really get into the characters heads and makes that happily ever after that much sweeter.

“I fell for you. More than once, I fell hard… from the first moment you really smiled at me… to the day I bared my soul to you… I love you Allie, I Just need you to love me too.”

Full of heartfelt moments that will have you reaching for the tissues, and humour that makes you laugh out loud, Save Me was a fabulous novel.