The New York Times Bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series and PLAY ON returns to the world of the arts in this intense and emotional standalone romance about love, sacrifice, and surviving both. AS DUST DANCES is now available on all retailers! Grab your copy today!
About AS DUST DANCES
Once upon a time Skylar Finch was the lead singer of a hugely successful American pop-rock band. But fame made her miserable. When years of living a lie suddenly ended in tragedy, Skylar fell off the map.
Eighteen months later she’s sleeping in a tent in a cemetery in Glasgow, making just enough money to eat by busking on the streets. She manages to avoid recognition, but not the attention of one of Glasgow’s ambitious A&R executives.
Killian O’Dea works at Skyscraper Records, Scotland’s most successful record label. Raised by his uncle and owner of the label, Killian’s upbringing would have been devoid of affection entirely if it wasn’t for his loving sister. Killian is unflinchingly determined to bring the label more success than ever, and the young homeless woman who busks on Buchanan Street is going to help him do that. Her music speaks to him in a way he refuses to over-analyze. All he knows is that if it can touch his dark soul, it’ll set everyone else’s alight.
Skylar makes it clear that she doesn’t want to sign with him. But when she experiences the dangerous reality of a woman sleeping rough, Skylar has no one else but Killian to turn to. An undeniable connection forms between them. But Skylar doesn’t want the career Killian is trying to forge for her, and when her past comes back to haunt her Killian will be faced with a decision that could ruin him. He must either free Skylar from his selfish machinations and destroy everything he’s ever worked for, or lose a woman who has come to mean more to him than he ever thought possible…
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Review
Yep, I’m just going to start off with the fact that both of the books that I’ve read by Samantha Young has definitely topped as my top 2 favorites for the year. I keep wondering how I didn’t discover her sooner because her writing is absolutely flawless and the stories are just EVERYTHING my heart loves and yearns.
Gosh, what a tough and emotional journey we went on with Skylar, absolutely bringing so many tears to my eyes. The book started off so well and it just pulls you in immediately. Of course, the romance lover in me couldn’t wait for the love story, but I was definitely anticipating her personal journey towards healing and finding her happiness. I gathered that a lot of unhappiness also stemmed from having all that fame at such a young age. There’s always that appeal, but constantly having your face plastered over social media, it eventually takes a toll on you. And essentially being a kid at the time, it’s too much. I commended her for stepping away, even if it meant completely shutting her “family” out for nearly two years. And that was one reunion I was absolutely waiting for during the entire book.
With the opportunity to hopefully get back into the music scene and setting her own path her way, Killian enters her life. The very serious and professional man who knows and understands talent when he sees it. I wished it was a dual POV because I was dying to know what he was thinking when it came to Skylar. But my goodness, I’m sure my heart would have been beating out of chest if I had an overflow of his thoughts because the few moments where he’s honest with her … ahhhh, my heart! It would be nearly impossible to not love this man. So in a sense, we didn’t have his POV and that added a little bit of guessing game to what he was thinking. But he was just as broken as Skylar was, but for totally different reasons. Losing parental figures at such a young age and quickly becoming a father to his sister. He missed out on a childhood and had to become an adult way too soon.
Skylar and Killian’s story was EVERYTHING. It was painful, beautiful and just constantly left me in awe. I admired Skylar so much for working through her pain and regret. She needed to move on quickly and finally be free of that huge weight upon her shoulders. I love that she took a stand for herself and her happiness.
I am a bit disappointed that I jumped into this series without reading the first one, but I’ll be reading that soon! Love this book and author so much, Samantha Young has definitely become one of my favorite authors of all time. Highly recommend this beautiful story!
✮✮✮✮✮
Excerpt
It was my turn to stare at him quizzically, but he didn’t acknowledge the look. He sipped his water and stared around the restaurant as if this weren’t awkward and weird. His nose had a slight bump in it, his cheekbones high, and his jaw chiseled and angular. Overall, he had a very hawklike profile, masculine, rugged, and intimidating. And at that moment I felt like prey, stupidly allowing myself to be caught.
Still, I couldn’t shake the feeling that he genuinely didn’t want anything sexual from me.
I stared at him unabashedly, wanting answers.
He remained steadfast, ignoring me, until the waitress he’d called out to returned with a plastic carrier bag. “Will this do?”
“Aye.” He took it from her. “Thanks.” When I returned to the main restaurant, I put the folded-up wet clothes beside me on the bench, my underwear tucked out of sight.
I couldn’t meet the stranger’s eyes as I reached for the Diet Coke I’d asked for, savoring the taste. On tour, I’d needed lots of energy so I’d eaten well and drank plenty of water. Soda was a treat at the best of times. But I hadn’t had a Diet Coke in months, and it tasted great.
“Excuse me,” my companion’s voice jolted my gaze upward and I saw him wave down a passing waitress. “Do you have a bag?”
“A bag?”
“Carrier bag, paper bag. A bag.”
“Um … let me check.”
He held it out, staring at me with those eyes that would’ve been much more suited to a Lothario, to someone who knew how to be charming. “For your clothes.”
Oh.
It was a kind gesture, also at odds with his demeanor, and my suspicion increased. I took the bag, however, sliding my wet clothes into it and out of sight. Exasperated, I said, “What the hell do you want?”
“Food first.”
“So I’ll be well fed, satisfied, and more amenable to whatever the hell it is you want from me?”
He looked at me now, really looked at me, and the corner of his mouth curled up ever so slightly. “Exactly.”
“A good villain doesn’t admit to his plan, you know.”
“I’m not a villain.”
“What are you?”
“Fo—”
“Food first. Yeah, yeah.”
And so we sat in silence until the food arrived, and the smell of my sea bass made my stomach grumble loudly. Years ago, it would’ve embarrassed me. Now I couldn’t give a shit. All I cared about was that fish.
I dug in, closing my eyes in joy as I ate.
When I opened them to scoop up buttery mashed potatoes, I felt his gaze on me.
The furrowed brow, the glimmer of concern in his eyes, made me stiffen. But just like that, his expression cleared, blank, and he went back to eating his burger as if I didn’t exist.
I savored every morsel of that meal, including the Chocolate Fudge Fixation I ordered for dessert.
My belly felt full and satisfied, and exhaustion began to force my eyelids to droop.
And I knew it was time to pay the piper. “So …” I pushed away my empty dessert plate and slumped back against the booth, my expression baleful. “What the hell do you want from me?”
His answer was to reach into his wallet, pull out a business card, and hand it over.
I stared down at it, disbelief flooding me.
Samantha Young’s AS DUST DANCES – Review & Excerpt Tour Schedule:
August 8th
A Literary Perusal – Review & Excerpt
Bellereadersthoughts – Review
Catty Jane Book Lovers – Review & Excerpt
iScream Books Blog – Review & Excerpt
Livelyreads – Review & Excerpt
Reading Under Street Lamps – Review
Shelf_Life – Review
Smut Book Junkie Reviews – Review & Excerpt
The Book Hammock – Review & Excerpt
August 9th
Avid Reads – Review
BJ’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Book Lady’s Reviews – Review
Daffodilsbooks – Review & Excerpt
K&M Sultry Reads – Review & Excerpt
Little Red Reading Hood – Review & Excerpt
Naturally Nerdy Books – Review & Excerpt
Simply Crystal – Review & Excerpt
Three chicks and their books – Review & Excerpt
White Hot Reads – Review & Excerpt
August 10th
Aaly and The Books – Review & Excerpt
Book Angel Booktopia – Review & Excerpt
Confessions of a Pinay Bookaholic – Review
Garden of REden – Review
KsiążkowaPasja – Review
Lisa Loves Literature – Excerpt
Novel Addiction – Review
Reads All the Books – Review & Excerpt
The Review Loft – Review
Words of Wisdom from The Scarf Princess – Review & Excerpt
August 11th
A Fortress of Books – Review & Excerpt
Book Bitches Blog – Excerpt
Fifty Shades of D and J – Excerpt
Greyland Reviews – Review & Excerpt
My Book Filled Life – Review & Excerpt
Nose Stuck in a Book – Review & Excerpt
SJ’s Book Blog – Excerpt
The Bookish Sisters – Review & Excerpt
The Escapist Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
We stole your book boyfriend – Review & Excerpt
August 12th
All Things Dark & Dirty – Excerpt
Bookishly Yours – Review & Excerpt
Crazii Bitches Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Devilishly Delicious Book Reviews – Review & Excerpt
Ginreads – Review
KDRBCK – Review & Excerpt
Mustreadbooksordie – Review
Roxy’s Reviews – Review
The Reading Cafe – Review & Excerpt
Words are Life – Excerpt
August 13th
4TLOReading – Review
Buttercup’s Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Collector of book boyfriends – Excerpt
Kindle Friends Forever – Review & Excerpt
Literati Literature Lovers – Review & Excerpt
Movies, Shows, & Books – Excerpt
Ramblings From This Chick – Excerpt
Somewhere Lost in Books – Review & Excerpt
Two Books in a Shelf – Review & Excerpt
What Is That Book About – Excerpt
August 14th
Adventures of a Bookworm – Review
Bad boys and bedtime stories book blog – Review
BibliotekaMoniko – Review & Excerpt
Clare & Lou’s Mad About Books – Review
Jax’s Book Magic –Review & Excerpt
Marta Likes to Read – Review & Excerpt
Onceupon_a_bookdream – Review & Excerpt
Romance Readers Retreat – Review
The Curvy Savante – Review
TSK TSK What to Read – Review & Excerpt
August 15th
Ali’s Reviews and More – Review & Excerpt
Between The Lines – Review & Excerpt
Book Flame – Excerpt
Desperately Seeking HEA’s Book Blog – Excerpt
Margie’s Must Reads – Review & Excerpt
Novel Grounds – Review
Reading Between the Wines Book Club – Excerpt
Relentless Romance – Review & Excerpt
The Sisterhood of the Traveling Book Boyfriends – Review
Total Book Geek – Review & Excerpt
August 16th
Always Falling for Book Guys – Review & Excerpt
Badass Bloggettes – Review & Excerpt
Bookaholic Confessions – Review & Excerpt
Dirty Girl Romance – Review & Excerpt
Read. Eat. Love. – Review & Excerpt
Romance Schmomance – Review & Excerpt
Stuck In Books – Excerpt
Witchy Richey’s Booktastic Reviews – Review & Excerpt
August 17th
Angie and Jessica’s Dreamy Reads – Review & Excerpt
Books 4 Girls – Review & Excerpt
GataLeitora – Review & Excerpt
Librarian Laura Great Reads – Review & Excerpt
Read Love Blog – Review & Excerpt
Reading and funny – Review
Smokin’ Hot Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
True Story Book Blog – Review & Excerpt
Wrapped Up In Reading – Review & Excerpt
About Samantha Young:
Samantha Young is the New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of adult contemporary romances, including the On Dublin Street series and Hero, as well as the New Adult duology Into the Deep and Out of the Shallows. Every Little Thing, the second book in her new Hart’s Boardwalk series, will be published by Berkley in March 2017. Before turning to contemporary fiction, she wrote several young adult paranormal and fantasy series, including the amazon bestselling Tale of Lunarmorte trilogy. Samantha’s debut YA contemporary novel The Impossible Vastness of Us will be published by Harlequin TEEN in ebook& hardback June 2017
Samantha has been nominated for the Goodreads Choice Award 2012 for Best Author and Best Romance for On Dublin Street, Best Romance 2014 for Before Jamaica Lane, and Best Romance 2015 for Hero. On Dublin Street, a #1 bestseller in Germany, was the Bronze Award Winner in the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2013, Before Jamaica Lane the Gold Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2014 and Echoes of Scotland Street the Bronze Medal Winner for the LeserPreis German Readers Choice Awards for Best Romance 2015.
Samantha is currently published in 30 countries and is a #1 international bestselling author.
