This book sort of snuck up on me. I struggled with the first half because the heroine, Kate, sounded like a 16 year old girl. Now that I've read the entire book I'm going to go out on a limb and say maybe that was intended by the author?? Anyway, once Kate got some confidence in her I loved her character. He relationship with Jack is slow moving and that's because she starts out hating him. Once they finally get together though it's sexy. Their relationship is realistic and that's what I loved most about this book. Sometimes romances progress to quickly and sometimes it works and other times you're like...really?? The overall tone of this book reads like a movie and I could totally see it made into one. I'd certainly go see it. It's a funny rom-com with a crotchety nana (who you come to love) and a happily ever after!

Ok, Really? The Grandma had to be so nasty..... That woman infuriated me. That just means that the author did a great job of providing me with vivid imagery and sarcastic crankiness that made the book leap to life.

Kate had a dream of a different life than her town in Australia. What a great way to live it with her Grandmother in the UK. The fashion, the glitz, the glamour it was all at her finger tips. That was until she realized that her Grandmother had a plan of her own. A plan on keeping Kate safe, as Grandma called it , was in reality what Kate thought was a prison sentence. No roaming the streets, no visiting the pubs, no shopping in town other than for food. What kind of fun was this for a young twenty something.

Enter the neighbor who almost hit her with a car when she was trying to escape for some sanity. But what Kate got was a specimen of man that made her knees quake. The tension between these two leaped off the pages. The slow burn of passion, the courting, to stolen kisses. the quiet walks, the balconies. It all made for a beautiful story that had me oohing and ahhhing. Then Ms. Duggan throws a twist that I never saw coming.

London Bound has a strong storyline, with vivid imagery, passionate characters, and takes you on a journey that you won't want to end. I can't wait to see what happens next... Maybe an epilogue?

London Bound
CJ Duggan

This is the 3rd standalone book in this series. A cute billionaire romance with an up and coming fashion blogger.

Summary:
Like so many of her university friends, Kate Brown is London bound, but unlike her friends - who had the chance to enjoy the beer, sights and attractions of the UK - Kate is instead visiting her grandmother (who may or may not be the devil).

Wanting nothing more than to be a normal, independent twenty-something living it up in ol' London town, Kate finds herself a prisoner in her grandmother's Kensington terrace, daydreaming about the holiday that could have been. But when Kate is almost run over by posh,smirking playboy Jack Baker, it leaves her wondering if being out and about is such a good idea after all, especially when she catches herself laughing at his jokes.

One thing Kate knows for sure is that she has to avoid Jack at all costs. But with her balcony facing his, you can pretty much guarantee Kate's London adventure is going to be anything but boring . . .

I enjoyed this book. I will definitely add CJ Duggan to my fav authors. Can't wait to read the other books in this series.

Thanks NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

C.J. Duggan’s Heart of the City series is like an all-chocolate buffet – I simply can’t get enough of this new adult series of standalone books about young women in a big, beautiful city. I was eagerly awaiting the release of London Bound as it’s one of my favourite cities to read about. The story certainly doesn’t disappoint, mixing fashion, elegant hotels and a hot gentleman.

We first briefly met Kate in Paris Lights, holed up in her grandmother’s house in London. Back then, we had an inkling that something wasn’t right in Kate’s life. But as she tells her story, we know that her London dream is more like a nightmare of boredom. It sounded really cool, staying with her grandmother in a hip part of London. But Nana Joy is anything but – she wants Kate in her sight at all times. But after their next door neighbour Jack Baker nearly runs her down in his Aston Martin, Kate’s life is about to change for the better. First, Nana Joy’s carer Vera conspires to get her out of the house – which ends up as a cider covered disaster with Jack! But then there’s the secret discovery that sets Kate’s creative juices flowing for her blog and who better to help than Jack?

London Bound is a little more sweet than steamy than the other books in the series, perhaps because Kate herself is a bit more sweet and quiet. I found her quite refreshing. She doesn’t talk back to everything, only where the situation truly deserves it. She is also focused about bringing her blog forward with a rebadging as ‘Kate on the Thames’ on life in London. Jack is a bit of an enigma, but like Kate I didn’t question where he got the money for the Aston Martin from nor his exceptional IT skills. He’s just a regular guy, with a knack for the sweet and thoughtful, in addition to charming elderly ladies. But I have to say that my favourite character of all was Nana Joy. She has exactly what she thinks, especially if it isn’t complimentary. It’s not clear what her bitterness is due to (or if it’s just lack of a tact filter) but there are some signs that she’s bitter about succumbing to age. I loved how she could stop a room with just a few words. (Plus, she has the best wardrobe ever!)

As for the romance, again it starts off very sweet with a friends to lovers theme. Given the close proximity of their balconies, it soon turns to a steamier, sneaky romance between Jack and Kate. The finale of the ball and the misunderstanding was a little more understated than I originally thought. Kate accepts Jack’s apology very quickly (but then again, why wouldn’t you with the Presidential Suite of a 5 star hotel at your disposal) and I thought there might be some jealousy with the other women directed towards Kate. Still, it’s a sweet end to a sweet story.

I’ve really enjoyed this series and I hope there are more to come. They are a wonderful escape read that I love to binge on.

Thank you to Hachette for the copy of this book. My review is honest.

http://samstillreading.wordpress.com

My Thoughts

“This was what Tom Hanks must have felt like in that movie Castaway, but if I painted a face on one of Nana’s designer bags and called it Wilson I suspect that would mean I had reached my limit.”

When I came across the first of CJ Duggan’s ‘Heart of the City’ series, I did not realise the fun reads I would be in for. With a common theme of an Aussie girl overseas in a big city coming across local suave guy, it was bound to be amusing. Each book is unique and definitely a standalone with Duggan providing you with many laugh out loud moments.

“I let the anger fuel my steps, though Lord knows running in a ball gown was no easy feat –no wonder Cinderella had lost her bloody shoe.”

I thought Paris Lights was hysterical, New York Night great and although this latest entry, London Bound was good, it was not up to the level of the other two in my opinion. It just did not seem to flow as well as the other two - perhaps a little more detail on why Jack liked Kate so much or why Nanna Joy was so grumpy would have helped create a deeper understanding. What I loved about the first two books was how Australian the girls were - that unique voice seemed not to be so prevalent here. In fact it was hard to believe Kate was mid twenties. From the way she acted she appeared more adolescent.

However, if I set those issues aside, I was still engaged enough to recommend this book. These books are about witty banter, burning chemistry, hilarious and sexy encounters. I have enjoyed each trip around the world so far and can’t wait to see where CJ Duggan takes us next.

“I was about to go from a nearly contented recluse to living the life of a Golden Girl.”


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

This sort of contemporary romance is not what I would normally read but since I was offered the book, I decided to give it a shot. Unfortunately, I found Kate to be annoying and negative. I did not like her behaviour even if her attitude and feelings were justified. I found I could not connect with her because she seemed immature and petulant to me. Perhaps I should have researched this book before I decided to read it because upon further inspection it is a New Adult story and I generally greatly dislike New Adult stories because I find the characters shallow, petty, immature and selfish. I'm not saying Kate was like that but she did a great job of starting off close to that and with me not liking her. I've seen other reviews saying how much they enjoyed this book, but sadly this was not for me. I could not handle her personality and attitude.

London Bound is a sweet, slightly steamy read. Kate leaves her home in Australia to live in England with her inappropriately named Nana Joy. England is nothing as she had been expecting. She thought she was going on an adventure, but what she got was living in her nana's home, being repressed and bullied by her. On her first day, she meets, or rather, is almost run over by, her new neighbor Jack in his flashy Aston Martin. He's arrogant and unapologetic, and it's just one more nail in the coffin of the dream of what she had though was going to be a fun adventure.

When she starts to get out more, by conspiring with her nana's sweet caretaker, Vera, she sees Jack again at a local pub, and she is flustered to realize that she just might be attracted to her mysterious, arrogant neighbor. As her time in England goes on, she discovers a secret room at her nana's, she starts up a friendship turned relationship with Jack, and finally finds herself with a career, writing her 'Kate on the Thames' blog. She starts standing up to her bullying grandma, discovers that Jack is actually a sweetheart, and finds herself along the way.

I really like London Bound: it's sweet, got some sexy moments and Kate and Jack are adorable together. The only note I didn't like in London Bound is Nana Joy. She's a terrible grandmother throughout most of the book, with no reason given to explain her grumpy, cold attitude. I like that Kate finally stood up to her, and that Jack charmed his way into her graces, and stood up for Kate while doing so. All in all, a 4 star read!

Book 3 in the Hearts of the City series follows Kate Brown who has left her home in Australia to stay with her nana in London. Wanting to experience London and all it's excitement, all whilst working on her fashion, beauty and travel blog, with her theme titled "Kate on the Thames". Unfortunately living in her nana's beautiful Kensington home turns out to be more like being in a prison, her nana is miserable, grumpy, very needy, and shows no affection, nor will she let Kate out of the house. Determined not to run back to her mother with her tail between her legs, Kate skulks about, sneaking out of the house and arguing with their neighbour, super hot, yet extremely annoying, Jack Baker. Things start looking up when Kate gets her mojo back after finding her nana's secret room, and with a little help from Jack her blog finally starts to take off. It would appear though that nana is not the only one keeping secrets, the question is, when all the truths come out, will all their relationships be strong enough. A lovely, light, enjoyable, easy read with some laugh out loud moments. I loved all these characters so much, and I've got to say, Jack is pretty perfect.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is the third book in a series set in different capitals around the world. Although this can (and was) easily read as a stand-alone novel, I don't know whether I would have gained some background into the characters if I had read the previous books.

Kate Brown is an Australian who has been given the chance of a lifetime to come to London to stay with her maternal grandmother, Nanna Joy in a swanky house in South Kensington. Unfortunately the reality is somewhat different from her dreams: her grandmother is cranky and doesn't let Kate out of the house for fear of murderers and rapists. The mysterious, hot, sexy guy next door, Jack Baker, nearly killed her with his car and they have had a hate-hate relationship ever since which doesn't improve when Kate makes a fool of herself in the local pub.

Kate's passion is for fashion (I'm a poet and I didn't know it!) and when she discovers that her Nanna has two rooms full of vintage fashion, jewellery and handbags her life is complete. She decides to expand her blog into a vlog called 'Kate on the Thames'.

I am always hypercritical about books set in London and there were a few issues with this (Kate refers to the Thames River whereas it is ALWAYS the River Thames, or just the Thames) but mostly I just finished the book feeling a bit meh. I didn't understand why Jack liked Kate so much or why Nanna Joy was such a curmudgeon. I didn't 'feel' the romance blooming between Kate and Jack and therefore it all felt a bit rushed. There were incidents, like Kate meeting Jack's friend in the pub, which seemed irrelevant to the plot or as though they were intended to be part of a plot that didn't materialise. I didn't even feel that Kate was Australian - there was nothing to distinguish her speech from anyone else.

Overall, this was a pleasant enough read but it didn't really work for me.

I received a free copy of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley in return for an honest review.

What a fabulous fun and sensual story this one is and I thank MS Duggan for my awesome trip to London it really was lots of fun the setting and descriptions were amazing I felt I was there and of course Kate and Jake and Nana and Vera just fabulous characters.

Kate Brown has arrived in London to do what she has always dreamed of doing exploring not only the City and sights but the fashion and styles and make-up and get her blog off and running and how lucky is she to be able to stay at her grandmother’s house rent free or is it? But then maybe meeting her gorgeous although reckless neighbour Jack might help.

Jack Baker drives a fast car dresses amazingly good and could have anyone he wants but when he meets his new neighbour by nearly running her over he is hooked actually gobsmacked and left speechless, she comes across surly and cranky but he is determined to get her to smile and seeing as how their balconies are next door to each other what a way to connect.

Truly this one had me laughing out loud as Kate tries to cope with her very cranky Nana, and Jack what with his gorgeousness and the way he makes her smile he draws her in and their very sensual affair will have you needing a fan and then of course there is the secret room that she discovers that opens up a whole new world for Kate.

Do yourself a favour pick this one up and sit back and read it you will not be sorry because smiling you will be and laughing out loud thank you MS Duggan for another keeper one that will make me smile for some time to come.

This is the third book in the series. These books can be read as stand alone reads. I was hooked from the first page, I just couldn't put this book down till I'd finished it. The characters are both funny and sweet. This book will make you swoon over and over again as you read. The characters are fantastic and really well written. The story flows really well. I can't wait to read more from this author in the future.
Highly recommended

London Bound, Heart of the City series book 3, CJ Duggan

Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews

Genre:  Romance, 

I read Paris Lights just before requesting this - it was on KU and I really enjoyed it. This book links slightly with that, we met Kate briefly in book one, and as I haven't yet read book two there may be more link ups. Each are stand alone books though so no nasty cliff-hangers!! 

Kate's a lovely girl but I kept wanting to say to her "stand up to Nana Joy". If ever a woman was misnamed that's her...Still, I guess Kate was afraid of being sent back, not living out her dream. The way she is though she isn't doing it either...but bullying is pervasive, it has a build up effect so that the person being bullied gets more scared, loses more of their character and becomes intimidated easily. That was clearly happening to Kate. 
She gets to go out slowly, little increments of freedon aided by carer Vera, who's a real gem
. 
Jack seems very arrogant when we first meet him, but slowly we meet the real person and when we find out more about him his first reactions were understandable. I really liked him, a true gentleman. They get closer, balcony meetings leading to some steamy encounters and things heat up.
Kate's discovery about the secret room in Nana Joys house leads to her moving on with her new blog, starting at last some of the things she'd hoped to do when coming to London.
Then the blog picks up, the heat between her and Jack picks up, what she doesn't realise is that secrets are also picking up and when all is revealed she's distraught.

I love a bit of drama, and that was perfect for me but...its over far too soon. I need to wallow a bit in heartbreak, and though Kate was gutted she soon got over it. Small crit but the difference between a four and a five for me.
I found the same thing with Paris Lights, a great read but the drama soon over. Others want their stories that way though, its the old horses for courses thing where you simply can't please everyone one. 

Its a fun read, with some great humour tucked in, fabulous clothes, and a snapshot of the London Experience for Kate. 

Stars: Four, an enjoyable read, with realistic characters and scenes. 

ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers

*** I voluntarily received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ***
I promise an honest review so here it is.....

This is the first book I've read in this series and it can be read as a standalone. I've never read anything from this author before so I was excited to start this book. It was an okay read for me. Kate was no at all what I expected because I just for the life of me, I could not understand how she could let her grandmother control, insult, degrade and embarrass her and just sit there and take it. Where was her backbone? I swear she must have lost it somewhere on the flight or on her trip to her grandmothers house. There was no way her grandmother or Nana, as she called her could be redeemed in my eyes; I truly disliked her. However, I really enjoy Jack. He was sweet, caring, handsome and funny. The story seemed to flow slowly to me so I really enjoyed the parts of the story that included Jack because it always brought a smile to my face. I'm glad I was give the opportunity to read this book and I'm not against giving another book from this author a try. Just because this one wasn't great for me doesn't mean I shouldn't give another one a try.