London Falling (ISL #2) by Chanel Cleeton

* * * 1/2

We weren't a relationship, we were a ticking time bomb...

Maggie Carpenter walked away from the hottest encounter of her life when she left the seductive glitz of England for summer break in her South Carolina hometown. Now that she’s returned to the International School in London—and sexy, privileged Samir Khouri is once again close enough to touch—she can’t help but remember the attraction, the drama … the heartbreak.

She can’t help but want him even more.

Samir can’t afford to fall for someone so far removed from his world, not when his time in London is running out. It's his senior year—his last chance at freedom before he returns home to Lebanon. There, he’ll be expected to follow in his father’s footsteps—not follow his heart to Maggie. But when a scorching secret hookup becomes a temptation neither can resist, they’ll both have to fight to survive the consequences … and find a future together.

Don’t miss this explosive sequel to I See London, and the riveting conclusion to Maggie and Samir’s story. 

This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.

How freaking adorable is this cover? Seriously, that's what drew me to this series in the first place. And I'm thrilled to say London Falling is even better than its predecessor with the addition of Samir’s point of view making it a more rounded and engaging story. Where I See London was brimming throughout with sexual tension, London Falling has that combined with trepidation about what the future holds for each of them. I'll try to avoid any spoilery so here goes ...

After a heated ending, Maggie and Samir spend the summer apart and it's complete radio silence between them. When they return back to school neither knows what to expect. So they’re both jittery and awkward around each other. How their friends haven’t picked up on this, I have no idea. But when it comes out that Samir’s future is spoken for by his parents and that there’s no place in it for Maggie, her heart is broken and he’s a wreck.

My favourite aspect of London Falling is coming to know Samir as more than the international playboy we’re used to. He’s a guy with the burden of his family’s legacy looming over him. His unaffectionate father has high expectations of him to return to his side in Lebanon.  He has no tolerance for any of Samir's shenanigans or his indulgences. Knowing this makes you realize that Samir has been taking a very slow march toward kissing his freedom goodbye.

London Falling also highlights further the disparities between them such as their cultural differences and familial obligations which are laid out plainly before them. Maggie doesn't want to destroy his brilliant future and Samir doesn't want to lead her down this path that she can't accompany him on. These two are simply too afraid to be honest with each other about their feelings or about what they truly want for themselves. They play a very uneasy game by deciding to live in a fantasy for the next few months at school until Samir graduates and has to return to his family. Someone is undoubtedly going to get hurt once their bubble has to burst. It’s unavoidable but they’re both big kids and they know what they’re entering into. 

There are quite a few sweet surprises in London Falling that are well, bittersweet. Moments where you’ll smile and go “aww” and others where you’ll just feel sad because it'll make their goodbyes that much harder. Nevertheless, it’s a wonderful sequel with plenty of sizzling scenes as well as emotional ones. The only thing that could make this better? If Ms. Cleeton would be so kind as to give us a follow up with life moving forward from Samir’s point of view. I truly believe there’s a genuinely compelling story right there. Read London Falling and you'll understand what I'm on about!

~ Bel

I See London (ISL #1) by Chanel Cleeton

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Maggie Carpenter is ready for a change— and to leave her ordinary life in South Carolina behind. But when she accepts a scholarship to the International School in London, a university attended by the privileged offspring of diplomats and world leaders, Maggie might get more than she bargained for.

When Maggie meets Hugh, a twentysomething British guy, she finds herself living the life she always wanted. Suddenly she’s riding around the city in a Ferrari, wearing borrowed designer clothes and going to the hottest clubs. The only problem? Another guy, the one she can’t seem to keep her hands off of.

Half French, half Lebanese, and ridiculously wealthy, Samir Khouri has made it clear he doesn’t do relationships. He’s the opposite of everything Maggie thought she wanted…and he’s everything she can’t resist. Torn between her dream guy and the boy haunting her dreams, Maggie has to fight for her own happy ending. In a city like London, you never know where you stand, and everything can change in the blink of an eye.

*This is a New Adult romance recommended for readers 17 and up.*

Okay. I desperately needed a romance and nothing was catching my eye until I saw this. I don’t know if it was the cover or the fun title that had me repeating that silly rhyme in my head.  Whatever it was, I got exactly what I was looking for.

Maggie hails from a small town in the middle of nowhere and has a rocky start to her new life in London. Not only is it a bit of a culture shock but she seems to take an instant dislike to a couple of people. One of them is the hottie rich kid Samir, who spots her as she exits her taxi upon arrival at the school. The other would happen to be her roommate, Fleur. To make it worse, both Fleur and Samir are tight. How did Maggie win this lottery? While it's not a good way to start off the school year she’s hardly a wallflower. She still makes some friends and despite the initial iciness, her roommate does show some promise.

As she settles into her new routine, the only thing that rattles her is her consistent and awkward encounter with Samir. There’s something about him that both intrigues her – his good looks, his confidence – and also repulses her – his giant-sized ego, their vastly different backgrounds.  Naturally, you know these two are drawn to each other and play out this cat-and-mouse game throughout most of the book. It's just a question of which one of them finally gives in first.

I enjoyed many things about I See London like when Maggie goes sightseeing and immerses herself in London life. Or when she spends genuine time with her new friends. I appreciate that she faces some struggle in learning to get on with Fleur because let's be honest, we all have been in that situation but in this case, Maggie has the guts to face it head on. The fact that she has to keep up her GPA in order to retain her scholarship and remain at the school makes her relatable.  It's also a reminder of how her reality is different from that of her new friends. These are all things most of us would come across at college.

A few things bothered me slightly, one of them being Samir. At times he can come off as predatory. Not creepy predatory if that makes any sense. It's just that because he keeps his emotions so closely guarded, it's hard to determine what his true intentions are. It just feels like he has the upper hand and is dictating every scenario. That said, his interactions with Maggie are still hot even if they're confusing. Don't get me wrong. I liked him when he was all flirty and cocky - I mean really, isn't that what I usually like? But as their friendship develops further, my feelings aren't quite as mixed about Samir. And then I worry about Maggie herself. It seems for a while as if she becomes more concerned with her dating life than with school. And then when she meets Hugh, a much older guy and isn't exactly truthful about herself, I found myself wagging an imaginary finger at her. I mean, what is she doing especially if she has conflicted feelings about Samir? There's no way that can end well. I worried that she would get lost in this world of partying and that her inexperience with men could possibly derail her ambitions.

Despite my personal reservations, I really did enjoy I See London. Maggie does a lot of growing up during this time and by the end of the school year her concept of what  “home” means, changes. Ultimately, this is a romance and it is hot! The fact that the sexual tension is drawn out thanks to a few minor twists that make it unclear as to exactly what's going to happen next, the delayed gratification is all the sweeter!

~ Bel 

The review for the sequel London Falling will be posted on Tuesday, July 8.

When Love Comes To Town by Tom Lennon

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The year is 1990, and in his hometown of Dublin, Ireland, Neil Byrne plays rugby, keeps up with the in-crowd at his school, and is just a regular guy. A guy who's gay. It's a secret he keeps from the wider world as he explores the city at night and struggles to figure out how to reveal his real self--and to whom.

First published in Ireland in 1993 and compared to The Catcher in the Rye by critics, Tom Lennon's When Loves Comes to Town is told with honesty, humor, and originality.

This is the 20^th anniversary edition of When Love Comes To Town. At first I didn’t realize it was a re-issue. But I’m glad for it as I got the chance to experience a time and place as it was back then, not from memory but as it was happening. The foreword by James Klise provides a stark reminder that this book arrived on the scene before famous people coming out of the closet became the norm. That provided an interesting perspective as I read through one of the best and most touching books on the subject.

Neil truly is just one of the lads. He’s bright, personable, athletic and charming, surrounded by many friends though still feels separate from everyone because of what he is hiding. Lennon does a fantastic job laying out the path that Neil begins on as he gains the courage to be himself. He starts by revealing himself to one of his best friends, Becky. Her reaction and instant acceptance are a surprise and relief to him. Having at least one person know this secret that he’s held so close is like opening a floodgate encouraging him to be braver.

He stumbles upon a gay bar in Dublin where he’s a little out of his element at first but ends up making new friends. As the story progresses, Neil balances between his worlds – his gay friends, the select few who know his secret and the rest of his oblivious family and friends.

When Love Comes To Town is a lovely coming-of-age story that's compassionate, thoughtful and witty. I instantly took to Neil. He's the kind of guy you'd want to be your best friend or brother. He has a wonderful personality that is so welcoming and devoid of pretense. Yes, I know that is odd to say considering how he’s been hiding his sexuality. But he’s such a genuine guy who is trying to come into his own. That’s a struggle every person goes through regardless of sexual orientation. And the story is not just about Neil. It’s also about the people around him who are learning to adjust to changes in their own lives and relationships. Neil’s observations are perceptive.  His willing acceptance of some of his friend's reactions is remarkably generous considering how close-minded they are. 

I highly recommend When Love Comes To Town. It's a brilliant book about self-discovery without a whole lot of angst or overly dramatic elements. It's simply charming, starting out with promise, delivering straight through the end!

~ Bel