Sandy M’s review of Black Tangled Heart by Samantha Young
Contemporary Romance published by Amazon.com Services 15 May 20

Since I began reading Samantha Young with her Hart’s Boardwalk series, she’s not once let me down, giving me wonderful characters, engrossing story lines, and love and romance to remember for a long time to come. This latest edition in her Play On series, which is a series connected only by involvement in the arts and not by characters in any way, is different only because it’s a tad darker than her usual stories. But that doesn’t take away from it one bit – it adds what is necessary for the hero and heroine to finally realize their love will never die.

Jane is a true Jane Doe. She’s been in the foster care system over and over when families decide not to adopt her. Then she does get lucky with a young couple, but she never feels “home” until she meets Lorna, a young girl in the same building where Jane lives. Lorna and her brother Jamie live with their older sister Skye, who is having great success in Hollywood. Jane and Lorna become best friends, and though Jane has a crush on Jamie, he looks at her as another little sister. Until one day when things in his heart just change.

Jane, however, tries to fight her feelings, because that’s one of Lorna’s conditions of being best friends – no falling for her brother. But the two can’t help themselves, and their young love is born.They try to keep it all a secret, but, of course, eventually the truth comes out and tragedy ensues when they all least expect it.  Jane and Jamie come apart and it’s not until years later before they see each other again – but it’s not the reunion you would hope for. Jamie is only out for revenge, especially when it comes to Jane, who left him when he needed her most.

I really enjoyed these two lovers, even when things aren’t great between them. You can only hope Ms. Young is able to bring it all together for their happily ever after – which she does, but she makes you wait for it. Usually I’m pretty hard on stories that keep a misunderstanding going for too long, but in this case, it comes from a quarter the characters don’t expect. And then when they finally talk to each other and realize what happened to draw them apart, it’s all worth the anger, sadness, and lost love.

This book has it all when it comes to a terrific romance. So be sure to pick it up and read it soon. You don’t have to read the others in the series since no previous characters appear in this story. I think you’ll enjoy Jamie and Jane as much as I did.

Grade: A

Summary:

To my siblings, Jane was a friend. A pseudo-sister, the girl we grew up with.
To me? She was everything.
Our passion consumed us.

When our world fell apart, I thought our love would be the thing that held us together.
She was the love of my life. But she abandoned me when I needed her most.
And I’ll never forgive her.

For years I’ve been planning my revenge against the people who took everything from me.
Jane won’t be an exception. I’m coming for her.
She knows it.

She says she wants to help me serve my version of justice on the people who hurt me.
I’ll let her.
She probably thinks it will save her from me.

It won’t.

No excerpt available.