A Royal Mile

De: Samantha Young

Narrado por: Shane East, Zara Hampton-Brown

A steamy enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romance from New York Times Bestselling Author Samantha Young.

It’s hard to stay in the friend zone when the attraction is this hot…Going into my senior year of university at war with a member of the British royal family wasn’t in my carefully laid plans. Sebastian Thorne might be the grandson of a princess, but it’ll take more than a royal pardon to get me to forgive him for pretending to be someone he’s not.

But Sebastian is determined to be my friend. Even if it means signing up to a psych experiment just to get me to talk to him. Who knew a sincere apology and him saying my name in that posh English accent would make me weak in the knees?

This year was supposed to be about my dissertation and graduate school. Only, Sebastian has thrown my ordered world off kilter. He makes me bolder, more confident. A braver version of me. Yet every lingering glance and stolen touch has me realizing one thing…I’m falling for my best friend. There’s just one problem. Sebastian has demons, ones that make him determined to keep me in the friend zone no matter the cost. And even when temptation sends his walls tumbling down, the beauty we’ve found might not survive against the powerful will of outside forces…

©2025 Samantha Young (P)2025 Samantha Young

Oh, this was just DELIGHTFUL.

* enemies to friends to lovers
* so much mutual pining
* he's a (distant) member of the royal family trying to live his own life
* she's a psychology major at university who also has a podcast with her sisters
* such genuine connection between our MCs

This is book 2 in the Return to Dublin Street and I enjoyed it so so much! So much complexity in our characters and I really enjoyed watching these two go from friends to more - their connection was so genuine and electric, you couldn't help but route for them!!

Rating: 4.5 stars

Thank you to the author for an e-ARC of this book - all opinions are my own!

Slow burn, enemies to friends to lovers

The second book of the next gen series didn’t disappoint. I read this and then downloaded the audio immediately after on release day.

Lily is a psychology student and has a dating / advice podcast with her friends. Sebastian is a student of royal decent (30th in line to the crown) and a regular on the rival podcast. These two start out rocky when his participation in the podcast is revealed. It builds on already existing trust issues. I enjoyed seeing them make their way back to friends. Sebastian was determined to do right, nearly to a fault, by Lily. While Lily is the introverted, studious one with past insecurities, I liked that she put herself first and showed her strength when Sebastian was working through his issues. Sebastian comes across as confident but he’s anything but. He struggles to do anything for himself that would cause joy because he’s punishing himself for his past. It’s riveting as his past comes to life.

Shane East and Zara Hampton-Brown are one of my favorite narrator pairings. They nailed these characters. Zara’s sweet tone is perfect for the shy, introverted Lily. She has the ability to switch to the male POV and other characters seamlessly and believably. Shane is Shane. He has perfected the confident swagger Sebastain shows on the outside but delivers ALL the emotion as he struggles with his past and figures out how to move forward.

I really enjoyed Sebastian and Lily’s journey to a happily ever after. This story continues to give all the banter, angst, humor and heart you expect from this series. I love revisiting characters from the first generations series as well. It’s like coming home again. I look forward to the next in the series.

Loved loved loved this one!!!

I absolutely loved this book! First…I 100% recommend everyone to listen to the audio! Man oh man!!! The narrators were so good!!! They brought these characters to life!!! Not gonna lie I just laid down and shut my eyes and let the movie in my mind begin! I was hooked immediately!! It was a one sit listen for me!! This is definitely one of those reads that when it ends you are going to start whining that it ended! This book could have kept going on for so much longer! I loved Lilly and Sebastian so much!! If you are a fan of enemies to friends, friends to lovers, college, slow burn romances make sure to read this one!!

A swoon worthy royal

I loved Sebastian, and I loved how much he liked Lily from the beginning! I’m a sucker for a curvy FMC, it makes it so real! I was entranced by their story and felt every moment so vividly. Sebastian had to do some grovel to explain why it seems he betrayed his friend. But although he feels this huge attraction for the most beautiful girl his ever met, and he is part of the royal family, he can’t commit. The more he knows Lily, the more he enjoys their friendship. Lily felt friend-zoned since the beginning. She enjoys her time with Sebastian and agrees to a friendship. Love friends to lovers trope, because the best couple starts as friends. Beautiful story, loved seeing the cameos from the other books! Can’t wait for the next book in the series!

These narrators made me feels like I was inside a movie

4.5 ⭐️
2.5 🌶️

Emotional story.

A Royal Mile took me on an emotional roller coaster. This book was well written, the characters were funny and the banters were top tiered. I enjoyed all the parts and the way the story flowed. Narrators were excellent.

So far so Good

The first two books in this series have been amazing. it is so great to revisit characters in a cherished series and now hear the stories of their children. the narrators are also fantastic.