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The Waiter
Small-town southern girl Sammy St. Clair has just turned 30 and is recovering from an apocalyptic breakup with Dalton, an incredibly sexy but emotionally abusive older man she’s dated since college. While visiting her cousin Josh in Manhattan, she falls in love with the city...and with a handsome waiter. But Dalton has no intention of letting her go and will do anything to destroy her newfound happiness. This 20th century historical fiction novel about a single woman starting over will take you on an emotional roller-coaster ride through Atlanta and New York City in 1999 - one year before the millennium and two years before 9/11. Full of fashion, friendship, laughter, big city romance, and all the contemporary drama and struggles that come with dating and relationships, The Waiter serves up a heartwarming tale of love, loss, and above all, staying true to yourself. ◆ The Waiter is the first book in the Love, New York fiction series. More coming in 2022. WHAT READERS ARE SAYING...
★★★★★ An exciting and real love story. The Waiter is a book that you can't put down, and when it ends you want more. This is the first novel of Bradleigh Collins, who definitely will be added to my Must Read Authors list. I need and want more of this series. Bring it on! - Barbara, Amazon review ★★★★★ If you were in your 20s or 30s in the late 90s/early 2000s, you will LOVE the nostalgia of this book, from music to fashion to pop culture. This book is really about relationships, not just the one she has with The Waiter, but finding the courage to leave a bad (but comfortable) relationship as well as getting strength and support from friends and family. The Waiter is hot and Dalton is sexy even though he’s a total jerk, but her cousin Josh was my favorite guy character. There’s a lot to love in this book and it’s an easy, page-turning read. There were several times I laughed out loud and a couple that made me cry. For a debut novel, I was impressed and can’t wait to read the next book in the series. - Staci, Goodreads review ★★★★★ Ladies. We've all been there. Toxic relationships, new love, and most of all friendships that endure it all. Bradleigh Collins captures it all while giving you a tour of Manhattan complete with the most amazing description of what makes the city magical from food to fashion. Heartbreaking and strengthening at the same time. Enjoy Sammy's adventures! You'll be glad you did and you'll want more. - Mary, Amazon review
★★★★★ An exciting and real love story. The Waiter is a book that you can't put down, and when it ends you want more. This is the first novel of Bradleigh Collins, who definitely will be added to my Must Read Authors list. I need and want more of this series. Bring it on! - Barbara, Amazon review ★★★★★ If you were in your 20s or 30s in the late 90s/early 2000s, you will LOVE the nostalgia of this book, from music to fashion to pop culture. This book is really about relationships, not just the one she has with The Waiter, but finding the courage to leave a bad (but comfortable) relationship as well as getting strength and support from friends and family. The Waiter is hot and Dalton is sexy even though he’s a total jerk, but her cousin Josh was my favorite guy character. There’s a lot to love in this book and it’s an easy, page-turning read. There were several times I laughed out loud and a couple that made me cry. For a debut novel, I was impressed and can’t wait to read the next book in the series. - Staci, Goodreads review ★★★★★ Ladies. We've all been there. Toxic relationships, new love, and most of all friendships that endure it all. Bradleigh Collins captures it all while giving you a tour of Manhattan complete with the most amazing description of what makes the city magical from food to fashion. Heartbreaking and strengthening at the same time. Enjoy Sammy's adventures! You'll be glad you did and you'll want more. - Mary, Amazon review
343 pages, Paperback
Published December 30, 2020
5 people are currently reading
1016 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
July 7, 2021
If you were in your 20s or 30s in the late 90s/early 2000s, you will LOVE the nostalgia of this book, from music to fashion to pop culture. This book is really about relationships, not just the one she has with The Waiter, but finding the courage to leave a bad (but comfortable) relationship as well as getting strength and support from friends and family. The Waiter is hot and Dalton is sexy even though he’s a total jerk, but her cousin Josh was my favorite guy character. There’s a lot to love in this book and it’s an easy, page-turning read. There were several times I laughed out loud and a couple that made me cry. For a debut novel, I was impressed and can’t wait to read the next book in the series.
July 9, 2021
Sammy (just Sammy, not short for Samantha or anything else) St. Clair lives in Atlanta but is eager to start a new life. After visiting Josh, her cousin and BFF, in New York City, she decides NYC is the place for her with all its excitement, entertainment, shopping, and fashion. Sammy is a fashion guru; she knows all the latest styles, the best names in fashion, and the best look for every occasion. Lucy, one of Josh's friends, gives her a lead for a job with a start-up fashion site, and Sammy gets a job as a fashion editor. Walking in the park with Josh, Sammy sees a shirtless drool-worthy young man busy doing exercises, and he notices her too. In one of those funny little coincidences life likes to pop up from time to time, he turns out to be The Waiter at the restaurant they go to later. Their relationship heats up rapidly from there. She does have a boyfriend back home, but they've just broken up for the umpteenth time. Dalton might also be drool-worthy, but he's very possessive and a jerk most of the time. Does she stay with The Waiter or go back to Dalton? Has Sammy found the man of her dreams? Will she be able to finally end the cycle of the toxic relationship with Dalton? You'll have to read the book to find out.
In one of my reading challenges, I chose The Waiter as a book for a "guilty pleasure," and that's just what this is, like a smooth dark chocolate bar complete with nuts and a little bit of spice. I appreciate the way Bradleigh Collins handles the sex scenes. While I'm no prude, I think some novels go a little overboard with gratuitous overly graphic sex acts that do little to carry over the story's meaning. This story gives clear indications of what's going to happen or did happen and lets the reader's imagination fill in the rest. I'd love to be able to meet Sammy and all her delightful friends, though at my age I'd have to be everyone's cool aunt that they turn to for advice. lol
Luck smiled on me when I won this fun book in one of the numerous Goodreads giveaways I enter and don't always win. The note included with it was really sweet and felt a lot like something a friend would write. I'll definitely be eager to read any other books Ms. Collins writes.
In one of my reading challenges, I chose The Waiter as a book for a "guilty pleasure," and that's just what this is, like a smooth dark chocolate bar complete with nuts and a little bit of spice. I appreciate the way Bradleigh Collins handles the sex scenes. While I'm no prude, I think some novels go a little overboard with gratuitous overly graphic sex acts that do little to carry over the story's meaning. This story gives clear indications of what's going to happen or did happen and lets the reader's imagination fill in the rest. I'd love to be able to meet Sammy and all her delightful friends, though at my age I'd have to be everyone's cool aunt that they turn to for advice. lol
Luck smiled on me when I won this fun book in one of the numerous Goodreads giveaways I enter and don't always win. The note included with it was really sweet and felt a lot like something a friend would write. I'll definitely be eager to read any other books Ms. Collins writes.
July 11, 2021
The Waiter
The Waiter put me straight into the New York of the 1990’s, and lots of Sex in the City vibes.
Sam is living in Atlanta and working at an ad agency. She has broken up with her boyfriend of ten years and knows that what she really wants to do is move to New York. She pulls out all the stops and gets work as an editor at a cool start up.
She quickly slots into a supportive new friend group that she meets through her cousin Josh.
But the abusive ex doesn’t want to take no for an answer, and Sam has also met a new man is everything her ex isn’t… the Waiter.
She meets him over the weekend when she came to interview for a job. First seeing him working out in Central Park and then when he is the waiter at the restaurant she and Josh eat at that night.
The pair hit it off immediately, but the path of love sadly doesn’t always end in happy endings.
I loved the retro music and fashion vibe of this story and the fact that the city has a starring role to play. It’s a cutie!
The Waiter put me straight into the New York of the 1990’s, and lots of Sex in the City vibes.
Sam is living in Atlanta and working at an ad agency. She has broken up with her boyfriend of ten years and knows that what she really wants to do is move to New York. She pulls out all the stops and gets work as an editor at a cool start up.
She quickly slots into a supportive new friend group that she meets through her cousin Josh.
But the abusive ex doesn’t want to take no for an answer, and Sam has also met a new man is everything her ex isn’t… the Waiter.
She meets him over the weekend when she came to interview for a job. First seeing him working out in Central Park and then when he is the waiter at the restaurant she and Josh eat at that night.
The pair hit it off immediately, but the path of love sadly doesn’t always end in happy endings.
I loved the retro music and fashion vibe of this story and the fact that the city has a starring role to play. It’s a cutie!
May 4, 2021
Great read
I truly enjoyed reading this book from the beginning to the end. Great characters and a nice story for all
I truly enjoyed reading this book from the beginning to the end. Great characters and a nice story for all
March 19, 2021
just wasn’t my style
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews