Beyond the Thistles, the first book in the Highlands series by Samantha Young, is live!

Oh, my heart, what a read! So many feels in this book, a grumpy/sunshine, age gap, single parent romance with a badass protective hero and a fierce-yet-relatable heroine, and a gorgeous love story that is sexy and intense, hard-fought-for, and full of so much emotion. I was completely sucked into this story and loved every moment of the journey.

 

Amazon  |  Amazon Worldwide

 

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Blurb

It’s been a long time since Walker Ironside left behind Scotland and the memories that haunt him. Yet after years of traveling the world as a bodyguard, Walker misses his homeland enough to return. To a village in the Scottish Highlands that plays host to an exclusive members-only club, Ardnoch Estate. If not happy, Walker is content working with the elite security at the club and maintaining his bachelor lifestyle. What he doesn’t need is distraction in the form of the enticing but too-young newcomer, single mother Sloane Harrow.

Sloane never imagined she’d get pregnant at sixteen. Or that a decade later she’d escape from California with her daughter, Callie, to start over in the Scottish Highlands. Hidden and safe from Callie’s dangerous father, Sloane is satisfied with their new lives. Her daughter is happy. Sloane has a stable job, a quaint cottage, a passion for baking that might just be turning into a business, and a huge crush on brooding security guard Walker Ironside. Unfortunately, the grumpy Scot seems immune to Sloane’s charm, but she can’t help but try to seduce him with cupcakes and baked treats whenever the opportunity arises.

However, when someone arrives in Ardnoch intent on destroying Sloane’s life, Walker is the first to step forward to protect her and Callie. Even if it means giving into temptation and awakening his own demons. Because in doing so, Walker faces failing not only to shield Sloane from her past, but to safeguard her against his own.

 

 

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Review

5 stars!

Oh, my heart, what a read! So many feels in this book, a grumpy/sunshine, age gap, single parent romance with a badass protective hero and a fierce-yet-relatable heroine, and a gorgeous love story that is sexy and intense, hard-fought-for, and full of so much emotion. I was completely sucked into this story and loved every moment of the journey.

This is the beginning of a new series for Samantha Young, set within the stunning world of the Scottish Highlands, and a very close spin-off from The Adairs series. I was thrilled when I learned that we’d be getting more books in this world, full of beautifully emotional and dramatic romance with well-integrated suspense storylines, and intense, passionate, and swoony love stories; and that’s exactly what we get with this one.

Sloane and Walker are new to Ardnoch, and both were introduced in the last book of The Adairs series, Only You. Walker is a stand-offish ex-military man who works security; he came to town as Brodan Adair’s bodyguard, and now works with the team at Ardnoch Estate, protecting the resort’s exclusive celebrity guests. Sloane ran from her life in the US and moved to Ardnoch to create a new life for herself and her ten year old daughter. She works as a housekeeper at the Estate, and bakes on the side, and she’s become best friends with Monroe, Brodan’s now-wife.

So, between work and their personal lives, Sloane and Walker have plenty of opportunity to interact, and Sloane has developed quite the crush on the grumpy man who seems to want nothing much to do with her beyond eating her baked goods. But when she runs into trouble, Walker is there to help her, and he becomes instantly protective of both Sloane and her little girl.

The chemistry between these two is intense, and the sexual tension is evident from the very beginning. But while Sloane wears her heart on her sleeve, Walker is more reserved, so it was to my utter delight that we get his POV and see that he’s feeling the attraction just as much as she is, he just has a truckload of baggage that he he’s unwilling to unload onto her, so he’s keeping his distance. Until this…

“My priority is my kid. And while you might look at me and see an exhausted single mom who needs to get gently laid and have a so-so, satisfactory orgasm, it’s us single moms who genuinely want a guy to fuck them wild and hard and give us multiple orgasms. And then go home so we don’t have to explain you to our kids or deal with you on top of the millions of other things we have to deal with on the daily.”

God, I love Sloane! She’s been through a lot, but she’s brave and bold, and she doesn’t hold back when it comes to what she wants, and when Walker finds himself unable to stay away any longer, they dive into a casual sex arrangement that is kinds of steamy.

“Get upstairs.”
Thrill filled me even as nervous butterflies fluttered wildly in my belly. “Are you going to be this bossy all the time?”
“Did you think I would be anything but in charge when we fuck?”
No.
No, I guessed not.
The man was a dominant, sexy bastard.

Holy. Freaking. Hotness! Walker may be closed-off and quiet, but damn, the man is a force in the bedroom, with sinful moves, and the sexy time is sizzling! As expected, ‘casual’ is only casual for a little while, and I loved seeing things change between them.

“I’ve never been in a relationship, Sloane. I don’t know if I know how to be in one. But if it’s enough for you to know I want to try, then stay with me.”

All of this is just the beginning of their story, because Sloane and Walker have a wild rides of ups and downs as they figure everything out. Between their mad chemistry, their intense sexual connection and their ever-growing feelings for each other, Sloane and Callie are still in danger and Walker is determined to protect them. And at the same time, Walker is still holding so much of himself back. It’s an emotional journey for them to find their way forward together, dealing with their personal issues and all that life is throwing at them, and I felt it all with them.

“You look at me like I can fix everything. I like the way it makes me feel,” I confessed gruffly. “I like that I’m that man for you. That someone as strong as you, as capable, wants me to be the man at her side.”

“You’re a hero, Walker … You try like no man I’ve ever met. Everything you feel is in everything you do. No one has ever made me feel so safe and essential as you do.”

I love these characters so much! Walker is so irresistibly grumpy, he has a lot of demons that he keeps secret, and he’s just this big, fierce, bossy, badass. But he softens around Sloane and little Callie (their bond is just gorgeous!), and the way he cares for them is so beautiful! He feels so much for Sloane, and watching him come to some pretty big realisations as he falls harder and harder for her is just beautiful.

And Sloane is a freaking rockstar! She’s strong and brave, and even though she’s been through so much, she doesn’t let it get to her, marching forward to create a good life for her and her daughter. She’s funny, sweet and relatable, and she fights for what she wants, not prepared to settle for less, and I loved her so much!

Though they have so much to work through, the love between Sloane and Walker is obvious, and the way they care for, support, and protect each other without question is gorgeous to see.

“I’m going to work my ass off to make sure I get to keep you forever, Walker.”
His lip curled slightly at the corner. “Woman, you don’t need to work your ass off. I have no intention of going anywhere.”

The suspense storyline is woven into the story really well, bringing intense feels and adding to the already intense drama and romance. I love the way their story unfolded, such a fun, sexy, dramatic, suspenseful and beautifully romantic ride, and I finished this one feeling super swoony and loved their HEA.

“I’ve loved no one like I love you.”

We get to catch up with some of the Adair clan. Brodan and Monroe, of course, but also a fair bit of Regan, which I loved. You don’t have to have read The Adair series before diving into this one, but you’ll love the tie-in and all of the cameos if you do. Plus, those books are all amazing, so don’t miss out on them!

This is such a gorgeous read! I’m looking forward to more from this series, and with hints dropped about the net book, and cannot wait to get my hands on that one.

I loved it – 5 stars.

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

 

Highlands Series

 

A spin-off from the fabulous Adair Family series – you don’t have to read this one first, but I highly recommend this series!

 

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Meet Samantha

Samantha Young is a New York Times, USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author. She’s been nominated for several Goodreads Choice Awards. Samantha writes adult contemporary and paranormal romance, YA urban fantasy and YA contemporary fiction and is currently published in 31 countries.

She resides in Scotland.

 

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