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Beyond the Thistles

The Highlands Series, Book 1

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Beyond the Thistles

By: Samantha Young
Narrated by: Shane East, Stella Hunter
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About this listen

He's a brooding bodyguard. She's a single mom on the run. And in a town this small, they can't hide from their fierce attraction....

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.

©2023 Samantha Young (P)2023 Samantha Young
Contemporary Contemporary Romance Romance Romantic Suspense Highlander Suspense Heartfelt Feel-Good Scotland
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What listeners say about Beyond the Thistles

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Perfect combination of suspense & romance

knew from the glimpses we got that the spin off series of The Adair family would be good, book one is here and it is so so good!!

If you like suspense, single mom and the bodyguard trope just pick it up and you won't regret it.

Sloane is a single mom who is running from her past, she got the change to start over in Scotland and she immediately jumped to it. Her new life has a schedule, close friends and a sexy security man that drives her wild.

Walker is used to protect people, it's what he does, but he always keeps his distance, he doesn't want to get close to people and he certainly doesn't want anything more than a casual relationship, the fact that Sloane is a single mom, makes things more complicated or so he tells himself.

I have to be honest, Walker drove me crazy, he kept putting on walls around him thinking that they could protect him but they only kept him alone. But the moment he decided to feel, my, my that was glorious. I loved how secretly sweet he was especially to Sloane and her daughter.

Sloane is a serious badass heroine, she is fighting to the end and I loved how open and honest she was about her wants and needs.

The suspense and mystery is always something I am looking forward to see unfold in a suspense romance and this was very nicely done.

I look forward to the next book!


Both narrators did a wonderful job giving life to the characters!


* I received an ARC and this is my honest opinion.

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Love it!

I absolutely loved the Adair Family series and I was gutted when I found out it was coming to an end. But then Samantha announced a spin off series in the same world and I was so excited.
Beyond the Thistles is the first in the spin off series and it was absolutely brilliant. This book is about Walker and Sloane. These two have so much chemistry and loved how they balanced each other out. Walker doesn’t wNt commitment but he provides it when Sloane’s danger from the past comes back. I really loved his grumpy to Sloane’s sunshine.
This book had me hooked from the very first page. Samantha Young has become an auto-buy author for me, because after reading the Adair Family series then this one, I have become addicted to her words.
I listened to the audiobook and let me tell how perfect it was. Shane East and Stella Hunter did fantastic jobs of bringing these characters to life.

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The beginning of another fantastic series.

It's great to be back in Ardnoch, the home of the Adairs.

With The Highland Series, what were once secondary characters are being given centre stage and ultimately their HEA.

A prologue of sorts for Sloane and Walker was aired in Only You, Monroe and Brodan's story, BUT it absolutely does not prepare you for the intrigue of Beyond the Thistles.

Can you say 'intrigue, secrets and mystery'? There is plenty of all three in this series' debut novel.

The journey towards Walker and Sloane's HEA is a twisty turning journey that will keep you guessing as they find their way to each other.

There is certainly more mystery than other novels that I've read from this author and I think she slays this trope. Hopefully she will explore this further. Definitely a more 'romantic suspense' vibe than pure romance!

Bravo Samantha Young...I can't wait for the next book in, this new, The Highland Series.

As you'd expect, the narrators brought this story to it's full technicolour splendour. Despite my love for the male narrator and his splendid portrayal of a Scottish man, as a Scot myself I would have loved a fellow Scot to bring me the voice of Walker. However, this in no way detracted from my enjoyment of this newest addition to Samantha Young's catalogue.

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the plot was amazing, the performance made it feels real, the voices were so well preformed

it was all amazing 10/10, the twists and turns, it made me laugh, tear up, it was just amazing

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Both characters were very interesting to read about 

I like it’s that the narrators are a very different and their styles. However, they did choose a the non-Scottish narrator for the Scottish characters and some of the words were not pronounced correctly, but when she get over that it’s a very good listen 

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Single mom/grumpy guard finding Safe haven in the Highlands

4⭐ 7.6/10✨
A story of a young single mom finding shelter and a grumpy guard while working for an estate in the Highlands.

The narration was fab, highly recommended the audio version- Shane East had a perfect and deep Scottish brogue and Stella Hunter gave life to her character.

We get all the tropes:
Protective alpha male
Jelousy
Accents
Grumpy security guard
Traumatic past
Harassment
Single parent/mom
Ex-military
Slowburn and pining

There was lot of painful backstory for these characters that made them causeous and have little faith in themselves. I felt for them and cheered for them to find redemption and a place to call safe together. The single mom aspect gave way to some good protection dynamics and sweet interactions.

We had ton of pining and some spice when they finally succumbed to each other in an explosive manner. The "I'm an animal in bed" has been overly done, yes, but gave way to some nice spice.

The atmosphere promised Scottish vibes, the Highlands as the backdrop but I would have loved to see even more of it. The communal way of life was sweet and had found family vibes.

Author's writing was flowing and easy to follow. The plot was sprinkled with many intrigues, mostly past that haunted them. The pace was fluctuating at times and I was almost whiplashed by the sudden turn of events in the end. The reader is kept guessing their true motives but fortunately all is explained in the end.

This book was enjoyable, showing two broken people who slowly build trust and safe haven for each other. Go read and/or listen, but check your triggers.

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What a fantastic start to this new series

I loved Samantha Young’s Adair Family series, so this spin off, The Highlands, was a no-brainer for me. Book 1 focusses on Walker Ironside, (personal bodyguard to Brodan Adair), who has attracted the attention of Ardnoch housekeeper (and baker extraordinaire), Sloane Harrow. Walker though rejects all advances from Sloane, he’s not interested in a relationship, or any complicated entanglements, no matter how much he’s attracted to Sloane. But when her life is threatened he’s the first to put himself forward to protect Sloane and her adorable daughter, Callie. Both Sloane and Walker have pasts that they are hiding away from, but the demons in Sloane’s closet are suddenly front and centre in Ardnoch. Lots of action, suspense, oh so many secrets, and of course the Adair Family are there to assist. I loved that we got to finally find out both Sloane and Walker’s stories, they did not disappoint. An entertaining and addictive read. The audio version is narrated by Shane East, who I must say rocks the Scottish accent, and Stella Hunter. Both perfect for the roles of Walker and Sloane. I was lucky enough to receive a complementary copy of this audiobook, this is my honest review.


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Fabulous dual narration

In a grumpy/sunshine story set in the fictional highland town of Ardnoch security expert and commitment-phobe Walker is fighting his attraction to single mum Sloane, a woman with more than a few secrets of her own and who is equally attracted to him. What begins as a mutual ‘scratching of itches’ deepens when her secrets bubble to the surface bringing danger to the highlands invoking every protective instinct Walker has making him determined to protect Sloane and her daughter but there might be more behind the threats than is first apparent

With Beyond the Thistles we get a a small town setting, wonderful characters with more than a little chemistry, romantic suspense and a healthy dose of angst, all set in the most beautiful countryside in the world…. OK so I’m Scottish, I might be biased but that doesn’t make me wrong and I love how Samantha Young writes about streets and towns that she knows where her love for her homeland shines through in every word.

Shane East is one of my dream team narrators but as I’m more used to him doing suave English business types I’ll admit to having been slightly apprehensive for his depiction of a Scottish brogue as so many people end up sounding more Irish but I shouldn’t have worried. I could listen to his portrayal of the brooding Walker all day long and if he mispronounced a couple of words…. well I forgive him. When you couple his performance with Stella Hunter who was perfect as the feisty American Sloane, together they brought this book to life instantly transporting this listener to Ardnoch and the Highlands.

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Wow!

I felt this series has alot to stand up to against the original adair series but my god it lived up to expectations. I couldn't stop listening, I got sucked into their chemistry from the start! Such an emotional roller coaster and I totally didn't foresee the additional drama. I think walker may be a new fantasy I didn't know I needed.
The narrators did a brilliant job in bringing the characters to life. Would 100% reccomend.

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Fabulous book

Wow what an explosive and suspenseful story. This book had actio;and love all the way. Full of drama, intrigue and love it was perfect. Can’t wait for the next book now. The narration was excellent too

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