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Beyond the Thistles cover art

Beyond the Thistles

By: Samantha Young
Narrated by: Shane East, Stella Hunter
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Summary

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

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What listeners say about Beyond the Thistles

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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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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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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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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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Loved it!

I'm a fan of Samantha Young's novels, and I've already read the Adairs series, as that was an intro for Walker and Sloane characters. But this is the first book I'm listening and I loved it. I love to take my time to read normally so I didn't know what to expect from listening a romance by Samantha Young. Well, it's so worth it and I absolutely recommend it.
It has everything you'd like in a romance novel :lovable characters, she is a gorgeous, strong woman with a dificult past that will come tumbling into her present, he is an atractiv man that wasn't looking for commitment and relationship complications, but was very attracted, and  protectiv of her and her daughter, was admiring and was falling for her.
You'll not miss sparkling intimate scenes as well, conflict and tention and obviously action. I'm used to Samantha's style of throwing the characters in battles for their life and their loved ones, and I always like how the story unfolds, it makes you feel it, suffer and be releaved with the outcome.
I loved the narrations both for female and male voices. I believe that they done a great job and literally you getting transferred in the story like you are part of it, I have to point out that in a book this is very important for me, i like to hear their voices and somehow it's exactly how I imagine they'd sound.

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Such a great listen!

Let’s start by the story of ‘Beyond The Thistles’. ‘Beyond The Thistles’ was one of my most anticipated reads and boy did this book excel all my expectations! I loved ‘Beyond The Thistles’ from the moment I started reading and even though I read it a few weeks back, now being able to listen to it felt like magic. The slow-burn between Sloane and Walker was so good and I loved the intensity between those two.

Next to some toe-curling romance, there was plenty of suspense in this book. Add some fun and amazing friendships, a sweet and endearing little girl and I couldn’t get enough of this read. Even now I knew how this story went, it kept me sitting on the edge of my seat.

Now let me tell you about this book as an audiobook. I was a bit scared about listening to a story that is set in the Scottish Highlands. Would the narrators be able to do the book and the Scottish accents justice? Well, I shouldn’t have worried. Shane West and Stella Hunter did a great job in narrating this story and I enjoyed every moment of this book through their voices.

The narration of Walker by Shane West was amazing. His dark voice with a Scottish accent was something else! It definitely made me swoon, and it fitted the character of Walker to perfection. I simple couldn’t get enough of listening to him talk. And Stella definitely worked as the American Sloan as well.

‘Beyond The Thistles’ is a great read, and listening to it as an audiobook was just a damn great bonus in my opinion.

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I am utterly in love with this story and narration!

Gahhh! I will miss these characters, their banter, their love for one another and how sweet and heartfelt this story was at times. The narration was absolutely fabulous!! Stella Hunter and Shane East are so incredibly talented and skilled. I am simply in awe. They brought so much depth and heart and LIFE to this story. Highly, highly recommend!!!

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