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A review by bookphenomena_micky
Beyond the Thistles by Samantha Young
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
4.0
Headlines:
I want to live in Ardnoch
Quiet grump, soft centre
Guilt and redemption
As if there was any doubt I'd be up for this off-shoot series of the Adair Family, I'll confirm right now that more from the highland village of Ardnoch where the rich and famous come to chill is a favourite place to read about. The rich and famous are rarely at the fore, it's the normal residents that have our attention.
Sloane and Walker were great MCs and carried the story well with gruff dialogue, grumpy sunshine characterisation and a slow opening up of more. There were some intense storylines centred mostly around Sloane that brought that suspense element to this highland retreat readers have come to expect (content warnings below). That said Walker had a story in his background too.
The connection with Sloane and Walker was slow burn but kindling a roaring heat, I felt invested in these two and sometimes frustrated with Walker. The dynamic with Callie and Walker was a sweet addition to the sense of family.
The pacing for this read was a little different, I liked how Samantha Young flipped the suspense to parts of the story I didn't expect then snuck back in with more; it kept me on my reader toes.
My parting thought...poor Hayden AGAIN!
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
I want to live in Ardnoch
Quiet grump, soft centre
Guilt and redemption
As if there was any doubt I'd be up for this off-shoot series of the Adair Family, I'll confirm right now that more from the highland village of Ardnoch where the rich and famous come to chill is a favourite place to read about. The rich and famous are rarely at the fore, it's the normal residents that have our attention.
Sloane and Walker were great MCs and carried the story well with gruff dialogue, grumpy sunshine characterisation and a slow opening up of more. There were some intense storylines centred mostly around Sloane that brought that suspense element to this highland retreat readers have come to expect (content warnings below). That said Walker had a story in his background too.
The connection with Sloane and Walker was slow burn but kindling a roaring heat, I felt invested in these two and sometimes frustrated with Walker. The dynamic with Callie and Walker was a sweet addition to the sense of family.
The pacing for this read was a little different, I liked how Samantha Young flipped the suspense to parts of the story I didn't expect then snuck back in with more; it kept me on my reader toes.
My parting thought...poor Hayden AGAIN!
Thank you to the author for the review copy.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault and Sexual violence