This review may contain spoilers, so fair warning, upon reading the review.
About The Book
Settled in the tranquil remoteness of the Scottish Highlands, Ardnoch Estate caters to the rich and famous. It is as unattainable and as mysterious as its owner —ex-Hollywood leading man Lachlan Adair—and it’s poised on the edge of a dark scandal.
After narrowly escaping death, police officer Robyn Penhaligon leaves behind her life in Boston in search of some answers. Starting with Mac Galbraith, the Scottish father who abandoned her to pursue his career in private security. To re-connect with Mac, Robyn will finally meet a man she’s long resented. Lachlan Adair. Hostility instantly brews between Robyn and Lachlan. She thinks the head of the Adair family is high-handed and self-important. And finding closure with Mac is proving more difficult than she ever imagined. Robyn would sooner leave Ardnoch, but when she discovers Mac is embroiled in a threat against the Adairs and the exclusive members of the estate, she finds she’s not yet ready to give up on her father.
Determined to ensure Mac’s safety, Robyn investigates the disturbing crimes at Ardnoch, forcing her and Lachlan to spend time together. Soon it becomes clear a searing attraction exists beneath their animosity, and temptation leads them down a perilous path.
While they discover they are connected by something far more addictive than passion, Lachlan cannot let go of his grip on a painful past: a past that will destroy his future … if the insidious presence of an enemy lurking in the shadows of Ardnoch doesn’t do the job first.
I always thought perfect silence was nothing. But it’s not. It’s the world devoid of human noise. It’s waves lapping at the shore, gulls crying in the sky, the breeze whistling over clifftops and soaring down valleys.
My Review
First Impressions
Here We Go is the first book in the Adair Family series and I am not sure why I have waited so long to read these books. Their covers are gorgeous and YES that is what drew me back to this author. I have'[t read her since “Every Little Thing” was released. And while that wasn’t my favorite book from this author, I still wanted to see how her writing differed now that she is self published and I can say that she rocked “Here With Me” out of the PARK!! This book was everything I could have wanted and more. There was so much goodness to this book and I honestly didn’t know what to expect from it, I really was expecting it to not be that great as the reviews on Goodreads are pretty mixed but the moment I started reading, I was completely hooked into this story and the whole enemies to lovers aspect was written so brilliantly and this is a trope that is definitely not my favorite and I adore the way that this book was written. I also couldn’t get enough of the mystery that is present through the story, I was on the edge all the way through and when the villain was revealed I was SHOCKED and that doesn’t happen too often. This was just what I needed at the right time and fed my romantic soul
He knew better than anyone that often those who seemed the strongest buried their pain a little deeper than the rest. Sometimes those who seemed the strongest needed the support of others more than those around them ever realized.
Summary
Our story starts off with our heroine, Robyn Penhaligon, who is a police officer. When she is shot in a drug bust, and almost dies, she reevaluated where her life is going and that she wants more from it. As much as she loves the law, she also doesn’t want to die for it either. She knows what her passion is….photography and traveling. Her first step of business is to resolve the issues between herself and her father. They have been estranged ever since he left her and her family to be a bodyguard to an actor and travel all over the world with him and now resides in Scotland at a country estate that caters to the elites of Hollywood. Robyn wants answers though from her father, but when she arrives the man her father is surprises her and isn’t what she expects. She senses that there is more to their story than has been told to her. But there is also this tension between herself and Lachlan. Lachlan is an infamous actor, who has now retired in Scotland and built this estate that is well guarded and only caters to the elites of the stars of the world. But when Mac’s life is put in danger, and there is a dangerous stalker that threatens those Lachlan cares about, Lachlan and Robyn join forces to bring down the threat. But they don’t expect for love to happen between them all the while working to bring down a dangerous threat…
“You’re the most truly alive person I’ve ever met.” I sucked in a breath at the compliment. “Lachlan.” A fierceness, something akin to anger, sparked in his blue eyes. “When you meet him, the man you want to settle down with … make sure he’s perfect.” His voice was hoarse as he confessed, “I don’t think I could live with anything else.”
What I Loved
This BOOK was just about everything I would want from a romantic suspense and I loved every single moment. I couldn’t help but fall head over heels in love with this book, and this book is a long one, just to warn you all. Its over 500 pages and that is so rare even in a romantic suspense. I honestly didn’t expect it from this author, but I was so hooked into this story I hardly noticed. I was so swept away by all the factors that come together in this story. I will say that the angst is handled so brilliantly. I had a blast with these two and their love match and seeing all that angst and distrust turn into something hot and fierce. The romance that builds between them does start with a lot of dislikes but attraction. Then begins to turn into passion and that passion turns into faceted layers of deep emotion that is skin deep. Seeing this growth in their relationship was such a wild ride and I didn’t expect there to be so many deep intimate layers that are penned within this story. Then of course we have the rebuilding of a father and daughter relationship that I adored every single moment. Seeing them reconcile and bond was such a beautiful thing. Then we have the plot of the stalker. *sigh* this really worked me through the wringer and I adored how on edge I was throughout this book and how every time I had it figured out, it was swept out from under me and who is revealed as the villain really shocked me here. I didn’t see it at ALL. I loved that this author was able to write such a convincing tale of suspense, edgy passion and in-depth emotion.
“I don’t think of myself as a woman who needs taking care of, but everybody needs someone in their lives who makes them feel safe, who makes them feel like they’re not alone and who makes them feel important.
What I Struggled With
NOTHING!! I loved every moment!
Overall View
Overall I found Here With Me to be a fantastic read that won my heart so quickly. Its journey of intense emotion, uphill battles of character growth and the challenges that are riddled with thrills left this reader so captivated!
Braveheart, I want your home to be where I am because my home is wherever you are.
Title: Here With Me
Author: Samantha Young
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Length: 528 Pages
Book Links
Amazon| Barnes and Noble| Kobo| Goodreads| LibraryThing| StoryGraph| Literal Club
Book Evaluation
Storytelling Quality: 5
Story Itself: 5
Character Development: 5
Writing Style: 5
World Building 5
Feels + The Romantic Heart 4.5
Pacing 5
Plot 5
Cover Art 5
Ending 4.5
Book Ratings
Overall Rating of the Book
Steam Level
Simmering—soft warm touches and light intimacy
Warm- a medium level of sexual tension, a balance of sexual and emotional intimacy, lighter on the details in the sexual moments.
Steamin’ up the room -the sexual content is more explicit in the language and tone, heavier amount of sexual scenes.
Blazing fire to the building-The prime focus is the sex scenes, scorching hot, and could burn one. Less focus on the emotional intimacy to the relationship.
Series Order
Adair Family
Here With Me-Pub 2021 #1 in the Series
There With You-Pub 2021 #2 in the Series
Always You-Pub 2022 #3 in the Series
Be With Me-Pub 2022 #4 in the Series
About The Author
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.
I read different books by Young set in Scotland. Is she from there? I am not much of a romantic suspense reader, but I am happy to see you enjoyed this one.
I’ve actually been wanting to dip my toe into romantic suspense and this might just be where I start!