What do you think?
Rate this book
Adair Family #1
Here With Me
Der prickelnde Auftakt der Adairs-Reihe von der internationalen Nr. -1-Bestsellerautorin
Robyn will Kontakt zu ihrem entfremdeten Vater Mac aufnehmen, deswegen reist sie in die Highlands. Dort trifft sie auf den Ex-Hollywoodstar Lachlan Adair. Den Mann, dem sie die Schuld an ihren zerrütteten Familienverhältnissen gibt. Das Oberhaupt der Adair-Familie ist Besitzer eines Resorts für die Reichen und Berühmten – und arrogant, selbstherrlich sowie verteufelt sexy. Sofort fliegen zwischen ihr und Lachlan die Fetzen. Doch jemand hat es auf die Adairs abgesehen, wodurch auch Mac bedroht wird. Robyn muss herausfinden, wer Lachlan und seinem Umfeld schaden will. Aber in Lachlans Nähe fällt es Robyn zunehmend schwerer, einen kühlen Kopf zu bewahren, und sie gibt ihrer intensiven Leidenschaft nach. Aber dies könnte für Robyn ein böses Ende nehmen …
Robyn will Kontakt zu ihrem entfremdeten Vater Mac aufnehmen, deswegen reist sie in die Highlands. Dort trifft sie auf den Ex-Hollywoodstar Lachlan Adair. Den Mann, dem sie die Schuld an ihren zerrütteten Familienverhältnissen gibt. Das Oberhaupt der Adair-Familie ist Besitzer eines Resorts für die Reichen und Berühmten – und arrogant, selbstherrlich sowie verteufelt sexy. Sofort fliegen zwischen ihr und Lachlan die Fetzen. Doch jemand hat es auf die Adairs abgesehen, wodurch auch Mac bedroht wird. Robyn muss herausfinden, wer Lachlan und seinem Umfeld schaden will. Aber in Lachlans Nähe fällt es Robyn zunehmend schwerer, einen kühlen Kopf zu bewahren, und sie gibt ihrer intensiven Leidenschaft nach. Aber dies könnte für Robyn ein böses Ende nehmen …
512 pages, Paperback
First published May 11, 2021
1758 people are currently reading
22403 people want to read
About the author
Samantha Young
108 books28.3k followersSamantha is a New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal bestselling author and a Goodreads Choice Awards Nominee. Samantha has written over 60 books and is published in 31 countries. She writes emotional and angsty romance, often set where she resides—in her beloved home country Scotland. Samantha splits her time between her family, writing and chasing after two very mischievous cavapoos.
Sign up to Sam's newsletter for book updates, exclusive giveaways and freebies - https://authorsamanthayoung.com/subsc...
Find Sam online at www.authorsamanthayoung.com, and on IG, TikTok and FB @authorsamanthayoung
Sign up to Sam's newsletter for book updates, exclusive giveaways and freebies - https://authorsamanthayoung.com/subsc...
Find Sam online at www.authorsamanthayoung.com, and on IG, TikTok and FB @authorsamanthayoung
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,558 reviews
June 2, 2021
this is definitely my favourite SY novel so far and it was soooo close to being a 5 star read (my guilt may have me rounding this up later - we will see)!
i think this shows some of SYs best writing, best characters, and best story to date. i found the romance to be completely believable (not to mention steamy), the characters have really great depth, and the plot. oh my gosh. the plot is my favourite thing. the mystery surrounding the creepy messages and eerie break-ins had me hooked. i was suspicious of everyone and the remote estate in the scottish highlands is the perfect setting for such a thrill.
the thing is there are some parts that let me down. the pacing of the story is a bit disappointing for me. the beginning and the end had more focus on the suspense component of ‘romantic suspense,’ while the middle concentrates on the romance. i was really into both aspects of the plot, so i just wish there was a better balance between the two. and once again, SY has an american MC who is absolutely not american (uses british terms and talks about things that no american would). it totally boggles my mind how her editors have continually been turning a blind eye to this and just shows a lack of effort to research on her part that is a bit annoying.
but, like i said, this is my favourite book of SYs so far, so obviously these things didnt bother me too much. cant wait to sequel to come out later this year!
↠ 4.5 stars
i think this shows some of SYs best writing, best characters, and best story to date. i found the romance to be completely believable (not to mention steamy), the characters have really great depth, and the plot. oh my gosh. the plot is my favourite thing. the mystery surrounding the creepy messages and eerie break-ins had me hooked. i was suspicious of everyone and the remote estate in the scottish highlands is the perfect setting for such a thrill.
the thing is there are some parts that let me down. the pacing of the story is a bit disappointing for me. the beginning and the end had more focus on the suspense component of ‘romantic suspense,’ while the middle concentrates on the romance. i was really into both aspects of the plot, so i just wish there was a better balance between the two. and once again, SY has an american MC who is absolutely not american (uses british terms and talks about things that no american would). it totally boggles my mind how her editors have continually been turning a blind eye to this and just shows a lack of effort to research on her part that is a bit annoying.
but, like i said, this is my favourite book of SYs so far, so obviously these things didnt bother me too much. cant wait to sequel to come out later this year!
↠ 4.5 stars
November 1, 2022
"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."
Have you ever read a book that you loved so much that you were anxious to share your feelings on it with the world? One that meant so much to you, was such a flawless fit with your tastes that you almost just want to keep it to yourself so that you can preserve the bubble of perfection you've found in it? That's exactly how I felt while immersed inside the Adair Family world that Samantha Young has created, and Here With Me is a phenomenal start to what I'm sure will be a unique series.
Is it romance? Is it crime fiction? Yes. There's a bit of a romantic suspense kick to this one, but I actually felt it went beyond the usual tropes of the genre, as I typically find those books far fetched with their outlandish plot sequences. Here, we have a quiet, understated story that dabbles in solving a case while simultaneously building an enemies-to-lovers romance and focusing on family dynamics and reconciliation of said relationships. An atmospheric, small town vibe, but set in Scotland! Huzzah!
When I say enemies-to-lovers, I don't mean a watered down, pretend we hate each other to try and mask the insta-love aspect. I mean two harsh, guarded people who's presumed pasts cause them to find a chasm between them for the first 35% of the book. Speaking of, this book is over 500 pages long, so there is a delicious, slow burning build up to the explosion of Lachlan and Robyn finally succumbing to their buried feelings, and even then it's approached as "let's get this out of our systems" rather than "where have you been my entire life". This is my FAVORITE type of hate to love trope, and the author writes this relationship with the appearance of the utmost ease and experience.
Aside from the mystery of the stalker leaving some questionable, and increasingly threatening gifts, and the all consuming romance, I truly loved that both of our main characters have many familial issues to deal with. Robyn is coming to terms with the fact that she desires to repair her relationship with her father who seemingly abandoned her at a young age, and Lachlan has become the patriarch of his family after the loss of his parents, desiring to repair the bonds with the couple of estranged siblings who seem to not want to be a part of the family with the other three. I won't spoil anything for you, but the fact that Young chose to write this particular book with the length and detail she did shows how complex all of the characters are, even the minor ones. This book will most definitely be in my top reads of 2021, and if you enjoy slow burning romantic suspense, I highly recommend picking this one up!
*Many thanks to Valentine PR for my review copy.
Have you ever read a book that you loved so much that you were anxious to share your feelings on it with the world? One that meant so much to you, was such a flawless fit with your tastes that you almost just want to keep it to yourself so that you can preserve the bubble of perfection you've found in it? That's exactly how I felt while immersed inside the Adair Family world that Samantha Young has created, and Here With Me is a phenomenal start to what I'm sure will be a unique series.
Is it romance? Is it crime fiction? Yes. There's a bit of a romantic suspense kick to this one, but I actually felt it went beyond the usual tropes of the genre, as I typically find those books far fetched with their outlandish plot sequences. Here, we have a quiet, understated story that dabbles in solving a case while simultaneously building an enemies-to-lovers romance and focusing on family dynamics and reconciliation of said relationships. An atmospheric, small town vibe, but set in Scotland! Huzzah!
When I say enemies-to-lovers, I don't mean a watered down, pretend we hate each other to try and mask the insta-love aspect. I mean two harsh, guarded people who's presumed pasts cause them to find a chasm between them for the first 35% of the book. Speaking of, this book is over 500 pages long, so there is a delicious, slow burning build up to the explosion of Lachlan and Robyn finally succumbing to their buried feelings, and even then it's approached as "let's get this out of our systems" rather than "where have you been my entire life". This is my FAVORITE type of hate to love trope, and the author writes this relationship with the appearance of the utmost ease and experience.
Aside from the mystery of the stalker leaving some questionable, and increasingly threatening gifts, and the all consuming romance, I truly loved that both of our main characters have many familial issues to deal with. Robyn is coming to terms with the fact that she desires to repair her relationship with her father who seemingly abandoned her at a young age, and Lachlan has become the patriarch of his family after the loss of his parents, desiring to repair the bonds with the couple of estranged siblings who seem to not want to be a part of the family with the other three. I won't spoil anything for you, but the fact that Young chose to write this particular book with the length and detail she did shows how complex all of the characters are, even the minor ones. This book will most definitely be in my top reads of 2021, and if you enjoy slow burning romantic suspense, I highly recommend picking this one up!
*Many thanks to Valentine PR for my review copy.
March 30, 2023
4 stars
The story was your classic small town romance mingled with mystery and quite a bit of family drama. The location, on the contrary, was a surprise, a breath of fresh air; The Highlands. Albeit the Scottish folklore wasn’t well exploited in the storyline, the scenes, on the other hand, were caricatured with breathtaking backgrounds and settings.
Robyn , the female main character, had a traumatic past that was closely linked to her former police officer’s fonction. A year after a near-fatal altercation while being on duty, she decided to fly overseas and confront her biological father in his homeland; Scotland.
Lachlan , the male lead, ran a private domain dedicated to the Hollywood elite in the Highlands after abandoning the spotlight of his blooming acting career. He was best friend/ boss of Robyn's father and accomplice, the principal reason why the two of them had no healthy father/daughter relationshipat all.
Lachlan and Robyn's first encounters were filled with hatred feelings managed by a push and pull dynamic stained with tension. They didn’t like each other for most of the storytelling. But their sort of ennemis with benefits situation that was drawn as a slowburn was mostly enjoyable.
Lachlan was protective of his family and sensed Robyn as a threat against their well being —mostly Matt’s, her biological father, —
Robyn didn’t like what 'Lachlan Adair persona' involved in general; a notorious and authoritarian man with the world at his feet.
"
The mystery was a constant part of the storyline that involved some explicit, gory scenes. The culprit was easily deduced cuz’ the author led us with evident and clear indices to it, however, the motives behind it were the actual surprise.
"
Robyn’s bond with both her parents was a hard and emotional aspect of her story. Hopefully, her relationship with her father will be more explored and well developed in his own book cuz even if it was an important part of this storyline the execution felt fast-paced and the forgiveness was rushed.
Oh man.. the third act breakups near the end were never-ending, those poor characters were never catching a break and that didn’t help with Lachlan’s issues. Honestly, I’m incline to overlook the mess that was the last chapters cuz the story in its entirety was worth every scene that provided pure hurt.
"
——————————————
maya once said : pleasebegoodpleasebegoodpleasebegood 😭
So please be good..😌
"I am gentle breeze, I am fertile. I am peace, I am tranquility. But I am mighty, I am storm. I am thunderous, I am valiant.
That was the Highlands.
A perfect dichotomy."
The story was your classic small town romance mingled with mystery and quite a bit of family drama. The location, on the contrary, was a surprise, a breath of fresh air; The Highlands. Albeit the Scottish folklore wasn’t well exploited in the storyline, the scenes, on the other hand, were caricatured with breathtaking backgrounds and settings.
"It made it hard to trust people when the ones you trusted most proved to be the most unreliable."
Robyn , the female main character, had a traumatic past that was closely linked to her former police officer’s fonction. A year after a near-fatal altercation while being on duty, she decided to fly overseas and confront her biological father in his homeland; Scotland.
"But that’s what you do for family. You never give up on them, even if they give up on you."
Lachlan , the male lead, ran a private domain dedicated to the Hollywood elite in the Highlands after abandoning the spotlight of his blooming acting career. He was best friend/ boss of Robyn's father and accomplice, the principal reason why the two of them had no healthy father/daughter relationship
"Robyn.
Something primitive, something base within him, recognized her as his.
She belonged to him."
Lachlan and Robyn's first encounters were filled with hatred feelings managed by a push and pull dynamic stained with tension. They didn’t like each other for most of the storytelling. But their sort of ennemis with benefits situation that was drawn as a slowburn was mostly enjoyable.
Lachlan was protective of his family and sensed Robyn as a threat against their well being —mostly Matt’s, her biological father, —
Robyn didn’t like what 'Lachlan Adair persona' involved in general; a notorious and authoritarian man with the world at his feet.
"
One of the most magical things about you is your bravery. You follow your gut, and you face your fears because, like you said, you realize the fear of fear itself is much worse than the actual fear. And believe me, regret, too, is so much worse than fear."
The mystery was a constant part of the storyline that involved some explicit, gory scenes. The culprit was easily deduced cuz’ the author led us with evident and clear indices to it, however, the motives behind it were the actual surprise.
"
I’ve spent my whole life fighting the feeling of being not good enough, not lovable enough. Because of you. And because of her. But you were worse, Dad.”
Robyn’s bond with both her parents was a hard and emotional aspect of her story. Hopefully, her relationship with her father will be more explored and well developed in his own book cuz even if it was an important part of this storyline the execution felt fast-paced and the forgiveness was rushed.
"I felt empty without him, though.
It was survivable.
But it was awful. "
"I think that’s what love is: the person you most look forward to seeing.
The person you looked around for when something funny happened and you wanted to share it.
I wondered if I’d ever really laugh again."
Oh man.. the third act breakups near the end were never-ending, those poor characters were never catching a break and that didn’t help with Lachlan’s issues. Honestly, I’m incline to overlook the mess that was the last chapters cuz the story in its entirety was worth every scene that provided pure hurt.
"
The truth was my parents weren’t perfect. Whose parents were?"
——————————————
maya once said : pleasebegoodpleasebegoodpleasebegood 😭
So please be good..😌
August 18, 2022
4 stars!
This is the story of Robyn and Lachlan. Robyn is a former cop from Boston who after almost dying on the job, quits, and travels to Scotland to confront her father. Lachlan is a former Hollywood actor that Robyn’s father works security for. The two clash right from the beginning, Robyn blaming Lachlan for her father being absent, and Lachlan being protective of his friend. When a dangerous stalker starts threatening guests on Lachlan’s estate, Lachlan and Robyn need to work together to catch the perpetrator.
I loved the first half of this book, I felt it was really strong plot wise. I loved reading the scenes between Robyn and her father Mac, those are the ones that tugged at my heart the most and were some of the best parts of the book for me. I really liked the hate to love relationship between Lachlan and Robyn, it was a lighter enemies to lovers romance and I thought it worked really well. The one thing about this book that didn’t work well for me was it was too long, there were lots of moments I ended up skimming because it felt like unneeded exposition. That might bite me in the ass later with the other books in the series, but it was a little too much for me.
Samantha Young never disappoints, and I’m really excited to see where this series goes. Will definitely be reading the future books.
This is the story of Robyn and Lachlan. Robyn is a former cop from Boston who after almost dying on the job, quits, and travels to Scotland to confront her father. Lachlan is a former Hollywood actor that Robyn’s father works security for. The two clash right from the beginning, Robyn blaming Lachlan for her father being absent, and Lachlan being protective of his friend. When a dangerous stalker starts threatening guests on Lachlan’s estate, Lachlan and Robyn need to work together to catch the perpetrator.
I loved the first half of this book, I felt it was really strong plot wise. I loved reading the scenes between Robyn and her father Mac, those are the ones that tugged at my heart the most and were some of the best parts of the book for me. I really liked the hate to love relationship between Lachlan and Robyn, it was a lighter enemies to lovers romance and I thought it worked really well. The one thing about this book that didn’t work well for me was it was too long, there were lots of moments I ended up skimming because it felt like unneeded exposition. That might bite me in the ass later with the other books in the series, but it was a little too much for me.
Samantha Young never disappoints, and I’m really excited to see where this series goes. Will definitely be reading the future books.
June 13, 2021
© Sam Young
Robyn + Lachlan
After being badly hurt as a Boston police officer, Robyn quits her job.
Now, a year later, she turned her photography hobby into a money-making business.
That's why she's in Scotland now. To take pictures ... and to see her father. She hasn't seen him in 14 years and she's pretty mad at everything relating to Mac.
Mac - not even 17 years when Robyn was born - went away to work as a bodyguard for a young Hollywood star when Robyn was not even a teenager.
And he's still working for him - as head of security at his exclusive members-only club in the scottish highlands.
Lachlan Adair. 38 years old.
He loves Mac like a brother and he's very suspicious of his daughter's sudden appearance.
And that's not the only thing he has to worry about ... there seems to be a very dangerous stalker on the loose ... Plus also - we're obviously all very attracted to each other. LOL!
What will happen with Robyn + Lachlan?
Will we get our happily ever after?
READ THE BOOK TO FIND OUT! ☺
═══════════════
Well, that was... beautiful.
It was such an exciting and mysterious and sparky and suspensy and moving story.
It was so long and detailed and just so full of soo many things.
I could totally imagine this as an amazing Netflix show. We already basically 'see' everything Sam writes about. She describes everything so beautifully. The people, the places... everything.
I loved reading this.
We not only get to fall in love with Robyn and Lachlan and their love story - which we adore! But we also meet so many people and so many future love stories. I can't wait to read them all!
(We get a tiny little eighth of a cliffy - nothing bad, just the opening for the next story! 😍)
This book was just perfect and beautiful from the cover to the last word!
READ IT!
HERE WITH ME was such a beautiful love-story!
But it was also so much more: Mysterious. Suspensy. Sparky. Sexy. Heartbreaking. Funny. Exciting. Dangerous ... it was basically all the things! Run to your nearest amazon for your own Lachlan - this one is MINE!
💜
💜
December 16, 2022
Was I the only one who guessed (correctly) who the perpetrator was after reading only the first 20%? I’m sorry, but the heroine (Robyn) sucked at her job — and she was an ex-cop. I should be the one invited to Scotland to solve all the mystery. (I’m not often correct with my assumptions, so just let me enjoy my victory.)
Aside from that, she was a ‘take no shit’ kinda girl which I admired. The father/daughter relationship was weird (mostly because of the age difference) and touched me more than I liked to admit, but at the same time I was disappointed with the father’s reasonings for his abandonmemt of his daughter.
I enjoyed the back and forth between the hero (Lachlan) and Robyn, but their romance didn’t win me over. Lachlan was the eldest amongst his siblings, and he was a good brother to them; otherwise, he seemed like a man-child to me. He was an ass to Robyn most of the time, and he kept pushing her away.
Even worse, he never hesitated to snatch, kiss, and have sex with her whenever he felt like it. He grovelled at the end, but for someone who took what he wanted, he always needed someone else’s push to do the right thing when it came to Robyn. What a man! Whatever. I’m interested to read Thane’s and Mac’s books.
Aside from that, she was a ‘take no shit’ kinda girl which I admired. The father/daughter relationship was weird (mostly because of the age difference) and touched me more than I liked to admit, but at the same time I was disappointed with the father’s reasonings for his abandonmemt of his daughter.
I enjoyed the back and forth between the hero (Lachlan) and Robyn, but their romance didn’t win me over. Lachlan was the eldest amongst his siblings, and he was a good brother to them; otherwise, he seemed like a man-child to me. He was an ass to Robyn most of the time, and he kept pushing her away.
Even worse, he never hesitated to snatch, kiss, and have sex with her whenever he felt like it. He grovelled at the end, but for someone who took what he wanted, he always needed someone else’s push to do the right thing when it came to Robyn. What a man! Whatever. I’m interested to read Thane’s and Mac’s books.
September 2, 2023
“I think that’s what love is: the person you most look forward to seeing.”
This is a confusing rating for me, because objectively, this is a 5-star book. Not only was it a great reading experience, the story was well paced, well thought out. There was attention given to all the different elements the story possessed and nothing felt lacking for me. Story wise.
The romance and our main characters? Beautiful. Their chemistry and connection was palpable. These two made so much sense together, complimented each other perfectly and their dynamic was explored so well.
The sex? Rolling-my-eyes-to-the-back-of-my-head good. 😮💨
The suspense? Suspenseful enough and it had me playing detective.
The setting? Take me to Scotland right now.
The familial aspect? Warmed my heart right up. The romance stood out as much as Robyn reconnecting with her dad and I loved how much importance the author placed on that.
I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and get even more insight into rest of the Adair family.
But I’m rating it emotionally, which is what I tend to do anyway. Just because it didn’t bring out the emotions within me that I expect from my 5-star reads.
But as a story, it delivered and I would recommend it.
This is a confusing rating for me, because objectively, this is a 5-star book. Not only was it a great reading experience, the story was well paced, well thought out. There was attention given to all the different elements the story possessed and nothing felt lacking for me. Story wise.
The romance and our main characters? Beautiful. Their chemistry and connection was palpable. These two made so much sense together, complimented each other perfectly and their dynamic was explored so well.
The sex? Rolling-my-eyes-to-the-back-of-my-head good. 😮💨
The suspense? Suspenseful enough and it had me playing detective.
The setting? Take me to Scotland right now.
The familial aspect? Warmed my heart right up. The romance stood out as much as Robyn reconnecting with her dad and I loved how much importance the author placed on that.
I can’t wait to read the rest of the series and get even more insight into rest of the Adair family.
But I’m rating it emotionally, which is what I tend to do anyway. Just because it didn’t bring out the emotions within me that I expect from my 5-star reads.
But as a story, it delivered and I would recommend it.
Want to read
March 19, 2021
May 11, 2021
4 STARS
I was immediately sucked into this story from the very first chapter. A fiery, tough as nails former Boston cop meet broody and reclusive former Hollywood star? Sign me right up!
If there's one thing that I love when Samantha writes, it's an enemies to lovers romance. There's just something so sizzling ingrained into the chemistry of her characters that I'll never get enough of.
Robyn was a heroine that I loved from the very first page. Hard not to love a fierce heroine that isn't afraid to speak her mind. After a nigh on the job nearly costs her her life, she finds herself looking for answers. And for her, a log of her unanswered questions lie with her estranged Scottish father; a man who left her when she was just a little girl for an illustrious career protecting a Hollywood star.
Robyn finds herself in the remote Scottish Highlands, at Ardnoch Estate, going head to head with the reclusive owner, Lachlan and also in the center of an escalating stalker case.
If you love a good romantic suspense, this one brought the mystery and action in spades. Between the escalating hate lust going on with Robyn and Lachlan, and the whodunit mystery of the stalker case, I found myself incapable of putting the book down. The romance is a slow burn, a bit tamer on the steam but no less satisfying. What kept me absolutely riveted to the pages were all of the secondary characters, particularly the Adairs. I can already tell that I'm going to be hooked on this series because the set up for each of them is utterly delicious.
I love a good suspense when I can't see the ending coming and this one definitely caught me unaware. I never saw any of it coming and it heightened the enjoyment that much more.
Lachlan definitely took his sweet time to extricate his head from his nether region, but man did I love to hate his broody, a-holish side. I particularly loved to see Robyn constantly put him in his place. I'm so excited to have another series to obsess over from one of my favorites. Hopefully we get Mac's story next.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
She’d lit up under his hands. He tasted her fire on his tongue and, goddamn, it ignited something inside him.
I was immediately sucked into this story from the very first chapter. A fiery, tough as nails former Boston cop meet broody and reclusive former Hollywood star? Sign me right up!
If there's one thing that I love when Samantha writes, it's an enemies to lovers romance. There's just something so sizzling ingrained into the chemistry of her characters that I'll never get enough of.
Robyn was a heroine that I loved from the very first page. Hard not to love a fierce heroine that isn't afraid to speak her mind. After a nigh on the job nearly costs her her life, she finds herself looking for answers. And for her, a log of her unanswered questions lie with her estranged Scottish father; a man who left her when she was just a little girl for an illustrious career protecting a Hollywood star.
Robyn finds herself in the remote Scottish Highlands, at Ardnoch Estate, going head to head with the reclusive owner, Lachlan and also in the center of an escalating stalker case.
If you love a good romantic suspense, this one brought the mystery and action in spades. Between the escalating hate lust going on with Robyn and Lachlan, and the whodunit mystery of the stalker case, I found myself incapable of putting the book down. The romance is a slow burn, a bit tamer on the steam but no less satisfying. What kept me absolutely riveted to the pages were all of the secondary characters, particularly the Adairs. I can already tell that I'm going to be hooked on this series because the set up for each of them is utterly delicious.
I love a good suspense when I can't see the ending coming and this one definitely caught me unaware. I never saw any of it coming and it heightened the enjoyment that much more.
Lachlan definitely took his sweet time to extricate his head from his nether region, but man did I love to hate his broody, a-holish side. I particularly loved to see Robyn constantly put him in his place. I'm so excited to have another series to obsess over from one of my favorites. Hopefully we get Mac's story next.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
Find me on:
July 4, 2021
This is a romance/suspense but the thing I enjoyed the most was the father/daughter relationship. It felt like a real relationship, with complicated emotions. The romance also was a fun enemies to lovers type of situation. I’ll happily read more books in this series when they come out.
On a side note, the use of “ass pocket” instead of “back pocket” had me chuckling like an immature kid every time.
On a side note, the use of “ass pocket” instead of “back pocket” had me chuckling like an immature kid every time.
Read
March 12, 2023The Entire Adair Family Series is now Free to read with Kindle Unlimited
https://amzn.to/3J8dHsl
https://amzn.to/3J8dHsl
on-pause
December 16, 2023I... honestly have no idea why I thought this was a time travel romance? Has Outlander just ruined all things Scotland for me? Aye? 😆
Anyway, that explains why I was confused at the beginning. Since I'm fighting this slump I've been jumping around quite a few books and this one has stuck so far. 😩 Please be good! 🙏🏻✨💕
Anyway, that explains why I was confused at the beginning. Since I'm fighting this slump I've been jumping around quite a few books and this one has stuck so far. 😩 Please be good! 🙏🏻✨💕
May 17, 2021
"You two go at each other like kids at recess."
Here With Me is the first book in the Adair Family Series. Lachlan Adair runs an exclusive club for the rich and famous. Although he is used to the chaos that exists in the entertainment world, there have been some mysterious and dangerous events taking place on his property. When Robyn Penhaligon comes to Scotland to reconnect with her estranged father, the last thing she expected was to be swept off her feet by the broody Lachlan "Mac" Adair. Mac has no desire to fall in love with anyone and yet, Robyn is so different from any woman he has ever met before. Although they drive each other crazy, they just cannot stay away from each other. Between their blossoming romance and the mysterious activity taking place on Mac's land, Robyn and Mac have their hands full!
"Like a dragon finally unleashed. It was out there. Breathing fire. No taking it back."Told in dual POV, Here With Me is a complex blend of mystery, romance, passion, and suspense. The setting makes this contemporary romance unique because who doesn't love a romance set in a picturesque backdrop? The character relationships are critical in this read and as always, Ms. Young does not disappoint with the passion that explodes on the pages between Mac and Robyn. In addition to the dynamic romance between the main characters, the bond between Robyn and her father is authentic and remarkable to witness unfolding.
"As he worshipped me, his hands smoothed up my stomach to cup my breasts and squeeze. I was overwhelmed by him, writhing on that bed, lost in nothing but passion."Overall, Here With Me is a strong start to what promises to be another epic series. I have long been a fan of Samantha Young's work and The Adair Family is definitely another series I will be ready to dive into!
For more reviews/reveals/giveaways visit:
June 10, 2022
It’s been a while since I last read Samantha Young but I do enjoy her books, so I was excited about this new series of hers! This first one is about the oldest Adair, Lachlan, a Scot and former Hollywood star who’s now a recluse. The heroine Robyn is a police officer who leaves her life in Boston after almost dying on the job. She goes to Scotland to see her estranged father, who abandoned their family to work in private security and to work for Lachlan. So to say Robyn holds a grudge against them both would be an understatement.
Here With Me is very much an enemies to lovers romance and there’s so much good tension and animosity between Robyn and Lachlan! I loved how they were so reluctant to feel anything for each other and anytime they were in a room together, sparks would fly. Mixed in with the great romance is a mystery with an anonymous stalker who gets more dangerous with every new incident they cause. I also loved the way the father-daughter relationship was woven into the story. That relationship is very broken at the beginning of the book but we slowly get to see the two of them heal after some truths come out.
It's a long read but I thought Samantha Young did a wonderful job balancing the steam, emotion, romance, and suspense!
Here With Me is very much an enemies to lovers romance and there’s so much good tension and animosity between Robyn and Lachlan! I loved how they were so reluctant to feel anything for each other and anytime they were in a room together, sparks would fly. Mixed in with the great romance is a mystery with an anonymous stalker who gets more dangerous with every new incident they cause. I also loved the way the father-daughter relationship was woven into the story. That relationship is very broken at the beginning of the book but we slowly get to see the two of them heal after some truths come out.
It's a long read but I thought Samantha Young did a wonderful job balancing the steam, emotion, romance, and suspense!
April 27, 2021
5 “You’re worth everything” stars!
Samantha Young has delivered an epic start to her new series with this book – an angsty and intense enemies-to-lovers romantic suspense that had me absolutely captivated from start to finish. I felt transported to the Scottish Highlands in this beautifully written story, and I loved the blend of romance, family drama, and an unpredictable suspense storyline that had me guessing right up to the very end. Such a great read, I loved it!
Ardnoch Estate is a Highland resort for rich and famous people from the film industry to escape from the world and enjoy private luxury away from the madness of their lives. It’s run by ex-Hollywood action star, Lachlan Adair, and he takes great pride in the estate that has become his whole world. But lately he’s been the subject of a violent and unpredictable stalker, and it’s putting his guests, and those around him, at risk.
Robyn was a police officer in Boston until a near-death experience had re-evaluating her life. Now, she’s travelling to the Scotland to reconnect with her estranged father, who runs security at Ardnoch Estate, but it puts her on a collision course with its broody owner – a man she resents because her father chose to travel the world protecting Lachlan rather than being there for her. She thinks that Lachlan is selfish and spoiled, he hates her in return because he feels like she turned her back on one of his best friends. It’s a difficult situation, but when Robyn learns that her father is in danger due to Lachlan’s stalker, she is determined to hang around until the bad guy is caught.
It’s a great set up, made even more awesome by the sensational animosity between Lachlan and Robyn. They truly hate each other, and I could absolutely understand where both of them are coming from. Their common goal of figuring out who the stalker is puts them in frequent contact, so there’s lots of opportunity for their snarky bickering, and with each interaction, a blistering chemistry develops that will set them on fire.
Holy freaking hotness, the sexual tension is fantastic, and I was reading with a pounding heart, waiting for something to spark between these two. It’s a slow burn, which makes it all the more exciting as Young takes the time to build the anticipation, and it builds beautifully. And when it finally happens… holy damn, it’s worth the wait! For long-time fans of Young – this book has the same feeling as the Braden and Joss intensity from On Dublin Street, and I was loving it! Passionate and intense, all of that animosity translates to some seriously sexy time, and I loved watching them eventually give in to it all.
In the meantime, Robyn is connecting with the people in Lachlan’s life, and finally starting on the path to reconciliation with her father. There is family drama on both sides, and the connections of friendship and family are beautifully explored. Robyn’s father, Mac, is a fantastic character, and I loved getting to know him. The scenes with the two of them together are so emotional, and there are heartwrenching moments between them that had me tearing up. The friendship between Mac and Lachlan leads to some really entertaining scenes, and I love the changes in their relationship as things spark up between Lachlan and Robyn. And then Lachlan’s family all seem to have their own issues, and as the eldest, Lachlan sees himself as the caretaker, so there’s plenty going on there. All while the stalker continues to make their presence known, and Robyn, Lachlan and Mac all try to figure out who the bad guy is before more people get hurt.
The intensity of the family drama, and the suspense storyline bring so much depth to this story, but it’s the love story that completely captured my heart. The change in the relationship from enemies to lovers is beautifully written. It’s slow, honest and realistic and I could feel every moment of it. Everything between them is so intense, and it’s a fantastic transition. As well as all of the blisteringly hot sex, there are moments of beautiful sweetness between them, and light and playful moments that made me smile as their fabulous banter continues, even after they’ve found their way together.
But while Robyn is finding her place in the highlands with her father, Lachlan and his family, Lachlan’s past has him hesitating to commit to anything long-term with Robyn, despite the depth of his feelings for her – this kind of behaviour can be tedious in a romantic hero, but in this case, I could understand Lachlan, and I really felt for him as his logical brain battled with his heart.
It’s emotional, and a little bit angsty, and it all unfolds alongside their investigation into a stalker who is becoming more and more violent, with both Robyn and Lachlan in their sights, and it’s all kinds of intense! My heart was pounding as I read, and I was taken by surprise more than once as it all plays out. It’s clever and exciting, all of the different elements of the story are tied together really well, and I loved watching it unfold as Lachlan and Robyn finally find their happy ending.
There are four remaining Adair siblings, and though we only really meet two of them in this book, I am super excited for more from this series. There’s a story already set up already for youngest Adair sibling, Arrochar, and I am here for that! I can’t wait to continue on.
Beautifully written, intense, emotional and utterly captivating, with a sensational, chemistry-filled romance, this is a fantastic read, and I absolutely loved it.
5 stars!
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Samantha Young has delivered an epic start to her new series with this book – an angsty and intense enemies-to-lovers romantic suspense that had me absolutely captivated from start to finish. I felt transported to the Scottish Highlands in this beautifully written story, and I loved the blend of romance, family drama, and an unpredictable suspense storyline that had me guessing right up to the very end. Such a great read, I loved it!
Ardnoch Estate is a Highland resort for rich and famous people from the film industry to escape from the world and enjoy private luxury away from the madness of their lives. It’s run by ex-Hollywood action star, Lachlan Adair, and he takes great pride in the estate that has become his whole world. But lately he’s been the subject of a violent and unpredictable stalker, and it’s putting his guests, and those around him, at risk.
Robyn was a police officer in Boston until a near-death experience had re-evaluating her life. Now, she’s travelling to the Scotland to reconnect with her estranged father, who runs security at Ardnoch Estate, but it puts her on a collision course with its broody owner – a man she resents because her father chose to travel the world protecting Lachlan rather than being there for her. She thinks that Lachlan is selfish and spoiled, he hates her in return because he feels like she turned her back on one of his best friends. It’s a difficult situation, but when Robyn learns that her father is in danger due to Lachlan’s stalker, she is determined to hang around until the bad guy is caught.
It’s a great set up, made even more awesome by the sensational animosity between Lachlan and Robyn. They truly hate each other, and I could absolutely understand where both of them are coming from. Their common goal of figuring out who the stalker is puts them in frequent contact, so there’s lots of opportunity for their snarky bickering, and with each interaction, a blistering chemistry develops that will set them on fire.
Holy freaking hotness, the sexual tension is fantastic, and I was reading with a pounding heart, waiting for something to spark between these two. It’s a slow burn, which makes it all the more exciting as Young takes the time to build the anticipation, and it builds beautifully. And when it finally happens… holy damn, it’s worth the wait! For long-time fans of Young – this book has the same feeling as the Braden and Joss intensity from On Dublin Street, and I was loving it! Passionate and intense, all of that animosity translates to some seriously sexy time, and I loved watching them eventually give in to it all.
“Don’t stay if I’m just another warm body to you. Stay because only my body will do. Stay because you need it to be me.”
In the meantime, Robyn is connecting with the people in Lachlan’s life, and finally starting on the path to reconciliation with her father. There is family drama on both sides, and the connections of friendship and family are beautifully explored. Robyn’s father, Mac, is a fantastic character, and I loved getting to know him. The scenes with the two of them together are so emotional, and there are heartwrenching moments between them that had me tearing up. The friendship between Mac and Lachlan leads to some really entertaining scenes, and I love the changes in their relationship as things spark up between Lachlan and Robyn. And then Lachlan’s family all seem to have their own issues, and as the eldest, Lachlan sees himself as the caretaker, so there’s plenty going on there. All while the stalker continues to make their presence known, and Robyn, Lachlan and Mac all try to figure out who the bad guy is before more people get hurt.
The intensity of the family drama, and the suspense storyline bring so much depth to this story, but it’s the love story that completely captured my heart. The change in the relationship from enemies to lovers is beautifully written. It’s slow, honest and realistic and I could feel every moment of it. Everything between them is so intense, and it’s a fantastic transition. As well as all of the blisteringly hot sex, there are moments of beautiful sweetness between them, and light and playful moments that made me smile as their fabulous banter continues, even after they’ve found their way together.
“I swear if there weren’t children at this table, I would fork you.” She pointed said fork at him.
Lachlan leaned in, his lips brushing her ear as he whispered, “It’s pronounced fuck.”
But while Robyn is finding her place in the highlands with her father, Lachlan and his family, Lachlan’s past has him hesitating to commit to anything long-term with Robyn, despite the depth of his feelings for her – this kind of behaviour can be tedious in a romantic hero, but in this case, I could understand Lachlan, and I really felt for him as his logical brain battled with his heart.
He loved that woman more than he knew it was possible to love another human being. So what’s worse? He wondered, agonized. Throwing her away before they could build a life together? Or risking the chance of building that life only to lose it all? Was a limited amount of time with the woman he loved better than no time at all?
It’s emotional, and a little bit angsty, and it all unfolds alongside their investigation into a stalker who is becoming more and more violent, with both Robyn and Lachlan in their sights, and it’s all kinds of intense! My heart was pounding as I read, and I was taken by surprise more than once as it all plays out. It’s clever and exciting, all of the different elements of the story are tied together really well, and I loved watching it unfold as Lachlan and Robyn finally find their happy ending.
“You are the most important person in my life. You consume me. You are beyond a priority at this point. You’re…fuck, you’re everything. Robyn, I don’t know if I deserve you…but I can promise you, no man will ever try harder than me to be worthy of you.”
There are four remaining Adair siblings, and though we only really meet two of them in this book, I am super excited for more from this series. There’s a story already set up already for youngest Adair sibling, Arrochar, and I am here for that! I can’t wait to continue on.
Beautifully written, intense, emotional and utterly captivating, with a sensational, chemistry-filled romance, this is a fantastic read, and I absolutely loved it.
5 stars!
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
May 30, 2021
I went into this one hoping for "On Dublin Street" romantic suspense edition.
Did the book deliver? Nope. Neither on the "On Dublin Street" friends and family vibe nor the suspense side of it. And what of the romance? Meh.
Getting into the story was tedious, the first 20% triggered my DNF button a few times but I soldiered on. My tenacity to wish for the best certainely backfired on me.
I've had a hard time appreciating the characters—especially Lachlan and even more issues with the intrigue. It doesn't matter if you guess who's done it early or along the way, the reveal and reasons behind the threats and attacks was such a disappointement. I won't get into it just as not to spoil it in case anyone reading this wants to read the book, I thought the resolve and twist were too far fetched and unconvincing. Another thing that failed to convince me was the portrayal of Robyn's investigating skills. Actually scratch that, EVERY character that took part in the investigation, Mac, the whole security team : CLOWNS.
The romance just felt lackluster. I love how antagonism usually can spark chemistry to another level but in this case it just felt off, forced. Lachlan characterization wasn't the least appealing to me anyway and if I can't even fantasize about the lead hero then why am I even reading this? Eh.
Better luck next time. I hope.
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
Did the book deliver? Nope. Neither on the "On Dublin Street" friends and family vibe nor the suspense side of it. And what of the romance? Meh.
Getting into the story was tedious, the first 20% triggered my DNF button a few times but I soldiered on. My tenacity to wish for the best certainely backfired on me.
I've had a hard time appreciating the characters—especially Lachlan and even more issues with the intrigue. It doesn't matter if you guess who's done it early or along the way, the reveal and reasons behind the threats and attacks was such a disappointement. I won't get into it just as not to spoil it in case anyone reading this wants to read the book, I thought the resolve and twist were too far fetched and unconvincing. Another thing that failed to convince me was the portrayal of Robyn's investigating skills. Actually scratch that, EVERY character that took part in the investigation, Mac, the whole security team : CLOWNS.
The romance just felt lackluster. I love how antagonism usually can spark chemistry to another level but in this case it just felt off, forced. Lachlan characterization wasn't the least appealing to me anyway and if I can't even fantasize about the lead hero then why am I even reading this? Eh.
Better luck next time. I hope.
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
May 12, 2021
3🌟
This was one of my most anticipating books, it has my fav tropes like enemies to lovers plus mystery and add the location, I really thought it was going to be my fav 2021 read but sadly i didn't enjoy it that much.
It is a story about Robyn who lives in Boston, is a cop and one day on the job she gets shot and almost dies. Fast forward 1 year later she quited her job and starts a photography buisness. She goes to Scotland where her estranged father Mac lives working as a bodyguard for an ex Hollywood actor(our H) who has a huge estate where famous people can come and be unbothered..this idea is actually really good.😂
Note that Robyn is 28 ys old and her dad is 44👀
When she gets there there's an obvious tension between her and Lachlan and one of the things i didn't like was how hostile he was towards her. I get her reason for disliking him bc she blamed him for her father leaving and abandoning her. But I couldn't get his reason why he was acting like an ass.(bc she hurt Mac idk🙄)
Which brings me to another thing I didn't like - Lachlan. I just couldn't connect with him at all and he annoyed me in the beginning. For how long this book was i think his character was so undeveloped and I think he lacked a little depth. I started to warm up to him in the end and then he would do or say something idiotic and i was like here we go again. He kept pushing Robyn away and it got tiring after the first time.
Also there was some weird POV thing where Robyn's was in 1 person and Lachlan in 3 person😐 it just made me disconnected from his chapters.
Robyn on the other hand was an amazing h. I liked her a lot. She was smart, sassy, badass and i liked her jokes to Lachlan😂
"You should reconsider how serious you are. It’s interfering with the heroic efforts of the Botox in your forehead.”
The highlight for me was her relationship to Mac, her father. I even got teary eyed couple of times😭
The mystery part tho was that Lachlan had a stalker who left threatening messages all over the estate.
It was so predictable and underwhelming, i guessed it in the beginning so that was disappointing.
The next book is going to be Robyn's sister who I didn't like at all so I'm not sure if i'll continue with this series. Probably just gonna read Mac and Arro's book👀
This was one of my most anticipating books, it has my fav tropes like enemies to lovers plus mystery and add the location, I really thought it was going to be my fav 2021 read but sadly i didn't enjoy it that much.
It is a story about Robyn who lives in Boston, is a cop and one day on the job she gets shot and almost dies. Fast forward 1 year later she quited her job and starts a photography buisness. She goes to Scotland where her estranged father Mac lives working as a bodyguard for an ex Hollywood actor(our H) who has a huge estate where famous people can come and be unbothered..this idea is actually really good.😂
Note that Robyn is 28 ys old and her dad is 44👀
When she gets there there's an obvious tension between her and Lachlan and one of the things i didn't like was how hostile he was towards her. I get her reason for disliking him bc she blamed him for her father leaving and abandoning her. But I couldn't get his reason why he was acting like an ass.(bc she hurt Mac idk🙄)
Which brings me to another thing I didn't like - Lachlan. I just couldn't connect with him at all and he annoyed me in the beginning. For how long this book was i think his character was so undeveloped and I think he lacked a little depth. I started to warm up to him in the end and then he would do or say something idiotic and i was like here we go again. He kept pushing Robyn away and it got tiring after the first time.
Also there was some weird POV thing where Robyn's was in 1 person and Lachlan in 3 person😐 it just made me disconnected from his chapters.
Robyn on the other hand was an amazing h. I liked her a lot. She was smart, sassy, badass and i liked her jokes to Lachlan😂
"You should reconsider how serious you are. It’s interfering with the heroic efforts of the Botox in your forehead.”
The highlight for me was her relationship to Mac, her father. I even got teary eyed couple of times😭
The mystery part tho was that Lachlan had a stalker who left threatening messages all over the estate.
It was so predictable and underwhelming, i guessed it in the beginning so that was disappointing.
The next book is going to be Robyn's sister who I didn't like at all so I'm not sure if i'll continue with this series. Probably just gonna read Mac and Arro's book👀
November 9, 2022
3.5 stars
I wanted to love this one a bit more than I did, but it was still a great small town, romantic suspense romance in Ireland! This involves a woman visiting her father who is a bodyguard at an estate for famous people to escape to. Robin instantly clashes with an actor who helps run the estate and who is also close friends with her father. But when she is there, someone is threatening the people living there as well and Robin is determined to get to the bottom of it, especially when her father is attacked. While I liked the set up of the book and how it was set in Scotland, I do think it was drawn out a bit too long. This is a long book and I didn't really feel as connected to the main characters and their relationship. It wasn't slow burn, but it still took a long time to develop and I didn't feel like I really got to know either of them to feel connected to them. The mystery was just okay too and didn't really keep me in suspense at all. I finished the book, but nothing about it made me dying to pick it back up to see what would happen next.
I wanted to love this one a bit more than I did, but it was still a great small town, romantic suspense romance in Ireland! This involves a woman visiting her father who is a bodyguard at an estate for famous people to escape to. Robin instantly clashes with an actor who helps run the estate and who is also close friends with her father. But when she is there, someone is threatening the people living there as well and Robin is determined to get to the bottom of it, especially when her father is attacked. While I liked the set up of the book and how it was set in Scotland, I do think it was drawn out a bit too long. This is a long book and I didn't really feel as connected to the main characters and their relationship. It wasn't slow burn, but it still took a long time to develop and I didn't feel like I really got to know either of them to feel connected to them. The mystery was just okay too and didn't really keep me in suspense at all. I finished the book, but nothing about it made me dying to pick it back up to see what would happen next.
July 19, 2021
Here With Me is a story of suspense,angst,friendship, family, forgiveness,passion and love.
Robyn is a former police officer who now runs a photography business. After almost losing her life while on the Force, she decides to quit her job and fly to a small village in Scotland to seek out her estranged father, Mac where he works as the head of private security for ex-Hollywood star Lachlan Adair. When she arrives at Ardnoch estate, she finds that someone is threatening Mac and the other guests of the Estate. Despite the tenuous relationship she has with her father, Robyn decides to stay and help investigate the clues left behind by the stalker. The story that follows takes us through Robyn and Lachlan’s journey as they go from enemies to lovers and much more against the grim backdrop of a stalker threat.
The plotline is captivating and deep. While the ‘Whodunit?’ is one of the major elements that keeps you interested , it is also the characters, their stories, their relationships and the vivid descriptions of rural Scotland that will keep you transfixed.
The main characters of the story are very real and the author dives deep into their personalities.
Unlike most books I have read, Robyn's character is not completely relatable. But I love her so much. She is portrayed as strong yet vulnerable. She is unapologetically herself but not vain or egotistical. To write such a paradoxical character, I have observed, is quite challenging. But Samantha Young has managed to pull it off quite remarkably.
Robyn’s relationship with her father and her attempts to find closure on that front moved from being gut-wrenchingly sad to beautifully hopeful through the length of the story.
The relationship between Lachlan and Robyn is not rushed. It is paced just right.
Unlike most stories, their problems and struggles do not seem manufactured just for the sake of a plot twist. They come across as very real and genuine. The author also highlighted the importance of balance of power between the MCs and the related issues very well. I think this is a very important aspect that has to be written about when we have strong and independent heroines. I was glad to see that it was not overseen or otherwise rushed through in this story.
Another distinguishing feature of this book is that the resolution of the suspense aspect of the story (the murder mystery) does not overshadow the development of the main character's relationship with each other.
If there is one thing that might be seen as a problem, it is that the book length is about 500 pages. Although this is longer than conventional books, I guarantee that it is worth your time.Here With Me consumed me right from the first word. Samantha Young has killed it with this story.If you are looking for a romantic suspense story like none other, then grab a copy.
Find me :
| INSTAGRAM |
Robyn is a former police officer who now runs a photography business. After almost losing her life while on the Force, she decides to quit her job and fly to a small village in Scotland to seek out her estranged father, Mac where he works as the head of private security for ex-Hollywood star Lachlan Adair. When she arrives at Ardnoch estate, she finds that someone is threatening Mac and the other guests of the Estate. Despite the tenuous relationship she has with her father, Robyn decides to stay and help investigate the clues left behind by the stalker. The story that follows takes us through Robyn and Lachlan’s journey as they go from enemies to lovers and much more against the grim backdrop of a stalker threat.
The plotline is captivating and deep. While the ‘Whodunit?’ is one of the major elements that keeps you interested , it is also the characters, their stories, their relationships and the vivid descriptions of rural Scotland that will keep you transfixed.
The main characters of the story are very real and the author dives deep into their personalities.
Unlike most books I have read, Robyn's character is not completely relatable. But I love her so much. She is portrayed as strong yet vulnerable. She is unapologetically herself but not vain or egotistical. To write such a paradoxical character, I have observed, is quite challenging. But Samantha Young has managed to pull it off quite remarkably.
Robyn’s relationship with her father and her attempts to find closure on that front moved from being gut-wrenchingly sad to beautifully hopeful through the length of the story.
The relationship between Lachlan and Robyn is not rushed. It is paced just right.
Unlike most stories, their problems and struggles do not seem manufactured just for the sake of a plot twist. They come across as very real and genuine. The author also highlighted the importance of balance of power between the MCs and the related issues very well. I think this is a very important aspect that has to be written about when we have strong and independent heroines. I was glad to see that it was not overseen or otherwise rushed through in this story.
Another distinguishing feature of this book is that the resolution of the suspense aspect of the story (the murder mystery) does not overshadow the development of the main character's relationship with each other.
If there is one thing that might be seen as a problem, it is that the book length is about 500 pages. Although this is longer than conventional books, I guarantee that it is worth your time.Here With Me consumed me right from the first word. Samantha Young has killed it with this story.If you are looking for a romantic suspense story like none other, then grab a copy.
Find me :
| INSTAGRAM |
May 23, 2025
4⭑
I made the silly mistake of reading book two in this series first so I already knew what happened with the murder mystery plot of this book but I still heavily enjoyed it.
Robyn goes to the Highlands to reconnect with her dad and there she meets Lachlan (such a Scottish name, I love it!!) who owns the luxurious country club and hotel. As Robyn was a police officer in Boston, she offers her help when bad things at the hotel start happening. Robyn and Lachlan constantly argue/bicker with each other and then enter into an enemies with benefits situation👀🥵
I wasn’t a big fan of Robyn and Lachlan when they were side characters in book two but I grew to love them while reading their own book.
The one thing I hated about this book (and book 2) is Robyn’s mum. I hate that woman so much I swear, if I see her… ITS ON SIGHT🥊‼️
Adair Family Series
#1 - Here With Me - 4⭑
#2 - There With You - 4.5⭑
#3 - Always You - 4.75⭑
#4 - Be With Me - 4.25⭑
#5 - Only You - 3.5⭑
I made the silly mistake of reading book two in this series first so I already knew what happened with the murder mystery plot of this book but I still heavily enjoyed it.
Robyn goes to the Highlands to reconnect with her dad and there she meets Lachlan (such a Scottish name, I love it!!) who owns the luxurious country club and hotel. As Robyn was a police officer in Boston, she offers her help when bad things at the hotel start happening. Robyn and Lachlan constantly argue/bicker with each other and then enter into an enemies with benefits situation👀🥵
I wasn’t a big fan of Robyn and Lachlan when they were side characters in book two but I grew to love them while reading their own book.
The one thing I hated about this book (and book 2) is Robyn’s mum. I hate that woman so much I swear, if I see her… ITS ON SIGHT🥊‼️
Adair Family Series
#1 - Here With Me - 4⭑
#2 - There With You - 4.5⭑
#3 - Always You - 4.75⭑
#4 - Be With Me - 4.25⭑
#5 - Only You - 3.5⭑
Read
April 16, 2021I was completely lost in the highlands, with the Adair family, in the pages of this book, and I never wanted to come out. Here With Me is a breathtaking blend family drama, edge-of-your-seat suspense, and fiery chemistry. Samantha Young weaves together gorgeous prose, beautifully unique characters, and a love story that won’t leave you long after you’ve finished. One of my favorite books I’ve read this year and a must-read for romance fans! I am counting down the days until the next book in this series!
May 12, 2021
4.5 "You're Worth Everything" stars!
(ARC provided by author)
Robyn Penhaligon is a former police officer who now owned a photography business. She'd lived in Boston her whole life, but after a near death experience she decides it's time to make some changes. She hasn't seen her birth father since she was fourteen, and is tired of living with regrets. She'd once loved him to the depths of her soul, and wonders if they could ever reconnect. She travels to a tiny village in the north of Scotland to track down her estranged father who works in private security at Ardnoch Castle in the Highlands. She's there to get some answers and some closure, but also has to deal with a difficult man she wishes she could avoid.
Robyn holds a lot of resentment for a man she's never met. Lachlan Adair is the head of the Adair family and quit Hollywood to run an exclusive members only resort/club. He's turned his family owned estate into a home away from home for the rich and famous. The ex-actor is undeniably attractive and protective of those he loves. He's broody, full of attitude, and extremely private. They clash at every turn until they must come together to deal with a looming threat. As they spend time together unexpected real feelings develop. Will they avoid temptation, or fight for love?
-The taste of her, the feel of her, her smell, her electricity... he couldn't remember the last time he'd wanted someone this much.
-Something primitive, something base within him, recognized her as his.
Here With Me by Samantha Young is the first novel in the Adair Family series about five gorgeous siblings from Scotland. They are a prominent family that have been there for centuries. We first meet the eldest brother Lachlan who is an ex-Hollywood leading man, and Robyn, an American ex-Boston police officer. She's a brave, independent, strong, brutally honest woman who is fierce. I really loved this enemies to lovers romance full of suspense, angst, drama, mystery, intrigue, family bonds, friendship, forgiveness, passion, emotion, electric chemistry, and fabulous banter. It's a beautiful love story that will captivate you from the start. This book really has it all, and is set in the tranquil, magical Highlands. I was completely consumed by this world and these characters and can't wait for more books in the series! I need more of the Adairs!!! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3hnijOQ
(ARC provided by author)
Robyn Penhaligon is a former police officer who now owned a photography business. She'd lived in Boston her whole life, but after a near death experience she decides it's time to make some changes. She hasn't seen her birth father since she was fourteen, and is tired of living with regrets. She'd once loved him to the depths of her soul, and wonders if they could ever reconnect. She travels to a tiny village in the north of Scotland to track down her estranged father who works in private security at Ardnoch Castle in the Highlands. She's there to get some answers and some closure, but also has to deal with a difficult man she wishes she could avoid.
Robyn holds a lot of resentment for a man she's never met. Lachlan Adair is the head of the Adair family and quit Hollywood to run an exclusive members only resort/club. He's turned his family owned estate into a home away from home for the rich and famous. The ex-actor is undeniably attractive and protective of those he loves. He's broody, full of attitude, and extremely private. They clash at every turn until they must come together to deal with a looming threat. As they spend time together unexpected real feelings develop. Will they avoid temptation, or fight for love?
-The taste of her, the feel of her, her smell, her electricity... he couldn't remember the last time he'd wanted someone this much.
-Something primitive, something base within him, recognized her as his.
Here With Me by Samantha Young is the first novel in the Adair Family series about five gorgeous siblings from Scotland. They are a prominent family that have been there for centuries. We first meet the eldest brother Lachlan who is an ex-Hollywood leading man, and Robyn, an American ex-Boston police officer. She's a brave, independent, strong, brutally honest woman who is fierce. I really loved this enemies to lovers romance full of suspense, angst, drama, mystery, intrigue, family bonds, friendship, forgiveness, passion, emotion, electric chemistry, and fabulous banter. It's a beautiful love story that will captivate you from the start. This book really has it all, and is set in the tranquil, magical Highlands. I was completely consumed by this world and these characters and can't wait for more books in the series! I need more of the Adairs!!! <333
***NOW AVAILABLE***
https://amzn.to/3hnijOQ
September 15, 2021
✨4.5 stars✨
Thank you book gods, for sending me an almost 5 star read when I really needed it. I swear I've had a run of bad luck lately with books that I should love turning out duds. So I'm berry happy right now that this one worked out so well for me.
And honestly I would have given this 5 stars if it weren't for how goddamn annoying Lachlan was for the first half of the book lmao. I LOVE enemies-to-lovers. It's good for my soul, but that man tested my patience and if Robyn weren't so amazing I would have given up on this story.
Thank god this book was so long because at one point I actually found myself actively rooting against this guy. He was so mean to Robyn, and for what?
That's what bothered me the most, his "reasons" for hating Robyn made absolutely no sense. He was mad at her that... she was mad at her dad for abandoning her as a child? Huh??
At first I thought maybe there was some big revelation that would explain Mac's (dad) side of the story that would in turn justify Lachlan's hate. But nope! Once everything is explained, if anything, his hatred makes even less sense. He's outwardly antagonistic to a girl who's making an effort to get to know the father who left her behind. Which???? SHE is the one going out of her way to repair this relationship, but she gets absolutely no grace from Lachlan from that. Lachlan gets another point off too for constantly kissing Robyn to shut her up or because he's decided out of the blue it's a very correct thing to do right now. Maybe other people are into that but it drives me nuts.
Luckily Robyn is my favourite kind of heroine so I guess it all balanced out in the end. I loved watching her personal growth and the way she learned to be vulnerable with the people she loved because life's too short bla bla bla. It was lovely, she's a lovely girl and deserves the world.
But my favourite part of this book is the angst. And Here With Me has it in spades. We've got a heroine trying to recover from the trauma of her fathers abandonment. We've got dad desperate to have his daughter forgive him. Once Lachlan's bullshit reasons are out of the way, we've got enemies-to-lovers with too much chemistry. We've got everyone threatening to abandon a relationship to save another relationship lmao. We've got even more abandonment for Robyn and her drive to only accept people who will treat her as a priority. We've got Lachlan's childhood trauma. And to wrap it all up, we've got a fucking stalker who's tryna kill everyone lmao.
The angst is *chefs kiss*.
Imma thank my autism for this because I'm incapable of reading between the lines, but I'm almost never able to guess whodunnit. And I love that for me because then it means I always get a big surprise when it's finally revealed. I had absolutely no inkling that it was this specific person going after everyone on the estate and I'm kinda glad because their reasons... I feel like they didn't fully match up with the tone of the threats but! that's only upon reflection. While I was reading I was fully engrossed with the shock of the reveal. SO yay for me.
And all's well that ends well because Lachlan and Robyn are actually pretty fuckin cute together. I enjoyed their banter, even when they hated each other, and I enjoyed their cutesy shit once they started boinking.
Now I can't decide if I want to read the Regan's book right away or wait a bit because she was an off page asshole throughout this one and I can't tell if freshly remembering that'll make her story better or worse...
I have no impulse control, I'll probably start it right away lmao
I'll make you see me. And I'll be the last thing you ever see. xoxo
Robyn the message out loud.
"Well, that makes me feel better"
Lachlan frowned. "What does?"
"Knowing I'm not the only one you piss off."
Thank you book gods, for sending me an almost 5 star read when I really needed it. I swear I've had a run of bad luck lately with books that I should love turning out duds. So I'm berry happy right now that this one worked out so well for me.
And honestly I would have given this 5 stars if it weren't for how goddamn annoying Lachlan was for the first half of the book lmao. I LOVE enemies-to-lovers. It's good for my soul, but that man tested my patience and if Robyn weren't so amazing I would have given up on this story.
Thank god this book was so long because at one point I actually found myself actively rooting against this guy. He was so mean to Robyn, and for what?
That's what bothered me the most, his "reasons" for hating Robyn made absolutely no sense. He was mad at her that... she was mad at her dad for abandoning her as a child? Huh??
At first I thought maybe there was some big revelation that would explain Mac's (dad) side of the story that would in turn justify Lachlan's hate. But nope! Once everything is explained, if anything, his hatred makes even less sense. He's outwardly antagonistic to a girl who's making an effort to get to know the father who left her behind. Which???? SHE is the one going out of her way to repair this relationship, but she gets absolutely no grace from Lachlan from that. Lachlan gets another point off too for constantly kissing Robyn to shut her up or because he's decided out of the blue it's a very correct thing to do right now. Maybe other people are into that but it drives me nuts.
Luckily Robyn is my favourite kind of heroine so I guess it all balanced out in the end. I loved watching her personal growth and the way she learned to be vulnerable with the people she loved because life's too short bla bla bla. It was lovely, she's a lovely girl and deserves the world.
But my favourite part of this book is the angst. And Here With Me has it in spades. We've got a heroine trying to recover from the trauma of her fathers abandonment. We've got dad desperate to have his daughter forgive him. Once Lachlan's bullshit reasons are out of the way, we've got enemies-to-lovers with too much chemistry. We've got everyone threatening to abandon a relationship to save another relationship lmao. We've got even more abandonment for Robyn and her drive to only accept people who will treat her as a priority. We've got Lachlan's childhood trauma. And to wrap it all up, we've got a fucking stalker who's tryna kill everyone lmao.
"Don't act like I'm making this up in my head. Here are the facts: You are sleeping with me. This person came after me too. He actually killed someone. And I've barely seen you. I've been alone in my room every night since. While you were taking care of her."
He looked winded. "I... I didn't think you needed anyone to take care of you. You're stronger than Lucy."
I laughed bitterly. Because that said it all.
"Haven't I already told you? There's a difference between needing and wanting."
The angst is *chefs kiss*.
Imma thank my autism for this because I'm incapable of reading between the lines, but I'm almost never able to guess whodunnit. And I love that for me because then it means I always get a big surprise when it's finally revealed. I had absolutely no inkling that it was this specific person going after everyone on the estate and I'm kinda glad because their reasons... I feel like they didn't fully match up with the tone of the threats but! that's only upon reflection. While I was reading I was fully engrossed with the shock of the reveal. SO yay for me.
And all's well that ends well because Lachlan and Robyn are actually pretty fuckin cute together. I enjoyed their banter, even when they hated each other, and I enjoyed their cutesy shit once they started boinking.
Now I can't decide if I want to read the Regan's book right away or wait a bit because she was an off page asshole throughout this one and I can't tell if freshly remembering that'll make her story better or worse...
I have no impulse control, I'll probably start it right away lmao
May 11, 2021
This was a thrilling and suspenseful romance that truly had everything.
From a romance perspective, this story and the main characters hit it off the chart in ALL ways. A hot enemies-to-lovers romance filled with dynamic chemistry, angst, and tension…need I say more? I also really liked both of the main characters as individual characters which may not seem important but believe me, it is.
From a suspense perspective, without giving anything away, I will say: expect the unexpected. I’m not often surprised or caught off guard but in this novel there was a shocking revelation. I LOVED how it caught me off guard (yet still made sense to the story).
The setting of Scotland was described beautifully and made the story even more atmospheric. In addition to the main characters, I also loved the rest of the Adair family as well as Mac. As you can probably guess judging by this review, I’m absolutely hooked on this series from this initial installment and will be waiting in anticipation to read the rest.
***Thank you to Valentine PR for sending me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review***
From a romance perspective, this story and the main characters hit it off the chart in ALL ways. A hot enemies-to-lovers romance filled with dynamic chemistry, angst, and tension…need I say more? I also really liked both of the main characters as individual characters which may not seem important but believe me, it is.
From a suspense perspective, without giving anything away, I will say: expect the unexpected. I’m not often surprised or caught off guard but in this novel there was a shocking revelation. I LOVED how it caught me off guard (yet still made sense to the story).
The setting of Scotland was described beautifully and made the story even more atmospheric. In addition to the main characters, I also loved the rest of the Adair family as well as Mac. As you can probably guess judging by this review, I’m absolutely hooked on this series from this initial installment and will be waiting in anticipation to read the rest.
***Thank you to Valentine PR for sending me this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review***
May 12, 2021
5++ Stars!!
OMG! Absolute EXCELLENCE!! My top fave Samantha Young book to date.
Samantha Young has always been a one-click author for me. And while I have really loved several of her books, this book was EVERYTHING! I cannot tell you the last time a book totally consumed me like this one did, from the prologue when we read of Robyn as a police officer in Boston to the very last word. I binge read this book. Could not put it down! It's a romantic suspense read set in the Scottish Highlands with a rich set of complex and intriguing characters.
When Robyn's career as a police officer comes to an abrupt halt, she decides to travel to Scotland to hopefully reconnect with her estranged father who moved away years ago and became head of the security detail for an A-list Hollywood actor. What Robyn quickly learns upon her arrival in Scotland is that said actor, Lachlan Adair, though now retired from acting, runs a highly elite, members-only resort in the Scottish Highlands, and... he has a dangerous stalker.
This book had some of the best banter EVER! Lachlan was very annoyed and really did not have time for the arrival of his best friend and head of security's daughter. And all that Robyn knows about Lachlan is that her dad pretty much up and left her for him years ago. They were hellbent on hating one another, and I gobbled up ALL of this enemies-to-lovers goodness!
Their chemistry and angst was off the charts, and I could not get enough. All of this combined with scandal and a whodunnit edge of mystery kept me guessing and 100% invested in this story.
There's so much more that I can gush about here, but this book should really be enjoyed blindly. I was SOOO excited to see that this is the beginning of a new series for Samantha Young and I cannot wait to see who the next story is about. I just need another hit of these characters (but, cough cough, I REALLY hope it's about Mac and Arro!!)
Anyway, I digress...Here With Me quickly became one of my top reads for 2021, and I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It checked every box for me and is definitely some of this author's best work yet!
Release Date - May 11th, 2021
Thank you to Valentine PR & Literary Management for my advanced review copy which I received in exchange for an honest review.
OMG! Absolute EXCELLENCE!! My top fave Samantha Young book to date.
"I thought ignoring you was the best way to avoid temptation."
Samantha Young has always been a one-click author for me. And while I have really loved several of her books, this book was EVERYTHING! I cannot tell you the last time a book totally consumed me like this one did, from the prologue when we read of Robyn as a police officer in Boston to the very last word. I binge read this book. Could not put it down! It's a romantic suspense read set in the Scottish Highlands with a rich set of complex and intriguing characters.
When Robyn's career as a police officer comes to an abrupt halt, she decides to travel to Scotland to hopefully reconnect with her estranged father who moved away years ago and became head of the security detail for an A-list Hollywood actor. What Robyn quickly learns upon her arrival in Scotland is that said actor, Lachlan Adair, though now retired from acting, runs a highly elite, members-only resort in the Scottish Highlands, and... he has a dangerous stalker.
This book had some of the best banter EVER! Lachlan was very annoyed and really did not have time for the arrival of his best friend and head of security's daughter. And all that Robyn knows about Lachlan is that her dad pretty much up and left her for him years ago. They were hellbent on hating one another, and I gobbled up ALL of this enemies-to-lovers goodness!
“I’m serious.”
“I noticed. You should reconsider how serious you are. It’s interfering with the heroic efforts of the Botox in your forehead.” I was pretty sure Adair didn’t use Botox. And I was also pretty sure I was being immature. Yet I couldn’t help myself.
“Some people would pay good money to be in my company.”
“I don’t need to know how you paid for college.”
It took him a moment to understand the gibe. He growled at her back as she pushed into Mac’s private room. “Inferring I was a whore. How mature.”
“You kissed me first.” It was childish. I knew it even as I said it.
His eyes narrowed. “You didn’t exactly push me away.”
“Call it a moment of deep insanity.”
“Ah, yeah, you do like to manage folks, don’t you?”
“I’m not going to let you goad me today, Ms. Penhaligon.”
So we were back to that, were we? “That wasn’t goading. You remind me of a hen, clucking at her little chicks, pushing them around the pen so they’re exactly where you want them to be.”
Their chemistry and angst was off the charts, and I could not get enough. All of this combined with scandal and a whodunnit edge of mystery kept me guessing and 100% invested in this story.
There's so much more that I can gush about here, but this book should really be enjoyed blindly. I was SOOO excited to see that this is the beginning of a new series for Samantha Young and I cannot wait to see who the next story is about. I just need another hit of these characters (but, cough cough, I REALLY hope it's about Mac and Arro!!)
Anyway, I digress...Here With Me quickly became one of my top reads for 2021, and I cannot recommend this book highly enough. It checked every box for me and is definitely some of this author's best work yet!
“I need and want and care about you. I have no idea what’s happening to me. What you’re doing to me …”
Release Date - May 11th, 2021
Thank you to Valentine PR & Literary Management for my advanced review copy which I received in exchange for an honest review.
April 20, 2021
Robyn has arrived in Scotland to visit her estranged father Mac. He was only sixteen years old when she was born and was only really in her life until she was in her early teens. It has been fourteen years since she last saw him. After leaving her job to pursue a new career as a photographer, she has decided to seek out the answers to many questions she has so that she can understand how he could seemingly have just walked away from her.
Mac has been a bodyguard to Lachlan Adair, a very well known Scottish actor for the past 15 years or so. As far as Robyn is concerned, he is to blame for the distance between her and her dad. Protecting Lachlan took him all over the world, leaving little time for him to see his daughter.
Lachlan now owns a very exclusive estate in the Scottish Highlands that caters to the rich and famous. It offers them the privacy and security they crave in their day to day lives. When Robyn comes knocking on the door, Lachlan is on high alert. He is very protective of Mac, he may be his boss but he considers Mac as family. Robyn has very open and honest conversations with Mac, he is thrilled to see her and grateful that she sought him out. We all know there are two sides to every story and this is his opportunity to tell her his, hopefully going some ways to mend their ruptured relationship.
While Robyn is at Ardnoch she finds out there have been a few incidents occurring that they think is the work of a stalker after Lachlan. All of her police training kicks back into high gear as she immerses herself into figuring out who the perpetrator is and the motive. There is no way she is leaving until she knows everyone is safe, particularly her father.
Robyn easily makes friends with the regular guests and Lachlan’s family. However, it is the relationship with Lachlan that she never expected. There are so many feelings when it comes to him, she initially despised him because it was convenient to project all of her anger blame onto him being the reason she was estranged from Mac. On the flip side of that is this simmering intensity that they both feel, it frustrates Mac because he didn’t want to like her but the attraction is simply undeniable.
As things begin to heat up between the sheets, the stalker incidences become more violent and targeted. Everyone is at risk and no one feels safe anymore. As they get closer to finding out who is responsible for all of these awful attacks, it also brings Robyn’s eventual departure from Scotland back to Boston closer. Mac would dearly love for her to stay but it’s Lachlan that struggles with how to handle what he is feeling for Robyn. His heart is beating for her but it’s what’s going on inside his head that holds him back from taking a risk that could ultimately end in heartbreak for them both.
‘Because he loved her. He loved that woman more than he knew it was possible to love another human being. So what’s worse? He wondered, agonized. Throwing her away before they could build a life together? Or risking the chance of building that life only to lose it? Was a limited amount of time with the woman he loved better than no time at all?’
I read this over a weekend and once I was hooked I could not stop reading. I was completely invested in figuring out what was going on and I felt like I was part of the investigation team, helping work through the evidence. I had no idea I was going to turn into a full on detective when I began reading this, everyone was a suspect and I pored over every word to see if I could solve the case. This was an addictive, exciting, suspenseful, page turning story that had my complete attention. It is also the first in the beginning of a new series about the Adair family and I cannot wait to read more!
May 30, 2021
4 STARS
I have been anticipating this series for a while now, and happily I can say I was not disappointed. Often I find that my high expectations will set me up for a let down. But not today. With that said, I will say that both Lachlan Adair and Robyn Penhaligan were not my ideal H/h couple. Even though I do love an enemies to lovers trope, I have to admit that these two both started out rubbing me the wrong way. But as they came together, I found myself liking them both a bit more.
Also, I felt that the author sort of let slip who the villain was early on, or at least I thought so. But it's so rare that I get that right that I was happy to be on the mark this time. So no marks deducted for that one. I felt like the story was well laid out, and kept me guessing. Overall a win for me.
Looking forward to book 2.
"You're worth everything."
I have been anticipating this series for a while now, and happily I can say I was not disappointed. Often I find that my high expectations will set me up for a let down. But not today. With that said, I will say that both Lachlan Adair and Robyn Penhaligan were not my ideal H/h couple. Even though I do love an enemies to lovers trope, I have to admit that these two both started out rubbing me the wrong way. But as they came together, I found myself liking them both a bit more.
Also, I felt that the author sort of let slip who the villain was early on, or at least I thought so. But it's so rare that I get that right that I was happy to be on the mark this time. So no marks deducted for that one. I felt like the story was well laid out, and kept me guessing. Overall a win for me.
Looking forward to book 2.
July 12, 2021
dnf @ ch 14
Lachlan is insufferable asshole
Lachlan is insufferable asshole
![Profile Image for Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1521418447i%2F78060090._UY200_CR25%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
May 27, 2021
3 stars.
This book was interesting at first. It had me intrigued mostly by how Robyn and her dad, Mac, were going to hash out and attempt to repair their relationship rather than the big 'mystery' of the stalker. As the book progressed though and Robyn and Mac finally talk about the past I became mostly annoyed with the plot and a little bored, honestly. *There might be some mild spoilers in this review but nothing exposing who the stalker is.*
First of all, I didn't know for sure 'who dun it' so hats off to the author because a lot of books with a mystery component go one of two ways:
1) It's painfully obvious the second you meet the perpetrator (e.g. the In Death series by J.D. Robb...loved the characters but the mystery part was always way too obvious)
2) It's some random character that you never could have guessed and the author thinks they're so clever for picking them 🙄
In the case of this book, I had my suspicion of who it was (which turned out to be right), but there were a lot of possible suspects and the author was pretty good at keeping me guessing. There was also a second component that I guessed way wrong lol.
But although the author kept me guessing I felt like the crux of the plot which was Robyn hanging around to "investigate" this stalker case was a joke. Robyn is an ex-cop so she should have some skills, but the "investigation" if you can even call it that was handled so poorly. Robyn basically had the stereotypical cork board with things pinned to it and interviewed like 2 people. That's it. Other than that she was training people in MMA, taking pictures, and honestly doing nothing for weeks on end. It made no sense. There were clear suspects and they never took the time to really investigate or interrogate them or set up extra security and surveillance measures that only the very trusted security team should've known about to catch the person, etc., etc. There were so many ways to prevent and catch this person, but honestly, no one was spending any time trying to do anything about it even though that was supposedly why Robyn was there for weeks/months on end.
The part of the book that initially intrigued me most as I said was Robyn and Mac's relationship. Ultimately I was super disappointed by Mac though, which is too bad because by the time they hash everything out I grew to love his character, and being let down by him sucked. I was hoping there would be some miraculous reason for why he completely disappeared from his daughter's life, but no, his reasons for being an absentee dad were not at all justifiable and that was annoying because I didn't feel like his actions in regards to Robyn fit his personality at all. He's this big, tough guy that you wouldn't think would let anyone or anything stand in the way of him and his daughter especially since he has such a tender heart and loves Robyn dearly but *spoilers* ultimately he chose his job and Lachlan over his daughter, exactly as she believed. Also, Robyn has been an adult for a decade so there was no excuse for him not to reach out once she left her mom's house if the mom being in the way was really the reason he didn't visit her. Why the fuck would he not try to reach out or see her at all in the last decade if he loved her so much?! Her mom prevented them from meeting from ages 14-18 so okay you lost 4 years (could've fought harder and not lost that too), but what's the excuse once she goes to college? The only saving grace was that Mac and Robyn acknowledge that he fucked up and there's no excuse for it. So often I feel like books smooth over hard parts rather than having characters take accountability for their fucked up actions. That said when Robyn first gets to the estate Lachlan was such a dick to her about her dad. He's Mac's best friend so I get that he's on his side, but he also knows Mac fucked up and could've done more and that absolutely no blame lies with Robyn. The fact that he puts any blame at Robyn's feet like her not having a relationship with her dad was at all her fault is ridiculous and fucked up.
Moving on to Lachlan I never really felt that connected to him and I honestly didn't even really like him all that much. I find his job/the estate and all that comes with the memberships and kowtowing to celebrities pretty superficial, out of touch, and elitist. He's given up acting, but as Robyn points out he's still putting on a show with his role at the castle. Something that really annoyed me about him was that he never came to conclusions on his own. He always needed someone else to intervene and give him a pep talk to get him to do the right thing in regards to Robyn. He pushed her away countless times, but after about a week aka as soon as someone pointed it all out to him, he'd immediately jump into action like he was awakened from a stupor and it just made me think he was kind of dumb lol. The fact it happened so many times got annoying and repetitive. In that vein the romance was alright, but there was lots of push and pull and their feelings for each other were too wishy-washy. I just didn't really ever believe in their love or in Lachlan's ability to be in love, stay in love and be the support Robyn needs.
Robyn had a whole lot going on in this book. She's dealing with her dad who abandoned her, her mom and step-dad who lied to her, a stalker case in a foreign country, her sister who abandoned her, and she's falling in love with a commitment-phobic man-child Scotsman. It's a lot. While I feel like she let the ball drop with her investigative skills I actually liked Robyn's character. Her dad and Lachlan often bring up that they admire her for her independence, bravery, and spirit. She's a 28-year-old ex-cop turned photographer and as someone who loves photography, I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. I feel like Robyn has been let down by every person she's loved and yet she's still fighting. She's in therapy(yay!) to work through her past(family stuff) and recent(almost dying) traumas which is such a nice thing to see portrayed in fiction rather than people just toughing it out when they could really benefit from professional help. And she was brave enough to quit a job she didn't love, follow her passion and travel outside of the country for the first time to get closure with her estranged dad of 16 years.
There were a lot of side characters in this book. The series is called 'Adair Family' and there are 5 Adair children so it's safe to assume there will be 4 more books in this series. I'm mildly intrigued by some of the seeds that were sown in this book for future books/pairings, but I'm not sure I'll invest in this series. Especially since the next book is about Robyn's sister, Regan, who's only characterization in this book is a spoiled, wild, selfish girl who added to Robyn's pain by being yet another person to abandon and betray her in her time of need soooo I'm not really all that excited to get to know her ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Also the plot of that book based off the blurb sounds suspiciously similar to this book lol so eh. Not that intersted.
Overall, I liked this book well enough to finish it. It was a bit of a page turner as I was anxiously awaiting Robyn and Mac's heart-to-heart, but a lot of aspects were boring, repetitive and the whole mystery aspect was pretty lame in the end. I'm glad I gave this book a chance as I've liked a few of Samantha Young's books especially her new PNR series: True Immortality under 'S. Young', but unfortunately this wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.
This book was interesting at first. It had me intrigued mostly by how Robyn and her dad, Mac, were going to hash out and attempt to repair their relationship rather than the big 'mystery' of the stalker. As the book progressed though and Robyn and Mac finally talk about the past I became mostly annoyed with the plot and a little bored, honestly. *There might be some mild spoilers in this review but nothing exposing who the stalker is.*
First of all, I didn't know for sure 'who dun it' so hats off to the author because a lot of books with a mystery component go one of two ways:
1) It's painfully obvious the second you meet the perpetrator (e.g. the In Death series by J.D. Robb...loved the characters but the mystery part was always way too obvious)
2) It's some random character that you never could have guessed and the author thinks they're so clever for picking them 🙄
In the case of this book, I had my suspicion of who it was (which turned out to be right), but there were a lot of possible suspects and the author was pretty good at keeping me guessing. There was also a second component that I guessed way wrong lol.
But although the author kept me guessing I felt like the crux of the plot which was Robyn hanging around to "investigate" this stalker case was a joke. Robyn is an ex-cop so she should have some skills, but the "investigation" if you can even call it that was handled so poorly. Robyn basically had the stereotypical cork board with things pinned to it and interviewed like 2 people. That's it. Other than that she was training people in MMA, taking pictures, and honestly doing nothing for weeks on end. It made no sense. There were clear suspects and they never took the time to really investigate or interrogate them or set up extra security and surveillance measures that only the very trusted security team should've known about to catch the person, etc., etc. There were so many ways to prevent and catch this person, but honestly, no one was spending any time trying to do anything about it even though that was supposedly why Robyn was there for weeks/months on end.
The part of the book that initially intrigued me most as I said was Robyn and Mac's relationship. Ultimately I was super disappointed by Mac though, which is too bad because by the time they hash everything out I grew to love his character, and being let down by him sucked. I was hoping there would be some miraculous reason for why he completely disappeared from his daughter's life, but no, his reasons for being an absentee dad were not at all justifiable and that was annoying because I didn't feel like his actions in regards to Robyn fit his personality at all. He's this big, tough guy that you wouldn't think would let anyone or anything stand in the way of him and his daughter especially since he has such a tender heart and loves Robyn dearly but *spoilers* ultimately he chose his job and Lachlan over his daughter, exactly as she believed. Also, Robyn has been an adult for a decade so there was no excuse for him not to reach out once she left her mom's house if the mom being in the way was really the reason he didn't visit her. Why the fuck would he not try to reach out or see her at all in the last decade if he loved her so much?! Her mom prevented them from meeting from ages 14-18 so okay you lost 4 years (could've fought harder and not lost that too), but what's the excuse once she goes to college? The only saving grace was that Mac and Robyn acknowledge that he fucked up and there's no excuse for it. So often I feel like books smooth over hard parts rather than having characters take accountability for their fucked up actions. That said when Robyn first gets to the estate Lachlan was such a dick to her about her dad. He's Mac's best friend so I get that he's on his side, but he also knows Mac fucked up and could've done more and that absolutely no blame lies with Robyn. The fact that he puts any blame at Robyn's feet like her not having a relationship with her dad was at all her fault is ridiculous and fucked up.
Moving on to Lachlan I never really felt that connected to him and I honestly didn't even really like him all that much. I find his job/the estate and all that comes with the memberships and kowtowing to celebrities pretty superficial, out of touch, and elitist. He's given up acting, but as Robyn points out he's still putting on a show with his role at the castle. Something that really annoyed me about him was that he never came to conclusions on his own. He always needed someone else to intervene and give him a pep talk to get him to do the right thing in regards to Robyn. He pushed her away countless times, but after about a week aka as soon as someone pointed it all out to him, he'd immediately jump into action like he was awakened from a stupor and it just made me think he was kind of dumb lol. The fact it happened so many times got annoying and repetitive. In that vein the romance was alright, but there was lots of push and pull and their feelings for each other were too wishy-washy. I just didn't really ever believe in their love or in Lachlan's ability to be in love, stay in love and be the support Robyn needs.
Robyn had a whole lot going on in this book. She's dealing with her dad who abandoned her, her mom and step-dad who lied to her, a stalker case in a foreign country, her sister who abandoned her, and she's falling in love with a commitment-phobic man-child Scotsman. It's a lot. While I feel like she let the ball drop with her investigative skills I actually liked Robyn's character. Her dad and Lachlan often bring up that they admire her for her independence, bravery, and spirit. She's a 28-year-old ex-cop turned photographer and as someone who loves photography, I really enjoyed that aspect of the story. I feel like Robyn has been let down by every person she's loved and yet she's still fighting. She's in therapy(yay!) to work through her past(family stuff) and recent(almost dying) traumas which is such a nice thing to see portrayed in fiction rather than people just toughing it out when they could really benefit from professional help. And she was brave enough to quit a job she didn't love, follow her passion and travel outside of the country for the first time to get closure with her estranged dad of 16 years.
There were a lot of side characters in this book. The series is called 'Adair Family' and there are 5 Adair children so it's safe to assume there will be 4 more books in this series. I'm mildly intrigued by some of the seeds that were sown in this book for future books/pairings, but I'm not sure I'll invest in this series. Especially since the next book is about Robyn's sister, Regan, who's only characterization in this book is a spoiled, wild, selfish girl who added to Robyn's pain by being yet another person to abandon and betray her in her time of need soooo I'm not really all that excited to get to know her ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ Also the plot of that book based off the blurb sounds suspiciously similar to this book lol so eh. Not that intersted.
Overall, I liked this book well enough to finish it. It was a bit of a page turner as I was anxiously awaiting Robyn and Mac's heart-to-heart, but a lot of aspects were boring, repetitive and the whole mystery aspect was pretty lame in the end. I'm glad I gave this book a chance as I've liked a few of Samantha Young's books especially her new PNR series: True Immortality under 'S. Young', but unfortunately this wasn't as good as I was hoping it would be.
May 11, 2021
4.5 ‘Braveheart’ Stars!
ARC provided via Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review.
A new crew of characters and their love stories set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands in a castle full of mystery. If anyone can do justice to that is author Samantha Young, since many of her books are already focused around Scotland and all of them have worked wonderfully. Young starts her new contemporary / romantic suspense series with Here with Me, the story of two people who apparently can’t stand each other but also can’t escape from their feelings towards one another. All of that happening while there is also a case to be solved before it puts anyone in danger. Got your attention yet? Because this all sounds like an addicting story to me!
So, as I said, Here with Me is the first installment in Samantha’s new series: the Adair Family. This is the story of Lachlan Adair, the oldest of the siblings and ex-Hollywood star now owner of Ardnoch Estate, an exclusive place where celebrities can enjoy tranquility and privacy. Enter Robyn Penhaligon, ex-cop now photographer who is visiting the area looking for the father who abandoned her many years ago. Mac Galbraith has been working as Lachlan’s security manager for almost twenty years and Robyn blames the leading man for Mac’s leaving. That starts their relationship with hate, but it also enhances the raw sexual tension between them. While their relationship burns, there also is a series of events happening to Lachlan and his loved ones that are making things difficult and scary. What will happen is in their hands before anything bad happens.
“I am epic, and if a guy plays his cards right, I know how to make him feel like a goddamn king…” […] “So don’t you think for one second your opinion has any effect on my self-esteem.”
Young is one of those experts in all things Scottish and she fully uses that extensive knowledge in her stories. She just puts you inside those marvelous places and makes you want to visit them VERY badly. That together with a complex and endearing group of characters, the start of numerous relationships and a whole lot of suspense and emotions, makes the start of the Adair Family series a compelling love story you don’t want to miss. I’ve fallen in love with this family already and we have only seen glimpses of them, which I am sure will make the excitement for future installments even bigger. But now let’s focus a bit on Lachlan and Robyn. These two. MY GOODNESS! The back and forth, the burning hate turning into explosive chemistry and the feels. I loved it all!
Robyn.
His mind, his very blood, was filled with nothing but her.
It was aggravating and not a little terrifying.
Both Lachlan and Robyn are very much deep and alive characters. I loved seeing their layers and how they finally peel them, showing their fears and vulnerabilities to each other. Their connection is impossible to miss from the very start and it turns into an intense and beautiful relationship neither expected. It was also great seeing them working together, arguing and trying to piece everything together after mysterious and scary events keep happening. I loved the interactions together with the rest of the crew, especially Mac and Robyn’s reconnecting and how Samantha teased us about Mac and Arro’s connection. There is so many layers to this story and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series to know more about this amazing group of characters!
“Robyn, I don’t know if I deserve you… but I can promise you, no man will ever try harder than me to be worthy of you.”
Therefore, I am rating Here with Me with 4.5 STARS because it was the perfect start and introduction to this new series, with a love story between two opposites who can’t stop their feelings for one another, an amazing crew of secondary characters I can’t wait to read more about, a whole lot of mystery and suspense and the much deserved happy ending (with a surprise included in the end!). I devoured this first installment, I loved Lachlan and Robyn so much and I am sure Samantha Young will write the rest of the stories with the same love as she did this one. I am so excited for more and I highly recommend you give this one a go if you love Young’s writing!
CHECK OUT MY BLOG HERE:
ARC provided via Valentine PR in exchange for an honest review.
A new crew of characters and their love stories set in the beautiful Scottish Highlands in a castle full of mystery. If anyone can do justice to that is author Samantha Young, since many of her books are already focused around Scotland and all of them have worked wonderfully. Young starts her new contemporary / romantic suspense series with Here with Me, the story of two people who apparently can’t stand each other but also can’t escape from their feelings towards one another. All of that happening while there is also a case to be solved before it puts anyone in danger. Got your attention yet? Because this all sounds like an addicting story to me!
So, as I said, Here with Me is the first installment in Samantha’s new series: the Adair Family. This is the story of Lachlan Adair, the oldest of the siblings and ex-Hollywood star now owner of Ardnoch Estate, an exclusive place where celebrities can enjoy tranquility and privacy. Enter Robyn Penhaligon, ex-cop now photographer who is visiting the area looking for the father who abandoned her many years ago. Mac Galbraith has been working as Lachlan’s security manager for almost twenty years and Robyn blames the leading man for Mac’s leaving. That starts their relationship with hate, but it also enhances the raw sexual tension between them. While their relationship burns, there also is a series of events happening to Lachlan and his loved ones that are making things difficult and scary. What will happen is in their hands before anything bad happens.
“I am epic, and if a guy plays his cards right, I know how to make him feel like a goddamn king…” […] “So don’t you think for one second your opinion has any effect on my self-esteem.”
Young is one of those experts in all things Scottish and she fully uses that extensive knowledge in her stories. She just puts you inside those marvelous places and makes you want to visit them VERY badly. That together with a complex and endearing group of characters, the start of numerous relationships and a whole lot of suspense and emotions, makes the start of the Adair Family series a compelling love story you don’t want to miss. I’ve fallen in love with this family already and we have only seen glimpses of them, which I am sure will make the excitement for future installments even bigger. But now let’s focus a bit on Lachlan and Robyn. These two. MY GOODNESS! The back and forth, the burning hate turning into explosive chemistry and the feels. I loved it all!
Robyn.
His mind, his very blood, was filled with nothing but her.
It was aggravating and not a little terrifying.
Both Lachlan and Robyn are very much deep and alive characters. I loved seeing their layers and how they finally peel them, showing their fears and vulnerabilities to each other. Their connection is impossible to miss from the very start and it turns into an intense and beautiful relationship neither expected. It was also great seeing them working together, arguing and trying to piece everything together after mysterious and scary events keep happening. I loved the interactions together with the rest of the crew, especially Mac and Robyn’s reconnecting and how Samantha teased us about Mac and Arro’s connection. There is so many layers to this story and I cannot wait to read the rest of the series to know more about this amazing group of characters!
“Robyn, I don’t know if I deserve you… but I can promise you, no man will ever try harder than me to be worthy of you.”
Therefore, I am rating Here with Me with 4.5 STARS because it was the perfect start and introduction to this new series, with a love story between two opposites who can’t stop their feelings for one another, an amazing crew of secondary characters I can’t wait to read more about, a whole lot of mystery and suspense and the much deserved happy ending (with a surprise included in the end!). I devoured this first installment, I loved Lachlan and Robyn so much and I am sure Samantha Young will write the rest of the stories with the same love as she did this one. I am so excited for more and I highly recommend you give this one a go if you love Young’s writing!
CHECK OUT MY BLOG HERE:
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,558 reviews