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Fractured Frequencies #3
Dissonance
She's spent her life carrying everyone else.
He's the first man determined to carry her.
As one of the music industry's most respected managers, Thea Calloway has built her reputation by putting her artists first. Their dreams. Their futures. Their success. Her career’s the one thing she's never been willing to compromise. Even if it means there’s never been room for a life of her own.
There's just one exception.
Lachlan “Lockie” James.
Former Navy SEAL. Fiercely loyal Scottish bodyguard to her biggest client. The only man who's spent years slipping past every carefully built defense, one stolen weekend at a time.
Then two pink lines change everything.
Now the future they've spent years denying is impossible to ignore, forcing Thea to confront the one thing she's never planned for: a life where she doesn't have to choose between the career she's fought to build and the one man she's never truly been able to walk away from.
Can two people who have spent years putting everyone else first finally choose each other?
He's the first man determined to carry her.
As one of the music industry's most respected managers, Thea Calloway has built her reputation by putting her artists first. Their dreams. Their futures. Their success. Her career’s the one thing she's never been willing to compromise. Even if it means there’s never been room for a life of her own.
There's just one exception.
Lachlan “Lockie” James.
Former Navy SEAL. Fiercely loyal Scottish bodyguard to her biggest client. The only man who's spent years slipping past every carefully built defense, one stolen weekend at a time.
Then two pink lines change everything.
Now the future they've spent years denying is impossible to ignore, forcing Thea to confront the one thing she's never planned for: a life where she doesn't have to choose between the career she's fought to build and the one man she's never truly been able to walk away from.
Can two people who have spent years putting everyone else first finally choose each other?
363 pages, Kindle Edition
Published October 9, 2026
About the author
Vari Scott
11 books176 followersVari Scott is a British author of indecently decent romance. When she's not writing spicy stories with dirty talking men and sassy ladies, while her two pugs snooze under her table, she is reading them instead.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
October 11, 2026
“This is what it looks like when someone’s all in. No conditions, no negotiations, just him choosing me, choosing us, and meaning it”.
This quote pretty much sums up my feelings for this book. I REALLY enjoyed the story because it felt like a real ADULT relationship. I liked the alternating timelines because it actually gave us a healthy backstory and made their relationship make sense. This wasn’t insta-love, but there was that spark and I enjoyed reading about how they got to their present-day status.
And MMC Lachlan “Lockie” is the Scottish man of my dreams 🧔🏻♂️🏴💘. Loved his character. One of my favorite micro-tropes is when he’s “soft just for her”, and boy did he SHOW UP. No wings, shadows or billionaire status. He was just consistent and he SHOWED UP. I love a strong FMC, and Thea was wired just like me - independent to a fault and reading her story was like looking in a mirror in a lot of ways 🫣. Lockie really was the perfect match for her and created a safe space for her to let go of her tight hold on everything in her life. That was the best part of this story for me.
🎧: Performed in Dual Narration. Shane East could read me a take-out menu and I’d beg for more, so no notes there 🤭. Stella Hunter did a great job too- especially with the Scottish accent. Both narrators were fantastic (per usual). Great casting for this one. I immersive read this story and enjoyed following along with the narration.
Good story. Solid pacing. Excellent narration. Perfect length. Overall a really good time 👍🏽🧡.
🎧: 5⭐️
📖: 4.25 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Thank you to Must Love Audio for the ALC & Luna Literary Management for the ARC 💞
This quote pretty much sums up my feelings for this book. I REALLY enjoyed the story because it felt like a real ADULT relationship. I liked the alternating timelines because it actually gave us a healthy backstory and made their relationship make sense. This wasn’t insta-love, but there was that spark and I enjoyed reading about how they got to their present-day status.
And MMC Lachlan “Lockie” is the Scottish man of my dreams 🧔🏻♂️🏴💘. Loved his character. One of my favorite micro-tropes is when he’s “soft just for her”, and boy did he SHOW UP. No wings, shadows or billionaire status. He was just consistent and he SHOWED UP. I love a strong FMC, and Thea was wired just like me - independent to a fault and reading her story was like looking in a mirror in a lot of ways 🫣. Lockie really was the perfect match for her and created a safe space for her to let go of her tight hold on everything in her life. That was the best part of this story for me.
🎧: Performed in Dual Narration. Shane East could read me a take-out menu and I’d beg for more, so no notes there 🤭. Stella Hunter did a great job too- especially with the Scottish accent. Both narrators were fantastic (per usual). Great casting for this one. I immersive read this story and enjoyed following along with the narration.
Good story. Solid pacing. Excellent narration. Perfect length. Overall a really good time 👍🏽🧡.
🎧: 5⭐️
📖: 4.25 ⭐️
🌶️🌶️
Thank you to Must Love Audio for the ALC & Luna Literary Management for the ARC 💞
Review of advance copy received from Author
3.5 stars
Thank you Must love Audio + Luna for this advanced readers/listeners copy of Dissonance by Vari Scott.
Ive had the priviledge of reading all the interconnected stand alones in this 3 book series.
This one was a great read, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the standout of the series for me. The writing was smooth, fluid, and incredibly easy to sink into. It was fun & bingeable, a great quality that kept me reading. I also really enjoyed how it tied everything together and brought the interconnected series to a close.
That said, I did find the conflicts fairly minimal, and everything wrapped up a little too neatly for me. It felt like every loose end was tied off with a cute little bow, which made the overall impact feel a bit softer than what I’ve come to expect from the other books in this series.
I think with a few more chapters and a deeper dive into the backstory surrounding the death that happened off page, this story could have carried so much more emotional weight. There was definitely something there that could have made this one hit harder and feel more impactful alongside the other books.
Still, overall, it was an enjoyable read and a solid way to tie off the series. Not my favorite of the interconnected books, but definitely one I’m glad I read.
And the narration, you can never really go wrong with Shane East and Stella Hunter. They brought their usual talent and made the audiobook an easy listen.
Thank you Must love Audio + Luna for this advanced readers/listeners copy of Dissonance by Vari Scott.
Ive had the priviledge of reading all the interconnected stand alones in this 3 book series.
This one was a great read, but unfortunately, it wasn’t the standout of the series for me. The writing was smooth, fluid, and incredibly easy to sink into. It was fun & bingeable, a great quality that kept me reading. I also really enjoyed how it tied everything together and brought the interconnected series to a close.
That said, I did find the conflicts fairly minimal, and everything wrapped up a little too neatly for me. It felt like every loose end was tied off with a cute little bow, which made the overall impact feel a bit softer than what I’ve come to expect from the other books in this series.
I think with a few more chapters and a deeper dive into the backstory surrounding the death that happened off page, this story could have carried so much more emotional weight. There was definitely something there that could have made this one hit harder and feel more impactful alongside the other books.
Still, overall, it was an enjoyable read and a solid way to tie off the series. Not my favorite of the interconnected books, but definitely one I’m glad I read.
And the narration, you can never really go wrong with Shane East and Stella Hunter. They brought their usual talent and made the audiobook an easy listen.
October 3, 2026
ALC and ARC review from the author!
This book and Audiobook was simply beautiful absolutely amazing.
Thea is a strong independent woman who doesn’t need help nor a man. Shes always wanted her dad’s approval, so she’s worked hard to build her own company clients. While at one of the company parties she catches the eye of Locke! It was only suppose to be the weekend. But this non relationship goes on for 12 years until everything changed for both of them.
Locke you have meet him in previous books he’s broody he’s a body guard and he’s also feeling grief and guilt over his brother. He’s at the same party with Thea he’s enamored with her the entire weekend he’s ready to ask for more until he get a call and Thea finds out who he works for! Omg these two have serious chemistry. Locke is so swoon worthy 12 yrs of non relationship! But they do see each other through out those years.
The Audio and book hit so different when reading and listening. You can feel all the emotions frustrations throughout the book.
Thea and Locke go through the back and forth until a life changing experience brings them closer together. It was so beautiful to see how they developed and grow together. I love the found family as well. I loved their HEA is was so beautiful I was emotional.
Vari Scott is just an amazing author. The book is relatable it’s raw it’s emotional I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Shane & Sheila on the Audiobook were flawless perfection!
This book and Audiobook was simply beautiful absolutely amazing.
Thea is a strong independent woman who doesn’t need help nor a man. Shes always wanted her dad’s approval, so she’s worked hard to build her own company clients. While at one of the company parties she catches the eye of Locke! It was only suppose to be the weekend. But this non relationship goes on for 12 years until everything changed for both of them.
Locke you have meet him in previous books he’s broody he’s a body guard and he’s also feeling grief and guilt over his brother. He’s at the same party with Thea he’s enamored with her the entire weekend he’s ready to ask for more until he get a call and Thea finds out who he works for! Omg these two have serious chemistry. Locke is so swoon worthy 12 yrs of non relationship! But they do see each other through out those years.
The Audio and book hit so different when reading and listening. You can feel all the emotions frustrations throughout the book.
Thea and Locke go through the back and forth until a life changing experience brings them closer together. It was so beautiful to see how they developed and grow together. I love the found family as well. I loved their HEA is was so beautiful I was emotional.
Vari Scott is just an amazing author. The book is relatable it’s raw it’s emotional I can’t wait to see what’s next!
Shane & Sheila on the Audiobook were flawless perfection!
October 11, 2026
3.5 Stars
Have been loving this series from Vari Scott! Her writing just feels so real and I will definitely continue to read her books. The audios for this whole series have been great but this one with the accent for Lockie!! So good, 10/10.
I was so excited when I learned who this was going to be about from previous books and I love a good accidental pregnancy story. I thought the accidental pregnancy aspects were done really well and I mean the man Lockie is with taking care of Thea!! Swoon. Thea was such a strong woman and I loved her and that she never stopped working towards her goals. I enjoyed the flashbacks we got and thought that added a lot to our understanding of their history. And I loved seeing our couples from the first two books too!
I do have to say, this one was good but not as great as the others in the series for me personally. It could be partly due to my reading slump, but I didn’t find myself constantly wanting to get back to them. Something was missing for me personally to be a standout like Resonance was. But ultimately I still adored them and enjoyed my listen of their story!
Thank you so much to Vari Scott and Must Love Audio for the advanced audio copy and Luna Literary Management for the advanced ebook!
2 Spice
Format: ALC
Narrated By: Stella Hunter & Shane East
What to Expect:
Rockstar's Bodyguard x Manager, Accidental Pregnancy, Right Person Wrong Time, Found Family, Protective Scottish Hero, He Falls First
Have been loving this series from Vari Scott! Her writing just feels so real and I will definitely continue to read her books. The audios for this whole series have been great but this one with the accent for Lockie!! So good, 10/10.
I was so excited when I learned who this was going to be about from previous books and I love a good accidental pregnancy story. I thought the accidental pregnancy aspects were done really well and I mean the man Lockie is with taking care of Thea!! Swoon. Thea was such a strong woman and I loved her and that she never stopped working towards her goals. I enjoyed the flashbacks we got and thought that added a lot to our understanding of their history. And I loved seeing our couples from the first two books too!
I do have to say, this one was good but not as great as the others in the series for me personally. It could be partly due to my reading slump, but I didn’t find myself constantly wanting to get back to them. Something was missing for me personally to be a standout like Resonance was. But ultimately I still adored them and enjoyed my listen of their story!
Thank you so much to Vari Scott and Must Love Audio for the advanced audio copy and Luna Literary Management for the advanced ebook!
2 Spice
Format: ALC
Narrated By: Stella Hunter & Shane East
What to Expect:
Rockstar's Bodyguard x Manager, Accidental Pregnancy, Right Person Wrong Time, Found Family, Protective Scottish Hero, He Falls First
October 5, 2026
4.5 ⭐️ | 2 🌶️
🎸 Rockstar’s bodyguard x rockstar’s manager
🏴 Protective Scottish hero
💪🏼 Strong heroine
🤰🏻 Accidental pregnancy
❤️🩹 Right person, wrong time
🫶🏻 He falls first
🥹 Found family
🤌🏼 Nickname in a foreign language
I had already fallen for Lockie & Thea from their cameos in the first two books in the series, but I didn’t quite expect such a beautiful and moving love story that spans 12 years.
There’s nothing I love more than when a headstrong, does everything by herself FOR herself FMC meets a man that shows up in a quiet, steadfast way that weaves his presence so seamlessly into her life and she realizes she can take off her armor.
One thing I absolutely loved about this story were the flashbacks. I loved getting the glimpse into how these two met and it added so much to the angst and emotion of the whole story.
🎧 This dual narration audiobook was performed by @shaneeastreads and @stellahunternarrator and I was so amazed by how incredible and seamless their performances were, constantly switching back and forth between the FMC with no accent and the MMC with his Scottish brogue. Stella & Shane brought Thea & Lockie to life in such a beautifully honest and emotional way. There are certain quotes that keep replaying in my brain in their voices and it makes me very emosh.
Thank you so much to @variscottwrites for the ARC/ALC 🫶🏻.
🎸 Rockstar’s bodyguard x rockstar’s manager
🏴 Protective Scottish hero
💪🏼 Strong heroine
🤰🏻 Accidental pregnancy
❤️🩹 Right person, wrong time
🫶🏻 He falls first
🥹 Found family
🤌🏼 Nickname in a foreign language
I had already fallen for Lockie & Thea from their cameos in the first two books in the series, but I didn’t quite expect such a beautiful and moving love story that spans 12 years.
There’s nothing I love more than when a headstrong, does everything by herself FOR herself FMC meets a man that shows up in a quiet, steadfast way that weaves his presence so seamlessly into her life and she realizes she can take off her armor.
One thing I absolutely loved about this story were the flashbacks. I loved getting the glimpse into how these two met and it added so much to the angst and emotion of the whole story.
🎧 This dual narration audiobook was performed by @shaneeastreads and @stellahunternarrator and I was so amazed by how incredible and seamless their performances were, constantly switching back and forth between the FMC with no accent and the MMC with his Scottish brogue. Stella & Shane brought Thea & Lockie to life in such a beautifully honest and emotional way. There are certain quotes that keep replaying in my brain in their voices and it makes me very emosh.
Thank you so much to @variscottwrites for the ARC/ALC 🫶🏻.
September 28, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️
Gosh, there was so much I loved about this book. So much I could relate to, so much I appreciated, the REAL reactions, the REAL life problems that adults face every day with work, family, just life. I loved these two so much and seeing Coop & Dec again was.. everything. FULL RTC
I’m Vari Scott’s biggest fan and I will read anything she writes from now to forever. This includes an accidental pregnancy book because we all know how I feel about those (sometimes) but WOW did she ever deliver. The spice, the plot, the angst, the EMOTION (in that way only Vari can).. I have no notes. This was perfection.
When I heard our favourite bodyguard and Scotsman, Lockie was getting a book I was over the moon excited! The quote, stoic, caring, protective man was falling for his clients manager? The independent, successful, boss lady herself, Thea. I couldn’t wait. And these two held a past that I had no idea about 👀
In a story that spans over a decade, you get to see how these two meet, and how they keep ending up together year after year even when the circumstances keep them apart. True soul mates, star crossed lovers, meant to be.
When two little pink lines show up on a test that neither of them was expecting, Lockie is determined to show Thea that he’s there for her and the baby. He’s steady. She can lean on him. And he’s not going anywhere.. and that’s just what Thea might need.
I had the best time getting to know these two and seeing the crew all back together again. I’m so excited for what’s to come in this series still and I really think this will go down as the most enjoyable accidental pregnancy book I’ve ever read. I’d highly recommend to anyone who loves a caring, kind, patient, and protective MMC, and a strong FMC who can do it all on her own but doesn’t have to anymore. Enjoy!
🌶️🌶️
Gosh, there was so much I loved about this book. So much I could relate to, so much I appreciated, the REAL reactions, the REAL life problems that adults face every day with work, family, just life. I loved these two so much and seeing Coop & Dec again was.. everything. FULL RTC
I’m Vari Scott’s biggest fan and I will read anything she writes from now to forever. This includes an accidental pregnancy book because we all know how I feel about those (sometimes) but WOW did she ever deliver. The spice, the plot, the angst, the EMOTION (in that way only Vari can).. I have no notes. This was perfection.
When I heard our favourite bodyguard and Scotsman, Lockie was getting a book I was over the moon excited! The quote, stoic, caring, protective man was falling for his clients manager? The independent, successful, boss lady herself, Thea. I couldn’t wait. And these two held a past that I had no idea about 👀
In a story that spans over a decade, you get to see how these two meet, and how they keep ending up together year after year even when the circumstances keep them apart. True soul mates, star crossed lovers, meant to be.
When two little pink lines show up on a test that neither of them was expecting, Lockie is determined to show Thea that he’s there for her and the baby. He’s steady. She can lean on him. And he’s not going anywhere.. and that’s just what Thea might need.
I had the best time getting to know these two and seeing the crew all back together again. I’m so excited for what’s to come in this series still and I really think this will go down as the most enjoyable accidental pregnancy book I’ve ever read. I’d highly recommend to anyone who loves a caring, kind, patient, and protective MMC, and a strong FMC who can do it all on her own but doesn’t have to anymore. Enjoy!
Review of advance copy
Thea + Lockie
-mf rockstar romance
-bodyguard x manager
-protective scottish hero x strong heroine
-accidental pregnancy
-right person, wrong time
-he falls first
-found family
i loved these two so much & how much deeper their story went than we ever were hinted at from the last couple books! i also loved all our little cameos with every one! & lockies issues he had to get thru were executed so well!
-mf rockstar romance
-bodyguard x manager
-protective scottish hero x strong heroine
-accidental pregnancy
-right person, wrong time
-he falls first
-found family
i loved these two so much & how much deeper their story went than we ever were hinted at from the last couple books! i also loved all our little cameos with every one! & lockies issues he had to get thru were executed so well!
September 28, 2026
Vari Scott gave us accidental pregnancy between two characters that have twelve years of history and I could not stop reading it. I read this in one day because I was completely hooked and it was something I didn’t know I needed. The chemistry between Lachlan and Thea in the prologue is off the charts alone. That first kiss with the lass, will never be over it.
Thea is a music manager and manages Cooper or Reign Cooper (his stage name). She’s been building her own company and trying to make it on her own without her father and proving herself every day. Lachlan, or Lockie, is Cooper’s bodyguard. That is not the only connection between these two. They have been dancing around each other for twelve years, the right person, wrong time kinda thing. But one pregnancy test later, and it’s finally the right time for these two.
I have so many emotions over this book. The way Vari Scott wrote a very stoic, Scottish bodyguard with an HBIC, I loved everything about this book. Thea was trying to do everything herself and prove herself and throughout this book, Lockie did not try to change her at all. This man knew what he was getting into from the beginning and he was the one beside her, steadfast and unmoving. I think I highlighted every nickname this man gave her throughout the book. I love a good nickname but one in another language, I was melting. I loved all the flashbacks we got from the very beginning, I felt like the placement was very intentional and it was perfect. The one thing my brain hyper fixated on since the beginning of this book was the physical changes Thea catalogued in Lockie. I don’t know why I was so fixated on it but it just really stuck with me in this book. Two people, because of their circumstances not being together, noticing those shifts in time because they didn’t see each other that often, I just love the yearning and longing of seeing those changes in the other person.
When I say I had all the emotions in this one, I really did. I teared up a couple of times, I definitely swooned (him taking the side of the bed closest to the door does things to me), I laughed (will never be over the kimono), and I just really enjoyed the story in this one. We even got past characters, especially Declan and Cooper. I loved how much we got of Cooper and Declan. This was definitely a love letter to those of us readers who could have read 1000 more pages of Resonance. But getting Paige and Maddox was so wonderful. Like visiting old friends you haven’t seen in a while.
Thank you to Vari Scott for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes:
✨Rockstar's bodyguard × rockstar's manager
✨Protective Scottish hero
✨Strong heroine
✨Accidental pregnancy
✨Right person, wrong time
✨He falls first
✨Found family
Thea is a music manager and manages Cooper or Reign Cooper (his stage name). She’s been building her own company and trying to make it on her own without her father and proving herself every day. Lachlan, or Lockie, is Cooper’s bodyguard. That is not the only connection between these two. They have been dancing around each other for twelve years, the right person, wrong time kinda thing. But one pregnancy test later, and it’s finally the right time for these two.
I have so many emotions over this book. The way Vari Scott wrote a very stoic, Scottish bodyguard with an HBIC, I loved everything about this book. Thea was trying to do everything herself and prove herself and throughout this book, Lockie did not try to change her at all. This man knew what he was getting into from the beginning and he was the one beside her, steadfast and unmoving. I think I highlighted every nickname this man gave her throughout the book. I love a good nickname but one in another language, I was melting. I loved all the flashbacks we got from the very beginning, I felt like the placement was very intentional and it was perfect. The one thing my brain hyper fixated on since the beginning of this book was the physical changes Thea catalogued in Lockie. I don’t know why I was so fixated on it but it just really stuck with me in this book. Two people, because of their circumstances not being together, noticing those shifts in time because they didn’t see each other that often, I just love the yearning and longing of seeing those changes in the other person.
When I say I had all the emotions in this one, I really did. I teared up a couple of times, I definitely swooned (him taking the side of the bed closest to the door does things to me), I laughed (will never be over the kimono), and I just really enjoyed the story in this one. We even got past characters, especially Declan and Cooper. I loved how much we got of Cooper and Declan. This was definitely a love letter to those of us readers who could have read 1000 more pages of Resonance. But getting Paige and Maddox was so wonderful. Like visiting old friends you haven’t seen in a while.
Thank you to Vari Scott for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Tropes:
✨Rockstar's bodyguard × rockstar's manager
✨Protective Scottish hero
✨Strong heroine
✨Accidental pregnancy
✨Right person, wrong time
✨He falls first
✨Found family
September 29, 2026
ARC/ALC Review
5/5 ⭐️
I absolutely devoured this book, no surprise there since I’ve been obsessed with Thea and Lockie since the moment I met them in the previous books of the series.
There’s so much to love about Dissonance:
- As always, fantastic writing. Vari Scott makes me completely addicted to every single book she writes
- Characters that are so special, and also feel incredibly real. Their emotions, the problems they face and the way they react to them, it all just feels relatable and authentic
- The perfect combination of romance, extremely hot spice, and raw emotion. I was giggling and kicking my feet one moment, and sobbing the next.
- The way our FMC and MMC slowly learn to trust each other, and let themselves love each other after all the history they have together was so beautiful
- The little snippets into the past. Absolutely obsessed
- A masterpiece of an audiobook. Really I can’t recommend it enough. Both Shane East and Stella Hunter are so talented, and absolutely perfect choices to be Thea and Lockie. I wouldn’t be able to picture anybody else for these characters, and I could listen to this audiobook thousands of times and never get tired of it!
- “Mo Chridhe” 😭 (to understand this one you need to read the book, so…really, just go read this book once it releases on October 9!)
Thank you so much to Vari Scott, Luna Literary, and Must Love Audio for both the ARC and ALC!
5/5 ⭐️
I absolutely devoured this book, no surprise there since I’ve been obsessed with Thea and Lockie since the moment I met them in the previous books of the series.
There’s so much to love about Dissonance:
- As always, fantastic writing. Vari Scott makes me completely addicted to every single book she writes
- Characters that are so special, and also feel incredibly real. Their emotions, the problems they face and the way they react to them, it all just feels relatable and authentic
- The perfect combination of romance, extremely hot spice, and raw emotion. I was giggling and kicking my feet one moment, and sobbing the next.
- The way our FMC and MMC slowly learn to trust each other, and let themselves love each other after all the history they have together was so beautiful
- The little snippets into the past. Absolutely obsessed
- A masterpiece of an audiobook. Really I can’t recommend it enough. Both Shane East and Stella Hunter are so talented, and absolutely perfect choices to be Thea and Lockie. I wouldn’t be able to picture anybody else for these characters, and I could listen to this audiobook thousands of times and never get tired of it!
- “Mo Chridhe” 😭 (to understand this one you need to read the book, so…really, just go read this book once it releases on October 9!)
Thank you so much to Vari Scott, Luna Literary, and Must Love Audio for both the ARC and ALC!
October 8, 2026
✩4
✦What to Expect✦
•Rockstar’s bodyguard × rockstar’s manager
•Protective Scottish hero
•Strong heroine
•Accidental pregnancy
•Right person, wrong time
•He falls first
•Found family
✦Characters✦
•Thea Calloway
•Lachlan James “Lockie”
✦Narrated By✦
•Shane East &
•Stella Hunter
✦Fav Quotes✦
This is dissonance in its purest form—everything I’ve wanted, everything I’ve refused myself.
He looks up, and the moment his eyes meet mine, everything else falls away.
Mo Chridhe. My heart.
✦Thoughts✦
Devoured this one in one sitting!
The Scottish accent 🥵🥵🥵
GODDDDD DAMMMM. Immersive read this and I def recommend listening to the audio bc hearing that Scottish accent in my ears was a goooood time!!
I lovedddd these two together! Their relationship spanning over 12 years and seeing how it all started had me so giddy and happy that they finally got their HEA together.
Lockie is literally book boyfriend goals, I was obsessed with him.
Also I am here for a baddie and loved Thea. Her being jealous and growling had me cracking up! I loved it!
I def will be going back & reading the first books in this series because I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
•ARC Read•
✦ Bookish links to follow ✦
Bookstagram • Goodreads • BookBub • Storygraph • Fable
✦What to Expect✦
•Rockstar’s bodyguard × rockstar’s manager
•Protective Scottish hero
•Strong heroine
•Accidental pregnancy
•Right person, wrong time
•He falls first
•Found family
✦Characters✦
•Thea Calloway
•Lachlan James “Lockie”
✦Narrated By✦
•Shane East &
•Stella Hunter
✦Fav Quotes✦
This is dissonance in its purest form—everything I’ve wanted, everything I’ve refused myself.
He looks up, and the moment his eyes meet mine, everything else falls away.
Mo Chridhe. My heart.
✦Thoughts✦
Devoured this one in one sitting!
The Scottish accent 🥵🥵🥵
GODDDDD DAMMMM. Immersive read this and I def recommend listening to the audio bc hearing that Scottish accent in my ears was a goooood time!!
I lovedddd these two together! Their relationship spanning over 12 years and seeing how it all started had me so giddy and happy that they finally got their HEA together.
Lockie is literally book boyfriend goals, I was obsessed with him.
Also I am here for a baddie and loved Thea. Her being jealous and growling had me cracking up! I loved it!
I def will be going back & reading the first books in this series because I thoroughly enjoyed this one!
•ARC Read•
✦ Bookish links to follow ✦
Bookstagram • Goodreads • BookBub • Storygraph • Fable
Review of advance copy
First I want to say thank you for the arc, I appreciate the opportunity to read and honestly review this!
This wasnt my favorite in the series, I enjoyed book 2 more but this was still a good read. I will say the audio is a must if you read this because man is Lockies accent soooo good. Lockie is a MAN lol 😏 and the way he cared for Thea throughout this whole thing no matter what they were going through was immaculate. Thea was truly a badass and the drive she had to achieve her dreams were aspirational but seeing her learn to accept help and see how many people she had in her corner was so sweet 🥹.
Now the things I wasnt a fan of, im not the biggest fan of accidental pregnancy but i can appreciate she had Thea stay true to who she was and not make her whole personality the pregnancy.
Also I wasnt the biggest fan of their fights, they felt more convenient for the plot than a real issues they had to overcome. For example the final fight when he left, i know Thea is supposed to be overthinking but you're telling me this super intelligent and savvy woman who built her company from the ground up couldnt pick up that something was wrong and he wasnt just deciding he was over it? Im just glad she had her friend to tell her to snap out of it 😂❤️
Overall though I had a fun time and they both deserved their happy ending and im really glad everything worked out for them ❤️
This wasnt my favorite in the series, I enjoyed book 2 more but this was still a good read. I will say the audio is a must if you read this because man is Lockies accent soooo good. Lockie is a MAN lol 😏 and the way he cared for Thea throughout this whole thing no matter what they were going through was immaculate. Thea was truly a badass and the drive she had to achieve her dreams were aspirational but seeing her learn to accept help and see how many people she had in her corner was so sweet 🥹.
Now the things I wasnt a fan of, im not the biggest fan of accidental pregnancy but i can appreciate she had Thea stay true to who she was and not make her whole personality the pregnancy.
Also I wasnt the biggest fan of their fights, they felt more convenient for the plot than a real issues they had to overcome. For example the final fight when he left, i know Thea is supposed to be overthinking but you're telling me this super intelligent and savvy woman who built her company from the ground up couldnt pick up that something was wrong and he wasnt just deciding he was over it? Im just glad she had her friend to tell her to snap out of it 😂❤️
Overall though I had a fun time and they both deserved their happy ending and im really glad everything worked out for them ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
ARC / ALC Review
Rounded up from 3.5 stars
“You should have a proper team around you. I know you can. Doesn’t mean you should have to.”
Thea is a successful music manager who has worked incredibly hard to build her career, and the last thing she needs is to complicate everything with Lachlan “Lockie” James, Reign Cooper’s Scottish bodyguard and a man she has had history with for years. The attraction between them is definitely not new and once they finally give in, keeping things professional becomes a whole lot harder. Add in the music industry, career pressures, family, pregnancy and two people who are absolutely terrible at talking about their feelings and you get plenty of drama.
Thea an Lockie together was fire! Their chemistry was hot and the history between was loved by me. I loved when they finally gave into their feelings. Lockie was so protective and patient but also a little possessive. His Scottish accent was a brilliant addition.
Even while some parts were a bit slower, I was invested in them. The development of their relationship was lovely done.
Audiobook Review – 5 star
The audiobook definitely bumped this one up for me!
Shane East and Stella Hunter were fantastic as Lockie and Thea. Their voices fit the characters so well and Shane East's Scottish accent was basically an experience all on its own. I loved the chemistry that came through in the narration, especially during the more emotional and intimate moments. Both narrators did a great job giving the characters their own personalities and making the relationship feel believable.
Rounded up from 3.5 stars
“You should have a proper team around you. I know you can. Doesn’t mean you should have to.”
Thea is a successful music manager who has worked incredibly hard to build her career, and the last thing she needs is to complicate everything with Lachlan “Lockie” James, Reign Cooper’s Scottish bodyguard and a man she has had history with for years. The attraction between them is definitely not new and once they finally give in, keeping things professional becomes a whole lot harder. Add in the music industry, career pressures, family, pregnancy and two people who are absolutely terrible at talking about their feelings and you get plenty of drama.
Thea an Lockie together was fire! Their chemistry was hot and the history between was loved by me. I loved when they finally gave into their feelings. Lockie was so protective and patient but also a little possessive. His Scottish accent was a brilliant addition.
Even while some parts were a bit slower, I was invested in them. The development of their relationship was lovely done.
Audiobook Review – 5 star
The audiobook definitely bumped this one up for me!
Shane East and Stella Hunter were fantastic as Lockie and Thea. Their voices fit the characters so well and Shane East's Scottish accent was basically an experience all on its own. I loved the chemistry that came through in the narration, especially during the more emotional and intimate moments. Both narrators did a great job giving the characters their own personalities and making the relationship feel believable.
Review of advance copy received from Author
★★★★
"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔. 𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔."
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 💭
I’m not saying everyone needs a grumpy Scottish bodyguard in their life, but this one certainly made a compelling argument.
Lockie was so easy to love. He’s grumpy, guarded and incredibly protective, but underneath all of that is a really caring man. I loved all the little things he did for Thea and the way he was quietly there when she needed him. He comes across as stoic and solid, but he’s dealing with his own grief and trauma, and seeing a more vulnerable side to him was really sad. I liked that he didn’t just try to bury it, though, and was willing to face it and work through it.
Thea was also really great. She’s incredibly driven and very much a girl boss, but her constant need to be in control and prove herself definitely gets her in her own head at times. I enjoyed seeing the softer side of her come out with Lockie and how she could let some of those walls down around him. It was lovely seeing her realise that she didn’t always have to do everything on her own.
What surprised me most was how far these two go back. There’s always been a pull between them, but the timing was never right and their careers always seemed to come first. I love that despite all the time and everything that had happened, they were still able to just be themselves with each other. They had a really natural connection and the chemistry was great.
The story itself was really enjoyable and had some great spice along the way. Accidental pregnancy isn’t normally a trope I go looking for, but I liked how it fitted into their story, and there was a good amount of emotion alongside it, so it never felt like it was all about the pregnancy.
I also loved getting Declan and Cooper crumbs throughout. I already adore those two, so them popping up was definitely a bonus.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. The narration was fantastic, and it's a great addition to the series.
"𝑰 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒘𝒐𝒎𝒂𝒏. 𝑵𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐𝒏𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒔. 𝑨𝒍𝒘𝒂𝒚𝒔."
𝐌𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 💭
I’m not saying everyone needs a grumpy Scottish bodyguard in their life, but this one certainly made a compelling argument.
Lockie was so easy to love. He’s grumpy, guarded and incredibly protective, but underneath all of that is a really caring man. I loved all the little things he did for Thea and the way he was quietly there when she needed him. He comes across as stoic and solid, but he’s dealing with his own grief and trauma, and seeing a more vulnerable side to him was really sad. I liked that he didn’t just try to bury it, though, and was willing to face it and work through it.
Thea was also really great. She’s incredibly driven and very much a girl boss, but her constant need to be in control and prove herself definitely gets her in her own head at times. I enjoyed seeing the softer side of her come out with Lockie and how she could let some of those walls down around him. It was lovely seeing her realise that she didn’t always have to do everything on her own.
What surprised me most was how far these two go back. There’s always been a pull between them, but the timing was never right and their careers always seemed to come first. I love that despite all the time and everything that had happened, they were still able to just be themselves with each other. They had a really natural connection and the chemistry was great.
The story itself was really enjoyable and had some great spice along the way. Accidental pregnancy isn’t normally a trope I go looking for, but I liked how it fitted into their story, and there was a good amount of emotion alongside it, so it never felt like it was all about the pregnancy.
I also loved getting Declan and Cooper crumbs throughout. I already adore those two, so them popping up was definitely a bonus.
Overall, I really enjoyed it. The narration was fantastic, and it's a great addition to the series.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This story felt like destiny from their first interaction through the end.
Lockie and Thea's story while spanning over a decade felt so magical. It was clear that they belonged together and I loved how perfectly they finally fell together. Their story is raw, emotional, and they overcome so much throughout the years. Lockie shows up for Thea and refuses to let her navigate things on her own. He's protective, charming, and so perfect for this strong woman. He supports her in every way and I could not get enough of his quiet and loud support for her. He told her and showed her that he was all in with her without trying to make her shrink and I loved that so much for them.
Stella Hunter and Shane East were incredible in these roles. They both captured so much depth and emotion in these characters and brought them to life in the most perfect ways.
TROPES:
Bodyguard
Right Person, Wrong Time
Forced Proximity
Accidental Pregnancy
He Falls First
Thank you to Vari Scott, Luna Literary Management and Must Love Audio for the ARC/ALC.
Lockie and Thea's story while spanning over a decade felt so magical. It was clear that they belonged together and I loved how perfectly they finally fell together. Their story is raw, emotional, and they overcome so much throughout the years. Lockie shows up for Thea and refuses to let her navigate things on her own. He's protective, charming, and so perfect for this strong woman. He supports her in every way and I could not get enough of his quiet and loud support for her. He told her and showed her that he was all in with her without trying to make her shrink and I loved that so much for them.
Stella Hunter and Shane East were incredible in these roles. They both captured so much depth and emotion in these characters and brought them to life in the most perfect ways.
TROPES:
Bodyguard
Right Person, Wrong Time
Forced Proximity
Accidental Pregnancy
He Falls First
Thank you to Vari Scott, Luna Literary Management and Must Love Audio for the ARC/ALC.
October 10, 2026
When I rant about wanting more strong, fierce FMC and MMC that respect them and love them for who they are... THIS👏🏼IS👏🏼WHAT👏🏼I👏🏼MEAN👏🏼!! Lockie is the prettiest soul! He just wants to love someone who will stay when the shadows creep in. Thea and Lockie are end game, they are relationship goals, they are what we all we wish we had at the end of the day. A strong connection and a scenes of belonging.
All wrapped in a big bow of yearning.
🥰 relatively low angst but oh so good.
Please do yourself a favor and do the audio on this one!! Stella and Shane are STUNNING!!
All wrapped in a big bow of yearning.
🥰 relatively low angst but oh so good.
Please do yourself a favor and do the audio on this one!! Stella and Shane are STUNNING!!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thea and Lockie bringing the HEAT!
This was a good second-chance romance. What started as a one-night stand turns into something they both didn't expect coming including a surprise pregnancy lol. Lockie's POV just made me love him even more after reading Resonance. Thea being a self-made woman is always a banger and somebody like Lockie is the only one that can really get to her core.
I think the storyline would've been fine without the accidental pregnancy. With both of their background, Lockie's sibling trauma and Thea's daddy issues, I think the storyline would've been great without it but seeing Lockie become a Dad was a treat!
enjoyed it and thank you to Vari Scott/Luna Literary for the ARC/ALC!
This was a good second-chance romance. What started as a one-night stand turns into something they both didn't expect coming including a surprise pregnancy lol. Lockie's POV just made me love him even more after reading Resonance. Thea being a self-made woman is always a banger and somebody like Lockie is the only one that can really get to her core.
I think the storyline would've been fine without the accidental pregnancy. With both of their background, Lockie's sibling trauma and Thea's daddy issues, I think the storyline would've been great without it but seeing Lockie become a Dad was a treat!
enjoyed it and thank you to Vari Scott/Luna Literary for the ARC/ALC!
October 11, 2026
Thanks to Luna Literary Management and the author for the ARC. 🩷
I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, especially with the accidental pregnancy trope, but I was pleasantly surprised! 🥹 I loved how these two always seemed meant to be, just never at the right time in their lives. Seeing them at a more mature stage made their story even better. And the Scottish bodyguard MMC? Loved him! A sweet, enjoyable romance with a couple I really rooted for.
I honestly didn’t expect to enjoy this book as much as I did, especially with the accidental pregnancy trope, but I was pleasantly surprised! 🥹 I loved how these two always seemed meant to be, just never at the right time in their lives. Seeing them at a more mature stage made their story even better. And the Scottish bodyguard MMC? Loved him! A sweet, enjoyable romance with a couple I really rooted for.
October 9, 2026
I loved all the tropes on this book. I 10/10 recommend reading this book and series.
What you will find inside this book:
Bodyguard Romance
Scottish MMC
Strong FMC
Accidental Pregnancy
Right Person, Wrong Time
He Falls First
Found Family
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
What you will find inside this book:
Bodyguard Romance
Scottish MMC
Strong FMC
Accidental Pregnancy
Right Person, Wrong Time
He Falls First
Found Family
Stars:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice:🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
Review of advance copy received from Author
4 ⭐️
2 🌶
🎧 duet
Twelve years of sporatic meet-ups, but the timing was never right for more. They both had careers that kept them apart. Until one night led to an accidental pregnancy. Lockie was all in, making moves to show up for Thea and the their baby.
The plot, the angst, the emotions all hit the marks!
And loved getting bits of Cooper + Declan and their little family.
Duet narration by Shane East and Stella Hunter. They were incredible as Thea and Lockie.
Thanks to Must Love Audio for ALC.
2 🌶
🎧 duet
Twelve years of sporatic meet-ups, but the timing was never right for more. They both had careers that kept them apart. Until one night led to an accidental pregnancy. Lockie was all in, making moves to show up for Thea and the their baby.
The plot, the angst, the emotions all hit the marks!
And loved getting bits of Cooper + Declan and their little family.
Duet narration by Shane East and Stella Hunter. They were incredible as Thea and Lockie.
Thanks to Must Love Audio for ALC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
This book absolutely consumed me. I was fortunate enough to receive advance copies of both the ebook and audiobook, so naturally I read and listened together, and once I started, I genuinely didn’t want to stop.
This was my first Vari Scott book and clearly I’ve been living under a rock, because how have I not discovered her before? Especially when she’s Scottish. Basically heresy for me. This definitely won’t be my last because I absolutely devoured this.
Lockie and Thea are everything I love about a second chance, right person wrong time romance. There is so much yearning, pining and angst between these two, and the chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS. You can practically feel the heat coming off the page…and your earbuds.
But it was their journey together that I loved most. These two have spent years coming back into each other’s orbit, and you can’t help but cheer them on because they just make so much sense together. Watching them finally face what has always been between them and find their way towards that HEA was beautiful, addictive and so satisfying.
I especially loved how Vari wrote Thea. She is fiercely independent, strong and incredibly career driven, but that independence never felt like it was being used to create resistance simply for the sake of dragging their story out. There’s such a fine balance with characters like this, and I thought Vari handled Thea’s growth so well. She never has to become less ambitious or less herself in order to let Lockie into her life.
And that growth goes both ways. Lockie carries his own grief and things from his past that have made him guarded and protective of his heart. They’ve both found different ways of safeguarding the lives they’ve built, yet somehow the one person they can never completely walk away from is each other.
There was something so beautiful about watching those walls gradually come down. Lockie is protective and caring without ever trying to change who Thea is, and once this man is all in, HE IS ALL IN. Their relationship feels like two people finally allowing themselves to have the thing they’ve spent years denying themselves, and I loved every second of getting there.
And I just loved Vari’s writing. There’s so much heart and emotional depth woven throughout this story, but it never feels heavy for the sake of being heavy. The yearning and pining are delicious, the chemistry is incredible, and there are some genuinely raw and emotional moments, but there’s also so much warmth, humour and found family threaded through it all.
As someone who reads a lot of darker, emotionally intense romance, this felt like the perfect change of pace without ever feeling like I was missing that depth I love. Vari gave me characters I genuinely cared about, emotion I could feel, and a romance I became completely invested in without needing to tear my heart out in the process. I just sank into this world and didn’t want to leave it.
And that found family? I loved this whole group so much. Now I need to go backwards and read the first two books in the series because apparently I have some serious catching up to do.
And then there’s the AUDIO.
Shane East and Stella Hunter are my OG favourite narrator pairing, so my expectations were already ridiculously high, but this casting could not have been more perfect.
A broody, protective Scotsman is basically signature Shane East at this point, and his performance as Lockie was everything. The accent, the emotion, the tenderness underneath all that gruffness — and every single lass, sweetheart, baby and mo chridhe? MELT. YOUR. EARBUDS.
Stella was phenomenal as Thea, and her Scottish accent and male voices were absolutely brilliant. Both Shane and Stella have such incredible range across all the characters that at times you genuinely forget you’re listening to only two performers. Together, they brought all that chemistry, yearning, emotion and history between Lockie and Thea completely to life.
This had everything I love in a contemporary romance: second chances, yearning and pining, a protective hero, a strong heroine, emotional depth, found family and so much heart.
I ate this up. I’m already on my second listen because apparently I wasn’t ready to leave Lockie and Thea behind yet.
One of my favourite reads and listens of the year, and I cannot recommend experiencing this one in audio enough.
♥️ READ THIS IF YOU LIKE:
🏴 ROCKSTAR’S BODYGUARD × ROCKSTAR’S MANAGER
♥️ PROTECTIVE SCOTTISH HERO
🏴 STRONG HEROINE
♥️ ACCIDENTAL PREGNANCY
🏴 RIGHT PERSON, WRONG TIME
♥️ HE FALLS FIRST
🏴 FOUND FAMILY
♥️ HE GIVES HER A SCOTTISH NICKNAME
Thank you to Vari Scott and Luna literary services for the advance copies.
This was my first Vari Scott book and clearly I’ve been living under a rock, because how have I not discovered her before? Especially when she’s Scottish. Basically heresy for me. This definitely won’t be my last because I absolutely devoured this.
Lockie and Thea are everything I love about a second chance, right person wrong time romance. There is so much yearning, pining and angst between these two, and the chemistry is OFF THE CHARTS. You can practically feel the heat coming off the page…and your earbuds.
But it was their journey together that I loved most. These two have spent years coming back into each other’s orbit, and you can’t help but cheer them on because they just make so much sense together. Watching them finally face what has always been between them and find their way towards that HEA was beautiful, addictive and so satisfying.
I especially loved how Vari wrote Thea. She is fiercely independent, strong and incredibly career driven, but that independence never felt like it was being used to create resistance simply for the sake of dragging their story out. There’s such a fine balance with characters like this, and I thought Vari handled Thea’s growth so well. She never has to become less ambitious or less herself in order to let Lockie into her life.
And that growth goes both ways. Lockie carries his own grief and things from his past that have made him guarded and protective of his heart. They’ve both found different ways of safeguarding the lives they’ve built, yet somehow the one person they can never completely walk away from is each other.
There was something so beautiful about watching those walls gradually come down. Lockie is protective and caring without ever trying to change who Thea is, and once this man is all in, HE IS ALL IN. Their relationship feels like two people finally allowing themselves to have the thing they’ve spent years denying themselves, and I loved every second of getting there.
And I just loved Vari’s writing. There’s so much heart and emotional depth woven throughout this story, but it never feels heavy for the sake of being heavy. The yearning and pining are delicious, the chemistry is incredible, and there are some genuinely raw and emotional moments, but there’s also so much warmth, humour and found family threaded through it all.
As someone who reads a lot of darker, emotionally intense romance, this felt like the perfect change of pace without ever feeling like I was missing that depth I love. Vari gave me characters I genuinely cared about, emotion I could feel, and a romance I became completely invested in without needing to tear my heart out in the process. I just sank into this world and didn’t want to leave it.
And that found family? I loved this whole group so much. Now I need to go backwards and read the first two books in the series because apparently I have some serious catching up to do.
And then there’s the AUDIO.
Shane East and Stella Hunter are my OG favourite narrator pairing, so my expectations were already ridiculously high, but this casting could not have been more perfect.
A broody, protective Scotsman is basically signature Shane East at this point, and his performance as Lockie was everything. The accent, the emotion, the tenderness underneath all that gruffness — and every single lass, sweetheart, baby and mo chridhe? MELT. YOUR. EARBUDS.
Stella was phenomenal as Thea, and her Scottish accent and male voices were absolutely brilliant. Both Shane and Stella have such incredible range across all the characters that at times you genuinely forget you’re listening to only two performers. Together, they brought all that chemistry, yearning, emotion and history between Lockie and Thea completely to life.
This had everything I love in a contemporary romance: second chances, yearning and pining, a protective hero, a strong heroine, emotional depth, found family and so much heart.
I ate this up. I’m already on my second listen because apparently I wasn’t ready to leave Lockie and Thea behind yet.
One of my favourite reads and listens of the year, and I cannot recommend experiencing this one in audio enough.
♥️ READ THIS IF YOU LIKE:
🏴 ROCKSTAR’S BODYGUARD × ROCKSTAR’S MANAGER
♥️ PROTECTIVE SCOTTISH HERO
🏴 STRONG HEROINE
♥️ ACCIDENTAL PREGNANCY
🏴 RIGHT PERSON, WRONG TIME
♥️ HE FALLS FIRST
🏴 FOUND FAMILY
♥️ HE GIVES HER A SCOTTISH NICKNAME
Thank you to Vari Scott and Luna literary services for the advance copies.
Review of advance copy received from Author
🎧 ALC/ARC provided by Vari Scott, Must Love Audio and Luna Literary 🙏
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.25/5)
📖 Format: 🎧 Audiobook / 📱 eBook
🎙️ Narration: ★★★★★
🎤 Dual (Shane East and Stella Hunter)
I adore both of these performers, and the beauty of dual narration is that they both get the chance to show their range across American and Scottish accents for characters of all genders. Dissonance was my first time hearing either of them do a Scottish accent… and let’s just say it won’t be the last (Samantha Young’s Highland series is rocketing up my TBL list off the back of this). Their delivery of Lockie James throughout this book leaves you in no doubt that he is one hot Scot.
📝 My thoughts
Lockie and Thea meet at an industry event in Miami. A one-night stand turns into “one weekend with a very attractive stranger”, which becomes a 12-year situationship (a handful of hookups, 12 years of almost). A surprise pregnancy drives the narrative of Dissonance. Our MMC and FMC have circled around each other for so long, connected by their work with the same rockstar: Reign Cooper (the focus of Book 2 in the Fractured Frequencies series, Resonance). Their story takes the right person/wrong time trope and puts a stopclock on the time part of that equation. They need to figure out what they mean to each other now.
I really enjoyed the shifting timeline, slipping from the present day to their first meeting 12 years ago, with select moments in between that add layers to their relationship. I also appreciate that while Thea is in her early 20s when they first hook up (Lockie is late 20s), she’s in her mid-30s and Lockie is nearly 40 when they’re navigating the surprise pregnancy. They’ve both lived lives and forged careers they’re proud of, but are still figuring themselves – and each other – out. (Spoiler: Lockie is a falls-first, falls-harder kinda guy)
As per usual, I’ve dropped into a series out of order. I haven’t read the earlier books in the series, but didn’t feel this affected my enjoyment of Book 3. I am, however, very keen to read Book 2 to learn more about Cooper and Declan’s story.
❝ Quotable quotes:
“A gentleman would accompany a lady to her room.” I aim for casual and probably miss by a mile. – Thea
“For the record, whatever happens tonight, gentlemanly won’t be the word for it.” – Lockie
“You said expensive things were overrated but I have a feeling men would bankrupt themselves for a taste of you.” – Lockie
🎯 Perfect for readers who enjoyed...
I love the conceit of supporting characters who orbit the same central figure falling in love. With that in mind, I’m going to make suggestions for what folks who enjoyed Dissonance might also enjoy (usually I suggest the inverse).
📚 The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro for deeply repressed and restrained yearning between a butler and housekeeper serving in the same household. If Lockie and Thea’s 12 years of almost appealed, try decades.
📚 One Day by David Nicholls for the question of what happens when two people keep intersecting across the years without quite managing to get the timing right.
📺 The West Wing if you like two highly competent people working to a shared powerful figure while conducting a long-running almost-romance (CJ and Danny, Josh and Donna – I’m looking at you!)
🎧 Would I spend an Audible credit on this?
💳 Absolutely
❤️ Tropes and vibes:
🛏️ One-night stand (kind of)
💼 Music industry romance (Rockstar bodyguard x Rockstar manager)
💘 Age gap (22/27 → 34/39)
🤫 Secret-ish relationship
🤰 Accidental pregnancy
⏳ Right person/wrong time
💚 Healthy communication
🏴 🇺🇸 Scotland/USA pairing
Setting: Los Angeles, Miami, and Taunton Falls (Canada)
🌶️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️
(Chapters 13, 14, 23, 29, 34, 44, 45)
Tone
💞 Tender
❤️ Romantic
🔥 Chemistry
Pacing
⏱️ Well-paced
Ending
🎁 HEA
✨ Satisfying ending
🏷️ Name Game: ★★★
Birth names: Lachlan James (MMC), Thea Calloway (FMC), secondary characters: Cooper Riddick (aka Reign Cooper), Declan, Ziggy
Nicknames: Lockie, Sweetheart, Mo Chridhe
⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.25/5)
📖 Format: 🎧 Audiobook / 📱 eBook
🎙️ Narration: ★★★★★
🎤 Dual (Shane East and Stella Hunter)
I adore both of these performers, and the beauty of dual narration is that they both get the chance to show their range across American and Scottish accents for characters of all genders. Dissonance was my first time hearing either of them do a Scottish accent… and let’s just say it won’t be the last (Samantha Young’s Highland series is rocketing up my TBL list off the back of this). Their delivery of Lockie James throughout this book leaves you in no doubt that he is one hot Scot.
📝 My thoughts
Lockie and Thea meet at an industry event in Miami. A one-night stand turns into “one weekend with a very attractive stranger”, which becomes a 12-year situationship (a handful of hookups, 12 years of almost). A surprise pregnancy drives the narrative of Dissonance. Our MMC and FMC have circled around each other for so long, connected by their work with the same rockstar: Reign Cooper (the focus of Book 2 in the Fractured Frequencies series, Resonance). Their story takes the right person/wrong time trope and puts a stopclock on the time part of that equation. They need to figure out what they mean to each other now.
I really enjoyed the shifting timeline, slipping from the present day to their first meeting 12 years ago, with select moments in between that add layers to their relationship. I also appreciate that while Thea is in her early 20s when they first hook up (Lockie is late 20s), she’s in her mid-30s and Lockie is nearly 40 when they’re navigating the surprise pregnancy. They’ve both lived lives and forged careers they’re proud of, but are still figuring themselves – and each other – out. (Spoiler: Lockie is a falls-first, falls-harder kinda guy)
As per usual, I’ve dropped into a series out of order. I haven’t read the earlier books in the series, but didn’t feel this affected my enjoyment of Book 3. I am, however, very keen to read Book 2 to learn more about Cooper and Declan’s story.
❝ Quotable quotes:
“A gentleman would accompany a lady to her room.” I aim for casual and probably miss by a mile. – Thea
“For the record, whatever happens tonight, gentlemanly won’t be the word for it.” – Lockie
“You said expensive things were overrated but I have a feeling men would bankrupt themselves for a taste of you.” – Lockie
🎯 Perfect for readers who enjoyed...
I love the conceit of supporting characters who orbit the same central figure falling in love. With that in mind, I’m going to make suggestions for what folks who enjoyed Dissonance might also enjoy (usually I suggest the inverse).
📚 The Remains of the Day by Kazuo Ishiguro for deeply repressed and restrained yearning between a butler and housekeeper serving in the same household. If Lockie and Thea’s 12 years of almost appealed, try decades.
📚 One Day by David Nicholls for the question of what happens when two people keep intersecting across the years without quite managing to get the timing right.
📺 The West Wing if you like two highly competent people working to a shared powerful figure while conducting a long-running almost-romance (CJ and Danny, Josh and Donna – I’m looking at you!)
🎧 Would I spend an Audible credit on this?
💳 Absolutely
❤️ Tropes and vibes:
🛏️ One-night stand (kind of)
💼 Music industry romance (Rockstar bodyguard x Rockstar manager)
💘 Age gap (22/27 → 34/39)
🤫 Secret-ish relationship
🤰 Accidental pregnancy
⏳ Right person/wrong time
💚 Healthy communication
🏴 🇺🇸 Scotland/USA pairing
Setting: Los Angeles, Miami, and Taunton Falls (Canada)
🌶️ Spice: 🌶️🌶️
(Chapters 13, 14, 23, 29, 34, 44, 45)
Tone
💞 Tender
❤️ Romantic
🔥 Chemistry
Pacing
⏱️ Well-paced
Ending
🎁 HEA
✨ Satisfying ending
🏷️ Name Game: ★★★
Birth names: Lachlan James (MMC), Thea Calloway (FMC), secondary characters: Cooper Riddick (aka Reign Cooper), Declan, Ziggy
Nicknames: Lockie, Sweetheart, Mo Chridhe
Review of advance copy received from Author
Dissonance by Vari Scott
⭐⭐⭐⭐¾ (4.75/5)
I fell so hard for Thea and Lachlan's right person, wrong time, bodyguard × manager romance.
After getting to know Lachlan a little in the previous book (Resonance—an absolute MUST READ), I was really excited to see him get his own book. A 6'6" stoic bodyguard with a rough Scottish brogue and a tragic history?? BE STILL MY BEATING HEART. There is something about a highly capable man that is deadly sexy, and Lockie slayed me. Add in Shane East's narration, and I never stood a chance. East perfectly captured Lachlan's quiet strength, and the spicy scenes from his POV melted me into a giant puddle. Talk about the right person, right role.
And Thea? She is everything I love in an FMC: independent, ambitious, and intelligent, while still feminine and soft. She has avoided taking her occasional hookups with Lockie to the next level because she doesn't want to give anyone room to accuse her of sleeping her way to clients. She may work in the same talent industry as her father, but she's out there putting her own stamp on the world. It's admirable and sexy as hell. I thought Stella Hunter nailed her narration, capturing Thea's tenacity without losing her softer side.
Thea and Lachlan's chemistry sizzles in the prologue and never stops. Even more than a decade after their first hookup (HOLY. HOTNESS.), they still can't keep their hands off each other when they're in the same room. But what makes their romance so beautiful is that it's about so much more than physical attraction. Lachlan sees beyond Thea's beauty and loves every part of her (Mo chridhe!!), while Thea gives him a sense of home he's been missing for so long. For two people who have spent years finding reasons not to be together, there's something incredibly satisfying about watching them finally embrace what they've always had.
And can we please talk about the keepers of my whole heart: Cooper and Declan? They destroyed me in Resonance, so it was wonderful to see them living happily married with their son, Ziggy. They truly consider Lachlan family, not just Cooper's bodyguard. THEY ARE THE LOVES OF MY LIFE, AND I WANT THEM IN EVERY BOOK.
Having now read books two and three of the Fractured Frequencies series, Vari Scott is officially an auto-buy author. I'm obsessed with her writing style, especially the way she captures the heart of her characters and makes me fall so completely in love with them.
Thank you to the author and Luna Literary Management for providing an ARC and ALC!
⭐⭐⭐⭐¾ (4.75/5)
I fell so hard for Thea and Lachlan's right person, wrong time, bodyguard × manager romance.
After getting to know Lachlan a little in the previous book (Resonance—an absolute MUST READ), I was really excited to see him get his own book. A 6'6" stoic bodyguard with a rough Scottish brogue and a tragic history?? BE STILL MY BEATING HEART. There is something about a highly capable man that is deadly sexy, and Lockie slayed me. Add in Shane East's narration, and I never stood a chance. East perfectly captured Lachlan's quiet strength, and the spicy scenes from his POV melted me into a giant puddle. Talk about the right person, right role.
And Thea? She is everything I love in an FMC: independent, ambitious, and intelligent, while still feminine and soft. She has avoided taking her occasional hookups with Lockie to the next level because she doesn't want to give anyone room to accuse her of sleeping her way to clients. She may work in the same talent industry as her father, but she's out there putting her own stamp on the world. It's admirable and sexy as hell. I thought Stella Hunter nailed her narration, capturing Thea's tenacity without losing her softer side.
Thea and Lachlan's chemistry sizzles in the prologue and never stops. Even more than a decade after their first hookup (HOLY. HOTNESS.), they still can't keep their hands off each other when they're in the same room. But what makes their romance so beautiful is that it's about so much more than physical attraction. Lachlan sees beyond Thea's beauty and loves every part of her (Mo chridhe!!), while Thea gives him a sense of home he's been missing for so long. For two people who have spent years finding reasons not to be together, there's something incredibly satisfying about watching them finally embrace what they've always had.
And can we please talk about the keepers of my whole heart: Cooper and Declan? They destroyed me in Resonance, so it was wonderful to see them living happily married with their son, Ziggy. They truly consider Lachlan family, not just Cooper's bodyguard. THEY ARE THE LOVES OF MY LIFE, AND I WANT THEM IN EVERY BOOK.
Having now read books two and three of the Fractured Frequencies series, Vari Scott is officially an auto-buy author. I'm obsessed with her writing style, especially the way she captures the heart of her characters and makes me fall so completely in love with them.
Thank you to the author and Luna Literary Management for providing an ARC and ALC!
Review of advance copy received from Author
🅰🆁🅲 🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭
"𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕, 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒂𝒚. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉; 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝒊 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒓. 𝑼𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓."
As always, Vari Scott absolutely NAILED THIS ONE! And I’m going to say it right now: if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Because this series just keeps getting better, and this one completely stole my heart😭❤️
The spice, the plot, the angst, THE EMOTIONS. I went through every possible feeling while reading this book. One minute I was giggling and kicking my feet, the next I was swooning, tearing up, and wondering how a book could make me feel SO MUCH. I connected with this story in more ways than one, and my emotions were absolutely all over the place.
And can we talk about the audiobook?! Shane East and Stella Hunter did a phenomenal job bringing Thea and Locke to life. Their performances were SO GOOD. Honestly, flawless perfection. The whole reading and listening experience was just beautiful.
I especially loved the shifting timeline, taking us between the present and their first meeting 12 years ago. TWELVE. YEARS. OF YEARNING. You already know I'm a sucker for a love story like this! Watching Thea and Locke navigate all the back and forth, the timing, and everything life throws at them was such an emotional experience. A life changing moment brings them closer, and seeing how they grow, find their way back to each other, and build something beautiful together had me in my FEELINGS. Add a little found family magic and a beautiful HEA, and I'm SOLD.
While Thea and Locke make appearances in the previous books, you absolutely can read this one on its own. Their entire story unfolds here, and nothing feels missing. BUT, if you have the chance, please read the whole series! The first two books are fantastic, too, and I wouldn't want you to miss out on this crew. Getting everyone back together was such a treat!
I'm already excited for what's next, but I have to say, this might just be my favourite accidental pregnancy romance I've read so far. I had the BEST time with these two.
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
𝐃𝐢𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐕𝐚𝐫𝐢 𝐒𝐜𝐨𝐭𝐭
"𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒇𝒆 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒕, 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒅𝒆𝒔𝒆𝒓𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒓𝒐𝒐𝒎 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒘𝒂𝒚. 𝑰𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒔 𝒆𝒂𝒔𝒊𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆𝒍𝒊𝒆𝒗𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒕𝒐 𝒂𝒅𝒎𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒕𝒉; 𝒊𝒕'𝒔 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒃𝒆𝒄𝒂𝒖𝒔𝒆 𝑰 𝒅𝒊𝒅𝒏'𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔, 𝒊 𝒋𝒖𝒔𝒕 𝒏𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒎𝒆𝒕 𝒂𝒏𝒚𝒐𝒏𝒆 𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉 𝒅𝒊𝒔𝒎𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇 𝒇𝒐𝒓. 𝑼𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒍 𝒉𝒆𝒓."
As always, Vari Scott absolutely NAILED THIS ONE! And I’m going to say it right now: if you haven’t read the first two books in this series, WHAT ARE YOU WAITING FOR?! Because this series just keeps getting better, and this one completely stole my heart😭❤️
The spice, the plot, the angst, THE EMOTIONS. I went through every possible feeling while reading this book. One minute I was giggling and kicking my feet, the next I was swooning, tearing up, and wondering how a book could make me feel SO MUCH. I connected with this story in more ways than one, and my emotions were absolutely all over the place.
And can we talk about the audiobook?! Shane East and Stella Hunter did a phenomenal job bringing Thea and Locke to life. Their performances were SO GOOD. Honestly, flawless perfection. The whole reading and listening experience was just beautiful.
I especially loved the shifting timeline, taking us between the present and their first meeting 12 years ago. TWELVE. YEARS. OF YEARNING. You already know I'm a sucker for a love story like this! Watching Thea and Locke navigate all the back and forth, the timing, and everything life throws at them was such an emotional experience. A life changing moment brings them closer, and seeing how they grow, find their way back to each other, and build something beautiful together had me in my FEELINGS. Add a little found family magic and a beautiful HEA, and I'm SOLD.
While Thea and Locke make appearances in the previous books, you absolutely can read this one on its own. Their entire story unfolds here, and nothing feels missing. BUT, if you have the chance, please read the whole series! The first two books are fantastic, too, and I wouldn't want you to miss out on this crew. Getting everyone back together was such a treat!
I'm already excited for what's next, but I have to say, this might just be my favourite accidental pregnancy romance I've read so far. I had the BEST time with these two.
Review of advance copy received from Author
There’s something about Vari Scott’s writing that just draws me in. I first encountered her work when I read Resonance, and I became a huge fan. When I learned about Dissonance and that it features Lachlan, Cooper’s bodyguard, I knew I wanted to read it.
Lachlan (Lockie) and Thea met twelve years ago at an industry event where Lockie was working as a bodyguard and Thea was looking to find new clients. They were immediately attracted to each other and shared a heated weekend together before parting ways. Over the years, they connected a few times, but something was always keeping them apart—Thea’s career as a manager for musicians or Lockie’s job as a bodyguard. Then, after one such meeting, Thea unexpectedly gets pregnant, and their entire relationship starts to change.
I appreciated Lockie and Thea’s relationship and how they complemented each other. I don’t read MF romance very often anymore because there always seems to be a power imbalance between the man and the woman, but I didn’t feel that in this book. Thea is very strong and determined to stand on her own without help from anyone. Lockie doesn’t try to change that about her—instead, he fits into her world and supports her, providing stability and balance as needed.
I also liked that the pregnancy wasn’t made the entire focus of the book. It was obviously the catalyst for their relationship to change, but it wasn’t the reason Thea and Lockie were together. They just work as a couple, and their relationship evolved naturally as they spent more time together.
Of course, I was beyond happy to get glimpses of Cooper and Declan and little Ziggy. These moments were worked into the narrative seamlessly and really added to the story. There’s also an element of found family in this series that adds to the stories being told.
This book made me even more of a fan of Vari Scott, and I can’t wait to read what she comes out with next.
Thanks to the author for providing an ARC for me to read.
Lachlan (Lockie) and Thea met twelve years ago at an industry event where Lockie was working as a bodyguard and Thea was looking to find new clients. They were immediately attracted to each other and shared a heated weekend together before parting ways. Over the years, they connected a few times, but something was always keeping them apart—Thea’s career as a manager for musicians or Lockie’s job as a bodyguard. Then, after one such meeting, Thea unexpectedly gets pregnant, and their entire relationship starts to change.
I appreciated Lockie and Thea’s relationship and how they complemented each other. I don’t read MF romance very often anymore because there always seems to be a power imbalance between the man and the woman, but I didn’t feel that in this book. Thea is very strong and determined to stand on her own without help from anyone. Lockie doesn’t try to change that about her—instead, he fits into her world and supports her, providing stability and balance as needed.
I also liked that the pregnancy wasn’t made the entire focus of the book. It was obviously the catalyst for their relationship to change, but it wasn’t the reason Thea and Lockie were together. They just work as a couple, and their relationship evolved naturally as they spent more time together.
Of course, I was beyond happy to get glimpses of Cooper and Declan and little Ziggy. These moments were worked into the narrative seamlessly and really added to the story. There’s also an element of found family in this series that adds to the stories being told.
This book made me even more of a fan of Vari Scott, and I can’t wait to read what she comes out with next.
Thanks to the author for providing an ARC for me to read.
October 9, 2026
Out today and I had the privilege of receiving and arc and alc… I chose to listen and @shaneeastreads and @stellahunternarrator did not disappoint 🤩
Thea and Lockie were fantastic together, the body guard of one of Thea’s clients and a long standing attraction and occasional hook ups led to an accidental pregnancy and oh how I loved these two… Thea wanting to be the strong woman and do life herself and Lockie who just realises what he wants but does he deserve it. I’ve loved this whole series and seeing the characters like Cooper pop up has been great!
What to expect:
🏴Rockstar’s bodyguard × rockstar’s manager
🏴Protective Scottish hero
🏴Strong heroine
🏴Accidental pregnancy
🏴Right person, wrong time
🏴He falls first
🏴Found family
Book overview
She’s spent her life carrying everyone else.
He’s the first man determined to carry her.
As one of the music industry’s most respected managers, Thea Calloway has built her reputation by putting her artists first. Their dreams. Their futures. Their success. Her career’s the one thing she’s never been willing to compromise. Even if it means there’s never been room for a life of her own.
There’s just one exception.
Lachlan “Lockie” James.
Former Navy SEAL. Fiercely loyal Scottish bodyguard to her biggest client. The only man who’s spent years slipping past every carefully built defense, one stolen weekend at a time.
Then two pink lines change everything.
Now the future they’ve spent years denying is impossible to ignore, forcing Thea to confront the one thing she’s never planned for: a life where she doesn’t have to choose between the career she’s fought to build and the one man she’s never truly been able to walk away from.
Can two people who have spent years putting everyone else first finally choose each other?
Thea and Lockie were fantastic together, the body guard of one of Thea’s clients and a long standing attraction and occasional hook ups led to an accidental pregnancy and oh how I loved these two… Thea wanting to be the strong woman and do life herself and Lockie who just realises what he wants but does he deserve it. I’ve loved this whole series and seeing the characters like Cooper pop up has been great!
What to expect:
🏴Rockstar’s bodyguard × rockstar’s manager
🏴Protective Scottish hero
🏴Strong heroine
🏴Accidental pregnancy
🏴Right person, wrong time
🏴He falls first
🏴Found family
Book overview
She’s spent her life carrying everyone else.
He’s the first man determined to carry her.
As one of the music industry’s most respected managers, Thea Calloway has built her reputation by putting her artists first. Their dreams. Their futures. Their success. Her career’s the one thing she’s never been willing to compromise. Even if it means there’s never been room for a life of her own.
There’s just one exception.
Lachlan “Lockie” James.
Former Navy SEAL. Fiercely loyal Scottish bodyguard to her biggest client. The only man who’s spent years slipping past every carefully built defense, one stolen weekend at a time.
Then two pink lines change everything.
Now the future they’ve spent years denying is impossible to ignore, forcing Thea to confront the one thing she’s never planned for: a life where she doesn’t have to choose between the career she’s fought to build and the one man she’s never truly been able to walk away from.
Can two people who have spent years putting everyone else first finally choose each other?
Review of advance copy
🎧 Ok. This bodyguard caught my attention when I read "Resonance". I cannot see Scottish without picking my interest. So here we are.
🎧 The way real life affects the reading preferences never cease to amaze me. The way I love these book men that take care of things (sometimes without even being asked to), especially if the heroine has a gazilion things to do in her hands. Lockie is one of them. Scottish and silent and there when needed. Thea was a pleasure to read as well. Strong, capable. Adding people from previous books I enjoyed, made this a well time spent.
🎧 Aurally wise. Yes, we know Shane East can do a mean Scottish accent. Delicious one. Stella Hunter can do one also though. Loved it. I liked the tone of her voice for Thea, giving me all the feels of being the boss, wanting to do things her way, tiredness, a bit of stubbornness, banter, all very well done.
🎧 I do have a weakness for whispering and it has been a while to have Shane East's whisper game in my ears. Combined with the accent I have to admit it threw me off my constant poker face when I listen to these books in public. I had to stop while listening to a chapter. But Lockie has that sensitive side to him that comes through as well. So good.
❗️ Disclaimer : My rants, ramblings, and incoherent thoughts below might be considered spoilers by some.
🎧 Ms. Scott managed here to have me enjoy a pregnancy trope situation by the way they both handle the pregnancy. It is refreshing to read about couples who are not cooing neither feeling overly homely and excited about being parents. Not that they were not happy about it, but it felt more real the way they navigated through it in my humble opinion. No disrespect to all those who are on cloud nine from the get go.
🎧 The way real life affects the reading preferences never cease to amaze me. The way I love these book men that take care of things (sometimes without even being asked to), especially if the heroine has a gazilion things to do in her hands. Lockie is one of them. Scottish and silent and there when needed. Thea was a pleasure to read as well. Strong, capable. Adding people from previous books I enjoyed, made this a well time spent.
🎧 Aurally wise. Yes, we know Shane East can do a mean Scottish accent. Delicious one. Stella Hunter can do one also though. Loved it. I liked the tone of her voice for Thea, giving me all the feels of being the boss, wanting to do things her way, tiredness, a bit of stubbornness, banter, all very well done.
🎧 I do have a weakness for whispering and it has been a while to have Shane East's whisper game in my ears. Combined with the accent I have to admit it threw me off my constant poker face when I listen to these books in public. I had to stop while listening to a chapter. But Lockie has that sensitive side to him that comes through as well. So good.
❗️ Disclaimer : My rants, ramblings, and incoherent thoughts below might be considered spoilers by some.
🎧 Ms. Scott managed here to have me enjoy a pregnancy trope situation by the way they both handle the pregnancy. It is refreshing to read about couples who are not cooing neither feeling overly homely and excited about being parents. Not that they were not happy about it, but it felt more real the way they navigated through it in my humble opinion. No disrespect to all those who are on cloud nine from the get go.
October 1, 2026
Book 3 in the Fractured Frequencies series
Dedication: For those who don't need convention to be happy, but wouldn't say no to a strong Scotsman wanting to give her everything anyway.
Ahhhh this was amazing! I absolutely devoured this book! I loved seeing how this relationship flourished over the span of 12 years! Yep, that's right: 12 years of yearning each other, but circumstances always got in the way. I loved seeing how their paths crossed and how important they both became to each other's lives.
Lachlan is the tough, badass bodyguard, and Thea the manager of the artist he protects.
"Okay. One-one weekend."
All it took was one weekend in the handful of rendezvous to pull them together. The accidental pregnancy trope was done perfectly in their story. You do not understand how touching and beautifully written this was!
Oh and don't get me started on getting a glimpse into Cooper and Declan's life together!! Declan, Cooper and Ziggy!! 🫠 💛 My number ones (LOL)
Can I please get a standing ovation for Stella Hunter! YOU are amazing and one of my favorite narrators of all time!! Thank you for bringing Thea to life and omg your Scottish male voice 😉 I love it! Oh and the talented Shane East bravo 👏🏼 like all the characters you shower with your talent, Lachlan was no exception. You two were the peanut butter and jelly to my sandwich 5 stars!!
@shaneeastreads
@stellahunternarrator
"My life didn't have room for it, didn't deserve the room anyway. It was easiest to believe that than to admit the truth; it's not because I didn't want those things, i just never met anyone worth dismantling myself for. Until her."
Dedication: For those who don't need convention to be happy, but wouldn't say no to a strong Scotsman wanting to give her everything anyway.
Ahhhh this was amazing! I absolutely devoured this book! I loved seeing how this relationship flourished over the span of 12 years! Yep, that's right: 12 years of yearning each other, but circumstances always got in the way. I loved seeing how their paths crossed and how important they both became to each other's lives.
Lachlan is the tough, badass bodyguard, and Thea the manager of the artist he protects.
"Okay. One-one weekend."
All it took was one weekend in the handful of rendezvous to pull them together. The accidental pregnancy trope was done perfectly in their story. You do not understand how touching and beautifully written this was!
Oh and don't get me started on getting a glimpse into Cooper and Declan's life together!! Declan, Cooper and Ziggy!! 🫠 💛 My number ones (LOL)
Can I please get a standing ovation for Stella Hunter! YOU are amazing and one of my favorite narrators of all time!! Thank you for bringing Thea to life and omg your Scottish male voice 😉 I love it! Oh and the talented Shane East bravo 👏🏼 like all the characters you shower with your talent, Lachlan was no exception. You two were the peanut butter and jelly to my sandwich 5 stars!!
@shaneeastreads
@stellahunternarrator
"My life didn't have room for it, didn't deserve the room anyway. It was easiest to believe that than to admit the truth; it's not because I didn't want those things, i just never met anyone worth dismantling myself for. Until her."
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thanks, @variscottwrites, @lunaliterary.management and @mustloveaudio for the gifted copies.
Thea Calloway and Lachlan 'Lockie' James keep crossing paths. First, a scorching night that was supposed to be a one night stand but, when they decided they could be more, they realize they are connected in ways that won't allow it. Then, Lockie becomes Reign Cooper's trusted bodyguard and Thea becomes his manager. The universe keeps throwing them together. They cave once in a while - the pull is too strong. Nobody knows. And then, two pink lines change everything,
I loved catching up and finding out more about Thea and Lockie. This very character driven story gives us two people who are irresistibly drawn to each other but who are so determined to be the best at what they do that they leave no room for a personal life.
Thea has to fight very hard not to be considered a nepo baby in the industry and it doesn't help that she is also a woman. Lockie carries a world of hurt in his heart, feeling guilty for something he had no control over.
I loved how Vari played around with tropes: Lockie is a bodyguard but not Thea's, Thea is a rockstar's manager and not the rockstar. The age gap is irrelevant. Through dual timelines, we get to know how they became each other's 'mo cridhe'.
The audiobook is narrated dual style by Stella Hunter and Shane East. Dual performances are great to show the narrators' range and Stella and Shane flex their chops. They both rock the accents and switch flawlessly between American and Scottish.
Alongside Thea and Lockie, we are put through the wringer but it's worth it. Plus, you get to catch up with Paige, Maddox, and I loved seeing Cooper and Declan as parents and in domestic bliss.
I hope to see more of this world!
Content notes (including but not limited to): accidental pregnancy, mentions of loss of sibling, PTSD, grief
Thea Calloway and Lachlan 'Lockie' James keep crossing paths. First, a scorching night that was supposed to be a one night stand but, when they decided they could be more, they realize they are connected in ways that won't allow it. Then, Lockie becomes Reign Cooper's trusted bodyguard and Thea becomes his manager. The universe keeps throwing them together. They cave once in a while - the pull is too strong. Nobody knows. And then, two pink lines change everything,
I loved catching up and finding out more about Thea and Lockie. This very character driven story gives us two people who are irresistibly drawn to each other but who are so determined to be the best at what they do that they leave no room for a personal life.
Thea has to fight very hard not to be considered a nepo baby in the industry and it doesn't help that she is also a woman. Lockie carries a world of hurt in his heart, feeling guilty for something he had no control over.
I loved how Vari played around with tropes: Lockie is a bodyguard but not Thea's, Thea is a rockstar's manager and not the rockstar. The age gap is irrelevant. Through dual timelines, we get to know how they became each other's 'mo cridhe'.
The audiobook is narrated dual style by Stella Hunter and Shane East. Dual performances are great to show the narrators' range and Stella and Shane flex their chops. They both rock the accents and switch flawlessly between American and Scottish.
Alongside Thea and Lockie, we are put through the wringer but it's worth it. Plus, you get to catch up with Paige, Maddox, and I loved seeing Cooper and Declan as parents and in domestic bliss.
I hope to see more of this world!
Content notes (including but not limited to): accidental pregnancy, mentions of loss of sibling, PTSD, grief
Review of advance copy received from Author
"I can see the rest of my life in front of me, and she's in every part of it."
LOCKIE!!!!!!! I truly did not think Resonance could be topped but Thea and Lockie decided to prove me wrong. I honestly do not even know where to begin with this story, it is so dang perfect. Be prepared to not want to stop reading/listening once you start because these two have a history and you will want to know everything as quickly as you can.
For 12 years these two dance around their feelings for each other, the timing is just never right. They are both career driven but Thea feels she has more to lose if she was to ever pursue something with Lockie. Her becoming Reign Cooper's manager while Lockie is his bodyguard makes things interesting and directly in each other's paths once again.
I love how Lockie falls first. This man is only sees Thea and when pregnancy gets thrown into the mix he really starts to think about a future and the forever kind of love he knows he could have with Thea. His heart is so huge and he proves to her again and again that the only place he wants to be is by her side.
Thea has spent so long trying to prove herself in the industry that she doesn't see she has already done just that. It is hard to make her falter but Lockie can do just that. Being a workaholic soon becomes a deterrent for her and Lockie is right there to make sure she gets the rest and relaxation necessary. Day after day he starts to break through the wall that seems to only exist for him.
Their HEA was YEARS in the making! Ms. Scott does an amazing job showing the magnetic pull between these two. Anytime they are in a room together the tension runs high and I was there for it. Life changing events are faced and choices are made that end with these two finally being together. And that epilogue....I have high hopes for future stories!!
********AUDIO REVIEW********
Stella Hunter and Shane East....need I say more!!! These two did not disappoint. I swear there is not an accent Ms. Hunter cannot pull off and she is so good when having to switch to the male POV, she never missed a beat! Shane East with that Scottish accent...PERFECTION!!!! He makes the best Lockie! Then there was when he had to do Cooper and Declan and he nailed those personalities too! I could have listened to these two as these characters over and over again!
LOCKIE!!!!!!! I truly did not think Resonance could be topped but Thea and Lockie decided to prove me wrong. I honestly do not even know where to begin with this story, it is so dang perfect. Be prepared to not want to stop reading/listening once you start because these two have a history and you will want to know everything as quickly as you can.
For 12 years these two dance around their feelings for each other, the timing is just never right. They are both career driven but Thea feels she has more to lose if she was to ever pursue something with Lockie. Her becoming Reign Cooper's manager while Lockie is his bodyguard makes things interesting and directly in each other's paths once again.
I love how Lockie falls first. This man is only sees Thea and when pregnancy gets thrown into the mix he really starts to think about a future and the forever kind of love he knows he could have with Thea. His heart is so huge and he proves to her again and again that the only place he wants to be is by her side.
Thea has spent so long trying to prove herself in the industry that she doesn't see she has already done just that. It is hard to make her falter but Lockie can do just that. Being a workaholic soon becomes a deterrent for her and Lockie is right there to make sure she gets the rest and relaxation necessary. Day after day he starts to break through the wall that seems to only exist for him.
Their HEA was YEARS in the making! Ms. Scott does an amazing job showing the magnetic pull between these two. Anytime they are in a room together the tension runs high and I was there for it. Life changing events are faced and choices are made that end with these two finally being together. And that epilogue....I have high hopes for future stories!!
********AUDIO REVIEW********
Stella Hunter and Shane East....need I say more!!! These two did not disappoint. I swear there is not an accent Ms. Hunter cannot pull off and she is so good when having to switch to the male POV, she never missed a beat! Shane East with that Scottish accent...PERFECTION!!!! He makes the best Lockie! Then there was when he had to do Cooper and Declan and he nailed those personalities too! I could have listened to these two as these characters over and over again!
Review of advance copy
Another homerun for Vari Scott! Dissonance walked that line of instant attraction and yearning perfectly. Woven into the story, we get flashbacks from Thea and Lockie’s first weekend together and a couple flashes from a few other times over the past 12 YEARS!! They’ve been circling each other for 12 years with Thea wanting to build her career on her own terms and Lockie having a wall up against losing anyone else in his life and using respecting Thea’s wishes as an excuse not push for more.
Until two little pink lines force them to face just what the other means to them and how they don’t want anyone else and haven’t for 12 years.
We get some mental health rep with Lockie still not done processing the death of a younger sibling and holding the weight of it all and finally having a long-needed heart-to-heart with his father. Lockie is all in with the baby and you can tell he's been all in for Thea and just needed a way in.
This does have accidental pregnancy and an instance when something appears to be going wrong with the pregnancy so trigger warnings for those. However, it also has a decent representation of being pregnant and childbirth. I found myself thinking about my own experiences listening to this book.
Shane East and Stella Hunter do great with this dual narration, especially with a Scottish accent in there for Lockie and all the side characters. I had several moments when this story hit me with emotion.
The book stays strong to the end – the last sentence took me out! I loved getting to see all of the people Thea has impacted all together. I love a good epilogue and this one wasn’t disappointing.
Thank you to Vari Scott and Luna Literary Management for the opportunity to review this book ahead of its release.
Until two little pink lines force them to face just what the other means to them and how they don’t want anyone else and haven’t for 12 years.
We get some mental health rep with Lockie still not done processing the death of a younger sibling and holding the weight of it all and finally having a long-needed heart-to-heart with his father. Lockie is all in with the baby and you can tell he's been all in for Thea and just needed a way in.
This does have accidental pregnancy and an instance when something appears to be going wrong with the pregnancy so trigger warnings for those. However, it also has a decent representation of being pregnant and childbirth. I found myself thinking about my own experiences listening to this book.
Shane East and Stella Hunter do great with this dual narration, especially with a Scottish accent in there for Lockie and all the side characters. I had several moments when this story hit me with emotion.
The book stays strong to the end – the last sentence took me out! I loved getting to see all of the people Thea has impacted all together. I love a good epilogue and this one wasn’t disappointing.
Thank you to Vari Scott and Luna Literary Management for the opportunity to review this book ahead of its release.
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